It’s no secret that streaming sports continues to get more and more complicated, but we’re here to make it as simple as possible for you. Here’s how to stream every Kansas City Chiefs game this season if you don’t have cable: Week 12: vs Indianapolis Colts (CBS) Sunday, November 23, 1: 00 p. m. ET In Market 🏆 Our Top Choice: Paramount+ “Essential” (7-day free trial) 💰 The Cheapest: NFL+ (watch on phone & tablet ONLY) ✂️ The Cable Replacers: Fubo “Pro” (7-day free trial) DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” (5-day free trial) YouTube TV “Base Plan” (21-day free trial) Hulu + Live TV (no free trial) Out of Market NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube Canada & International NFL Game Pass on DAZN (excludes China) Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys (CBS) Thursday, November 27, 4: 30 p. m. ET U. S. (Primetime game) 🏆 Our Top Choice: Paramount+ “Essential” (7-day free trial) 💰 The Cheapest: NFL+ (watch on phone & tablet ONLY) ✂️ The Cable Replacers: Fubo “Pro” (7-day free trial) DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” (5-day free trial) YouTube TV “Base Plan” (21-day free trial) Hulu + Live TV (no free trial) Canada & International NFL Game Pass on DAZN (excludes China) Week 14: vs Houston Texans (NBC) Sunday, December 7, 8: 20 p. m. ET U. S. (Primetime game) 🏆 Our Top Choice: Peacock “Premium” (no free trial) 💰 The Cheapest: NFL+ (watch on phone & tablet ONLY) ✂️ The Cable Replacers: Fubo “Pro” (7-day free trial) DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” (5-day free trial) YouTube TV “Base Plan” (21-day free trial) Hulu + Live TV (no free trial) Canada & International NFL Game Pass on DAZN (excludes China) Week 15: vs Los Angeles Chargers (CBS) Sunday, December 14, 1: 00 p. m. ET In Market 🏆 Our Top Choice: Paramount+ “Essential” (7-day free trial) 💰 The Cheapest: NFL+ (watch on phone & tablet ONLY) ✂️ The Cable Replacers: Fubo “Pro” (7-day free trial) DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” (5-day free trial) YouTube TV “Base Plan” (21-day free trial) Hulu + Live TV (no free trial) Out of Market NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube Canada & International NFL Game Pass on DAZN (excludes China) Week 16: at Tennessee Titans (CBS) Sunday, December 21, 1: 00 p. m. ET In Market 🏆 Our Top Choice: Paramount+ “Essential” (7-day free trial) 💰 The Cheapest: NFL+ (watch on phone & tablet ONLY) ✂️ The Cable Replacers: Fubo “Pro” (7-day free trial) DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” (5-day free trial) YouTube TV “Base Plan” (21-day free trial) Hulu + Live TV (no free trial) Out of Market NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube Canada & International NFL Game Pass on DAZN (excludes China) Week 17: vs Denver Broncos (Prime Video) Thursday, December 25, 8: 15 p. m. ET U. S. (Primetime game) 🏆 Our Top Choice: Amazon Prime Video 💰 The Cheapest: NFL+ (watch on phone & tablet ONLY) Canada & International NFL Game Pass on DAZN (excludes China) Week 18: at Las Vegas Raiders (TBD) Sat or Sun, Jan 3 or 4, Time TBD In Market 🏆 Our Top Choice: Paramount+ “Essential” (7-day free trial) 💰 The Cheapest: NFL+ (watch on phone & tablet ONLY) ✂️ The Cable Replacers: Fubo “Pro” (7-day free trial) DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” (5-day free trial) YouTube TV “Base Plan” (21-day free trial) Hulu + Live TV (no free trial) Out of Market NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube Canada & International NFL Game Pass on DAZN (excludes China) How to Watch Chiefs Games as Cheap as Possible In Market You can check here to see which local games are in your market. Primetime games are always considered “in-market.” If your goal is to watch every Chiefs game at the lowest possible total cost, here’s our step-by-step recommendation on what to do: Sign up for the Paramount+ “Essential” plan to watch every in-market game on CBS Keep Paramount+ through the end of the season. It’s $8 per month. Before the Week 14 game (NBC primetime), sign up for a free trial of Fubo “Pro” or DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” or YouTube TV “Base Plan”. If you don’t have any free trials available, sign up for one month of Peacock “Premium” for $11. Before the Week 17 game, sign up for a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. If you don’t have the free trial available, sign up for one month of Prime Video for $9 That’s it. Depending on the free trials you have available, that’s somewhere between $16 and $36 to watch every remaining Chiefs game. Also note: You can sign up for NFL+ for just $7 per month and watch every in-market and primetime game. However, you can only watch games live on your phone or tablet. They’ll be blocked (until they’re available as replays) on your TV or PC. Out of Market If the Chiefs play outside your market, here’s a step-by-step guide to watch every game for as cheap as possible: Sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket to watch every non-primetime out-of-market game. Keep it through the end of the season, which will cost $48 total Before the Week 13 game (CBS primetime), sign up for a free trial of Paramount+ “Essential” or Fubo “Pro” or DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” or YouTube TV “Base Plan”. Before the Week 14 game (NBC primetime), sign up for a different free trial of Fubo “Pro” or DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” or YouTube TV “Base Plan”. If you don’t