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Top 10 Idiots

Top 10 Idiots's Journal
Top 10 Idiots's Journal
July 29, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-6: Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV. Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-6: Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV. Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? Are you guys doing fucking good? I know, right? Now you might be asking “Where is the Wheel Of Corruption”? Well, that’s one of those things that is meant for a live audience and we’ll bring it back when we can have live audiences again. But since we’re stuck at home it would be impossible to put the wheel and all its’ various controls and setup is not meant for a home audience, it is currently lying dormant in a large warehouse next to the Arc Of The Covenant. But it will be back, that is one thing we can assure you! And we might feature some clips of religious conservatives saying and doing stupid things from time to time. Do we have time for the thing? Of course we do! Man we are so bored right now that the news is literally repeating itself, and how do I know this? Because way back in Idiots #3-8, I reported on the creepy clown motel in Tonopah, Nevada. Well, this hotel is back in the news because since COVID has made people afraid to fly on planes right now, people are talking about bringing back a long lost American tradition - the road trip. And what better road trip than to relieve something that looks like it could be stolen out of a horror movie? Well come on it’s a creepy clown hotel that’s located right next to a cemetery! What’s creepier than that? Hey kids, you want to see a dead body? Well, COVID might take care of that one but I’m not touching that one with a 10 foot pole. OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first, John Oliver is back and he delves into some actual human trafficking in China, and well, it’s more horrifying than you could ever possibly imagine:



Where do we begin this week? Another crappy week under COVID, of course. But in the #1 slot this week is the DOJ (1)! Yes, Trump’s DOJ has employed a secret police to Portland and is actively rounding up citizens. This is the government that your creepy, conspiracy theory loving uncle has been warning you about this whole time! Taking the second slot this week is of course the guy who we inexplicably still call president, Donald J. Trump (2), and he went on Fox News and took a cognitive test, and subsequently proved that he is a literal conservative idiot! At slot #3, is Kanye West (3), and he has lost his shit big time in his “run” for president, even though we know it’s secretly a plot to plug his new album which drops next week! Taking the 4th slot this week, is the Maskholes (4), and what is happening in the beach community of Newport Beach? I think the Sheriff Of Malibu might want to have a word with these idiots! Taking the 5th slot this week is of course our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week we’re going to update you on the latest on COVID vaccines and treatments – and answer the question “when can we get back to normality?” Hopefully sooner than later! Taking the sixth slot this week, is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” and this week, speaking of COVID, our resident pastor is going to present to you some churches attempting to make their own miracle cures for this dreaded virus! Don’t drink the Kool-Aid! At slot #7, is a new edition of “People Who Somehow Got Elected” and this week, after making some absolutely hideous comments about schools reopening, we’re going to add Missouri governor Mike Parson (7) to our ever-growing list! Taking the 8th slot this week is a new edition of Conspiracy Corner (8), and this week, after Q Anon fans targeted home furniture manufacturer Wayfair in their sex trafficking scheme, Twitter has finally announced that they’ve had enough! Break out the tin foil hats! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is a new “I Need A Drink” (9), and we welcome the return of baseball (sort of) but one team is noticeably absent from the season – the Toronto Blue Jays! Our friends to the north are nowhere to be found and we will get drunk and get to the bottom of this mystery! Finally this week, is our Road To The White House (10) coverage, and this week former president Obama sits down with future president Joe Biden, and we will bring you the highlights! Man, I miss presidents who could speak in complete sentences! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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So in case you’re wondering what some good old fashioned iron-fist style autocracy will look like when it comes to the United States Of America, well guess what? It’s already here! Because we got a glimpse of what it would look like in Portland last week. See, the protest zone in downtown Portland is only two blocks long and two blocks wide. But if you saw Fox News last week you’d think the whole damn city was burning down and that the Taliban was taking over! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! We’re all gonna die by protestors!!! Well maybe not really, but while the rest of us are staring in horror, here’s the real shit that went down that Fox won’t tell you.

Attorney General William P. Barr forcefully defended the federal response to long-running protests in Portland on Tuesday, telling the House Judiciary Committee that the protests had become violent. The federal intervention has been condemned by state and city officials, but Mr. Barr argued it was necessary to prevent violence from spreading to other American cities.

The nightly protests in Portland, which began in late May as a response to the police killing of George Floyd, have become the backdrop for a conflict between federal officials and local leaders. Mr. Barr and other federal officials have drawn attention to vandalism and other reckless behavior on the part of the protesters, while city officials have said that federal agents dispatched to the district court in downtown Portland have exceeded their authority and harmed peaceful protesters.

There are currently 114 federal law enforcement officers in Portland, according to a legal filing from the U.S. attorney’s office, drawn from various agencies including Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Protective Service. Their presence has reinvigorated tensions that had been subsiding, local officials said. Several peaceful protesters have been seriously injured, including a Navy veteran whose hand was smashed by officers and a man who was shot with a projectile that fractured his skull.

“As I’ve said from the beginning, these peaceful protests are being hijacked by a very hard core of instigators, violent instigators,” Mr. Barr said. “Police casualties far exceed anything on the civilian side.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/us/portland-protests-violence-tactics-barr-fact-check.html




Yeah so picture it like the USSR returning and that’s what you get. But the truth is even more frightening about what Trump and his cabal are doing. Unfortunately we won’t get to cover the Barr hearings until next week but definitely stay tuned for that! But that was just a preview, think of it like the sneak trailer because we don’t have movie theaters right now, so no trailers. That was just a taste. The real festivities will be going nationwide!

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he's willing to send as many as 75,000 federal agents into American cities to quell violent crime, a recent campaign theme for the President.
Speaking in a telephone interview on Fox News, Trump began by saying he was ready to dispatch "50,000, 60,000 people" into American cities.

But eventually he upped the figure to 75,000 -- but said it would require local authorities asking for help.
"We have to be invited in. At some point we'll have to do something much stronger than being invited in," Trump said.

"We'll go into all of the cities, any of the cities. We're ready," he added.
Deploying 75,000 officers would mark a significant portion of all federal officers in the country. According to a 2019 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there were approximately 100,000 federal law enforcement officers in the entire United States in 2016, the last year for which data was available.

Trump's comments come as he has tried to make federal policing a campaign issue, portraying cities as violent and out of control in an appeal to suburban residents. The President said Wednesday that he will "surge" federal law enforcement officers to Chicago and other American cities, despite resistance from local leaders, as he adopts a hardline "law and order" mantle ahead of November's election.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/23/politics/trump-federal-agents-us-cities/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_allpolitics+%28RSS%3A+CNN+-+Politics%29




Hey clean that up! But the shit is definitely about to hit the fan, my friends! Oh yes. We haven’t seen anything yet. Right now it’s contained to a two by two block radius in downtown Portland. But it will be coming to a city near you. Imagine this being deployed in Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Miami, Washington DC, New York City… Trump could do some serious damage here. And he’s not done yet!

About 1,000 demonstrators returned to downtown streets Monday for the 61st consecutive day after a weekend featuring the largest protest crowds in weeks and numerous clashes with federal police.

Monday again brought waves of tear gas from federal officials who labeled the gathering “unlawful” in response to repeated fireworks and a volley of trash thrown over a fence surrounding the federal courthouse.

Portland protesters have shown up every night for two straight months after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Crowds have rallied against police brutality, anti-Black racism and, in recent weeks, the federal government’s response to the city’s protests.

Federal officials have repeatedly said officers who use tear gas and shoot riot munitions on protesters are embedded in the downtown courthouse to protect it. On Monday, officials placed concrete barriers on both sides of the fence surrounding the building to stabilize the structure.
https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/07/portland-protests-return-for-61st-day-after-weekend-of-large-crowds-clashes-with-officers.html




Yeah the real Doomsday Device is currently sitting at the Resolute Desk inside the Oval Office at the White House. That’s another joke that would kill in front of a live audience! So our president is currently sitting on the batshit level somewhere between spy movie supervillain and supreme overlord of the entire universe. He wants to be there. But he’s barely an Ernest Stavo Blofeld. Hell, he’s barely even Dr. Evil yet, but you know that he wants to be!

A predominantly white city tucked away in the northwest corner of the USA hardly seems the logical spot to emerge as the new flashpoint of the protests against racism and police brutality that have raged across the country for nearly two months.

Then again, both Portland and its home state of Oregon have a troubled past that animates the demonstrations, in their eighth week.

Add to that a president sinking in the polls and eager to rally his base behind a vow to “dominate the streets” in an election year, and suddenly, Portland has been thrust into the national spotlight for something other than quirkiness.

Experts said the unrequested and unwelcome arrival of federal law enforcement agents in recent weeks and their violent confrontations with protesters in the city’s downtown rekindled a movement that had been simmering down.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/21/portland-protests-fueled-oregons-very-dark-history-racism/5483884002/





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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Oh my fucking god. This man is the current leader of the free world. I’m too embarrassed to even begin to comprehend this segment. You know what? Let’s roll the damn tape.



That guy is our current president. That guy. The guy who thought drinking a glass of water was a test of coherence now thinks that being able to name five things is a test of cognitive ability. Well guess what, jack? We can name five things too! How about jackass, idiot, asshole, douchebag, jerkoff? See that’s the kind of joke that would kill in front of a live audience right now! Man, I miss live audiences. But really I think Trump might be losing it. If this is what he thinks is a good thing, I would really hate to picture what he thinks is a bad thing.

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, has insisted that a cognitive test he took recently was “difficult”, using the example of a question in which the patient is asked to remember and repeat five words.

“Person, woman, man, camera, TV,” Trump explained, saying that listing the words in order was worth “extra points”, and that he found the task easy.

“They said nobody gets it in order, it’s actually not that easy. But for me it was easy. And that’s not an easy question,” he told Fox News medical analyst and New York University professor of medicine Marc K Siegel.

Trump said that a year ago he asked former White House physician Ronny Jackson whether there was “some kind of cognitive test” he could take, he said, “Because I’ve been hearing about it. Because I want to shut these people up. They’re fake news. They’re making up stories.’”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/23/person-woman-man-camera-tv-trump-insists-cognition-test-was-difficult




Seriously, MI-6 had better cognitive tests than that! I mean this whole thing is certifiably insane. So one minute, President Stable Genius goes on one of the most unhinged rants you’ve ever heard in your entire life. And the next minute? Well he’s claiming that nobody likes him and that Dr. Fauci has a higher popularity rating than he does! Hey, that’s why you were given the test, dipshit!

"It’s interesting. He’s got a very good approval rating, and I like that. It’s good," Trump said during a press briefing at the White House. "Because, remember, he’s working for this administration. He’s working with us. We could’ve gotten other people. We could’ve gotten somebody else. It didn't have to be Dr. Fauci. He's working with our administration, and for the most part, we've done pretty much what he and others ... recommended."

"He’s got this high approval rating, so why don’t I have a high approval rating ... with respect to the virus?" Trump wondered aloud.

The president cited the administration's increased production of masks, gowns, ventilators and other equipment after hospitals and state leaders warned in the early weeks of the pandemic that they were lacking those critical supplies. Trump also highlighted the sheer volume of testing the U.S. has performed, another area where the administration was slow to ramp up.

"It sort of is curious," Trump said. "A man works for us, with us, very closely, Dr. Fauci and Dr. [Deborah] Birx, also highly thought of, and yet they're highly thought of, but nobody likes me. It can only be my personality. That’s all."
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/509464-trump-questions-how-fauci-has-a-high-approval-rating-but-nobody-likes#.XyClMeNDRpA.twitter




Well, President Simple Jack does have one point – if you want to see the test of one’s cognitive ability don’t look at popularity ratings, look at how well it can form a password. Because the strength of one’s password can count as an IQ test. So could he have been trying to remember his password or was it something else? I mean come on, even President Skroob in Spaceballs could remember a 5 digit suitcase combination!

When President Trump used ‘Person Woman Man Camera TV’ during a recent Fox News interview with Mark Siegel, it didn't take long for the phrase to become an internet sensation.

Twitter joked that President Trump was probably trying to remember his new password by repeating 'Person Woman Man Camera TV' but the math reveals why that would be a terrible idea.

Sarah Cooper recorded a lip-sync video spoof that has had millions of views, The Late Show and The Daily Show hosts also saw the comedy routine potential of what had quickly become an internet meme.

Twitter users were equally quick to humorously suggest that maybe Trump had made it the new nuclear code or the presidential email password. Others tweeted they had changed their passwords from 'Correct Horse Battery Staple' to 'Person Woman Man Camera TV.'

The cybersecurity geek in me feels compelled to explain why doing so would be a very bad idea, and not just because the phrase is so well-known now. In fact, I got a couple of well-respected password math geeks to help with that explanation, so strap in as here we go.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/07/26/how-math-reveals-person-woman-man-camera-tv-doesnt-ace-the-password-test-trump-meme/#55432a01378c




Yeah really! By the way if you want a real test of one’s cognitive ability, why don’t you just take a good look at the people who they call “experts”. Because you know that Trump is going all in on his bullshit hydroxychloroquine “cure” for COVID-19, despite the fact that it’s been dangerously unproven by the FDA and AMA. But if these are the “experts” then who are the idiots? And don’t think I won’t tear into this in full next week!

A Houston doctor who praises hydroxychloroquine and says that face masks aren’t necessary to stop transmission of the highly contagious coronavirus has become a star on the right-wing internet, garnering tens of millions of views on Facebook on Monday alone. Donald Trump Jr. declared the video of Stella Immanuel a “must watch,” while Donald Trump himself retweeted the video.

Before Trump and his supporters embrace Immanuel’s medical expertise, though, they should consider other medical claims Immanuel has made—including those about alien DNA and the physical effects of having sex with witches and demons in your dreams.

She alleges alien DNA is currently used in medical treatments, and that scientists are cooking up a vaccine to prevent people from being religious. And, despite appearing in Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress on Monday, she has said that the government is run in part not by humans but by “reptilians” and other aliens.

Immanuel gave her viral speech on the steps of the Supreme Court at the “White Coat Summit,” a gathering of a handful of doctors who call themselves America’s Frontline Doctors and dispute the medical consensus on the novel coronavirus. The event was organized by the right-wing group Tea Party Patriots, which is backed by wealthy Republican donors.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/stella-immanuel-trumps-new-covid-doctor-believes-in-alien-dna-demon-sperm-and-hydroxychloroquine?





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[font size="8"]Kanye West
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Speaking of absolutely batshit crazy, mentally unwell people, I don’t know about this one, do we continue shaming Kanye for his bizarre run for president when we’re less than 100 days out from the real, actual election or do we get him the help that he so desperately needs? I think we still need to shame him. So he failed to get on the ballot in South Carolina, one of the last states that still needs to have their presidential primary, which was pushed back because of the current COVID crisis. But it appears that batshit crazy billionaires are a special breed, since they seem to only interact with each other and not the general public. But should Kanye just postpone until 2024? Yeah probably!

Elon Musk has some advice regarding Kanye West's 2020 presidential bid: Wait four more years.

In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times published Saturday (July 25), the Tesla and SpaceX founder gave his thoughts on West's plans to run for president and touched on the rapper and fashion mogul's recent Twitter rants.

After West tweeted on July 4 that he was running for president, Musk quickly responded, "You have my full support!" Musk believes, however, that 2024 might be a better time for the rapper's ambitious political run.

“I’ve done my best to convince him that 2024 would be better than 2020,” Musk told The Times, explaining that he wouldn't want West to be accused of splitting the Black vote for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

During the interview, Musk, who said he's known West for "at least 10 years," also noted that he checked up on the rapper following his recent "tweet rampage," during which Ye accused his wife, Kim Kardashian, of sending a doctor to Wyoming to "lock me up" and claimed that the 2017 horror movie Get Out was about him, among other seemingly unconnected topics.
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9424676/elon-musk-kanye-west-president-2024




Uh… you sure about that Kanye? This hasn’t exactly been what one would call a “great year” by any stretch of the imagination! Hell, it hasn’t even been a mediocre year! But do we really need an unstable narcissist like Kanye becoming commander in chief? Would he be any better than the one we have in office currently? No. Fuck I need a boring leader to come back! Please, Kanye please!

Yeezy wants to do Jersey.

Kanye West filed petitions Tuesday to be on the ballot as an independent presidential candidate in New Jersey.

The superstar rapper, who announced that he was making a bid for the White House on July 4, needs to file 800 valid signatures to be included on the Garden State’s general election ballot alongside President Trump, Democrat Joe Biden and others in the deep blue state.

Currently, he’s on the ballot in Oklahoma, filed in Missouri, and has until Thursday to file paperwork for New York’s election.

West denies that his presidential run is a publicity stunt for his new album.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-kanye-west-president-new-jersey-20200728-xdy54ans3fdzdj4juwitcsmvle-story.html




Well there’s two things from 2020 that I want to go away permanently – Coronavirus and Kanye’s presidential campaign. So you might be asking, why the hell is he doing this? And as long as this is going to be a thing we are going to keep covering it! In fact Kanye is so serious that he’s already on the ballot in five states. I wish I were making this up. Fuck why can’t I time travel out of this year?

On July 4, Kanye West tweeted that he was running for president. It was treated as one of his typical grandiloquent pronouncements. The tweet sparked a lot of opinion pieces, cable news segments, and even a question in an Oval Office interview with Donald Trump. But most people brushed it off. In a follow-up interview with Forbes, West pledged, if elected, to run the White House like the nation of Wakanda from Black Panther. That remark seemed to reinforce the notion that this was just a lark. After all, West had previously compared himself to figures varying from God to Willy Wonka without attempting to establish the Kingdom of Heaven or manufacture an Everlasting Gobstopper.

But this time may — at least for a moment — be different. According to multiple campaign professionals who spoke with Intelligencer, West took early steps last week toward getting his name on the ballot in Florida and other states as a third-party candidate running against Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, July 8, around the time West tweeted and deleted an image of a fetus at the six-month mark of gestation with the caption “these souls deserve to live,” I was connected with a source who had been approached to work for the rapper’s presidential campaign. The source, who asked not to be named, was a political operative who had experience in this kind of work. I was extremely skeptical — but after talking with this person and others, I was convinced that West (or someone close to him) was at least toying with a real-life plan to build a campaign operation.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/07/kanyes-short-lived-attempt-to-get-on-the-2020-ballot.html




Not sure about that one there, slick. Because here’s the one underlying issue why you shouldn’t vote for a fringe candidate like Kanye. Not only would it make Kim Kardashian our first lady, he is batshit fucking insane. And he’s got some serious issues. That’s not the kind of guy who we want leading the free world right now. Especially in a time of crisis like we’re currently dealing with.

Take Kanye West's illness more seriously than his presidential ambitions
Readers — and prospective voters — need context and subjects need dignity when they are vulnerable.
Sally Satel
Opinion contributor

On the Fourth of July, Kanye West, the billionaire hip hop star, tweeted that he was running for president. He quickly paid $35,000 to qualify for the ballot in Oklahoma and then filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission.

The media rushed in. West, is an uber-celebrity married to uber-celebrity Kim Kardashian and a man given to wild, often amusing pronouncements. And so, his early riffs were treated as a humorous curiosity, a relief from the COVID-19 epidemic.

But what was happening here was not the least bit funny. You don't have to be a psychiatrist (as I am) to know that West is not in a rational frame of mind. The proper reaction is neither to take him seriously nor to laugh at him.
Kanye is not being rational

Consider the following bizarre things West said during a meandering four-hour phone interview that Forbes distilled into a July 8 article and that has so far garnered more than 3.1 million hits.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/07/22/kanye-west-running-president-serious-bipolar-illness-column/5479679002/





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[font size="8"]The Maskhole Files
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Holy shit, people! How hard is it to wear a god damn mask in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century? These people have lost their fucking minds. Look, we all want some kind of normal in this weird pandemic world that has been unleashed upon us. No one likes this socially distant hell that we’ve been forced to endure since the Coronavirus outbreak. But people just don’t seem to fucking get what dire straights that we are in. Take for instance a beach town that is not too far from my own – Huntington Beach. God damn motherfucking Huntington Beach. Why have you become the symbol of mask tyranny during the Great Pandemic?

As Brad Colburn whisked his metal detector over the tan sands of Huntington Beach, a rejection of Orange County’s spiking coronavirus infection rates surfaced.

“I don’t believe it. I don’t believe the rates are rising,” Colburn said. “They’re inflated. It’s another way of shutting everything down … of the Democrats trying to get what they want.”

The 58-year-old Huntington Beach resident said he has yet to wear a mask outside of shopping. Standing by a beach path as cyclists and in-line skaters zoomed by, he offered his own alternative policy to restrictive coronavirus health orders.

“If you don’t want to go outside, don’t go outside,” Colburn said.

More than any other place in California, Huntington Beach has come to symbolize resistance to many of the coronavirus safety rules government officials have imposed in recent months. It’s not as though no one in the city is wearing masks and social distancing.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-22/doubts-about-dangers-of-covid-19-linger-in-huntington-beach




Seriously where is the Sheriff of Malibu when you need him? Maybe that’s not in his jurisdiction? But anyway here’s what is coming next. There’s a lot of Maskholes out there and remember in a pandemic, one with an extremely contagious disease at that, everything – even the most banal, mundane tasks that would otherwise not be a problem - becomes a life or death situation. And by the way who is more likely to refuse to wear masks? Well it’s pretty obvious.

Two recent studies looked at the relationship between personality traits and reactions to restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19. Researchers found that people possessing so-called "Dark Triad" traits—narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism—were less likely to comply with restrictions or engage in preventative measures against the pandemic. However, researchers also emphasized the small role personality traits have in the overall response to pandemic restrictions, like face-mask mandates and social-distancing requirements.

Both studies, which, combined, surveyed more than a thousand people in Poland, were published in the peer-reviewed academic journal Personality and Individual Differences.

In "Adaptive and maladaptive behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of Dark Triad traits, collective narcissism, and health beliefs," researchers Bartłomiej Nowaka and Paweł Brzóska of the SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Poland, along with co-authors at other universities, surveyed 755 people between the ages of 18 and 78 in the second half of March—in the third and fourth weeks of government pandemic restrictions.

The study used a combination of existing diagnostic tools for evaluating Dark Triad traits and a "Health Belief scale" modified to evaluate people's perceptions regarding the severity of, and their susceptibility to, COVID-19. Finally, the researchers asked questions to determine how likely participants were (on a one-to-four scale, from "definitely not" to "definitely yes&quot to engage in both preventive measures like decontamination and hoarding measures like stockpiling food.
https://www.newsweek.com/narcissists-psychopaths-face-mask-requirement-mandate-social-distancing-covid-19-coronavirus-1519732




Of course that’s pretty obvious. In fact we might do a feature where we ask for your personal stories of Maskholes out in the wild. But in a pandemic with a highly contagious disease, you’re not just putting yourself in danger when you venture out in public, you’re putting everyone they come across in danger, and you’re putting everyone those people come across in danger. It’s exponential math. But even Wal-Mart is taking precautions now. Wal-Mart! Well… sort of.

Walmart and other major retailers made headlines last week with a new requirement for customers to wear masks in its US stores. But the new rules only go so far.

Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Walgreens, CVS and others say they still won't prohibit customers who refuse to wear a mask from shopping in stores. The issue, they say, is they want to avoid confrontations between angry customers and employees.

Retailers and their employees are finding themselves playing the uncomfortable role of mask police. The increase in coronavirus cases is prompting concern over how to protect both customers and workers in crowded stores from infecting each other.

There is no federal mandate to wear a mask, and many state and local governments have not required wearing one. This has forced retailers to navigate a patchwork system and left them in the position of having to create their own policies.
https://wrex.com/2020/07/25/walmart-and-others-will-still-serve-customers-who-refuse-to-wear-masks-despite-new-rules/




Really, I had no idea that Homer was a Wal-Mart greeter. Next he might be a buyer for Amazon because you know that’s how they roll. But if you do encounter people who refuse to wear masks in public don’t be an asshole. That’s not a good look. Because if it backfires on you, then you’re the asshole. And I’ve said time and time again that shaming and doxing is never a good idea, no matter what the situation – it’s a two way street!

Costco Karen; Walmart Karen; Starbucks Karen; Target Karen. Name a US retail establishment and there’s probably a viral video of a “Karen” (internet slang for an angry white woman) fuming about face masks in it or getting chased out of the store for refusing to wear one. “Mask meltdown” videos have become a feature of the pandemic, part of a larger trend of mask-shaming. Sneering at people who refuse to wear face coverings has become a particularly viral form of virtue signalling.

Britain is a few months behind parts of the US in terms of masks. In New York, where I live, they’ve been compulsory in most public places since April. But with face coverings becoming mandatory for English shoppers this week (and already compulsory in Scotland) I’m sure it won’t be long before mask-shaming is as rampant in the UK as it is over here.

Yes, people who refuse to wear face masks are selfish. Yes, they’re putting lives in danger. But do they deserve to be vilified and publicly shamed? I don’t think so. Not just because public shaming is often ineffective but because they’re not the biggest villains here: the people who truly deserve our anger are the public figures and authorities – everyone from the US’s surgeon general to representatives of the World Health Organization – who, until fairly recently, told us that masks were useless if not dangerous, before doing a U-turn and insisting we all wear one.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/22/shaming-people-who-refuse-to-wear-face-masks-isnt-a-good-look





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Vaccine Latest
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It's time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



As the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic rages on and ravages North America and the rest of the world, people are wondering when we will be able to have treatments and cures available that will combat this virus and we can get on with our lives? Well, there’s several scenarios that can happen and we will even discuss what happens if there’s no vaccine found that can cure this thing. One of the biggest vaccine trials is happening at the University Of Oxford. That’s of course in England. There, they have developed what is probably the most advanced vaccine for COVID that is known around the world right now and it is entering the proverbial phase 3 of its’ human trials. So how does that work? And what has to happen for the vaccine to be approved ? There are many possibilities.

Andréa Barbosa was thrilled to be jabbed in the arm. The 46-year-old ophthalmologist is one of the 5,000 volunteers in the clinical trial in Brazil of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, ChAdOx1. The vaccine is being developed by the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in collaboration with the biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

In May, Soumya Swaminathan, the head scientist of the World Health Organization, called ChAdOx1 the most advanced COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

Phases one and two of the clinical trial took place simultaneously in April in southern England, when safety and immune responses were checked in more than a thousand healthy volunteers ages 18 to 55. The vaccine is now in the third and final development phase: testing volunteers in Brazil at the Federal University of São Paulo’s Reference Center for Special Immunobiologicals, as well as at two locations run by the D'Or Institute for Research and Education.

That makes Brazil an important proving ground as this vaccine candidate continues its rapid march toward approval by the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Eventually, the ChAdOx1 clinical study will also take place in the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Africa, aiming to recruit up to 50,000 volunteers. Preliminary results from all these trials will be collected through November, and if they confirm that the vaccine is effective, the Oxford team will submit it for an initial registration with MHRA by the end of the year.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/07/oxford-vaccine-enters-final-phase-of-covid-19-trials-in-brazil-cvd/




Wherever these wonderful drugs are, we need them! Because everyone wants to get back to the lives we had before this nightmare pandemic started and the bizarre world that we live in right now has become to disappear. So even if a vaccine is created and it’s proven to be successful in combating COVID, then who gets it first? Where are the priorities? Well, again that is also something that could play out in a number of different ways.

MILWAUKEE (SPECTRUM NEWS) — Across the world, scientists are racing to craft an effective coronavirus vaccine, with more than 160 candidates in various stages of development. Researchers in the U.K. and the U.S. recently published promising results, and government officials have projected that a vaccine will be available by the end of the year.

But with demand for vaccine doses spanning the entire world, the distribution will mean more time will pass before many Americans actually get their shot. So, when the first limited doses arrive, who gets dibs?

The short answer: No one really knows yet. It’s a debate that is currently getting underway in Wisconsin and just about everywhere else, bringing in public health officials, bioethicists, epidemiologists, and more to weigh in.

“It's important because of what's at stake,” says Paul Kelleher, a professor of bioethics and philosophy at UW-Madison. “And it's also important because no individual should have the sole say in how this unfolds.”
https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/madison/news/2020/07/24/who-will-get-a-coronavirus-vaccine-first---and-who-decides-




Yes, it could be contraband. Getting doses of a vaccine could be the kind of thing that starts wars if we’re not careful about distribution. So while the UK is working on the vaccine that could possibly save the world from the dreaded COVID-19 virus, what about efforts on North American soil? The promising vaccines from Johnson & Johnson and Moderna are not to be forgotten though.

The first large study of the safety and effectiveness of a coronavirus vaccine in the United States began on Monday morning, according to the National Institutes of Health and the biotech company Moderna, which collaborated to develop the vaccine.

A volunteer in Savannah, Ga., received the first shot at 6:45 a.m., Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at a news briefing.

The study, a Phase 3 clinical trial, will enroll 30,000 healthy people at about 89 sites around the country this summer. Half will receive two shots of the vaccine, 28 days apart, and half will receive two shots of a saltwater placebo. Neither the volunteers nor the medical staff giving the injections will know who will get the real vaccine.

Researchers will then monitor the subjects, looking for side effects. And their main goal will be to see if significantly fewer vaccinated people contract Covid-19, to determine whether the vaccine can prevent the illness. The study will also try to find out if the vaccine can avert severe cases of Covid and death; if it can block the infection entirely, based on lab tests; and if just one shot can prevent the illness.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/27/health/moderna-vaccine-covid.html




Yes, there is a Simpsons GIF for everything. But every government on earth is scrambling to find answers as it has literally affected every government on earth, and 2020 is considered to be a year lost to a major pandemic – one we haven’t seen in an entire century. So how do you get involved? What’s there out there for you? The answer might lie in Houston, where they are looking for 5,000 volunteers for a new COVID vaccine.

The cure to COVID-19 may be here in Houston.

Researchers with the Texas Center for Drug Development are still looking for participants for several trials happening here but with volunteers starting the study this week, health leaders believe we are on track for an early 2021 vaccine.

In America: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax and Moderna are getting a lot of attention for having vaccine candidates almost ready to go.

“It appears safe. In the phase 1 studies, it appears safe and the most important thing I think people need to know is that the vaccine is actually not the coronavirus,” Frederic Santiago, MD, with the Texas Center for Drug Development, explained when speaking about Moderna’s vaccine.

He said the Moderna vaccine is re-programming the virus' genetic code, meaning the immune system can naturally develop antibodies.
https://www.click2houston.com/health/2020/07/28/houston-trials-need-your-help-to-have-coronavirus-vaccine-ready-for-2021/




That’s it for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.




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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair virtual congregation! You know this pandemic has meant that we cannot bring you the full and proper Holy Shit that you deserve, but we will as soon as we can! Until then, don’t fall for bullshit! And yes, we are allowed to swear in my church! Everyone wants answers and cures for the dreaded virus that is plaguing the landscape. And I do too! No one wants it more than me! But there are some that are determined to make a dollar off the pandemic, and that’s not what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want now, is it? Of course not! Can I get an amen? Like for instance, don’t take bleach! That’s not exactly what it says on the bottle! And it’s not intended for that purpose! But some on the other hand don’t see it that way, and they are certifiably EVIL!

In April, when President Trump mused whether injecting patients with disinfectant could kill the novel coronavirus, perhaps no one was more thrilled about the suggestion than Mark Grenon.

Grenon runs a fake church with his sons in Florida that sells people a life-threatening toxic bleach product he calls the Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), federal officials say, which he fraudulently claims cures everything from covid-19 to cancer.

“Trump has got the MMS and all the info!!! Things are happening folks!” Grenon, 62, wrote on Facebook on April 24, linking to Trump’s comments. “Lord help others to see the Truth!”

Grenon had made $500,000 in 2019 alone selling his solutions to thousands of vulnerable, sick people across the country, according to the Justice Department, even though the Food and Drug Administration had warned for years that people could die if they drank MMS products, which are essentially bleach..
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/09/fake-coronavirus-cure-bleach/




Of course he does! But really in the form of those ultra-far right preachers who are preying off the less fortunate! Because that’s not what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want. And bleach isn’t the only cure being peddled by these purveyors of bullshit. There was one leader in the state of Florida (obviously) that took the idea of selling a miracle bleach-based cure to the next level! And really, don’t try this at home kids! Or don’t try it anywhere!

A Florida father and sons have continued to sell a potentially deadly bleach product billed as a miracle cure for COVID-19 through a fake church, despite a federal judge ordering them to stop, federal officials said in filing criminal charges against them.

Mark Grenon and three sons — Jonathan, Jordon and Joseph — are charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and distribute mislabeled drugs, according to the suit filed in the Southern District of Florida on Wednesday.

According to the criminal complaint, the four allegedly pitched "Miracle Mineral Solution," or MMS, a toxic bleach, as a cure for COVID-19.

"They sold this dangerous product under the guise of Genesis II Church of Health and Healing ("Genesis&quot , an entity they allegedly created in an attempt to avoid government regulation of MMS," according to a statement detailing the allegations.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration "has received reports of people requiring hospitalizations, developing life-threatening conditions, and dying after drinking MMS," noted the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of Florida, which did not elaborate further.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-charge-phony-church-with-selling-toxic-bleach-mms-as-covid-19-cure/




Was there a Los Pollos Hermanos involved in this one? Yes, I get that reference! But you know what people? If your church is hawking a cure that you might think is bullshit? Guess what? It most likely is bullshit. The only cures that we should be allowing are ones based on actual science. And we support science in my church! But really, don’t take anything unless you read about it first. I mean come on we have access to this thing called Google.

If your church remains shuttered for fear of contracting or spreading the COVID-19 virus, I just might have the answer to your problems: Ionization.

Or bleach.

Or Silver Solution.

Or none of the above.

Maybe it’s just because all of us have been cooped up way too long for our own good, but due diligence and rational caution are giving way to delusion and just plain goofiness. Worse yet, a lot of it is coming from institutions that dare to call themselves churches.

Ionization is the latest crackpot preventative for coronavirus, promulgated by the folks at Dream City Church in Phoenix. Which is in Arizona. Which is in a desert where, if you do not drink enough water or spend too much time in the oppressive heat, you start seeing things and saying things that make no sense.
https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2020/06/29/churches-wacky-solutions-coronavirus/3263599001/




You shouldn’t do that with bleach either! But you know who above all else you should never, under any circumstances listen to? The unholy, ungodly Dark One whose name shall not be mentioned in my church! For he is not a smart man, and he is definitely not a wise man! His ideas are not sound, and you should never try any of the things that he suggests at home, or anywhere. They are bad ideas and not something that the good LAWRD JAYSUS would approve of!

A Florida “church leader” and three of his sons were charged in Miami federal court on Wednesday for selling toxic bleach as a fake miracle cure for coronavirus.

The man had taken credit last April for President Trump making the public suggestion at a press conference that injecting disinfectants into the body may cure COVID-19.

According to officials, 62-year-old Mark Grenon and his sons, 34-year-old Jonathan Grenon, 26-year-old Jordan Grenon, and 32-year-old Joseph Grenon, all from Bradenton, Fla., are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States as well as conspiracy to violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

In addition, they are faced with criminal contempt of court related to a civil case that was filed by the federal government earlier this year.

Federal prosecutors charged the four family members for the sale of a product called Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), which they sold through Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, a “religious organization” being operated out of a Bradenton home.
https://www.850wftl.com/fl-church-leader-took-credit-for-trumps-bleach-idea-charged-for-selling-covid-cure/




So fake huckster preachers selling fake cures, what else do you need to know? If it’s bullshit, it’s most likely 99% a big steaming pile of it! Virtual mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]People Who Somehow Got Elected: Mike Parson
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Politicians at the state and local levels who are so toxic, you wonder how they’re able to get away with the things they get away with. This is:



This week, Missouri Governor Mike Parson. Here’s the thing, we are all looking for some resemblance of normal life to resume during the deadliest pandemic in over a century. But that line of thinking has switched to schools. How do you safely open schools up back to where kids, high school, and college students can learn and interact with each other safely? School districts across the country are scrambling to find answers to these questions. And then there’s Missouri’s republican (obviously) governor who’s come up with an absolutely draconian response to the burning questions that are on everybody’s mind.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, downplayed the risk for children who may contract the coronavirus from classrooms during school reopenings, insisting “they’re going to get over it.”

“These kids have got to get back to school,” Parson said in an interview Friday with radio host Marc Cox on KFTK. “They’re at the lowest risk possible. And if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals. They’re not going to have to sit in doctor’s offices. They’re going to go home and they’re going to get over it.”

“We gotta move on,” he continued. “We can’t just let this thing stop us in our tracks.”

Some experts have expressed concerns about returning to classrooms because of the risk students could carry the virus home to older relatives. Education professionals have also expressed worry they may be in harm's way.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway, the state's Democratic candidate for governor, said Parson's comments on coronvirus and children displayed “stunning ignorance.”

She also stated the virus "doesn’t stop with our children. The teachers, bus drivers, janitors, food service workers, parents, grandparents and neighbors who our children see every day are susceptible to this virus, too. We need a plan that keeps all Missouri families safe.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/20/missouri-gov-mike-parson-says-kids-get-over-covid-19/5474557002/




Yes, in a time when teachers and students alike are preparing their wills and preparing their worst case scenarios during this virus catastrophe, Gov. Parson has literally the wrong answer to the question that is on everyone’s mind. But just how bad can things possibly get in the Show Me State? Well, let’s never mind that St. Louis just posted a record high number of cases. Seriously, Mr. Parson might want to see what’s going on in his state before he makes an assumption like that.

As Missouri again broke the record for new cases of the coronavirus, officials warned that disparities based on age, race and health status continue to influence who is infected and who dies of COVID-19.

On Friday, the state reported that there have been 39,352 confirmed cases here throughout the pandemic — an increase of 1,652 for the day, breaking the previous record for the fourth day in a row.

Before this week, the state had never reported more than 958 new cases in a day. Then it identified 1,138 cases on Tuesday, 1,301 on Wednesday and 1,637 on Thursday.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force released data Friday showing that in the St. Louis metro area, Black individuals are more than four times as likely to test positive, nearly 2.5 times as likely to be hospitalized, and nearly 1.5 times as likely to be admitted to the ICU than the rest of the population.

“The burden on the Black community is larger,” said Dr. Alex Garza, chief medical officer with SSM Health and head of the task force.
https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/coronavirus/missouri-sees-record-high-number-of-new-covid-19-cases-again/article_d6b4b57a-d478-54eb-924d-c8a4a593446b.html




So the state has a record number of cases and Mike Parson wants to open schools anyway. How could that possibly go wrong you might ask? Well, the masks and temperature taking are providing a lot of security theater for the virus, but if you let your guard down for one second, the slightest slip up could make things go really south really fast. But Coronavirus isn’t the only problem plaguing Missouri at the moment. Remember the husband and wife team who were brandishing guns at protestors? They haven’t been forgotten.

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri’s top lawyer acknowledged Tuesday his intervention in a high-profile unlawful use of a weapon case involving a St. Louis couple is unusual.

“It doesn’t happen every day,” Attorney General Eric Schmitt told the Post-Dispatch in an interview in the Capitol.

But, he said his controversial decision to seek to have gun charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey dismissed is rooted in the state’s long-held interest in the right to bear arms.

“There is a common law interest if the attorney general feels that the broader interest of Missourians are affected, like the chilling effect that this might have with people exercising their Second Amendment rights,” Schmitt said.

“I felt it was appropriate that I weigh in,” Schmitt added. “We felt it was important to get it in and make the state’s position known early.”
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/missouri-attorney-general-defends-intervention-in-mccloskey-prosecution/article_b8bcf1c2-8e49-5f78-a9b5-a2d1190d4989.html




So there’s Coronavirus and the McCloskeys. Both extremely terrible problems for a state to have. But as unhinged as Mike Parson is, is he really the guy who needs to be leading the Show Me State at this trying time? Well, no. Especially when they have to clarify the comments and they’re even worse than what the original statement is. Just remember, when it’s time to elect your next governor, do your research!

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is clarifying comments he made in a radio interview in which he said children returning to school will come down with the coronavirus but will “get over it,” remarks that drew criticism from several Democrats as well as the head of a state teachers union.

The Republican governor made the comments Friday during an interview on “The Marc Cox Morning Show” on 97.1 FM in St. Louis. Democratic State Auditor Nicole Galloway, Parson's likely opponent in the November general election, said on Twitter that the governor showed “stunning ignorance” about how COVID-19 affects children.

Parson's comment came as new reported coronavirus cases have multiplied since the Fourth of July weekend. On Wednesday, the state again broke its record for highest single-day increase in confirmed illnesses, with 1,301 new cases reported by the state health department. The previous record was set Tuesday.

Missouri National Education Association President Phil Murray said Parson's comments showed “a callous disregard for the suffering of children and the safety of the parents, grandparents, educators, and students that will be put at risk if schools are reopened with improper plans and protections.”
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/missouri-governor-clarifies-comments-school-kids-virus-71921102




So Coronavirus and gun toting maniacs are both plagues in your state, that’s Missouri governor Mike Parson, yet another one to add to the ever growing list of:




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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner
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Welcome back to the segment that attempts to explain the unexplainable! It’s Conspiracy Corner! Oh hello, I am broadcasting the inner most thoughts from deep inside my brain from an underground bunker in the vast cornfields of the rural Iowa farmlands! Of course it’s an undisclosed location! Just let me adjust my tin foil hat for maximum government blockage. They are trying to read my thoughts and your thoughts after all. So this week, an extra dose of crazy happened as Trump’s favorite cult Q Anon attempted to dig up some dirt on furniture purveyor Wayfair, and not only did it backfire on them spectacularly, they have lost one of their biggest social media hangouts where they can wreak their brand of conspiracy theory havoc!

The claim: Expensive products on Wayfair are coded listings for missing children being sold in a human-trafficking scheme

The internet has been gripped with a conspiracy theory this month as thousands of viral posts allege that online furniture firm Wayfair is involved in a child sex-trafficking operation.

“So wayfair has third party vendors that are HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING on their website,” various social media posts have alleged. “There are items like throw pillows, cabinets etc. priced at 10-20,000 dollars and named after missing girls. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!”

Posts point to the high prices of items like pillows and dressers as evidence that the products are secretly fronts for child trafficking. Theorists further note the names of some of the dressers, which are allegedly the same children who have gone missing over the past few years.

Some users also allege similar activities occur on other e-commerce sites like Amazon, Etsy and Walmart. Others claim the scandal can only be tracked by using the Russian search engine Yandex.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/07/22/fact-check-wayfair-not-involved-child-sex-trafficking/5460739002/




Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Put a warning label on that one! But seriously, Q Anon has gone full batshit, and in a world where we currently don’t have anything to do, can we at least get something to do for the Q Anon nuts? Because they clearly need a hobby, and this one ain’t it. So who started this insane conspiracy theory? And why are they so convinced? Yeah right now we’re trying to survive a horrible pandemic and retailers might be going a little overboard with price gouging, but not this.

Last weekend, an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory that online furnishings retailer Wayfair is trafficking children through listings of products with inflated prices and human names erupted on social media.

An Arizona couple helped fuel the rumor by posting on Instagram that they had purchased a $17,000 desk from Wayfair and would share their experience with their followers.

The theory that pillows and cabinets being sold at wayfair.com for thousands of dollars is somehow evidence of a child trafficking scheme has been debunked by independent fact-checking publication Snopes. It gained traction through a July 9 Reddit post on a forum dedicated to discussing conspiracy theories, Snopes notes.

Maddie and Justin Thompson, of Gilbert, are not convinced.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/16/wayfair-human-trafficking-conspiracy-arizona-couple-spread-instagram-rumors/5449777002/




Well I guess that’s one way to go furniture shopping right now! But yeah sure, buy a $17,000 desk and it contains a… child? How did that one get past the loading docks? Really, these people are fucking batshit crazy, and they really need to find a hobby. But you know what is not to be done? Don’t overload the national child sex trafficking hotline with bullshit conspiracy theories, OK? This is a fake crisis, don’t make it a real one!

A national organization fighting to end human trafficking says the believers in the unfounded Wayfair human trafficking conspiracy theory are overwhelming the organization with reports and making it harder to do its work.

Polaris, a non-profit that runs the National Human Trafficking Hotline, said in a press release on Tuesday that "the extreme volume of these contacts has made it more difficult for the Trafficking Hotline to provide support and attention to others who are in need of help."

Polaris said that the reports included no information "beyond what has been widely shared online. Nor have any of these reports been made by someone who has a specific connection to any alleged missing children."

Believers in the conspiracy theory think that the furniture company is selling human children who have gone missing by disguising them as pillows and other goods. The theory went viral in the last few weeks after being spread by QAnon believers on Twitter and Facebook, though both platforms told Insider they had removed certain posts containing this misinformation.
https://www.insider.com/wayfair-human-trafficking-conspiracy-theory-national-hotline-call-2020-7




Yes, we get it, this is one of the worst crimes imaginable. But why the fuck are you so obsessed with it right now? I get that we don’t have anything to do. Really, don’t waste Wayfair’s time, and don’t waste the time of actual officials who are trying to find real sex traffickers. And by the way this can have some real world consequences for you if you get caught trying to do this. So really, shut the fuck up and keep the batshit insanity to yourself.

Twitter (TWTR) has removed thousands of accounts linked to QAnon, a group known for spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation online.
"We've been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behavior that has the potential to lead to offline harm," Twitter's safety team said late Tuesday in a tweet. "In line with this approach, this week we are taking further action on so-called 'QAnon' activity across the service."

More than 7,000 accounts have been removed in the last several weeks, according to Twitter. It also expects that additional actions it is taking to limit the reach of QAnon activity on its platform could affect 150,000 accounts worldwide.
QAnon began as a single conspiracy theory. But its followers now act more like a virtual cult, largely adoring and believing whatever disinformation the conspiracy community spins up.

Its main conspiracy theories claim dozens of politicians and A-list celebrities work in tandem with governments around the globe to engage in child sex abuse. Followers also believe there is a "deep state" effort to annihilate President Donald Trump.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/tech/twitter-qanon-crackdown/index.html





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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink
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Hey everyone I could really use a drink right now!



So of course you know by now that the idea of this segment is that we cocktail and while we cocktail we talk about anything in the world that does not relate to politics. Of course in a world right now where there’s nothing to do thanks to Coronavirus, there’s really not much to talk about other than these two things. But last I checked we still had a baseball season right? But one mystery still dumbfounds me about this season. So tell me oh virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about the Toronto Blue Jays? A bottle of Crown Royale? OK fine that’s what I got for this bit. So of course the Blue Jays are the only team that doesn’t have a home for the 2020 season because, coronavirus. And Canada. Well it’s turned into quite the shit show as you can imagine.

The Toronto Blue Jays are a team without a home. Actually they are more like a team without a country, based on the fact that Canada ruled over the weekend they would not be able to play in the country in 2020.

The team does have some options, with the latest report being that the team is going to play at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, home of the Pirates.

The rumors have also put the team in Buffalo, or possibly Dunedin, Florida which is where the Jays hold spring training.

Check out the video above for the latest on where the Jays may wind up playing as their "home" field in 2020.
https://www.si.com/mlb/indians/news/where-will-the-toronto-blue-jays-call-home-in-2020




So the Blue Jays have no home or no country right now and they are currently what one might call in limbo, and it’s not a good situation. But really, are we still sure that there might be a baseball season this year? Hell there may not be one after the end of this segment. I just need a few more bottles of this so I can time travel out of this year and into next. So if Toronto isn’t a possibility, and Pittsburgh is a definite no, where else could they go?

The Major League Baseball season is set to begin July 23, but the Toronto Blue Jays still aren't sure what city they'll be calling home.

The Blue Jays are seeking an exemption from travel restrictions imposed by the Canadian government to allow the team to play home games at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
A team spokesperson provided CNN with details of the situation.

Previously, the Blue Jays were able to get an exemption allowing the team to hold summer workouts in Toronto by agreeing to have all players remain in a "modified cohort quarantine" within a footprint that included the Rogers Centre and an adjoining hotel. This essentially eliminated the team's exposure to the general public.

That exemption only applied to summer workouts, however. The team is working with Canadian authorities on a new exemption under a similar quarantine system that would apply to the MLB regular season. The Blue Jays expect a government decision on the team's fate by the weekend.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/14/us/canada-mlb-blue-jays-spt/index.html




I don’t think that I am drinking fast enough because the 2020 baseball season still exists. But it looks like as of right now they’re playing in Buffalo, New York for the time being. Although… does the 2020 season still exist? I’m being told yes. And the Blue Jays aren’t the only ones who are wading through the coronavirus disaster of 2020. The rest of the other teams might have to call it a day too. And we’re only one week into the season.

The Toronto Blue Jays 2020 season may be in jeopardy following a COVID-19 outbreak in Philadelphia affecting the Miami Marlins.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Miami Marlins have 11 players and two coaches that have tested positive for COVID-19. The Marlins just wrapped up a series in Philadelphia and were scheduled to play in Baltimore tonight.

MLB has canceled the contest between the Marlins and Orioles as well as the Phillies and Yankees games tonight. The Phillies cancellation is presumably precautionary as all their players will need to undergo tests in light of this latest outbreak.

Hopefully. this is an isolated incident, however, with the pandemic not being contained in the United States, there is a very good chance the pandemic continues to spread across the league

The Blue Jays are currently tabbed to begin a series with the Phillies in Philadelphia this coming Friday while the Marlins were to be in Buffalo for a three-game set on August 11th.
https://jaysjournal.com/2020/07/27/blue-jays-baseball-season-circling-drain-amidst-covid-19-outbreak/




Now if we’re comparing this season to 1918, the last time we had a pandemic of this magnitude that fucked up life as we knew it, the 1918 baseball season only lasted until September before they had to call it a year, but they did inexplicably have a World Series. Will this season make it that long? Maybe as long as it will take me to finish this bottle of Crowne. But for now the season is on very thin ice.

One series into their coronavirus pandemic-shortened season and the Toronto Blue Jays are already dealing with a serious dose of adversity.

After winning their season-opening game in Tampa Bay on Friday night, the Blue Jays lost on Saturday and Sunday, the latter of which included more than just a drop in the standings.

Closer Ken Giles was forced to leave Sunday’s series finale with right elbow soreness while he tried to close the door on a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, while outfielder Randal Grichuk left in the sixth inning with what the team called a “right SI joint irritation” — a.k.a., a sore back.

Despite losing the final two games of the series, the Jays played the Rays really tough and they can take a couple of positives away from their visit to Tropicana Field.

New ace Hyun Jin Riu, who arrived in Toronto as a free agent after spending his first six big league seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, was good in his Blue Jays debut on Friday — giving up three runs over 4 2/3 innings in a 6-4 win over T-Bay.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7219049/coronavirus-rick-zamperin-blue-jays-disaster/





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[font size="8"]Road To The White House
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Welcome back to our coverage of the mother of all elections! Yes, we are counting down the days until the 2020 election. And in case you’re lost in all the craziness of the news right now, where it’s just a constant, never-ending stream of dark shit, we have less than 100 days and we need to get this going, people! We are on the home stretch. And it’s time to unseat Trump once and for all and make him a one term president. And how do we do that you might ask? Well for one thing uniting the party and setting aside all the bullshit is what will do it. I really want to talk about some good news this week because for the most part, the news is all bad. But this week, Joe Biden sat down with former president Barack Obama for a one on one interview and it was great.

Former President Barack Obama touted presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's readiness for the presidency and ability to "reassemble the kind of government that cares about people and brings people together" in a video clip of a recent conversation provided first to CNN.

In the clip from their socially-distanced conversation, Biden slams President Donald Trump, saying that there are "two ways in which presidents motivate people" -- through important actions or by doing "something really bad."

"This guy has generated a sense out there that people are waking up to that he ran by deliberately dividing people from the moment he came down that escalator. And I think people are now going, 'I don't want my kid growing up that way,'" Biden says in the video.

Obama doesn't directly address Trump in the clip. Instead, he touts Biden's experience in policy-making and on the world stage and the former vice president's character.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/politics/barack-obama-joe-biden-social-distance-meeting/index.html




I don’t know about you, but I miss having a president who speaks in complete sentences, pronounces words correctly, and oh yeah, isn’t a raging asshole! And I don’t know about you all, but in a world where the news is literally all bad all the time, this is something good that is happening! Like I said, I am tired of all the bad news and wanted to talk about good things. They even slammed Trump’s mishandling of COVID.

Showcasing the online campaigning tactics that are likely to dominate the final months of the 2020 presidential race, former Vice President Joe Biden and his old boss, former President Barack Obama teamed up for a socially distant conversation to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the steps they believe need to be taken to right the American economy and the nationwide push for racial justice in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

The in-person discussion, filmed last week at the Obama Foundation’s office in Washington, D.C. features both Obama and Biden clad in black face masks as they arrive for the conversation, as the two discuss their incredulity at President Donald Trump's handling of coronavirus.

"Can you imagine standing up when you were president and saying, ‘It's not my responsibility. I take no responsibility.' Literally. Literally," Biden said.

"Those words didn't come out of our mouths when we were in office," Obama said as the shot of him exiting his car is seen.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/biden-obama-reunite-socially-distanced-conversation-slam-trumps/story?id=71914983




Maybe calling people “Beardo” isn’t the way to get votes. But even they get it – it’s almost like Trump tries to come up with the absolute worst response to everything. My personal favorite thing about the entire Trump administration is the underlying irony that Trump can relate to the common man. But guess what? The guy literally lives in a gold and ivory tower! He does not relate to you or me!

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden teams up with his old boss, former President Barack Obama in a new video that draws a sharp contrast between President Donald Trump’s approach to voters and Biden’s style.

Biden and Obama met at Obama’s Washington office. After sitting down across the room from one another, Biden asks Obama whether he could imagine standing up as president and saying, “It’s not my responsibility, I take no responsibility,” as Trump has previously done.

“Those words didn’t come out of our mouths when we were in office,” Obama says in the video clip from the Biden campaign. The full-length video will be released Thursday.

Biden criticizes Trump for “his inability to get a sense of what people are going through.”

“He just can’t relate in any way,” says Biden.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/22/obama-and-biden-criticize-trump-coronavirus-response.html




Maybe that’s why so many Americans can’t vote – they can’t fit in the damn booths! But what lies ahead for America after enduring the worst pandemic in an entire century? Well, for one thing the rebuilding process is going to be long and difficult. At least with competent leadership at the helm, we will be able to remake America. Or we can have four more years of this. I know which one I would choose! And keep in mind that someone terrible could win (Trump)!

Former President Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden recently took part in a socially distanced conversation to discuss Biden's presidential bid and the future of the U.S. amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Video of the conversation, which will be released in its entirety on Thursday, shows the former president and vice president arriving in masks for a sit-down conversation and talking about how the Trump administration has handled the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Can you imagine standing up when you were president and saying, 'It's not my responsibility. I take no responsibility.' Literally. Literally," Biden said in a preview of the conversation released by his campaign, taking an apparent dig at President Trump.

"Those words didn't come out of our mouths when we were in office," Obama responded.

"No. I don't understand his inability to get a sense of what people are going through," Biden said. "He can't relate in any way."
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/508455-obama-biden-discuss-countrys-future-in-socially-distanced-conversation







See you next week!

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July 22, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-5: Beans, Beans The Musical Fruit Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-5: Beans, Beans The Musical Fruit Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? Are you guys doing fucking good? I know, right? Yeah unfortunately we got shut down again here in California because of this god forsaken virus so we’re being forced to do yet another home edition. Sigh, one day we will be able to venture out in public again but we are sitting here stirring in our own juices until then. Yeah, just go ahead and picture that mentally. OK so while there’s no new good or fun news to report about for the foreseeable future, I got to talk about a kid who’s way more badass than I am. Bridger Walker is a 6 year old from Cheyenne, Wyoming. And his 4 year sister was about to be mauled by a dog, and he stepped in front of that dog and endured the attack while his sister got away unscathed. He endured some 90 stitches at the hospital after the attack was done. But what makes him really bad ass? He said he’d gladly do it again! Well, this got the attention of Captain America himself, Chris Evans. Who really could be a real life Captain America / Steve Rogers. He posted an encouraging video message for Bridger and made him an official Captain America. Now how cool is that? I got to admit that kid is way more braver than I am, and I could see him… yeah SON!! Just don’t!! OK we got a lot of idiocy to get to this week, but first John Oliver is back and he delves into the more ridiculous side of COVID – the conspiracy theories, and they are out there and plentiful:



Ed. Note: Unfortunately we will not be able to cover what’s going on in Portland because that happened while we were putting together this week’s edition, but we will go head first next week!

Sigh another week under this shitty virus and I don’t see it getting better any time soon. So where do we begin this week? Taking the top spot this week is the real 45th president of the United States, Vladimir Putin (1). So Russia got caught attempting to steal vaccine research, and well, none of it is particularly good and could be extremely dangerous. The second slot of course goes to Donald J. Trump (2). His endorsement of the Mexican food brand Goya is getting some very controversial remarks, and let’s just call Trump a pandejo and get it over with! In the third slot this week, is our old buddy Kanye West (3), and while we were off he announced he was running for president, then quickly retreated when people told him what a bad idea this was, lasting approximately 1 Scaramucci! In the fourth slot this week is the Anti-Maskers, or as we’re calling them Maskholes (4), and they are stepping up their game from canceling meetings to throwing things at supermarket clerks, whew, it’s crazy. Taking the 5th slot this week is of course our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5), and this week, another unwelcome visitor is coming back – the Black Plague! Really, Mother Nature is determined to get rid of us right now. In the sixth slot this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6), and after a number of right-wing pastors have made the claim that Obama is Satan’s Greatest Human Proxy, our resident pastor will offer a different theory! In the 7th slot this week, we have a new Beating A Dead Horse (7), and controversial country music group Lady Antebellum announced they are dropping the “Antebellum” from their name and going with “Lady A”, but who is the rightful owner of the stage name Lady A? It’s a circular firing squad as old as time for sure! In slot #8, after racist monuments and statues are getting pulled from public spots all over the country, we have to ask how the original monument to racism and the Klan – Georgia’s Stone Mountain, “How Is This Still A Thing?”, the answer might surprise you! In the number 9 (NEIN!!) slot we have a new People Are Dumb, because of course they are! Finally this week, in Joe Biden’s Road To The White House (10), we have the classic Goofus & Gallant scenario as to how each candidate is handling the COVID crisis, and do what one guy does, don’t do what the other one does! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Vladimir Putin
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We need some music for this one:



Yeah! Look, look, look. Everyone wants to know when this nightmare is going to be over and when we can get back to living our lives like we planned before the pandemic. And while the world is searching for cures and vaccines to end the nightmare, there’s one guy who is attempting to steal it all for himself. I’m of course talking about the 45th president of the United States, Vladimir Putin. So, in a “please disperse, nothing to see here” moment, let’s take a look at the current timeline of events after Russia got caught stealing. Cue Jane’s Addiction.

Russian hackers are attempting to steal coronavirus vaccine research, the American, British and Canadian governments said Thursday, accusing the Kremlin of opening a new front in its spy battles with the West amid the worldwide competition to contain the pandemic.

The National Security Agency said that a hacking group implicated in the 2016 break-ins into Democratic Party servers has been trying to steal intelligence on vaccines from universities, companies and other health care organizations. The group, associated with Russian intelligence and known as both APT29 and Cozy Bear, has sought to exploit the chaos created by the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

American intelligence officials said the Russians were aiming to steal research to develop their own vaccine more quickly, not to sabotage other countries’ efforts. There was likely little immediate damage to global public health, cybersecurity experts said.

The Russian espionage nevertheless signals a new kind of competition between Moscow and Washington akin to Cold War spies stealing technological secrets during the space race generations ago.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/us/politics/vaccine-hacking-russia.html




Yeah that’s pretty much what it is like right now. So how did Russia get caught? And who are they going after? Well it’s no secret that AstraZeneca is clearly the front runner in a race to find a cure for this wretched virus that has absolutely wrecked and destroyed our way of life. So do they go after the University of Oxford? Or do they put their eggs in more than one basket?

The UK security minister James Brokenshire has said Britain is “more than 95%” sure that Russian state-sponsored hackers targeted UK, US and Canadian organisations involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine.

Brokenshire said the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and its counterparts in the other countries were confident “Russian intelligence agencies” were responsible for the attacks on drug companies and research groups.

During an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Brokenshire also said he supported the Conservative chief whip’s decision to expel the new chairman of parliament’s intelligence and security committee, Julian Lewis, from the party.

“The National Cyber Security Centre [NCSC] are 95%-plus satisfied, as are our US and Canadian counterparts,” he said. “We are very careful in terms of calling these things out, ensuring that we can have that confidence in attribution. We do believe that we have this here.

“I think the Russian government is being so hypocritical claiming to support responsible behaviour in cyberspace while secretly conducting cyber-attacks like this and others.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/17/russian-hackers-steal-coronavirus-vaccine-uk-minister-cyber-attack




There’s a lot of that going around these days! But of course Russia is going to deny that this is happening, because that’s what happens when you live in a world where one side is constantly blaming the other side for their own faults. But just remember since this edition is all about poop-themed nursery school rhymes, because you knew it would be, just remember this – he who denied it, supplied it!

Russia's ambassador to the UK has rejected allegations that his country's intelligence services tried to steal coronavirus vaccine research.

"I don't believe in this story at all, there is no sense in it," Andrei Kelin told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

However, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it is "very clear Russia did this", adding that it is important to call out this "pariah-type behaviour".

Mr Kelin also rejected suggestions that Russia had interfered in UK politics.

Earlier this week, Mr Raab said Russians almost certainly sought to interfere in the 2019 UK election through illicitly-acquired documents.

The papers, which emerged online, detailed UK-US trade discussions and were used by Labour in its election campaign.

"I do not see any point in using this subject as a matter of interference," Mr Kelin said.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53458122




Yeah probably. I mean can we stop pretending like Russia are the good guys here? They’ve always been the bad guys, and during this pandemic, they’ve proven to be even worse guys with the number of cases trailing at just #3, behind the US and Brazil. But yeah, maybe this will be enough to get Mother Russia denounced from the rest of the world? I would certainly hope so! But all AstraZeneca seems to care about is money, so…

Last week, Western intelligence officials pegged Russian hackers with an attempt to rip off leading research for a COVID-19 vaccine, linking the would-be thieves with the country's intelligence services.

Russia itself denies involvement in any of those attacks—and with a new licensing deal for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot, the country says it doesn't need the secrets anyway.

Russian drugmaker R-Pharm has signed a licensing deal with Britain's AstraZeneca to produce and distribute doses of its University of Oxford-partnered adenovirus-based COVID-19 shot, AZD1222.

As part of the agreement, R-Pharm will export Oxford's shot to markets in the Commonwealth of Independent States—a nine-country economic group including Russia and post-Soviet republics—the Middle East and the Balkans, an AstraZeneca spokesman said.

The number of doses included in the deal has yet to be determined, AstraZeneca said.
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/astrazeneca-signs-covid-19-shot-deal-russia-days-after-hacking-accusations-surface





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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Donald Trump is the Krusty The Klown of presidents. You can find him all over the TV, he once hosted a show that got progressively worse as it went on, and he’s hawked a ton of incredibly poor quality merchandise over the years, to varying degrees of success. Not to mention he lives in a giant house with his name on it, and flies around in a jet with his name on it. But the difference – Krusty isn’t the one who is the leader of the free world! And of course, Trump’s true goal is not being president of the United States, but selling out. So why should we be surprised when he hawks products while he’s sitting in the Oval Office? He’s already hawked My Pillow numerous times, but now we can add Goya Mexican Foods to the list.

President Donald Trump took to Twitter Wednesday morning as he sought to undermine the backlash Goya Foods has been facing from core Latino consumers after the company's chief executive, Robert Unanue, said "we are all truly blessed" to have Trump as a leader last week.

"Goya Foods is doing GREAT. The Radical Left smear machine backfired, people are buying like crazy!" Trump tweeted.

Trump's response led to more fresh calls from Latino consumers to boycott Goya, which says it's the nation's largest Hispanic-owned food brand.

Unanue's words praising Trump's leadership at a time when Latinos have been disproportionately hit by the health and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic did not sit well with many people who went online to post videos of themselves trashing Goya products or sharing homemade "adobo" and "sazón" recipes under the hashtags #BoycottGoya and #goyaway.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/trump-tweets-his-support-goya-now-there-s-more-fresh-n1233881




Seriously, you know the series finale is coming up when the characters start hawking products on the show! Beans, beans, the musical fruit! The more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot, the better you feel! Let’s have beans for every meal! That joke would have killed in front of a live audience by the way. I miss live audiences. But getting back on topic, it seems Ivanka is hawking products too, and why not? This is 2020, yo!

The Trump family has long struggled in their promotion of food products — and even their efforts to make menu items look vaguely edible — but that didn’t stop Ivanka Trump from endorsing a can of Goya Foods black beans on Tuesday night. In elementary Spanish, she provided the latest entry in the uncanny genre of Trump-food pictures, clocking in on the horror scale somewhere between “GOP candidate eats bucket of chicken with a fork on a private plane” and “president turns the White House East Room into the fast-food Overlook Hotel.”

After Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue appeared at the White House last week and said that the country was “blessed to have a leader” like President Trump, some consumers of the country’s largest Hispanic-owned food company said they would boycott the brand’s pantry staples. Gustavo Arellano, a Los Angeles Times reporter and the author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, told the New York Times that the comments were a betrayal for many Latinx consumers: “To see something that represents nurture and community and family and most importantly the kitchen? That’s where it’s a stab in the heart. Or the stomach.”

In her effort to make a can of beans the latest totem of the culture war, the tweet from the senior adviser to the president also appears to violate the ethical standards for executive-branch employees, who may not use public office for private gain or “for the endorsement of any product.” Past examples of White House officials endorsing products — specifically, Trump-family products — include Kellyanne Conway telling a Fox News audience to “go buy Ivanka’s stuff” and the president’s advertising of his Doral resort as the potential site of the G-7.
https://www.thecut.com/2020/07/ivanka-trump-promotes-goya-violates-ethical-standards.html




Ethics. Trump keeps using that word, I do not think it means what he thinks it means. So why is this so controversial? Because Trump just opened up a whole new can of worms turning the Resolute Desk into a Price Is Right game. So what’s the boycott really about? It’s not just about buying one brand of canned beans over the other, it’s about politics and privilege. Just ask real Latino folks!

When Ricardo Alvarado went grocery shopping this week, he had a list of items to buy, but he steered clear of anything from Goya Foods. “I was using their beans, but I found a different brand," he said. "I switched olive oil, too, and I bought my own spices, not theirs."

A performing artist based in New York City, Alvarado is boycotting Goya Foods. “As long as I’m helping my community, I will do my part. It’s important that we show unity and solidarity.”

The CEO of Goya Foods, Robert Unanue, plunged the company into turmoil last week when he praised President Donald Trump at an event announcing the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative. “We’re all truly blessed, at the same time, to have leader like President Trump who is a builder,” Unanue said. He compared the president to his grandfather, a Spanish immigrant who founded the company in 1936.

News of Unanue’s words spread quickly, and hashtags like #Goyaway and #BoycottGoya trended on social media.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latinos-boycotting-goya-say-it-s-not-about-politics-it-n1234052




Don’t buy that device, it will cause severe burns! And by the way if you pick sides in this battle, if your neighbor has a can of Goya beans in their cupboard, could be trouble. And if you side with an increasingly unpopular president, be prepared for the backlash, because it can sink your popularity faster than Superman can leap a 30 story building. Even if it sounds seemingly innocent.

Goya Foods is facing backlash following flattering comments made by the company's CEO in a show of support for President Trump, but a local church in South Florida is standing by the producer of Latino cuisine.

Though many are calling for boycotts of Goya products, the leaders at Alpha & Omega Church on 7800 Miller Drive in Miami told NBC 6 their partnership with the company will continue.

"We really like Goya because they have been helping us for years," said Pastor Esther Jivanjee. "They are not doing it now because of what's going on."

Last week, Robert Unanue, the CEO of Goya Foods, publicly praised President Trump during a press conference at the White House. Some consumers who were critical of Unanue's comments said they would stop buying Goya.

Jivanjee, however, does not think that Unanue's political beliefs make a difference as far as the company's operations are concerned. "We're proud that they have been helping," she said. "We say, 'If it's Goya, it has to be good.'"
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-church-stands-by-partnership-with-goya-foods-despite-backlash-after-ceos-trump-praise/2264301/





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[font size="8"]Kanye West
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So is this a case of art imitating life, or life imitating art? Either way, if the life of Kanye West were a sitcom, which it most certainly could be, the episode where he decides to run for president could be considered one of the best of the series. Or it could also be the one where Kanye quite literally jumps the shark. My guess is that it’s more the latter than the former. Because Kanye running for president is quite literally batshit insane. And he’s certainly more unstable than Trump is. Really in the worst pandemic in a century, this is quite literally the last thing we need right now is these two guys duking it out. And we need a real leader to lead us out of this pandemic and economic crisis. So would any sane, rational person vote for Kanye?

Kanye West has officially launched his campaign for the 2020 US presidential election, with an unorthodox rally in Charleston, South Carolina.

West, 43, is running as a candidate for his self-styled "Birthday Party".

At the event, the rapper seemed to make policy decisions off-the-cuff and made several rants, including on abortion and on abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

Fans have questioned whether his last-minute bid for the White House is actually a promotional stunt.

The Charleston rally did little to clarify whether his run is genuine. But a now-deleted tweet sent from West's account on Saturday, appearing to show the song list for a new album, added to the speculation.

The event, held at a wedding and conference hall in the city, was said to be open to registered guests only - but West's campaign website had no function for people to register or RSVP.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53467658




Yeah that’s kind of what it sounds like, but is Kanye’s approach to running for president a real thing or is it just a promotional stunt? Like what would cause someone to choose Kanye over voting for Trump or voting for Biden? Well, I also ask what would cause someone to choose Trump? Well, for one thing, sane, logical campaign promises like this are the reason why.

"I almost killed my daughter. I love my daughter. … God wants us to create," said West, who has four children with Kim Kardashian West.

"No more Plan B -- Plan A," he said, to a mixed response from the audience.

West clarified that he thinks abortion should be legal, but that there should be more support for those who need it.

"The maximum increase would be everybody that has a baby gets a million dollars or something in that range," said West.

West also said that marijuana "should be free" and took questions from the audience before the hour-long event ended.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/kanye-west-kicks-off-1st-presidential-campaign-event/story?id=71869069




OK, Kanye! We get it, you’re not a fish stick! You’re a genius! But those sound like perfectly logical, campaign promises. And I could totally see people taking advantage of the million dollars per kid that Kanye is promising. Remember that Futurama where Bender adopts an entire orphanage to take advantage of tax breaks? Yeah it’s kind of like that. But then here’s where the whole thing really jumps the shark.

Kanye West has claimed that he asked Jay-Z to be his vice president.

Appearing on Kris Kraylin’s radio show on Sunday (19 July), the rapper, who is running to be the next president of the United States, revealed that he was considering Jay-Z, Jade Simmons and Michelle Tidball to be his second-in-command.

“We have Michelle Tidball, who is a Christian pastor out of Wyoming, who is my running mate. But she would be open to taking another position if we found another running mate,” West said.

Describing Jay-Z as his “favourite candidate” for the role, he continued: “I reached out to Jay to possibly be my vice president, my running mate.”

While the pair haven’t spoken for a while, West said that he had been inspired to choose Jay-Z after realising that the initials of his real name, Sean Carter, were the same as South Carolina, where he hosted his first rally.
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/kanye-west-jay-z-president-rally-south-carolina-a9629601.html




Now that is jumping the shark! But yeah do we need a paranoid conspiracy theorist who reads way too much into bullshit to be the president of the United States? Wait a minute, that sounds like our president right now! Do we have a president who is making some absolutely batshit crazy campaign promises that he’ll never deliver on? Wait, that sounds like right now. Do we need… yeah I am not going to answer that question, because it sounds like right now!

US rapper Kanye West's chaotic launch of his unlikely campaign to oust Donald Trump in November's presidential election has sparked anger, concern for his mental health and questions about whether he is seriously running.

Wearing a bullet-proof jacket marked "security," West broke down in tears during a rambling speech in Charleston, South Carolina on Sunday that was supposed to kickstart his White House bid.

Instead, controversial comments about renowned American abolitionist Harriet Tubman enraged attendees, provoked scorn online and left political analysts scratching their heads about the mercurial musician's true intentions.

For Jeffrey McCune, who teaches a course on West at Washington University in St. Louis, the topsy-turvy nature of the event was typical of the hip-hop star.
https://news.yahoo.com/kanye-wests-presidential-run-real-show-220614244.html





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[font size="8"]The Maskholes
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Before we get into the heart of this entry, I have to play this video that’s been going around Youtube because it is brilliant:



And that’s why we’re not going back to normal anytime soon. But as long as Coronavirus is still a thing, we have to talk about the people who have come to be known as the Maskhole. And I define the term “Maskhole” as an asshole who refuses to wear a mask, gets called out on it, and then goes absolutely apeshit. And there have been hundreds of these kinds of stories lately. So many that we could do an entire edition devoted to the Maskhole, but we don’t have that kind of time! We also had a graphic and intro to go with this segment, but our censors rejected it. So what defines a Maskhole? Well about the same as what defines a Karen, someone who goes crazy in public when confronted.

Face masks, apart from social distancing and hand sanitising, is the only known way o stay safe from coronavirus. However, despite the simplicity and feasibility of this precaution, people seem to be getting it all wrong.

Guidelines and advises on how to wear a mask have also failed as many people still don't wear one or wear it the wrong way. Step out at any point of the day and there will be people with the mask covering just their mouth, or chin, or it graces their neck (just for the heck of it). Photographs on social media even show people having tied them at the back of the head. Four months into the lockdown and continuous messages on how to be safe, the mask is still not finding its place. And now we do have a word for such people who defeat the purpose of masks. Maskhole is the word that The New Yorker has devised for such individuals.

A woman in Kentucky who cut a hole in her mask to breathe can be called a maskhole too. The mind-boggling video of the woman, a maskhole, was viral on several social media platforms. Originally shot by the store clerk Joe Samman, the clip has garnered more than 4.7 million views on TikTok.

Another maskhole example from India could be the Pune man who got a face mask made of gold which had a hole in it to make it breathable, hence defeating the entire purpose of a mask.
https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/maskhole-after-covidiots-is-the-best-word-to-define-people-with-reckless-behaviour-in-pandemic-2720227.html




You tell ‘em sir! We had the Karen, then the Karen morphed into the Covidiot, and now the Covidiot has morphed into the Maskhole. Now how do you spot a Maskhole out into the wild? No, we’re not going to do the Mutual Of Top 10 Wild Kingdom, that bit kind of fizzled. But you can spot a Maskhole very easily, like take this example for instance. This kind of thing isn’t helping and actually makes you look like an asshole, where the term comes from!

When authorities and healthcare professionals are at the frontline in the war against Covid-19, the number of covidiots keeps on increasing.

