The following article, The U.S. Government Is Dramatically Expanding The Use Of Facial Recognition Technology, was first published on Conservative Firing Line. Do you want to live in a society where you are required to have your face scanned wherever you go?  If not, you may want to speak up now while you still can.  As you will see below, the U.S. government is aggressively expanding the use of facial recognition technology for identification verification purposes.  For … Continue reading The U.S. Government Is Dramatically Expanding The Use Of Facial Recognition Technology ...

After a visit to Hurricane Helene-hit North Carolina on Thursday, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made a stop to Washington, D.C.'s ritzy sushi restaurant Nobu. Mayorkas visited North Carolina and delivered an update to Thursday afternoon's White House press briefing via satellite, asserting that the federal government can handle both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton relief. "No resources needed for Hurricane Helene response will be diverted to respond to Hurricane Milton," said Mayorkas...

Former Georgia candidate for U.S. Senate Herschel Walker blasted Barack Obama for sending black people backward in equality by demanding they vote based on skin color. Walker’s slam against Obama came after the former president warned that not enough black people — especially black men — are supporting Harris, according to the current polls. “Barack Obama, you forgot how hard we fought for our right to vote! Telling us how to vote based on color is a step backward. The bad policies of Biden/...

Former President Donald Trump announced Friday that if he won a second term, he would invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 under a program he has dubbed “Operation Aurora” to deport immigrant gang members. Trump, who is campaigning in Aurora, Colorado, said that the operation would “expedite the removal of these savage gangs” and called “for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer.” The rally, while not in a state that is one of the seven...

A coalition of 20 states is suing the Biden administration over a policy that mandates minimum staffing levels in nursing homes, arguing it will result in a mass shutdown of nursing homes and senior care across the country. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the Northern District of Iowa, the state’s Attorney General Brenna Bird (R) said the rule should be vacated and the administration should be permanently blocked from enforcing it. Iowa was joined by Kansas and South Carolina as lead plaintiffs....

An unsuspecting guy at a shopping mall Zales got the surprise of his life back in 2021 while trying to pay off part of his engagement ring. As the young man talked with the clerk at the jewelry store counter about how much he still owed for his ring and when he'd be able to pay it off, an extraordinarily large hand handed the clerk a credit card. Shaquille O'Neal, the 7' 1'' basketball legend known colloquially as "Shaq," overheard their conversation and decided to take care of the bill himself. No big announcement. No fanfare. He just handed over his credit card, shook the stunned customer's hand and patted him on the back, and that was that.Someone caught the moment on video and shared it, which prompted Shaq's co-hosts on NBA on TNT to ask him about it the next day. One of the first questions was, "You went to the mall, and went to Zales?!?" Not exactly where one would expect a person with a $400 million net worth to be hanging out on a Monday, but Shaq pointed out that he has a jewelry line at Zales. He went in to get some hoop earrings. Alrighty.The young man at the checkout counter was so shy, Shaq said, and when he heard him talking about paying for his engagement ring, Shaq asked him how much it was and offered to pay for it. At first, the guy refused, but Shaq insisted. And apparently, he does these random acts of generosity all the time. — (@) He said he was recently in a furniture store (seriously, do multi-millionaires not shop online?) and saw a mom with an autistic daughter buying furniture. He just took care of their bill, just because. "I'm into making people happy," he said. "I didn't mean for that to get out because I don't do it for that...I'm just trying to make people smile, that's all."Shaq's generosity is well-documented, despite his preference to keep much of it under wraps. In a 2015 interview with Graham Bessinger, he explained how his father's charity—despite their family not having a lot of money—influenced him. After giving the family's bag of hamburgers to a homeless veteran, his father got into the family car and told him, "If you ever make it big time, make sure you help those in need." Shaq remembered those words and engages in charity in a range of ways, "because of what a man who made $30,000 a year taught me," he said. "And a woman who was a secretary who probably made $20,000 a year—they taught me that."His giving comes "from the heart," he said. He's not looking for attention or accolades—he just wants to make people happy. "I'm doing this because this is what I was taught," he said. "I'm doing it because to walk in there and see a family, put a smile on their face for a day, that's just awesome to me." Shaq on helping others when no one is looking www.youtube.com "That's my thing. I just want to make you smile," he said.Shaq once asked a restaurant server how much of a tip she wanted, and when she quipped "$4,000," he gave it to her. When a 12-year-old was paralyzed by a stray bullet in a shooting, Shaq donated a whole house to his family. A fan who saw Shaq in a Best Buy offered condolences to the star for the untimely death of Shaq's friend and former teammate Kobe Bryant, as well as Shaq's sister Ayesha, who had recently passed away from cancer. He was treated to a new laptop—the best one in the store.Many of us like to daydream about what we'd do if we had more money than we know what to do with. And many of us like to picture ourselves being generous with our wealth, helping out random folks who could use some help. Charitable giving looks like a lot of different things, from funding organizations to distributing money through a foundation to handing over a bag of burgers to someone who's hungry. It's just delightful to see wealthy people who not only support official charitable organizations with money and time (Shaq serves as a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and is a member of the national Board of Directors for Communities in Schools in addition to raising and donating millions of dollars to various causes) but who also just help out random people everywhere they go.Kudos to Shaq's parents for teaching him so well, and kudos to him for taking their lessons to heart. This article originally appeared on 4.7.21