have any free trials available, sign up for one month of Peacock “Premium” for $11. Before the Week 17 game, sign up for a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. If you don’t have the free trial available, sign up for one month of Prime Video for $9 Canada & International This one’s pretty simple: If you live outside of the United States (excluding China), you can sign up for NFL Game Pass on DAZN and watch every single NFL game live. The pricing depends on your country. How to Watch Chiefs Games With as Few Streaming Services as Possible In Market If you aren’t as concerned with price and simply want to minimize the amount of streaming services you sign up for, sign up for one of these: Fubo “Pro” DirecTV Stream “Entertainment” YouTube TV “Base Plan” Hulu + Live TV All of these will give you access to dozens of live TV channels, including CBS and NBC in most markets. If you’re in market, that’ll give you every remaining Chiefs game other than the Prime Video-exclusive one (Week 17 vs Broncos). All of these streaming services offer first-month deals, and there are free trials for Fubo, DirecTV Stream and YouTube TV available if you want to mix and match to cut down the total price a bit. But if you simply want one service for the rest of the season, we would go with Fubo. Out of Market For the out-of-market fans, this option isn’t really different than the one above. You’ll still need NFL Sunday Ticket for all of the non-primetime games that are televised on CBS. Then, for the primetime games on CBS (Week 13), NBC (Week 14) or Prime Video (Week 17), you’ll still need to add another streaming service for those games.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/watch-chiefs-games-without-cable/
3 reasons why AEW took the world title off Hangman Page at Full Gear 2025
Hangman Page lost his AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe at Full Gear last night. It was a pretty unexpected title change that shocked the entire wrestling fanbase all over the globe. It marked the end of a 133-day title run of Page that started at All In: Texas this year in August. However, now fans wonder why AEW suddenly decided to take the title off of Page at Full Gear. The Anxious Millennial Cowboy was having an incredible run as a champion in the company. In his title reign, Page faced stars like MJF, Kyle Fletcher, and Jon Moxley, proving that he is one of the best in the business right now. But his shocking title loss has put a big question mark on his future in the company, and perhaps what it holds for the AEW World Championship ahead. Therefore, let’s discuss 3 reasons why AEW took the world title off Hangman Page at Full Gear 2025: #3. To give Samoa Joe one final World Title run Samoa Joe delivered one helluva performance at Full Gear to become the new champion. The Samoan Submission Machine is in a few final years of his career right now, and he has already teased his retirement coming sooner than later. Besides, Tony Khan has also promised that he wants to give a proper send-off to Joe before he hangs up his boots for good. Therefore, there are chances that the company might have decided to give him one final run as the AEW World Champion before he retires. Joe has a massive respect in the world of professional wrestling. He has done an amazing job in being a cornerstone for All Elite Wrestling by elevating several stars in the company. As a result, it could be a gift to the veteran in his twilight years of his pro-wrestling career. #2. To give shock value to Full Gear The AEW World Championship change was a big talking point coming out of the Full Gear pay-per-view. Fans were pretty excited about seeing yet another title run by Samoa Joe. Therefore, Tony Khan might have decided to take the title off of Hangman to create some buzz around the top title picture in the company. Such an angle creates a shock factor in the product. Besides, now fans will tune into the next episode of AEW Dynamite to see the aftermath of the Full Gear event. It opens the door for a new chapter for Joe as well as for Hangman Page in the company, which might reinvigorate fans’ interest in the weekly programming for AEW. The company has been facing a major hit on its weekly shows lately. Such a decision could heavily boost ratings for next week’s Dynamite and Collision. #1. To set up yet another chase for Hangman Page Hangman Page is one of the biggest babyfaces in All Elite Wrestling today. However, with him as the World Champion, the company might be facing a little difficulty in presenting him as the hero of the company. Therefore, Tony Khan could be planning yet another title chase arc for The Anxious Millennial Cowboy in the Jacksonville-based promotion to further refine his character. Many believe that Hangman Page is at his best when he is chasing the championship gold. The company can build yet another impactful story around that storyline to create some compelling narrative for the fans. Besides, the 34-year-old star could go up against the top heels of the Jacksonville-based promotion to rebuild himself and reclaim the AEW World Championship at a big pay-per-view next year.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/aew/3-reasons-aew-took-world-title-hangman-page-full-gear-2025
Loveland in-home childcare operator charged with child abuse; more victims sought
Loveland police are looking for more victims after a woman who ran an in-home childcare operation was charged with multiple counts of child abuse.
