Category: News
Pittsburgh Steelers LB TJ Watt calls dry-needling mishap a ‘fluke’ and hopes to return vs. Baltimore Ravens
PITTSBURGH — T.J. Watt is ready to take a break from dry needling and get back to work on the football field.
The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker is hopeful to play Sunday night when the Baltimore Ravens visit with the AFC North title on the line. The perennial Pro Bowler has missed each of the last three games following a mishap during a dry-needling treatment that led to surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung.
Watt, 31, called the accident, which was administered by a member of the club’s athletic/medical staff, a “fluke.” He, like many NFL players, has used the treatment — in which needles are inserted under the skin to target trigger points such as knotted or tender areas in muscles — for some time.
While Watt didn’t rule out turning to it down the road, he added with a grin that it won’t be a part of his recovery regimen in the short term.
Watt experienced discomfort after having treatment at the facility Dec. 10. He went to the hospital, where the 2021 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year was told he needed surgery to fix his lung.
“Obviously very scary,” Watt said. “Just a significant amount of pain at the same time you’re going to work, and then all of a sudden you need surgery. It sucks. Just a lot of unknown.”
Watt sat out three critical games while recovering. The Steelers went 2-1 during that stretch — doubling the win total the club had without Watt in the lineup during the first eight seasons of his career — and can win the division for the first time since 2020 by beating the Ravens on Sunday night.
Watt called the rehab process “unique” but felt really good after practice Friday at Acrisure Stadium.
“I have no limitations,” Watt said. “I tried to simulate as much as I could with shoulder pads and stuff like that. But you can only simulate so much. So I feel really good right now. Hopefully that’s the case on Sunday as well.”
Watt declined to get into specifics about how he was affected physically, instead focusing on what he can do to help the Steelers get into the playoffs. They have reached the postseason five times during Watt’s career but have yet to advance.
“Everyone knows the magnitude of this game,” Watt said. “It’s just a matter of going out and getting it done. That’s kind of the key. Everybody knows how important these games are. Everybody knows this is what you train all offseason, your whole career for games like this.”
Watt, who receives a significant amount of attention from opposing linemen, tight end and running backs, has just seven sacks this season, his lowest total in a year in which he’s played at least 13 games since his rookie year in 2017.
Longtime teammate Cam Heyward said the Steelers need Watt to do “T.J. Watt” things against the Ravens. Watt has 17 of his 115 sacks against the team’s longtime rival.
While Watt is well aware of the one major hole on his resume, he’s also simply happy that he may have a chance to make an impact instead of watching from afar or on the sideline as he was forced to do while recovering.
“I’m glad to have the doctors that we had, the surgeon that I had,” Watt said. “(And) to be able to be here playing football games this weekend.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/02/tj-watt-pittsburgh-steelers-return/
Back To Our Roots. If Baby Boomers Did It, So Can We…
Back To Our Roots. If Baby Boomers Did It, So Can We…
Peak winter in the Lower 48 typically occurs around mid-January, while the U.S. growing season generally begins in late March or early April. With affordability increasingly top of mind and food inflation proving sticky, it is worth remembering that our grandparents – or even our parents, in some cases – turned to “victory gardens” during World War II, which supplied about 40% of the nation’s fresh vegetables.
Between 1943 and 1944, Americans planted upwards of 20 million victory gardens. These gardens produced 10 million tons of food annually, almost entirely fresh vegetables. They were planted in backyards, community plots, and schools, and they matched or exceeded the commercial vegetable production of the entire U.S. farming sector at the time. The most common crops included tomatoes, beans, carrots, beets, lettuce, squash, and potatoes.
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2026 MAHA agenda has been released, marking an escalating war against the processed-food industry and an effort to overhaul the entire food supply chain.
🚨 JUST IN: Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2026 MAHA agenda has been RELEASED 🔥
– Petroleum-based food dyes
– Dietary guidelines
– Define ultra processed foods
– Infant formula safety
– “Generally Recognized As Safe” reform for food ingredients
– Front-of-pack labeling
-… pic.twitter.com/u9MpK0Si8Z
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 30, 2025
What is missing from MAHA, however, is a push for backyard and community gardens. Expanding household-level food production would boost supply, lower grocery costs, and restore self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on DoorDash and Walmart.
The lesson from history should be obvious. If our baby boomer parents could build victory gardens and achieve self-sufficiency, Americans can do the same eight decades later.
