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8: 129 Ways to Get a Husband (in 1958)
Don’t take a job in a company run by women. Be friendly to ugly men. If he is rich, tell him you like his money. 1958 was….different to say the least. Bella reads the 129 Ways to Get a Husband, then Melissa jumps in to fit as many 50s slang terms into the fictional conversation.
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A 3rd term, a $250 bill, and more proposed by House Republicans in 2025
Thousands of bills have already been introduced in this 119th Congress that commenced with the start of the new administration. Congress.gov, the direct source for what is said and what has been proposed, word for word, has a detailed database of legislative actions, voting records, proposed bills, and other daily records. The White House also publishes the Executive Orders signed by Trump on its website, which are readily available and easily accessible to the public.
President Trump recently verbally confirmed he would not seek a third term, but that hasn’t stopped Republican Representative Andrew Ogles in the House from proposing a House Joint Resolution to allow it. But no need to panic just yet, as the vast majority of bills never make it to a vote, especially if this Amendment to the Constitution would apply to administrations moving forward.
Pam Bondi: “We’d have to look at the constitution” regarding a third term for Trump Whether bills from the left or right side of the aisle are created out of good intentions or to stir up controversy, some, like new federal holidays, were definitely worth the read. Here are my selections of the most interesting (good or bad) bills and Executive Orders that the 119th Congress proposed between January and April 2025. They are all listed as written in the bills’ text, so there wouldn’t be any confusion about whether these are legitimate. Just in case, a link to the actual text has been added.
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Executive Order: STRENGTHENING AND UNLEASHING AMERICA’S LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PURSUE CRIMINALS AND PROTECT INNOCENT CITIZENS (April 28, 2025)
whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions For the full text, click here: Executive Order
My Administration will therefore: establish best practices at the State and local level for cities to unleash high-impact local police forces;
Sec. 3. Empowering State and Local Law Enforcement.
(a) The Attorney General and other appropriate heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall take all appropriate action to maximize the use of Federal resources to:
(i) provide new best practices to State and local law enforcement to aggressively police communities against all crimes;
(iv) strengthen and expand legal protections for law enforcement officers;
(v) seek enhanced sentences for crimes against law enforcement officers;Sec. 4. Using National Security Assets for Law and Order.
(a) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense… shall increase the provision of excess military and national security assets in local jurisdictions to assist State and local law enforcement.
(b) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Attorney General, shall determine how military and national security assets, training, non-lethal capabilities, and personnel can most effectively be utilized to prevent crime.
Trump Signs Executive Order to Increase Power of Law Enforcement Legislation Proposed by the 119th Congress
Topic: New Money with New Faces
H.R. 1761 Donald J. Trump $250 Bill Act: “To amend the Federal Reserve Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to print $250 Federal reserve notes featuring a portrait of Donald J. Trump, and for other purposes
Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] (Introduced 02/27/2025) H.R. 1790 Golden Age Act of 2025: To require $100 notes to include a portrait of Donald J. Trump, and for other purposes.
Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26] (Introduced 03/03/2025) Topic: Third Term President
H.J.Res. 29 – Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to provide that no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times.
H.J.Res.29 – 119 Congress (2025-2026) “This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to increase the number of times a person may be elected.” “The proposed amendment specifies that no person shall be elected to the office of the President (1) more than three times, (2) for any additional term after being elected to two consecutive terms, or (3) more than twice after having served as President for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President (for example, if a President died after serving for one year and the Vice President became President for the remaining three years of the term, that person may subsequently be elected President no more than two times).
Currently, under the Twenty-Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a person may not be elected President more than twice. Additionally, no person who has been President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President may be elected President more than once.”
Topic: Veterans
Over 79 mentions of the word “veterans” were found while reviewing the Republicans’ bills, with the majority of them created with good intentions. Here are a few that stood out.
H.R. 1228 Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act
H.R. 1289 Veterans Nutrition and Wellness Act of 2025
H.R. 1290 Veterans Mental Health Crisis Referral Enhancement Act of 2025
H.R. 1384 Veterans Equal Access Act
H.R. 1527 Reforming Education for Veterans Act
Topic: New Federal Holidays
H.R. 2119 – St. Patrick’s Day Act – To amend title 5, United States Code, to establish St. Patrick’s Day as a Federal holiday.
