End Medicaid’s Mission Creep
The program has grown beyond its original purpose in ways that foster dependency and place unsustainable burdens on taxpayers and state budgets.
Syria has been liberated from Russia and Iran – but outsiders still threaten its new freedom | Robin Yassin-Kassab
After the fall of the Assad regime, the country now faces challenges from Turkey, Israel and the enmity of the west
- Robin Yassin-Kassab is co-author of Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War and English editor of the Isis Prisons Museum
The liberation of Syria was long hoped for, but unexpected. Over the past weeks, Syrians have experienced the full range of human emotions, with the exception of boredom. On the first two Assad-free Fridays, millions of celebrants swelled the streets to chant and sing and speak formerly forbidden truths. There was a huge presence of women, who had been less visible during the years of war. Relatives are meeting again and assuaging their pain as hundreds of thousands return from the camps of exile.
At the same time, millions are having to accept at last that their loved ones have been tortured to death. It now appears that most of the 130,000 lost in Bashar al-Assad’s prisons (a bare minimum figure) are dead. Dozens of mass graves have already been discovered.
Robin Yassin-Kassab is the co-author of Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War and the English editor of the Isis Prisons Museum
‘Jeopardy!,’ ‘Wheel of Fortune’ gave risqué answers, celebrity lookalikes and tricky clues in 2024
Game shows saw some major changes this year, particularly with the departure of Pat Sajak as host of “Wheel of Fortune” after 40 years.
Ryan Seacrest took over permanently, joining Ken Jennings as the new leaders of some of the longest-running shows on television, where contestants have given viewers some wild moments this year, from the risqué to the confusing.
Check out the wildest game show moments of 2024 below, including a viral “Wheel of Fortune” player’s explanation for his unexpected answer.
‘JEOPARDY!’ CONTESTANT CALLS OUT GAME SHOW AFTER AWKWARD ‘SEXIST’ CLUE
“Wheel of Fortune” contestant Tavaris Williams became an instant viral sensation thanks to his May 23 appearance and his NSFW answer.
During a toss-up puzzle, the puzzle board had the letters for the phrase “_ _ _ _ /I _ /T _ E /B _ _ T!”
Williams quickly buzzed in and confidently said, “Right in the butt.”
His answer was met with a brief silence, then audience laughter, followed by a “What?” from fellow contestant Tyra, and a definitive “no” from Sajak as a look of utter surprise crossed Williams’ face.
The correct answer was “T H I S / I S / T H E / B E S T !”
WATCH: ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ CONTESTANT EXPLAINS HIS RISQUÉ ANSWER
‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ CONTESTANT GOES VIRAL FOR X-RATED ANSWER: ‘WILL BE PLAYED FOR ETERNITY’
“I tried to just beat my contestants by buzzing in first and letting my brain catch up,” Williams told Fox News Digital of his now infamous TV moment.
“And when my brain was ready to speak, I saw the R, I saw the B, I saw the T. I went for ‘Right in the butt’… And once [host Pat Sajak] said ‘no,’ oh, it was the worst feeling,” he continued with a laugh.
After taping, Williams had to keep the moment secret from his family, who were gathered to watch it live.
“My wife’s like, ‘I’m married to a meme now,'” he said with a laugh, noting his family was overall very supportive.
Williams did walk away with $9,500, but almost as soon as the moment aired, fans took to social media to have a good laugh about the risqué answer.
WATCH: ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ CONTESTANT HAD TO KEEP VIRAL MOMENT SECRET FROM FAMILY
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A “Jeopardy!” contestant earned an unfortunate place in the show’s history when she earned the show’s second-lowest score ever recorded.
Erin Buker, who walked away with a final score of -$7,200, told Fox News Digital that while she had a “pretty cool” time taping the episode, she would describe it as an “out-of-body experience.”
“You’re looking, you see the clues, but you don’t remember what category it is,” she explained. “You’re reminding yourself to not, you know, make weird faces because you’re on live television.… The way they tape it is like it’s the live show. They really try to keep it really tight.”
And even though she didn’t do as well as she’d hoped, Buker said she’d “love to do it again.”
WATCH: ‘JEOPARDY!’ CONTESTANT ERIN BUKER DESCRIBES WHAT IT WAS LIKE GETTING HISTORIC LOW SCORE
“Jeopardy!” had not one but two contestants that made viewers do a double take this year.
