By Tony Perkins, CP Op-Ed Contributor Saturday, March 14, 2026 | ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty ImagesSir Edmund Burke, in a speech to the Electors of Bristol in 1774, said: Your representative

[View Article at Source]The Olympics should be a unifying occasion, not an outlet for political acrimony.The post More Sport, Less War appeared first on The American Conservative.

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on March 13, 2026. Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesWall Street stocks closed lower for a third consecutive week as rising oil prices, higher bond yields,

Fragments of two mosaic floors from Late Antiquity unearthed in Berat, Albania, have been identified as the remains of Christian basilicas. This sheds new light on the urban layout of the ancient city of Antipatrea about which very little is known.Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its unique historic downtown characterized by 18th and 19th century Ottoman structures and urban design, but human presence in the area goes back to the 4th/3rd millennium B.C. and there is evidence of an urban settlement in Berat defined by defensive walls dating to the 7th-6th century B.C. According to Livy, the walls were destroyed and the city burned down by Roman forces under the command of consul Publius Sulpicius Galba in 200 B.C. during the Second Macedonian War.After that, there are no references to Antipatrea in ancient sources until the 5th century, when Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II (401-450 A.D.) was said to have rebuilt the walls and renamed the city Pulcheriopolis after his sister Pulchera. It was an episcopal seat in the Byzantine period, and Justinian the Great built a fortress on the hilltop that would later be rebuilt several times until it fell under the rule of Venetian Republic in 1420.Because of its historically significant urban center and because of its many cycles of destruction and reconstruction, almost no archaeological material from Antipatreas ancient history has come to light. There has never been a systematic archaeological investigation of the citys historic center. The first excavation began in 1973 and continued for two years, focusing on the castle/fortress in the upper city. Remains of ceramic kitchenware and imported pottery from Late Antiquity (4th-6th century A.D.) were found near the castle gate. After that, there was one more excavation of the castle area in 1987 and then no further archaeological exploration.The first mosaic was discovered during construction of a new network of water hydrants in the castle in 2012. It was fragmentary and a burn layer on the surface attested to how the building had met its demise. It covered an area of about 20 x 11 feet and featured geometric designs in polychrome tesserae (white, red, pink, violet, gray and black) and a very fragmentary inscription in Greek that was probably a dedication to the donors who funded the construction of the church.The second was unearthed during construction of a new drainage system under the foundations of the Kings Mosque in the lower city in 2018. It was a much smaller fragment, about 7.4 x 2.6 feet, of a polychrome mosaic created in the opus tesselatum technique. It too showed traces of burning on the surface and a fragment of a Greek inscription.One word is clearly preserved: Theotokos, meaning Theotokos or Mother of God. The inscription mentioning the term Theotokos is an important clue for dating the mosaic. This title took on a central place in Christian theology after the Council of Ephesus in 431.For this reason, researchers believe that the mosaic was created after this event. In combination with other archaeological findings, such as coins found in the layers above the mosaic, including one from the time of Emperor Justinian II, it is assumed that the mosaic dates from the late 5th century or early 6th century AD.While the findings were published locally, the discoveries were only revealed outside of Albanian publications in late 2025 as international researchers studied the documented finds, their construction methods and materials, design styles and inscription fragments. Motifs found in the mosaics intersecting octagons, ivy scrolls, undulating interlaced bands, offset adjacent scales, laced circles, guilloche borders, simple filet borders were compared to decorative models of other mosaics in Albania, North Macedonia and Italy, but researchers believe they were created by local craftsmen. One border element, a dentilled simple filet border with dentiles three tesserae wide, found in the castle mosaic is unique on the archaeological record of Albania.The materials used limestone and terracotta match the sources found in the region. The style is particularly similar to mosaics from nearby sites such as Bylis and Butrint. This suggests that there was a network of craftsmen who traveled between cities and decorated early Christian churches throughout the Balkans.The two mosaics in different locations, the one in the castle inside the old walls and the one in the lower city outside the walls, show that there were at least two churches in the city in Late Antiquity. The significant Theotokos inscription, the rarity of the dentilled simple filet border, the impressive size of the mosaic inside the old walls all point to Antipatrea having been been an important early Christian community. It also lends a new perspective on the Codex Beratinus Purpureus Phi, aka the Codex of Berat, a 6th century illuminated manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark written in silver ink on purple parchment that was kept at Berat since at least the 14th century. Previous scholars didnt think the highly important manuscript, one of just seven purple codexes was directly connected to the city, that it coincidentally found its way after it was produced elsewhere. The discovery of the mosaics and basilicas is evidence that the city was much more prominent during the time of Justinian the Great than previously realized, and makes it entirely plausible that the Codex came from there.

