Suddenly, we live in a world where things aren’t what they seem. No, we aren’t talking about aliens or shapeshifters. Instead, we can no longer trust everyday objects because the incredible bakers of the world can make the cake look like just about anything. Is it cake challenges have taken over social media and sometimes it’s pretty darn tough to figure out. Jeopardy! decided to prank fans with a cake challenge on Halloween, which went frighteningly wrong. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jeopardy! (@jeopardy) “Jeopardy!” Fans Were Not Amused By The Prank No, the prank didn’t include a fake Jeopardy! buzzer or a life-sized cake question board. The Instagram video took us through the Jeopardy! set, and everything was as we had thought. As the camera zoomed in on host Ken Jennings, we saw that it wasn’t cake, but the knife so close to his face scared him. Ken let out a yell and cameras captured his image and put it on a sheet cake. Here’s where the Jeopardy! prank took a dark turn. As the knife cut into the rectangular cake, the person slicing the cake created a triangle-shaped piece right in the middle. Fans simply couldn’t take it. This person noticed right away. “Really brutal how you cut the cake in a pie shape.” So does this one. “The scariest part of this video is the way the intern cut the cake.” “The way y’all cut the cake is stressing me out,” another Jeopardy fan wrote of the prank. After this, a fan will not send well wishes to Jeopardy staff. “Good morning to everyone except whoever cut the cake like that.” Well, Ken, you and the Jeopardy! gang think your little prank was so funny, don’t you? We’ll have nightmares for years about this. Wait until we take the servicing spoon in the middle of your perfectly baked apple pie! The source of this story’s image can be found here. This story’s featured image is by Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images. The post “Jeopardy!” Fans Are “Stressing” Over “Unhinged” Halloween Prank—But Not For The Reason You’d Think appeared first on InspireMore.

Army authorities declared Roque missing Oct. 21

'Could not prevent the consequences they fear'

British Royal Navy attack submarines are tasked with monitoring Russian submarine movements in the North Atlantic and serve as one of the first lines of Russian deterrence that profoundly benefits the United States. Such monitoring is especially critical to U.S. national security because Russia boasts a robust submarine force that has exercised heightened submarine activity in the region and beyond. Russian submarines have been identified in the past year near Portugal, the Irish Sea, the North Sea, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the United States. However, the waves of crisis are cresting for a naval force once unequivocally considered the most powerful in the world. For nearly 100 days this year, none of the British Royal Navy’s attack submarines were deployed to conduct naval operations. Altogether, only nine of 25 total warships and attack submarines remain active, collectively racking up an appalling 30 years’ worth of missed days at sea. And the issues potentially just got much worse. On early Wednesday morning, a significant fire broke out at the northwestern England shipyard that builds the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines. It’s still unclear what the extent of the damage is, and British authorities are still investigating the cause. The British naval force is comprised of four Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines, which are tasked with nuclear deterrence, and six attack submarines of the Trafalgar class and Astute class, which carry conventional missiles. The Astute class subs remained out of water, dry-docked on what’s known as a shiplift for maintenance for over three months this year, from July 3 to Oct. 7. When British nuclear-powered attack submarines are not rusting pier-side or on a shiplift, their few numbers are being exhausted—not unlike their American counterparts. Submarines are serving increasingly long missions, stressing aging hulls and hardware, and burning out crews. Over the last three years, the average amount of time attack subs spend at sea has nearly doubled. Missions have stretched up to 207 days long, with comparable United States patrols lasting around 77 days. Infrastructural woes threaten an increasingly limited force. The Royal Navy’s submarine force lacks a sufficient number of functioning docks for underwater maintenance work, creating unacceptable delays in accommodating new Astute-class vessels. Recently, the Royal Navy has also struggled to meet increasingly strict safety standards. The shiplift at the Faslane naval base in Scotland unexpectedly failed certification inspection and remained nonoperational for over a year, creating backlogs and disturbing regularly ordered maintenance schedules for the submarine fleet. The British Royal Navy faces another critical issue—maintaining personnel. The force must contend with a critical shortage of marine engineers, particularly engineers with experience. Though the navy has enacted benefits programs, retention is a significant problem as technical staff salaries are not