'We're going to pursue every legal means'

The new name is dreadful

Movies & TV Dune Dune: Prophecy Premieres With a Heavy Prologue in “The Hidden Hand” The opening of Dune: Prophecy takes us ten millennia before the birth of Paul Atreides to show us that nothing much has changed By Emmet Asher-Perrin | Published on November 18, 2024 Image: Attila Szvacsek/HBO Comment 0 Share New Share Image: Attila Szvacsek/HBO We’re back in the film landscape of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptations, this time for a story that takes place ten millennia before Paul Atreides’ rise to power. Welcome to Dune: Prophecy. Recap Image: Attila Szvacsek/HBO We begin with a massive flashback told from the vantage point of an older Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson). She talks of the Butlerian Jihad, where humans had to fight against the thinking machines that rose up against them, leading to thinking technology being banished. In the battle, the Harkonnens were said to have fled while the Atreides vanquished the enemy and called the Harkonnens cowards for running. Valya insists that these were lies, and led to her family’s banishment. She eventually joined the Bene Gesserit sisterhood along with her own sister Tula (Emma Canning), and became a favorite of their first Reverend Mother, Raquella Berto-Anirul (Cathy Tyson). Raquella believed that the Imperium needed better leaders, and created the Bene Gesserit breeding program to achieve that end, to the dismay of sisters who Valya calls “zealots.” In her final moments on Wallach IX, home of the sisterhood, the dying Reverend Mother calls for a younger Valya (Jessica Braden). Raquella has a vision of a reckoning and advises Valya to do everything in her power to safeguard the Sisterhood. Valya believes that the Reverend Mother wants her to put one of their sisters on the throne of the Imperium. When Valya tries to get the rest of the Sisterhood to adhere to this plan, there is a clear faction who do not agree: the zealots who believe that humility is the center of their work, and are led by Mother Dorotea (Camilla Beeput). She means to destroy the breeding index, so Valya stops her using a new technique she has developed: the Voice. When Dorotea refuses to bend to Valya’s plans, she uses the Voice to get Dorotea to kill herself. Thirty years later (116 years after the war against thinking machines and roughly 10,000 years before the events of Dune), the sisterhood is preparing to welcome Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) into their ranks following her marriage. Her half-brother Constantine Corrino (Josh Heuston) comes to talk about her accommodations, but Mother Superior Valya is firm about her being treated the same as all the other sisters. Acolytes are working on their ability to spot lies and become Truthsayers under the tutelage of Mother Tula (Olivia Williams). Constantine arrives home on Salusa Secundus to find Ynez sparring with shield belts against Swordmaster Keiran Atreides (Chris Mason). Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) is reviewing the dowry for his daughter with the Duke of House Richese (Brendan Cowell), who is offering him a fleet of warships to help tame Arrakis and protect the spice harvest from Fremen attack. The Emperor takes advice from his own Truthsayer, Reverend Mother Kasha Jinjo (Jihae), and agrees to the Duke’s demands, including their own wing in the palace. The Empress Natalya (Jodhi May) is helping her daughter prepare for the wedding, but is dismayed at her daughter’s choices. Ynez insists that the Sisterhood will allow her to rule with untold skills and that marrying Pruwet Richese (Charlie Hodson-Prior)—who is only nine years old—gives her time to do as she will and learn what she needs. The Empress believes her daughter should rule how she likes and marry whomever she wants, noting Ynez’s affection for their Swordmaster. The Emperor is informed that Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) has come to visit him from Arrakis, a soldier believed dead in the latest attack. Hart tells the Emperor that the attack on Arrakis was not the Fremen—it was insurgents from within the Imperium who stole spice from the harvest. Hart wants an appointment in the palace for his loyalty, and the Emperor agrees to find him a place. Kasha later has a vision involving Ynez in danger and goes to check on her before leaving. Natalya and Javicco argue about Ynez’s wedding, with the Empress reminding the Emperor that he used to listen to her more and have a stronger Imperium for it; the Emperor disagrees with this version of events. Valya and Tula discuss who Ynez should be paired with among their acolytes to make her adhere more easily to the Sisterhood’s views. Kasha arrives and tells Valya and Tula about her vision, worried that their plan might be in error. Valya dismisses her concerns and tells her to rest the night before returning to her post. The engagement goes forward while Tula argues with Valya about her dismissal