An Ontario university student was in the vicinity of a bog at night when he observed a giant slug/leech-looking creature crawling out of the muck. He quickly exits the area.I received the following account:"I lived in Thunder Bay‚ Ontario‚ Canada which has many of these little swamps/bogs in certain parts outside of town. Usually‚ not a lot goes on in these bogs as you can't really build in them and there's not a lot that lives in them except for maybe some frogs and muskrat. Anyway‚ one Friday night about 7 years ago I decided to take a break from my university studies and go for some drinks at the local bar with some of the boys. It was a really good night with lots of drinking to be had and around a bit after 3 in the morning I decided to start walking home as I only live about 15 min away. I was about halfway home when I noticed something unusual at one of these bogs.From what I could see it seemed there was some kind of light coming from the water. At first‚ I simply told myself it was probably just my drunk mind playing tricks on me but alas curiosity‚ with the help of some liquid courage‚ got the best of me and I decided to approach the light. It is what I saw then that I still to this day can not make sense of.What appeared to be a giant slug/leech-looking creature started to crawl out of the bog with what seemed like two very muscular front arms. As it crawled out further I got a better glimpse of its body‚ approximately 2 metres long. I did not seem to have any hind legs just its front arms but did seem to have a slimy underside as it moved quite fast and left behind a somewhat noticeable slime layer. The bio-luminescence was coming from a massive bulge located on his forehead and extended down his spinal column. I was completely stunned by what I was seeing and could not move as my body went completely numb.At first‚ the creature clearly did not notice me as he was headed in a direction perpendicular to mine. I assume that because he did not initially see me the creature may not have great eyesight or any eyes at all. It must also had a poor sense of smell as it was not drawn to me. It was only when I let out a foolish and loud "WTF is this thing" did the abomination stopped dead in its tracks and turned its hideous head at me. It was at this point I could clearly see its 2 large black eyes open up from its eyelids and stare directly at me. As soon as it saw me its bio-luminescence went out and I was left blinded in the pitch black.I heard a horrific screech almost like a bird scraw but much lower and sounding like it came from deep in the gut. I could hear the creature start to charge at me as I could hear its large body cut through that tall bog grass. My fight-or-flight instincts kicked in and you can be damn sure I chose flight. I picked out the nearest street lamp and ran as fast as I could through the grass till I got to it. When I got back to the street I was surprised to see no sign of the creature behind me.I'm unsure if it wanted to harm me or just scare me out of its bog as I had seen it moving at an alarming rate as it initially left the bog water. Surely it could have caught a drunk‚ staggering 22-year-old man? I went home after that and vowed never to go back to the bog. After I finished my degree I moved to Toronto and haven't been back since‚ I still can't come to terms with what I saw that night and I'm not sure I want to. I'm posting now to get this off my chest and see if anyone has had a similar experience or if they can make sense of this." KMythical Creatures (Mysteries‚ Legends‚ and Unexplained Phenomena)Valley of the Skookum: Four Years of Encounters With BigfootTrue Bigfoot Encounters: Eyewitness Accounts of Sasquatch Saving HumansVisits from the Forest People: An Eyewitness Report of Extended Encounters with BigfootThe Black Diary: M.I.B‚ Women in Black‚ Black-Eyed Children‚ and Dangerous BooksChasing the Elusive Pennsylvania Bigfoot: A Cryptid from Another RealityRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----WEREWOLVES‚ PORTALS‚ &; CRAWLERS NEAR THE LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES - LIVE Chat - Lon Strickler (Host)A Tennessee family‚ who lives near the Land Between the Lakes‚ experiences a variety of unsettling phenomena. As time goes on‚ the husband gives a detailed account of the activity‚ along with updates. I will also detail a very bizarre incident in which the witnesses experienced an abomination while at the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area.Over the years I have received many requests to post and talk about the strange and unexplained activity in the Land Between the Lakes area. I'll let you decide how dangerous this region is.If you have questions‚ feel free to post them in the live chat. I will do my best to answer each.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Finale-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSFountains of diamonds that erupt from Earth's center are revealing the lost history of supercontinentsMissing Link Found? 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LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2024 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

The post National Meow Like a Pirate Day 2024: When &; How to Celebrate by Catster Editorial Team appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. Shiver me‚ timbers! There is actually a day called National Meow Like a Pirate Day. Although its name may spark some confusion‚ it’s a great day for fun and bonding between you and your feline friend. September 19th is the day for cat lovers to bring out their inner Blackbeard and honor their cat’s role in history. We have you covered with all the information you need on National Meow Like a Pirate Day‚ so you don’t have to walk the plank for your lack of knowledge of this fun and frivolous holiday. What and When Is National Meow Like a Pirate Day? There seems to be a holiday for almost anything‚ but we love one that honors our feline companions. Meow Like a Pirate Day was established in 2015 to honor cats traveling with their pirate comrades and is observed concurrently with Talk Like a Pirate Day. Although cats were taken aboard to assist in warding off the rats‚ they were also signs of luck. It was believed that cats might fend off the nefarious spirits of the lost pirates at sea. To honor their cherished furry companions‚ two cat-loving pirate aficionados established this amusing holiday in 2002. Since then‚ cat owners and pirate enthusiasts worldwide have gotten together to commemorate the relationship between cats and their humans. National Meow Like a Pirate Day is one of the most bizarre holidays‚ but if you’re always looking for an excuse to host a party or dress up your cat‚ this could be the best one yet. On September 19th‚ you can celebrate National Meow Like a Pirate Day with your feline friend. Image Credit: Daykiney‚ Shutterstock Why National Meow Like a Pirate Day Is So Great Pirates have been part of movies‚ TV shows‚ and party themes for years. While cats are one of the most popular and loved pets and are often the subject of the most hilarious and top trending videos on the internet‚ when you combine these two‚ you have a day perfect for a fun‚ fantastic‚ meme-worthy party. Additionally‚ you can get your cat involved in the festivities; after all‚ who doesn’t love a great costume for their cat? National Meow Like a Pirate Day also pays homage to the history of cats. Cats were valuable to pirates as they could effectively reduce the rodent population aboard the ships‚ saving their food supplies and protecting them from diseases. Cats‚ as you can imagine‚ were also great companions during long and tedious journeys‚ and even cats today continue to sail on ships. More importantly‚ it shines a light on the joy a pet cat can bring to your life and encourages more people to adopt! Any holiday honoring pets is an excellent opportunity to spread awareness for animal concerns‚ especially homeless animals. How to Celebrate National Meow Like a Pirate Day There are many ways you can celebrate National Meow Like a Pirate Day! Whether you want to go big or make a small contribution‚ there is a way for you to get involved. Image Credit: Benevolente82‚ Shutterstock Play Dress Up This is the most obvious and fun way to celebrate this not-so-serious holiday. You can DIY or shop around for a Jack Sparrow look-alike costume for you and your cat. You can have fun dressing up in eye patches‚ hook hands‚ and Jolly Roger pirate hats. Then‚ you can take pictures and videos and share them across your social media for everybody to see. Don’t stop there! Consider throwing a party where your friends and their cats can join too. Learn the Lingo While pirates don’t meow like cats‚ they do have a fascinating lingo. Key phrases include “ahoy” and “shiver me timbers‚” along with words such as “maties” and “yo ho ho!” Most pirates are not particularly eloquent due to the rum they consume at sea‚ so a few slurs can help give you a convincing pirate accent. Support Your Local Shelter Consider volunteering at your shelter the day or afternoon‚ even while sporting your best pirate costume. If you don’t have the extra time available‚ you could also contribute by donating money or items the shelter may need‚ such as food‚ blankets‚ and toys. Adopt a Cat Consider adopting a cat on National Meow Like a Pirate Day! Providing a home to a cat in need may be the best hidden treasure. Image Credit: JW Design‚ Shutterstock Understanding Your Cat’s Meow While we are on the subject of pirate lingo and meowing like a pirate‚ we thought we would talk more about your cat’s language. Over time‚ you might become so familiar with your cat’s behavior and routine that you can pick up on minor mood swings. When you recognize your cat’s extensive repertoire of chirps and meows‚ you know when they are hungry‚ need affection‚ and are in danger or experiencing discomfort. Meowing is mainly used only by mothers and their kittens to communicate‚ but similar outcomes are achieved when cats meow at people. A cat’s meow can range in pitch‚ length‚ and volume. It shows they want to be fed‚ petted‚ or let outside‚ and sometimes it can be an indication of pain or discomfort. A Short Meow: A short meow is usually their way of greeting‚ like a short “hello.” Multiple Meows: More than one meow may show excitement when seeing you. Whether it’s because they are hungry or longing for cuddles. A Long‚ Drawn-out Meow: This may be more of a command‚ such as wanting you to open the window or the door. High-Pitched Meow: The high-pitched meow may indicate pain but nothing serious‚ such as stepping on their tail. If the meowing is continuous‚ especially when handled‚ it could show that your cat is in more severe pain that needs attention. Low Pitch Long Meow: You may hear this one when another strange cat is nearby. It is usually accompanied by hissing and is not a friendly pitch. Image Credit: New Africa‚ Shutterstock Final Thoughts Yo ho ho! September 19th is the time to celebrate National Meow Like a Pirate Day! This holiday stands out from others since it is lighter and more playful. It gives people of all ages the chance to have fun‚ loosen up‚ and unleash their inner swashbucklers while honoring their feline friends and their role in history. National Meow Like a Pirate Day will provide happiness‚ humor‚ and awareness to everyone participating‚ whether they use pirate slang in conversation‚ dress in full pirate attire‚ or give a kitty a new forever home. Sources https://nationaltoday.com/national-meow-like-pirate-day/#:~:text=National%20Meow%20Like%20a%20Pirate%20Day%20Activities&;text=On%20September%2019%2C%20you%20get‚have%20a%20quick%20photo%20shoot. https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/understanding-feline-language Featured Image Credit: danilobiancalana‚ Shutterstock The post National Meow Like a Pirate Day 2024: When &; How to Celebrate by Catster Editorial Team appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

The post 10 Historical Facts About Cats in Ancient Egypt by Eleanor Glaum appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. The ancient Egyptian era is associated with very distinct historical phenomena. It was the time of mummies‚ pharaohs‚ pyramids‚ Cleopatra‚ and cats. It is widely believed that the ancient Egyptians revered cats to such an extent that they worshipped them. As it turns out‚ that’s not exactly true‚ and we’ll clarify this misconception in due course. Ancient Egypt’s impressive epoch spanned over 3‚000 years‚ ending in 30 BC when the region was captured and annexed to Rome. It is a time marked by an advanced civilization and remarkable technological‚ mechanical‚ and agricultural innovations‚ some of which continue to baffle scholars. The regal cat featured strongly in ancient Egyptian civilization is reverently represented in many religious and social contexts. In this article‚ we’ll discuss 10 facts about cats in ancient Egypt that will cause you to look at our feline friends in a different light! The 10 Facts About Cats in Ancient Egypt Cats occupied a notable role in ancient Egyptian civilization. They were considered superior to most other animals and featured significantly in important contexts. 1. Cats Feature Prominently in Ancient Egyptian Art Cats are abundantly represented in ancient Egyptian art. Various pieces‚ including murals‚ statues‚ amulets‚ hieroglyphics‚ and sculptures‚ have been found that date back to before the 30th century BC. Some of these celebrate deities with feline characteristics. Others depict wild cats such as cheetahs and lions and some give a rough idea of the domestic cat’s role in the lives of the ancient Egyptians. The latter depicts scenes of cats protecting their owners from snakes and scorpions‚ hunting birds with people‚ and providing companionship. Image Credit: Nejron Photo‚ Shutterstock 2. The Ancient Egyptians Did Not Worship Cats or Any Animals It is mistakenly believed that the ancient Egyptians were cat-worshippers‚ which is untrue. Rather‚ they used the likeness of cats to represent several of their deities. They revered cats for their effective vermin control and protection of their food stores. Many ancient Egyptians also believed they had a special connection to the gods. This probably resulted in them considering them near god-like and a worthy likeness of the gods. The truth is that the ancient Egyptians did not worship cats or any other animals. 3. Feline Relationships were Continued into the Afterlife The ancient Egyptians so adored their cats that they desired that they join them in the afterlife. This is apparent in depictions on the wall of tombs‚ showing how cats were an intricate part of the family unit. Mummified cats have been found in the tombs of what were presumably their owners. There was also a belief that if you were buried with a cat‚ you could occupy their body in the afterlife. Image Credit: Randa G‚ Shutterstock 4. Cats Were Mummified As well as the mummified pet cats that have been discovered in the tombs of individuals‚ there are also other situations where mummified cats have been found. It is thought that the practice of mummifying cats may have spurred an entire industry where cats were bred specifically to be burial mates of humans. It is a somewhat perplexing contradiction since‚ at the time‚ the killing of cats was strictly illegal and punishable by death‚ except for this particular sacrificial purpose. This provides insight into how vital the afterlife was to the ancient Egyptians. 5. Ancient Egyptian Nobility Popularized Keeping Cats as Pets The Pharaohs and other royals were most probably responsible for popularizing the keeping of cats as pets. This phenomenon is observed in many ancient and modern cultures where the nobility is seen as trendsetters whose actions are copied by the commoners. The nobility would dress their cats up in gold and jewels and allow them free rein‚ even letting them eat food off their plates. Of course‚ the commoners were in no position to do the same‚ but they made jewelry depicting cats for themselves. Image Credit: i_moppet‚ Shutterstock 6. The Ancient Egyptian Word for Cat Is “Miu” In a piece of beautiful synchronicity‚ it is believed that the ancient Egyptian word for cat was “miu” or “mau.” When spelled out phonetically‚ it sounds almost exactly like a cat’s meow. Maybe it’s not so synchronous after all—perhaps the ancient Egyptians knew precisely what they were doing when they named the little carnivore! 7. Ancient Egyptians Would Shave Their Eyebrows in Mourning the Passing of a Beloved Pet Cat Cats occupied such an esteemed position in ancient Egyptian households that their owners would enter a mourning phase when they passed. To mark their mourning‚ they would shave off their eyebrows. The mourning period would only be over when their eyebrows had grown back. Image Credit: vipubadee‚ Shutterstock 8. Ancient Egyptian Cats Wore Beautiful‚ Ornate Collars Since humans began having relationships with and domesticating animals‚ they have fitted harnesses and collars of various descriptions on them. The cats of ancient Egypt were no different‚ but since they occupied such a privileged ranking in society‚ their collars were appropriately embellished. Egyptian cats’ collars were stunning and valuable artifacts adorned with precious metals‚ gems‚ stones‚ and beads. 