competitive with the commercial world. The Royal Navy must also navigate the arduous task of finding and keeping submariners (crewmembers), having exacerbated an already difficult recruitment and retention process with marathon patrols and inconsistent deployments back to sea. This crisis extends beyond attack submarines. Over the past 23 years, Royal Navy personnel numbers have fallen by 24%. British ships are operating at a significantly reduced capacity. The destroyer force currently operates at only 50% capacity, and nearly 40% of frigates are not currently operational. The British Royal Navy is in critical condition. The United States faces mounting national security threats around the world, from Beijing to Moscow to Tehran. As a close United States ally in an increasingly volatile environment for defense interests, Britain must take control of its own national security. While the United States shifts resources and attention to the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s increasingly belligerent military posturing there, close allies must fulfill their regional security commitments. If the British can’t or won’t, it may fall to French and German submarines to patrol the North Atlantic. If the United Kingdom is to lead NATO’s deterrence of Russia in the North Atlantic and beyond while supporting wider United States geostrategic interests against an expansionist China, it must start taking its navy more seriously. The post How Does a Weakened British Navy Threaten US National Security? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

GIBSONIA, Pa.—Walking back from an early-voting site at North Park Ice Rink, Charles Schrankel of Ross Township, Pennsylvania, said he dropped off a ballot on which he voted straight Republican.  “I voted [the] straight Republican ticket, and I don’t always vote straight party,” Shrankel told The Daily Signal outside the polling station in Wexford, Pennsylvania.  But Schrankel, a former Army Ranger, said he was motivated to vote for GOP Senate candidate David McCormick, also a former Army Ranger, as well as to vote for former President Donald Trump.  “I think Trump and McCormick are a great team, and I think Trump makes a good garbage driver,” he said, joking about Trump’s recent campaign photo op riding in a garbage truck.  McCormick is the Republican challenger to incumbent Democrat Bob Casey Jr. in the Senate race. North Park Ice Rink was among several early-voting sites where residents of Allegheny County—the second-most-populous county in this key battleground state—could drop off absentee ballots this day.  Dropping off her own ballot at the Beaver County Courthouse, Ashton Jersey said she reached a different conclusion and voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for president.  “I’m a dance teacher of small children, mostly girls. I want them to have options in the future,” Jersey told The Daily Signal.  She suggested that economic issues aren’t as paramount.  “I think fracking is a big issue for a lot of people,” Jersey said. “There is too much emphasis on the cost of groceries. People should look at this in moral terms. I don’t want a convicted felon leading the country.” Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, hasn’t gone to a Republican presidential candidate since Richard Nixon in 1972. Nearby Beaver County hasn’t gone to a Democratic presidential candidate since John Kerry in 2004.   Most Trump voters who agreed to speak Thursday to The Daily Signal talked about the economy and the border as the key reasons behind their vote.  Most Harris voters, by contrast, cited their dislike for Trump but also stressed abortion or climate change as important.  Pennsylvania—a state that Trump carried in 2016 and Joe Biden carried in 2020—is among the most fiercely contested states in the country this year.  Trump and Harris are virtually tied in the RealClearPolitics average of polls, with the former president holding a nominal 0.4% lead. At least four polls conducted during October showed the race tied in Pennsylvania.  Pennsylvanians generally enjoy their prominent role in picking the next president, said Lucas Guthrie of Brighton Township in Beaver County.  “People are passionate about it,” Guthrie told The Daily Signal. “All of us keep hearing about it on the news. We get a little tired of all the commercials. But people take a lot of pride in it.” He dropped off a ballot for Harris at the Beaver County Courthouse. “I’ve always been more Democrat than Republican. But Beaver County is mostly Republican,” Guthrie said. “The abortion issue is divisive. I am Catholic. So that is complicated. But we aren’t talking about pro-life for ending the death penalty or helping immigrants.” Stan Navola, also a Brighton Township resident, said he dropped off his ballot early at the Beaver County Courthouse because he’ll be working Tuesday and wanted to beat the Election Day crowd.  “Trump I trust more on the issues,” Navola told The Daily Signal. “The economy is the number one issue. I don’t think Harris is qualified for the job.”  At North Park Ice Rink, Athena—a 29-year-old from Pittsburgh who didn’t want to provide her last name—dropped off her ballot for Trump.  