Today, roughly 40% of U.S. vegetables are sourced from California, while about 30% of fresh vegetables are imported from neighboring countries. That level of concentration and dependence exposes the food supply to disruption, especially when Chinese “agroterrorism” is an increasing risk.
A more resilient food supply chain starts in your backyard, with food production literally at our fingertips, turning thumbs green. Let’s get back to our roots.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 – 22:10
https://www.zerohedge.com/food/back-our-roots-if-baby-boomers-did-it-so-can-we
2025 was a busy development year for Elgin, and the new year promises more
Elgin has a lot to look forward to in 2026, with development activity happening throughout the city, officials say.
Elgin Community College is set to open its $85 million Manufacturing and Technology Center at 1600 Spartan Drive in the fall. The 150,000-square-foot building will help the college expand its programs in manufacturing, engineering and technology, according to the college’s website.
Its role as a regional collaborative hub connecting students, teachers and industry partners will strengthen the local workforce, ECC officials said.
Just down the street, School District U-46 is building a new football stadium at Larkin High School. The district is investing $11.8 million in the 3,500-seat stadium and remedying a situation in which Larkin was its only high school without a sports arena.
U-46 officials said the stadium, which will include a concession stand and a plaza, means Larkin’s football team will no longer have to play games at rival Elgin High School’s field.
A project downtown at the former McBride building, located at 269-271 Douglas Ave., is to transform the second and third floors into a 26-room boutique hotel. The historic building was constructed for Thomas McBride Jr. in 1892. McBride and his family were prominent Elginites for about 100 years and helped contribute to the city’s economic development.
The building’s lower floor will remain as business storefronts.
Another downtown renovation is at 61 S. Grove Ave., the former Rancho Vargas. Work is being done to stabilize the building, with construction expected to start soon on a two-story mixed-use development, Marc Mylott, Elgin’s community development director, said in a social media post about upcoming projects.
That also includes the Illinois Youth Soccer Association’s plan to build a new headquarters and large indoor dome at 909 S. McLean Blvd., Mylott said.
“That’s just some of what is coming,” he said. “2026 looks like another busy year in Elgin.”
Elgin had a lot of development activity in 2025, he noted. Among the projects were 280 new apartments at the corner of Randall and Hopps Road and 160 single-family homes to be built in subdivisions on the city’s far west side.
Downtown had an influx of new residences with the opening of 40 DuPage Court and Judson College’s new dorm, Glunz Hall, at 28 N. Grove Ave. The Association for Individual Development (AID) opened a new campus on State Street.
U-46 started several projects in the works. Construction has started on the new Legacy Middle School on 2604 Rohrssen Road and on renovations to Kimball Middle School and Century Oaks Elementary School.
Work on Elgin’s first solar farm got underway at Bowes and Nolan Roads, Mylott said.
A new McGrath Nissan dealership opened at 2635 Auto Mall Drive, off Randall Road. New businesses included Churros y Chocolate, 66 S. Grove; Morbid Momentos, 225 E. Chicago St.; and a Starbucks at 1007 N. Randall Road. The Lodge Performing Arts Center, 18 Villa Court, opened this year, offering a new event and theater space downtown.
The year ended with a new Kane County satellite location for the county clerk and health department offices at 2170 Point Blvd.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/02/elgin-development-2026-downtown-soccer-hotel/
Pepperdine commit Landrie Callahan lifts Providence. ‘Very unselfish.’ Plus, Southland girls basketball notes.
Providence’s opponents know they need to shut down senior guard/forward Landrie Callahan.
But it’s easier said than done.
“Teams run a 2-3 zone to clog things up,” said Callahan, the Pepperdine recruit. “But coach (Eileen) Copenhaver designs plays to help get me open. She’s such a good coach.”
Copenhaver, however, deferred that credit to Callahan’s teammates.
“I think the key is the other kids around her,” Copenhaver said of Landrie. “If they see an advantage, they’ve been very unselfish. When there is too much inside, they will kick out.
“As long as we give and take and share, everything is good.”
Everything has been good lately for Callahan and the Celtics.
The 6-foot-2 Callahan brought home her third tournament MVP award, scoring 30 points and pulling down 14 rebounds Tuesday night in a 69-48 win over Lincoln-Way East in the Sandburg Holiday Classic championship game in Orland Park.
Callahan, who was also named MVP at the WJOL Tournament and the Oak Lawn Holiday Tournament, made sure the third time was the charm for her and the Celtics (16-1).