The term has been coined in popular culture during the pandemic to club all the reckless people, who with their idiotic behavior and actions spread the rate of infection, together.

A woman was captured at a gas station in Kentucky, the United States with a morphed mask. The cover was conveniently cut at the front. When asked the reason, the woman said it was to help her breathe better.

The mind-boggling video of the covidiot is going viral on several social media platforms. Originally shot by the store clerk Joe Samman, the clip has garnered more than 4.7 million views on TikTok.

The caption read, “Check this mask out”.
https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/this-covidiot-woman-has-cut-a-hole-in-her-mask-to-help-her-breathe-2606931.html




Yeah no, you failed. And generally failing so hard that you wind up the subject of a news article and a subsequent Youtube video is a good rule of thumb to avoid in normal times, but right now, since these are not normal times, this is something that you absolutely do not want to do. And this is not just an isolated incident either. There are *HUNDREDS* of pages of these on Google and Youtube. Like this story from Colorado for instance.

A liquor store in Colorado received threatening phone calls after a woman that refused to wear a face mask inside the store filmed her ejection from the business.

Ruby Musso, the woman who shot the video and refused to wear a mask, was shopping in a liquor store when other customers began shaming her for not wearing a mask and putting them at risk of catching the coronavirus. At one point, a woman shoves her shopping cart towards Ms Musso.

-snip-

Fox8 News reported that the liquor store has received threatening calls since the video went viral.

"People calling us telling us we're Nazis and destroying the American dream or something like that," Rufus Nagel, the liquor store's owner, said. "Honestly we're just trying to do the best we can."

The store has since cut off its phone service.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/colorado-store-receives-threats-video-201709413.html




Yeah probably! But seriously don’t threaten the store that bans you because you’re too stupid to follow their policy. Do you threaten Steam when you get banned for posting racist stuff on their message boards? I would assume the Trumpsters would try something like that. We will be featuring the Maskholes from time to time during the duration of the pandemic. But here’s another one, from time to time. But really don’t be like these people. Just don’t.

We’ve seen a lot of confrontations involving masks, including verbal fights, physical altercations and even coughing fits. But this one might top it all when a regular day at work turned into quite a show at the Verizon store off Galleria Boulevard in Roseville.

In a 911 call, you hear a dispatch operator tell an officer three people are “refusing to leave, not wearing a mask… they’ve asked several times and she refuses.” About three minutes later the operator tells the officer, “They’re calling back and advising that that female is pulling down her pants and is now urinating inside the business.”

Roseville Police got to the scene and confirmed the incident to CBS13. Spokesperson Rob Baquera says officers arrested the woman after finding several stolen items from a nearby Dick’s Sporting Goods store in her vehicle.

Verizon spokesperson Heidi Flato says the company is requiring all customers to wear masks in their stores. Flato told CBS13 the incident wasn’t just about the company’s mask policy but wouldn’t comment further about what happened.

https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020/07/17/roseville-urination-verizon-arrest/





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Return Of The Plague
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



The Coronavirus has consumed nearly every aspect of life right now. But there’s the possibility of another plague that has been dormant for decades, even centuries. The Bubonic Plague. Yes, there is a very real possibility of the plague returning. It seems mother nature is finally ready to get rid of all humans in the world and she is taking us out with a vengeance. But the return of the plague is not just an isolated incident, there’s been a couple of resurgences all over the world – in humans and in animals, and that was one of the biggest fears of the Coronavirus. The plague though, could be a different story altogether if it returns.

A squirrel in Colorado has tested positive for the bubonic plague.

The squirrel tested positive on July 11 in the town of Morrison, marking the first case of plague in the county this year, according to a news release from the Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) department.

The disease has been around for centuries and is responsible for the deadliest pandemic in human history. An estimated 50 million people in Europe died during the Black Death pandemic of the Middle Ages.

JCPH warns the public that it can infect both humans and animals if proper precautions are not taken.

The disease can be transmitted from flea bites and infected animals. While modern antibiotics can prevent complications and death if treated quickly enough, it's still a major threat to both humans and animals.
The disease can cause painful, swollen lymph nodes. Fever, chills and coughing are also symptoms humans can experience.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/14/us/bubonic-plague-squirrel-scn-trnd/index.html




That might be the squirrel that we need to worry about instead of Plague Squirrels. And Plague Squirrels, by the way, would make an awesome band name. But while China is coming to grips with the Coronavirus unleashed on the world, they may also have to deal with the fact that they’ve unleashed the return of the Black Plague, which has been confirmed in both China and Mongolia.

In the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia, a city is on high alert. On Tuesday, they confirmed a case of a disease that has persisted centuries after it caused the most deadly pandemic in human history -- the bubonic plague.
The case was first discovered in the city of Bayannur, located northwest of Beijing, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. A hospital alerted municipal authorities of the suspected case on Saturday. By Sunday, local authorities had issued a citywide Level 3 warning for plague prevention, the second lowest in a four-level system.

The warning will stay in place until the end of the year, according to Xinhua.

The case was confirmed and officially diagnosed by doctors on Tuesday. The patient is being isolated and treated in hospital, and is in stable condition, Xinhua reported.

Plague, caused by bacteria and transmitted through flea bites and infected animals, killed an estimated 50 million people in Europe during the Black Death pandemic in the Middle Ages. Modern antibiotics can prevent complications and death if administered quickly enough.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/06/asia/china-mongolia-bubonic-plague-intl-hnk-scli-scn/index.html




So don’t eat bats, or rats, or anything with “at” in the name. But why should you be alarmed by the return of a virus that nearly caused the end of humanity back in the early 1300s? Well it is very easily treatable with vaccines and medications, but the Chinese government has a history of reacting to terrible diseases, which is why Coronavirus got out like it did. Needless to say they would be the worst to deal with a pandemic on their hands.

The Chinese government’s response to this month’s outbreak of plague has been marked by temerity and some fear, which history suggests is entirely appropriate. But not all fear is the same, and Beijing seems to be afraid of the wrong things. Rather than being concerned about the germs and their spread, the government seems mostly motivated by a desire to manage public reaction about the disease. Those efforts, however, have failed—and the public’s response is now veering toward a sort of plague-inspired panic that’s not at all justified by the facts.

On Nov. 3, Li Jifeng, a doctor at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, the capital’s key infectious diseases treatment and quarantine center, attended to a middle-aged man who was struggling to breathe and his wife, who was also running a high fever and likewise gasping for air. The couple had been ailing for at least 10 days by the time Li saw them. They had initially sought care some 250 miles north of China’s capital in Inner Mongolia, a frigid cold region that straddles the borders of China, Mongolia, and North Korea, before being sent to Beijing for observation.

So far, so good, for China’s response. More ominous, however, was what happened next. Li’s WeChat social media posting describing the couple was quickly deleted. Meanwhile, the government officially informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about the cases, as it was required to do, but only on Nov. 13—after they were already reported by journalists around the world.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/11/16/china-bubonic-plague-outbreak-pandemic/




Bring out your dead!!! But the real reason why we should be worried about the return of such deadly disease and why our current situation could be burning out of control for a long time? Anti-vaccination crusaders. Yes, anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists are responsible for a lot of bad in the world, and they could make a bad situation like a disease burning out of control last forever. But thankfully this is one we do have a cure for. Unfortunately, there’s currently no cure for stupidity.

It follows two brothers being diagnosed with the plague after eating marmot meat in neighbouring country of Mongolia last week.

The killer bacterial infection, which is often spread by flea-ridden rodents, may also have spread to a second patient in the city of Bayannur in China, sparking an epidemic warning.

Alarmingly, this isn't the first time that plague has broken out in recent years - and it's not the only medieval disease to return from the shadows and claim new victims in the 21st century.

Here, we reveal how gruesome practices like 'corpse dancing' and barmy anti-vaxx conspiracists have seen some of the world's most feared viruses spring back to life.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12042579/ancient-diseases-plague-black-death-anti-vaxx-conspiracies-corpse-dancing/




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.





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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair online congregation! You know unfortunately we’re stuck inside and unable to bring you the full program that we deserve. But until then, we must fill that void! Because we’re religion but we’re also here to entertain! And boy do we need entertainment right now when we’re all locked in our homes until it is safe to go outside again. But this week, some of my parishioners have tipped me off to a new book by Robert Maginnis who says that former president Obama – a man whose name I am allowed to mention in my church, and the conservatives’ favorite boogeyman George Soros, are “Satan’s Greatest Human Proxies. Let’s delve into this, because this man has a warped view of SAYTAN and his minions, doesn’t he?

Family Research Council senior fellow and right-wing conspiracy theorist Robert Maginnis appeared on “The Jim Bakker Show” yesterday to promote his latest book, “Collision Course: The Fight to Reclaim Our Moral Compass Before It Is Too Late.”

During the interview, Maginnis said that a chapter in his book exposes “Satan’s greatest human proxies,” among whom he includes former President Barack Obama and billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

Among “Satan’s proxies” in history, Maginnis named Mao Zedong, Joseph Stalin, and Adolf Hitler. But among “today’s modern proxies of Satan, people that are true anti-Christs,” Maginnis named North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, China’s Xi Jinping, and George Soros.

“I would argue in our culture today, George Soros—who of course funds antifa and Black Lives Matter and other radical groups—is a major Antichrist,” Maginnis said.

Maginnis then cited a document from the right-wing organization WallBuilders that characterizes Obama as “America’s Most Biblically-Hostile U.S. President” as proof that Obama is also a modern-day proxy of Satan.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/robert-maginnis-ranks-barack-obama-george-soros-among-satans-greatest-human-proxies/




Of course not, SAYTAN, because no one can do that! But really, he’s right about Adolf Hitler, Kim Jong Un, Xi Jianping, and Josef Stalin, but do Obama and Soros really belong on that list? Hell no! Let’s take a look at some real proxies of SAYTAN, because I am sure that’s what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want, isn’t it? So who are SAYTAN’s greatest human proxies? How about these QAnon morons?

“God sent me,” Angela Stanton-King, the Republican candidate in Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, claimed in a tweet Wednesday night. Stanton–King is among the congressional candidates identified by Media Matters and news outlets as having promoted QAnon-related conspiracy theories.

At the beginning of July, Stanton–King denied being a QAnon believer, telling the Associated Press that linking to a QAnon video was about “questioning the movement” and that using QAnon hashtags was an effort to extend her social media reach. But since then, she has published a number of tweets that appear to support QAnon. On July 11, she tweeted, “How many of you think this is still about Trump being a racist and not the Globbal elite pedophiles trafficking children…THE GLOVES ARE OFF!!!” On Thursday morning, she tweeted what she described as a “truth bomb”: “This isn’t about COVID 19 or BLACK LIVES MATTER. This is a major cover up for PEDOPHILIA and HUMAN TRAFFICKING.”

Stanton–King is vehemently anti-choice. Last week, she tweeted, “Calling all Christians,” adding, “Remember that scripture in Ecclesiastes, the one that says, ‘There’s a time for peace and a time for war.’ Well this is the war! Save the children and the babies in the womb.”

After authoring a series of tweets detailing her strident anti-LGBTQ views in March, Stanton–King faced a wave of criticism. Blogger Alvin McEwen called her out for sending a tweet “implying that LGBTQ people are violent pedophiles” on the day she launched her campaign. On July 9, she tweeted, “First they stole the rainbow now they wanna steal the church.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/god-sent-me-claims-%e2%80%8bqanon-promoting-congressional-candidate-angela-stanton-king/




No, you were more likely chosen by SAYTAN than by GAWD! Because the LAWRD does not like the Dark One, and I will not allow his name to be mentioned in my church! Even if it is not the real church right now at the moment. And speaking of Satan’s Human Proxies, these Q Anon idiots are obsessed with pedophiles. I mean really obsessed. And I’m sure that’s not something that the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want, now is it?

“Diehard QAnon conspiracy theorists Liz Crokin and Ann Vandersteel appeared together on Friday’s episode of Vandersteel’s “Steel Truth” program, during which Vandersteel declared that Crokin deserves to be awarded the Medal of Freedom for her supposed efforts to save children from the alleged global satanic pedophile ring that exists at the heart of the QAnon conspiracy theory.

Despite the fact that Crokin seemingly does little beyond spreading baseless conspiracy theories on YouTube and Facebook, Vandersteel spent a good portion of Friday’s program heaping praise on Crokin, saying that Crokin is a blessing to the United States and the world, adding that she hopes Crokin will one day receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the Medal of Freedom is awarded to “individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of America, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors”).

“You’ve mangaed to just stay clean and pure, and your heart is so good,” Vandersteel told Crokin. “I see so much of President Trump in you, frankly, trying to save the children, which is amazing.”

Vandersteel and Crokin then decided to copy former national security adviser Michael Flynn by taking the the QAnon oath, which is essentially the normal oath of office with the QAnon slogan “where we go one, we go all,” added to the end. To accomplish this, Vandersteel played the video of Flynn and friends taking the oath while she and Crokin awkwardly added their own voices to create a cacophonous mess.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/ann-vandersteel-says-liz-crokin-deserves-medal-of-freedom-for-having-saved-millions-of-children-from-satanic-pedophiles/




Yes, thank you SAYTAN for unleashing these godless heathens upon us! You know how does the Dark LAWRD SAYTAN feel about the protests against police brutality? It’s some truly awful shit happening all around the country as people finally stand up to the horrors of what is happening? Well, apparently Christians think they are persecuted because they can’t say certain phrases! Gee, where have I heard this nonsense before?

Trump-loving right-wing pastor and die hard birther conspiracy theorist Carl Gallups appeared on “The Jim Bakker Show” last Wednesday, where he complained that Christians are being censored and criticized for insisting that “all lives matter.”

Right-wing activists and Christian conservatives who oppose the Black Lives Matter movement have responded to the phrase “Black lives matter” by asserting that “all lives matter” and falsely insinuating that the phrase “Black lives matter” means that only Black lives matter, which is obviously not the case.

During his appearance on Bakker’s show, Gallups used this false framework to argue that Christians are not allowed to say that “all lives matter” because Satan “has convinced the whole world that we cannot say that” as a way of preventing them from spreading the Gospel.

“Because of Jesus Christ, all lives matter,” Gallups said. “And Jesus said, ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him [shall not perish, but have eternal life].’ Paul said, ‘In Jesus Christ, there is no Jew, there is no Gentile’—those are racial and cultural differences—’there is no male, there is no female, there is no slave, there is no master.’ Now there were slaves, and there were masters. There were men, and there were women. They were Jews, and there were Gentiles. So what’s Paul saying? He’s saying in Jesus Christ, all lives matter.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/carl-gallups-warns-satan-has-convinced-the-world-christians-cant-say-all-lives-matter/




Sheesh, stop being so persecuted my fellow brothers and sisters! These are the people who are really the spawns of SAYTAN! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse: Lady A Vs Lady A
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Pop quiz, hot shot! You’re in a super popular country music group, and you’re under fire for having a racist name in a time when racism is finally getting scrubbed from the annals of American history! So what do you do? What do you DO???? Well, the Dixie Chicks recently dropped the “Dixie” from their name and are going by “The Chicks”. Now here’s the conundrum. Country music’s controversial group Lady Antebellum, dropped the southern moniker “Antebellum” and is going with the name Lady A. But… but… there’s already a singer with the name Lady A, who is from Seattle, and has had that stage name for over 20 years! How did that happen, and why has Lady A not fired their manager yet? Instead, Lady A, the band, is taking a much different and way more American route than Lady A the singer is. See if you can guess what that is!

Let the games begin. The band formerly known as Lady Antebellum announced in June that they were changing their name — but the transition hasn’t been easy.

Band members Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood confirmed that they would be taking the country group in a new direction after acknowledging the dangerous history of the word “antebellum” amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests.

“As a band, we have strived for our music to be a refuge … inclusive of all,” the Grammy winners declared via a lengthy Instagram statement on June 11. “After much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest Black friends and colleagues, we have decided to drop the word ‘antebellum’ from our name and move forward as Lady A, the nickname our fans gave us almost from the start.”

Scott, 34, Kelley, 38, and Haywood, 37, admitted that they felt “regretful and embarrassed” about not being more aware of the meaning behind the word and its connection to slavery. “We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued,” they added.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/celebrity/singer-lady-a-reacts-to-bands-name-change-lawsuit-everything-to-know/ss-BB16AVEV?li=BBnbfcL




Yeah probably. But it’s not racism here that’s the problem. The problem is that one group has apparently felt that money is a far more important issue and they need a lot more of it, which is also a very American thing to do. But like Coronavirus, expect this lawsuit to sting and linger in the air for a very long time to come. It’s basically a battle of money vs reputation, and money usually wins out in this day and age.

Singer Anita White, also known as Lady A, released a statement over the weekend saying that the country group of the same name — formerly known as Lady Antebellum — “has used their wealth and influence to intimidate and bully me into submission without offering any real recompense for appropriating my name.”

Says White, “It is now clear that their apologies, friendly texts, and playing on my love of God were just insincere gestures aimed at quieting me. Well, I will not be quiet any longer.”

White had made her views clear earlier in the week in interviews with Vulture and Rolling Stone, but the 790-word statement represents her first full expression of her feelings about the breakdown in negotiations with the band in her own words.

Although the group Lady A had sought an agreement in which both artists could freely use the name, the singer Lady A explains why she has resisted that, and says in her statement that “co-existence will simply not work.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/lady-singer-claims-band-used-wealth-influence-bully-me-says-n1233648




Good question! Why? Well, money, and bullshit. Plus there’s no way that the members of the group formerly known as Lady Antebellum thought this through. So, like Eminem says, will the real Lady A please stand up? Please stand up? Please stand up? OK I got a little carried away here. But the fact of the matter is that it’s way more complicated than you might think.

Intellectual property attorneys say the country act may have a good case for using its longtime nickname.

There is only one Beatles for a reason. Acts rarely, if ever, share a name. And although Seattle-based blues singer Anita White believes that the country trio formerly known as Lady Antebellum is trying to “erase” her by adopting the more culturally appropriate moniker Lady A -- which has been White’s stage name for more than three decades -- intellectual property experts say the Nashville group likely has the upper hand in a new lawsuit because of a trademark filing from 10 years ago.

On June 11, the Nashville act announced its name change to shed the pre-Civil War association with slavery implied in the word Antebellum -- meaning “before the war” -- drawing a swift response from the 62-year-old Black singer, who said she has used the Lady A name since 1987.

“It’s not right that they can come and decide that they want to use this name and take it from me, because now it feels like another knee on my neck," she told CBS affiliate WUSA in Washington, D.C., a reference to the police-related death of George Floyd, who died in May after a white Minneapolis officer held his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. After talks between White and the band broke down, the country trio -- Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood -- filed a lawsuit in Nashville on July 8 claiming White's team delivered an "exorbitant monetary demand" of $10 million to turn over the trademark rights to the name.
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/legal-and-management/9416649/lady-a-who-has-rights-to-name-experts




Maybe don’t hire that guy. But in addition to being a trademark and lawsuit nightmare, this reimagining of Lady Antebellum as Lady A has also been a PR nightmare! Yes, in addition to lawsuit headaches, they are also dealing with bad press. That’s a thing that nobody wants to deal with. But that can hurt a music act’s reputation no matter what genre it is. Seriously, ask Michael Jackson. What? Too soon? Well this does not appear to be going away any time soon.

Last week, they sued Anita White, a Black blues artist who has gone by the name "Lady A" for more than 20 years, seeking to enforce a trademark they have had for the name since 2011. In choosing to pick this fight now, the band showed us all the limits of our national moment of reckoning around race.


Put another way, plenty of public figures and companies presented themselves as racial progressives in the days during and following the protests. For many, that progressiveness seems to stop as soon as dollars are involved.

According to their court filing, the band formerly known as Lady Antebellum (I'll just call them "TBFKALA" for short) has sold 18 million album units and 34 million tracks and been streamed some 5 billion times. They have won seven Grammys and countless other honors.

In contrast, Ms. White started going by "Lady A" at karaoke nights in the 1980s. She has a day job working for Seattle Public Utilities. At the time of the filing of the lawsuit, the band's Spotify page had over 7 million monthly listeners. Ms. White's had 166.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/13/opinions/lady-a-lawsuit-anita-white-terrible-williams/index.html





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[font size="8"]How Is This Still A Thing: Stone Mountain

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It’s time once again to ask:



This week: Georgia’s Stone Mountain, how is this still a thing? We live in an era right now where, since the death of George Floyd at the hands of murderous police forces, has awaked everyone to the dangers of racism in society. Racist monuments across the country and even around the world are getting taken down in solidarity. But one still reigns supreme – the original home and monument to the racist organization known as the Ku Klux Klan, Stone Mountain, Georgia. The monument attracts some 100,000 visitors a year. But now people are questioning its’ very existence. In fact, it may be in jeopardy of no longer being a thing.

The mother of all Confederate monuments looms in Georgia. It’s etched on the side of a 280-some-million-year-old monadnock: Stone Mountain, seven miles around at the base and covering 1,000 acres. The Confederate memorial carving—Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis on horseback—is on the north face, comprising 3 acres in area. It’s 400 feet above the ground; it’s the largest bas-relief carving in the world—blah, blah, blah, this thing is big.

The armed, mostly Black protesters who peacefully marched in Stone Mountain Park demanding the removal of the carving on the Fourth of July hit social media hard, but the idea that the carving, big (and legally protected) as it may be, needs to go has been gaining traction in recent years. In 2017, Stacey Abrams, then running for governor of Georgia, called for the carving to be removed. Richard Rose, president of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP, interviewed by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Debra McKinney in 2018, called the carving “the largest shrine to white supremacy in the history of the world,” and said it should be brought down.

Looking at the history of this piece of public art, which is rich with twists and turns, it becomes clear that the carving is a monument to many kinds of 20th-century white supremacy—the overt racist violence of the second Ku Klux Klan; the decades-long tolerance of the Southern Jim Crow regime by Northerners, who wanted badly to look the other way in the name of “unity”; and later, the consumption-oriented “Lost Cause” nostalgia that reframed all of Southern history as a playground for pleasure seekers. A removal of this particular monument would truly be a victory. It would be hard to do, both physically and legally, but boy, would it be satisfying.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/07/stone-mountain-georgia-confederacy-history.html




Yes, maybe don’t call your special the “Krusty Komedy Klassic”. Because usually anything associated with the KKK is bad. But Stone Mountain is normally attracting tourists, though this year it’s attracting another kind of visitor. And that visitor is armed, angry, white males. Who you can naturally imagine are pissed at their monuments getting torn down. Yup, these are the kinds of protestors that you do not want at your monument.

About 1,000 heavily armed militia, all of whom were Black, marched through Georgia's Stone Mountain Park on Saturday, challenging white nationalist groups in the area to either come out and fight or join them in demonstrating against the government.

Stone Mountain State Park officials said the Black militia group was peaceful, orderly and escorted by police as they called for the removal of the country's largest Confederate monument near Atlanta.

Videos posted to social media show the group, the "Not F**king Around Coalition" (NFAC), meeting at the massive nine-story quartz sculpting that depicts former Confederate president Jefferson Davis and Southern generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

NFAC Founder Grand Master Jay told Newsweek via phone Sunday that the militia members at Stone Mountain on Saturday were "100 percent Black" and they are not affiliated with Black Lives Matter. "We are a Black militia. We aren't protesters, we aren't demonstrators. We don't come to sing, we don't come to chant. That's not what we do," he said.
https://www.newsweek.com/armed-black-demonstrators-challenge-white-supremacist-militia-georgias-stone-mountain-park-1515494




Yes, probably! So how did the original monument to the KKK and the Civil War stand the test of time? In a post Civil War America, there are still people who hang onto the idea of secession and slavery and are looking to restore America’s glory days. Stone Mountain is the southern version of the Mt. Rushmore monument in South Dakota. But as you can imagine, there’s both lots of arguments why the monument should exist and why it shouldn’t.

It’s 1,683 feet high, with a circumference of 3.8 miles. It’s the largest mass of exposed granite in the world. It’s been the site of everything from family picnics to Klan rallies for nearly a century. It looms, literally and figuratively, over the ongoing Confederate statue debate.

It’s Stone Mountain, and it’s an enormous, indelible monument to the Confederacy.

Located just east of Atlanta, Stone Mountain is an easily identifiable landmark when flying into the world’s busiest airport. An egg-shaped mass that’s only the uppermost tip of a miles-wide swath of rock, its distinctive granite graces everything from the steps on the East Wing of the U.S. Capitol to the Panama Canal to the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. It’s also hosted generations of tourists, drawn both to the awe-inspiring size of the mountain and the gargantuan carving of Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson carved on its face.

The “Memorial Carving,” as it’s dubbed on the park’s website, is 400 feet above the surrounding ground and extends as much as 42 feet into the rock. It’s the largest bas-relief (i.e. carved from surrounding rock) sculpture in the world, 90 feet by 190 feet. Lee is the size of a nine-story building, and an adult could stand up inside the mouth of one of the horses.
https://sports.yahoo.com/the-story-of-stone-mountain-the-worlds-largest-confederate-monument-160915895.html




Yes, probably. And why is it allowed to continue to exist? Despite being the target of pro-racism and anti-racism arguments all over the world, maybe if the protestors were better organized, Stone Mountain might come down. Or it might stay up. Either way, it all comes down to permitted protestors, and Stone Mountain may have found a loophole in which to keep them out. And this could set precedent throughout the country.

City of Stone Mountain officials are reexamining policies after a large group of demonstrators parked in the city and marched into Stone Mountain Park over the weekend - many of them armed.

While the demonstration was peaceful and no one was arrested, 11Alive has learned the group did not have a permit to be there. The event may soon have an impact on how the park handles future demonstrations.

“When you take a city as small as Stone Mountain with our 15 officers and they are confronted with 200-plus individuals who have obviously outgunned us ... to do a peaceful demonstration we're not gonna start talking about permits and, ‘You can't come here without permits’," Public Safety administrator Thomas Brown said.

Brown said the armed protesters on Saturday at Stone Mountain did not have a parade permit. And the Stone Mountain Association said they didn't have a parade permit for the park either. However, Brown said they weren't going to risk an altercation over the issue at the time.

"That's a conversation we must have much later down the line," he said.
https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/stone-mountain/stone-mountain-park-permitting-questions/85-10341bef-c98e-4ce5-847c-9bd5366501ef




So, poorly planned protests and a dash of hardcore racism and America’s incredibly poor history with the subject. And that sweet tourism revenue. That’s enough to make you ask – Georgia’s Stone Mountain:




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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people, and people are dumb. And even the worst pandemic in an entire century has certainly not derailed people’s natural ability to be as stupid as possible. First off, let’s start with this story out of the great state of Kentucky. So here’s the thing, if you’re going to do mushrooms, do them in an area where there’s no possibility of the police showing up at your door. And if you do, also maybe come up with a better excuse than this. I’m sure that Jesus probably has better things to do right now than to take hallucinogenic mushrooms with you. Or maybe he does, that’s God for you.

After breaking into a Kentucky home, a naked man explained to police that he had “used mushrooms with Jesus and that they were playing a virtual reality video game together” before his apprehension, police say.

While en route to a 911 call about a “male subject running down the roadway completely nude and hitting passing vehicles with his hands,” cops early today got a second call about a residential burglary in progress in the same Owensboro neighborhood.

Upon arriving at the home around 1:30 AM, officers encountered John Stefanopoulos “standing in the residence.” The 41-year-old Stefanopoulos--who does not live in the property--was “completely nude and had a substantial amount of blood and mud on his body.”

When Stefanopoulos rushed cops after ignoring orders to get on the ground, he was tasered and handcuffed following a brief struggle.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/bizarre/shrooms-with-jesus-783062




Yes, that is true! Next up – remember that episode of Seinfeld where Jerry accused his accountant of abusing drugs because he went to South America? Well, this next story might actually prove that theory true. I mean, I go to Starbucks all the time and I don’t remember getting this with my coffee! Yup, imported Columbian coffee beans to Italy contained… *drum roll* drugs! How did that one get mixed up in the process?

Police in Italy have intercepted a package containing hundreds of coffee beans that were hiding illegal drugs inside them.

Around 500 beans had been cut open, stuffed with cocaine, and carefully taped closed again with dark brown tape.

While the method of transportation appears to have been carefully thought out, the name on the package may have given the smugglers away.

Police said suspicions were initially raised when they saw the name "Santino D'Antonio" on the packets — a mafia boss in the American action film John Wick.

Police intercepted the beans after they had been sent from Medellin in Colombia to Milan's Malpensa airport.

The 2kg package contained 150g of cocaine powder.
https://www.euronews.com/2020/07/17/italian-police-intercept-coffee-beans-stuffed-with-cocaine




Yeah next time maybe don’t use the name of a John Wick character on your shipping reference! Next up – we got to go to the State of Florida now. With Miami becoming the COVID-19 capital of the world (hey! It’s a retiree! Hey o! ), it’s no secret that Florida Man is out and doing stuff and he’s dumber than ever! First off, if there’s one thing you should know, it’s that nothing good ever comes out of a dare. Nothing!

A Florida Man arrested for “running in the street unclothed” at 2:45 AM told police that he went for the naked jog yesterday after being “dared by a friend,” according to an arrest affidavit.

Konrad Tucker, 58, “did not seem bothered by the fact that he was nude while in public view,” a Pinellas Park Police Department officer reported.

Seen at right, Tucker reportedly “could not advise where he was staying or who his ‘friend was.’” Additionally, Tucker “did not have access to any clothing.”

Tucker, who is listed as a transient in arrest records, was charged with exposure of sexual organs, a misdemeanor. He is being held in lieu of $150 bond at the Pinellas County jail.

Tucker’s rap sheet includes convictions for disorderly intoxication, passing a bad check, resisting arrest, and driving with a suspended license.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/florida/nabbed-for-naked-run-714205




Seriously that was right from the Simpsons Movie! Next up – dumb clerks! OK so this is a fad that is happening because of the COVID-19 pandemic. See, in normal times you would be asked to show your ID before you score alcohol. But in the world where everyone should be required to wear face masks, and most of us are doing so, you can’t tell who’s hiding behind the mask. And teenagers are taking advantage of the situation!

In a pandemic, no one knows you’re underage.

That’s what Gen Z has discovered as they’ve updated the fake ID for the COVID-19 era, hitting up liquor stores dressed as elderly grandmas wearing coronavirus face masks.

The “prank” has taken social media platform TikTok by storm, with videos of users bedecked as boozehound bubbies — seemingly victorious, bottles in hand — racking up millions of views.

That you get liquor before you turn 21 is, we’re sure, just a bonus.

“PSA: use ur fakes as much as possible bc if you wear a mask they can’t see ur whole face lol,” one adolescent posted to her not-of-legal-age brethren.

“Now that we have to wear masks, this is the best time to buy alcohol with a fake ID since the early 80’s …,” standup comedian Jason Lawhead posted on Twitter.
https://nypost.com/2020/07/14/teens-are-dressing-up-as-mask-wearing-grandmas-to-score-alcohol/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPTwitter&utm_medium=SocialFlow




Finally this week – I’ve seen a lot of strange Florida stories over the years, but I will admit that I did not have “goat paternity tests” on my Florida Man Bingo Card. We go to the town of Odessa for this story, and it’s every bit as strange as you might imagine. And come on, what’s a Florida story without some goats involved? And no, it doesn’t stand for “greatest of all time”.

A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit seeking either a paternity test on her goats or a refund — and she's not kidding.

Kris Hedstrom filed the suit against her neighbor, Heather Dayner, last month seeking DNA for the goats she purchased. Hedstrom paid Dayner $900 for five Nigerian dwarf goats in December.

According to the lawsuit, Hedstrom believed the goats — Bella, Gigi, Rosie, Zelda and Margoat — could be registered with the American Dairy Goat Association, a group that records goat pedigrees. Registered goats have higher values than unregistered goats.

Dayner, who has been selling goats at Baxter Lane Farm for about 10 years, typically provides information to her clients so they can register their animals themselves.

She said the father goat was registered, but the Tampa Bay Times reports the American Dairy Goat Association rejected Hedstrom’s application to register the babies because Dayner is not an active member.
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/weird/florida-woman-sues-for-paternity-test-on-goats-and-more-of-this-weeks-weirdest-news/collection_16eb374a-6b65-50b0-8beb-6aaee10915d2.html#1




That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Road To The White House: Biden Vs Trump Rallies
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Welcome back to… cue reverb… THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Ooh, that was some good reverb there! Of course you know that the 2020 Road To The White House is no ordinary campaign. No sir, no madam, we are as you might be aware, currently in the worst pandemic not seen in an entire century, so of course it happens to be in THIS election cycle! Of course everyone wants to get rid of this pandemic so we can get on with the lives we were supposed to have prior to the outbreak. How’s that affecting the campaign though? There’s two different camps. Biden is taking the smart approach to campaigning in a pandemic, so let’s call him Gallant and Trump is taking the ridiculously stupid way. So let’s call Trump, Goofus.

Florida’s top political minds think President Donald Trump and the Republican Party will go through with their Jacksonville conventions plans amid a worsening pandemic. But that doesn’t mean they think it’s a good idea.

In a survey of 220 of Florida campaign operatives, political party leaders, organizers, fundraisers, elected leaders, political scientists and other Insiders, 72 percent agreed that holding the Republican National Convention in Florida is a public health risk.

“I do think the Republican Party will be hell bent on this convention and it will happen,” one GOP consultant said. “The questions is ‘Will it be like Tulsa?' Only time will tell. As of now, you couldn’t pay me to attend that convention. Too much risk for silly hats and bourbon.”

One Democrat suggested that Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry have a lot to gain if the convention is a success, but also quite a bit to lose “if virus numbers spike in Jacksonville afterward.” But like 93 percent of respondents, he thinks the quadrennial confab is going to commence.
https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/07/01/florida-insiders-fear-trumps-jacksonville-convention-is-a-public-health-risk/




Well duh indeed! Of course Trump is a public health risk. The man is a walking heart attack waiting to happen, and we’ve all seen what he likes to do in the bedroom. Yeah the man wants his balloon drop and his big parade, but guess what? We’re in a pandemic right now that has upended society as we know it and has turned the whole world upside down and inside out! But you know what? He’ll cancel his rally, but not because of the virus!

Poll after poll has shown former Vice President Joe Biden with a growing lead over President Trump, and with COVID-19 cases surging again, the president's approval level is sinking as well. It's all leading Trump to claim "the polls are all fake" and, when he does believe them, beg for advice to turn it all around, Vanity Fair reports.

In recent days, Trump has appeared "down in the dumps," Republicans who have spoken with him tell Vanity Fair. "People around him think his heart's not in it," one Republican close to the White House said of his campaign. Trump is reportedly stuck between appealing to his base and suburban voters, leading him to even call Fox News' Tucker Carlson last week and beg "What do I do? What do I do?"

In other instances, Trump has appeared in denial of his sputtering campaign and claimed "the polls are all fake," a Republican in touch with Trump tells Vanity Fair. But at other times he reportedly believes the polls — and blames them on his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner. But the reported blame games haven't stopped the bad news from pouring in, namely when it comes to the resumption of campaign rallies where Trump usually thrives. With coronavirus spreading throughout Florida and a mandatory mask policy now in place in Jacksonville, the Trump campaign is reportedly ready to cancel his 15,000-person rally at the Republican National Convention next month "so that Trump doesn’t suffer another Tulsa–like humiliation," Vanity Fair writes.
https://theweek.com/speedreads/923605/trumps-campaign-reportedly-ready-cancel-convention-rally-avoid-tulsalike-humiliation




Seriously, that would make a great campaign ad. Just Trump as the Sad Hulk after his big rallies in Tulsa and Jacksonville turn out to be the shit shows we all predicted they would be. But now let’s switch gears from Goofus, and how is Gallant handling this? Well of course he’s going the virtual route, and of course I know we are all going to be sick of Zoom when this is over. But this is life until we get a handle on this thing.

Former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential campaign got a $7.6 million boost on Tuesday after former President Barack Obama joined him for a virtual fundraising event.

The event was the first Biden fundraiser to feature Obama, who had formally endorsed his former running mate in April. The campaign said 120,000 people had logged on for the fundraiser, which was viewable after donors contributed any amount.

"There are over 175,000 grassroots supporters that have contributed to tonight's event, which makes it the largest fundraiser certainly we have had on the campaign and really highlights the power of the grassroots movement behind VP Biden to take on Donald Trump," Jen O'Malley Dillon, Biden's campaign manager, said in a statement.

The event featured a video stream of Biden and Obama speaking and taking questions for over an hour. Obama told the audience that defeating President Donald Trump is "serious business," saying that whatever they had done so far was "not enough," while praising the former vice president as a "dear friend."
https://www.newsweek.com/biden-virtual-campaign-fundraiser-featuring-obama-brings-76-million-1512956




This might be an actual money fight! Joe is playing it safe and venturing indoors, while Trump is going outdoors and it’s costing him big time. In fact, his Tulsa rally was not only a political and personal disaster for Trump, it was also a financial disaster! Tulsa will be paying for this little shindig for a very long time to come, and well, let’s just say you get what you pay for!

President Trump's June campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., which sported a significantly lower turnout than expected, cost the president's campaign roughly $2 million.

The campaign rally was Trump's return to in-person campaigning, with the coronavirus pandemic forcing most traditional campaigning efforts for both Democrats and Republicans to take place online.

In order to just reserve the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa for the rally, the campaign had to pay more than $500,000, campaign filings submitted Monday reveal.

Then, almost $1 million was spent on "event staging," paying more than $670,000 to Arcus Group; a company named LMG also received more than $425,000 for “audio visual services."

The filings don't explicitly say that the expenses are tied to the Tulsa rally, but the president didn't have any other large, in-person political events the rest of the month.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/508370-trump-campaign-paid-about-2-million-for-june-rally-in-tulsa-filings-show




[font size="4"]Next Week:[/font]

We’re going to take a look at 3 progressives not named Kamala Harris who are being considered for Biden’s VP pick. Stay tuned!



See you next week!

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July 15, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-4: The Top 10 Hot 10: The Americans Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-4: The Top 10 Hot 10: The Americans Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? Are you guys doing fucking good? I know, right? Well we have completed ½ of this horrid, wretched year that is 2020 and we still have half to go. Man I cannot wait for 2021 to get here. So this is our first ever Top 10 Hot 10 edition and I haven’t been this excited in a long time. So you might be asking why are we doing this? Well it’s easy – boredom. And man have I been sick and tired of non-stop talking about COVID-19. I know it’s all that is in the news right now and we can’t help it, but yeah that’s part of it. If you think about it, since March 25th, nearly 2/3 of our segments have been about Coronavirus, and I really need something else to talk about. Also two, there’s a lack of material out there for all the various segments that we do. A lot of our material is designed to be performed in front of a live audience, and since we can’t do that for a while, we’re regulated to this white background empty void. Eventually we’ll get that freedom back. But also, I’ve been wanting to do something like this for quite some time. This week, we’re completely throwing out our usual format and giving you the first ever Top 10 Hot 10. And this will be one of 3. This Top 10 Hot 10 is going to be strictly limited to the United States leaders, politicians, celebrities and various groups. While the second Hot 10 is coming in August and it will focus on world leaders (I’m looking at you, Putin). The third Hot 10, coming in September, will focus on right-wing personalities in the sports and entertainment world (think Ted Nugent and Kid Rock). And finally the fourth one will be in November and we will be using it to discuss members of the right wing blogosphere and punditry, such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Pat Robertson. Oh, and there’s a twist – unlike our format which is 1 – 10, this edition will be… BACKWARDS!!! YAY!! The kids love that one, don’t they? OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first, with Hamilton back on the Disney + streaming service, I have to post Weird Al’s insane polka rendition of the entire musical in 5 minutes:



So since this edition is going to be completely backwards, and in a countdown style format, we are going to count down from #10 to #1! We’ve been scouring the depths of the Top 10 going all the way back to #1 to find the worst of the worst. Taking the number 10 slot is of course the state known as the Sunshine State, the State Of Florida (10), America’s most penis-shaped state. Ruiner of elections and pandemics, keeper of the most guns, and residence of some of the craziest people on the planet. In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot is the Right Wing Blogosphere (9), and it comes in all flavors, whether you prefer Alex Jones’ conspiracy theories, Ben Shapiro’s whining about safe spaces, or the absolute batshit religious “prophecies” coming out of Mark Taylor’s mouth, there’s something for everybody! Taking the 8th slot is Liberty University (8). Yes, the school founded by Jerry Falwell is a never-ending source of conservative idiocy, bad policies, cheap diplomas, evolution denial, and of course some old time fire and brimstone religion! Taking the 7th slot is the White Male Groper’s Club (7) which includes everyone from Boofing Brett to Bill O’Reilly to stand-up comedians and movie stars and our own president, these perverted dipshits have got caught with their pants down – literally! In the number six slot, we can’t forget about our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit”, and we asked our resident pastor to come up with some contributions to this list, and he’s got some doozies! In the number 5 slot this week is Fox News (5), oh and don’t think I have forgot about Rupert Murdoch’s hideous contributions to society including our 43rd and 45th presidents, imagine where we would be without them! Taking the fourth slot this week, is Brett Kavanaugh (4). There’s the conservative SCOTUS, but Kavanaugh takes a special place among America’s elite justices for the absolute colossal shit show surrounding his controversial nomination, and if Trump gets another justice to replace Ginsburg, we are fucked.In the number 3 slot this week, is none other than American Police (3). Yes, you can talk all the shit you want about the Po-Pos, but police brutality is way in the news right now and it’s a very uniquely American feature, which is why American cops are among the highest on the list. Taking the second slot this week is – you guessed it - our current Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell! The Kentucky Senator is known for his signature move of stopping short any bill that comes across his desk, and it’s led to some absolute disasters. Which means that the number 1 slot on our Top 10 Hot 10 is our current president, Donald J. Trump! The bumbling buffoon who can’t spell basic words that everyone knows, fucked up the worst pandemic in a century, put migrant children in cages, and turned a border wall project into an easily-sawed through fence, is our number one on this Top 10 Hot 10 edition! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]The State Of Florida
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Taking the 10th spot on the list is none other than the great state of Florida. America’s most penis-shaped state. The Sunshine State. Look, we kid. We love Florida, and prior to the pandemic we were going to take a trip through the Sunshine State similar to the Texas trip we took last year at the start of season 7. But what is up with Florida? Why are the people there so batshit fucking crazy? And why do they continue to be that way? And where do we even begin to tackle the sheer stupidity coming out of the Sunshine State? I’m not going to talk about coronavirus because there’s way too much out of Florida and it’s all super depressing. But let’s talk about the Florida governor Ron DeSantis for a minute.

In what may be one of the most disgraceful comments made by a Florida Governor in our collective decades of observing Florida politics, Gov. Ron DeSantis mused Thursday that the media likes the spiking coronavirus numbers.

His statement, clearly meant as political cover, ignored the humanity that exists in all jobs, especially in the media.

Think for a moment what those in the media do. Some cover gruesome, heartbreaking crime or accident scenes. Some flock to natural disasters to ensure the public is informed, even as others are running for their lives. We have hard conversations with grieving parents whose child’s life was snuffed out by gun violence.

As a world in crisis amid a global pandemic, we follow every death. Every illness. Every business closure. Every financial hardship.

Our industry is being decimated by this pandemic, much like other industries. Newsrooms across the nation are laying off workers.

Journalists live in fear day in and day out — fear for losing their jobs because of an economic crisis, but fear also for contracting a monster of a virus as we march into battle to keep the public informed of a minute-by-minute onslaught of information.
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/346165-gov-desantis-latest-media-bashing-is-the-closest-well-come-to-telling-him-to-go-to-hell




Yeah Bugs Bunny had the right idea! But in all seriousness, we love Florida here, and we kid because we love. And once this pandemic is over I hope to do a trip to Florida the way we did Texas last year, just tour the state and find out… what’s up? But we also can’t talk about Florida without talking about our good friend Florida Man. Yes, whether launching a rocket into the sun or going on a crystal meth bender and winding up driving his car in a ditch, you can always count on Florida to bring the crazy.

Can 2020 get any weirder? These Florida Man headlines say “yes”

We’re all in agreement that we need to turn off 2020 and restart it, right? No matter what month you look at, 2020 has just been a straight bed of chaos so far. Remember the murder hornets? What happened to those?

But you know what’s still crazier than 2020? Florida man. Don’t worry if you thought Florida Man was taking a nap yet this year, as he’s still going crazy on his adventures. Don’t believe us? All these Florida Man headlines are ripped from the news in 2020.

Florida Man beats up a gator to save his dog

It’s summer, which means not just the people are out, but the gators in Florida too. But this gentleman wasn’t having it when a gator went for his precious pupper, and took down a gator with his own hands.

Florida Man encases himself in concrete to protest prison conditions

We’re all for freedom of speech and getting better conditions in prisons, especially with COVID-19 running rampant. But this man basically locked himself in concrete outside of Florida’s Governor’s home as part of his protest. He’ll see you more as a security threat than a citizen speaking your mind.
https://filmdaily.co/news/florida-man-headlines-2020/




Maybe Florida is so crazy because it looks like a giant penis? That’s the only thing I can think of. And OK I lied, I said I wouldn’t talk about Coronavirus, but I do have to bring up Florida’s stupidity and the sheer reason why they’re on this list. Florida right now is the absolute worst state in the country in terms of the pandemic – and they don’t care. In fact just look at what they have actually tried to argue, and I pointed this out in the last edition – this is so stupid that I don’t even know where to begin.

A video of a Florida woman ranting about conspiracy theories on face masks, 5G, Hilary Clinton, and the deep state has gone viral on social media. The woman was speaking at the Palm Beach County Commissioners Workshop on Tuesday and the video has more than 6.6 million views at the time of writing.

Another video featuring shorter clips of four speakers at the same event, in which one suggests "they want to throw God's wonderful breathing system out the door" and another asking them to go back to school and "get educated."

The woman begins her speech by saying: "You literally cannot mandate somebody to wear a mask knowing that that mask is killing people, it literally is killing people."

The Palm Beach County commissioners' meeting was discussing a new mandate about wearing face masks, which after three hours of debates and residents' remarks, passed with a unanimous vote.

On June 22, Florida's Surgeon General Scott Rivkees recommended that the state's residents wear face masks in public. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend wearing masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
https://www.newsweek.com/florida-woman-conspiracy-theory-coronavirus-5g-hilary-clinton-deep-state-1513337




Florida Man literally is all of Florida right now. Hell they even elected a governor who is the embodiment of Florida Man – Ron DeSantis. He is every bit as stupid, crazy, senile, and insane as the people of the state of Florida. And during the worst pandemic in an entire century, he really is showing the entire world that Florida is becoming the new epicenter of the virus, and it’s not leaving there any time soon.

Florida state Rep. Shevrin Jones (D) on Tuesday blasted the state’s contact tracing efforts as “a joke,” saying his own attempts to provide contact tracers information after he contracted the virus were unsuccessful.

“Unfortunately, the contact tracing that we have here in the state of Florida is a joke,” Jones said in an appearance on CNN’s “New Day.”

“Last Thursday when I got the call from the Health Department, it seemed as if she was reading off of a questionnaire, and as she was reading the question, there was no question that she was asking that would have led her to the point of who I had probably come in contact with.”

Florida state Rep. Shevrin Jones (D) on Tuesday blasted the state’s contact tracing efforts as “a joke,” saying his own attempts to provide contact tracers information after he contracted the virus were unsuccessful.

“Unfortunately, the contact tracing that we have here in the state of Florida is a joke,” Jones said in an appearance on CNN’s “New Day.”

“Last Thursday when I got the call from the Health Department, it seemed as if she was reading off of a questionnaire, and as she was reading the question, there was no question that she was asking that would have led her to the point of who I had probably come in contact with.”

Jones added that around the time the tracer reached her third question, the phone disconnected and he had not heard back since.

“So, if we are doing contact tracing, the contact tracing is a joke, and we’ve already contracted with a company that we’ve paid $61 million to who said they were doing contact tracing, I want to know what happened to the $61 million,” he added.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/506132-state-rep-contact-tracing-in-florida-is-a-joke




Batshit Rating: 8 / 10
Sentence:



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[font size="8"]The Right Wing Blogosphere
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We could do an entire Top 10 Hot 10 based on members of the Right Wing Blogosphere, because we really do not have the time to list all of them. But whether you prefer the old tried and true formula of Rush Limbaugh, or the modern college aged approach of Ben Shapiro and TP USA, or the systemic misogyny of Joe Rogan, or Ann Coulter’s chronic liberal bashing, or the insane conspiracies of Glenn Beck, Mark Taylor and Alex Jones, the right wing has something for everybody. Like I said, there is way too much out there to list them all, so that’s why we lumped them into one category. And the religious right podcasters are way the fuck out there. Like take Glenn Beck for instance who’s literally gone full on televangelist. Should we be surprised that his little gathering got canceled? I’m not!

A year ago, Glenn Beck announced that he intended to hold an event in the summer of 2020 during which he and those who gathered with him would renew America’s covenant with God.

“We have to repeat [George] Washington and [Abraham] Lincoln,” Beck said in July 2019. “We have to do it right and we, as a people, need to gather together and do it. So, next summer, we are going to do it.”

In December 2019, Beck announced that this “Restoring The Covenat” event would take place in Gettysburg, PA, on July 4, 2020, provided that God would perform some unnamed “miracle” that Beck said was needed to ensure the event could take place. Beck wouldn’t say what this miracle was, because that was all part of God’s master plan.

“I know I am supposed to do another Restoring event and that event is Restoring The Covenant, and it’s supposed to happen in Gettysburg, and it’s supposed to happen on July 4,” Beck said. “It’s just going to take a miracle. Pray for a miracle. I don’t want to tell you what it has to be because I think God wants me to understand, ‘It has nothing to do with you.’ And he wants, I believe, to show his power. So pray.”

Beck eventually got his undisclosed miracle and started planning for the event, but then the world was engulfed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the entire thing was canceled.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/glenn-becks-plan-to-restore-americas-covenant-with-god-thwarted-by-covid-19/




Well maybe you’re old school and you prefer the old school AM radio format. Well guess who is still the king of that? Rush Limbaugh. And ever since his cancer diagnosis back in February, he’s just as batshit crazy as he ever was. In fact some of the stuff that he’s saying now is even crazier than what he was saying during the Bush years! I honestly had no idea that that was possible! In fact it’s people like Rush that are the reason why we can’t have nice things!

RUSH LIMBAUGH (HOST): Let's get into some COVID-19 news and — folks, are you asking yourself what of any of this is true, and what isn’t? It’s almost like the tale of two viruses.

We have an entire group of stories that are about how much worse the virus is. “Oh, my God, it’s worse than we thought. We haven’t even gotten to the second wave. Dr. Fauci says — ” Dr. Fauci says. Dr. Fauci says. Whatever Dr. Fauci says, it gets amplified.

We are told how so many more people are getting it. The number of cases is skyrocketing. But then deaths are down, and we demonstrated this yesterday.

The number of deaths associated with COVID-19 are way down. It’s why they’re not being reported. The game here is to scare you into siding up with a new lockdown. They want you to hear all these brand-new numbers of cases
https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/rush-limbaugh-dismisses-coronavirus-case-increases-whatever-dr-fauci-says-it




Well maybe Rush Limbaugh is too old for you, and you’re a young, strapping conservative white male looking to go to college this year or next year. And you’re afraid that the university that you just got accepted to doesn’t represent your point of view. Well, there’s this group called Turning Point USA, that is a favorite of Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr. And Trump himself has even retweeted the group’s founder. This could get rather dangerous.

A conservative student group at Worcester State University that was fighting to get recognized after the Student Government Association refused to approve the club now has most privileges of an official student group, according to a leading national First Amendment group that helped defend the student chapter.

The Worcester State University chapter of Turning Point USA can now recruit members and plan events for the upcoming semester, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education confirmed on Thursday.

The group does not yet have access to student fees, but will be afforded all privileges if approved for recognition in the fall.

“This is a win for students’ free association rights at Worcester State,” Katlyn Patton of FIRE’s Individual Rights Defense Program said in a statement. “But students shouldn’t have to enlist the help of an outside organization for months simply to exercise their rights to form a political student group.

“I encourage student government representatives across the country to take a good look at this case and think twice before denying a student group because they don’t agree with its political viewpoint,” she said.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/06/18/turning-point-usa-student-group-at-worcester-state-university-can-recruit-on-campus-first-amendment-group/




Yeah that’s pretty much what life is like teaching these racist, misogynistic right wing dude bros in modern society. And they will grow up to be your kids’ future bosses, and that’s going to suck when your kid finally leaves school and enters the workforce! Well, that’s a conspiracy theory. And maybe that’s your thing. Well, there’s Alex Jones, or Glenn Beck, or Liberty University’s Mark Taylor. But Alex Jones – he’s a special breed of crazy! And nothing says “tyranny” like driving around in a giant armored tank screaming from a megaphone!

Don’t mask with Texas.

Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones didn’t let rising COVID-19 infections in the Lone Star State deter him from heading an anti-masker rally Sunday, while Vice President Mike Pence, also in Texas, expressed advocacy of wearing face masks to contain the growing pandemic.

Arriving in an armored vehicle and carrying a bullhorn, Jones spoke to a group of roughly 150 like-minded protesters, according to the Austin-American Statesman. Jones’ message to “globalists” was that he was willing to fight for his right to ignore the advice of the scientific community.

“We’re not your slaves, we’re not in your cult,” he raged. “If you want war, you better believe you got war.”

His supporters chanted “U.S.A!” One follower held a sign reading, “I will not submit to medical tyranny.”
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-alex-jones-anti-mask-rally-texas-20200629-njazdttkerhtfh5jxoa4uycea4-story.html



Batshit Rating: 7.7 / 10
Sentence: Regulated To Safe Spaces


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[font size="8"]Liberty University
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The Republicans have been at war with education since the 1980s. They upped their war on education with the Bush administration’s still controversial “No Child Left Behind” law. But in the Trump administration, their war has escalated to all new heights, and it’s taking the entire country down with them. However, in the GOP’s war on education, there has been one school that has withstood the test of time, defied the odds, and became the epicenter of conservative batshit insanity. Especially in the Donald J. Trump administration – which currently has very few allies. But they do have one – Liberty University, and its’ current president, Jerry Falwell Jr.

The leaders of the grassroots movement known as VEXIT today announced the next steps for Virginia counties to abandon the radical policies of Democrat Party leaders in Richmond by joining the free state of West Virginia.

The steps, announced by Rick Boyer, a Rustburg, Virginia attorney and the President of VEXIT, include a new effort to gather signatures on petitions to local governments, the distribution of key new information about the inability of the Virginia government to intercede in the process, and the appointment of Jerry Falwell, Jr., the President of Liberty University, as the Honorary Chairman of VEXIT.

VEXIT plans to increase its outreach to citizens to encourage them to demand a vote in their local county (or independent city) this fall to become a county in West Virginia. More information is found on VEXIT's website, https://vexit2020.com/.

"This movement can't be stopped by Richmond because Virginia's Constitution already gives local communities the right to do this," said Falwell.

"Patriots across Virginia are ready for a change, which is why we are especially pleased to welcome the leadership of Jerry Falwell, Jr. as our new Honorary Chairman," Boyer added.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vexit-leaders-announce-next-steps-144200119.html




Yup – in a much simpler time, Jerry Falwell Jr was actively involved in a campaign to annex parts of Virginia and give them to West Virginia, because guns. And also you know how school shootings are still a thing? Well we went back to one of the very first Top 10s and found that while most schools are banning guns and preventing students from owning them, apparently anything goes at Liberty University!

5 p.m. Saturday update: While Friday’s convocation may have ended, the applause and criticism that came after Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. urged students to get permits to carry concealed weapons has not.

The Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Esquire, Politico and several other news sources from around the country have picked up the story this weekend after Falwell’s remarks starting trending.

In a 2½-minute address before dismissing the students, Falwell urged students to take advantage of the university’s free class for concealed-carry permits as a way to counter attacks similar to the bloodshed in San Bernardino, California, on Wednesday.

“Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here,” Falwell told the students.

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/liberty-convocation-remarks-draw-applause-and-criticism/article_beb5db52-8efb-55fe-8320-7a69710c6dff.html




Seriously, who still has that kind of toilet in this day and age? And also, “show them a lesson?”. Who are they showing a lesson to? I don’t think that was ever made clear. Oh and in case you’re wondering why Liberty University is an all time Top 10 Hall Of Famer, they have a history of silencing students who may have that thing called “independent thoughts”. Yes, last year, they got caught censoring and silencing student opinions in their school newspaper – something they accuse far more credible schools of doing!

For years, The Liberty Champion has been subject to an increasingly rigorous censorship regime, reportedly instigated by University President Jerry Falwell Jr. This censorship has culminated in a strict, multi-step editing process.

Jerry Falwell Jr. is president of Liberty University (LU), which was previously led by his evangelist father, and a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. He has been accused of running the university in a dictatorial manner, including his reported censorship of The Liberty Champion, the school’s student-run newspaper.

Writers and editors for The Liberty Champion have cited numerous instances of their articles being censored. On April 27, 2018, the university instituted a new editing and approval process that required pieces to be reviewed by a faculty adviser, a faculty panel, and then, possibly, by Falwell himself, according to reports from World Magazine, a Christian publication.

Will Young was the editor-in-chief of The Champion and wrote an article for The Washington Post in July 2019 detailing ways in which Falwell edited articles or pulled stories altogether, often eliminating views he disagreed with.
https://freespeechproject.georgetown.edu/tracker-entries/liberty-university-accused-of-censoring-its-on-campus-newspaper-the-liberty-champion/




Batshit Rating: 8.1 / 10
Sentence: 7th Circle Of The Fiery Pit Of Hell


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[font size="8"]The White Male Groper’s Club
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OK, here’s my whole deal, and I will probably get the popular opinion on this one, because I feel like I have to say it – sexual harassment is bad, OK? And the Groper’s Club has flavors of all kinds in it, from Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby to Kevin Spacey to Roy Moore to even recent outs like Chris D’Elia, and Danny Masterson, these scumbags are getting taken down one by one. And there is nothing that is good for you if you get caught. In fact if you get caught, there’s also plenty of ways that it can go horribly wrong too. So take for instance long time criminal scumbag Harvey Weinstein, who was finally taken down two years ago. We’ll be hearing about the Weinstein trial for the next several years, as it was that prolific.

The women will also be released from any nondisclosure agreements they have signed.

An $18.875 million settlement fund will be created as part of a deal to resolve a class action complaint against Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Co.

The settlement resolves a 2017 class action from women alleging Weinstein "engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment and abuse" as well as a 2018 lawsuit from the New York Attorney General's Office that alleged he created a hostile work environment and the conduct was aided and abetted by the company in violation of the state's human rights laws.

New York Attorney General Letitia James praised the settlement on Twitter, writing, "After all the harassment, threats, and discrimination, these survivors are finally receiving some semblance of justice. I thank them for bravely sharing their stories."

Defendants still deny all allegations, but the parties agree its in everyone's interest to resolve the claims. The accusers will forever release the defendants, who include TWC board members, execs and Bob Weinstein, from claims arising from the alleged sexual misconduct, and James' office will be barred from prosecuting any related action.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/harvey-weinstein-sexual-misconduct-class-action-settles-188m-1301290




Ah, got to love Quagmire, everyone’s favorite grab asser! Let’s examine the other extreme of this argument – Roy Moore. Yes, the man who ran one of the most insane elections of the last 4 years when he attempted to run for Senate in Alabama. Because you know the Senate doesn’t have enough fire and brimstone religion for you! Well now he’s going after… Sascha Cohen? After his infamous interview with last year. Dude, it’s Sascha Cohen. You should know what you were getting into when you signed up!

Sacha Baron Cohen is good. Damn good. He's spent this entire century fooling people into giving interviews, and his subjects hardly know they are targets of the man's unique brand of satirical comedy. And while he's been repeatedly sued, he's got an excellent track record in court. That's due to the First Amendment, of course, but it starts with the consent agreements that interviewees sign.

But for Showtime's Who Is America?, Cohen has run into a bit of a hiccup named "Yerushalayim TV."

Roy Moore, the former Alabama Supreme Court justice who infamously lost a U.S. Senate race following allegations of sexual misconduct, is suing after appearing on the program. He's unhappy with a segment that featured Cohen using a fictional device meant to detect pedophiles.

Before Moore was interviewed, he signed a consent agreement with Yerushalayim TV. Moore agreed to waive any legal claims, but he now argues that Yerushalayim is a fictional entity, and that Cohen's misrepresentation voids the deal. While this case got bounced from D.C. to New York, Moore is now going to be able to move to at least limited discovery in the case.

Last week at a court hearing (the transcript became available yesterday), U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Carter Jr. denied a motion to dismiss filed by Cohen, Showtime and CBS.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/roy-moore-advances-suit-sacha-baron-cohen-1302147




Seriously, don’t listen to Roy Moore or Borat, you will only get into further trouble. Now, what about recent accusations against sexual harassers? You might have heard a thing or two about the world of the seedy underbelly of standup comedy being exposed now for what it is. Look, I love good standup comedy, don’t get me wrong, and now it’s starting to seem like every profession has these crooks in their ranks.

Ron Jeremy, one of the most iconic figures in the adult entertainment industry, was charged Tuesday with sexually assaulting four women in West Hollywood, where investigators say he prowled the Sunset Strip looking for vulnerable victims.

Jeremy, whose legal name is Ronald Jeremy Hyatt, was charged with forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual battery, according to a criminal complaint.

Prosecutors allege Jeremy, 67, attacked a 25-year-old woman at a West Hollywood home in 2014. Prosecutors also accuse Jeremy of sexually assaulting two women at a West Hollywood bar in 2017 and raping a woman at the same bar in July 2019.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Cmdr. Carlos Marquez said Jeremy became the focus of an investigation after a rape allegation was levied last July. Jeremy would frequent the Abbey and the Roxy looking for women, according to Marquez.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-23/ron-jeremy-charged-with-four-counts-of-sexual-assault-in-los-angeles




And man how many times do I have to tell you not to listen to Quagmire? But here’s the thing – if you think that we’ve heard the last of sexual harassers in Hollywood, you are wrong! They are everywhere, and it’s not just limited to Hollywood. If you are a grab asser, no matter what your political persuasion is, you will get caught. The founder of the Me Too movement will make sure it’s incredibly painful for you, both in your wallet and elsewhere.

What Tarana sees as a victory for Me Too is helping people not blame themselves for sexual violence committed against them and lead fuller lives.

"What we need to be talking about is the everyday woman, man, trans person, child and disabled person. All the people who are not rich, white and famous, who deal with sexual violence on everyday basis.

"We need to talk about the systems that are still in place that allow that to happen."

Tarana says it's about dismantling the misuse of power and privilege which can also lead to racism and sexism.

This is something, she believes, recent Black Lives Matter protests have been addressing.

Tarana says there are similarities between Black Lives Matter and Me Too.

"They're about fighting against injustice. Both movements are predicated on undoing systems of oppression."
https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-53269751




Batshit Rating: 8.0 / 10
Sentence: One Night Stand With Quagmire


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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew and pass the Venmo collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair virtual congregation! You know we cannot meet in person and until we’re allowed to do that again, we must meet in this blank void of a background. I’ll admit it – I miss the pageantry, the stage props, the gospel choir. But this week, as we do our Hot 10 edition, I am going to bring you my additions to the list from the world of religion. Because there are some batshit insane lunatics in this profession of mine. The first on my list of Christian right hall of famers is Kenneth Copeland. We have covered him many different times and he’s most famous for recently fleecing his congregation for a $42 million private jet. And now it appears that he’s not afraid of the DEVIL virus known as COVID-19.

Televangelist Kenneth Copeland said Tuesday that his faith in God is shielding him from the new coronavirus, which he dismissed as a “creep” and the “flu.” He also urged born-again Christians to put their angel to work by activating their faith against the disease.

“I’m talking now to Holy Spirit born-again, Holy Spirit baptized, Holy Spirit speaking in other tongues, healing, believing Christians that don’t watch anything but COVID-19 on the television. Your faith is idle and dumb,” Copeland said in a clip from his ministry’s Victory Update.

He warned that repeatedly watching news reports about the pandemic instead of feeding their minds with faith-building content is leading them to make covenants with wrong spirits like fear, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from the devil and little work for their guardian angel.

“Your angel has nothing to do because all you’re listening to is the news broadcast, and you’re exalting this creep that you have authority over,” he said.

“‘Oh yes but brother Copeland what happens if I get it?’ Well, get healed, dear God!” he declared.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/televangelist-kenneth-copeland-says-his-faith-is-protecting-him-from-creep-coronavirus.html




Yes, and the DEVIL is the pastor who fleeces his congregation for private jets, not like he needs them to do his preaching! And especially now with all the travel restrictions in place! Next up – the spiritual advisor to the unholy, ungodly Dark One, whose name shall *NOT* be mentioned in my church, even if it is virtual, Paula White! Yes, she is a particularly crazy one, and now is certifiably dangerous!

"Our doors are opened at City of Destiny! Join us in-person for service this Sunday 10 a.m.," White wrote in an email Saturday morning, alerting her flock that the East McCormick Road church opened for Godly business on July 5. That was the day after Florida reported our highest increase in new cases, with 11,458. The second-highest increase just came on Friday, with 11,433 reported. On Saturday, state health officials reported 10,360 new cases, the third-highest same-day total since the pandemic began, and 212 new hospitalizations.

Florida this week was called the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the virus spreading in Florida faster than anywhere else except Arizona. The state on Thursday reported a record-high 120 deaths, and on Saturday reported 95 new fatalities. The state's total stands at 254,511 infections, with 4,301 people who have died statewide.

In Orange County, where White's church is located, there were 482 cases reported Saturday and two new deaths, a 62-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman. That's reason enough not to bring a bunch of possibly sick people together for an in-person worship session, but at least White appears to be taking the threat more seriously than Donald Trump, with "a three-fold approach for making the in-house worship experience at the City of Destiny safe, sanitized, and secure."

The first is the use of "cutting edge" Continuous Infectious Microbial Reduction technology in their air ventilation system that White says "immediately decontaminates and eliminates all pathogens, viruses, and germs, by continuously producing safe levels of hydrogen peroxide."
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2020/07/11/trump-advisor-and-local-pastor-paula-whites-apopka-church-is-back-open






Yes, Paula White is someone who is very EVIL and a tool of SAYTAN himself! That is not what our lord and savior JAYSUS would want in this time of national emergency! Next up – an old favorite of ours, Jim Bakker. Yes, the man who sold his soul for doomsday prepper merchandise is a long standing favorite among the Holy Shit worship team. Well, Jim is in a whole, heaping world of trouble thanks to his bogus miracle cures!

Late Tuesday Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced a lawsuit against Jim Bakker, his mid-February show guest Sherrill Sellman and the Jim Bakker Show.

The news came barely a week after the disgraced Branson-area televangelist sued the state of Arkansas, the city of Los Angeles and two California counties over investigative demands by those jurisdictions related to Bakker's on-air sales of a colloidal silver product that Bakker and Sellman claimed could "eliminate" coronaviruses from the human body "within 12 hours" during a broadcast four months ago.

Two drugs have been endorsed by scientists to treat the novel coronavirus: the anti-viral remdesivir and an inexpensive steroid, dexamethasone, announced by health authorities on Tuesday.
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge

Colloidal silver products are not Food and Drug Administration-endorsed drugs; the Trump administration says "evidence supporting health-related claims is lacking" in regards to them and that "colloidal silver can be dangerous to your health."
https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/missouri/2020/06/16/arkansas-sues-televangelist-jim-bakker-over-false-coronavirus-cure-sales/3202431001/




Unfortunately there’s no miracles here. You know why America isn’t getting out of this crisis any time soon? It’s because of American churches! No one does religion like we do, and now no one does death like we do! Finally, last on my list is Mark Taylor. You know how we covered Liberty University earlier in this show? Mark Taylor is the guy who they credit as being a “firefighter prophet”. Though this guy ain’t no prophet, he’s just a tin foil hat lunatic who thinks he is one, and remember what the good LAWRD JAYSUS said about false prophets!

It is difficult to be a modern-day prophet, especially when the things one has prophesied frequently fail to come true. Such is the dilemma facing radical right-wing conspiracy theorist and so-called “firefighter prophet” Mark Taylor, who has repeatedly predicted and prophesied things that never materialized, most notably his multiple guarantees in 2018 that the midterm elections would result in a “red tsunami” that would sweep Republicans into office all across the nation.

That was not what happened, which forced Taylor to retroactively revise his predictions in order to claim that he had actually been correct.

At first, Taylor claimed that the resignation of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions would unleash a wave of arrests in which dozens of Democratic members of Congress would be taken down, resulting in their seats being filled by Republicans and therefore confirming the red tsunami that he had promised.

When that didn’t happen, Taylor changed course and began to insist that the red tsunami he had prophesied had come true when Republicans gained control of six new governorships during the 2018 elections. Unfortunately for Taylor, that claim was false, as the GOP actually lost control of several states when the Democrats picked up seven gubernatorial seats.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/mark-taylor-continues-to-stand-by-his-failed-red-tsunami-prophecy/




Yeah so he might not be the guy who you want to go to for spiritual prophecies, or any kind of prophecies. Those are my pics everybody! Virtual mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:



Batshit Rating: 8.2 / 10
Sentence: Smited


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[font size="8"]Fox News
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You know I fought with the writing staff on this one, because I wanted to make this entry just about Sean Hannity, who in the time of the Trump administration, has become the Joseph Goebbels to Trump’s Adolf Hitler. But we decided to include the whole damn network because nearly all of their commentators are insane. And Fox is literally calling the shots in the Trump White House right now, and they won’t give up their power that easily. Fox News right now is in a whole heap of trouble, a lot of it stems from the sexual harassment allegations against Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes, which was documented in the movie Bombshell. But new allegations are surfacing that the networks’ misinformation on COVID is causing it to make the virus that much worse:

In a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit group, Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics (WASHLITE), Fox News has been accused of violating Washington State’s Consumer Protection Act by falsely stating in February and March broadcasts that the novel coronavirus was a hoax, downplaying the crisis in a way that potentially undermined efforts to slow the spread of the disease. While many might dismiss this lawsuit in the same manner that Fox News has, it presents interesting questions of law for news outlets.

The lawsuit, originally reported on by the Times of San Diego last week, is proceeding under the Washington State Consumer Protection Act (CPA), which provides: “Unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce are hereby declared unlawful.” That Act permits injunctive relief and payment of a civil penalty for violations. Notably, the Act has a reference to television broadcasting stations saying that it does not apply to those entities that distribute information “in good faith without knowledge of its false, deceptive or misleading character.”

The lawsuit cites two examples of misconduct, though untold others may be uncovered and introduced as supporting evidence. One example involved Fox News personality Sean Hannity saying, “They’re scaring the living hell out of people, and I see it as, like, ‘Oh, let’s bludgeon Trump again with this new hoax.” The second example involved Trish Regan delivering a monologue next to a graphic that read, “Coronavirus Impeachment Scam.” In the monologue, Regan accused liberals of creating mass hysteria over the virus to shut down the economy and claimed that COVID-19 wasn’t as significant as other recent disease outbreaks such as SARS and Ebola.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalentertainment/2020/04/10/covid-19-lawsuit-against-fox-news/#48e95c415739




Yeah that’s pretty much what passes for 99% of the content on Fox News, with a +-1% margin of error for when they do produce any actual news. But when you watch Fox, all you need to know is that we liberals are bad and want to indoctrinate your kids! We don’t, but who does is their current late night hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson, both of which have been accused of some pretty serious doings, like being racist on air, for instance!

The top writer for Fox News host Tucker Carlson has for years been using a pseudonym to post bigoted remarks on an online forum that is a hotbed for racist, sexist, and other offensive content, CNN Business learned this week.

Just this week, the writer, Blake Neff, responded to a thread started by another user in 2018 with the subject line, "Would u let a JET BLACK congo n****er do lasik eye surgery on u for 50% off?" Neff wrote, "I wouldn't get LASIK from an Asian for free, so no." (The subject line was not censored on the forum.) On June 5, Neff wrote, "Black doods staying inside playing Call of Duty is probably one of the biggest factors keeping crime down." On June 24, Neff commented, "Honestly given how tired black people always claim to be, maybe the real crisis is their lack of sleep." On June 26, Neff wrote that the only people who care about changing the name of the NFL's Washington Redskins are "white libs and their university-'educated' pets."

In a memo sent to employees Saturday afternoon, after this story was first published, Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace condemned "horrific racist, misogynistic and homophobic behavior."

"Neff's abhorrent conduct on this forum was never divulged to the show or the network until Friday, at which point we swiftly accepted his resignation," Scott and Wallace wrote. "Make no mistake, actions such as his cannot and will not be tolerated at any time in any part of our work force."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/10/media/tucker-carlson-writer-blake-neff/index.html




That’s pretty much where we are headed if Fox News continues on the path that it’s on. Remember I said Sean Hannity was in trouble? Well, since Hannity is a BFF of Trump and the president’s official mouthpiece, criticism of him is completely off the table. So much that fake news Hannity is suing a real news outlet – the New York Times. Yes, they’ve been Trump’s favorite punching bag since he first announced he was going to be running for president. But still, fail.

Sean Hannity, whose Hannity show is the highest-rated program on cable news, has threatened to sue the New York Times and columnists Ben Smith, Kara Swisher, and Gina Bellafante over their criticisms of his coronavirus coverage.

A post on Hannity's website demands an apology and a retraction over what it described as the newspaper's "irresponsible and shameful misreporting."

A letter sent to the Times Monday from Hannity's attorney Charles Harder accuses the newspaper of unfairly singling out the Fox host while “disregarding numerous statements minimizing the pandemic by Democratic Party politicians and Democratic Party-friendly media outlets.”

A Times spokesperson told The Wrap that its coverage of the Fox broadcaster was fair and that an apology wouldn't be forthcoming.

Fox News has also reportedly cut ties with social media personalities Lynette "Diamond" Hardaway and Rochelle "Silk" Richardson for promoting conspiracy theories and misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Daily Beast.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanberr/2020/04/28/sean-hannity-threatens-ny-times-lawsuit-as-fox-drops-diamond--silk/#5f526e0545d3




I always love how much the Simpsons makes fun of Fox News and Fox. And by the way, you know how conservatives are always crying about free speech when newspapers won’t print their editorials in their opinion columns? Or broadcast their racist and sexist bullshit to the masses? Well, Fox News is planning to take that to the next level, by suing people who they don’t agree with! Yup, so much for that free speech they’re always clamoring about. It works both ways!

Are cable news channels protected by the First Amendment?

That’s the question teed up in a little-noticed lawsuit against Fox News for its COVID-19 coverage, which the plaintiff claims discounted the threat of the pandemic and led viewers to fail to protect themselves. The plaintiff, a small Washington state nonprofit called the Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics, or WASHLITE, is suing Fox for what it claims are violations of the state’s consumer protection laws.

