Good morning, It’s Wednesday, October 15th. In today’s news, elite campuses show early signs that the gender ideology wave may be receding, Doug Ford’s legacy continues to be defined by scandal and cronyism, the Left would rather watch cities crumble than confront its own failed ideas, a new study finds shocking volumes of data is exposed through unencrypted satellites, and much more.
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Elite Campuses Show Signs the Gender Ideology Wave Is Receding
For the first time in years, there are signs that the gender ideology sweeping through Western youth might be losing momentum. A new report from the Centre for Heterodox Social Science, drawing on data from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and several elite American schools, shows a sharp decline in trans and queer identification since 2023. At Brown University and Phillips Academy Andover, the share of students identifying as non-binary has fallen by more than half. Across FIRE’s 60,000 undergraduate respondents, the portion identifying as something other than male or female has dropped from nearly 7 percent in 2023 to just 3.6 percent in 2025.
To be clear, this isn’t a national snapshot. These numbers reflect a handful of elite institutions—places that often set the tone for the rest of the culture. But that’s precisely what makes this shift worth paying attention to. As psychologist Rob Henderson’s concept of luxury beliefs suggests, ideological fashions tend to emerge first among the elite, who can afford their consequences—or avoid them altogether. They then spread downward through institutions, social media, and policy. And when those same elites begin to lose faith in an idea, it often signals the beginning of its decline in the broader culture.
If that’s what’s happening here, it could mark the first sign of a long-overdue correction. For nearly a decade, bureaucrats, activists, and ideologically captured parents have told children that gender is a feeling, that biology is optional, and that self-declared identity trumps observable reality. Doctors and politicians—under pressure from activist lobbies—treated puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones as moral imperatives, despite mounting evidence of irreversible harm. What was sold as “affirmation” turned out to be a catastrophic social experiment that left thousands of young people scarred, sterilized, and betrayed.
So while this decline in trans and queer identification is confined to a narrow slice of elite academia, it may foreshadow something larger. The same institutions that helped popularize these ideas could now be the first to abandon them. Source.
Doug Ford’s Tarnished Legacy: A Pattern of Corruption in Ontario’s Leadership
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has long positioned himself as a no-nonsense leader focused on “for the people” policies, but a mounting pile of scandals paints a far different picture—one riddled with favoritism, opaque decision-making, and ties to insiders that scream corruption. From the mishandling of billions in public funds to stalled investigations into land deals benefiting developers, Ford’s administration has repeatedly prioritized connected lobbyists and donors over transparency and fairness. These aren’t isolated incidents; they’re a resume of systemic abuse that demands accountability, investigations, and potentially his removal from office to restore public trust.
The Skills Development Fund: A Slush Fund for the Well-Connected?
At the heart of recent revelations is the Skills Development Fund (SDF), a $2.5-billion initiative meant to train and upskill workers. Instead, it has become a glaring example of how Ford’s government funnels taxpayer money to those with the right connections. Ontario’s Auditor General, Shelley Spence, found that the government selected poor, low, and medium-ranked applications 54% of the time over high-ranked ones, with more than half of funded applicants hiring registered lobbyists to influence the Ministry or Minister beforehand. This included 39 high-ranked applications backed by lobbyists that snagged $58 million, while 388 selections totaling $479 million lacked any documented rationale from the Minister’s Office.
Dig deeper, and the cronyism becomes undeniable. Lobby firms tied directly to Ford and his inner circle have clients who raked in over $100 million from the SDF. Rubicon Strategy, owned by Ford’s campaign manager Kory Teneycke, secured more than $85 million for its 16 clients—triple the next firm’s haul. Atlas Strategic Advisors, led by Ford’s former right-hand man Amin Massoudi, got $21.5 million for four clients. Even firms connected to Ford’s nephew, Michael Ford, like those employing his former chiefs of staff, directed millions to their clients. The Auditor General noted that low- and medium-ranked applications with lobbyists received $126 million, creating “an appearance of real or potential preferential treatment.”
Ford’s defenders might claim this is just standard lobbying, but the pattern is too blatant to ignore. Opposition MPPs have called the SDF a “slush fund,” and Spence herself slammed it as “not fair, transparent, or accountable.” Ford praises it as “one of the greatest programs we’ve ever created,” but when millions flow to PC donors and insiders—like a dental brokerage linked to a former minister’s wife or bars owned by Ford associates—it’s clear whose pockets are being lined.
Social Ties and Conflicts: When Ministers Hobnob with Fund Seekers
The rot extends to personal relationships. Labour Minister David Piccini attended a Toronto Maple Leafs game with Peter Zakarow, director of Keel Digital Solutions, which later received at least $2.7 million from the SDF despite a low staff ranking. Piccini also showed up at the Paris wedding of Michael Rudderham, a lobbyist for Keel. Keel’s directors donated over $8,000 to the PC Party, and Piccini justified the grant by aligning it with government priorities, overriding objective evaluations.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles called this “a bit too cozy,” linking it to a broader pattern of Ford’s government tipping scales for insiders. The Auditor General confirmed nearly $750 million was distributed via political staff decisions that ignored non-partisan assessments. This isn’t public service; it’s corruption disguised as policy.
