‘Yep, That’s Right!’: Unremorseful White Man Calls Black Shopper a Racial Slur for Not Letting Him Skip Costco Line and Then Makes a Blunt Admission

One of the most effective ways to shine a light on racism is to film it in action — and it’s even better if the video goes viral. Whether it’s a physical altercation or, in this case, a racial slur, people don’t hesitate to reach for their phones these days and blast the perpetrator across the internet.

An elderly white man at Costco found out the hard way, and started the new year off with an important lesson: you can’t casually hurl the N-word and call a grown man “boy” without consequences.

In a video making the rounds on social media, an unidentified Black man is shown confronting the self-proclaimed racist while standing in a Costco checkout line.

The January clip was captioned, “He called me the n-word and ‘boy’ because I wouldn’t let him cut me in line. Racist in Costco. 2026 Wow.”

‘He’s Not Responding’: DoorDash Driver Who Put Elderly Man In Coma Over Warning About Speed, Out on Bail Despite Prior Conviction for Road Rage

While the actual slur was not caught on film, the white man happily admitted to being a racist while clearly aware that he was being filmed. Referring to the racial slur, he told the stranger, “Exactly what you are.”

This fat racist called a man N*gger just for not letting him cut in line. Then watch him literally SHAKE when he gets called out.

Pure coward energy.

We’re in 2026 and this is still happening. pic.twitter.com/fNGi0j7Uy8

— i Expose Racists & Pedos (@SeeRacists) January 7, 2026

“So you’re a racist?” the Black man asked, to which he nodded his head yes, and reiterated those same words — “exactly what you are” — and then rudely told him to “f*ck off.”

Likely thinking of his viewers, and aware of social media’s power to bring racism to a national audience, the man filming narrated the moment. “Racism in 2026,” he said, to which the older white man agreed. “Yep, that’s right.”

After the clip was sent to the popular X account “I Expose Racists & Pedos,” the brief and unfortunate interaction started to rack up views and comments. “It’s wild how some people think they can act like that,” wrote one person, adding, “confrontations expose all the cowardice. Unreal.”

Another chimed in, “Bro forgot he was in real life instead of behind a computer,” followed by the comment, “Don’t think he cares.”

While the elderly man seemed set in his racist ways, some emphasized the importance of keeping vile thoughts to oneself. Lamenting a lack of basic decency, one put it: “Once you leave your home, you’re expected to behave and follow rules, code of conduct, especially for all grown men and women.”

Perhaps aware of Costco’s commitment to diversity, several commenters tagged the company’s X account, asking it to revoke the man’s membership.

In January 2025, Costco resisted intense pressure from the Trump administration to roll back its DEI practices. When many other retailers caved, Costco’s board unanimously rejected an audit proposed by the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank. According to new reports, the big-box retailer saw an immediate, significant spike in sales, with about 7.7 million new visits in the month after the decision.

So far, there’s no indication whether the white man has been identified or if his Costco membership has been cancelled.

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Judge Denies Motion for Mistrial in Former Uvalde Officer’s Trial in Corpus Christi

The law enforcement failures were documented in the weeks and months after the shooting. Uvalde CISD Officer Adrian Gonzales was indicted in 2024 on child endangerment and abandonment charges. He is on trial this week in Corpus Christi. Jury selection began Monday, Jan. 5. Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo was also indicted on those charges. His trial date has not been set yet.

Throughout Gonzales’ trial, we’ll keep a running account of events as a team of our reporters and reporters from our sister stations follow the happenings. You can watch gavel-to-gavel coverage on our free streaming app.

After some more discussion with lawyers from both sides, Judge Harle said he would deny the motion for mistrial, citing again that he believed the actions of the prosecution were not intentional, but rather “negligent.” He added that he will have that particular testimony excluded from the trial.

1:40 p.m. Judge Sid Harle said there are rules that give the court broad discretion in determining whether there has been a Brady violation (which is something significant determined to have not been disclosed to attorneys ahead of the start of the trial). He said he believes the lack of disclosure was not intentional by the prosecution.

1:37 p.m. A lawyer for the prosecution provided additional context on why certain details of the witness testimony were unclear in the disclosure to the defense. Defense attorneys responded that this significantly changes their strategy for the trial.