Fox and WASHLITE have already gone back and forth on the consumer protection claim, but the nonprofit filed an extraordinary brief last week in response to Fox’s motion to dismiss, arguing that cable news channels, indeed all cable content producers, are wholly unprotected by the First Amendment when that content is distributed over a third-party cable operator’s system. The plaintiff is misstating the law and doing so in such a way that would impair speech and press protections for everyone.

In fact, the argument — if taken to its logical conclusion — would strip First Amendment protections from content distributed over the public internet, including this blog post. To understand why, one needs a bit of background.
https://www.rcfp.org/fox-news-washlite-lawsuit-analysis/




Batshit Rating: 9.1 / 10
Sentence: Cancel their culture


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[font size="8"]Brett Kavanaugh
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You know, the right wing has a history of picking bad justices. And while Brett Kavanaugh could just be another member of the White Male Groper’s Club, he is, I don’t know, DECIDING THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND!!! Of course he’s going to be put under the most scrutiny of any judge in the country and he’s going to be vetted as much as possible! But conservatives are mad because “Ooh, we meanie liberals made him cry!”. Ooh……. Well, you can dish it out, but you sure as hell can’t take it! Whew, I needed to get that off my chest. But no figure made famous by Trump in the last four years has been made to be in the biggest shit show surrounding his nomination in history.

This weekend, in an essay adapted from a forthcoming book, the New York Times broke the story that Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh is facing a third allegation of sexual misconduct. Then, almost immediately, the paper plunged itself into controversy over a tweet it used to promote its scoop.

“Having a penis thrust in your face at a drunken dorm party may seem like harmless fun,” said the official Twitter account of the paper of record’s Opinion section. “But when Brett Kavanaugh did it to her, Deborah Ramirez says, it confirmed that she didn’t belong at Yale in the first place.”

The Times broke the news in a “news analysis” essay adapted from a book on Kavanaugh by Times reporters Robin Pogrebin and Kate Kelly. The essay focuses on a previously reported accusation from Deborah Ramirez, who says that Kavanaugh nonconsensually thrust his genitals toward her face during a party when they were both students at Yale, but it adds a new accusation.

According to the essay, witnesses also saw Kavanaugh’s friends push his penis into the hands of a female student at a different party at Yale, an action that Pogrebin and Kelly argue establishes a pattern of behavior on Kavanaugh’s part. (According to an update made to the essay, the female student declined to be interviewed, and friends say she does not remember the party, but Pogrebin and Kelly discussed the incident with government officials who found it credible.)
https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/9/18/20868499/brett-kavanaugh-allegations-deborah-ramirez-niobe-way


https://media1.tenor.com/images/829268452201bd9a28f504f9be9759b4/

Of course boys will be boys. And boys will also be sexual harassers. I know, I have been around many of them in my life. No, I’m not one of them. I can guarantee that I’m scandal free. Come on, seriously, Brett Kavanaugh is such a danger to American justice that even the woman who voted to confirm him is having second thoughts about her decision. Yes, we’re looking at you, Susan Collins. Kavanaugh will be allowed to wreak havoc as long as he sees fit!

But it’s hard not to think of Susan Collins, of Aroostook County, without an accompanying sense of loss. In a poll released in January, 52 percent of registered voters in Maine said they disapproved of her. Fewer than half (42 percent) approved. She was the least popular senator in the country, even more loathed than Mitch McConnell. Which is saying something.

It wasn’t always this way. In 2015, her statewide approval rating was 78 percent — the highest of any Republican senator. That made her the nation’s second-most-popular senator among constituents; the first was Bernie Sanders.

What accounts for the change? In large measure, it’s her failure to stand up to Donald Trump, a man whom she described in 2016 as “unworthy of being our President.” This was “based on his disregard for the precept of treating others with respect,” she wrote, “an idea that should transcend politics. Instead, he opts to mock the vulnerable and inflame prejudices by attacking ethnic and religious minorities.”

And yet, at so many moments of truth over the past four years, Senator Collins has voted to enable the man whom she described as incapable of change or growth. His actions leave her concerned. And dismayed. And disappointed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/08/opinion/susan-collins-maine-trump.html




And by the way, Brett Kavanaugh’s seat on SCOTUS is costing him big time and it’s also costing his friends, because as I mentioned, Susan Collins had a 78% approval rating in the Maine Senate prior to the Donald J. Trump administration, which points her in the direction of having one of the highest approval ratings of any senator in the country behind Bernie Sanders. Now? Eh… I think her popularity is only slightly behind Trump! Yes, that’s right, this thing has cost her big time!

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, trails leading Democratic challenger Sara Gideon by four points in her re-election race as her support continues to sag.

Gideon, the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, leads Collins 46-42 in a new Public Policy Polling survey, which sampled more than 1,000 Maine voters and has a margin of error of 3.1%.

Gideon held a similar four-point lead in a PPP poll in March and edged out Collins by a single point in a Colby College poll from February, meaning this is the third straight poll to show Collins behind. She led the race by 16 points when it was first polled in June 2019.

Gideon is considered the prohibitive favorite in her Democratic primary race against lobbyist Betsy Sweet and attorney Bre Kidman, according to the Bangor Daily News.

The poll shows that Collins, who earned the title of the most unpopular senator in the country earlier this year, has an approval rating of just 36%. Though Collins won her previous races with a mix of Democratic and independent support, the poll shows that just 39% of independents and only 13% of Democrats approve of her job performance. Though the overall approval rating is on par with other recent polls, it has fallen by more than 30 points since President Donald Trump took office in 2017. Her approval rating towered at around 67% at that time.
https://www.salon.com/2020/07/06/susan-collins-trails-democratic-challenger-after-approval-rating-plummets-by-31-points-under-trump/




But those allegations aren’t going away. Back in a much simpler time – last year, Brett Kavanaugh was *STILL* facing some really heinous allegations from his personal life even before all this became a thing, and yeah he’s basically the worst person to be on a bench right now. Especially with the ongoing crisis that’s affecting the entire planet, and it’s about to get ugly. Really ugly.

Seven months after he joined the US Supreme Court, the cloud of Christine Blasey Ford's sexual assault allegations still hangs over Justice Brett Kavanaugh, recalled in media reports across the political spectrum and unresolved in the US judiciary's own process for handling related ethics claims.

The names of Kavanaugh and Ford were repeatedly invoked in news stories as former Vice President Joe Biden entered the 2020 presidential race last week and began addressing his treatment of Anita Hill in the 1991 Supreme Court hearings for Clarence Thomas -- a point of comparison with the Ford-Kavanaugh face-off in the Senate last fall.

Stephen Moore, President Donald Trump's newly withdrawn nominee to the Federal Reserve, said his media critics were "pulling a Kavanaugh" against him with complaints related to his regard for women.
At the same time, formal ethics grievances filed against Kavanaugh based on his testimony in response to the Ford sexual-assault allegations are moving to a higher level of the judicial misconduct process.

The Ford connection was reinforced when Time Magazine recently named both as among the "100 Most Influential Americans," a move that itself generated a flood of public commentary, for and against. One of those comments, from actress Jessica Chastain, triggered a separate round of media coverage. She wrote on Twitter: "You put her on the same list as the man she said assaulted her. So disappointing @TIME."
https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/03/politics/brett-kavanaugh-christine-blasey-ford-stephen-moore-supreme-court/index.html




Batshit Rating: 9.2 / 10
Sentence: Boofed (whatever that is)


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[font size="8"]The American Police
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That might go down in history as one of the single greatest theme songs in TV show history. Too bad the show that it’s attached to, COPS, is no longer a thing (see: Top 10 #9-1 ). But why is the show Cops no longer a thing? It’s because it made police brutality cool. And it showed the raw power of the American police. Nobody does policing like the Americans do policing. Sure, other countries have tried and imitated. But really, no one does it like we do. Hell, even Saudi Arabia, a country that still has beheadings, is jealous of our fire and brimstone punishment system. But as I said, nobody does policing and prisons, quite like the United States Of America!

Arthur Rizer is a former police officer and 21-year veteran of the US Army, where he served as a military policeman. Today, he heads the criminal justice program at the R Street Institute, a center-right think tank in DC. And he wants you to know that American policing is even more broken than you think.

“That whole thing about the bad apple? I hate when people say that,” Rizer tells me. “The bad apple rots the barrel. And until we do something about the rotten barrel, it doesn’t matter how many good fucking apples you put in.”

To illustrate the problem, Rizer tells a story about a time he observed a patrol by some officers in Montgomery, Alabama. They were called in to deal with a woman they knew had mental illness; she was flailing around and had cut someone with a broken plant pick. To subdue her, one of the officers body-slammed her against a door. Hard.

Rizer recalls that Montgomery officers were nervous about being watched during such a violent arrest — until they found out he had once been a cop. They didn’t actually have any problem with what one of them had just done to the woman; in fact, they started laughing about it.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/7/7/21293259/police-racism-violence-ideology-george-floyd




That’s the thing about the American police that they don’t tell you when you sign up for the police academy. You are viewed as the worst person on earth when you sign up. It’s not all fun and games, either. Policing is a very serious job and has very serious consequences when you screw up. But what about those of us who watch the horror from the sidelines? Well guess what? Our policing and prison systems can have an affect on you personally!

Adults aren’t just working to deal with the stress from COVID-19, but also the stress of racial inequality. Mental health experts say it’s important you learn how to cope with it all.

For generations, racism has plagued society, but the death of George Floyd in May has once again brought racism into the national conversation and triggered worldwide protests.

It’s putting a mental strain on those watching closely.

“Exposure to traumatic content can be triggering even for individuals who are not experiencing it,” Brittany Patterson, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said.

During a two-part series about mental health and institutional racism, Patterson said there are three types of racism that exist: individual, institutional and structural.
https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2020/07/13/how-to-cope-with-stress-police-brutality-racism-covid-19-mental-health/




Man you might want to watch where you point that gun, chief. So when you get arrested – where do you end up? Well, you end up in jail. And just like nobody does policing like America does, nobody does jail like America does. American prisons are places you don’t want to be, and it doesn’t matter what level they are at. There might be white collar resort prisons, like Office Space or Arrested Development, but those are places you wouldn’t want to be either.

In the 1988 presidential race, Michael Dukakis, the technocratic governor of Massachusetts, had a wide early lead over George H.W. Bush, only to lose badly. Massachusetts had a weekend furlough program for state prisoners. One prisoner, William Horton, had been sentenced to life without parole for murder. Horton was released for a weekend furlough and never came back. He committed assault, armed robbery, and rape before he was captured.

An independent-expenditure campaign ran now-famous ads that featured a mug shot of Horton, a Black man. The ads called Horton “Willie,” although Horton had always gone by “William.” Jesse Jackson and other Democrats charged that the ads were racist. The racism charge just seemed to make matters worse.

The first question to Dukakis in the second presidential debate was whether he would still oppose the death penalty, his long-held position, if his own wife was raped and murdered. Dukakis seemed dazed by the question and robotically gave his prepared, impassive answer on the death penalty.

The 1992 Democratic nominee, Bill Clinton, was determined to avoid the same fate as Dukakis, and the same “soft on crime” attack. He said Democrats should not “feel guilty about protecting the innocent.” Clinton interrupted his campaign to return to Arkansas for the execution of Ricky Ray Rector, an African American who murdered two people. Rector suffered serious brain damage from a suicide attempt after the murders. The brain damage did not affect Rector’s culpability, but his ability to assist in his own defense was doubtful in the extreme. The execution was controversial around the world. Clinton offered no pardon and no reprieve.
https://prospect.org/politics/confessions-of-a-tough-on-crime-progressive/




Yeah no, that’s exactly what prison is like. Look, we support the police here. I know cops, I’m related to cops. And they will tell you exactly how they feel about the job and what they get wrong. But like take for instance, Joe Arpaio, who many call the worst cop in the nation, maybe one of the worst in American history. Well guess what? He’s a product of white supremacist infiltration in law enforcement. Which has been going on for the last 20 years!

On Sunday morning, CNN’s Jake Tapper asked President Trump’s National Security Advisor, Robert O’Brien, whether he thinks “systemic racism” is a problem in law enforcement agencies in the United States. O’Brien responded: “I don’t think there is systemic racism. I think 99.9 percent of our law enforcement officers are great Americans,” said O’Brien. “But … there’s a few bad apples.”

There are two flaws in O’Brien’s response. First, O’Brien ignores the well-documented support by law enforcement officers of alt-right extremist ideology throughout the country. Second, O’Brien misunderstands the nature of systemic racism—a term that means that institutions we have in place produce racially disparate effects on minority populations—in his discussion of individual officers.

An FBI intelligence assessment—titled “White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforcement” and published in 2006 during the administration of President George W. Bush—raised alarm over white supremacist groups’ interest in “infiltrating law enforcement communities or recruiting law enforcement personnel.” The report, based on FBI investigations and open sources, warned, for example, that skinhead groups were actively encouraging their members to become “ghost skins” within law enforcement agencies, a term the report said white supremacists use to describe members who “avoid overt displays of their beliefs to blend into society and covertly advance white supremacist causes.”
https://www.justsecurity.org/70507/white-supremacist-infiltration-of-us-police-forces-fact-checking-national-security-advisor-obrien/




Batshit Rating: 9.5 / 10
Sentence: Defunded, fired, replaced with cops who care


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[font size="8"]Mitch McConnell
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Make no mistake. The guy who’s currently in charge of the Senate is one of the most evil motherfuckers alive. Coming from my dad’s home state, the great state of Kentucky, the man is certifiably evil. While Americans are dying, he has shown absolutely no remorse. And he was part of the reason that we have our number one pick on this list in the White House. In fact, Moscow Mitch, as he’s been known, is so unpopular in his home state of Kentucky that his approval rating is even worse than his boss’ is! Yes, Amy McGrath could defeat Moscow Mitch in an absolute landslide! That’s how we are going to start this entry right here!

Democratic candidate Amy McGrath and Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell are set for a tight race for Kentucky's Senate seat, with the latter facing a popularity crisis ahead of November's vote.

In McConnell, McGrath faces one of the most recognizable faces on Capitol Hill, as the Senate Majority Leader and a figure in Congress for decades.

While that familiarity could help against a lesser known candidate, it also has its downsides with McConnell currently suffering a bleak favorability rating-even lower than President Donald Trump's nadir in popularity.

According to Real Clear Politics' average of favorable/unfavorable polls, Trump has a net unfavorable rating of 14.6, compared to McConnell who is almost 10 points worse, with 23.5.

In the latest The Economist/YouGov polling, 27 percent of respondents said they had a favorable view of McConnell, with 47 percent unfavorable and 26 percent stating they did not know.
https://www.newsweek.com/amy-mcgrath-mitch-mcconnell-approval-rating-trump-1514587




So why is Mitch so vastly unpopular? Well we’re in the midst of the biggest public health crisis not seen in an entire century and he flat out doesn’t care. But here’s the thing guys, either everyone gets a stimulus check, or you might as well have nobody get a stimulus check. You know how Europe was able to contain this thing in most countries? They gave everyone a stimulus!!! So people had an incentive to stay home!! That’s how it works!

More Republicans in Congress are signaling a willingness to get on board with another round of $1,200 stimulus checks for Americans as lawmakers debate what should be included in another economic relief package.

For months, GOP lawmakers have expressed alarm about the substantial amount of government spending to confront the coronavirus pandemic. This time, however, Republicans are weighing whether to sharply limit the number of recipients eligible for the government payout, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.

In March, Congress authorized a wave of direct $1,200 payments for individuals earning up to $75,000 a year, plus $500 for each dependent child. The cash amount diminished until phasing out for those making above $99,000. Married couples earning up to $150,000 a year also qualified for the full payment.

The health and economic environments haven't improved dramatically since the spring. The economy remains weak, and the pandemic is still raging, dampening the prospect of a speedy recovery. Many experts have said another infusion of federal cash would keep struggling people afloat during a period of high unemployment and scarce jobs.
https://www.businessinsider.com/mcconnell-stimulus-checks-income-cutoff-trump-economy-payments-second-round-2020-7




Yeah and that message is “fuck all y’all!”. You know what the most infuriating thing about the GOP is out of all of this? They’ve managed to convince people that free fucking money is somehow a bad thing! I mean how stupid can you be?? Europe has free health care and they gave people generous stimulus packages, and guess what? They’re beating this virus! Us on the other hand? We don’t give a shit, and it shows! Ah!!!

A new plan under development by the White House and Senate Republicans to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic is expected to include financial incentives to push schools to reopen while also shielding health care workers and companies against lawsuits, Republicans said Monday, a move that will spur a fight with Democrats.

Senate GOP leaders and senior administration officials have been privately trading proposals and exchanging plans before formally introducing a Republican proposal as soon as next week, with just three weeks before Congress adjourns for its summer recess. The measure, expected to cost around $1.3 trillion, would amount to the GOP's latest response to the crisis -- after roundly dismissing House Democrats' $3 trillion-plus plan that passed their chamber two months ago.

But to get to Trump's desk, it would require the two parties in both chambers to resolve major differences -- over the size and scope of the plan as well as the details in it -- in the heat of an election year, meaning many are skeptical a deal can be reached with the number of days dwindling before the August recess.

"We're obviously out of session this week, but when my members come back next week we'll start socializing it with them, begin to discuss it with the Democrats and start the legislative process," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in Corbin, Kentucky, on Monday. "I think you can anticipate this coming to a head sometime within the next three weeks, beginning next week."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/13/politics/covid-aid-congress-mitch-mcconnell/index.html




Ha ha! I miss Jon Stewart, and man do we need him now more than ever! But as long as Mitch is enjoying the majority, all things must come to an end. And Coronavirus has pulled back the curtains and exposed the GOP for the real cowards that they are. Also how broken all of our systems really are, and that he was the one who broke them! Better get used to losing, Mitch! You are going to be seeing a lot of GOP defeats in the future!

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell went public with what has long been suspected: He has no plans to leave the Senate even if his party loses its majority in November.

"I do," McConnell tersely responded to Politico when asked if he would seek to stay as the highest-ranking Republican in the Senate no matter what happens in the 2020 election. (All of that assumes that McConnell is reelected to a seventh term in November, and his colleagues are willing to support him as leader going forward. Both seem likely at least at the moment.)

Obviously, McConnell would prefer to spend his next few years in the Senate as the majority leader. But if Republicans lose the majority this fall -- a prospect that looks decidedly plausible at the moment -- then McConnell seems likely to spend much of his eighth decade as the head of the minority rather than the majority.

The reason for that reality is simple: While the 2020 Senate map isn't great for Republicans, the 2022 map is far worse -- making it extremely likely that if the GOP loses the majority this fall they may not have a real chance to regain it for at least two more election cycles.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/17/politics/mitch-mcconnell-senate-2020-senate-2022/index.html





Batshit Rating: 9.7 / 10
Sentence: Defeated, Knocked on back with no chance of getting up


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[font size="8"]Donald J. Trump
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Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States, is one of the most colossally fucked up things that the United States has ever forced upon the world. Just… just… where do I even begin? He’s a constant embarrassment. He sits in bed all day and watches and live tweets TV. He can’t spell, he can’t understand basic math, he cheats, lies and steals, has no taste in interior decorating, and every business he’s ever ran is a failure. Which is why we’re in the predicament that we’re in now. Even in the last three months he’s just gone off the rails. I remember I predicted that he’d go full Howard Hughes by the end of his term. Well, we have six months to go, and I might be right.

There’s a wave coming. A blue wave like the one in 2018. Only bigger. Much bigger. Big enough to sweep away President Trump and the Republican majority in the Senate.

We’ve seen wave elections before. There was a Democratic wave in 1964; Republican Barry Goldwater ended up carrying just six states (five in the Deep South and his own state of Arizona). He got 38 percent of the popular vote. 1972 saw a Republican wave; Democrat George McGovern carried only one state (Massachusetts) and the District of Columbia. He got 38 percent of the popular vote. At this point in 1992, the first President Bush was at 38 percent job approval. A few months later, he lost his bid for-re-election. What’s Donald Trump’s latest job approval rating in the Gallup poll? You guessed it — 38 percent.

The anti-Trump wave is building. Every national poll taken over the past month shows Democrat Joe Biden leading Trump; the average margin is approaching ten points. Yes, Hillary Clinton was leading Trump in the polls at this stage of the 2016 campaign. But by smaller margins. Moreover, Biden is leading in all of the battleground states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — where Trump won razor-thin victories in 2016.

Moreover, Biden is not as unpopular as Hillary Clinton was. Clinton’s negative ratings in June 2016 averaged 55 percent. The public’s view of Biden is more neutral (45 percent favorable, 46 percent unfavorable in June polling). That’s better than the public’s view of Trump (56 percent unfavorable).
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/506929-theres-a-big-blue-wave-coming




Man, I can’t wait to say on November 3rd, Donald Trump, you’re fired! It has been four very long, very painful, and very frustrating years watching this asshole wreck every government protocol, roll back every Obama era protection and basic right, and just generally fuck things up. He put a billionaire in charge of the US Treasury, and he put a billionaire in charge of education. And how well is that working out for everybody?

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is holding three virtual meetings this week with members of the conservative Federalist Society, prompting the nation's largest teachers union to criticize her for spending time on political events rather than plans for reopening schools shuttered by the pandemic.

The organization announced that she and high-level staff are holding virtual meetings on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday with its chapters in Alabama, Ohio and Arizona to discuss her recently published Title IX regulation governing sexual misconduct in schools and colleges. It will go into effect on Aug. 14.

The meetings are closed to the press and are not listed on her public schedule. DeVos has no events on her public schedule this week. On Sunday, she appeared on two news shows to defend the Trump administration's push to fully reopen schools for the coming academic year, as a national debate rages over whether it's safe to send kids back to classrooms.

The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union, says she needs to cancel the events and focus on helping parents, health experts and educators reopen schools safely.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/13/devos-conservatives-meetings-school-reopening-359792




Yes, you too Betsy are fired! As if things couldn’t possibly get any worse right now, Trump attempted to hold a rally in Tulsa in the pandemic! Well guess what happened? The virus is following Trump everywhere and well, I think it’s trying to send a message. That message is if you hang out with Trump, you’re gonna get a virus. Too bad we all have to suffer for this one.

Oklahoma health officials reported record number of COVID-19 cases in the state this week, three weeks after President Donald Trump held a controversial rally in Tulsa, Okla., on June 20.

On Saturday, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) reported 687 new COVID-19 cases had been confirmed in the last 24 hours. It was the second highest increase only coming after Tuesday’s 858 confirmed cases, per the Oklahoman. As of Saturday afternoon ET, Oklahoma had at least 19,779 confirmed cases of the virus, according to OSDH.

According to a reporter for local news channel KOCO 5, the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases is nearly six times what it was in early April. Officials also reported five new COVID-19 related deaths on Saturday. There have been at least 421 confirmed deaths in total from the virus in the state, according to OSDH.

Oklahoma began re-opening its economy in late April and entered phase three in early June. Retail stores, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues are open under certain guidelines.
https://time.com/5865890/oklahoma-covid-19-trump-tulsa-rally/




You tell ‘em, Arnold. Even Schwarzenegger himself doesn’t like Trump. And if you want a list of some of the most embarrassing things that Trump has done, Salon has compiled a great list. Whether it’s his infamous Covfefe tweet, or serving McDonalds food to championship football players, or confusing two of Ohio’s largest cities, I could spend all day listing them, but we’re running out of time and I don’t have that kind of time! I’ll just leave this here. This might be my favorite of his most embarrassing moments.

On May 22, 2017, President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, and Saudi Arabia's King Salman touched a sinister-looking glowing orb, yielding numerous memes suggesting they were evil supervillains launching a plan to end the world.

The world leaders had actually been in Riyadh, the kingdom's capital, to inaugurate the new Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology, and putting their hands on the orb started a film about the center.

But the orb's use did not stop that day, according to "MBS," a new book about Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, written by New York Times reporter Ben Hubbard. Business Insider obtained a copy the book before its March 10 release.

American diplomats had been so fascinated with the orb that Saudi authorities gifted it to the US Embassy in Riyadh, the book said.
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-saudi-orb-gift-us-embassy-riyadh-hidden-mbs-book-2020-3




Batshit Rating: 9.7 / 10
Sentence: 864511320 (if you can’t decode this look it up)



Thanks for indulging me with this Top 10 Hot 10 edition! We’ll be back with our regular format next week! See you next week!

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July 1, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-3: Nobody Expects The Democratic Inquisition Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-3: Nobody Expects The Democratic Inquisition Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? Are you guys doing fucking good? I know, right? We’re taking a break for the July 4th holiday next week but when we come back on the 15th I have a bit of a sneak preview for Top 10 #9-4: We’re going to deviate from our standard format a bit and just tear into the top 10 biggest douchebags, assholes, and psychopaths in the world of all time (or at least the last 4 years), and I can guarantee that you will like this edition. Much like a Time or People Hot 100, it’s going to get very real very fast! There will even be a special edition of Holy Shit that will tackle the biggest religious asshats of all, like Kenneth Copeland, Paula White, Rick Wiles, and Jerry Falwell Jr. So that’s what you can expect in the next two weeks. Now, do we have time for the thing? Of course we do. Look people, we are all bored and we hate not having the freedoms we used to have before COVID showed up. And I want to get to touring and getting the Top 10 back on the road as much as the next person. I’m tired of talking about the virus too. But don’t risk your life going to a concert right now, and who the fuck is Chase Rice? Seriously, there’s far more important things that you can do right now, but shot gunning beers and line dancing at a country music concert definitely isn’t one of them. Hey look, I love live music too, it’s one of my favorite things in life. But it can definitely wait, and if you do this now, the virus is going to have the last laugh. I need to get that off my chest. OK enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to, but first John Oliver breaks down the forthcoming economic collapse caused by Coronavirus:



Where do we begin this week? Well this week, the top slot again goes to the guy who inexplicably is still our president, Donald J. Trump (1). So the word from intel is that Trump may have been involved in a deal with Russia that cost the lives of American soldiers in Afghanistan! Gee, Trump In the second slot this week, maybe there’s some aspects of humanity that just aren’t worth saving, like the White Male Groper’s Club (2) and there are a lot of these stories lately, and they range from completely disgusting to absolutely horrifying! At the third slot this week is right wing COVID deniers (3). If COVID is the Spanish Flu, version 2.0, then we have our own version of 1918’s anti-mask league, and their arguments are literally like something out of a deranged Youtube comments section. At the fourth slot this week, we’re going to play a game of “Is It Racist?” (4) featuring everyone’s favorite pancake syrup mascot, Aunt Jemima, and is it racist? You bet your ass it is! Taking the fifth slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and is it really time for theme parks like Disneyland to reopen? This could possibly be a very bad and very dangerous idea given that coronavirus hasn’t really gone away yet. Taking the 6th slot this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit”, and this week our resident pastor is going to follow the Dark One to the one time he actually goes to a church, and well, it’s anything but religious! In the 7th slot this week, is a new “Beating A Dead Horse”, and after a popular right wing meme maker gets the heave ho after a retweet from Trump, Trump fans are flocking to a new free-speech friendly social media site called “Parler” and we will tell you about it. In the 8th slot this week, in a world with no sports, people are starved for entertainment and flocking to extremely dangerous unregulated ones like cockfighting, and we’re going to ask: “Underground Cockfighting: How Is This Still A Thing?” (8). In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week we’re going to have another edition of our favorite segment, “People Are Dumb” (9) because even the deadliest pandemic in a century hasn’t stopped people from being stupid! Finally this week, is the Road To The White House (10) and this week we’re going to talk about a potentially untapped voter base – Joe Biden is actually winning with evangelicals and may flip congregations for the first time in almost 40 years! How does he do it? Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]The GOP
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Since last year, even way before COVID-19 was discovered and the shit hit the fan, the Trump brand was already becoming toxic. Well, as we are putting this together, Kentucky and Colorado and Utah are finishing up their primaries, and it may be a while before we see the results. But it seems that while the Trump brand is becoming as toxic as your local sewage treatment plant in the middle of a hot summer day, it seems that Trump is losing on multiple levels. I don’t want to say that the GOP is done, finished because that would be getting too ahead, but it definitely feels like people have had enough of their bullshit. And it’s showing too! Nobody expects the Democratic Inquisition!

A 24-year-old political newcomer will defeat President Donald Trump's endorsed candidate in the North Carolina GOP congressional primary for the seat vacated by the President's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, CNN projects.

Madison Cawthorn will beat Lynda Bennett, a stunning upset in the race for the Republican nomination in the state's 11th Congressional District.

Cawthorn -- who was partially paralyzed in a 2014 car crash -- is a "constitutional conservative" who is "committed to defending the values of faith, family and the freedom that have made America great," according to his website.

He is the owner of a real estate investment company and a motivational speaker.

Cawthorn will turn 25 in August, the constitutionally required age to serve in the House. If elected in November, he would become the youngest member in Congress, a title currently held by Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who is 30.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/politics/north-carolina-primary-madison-cawthorn/index.html




Yeah how awesome is that? Oh and what’s even more awesome? It seems that people aren’t buying Trump’s hard-in stance on the 2nd amendment either! The 2nd amendment people have been turning up at protests and that’s been causing people to really see how toxic right wing politics can really get. So by now you’ve probably seen the husband and wife team that pointed guns at protestors? Well actions do have consequences!

A Democrat running for a state Senate seat said Monday his campaign won’t keep a contribution he received last year from a St. Louis attorney who confronted protesters with a firearm on Sunday.

Mark McCloskey, with his wife Patricia McCloskey, made national news when they pointed guns and shouted at protesters in their Central West End neighborhood over the weekend.

Mark McCloskey contributed $250 to the campaign of state Rep. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, on Oct. 17, according to Missouri Ethics Commission records.

Roberts told the Post-Dispatch Monday he would send the $250 to Moms Demand Action, an organization that describes itself as a “grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence.”
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/st-louis-state-senate-candidate-not-keeping-gun-toting-lawyer-s-campaign-contribution/article_d5646fbd-df82-5fd1-9683-0b90369825a6.html




Yes, totally rejected! So Trump is toxic, the 2nd amendment is toxic, is there anything associated with the GOP that is not toxic? Well, money maybe. But even that’s becoming toxic depending on what causes it’s being spent on. And if you’re expecting or dreading a Trump tweet, be aware that it can hurt or help both sides equally. If Trump supports you, you know that person is going to be one of the caliber of character that supports him, and that’s not good!

Like many Americans, President Donald Trump starts his day scrolling through Twitter and then tweeting and retweeting posts he finds interesting. Attacks against a political opponent, endorsements for a Republican politician and sharing the favorable opinions of a political pundit are all part of the norm.

But in the past two mornings, retweets by the president were seen by politicians and some in the news media as endorsing hate speech and gun violence. Were those conclusions fair and should retweets by the commander in chief be seen as an endorsement?

Early Monday the president retweeted a video of a white man and a woman pointing firearms at protesters who appear to peacefully pass what is reportedly the couple’s St. Louis mansion enroute to the mayor’s residence. The man, armed with military-style rifle, points the muzzle at protesters, while the woman directs a small, silver pistol at the marchers. At 4:55 a.m. Monday, without any additional comment, Trump shared the video with his more than 82 million followers.
https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2020/6/29/21307058/president-donald-trump-tweets-twitter-protests-white-supremacy-politics




Oh and by the way, if you think that Trump is done, in his mind, he is definitely not. But he thinks that he is. The coronavirus has put his sheer incompetence on display for the entire world to see. While other countries are starting to enjoy things like travel again, we’re only wishing what that was like. Instead, the real virus is sitting in the White House, and it’s going to take a lot to knock him out. His endorsements are being seen as a huge lie!

Three weeks ago today, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany started her briefing by bragging about the primary elections held the day before. "President Trump has now endorsed candidates and has a 64-to-0 record in congressional, special, and primary election races since the midterms," she said, "demonstrating the strength of and support for the president's agenda across the country as evidenced in the 64 consecutive congressional, special, and primary elections over the past 13 months."

A week later, in the wake of another round of GOP primaries, the Republican National Committee's Steve Guest went a little further, boasting on Twitter that Donald Trump has an "undefeated 73-0 record of candidate endorsements in congressional primary and special elections this cycle." Guest added that this record was "an emphatic reminder" of the "enthusiasm" surrounding the president.

As talking points go, this was a narrow one. Trump-backed candidates suffered plenty of defeats in 2018 and 2019, and his "undefeated 73-0 record" was built almost entirely on the results of primary elections.
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/president-loses-talking-point-trump-backed-republicans-lose-n1231976






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[font size="8"]The White Male Groper’s Club
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Story time, kids! Gather around! Not too close, we must adhere to the guidelines. Let me tell you a story. Wayyyyyyyyyy back in the year 2018 – which was a much simpler time before coronavirus, the big plague infecting the land was the White Male Groper’s Club. Yes, some huge names in show business – primarily white male celebrities like Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Piven, Bryan Singer, and Harvey Weinstein were caught sexually harassing young women (and also men) and engaging in some serious criminal activity. Now the White Male Groper’s Club is back and rebooted for version 2.0. This time it’s younger actors and stand up comedians who are being exposed for the criminal grab assers that they are! First up – the star of Baby Driver, one of my favorite movies of the last few years, Ansel Elgort!

On Friday, a Twitter user posted a note accusing Baby Driver star Ansel Elgort of sexually assaulting her right after she turned 17 (via ScreenRant). She says he was 20 at the time and they met after she reached out to him on social media just to say she was a fan (and not expecting a response, because she was “just a kid”). She says they eventually had sex, and even though she was “sobbing in pain,” she says he made her think “this is how sex was supposed to be.” She says she has since suffered panic attacks and PTSD from the alleged assault but wanted to tell her story because it’s time to “finally heal” an to “tell other girls who have been through the same shit as me, you’re not alone.”

The post has since been deleted, but Elgort has now released a statement of his own (via Variety) in which he denies the allegation of sexual assault and says that his relationship with the accuser was “brief, legal, and entirely consensual.” He adds that he “did not handle the breakup well” and just “stopped responding to her,” which he says was an “immature and cruel thing to do.” He says his post is a “belated apology” for that specifically (though a breakup was never mentioned in the accuser’s original post) and that he’s “disgusted and deeply ashamed” for the way he behaved when he “disappeared.”
https://news.avclub.com/ansel-elgort-responds-to-sexual-assault-allegations-1844110784




Seriously, Kevin Spacey *AND* Ansel Elgort? How the hell did they manage that one? But what is really becoming of the entertainment industry is the world of standup comedy. Yes, the world once made popular by the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Rodney Dangerfield is currently populated with some real pieces of shit, like Chris D’elia and Jeffrey Ross, for instance. Let’s get into that. And Chris D’elia is a friend of Trump’s BFF Joe Rogan too.

On June 20, the LA Times reported that comedian Chris D'Elia allegedly sent sexually inappropriate messages and emails to teenagers, following a viral Twitter thread from SheRatesDogs compiling alleged conversations that D'Elia had with girls when they were underage. The thread started after a woman noted the irony of D'Elia playing a pedophile in the TV show You, because he'd messaged her when she was still in high school. In response, D'Elia's team disclosed emails to Page Six meant to "paint a fuller picture" of three of these incidents. In a comment to TMZ, D'Elia claimed he's "never knowingly pursued any underage women at any point."

Chris D'Elia was a regular at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles and regularly featured on the podcasts of other comedians who work out of the store, many of whom have made public statements about their colleague and friend. Callen and Brendan Schaub were two of the first to comment on D'Elia's accusations on their podcast The Fighter and The Kid on June 17. A tearful Schaub was unable to speak, and Callen said he "always knew Chris as a lady's man" but he'd never "heard or seen him do anything illegal," and explained how difficult it was to hear the news about their friend. Whitney Cummings issued a statement about Delia displaying "a pattern of predatory behavior" based on "the information I have learned about Chris." Theo Von said he hoped Chris would "get the help he needs." Andrew Santino called it "awful and shocking," and Bobby Lee said, "I feel like I lost a friend." But of all the comedy podcasts making statements about D'Elia, one large exception is the Joe Rogan Experience, one of the most popular podcasts in the world.
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qj4jnm/joe-rogan-has-said-nothing-about-chris-delia-sexual-misconduct-allegations




I really hope cats aren’t involved! So we’re currently fighting two pandemics – COVID-19 and serial womanizing. How is it that these creeps are able to get away with the crap that they are able to get away with? Well they’re rich white males for one thing. And if you’re a rich white male in showbiz that happens to be in a popular TV show or movie, man, you got it made! Oh , and then there’s Danny Masterson. Yeah fuck that shit. And he’s got the Church Of Scientology on his side!

Danny Masterson, who made a wisecracking name for himself on “That ’70s Show,” was arrested and charged June 17 on multiple counts of rape against three women. But it’s not just the actor who is on trial.

The accusers are all former members of the Church of Scientology, to which the 44-year-old actor is said to be devoted. Previously, four women, including the three from the criminal charges, filed a civil suit against Danny and the church, accusing the church of harassing them for having reported the ­alleged assaults to authorities.

One of the attorneys for the civil suit, Stewart Ryan, said: “It is alleged [in the suit] that our clients reported the sexual assaults to Scientology at the times that they happened. It is alleged in the suit that Scientology attempted to cover up the sexual assaults.”

In a response to The Post, the church denied all claims against it from the civil suit.

The sole victim identified by name in the criminal filing, Chrissie Carnell Bixler, dated Danny from 1996 until 2001 and claims to have been drugged and raped, multiple times, in the actor’s Hollywood Hills home.
https://pagesix.com/2020/06/27/church-of-scientology-tried-to-silence-danny-mastersons-alleged-rape-victims-suit/




Seriously guys, send him to Sea Org, or that weird branch of Scientology that kidnaps and tortures people. Oh I’m sorry, they *ALLEGEDLY* kidnap and torture people. What? No, I am not apologizing to the Church Of Scientology. But it does seem that sexual harassers are a dime a dozen and it doesn’t matter what industry they are involved in. They’re everywhere. What about the owners? Oh yeah there’s that.

A short-lived Columbia blog that allowed anonymous accusations of sexual misconduct led to the departure of a co-owner from a West Columbia comedy club.

Comedy Closet partner John Gibson confirmed he resigned over unspecified accusations posted to True Colors Cola, according to a statement issued to Free Times through a lawyer.

“Though Mr. Gibson has no recollection of these incidents either generally or specifically and denies that they occurred, he also recognizes the effect of such allegations on the long term viability of The Comedy Closet,” the statement reads, “and he was more than willing to remove himself from the operation and ownership of the club without pause in order to allow for the continued success of a club that he worked passionately and tirelessly to build.”

Joe Coughlin, who has become the club’s primary investor and sole proprietor, says Gibson offered to leave the day after the allegations broke before they even had a discussion about his future.
https://www.postandcourier.com/free-times/arts/co-owner-of-west-columbia-s-comedy-closet-exits-after-allegations-posted-on-blog/article_520bbf7a-ba58-11ea-b891-57be3207f910.html





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[font size="8"]COVID Deniers
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Hey anti-maskers, there’s something that I’ve been meaning to get off my chest for the last two months so excuse the all caps. WE HATE WEARING MASKS TOO!!!! It’s not a political statement, though Trump and his goons would most certainly like to make it one. But as long as Coronavirus is still a thing, we either all have to abide by the rules, or we all don’t. And you know what? Just roll the fucking tape, this is beyond insane.



Seriously, that reminds me of the town hall meetings from Parks & Rec. Look, no one likes wearing masks, and we all want this fucking virus to go away. So the sooner we all do it, the sooner we can all get rid of this beast. Get how that works?

Steve Vernon needed a haircut and his barber required that he wear a mask, so he complied.

If businesses want to require customers to wear masks, that’s their right, Vernon said. People can choose to shop elsewhere if they disagree.

But if the government starts mandating masks, Vernon is prepared to engage in “civil disobedience.”

“I will not comply,” said Vernon, the president of the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club. “You can have your mask edict, resolution, whatever it is. I will not comply.”

Wearing masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus has become the latest hot button issue in the culture wars, and the debate is heating up in Florida as the state experiences a big spike in coronavirus cases.
https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/newswire/2020/06/29/mask-mandates-face-gop-resistance-across-florida/3277836001/




OK, dude. Don’t wear the mask. But when you get COVID, leave the ICU beds for the people who actually need it, OK? And Florida is not the only state in the country where this debate is heating up, my own county – Orange County, CA, is having this insanity. Really folks, don’t come here right now, we’re the Florida of California. And it pains me to say that. But really, shut the fuck up.

The battle over wearing a face mask is intensifying in Orange County, even after the state issued new guidelines last week mandating face coverings in high-risk settings.

Groups for and against the use of face masks have formed in the county.

Orange County Labor Federation held a news conference at 11 a.m. on Monday, calling on county supervisors to enforce Gov. Gavin Newsom's mask order.

Anti-mask protesters interrupted a planned press conference held by a pro-mask group last week.

At the news conference, union representatives called on local authorities to enforce the governor's mask order, pointing to recent increases in coronavirus infections in Orange County.

Orange County Labor Federation says many people are not complying with the order and it is not being enforced.
https://abc7.com/face-mask-covering-california-gavin-newsom/6259698/




Sigh……….. fucking idiots like this are why we can’t have nice things, like a world where Coronavirus doesn’t exist. Better get used to the virtual world everybody, you might not be seeing the real one for a very long time thanks to these morons. Where’s the Matrix simulator when you need it? But why is this even a debate? If you want things to go back to normal, you should get on this. If not, you’re part of the problem!

Forgive the American people if they're in a fog about face masks. President Donald Trump and the federal government have done a number on them.

First there was the don't-do-it phase. Then the nice-but-not-for-me dissonance. Followed by the local-rules-don't-apply exceptions. Topped off by Trump's stated suspicion that some people wear masks just to troll him.

It has all added up to a murky message about one of the critical tools in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. And the politicization of the to-wear-or-not-to-wear debate is clear in recent public polling.

To be clear: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Some states and local communities require them.
https://fortune.com/2020/06/27/should-i-wear-face-mask-coronavirus-covid-19-cdc-guidance-republicans-us-outbreak/




Yeah probably. So mask, no mask, what’s the difference? it’s your own fucking health, and to stop a very easily transmittable virus from exploding exponentially! Doesn’t matter what state you live in, every single state has their fair share of these people, and we’d run out of time trying to list them all. You don’t have to like wearing a mask, just don’t act like a fucking idiot when you’re asked to have some common courtesy in public during this pandemic.

Masks or face coverings, and whether to wear them in public during the coronavirus pandemic, have become one of the biggest points of contention in the crisis.

Mask advocates believe the decision is a simple one. They help prevent the spread of the virus and everyone should be wearing them. But opponents say being forced to wear one is an infringement on their civil liberties.

"We get ourselves wrapped around what symbols mean," said Dr. Robin Henderson, chief executive of Behavioral Health at Providence Health & Services. "The masks have become a symbol. It's a symbol of care-taking our fellow neighbor and for some it's a symbol of freedom."

Health officials across the world have now advocated for the use of masks or face coverings. But a lack of consensus early on, and constantly changing advice, may have contributed to a distrust of masks, according to Dr. Henderson.

"The CDC puts out different guidance every day and that creates what we call change fatigue," said Dr. Henderson. "Change fatigue sets in when these habits can't get established and finally people just kind of throw their hands in the air and go, 'I don't care. I'm not doing any of it.'"
https://katu.com/news/local/psychologists-say-changing-rules-lack-of-control-and-politics-to-blame-for-mask-debate





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[font size="8"]Is It Racist?
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Hey everyone! It’s time to play the hot new game that’s sweeping the nation!



And the answer to that question? If you have to ask, it’s probably racist! Wait, no, you shouldn’t be cheering for that one. But there’s a been a lot of racism in the news this week with the fallout from the protests stemming from the death of George Floyd last month. One of the biggest changes in the world of racism is coming in your supermarket breakfast aisles. Yes, two of America’s most beloved products – Uncle Ben’s Rice, and Aunt Jemima syrup, are both products of the Davis Milling Company, originally from St. Joseph, Missouri. That product was then bought by the Quaker Oats Company, and the character remained. But guess what? That character might be a bit racist. But this might be an overtly stupid portrayal of the original character.

A speaker at President Donald Trump's Arizona event is being criticized over comments she made calling Aunt Jemima a "picture of the American Dream."

Reagan Escudé, a Turning Point USA ambassador who Trump invited to speak on stage Tuesday over her personal experience with "cancel culture," told the Students for Trump crowd in Phoenix how "Aunt Jemima was canceled," a reference to the syrup brand's decision to rebrand after admitting its more than 130-year logo was racially insensitive.

Escudé, who announced on Twitter earlier this month she had been fired from her job "for giving a Biblical response to social issues," said, "Nancy Green, the original, first Aunt Jemima, she was the picture of the American Dream."

"She was a freed slave who went on to be the face of the pancake syrup that we love and we have in our pantries today. She fought for equality, and now the leftist mob is trying to erase her legacy," Escudé added. "And might I mention how privileged we are as a nation if our biggest concern is a bottle of pancake syrup."

The remarks, specifically saying Green represented the American dream, were met with a swift backlash on social media Wednesday.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/us/aunt-jemima-trump-phoenix-trnd/index.html




Seriously, that happened! Miss, you might want to use that thing called “Google” or even that thing called “Wikipedia” before you say something that stupid again. Really, this is why we can’t have nice things people! And no, it’s not cancel culture that’s coming for your beloved advertising mascot, it’s common sense. But what about a complimentary product of Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s rice? Yup, that’s getting retired as well!

The parent company of Uncle Ben’s rice said Wednesday that "now was the right time to evolve" the brand, including visually, but did not release details of what exactly would change or when. The move follows a similar announcement earlier in the day by Quaker Oats, the company that owns Aunt Jemima’s syrup.

Mars Inc., the parent company, said in a release that as a global brand, "we know we have a responsibility to take a stand in helping to put an end to racial bias and injustices."

“Racism has no place in society. We stand in solidarity with the Black community, our Associates and our partners in the fight for social justice,” Mars said. “We know to make the systemic change needed, it’s going to take a collective effort from all of us — individuals, communities and organizations of all sizes around the world.”

Uncle Ben’s was founded as Converted Brand Rice by co-founders Erich Huzenlaub and Gordon Harwell, according to the brand’s website. The name “Uncle Ben’s” began being used in the 1940s after Harwell and his business partner discussed a famed Texas farmer, referred to as Uncle Ben, known for his rice.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/uncle-ben-s-change-its-branding-part-parent-company-s-n1231329




Gee, ya think? Although it’s great to see a company like ConAgra Brands take a stand against racism by retiring or changing the name of some of its’ most beloved advertising characters. Even Mrs. Butterworth is getting the axe. But not to be outdone, while we must present equal viewpoints here, the family of the woman who portrayed and was the basis for the Aunt Jemima character is speaking out, and they’re not happy!

Quaker Oats announced earlier this month it's rebranding Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup because of its racist history.

But descendants of Lillian Richard, who portrayed Aunt Jemima for years, say the company decided to rename the brand without consulting the families of the women who brought the character to life

While Vera Harris, Richard’s niece, supports the decision and the Black Lives Matter movement, Aunt Jemima represents a part of history for her family and the town of Hawkins, Texas.

“Erasing my Aunt Lillian Richard would erase a part of history,” says Harris, who serves as family historian for the Richard family of Hawkins. “All of the people in my family are happy and proud of Aunt Lillian and what she accomplished.”

Aunt Jemima portrays the white, romanticized notion of an Antebellum “mammy,” detached from the cruel reality of enslavement during the late 19th century. The inspiration for the character came from the song “Old Aunt Jemima.” Starting at the World's Fair in 1893, a formerly enslaved woman named Nancy Green was the first to travel around the country wearing an apron and bandana as Aunt Jemima.
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/06/29/aunt-jemima-quaker-oats-rebrand




Yeah probably! So don’t get too comfortable when questioning racism, because as I say if you have to ask, it’s probably racist. However, even some of your favorite bands might be getting in the mix – like the Dixie Chicks recently dropped the “Dixie” from their name, and now the country rock group Lady Antebellum appears that it will be changing its’ name. So is it racist? Yeah probably!

Seattle blues singer Lady A had just gotten off of work on Thursday when a bombardment of phone messages from friends, fans and producers came in all shouting the same thing: Her name had been stolen.

Earlier that day, Grammy-winning country trio Lady Antebellum — whose name had been criticized for its associations with romanticized ideas of the pre-war, slavery-ridden American South — announced they were changing their name to Lady A in light of a heightened national conversation about racism. Lady Antebellum made the changes swiftly on social media and distribution platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, and the group’s website also announced their rechristening as Lady A. But according to Seattle’s Lady A, neither the band nor any members of their team reached out to her before making the change.

This Lady A — a 61-year-old black woman whose real name is Anita White — has been playing the blues under the name for more than 20 years. She began singing as a gospel performer at church and started going by Lady A for karaoke nights in the Eighties. She’s released multiple albums with the name, and on top of her day job working with Seattle Public Utilities, she’s gearing up to release another album, Lady A: Live in New Orleans, on her birthday on July 18th.
https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/lady-antebellum-lady-a-country-blues-1013919/





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Disneyland Reopening
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



There isn’t any aspect of life that hasn’t been changed by the Coronavirus pandemic. And if you’re like most of us, you’re most likely bored, angry, and pissed off. But where do you go to relieve those frustrations with the changing world around you and how do you get out to have fun in the day and age of the virus? How about going to the Happiest Place On Earth, Disneyland? Well, while Disneyland has reopened in Shanghai to a somewhat rousing success, getting the wheels turning on the Happiest Place On Earth back on track is proving to be way more difficult than it has been anticipated. So how is life going to operate at Disneyland in Florida and Anaheim as it starts getting back to where it was before the pandemic?

Disney is delaying the phased reopening of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, the company's flagship theme parks in California, the company said on Wednesday.

The resort, located in Anaheim, California, was set to welcome back guests on July 17 after being closed for months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Disney (DIS) did not give a new reopening date for the Disneyland resort.

The company said that the State of California had indicated it would not issue theme park reopening guidelines "until sometime after July 4," according to a statement. "Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials."

The news of Disneyland's delayed reopening comes as coronavirus cases are spiking across the country, especially in California.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/media/disneyland-reopening-postponed/index.html




So Disneyland in California may not happen for at least the foreseeable future. What about Disneyland in Orlando? The home of Epcot Center could also be the home of Coronavirus as the cases in Northern Florida are starting to resurge and show no signs of slowing. But if you’re headed to the Happiest Place On Earth in 2020, then you should be prepared to face a reality check.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has no intention of interfering with Walt Disney World's July reopening, despite a petition from concerned employees and a surge in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the state.

Last month, the Orlando theme park announced July 11 as the start of a phased reopening process after a months-long closure during the ongoing pandemic.

As the state began to lift its lockdown, however, Florida experienced a spike in coronavirus infections, including several days of record-breaking numbers of new cases recorded, reaching more than 9,500 in a day on June 27.

On Wednesday, Disneyland in California, another state seeing rising cases. announced that it had "no choice but to delay" its intended July 17 reopening date. The decision came as the state government did not grant approval and guidelines in time to arrange the opening.
https://people.com/travel/florida-governor-has-no-plan-to-halt-disney-world-reopening-despite-petition-from-concerned-employees/




Hey wait, we still have 7 more continents to get through! Although if you are on the fence about all the restrictions being put in place in Disneyland, maybe consider an alternative, like the State Fair. Yes, most state and county fairs have shut down because of the pandemic, but one is defying expectations and going on anyways! Just don’t be disappointed if you don’t get to go to the petting zoo this year.

The fifth annual Horry County Fair is set to open this weekend, in stark contrast to most other fairs around the country that have been canceled or postponed due to coronavirus. The 10-day fair, held at Myrtle Beach Speedway, was originally scheduled April 24-May 3, but organizers postponed it until July 3-12 after restrictions were put into place by S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Steve Zacharias, general manager of the 45-acre venue, said that organizers never considered canceling the fair. “They’ve been fearful,” Zacharias told the board, “and they’ve dragged their feet, didn’t want to pull the trigger because of (COVID-19) ...”. Special precautions will be in place, including intense cleaning of all rides after each use, hand sanitizer stations set up throughout the area and altering the layout to discourage large gatherings and allow for proper social distancing.

The Horry County Fair will be Strates Shows’ first event since at least mid-March, according to the company’s events calendar, which shows all its other fairs either canceled or postponed. Jim Strates, a co-owner and operations manager, said a lot of the fairs that were canceled are in states with more strict guidelines ...

Strates expressed concern about a lack of people wearing face masks in the Horry County area, but said all his employees will wear them, and they have the ability to isolate employees if any begin showing symptoms. “We’re going to take a crack at this thing,” he said. “I don’t think we have any other choice.”
https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/article243871137.html




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.




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[font size="8"]Holy Shit: The Dark One Goes To Church
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair online congregation! You know with churches going online and not congregating in public for the foreseeable future due to coronavirus, we’re kind of running low on material right now. But thankfully last week that SAYVED! For the unholy, ungodly Dark One whose name shall not be mentioned in my church – even if it is an online and virtual one, actually went to a church. He is a SINNER, who does some absolutely unspeakable things, yet he views himself as the godliest of the godly! And among that crowd, he can do no wrong! So why is he pandering to the holiest among us? Well, also why not? Because screw everyone that he doesn’t agree with, that’s why!

After a disappointing showing at his campaign rally over the weekend, President Donald Trump renewed his performance for a packed crowd of students on Tuesday, telling his Arizona audience that they were guardians in a cultural war over the heritage of the country.

“We’re here today to declare that we will never cave to the left wing and the left-wing intolerance,” the president said at a Students for Trump event in Phoenix.

The appearance, at the Dream City megachurch, was one of his first rallies since taking a three-month hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. Images from the event showed a large crowd tightly packed together, with almost no one wearing protective masks. There were no temperature checks for the estimated 3,000 cheering attendees who, like many of Trump’s staunchest fans, ignored a new local ordinance requiring them to wear a mask, despite a public-health plea from the Democratic mayor on Monday.

The coronavirus is out of control in the Grand Canyon State after its governor lifted a stay-at-home order last month, and the president is polling relatively poorly here against his presumptive Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/23/trump-rally-arizona-336565




Yes let’s wait two weeks to see where this is heading and it cannot be good. For the commander in chief is doing an absolutely terrible job of setting such an example of what to do during these trying times, he is failing on every level! But how is his second in command doing? Well he’s not doing much better, and he was the guy who was picked to lead us in charge to tackle this forsaken virus!

A choir of about 100 performers sang at a megachurch campaign event featuring Vice President Pence on Sunday. They did not wear masks while they sang.

Many epidemiologists and singing experts currently fear that singers may be superspreaders of COVID-19, due to aerosolization of the virus. Singing involves much more forceful and deep breathing than simple talking.

The choir was performing at the Celebrate Freedom Rally, which took place at Dallas' First Baptist Church and was billed as an event "to celebrate our freedom as Americans and our freedom in Christ with you through worship." According to CNN, about 2,200 people attended the rally at the Texas megachurch, which can hold about 3,000 people. The singers reportedly wore face coverings between their selections.

Last Thursday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a "pause" on his state's reopening after saying that Texas is facing a "massive outbreak" of the coronavirus.
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/06/29/884614249/cdc-says-singers-could-be-virus-super-spreaders-but-100-sang-unmasked-with-vp-pe




Seriously guys, this isn’t the 1980s, this is 2020 and there is a deadly virus roaming the landscape, and it is not stopping! It’s going to get worse. And you shouldn’t be going to church right now. But no one is canceling church, and I’m sure that the good LAWRD JAYSUS would back me up here! If you want to get back to your old life and I know we all do, real change starts at the top! Of course I still won’t mention his name in my church, even if it is virtual!

One month after President Donald Trump ordered the nation’s governors to immediately reopen churches, his administration is facing a difficult dilemma.

Clusters of Covid-19 cases are surfacing in counties across the U.S. where in-person religious services have resumed, triggering questions about whether his administration should reassess its campaign to treat houses of worship the same as other essential businesses, or leave them alone and risk additional transmission of the deadly coronavirus — including in communities that are largely supportive of the president.

An outbreak at a Pentecostal church in Oregon, where hundreds of worshipers resumed gathering over Memorial Day weekend, forced an entire county to return to phase one of its reopening after local officials traced 258 cases of Covid-19 back to the facility. In West Virginia, six health departments across the state have reported coronavirus outbreaks linked to churches. One of them, a Baptist church in Greenbrier County, had 34 congregants test positive for the virus. And in Texas, which hit an all-time high of new cases last week, health officials have received numerous reports of church-related exposures.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/28/trump-coronavirus-spread-churches-342296




Yes, churches are the biggest problem that the unholy, ungodly Dark One and his DAYMONS are facing at the moment. But he’s not going down without a fight. For his network is actively encouraging people to defy orders and defy the LAWRD, you’ve got another thing coming! And you are most definitely not welcome in my church – online or in person – until you get a grip on reality! But this is not the kind of thing you want to hear in a sermon, and you won’t hear it in my church! I won’t allow it!

Watching from home, at first it was hard to say which moment in Donald Trump’s rally at a Phoenix megachurch on Tuesday was the ugliest. Was it when the president of the United States repeated the racist joke he told last weekend in Tulsa, calling Covid-19, the viral disease that emerged in China last year, the “Kung Flu;” or was it a split second later, when thousands of his young supporters erupted in cheers?

Watching from home, at first it was hard to say which moment in Donald Trump’s rally at a Phoenix megachurch on Tuesday was the ugliest. Was it when the president of the United States repeated the racist joke he told last weekend in Tulsa, calling Covid-19, the viral disease that emerged in China last year, the “Kung Flu;” or was it a split second later, when thousands of his young supporters erupted in cheers?

Watching from home, at first it was hard to say which moment in Donald Trump’s rally at a Phoenix megachurch on Tuesday was the ugliest. Was it when the president of the United States repeated the racist joke he told last weekend in Tulsa, calling Covid-19, the viral disease that emerged in China last year, the “Kung Flu;” or was it a split second later, when thousands of his young supporters erupted in cheers?
https://theintercept.com/2020/06/24/trump-made-racist-joke-phoenix-megachurch-crowd-went-wild/




So do not take any medicine offered by the Dark One, for he is the virus! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse: Safe Spaces
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We’ve been talking a lot of shit about right wingers needing safe spaces. So many editions that it would take me forever to list them all, so I am not even going to try to attempt to do that. And with high profile internet services like Reddit and Twitch and several other platforms banning far right personalities and chat rooms, it’s easy to see why the right has taken such a beating lately. You want to know why? It’s easy to see: NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR YOUR MESSAGE OF HATE, DOUCHEBAGS! OK, I needed to get that off my chest. But if you’re a far right personality that has fans and followers, where do you go when you get kicked off the major websites? Well, first they had Gab, now they have Parler. Want to know the kind of content that gets passed around on Parler? Well…

Jim Jordan, Elise Stefanik and Nikki Haley all have something in common, other than a strong affection towards President Trump.

The three Republican politicians joined social media app Parler this week, adding their profiles to a site that’s emerged as the new digital stomping ground for anti-Twitter conservatives. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas arrived earlier this month and Rep. Devin Nunes of California started in February, while Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has been a member since 2018, the year the app launched.

“It’s about time y’all joined me on @parler_app,” Paul tweeted on Wednesday. “What’s taking the rest of you so long?!”

To be fair, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale has also been on Parler since 2018. Eric Trump, the president’s son, and his wife, Lara, joined on the same day last month. Like Twitter, the app lets users share comments, photos and news stories with their followers.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/27/parler-ceo-wants-liberal-to-join-the-pro-trump-crowd-on-the-app.html




Yeah blah blah blah. Let’s not underestimate the irony here – conservatives are using Twitter to promote a direct competitor to Twitter, to complain that their voices aren’t being heard! I don’t know about you but I have had enough of this bullshit! And I think the entire world has had enough of the far right, and it’s time to start flushing them out. In case you’re wondering the kind of lax content that Parler is known for, well, it has some people up in arms.

The most prominent difference between the social media sites, apart from their size, is their attitudes towards content on their platforms.

Parler is more tolerant of speech that other platforms would deem offensive.

In its guidelines, it references the FCC’s definition of obscene content which asks if the work is sexual in nature, if it “ is offensive,” and “Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”

Parler advises users not to “use language/visuals which is sexual in nature” and not to “use language/visuals that are offensive and offer no literary, artistic, political, or scientific value”

Twitter, by comparison, has been repeatedly criticised for not doing enough to curb racism, sexism, homophobia, and other issues on its platform.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/parler-app-mps-right-wing-twitter-katie-hopkins-a9579241.html




So racists, first off there’s something that I have been meaning to say for a long time. Hear me out here, because listen up. There are no safe spaces in the real world. You are all a bunch of pathetic snowflakes, so suck it up, buttercup! Yeah people don’t want to hear your racist bullshit. And if you think that doesn’t have consequences, well it can cost you sponsors. Just look at what’s happening to Facebook and their refusal to police bullshit.

The campaign against Facebook has metastasised, as big brands increasingly decide all social media is too toxic for them.

This is a period of unprecedented crisis for social media, which is saying something. What started as an apparently politically motivated attack on Facebook has snowballed, such that most major brands are now having a rethink about advertising on any social media, regardless of their censorship policies, due to the inherently uncontrollable nature of the content they host.

For some reason the corporate world seems to have suddenly realised that social media is different from traditional media and that the content you find on it is, by design, impossible to control. Social media companies increasingly try to censor their users in a futile bid to ensure only advertiser-friendly content appears, but it now appears their efforts have been in vain.

One after another major US advertisers are deciding that, in the current cultural environment, they’re not prepared to risk their brand being positioned next to contentious content. While Verizon singled out Facebook, massive consumer-facing companies such as Unilever, Diageo and Starbucks have announced a wholesale move of their advertising spend towards regular media, which they presumably find easier to control.
https://telecoms.com/505246/major-advertisers-flee-from-social-media-as-parler-use-goes-exponential/




Seriously, you’re just now figuring how toxic social media is? You guys really need to do some research here. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that we’re finally addressing the systematic, unfiltered racism in this country that’s been running rampant for decades since the Civil War, and the online racism that allowed Trump to become president. But would anyone want to debate these assholes? Conservatives don’t need equal footing, they have 3 24/7 cable news networks and nearly all AM radio stations at their disposal, they don’t need more platforms to fling their bullshit!

In a time when pundits and protesters can’t seem to go two minutes without getting into some form of heated debate, one social media platform is offering a cash prize to find the right opponent for some constructive civilc discourse.

The libertarian or conservative-leaning social media platform Parler is now offering $20,000 to any progressive pundit, commentator or writer willing to join Parler and engage in an open debate on the platform. The original amount for the challenge was $10,000 three weeks ago. When no one stepped forward to accept, Parler doubled down.

According to Parler’s statement, the challenge is to “produce a series of Parleys, constructive and thoughtful discussions to search for common ground on difficult issues.”

Parler Strategic Investor Jeffrey Wernick says it’s time for liberals and conservatives to have discourse on equal footing without censorship.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnscottlewinski/2020/06/20/conservative-social-media-network-parler-makes-20000-progressive-debate-challenge/#357a58404b14





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[font size="8"]How Is This Still A Thing: Underground Cockfighting
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It’s time once again to ask:



This week: Underground cockfighting, how is this still a thing? In a world run by COVID-19, where no sports, recreation, or fun of any kind is to be had until we deal with this virus, people have to make their own fun. And one sport that’s equal parts dangerous, illegal, and banned in over 50 countries is on its’ way to making a comeback. And it’s an unwanted comeback too, as it not only puts the lives of the competitors at stake, it puts the fans and spectators at stake too. That sport is cockfighting, the sport that pits dangerously large roosters against each other in a battle for supremacy. The sport is so controversial that it is not shown on TV and even Vegas won’t take bets on it. But now, thanks to COVID, and a world without real professional sports, it’s making a comeback.

178 people are facing charges after a cockfighting ring was busted in Emanuel County over the weekend.

According to the Southern District of Georgia, the raid happened Saturday at a property in Midville owned by 48 year-old William Shannon Scott. Scott has been charged with sponsoring or exhibiting an animal in an animal fighting venture.

The SDOG also says several other events had taken place at the property this year, which was equipped with a fighting ring, management office, concession stand and stadium bleachers.

The raid resulted in 178 people processed for charges related to animal fighting or gambling. Nearly 800 roosters were seized, tens of thousands of dollars in gambling proceeds were confiscated as well as firearms and illegal drugs.
https://www.cbs46.com/news/raid-at-cockfight-nets-178-people-nearly-800-roosters-seized/article_43f0a75c-b61b-11ea-9fdc-6b188f946173.html




Supposedly the sport of cockfighting was canceled in 2002 when Oklahoma officially outlawed it, but it’s not just rampant in Oklahoma and Alabama, cockfighting is everywhere. But it’s not necessarily the birds who are being abused, they’re also being exported. It turns out that the US territory of Guam is also a hot bed for illegal cockfighting. And how were these illegal breeders caught? Through a series of contact tracings.

According to an investigation by an animal welfare advocacy group, Alabamains are among the top traffickers of chickens to the tiny Pacific island of Guam, for the purposes of illegal cockfighting.

Animal Wellness Action (AWA) and the Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) today asked U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town to investigate allegations of ongoing cockfighting activity in Alabama, including trafficking of game birds to Guam, a U.S. Territory.

The request for action follows an investigation that allegedly revealed that several Alabama farms are among the top shippers of fighting birds to Guam.

Nine breeders in central and north Alabama, whose names were turned over to authorities but are not being publicly released because they haven't been formally charged, allegedly breed and train birds and ship them around the world for the purpose of cockfighting.
https://abc3340.com/news/local/investigation-alabamians-among-top-traffickers-of-birds-to-guam-for-illegal-cockfighting




That’s definitely not the use of birds you want them for. What are the consequences of cockfighting if you are caught participating or breeding roosters for the illegal purposes? Well, the fines are pretty stiff and you can also face some serious jail time, and that’s something that you do not want to do in 2020. But with the illegal cockfighting ring comes another illegal component with it – gambling. Yes, not only can you bet on the outcome of the fights, that is also illegal!

Police have arrested three men for illegal cockfighting at an open space in Pulau Kerto near here on Friday (June 19).

Sibu Deputy OCPD Supt Collin Babat said a team from its Anti-Vice, Gambling and Gangsterism unit (D7) nabbed the suspects, aged between 32 and 34, during the 4.30pm incident.

"The team managed to arrest the three suspects while some others ran away," he said.

Supt Collin said the suspects were two construction workers and a jobless man.

He added that police also seized a live rooster, a dead rooster, RM60, a cockfighting spur and a notice board.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/06/20/trio-detained-over-illegal-cockfighting-in-sibu




And guess what? Cockfighting isn’t just a uniquely American problem. It’s also an international one, and countries all around the globe are cracking down on cockfighting. And the people who engage in this sport are not exactly the kind of people who are looking to make a legitimate dollar. Instead they are teeming with all kinds of illegal activity, and it’s not exactly limited to what the roosters are doing in the fighting ring.

POLICE uncovered a clandestine cockfighting pit in a house in Almeria City during a raid in an illegal drug sales operation.

Investigations into the goings on at the two-storey property in the Chanca neighbourhood of the city began in December last year. Surveillance of the house showed there were an awful lot of comings and goings.

Further investigations revealed there was almost certainly an indoor marihuana plantation in a warehouse connected to the house by a covered yard.

Police carried out searches in both properties plus the home of one of the detainees. That was when they found the cockfighting pit between the warehouse and the house used as a drug sales point. Officers also discovered some 100 roosters in cages in what police said were highly unhealthy conditions.
https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2020/06/18/clandestine-cockfighting-pit-uncovered-on-spains-costa-almeria/




So illegal gambling, drugs, and guns – all around the sport of two roosters fighting. That’s enough to make you ask – underground cockfighting:




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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people, and people are dumb. So who is dumb this week? I want to start with this story out of Trump’s rally in Arizona. Yeah we usually don’t bring politics into People Are Dumb segments but this one is a fucking classic. So the virus isn’t going away any time soon, and it’s really making people crazy. But where this falls into the “stupid” category is that two guys claim that they have an air conditioner system that filters out pathogens, much like the one on the USS Enterprise on Star Trek. But in reality, something tells me that I wouldn’t trust these guys with a cheapo $99 air conditioner from Costco.

The pastors of an Arizona megachurch that is holding an event featuring President Trump on Tuesday is claiming the church's air filtration system can kill "99.9% of COVID within 10 minutes." Dream City Church Senior Pastor Luke Barnett and Chief Operations Officer Brendon Zastro make the erroneous claims in a promo video that has been circulating online this week. The video has been removed from the church's Facebook page.

"We have exciting information about what we're doing to fight COVID-19 here at Dream City Church," Barnett says in the video. Zastro then says the church has installed a system from Clean Air EXP, a Phoenix-based company that uses technology developed by members of the church.

"We've installed these units and it kills 99.9% of COVID within 10 minutes," Zastro says.

"When you come into our auditorium, 99% of COVID is gone, killed, if it was even there in the first place," Barnett says. "Thank God for good technology."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dream-city-church-arizona-megachurch-trump-rally-air-purifier-covid-19-coronavirus/




Yeah I think even God is sighing on this one. Next up – of course we have to go to our favorite state, the Sunshine State, America’s most penis-shaped state of Florida. Ah, Florida, can you ever go one day without doing something batshit crazy? Well there’s a lot of Florida this week so let’s go through some of the crazier ones. Here’s the thing – if you’re going to make a Godfather reference, at least get the reference correct!

Florida cops allege that James Ransom--carrying open containers of Natural Light beer and Captain Morgan rum--caused a disturbance Thursday night on the boardwalk at Indian Rocks Beach, just west of St. Petersburg.

Ransom, 54, was allegedly seen accosting and “yelling loudly at citizens,” according to a sheriff’s deputy.

After being detained, Ransom repeatedly told cops that his name was “Michael Corleone.” But when deputies did a computer check on the name, they came up empty. It was only after Ransom was “submitted to a fingerprint scan” that investigators confirmed he did not actually share a name with Al Pacino’s character in the “Godfather” movies.

In addition to being charged with providing a false name to law enforcement, Ransom was also cited for disorderly intoxication. Ransom yesterday pleaded no contest to both misdemeanor counts. After entering his plea, Ransom was released from the county jail after serving two days in custody.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/stupid/godfather-fan-jailed-583902




Yeah maybe don’t go against the Family there! Next up – we go to the Florida town of Cocoa Beach, and why does the weirdest shit in Florida always happen in beach communities? Well this is something that maybe you don’t want to see in a bakery right now, or maybe ever. Remember the emotional support animal craze of the last couple of years? When we lived in much simpler times. Well, I don’t remember you being allowed to bring one of these in an establishment!

COCOA BEACH, Florida – A Florida man was spotted picking up his pet alligator named “Sweetie” and bringing it into a Florida Key Lime Pie store in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

A video of the Florida man casually picking up the alligator near Ron Jon Surf Shop was posted online on June 8, 2020, and has since gone viral with over 6 million views.

“Sweetie sends her love and gratitude to all of her fans. Thank you!” the Florida Kely Lime Pie company wrote on its Facebook page.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, pet alligators are allowed in Florida if the person obtains a Class II Personal Pet License which requires not convictions of certain wildlife-related violations and the person must demonstrate 1 year and 1,000 hours of substantial practical experience in the handling, husbandry, and care of alligators or other crocodilian species. ............(more)

http://www.brevardtimes.com/2020/06/florida-man-takes-5-foot-alligator-into-florida-key-lime-pie-store/




Damn those gators! Next up – sticking with the Sunshine State, do you know that old expression “is there a bottle of wine from your pants or are you just happy to see me?”. Well, first the answer to that question is always yes. And second, yeah sometimes there might actually be a bottle of wine stuffed down your pants. And wine that is crazy expensive at that!

It was a vintage theft ... literally.

A man who visited the Total Wine & More outlet in Estero on Thursday allegedly took nearly $800 in wine, using multiple trips to spirit the spirits out in his pants.

In a request to try to identify the accused wine thief, the Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers provided a surveillance photograph of the man, who was wearing a mask.
A man who visited the Total Wine store in Estero store Thursday made off with nearly $800 in wine, using multiple trips to spirit the spirits out, smuggling the bottles out in his pants.

His triple-visit, seven-bottle theft took fewer than 15 minutes.

He first sauntered into the store at 2:43 p.m., allegedly hijacking two bottles of cabernet, the report suggests.
https://www.news-press.com/story/news/crime/2020/06/15/florida-man-accused-stuffing-wine-pants-total-wine-more-estero/3193402001/




That damn Merlot, it ruins everything doesn’t it? Next up – even the DEA is dumb. You know that whole good cop – bad cop routine? Well what if there was a bad cop – even worse cop? Well, the even worse cop got caught being, well, even worse than usual. And if it’s a fraud scheme that you got caught for, well, there’s no coming back from that. And this guy got caught in maybe the worst way possible.

A former Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman admitted in court on Thursday to creating an elaborate scheme where he posed as a covert CIA agent.

Garrison Kenneth Courtney, 44, pleaded guilty to a fraud charge in Eastern District of Virginia's federal court Thursday morning.

He admitted to duping public officials and companies into believing he worked with the CIA and ultimately defrauded a dozen companies of more than $4 million, according to his plea.

Courtney took extraordinary steps to convince public officials and companies he was working for the CIA undercover, including by implying to the companies he was a secret agent on a classified US defense and intelligence "task force" that had been established by top officials like the president or the attorney general, according to his statement of offense.
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/06/11/politics/dea-cia-fraud/index.html




Damn right!!! Man I miss that show. Finally this week – of course we end with Florida. But maybe this time don’t let your kid drive! Ever! There’s no excuse for that, and yeah I get that kids love cars, especially young boys. I know, I was one at one point. But there’s no excuse for this stupidity, but then again I am reminded of what state this is in.

A Florida man is facing felony charges after police said he let a 12-year-old girl drive his SUV and told her to speed because he wanted to be a “cool father” — even though he is not her dad.

Shaun Michaelsen, 41, told the arresting officer Monday he is friends with the girl's mother and that the girl and her friend were staying with him for a few days, according to court records.

He said the girl had asked earlier in the day if she could drive his Jeep, so he thought “it would be cool" and that he was trying to be a “cool father,” the police report said. Michaelsen also told officers he had been drinking.

Jupiter Officer Craig Yochum said in his arrest report that he spotted the Jeep make an illegal U-turn and then speed away at about 12:10 a.m. Monday. He followed and the Jeep reached speeds of 85 mph in a 45 mph zone before he was able to pull it over. He said that when he asked the 12-year-
https://www.kwqc.com/content/news/Police-Florida-man-lets-12-year-old-drive-Jeep-85-mph-571135401.html




That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Road To The White House
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Welcome to our segment where we are documenting Joe Biden’s road to the White House! Yes, it’s been quite the tumultuous time here in the states because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But things are getting better and gradually progressing. Of course it happens to be an election year. Maybe god is trying to send us a message? Last week we talked about the rising blue tide in the Lone Star State of Texas, this week – we’re talking about Biden’s support among the holier-than-thou crowd. Yes, my people, the tide might finally be turning in America’s congregations. It seems 40 years of toxic conservatism is finally starting to grate on America’s evangelicals.