The Greenbelt Scandal: Unresolved and Unaccountable
Ford’s corruption resume wouldn’t be complete without the Greenbelt fiasco, where 7,400 acres of protected land were opened for development in a process that favored Tory-connected developers, potentially worth $8.28 billion. Two years into the RCMP investigation, key figures like former Housing Minister Steve Clark, his chief of staff Ryan Amato, and former Business Minister Kaleed Rasheed haven’t even been interviewed. Only Jae Truesdell, Ford’s ex-housing adviser, has spoken to detectives.
Reports from the Auditor General and Integrity Commissioner found developers with PC ties were “favoured,” with 14 of 15 parcels selected by Amato in a centralized process needing premier’s office approval. Rasheed misled about a Las Vegas trip with a developer friend of Ford’s, who benefited from small parcels. Ford reversed the decision amid backlash, calling it a “mistake,” but the probe drags on with “radio silence” on top Tories. This isn’t oversight; it’s a cover-up enabling billions in insider gains.
Doug Ford’s leadership is marred by these scandals, from SDF favoritism to Greenbelt cronyism, all pointing to a corrupt regime where lobbyists and donors call the shots. Opposition leaders like Stiles have outright called Ford “corrupt,” tying these to a cycle of scandals without real reform. Defenses are thin—Ford downplays the Greenbelt as something “people don’t give two hoots about,” but the facts say otherwise.
Ontario deserves better than a premier whose resume reads like a corruption playbook. Unfortunately, we’re not exactly flush with great alternatives. However, if we don’t act, the cycle continues, eroding democracy one insider deal at a time. Source 1 - Source 2 - Source 3 - Source 4
Why the Left Would Rather Watch Cities Collapse Than Admit They’re Wrong
If you’ve ever wondered why left-leaning governments can watch cities collapse under rising crime yet refuse to change course, the answer isn’t just politics — it’s psychology. The problem runs far deeper than bad policy. It’s rooted in a worldview built on the idea that human nature can be perfected if only society is designed correctly.
To the modern progressive mind, crime isn’t the result of moral failure or personal choice. It’s seen as a symptom of inequality, poverty, or trauma — things that can supposedly be “fixed” through the right mix of funding, therapy, and social programs. Under this way of thinking, criminals aren’t responsible for their actions — society is. If the system were fair enough, they believe, no one would commit crime in the first place.
That’s why progressives consistently go easy on offenders. They see punishment as cruel and “systemic,” while seeing leniency as enlightened and humane. But what they’re really doing is revealing their belief that evil doesn’t truly exist — only misunderstanding does. And if evil doesn’t exist, then justice becomes impossible, because no one is ever truly to blame.
When reality proves them wrong — when theft, assault, and murder rise despite all the social programs — they don’t change their approach. They double down. Because to admit failure here wouldn’t just mean admitting the policy was wrong. It would mean admitting that their entire understanding of human nature was wrong. It would mean accepting that people are not blank slates who can be engineered into perfection, that morality isn’t a social construct, and that the capacity for evil is part of being human.
That’s a truth the modern left can’t face. It would destroy the foundation of their ideology — the belief that human beings can be reshaped through reason, education, and equality into something better than what we are. So instead, they cling to the illusion, even as their cities decay and their citizens live in fear.
The greatest tragedy isn’t just the crime itself. It’s that those in power would rather watch society fall apart than admit they were wrong about the very nature of man.
Study Finds Billions of Calls, Texts, Emails, Even Military Data Exposed Via Unencrypted Satellites
Researchers at UC San Diego and the University of Maryland have discovered that up to half of geostationary satellites are broadcasting sensitive data unencrypted, exposing private calls, texts, in-flight internet traffic, and corporate communications to anyone with basic satellite-receiving equipment. Using a standard off-the-shelf satellite dish($800), the team scanned 39 GEO satellites across 25 longitudes and found that critical information—including cellular backhaul data, VoIP calls, corporate emails, login credentials, financial transactions, and even some military and police operational data—was transmitted in cleartext.
While some providers, like T-Mobile, quickly implemented encryption after being alerted, many critical infrastructure and corporate networks remain vulnerable. The researchers attribute the widespread exposure to failures at multiple levels of the satellite communication protocol stack, noting that only a small fraction of non-TV transponders use encryption consistently. Their findings highlight a stark mismatch between expectations and reality in satellite data security, with unencrypted transmissions leaving sensitive information open to interception for years to come. More
What to Know About the Armed Rebel Groups Challenging Hamas in Gaza
During the two-year Gaza War, Hamas has faced violent clashes with several rival clans and armed groups seeking influence in the Gaza Strip. Since the Oct. 10 cease-fire, Hamas has launched a brutal crackdown to reassert control—after reportedly receiving US approval to act as temporary police in Gaza. President Donald Trump confirmed the arrangement, saying Hamas would maintain order as displaced civilians return.