On Halloween, 2006, 18-year-old Nikki Catsouras crashed her fathers Porsche 911 Carrera, driving at more than 100 miles per hour. While trying to switch lanes, she clipped another car, lost control, then careened over the highways median across the traffic lanes and into a concrete toll booth.When police arrived minutes later, they found Catsouras body still strapped to the drivers seat. Her head, however, was no longer attached to it. The wreckage and scene were so brutal that the coroner wouldnt let Catsouras parents identify her body, but unfortunately, the couple werent spared from seeing the gruesome scene.Nicole Nikki Catsouras underwent radiation therapy as a young girl, which may have caused issues with her judgment later in life.Photographs of Nikki Catsouras death had somehow found their way onto the internet, and they spread quickly. MySpace pages seemingly made as a tribute to Catsouras instead posted the photos of her horrifying accident. Catsouras parents received countless emails containing the photographs. There was no escaping their trauma.This is the story of Nikki Catsouras death and the controversy surrounding the leaked photos of her fatal accident.Who Was Nikki Catsouras?Nicole Nikki Catsouras was born on March 4, 1988 in Orange County, California. At 18, she was a college freshman living at home with her parents. She was shy and creative, studying photography and working with children in special education, Patch reports.According to Newsweek, however, the Catsouras familys life wasnt as perfect as it may have appeared on the outside.When Nikki was eight years old, doctors discovered a tumor in her brain that they initially didnt think she would survive. Although the tumor ended up being benign, the intensive radiation treatment Nikki underwent had lasting effects on the young girl. Doctors warned her parents, Christos and Lesli, that side effects might one day surface, possibly impacting Nikkis impulse control and judgment.FacebookThe Catsouras family on the day of Nikkis high school graduation.In the summer of 2005, Nikki began using cocaine and wound up in the hospital in a state of psychosis induced by the drug. Her parents attributed this lapse in judgment to her radiation therapy. But this didnt put a stop to her cocaine use.The Deadly Accident That Saw Nikki Catsouras Become Known As Porsche GirlNikki Catsouras used cocaine again on Oct. 30, 2006, the night before her deadly accident.Christos and Lesli considered checking their daughter into the hospital, but instead agreed to take her to a psychiatrist the following day, one who specialized in brain disorders. They all went to sleep, and the next day, on Halloween, they ate lunch together. Christos left for work shortly after. As he said goodbye to his family, Nikki smiled at him from the couch, flashing him a peace sign. Everything was seemingly in order.FacebookNikki Catsouras with her parents, Christos and Lesli.However, about ten minutes later, Lesli saw her husbands prized Porsche 911 Carrera pull out of the driveway and speed off. Nikki was behind the wheel. It was uncharacteristic of the teenager to do something so reckless. In fact, Nikki had never even been allowed to drive the Porsche before.Lesli called her husband to inform him of what their daughter had done. He immediately turned his car around and phoned 911. A dispatcher put him on hold, and Christos watched as two police cars flew by him on the road. The dispatcher came back on the line and informed Christos that there had been an accident.Police later told Christos and Lesli that their daughter had been speeding along the highway at more than 100 miles per hour when she tried to switch lanes and clipped another car. The collision sent her spiraling out of control over the median, across the traffic lanes, and into an unmanned toll booth. The car was almost entirely crumpled in on itself. An autopsy revealed that Nikki still had cocaine in her system.But the Catsouras nightmare was only beginning.Photos Of Nikki Catsouras Accident Leak OnlineAs is protocol, the California Highway Patrol took photographs of the accident. The carnage was so gruesome that Lesli and Christos were not allowed to identify their daughters body her head had been detached from her body. Unfortunately, it didnt matter. The Catsourases quickly saw the accident in full detail when photos of their dead daughter began appearing all over the internet. FacebookThe crumpled Porsche Nikki Catsouras crashed on the highway. This is the only photo that doesnt feature significant amounts of gore.According to ABC News, the couple soon began to receive anonymous emails and texts containing photographs of Nikkis accident. They spread around the internet, appearing on everything from MySpace to porn sites and forums dedicated to pictures of dead people. Comment sections were filled with cruel statements like that spoiled rich girl deserved it and what a waste of a Porsche.Lesli had to stop checking her email, and the couple forbade their three other daughters from using the internet. Nikkis 16-year-old sister Danielle had to be taken out of school because she received threats of being shown the photographs.There were threats that people were gonna put the pictures on my locker, in my locker, Danielle said. I remember her in such a great way, I