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Top 10 Idiots

Top 10 Idiots's Journal
Top 10 Idiots's Journal
April 1, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-9: Rule 80: Don't Invite The Former President To Your Wedding Edition


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[font size="8"]Stupidest State Round 1 Week 3
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16 states will enter and only one state will become the new Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State!



Welcome back everybody! Last week saw an epic battle as #3 Nevada handily routed #4 Iowa to advance to the Fiscal Irresponsibility Championship, while over in the Gun Nut Conference, #3 Idaho shot their way past #4 Oregon to advance to the conference finals! This week it’s a battle of conference heavyweights! Over in the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference, #1 Kansas takes on red hot #2 Wyoming to advance to play Nevada. And over in the Gun Nut Conference, last year’s reigning champion #1 Florida takes on #2 Texas to advance to the conference finals! This is going to be some really good matching, and let’s go to the floor!

[font size="4"]Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference: #1 Kansas vs #2 Wyoming [/font]

[font size="2"]Kansas [/font]


Kansas sits atop the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference. It’s the home of several large corporations and large industries. Agriculture is of course the prime industry but did you know that Topeka is also home to one of the world’s richest companies? I’m of course talking about Koch Industries. Kansas is also home to some of the biggest corporations and food processing companies in the entire United States, including the anti-Coke, PepsiCo, and Frito Lay! Both of which are locking in an insane labor negotiation deal. Think of it like that episode of the Simpsons.

PepsiCo, the company that owns Topeka's Frito-Lay plant, isn't negotiating fairly in contract talks with the union representing more than 450 of the employees there, says the president of the union representing those workers.

PepsiCo has "threatened to lock us out if we don't take what they offered," said Brent Hall, president of Local 218 of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers union.

Hall made those statements Friday on his personal Facebook page while asking the public to contact PepsiCo and express support for the union. He posted the phone number, email address and regular mail address for the PepsiCo board.

"We'd appreciate all the help we can get," Hall told The Capital-Journal on Saturday. "We're trying to negotiate a contract. We're not trying to negotiate a strike. We want fair and open negotiations."

Read more: https://www.cjonline.com/story/business/employment/2021/03/08/union-president-pepsico-not-negotiating-fairly-frito-lay-talks/4610488001/




And with lots of jobs also comes lots of unemployment, which Kansas has IN DROVES! Yes that’s right – there’s a lot of unemployed people in the central part of the United States. And with massive unemployment also comes massive unemployment fraud. And unlike voter fraud, unemployment fraud is actually a real problem in this country. Although you would think more people would care about this subject, but they really don’t.

Thousands of fraudulent unemployment claims are prompting Kansas to shut down its processing system this weekend, meaning some jobless workers will have payments delayed as the state installs new anti-fraud protections, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday.

Kelly acknowledged that fraudulent claims may have helped fuel a recent surge of filings for benefits, agreeing with Republican legislators.

The Democratic governor’s announcement came shortly after GOP lawmakers said they will push to protect employers from being forced to cover the cost of fraudulent claims in ex-employees' names. They said the state Department of Labor doesn't have a handle on the problem and that they've not gotten enough data or answers.

Kelly said the unemployment system will go down at 2 p.m. Saturday and go back up at 7 a.m. Tuesday. She said the state won’t pay benefits during that period but will work to catch up on claims when the system is back up.

Read more: https://theeagle.com/news/business/kansas-to-shut-down-unemployment-system-to-deal-with-fraud/article_0a875611-7910-5675-93e5-e1a706be8759.html




[font size="2"]Wyoming [/font]


Wyoming is a newcomer to the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference. And they’re one of the hottest teams in the league for a good reason. If you have any rich friends, you may have heard them talking about moving to Wyoming and it’s mainly thanks to Wyoming’s current rich guy ambassador and former presidential candidate Kanye West. Resort towns in the Equality State are becoming playgrounds for America’s super rich because of the large plots of land available and they’re incredibly cheap because Wyoming is in a terrible recession. But really there’s more to it.

Not many American towns the size of Pinedale, population roughly 2,000, can boast that they have a $22 million aquatic center, with a beautiful lap pool, water slides, yoga rooms and a three-story climbing wall.

Then again, most rural towns this size probably haven't had the steady pipeline of tax revenue from natural gas pumped off nearby federal land to pay for it. The opening of the center, more than a decade ago, convinced its now director Amber Anderson to move back home after college in 2018 as a young professional.

"I would not have come back to Pinedale had it not been for this facility, and my family's all here and I love the outdoors and stuff but there just wasn't a lot to offer in Pinedale," says Anderson.

The Jonah Field is one of the most productive federal drilling lands in the country. But in the last few years, things have gotten tough. When prices were high, companies drilled a lot, but now there's a glut. Prices tanked and the pandemic has made that even worse. Locally, people are getting laid off, and Anderson recently had to cut the aquatic center's budget by almost half.
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/10/965335665/facing-a-reckoning-wyoming-wrestles-with-a-transition-from-fossil-fuels




And here’s the thing people – keep electing republicans because it will ultimately come back to bite you in the ass. Hard. And not only that, the shit is coming around and it will ultimately affect them. See, Wyoming might be a current playground for the uber-wealthy but it’s hurting financially. For every outer beauty, there is an inner ugly. And this is probably the least ugly thing but it’s way worse than you would think!

Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, says Wyoming sell its two jets used for transporting state employees, but some officials have pushed back against this idea.

“The State of Wyoming should list its TWO Luxury jets on EBAY instead of raising taxes and pushing toll road,” Bouchard wrote on his Facebook account that also featured a photo of the planes.

However, multiple Wyoming Department of Transportation studies have concluded the planes actually save the state money instead of being more costly.

State aeronautics division administrator Brian Olsen told Cowboy State Daily that although his department doesn’t have an official stance on the jets, the staff finds they are an efficient and effective tool in conducting state business.

Read more: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2021/03/12/legislator-suggests-wyoming-should-sell-its-jets-state-officials-push-back/




[font size="2"]And The Winner Is: [/font]

We have an upset! Wyoming knocks off Kansas to advance to the conference finals and play Nevada for the crown! Final score: 84 – 75! Kansas goes home and puts an end to a great season. Wyoming advances to their first Fiscal Irresponsibility championship!

[font size="4"]Gun Nut Conference: #1 Florida vs #2 Texas [/font]

[font size="2"]Florida [/font]

Florida was last years’ champion for one reason: Their MVP Ron DeSantis. Could he foster the first ever repeat in Stupidest State history? Only time will tell of course! But Florida not only has some ridiculously strong gun credentials, they also have strong Batshit credentials, making them a double contender in both categories. And again it’s all thanks to their current governor, Ron DeSantis. But remember in the Gun Nut Conference, the crazy doesn’t matter. Instead it’s how much heat you pack, and Florida – well they are packing lots and lots of heat!

With supporters saying the issue is about property rights, the Florida House on Friday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow people to carry guns at churches that share locations with schools.

House members voted 76-37 to approve the measure (HB 259), sponsored by Rep. Jayer Williamson, R-Pace, and Rep. Cord Byrd, R-Neptune Beach. Florida law generally allows people to carry concealed weapons at churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious institutions, but it bars being armed on school properties. That leads to people being prevented from carrying guns on properties shared by religious institutions and schools.

The bill would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to bring guns on properties shared by churches and schools. Religious institutions or property owners would continue to be able to bar guns at the sites.

Williamson described the proposal as an issue of private property rights, which he said are a “foundation of our country.” But Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, disputed that the issue was about property rights and said it is about guns in classrooms. Geller said the Legislature’s job should be to protect students.
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/03/29/strapped-at-sunday-school-florida-house-passes-bill-allowing-concealed-weapons-in-church




And not only does Florida allow guns just about everywhere, they steal guns! Oh yes my friends, in case you’re wondering if Florida can’t sink any lower in terms of gun crime – let’s take into account that most gun crimes are committed with stolen weapons. Then let’s go further and report on Florida having the most stolen guns per capita in the United States. Yes that is correct! And it does not surprise us in the least!

In the last year, Marion County saw a major increase in reported gun thefts, which went up 85 percent in 2020.

“When a gun is stolen, that gun was not purchased lawfully. There was no background check,” Bloom said.

He noted many of the weapons were stolen out of unlocked cars.

“Many times these people who break into cars are teenagers, and now a teenager has a firearm. A deadly weapon,” Bloom said. “No gun owner, no lawful gun owner would want his or her firearm falling into the hands of a teenager who has some bad intent with it.”

Marion County is not the only local area to see an increase in gun thefts last year. Kissimmee’s gun thefts nearly doubled, going up 95 percent in one year. Orlando’s gun thefts went up 34 percent and Osceola County’s went up 23 percent.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/03/25/gun-thefts-increase-in-central-florida-during-record-breaking-year-for-gun-sales/




[font size="2"]Texas [/font]

Ah what’s there to say about Texas, the Lone Star State? A reigning champion of the Gun Nut Conference and Stupidest State 2019 winner? Well not a whole lot. Texas has one of the largest concentrations of guns in the entire country and is conveniently located on the other side of the Gulf from Florida. Well remember during the Trump administration when people were complaining about those icky “sanctuary states” (which was really a racist call? Well Gov. Abbott wants to make Texas a “sanctuary state” for gun owners! Gee, what could go wrong there?

Filed earlier this month, a state House bill backed by Gov. Greg Abbott would turn Texas into a so-called Second Amendment sanctuary state. In other words, the bill, if passed, would forbid Texas state agencies and other bodies from enforcing new federal gun laws or rules, a proposal some advocacy groups have criticized.

The bill’s primary author, state Rep. Justin Holland, a Republican from Heath, said HB 2622 comes at a time when it’s necessary to “step up and protect our 2nd Amendment rights in Texas,” according to a press release.

If enacted, the bill seeks to bar any state agency or political subdivision from enforcing new federal gun laws, orders, rules or regulations that do not already exist in Texas law.

One of more than 40 active gun-related bills in the Legislature, it would also block state grant funds to any political subdivision that adopts a new federal statute, order, rule or regulation on firearms. The funds would be denied for the next fiscal year, the bill notes.
https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/texas-republicans-legislators-push-bills-to-make-state-second-amendment-sanctuary-11995333




And not only does Texas not have to be careful with guns, they have a whopping 40 – that’s right – 40 legislative bills on the desk awaiting approval. Expect mass shootings to get *THAT* much worse in the Lone Star State. And I mean come on, what can you expect when Ted Cruz is your senator? And if you get caught with a gun even though you have a history of abuse in Texas? You just get nothing more than a slap on the wrist. They’re soft on guns in Texas. Ew, that sounded wrong.

In Texas, if a protective order is issued against you, you can’t possess a firearm or ammunition. That’s been spelled out on protective orders for more than 20 years -- except in cases where a respondent is a peace officer with a full-time state agency job.

As of Sept. 1, 2020, trial courts are also required to inform people regarding prohibitions outlined in their protective order.

“(The court must) orally admonish the person, in a manner the person can understand, that the person is ineligible to possess a firearm or ammunition; and provide the person with a written admonishment informing that person of the person's ineligibility to possess a firearm or ammunition,” a chapter in the Texas Administrative Code states.

But based on multiple conversations with lawmakers, attorneys, judges, law enforcement and advocates across the state, we found that most of the 254 Texas counties don’t have a formal process for the surrender, storage and return of those guns.
https://www.khou.com/article/news/deep-dive-texas/texas-law-prohibits-domestic-abusers-protective-orders-having-guns/285-d976056e-c25c-43ea-8856-b65cb69b7438




[font size="2"]And The Winner Is: [/font]

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! This is one of the most hotly contested rivalries in the Gun Nut Conference! Texas has stunned Florida with 12 unanswered points on the board and they are going to move onto the Gun Nut Championship! Last year’s champions are not going to repeat this year! They are stunned on the floor! Final score: 103 – 91! Wow, what a match!

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

It’s the final week of Round 1! And we’ve been saving the best for last as #1 Georgia takes on #2 Kentucky for the Batshit Conference crown, while over in the Family Values conference, #3 Mississippi takes on #4 Arkansas! The Elite 8 is shaping up and looking pretty interesting!


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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink: Cinnamon Toast Shrimp
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Hey everyone! I don’t know about you but I could really use a drink!



So of course you know that the idea behind this segment is that we have some drinks and talk about anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics. Well last week there was a bizarre and quite frankly one of the weirdest stories I’ve heard in a while. And it’s one that hits very shockingly close to home! Tell me virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Cinnamon Toast Beer? What is it? What the fuck is a “chunky IPA”? No thanks, I will take my usual Jack Daniels mixed with Jack Daniels. Here’s what happened – podcaster Jensen Karp – who’s already a minor celebrity here in Los Angeles as part of a former morning radio show that used to air every day until the whole show was fired over the phone at the start of COVID, found shrimp in the box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch that he bought at Costco. Here’s how that went down:

Writer and podcast host Jensen Karp is trying to get some answers after an unexpected surprise he had while trying to eat a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

He tweeted a photo of his bowl of cereal and wrote, “Ummmm @CTCSquares – why are there shrimp tails in my cereal? (This is not a bit).”

The cereal brand responded and wrote, “We’re sorry to see what you found! We would like to report this to our quality team and replace the box. Can you please send us a DM to collect more details? Thanks!”

CTC later sent another tweet denying that the shrimp tails were in the cereal.

They wrote, “After further investigation with our team that closely examined the image, it appears to be an accumulation of the cinnamon sugar that sometimes can occur when ingredients aren’t thoroughly blended. We assure you that there’s no possibility of cross contamination with shrimp.”
https://wmgk.com/2021/03/23/man-finds-shrimp-tails-in-his-cinnamon-toast-crunch/




Somehow I don’t think that’s enough! Man, I miss my audience! But anyways, so Mr. Karp found a pair of shrimp tails and some other unexpected prizes in his box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. What makes this even weirder is that General Mills’ corporate PR department offered a completely batshit crazy and totally expected response to the fiasco. And when I say “totally expected”, I mean the exact kind of bullshit PR move you would expect. And this thing then went viral. And I do mean completely viral.

If you’re a devoted fan of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and don’t plan to stop any time soon, you should probably turn away now.

It may already be too late for comedian and writer Jensen Karp, who says he found a slew of unappetizing surprises in his breakfast cereal Monday morning.



A spokesperson responded, asking Karp to put the shrimp tails in a pre-paid envelope and send it to them so they can have it checked out.

Karp acquiesced, on one condition. “I’m going to keep one of the two (shrimp tails),” he wrote, “because your last response publicly was super weird and since you’ll be receiving a shrimp tail, I’ll keep one so you don’t try to say it’s sugar and make me look insane?”

It’s unclear what the company had to say to that. In another screenshot posted by Karp, they tried to offer him some vouchers to compensate for the “unpleasant experience” but he refused.

“No,” he wrote. “You just told me it wasn’t shrimp tails.”
https://nationalpost.com/news/world/man-finds-shrimp-tails-in-his-cinnamon-toast-crunch-cereal-but-the-company-says-its-just-sugar




Yeah that’s of course the solution is to live under the sea! And this inspired everything from people making their own Cinnamon Toast Shrimp to finding actual Cinnamon Toast Shrimp on the menus at restaurants. But here’s where it gets weird – as more places started picking up the story, the darker it, Mr. Karp is married to Danielle Fischel, who played the character of Topanga on Boy Meets World. But apparently being famous also has an ugly side and especially one that nobody expected from this. And it looks like anyone could have this happen to them if that’s where it goes.

As the post circulated internationally, Karp enjoyed a shining moment of Twitter fame, and granted interviews to media outlets including TMZ and the New York Times. “I’m the new Gorilla Glue Girl, aren’t I?” he wondered — perhaps wistfully? — in a tweet. But all the notoriety also raised suspicions among certain of Karp’s acquaintances, a number of whom suggest he may be an unreliable narrator.

Multiple women identifying themselves as his ex-romantic partners began sharing their own, remarkably similar, impressions of him. They said that Karp was manipulative, controlling, cruel, and that dating him had adversely impacted their mental health. (Karp did not respond to a request for comment from the Cut.) Former co-workers came forward, too — including writer, comedian, and actor Brittani Nichols, who wrote a lengthy thread alleging that leadership at Karp’s rap-battle competition show, Drop the Mic, had to be “talked into hiring a person of color,” among other things, and that he was a terrible employer in general.

There have also been allusions to theft of intellectual property from other podcasters, references to alleged “gaslighting,” and assertions that Karp generally just lies a lot. On the other hand, there have also been defenses of Karp’s character — for example, from Linkin Park guy Mike Shinoda, who called him an “all-around good dude” and praised his talents in comedy and podcasting.
https://www.thecut.com/2021/03/the-cinnamon-toast-crunchshrimp-tails-saga-is-getting-dark.html




But alas there is a lesson to be learned from all of this. Think of it like the famous Simpsons episode where Homer gets accused of sexual harassment and the more people picked up on the story, the crazier it got. But we can all learn from this and if you want a story to go viral, make sure that you don’t have any demons in your closet before you start turning on the thing that could potentially make you famous, because it could come back to bite you in the ass!

Disgusting. That's what everyone thought when they first heard about the saga of the cinnamon-and-sugar encrusted shrimp tail found in a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
The gross object was tweeted by Los Angeles-based writer Jensen Karp, who said he found pieces of a crustacean in his cereal earlier this week. His thousands of followers responded — and so did Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

The back-and-forth quickly devolved into chaos. The cereal brand owned by General Mills responded via Twitter to Karp, saying that the shrimp-tail-like objects weren't seafood, but an "accumulation of the cinnamon sugar that sometimes can occur when ingredients aren't thoroughly blended." It added: "We assure you that there's no possibility of cross contamination with shrimp."

Admittedly, it's a silly story. But for Tom Meyvis, a professor of marketing and consumer behavior at New York University's Stern School of Business, there's a lesson to be learned here.

Meyvis said the discovery is gross — and that's "very dangerous for food brands." However, how Cinnamon Toast Crunch responded was even worse, he said.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/24/business/cinnamon-toast-crunch-shrimp/index.html





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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner: Q Anon Hot Takes
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Welcome back to the segment that attempts to explain the unexplainable, Conspiracy Corner! We’re of course coming to you live from our undisclosed underground bunker deep in the heart of the New Mexico badlands! This week we’re going to talk about the world’s biggest conspiracy – Q Anon, which is the cultivation of all of the BS endured under the Donald J. Trump administration come to a peak. This week, I think Q Anon might need more to do. But sadly for a lot of people, this is not only their hobby, but their way of life. This week I’m sure everybody knew where they were when they heard that one of the world’s largest containerships, Boaty McBoatface, er, I mean the Ever Given, was stuck between the walls of the Suez Canal. Well, here’s the original story and even that’s crazy by crazy standards and we wish we were making this up!

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A cargo container ship that’s among the largest in the world has turned sideways and blocked all traffic in Egypt’s Suez Canal, officials said Wednesday, threatening to disrupt a global shipping system already strained by the coronavirus pandemic.

The MV Ever Given, a Panama-flagged container ship that carries trade between Asia and Europe, became grounded Tuesday in the narrow, man-made waterway dividing continental Africa from the Sinai Peninsula.

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the Ever Given to turn sideways in the canal. GAC, a global shipping and logistics company, described the Ever Given as suffering “a blackout while transiting in a northerly direction,” without elaborating.

Evergreen Marine Corp., a major Taiwan-based shipping company that operates the ship, said in a statement provided to The Associated Press that the Ever Given had been overcome by strong winds as it entered the Suez Canal from the Red Sea but none of its containers had sunk.

A Egyptian official, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as he wasn’t authorized to brief journalists similarly blamed a strong wind in the area for the incident. Egyptian forecasters said high winds and a sandstorm plagued the area Tuesday, with winds gusting as much as 50 kph (31 mph).
https://wgntv.com/news/massive-cargo-ship-still-stuck-sideways-blocking-suez-canal/




No! No need to abandon ship just yet! Now here’s where it gets weird. Of course Q Anon followers would float conspiracy theories about the disaster – especially when your fuck-up is so huge that it’s visible from space. But that didn’t stop Q Anon followers from going there. And by going there, I mean they blamed the whole thing on Hillary Clinton. And they also suspected the boat might be trafficking children. Yes, that is a thing that happened. It’s completely insane. But not really that far from the course for Q Anon cultists.

Within minutes of the Ever Given ship getting stuck in Egypt’s Suez Canal on Wednesday, an incident that’s created chaos in global supply chains, QAnon supporters were spreading wild conspiracies that the ship was operated by Hillary Clinton and carrying a cargo of child sex slaves.

The claims were based on the fact that the Taiwanese shipping company that operates the ship is called Evergreen, which was Clinton’s secret service name when she was first lady.

The baseless theory was given further credence — in the minds of QAnon followers at least — when it emerged that the ship’s call sign was “H3RC” which is close enough to Clinton’s own initials (HRC) for QAnon followers to make the link.

The theory quickly spread on Telegram and Gab, the platforms QAnon followers have fled to in the wake of a purge by mainstream social networks in recent months.

But the claims also made their way to Twitter and Facebook, where fact-checking group PolitiFact flagged and debunked them.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy8n9q/suez-canal-qanon-cargo-ship-conspiracies-are-getting-wild




That’s right! The theory got so bizarre and crazy that actual news outlets had to employ real-life fact checkers to get to the bottom of this scandal. I mean shit, our janky little operation here could have told you that! No, Hillary Clinton is *NOT* trafficking children from Dubai to Europe through container ships traveling through the Suez Canal. Or is she? And my producer is throwing things at the stage!

A shipping vessel that could clog the Suez Canal for weeks is the latest piece added to an ever-evolving conspiracy theory about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other members of a so-called “deep state” and links to human trafficking.

Communications channels where QAnon conspiracy theories spread were humming this week about a connection between Clinton and the quarter-mile-long ship that ran aground as high winds cut across the canal.

Those seeped into mainstream social media as well, including posts on Facebook and Instagram, where users tied Clinton’s Secret Service codename to the ship and suggested its radio call sign intentionally matched Clinton’s initials.

A Facebook user who shared the post did not respond to a request for comment. It speculates without evidence that Evergreen "is most likely a cover for human and sex trafficking."

Others pushing the same theory allude to the containers being opened on television to reveal trafficked people inside. It is the latest potential disclosure related to the QAnon conspiracy theory that says former President Donald Trump was elected to thwart a deep-state cabal of pedophiles and cannibals, including Clinton.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/03/26/fact-check-no-evidence-hillary-clinton-suez-canal-vessel-linked/7014647002/




And by the way remember that Nashville bombing last November? Q Anon thought that Lizard People were involved. Yes, actual, bonafied, real life lizard people. You seriously cannot get much crazier than that. The funny thing is that they, and only they, are talking about this. So if you want wild theories, then Q Anon is the group for you! But if you’re into Q Anon, you’re probably not listening to our shit, either!

The deadly Capitol siege was fueled by far-out conspiracy theorists, including Ashli Babbitt, a QAnon supporter fatally shot by police as she tried to breach a barricaded doorway. Meanwhile, federal investigators are still looking into the belief system of Anthony Quinn Warner, who made statements about a conspiracy of lizard people taking over the planet before the explosion that damaged 41 buildings and injured three people in Nashville, Tennessee, on Christmas Day.

Many are scratching their heads. Why are people embracing such bizarre ideas?

The notion of shape-shifting, blood-sucking reptilian humanoids invading Earth to control the human race sounds like a cheesy sci-fi plot. But it's actually a very old trope with disturbing links to anti-immigrant and anti-Semitic hostilities dating to the 19th century.

Bonkers? Sure. Harmless? Definitely not.

Law enforcement sources say Warner's writings indicate his interest in a number of conspiracy theories — including the lizard people takeover. He may even have had a pastime of hunting such aliens in the park. Before the blast, Warner sent packages to friends filled with material expounding on his bizarre worldview. They included a letter that began "Hey Dude, You will never believe what I found in the park."
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/qanon-s-capitol-rioters-nashville-bomber-s-lizard-people-theory-ncna1253819




There really is a Gif for everything! Even with our budget of zero, we can still find some freaking hilarious shit out there. But here’s the thing about Q Anon – is that they do network. And when they network, things get really insane. And if you want to delve into the mind of Q Anon supporters, there’s a convention! Yes, an actual real life convention! I can just imagine the halls and panels that they will have at such a convention.

In this politically charged, hyperpartisan era, many hospitality brands would go out of their way to avoid being linked to a group that helped fuel the Capitol riot on January 6.

But this Memorial Day Weekend, the Omni Dallas Hotel is slated to host a QAnon conference, reports the Dallas Morning News. Attendees who stay at the upscale 1,001-room property in downtown Dallas for $149 a night can enjoy eight restaurants, a heated infinity pool, a full-service spa—and a stacked lineup of QAnon favorites.

The “For God & Country Patriot Roundup” kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 28, with a private VIP meet-and-greet reception at the hotel’s Texas Spice restaurant. The hotel is connected by skybridge to the Dallas Convention Center, though event organizers have scheduled the bulk of the activities at Gilley’s Dallas, a seven-venue complex just down the road.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2021/03/25/qanon-conference-omni-dallas-hotel-memorial-day-weekend-michael-flynn-sidney-powell/?sh=399756243778






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[font size="8"]How Is This Still A Thing: Coal Rolling
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It’s time once again to ask:



This week: Coal Rolling. How is this still a thing? Coal Rolling, or as some lower class individuals call it, “Prius Repellent” first came into prominence in the early 2010s. The process involves modifying the mechanical and software filters on the diesel engines of large trucks in order for them to be able to spew out as much black smoke as possible and to “trigger” the owners of much more environmentally responsible vehicles, such as a Prius or Tesla. Doing so not only voids the manufacturer’s warranty of your $80,000 truck, it might also be illegal. The practice came back into play when last week, the hot mic of a Southwest Airlines pilot went viral after a flight to San Francisco International airport. Here’s how that played out:

A Southwest Airlines pilot was caught on a hot mic making an expletive-filled rant against the San Francisco Bay Area.

The unidentified pilot was heard on a radio frequency at Mineta San Jose Airport (SJC) as the flight taxied for departure.

Here's part of what he said:

"F**k this place, goddamn liberal f***s. Like eight guns out here somewhere as it is. F*****g weirdos, probably driving around in F*****g Hyundais, F*****g roads and s**t that go slow as f**k."

While his tirade wasn't broadcast to passengers, travelers say the audio is concerning.

Judina Trade returned to the Bay Area on Thursday, traveling through SJC.

Trade told ABC7Chicago sister station ABC7 News KGO-TV, "I think it's a good thing that the aircraft did not hear that because I would be very scared to hear a pilot saying that. Especially with everything that's been going on."

Southern California resident, Shane Forker said, "I think I'd maybe be worried that he was drunk, or out of his mind, maybe."
https://abc7chicago.com/southwest-airlines-pilot-rant-on-hot-mic-explicit-bay-area-san-jose-mineta-airport/10451399/




That’s right – that rant included a section about Hyundais to which the pilot really hated and thinks that coal rolling is a much better way to go. But that got many people wondering – how is coal rolling still a thing in an age when car and truck manufacturers are switching to all electric engines? Well this comes at a time when the US government and the EPA are going to start cracking down on the process of coal rolling.

Companies offering products that enable diesel pick-ups to bypass emissions software – a phenomenon known as "rolling coal" due to the huge clouds of black smoke it creates – have come under scrutiny from the US government.

Earlier this week, the government filed a US federal court complaint against American company EZ Lynk for selling an aftermarket emissions defeat device advertised as a diagnostics and data-logging tool, news outlet Reuters reports.

The software allegedly permits owners of Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, and Ram pick-ups to change computer parameters which would normally disable the car when components such as the diesel particulate filter and exhaust gas recirculation system have been removed.

The product also lets owners upload their own engine 'tune', which changes the air/fuel ratio and boost settings for the turbo set by the factory.

Turbo-diesel engines in particular are known to see power increases of up to 20 per cent by adding fuel into the combustion cycle, in some cases creating smoke plumes known as "rolling coal".

"Emissions controls on cars and trucks protect the public from harmful effects of air pollution," a US government spokesperson said in a statement.
https://www.caradvice.com.au/932322/us-government-targets-rolling-coal-pick-ups-report/




Yes, obviously. Do you think breathing heaping loads of black smoke might be harmful to your lungs and the environment? We all know the answer to that one. But this is just another watermark in the chapter on “assholes being assholes and being proud of their assholishness”. Because while most people are becoming increasingly more environmentally conscious, some out there have taken the exact opposite direction. One thing most who practice the process of rolling coal though are unaware of, is that cars like the Tesla Model Y have cameras. And they see things.