Sponsor: Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (Introduced 03/14/2025) H.R. 2951 – To amend title 5, United States Code, to designate Easter Monday as a legal public holiday.
Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Riley [R-WV-2] (Introduced 04/17/2025) Topics: Mental Health, Stock Trading, and Tariffs
H.R. 1649 Expanding Student Access to Mental Health Services Act: To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve mental health services for students, and for other purposes.
H.R. 1908 End Congressional Stock Trading Act: To prohibit stock trading and ownership by Members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children, and for other purposes.
H.R. 2665 Trade Review Act of 2025: “(a) Notification requirement.—Not later than 48 hours after imposing or increasing a duty with respect to an article imported into the United States, the President shall submit to Congress a notification of the imposition of or increase in the duty that includes—“(1) an explanation of the reasoning for imposing or increasing the duty; and
“(2) an assessment of the potential impact of imposing or increasing the duty on United States businesses and consumers.
(b) Expiration of duties; extension by Congress.—Any duty on an article imported into the United States shall remain in effect for a period of not more than 60 days, unless there is enacted into law a joint resolution of approval with respect to the duty under subsection (e).
(c) Disapproval by Congress.—If a joint resolution of disapproval with respect to a duty is enacted into law under subsection (e), the duty shall cease to have force or effect.”
Final Thoughts
There are so many records that it would be impossible to cover both sides, creating a need for a four-part breakdown: The House, the Senate, the Democratic Party, and the Republican Party. I used the ‘Title’ column to scan for any words or acronyms that stood out and prioritized any that had multiple co-sponsors. The list of proposed legislation below was chosen based solely on my opinion. If you are interested, numerous links throughout this article can direct you to the same data referenced here.
Whether it is for the love of controversy or a love for our country, the Republicans in Congress have introduced all sorts of topics. Next, we will look at House Democrats’ proposed legislation highlights. Stay tuned!
The data presented is directly from Congressional records published publicly online on Congress.gov. The same search selections I used for this article are available by clicking here.
In the meantime, check out this article:
Freedom of Speech Actually Does Have Limits that are Not Protected by the First Amendment
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Conspiracy or Coincidence? Luigi Mangione Fans Speculate About the Meaning of “286”
It didn’t take long for internet sleuths to dive down the rabbit hole of conspiracies surrounding the arrest of Luigi Mangione for the murder of the health insurance CEO. His criminal case became a worldwide obsession, especially for the true crime junkies – and they have been hard at work putting all the hearsay together. Almost immediately, buzz about the number 286 started spreading across social media. Once the facts started rolling in, what started as a simple open-shut case turned into a Scorcese screenplay.
Luigi Mangione search results on TikTok Here are some of the theories from the internet.
Pokemon
At the top of his X profile, there are three pictures – a Pokemon, an X-Ray, and a photo of himself. At first, my takeaway was that Luigi likes Pokemon. But when in the official Pokemon database, the Pokemon is named Breloom, the 286th character.
All content & design © Pokémon Database, 2008-2025. Pokémon images & names © 1995-2025 Nintendo/Game Freak. Social Media
On his X account, he had posted 285 times by the time he was arrested (Basically 286).
x.com/PepMangione Health Insurance
National Insurance Awareness Day -June 28th is National Insurance Awareness Day. Writing the date by number and in reverse order, June 28 (6/28) is 286.
Health insurance denial claim code – Insurance companies use the code 286 when denying the appeal with the insurance holders’ claims.
mdclarity.com/denial-code/286 Religion
The Bible – Proverbs 28:6 reads: “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.”
The Quran – Surah Al-Baqarah Ayat 286 (2:286 Quran) translates to “Allah does not lay a responsibility on anyone beyond his capacity.[338] In his favour shall be whatever good each one does, and against him whatever evil he does.[339] (Believers! Pray thus to your Lord): “Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or commit mistakes.”