“Lord have mercy,” he replied with a chuckle when Clout asked why it was necessary to compile a collection of essays in a book titled The Spiritual Danger of Donald Trump: 30 Evangelicals on Justice, Truth and Moral Integrity.

Sider is an emeritus professor of theology, holistic ministry, and public policy at Palmer Theological Seminary in Montgomery County. He said white evangelical voters overwhelmingly supported President Donald Trump in 2016 even though he “is clearly racist, repeatedly says awful things about women, [and] has policies on questions of racial justice, economic justice, and environmental issues that fundamentally contradict biblical norms.”

The book Sider edited arrived this month, when racial strife has been thrust once again to the forefront of public life, following the deaths of African Americans at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Louisville, and Atlanta.

Sider calls on white evangelicals to confront racism.

"Donald Trump, instead of uniting the country, is stoking that racism,” he said. “They want Jesus to be lord of their politics. I don’t think they’ve thought very much about that.”
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/clout/donald-trump-racism-white-evangelicals-gop-spirituality-20200619.html




Yes, the Ned Flanders types are finally coming around to being liberal after nearly 40 years of supporting ultra-hard right policies and fantasies. Gee, you think that may be bad for business? Well while normally Democrats don’t touch the evangelical vote, Biden is embracing them with open arms. Well I hope they turn a blind eye to Trump because you know that some won’t change their opinions no matter how hard you try.

A Sunday report from Politico claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump’s allies are worried that Joe Biden’s rising evangelical support may pose a threat to the president’s reelection in November. According to the report, Biden is following in former President Barack Obama’s footsteps and reaching out to the evangelical community — a strategy that allegedly worked by doubling Democratic support among young white evangelicals and increasing support from the overall demographic by three points in the 2004 presidential election.

“Such an outcome could deal a fatal blow to the president’s reelection, which largely hinges on expanding his support with religious voters to compensate for enthusiasm gaps elsewhere,” the report reads.

According to David Brody, chief political analyst at the Christian Broadcasting Network, Trump needs 81 percent support or more from this demographic to win reelection.

As reported by The Washington Post, approximately one-third of Trump’s support in 2016 came from evangelicals. According to Pew Research Center data from last year, 77 percent of white evangelical Protestants identify as Republican or Republican-leaning. Despite this overlap between religion and party, Public Religion Research Institute data released earlier this month suggests that Trump has lost 20 points in support from evangelical voters since March, with a similar loss observed among white Catholics.
https://www.inquisitr.com/6123851/trump-biden-evangelical-support/




if you don’t want to feel bad about yourself, don’t vote for Donald J. Trump! See how simple that is? We need someone who is going to try to unite America, and man we need someone like this now more than ever especially in the face of the worst pandemic in over a century. Even Catholics – Catholics!!! Are starting to turn the tide towards Biden, and they’re the kind of people who won’t change their mind for anything!

White evangelicals and white Catholics still overwhelmingly support President Donald Trump over former Vice President Joe Biden, even though both groups have slightly pushed back from Trump in the past three months.

Trump holds a 12-point advantage over Biden among white Catholics, 50 percent versus 38 percent, despite the Democratic presidential candidate being a white Catholic himself, a new Data for Progress tracking poll finds. Several surveys of voters released during the coronavirus pandemic and the George Floyd protests revealed that white evangelical support for Trump dropped by about 10 points - but pollsters and political analysts say an overwhelming majority of the group will come out in support of the Republican Party candidate on November 3.

Eastern Illinois University associate professor and pastor Dr. Ryan Burge told Newsweek Tuesday he believes the double-digit decline in white evangelical support for Trump between May and June was a "blip." Trump will still win at least 75 percent of their vote this year, he maintains. Trump pulled in 75.8 percent of the white evangelical vote in 2016.

Despite another election cycle effort by the news media to portray white Christians as walking away from the Republican Party, Burge says, they aren't going anywhere.
https://www.newsweek.com/vast-majority-white-catholics-evangelicals-support-trump-over-biden-polls-1512840




But the biggest mystery of the 2020 election overall – while Christians are still overwhelmingly voting in favor of Trump, could this be enough to finally give him the heave ho? Even the once heavily GOP favored born again segment is finally starting to realize that supporting Trump and dangerous republican, white supremacist ideologies might finally be bad for business.

One in Four American adults identify as a born-again or evangelical Christian. At 22 per cent of the population, Roman Catholics are almost as numerous. An insidious US Christian nationalism is abroad. Religious influences amongst almost half the voting population in November 2020 will matter.

Exit polls at the 2016 Presidential election, commissioned by the respected Pew Foundation, showed 81 per cent of evangelical Christians voted for Donald Trump; disaggregated, 60 per cent were White Catholics and 21 per cent Hispanic Catholics. Compared with Obama in 2012, Hillary Clinton lost between 3-5 per cent of such voters. Overall, Trump’s White Christian vote was older, poorer and less educated. His support increased with reported frequency of church attendance.

How, you might ask, can this be? Does the Christianity of White America make no difference to the kind of person sought as President? Not entirely. Two thirds of White Catholics in a March 2020 Brookings survey thought that the statement Trump “fights for what I believe in” corresponded well, or fairly well, with their beliefs, notably about abortion and gay marriage. They also believed they were winning the “culture wars”, but unsurprisingly had mixed feelings about Trump’s personal conduct. But evangelicals tended to discount his conduct on grounds that God often chose flawed people for his purposes. Some, echoing Israel’s Netanyahu, compared Trump to Cyrus the Great, who liberated the Jews from their Babylonian captivity 2,500 years ago.
https://www.thearticle.com/will-americas-christians-give-trump-a-second-term




[font size="4"]Next Week[/font]

We’re taking a couple of weeks off but when we come back we’ll explore some states that are heavily pro Joe and heavily pro Trump.


We are taking a short break next week, we’ll be back on July 15th with our first ever Top 10 Hot 10 Edition! See you in two weeks!

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June 24, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-2: Kung Flu: Enter The Fist Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-2: Kung Flu: Enter The Fist Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? Are you guys doing fucking good? I know, right? Another week under the Coronavirus, another week of absolute insanity, and it’s not ending anytime soon. Man do I miss live audiences. But next week we might have to do a deep dive into the White Male Groper’s Club. They have added a lot of new members recently – there’s Chris D’Leia, there’s Danny Masterson, there’s Jeffrey Ross, there’s Ansel Elgort, the list just goes on and on and on. And speaking of Ansel Elgort, this really ruins one of my favorite flicks of the last few years, the movie Baby Driver. Which of course you know revolves around a getaway driver for a ruthless mob boss played by Kevin Spacey. So in one movie they have Kevin Spacey who’s a ruthless grab asser, and now they have Ansel Elgort, who’s also a ruthless grab asser. Like really, WTF is going on here? What were they thinking when they cast this movie? It’s still a great movie, but I can never view it in the same light now. But the irony that the two are trying to stay out of jail. And speaking of jail, OK that’s enough of the intro right now because we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver is back and the latest Last Week Tonight spells doom on America’s prisons, yet another industry surrounded by corruption and greed that is falling prey to the beast known as COVID-19:



Where do we begin this week? Well in the number one slot, we are finally beginning to recognize the end of slavery, known around the world as June 19th, or Juneteenth, for the day it is. But all attention is on the guy who we call president, Donald J. Trump (1) and his first MAGA rally since the Coronavirus outbreak began in Tulsa. And it was quite the shit show! Taking the second slot this week, is also Donald Trump (2) and this week the SCOTUS decisions that have been coming down the pike are really riling up everything that DJT stands for, and boy is he pissed! Triggered, perhaps? Taking the third slot this week is Florida Man Matt Gaetz (3). He stepped in it with a Twitter feud with Sons Of Anarchy actor Ron Pearlman, and it is escalating into a real life fight with Ted Cruz joining at the helm! Yeah that really happened! In the number 4 slot this week is also Donald Trump (4) and is he getting lazier, or is his health really deteriorating? Experts weigh in on his health after his absolutely disastrous speech at the West Point graduation ceremony. Taking the 5th slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week, Americans are the unhappiest that we’ve been in almost 50 years, and we will get to the bottom of the news and it’s not good. At slot #6 this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” and this week, after Christian conservatives get their asses handed to them by SCOTUS, are they going to jump ship or stay the course? Our resident pastor will detail two plots they could undertake. Taking the 7th slot this week, instead of “How Is This StilL A Thing?”, we’re going to ask instead, “How Is This *NOT* A Thing?” and for our first segment we’re going to ask why isn’t the day marked as the end of slavery, Juneteenth, a national holiday? It really truly boggles the mind. In the 8th slot this week we have a new edition of Conspiracy Corner, were K-Pop fans and America’s teenagers responsible for the empty seats at Trump’s Tulsa rally? Yeah probably but they just didn’t show up! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week we have an all new “I Need A Drink”, and we’re going to have some drinks and tell you what it’s going to be like as movie studios restart production. How do you film movies in the socially distant era? Well, we need some drinks! Finally this week in our ongoing coverage of the Road To The White House, is it possible that Joe Biden could actually flip the state of Texas? It’s possible and also not possible! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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Everyone knew that Trump holding an indoor event in the middle of the deadliest pandemic in 100 years was a colossally bad idea. And holding it in Tulsa, Oklahoma – the site of America’s worst race riot, on the day that slavery was ended – was also a bad idea. But allow me to engage in a bit of schadenfreude here. Because, nobody showed up! That’s right – absolutely nobody showed up to this rally. Don’t worry, we will get to that in a bit here. But he can make all the excuses all he wants, the fact of the matter is that COVID still reigns supreme, and until we start reeling in this monster, we can kiss large stadium gatherings like this goodbye. But that didn’t stop his most hardcore fans from showing up.

President Donald Trump is "furious" at the "underwhelming" crowd at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday evening, a major disappointment for what had been expected to be a raucous return to the campaign trail after three months off because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to multiple people close to the White House.

The president was fuming at his top political aides Saturday even before the rally began after his campaign revealed that six members of the advance team on the ground in Tulsa had tested positive for COVID-19, including Secret Service personnel, a person familiar with the discussions said.

Trump asked those around him why the information was exposed and expressed annoyance that the coverage ahead of his mega-rally was dominated by the revelation.

While the Trump re-election effort boasted that it would fill BOK Center, which seats more than 19,000 people, only 6,200 supporters ultimately occupied the general admission sections, the Tulsa fire marshal told NBC News.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-furious-underwhelming-crowd-tulsa-rally-n1231674




Ooh boy this one hit Trump where it hurts! Yes, he’s about as mad as an angry, animated Lewis Black with flames shooting out of his head. Of course, anger is the only emotion that Trump knows. Does he know fear? No. Does he know compassion? No. Does he know disgust? No. Does he know Joy? Hell freaking no! Trump wouldn’t know joy if it bit him in his ass! So he’s hopping mad about what happened in Tulsa, and it was glorious. This might be my favorite thing about this whole rally. Can we throw that image up there?



May that image be forever known as the downfall of the Trump administration! And I love all of the Spinal Tap comparisons – Trump might be at that stage.

Plus, the history of Trump campaign managers has an eerie similarity to the history of Spinal Tap drummers. In the 2016 campaign, Lewandowski gave way to Paul Manafort (remember him!) who gave way to Kellyanne Conway. And throughout it all, there were whispers that Kushner or Ivanka (or both) were the real brains behind the operation. Or that Trump himself was effectively managing his own campaign, making all the important calls about what do say and do.

Parscale is, without question then, the most likely target of Trump's anger. But go back to Kaitlan's tweet -- this part in particular: "Anyone, including WH aides, could be fired depending on coverage."

The key -- and revealing -- bit there is "depending on coverage." Trump is seething, yes. But he's also watching cable TV. And taking calls. And making calls. And trying to suss out -- from all of that -- who the collective "they" are blaming for the Tulsa rally debacle. That, as much as his own sense, will determine who gets fired.

Because, again, Trump is all about perception: It's not about whose fault it really is that the crowd over the weekend didn't live up to the hype. (In truth, there's no way it's one person's fault.) It's about who the media, his friends and major party donors blame. That's the person Trump will blame.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/22/politics/trump-rally-tulsa-2020/index.html




Oh god that movie is a classic. I could totally see Trump going down that road. Maybe next he will open up for petting zoos and puppet shows. Assuming we have such activities in the near future. But you can bet there will be some firings and when that happens, get ready for the return of the Trumper Games! I mean this whole year just can’t get any weirder. And Trump’s gone through as many cabinet members as Spinal Tap has drummers. At Trump got him some ratings! Oh, those sweet, sweet ratings!

Now it’s apparent where many of President Donald Trump’s supporters who stayed away from Saturday’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were instead: they were home watching it on television.

Fox News Channel, which aired Trump’s speech live, had the biggest Saturday night audience in the network’s 24-year history, the Nielsen company said. During Trump’s address at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Fox had 8.2 million people watching.

CNN and MSNBC aired only clips of Trump talking, yet each news network had about twice as many viewers as they normally get on Saturday nights. Collectively, the three networks had nearly 12 million viewers for its Trump coverage, Nielsen said.

For those in Oklahoma, the night’s biggest story was the arena’s empty seats.

In the absence of sports or first-run scripted series, news continues to be the dominant force in television viewing. Fox News Channel’s prime-time average of 3.68 million viewers for the week topped all broadcast and cable networks.
https://apnews.com/c9e9a3808ea5ff2280944f5d57e53daa




Yeah so there’s no sports, or recreation, or entertainment of any kind during this nightmare known as COVID-19. So Trump is the only game in town! He’s literally the kind of guy who would find a way to broadcast from the Springfield badlands while the entire world was held hostage by a nuclear bomb, and I wouldn’t put that past him. But that’s not stopping him from taking his show on the road!

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the Arizona-Mexico border, then hold a rally in Phoenix on Tuesday.

His visit to Arizona comes as the state is experiencing large increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

The president recognized two of Arizona's most prominent Republican officials, Gov. Doug Ducey and U.S. Senator Martha McSally.

Ducey was greeted with some "boos" from the crowd.

But Trump complimented Ducey for the work he's done in Arizona and his win at the polls nearly two years ago.

The President said he asked Ducey how Trump was doing in the state, "He said you're doing really well and I said good because he knows better than anybody."

Trump asked the crowd to support McSally in November because she supports the border wall. Plus, Trump said, her opponent Mark Kelly "is very weak on China and other things."
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2020/06/23/updates-president-trump-rally-tuesday-arizona/3238171001/





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[font size="8"]2020 SCOTUS Session, Round 1
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The tide is most definitely turning folks, and boy does it need it more than ever. After Trump brought us to the brink of World War III, and he brought us to the brink of annihilation with COVID, it seems people are fighting back and hopping mad. Sit tight, it’s only June, but it is going to be an absolutely rocky ride until January. But some light at the end of the tunnel – Trump lost two major blows to his administration last week. The first was the decision to overturn DACA – one of his key talking points in the 2016 election, to overturn that referendum by the Obama administration. And guess what? He not only lost on that one, he lost big time!

In a major rebuke to President Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court has blocked the administration's plan to dismantle an Obama-era program that has protected 700,000 so-called DREAMers from deportation. The vote was 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing the opinion.

Under the Obama program, qualified individuals brought to the U.S. as children were given temporary legal status if they graduated from high school or were honorably discharged from the military, and if they passed a background check. Just months after taking office, Trump moved to revoke the program, only to be blocked by lower courts — and now the Supreme Court.

Roberts' opinion for the court was a narrow but powerful rejection of the way the Trump administration went about trying to abolish the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

"We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies," Roberts wrote. "The wisdom of those decisions is none of our concern. Here we address only whether the Administration complied with the procedural requirements in the law that insist on 'a reasoned explanation for its action.' "
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/18/829858289/supreme-court-upholds-daca-in-blow-to-trump-administration




Yes, HA HA!!! That is a colossal blow to the Trump administration. But that wasn’t the only decision that I want to talk about. Another one of the biggest talking points of the Trump 2016 campaign was ending gay marriage and increasing discrimination. They have been trying to score points with their ultra far right religious base by pandering issues like this. And guess what? They’re on the losing side of history with this one! This is definitely some of the best news in a while, and boy did we need a day like that!

Federal civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender workers, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.

The landmark ruling will extend protections to millions of workers nationwide and is a defeat for the Trump administration, which argued that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act that bars discrimination based on sex did not extend to claims of gender identity and sexual orientation.

The 6-3 opinion was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, President Donald Trump's first Supreme Court nominee, and joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the court's four liberal justices.

"An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids," Gorsuch wrote. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/15/politics/supreme-court-lgbtq-employment-case/index.html




Yes, that is why you fail! So two huge blows to the Trump campaign. And if you fail that hard, you might as well fail in such a way that people scream “Wow, that guy failed!”. So while 2020 may be one of the most miserable failures of a year that we’ve seen in history, there are some bright spots. And what else does SCOTUS have on the horizon for this year? We’ll definitely cover these as they happen.

The Supreme Court delivered surprising wins to liberals this week in a pair of blockbuster decisions that forbade businesses from firing workers base on their sexual orientation or gender identity and halted the Trump administration’s efforts to end the Obama-era DACA program, which shields the young migrants known as “Dreamers.”

But those on the left still see potential danger ahead. In the coming days, the top court is expected to hand down a decision in a high-profile abortion dispute that could provide signals about how the panel, which counts two appointees of President Donald Trump in its conservative majority, will treat reproductive rights in the years to come.

“Kind of feels like we’re being softened up for the blow, huh?” Sasha Samberg-Champion, a liberal civil rights lawyer and former Justice Department attorney, wrote in a representative post on Twitter on Thursday, after the DACA decision was released.

“Progressives must keep their guard up,” Brian Fallon, the executive director of Demand Justice, a Supreme Court activist group, said in a statement.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/21/supreme-court-abortion-case-could-end-or-add-to-liberal-win-streak.html




Here’s the thing progressives, while we can’t go out and hold victory parades just yet, we can’t get too cocky or arrogant. We must savor each victory while it lasts, because who knows what tomorrow will hold? And please tell me because even I don’t know! But one that could potentially be as damaging as abortion is a 2nd amendment case - but thankfully SCOTUS is giving the gun rights advocates the heave ho for now!

The Supreme Court declined on Monday to take up several cases regarding the scope of the Second Amendment.

Despite a low hurdle for the right-leaning Supreme Court, the justices turned down petitions from 10 challenges to state laws established to limit the availability and accessibility of some firearms and when they can be carried in public.

It's been over a decade since 2008's landmark 5-4 ruling in District of Columbia v Heller that held the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms at home for self-defense. Except for a follow-up decision two years later, the court has not weighed in on Second Amendment rights significantly again.

In April, the court also declined to weigh in on the issue.

Five of the 10 cases the court declined to look at asked the justices to determine whether the Second Amendment allows the government to restrict the ability of citizens to carry a firearm outside the home to those with "good cause" or "justifiable need" to do so. Two of the cases were high-profile challenges to state laws involving bans on certain semiautomatic firearms and high capacity magazines, one from Illinois and one from Massachusetts. The remaining three cases had a narrower scope, but none of the 10 will be argued before the justices.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/15/politics/second-amendment-supreme-court/index.html





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[font size="8"]Matt Gaetz vs Ron Pearlman
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You know I love a good beef. Of course you know that Florida Man has representatives in Congress. And Matt Gaetz is that Florida Man. He’s had not one, not two, but 7 DUIs. You know, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 7 times, well, you must be Matt Gaetz! Now Matt, you shouldn’t have picked a fight with 73 year old Ron Pearlman, who was the star of the show Sons Of Anarchy, a show about murderous vigilante biker gangs who hawk dangerous weapons and drugs to unseen masses. What did you learn, Matt? Oh who am I kidding? The guy who has 7 DUIs apparently doesn’t learn anything! But this fight between a celebrity and a representative is the perfect reason why 2020 is a very strange and weird time to be alive.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and actor Ron Perlman spent part of Sunday feuding with each on Twitter after Perlman blasted the congressman for criticizing the U.S. Soccer board of directors' recent vote to repeal a policy that required players to stand for the national anthem.

The board voted earlier this week to repeal the policy, which the league enacted years back after U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe joined NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other athletes in taking a knee during the national anthem before games in their respective sports to protest police brutality and racism.

The repeal follows weeks of protests against racial inequality and police treatment of people of color in the country prompted by the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other African Americans.

Gaetz was one of a number of Republican lawmakers, including President Trump, who knocked the soccer federation earlier this week after news broke of the vote to repeal the policy.
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/502692-ron-perlman-matt-gaetz-get-into-back-and-forth-on-twitter




Oh yes they are! Now here’s where it gets weird. As if things escalated quickly between Perlman and Gaetz, if you’re going to use a pop culture reference against someone, let alone someone who starred in the show itself, at least, I don’t know, maybe watch the show itself? Yeah because when you do and you fail to use the reference as it was intended, well, you are the one who is the loser.

The latest fight between a Hollywood star and a Republican came this weekend between Ron Perlman and Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, after the pro-Trump politician condemned the U.S. Soccer Federation for removing a requirement for players to stand during the national anthem.

But Gaetz’s attempt to clap back at the “Hellboy” star backfired after he attempted to suggest Perlman was a hypocrite for opposing racism even though he played a villainous motorcycle gang leader on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy.”

Gaetz said on Twitter this past week that he was planning to write a bill forcing athletes on USSF teams to stand during the anthem. Some U.S. Soccer players such as two-time World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe have made headlines in the past for kneeling during the traditional pre-match playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“If our soccer team is going to disrespect our anthem and our flag, it is not essential for us to have,” Gaetz tweeted.
https://www.thewrap.com/matt-gaetzs-feud-with-ron-perlman-leads-to-a-backfired-insult/




Now that’s how you use a Sons Of Anarchy reference! As if this story couldn’t get any weirder, Matt Gaetz got some backing from another Trump backer – Ted Cruz. Yes, Mr. Machine Gun Bacon managed to insert himself in between the beef with Matt Gaetz and Ron Perlman, and offered to turn this free for all into an actual free for all! Because if there’s one social media faux pas you don’t commit, it’s that you don’t take sides in a beef!

What starts with soccer, ends with wrestling and lasts the better part of three days? That would be Ron Perlman’s recent Twitter feud with Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Among the edgy vocabulary in the poo-flinging contest: “racial justice warrior,” “wokeness,” “gerrymandered,” “triggered,” “dog whistles,” “white supremacy” and more, along with some really choice profanity. It hardly gets more Twitter-esque among the verified-account crowd.

“Sons of Anarchy” actor Perlman and Gaetz, a Florida Republican, clashed on Saturday after President Trump reweeted a Thursday tweet from Gaetz shading the U.S. Soccer Federation’s decision Wednesday to roll back a 2017 regulation requiring players to stand during the national anthem.

“I’d rather the US not have a soccer team than have a soccer team that won’t stand for the National Anthem,” Gaetz tweeted. “You shouldn’t get to play under our flag as our national team if you won’t stand when it is raised.”
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-06-15/ron-perlman-tangles-with-sen-ted-cruz-rep-matt-gaetz-on-twitter




First rule of Twitter beefs, you do not talk about Twitter beefs! Oh and by the way in case you think Matt Gaetz couldn’t possibly get any dumber, I love that he shared this photo of him with another guy and attempts to explain that the other guy is his adopted son. And no, I can guarantee no one was wondering if this guy was his adopted son.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) announced he has an adopted Cuban teenage son the day after a heated exchange with Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), in which the Democratic lawmaker invoked his experience raising a black son as a reason for pushing for strong police reform.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) announced he has an adopted Cuban teenage son the day after a heated exchange with Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), in which the Democratic lawmaker invoked his experience raising a black son as a reason for pushing for strong police reform.

The jousting took place during the House Judiciary Committee markup of police reform legislation offered by Democrats. The bill would ban chokeholds, mandate body cameras, make lynching a federal crime, prohibit no-knock warrants in drug cases and establish a federal registry of officers accused of misconduct. Gaetz opposes the bill.

Gaetz reacted at the Wednesday night hearing in anger after Richmond said “as a black male ... who was a victim of excessive force, who has a black son, who has worries that you all don’t, and to my colleagues, especially the ones that keep introducing amendments that are a tangent and a distraction from what we’re talking about, you all are white males.”

Gaetz initially sought to turn the discussion about law enforcement into a question of whether the two lawmakers could equally relate to the fear of police brutality happening to their children on a personal level.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/503608-gaetz-tweets-photo-of-teenage-adopted-son-after-hearing-battle





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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So Donald J. Trump is worried about his mental health? Well, it’s good that he’s finally addressing the real problem. Well, the DSM defines narcissism and egomaniacism as a “a grandiose sense of self-importance”. And no one feels the need to gratify himself with pictures of himself than our 45th president, Donald J. Trump. But before we get into the meat of this entry, let’s take a look at what happened after the Tulsa rally. This definitely fits that definition of having a need to constantly satisfy himself!

According to a report from Business Insider, when President Trump’s advisors looked out at the rows of empty seats before his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this past weekend, they began “frantically texting friends and supporters who lived nearby in a late bid to fill the indoor arena’s 19,000 seats.”

According to one Trump staffer, they wished Air Force had turned around in mid-air in order to save Trump any embarrassment.

“Ultimately, Trump went through with his 2020 campaign’s big return rally in Oklahoma after months in a COVID-19 quarantine lockdown, empty seats and all,” Business Insider reports. “None of the eight Trump advisers interviewed by Insider had positive things to say about an event that has since sparked all manner of soul-searching and finger-pointing as the president’s campaign looks to find its footing against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a little more than four months to go until Election Day.”

According to the report, a “big shakeup” in the Trump campaign is likely due to the debacle.
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/trumps-aides-wanted-air-force-one-turned-around-in-mid-air-to-spare-him-embarrassment-of-low-tulsa-turnout-report/




Turning around Air Force One so you can have an admiring crowd that was the size you were originally told it was, even though no one showed up? Oh you better believe that’s a paddlin! So in addition to narcissism, he also has an unprecedented rage disorder. Yes, he is one very angry mofo. And man is he pissed off at something. Though no one really knows what he is pissed off at! He’s so angry he doesn’t know what he is angry at!

At West Point, President Trump gave a commencement speech. During the speech, he attempted to drink a glass of water using his right hand, then appeared to need the support of his left hand to tip the glass to his mouth. This is not the first time Trump has been witnessed needing to use two hands to use a glass or bottle of water, as seen in November 2017. In February 2016, a right-handed grip was sufficient for Trump to drink a bottle of water. In that incident, he ridiculed Marco Rubio for using a water bottle during a speech. Trump flung a water bottle with his right hand, purposefully spilling water, and then drank from the bottle using only his right hand.

When exited the stage, he had a halting gait as he descended a ramp. For the last three steps, he increased his pace somewhat. The difficulty Trump is possibly having walking down a ramp caused much speculation in the press.

Trump tweeted, “The ramp I descended after my West Point Commencement [sic] speech was very long & steep, had no handrail, and most importantly, was very slippery. The last thing I was going to do is “fall” for the Fake News to have fun with. Final ten feet I ran down to level ground. Momentum!”

By tweeting about his gait, Trump drew even more attention to it. From the video footage, it appears that the point at which Trump “speeds up” is not ten feet. The motion does not qualify as “running.” Maggie Haberman of The New York Times wrote that Trump’s tweet “offered a description that did not match the visuals.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephaniesarkis/2020/06/15/questions-continue-about-president-trumps-health/#3c210a661468




So really Trump is a narcissist and a rage-a-holic. Does that sound like anyone? Well it could describe Homer Simpson, or it could describe one of my favorite TV characters of all time, George Costnaza. Yes, Trump is a real life George Costanza. He’s one of the most deceitful, depraved minds known to mankind, and that’s not a good thing! At least George Costanza was funny, Trump is serious.

President Donald Trump's ardent defense of his unsteady-appearing descent down a ramp this weekend at the US Military Academy thrust questions about his physical condition back to the fore.

In a tweet, Trump insisted the slope was "very long & steep, had no handrail and, most importantly, was very slippery," though it had not rained beforehand and others were seen walking normally down the decline.

During the same event, the awkward way Trump sipped water from a glass also raised questions. Trump appeared to have difficulty lifting his right arm to his mouth, so he used his left hand to push the bottom of the glass higher.

Trump did not address the water glass episode on Twitter, defending instead the way he cautiously took to the ramp alongside West Point superintendent Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams. He said that slipping down the ramp would have been disastrous.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/15/politics/donald-trump-health-ramp-water/index.html




Yes, come on down to the wacky shack, Trump! You think that’s bad, you should climb up Bart and Milhouse’s stairs! But just like Elon Musk’s tweets, a Trump rage can cause mass speculation around the world and tank some stocks! Be careful what you wish for, guys! Seriously, this guy is bonkers, and he’s definitely not well – physically or mentally.

The White House released the results of President Donald Trump's annual physical on Wednesday, largely to a ho-hum reception.

Yes, Trump gained a pound from last year and, yes, that gives him a Body Mass Index of 30.5, meaning he is technically "obese." On a more positive note, Trump's cholesterol dropped to 167 -- down from 196 in 2019 and an unhealthy 223 in 2018.

"There were no findings of significance or changes to report," White House physician Sean Conley wrote in a memo detailing the results of the physical.

What the coverage of this seemingly humdrum health report overlooks is this fundamental reality: We know less about Trump's medical history than almost any president (or even most presidential candidates) of the modern era. And that fact is made all the more remarkable by the fact that Trump is the oldest president ever elected to a first term.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/04/politics/donald-trump-physical-health/index.html





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: American Unhappiness Index

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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines. This is Top 10 Investigates!



Are you happy? It’s nearly impossible to find happiness in the year 2020. Because while Americans strive for happiness, a lot of dreams and realities have been squashed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has turned world economies upside down and disrupted supply chains all over the globe. While the need for personal material possessions has diminished, that doesn’t necessarily make people happy. And in this year 2020, a year that has been met by Coronavirus turmoil and protests and looting following the death of George Floyd, people are finding that Americans are the unhappiest they’ve ever been in the last 50 years, and that is an easy prediction to make.

It’s been a rough year for the American psyche. Folks in the U.S. are more unhappy today than they’ve been in nearly 50 years.

This bold — yet unsurprising — conclusion comes from the COVID Response Tracking Study, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that just 14% of American adults say they’re very happy, down from 31% who said the same in 2018. That year, 23% said they’d often or sometimes felt isolated in recent weeks. Now, 50% say that.

The survey, conducted in late May, draws on nearly a half-century of research from the General Social Survey, which has collected data on American attitudes and behaviors at least every other year since 1972. No less than 29% of Americans have ever called themselves very happy in that survey.

Most of the new survey’s interviews were completed before the death of George Floyd touched off nationwide protests and a global conversation about race and police brutality, adding to the feelings of stress and loneliness Americans were already facing from the coronavirus outbreak — especially for black Americans.
https://apnews.com/0f6b9be04fa0d3194401821a72665a50




Can the happiness index be improved? Well there’s many ways that this could happen, or it could not happen. But what about another factor of unhappiness – loneliness? The pandemic has also created an epidemic of loneliness, as more and more Americans experience being alone while unable to congregate in groups of any size because of the severity of the virus.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

Turns out people in the U.S. are unhappier today than they’ve been in nearly 50 years, and about twice as many Americans report being lonely today as in 2018.

So concludes a study conducted by NORC — the National Opinion Research Center — at the University of Chicago. It finds that just 14% of American adults say they’re very happy, down from 31% who said the same in 2018. No fewer than 29% of Americans have ever called themselves very happy in the survey before this year.

Fifty percent also say they’d often or sometimes felt isolated in recent weeks, up from 23% who said that in 2018. And 45% say they sometimes or often have felt a lack of companionship, as compared to 27% in 2018.

This lends credence to the notion discussed in mental health care circles about a “loneliness epidemic.”
https://www.greensboro.com/opinion/editorials/our-opinion-an-unhappy-nation/article_97301493-5847-5eba-81c3-93de677e5019.html




That’s about what it is like anymore in a world without sports, concerts, restaurants, or gatherings of any kind. But there is an underlying hidden danger of the pandemic that’s not being discussed, and that is a mental health crisis. The pandemic has created separation anxiety and depression, among other illnesses that can be caused mentally as well as physically. But it is getting harder to cope with the outside world.

Health care workers who we all appreciate very much are at risk for developing lingering effects, including post traumatic stress disorder. Many are very exhausted and struggling with the deaths of patients and colleagues.

USA Today said that studies were conducted to better understand how Americans are coping during this unprecedented time, with millions sickened and more than 120,000 dead in a pandemic.

And then add to that, anti-racism protests happening all over the country and an economy in shambles after its longest expansion in history.

More than 70% of Americans in the APA report said this is the lowest point in the nation's history they can remember.

One expert said that when people are overwhelmed and when stressors exceed your ability to handle them, it is much harder to cope and address the concerns in day to day living.

Read More: Mental Health Crisis in the United States | https://wbckfm.com/mental-health-crisis-in-the-united-states/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral




Yes, do the happy dance! Although be careful what you wish for, because even in the happiest country in the entire world – the Scandinavian country of Finland, even they have their issues. But don’t let this news get you down. Instead use it because while you might think things are bad now, they can almost always be worse.

Finland was No. 1 out of 156 countries on the 2019 “World Happiness Report,” followed by Denmark, Norway, Iceland, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The U.S. trailed at No. 19. The top countries ranked highly on all the main factors found to support happiness: caring, freedom, generosity, honesty, health, income and good governance.

“Governments set the institutional and policy framework in which individuals, businesses and governments themselves operate,” the authors wrote. “The links between the government and happiness operate in both directions: What governments do affects happiness and, in turn, the happiness of citizens in most countries determines what kind of governments they support.”

The “World Happiness Report” polled 1,000 residents per country by research organization Gallup. Where necessary, Gallup seeks the permissions of national, regional and local governments. “Happier people are not only more likely to engage in politics and vote, but are also more likely to vote for incumbent parties,” the report concluded. The report is produced by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network in partnership with the Ernesto Illy Foundation.

Finland also ranks at the top of the Organization for Economic Cooperation’s “Better Life Index” in education, skills, subjective well-being, and it ranks above average for income and wealth, jobs and earnings, health status, environmental quality, personal security, social connections, housing and work-life balance but below in civic engagement. They rate their general life satisfaction 7.6 out of 10, considerably higher than the OECD average of 6.5, the Paris-based research body said.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/people-reach-their-lowest-depth-of-misery-at-50-but-life-improves-after-that-heres-why-2020-01-13




That’s it for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.



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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair congregation! You know when the actual, real-life churches aren’t congregating in public, I have to say we’re getting starved for material here. But you know my one rule here is that I never, under any circumstances mention the unholy, ungodly Dark One, by name! For he is the DEVIL himself, and he is out of control! While most of us were marveling at what was going on in Tulsa, here’s why people still showed up anyways! Because he is the preacher, and his sermons are a lot like church. But what really disturbs me is that my brothers and sisters on the right think of him like some sort of GAWD. Well there’s only one GAWD and I’m pretty sure that he wouldn’t like people praying in his name, and it says so right in our Good Book!

Yusif Jones, standing in front of a long row of porta-potties, slides his plastic Trump mask over his face. “I’m him!” he exclaims. He puffs up his chest in his homemade Trump shirt. It’s a short-sleeved American flag pullover, onto which he has ironed black felt letters across vertical red and white stripes: GOT TRUMP? Then he flashes the O.K. sign, a silver ring on his pinky. “I’m him, dude!”

For Trump supporters like Jones, the O.K. sign—thumb meeting index finger, three fingers splayed—is a kind of secret handshake. It began as a joke—a “hoax” meant to trick liberals into believing that the raised fingers actually represent the letters WP: white power. The joke worked so well that it became real. Now, in certain circles, O.K. does mean white power—unless you say it doesn’t. Jones, a big, vein-popping, occasionally church-going white man burdened with what he calls an “Islamic” name by his hippie mother, revels in this kind of coded message, a sense of possessing knowledge shared only by a select few. It’s Möbius strip politics, Trumpism’s defining oxymoron: a populist elite, a mass movement of “free thinkers” all thinking the same thing. They love Trump because he makes them feel like insiders even as they imagine him their outsider champion. That’s what’s drawn Jones here, to the CenturyLink Center in Bossier City, Louisiana, two weeks before Thanksgiving. Like many of the president’s 14,000 followers waiting for the rally to begin, Jones believes that Trump is on a mission from God to expose (and destroy) the hidden demons of the deep state.

To attend a Trump rally is to engage directly in the ecstasy of knowing what the great man knows, divinity disguised as earthly provocation. Jones tells me about Jesse Lee Peterson, a right-wing pastor and talk show host who calls Trump “the Great White Hope.” He doubles over and slaps his knee, signaling to me that it’s another joke. “He’s black!” says Jones, meaning Jesse Lee Peterson. “I love that dude,” he says. He considers Peterson, like the White Hope himself, awesomely witty. Jones straightens up. “But it’s true!” he adds. Which is how racism works at a Trump rally, just like the president’s own trolling—signal, disavowal, repeat; the ugly words followed by the claim that it was just a joke followed by a repetition of the ugly words. Joking! Not joking. Play it again, until the ironic becomes the real.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/06/inside-the-cult-of-trump-his-rallies-are-church-and-he-is-the-gospel




You know we here at the Holy Church Of The Top 10 tend to pick on Christianity a lot, mainly because of their absorbance of super far right talking points and ideals, but we welcome all ideals and faiths, even scary death cults! So just how much has the party of he who shall not be named become a death cult in the last few years? Way more than you will ever know! And I’m sure that it’s something that the good LAWRD JAYSUS would not approve of!

Has Trumpism become a cult?

The question almost feels like a provocation. And yet more and more people, like veteran Republican strategist John Weaver, are comfortable saying, “Yes.”

Famed CBS anchor Dan Rather made the case most recently on the CNN show Reliable Sources. Even former Trump White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci has likened Donald Trump supporters to a cult.

It’s a provocative claim that I’m not sure is entirely convincing. On one hand, there is something cult-like about the hold Trump has over his supporters and the Republican Party. At the same time, calling it a cult seems too easy, a way of avoiding a much scarier truth about our politics — namely, that Trump isn’t all that exceptional.

A new book by cult expert Steven Hassan, called The Cult of Trump, is the first serious attempt to argue that Trumpism is a cult. Hassan has studied cults for years and is himself a former member of the “Moonies” cult, an offshoot of the Unification Church of the United States led by Sun Myung Moon that made headlines in 1970s.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/12/13/20992370/trump-republican-party-cult-steven-hassan




The thing with cults is that you can’t question dear leader, and you almost certainly can’t go against their core line of thinking. And that’s kind of what we do here, especially when I used to do these things in front of live audiences. Yes, these people are cults and yes they are dangerous. And the idea of a death cult has taken on a whole new meaning. So should you join this church?

Under furious pressure, President Trump is now backing off his push to quickly reopen the U.S. economy, and has instead agreed to extend the federal government’s strict social-distancing guidelines through at least the end of April.

This is being widely portrayed as a surrender — to facts, data and scientific realities that Trump tried to make disappear, before finally accepting that his magical reality-bending powers only go so far.

Which provides an occasion to suggest a deep reset in the language we’re using to describe the extraordinary dereliction of leadership we’re seeing from Trump, and from those officials around the country who have followed his lead.

By now, you’ve probably heard media figures claim that the stark differences between public officials over the true nature and scale of the coronavirus threat are rooted in “tribalism” or “polarization.”

These differences represent a “deepening partisan divide,” a new Associated Press piece reports, adding: “The divergent approaches are evidence that not even a global pandemic can bridge the gaping political divisions of the Trump era.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/30/cult-trump-is-threat-untold-numbers-american-lives/




No you don’t want to do that sir, because cults are EVIL! And they are most certainly not something that the good LAWRD JAYSUS would approve of! Because in a cult, you cannot question Dear Leader, nor can you question his motives, or anything else he does. But this leader commands a cult that encompasses 45 million people and he is determined to get rid of them. Funny, I don’t remember JAYSUS being a genocidal maniac!

In a press conference earlier this week, President Donald Trump falsely claimed his authority as president is "total." A cult expert said the assertion could be taken right out of the "cult leader playbook."

"When somebody's the president of the United States, the authority is total," he said during Monday's press briefing about the novel coronavirus — specifically about lifting social distancing measures. "And that's the way it's got to be."

Both state governors and legal scholars were quick to point out that the US Constitution gives Trump no such powers. In fact, as Business Insider previously wrote, "The 10th Amendment delegates 'police powers' to the states to regulate behavior during public-health crises."

Steven Hassan, a licensed mental health counselor, cult expert, and author of a book called "The Cult of Trump," told Insider that what he heard in Trump's Monday rhetoric was reminiscent of a classic cult leader.
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-coronavirus-total-authority-like-cult-leader-expert-2020-4




Probably not, but if you find yourself praying for this madman, you might be in one! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]How Is This NOT A Thing: Juneteenth Holiday
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It’s time once again to ask:



This week: Juneteenth as a national holiday. How is this *NOT* a thing? In a time when systematic racism is an endemic, it seems that people are finally waking up to the atrocities being committed by America’s law enforcement. This problem has been going on for well over 40 years and does not show any signs of ending any time soon. However, Americans now want to recognize one day that should be a national holiday – the day that most mark the official end of slavery, June 19th, 1865. Known as “Juneteenth”, this has been the day that slaves were freed and also in 1921, the day of a deadly massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But as the plight of African Americans in the 21st century continues – in an era dominated by abusive police forces, many are recognizing the importance of Juneteenth.

Just more than half of Americans said they knew about Juneteenth, a date commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., and even more – two-thirds – support making it a holiday, according to The Harris Poll.

President Trump took credit Thursday for making Juneteenth "very famous" after postponing until Saturday a politically rally in Tulsa, Okla.

However, this new Harris Poll, out Friday, found that 22% of Americans said they were “very” aware of the date, while 30% said they were “somewhat” aware, according to the poll of a nationally representative survey of 1,963 U.S. adults was taken June 13-15.

One-third (33%) were "not at all aware," and 15% were “not very aware," according to the findings.

Juneteenth marks the date – June 19, 1865 – when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and declared "that all persons held as slaves" had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation issued in September of 1862 and effective Jan. 1, 1863. Some enslavers ignored the order until the Union troops arrived to enforce it, according to Juneteenth.com.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2020/06/19/juneteenth-official-holiday-americans-harris-poll/3221973001/




That is a good question sir because even we don’t know! Now the idea of making Juneteenth a national holiday is not a new idea. But it is the first time since the days of Martin Luther King Jr that this idea has been. But of course while Trump is president, we can’t have nice things. Because while we’re protesting and raging at the injustices being done, Trump is bragging about how he took credit for the idea of making it a national holiday.

After firing off a pair of racially insensitive tweets the night before, President Donald Trump on Friday marked Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the end of slavery, with a written statement calling on Americans to commit "to live true to our highest ideals."

He chose not to say anything in public on a day that had taken on new significance in a nation roiled by racial tension over police killings of African American men, even though just days earlier, he falsely took credit for making the holiday "very famous."

He made the claim after getting blowback for scheduling a campaign rally on Juneteenth following weeks of protests calling for racial justice after the death of George Floyd.

Then, on Friday morning, he tweeted a threat against any protesters who showed up at the rally, now scheduled for Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the site of one of nation's worse race massacres.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/racially-divisive-tweets-trump-quiet-juneteenth-holiday-claims/story?id=71345439




Actually yes that really was racist. But the biggest hurdle to Juneteenth becoming a national holiday isn’t your state or local government. The biggest hurdle? Your employer. Who might not like it if you take a non-sanctioned day off. Which of course spells out the underlying irony of making Juneteenth a national holiday. Just look at what Tesla wanted to do with its’ employees on making the day a national holiday – you won’t get the time off if you request it!

On Friday morning, Tesla’s US employees received an email from Valerie Workman, the company’s head of North American human resources. She wrote that “Tesla fully supports Juneteenth for any US employee that wants to take the day off to celebrate.”

That was followed by another clarifying email from Tesla’s HR: “This is an unpaid PTO and excused absence.”

Tesla workers were confused by the message. Some were already at work by the time they received the first email, and one, who spoke with BuzzFeed News, felt it was “pointless.” The company was recognizing Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the liberation of slaves in the United States, while telling workers they either had to take a vacation day or take the day off and not be paid.

With a national awakening to the need for racial justice following the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans, corporations have taken different approaches to voice their support. Some have declared “Black Lives Matter” and committed funds and resources, while others have moved to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.

Tesla and SpaceX, both helmed by billionaire Elon Musk, have taken a different approach.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/tesla-musk-juneteenth-holiday-unpaid-spacex




That’s about the maximum amount of time that your employer will not allow you to take off. So how do you make Juneteenth a national holiday? There’s an easy way to get the public on board with this idea, and that’s advertising! Yes, some catchy, creative advertising with big billboards and some catchy TV jingles should do the trick! That’s exactly how you change minds in the 21st century!

Despite its immense historical significance, Juneteenth—the day Union soldiers arrived Galveston, Texas in 1865 and the nation’s last enslaved people were read the Emancipation Proclamation and learned of their freedom—is not a national holiday. A group of Bay Area creatives is working to change that.

Earlier this year, Miles Dotson, Quinnton Harris and Brian Watson came together to form HellaCreative as a way to foster and build community amid the coronavirus pandemic. Around two weeks ago, the group was reflecting on all the trauma in the wake of the racism-fueled killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others.

“We were unearthing these feelings and we thought, ‘Why don’t we try to reclaim some of our joy and why we got together in the first place?'” Harris said.

The started asking why Juneteenth wasn’t celebrated nationwide, which became the genesis for the HellaJuneteenth project. “We decided we were going to put a flag in the ground, take off that day and try to reclaim our Black joy,” Harris said, adding, “The #HellaJuneteenth project was about how do we move forward from the conversation of trauma and rediscover the joy that has always been with us in our culture.”
https://www.adweek.com/agencies/creative-collective-juneteenth-national-holiday/




So employer difficulty and not enough advertising. That’s enough to make you ask – the Juneteenth National Holiday:




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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner: You Dang K-Pop Fans!!
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Welcome back to the segment where we bring you the latest in batshit crazy, Conspiracy Corner! We are broadcasting live from the darkest regions of your innermost thoughts from an underground bunker in the remote badlands of Arizona! Because where else other than the middle of the desert that we can broadcast without the government interfering with our thoughts? Well true, an Iowa cornfield would be a somewhat nicer climate. But just let me adjust my tin foil hat for maximum government interference… ah there we go! So what’s the latest coming from the minds of America’s conspiracy theorists? Trump’s Tulsa rally. And the extremely poor attendance has the rumors and conspiracies flying!

They've helped South Korean stars dominate charts and break records on social media.

Now, some K-pop fans are claiming another victory: helping foil United States President Donald Trump's return to the campaign trail.

Ahead of his Saturday night rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Trump bragged that he had about 1 million RSVPs. But when the arena didn't even reach its 19,000-person capacity, many people online were quick to give K-pop fans and TikTok users at least partial credit for the low turnout.
Prior to the rally, people on social media platforms TikTok and Twitter encouraged people to register to attend Trump's event -- and not attend. One video, with more than 300,000 views, called on fans of South Korean mega group BTS in particular to join the trolling campaign.

Following the rally, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted at Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, telling him he had been "rocked" by teens on TikTok flooding the Trump campaign with fake ticket reservations. "Kpop allies, we see and appreciate your contributions in the fight for justice too," she added.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/22/asia/k-pop-fandom-activism-intl-hnk/index.html




That’s right – fans of the KPOP band BTS are the ones behind the sabotage! Or are they? Maybe they’re paid operatives by liberal billionaire George Soros! But even the Trump campaign itself is not buying into that conspiracy theory! Remember last week when Trump’s campaign manager Brad Pascale said that they had almost a million tickets reserved? Well, the opposite happened.

In public, the Trump campaign has adamantly denied reports that legions of TikTokers and K-pop fans helped tank President Donald Trump's big rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday.

"Leftists and online trolls doing a victory lap, thinking they somehow impacted rally attendance, don't know what they're talking about or how our rallies work," Brad Parscale, the Trump campaign manager, said in a statement on Sunday.

"Registering for a rally means you've RSVPed with a cell phone number and we constantly weed out bogus numbers, as we did with tens of thousands at the Tulsa rally, in calculating our possible attendee pool," he said.

But behind the scenes, campaign officials anonymously told The New York Times that many people who had signed up to attend the rally were not real Trump supporters but online tricksters, adding that they likely helped inflate expectations.
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tulsa-rally-campaign-officials-admit-tiktok-kpop-fans-2020-6




So once again, Trump proves he is the great flip flopper! But the question remains – did Trump’s rally intentionally tank or is he entering the Spinal Tap phase of his career? Well that remains to be seen. But this isn’t the first time KPOP fans have attempted to meddle in American politics. Their gods, the band BTS, have also taken sides with Black Lives Matter. Ooh, I can see conservatives burning BTS merchandise right now!

In addition to being quite possibly the most devoted fan base in the world, K-Pop lovers clearly have much better organisational skills than the rest of us. Since the Black Lives Matter movement experienced a resurgence following the death of George Floyd, K-Pop stans have flooded the #WhiteLivesMatter hashtag with images of their favourite musicians, blocking out racist posts in the process – while BTS’s followers have raised more than a million dollars for BLM after the band tweeted out its support for the movement (and made its own sizeable donation to boot).

The K-pop vigilantes latest effort? Derailing a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in defiance of white supremacy. President Trump’s campaign manager Brad Parscale had projected that the 19,000-seat BOK Center would be full (with overflowing crowds lining up outside) on 20 June, but in reality, less than 7,000 people turned up – forcing the President to cancel an additional planned speech. It appears K-Pop fans (and Alt TikTok users) had reserved tickets to the event with no intention of going, considerably skewing Parscale’s numbers. Notably, the rally had been widely criticised by supporters of BLM – who cited the historical significance of Juneteenth and the devastating Tulsa Race Massacre as reasons for it not to go ahead.

Taking to Twitter, Parscale claimed the low turnout was due to “radical protestors” who had “blocked access to metal detectors, preventing people from entering”, but the likes of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were quick to contradict him. “Actually you just got ROCKED by teens on TikTok who flooded the Trump campaign w/ fake ticket reservations & tricked you into believing a million people wanted your white supremacist open mic enough to pack an arena during COVID,” the Democratic congresswoman replied. “KPop allies, we see and appreciate your contributions in the fight for justice too.”
https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/k-pop-fans-trump-rally




Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Put a warning label on that thing! Please!!! So how did they do this you might ask? Well, the Trump administration said that you could reserve as many tickets as you want, and they artificially inflated the numbers! DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah and you can bet Trump himself is seething with anger, as this one hit him where it hurts! And they would have got away with it too if not for those meddling kids!

TikTok users and fans of Korean pop music took partial credit for inflating attendance expectations at a less-than-full arena at President Donald Trump's first political rally in months, held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday.

Social media users on platforms including the popular video-sharing app have said they completed the free online registration for the rally with no intention of going.

Prior to the event, Trump's campaign manager Brad Parscale said there had been more than one million requests to attend. However, the 19,000-seat BOK Centre arena had many empty seats on Saturday evening and Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence cancelled speeches to an expected "overflow" area outside.

The Tulsa Fire Department tallied the crowd at about 6200 people.

Trump's campaign advisers had seen the rally as a way to rejuvenate his base and demonstrate support when opinion polls have shown him trailing his Democratic rival, former vice-president Joe Biden.

Oklahoma has reported a surge in new coronavirus cases, and the state's Department of Health had warned those planning on attending the event that they faced an increased risk of catching the virus.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/how-tiktok-users-k-pop-fans-say-they-sabotaged-trump-s-rally-20200622-p554sc.html





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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink: Return To Filming
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Good freaking god everyone, time is slow, and I could really use a drink!



Of course you know the idea behind this is that we have some drinks and discuss literally anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics. Of course that’s hard because in a world where there’s nothing to talk about, you got to come up with something! And of course right now CDC guidelines prohibit me from having a bartender so I must discuss it with my virtual bartender. Tell me, virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about movies? Buzz Cola? No thanks, I need something much stronger than that, Jack Daniels mixed with Jack Daniels. So with movie production finally resuming after 4 months, how is that going to look? Well, it’s quite insane.

Film and television production may be able to resume in California on June 12, but major studios are still weeks — if not months — away from rolling cameras.

Before shooting can start or resume on movies and TV shows, the various labor unions that represent everyone from the grips to the actors to the directors, have to sign off on safety procedures for how sets should operate in the age of coronavirus. Nearly 200 people from across the entertainment industry were involved in drafting a white paper outlining new safety protocols that range from increasing testing and temperature tests to quarantining casts and crews. Insiders predict that the final sign-off on those plans is between four to six weeks away.

“For the major film productions and a handful of premium TV shows, this pandemic was like tranquilizing an elephant,” said one top film studio executive, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “We’re not going to be able to stand up right away.”

Even if the government declares that sets can re-open in Los Angeles, the movie and television business has become so global in scope that sources at the studios believe it will take time before most productions resume. In Los Angeles, Warner Bros. was half-way through shooting “King Richard,” the story of Richard Williams, father and coach of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams, which stars Will Smith. Some of the major tennis scenes still have to shoot.
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/hollywood-film-production-resumes-avatar-mission-impossible-king-richard-1234629324/




Yup, just like the ending of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, thanks to Coronavirus, America is experiencing threats which we have never seen before! Don’t applaud that. So what will be the first movie being produced under these super strict new guidelines? It’s the sequel to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Jurassic World: Dominion. Yeah I don’t need to see a movie about threats to humanity when I’m already living in one, thanks!

Producers at the film’s set in Pinewood Studios have constructed a smart drive-thru corona check, which will see top names including Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jeff Goldblum given a once-over before being allowed to go face-to-face with prehistoric beasts.

A source tells me: “This is the future of movies and hopefully it can prove successful. We need to get these productions back on track and fast.“There are millions of pounds at stake, and it’s going to take months to catch up so this solution seems a good way to put minds at rest.

“Everyone on set, from the runners to the leading stars, will have to drive through the testing station — and only those who pass the checks will be allowed on set.

“One person showing symptoms somewhere like this could be totally catastrophic.”

Jurassic Park is one of the most successful film franchises of the last three decades and its sixth outing, titled Jurassic World: Dominion, was due to be released in June 2021. But production was stopped on March 13 in response to the pandemic.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/11927576/jurassic-world-bosses-coronavirus-test-centre-film-return/




Oh man do I miss being able to drink in a bar. But yeah just like Trump’s rally in Tulsa, this has the potential to be a really bad idea. How bad? Well if one person gets the infection the entire staff, crew, and actors could be affected as well. And that has the potential to be a colossal shit show! So where can we film? Well, since every superhero movie takes place at a carnival or a fair, how about an actual fair?

“Lights … camera … mask on … action!”

Directors might be using these words soon to begin production on movies, television, and music videos following a three-month shutdown of filming caused by the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, June 10, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Department of Public Health announced that crews could resume filming on Friday, June 12.

But with that decision came a lengthy list of safety protocols that must be implemented, meaning it’s unlikely filming will ramp up right away. A more realistic start time for productions, according to industry watchers, is July, August or even early fall.

With filming allowed to resume, location scouts are now looking for filming places to shoot. One of the first available and best suited to operate under the county’s new safety regulations may be Fairplex in Pomona, which has been the setting for several movie, television and music productions.

At Fairplex, where the economic fallout of the coronavirus and related closures led to the cancellation of the Los Angeles County Fair and other events, the return of film crews is seen as an economic godsend.
https://www.dailybulletin.com/2020/06/17/fairplex-in-pomona-ready-to-take-center-stage-as-film-production-resumes/




Man I needed that! So what do actual movie stars think of this strict return-to-sort-of-normal? Well let’s ask the star of Jurassic World herself, Bryce Dallas Howard! Sure, Universal may be going “above and beyond” but one little slip up and bam! You’re fucked. Because right now the virus is in charge and until it goes away we’re all going to have to play by its’ rules for now.

Jurrassic World: Dominion star Bryce Dallas Howard has spoken about the film’s imminent return to production amid rigorous Covid security measures.

We revealed earlier this week that production is gearing back up on the Universal blockbuster with cameras set to roll in early July. The film is on course to be the first major movie to re-start filming in the UK – and among the first in the world – since the pandemic struck.

Universal has implemented rigorous safety protocols, which will cost in the region of $5M, we understand.

Howard told SiriusXM’s EW Live yesterday: “There has been a lot of communication. They are going above and beyond. We would never be going back to work if we didn’t feel safe. And, you know, we’re taking it one day at a time and I’m very grateful to have a job.”

She continued: “What feels really right about it is that there is this daily conversation, daily communication with all of the actors, all of the key crew members and just us consistently being like, ‘Ok how are we going to do this, how are we going to do this safely,’ and not making compromises that could undermine someone’s health.”
https://deadline.com/2020/06/jurassic-world-bryce-dallas-howard-covid-production-protocols-chris-pratt-universal-1202961413/





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[font size="8"]Road To The White House Ep. 2: Biden Wins Texas?
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Welcome back! This is the segment where we are chronicling the… cue reverb… ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Oh man that was some good reverb there. Yes, Joe Biden is the presumptive nominee for the Democratic ticket, and while we await his choice of VP and the eventual convention, which right now seems like an eternity away, we are putting together the pieces of what his nomination is going to look like. And man does it seem like the public is turning on Trump doesn’t it? But this week a lot of clout seems to be forming around how the impossible could happen in 2020 – Texas could finally, after 40 years, turn blue! It seems like wishful thinking but the virus has really turned people against Trump.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Saturday renewed his vow to help flip Texas as the state gets increased attention heading into November.

“Texas is an important battleground state for our campaign in 2020,” he said on Facebook Live addressing the state Democratic Party's convention, which went online-only this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. “I think we have a real chance to turn the state blue because of the work all of you have done.

“We have to keep the House of Representatives. We have to win over the United States Senate. We have to flip the Texas House. We have to lead and deliver meaningful change for people who are hurting all across this nation.”

Biden spoke for roughly five minutes from his back porch in Delaware to close out the state party’s virtual convention. The weeklong event featured a slate of high-profile Democrats that also included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Democratic presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke and Julián Castro.
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/06/06/joe-biden-texas-democrats/




Yes, that’s what the average American thinks of people from Texas who are not from Texas. This could be a monumental shift if possible and it will change the politics of Texas forever. While Trump is loudly appearing in public, Biden is quietly flipping Texas due to people’s seething anger over the Coronavirus pandemic. The possibility of flipping Texas seems like a pipe dream, but is it reality?

Back in 2016, Katie Mellor faced a dilemma. A lifelong Republican but a “Never Trumper”, she was forced to hold her nose and vote for Hillary Clinton. It put the nurse from Houston firmly in the minority in the red state of Texas.

“I’d say 99 per cent of the people I know voted for Trump. I lost friends because of it,” said Ms Mellor.

This time round, she has noticed, those same people look to be having a change of heart. “I knew he was lying about what he would do for our country, and I think others have begun to realise that too,” the 39-year-old told The Telegraph.

The latest polling suggests that rather than being an anomaly it speaks to a broader pattern, as discontent grows among President Donald Trump’s once-faithful base in the South....

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/12/trumps-texas-faithful-lose-faith-could-lone-star-state-turn/




So now you might ask – what’s Joe Biden’s secret weapon in Texas? Is it people’s animosity toward Trump or is it something else? Well, a little from column A, a little from column B. But his real secret weapon might lie in one of his former competitors, and that’s Beto O’Rourke! Yes, O’Rourke has been a formidable weapon in the Democratic Party, and during this time of lockdown, he is doing his due diligence to get people registered!

Democrats have been working from the ground up to turn Texas blue, so if likely presidential nominee Joe Biden invests resources from his campaign to win the state, it would be the cherry on top of the overall Democratic Party effort.

“I’m going to continue to make the case to him, not that it would be nice, but that it’s necessary,” said former congressman and former 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke.

“I know that Biden can win here,” O’Rourke continued. “I don’t know what kind of investment he’s going to make, but regardless of what he does, we’re going to put the state in play. The best way for us to make the case is to show what we in Texas are willing to do for ourselves.”

Biden has to determine what kind of resources to pour into Texas, a state that’s trending toward Democrats, but has been under Republican control for more than a generation.

The former vice president on Saturday will address the Texas Democratic Party’s virtual convention, where he’s expected to discuss the importance of the Lone Star State in November’s presidential election.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/05/29/beto-orourke-local-democrats-urge-joe-biden-to-pour-resources-into-texas-to-knock-out-donald-trump/




Yes, they are definitely compensating for something! Even the Texas Republican party is worried about the possibility of losing Texas. Well guys, we hate to say it, but you did it to yourselves. They definitely aren’t taking November seriously – and I assume that’s because they have to change Trump’s dirty diapers and tell him that mommy loves him. But that would really be something, because if Texas goes, so goes the nation!

Some Texas Republicans are concerned that the Lone Star State could turn blue in November, The Hill reported on Saturday.

Recent polling suggests that President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are virtually tied in Texas, but the presidential race is not the only contest where that is the case. Republican Sen. John Cornyn is up for reelection this year and he has to fend off a formidable Democratic challenger.

According to veteran Republican Party operative Bill Miller, “it is a very serious moment for Republicans in Texas.

Thanks largely to demographic changes, the Texas Democratic Party has become one of the biggest in the nation. Biden’s campaign reportedly plans on investing significant money and resources in the state.

Republicans seem to have lost ground in suburbia, especially with women and independent voters.

Areas surrounding Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston now appear to lean Democrat. As longtime Republican strategist Corbin Casteel explained, “the suburbs are a concern because any time your stronghold is showing weakness, it needs to be shored up.”
https://www.inquisitr.com/6110011/republicans-warn-texas-blue/




[font size="4"]Next Week:[/font]

What’s Joe Biden’s status among Evangelicals? Many leaders are urging America’s pulpits to change their affiliation!



See you next week!

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Top 10 Conservative Idiots Recorded At: Flappers Comedy Club, Burbank, CA
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June 17, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-1: Hanging With Mr. Cooper Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-1: Hanging With Mr. Cooper Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? Are you guys doing fucking good? I know, right? It’s hard to stay optimistic right now. Seriously, what the fuck happened? Remind me not to take any days off anymore. Shit, I take a vacation March 11th what happens? We get in the worst pandemic in a century. I take time off at our usual end of May break and what happens? Riots and protests! Come on 2020, what else you got? Shit, I know. We all had plans before the pandemic. Hell, I had plans to take the Top 10 international! We had shows lined up in the UK, Germany, France, Mexico, and Canada, all got squashed because of this fucking virus. And who knows what else is going to happen before the end of 2020? We also have hurricane season! We’ve had the virus, cannibal rats, blood monkeys, murder hornets, riots, floods, fires, small earthquakes… what else could possibly go wrong? I mean besides another four years of Trump? Well anyway now that I got that off my chest I am pleased to debut the new set! Unfortunately thanks to COVID we’ve had to eliminate things like sets, props, food, key grips, cameramen, bartenders, waiters and waitresses, lighting, backdrops, and our Trumper Games hosts’ humble man servant. But those things will be back! We’re slowly returning to full strength unless Trump does something stupid. Which he almost certainly will. OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver explains police brutality in one of the most hard to watch Last Week Tonights of all time:



So where do we begin this week? Well normally we would catch up on stuff we missed, but since this is a year where nothing is normal, we are going to attempt to instead have a special two part edition of our series “So That Happened”. Where in the first slot we’re going to talk about the police-sanctioned murder of George Floyd, who died at the hands of abusive police over an alleged counterfeit $20 bill. In the second slot, we’re going to talk about the protests and riots (2) that are still going on. How long is it going to go on? We don’t know. It might still be going on. In the third slot this week is the guy who we still call president and that’s Donald J. Trump (3). He plans to restart his MAGA rallies next week, and he has picked a date that is sure to rile up both his white supremacist base and his detractors! At slot #4 we're going to introduce a brand new feature to the program, and we all know that there's a 50-50 shot that this will go well. And it's "Mutual Of Top 10's Wild Kingdom" (4) and the first part of our nature documentary series is going to be on the hunt for that most elusive genus of species of privileged white female known as the Karen! How do you spot a Karen in the wild and what can be done about it? In the fifth slot this week we have our weekly investigative piece Top 10 Investigates (5), and we’re still in the middle of a pandemic in case you haven’t forgotten, and we’re going to take a look at a claim by Italian doctors that COVID is getting weaker, and is it? There might be some truth to this claim, or there might not. In the sixth slot this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and this week, our resident pastor has to talk about the White House PR stunt involving St. George Church in Washington DC, and he might break his one rule to talk about that insane incident! Taking the seventh slot this week is a new “Beating A Dead Horse”, and NASCAR (7) finally banned use of the Confederate Flag at events, but that hasn’t stopped the protesting debate! Taking the 8th slot this week, is the TV show Cops (8), and after finally getting canceled after 30 seasons, we’re going to ask the question “The Show Cops: How Is This Still A Thing?”. In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is a new People Are Dumb, because a pandemic and riots haven’t stopped the biggest plague infecting the land – stupidity! Finally this week we’re beginning our journey on the Road To The White House (10!)! And for our first entry, could the 2020 election again be stolen? Even Joe Biden is making this claim! No, there won’t be any live music for the foreseeable future. Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]So That Happened: The Death Of George Floyd
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That is a good question sir! You know, normally when the Top 10 takes a couple of days off, we like to play catch up with things that we missed. But there was so much that happened that it was near impossible to think that we could squeeze everything into two short entries. Or would we even attempt to make fun of the situation. Yes, we have to talk about the death of George Floyd, a man who, overnight, became the face of American police brutality, and widespread systematic racism. And like I said we will not make fun of the situation as that’s beyond our usual tomfoolery. But here’s what happened.

George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, said on "The View" Tuesday that he believes "everybody is getting closer to justice" for his brother "because everybody's feeling united" in protests.

The demonstrations demanding police reforms and in support of Black Lives Matter have drawn thousands of people around the world in the weeks following George Floyd's death while in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.

"I just would like to thank everyone for doing so much in this world today. They're just tired right now. Enough is enough," Philonise Floyd said on "The View." "It's gonna be a marathon. But right now, everybody is getting closer to justice because everybody's feeling united. We're coming together as one."

"I'm just so proud right now just to see change in this world happening," he added.

Philonise Floyd also told the co-hosts that Derek Chauvin, the ex-officer who prosecutors say held his knee on George Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, and the three other officers involved in his brother's death “deserve life” in prison.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/george-floyds-brother-offers-message-protesters-gonna-marathon/story?id=71274972




That is a good point! We’ve been cooped up here at the Top 10 Home Offices for so long we’ve forgot what it would be like to be part of a functioning society again. And remember when society used to function before COVID? Yeah that was like unleashing Skynet or Thanos snapping. When things go back to “normal” we will see a lot of our favorite businesses and places go bankrupt. And we cannot sustain another round of this. Especially when this happened.

Steve Mylett, the police chief in Bellevue, Washington, couldn’t believe what he was seeing, even after intelligence officers warned of social media posts calling for an attack.

On the afternoon of Sunday, May 31, a handful of demonstrators carrying signs gathered at a major intersection in the Seattle suburb. The crowd quickly grew to 40. Then, after two men got on cellphones, 300 more showed up, then 1,000 white, Black and brown.

“It was a tsunami of people, and they just started running,” Mylett said. “I didn’t hear George Floyd’s name once. I didn’t hear, ‘Police reform!’ They just scattered throughout the city. … They used tactics we’ve never seen before.”

Mylett said faux protesters, many dressed in black with hoodies, gloves and COVID-19 masks, ransacked shops and caused millions of dollars in losses. Some ran from one business to the next, trailed by vehicles that stopped outside high-end stores, loaded up, and moved on.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/06/15/criminals-used-george-floyd-protests-cover-looting-police-say/5324881002/




They came at us with pitchforks and torches. Torches!!!! And really people don’t use this time to loot and pillage. Join the peaceful protests. Maybe we can save the pillaging and looting for a later date. It’s like we’re living the end of the movie Joker – and Thomas and Martha Wayne have just been murdered and the city is rioting. But really, just don’t do shit like this. really, don’t do it.

The death of George Floyd in the hands of a Minnesota police officer while pinned down violently has certainly sparked outrage in the United States, which resulted in civil unrest as of late. However, things seemed to get out of control recently when the protests turned violent.

Criminal elements have taken advantage of the situation and photos of riots, vandalism, and looting within the US are now circulating online. One of the establishments robbed included a Louis Vitton store, and if you cringed at the sight of that, check out the photos of the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Oakland, California as hooligans laid waste on the luxury cars displayed there.

As seen in the videos and photos, numerous rioters broke into the dealership. The thugs started spray painting, wrecking and burning cars during the onslaught. Some of the premium cars seen in the images include the C-Class, CLA, and GLE. The most painful thing to watch though was the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe getting set on fire.

While we couldn’t blame the heightened emotions of the people because of the injustices that their own law enforcement officers have committed towards them, especially to the black community over the years, and they certainly have the right to have their voices heard in the streets, there is no justification for destroying establishments and trumping others’ properties or businesses. Such acts only show that the rioters are no better than the oppressors that they are against.

We hope that everyone will arrive at a peaceful resolution with regard to the matter soon and that justice will be served to Floyd as well as the other victims of police brutality. Our hearts go with their families and the people who are sincerely sympathizing with them, but such barbaric and uncivilized actions being shown here have to stop now.
https://www.benzinsider.com/2020/06/mercedes-benz-cars-wrecked-and-torched-by-protesters-in-oakland/





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[font size="8"]So That Happened: The Protests
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Much like Hector Salamanca from Breaking Bad, if you’re not marching in the streets protesting unprecedented police brutality and state-sanctioned murders all over the country, you’re probably sitting in front of your computer screen getting increasingly angry and clicking that bell, or your computer’s mouse. But the pandemic created a situation of some extremely bored people looking to gather to come together for a cause. And that cause was the death of George Floyd. We’re not even going to attempt to make fun of the situation here. So we won’t try. But instead we will talk about one group looking to start some shit – the Boogaloo Bois.

An Air Force sergeant who was arrested in the fatal ambush of a Santa Cruz County deputy was charged Tuesday in connection with the killing of a federal security officer during George Floyd protests in Oakland last month, authorities said.

Staff Sgt. Steven Carrillo, 32, was charged with murder and attempted murder in the killing of federal officer Dave Patrick Underwood, 53.

Underwood was one of two officers who were shot May 29 while guarding the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building. The other officer was critically wounded in the drive-by attack. Both were members of Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service.

Authorities said Carrillo and a second man traveled to Oakland with the intent to kill police and believed the large demonstrations spurred by the death of Floyd in Minneapolis — which they were not a part of — would help them get away it.

"They came to Oakland to kill cops," said John Bennett, special agent in charge of the San Francisco division of the FBI.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/airman-charged-killing-federal-officer-during-george-floyd-protests-california-n1231187




Yeah so like I said last week, if you see these guys at your neighborhood protest, they’re not here to join hands and sing Kumbaya. And just like people with COVID, they’re very easy to spot. But this is really going to screw some shit up. We’re still in the middle of the pandemic. One that has killed over 100,000 people, and sent millions of people into bankruptcy. Think we haven’t seen some serious shit yet? think again! It is about to hit the fan!

Minneapolis city leaders outlined the actions they are taking in terms of recovery efforts related to civil unrest, systematic racism and COVID-19.Director of Economic Policy and Development Erik Hansen said that unemployment is currently having a larger impact on people who are young, black and without a high school degree.

"The outcomes of our structural racism system is evident in every aspect of the economy in Minneapolis," Hansen said.

Hansen said there are resources available for those who are impacted by the loss of employment due to the pandemic or civil unrest. Minnesota Works is available for career help. Another resource is the city's Technical Assistance Program, with community-based organizations that are ready for businesses to call them for advice.

Director of Economic Policy and Development Erik Hansen said at a Tuesday press conference that he was tasked with evaluating the damage of structures in the city. Poor advised owners of structures that were damaged to contact their insurance for help with coverage. He also reminded owners to check on their electricity and gas services since they may have been cut to prevent any accidents There will be a line for the zoning office that will be dedicated to answering people's questions on rebuilding damaged property. The phone number will be available on the city's website starting Wednesday.
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/george-floyd/mpls-leaders-address-recovery-related-to-covid-19-unrest-over-george-floyds-death/89-767634f1-37f2-4765-9ae2-5e8414736117




Clean that up!! But there is good news. With all the bad shit that’s happening in the world, and we are in for a lot of suffering down the road after a major pandemic, there is a silver lining in all of this. It’s awakened some long sleeping beasts! People are hopping mad, we’re fighting back, and even small towns are awakening to how badly they’re getting fucked! It’s about damn time we rise up!

Two hours east of the unrest in Denver following the death of George Floyd, a newspaper editor and police chief heard rumors of buses, full of protesters from as far as Chicago, heading toward their farming community of Yuma after the town's pastor planned a road-side vigil in early June. Local businesses, and even the hospital, closed their doors in response. Some residents threatened to arm themselves with shotguns to protect the town from potential rioters. The town of about 3,500 people is less than 1% black.

"You know public displays like this are going to bring the rioters here," Stephanie Generoux wrote on a Facebook post from the Yuma Pioneer.

"Just so you’re all aware a hitchhiker earlier today in the southern part of the County trying to get to Yuma. Hope you are all ready for what you’re bringing" commented Rich Schafer.

In reality, about sixty locals arrived and stood silently, spaced apart, holding signs. No buses. No violence. Tony Rayl, editor of the Yuma Pioneer, said he knew almost everyone there and called it the most bizarre day of his life. The pastor of a local church said just the existence of the event polarized her congregation.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/george-floyds-death-awakens-activism-rural-white-america/story?id=71262386




That said though in this weird new world that we’ve been navigating because of COVID and because of the social unrest going on, should we really call the protestors “rioters”? Well there’s a fine line between the two. Remember that if they’re there wearing Hawaiian shirts and looking to throw rocks at cops or fire their machine guns, they’re not there to join in arms against the oppressed.

As unrest has continued day after day and in town after town in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, a secondary skirmish has emerged: deciding how to describe what’s happening.

In speeches and newsrooms and social media posts, people have had to make choices about how to characterize widespread, evolving unrest. Are cities in the midst of uprisings? Rebellions? Riots?

“There’s kind of a war of words as to how we should understand what they’re doing,” says Heather Ann Thompson, a professor of history and Afro-American studies at the University of Michigan. Each term sends a vastly different message about precisely what is going on in America’s streets and why.