She averaged 24.7 points and 10 rebounds in wins over Minooka, Marist and Lincoln-Way East.
Following her transfer from Morris to Providence with younger sister Layken, Landrie has been enjoying the personal and team success this winter.
“It’s been amazing,” she said. “Everyone has been uplifting. I give all kudos to my teammates.”
Copenhaver pointed out how Landrie has been able to fit in right away for Providence.
“She’s always telling kids ‘good pass’ and always patting them on the back and picking them up,” Copenhaver said. “I really appreciate they have each other’s back. I think that goes a long way.”
Through the 2025 portion of the schedule, the lone blemish on the Celtics’ record was a 64-49 GCAC Red loss to Class 4A powerhouse Loyola.
With postseason assignments being announced, Providence will be in the Class 3A Hillcrest Sectional. The Celtics, who have never been to state in girls basketball, have won only one sectional title in program history in 2019-20. They hope to change that this season.
So far, things are falling into place.
“It’s so exciting and it’s awesome to see the progress we have made,” Landrie said. “To be able to win three tournaments is awesome.”
Providence’s Landrie Callahan powers to the basket against Lincoln-Way East in the Sandburg Holiday Classic championship game in Orland Park on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (Jeff Vorva / Daily Southtown)
Turner in full Bloom
Two years in a row of Bloom not winning the championship of the Hillcrest Holiday Classic had left a bad taste in the mouth of senior guard Kamryn Turner.
But this time was a different story Monday night as the Blazing Trojans beat host Hillcrest 49-39 in Country Club Hills for the title. Not only did the Illinois-Springfield recruit lead her team with 15 points, she was named tournament MVP.
“Every time I play a game, I want to win, so it was disappointing when we lost her the last two years,” she said. “It was great that we could do that.”
Bloom coach Sherman White confirmed that winning the tournament was a big accomplishment for the Blazing Trojans (14-1). He also pointed out that Turner continues to get better.
“Kam is always someone we know who will be a competitor and give 100% every single possession,” White said. “Through adversity, she is as calm and steady as it gets.”
Bloom’s Kamryn Turner, left, plays intense defense against Hillcrest in the Hillcrest Holiday Classic championship game in Country Club Hills on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Jeff Vorva / Daily Southtown)
Four-peat for Lawrence
Argo (13-4) has been in four tournaments during the 2025 portion of its schedule, and senior center Zanarhia Lawrence has made the all-tournament team in all four.
It started in November at the Chicago Christian Tournament. She followed up in December at the Reavis Holiday Tournament, then the Perspectives-Leadership Tournament and at the Collins Holiday Tournament.
Teammate Demi Ready was named tourney MVP at Collins.
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/02/landrie-callahan-providence-ihsa-girls-bassketball-notes/
Setting Up The 2026 Midterms
Setting Up The 2026 Midterms
Authored by J.T.Young via American Greatness,
Ten months ahead of November’s midterms, political and economic crosscurrents are colliding. Which of these conflicting trends prevails will greatly shape the next two years. And possibly even longer.
Midterm elections are always important. Besides gauging the country’s political mood, they have proven integral to maintaining America’s political equilibrium.
They are the “ebb” to the “flow” of America’s political tide. Historically, every four years, a large tide of voters goes to the polls and elects a president. Then every two years, the large voter flow ebbs back and the president’s party suffers accordingly.
This midterm is particularly important to Trump because he has proven susceptible to being baited by his opponents. After 2018, Rep. Nancy Pelosi returned to the House speakership and unrelentingly harassed Trump over the last two years of his first term. These distractions and obstructions—especially during COVID—were undoubtedly a factor in Trump’s narrow 2020 electoral college defeat.
Today’s political crosscurrents are pronounced. As already mentioned, the president’s party historically loses seats. The last two two-term presidents, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, suffered congressional losses averaging 22 House seats and 7.5 Senate seats.
Such losses would give Democrats control of Congress: a House majority larger than Republicans’ current narrow one and a Senate majority larger than Republicans’ current six-seat one. Such outcomes would end Trump’s legislative agenda, and Democrats could set their own.
To understand the potential impact, play back the recent funding impasse when Democrats shut the government down for the longest period ever—despite not having control of either chamber.
While Trump would be able to veto Democratic legislation and Republican numbers would be ample to uphold his vetoes, Democrats would have a formal hand in shaping the political agenda. This could greatly help their 2028 presidential prospects.