1:30 p.m. Lawyers from both sides, family members of the Robb Elementary victims and media members have entered the courtroom for arguments over the witness testimony in question.

About the case:
Court proceedings continue Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. with the judge expected to hear arguments without the jury over some problematic witness testimony heard Tuesday.

Defense attorneys questioned whether prosecutors failed to disclose critical information ahead of trial. The controversy arose during testimony from Stephanie Hale, a former Robb teacher, who described her actions to protect students as the gunman approached her building.

During her testimony, Hale said she saw a gunman dressed in black near the area of the school where Gonzales was positioned. Defense attorneys said that statement was a surprise and had not been disclosed prior to trial and it directly conflicted what they were told. The prosecution responded that the statement was never formally documented and did not stand out at the time.

Defense attorneys are now questioning whether the case can proceed without addressing what they argue may be a violation of legal disclosure obligations.

The judge is expected to hear arguments on the matter Wednesday afternoon outside the presence of the jury; that discussion is expected to touch on the possibility of a mistrial. Jurors are expected to return to court Thursday.

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These are the 10 most on-time airlines in the world, and only one American company made the cut | Fortune

Air travel in the U.S. last year was defined by chaotic delays and cancellations during the 43-day government shutdown. New global punctuality rankings from aviation analytics firm Cirium show just how dire delays were in 2025.

Cirium analyzes flight data from more than 600 sources including airlines, airports, global distribution systems, and civil aviation authorities. A flight is considered on time if it lands within 15 minutes of its scheduled gate arrival time.

Aeromexico earned the top spot for global airlines for the second year in a row with 90.02% of its flights arriving on time, improving by over 3% from the previous year. The win comes after the airline debuted at $2.8 billion on the NYSE last year and raised $222.8 million.

“Maintaining consistent on-time performance requires sophisticated network planning, operational coordination, and the ability to recover quickly when irregularities occur,” Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen said in a statement. “These results reflect the operational discipline that defines aviation’s top performers.”

Saudia followed in second with 85.63% on-time, and the Scandinavian airline SAS claimed third with 86.09%.

Delta is the only American company to make the top 10 and has the highest rating of all American airlines. “Delta’s fifth consecutive North American win reflects sustained operational focus that separates industry leaders from competitors,” Bowen said.

The airline — which flies more than three times the number of flights as any other airline in the top 10 — sank in the rankings after placing third last year.

Timeliness improvements from Azul Brazilian Airlines, Spain’s Iberia, and Qatar Airways helped raise their ratings and beat out the Atlanta-based airline.

Here’s how the most on-time airlines placed, according to Cirium’s analysis.

Top 10 Most On-Time Global Airlines

Aeromexico: 90.02% on-time arrivals
Saudia: 86.53%
Scandinavian Airlines: 86.09%
Azul Brazilian Airlines: 85.18%
Qatar Airways: 84.42%
Iberia: 83.52%
LATAM Airlines: 82.40%
Avianca: 81.73%
Turkish Airlines: 81.41%
Delta Air Lines: 80.90%

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Cubs agree to acquire right-hander Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Marlins, AP source says

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs are adding Edward Cabrera to their rotation, agreeing Wednesday to acquire the right-hander in a trade with the Miami Marlins in their first major offseason move.

A person familiar with the deal confirmed the move to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it hadn’t been announced.

Chicago agreed to send outfielder Owen Caissie and infield prospects Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon to Miami for Cabrera, who went 8-7 with a 3.53 ERA in a career-high 26 starts and 137 2/3 innings last year.

Caissie, 23, could compete for a starting job with the Marlins after making his major league debut in August. Caissie, a second-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft, hit .192 in 12 games with the Cubs, but he batted .286 with 22 homers and 55 RBIs with Triple-A Iowa last season.

Cabrera is eligible for arbitration and cannot become a free agent until after the 2028 season.

The Cubs finished second in the NL Central last year with a 92-70 record. They made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 before they were eliminated by Milwaukee in a five-game NL Division Series.

Cabrera, who turns 28 in April, joins a deep rotation that also includes Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon. Colin Rea and Javier Assad are two more starting options, and Justin Steele is coming back from left elbow surgery on April 18.

The 6-foot-5 Cabrera made his major league debut with Miami in 2021. He is 25-29 with a 4.07 ERA in 87 career starts and two relief appearances.