of Kasha; she asks for her sister to at least check the match and be certain Ynez is the right sister to have on the throne. After the engagement ceremony, Pruwet pulls a small thinking machine from his pocket that runs through the reception; Hart stabs the thing and the Empress makes to punish the child, while Ynez, the Duke, and the Emperor protect him. Hart gives the machine back to the child, and Ynez tells Pruwet that she’ll kill him if he ever does anything like that again. Valya checks the match and finds that Ynez is the right pick and her match will stabilize House Corrino for centuries, thinking she might have Kasha take some leave; Tula points out that she can’t takes pieces off the board any time they disagree with her. Ynez and Constantine go out together to a spot called Division, and take a copious amount of drugs along the way. Hart finds the Emperor and tells him that his troubles on Arrakis are a symptom of a larger issue within the Imperium. The Emperor admits that while Kasha has never led him astray, he doesn’t like this match, but there’s nothing he can do if he means to keep the Great Houses happy. Hart believes that the gods are listening, and the Emperor insists that if the gods freed him from this wedding, he’d be a true believer. In Division, Ynez runs into Keiran and offers to share spice with him. They head to the back and sleep together. Late at night, the Emperor wakes and find a disc containing video of the approach of a great worm on Arrakis, about to swallow Desmond Hart whole. Pruwet takes his little machine into the halls at night, and Hart finds him. Pruwet admits he had a bad dream and can’t sleep. He wants to know why Hart is here, since he’s a soldier, but Hart believes that there is a war here: a war being waged by people who want to do humanity’s thinking for them, just as the machines once did. He claims to have been gifted a great power and says that war demands sacrifice—suddenly Pruwet begins burning alive and dies. On Wallach IX Valya and Tula hear screaming and find Kasha in the hall; she is also burning alive from an unknown source and dies in front of them. Commentary Image: Attila Szvacsek/HBO That opening segment set in the past was a bit unfortunate, I’m sorry to say. There are more flashback segments coming, per the showrunner and actors on the series, so the choice to open the show with a rote historical explainer and then never return to flashback after the basic setup was incredibly odd. It’s also awkward because the segments taking place when Valya is younger are the point that the Sisterhood of Dune novel encompassed—meaning that despite the show being billed as a story inspired by that book… it’s not really. Most of what we’re about to see is brand new. And what that leads to is a first episode that is very concerned with making sure you know: This is a Dune story. Like the movies you ostensibly saw and liked. Please recognize this universe and want to hang out here with us for six episodes. See, there are Harkonnens and Atreides and the ruling Corrino House! Look, a fight with shield belts! We gave you some visions with sandworms, and mentioned the importance of spice and Arrakis! There’s a Fremen tending bar! It’s DUNE, okay? We promise it’s Dune. And it’s all a bit ridiculous that things could be so familiar because this is over 10,000 years before the events of Dune. I know that there’s a level of inference here about the lack of “thinking machines” keeping things stunted and a stagnation of society brought about by the current systems humanity is clinging to. But ten millennia of the same ruling house, the same noble families, the same blood feuds, and a sisterhood that is already practically the same to the one we see in the premiere text? That’s not stagnation, that’s absurdity. Language and power change constantly throughout history, and here we see none; presumably because the folks in charge of the show need to be certain that the audience would recognize enough to keep them watching. And it’s genuinely nonsensical: There are eleven pharaohs with the name Ramses in Egypt’s history, but despite the length of pharaonic rule (over 3000 years), those eleven sovereigns reined in a span of roughly two centuries. Because change happens quickly and constantly, and even stagnation moves around in the muck as it goes. There are, in fact, a lot of changes already to the story that was laid down by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson in their run of Dune books, and they’re all extremely Hollywood choices thus far. For example, Valya Harkonnen didn’t create the Bene Gesserit “Voice” in those novels—she perfected its use, but the skill itself was discovered by Raquella when she became the first Reverend Mother. And yet, it seems the creative team could not resist the chance to make their central character—and a Harkonnen, at that—the one who contributed this all-important facet of Bene Gesserit power. Like ya do. I’m never a purist in book-to-screen adaptations, and am adamant