dont wanna see it and have that image stuck in my head. But how had the photos made it online in the first place?According to the Catsouras attorney Keith Bremer, One of the officers emails some of the photographs to a dispatcher, and then the dispatcher emails them outside the Police Department. And then from there, you know, it created a life of its own and created momentum and it just, it just exploded.The Catsouras Familys Legal Battle Against The California Highway PatrolThe Catsourases tried as much as they could to get the photos taken down from sites where they were posted. They issued countless cease-and-desists, reached out to site owners directly, and tried advanced coding techniques to make the photos more difficult to find via Google. None of it worked. This was the internet. And once the photos went up, they were never coming down.FacebookNikki Catsouras father always called her Angel.The California Highway Patrol eventually sent a letter of apology to the family, identifying the two dispatchers who had leaked the photos in the first place: Thomas ODonnell and Aaron Reich. Reichs attorney argued that the dispatcher had sent the photos to relatives and friends as a cautionary tale to warn them of the dangers of reckless driving, though this information did little to alleviate the Catsouras family.The family ultimately sued the California Highway Patrol for negligence, privacy invasion, and infliction of emotional harm. As the Los Angeles Times reported, the California Highway Patrol wound up settling with the family, paying them roughly $2.37 million in damages and issuing the following statement:No amount of money can compensate for the pain the Catsouras family has suffered. We have reached a resolution with the family to save substantial costs of continued litigation and a jury trial. It is our hope that with this legal issue resolved, the Catsouras family can receive some closure.In the end, the Catsourases knew they would never be able to fully remove the photos from the internet, but expressed hope that sharing their story could help other families who find themselves involved in similarly dark situations.I feel like no one really realized she was a person, and they in a sick way got really entertained by this photograph, Danielle said. And its just sad that someone can feel the need to put it out and keep it going on and harming others by putting it up.After reading about Nikki Catsouras tragic death and the controversy that followed, learn about Alexis Neiers and her role in the Hollywood Bling Ring. Or, read about the tragic death of Len Bias and how it helped fuel the War on Drugs.The post The Tragic Story Of Nikki Catsouras Death And The Leaked Photos Of Her Grisly Car Crash appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Charles Manson may be considered an inhuman monster to many, but Americas most infamous cult leader was once a seemingly normal, married man.Before The Beatles inspired his Helter Skelter race-war mantra and before the horrific Sharon Tate murders came to fruition, Charles Manson was just someones husband. Charles Mansons wife, or first wife that is, probably could not have foreseen that their marital bliss would give way to violent chaos.She said that the Charles Manson that she married was not the monster that broke into the headlines 15 years later, a friend of Charles Mansons wife said. So who was this woman, 15-year-old Rosalie Jean Willis, who was willing to make an honest man of a young Charles Manson?Rosalie Jean Willis Becomes Charles Mansons WifeTwitterRosalie Jean Willis was a 15-year-old hospital waitress when she met the future cult leader.Its often said that the freewheeling hippie era of the 1960s came to a sordid, violent end when the Manson Family butchered five innocent people on Cielo Drive one August night in 1969. The momentum of optimism and positive energy that saw an entire generation rise up against the old guard was carved up and silenced that night in the Hollywood hills.But before this tragic shift gave way to the 1970s, Vietnam, and Richard Nixon, the 1950s saw even people like Charles Manson live seemingly traditional lives. In 1955, the notorious would-be satanist stood at the altar and became an honest man.In 1955, when white picket fences comprised the countrys spiritual aesthetic, Charles Manson married Rosalie Jean Willis.Willis came from a family which settled in Benwood, West Virginia. Born on January 28, 1937, her parents split when she was still young. Willis was one of three girls and a brother and worked as a waitress in a hospital. Sometime in the early 50s, her father a coal miner befriended a young man who had moved to Charleston, West Virginia with his mother Kathleen Maddox.His name was Charles Manson, who was then 20 years old. The two were married within the year on Jan. 17, 1955.After their marriage in 1956, Rosalie Jean Willis gave birth to Charles Jr. while Manson was in prison.When Rosalie Jean Willis was three months pregnant, the newly-married couple moved to Los Angeles where Manson supported his small family by stealing cars and working odd jobs across town. It was a good life, and I enjoyed the role of going off to work every morning and coming home to my wife, Manson once said, She was a super girl who didnt make any demands, but we were both just a couple of kids.Willis reportedly knew her young husband had a criminal past, but believed that could change him. Unfortunately, that proved impossible. Manson was soon arrested for having taken a stolen vehicle across state lines, which is considered a felony one that landed him in Terminal Island prison in San Pedro, California after failing to appear in court. Willis had only been married for a year and was now handling her pregnancy alone.Wikimedia Commons.Charles Mansons booking photo at Terminal Island. 