During his short speech in the Rose Garden on June 1, President Trump used some form of the word riot five times. And he’s not alone. At TIME’s request, the Oxford English Dictionary analyzed its corpus – including roughly 2,800 articles published between May 26 and June 2 – related to events that were spurred by the killing of George Floyd, to see how those events were being described in the media.
https://time.com/5849163/why-describing-george-floyd-protests-as-riots-is-loaded/





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[font size="8"]Trump Goes To Tulsa
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Pop quiz hot shot!! Say for a minute that you’re Donald Trump. There’s a killer virus that is invading and desecrating states that voted for you. Health advisory boards have shut down literally every large gathering in the country, and you want to hold a large gathering indoors! What do you do? And wrong answers only. Really? He picked the wrong answers? Of course he did, this is Donald J. Trump we are talking about here. He never errs on the right side of everything. Literally everything he does is the wrong answer to everything. And why not? What’s another 50,000 COVID cases and no hospital beds in case you do need them? Well, let’s take a look at what he wants to do. Hold your boos.

President Donald Trump this week pushed ahead with his plans to hold an indoor rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, even as public health officials there warned novel coronavirus cases in the area were on the rise.

As the president's reelection campaign came under fire for potentially putting thousands of people in danger during the Saturday event, Vice President Mike Pence attempted to paint a rosy picture of the pandemic in Oklahoma that contradicted data released by state and local public health departments there.

"Oklahoma has really been in the forefront of our efforts to slow the spread, and in a very real sense, they've flattened the curve," Pence told reporters at the White House Monday.

"Oklahoma is at a very low number," Trump said.

In fact, Tulsa had yet to shake the coronavirus pandemic, and the top public health official called an event like the rally "a huge risk factor."
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-pushes-ahead-tulsa-rally-pence-misleads-coronavirus/story?id=71275621




Yeah BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Really, Mike Pence is that guy. But my favorite part of this whole thing is that Trump’s campaign manager Brad Pascale, is making some absolutely batshit crazy claims about attendance numbers. You know, because Trump wants his audience and attendance numbers to be up.

https://twitter.com/parscale/status/1272191356845391875

So let me get this straight - 800,000 tickets for a 20,000 seat arena in a town with a population of 390,000? Is this some kind of new math that I'm not aware of? Is this Trump's idea of math? Or is this COVID's idea of math? Either way, Coronavirus likes this. But not everyone is on board with this idea, even the mayor of Tulsa.

For most mayors in deep-red states like Oklahoma, the prospect of hosting the first rally for President Donald Trump in months would be a delight. It would showcase the city on an international stage and draw revenue for local businesses that have been shuttered for months amid the coronavirus outbreak.

But G.T. Bynum, the first-term mayor of Tulsa, isn’t celebrating Trump’s planned rally Saturday at the city’s 19,000-seat downtown BOK Center arena. While other Oklahoma GOP officials are hailing the event, Bynum finds himself in a precarious position, balancing partisan politics, the city’s deep racial wounds and a COVID-19 infection rate that is suddenly spiking.

Trump announced the rally in Tulsa as the kick-off of a tour to rev up his political base and show the nation’s economy reopening after the long quarantine. Trump said in a tweet that almost 1 million people have requested tickets, although party officials haven’t announced the total. Oklahoma has followed a Trump-friendly aggressive schedule for its economic reopening, ticking through a series of phases that now have almost all businesses free to resume operations.
https://apnews.com/beb9cbc21a482721b62630577b475e34




Yeah so this is what one might call a “really bad idea”. And I don’t even have time to cover the Juneteenth debacle – yeah in Tulsa on the Juneteenth anniversary. That is batshit fucking insane. Oh and in case you didn’t know it’s on the anniversary of the worst race riot in United States history. In the middle of the current worst race riot in modern history. Yeah do the math!

Before George Floyd, and before there were nationwide protests across the country against police brutality and racism, there was Terence Crutcher.
In 2016, 40-year old Crutcher was killed by a Tulsa, Oklahoma, police officer on a roadway. Like many of those left behind by police killings, his twin sister Tiffany Crutcher's life changed forever.

"We're twins, yes, three minutes apart. He came out first and he calls me his little big sister," Crutcher said in an interview with CNN. "I never thought that I would be on the other side of this issue.

"I never thought that we would be in the middle of a fight for justice, a fight for equality, fight for police accountability," she said.

The officer who killed her brother, Betty Shelby, was charged with manslaughter, but she was later acquitted.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/16/politics/tulsa-oklahoma-history-race/index.html




Actually yeah that was pretty damn racist! So that was a good call on that one! So the question remains why not move Trump’s rally to an outdoor venue? Well that possibility is being talked about. The fact that Trump wants to hold these rallies in an indoor venue during a pandemic is alarming enough. But getting Trump to budge and move it outside? Well that’s something else entirely. Trump doesn’t budge for anything.

So many people have expressed an interest in attending President Donald Trump’s rally Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that the governor said he’s asked the campaign to consider a larger, outdoor venue to accommodate them.

Gov. Kevin Stitt said Monday after talking with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that nearly one million people have requested tickets to the event. Some Trump supporters have already started waiting in line outside the 19,000-seat BOK Center in downtown Tulsa.

“We’re excited we’re being recognized as one of the first states to safely and measurably reopen,” Stitt told reporters Monday. “I’m looking for a potential other venue that maybe we could move it outside. It’s still kind of in the works.”

Stitt, who plans to introduce Trump at Saturday’s rally, said he also asked Trump and Pence to join him on a tour of the city’s Greenwood District, once home to a prosperous African American community dubbed Black Wall Street that was burned to the ground during a racially motivated massacre in 1921 that left as many as 300 people dead.

The Trump campaign initially planned to hold the rally on Friday, which is Juneteenth, a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, but agreed to move the date to Saturday at the request of Stitt and others.
https://lancasteronline.com/news/politics/oklahoma-governor-seeks-larger-event-for-trumps-tulsa-rally/article_1e8964af-43e4-5758-8212-791e4f1341e5.html






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[font size="8"]Wild Kingdom: Spotting The Karen
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Welcome to the Mutual Top 10’s Wild Kingdom! This week we are attempting to spot a rather elusive creature – the Karen! Yes, the Karen is that most elusive of creatures to spot. And you won’t recognize a Karen until after you have encountered one in the wild! If you don’t know what a Karen is, she is the most elusive species of a middle aged, privileged white female, which goes by the Latin name of Libidinem Dominandi, and you can spot them but not until after they spot you! And where was the most recent sighting of a Karen you might ask? Well why in that most urban of jungles, the concrete oasis known as New York City, New York. And this Karen was probably the most Karen of them all!

Before the general public learned the name of a white woman who called the police on a black man in Central Park on May 25, she could easily be identified by a moniker. The internet agreed with certainty that Amy Cooper was a Karen.

Just days later, another Karen went viral for leaning on a car in a parking lot to prevent the driver from getting their desired parking spot.

The "Karen meme," which has become so ubiquitous it's been used as a Halloween costume, burst onto the scene in the last couple of years to depict white women — who stereotypically had "speak to the manager" haircuts — acting entitled in public. Now, it's used as an identifier for any white woman who acts inappropriately, rudely, or in an entitled fashion.

"It's usually used as a pejorative for middle-aged white women," said Matt Schimkowitz, a senior editor at Know Your Meme, the online meme encyclopedia. "It's almost like they have an entitlement, where they're kind of lording their privilege over another."
Before the Karen meme, there was the "speak to the manager haircut."
https://www.insider.com/karen-meme-origin-the-history-of-calling-women-karen-white-2020-5




No, that is not a Tiger, that is most definitely a Karen! And this is not so much Hanging With Mr. Cooper as it is hanging with privileged scumbags, and they are everywhere! But is the Karen meme sexist and why is the Karen so elusive to spot in the wild? In fact, the only way you can accurately spot a Karen is through the comfort of your iPhone. And you should try to catch the Karen before it is too late!

Lisa Alexander is “truly” and “deeply sorry.” Alexander, the CEO of a San Francisco skincare company, has become the latest white woman to be labeled a “Karen” and nationally vilified for engaging in behavior that’s widely viewed as entitled, racist and harmful.

But Alexander’s public apology Sunday might not stop the vilification. She issued her mea culpa after a video went viral showing her accusing a Pacific Heights neighbor, James Juanillo, of defacing his property because he used chalk to stencil a Black Lives Matters sign onto the property’s retaining wall.

As Juanillo’s video shows, Alexander and her husband, identified on Twitter as Robert Larkins, questioned whether he actually lived in Pacific Heights, one of San Francisco’s more exclusive neighborhoods. Juanillo, who is Filipino-American, said Alexander called police after he told her she should if she felt “unsafe.”

Over the weekend, Alexander went from enjoying a high-society life as an entrepreneur and celebrity style influencer to the latest example of a Karen. Like other recent Karens, Alexander has been extensively dragged on Twitter. After users quickly identified her and her company, the former model is dealing with serious, life-changing consequences in terms of her work and reputation.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/15/calling-out-karens-from-pacific-heights-to-amy-cooper-to-meghan-markles-best-friend/




First off, I would question why you have a live tiger in your life raft sir. But that said, when confronting a Karen in the wild, you must first take a step back and assess the situation, then make sure people around you are recording the incident with their cell phone device of choice. And then… when confronting the Karen, proceed with caution! Because it could lead to some untold nightmares that will last long after the incident is over!

A white woman was slapped in the face during a racist rant at a Phoenix gas station which included telling a Native American woman to “go back to Mexico.”

The woman was quickly dubbed “Arizona Karen,” a reference to a viral meme about racist white women.

According to the man who originally shot the video, the white woman stormed into the Shell station on Saturday to complain about her gas pump not working and almost immediately got into a shouting match with another woman, telling her "to go back to her country.”

“Native Americans are from this country,” the woman replies. “Don’t serve her racist a--,” she tells the cashier.

“Karen” then tells the man filming to stay out of the situation before turning back on the other woman.

“Where are you from? Where were you born?” she asks.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-arizona-karen-slapped-face-racist-rant-gas-station-20200608-6lptnmu2a5h7vogx64paawez7a-story.html




Again that’s a Tiger, not a Karen! So how do you spot a Karen in the wild? And do you know any Karens in your life that would make you afraid to leave the house? Make no mistake that as things are getting uglier in society, the Karen will attack and confront you before you can attack and confront her! But that being said let’s ask some real researchers to get their take on the Karen. The Karen is elusive and swift and won’t think twice before double crossing you!

We all know Karen. She is the minority of 30 to 40-year-old white women whose voice is loud despite how misguided and misinformed she is. She exudes entitlement and a superior “Can I speak to the manager?” attitude. She is unafraid to use her privilege as a weapon. In today’s context, she is audibly doubtful of any new COVID-19 research and public-health protocols, especially when her long-overdue salon appointment is at stake. And according to Heather Suzanne Woods, a meme researcher and professor at Kansas State University, Karen “demands the world exist according to her standards with little regard for others, and she is willing to risk or demean others to achieve her ends.” This definition continues to evolve.

The controversial stereotype of a woman named Karen has roots in African American Vernacular English as well as a tirading subreddit, and it has taken over internet culture in the form of a meme. Karen's notorious behavior is best depicted in viral TikTok videos, acting as a social commentary towards absurd and indecent behavior rooted in white supremacy. However, the use of this meme was quick to receive criticism on accounts of sexism, racism, ageism and classism. While writer Julie Blindel went so far as to call the meme a “slur” that is “woman hating” in a tweet, others even likened it to “the n-word for white women.” In the name of reverse racism and other baseless accusations, the meme continues to be attacked. And once again, the perfectly legitimate message this politicized joke was meant to express was underwhelmed by another fruitless debate.

The meme is simple: Karen-like behavior is problematic. It is problematic because it is a direct result of white supremacist sentiments that have long been deeply embedded within the current system. It is problematic because when authority gets involved, Karen is initially never at fault and is never doubted. And it is problematic because Karen knows this when she picks up the phone to dial 911 at the slightest inconvenience. In fact, just this past Memorial day, a Twitter video went viral revealing a similar incident in Central Park regarding a white woman calling the police on an African-American man who simply asked her to put a leash on her dog, telling them he was threatening her life. These kinds of false accusations to the police against Black people are extremely dangerous and have dire consequences as history has revealed time and time again, like in the case of Emmett Till. But Karen won’t think twice before racial profiling.
https://www.michigandaily.com/section/opinion/easheta-shah-recognize-your-karen





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Is COVID Getting Weaker?
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



Since the COVID-19 pandemic began this March, everyone is now asking the question – when will it end and when will life get back to some sort of normalcy that we have come to expect? Well the answer to the first question is that nobody knows. The answer to the second question is also: nobody knows. So there are two ways that this could pan out. The first is that we aggressively find a cure for this virus, and the second is that the virus could simply weaken over time. In fact there’s claims being made now that COVID could simply burn itself out and mutate into a much weaker form of the virus that has been infecting the landscape over the last six months. We go to Italy for this story.

In the past few weeks, several top doctors across the globe have come out to say that new data that indicates COVID-19 is becoming less potent, more diffused and less deadly.

"The Coronavirus currently infecting patients appears to have a gene sequence deleted that reduced the strength of the disease. That may sound crazy, but the SARS Coronavirus that caused a pandemic back in 2003 had a similar gene sequence deleted as it became weaker towards the end of it's outbreak," said Dr. David Geier. The health and wellness expert says if that's true, you may see an increase in cases as states reopen, but less hospitalizations and deaths. He also said there's still more research that needs to be done to really prove that this virus has actually weakened.

At least one infectious-disease expert at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine said the new virus does mutate slowly compared to flu, but when it comes to it's genetic changes, it appears to be mostly inconsequential.

Michael Ryan, a top official with the World Health organization stated, "We need to be exceptionally careful not to create a sense that all of a sudden the virus by its own volition has now decided to be less pathogenic. That is not the case at all."

Here's what I learned: The pandemic is evolving rapidly. Science shows some strains of the virus have become more dominant, but despite several experts who believe the virus has weakened, most say there's no solid evidence yet to prove it significantly changed since it was first reported in China.
https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/coronavirus-weakening-sars-covid19-less-hospitlizations/521-a4151470-bc01-40a5-9fd9-2aabb5ec0f20




That is not how you defeat coronavirus. Repeat, that is not how you defeat coronavirus. So there’s many claims to this theory. Two things that a pandemic needs to end are time and potency. And both of these things could determine how the latest pandemic plays out. How will the coronavirus pandemic play out as time goes on? That’s debatable, because, as has been stated, nobody knows because this is a new virus that nobody has seen before.

On May 31, the news agency Reuters published an article with an optimistic but incendiary headline: “New coronavirus losing potency, top Italian doctor says.”

The story included comments from hospital leaders in Milan and Genoa, cities in two regions of northern Italy that have been hit hard by Covid-19. The doctors’ comments were pulled from published news reports in the Italian media, and both suggested that the virus is growing weaker. Matteo Bassetti, MD, PhD, is head of the Infectious Diseases Clinic at the San Martino-IST University Hospital and a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Genoa. He is quoted in the Reuters piece as saying that, “The strength the virus had two months ago is not the same strength it has today.”

Reached for comment on Tuesday, Bassetti elaborated on his prior statement for Elemental. “What is happening in our hospitals — at least in the northern part of Italy — the clinical impression is that the disease is now different compared to the disease of three months ago,” he says. “The majority of patients who presented in our emergency rooms or wards during March and April were very sick with acute respiratory distress syndrome, shock, multiple organ failure, and the majority died in the first days after admission. Now in May, we no longer see these types of patients.”

Bassetti completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Yale University. He’s quick to say that he is not basing his views on lab-confirmed findings; his statements are based on his own interactions with patients and his conversations with other doctors. “The clinical impression here is that the virus is different,” he says. “Is this because the virus lost some viral potency? Or because the viral load or total count of the virus is lower? I don’t know.”
https://elemental.medium.com/could-the-coronavirus-be-weakening-as-it-spreads-928f2ad33f89




But the good news is that this claim is not just being made in Italy. Even countries like Egypt are reporting that the virus is getting weaker. Until that time happens, we will have to deal with the consequences of living with it. There is a theory that virus weaken as they spread far and wide because of their genetic makeup. But the thing is until next year we just won’t know how this pans out.

12 June 2020: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) started to become weaker worldwide, the Egyptian Cabinet’s spokesman said, adding that around 85 percent of the cases recover normally.

In an interview with dmc, spokesman Nader Saad said tourism is the sector affected the most with the coronavirus crisis in Egypt, noting that domestic tourism will be back starting July 1.

Restoring tourism worldwide will be a gradual and slow step, Saad said, adding that many people now fear traveling due to the novel virus. He said tourism companies aim at organizing trips to Egypt and Greece, in case flights are back.

The Egyptian state’s high commission to manage the coronavirus crisis said on Thursday the country will resume international flights to the coastal governorates impacted the least with the novel virus, starting July.

The decision includes the governorates of South Sinai, the Red Sea and Matrouh. South Sinai includes cities of Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba' and Taba, known to be among the most popular tourist attractions in the northeastern African country. Red Sea includes Hurghada.
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/88525/Coronavirus-becoming-weaker-worldwide-Egyptian-Cabinet




That said though, we don’t want to read too much into things and we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves in fighting a virus that we’ve never seen before. The thing is this thing came in and wrecked our whole society and it is going to take a global effort to pick up the pieces and return to a functioning society again. But this is a good reason why it’s a good idea to read beyond the headlines. Wait a minute, that’s our job!

It's natural to want some good news in troubling times. There are potential dangers in reading too much into things. In Italy, there's an ongoing public debate about a possible encouraging shift toward a weaker version of Covid-19. A leading virologist and doctor have endorsed this idea as the number of deaths, cases, severely ill patients and viral load they’ve seen on swabs are declining or

In Italy, there's an ongoing public debate about a possible encouraging shift toward a weaker version of Covid-19. A leading virologist and doctor have endorsed this idea as the number of deaths, cases, severely ill patients and viral load they’ve seen on swabs are declining or holding steady even as the country reopens. The virologist, Arnaldo Caruso, suggested that the virus could vanish even wi

Caruso did acknowledge the possibility of other explanations and a future resurgence in an interview; even so, the notion of a weakening virus is understandably popular and may well emerge in the variety of other nations that are past the worst of their outbreaks. There's a high burden of proof for making such a claim, though, let alone using it as a basis for public health decisions. It most defi

Viruses change over time, sometimes in significant ways. These mutation-driven shifts are why we need new flu vaccines every year, and why seasonal outbreaks vary. There's also an evolutionary trade-off between deadliness and transmission — a virus that kills too many hosts can't spread — so some become milder.

Read more at: https://www.bloombergquint.com/gadfly/coronavirus-post-peak-lull-in-cases-doesn-t-mean-weaker-virus




That’s it for Top 10 Investigates. Good day!




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[font size="8"]Holy Shit

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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters of Tallahassee! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair virtual congregation! You know church is closed even though in this time of pandemic that we are considered an essential business. Well in some states anyway. But that said, we’ve finally moved out of the church basement and into our temporary new studio. Don’t worry, we will be back in our brand new church relatively soon (we hope). But this week I have to talk about the events of the last two weeks. I only have one rule in my church and that is that we should never mention the unholy, ungodly Dark One by his name! But since he committed the most ultimate of party fouls, we must. Yes, he went to St. John’s Church and held up the Holy Book in a badly timed and poorly planned PR stunt!

In extreme circumstances like the present, people go back to their deep beliefs and look into their souls. The Democratic Party, by way of the Joe Biden campaign, has announced that the upcoming Presidential election will be “a battle for the soul of America.” But, in religious terms, what kind of a soul will that be? America remains a Christian-majority nation, and evangelicals are an important and dependable part of President Trump’s base; part of his “Make America Great Again” theme has been his in-your-face cheerleading for Christianity. Although Trump has lived more or less the opposite of a Christian life, many evangelicals see him as their heaven-sent ally, an instance of God’s well-known habit of working in mysterious ways.

A faithful churchgoer he’s not. After he held up a Bible for his violence-enabled photo op in Lafayette Square, a reporter asked him, “Is that your Bible?” He replied, “It’s a Bible.” If, as he seemed to be saying (unsurprisingly), this particular Bible did not belong to him, its actual owner remained unknown. Ivanka Trump had carried it in a designer handbag during the walk from the White House to St. John’s Church and had given it to her father so that he could pose with it, but apparently it wasn’t hers, either. After the photo op, nobody stepped forward to claim this Bible as his or her own and take pride in its having participated in an important moment in history.

Of course, there are millions of Bibles out there that don’t technically belong to anyone. Maybe this was just a copy that the White House had on hand. In courtrooms, for the swearing-in of witnesses, there are Bibles that are the general property of the court. At a witness’s request, a court might provide a copy of the Torah instead; in places with more diversity, courts might also offer Qurans and Bhagavad Gitas. The option of not swearing on any text at all exists, too. Atheists, for example, don’t have to raise their right hands and swear on a hardback of Richard Dawkins’s “The God Delusion” but may simply affirm that what they say will be the truth. Some judges make a point of telling jurors to remember that a witness who chooses to affirm rather than swear is no less likely to be truthful.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/donald-trump-and-uses-and-misuses-of-the-bible




Yes, yes he does! And really can we say that the guy who spends the least amount of time in church is claiming to be the godliest among us? Well have you seen who he surrounds himself with? And this is not a well or sane man. This is a very evil, wicked man who has evil intentions and is consumed by his ego, and that is a recipe for SIN!!! He is a wicked SINNER!!!! He is currently ruling this country with the darkest of hearts!

Joe Biden on Tuesday blistered President Donald Trump a day after police drove back peaceful protesters near the White House so President Trump could pose with a Bible before a damaged church. Biden said President Trump’s “narcissism has become more important than the nation that he leads.”

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee delivered a speech at Philadelphia’s City Hall, addressing the civil unrest across America following the death of George Floyd. Biden said “the moment has come” to deal with systemic racism and deeply ingrained economic inequality — and insisted that the nation can’t wait until November’s election and its outcome.

“I call on the Congress to act this month,” Biden said, urging lawmakers to start “with real police reform” and citing proposed legislation outlawing choke holds.

But Biden stepped up his criticism of President Trump as he works to elevate his voice in the national debate — after more than two months of the campaign for the White House being frozen amid the outbreak of the coronavirus.
https://fox6now.com/2020/06/02/biden-president-trump-consumed-by-ego-not-leading-during-crisis/




Except that there is judgement here! Because we are in an election year and it’s turned into what might possibly be one of the biggest nightmares of all time. We have the darkest and most wickedly EVIL ruler of them all in the White House and it does look like it will take a miracle for him to stay in power. It is time to cast aside this wicked evil!

As America implodes, the president would like to have all Americans know of his two rules.

Rule one: Donald Trump is always a winner. Rule two: when Donald Trump is losing, refer back to rule one.

So as an increasing number of Republicans and conservatives abandon him; as former generals and government officials denounce a president who is losing the public trust, refer back to rule one.

As the economy dips and unemployment rises to an historic high, and Americans die in record numbers from the coronavirus, all under his watch: Ditto.

As an historic protest against racism and police brutality spreads nationwide and shakes the presidency. Ditto.
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/trump-almighty-miracle-200609140352324.html




But back to what I am saying, and for our church to take a hit discussing politics, and you know what? At this point who cares? Seriously talk to me again this time next year when we have a competent administration in charge and we can start nipping COVID in the bud. But until then we have an absolute clown who cares about his ratings, and his standing with the Christian right.

Donald Trump’s reelection chances are quite dim without the robust support of his white evangelical base. His electoral college win in 2016 was fueled by white evangelical turnout and the overwhelming number of white evangelicals — 81% — who pulled the lever for him. He cannot afford for the religious right, made up of white evangelicals along with conservative white mainline Protestants and Catholics, to let up on the rapt support they have shown throughout his presidency.

That helps explain why, in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic and a historic uprising against racism, the president and his allied power brokers on the religious right are focused not on addressing either crisis, but rather on stagecraft that will reinforce the base’s belief that Trump is a divinely anointed president who is saving white Christian America from ruin.

Trump’s photo op last week in front of the historic St. John’s Church, which looked farcical, sacrilegious and even fascistic to many Americans, was spun — and received — as tough and heroic to his defenders. In the pro-Trump media bubble, America is under siege by leftist terrorists, and Trump is the valorous protector of a “Christian nation.” That the president and his attorney general, William Barr, had protesters tear gassed so Trump could walk to the church was a vibrant symbol of his willingness to fight for the soul of the nation.

“It was strong and powerful for the president to go there and say, we will not be cowed,” Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican, told Fox News. And Robert Jeffress, a mega-church pastor who is one of Trump’s closest evangelical advisors, told the network the purpose of the president’s visit was “demonstrating his intent to protect churches from those who would try to destroy them.”
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-06-14/donald-trump-st-johns-church-white-evangelicals-campaign-2020-pandemic-protest




OK I needed to get that off my chest. And hey I didn’t break my one rule everybody! Virtual mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse: Kneeling Protesters
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We’re officially in the “beating a dead horse” phase of Beating A Dead Horse. That is right, we have officially gone meta! How do I know that? Well conservatives everywhere just will not let this kneeling thing go. We first covered conservatives railing against kneeling protestors in the first “Beating A Dead Horse” segment in Idiots #3-16. We then covered this again in Idiots #7-5. Now we’re covering this topic yet again. We might have officially beaten our own dead horse. Because, the favorite punching bag of the right, the former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, is back in the news and this time it’s guaranteed to make conservative heads explode!

With widespread protests and countless athletes getting involved across the country in recent weeks, it’s all but certain that players will start kneeling during the national anthem in protest this fall.

Houston Texans star J.J. Watt and Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield ensured that they’ll be supporting those protests on social media on Saturday, too.
J.J. Watt quickly corrects fan

Watt slammed a fan on Twitter on Saturday afternoon who, in a since-deleted tweet, said they were “pretty sure you won’t see J.J. Watt taking a knee” during the national anthem this season.

The defensive end didn’t specify whether he’d be taking a knee during the anthem himself, but he’s clearly in support of the protests.

He isn’t alone in Houston, either.
https://sports.yahoo.com/houston-texans-jj-watt-baker-mayfield-support-protesting-kneeling-national-anthem-social-media-223300524.html




Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! My ears!!! My ears!!! OK so kneeling during the National Anthem is a disgrace, but that hideous butchering isn’t? Come on! Well here’s the thing folks in case you haven’t forgotten we’re still in a pandemic, so there may or may not be football this year depending on what is happening with the virus. But it will be an interesting season if it actually goes through!

In the midst of violent protests across the country, something simple and symbolic is slowing people down: protesters and police are kneeling, together.

"It's extraordinarily powerful,” said Case Western Law Professor Bryan Adamson. "One of the ultimate forms of humility."

But kneeling wasn't always seen that way to everyone. Most notably, the uproar over Colin Kaepernick’s protest on the NFL sidelines in 2016.

Adamson says people lost sight of the original message.

"The kneeling did not mean, ‘I hate America’ or ‘I am anti-American’ or ‘I don't believe in the Pledge of Allegiance,” he said.

At the time, Kaepernick said he was kneeling in protest to “how we treat people and the oppression and the injustices that go on."

Now, four years later, police and protesters are kneeling together.
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/america-in-crisis/kneeling-now-the-symbol-of-protest-for-this-generation-and-an-act-of-unity-between-protesters-police




Man remember the good old days when getting down on one knee meant that you were going to propose marriage to someone? Well the good news though is that this is backfiring big time on Trump and his goons. Yes, the more he speaks out on this issue, the fewer fans he has. It’s his version of kryptonite. And those two institutions? NASCAR and the NFL. Yes, those are two good ol’ American institutions that are havens for 90% of his fan base.

President Donald Trump has long had two cherished American institutions standing beside him as he railed against athletes taking a knee during the national anthem: NASCAR and the NFL.

This week, they both started to walk away.

Bending to the cultural moment, NASCAR and the NFL in recent days reversed course on their approach to athletes protesting racial injustice. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he had been wrong for not listening to protesting players earlier and encouraged “all to speak out and peacefully protest.” Meanwhile, NASCAR relaxed rules barring kneeling during the national anthem and banned Confederate flags from its events. Within days, a NASCAR driver was circling a track in a race car emblazoned with #BlackLivesMatter and a NASCAR official was taking a knee during prerace ceremonies.

The moves came in response to the protests that have erupted across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died at the hands of the Minneapolis police. And they reflected shifting cultural attitudes — polls show an increasing percentage of the population view racism as a big problem in the country and the protests as a justified response.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/14/trump-nfl-nascar-kneeling-crusade-316528




Yup, Trump got owned by two of the right wing’s favorite institutions – NASCAR and the NFL. Yes, the tides are turning and they’re definitely turning in favor of us! Does that mean that with Tom Brady finally leaving Boston for greener pastures in Florida mean that the NFL has a new superstar on their hands with Kaepernick? Well I wouldn’t bet on that just yet.

Dressed in a blue long-sleeve shirt and seated in the basement of his suburban home outside New York City, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke in a subdued voice on camera and admitted that the league had poorly mishandled player activism.

"We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest," Goodell said in the video, which was posted June 5.

Goodell's video statements came on the heels of another viral video, posted the day before, which featured prominent Black NFL players, including Patrick Mahomes, quarterback for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, condemning racism and advocating for the Black Lives Matter movement.

And while both videos referred to George Floyd, the Black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 — a disturbing incident caught on video in which an officer held his knee on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes, prompting protests around the world — neither Goodell nor the NFL players made any mention of Colin Kaepernick.

It was Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who starred in the 2013 Super Bowl, who in 2016 began kneeling during the national anthem. Kaepernick said numerous times then that he was protesting "systematic oppression" and police brutality. His activism sparked other NFL players to follow his lead that season, while President Donald Trump lambasted NFL players who knelt, calling them "sons of bitches" and joking that owners should fire players who take a knee.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/after-nfl-admission-protests-does-colin-kaepernick-have-shot-playing-n1229121





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[font size="8"]COPS: How Is This Still A Thing?
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It’s time once again to ask:





This week: The long-running reality show COPS. How is this still a thing? The show COPS was created in response to a writer’s strike that crippled the television industry in the late 1980s. The idea was an unscripted TV show following the men and women of law enforcement around in their day to day life in the hopes that something exciting would come along. But lately with all the animosity toward police that started in 2015 and has recently escalated with the murder of George Floyd, we wonder how this show has survived as long as it has. And how did it command the audience that it did for nearly 32 years before it finally got the axe? Also, what took them so long?

Of all the charges you could level at Cops, it’s hard to accuse it of stinting on action. Until its cancellation this week, the 31-year-old reality series endured for so long because, despite the unvarnished nature of its presentation and concept (just regular cops filmed doing real police work!), it stuck rigidly to a fast-paced format. Each episode runs about 22 minutes long and has three acts, within which a suspect is located, investigated, and—mostly—arrested. The arrestees are often referred to as “bad guys,” and they get no backstory, no biography beyond what they volunteer to the officers in front of them. They’re human beings reduced to the sum of their rap sheets, or to their mental and emotional state on the particular day that the cameras are rolling.

The cops don’t get much more by way of characterization, although they occasionally throw out one-liners to the accompanying cameramen to acknowledge the viewers at home. I was reminded of this detail when Officer Tou Thao of the Minneapolis Police Department cracked, “This is why you don’t do drugs, kids,” to the assembled crowd watching the killing of George Floyd in real time. The line struck me as something someone might say if they had grown up watching Cops, and had absorbed the show’s motifs as emblems of police work. In Cops’ world, the police are by default the good guys, because theirs is the only point of view the camera follows. Fleeing suspects must be captured because—on Cops—they’re always guilty of something. And the structure of the show’s acts, punctuated by ad breaks, means that the good guys unfailingly capture and overpower the bad guys in a matter of minutes.
More Stories

Never have these qualities felt so out of touch. That Cops was still in production shocked some people this week, given how much it seemed like a relic of the late ’80s and ’90s, something unearthed from a time capsule alongside The Tracey Ullman Show and the “Just Say No” antidrug campaign. But that the series was finally canceled by the Paramount Network, where it had moved after 25 seasons on Fox, was less surprising. Cops has been drawing critiques for years, most recently in a 2018 Marshall Project feature and a 2019 podcast that both probe its simplistic, heavily one-sided portrayal of police work. In a moment that’s considerably less inclined to blindly accept valorizing shows about law enforcement, Cops isn’t the only casualty: A&E’s wildly successful weekend series Live PD was also canceled this week, with the network stating that it was rethinking storytelling about police at “a critical time in our nation’s history.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/06/cops-was-reality-show-cherry-picked-reality/613012/




Yup, shit just got real all right! So with all the attention on the police, for mostly negative and well deserved reasons why, why did the show Cops become as iconic as it was, and how did this play a role in how public opinions shaped views of how the police really operates? Also of course, leave it to the Fox Network to put such a polarizing and divisive show on the air. Really, we’re shocked that they would do such a thing!

When a writers’ strike paralyzed the television industry in the late 1980s, networks were forced to find new, alternative programs to fill its air.

That’s how “Cops” found a home on Fox Television. The low budget program, which had no union writers, was a welcome solution — and it ran for 32 seasons. That is until earlier this week.

Now owned by ViacomCBS, “Cops” was canceled in the wake of of protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer.

The show has long been criticized for its depiction of police interactions with criminal suspects, but high ratings kept the show running and even inspired other networks to create reality TV shows featuring cops. A&E’s “Live P.D.,” one of the highest-rated shows on cable, has also been canceled.

“As an early reality program, it came across to people as raw documentary,” said Jack Bratich, associate professor of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University. “Nowadays audiences are more savvy about how reality programming is produced, edited and staged. Viewers are aware of how programs present perspectives and invite audiences to identify with those perspectives.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/13/how-cops-shaped-public-opinion-about-police-and-people-of-color.html




OK so we’ve seen the protests for the bad cops, which are portrayed on TV shows such as COPS. But what about kids shows like Paw Patrol? Or even goofy comedies like Reno 911, Brooklyn 99 and Super Troopers? Or the Simpson’s loveable doofus character Chief Wiggum? Are those still cannon fodder for protestors? Or will this change the landscape of television and police characters for good?

Some people are calling online for Nickelodeon to cancel Paw Patrol, and take the show off the airwaves. Or if not that, they want the show’s main police dog character Chase to be removed.

This comes after Paramount’s Cops and A&E’s Live PD were canceled on Monday.

The call came as the animated show tweeted, “In solidarity of #amplifymelanatedvoices we will be muting our content until June 7th to give access for Black voices to be heard so we can continue to listen and further our learning. #amplifyblackvoices”

The animated children’s show features a squad of 6 dogs with a set of skills related to emergency services, and a boy named Ryder who all work to protect their city of Adventure Bay.

Shortly after the show’s tweet, commenters started to weigh in asking for Paw Patrol to be canceled.

In one tweet, a user posted a photoshopped picture that read, “All Dogs go to Heaven, except for those class traitors in the Paw Patrol.”
https://kslnewsradio.com/1927142/cancel-paw-patrol/




Yes, that escalated very quickly. Leave it to social media to turn an innocent children’s show very dark very quickly. But COPS isn’t just the epitome of police propaganda, and there’s lots of TV shows, movies, and TV and movie characters out there who portray good cops and bad cops. But will this change the way America views its’ police force forever? Well, after a series of horrifying murders, this might just be the icing on the cake.

In the aftermath of yet another viral video showing a Black man’s murder at the hands of a systemically racist, broken police force, America’s longest-running source of pro-police propaganda was unceremoniously yanked from scheduling. After 32 seasons — over a thousand syndicated episodes adding up to over three decades’ worth of nearly uninterrupted availability — Spike TV, current home of the landmark “reality” show “Cops,” announced the show’s hiatus would become permanent.

For decades, showrunners for "Cops" maintained that their goal was depicting the “real men and women of law enforcement,” while in actuality offering a carefully crafted, heavily edited dramatization of a mythic struggle against the urban anarchy threatening to storm suburbia’s gates. It will not be missed.

I came of age as part of the “Cops” generation. Fox’s revolutionary docu-drama debuted in 1989, one year before I was born, when America was dealing with a crack epidemic and widespread concern over rising crime rates and police corruption. The show’s pilot, very much a product of that time, has not aged well. It’s depiction of American policing is both tone-deaf and gaudy, while reveling in racial insensitivity.

One extended uncomfortable segment depicts police officers literally stopping cars with white drivers at the edge of a predominantly black neighborhood and telling them to turn around. Another follows a patrolman to his house to showcase his home life: a stereotypical portrait of a brusque, dismissive husband haunted by his day’s work sitting next to his long-suffering wife in front of the TV. It didn’t take long for “Cops” to refine its format, shifting the focus away from the police officers themselves and onto their suspects.
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/cops-tv-show-canceled-amid-george-floyd-defund-police-about-ncna1229316




So too much of the bad cops being shown on TV, and not enough of the good ones, so that’s enough to cancel all cop shows for the rest of eternity. That’s enough to make you ask: The show COPS:




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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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Of course you know by now that people are people, and people are dumb. Who is dumb this week? Do I need to remind you that we’re still in a pandemic and that this thing isn’t going away any time soon. And there have been some dumb motherfuckers in this thing. Starting with sex. First off, if you are to engage in what one would call a “menage a tois”, it *NEVER* goes the way you think it’s going to go. We go to Myrtle Beach – god damn motherfucking Myrtle Beach – for this insane story. And if you are celebrating a birthday this is one of those things that you shouldn’t do under any circumstances.

A birthday weekend threesome came to an abrupt end Friday when the 19-year-old celebrant pulled a male acquaintance “off the other woman by his genitals and threw him to the floor” of a La Quinta Inn room, according to South Carolina police.

The woman, named Mary Jane, told police that her friend Jahiem had arrived in Myrtle Beach before her and “had been spending time with another woman before she got there.” And, a police incident report notes, “that’s what started the whole argument.”

Jahiem told Myrtle Beach Police Department officers that he and Mary Jane “agreed to have sexual relations with that other woman,” whose age is not revealed in the report. Mary Jane, however, did tell cops that the second woman had a pistol in her handbag.

“During the course of the relations,” Jahiem said, Mary Jane pulled him “off the other woman by his genitals and threw him to the floor.” During a physical confrontation that followed, Jahiem said he kicked Mary Jane, “causing her to fall.”
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/stupid/myrtle-beach-threesome-826014




Oh George, don’t you know going in that this is a bad idea? Next up – stupid has no boundaries, it has no race, no culture, nothing. And this was a sentence that was written. It was said. Someone had to write this article, and well, we feel bad for them. Let’s go to Spain for this one. And I really think this guy should be nominated for the new Most Interesting Man In The World. Stay thirsty my friends!

A Spanish porn star was arrested and charged with manslaughter late last week in connection with a mysterious death following a drug ritual involving toad venom.

Nacho Vidal, 46, was one of three people arrested in connection with the July 2019 death of Jose Luis Abad, a Spanish fashion photographer. Abad died after smoking dehydrated venom from an endangered toad, reportedly as part of a ritual over which Vidal was presiding as shaman.

The venom belonged to the Colorado River toad, which is found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The toad secretes a toxin to ward off predators that, when dehydrated, contains the compound 5-MeO-DMT, a derivative DMT, which has powerful psychedelic properties.

5-MeO-DMT has been referred to as a “god molecule” due to reports of people feeling like they’d met a higher power while under the effects of the drug. Very limited research suggests it may have therapeutic uses, but it also has potentially dangerous side effects, including extreme nausea and confusion.
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/nacho-vidal-toad-venom-dmt-death-1010196/




There’s really a Simpsons GIF for everything! And speaking of the Simpsons, remember that episode where Homer and his drunken posse vandalized and destroyed Springfield Elementary and the kids of Springfield were subjected to an extremely harsh curfew? Well, this story is pretty similar to that episode, where this guy was channeling his inner Bart Simpson:

Security cameras caught Matthew Crandall on video trashing Miramar High School. He wore only a hat and headphones while smashing computers and televisions, Miramar police said in a tweet.

The video showed Crandall broke into the school around 7 a.m. Monday. He caused flooding in hallways and vandalized classrooms, walls and hallways throughout the school in Broward County, police said.

A school custodian discovered the damage, which was estimated at about $100,000, police said.

Crandall is from North Fort Myers. It was not known whether he had any ties to the school, police said.

Police said Crandall is charged with burglary and criminal mischief. A lawyer is not listed on jail records.
https://weartv.com/news/local/police-naked-florida-man-spent-24-hours-vandalizing-school




God I miss live music! Next up, speaking of idiocy not respecting boundaries – it’s a lot like coronavirus – it’s spreadable, highly communicable, very contagious, and it doesn’t care about your race, creed, social, or economic status. Let’s take a look at this story out of Sydney, and that’s all the way in Australia, don’t you know? Well, once again this involves a naked guy doing something shady. Because when you add naked to the equation well…

Man acquitted of entering a home with a weapon after successful sex fantasy defence

Two men hired to carry out a stranger’s sexual fantasy of being tied up while clad in his underpants went to the wrong rural NSW address with machetes, but politely left after realising their mistake.

One of the Sydney men, Terrence Leroy, has now been found not guilty in the NSW district court of entering the home in July 2019 intending to intimidate while armed with an offensive weapon.
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They started to leave after he told them his name – which was not that of the intended client.

One man apologised, saying “Sorry mate”, and shook the resident’s hand, while the other said “Bye” before they drove off. The resident then contacted the police.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/28/man-acquitted-of-entering-a-home-with-a-weapon-after-successful-sex-fantasy-defence




Next up – young boys are dumb, and when in groups they tend to do some really dumb things. I know, I was one at one point. And young boys today should realize that comic books aren’t exactly what one would call real life. But even I, at a young age, was at least smart enough to know that the Black Widow spider was the deadliest. And it’s not going to turn you into Spiderman. And you’re definitely not Peter Parker.

Encountering a black widow spider would cause most of us to run in the opposite direction - but not three young Bolivian brothers who had high hopes of becoming a super-hero.

According to the New York Post, a Telemundo report said the incident was announced by a Ministry of Health official at a coronavirus briefing on Saturday.

The report said the boys - ages 12, 10 and 8 - found the spider while herding goats in Chayanta.

“Thinking it would give them superhero powers, they prodded it with a stick until it bit each of them in turn,” the official, Virgilio Pietro, said.

Read more: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/05/three-young-brothers-let-black-widow-bite-them-in-hopes-of-turning-into-spider-man.html




Finally this week our old pal Florida Man just can’t help himself to doing something stupid. Yes, Florida, the Sunshine State, America’s most penis-shaped state, and the winner of our 2020 Stupidest State Contest, always brings out the big guns. But he’s just as dumb as ever. Once again, I say that young boys do stupid things, it’s a fact of nature. But made even worse when paired with your dad and a 4,000 pound SUV. File this one under “things that do not end well”.

A Florida man is facing felony charges after police said he let a 12-year-old girl drive his SUV and told her to speed because he wanted to be a “cool father” — even though he is not her dad.

Shaun Michaelsen, 41, told the arresting officer Monday he is friends with the girl's mother and that the girl and her friend were staying with him for a few days, according to court records.

He said the girl had asked earlier in the day if she could drive his Jeep, so he thought “it would be cool" and that he was trying to be a “cool father,” the police report said. Michaelsen also told officers he had been drinking.

Jupiter Officer Craig Yochum said in his arrest report that he spotted the Jeep make an illegal U-turn and then speed away at about 12:10 a.m. Monday. He followed and the Jeep reached speeds of 85 mph in a 45 mph zone before he was able to pull it over. He said that when he asked the 12-year-https://www.kwqc.com/content/news/Police-Florida-man-lets-12-year-old-drive-Jeep-85-mph-571135401.html




That’s it this week for:





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[font size="8"]Road To The White House Episode 1
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Yes it’s time for our new segment – cue the reverb – THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE! Oh that was some good reverb there. 2020 has been an absolutely batshit crazy year, we’ve had the impeachment, the virus, the lockdowns, riots, protests, mass unemployment, murder hornets, blood monkeys, and we’re only halfway done. But lost in all the headlines is that we’re in an election year! And the Democratic Party finally has a candidate! So in this segment we’re going to chronicle Joe Biden’s road ot the White House, and since this is a free-form segment then anything goes! Well to start with this week, Biden’s got a long road ahead of him. This week – is the election being stolen? Well let’s take a look at what’s going on.

Imagine that it’s November 3, 2020, and Joe Biden has just been declared the winner of the presidential election by all the major networks except for Fox News. It was a close, bitter race, but Biden appears to have won with just over 280 electoral votes.

Because Election Day took place in the middle of a second wave of coronavirus infections, turnout was historically low and a huge number of votes were cast via absentee ballot. While Biden is the presumptive winner, the electoral process was bumpy, with thousands of mail-in votes in closely fought states still waiting to be counted. Trump, naturally, refuses to concede and spends election night tweeting about how “fraudulent” the vote was.

We knew this would be coming; he’s been previewing this kind of response for a while now.

One day goes by, then a few more, and a month later Trump is still contesting the outcome, calling it “rigged” or a “Deep State plot” or whatever. Republicans, for the most part, are falling in line behind Trump. From that point forward, we’re officially in a constitutional crisis.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/6/3/21257133/trump-2020-election-meltdown-lawrence-douglas




Trump is the grandmaster! He is going to tell his followers to take to the streets and celebrate your president! And in what may be the ultimate circular firing squad argument, Trump and Biden both warn that the other will steal the other’s election victory. If you think that makes any sense whatsoever, well, just wait until you see the actual argument!

Five months before the election in November, the incumbent president and his Democratic challenger each tell Americans his opponent could "steal" the election, perhaps setting the stage for a contentious fight even after the voting is over.

The warnings from President Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden are growing louder and earlier than in 2016, when Trump decried a "rigged" political system in the final weeks before his victory over Hillary Clinton.

The claims are more direct, reflecting the deeply divided nation that has defined the Trump era.

Both men's rhetoric is largely aimed at the same issue – vote-by-mail, which Biden and Democrats support to allow citizens to vote safely amid the coronavirus pandemic and which Trump strongly opposes. Trump has long stoked fears of election-stealing.Wednesday, Biden ramped up his attacks on the president over voter access.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/06/12/election-2020-biden-says-his-concern-trump-steal-election/5341340002/




That is a good question! Why do things have to be so hard? Well it’s safe to say that the fate of the country is at stake here. And in more ways than one. But this election could mark a turning point toward a much darker future or a much brighter one. Me personally? I’m choosing the brighter one. I do not want Trump and his goons in charge another 4 years. Think it’s bad now? You ain’t seen nothing yet!

As Election Day 2020 approaches, it would appear that presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his party have much to celebrate.

Biden leads Donald Trump by an average of eight percentage points in national polling, with some surveys showing Biden ahead of Trump by as many as 14 percentage points.

Biden also enjoys huge leads among the Democratic Party's key constituents, including black voters, Latinos and other nonwhites, college-educated white women and younger voters. Polls also show Joe Biden making gains among older white voters, a group that consistently supports Republicans and has been especially loyal to Trump. Biden also leads Trump in key battleground states such as Michigan and Wisconsin.

On closer inspection, however, matters are more complicated.

Election Day is still more than four months away, almost an eternity in electoral politics. Previous Democratic nominees such as Hillary Clinton and Michael Dukakis are object lessons in the cruel and mercurial ways of the political fates: Both appeared to hold big leads over their Republican opponents at this approximate point in the cycle, only to lose on Election Day.
https://www.salon.com/2020/06/15/investigative-journalist-greg-palast-heres-how-trump-will-steal-the-2020-election/




Yeah I can imagine the debates are going like that. And that’s if Trump decides to debate Biden, which we all know he won’t. In fact he’s trying to fan the flames for a possible Civil War. Oh yes my friends, don’t think for a minute that he won’t go there. But if Atlanta is any indication, there’s going to be a long, very long uphill fight ahead of us before we decide the 46th president of the United States. But at least Trump will go quietly… or won’t he?

First he lit into Michigan and Nevada, threatening to withhold federal funding because of his assertion that both states were preparing to commit voter fraud through mail-in ballot applications. Then President Donald Trump followed up Sunday with two more broadly worded warnings that November would be “the greatest Rigged Election in history.”

“The Democrats are trying to Rig the 2020 Election, plain and simple!” the president claimed.

Trump’s increasingly amped-up rhetoric surrounding the integrity of the November election is beginning to bring to center stage a previously muted conversation. With the president lagging behind Joe Biden in public opinion polls six months before the general election, his opponents are becoming increasingly anxious that Trump may attempt to undermine the results of the election if he loses — or worse, might attempt to cling to power regardless of the outcome.

"He is planting the seeds for delegitimizing the election if he loses," Vanita Gupta, a former head of the Department of Justice’s civil rights division under President Barack Obama and now president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said on Twitter on Sunday in reaction to Trump's "rigged election" claim. "It’s from the playbook. It’ll get more intense as he gets more freaked out."
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/25/donald-trump-rigged-election-talk-fears-274477




[font size="4"]Next Week:[/font]

Is there a possibility that Biden could win Texas for the first time in 40 years? It's entirely possible along with a lot of other 2020 probabbles!



See you next week!

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June 10, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots Best Of #12: Season 8 Recap: Shit Really Hits The Fan Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots Best Of #12: Season 8 Recap: Shit Really Hits The Fan Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! Oh hello! I know right? Well we survived what will hopefully be the first half of the Coronavirus Apocalypse. But what else could 2020 bring us? We’ve already seen destructive fires, murder hornets, blood monkeys, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and we’re in the middle of a pandemic and race riots. What else could 2020 possibly throw at us? Well there is hurricane season coming up so there is that. Normally this is where I would announce the tour dates for the next season, but since we can’t tour right now and all venues are closed for the duration of the COVID pandemic, we’re still sadly stuck at home for the foreseeable future. Hopefully it’s not a long one my friends. Hopefully this is the end of the pandemic as the Coronavirus will hopefully mutate into a much weaker form of itself and eventually disappear. We still need a vaccine though because we never want this to happen again. But as venues across the country start reopening, I will be trying our hand at a couple of live Top 10s with a limited audience from our new home at the legendary Flappers Comedy Club in the heart of Burbank. Yes, we said goodbye to our longtime home at the UCB Theater in Hollywood, but we will be back. Anyway the next season is season number 9 (NEIN!!!) and we will also be documenting Joe Biden’s road to becoming our 46th president! OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to but first we’ll play John Oliver’s last show in front of a live audience where he talks about why you should pay attention to who your local sheriff is:

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So this is of course we’re between seasons and we usually do a Best Of. In the number one slot, from Idiots #8-2, after Trump nearly brings us to the brink of a World War, we open up the Top 10 History Vault and ask “just how close are we to World War III?” (1). Answer: A lot closer than you may think! For the second slot this week from Idiots #8-4, Trump is asking everyone to “read the transcript” in terms of his impeachment trial, but have they? Well, they have! Taking the third slot this week from Idiots #8-6, the GOP’s equivalent of Joseph Goebbles, Rush Limbaugh (3) announces he has stage 4 lung cancer, but should we feel sorry for the man who’s said some seriously evil shit about us over the last 30 years? Eh… probably. Taking the fourth slot this week, from Idiots #8-9, we ask “What’s Up With India” (4) as Trump heads to Delhi to party with Modi and his huge crowd at one of India’s largest stadiums doesn’t go exactly as planned. In the fifth slot for you, we have a bonus all new Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week as the race to find a vaccine for COVID-19 heats up, we take a look at the people who are responsible for launching a massive vaccine disinformation campaign, as tweeted by your racist uncle on his Facebook page! At slot #6, from Idiots #8-3, our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10, Holy Shit (6), takes a look at the ongoing battle between former Pope Benedict and current Pope Francis over the future of the church and well it’s quite insane. In the 7th slot this week, in our pop culture segment “Beating A Dead Horse” (7), why are K-Pop fans plotting to take down your favorite celebrities? We will examine this strange phenomenon! In the #8 slot this week, we have another bonus segment for you, because we love our fans! Our segment on all things batshit crazy, Conspiracy Corner (8) takes a look at a group of protestors who wear Hawaiian shirts and carry AK-47s known as the “Boogaloo Movement” and if you see these guys, well, run. In the number 9 (NEIN!!) slot this week from Idiots #8-5, we have a People Are Dumb (9) segment from our trip to Miami where we do a special all Florida Man edition! Finally our segment about the primary election “Keeping Up With The Candidates” takes a look at the beef between the world’s biggest podcaster Joe Rogan and one of America’s favorite presidential candidates, Bernie Sanders. Really, what is going on between these two? And since we don’t have live music currently, we’ll fill that void with a performance from when Mike Portnoy’s heavy metal super group Sons Of Apollo stopped by! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!


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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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From: Idiots #8-2

Here’s the thing – you elect a republican, you’re going to go to war. That’s about as basic of a statement as you’re going to get. Trump and the military industrial complex want a war with Iran, and they’re going to give it to us whether we want it or not. Because why? There’s profit to be made in war, peace is boring and not profitable for weapons manufacturers. Where’s Tony Stark when you need him? He managed to privatize peace. But over New Year’s, Trump nearly brought us to the brink of not just a war with Iran, but with World War III. And it’s having some serious consequences. So just how bad was the killing of Soleimani and what are the consequences of it? Well…

Donald Trump on Saturday drew what may come to be seen as the most significant red line of his presidency in a three-part tweet, vowing specific military action against Iran if it "strikes any Americans, or American assets."

"We have ... targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture" and "if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets... Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD," Trump wrote in a series of tweets.

Trump reiterated his warning in a series of tweets early Sunday, saying the United States just spent $2 trillion on military equipment.
"We are the biggest and by far the BEST in the World! If Iran attacks an American Base, or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way...and without hesitation!," he tweeted. "They attacked us, & we hit back. If they attack again, which I would strongly advise them not to do, we will hit them harder than they have ever been hit before!"
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/04/politics/trump-warning-iran-52-assets/index.html




Man remember the good old days when the mere idea of bombing Iran was just the musings of a creepy old guy singing a Beach Boys song parody?

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Yeah that happened! But now it is not just the musings of a creepy old guy in song format, but it could possibly be a reality, and a reality which we should all be fearful of! Because, that’s our media – fear fear fear fear fear!!! Be afraid!!!

BEIRUT—About two years ago, Qassem Soleimani delivered a speech at a ceremony in Tehran marking a decade since the death of Imad Mughniyeh, the senior Hezbollah commander killed in a car-bomb explosion in the heart of Damascus, an attack carried out by the CIA with support from Israel. Standing in front of a huge portrait of Mughniyeh superimposed against a panorama of Jerusalem, Soleimani addressed an audience of senior Iranian officials, as well as representatives of Iran’s proxy militias in Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Syria, and Yemen.

Soleimani hailed Mughniyeh as “the legend” responsible for practically all the achievements of Iran’s so-called axis of resistance, which according to the Iranian general included building Hezbollah and the Palestinian group Hamas into formidable threats to Israel and killing 241 American service members in the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut. “The enemy knows that punishment for Imad’s blood is not firing a missile or a tit-for-tat assassination,” he told the crowd. “The punishment for Imad’s blood is the eradication of the Zionist entity.”

Following Soleimani’s killing in an American air strike this month, it is worth remembering the man’s own words. Soleimani, Mughniyeh, and the current Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, formed a trio of men who carried out Iran’s strategy across the Middle East under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. And so it is hard to overstate the magnitude of the blow that Soleimani’s death has delivered. The focus in the days since his killing has been on the perceived impulsiveness of Donald Trump’s decision, Iran’s retaliation—limited thus far to the firing of 22 missiles at two U.S. bases in Iraq, with no reported casualties—the public displays of grief for Soleimani in Iran, and the national- security implications. But as with Mughniyeh’s death, to paraphrase Soleimani himself, the response to the Iranian general’s killing will not be restricted to a lone missile attack or a tit-for-tat move—Iran is not yet done.
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/01/qassem-solemani-iran-response-hezbollah-hamas/604849/




Holy shit!! Yeah he’s going to get a whole bunch of people killed in the process. But remember the terror code list from the Bush era where things were red to green in terms of severity? Well, Trump downgraded the severity of Soleimani’s killing from “imminent threat” to “deterrence”. Despite that the government and citizens of Iran are saying literally the opposite.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Attorney General William Barr said Monday that killing Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was part of a larger strategy of deterrence, a shift from the Trump administration's previous rationale that the strike was carried out to prevent an "imminent" attack.

Barr's comments were particularly noteworthy as he attempted to push back on criticism over the administration's claim that Soleimani was planning attacks that posed an imminent threat, calling the concept "something of a red herring."

"I believe there was intelligence of imminent attack, but I do believe that concept of imminence is something of a red herring," he said during a press conference on last month's deadly shooting at a Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida.

"I think when you're dealing with a situation where you already have attacks underway, you know there is a campaign that involves repeated attacks on American targets, I don't think there's a requirement frankly for, you know, knowing the exact time and place of the next attack. And that certainly was the position of the Obama when it droned leaders of terrorist organizations," Barr added.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/13/politics/pompeo-barr-soleimani-strike-iran-rationale/index.html




I don’t claim to know a lot, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how a red herring works. And now we play the blame game. Who is getting blamed for this? Well since no one reads past the headlines anymore, the US is blaming Iran, and Iran is blaming the US. But Iran doesn’t have a petulant man baby currently holding the highest office in the land. Apparently they haven’t joined the Putin Dictators’ Club yet .I hear there are a few memberships open for that position.

Iran said Tuesday that dozens of people had been arrested over the Islamic Republic's apparently unintentional shooting down of a Ukrainian jetliner last week. The arrests come amid Iranian vows to fully and openly investigate the firing of the surface-to-air missile that downed the plane, killing all 176 people on board.

But while Iran confessed to shooting the jet down — three days after the fact and under intense international pressure — its president asserted Tuesday that the "root causes" of the tragedy were U.S. actions.

"It was the U.S. that caused such an incident to take place," Iran's state-controlled news agency Tasnim quoted President Hassan Rouhani as saying. The Iranian regime has blamed the Trump administration for ratcheting up tensions with the controversial decision to kill senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a January 2 drone strike in Baghdad.

Iranian forces shot the plane down hours after launching a barrage of ballistic missiles at military bases in Iraq housing hundreds of U.S. forces, in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani. Officials in Tehran have said their forces were on high-alert for any U.S. response to the missile attack, and the operator who fired on the plane believed it was an incoming American missile.
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-news-rouhani-says-us-caused-plane-strike-today-over-donald-trump-killing-qassem-soleimani-2020-01-14/




Yeah that’s kind of what the international blame game is like. I would talk more about the horrible plane crash that happened in Baghdad as a result of this, but making fun of that would be beneath us. That said, we can talk about President Man Baby’s revealing of why he killed Soleimani. I mean really this begs the question – did Mar A Lago guests know about the killing before hand? And the other question - WAR! HUH! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? Absolutely nothing!!! Say it again!!

Presidential contender Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sent a letter to two financial regulators this week demanding a federal investigation into whether President Donald Trump provided advance notice of the Jan. 3 strike against Iranian General Qasem Soleimani to stock traders who may have profited illegally based on the tip.

The letter, dated Monday and sent to the chairmen of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, follows a Jan. 4 report in The Daily Beast, citing three unnamed sources, which said that Trump had told guests of his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago in the days before the strike to expect a "big" response to Iran that would happen "soon."

"If this report is true, it raises a number of troubling national security questions regarding President Trump's handling of classified and other sensitive national security information," Warren wrote in the letter, which was also signed by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., the ranking member of the Senate subcommittee that oversees securities and investments.

The senators wrote that the president's resort guests may have obtained "confidential market-moving information and had the opportunity to trade defense industry stocks or commodities or make other trades based on this information."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/elizabeth-warren-calls-for-investigation-into-whether-trump-mar-a-lago-guests-traded-on-advance-knowledge-of-soleimani-killing/ar-BBYWQM2





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[font size="8"]Impeachment Part 2
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From: Idiots #8-4

Yeah so there’s a lot of news and conflicting reports surrounding impeachment coming through the pike and you’re going to be hearing a lot of it. Unfortunately we won’t get to the Trump Barfs His Brain rally in New Jersey this week. Nor will we get to his interview before the Super Bowl. I mean who knew that he could land an interview with Sean Hannity? Really? You really need to know the answer to that question? Because if you have to answer why Sean Hannity is interviewing Trump, you are in the wrong place my friend. It’s been long established on this program that Hannity has his lips super glued to Trump’s ass and not even the strongest crowbar could pry them off.

Fox News host Sean Hannity is set to interview President Donald Trump during the Super Bowl pregame show, Mediaite has learned.

Trump will be sitting down at the White House for the interview with Hannity ahead of Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2. The highly-rated event, broadcast this year by Fox, will see the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the San Francisco 49ers.

The pre-Super Bowl presidential interview started in 2004, when President George W. Bush chatted with his personal pal Jim Nantz. Barack Obama resumed the tradition in 2009 and it has endured since, with a notable exception: Trump blew off NBC in 2018. He participated again last year, sitting down with CBS anchor Margaret Brennan.

The interview generally takes place in the second half of the four-hour pregame show, and has taken on a newsier bent over time.

The last time Fox hosted the Super Bowl, in 2017, former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly conducted the interview. O’Reilly interviewed President Barack Obama and Bush as well.
https://www.mediaite.com/trump/exclusive-trump-to-sit-down-with-hannity-for-super-bowl-interview/




Hey man I thought the NFL had a policy against showing boobs on TV! Thank you I will take that one, audience! Back to impeachment. We talked about the witnesses in the first entry. For this entry I want to talk about the transcripts. You know Trump, like the broken record that he is, is insisting that we read the transcripts. Which we’re betting that he hasn’t. We’re also betting most of his supporters haven’t either.

The team of lawyers representing President Donald Trump in his Senate impeachment trial dove into their arguments in defense of the president on Monday, which they had previewed over the weekend.

Trump's lawyers condemned impeachment as partisan, and deployed some anticipated arguments to push against Democrats' allegations that Trump pressured Ukraine to open investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and 2016 election interference.

They went after the House impeachment process, pushed back against additional witnesses and honed in on Hunter Biden's role in Ukraine.

Their day in the Senate came after reports surfaced that Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, had firsthand knowledge of a linking of investigations to nearly $400 million in military aid that was temporarily withheld by the administration.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/27/impeachment-trial-takeaways-trump-defense-arguments-monday/4588758002/




Read the transcripts! Read the transcripts! Shut up! There’s no such thing as a “perfect” phone call, Trump. Only in your warped mind could that happen. But then again there’s a lot of things he says that don’t make sense. But come on, is there anything that Trump doesn’t lie about? Is there anything that his increasingly warped supporters won’t lie about?

President Donald Trump’s lawyers launched their defense Saturday morning with a blizzard of false claims.

It started with the president’s critical July 25th call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. White House Deputy Counsel Michael Purpura referred repeatedly to how what he called “the actual transcript” and “the real transcript” of this call led to an investigation that resulted in Trump’s impeachment. But the document Purpura quoted is not a transcript. It is a “memorandum of telephone conversation,” which means that it reflects the memories of aides who listened in, but may exclude significant parts of Trump and Zelensky’s conversation. Purpura should know the difference.

Trump and his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, are accused of withholding a White House meeting from Zelensky to try to force him to announce investigations into Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, as well as an investigation into a false conspiracy theory that a Democratic National Committee server is secretly stored in Ukraine When that didn’t work, Trump is accused of withholding nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine to increase his leverage in forcing Zelensky to announce the probes.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/01/trumps-legal-team-opened-their-impeachment-defense-with-a-blizzard-of-lies/




Damn straight he does! And when it comes to impeachment, it’s not the transcript we’re interested in, and there’s no way that Hunter Biden did what Trump said he did. And how can we read the transcript when it’s being read under lock and key? Yeah no, that transcript it’s already been said and done, it’s this transcript that I’m interested in! Really, shut up, Trump. You’re fired.

"Fortunately, I released the transcript of the call. The transcript was perfectly accurate. And now everybody agrees because it went through a lot and they said, 'Well, could you add one word here?' Our lieutenant colonel said, 'Well, I think they should add...' -- they added the word. Everything -- everyone agrees the transcript is perfecto, done by total professionals, right?" -- January 16 exchange with reporters after remarks on prayer in public schools

Vindman testified that he had wanted to change the words "the company" to "Burisma," the company name he said Zelensky had used on his call with Trump. And Vindman testified that he had wanted to add in Trump saying "there are recordings" related to former Vice President Joe Biden and a Ukrainian prosecutor Biden had pushed Ukrainian leaders to fire. (Trump was vague about what he meant; in public comments last fall, Trump brought up a video of Biden at a 2018 event telling the story of his effort to get the prosecutor ousted.)

Vindman testified that the transcript was "substantively correct" even without the changes he had proposed. "When I first saw the transcript without the two substantive items that I had attempted to include, I didn't see that as nefarious. I just saw it as, OK, no big deal. You know, these might be meaningful, but it's not that big a deal," he told the House Intelligence Committee in November.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/26/politics/fact-check-january-trump-49-false-claims/index.html





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[font size="8"]Rush Limbaugh
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From: Idiots #8-6

Let’s spin it to win it! And it lands on… come on no whammy no whammy no whammy no whammy… stop!!! Something random in the news!

The NY Post is reporting that an altercation occurred outside Brooklyn's popular Other Half Brewing Company late Friday night. And according to officials, it all had to do with a bunch of smack talk over craft beer.

Witnesses say they were in line overnight for a Saturday morning special release when a man and a woman began harassing them over their taste for pricy, hoppy beer. Several people in line told the NY Post that the couple were staying in a nearby Airbnb when they started mocking the beer lovers. This escalated back and forth to the point that some in line even threw folding chairs at the annoying twosome.

The Post says the the man and woman went back into the apartment for a while, only for the man to reemerge with a can of White Claw hard seltzer. Eager to show these beer snobs what a man's man drinks, the alleged intruder slammed back his drink and then allegedly threw it at those waiting in line. The taunts continued both ways until the Post says the man went back to the apartment and came back with a Glock 19.

Shocked witnesses in line say they called the police as they tried to deescalate the potentially dangerous situation. The man then put the gun away and went back inside. The NY Post says police quickly arrived, brought the man out in cuffs, confirmed his identity with witnesses, and then took him away.
https://wpdh.com/craft-beer-hater-pulls-gun-on-customers-at-new-york-brewery/




Come on, if you’re going to tell a bunch of beer drinkers their product is crap, at least come back with something better than White Claw. That shit is basically La Croix mixed with alcohol mixed with tap water. Why not just chug some pure grain alcohol like Always Sunny In Philadelphia? Seriously, was Florida Man visiting Brooklyn? Spin it again! Talk shows! Folks, last week it was reported that Rush Limbaugh has potentially terminal lung cancer. Which prompted an outpouring of support from conservatives everywhere while Democrats were asking the question “Should we feel remorse for someone we hate?”. Well the answer to that one is a very complex one. And there’s no easy answer.

The conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh said on his live show on Monday that he had advanced lung cancer.

He told listeners that he had noticed some shortness of breath but was not experiencing symptoms at the moment, and that he would continue working but would be absent from the show for a couple of days to undergo testing and determine a treatment plan.

“I can’t help but feel that I’m letting everybody down with this, but the upshot is that I have been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer,” Mr. Limbaugh, 69, said during his broadcast. He added that he first realized something was wrong on Jan. 12 and that the diagnosis had been confirmed by two medical institutions on Jan. 20.

“My heart’s in great shape, ticking away fine, squeezing and pumping great,” he said. “It was not that. It was a pulmonary problem involving malignancy. So I’m going to be gone the next couple days as we figure out the treatment course of action and have further testing done. But as I said, I’m going to be here as often as I can.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/03/business/media/rush-limbaugh-cancer.html




Now come on, who knew that Rush had a heart to begin with? Oh now we kid, that’s the kind of joke we actually can make. And here’s one that isn’t. OK so Rush Limbaugh has said an awful lot of shit in the last 30 years. Among his greatest hits, he’s gone on Carr mocked rape victims, trashed disabled war veterans and famously had that beef with Michael J. Fox after his Parkinsons diagnosis. But you know what we don’t do? We don’t wish death on people we don’t agree with, even if they are ugly people both on the outside and inside. Just wait for nature to take its’ course.

A Milwaukee Public Schools teacher was placed on leave Wednesday for tweeting that he hopes conservative talk show pundit Rush Limbaugh dies a painful death from cancer.

Travis Sarandos, who teaches English at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, has since deleted his Twitter account.

Replying to a different tweet expressing hope that Limbaugh would recover and begin advocating for affordable health care, Sarandos wrote: "limbaugh absolutely should have to suffer from cancer. it's awesome that he's dying, and hopefully it is as quick as it is painful."

It drew a small firestorm after conservative radio host Mark Belling blasted the tweet in his blog Tuesday.

Milwaukee Public Schools initially said in an email to the USA TODAY Network's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that it was aware of the tweet, but that Sarandos was not speaking on behalf of the district or students or other staff. Hours later it confirmed he had been placed on leave pending an investigation.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/02/06/rush-limbaugh-cancer-diagnosis-milwaukee-teacher-leave-after-tweet/4679253002/




Yeah no, we don’t encourage that kind of thing here. And if there’s one thing that you never, ever do, it’s piss off the cult. Because they will hold a grudge against you well into the next century. But here’s one thing that you should never, ever do – don’t ever, EVER celebrate that someone else has cancer, because it’s a shitty disease no matter who has it. And if you’re like the above teacher, really, there’s no time or place for that. Leave it to yourself.

Rush Limbaugh told his listeners on Monday that he has advanced lung cancer and, of course, social media lit up with partisan responses to the dire diagnosis revealed by America’s best known conservative radio talk show host.

This isn’t the first time Limbaugh has experienced hardship. It’s been reported that he was addicted to prescription drugs and he’s suffered a profound hearing loss, for example.

But cancer is something else altogether.

“This day has been one of the most difficult days in recent memory for me. I’ve known this moment is coming in the program,” Limbaugh said in comments quoted by national publications. “I’m sure that you all know by now that I really don’t like talking about myself and I don’t like making things about me. I like this program to be about you and the things that matter to all of us.”

We don’t know if Limbaugh’s diagnosis states that he has a short time left or if his situation is more hopeful than that. But we do know this, or at least we should: This news should not be met with celebration. It should not be met with laughter and high-fives. It should not be met with Twitter memes or wicked witch analogies.
https://www.mercedsunstar.com/opinion/article239926218.html





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[font size="8"]Public Enemy Vs Bernie Sanders
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From: Idiots #8-9

There’s no debating that Bernie Sanders is arguably the most polarizing candidate of this or any presidential election cycle. Those that love Bernie, reeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaly love Bernie (see: Top 10 #8-7 ) and those that hate Bernie, well, they really hate him. I actually had the privilege of attending the rally in Los Angeles this week where the shit show between Public Enemy and long time collaborator and founding member Flavor Flav (FLAVOR FLAAAAAAAAAAV!!!!) clashed for what may be the final time in their career. I mean really if Bernie can’t keep Public Enemy together, how is he going to unite the country? Seriously, I’m asking for a friend. Although when you look at it, one wonders how Chuck D and Flavor Flav did anything together, let alone for 37 fucking years. That is a long ass time to do anything! So here’s what went down.

Rapper Chuck D has fired comical hypeman Flavor Flav from the iconic Long Island hip-hop group Public Enemy following long-simmering tensions and a dispute over participation in a rally for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders.

"Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav," a representative for the group and its spinoff said in a statement Sunday. "We thank him for his years of service and wish him well."

Flav, 59, born in Roosevelt and raised in Freeport, had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Sanders Friday objecting to "unauthorized use of his likeness, image and trademarked clock in promotional materials circulated by the campaign." Posted by the online music magazine Pitchfork, the letter from Flav's attorney Matthew Friedman goes on to say, "While Chuck is certainly free to express his political views as he sees fit — his voice alone does not speak for Public Enemy. … [T]here is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav."

In a statement to HipHopDX, Chuck D's attorney said, "From a legal standpoint, Chuck could perform as Public Enemy if he ever wanted to; he is the sole owner of the Public Enemy trademark. He originally drew the logo himself in the mid-80's, is also the creative visionary and the group's primary songwriter, having written Flavor's most memorable lines."
https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/public-enemy-flavor-flav-chuck-d-bernie-sanders-1.42392260




FLAVOR FLAV!!! Holy shit, I think the craziest thing about this story is that Flavor Flav is 59 years old, damn! That means that Public Enemy has been a band as long as I have been alive! But here’s where this story escalated quickly. Public Enemy states that their dispute with Flavor Flav wasn’t about politics. Uh, what? I mean it’s Chuck D, pretty much everything he does is about politics. Shit, I remember when he hosted that Air America show way back when that was a thing.

Rap group Public Enemy split with founder member Flavor Flav but said on Monday that the move had been a long time coming and was not because of a dispute over its performance at a rally for U.S. presidential contender Bernie Sanders.

“Public Enemy did not part ways with Flavor Flav over his political views,” co-founder Chuck D and four other members of the hip-hop group said in a statement.

The band said Flav has been suspended from Public Enemy since 2016 when he failed to show up at a benefit in Georgia for singer Harry Belafonte.

“That was the last straw for the group. He had previously missed numerous live gigs from Glastonbury to Canada, album recording sessions and photo shoots. He always chose to party over work,” the statement added.

Flav and Chuck D were founder members in 1985 of New York-based rappers Public Enemy, known for making music with a strong political message. Their 1988 album “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” is considered one of the genre’s most influential.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-music-public-enemy/public-enemy-splits-with-flavor-flav-over-bernie-sanders-rally-idUSKBN20P35X




And in case Flavor Flav didn’t already regret this decision, well, he’s got a much different story than what Chuck D was telling the press. Now at this point you might be asking “HEY! Isn’t this supposed to be Top 10 *CONSERVATIVE* Idiots?”. And I answer you – this is my show, I get to talk about whatever the hell I want, damn it, and I was at this rally. So that said, here’s what Flavor Flav had to say.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Flavor Flav isn’t taking his firing from Public Enemy lying down. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer took to social media Monday to respond to news that he had been dismissed from the group, as well as several social media posts from co-founder Chuck D.

Flavor Flav was booted from the legendary hip hop act after the two sides engaged in a beef over Chuck D and other members of PE performing at a Bernie Sanders rally in Los Angeles under the name Public Enemy Radio.

Flavor Flav had issued a cease and desist letter to Sanders’ campaign, saying they were engaging in the “the unauthorized use of [Flavor Flav’s] likeness, image and trademarked clock in promotional materials.”

This enraged Chuck D, who fired off several vicious posts on Twitter accusing Flavor Flav of being a drug addict who was desperate for money. Public Enemy then released an official statement saying, “Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav,” the group said in a statement. “We thank him for his years of service and wish him well.”
https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/03/flavor-flav-tells-chuck-d-you-cant-fire-me-from-public-enemy.html




Dude, seriously, Chuck D, you should have just given him a severance package and a gold watch, he’s probably already eligible for retirement. Hey come on, I kid. I’m not age shaming. But the disputes going between the two should probably stop. And Flavor Flav don’t do free benefits, that’s just the way he rolls. So who approved of what and where is this going? Well the answer is very polarizing.