However, current politics are blunting the historical midterm flow.
Trump is divisive, with just a 43.4% favorable rating; however, his job approval rating of 43.1% is higher than Obama’s (42.4%) at the same point in his second term. Further, Democrats are in abysmal shape: just a 32.5% favorability rating.
The current 2026 political map is also favorable to Republicans. While they have more seats (by 22 to 13) to protect in the Senate, the toss-up seats are evenly split: Republicans with Maine and North Carolina; Democrats with Georgia and Michigan. Mid-decade House redistricting efforts are also likely to somewhat favor Republicans; if the Supreme Court should allow race to be disregarded in drawing House districts when it rules on the Louisiana case currently before it, then even more redistricting could occur and amount to an even greater Republican advantage.
Today’s economic crosscurrents are equally pronounced.
For good or ill, incumbent presidents and their party own the economy. The question is: Which economy will Republicans own?
At the micro level, the growing issue is “affordability.”
Nationally, this is an overhang of inflation that surged during Biden’s administration and peaked at 9.1% in June 2022—a 40-year high.
Locally, affordability played well in New York City (which has been plagued by Democratic policies of rent control and excessive taxation, regulation, and litigation) in 2025’s mayoral race. It also played well in Virginia, where it linked powerfully into the record-long government shutdown. Democrats are therefore seizing on the issue with some success—particularly in the establishment media—and are trying to nationalize it.
At the macro level, the economy is a different story. Despite “expert” predictions that Trump’s tariffs, green agenda rollback, attack on illegal immigration, and reduction in government would combine to wreck the economy, the reverse has occurred. In Trump’s first two full quarters in office, GDP averaged over 4% growth: up 3.8% in Q2 and 4.3% in Q3. Inflation has also been moderate—2.7% in November—certainly not the spike experts predicted and a far cry from the previous four years.
So politically, depending on your perspective, Republicans look to outperform historically. Their Senate majority looks safe for now, with the chance Republicans could even gain a seat or two. Contrastingly, the Republicans’ House majority looks vulnerable; this could be offset slightly by current mid-decade redistricting efforts. Yet even just half the average loss of the last two administrations in their second midterms would mean an 11-seat swing and a 226-209 Democrat majority.
Economically, the question is whether the micro or the macro prevails. Can the micro become a national mood outside Democratic areas, or will the macro of strong GDP growth and moderate inflation have time to prevail? Expect political midterm fortunes to respond accordingly.
What is certain is that the midterms will shape the last two years of Trump’s second term. And possibly determine who will run and who will win the presidency in 2028.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 – 21:45
Pingree Grove couple launches pop-up biz that makes charcuterie easy
Here’s a thought for your next group gathering: Why not trade out the pizza, chips and veggie plates for something a little different?
Suburban Graze has been using pop-up events to sell its customized charcuterie boxes that are ready to be served at your next Chicago Bears playoff game party, baby shower or other occasion.
“I felt inspired to turn part of our family’s journey into something I could share with others,” Jessica Vorakoummane Henryson said of what led to the launching of the business she runs with husband Scott.
Jessica and Scott Henryson offer a variety of charcuterie options through their Suburban Graze business, including one in which customers can choose what they want from a selection of items available. This one was set up at a Fringe Festival event in Elgin. (Martini Room)
That journey involved time spent in Japan and travels by car across the United States to military bases in California and Virginia, where Scott was stationed during his 21-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps.
Instead of loading up on the usual gas station snack foods, Henryson said they would put together their own charcuterie spreads. It helped make their kids curious eaters and spurred their imaginations as they made up stories about where the meat, cheese, fruits, nuts and other items came from, she said.
“This gave them a sense of grounding,” Henryson said. “Everywhere we went, we connected through food. Local meats, cheeses and specialty items became our way of discovering new cultures and spending meaningful time together,” Henryson said.
After Scott retired from the Marines, the couple bought a home in Pingree Grove in September 2024 so they could be close to their families. Both Scott and Jessica grew up in Elgin.
On its Facebook page, the business is described as a way to “build your bites. A mobile charcuterie cart company that encourages guests to create their personal grazing board. We set up with a variety of meats, cheeses & accompaniments. Then you pick what you want on your board.”
The genesis for it stemmed from two experiences, Henryson said.