that ultra-specific adherence to text is often tedious in the extreme. That said, the world of filmmaking does have a tendency to bring out a lot of deep, silly clichés in storytelling, and we’re getting an abundance of them so far: The princess is romantically interested in the Atreides; the prince is a layabout bad boy of sorts; Valya wants to control everything with an iron fist while her sister wishes she would allow for more trust and flexibility; the mysterious solider, of course, comes from Arrakis and is somehow imbued with special murder power. We’ll see where all this leads, but that’s a heavy list right there. Hopefully we’ll wind up somewhere interesting. There are plenty of high points in all of this, of course. The design of this universe is intricate as ever, from the grand physical sets down to the textured costuming. The actors are a stunning group, with Emily Watson and Olivia Williams acting as firm anchors to every other tether on the board. Their sisterly rapport is an easy highlight of the show so far. Mark Strong is hilarious as an ineffectual Emperor of the Known Universe, just by virtue of how seriously he’s chosen to play the role. There’s also a very slight echo with the original Dune text, an aspect that I felt was entirely undersold in the film version: Duke Leto Atreides’ mistrust of his wife is ultimately what leads to his downfall, and here we have a similar tension between the Emperor and Empress. But there’s much more to unfold… Truthsaying and Visions Image: Attila Szvacsek/HBO I love this set of acolytes we’ve got and am fascinated to see where their journeys lead. (Probably nowhere good, alas.) The heavy cues for the use of Bene Gesserit power are a little much. They have to tap their fingers together as though meditating in order to access their truthsaying abilities? Isn’t that kind of a huge tell? Sorry, Richese being the family the Corrinos are about to get into bed with is a pretty great joke. Hi, Mr. Emperor, we’ve got Duke Moneypants here to see you about a dowry for your daughter… The Sisterhood having those computers is less of an issue in the books because they get destroyed early on, if memory serves. So that’s a pretty significant change, I’d imagine. Next week is fast approaching…[end-mark] The post <i>Dune: Prophecy</i> Premieres With a Heavy Prologue in “The Hidden Hand” appeared first on Reactor.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. A group of 51 former intelligence officials who previously cast doubt on the authenticity of Hunter Biden’s laptop by labeling it as potential “Russian disinformation” and causing it to be censored across social media platforms, are now facing the possibility of having their security clearances revoked. This move is being considered by Republican lawmakers, aligning with a promise from Vice President-elect J.D. Vance to hold those who mislead the public accountable. Vance, addressing the issue, stated, “You cannot lie, take your position of public trust, and lie to the American people for political purposes. It’s disgraceful. And people have to suffer consequences for it.” The issue stems from a controversial period before the 2020 presidential election when the 51 signatories endorsed a narrative suggesting Russian involvement in the release of the laptop’s contents. Initially, when the New York Post broke the story in October 2020, Twitter took the extraordinary step of blocking links to the article, preventing users from sharing it on their feeds. Twitter justified its action by referencing its policy against distributing hacked material and Russian disinformation, though it later acknowledged that its communication about the decision could have been clearer. This action led to a public outcry, including from policymakers who accused the platform of partisan bias and suppressing information. Facebook also intervened. The platform chose to cut the story’s visibility. Despite the FBI and intelligence community possessing the contents of the laptop left at a Delaware computer repair shop by Hunter Biden, long before the story broke, which casts clear doubt on the Russian disinformation claim, none of the signatories have withdrawn their assertions. As Republicans retain their House majority following President-elect Donald Trump’s landslide election victory, the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson (R-LA), is yet to decide whether to bring the clearance revocation measure to the floor as part of fulfilling Vance’s campaign pledge. Several Republican legislators have openly supported the clearance revocation. Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) suggested a comprehensive review of all legacy clearances, saying to the Washington Times, “I think we should scrub all the legacy clearances to see whether the people need to have them and for what purpose, and unless they’re working for a company in a role that makes sense, they should be taken away. Most on that list [of 51], I would include in that scrubbing.” Echoing Issa’s sentiment, Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) was straightforward in his opinion to the same paper: “They should all lose their security clearances.” If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Lawmakers Target Security Clearances of 51 Intel Officials for Claims That Sparked Hunter Biden Censorship appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has launched a scathing critique of his successor, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of prioritizing “non-crime hate incidents” (NCHIs) over tackling real-world crime. Writing in The Daily Mail, Johnson called for Starmer to instruct police forces to abandon investigations into online speech and focus on traditional policing to restore public safety. Johnson’s remarks come in the wake of Essex police investigating journalist Allison Pearson over a now-deleted tweet, reportedly tied to discussions about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Describing the investigation as “ludicrous” and likening it to practices in Cold War-era dictatorships, Johnson claimed that pursuing NCHIs stifles free speech and distracts police from addressing crimes such as burglary and gang activity. While Pearson’s case is actually being treated as an actual speech crime, rather than an NCHI, the former prime minister criticized Starmer for allegedly endorsing the continuation of NCHIs and fostering a “woke Securitate” atmosphere. Johnson argued that the government’s focus on monitoring online speech damages Britain’s global reputation curtails academic freedom, and harms the innovation-driven economy. However, Johnson’s critique may spark discussion about his own tenure. NCHIs gained prominence under his leadership, with police adopting guidelines that included recording incidents based on perceived offense. Johnson did little to stop it. While Johnson now advocates abolishing NCHIs, many argue he bears responsibility for their institutional entrenchment. The article also saw Johnson draw a contrast between Britain and regimes like Russia, where press freedoms and dissent are more openly and actively suppressed. Nonetheless, he warned that current trends risk eroding Britain’s standing as a once-bastion of free expression. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post UK: Boris Slams Starmer on Free Speech but Faces Heat for His Own Record appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Most homesteading families and preppers have cows, chickens, rabbits, or goats as a part of their farm, but a new livestock favorite is now emerging across the United States – the mini donkey. Miniature donkeys are not only as lovable as a new puppy, they can pull a cart and perhaps most importantly, keep a deadly predator away from your other livestock, too. Sweet treats are just about the only thing mini donkeys enjoy more than attacking coyotes. Miniature Donkeys For Your Homestead: Little Powerhouse The mini donkeys instinctively behave in an aggressive manner towards predators. Although they do not have the size nor the teeth to kill a large predator or fend off a tack against multiple coyotes, they definitely serve as a great deterrent and alert the livestock guardian dogs on the homestead or survival retreat that danger has arrived and their services are needed to finish off any intruder that did not heed their warning. Miniature donkeys do not need a traditional flat pasture to roam and graze – making them an excellent livestock choice for a wooded homestead or survival retreat. They don't eat much by way of feed and typically live at least 35 years – making them easy and affordable keepers. Before just a few years ago mini donkeys were merely thought of as cute pets to occasionally ride the kiddos around on for fun. Mini donkeys typically measure between 31 to 35 inches tall and weigh between 250 to 350 pounds. The height at the withers of the breed has shrunk by about three inches since the animals were first imported into the country. These homesteading pals are not really riding the mini donkeys – no animals were harmed in the taking of this photo! The Appalachian preppers were merely demonstrating how docile and willing to accept weight the unique small breed truly is based on pure instinct and character with zero training. These little powerhouses are perfect for a survival retreat or off the grid homestead. They can pull a cart long distances and over very rugged terrain – like a goat-only type of ground. Miniature donkeys are sure-footed and although female minis don't tend to like mud, they can slug through it without getting stuck or panicking. Unlike mules, miniature or otherwise, the little donkeys are affable creatures and take direction well. The breed originated in Sicily and Sardinia and are sometimes referred to as Mediterranean or Sardinian donkeys. Villagers in the region frequently utilized the strength and tenacity of the mini donkeys to their benefit. The compact members of the equine family could often be seen hauling heavy supplies