Cabrera arrives in Chicago with some injury concerns, including recurring blisters on his right middle finger. He also was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 1 with a right elbow sprain. He returned on Sept. 23 and pitched five shutout innings against the New York Mets in his final start of the season on Sept. 28.

While the addition of Cabrera strengthens Chicago’s rotation, Caissie was expected to compete for time in right field. Kyle Tucker is expected to leave the Cubs in free agency.

Miami went 79-83 in its first season under manager Clayton McCullough, a 17-game improvement from its last-place finish in 2024. Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez lead the team’s rotation.

Hernandez, 22, batted .252 with seven homers and 53 RBIs for High A South Bend last year. De Leon, 18, played for the Cubs’ team in the Arizona Complex League in 2025, hitting .276 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 43 games.

Also Wednesday, the Cubs claimed left-hander Ryan Rolison off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. Rolison made his big league debut with Colorado in May.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

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“Step in the Right Direction”: Connecticut DMV Commissioner Calls for More Reforms to State Towing Law to Protect Drivers

Despite a slew of reforms enacted last year to rein in the practices of towing companies, more needs to be done to protect consumers whose cars face removal and possible sale, the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles said Tuesday.

DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera laid out five recommendations he plans to make for the legislature to consider during its session that begins in February. The recommendations follow a Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica investigation that exposed how state law for decades favored towing companies at the expense of low-income consumers. They also follow months of meetings with a group of industry and consumer representatives.

The recommendations would require towing companies to make more effort to notify owners that their cars have been towed and streamline the process by which the firms can sell unclaimed vehicles.

The commissioner announced his proposal at the last scheduled meeting of a working group of towing and consumer representatives. The group was created as part of a towing reform law passed last year after the news organizations showed how towing companies were seeking the DMV’s permission to sell some cars after as little as 15 days, one of the shortest time frames in the country. Many low-income residents were towed for minor violations, sometimes from their own apartment complexes, only to lose their cars when they couldn’t afford to get them back before they were sold.

If the legislature adopts the recommendations, towing companies would no longer place values on vehicles that they tow, which now determines whether a tower can start the sales process in 15 days or 45 days. Instead, all cars would be sold at a public auction after 30 days, Guerrera said.

Other recommendations include requiring towing companies to send two letters to the registered owner of the vehicle after it’s towed, one certified and one not. If the car isn’t claimed, towers would have to send a third letter to the owner after 30 days to inform them when and where the auction will be held. The towing companies would be required to either advertise the auction on their websites or publish legal advertisements in local newspapers.

The DMV would also be required to set up a portal on its website listing every towed car so that people can find out which tower has their vehicle, when it was towed and when the auction will be.

If a vehicle receives no bids and the car owner shows up, the towing company would be required to offer the car back to them at whatever their costs are before selling it for scrap.

There was little pushback from industry leaders or consumer advocates on Tuesday even though towing representatives had previously complained that the changes would add costs and consumer lawyers had objected that the recommendations didn’t go far enough to protect drivers.

The proposal also didn’t address the initial task the legislature assigned to the group: how to handle the profits from the sales of towed cars. Currently, towing companies are supposed to hold onto proceeds for a year so owners or lenders can claim them. After that, any unclaimed funds, minus towing fees, are required to be turned over to the state. But CT Mirror and ProPublica found that hasn’t happened in part because the DMV never set up a system to collect the money.

Guerrera said after the meeting that the DMV has set up a process to monitor whether towing companies are turning funds over to the state. He said they won’t know if the system is working until October because the money from sales of towed cars must be held for a year.

After Guerrera finished outlining his proposal, Eileen Colonese, secretary of the industry group Towing & Recovery Professionals of Connecticut, said Guerrera’s plan doesn’t address a key issue: The last registered owner of the vehicle is not necessarily the owner when it’s towed.

“I still believe that until the state of Connecticut comes up with a process to figure out who really owns the vehicles, all of this stuff that we’re doing is pretty much nonsensical because we’re still not notifying the current owner of the vehicle,” Colonese said.

Consumer advocate and attorney Raphael Podolsky said Guerrera’s recommendations are a “step in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of issues that need to be addressed until the system is fixed.”

