Senate Democrats on Tuesday doubled down on a program that has lost at least 85,000 “unaccompanied alien children,” proposing to move children to the sponsors even more quickly, and with even less oversight. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and other Democrats introduced the “Children’s Safe Welcome Act of 2024,” which would require that within seven days of receiving an application from an adult who wants to “sponsor” a child who crosses the border without parents, the Department of Health and Human Services must make its decision about whether to release the child to that person. Agency whistleblowers say that timeline does not give enough time for any reasonable background check, and results in children being sent to live with labor and sex traffickers and gang members. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Tuesday said the emphasis on sending migrants to live with “sponsors” as quickly as possible has led to the “systematic abuse and disappearance of migrant children” and retaliation against employees who tried to block “children from going to men who sexualized them, MS-13 gang affiliated sponsors, and also sponsors who were mass-applying for kids.” Democrats became obsessed with avoiding the temporary holding facilities, which were common under Barack Obama, at all costs after calling them “cages” under Trump. The bill would make it very difficult for the government to say no to releasing a child to an adult who wants him or her, saying that the burden of proof falls on the government to establish, “by clear and convincing evidence,” that “placement with the prospective sponsor is likely to result in serious emotional or physical damage to the child.” Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! That proof would be hard to come by because the government would be barred from gathering information from prospective sponsors in a manner not subject to fraud. Fingerprint-based checks may only (and even then, not must) be requested “if a public records check of the sponsor reveals safety concerns” — a situation that is unlikely to occur because sponsors for whom fingerprints would show negative information could simply use a fake name. The agency otherwise simply relies on pictures of foreign IDs texted to government workers through WhatsApp. The bill says that the government must get rid of any process that slows down the release of children — processes that whistleblowers say are designed to prevent them from going to traffickers and abusers. “The Director shall eliminate any administrative hindrance identified as a systemic barrier to release,” the bill says. A criminal background is not a reason to deny custody of a minor to a “sponsor” unless the conviction is for child trafficking or otherwise has a “direct and immediate impact” on the safety of the child, language that is not defined and which, again, HHS will have every incentive to define narrowly because moving kids quickly to any sponsor is the priority. Although the program was advertised to Americans as “reuniting” children with family members, the Democrat bill is explicit that children often have no relationship whatsoever to the sponsor, and requires it to stay that way, saying “a prospective sponsor may not be denied sponsorship solely due to … absence of a pre-existing relationship with the unaccompanied noncitizen child concerned.” The bill also ties HHS’ hands by entirely shutting down group homes where children can be held for longer if a sponsor is not quickly identifiable. Although such group homes have also been sites of abuse of children, having them as not even an option means that HHS will be highly disincentivized to ask any questions about sponsors that might turn up an answer they don’t want to hear. HHS never meets the sponsors in person before turning the children over to them. Whistleblowers have said it is an open secret that many of them are brazenly lying, and that staff are taught not to ask questions. In one instance, a man pretended to be a particular woman, speaking in a falsetto voice, and government agents simply accepted “her” identity. Then they put the children in the custody of a transportation contractor, who takes them to the sponsor. The only follow-up that HHS does after that is a single call 30 days later. The New York Times reported in 2021 that one-third of the time, the sponsors couldn’t or wouldn’t assure the government of the child’s safe presence at the home at that time. That amounted to 85,000 missing children — a number which, if the rate held, could now be 166,000, as approximately 500,000 unaccompanied alien children have entered the country in recent years. The government has a list of the sponsors who are almost always illegal immigrants themselves, and who have lost children, but instead of facing the repercussions that a parent who lost their American child would, the government fiercely protects the sponsors. It says local authorities are responsible for assuring the safety of children after they are dropped off with sponsors, but refuses to give local authorities lists of the kids — so they don’t know they even exist, and cannot provide child protective services. The Democrat bill prevents HHS from doing more oversight to ensure the safety of children, saying, “The Director may not uniformly require post-release services to be in place before releasing an unaccompanied noncitizen child to a sponsor,” and, “If HHS becomes aware that a child is in danger, it may not take the child back, but may (not must) notify local authorities.” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said American children would never be treated with such little diligence, and “we should protect these vulnerable children from harm as if they were our own.” Grassley objected to the Democrat bill Tuesday, saying, “I can’t imagine having every decision critical to my survival turned over to a complete stranger who the government hasn’t even fully vetted, but child safety wasn’t even this administration’s priority.” “Three months into their term, the Biden-Harris administration tore up an information-sharing agreement” and “they replaced it with a watered-down agreement that deleted provisions that required sponsors to be vetted and run through certain law enforcement checks before being granted custody of a child.” “I’m not sure if the Biden-Harris administration ever stopped to wonder how a local law enforcement agency looks after a child when the federal government won’t even give them a photograph of an endangered child,” he continued. Grassley said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra once lectured employees on a conference call for taking too long vetting sponsors, saying, “This is not the way you do an assembly line.” One employee said, “We only get sued if we keep kids in care of the government too long. We don’t get sued by traffickers,” he said. Critics say the loophole that shields people from being turned away at the border if they show up without parents has induced the separation of intact families and led to children being made astonishingly vulnerable to exploitation. The Democratic platform adopted at Kamala Harris’ 2024 convention says the loophole on unaccompanied minors must remain intact. Related: How Guatemalan Traffickers Exploit Biden’s ‘Unaccompanied Alien Children’ Program

In a shocking display of crime, an elderly couple from Illinois fell victim to a robbery shortly after their incredible $130,000 win at a local casino. Police reports detail how the couple, in their 70s, was followed home by the assailants and violently robbed of their winnings after an exciting evening at the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Illinois, on September 16, 2024. The crime, which has left the local community in shock, involved two individuals who stalked the couple as they left the casino, tracking them back to their home in Hoffman Estates. Authorities believe that the thieves were keeping a close eye on the couple from inside the casino, specifically targeting them after they had secured their winnings. Once the couple arrived home, the suspects ambushed them in their driveway, violently assaulting them before making off with the cash. WATCH: A Florida couple was followed and ambushed outside their home after winning a $3,000 jackpot at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa. pic.twitter.com/1aetYIsrHG — Sabrina Smolders (@SabrinaSmolders) August 15, 2024 According to the police report, the couple had cashed out their winnings after a thrilling evening on the casino floor, making their way out with hopes of celebrating their newfound fortune. However, their joy was short-lived as the criminals, who had clearly been waiting for the right moment, struck as soon as the couple reached home. The thieves forcibly took the couple’s winnings, leaving them shaken and injured. Officers with the Hoffman Estates Police Department confirmed that the couple sustained non-life-threatening injuries but were understandably traumatized by the incident. Detectives are now working to review surveillance footage from both the casino and the surrounding areas near the couple’s residence, hoping to gather crucial evidence to identify and apprehend the suspects. CRIME FOOTAGE: Man gets brutally robbed at a casino after winning it big. Where is the security? pic.twitter.com/hscFcTvPid — Police Shootings (@PoliceSho0tings) August 13, 2024 This robbery has drawn considerable attention, both due to the amount of money involved and the brazenness of the crime. Security experts have raised concerns about the vulnerabilities of casino patrons, particularly the elderly, who may be seen as easy targets by criminals lurking inside or near gambling establishments. "Unfortunately, this is a common tactic used by thieves," said one security consultant. "Casinos are high-stakes environments, and criminals will often watch for big winners, especially older patrons, and follow them home to rob them." The Rivers Casino, where the couple won their jackpot, issued a statement following the robbery, expressing concern over the safety of their patrons and their commitment to cooperating with law enforcement during the investigation. "The safety of our guests is our highest priority, and we are fully cooperating with local law enforcement as they investigate this unfortunate incident. We are taking steps to ensure that our patrons feel secure when they visit our casino," the statement read. This crime is part of a larger trend of criminals targeting vulnerable individuals leaving casinos across the country. In recent years, several similar incidents have been reported, sparking debates about whether additional security measures, such as armed escorts or enhanced parking lot surveillance, should be provided to patrons who win large sums of money. While some casinos offer escorts for patrons, these services are often not widely advertised or used, leaving many winners unprotected. Hoffman Estates Police are urging anyone with information about the robbery to come forward. Meanwhile, local authorities are advising casino-goers to exercise caution when leaving such establishments, particularly after securing large sums of money. "People need to be aware of their surroundings, especially after winning big at a casino. Criminals are looking for easy targets, and unfortunately, this couple became one," said a local law enforcement official. The post Elderly Illinois Couple Robbed After Winning $130,000 at Casino appeared first on The Conservative Brief.