She would make charcuterie boards for family and friends’ get-togethers and was frequently told how expensive it was to buy one at the store or through a caterer, she said. And while waiting in lines at food trucks, she would often think how much easier and quicker it would be if customers could just buy pre-made charcuterie-style foods.
The next step was meeting with Ula Borodzinska, owner of downtown Elgin’s Martini Room, where Henryson once worked, and proposing they sell charcuterie-style boxes that patrons could purchase and nibble on during the bar’s weekly Wednesday martini flight nights, she said.
A charcuterie box from Suburban Graze was paired with bourbon at a tasting event held at Plank Road Tap Room in Elgin. (Plank Road Tap Room)
They went over so well that the boxes are now regularly available as part of the Martini Room’s midweek promotion. She’s also putting together a grazing table for a murder mystery night the bar will be holding in February.
An email to the Plank Road Tap Room led to selling charcuterie at the rural Elgin establishment’s bingo nights and bourbon tasting events. They’ve also sold their goods at Elgin’s annual Fringe Festival events and at Riverlands Brewing Company in St. Charles.
Prices range from $10 to $30 depending on how many cheeses, meats, “fusions” and accompaniments the customer seeks. Fusions are things like goat cheese-stuffed dates and proscuitto/mozzarella. Accompaniments are categorized as fresh (bell peppers, cucumbers, grapes, blueberries), salty (olives, dill pickles, spicy mix, asparagus), sweet (dried mango, chocolate pretzels, dried apricots) and nutty (cashews, pistachios, honey roasted medley).
“We are continually humbled by the support and enthusiasm we receive,” Henryson said.
That support includes customers who have requested they put together larger charcuterie spreads, she said.
Scott manages the behind-the-scenes operations for Suburban Grazing while he works as a stay-at-home dad, she said. She works full time for a small company in Elgin doing customer service, shipping and logistics.
Daughter Valarie, 10, and son Xander, 8, also play important roles as de facto focus group members charged with testing out what items to include in the spreads.
“They can be opinionated, particularly when it comes to cheeses,” Henryson said. “They have adventurous palates, especially for kids. When given a choice, they would prefer eating at a ramen place than a McDonald’s any day.”
Having worked as a server for Soldier Field skyline suites during Chicago Bears games and in food service for press and players at Chargers games when the team played in San Diego, Henryson said she has given some thought to what she might serve at a game-watching party.
This is one example of a charcuterie board sold at pop-up events by Suburban Graze, a small business owned by Jessica and Scott Henryson, of Pingree Grove. (Plank Road Tap Room)
A Bears-themed charcuterie might include blackberries and blueberries and a sharp cheddar cheese, she said. Most likely it would feature dates stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon, a popular staple in a Suburban Graze lineup, she said.
Her only requirement is at least five days’ notice so she can plan and shop for the items needed.
“To get in touch, I encourage residents to follow our Facebook and Instagram pages and to engage with all local businesses online,” Henryson said. “Like, share, comment and spread the word. Those small actions make a big difference for entrepreneurs like us.”
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/02/pingree-charcuterie-business-graze-elgin-henryson/
Woodstock man facing attempted murder charge after trying to blow up gas station, attacking clerk
A man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities said he tried to blow up a gas station on New Year’s Eve in the far northwest suburbs.
On Dec. 31, Woodstock Police officers responded to reports of a person struck multiple times in the retail store of a local Shell Gas Station at around 10:15 a.m., police said. According to the McHenry County state’s attorney’s office, Austin Silverman, 29, of Woodstock, approached a clerk at the station’s store and sought a job application, which was declined.
Silverman then became “enraged, crossed the threshold behind the counter, and attacked the clerk, punching and kicking her repeatedly,” the office said. Silverman left the store and then unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish a cigarette into a gas pump.
The clerk was severely injured, prosecutors said. Police identified Silverman, who, after attempting to blow up the station, tried to go back inside the store, through surveillance footage.
McHenry State’s Attorney Randi Freese, in a statement, called the incident a “brutal, heinous, and unprovoked attack on a defenseless woman.”
Silverman has been charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery in a public place. Appearing in court on Friday, he was denied pre-trial release. His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.
US Reissues Urgent ‘Do Not Travel’ Warning For Russia, As NYT Confirms CIA’s Escalating Involvement
US Reissues Urgent ‘Do Not Travel’ Warning For Russia, As NYT Confirms CIA’s Escalating Involvement
The US State Department has once once again re-issued an urgent advisory warning Americans not to travel to Russia. The renewed travel advisory also tells any American citizens currently in Russia to depart immediately. It cites the danger associated with the ongoing war with Ukraine, as well as the significant risk of wrongful detention by Russian officials, and the possibility of terrorism.