9. The Ancient Egyptians are Credited for the Establishment of the First Pet Cemetery In 2011‚ archaeologists discovered what is believed to be the earliest pet cemetery in Berenice. They had been excavating an area believed to be an ancient Egyptian dump when they came across the remains of 100s of small animals. They noticed that the animals had all been in good condition‚ having lived comfortable lives‚ and mostly died naturally rather than in cruel or unfortunate ways. The animals had all been carefully and considerately buried in makeshift coffins‚ leaves‚ blankets‚ or between bowls. This led them to conclude that these animals‚ the majority of which were cats‚ had been cherished pets‚ and they had stumbled upon an ancient pet cemetery. Image Credit: Maximillian cabinet‚ Shutterstock 10. The Sphinx of Giza Is an Enduring Testament to the Ancient Egyptians’ Veneration of Cats The Great Sphinx of Giza is perhaps the most famous representation of a cat from ancient Egyptian times. It is one of the world’s largest sculptures at 66 feet high and an impressive 240 feet long. It is thought to date back to the reign of King Khafre‚ whose face it depicts‚ complete with regal headwear. The body is that of a lion. There is‚ however‚ speculation about the Sphinx’s origins and representation. It is impossible to know for sure since no definitive records exist. It was carved out of one block of limestone around 2‚575 to 2‚465 BC‚ and it is thought that the entire sculpture was painted at that time. Historians estimate it could have taken 100 sculptors about three years to complete. Conclusion The role that cats played in ancient Egyptian society is perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of the animal’s history. It is no wonder our modern-day cats retain a regal attitude even today. Veneration runs in their bloodlines. We may even be thankful‚ in large part‚ to the Ancient Egyptians for the no less important role that our beloved cats play in our lives today. You might also be interested in: Did Cleopatra Have Cats? Egyptian Cat History Explained Sources https://www.history.com/news/cats-ancient-egypt https://www.livescience.com/ancient-egypt-cats.html https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Sphinx https://www.livescience.com/oldest-pet-cemetery-ancient-egypt.html Featured Image Credit: Be Seen and Bloom‚ Shutterstock The post 10 Historical Facts About Cats in Ancient Egypt by Eleanor Glaum appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Echo is trying to be many things—possibly too many. Is it a story of a woman escaping a dark past? A family reconciliation? A crime family saga? A superhero origin story? A story of mystical healing and rebirth? A story about feminine power? A story about a people celebrating their culture in the face of oppression and marginalization? It’s a little bit of all of those things‚ which means that no element gets as much attention as it deserves. But it still does give us some interesting moments‚ moments that are nothing like anything else the MCU has done. I’ll do my best to break it down below. Let me begin with a frame of reference: my favorite Marvel TV experiences were Daredevil (Season 3)‚ Jessica Jones (Season 1)‚ some episodes of Luke Cage’s first season‚ and a couple episodes of What If…?. I am a huge fan of gritty‚ street-level Marvel stuff‚ and I’ve been hoping Echo would be a return to that. It was‚ and it wasn’t. I’ll run through some of non-spoiler elements here‚ and then get into more detail further down. Never fear‚ I’ll let you know before we get into Spoiler Country. Maya Lopez—last seen leading‚ and then leaving‚ the Track Suit Mafia in Hawkeye—travels back to her hometown‚ Tamaha‚ Oklahoma. She goes home to a fractured family—she hasn’t really spoken to her grandparents or cousins in about 20 years‚ since she and her dad moved to NYC. But you don’t just walk out on Wilson Fisk‚ so she has to figure out which family is her true one‚ and what kind of person she wants to be‚ and whether or not it’s ever possible to change. The show has a few different themes and throughlines‚ and all of them are interesting—but it doesn’t make any of them clear enough soon enough. There’s a running theme of whether or not anything can be too broken to be fixed‚ an ongoing question of whether Maya is a “healer” or a “destroyer” (and whether that has anything to do with gender)‚ and the question of which family is Maya’s true family. Most of the flashbacks and a lot of the action tie into these three ideas‚ but often in a way that feels jumbled. I found myself re-editing the show in my head. At least once an episode there was a scene where I said‚ “THIS should have been the opening!” because there were so many individual flashbacks that built into Maya’s story in ways that would have resonated better than the opening we got—I’ll get into it more in the spoiler section. Image: Marvel Studios Here I’ll just say that it takes 28 minutes and 41 seconds of backstory before we’re finally in the present day of the show we’re currently watching. I’ll put forth that that’s a bit too much backstory! Throw us into the present and then hit us with a couple of flashbacks‚ we’ll catch up! Especially given how intertwined the past and present turn out to be in Echo‚ it would have been cool if the show had taught us how to watch it‚ rather than going with a more conventional “here’s a prologue to get you caught up on everyone‚ now here’s the present” type of structure. Obviously if you’re an MCU die hard you’re going to watch this one‚ and I think you’ll find a lot to like in it. Maya Lopez is a great character to hang a show on‚ and even when the show gets muddled about whether she’s a brilliant mastermind or in over her head‚ Cox’s performance is always solid. If you love Wilson Fisk you’ll either really dig Echo or it’ll piss you off—and either way I recommend it‚ because it adds some interesting texture to his character. (Do I even need to say that D’Onofrio is fabulous? He’s fabulous‚ we all know that.) D’Onofrio and Cox get to have repressed-emotion-that’s-about-to-boil-over-offs repeatedly‚ and they’re always fantastic. If you’re looking for a show that expands the MCU beyond the usual New York setting this is also kind of cool‚ though I wish we got a little more of a sense of Tamaha as a community through Maya’s eyes. Native representation and culture is woven into the show. Each of the episodes is named for one of Maya’s ancestors‚ and we get flashes of their lives. Several episodes also open with incidents from Choctaw lore or history that then became important to Maya in the present day‚ and most of the characters are Choctaw‚ and it’s treated as the default‚ with no clueless non-Native audience proxy to explain stuff. If this isn’t your culture‚ you can either keep up or not‚ it’s on you. The acting is all solid. Alaqua Cox plays Maya Lopez; Chaske Spencer is Maya’s Uncle Henry‚ who goes by the nickname “Black Crow” and runs the local skating rink (plus‚ um‚ a crime rink‚ for Fisk); Tantoo Cardinal is Maya’s grandmother‚ Chula‚ who is the heart of the show; Devery Jacobs is Maya’s cousin Bonnie‚ who isn’t in it enough; Cody Lightning is Maya’s other cousin‚ the delightful Biscuits; Graham Greene is possibly my very favorite as Skully‚ Maya’s grandfather; and of course perennial MVP Vincent D’Onofrio is back as Fisk. Image: Marvel Studios Cox really brings Maya to life for me—she’s so full of pain and anger‚ and you can see all of her tension in Cox’s face and the way she holds her body except for a couple moments of release‚ once when she actually allows herself to laugh after she’s pulled off an act of vengeance‚ and‚ later‚ during a particularly emotional moment in the finale. Those moments are all the more affecting for being so rare. And all of her scenes with D’Onofrio are perfect—you can practically see the air vibrating between them. While the fight scenes aren’t quite up to the soaring heights of Daredevil‚ I thought they worked pretty well. The directors and fight choreographers make a point of highlighting and using the prosthetic in her fights‚ and there are multiple times when it allows Maya to do things that she wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. (They also made room for some aesthetic decisions with regard to the prosthetic that I don’t want to spoil‚ but which led to one of my favorite moments.) Maya’s deafness is similarly explored a few times‚ when the sound largely cuts out so hearing audiences can understand Maya’s experience better. I wanted the show to do this a lot more‚ because this is Maya’s show‚ and I wanted to be in her POV as much as possible‚ but when the show did use it‚ it worked well. I’ll get into spoiler elements below‚ both positive and negative‚ for those of you who have finished the show and want to talk about it. Image: Marvel Studios Ready? Echo folds the MCU together‚ and does it surprisingly well. It picks up soon after Hawkeye‚ with a flashback to Maya’s confrontation with Clint. Later on‚ it gives us an earlier scene of Maya working for Fisk‚ going on what she thinks is a routine hit on some of Fisk’s rivals‚ but is actually a trap to lure Daredevil out. She and Matt fight‚ and she does well enough that Fisk promotes her. When Fisk comes out to Oklahoma to try to reconcile with her‚ he tells her the story of murdering his father‚ and even gives her the hammer he used. We see flashbacks to his awful childhood‚ and everything matches up with what we learned back during the first season of Netflix’s Daredevil. The mid-credits sequence shows Fisk watching a news report about New York’s mayoral race‚ a clear set-up for Daredevil: Born Again‚ that feeds into Fisk’s arc as a wannabe civic booster from Daredevil Season 3—but also dealing with that bit of worldbuilding in a way that doesn’t distract from Maya’s arc in her own show. How great was the scene with the ice cream vendor???!!! The scariest‚ most violent scene of the entire season features Fisk in an alley going Full Fisk on a random dude for being mean to his adopted niece? Him trying to protect Maya from that violence? The emotions that pass over his face like sunlight on lake water as he watches her kick the man? I am making chef’s kiss gestures with my fingers right now‚ television show. HOW COOL WAS THE PROSTHETIC MAYA’S GRANDFATHER MADE??? It was so beautiful‚ and the way she was touched‚ but overwhelmed‚ and wanted to reject‚ but also you could see it growing on her‚ and then he fake-pouted at her‚ and it just made me want to hug everyone involved. Maya’s Grandfather‚ just in general‚ was fantastic. I guess this is a negative as well as a positive: I wanted much more of him‚ and even more of his relationship with Chula. It’s implied that one of Maya’s strengths is an ability to rig up gadgets on the fly‚ yes? How much cooler would it have been if she’d maintained more of a relationship with her grandfather‚ and he’d taught her his craft? The show does a thing that always bothers me: we’re shown one big pivotal emotional moment from our protagonist’s childhood‚ and then that’s what she flashes back to‚ over and over again‚ any time we need to be reminded that she has Unresolved Trauma. In this case‚ that night camping in a tent with Bonnie was seemingly the most important moment she and her cousin ever shared? Because that’s what she remembers every single time she needs to think about Bonnie. And about that: in the first episode it’s implied that Bonnie is going to be a huge part of the show‚ but as the episodes roll along‚ the core relationship is clearly the one between Maya and Chula. Not that Bonnie isn’t important‚ but she doesn’t play into the action nearly as much. Also‚ I was kind of hoping her work as an EMT would become central in some way. Image: Marvel Studios The details are perfect. In the big confrontation with Fisk‚ he brings an extremely expensive wine‚ and cookies from Levain‚ leading to the best dialogue Fisk has ever had: Fisk: “What happened to the Lafite?” Maya: “I poured it down the drain.” Fisk (like an annoyed toddler): “…it came highly recommended.” And then Maya serves Fisk an un-opened can of Shasta. Perfection. (Also let’s note that Fisk is capable of remembering that Levain cookies are Maya’s favorite‚ but he can’t be arsed to learn ASL for the girl who’s practically his daughter. Fuckin Fisk‚ man.) But meanwhile‚ when Henry finally drags Maya to Chula’s house to try to force a reconciliation‚ what does Maya’s grandmother do? Sets out an enormous tray of vanilla sandwich cookies‚ fanned into a perfect circle. I love a Levain cookie‚ but I’ll take those instead‚ any day. I guess it’s a little cheesy that everything comes to a head during the Pow Wow‚ but I’m not going to argue too much with the whole Indigenous community celebrating‚ while a few of Maya’s family fight back against some white mafia guys from NYC and save the day without disrupting the celebration. The series changes the meaning of “echo” from Maya’s comic book ability to mimic people’s movements‚ to instead focus on the idea of her ancestors’ strengths echoing through her to the present day. I found that really moving‚ especially in the scenes with her mother. I just wish they’d done a bit more with it to build up to the ending. I liked the idea that Maya has to make a choice between being a “healer” and a destroyer” and the way that that’s an echo of Tukla wanting to become a Lighthorseman and being told that as a woman‚ a creator of life‚ she can’t take life as a law enforcer‚ so she dresses and braids her hair as a Choctaw warrior would to stand between those roles. I loved that the ancestral women also appeared to Chula during childbirth. I also appreciated that when Maya calls Fisk a monster‚ he points out that she’s killed many people for him‚ knew what she was doing‚ and never pleaded for their lives. You don’t get to just decide not to be a killer one day and wipe your own slate‚ you know? Life is more complicated than that. Realism gets lost along the way a few times—which wouldn’t matter for some corners of the Marvelverse‚ but if we’re doing the story of “gritty‚ street-level” experience it needs to be airtight. How is Maya able to move into her grandma’s house? It’s clean‚ the electricity’s on‚ and there are no raccoons or possums nesting anywhere‚ even though no one’s lived there in how many years? This town is small‚ but somehow people don’t know Maya’s back until weeks into her stay?? Like how is she avoiding people when the town is ONE STREET‚ when I live in New York City and I run into people I know all the time? And then we come to bit I really had a problem with: Henry and Maya kill SO MANY people in Tamaha‚ but the cops just don’t care? This isn’t Fisk City‚ how are they getting away with it??? Image: Marvel Studios Let me back up. Vickie‚ the bowling shoe guy‚ calls Fisk’s crew to tell them Maya (the Kingkiller) is back in town. Vickie tracks her to‚ you know‚ her grandma’s house‚ so that part isn’t hard‚ but he and two seemingly normal‚ non-superpowered girls kidnap Maya and lock her in room in the skating rink. They also tie Henry up. Maya was Fisk’s enforcer‚ the leader of the Tracksuit Mafia‚ which was not played for laughs even as much as they were in Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye comics—how the hell were this ridiculous man and these two little prairie girls able to hold her hostage??? Then they get Bonnie‚ who’s too stupid to drive away from an obviously weird situation‚ and this is how she and Maya reunite. I love that as a concept… but then they’re re-subdued by Vickie and the two girls right away‚ before we get to see them together! And again‚ we’ve seen Maya fight fucking Daredevil to a draw. Shouldn’t she be able to take these three out‚ especially after they left her alone in a room full of heavy sharp things? And also she has a knife embedded in her prosthetic’s shoe‚ it’s used once‚ and then never again. Frustrating! Then the show’s Kirkland Brand Russo-Statham‚ Zane‚ shows up with his crew. Sometimes there are only a couple of them‚ then‚ abruptly‚ there seem to be roughly 1‚000 goons on hand. They tolerate Vickie long after the point where professional killers would have professionally killed him. Then they’re in a game of cat and mouse with Maya‚ who has suddenly remembered how to take down multiple trained dudes who are all larger than her‚ and absorb injuries that knock said large men unconscious‚ just long enough for us to get a decent fight scene until Bonnie’s taken hostage AGAIN. Some of the other guys regain consciousness (or maybe come back to life?) because suddenly the skating rink is bristling with henchmen again. But instead of just icing her‚ Zane ties her and Henry up‚ again‚ and makes them kneel in the center of the skating rink for no logical reason‚ which allows just enough time for Fisk to somehow intuit that this is all happening and call to tell them to release her. Then she goes home (!!!) (???) where of course Fisk waiting for her. So‚ was he in the skating rink watching everything? Cause there was no indication of that that I caught. Or is he just psychically connected to Maya? Why the hell did Maya forget how to fight and then remember again? Why the hell did she go home‚ of all places‚ when she’s on the run from this criminal mastermind? Why didn’t Fisk have Zane keep Henry or Bonnie for leverage? What the hell????? Obviously‚ we’re trying to set up the idea of Fisk coming to town like a terrifying storm. But the version of this that makes sense is the one where Maya easily takes Vickie and the two girls out‚ and then she and Bonnie actually have time to talk about their estrangement before Zane shows up‚ and they call Fisk to clear the hit‚ which he tells them not to go through with. Since he’s already in town. Then maybe she goes home‚ thinking that’s the end of it‚ but not having any idea that he’s