'That's why you don't see her defending'

The WNBA is headed to Portland

'coming back to bite Harris's campaign'

'Folks were accepting these migrants'

'Let’s be clear'

'We let this man, Trump, destroy America'

The Teamster's endorsement could have had significant impact

Books Wind and Truth Wind and Truth Read-Along Discussion: Interludes 1 and 2 What did you think of these two nail-biting interludes, starring Kalak and Odium (Todium? Vargodium?) By Paige Vest, Lyndsey Luther, Drew McCaffrey | Published on September 16, 2024 Comment 25 Share New Share Happy Monday, Sanderfans and Cosmere Chickens! It’s time for another Wind and Truth read-along discussion. Chapters 12 and 13 wrapped up the events of Day One, and so we’re on to the Interludes before we dive into Day Two! Today we’ll be discussing Kalak and… dun-dun-dunnn… Odium. Note that this post will possibly contain full Cosmere spoilers, so beware if you aren’t caught up on all Cosmere content. And please remember, when posting or commenting about these preview chapters on social media, to follow your platform’s spoiler rules. Pattern says, “No spoilers!” Your comments here, however, don’t need to be spoiler-tagged, so feel free to comment as you will down below… Onward to our commentary! Paige’s Summary and Commentary There are no epigraphs on Interludes, of course, so let’s dive right in! Interlude 1 is from Kalak’s POV. As you’ll remember from chapter 7, he chose to stay at Lasting Integrity after Shallan and Adolin (astride Gallant!) left with the Windrunners. In this Interlude, Kalak goes to his quarters and locks himself in, thinking that, after all of his long years of life, he still doesn’t want to die. He wonders if he should have gone with the Radiants and then decides that he needs to hide somewhere other than Lasting Integrity because Thaidakar, “a Herald from another world,” could send someone else after him. He goes into his study to gather his things and… the drapes by the window grab him, tie him up, shove a gag in his mouth, and slam him against the wall. He wonders if this is some art of Stonewards but we know better, don’t we, Sanderfans? If you recall Kaladin’s visit to Zahel in chapter 15 of Rhythm of War, “The Light and the Music,” Zahel used Awakening to manipulate cloth when he was sparring with Kaladin. As we know, Zahel is Vasher from Warbreaker and can use Breath to Awaken objects. Whoever is in Kalak’s chambers obviously has the same ability. I imagine Drew will delve into this a bit more below, so let’s move on. Kalak thinks he recognizes the man sitting at his desk as one of Adolin’s soldiers, a foreigner with long mustaches and a floppy hat. Then he notices a dagger on the desk. A dagger with a gemstone. Kalak the Herald, king and warrior (once upon a time), whimpers. The man tells him not to worry about the dagger and opens a box, which reveals the seon that Shallan had been using, given to her by Mraize. The timid, frightened little creature that Shallan had freed. And she’s a bit different than what we saw before. She pops out of the box, bright and confident, telling Felt, the foreigner, how aggravating her experience has been. She didn’t care for Shallan, it would seem, and faked being a frightened, imprisoned “spren” once Shallan rebelled against Mraize. The seon, Ala, has already revealed Mishram’s location to Iyatil and Kelsier, and Kalak realizes that everything he had discussed in front of Shallan has been relayed to the Ghostbloods. He feels a fool for not realizing who the real spy was. Ala asks Felt if it’s time to use the dagger, but he says they’ll wait as he doesn’t trust the dagger. He notes that Iyatil gave it to him and that he doesn’t work for that “masked witch.” He says that “Lord Kelsier” told him to be careful, so they’ll just sit tight and wait for further instructions. Kalak, though now a prisoner with the threat of death or worse hanging over his head, is actually relieved that at least he didn’t have to make any more decisions. Poor old guy. In Interlude 2, we see Odium. ::foreboding music:: This interlude is titled “The Divided God” and, indeed, we see that Odium is of two minds as he holds the body of a dying child in a backwater called Tu Bayla. There is a famine and a war raging between the kingdoms of Jah Kaved and Aziri; in the chaos, the government has collapsed and warlords rule. Cultivation arrives, manifesting as a woman dressed in green and brown, and Odium begins to