up into the mountain region and walking in circles for hours on end to power grindstones. When the Mediterranean donkeys first arrived in the United States during the 1920s, they were dubbed “dinky donkeys” by curious onlookers and breeders. NYC stockbroker Robert Green so admired the intelligence, affectionate, and durable character of the breed he spent a significant amount of money bringing a herd onto American soil. Importation of the mini donkeys continued at a steady pace well into the 1960s in an effort to fully establish the breed in the United States. Today there are about 50,000 known miniature donkeys roaming in pastures around the country. Miniature donkeys are a perfect livestock training ground for children. The gentle creatures love to be shown affection and follow even tentative directions well. Youngsters weighing up to 100 pounds can saddle up and ride a mini donkey without harming the animal. Miniature donkeys are a perfect hands-on training tool for children. They are docile and yearn to soak up all the affection which comes their way. Homesteading youngsters can easily learn how to care for, ride, halter, harness, and cart with these eager to please animals. Typically mini donkeys can carry about 100 pounds on their back. Children up to a certain age can safely and humanely learn how to ride on the back of a miniature donkey. Purchasing or making a pack saddle is another superb way to make the most out of the mini donkey's work ability. Moving supplies about the homestead or survival retreat over terrain a cart cannot go could easily be accomplished by packing up to medium-weight loads on the back of miniature donkeys. Like their larger counterparts and horses, miniature donkeys can founder, suffer from colic,  require regular worming, and vaccinations. They should have their hooves trimmed about every eight to 12 weeks. There is no need to shoe the miniature donkeys unless they will be frequently ridden on pavement. Miniature donkeys can usually reside inside a barn with full-size livestock and require only small amounts of grain. These miniature donkeys have their own 3-sided shed attached to the main barn in a shared pasture. A board 36 inches high was placed across the opening to prevent large livestock from muscling their way inside and kicking the minis out of their sleeping quarters while the herd was adjusting to the new additions. Mini donkeys are herd animals and should be allowed to share a stall of a 3-sided shelter with another of their breed or at least other friendly livestock. They can be kept in the same pasture and barn as standard-size donkeys and horses – they do not even mind communing with goats. My bossy mare accepted our two mini donkeys into HER herd without incident. Sure, she ran them a good bit and blocked them from entering HER barn for several hours on day one – but my Ruby does that to every new addition. A lonely and bored donkey could begin to act out an WILL bray loudly to register their displeasure when in a bad mood – or you are five minutes late for their feed. A half acre of land should provide a pair of miniature donkeys with enough pasture to suit their needs except during the winter months, depending upon the climate where the prepper retreat or homestead is located. Breeding mini donkey could be another valuable way to make a steady stream of extra money from the homestead. As the animals become even more popular, the demand for both jennies and jacks will grow.  All miniature donkeys have a dark brown cross shape which runs across their withers and down their back. Miniature donkeys will do just about anything for a treat. Their desire to please quickly becomes evident during cart or pack saddle training. While gray dun is the most common color of miniature donkeys, they come in a plethora of other colors as well. Common coat colors also include black, white, or brown. The more unusual color, the higher the price tag – especially if you could garner an hard-to-find ivory mini donkey with blue eyes. Miniature donkeys with a red or chestnut coat, roan, paint, or spotted paint or spotted pattern are unique but not as rare as an Ivory donkey and sell for significantly more than a typical gray mini donkey. Animal Planet shows a video on pet 101 on mini donkeys: The price per animal depends largely upon the local market. Jennies often garner more than jacks, especially if they are still young enough to breed. Typically a gray miniature donkey would sell for between $350 to $600 each. A breeding jennie could garner up to $2,000 depending on her personality and age. If the animal becomes registered with the International Miniature Donkey Registry or the Miniature Donkey Registry, the price could increase if being purchased by either a breeder or someone interested in showing the mini donkey. Do you want a miniature donkey for your homestead? Let us know in the comments below. You can also start teaching your children homesteading skills!   Follow us on facebook, instagram, pinterest, and twitter!