already in Tahama. Then we actually get the emotional payoff with her and Bonnie‚ along with real suspense from the threat of Fisk’s presence. Maya’s able to infiltrate a train and send a giant bomb into one of Fisk’s operations‚ but then thinks she can just leave town after rejecting his offer‚ and Fisk‚ who already employs another of her relatives‚ won’t just get back off the plane and kill everyone she loves? I have never worked my way up through an underworld organization and been appointed the leader of an elite kill squad‚ and even I know that if you reject the head dude’s offer‚ there will be repercussions. Like I said‚ frustrating! But then there are excellent moments like the montage set to “Down to the River to Pray” of Chula sewing Maya’s suit‚ Bonnie doing dishes and musing about stuff‚ Biscuits goes to a junked car lot with a friend‚ who tells him “Everything the light touches‚ is yours” as the sun glints off the shattered car-casses‚ and he recognizes the quote from The Lion King but then says that Chula says that nothing is so broken it can’t be fixed which is a cheesy line‚ but I’m kind of willing to go with the idea of this old country spiritual being sung by women soundtracking three of Maya’s loved ones doing domestic work—I’m a sucker for the sacralizing of the every day. And then it really nails it when the line “Oh sinners‚ let’s go down‚ come on down” as Maya pulls into the casino parking lot to confront Fisk‚ and then song fades out as she enters his hotel room‚ gun drawn. He’s left the door open for her. And then we come to the most interesting element of the show‚ which for my money is Maya’s attempt to heal Fisk. It’s the MCU‚ after all‚ and‚ as I just complained in my What If…? review‚ their stuff tends to collapse into heavily-CGI’ed slugfests in the end. But here‚ after all the violence and threatened violence of this show‚ Maya’s big endgame play is to heal Wilson Fisk’s emotional trauma. Image: Marvel Studios I love how this‚ in a really cool way‚ carries Daredevil’s big themes forward. In addition to everything else that show did‚ it was a battle between good and evil fueled by Matt Murdock’s tortured Catholic worldview. For Matt‚ defeating Fisk becomes a moral imperative to save the soul of his city. Matty’s whole deal in Season 1 and Season 3 is‚ “Can I kill Fisk‚ even though it will damn me to Hell‚ a thing I actually believe in?” which immediately raised the stakes‚ especially as EVERYONE AROUND HIM told him not to resort to murder. (Meanwhile he tosses ninjas off of roofs with gusto‚ but apparently they don’t count toward Hell Points? I don’t know‚ Matt’s theology is a mystery.) But now here’s Maya‚ who loves Fisk‚ who knows Fisk as an uncle who protected her‚ but also as the monster who had her father killed and is threatening what’s left of her family. But instead of wrestling with “Can I kill him? What about my soooouuuullllll????” like Matty‚ she finds a different way and tries to fix his origin story. When she comes into her full “Echo” powers it allows her to see young Wilson‚ sitting in his room‚ listening to his dad beat his mother up. She now knows that he murdered his dad‚ and that the thing they have in common—the death of the father—was a little different in Wilson’s case. He admits to having her father killed‚ he offers her vengeance with the very hammer he used on his own father. (I love Wilson Fisk.) When she rejects vengeance‚ he offers her a new role in his organization back in the City. If she can put her feelings in a box she can be the queen basically‚ his appointed heir. But when she rejects THAT he can’t just let her go. When all the threads come together and she confronts him I was expecting yet another annoying battle‚ but instead Maya gains the power of her ancestors‚ channels it to her grandmother and cousin‚ and uses it to heal rather than attack. She mind-melds with Fisk‚ sits with him in his childhood bedroom‚ and tries to get him to let go of his pain and become a new person. And he can’t. The experience breaks him‚ he flees from her and leaves her and her family alive‚ but he explicitly says: “I can’t be what you need me to be.” For all of the inconsistencies and sluggish spots of this season‚ I’m excited that Echo tries a different kind of ending‚ takes the moral changes of its protagonist seriously‚ and also shows us a new possibility for where this ridiculously wide-ranging fictional universe can go. Leah Schnelbach wants to see more of those Sunday Family Dinners. Come yell at them on the smoking husk that used to be twitter or BlueSky or wherever.

Welcome back to Dissecting The Dark Descent‚ where we lovingly delve into the guts of David Hartwell’s seminal 1987 anthology story by story‚ and in the process‚ explore the underpinnings of a genre we all love. For an in-depth introduction‚ here’s our intro post. I hope you enjoyed the holidays‚ and it’s lovely to have you all back in the dissection room with me. Without further ado: Robert Aickman is a name that carries weight among fans of short stories. A master of a darkly absurd style of story he insisted be called “strange stories” rather than “horror‚” he used his knowledge of the supernatural (he was involved with The Ghost Club and once investigated the infamous Borley Rectory)‚ intense verbal dexterity‚ and a gift for creating eccentric characters and situations to carve out a unique path through the horror landscape. “Larger Than Oneself” sees Aickman at his strangest‚ throwing an everywoman named Mrs. Iblis into the path of a barely legitimate symposium on religion and letting the situation evolve from satire to absurdist horror before ending in darkly comic irony. In the process‚ he takes dead aim at people of privilege who believe they can assuage their conscience or find something beyond their empty lives by performing belief in something greater than themselves. During a thunderstorm‚ newspaper magnate and amateur theologian Vincent Coner brings together a large group of clergy‚ spiritualists‚ philosophers‚ and academics for a forum at his country home of Bunhill to discuss spiritual issues and in his words “achieve a synthesis.” The Forum is meant as a free-floating open conversation about God and things beyond human understanding but is more an excuse for a wild party where people yell at each other about religion and politics. Amid all this chaos‚ Mrs. Iblis and Mr. Stillman arrive on the front steps of Coner’s house with a young woman named Ruth (that Coner seems involved with); Iblis and Stillman seem to be invitees who weren’t told their original plans were postponed so Coner could have the Forum. As the night draws on and the Forum gets wilder‚ odd events pile up and the atmosphere grows more sinister‚ only for a strange encounter to finally settle things and achieve the synthesis Comer so desperately desires. The unshakable feeling that things are wrong with the Forum is a constant presence throughout “Larger Than Oneself.” The feeling isn’t simply that one thing is wrong‚ or that there’s an intrusion of the unnatural‚ but that everything is at best unsettling for the protagonist—disorienting and surreal in the first part‚ and then deeply sinister and bizarre as the evening moves forward. Even the environment is warped‚ with a ghastly cartoon of the Crucifixion featured prominently and the faulty lighting of Bunhill casting scenes in an unnerving pallor. It’s a feeling of wrongness so intense that it’s existential‚ only underscoring a further sense of disorienting alienation as Mrs. Iblis is forced into bizarre and unwanted social interactions with the Forum. Aickman details every introvert’s worst nightmare: turning up in someplace you weren’t really invited to‚ being unable to leave‚ and having to navigate social interactions you don’t want to have while dealing with a disappointing catering spread. Further enhancing this‚ it’s clear that the Forum and the Coners view their situation as completely normal. Contextually‚ it’s beyond bizarre. That context is everything—as the Forum goes through their various performances‚ the encounters get more disorienting and sinister. Mrs. Iblis is accosted by various theologians and cult leaders‚ drugged by Mrs. Coner and her head servant Mavis‚ creeped out by the advances of a drunken Vincent Coner‚ and finally ends the story witnessing something that “nearly ends her” and escaping out the back window into the woods as the rest of the house merely goes about their evening. The way Stillman and the Coners’ head servant Mavis seem to shrug off their glimpse of something toweringly vast and terrifying absorbing a mass of humans as if they’re watching fireworks from the roof is treated as equally absurd and unnerving‚ as is the house’s on-call hygiene/dietary advisor Sister Nuper coming back with her flock of young men after some