On MyIslam.org, the following are referenced in the translation above:
338 – Man’s answerability to God is limited by the extent of his ability. If a man does not have the ability to do a certain thing, God will not take him to task for not having performed it. In the same way, if it is really beyond a man’s ability to abstain from something, God will not blame him for having failed to abstain from it. It should be noted here that man will not be the final judge as to whether he had the ability to do something or not. Such judgment will be made by God alone.
339 – This is the second fundamental principle of God’s law of retribution. Every man will be rewarded for the services he has rendered, none will be rewarded for services rendered by others. The same applies to punishment. It is the one who is guilty who will be punished. It is possible, however, that if a man has initiated either good or bad practices, they will continue to affect people’s lives. The resulting good and bad deeds of people will be reckoned either to their credit or against them, since they are clearly related to their efforts and actions. It is impossible, however, that a map should be either rewarded for an act of goodness or punished for an act of evil in which he has had no share – neither by intent nor practical action. The requital of acts is not transferable.
Location
McDonald’s – Finally, some people online claimed the distance between the location of the shooting in NYC and the McDonald’s where Mangione was arrested is 286 miles. However, according to Google Maps, the distance is actually 279 miles.
Truth or Conspiracy?
Without even standing trial yet, Luigi Mangione’s case will certainly be a long and complicated one that will have its own reference in history books. But will he be seen as a hero or a villain? That answer may surprise you, but only time will tell.
On a related note, it hasn’t even been six months, and already Law & Order aired an episode “inspired by” Luigi Mangione. Read about it here:
Luigi Mangione; Ty Molbak as Ethan Weller on Law & Order. Photo: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty; Will Hart/NBC via Getty -
7: The dating and marriage side of Reddit is some hot tea
This was the first time I used AI to summarize the episode so I am curious as to how it will turn out…
In this conversation, Melissa and Bella explore various aspects of dating culture, relationships, and the challenges faced in American society. Throughout the discussion, they share personal anecdotes and insights, providing a humorous yet thought-provoking take on contemporary dating dynamics. In this conversation, Melissa and Bella explore various themes surrounding wealth, dating, and relationships. They discuss the subjective nature of wealth, the complexities of modern dating, and the importance of communication and boundaries in relationships. The conversation also touches on self-discovery, intimacy, and the challenges of maintaining attraction in long-term relationships, culminating in a humorous yet insightful discussion about a Reddit post regarding a husband’s farting habits. In this conversation, Melissa and Bella delve into the complexities of relationships, focusing on themes of infidelity, sexual identity, and the importance of communication. They explore a scenario involving a husband using Grindr, discussing the implications of trust and boundaries in relationships.
IDK I think AI is doing too much….
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Freedom of Speech Actually Does Have Limits that are Not Protected by the First Amendment
After the Constitution was ratified in June of 1788, George Washington and James Madison urged the members of Congress to support the addition of the Bill of Rights, inspired by the notion that freedom of the press was essential to a functioning democracy. After reviewing and debating over 100 proposed amendments from the states in the union at the time, ten amendments would eventually be cemented as the Bill of Rights.
The First Amendment was passed by the Senate on September 25, 1789, and the House on September 24, 1789. The first ten amendments of the Constitution were approved after 11 of the 14 states in the Union approved the amendments.
The First Amendment – Free Speech
Most commonly associated with freedom of speech, this amendment intends to guard the fundamental rights of the citizens – free speech, freedom of religion, freedom to assemble, and freedom of the press.
In the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment reads:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
This amendment is pretty straightforward in its original text, but not all free speech is protected. Advocacy groups like the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) make it their mission to protect free speech when those rights may have been infringed upon. With the invention of the internet and social media, understanding what the First Amendment means is more complicated than ever.
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Due to the many complexities around this topic, the information below is shown as it is published so as to not provide my own opinion but to relay the facts that are published by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and in the Constitution, and have been cited with the source of the text through the hyperlinks.
Freedom of speech includes the right:
- Not to speak (specifically, the right not to salute the flag).
- To use certain offensive words and phrases to convey political messages.
- To contribute money (under certain circumstances) to political campaigns.
- To advertise commercial products and professional services (with some restrictions).