This TeslaCam video captures the moment when a Tesla Model Y on Autopilot moves to avoid a Ram diesel pickup truck. It just so happens that the truck was trying to roll coal on the Tesla at the very moment when Autopilot reportedly moved to avoid the pickup.

We don't believe that it's Autopilot moving to avoid the big plume of black smoke coming from the modified diesel truck. Rather, it's the driver reacting to avoid getting coal-rolled, but regardless, these coal-rolling attempts failed to get the Tesla. And yes, it does appear as though the diesel Ram driver is deliberately targeting the Tesla.

We at InsideEVs have covered numerous videos in which a diesel truck purposely targets a Tesla with the illegal act of coal-rolling. It seems some of these truck drivers have something against owners of clean electric cars in general and Teslas more specifically. Sometimes, the coal-rolling may not be targeted at the Tesla, but rather just the illegally modified truck accelerating and puffing out smoke as these cancer-causing rigs do. In other cases, the coal-rolling combines with a bit of road rage on behalf of the diesel truck driver too.

And yes, the act of coal rolling (modifying a diesel engine to emit all sorts of crap) is illegal in most (if not all) U.S. states, it's just not always enforced.
https://insideevs.com/news/492957/tesla-auto-pilot-avoid-coal-roll-truck/




So coal rolling is illegal in most parts of the country. But coal rolling is only part of the problem, a lot of the problem can be traced back to toxic masculinity, which is a root problem for most of the ills of modern society. In fact as pickup trucks became larger, the owners of these trucks began flaunting their ability to pollute. And that became a symbol of totalitarian rule. But if you do roll coal, be prepared to have a whole lot of people hate you.

If you heard or saw a modern diesel engine running next to a gasoline one, it’d be hard to tell the two apart. Modern diesels are quiet and run with sophisticated engine management software. They have particulate filters and urea (or other DEF) injection to combat soot. NOx emissions—which cause acrid smog and acid rain—are curtailed with modern catalysts and exhaust-gas recirculation. All these tools work together to make sure it doesn’t look like your new pickup truck is cosplaying as an 18th-century London chimney.

But some owners, seeking more horsepower or torque, fiddle with these tools. They remove the catalytic converter. They screw with the engine software to change boost pressure or ignition timing, among other things. Then, when they stomp on the throttle, black smoke gushes out the tailpipe.

Originally, this occurred mostly in truck pulls, truck races where the goal was maximum pulling power. The engine mods needed to maximize performance had the side effect of thick, black smoke. On the racetrack, engine and exhaust modifications are nothing new, nor illegal. And, if confined to a racing environment, rolling coal wouldn’t really be an issue.

Problem is, some individuals took it on public roads. And they started messing with people.
Public Trolling

In the wake of increased automotive emission regulation, a certain subset of diesel truck drivers started to rebel. They’d look for a passing hybrid, and gun it down the road, leaving the hybrid driver choking on soot. If a Prius wasn’t there, they’d suffocate cyclists, or in some cases, even pedestrians.
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/rolling-coal-just-makes-people-hate-pickup-trucks/




So coal rolling is just another form of trolling, and if you tell people not to do it, that only makes them want to do it more. That’s enough to make you ask – Coal Rolling:





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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… they say that SAYTAN gets a bad rap these days and why wouldn’t he? I mean he is the LAWRD of darkness and the ruler of all things that are awful and horrible in this world. And he was also in charge of the White House from the years 2016 – 2020, but that’s neither here nor there. I had something very different planned for this week but we’ll save that for another sermon. Instead this week, we have to talk about Satanic Shoes. Yes, these are apparently a thing that my elders have told me exists! And they were marketed and sold by rapper Lil Nas X, who is a 20 year old gay black man who loves to troll right wing Christian fundamentalists, which is something that we highly encourage here. But I can only speak for me. Let’s let these insane shoes speak for themselves!

Rapper and singer Lil Nas X launched a controversial pair of "Satan Shoes" featuring a bronze pentagram, an inverted cross and a drop of real human blood -- and they sold out almost immediately.

The black and red sneakers, part of a collaboration between Lil Nas X and New York-based art collective MSCHF, were made using Nike Air Max 97s, though the sportswear brand has distanced itself from the design.

In an emailed statement to CNN, Nike said it was not involved in creating the modified sneakers. "We do not have a relationship with Lil Nas or MSCHF," the company said. "Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them."

MSCHF confirmed March 29 that the limited-edition "drop" of 666 pairs sold out in less than a minute.

They were priced at $1,018 a pair, a reference to the Bible passage Luke 10:18 that reads: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Each shoe's air bubble sole contains 60 cubic centimeters (2.03 fluid ounces) of red ink and "one drop" of human blood, according to MSCHF.
https://abc7news.com/lil-nas-shoe-satan-human-blood-x-shoes/10456877/




Now in this case, he actually does! Literally in fact! Because if you walk on a pair of these shoes, you are literally walking on SAYTAN himself! Now what’s symbolic about selling Satan themed sneakers out of 666 pairs each containing drops of human blood in them, you might ask? Well there’s a whole lot of symbolism and it’s easy to get lost in it. We here at the Holy Church Of The Top 10 of course will take this time to remind you that we’re on the side of GAWD and JAYSUS!

Over the past few days, a tumultuous discourse around the musician Lil Nas X has reached a fever pitch regarding two things: the lap dance he gives the devil in his new music video “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” and his sale of “Satan Shoes,” which allegedly have a drop of human blood in them. On those two topics, Lil Nas has drawn unsolicited commentary from everyone from South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to basketball player Nick Young to conservative commentator Candace Owens.

At the same time, the video has drawn praise, and not just among those celebrating its proud embrace of LGBTQ imagery and themes. Another contingent has also excitedly rallied around the music video: historical scholars. “Montero,” across its three-minute runtime, is stuffed with Greco-Roman and medieval Christian motifs and messages in both Greek and Latin. Lil Nas, in an interview with TIME, says he wanted to deploy this type of iconography and symbolism to draw a connection between ancient and modern-day persecution. “I wanted to use these things that have been around for so long to tell my own story, and the story of so many other people in the community—or people who have been outcast in general through history,” he says. “It’s the same thing over and over.”

And scholars have come away impressed by the video’s attention to detail and conceptual sharpness; they say it is deeply researched and builds a powerful historical narrative that centers queerness in historical and religious spaces where it is too often erased. “Watching this video, I was a little bit shocked just because of how much knowledge you need to have to unpack some of these elements,” Roland Betancourt, a professor at University of California, Irvine and the author of Byzantine Intersectionality: Sexuality, Gender, and Race in the Middle Ages, says. “It says that institutionalization of homophobia is a learned thing—and that there are other origin myths available to us that are not rooted in those ideas.”
https://time.com/5951024/lil-nas-x-montero-video-symbolism-explained/




Yes, you mere mortals! You will silence your faith in the presence of the almighty SAYTAN! But who is the real SAYTAN in this case? Is it the guy who is selling the sneakers or is it the giant corporation who thinks they are taking advantage of them? Well if I am playing devil’s advocate here (HA!) then I would say it’s more the latter than the former. Especially when the latter is suing the former for copyright infringement. Yeah you can sell SAYTAN themed sneakers, just expect to get hit with a lawsuit when you do!

Nike filed a lawsuit on Monday against the company selling the Lil Nas X "Satan Shoes," arguing the swoosh on the controversial shoe violates its trademark and damages its brand. The lawsuit comes the same day as the release of the shoes, which feature a bronze pentagram, the number "666" and a small amount of human blood.

The shoes, a collaboration between Lil Nas X and the New York-based art collective MSCHF, are modified versions of Nike Air Max 97s — and the brand's signature swoosh is featured prominently on the side of the shoe and on its tongue. The shoes, which sold out in minutes, cost $1,018 — a reference to the Bible passage Luke 10:18, which reads "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."

The shoes' satanic imagery drew strong reactions online — including from South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who shared an image of the shoes alongside a warning that "we are in a fight for the soul of our nation."

Nike referenced that controversy in its lawsuit, which asks the court to force MSCHF to stop producing the shoes and to award monetary damages for the financial harm the company has suffered.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nike-sues-lil-nas-x-satan-shoes-lawsuit/




Oh now lighten up Gov. Noem! Not everything needs to be taken that seriously! This comes at a time when the Church of SAYTAN is attempting to gain acceptance. I mean come on, you literally worship the devil here. But in spite of everything those who worship the DEVIL are actively having a sense of humor about themselves. And I know, when you take the LAWRD of Darkness seriously, you got to have a good laugh at the situation, am I right?

As Lil Nas X’s limited-edition “Satan Shoes”, which contain a drop of real human blood, continue to spark intense backlash among conservatives and religious figures, one church has championed the sneakers.

The rapper released 666 pairs of the controversial shoes on 29 March to celebrate the debut of his new song and accompanying music video for Montero (Call Me By Your Name), which portrays the 21-year-old travelling to hell, where he dances with the devil.

Since the release, the sneakers, which were made from Nike Air Max 97s and feature a bronze pentagram, the number 666, and Bible verse Luke 10:18, which reads: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven,” have been widely condemned by everyone from South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to Nike, which has filed a lawsuit against the company behind the shoes, New York-based art collective MSCHF.

However, one organisation has publicly supported the new endeavour, the Church of Satan, which believes in “humanistic values” and “the acceptance of man’s true nature,” rather than religion or spirituality, and which tweeted to the rapper asking for a pair of the sneakers shortly after they were unveiled.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/lil-nas-x-satan-shoes-b1824529.html




Well Nike may not endorse these sneakers, but the Church Of SAYTAN does, and I’ll take that endorsement, thank you! Virtual mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates

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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



A war is being fought right now. But it’s not being fought with bullets. And it’s not being fought in a war zone. It’s being fought online. The battlefield is your social media feeds – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The weapons aren’t guns and tanks. The weapons are memes, posts, and targeted advertising. The goal of this war? It’s to discredit use of vaccines. This comes at a time when the Centers For Disease Control has stressed the utter importance of the use of vaccines in order to end the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact the CDC themselves has said that anti-vaccination crusaders are becoming an inherent danger to society. So who is driving anti-vaccine content? Well it might surprise you to learn that only a very small handful of people are in control of most of Facebook’s anti-vaccine content. The media has dubbed these people the “Disinformation Dozen”.

About two-thirds of anti-vaccine content on major social media sites is tied to 12 prominent anti-vaccine leaders, according to a new report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate and Anti-Vax Watch.

The report calls on social media platforms to take action against the “disinformation dozen” during the ongoing vaccine.

“Disinformation has become a direct threat to public health,” Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, said in a statement.

“In the midst of a global pandemic, the Anti-Vaccine Industry has executed a targeted campaign to mislead Americans about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines,” he said. “Social media is enabling anti-vaxxers to recruit millions of Americans and indoctrinate them with fear and doubt.”

The Center for Countering Digital Hate and Anti-Vax Watch analyzed a sample of anti-vaccine content that had been shared or posted on Facebook and Twitter more than 812,000 times between Feb. 1 and March 16, 2021. They found that 65% of the content came from 12 accounts.
https://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/news/20210325/disinformation-dozen-driving-anti-vaccine-content




So just like in real life, the trouble makers get around the rules and are able to flaunt disinformation and wild conspiracy theories online. And not only do they let the BS like this flourish, they plant seeds and watch it grow. And that’s why it’s not only become a public nuisance, but a threat to national public health and even national security! It’s time to start policing this content better, but we have learned the more you try to take it away, the more they go elsewhere.

With vaccination against COVID-19 in full swing, social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter say they've stepped up their fight against misinformation that aims to undermine trust in the vaccines. But problems abound.

For years, the same platforms have allowed anti-vaccination propaganda to flourish, making it difficult to stamp out such sentiments now. And their efforts to weed out other types of COVID-19 misinformation — often with fact-checks, informational labels and other restrained measures, has been woefully slow.

Twitter, for instance, announced this month that it will remove dangerous falsehoods about vaccines, much the same way it's done for other COVID-related conspiracy theories and misinformation. But since April 2020, it has removed a grand total of 8,400 tweets spreading COVID-related misinformation — a tiny fraction of the avalanche of pandemic-related falsehoods tweeted out daily by popular users with millions of followers, critics say.

"While they fail to take action, lives are being lost," said Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a watchdog group. In December, the nonprofit found that 59 million accounts across social platforms follow peddlers of anti-vax propaganda — many of whom are immensely popular superspreaders of misinformation.
https://www.modernhealthcare.com/information-technology/defying-rules-anti-vaccine-accounts-thrive-social-media




And in case you’re wondering if the Disinformation Dozen is going away anytime soon, Facebook has been resisting calls to ban these people. But they haven’t. And not only are they not going away, they’re selling t-shirts. You can’t kill the beast because it will regroup just like the Terminator. Then the beast becomes much stronger and harder to kill. But the Disinformation Dozen needs to go away and they need to be held accountable.

When news broke last month that two elderly patients in Brisbane had been given an incorrect dose of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine, a motley assortment of Australian Facebook pages and groups swung into action.

Within minutes, a page with more than 52,000 followers had posted a screenshot of a news headline with superimposed text reading: "And the culling of old people begins".

Another page with more than 30,000 followers cast doubt on whether the dosage had been an accident (it had) and claimed the government had made the COVID vaccine mandatory for Australians (it had not).

The two posts were viewed by thousands, of which 2,600 interacted by liking, commenting or sharing. (None of the pages mentioned that the elderly patients showed no adverse reaction.)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-03-19/facebook-misinformation-covid-19-coronavirus-anti-vaccine/100015890




So what is Facebook doing about the Disinformation Dozen? Well as you can imagine they are quite literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. Instead of just flat-out banning them, Facebook is doing to anti-vaxxer posts what Twitter did to posts coming from @realDonaldTrump. Since they can’t effectively police the content, they are putting warning posts. So yes if they say you’ve been warned, take that literally.

Facebook is adding informational labels to posts about vaccines as it expands efforts to counter COVID-19-related misinformation flourishing on its platforms.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a blog post Monday that labels will contain “credible information” about the vaccines from the World Health Organization. They will be in English and five other languages, with more languages added in coming weeks.

“For example, we’re adding a label on posts that discuss the safety of COVID-19 vaccines that notes COVID-19 vaccines go through tests for safety and effectiveness before they’re approved,” Zuckerberg said.

The social network is also adding a tool to help get users vaccinated by connecting them to information about where and when they can get their shot.

Facebook and Instagram have been criticized for allowing anti-vaccination propaganda to spread and for being woefully slow in weeding out the misinformation, often with fact-checks, labels and other restrained measures.
https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/facebook-to-start-labeling-vaccine-posts-to-combat-misinformation/




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





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[font size="8"]Ted Cruz
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So… our 46th president of the United States, Joseph R. Biden, is good. He’s too good. He’s doing his job instead of spending 56 hours a week watching TV and eating Big Macs in bed. He’s probably the first president we’ve had that could be considered “scandal-proof”. And when you’re now 70 days into the new presidency (and what seems like 70 years now, am I right?), and you don’t have a scandal to your name yet, what do you do? Well if you’re Fox News and you’re desperate for any kind of feces you can fling at the new president, you make one up! And that’s exactly what’s happening at the Mexican border – even though you can literally blame everything that’s happening now on the last guy (and that’s exactly what the last guy did). But this current “scandal” at the border is quite literally the stuff of insanity, led by – you guessed it – Ted Cruz. And I think we have actual footage of his trip to the border.

Sen. Ted Cruz posted a video of a woman he identified as a Biden administration staffer blocking him from recording at a migrant facility on Sunday.

Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn led a Senate delegation tour of the Texas-Mexico border last week in response to the immigration crisis surging.

"Please give dignity to the people. Please respect the people, the rules," the staffer can be heard telling Cruz while blocking his camera.

The woman in the video is a senior adviser who was hired two weeks ago, according to Cruz.

"Your policies are unfortunately trying to hide them. I understand that you were instructed," Cruz said. "I respect them. I want to fix this situation."
https://abc13.com/immigration-ted-cruz-at-texas-mexico-border-senate-delegation-tour-joe-biden-reform/10455073/




Excuse me a minute… that was actually footage of the Jungle Cruise ride from Disneyland. Here’s an actual picture of Ted Cruz’s trip to the border:

https://twitter.com/jeremynewberger/status/1375486233812549646

So is this the part of the Jungle Cruise where Ted gets mauled by a man-eating Cougar? I think I missed that part of the ride! Oh I kid, I kid! One thing I am not kidding about: them making the whole thing up, I mean where the hell were they three years ago? Oh that’s right they were blaming the whole thing on the last guy – Obama (see: Top 10 #5-2 ). And it gets weirder, my friends, because they literally make everything out to be that way!

Senator Ted Cruz posted a video Saturday of his attempt to film an immigration facility in Donna, Texas, while alleging that President Joe Biden's administration is keeping Americans from seeing what's unfolding at the Southern border. A woman can be heard pushing back against Cruz's filming, saying "this is not a zoo, sir," to which Cruz agreed and said it was a "dangerous place."

"How far is Joe Biden going to stop the American people from seeing inside the Donna CBP facility?" Cruz tweeted on Saturday, before alleging that "Biden sent a political operative from DC to block our cameras and even threatened another senator to obstruct legitimate congressional oversight."

In the video, the Texas Republican claims that a woman who works for the Biden administration was instructed to ask politicians visiting the border to not take any photos inside of immigration facilities.
Newsweek Newsletter sign-up >

"You were instructed to ask us to not have any pictures taken here, because the political leadership at DHS [Department of Homeland Security] does not want the American people to know," Cruz says in the video. "You don't want the pictures taken. The rules are arbitrary, and they're designed to keep the American people in the dark."
https://www.newsweek.com/this-not-zoo-sir-ted-cruz-posts-video-his-attempt-film-border-facility-1579337




Uh… Sen. Cruz this is an Arby’s! But here’s my favorite part – when you’re a conservative and you’re turned away for attempting to “expose” someone, where do you go? Why you turn to your favorite outlet to complain on – Fox News! And that’s exactly what Teddy did when he was turned away attempting to film one of the camps. And again, I ask with all seriousness – where the hell were you 3 years ago when Trump was locking people away?

Ted Cruz is, once again, in the headlines. The Texas senator took a break from feuding with celebrities on Twitter to take another trip to Mexico. But this time around, Rafael Cruz wasn’t fleeing his state for a quick Cancun getaway.

This past weekend, Senator Cruz took a trip to the U.S./Mexico border along with 18 other Republican senators. Their mission, ostensibly, was to shine a light on what they deem to be a “border crisis”.

Surrounded by tall grass, Ted Cruz addresses the camera in hushed tones, much like he was hosting a nature documentary. “So it’s past midnight. I’m standing on the shore of the Rio Grande. I’m down at the Texas border along with 18 senators who made the trip to see the crisis that is playing out.”

In the grainy video, he continues: “On the other side of the river we have been listening to and seeing cartel members – human traffickers – right on the other side of the river waving flashlights, yelling and taunting Americans, taunting the border patrol.”
https://wearemitu.com/things-that-matter/ted-cruz-roasted-on-twitter-after-weird-border-crisis-video/




Again that’s not actual footage of Ted’s trip to the border, that’s footage from the Blair Witch Project, and you could probably interchange the two and no one would really notice. And by the way he wasn’t really taunted so much as he was asked to leave. If you really want to see taunting in action, I think the French castle guard from Monty Python & The Holy Grail is available!

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) complained on Fox News on Monday that he was taunted during a photo op at the U.S.-Mexico border last week.

In the footage from the trip, Cruz pointed into the bushes near the Rio Grande and spoke of unseen smugglers on the other side.

“Just a few minutes ago there were multiple smugglers on the other side who were shining flashlights at us, who were yelling at us, who were taunting us,” he said. “Who were taunting, I think they probably assumed we were Border Patrol, but they routinely taunt the Border Patrol.”

Cruz also complained in footage he posted on his Twitter feed last week about the “taunting.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-taunted_n_60629371c5b67593e05b880b





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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So remember that movie Wedding Crashers? You know the tale of that movie – Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson play two enterprising bachelors whose social lives involve being uninvited guests of weddings of people who they don’t know. Well this is that in real life, and it involves the guy who was formerly the world’s biggest Twitter troll, Donald J. Trump. Yes, the guy who we inexplicably once called president and a guy who could attract giant arenas full of people, had the Spinal Tap treatment and now he’s reduced to being the main evening’s entertainment at weddings held at Mar-A-Shithole. So yeah that is a thing that happened. Of course in Florida where we can still have weddings, there was one at Mar-A-Shithole last week and of course he happened to show up.

One of the biggest wedding-related fears many people have is the prospect of a drunk guest grabbing the mic and, through slurred words, asking everyone to take their seats so they can just “say a couple of words,” tripping over the bandleader’s foot in the process and yelling, “Hey, man, watch where you’re going!” and then launching into a rambling, incoherent speech about how they and the bride were supposed to be together before the groom came along and stole her. Presumably fewer, if any, have ever worried about a former president of the United States wandering into their reception and giving a toast that involves ranting about how the election was stolen from him, in addition to his incomprehensible thoughts on the situation at the border and how he was going to make a beautiful deal with the Iranian government. Until now!

Moving forward, people will likely have the possibility in the back of their heads that Donald Trump might approach the dance floor while everyone is eating their salads to complain about no longer being president—or at least the ones who choose to host their affairs at his Palm Beach resort will.

Yes, according to video footage, on Saturday night, Trump made his way into a wedding reception being held at Mar-a-Lago and gave a toast that was less about the happy couple than it was about the ways he’s been wronged recently and why Joe Biden is doing a shitty job.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/03/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-wedding-speech




Let’s make this Rule 80: Don’t invite the former president to your wedding. Is there a rule 80? I am not sure it’s been a while since I have seen that movie. Though one thing though – if you’re crashing a wedding that Trump is also crashing, at least all the attention won’t be on you being there, and you can probably score some free drinks and hit on the bridesmaids. I mean come on that happens at every wedding does it not?

Donald Trump took the microphone at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night, to praise a couple getting married at his Florida resort. Nearly 400 words later he did so, according to video published by the website TMZ, after a rambling complaint about Joe Biden’s policy towards Iran and China, the situation at the border with Mexico and the supposed fraud he claims caused his election defeat.

“Y’know,” the tuxedoed former president began, standing in front of a waiting band, “I just got, I turned off the news, I get all these flash reports, and they’re telling me about the border, they’re telling me about China, they’re telling me about Iran – how’re we doing with Iran, how do you like that?

“Boy, they were ready to make a deal, they would have done anything, they would have done anything, and this guy goes and drops the sanctions and then he says, ‘We’d love to negotiate now,’ [and Iran replies], ‘We’re not dealing with the United States at all,’ Oh, well, they don’t want to deal with us.”

Trump withdrew from the deal between Iran and leading powers meant to contain Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Biden is seeking to re-engage.

“And China, the same thing, they never treated us that way, right?”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/29/donald-trump-wedding-speech-mar-a-lago




Yeah no, that speech does not deserve that kind of response! Instead it deserves the Looney Tunes style cane yanking Trump off the stage! And here’s the thing, asshole, no – we do not miss you! In fact that’s why we kicked your sorry ass out of office and impeached you twice! Seriously, have I mentioned how much I think Trump is a colossal asshole? No? Well it can’t be said enough, and I still stand by my claim that he does not make it to 2024.

Donald Trump turned up at a wedding at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida over the weekend and railed against Joe Biden, China and Iran.

The former president hopped on the mic at the ceremony and wasted little time in getting political.

He referenced the situation at the border with Mexico and raised yet more questions about November's presidential election, which he lost.

"Do you miss me yet?" he asked the party, to loud cheers.

"I get all these splash reports, and they're telling me about the border, they're telling me about China, they're telling me about Iran," Mr Trump began, in a video released by the entertainment website TMZ.
https://news.yahoo.com/trump-asks-wedding-party-miss-095958015.html




Yeah so seriously, fuck that guy. And I mean really right now if you book a wedding at Mar-A-Shithole, it should be expected that he’s going to show up. He’s got no social media outlets to project his outrage to the world so I guess he’s going to use events at Mar-A-Shithole now. There’s also his now weekly pity parties on Fox News to look forward to. Ugh, just like COVID, we may never get rid of Spongeblob.

Former President Donald Trump took the stage at a wedding reception at Mar-a-Lago to once again grieve his election loss and rail against Biden's foreign policy and border control.

Addressing guests in a tuxedo on Saturday night, Trump launched into his predictable baseless claim the 2020 election had been stolen from him while taking aim at the Biden administration and the situation in China and Iran, among other political concerns.

The 74-year-old was reportedly invited to the reception to toast the happy couple, but instead used the opportunity to air his personal grievances, a video obtained by TMZ reveals.

The couple, Megan Noderer and John Arrigo, are both longtime Trump friends and donors, according to Business Insider.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-wedding-speech-transcript-mar-lago-1579396






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[font size="8"]The NRA
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Oh wrong intro, but that is a preview for next week – we are bringing back our favorite segment, Good Guys With Guns! So I guess now that COVID is slowly fading into the background, America can get back to the other virus that is killing people in ridiculously large numbers and sending the ones who survive to overloaded emergency rooms. Mass shootings! We’ve had two horrific ones in a week – one in Atlanta, and one in Colorado. And a near attempt in Atlanta as well! While all of that is going on, the NRA is attempting to overturn open carry laws and getting more guns into as many hands as possible. And this is coming from people who have tried to literally market firearms as fashion accessories! Seriously does the NRA think that we’re fucking dumb or do they really think that more guns is the answer? Oh who am I kidding! Of course they do!

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that state governments can restrict people from openly carrying guns in public, effectively ending a person's right to bear arms outside of their home.

The court issued an en banc opinion in the case of Young vs. Hawaii over a lawsuit by a Hawaiian resident who argued that the restrictions set by the state on his ability to openly carry a firearm was against the Constitution.

A district court ruled against George Young but a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court then decided in his favor. The latest development came from the full 11-member panel, or en banc.

The appeals court cited what they saw as a longstanding tradition in English and American law that government could prohibit "certain weapons from entering... public spaces as means of providing 'domestic Tranquility' and forestalling 'domestic Violence."
https://www.theblaze.com/news/9th-circuit-guns-open-carry v




Oh come on 9th circuit! What part of “SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED!!!!” do you not understand? And by the way this comes at a time when a survey that was conducted says that Americans have very little faith in America’s gun laws and say that they won’t do anything to stop mass shootings. And last year’s riots in the wake of the death of George Floyd? Guess what? They caused a massive gun buying spree. And if you’re shocked by this, you’ve turned to the wrong fucking program!

The two mass shooting incidents inside a week this month have brought to the fore the deadly epidemic of gun violence and the Joe Biden administration has expressed a strong intent to bring in more laws or if necessary, move executive orders, to curb the menace. But will more laws be able to rein in the violence that claims several lives in America every year?

A new survey has given a hint which makes one less than optimistic. Taken in the wake of the mass killing at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, that saw 10 people killed, the survey says most American do not believe that more gun laws will be able to stop the shootings.

The survey, which was conducted on March 24 and 25, also included other questions like: “Does the United States need stricter gun control laws?” and “Would stricter gun control laws help prevent shootings like the recent ones in Atlanta, Georgia, and Boulder, Colorado?”

The survey, which covered 1,000 US likely voters, also revealed that 49 percent felt the country does not need more gun laws as against 46 percent that feel it does.
https://meaww.com/most-us-voters-have-little-faith-on-gun-control-laws-feel-they-wont-stop-shootings-new-poll




But here’s what makes this ruling even sweeter is that the appointees who overturned this ruling were during the Bush and Trump years! Oh my god! If they had that kind of influence on our voting laws, then maybe there is hope for America! I mean remember when it seemed like mass shooting after mass shooting turned America into a shithole country under Trump (see: Top 10 #4-8? Yeah let’s see them explain their way out of that one!

Hawaii gun advocates were dealt a blow Wednesday by a federal court ruling that upheld state laws regulating the open carry of firearms in public.