Guerrera said his plan was “inspired” by the discussions during the previous four committee meetings. He said he hopes the portal on the state’s website will also help DMV personnel better track what towing companies are doing with vehicles.

Under the revised law, which went into effect on Oct. 1, towing companies must now give people warning before removing vehicles from apartment parking lots unless there’s a safety issue. They also must accept credit cards, let people retrieve their belongings and be available on weekends for people to pick up their cars. And although the sales process can begin after 15 days for vehicles worth less than $1,500, towers must wait 30 days before selling them.

Guerrera said he expects that the working group will keep meeting.

“I want to have continuous meetings, whether it’s quarterly or twice a quarter, to try and narrow down any issues that come up or that need to be fixed so that we can create a system that works for everybody,” Guerrera said.

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7 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend: Jan. 8-11

1 / Unwind at Mantle Thermal Haus

Kick off 2026 on a calming note at Cherrywood’s new hot (and cold!) spot, which opened just in time for the new year. Mantle Thermal Haus features cedar wood barrel saunas, refreshing cold plunges, cozy firepits, and a stylish indoor lounge, providing an inviting sanctuary for contrast therapy and relaxation. For more new wellness spots in town, click here. 2204 Curtis Ave.

2 / Catch a Show During Free Week

In the mood for some live music? The Red River Cultural District’s beloved annual event is back with dozens of free live performances from local bands including Billy King & the Bad Bad Bad, Me Nd Adam, Bright Light Social Hour, J’Cuuzi, and Good Looks. Check out the list of participating artists and venues here. Jan. 9-10, various times and locations

3 / Meet Gabby Thomas at Live Well, Your Way Day

Lean into healthy living during Live Well, Your Way Day at the South Congress H-E-B, which will feature cooking demos, health screenings and blood tests, and lots of fun giveaways. Don’t miss a special appearance and meet-and-great with local Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas. Jan. 10, 10 a.m., 2400 S. Congress Ave.

4 / Discover the New Poeta Location

New year, new home! Lauded Austin restaurant Poeta has relocated to East Austin Hotel and is opening its doors to the public this Thursday, Jan. 8. The concept will bring back its popular a la carte menu, featuring dishes like hand-rolled pastas, Italian-inspired entrees and desserts, and the beloved Wafflegato as a sweet treat. Opens Jan. 8, 1108 E. Sixth St.

5 / Stretch It Out During Yoga at Center Stage

Get into child’s pose and downward-facing dog during this free, all-ages yoga class on the Center Stage lawn at the EastVillage. The event features free Starbucks coffee, a supply drive for Austin Pets Alive!, and a 2026 Bingo bucket list card-making session after class. Bring your own yoga mat and water bottle. Jan. 10, 10 a.m., 3500 E. Parmer Lane

6 / Ignite Your Senses at the Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular

Feast your eyes and ears on an incredible medley of light and sound. Shine On, featuring the famed Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular, includes dazzling 3-D effects, concert lighting, large-screen video projection, lasers, and, of course, the iconic music of Pink Floyd. Jan. 9, 8 p.m., 713 Congress Ave.

7 / Work Out with the Dry January Fitness Series

Break a sweat before chowing down as Secret Disco and Juliet Italian Kitchen partner for weekly high-intensity workouts every Saturday this month. After the music-driven HIIT class led by Andrea Wright, enjoy discounted brunch and explore several local health, wellness, and N/A brands with samples and swag. Jan. 10, 10:30 a.m., 1500 Barton Springs Road

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Arlington ISD considers Texas’ pay-for-performance teacher program

by Chris Moss, Arlington Report
January 7, 2026

Arlington ISD teachers at 24 at-need schools could receive merit-based raises of up to $36,000 in the next few years.

District leaders are considering piloting Texas’ Teacher Incentive Allotment program. The program is meant to incentivize teachers to instruct in high-need schools.

However, some trustees are uncertain whether doing so would provide a boost in teaching and salaries or create culture issues.

Last year, trustees discussed the pros and cons of participating in the state’s Teacher Incentive Allotment program, which aims to give high-performing educators more money.

Trustee Sarah McMurrough said she has examined how the program works in other districts but questions how incentives are calculated and whether the measures used to determine those incentives are completely within a teacher’s control.