- To engage in symbolic speech, (e.g., burning the flag in protest).
Freedom of speech does not include the right:
- Incitement to imminent lawless action (incitement);
- speech that threatens serious bodily harm (true threats); or
- speech that causes an immediate breach of the peace (fighting words).
- Defamation
- Fraud and Perjury
Not all hate speech is protected by the First Amendment, since hateful expression can fall within the the previously mentioned exemptions.
Categories of Unprotected Speech
Incitement
Incitement — speech that is both “directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action” — is unprotected by the First Amendment.
The standard comes from the Supreme Court’s 1969 decision in Brandenburg v. Ohio, a First Amendment challenge to the arrest of Ku Klux Klan members under an Ohio criminal syndicalism law. Journalists captured footage of the armed Klansmen using slurs against black and Jewish people. The Klansmen stated there “might have to be some revengeance taken” against government officials and announced a march on Congress on the Fourth of July. The Court struck down the Ohio law because the statute “purports to punish mere advocacy and to forbid, on pain of criminal punishment, assembly with others merely to advocate the described type of action.”
True Threats
In Virginia v. Black (2003), the Supreme Court defined true threats as “those statements where the speaker means to communicate a serious expression of an intent to commit an act of unlawful violence to a particular individual or group of individuals.” Importantly, the speaker does not need to actually intend to engage in violence for the government to punish threats or intimidation. Free speech is not protected when he knows of or “consciously disregard[s] a substantial risk that his communications would be viewed as threatening violence.”
That being said, true threats are distinguishable from heated rhetoric. For example, the Court held in Watts v. United States (1969) that the First Amendment protected a man’s statement — after being drafted to serve in the Vietnam War — that “[i]f they ever make me carry a rifle the first man I want to get in my sights is L. B. J.,” as the statement was not a true expression of intent to kill the president.
Fighting Words
Fighting words are those that, by the very act of being spoken, tend to incite the individual to whom they are addressed to respond violently and to do so immediately, with no time to think things over. The fighting words category is an exceedingly limited classification of speech, encompassing only face-to-face communications that would obviously provoke an immediate and violent reaction from the average listener.
Obscenity
In Miller v. California (1973), the Supreme Court outlined a three-prong standard that material must meet in order to be considered legally obscene:
- whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the “prurient interest” (an inordinate interest in sex);
- whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct;
- whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
A real-life example of a potential infringement on our First Amendment rights
The Foundation for Individual Expression came forward with a statement on the same day Trump posted it to his Truth Social account. Read their response here: Statement on President Trump’s Truth Social post threatening funding cuts for ‘illegal protests’
The Constitution Annotated: First Amendment Fundamental Freedoms and the Complexity of Protections
Arguably, the most misinterpreted part of freedom of speech is what is protected and what is not. Beyond the defined unprotected free speech examples above, there are instances when even constitutionally protected speech could have negative repercussions. For example, there have been many people fired for what they post on social media, either what they say or how they act. While they may be protected constitutionally, employers have the right to terminate for what they deem inappropriate. So, before you post anything online, make sure to check the employee handbook you signed when you started your job to see how strict the rules are for you and what the repercussions may be.
About the Foundation for Individual Expression (FIRE)
Free Speech Makes Free People
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s mission is to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.
More about the Foundation
Freedom of speech is a fundamental American freedom and human right. It is essential for democracy, scientific progress, artistic expression, social justice, peace, and our ability to live as authentic individuals.
Yet, across our nation, this cornerstone of our free society is under serious threat. Far too many of us fear sharing our views or challenging those that seem to dominate. Nearly 6-in-10 Americans believe our nation’s democracy is threatened because people are afraid to voice their opinions.
FIRE therefore defends and promotes the value of free speech for all Americans in our courtrooms, on our campuses, and in our culture. Our vision is an America in which people overwhelmingly believe in the right of others to freely express views different from their own, and expect their laws and educational institutions to reflect and teach this belief.
Visit thefire.org to learn about what they do and how to get involved with protecting the most fundamental freedom that is sacred to the United States.