This is nothing new, given such warnings have been issued going all the way back to February 2022, but it suggests that the Trump administration’s view is that things might continue to escalate as efforts toward a peace deal stall.
“Russian officials often question and threaten U.S. citizens without reason. Russian security services have arrested U.S. citizens on false charges. They have denied them fair treatment and convicted them without credible evidence. Russian authorities have opened questionable investigations against U.S. citizens for their religious activities,” the advisory reads.
US Intelligence has been helping Ukraine strike Russian energy infrastructure.
This joins no less than five fresh advisories reissued by the department since Dec. 18. They include Level 4: Do Not Travel warnings for Belarus and Yemen, as well a Level 2 warning for Jordan due to terrorism, and a Level 1 advisory for Portugal.
Currently the State Department also has active Do Not Travel warnings for Venezuela, Syria, Haiti, Ukraine, and several other countries.
One thing the official Russia travel warning leaves out is the fact that the CIA continues to assist Ukraine in actively targeting Russian territory, especially energy sites.
Even as the Pentagon has taken steps to draw down its support, the CIA has been ramping up its anti-Russia covert actions launched out of Ukraine, as The NY Times this week highlighted:
Where Mr. Hegseth had marginalized his Ukraine-supporting generals, the C.I.A. director, Mr. Ratcliffe, had consistently protected his own officers’ efforts for Ukraine. He kept the agency’s presence in the country at full strength; funding for its programs there even increased. When Mr. Trump ordered the March aid freeze, the U.S. military rushed to shut down all intelligence sharing. But when Mr. Ratcliffe explained the risk facing C.I.A. officers in Ukraine, the White House allowed the agency to keep sharing intelligence about Russian threats inside Ukraine.
Now, the agency honed a plan to at least buy time, to make it harder for the Russians to capitalize on the Ukrainians’ extraordinary moment of weakness.
“Brilliant” or foolhardy and stupid to keep poking the nuclear-armed Russian bear?
“A C.I.A. expert had identified a type of coupler that was so hard to replace or repair that a refinery would remain offline for weeks.”
Brilliant asymmetric work. https://t.co/bsfHmYpszi
— Meaghan Mobbs (@mobbs_mentality) January 1, 2026
The Times report presented some jarring language which points to the Trump administration playing with fire in provoking Putin in order to force him to the negotiating table:
As the campaign began to show results, Mr. Ratcliffe discussed it with Mr. Trump. The president seemed to listen to him; they had a frequent Sunday tee time. According to U.S. officials, Mr. Trump praised America’s surreptitious role in these blows to Russia’s energy industry. They gave him deniability and leverage, he told Mr. Ratcliffe, as the Russian president continued to “jerk him off.”
The energy strikes would come to cost the Russian economy as much as $75 million a day, according to one U.S. intelligence estimate. The C.I.A. would also be authorized to assist with Ukrainian drone strikes on “shadow fleet” vessels in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Gas lines would start forming across Russia.
“We found something that is working,” a senior U.S. official said, then had to add, “How long, we don’t know.”
Or perhaps it’s “working” until things go boom between NATO and Moscow, mushroom cloud style.
Meanwhile, the CIA as usual has an outsized role in tipping Trump in a direction which makes peace harder, and a lot further away:
Mr. Ratcliffe, the C.I.A. chief, flew to Alaska with the president on Aug. 15 and, before the meeting, briefed him on “what we’ve got” about Mr. Putin’s intentions. It did not align with Mr. Trump’s instinct; the Russian, the agency argued, was not interested in ending the war. A senior American official described the assessment this way: “Trump isn’t going to get what he wants. He is just going to have to make Alaska a show.”
US strategy: Reduce Russian refining capacity by targeting the refineries with Ukraine and try reducing Indian imports by tariffs and threats of further action against cos involved, while calling out EU’s double standards—making it harder for them to sabotage any future dialogue. https://t.co/T1GnlfFg0q
— Rishap Vats (@VatsRishap) September 13, 2025
Above is a scene which has played out weekly, and almost daily, for a matter of months now. One option the Kremlin might be looking at is fully capturing Ukraine’s crucial Black Sea export hub of Odessa, which would further decimate the country economically. NATO might by that point be ready to get more directly involved. Trump has also issued warnings against seizing Odessa.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 – 21:20
Sorry, Zohran, We’re Kind Of Done With The “Warmth Of Collectivism”
Sorry, Zohran, We’re Kind Of Done With The “Warmth Of Collectivism”
Authored by Sasha Stone via sashastone.com,
In his swearing-in ceremony, the new Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, said, “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.”