“I just wanted to voice that basing any kind of pay on a controllable (measure) is something that would provide equity and support for all of our hard-working teachers,” McMurrough said during an Oct. 16 board meeting.

Established in 2019, participating districts receive additional state money to give teachers raises based on measures decided by local leaders and the Texas Education Agency, such as results from STAAR tests and parent surveys.

When teachers apply for this funding, they can receive one of three designations that determine how much extra money they will get.

Recognized — This designation is given if 55% of students meet or exceed academic growth standards and if a teacher receives 74% of possible points during a teacher observation. The pay boost can be between $3,000 and $9,000, depending on the campus’s economic status.

Exemplary — This designation is given if 60% of students meet or exceed academic growth standards and if a teacher receives 78% of possible points during a teacher observation. The pay boost can be between $6,000 and $18,000, depending on the campus’s economic status.

Master — This designation is given if 70% of students meet or exceed academic growth standards and if a teacher receives 90% of possible points during a teacher observation. The pay boost can be between $12,000 and $32,000, depending on the campus’s economic status.

The pay boosts are subject to raise by fall 2026. A new designation, Acknowledged, will go into effect during the 2026-27 school year. The category will be given to eligible teachers who get 70% of the possible points during a teacher observation and 50% of their students meet or exceed the academic growth standards.

Districts select specific schools and teachers eligible for the program.

Dolloress Johnson, executive director of human resources, said the identified campuses have the greatest need for the program’s benefits of bringing in and retaining teachers.

The next step is to gauge teacher interest and see if the program is viable for the schools, Johnson said.

Neighboring districts, including Fort Worth, Crowley and Hurst-Euless-Bedford, either have such a program through the state or are joining soon.

Amanda Inay is currently a fourth-grade teacher at Fort Worth ISD who, in the 2022-23 school year, served as a Teacher Incentive Allotment ambassador for her campus.

Inay said that she completely understood the worries that McMurrough brought up about uncontrollable factors in designations.

McMurrough said that teachers could feel frustrated when they miss out on designations due to certain performance goals they feel are out of their control.

Currently, teachers can go through the National Board Certification program. If they receive the certification, they can also receive a Recognized TIA designation.

By using certain incentives, such as the National Board Certification, the issue could be alleviated since that is more in a teacher’s control, she said.

At the end of the day, finding a way to increase teacher pay is important, no matter if it is through the allotment or basic pay, Inay said.

“If (Arlington ISD) is going to go forward with the TIA, they need to make sure that they learn from neighboring districts, like Fort Worth, with some of the mistakes that can be made,” Inay said.

Arlington schools Superintendent Matt Smith said one of administrators’ largest concerns currently is that AISD won’t retain teachers who move to the district and already have a designation.

Teachers keep the designations for five years. The state continues to pay for the bonus if a teacher moves to a different nonparticipating district.

“The concern for us is not just the recruitment piece, because teachers can come here and continue receiving funds, but the concern is the retention piece of some of those great teachers that we might be getting from some other districts,” Smith said.

Trustee Larry Mike said he worried about state lawmakers pulling funds from the program.

But Smith said the state is all in on it. Legislators approved expanding the program so more teachers qualify during an overhaul of school funding signed into law this spring.

“It appears that this is where the chips are going,” Smith said.

If trustees opt in and the Texas Education Agency gives the go-ahead, Arlington ISD would spend a year capturing economic and academic data. Teachers would begin receiving designations the year after.

Trustee David Wilbanks, who threw his support behind the program last year, said the shifting tides of state funding are forcing the district’s hand.

“There’s just too much money at stake,” he said. “And if it’s free money for our teachers. Why would you leave that on the table?”

Chris Moss is a reporter for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@fortworthreport.org.

At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

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7 numbers that explain why the future of buildings is all-electric

It might seem like a dicey time for building decarbonization in the U.S., where edifices and the energy they consume account for about a third of the nation’s annual carbon pollution.

Republicans in Congress have cancelled tax credits that would have helped households save big on clean energy upgrades. The Trump administration is dismantling federal building-decarbonization policies and trying to block states and cities from setting rules that restrict fossil fuel use in homes and businesses. Even some Democrats who once championed such mandates U-turned last year: Los Angeles’ mayor repealed an ordinance that most new construction go all-electric, and New York’s governor delayed a similar statewide law previously slated to go into effect last week.