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2: Research Wrap-Up: My Experiences on Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge
After over a year on Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble trying the different features, going on dates, and learning how to put my foot down, it is finally time to consider this round of dating app research complete. These are my takeaways. Oh and a cautionary tale about checking the boxes of what you want in a partner rather than seeing the red flags for what they are…and a reminder that putting your foot down takes practice.
Next up, Melissa and I dig into lesser-known apps… Farmers Only, anyone?
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SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert Performances Set a High Bar for Tonight’s 50th Anniversary Special
If Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary is anything like its 40th, celebrities in Hollywood will be extra hungover on Monday. SNL is going to be live on Sunday, February 16, at 8 PM Eastern for the official Anniversary Special on NBC and Peacock, complete with a televised red carpet leading into the event.
The SNL 50 Homecoming Concert was the most exclusive event in entertainment, with a super selective invite list of past hosts, musical guests, cast members, and others who worked on Saturday Night Live over the past 50 years. Money couldn’t buy access to this one – some didn’t even get a plus one from their invite.
The three-and-a-half hour spectacle, which is streaming on Peacock, featured some of the most popular Backstreet Boys, Bad Bunny, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Cher, DEVO, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Mumford & Sons, and Post Malone took the stage next to some SNL performances by iconic characters like Fred Armisen as Prince and the Lonely Island performing a bunch of their songs.
Check out the setlist from the SNL 50 Homecoming Concert (now available to stream on Peacock and some clips on YouTube.)
- “Soul Man” – Jimmy Fallon
- “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” – Miley Cyrus & Brittany Howard
- “Flowers” – Miley Cyrus
- “Baile Inolvidable” – Bad Bunny
- “DTMF” – Bad Bunny
- “You’re All I Need to Get By” – Bill Murray (feat. Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph & Cecily Strong)
- “The Waiting” – Eddie Vedder
- “Corduroy” – Eddie Vedder
- “Astronaut Jones Theme Song” – Tracy Morgan
- “Love Shack” – The B-52s (feat. Fred Armisen, Sarah Sherman & Bowen Yang)
- “I Want It That Way” – The Backstreet Boys
- “Uncontrollable Urge” – Devo
- Lonely Island Medley – Andy Samberg & Lady Gaga (feat. Bad Bunny, Chris Parnell, Eddie Vedder, Jorma Taccone & T-Pain)
- Lauryn Hill Medley – Lauryn Hill & Wyclef Jean
- The Culps Medley – Will Ferrell & Ana Gasteyer
- “I Walk the Line” – Jellyroll
- “Ring of Fire” – Jellyroll
- “The Joke” – Brandy Carlile
- “I Will Wait” – Mumford & Sons
- “The Boxer” – Mumford & Sons & Jerry Douglas
- “Gin and Juice” – Snoop Dogg
- “Last Dance With Mary Jane” – Snoop Dogg & Jelly Roll
- “Heroes” – Arcade Fire, David Byrne, St. Vincent & Preservation Hall Jazz Band
- “Wake Up” – Arcade Fire, David Byrne, St. Vincent & Preservation Hall Jazz Band
- “Thing Called Love” – Bonnie Raitt
- “I Can’t Make You Love Me” – Bonnie Raitt & Chris Martin
- “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Post Malone & Nirvana
- “Dancing On My Own” – Robyn
- “This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)” – Robyn & David Byrne
- “If I Could Turn Back Time” – Cher
- “Shallow” – Lady Gaga
- “Rockin’ in the Free World” – Jack White
- “Seven Nation Army” – Jack White
SNL Homecoming Concert Playlist on YouTube Here are the confirmed stars set to appear, per NBC:
- Adam Driver
- Alec Baldwin
- Ana Gasteyer
- Ayo Edebiri
- Bad Bunny
- Billy Crystal
- Cher
- Dave Chappelle
- John Mulaney
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus
- Kim Kardashian
- Leslie Jones
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Martin Short
- Mike Myers
- Miles Teller
- Miley Cyrus
- Paul McCartney
- Paul Simon
- Pedro Pascal
- Peyton Manning
- Quinta Brunson
- Rachel Dratch
- Rev. Al Sharpton
- Robert de Niro
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Scarlett Johansson,
- Steve Martin
- Tom Hanks
- Woody Harrelson
“SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration” will bring together a blend of current cast members and legendary alumni. Justine Goode / NBC News; Getty Images On February 10, NBC confirmed which former cast members will participate in the show.