speak to her, stating that while there is so much to experience with vast power, there’s also so much suffering. He talks of the pain and misery he finds all around him: “Infinite capacity to see. Infinite capacity to feel. Infinite capacity for agony.” Odium (“That was not my name, he thought. I cannot lose myself in godhood”) is both “thinking” and “feeling” with the thinking side of him understanding that in the grand scheme of things, suffering is bound to happen and that the universe is complicated. The feeling side of him just wants to weep. And he feels rage. He is, after all, the god of passions. And we know that Taravangian also had a great capacity to feel, and holding the shard of Odium seems to have expanded that capacity. Odium and Cultivation talk about how much he essentially wants to make people do what he wants them to do. She stresses how important it is to leave them to make their own choices. She tells him he’s forbidden from taking direct action and he states that he could break the pact his predecessor made which would, of course, leave him open to attack. But Odium says he can basically force people to behave and Cultivation tells him that he knows he can’t do that. “What,” Cultivation said, “do we do instead?”“You want me to say,” he whispered, “that we create systems—teachings, incentives—that encourage the right decisions. That we prevent war by building up societies where people choose peace. We prevent greed by nurturing governments where the greedy are held accountable. We take time, and we steer, but we do not dominate.”“Yes.” Odium then gets angry. He blames his predecessor, Honor, and Cultivation for the state of the world, saying that they had eight thousand years to fix things. He says that he can do better. She tells him to calm the Everstorm and restore peace. He insists that wouldn’t fix it and that it wouldn’t be fixed until there was one god. Cultivation warns him from that path, saying it destroyed his predecessor. He states that he destroyed Rayse and tells her to leave him. Knowing that she’ll work against him, he tells himself that he is Taravangian and that he holds Odium… that he won’t let it rule. But then he goes on to think about his mission in Karbranth—only now, he’s determined to save them all. So, Sanderfans… What are your thoughts on these interludes? We know that Shallan is intending to hunt for Mishram, but now she’s going to be racing against Mraize and Iyatil to do so, since they know of her plan thanks to the seon spy. What will become of Kalak? Will Felt kill him, trap his soul, and let him fade into oblivion? How about Taravangian? Can he really hold the shard and not allow Odium to control him? Does anyone really think it’s possible to control Odium? I personally don’t—I think that Taravangian’s mind is already corrupted by Odium—but tell me what you think in the comments! Lyndsey’s Commentary: Characters and Relationships Interlude 1, Kalak: Appropriately enough, the herald in all four arches is Kalak (Kelek), patron of the Willshapers. His attributes are Resolute/Builder and his role is Maker. Seeing as how the interlude unfolds from his POV, I don’t think there’s much more analysis that needs to be done here. Interlude 2, Odium: Nalan (Nale), Herald of Justice, patron of Skybreakers is present in all four arches. His attributes are Just/Confident, and his role is Judge. I believe that Nalan appears here because Toadium is debating the prospect of “justice” on a grand scale, but that’s just my best guess. Kalak Eyes closed, he tried to remember the man he’d once been, the hero who had fought for thousands of years. His life seemed a blur, a wash of grey and brown, a fresh painting left out in the storm. It’s hard to form any sort of psychological analysis on a character who is, for all intents and purposes, immortal. How could we, as simple mortals, possibly understand the mindset of someone who has lived for thousands of years? Yet this is the thing that Sanderson (and many other authors before and most certainly after him) has attempted to portray. There’s something alluring about immortal characters. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know that I’ve always wished to leave something behind me, to not simply disappear when I’m gone. And if there were an option for you, yourself, to continue on? Would you take it? This is prevalent in so many types of fiction, including but not limited to vampires (which I think is part of the reason that they’re so continually alluring). I have to admit that I was a HUGE fan of the Highlander TV show in my youth (yes, I know about the remake in the works and I have mixed feelings about it), so this is a subject that I may have done more thinking about than most. Who wants to live forever, indeed. The Heralds in Sanderson’s work deal with all the issues that we’d expect from characters who have outlived so many of their loved ones, and they’ve paid the price for their longevity. Most of them are barely hanging on to their sanity… if they are at all. And in this chapter, Kalak is confronted with the very real possibility of his existence ending. He clearly wants to continue living, and who can blame him for that? But Kelsier and his Ghostbloods have other plans for him, which I’m certain Drew will get into below. Taravangian/Odium (I also like to refer to him as Toadium) Quick note that this interlude takes place in Tu Bayla, which is here. That was not my name, he thought. I cannot lose myself in godhood…Odium wept for them, and—having formed a body from his infinite essence—held one little boy close. And: I can see to the ends of the cosmere. I can see the lives of people great and small. I had thought this wonderful, with so much to experience, but now I find only suffering. And: “I am the very substance of passion, and where a person suffers anywhere in this miserable galaxy, I feel it. That is the burden of this power.” Hoo boy. Lots to unpack here. Taravangian was always willing to do whatever it took to do what he saw as protecting his people, and now that definition of “his people” has broadened to the entirety of the Cosmere. I see some interesting parallels here between his ideas about creating harmony in the universe and Thanos in the MCU. They both have good intentions, theoretically: saving people and removing strife. However, their methods of achieving said intentions are problematic on so many levels. Can you save half the universe by killing the other half? Sure. Can you save a kingdom by hiring an assassin to eliminate other world leaders, thereby distracting them from your own country? Yup. Is it ethical to do either? Depends on your perspective, doesn’t it? It’s the classic trolley problem played out on a universal scale. (For those unfamiliar, see the wiki article here.) I’ve often said that I appreciate Taravangian as a villain because he exemplifies the “I don’t see myself as a villain” trope, and his ascension to godhood has heightened this. He now has access to near omnipresence and omnipotence (with some limitations), and seeing what he does with them is going to be fascinating. (And horrifying, I’m sure.) Are there any right answers to this dilemma? Well, he sure thinks he has one: By directly intervening on such a granular level, he risked creating a society where no one learned, and where society did not progress. By supernaturally forbidding warlords, he would also stifle scientists and artists. By removing the capacity for violence, he would also remove the capacity for mercy. And: “There is a spectrum of choice that can be allowed,” he said. “No society can persist with complete freedom, and growth can happen within limits. I can make it so that free will exists to an acceptable state, while also preventing famines.” Now HERE’s a really fascinating moral debate. Can limitations on freedom create a better society? Well, the existence of laws would certainly indicate that to be so. Society enforces limitations on freedom in all sorts of ways, thereby creating a more equitable and safe society for all. But Toadium appears to be planning to remove free choice entirely, by removing the very ability to even think of or do certain things. Is this crossing the line? Or is it an acceptable loss in order to remove the possibility of violence, bloodshed, and death? Does it lessen the impact of kindness, to remove the capacity for violence? Does that even matter when what’s at stake is human life? I leave it to you in the comments to debate. Because I honestly don’t have an answer. Drew’s Commentary: Invested Arts and Theories Our first set of interludes comes out of the gate hard with some eye-opening Cosmere and Investiture implications. Nearly straight away in the Kalak interlude, we get a potential bomb dropped on us: Without Ishar holding some of it back… it would have destroyed him long ago. Somehow (almost certainly through Ishar’s uniquely powerful