These are very real headwinds, but they’re not the whole story. Several key barometers suggest that building decarbonization is poised to pick up speed as consumers grow more worried about energy affordability, installers get familiar with electric tech, and policymakers and building owners alike recognize the health, comfort, and financial benefits of ditching fossil fuels.

Let’s dive into seven indicators — and a few bonus figures — that show why the momentum behind climate-friendly buildings may be unstoppable.

11.7%: Growth in fossil gas prices from September 2024 to September 2025

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index for piped gas ballooned more than twice as fast as that for electricity, and nearly four times as fast as overall inflation for all tracked items. That makes utility gas one of the leading causes of inflation, which could give customers pause on whether to depend on the fuel in the future.

The price surge is partly thanks to the fact that the U.S. has been increasing its exports of liquefied natural gas, squeezing the domestic fuel supply and driving up costs at home, said Panama Bartholomy, executive director of the nonprofit Building Decarbonization Coalition.

Gas customers are also shouldering growing infrastructure costs. Utilities have massively ramped up gas-system spending since the 2010s — a result of increased safety investments in response to some high-profile explosions that decade, as well as a sense of urgency stoked by state climate laws, Bartholomy said.

“Many [utilities] view this as a race against time,” he noted in a December interview. “We now have 15 states since 2020 that have started future-of-gas proceedings, where they’re actually [taking] a regulatory approach to how they’re going to wind down the gas system in their state.”

Utility spending on gas pipelines, storage facilities, and other upgrades has more than doubled in recent years, reaching $49.1 billion in 2023. Those costs ultimately fall on customers, who must pay them off via their monthly bills. (American Gas Association)

$2 billion to $7 billion: The amount of money U.S. utility customers could save each year if policymakers reformed gas line subsidies

In utility territories across 46 states and Washington, D.C., existing gas customers cover the cost of hooking up new customers to the system. The fees add up to $2 billion to $7 billion each year, according to an August 2025 analysis by the Building Decarbonization Coalition.

Policymakers and utilities in six states have reformed these “line extension allowances” to stop incentivizing growth of the gas system as well as to lower customer bills. Of the six, California, Colorado, and New York have eliminated the subsidies statewide. Another six states and D.C. are considering ending them.

Putting an end to gas-hookup subsidies is a fast-acting affordability measure, Bartholomy said. “States [that] stop subsidies in 2026 … are going to save people money in 2027.”

52%: The percentage of single-family homes that were built with electric heating in 2024

The majority of homes — both single- and multifamily abodes — are now built with electric heating, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s a big change over the last decade for single-family homes especially; in 2015, 60% were equipped with gas or propane heating, and just 39% were heated electrically.

Among multifamily buildings, electrically heated units accounted for 63% of new construction in 2015. In 2024, the share rose to 76%.

The agency doesn’t break down how many newly built homes have super-efficient heat pumps. But the next stat shows that the appliances are increasingly popular.

4.1 million: Number of air-source heat pumps shipped in the U.S. in 2024

Heat pumps beat out gas furnaces (3.1 million shipped in 2024) by their biggest margin ever, 32%, that year, according to data from the industry trade group Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute. The numbers for 2025 through October, the latest available, show heat pumps in the lead yet again.

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The January 6 revisionists won

Five years after the January 6 insurrection, the insidious counternarrative President Donald Trump’s MAGA media allies pieced together to excuse his conduct is the official position of the White House. In a sign of how firmly that revisionism has taken hold, on Tuesday, right-wing commentators largely parroted the Trump line on the storming of the U.S. Capitol, mocked those who care about that assault on American democracy, or remained silent.

After Trump lost the 2020 election, he initiated a well-telegraphed plot to use baseless claims of widespread fraud to subvert the vote and remain in power. Right-wing media, led by Fox News, championed his often deranged conspiracy theories, though Fox executives and hosts privately acknowledged they knew he had been defeated and his claims otherwise were lies.

The final phase of Trump’s seditious scheme involved getting Vice President Mike Pence to defy the U.S. Constitution and throw out slates of electoral votes from several states Trump had lost during the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021. Pence refused to follow Trump’s legally preposterous entreaties — but a mob of Trump supporters, summoned to Washington, D.C., by the president and inflamed by his rants about a rigged election, stormed the U.S. Capitol. The Trumpists injured scores of law enforcement officers and sent Pence and members of Congress into hiding before order was restored and the electoral votes were successfully counted.