The decision stems from a 2012 case of a Big Island man who had been repeatedly denied an open carry permit. The majority of an 11-member panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled in favor of the state in the man’s latest legal challenge.

The 127-page majority decision, written by Judge Jay Bybee, is the most recent federal court ruling to declare that the right to bear arms, enshrined in the Second Amendment, is not absolute. The ruling comes at a time when other circuits are ruling differently, and also lands as the country experienced two mass shootings in the past few weeks — in Boulder, Colorado, and Atlanta, Georgia.

“Today’s ruling, joined by respected appellate judges across the ideological spectrum, is the latest reminder that arguments against reasonable, life-saving gun laws rarely hold up in the courtroom,” Eric Tirschwell, managing director of Everytown Law, a gun safety group that took part in the case, said in a statement.
https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/03/9th-circuit-upholds-hawaii-laws-on-open-carry-of-firearms/




Don’t worry gun nuts – we’re a long way from overturning the 2nd amendment and that will probably never happen in this country. We live in a country where guns literally have more rights than the people they kill do. But there is a bad side to this – while we may celebrate this minor victory in the war on guns, the war on packing heat is about to heat up! And by “heat up” we mean “expect SCOTUS to start reviewing gun related cases soon!”.

Mass shootings in Georgia and Colorado that left at least 18 people dead since last week are reigniting calls from gun control advocates for tighter restrictions on buying firearms and ammunition. But with Democrats in control of the federal government, gun rights advocates have been persuading Republican-run state legislatures to go the other way, making it easier to obtain and carry guns.

How are the politics of gun legislation playing out in the United States this year? Here’s the breakdown.
Biden says ‘we have to act’ after Colorado mass shooting, but prospects dim in divided Congress »
Prospects Mixed for Legislation

This month, the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives adopted measures to expand background checks to all gun purchases and expand the time to to vet people flagged in a nationwide background check system.

But to pass in the Senate, the support of every Democrat would be needed. And that’s not a sure thing.
https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-aud-nw-gun-control-explainer-20210323-xrzh65irizbojj5bpn4lwiueaa-story.html






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[font size="8"]Brian Kemp
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In all seriousness I’m about to ask this question – are republicans having a contest among themselves to see who can be the worst human being in the world? As if Georgia’s Brian Kemp is bad enough, there’s Nebraska’s Pete Ricketts, there’s South Dakota’s Kristi Noem, there’s Tate Reeves of Mississippi and of course Ron DeSantis of Florida. But really this is about Brian Kemp. And I say this with literally about as much seriousness as I possibly can muster – FUCK YOU, Brian Kemp. After Trump goes and screams voter fraud for four months while his cronies go and literally fling their feces at the Capitol, you attempt to make voting in this country that much harder. Meanwhile it’s really easy to buy a gun. Where are your priorities, man? Oh wait that’s right – I forgot! He doesn’t have any!

Civil rights groups on Tuesday said they have sued the state of Georgia over changes to voting laws enacted last week that they said make it harder for all Georgia residents to vote, particularly people of color.

In a joint press release Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center and law firms in the state said that the law was a direct response to the 2020 presidential election and Senate runoff election, where the state had record voter turnout and Democrats won the state. The groups are suing in federal court on behalf of a church and other community groups.

"The elections were celebrated not just for their turnout, but also for their integrity, with Georgia officials praising them as safe and secure," the release said. "But rather than act to expand participation in the political process, Georgia leaders responded by doing what they have done many times in the state's history: they placed burdensome, unjustified, and unnecessary restrictions on voters, particularly voters of color and other historically disenfranchised communities."
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/civil-rights-group-sue-georgia-voting-law/story?id=76775186




That is a jaw-dropping and stunning level of pure evil. The thing is, we had the election with the highest voter turnout in history and an election where you’d literally have greater odds of winning the Powerball than you would finding an actual case of real voter fraud in this country. And this is counting the ones made up in Sean Hannity’s head. But one things is for sure is that it has businesses and supporters scrambling to find support for Georgia after this, including the state’s largest employer!

Delta Airlines came out in strong opposition to Georgia’s recently passed voting law on Wednesday, with CEO Ed Bastian writing in a memo to employees that the law is “unacceptable and does not match Delta’s values.”

In the week since a sweeping package of election restrictions was signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, activists have threatened to boycott Delta and other Atlanta-based companies, saying they didn't do enough to stop the law from being passed.

Delta’s statement,which the company shared with NBC News, is a forceful repudiation of the Georgia law — and similar efforts around the country.

“After having time to now fully understand all that is in the bill, coupled with discussions with leaders and employees in the Black community, it’s evident that the bill includes provisions that will make it harder for many underrepresented voters, particularly Black voters, to exercise their constitutional right to elect their representatives. That is wrong,” the memo reads.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/based-lie-delta-ceo-blasts-georgia-s-unacceptable-voting-law-n1262610




Oh sure now you walk back your statements! But only when it hits you in the one place you actually feel it – your wallet! Now that aside, with MLB players and fans petitioning the league to move the 2021 All Star Game out of Atlanta, to Disney fans petitioning Marvel to cease filming and production in the state of Georgia… it’s insane. And well deserved. But the shit hasn’t quite hit the fan yet but we will expecting it to in the next few weeks.

In light of Gov. Brian Kemp signing new voting legislation into law and calls to boycott Georgia-based companies, we are reaching out to some of the state's largest businesses to get their response to the new law.

The controversial law places new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative oversight of elections. It is facing legal challenges and gaining national attention, as the state continues to garner the political spotlight.

Opponents are using the term "Jim Crow 2.0" to describe the bill on social media, drawing on the legacy of the segregationist practices that systematically disenfranchised Black voters, among other things.

Activists are calling on boycotts of the Georgia-based companies, which could also threaten sporting events and the film industry.
https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/elections/georgia-companies-voting-law-boycott/85-c14a8dc5-d686-490d-9f68-16b48d2da9a6




But here’s the thing – before you get your underwear in a wad, make sure to read the whole articles before you start getting outraged, we can’t stress that enough. Yes, the Georgia voter laws are some of the most extreme we’ve seen in a century. But is it a return to the Jim Crow era? Maybe, maybe not, we don’t know! What it is though is a slap in the face to those of us who were responsible for voting during the pandemic, and even beyond when the pandemic is no longer a thing.

By passing one of the nation's most restrictive voting bills, Republican lawmakers in Georgia have forgotten a lesson from the past and are setting themselves up for defeat in the future.
The sweeping bill, signed into law Thursday by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, imposes new voter identification requirements for absentee ballots, limits the use of ballot drop boxes and makes it a crime to approach voters in line to hand them food and water.

Kemp said the law allows Georgia to "take another step toward ensuring our elections are secure, accessible, and fair." Voting rights advocates, though, said it's a thinly disguised and racist attempt to suppress the Black vote.

"No one but Pee Wee Herman believed them when they talked about the 'integrity of the vote,'" says the Rev. Tim McDonald, an Atlanta-based pastor who founded the African American Ministers Leadership Council. His group created "Souls to the Polls," a get-out-the-vote movement among Black churches nationwide. Earlier versions of the Georgia elections bill would have virtually eliminated early Sunday voting, which is popular with Black voters.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/28/politics/voting-rights-georgia-souls-polls-blake/index.html





So where do we begin this week? In the #1 spot this week is the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp (1). In case you’re wondering whether or not Gov. Kemp is a psychopathic douchebag, just look at what he did to Georgia’s right to vote, and we expect this will go to SCOTUS relatively soon. Taking the second slot this week is the NRA (2). After yet *ANOTHER* mass shooting, this time at a Colorado grocery store, the NRA gets shot down (ha!) at the 9th Circuit level over concealed carry laws, dealing a huge blow to their otherwise already tarnished agenda. In the 3rd slot this week is our old buddy, former Twitter troll @realDonaldTrump (3) and he’s gone from playing in huge arenas to crashing weddings and it’s quite spectacular! In the 4th slot, on the somewhat lighter side of the news is the Suez Canal fail (4) over one of the world’s largest container ships getting stuck between the waters! Someone’s getting fired! In the 5th slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week, a shocking study found that just 12 people are responsible for nearly 75% of Facebook’s anti-vaxxer content and we are going to take a look behind the scenes at anti-vax propaganda! In the #6 slot this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) - rapper Lil’ Nas X released a line of Satan-themed sneakers containing a drop of human blood in them – and all 666 pairs sold out in less than 10 minutes! What does this mean for the future of devil worshipping? In the #7 slot this week, after a Southwest pilot gets caught saying some hateful things about liberals, cars, and coal rolling, we ask – “Coal Rolling: How Is This Still A Thing?”. In the 8th slot this week is a new edition of Conspiracy Corner – Q Anon has some hot takes on the news and they’re getting nuttier and crazier, and it’s everything you expect from them! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week we have a new “I Need A Drink” and this week podcaster Jensen Karp made a shocking discovery after he bought a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch at Costco and discovered shrimp tales in one of the bags! Not only that, the response from General Mills is some very cringe-worthy stuff! Finally this week it’s time for Stupidest State! This week it’s Round 1 Week 3 and it’s a battle of Fiscal Irresponsibility heavyweights as #1 Kansas takes on red hot #2 Wyoming, while over in the Gun Nut Conference, #1 Texas takes on #2 Florida! This is going to be quite the epic battle! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!



Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! We’re still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future. Though this week because it’s that day, we are changing our blue background to whatever pops up on our Windows login screen. First it’s the city of Hong Kong, then it looks like a closeup of a grasshopper… and do we really need a Tucker reaction cam for this one? Come on! OK I brought this on myself! Seriously, Tucker, stop staring at me like that! People keep asking me where is the Wheel of Corruption? Well I assure you the wheel is safe and at some point we will be bringing it out of the vault. But it’s one of those things that requires audience participation. Though next week I might bring back some of our patented clips without context, because I’ve been missing those lately. Do we have time for the thing? Of course we do. So I ask you this my fair audience - how is Chet Hanks related to his dad Tom? I mean Tom’s one of the greatest guys in the world. But then there’s Chet Hanks. We may have to explore this in a bit more detail next week because this video is certifiably insane. And I say this as a white male myself – do we really need more “white boy” culture? Is that where we are at in 2021? Look I know everyone including myself missed having a proper summer last year but we’ll get back to that this year. But this is definitely toxic Barstool Sports culture at its’ most toxic. I know he’s going after Megan Thee Stallion here, and I personally couldn’t give less of a shit, but since 2020 didn’t happen we have a lot of making up time, and come on, what’s worse than a rich, privileged white boy who is the son of a famous movie star complaining that his “culture” isn’t being respected? I mean shit you might as well recite the 14 words while you’re at it. What? Suddenly that’s going too far? Even Tucker thinks this is going way too far! Yeah I know we’ve all been cooped up way too long! Fuck you COVID-19! OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first here’s a clip of a guy saying that Trump has been secretly ruling everyone:

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-9: Rule 80: Don’t Invite The Former President To Your Wedding Edition


Happy April Fools Day! See you next week!

March 25, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-8: So You Had A Bad Day Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-8: So You Had A Bad Day Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! We’re still coming to you live from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future. And this blue void just turned 1 year old this week. And I never thought I would say this to a 1 year old but I hope you stop fucking existing fucking soon! OK I had to get that off my chest. Do we have time for the thing? Of course we do, it’s my show! I make the rules! You know we can all agree that the pandemic has sucked balls, am I right about that? But you know one thing that it’s been absolutely great for? The American liquor industry! I know, right? Well of course we’re staying at home because we can’t go out and hang out at bars or anything. There was a new report saying last year that we bought more booze than at any point in the last 200 years. Not to mention drinking on the job has increased like 100 fold. That is insane. While we’re all sitting on our webcams waiting for life to return to normal again, we’re at least drinking our way out of the pandemic! So I guess does that mean when we return to the office again we will also be returning to rehab centers? I kid, I kid! But yeah go ahead, replace your coffee with an Irish coffee while you read this! I won’t judge! I’m drinking right now, in fact! OK that is enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first Bill Maher is back and he tells people that it's time to chill the fuck out:



Where do we begin this week? Well it’s not normally the Top 10 policy to make fun of tragedy but when there’s a mass shooting in Atlanta (1), and the police are doing literally everything they can to cover up the real reasons why it happened, we have to talk about it! Taking the second slot this week is the former 45th president of the United States, Vladimir Putin (2). Is it wise for him to pick a fight with President Biden? Well I can assure you that this will not end well! In the #3 slot this week is our favorite Q Anon Congress critter Marjorie Taylor Greene (3). Greene got herself banned from Twitter for being a pompous asshole (again) while more conservatives including Mike Lindell and Donald Trump are going to start their own conservative friendly social media sites. Yay, more shit I won’t subscribe to! Speaking of Donald J. Trump (4), the former president is occupying the 4th space this week. He’s having a week which includes a shocking expose about the state of his 757, his possible prosecution in New York for massive tax fraud, and Mar-A-Shithole got closed for COVID violations. Yay! Taking the #5 slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week we’re going to take a look at a problem that’s unique to the city of Oakland – abandoned and torched cars are being left in prominent places, but is it a racist symbol? You bet your ass it is! In the #6 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 take a look at the more addicting side of religion after former Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch made a shocking claim that his embrace of hardcore religion was like a drug to him. In the #7 slot this week, we’re going to bring back our segment “Aw, It’s Not So Bad”. Hey, white male conservatives, if you’re complaining about Cardi B’s performance of WAP that was basically a live lesbian sex scene set to music, then would you mind if I took a look at your Porn Hub searches? No? I thought so! Taking the 8th slot this week we have a new addition to the ever-growing list of People Who Somehow Got Elected (8) and this week we’re adding Arizona representative Paul Gosar (Q-Batshit) to that ever-growing list! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week we have a new People Are Dumb and we occasionally (read: frequently) like to check in with the Sunshine State in a special all Florida edition! Finally this week it’s time for Stupidest State 2021! This week it’s Round 1 Week 2 and we have a showdown of Fiscal Irresponsibility favorites as #3 Nevada goes for broke against #4 Iowa, while over in the Gun Nut Conference, interstate rivals #3 Oregon brings their big guns to the dance against #4 Idaho! Two of these teams will move on, the others go home! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]The Atlanta Shooting
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Sigh… well I guess now that COVID is subsiding, America can get back to the other epidemic that’s sending Americans to the hospitals in large numbers. Mass shootings! No, that’s nothing to cheer about, fake audience. But this one it appears is quite different. And I’m not talking about the way that when a white male commits a mass shooting in America that people start making excuses for everything but his whiteness and the gun that he used. The other thing is that this shooting one could say is *DIRECTLY* tied to the racist rhetoric coming from our former president. Yeah remember all those times he hurled racist slurs at the pandemic and called it “the China Virus”? That’s had a real effect here.

U.S. Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth on Sunday expressed doubts about FBI Director Chris Wray’s initial assessment that the fatal shooting of six Asian women in Atlanta-area spas may not constitute a hate crime, saying it “looks racially motivated.”

“From where I sit, I want to see a deeper investigation into whether or not these shootings and other similar crimes are racially motivated,” Duckworth, who is one of only two Asian-Americans currently serving in the U.S. Senate, told CBS “Face the Nation.”

“It looks racially motivated to me,” she said, adding the caveat that she is not a police officer or personally investigating the crimes.

Police in Atlanta are still investigating the motive in connection with the fatal shooting of eight people, six of whom were Asian women, on Tuesday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-crime-georgia-spas/atlanta-shooting-of-asian-women-was-racially-motivated-u-s-senator-says-idUSKBN2BD0LW




Gee, you think? Now here’s where it gets fucking weird. Remember that Jewish synagogue shooting and the cops brought the killer some Burger King? Yeah think of it like that scenario. But really poor baby, he had a bad day! I know, cue the song!



You know what? We all have bad days and I’ve particularly had bad fucking days since the calendar day of March 13th, 2020. But you know what my bad days don’t involve? They don’t involve buying a gun and using it to go on a fucking killing spree!!

The sheriff's department in Cherokee County, Georgia, is facing backlash after a captain described the alleged gunman in the killings of eight people at Atlanta-area spas as having "a really bad day."

The suspect, 21-year-old Robert Long, was taken into custody hours after the Tuesday shootings which took place at three different locations: one in Cherokee County and two in Atlanta.

When asked at Wednesday's news conference if Long understood the gravity of his alleged crimes, Cherokee County Sheriff's Capt. Jay Baker said, "I spoke with investigators, they interviewed him this morning. And they got that impression, yes -- he understood the gravity of it."

"And he was pretty much fed up and had been, kind of, at the end of his rope. And yesterday was a really bad day for him, and this is what he did," Baker said.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/georgia-sheriffs-department-fire-official-spa-shootings-suspect/story?id=76533598




Oh fuck off!!!! We all have bad days, made even worse in the last year! You know what I don't do on a bad day? Buy a gun and murder 8 people working in salons! Just seriously... fuck off! Thank you my fake audience! But here’s the thing – it wasn’t racism that fueled this crime. Oh no, it was – wait for it – his sexual addiction! Oh and our good friends at Right Wing Watch have pointed out that some right wing bloggers didn’t take long to make a “happy ending” joke in regards to the shootings. Classy.

Robert Aaron Long, the suspect in Atlanta-area shootings Tuesday that left eight dead, was planning to travel to Florida to commit more acts of violence and alleged to authorities that his actions were motivated by sex addiction rather than racial bias against Asian Americans, police said at a press briefing Wednesday.

Police said Long appeared to have issues with sex addiction and porn and may have patronized some of the spas targeted in the shooting, believing he saw the locations as “outlets for his addiction” and they were “temptations” to “eliminate.”

Authorities acknowledged it was still “early” in their investigation, but claimed the incident may not have been motivated by racial bias as was initially suspected—an allegation many expressed skepticism of and police said would require further investigation—despite the fact many of the victims in the shooting were of Asian descent.

Police found a 9 millimeter firearm in Long’s vehicle, and said they believed he was on his way to Florida to commit “similar acts” directed at the porn industry had he not been arrested.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/03/17/atlanta-shooting-updates-suspect-says-was-motivated-by-sex-addiction-and-not-racism-was-planning-to-head-to-florida/?sh=50ae5de65eb2




Yeah that’s a great idea – give a guy a gun, an addiction, and an excuse to cross state lines. Now I know what you’re thinking – that’s the most fucked up game of Mad Libs ever! Oh and in case you’re wondering if this gets weirder – oh believe me it does! Remember back at the beginning of this when I said that Trump might have been responsible? Well the arresting officer had promoted t-shirts calling it the “China Virus” on his Facebook page! It’s the circle of shit and it screws us all!

Jay Baker, a Georgia sheriff’s captain criticized for minimizing the actions of the Atlanta spa shooter, posted racist Covid-19 T-shirts on Facebook earlier this year.

In Facebook posts from late March and April last year, Baker posted photos of T-shirts bearing the legend that Covid-19 is an “imported virus from CHY-NA,” along with a biohazard symbol, The Daily Beast first reported.

The posts were removed from Baker’s profile after The Daily Beast and BuzzFeed News published stories about it. Less than an hour later, his entire Facebook page was deleted.

Baker was criticized for downplaying the role anti-Asian bias may have played in the shootings after he noted during a press conference that the shooter claimed the attacks weren’t racially motivated, adding that “yesterday was a really bad day for him, and this is what he did.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2021/03/17/officer-who-said-atlanta-spa-shooter-was-having-a-bad-day-promoted-racist-covid-19-shirt-on-facebook/?sh=2a827caa31ed





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[font size="8"]Joe Biden Vs Vladimir Putin
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It’s time for another episode of Celebrity Deathmatch! This time in this corner, the 46th president of the United States. He’s 78 years old and in much better shape than the guy before him, Joseph R. Biden! In this corner, he is the 3 term Russian president who will soon become the country’s permanent dictator, the master of internet propaganda, Vladimir Putin! So this week, Biden finally nails Putin on his internet disinformation campaign! And here’s the thing – when tensions between the two countries are already at an all time high, the last thing you want to do is set off what could be a literal and proverbial powder keg just waiting to go off. Because that could be disastrous. After all Putin was in charge of the US for the last four years. What could go wrong?

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday that Washington has rejected President Vladimir Putin’s offer to arrange a quick public call with U.S. President Joe Biden to help defuse tensions raised by Biden's recent remark that the Russian leader was a killer.

“One more opportunity has been missed to find a way out of the deadlock in Russian-U.S. relations created through the fault of Washington," the ministry said in a statement, adding that "responsibility for this lies entirely with the United States.”

In an interview broadcast last Wednesday, Biden replied “I do” when asked if he thought Putin was a “killer.” Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin’s subsequent offer to make the call public was intended to prevent Biden’s statement from inflicting irreparable damage to the already frayed ties between Russia and the United States.

Asked by reporters Friday if he’ll take Putin up on his offer to have a call, Biden said, “I’m sure we’ll talk at some point.”
https://news.yahoo.com/russia-criticizes-us-refusal-hold-140259816.html




No we’re not going that far yet. But so far Biden has the advantage here. However, this segment is about the former president of the United States, Vladimir Putin. Well, here’s one thing I will admit – Putin has some balls. And one thing – when he’s called a killer, Putin doesn’t back down. Oh no, my friends, he doubles down! And he quite literally wears it on his sleeve. I mean we’re treading into some serious Mr. Burns territory here! Think of this like Wolves In Wolves’ Clothing.

With the 50th anniversary of the Warsaw Pact invasion to rein in then-Czechoslovakia quickly approaching, one of the Kremlin's boldest advocacy groups has set up a military-style "camp" outside the capital of NATO member Slovakia.

The Night Wolves motorcycle club, whose members were at the vanguard of Russia's occupation of Crimea and nicknamed "Putin's Angels" by the media, has taken residence at a former military base in Dolna Krupa, about 60 kilometers northeast of Bratislava.

The move by the club, known for promoting Russian nationalism, hatred of gays and feminists, and allegiance to the Kremlin, appears aimed at revealing a dark, anti-Western side of the European Union member, which has sizable far-right and Russophile elements.

The group, which has been hit with sanctions from the West over its support for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine, was established in Slovakia last month.
https://www.rferl.org/a/night-wolves-putin-bikers-slovakia-military-camp-/29385437.html




Well as you can imagine this might have sparked the proverbial powder keg. And Biden may be the adult in the room, but as you can imagine you know the old saying “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. So China is jumping at the opportunity to be Russia’s new ally. Gee, really, what could possibly go wrong there? No, we’re not heading into Soviet territory yet. No, don’t push that button!

Chinese state media is pushing for closer Beijing-Moscow ties after last week's war of words between President Joe Biden's administration and top officials in Russia and China.

The Biden administration has vowed to push back on both China and Russia over the next four years, as the White House looks to refocus American foreign policy on the U.S.-led international system, traditional alliances, and democracy abroad.

Biden's vow to protect liberal democratic values puts him at odds with the authoritarian systems in Russia and China, and conflict last week with President Vladimir Putin and Chinese officials at bilateral talks in Alaska gave a hint of the great power tensions that might yet characterize his term.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Europe this week for NATO talks, at which Russia and China will be high on the agenda. Before the week is out, Moscow and Beijing might be bristling even more at recharged American assertiveness.
https://www.newsweek.com/china-media-pushes-russia-alliance-joe-biden-vladimir-putin-spat-alaska-meeting-1577760




Now here’s why Biden’s call may have rattled Putin a bit. It seems in Russia, they take childhood insults just a bit too literally there. Man, I am glad that Trump’s insults didn’t stick. Can you imagine Adam Schiff being called “Lil’ Shifty Schiff” for the rest of his life? Yeah maybe that’s part of their problem – they have a huge manhood problem in Russia. Maybe if they didn’t take this stuff so seriously things might be better. But that’s a pretty big “might”.

President Vladimir V. Putin dryly wished President Biden “good health” on Thursday after the American leader assented to a description of his Russian counterpart as a “killer,” and long-running tensions morphed into a furious exchange of trans-Atlantic taunts.

The previous evening, Russia took the rare step of recalling its ambassador to Washington after Mr. Biden’s comments in a television interview, warning of the possibility of an “irreversible deterioration of relations.” On Thursday, seated in a gilded chair on the seventh anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Mr. Putin all but called Mr. Biden a killer himself.

“When I was a child, when we argued in the courtyard, we said the following: ‘If you call someone names, that’s really your name,’” Mr. Putin said, quoting a Russian schoolyard rhyme. “When we characterize other people, or even when we characterize other states, other people, it is always as though we are looking in the mirror.”

Despite Mr. Biden’s long-running criticism of Mr. Putin, some Russian analysts had voiced hope that the Kremlin could forge a productive working relationship with the new administration in Washington on areas of common interest. But Mr. Biden’s combative stance in an interview with ABC News that was broadcast on Wednesday seemed to puncture those hopes, even as many of Mr. Putin’s critics praised the American president’s comments.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/world/europe/russia-biden-putin-killer.html





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[font size="8"]Marjorie Taylor Greene
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Here’s the thing, conservatives – if you don’t want to be canceled, maybe don’t put yourself in a place where you could be canceled! You can’t just say crazy shit and spew racist conspiracy theories without it coming back to bite you. And before you ask, yes, I have been watching HBO’s new Q Anon docuseries and it’s every bit as crazy as you can imagine. Now this is where the subject of our next entry comes in, and that’s Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q – Batshit). And you know what the really scary thing with the Q trolls is? Every time we ban them, that only gives them more fuel for the fire. But that’s what makes people like Marjorie Greene get crazier with each thing that comes their way. It’s almost like they live for it.

Twitter suspended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal account for 12 hours, her office said in a statement on Friday.

A spokesperson for the Republican lawmaker told Insider that the social media platform provided "no explanation" for the lock, which kicked in at 1 a.m. ET.

The temporary ban comes as a slew of House Democrats attempt to expel Greene from Congress on Friday. The resolution, introduced by Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California, has been co-sponsored by 72 Democrats, including high-profile lawmakers Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

"In the dark of night, Twitter chose to silence a sitting member of Congress facing an unprecedented political attack by House Democrats," Greene's office said in its statement to Insider. "This move eliminated any possibility for Congresswoman Greene to defend her reputation, her seat, and most importantly the votes of 230,000 Georgians in the 14th District on the Twitter platform."
https://www.businessinsider.com/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-suspended-from-twitter-for-12-hours-2021-3




Yeah remember when their plan to “unleash the kraken” turned out to be nothing more than a dead squid thrown onto the ice at Red Wings games? Oh these people are so freaking hilarious. They get knocked down, and they get knocked down again. You’re never going to keep them down. But what makes this even crazier is that this isn’t the first time that Marjorie Greene has been banned from Twitter. This happened back in January.

Twitter suspended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., for 12 hours on Sunday, saying that she has repeatedly run afoul of the company’s misinformation policy.

“The account referenced has been temporarily locked out for multiple violations of our civic integrity policy,” a Twitter spokesperson said.

Greene’s most recent posts included one in which she made false claims about widespread voter fraud in Georgia in both the November election and in the Jan. 5 Senate runoffs and another series of tweets in which she repeated more debunked claims and called Georgia’s elections officials “morons.”

Twitter restricted those posts from further promotion and slapped them with warning labels. Her account remained live, but she is unable to post.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/17/twitter-temporarily-suspends-gop-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene.html




Excuse me a minute… But here’s the thing Q bots and Trump fans – and I say this with the utmost sincerity – if you’re not fit for Twitter, you shouldn’t be fit for public office. In fact this happened after Marjorie Greene got elected – Twitter flagged a whole bunch of her Tweets as “misleading”. And by a “whole bunch”, we mean “almost half”. And this is fucking shocking. Well not really, but it should at least be alarming to anyone who has a brain.

Marjorie Taylor Greene is accusing Twitter of anti-conservative censorship after the social media platform placed contextual labels on nearly two dozen of the GOP congresswoman-elect tweets since the final polls closed on Tuesday.

Greene, who won her race in Georgia, is headed to Congress as one of the country’s most visible promoters of the QAnon conspiracy theory.

As of this writing, 54% of Greene’s tweets since the election — 19 out of 31 — have been labeled by Twitter as potentially misleading. Several of the flagged tweets accuse Democrats of trying to steal the election; others target the “Fake News Media” for allegedly lying about poll numbers and vote results.

In response, Greene posted a video on Thursday to social media that showed label after label on her Twitter account.