https://kdvr.com/news/local/loveland-in-home-childcare-operator-charged-with-child-abuse-more-victims-sought/
Broadway baby: Lea Michele is back where it all began
In 1965, the original musical “Funny Girl” was playing at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre, starring someone who knew her way around a song. That same year, a guy named Joe Allen opened a place a few blocks away. It was the place to be for Broadway stars like Al Pacino and a host of others. Plus, they served a mean cheeseburger. The cheeseburgers are still there, and so are Broadway’s elite. Lea Michele has been coming here since her Broadway debut in the 1990s. “I just love this place so much,” she said. And what would she eat? “A burger. I mean, it’s always so good, so good here, oh my God,” she said. But when we met her at Joe Allen’s, she wasn’t in a burger mood, because she had a show to do. Lea Michele is currently starring in the musical “Chess.” In the show, she plays a brilliant strategist for two world champion chess players (played by Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher). “Chess” is a love triangle, a spectacle, and a chance for the stars to raise the roof at the Imperial Theatre the same place where Michele made her Broadway debut in 1995 in “Les Miserables,” at the age of eight. Her parents weren’t show biz people Dad owned a deli and before she auditioned, they had no clue their daughter could sing. “And as we were leaving, I turned to my Mom and I was like, ‘I’m gonna get this. I think I’m gonna get this,'” Michele recalled. “And she said, ‘Things like that don’t happen to people like us.'” In this case, Mom was wrong: Michele got the part, and went on to even greater heights in the musical “Spring Awakening,” and later became a household name in the hit TV show “Glee.” She hit a few bumps along the way, among them a difficult pregnancy with her first child in 2020, and flak on social media that she acted like a diva back in the “Glee” days. But things looked up in 2023, when she was asked to step into the shoes of her idol Barbra Streisand, and take over a struggling revival of “Funny Girl.” She said, “I think that we all grow as we get older. It’s hard being in an industry where there is such a spotlight on these phases and times in your life.” And what was the pressure like to take over “Funny Girl”? It was the first time that I was really sort of in the spotlight after everything that had happened to me personally,” Michele said. “I wanted to finally show everyone that I could play this part, and play her really well.” Long story short, Michele killed it, and turned a sinking show into a hit, despite suffering a miscarriage during her run. And when she was approached about doing “Chess,” she told producers that having another baby came first. “And so my husband and I ended up doing IVF, which was in its own right very intense and challenging,” she said. “But you know, we got pregnant and had our daughter, who is wonderful and wild. And then they, you know, said, ‘Would you like to do the show?’ ‘Absolutely!'” Now, the 39-year-old mother of two is back at the Imperial Theatre, where it all began, serving up another knockout performance with a side of gratitude. I asked, “What do you think that eight-year-old girl would think, back in that same theatre? I think that she’d be so proud, and she would just say, ‘Thank you,’ ’cause that’s all she wanted,” Michele said. “And it’s still what I want. My love for what I do was definitely reignited during ‘Funny Girl.’ And I’m very grateful for that. But I’m so happy to be here, and to be home.” To hear Lea Michele perform “Someone Else’s Story,” from “Chess: The Musical,” click on the video player below: WEB EXCLUSIVE: Watch an extended interview with Lea Michele (Video) For more info: “Chess: The Musical,” at the Imperial Theatre, New York City | Ticket info leamichele. com Lea Michele on Instagram Thanks to Joe Allen Restaurant, New York City.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/broadway-baby-lea-michele-is-back-where-it-all-began/