command of Connection), it seems that Ishar is directly helping the other Heralds by shielding them from the insanity that plagues them all. This is a huge revelation, to be honest, as it not only has direct impact on the current conflict on Roshar, but also opens up potential utility for all long-lived people and Cognitive Shadows across the Cosmere. Vasher and Hoid are notably dealing with their long lives, and the crushing weight of memory, by storing memories in Breaths. That’s a fairly accessible source of Investiture, and less traumatic to acquire than some, but it’s still a limited resource. However Ishar is helping out the other Heralds, it might be something anyone with sufficient knowledge of Connection could do. It makes you wonder if, somewhere on Scadrial, a certain spiked survivor has been directing his minions to keep an eye on Ishar… “Well hello, Herald,” said a man sitting at Kalak’s desk. “If you don’t mind, I have a few questions.” Because he’s certainly having his agents keep an eye on Kalak! All this time, Felt has been a Ghostblood. It seems so obvious in hindsight (he is from Scadrial, after all) but this caught me off-guard. On top of his apparent loyalty to Kelsier—specifically to Kelsier, not to Iyatil or Mraize—Felt has a secret arsenal of Invested power. He may not be an Allomancer or Feruchemist, but he sure has a stash of Breaths and knows what he’s doing when it comes to Awakening. Immediately, the drapes from the window beside the door seized him, wrapping around him like two grasping hands, pulling him tight. They’d been cut into strange shapes. No wonder Felt was such an effective scout and soldier that Dalinar took him on important missions like the trip to the Valley. But that’s not all we get in these interludes, oh no. No no no. We get Odium. We get the Divided God. It has been a burning question in the Stormlight fandom since the day Rhythm of War came out: Does Taravangian’s boon/curse still hold? In my mind, this interlude shows that it does—to an extent. Ascension has clearly changed the game, but Taravangian is still wrestling with what’s essentially a split personality. He is challenged by the powerful emotions that allowed him Connection to the Shard of Odium in the first place, and the “capacity to save humankind” that gave him such tremendous powers of thought and intuition. He may be uniquely dangerous as a Vessel for Odium, but that doesn’t mean we have some Mega-Moriarty situation here; he isn’t a ruthless, coldhearted mastermind. However, that doesn’t make him less dangerous, but rather unstable. He may have difficulty managing his long-term plans, but this could make him more capable of short-term, catastrophic decision-making. And, hmm, would you call ten days “short term” for a Shard? I’ll leave you with this tidbit from Vargodium: “Because you killed your father, and now worry the same will happen to you.” What do we think? Is he talking about Adonalsium, or something more personal that he plucked from the depths of Cultivation’s presence in the Spiritual Realm? Fan Theories Lyn: Over on Reddit, there hasn’t been a ton of discussion on chapters 12 and 13. Not as much as in previous chapters, anyway—though I expect there will be a TON for this week’s chapter. I would like to point out this theory that caught my eye though, by TheBigFreeze8: There are a lot of parallels between Vin and the mist and Kaladin and the wind. Both have a unique connection to their chosen, uh, gas, to the extent where it even seems to respond physically to them in unique ways.If a shard can invest some of its power as mist, why couldn’t God themselves invest some of their power as wind? Reddit comment of the week for me goes to this one—I’m simply linking to it here because you all need to go over to see it for yourselves and upvote it. We’ll be keeping an eye on the comment sections of posts about this article on various social media platforms and may include some of your comments/speculation (with attribution) on future weeks’ articles! Keep the conversation going, and PLEASE remember to spoiler-tag your comments on social media to help preserve the surprise for those who choose to wait for the full release. See you next Monday with chapters 14 and 15! (Also, go and check out Lyn’s FB author page for a little special something that she’s going to be giving away this week…) The post <i>Wind and Truth</i> Read-Along Discussion: Interludes 1 and 2 appeared first on Reactor.