- Adam Sandler
- Amy Poehler
- Andy Samberg
- Chevy Chase
- Chris Rock
- Eddie Murphy
- Fred Armisen
- Garrett Morris
- Jane Curtin
- Jason Sudeikis
- Jimmy Fallon
- Kate McKinnon
- Kenan Thompson
- Kristen Wiig
- Laraine Newman
- Maya Rudolph
- Molly Shannon
- Pete Davidson
- Seth Meyers
- Tina Fey
- Tracy Morgan
- Will Ferrell
- Will Forte
Choose your SNL Era
Maybe you loved the early seasons, or the Will Ferrell seasons, or the Adam Sandler seasons, or even the new cast. One thing is for sure – SNL 50 will be a unique, once-in-a-lifetime party that even other celebrities wish they could attend but can’t.
How and Where to Watch
Don’t miss the three-hour SNL 50th anniversary special airing on Sunday, February 16 on NBC and Peacock. SNL50: The Anniversary Special celebrates a half-century worth of sketches, cast members, Hosts, and other collaborators — it’s sure to be a star-studded event.
The special airs live coast to coast starting at 8 ET / 5pm PT, with a live one-hour red carpet special kicking things off at 7 ET / 4 pm PT on NBC, E!, and Peacock.
The 50-day lead-up to the special includes Peacock’s four-part docuseries, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, as well as Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music, a documentary about SNL’s Musical Guests that’s co-directed by Questlove and Oz Rodriguez, available to stream on Peacock now.
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The Declaration of Independence is Relevant Today, but for Very Different Reasons
We all know this part:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
But we don’t really know as much about the rest of the Declaration, which is a list of 27 grievances that America had against King George III of Great Britain. Congress decided it was time to let him know about it – at least in written form. Over the course of many months, the Founding Fathers would work on the Declaration of Independence until it was officially signed on July 4, 1776, by some of the most influential figures in US history, like John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Hancock. Although the American Revolutionary War officially ended in 1781, the fighting would continue until 1783.
The official portrait of King George III by Johann Zofanny, 1771
Courtesy of the Royal Collection TrustThe following is the actual text from the Declaration of Independence as it was written (most notably the spelling and grammar), and it sounds eerily similar to what is happening in the present day.
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
12-by-18-foot (3.7 by 5.5 m) oil-on-canvas painting by the American artist John Trumbull depicting the presentation of the draft of the Declaration of Independence to Congress. This is where the Declaration of Independence turns from defining its purpose to defending it and why it is necessary to act.
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.”
According to the National Archives of the United States (where the document is stored among the other documents that defined the nation):
The Declaration of Independence was designed for multiple audiences: the King, the colonists, and the world. It was also designed to multitask. Its goals were to rally the troops, win foreign allies, and to announce the creation of a new country. The introductory sentence states the Declaration’s main purpose, to explain the colonists’ right to revolution. In other words, “to declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” Congress had to prove the legitimacy of its cause. It had just defied the most powerful nation on Earth. It needed to motivate foreign allies to join the fight.
Declaration Committee (left to right: Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and John Adams) – Published by Currier & Ives, 125 Nassau St., New York, [1876] The Grievances of King George III
“The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
- He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
- He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
- He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
- He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
- He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
- He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
- He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
- He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
- He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
- He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
- He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
- He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
- He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
- For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
- For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
- For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
- For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
- For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
- For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
- For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
- For taking a way our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
- For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
- He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
- He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
- He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
- He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
- He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.”
After listing the grievances, Congress declared that they would not be under King George III’s rule anymore and would go to war to be an independent nation.
“In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum On a lighter note, check out this sketch that aired on Saturday Night Live about the Founding Fathers with a cameo from Lin-Manuel Miranda.
You can check out the full text of the Declaration of Independence online in the National Archives.