Do you ever fantasize about quitting your job, moving out of your place, and living life on the road? Seems impossible, right? How do you make money? How do you stay safe? How do you survive without all of the creature comforts you're accustomed to? Abigail Martin, a 20-year-old photographer and social media influencer, has taken that giant leap into the unknown by buying a conversion van and taking it on the road. On her TikTok page, she shows people what nomadic life is like and how anyone can join her. It all started when she was in high school and started watching #VanLife videos online. By the time she graduated, she had no interest in going to college or joining the rat race. So she worked four jobs until she saved up $18,000 to purchase a 2017 Ford Transit with 54,000 miles on it. It cost an extra $10,000 to install a bed, a kitchen, and to set up the electrical. "In the morning, I would work at a coffee shop from 6 a.m. to noon, then I would walk across the street to a boutique from noon to 6 p.m," she told The New York Times. "Then I'd go waitress at a restaurant from 6 p.m. until closing. On off-days, I was running my own photography business." Abigail purchased her van during the height of lockdowns and used her TikTok page to engage with people when we were all forced to be apart. Now, her page has over 730,000 followers and her videos have 18.3 million likes. If you've ever dreamed of dropping out and living life on the road, here are a few videos we've selected from Abigail's page to get you started. How does the electricity work? @abigailmartiin How i have electricity in my van!! #vanlife #fyp #climber #washingtoncheck #vanconversion #foryoupage #vanbuild #outdoors #travel #hiking How does she use the restroom? @abigailmartiin How i go potty ?? #vanlife #vanconversion #fyp #adventure #travel #toilet #camping #foryou How does she shower? @abigailmartiin see i’m not a dirtbag 100% of the time ;) #vanlife #fyp #caravanning #vanbuild #solofemaletraveler #camping #adventure #travel How does she make money? @abigailmartiin Reply to @ihave.6babydaddies i do work & heres how! #vanlife #buslife #travel #fyp #solofemaletravler #photographer #adventure #camping How does she stay safe? @abigailmartiin Reply to @whyamisigningupforthis How i stay safe! #vanlife #vanbuild #solofemaletraveler #solofemalevanlife #outdoors #travel #fyp How to identify a sketchy campsite. @abigailmartiin fun times as a solo female :))) #vanlife #solofemalevanlife #adventuredog #fyp #travel #pnw What's her morning routine like? @abigailmartiin a morning in a van. #vanlife #fyp #travel #camping #vanconversion #solofemaletraveler #adventure #foryou #morningroutine #breakfast #coffee Abigail shares her greatest realization. @abigailmartiin here’s your daily existential crisis :) go live yo life #motivational #fyp #vanlife #travel #adventure #inspirational #solofemaletraveler This article originally appeared on 8.26.21