Politicians of both parties, major corporations, and journalists of all stripes agreed in the immediate aftermath of January 6 that these events were horrific, and that Trump had been responsible. But Fox News and the right-wing media began chipping away at that fragile consensus almost immediately as a way of excusing Trump’s culpability — and their own. That 1/6 Truth movement, led by Tucker Carlson, produced an insidious counternarrative in which the protesters were righteous victims of overzealous law enforcement, helping to shore up Trump’s support and return him to office. And Trump, in turn, has purged from the GOP Pence and others who opposed his election subversion, and granted clemency to the 1,500 “J6 hostages” charged or convicted for crimes related to the insurrection.

On Tuesday, the White House celebrated the anniversary of January 6 with a splashy webpage laying out the false right-wing counternarrative of those events. The page celebrates those who stormed the U.S. Capitol “to protest a stolen election,” argues that “it was the Democrats who staged the real insurrection by certifying a fraud-ridden election,” blames Democrats and the Capitol Police for the violence that day, and condemns Pence’s refusal to end American democracy as a “betrayal of the president.”

Commentators on the right — including those on the right who once damned Trump’s role in the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol — show little interest in pushing back on these lies. Some have adopted the false narrative whole hog, while others have either seemingly made their peace with what he did or been effectively purged from the movement.

Newsmax champions the deranged White House counternarrative

For years, Newsmax personalities have propagated deranged conspiracy theories about January 6. As the attack on the Capitol was still unfolding, hosts and guests already began spreading false claims that the rioters were “antifa,” that Trump supporters had been infiltrated by “leftist groups,” or that George Soros was behind it.

Newsmax’s prime-time coverage on the fifth anniversary of the Capitol attack focused on parroting the Trump administration’s deranged narrative.

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Mediterranean Diet for Ulcerative Colitis: Should You Try It?

When considering the Mediterranean diet for UC, it’s helpful to remember it’s a general framework, not a highly specific diet with steps like eliminating certain foods, such as the low-FODMAP diet — another option sometimes suggested for those with gastrointestinal disorders.

That means the Mediterranean diet can be personalized to your needs, with some foods emphasized more than others, with the understanding that it may take some trial and error to find what works best for you, says Farhadi.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution [with] this type of diet or any other when you have UC, but there’s no harm in giving it a try to see if it works for you,” he says.

In terms of making the shift toward this way of eating, Dr. Williams says that you can ease into it by focusing on substituting certain foods for Mediterranean-style choices, such as:

Use olive oil or avocado oil in place of refined vegetable oils like soybean, corn, canola, or sunflower oil.
Replace red meat with poultry or a fatty fish like salmon or mackerel.
Have fruit for dessert rather than bakery items or sugary treats.
Use low-fat or nonfat dairy products like milk and yogurt instead of full-fat versions.
Replace white bread with whole-grain bread.
Try whole-grain pasta.
Dress a salad with olive oil and vinegar instead of a store-bought dressing.
Consider nuts and dates instead of chips as a snack.
Use herbs and spices as seasoning instead of salt.

“Remember, quantity isn’t the goal here, as portions with the Mediterranean diet tend to be smaller, because the food is more nutrient dense,” Williams says. “Instead, you’re focusing more on quality. If you need just one initial step, it would be to limit processed — and especially ultra-processed — foods.”

Although this style of eating can be helpful for UC symptoms and for your health in general, it’s important to pay attention to your body when a flare begins, because you’ll likely need to eat in a different way when you’re symptomatic, says Farhadi. For example, reducing fiber intake may be a way to get relief from issues like bloating, pain, and diarrhea during a flare.

“Like anything having to do with UC, it’s helpful to pay attention to your body and how you respond to dietary changes,” Williams says. “If the high amount of fiber from the Mediterranean diet seems to be problematic during a flare, reduce your intake and go back to it once your symptoms resolve.”

If you don’t know where to start and don’t already have a registered dietitian on your team, ask your doctor for a referral. A dietitian can work with you to design a Mediterranean diet plan that provides nutrition tailored to your specific needs.

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