A cat was taken into a rescue, needing extra care. Other cats and even kittens gathered around to make him feel better. AlleyCatRescueEarnie was a young cat, less than one year old, when he was left at a vet clinic, needing urgent help.After undergoing life-saving surgery to fix a urinary blockage, Alley Cat Rescue took him in, and with the support of kind volunteers, the blue-eyed beauty began his new chapter in a foster home.There, he met Persimmon, a very friendly, cheerful kitten who instantly took to him and cuddled him from the start. Earnie was taken in by Alley Cat Rescue after surgeryAlleyCatRescueEarnie was smitten with Persimmon, staying by her side all day long. "She claimed him as her cuddle buddy and was helping Earnie recover with her sweet purrs and love."His foster family quickly noticed how much he adored other cats and that he found great comfort in their company. Persimmon the kitten befriended EarnieAlleyCatRescueWith the kitten's help, Earnie healed wonderfully from his surgery and returned to his playful and mischievous self. He started claiming every cardboard box he could find and picked out his favorites for napping.There wasn't a moment when Earnie felt alone, with kind humans catering to his needs and reassuring him he was loved. You could almost see a smile on his face. Earnie loves his cardboard boxesAlleyCatRescuePersimmon wasn't the only one to help. Copper, the tabby, seemed to sense Earnie needed extra TLC and came over to offer a loving paw."She loves other kitties and gives everyone she meets sweet head bumps. It looks like she is protecting Earnie here, and he loves it, even though Copper is smaller than him. She gives mama cat energy." Earnie enjoys being cuddled by CopperAlleyCatRescueEarnie has become the rescue's favorite nap buddy, squeezing into any space already occupied by another cat. His feline pals are fond of him and don't mind being piled on by this lovable cuddle bug.Tommy, the cat, scooted to the edge of the bed on a cat tree to make room for Earnie, who rested his head on him like a pillow. Tommy and Earnie share a bed on a cat treeAlleyCatRescue"Earnie knows he is loved and protected at Alley Cat Rescue. He may need a little extra medical attention, and that is okay. Other kitties love him, he loves them, and we all love him too."Now part of the feline office crew, Earnie assists his humans by lying in front of their computer with a feline companion. AlleyCatRescueSnuggles abound wherever Earnie goes. When he spots another cat in his favorite box, he always comes up with a clever solution.Kes, the gray cat, enjoys taking siestas in one of the snug cardboard boxes in the office. Sometimes, he curls up in Earnie's box--better described as Earnie's cuddle trap. Once nestled in, he watches as Earnie squeezes into the box meant for one and turns it into a shared space. When Earnie saw Kes in his box, he lay on top of himAlleyCatRescueEarnie's friendly and affectionate nature rubs off on other kittens. One kitten, Gumdrop, follows his lead, draping herself over Earnie and smothering him with snuggles and purrs.Earnie is thriving, surrounded by loving and caring friends. He couldn't be happier. Gumdrop the kitten showered Earnie with snuggles and purrsAlleyCatRescueNow, he patrols the office with his feline gang, offering gentle snuggles and head bumps, filling the room with his purrs throughout the day. Earnie and his feline gang at the officeAlleyCatRescueShare this story with your friends. More on Earnie, his friends, and Alley Cat Rescue on Instagram and Facebook.Related story: Cat Puts His Arms Around Everyone at Animal Shelter Until He Finds a Family of His Own

DNC Layoffs Prompt Union Outrage

On Sunday’s episode of 60 Minutes — which ironically ran for 90 minutes — CBS host Scott Pelley had a brief update on the 2024 election fallout and the second Trump transition that, in less than two minutes, proved the Trump campaign’s point that now-President-Elect Donald Trump was right to boycott the show’s offer for an October sit-down. Pelley’s first sentence was the only one that wasn’t dripping with disgust: “This past week, Republicans won the House majority and President-elect Trump made nominations to his Cabinet.” The second one began the manure-slinging: “Some nominees appear to have no compelling qualifications other than loyalty to Trump.”     Let this serve as the latest example of how the liberal media think the only way a cabinet should be constructed is a romanticization of Lincoln’s Team of Rivals when, in reality, assembling such rivals would leak to the liberal media’s favorite kind of administration official: leakers. Pelley had nothing nasty to say about Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) nomination to lead the State Department, but only nasty things to say about Pete Hegseth, whom Pelley painted as someone who must be a dumb-dumb (and omitting his Ivy League credentials): “Pete Hegseth to lead the 3 million people of the Department of Defense. He’s a combat veteran most recently, a morning show host on Fox News with no government experience.” He continued the melting down for former House members Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). In the case of Gabbard, Pelley left out her lengthy military service: Former Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general in charge of law enforcement. Gaetz has been investigated by Republicans for alleged drug use and sex with a minor. Gaetz denies those allegations. Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for director of National Intelligence. She sought a pardon for Edward Snowden who leaked U.S. secrets and now lives in Russia.  