“Twitter censored me ALL day yesterday,” she claimed. “Sign your Official STOP THE STEAL PETITION.”
https://www.cnn.com/business/live-news/election-2020-misinformation/h_31abead320b3938e2ba4b76c146d149d




Oh fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck you. Like I said if you don’t want to be canceled, stop doing things that will get you canceled, you stupid idiot! It’s not that hard! And the thing is if you keep getting banned, that’s on you! I don’t want to say we helped with that, but yeah we kind of helped with that. But anyway this latest ban was only temporary… or was it?

Twitter locked controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) out of her personal account for hours on Friday, before later acknowledging her suspension was an error caused by the social network’s automated enforcement systems, a move that comes as some Democrats push to expel Greene from Congress over her embrace of conspiracy theories.

Twitter took action against Greene at about 12:45 a.m. Friday, preventing her from tweeting anything for 12 hours, though the site did not offer an explanation or specify how she violated its policies at the time, Greene spokesperson Nick Dyer told Forbes.

This action was a mistake by the automated system Twitter uses to enforce site rules, the company said in a statement, and Greene’s account has since been restored.

Twitter did not respond when asked which tweets by Greene triggered the lockout.
Crucial Quote

“We use a combination of technology and human review to enforce the Twitter Rules across the service,” Twitter said in a statement. “In this case, our automated systems took enforcement action on the account referenced in error.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/03/19/twitter-says-it-accidentally-locked-rep-marjorie-taylor-greenes-account/?sh=75465bb74bf6





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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Last I checked the 45th president of the United States is still the world’s biggest loser. He’s the biggest loser, no one loses better than he does! But specifically there were two stories that I wanted to touch on this week. The first is his private jet. Remember the golden 757 that he flew in during the campaign while he gorged on buckets of KFC? Can we show that? In what might be one of the sadder “where are they now” episodes ever, let’s check in on the condition of Trump’s plane now. It’s currently sitting abandoned in an airport hangar in upstate New York. And it doesn’t look like it will be flying anytime soon. What’s crazy about this is that it’s perfectly on brand for Trump. Well maybe it’s not that crazy.

Donald Trump's personal Boeing 757 was always the crown jewel of his wealth - the ultimate sign that he had made it.

He's used it as a backdrop for sleek photo shoots, campaign rallies, VIP tours, for shots of him eating his Big Macs and KFC, plated, with a knife and fork.

Mr Trump loved to show it off - the customised cream-coloured leather seats, gilded bathrooms, the seat buckles layered in 24-karat gold.

But today it sits idle on an airport ramp in Orange County, New York, about 97 kilometres north of Manhattan.

One engine is missing parts. The other is shrink-wrapped in plastic. The cost to fix and get it flyable could reach well into the high six-figures, a price-tag Mr Trump doesn't appear to be dealing with right now.
https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-glory-days-ofgoldplated-757-seem-far-away-as-plane-sits-idle-at-a-sleepy-airport/5f820894-184e-4f96-bfad-79c539c75fad




And that’s probably about the appropriate reaction from Trump too. I mean having your own fully tricked out 757 should be the ultimate symbol of your wealth right? Well just like most things Trump throws away in the trash – including umbrellas, Big Mac wrappers, and pieces of toilet paper stuck to his shoe, the 757 ends up in an airplane graveyard. And nobody really cares, either. Especially him, though when has he shown he cares about anything?

Former US President Donald Trump may have returned to life as a private citizen, but his private jet remains parked at New York Stewart International Airport, forsaken for a smaller, somewhat newer model.

The plane arrived at the airport in New Windsor from LaGuardia Airport in the spring of 2019, hangered at Signature Aviation.

That's part of Signature Flight Support, a company with more than 200 locations at airports around the world, providing "essential support services for business and private aviation, including refuelling, hangarage, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and a variety of other world-class amenities with exceptional customer service”.

A manager for Signature did not immediately respond to a request for comment or to verify that Trump or his organisation is still leasing space from them.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/124627446/the-sad-lonely-home-of-donald-trumps-goldplated-private-jet




Yeah well, switching gears, something else that bears Trump’s name that will most likely end up in the trash is his new social media site that he’s been “working on”. And I say “working on” with quotation marks is because when has he ever been known to do any real, actual work? Well it’s going to launch soon and it’s going to compete with the already hundreds of radical , right wing communities out there like Parler, Gab, Dlive, Telegram, and Mike Lindell’s new Pillow Talk app.

Former President Donald Trump is coming back to social media -- but this time with his own network, a Trump spokesperson told Fox News on Sunday.

Jason Miller, a long-time adviser and spokesperson for Trump's 2020 campaign told Howard Kurtz on Fox's "MediaBuzz" that Trump will be "returning to social media in probably about two or three months." He added Trump's return will be with "his own platform" that will attract "tens of millions" of new users and "completely redefine the game."

"This is something that I think will be the hottest ticket in social media," Miller told Kurtz. "It's going to completely redefine the game, and everybody is going to be waiting and watching to see what President Trump does, but it will be his own platform."

Miller said during his appearance on Fox News that the former president has been approached by numerous companies and is in talks with teams about the new platform.

"This new platform is going to be big," Miller said on Sunday. "Everyone wants him and he's going to bring millions and millions -- tens of millions -- to this platform."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/21/media/donald-trump-social-media-network/index.html




Aw… how cute! He thinks it’s going to be a game changer! Well here’s the cold, hard, economic news for you buddy – this is what’s known as a “perfectly competitive” market. There are hundreds of products in the social media realm now that all offer almost literally the same product – posting your shit. And come on, at least some posters on Gab are more realistic about how it’s going to do than Trump is. Seriously… I mean WTF???

Far-right social media account TheWesternChauvinist, which is linked to the Proud Boys hate group, has said Donald Trump's planned social media network "is going to suck," and competing network Gab has shared the message.

Jason Miller, an adviser and spokesperson for Trump, told Fox News on Sunday the former Republican president would be making a social media return by creating a platform of his own.

Miller told reporter Howard Kurtz: "Everyone wants him and he's going to bring millions and millions—tens of millions—to this platform."

But the planned account has been criticized by the Proud Boys-affiliated group TheWesternChauvinist via its Telegram messaging service profile, which said Trump should instead choose to join social media network Gab which far-right supporters have embraced.

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-social-media-network-suck-proud-boys-gab-1577719





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Oakland’s Abandoned Car Problem
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!

This week the city of Oakland is experiencing a very unique problem. Abandoned, torched, and stripped cars are being left aft the side of freeways everywhere. But is it a problem because of the city’s skyrocketing homeless problem or is it because of another problem that the city rarely talks about – a seedy racist underbelly? Well some say that it’s a combination of both. If you drive on the freeways in the city of Oakland, you won’t see what’s going on underneath. But underneath has something that is reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic movie – abandoned and scorched cars that were formerly luxury vehicles. But the problem has been persisting for some time and is now becoming an epidemic that authorities are having trouble dealing with.

Just beneath the bustling Nimitz Freeway, there’s hundreds of them. Maybe even thousands.

They’re gutted and stripped, covered in graffiti, burned to pieces and exploding with trash. Oakland’s swaths of abandoned vehicles are an unsightly urban phenomenon, and just parallel to Wood Street, which is home to sprawling tent encampments, there’s an astonishing amount of them.

Just ahead, two people can be seen stripping a rusty truck that’s been reduced to a frame on wheels. The area, which feels like something out of a post-apocalyptic John Carpenter film, is cluttered with AC Transit buses, bombed-out BMWs and overturned Audis. But how did they get here? And more importantly, why is the city allowing them to accumulate?

According to the community, these cars aren’t just concentrated near encampments. Oftentimes, they pile up in West Oakland and the "flatlands" of East Oakland, clogging up streets and sitting for months at a time.
https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/oakland-abandoned-car-epidemic-16027155.php




That is a good question and we don’t know the answer. In fact what makes this problem unique is that these abandoned cars aren’t always abandoned. What makes this even stranger is that these cars are often what police and investigators consider to be “trap” cars – that is cars that are left with loaded firearms and drugs and are left for authorities to find, and for criminals to ambush them. Yes, think of this like a more horrifying mafia movie.

According to Keisha Henderson, a public safety advocate and generational District 6 resident, the abandoned autos in her neighborhood are a byproduct of systemic racism.

She says wealthier districts like 1 and 2 are treated differently than districts 5, 6 and 7, and that resources from the city are unevenly allocated. “We have been talking about this and get no type of traction over this issue,” Henderson says of the cars. “The city picks and chooses how they want to enforce the law in certain areas. ... Our voices have not been valued.” Traffic Operations representatives assert that they evenly distribute services across the city, and say that districts 6 and 7 have more police service technicians handling 311 requests compared to other districts.

However, abandoned cars are a serious issue precisely because they aren’t always abandoned.

One time, Henderson says a vehicle was left in her own driveway and when she confronted the driver, the situation became hostile. Members of the Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council and OPD have also confirmed that some of these vehicles are “trap cars” that harbor drugs and firearms.
https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/oakland-abandoned-car-epidemic-16027155.php




So there’s many questions that are arising from this. Is it because it’s a crime problem? Is it because there’s a systemic racism problem? Is it because there’s all of the above happening? Well the answer for this isn’t easy and there’s plenty of explanation but none of it is the right explanation that we are looking for. But Oakland is wondering if some districts are actually treated better than others.

The lifecycles of some cars unfortunately end with them abandoned. Some of these vehicles are in a state of disrepair, stolen or are on the receiving end of a crime. For the city of Oakland, California, abandoned vehicles are a growing problem and the city has no real fix.

The situation described in the SFGate report is grim. Only feet below the cars rumbling down the Nimitz Freeway are up to thousands of abandoned vehicles from cars to transit buses and boats:

While the city agrees that the abandoned vehicles are a problem for Oakland’s image and environment, it still allows vehicles to pile up, specifically in black and brown communities.

The city is trying to clear the streets of abandoned cars, including a sweep of hundreds of cars back in 2018, but it isn’t keeping up:

Residents feel that wealthier Oakland districts are treated differently than others. The allocations of city resources aren’t being distributed evenly, making the problem even worse for black and brown people.
https://jalopnik.com/hundreds-of-cars-are-abandoned-in-oakland-and-the-city-1846502806




What makes this problem even more troublesome is that this isn’t the first time Oakland has attempted to clear the city of abandoned cars. The last time this was attempted was in 2018 when a record 350 cars were found on city streets and underneath the freeways. But the truth of the problem is that nobody knows where abandoned cars will wind up and many of them end their life as abandoned.

Hundreds of abandoned vehicles were left on the streets in Oakland, and police in that town are taking action by towing the vehicles in a pair of recent abandoned vehicle sweeps.

If you are in Oakland and you find one of the orange courtesy notices on the windshield of your vehicle, it means you have 72 hours to park it somewhere else or it will be towed.

“These are just clear instructions to the owners to what the rules are about how long a car can be parked on a particular street,” Oakland police Capt. Tony Jones said. “So far, we have towed in excess of 350 cars.”

Three-hundred-and-fifty autos were targeted by Oakland police in a pair of recent towing sweeps that took place this past weekend and back during the last weekend in July, from East Oakland to the San Leandro border.
https://www.kron4.com/news/hundreds-of-cars-towed-in-oakland-abandoned-vehicle-sweep/





This is 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 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! This week I have a rather perplexing puzzle to ask – is religion really addicting? I ask because I ran across an interview last week that made me go “WTF?”. That interview happened to feature the former guitarist for the band Korn. But we’re here to look at the more positive side of this interview. After all, what Mr. Welch did was just trade one vice for another, which is the cornerstone of nearly all rehab programs. But that’s not what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want now is it? If you’re going to decide that religion is the right thing for your life, maybe you shouldn’t make a grand spectacle of it. I may be this virtual presence right now, but I do respect that one’s religion is one’s choosing, and that says so right in our Good Book!

To most people, his life seemed like a stunning success — the stuff that dreams are made of.

But if you stripped away the fame, fortune and success of Korn rockstar Brian 'Head' Welch, you would have seen a man battling his way through years of searing pain and self-destruction driven by drug and alcohol abuse.

Yet it was only when he found himself as deep in the darkness as he'd ever been in the mid-2000s that he made a bold, do-or-die bid for the light. His little daughter, Jennea, now 20, was growing up without the benefit of everything he knew he longed to give to her.

He was so determined to survive the long and unforgiving road to recovery that he walked away from a $23 million record deal, he told ABC News.
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/korn-star-brian-welch-talks-addiction-faith-doc/story?id=59822440




Now that’s how it started. But let’s get a clarification on this one. Because when you say something that controversial, it has the tendency to you know, get completely blown out of proportion. And by the way I love that he went on a podcast called “No Fuckin Regrets” to express his regrets. But here’s the thing though – we forgive here at the Holy Church Of The Top 10, especially if one can turn around their extremist beliefs!

Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch departed the band back in 2005 after becoming a born again Christian and has opened up about his experience with religion.

Welch was suffering from addiction when he became a born again Christian and subsequently left the band in 2005. He eventually rejoined Korn in 2012 as both Welch and the band had felt they had grown exponentially since his previous stint.

“There was no hard drugs going around. No raging alcoholics, no cocaine, none of that was backstage. But, on top of that, the egos were gone,” Welch told RADIO.COM in a 2019 interview.
Welch was a guest on Machine Head guitarist Robb Flynn’s podcast No F****n’ Regrets and was asked if he felt religion had become his “new addiction” after he overcame his drug habit.

“The crazy thing is I had an experience with something from another dimension. And it wasn’t the religion — going to church and being a good boy — it was, like, I felt something come into my house, and I can’t explain it to this day. But I believe that it was Christ doing something in me. So that was real — that was very real,” Welch said. Welch then admitted that he “went too far with it.”
https://www.radio.com/music/rock/brian-head-welch-says-i-went-too-far-with-christianity




Now here’s the thing – religion can be addicting and it can also be really addicting. I mean have you seen the kinds of shows that some churches have been putting on? My GAWD, boys and girls some of those shows are just absolute spectacles. Especially if you go to a megachurch the size of a stadium! And I can’t help but be too alarmed when our houses of worship sound like they could take on Godzilla! But it works both ways, don’t you know?

Christian Orthodox worshipers hold candles lit from a flame that emerged from the tomb believed to be of Jesus Christ as they take part in the ceremony of the holy fire at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on April 19, 2014, in Jerusalem, Israel. (Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images)

Although he quit believing in God as a teenager, 50-year-old Brandon Osborn feared hell and damnation until he was 35. Raised in the “holiness movement” branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints after escaping his mother’s abusive home, Osborn finds addiction and recovery fitting symbols for his experience.

“I consider religion to be an imposed addiction — no different than holding a baby and shooting it up with small doses of heroin, increasing the doses as the baby grows,” he says. “Religion is as poisonous and as attractive, to many, as heroin — Karl Marx said it right, ‘Religion is the opiate of the masses.’ I’m still recovering from it. Part of my recovery is helping others get free.”

Can you really become addicted to religion? Well, the risk of any activity or substance becoming an addiction depends in part on the characteristics of the substance or activity, and, in part — some experts believe most significantly — on the characteristics of the situation and user.
https://psmag.com/news/the-god-drug-when-religion-becomes-an-addiction




But in fact, my fair virtual congregation, there can be hope! Let’s ask someone who is still involved with extreme religion. That man is Phil Vischer, who is the creator of the popular children’s series about talking vegetables called “Veggietales”, which you might remember from seeing a cross promotion at your local Chik-Fil-A. But I do agree with his wording, calling religion a “hot mess”. I mean have you seen preachers lately? It’s insane!

Phil Vischer was driving home from his studio and listening to NPR when he had another of his big ideas.

Vischer, the creator of “VeggieTales,” the animated series in which produce-aisle items act out Bible stories, says he often talks back to NPR’s stories — with his characteristic wisecracks, of course, but also with probing questions when he feels the reporter missed something.

“I was having some really interesting conversations with myself in my car,” said Vischer, the voice of “VeggieTales” host Bob the Tomato. “And then one day, I wondered if anyone else would like to listen in to these conversations?”

The answer, it turns out, is yes.

Since 2012, Vischer has recorded more than 440 episodes of the “Holy Post,” a weekly podcast that he co-hosts with his friend, Christian author and speaker Skye Jethani. The show has also spawned videos about race, politics and the history of the evangelical movement, drawing millions of views.
https://religionnews.com/2021/02/24/phil-vischer-veggietales-holy-post-big-idea-jethani-metaxas-evangelical-ken-ham-bobtomato/




Well I think the thing we’ve learned today is that religion can be addicting, but don’t treat it like an addiction and take things too far. Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Aw, It’s Not So Bad
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Guys, let’s have a talk, man on man. OK that’s probably poor phrasing. But here’s the thing – if you feel threatened by Cardi B’s WAP performance at the Grammys, which was really just a live lesbian sex show set to music, then I guess you wouldn’t mind if I took a look at your Porn Hub searches would you? You know, it’s not so bad! At least that’s what we think. But if you turned on the Fox News outrage machine, you’d think that the shit would hit the morality fan. You know what? Art is art! Cardi B’s performance is really art. Sure, it’s art you find offensive, but let’s face it, people getting outraged about art is a thing going all the way back to when the fucking Sistine Chapel was constructed! And you know the most preserved parts of that are? The ones that were covered up. True story! OK getting off topic here. My favorite part of this misdirected outrage so far has to come from Jon Cooper, the far right lead singer of Christian rock band Skillet. Who by the way - did you know that he has his own podcast? And it's quite literally the stuff of pure insanity.

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's outrageous and suggestive performance of the sex-positive hit "WAP" at the Grammys Sunday received plenty of praise — and plenty of outrage.

One of the most vocal critics was a past Grammy nominee himself: John Cooper, the singer and bassist for the Kenosha-based Christian rock band Skillet. And in his criticism, Cooper brought up Adolf Hitler to try to make a point.

"We're living in a world right now where there are certain Dr. Seuss books that you cannot sell on eBay," Cooper said on his "Cooper Stuff" video podcast Wednesday, as first reported by hard rock news site Blabbermouth. "But you can, and must, applaud the sexual degradation of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion simulating sex together on the Grammys. ... In fact, if you don't celebrate it, then you're actually a bad person, and you kind of, like, don't love people."

To make his case, Cooper read chapter 5, verse 20 of the book of Isaiah in the Bible, reading, "'Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.'"

"Every dictator in history says that what they were doing was good," Cooper said. "If you go back and you read some of Hitler's speeches, he's like, 'I'm gonna set people free — free from the bondage of the Ten Commandments.' In his mind, he's a liberator. It's always like that you guys. All you do is you just redefine evil and you redefine good. That's what's happening right now on the Grammys."
https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/03/19/skillets-john-cooper-suggests-cardi-b-grammys-wap-performance-evil/4764485001/




Oh sure, it starts out innocently enough – two attractive female singers have a sexually suggestive performance of a song about vaginas at a major award show, next they’re taking over Europe, invading Poland, and killing 6 million people! Makes sense! Ah come on, Jon, it’s not so bad. As if that wasn’t enough, Tucker Carlson had to chime in. Seriously they’re getting into “won’t somebody think of the children” territory, aren’t they?

On Monday night, conservative snowflake Tucker Carlson threw his latest hissy fit about Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s No. 1 hit, “WAP”, claiming their Grammys performance was proof that “they’re intentionally trying to degrade our culture and hurt our children.” Despite being so outraged about the display, the Tucker Carlson Tonight host continued to play the performance in the background and nearly showed the entire thing.

The Daily Beast captured the segment, in which Carlson started disingenuously ranting about the “culture vandals” reexamining the racist and misogynist tones of Dr. Seuss, Disney, and Looney Tunes characters. He then aired “the only portion we can play you,” a statement he went back on shortly afterward.

“No more Dumbo, it’s too filthy. We get that instead,” he said, before turning to conservative commentator Candace Owens for a performative outrage session. “It is hard not to conclude that they are actively trying to degrade our culture and hurt our children.”

Owens continued by bringing up the Mr. Potato Head rebranding controversy and the loss of Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, before calling Cardi and Megan’s performance “a lesbian sex scene being simulated on television.” She added, “We are celebrating perversity in America.”
https://consequenceofsound.net/2021/03/tucker-carlson-wap-grammys-performance/




Aw come on Candace, it’s not so bad! Stop trying to find outrage where there isn’t any. If you want to find perversion in America, how about looking at our former president? Yeah I thought so! You can’t be a fan of a guy who committed some unbelievable sex atrocities, then be outraged at Cardi B’s performance, you can’t have it both ways! I mean come on after we had four years of Trump, there is nothing you can say or do that would get me outraged about this kind of stuff. Or can there?

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion performed their mammoth hit 'WAP' live for the first time at the 2021 Grammy Awards and triggered outrage from some viewers.

The chart-topping track, already infamous for its extremely graphic sexual lyrics, has been heralded by some as an anthem of female empowerment and condemned by conservative commentators.

The much-anticipated performance saw the artists twerk, pole dance and grind their way across an elaborate set before they met on a giant bed for a choreographed sequence together.

Viewers were divided - with fans of the rappers delighting in seeing the song on stage for the first time, while others dubbed the performance "disgusting, vulgar and overly sexualised".



"They saved the Grammys," one Twitter user wrote, while others called the "incredible" performance the best of the night.

"I'm so glad she performed this live," another tweet read. "I was wondering if she was ever going to get to!"
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2021/03/grammy-awards-cardi-b-and-megan-thee-stallion-s-wap-performance-prompts-outrage.html




Yeah when will Cardi B ever get to perform WAP live? And come on let’s face it – the Grammys are fucking boring! Especially in 2021 when it’s a damn Zoom call! Remember that scene in the Naked Gun when the professor is giving a lecture on renewable energy and the entire crowd is asleep, then he wakes them by reading softcore porn? Yeah this is kind of like that! If you saw this and are still complaining about it a week later, hand in your man card! Come on, it’s not so bad!

Cardi B however, fought fire with fire, threatening to sue Owens for suggesting that she or her team photoshopped the tweet - the spat devolved into a mess of threatened lawsuits and playground insults (not that it was ever a particularly sophisticated debate to begin with).

I’m not sure what Cardi B was thinking when she attacked Owens with the photoshopped tweet; even if the tweet was legitimate, responding to Owens’ pathological prudishness by mocking her sex life seems a tad hypocritical - it goes directly against WAP’s theme of sexual liberation.

Plus, it’s not like there’s a shortage of material in which to mock Candace Owens.

Cardi B might have been better off accusing Owens of being a cynical huckster, using performative outrage to market her distinctive brand of regressive, self-loathing conservatism.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2021/03/17/cardi-b-and-candace-owens-trade-insults-over-grammys-wap-performance/?sh=793c2bd5fca0





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[font size="8"]People Who Somehow Got Elected: Paul Gosar
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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 – Paul Gosar. He’s a Congressional representative from Arizona’s 4th district. This includes the city of Prescott, where many of Arizona’s elite reside. So you know what that says about Arizona’s elite, and there might be a bit of racism in this state. And Paul Gosar is helping to fuel some of the more insane theories about American racism. So much in fact that he appeared at a rally for a white nationalist who actually celebrated the takeover of the US Capitol on January 6th. That’s right – people actually celebrated this, while the entire world was horrified. This is what one might call “sociopathic behavior”. And in fact Paul Gosar is not only aiding and abetting extremists, he’s also participating among them.

Republican congressman Paul Gosar appeared at a white nationalist political conference before attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), according to reports.

The Arizona Republican appeared on-stage at the "America First Political Action Conference" (AFPAC) on Friday, following the far-right conference’s founder, Nicholas Fuentes.

Mr Fuentes, an alleged white nationalist, said on Friday that the Capitol riot – in which five people died – was “awesome”, and that "white people are done being bullied".

The AFPAC founder went on to add that if the country "loses its white demographic core, then this is not America anymore”.

Mr Fuentes also mocked Republican congressman Madison Cawthorn, who uses a wheelchair, for not “standing up”, after he spoke at the mainstream conservative conference, CPAC, also taking place in Florida. The speeches were shared in videos to Twitter.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/paul-gosar-afpac-cpac-fuenetes-b1808678.html




And in case you’re wondering if this gets worse, oh boy does this get worse! In fact his own siblings say that he’s a raging white supremacist. Here’s the thing maybe you should, we don’t know, maybe live your life in such a way that your own siblings don’t call you out for your racism. In fact he’s such a racist that the people of Arizona’s fourth district have launched a campaign to have the representative removed from power, similar to the way that Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene could be expelled.

Three siblings of Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., have renewed their push to remove their brother from Congress, accusing him of being a white supremacist following his speech last month at a conference hosted by a notorious white nationalist.

Gosar, who allegedly helped organize the "Stop the Steal" rally that preceded the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, skipped a late February House vote on the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill to headline the America First Political Action Conference organized by right-wing extremist Nick Fuentes. Fuentes gained prominence in the deadly 2017 Charlottesville white nationalist march and was later banned by YouTube for violating its hate speech rules. At the February conference, he lamented that America was losing its "white demographic core," and praised the Capitol riot as "awesome" after previously musing about murdering lawmakers.

A day later, during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida, Gosar interrupted a panel discussion, seemingly to distance himself from Fuentes' comments.

"I denounce when we talk about white racism. That's not appropriate," he said at the event, later telling the Washington Post that he was referring to Fuentes' remarks.

Gosar's siblings, who launched campaigns to defeat him in 2018 and 2020, rejected his feeble attempt to distance himself from Fuentes, who Gosar met with again after the CPAC event. ..................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/03/13/rep-paul-gosars-siblings-say-hes-a-white-supremacist--but-his-gop-colleagues-stay-silent/




Well maybe more than a little. In fact he’s so extreme that he’s too extreme for the Trump administration’s favorite scheming conniver Ali Alexander, the guy who organized those “Stop The Steal” rallies. When caught at the Captiol Riot, Mr. Alexander pulled more than a few name drops when he outed who his contacts were. One such representative on his hit list? That’s right – our subject in question, Paul Gosar.

Man Who Organized 'Stop The Steal' Rally Says Three Congressmen Helped Him Plan It

New Day's John Berman introduced the shocking story (okay, not that shocking, considering the people involved) that the organizer of the Washington sedition rally says he had help from several Republican members of Congress.

"Congressman Mo Brooks of Alabama already facing calls for censure, John. But as the Department of Justice announces, it's looking for instigators of what happened. These three congressmen could be in much worse trouble than just a censure. The siege on the Capitol started with a protest just like dozens of Stop The Steal rallies across the country since the election," CNN correspondent Drew Griffin reported.

1776!
"And one of the main organizers, extreme right-winger Ali Alexander, who says he was getting help from three members of Congress."

I'm the guy who came up with the idea of January 6th, when I was talking with Congressman Gosar, Congressman Andy Biggs, and Congressman Mo Brooks.
"That's right. Alexander says these three members of Congress actually helped plan the rally. Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, and Mo Brooks.

https://crooksandliars.com/2021/01/man-who-organized-stop-steal-rally-says




Except he really isn’t. But he’s still a terrible person. But Paul Gosar isn’t the only extremist in the GOP’s Congressional ranks. This is also a party where representatives like Lauren Boebert, Louis Gohmert, Steve King, and Marjorie Taylor Greene reside. So how does one root out extremists in the party? Well part of this is admitting that the problem exists. At least it will be a start for trying to get these people out of our government.

The House GOP’s No. 3 leader recently urged Republicans to make clear they’re not the party of white supremacy. Two days later, one of their members spoke at a conference organized by a known white nationalist.

The whiplash between Rep. Liz Cheney’s (R-Wyo.) plea and Rep. Paul Gosar’s (R-Ariz.) public speech underscores just how tough it is for GOP leaders to rein in members who cater to the extreme wings of the party. As Republicans increasingly grapple with how — or even whether — to exorcise the most radical elements from their party, their leaders’ jobs won’t get any easier.

The House GOP has so far confronted no large-scale blowback from Gosar’s speech to the America First Political Action Conference, or from other incidents that link a few of its members to far-right imagery or rhetoric.