MAYOR MAMDANI: “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.” pic.twitter.com/3LIOVHdKSy
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 1, 2026
It sent chills down the spines of most of those who understand the history of governments given over to collectivism. I think it’s likely in name only, a virtue signal for those at the top to feel better about income inequality.
Let Zohran meet the needs of the poor and the marginalized while we enjoy our mansion in the Hamptons in peace. They’ll have to cough up the taxes to buy off some of that guilt, but that’s a small price to pay compared to an unruly mob banging down your door.
It struck me a little funny since I’ve been thinking about the book Pendulum: How Generations of the Past Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future.
In it, the authors see the 80-year cycle in Neil Howe and William H. Strauss’ The Fourth Turning as two 40-year cycles: the “We” cycle (collectivism) and the “Me” cycle (individualism).
They theorize that humans always take a good thing too far. Collectivism starts well, solving problems for the underclass. Then, it becomes toxic and dangerous, like Nazi Germany dangerous. Then the pendulum begins to swing back to individualism, where it thrives for about 20 years, then winds down, as humans take a good thing too far, leading to nihilism, emptiness, and selfishness.
From the book, which was written in 2011:
The second half of the Upswing of “We” and the first half of the Downswing from it (2013–2023) bring an ideological “righteousness” that seems to spring from any group gathered around a cause. The inevitable result is judgmental legalism and witch hunts. The origin of the term witch hunt was the Salem witch trials, a series of hearings before county court officials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693,6 exactly at the beginning of the second half of the Upswing toward the “We” Zenith of 1703.
Senator Joseph McCarthy was an American promoter of this witch-hunt attitude at America’s most recent “We” Zenith of 1943 (see the “House Un-American Activities Committee,” 1937–1953); Adolf Hitler was the German promoter (see the Holocaust, 1933–1945); and Joseph Stalin was the Soviet promoter (see the Great Purge, 1936–1938). Our hope is that we might collectively choose to skip this development as we approach the “We” Zenith of 2023. If enough of us are aware of this trend toward judgmental self-righteousness, perhaps we can resist demonizing those who disagree with us and avoid the societal polarization that results from it. A truly great society is one in which being unpopular can be safe.”
According to this theory, the “We” cycle peaked in 2013, just as Obama was about to enter his second term, and as Critical Race Theory began infiltrating schools, and, it was right around the time Helen Andrews says the Great Feminization began.
Michael R. Drew and Roy H. Williams, the authors of Pendulum, also targeted the height of the “witch hunt phase” at 2023, which seems to be exactly when cancel culture escalated into the indictments against Trump and brazen lawfare. Cancel culture seems like child’s play compared to trying to put your political opponent in prison and throw him off the ballots.
Even though the book Pendulum was written back in 2011, they seemed to know back then that the time we’re living through now would be very bad. Maybe not Nazi Germany bad, but Tyler Robinson and Matthew David Crooks bad. Collectivism has no choice but to go to that awful place where they demand compliance and conformity.
Rugged individualism not only built this country, but it also built New York City. It’s the land of opportunity. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Deciding New York, of all places, will be a socialist hellhole is a choice the voters made. They’ll have to live with it, good or bad or ugly.
According to Pendulum, we’re in the “collectivism gone wrong” phase, and we’re moving back toward the individualism phase — and honestly, not a moment too soon.
The downstream effects of our collectivist phase are only now beginning to show themselves. There was a good piece in Compact Magazine about the Lost Generation of white men who were told not even to bother applying to jobs because they wouldn’t even be considered.
I know a lot of young men who have spent the last ten years aimless, rootless, with no place to land. It isn’t only white men, but it’s especially white men, and according to the Left, we’re not supposed to care. We have to care.
Right now, Zohran is a man with a dream. It happens to be an old dream, one proven again and again to fail, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see whether he can really change New York City for the better or whether it will just be another role he plays because it sounded good at the time.