On Wednesday, it was announced that Public Enemy would be performing at a Bernie Sanders rally this Sunday in Los Angeles ahead of Super Tuesday. However, not everyone in the legendary group is on board.

In a cease and desist letter obtained by SPIN, Flavor Flav, through his attorney Matthew H. Friedman of the Las Vegas law firm Ford & Friedman, accused the Sanders campaign of using the Public Enemy name and “likeness, image and trademarked clock in promotional materials” without his permission.

He went on to say that the Sanders campaign created “a false narrative” that the legendary rap group is supporting him. Flav said it is just Chuck D. performing at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sunday.

“Sanders has promised to ‘Fight the Power’ with hip hop icons Public Enemy – but this Rap Icon will not be performing at the Sanders Rally,” the letter read. “To be clear Flav and, by extension, the Hall of Fame hip hop act Public Enemy with which his likeness and name have become synonymous has not endorsed any political candidate in this election cycle and any suggestion to the contrary is plainly untrue. The continued publicizing of this grossly misleading narrative is, at a minimum, careless and irresponsible if not intentionally misleading.”
https://www.spin.com/2020/02/flavor-flav-rips-bernie-sanders-campaign-for-using-public-enemy-name-for-rally-does-not-approve-your-message/





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Coronavirus Disinformation
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines. This is Top 10 Investigates!



The coronavirus has upended our way of life as we know it. As such, people are looking for any way we can return to some kind of normalcy before this virus ravaged civilization around the globe. The fact is that this is a pandemic the likes of which we have never seen. But before we can gain a sense of our normal life the way it was before the pandemic happened, we need a vaccine. And because we need a vaccine, and a good 65% of the entire world needs it before it can be considered eradicated, there’s obviously going to be some detractors. So where is the Coronavirus misinformation campaign coming from and why is it out to destroy us? It could be worse than the virus itself.

The crippling spread of COVID-19 across the globe has progressed in parallel with a flood of information online relating to the pandemic. The World Health Organization branded that spread as an "infodemic" earlier this year.

The "infodemic" has highlighted the importance of readers identifying false information about the coronavirus and those who might be spreading it.

Here's a look at potential sources of false information and a few quick embedded tips to deal with it.

If you have to remember one thing, always consider the source of the information. Ask yourself: Is the information from a trusted and authoritative entity? If not, then you should proceed with caution.

ABC News took a look at the different types of people spreading false coronavirus information and their motivations for doing so.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/spreading-covid-19-misinformation/story?id=70615995




Yes, we will probably all be acting like Mr. Burns for the foreseeable future. But like all bad things, the war on the truth about what coronavirus is really doing to us is coming from Facebook. Now Facebook like all social media sites, has an obligation to police the content on its’ site. But considering that conservatives are declaring war on sites like Facebook for “bias”, then this is what the sites are really doing.

In January 2020, Facebook executives began paying attention to a new coronavirus spreading across the globe. The virus was deadly and highly contagious, and when the World Health Organization shared guidance about it, the company’s leadership dropped their typically hands-off approach to misinformation.

“We decided we would remove content that directly contradicted [the WHO] and could contribute to risk of imminent physical harm,” Monika Bickert, Facebook’s head of global policy management, told BuzzFeed News.

Say “social distancing doesn’t work” or “wearing a mask can make you sick” on Facebook, and the company will direct its moderators to remove your post. A move of this scale is unprecedented for a company that has sought to keep itself out of battles over the truth, but Facebook has removed hundreds of thousands of posts violating this policy already, according to Bickert, and reduced distribution on tens of millions of others.

Though Facebook has removed some health-related misinformation in the past, the company’s decision, although enforced spottily, to side with science has thrust it into new ground. Removing coronavirus misinformation could make its largely hands-off approach to other harm-causing misinformation — such as on climate denialism and anti-vaccine advocacy — harder to defend. It will also place Facebook squarely in the middle of a political battle in the US, where the not widely shared opposition to social distancing and masks break along party lines.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/alexkantrowitz/facebook-coronavirus-misinformation-takedowns




But in fact the misinformation campaign surrounding coronavirus may be as bad and infectious as the virus itself. And that’s not a good thing because what we don’t know about this virus and how it behaves can be just as prevalent as what we do know. The thing is, this is a new virus the likes of which we have never seen and the fact that it can infect a good majority of the people on this earth is bad. The disinformation campaign will make it even worse than it already is.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been equally defined by how much we don’t know as how much we do. That vacuum has been quickly filled with bullshit. The United Nations secretary-general has warned we’re living through “a pandemic of misinformation,” and the head of the World Health Organization said it’s an “infodemic.” In the midst of battling a global health emergency, we find ourselves fending off another scourge of conspiracy theories and misinformation.

It certainly feels like there’s a lot of fake news swirling around about the coronavirus, but how does it compare to another major misinformation magnet: the 2016 election? Research on coronavirus misinformation is largely limited to public opinion surveys and preprint research that has yet to be peer-reviewed. But when we compare those preliminary findings to research on the 2016 election, they suggest that more people are seeing — and believing — misinformation now, and it may have something to do with the challenge of understanding a new disease.

Measuring exactly how much bunk is out there to begin with is a challenge, in part because so much misinformation is shared through social media, said Gordon Pennycook, a behavioral psychologist at Canada’s University of Regina who studies fake news. It’s possible to measure, for instance, the number of tweets linking to specific fake news websites, but no way to see every instance a particular false claim is made on Facebook, especially when those claims can take many forms, including memes, Pennycook said.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-bad-is-the-covid-19-misinformation-epidemic/




That’s about what the virus disinformation campaign is like. If you see it on social media, and you’re pretty sure that it’s bullshit, chances are good that it most likely is. Also, just like your neighbor’s frothing at the mouth pro-Trump rantings on his social media page, the worst of it is coming from bot accounts designed to spread misinformation. And as we’ve said, the misinformation campaign is probably as bad as the disease itself. Just don’t fall for it.

About half of the Twitter accounts pushing misinformation about COVID-19 and calling for "reopening America" may be bots, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University said Wednesday. The tweets appear to be aiming to sow division and increase polarization during the pandemic.

"Conspiracy theories increase polarization in groups. It's what many misinformation campaigns aim to do," Kahtleen Carley, a computer science professor, said in a statement about the ongoing research. "People have real concerns about health and the economy, and people are preying on that to create divides."

She warned that the misinformation "will have a variety of real-world consequences, and play out in things like voting behavior and hostility towards ethnic groups."

Since January, the researchers have collected more than 200 million tweets discussing COVID-19 and coronavirus. They found that 82% of the top 50 influential retweets are bots, and 62% of the top 1,000 retweeters are bots, too.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bots-account-for-nearly-half-of-twitter-accounts-spreading-coronavirus-misinformation-researchers-say/




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.





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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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From: Idiots #8-3

Gather around my fair brothers and sisters of Amherst! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair congregation! You know we talk a lot of crap about super right wing Christian fundamentalists but there’s people like this in every religion. And the war is the same – it’s traditional vs modern. And I say this because there’s a group of let’s say old men, in this country who do not embrace change. Take for instance our good friends in the Catholic Church. Now don’t boo. Don’t boo. The Catholic Church has long looked to overturn this barbaric practice of priests and celibacy. And it’s a fight that goes back centuries. But while they’ve made great strides with Pope Francis, a former pope, Pope Benedict, has stepped in and well, he’s got some thoughts.

Retired Pope Benedict XVI, who promised to remain silent when he resigned as head of the Roman Catholic Church seven years ago, has stepped back into the ongoing debate over priestly celibacy with a new book defending the traditionalist view.

The surprise move is seen as a rebuke to Pope Francis, who is weighing the possibility of a revolutionary move to relax the strict celibacy requirement for ordination in some South American countries where the shortage of priests is particularly acute.

In the as-yet-unpublished book, whose title translates as From the Depths of Our Hearts, Benedict and his co-author, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, defend the "necessity" of celibacy in the priesthood. On Sunday, the French newspaper Le Figaro printed excerpts, which were also obtained by The Associated Press.

"The priesthood of Jesus Christ causes us to enter into a life that consists of becoming one with him and renouncing all that belongs only to us," the pope emeritus writes. "For priests, this is the foundation of the necessity of celibacy but also of liturgical prayer, meditation on the Word of God and the renunciation of material goods."
https://www.npr.org/2020/01/13/795826955/in-new-book-retired-pope-benedict-breaks-silence-to-speak-out-on-priestly-celiba




Yes, Pope Benedict, you might want to sit this one out. And I’ve seen Spotlight, I know what goes on behind closed confessional booths. So you’re booing me now. Ah, so now the tables have turned, haven’t they? But this war goes deep, my fair congregation. So deep that it could have some devastating long term effects on the Vatican itself.

At the beginning of the week, the insider Catholic universe imploded when news broke that retired Pope Benedict XVI and Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah had co-authored a new book defending priestly celibacy just as Pope Francis is considering an exception to the rule proposed during the Amazon synod.

In the fierce and polemical debate that ensued, the role of a pope emeritus was questioned while Catholicism’s conservative and progressive camps exchanged arguments over Benedict XVI’s intentions with the book, titled From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church, which hit shelves Jan. 15 in France.

The saga culminated with Archbishop Georg Ganswein, personal secretary for Benedict XVI, saying the emeritus pope had asked that his name be withdrawn as a coauthor and removed from the book’s introduction and conclusion. Citing the Chicago Manual of Style, however, the English-language publisher, Ignatius Press, said it considers the publication “coauthored.”

Though unprecedented is perhaps the wrong word to describe the bizarre episode, it was certainly odd, as Sarah, an active sitting cardinal who heads the Vatican’s liturgy office, took to social media to defend his credibility, issuing several statements and publishing correspondence between himself and Benedict - things that heads of Vatican departments don’t typically do.
https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/01/sarahs-last-hurrah-2020-could-see-major-vatican-shakeups/




And by the way in case you’re wondering if the Catholic Church is in full “move along, nothing to see here” mode, whew, oh boy are they ever. But really Pope Benedict, you might want to sit this one out, especially after new allegations are surfacing against priests and abuse. The only real crisis here is that there’s a bunch of abusers and they are showing no remorse for the victims that they abused. Pope Francis is trying to steer the church in a much more modern tradition.

The Vatican on Monday sought to downplay the decision by retired Pope Benedict XVI to reaffirm the “necessity” of a celibate priesthood at the same time that Pope Francis is considering ordaining married men, calling his book a mere contribution that was written in full obedience to Francis.

The Vatican’s editorial director, Andrea Tornielli, penned an editorial that sought to put Benedict’s bombshell book in the context of a continuity between the two popes. He noted that Francis, too, has upheld the “gift” of priestly celibacy and refused to make it optional across the board.

The French daily Le Figaro late Sunday published excerpts of the book “From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church," co-authored with conservative Cardinal Robert Sarah; The Associated Press obtained galleys of the English edition, which is being published Feb. 20 by Ignatius Press.

Benedict’s intervention was extraordinary, given he had promised to remain “hidden from the world” when he retired in 2013, and pledged his obedience to the new pope. He has largely held to that pledge, though he penned an odd essay last year that blamed the sexual abuse crisis on the sexual revolution of the 1960s.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pope-benedict-xvi-breaks-silence-reaffirm-priest-celibacy-68234586




That is a good point Reverend, but we’ll save that for a different sermon. Because I’m sure that’s not what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want! And really by the way, give it up for my choir, how great are they? So if the Catholic Church can’t get it together on priests and marriage, what can they get it together on? Well don’t expect them to come to a conclusion anytime soon.

Former pope Benedict XVI has publicly urged his successor Pope Francis not to open the Catholic priesthood up to married men, in a plea that Sunday stunned Vatican experts.

The ex-pontiff, who retired in 2013, issued the defence of clerical celibacy in a book written with arch-conservative Cardinal Robert Sarah, extracts of which were published in exclusive by France's Le Figaro.

"I cannot keep silent!" Benedict wrote in the book, which follows an extraordinary meeting of bishops from the Amazonian at the Vatican last year that recommended the ordination of married men in certain circumstances.

The pope emeritus, 92, and Sarah from Guinea weighed in on the controversial question of whether or not to allow "viri probati" -- married "men of proven virtue" -- to join the priesthood.

Francis is currently considering allowing it in remote locations, such as the Amazon, where communities seldom have Mass due to a lack of priests, and is expected to publish his decision in the coming weeks.
https://news.yahoo.com/ex-pope-benedict-rejects-opening-priesthood-married-men-202354226.html




Yes so if we learned anything during our sermon today, just about everything is a sin, and this might be one of the most egregious of all! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse: Your Favorite Celebrity Is Over
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From: Idiots #8-15



Can you really be over your favorite celebrity? Well there’s plenty of reasons why you should, and also plenty of reasons why you shouldn’t. What makes this even weirder is that these celebrities who are “over” are being cherry picked and for ridiculously crazy reasons. But what you might not know is that the forces that are driving these social media trends aren’t. Like all bad things, this trend got hijacked by bots pushing Korean pop videos and trying to downplay American culture. But what you might not know is where this originated from. This entire thing started when Nicki Minaj decided to ditch her record label and hold an “Atlantic Records Is Over” party.

They really didn't have to snap this hard - or did they?

Fans of Nicki Minaj put Atlantic Records on blast over the weekend when they accused the music giant of misconduct against their artists - again. While the origins of Saturday's resurfaced shambles are still questionable, it was definitely the Barbz that made #AtlanticRecordsOverParty the number-one trending topic in the entertainment category.

Atlantic, a subsidiary of Warner, planted its deep roots in jazz almost over 70 years ago with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Otis Redding - so, this might be THE longest trail we've ever been down, it's absolutely littered with similar allegations.

We can't find any other outlets covering Minaj's indirectly-direct relationship to this newest edition of #AtlanticRecordsIsOverParty (or even the topic in general). What we did find was a bit of the backstory.

It's still a little funny to see Minaj's name credited with that of Cardi B's in the same song title. After their 2017 collab with MotorSport, Cardi told a UK press outlet that Minaj's original verse was "not the verse that is out there right now." Hearing this, Minaj called Cardi out for not telling the whole story.
https://theblast.com/126308/nicki-minaj-fans-host-atlantic-records-is-over-party-as-allegati




God can you imagine what would happen if Nicki Minaj and Cardi B got together in the same room? I can imagine there will be lots of yelling and bling comparisons, followed by which tiny purse dog is better than the other one. Now you would think this hashtag would end there. But oh no, just like a certain virus, it spread. And it spread to a whole bunch of different celebrities. Like Demi Lovato for instance!

It seems like there have been multiple attempts to "cancel" Demi Lovato, and the latest "Demi Lovato is Over Party" broke out over recent comments the singer made regarding Selena Gomez on a private Instagram account.

Previously, Demi was "canceled" by everyone on the internet for orchestrating the sexual assault of one of her private bodyguards as a "joke" by sending an escort to his room to engage in some funny business.

People didn't find the humor in Demi's "gag" and began calling her out for not only mistreating an employee but "trivializing rape" by merely calling it the "meanest prank" she ever pulled.

There's tons of other instances where people were ready to "pull the plug" on supporting Demi forever. But you know how the world of Twitter outrage works, at the end of the day.

For the most part, people latch on to something they're pretending to be furious about for a few hours, get said topic trending, then once that fizzles out, they jump onto the next issue to be upset about. The satisfaction seems to come from tweeting about how upset you are, rather than, you know, actually doing anything about it in real life, for the most part.
https://www.distractify.com/p/demi-lovato-is-over-party




Yeah so chalk this up to a dose of fake outrage and people who clearly don’t get the idea of what they are talking about. Now that’s the female side of this equation. What about the male side of this equation – let’s look at Adam Driver, the star of the recent string of Star Wars films. Is he over? Oh you had better believe that he’s over!

While social media has mostly been smitten with Kylo Ren actor Adam Driver for his appearances in Star Wars, Marriage Story, and his stints on Saturday Night Live, some people turned against the Hollywood star because of his military service with the United States Marine Corps. A Twitter hashtag claimed #AdamDriverIsOver because some users disagreed with his reasons for serving in the military, but it didn't take long for fans to come to the actor's defense.

All of it stems from Driver's decision to join the Marines and people taking seemingly out of context quotes and reading way too deep into offhand information to distill a person's entire life story down to one decision, and of course fans getting entirely too worked up over what other people are saying about their favorite celebrity.

It all comes out because Drive ended up joining the United States Marine Corps shortly after the September 11th attacks in 2001, serving nearly three years in the Marines before being medically discharged due to a dislocated sternum. After his time in the Marines, Driver got into the Julliard School and...well, the rest is history. An iconic run on Star Wars later and now he's one of the most sought-after actors in all of Hollywood.
https://comicbook.com/starwars/news/star-wars-adam-driver-is-over-party-twitter-trending/#4




Really? You’re mad that Adam Driver joined the Marines in his early life? No wonder that guy looks like he could kill you more ways than John Wick. Or how about another unlikely celebrity to get tangled up in all of this mess – Brendan Urie? You know him as the lead singer and performer of Panic! At The Disco, but did you know that he made some transphobic remarks in the early days of PATD? Well, neither did we! And he’s famous for playing a drag performer in “Kinky Boots”!

In the thread, @dinasapphic posted a video from a past concert in which Brendon states: "I wish I was born black so I could wear the clothes I wear without getting made fun of." He then states that black people are able to wear whatever they want but white people aren't.

There is also a video in the thread in which Brendon says to a crowd that he wants to "fuck them whether they want him to or not", comments in which he compares Caitlyn Jenner coming out as trans to Rachel Dolezal claiming she's black and a snippet from an old interview in which he uses a transphobic slur.

Given that many of these comments were made years ago, Panic! fans have rushed to defend Brendon and argue that he's changed and these remarks no longer represent him. In the case of the transphobic slur, Brendon apologised for it in his Twitch livestream. He said: "I am so deeply sorry. I felt sick to my stomach when I realised how hurtful that word is."

A Panic! fan tweeted: "brendon urie is trending for shit he’s done years ago again. i’m not gonna get in on it much but it’s obvious he has changed and he has apologized for all the stuff he’s said in the past. ffs just fucking drop it and move on. focus on the present, not the past. #weloveyoubrendon" [sic].
https://www.popbuzz.com/music/artists/panic-at-the-disco/news/brendon-urie-is-over-party-transphobic-racist/





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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner
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Welcome back to our segment where we delve into the latest coming from the minds of the seriously depraved, it’s Conspiracy Corner! I am not at the Top 10 headquarters in Anaheim, California. Instead I am coming to you live from a doomsday prepper shelter in the middle of western Iowa. Why Iowa? Why not? There’s plenty of corn fields which makes the possibility of an underground bunker all the more conspicuous! Just let me adjust my trusty tin foil hat for maximum government interference… ah, there we go! Well this week, in the middle of all the insanity coming from the protests, a new movement has been birthed! And it’s not a movement any of us would want. Because it involves angry white guys with long beards, Hawaiian shirts, some giant machine guns, and a good healthy dose of MAGA pride! What do they call this movement? They call it “The Boogaloo Movement”. Yes, you read that right!

A new movement of armed, far-right adherents is gaining attention in the United States, not just for its seemingly strange name, but for its alleged links to the violence that has taken place across the country following largely peaceful protests over police brutality.

Adherents of the loosely organised "Boogaloo" movement appear to believe in armed, anti-government actions that could lead to a second US civil war.

While it is impossible, authorities say, to point to a singular group for the unrest that has come as part of protests against the police killing of George Floyd, officials claim that much of the violence can be pinned on "outside agitators" who are seeking to distract from the main message of the demonstrations.

One movement authorities have blamed is the Boogaloo movement. On June 4, three men who allegedly belong to the Boogaloo movement were arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, on charges related to "terrorism" and involving plots to accelerate violence at protests.
What's in the name?

The "Boogaloo" movement, a newcomer grouping, is hard to label but exists largely on the far-right of the political spectrum, and has aims to accelerate the US towards a second civil war.

Its members, known as "Boogaloo Boys" or "Boogaloo Bois", are typically seen with assault rifles and tactical gear. Some adherents of the movement have also been spotted in Hawaiian shirts in recent days, according to reports, though not all wear them.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/boogaloo-movement-200604173050475.html




Yes, if you see these guys show up at your local protest, just be aware. They’re not there to dance and sing Kumbaya, they’re there to stir some shit up! So you might be asking yourself – what kind of weapons and artillery are these guys carrying? Well, just like their beers, the Boogaloo Bois… yes, I am being told by my producer that is how they spell their name… They like their guns as long as their beards.

In addition to attending recent marches against police brutality around the country, Boogaloo followers have made their presence known at rallies demanding the end to stay-at-home orders imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Adherents are relatively easy to spot. All carry long guns. Many wear Hawaiian shirts under body armor or black shirts with “Big Igloo” or “Big Luau” patches.

Hawaiian shirts have been worn by military Special Forces overseas as a symbol that they are American and will continue to do their military duty no matter where they are, according to Burghart.

“They have stolen that, as they have their whole regalia and their appearance,” he said. “They think that by putting on the costume, that makes them Special Forces. Perhaps they’ve spent too much time playing Call of Duty,” he said, referring to the militaristic video game.

The similar-sounding terms Big Igloo and Big Luau sprung up as a way to circumvent social media moderators trying to prevent incendiary posts that use “boogaloo,” according to researchers.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/06/04/armed-white-men-milwaukee-protests-could-far-right-boogaloo/3147128001/




Man remember the good old days when luaus used to mean giant roasted pigs, bon fires, and Hawaiian ukulele music? Well, now the far right has ruined that image, just like everything else good that they’ve taken a colossal dump on. But just remember if they show up at your protests, they’re not there to do a hula dance. They’re there to fuck some serious shit up! Especially when their supposed enemy has been defined by the president, though it’s not even clear who that is!

President Donald Trump and his allies have sought to blame left-wing extremists for the violence and looting at U.S. protests over police brutality while local authorities and watchdog groups have pointed to the threat posed by right-wing movements.

A recent U.S. intelligence assessment reviewed by Reuters this week said most of the violence at protests appears to have been driven by opportunists. But the assessment also said there was some evidence that organized extremists were tied to violence or promoting it online.
WHICH GROUPS ARE BEING SINGLED OUT?

President Donald Trump and some fellow Republicans have sought to blame the left-wing anti-fascist Antifa movement but have presented little evidence.

Liberal watchdog groups and some local authorities have warned that members of the anti-government “boogaloo” movement or white supremacist groups could infiltrate protests.

Federal prosecutors filed charges this week against three alleged boogaloo members accused of plotting to cause violence and destruction at Las Vegas protest.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-minneapolis-police-protests-extremist/explainer-who-are-antifa-the-boogaloo-movement-and-others-blamed-in-us-protest-violence-idUSKBN23C2R1




So it may not be Antifa at all who are the agitators of this thing. Yes, Antifa is a mysterious organization with no central leadership who generally shows up at protests to beat the shit out of groups like the Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer. But the real agitators are these big burly white manliest males who ever maled wearing Hawaiian shirts and carrying big machine guns. Those are the people who you need to watch out for! Until then I think I will stay here in my underground bunker until the dust settles!

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Richland County Sheriff's Department has made a fifth arrest of an alleged 'agitator' at a protest that turned violent in downtown Columbia Saturday.

Joshua Barnard, 24, faces charges of breaking into a car, looting, larceny, aggravated breach of peace and instigating a riot.

Authorities say Barnard is the man caught on camera Saturday stealing a police jacket while wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says that attire could be associated with a violent anti-government resistance radical group that calls themselves the 'Boogaloo Bois'.

"The Washington Post had a big article yesterday about men in Hawaiian shirts showing up to these protests," said Lott in a press conference Thursday.

Lott believes Barnard, given his actions and attire at Saturday's protest, could be involved.

"There's a lot of information that he could be a part of the Boogaloo organization," said Lott. "It's a very radical group. Their mission is to create a new civil war."
https://www.wltx.com/article/news/local/a-closer-look-at-the-men-in-hawaiian-shirts-or-the-boogaloo-movement/101-bcc86bcd-54ca-4741-8d0a-81ac6dc19e4b





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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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From: Idiots #8-5

Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people and people are dumb. And as such whenever we visit the great state of Florida, we have to do a special all Florida man edition of People Are Dumb. Look, Florida, we kid. But you do bring the crazy extra hard. And before we get into this, I want to give a shout out to the @Floridaman_ Twitter feed that really just goes beyond to keep track of all the crazy happening in the Sunshine State. Let’s start with this story out of Miami. Sigh here’s the thing people, we may hate Trump here and everything that he stands for. But let’s condone any acts of violence against him or his properties or the people in them. That said, this story has some of everything that makes Florida insane and weird.

A Connecticut woman chastised for dancing on her car at a Palm Beach hotel late Friday morning ended up driving away and crashing her vehicle through two security barricades outside Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club and home, drawing gunfire from law enforcement officers, before leading a police helicopter on a chase that ended in her arrest.

Hannah Roemhild, 30, a trained opera singer, is now in the custody of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

“This is not a terrorist thing,” Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a Friday afternoon news conference. “This is somebody that obviously was impaired somehow.”

Roemhild could face charges for assault on both federal and county law enforcement officers, Bradshaw said. No one was injured, although the situation might have easily ended differently, officials indicated.

Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time, but he was expected to arrive at the club Friday evening. The White House said the fracas would not disrupt the president’s travel plans.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article239840653.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter




That’s right, Dude! Next up, we go to the city of Orlando for this one. And here’s the thing, if you don’t have anything creative to write when you’re hammered and you’ve got a can of spray paint, maybe the best thing to do is just walk away. But not for this guy who painted – I shit you not – the word “slur” on the bathroom wall. This is a thing that happened!

A Florida man who spray painted the word "slur" in a bar bathroom was found with spray cans still in his backpack, according to the Melbourne Police Department.

Police said a witness saw Paul Scott, 24, walk into the men's restroom at Mugs Pub Sunday night with his backpack and when he left, there was wet pink paint on the wall that read, "slur."

When police approached Scott, they said he initially told them he had been in the bar for about 15 minutes and during that time, he had one beer before an employee asked him to leave.

According to authorities, they could hear the sound of aluminum cans coming from Scott's backpack and when they searched it, they found spray paint bottles, and an empty bottle that was still wet, in the same shade of pink as the graffiti inside the restroom.
https://www.clickorlando.com/strange-florida/2019/09/16/florida-man-spray-paints-the-word-slur-in-bar-bathroom-police-say/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter




Next up, we’re going to stay in the city of Orlando – what’s up with Orlando this week? They’re taking double doses of crazy pills! Anyway, I don’t know much about boating, nor will I claim to know anything about boating, but I’m pretty sure this is not how the gas tank on a boat is supposed to operate. But it’s also probably best not to get the fire department involved in your own stupidity as well.

Mistakenly inserting a fuel nozzle into a fishing pole slot, a Florida man pumped $60 worth of gasoline onto the deck of his boat and the ground of a gas station, fire rescue officials said.

The incident happened Monday in the Orlando area, Orange County Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles said on Twitter.

The gas flowed from the fishing pole hole and onto the deck of the 24-foot (7.3 meters) boat. The 31-year-old man realized his mistake and quit pumping.

As he tried to clean up the mess, the gasoline began leaking from the boat onto the ground at the 7-Eleven store. He told personnel and then called the fire department's non-emergency number, Jachles said.

A technical rescue team siphoned the gas from the boat and cleaned up. The situation was described as a “level 3 hazmat,” meaning the potential of hazard was high, Jachles said.
https://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/florida-mistakenly-man-pumps-60-gas-deck-boat-68645430?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter




Unless of course you have it inserted in the wrong hole. Yes, thank you sir! That’s what she said! Finally – we go to South Florida and the city of Fort Lauderdale for this one. So we’ve all been the victims of credit and debit card fraud at some point. Because there’s a lot of sleazebags out there to get their hands on your data. But this next story asks a lot of questions, namely, how does one spend $68 at Little Caesars?

A Florida man has been accused of using a Marshfield woman's debit card to purchase $68 in Little Caesar's pizza.

According to to a Marshfield Police Department police report, Elle Wolf of Marshfield had a transaction on her bank statement from a Fort Lauderdale, Florida Little Caesar's location without her consent.

The report says the unidentified Florida man purchased one bacon wrapped deep dish pizza, three stuffed crust pizzas, and three orders of Caesar wings and had delivered to his address via Door Dash.

The charge of $68.80 currently has a process hold on the charge at Wolf's financial institution.
https://www.weau.com/content/news/Florida-man-uses-Wisconsin-womans-debit-card-information-to-buy-pizza-567499701.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter




That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Keeping Up With The Candidates Ep.21: Joe & Bernie
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From: Idiots #8-4



Welcome back to our 2020 voters’ guide Keeping Up With The Candidates! Where we combine all the news, issues, polls, and candidates you care about! We are exactly one month down, we have 11 long, grueling, and fucking insane months to go before we elect the next president of the United States. And we had an entirely different entry planned this week. But over the weekend, Joe Rogan started trending and it was because of his “all-in” support for Vermont Senator and old man trying to send back soup in a deli, Bernie Sanders. Yes, thank George Costanza for that line. But do you welcome a guy into the party who some have called “The Gateway Drug To The Alt Right”? Yes, Joe Rogan commands one of the biggest troll armies in the world and he’s been known to cheat, harass, and slam people online who he doesn’t agree with, and is part of the reason why our culture has become so toxic. So, what’s up?

Bernie Sanders is facing a backlash from some Democrats after his campaign trumpeted an endorsement from comedian Joe Rogan, a popular podcast and YouTube talk show host with a history of making racist, homophobic and transphobic comments.

The Sanders campaign touted the endorsement in a tweet on Thursday afternoon, featuring a clip of Rogan's supportive remarks.

"I think I'll probably vote for Bernie. Him as a human being, when I was hanging out with him, I believe in him, I like him, I like him a lot," Rogan said on an earlier episode of his show.

"What Bernie stands for is a guy -- look, you could dig up dirt on every single human being that's ever existed if you catch them in their worst moment and you magnify those moments and you cut out everything else and you only display those worst moments. That said, you can't find very many with Bernie. He's been insanely consistent his entire life. He's basically been saying the same thing, been for the same thing his whole life. And that in and of itself is a very powerful structure to operate from."

Rogan, a libertarian-leaning broadcaster with a public persona in the mold of Howard Stern, is a divisive figure who has said the N-word on his show and in 2013 questioned -- using offensive language -- whether a transgender MMA fighter should be able to compete against other women.
https://www.wsmv.com/news/us_world_news/bernie-sanders-draws-criticism-for-touting-joe-rogan-endorsement/article_65e533d6-2126-5efd-8dfb-7e82b335424e.html




That is a good point Bernie! So is Joe Rogan a guy who you really want on your side? He’s a bit racist, extremely misogynistic, and commands a troll army that would dwarf the one that is owned by glorious dictator Vladimir Putin. And if you want to know some of Rogan’s greatest hits, well, let’s take this time to go down the wormhole, shall we?

Sanders has received scrutiny for the endorsement after his campaign circulated a video touting Rogan’s support.

“He’s basically been saying the same thing his whole life. And that in and of itself is very a powerful structure to operate from,” Rogan said in the clip.

The comedian has come under fire for past comments insulting a range of groups, including the transgender community and African Americans.

"We get out. We’re giggling, 'We’re going to go see "Planet of the Apes." We walk into 'Planet of the Apes.' We walked into Africa," Rogan said in a 2013 podcast clip that was resurfaced after his endorsement before clarifying that there were "no white people in the theater."

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) also called on Sanders to renounce Rogan’s endorsement, specifically citing Rogan’s past comments.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/479917-moveon-calls-on-sanders-to-renounce-joe-rogan-endorsement




So here’s the thing – do we include Joe Rogan’s die hard fans in the mix or do we not? I mean at one point the guy was called “the gateway drug to the Alt Right”. And that is a label that nobody under any circumstances should be strapped with. But his raunchy behavior and a tendency to ignore rules and all sense of common decency aside, do we include them in the party or not? He could be the key to defeating Trump and sending this administration packing, or not.

Survey data suggests that at least 25 percent of self-identified Democrats, and perhaps as much as 40 percent, hold explicitly racist views like “blacks are lazy.” Among independents—voters Democratic candidates repeatedly insist they must appeal to—those beliefs are even more common. Nearly half of Republicans are willing to tell pollsters that blacks are more violent than whites—and almost all of them voted for Donald Trump. No candidate has a base consisting entirely of people with enlightened, progressive views. Whether they realize it or not, all Democratic politicians count on people who hold both sympathetic and terrible views.

For the past year, Joe Biden has consistently done two things: led polling for the Democratic nomination and underwhelmed in campaigning for it. His appeal is based largely on “electability,” the pseudoscientific notion that he alone can win by appealing to Republicans, independents, and the all-important “white working class.”

The same Democratic and liberal voices that tout this as an asset in Biden (or, to a lesser extent, Pete Buttigieg, whose Indiana roots supposedly mean rural Midwesterners will like him) are apoplectic over the endorsement of Bernie Sanders by the meat-headed podcaster Joe Rogan. Rogan’s excruciating show, The Joe Rogan Experience, regularly features guests with awful beliefs, including white supremacists, and the host has a track record of racist, transphobic, homophobic, and misogynistic comments. As one prominent Sanders supporter, Princeton professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, noted, it is crucial not to condone, disregard, or make excuses for those bad politics.
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/bernie-sanders-joe-rogan/




Oh come on people stop rabbling! Yeah Joe Rogan has a track record and a history of being a boorish buffoon reminiscent of your average Trump supporter. But let’s face facts – beating Trump should be our number one priority and we can’t keep fighting with ourselves if we’re going to beat him. We must unite damn it! And if we have to include Rogan supporters in the mix, so be it!

Joe Rogan is one of the most popular podcasters in America. He interviews celebrities, politicians, intellectuals and other public figures on an eponymous show. (Years ago, he also hosted Fear Factor.)

Sen. Bernie Sanders is running for president and is one of the leading candidates to challenge President Donald Trump in November.

Last week, Rogan essentially endorsed Sanders. The Sanders campaign quickly turned that into a viral video, seeing it as a key boost with Rogan’s millions of listeners, some of whom do not fall into Sanders’ traditional base of progressive voters.

But this is where things get more complicated and more controversial.

Soon after Rogan voiced his support, some began calling on Sanders, 78, to refuse the endorsement and denounce Rogan. They expressed dismay over Sanders’ decision to use Rogan’s quotes in a piece of official social media marketing.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/hugely-popular-podcast-host-joe-210626083.html




[font size="4"]Next Week:[/font]

Why are people in Iowa protesting outside Joe Biden’s office? We will analyze this and much more coming out of Iowa.



See you next week!

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May 27, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #8-19: Nobody Cared Who I Was Until I Put On The Mask Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #8-19: Nobody Cared Who I Was Until I Put On The Mask Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! Sigh we are finally at the end of the 8th season everybody and this unfortunately is not the sendoff it deserves but we finally got there! How’s everyone doing from home? Yeah we’re going stir crazy too. I really can’t wait to leave this void and get back out on the road and do some Top 10s the way we used to. Of course we’ll start out small – work the crowd from our new home at the legendary Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank. And then we hopefully will branch out and start touring some of the other venues in California when touring permits. Do we have time for the thing? You sad that all your calendar events got canceled because of the shithead virus that’s ravaging everything? Me too. I lost a lot of money on events that I had, including two this last weekend. But some good news - Yeah we finally have something to look forward to everybody!!! I mean finally! In the sea of just bad news and shit hitting the fan, we finally have a light at the end of the tunnel of cancelations! And it’s a movie that I am very much looking forward to – Christopher Nolan’s latest magnum opus Tenant. Which of course is a movie about racing against time to save the world, and boy does our world need saving right now! But when does it come out? Nobody knows, because people don’t know when theaters are going to reopen. But we finally have something on the horizon that’s not being cancelled! Boy that is a sight for sore eyes! Finally! OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first Bill Maher is back and he discusses the possibility that there’s another virus out there destroying everything it touches:



So far nothing this year has turned out the way we wanted. At least we’re getting a season finale even if it’s not what we expected. I mean come on it’s an election year! Taking the top slot this week, the guy who should be leading by example is our president, Donald J. Trump (1) and well, he isn’t, in his refusal to wear a mask in public. In the second slot this week, we’re going to talk about ways to reopen the country safely (2). Of course this is American and we don’t like being told what to do, so it’s every one for themselves! Taking the third slot this week is the Lockdown Protests (3), or as we’re calling this piece, “Lockdown Palace”. Yeah the protestors are getting crazier and scarier and we’re in for some insane times ahead this year. In the fourth slot this week is Q Anon Supporters (4) – is there a very real possibility that a Q supporter could win a Senate Seat? Oh yes there is, and be afraid, be very afraid. Taking the fifth slot this week is a new edition of our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5). This week did NASA discover a parallel universe where time runs backwards and the laws of physics are upside down? We will investigate! Taking the sixth slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6). This week – congregations all across America and the world are figuring out ways to reopen safely amid the pandemic, and our resident pastor is going to go over which is which! In the seventh slot this week is a new “Beating A Dead Horse” (7). And singer Lana Del Rey is no stranger to controversy, but is she advocating that there’s a double standard among women in music? Controversy alert!!! In the 8th slot this week we have a new edition of the segment that debunks conspiracy theories – Conspiracy Corner (8)! People, stop destroying 5G cell phone towers! They’re not giving you Coronavirus! Stop it! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot we have a new “I Need A Drink” (9) and this week we’re going to give you an update on the College Admissions Scandal known as “Operation: Varsity Blues”! I don’t want your life! Finally this week it’s The Stupidest State Championship! Michigan vs Florida. One of these states will win it all! The champagne is on ice! And I know we can’t give this season the proper sendoff it deserves with a band and live audience, but we will have a performance from one of my favorites, Australia’s King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Donald J. Trump Vs The Mask
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Hey kids! Gather around! It’s time for another edition of Goofus Vs. Gallant! Though in this case, the role of Gallant is being played by our future 46th president and the embodiment of what a real leader of the free world should look and act like, Joseph Biden. Meanwhile, the part of Goofus, will be played by our current 45th president and the guy who is a bumbling dumbass who always makes the wrong decision no matter what the scenario is, and that’s Donald J. Trump. In short, don’t be like Goofus. Look, nobody likes wearing these masks. And I do mean nobody. But as long as this god forsaken virus is still a thing, we have to. The latest on this insanity.

President Donald Trump on Thursday did not wear a mask for coronavirus protection during the public part of touring a Ford Motor Co. plant in Michigan, despite a state law and company policy requiring facial coverings there.

Trump, who has consistently refused to wear a mask in public, was visiting Ford’s Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti, which has a policy of requiring masks there. The plant is currently making ventilators in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States.

Video showed Trump on the factory floor talking to Ford executives who were wearing masks.

“Not necessary,” Trump said, when a reporter asked why he was not wearing a facial covering.

“Everybody’s been tested and I’ve been tested.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/21/trump-doesnt-wear-coronavirus-mask-to-ford-plant.html




Yes, nobody cared who I was until I put on the mask! Of course nobody cared who I was until I put on the mask either! Hey o! of course that’s the kind of joke that would kill in front of a live audience, which I wish I had right now! So that’s how Goofus would handle the situation. Now let’s see how Gallant, aka Joe Biden, would handle the situation. See, he’s a guy who listens to experts and doesn’t let his ego get in the way. That’s what a real leader does!

The CDC recommends it, but the president mocks it. President Trump on Monday shared a tweet making fun of Joe Biden for wearing a mask in public — a step to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus that the president has not followed.

Mr. Trump shared a tweet from Fox News political analyst Brit Hume showing a picture of Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, wearing sunglasses and a black mask that covered much of his face at a Memorial Day ceremony. "This might help explain why Trump doesn't like to wear a mask in public," Hume wrote.

Biden wore the mask as he and his wife Jill laid a wreath at the Delaware Memorial Bridge in Wilmington. He kept it on as he told reporters his message to the country on Memorial Day: "Never forget the sacrifices that these men and women made. Never, ever, forget."

It was Biden's first public appearance in two months, as he has been campaigning virtually from his home in Wilmington during the pandemic. Biden's wife and members of his staff were also seen wearing masks.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mocks-biden-face-mask-twitter/




Yes, this does give you power. Because right now, I can guarantee nobody likes wearing masks or living in this nightmarish world where you can’t talk to anybody or touch anything. Nothing sucks more ass than this does. But the sooner we abide by the rules, the sooner society gets back to normal. And believe me I want normal to come back! But once again the conspiracy theorists make it weird, and boy do they make it weird.

There may have been only a few hundred MAGA faithful gathered Thursday afternoon for Donald Trump’s latest visit to a factory churning out essential gear for the fight against COVID-19, but the right-wing carnival energy essential to his bygone arena rallies was in full effect.

So was the bizarro circus over the president of the United States’ distaste for protective masks.

Loud country music blared from a pickup truck. A supporter waved a flag portraying Trump as a muscle-bound GI Joe with a machine gun. Another held a sign portraying Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer—who has emerged as a bête noire of the right for her aggressive efforts to rein in the coronavirus outbreak—with a Hitler mustache.

It was a small-but-mighty welcome for a president making a legally fraught visit to the nearby Ford Rawsonville Plant, a facility that has been retooled to produce the same ventilators the president has suggested panicked governors may not even need.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-deranged-scene-at-trumps-mask-skeptical-ford-factory-tour-in-michigan




Oh and by the way people, don’t go dressing as fucking Bane or wearing any kind of costumes during this thing. That doesn’t help things. That’s the sort of thing Goofus would do. And by the way, let’s take a moment to extrapolate this - the guy who wears lifts in his shoes, adult diapers, a girdle, and copious amounts of bronzer and hair products, is complaining that wearing a mask makes him look totally ridiculous. Let that sink in for a moment.

President Donald Trump brought a navy blue mask stamped with the presidential seal to a Ford plant in Michigan on Thursday. But he refused to wear it in front of cameras.

"I didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it," Trump said before showing off his fabric face covering, which he said he'd briefly strapped on backstage before removing for a tour of the factory. "It was very nice. It looked very nice. They said not necessary."

It was another example of Trump shrugging off the rules in place for others that are meant to guard against the coronavirus. As he walked through the facility -- where Ford rules say everyone must wear a mask -- he was surrounded by company executives whose faces were covered.

"It's up to him," said Bill Ford, the company's chairman, when asked why Trump wasn't following his company's guidelines. Later, a company spokesman said Ford -- the great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford -- "encouraged President Trump to wear a mask when he arrived."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/21/politics/donald-trump-michigan-masks/index.html





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[font size="8"]Reopening The Country
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The economic fallout from the Coronavirus response has been, well, to put it bluntly, not good. In fact it’s been almost as big of a disaster as the virus itself. As it wreaks havoc around the world, we’re starting to see just how fragile our economy really is. And it’s going to take an FDR style effort to repair it once the dust has been settled once and for all. But we’re all just numbers, or to use the Trump administration’s terminology, “human stock capital”. Yeah I can hear the boos on that one, but save them until we show you what that really means. What does it really mean? Well, basically we’re all walking dollar signs to the upper 1%.

President Donald Trump’s senior economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, presented a cold view of the U.S. economic system Sunday, referring to American workers as “human capital stock.”

In a Sunday interview on CNN, Hassett predicted that business would pick up again soon.

“Our human capital stock is ready to get back to work,” he said, while admitting at the same time that the nation will continue to struggle with unemployment as high as 23% this month.

The smiling Hassett seemed blithely calm about an unemployment rate “north of 20%” in May, which may be higher in June and will likely be in the double digits by November, he said.

Critics on Twitter didn’t take to Hassett’s terminology — or the fact that workers will be bringing up the caboose again while potentially risking their lives if there’s a second COVID-19 spike, which Hassett didn’t even acknowledge.
https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/kevin-hasset-economy-human-capital-stock-133549862.html




Yes and that’s the question we need to keep asking ourselves – what could go wrong? Well I know that our president isn’t taking this seriously. How do I know that? Just take a look at his Twitter feed – this was an actual tweet by the president of the United States. Oh how I wish I could say I am making this up.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1264748330594287622



If there ever was an argument for why we need education, just remember that this guy is the president of the United States! Seriously he’s President Kevin Malone. And what else could go wrong you might ask? Well let’s look at barbers, people have been using the haircut as a symbol of coronavirus freedom, but guess what? Well..

Two hairstylists who tested positive for COVID-19 may have exposed 140 customers to the virus.

The stylists worked at the same Great Clips salon location in Springfield, Missouri.

One COVID-positive stylist continued going to work despite experiencing symptoms of the virus for eight days, exposing 84 clients and seven colleagues, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department announced Friday.

A second COVID-positive stylist at the salon “potentially directly exposed” 56 more clients after working for five days while “experiencing very mild symptoms," health department officials said.

The business was legally open in accordance with Missouri’s reopening guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The stylists and their clients were wearing face coverings, a policy that was enforced by the Great Clips staff.
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/trending/coronavirus-two-hairstylists-expose-140-clients-covid-19/EPUKPN7XDNCELGTB7RJO5TTPK4/




Holy shit! From two hairstylists to nearly 140 customers! That is, um, to put it scientifically, a shit hitting the fan level of infection. You know what else could go wrong? Well the lack of humans has wreaked havoc on the city animal population – something we may have to explore for a future Top 10 Investigates. But America’s rats, feral cats, pigeons, and other bottom feeders are going to have a rough time while Americans continue to social distance.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned of “unusual or aggressive” behavior in American rats as a consequence of more than two months of human lockdown for city-dwelling rodents who now find themselves unable to dine out on restaurant waste, street garbage and other food sources.

Last month, according to the national health body, dumpster-diving rats were observed resorting to eating their young in the wake of urban shutdowns. “Community-wide closures have led to a decrease in food available to rodents, especially in dense commercial areas,” the CDC said in recently updated rodent-control guidelines.

“Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity as rodents search for new sources of food. Environmental health and rodent control programs may see an increase in service requests related to rodents and reports of unusual or aggressive rodent behavior.”

Elevated levels of rat aggression has been observed in New York, where there are increased reports of cannibalism and infanticide, and New Orleans, where unusual rat behavior was caught on CCTV. I turn the corner, there’s about 30 rats at the corner, feasting on something in the middle of the street,” Bourbon street tour guide Charles Marsala told CBS News...

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/25/us-city-lockdowns-rat-aggression-lack-food-waste




I can imagine that’s where this is going. But the other thing is that reopening America can be done if done properly, and that’s the narrative that governors like Newsom and Inslay are trying to convey, but it seems more people are willing to jump in the deep end than wade in the shallow end, especially since cases of CV have not gone down. Oh it’s going to get worse, so much worse. But if you do go out, consider the consequences!

Images of a jampacked pool party at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri over the Memorial Day weekend prompted St. Louis County to issue a travel advisory and the Kansas City health director to call for self-quarantine of the revelers.

The advisory by the St. Louis County Public Health Department cited news reports of large crowds at Lake of the Ozarks, where hundreds of people were recorded squeezed closely together amid the coronavirus epidemic.

"This reckless behavior endangers countless people and risks setting us back substantially from the progress we have made in slowing the spread of COVID

The health department expressed concern in its travel advisory that people from the St. Louis area were at Lake of the Ozarks over the weekend. "Any person who has travelled and engaged in this behavior should self-quarantine for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result for COVID-19," the advisory said.

Read more: https://www.today.com/health/missouri-health-officials-call-self-quarantine-partiers-lake-ozarks-t182413?cid=sm_npd_td_tw_ma






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[font size="8"]MAGA Protestors
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There’s no question that the Coronavirus outbreak has the potential to be the biggest disaster of a generation and could have social and economic consequences that will last way until the next century, even after eradication. So naturally the masses from both sides are getting pissed and we want some answers. But there’s only one side that is taking it to the streets and protesting in mass numbers. And they’re not wearing masks. OK maybe they are wearing masks as V For Vendetta characters. Which, if you explain them the true meaning of the movie, well… they might not take it so well. So how are the MAGA protests going? Let’s take a look at my home state of California where they’re going after Gov. Newsom hard.

A major protest rally against California Governor Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order began at the state Capitol Saturday morning, with more than 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Sacramento to demand lockdown measures be lifted.

The demonstration, called 'Liberty Fest,' has been touted by organizers as the country's largest Memorial Day weekend protest against lockdown measures put in place to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Hundreds of protesters gathered along the street across from the Capitol building before noon, some wearing t-shirts that read: "Resist. Rise. Revolt. Reopen."

Saturday's programming at the demonstration involved protesting, live music, barbecues and a tailgate party, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Reporters and officers at the scene wore masks, but most of the protesters did not, according to images shared to social media of the event. Many in attendance also failed to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guidelines on social distancing as they marched around the Capitol building.
https://www.newsweek.com/liberty-fest-protesters-gather-california-capitol-against-states-coronavirus-lockdown-memorial-1506196




Judging by their looks, I don’t think any of these men and women will be performing hunger strikes any time soon. Hey o!!! See what I did there? Of course we’re at the stage of the pandemic where we’re getting extremely restless. If you look at 1918, it was at this point where the dreaded second wave first started appearing, even as cases went down. So do you trade responsibility for freedoms? This is America, nobody wants to be responsible for anything!

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed many bustling routines into dull days. People have been advised to stay home, avoid non-essential travel to “flatten the curve,” and ensure COVID-19 doesn’t overwhelm the healthcare system. While a small minority, some in BC feel that these measurements are oppressive. In April and May, these protestors marched the streets of Vancouver, flailing their signs and screeching for BC to reopen. This is a dangerous and egocentric response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the public health measures meant to keep people safe.

While the anti-lockdown protests may be a result of mere ignorance or misunderstanding, they have tangible, negative effects on the containment of coronavirus. Not only do they fail to consider the capacity of our healthcare system and endanger the health of others by ignoring social distancing recommendations, these protests are also providing a platform that actively encourages others to do the same.

Studies have shown that coordination amongst individuals is necessary for quarantine restrictions to take effect. While the Vancouver protest in mid-April consisted of only a few people, a video of it received over 21,000 likes on Twitter. This gives a voice to those who are already skeptical of the COVID-19 pandemic and increases confirmation bias — a rejection of any information that disagrees with the preconceived notion that COVID-19 isn’t a threat. The resultant inability to gather information objectively normalizes doubt in health officials and creates further unrest about the perceived “oppressive” measures of the government.

Concerns about government overreach during these times aren’t necessarily unfounded. However, the belief that legitimate quarantine restrictions for public safety violates citizens’ rights to freedom is a fundamental misunderstanding of how our society functions.
https://the-peak.ca/2020/05/anti-lockdown-protests-ignore-social-responsibility-for-egotistical-freedom/




Just wait until that chant gets heard outside Sacramento! But the US isn’t the only country experiencing protests from the ultra far right. Of course I’ve mentioned frequently on this program that the ultra far right are the same no matter what country you visit. Remember when we used to visit other countries before the pandemic? That was nice. But let’s take a look at Spain for instance.

Thousands of people in Spain are protesting against the government's handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

The far-right Vox party urged supporters to drive through major cities without leaving their vehicles in order to maintain social distancing.

Protesters in the capital, Madrid, drove in convoy and waved Spanish flags as they called for socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to resign.

Spain imposed some of the tightest restrictions in Europe on 14 March.

It has eased restrictions in recent weeks, but Madrid and Barcelona have remained under tight lockdown due to their more severe outbreaks of Covid-19.

Both cities will begin to relax their curbs from Monday by allowing outdoor dining and gatherings of up to 10 people.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52783936




Hey MAGAs, conservatives, and Trump supporters – let me liberal ‘splain something for you – we both want the same thing! No one wants social distancing. No one wants to live in this weird, isolated world that we’ve become since the pandemic. We all want things to go back to the normal we had before the nightmare started. I want to go back to seeing movies, live shows and sports again. I want to resume traveling and touring again! But if you don’t follow the rules during the pandemic, there might not be a normal to return to! Especially if this guy gets his way!

In North Carolina, an anti-lockdown movement that has gained momentum since April took a new turn: The founder's husband said he wouldn't rule out violence to avoid coronavirus-related safety measures.

"Are we willing to kill people? Are we willing to lay our lives down? We have to say yes," Adam Smith, the husband of ReOpen NC leader and founder Ashley Smith, said in a series of videos on Friday. He deleted the videos after news outlet Raw Story began reporting on them.

"Is that violence? Is that terrorism? No, it's not terrorism," he continued. "I'm not trying to strike fear in people by saying, 'I'm going to kill you.' I'm gonna say, 'If you bring guns, I'm gonna bring guns. If you're armed with this, we're going to be armed with this.'"

ReOpen NC, a protest group that held demonstrations in five cities across the state on Monday, was formed less than two months ago, according to its social media page.
https://www.businessinsider.com/north-carolina-reopen-organizer-willing-to-kill-to-end-lockdown-2020-5





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[font size="8"]QAnon In The Senate
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Every fringe group has run candidates for office. Does it mean that they are successful in doing so? Well we finally got a Tea Party president after putting up with 10 years of their bullshit, so there is that. The latest fringe group is the Trump-worshipping cult that originated in the dark corners of the internet known as Q Anon. A conspiracy group that alleges that Trump is going to mass arrest many of his most prominent political opponents including former president Obama and Hillary Clinton. Now not only have they run a lunatic fringe candidate, they were successful in running said lunatic fringe candidate! Meet Jo Rae Perkins, who just won a very hotly contested primary in the state of Oregon. And well, she is definitely what the Q nuts look for.

Oregon Republicans nominated Albany financial adviser Jo Rae Perkins Tuesday to challenge Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley in November. Her Election Day address to voters ignited a social-media firestorm.

In a video posted on Perkins’ Twitter account, she expresses support for the QAnon conspiracy theory, which posits that a shadowy cabal of elites — often liberals — operates a global human trafficking ring, and engages in the ritualistic abuse and sacrifice of children. Many supporters claim President Donald Trump is carrying out a covert mission to break up the “deep state,” a term used to refer to the governmental portion of the “cabal,” and end the supposed trafficking ring.

“Where we go one, we go all,” Perkins says in the video, referencing a main slogan that has dominated internet forums associated with the conspiracy theory. “I stand with President Trump. I stand with ‘Q’ and the team.”

After her statements brought a wave of national attention, she appears to have retreated from her support and deleted the video from her Twitter account.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/after-social-media-firestorm-oregon-u-s-senate-nominee-backs-away-from-qanon-conspiracy-theory/




Yeah probably! The fact that a lunatic fringe cult could have someone in the US Senate is a very real and very frightening prospect. Sure there are cults both good and bad, but let’s say for this piece, that they’re mostly bad. Come on, everything from the Branch Davidians to Heaven’s Gate and now Q Anon, yeah, they’ve given us nothing but bad things.

Oregon held its primary election on Tuesday, a mostly ho-hum affair, with Joe Biden cruising to a win over Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential race and no incumbents facing any real tests either.

You'll notice I said that it was a "mostly" boring election, not an entirely boring election. In fact, Oregon Republicans did something very, very odd -- and potentially disastrous -- in choosing their nominee to take on Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley in November.

What they did is nominate Jo Rae Perkins, a financial adviser and self-professed QAnon conspiracy theorist. In a video posted to Twitter following her victory, Perkins said this:

"Where we go one, we go all. I stand with President Trump. I stand with Q and the team. Thank you Anons and thank you patriots -- and together we can save our republic."

What, you ask, is QAnon? It's a broad-scale Internet-based conspiracy theory begun in early 2017 that is based on a belief that there is a high-level government official -- "Q" -- who sprinkles clues on internet message boards like 4chan and 8chan about a massive "deep state" conspiracy (or series of conspiracies) at work in the country.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/20/politics/jo-rae-perkins-qanon-jeff-merkley/index.html




Yeah so when you see a MAGA follower on Twitter spouting slogans like WW1WGA and promoting pro-Trump conspiracies, you can almost guarantee that they are an unhinged lunatic! But even Trump himself is upping the war on the conspiracy front. You can see this on Twitter where he is attempting to peg Joe Scarborough for an alleged murder that happened 19 years ago. Now do the 100,000 who have died from COVID. No conspiracy there.

Who knows these days precisely what reaction President Donald Trump expects from the world when he opens his mouth?

Always a prolific tweeter, over the past three days he’s gone off like a pack of Mentos dropped in a Diet Coke, tweeting up a foam about “Obamagate,” Joe Scarborough, Meet the Press’ mistake, the opening of his golf courses, his picks in congressional races and more. He’s even retweeted QAnon-related accounts. On Monday afternoon, Trump brought his magnifying mania to his press conference in the Rose Garden. Staged against a backdrop of four U.S. flags and a pair of posters, the event looked more like a campaign rally than a presser. “America Leads the World in Testing,” the twin posters stated, and each featured a printed U.S. flag for heraldic emphasis. It would not have been out of place had an official entered from the wings and placed a gold medal around Trump’s neck and a laurel wreath on his blondish mop.

Trump’s opening comments did not match the celebratory theatrics of the set design. Except for a single calculated line, “We have met the moment and we have prevailed,” the remarks were the usual barge-full of sloshing Trumpspeak. Not even a fireworks display could have given the moment the elevation Trump appeared to seek. When the time finally came for reporters to grill him, Trump did not field—and could not possibly have expected to have fielded—the “congratulations, great job“ queries he has said in the past that he deserves. Instead, reporters asked, as they frequently do, and should do, direct questions about making testing available to all Americans on demand, not just White House staffers.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/05/12/donald-trumps-conspiracy-theories-for-junkies-252210




Yeah that is some serious crazy there! But here’s the thing, to understand Q, you must… well I am not exactly going to advocate going to 4chan and becoming a member so you can explore the depths of their insanity, because you will not be able to comprehend it. But considering we have a president who loves him some conspiracy theories and an internet willing to promote them, having someone in the Senate could be a disaster. Remember the good old days when conspiracy theories were just about Bigfoot and Area 51?

The origins of QAnon are recent, but even so, separating myth from reality can be hard. One place to begin is with Edgar Maddison Welch, a deeply religious father of two, who until Sunday, December 4, 2016, had lived an unremarkable life in the small town of Salisbury, North Carolina. That morning, Welch grabbed his cellphone, a box of shotgun shells, and three loaded guns—a 9-mm AR-15 rifle, a six-shot .38‑caliber Colt revolver, and a shotgun—and hopped into his Toyota Prius. He drove 360 miles to a well-to-do neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C.; parked his car; put the revolver in a holster at his hip; held the AR-15 rifle across his chest; and walked through the front door of a pizzeria called Comet Ping Pong.

Comet happens to be the place where, on a Sunday afternoon two years earlier, my then-baby daughter tried her first-ever sip of water. Kids gather there with their parents and teammates after soccer games on Saturdays, and local bands perform on the weekends. In the back, children challenge their grandparents to Ping-Pong matches as they wait for their pizzas to come out of the big clay oven in the middle of the restaurant. Comet Ping Pong is a beloved spot in Washington.

That day, people noticed Welch right away. An AR-15 rifle makes for a conspicuous sash in most social settings, but especially at a place like Comet. As parents, children, and employees rushed outside, many still chewing, Welch began to move through the restaurant, at one point attempting to use a butter knife to pry open a locked door, before giving up and firing several rounds from his rifle into the lock. Behind the door was a small computer-storage closet. This was not what he was expecting.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/06/qanon-nothing-can-stop-what-is-coming/610567/





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Parallel Universes
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines. This is Top 10 Investigates!



One question that man kind has asked since the beginning is “are we alone in the universe?”. While the military may have recently answered that question, there are still many other questions that need to be answered. Parallel universes are a concept as old as science fiction itself – imagine an entire universe completely identical to ours, only one tiny aspect of it might have been changed, such as time or hair color, or say people’s language. But what happens when science fiction and actual science collide? We dig deeper into this story and there may be more to it than people think. Last week NASA scientists working in the Antarctic might have actually discovered that one such parallel universe may actually exist. And it has one rather bizarre trait that makes it different from ours.

Science fiction and actual science may be aligning. That’s because NASA scientists have discovered something they can’t explain any way other than that they may have found evidence of a parallel universe.

This discovery was made by the NASA-sponsored research group Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna, or ANITA. The group was funded for $35 million in 2003 to look for and study “ghostly particles that fill the universe,” according to NASA. The project uses a specially made balloon that “detects radio waves emitted when high-energy neutrinos interact in the Antarctic ice shelf,” NASA reported. The mission is being led by Peter W. Gorham of the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu.

According to New Scientist, the balloon, which holds antennae, would go up for a month and scan thousands of miles of antarctic air looking for high-energy particles coming down from space. After two flights over more than two years, the results only yielded brief moments of background noise but nothing else.

During the balloon’s third flight, scientists decided to look over the data from the previous flights again — specifically at the random noises it recorded. What they discovered, according to New Scientist, was something impossible. The signal wasn’t coming down from space but up from the ground.
https://heavy.com/news/2020/05/nasa-finds-evidence-of-parallel-universe/




So there is a possibility that that universe could exist! But what caused the parallel universe and what could make NASA draw that conclusion? Well it was a very well timed experiment to measure the air pressure on the south pole. But however, this parallel universe has one unique trait in that time actually runs backwards. Does this mean that we can live in a world where COVID-19 doesn’t exist?

Abed may have been onto something in Community when he said he couldn't let go of the idea of parallel timelines, some darker than others. Sure, there's an explanation to be had with Schroedinger's equation within the logic of the show and the dice roll that created those universes, but researchers believe they've found evidence of the potential for a parallel universe in high-energy particles found in Antarctica, according to New Scientist.

The researchers were perplexed by "a fountain of high-energy particles erupting from the ice" in Antarctica at NASA's Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA). The phenomenon detected is "in pretty strong tension with the standard model of physics," University of Hawaii Physics and Astronomy Professor Peter Gorham said in 2018. These high-energy particles arrive from space, but cannot pass through the solid mass of the Earth. Yet, instead of detecting these particles coming from space or reflecting off the ice, ANITA has found them coming up from the ice. Low-energy neutrinos, per New Scientist, can pass through solid matter like the Earth, but that's not the case with high-energy neutrinos.

ANITA is a stratospheric balloon designed to detect cosmic-ray showers through radio-wave signals as they bounce up or down off the ice. It turns "an entire continent... into a gigantic neutrino telescope." ANITA has twice detected a "fountain" of high-energy particles coming up from the Earth's surface in years past, with the first time occurring in 2016. The rays resemble an "upside-down cosmic-ray shower," says Gorham. "What we saw is something that looked just like a cosmic ray, as seen in reflection off the ice sheet, but it wasn't reflected," he says. "It was as if the cosmic ray had come out of the ice itself. A very strange thing."
https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/nasa-detects-parallel-universe-antarctica-cosmic-ray-shower




So why Antarctica? Well time there apparently moves at glacier levels, and NASA was testing to see how ice travels through space. The indication of natural water (H2O) on another planet may be an indicator of the fact that another planet out there could possibly sustain life. It’s also a place where high energy particles from space could give glimpses of life on another planet. But could life exist on another planet or is it something tangible? There are more questions than answers.

IN THE Antarctic, things happen at a glacial pace. Just ask Peter Gorham. For a month at a time, he and his colleagues would watch a giant balloon carrying a collection of antennas float high above the ice, scanning over a million square kilometres of the frozen landscape for evidence of high-energy particles arriving from space.

When the experiment returned to the ground after its first flight, it had nothing to show for itself, bar the odd flash of background noise. It was the same story after the second flight more than a year later.

While the balloon was in the sky for the third time, the researchers decided to go over the past data again, particularly those signals dismissed as noise. It was lucky they did. Examined more carefully, one signal seemed to be the signature of a high-energy particle. But it wasn’t what they were looking for. Moreover, it seemed impossible. Rather than bearing down from above, this particle was exploding out of the ground.

That strange finding was made in 2016. Since then, all sorts of suggestions rooted in known physics have been put forward to account for the perplexing signal, and all have been ruled out. What’s left is shocking in its implications. Explaining this signal requires the existence of a topsy-turvy universe created in the same big bang as our own and existing in parallel with it. In this mirror world, positive is negative, left is right and time runs backwards.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24532770-400-we-may-have-spotted-a-parallel-universe-going-backwards-in-time/




Maybe that universe exists too. So this research has been going on for the last four years. But have scientists finally been able to make a breakthrough? Could we actually be living in the possibility that parallel universes exist? If so is there a universe out there in which COVID doesn’t exist? Or a universe in which there’s a cure for COVID? Well you may be disappointed for now because that didn’t happen, or did it? The truth is out there!

Bad news first: 2020. Literally all of it. Every second. Every waking moment of 2020. It's grim, I know. Bushfires, pandemic, murder hornets. When will it end?

But the good news: Apparently, scientists have discovered a parallel universe, just like our own. It's a little different to ours though. In this mirror world, time runs backward. It's like a Benjamin Button universe. That means they're heading back to 2019, the good ol' days, right?

Well, now more bad news: I'm here to spoil the parallel universe party. Scientists haven't actually discovered a parallel universe, but you might think they have, based on multiple reports from across the web.

In the last few days a number of publications have suggested scientists "found evidence" for a parallel universe where time runs backward. These mind-bending articles posit that an experiment in Antarctica detected particles that break the laws of physics. All the reports pull from the same source of information: A pay-walled report by New Scientist on April 8 titled "We may have spotted a parallel universe going backwards in time."
https://www.cnet.com/news/no-nasa-didnt-find-a-parallel-universe-where-time-runs-backward/




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.




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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair congregation! Guess what? We are now considered an essential business! Well, in the eyes of the unholy, ungodly Dark One, whose name shall not be spoken in my church, thinks so! But guess what? He is the president of the United States, and if he says so then we should all partake no matter what the consequences are, right? Look, we all want to get back to our pre-virus lives. And I can’t think of one person sitting in our virtual pew who doesn’t think that. We all had plans before the Great Pandemic shut them down. And I can’t wait to see you all in the flesh again. But that’s not what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want right now is it? No, he would want us to be alive through this so he can see us all in eternity!!!

Gov. Gavin Newsom and California health officials on Monday released guidelines for places of worship to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, while “strongly” recommending that churches continue to hold services remotely.

The state in the morning shared a 13-page document that contains rules, regulations and recommendations that places of worship should abide by once they are cleared by their counties’ health departments to resume in-person services.

For at least the first 21 days after each county revises its public health order to allow church activity to resume, the state is requiring that places of worship “limit attendance to 25 percent of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower.” After those three weeks, the state and county public health departments will consult and review the effect of this limit and reassess.

Aside from the occupancy limit and several sanitation rules, the document largely lacks strict requirements and instead includes dozens of strong recommendations for church staff and congregants.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article242978146.html




Oh come on what’s the fun of church when you have things like regulations and social distancing to put up with? Yeah sure, the threat of the virus still lingers and as long as it does we are all sitting ducks for this thing. And what will a socially distant church look like? Or will it look like the way GAWD and JAYSUS intended? With a huge crowd and everyone singing and dancing like we’re in the Blues Brothers? I am guessing more the former than the latter.

The rush to reopen churches has become the latest front in the coronavirus culture wars.

President Donald Trump has declared places of worship "essential" during the pandemic and said he'd override governors if they didn't allow in-person services. Analysts have countered he doesn't have the constitutional authority to do that.

But long before Trump ordered churches reopened -- and long after how this battle plays out politically -- some ministers and congregations have and will likely continue to defy state mandates. Because for many of them, the reasons go beyond partisan politics.

For the most part, American mosques and temples have not wrestled with the question of whether to hold services or not.
But for many Christian churches, the issue goes straight to what they view as their constitutional right to free exercise of religion.

If restaurants and shopping malls are allowed to reopen under certain safety protocols, the argument goes, then churches should be too.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/24/us/churches-reopening-state-orders-trnd/index.html




I do now see the light oh LAWRD!!! Because now that churches are essential business, that means that I can go take my show back on the road right? But there’s a smart way to open and there’s also a ridiculously dumb way to open. Just look at Minnesota where they can reopen but the question remains – should they reopen? Things will look very different if they do.

Many Minnesota religious leaders remain wary of reopening their doors to congregants amid the coronavirus outbreak, despite a new order from Gov. Tim Walz that allows services to resume under special pandemic precautions.

Walz responded to pressure from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and other religious groups Saturday in allowing places of worship to reopen at 25% of normal seating capacity, effective just before midnight Tuesday. Archbishop Bernard Hebda lauded the move as a "breakthrough" that will allow Catholic services to resume Wednesday.

Other religious leaders, and the mayors of both St. Paul and Minneapolis, say the risks in resuming religious services are still great, especially to vulnerable populations.

"It is irresponsible to be inviting people right now to worship within the walls of our congregation's building," the Rev. Timothy Hart-Andersen, senior pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis, wrote in an e-mail.

The 42 rabbis of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association were unanimous in saying they will not yet gather or open their religious facilities for regular activity, because it's safer to keep worshiping at home since "the peak of COVID-19 has yet to come."
https://www.startribune.com/many-churches-in-minnesota-remain-wary-of-reopening/570737162/




Yes, et cetera, et cetera! Look, we all can’t wait to get back to normal life because I’m sure that’s what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would have intended! I can’t wait to take my show on the road again for you all! But of course leave it to the unholy, ungodly DARK ONE, whose name shall not be spoken in my church, to screw things up. Because boy did he screw this one up badly!

This comes amid pressure to allow in-person religious services from protesters and President Trump, who are demanding that governors take action immediately.

But while some believe not allowing places of worship to reopen is a violation of First Amendment rights, others like Taylor disagree.

“I don’t want to rush back just to say we can rush back. I know a lot of people are saying I have the right to do what I want, I have the right to not wear a mask and you know I have rights to all of these things," he said. "I’m less concerned about my rights and more concerned about being a good neighbor. I don’t want to open up a church or anything just because I have the right. I want it to be healthy for all.”

Taylor attends Our Father's House of Worship in Spring Valley. His Pastor, Joshua Rios, is spreading messages of faith in new ways during the stay-at-home order. Using online platforms, like Facebook and YouTube, Rios is staying connected to his church family during COVID-19.

He wants churches, mosques, and synagogues to reopen so that those who wish to gather can do so.

However, it must be done with health and safety in mind.
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/the-other-side-of-churches-reopening/2331855/




I have seen the light too! Of course I am a pastor. But religious and godly people, your religious rights are not being tramped on in this bizarre time we are living. You just don’t need a building to gather in until they are done. Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]What’s Up With China: Hong Kong Protests
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It’s time to ask “What’s Up With China?”. And there’s a lot that’s up. The country that the entire world is pegging responsible for the coronavirus is up to its’ usual old bag of tricks. Folks I don’t need to remind you about the dire straits that the entire world is in right now with no foreseeable end to the pandemic anytime soon. But if you think things are bad here, it’s nothing compared to what is going on in China. Well last year as you know, Hong Kong separatists threatened to secede from mainland China over the rule of their supreme leader Xi Jianping. Well, the coronavirus forced most of China’s Hong Kong protestors back in their homes and underground. So how are the Chinese and in particular Hong Kong getting around these strict new security measures?

The world is now at war with the coronavirus. Nations all around the world have resorted to using digital surveillance to fight the pandemic, but this might require members of society to give up several rights. Is the world ready to embrace this new norm?

States have been trying to increase control over society through information technologies. This development, however, is limited by the legal systems of many nations that require human rights
to be respected. Nevertheless, states often shift balance between rights of people and security in favour of the latter.

This process is developing very slowly and has somewhat changed over the course of the past decade.
The pandemic has led to serious measures by governments to control a sufficiently large group of people or a whole country by using technology. In some places, personal gadgets such as smartphones are used to track movements. For instance, Taiwan is using a mobile phone-based technology that notifies authorities when a person under quarantine has left their residence or has turned off his or her telephone. Similar practices are being used in Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Israel and other countries. Though this technology could be used to fight the virus, at the same time it could be used for political gain or even total surveillance.

Tracking technology may be used to reduce and finally break the chain of infection. It has worked well in two of the initially most-affected nations, China and South Korea.
https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3085587/coronavirus-fight-leans-digital-surveillance-beware-risks-civil




While we’re watching the horror of the possibility of a police state unfolding in Hong Kong, don’t think for a minute that it can’t happen here. So how is China getting around such extreme measures? By the way of VPNs! The VPN is of course one of the most commonly used hacking tools known to man and it doesn’t take a super genius to be able to figure out how to use one. This could get very ugly very quickly.

VPN downloads in Hong Kong have soared following the news that China will propose a new national security law that will give it even greater control over the city.

NordVPN, Surfshark and ProtonVPN are just a few of the VPN providers whose apps are quickly moving up the charts in the top free apps section in the Google Play Store in Hong Kong.

Unlike in China where residents rely on VPN services to get around the country's Great Firewall, Hong Kong currently maintains an open internet with few restrictions on free speech online. Many foreign social networks and services including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more that are blocked in China are legal in Hong Kong, though residents fear they may not be for long.

China's new national security law is expected to pass when the country's parliament holds its annual meeting from May 22 to May 28. Privacy advocates are concerned that the law could lead to increased surveillance and censorship in Hong Kong, hence the rush by residents to download VPNs.
https://www.techradar.com/news/vpn-downloads-soar-following-new-china-law




Yeah how do you get answers? And how do you even know what they want? In the quest for absolute power, the only country that is reigning supreme on this is of course our good friends in China. They’re Trump’s very fine people on both sides, don’t you know? Oh wait, wrong rally. But there is some good news is that the Hong Kong protestors vow to keep on protesting because they need all the help they can get right now.

After a months-long break due to the coronavirus pandemic, tear gas returned to the streets of central Hong Kong Sunday, as police clashed with protesters over a proposed national security law.

Sunday's march was the first opportunity many Hong Kongers had to respond to the revelation last week that China's National People's Congress (NPC) -- the country's rubber-stamp parliament -- will bypass Hong Kong's legislature to impose sweeping anti-sedition laws that could drastically undermine civil liberties in the semi-autonomous city.

From the get go, however, it was clear the authorities had no intention of tolerating the protest, which had not received police permission. As crowds gathered in the Causeway Bay shopping district, they were met by an exceptionally large police presence and warnings that any protest would be in violation of both the city's public order laws and coronavirus social distancing measures.

Hong Kong police were roundly criticized over their heavy-handed tactics last year, including most recently by a former member of a government-sponsored panel looking into the protests. On Sunday it was not just the force police used -- tear gas, baton charges, and water cannon against unarmed, mostly peaceful protesters -- but also the speed at which they deployed it. The first round of tear gas was fired within 25 minutes of the proposed start time for the march.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/25/asia/hong-kong-china-national-security-law-intl-hnk/index.html




Oh come on people stop rabbling! Hey look the masses are getting restless! But here’s the thing, as I keep saying on this program, we are the human race and we don’t like being told what to do. And how do you police in an increasingly authoritarian state when people want their freedoms? And we also want to be free of this wretched virus. Well, strap in because things are going to get extremely ugly in the next couple of years. I wouldn’t want to be Hong Kong right now!