Haircuts are a pretty typical part of life but the mundane activity can be overwhelming for some people, especially children who are neurodivergent. Some kids have a hard time sitting still for the length of time it takes to get a proper haircut while others are overstimulated by the lights, sounds and feelings that come with a haircut.Getting a quick trim may be much easier for some because it doesn't require the use of clippers which can be loud and tickle. Vernon Jackson, owner of The Gifted Event has become known for his ability to cut neurodivergent children's hair in a way that allows them to feel safe. The Gifted Event is a program Jackson runs from his barbershop allowing him to provide haircuts hair free of charge for the families of neurodivergent and special needs children. Recently, Jackson uploaded a video that shows exactly how he walks his young clients through getting their haircut and it's really striking a chord with people. The barber is in his shop ready to go when a young autistic boy, Harry is brought in for a haircut. The boy has very long hair that's pulled back in a ponytail. You can visibly see Harry's hesitation along with the nerves of his mom, Brittany. Scarlett Johansson GIF by NETFLIX Giphy "He's had haircuts in the past but it was when he was much younger and definitely more into it but now even brushing his hair, washing his hair is difficult," Brittany explains to Jackson before sharing that Harry normally wants "no part" of clippers or scissors.Though the nervous mom assures Jackson that she understands if the haircut can't happen due to her child's response, this didn't deter the man who has found these haircuts to be a calling. Before getting Harry in the chair, Jackson softens his tone while encouraging the boy to give him a high-five. It took some coaxing of a couple high-fives, a side hug and Jackson holding him by the hand to walk him to the chair. Every step of the way, Jackson asked for the boy's permission before doing anything allowing him to be in control of the pace of the appointment. @thegiftedeventoff ?✨ Watch this incredible haircut transformation! ✂️? I help neurodivergent kids conquer their fears, and this one is our biggest yet! Every haircut is FREE for families, thanks to your amazing donations. ?? Want to make a difference? Donate a haircut at thegiftedevent.com! Or click the link in my bio! Let’s spread the love and break barriers together! ?? #HaircutHeroes #Neurodiversity #Transformations ♬ original sound - TheGiftedEventOfficial Once the boy was in the chair, even adjusting the height of the chair was a bit of a challenge when the barber moved just a little too fast. Jackson immediately noticed Harry's fear and asked to raise the chair at a slow one pump at a time. The boy agreed and before too long the cape was on and the process was starting. To get the kids to look down when needed, Jackson allows them to pick out one of the action figures he keeps in the barber shop. Harry chose Spider Man. But before any cutting got started, Jackson prepped the boy on what was about to happen, "alright Harry, this is called a clipper. Have you ever seen it before? Do you want to feel it? Feel it. See how it vibrates? Do you want to feel it right here?" man shaving the boy's hair Photo by Jonathan Weiss on Unsplash Jackson put the clipper against his own arm before putting it against Harry's arm, "That's all that does, it just vibrates, okay? It's all it does. Does it tickle? A little bit?" He then places the vibrating clipper in different spots on the boy's head asking him if it was okay. Once Jackson gets the all clear from Harry, he begins the cut. While Harry keeps scrunching into his shoulders, he's allowing Jackson to not only use sheers to cut off his long ponytail, but to use the clippers to buzz the sides. The child's comfort level causes a woman who is attending the appointment with Harry to excitedly try to get in front of the pair to take a picture or video. This moment results in Jackson asserting a boundary for the boy and himself to keep Harry's stimulation level as low as possible in that moment. @thegiftedeventoff ?✨ Watch this incredible haircut transformation! ✂️? I help neurodivergent kids conquer their fears, and this one is our biggest yet! Every haircut is FREE for families, thanks to your amazing donations. ?? Want to make a difference? Donate a haircut at thegiftedevent.com! Or click the link in my bio! Let’s spread the love and break barriers together! ?? #HaircutHeroes #Neurodiversity #Transformations ♬ original sound - TheGiftedEventOfficial "No, no, no. If you want to record, record from back there. I don't want you interact with him while he's still focused right now. You can record if you want to do a video. I just don't want the interaction while I got him calm," Jackson asserts. At this point the bulk of the haircut is complete but he still needs to line up the back and edges while Harry is tolerating the buzzing, so Jackson offers the boy his hand while he cuts with the other. The end results are so amazing that while Harry doesn't speak many words, he can't contain his excitement, neither can his sister and mom. It's contagious as commenters also cant stop gushing over the patience of Jackson and the results of the haircut. @thegiftedeventoff These moments make what i do extremely worth it! To donate a haircut • learn my techniques via my online course • or to book click the link in my bio or visit thegiftedevent.com ♬ original sound - TheGiftedEventOfficial Someone writes, "as a special education teacher, YES YES YES TO EVERYTHING 10 ACROSS-THE-BOARD THIS is how you work!!!!!!!""He did soooo good. I love how he was slumped over in fear at first and then gained so much confidence and trust towards the end. You are so AWESOME," another shares."He looks amazing. And I love how you explained to them what you were doing and to give him space to have his own experience," one person gushes."I love how he stopped the woman because he knew, that might be too much right now. Not being disrespectful but being firm, for the kids own good assertive skills right there," someone else noted.Harry's mom even chimed in with an update for the barber saying, "We couldn’t be more grateful to you for what you’ve done for us! Harry loves his cut and cannot stop admiring himself! Still cracking up over the hairdryer!"The Gifted Event runs strictly off of donations in order to provide free appointments to the families that visit the barbershop. Anyone can donate a haircut for a family in need by going to thegiftedevent.com.

An album-ruiner? The post Did ‘Zombie Zoo’ wreck Tom Petty’s ‘Full Moon Fever’? first appeared on Far Out Magazine.