Ray Whitfield

MSNBC replaced Rachel Maddow with Jen Psaki bc they were losing viewers, and on her debut on Tuesday night, they lost (53%) more viewers 🤣🤣 Fake News is coming apart at tge seams, and it's gonna be glorious to watch their demise

By Season 4 of The Sopranos, Gandolfini was earning $400,000 per episode. HBO wanted Season 5 on the fast track, and the offer was staggering: roughly $1 million per episode across 13 episodes. Agents celebrated. Lawyers drafted. But something stopped him cold. His co-stars were earning a fraction of what he made. Edie Falco, the woman who carried every scene as Carmela Soprano, wasn't close. The supporting cast earned even less. Gandolfini looked at his contract and saw something executives didn't want him to see — a gap that felt deeply unfair. So he did something that shocked Hollywood. He walked away. Production stalled in early 2003. HBO filed a lawsuit seeking around $100 million in damages. Headlines called him difficult. Columnists called him unstable. "They think I'm a wild animal," he reportedly told a friend that spring. The easy move would have been to sign, cash the check, and disappear into Tony Soprano's shadow — the character who made him a household name and quietly trapped him inside it. Instead, Gandolfini made a different choice. He eventually returned to the negotiating table and signed the deal. But what he did next became legend. Gandolfini reached into his own pocket and personally gave approximately $33,000 to each of 16 supporting cast members — roughly $500,000 of his own money — as a thank-you for standing by him during the shutdown. No press release. No cameras. No announcement. Just quiet envelopes handed out privately. Crew members remembered other moments too. Gandolfini would show up early at Silvercup Studios in Queens, sit in a folding chair, chain-smoke, and ask grips and lighting technicians about their kids by name. He remembered birthdays. He remembered losses. When a crew member's family member fell ill, he quietly helped with expenses. When writers pulled all-nighters rewriting scenes, he fought to protect their words on screen. The turning point wasn't the signing. It was the pause — the refusal that cost him his reputation, invited a massive lawsuit, and risked killing the biggest show on television. He bet everything on a principle most people would have quietly swallowed. Season 5 aired in 2004. Ratings climbed. Awards followed. Critics called it one of the greatest seasons of television ever made. But behind the numbers was a quieter truth: James Gandolfini used his leverage not just to lift himself — but to lift everyone standing beside him. He played a man who ruled through fear on screen. Off screen, he led through loyalty. When he died suddenly in 2013 at age 51, cast and crew members told the same stories over and over — not about his Emmy wins or his iconic performance, but about the envelopes, the folding chair, the questions about their kids. A legacy built not on what he earned, but on what he shared. Power doesn't always roar. Sometimes it whispers through a quiet envelope, handed over with no cameras watching.

AOC says she has “no reason” to cooperate with federal auditors investigating her suspicious $22 million net worth. “I have the same right to privacy as everyone else.” Meanwhile, investigators are baffled—how does a socialist congresswoman go from bartender to multi-millionaire without something shady going on? One federal official warned: “It would be in her best interest to cooperate.” The walls are closing in.

@sciencegirl Mrs. Davidson gets to meet the Chicago firefighters who rescued her from a burning building

Justin Trudeau: The wealthy of the world needs to "step up" and limit their wealth intake. He charges $100k for speaking.

Ilhan Omar has to explain how a business who has no equipment, no location, no bottles, no stickers, appears to have no employee wages, no vineyard, no wine tasting room, no tours, no product, no shipping, no marketing, no lids, no boxes, no barrels, no license, no freight trucks… had $5M in expenses. In her world the wine cardboard box at this postal place set as their mailing address, costs $5M… Same goes for the consulting firm, $29.9M in expenses operating out of a WeWork, yet no physical office there?? With $30M you’d think they’d have a suite… how could they have spent $29.9M also with no marketing I’ve ever seen, no location, etc.

Imagine the young women who were sent home for being disciplined with their bodies. Worked out daily, skipped the cookies, got rejected from agencies and finally got signed, skipped social eating, skipped drinking, thinking this was their big break. They finally had one chance and lost it because of it.

🚨 HEARTBREAKING The Wooster High School sophomore baseball player went helping his team win 10-0… to fighting for his life at Akron Children’s Hospital just hours later, and passed away this morning. Gone too soon. 🙏 Prayers for Maddox and his family.

