“The amazing thing about Hanukkah is that despite the past mistakes and the mess the ancient Israelis got themselves into, there were a few (indeed a remnant of a remnant: the proverbial three percent, perhaps) who were able to figure out and take successful action to recover and preserve their nation, their people, their religion, and their culture. And thereby set the stage for the rest of human history to our day. Even though those same Maccabean rebels turned around and did exactly the same things that had led to the mess they got out of. And indeed, started making the same mistakes that their oppressors, the Selucids, had made in abusing the Jews.” (12/20/25)
“Lawyers for Luigi Mangione on Friday renewed and expanded their effort to have the death penalty thrown out in his case, arguing Attorney General Pam Bondi has a disqualifying financial conflict of interest. In court filings reviewed by Fox News Digital, the defense argued that Bondi’s calls for the death penalty following Mangione’s arrest were improper because she was previously a partner at Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm that represented UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of slain CEO Brian Thompson. The defense argues Bondi continues to receive financial benefits through Ballard’s profit-sharing plan and should have recused herself from any role in the case. … Bondi announced in April that she was directing Manhattan federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty, declaring even before Mangione was formally indicted that capital punishment was warranted for what she called a ‘premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.'” (12/20/25)
“Federal regulators have created a trucking crisis — and they did it by ignoring their own evidence, bypassing basic safeguards and targeting a workforce that has kept America moving through every national emergency of the past decade. In September, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued an interim final rule that effectively bars most lawfully present, work-authorized immigrant drivers from obtaining, renewing or maintaining non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses. The rule limits eligibility to just three visa categories — H-2A, H-2B and E-2 — while excluding refugees, asylees, DACA recipients and other federally authorized workers who have long been able to drive using a valid employment authorization document. These drivers meet every federal safety requirement, pass the same tests, satisfy the same medical standards and comply with the same drug-and-alcohol protocols as every other CDL holder. Yet FMCSA is treating immigration category as a disqualifying risk.” (12/20/25)
One of our long-time supporters, RB, sends this note:
“I’m not senile. I remember I already did this once, but I know it’s moving slow this year. Appreciate what you do. Good luck.”
What RB already did once this year, and did again over the weekend, was send us a $100 donation, bringing our year-end fundraiser total to $2,208.84. THANK YOU, RB!
Where are those of you who read the freedom movement’s newspaper every day, but have never financially supported it?
We’re $541.66 short. Once we reach $2,750.50 — but NOT UNTIL we do — supporter GL will “match funds” for the other half, getting us to our goal of $5,501.
“Two million years ago, give or take, there was a fundamental and unexplained change in the archaeological record. Since then our progress has come far faster than it should have according to evolutionary theory, leaving scientists perplexed. … pre-2 million BC skulls (homo habilis and prior) have ridges at the eyebrow level, and that the skulls go directly backward from there. That is, they have no forehead. Beginning at homo ergaster and homo erectus, however – that being roughly two million years ago – the skulls begin to rise in their fronts. … Human brains feature an enormous prefrontal cortex. This is the structure that allows us to do all the massively advanced things we do. And this structure could not fit into our skulls without that high forehead; the prefrontal cortex fills precisely that new space.” (12/20/25)
“Pope Leo XIV has summoned the world’s cardinals for two days of meetings to help him govern the church, the Vatican said Saturday, in the clearest sign yet that the new year will signal the unofficial start of his pontificate. The consistory, as such gatherings are called, will be held Jan. 7-8, immediately following the Jan. 6 conclusion of the 2025 Holy Year, a once-every-quarter century celebration of Christianity. Leo’s first few months as pope have been dominated by fulfilling the weekly Holy Year obligations of meeting with pilgrimage groups and celebrating special Jubilee audiences and Masses. Additionally, much of his time has been spent wrapping up the outstanding matters of Pope Francis'[s] pontificate. As a result, the January consistory in many ways will mark the first time that Leo can look ahead to his own agenda following his May 8 election as the first American pope.” (12/20/25)
“Saudi Arabia has quietly expanded access to its only store that sells alcohol, allowing wealthy foreign residents to buy booze in the latest step in the once-ultraconservative kingdom’s experiment in liberalization. There’s been no official announcement of the decision, but word has gotten out, and long lines of cars and people can now be seen at the discreet, unmarked store in the Diplomatic Quarter of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The store opened in January 2024 for non-Muslim diplomats. The new rules allow non-Muslim foreigners who hold Premium Residency to buy. The residency permit goes to foreigners with specialized skills, investors and entrepreneurs. Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam, has banned alcohol since the early 1950s.” (12/21/25)
The United States finds itself at a moment when the gap between power and prudence has rarely been more visible. As American society grapples with structural inflation, deep social fragmentation, a crisis of institutional credibility, and the steady erosion of public trust, renewed talk of military confrontation with Venezuela is once again circulating within Washington’s political and security circles. In recent months, this rhetoric has intensified, driven in part by President Donald Trump and influential figures around him – most notably Senator Marco Rubio – who have pushed an increasingly confrontational line toward Caracas, bringing the country closer to the threshold of conflict. These developments are not the product of a genuine threat, but rather reflect a dangerous habit in U.S. foreign policy: transforming domestic deadlock into external military adventure.” (12/19/25)