kind of strenuous physical activity in the woods. It’s an interplay between those used to privilege and Mrs. Iblis‚ who doesn’t have the context to see whole episode as anything but an absurd and disorienting whirl of events. This unsettlement has a purpose in its vicious irony. The Forum are people of privilege jockeying for attention and social status while eating Coner’s catered buffet. Even the most altruistic of the houseguests are privileged‚ performative‚ and self-centered—Sister Nuper mixes her nurse’s uniform with high heels and eveningwear and gives a thinly veiled interview on a grand piano to a bunch of young men more interested in her looks than in any theology‚ and a Canadian newspaperman seems more interested in engagement figures than actual spiritual enlightenment‚ despite talking at great length about how every paper in his massive conglomerate caters to the spiritual. When Mrs. Iblis comes down in the evening to find the remains of the party‚ the guests have even dropped their religious fervor and performative tendencies and are chatting to each other calmly about social matters and politics while raiding Bunhill’s pantry. It makes the climax of the story—a moment of religious transcendence echoing the Forum’s absurd horror that Mrs. Iblis watches from the top of the mansion—all that more beautifully evil a twist. Everyone gets what they want in the worst way possible: Coner gets his synthesis when the Forum he assembled are all absorbed into a towering‚ vast figure of light and vanish‚ leaving him sobbing unanswered prayers to give him something larger than himself. The various hucksters who spend all day arguing spiritual matters are finally in touch with the divine and spiritual‚ absorbed into a horrifying cosmic entity‚ their fates ambiguous but awful. And even Mrs. Iblis finally gets to leave‚ packing up and sneaking out the back window utterly horrified at all she’d seen‚ as the remaining guests shrug indifferently and head to bed. It’s a gleefully acerbic strike at those who perform their beliefs and good actions for personal gain—after all‚ it’s no accident that those left untouched by the divine presence are those who weren’t actively seeking or exploiting the divine in the first place. Nor is it any accident that Aickman ends on dark physical comedy‚ with the Forum blindly filing out the door only to squish against the outer wall of Bunhill before they’re “merged” and Mrs. Iblis sneaking out the back window to run off into the woods—the entire thing is as absurd and silly as the performative conniptions of the Forum itself. In Aickman’s eyes‚ those who seek absolution or something greater than themselves solely for personal gain are doomed to their own existential hell. Mr. Stillman even says so just before the climax‚ delivering a monologue on how taming the human mind is more important than searching for meaning outside of it. The sinister satire of Bunhill only illustrates that‚ with the absurd horror of the climax perfectly matching the absurd horror of the privileged inhabitants. In the end‚ the one rational person in possession of her own faculties is also the only one to understand the horror and escape. It’s an epiphany that‚ unlike the surviving guests at the end of the story‚ the reader shouldn’t ignore. *** And now to throw it over to you. Apart from the obvious question of favorite Robert Aickman story‚ in honor of his brushes with the supernatural‚ have any of you had any of your own encounters with ghosts or otherworldly phenomena? Or wound up at any weird parties where you were out of your depth? I’m interested to hear if you have and please share your stories (or as much as you’re comfortable with) below! Please join us next week for Fritz Leiber’s “Belsen Express‚” and once again‚ it’s lovely to be back. Sam Reader is a literary critic and book reviewer currently haunting the northeast United States. Apart from here at Tor.com‚ their writing can be found archived at The Barnes and Noble Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Blog and Tor Nightfire‚ and live at Ginger Nuts of Horror‚ GamerJournalist‚ and their personal site‚ strangelibrary.com. In their spare time‚ they drink way too much coffee‚ hoard secondhand books‚ and try not to upset people too much.

The Final Fantasy XI crossover event is finally returning to Final Fantasy XIV‚ so players can finally earn gear and glamour that has been unobtainable for years. The Maiden’s Rhapsody event will only be live for a limited time‚ so make sure you snag all the rewards while you can. FFXIV Maiden’s Rhapsody Event Start Time The Maiden’s Rhapsody event will be live in Final Fantasy XIV for two weeks. It will begin on Monday‚ January 22 at 12 am PT and end on Monday‚ February 5 at 6:59 am PT. During the event period‚ the questline “A Journey to Remember” will become available alongside the associated FATEs. To start the event questline‚ head to the Limsa Lominsa Lower Decks and speak to Remumu (X: 11.6‚ Y: 11.2). All Final Fantasy XI Rewards in FFXIV Image: Square Enix If you complete the “A Journey to Remember” quest‚ you’ll get the Amatsu armor set for free. This is a gender-neutral armor set that can...

Eight months after anonymously blowing the whistle on Texas Children’s Hospital’s transgender program‚ a surgeon has gone public with a tale of relentless persecution by the Biden administration. Dr. Eithan Haim would have preferred to remain anonymous‚ but he said the Biden administration’s “blatant attempt at political intimidation” forced him to go public‚ after a federal criminal investigation buried him and his wife in $250‚000 of legal fees without ever filing charges. “We spent the entirety of our retirement‚ investments‚ savings‚ and almost all of our disposable income to pay the legal bills to keep the case alive‚” Haim explained. “Although we have given this case all we have‚ there simply isn’t enough to keep up with the hundreds of thousands we currently owe in legal bills or the potential million[s] it would cost to fight this case through trial.” On Jan. 10‚ Haim went public‚ launching a fundraiser for his legal defense on GiveSendGo‚ a GoFundMe alternative that does not cancel fundraisers for politically incorrect causes. Federal agents served Haim with notice of the criminal investigation against him last June 23‚ hours before he graduated from surgical training “in a highly atypical‚ unexpected‚ and aggressive show of force.” That’s either a frightful coincidence—one of many involving the Biden Justice Department—or a deliberate attempt to dampen the celebratory mood of one of the best days of his life. “They show me their badges‚ and they say they were investigating a case regarding medical records. It was one of those moments where time stands still‚” Haim said. “Despite their best attempt at launching a surprise interview‚ I insisted on having an attorney present. Before leaving‚ however‚ I was given a target letter signed by a federal prosecutor that stated I was being criminally investigated‚” he wrote. The letter‚ signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tina Ansari of the Southern District of Texas‚ contained no information about the nature of the charges. “This office is involved in an investigation dealing with federal law violations. You are a potential target in this criminal investigation‚” it read. Two paragraphs about his obtaining an attorney followed‚ and that was the entire letter. The letter did not mention that Dr. Haim was the sole target‚ that investigators lacked hard evidence that a crime had been committed‚ or even that the investigation concerned the misuse of medical records. Haim had anonymously blown the whistle just over a month earlier to conservative investigative journalist Christopher Rufo‚ who published his account in an article dated May 16. Haim was then completing a surgical residency at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and uncovered evidence that the hospital system was still performing gender-transition procedures on minors‚ even after claiming it has stopped doing so. In March 2022‚ Texas Children’s Hospital announced it had “paused hormone-related prescription therapies for gender-affirming services” to “safeguard our health care professionals and impacted families from potential criminal legal ramifications” after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott‚ a Republican‚ in February 2022 announced the state would investigate “so-called ‘sex change’ procedures” on minors as child abuse. As Rufo reported‚ Haim uncovered evidence that Texas Children’s Hospital was surgically implanting puberty blockers into minor children as young as 11‚ and that they resumed those procedures as soon as three days after declaring they had “paused” them. He also encountered a presentation in which the hospital