Start spreading the news…
Anyway, Happy New Year. I have high hopes for 2026. Maybe this will be the year things start to turn around. Thank you for being such faithful readers. I so appreciate it. I meant to get my podcast out tonight, but it’s not quite ready. Until next time…
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 – 20:55
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/sorry-zohran-were-kind-done-warmth-collectivism
Arie Garcia-Evans adds 3-point shot to become big three-level scoring threat for Waubonsie Valley. ‘Need that.’
The relentless energy and frenetic pace that senior guard Arie Garcia-Evans plays with for Waubonsie Valley has been on display during all four of her varsity seasons.
It’s something the Warriors always can rely on.
This winter, however, the difference for Garcia-Evans has been how she has also developed into a reliable shooter from 3-point range — making her a three-level scoring threat.
“I would say a lot of it came from AAU,” Garcia-Evans said. “I tried to shoot a lot more out of my comfort zone, longer shots. I’m a shorter guard, so I need that shot.”
So far, the 5-foot-5 Garcia-Evans is third on the team for red-hot Waubonsie (15-0) with 32 conversions on 3-pointers. She’s shooting at 46% (32 of 70) from beyond the arc.
That has not only opened up her game further but provides more opportunities for all-state senior guard Danyella Mporokoso and junior guard Maya Pereda, the team’s leading 3-point shooters.
Waubonsie Valley’s Arie Garcia-Evans (1) dribbles the ball up the court against Naperville North during a DuPage Valley Conference game in Naperville on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Troy Stolt / The Beacon-News)
“She’s been a little bit more consistent with her shot,” Waubonsie coach Brett Love said of Garcia-Evans. “She’s continuing to be aggressive and rebounding. Her ball-handling has gotten better.
“In order for her to play at the next level, she has to be a knockdown shooter. That’s something we need here, too. It’s something we push and emphasize, not only in practice but in games.”
Mporokoso has somehow found another gear this season as well, averaging 27.7 points. A big part of her uptick in production is the improved offensive versatility from Garcia-Evans.
“I can kick the ball out and always trust that she’s going to hit her shots,” Mporokoso said. “It’s really nice. When I looked at our percentages, I was super happy. That’s so crazy.
Waubonsie Valley’s Arie Garcia-Evans (1) pulls down a rebound against Naperville North’s Samantha Kelly (11) during a DuPage Valley Conference in Aurora on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Sean King / The Beacon-News)
“We know the impact she has on the team, but the stats show it, too.”
Garcia-Evans also sees the difference her outside shooting has had in her game.
Her numbers have improved across the board. She’s averaging 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals, all ranking second on the team. She’s averaging a team-best 6.0 assists.
“It’s definitely helped because, if I’m not getting the drives I want, I can get a shot,” Garcia-Evans said. “The lane becomes more open. It makes me more of a three-dimensional player.
“It just makes it easier for me.”
Waubonsie Valley’s Arie Garcia-Evans (1) shoots a layup against Naperville North during a DuPage Valley Conference game in Naperville on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Troy Stolt / The Beacon-News)
The shooting improvement has been gradual through the years before she really started to kick it into high gear for this season.
“It was a long time coming,” Garcia-Evans said. “Ever since freshman year, it was all about focus. I have to lock in. I’ve been more focused on it than ever. It’s shocking me a little bit, too.”
It also will help in her quest to find a college home. Garcia-Evans spends a lot of time working social media to get her highlights and information out there.
“It’s always been me and my mom,” Garcia-Evans said. “She’s always helped me with that. I’ve been talking to coaches and trying to narrow down where I want to go.
“I don’t get frustrated about it. I just play my game and it will come to me.”
Waubonsie Valley’s Arie Garcia-Evans (1) tries to work to the basket on Bolingbrook’s Kennedy Williams (2) during a Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (Steve Johnston / The Beacon-News)
The pinnacle of her success came in the Warriors’ 72-47 win on Dec. 13 at reigning Class 4A state champion Kenwood. She made five straight 3-pointers at one point in that game.
“That’s impressive,” Love said. “That was a game we wanted. It was personal for us. We went there and took care of business.”
Garcia-Evans confirmed that win showed where the Warriors are at in terms of their goal of winning a state title.
“That game was a statement for us,” she said. “We were all locked in.”
It has been one of many things Garcia-Evans and the Warriors have checked off their list.
“We always set goals at the beginning of the season,” she said. “To see them happen is awesome. We want to go undefeated and win state.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/02/arie-garcia-evans-waubonsie-valley-ihsa-girls-basketball/
