[View Article at Source]Michigan Sec. of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, will oversee her own election results when she appears on the ballot.

Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, now a talking head on MSNBC, suggested during an on-air segment that President Donald Trump probably appears among the predators named in the infamous

Every SNAP food stamp recipient will now have to reapply and prove that he actually needs the benefits after the Trump administration found hundreds of thousands of dead people receiving benefits and

A new investigation by Tucker Carlsons team is raising sharp questions about the federal governments account of the July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump, focusing on major gaps in evidence,

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. This famous quote by Historian Lord Acton has been invoked time and again to comment on the dangers of unchecked power, especially when it comes to political and religious leaders, such as popes.While many popes have reigned honorably, there are some whom church officials would prefer to forget, especially Pope John XII. His 10th-century reign was a masterclass on Lord Actons warning, as he did much to sully the office in his eight years that few others have matched.Political Chess in the Eternal CityThe Roman Forum, photo by Katie Kalmykova. Source: UnsplashIn the lead up to the reign of John the Catholic Church had gone from an underground and persecuted movement to one that was heavily involved in power brokering on the Italian Peninsula, as evidenced by events like Pope Leo III placing the crown on the head of the Emperor Charlemagne in 800 CE.Throughout the next few centuries, as the world around Rome descended into chaos, people looked to the Vatican as the ultimate authority, as it was the most consistent and stable entity. This, of course, led many powerful Italian families to compete for control of the Church to further their own wealth and political position. They would scheme, bribe, and sometimes murder to get members of their families appointed as Bishops so they could have positionality in the church and maybe, eventually, don the mitre of the Pontifex Maximus; it probably wont come as a shock to hear that many of the men who became pope during this time were as far from Christ-like as one might get.The Reign of HarlotsPope Sergius III, 1493. Source: RijksmuseumDue to the almost constant political competition between noble families, the line of popes that entered office during the 10th century has been known collectively by a collection of unflattering terms: the pornocracy, the Rule of Harlots and the Saeculum Obscuruma latin phrase which literally translates as Dark Age due to the incomprehensible level of corruption and depravity.The men being installed as pope during this time were little more than the political pawns of the families and rulers who installed them in the papal office, and perhaps unsurprisingly, they were not up to the moral character youd expect from the Vicar of Christ. Some of the most memorable lowlights include:Sergius III, who probably fathered an illegitimate child who would eventually become a pope himself, John XI.Pope John X, who reportedly took many politically connected lovers to position himself for the papal chair and may have been murdered by one of them so that she could elevate her new favorite as Leo VI.Stephan VII, who had the audacity to walk around clean-shaven, which was apparently a really big deal.But even this list of clerical transgressions was nothing but a warm-up compared to what was coming.The Installation of Pope John XIIPope John XII Portrait, 16th century engraving. Source: Wikimedia CommonsThe details of the early life of Octavianus are a little sketchy. Born in the 930s to one of the most influential families of Italy, his father Albretch II guaranteed that his son would rise to the office of pope by the age-old method of swordpoint.Albrecht, who had taken control of the city by throwing his own mother and stepfather into prison, used his influence and power to make all the noble families and clergy swear they would appoint his son pope. This was far from legal, but the arrangement must have carried the required air of menace because in 955, Octavianus became the 130th pope at the age of 18. This made him the youngest pope in history, but despite that, he managed to make a very big impression.The Wickedness of John XIIThe Lateran Palace, 1630. Source: Wikimedia CommonsAlmost from the get-go, the young pope left his mark on the papal office when he could be bothered to attend to it. While there are some major issues with the contemporary sources, they do mostly agree that he was of lax morals, though they disagree to what degree.Accusations against him included flaunting his duties by going hunting, keeping company with many mistresses, and drinking to excess, with these being the lesser infractions.More serious charges include selling off Church offices and giving away Church lands to his mistress, invoking the name of pagan deities and the devil while gambling away the proceeds of these sales, and even turning the Lateran Palace, the original papal residence, into a brothel where prostitutes would roam the halls and engage in around the clock sex with the members of his court.Word of his lack of moral fiber whittled away at his support with the people of Rome as well as the powerful families of Rome, but what led to his downfall was his inflated sense of himself as a warrior.War in ItalyMarriage of the Lombard Queen to the Duke of Turin, by Fratelli Zavatarri, 1444. Source: Wikimedia CommonsBy the