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1: Reviewing Dating Horror Stories from TikTok
Have any bad dates lately? Hopefully they didn’t go as bad as the ones we review on this episode.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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A TikTok Ban, a Ceasefire, a Farewell, and More from Week 2 of 2025
After a dramatic and deadly first week of the year, week 2 brought some leftovers from last week. The fires are still burning, and the politicians are still politicking. This week, there was an official Israel-Hamas ceasefire, a ban on TikTok, and President Biden gave his farewell address to the nation that came with a dark warning.
The California Wildfires are finally somewhat under control, but they are still burning.
As of Thursday, January 16th, The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has recorded 26,117 total emergency responses, 40,695 acres burned, and over 12,300 structures destroyed. These numbers will grow across the board, as the total number of wildfires stands around 164.
On the ground during the California wildfires – ONSCENE.TV 
Status Update on California Wildfires: 1/16/2025 
The CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection status update The wildfires have been extreme due to hurricane-force winds of up to 100 mph, which fueled the fire to maximum damage potential. Canada and Mexico, along with a growing list of states that include Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington, came to California’s aid; their firefighters are among the 14,000 heroes battling the Palisades Fire.
Over 80 planes and helicopters have been deployed in the firefighting efforts, 8 of which are military C130s activated for the California wildfires with capabilities to carry 3,000 gallons of fire retardant from the ground to the sky to get to areas unreachable on the ground. The ability to hit large areas of land from above has been crucial to contain the fires.
Read the full press release here.
The fires are still burning. Here are some videos from ONSCENE TV and Austin American-Statesman with raw footage. Also, check out this playlist I made on YouTube of select news clips and fire footage.
A ceasefire between Israel-Hamas has been reached. Hostages will be released in the next 60 days.
President Biden Announces Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Alongside Vice President Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has finally been reached, though the 24 hours that followed since the announcement were a bit unstable. The war has been ongoing since the initial attack by Hamas on October 7th, 2023.
Promises of the ceasefire had been broken time after time, so this final ceasefire deal also came with a few bumps along the way. Thankfully, the ceasefire should be in place before the incoming Trump administration takes over the White House on January 20th. If the ceasefire falls through and the new administration is calling the shots, the response from the US may be dramatically different than how the US has been working with Israel under the Biden Administration.
Credit: Amir Levy / Getty Images 
Palestinians react to news of a ceasefire deal in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Wednesday. – Mohammed Salem/Reuters Here are the terms of the ceasefire, summarized by the Associated Press:
Draft of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
PHASE 1: (42 days)
- Hamas releases 33 hostages, including female civilians and soldiers, children and civilians over 50
- Israel releases 30 Palestinian prisoners for each civilian hostage and 50 for each female soldier
- Halt to fighting, Israeli forces move out of populated areas to the edges of the Gaza Strip
- Displaced Palestinians begin returning home, and more aid enters the strip
PHASE 2: (42 days)
- Declaration of “sustainable calm”
- Hamas frees remaining male hostages (soldiers and civilians) in exchange for a yet-to-be-negotiated number of Palestinian prisoners and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
PHASE 3:
- Bodies of deceased Israeli hostages exchanged for bodies of deceased Palestinian fighters
- Implementation of a reconstruction plan in Gaza
- Border crossings for movement in and out of Gaza are reopened
Users are bracing for a TikTok ban – but will it happen?
170 million domestic users will be affected by the ban, set to take place on January 19th – the day before Trump takes office. A few things have yet to fall into place for this to officially happen, most notably, whether or not the ban will be enforced.
For the majority of its users, TikTok is entertainment, but for many business owners and content creators, TikTok is a platform that is the heart of their ability to earn a living. TikTok users across the platform have called out many underlying motivators that are not being talked about but are pretty obvious.
“Fascist countries ban apps and websites under the guise of threats to National Security when every other country knows it’s about suppressing the free speech of its citizens. If the government believes that a single app could quote ‘skew the perspective of American citizens to be anti-American’, maybe the real problem is that American citizens are already in such a state of political unrest and unhappiness that our government is scared a single foreign influence could tip the scale and have it all be over. Don’t you think that by taking away the, and I quote, ‘“’key communications channel of Americans’, it’s going to make those 170 million Americans a little more anti-American?”