But some fear that if the conference — which just ushered in a historically diverse freshman class — doesn’t stomp out those political brush fires now, there’s a risk they will spread and engulf the party. Democrats are already trying to make QAnon, the far-reaching conspiracy theory labeled as a domestic terrorism threat by the FBI, the face of the GOP ahead of the midterms.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/04/gop-extremism-473806




That’s Arizona’s openly racist representative Paul Gosar. Yet another politician who inexplicably joins the ever-growing ranks of:




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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb: All Florida Edition
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Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people and people are dumb. And occasionally we like to check in with the Sunshine State, the great state of Florida, because they always have ridiculously stupid and crazy people, and we love them for that. And most of our articles in this come from the Twitter account @Floridaman_ account as well as other sources that pop up from time to time. I want to start with this story out of Boca Raton. So here’s the thing – you just bought a house. I get it, you have no money to buy anything else. But seriously take out a credit card or do something, just don’t get caught stealing! Yeah I know, cue Jane’s Addiction!

The owner of a $960,000 home in the Lotus development near Lyons and Clint Moore is accused of shoplifting nearly $1000 worth of lighting from Home Depot in West Boca Raton.

Karen Berger, 44, who is identified in a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report as a teacher, was jailed Thursday after Home Depot opted to prosecute the case.

According to police, “Karen Berger was seen entering the Home Depot through the main entrance. The subject then proceeded to the store’s lighting fixtures department and selected two Swirl LED Chrome Mini valued at $99.97 each, one Keighley 36” LED Crystal Island valued at $219, one Essence Disk LED Integrated Chrome valued at $109. Then, Berger proceeded towards the front of the store where she went to aisle 8 and selected three moving boxes valued at $2.68 each. Then she proceeded out of aisle 8 and towards to self check out.”

The police report continues: “While in the self check out Berger scanned the three moving boxes valued at $8.04 total, and two Swirl LED Chrome Mini Pendant valued at $199.94 for both making a total purchase of $207.98. Berger did not attempt to scan and pay for the other lighting fixtures that were inside her shopping cart, depriving Home Depot of the amount of $756.”
https://bocanewsnow.com/2021/03/21/lotus-resident-karen-berger-who-owns-960k-house-jailed-for-shopfliting/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter




Next up – OK this guy gets the award for greatest teacher ever. OK not really. Man in high school all I got was anti-drug lectures telling us why we shouldn’t smoke weed. Even weirder is that his wife is also a teacher and a stoner! You know what they say – the family that smokes together stays together! At least one can only hope. Just don’t put yourself in a situation where you can get arrested.

Two Florida high school teachers faced a judge for the first time Friday after being arrested for allegedly allowing multiple students to come over to their house and smoke marijuana.

James Brand and Amy O’Reilly-Brand are both charged with child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a child, NBC affiliate WESH reports.

According to court records, the couple, both teachers at Viera High School, allowed students to come over to their house and smoke marijuana on multiple occasions since last summer.

The records state that several high school students told deputies they had smoked marijuana at the house and some said the pair supplied the marijuana themselves and smoked it with them.

The couple is also accused of allowing a man to live in their home and have a sexual relationship with a girl under the age of 18, according to WESH.
https://nbc-2.com/news/state/2021/03/20/two-florida-teachers-arrested-for-smoking-marijuana-with-students/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter




Next up: This story has everything! We go to the city of Leigh Acres for this one. No don’t cue the Green Acres theme song for this one. But here’s the thing – if you’re caught naked jumping on a trampoline maybe don’t enter the house unclothed. We’re just saying. And there might be a reason as to why Florida is often referred to as the “penis of America”. Or as Homer Simpson has famously called it, “America’s wang”.

A Florida man is accused of jumping on a neighbor’s trampoline while naked and later breaking into her home while still unclothed, authorities said.

Adrian Lee Gonzalez-Bradway, 21, was arrested Wednesday and charged with burglary and criminal mischief with property damage of more than $200, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s online booking records.

No bail has been set.

According to the sheriff’s office, Gonzalez-Bradway showed up naked at his neighbor’s home in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday afternoon and began tapping on her door, WBBH reported.

The resident asked Gonzalez-Bradway if he needed assistance, but he did not respond, the television station reported. Thirty minutes later, the woman said she saw Gonzalez-Bradway jumping on her family’s trampoline while still naked. ..........(more)

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/trending/florida-man-accused-jumping-naked-neighbors-trampoline-before-breaking-into-home/ZT5KE3QDK5FBZNNEJWXFJVFKIA/




Next up: If you’re going to hide from the authorities, maybe don’t do it in a place where you could easily be found. So this guy went and hid… in a dryer. That’s right – a dryer. And I’m sure there’s probably about a million puns I could make for this one, but let’s cue the Radiohead song and say that he’s quite literally high and dry. Ha, bet you didn’t see that one coming, did you?

Deputies say they were searching for a Florida man wanted for violating probation and when they found him to make the arrest, he was inside a clothes dryer.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office said that the incident happened in Umatilla. Deputies went looking for 33-year-old Michael Brook to serve two warrants for violation of probation.

They said that as deputies searched a home for him, they found him inside a clothes dryer.

"We guess he thought he was 'high and dry,'" the Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook. "Luckily, he didn't go for a tumble."
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/sheriffs-office-florida-man-arrested-found-hiding-from-deputies-in-dryer




Finally this week we have to talk about this story, and we may have to do an entire People Are Dumb just dedicated to this one story. But this has everything and I can’t say that enough. This guy found a double, literally stole an election, and then got caught. I cannot wait to see a movie made about this because I’m sure it will be magical. Too bad Fred Willard isn’t alive anymore to play that role, because he’d be a perfect sleazebag.

The details surrounding a political whodunit involving a former Miami GOP state senator, a mysterious no-party candidate and an alleged scheme to sway the outcome of a key Florida Senate race came pouring out Thursday in a 25-page affidavit.

The alleged campaign chicanery involved early morning Facebook messages, incriminating text messages and, at the heart of it all, tens of thousands of dollars in documented payments in exchange for a ringer candidate to get his name on the ballot.

Frank Artiles, a Republican political operative, is at the center of the drama. He is facing felony charges on suspicion of offering Alexis “Alex” Rodriguez $50,000 to run as an independent in Miami-Dade’s Senate District 37 race. The goal, investigators say, was to “confuse voters and influence the outcome” of the race to represent Senate District 37, a large swath that includes downtown Miami, Coral Gables and Pinecrest.

The race pitted former TV personality Ileana Garcia, a Republican, against incumbent José Javier Rodríguez, a Democrat. Alex Rodriguez, an auto-parts dealer who shares the same surname as the incumbent, ran as an independent. Investigators said Artiles recruited him to “siphon votes from the incumbent,” José Javier Rodríguez, who lost by a mere 32 votes after a manual recount. Alex Rodriguez, who did no campaigning, received more than 6,000 votes.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article250015359.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter




That’s it this week for People Are Dumb!




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[font size="8"]Stupidest State Round 1 Week 2
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16 states will enter and only one state will become the new Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State!



Welcome back! The competition is heating up once again! Last week we had a great first round showdown as Michigan routed hot newcomer South Dakota to advance to the Elite 8, while over in the Family Values Conference, Indiana’s last minute buzzer beater knocked off Ohio to advance in the Flyover League! This week it’s a battle of the #3s and #4s as this week Fiscal Irresponsibility heavyweights Nevada and Iowa go for broke, while over in the Gun Nut Conference, it’s an inter-state rivalry as #3 Oregon brings their big guns to the dance against #4 Idaho!

[font size="4"]Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference Round 1: Nevada Vs Iowa [/font]

[font size="2"]Nevada [/font]


Gambling rules the Silver State, whether your vice is Caesar’s on the North side of the Las Vegas Strip, or MGM on the South side of the Strip. Or maybe your vice is the Golden Nugget over in the carefree realm of Freemont St. Or Harrah’s in Laughlin. Or Sands in Reno. But there’s also more to the Silver State than gambling. 2020 brought some big challenges to Nevada especially if you don’t count the socially distanced homeless people sleeping in the parking lot of your favorite casino.

Anyone familiar with Nevada’s regional economies can see parallels between Nevada’s workforce concentration and the K distribution. In recent years, Northern Nevada has become a satellite Silicon Valley of sorts, bringing a tech presence to the valley. Employees can perform these jobs from home, and market demand for them remains high despite the pandemic. Meanwhile, Southern Nevada is the global epicenter of the leisure and hospitality industry. Employees in this sector are dependent upon face-to-face exchange with customers and have faced significant hardship and uncertainty during the pandemic, while receiving little to no compensation.

A snapshot of the whole state shows Northern Nevada on the upper half of the K distribution and Southern Nevada on the lower half of the distribution.

The data bear out a Nevadan K-shaped recovery, with a drastic chasm in unemployment rates between Reno and Las Vegas. In March, at the beginning of the pandemic, the unemployment rate in Las Vegas was only 1.7 percent above that of Reno, but by April the difference exploded, with unemployment in Las Vegas ballooning to 34.2 percent — a 13.7 percent larger unemployment rate than Reno in the same period. Since June, the difference has stabilized, with Las Vegas unemployment resting about 8 percent higher than that of Reno. These percentages, however, still obscure part of the story. Due to Las Vegas’s much larger population, there are many more people unemployed there. As of October, there were 111,600 more people unemployed than the same point in the prior year; this equates to four in ten workers within the entire hospitality industry being unemployed. Compare this to 15,000 more people unemployed than the same time last year for Reno; roughly the amount of employees at Caesars Palace. The northern half of the state is well on its way to recovery, buttressed by a pre-pandemic investment of two-third’s of state economic development assets in that region, while Southern Nevada struggles to regain its economic footing and restore its economy.

Read more: https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2020/12/23/not-an-l-not-a-v-not-a-nike-swoosh-nevadas-k-shaped-recovery/




Yeah so COVID ripped the Silver State a new asshole and it’s going to take a lot of time, patience, and of course money to recover. Especially when your state’s main source of revenue is gambling, tourism, and the concert industry. And by the way in case you’re wondering just how evil Nevada’s state government is, they recently signed a bill that totally fucked over Nevada’s homeless teenagers. This is a stunning, jaw-dropping level of evil!

Tayvon Jenkins, a youth ambassador with the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, said minors experiencing homelessness were turned away from Covid testing during the health pandemic.

It’s not the only example lawmakers were given Wednesday about how Nevada law puts barriers in front of youth seeking health care.

Pamela Girgis, a pediatric nurse practitioner who works with homeless youth and refugee children, says many of the children she encounters are unable to fully access health care due to the state’s restrictions.

“We recently had a homeless youth with uncontrolled diabetes in desperate need of a referral to endocrinology for an insulin pump,” she said. “Because of this rule, care was delayed, which resulted in multiple hospitalization for this youth risking his life and resulting in him missing work and losing his job setting him further back.”

Read more: https://www.nevadacurrent.com/blog/lawmakers-address-barriers-faced-by-homeless-youth-seeking-medical-care/




[font size="2"]Iowa [/font]

The Cornhusker State is back and they are tanned, rested and ready to go! The home of such extremely evil elected representatives as racist Steve King, Charles Grassley, and Jodi Ernst is no stranger to the excessive greed brought on by America’s farmers and meat packing industry. In fact if you want to see greed in action, look no further than Iowa’s education system, where public schools are being fucked over by anti-government republicans in favor of private schools. That’s right – they want to take over your right to attend a public school.

Proposals to give taxpayer-funded scholarships to help some students attend private schools and to rewrite the rules for forming charter schools are advancing in the Iowa House after weeks of inaction.

The proposals are part of Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds' broad education agenda this year, but House lawmakers are considering them as separate pieces of legislation. Both bills advanced through subcommittee hearings on Tuesday, making them eligible for consideration by the full House Education Committee.

Reynolds' full proposal, Senate File 159, passed the Senate in late January. It would give some students taxpayer-funded scholarships to attend private schools, ease rules for creating new charter schools, expand some tax credits and make it easier for students to transfer between districts.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/02/iowa-kim-reynolds-school-choice-education-bill-private-schools-vouchers-republicans-charter/6884909002/




And by the way, expect Iowa to show up in future Stupidest State contests because if you think you’ve seen the last of Iowa’s right – strap in! because it’s about to get that much worse for the Cornhusker State! And I mean come on, Charles Grassley is 90 years old, there’s no way he could last another term so get ready for Iowa to nominate a Josh Hawley type to the Senate, and yeah it’s gonna suck!

Republicans steering our ship of state are taking a hard bank to the right ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, and all Democrats can do is stand by and watch.

GOP legislators controlling the statehouse are advancing bills to amend the state constitution in hopes of overturning Roe v. Wade, to allow school vouchers, to reinstate the death penalty, to bar Regents universities from spending outside funding without state approval, and so on. It almost goes without saying that taxes will be cut at a time when a pandemic cries for public resources.

The November elections clearly gave Republicans a mandate to do as they wish. History indicates that the GOP should make a big comeback in congressional and legislative races following the election of a Democratic president. This hard-right legislative agenda rewards the base and solidifies it.

Abby Finkenauer lost her seat in Congress from Dubuque after just one term. Rita Hart is still counting votes from her defeat to Mariannette Miller-Meeks for the congressional seat out of Iowa City. Scholten is thinking about writing a book or doing a podcast. Is he that next Dick Clark or Harold Hughes? Rob Sand isn’t, so far. Is Chris Hall or Mike Franken? Or is Iowa so fundamentally different now, radically so, that nobody can be?

https://www.stormlake.com/articles/iowa-taking-a-hard-turn-right/?fbclid=IwAR2KZPdKIZaSyAiiPWM-ShkeYZbxxTA7rjrEyIZZlcVzSnRCImumrOaTjEM




[font size="4"]And The Winner Is: [/font]

Not even close! Nevada utterly destroys Iowa to move onto the Elite 8! This time the Silver State routes the Cornhuskers by a score of 25, easily defeating them. Final score: 107 – 82!

[font size="4"]Gun Nut Conference Round 1: Oregon Vs Idaho [/font]

[font size="2"]Oregon [/font]


The Beaver State is a frequent contributor to the Gun Nut Conference. Now you might be thinking – hey wait a minute! Oregon is a blue state! That they may be appearing to be on the outside! But on the inside they are about as red as you can get. Sure, they may be home to the liberal utopia that is the city of Portland, but downtown Portland has become a breeding ground for weekly cage matches between the Proud Boys and Antifa! And by the way, in case you’re wondering – why yes, Oregon’s gun sales skyrocketed in the last year, which is really not that surprising considering what happened in the shittiest year ever.

While Guntraders in Redmond sells mostly collectible guns, owner Jerry Koch said that isn’t stopping customers from flocking to his shop in search of a firearm. They’re coming out of fear, Koch said. Customers are fearful of the protests they’ve seen on television, in Portland and across the country.

“I pray for America,” Koch said. “At the start of the pandemic, they came in and we were busy. They were scared then, too. But once the riots started, they started climbing again.”

The pandemic and protests have made 2020 a banner year for gun sales in Oregon, according to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which tracks criminal background checks of gun applicants.

Gun sales are not tracked, but the background checks required for most gun sales are. Still, not every background check results in a gun sale, and some sales are made without going through background checks. For example, guns sold between family members do not require a background check, according to federal guidelines.
https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2021/02/gun-sales-in-oregon-shoot-up-during-covid-19-pandemic-all-the-riots.html




And if you’re wondering about Oregon’s gun chops, well they’ve got you covered. It’s one of the few states that not only allows open carry of weapons, it allows you to carry them in public buildings! Gee, what could go wrong there? Mass shootings are on the rise once again, so yeah it’s sadly only a matter of time before someone does something stupid.

In Oregon, guns are not allowed in public buildings — unless you have a concealed handgun license.

People with a concealed carry permit are exempt from the rule. “It’s called an affirmative defense,” said State Sen. Ginny Burdick. “But it functions as an exemption.”

Burdick said it’s time to do away with that exemption or at least give local authorities the option to do so. That’s why she’s a chief sponsor of Senate Bill 554.

If passed, the bill would do away with the concealed carry exemption in state buildings and the Capitol. But other local buildings and local governments will be able to make their own decisions.
https://www.koin.com/news/civic-affairs/oregon-senate-looks-to-end-concealed-carry-exemption/




[font size="2"]Idaho [/font]


The Gem State has a strong following in the Gun Nut Conference and last year they bowed out quietly but are back for more! And in case you’re wondering about Idaho’s gun chops they have them, and they are not afraid to use them. Especially if you count Northern Idaho – which not only has hardcore gun nuts, they also have hardcore racism. And this might be one of my favorite stories to come out in quite a while. So some new countries might get added to the Powerball, which would further hinder your chances of winning. But Idaho? They don’t want anything to do with this for an absolutely ridiculous and really not that shocking reason.

Idaho lawmakers fearing foreign participation in the Powerball lottery killed legislation on Wednesday that would have allowed the game with huge jackpots to continue in the state after a run of more than 30 years.

The move came after Idaho Lottery officials sought a change in state law because Powerball is expanding to include Australia in 2021 and Britain in 2022. But current Idaho law only allows lotteries in the state played by people in the U.S. and Canada.

Idaho's Legislature is dominated by Republicans, but objections to the change also emerged from Democrats. The killing of the bill by a voice vote of the Legislature's House State Affairs Committee means that the state's last Powerball drawing will be in August.

Republican Rep. Heather Scott worried that when Australia joins Powerball, the country's officials might use revenue generated for government coffers to back causes she opposes.

Scott expressed concern that could happen “in Australia anti-gun causes, which they see as good and we see as not good.”
http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/ap_wire/business/idaho-lawmakers-end-powerball-fearing-foreign-participation/article_7dd25e94-9586-5d42-b7e8-ea90efb844ab.html




And in case you’re wondering – Idaho has one of the highest concentrations of guns in the entire country, and with the recent uptick in mass shootings, guns aren’t going anywhere. Yes, the people of the Gem State love their guns and they love the NRA lifestyle. Oh and did I mention Idaho is the home of our favorite bird lover, Ammon Bundy? Yeah there’s that. But don’t expect Idaho to lay down their arms anytime soon.

Idaho is well-known for its mountains, forests, lakes and guns.

Recent data suggests Idaho has the third highest percentage of gun ownership (56.9 percent) in the nation, trailing only Alaska (61.7 percent) and Arkansas (57.9).

By comparison, Delaware — The First State — boasts just 5.2 percent gun ownership.

Any expression supporting the Second Amendment in the Gem State is bound to be met with a standing ovation, if not a 20,000-gun salute. The people who live here, whether they own guns or not, understand how important that right is to Idahoans. If not, here’s a quick reminder.

Since July 1, 2019, state law allows citizens 18 and older to carry a concealed firearm statewide without a permit. Open carry is legal within city limits, and permitless carry is legal outside city limits.
https://cdapress.com/news/2021/mar/19/editorial-guns-arent-going-anywhere-idaho/




[font size="4"]And The Winner Is: [/font]

Here we go into overtime folks! The score was tied 92 – 92 at the end of regulation play. Idaho has the ball… they score! Oh man, 5 minutes and 15 points later, Idaho sinks Oregon and they move onto their first Elite 8! It’s gonna be exciting folks!

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

The reigning kings of the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference go for broke as #1 Kansas takes on #2 Wyoming, this is going to be a good one! Meanwhile, over in the Gun Nut Conference #1 Florida takes on #2 Texas! The Elite 8 is shaping folks!



See you next week!

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March 18, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-7: Tucker's Got A Brand New Bag Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-7: Tucker’s Got A Brand New Bag Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? We’re still of course coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future – and we might actually have a date as to when we’re finally going to get out of this thing! July 1st, at least that’s two months from when the majority of America finally gets vaccinated. If so then we’ll be able to bring you the proper Idiots that you know and love! Do we have time for the thing? Of course we do. So did anyone watch the Grammys this weekend? I mean I’m a music fan and I love music and I miss live music but I’ve just never been a big fan of the Grammy Awards. But then again I’m probably not the target audience because I didn’t know ½ the performers that were playing. And I think the only album on the list of winners that I owned at least was the new Nas album “King’s Disease”. Which was a great album by the way. And also the Strokes – I did love that album and I was supposed to see the Strokes live at the Forum, and that was one of the first of literally all events that I had tickets to that got cancelled because of the damn virus. Hey wait, isn’t the intro supposed to be funny? Oh yeah of course it is, I forgot! But then again we don’t have audiences right now. OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver is back and he totally eviscerates Tucker Carlson for being a hardcore white supremacist:



Where do we begin this week? To start with, thanks to our connections, we got Tucker Carlson to air his reaction to all of our stories live throughout the whole edition! Taking the #1 slot this week is Fox News (1) who has also been having a week – from Tucker Carlson’s insane “Biden Cam” reaction footage to their going all in on cancel culture, we’d have much nicer things right now if it wasn’t for them In the second slot this week is our old friend Marjorie Taylor Greene (2). So this whole thing between her and the tiny island of Guam is certainly fucking crazy.. Taking the #3 slot this week is Capitol Rioters (3) and they are getting locked up for doing some ridiculously dumb shit. And wait until new Attorney General Merrick Garland starts laying the smackdown on MAGA terrorists. In the #4 slot this week, we’re going to play another round of our favorite game “Is It Racist?” (spoiler alert! Probably) and this week’s feature is particularly hilarious given our old buddy John Schnatter’s ridiculous excuses for using the N word. In the #5 slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week we’re going to take a look at the latest craze sweeping the art world - Non Fungible Tokens, which as you can imagine, are everything you don’t understand about art combined with everything you don’t understand about digital currency. At #6 this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and this week – can your sermon get you in trouble? We take a look at some hilarious examples of cause and effect after a pastor in Missouri got in trouble after suggesting that all women should look like Melania Trump. Taking the 7th slot this week, we’re bringing back our feature “What’s Up With England?” (7) because this interview with the Royal Family is quite literally insane, and we’re going to do our best to run it through the juicer and extract the juiciest bits from it! At the #8 slot this week is a new edition of This Fucking Guy (8) and this week we’re going to profile Infowars correspondent Andy Ngo (8) after he wrote a crazy hyperbolic and self-victimizing book detailing his accounts with Antifa. And really, don’t make me tear down my Mumford & Sons poster! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is a new People Are Dumb because of course they are! Finally this week it’s time for Stupidest State! This week it’s Round 1 Week 1 and the #3 and #4 of the Batshit Conference – South Dakota and Michigan will tangle, while over in the Family Values Conference, #1 Indiana takes on next door rival #2 Ohio! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Fox News
[br] [/font]
[br]

So Fox News has been having what one would call “a week”. And this is everything from Trump’s latest pity party on the Maria Baritromo show to this… and I don’t even know what the fuck this is, but only Fox News could do something like this. And mainly I want to focus on Tucker Carlson – the man who, when you look up the phrase “white supremacist” in the dictionary with “Derp! What’s a white supremacist? Do you even know what that is?”. And that is literally his answer to the deepest questions in life. What is this? Do you even know? It’s a left wing conspiracy! Well, only Fox News could put a camera showing Tuckers’ one-face reaction to Joe Biden’s COVID-19 speech. And footage of this is – and I’m putting this lightly – is one of the batshit craziest things you will ever see.

Fox News added an unusual feature to its airing of President Joe Biden's prime-time speech on Thursday: Tucker Carlson's real-time reactions.

Biden spoke about the passage of his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package and announced a timeline for vaccinations that would make all American adults eligible by May 1.

Thursday also marked a year since the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic. More than 530,000 Americans have died from the virus.

Fox News aired Biden's speech, which coincided with the beginning of Carlson's 8 p.m. show, and included a "live Tucker reaction" box in the lower right corner of the screen.

As Biden's speech went on, the box showed Carlson maintaining a look of puzzlement, at times variously frowning and nodding.
https://www.businessinsider.com/fox-news-live-tucker-carlson-reaction-cam-during-biden-speech-2021-3




No fucking shit! That’s about the same as airing a news report that says “I hope you all get COVID and die, you scumbags!”. That’s how insensitive Fox News is. Really, Tucker’s got a brand new bag. But it’s the same old bag and the same stupid, dumbfounded look he asks about everything! And then showing how even further Tucker is, he doubled down on his insensitive remarks about women serving in the military. Which caused actual senior officers to tell Tucker to – and I’m directly quoting here – shut the fuck up!

Senior members of military call out Tucker Carlson for mocking women serving in armed forces: His words 'don't reflect our values'

New York (CNN Business)Senior members of the US military took to Twitter late Wednesday and Thursday to call out Fox News host Tucker Carlson for a sexist segment in which he mocked women serving in the armed forces.

Carlson, who is effectively the face of Fox and hosts the top show on the right-wing channel, ridiculed President Joe Biden Tuesday for saying that the US military had created uniforms to fit women properly, created maternity flight suits for those who are pregnant, and updated requirements for hairstyles.

"So we've got new hairstyles and maternity flight suits," Carlson snarked. "Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It's a mockery of the U.S. Military."

The comment from Carlson has prompted severe backlash from some of the most senior members of the US military who have openly called him out for harmful rhetoric.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin shared the same "revulsion" that many military leaders have expressed about the sexist comments that Carlson made.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/11/media/tucker-carlson-mocks-military-women/index.html




Hey! We don’t need a Tucker reaction cam here! OK fine… I brought this on myself! So we will have this live Tucker reaction cam for the duration of this segment. And in case you’re wondering if Tucker is an incompetent douchebag, well his insensitive remarks on our troops are hitting our nation’s republican representatives right where they live. Except for Ted Cruz who you might think is what one would call a “snowflake” after hearing what Tucker said.

Tucker Carlson attacked women in the military. The military responded by disagreeing with Carlson. Ted Cruz is claiming Biden is trying to intimidate Carlson.

Carlson attacked President Biden for praising women in the military, and then took it to his usual bonkers level by claiming that pregnant women will be fighting all of our wars.

Ted Cruz has turned into a conspiracy that Joe Biden is masterminding to intimidate a Fox News host. There is no evidence that Biden has done anything besides praise women in the military.

Sen. Cruz (R-TX) is trying to create a Biden scandal, as he is seeking a platform to launch his 2024 presidential campaign.

Republicans have nothing.

President Biden is about to tour the country and remind Americans that Republicans voted against the stimulus.

Ted Cruz is looking for a way to smear Biden by defending a sexist pig like Tucker Carlson.

This isn’t going to end well for Sen. Cruz.
https://www.politicususa.com/2021/03/14/ted-cruz-tucker-carlson-joe-biden.html




Oh come on, even Tucker is making faces at me now. Seriously can we please turn the Tucker reaction cam off now? No? OK fine. But in case you’re wondering just how deep Tucker stepped in it with his insensitive remarks on the troops, well, let’s ask actual military professionals exactly where they stand on this issue. We’ll see how this pans out but maybe in a few weeks we’ll be asking “Derp! Who’s Tucker Carlson??? I don’t know! It’s a left wing conspiracy!”.

Senior military officials are condemning Fox News host Tucker Carlson for saying this week that President Joe Biden is making a “mockery” of the armed forces through efforts to recruit and keep women in the service.

On Tuesday, Carlson complained during his prime-time program that while “China’s military becomes more masculine … our military needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine.”

Carlson was referring to remarks Biden made at a White House ceremony on Monday, during which he announced the nominations of two female generals to become combatant commanders — putting them on track to potentially become only the second and third women to serve in those positions in U.S. history.

At that event, Biden said the military was undertaking “relatively straightforward work” to better reflect gender diversity within its ranks and retain female recruits, including “designing body armor that fits women properly, tailoring combat uniforms for women, creating maternity flight suits [and] updating requirements for their hairstyles.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/11/military-tucker-carlson-female-troops-comments-475315





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[font size="8"]Marjorie Taylor Greene
[br] [/font]
[br]

Look we’ve all had an assful of Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q – Batshit). She’s really the personification of the word “deplorable”. Like if you were to look that word up in the dictionary, you would see her picture. But this story with her and Guam is absolutely fucking hilarious and completely on brand for her. In case you’re unfamiliar, the island territory of Guam is a tiny island in Northwest Oceania, and is the gateway to many island hubs in the western Pacific Ocean, such as Fiji and Taiwan. The United States has a well established military base in this island territory. But Marjorie Greene wouldn’t know that. And like all things this started off with good intentions – the intention was to educate Greene that Guam exists and that it’s part of the United States. But Greene wouldn’t have any of that. In fact rather than showing you our reaction to her insanity, why don’t we show you how the local newspapers in Guam reacted?

A freshman congresswoman from Georgia who’s become known as a polarizing figure, told a conservative conference that federally-funded foreign aid should benefit Americans instead – invoking Guam in a list of countries assisted by the U.S. federal government.