time of John XIIs reign, the size of papal landholdings had shrunk. Collectively known as the Patrimonium Patri or the Patrimony of Peter, these lands had been guaranteed by Charlemagne himself to finance the work of the church, but in the ensuing years, theyd slowly been gobbled up by other lords and nobles. John decided that he would be the one to bring them back into the papal fold, so he launched a campaign of reconquest that was so poorly planned that it is almost comical.His attack on the Lombards met with total disaster, forcing him to sue for peace, and his attack north against Berengar II, the King of Italy, so overextended his forces that by 960, he was reeling from a retaliatory attack against him that led to the King eventually pillaging his remaining lands.With the noble families of Italy now questioning both his military skill and his morals, he could see the writing and the wall and quickly began searching for support. Lucky for him it just so happened that there was a ruler with a big army and an even bigger grudge against the King of Italy.Otto the GreatCrown of the Holy Roman Emperor, 10th century. Source: Wikimedia CommonsOn the surface, it might seem suspicious that a far-away German king with a reputation for being an upstanding Christian would want to support a man like John XII, but the king had a good reasonlove. Otto, who was the ruler of Saxony, had married the woman whose husband had been the previous King of Italy before he was deposed by Berengar II. Fighting off the new King of Italy would help him avenge his bride, which made it appealing on its own, but when John XII sweetened the deal by also offering Otto the title of Holy Roman Emperor, he made haste toward Rome.By 961, the Italian king had been run off and cornered by Ottos powerful forces, and John XII crowned him emperor, swore eternal friendship, and also pledged that he would never ally against his new savior. Otto, in turn, professed his loyalty to the pope and swore to restore his lost lands, BUT there was one small yet very significant additionthe Ottonian Privilege. This edict contained a problematic clause that all future popes must pledge loyalty to the Holy Roman Emperor, and John felt that he, as the representative of God on earth, should not be the one doing the bowing. The plotting began almost immediately.John XIIs Flight From RomePope John XII and Otto I, c. 1450. Source: University of HeidelbergEventually Otto left Rome in order to finish off Berengar, who was under siege, and as soon as he left, John XII began trying to gather allies to oppose the very man who had just saved his papacy. Dispatching letters to military powerhouses like the Byzantines, the Hungarians, and even Berengar himself, turned out to be a huge mistake because all of the messengers were captured by Otto. Needless to say, the fact that his supposed ally was negotiating with his sworn enemy didnt go over so well.In 963, an enraged and dumbfounded Otto marched toward Rome to remove John XII. To his credit, John XII donned his armor and met Otto at the gates of Rome and even managed to push him back across the Tiber, but it was only a matter of time before Otto stomped his smaller force into dust. With defeat inevitable and the people of the city fed up with his antics and losses, John XII fled the city and took the entire papal treasury with him.A New PopePope Leo VIII. Source: Austrian National LibraryOtto re-entered Rome and demanded that Pope John return to stand trial for his betrayal and his many evils. When he refused to return to stand trial, Otto tried him in absentia, and it is from the documents that came out of this trial we learn of the depths of Johns depravity. His misdeeds, some true and some probably fabricated for effect, were put into the light, and many of Romes bishops signed off on installing a new pope as antipope, Leo VIII. Considering the issue dealt with, he left with his army, which proved to be a mistake.Leo VIII was a layman, not a member of the clergy, and his ascension was exclusively due to the threat of the many armed Germans who had just left. Seeing his moment, John XII managed to get word to his few remaining supporters to incite a rebellion that successfully drove the antipope from the city, allowing John XII to return.Upon returning, any hopes that John may have learned his lesson and reformed his evil ways were immediately dashed when he cruelly persecuted the bishops who had supported Leo with all kinds of insidious tortures like scourging, cutting out tongues, and even cutting off limbs.A Fitting EndThe Possible End of John XII, by Franco Cesati, 1861. Source: Wikimedia CommonsWhether or not his reign of terror would have continued is unclear because soon after his return, John XII died suddenly at the relatively young age of 28. There are two versions of how he died, but both involve the bed of a married woman. Whether he died from a stroke while engaged in the act of adultery or died when the womans husband threw him out of a window is unclear, but thus ended the life of one of the wickedest men to serve as Peters Heir.While it is pretty obvious that the most depraved accusations made against him were propaganda concocted to help with his removal, not all of the tales were false, and they served to soil the robes of many popes that came after. But worst of all were his disastrous political intrigues. By signing the Ottonian Privilege and encouraging imperial interference, he set in place a precedent that would cause consternation for the Church in the years that followed. It took nearly 100 years for the church to cleanse itself of the dark influence of historys most evil pope.