The first was David Erb, who bore a striking resemblance to actor Clint Eastwood.
“David looks like several different people. Clint Eastwood is one of them,” a “Jeopardy!” fan wrote on Reddit.
Another shared on X, formerly Twitter, “Is it just me or does David on #Jeopardy remind anyone else of a young Clint Eastwood??”
The other contestant that caught viewers’ eyes was Father Steve Jakubowski, a Catholic priest from Michigan who quickly earned a lot of fans online.
“There’s a hot priest on Jeopardy rn send help,” one person wrote on X.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Jakubowski said that being on “Jeopardy!” was “a great experience.”
“Ken and all the producers and team were very kind to me with the novelty of having a Catholic priest on the show,” he explained. “I hope it gave a positive impression of my community and the Church. The show airs at 3:30 where I live in Austin, and so we had a watch party at our parish school with our students and their parents – tons of fun to share that with our parish.”
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Seacrest took over for Sajak as the host of “Wheel of Fortune” this year, and people quickly put the blame at his feet for a contestant’s big loss.
During his second night hosting, contestant Airica spun a $1 million wedge during her turn. The wedge could have been swapped out for the $100,000 wedge in the bonus round, meaning that if she won the game, she could have potentially won the big prize.
Airica solved the first puzzle, and landed on a $1,000 mystery wedge and was given the choice to unveil it or leave it.
“It could be a bankrupt or it could be $10,000,” Seacrest explained, and after she decided to risk it, Airica unveiled the bankrupt wedge and Seacrest had to take back the million-dollar wedge.
CLINT EASTWOOD’S DAUGHTER TURNED FAMILY TRADITION INTO ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ CAREER
Fans online felt Seacrest hadn’t explained the rules properly, comparing him negatively to Sajak.
“Pat would’ve explained that if she took the risk, she would’ve lost the million-dollar wedge,” a fan wrote on X.
Others defended Seacrest, noting that contestants get a rundown of rules and gameplay ahead of time, or were likely briefed on the rules in a portion cut for time.
‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ FANS CRITICIZE ‘NAUSEATING’ CHANGES TO GAME SHOW LOOK
Jennings bore the brunt of criticism for a “sexist” clue during an October episode of the show.
During the episode, the category “Complete the Rhyming Phrase” contained a clue that read, “Men seldom make passes at…”
Returning champion Will Wallace correctly answered, “Girls who wear glasses.”
Jennings recognized the prompt may have made female contestant Heather Ryan uncomfortable since she wore glasses on the show.
‘JEOPARDY!’ FANS SLAM ‘POSITIVELY DISGUSTING’ RULING: ‘BRUTAL CALL’
“A little problematic, sorry, Heather,” Jennings remarked, and Wallace added “very” in defense of his competitor.
The questionable phrase was from acclaimed poet Dorothy Parker.
Game show fans were quick to react to the tense situation on social media.
A viewer wrote on X, “Still angry about this. She’s used her intelligence to get on here, only to be insulted by a sexist and rude comment.”
‘JEOPARDY!’ LEAVES FANS CONFUSED OVER ‘STEAMY’ BUT MISLEADING DISNEY CHANNEL CLUE
Some “Jeopardy!” clues leave contestants completely stumped, as was the case with a couple of pop culture clues this year.
In February, during the Final Jeopardy round of “Jeopardy!’s Champions Wildcard,” contestants were taken down by a letter in a Johnny Cash song title.
The clue for the question was, “‘It was kind of a prodding to myself to play it straight,’ said Johnny Cash of this 1956 hit, with the correct answer being “I Walk the Line.”
Unfortunately for all the contestants, one letter cost them all points and time on the Champions Wildcard. All three contestants answered “Walk the Line,” leaving out the letter “I.”
‘JEOPARDY!’ TURNS 60: GAME SHOW’S NEW HOSTS, OUTRAGED FANS AND ‘WOKE’ QUESTIONS IN SPOTLIGHT
A month later, on an episode of “Jeopardy: Tournament of Champions,” competitors Ben Chan, Yogesh Raut and Troy Meyer missed a $400 clue about a Taylor Swift song in the category “Songs of Youth.”