It has become more socially acceptable for younger people to vote for Trump, she said.  “I voted for Trump-Vance because I believe this country was better with the economy [four years ago], and to keep us as safe and healthy as possible, his policies on the economy, border control, and foreign policy,” Athena said.  Yannis, 28, of Pittsburgh, was with Athena at North Park Ice Rink, but already had dropped off his ballot.   “This is a unique election cycle where we’ve had the chance to experience both the former and current administrations,” said Yannis, who also didn’t want The Daily Signal to use his last name. “Historically, it’s accurate to say younger people voted for the Democratic ticket. [But] Trump also has broad appeal.” Jarrett Dowling, 26, of Ross Township, backed Harris.  “I work in conservation and she is better on climate change,” Dowling told The Daily Signal. “Also, I have a mom, a sister, and cousins who are women. So, I try to look beyond myself as a man and look at women’s issues.”   Several other voters also were interested in commenting but asked to give only their first name, citing polarized politics, job security, and personal safety concerns if others knew how they voted.   Stephanie, of McCandless, said she dropped off her ballot early to make sure it would be counted.  “I voted for Harris because I care about my daughter and I want her to have reproductive rights,” Stephanie said. “I don’t think someone who has divided this country with hatred and extremism and fascism, and who is a convicted felon, should be president. There has never been such a horrific time in America.” Wexford resident Mike Quigley also dropped off his ballot at the ice rink in Allegheny County, although he said he usually votes on Election Day. He said he vetoed for “Trump and all the Republicans.” “The border, the economy, I liked the way it was four years ago,” Quigley said.  One former Trump voter, Kersten Rovee, a resident of Ohio Township, said she became a Harris voter this year.  “I was previously a Republican, but Trump is a danger to this country,” Rovee told The Daily Signal outside the ice rink. “I voted for Trump the first time, in 2016. I’d like to take that back.” “From my perspective, the most important issues are women’s rights,” she added. Another Harris voter, Max Barber of Hampton Township, said he didn’t mind Trump that much as president—only his antics.  “With Trump, it’s just his mouth. Politically, he did a good job as president,” Barber told The Daily Signal. “It’s just [that] his conduct on Twitter and social media, I don’t think that was appropriate for a president.” Joe. another resident of McCandless, said he voted for Republicans.  His issues are “the economy, national security, and the border,” he said. “And just unrest in the world—Ukraine and the Middle East.”  Some voters interviewed were less than enthused about their choices.  Mike, of Franklin Park, said he voted for Trump as his best choice.  “I care about the economy and the border,” Mike, who didn’t want his last name published, told The Daily Signal. “Also, I used to coach high school girls sports. I don’t believe that boys should compete with girls. This puts women in a position to get hurt. Imagine what would happen if Labron James played in the WNBA?” He wasn’t enthusiastic about voting for Trump, though.  “I’m not a great Trump lover, but I’m far more concerned about Harris,” Mike said. “She’s an empty suit and can barely put two sentences together.” Paula, of Glenshaw, expressed a similar sentiment in reverse.  “The election integrity process is wonderful. It’s the integrity of the candidates and the campaign that is terrible,” she said. “I had to vote against someone, and I do not want Trump to be president again.” Brandon and Judy McAuley of Allegheny County said they are Harris voters.  “First, for reproductive freedom. Secondly, for climate change, because I think we are missing a window of opportunity to do something about it before it’s too late,” Judy McAuley said. “After that, I think the Supreme Court is the most important issue.” Brandon McAuley added: “I just want to recapture general human decency.”  The post In Pennsylvania, Trump Voters Focus on Economy, Harris Voters on Abortion appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Stacey Abrams: Amid Record Turnout, Voters Are Being Suppressed

Dia De Los Weirdos - Beware of Dems Setting Narratives

So desperate was CNN to make something stick against former President Trump in the last few days of the election, they spent much of their Friday newscasts peddling the false claims that he threated Liz Cheney with a firing squad. Host Jake Tapper got more than he bargained for on The Lead, when Tennessee Republican Senator Bill Hagerty confronted him over his network’s “distortion” of Trump’s comments, even calling out their political motivations. “Are you comfortable with the part of what he said when he talked about the guns trained on her face, nine barrels shooting at her?” Tapper ridiculously asked Hagerty. Hagerty tried to simplify Trump’s argument so even a CNN journalist could understand, explaining how war hawks like the Cheneys don’t see the horrific consequences of the wars they promote (Click “expand”): Jake. What he's doing – and if you take the whole thing into context he's trying to explain that there are people in Washington that make decisions that involve people's lives. Those decision are made and are our service members’ lives are put at risk. Take the decision about Afghanistan and the withdrawal there. 