Certainly one of the most controversial popes, Pope Alexander VI was an infamous figure during his time and accrued a host of enemies as a result. He was a corrupt and ambitious figure who used his position to advance his familys power, leaving a legacy that has drawn much attention from historians as well as the media to the present.In fact, it could be argued that Pope Alexander VI and his familys legacy is just as relevant today as it was half a millennium ago.The Early Life of Rodrigo BorgiaThe Cathedral of Valencia in 2022, photograph by Fernando Pascullo. Source: Wikimedia CommonsIn Xtiva near Valencia in Spain in 1431, Rodrigo was born into the powerful and prominent Borgia family. Of great importance was his uncle Alfons, a bishop who had plans for achieving significant power within the Church. He supervised the education of the young Rodrigo, and the boy followed in his uncles footsteps. In 1444, Alfons became a cardinal, and the following year, Rodrigo began his career in the Church by being appointed sacristan in the Cathedral of Valencia.Church Life, Scandals, and MistressesThe Borgia Family by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1863. Source: Arthive/The Victoria and Albert Museum, LondonRodrigo then traveled to Rome and continued his studies in the Italian peninsula. He studied law in Bologna, and his uncle was elected Pope Calixtus III in 1455, following which Rodrigo was appointed to the rank of cardinal in 1456.The following year, Rodrigo became the vice-chancellor of the Roman Catholic Church. From this position, he became incredibly wealthy and lived a lavish lifestyle, entertaining powerful and wealthy guests in his villa.His uncle died in 1458, and Rodrigo helped Enea Silvio Piccolomini become Pope Pius II. Nevertheless, Rodrigo attracted harsh criticism from the new pope after Rodrigo attended a private party that turned into an orgy, although Rodrigo denied the party had descended to such levels of carnality. The truth of the incident remains unknown, but such allegations of depravity would come to feature prominently in the lives of the Borgias. Scandals involving mistresses were a major theme in Rodrigos life, and he fathered many illegitimate children. In 1462, his first son, Pedro Luis, was born to an unknown mistress, and the child was sent to Spain.Portrait of a woman (alleged to be Vannozza de Cattenei), by Innocenzo di Pietro Francucci da Imola. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Atlante dellarte Italiana/Galleria Borghese, RomeSeveral years later, probably sometime between 1466 and 1472, when Rodrigo had taken vows of celibacy, he began a long-standing affair with Giovanna Vannozza dei Cattenei, an Italian landlady who owned several inns. From this affair, four children were bornGiovanni or Juan (born in 1474), Cesare (1475), Lucrezia (1480), and Gioffre (1481 or 1482). During this time, Giovanna was married to Domenico dArignano and then Giorgio di Croce after dArignano died. The first marriage was officiated by Rodrigo, and the husbands were chosen with the knowledge that they would not object to the affair. According to some sources, there might have even been a third husband at some point.Around 1482, the relationship between Rodrigo and Vannozza ended, but Rodrigo made sure that his former mistress was well looked after and financially supported. However, her children were raised away from her.Road to the PapacyPortrait of Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere, by Pedro Berruguete, 1500. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Cleveland Museum of Art, OhioIn 1464, Pope Pius II died, and a new pope had to be elected. Rodrigo Borgia threw his support behind Pietro Barbo, who succeeded in the conclave to become Pope Paul II, who, in turn, supported Rodrigos position. In 1471, Paul II died suddenly, and a new conclave had to be held to select a successor.While Rodrigo could have run for the position of pope, at this time, he did not have enough support. This was largely due to the fact that there were only three non-Italians in the conclave, and the chances of a non-Italian being elected to the most powerful position in Christendom were very unlikely. So Rodrigo met with other cardinals and gathered support for Francesco della Rovere, who had few connections in Rome. Rodrigo believed that he would be able to maintain political influence