Taiwan will provide the people of Hong Kong with “necessary assistance”, President Tsai Ing-wen has said, after a resurgence in protests in the Chinese-ruled territory against newly proposed national security legislation from Beijing.

Taiwan has become a refuge for a small but growing number of pro-democracy protesters fleeing Hong Kong, which has been convulsed since last year by protests.

Hong Kong police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of people who rallied on Sunday to protest against Beijing’s plan to impose national security laws on the city.

Writing on her Facebook page late on Sunday, Tsai said the proposed legislation was a serious threat to Hong Kong’s freedoms and judicial independence.

Bullets and repression are not the way to deal with the aspirations of Hong Kong’s people for freedom and democracy, she added.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/25/taiwan-promises-support-for-hong-kongs-people-china-national-security-law





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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner: 5Gs To Freedom
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Welcome back to the segment where we read people’s minds and attempt to debunk the latest in batshit crazy, Conspiracy Corner! Just allow me to adjust my trusty tin foil hat for maximum government interference… OK good! Just got to check outside to make sure there’s no Illuminati owned black helicopters circling overhead. We’re good to go! Hey look people, I don’t know how much clearer I can say this. STOP DESTROYING 5G CELL PHONE TOWERS! They are here for your communication benefits, not to give you coronavirus! Where is this shit coming from? But the thing is if we attempt to trace the origins of the latest batshit crazy theory to emerge from the darkest corners of the internet, it might melt your brain! But that’s where we come in!

About 1 in 5 adults in England believe the coronavirus is to some extent a hoax, according to research on conspiracy theories by the University of Oxford.

In addition, researchers found nearly 3 out of 5 adults in England believe the government is misleading them to some extent about the cause of the virus, and nearly 1 in 10 strongly agree that China developed the coronavirus to destroy the West — which is utterly false.

"A disconcertingly high number of adults in England do not agree with the scientific and governmental consensus on the coronavirus pandemic," the researchers found.

The research was based on surveys of 2,500 adults earlier this month and published in the journal, Psychological Medicine.

Lead researcher and psychology professor Daniel Freeman said the pandemic has the necessary ingredients to fuel conspiracy theories, including sustained threat and enforced change. He added that those who believe conspiracy theories are less likely to follow government guidance designed to save lives.
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/22/860947708/1-in-5-in-england-think-the-coronavirus-is-a-hoax




Yeah so look I get it, we all want answers into why the Coronavirus has grounded society to a halt and turned our lives upside down and inside out. But destruction of property definitely isn’t what we need right now. Especially when it’s something that’s designed to, I don’t know, make our lives easer? But the relentless destruction of 5G cell phone towers isn’t the only side effect of stupid when it comes to coronavirus conspiracy theories. Yeah the virus is here to stay until we find a vaccine, but so is 5G.

In the 1970s, the bogeyman was power lines. Low-frequency electromagnetic fields were emanating from them all the time, and a shocking 1979 study suggested that children who developed cancer lived near power lines “unduly often.” Around the same time, because of Cold War panic about radiation in general, televisions and microwave ovens also became a possible human health catastrophe. Later, concern bubbled up around a slew of other household appliances, including hair dryers and electric blankets.

Now the advance of cellphones and, more recently, the new high-speed networks built to serve them have given rise to a paranoid coalition who believe to varying degrees in a massive cover-up of deleterious harm. The devices are different, but the fears are the same: The radiation from the things we use every single day is destroying us; our modern world is a colossal mistake. The stakes are about as high as they could possibly be: If it were true that our cellphones were causing brain tumors, that our wireless devices were damaging our DNA, and that radiation emanating from cell towers was sickening us in any untold number of ways, this would be the greatest human health disaster the world has ever known. As well as, perhaps, its greatest capitalist conspiracy.

It’s too big to be true. The science is confusing, but the World Health Organization, noting decades of research, has found no significant health risks from low-level electromagnetic fields. Yet amid a broader tech backlash—against screens, against social media, against power consolidating in a handful of companies, against a technology industry that rolls out new products and protocols faster than we can keep up or argue with, against the general fatigue and malaise associated with a life spent typing and scrolling—it’s just big enough to seem, to many, like the obvious explanation for so much being wrong.

A wildly disorienting pandemic coming at the same time as the global rollout of 5G—the newest technology standard for wireless networks—has only made matters worse. “5G launched in CHINA. Nov 1, 2019. People dropped dead,” the singer Keri Hilson wrote in a now-deleted tweet to her 4.2 million followers in March. As the coronavirus spread throughout Europe, fears about 5G appear to have animated a rash of vandalism and arson of mobile infrastructure, including more than 30 incidents in the U.K. in just the first 10 days of April. In the case of one arson attack in the Netherlands, the words “Fuck 5G” were reportedly found scrawled at the scene. Mobile- and broadband-infrastructure workers have also reported harassment and threats from deluded citizens: A recent Wired UK report detailed an instance in which a London network engineer was spit on; he later contracted an illness that was suspected to be the coronavirus.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/05/great-5g-conspiracy/611317/




Ah!!! Of course I should have known that it was Infowars behind this! However, the Coronavirus isn’t the only thing that’s crossed international waters in the last few months. You know what else has? Rampant, unwavering stupidity! You know one of the bigger threats to humanity right now that isn’t the coronavirus? It’s rampant online disinformation and extremist stupidity! Verizon and AT&T had better be having some maximum security around their towers in the next few months because it’s gonna get weird.

What started as a bizarre and bogus conspiracy theory involving the novel coronavirus in Britain has apparently crossed the Atlantic Ocean, U.S. law enforcement officials believe, and they are now increasingly worried about the possibility for real-world violence.

“We assess conspiracy theories linking the spread of COVID-19 to the expansion of the 5G cellular network are inciting attacks against the communications infrastructure globally and that these threats probably will increase as the disease continues to spread, including calls for violence against telecommunications workers,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported Wednesday in an intelligence report obtained by ABC News.

“Violent extremists have drawn from misinformation campaigns online that claim wireless infrastructure is deleterious to human health and helps spread COVID-19, resulting in a global effort by like-minded individuals to share operational guidance and justification for conducting attacks against 5G infrastructure, some of which have already prompted arson and physical attacks against cell towers in several US states,” the report concluded.

The assessment was followed on Thursday by a joint intelligence bulletin issued by the FBI, DHS and the National Counterterrorism Center. Both documents were distributed to senior federal officials and law enforcement agencies around the country.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/feds-warn-attacks-related-bogus-covid-19-conspiracy/story?id=70721145




And by the way let’s examine for a minute that a major pandemic happens about once every 40 – 50 years in our society that changes the way we do things. Coronavirus is just the latest in a long string of 20th and 21st century pandemics including polio, the Spanish Flu, and HIV. And when a pandemic like this hits, you can bet that conspiracy theories are sure to follow! But if we unmask the situation, who’s responsible for this? Is it China? No, it could be Russia! And they would have got away with it too if not for those meddling kids!

As the Covid-19 pandemic swept the globe in early 2020, a conspiracy theory about the disease went viral on social media: The genesis of the illness, proponents claim, was not the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Instead, this pandemic was actually caused by the introduction of 5G broadband, and radiation from cell towers equipped with the technology is the real culprit.

It doesn’t take Dr. Fauci to know that conspiracy theories have always been a predictable symptom of pandemics. More than a century ago, the truthers of the day tried to blame a deadly influenza outbreak on a similar technological innovation.

On January 31, 1890, the European edition of the New York Herald ran an item suggesting that the electric light was somehow responsible for a global influenza outbreak. After all, “the disease has raged chiefly in towns where the electric light is in common use,” the article noted, and went on to note that the disease “has everywhere attacked telegraph employees.”

The illness in question was the first modern influenza pandemic, known as the Russian flu or “La Grippe.” The disease likely emerged somewhere in the Russian Empire in 1889 and quickly spread around the world in successive waves. It took only four months to hit every part of the globe, with the United States seeing its peak in January 1890. More than a million people (of the 1.5 billion on earth) were killed worldwide in that first wave.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2020/05/15/the-original-plandemic-unmasking-the-eerily-parallel-conspiracy-theories-behind-the-russian-flu-of-1889/#75b54a2a50d5





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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink: Varisty Blues Update
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Hey everyone it’s our last Top 10 of Season 8 and I could really use a drink!

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So of course you know by now that the idea behind this segment is that we get drunk and while we get drunk we talk about anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics. And also as of lately, the coronavirus. But since the coronavirus has taken away my set, my bartender, my audience, and my wait staff, we’re forced to sit here and drink alone, which makes this segment way less funny. So tell me virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about college admissions scandals? Oh come on, a 40 ouncer of Mickeys? Ah whatever, I’ll just take my usual Jack Daniels mixed with Jack Daniels. But we got to talk about this College Admissions thing, otherwise known as Operation Varsity Blues. I don’t want your life!!!

Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to their involvement in the “Operation Varsity Blues” college-admissions scandal Friday, May 22. On May 21, the Full House actress agreed to two months in prison, a $150,000 fine, and will have two years of supervised release with 100 hours of community service. Her husband, a fashion designer, will serve five months in prison, pay a $250,000 fine, and face two years of supervised release with 250 hours of community service, ABC News reports via the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts. Loughlin and Giannulli entered their guilty pleas, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and honest-services wire and mail fraud, respectively, over Zoom. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all sentencing hearings have been delayed for 30 days, landing theirs on August 21, 2020, per Deadline.

The couple is accused of “donating” $500,000 to William Singer, the operation’s central target, in order to get their daughter, influencer Olivia Jade, into USC. Loughlin and Giannulli are the 23rd and 24th suspects to plead guilty in the case, after initially fighting it, and more recently, filing to dismiss the charges. Last year, actress Felicity Huffman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest-services mail fraud in order to get her daughter a higher SAT score and served 11 days out of her 14-day sentence, regaining her freedom in October 2019. Now, it’s Aunt Becky’s turn. 2020 really has us asking: What ever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, beloved TV aunts not going to jail?
https://www.vulture.com/2020/05/lori-loughlin-plead-guilty-college-admissions-scandal.html




Yeah probably! So here’s the thing – only in America could you be uber rich and expect to get only a slap on the wrist when you commit something so heinous. Of course, October 2019 was a much simpler time before the coronavirus came along and destroyed our entire society as we know it. But some good news is that the people behind the insane scandal known as Operation Varsity Blues will get what is coming to them!

The day of reckoning that many speculated would eventually come has finally arrived: Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have agreed to plea guilty for their involvement in the 2019 college admissions scandal known as Operation Varsity Blues.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts, the couple that initially plead not guilty—and continued to dodge plea deals while not publicly expressing any remorse—has finally plead guilty to conspiracy charges, which totaled up to 20 years of prison. After pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, Loughlin received a two-month prison sentence, and after Giannulli plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud, he received a five-month prison sentence. The Full House actress is also receiving a $150,000 fine and 100 hours of community service, while her fashion designer husband will be fined $250,000 and 250 hours of community service. Both will face two years of supervised release after imprisonment.

Last year, they were accused of bribing a coach with $500,000 to get their daughters—beauty vlogger Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose Giannulli—into the University of Southern California. A fake athletic profile and a photo of their daughters posing as medal-winning crew team members was considered to be the smoking gun for their part in the nation-wide college entrance cheating scam.

The Giannullis weren't the only wealthy celebrity parents implemented in the scandal—Felicity Huffman allegedly spent $15,000 to pay someone to pretend to be her daughter so that they could take the SAT for her, and get her into college. After being charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services fraud, Huffman plead guilty and was sentenced to 14 days in jail, a $30,000 fine, a year of supervised release, and 250 hours of community service. She only ended up serving 12 days in jail, and was released early in October 2019.
https://www.wmagazine.com/story/lori-loughlin-pleads-guilty-operation-varsity-blues/




We’re gonna need a bigger wine glass! Of course I can’t wait to get out of this socially distant void and start drinking in public again. However, if you’re keeping score at home, you know 2020 threw us all into a loop with the coronavirus outbreak, and you might be wondering how can a rich woman like Lori Laughlin serve jail time? Well at least the judges have more common sense than the people behind this scandal do!

Two USC parents in the college admissions case who requested that their prison sentences be converted to home confinement due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus were denied in court Thursday after the court found they did not meet requirements for the modification.

Douglas Hodge and Michelle Janavs submitted motions last week alleging that their sentences for their roles in the Operation Varsity Blues scandal would pose a threat to their health in light of the increased contagion reported in federal prisons during the coronavirus pandemic. Janavs cited preexisting health conditions that would further increase the severity of her symptoms should she contract the virus. She quoted figures from the Bureau of Prisons showing increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in federal prisons, while Hodge stated that his age, 62 years, elevated his vulnerability to the virus.

In the order filed Thursday, the court acknowledged the defendants’ concerns of endangerment but stated that they had not yet exhausted all other means of modifying their sentences. Hodge and Janavs would not meet conditions for consideration of a sentence reduction regardless, the government argued in an opposition entered Tuesday, citing Janavs’ presentence physicals indicating good physical health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines about at-risk populations.

“Their motions should be denied for the separate reason that they cannot establish ‘extraordinary and compelling circumstances’ that would justify reduced sentences,” the opposition read. “BOP has instituted substantial policies and procedures to manage the pandemic and prevent the spread of infection.”
https://dailytrojan.com/2020/04/30/college-admissions-scandal-parents-denied-home-confinement-option/




So let that be a lesson to all you would-be scammers out there! Coronavirus does not exempt you from having to serve real jail! And come on, actresses and heiresses to the Hot Pocket fortune don’t get special treatment! Hey you know what would be really good with this drinking right now? Some Hot Pockets!

Hot Pockets heiress Michelle Janavs, ensnared in the sweeping college-admissions scandal, had her prison sentence — set to begin next week — delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Janavs, sentenced to five months behind bars for paying a fixer to get her daughters into the University of Southern California, had been ordered to surrender on Thursday but now may remain free until at least June 30, according to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton.

But the judge ruled against Janavs' bid to have her entire sentence served under house arrest.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented and continually evolving cause of concern and the Court is cognizant of the particular transmission risk in penitentiary facilities," Gorton wrote in a ruling handed down Thursday.

However, "this judge will not forfeit his obligation to impose a sentence that is warranted by a defendant's criminal conduct.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/prison-sentence-hot-pockets-heiress-convicted-college-admissions-scandal-delayed-n1198161





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[font size="8"]Stupidest State Round 4: The Finals
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Welcome back to the Stupidest State Championship! Yes, we managed to wade through the 2020 Stupidest State Season through the worst pandemic in an entire century! Next year we hope to bring you Stupidest State in our typical grand fashion. But it’s not about us. It’s about the States. Now let’s focus on the states that made it here. Last week, Michigan stopped underdog Idaho’s epic run to secure their first Flyover League title in franchise history. Over in the Layover League, Florida shocked the pundits and routed last year’s champion Alabama to advance to their second NFFSA title fight! We’re at the brand new Banc Of California Stadium for the action!

[font size="4"]Stupidest State: The Finals: Michigan Vs Florida[/font]

[font size="4"]Michigan:[/font]

So last week Michigan managed to stop Idaho’s epic run in their tracks. The only thing standing in their way is Florida. While the rest of the world stares in sheer horror at the lockdown protests going on in Michigan, what is it looking like as the state is slowly reopening? Here’s the thing. Michigan says that if people behave, the state will reopen. But the other thing is that people aren’t behaving, in any way, shape or form. What’s it going to look like when the state reopens? Well it is going to look much differently than it is right now.

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – A little boy with a mask around his neck scurried toward a storefront Friday afternoon in downtown Traverse City.

"Mask!" his mother yelled, from behind.

He paused. He raised the black mask over his face. And then ran into the store.

Up the street, a woman walked into the Cherry Republic store to an unfamiliar sight.

Instead of the smattering of cherry-themed free samples, ice cream cones and wine tasting, customers were greeted with a table of hand sanitizer, gloves and an employee making sure people wore masks.

The woman stepped back and took a photo. She wanted to chronicle this piece of "the year we'd like to all forget," she told the employee.
https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/05/if-people-are-willing-to-behave-we-have-a-chance-a-view-of-reopening-day-in-northern-michigan.html




Of course that’s a perfect world but we are the human race, and we don’t like being told what to do even if a highly contagious virus is spreading across the entire planet and ravaging everything that it comes across! Let’s pull back the curtains and find out what life is really like in some of these parts that aren’t exactly playing to the rules.

At 12:01 a.m. Friday, bars and restaurants in parts of northern Michigan were allowed to welcome guests inside for the first time in more than two months.

By 12:15, some 20 customers were already drinking at the Kal-Ho Lounge, a longtime shot-and-beer bar in the village of Kalkaska.

"Normally for Memorial Day, it's a slow weekend for us," said Kal-Ho owner Rob Schwartz, who has run the century-old bar since 2004 with his girlfriend, Kathy Sanborn, and eight employees. Before COVID-19 hit, the Kal-Ho was open 365 days a year.

"We've gotten a lot of calls," Sanborn said. "Even people as far as Indiana asking if we're going to be open (this weekend)."
https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/mark-kurlyandchik/2020/05/22/kalkaska-bar-kal-ho-lounge-reopens-coronavirus-michigan/5241859002/




Yeah so people are naturally saying “fuck it” to the COVID stay at home orders and doing their own thing, but it’s obviously having an effect on the governor. Wanna make it another month guys? Keep showing up at the Capitol armed with machine guns and making threats outloud. That kind of thing is going to get you nowhere!

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has extended Michigan’s stay-at-home order until June 12 and the state of emergency until June 19.

The stay-at-home order continues the closure of public places such as theaters, gyms and casinos to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Both executive orders were previously set to expire after May 28.

The Michigan Court of Claims ruled Thursday that Whitmer has the authority to keep the state under a state of emergency without legislative approval. Republican legislators sued Whitmer after she extended the state of emergency and stay-at-home orders without their approval.

Friday’s announcement comes on the day when restaurants, bars and retail are allowed to reopen at 50% capacity in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula.
https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2020/05/22/michigan-gov-whitmer-extends-stay-at-home-order-until-june-12-state-of-emergency-until-june-19/




[font size="4"]Florida:[/font]

Last year, Florida got trounced by Alabama in the second round early. This year they’re back and seeking revenge! How is Florida dealing with all the madness? Well of course they’re dealing with it in the most Florida way possible. Here’s the thing – as I said humans, especially Americans, don’t like being told what to do. And we’re certainly not going to let something like COVID get in the way of us having fun, even in America’s most penis shaped state.

Joe Cirulli has spent thousands of dollars in enhanced cleaning and sanitation practices for his chain of Florida gyms.

Cirulli, the founder of Gainesville Health and Fitness, said he’s spent the last two and a half months since his business closed due to the coronavirus outbreak researching and preparing to meet, and go beyond, rigorous health standards implemented by the state when it lifted its statewide gym closure on Monday, he said.

He ordered gallons of electrostatic cleaning supply to spray workout equipment daily, enough hand sanitizer and wipes to place throughout the entire gym and installed ultraviolet lighting in the air-conditioning systems to filter out additional bacteria, although health experts say UV lighting should not be used on people’s skin.

“We ordered everything, everything,” Cirulli said. “I don’t know how much more we can do, especially when the guy working on the air conditioning system told me if we do one more thing, we’ll be able to do surgery inside our clubs.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/23/coronavirus-texas-and-florida-gyms-reopen-with-more-sanitizer-fewer-customers-and-warnings-of-new-outbreaks.html




Yeah and Florida Man has been showing his true colors lately! I could go on and on about his achievements – both good and bad. Restrictions and social distancing be damned, people need to get their beach fix on! Sure everyone wants to get outside and see people and this virus has put a temporary stop to that. So who cares? Beach, yo!!!

Hundreds of people gathered at a popular Florida beach boardwalk and were seen partying and dancing despite social distancing restrictions imposed by the state to combat the coronavirus pandemic, authorities said Sunday.

Police responded, attempting to disperse the crowds along a beachside road in Daytona Beach that were there for an annual gathering that was not authorized by the local government this year.

Some fights broke out during the afternoon and police said a shooting also was reported outside a nearby convenience store, with two people taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds and four injured by shrapnel. Officers were not involved in the shooting.

“We got slammed. Disney is closed, Universal is closed. Everything is closed so where did everybody come with the first warm day with 50% opening? Everybody came to the beach,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said at a Sunday news conference.
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Police-respond-to-large-crowds-shooting-in-15292051.php




Overcrowded beaches and a shooting! Of course if you can’t go to Disneyworld then the beach is obviously your next option in Northern Florida. But in case you’re wondering if Florida can’t get any dumber than they already are, here’s how stunningly stupid Florida is. Northern Florida invaded Southern Florida as part of a ridiculously stupid plan. I mean… just…. Ah!!!!!! Guess we’re going right back to where we started!

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Massive crowds involving people from around the state converged on Daytona Beach on Saturday as part of what authorities think was a Memorial Day social media event that led to bridge closures and a lockdown.

The event, called "Orlando Invades Daytona," drew thousands to "the world's most famous beach," people spilled into the streets, making their way into the middle of State Road A1A and forcing the closure of the Ocean Walk area and some eastbound bridges.

"We were invaded by Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Orlando,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said.

Helicopter video from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office showed a person waving money. Chitwood thinks the person was making a music video.

Officers described people climbing on cars, others throwing cash as massive crowds shut down some heavily-trafficked routes.

When asked to disperse, police said crowds were compliant.
https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2020/05/24/2-injured-in-shooting-near-daytona-beach-boardwalk




[font size="4"]And The Winner Is:[/font]

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!! Florida is our 2020 Stupidest State! With a final score of 18, Florida sinks Michigan to advance to their second title! Final score – 108 – 90! Michigan, you put up a great run but you are no match for the almighty Florida! Cut that net guys, you earned it!



[font size="4"]Trophy Presentation & Statement From The Commissioner:[/font]

Congratulations to Florida! They are the winners of this year’s 2020 NFFSA Stupidest State finals! I know this year the virus turned our world completely upside down and we almost weren’t able to hold this contest this year. But we did it, and we will be back next year in hopefully the grand fashion that you’ve come to expect from the NFFSA! Florida you have earned this one and you are a shining example of conservative idiocy! Now let’s sing that song we all know and love!



[font size="4"]Locker Room Celebration:[/font]





[font size="4"]And now this: :[/font]
[font size="4"]King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard:[/font]

Folks, since we can’t have a live band to close out this season, we instead are going to have the next best thing! And now performing an excerpt from their brand new live album “Chunky Shranel”, give it up for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard!




Season 8 is done everybody! We made it through the first part of the Coronavirus pandemic and I want to thank my staff, my crew, the fans for everything! We wouldn’t have made it 8 seasons and nearly 5 years without you! Season 9 starts June 17th with hopefully a limited run at our new home in Burbank and we will be documenting Joe Biden’s road to victory! See you in two weeks!

Credits

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Initech Productions: Yes, We Got The Memo

May 20, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #8-18: Sometimes You Dont Want To Go Where Everyone Knows Your Name Editi


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #8-18: Sometimes You Don’t Want To Go Where Everyone Knows Your Name Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! So how you guys holding up at home? You doing good? Ah this fucking sucks, I can’t wait to go back out and do some live Top 10s again. But we’re here and not going crazy at the moment. This is our next to last edition of Season 8. We will be back for a Season 9 and a season 10. Not sure what is going to happen beyond that though. We’ve been covering nearly almost all of the Trump administration, which is insane. So last week, we lost the great Jerry Stiller who of course played George’s father Frank Costanza on Seinfeld. This week, we lost the late, great Fred Willard. Who has been in just a ton of great movies, like Best In Show, or This Is Spinal Tap, or Anchorman, or Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle. OK maybe the last one wasn’t so great, it was funny sure, but in the back end of Fred Willard’s catalogue there’s definitely some much better movies of his that you can watch. And he was a dude who could not only make people laugh, but he was My personal favorite is him in Anchorman where he is on the phone to his son’s principal’s office and says “Why I don’t know where he could have got a hold of German pornography.”. Ah that was a classic. Also Spinal Tap, you can’t forget the greatness of that film. Do I know where I am going with this? You bet your ass I don’t. OK enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver is back and explains how the Coronavirus is affecting the sports industry.



Man the GOP are really proving to be completely full of shit aren’t they? Not to mention stupid, classless and arrogant. So in the number one slot this week goes to Donald Trump (1). He’s apparently grown bored with Coronavirus and is shifting focus to his next wacky adventure – Space Force and locking up Obama, because, reasons. In the third slot this week is Wisconsin Republicans (2) and they clearly don’t give a shit about 87,000 Americans dying from Coronavirus and voted to fully open the state anyways. In the third slot this week is also Donald Trump and we’re going to talk about the alarming testimony from whistleblower Dr. Bright that took over the House and well, we’re seriously fucked. Taking the fourth slot this week is yet another guy who clearly doesn’t give a shit, and that’s Elon Musk (4), and we will talk about his quest to reopen the Tesla manufacturing facility in Fremont and his war with California. He crazy. In the fifth slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates. And this week, how is Coronavirus affecting the animal population? Well animals trapped in zoos are having a hard time getting the food they need, and China’s got a huge bamboo problem affecting the worldwide panda population. Taking the sixth slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit”, and is the Coronavirus the key to unleashing the next generation of the mark of the beast? Our resident pastor is going to go over one of the crazier conspiracy theories to come out of the Christian right. In slot #7, after giving what many are calling the worst high school graduation speech of all time, we add Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse to the ever-growing list of People Who Somehow Got Elected. Taking the 8th slot this week is a new edition of Conspiracy Corner (8) and we’re going to check out a new video promoting some ridiculous theories about coronavirus vaccines that, well, for lack of a better word, went viral. In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week, we have an all new “I Need A Drink”. And do we really need a spinoff of Jeremy Piven’s hot-headed super agent character Ari Gold from Entourage? I need a few drinks for this one. And finally it’s time for the Stupidest State Final Four! Idaho. Michigan. Florida. Alabama. Two of these teams will advance, one wins it all! Plus we’ve got some new music from a favorite band of mine, AWOLNATION! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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You know that old saying about how the cure is worse than the disease right? Well, Donald Trump, the guy who we are currently calling “president of the United States” has officially lost it. And with the coronavirus still ravaging society and wreaking havoc on our day to day lives, would you really trust the guy who tells us to drink bleach and stares at the sun during an eclipse? I mean shit this reeks of Papa John’s infamous 40 pizzas in 30 days interview (see Top 10 #7-21 ). But when you’ve got a president who simply doesn’t give a flying fuck about things like health or science, would you trust him with a cure for this thing?

President Donald Trump said Monday that he has been taking anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine daily for over a week to prevent coronavirus infection even though it is not yet a proven treatment.

“I happen to be taking it,” Trump said during a roundtable event at the White House. “A lot of good things have come out. You’d be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the front-line workers. Before you catch it. The front-line workers, many, many are taking it.”

He added: “I’m taking it, hydroxychloroquine. Right now, yeah. Couple of weeks ago, I started taking it. Cause I think it’s good, I’ve heard a lot of good stories.”

Trump also said that he is taking zinc, and that he has taken an initial dose of azithromycin, or Z-Pak.

White House physician Dr. Sean Conley released a memo Monday evening, which said that after discussing evidence for and against hydroxychloroquine with Trump, they concluded “the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/18/trump-says-he-takes-hydroxychloroquine-to-prevent-coronavirus-infection.html




That is a good question sir! What is wrong with him? Does this mean that he’s got the virus and requires treatment? It’s no secret that COVID is probably crawling all over the White House with two Pence staffers testing positive. But at least even Pence, for all his flaws, has more sense than our president does, and that’s saying something. And then Nancy Pelosi had to weigh in on the subject, and well, it was a thing of beauty!

In response to the shocking news that President Donald Trump is taking hydroxychloroquine in an attempt to ward off the coronavirus, CNN's Anderson Cooper asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi what she made of that decision.

Here's what she said:

"As far as the President is concerned, he's our President and I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group and in his, shall we say, weight group -- morbidly obese, they say. So, I think it's not a good idea."

Which raises an interesting question: Is Trump actually morbidly obese? (Twitter was taken by that question Tuesday morning, with both #PresidentPlump and #TrumpMorbidlyObese" trending.)

Let's start here: The CDC doesn't actually use the term "morbidly obese" at all.
Generally speaking, it defines obesity as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher. (BMI is calculated by taking "a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters," according to the CDC website.) Within "obese," the CDC has three distinctions: 1) Those with a BMI between 30 and 35 2) those with a BMI between 35 and 40 and 3)those with a BMI over 40, which the CDC categorizes as having "extreme" or "severe" obesity.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/19/politics/nancy-pelosi-donald-trump-fat-hydroxychloroquine/index.html




Yeah let it all hang out there! By the way if you want to see where your state’s governor ranks on how they’ve been handling this seemingly never-ending crisis, then one thing is for certain – 49 of the 50 governors all have better approval ratings than Trump did. Oh and in case you’re wondering where this is leading, Trump is already bored with Coronavirus and has moved onto his next wacky adventure – conquering space with his shiny new toy, er branch of the military – Space Force!

The U.S. Space Force — the newest branch of the armed services — now has its own flag.

Defense Department officials presented President Donald Trump with the Space Force flag during a short Oval Office event on Friday. The dark blue and white flag includes elements intended to evoke the vast recesses of outer space.

The Space Force, which was officially established in December, is the first new military service since the U.S. Air Force was established in 1947. The 16,000 airmen and civilians that make up the Space Force technically remain part of the Air Force, which previously oversaw offensive operations in space. But Trump has made clear he sees the newest service as critical to the future of American defense.

The president said during Friday's ceremony that the U.S. is building a “super-duper missile” that can travel “17 times faster than what we have right now.”
https://www.syracuse.com/us-news/2020/05/president-trump-unveils-space-force-flag-promises-super-duper-missile.html




Yes, Trump wants to conquer space! And he might as well hire Elon Musk to help him get to Mars while we are at it. You know before we go conquering strange new worlds, why don’t we, I don’t know, solve the problems here on this world first? We’ve got a crippling virus that’s destroying the lives of everyone on the planet and an economy that’s been exposed for the fraud it is. Oh and I don’t need to tell you that he’s also got a super duper missile too! Why not I don’t know, fix that? Oh well, onto the next wacky adventure! It was spewed from the Powerbook of the laziest Hollywood hack writer! Here we go again!

President Donald Trump on Friday boasted that the US military is developing a new "super duper" missile that he claimed can travel 17-times faster than anything in the current arsenal, a claim the Pentagon was unwilling to confirm.

"We are building, right now, incredible military equipment at a level that nobody has ever seen before. We have no choice. We have to do it -- with the adversaries we have out there. We have a -- I call it the 'super-duper missile.' And I heard the other night, 17 times faster than what they have right now," Trump said at a White House event to sign the 2020 Armed Forces Day Proclamation.

Trump was speaking alongside some of the country's top military leadership, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.

"You take the fastest missile we have right now -- you've heard Russia has five times, and China is working on five or six times. We have one 17 times. And it's just gotten the go-ahead," Trump added.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/16/politics/trump-super-duper-missile/index.html





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[font size="8"]The State Of Wisconsin
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Sometimes you don’t want to go where everyone knows your name. Because you’ll leave with more than what you came. You don’t want to be where you can get a disease, because then you will be the one to blame. You don’t want to go where everyone knows your name. Thank you virtual audience! Let’s do some fact checking here. Fact #1 – COVID will be with us for the next 18 months at a minimum and if we’re lucky. Fact #2 – social distancing will continue until at least 2022 assuming that there’s no vaccine found. Fact #3 – no way in hell will our economy last that long. Put all 3 facts together and this is a powder keg waiting to explode. Never mind that the parade of idiots and MAGAs keep spreading the virus to rural areas that had previously not contracted it. So how do you reopen the economy? Do you wade in the shallow end like California and Oregon are doing? Or do you dive in the deep end like Florida and Georgia are doing? Well, Wisconsin is going a slightly different path.

A feeling of so-called “normalcy” returned to the banks of the St. Croix River on Thursday, as people in Hudson packed the sidewalks and crowded restaurant patios for the first time in two months.

These activities finally became legal in the state of Wisconsin, after the conservative-led State Supreme Court deemed the Democratic governor’s “Safer at Home” order unconstitutional. In the absence of a statewide policy, the 72 local counties in Wisconsin – and the cities and towns within them – must now scramble to make their own rules as they see fit. In Hudson, the city and St. Croix County are still in discussions about those policies, according to county and city officials.

The elimination of statewide restrictions has led to a mix of celebration, confusion, and concern, depending on who you meet.

“It almost feels like we’re waking up from a dream,” teenagers Adrianna and Kenzie said after driving across the river from Minnesota to pick up food in downtown Hudson. “It’s cool to see everyone back. It’s… relieving.”
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/wisconsin-reopening-is-being-received-with-celebration-concern/89-9cad42ff-5ad2-4c50-83e8-2589c8f19df0




Oh we’re not doomed just yet. Ah fuck it, who am I kidding? Of course we’re doomed. We let our guard down in 1918 and what happened? The dreaded “second wave”. But let’s take a look at what happened in the bars in Wisconsin after things reopened as if the pandemic never happened or is happening. Holy shit are we doomed! Let’s cue my botched version of the Cheers theme again!

Bars in Wisconsin are open and busy.

The Palace in Superior has been open since Thursday night.

Anthony Erhardt is a bartender at The Palace and said it has been busy since Thursday.

While the bar offers masks and sanitation wipes, he noted very few customers have been going into the bar wearing protective equipment.

Erhardt said that people are traveling from all over to get a drink.

"75% of our business was people from Minnesota. A lot of people from the Twin Cities also and up the North Shore," Erhardt said.
https://kbjr6.com/2020/05/16/wisconsin-bars-busy-first-weekend-open/




Hey look I’m a drinker. I want to get my drink on again. I want to go to my favorite brew pub and sink a few pints. But as long as this virus is a threat I’ll get my beer to go and drink at home. Right now the society we’re in isn’t Cheers, and you’re not Norm Peterson. And we’re not done with this thing yet, we’re not done by a long shot. If you want to go out, be sure you are made aware of the risks, like diving in the shallow end. It’s not recommended, so don’t do it.

Businesses did attempt to keep customers and workers safe. Indoors, attendance capacities were limited. People were asked to keep their distance and limit trips to the bathroom.

But after two months of banned public gatherings and shuttered businesses, it was striking to see such normality days after the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ safer-at-home order.

And it wasn’t just Wisconsinites taking advantage of it. As is typical in Lake Geneva, the town on Saturday was filled with cars bearing license plates from Illinois, a state that is still subject to a stay-at-home order from its governor.

“Illinois is closed and we’ve been wanting to get out,” said Castano Penn, a Chicagoan who works at a senior living center and was not wearing a mask Saturday. “I know it’s probably bad. I’m just kind of done with it all.”

It was a sentiment shared by others as well. About a half-dozen other people interviewed by the Journal Sentinel said they grew tired of isolating in their homes and felt they deserved the freedom to choose what’s safe and what isn’t.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/05/16/coronavirus-hundreds-flock-lake-geneva-downtown-most-without-masks/5207663002/




Well yes, good point, Norm. Because there’s still things you can and can’t do. Sure you could go to a bar and pound brews with your buddies, but would you risk a DUI? Or would you risk getting into an Uber afterward? There’s plenty of chances you can take and right now none of them are particularly good, so really until we know what this virus is doing, stay home and shut up.

Does the Supreme Court decision mean all businesses will reopen in Wisconsin?

No. Business owners may decide to remain closed, or reopen at their own pace and with their own restrictions. They may also be subject to local restrictions aimed at controlling the spread of the coronavirus that were unaffected by the Supreme Court decision about the statewide restrictions.

Some businesses may have lost their staff during the shutdown period and need to rehire before opening, or may have closed permanently.

Can a business owner make me keep a distance from others, or wash my hands, or wear a mask to get services or purchase products?

Yes. Private business owners can operate how they wish, short of illegal discrimination or safety violations. Remember "No shirt, no shoes, no service" signs? A more current example is the ban many businesses impose on weapons, even though the state allows properly licensed people to carry concealed guns in public generally.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2020/05/14/what-you-need-know-businesses-reopening-wisconsin/5190132002/





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[font size="8"]Dr. Bright Testimony
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We’re fucked. No wait, yeah, we’re fucked. Nice knowing you, humanity. We had a good run, but it’s time to start packing it in. Do I know where I am going with this? Well last week, we saw the alarming and damning testimony from COVID whistleblower and former Trump admin employee, Dr. Bright and COVID whistleblower and soon to be ex Trump admin employee Dr. Fauci. The Trump administration is determined to reopen the economy if it means killing a whole lot of us, and this thing isn’t going away any time soon. But as far as the long haul fear mongering let’s keep in mind the average length of a pandemic is really about 12 months or so. But it’s going to be a hell of a long time before things get back to normal.

Dr. Rick Bright is the highest-ranking government scientist to charge the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic has been slow and chaotic. He says it has prioritized politics over science, and has cost people their lives.

It has cost Dr. Bright his job. In April, he was removed from a top position in the Department of Health and Human Services, and transferred to what he considers a position of less stature and responsibility. Dr. Bright has filed a whistleblower complaint running over 300 pages.

President Trump has called Rick bright a disgruntled employee. In congressional testimony on Thursday, Bright claimed the government retaliated against him for telling the truth about the depth of the crisis.

Bright at congressional hearing: Our window of opportunity is closing. If we fail to improve our response now based on science, I fear the pandemic will get worse and be prolonged.

Until a month ago, Dr. Rick Bright led BARDA, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a federal agency to which Congress has handed more than $5 billion to fund vaccine development, new antiviral drugs, and badly-needed medical supplies.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rick-bright-whistleblower-trump-administration-coronavirus-pandemic-response/




Yes, we’re doomed. Only in this administration do you get fired for speaking the truth. Because that’s just how Trump rolls. So we’re basically left with two choices – we reopen and we’re completely miserable because of all the restrictions that COVID has placed on our society and risk the possibility of certain death, or we stay at home and go crazy from boredom.

An ousted top Health and Human Services official testified Thursday before Congress that the Trump administration's timeline for a coronavirus vaccine is likely too optimistic — and that there's "no plan" to mass produce and distribute one.

Hopes for a vaccine to be ready in 12 to 18 months assume that "everything goes perfectly," the official, Dr. Rick Bright, told the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health, adding, "We've never seen everything go perfectly."

Bright also said he had warned the administration about shortages of personal protective equipment, and he faulted President Donald Trump and senior officials for having minimized the outbreak early on — with, he said, deadly consequences.

"I believe Americans need to be told the truth," Bright said. "We did not forewarn people. We did not train people. We did not educate them on social distancing and wearing a mask as we should have in January and February. All those forewarnings, all those educational opportunities, for the American public could have had an impact in further slowing this outbreak and saving more lives."
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/coronavirus-whistleblower-bright-issues-stark-vaccine-warning-we-don-t-n1207056




Well come on man this is the Trump administration. Anyone less than someone who isn’t 100% loyal to Trump is considered disgruntled. But the more Trump keeps tanking this thing and the more people start dying, this could be a bad sign. Even more so as the idiots keep showing up at those anti-lockdown protests. Yeah this pandemic couldn’t suck more. Everyone wants to get back to their lives free from the restrictions. But do something stupid and it could open up Pandora’s box.

The Trump administration official set to testify before Congress Thursday oversaw the production and purchase of vaccines before being abruptly dismissed last month amid a clash with the administration on coronavirus treatments.

Dr. Rick Bright is an international expert on vaccines with a lengthy work history in the field. His expected testimony comes after he filed a whistleblower complaint last week alleging he was removed from his post in retaliation for opposing the broad use of hydroxychloroquine, a drug frequently touted by President Donald Trump as a treatment for Covid-19.

Bright had led the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of a Department of Health and Human Services office that has been central to the response to the coronavirus outbreak, since 2016.

As BARDA's director, Bright oversaw "the advanced development and procurement of medical countermeasures against an array of threats to national security and the public's health, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear threats and pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious diseases," according to an archived webpage of his official biography.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/politics/who-is-rick-bright/index.html





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[font size="8"]Elon Musk
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What is it with people losing their minds and going full MAGA? First Kanye went and became a full blown sleazy televangelist and now it appears that Elon Musk is following in his footsteps. I mean what is it? you reach a certain age and you don’t have to worry about money and then somehow you just lose your shit? Last week Elon shocked the world when he named his newborn son X AE A-12. But now Tesla is turning the tables on the state in which it was founded – California. Yes, my home state and the favorite punching bag of conservatives everywhere. But Elon is taking things to the next level against not only the state but the coronavirus lockdowns that have crippled the economy.

Musk continued tweeting, appealing to followers to protest to their local government officials over the issue and comparing the Alameda County lockdown to other nearby counties which he stated had been suffering ‘no ill effects’ from continued industrial operation.

Local government in Alameda does not consider Tesla manufacture to be an ‘essential business’ and has therefore been ordered to be closed until the end of May at the earliest, following an original lockdown beginning on 23 March.

While lots of carmakers globally are beginning to start production again, with the likes of VW, Ford and Porsche all reawakening productions lines, Tesla remains dormant. It’s the only carmaker based in California, with CEO Musk repeatedly voicing frustration in recent weeks at what he sees as over-zealous, unconstitutional measures against personal liberties in the US.

So far, more than 80,000 people are known to have died from COVID-19 in the United States, with more than 1.3 million known cases recorded. Both figures are the highest tolls for a single county in the world.

Earlier in May Tesla shares saw $14billion wiped off their value after Musk tweeted that he thought Tesla’s stock price was too high. In, erm, mildly better news, the Tesla Model 3 was the UK’s best-selling car in April, while the market as a whole contracted by 97 per cent.
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/elon-musk-says-tesla-will-quit-california-over-coronavirus-lockdown




Yeah pretty much. But then Elon not only did that, he decided to go rogue. You know – going rogue is the favorite plot of just about every spy movie in existence. And look, Elon, we get it, we all want to go back to our jobs and daily routines that we had before the pandemic, but considering the pandemic might not be over at least this year we are going to have to make some sacrifices. And this is coming from a guy who can lose $14 BILLION in a single tweet. Yes, billion.

Tesla Inc. told employees that a California county health official has now signed off on safety measures the company took last week at its car plant as it restarted production in defiance of the area’s shutdown order.

The Alameda County health officer’s approval means Tesla has local support to resume full production starting this week, Laurie Shelby, the company’s environmental, health, and safety vice president, wrote in an email to staff Saturday that was viewed by Bloomberg News. Representatives for Tesla and the county didn’t respond to queries outside regular business hours.

The county’s authorization could resolve a highly contentious episode in which Elon Musk threatened to move Tesla’s headquarters and future programs out of California and sued the county over its health officer’s resistance to reopening the factory in Fremont. It’s unclear whether the chief executive officer will now follow through on his warnings, which also included shifting the company’s manufacturing out of the state.

When Tesla was resisting calls to idle the factory in March, Fremont officials sought clarification from Alameda County as to whether the company was an essential business. Erica Pan, the county’s health officer, considered the plant to be a public health risk, according to documents obtained through a California public-records request.
https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/news/tesla-says-california-plant-elon-musk-reopened-finally-has-county-s-approval-41589773108595.html




Of course! Even in the worst pandemic not seen in an entire century do we set aside the almighty dollar for life itself! Well I got news for you Elon, no matter how much money you may have, you can’t take it with you when you’re lying in a box in a ditch! But this is quite the wild ride here – it’s Mr. Elon’s Wild Ride (thank you to our graphics department for that one). But really on our list of priorities right now, new cars should be like last on the list. Let alone niche cars that most people can’t afford even if they could.

Electric carmaker Tesla (TSLA) - Get Report reportedly has asked dozens of workers at its car plant in Fremont, California, to return to work as soon as this Wednesday despite stay-at-home orders that remain in place for some 40 million Californians amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Internal messages viewed by Bloomberg indicate that Tesla is asking some of its workers - mostly those responsible for paint and stamping operations - to return to work as early as April 29, six days ahead of the tentative May 3 date currently being considered by state officials as a date to begin cautiously allowing businesses to reopen.

The potential battle come as states weigh the health and safety vs. economic benefits of reopening for business some seven weeks after the coronavirus pandemic brought the U.S. economy to an unprecedented standstill. Several states including Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas and Wyoming began lifting restrictions on some businesses this past weekend.

Tesla last month gained headlines after defying stay-at-home orders and keeping its carmaking factory up and running, leading to a run-in with the local Alameda County sheriff’s office. Tesla argued it was an essential service and should remain open; the sheriff’s department argued otherwise. Tesla closed the site on March 29.
https://www.thestreet.com/investing/tesla-california-reopen-factory-stay-at-home-orders-coronavirus




Oh and here’s where it gets weird, because you knew that it was coming. I mean come on, would you expect the guy who named his kid a series of nonsensical symbols to not have something weird associated with him? Well, he’s gone full Red Pill Truther, which of course means that his political beliefs are well off the deep end. And I love that one of the co-creators of the Matrix wasn’t having any of it.

A strange tweet by Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, has given rise to speculation that he may be veering to the right of the political spectrum.

What Happened

Musk, who is known to be a prolific user of Twitter, took to the platform on Sunday to declare, “Take the red pill.”

The red pill may be a reference to the 1999 movie “The Matrix,” in which the protagonist, Neo, is faced with the choice of taking either a red or a blue pill.
However, the red pill may also be Musk’s way of indicating his willingness to adopt right-wing political ideology, according to Business Insider. Musk is a self-described “moderate.”

Replying to Musk’s tweet, Ivanka Trump exclaimed, “Taken!”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musks-red-pill-tweet-081927398.html





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: China’s Bamboo Problem
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



How is the COVID-19 crisis hitting the worldwide animal population? While animals have a very rare possibility of contracting the deadly affliction themselves, it’s disrupted the global supply chain to the point where certain considerations have to be made for the greater good of the species. And this all happened in ways that could never happen in a million years, but have because of the COVID-19 crisis that is currently ravaging the planet. Because if you go through the supply chain food would have to make it from one side of the globe to the other, and if that chain is interrupted, then it would be impossible for that species to have a steady food supply. Let’s take the panda for instance and how this is being affected.

The Calgary Zoo will be returning two giant pandas on loan from China because a scarcity of flights due to COVID-19 has caused problems with getting enough bamboo to feed them.

Er Shun and Da Mao arrived in Calgary in 2018 after spending five years at the Toronto Zoo and were to remain in the Alberta city until 2023.

The zoo’s president, Clement Lanthier, said this week the facility spent months trying to overcome transportation barriers in acquiring fresh bamboo and decided it’s best for the animals to be in China, where their main food source is abundant.

“It’s about the animals. At the end of the day, we cannot pretend that we care for animals if we don’t take those tough decisions,″ Lanthier said. “We believe the best and safest place for Er Shun and Da Mao to be during these challenging and unprecedented times is where bamboo is abundant and easy to access.″
https://kstp.com/coronavirus/calgary-zoo-returning-pandas-to-china-due-to-bamboo-barriers/5729497/




And there will be a lot more sad pandas if this keeps up. Because this thing has the potential to be a huge problem, and not just in China’s panda community. But as the world’s meat supplies are being upended and people are turning to relative measures to eat food and stay alive. One such tree population that is being ravaged is the very plant those pandas need to survive – bamboo.

The sound is deafening as metal strikes metal, battering my eardrums. Wood chips whizz past my head and the temperature seems to be rising in this small and dusty workshop. Amid the haze of sawdust, which seems to be enveloping everyone in the room, a team of workers stands over a series of archaic machines.

"Business is getting better and better each year," explains Kuai Liangyou, taking a moment of temporary silence as an opportunity to talk. "We get through nearly 800 bamboo trees a day. That's about 20 tons. The demand is very big. In the peak season, we cannot meet the demand."

Kuai is the manager of a relatively small but highly productive bamboo factory in Changning County, in southern Sichuan. This basic but efficient production line churns out a constant stream of refined bamboo, either being made into furniture or being split into new sets of disposable chopsticks. The factory is one of hundreds in the region that are trying to satisfy the appetite of the Chinese market for this new in-demand resource.

"Sichuan is one of the most densely populated regions in the country," explains Li Yanxia, Sichuan program officer for the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). "The rapid growth in demand for bamboo resources over the last two decades has caused excessive exploitation of forest resources in the province. This has resulted in serious disturbance and destruction of the biodiversity of ecosystems in natural bamboo forests."
https://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/chinas-appetite-bamboo-damaging-forests




But if we want to figure out how to save our pandas during the duration of this pandemic, look to Scotland, where the panda is the star attraction at the Edinburgh Zoo. But is it enough? And how long will this pandemic last? Those are two unknown variables. If the pandemic lasts longer than 18 months than it is a possibility that stockpile could run low. But if it doesn’t then it’s possible that the pandas could be saved without relocating them to China.

Giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang munch through up to 40lb of bamboo per day in their enclosures at Edinburgh Zoo.Concerns for the iconic animals were raised after it emerged that Canada's Calgary Zoo plans to return its own pair to China because of problems getting enough bamboo to feed them, caused by a scarcity of flights because of Covid-19.

Edinburgh Zoo bosses say that while they are still asking the public for donations to help meet their £55,000 per month animal food bill while they have no visitor income, they have no concerns about bamboo supply. They added that, as a result, they are not considering sending their star attractions back to China.Jo Elliot, animal collection manager at Edinburgh Zoo, said: "We have made sure that our stores are topped up and ready, which means that we have a bit of resilience there if we do have any supply chain issues.

"Many of the animals have specialist diets - obviously the pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guang, need their bamboo. Most of it gets shipped in from the Netherlands, and at the moment that is fine, we are still getting deliveries."Giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang arrived at Edinburgh Zoo in 2011 on a ten year loan from China, for which the Scottish Government pays around £600,000 per year.It was hoped Tian Tian, whose name translates as "Sweetie", would produce an historic cub in Scotland but efforts have so far failed.
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/edinburgh-zoos-giant-pandas-have-enough-bamboo-get-through-pandemic-2857835




But that said why is Calgary not getting the supply they need if they have pandas on loan? Well the Coronavirus has turned life upside down in ways that were completely unimaginable even going back as far as last December. And unknown variables and plenty of ways for this to go wrong could not only upend the worldwide panda population, but could have an adverse effect on zoology as we know it.

Two giant pandas in Canada will be heading back to China because their main meal, fresh bamboo, was getting too difficult to find during the pandemic, officials at Calgary Zoo in Canada said.

The bamboo for Er Shun and Da Mao was flown directly from China and then, when the pandemic reduced flights, on transfers from Toronto, the zoo said Tuesday. But even those flights have been reduced, making the adult bears' favored food supply shaky.

Shipments have gone to the wrong place, delivery times have been longer and the pair just won't eat some of the bamboo, zoo officials said.

"We believe the best and safest place for Er Shun and Da Mao to be during these challenging and unprecedented times is where bamboo is abundant and easy to access," Calgary Zoo President and CEO Clément Lanthier said in a statement.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/animal-news/canada-zoo-return-pandas-china-because-bamboo-too-hard-get-n1207496




That’s it for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.





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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair congregation! You know while we sit and wait to see how these uncertain times play out, there’s people on the other side who think that this might be the end of the world. And right now, it might literally be the end of the world as long as the great pandemic is going on. Even the good LAWRD JAYSUS would agree with that. But is it bringing about some unwanted side effects? Because my brothers and sisters on the right think that there’s going to be an after mark of the dreaded virus that’s been ravaging the economy and ruining lives. So how would this play out exactly? Well it’s the Mark Of The Beast, and you might want to get your Iron Maiden soundtrack of choice ready!

Peggy Popham gets her flu shot every year, despite her daughter Laura’s opposition to vaccines.

“I’m 70 and I’ve gotten sick before,” said Popham. “I don’t have a great immune system.”

Popham, who spoke to Yahoo News by phone while quarantining at home in Asheville, N.C., acknowledges that the same factors put her at risk for the coronavirus. “Of course,” she said, she’s worried about contracting COVID-19.

But she’s more worried about a possible vaccine for it.

“Absolutely not,” she said. “I would not take the vaccine.”

That’s a view shared by nearly one in five Americans, according to a recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll, which found that an additional 26 percent weren’t sure if they’d take it. Some of them no doubt have been influenced by the anti-vaccine disinformation that has been spreading for more than a decade on social media — although that has been directed primarily at routine childhood immunizations and their hypothesized link to autism. Popham’s reasons aren’t medical: They are religious and political.
https://news.yahoo.com/evangelicals-fear-the-mark-of-the-beast-from-a-coronavirus-vaccine-183249943.html




Oh my LAWRD, one in five?? One in fucking five??? Sorry, we are allowed to swear in my church, good sir. That ratio is way too high and it’s the reason why we can’t have nice things. And I’m sure that the good LAWRD JAYSUS would agree with me there, now wouldn’t he? Even the chief vaccinator himself, Bill Gates – many of whom see as the devil himself, weighs in on how ridiculous this all is.

If the worries of most quarantined Christians in the United States center on health and when they might resume their lives, there is a segment that wonders whether this moment has greater biblical significance. These apocalyptic-minded Christians seem to have become increasingly less concerned about the disease itself and more concerned about the government’s response to the disease.

To some, it appears Satan’s emissaries are poised to take advantage of the pandemic. Some Christian pastors believe the start of a Last Days battle for religious freedom began with the social distancing orders that have placed weekly in-person church services under fire. Tony Spell, pastor of Life Tabernacle, a Louisiana megachurch, defended his decision to hold a Palm Sunday service: “The church is the last force resisting the Antichrist, let us assemble regardless of what anyone says.” Another Louisiana pastor, Ronnie Hampton, decried the order “because Caesar is mandating how we conduct ourselves using the pretext of this virus to be able to conduct our lives and run our lives for us.”

American apocalypticists tend to be suspicious of government, of course. This is partly due to their conservative bent, but this suspicion is nearly mandated by a literalist reading of the Book of Revelation. John the Revelator’s arch-villains are political powers that institute totalitarian social controls while persecuting the righteous who refuse to profess their allegiance. The second beast of Revelation 13, commonly known as the Anti-Christ, will, according to many Christians, come to power in the chaos of the apocalypse. John described him as a miracle worker who will deceive the nations to worship the image of an earlier beast, a dragon with seven heads and ten horns that is sometimes identified as Satan himself.
https://religiondispatches.org/bill-gates-comments-on-covid-19-vaccine-enflame-mark-of-the-beast-worries-in-some-christian-circles/




Now here’s where it gets weird, and you knew that it was going to. Even in the great land of Jamaica, you see they are spreading the Mark Of The Beast visions as far as the dreaded virus has been spreading all across the land. The question is, where is this coming from and where is it going? Just like the virus itself, nobody really knows. And I don’t think anybody really cares either.

Jermaine Allen and Jacqueline Murray of the Linstead Seventh-day Adventist Church and North Street Seventh-day Adventist Church, respectively, claimed to have received visions on Tuesday this week.

They stated that the visions warned the “mark of the beast” would soon be imposed around the world. The new world order would force the Jamacian government to impose mandatory worship on Sunday.

“When the Lord gave us the message, we woke with much trembling and I know we had to take this message to the people of the world, and the prime minister of the country, that a great crisis is coming and the devil is going to send persons to enforce a one-day Sunday worship,” Allen said.

The Adventist claimed he had not been able to sleep after his vision.

“God loves (Prime Minister) Andrew (Holness) very much, and he does not want him to follow the rest of the world and institute these laws. He needs to be careful because any country that breaks the laws of God will come to national destruction,” said Murray, referring to the Jamaican PM who also happens to be Adventist.
https://wtlmautodesk.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/jamaican-adventists-go-public-with-mark-of-the-beast-visions/




Now you might be wondering where is this nonsense coming from? Well like all bad things right n ow, it originated from social media. And like all bad things, that propaganda, which I am sure the LAWRD they GAWD would disapprove of, spread as fast as it was made. And you can almost tell it’s bullshit just from looking at it. But does that persuade our brothers and sisters on the right? No it most certainly doesn’t!

As universities and pharmaceutical companies race to put out the first COVID-19 vaccine, some sectors of the religious right are gearing up to fight it, based on tenuous ties to what they call “the abortion industry” and a biblical teaching about “the mark of the beast.”

LifeSite News, a Catholic, anti-abortion website, has gathered more than 350,000 signatures on a petition protesting mandatory coronavirus vaccination orders—none of which have actually been issued. The petition starts with the kind of big-government concerns that have become a hallmark of anti-shutdown protests, claiming that “fear of a disease” could inadvertently lead to support for “the hidden agenda of governmental as well as non-governmental bodies” with plans to “restrict personal freedoms.”

“The so-called ‘public health experts’ have gotten it wrong many times during the current crisis,” the petition states. “We should not, therefore, allow their opinions to rush decision-makers into policies regarding vaccination.”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/religious-far-right-mounts-anti-abortion-attack-on-covid-19-vaccine?ref=scroll




And there you have it, the people responsible for circulating the Mark Of The Beat propaganda are tools of the devil himself! Me personally? I prefer Iron Maiden. Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Tony Evers: People Who Somehow Got Elected [br] [/font] [br]

Politicians at the state and local levels who are so toxic, you wonder how they’re able to get away with the things they get away with. This is:



This week: Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse. While the rest of us are still reeling from the unfathomable havoc that COVID-19 is wrecking on the rest of the world, Senator Sasse has his own ideas about where it came from. The class of 2020 is suffering from not being able to take part in graduation ceremonies and end of the year activities that every senior from every other year gets to participate in. Instead they were subjected to virtual proms and senior nights on Zoom. Which really is not how you want to remember the last days of your high school or college career. Well, Ben Sasse gave a graduation speech that one will definitely remember. Much like the infamous curse toast from Seinfeld., Ben Sasse gave a speech that a bad comedian might deliver in a really bad improv sketch.

Regulars here at the shebeen are familiar with the exploits of Young Ben Sasse, Republican senator from Nebraska. Young Ben is often discussed as the future of his party, since he has loudly proclaimed himself as a leader of that dwindling faction of the GOP fairly described as Not Publicly Insane. (However, this principled stand has not kept him from enabling El Caudillo del Mar-a-Lago whenever the rubber has met the road.) He also has declared himself the avatar of homespun heartland values and virtues. He even wrote a book about how the country has lost both its moral language and its mad cow-milking skillz. It was another one of those interminable conservative hell-in-a-handbasket tomes in which lofty philosophical language is used in place of the phrase, “Kids, today. Jeez.” How that “national moral language” jibed with voting in lockstep with the current moral landfill in the Oval Office is not for small minds to ponder.

Anyway, Young Ben Sasse got yet another week of self-quarantine off with a bang by providing the graduating seniors at Fremont High School in Fremont, Nebraska with a video commencement address, just like Barack Obama, an actual president, did all over television on Saturday night. Except that Young Ben Sasse, tie askew and quarantine stubble ablaze, parked his speech somewhere between a televised megachurch and Open Mic Night at the Chuckle Hut in North Platte.

It’s hard to get a handle on what Young Ben Sasse was going for here. Was his odd denunciation of people named “Jeremy” a signal to Pearl Jam fans in Fremont that he is not with them? Was he trying to be the Hip Senator Who Can Talk to the Young with all that business about climbing the rope in gym class? (Note: I spent four years in high school trying to climb the damn rope. Never made it off the ground.) The denunciation of psychology was probably a pitch for the know-nothing constituency he’ll need later on. As for the rest, I have no explanation for the point where he makes an “I’m old” joke and then replies to it himself, or the sudden time-warped appearance of his 2024 presidential stump speech about the evil Chinese. Also, too: grit.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a32578533/ben-sasse-commencement-speech/




So that happened. Ben Sasse gave his speech that would be pegged by a comedian that bombed open mic night at the local chuckle hut. But is China really to blame for COVID? Well there’s plenty of theories suggesting yes and plenty of theories suggesting no, but before you go into which is which, let’s keep in mind all the information coming out of China about how bad this thing was going to get, that it would totally upend our way of life as we knew it, but let’s not let facts get in the way of misinformation.

The Republican senator Ben Sasse’s attempt at humor during a speech for high school students has drawn strong criticism.

Sasse delivered the online speech to students at his former school, Fremont high in Nebraska, on Saturday. During the speech he suggested that the students would remember their senior years at their future reunions as “that time when China started a big global pandemic that created the worst public health crisis in over a century and brought the economy to its knees and we had to stay home and everybody was hoarding toilet paper”.

Near the end of the speech, Sasse mixed some serious encouragement for students with another shot at China.

“Nobody knows exactly how we’re going to beat this thing, but you know what, we’re Americans, we’re Nebraskans, we’ve got grit and we’re going to beat this thing,” he said. “We will bring the economy back. We are going to beat the virus ... We’re going to have to have a serious reckoning with the thugs in China who let this mess spiral out of control by lying about it,” he said.

Sasse also joked about psychologists: “Ninety-five per cent of all gainfully employed psychologists – and I’m serious, there are dozens of them that are gainfully employed - their job is really just to help people forget high school ... If you’re headed to college, do not do not major in psychology. That part’s not a joke.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/17/senator-ben-sasse-china-coronavirus-graduation-speech




Now why do you have to hate on psychologists, Ben? Who hurt you? Now if you’re one of the people who are asking for an apology for this, keep in mind that Senator Sasse is a member of the GOP, they apologize for nothing. But apparently Mr. Sasse has a thing for doctors too, because this is not the first time he’s spoken out about the health care system. And with friends like these, you know, who needs enemies?

"We will bring the economy back. We are going to beat the virus.. We're going to have to have a serious reckoning with the thugs in China who let this mess spiral out of control by lying about it," he said.

He went on: "Your generation is going to have a big calling. You're going to have to deal with the consequences of all this."

Sasse joked at one point there were no longer differences between parents and teachers, and suggested graduates should avoid majoring in psychology during college.

The Nebraska senator set off a wave of criticism after the speech, which came as he campaigns for reelection in November. His Democratic opponent, Chris Janicek, told The Omaha News-Herald in a statement that "it's hard for me to believe that a US senator would make remarks like he did in that speech."
https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-ben-sasse-thugs-in-china-high-school-commencement-address-2020-5




Yes, it is easily possible for us to believe that a US senator could make those comments. This is, after all, the Donald J. Trump administration, where civility, logic, and reason have all been thrown out the window. But in an era where it’s growing increasingly hard to joke about the news every day, how could a senator stoop to such lows? Well just take a look at who we are dealing with in the United States government, currently.

Sen. Ben Sasse, in an online commencement address Saturday for Fremont High School, delivered a talk that was part attempted stand-up comedy, including shots at psychologists and students’ fitness, and part a scalding indictment of China over the coronavirus pandemic.

It drew sharp criticism from a Fremont school board member, who called on Sasse to apologize, and from Sasse’s Democratic opponent in the November election. The school district issued a statement saying it wasn’t responsible for the comments. Sasse’s spokesman said Sunday that it was all a joke and that students are mature enough to hear the truth about China.

An unshaven Sasse, wearing a loosened red tie and white shirt, told students they would be rare among high school graduates in that they would remember their commencement ceremony because of this year’s odd circumstances.

A couple of the attempted jokes: He said that in life, the graduates would at times be asked to climb ropes. “If you don’t get that joke, talk to your mom and dad. Back in the day when we were a lot fitter than you people are, we used to have to climb ropes all the way up to the ceiling of the gym.”
https://www.omaha.com/news/state_and_regional/watch-now-sasse-ridicules-people-named-jeremy-trying-to-joke-rips-thugs-in-china-in/article_115b3a24-e69d-5e47-8e4f-8730652bd785.html


?

This is Ben Sasse, yet another in the ever-growing list of:



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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner: The Plandemic
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Gather around, boys and girls, ladies and gents, and our LGBT brothers and sisters! I don’t want to leave anybody out. It’s the segment where we dissect the latest in the world of batshit crazy, Conspiracy Corner! This week we are going to talk vaccines. Because as the talk of the COVID era is a vaccine that will hopefully kill this virus so we can all get back to the lives we had, the only way we are going to do that is with a vaccine. But with the vaccine already is coming a massive, worldwide disinformation campaign about what vaccines actually do. But thankfully social media websites like Facebook, Youtube, and Google are starting to crack down on misinformation regarding Coronavirus. But like a bad weed or a game of whack-a-mole, truly batshit crazy theories never die. They just spawn new legs and move somewhere else.

Social media is playing a huge role in the consumption of news as people seek out information about the coronavirus pandemic. But COVID-19 conspiracy-based claims are also spreading amid reliable news.

“The 2019-nCOV outbreak and response has been accompanied by a massive ‘infodemic’ — an overabundance of information — some accurate and some not — that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it,” the World Health Organization stated in a February situation report.

The latest viral craze is the documentary “Plandemic.” This 26-minute documentary focuses on former research scientist Dr. Judy Mikovits and documentary creator Mikki Willis as they dive into a realm of theories about the pandemic.

The video received over a million views while it was hosted on YouTube. It eventually was taken down late last week for violating YouTube’s community guidelines but has made its way to several other social media sites.

“The creators of the video directly encouraged people to share it,” said Alex Kaplan, senior researcher at the left-leaning Media Matters for America. “On the video’s website when the video was launched, they wrote: ‘In an effort to bypass the gatekeepers of free speech, we invite you to download this interview by simply clicking the button below, then uploading directly to all of your favorite platforms’.”
https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2020/plandemic-recirculates-after-platforms-say-they-took-it-down/




I don’t really think that’s how the virus spread but it does seem like that it could happen! The pandemic has spawned infodemic – and really just add anything with the word “demic” after it and it will be OK, kind of like when they added the word “quantum” to everything after Ant-Man. So now how does one go through the wormhole on anti-vaxxer thinking? Because like most things involving drugs, it’s a long, strange trip to nowhere.

The conspiracy theory video “Plandemic” recently went viral. Despite being taken down by YouTube and Facebook, it continues to get uploaded and viewed millions of times. The video is an interview with conspiracy theorist Judy Mikovits, a disgraced former virology researcher who believes the COVID-19 pandemic is based on vast deception, with the purpose of profiting from selling vaccinations.

The video is rife with misinformation and conspiracy theories. Many high-quality fact-checks and debunkings have been published by reputable outlets such as Science, Politifact and FactCheck.

As scholars who research how to counter science misinformation and conspiracy theories, we believe there is also value in exposing the rhetorical techniques used in “Plandemic.” As we outline in our Conspiracy Theory Handbook and How to Spot COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories, there are seven distinctive traits of conspiratorial thinking. “Plandemic” offers textbook examples of them all.

Learning these traits can help you spot the red flags of a baseless conspiracy theory and hopefully build up some resistance to being taken in by this kind of thinking. This is an important skill given the current surge of pandemic-fueled conspiracy theories.
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-plandemic-and-the-seven-traits-of-conspiratorial-thinking-138483




And that’s probably the safest way to go out in public as long as Coronavirus and COVID-19 exist. Anti vaccination crusaders are a strange and certainly weird bunch indeed. Also, like most things involving social media in 2020, the scariest thing of all in the war on COVID-19? Disinformation! Yes, the bullshit is coming. And like coronavirus, the bullshit doesn’t care what political party you belong to, or what your social or economic status is.

Some “fake news” is more dangerous than others. Lies, distortions and misinformation about coronavirus can be deadly, which is why YouTube and Facebook keep having to remove posts for a video that has circulated widely on social media, garnering millions of views. Its title, “Plandemic,” gives away its premise: that the COVID-19 outbreak, and the attempts to control it, are part of a sinister conspiracy by the very people whom we trust to keep us safe.

The 26-minute video, which is supposedly part of a longer “documentary” to be released this summer, stars Dr. Judy Mikovits — a scientist who was fired from the Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease in 2011 after her research into chronic fatigue syndrome was discredited and retracted.

The video was produced by Mikki Willis, who according to the New York Times was involved in making “Bernie or Bust” and “Never Hillary” videos during the 2016 presidential campaign.

“The coronavirus epidemic is really fertile soil for all kinds of coronavirus conspiracy theories. And I think this video is actually really a good indication for us of how much misinformation can get out there quickly on social media,” says Dr. Dara Kass, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Columbia University Medical Center and a Yahoo News medical contributor.
https://news.yahoo.com/debunking-the-coronavirus-conspiracies-in-viral-plandemic-video-181417621.html




Well it certainly seems that way. So yeah the people responsible for splitting the democratic party and giving us Bernie Bros are coming for our vaccines! But even with its’ super strict virus misinformation rules regarding COVID, the execs at Twitter are having a hard time swatting the Plandemic video. Even Roundup won’t kill this thing completely. And like a bad weed it will keep popping up and will take a massive effort to kill it.

It’s been about a week since a lengthy preview from the conspiracy documentary “Plandemic” went viral across the internet. The 25-minute video sent tech companies like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook into a frenzy as they scrambled to scrape it off their platforms.

The hoax — which featured discredited anti-vaccination scientist Dr. Judy Mikovits and has been debunked — sought to expose “the scientific and political elite who run the scam that is our global health system” and accused Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, of burying anti-vaccination research.

However, over the past week, the Plandemic video has continued to resurface through alternative video hosting websites.

While other social media giants such as Facebook and YouTube have managed to slow the hoax’s spread, unofficial video links to the “Plandemic” documentary continue to seep through Twitter’s policies and moderating algorithms.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/twitter-plandemic-conspiracy-video-resurfacing/





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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink: TV Spinoff Showcase
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Hey everyone, yet another shitty week in quarantine and I could really use a drink!



Well here we are in… what the fuck week is this? I forget. Anyway we’re still in quarantine, it still sucks that we can’t go anywhere. And of course this is the segment where we have some drinks and while we’re drinking we talk about literally anything that doesn’t relate to politics. This week we’re going to discuss some possible TV spinoffs. And one in particular caught my eye. Tell me o virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about spinoffs? Some Fight Milk? Well that is a bar staple at Paddy’s Pub in Always Sunny In Philadelphia. But I will stick to Jack Daniels since that’s what I have on hand I have been stocking plenty of it! So which TV spinoff am I the most interested in? Well remember the show Entourage? Yeah there’s talk that uber-creep Jeremy Piven, responsible for everyone’s hot-headed, anger-challenged super-agent Ari Gold should get his own series.

Entourage fans, get ready to hug it out. Jeremy Piven is apparently open to returning to his signature character—foul-mouthed Entourage agent Ari Gold—for a spinoff series.

"Yes, I've been asked about doing a spinoff for Ari Gold," Piven said in a video Barstool Sports shared on Twitter on Thursday. "And I want to put it out there to the people: Is that something you guys might be interested in?"

"I just want to know, we will figure out a hashtag," he added. (Might I suggest #GoForAriGold, Mr. Piven?) Piven also mentioned that if a spinoff happened, he'd bring along Lloyd, Ari's assistant/protege, played by Rex Lee.

Gold—the temperamental and often inappropriate agent who was equal parts unpredictable and brilliant at his job—was arguably the best character on Entourage. (Apologies to all the Johnny Drama stans out there.) He was certainly the breakout character, thanks to Piven's fiery performance and his way with insanely explicit lines, none of which will be quoted here. The actor was awarded several times over for his performance—he nabbed a Golden Globe and three Emmys for the role.
https://www.newsweek.com/jeremy-piven-teases-entourage-spinoff-about-ari-gold-every-bros-problematic-fave-1504150




I wonder how Ari and Lloyd are going to work in this socially distant nightmare hell world we’re currently living in? But since we currently have nothing to do but stay at home and watch TV, how are we going to pass the time until social distancing ends? I mean do we really need a spin off of the “Married At First Sight” people living under quarantine? I would probably shoot the TV. Well how about an American Horror Story spin off?

Ryan Murphy is bringing the American Horror Story cast back together for a special new project.

The series creator announced via Instagram that an anthology spin-off series called American Horror Stories is in the works, sharing the news alongside a photo from a recent AHS virtual reunion. Participants included Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Denis O'Hare, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Emma Roberts, Adina Porter, Billie Lourd, and Dylan McDermott.

“American Horror Story cast zoom call...where we reminisced about the good times...the spin-off we're doing called American Horror Stories (one hour contained episodes)...when we will start filming the next season of the mothership...and other stuff I cannot print. It was so much fun and I'm glad we caught up. I miss everyone," he captioned a photo of the group chat.

A representative for FX, home of the American Horror Story franchise, had no further information about the spin-off.
https://ew.com/tv/ryan-murphy-american-horror-story-anthology-spinoff/




Yeah seriously GTFO with this crap! How about a Star Trek spinoff? We currently have two Star Trek spinoffs on a network that we don’t watch or get – the CBS All Access. Really? Does anybody subscribe to that? Where’s my assistant at? LLOYD!!!! Oh wait, we don’t have any assistants right now. But this does sound promising assuming it can be shot in the post social distancing era.

Three of Star Trek: Discovery’s most popular characters are getting their own spinoff series for CBS All Access.

The new show will be called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and will follow Anson Mount’s Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn’s Number One and Ethan Peck’s Spock in the decade before Captain Kirk commanded the U.S.S. Enterprise through the stars. The show will follow the three shipmates as they travel the galaxy and explore new worlds.

The series premiere of Strange New Worlds is written by executive producer Akiva Goldsman, who will continue to serve as a key creative voice on Star Trek: Picard as well. Just like CBS’s other Star Trek shows, this one will be overseen by Alex Kurtzman. Kurtzman and fellow Discovery producer Jenny Lumet collaborated with Goldsman on the story for the series’ first episode.

Strange New Worlds is one of many shows set in the Star Trek universe that’s on the way in the near future. Rick and Morty writer Mike McMahan’s animated series Star Trek: Below Decks is headed to CBS All-Access. There’s also a show based on Section 31 — a secret and semi-unauthorized branch of Starfleet that handles delicate missions and covert operations — starring Michelle Yeoh that’s currently in development and a new CG-animated series for Nickelodeon. Along with all these upcoming shows Star Trek: Discovery’s third season is set to release sometime in 2020 along with Star Trek: Picard season 2, which doesn’t have a release date yet.
https://www.polygon.com/2020/5/15/21260020/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-spinoff-show-pike-spock-number-one-cbs-all-access




Ah chugging beers, I miss those times. Hopefully they will return again and we’ll be able to put this weird time behind us. But here’s one thing though – since enough content has been produced to last us for a millenia, we may actually run out of fresh material if new shows can’t be produced. Which begs the question – when do we get a vaccine for this shit? We need one!!! We can’t run out of new TV!!!! I mean it!!

We'd be lying if we said Netflix hasn't been somewhat of a saving grace during these unprecedented times. The past month has brought a wave of new original content on the streaming platform, from series like Outer Banks and Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever to films like Extraction. While many people are itching for stay-at-home orders to be lifted, Netflix has been able to make this time at home a lot more bearable. Of course, the new content can't last forever. When will it run out?

