As If the Flooding Wasn't Enough, Now Texas Has to Deal With These Demon Insects

August 28, 2017

WRITER

As if drowning weren’t enough to fear, Tropical Storm Harvey has brought another horror: floating “islands” of fire ants. People should beware of clusters of fire ants in flood waters, Houstonia Magazine reported. During a flood emergency, fire ants group together into a ball or a raft shape to float on the water.

Pat and Stu talked about the terrifying story on radio Monday.

Stu shared his unfiltered thoughts on fire ants as well as stories about getting bitten by the venomous insects. “They are the worst things that have ever appeared in the world,” he said. “They are borderline indestructible. … They are awful, they are everywhere, you can’t stop them.”

And look, guys. The ants are now just feet from house. pic.twitter.com/rt2aU7Uvm3
— Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) August 28, 2017

Houston isn’t just dealing with record rains, flooded homes and fire ant islands. Texas media outlets are also reporting alligator sightings, although bats seem to be less successful than fire ants at survival. Some of the bats at tourist destination Waugh Bridge have reportedly drowned in the flood.

But don’t believe every crazy creature story you see: Gizmodo pointed out that people are using Harvey as an excuse to resurface the rumor that sharks are swimming the streets. Spoiler alert: They’re not.

PAT: We're going off script now by talking about kind of a weird thing that's happening now in Houston, with -- there's an indestructible insect in this state.

STU: Yes.

PAT: Cannot be killed. And apparently, there are floating mounds of fire ants.

STU: I'll have the creepy-crawlies all day after reading this story. But it's true. There are floating fire ant colonies in Houston. Now, fire ants are -- it's like the devil's dandruff.

PAT: Uh-huh.

STU: They are the worst things that have ever appeared in the world. They are borderline indestructible.

PAT: Yes.

STU: I got bit by one weeks ago. And still itchy all over because of it. Even thinking about it now and getting the creepy-crawlies. They are awful. They are everywhere. You can't stop them.

I spend half of my time out in my backyard with various different crazy poisons that I'm sprinkling all over that will probably at some time kill my dog or something else-something else. But I just hate these things. I am like genocide-level dictator against fire ants. I'm like -- I'm in the middle of -- I am the worst humanity has ever produced when it comes to these fire ants. I just hate it.

PAT: They really are terrible. And they're extremely hard to kill.

JEFFY: Yes.

STU: Right. And so you would think when the entire city would be under a couple feet of water.

PAT: They would kill them.

STU: They would kill them. At least this batch of them. They have somehow -- and there's pictures of them.

JEFFY: Yeah, the floating islands.

STU: They have created islands and are floating through the streets, millions of fire ants on top of each other crawling, and ugh. The pictures are horrific. And if you were -- I mean, this happened -- my daughter, we were at church -- this was a couple years ago. She was maybe two. Maybe even one at this point. And there -- as you walked to the car, there's a strip of grass on the side of where our church is. And, you know, your kid will run away and be silly and decide to do what they do. So she ran away into the grass. What's the big? No big deal, right? And she walked up to this tree. And she put her back to the tree. And we said, Ainsely, come here. Come back.

And she started laughing. Not listening.

And said, come on, Ainsley. Let's go. Let's go.

And then she just stood there and she just looked at us and stopped and went dead silent for about five seconds, and then just started bawling.

PAT: Oh, man.

STU: We were like, what is going on? Like, at first, it's just, what is wrong with her? And she's standing in the same place. She's not moving or anything. She's just frozen in fear.

JEFFY: She's frozen. That's what happens man.

PAT: Oh.

STU: And she just starts crying like crazy. My wife runs over. And I'm covering over. And we look at her legs, and they are just covered in fire ants. She was standing in a mound of them.

JEFFY: Yeah.

STU: The entire field, she walked over and stopped in a mound of fire ants. So she's covered up to her knees. You know, it's dusting these things off. Her legs for the next three weeks were just these red welts everywhere.

JEFFY: Oh, yeah.

PAT: Oh, jeez. Yeah.

STU: These things are -- they are terrorists.

PAT: And they hurt. I mean, it hurts.

STU: It hurts, and then it itches for weeks afterwards. They are horrible.

And it's no surprise. Of all the things, they're going to make it through this freaking disaster. It's going to be fire ants. I hate them.

PAT: Fire ants and cockroaches are pretty much indestructible. You know, there's an idea, Jeffy had an idea that maybe that's what we drop on North Korea.

JEFFY: Thank you. Just drop mounds of fire ants on North Korea. Good day.

PAT: That will take care of the problem.

STU: It's actually not a bad idea.

They were talking about when North Korea was threatening to firing the missiles at Guam, that Guam apparently has had an issue with these snakes.

And, apparently, there's an invasive species of snakes on Guam where -- it's like to the issue of like there's so many -- it's like 100 times the amount of people, there are these crazy snakes. And, like, thousands of them are everywhere, apparently. That was the picture painted, at least.

PAT: Hmm.

STU: And the only way they could come up with to control this snake population is to airdrop poisoned mouse carcasses all over the island.

Can you imagine a plane flying over your island of paradise, and they're just dropping dead poison mice all over the place? But then the snakes eat them, and that's the only way they can control the population.

PAT: Bizarre.

STU: I mean, there is a legitimate -- first of all, you drop them from 75,000 feet. You go all the way up there. They can barely detect it. And these fire ants will live through that fall, I promise.

PAT: No question.

JEFFY: They're going to live? They're going to breed eight families --

PAT: They're going to double the population by the time they hit the ground.

STU: That's true. That's true. I think this is a good approach to North Korea, who by the way fired another missile I guess. And also, they're now threatening nuclear tests in the middle of all this. So Donald Trump has his plate pretty full right now.

JEFFY: Boy, no kidding.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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