Check out some of the creators’ responses about why they believe the app is being banned. It is clear that they are not taking this lightly.
For one, TikTok is hardly the only Chinese company that collects personal information. TEMU and SHEIN, already with shaky reputations, capture the same information and more, including payment and shipping information.
If the Supreme Court upholds the ban, President Biden said he is not going to enforce it. Trump said he would like the Supreme Court to delay the decision until after taking office to pursue a “political resolution” for the issue. Republican Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas shut down the idea of postponing the ban.
What is actually going to happen? Check out this video that breaks it down.
The ban would mean that TikTok would no longer be available for download, and the app would slowly become obsolete and be subject to the vulnerabilities left behind that TikTok software updates would fix. Currently, nothing official has happened, but the answer will come by Sunday, January 19th. TikTok is planning a data download option for users if the ban is implemented.
Senate confirmation hearings for Trump’s proposed cabinet were heated.
Confirmation hearings serve as the job interview for these major leadership positions, with the candidates spending hours in the hot seat being grilled for hours, answering hypotheticals and pressing answers for past behavior.
Alcohol abuse, sexual abuse allegations, fathering a child outside of his marriage, and questions of qualification plagued Fox News Host Pete Hegseth’s hearing as his nomination to be the Secretary of Defense was put under a microscope. Hegseth’s comments on women not being fit for combat roles were also challenged, where he walked back his stance on the issue and promised that women would still be allowed to serve in combat roles under his leadership.
The rest of the hearings were less salacious, but some would say they were equally as important. Other hearings this week are below.
January 14
- 9 a.m. – Doug Collins, Veterans’ Affairs Committee
- 9:30 a.m. – Pete Hegseth, Armed Services Committee
- 10 a.m. – Doug Burgum, Energy and Natural Resources Committee
January 15
- 9 a.m. – Kristi Noem, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- 9:30 a.m. – Pam Bondi, Judiciary Committee
- 10 a.m. – Marco Rubio, Foreign Relations Committee
- 10 a.m. – John Ratcliffe, Intelligence Committee
- 10 a.m. – Sean Duffy, Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
- 10 a.m. – Chris Wright, Energy & Natural Resources Committee
- 1 p.m. – Russell Vought, Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee
January 16
- 10 a.m. – Scott Turner, Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee
- 10 a.m. – Lee Zeldin, Environment and Public Works Committee
- 10:15 a.m. – Pam Bondi, Judiciary Committee
- 10:30 a.m. – Scott Bessent, Finance Committee
January 17
- 9 a.m. – Kristi Noem, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
The Associated Press reported some interesting recruits to represent a major industry during his term: Hollywood.
“— Donald Trump wants to make Hollywood “bigger, better and stronger” and has cast Mel Gibson, Jon Voight, and Sylvester Stallone as stars of what he is calling his “Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California.”
On Wednesday, the President-elect announced on his social media site that the three actors would be his eyes and ears to the moviemaking town.
“It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!” he wrote on Truth Social.”
President Biden gives his farewell address warning of a developing oligarchy where the richest people in the world run the country without guardrails.
“To you, the American people, after 50 years of public service, I give you my word. I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands. A nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure,” he said.
Most of the time, these farewell addresses to the country serve as a way to summarize the president’s accomplishments. However, Biden used the time to warn of an impending technology-industrial complex.
“That’s why, in my farewell address tonight, I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And this is the dangerous concern- — and that’s the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of very few ultra-wealthy people and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked.”
With Elon Musk’s influence, free speech is clearly at play. After years of harsh criticism of shadow banning certain politicians on Twitter during the Biden administration, Musk’s position in the incoming White House has triggered his power over his free speech platform, X, by banning users who speak badly about him – which is exactly what free speech is meant to protect.
“Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor.”
Read the full transcript here: Remarks by President Biden in a Farewell Address to the Nation
Watch the full speech here: President Biden Delivers a Farewell Address to the Nation
Until next week!
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