instructed doctors that “surgical procedures could be appropriate for ‘adolescents on [a] case-by-case basis.’” Haim’s explosive account was published at the same time the Texas Legislature was voting on SB 14‚ a bill to protect children from these harmful gender-transition procedures. The Texas House passed the bill 87-56 on May 15‚ and the Texas Senate approved the House’s version 19-12 on May 17. “In part due to the story’s release‚ the very next day‚ the Texas Legislature voted‚ with bipartisan support‚ to ban transgender medical interventions on minors‚” said Haim. The law’s passage prompted Texas Children’s Hospital to declare a second time that it would end offering gender-transition procedures to minors. Before the bill’s ink was even dry‚ liberals were demanding that the whistleblower be smoked out and “punished.” “Someone leaked kids’ medical records from a Houston hospital to right-wing activists‚” declared Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee‚ a Democrat‚ on May 19. “The leaker must be punished &; the kids must be protected.” (Harris County contains the city of Houston and is the largest county in Texas. The Harris County Attorney handles civil litigation and is distinct from the Harris County District Attorney‚ which prosecutes criminal cases. Nevertheless‚ when he ousted an incumbent Democrat in 2021‚ Menefee established a liberal activist brand similar to Houston’s George Soros-funded district attorney‚ Kim Ogg. Menefee obtained his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis‚ the same university where a whistleblower alleged unethical practices in their children’s hospital’s transgender center‚ prompting a state investigation in February 2023.) Despite an apparent lack of jurisdiction‚ Menefee’s office released a statement warning‚ “This illicit release of medical records puts children and their families at risk; and swift action must be taken to ensure that this does not happen again.” It mentioned that “unauthorized disclosures of medical records may violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996‚ commonly known as HIPAA.” The statement also announced that Texas Children’s Hospital would “fully investigate how this happened” and “fully disclose what they find to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. If a hospital employee leaked those medical records‚ they must be fired. If it was a hospital vendor‚ their contract must be terminated.” “It’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to silence a whistleblower in the medical space‚” Family Research Council senior fellow Meg Kilgannon told The Washington Stand. Hard‚ that is‚ “until we understand that the activity exposed is related to sex-change surgeries for children‚” she added. It took about a month for federal agents to sleuth out Haim as the whistleblower. Rufo hypothesized they did so by “review[ing] forensic information from [Texas Children’s Hospital’s] internal servers.” Then‚ on his graduation day‚ they knocked on his apartment door and told him he was under criminal investigation. Haim’s attorneys met with Justice Department officials multiple times over the next few months—often enough to charge him $250‚000. Despite the aggressive tactics and intense interviews‚ Haim has still not been charged with a crime more than six months later. “The fact that no charges have been filed‚ but legal expenses have been incurred by Dr. Haim‚ proves the ‘process is the punishment‚’” Kilgannon remarked. “These tactics are un-American‚ unconstitutional‚ and unbiblical.” Haim said the prosecutors “seem to be working under the assumption that he had released patient names and birthdays in order for them to be targeted by right-wing mobs‚ which is completely untrue. But all the evidence is on Twitter. Everything’s HIPAA-compliant.” Haim should know. He married a lawyer in 2022‚ who now works as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Surely‚ before performing such a life-altering act as blowing the whistle on a major medical scandal‚ Haim would have discussed the legal liability with his newlywed bride. Indeed‚ the hospital documents published online are heavily redacted to hide all personally identifiable information from patients’ records. “Since no laws had been violated (no personally identifiable patient health information was disclosed)‚ this was nothing more than a blatant attempt at political intimidation‚” Haim wrote. “We believe this case is being driven by a highly ideological division within the Department of Health and Human Services that aims to silence whistleblowers who expose institutionalized medical corruption and the dangers of these hormone-based interventions for confused‚ adolescent children.” “This persecution is designed to silence anyone who is thinking of questioning these barbaric medical practices‚” Kilgannon added. “No one is allowed to question ‘gender-affirming care.’ The Biden administration’s maniacal obsession with transgenderism has been demonstrated in dangerous rulemaking like on Title IX‚ and now we see the persecution of an American doctor for the ‘crime’ of pointing out a violation of state law‚ common sense‚ and human decency.” Federal prosecutors could easily guess that financial hardship was an easy way to apply pressure to Haim. They served the 33-year-old with legal papers on the day he graduated from his surgical training. He certainly had no time to store up a large nest egg. He had married a wife only months earlier‚ and as a lawyer her early career was not likely to be all that lucrative. So‚ they devised a strategy to bury the Haims in constant legal expenses‚ while not actually filing charges where there was no crime. “The Biden administration wanted to make a point‚” suggested Rufo. “Those who challenge trans orthodoxy will be punished by the state.” He challenged the hospital: “If ‘gender-affirming care’ is truly the gold standard in medicine‚ [Texas Children’s Hospital] should defend it openly‚ not perform it in secret.” “In order to prevent scrutiny of these programs‚ they are passing these regulations‚ passing these laws‚ and these federal bureaucracies‚ that will prevent that accountability from taking place‚” Haim complained. “Anything you’re doing in the hospital to a patient‚ you should have no problem talking about and defending in public. If you’re doing something‚ and you want to keep it from the public‚ it’s very‚ very likely you’re doing something wrong.” Ironically‚ the truly harmful leak came not from Haim‚ but from one of the parties investigating him. Somehow‚ a malicious actor learned of Haim’s identity while he still remained publicly anonymous. Weeks after federal agents appeared at his door‚ four negative reviews appeared on his WebMD page‚ alleging that he “mutilates patients‚” “mutilated me‚” and “should be in jail for being a terrible physician.” The Daily Wire noted that this language echoed his anonymous interview with Rufo‚ where he stated that children were “permanently mutilated” by gender transition surgeries. The reviews were doubly suspicious‚ both because Haim wasn’t seeing patients at the time and because all four originated from the same IP address‚ as WebMD later revealed. Haim said he would have preferred to remain anonymous and concentrate on opening his career as a general surgeon instead of getting mixed up in a political debate. But‚ between the reputational attacks and the exorbitant legal fees inflicted on him by the Justice Department’s unjustifiable meddling‚ he felt like he had no choice. “I knew that speaking out would necessarily put myself and my family at great risk‚ but after experiencing the extent of the corruption firsthand‚ it became clear that silence would never be an option‚” he said. “The attempt to investigate [me] is really the attempt to silence whistleblowers‚ because we know this is happening in other hospitals across the country‚” Haim explained. “And if they can do this to me‚ they’re going to do it to other people who are in the same situation‚ because people know this is happening‚ and they just want to keep people silent. So‚ that’s why we decided to come out publicly.” “We owe our thanks to Dr. Haim and others in the community who are willing to speak out against atrocities like child sterilization or mutilation‚” said Kilgannon. Haim said he viewed his current situation as “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stand up for what is right and against those who abuse their authority to silence those who speak the truth. In this way‚ the costs are minuscule. Whatever we have paid—whether financial‚ emotional‚ or career-wise—has been well worth it.” In a sense‚ Haim was thrust into a situation where he had to live out Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 5:11‚ “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness‚ but instead expose them.” He has done so at great personal cost. The Biden administration’s Department of Justice doesn’t just target the rich and famous with malicious criminal investigations‚ but also ordinary people just trying to live their lives. Originally published by the Washington Stand The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Texas Doctor Blew Whistle on Hospital’s Transgender Procedures. Now‚ Biden’s Feds Are Persecuting Him. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