In an interview regarding the eventuality of a content shortage, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos assured CNN that although all production around the world has been shut down, the company's 2020 slate of series and films have already been largely shot.

"We deliver all our shows with all episodes at once, so we're pretty far ahead. We don't see any disruption in our output over the next few months."
ADVERTISEMENT

Though the next few months are safely secured in terms of new original content, what does that mean for the latter part of the year or early 2021? Some of Netflix's projects are starting to see the effects of physical production being stuck at a halt; but production teams, casts, and executives are finding ways to (safely) nurture the creative process until in-person production can continue, Sarandos shared. One of these ways is virtual table reads of new episodes among actors and writers, giving subscribers hope that new content won't get lost in the shuffle, and when the time does come for people to return to work, Netflix employees will be more than prepared — as if almost no time was lost.
https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/will-netflix-run-out-original-tv-movies-in-2020-47473125





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[font size="8"]Stupidest State Round 3 Week 1: The Final Four
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Welcome back to Stupidest State Round 3! Yes, the third round is finally here! Last week, Michigan’s stunning comeback left Nebraska out of the contest and secured the Final Four for this year! That said, let’s introduce the Final Four and get underway! From the Batshit Conference, it’s the Gem State, Idaho! From the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference, it’s the Wolverine State, Michigan! From the Gun Nut Conference, it’s the Sunshine State, Florida! And from the Family Values Conference, last year’s champion, it’s the Cotton State, Alabama!!! Let’s get ready to rumble! We go now live to the floor at the home of the Anaheim Ducks, the Honda Center in Anaheim, for the action! And of course since all the conferences are competing against each other all rules have been thrown out the window and we will just talk about whatever we feel like!

[font size="4"]Layover League Championship: Idaho Vs Michigan:[/font]

[font size="4"]Idaho:[/font]


Well last time Idaho stunned the Batshit Conference by upsetting favorite #1 Virginia and upsetting the Batshit Conference for the first time in many years. And why is that? Because Idaho gun nuts are a special breed of insane. And since they can’t beat Oregon gun nuts, they’ve itching to take away a sizable portion of Oregon’s rural jurisdictions. But would that work or would that backfire on them big time? Well, it has the potential to do both. But instead we’re going to talk about another industry of Idaho – meat packing! Of which COVID is decimating the meat packing industry.

At least 23 employees working at a beef processing plant near Boise, Idaho, have tested positive for the coronavirus, health officials confirmed Saturday.

One additional employee is presumed to have the virus, and two other contract employees have tested positive, Central District Health spokesperson Christine Myron told the Idaho Statesman.

The majority of the employees have recovered, Myron said. Some of the employees who tested positive do not live in the Central District Health area, which serves Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties.

Steve Cherry, CS Beef Packers plant manager, said in a statement that plant employees working in close proximity may have been exposed to the virus. Employees who are ill will remain at home until officials confirm they are recovered, Cherry said. Employees will be compensated for time away from work, he said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/over-20-idaho-beef-plant-workers-sickened-with-coronavirus/ar-BB13QGz9?ocid=hplocalnews




Yes holy shit indeed! And by the way speaking of the stay at home orders, do we really need this douchebag as their spokesperson? I don’t need to remind you of what they turned that Oregon bird shelter into, or the mess they left off that freeway intersection in Reno. Yes, it’s the Bundy clan, and do we really need them fucking things up? Just when you think you can’t make a bad situation worse.

In the video, a man in a black cowboy hat and jacket stands on the sidewalk, offering his commentary on the arrest of Sara Brady, a Meridian woman who was arrested April 21 for trespassing after staging a protest at Kleiner Park, where some facilities had been closed due to COVID-19 concerns.

"It was a woman at a park with her children, and she was arrested," the man said. "Completely inappropriate—that's just the way it is. What will happen is, they'll grind her in the system that's called 'justice,' I guess, until they spit her out, until she's given up or you guys get your say. That's the way I see it, and I've been there."

Indeed, he has. The man in the video is Ammon Bundy, whose previous encounters with law enforcement include the standoff at his father's ranch in 2014 and another standoff at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Eastern Oregon, where he played a central role. The aforementioned video was shot from the sidewalk in front of the home of one of the officers involved in Brady's arrest, where dozens of people staged a protest the evening of the incident.

In a statement released on Facebook, the Meridian Police Employee Association expressed its frustration with both Brady and Bundy's protests, and shock at the intrusion into the private life of a police officer.

Read more: https://www.idahopress.com/boiseweekly/news/citydesk/ammon-bundy-protests-arrest-of-stay-home-order-dissenter-at-officers-home/article_953dec02-aa9f-5a18-a392-19e37b6a8c89.html




[font size="4"]Michigan:[/font]


So we’ve seen Idaho and how crazy their right wing is. Now let’s see Michigan. They’ve previously been hot players in the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference, but this year they’ve managed to top themselves going into the 2020 election. Because as you may or may not be aware, Michigan’s MAGAs and gun nuts have stormed the capitol and we are left with the stuff of pure insanity. See, the Trumpsters and MAGAs aren’t exactly the brightest bulbs in the light fixture. So when you fill their heads with propaganda that this is bad, well, this is what we get.

Dozens of angry Michiganders, fueled by conspiracy theories and disinformation about the coronavirus, are promoting violence and mobilizing armed rallies against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Facebook, in violation of the social media company’s policies.

Metro Times gained access to four private Facebook groups that can only be seen by approved members. The pages, which have a combined 400,000 members, are filled with paranoid, sexist, and grammar-challenged rants, with members encouraging violence and flouting the governor’s social-distancing orders.

On Sunday, after being contacted by Metro Times, Facebook removed one of the groups, Michigan United for Liberty, and deleted posts on others for violating the company’s policy against inciting violence. Facebook announced last month that it will remove groups and events that encourage people to defy social-distancing measures. Facebook also is investigating the other groups...

https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2020/05/11/whitmer-becomes-target-of-dozens-of-threats-on-private-facebook-groups-ahead-of-armed-rally-in-lansing




And in case you’re wondering just how far the Wolverine State is devolving thanks to everything that is going on, look no further than one of their flagship universities, Michigan State University. Based in Lansing, it’s right next to the state capitol. And well, last year, some shit went down involving an extremely racist incident. Look, government still has to go on people. We’ve still got business to conduct, but people are losing their minds.

-- A fight broke out on the steps of the Michigan Capitol Thursday morning during a protest aimed at Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the ongoing state of emergency and stay-at-home orders.

J. Scott Park, an MLive photographer, witnessed the fight break out after a man carrying a garbage can filled with a sign, an ax and an American flag removed the flag from the can. Attached to the bottom of the flag was an unclothed doll with brown hair that was hanging from a noose.

Organizers of the protest called the display “hate speech” and when one protester tried to take the doll off the flag a skirmish broke out. The man who brought the flag fled away from the fight and to the lawn of the Capitol where Michigan State Police surrounded him.

The man was taken into the Capitol building following the altercation. Michigan State Police reported there were no injuries and no arrests were made.

MSP public information officer Lt. Brian Oleksyk said the man who brought the flag was interviewed by police and he will be allowed to press charges if he elects to.
https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/05/fight-erupts-at-michigan-capitol-over-doll-with-a-noose-around-neck.html?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mlivedotcom_sf&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3vuN5h96XDLJvThoguT6t0DMJCpa7_Iez9woeVxXb2i907siEoOZuCXsM&fbclid=IwAR262kX470s-cxHqLSwWi_umHzf3RioFxld7hMYf7SrA-weZ7nWAEDlJ6r0




[font size="4"]And The Winner Is:[/font]

We have a winner!!!! Michigan sinks 8 unanswered in a row, they handily defeat Idaho by the score of 88 – 79. Idaho, you had a good run and we will see you next year. Michigan, come on down and cut that net!



[font size="4"]Flyover League Championship: Florida Vs Alabama:[/font]

[font size="4"]Florida:[/font]


One of the biggest winners in the Stupidest State contest is undoubtedly Florida. Yes, America’s penis, the Sunshine State, always brings the stupid and crazy. I can always point out a million stories emphasizing the greatness of Florida Man. And well, Florida companies being run by Florida Men and Florida Women aren’t immune from this either. Because as we’ve said, business has to go on and it hasn’t stopped business from putting employees and property in reckless danger.

An Oveido construction company’s workers on faced cave-in hazards via safety violations OSHA classified as “Willful.”

Cathcart Construction faces fines of $303,611 from nine violations found at worksites in Orlando and Winter Garden, the Department of Labor announced.

Most of that proposed fine, $242,886, comes from the two “Willful” violations, one at each site. Of OSHA’s violation classifications, “Willful” is the worst, defined as “a violation in which the employer either knowingly failed to comply with a legal requirement (purposeful disregard) or acted with plain indifference to employee safety.”

The Citation and Notification of Penalty said on Jan. 10, at a sewer improvement project in Winter Garden, workers “were exposed to a cave-in/engulfment hazard” while toiling in a six-foot, one-inch deep, six-feet long, excavation next to traffic.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article242531146.html




Yeah so Florida businesses got to be Florida businesses. But this might the most Florida thing to happen in 2020 and this is both for Florida and for 2020. Because in 2020 going to the beach in Florida is considered a death sentence, naturally, you got to have the Grim Reaper serve as a reminder of the problem that we’re facing. But yeah don’t be like Florida Man.

Uhlfelder is a staunch advocate for public beach access in the state, even butting heads with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, whose Florida Panhandle home is parked on a private beach. But allowing anyone on the beach during the pandemic is a mistake, he said -- one that could endanger the community.

"We aren't at the point now where we have enough testing, enough data, enough preparation for what's going to be coming to our state from all over the world from this pandemic," the lawyer told CNN.

Scythe in hand, he traveled to beaches around Walton County, Florida, that have reopened ahead of the state's planned May 4 reopening. "Phase One" of the reopening will allow restaurants and retailers to open at 25% capacity. Bars, salons and gyms will stay closed for now.
The beaches he visited Friday were "very crowded," he said.

"I know how beautiful and attractive our beaches are. But if we don't take measures to control things, this virus is going to get really, really out of control," he warned.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/01/us/grim-reaper-florida-beaches-trnd/index.html




[font size="4"]Alabama:[/font]


Florida’s next door neighbor, Alabama, is always guaranteed to do something equally as ridiculous as Florida is. While most states are weighing how to lift their “stay at home” orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic that’s destroyed lives and wrecked the economy beyond repair, Alabama is figuring how to deal with the situation. And we may also feature their governor Kay Ivey on a future “People Who Somehow Got Elected”. However, Alabama wins the Family Values Conference time and time again because, simply put, they don’t care about families.

Coronavirus fallout: Pay raises for Alabama teachers, state employees unlikely to happen
A Senate committee Tuesday approved a General Fund budget that rolls back spending increases — including pay raises for state employees — but doesn't eliminate agency funding increases entirely.

The $2.3 billion budget, approved by the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund committee, would represent a $167.3 million increase (7.5%) over this year's budget.

Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, the chairman of the budget committee, said after the vote on Tuesday that the economic downturn was chiefly affecting taxes that go into the Education Trust Fund (ETF), which pays for most public education in the state.

"Most of the revenue plummeting that's going on appears to be affecting the ETF," he said. "We've done changes with the whole way we do the budget ... so that now we have a healthy General Fund budget. We're not searching between the sofa cushion for dollars."

Read more: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2020/04/28/pay-raises-teachers-state-employees-unlikely-happen-year/3036184001/




Yeah that’s about how Alabama treats its’ working families. And by the way, the constitution doesn’t really matter when making tough decisions. Or maybe it does depending on who’s making the tough decisions that will keep us safe as opposed to, I don’t know, dying of a deadly disease that is turning your lungs inside out and frying your brain. Maybe when making decisions, don’t listen to people like this, especially if you’re the governor of Alabama or the president.

State Attorney General Steve Marshall on Tuesday warned Alabama cities not to stray from the state constitution when passing stricter regulations than Gov. Kay Ivey’s new coronavirus order.

Ivey announced Tuesday that the state stay-at-home order will expire Thursday at 5 p.m. in favor of a so-called “Safer at Home” order, where general retailers will be allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity. Some restrictions from the stay-at-home order will still apply, including restaurants relegated to only curbside or take-out orders and bars remaining closed.

Some cities, including Birmingham, adopted new ordinances to help contain the coronavirus amid the governor’s new order. The Birmingham City Council approved an ordinance mandating residents wear masks when out in public, with exceptions for exercising.

“As the state begins to phase out of the stay-at-home order, municipalities are wrestling with individual and, in some cases, unique decisions regarding the preservation of the health and safety of their residents. In light of today’s announcement, some municipalities have already expressed their intent to impose or maintain more restrictive orders than the state," Marshall said in a statement. "Though Alabama law grants municipalities broad ‘police powers’ when it comes to protecting the public health and safety, these powers must be exercised within constitutional parameters. Municipalities are thus strongly advised to carefully balance the constitutional implications of imposing and enforcing more restrictive safety measures against the need for such measures. As case law tells us, the broadness of these police powers is not a license to abuse them.”

Read more: https://www.al.com/news/2020/04/marshall-warns-cities-not-to-stray-from-constitution-when-making-stricter-orders-than-state.html




[font size="4"]And The Winner Is:[/font]

We have another winner!!! Florida routes Alabama by a score of 18! They take the Flyover League and they’ll face Michigan in a showdown for the ages! Final score: 99 – 81. Cut that net guys, you earned it!



[font size="4"]Next Week:[/font]

Next week it’s the Stupidest State championship! Michigan. Florida. One of these two states will be crowned the 2020 Stupidest State champion! We will be there with the contest and crown our 2020 reigning champion! The champagne is on ice!



[font size="4"]And Now This:[/font]
[font size="4"]AWOLNATION[/font]

Folks I know we can’t have live bands for the foreseeable future but I do have a new song from a band I love, LA’s AWOLNATION. This is called “Pacific Coast Highway” and features Rivers Cuomo from Weezer!



See you next week for our 8th season finale!

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May 13, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #8-17: Drop It Like Your Blood Clots Edition (#200!)


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #8-17: Drop It Like Your Blood Clots Edition (#200!)

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! This is our 200th show everybody! And unfortunately I won’t get to have the live audience spectacular that my staff and my crew so richly deserve. But we will get through this and when we get to #250 next year then we will go all out assuming that this wretched virus is gone. But also this is not the way that I wanted to start, but we’re going to the late, great Mr. Jerry Stiller! Of course you know him as the father of actor Ben Stiller who has starred in such movies as Tropic Thunder and Dodgeball. But to me, one of my favorite TV shows has always been Seinfeld. And Frank Costanza, the father of George Costanza, was arguably one of the funniest characters on the entire series of Seinfeld. Not to mention the way he interacted with George’s mom, the equally funny Estelle Harris, and that was magic. So this week we will be paying tribute to Mr. Stiller throughout this edition with some of Frank Costanza’s best moments. Whether it was him giving a tour of a restroom, or him fighting an unhinged Elaine at the police station, or him screaming at Morty Seinfeld about taking up residency at the new Florida condo Del Boca Vista, we’ll always remember Frank Costanza. Oh and there was also my favorite moment, the infamous “Feats Of Strength” which happened during the celebration of Festivus in “The Strike”. So throughout this edition, we will be paying tribute to the late, great Jerry Stiller. OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver is back and he delves into the extremely dire situation that the USPS is in thanks to the shithead virus and our equally shithead president:



At least for our 200th show, we won’t bog you down or bum you out with all the news surrounding the shithead virus that’s been impacting our live and taking a toll on us mentally, physically, and emotionally. Well in the first slot this week is of course the guy who we currently call president, Donald J. Trump (1) and well, as the old saying goes, “he who denied it, supplied it”. Taking the second slot this week, is also Donald Trump (2). He managed to escape the tepid boredom of being at the White House all day, went to Arizona, and it was quite the shit show. At slot #3, is our old buddy Jacob Wohl (3). Yes he is back and his latest attempt to pay someone to scream sexual harassment, backfired on him big time. Taking the fourth slot this week is an all new “We’re All Gonna Die” (4). And if you think that the coronavirus is bad, wait until you see the killer hornets that Asia has sent our way! Can we have a doover on 2020 please? In the fifth slot this week is a new Top 10 Investigates (5) and what exactly happened in Mississippi? It turns out that a state audit has uncovered some huge money being spent very foolishly. Taking the sixth slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and is COVID taking a huge dump on your religious rights? Our resident pastor is here to tell you the easy answer to that question – “no”. In the seventh slot this week is a new “Beating A Dead Horse” – it is really time to put to rest the rumors surrounding Joe Biden and Tara Reade, because well, the more you argue about it, the more foolish you look. At slot #8 this week is the return of the segment where we dissect the latest in the world of batshit crazy, and that is “Conspiracy Corner” (8). Was Trump justified in his firing of disgraced FBI director James Comey? Quick! To the Q Mobile! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is an all new People Are Dumb (9) and the pandemic hasn’t stopped people from being stupid! Finally this week, Stupidest State Round 2 draws to a close as the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference championship puts #1 Michigan against red hot #4 Nebraska! And to top it off, we’re going to celebrate our 200th edition with the new Rolling Stones song, appropriately titled “Living In A Ghost Town”! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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Hey Trump! Remember that thing you said was a hoax and that it would just blow over by February and that we’d all get back to normal and live the lives we were supposed to be living? Well guess what? Not only is it very real, it’s killed 81,000 to date (in republican numbers, that’s 25,250 Benghazis). It is living and breathing inside that government owned building that you’ve claimed as your residence, and it’s infected your staff! And it’s probably infected you too, you just don’t know it yet. But how did we get here? Well they keep denying it, downplaying it and blaming it on somebody else, because that’s how the “take no responsibility” party rolls. As the saying goes from my grade school years, he who denied it, supplied it!

On the night of Saturday, May 9, President Donald Trump tweeted five Fox News clips: One from Sean Hannity’s Hannity, two from Jeanine Pirro’s Justice With Judge Jeanine, and two from Jesse Watters’ Watters’ World.

All of the clips were about a supposed “coup d’état,” as the Fox anchors called it, committed by the Obama administration during the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election. "Obamagate, that's the subject of tonight's 'Watters Words'" segment, Watters said. "The Obama people got caught this week and it looks like it goes straight to the top."

But just what is Obamagate?

Although the #Obamagate hashtag has been popular across all major platforms, it has also elicited confusion from people not tapped into the inscrutable narratives of Trump’s fervent online base.

And the president did little to clear up the confusion in a press conference on Monday afternoon: "Obamagate, it's been going on for a long time, it's been going on from before I even got elected,” the president said. Asked specifically what crime he was accusing Obama of, the president declined to answer. "You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanhatesthis/obamagate-hashtag-twitter-covid19-positive-white-house




Remember not even last week when Vice President Jared Kushner said that by July this country would be rocking? Well, this is more like “drop it like your blood clots”. So the Coronavirus has officially come to the White House. But who’s got it? And what could happen? And why was Trump allowed to go to Arizona last week? So many questions and not enough answers!

Over one dozen people in the White House have tested positive for the coronavirus within the last week — and many of them are thought to have come into contact with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.

The slew of new cases has prompted the White House to crack down on their coronavirus policies. From the beginning, Trump and his administration have been criticized for failing to maintain social distancing guidelines and not wearing face masks in public.

But now, President Trump has ordered the use of face masks within the West Wing. Secret Service agents have been reportedly told to cover their faces when they come in contact with the president, even though Trump himself refuses to wear one.

Additionally, Trump and Pence are reportedly maintaining their distance from one another in order to lower the risk of exposure.
https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-show-inside-the-white-house-handling-the-coronavirus-crisis-2020-5




Hey you know what? Let’s expand this a bit. Yeah Trump and Pence are maintaining their distance because Trump’s probably got it! And I wouldn’t be surprised if Pence had it either. Shit, the entire staff is probably infected at this point. But let’s all point out how much of a fucking terrible idea this is, and that it could have serious consequences. Especially if Trump wants to open up the country and hold his stupid MAGA rallies again!

The White House is testing its staff for coronavirus using a device that has been criticized for giving false negatives.

The New York Times reported that the White House is using the ID Now rapid testing system, which can give results in less than 13 minutes.

However, one study in late April found that it was showing a false negative in around 15% of cases — a result affirmed by the director of the National Institutes of Health.

Abbott Laboratories, the test maker, said around the same time that its tests can indeed produce false negatives in certain conditions.

It said that false negatives can occur when used with samples which are dissolved in liquid. It said the tests work properly when a swab with the sample is put directly into the device.
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-white-house-test-staff-kits-accused-false-negatives-2020-5




OMFG. Trump really thinks he’s going to test the whole country? I am absolutely shocked (not) that the tests are providing false positives. Hell, if you think Trump’s the guy to trust in reopening the country, I have a can of magical silver solution to sell you! And you can wash it down with a boba shake made from Clorox and Tide Pods. Love that visual! But Trump and Pence are maintaining their distance for now, it seems.

President Trump and Vice President Pence will be "maintaining their distance in the immediate future" on the advice of the White House Medical Unit, a senior administration official told NPR. They were last seen together at the White House on Thursday.

At a Monday White House briefing, which the president attended but the vice president did not, Trump suggested that he might be keeping his distance from Pence for the time being.

"We can talk on the phone," Trump said.

Last week, the press secretary for Pence and a military valet for the president tested positive for the coronavirus.

Pence and others who were in contact with the coronavirus patients have since tested negative, but the virus can take days to incubate. The cases have heightened concerns about the nation's ability to safely reopen.
https://www.npr.org/2020/05/11/853720236/watch-trump-holds-briefing-after-white-house-staffers-test-positive-for-coronavi





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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Hey look, we got to talk about Trump’s taste in music for a minute. Am I the only one who’s alarmed by the fact that he plays the Rolling Stones’ classic song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at the end of his rallies? Let’s dissect the message he’s trying to tell us – you can’t always get what you want, but if you try some times, you get what you need. So when Trump got bored and stir crazy and decided to hop Air Force One to Arizona to tour a Honeywell plant that recently converted to manufacturing PPE to help deal with our current coronavirus crisis. How did that work out? Well, in the words of Trump’s favorite song, you can’t always get what you want.

As President Trump attempts to project an image of America rising out of quarantine and beginning to reopen, he traveled on Tuesday to an Arizona factory that's expanded into production of N95 face masks to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

And while the trip was in part meant to tell a positive story about the Trump administration's response, it also highlights the challenges of the moment.

Arizona remains under a modified stay-at-home order until May 15, though Republican Gov. Doug Ducey allowed some retail establishments to begin to open voluntarily Monday. The state hasn't yet notched the two consecutive weeks of reduced COVID-19 cases called for as a first step in the White House guidelines for reopening. In fact, the number of confirmed cases in the state is on the rise.

And Trump's trip itself was anything but normal. Those traveling with the president or coming in close proximity to him in Arizona were tested for the coronavirus.

Attendees to the president's remarks, about 70 or so people, wore masks and were seated spaced apart from one another.
https://www.npr.org/2020/05/05/850102811/trump-returns-to-the-road-with-arizona-trip-to-mask-maker




Yeah these are the kind of people who would literally press the button that says “do not press button” and they actually did that {see: Top 10 #3-5 ). Yes, the Trump administration are literally the people why we need “do not touch” signs because, owning the libs. Now here is where it gets weird. While touring the factory, the workers blasted the Guns N Roses version of the classic Paul McCartney James Bond theme “Live And Let Die” and well, you can’t make this up.

President Donald Trump did not wear a face mask — as is recommended by health officials to aid in preventing the spread of COVID-19 — during his tour of a Honeywell factory in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday.

As Trump toured the factory, which is producing N95 masks for the federal government, he and other officials wore safety glasses but did not wear masks. In a clip from Reuters, at one point on the tour, workers blasted Guns N’ Roses’ cover of the James Bond theme song from Wings, “Live and Let Die.” As Trump spoke to a worker that was wearing a mask, he could barely be heard over the din as he asked how many masks were made in a day and the worker’s response is hard to discern. Afterward, Trump gave a thumbs up to the camera. A sign in the factory stated that masks were required in the factory, per CNBC.

Trump, who early into the coronavirus pandemic advised against masks, has refused to wear them despite mounting recommendations from health experts advising everyone to do so. Though he told reporters prior to his factory visit that he would wear a mask if it was mandatory at the factory, a White House official said Honeywell told the White House that masks did not need to be worn, according to CNBC.

In April, Vice President Mike Pence, who is head of the White House’s coronavirus task force, ignored Mayo Clinic’s policy of requiring a face mask. Instead, Pence toured the medical facility and visited patients maskless.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-tours-factory-maskless-live-and-let-die-song-994546/




So that happened. It’s one of those things that you literally cannot make up no matter how hard you try, and believe me, we’ve tried here. And by the way, Axl is no fan of Trump. But when one of the biggest rock stars in the world takes on one of the guys with the biggest ego in the world, well, let’s just say it’s on like Donkey Kong! Really this might be the most 2020 thing to happen to 2020 so far, and we’re only 5 months into this year.

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose didn't hold back on his view of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, setting off a Twitter spat during the middle of a global pandemic.
"It's official! Whatever anyone may have previously thought of Steve Mnuchin he's officially an [a**hole,]" Rose tweeted Wednesday night.
Less than two hours later, Mnuchin hit back at Rose, with a now-deleted tweet "What have you done for the country lately?" that some pointed out included an emoji of the flag of Liberia. Mnuchin tweeted the snarky response again and included an emoji of the American flag.
Rose took a jab at Mnuchin's flag mixup and responded, "unlike this admin I'm not responsible for 70k+ deaths."

"My bad I didn't get we're hoping 2 emulate Liberia's economic model but on the real unlike this admin I'm not responsible for 70k+ deaths n' unlike u I don't hold a fed gov position of responsibility 2 the American people n' go on TV tellin them 2 travel the US during a pandemic," he tweeted, apparently referencing Mnuchin's comments during an interview with Fox Business Network on Monday.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/07/politics/axl-rose-steve-mnuchin/index.html




Let’s get it on!!! By the way after what’s happening in our first entry this week, future mask factory photo op tours and campaign rallies won’t be happening because well, Trump doesn’t care if he has the virus and who he could give it to. Plus, who would want to be associated with him after the disaster at Honeywell? Well, this is becoming quite insane and don’t expect Trump to follow the rules any time soon.

A Pennsylvania mask factory postponed a visit from President Donald Trump last week because it worried that the event could spread the coronavirus among workers.

The Washington Post reported on Monday that Trump was due to visit a Braskem factory on Friday to thank workers who are making personal protective equipment.

Citing documents and two people familiar with the decision, The Post said factory bosses asked to postpone the visit over concerns that Trump's visit could jeopardize workers' safety and harm the factory's ability to make the materials for masks and other medical supplies.

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have been criticized for how they have handled similar events.

In early May, Trump was pictured touring a Honeywell mask-making factory without wearing a mask himself, though he later said he wore a mask "backstage."
https://www.businessinsider.com/mask-factory-cancels-trump-visit-over-coronavirus-spread-concerns-2020-5





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[font size="8"]Jacob Wohl
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Answer me this: Are right wing smear artists like Jacob Wohl and Project Veritas just really shitty at their jobs? Every time they are in the news for attempting to smear people for not telling the supposed truth about Trump, it seems to blow up and backfire in their faces. But like a deranged Wile E. Coyote, they keep coming back for more. So what’s the latest blow up from the right wing smear artist? Well, this time, their target was the one guy who’s trying to keep us from dying in large numbers, and that’s Dr. Fauci. But we caught their latest scheme before it even happened, and even the people who it happened to didn’t even really know that it happened!

Last month, right-wing provocateurs Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman called another in a series of hapless press conferences designed to impugn their political enemies. This time they claimed to bring forward a woman to accuse Dr. Anthony Fauci, the 79-year-old head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, of sexually assaulting her at a Four Seasons hotel in 2014.

The woman later contacted a journalist at Reason to 'fess up: She said she was Wohl's ex-girlfriend and the duo had paid her thousands of dollars to make the false accusation under a fake name. What's more, she had the tapes to prove it.

"The reality is that I've known Jacob since 2018 and that he charmed me into taking money to do this," she wrote, pointing to a photo of her sitting on Wohl's lap, which he had posted to Instagram months prior.

The smears — which have also targeted Democratic presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, attorney Michael Avenatti and former special counsel Robert Mueller — have successfully raised Wohl's national profile. They have also raised significant questions about his possible liability for slander, libel, bribery, extortion and fraud.
https://www.salon.com/2020/05/11/right-wing-smear-artist-jacob-wohl-has-a-long-dubious-history-will-he-finally-go-to-prison/




Oh yeah, no question sir. He really is too stupid to insult. Now here’s where this story gets weird, because why wouldn’t it? It’s no mistake that the GOP has been on a massive disinformation campaign to discredit Dr. Fauci and the entire lockdown movement. But why the hell would he make advancements toward a woman who’s half his age? Well because Jacob Wohl is a deeply disturbed individual, like most hardcore Trumpsters.

A 26-year-old woman named Diana Andrade says that right-wing fraudsters Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman paid her to accuse Dr. Anthony Fauci of sexual assault.

Dr. Fauci, of course, is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a notable member of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force who actually contradicts the president’s numerous lies about COVID-19.

Around April 27, Andrade (using the name Diana Rodriguez) initially claimed that in 2014, when she was 20 years old, she met Fauci at the bar of the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C.

“He looked rich and powerful, and I love smart men with grey hair,” she wrote. “He told me all about his fantastic career in medicine, so I went upstairs [to his room].”

After some sort of alleged “ineffective hotel bed wrestling” occurred, she claimed she managed “to flee with her honor intact,” adding, “Now, when I see him on TV touted as some kind of hero, I want the nation to know the truth. This is my truth. This is my story.”
https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2020/05/republican-hacks-paid-26-year-old-woman-to-accuse-dr-fauci-of-sexual-assault/




Hey, that’s my move, damn it! Hotel bed wrestling? Who does that? And I’m not talking about what Trump did in that Moscow hotel with those Russian hookers. Allegedly! Allegedly!!! Seriously, these are some creepy motherfuckers. And really why the hell are you trying to take down the one guy who’s trying to save your life? Because well, money talks and bullshit walks.

I'd just finished Saturday morning's second cup of coffee when an email popped through, subject line: "Exposing Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman."

"Hi Nancy, I hope you are having a nice weekend. I feel very bad about lying to you and others about Dr. Fauci. I took it upon myself to call Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman and record them (see attached)… Many thanks and again, I feel very bad about all this. I apologize to you, the other reporters and Dr. Fauci."

The writer of the email identified herself as Diana Andrade. I had never before emailed with Andrade, but had spoken with her 10 days earlier, when I knew her as "Diana Rodriguez." At that time, Rodriguez alleged that when she was 20 years old, in 2014, she'd been sexually assaulted by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the most visible faces in the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those lucky enough to be unfamiliar with the exploits of Wohl and Burkman, they are pro-Trump provocateurs who've found a niche drumming up fake sexual harassment allegations that end comically badly, including against former FBI Director Robert Mueller (who turned out to have been serving jury duty the day he was supposed to have committed the assault) and Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren (the press conference for which took place on Burkman's stoop, and whose supposed victim was a 24-year-old Marine).*
https://reason.com/2020/05/07/she-said-anthony-fauci-sexually-assaulted-her-now-she-says-jacob-wohl-and-jack-burkman-paid-her-to-lie/




Man even Dave Grohl thinks you done fucked up! But really these morons are the world’s shittiest intelligence agents. It’s no wonder that we’re in the worst pandemic not seen in an entire century – you have a nation of morons, you get a moron president. And really, just like coronavirus, this is one thing that you really don’t want to spread. Or even at the very least be caught spreading.

The coronavirus outbreak has made Dr. Anthony Fauci, longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a household name.

As beloved as he is in some corners, Fauci is loathed in others. He has increasingly weathered attacks from conservatives and conspiracy theorists who disagree with his cautionary approach to the deadly virus and view him as a “deep state” enemy of President Donald Trump.

Last month, as the threats escalated, Fauci was assigned a security detail.

The latest attack on him comes in the form of an accusation of sexual assault.

Earlier this week, the Daily Dot received a press release from a woman claiming that Fauci sexually assaulted her in 2014. The release included the details of the allegation and said she and her representatives plan to hold a press conference on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

All allegations of this nature are given equal consideration. But the more the Daily Dot looked into the details, the more things didn’t add up. The accuser didn’t respond to multiple requests to speak with her.
https://www.dailydot.com/debug/dr-fauci-smear-campaign-sexual-assualt/





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[font size="8"]We’re All Gonna Die
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Hey everyone guess what? We’re all gonna die! Wooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Wooooooooo!! Woooooo! Wooo. Woo. Well, if the coronavirus doesn’t get you, then a new breed of killer hornets might get you! And be prepared to say goodbye to honey because it might be going the way of the dodo if these hornets from Japan have anything to say about it! And in the words of GOB from Arrested Development, well, we’ll see who brings in more honey. Because these killer hornets, which have been dubbed the “murder hornets” are nothing to fuck with. Just to think we’ve dealt with every disaster imaginable in 2020, well, we haven’t seen anything yet!

Even as the US remains under attack from the coronavirus outbreak, a new terror has arrived: "murder hornets".

The 2-inch (5cm) long Asian giant hornets, Vespa mandarinia, have been found in Washington state.

Multiple stings are deadly to humans and in their "slaughter phase" the hornets destroy honeybees, whose bodies they feed to their young.

Scientists are now on a hunt for the hornets, hoping to eradicate the species before they wipe out US bees.

Although they typically avoid people, in Asia, "murder hornet" stings are thought to cause as many as 50 human fatalities a year, according to the New York Times.

The hornets made their first North American appearance in August 2019, in British Columbia, Canada. Months later, in December 2019, the flying insects were reported south of the border in Washington state.
https://www.bbc.com/news/52533585




Yeah GOB’s not on board. But are these killer “murder hornets” really something to be frightened about with everything else that’s going on? Or could they just be another harmless mutation of an even scarier super bug? How dangerous of a killer insect are we talking about here? Well we might want to actually read about these things before we start freaking out. I mean come on 2020, throw everything you’ve got at us, we can take it!

The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) has arrived in North America. In the past several days photographs and videos have surfaced showing how viciously this insect has attacked honeybees elsewhere in the world: it crawls into hives and rips off the heads of bees in large numbers—making its supervillain nickname, “murder hornet,” feel disturbingly apt. U.S. government agencies and local beekeepers have sprung into action, hoping to eradicate the hornet—thus far seen just in Washington State and nearby Vancouver Island—before it can consolidate a foothold in the continent. Success may lie in how predator and prey interact naturally.

V. mandarinia is the largest hornet in the world. A female worker may grow to a length of nearly four centimeters (an inch and a half), and the insect has large biting mouthparts that enable it to decapitate its victims. Hornets are usually solitary hunters. But between late summer and fall, V. mandarinia workers may band together to conduct mass attacks on nests of other social insects, notably honeybees. This behavior even has a name: the slaughter and occupation phase. U.S. beekeepers supply billions of honeybees each year to help pollinate at least 90 agricultural crops. And they are worried that this new raider could further worsen already deep losses in important pollinator populations.

The hornet is native to Asia, ranging from Japan and Russia down to Thailand and Myanmar (formerly Burma). The first confirmed U.S. sighting was a dead specimen found in Washington last December. But several of the insects had previously been seen on Vancouver Island in British Columbia in the late summer and fall of 2019.⁠ No one yet knows whether the hornet is establishing a North American beachhead in the Pacific Northwest or if it will spread from there. If it does advance, that could mean trouble.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/just-how-dangerous-is-the-murder-hornet/




Ha, that episode is a fucking classic. But how are we going to spread the murder hornets? Well maybe not as much as coronavirus, and there’s no chance in hell these are coming to your neighborhood any time soon. It’s not like the dinosaurs and other unspeakable creatures at the end of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Oh spoilers? Come on, fuck that movie. And really we don’t need another disaster movie right now, since the entire world is a disaster thanks to coronavirus. But yeah in the terms of how the murder hornets could be spread, well, there’s a few things that would have to happen first.

When news of the Asian giant hornet’s arrival in the United States first broke, the public was understandably worried: First the coronavirus, now “murder hornets”? What’s next, three days of darkness?

But bug experts from Washington, where the hornet was discovered in the U.S., to California agree that the 2-inch hornet is probably not worth all the buzz it has generated — at least not yet.

“It’s not an existential threat; it’s something that can be managed. You just have to know that they’re there and take the necessary steps,” said Doug Yanega, senior museum scientist at UC Riverside’s Entomology Research Museum. He helped Washington scientists identify the hornets when they were first found.

“It’s like letting a virus spread — you don’t want to let your guard down.”
https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-05-06/murder-hornets-theyre-probably-not-as-bad-as-you-think




I like how confident that guy is. But we’re not gonna die just yet. Really people it’s time to calm the fuck down about the murder hornets. We’ve got more important things to worry about, and even bug experts think that we shouldn’t worry too much about the murder hornets. They’re really a non-issue in the bigger picture of things. But when it comes to listening to the experts, well, we’ll see who brings in more honey.

A superhero apparently awaits in the wings, ready to put a halt to the demented hornets.

But let’s take a moment to first figure out what the real story is about these seemingly and unabashedly notorious hornets.

Properly known as the Vespa mandarinia, this inch-and-a-half mega-sized hornet is considered a non-native species of the United States (they normally reside in Eastern Asia), and some of them in the Fall of 2019 were able to somehow “invade” into Vancouver Island, Canada, and also ended-up across the border into Washington state.

Efforts have been undertaken by wildlife entomologists and related specialists to find the hornet intruders and attempt to eradicate them.

According to the National Wildlife Federation, there have been no verified reports of the species in this year of 2020 as being spotted in the United States, and “there is currently no cause to believe that any of these hornets are still present in Canada or the U.S.” (per a May 8, 2020 posting by the NWF).
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanceeliot/2020/05/11/the-vaunted-murder-hornet-could-ominously-be-spread-by-the-advent-of-ai-self-driving-cars/#1173408d5853





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Mississippi Audit Scandal
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines. This is Top 10 Investigates!



When greed and corruption happen at all walks of life, who is to blame? Well there’s many different levels of greed that happen all around us. We go to Mississippi for this story. Where there’s a tale of corruption and greed that is dwarfing and even eclipsing the Enron scandal. It appears that an audit of Mississippi’s financial assets revealed some absolutely ridiculous spending on some very lavish and unnecessary items. And when we say unnecessary items, we mean luxury sports cars, expensive houses, and much much more. Think of this as the Enron scandal, circa 2020. And we can’t even get out much right now.

Money meant to help poor residents was used to buy luxury cars, sponsor a college baseball tournament and hire family members of a top state official, according to a report from State Auditor Shad White.

The 104-page audit of the Mississippi Department of Human Services released Monday shows how federal welfare grant funds flowed from DHS into two nonprofit groups, which allegedly spent the cash in inappropriate or questionable ways.

More than $94 million in welfare money spending was "questioned" by auditors, according to the report – alleging either outright misspending or lack of documentation showing it was spent properly.

In a statement, White said the report "shows the most egregious misspending my staff have seen in their careers at the Office of the State Auditor." He said, "If there was a way to misspend money, it seems DHS leadership or their grantees thought of it and tried it."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/05/04/mississippi-welfare-scandal-audit-shows-94-million-questionable-spending/3080541001/




So in a time when the entire economy is entering levels not seen since the Great Depression because of social distancing measures, what’s $94 million in wasted government spending? This is the kind of government spending that the GOP warned us about. Not only that, how did celebrities like Brett Farve get involved in this? Because this is the kind of fraud that is well, beyond fraud. At least Farve is off the hook.

A nonprofit group caught up in an embezzlement scheme in Mississippi used federal welfare money to pay former NFL quarterback Brett Favre $1.1 million for multiple speaking engagements, but Favre did not show up for the events, the state auditor said Monday.

Details about payments to Favre are included in an audit of the Mississippi Department of Human Services. State auditor Shad White said his employees identified $94 million in questionable spending by the agency, including payments for sports activities with no clear connection to helping needy people in one of the poorest states of the U.S.

Favre, who lives in Mississippi, faces no criminal charges. The audit report lists the payments to him as "questioned" costs, which White said means "auditors either saw clear misspending or could not verify the money had been lawfully spent." The Associated Press on Monday sent questions to Favre by text message and left a message for him with his longtime agent Bus Cook, and Favre did not immediately respond.

Favre also did not immediately respond to ESPN's request for comment.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29139299/brett-favre-name-arises-amid-mississippi-welfare-scandal




That’s Farva. Not Farve. We had a typo in our search engine there. But not only was Brett Farve name dropped in this bizarre scandal, there was also some big name wrestlers in this thing that were being hired for motivational speaking gigs, never performed, but still got paid very well. This must be nice in this day and age to get paid this kind of money for not really doing anything.

Ted DiBiase, the former professional wrestler, has placed his lakeside home in Madison, MS, on the market. The ostentatious grappler once known as the “Million Dollar Man” is seeking $1,575,000 for the French Colonial retreat.

He and his family were recently named in a report by the Mississippi auditor's office as recipients of anti-poverty funds that were misspent on items unrelated to assisting the poor.

On 1.42 acres overlooking Reunion Lake, the “thoughtfully designed” residence covers nearly 6,000 square feet. Built in 2010, the home features five bedrooms and 5.5 baths, with a floor plan designed to take in lake views.

The main level includes a large foyer, private study, formal dining room, and living room. The family room is adjacent to a large kitchen with high-end appliances and finishes.
https://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Amid-Audit-Scandal-WWE-Hall-of-Famer-Ted-DiBiase-15256541.php




Yeah sure so the government of Mississippi just name dropped all Mississippi celebrities in a bizarre audit and wasteful spending. So Mississippi might be SOL when it comes to a wasteful spending spree, and these days that kind of money might be hard to find. But certainly they are not the only ones out there. The government of Mississippi is just the ones who got caught. And expect many more where that came from.

Money meant to help poor Mississippians was instead used to buy expensive cars, sponsor a college baseball tournament, hire family members of a top state official and pay Brett Favre for speeches he never gave, according to a new report from State Auditor Shad White.

The 104-page audit of the Mississippi Department of Human Services released Monday shows how federal welfare grant funds flowed from DHS into two nonprofits, which then frequently spent the cash in inappropriate or suspicious ways.

More than $94 million in welfare money spending was "questioned" by auditors, according to the report — alleging either outright misspending or lack of documentation showing it was spent properly.

In a statement, White said the report "shows the most egregious misspending my staff have seen in their careers at the Office of the State Auditor." He added that "if there was a way to misspend money, it seems DHS leadership or their grantees thought of it and tried it."
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2020/05/04/ms-welfare-scandal-audit-94-m-questionable-spending/3076949001/




That’s it for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.




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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair congregation! Should we be shocked at the behavior coming from our fellow zealots on the right lately? No, I didn’t think so. Well, the Great Pandemic is not only a testament to the greatness and the worst that man can achieve, did you know that it is also a spiritual battle for your very soul? Because there’s a holy war brewing against the EVIL known as social distancing. This is not something that the good LAWRD would have ever envisioned! It’s not “love thy neighbor” as the good LAWRD JAYSUS would have you believe! No! instead, it’s a war for your very SOULS! Because the good LAWRD is using this as a time of spiritual revival.

Jerry Boykin, a retired lieutenant general who once led U.S. special forces, discussed the coronavirus during last week’s online event promoting “The Return,” a prayer-and-politics rally being convened by End Times author Jonathan Cahn. Boykin claimed that “everybody” he knows understands that COVID-19 came out of a lab in China—many scientists have publicly rejected the lab theory—and he suggested that the release of the virus was a “deliberate attack,” while acknowledging that the evidence is inconclusive. But Boykin was “hopeful and enthusiastic” that “we are seeing right now the beginning of a revival or Great Awakening” as more people are turning to God during the pandemic.

As the executive vice president of the Family Research Council and a member of POTUS Shield’s leadership council, Boykin serves as a bridge between traditional religious-right political groups and dominionist Pentecostal leaders who are among Trump’s most ardent supporters.

“We look at this COVID thing and we ask, ‘How can anything good come out of it?’ Well, Bible sales are up and online sermons are seeing record numbers of people coming to Christ,” Boykin said. “Now, you know, there’s a flip side, too, and that is that a lot of people are getting into pornography now, and the church is going to have a big burden to try and help people get off of it when this is all over with.”

During the livestream, which was hosted by POTUS Shield founder Frank Amedia, Cahn said that God changed the course of the nation by putting Ronald Reagan in the White House in response to a prayer event held at the U.S. Capitol in 1980. He mentioned that 1980 was also the year of the failed attempt to rescue American hostages being held in Iran, which ended in a disastrous helicopter collision in the desert. Amedia said Cahn’s mention of the failed Iran mission “put chills down my back” because Boykin had taken part in that mission.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/jerry-boykin-says-covid-19-may-have-been-deliberate-attack-by-china-but-god-is-using-it-to-bring-revival/




Now Reverend, need I remind you that before the outbreak you guys were the ones who were cheerleading for the apocalypse? Now that we’ve got a taste of what Armageddon might be like, you guys are suddenly walking back on your comments? Really now. But if we want to get back to the fun times we had before the pandemic, Brother Jim is back and he’s got some more snake oil to sell you!

End Times pastor Jim Bakker has been facing various financial and legal problems ever since he used a February episode of his television program to promote a silver solution sold by his network by suggesting it could possibly kill the coronavirus and heal those who have been infected.

Bakker is currently being sued by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt “for misrepresentations about the effectiveness of ‘Silver Solution’ as a treatment for 2019 novel coronavirus.” Yesterday, Bakker’s legal team issued a press release announcing that it had filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit against Bakker, who they claim “is being unfairly targeted by those who want to crush his ministry and force his Christian television program off the air … This case is about religious freedom.”

The motion to dismiss contains a sworn statement from Maricela Woodall, who is Bakker’s adopted daughter and the Chief Operating Officer of Bakker’s Morningside Church ministry. Woodall asserts that Morningside considers Bakker’s daily television program to be a religious service and everything Bakker says on it to be a sermon directed at his congregation.

Woodall and Morningside insist that Bakker’s silver solution was “made available to this generation by God” for the benefit of their viewers and therefore any attempt to hold Bakker accountable for falsely promoting it as a coronavirus cure is an unconstitutional attack on Bakker’s religious liberty.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/preventing-jim-bakker-from-selling-a-bogus-covid-19-cure-is-an-unconstitutional-restriction-on-his-religious-liberty-says-his-legal-team/




Now I am going to use that excuse in everything I do from now on. See? My solution was made available by GAWD!!! But with your accusations and conspiracy theories and fake cures, is it any wonder why GAWD is getting pissed? Well with friends like these, who needs enemies? This whole thing is really getting out of hand, and as your pastor, I am here to say.. fuck it. Can I get an amen???

Anti-abortion activist Alveda King implied last week that New York has been hit so hard by the COVID-19 pandemic because it is “the home of abortion.” Religious-right leaders routinely portray the U.S. as deserving of God’s wrath for permitting legal abortion.

King made her comments on a Wednesday night online gathering called by POTUS Shield founder Frank Amedia to promote “The Return,” a religious-right pre-election rally being planned for Sept. 26 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. King, who is a member of the POTUS Shield leadership council, said she would be attending “The Return.”

On the call, Amedia asked King to talk about the topic of abortion, saying that “too many children have died, and the blood is crying out to our Lord.” Amedia reminded listeners that he has prophesied that God would allow President Donald Trump to name three Supreme Court justices and enough lower court judges to change the law of the land. Trump has an “assignment of God” to do away with abortion, Amedia said, which is a reason that POTUS Shield supports Trump:

But the biggest thing that I see, the biggest function we have, is we have a man that God has put his hand upon, and he has assignments, and one of the biggest assignments of all—besides busting up the Babylonian system and dealing with China, and all the other mantles that have fallen upon this single man—is the life of the unborn children. And that’s an assignment of God. And we have to see that all the way through, and we need to see that through to its conclusion … God cannot close his eyes to the murder of children and putting children on the altar and the sacrifice of our own selfishness and humanism.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/alveda-king-implies-covid-19-hit-new-york-so-hard-because-it-is-the-home-of-abortion/




Really? You know it’s not just children, there’s a whole lot of us that are going to die before all this is settled and the Great Pandemic goes away. By the way, in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century, here’s what our brothers and sisters on the right really think of you. Rather than wanting you to vote by mail which is the safe thing to do, the right would rather send you to die at the ballot box because, drum roll, voter fraud!

President Donald Trump’s political operation is battling efforts to expand vote-by-mail and his religious-right backers are helping lead the charge. On Intercessors for America’s monthly prayer call on May 1, True the Vote leader Catherine Engelbrecht told a group of pro-Trump prayer warriors that the struggle over expanded vote-by-mail is a “spiritual battle” for “control of the free world.”

Voting rights advocates and public officials around the country are working to expand voters’ ability to vote by mail in response to the public health risks that voting in person pose this year. (Dozens of cases of COVID-19 have been linked to voters and election workers from Wisconsin’s April 7 elections.) But Trump’s political operation is spending tens of millions of dollars to expand “its legal effort to stop Democrats from overhauling voting laws in response to the coronavirus pandemic,” Politico reported Thursday.

Intercessors for America and True the Vote are on board. Engelbrecht claimed on IFA’s call that the expansion of vote-by-mail is an effort to “absolutely destroy free and fair elections.”

True the Vote describes itself as a nonpartisan “citizen-led movement” working for “free and fair elections.” It has a track record of challenging voter registrations, supporting voter ID laws and voter-roll purges, and fielding election observers who provoked allegations of voter intimidation. It is planning to field off-duty police officers and veterans to patrol polling places this year.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/fight-over-vote-by-mail-is-spiritual-battle-for-control-of-the-free-world-says-true-the-vote-leader/




Well we will be having signups because that’s exactly what the right doesn’t want! It’s not a spiritual battle for your soul, it’s a spiritual battle for your vote! And they are voting for the Dark One! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse: Joe Biden Allegations
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Look, people, look. Joe Biden, our presumptive democratic nominee for 2020, has his issues as being a bit of a creeper (see: Top 10 #6-14 ). But here’s the thing - there’s no credibility here among this latest series of allegations. And since the shit hit the fan with the Coronavirus, this should be like last on our list of priorities to investigate right now, don’t you think? And why are we investigating at this stage in the game? Well, conservatives love to investigate their political opponents because they’re emboldened by AM talk radio, Fox News, and the clergy. But really, get over the fact that he sniffed some people’s necks. This might be creepy behavior sure, but Biden has nothing on Trump!

A woman has filed a police report claiming that presidential candidate Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993, according to reports.

Tara Reade filed a criminal complaint with the Washington Metropolitan Police Department of accusing the 2020 Democratic nomination of pushing her against the wall in a Senate corridor and penetrating her with his fingers, according to Business Insider.

The alleged incident occurred while Reade was working as a Senate staffer for Biden nearly 30 years ago.

Reade first made the claims against Biden last month. In a tweet, Reade thanked those who helped her come forward with the allegations, as well as "luminaries" who have supported her such as Susan Sarandon, John Cusack, and Rose McGowan.

Reade also confirmed that the statute of limitations around the claims against Biden have passed.

"I filed a police report for safety reasons only. All crim [sic] stats beyond limitations. Gratitude for all who have stood by me," Reade tweeted.
https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-sexual-assault-police-tara-reade-1497391




Eh… not really. As I said in the previous entry on this, on the creeper scale, Joe Biden is most definitely a 1 out of 10. Trump is easily a 9.5 out of 10. He might have to issue a few more quaaludes, Cosby style,sd to qualify for a full 10 out of 10. So why wait until the primaries are over for this, as the Dude says, new shit to come to light? And why wait 30 fucking years to report it?

The allegations of sexual misconduct by Tara Reade against the former vice-president Joe Biden have caused new fault lines within the Democratic party, especially between its left wing and the establishment.

Reade is a former Biden Senate staffer who has accused the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee of sexually assaulting her while she worked in his office in the 1990s. Biden and his campaign have flatly denied the allegations and major news outlets have continued to investigate.

Meanwhile, liberal grassroots activists have clashed with centrist Democrats and senior party figures over how to respond to the allegations. The arguments often point to how Democrats approached previous high-profile sexual assault allegations, such as the accusations by Christine Blasey Ford against Brett Kavanaugh during the now supreme court justice’s contentious confirmation hearings.

Peter Daou, a Democratic strategist who has argued that the “Democratic establishment” has moved to undercut Reade’s allegations, said three basic factions had emerged.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/10/biden-sexual-assault-claim-divides-democrats-as-republicans-pounce




No people, now is not the time to get panicked about this sort of thing. Should these claims be investigated? Absolutely. Now we’re not going to say whether or not the claims hold any amount of water, because even we don’t know the answer to that. But even Trump himself thinks that these accusations should be false. Well yeah that speaks volumes about who he is, doesn’t it?

President Trump said Friday that he hopes the sexual assault allegation against his likely Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, is "false." The president also alluded to the 20-plus allegations of sexual misconduct and assault that have been leveled against him over the years.

Regarding the claim against Biden, "I don't know if it's false or not," Mr. Trump said on "Fox & Friends." "Joe is going to have to be able to prove whatever he has to prove, or she has to prove it, but that's a battle he has to fight."

"I've had many false accusations made, I can tell you that," he added. "Many. And maybe it is a false accusation. Frankly, I hope it is for his sake."

Mr. Trump's comments come a day after Tara Reade, a former Senate aide to Biden who says he sexually assaulted her in 1993, told Megyn Kelly in an interview that she thinks Biden should drop out of the presidential race. Biden is the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Also on Thursday, The Tribune newspaper in San Luis Obispo, California reported on a court document from the time of Reade's 1996 divorce proceedings that shows she told her ex-husband she had been sexually harassed when she worked in Biden's office. It did not accuse Biden personally or include an allegation of sexual assault.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-joe-biden-tara-reade-sexual-assault-allegation/




Damn straight! They can’t even get the court filings right! So did future president Biden commit sexual harassment or not? Well the answer is even they don’t know. And come on, it was the 90s, everyone was engaged in that sort of thing. So I’m told. Although do we need to get the endorsement of the CAFSA? It seems they’ve made their decision clear, but really would there be any presidential candidate that they would endorse? Probably not.

The Coalition Against Fraternity Sexual Assault publicly removed Penn Democrats from their group on Tuesday. CAFSA said in a public statement that Penn Dems was removed because they endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president, a figure who has been accused of sexual harassment and assault.

CAFSA, an on-campus organization officially founded in September 2019 to combat rape culture and support historically underrepresented minorities, released their statement in a Google Document on Twitter. CAFSA's document highlighted allegations made against Biden and denounced Penn Dems’ response to the allegation that the former vice president had sexually assaulted Senate staffer Tara Reade in 1993.

"We are writing this statement not only to criticize Penn Dems for endorsing a sexual predator for President, but also to reinforce our commitment in supporting and believing survivors," CAFSA's statement read.

According the CAFSA's website, all clubs in the coalition "support the cause to expel fraternities from Locust Walk and replace them with cultural centers and wellness." By listing their club on the website, they are "committing to the cause and pledging solidarity."
https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/04/biden-assault-penn-cafsa





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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner: Comey Central
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Welcome back to a new edition of the segment where we proudly dissect the latest in the world of absolutely batshit online conspiracy theories, Conspiracy Corner! Just let me get out my trusty tin foil hat, which kind of needs some patching up since I can’t get foil thanks to COVID. But this week marks the third anniversary of the firing of disgraced FBI head James Comey. Since then, Trump has been turning the conspiracies up way past 11. And that has sent Trump supporters into maximum overdrive mode. Really, Trump is turning into the Grandmaster from the Thor franchise – he could tell his followers to take to the streets and they’d do it. So what’s wrong with this picture?

Donald Trump continued to fume over the Russia investigation on Sunday, more than a year after special counsel Robert Mueller filed his report without recommending charges against the president but only three days after the justice department said it would drop its case against Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser.

“The biggest political crime in American history, by far!” the president wrote in a tweet accompanying a conservative talk show host’s claim that Barack Obama “used his last weeks in office to target incoming officials and sabotage the new administration”.

The tweet echoed previous messages retweeted by Trump, which earned rebukes for relaying conspiracy theories. On Sunday afternoon the president continued to send out a stream of tweets of memes and rightwing talking heads claiming an anti-Trump conspiracy. One tweet by Trump simply read: “OBAMAGATE!”

Trump fired Flynn, a retired general, in early 2017, for lying to Vice-President Mike Pence about conversations with the Russian ambassador regarding sanctions levied by the Obama administration in retaliation for interference in the 2016 election.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/10/trump-obama-biggest-political-american-history-russia-michael-flynn




Yeah probably! So why wait until now to launch an investigation into the investigators? Well knowing Trump and the conservatives, who wasted years and billions investigating Benghazi, are probably going to waste more years and billions. So what’s this grand conspiracy that seems to be burying Trump? And why is he going all out now in a blaze of glory? And do I know where I am going with this line of questioning? You bet your ass I don’t!

Paging James Comey — it’s time to stop tweeting — and lawyer up instead.

Take this beauty he tweeted on Saturday: “Bill Barr on CBS offers no facts. An AG should not be echoing conspiracy theories. He should gather facts and show them. That is what Justice is about.”

This is the same former FBI director who — with his co-conspirators at the highest echelons of the Department of Justice,and Democratic lawmakers hell bent on derailing the Trump administration — peddled the fact-free Russian “Collusion” Conspiracy. A hoax that’s since been disproven by the 22-month special counsel investigation as well as several congressional investigations that all found no such collusion existed between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.

Even Trump-hating former FBI agent Peter Strzok said in an uncovered text message at the outset there was “no there, there,” but those facts didn’t stop Comey and the Deep State from launching a counterintelligence investigation against the president and his 2016 campaign associates — and spying on them — to help Hillary Clinton get elected.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/06/02/james-comey-should-be-worried-about-his-own-conspiracy-theory-track-record/




Oh it’s all fun and games until someone commits some light treason. But since we’re on the subject of Arrested Development, does this mean that someone can be charged for the same crime twice? First off, ask Roger Stone or Chelsea Manning. Well one of our favorite batshit crazy conspiracy theorists out there, Q Anon truther Ann Vandersteel, thinks she might have stumbled upon the secret – Comey may have already got arrested and it’s all a cover up! That’s what they want you to think!

Yesterday we noted that the prediction made on April 30 by right-wing QAnon conspiracy theorist Ann Vandersteel that former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and various deep state “minions” would all be arrested by May 5 had obviously not come true.

Vandersteel initially made the prediction based on information she received from a source who she claimed “has never been wrong.” On last night’s “Steel Truth” program, Vandersteel addressed the fact that there is no evidence that any of these people have been arrested by saying that she got back in touch with her original source who told her that Comey may in fact have already been picked up.

Vandersteel’s source told her that he has had somebody “following James Comey for a while” who reports that Comey has not been seen since April 24.

“I have stressed over and over it was a rumor,” Vandersteel said. “I called my source last night about it, and I said, ‘You know, what do you think is going on?’ He said he’s had somebody, another person that he’s connected with, following James Comey for a while. He lives around the block, and he said James Comey was last seen in a supermarket on April 24, and that was the last time he was seen in public. His family and his house have been empty since April 24.”

“Maybe they’re on vacation. Who knows? I don’t know,” Vandersteel added. “Maybe the U.S. Marshals have them. I don’t know. Maybe he’s a cooperating witness. I have no idea.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/ann-vandersteels-source-says-james-comey-may-have-already-been-arrested/





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[font size="8"]People Are Dumn
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Of course you know by now that people are people, and people are dumb. Even the worst pandemic not seen in an entire century has stopped the flow of stupid. I want to start with this story out of Utah. Look, I get it – we’re sequestered in lockdown for god knows how long because of Coronavirus. And this has got to be especially boring for kids. I get it, I was a kid once. Video games and cartoon reruns can only get you so far. But this kid, who was dreaming of owning a ridiculously overpriced Italian sports car decided to take matters into his own hands. But was it really worth rewarding this recklessly insane behavior from this kid?

A driver who police suspected was under the influence on a Utah freeway Monday was really just underage — by a long shot.

The 5-year-old boy told a trooper he hit the road in his parents’ car so he could buy a Lamborghini in California. He took the wheel after his mother refused to purchase the luxury ride for him, said Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Nick Street.

One of Street’s colleagues was preparing to pull over a different driver for speeding about noon Monday when he spotted a car drifting in and out of its lane, braking erratically and switching lanes without a turn signal on southbound I-15, according to Street.

In dash cam footage released by UHP, the boy appeared to be driving a gray SUV. When the trooper turned on his siren, the boy quickly pulled over on the left side of the highway next to the median.

The trooper got out of his car, approached the vehicle and asked the boy a series of questions, including how old he was.
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/5/4/21247196/5-year-old-boy-driver-lamborghini-pulled-over-in-utah




Man when I was five all I knew how to do was make Hot Wheels go down a track! Next up – dumb animals! Yes, even animals are not immune from being stupid! So stop me if you’ve heard this grade school nursery rhyme before. Once there was a pig who swallowed a tracking device. And the tracking device caught fire. Yes, that happened. And the damage might be more severe than you would think!

A fire on a farm in northern England was accidentally set ... by one of the pigs.

The firebug (firehog?) had swallowed a pedometer worn by one of its fellow pigs to demonstrate that the animals were free range, the BBC reported.

But after the pig excreted the pedometer, copper in its battery sparked a flame in the pig dung and dried hay bedding on March 7 at approximately 2 p.m. local time, according to the BBC. The fire spread to cover about 807 square feet (75 square meters) of the farmyard before it was contained, according to The Independent.

Four pigpens caught fire at the farm, located near Leeds in the county of Yorkshire, and fire crews from nearby Tadcaster and Knaresbororough rushed in with hoses to "save the bacon," the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service tweeted on March 7.
https://www.livescience.com/pig-stars-battery-fire.html




Of course how could you not have a People Are Dumb segment without mentioning everyone’s most favorite penis-shaped state? I’m of course talking about Florida. And this is yet another one of those stories where life imitates art. And the art in this case is The Big Lebowski. Walter Sobchak is no role model by any stretch of the imagination. I also don’t think that Florida Man knows that’s one piece of art that shouldn’t be imitated.

Angered that a group of golfers was violating rules on the course adjacent to his home, a 74-year-old Florida Man allegedly threatened the players with a BB gun, prompting the septuagenarian’s arrest Friday evening on six felony charges, records show.

According to cops, John Robert Orr initially shouted at the golfers for driving their cart over a bridge and onto the putting green at the 8th hole of The Conservatory course in Palm Coast. The 199-yard, par three hole features an island green and is touted as the “signature hole” of the Tom Watson-designed course.

Seen above, Orr lives in a home that backs up to the hole, though the residence is separated from the course by a cement wall and the water that surrounds the green.

One of the golfers told police that Orr yelled at them to leave the course and that “use of the golf cart in that manner was against regulations of the golf course,” according to a charging affidavit.
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/110317832




Next up – I think Florida Man has been traveling but no one can really cross state or national lines right now due to the lockdowns. But in California, my home state, this is one thing you should not be doing when there’s a killer virus roaming the landscape capable of shredding your insides. Well, this is also another example of life imitating art, and another example of life imitating art when there’s no way you should be imitating it.

MODESTO, Calif. (KOVR/CNN) - A California man was arrested after he allegedly forced the driver of a tanker truck carring red wine to pull over, climbed onboard and began drinking from the tank, as the truck continued down the highway.

The dash cam video from a Cherokee Freight Lines tanker truck hauling bulk red wine through Modesto, California, allegedly shows suspect 39-year-old Gabriel Moreno in a sedan, putting his hazard lights on and directing the truck to the side of the highway.

Believing he may have had a mechanical problem, the truck driver pulled over, only to see Moreno get out of his car wearing just underwear. He ran to the passenger side of the truck and out of view of the camera.

As the driver pulled back on the freeway, another onboard camera captured the suspect jump back into view then on the back of the wine truck. With no shirt and no shoes, Moreno rode on the side of the tanker then climbed underneath the truck as it hit freeway speeds.
https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Man-allegedly-climbs-under-speeding-truck-filled-with-wine-drinks-from-tank-570348961.html




Finally this week – one of my favorite movie series that has broken in the last 5 years has been undoubtedly the Keanu Reeves vehicle John Wick. I love these damn movies, and it’s a shame that Part 4 has been sidelined because of COVID. Chapter 3 was so good! But once again, you should never imitate art in this case, and especially not do something this ridiculously dumb. But what could possibly go wrong in this case?

A Florida man allegedly tried to blame a weapons bust on John Wick, the legendary assassin played by Keanu Reeves in the eponymous movie franchise, according to a new report.

Cops confronted Getro Gelin, 27, at his Port St. Lucie home Sunday after a woman told police he shoved her to the ground and threatened her with a firearm, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by The Smoking Gun.

The woman told authorities Gelin may have stashed the weapon in his Porsche SUV, according to the report. Cops searched the vehicle and found a Glock 21 pistol, a semi-automatic rifle, and a bulletproof vest, according to the report.

When cops asked Gelin to explain, he explained that the SUV wasn’t even his anymore — he’d sold it “to his cousin John Wick,” according to the affidavit. ......(moe)

https://nypost.com/2020/04/28/florida-man-claims-guns-found-in-car-belonged-to-his-cousin-john-wick/




That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Stupidest State Round 2 Week 2: Family Values Championship
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Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State! We are in the home stretch everybody as just one conference championship remains before the Final Four showdown! Last week, Idaho stunned the favorite Virginia to take the Batshit Conference and advance to their first Final Four in franchise history! And we don’t need to tell you that the Layover League championship is set with Florida set to take on Alabama in a rematch of last year’s championship. This week it’s the last week of Round 2 as #1 Michigan is set to take on #4 Nebraska in a battle to go for broke in the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference championship! We’re at the home of the San Jose Sharks, the SAP Center in San Jose! Let’s go to the floor!

[font size="4"]Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference Championship[/font]

[font size="4"]#1 Michigan:[/font]


So we are nearly 4 years into the Trump administration and the once-bustling city of Flint still does not have potent water. But Michigan is facing a crisis of unwavering magnitude as COVID ravages the entire landscape. Mostly aimed at Gov. Whitman because conservatives be crazy and they are crazier than you’ve ever seen them during this pandemic. But how is Michigan going broke? Well here’s one way to make things worse – the elected representatives are the crooks!

The embattled elected official issued a statement Wednesday evening on the misdemeanor shoplifting offense.

"I would like to apologize to my family, friends and especially my constituents for my substantial lapse in judgement today, Wednesday, May 6. A combination of many external factors led to my poor judgement. The economic impact of the COVID-19 statewide lockdown has taken a serious toll on me personally," she said.

"I obviously was not thinking clearly, and I take full responsibility for my actions. Recently, I had to choose between insulin and food, and I chose the insulin, which helps me stay alive.

"Recent threats and harassment along with censure in Royal Oak for my attendance at 'Operation Gridlock' and a lack of sleep have resulted in my mistake. Thanks to the support of family and friends, I am now seeking treatment from medical professionals to ensure I never make a mistake like this again."

Read more: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2020/05/07/royal-oak-city-commissioner-kim-gibbs-shoplifting/3087242001/




Yeah somehow don’t use Nelson’s example. So how does Michigan plan to reopen the economy? Well there’s plenty of data out there that suggests that now is not the time to do that, despite what the gun nuts and the reopen protestors think. But the coronavirus has just ravaged everything and Michigan’s economy is no joke.

How severe a blow has the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting near-shutdown been to the Michigan economy?

Worse than you may suspect.

Charles Ballard, a professor of economics at Michigan State University who has spent his career specializing in the state, put it this way. “GDP, the nation’s Gross Domestic Product dropped about 26 percent from 1929 to 1933,” the worst of the Great Depression.

“Moody’s estimated that this year, it had fallen 29 percent in just the first three weeks of the pandemic,” he said. By Moody’s, he meant the highly respected analytics and investor services company.

What’s more, the professor thinks things have gotten even worse since then — and thinks Michigan may have been even harder hit. “You could say this is weird on steroids,” said Professor Ballard, author of the highly praised book Michigan’s Economic Future.

In some ways this is not as bad as the Depression. For one thing, there is a social safety net, things like unemployment insurance and food assistance that did not exist in 1929.
https://www.toledoblade.com/opinion/columnists/2020/04/25/michigan-economy-another-victim-of-coronavirus/stories/20200423112




Yes! Holy shit indeed! But here’s the thing – why are white supremacists the ones who are the ones threatening to reopen the economy? What’s their motivation? And why are they threatening Gov. Whitmer like never before? Well there’s lots of reasons why they would and would not. But really, the Proud Boys can go lick subway poles. It’s insane to think this is where we’re headed.

A series of protests, primarily in state capitals, are demanding the end of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Among the protesters are people who express concern about their jobs or the economy as a whole.
But there are also far-right conspiracy theorists, white supremacists and citizens’ militia members at these protests. The exact number of each group that attends these protests is unknown, since police have not traditionally monitored these groups, but signs and symbols of far right groups have been seen at many of these protests across the country.

These protests risk spreading the virus and have disrupted traffic, potentially delaying ambulances. But as researchers of street gangs’ and far-right groups’ violence and recruitment, we believe these protests may become a way right-wingers expand the spread of anti-Semitic rhetoric and militant racism.

The Proud Boys, and many other far-right activists, don’t typically focus their concern on whether stores and businesses are open. They’re usually more concerned about pro-white, pro-male rhetoric. They’re attending these rallies as part of their longstanding search for any opportunity to make extremist groups look mainstream – and because they are always looking for potential recruits to further their cause.

While not all far-right groups agree on everything, many of them now subscribe to the idea that Western government is corrupt and its demise needs to be accelerated through a race war.
https://www.michiganadvance.com/2020/05/11/column-why-are-white-supremacists-protesting-to-reopen-the-economy/




[font size="4"]#4: Nebraska[/font]


Man, Cartman seemed unusually happy there for a minute didn’t he? Well next we come to Nebraska who last time shocked Tennessee with a buzzer beater. But do they have what it takes to win the Fiscal Irresponsibility conference and send Michigan packing? Well as we discussed, Nebraska’s chief export is obviously corn. And also meat, as we have plainly seen is having a huge effect on the economy right now as COVID is ravaging meat farmers. In fact here’s what COVID has done to Nebraska’s economy.

An updated report shows the state's economy is taking a severe hit from the coronavirus pandemic.

New estimates from economists Ernie Goss and Scott Strain show that Nebraska has so far lost more than $834 million in economic activity as a result of COVID-19.

The figures, published in the new Platte Institute report, "The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Nebraska's Economy: Second Cut, are based only on data through April 4. A version of the report released last week had estimated a $63 million loss in March.

The Platte Institute said total losses are expected to keep climbing and it will continue to release updated figures as new data become available.

The report estimates 96,147 job losses in Nebraska through early April, resulting in a loss of more than a quarter of a billion dollars in wages and salaries, and more than $30 million in self-employment income. These figures do not account for federal money that has come into the state through COVID-19 relief programs.
https://journalstar.com/business/local/report-nebraska-economy-has-taken-834m-hit-from-covid-19/article_1dec94a8-f142-5150-80e7-ad98396cda25.html




But here’s the thing – reopening things isn’t going to be that easy and it may take years to get back to pre-virus times. But let’s hope that governors don’t do anything stupid between now and then. Of course Trump certainly isn’t helping things progress. If anything he’s doing the opposite. And there’s no way that Gov. Ricketts would listen to Trump is there?

Gov. Pete Ricketts said he remains focused on keeping Nebraskans safe and preventing the state’s health care system from being overrun because of the coronavirus rather than the politics of when to reopen the economy.

At an afternoon news briefing Tuesday, Ricketts said Nebraska will continue to work collaboratively with federal and local governments to determine when and how the state will lift restrictions meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“There are people out there who are trying to drive a wedge between the president, governors, public health officials,” he said. “Let’s not get caught up in that Washington, D.C.-type ‘gotcha’ politics.”

Ricketts’ statements come a day after President Donald Trump announced, both on Twitter and during a daily White House news briefing, that it was his sole decision when pandemic restrictions would be relaxed and the economy would be allowed to reopen.
https://journalstar.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/ricketts-says-hell-do-whats-best-for-nebraska-even-if-trump-reopens-economy-early/article_4d8474f1-e1cc-5dac-aa6d-89df62e9cfdd.html




So while we’ve talked about Nebraska’s agriculture industry, how are they being impacted by current events? Well, the governor unconventionally called for April to be declared “Beef Month” in support of local farmers, but the concept of a “beef” could have a very different meaning depending on where you come from.

Last week, Gov. Pete Ricketts declared May as “Beef Month” in Nebraska.

“When we think of beef, we often think of ranches, pastures, and rolling hills,” Ricketts said. “But it’s more than that. It’s a main economic driver in our state. It generates jobs throughout the entire supply chain.”

But the COVID-19 pandemic has caused “significant challenges” to Nebraska’s agricultural economy, especially for cattle, pork, and poultry producers. They have been affected by both price decreases and significant logistical challenges connected to the slowdown or closure of meat-processing facilities.

Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) has determined that Nebraska revenue losses alone will total $823 million, or 10% of the state’s cattle receipts in 2018.

To address those problems, NEFB is urging Congress to support additional funding for agriculture in any pandemic response package that moves through Congress.
https://www.theindependent.com/news/local/nebraska-farm-bureau-seeks-additional-help-for-agriculture-industry/article_bda9b3e6-8f46-11ea-a2a9-af799e5c2fe0.html




[font size="4"]And The Winner Is:[/font]

We have a situation developing here… Michigan is staging a comeback after being down in the second half by 20 points. But Nebraska has had several free throw attempts and missed rebound opportunities, which means that Michigan is up by 5 with 30 seconds left. Nebraska has the ball… they shoot, ooh, a miss!!! Michigan wins!!! Epic comeback by the Wolverine State! Final score 81 – 76! Cut that net guys, you earned it!



[font size="4"]Next Week:[/font]

Next week it’s the Final Four! All four conference winners have been set and are ready to tangle! Florida. Alabama. Michigan. Idaho. Two of these teams will advance to the championship, and then we will declare our winner on 5/27! We’re live in Phoenix at the home of the ASU Sun Devils, the Wells Fargo Center in Phoenix, Arizona for all the action! Getting exciting!



[font size="4"]And Now This:[/font]

Folks, I don’t need to tell you that this is not the celebration I had in mind for the 200th edition of the Top 10. Which means no live audience or featuring one of my favorite bands at the end. So instead I do have a send-off that I wanted to give for Top 10 #200 – the Rolling Stones have recorded one of their first brand new songs since 2005 called “Living In A Ghost Town”, so here it is in all its’ glory!



Thanks for sticking with us for 200 editions! Here’s to 200 more! Thanks to my staff and crew! We have just two more editions left this season. And we hope to return live on June 17th when the 9th season starts. See you next week!

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