13 servicemen and women were killed that day in Kabul. That was because of a poor decision that was taken in Washington by people that had no skin in the game. I had to personally call Ryan Knauss's parents that day about what had happened. Kamala Harris is yet to call them. I mean, these decisions are critical, they're vital, and these people need to put themselves in the shoes of those who are actually going to be on the front line. That's the point that President Trump was trying to make. “I think the reason this is blowing up right now is because we're only four days away from the election, President Trump is winning, and this is another desperate hoax. Just like the bloodbath hoax,” he called out CNN’s political motivations.     In a pathetic attempt to protect CNN, Taper proclaimed: “You know, we ran the clip, we ran the whole clip. And we're not saying he's calling for her to be assassinated or killed.” But that was a BIE LIE. Earlier in the day, during Inside Politics, host Dana Bash described Trump’s comments as “very, very violent imagery of her facing guns and an assassination” (Clip included in video and isolated here). Tapper proceeded to play dumb about how they were willingly taking part in a Democratic hoax about the nature and meaning of Trump’s comments; and played dumber about the Cheneys’ hawkish attitudes on war: TAPPER: I don't know how you define hoax, this is not a hoax. We ran his clip and you know, there are people who are legitimately offended by that. HAGERTY: It's a distortion, Jake. This is a – TAPPER: I ran the entire quote, Senator. We ran the entire thing. And I have not – HAGERTY: This is distortion about violence. And the violence he's talking about is the violence that's perpetrated on our men and women in service and the decisions that are made by people like Liz Cheney to send them into the throes. TAPPER: Liz Cheney was an assistant secretary of State when did she send anyone into battle? Hagerty spoke slowly so Tapper could hopefully wrap his mind around it: I think President Trump is making a broad statement and using her as an example of the war hawks in Washington that make these decisions from the comfort of an office, perhaps not taking into account the fact that there are very serious consequences. Those consequences are realized by those people that are in the foxhole, those people that are actually in combat situations. That's what he was illustrating and nothing more. “What he was talking about was her to consider, to consider the violence that anybody that we put into that circumstance might face. It's as simple as that,” the Senator added. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: CNN’s The Lead November 1, 2024 4:20:10 p.m. Eastern (…) JAKE TAPPER: Are you comfortable with the part of what he said when he talked about the guns trained on her face, nine barrels shooting at her? SEN. BILL HAGERTY (R-TN): Jake. What he's doing – and if you take the whole thing into context he's trying to explain that there are people in Washington that make decisions that involve people's lives. Those decision are made and are our service members’ lives are put at risk. Take the decision about Afghanistan and the withdrawal there. 13 servicemen and women were killed that day in Kabul. That was because of a poor decision that was taken in Washington by people that had no skin in the game. I had to personally call Ryan Knauss's parents that day about what had happened. Kamala Harris is yet to call them. I mean, these decisions are critical, they're vital, and these people need to put themselves in the shoes of those who are actually going to be on the front line. That's the point that President Trump was trying to make. I think the reason this is blowing up right now is because we're only four days away from the election, President Trump is winning, and this is another desperate hoax. Just like the bloodbath hoax. (…) 4:23:11 p.m. Eastern TAPPER: You know, we ran the clip, we ran the whole clip. And we're not saying he's calling for her to be assassinated or killed. I think the issue is the very violent imagery. At a time when Republicans are saying, ‘oh, Democrats need to tone down the rhetoric.’ (…) 4:24:04 p.m. Eastern JAKE TAPPER: I don't know how you define hoax, this is not a hoax. We ran his clip and you know, there are people who are legitimately offended by that. HAGERTY: It's a distortion, Jake. This is a – TAPPER: I ran the entire quote, Senator. We ran the entire thing. And I have not – HAGERTY: This is distortion about violence. And the violence he's talking about is the violence that's perpetrated on our men and women in service and the decisions that are made by people like Liz Cheney to send them into the throes. TAPPER: Liz Cheney was an assistant secretary of State when did she send anyone into battle? HAGERTY: I think President Trump is making a broad statement and using her as an example of the war hawks in Washington that make these decisions from the comfort of an office, perhaps not taking into account the fact that there are very serious consequences. Those consequences are realized by those people that are in the foxhole, those people that are actually in combat situations. That's what he was illustrating and nothing more. TAPPER: So, you think that anyone that takes issue with him invoking, “let's put her with a rifle, standing there with nine barrels, shooting at her when the guns aren't trained on her face.” You think anyone that takes issue with that is either perpetrating or falling victim to a hoax? There's no one that can legitimately say what I'm saying that’s violent imagery at a time HAGERTY: What I’m saying, Jake, is that this is a distortion. TAPPER: What's a distortion? I read – we played the whole clip? HAGERTY: This is a distortion of what's – This is a distortion of what President Trump meant. And, you know, it President Trump wasn't calling for, you know, any type of violence on Liz Cheney. TAPPER: I didn't say he was. HAGERTY: What he was talking about was her to consider, to consider the violence that anybody that we put into that circumstance might face. It's as simple as that. (…)

You hear it every four years: This election is the most consequential/important/momentous of our lifetime, to the point that it’s practically a cliché now. But this year it’s true, and everyone knows it. With just days before the election, if you are on the fence or lukewarm about Donald Trump and JD Vance, if you are considering voting for a third-party candidate or you know somebody who is, and especially if you are thinking about not voting at all, please take a few moments to read this. Do not be deterred by dirty tricks or misinformation. Do not believe the hype. Above all, do not despair. It hardly seems possible that voters are undecided about Trump after nearly a decade. It’s more understandable that some Republican voters struggle to get past Trump’s brash and bombastic personality. Some conservatives look at Trump and say, No. I just can’t. He’s not a decent man. He’s not a godly man. Let’s concede that Trump is far from perfect. Let’s even allow that his first term was marked by several missteps, unforced errors, and terrible decisions — culminating with the COVID-19 disaster in 2020. Despite whatever he did that you didn’t like, Trump was arguably the most successful Republican president since Ronald Reagan: shepherding tax cuts that boosted economic growth, slashing illegal immigration, renegotiating trade deals to America’s advantage, and checking our foreign enemies. Nobody can say for certain what a second Trump term would look like. What is certain is that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz will be a disaster for the country. No question about it. Not only would Harris and Walz continue the policies of the past four Biden-Harris years, they would make them worse. The only question is how much worse. Harris and Walz guarantee the southern border will remain wide open to millions of unvetted illegal aliens from all around the world. Some are gangsters from Venezuela, known terrorists from Syria, Yemen, and Iran, and tens of thousands of military-age men from China traveling alone without ID. Harris and Walz will quickly pave a path to voting for millions of illegal aliens already in our country in an open attempt to create a one-party state in America. Harris and Walz guarantee domestic economic stagnation and decline by pushing the Green New Deal and crippling regulations while sending hundreds of billions of dollars — much of it borrowed money — to prop up corrupt foreign regimes and wage wars that weaken America’s standing abroad. Harris and Walz guarantee more lawfare against political opponents, more federal prosecutions of grandmothers praying in front of abortion clinics, and more censorship in the guise of combatting “misinformation,” “disinformation,” and “hate speech.” They will continue the unprecedented efforts of the Biden-Harris administration to use the power of the federal government to censor and punish private media companies like Blaze Media that publish content they don’t like. With Democratic House and Senate majorities, Harris and Walz guarantee an end to the filibuster, a packed Supreme Court, legislation to enshrine Roe v. Wade, the “right” of boys and men to encroach on girls’ and women’s sports and spaces, and more. Don’t get cocky or complacent. Vote anyway. Make sure your friends and family do, too. If you are a pro-life voter disappointed with Trump’s weakness on abortion, from rejecting a national ban to regulating the “morning-after pill,” Harris is clearly not your candidate. Now is not the time for purity tests. Too much is at stake. Reagan often told his staff, “I’d rather get 80% of what I want than go over the cliff with my flags flying.” Trump and Vance are better than 80% of what conservative and pro-life voters say they want. Harris and Walz are less than zero. Guaranteed. We don’t vote to determine who’s a saint and who’s a sinner — that judgement is up to God. We vote for whoever is best for the job. So