The prompt read by Jennings said, “Inspired by her bestie, Tay Tay sang when ‘somebody tells you they love you’ at this title age ‘you’re gonna believe them.'”
The correct answer was “Fifteen,” the title of Swift’s country pop song from her second studio album, 2008’s “Fearless.” The musician has previously said “Fifteen” was inspired by her high school best friend Abigail Anderson, who experienced a painful breakup with a boyfriend when she and Swift were both 15.
“We’re gonna get killed for that,” Meyer said with a laugh.
“Wheel of Fortune” fans were frustrated by a player’s costly mistake during an episode in May.
Contestant Kimberly Wright landed on the Express wedge when the board read “D U _ _ – _ _ L L E D PLATYPUS.”
“I’m going to call an F,” Wright said to groans from the studio audience.
Wright apparently believed that the correct answer was “duck-filled platypus” when it was actually “duck-billed platypus.”
Contestant Marie Kioski from Owosso, Michigan, solved the puzzle, winning a trip to Margaritaville Vacation Club Rio Mar in Puerto Rico, worth $7,250.
“Oh my, that was painful. F?? She thought the platypus was filled? with what exactly?” a viewer wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Lara Trump Withdraws Her Name From Consideration For Florida Senate Seat
‘Her announcement signals a change from her previous intention’
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Says CEOs Fear Being ‘Cut Out’ of Trump’s ‘Circle of Friendship’: ‘They’ve Got a Lot of Sucking Up To Do!’
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary predicted “a lot more sucking up” from CEOs when it comes to President-elect Donald Trump because they all want to be in the man’s “circle of friendship.”
Investor O’Leary joined Peter Doocy on Saturday’s Fox & Friends Weekend , and Doocy asked about CEOs like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Metas’ Mark Zuckerberg, and Apple’s Tim Cook all making their to Mar-a-Lago to meet with the incoming president ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration. Meta, Amazon , and others have also donated $1 million each to that inauguration.
“EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND!!!” Trump declared on Truth Social earlier this week.
Doocy asked O’Leary is someone like Bezos “actually” wants to be Trump’s friend. O’Leary argued Trump has far clearer positions on tech like crypto and AI than President Joe Biden, making “sucking up” more important than ever.
Check out the full exchange below:
PETER DOOCY: So a few hours after Donald Trump met with Jeff Bezos, he posted on Truth Social, everybody wants to be my friend. Do you think Jeff Bezos really wants to be Donald Trump’s friend?
KEVIN O’LEARY: He certainly wants to be in sync with what Trump is thinking because Trump, by every measure, has a majority of majority of mandates, and he’s going to rule supreme for at least two years until the midterms. And that includes tech, that includes social media which you’ve been talking about this morning. And all of these leaders, whether they like him or not, are going to suck up to him, and that’s exactly what they’re doing because to be cut out of the circle of friendship is a diminished position if you’re a technology leader. And you want to be in that circle of friendship with Trump right now, love him or hate him, a lot of these CEOs bashed him pretty hard, so they’ve got a lot of sucking up to do.
DOOCY: It feels new. Were these CEOs not sucking up to Biden?
O’LEARY: Biden really didn’t take a position on tech. His administrators did. They beat it up pretty badly, and they were pretty — not in support of innovation. They preferred regulation, and that’s obvious because it’s history. You don’t have to debate it anymore. That was [Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina] Khan and the rest of them. With Trump, it seems more that the idea, and this really stems from something Doug Burgum said recently, the czar of energy, but it extends to every sector, he would rather innovate than regulate. And that gives the new tonality to the Trump administration. I think it’s a good thing. I think America’s always innovated its way out of trouble. We don’t need to regulate ourselves into it, and that’s what’s happening right now. We don’t want to diminish our competition.
Watch above via Fox News .
The post Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Says CEOs Fear Being ‘Cut Out’ of Trump’s ‘Circle of Friendship’: ‘They’ve Got a Lot of Sucking Up To Do!’ first appeared on Mediaite .
Trump DOJ improperly subpoenaed phone records of reporters, lawmakers, staff
The Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) reported Tuesday that Donald Trump’s DOJ secretly and improperly reviewed the phone records of eight reporters from three publications, two members of Congress and 43 Congressional staffers between 2017 and 2020.
In a classic one-and-done, national news media reported yesterday that the Department of Justice under Donald Trump “improperly subpoenaed lawmakers, staff during leak investigations: IG
.”