over della Rovere.The ambitious Rodrigo succeeded in his plans, and Francesco della Rovere became Pope Sixtus IV. Rodrigos influence grew significantly, and he was made cardinal bishop. He was also appointed as the papal legate for Spain.After the death of Sixtus IV, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Cibo was elected, allegedly as a result of a backroom deal between Rodrigo Borgia and Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, who both agreed to support Cibo as a compromise candidate. The two cardinals gathered support for Cibo in return for various benefices, and on August 29, 1484, Cibo was invested as Pope Innocent VIII.After the death of Pope Innocent VIII in 1492, Rodrigo Borgia was perfectly positioned to take the papacy and, through allegations of simony, was elected as pope by a two-thirds majority.There was no evidence that bribery had taken place, and nothing could be proven, so Rodrigo Borgia, by the law that stood, became Pope Alexander VI.A New Pope and a New MistressPortrait of Pope Alexander VI, by Cristofano dellAltissimo. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Uffizi Gallery, FlorencePope Alexander first turned his attention to the increasing lawlessness that had gripped the city of Rome. The vigorous methods which the new pope used won the support of a grateful populace. Assassinations were rife within the city, and Alexander ordered investigations. Perpetrators were hanged on the spot, and their houses razed. Alexander also won favor by setting aside every Tuesday for men and women to air grievances before him.During his reign, he also improved the defenses of Rome and supported great architectural works that added to the cultural splendor of the Eternal City.At this time, the pope was also engaged in an extramarital affair with his next mistress, Giulia Farnese. It is unclear when the relationship began, but it is almost certain to have been before Rodrigo was elected pope. Farnese was married to Orsino Orsini, who was described as being squint-eyed and lacking in any self-confidence. His mother, Adriana de Mil, approved the affair, hoping it would gain her son higher status in the Church. At the time of the wedding in 1489, Farnese was 15, while Rodrigo was 58.The pope also used his influence to grant major titles and positions to his children at the expense of his neighbors, gaining him significant distrust for nepotism. Cesare was made a cardinal, while Juan became the Duke of Gandia. The pope even planned to carve out fiefs from the Papal States and Naples to create a Borgia state.In 1497, Juan was murdered, and his body was dumped in the Tiber River. Nothing could ever be proven, but it was suspected at the time that Cesare was the murderer, as the two brothers had had a long-standing rivalry. The Borgias, however, had many enemies, and suspects included the powerful Sforza and Orsini families.ConflictFrench troops and artillery entering Naples, from the manuscript MS 801 of the Pierpont Morgan Library Manuscripts Collection. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Les guerres dItalie, Jean-Louis FournelThe papacy of Alexander VI was one not only characterized by scandal but also by war. Under King Charles VIIIs rule, the French invaded in 1494, pressing the claim on the Kingdom of Naples. The French, however, were eventually forced out of Italy by The Holy League of 1495, an alliance between Milan, Venice, and the Holy Roman Empire, all supported in their endeavor by the pope.In 1498, after the murder of Juan, Cesare resigned as a cardinal and devoted himself to military matters. He conquered the duchies of Romagna, Umbria, and Emilia. Such was his success that he became the main influence for Niccolo Macchiavellis The Prince.In Rome, Alexander successfully nullified the power of many of his rivals, including the Orsinis and the Colonnas.The Death of Rodrigo BorgiaThe final resting place of the remains of Popes Alexander VI and Calixtus III, photograph Livioandronico2013. Source: Wikimedia CommonsOn August 18, 1503, Rodrigo Borgia died at the age of 72. Although poison was suspected at the time, the likely cause was malaria. By this time, he had become so unpopular that the priests of Saint Peters Basilica refused to receive the body and had to be coerced by papal staff to accept it.Without their fathers influence, the Borgia children lost their benefactor and most of their influence. Cesares endeavors to build a Borgia state in Italy came to naught. He ended up fighting for the King of Navarre and died in the field in 1507. Free from her relatives insidious politicking and ruthless intrigue, Lucrezia rose above her familys reputation and became seen as a respectable duchess after her fathers death.Pope Alexander VIs and the Borgia LegacyA Glass of Wine With Caesar Borgia, by John Collier, 1893, scanned by Dave Pape. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Daily Telegraph, King Alberts Book (London, 1914), page 152Few families in history have elicited such public scandal as that of the Borgias. The family was large, powerful, and incredibly ambitious. Many of the familys members vied for their own personal legacy, leaving a trail of disrepute in their wake and generating interest from the public, the media, and historians, not just of the era but also of modern times.The central figure of this interest is Rodrigo Borgia, the second Borgia pope and the father of children rich with wealth and determination. As such, the Borgias were beset by enemies at every turn, who used propaganda to sway public sentiment against the family. It is difficult to determine what is true, what is exaggerated, and what is nothing more than wild fabrication.One such event that is debated is the Banquet of Chestnuts, held in the Papal Palace and purportedly attended by 50 prostitutes. The account is only attested by one chronicler, Johann Burchard, and modern historians have erred on both sides regarding its veracity.Bust of Pope Alexander VI, photograph by Andreas Praefcke. Source: Wikimedia CommonsThe enduring perception is that the Borgia name is marred by accusations of scandalous sex, nepotism, incest, bribery, simony, assassinations, and torture, and no amount of patronage to the arts was ever able to redeem the familys name.While the Borgia name stands out amongst their contemporaries, it is also certainly true that many powerful people and families used corrupt and immoral means to attain their power. In the messy political scene of Late Medieval and Renaissance Italy, the Borgias can hardly be painted as being singular in their methods. Bribery, simony, sexual depravity, war, and brutality, amongst many other acts, were all commonplace and practiced on a grand scale. In fact, it was du jour for cardinals to have mistresses, and some even engaged in homosexual practices, while the brutality of Cesares military campaigns was far from unusual.The scandalous lives of the Borgias and Pope Alexander VI have garnered great popular interest. They have been the subject of novels, plays, television series, and even video games. As such, Pope Alexander VI has a very strong representation in pop culture to this day.

The Vikings lived in harsh, unforgiving northern Scandinavian lands. The Viking cultures of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway developed a strong but unforgiving culture. Common aspects to all three included rugged terrain, extended winters, and volatile seas. To survive, raiding became a primary source of survival along with trading or emigration. The Vikings soon developed a warrior ethos, brutality and endurance. Hardships were commonplace. Loyalty and fearlessness were prized, with death in combat seen as a worthy path to Valhalla. In the face of all this, the Vikings created these sayings to teach and educate. Hardship shouldnt be feared but prevailed over.Sayings Embracing Action Over EvasionViking runic stone.1. Wake early if you want another mans life or land. No lamb for the lazy wolf. No battles won in bedThe Vikings could never be described as passive; a warrior ethos shaped their society. Raiding was a rite of passage. Given that, the sayings meaning tells the listener to rise with purpose. The early riser gets out raiding or defends territory before others are up. One must act before others do.2. Fight your foes in the field, nor be burnt in your houseA saying from the Icelandic tale The Volsunga Saga, this motto tells the warrior to fight.Not to stand but to confront the enemy head-on. Hiding is cowardice and dishonorable. And to a Viking, dying without fighting is the ultimate disgrace.Sayings that Challenge Fear and FateThe Norns, from Asgard Stories: Tales from Norse Mythology, by Mary Foster and Mabel Cummings, 1901, Source: My Norse Digital Image