“Democrats need somebody who doesn’t give a sh*t”: Stephen A. Smith gets pitched by Bill Maher as next president
Stephen A. Smith is a household name in sports, and the veteran analyst seems to be getting buzz on the political front as well.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-democrats-need-somebody-doesn-t-give-sh-t-stephen-a-smith-gets-pitched-bill-maher-next-president
Mariah Carey’s daughter Monroe looks just like famous mom in new set of selfies
Mariah Carey’s daughter is looking more and more like her with each passing day. Over the weekend, the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” singer’s daughter Monroe, 14, shared a series of selfies, sparking a wave of compliments and remarks of her similarities to her famous mom. In addition to Monroe, nicknamed Roe, the Grammy winner is also a mom to Monroe’s twin brother Moroccan, who she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon, to whom she was married from 2008 to 2016. Monroe took to Instagram on Saturday, November 22, and shared a series of selfies, starting off with a close-up shot highlighting her long, brunette curls and winged eyeliner. Fans were then quick to take to the comments section under the post and gush over it, with one writing: “Looks like you are about to sing ‘Vision of Love,'” referring to her mom’s 1990 debut single, as others followed suit with: “Omg you’re so big. I have followed your mom with you since you were little. You’re beautiful,” and: “Beautiful Roe!!!! Just like your Mom!!” as well as: “You are just as gorgeous as your mother.” Mariah on co-parenting Earlier this year, Mariah, during a wide-ranging interview with CBS Mornings’ Gayle King on September 24, was asked by the veteran news anchor: “I’m curious about you and your two children and how you navigate ’cause you’re a co-parent with Nick Cannon how you navigate co-parenting when his life is so public.” The Grammy winner preferred not to delve into the subject, explaining: “I kinda feel like it’s best if I don’t talk about him because he can just be in his own world,” and then quipped: “No offense to him.” Friends nonetheless Despite Mariah’s recent refusal to discuss how she co-parents with Nick, back in 2019, she did praise what a good job both of them had done at both co-parenting and remaining friends. Speaking with People, she first shared of the twins: “They’re a lot, but they give me so much love in return. I wouldn’t be the same person without them,” before adding of Nick: “I think Nick and I have done pretty well in co-parenting, staying friends with each other so that we can talk.” Nick’s ten other kids Since welcoming his twins with Mariah, Nick has welcomed ten other children with five different women, five of which were born in 2022 alone. He welcomed Golden in 2017 with Brittany Bell, with whom he also shares Powerful, born in 2020, and Rise, born in October 2022. In 2021, he welcomed another set of twins, sons Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, with model and DJ Abby de la Rosa; he also shares with her daughter Beautiful, his 11th child, born in November 2022, a month after his son Rise with Brittany was born. Plus, in July of that year, he welcomed son Legendary with Selling Sunset star Bre Tiesi. His daughter with LaNisha Cole, Onyx Ice Cole, was born in September 2022, and he also has Halo Marie, born in December of 2022, with Alyssa Scott, who was the mother of his other son, Zen, who passed away aged five months.