1956.Charles Manson Jr. was born in 1956. Thankfully, Rosalie Jean Willis mother-in-law graciously supported the single mom while her husband was incarcerated.Together, the three frequently visited the newfound criminal in prison, but this difficult, unexpected situation wasnt tenable for Willis in the long run. In March 1957, Maddox revealed to her son that Charles Mansons wife had moved in with another man. The visits to prison ended here and resulted in a seemingly inevitable divorce the following year. As for Charles Manson Jr., the boy was only 13 when the Tate murders shocked the nation. Hed spend the rest of his short-lived life trying to distance himself from his fathers shadow but tragically failed to overcome that trauma. He shot himself in the head when he was 37 years old.Tragedy Follows Charles Mansons WifeA body of one of the five Manson family victims is wheeled out of the Tate home.The man Willis had been living with Jack White soon became the single mothers second husband. They had two more sons together: Jesse J. White was born in 1958, while his brother Jed was born the following year. Charles Manson Jr. eventually changed his name to Jay White after his new father.In contrast to her brief marriage to Manson, this second union with White spanned quite a few years for Rosalie Jean Willis. Ultimately, however, this promising marriage ended in divorce in 1965. Willis eventually gave marriage another chance when she married Warren Howard Jack Handley. For a few good years, Willis managed to live a normal, perfectly happy life. The tides tragically turned, however as though she were doomed. All three of her children died while she was alive and none of them died from natural causes.Charles Manson Jr. changed his name to unchain himself from the Manson name.11-year-old Jeds death in January 1971 was a complete accident. He was playing with a friend in the home of a Louis Morgan when his 11-year-old friend shot him in the gut. Jesse followed. When he was 28 years old, a friend discovered him dead in a car. The two had been drinking at a Houston, Texas bar all night, and left on seemingly innocuous terms. Unfortunately, Jesse had a drug habit which ended in an overdose that night. Meanwhile, Willis suffered somewhat from the gossip that necessarily accompanied being the ex-beau of Charles Manson. Her son who had his name was quick to inform others as to who his father was. Word allegedly spread and Willis was often treated as an outcast by her coworkers. Simultaneously, however, Charles Manson Jr. had difficulty grappling with who his father was.Charles Jr. Willis and Mansons first-born son died six years later. The 37-year-old had been plagued by the truth that his flesh and blood was that of Charles Manson, the psychopathic thorn in Americas side. TwitterRosalie Jean Willis with her son, Charles Manson Jr., who had changed his name to Jay White. Date unknown.In 1993, he took his own life on the side of a highway in Burlington, Colorado near the Kansas state line. While alive, he actively distanced himself from his son because he feared becoming a damaging figure to him as Manson had been to him when he was young. In the end, he shot himself in the head. Rosalie Jean Willis outlived all three of her children.The Legacy Of Rosalie Jean WillisOn a brighter note, Charles Jr.s son, Jason Freeman, successfully managed to overcome his familial demons and pave his own way. Willis grandson has since become a kickboxing cage fighter who came out as a descendant of the cult leader in 2012 in order to destigmatize the Manson name.While his own family ordered him never to mention Charles Manson during his childhood, Freeman was desperate to break the family curse and express how he wanted nothing more than for his late father to have been able to reconsider suicide before pulling the trigger.A 700 Club interview with Jason Freeman, who is Charles Manson and Rosalie Jean Willis grandson.Handley died in 1998. Rosalie Jean Willis lived for another 11 years before passing on herself. Much about the people in Mansons life even those at one point closest to him, such as Willis remains unknown.A work colleague of hers in the 1970s, however, revealed that she was extremely personable and had a tremendous sense of humor. Fortunately, her grandson Jason Freeman can carry on her legacy and live a good life for all the Manson kids who were too troubled to continue on themselves.After learning about Charles Mansons first wife, Rosalie Jean Willis, look into the life of another one of his children, Valentine Michael Manson, born to Mary Brunner. Then, check out Charles Manson quotes that are weirdly thought-provoking.The post Meet Rosalie Jean Willis, The Woman With Whom Charles Manson Tried To Lead A Normal Life appeared first on All That's Interesting.