vote. Vote your conscience, but also vote your common sense. Vote your values, but remember you won’t necessarily get everything you want all at once or right away. But vote. Do you live in a blue state where Kamala Harris is a lock to win? Vote anyway. Yes, the Electoral College decides the outcome, but the popular vote matters in the court of public opinion. California in 2016 provided Hillary Clinton’s margin of victory in the popular vote, as she and her sycophants never tire of reminding us. Don’t give them the satisfaction. Make your voice heard and your vote count. Do you live in a red state where Donald Trump is likely going to run the table? Don’t get cocky or complacent. Vote anyway. Make sure your friends and family do too. Do you live in a swing state? Absolutely vote like your life and your republic depend on it, because they do. And this time, in the next few days, you must get as many people as you can to do it too. Bug all your friends and family. Bug everyone in the book club or chat group. All the complaining and commentary and worry about politics are meaningless if you and everyone you know do not vote on Tuesday. Do not be deterred by dirty tricks or misinformation. Do not hand your ballot over to a stranger with a badge. Do not be obstructed by long lines or foul weather. Do not take no for an answer. Do not believe the hype. Yes, networks like CNN are projecting Harris as the likely winner — but a few months ago, CNN reported that Joe Biden was “sharp as a tack.” Above all, do not despair. Democrats are going all out. Lawsuits. Ballot harvesting. Dirty tricks. Misinformation. They fight dirty, and they fight to win. We fight for our families and for our country. A path to victory always exists — but you need to walk down it. The first step is your vote. Tyler Cardon, CEO of Blaze Media Matthew Peterson, Editor in Chief of Blaze Media Ben Boychuk, Opinion Editor of Blaze News Cortney Weil, Senior Editor of Blaze News Dave Urbanski, Senior Editor of Blaze News Peter Gietl, Managing Editor of Return Matt Himes, Managing Editor of Align

Multiple arrests have been made after a 64-year-old American woman became the first person to use an actual suicide pod in Switzerland. This suicide pod is called the Sarco and has been in development since 2017. At that time, its inventor coined himself the “ Elon Musk of Assisted Suicide.” Dr. Philip Nitschke told Newsweek that he has been drawn to the world of euthanasia since he was a young medical school graduate in Australia, inspired by the work of euthanasia enthusiast Dr. Jack Kevorkian. The Netherlands also became the first government to legalize euthanasia nationally (under strict conditions at the time) in 2002. However, the first country to allow children to kill themselves was Belgium in 2014. Before the Sarco, Nitschke was already hard at work making suicide machine prototypes and successfully killing people with them. His first machine was a laptop hooked up to an intravenous system. The computer would ask a patient if the patient wanted to die and then trigger a lethal injection of barbiturates or depressants. This death machine was used to kill four people in Australia from 1996 to 1997, a brief period when euthanasia was legalized in the country before it was struck down. It was made legal again in 2022. Nitschke, then 70, admitted that his work surrounding how to best help people die has taken some time. "I've spent the last 20 years fighting for the legislation that just passed," he said at the time. He noted he had aided hundreds of "rational suicides" over the years and even published a book in 2006 describing the most painless and efficient ways to commit suicide. All of this spawned the Sarco. JAN HENNOP/AFP via Getty Images What is it? The Sarco was introduced in 2021 when suicide capsules were legalized in Switzerland. With the help of Dutch designer Alexander Bannink, Nitschke managed to get the capsules through a legal review of authorized forms of assisted suicide. The doctor boasted of the freedom of killing oneself without government bureaucracy. "The benefit for the person who uses it is that they don't have to get any permission, they don't need some special doctor to try and get a needle in, and they don't need to get difficult drugs to obtain," Nitschke said, per Business Insider. After their legal victory, the 3D-printed device was touted as a portable option that could be towed wherever the user wanted to die. In 2020, approximately 1,300 people died by assisted suicide in Switzerland. YouTube took down a demonstration of the machine for violating community guidelines; however, it chiefly involved using virtual reality goggles to show users what it would be like to be suffocated by gas in a picturesque setting ... to utilizing its viewing window. “An idyllic outdoor setting or in the premises of an assisted-suicide organization” are the perfect situations, Nitschke said. The user must pass a mental capacity test and be asked several questions before activating the machine. They are then prompted with a button that will bring oxygen levels dangerously low, after which the vessel fills with nitrogen gas until death. As any scientist in his position would