https://www.hellomagazine.com/us/869033/mariah-carey-daughter-monroe-looks-like-mom-new-photos/
WATCH: Zohran Mamdani and Staff Label ICE “Inhumane” and Vow to “Uphold Our Sanctuary Laws” – Signals Willingness to Cooperate with ICE ONLY in “Extreme Violent Felony Cases” Just One Day After White House Meeting
New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani has reverted to his old ways of smearing ICE agents and vowing to stand against President Trump’s efforts to remove illegal aliens- all of whom are criminals- from the country, unless they are arrested in “extreme violent felony cases” first. So, until an illegal alien, who should have never been here in the first place, murders an American or violently rapes and murders a woman or child, New York City will continue to protect them. “New York will always be a city of immigrants,” Mamdani said on X less than 24 hours after meeting with Trump. President Trump hosted Mamdani at the White House on Friday afternoon, and the two emerged, appearing highly optimistic about their agreement to work together for the benefit of New York. Trump, shockingly, even told reporters that he expects to work with Mamdani on crime and illegal immigration. Trump appeared to be seriously impressed by the incoming leftwing mayor and heaped praise on him throughout the meeting, even shielding him from adverse questions. “I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually,” Trump said. However, not surprisingly, Mamdani’s incoming Chief of Staff, Elle Bisgaard-Church, told Spectrum News the next day that Mamdani “made clear that we uphold sanctuary laws in our city, and all immigrants will be safe in our city,” accusing immigration officials of “inhumane” practices. “Our sanctuary city laws allow cooperation in extreme violent felony cases, and that is something where I think we have alignment,” she added in a clip shared by Mamdani on X. This appears to signal that Mamdani will tell ICE to pound sand when illegal aliens commit nonviolent crimes like driving under the influence, theft, burglary, fraud, vandalism, drug possession, or drug trafficking. WATCH: Bisgaard-Church: We certainly were clear about our disagreements in the room, and the mayor-elect made clear that we uphold sanctuary laws in our city, and all immigrants will be safe in our city. We also made very clear that we feel there has been inhumane raids just this week. So it will be a future conversation with the President, but we, again, grounded an overall desire and the acknowledgement that our sanctuary city laws allow cooperation in extreme violent felony cases, and that is something where I think we have alignment. Mamdani posted the clip on X with his endorsement, commenting, “New York will always be a city of immigrants. When we protect the communities who keep this city running and uphold our sanctuary laws, we create a future that’s safer for every New Yorker.” As The Gateway Pundit reported, Trump assured reporters on Friday after his meeting with Mamdani that “the mayor wants to have peace,” and they will work together to get “horrible people” out of New York City. “I think he wants to get them out, maybe more than I do, so we’ll work together. We discussed it at great length,” he added. However, we noted in the report that it is unclear if this means Mamdani will comply with federal efforts to deploy ICE or National Guard troops in New York City to remove dangerous criminals and illegals from the streets, and it does not appear likely that New York will comply with deportations of illegal aliens who have not been convicted of a crime but are still living in the country illegally and should be deported.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/11/watch-zohran-mamdani-staff-label-ice-inhumane-vow/
[Catholic Caucus Devotional] My Catholic Life! Catholic Daily Reflections: Remember Me, My God and King – Sunday, November 23, 2025
[Catholic Caucus Devotional] My Catholic Life! Catholic Daily Reflections: Remember Me, My God and King Sunday, November 23, 2025 My Catholic Life! (YouTube) ^ | Sunday, November 23, 2025 | My Catholic Life! Posted on by fidelis Daily Readings from the USCCB The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 22: 42-43 What powerful words these were. As Jesus hung dying on the Cross for the salvation of the world, He hung between two thieves. These thieves represent all of us. One of them wanted Jesus to save His earthly life by coming down from the Cross and saving him at the same time. The other thief made a prayer for eternal life, asking Jesus to remember him when Jesus entered His Kingdom. To the latter, Jesus granted his request. Oftentimes we pray for earthly goods and pay little attention to eternal ones. Today, as we celebrate the last Sunday of the liturgical year, we celebrate the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. On this day, we are invited to pray this prayer with the good thief, acknowledging that we are sinners deserving death, but hoping and praying for mercy and a share in the Eternal Kingdom of God. Nothing makes the soul of our Lord more joyful than saving His children. He endured suffering and death out of love. He knew that His death would destroy our death if we cling to Him in hope. On the Cross, Jesus’ gaze was on eternal, not earthly, redemption. He beheld the glorious throne that He mounted. It began with a cross but would end with glory, power and splendor beyond imagination. As we honor Jesus as the great and glorious King of the Universe, we are encouraged to invite Him to establish His kingship in our lives more fully. Though Jesus’ permanent, lasting and visible Kingdom will be established only in the future when He returns at the end of time, His Kingdom must begin now. The Kingdom of God is established here and now every time you allow Him to exercise His kingship in your life. As a King, Jesus desires to order your life. He demands perfect submission of your will to Him. He demands complete obedience. And He demands that you embrace this kingship of His freely, of your own choosing. These are demands of perfect love that bring about a sharing in His eternal Kingdom. How well do you do this? Throughout our world, there are many forms of governments. Democracies are