“I’m a regular, normal person. And I wanted to take my regular - normal person, normal, everyday American values, which is: we love our country. We believe our hard-earned tax dollars should just go for America – not for what, China, Russia, the Middle East, Guam – whatever, wherever,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference. “If we want to build roads, if we want to put money into schools, if we want to build border walls, we want it right here at home. This is easy to me; it’s easy to us, but it’s not easy to Washington.”

Although her speech happened late last month, a video of her full remarks was posted yesterday to YouTube.

Guam has been a part of American since 1899, and people born on Guam have been U.S. citizens since 1950. Controversial comments from Greene have been met with rebukes from Democrats and Republicans, but local leaders providing reactions to the Guam Daily Post struck a more delicate chord overall.
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/georgia-representative-lumps-guam-into-foreign-countries-undeserving-of-federal-aid/article_a23c9634-8160-11eb-badc-cf047573f51e.html




Seriously even Tucker is having a reaction to that one! Now here’s how it escalated. Well, Guam had the right idea with the thought of visiting her office to educate her about the island territory. They showed up to her office on Capitol Hill bringing – and this is true – cookies and books on Guam. To the normal person who hasn’t mainlined the Q Anon Kool Aid the way Greene has, you would think that this was a thoughtful and well planned gesture. That’s how it started.

Guam Rep. Michael San Nicolas and members of the Guam National Guard delivered on a promise to gift Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene cookies after she claimed the territory was a foreign country on Monday.

During the Conservative Political Action Conference, Greene seemed to not know where Guam was or that it was a US territory.

"I'm a regular person. And I wanted to take my regular-person, normal, everyday American values, which is, we love our country. We believe our hard-earned tax dollars should just go for America, not for what? China, Russia, the Middle East, Guam, whatever, wherever," she said in late February.

Last week, Nicholas promised to gift her cookies, and the office of Guam's governor, Lourdes Aflague Leon Guerrero, offered books on the history of the territory.
https://www.businessinsider.com/guam-delivered-promise-to-give-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-cookies-2021-3




Now here’s how it escalated. We’ve shown you on this program how many times conservative cause and effect doesn’t play out the way you would think it would. And this latest incident is 100% completely on brand for them. Especially in the wake of the other side of the Trump administration, where conservatives paint themselves as the victim no matter what the scenario. You could tell them the sky is blue. “Oh the sky is not blue. The sky is really red and it’s the violent and out of control PC mob that is responsible for not telling you the truth!”. Yeah well that’s exactly what happened here.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Tuesday demanded that the Pentagon withdraw National Guard troops from the U.S. Capitol after accusing a delegate leading members of the Guam National Guard of trying to "ambush" her with treats and factual information.

Del. Michael San Nicolas, a nonvoting Democrat who represents the U.S. island territory of Guam in Congress, led a group of Guam National Guard members stationed at the Capitol to Greene's office on Monday with cookies and guidebooks after the freshman Republican had earlier referred to Guam as a foreign country.

Greene, who was not present at the time of the visit, responded by sending a letter to top Pentagon officials alleging a "dangerous and troubling trend" of lawmakers using members of the armed forces to "intimidate civilians, harass members of Congress and their staff and attack conservative journalists for expressing their views." The letter claims that San Nicolas and two dozen troops tried to "ambush my office unannounced and subsequently video record my staff without solicitation or consent."

Greene drew criticism earlier this month for describing the U.S. territory as a foreign country in comments she apparently made in a side room to a small group at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando last month after being snubbed from the main stage.
https://www.salon.com/2021/03/17/marjorie-taylor-greene-accuses-guam-national-guard-troops-of-trying-to-ambush-her-with-cookies/




That’s right, Tucker. In fact if you want to know just how deplorable and toxic Marjorie Greene really is, just look at this story at Right Wing Watch where Greene is giving away a gun after Biden promised more sweeping gun reforms. Seriously, just give him the finger and get it over with. But back to Guam, at least they’re still trying but to that I say “good luck with that!”.

Dear Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene: Håfa adai! Thanks for calling our nation’s attention to Guam in your recent remarks regarding whether foreign countries should enjoy the benefits of U.S. taxpayer dollars. I wholeheartedly agree that our federal government should always prioritize the most pressing interests of U.S. citizens over aid to nations abroad.

That is why I extend this personal invitation to you to visit Guam, so you can see for yourself how our fellow Americans’ tax payments are being invested to advance U.S. interests through the American island of Guam. Your journey of 8,000 miles will be well worth the trip.

From the moment you arrive, you’ll notice firsthand how Guam is contributing to the national security of the United States of America. Come witness just how carefully we protect our American borders (especially during COVID) and how sacrificially devoted our people remain to the protection of U.S. socioeconomic and geopolitical advantages in the Pacific.

Before you arrive, read about how Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero was presented with the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award after warmly welcoming the entire crew of the COVID-stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier so all sailors could be quarantined here for recovery.
https://www.guampdn.com/story/opinion/columnists/2021/03/14/marjorie-taylor-greene-visit-guam-visitors-bureau-president/4679343001/





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[font size="8"]Capitol Rioters
[br] [/font]
[br]

Given the sheer number of people who were at the January 6th Donald Trump rally that turned into an armed insurrection on the Capitol protesting the certification of the election of our 46th president Joseph R. Biden, I think it’s safe to say that we’re never going to hear the end of this thing. Which is OK by me because it’s going to keep me employed for a very long time. Right, Tucker? I thought so! And here’s the thing – if you’re going to commit a crime, how about this – don’t take selfies and post them on Facebook and Instagram!!! Throwing your life away for a few likes is not a smart move. We could literally do an entire edition just devoted to this. But here’s the latest. The FBI has cracked 300 arrested and there’s literally hundreds more. That’s right – HUNDREDS!

In the two months since an angry mob forced its way into the U.S. Capitol, agents in all but one of the FBI’s 56 field offices have been drafted to track down those who participated in the deadly insurrection.

Investigators who typically work cases involving the trafficking of drugs, child pornography and sex have taken calls from rioter’s angry ex-wives and former girlfriends and employers turned tipsters.

They’ve mined tens of thousands of photos and videos. They followed trails rioters left on social media bragging about being inside the Capitol, like the Florida man toting a rostrum or the New Hampshire man who snapped a selfie with a pilfered bottle of wine.

And they’ve arrested almost 300. But as many as 500 remain at large of the 800 who Capitol Police believe entered the Capitol. The riot claimed five lives and cost millions in damage and cleanup in the historic building.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2021/03/08/capitol-riot-insurrection-arrests-near-300-fbi-hunts-hundreds-more/6871403002/




Well… we got some of them! So that’s something to celebrate! I’m sure that even Tucker would approve of this one. And then there was this douchebag who was recently caught after it was learned that he stole a police badge. Yeah and we’re the violent lunatics, right. I think calling these morons “deplorable” is being too kind. These guys are completely fucking insane.

A man accused of stealing a police officer’s badge during the deadly January assault on the U.S. Capitol and later burying it in his backyard was ordered returned to jail on Tuesday.

Beryl Howell, chief judge of Washington D.C.’s federal district court, ordered Buffalo, New York, resident Thomas Sibick jailed until his trial, which has not yet been scheduled. He faces multiple riot-related charges and was initially released on bail by a Buffalo federal magistrate.

In making her decision, Howell in court cited the latest evidence that showed Sibick was “convinced of the rightness of his actions” and that he “can’t be trusted” to abide by bail release conditions. Sibick demonstrated “enthusiastic participation” in the attack, Howell said.

Evidence showed that during rioting, Sibick tore off a badge and radio from the uniform of Washington Metropolitan police officer Mike Fanone, who was beaten by rioters, the judge said.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-capitol-arrests/man-accused-of-stealing-police-badge-during-capitol-riot-ordered-back-to-jail-idUSKBN2B82U7




I thought so! But this might be one of my favorite stories to come out of the Capitol Riots so far. This happened in New Jersey. And here’s the thing – this guy already got reprimanded a couple of times at work for wearing Trump clothing. Not only that, posted to – wait for it – social media with a photo that had time stamps and location tracking IDs! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! Here’s the thing – maybe I don’t know – live your life in such a way that your coworkers don’t rat you out to the FBI. Just saying.

A Trump supporter who bragged about being at the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is the 13th New Jersey resident charged with participating in the insurrection.

Co-workers reported Lawrence Stackhouse, of Blackwood, after he called out of work on Jan. 5 and 6, the day that supporters of President Donald Trump descended on the Capitol and forced their way inside as a joint session of Congress met to approve the Electoral College votes, according to a complaint against Stackhouse.

One of Stackhouse's co-workers recognized him in a photo showing him inside the Capitol wearing a Trump beanie and distinctive sweatshirt he had worn in the workplace, according to the complaint.

Stackhouse had been reprimanded previously by his employer for wearing Trump clothing and posting political signs around his work area in violation of company policy, according to the complaint. The name of the company was not disclosed.

Investigators tracked his cell phone use to Washington, D.C., the day of the riot and said he posted a photo to his account on the encrypted messaging platform Telegram showing himself at the "Stop the Steal" rally prior to the insurrection.

Read More: NJ Trump Fan at Capitol Riot Charged After Co-workers Call FBI | https://wpgtalkradio.com/nj-trump-fan-at-capitol-riot-charged-after-co-workers-call-fbi/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral




And of course Florida is involved. I mean come on, we literally had Florida Man as our last president, and you know who that is. You can always identify a Trump supporter when they scream at the cops and resist arrest, that sort of thing happens a lot. And no, I’m not referring to Johnny Damon. Instead I’m referring to another Florida Man Trump supporter who shown to be screaming at the cops and exhibiting other Trumphole behavior.

Federal authorities have charged a Florida man who was caught on video attacking police officers with a fire extinguisher while wearing an American flag jacket bearing the name of former President Donald Trump.

Robert Scott Palmer, a 53-year-old business owner from Clearwater, Florida, was arrested on Wednesday, according to court records. Palmer has been charged with assaulting/resisting/impeding officers, engaging in civil disorder, and entering restricted building or grounds, according to court records.

Details of the charges against him, including the FBI affidavit, are not yet public. A lawyer named on his court docket did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

HuffPost, building on the work of the citizen sleuths who have worked to hunt down the identities of members of the pro-Trump crowd that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, first publicly revealed Palmer’s identity on March 5. The FBI had received hundreds of thousands of tips about the Capitol attack, and multiple tips about Palmer’s identity had been in the agency’s possession for more than a month when HuffPost’s story published.

https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/florida-man-charged-attacking-cops-capitol-riot-163257289.html






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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 we always say that if you have to ask, it’s probably racist! And there’s plenty of it this week. I want to start with racist pizza. Note: do not call your new band “Racist Pizza”. But I’m of course talking about our old buddy John Schnatter. You know him best as the founder of Papa John’s Pizza. A company that has seen its’ brand turned from the preferred pizza of frat boy stoners everywhere to the preferred pizza of racist frat boys everywhere (see: Top 10 #3-21 ). Yes, Papa John’s may be the official pizza of the Alt Right, but that hasn’t stopped Papa John himself from being as batshit crazy as ever. He may have had a change of heart on the subject, but he’s really telling the wrong people that he’s had a change of heart on the subject.

John Schnatter, the founder and former chief executive of Papa John’s pizza, has been trying “to get rid of this N-word in my vocabulary” ever since he lost his role as the public face of the company for using it – more than two years ago.

Schnatter resigned as Papa John’s chairman in July 2018, after an explosive report by Forbes detailed a conference call in which he “used the N-word” and “reflected on his early life in Indiana, where, he said, people used to drag African Americans from trucks until they died”.

Earlier this month, Schnatter told far-right TV network OAN he was the victim of a targeted coup perpetrated by a left-leaning sports and entertainment entrepreneur, business rivals and board members looking to profit from his demise.

“I used to lay in bed just goin’, ‘How did they do this?’” he said. “And we’ve had three goals for the last 20 months: to get rid of this N-word in my vocabulary and dictionary and everything else, because it’s just not true; figure out how they did this; and get on with my life.”

He also suggested that the Papa John’s board took advantage of his problems, even though he said they knew he wasn’t a racist.

“All the stars were aligned perfectly with one motive,” he said. “And that is to get rid of me.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/09/papa-johns-founder-john-schnatter-n-word




How about this - you want to prove you're not a racist? Maybe don't go on OAN to tell people that you're not a racist! OAN: It's like what Fox News would be if it were run by your racist uncle! So yeah is it racist? Of course it fucking is! You might as well have a Confederate flag backdrop while telling OAN that you’ve been trying to stop using the N word! Next up – racist talk shows! Look, I will admit that I am a huge Ozzy Osbourne fan and I love Black Sabbath. But Sharon Osbourne has always been despicable – so the question is, IS IT RACIST??

CBS says its daytime show “The Talk” will stay on hiatus for another week after a discussion about racism involving co-host Sharon Osbourne went off the rails last week.

The network said in a statement that it is committed to “a process where all voices are heard, claims are investigated and appropriate action is taken where necessary.”

Osbourne reacted angrily last week during a discussion about British television personality Piers Morgan, who she describes as a friend. Morgan left the “Good Morning Britain” show after he said he didn’t believe Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, when she said in an interview that she had considered suicide when unhappy with her life in Britain’s royal family.

A fellow host, Sheryl Underwood, said to Osbourne on the show last Wednesday, “what would you say to people who may feel that, while you’re standing by your friend, it appears that you gave validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist, even if you don’t agree?” Underwood, like Markle, is Black.
https://apnews.com/article/the-talk-hiatus-sharon-osbourne-racism-cbs-15436d9b1d42a8793045815e4196618c




Well my fair virtual audience, I have to say… IS IT RACIST? And well yeah I think this one could easily qualify as racist, especially under my parameters! Next up – racist music! And while in this weird socially distant world in which we’re currently living, concerts are few and far between. But while conservatives are still railing on “cancel culture”, whatever that is, if you don’t want be canceled, maybe don’t put yourself in that position!

Flaw vocalist Chris Volz called out the sound engineers at a concert over the weekend while using the "N-word" and has since gone on to defend what he perceives as his right to do so in a social media post.

Metal Sucks posted video of the incident, which occurred this past Friday (March 12) at the WC Social Club in West Chicago, Illinois. In the video, it appears as though Volz is being yelled at from the audience before pointing out, "There's three of you N***As sitting right there. I'd like one of you to come up here. You're all white, so that's not racist."

During his onstage temper tantrum he went on to add, “One of you guys need to come up here. I want one of you to come up here and hear these center wedges before we finish, just so you know what I actually went through tonight and how badass it is that I actually had no wedges."

In response to their reluctance to join Volz onstage, he added, “Hey! I’m not fuckin’ around! One of you motherfuckers comes up onstage and listens to these wedges before we finish, otherwise you’re all getting rolled.”

Read More: Flaw Frontman Uses the 'N-Word' at Concert | https://loudwire.com/flaw-frontman-cancel-culture-criticism-using-n-word-concert/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral




Here’s the thing – maybe don’t use the N word, threaten to fight an audience member, then blame it on cancel culture. That’s entirely on you! You’re a racist! We don’t even have to guess at that one! Finally this week – racist reality shows! I’m of course talking about The Bachelor – which is inexplicably still on the air after what seems like 10,000,000 seasons. And when you’re on the air that long, and it’s unscripted, you’re probably going to say or do something that one might consider to be well, racist.

It’s impossible to watch the latest episode of "The Bachelor" without thinking about the explosion inside the franchise this past week.

Chris Harrison, the host of the franchise since its 2002 debut, announced Saturday he would be "stepping aside" from the show "for a period of time" and won't appear in Matt James' "After the Final Rose" special in March, following backlash for defending current front-runner Rachael Kirkconnell, who apologized last week for "offensive and racist" actions.

A deluge of prominent former franchise stars and contestants have since spoken out, pushing for Harrison's resignation, applauding Rachel Lindsay – the franchise's first Black star, who was interviewing Harrison when he made the comments – and calling for those who work on and watch the show to take greater action to fight racism.

All this offscreen controversy makes for a strange viewing experience, particularly in a later scene in which singer Aloe Blacc, an outspoken social justice activist, performs a private show for Kirkconnell and James.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2021/02/16/bachelor-recap-chris-harrison-rachael-racism-controversy-looms-aloe-blacc/4482782001/





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Non Fungible Tokens
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Since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has brought the concert and event industry to a grinding halt until we figure out a way to deal with this virus, artists have been turning to other sources of revenue to make up for losses that they otherwise would have made if they had been touring or exhibiting. The latest way that they have been doing this is through what is called a “non fungible token” or NFT. This is nothing new, NFTs have been around since the beginning of the Bitcoin crazy. But lately have been exploding in popularity. The first band to sell their latest studio album as an NFT is from Nashville’s Kings Of Leon. They sold their latest album “When You See Yourself” as an NFT. And because of that, they’re able to make up revenue they lost from not being able to tour.

On Friday, Kings of Leon will release their new album, titled When You See Yourself, in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT) — becoming the first band to ever do so.

The band is actually dropping three types of tokens as part of a series called “NFT Yourself,” people involved in the project tells Rolling Stone. One type is a special album package, while a second type offers live show perks like front-row seats for life, and a third type is just for exclusive audiovisual art. All three types of tokens offer art designed by the band’s longtime creative partner Night After Night; the smart contracts and intelligence within the tokens were developed by YellowHeart, a company that wants to use blockchain technology to bring value back to music and better direct-to-fan relationships.

A quick rundown: NFTs are a type of cryptocurrency, but instead of holding money, they can hold assets like art, tickets, and music. NFTs operate on a blockchain, which is a publicly accessible and transparent network — meaning anyone can see the details of any NFT transaction. Computers involved in the transactions become part of the network, which keeps updating and can’t be hacked due its nature as many-headed hydra. In the case of NFTs, their value becomes subjective and therefore fluctuates, kind of like stocks. (To learn more about the subject, read Rolling Stone‘s guide to crypto in music.)
https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/kings-of-leon-when-you-see-yourself-album-nft-crypto-1135192/




Money isn’t the only thing being exchanged in an NFT. Both the sellers and the buyers can benefit from NFTs in different ways. NFTs are a type of cryptocurrency. The seller benefits because they can sell access to the album as well as rights to the album itself. The buyer benefits from the album because by buying shares in the album, they will get benefits and perks, similar to your frequent flyer rewards programs. But that’s not the only way these work.

It's easiest to answer the question metaphorically. Think of an NFT as a certificate of authenticity. But instead of a sheet of paper, it's a unique string of characters. For example, the NFT for this piece of digital artwork created by actress Lindsay Lohan is 0x60f80121c31a0d46b5279700f9df786054aa5ee5.

That string is connected to a blockchain, the same concept that powers cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The main difference is that bitcoins are fungible, which means they are essentially the same. NFTs are non-fungible — each one is unique.

Blockchains work by using groups of computers to create a shared digital ledger that no one computer can change. Instead, they must agree by performing complex calculations — a system that yields a secure and unchangeable document.

That makes blockchains perfect for creating systems in which unique digital identifiers can be easily and securely exchanged — hence the creation of NFTs.
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/nft-boom-digital-collectibles-rcna430




So that’s how an NFT is supposed to work. But here’s where the real NFTs will benefit – one recently sold at an auction for $69 million dollars for a JPG image that happens to be a composition of a bunch of really small rendered images stitched together. Another is a court case where someone sold art as an NFT that didn’t belong to them. But if you do decide to get on the NFT bandwagon, here’s what you’re actually getting.

On March 11, 2021, Christie's, the 255-year-old auction house, made international news with the $69 million sale of a non-fungible token (NFT). The transaction dwarfed previous head-turning blockchain-art sales, and rode a wave of coverage debating the merits and environmental costs of this relatively new art form.

But what, exactly, did the pseudonymous Christie's bidder MetaKovan actually buy?

The artwork the NFT represents, Beeple's "Everydays: The First 500 Days," exists first and foremost in the digital space, and is freely available for everyone to see online. Christie's even tweeted a picture of it. So it's not the artwork itself or, at least, not only the artwork that was purchased.

No, the reality of the Beeple NFT is something else.

We asked the company who minted the $69-million NFT in question to explain what's going on here. We also spoke with a former smart contract auditor and artist exploring NFTs in an effort to get to the bottom of what, on the surface, seems like a relatively straightforward question:
https://mashable.com/article/what-is-an-nft-non-fungible-token/




So NFTs are a blockchain designed for the art community and art lovers. Which could pave the way for all kind of digital currencies that are exclusive to one medium. And if you bought an NFT you can also trade it for another one. They have the tendency to go both ways and be used for good as well as for bad. So when you actually hit the buy button on an NFT here’s what you will actually be doing for the art community.

As headlines about people bidding eye-watering sums on GIFs of Pop Tart cats, the first-ever tweet, a Kings of Leon album and other NFTs piled up over the last several weeks, the CNN Business team decided the best way to understand the craze would be to buy one ourselves.
That was easier said than done. It required not one but two wallet apps, a familiarity with a lesser-known denomination of a cryptocurrency and, perhaps most important of all, a discerning eye in sifting through an endless number of NFTs, ranging from pixelated wizards and tuxedo-wearing bulls to many, many portraits of Elon Musk.

For the uninitiated — a group that we belonged to until recently — NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, refer to pieces of digital content linked to the blockchain, the digital ledger system underpinning cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum (ETH). While those cryptocurrencies are fungible, meaning you can trade one bitcoin (or in the IRL world, one dollar) for another identical one, each NFT is unique. NFTs can take different forms, such as virtual trading cards and other collectibles, tweets and even physical objects.

Most commonly, though, NFTs are being used to buy and sell digital artwork. It's not a new phenomenon, but in recent weeks NFTs have sold for seven or even eight figures, mirroring a broader market euphoria currently propping up stocks, sports trading cards and cryptocurrencies. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, musician Grimes and Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski are among the big names who have jumped on the bandwagon. Earlier this week, digital artist Mike Winkelmann, better known as Beeple, sold a compilation of 5,000 images at the auction house Christie's for a staggering $69.3 million.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/14/tech/nft-art-buying/index.html




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 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 there’s some people out there that are holding real congregations out there right now. And we want to be one of those. We’re tired of being in a 2” window on a box on a PC monitor. You know we used to have things like audiences and a gospel choir. Oh man do I miss my beautiful choir. But there is a dark side to being a public figure – is that what you say on that stage can get you in trouble. So this week, my fair virtual congregation, we’re going to take a look at some examples of cause and effect that can get you in trouble. Starting with this pastor from Missouri who as you can guess supports the unholy, ungodly Dark One – a man who is so disgusting that his name shall not be spoken in my church! Well let’s just see the kind of trouble that gets you in!

A Baptist pastor is on leave after receiving broad criticism for sexist and racist comments he made about women, and former first lady Melania Trump, during a sermon to his congregation.

"I’m not saying every woman can be the epic trophy wife of all time like Melania Trump," Stewart-Allen Clark told his church in February as an image of her appeared on a large screen behind him. "Most women can’t be trophy wives, but you know ... maybe you’re a participation trophy," Clark said during the 22-minute sermon at First General Baptist Church in Malden, Missouri.

"Men have a need for their women to look like women. Sweatpants don’t cut it all the time. Wearing flip flops and pajamas to Walmart – that ain’t going to work. Ain’t nothing attractive about that. It’ ain’t," Clark said in his sermon. "And men want their wives to look good at home and in public, can I get an Amen!"

At another point, Clark pondered, "Why is it so many times that women, after they get married, let themselves go?"
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/07/pastor-leave-after-calling-melania-trump-trophy-wife-sermon/4621916001/




Of course he does! And what makes this even crazier is that Pastor Clark isn’t the only pastor who has said some completely batshit crazy things in support of the Dark One! For his heart is EVIL and he is criminally insane, and turned America into what it is now! But enter our old friend, Rick Joyner – another student of the Dark One! In fact since the Dark One lost last year his supporters have been getting crazier, weirder, and more violent than normal! Brother Rick is just one more example!

Right-wing pastor Rick Joyner appeared on “The Jim Bakker Show” Monday, where he once again urged conservative Christians to begin forming militias in preparation for a coming civil war.

Joyner, who has been warning for years that the United States is heading for civil war and martial law, told Christians that there was no point in praying to prevent a civil war because the conflict is inevitable, and they should instead focus on acquiring weapons in preparation for the coming violence.

“I tell you we have to be ready to defend our families, our communities, our neighbors, our churches, everything because it is coming home,” Joyner said. “I don’t believe there’s going to be a neighborhood exempt from what’s coming.”

“We’re telling our people, ‘You really need to be able to protect your own family, and you need to be able to gather together with others who are going to join together to protect their neighborhoods,'” he continued. “I saw militias popping up like mushrooms all over the country. These weren’t racist militias. They weren’t evil. All they want to do was protect their communities. And the Lord showed me in this dream that he had seeded our whole country with a provision to defeat this onslaught, and the seeds that he has sown throughout our country to defeat it were the veterans of the Afghan and Iraqi wars who knew how to fight urban warfare and everything else.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/rick-joyner-tells-christians-to-arm-themselves-in-preparation-for-civil-war/




Now in case you’re wondering if your support of the unholy Dark One will get you in trouble, well just ask our good friends at Liberty University! See his name has become so toxic that even the most holier than thou right wing of holier than thou right wing institutions is trying to distance themselves from his toxic brand! For you see that is actually what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want! Well once again this kind of toxic politics can get you in trouble!

The New York Times reported Tuesday that Liberty University has decided not to renew its contract with Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk, a co-founder and fellow of the university’s Falkirk Center. The center, whose name combined Kirk’s with that of disgraced former Liberty president Jerry Falwell, Jr., will be renamed the “Standing for Freedom Center,” or Freedom Center for short.

Just three months ago, Liberty was celebrating Falkirk’s one-year anniversary and its aggressive approach to secularism and “wokeism,” which Falkirk’s executive director Ryan Helfenbein summarized by saying, “We don’t just want to be an organization that barks; we want to be an organization that bites.”

Perhaps Liberty University’s new leaders see less value in being known for a think tank that bites.

The Times notes that some students and alumni have been vocally critical of the center’s “baked-in belligerence.” Also disappearing from Falkirk’s roster of fellows are pugnacious MAGA characters like former White House aide Sebastian Gorka, Trump attorney Jenna Ellis, and radio host David Harris, Jr. Kirk’s fiancée Erika Frantzve is also out.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/rip-falkirk-center-hello-liberty-u-freedom-center/




Yeah probably! Still don’t think it can’t get you in trouble? Well I’m here to tell you that you are wrong and will always be wrong! For you see, the Dark One’s heart is so dark that he cannot see the light, it says so in our Good Book! Well this is coming from a guy who we presume hangs around cemeteries during the weekend and tells the goth kids that he knows how to unearth the dead. We’re just assuming, but beware of anyone who calls themselves a “prophet”!

Right-wing pastor Robin Bullock used his church service Tuesday to urge his fellow “prophets” to come together and call former President Donald Trump back to the White House, declaring that if they will do so, “God will supernaturally move things out of the way” to allow Trump to return.

Bullock is among the various self-proclaimed “prophets” who guaranteed that Trump would win the 2020 election. Like many of those other “prophets,” Bullock still refuses to accept that his prophecies were wrong even though President Joe Biden has been in the White House for over a month.

“Prophetical authority has to start being used by God’s prophets,” Bullock declared. “We’ve got to come up now to another level and start speaking with authority. Not just declaring, speaking with authority. And the Lord is going to give you words to warn people and speak to people in high-ranking positions. Whether you think they’re listening or not, they’re listening.”

“The stage is set,” he continued, “but you’re going to have to pray for the rightful president, whether he wants to walk back into this or not. You must pray that he wants to do it because God won’t make him do anything. Is it his will? Yes. Is he the president? Yes. That’s why he could just walk right back in, and God will supernaturally move things out of the way.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/robin-bullock-claims-prophets-have-the-power-to-call-trump-back-into-the-white-house/




Yes, and these people do not know of the evil for which they speak! Do not follow these wicked people, for they will bring a true curse on society! Instead follow the good and righteous! 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 The Royals?
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We here at the Top 10 Conservative Idiots occasionally like to check in with the Family Windsor, which as you know rules all of England in what’s known as a “monarchy”. Whereas we here in America prefer what’s called a “democracy”. Anyway enough of that. But the one thing we do know is that conservative idiocy is not just a uniquely American problem. It’s a global problem that expands over the entire world and conservatives worldwide are just as crazy as American conservatives. The Royals are no exception and we can already hear you groaning. We can imagine that you’re probably sick of hearing about this interview but we got to talk about how fucking evil the entire thing was. But here’s what I want to know – why the hell does Gayle King know more about the Royal Family than Prince Charles does?