state, Nitschke said suicide pod lovers will feel “no panic” and “no choking feeling” but instead become “a little disoriented” and “slightly euphoric.” Who makes it? Designer Bannink of the Sarco doesn’t appear to mention his suicide pod designs on his website or portfolio, opting to display underwater car drawings and flamboyant bikes. He does, however, cite his design philosophy as the following: “Any company can make ‘good’ products! So the way to distinguish yourself as a brand is to do it smarter or more beautiful than others.” The company behind the recent suicide pod usage is a firm called the Last Resort. The company commented on the matter, saying, “On Monday 23 September, at approximately 16.01 CEST, a 64-year old woman from the the mid-west in the USA died using the Sarco device.” Co-president of the organization Florian Willet called the woman's death “peaceful, fast and dignified.” She added that it occurred under “a canopy of trees, at a private forest retreat.” The Last Resort refers to itself as a “new human rights organization” that offers a drug-free means of “elective, peaceful & dignified death.” “A good death is a fundamental human right,” the company says, noting that it offers free services to approved patients. The pod is 3D-printed and costs vary depending on the manufacturer. Exit International, which helped develop the Sarco, estimated costs at around $19,000 per unit. Is it legal? JUSTIN TALLIS/Getty Images The first use of the Sarco came on the same day Swiss Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told the Swiss National Council that she considers the use of the Sarco to be illegal. “The Sarco suicide capsule is not legal in two respects. ... On one hand, it does not fulfill the demands of the product safety law, and as such, must not be brought into circulation.” “On the other hand,” she continued. “The corresponding use of nitrogen is not compatible with the article on purpose in the chemicals law.” At the same time, the Last Resort cites on its website that Switzerland is actually “one of the few countries” in which helping someone kill themselves “is not a crime. “ The Daily Mail reported however that Swiss law indicates that a person can receive assisted suicide so long as the person takes their life without “external assistance” while those who help the person die cannot do so for any “self-serving motive.” This is likely why Last Resort offers its program for free. The Last Resort said its program exists within the law and does not require specific approval due to the fact that the user is the one who presses the button to end their own life. It also cites that the user proves they are of sound mental capacity. Stateside, euthanasia was first made legal in Oregon in 1997. This was followed by approval in California, Vermont, and Washington, but it is not federally legalized. Internationally, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and of course Switzerland have all legalized assisted suicide. Russia is the only country in which all forms of euthanasia are illegal, as of November 2011. In the Netherlands, where the suicide-pod designer is from, assisted suicide eligibility extends to infants as well. If aged 1-12, terminally ill children can be killed by the state. Those who are 5-10 can be killed if they are suffering unbearably or have no hope of improvement. “The end of life for this group is the only reasonable alternative to the child’s unbearable and hopeless suffering,” the government said in 2023, per the Guardian. The Netherlands also became the first government to legalize euthanasia nationally (under strict conditions at the time) in 2002. However, the first country to allow children to kill themselves was Belgium in 2014. Canada, which boasts a robust suicide system, paused its program for those who are mentally ill. The country’s requirements are rather loose overall, allowing those with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other survivable illnesses to use the country’s Medical Assistance in Dying program. Are people using it? Unfortunately, the trend of euthanasia is becoming more popular in places like Switzerland, where the suicide pods are currently available. In 2020, approximately 1,300 people died by assisted suicide in the country. The Last Resort reported it had 120 applicants waiting to use its machine to end their lives; about 25% of those people were British. This included a married couple that wanted to be the first to use a double suicide pod. The Netherlands said that only one person between 12-16 used government suicides in 2022 while it is estimated that the country’s new age rules would apply to about 5-10 children per year. Sadly, euthanasia became the fifth-highest cause of death in Canada during the summer of 2024. According to a report, it is evidence that medical professionals in Canada “are not viewing MAiD as an option of last resort only." With ages being lowered and allowable reasons for euthanasia being widened, societies are not far from the suicide booths portrayed in the cartoon “ Futurama,” it seems. In fact, the only aspect of reality the cartoon appeared to get wrong is that it would actually cost money to be euthanized.