thought by many to be the best form of government because no one person is capable of being the perfect king. Therefore a democracy is more of a safeguard against tyranny and abusive leadership. But when it comes to the end of time, the governance of humanity will take place by a King-the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the only one Who is capable of governing humanity with justice and love. He is the only one under Whose leadership we will all flourish. He is the only one Who will be able to establish universal peace and harmony. Reflect, today, upon the glorious end of the world when our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe, will return in splendor and majesty to judge the living and the dead and to establish His permanent and unending Kingdom. Though we are not able to comprehend what this Kingdom will be at this time, we must believe in it with faith and have supernatural hope that we will share in it. Reflect, especially, upon your mission to allow that Kingdom of grace and mercy to begin now, within the depths of your own soul. Surrender all to Him. Invite Him to reign over your thoughts, will, body and soul. Do not hesitate. Trust in this one and only glorious King Who is worthy of our total obedience. My Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, You and You alone are worthy of our total trust and surrender in all things. I do choose You as my King today. I join with the good thief and come to You with all my sin, praying that You will remember me when You come into Your glorious Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You. TOPICS: Catholic; Prayer; Worship KEYWORDS: catholic; christian; devotional; mycatholiclife Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC PO Box 9771 Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. 1 posted on by fidelis Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4354164/posts
Zohran Mamdani Apparently ‘Charmed The H*ll Out’ Of Trump
Zohran Mamdani left the Oval Office with applause and a puzzled political class watching a rare thaw between sworn enemies. The meeting on 21 November 2025 produced an extraordinary public pivot: a president who had derided the incoming New York City mayor-elect as a ‘communist lunatic’ instead praised him as ‘very rational’ and pledged cooperation. That reversal, captured on video by the White House and circulated widely on social media, has ignited questions across the political spectrum about whether the President is practising opportunistic statesmanship or signalling a deeper strategic accommodation. A Surprising Performance In The Oval Office The White House posted full footage of the meeting, and the video shows an unusually cordial exchange. Trump repeatedly intervened to defend Mamdani from hostile questions from reporters. At one point, the president told the camera he found more common ground with the mayor-elect than he had expected and that Mamdani ‘can do some things that I think are gonna be really great’. The raw images show laughter, handshakes, and the president using his podium to blunt attacks from conservative outlets in the room. Mamdani did not soften his language on contentious foreign-policy matters. During the exchange, he reiterated his charge that the Israeli government is committing atrocities in Gaza and questioned American support, remarks he made directly to the president and to assembled reporters. That juxtaposition, sharp public criticism from Mamdani and warm personal commendation from Trump, created the political dissonance that is now the story. From Public Enmity To Public Praise Over the summer, Trump had attacked Mamdani repeatedly on his own Truth Social account, calling him a ‘100% Communist lunatic’ and predicting disaster should he take office. Those posts and campaign remarks are the best record of Trump’s prior posture. They make the Oval Office warmth all the more striking because the public record shows how aggressively Trump and allied media had sought to define and delegitimise Mamdani. The contrast between social-media invective and the Oval Office body language is therefore not merely theatrical; it is a raw political about-face. What happened between those posts and the face-to-face meeting? Trump, speaking from the presidential dais, suggested federal assistance and expressed a desire to help the city with affordability and public-safety initiatives: policy terrain where pragmatic cooperation carries immediate, tangible benefits for New Yorkers. The president’s language, therefore, can be read two ways: the unambiguous warmth of a personal compliment, or the transactional warmth of a commander-in-chief advancing federal leverage. Theatre, Strategy, Or Truce? Reading The Political Runes There are three plausible readings of the episode, and none can be dismissed without more evidence. Both men staged a photo-op to claim the mantle of working across divides. Presidential optics can defang critics, and Mamdani can now point to a federal ear while keeping his policy agenda intact. Trump may be repositioning himself as a dealmaker who rewards winners and co-opts local populist energy. Praising a newly elected mayor allows the White House to shape federal-city negotiations from a position of apparent goodwill. This could also signal the opening of an uneasy détente, where mutual need: federal funding, crisis management, and reputational control, overrides prior rhetoric. For Republican allies who built the Mamdani story into a broader attack line, the president’s defence of the mayor to hostile reporters is a blow. It removes political oxygen from the strategy of constant outrage and forces a recalculation about whether to pursue sustained personal attacks when the president himself offers protection. For Mamdani, the calculation is different. He won a public validation from the person who once vowed to unmask him, yet he also foregrounded policy disputes on matters like Gaza that will continue to provoke national controversy. Mamdani left the White House with cameras flashing and both men ducking the predictably partisan commentary that followed. Whether this is the start of cooperative federalism or a televised interlude will depend, as always, on policy delivery and the months ahead.