In the lot of Eau Claire‚ Wisconsin’s‚ local Ford dealership‚ dominated by an impressive lineup of F-150 pickup trucks and SUVs‚ I asked the salesman‚ Joe‚ about buying an electric vehicle. It turns out that not many EVs are sold in Eau Claire. Joe told me that he typically sells about one or two electric vehicles for every 100 gasoline-powered cars. Since there were only a couple EVs he could point to on the lot‚ we went inside to see an electric sedan‚ a 2023 Ford Mach E. It was far more than I could afford‚ but I inquired about how it performs. Joe said it can take over 40 hours to charge with a standard 120V three-prong wall outlet. Upgrading to a faster charger‚ the 240V outlet‚ is costly and requires new electrical wiring to the garage in most cases. This can be difficult or impossible for people who have old homes‚ rent their homes‚ or simply can’t afford it. The car’s advertised range of just 250 miles doesn’t account for driving with the heat on‚ which reduces the range. While the Midwest had a mild start to the winter season‚ evading the cold altogether is an elusive endeavor in Eau Claire. Temperatures are expected to struggle to rise above zero degrees Fahrenheit this week‚ and battery-powered vehicles lose up to 40% of their range in the cold. When the wind chill is 30 degrees below zero‚ you can bet every car has the heat on as hot as it goes. It’s no surprise that Joe hardly sells any EVs. When deciding on a vehicle to purchase‚ Joe suggested considering the environmental implications of driving the vehicle. It’s overly optimistic to assume that the environmental advantages of electric vehicles will outweigh their practical drawbacks. Driving an EV instead of a gasoline-powered car has no discernible effect on the climate. While electric vehicles do not emit carbon dioxide during operation‚ they depend on fossil fuels for the electricity needed to charge their batteries‚ particularly in Wisconsin. With an average of barely three hours of direct sunlight per day in winter‚ solar power plummets to a third of the summertime capacity (and that’s when the panels aren’t covered in snow). Additionally‚ manufacturing an EV emits nearly twice the amount of carbon dioxide  compared to manufacturing a gasoline vehicle‚ and mining for battery components has other environmentally damaging effects. All of the car‚ truck‚ train‚ and plane emissions in America account for about 3.9% of global carbon emissions. Even if America abandoned all fossil fuels overnight‚ it would hardly affect our climate. Kevin Dayaratna‚ chief statistician at The Heritage Foundation‚ used government models to show that completely eliminating all fossil fuels from the United States would yield less than a 0.2 degree Celsius reduction in temperature by the year 2100. There may be reasons to purchase an EV‚ but saving the environment is not a good one. (The Daily Signal is the media outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) While China’s carbon emissions are more than double those in America‚ President Joe Biden wants Americans to foot the bill for reducing the world’s carbon. Going all-in on electric vehicles means our capacity to supply electricity must necessarily skyrocket. In return‚ Americans will get higher electricity bills‚ a further reliance on China‚ and no environmental benefits. Biden’s goal of mandating that 60% of new vehicles are electric by 2030 will increase the cost of energy—disproportionately hurting the poor. According to last month’s special report from The Heritage Foundation on affordable and reliable energy‚ access to affordable energy directly influences access to safe water‚ health care‚ food‚ and cleaner environments. Biden should leave car-purchasing decisions to individuals and not force them to buy EVs. If electric vehicles surpass gasoline vehicles in functionality or affordability‚ government subsidies and tax incentives would be unnecessary. People didn’t need tax credits for kerosene when they transitioned from using whale oil for lamps. They bought it because it was more efficient and it burned brighter.   While my trip to the dealership did not end with my joining the 0.1% of Wisconsinites who own an electric vehicle‚ maybe I’ll consider one when they can outperform gasoline-powered SUVs during a subzero January in Wisconsin. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Electric Vehicle Mandates Are Coming‚ but Are EVs Even Practical in Cold-Weather States? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

This elaborate sword was presented to Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War on April 23‚ 1864 by the U.S. Sanitary Commission Metropolitan Fair. The fair was a fundraiser for the Union Army and supported hospitals for wounded soldiers. Grant “won” the sword in a voting contest against competitor Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan. The sword is rich in symbolism. The silver grip displays the head of a Greek soldier and military trophies; the gilt knuckle guard bears the head of Medusa‚ and the counterguard shows Hercules slaying the Nemean lion. The pommel is the head of Athena‚ goddess of warcraft‚ and set with rubies‚ diamonds and a sapphire. Grant’s name is engraved on the sheath‚ along with the words‚ “Upon your sword sit laurel victory.” This phrase is taken from William Shakespeare’s play Antony and Cleopatra‚ Act I‚ Scene III: “Upon your sword sit laurel victory! And smooth success be strew’d before your feet.” Grant would go on to take the Confederate Army’s surrender at Appomattox and become U.S. President in 1869. this article first appeared in military history quarterly See more stories subscribe now!  

Among the many myths and legends to emerge from the Vietnam War was that the U.S. Navy’s Vought F-8 Crusader was “the last of the gunfighters” and the only air superiority fighter of its time. Although the Crusader did pack four Colt-Browning Mark 12 20mm cannons at a time when other American fighters were relying on air-to-air missiles‚ its cannons were unreliable and virtually all Crusader victories over its Mikoyan-Gurevich-designed opposition were achieved using AIM-9 heat-seeking missiles. It is true‚ however‚ that the Crusader established the highest kill-to-loss ratio over Vietnam‚ destroying 14 MiG-17s and four MiG-21s for the loss of three F-8s—all to the older but agile MiG-17s. The second of the downed Crusader pilots‚ Cdr. Dick Bellinger of fighter squadron VF-162 off the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany‚ was credited to Ngo Duc Mai on July 14‚ 1966‚ but the American survived and on Oct. 9 gained a unique revenge when he shot down Nguyen Van Minh‚ who also ejected just before his plane crashed‚ the third MiG-21 downed in Vietnam and the first credited to a U.S. Navy fighter.   Lt. Jack Terhune ejects from his F-8 Crusader after it flamed out over the South China Sea in 1965. He was rescued uninjured. Straddling truth and myth on the other side is Vietnam’s crediting of an F-8E to Pham Ngoc Lan as Vietnam’s first air-to-air victory on April 3‚ 1965. That date is still celebrated as Vietnam People’s Air Force Day‚ in spite of the documented fact that Lt. Cmdr. Spence Thomas of USS Hancock’s VF-211 managed to get his damaged Crusader to Da Nang‚ where it was repaired and returned to service.   In the seventh in Osprey’s “Dogfight” series‚ F-8 Crusader‚ Vietnam‚ Peter E. Davies combines his extensive research‚ including interviews and combat reports‚ to give the reader an in-cockpit glimpse of what it was like to fly and fight in the plane. For all the successes described within its niche of aerial combat‚ however‚ the author does not shy away from including the wider‚ deadlier world in which the plane operated‚ harboring the dangers of surface-to-air missiles and ground fire‚ which added up to the highest operational loss rate of any U.S. tactical aircraft. F-8 Crusader‚ Vietnam 1963-1973 By Peter E. Davies‚ Osprey Publishing‚ 2023‚ $23 get it on amazon If you buy something through our site‚ we might earn a commission. This review appeared in the 2024 Winter issue of Vietnam magazine. historynet magazines Our 9 best-selling history titles feature in-depth storytelling and iconic imagery to engage and inform on the people‚ the wars‚ and the events that shaped America and the world. subscribe today