Among the main rivals are the Abu Shabab clan in Rafah, accused by Hamas of collaborating with Israel; the Doghmosh clan, linked to multiple militant groups including ISIS-aligned factions; and the Al-Majayda clan in Khan Younis, which recently fought deadly skirmishes with Hamas. Even smaller factions like Rami Hellis’s group in Gaza City continue to resist Hamas authority.
The cease-fire has paused Israel’s military operations, but Gaza remains unstable as old clan rivalries and power struggles threaten to reignite internal conflict. More
Trump Says $20 Billion Aid for Argentina Contingent on Milei’s Party Winning Midterm Elections - “If he wins, we’re staying with him, and if he doesn’t win, we’re gone,” Trump said. More
While I support most of Milei’s reforms in Argentina, it’s hard to ignore that Trump’s $20 billion in contingent aid looks a lot like foreign election interference.
Maritime Nations Meet to Discuss Regulations and Global Taxation on Shipping to Drive Green Transition - The agreement would impose fees on greenhouse gas emissions from ships, aiming to cut carbon output, fund green fuel development, and push the industry toward net-zero emissions by 2050—though the US and other nations have voiced strong opposition. More
Belgium’s Major Unions Launch Nationwide Strike as Tens of Thousands Protest, Disrupting Transport, Airports, and Shipping Over Austerity Measures - More
Trump Posthumously Awards Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom - Coinciding with what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday. More
Illegal Immigrant Who Threatened to Kill Nigel Farage on TikTok Is Jailed for 5 Years - More
Poll: 9 in 10 Canadians Are Worried About Housing
A recent Abacus Data survey of 3,900 Canadians shows nearly 9 in 10 are concerned about housing affordability and availability, cutting across age, region, and political affiliation. Concern is highest among younger adults (93% of 18–44-year-olds) and urban residents (90%), while only 40% believe homeownership is still attainable. Housing ranks as the second-most pressing issue nationally, after the broader cost of living, with Quebec, Atlantic Canada, and British Columbia showing the greatest concern. Key factors cited include insufficient affordable construction (35%), high building costs (32%), rapid population growth, and the pressure from immigration (29%). More
GM to Take $1.6 Billion Hit as It Scales Back Electric Vehicle Operations - More
European Commission Slaps Three Major Fashion Brands with €157 Million Fine - The Commission fined Gucci, Chloé, and Loewe for breaching EU antitrust rules by restricting retailers from setting their own prices, limiting competition, raising costs, and reducing consumer choice. More
Swiss Scientists Attempt to Grow Biocomputers from Living Cells
Swiss scientists at FinalSpark are developing biocomputers using lab-grown human neurons. They start with stem cells from skin, culture them into organoids—mini brain-like clusters—and connect them to electrodes to send and receive electrical signals with conventional computers. These organoids can respond to inputs, showing primitive computational activity, though their lifespan is currently limited to about four months due to lack of blood vessels.
Researchers hope to use these lab-grown neurons to one day power adaptive AI, model neurological diseases, and create hybrid human-computer systems with capabilities beyond traditional silicon chips. More
Korean Researchers Create Artificial Muscle That Can Switch From Soft to Rigid to Support 4,000 Times Its Own Weight - More
Trump Threatens to Pull World Cup Games from Boston Over Political Unrest
President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to relocate 2026 World Cup matches scheduled in Boston, claiming parts of the city had been “taken over” amid unrest and criticizing Mayor Michelle Wu as “intelligent but radical left.” He referenced recent violent pro-Palestinian protests in Boston, suggesting they made the city unsafe.
Trump said he could call Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, to move the games, claiming, “If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni… and I would say, ‘Let’s move into another location’ and they would do that,” even though FIFA contracts and logistics make relocating matches on short notice highly complicated. More
Michael Jackson’s $800M Fortune Likely to ‘Evaporate’ Amid Pending Sex Lawsuits, Scandals and Back Taxes - More
Eurovision Organizer Calls Off Vote on Ousting Israel After Ceasefire with Hamas - More
New Report Suggests Frankie Edgar ‘Cleared Medicals’ But Cash-Strapped BKFC ‘Couldn’t Pay’ for UFC Legend’s Return - More
Winston Churchill Painting Among Dozens of Art Works Valued at $1.2 Million in Hudson Bay Collection Art Auction in Toronto
WTF: The Wolverine Frog Breaks Its Own Bones to Turn Them into Sharp Claws
A Peruvian Bishop was Forced to Resign After Being Accused of Having 17 Secret Lovers
Psychology...the pseudo-science of human behaviour, junk science in other words. Look, you give criminals leniency and you get more crime, give out free drugs and you increase addiction, it doesn't take a friggin psychologist to name it social justice when it's a well thought out agenda. The powers that be aren't going to admit failure because the plan isn't failing, it's working accordingly!
We all know cronyism runs rampant in the political insiders realm, but what can be done about it? If citizens are blind to it because of their support for the party in power, it has to be those in opposition and we see how well that's going so far. Nothing happens at committee, fraud is called out and then dies on the vine - writing officials has become pointless, signing petitions next to useless, protesting has been captured, so seriously, what can be done?