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/zohran-mamdani-apparently-charmed-hll-out-trump-1757304
Of solar and data centers
From Where I Sit Chris Gibbs Shelby County, Ohio, has found itself in a revealing split-screen moment. On the one side, township residents are packed into a county community hall to weigh in on the future of their farmland and to participate in a public process to testify that industrial wind and solar energy development threatens their soil, livelihoods, and the landscapes their families had tended for generations. On the other side, inside the City of Sidney, the view looks entirely different. A $3 billion Amazon data center project is advancing not because residents were meaningfully consulted, but because a majority of city council members approved a property tax abatement on over 200 acres of annexed farmland. Residents’ questions were heard only after decisions had essentially been made, and concerns were addressed only after the city had committed to Amazon’s most significant financial incentive. So why is it that landowners in the townships have a formal voice over wind and solar projects that create energy, while city residents have none over a sprawling data center campus that consumes that same energy? SB 52: A Voice in the Townships Senate Bill 52, passed in 2021, was a direct response to rural Ohioans’ demand for greater local control over utility-scale wind and solar farms. For the first time, county commissioners and township trustees could bar such projects within unincorporated areas. While in my view, SB 52 severely limits a farmland owner’s ability to maximize their asset’s potential, Shelby County’s commissioners did administer the law as intended. They held hearings, listened to residents, confirmed township support, and passed a resolution restricting wind and solar across 14 townships. To date, over 30 Ohio counties have imposed similar restrictions. Whether one agrees with the policy or not, the process was public and collaborative. Township residents heard a clear message that their land and neighborhoods matter, and their voices count. City Limits: A Different System, A Different Outcome Sidney residents, like most Ohioans living in incorporated municipalities, have little recourse other than the ballot box to influence their city’s land-use decisions. Under Ohio’s home-rule system, city councils can approve tax abatements, zoning changes, and megaproject agreements without public referendum or township-style veto power. In theory, this makes cities nimble, yet in practice, it often means residents learn about major deals only after they are largely complete. That is exactly what happened with Amazon. City council approved a tax package worth up to $350 million in foregone property taxes over 30 years. In exchange, Amazon will make a $50 million payment-in-lieu-of-taxes over 15 years. Residents raised concerns about environmental impacts, water usage, electric grid capacity, and the fairness of granting a multinational corporation a multi-decade tax holiday when many local businesses operate without such incentives. Their frustration was not only with Amazon’s footprint. It was with a system that asks residents to trust decisions they believe were not fully disclosed. The Uneven Geography of Public Power The contrast, where one part of the county is empowered while another is sidelined, raises an interesting question: Why do Ohioans have vastly different levels of control over land-use decisions based solely on which side of a city boundary they live on? If you own 200 acres of farmland in “Anytownship, Ohio,” SB 52 gives you legal standing to stop a solar project next door. But suppose you own a home near a proposed data center being built within city limits. In that case, you can speak at a council meeting for two or three minutes to voice your concerns, yet the city can still approve a project that may increase utility bills, strain water capacity, and change your neighborhood forever. Both decisions involve land. Both shape the county’s future. But only one involves robust public input. Toward a More Transparent Urban Process I concede that Ohio cities cannot and should not operate exactly like Ohio townships. Economic development often requires speed and confidentiality. But that reality does not excuse a process that leaves residents wanting. Local leaders still have the chance to close the trust gap. Upcoming agreements with Amazon covering infrastructure, water, and sewer, as well as ongoing development, give the council another opportunity to invite public engagement before votes. Amazon’s data center may ultimately prove a wise investment that invites yet more economic activity and jobs, or it may set precedents that residents regret for decades. Regardless of the outcome, if township residents can be trusted to help shape the future of their land and community, surely city residents deserve the same consideration. ~ And that’s the way I see it from where I sit. Gibbs is a farmer and lives in Maplewood, Ohio. He and his family own and operate 560 acres of crops, hay, and cattle. Gibbs is retired from the United States Department of Agriculture and currently serves as President of the Gateway Arts Council, Chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party, and President of Rural Voices USA and Rural Voices Network.
https://miamivalleytoday.com/of-solar-and-data-centers/