RepositoryFor the Vikings, fate became fixed and unescapable. As with other cultures, their mythology and literature reflected this. For the warrior, he must accept his wyrd (fate).3. Fear not death, for the hour of your doom is set and none may escape itThis saying shows that ones fate is predetermined. The Norns, three Norse deities who determined a persons fate, spun a Vikings fate. What mattered in this life is how the warrior met that end. The warrior must choose to meet it with honor.4. None but a coward dares to boast that he has never known fearIn a culture that values courage, boasting about being fearless is bravado. Even Odin feared Ragnarok, but prepared for this final battle.Those of Forging Resilience and ResolveNorse hero Sigurd killing Fafnir from the door panels of the Hylestad stave church, now at the Historisk Museum, Oslo, Norway. Source: Wikimedia CommonsWhile swords are critical in any fight, courage and resolve matter more. Its just not the hand wielding the weapon.5. The brave man well shall fight and win, though dull his blade may be6. When men meet foes in fight, better is stout heart than sharp swordQuoted from the Viking poem Fafnismal, this saying suggests that sharp swords are crucial in a conflict. Yet the warriors blade must be matched by their resolve. A fine wielded by a coward is just that-a nice weapon. Even Odin prized wisdom and valor over sheer force to earn their reward.7. Bravery is Half the VictoryThis saying, sourced from the Havamal, a collection of traditional poems attributed to Odin, means that bravery is more than a virtue. Before any fight, a Norse warriors bravery should be without question. Conquering fear killed the warriors worst enemy.The Value of Legacy and ReputationOdin fighting the Fenris Wolf. Source: World History EncylopediaThe Vikings prized reputation highly. Victorious warriors in heroic tales echoed through time like Sigurd defeating a dragon. Scandinavian society equally prized legacy and honor. Their reputation and actions affected their kin (family) too. Personal and family legacy mattered, and deviations could mean exile or worse. Many of their sayings took on these issues, teaching their ethics.8. Cattle die, kinsmen die, all men are mortal. Words of praise will never perish, nor a noble nameThe quotes definition is layered. Found in the Havamal (quotes attributed to Odin), the first comments on cattle dying. Cattle to Vikings symbolized wealth. Yet all possessions are temporary. The rest states that death is unavoidable, even for the Norse gods. For all, the final battle of Ragnarok looms.Finally, the last line displays the rich Viking oral tradition: great deeds and noble names will live on through praise. The Viking sayings quoted here show that hardship is unavoidable. What mattered was how the person responded by using bold actions, a sharp sword, and resilience.A Visual RepresentationA Wintry Arctic Fjord. Source: PXHereThe Vikings reflected these in their runes, typically inscribed on materials such as stone or metal. The eiwaz rune, or yew tree, represented resilience and endurance in the face of adversity. Eiwaz represents the ability to be stronger after strife. The Vikings shared these sayings through an oral tradition. These vehicles include tales, proverbs, and poetry (sagas). Much later, these sayings would be written down.

2025 has been a stacked year for racing fans.

I think we all remember when Microsoft shockingly closed Tango Gameworks in May 2024, even after the studio delivered a rhythm-action masterpiece with Hi-Fi RUSH and also how KRAFTON eventually swooped in, acquired the team, and pulled it back from limbo.

I've always loved World of Warcraft. From the moment I stepped foot in Azeroth at the beginning of Mists of Pandaria, I knew that Blizzard's iconic MMO really was something special. But, as expansions have gone by and my real-life has grown ever-busier, diving into a raid after work isn't as easy a sell as it once was. Keeping up with the grind is a real struggle, one that I'm unwilling to insert myself into. That, however, is where Fellowship comes in. Distilling WoW's raiding down into bite-sized missions with shared gear, it's fast become my favorite multiplayer game of this year (look, that rhymed).Read the full story on PCGamesN: Grab a free Steam key for Fellowship, the dungeon-diving RPG mixing the best bits of WoW and Diablo 4