Note the missing information: reporters. Note, too, an insider abbreviation: IG (for Inspector General). Insider speak disguises the lawless action and, in its own way, “obeys in advance ” (Timothy Snyder) by burying the information about news media.
The conclusion related to DOJ behavior towards journalists is, in my view, damning:
[The] Department complied with some but not all of the then applicable provisions of the News Media Policy in the compulsory process it issued. Specifically, as detailed above, we found that the Department failed to convene the News Media Review Committee to consider the authorization requests in the three investigations; the Department did not obtain the required DNI certification in one investigation and we were unable to determine whether the Department provided the DNI certification it obtained in another investigation to the Attorney General for his consideration; and the Department did not obtain the Attorney General’s express authorization for the NDOs in any of the three investigations.
Given the important interests at stake, we were troubled that these failures occurred, particularly given that only a few years had elapsed since the Department substantially overhauled its News Media Policy in 2014 and 2015 following serious criticisms concerning the Department’s efforts to obtain communications records of members of the news media. In our judgment, the Department’s deviation from its own requirements indicates a troubling disparity between, on the one hand, the regard expressed in Department policy for the role of the news media in American democracy and, on the other hand, the Department’s commitment to complying with the limits and requirements that it intended to safeguard that very role (emphasis added).
The conclusion about Congressional information requests, which was the focus of most national news stories, pales in comparison:
Based on our review of its use of compulsory process in the
matters we reviewed in this chapter, we believe the Department should continue to carefully assess its policies to ensure that appropriate constitutional and prudential questions are considered before it issues compulsory process for records of Members of Congress and congressional staffers or seeks NDOs [non-disclosure orders] related to them.
It is unlikely that Trump’s second administration will come this close to abiding by rules and regulations, whether internal or external.
Note three: no major story linked to the report or the news release which served as the foundation for their reporting.
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Abortion Newspeak Comes for Radiology
A new lexicon introduced by the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound is designed to make embryos seem less human.
I had 25 addresses in 20 years – but now I’ve created the beginnings of a new life | Jay Bernard
Gentrification and the cruelties of the rental market kept forcing me to move. This Christmas, I know I’ll find happiness wherever I am
- In our end of year series, writers and public figures remember the place or time when they felt most at home
After a while, you want to live alone. And then it happens and you discover everything that’s difficult about it. You realise that you didn’t really want to live alone, you were just sad and alienated in your old life.
The pandemic reshuffled society in a way that could not be anticipated. Sometimes it feels as though the life I now have has come about because I stepped through a portal to a parallel world. There is a disconcerting jump cut between life before Covid-19 and life now. In the history of unstable housing that characterised my 20s and early 30s, and about which I feel nothing but regret, there was a moment when it changed from an unquestioned, if depressing reality, to something emblematic.
Jay Bernard is a writer and artist
DR. NICOLE SAPHIER: 5 ways for women to survive the holiday hustle: A perimenopause playbook
For most, the Christmas season is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. But for many women, in addition to the usual hustle and bustle of it all, symptoms of perimenopause and menopause may lead to heightened challenges.
The hormonal fluctuations that occur during these years can intensify stress, disrupt sleep, and trigger mood swings—all while the holiday demands pile on. However, with the right strategies, you can enjoy the season while prioritizing your well-being. Here’s how to make it through with grace and grit.
The holidays often come with pressure to meet everyone else’s expectations. For women in perimenopause, this can lead to burnout. Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine. Whether it’s a 15-minute daily meditation, a brisk walk, or simply sitting quietly with a cup of herbal tea, small moments for yourself can help balance your mood and energy levels.
Tip: Maca root, sage, ginkgo biloba and ginseng are natural herbs that may help with the brain fog and mood some women experience hormonal changes.
THE 9 MOST COMMON QUESTIONS WOMEN OVER 40 ASK THEIR DOCTORS, ACCORDING TO A MENOPAUSE EXPERT
Holiday traditions are wonderful, but they don’t have to be rigid. If certain rituals feel overwhelming, it’s okay to modify or simplify them. For example, consider a potluck instead of hosting a full dinner or opt for online gift shopping instead of enduring crowded stores. Also, it’s OK to say no every now and then. Allow yourself to RSVP “decline” if you aren’t up for it. Sometimes a quiet night at home is exactly what you need.