In the words of one counterterrorism official: “They were all dead before they knew what happened.” DEVGRU (SEAL Team 6) Silver Squadron operators parachuted into Northern Nigeria to rescue American citizen Philip Walton on October 31, 2020. Walton, a 27 year old American farmer and the son of missionaries, had been kidnapped five days earlier from his home in Massalata, Niger, by six armed men on motorcycles. After offering his captors $40, he was taken. They demanded nearly $1 million in ransom, and there was real fear he would be sold to al Qaeda or ISIS aligned terrorist groups operating in the region. The US moved fast. The CIA tracked Walton’s location using sophisticated cell phone surveillance. Marine Special Operations elements in Africa helped pinpoint him. And then, early on October 31, around 30 operators from SEAL Team 6's Silver Squadron parachuted out of Air Force MC-130J aircraft, moved three miles on foot to the target, and hit the compound in the dark. After a brief and intense firefight, six of the seven captors were killed. Walton was rescued without injury. No American was wounded. This is what over two decades of Global War on Terror honing produced.

🇮🇹🔴An 85-year-old soup kitchen volunteer was viciously beaten by a homeless Nigerian man who he fed every day in the Italian city of Empoli. Antonio Turrisi lost his spleen in the attack and has been left unable to walk independently. Now, Turrisi is calling for remigration. “In the event that illegal foreign persons are the ones attacking, expulsion measures must be implemented. They can’t stay in our country if they don’t behave well,” he said. “I almost died, they told me that two more kicks would have been enough to send me to the other world." Video surveillance shows the man approaching Turrisi and beating him without mercy or warning, with a flurry of punches and kicks. The beating only stopped when a passerby intervened. When asked if the attacker said anything to him before the beating, Turrisi responded: “Not even a word. He attacked me for no reason. Even now I can’t explain why this could have happened. They told me he was tracked down, arrested and taken to prison.”

A daughter recorded her mother's last moments as she rested peacefully on her bed-but what she captured left viewers both emotional and uneasy. The elderly woman wasn't looking at anyone in the room. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, a soft, calm smile on her face. Quietly, she whispered, "Angels." Holding back tears, her daughter asked if they were making her happy. The woman gently nodded and said, "Yes." Then, when asked how many she could see, her soft voice answered, "Four... four." Was it simply her mind finding comfort in her final moments... or did she truly see something beyond this world?

"Just a few days ago, my life almost ended. Armed róbbers came into our house. My wife was with me. I was so scared. I thought it was all over. They collected money and a lot of valuables. I surrendered everything to them so they wouldn't hurt any of us. But even after all that, it still seemed not enough for them. ​One of them started haràssing my wife, wanting to sleep with her. I knew this could bring a stigma to my wife for the rest of her life; she might never be happy again. I could not just stand and watch him. I knew I had to protect my wife. I used all my courage and jumped on him to protect my wife. Then, I felt a sharp pàin. Then everything went dark. He shot me in the chest, & they all ran away after that. But look at God! Look at the miracle He did for me. He did not let the bullet hit any important part. By His grace, I survived. I woke up in the hospital, and they told me everything. As I'm here talking to you, my wife, my family is safe. I'm happy . ​It is not by my power. It is only God's grace. He kept us save He saved me for a reason. He showed that He is the greatest protector. I am so happy. I am thanking God with all my heart. My life is a true testimony. Never forget to thank God, no matter what happens. He is always with us. I'm grateful."

Failed Cincinnati Chief of Police, Teresa Theetge, has been fired. This was a long time in coming. As Cincinnati devolved into violence and chaos under her tenure, and the City Manager requested more police on the streets, Theetge refused to increase the police presence. As COP, Theetge was sued for allegedly passing over qualified officers for advancement based on their gender/race. If you recall, last year, several people were beaten in the streets by a mob of music festival attendees. The video of the attack spread like wildfire on social media, sparking fury as at least two White victims were attacked by a group of Black suspects. Once on the ground, the assailants did not back off. Instead, they stomped on the victims, one of whom was left with a possibly life-altering brain issue. That assault was followed by a summer of criminal activity all over the city. Hug-a-thug policies once again causing actual injury to a community. The termination of Theetge is only helpful, though, if new crime policies are put in place to protect the community.

🚨PRINCE REZA PAHLAVI JUST WENT FULL NUCLEAR ON THE ENTIRE EU PRESS & PARLIAMENT! 🔥🧨 I want to speak DIRECTLY to the people of Europe. In the past two weeks I held TWO MAJOR press conferences — one in Stockholm, one in Berlin. Over 150 JOURNALISTS showed up. We spent MORE THAN TWO HOURS with them… And guess what? NOT ONE SINGLE of those 150 journalists asked about the 40,000 IRANIANS SLAUGHTERED on the streets of my country on January 8th and 9th! NOT ONE asked about the 19 political prisoners EXECUTED in the last two weeks. When I told them 20 more are currently sentenced to death — CRICKETS. Not a damn question. I stood right next to a grieving mother and father who lost their sons in that massacre and begged them to listen to their stories… NOT A SINGLE ONE of those 150 journalists asked them a thing. Let that sink in. My 40,000 BRAVE INNOCENT COMPATRIOTS who were butchered fighting for liberty? They don’t give a damn. They are too busy criticizing America and Israel for taking out the dictator who’s been slaughtering our people for 47 YEARS — instead of going after the regime that’s actually doing the killing! They’d rather dig up Iran’s history than talk about what’s happening RIGHT NOW or the free democratic Iran we’re fighting for. One EU parliament member even had the nerve to say Iranians aren’t ready for democracy. To that coward and to every fake journalist in the room I say this: Iranians aren’t just “ready” for democracy… 40,000 of them just DIED for it! And I will NOT let their blood be in vain. SO HEAR ME LOUD AND CLEAR: Whether Europe stands with us or not… Whether your journalists do their damn jobs or not… Whether your politicians grow a spine or not… I WILL FIGHT FOR MY PEOPLE AND MY COUNTRY. Even if we have to do this ALONE — we are fighting until IRAN IS FREE! 🇮🇷💪 #RezaPahlavi‌ForIran @PahlaviReza