Prince Harry has spoken with his brother Prince William and father Prince Charles following Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Gayle King, who is friends with Oprah and the Duchess of Sussex, revealed on CBS This Morning on Tuesday that Harry spoke with William and Charles over the weekend.

"Well, I'm not trying to break news, but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling, and it's true, Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too," King said. "The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive. But they are glad that they have at least started a conversation.

"And I think what is still upsetting to them is the palace keep saying they want to work it out privately, but yet, they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan, still."

She added that "no one in the royal family has talked to Meghan yet, at this particular time."
https://people.com/royals/prince-harry-spoke-prince-william-prince-charles-oprah-interview-gayle-king/




That is a good point! Let’s all acknowledge for a moment that this is weird! But let’s think about what’s even weirder. This interview is what one might call – and I’m just paraphrasing here - “extremely fucked up”. I mean a member of the Royal Family going on American television to denounce how horrible the Royal Family is. But this is where it gets weird. Just like the Capitol Riot, the family just went home and acted like nothing happened.

After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's no-subjects-off-limits interview with Oprah Winfrey, the British royal family has seemingly carried on as usual.

Speaking with Winfrey, Markle and Harry said that unnamed senior royals (who Winfrey later said, per Harry, were neither the Queen nor Prince Philip) expressed "concerns" about Archie's skin tone before he was born.

Markle also said she was "silenced" by the palace and that she expressed as a royal that she didn't want to be alive anymore but was denied mental health support.

The Queen acknowledged Harry and Markle's interview in a statement from Buckingham Palace on Tuesday and said their allegations of racism would be addressed "privately." Throughout the week, the royal family continued with community appearances and promoting their patronages.
https://www.insider.com/harry-meghan-oprah-interview-royal-family-business-as-usual-2021-3




That is a good point. But there is one thing about the Royals that they do not like outsiders. As in anyone who’s not a Royal. So you can imagine the shit that hit the fan when Harry brought Megan Markle home to Queen Mum for dinner. But the thing you may or may not know is that the Royals have a problem with, well, racism. Yeah it’s about as fucked up as you could possibly imagine.

As Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the “friendship, spirit of unity and achievements” of the Commonwealth on March 8, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah aired in the U.K. that same evening, pointing to the racism Meghan experienced within the institution. Among the revelations were the couple’s descriptions of their treatment by the British tabloid press, the lack of support from “The Firm” to counter racist media narratives and purported concerns from a royal family member over the color of their son Archie’s skin before he was born. But there were many for whom all of this was hardly surprising.

“People felt a silence around racism in the Royal Family was being broken,” says academic and writer Priyamvada Gopal, author of Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial Resistance and British Dissent. “This is a deeply white institution…so for someone who has actually gone into the heart of whiteness as it were, and come out with a story to tell, and the story doesn’t surprise you—I think people will feel vindicated about something that they always suspected, but couldn’t really, in a sense, prove.” On Tuesday evening, Buckingham Palace responded with a statement that “the issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” and that “while some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.” On Thursday morning, Prince William responded to a question from a reporter, saying that he had not spoken to his brother since the interview, and that the Royal Family is “very much not a racist family.”

The entire situation has struck a nerve with many people of color in Britain and beyond, for whom Meghan’s experiences of insidious and blatant racism are all too familiar. It has also led to renewed interrogation of the Royal Family’s relationship with race, empire and the Commonwealth of nations where the Queen is still head of state. The monarchy has been shaken, but remained intact, by other major events involving newcomers to the family, such as the abdication crisis of 1936, and in more recent memory, Princess Diana’s explosive 1995 Panorama interview with Martin Bashir.
https://time.com/5945383/meghan-harry-royal-family-racism/




I cam imagine that would lead to some pretty horrible dinner conversations, given that you can actually shout across those extremely long dinner tables that the Royals eat at. But let’s ask an actual Brit’s opinion on this insanity, then we can shut the book on this discussion. I’m of course talking about our good friend John Oliver, and he found some very interesting insights into the interview that us Yanks looking from the outside are wondering about.

John Oliver is sharing his thoughts on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent sitdown interview with Oprah Winfrey.

While appearing as a guest on The Tonight Show on Monday evening, the 43-year-old Last Week Tonight star told host Jimmy Fallon that the CBS interview was "amazing," but added that for the most part, "That is kind of what I felt like, sadly, her experience was going to be going in." He cited his knowledge of the royal family "from a distance" growing up in England.

Asked by Fallon if anything "shocked" him about the interview, Oliver replied, "The only thing that shocked me after was that Oprah, the next day, saying, 'Harry wants to make clear it wasn't Prince Philip being racist.' Which made me think, 'Really? Okay, that is actually surprising.'"

During her interview with Winfrey, 67, the Duchess of Sussex opened up about her family's royal exit, including the staggering toll their life at the Palace took on her mental health.

"I was ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry. But I knew that if I didn't say it — then I would do it," she said during the candid conversation. "I just didn't want to be alive anymore."
https://people.com/royals/john-oliver-one-surprising-thing-prince-harry-meghan-markle-interview/





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[font size="8"]This Fucking Guy: Andy Ngo
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Seriously, Infowars, don’t make me hate Mumford and Sons. Which is why this week’s This Fucking Guy is Andy Ngo. I’ve avoided bringing up this professional troll in the Top 10 for a while now but we have to talk about this, especially after last week. And by the way if you think I’m kidding about this, just check out Telegraph, where they think that Mumford & Sons is literally the worst group of human beings in the world because their guitarist has taken a “leave of absence” following his decision to support professional trolls like Andy Ngo. In fact let’s take a step back and see just what kind of professional troll Andy Ngo is. Some people call him an “independent journalist” but really, he’s a troll. And he’s such a troll that he’s often been referred to as the “most dangerous grifter in America”.

The media don’t know what to make of Andy Ngo. The New York Times calls Ngo an “independent journalist.” CNN describes him as a “conservative journalist.” Other outlets term Ngo a “conservative writer” to distinguish him from actual reporters.

But none of these labels get at who Ngo is. More importantly, they fail to define his role in far-right politics, media, and violence. An incident from October 2018 in Portland, Oregon, illustrates his role well.

It begins with Portland police killing Patrick Kimmons, a 27-year-old African-American male, in disputed circumstances. The Black Lives Matter–style activist group, Don’t Shoot Portland, called for a protest on October 6. Kimmons’s family members joined in what local media described as a “peaceful” and uneventful event.

There was one dicey moment during the march. A driver made an illegal right turn into protesters who were in a crosswalk and had the walk sign. A local TV station that recorded the incident wrote: “driver plows through protesters.” Video shows a man stopping in front of a silver Lexus that then strikes him and pushes him for more than thirty feet. Down the block, a brief confrontation ensues with a protester shoving the driver once and others hitting his vehicle. The driver left in his car without any more incident as protesters yelled, “Get out of here.”
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2019/08/andy-ngo-right-wing-antifa-protest-portland-bigotry




Oh stop rabbling! So Andy Ngo is a regular fixture at the weekly Proud Boys vs Antifa brew ha has in Portland. Which I’m still puzzled why they chose Portland. And in fact if you ask people who actually live in Portland, the real area where these two groups duke it out every week is about two city blocks. And if you listen to them you’d think that the whole damn city is on fire! And he regularly puts himself in these dangerous positions. In fact, last year he sued Antifa – a group that doesn’t exist and has no central leadership – for an ungodly sum of money.

A Portland man has filed a new lawsuit against the black-clad anti-fascists called antifa who allegedly attacked him for documenting a milkshake-themed protest in Portland last year.

In the 11 months since the events of June 29, 2019, Andy Ngo has arguably become antifa's Public Enemy No. 1 and a cause celebre in conservative circles for his articles and online posts of videos showing street brawling here and across the country.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday, June 4, in Multnomah County court, Ngo seeks at least $900,000 in damages for assault, battery, emotional distress and racketeering by those who acted to "suppress Ngo's journalism through intimidation and violence," and for "ongoing neurological and health issues."

"Antifa is an openly extremist movement with the training and intent of destabilizing this country and overthrowing our constitution," Ngo said during a live-streamed press conference. "The protection of foolish politicians and the media have emboldened this movement to carry out unprecedented terrorist attacks."
https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/469210-379781-andy-ngo-sues-rose-city-antifa-others-for-900000




Well maybe just don’t go to Portland and you’ll be fine. So this week let’s examine cause and effect here in terms of what happened last week. OK so popular Portland area bookstore Powell’s Books announced they wouldn’t carry Andy Ngo’s self-pitying book about his counters with Antifa. Guess what happened? Powell’s Books was the subject of such vicious trolling that they had to close for multiple days in a row!

Powell’s Books has announced that the well-known Portland, Ore., bookstore will not place the book “Unmasked” by conservative writer Andy Ngo on its shelves following a backlash.

KOIN reported that despite Powell’s decision to keep the anti-antifa book off its shelves, a small crowd of protesters gathered outside the store’s flagship location downtown on Monday, plastering the windows with signs and prompting the store to close early as a safety precaution.

A statement on Powell’s Twitter page said that while a lot of the store’s inventory is hand-picked, “Unmasked” was not and came to the store through an automatic data feed.

“This book will not be placed on our shelves. We will not promote it. That said, it will remain in our online catalog,” the statement said. “We carry a lot of books we find abhorrent, as well as those that we treasure.”

The book, “Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy,” is scheduled for release in February.
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-01-14/powells-books-says-andy-ngos-book-will-not-be-in-store




I don’t know if Stanley does know what you’re talking about, sir. And yeah let’s blame Antifa as being the out of control lunatics in this equation. Though we all know that Gavin McInnes is most likely pulling the strings for both groups. But anyway this is why I am mad that they’re making me hate Mumford and Sons. Because this is what happens when you put your foot in your mouth politically, though in this case the foot should reach the other end. Anyways…

Mumford and Sons banjoist and lead guitarist Winston Marshall will be "taking time away from the band" after facing social media backlash for showing support for a book by right-wing writer Andy Ngo.

Marshall, a 33-year-old U.K. native, said in a statement Tuesday he would step back from his performing duties "to examine my blindspots."

"Over the past few days I have come to better understand the pain caused by the book I endorsed," Marshall wrote. "I have offended not only a lot of people I don't know, but also those closes to me, including my bandmates and for that I am truly sorry."

In a since-deleted tweet, Marshall endorsed Ngo's February book "Unmasked: Inside Antifa's Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy," congratulating the writer and calling him a "brave man."

Ngo wrote his book after he said he was "attacked by antifa" at a 2019 Portland demonstration that drew clashes among law enforcers, anti-fascist "antifa" protesters and right-wing groups.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2021/03/10/mumford-and-sons-winston-marshall-hiatus-andy-ngo-book-uproar/6935949002/




So yeah he’s a guy who goes to fights, gets himself hurt, and then sues an invisible group for unprecedented sums of money. That’s Andy Ngo, this week’s:




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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. So who is being really stupid this week? There’s lots of competition for that category as you can imagine. Let’s start with some graffiti, but not just any graffiti. Sure you’ve probably used your fancy new smartphone with the stylus and handwriting recognition to make penis jokes. We’ve all been there, don’t be shy! But what if you take that idea to the next level? Well that’s what one Phoenix artist did when he scribbled the word “penis man” on a row of portable toilets. And guess what? It went viral, which isn’t exactly something that you want to do these days!

"Penis Man" sprang up as an unlikely counterculture hero last year, after a mystery graffiti tagger began spray-painting those two iconic words on prominent local buildings, including Tempe's City Hall.

But now it's time for the Phoenix man behind the virile vandalism to pay the bill.

Dustin Shomer, a 39-year-old student of the Japanese language with some offbeat political ideas, was sentenced this week to three years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution for the damage. A deferred, four-month jail sentence will be erased from the sentence if he completes 500 hours of community service, according to the terms of a plea deal he signed in December.

But now it's time for the Phoenix man behind the virile vandalism to pay the bill.

Dustin Shomer, a 39-year-old student of the Japanese language with some offbeat political ideas, was sentenced this week to three years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution for the damage. A deferred, four-month jail sentence will be erased from the sentence if he completes 500 hours of community service, according to the terms of a plea deal he signed in December.

Read more: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/penis-man-grafitti-tagger-sentenced-and-fined-in-tempe-11533751




Next up – here’s the thing. I can’t blame this guy for wanting to be a good dad. Especially given his circumstances. But this is a whole new level of dumb. We go to the state of Washington for this one, and I get that there’s ways to impress your kid. But there’s also ways that can get you doing some hard time, and stealing playground equipment? Especially something that weighs 400 pounds? Yeah that’s a one way ticket to the local jail!

A man is facing charges after he allegedly stole a 400-pound slide from a playground and mounted it on a bunkbed in his home.

Dustin Allen Bushnell, 30, of Burbank, Washington, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of possession of stolen property, according to the Pasco Police Department.

Detective Julie Lee was investigating a series of catalytic converter thefts when evidence led her to Bushnell’s home, police said.

Lee suddenly came face-to-face with the gigantic slide, which was reported stolen in December 2020, as she searched the home for catalytic converters.
https://whdh.com/news/police-man-stole-400-pound-slide-from-playground-mounted-it-on-bunkbed/




At least he’s a contender for dad of the year! Next up in People Are Dumb – the January 6th Capitol Riots. We may have to do an all Capitol Riot edition of People Are Dumb because there are tons of these stories coming and I feel like now with Merrick Garland as our new Attorney General that we’re going to be seeing even more stories in the coming months. But this is a whole new level of stupid. And I mean really there is a moral of the story here but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

A Trump supporter who bragged about being at the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is the 13th New Jersey resident charged with participating in the insurrection.

Co-workers reported Lawrence Stackhouse, of Blackwood, after he called out of work on Jan. 5 and 6, the day that supporters of President Donald Trump descended on the Capitol and forced their way inside as a joint session of Congress met to approve the Electoral College votes, according to a complaint against Stackhouse.

One of Stackhouse's co-workers recognized him in a photo showing him inside the Capitol wearing a Trump beanie and distinctive sweatshirt he had worn in the workplace, according to the complaint.

Stackhouse had been reprimanded previously by his employer for wearing Trump clothing and posting political signs around his work area in violation of company policy, according to the complaint. The name of the company was not disclosed.

Investigators tracked his cell phone use to Washington, D.C., the day of the riot and said he posted a photo to his account on the encrypted messaging platform Telegram showing himself at the "Stop the Steal" rally prior to the insurrection.

Read More: NJ Trump Fan at Capitol Riot Charged After Co-workers Call FBI | https://wpgtalkradio.com/nj-trump-fan-at-capitol-riot-charged-after-co-workers-call-fbi/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral




Yeah maybe I don’t know… how about this - live your life in such a way that your coworkers don’t report you to the FBI! Next up in People Are Dumb – the great state of Florida. And there’s a lot of Florida in the news this week so we’ll dedicate the rest of our People Are Dumb segment to the Sunshine State! Which as you may know is also America’s most penis shaped state. And really you can do a cross over a lot of “People Are Dumb” stories with “What’s Up With Florida” stories because a lot of them can intersect. At least there’s one guy who’s brutally honest with this Florida Man credentials:

Meet Matthew Kyle Leatham, a 22-year-old Florida Man (as that forehead tattoo attests).

Leatham was arrested around 4:45 AM Sunday after he twice “called 911 to find a ride home,” according to a court complaint which notes that the accused “cursed at the call taker during the call.”

Since the police emergency line does not double as a taxi dispatcher, Leatham was charged with misuse of the 911 system. He was also hit with a marijuana possession charge after a cop found some pot on him during a post-arrest search.

Leatham, who works as a cook at a Port Richey seafood restaurant, was released on his own recognizance last night from the Pasco County jail.

Leatham was cited last month for reckless driving following a crash that caused an estimated $8500 in damages, according to a court filing.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/florida/florida-man-forehead-082415




Oh we kid, we kid! We love Florida and we can’t wait to go back! Finally this week – sticking with the Sunshine State, this is a lesson that you don’t keep your drugs in the same place where you keep your license. Especially if you happen to get pulled over by a police officer. Also, I think “Dank Gummies” might be the name of my new Soundcloud rapper persona!

A Florida man who nearly hit a gas pump pulled out a package of “Dank Gummies” instead of his driver’s license to show a deputy who was trying to help him, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they were called to a gas station on Pine Ridge Road in Naples shortly before midnight on March 1 because witnesses said a suspicious man had nearly hit a gas pump and appeared to be under the influence.

Records show Demecio Lopez saw the deputy and immediately asked for help calling AAA because his car wouldn’t start, even though the keys were not in the ignition at the time.

Lopez said he didn’t have the keys to the vehicle but then rummaged through his pockets and pulled out the keys, according to the report.

The deputy then asked Lopez for his driver’s license so he started rifling through his pockets again and this time pulled out a small green package labeled “Dank Gummies” with “cannabis-infused” written on it as well, records show. ............(more)

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2021/03/09/florida-man-pulls-out-dank-gummies-instead-of-id-after-nearly-hitting-gas-pump-deputies-say/#//




That’s it this week for:





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[font size="8"]Stupidest State Round 1 Week 1
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16 states will enter and only one state will become the new Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State!



Welcome back everybody! This is it – we are in Phoenix, we are ready to tangle! This is the first round of 4 rounds that will determine the 5th annual Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State! And it’s round 1 week 1 which means that anything goes! This week, it’s a battle of Batshit favorites and Family Values heavyweights! Over in the Batshit Conference, it’s red hot newcomer #3 South Dakota against conference favorite #4 Michigan. Could there be a Cinderella story brewing? Only time will tell! Meanwhile, over in the Family Values Conference, #1 Indiana takes on #2 Ohio! Guess which one is the home of a bizarre and dangerous underground cult? We’ll let you be the judge! Let’s go to the floor in Phoenix, right now!

[font size="4"]Batshit Conference Round 1: #3 South Dakota Vs #4 Michigan [/font]

[font size="2"]South Dakota[/font]
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4jO9ve5Ob7Q/UJQLtASAu1I/AAAAAAAAF1E/k0R4i6vdk9g/s400/SD+Flag+original.gif

This is the first time any of the Dakotas have made it to the big dance! But South Dakota – known as the Mt. Rushmore State earned a special place in the Batshit Conference for hosting the largest event in 2020 during a raging pandemic which epidemiologists call a “super spreader” event. And if you guessed that the Sturgis Biker Rally was ground zero for the 2nd wave of COVID-19, you are absolutely correct! A few thousand cases were tied to the Harley Davidson rally which was really just a slap in the face to those of us who didn’t want to get sick and die. Here’s how that went down.

Within weeks of the gathering, the Dakotas, along with Wyoming, Minnesota and Montana, were leading the nation in new coronavirus infections per capita. The surge was especially pronounced in North and South Dakota, where cases and hospitalization rates continued their juggernaut rise into October. Experts say they will never be able to determine how many of those cases originated at the 10-day rally, given the failure of state and local health officials to identify and monitor attendees returning home, or to trace chains of transmission after people got sick. Some, however, believe the nearly 500,000-person gathering played a role in the outbreak now consuming the Upper Midwest.

More than 330 coronavirus cases and one death were directly linked to the rally as of mid-September, according to a Washington Post survey of health departments in 23 states that provided information. But experts say that tally represents just the tip of the iceberg, since contact tracing often doesn’t capture the source of an infection, and asymptomatic spread goes unnoticed.

In many ways, Sturgis is an object lesson in the patchwork U.S. response to a virus that has proved remarkably adept at exploiting such gaps to become resurgent. While some states and localities banned even relatively small groups of people, others, like South Dakota, imposed no restrictions — in this case allowing the largest gathering of people in the United States and perhaps anywhere in the world amid the pandemic and creating huge vulnerabilities as tens of thousands of attendees traveled back home to every state in the nation.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/10/17/sturgis-rally-spread/




So yeah holding a super spreader rally in the middle of a raging pandemic is probably not the smartest idea one could have. Actually it’s worse than that – it’s completely fucking stupid! And if that weren’t enough – conservative governors must be in the running to see who can be the worst governor in the country, and there is a lot of competition for that title! Heres’ what governor Kristi Noem did in the last few weeks:

On Tuesday morning Rolling Stone magazine published a story titled “The Covid Queen of South Dakota.” The article, written by Stephen Rodrick, a senior writer at Rolling Stone, is a +7,500 word depiction of COVID-era South Dakota as seen by a traveler, complete with a detailed look at the diversity of culture and thought surrounding the pandemic, as well as an in-depth view of the governor who has been more resistant to anti-COVID measures than any other in the nation.

The story, as it is told, does not depict South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in the most positive light, painting a picture of a politician with her eyes set on a higher office, resistant above all else to the idea of admitting defeat at the hand of a global pandemic, or responsibility for nearly 2,000 deaths (1,912 as of writing).

The Office of the Governer meanwhile has struck back. Tuesday afternoon, Noem’s outgoing Senior Advisor Maggie Seidel issued a scathing statement via email, deriding the story as a sexist attack on “the only Governor in America who handled Covid appropriately,” and claiming that within the story “Rodrick and his editors outlined all the reasons why they don’t like strong women.”
https://www.keloland.com/keloland-com-original/rolling-stone-writer-takes-aim-at-the-covid-queen-of-south-dakota/




[font size="2"]Michigan[/font]


The Wolverine State is back for an unprecedented 4th year in a row. After a strong showing last year they decided to improve their game in order to make the tournament and switch conferences after a beatdown in the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference. This year Michigan’s far right upped their game and it’s quite spectacular. Aside from some insane COVID protests, they took theirs one step too far and attempted to kidnap governor Gretchen Whitmore. For… reasons. And I cannot wait until the movie is made about this batshit time in Michigan history. I suspect Jeff Daniels will be involved somehow!

Members of the antigovernment Michigan III%ers liked to spout off on social media, saying things like, police “are not your friends” and calling Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer a “tyrant bitch.”

But when members of the group allegedly began talking about kidnapping Ms. Whitmer, conducting surveillance of her west Michigan vacation home and building improvised explosive devices, the FBI was listening. Six men were federally charged early this month with conspiring to kidnap Ms. Whitmer, and seven others were charged under Michigan’s antiterrorism act. Another man was charged this past week on the state level.

Undercover agents and confidential informants like the ones used to disrupt the Michigan plot are key to sussing out when inflammatory rhetoric is turning toward violence, according to current and former law-enforcement members. As authorities grapple with the threat of election-related violence from homegrown extremists, the challenge of parsing words from action is now especially acute.

“You want to figure out who among the movement are really serious about taking action and doing violence,” said Aitan Goelman, a former federal prosecutor who worked on the Oklahoma City bombing case. “That can be hard because there is a lot of talking out there.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-michigan-plot-to-kidnap-governor-informants-were-key-11603013401




Yeah in an otherwise batshit year, this was one of the crazier plots to come out of it, and we will be keeping a close eye on this one! They literally had their own Matt Damon style FBI informant in the organization providing the Feds with Intel. And if that’s not enough, the threats keep on coming! Keep using your phones to make threats, guys. They will only come back to haunt you!

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) charged a 21-year-old man with making death threats against President Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D).

Joshua Docter, of Holland, Mich., was charged Monday with one count of threat of terrorism and one count of using a computer to commit a crime. Each of the charges carries up to 20 years in prison, according to a Tuesday statement from Nessel’s office.

The case against Docter began after the FBI received tips about the Michigan man making the alleged threats on the social media platform iFunny in January. Nessel’s office said he stated he “would use a gun to shoot and kill the elected officials and would ‘be the catalyst’ for a new American revolution.”

Nessel's office also said Docter had information on his smart phone on how to make a bomb and what materials were necessary.
https://thehill.com/homenews/news/543469-michigan-ag-charges-man-with-making-death-threats-against-biden-pelosi-and





[font size="2"]And The Winner Is…[/font]

OMG, no contest! We have our first round and our first upset of the tournament! Michigan stuns South Dakota with 25 unanswered points and a 15 point victory! Michigan moves onto the next round, South Dakota goes home! Final score: 91 – 76!

[font size="4"]Family Values Conference: #1 Indiana vs #2 Ohio [/font]

[font size="2"]Indiana[/font]


The Hoosier State sits atop the Family Values Conference for an unprecedented 2nd year in a row! This year their chops are solid. Indiana is the Catholic capitol of the United States as it is the home to Notre Dame University and a super-secret Catholic cult that’s been operating under our noses and aims to convert the entire state of Indiana to its’ grips. That cult came to light last year when Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on SCOTUS. If you think Scientology is crazy, I give you People Of Praise!

Donald Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the supreme court, to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has drawn attention to a secretive Catholic “covenant community” called People of Praise that counts Barrett as a member and faces claims of adhering to a “highly authoritarian” structure.

The 48-year-old appellate court judge has said she is a “faithful Catholic” but that her religious beliefs would not “bear in the discharge of my duties as a judge”.

At the same time, the Louisiana native and Notre Dame Law graduate, a favorite among Trump’s evangelical Christian base, has said legal careers ought not to be seen as means of gaining satisfaction, prestige or money, but rather “as a means to the end of serving God”.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/26/amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court-donald-trump-people-of-praise




Yeah I could totally see them doing that during meetings! People of Praise was founded in South Bend – which as many know is the staple of the Catholic community known as Notre Dame University. And they wear their Catholicism on their sleeves there. In case you’re wondering what they believe in, they believe in some ridiculously crazy shit, and it’s stuff that would make even the most Catholic than thou person flush.

But Barrett, 48, grew up in New Orleans in a family deeply connected to the organization and as recently as 2017 she served as a trustee at the People of Praise-affiliated Trinity Schools Inc., according to the nonprofit organization's tax records and other documents reviewed by The Associated Press. Only members of the group serve on the schools' board, according to the system's president.

The AP also reviewed 15 years of back issues of the organization's internal magazine, Vine and Branches, which has published birth announcements, photos and other mentions of Barrett and her husband, Jesse, whose family has been active in the group for four decades. On Friday, all editions of the magazine were removed from the group's website.

People of Praise is a religious community based in charismatic Catholicism, a movement that grew out of the influence of Pentecostalism, which emphasizes a personal relationship with Jesus and can include baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. The group organizes and meets outside the purview of a church and includes people from several Christian denominations, but its members are mostly Roman Catholic.

Barrett's affiliation with a conservative religious group that elevates the role of men has drawn particular scrutiny given that she would be filling the high court seat held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a feminist icon who spent her legal career fighting for women to have full equality. Barrett, by contrast, is being hailed by religious conservatives as an ideological heir to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a staunch abortion-rights opponent for whom she clerked as a young lawyer.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/09/29/people-praise-tied-amy-barrett-knocked-treatment-women/3573879001/




[font size="2"]Ohio[/font]


The Buckeye State is back for another go round. The state that’s given us such pro-Jesus politicians as Jim Jordan and Mike DeWine is home to one of the largest concentrations of churches in the entire country. And not only have they elected such toxic politicians as Jordan, there’s plenty more where that came from! And because Ohio is so toxic when it comes to Christianity, they’re close to enacting one of the strictest abortion laws in the entire country. And this is going to get very ugly very quickly!

The battle on abortion in Ohio will only be stopped by the U.S. Supreme Court or a change in the U.S. Constitution, according to reproductive law experts and those once again pushing for abortion bans.

Two state legislators have introduced a bill making abortion procedures a felony, which marks the second time in as many years that a bill was introduced hoping for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the national Supreme Court decision that said abortion was legal nationwide.

A physician accused of “causing or inducing an abortion” would face an official charge of “criminal abortion,” which would be a fourth-degree felony under the new Senate Bill, introduced recently in the Ohio Senate.

If signed into law, the bill would not take into effect until either the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the 1973 decision in Roe. V. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide, or an amendment to the U.S. Constitution “upholds Ohio’s authority under the federal system to prohibit abortion,” according to a statement from bill cosponsor state Sen. Kristina Roegner’s office.
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/state/ohio-abortion-ban-with-felony-charges-back-in-the-works-targeting-roe-v-wade




Holy shit! That is some fucking evil there! Now add in a dash of conservative stupidity on top of that and you’ve got a toxic cocktail just waiting to explode like a poorly made Molotov Cocktail. So how is this one of the stupidest things imaginable? Well guess what? It never took effect! That’s right – conservatives are so hell bent on overturning Roe V Wade that they totally forgot to ensure their own bill is enforced! This is too damn good!

