"Empire of AI": Karen Hao on How AI Is Threatening Democracy & Creating a New Colonial World

In our July Fourth special broadcast, we revisit our interview with longtime technology reporter Karen Hao, author of Empire of AI, which unveils the accruing political and economic power of artificial intelligence companies — especially Sam Altman’s OpenAI. Her reporting uncovered the exploitation of workers in Kenya, attempts to take massive amounts of freshwater from communities in Chile, along with numerous accounts of the technology’s detrimental impact on the environment. “This is an extraordinary type of AI development that is causing a lot of social, labor and environmental harms,” says Hao in an extended interview.

James Talarico pals around with ‘PEDO PROTECTOR’ who brought a convicted sex offender to a school

Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico not only has a long history of strange comments about trans children and a nonbinary God — he’s now campaigning with Bobby Pulido, who BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales warns is a “pedo protector.”“Bobby Pulido is not just close with James Talarico. Bobby Pulido is besties with the entire Texas Democrat team, I guess, because Bobby Pulido kicked off the entire Texas Democrat convention last week as per his own tweets,” Gonzales says, explaining that Pulido is a famous musician.“In his band, he employs an accordion player by the name of Frankie Caballero. Now, Frankie’s not a good guy. Frankie is in fact a total creep, because you see, Frankie is on the sex offender registry for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old in 2014,” she says, warning that this is the most egregious offense on his lengthy rap sheet.“Be that as it may, the offense wasn’t enough for Pulido to stop touring with him, because both before and after Caballero went to prison for this, for four years, he was touring with the band. He was part of the band,” she explains.And while the band was touring, they headlined an Axios school benefit. So Pulido headlined a school benefit with a registered sex offender.“Children were welcome and present at the event, which was held at the Flores Stadium several miles from the middle school grounds according to the promotional materials. So he’s like, ‘Hey, you just busted out of prison for doing unspeakable things to an 8-year-old child. Want to go to a middle school event with me?’” Gonzales says.“I mean, it takes just the lowest of the low person to do something like that,” she continues.It was until after 2021 that Pulido stopped touring with Caballero, which Gonzales points out was after he pled guilty to assaulting his daughter and “impeding her normal breathing.”While Pulido claimed he didn’t know about Caballero’s prior convictions, Ramon Rodriquez, a south Texas bass player, told the New York Post that he “performed with Caballero as recently as 2020 and that the child sex conviction became ‘a known fact in music circles’ in the immediate years after.”“Seems kind of weird that James Talarico and the rest of the Democrats are hanging their hat on this guy who’s associating with an actual convicted pedophile,” Gonzales says, adding, “That’s what blows my mind.”Want more from Sara Gonzales?To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Couple who staged apparent proposal atop Empire State Building faces slew of charges

‘Rooftopers’ Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov were arrested after allegedly scaling the New York skyscraperTwo Russian “rooftoppers” who staged an apparent marriage proposal at the peak of the Empire State Building’s spire were reportedly arraigned in New York on Thursday on a slew of charges including reckless endangerment.Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov were arrested on Wednesday after the stunt, which featured the pair, dressed in all black, unfurling a peace banner and kissing. Continue reading...

Daredevil couple who got engaged atop Empire State Building released — as lawyer claims it was a ‘message of love’

Angela Nikolau, 33, and her beau Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, the daredevils who got engaged atop the Empire State Building’s antenna were sprung Wednesday after getting hit with a slew of charges for the cringe Instagram stunt.

Tim Walz Helps Pardon Laotian Man Convicted of Raping 10-Year-Old

Couple arrested on Empire State Building after apparent proposal – video

Two people were arrested after an apparent marriage proposal atop the Empire State Building’s spire on Wednesday, having climbed well above the section open to the public. The pair were identified as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, Russian 'rooftoppers' known for carrying out similar stunts in cities including Los Angeles and Tianjin in China. Dressed in black and with their faces covered, they unfurled a large black banner bearing the words: 'When the power of love beats the love of power, the ‌world knows peace.' It remains unclear how they reached the uppermost section of the building, which rises 1,454ft (443 metres) above midtown Manhattan. The New York police department said charges were pending and the investigation remained ongoing. CBS News later reported that the pair were facing charges including burglary, criminal trespass and reckless endangerment Continue reading...

Daredevil Couple Arrested After Climbing the Empire State Building: What We Know

The New York landmark has a history of being scaled illegally—and legally.

Masked daredevil couple climb to top of Empire State Building to unfurl banner with message

New York City residents were surprised to find two masked people climbing the Empire State Building just after noon on Wednesday.The New York Police Department confirmed via social media that they closed down streets near 5th Avenue and 34th Street in Manhattan.They unfurled a banner that read, 'When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.'The couple identified themselves on social media as daredevil climbers Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau from Russia.They unfurled a banner that read, "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."The NYPD later confirmed that officers had taken the couple into custody but did not immediately say what charges they may face.One woman told USA Today that there were rumors that the man proposed to the woman during the climb."But I don't really know exactly what it is," Stephanie Hazelwood said. "It just seems like an attention thing and art, maybe."Video obtained by ABC News did indeed appear to show the male climber getting on one knee and proposing to the female climber, who then takes photos of her hand."If it's a proposal, it's an elaborate one, and I hope she said yes," one news anchor said on the video."OK, they're hugging. I think he just proposed!" the other anchor said.The couple were the subject of a documentary titled "Skywalkers: A Love Story" from 2024 and have a large following on social media.RELATED: Watch: 'Pro-Life Spider-Man' climbs New York Times building and California's second-tallest skyscraper in daring protest against abortion A spokesperson for the Empire State Building said the "unauthorized" incident was resolved and used the occasion to market the building."It is to be emphasized that the Empire State Building Observation Deck, atop the 'World's Most Famous Building' in the center of New York City, does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals," the spokesperson said.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!