Of course, he closed with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, tagging him as “a skeptic of vaccinations” and one of many nominations that’ll face a Republican Senate. The Senate, Pelley argued with a tinge of disgust, will have “to decide whether these nominees are equipped to represent the American people.” This smug prick immediately pivoted to his lead story (and a genuinely moving on at that) about how the New York City coroner’s office has continued over 23 years later to search through debris to identify human remains of those murdered on September 11, 2001. Instead of a pause or commercial break, Pelley took one last pot shot: It seems hard to remember when America was united. But recently, we were reminded of         such a time — the morning of September 11th, 2001 — when all Americans pledged to persevere, together. Nearly a quarter century ago, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner made a promise to identify the remains of the lost souls of 9/11. Not many are aware, but that work has never stopped. If you’d ask Pelley or others in the journalism profession about why we’re not as united as we were then, chances are a healthy sample would blame some combination of conservative media, Fox News, social media, and the internet itself. To see the relevant CBS transcript from November 17, click “expand.” CBS’s 60 Minutes November 17, 2024 7:40 p.m. Eastern SCOTT PELLEY: This past week, Republicans won the House majority and President-elect Trump made nominations to his Cabinet. Some nominees appear to have no compelling qualifications other than loyalty to Trump. The nominees are: Senator Marco Rubio for secretary of state. Pete Hegseth to lead the 3 million people of the Department of Defense. He’s a combat veteran most recently, a morning show host on Fox News with no government experience. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general in charge of law enforcement. Gaetz has been investigated by Republicans for alleged drug use and sex with a minor. Gaetz denies those allegations. Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for director of National Intelligence. She sought a pardon for Edward Snowden who leaked U.S. secrets and now lives in Russia. And Robert Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services, a skeptic of vaccinations. It’s up to the new Republican majority in the Senate to decide whether these nominees are equipped to represent the American people. It seems hard to remember when America was united. But recently, we were reminded of such a time — the morning of September 11th, 2001 — when all Americans pledged to persevere, together. Nearly a quarter century ago, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner made a promise to identify the remains of the lost souls of 9/11. Not many are aware, but that work has never stopped.

President-elect Donald Trump has taken MRC’s advice and selected a free speech advocate with a record of taking on Big Tech censorship as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission in a major blow to the anti-free speech Silicon Valley left. Trump announced Nov. 17 that FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr would be his FCC chair pick, praising his “great work” as a “warrior for Free Speech” and “designating him as permanent Chairman.” Carr thanked the president for his appointment, “Thank you, President Trump! I am humbled and honored to serve as Chairman of the FCC. Now we get to work.”  Trump’s pick follows MRC President Brent Bozell’s endorsement of Carr to take the reins to help Trump implement his free speech vision. “It is imperative that the next FCC chairman is committed to restoring the public’s trust, increasing telecommunications access for all communities and protecting the fundamental right to free speech,” Bozell stated Nov. 8. Bozell congratulated Carr following Trump’s announcement of his choice: “Congratulations to a true defender of free speech in America.” MRC Vice President for Free Speech America Dan Schneider similarly celebrated Carr’s nomination as “the first piece played by Trump to restore free speech rights. The cavalry is coming!!!” Carr is a recipient of one of MRC’s inaugural 2024 Free Speech Awards. Carr has already promised to stop the current FCC’s prioritization of woke Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion standards, and most particularly to “dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans.” Carr has a track record of taking on Big Tech. For instance, last week, he wrote a letter to the CEOs of Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google and YouTube) and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) ordering them to surrender records regarding collaboration with “Orwellian” government-funded website traffic cop NewsGuard, driving an “unprecedented surge of censorship” online. Carr cited exclusive MRC Free Speech America research exposing the extreme leftist bias embedded within NewsGuard’s ratings system for media organizations. In December 2023, MRC discovered that NewsGuard gave “left” and “lean left” outlets a stellar average credibility score of 91/100, whereas “right” and “lean right” outlets were slapped with an abysmal 65/100 average score — a disparity of 26 points. MRC also found in 2022 that NewsGuard rated several Communist Chinese state media outlets higher than several U.S. pro-life and right-leaning outlets, as Carr also noted. But Carr’s bona fides as a champion for pro-free speech and pro-American values don’t end there. In September, Carr went on The Mark Levin Showin September to slam the FCC for arbitrarily deciding to waive a national security review of the foreign-backed purchase of radio giant Audacy by leftist billionaire George Soros, which would give him even greater control over Americans’ media diet than what he already has. In June 2022, Carr also wrote to Apple and Google to request that Communist Chinese government-tied TikTok be removed from app stores because it’s “a sophisticated surveillance tool.” In May, Carr bashed TikTok’s federal court argument, “TikTok wants this to be a case about the content of its speech.  It is not.  It is about TikTok's malign conduct - conduct the Constitution doesn't protect.” Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on “hate speech” and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.