Tip: Involve family members in creating new, less stressful traditions. This can also be a great way to pass on responsibilities and ease your load.
Exercise is one of the best ways to combat some of the most common perimenopause symptoms, including mood changes, weight gain, body aches and fatigue. Even during the busy holiday season, try to keep up with regular physical activity.
Tip: Make exercise festive! Go for a walk to see holiday lights, do some lunges while watching a holiday movie classic, or dance to some seasonal tunes.
The holidays are synonymous with indulgent foods, but certain foods can make perimenopause symptoms worse, especially sugary treats, caffeine, and alcohol, as these can trigger hot flashes, disrupt sleep, and heighten anxiety.
Perimenopause is a time when your body is going through numerous changes. Because of those changes, your body could use a little bit more of certain nutrients, specifically foods rich in protein, calcium, omega fatty acids and fiber, all of which can help with mood, muscle mass and inflammation.
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Tip: Incorporate nutrient-dense foods like salmon, leafy greens, cow’s milk, tofu, and other superfoods that support hormonal health. If you’re hosting, include dishes that align with your dietary needs.
Sleep disturbances are common during perimenopause, and the holiday madness can make matters worse. Without good sleep, physical and mental health suffer. Establish a consistent bedtime routine and create a sleep-friendly environment by keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
Pro Tip: Avoid late-night screen time, because the blue light from phones, computers and television can interfere with the body’s natural sleep cycle. Be sure to power down all electronics at least an hour before bed and consider reading a book. If you need extra help falling asleep, passionflower leaf, ashwagandha root, magnolia bark extract, and melatonin are natural herbs that may help.
The holidays don’t have to be a season of stress and overwhelm. By prioritizing your health, setting boundaries, and leaning on your support network, you can not only survive the holiday season, but thrive.
Remember, Christmas time and the holiday season are about joy and connection—and that starts with taking care of you. Intrinsically, as women, we want to do everything and support everyone else, but if we don’t take care of ourselves, we won’t be there for anyone else.
A Point of Clarity on the Debt Ceiling
I noted some lack of understanding of my position on Trump’s call to eliminate the debt ceiling. I was not engaging in some “Hey, look! Agreement!” post. I was not congratulating Trump for holding the position. The only noteworthy aspect of Trump’s position is that he is the first, in my recollection, Republican president/president-elect to call for the debt ceiling to be abolished I would be more than happy for his broken-clockedness to be exploited.
I also think that some readers may be conflating normal shutdowns over lack of money to run the government and the debt ceiling issue. While these two sometimes converge, they are not the same issue.
I simply think that the debt ceiling itself is a tremendously stupid (and dangerous) feature of American policy and any way we can get rid of it, we should do so. Moreover, I think it is so terrible that even a two-year hiatus would be welcome, even if it, at least in theory, was to Trump’s political advantage.
Keep in mind that to seriously threaten not to raise the debt ceiling is to threaten the full faith and credit of the United States and to threaten both a domestic and international economic crisis in a way that could have truly long-term and possibly irreversible consequences.
To truly threaten to not raise the debt ceiling is to threaten to burn it all down. No serious political party should threaten such a thing and I would note that it has been the Republicans and their more extreme wing that have been willing to do this (see the 2023 debt ceiling crisis ). To want to keep the debt ceiling as a leverage point is to behave like an arsonist willing to burn down their own house.
Some tit-for-tat is not worth it.
As a practical political matter, I am not sure that the Democrats could even credibly threaten the debt ceiling, so what’s the point of preserving the option?
The brinksmanship alone in recent years has lead to the US’ bond rating being degraded, which, ironically enough, makes borrowing for the US more expensive.
Note that the debt ceiling is not the main reason for government shutdowns. That is simply because of the inability of congress to pass annual budgets. Those negotiations, with their chances for leverage, would continue to exist even if the debt ceiling issue was taken off the table.
I would hasten to add that the party that is seen as responsible for government shutdowns tends to lose politically with the public. As such, as much as Democratic partisans might want to stick to the Reps, the entire scenario is a loser, ultimately.
Not to mention that all these threats do is leverage hurting people.
At any rate, when you have the chance to take the matches out of the hands of arsonists, you should take it and hence my post .