POCAHONTAS CAUGHT RED-HANDED Elizabeth Warren smugly claims “I don’t take Big Pharma money or corporate PAC cash!” REALITY: She was the #2 RECIPIENT of the Pharmaceutical Complex CRIMINALS with $822,573 in one cycle alone. Another OUTRIGHT Democrat LIE from the FAKE INDIAN…

JUST IN: Karoline Leavitt speaks to the press for what is likely the last time before she has her second baby: “This will likely be my last gaggle for some time.” “As you can see, I’m about ready to have a baby any minute, so I’ll see you guys very soon.” “I know all of you have the president’s phone number personally, so I have no doubt that you will have a shortage of statements and news from this building while I’m gone.”

It’s truly amazing to see what can be done when Alabamians and folks across the country can unite behind a cause. In just one day, Will Roberts’ story got the nation’s attention, and just hours ago, Heather and I, our friend @Rictavius_, and others found out that HHS and the White House will be approving Will’s treatment plan. That said, we encourage you to donate to the GoFundMe below to keep Will and his family going through this fight. Give what you can, and remember to keep Will in your prayers!

Mon ex-mari m'a battue si violemment que mon tympan gauche a éclaté. J'avais 24 ans et j'étais enceinte de trois mois. Cette nuit-là, j'ai perdu le bébé. Dans la salle de bain d'un hôtel miteux de Las Vegas, la chemise déchirée et le visage tuméfié, j'ai vu l'eau des toilettes virer au rouge. Je n'ai pas appelé d'ambulance. J'ai appelé ma mère. Elle m'a dit : « Ma chérie, sors. Pars tout de suite. » Mais je ne savais même pas comment partir. J'étais Pamela Anderson – la fille d'Alerte à Malibu, la couverture de Playboy, la femme que tout le monde regardait mais que personne n'écoutait vraiment. Mon corps était traité comme un objet. Ma poitrine avait sa propre réputation. J'étais « la blonde idiote » qui avait épousé un batteur de rock déjanté. Ce que les gens ne voyaient pas, c'était la suite de l'histoire. Quand j'avais douze ans, la baby-sitter de mon frère a abusé de moi à plusieurs reprises. J'ai grandi sur une petite île canadienne sans eau chaude, et je mettais des sacs plastiques autour de mes pieds pour que mes chaussures usées ne soient pas trempées. Quand je suis arrivée à Los Angeles avec seulement 400 dollars, j'ai vécu dans ma voiture pendant trois mois. Il y a deux semaines, Netflix a sorti mon documentaire, Pamela : Une histoire d'amour. Et pour la première fois en plus de trente ans, les gens me disent : « Je ne savais pas que tu étais aussi attentionnée. » « Je ne savais pas que tu écrivais de la poésie. » « Je ne savais pas tout ce que tu as traversé. » Je ne partage pas ça par vengeance. Je le partage pour la fille qui, en ce moment même, est réduite à un corps, à une blague, à un objet de consommation. Si on te sexualise, ce n'est pas ta faute. Si on te sous-estime, ce n'est pas ta limite. Si quelqu'un te fait du mal, ce n'est pas ton destin. Il m’a fallu des décennies, mais un matin, je me suis réveillée dans ma ferme sur l’île de Vancouver, les pieds dans la terre humide, entourée de poules et d’arbres fruitiers, et une chose m’est enfin apparue clairement : Je n’ai besoin de l’approbation de personne. Mon corps m’appartient. Mon histoire m’appartient. Et personne – absolument personne – ne pourra jamais la réécrire. FB — Pamela Anderson

Asha Sharma became CEO of Xbox only 2 months ago and she's already done some big things for its customers: - Cut Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99 per month - Announced Project Helix, the codename for the next-gen console - Rebranded from Microsoft Gaming back to simply Xbox - Scrapped the “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign - Committed to human-crafted games and ruled out low-quality AI content - Boosted direct fan engagement on X with faster responses and updates