Ohio's "heartbeat bill," one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bans, never took effect.

But 1 in 10 Ohio women thought abortion was illegal in the state anyway, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

While most Ohio women, about 64%, understood abortions are legal in Ohio, another 26.2% weren't sure and 9.8% incorrectly believed all abortions were illegal in the state, according to an eight-month review of the Ohio Survey of Women led by Ohio State University professor of epidemiology Maria Gallo.

A disproportionate number of women from certain demographics incorrectly believed abortion was illegal in Ohio: those who were younger, of lower socioeconomic status, unmarried or Black.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/18/amid-heartbeat-bill-fight-ohio-women-were-confused-legality-abortion/6779262002/




[font size="2"]And The Winner Is…[/font]

Oh man this was a close one – and it’s down to the wire. Indiana has the ball, shoots… it’s GOOD!!! IT’S GOOD!!!! Indiana sinks a buzzer beating 3 pointer to sink Ohio and send them home! And this was a high scoring game too, but in the end the Hoosiers pull out a win, the Buckeyes go home! Final score: 102 – 98. What a game!

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

It’s the dead man’s hand as it’s a battle of the 3s and 4s! Over in the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference, #3 Nevada takes on #4 Iowa, while over in the Gun Nut Conference, #3 Idaho brings their big guns to the dance against #4 Oregon!



See you next week!

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March 3, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-6: Let Me Tell You About The Birds And The Bees Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-6: Let Me Tell You About The Birds And The Bees Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? We’re still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future which currently seems hopeless, I know. But look at that void! It’s so blue! We of course bring you last week’s news smack dab in the middle of the week, but this is our final Top 10! To be broadcast in this time slot, sorry, I should have finished that sentence. But starting on the 18th, we are moving to Thursday. This last year has been extremely difficult to deal with and staff complaints forced the move. This is my favorite Top 10 of the entire year because it’s time for Stupidest State 2021 and this year we’re introducing some new features to make this more interactive and to encourage you to get your brackets in! There’s some red hot newcomers to the tournament and some really exciting developments to the NFFSA. But we think you’ll be satisfied with this year’s developments! Plus if you check the Top 10 Twitter feed, and you absolutely should, it’s on Twitter @10Idiots, we will be adding some ESPN-style Bracketology advice starting today to help you fill out your brackets! Who do you think is going to go all the way this year and win the coveted DeLay trophy? I know who I have! Anyway that’s enough of the intro, we have a lof of idiocy to get to this week. But first John Oliver is back and he delves into America’s obsession with the police raid:



Another year, another time to visit the annual circus of insanity known as the Conservative Political Action Conference! To start with this week, we are going to bring you highlights of the conference (1) which includes literally worshipping Trump with praise, loyalty and statues. But they’re not a cult or anything. Taking the second slot this week, is of course our FORMER 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump (2) and we have highlights of what we think will be a completely predictable speech from him. Taking the 3rd slot this week is Trump sycophant Marjorie Taylor Greene (3). And Margie is going full on crazy this week with her war on trans people and a bizarre and probably totally unethical gun giveaway. At slot #4 this week is the plot against Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom (4). The MAGA cult is out for blood against the east and west coast governors, and it’s going to get really ugly really quickly. Taking the 5th slot this week is our weekly investigative piece Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week, what does it mean to be “deplatformed”? We take a look at why conservatives are so hysterical about this social media phenomenon. And at the #6 seed this week, is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and this week with President Biden set to sign sweeping reforms against LGBT discrimination, the church is organizing a full out assault, and our resident pastor is telling you it’s going to get very ugly very quickly. Taking the 7th slot this week, we have a new “Beating A Dead Horse”, and Hasbro decided to introduce a new kind of Potato Head doll and it’s blowing conservative minds. Yeah shut up! In the #8 slot this week is a new edition of Conspiracy Corner (8) – we’re going to take a look at the insane theory being peddled by anti-vaccination crusaders that a microchip is being implanted in you when you get the COVID vaccine and then cross that with people who don’t think Q Anon exists and we’ve got a Clustertrump. In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is a new “I Need A Drink” and we have to find out why Metallica hilariously and ironically got slapped with a DMCA claim during the bands’ own livestream performance at the virtual Blizzcon this year. But it’s not ending with Metallica either. Finally it’s that time, ladies and gentlemen! Time for the 5th annual Stupidest State contest! This year, the circumstances have changed but the spirit remains the same! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]CPAC 2021: America Uncanceled
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It’s the last week of February and that means that the annual Gathering Of The Deplorables, otherwise known as the Conservative Political Action Conference, is here. Now the thing is we could have spent literally the entire edition talking about how batshit crazy conservatives are. There was Ted Cruz and there was Josh Hawley, and there was Trump, and there was just an endless parade of psychos and crazy people. But this picture I feel perfectly sums up the conservative movement and the end of MAGA. Can we show that?:

https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/1365773383032594450

I don't think I need to add any commentary to this one, it's a perfect metaphor for the remnants of the Trump administration at this point, isn't it? But what we got to talk about is the shape of the stage at CPAC. That was a very interesting topic of discussion.

It’s been said that you should never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity. Applying this maxim to the Conservative Political Action Conference makes it one of the stupidest organizations in American politics today, and that’s saying something.

As difficult as it is to get your head around, the stage at CPAC 2021 last weekend was built in the shape of a rebranded swastika, something called an odal or othala rune. This symbol was incorporated into SS uniforms and is frequently used by white supremacists. Neo-Nazis get tattooed with this thing. It was even on display at the 2017 Unite the Right protest in Charlottesville. Here’s a picture of the CPAC stage next to a picture of a Nazi uniform. Judge for yourself.

An extraordinary controversy erupted over this, as you would expect. Any normal person on being confronted with such a colossally idiotic mistake would blanch whiter than a Klansman’s hood and take immediate steps to fix the problem while profusely apologizing for the screw-up and Googling to see if the federal witness protection program was accepting volunteers. But not CPAC host Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union.
A celebration of white supremacy

"Stage design conspiracies are outrageous and slanderous. We have a long standing commitment to the Jewish community. Cancel culture extremists must address antisemitism within their own ranks. CPAC proudly stands with our Jewish allies, including those speaking from this stage," he tweeted.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/03/02/cpac-2021-stage-design-public-high-five-white-supremacy-column/6883518002/




Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait. You’re blaming the design of the stage on cancel culture extremists? That’s rich! I don’t want to point fingers but a Nazi symbol is a Nazi symbol, am I right about that? But what does the hosting venue – Hyatt Hotels think about this? Are they happy or sad that they hosted a gathering of white supremacists and Neo Nazis? Which is exactly on brand for the modern conservative movement!

The Hyatt Hotels Corporation called symbols of hate “abhorrent” on Sunday after the design of a stage at the right-wing Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at one of its hotels drew comparisons to a Norse rune used by Nazis during the second world war

High-profile Republicans including former president Donald Trump were attending the four-day event in Orlando, Florida, as conflict raged between Trump allies and establishment politicians trying to distance the party from him.

A photo of the CPAC stage went viral on social media on Saturday, with thousands of Twitter users sharing posts comparing its distinctive design to an othala rune, also known as an odal rune, one of many ancient European symbols that Nazis adopted to “reconstruct a mythic ‘Aryan’ past”, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

The ceiling of the conference room featured a lighting display in the same shape as the stage, according to Reuters photographs.

Hyatt said all aspects of conference logistics, including the stage design, were managed by the American Conservative Union, which organized the conference.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/01/cpac-2021-stage-design-nazi-sign-odal-othala-rune-hyatt-hotels-hate-symbol-abhorrent




Yeah seriously where are those guys when you need them? And I completely say this with all seriousness: Nazis can go fuck themselves. And the fact that the CPAC stage resembled a symbol from Hitler’s SS is appalling. But let’s move on to the main events shall we? There was Ted Cruz who was every bit as deplorable as you might expect.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz gave a fiery speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday, shouting about freedom, mask-wearing, and late-night comedians.

He also proclaimed the Republican Party is the party of working-class Americans and not just country clubs — but the conference itself seemed to be fixated on former President Donald Trump, a man who literally lives at one.

"The Republican Party is not just the party of country clubs, the Republican Party is the party of steel workers, construction workers, pipeline workers, police officers, firefighters, waiters and waitresses," Cruz said in his speech.

Cruz also emphasized his support of Trump in his speech, indicating that Trumpism is the future of the GOP.

"There are a whole lot of voices in Washington that want to just erase the last four years," Cruz said. "Let me tell you this right now, Donald J. Trump ain't going anywhere."
https://www.businessinsider.com/cruz-gop-not-just-party-country-clubs-cpac-fixates-trump-2021-2




Yeah sorry Ted Trump is going away – we’ve had a collective ass full of him. And if Kimberly Guilfoyle’s entrance was anything to scoff at, they’re going out in a blaze of glory:

https://twitter.com/MysterySolvent/status/1365448913247993863

Yeah what the fuck was that??? And Ted you don’t get to walk away from what happened in Texas with a snappy one liner. Seriously… fuck you! But if there’s one takeaway from CPAC 2021 it’s that the conservative movement is only going to devolve into something more sinister if we let it.

Former President Donald Trump turned the Conservative Political Action Conference into his first post-presidential rally Sunday evening, pledging in a speech riddled with falsehoods to purge his enemies from the Republican Party and hinting repeatedly at another run for the White House in 2024.

But before Trump closed out the annual conservative gathering, held in Orlando, Florida, this year, a cadre of ambitious Republicans eyeing 2024 presidential runs of their own tried to put their spins on Trump's populist message, echoing his grievances against big tech, the media and liberal "cancel culture" in efforts to tap into the "Make America Great Again" base Trump built.

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley called for a break-up of leading tech companies. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem leaned into a cultural battle over statues of founding fathers. Florida Sen. Rick Scott promised not to intervene against pro-Trump candidates in primaries from his perch as the chairman of the Senate GOP's campaign arm. And Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said the GOP is "not just the party of country clubs," a reflection of Trump remaking the party's base into a largely White, rural and working-class coalition even as the former President lives at a private club he owns.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/28/politics/cpac-2021-takeaways-sunday/index.html





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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You know it’s so nice not having to dedicate brain cells to the word diarrhea that comes out of the mouth of our now FORMER president Donald J. Trump isn’t it? Well unfortunately we had to this weekend because he was the headline speaker at CPAC. And as we predicted the word vomit that comes out of his head was extremely predictable. But here’s the thing – what is to make of the now former president? Is he just becoming a parody of what he once was? Or is he an emerging threat to American democracy as we know it? Or is he literally just a golden calf to anyone that’s to the right of the KKK? I mean he’s Trump The Golden Calf! But this is crazy that the CPAC has become a loyalty test to the darkest corners of the Trump cult.

Donald Trump emerged from his luxurious Palm Beach exile to wallow in the warmth of devotees at the Conservative Political Action Conference 170 miles away in Orlando. Is he a spent supernova, or a giant barely submerged land mine that could obliterate the landscape at any time? Either way, we've seen our future. There will be no avoiding him. Deputy Editorial Page Editor David Mastio and Commentary Editor Jill Lawrence consider his Sunday speech, all 90-plus minutes:

David: Trump’s CPAC comeback speech revealed a sad little man, angry at local courts and politicians and disappointed in the federal judges he seated, but who “didn’t have the guts or the courage” to bow to him. Trump tried to carry on as if he hadn’t been impeached after the Capitol was ransacked by a mob, but even the lies seemed faintly ridiculous. “We will win. We’ve been doing a lot of winning,” was the wacko fib he launched his speech with, as if he hadn’t cost Republicans control of the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House. Trump Republicans know that truth.

And even with a golden Trump idol on hand, 45% of CPAC attendees, in the organization’s straw poll, said they’d vote for someone other than the former president in the 2024 Republican primary. That’s a disappointing showing for a man out of the limelight for only a few weeks and way up from 2019, the last time the straw poll was taken, when fewer than 20% were looking for an alternative to Trump.

If he can’t get to 90% support at CPAC, the core of the Trumpian Republican base, he’s going to be weaker nationwide. Maybe Republicans are looking for a new messenger, even if they’ll stick with the redefined platform of Trumpism. That’s the one optimistic takeaway I saw anyway in a crowd happily nodding along to nonsense.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/02/28/trump-cpac-comeback-speech-showed-sad-little-man-angry-world/6859607002/




Yeah Trump can’t even get 90% of the voters at CPAC! They were split down the middle, and this is after a convention that saw speeches from the most deranged, hard right members of the cult like Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley. But let’s go through some of the zanier quotes from the speech. Yeah I didn’t watch it, so I’ll let someone else do the talking. And no, I don’t want Trump to do the talking either.

Donald Trump delivered his first major post-presidential speech on Sunday, an address to the Conservative Political Action Conference laden with falsehoods and attacks on his fellow Republicans -- suggesting absolutely nothing has changed since he ceased being president on January 20.
I went through the speech and pulled out the lines you need to see. They're below.
1. "Do you miss me yet? Do you miss me?"
At root, Trump wants to be loved. Forever. And away we go!

2. "I stand before you today to declare that the incredible journey we've begun together, we went through a journey like nobody else. There's never been a journey like it."
Never been a journey that incredible? Um, these two dogs and a cat would disagree.

3. "We've been doing a lot of winning."
During Trump's four years, Republicans lost the House majority, the Senate majority and the White House.

4. "We're not starting new parties. You know, they kept saying, he's going to start a brand new party. We have the Republican Party. It's going to unite and be stronger than ever before. I am not starting a new party."
Some news! Trump says he won't start a Trump-centric third party! Of course, if you think he might not change his mind about that, well, you must have missed the last four years.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/01/politics/donald-trump-cpac-speech/index.html




Yeah I kind of feel like Michael Scott when he saw Toby back at Dunder Mifflin after several months – like a bad weed that you keep having to spray weed killers on in order to get rid of, and it still grows back! But like any other boss, Trump has his own shit list of employees that he would like to get rid of if he had an opportunity to do so. Which would replace them with those who are the most loyal to his cause, and after 5 years, we’re still unclear of what that cause is.

After days of insisting they could paper over their intraparty divisions, Republican lawmakers were met with a grim reminder of the challenge ahead on Sunday when former President Donald J. Trump stood before a conservative conference and ominously listed the names of Republicans he is targeting for defeat.

As Democrats pursue a liberal agenda in Washington, the former president’s grievances over the 2020 election continue to animate much of his party, more than a month after he left office and nearly four months since he lost the election. Many G.O.P. leaders and activists are more focused on litigating false claims about voting fraud in last year’s campaign, assailing the technology companies that deplatformed Mr. Trump and punishing lawmakers who broke with him over his desperate bid to retain power.

In an address on Sunday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, his first public appearance since he left the White House, Mr. Trump read a sort of hit list of every congressional Republican who voted to impeach him, all but vowing revenge.

“The RINOs that we’re surrounded with will destroy the Republican Party and the American worker and will destroy our country itself,” he said, a reference to the phrase “Republicans In Name Only,” adding that he would be “actively working to elect strong, tough and smart Republican leaders.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/28/us/politics/trump-cpac-republicans.html




And here’s something you’re really not going to like. While we’re all moving on from the nightmare that was the 2020 election and Trump’s super spreader MAGA rallies, there’s one thing that is perfectly clear about this. At least even the most die-hard cults, like Charles Manson’s Helter Skelter cult, die out after they’re found out that they are frauds. It turns out that the MAGA cult may be the next victim of a long line of cults, and we couldn’t be happier about that!

The former president made a semi-Trumphant return on Sunday. Donald Trump’s rapturous reception at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, made clear that the conservative movement, as well as the Republican Party, belongs to him. Yet there were also signs that his brand is tarnished.

Trump made the expected attacks on President Joe Biden and the anticipated elbow tosses at Republicans deemed either insufficiently loyal or outright treacherous. There were nods and winks to a 2024 run, when he will win for “a third time.”
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And yet, the CPAC straw poll (which, in fairness, is notorious for not being so accurate) shows that the devotion is not quite total. Yes, Trump won, but he did so with a mere 55%. Meanwhile, not only did local boy Ron DeSantis come in second, with 21%, the Florida governor lapped the field with 43% in a separate survey with Trump not included.

Perhaps those results explained Trump’s surprisingly low-energy performance. The crowd in the room and at home got “TelePrompTer Trump,” as he stuck to the script and included few if any of the improvised bits that energize him and his audience. Trump upended a tradition (shocking, right?) by attacking his successor, but the criticism of Biden was … bland. It was the “most disastrous first month in history,” he said. Biden had taken the country “from America First to America Last,” Trump declared.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-03-01/trump-cpac-speech-won-raves-but-poll-shows-cracks-in-his-appeal





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[font size="8"]Marjorie Taylor Greene
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We need some music for this one!



Yeah let me tell you about the birds and the bees. And Marjorie Taylor Greene. There’s two things we know about Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q – Batshit). The first is that her tenure in Congress is most likely going to be short lived. The second thing is that at some point in the next year and a half, Rep. Greene will get in a fist fight with another member of Congress. While we can’t guarantee that, we can guarantee that Greene has caused quite the shit show in the last few weeks and isn’t done yet. This week Greene took her fight to the transgender community and specifically attacked and intimidated Rep. Newman (D-IL), who has a transgender daughter. Yeah this woman is an incredibly vile piece of shit. And it seems the more we’re offended by her, the more it drives her. Which makes her a psychopath.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgia Republican who's become a flashpoint for her promotion of dangerous conspiracy theories, on Wednesday placed an anti-transgender sign outside her office to mock Rep. Marie Newman, a Democrat from Illinois whose daughter is transgender, in a back-and-forth that quickly spread on social media and drew widespread outrage.

Newman and Greene are both freshmen members of Congress whose offices in the Capitol complex are located across the hall from one another.

The conflict between the two began after Newman spoke in favor of the Equality Act, a measure that's been proposed in multiple iterations over the past several decades. The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act to also prohibit discrimination or segregation in areas like employment, housing and more based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"I rise today on behalf of the millions of Americans who continue to be denied housing, education, public services and much, much more because they identify as members of the LGBTQ community - Americans like my own daughter, who years ago bravely came out to her parents as transgender," Newman said Tuesday in remarks on the House floor that she later posted on social media. "I knew from that day on my daughter would be living in a nation where most of its states, she could be discriminated against, merely because of who she is. And yet it was still the happiest day of my life and my daughter has found her authentic self."
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-hangs-anti-transgender-sign-in-response-to-rep-marie-newmans-pride-flag/2447430/




Man I wish we had an audience right now because this woman deserves all the booing and shaming that you can muster up. Seriously – calling Marjorie Taylor Greene a piece of shit, is an insult to actual pieces of shit. Because actual shit has useful purposes, like being turned into manure. This woman on the other hand does not. This woman is a colossal scumbag through and through. And like I said I would not be surprised to see her in an actual brawl on Capitol Hill sometime soon.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) tweeted that Greene’s actions represent “the hate- and fame-driven politics of self-promotion at all evil costs. This garbage must end, in order to #RestoreOurGOP.”

Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) called Greene’s poster “sickening, pathetic, unimaginably cruel” and added that “this hate is exactly why” the Equality Act is necessary.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said he put up a transgender flag outside of his office in 2019 and advised Greene to “probably avoid the Rayburn building, too, if she doesn’t want to see another’ symbol of love and acceptance.”

In an interview with CNN Thursday morning, Newman said that Greene was “welcome to her sign,” but that “no one’s buying it, and that is not science.”

Newman said Thursday afternoon that Facebook labeled her post as "hate speech" and temporarily took the post down from the site, despite allowing Greene’s video to remain on its platform.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/02/25/marjorie-taylor-greene-slammed-for-anti-trans-tweet-and-sign-aimed-at-colleagues-transgender-daughter/?sh=417e7cfb5a8f




By the way in case you’re wondering what actual trans people think of Greene, well, their opinion is not at all favorable. And this woman isn’t going away no matter how hard we would like to thwack her into the sun. But this woman is fueled by a diet of hate and conspiracy theories, and our animosity towards
her is only making her stronger. So how does someone this full of hate and egomaniacism sleep during the night? Well it’s going to be hard to tell.

HRC announced that over 2,800 parents of transgender, non-binary and gender expansive youth sent a letter thanking U.S. Representative Marie Newman (D-IL) for standing up on behalf of transgender youth everywhere.

“As fellow parents of transgender, non-binary, and gender-expansive youth, we want to thank you for publicly representing our pride in and love for our children,” reads the letter. “Transgender youth are remarkable, honest, courageous, resilient, and deserving of the chance to live a full and authentic life. When you stood on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives and said ‘I’m voting yes on the Equality Act for Evie Newman, my daughter and the strongest, bravest person I know,’ we felt your words deeply.”

“Unfortunately, many of us also have a person like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene in our lives,” continues the letter. “A person who is close-minded, mean, petty, and willing to say hurtful things about our loved ones and even vote against their rights. A person who clings to outdated notions of sex and gender and who refuses to learn from major medical and mental health associations — or from us and from our experiences. A person who promotes junk science and fringe theories in hate-filled attacks against trans youth and adults alike.”

Earlier this week, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) campaigned against the Equality Act and showcased behavior that was mean-spirited, cruel and vindictive. Rep. Greene escalated her campaign against the Equality Act and personally and intentionally misgendered her colleague Rep. Newman’s transgender daughter. Democratic and Republican lawmakers widely criticized Greene’s transphobic remarks, with one Congressman saying her actions were “sickening, pathetic, unimaginably cruel.”
https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/over-2-800-parents-of-transgender-non-binary-and-gender-expansive-youth-send-letter-thanking-congresswoman-marie-newman




Oh but you see? With Greene, the cruelty is the point! This woman has a media diet consisting of Alex Jones and social media fueled paranoid conspiracy theories that are getting increasingly amplified each and every day. Now here’s where it’s going to get even uglier. While embassies around the world are showing increasing acceptance of gay and trans rights, Marjorie Greene wants the exact opposite. Thank god the Dems retain control of the House right now. So Marjorie has a problem with the Pride flags, but no problem with the MAGA flag? I’m shocked, shocked I tell you!

Controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has co-sponsored legislation that would ban U.S. embassies from flying the LGBTQ Pride flag.

Greene, a freshman Republican from Georgia, has earned widespread criticism for her support for QAnon conspiracy theories, attacks on religious minorities, and suggestions that mass school shootings were “false flag” operations.

If passed, H.R. 85, the Old Glory Only Act, would require the secretary of state to ensure “that no United States diplomatic or consular post flies any flag other than the United States flag over such post.”

In a release issued earlier this week, Greene, 46, stated her support for the measure was a continuation of her “America First Agenda.”

“The federal government should only be flying the flag that represents ALL people, the American flag,” she said. “We need to bring back pride in our country and raise the Star Spangled Banner proudly. Old Glory represents our great American military and their sacrifices to ensure our freedom."
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-backs-bill-would-ban-pride-flags-n1256796





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[font size="8"]The Andrew Cuomo Scandal

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I was having a debate with my staff on how to approach this one. Because I know the name of this show is “Top 10 Conservative Idiots” and we are about to talk about the plot to take down New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Who currently is up to his ass in scandal. And we try to be fair here. But the simple fact of the matter is that Cuomo is about to get the Al Franken treatment (see: Top 10 #3-26. Remember that guy? Well this is that scandal but with an added dose of an unrelated COVID scandal! Yeah holy shit is right, and we haven’t even got to Holy Shit yet this week. But here’s what we know so far – it is a coordinated attack to take down one of the most powerful governors in the country and here’s how it is going so far, and it’s not pretty.

You could practically see and hear the ground shifting underneath Governor Andrew Cuomo. On Saturday evening The New York Times posted a devastating story: highly detailed, highly credible accusations of sexual harassment from Charlotte Bennett, a former aide to Cuomo, three days after another former staffer, Lindsey Boylan, said Cuomo had planted an unwanted kiss on her lips. The governor flatly denied Boylan’s claims; after the Bennett story broke, he released a fairly anodyne statement in which he was careful to make it clear he took her allegations seriously, said he never made any advances, and called for an outside review, adding that he would make no further comment until the review was complete. Behind the scenes Cuomo seemed to believe that he had been misunderstood by Bennett. As in other skirmishes, politicians who did not like him were taking shots, and he would calibrate—to use one of the governor’s favorite words—his way through the trouble, as always. He would fight this one out. He wasn’t going anywhere.

Most of which rapidly proved untenable, only deepening the crisis engulfing New York’s three-term governor—and calling into question whether Cuomo understood that the circumstances this time were very different from those of his previous political battles. In his initial Saturday night response, Cuomo appeared to be creating a home field advantage for the “independent” investigation, decreeing that it would be conducted by former federal judge Barbara Jones. Jones’s integrity is not in doubt—but the fact that the accused was selecting his interrogator, and that Jones had once worked with a longtime top Cuomo adviser, Steve Cohen, provoked a new fury. The backlash was also partly because of some thorny Cuomo history with investigations: In 2014, he abruptly unplugged the Moreland Commission, an ethics probe, when he decided it had served its purpose in pressuring the state legislature—and when the commission had started asking questions about Cuomo associates.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/03/as-scandal-rocks-cuomo-the-governor-is-determined-to-hold-on-to-power




Yeah you can say that again! So yeah the news here is not good. And it’s only about to get worse for Gov. Cuomo. So now the debate rages – does Gov Cuomo resign or does he keep fighting against these accusations? Of course without proof, we have to assume that he’s somewhat guilty but in order for him to be innocent, we need concrete, actual proof of this. And no, we don’t need a bad court thingy just yet, there has to be a trial first!

(CNN)New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been pleading with lawmakers for support and even threatening political retribution against Democrats who have criticized him in an aggressive effort to contain political fallout from revelations that his administration had concealed the full extent of nursing home-related deaths during the Covid pandemic.

Describing an alleged exchange with the governor that has not been previously reported, Democratic Assemblyman Ron Kim told CNN that he received a call on his cell phone from the governor last week as he was bathing his children at home.
"Gov. Cuomo called me directly on Thursday to threaten my career if I did not cover up for Melissa [DeRosa] and what she said. He tried to pressure me to issue a statement, and it was a very traumatizing experience," Kim said. Cuomo proceeded to tell the assemblyman that "we're in this business together and we don't cross certain lines and he said I hadn't seen his wrath and that he can destroy me," according to Kim.

Cuomo's adviser denied that the governor threatened to destroy Kim.
DeRosa is a top aide to the governor who came under fire last week after she told state lawmakers in a private virtual meeting that the state had delayed sharing with the legislature the full scope of the Covid-related death toll of New York's nursing home residents because of concerns about a potential federal investigation by the Department of Justice. (The governor's office has since released a partial transcript of the call.)
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/17/politics/cuomo-ron-kim-nursing-home/index.html




Yeah so there’s that to deal with too. I mean this whole thing is going to get worse before it gets better and that’s if it gets better. And oh yeah I’m watching you too, Sean Hannity. If you’re going to accuse the media of being mobsters, and the thing is the “media mob” didn’t take down Brett Kavanaugh – he did that to himself. And he’s still in power! But just like Brett Kavanaugh, Andrew Cuomo could be the victim of his own demise. Watch the conservative blogosphere, it’s gonna get ugly very fast.

Last summer, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was must-see TV. Now, he’s a must-to-avoid, the skunk at the Democratic political picnic. His once-promising future is now in freefall — without a parachute.

Watching the self-immolation of any powerful figure is never fun. Failure is only laughable to those too naïve to know its enduring pain. And with Cuomo — frankly, with any number of political figures, from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas to New Jersey’s Chris Christie during his Bridgegate fiasco — it’s entirely understandable for critics to chortle: “Well, it’s about time” or “Justice is finally served” or “He had it coming.”

But when someone with promise stumbles and flops, the story is framed more by tragedy than comedy.

Such is the case with Cuomo.

As New York’s governor, he took the lead last spring and summer in speaking to America about our collective fears and sorrow over the spread of the coronavirus.

To understand Cuomo's profound impact, it's important to remember those somber days.
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/columnists/mike-kelly/2021/02/26/andrew-cuomo-meteoric-rise-and-rapid-collapse-behind-covid-scandal/6821698002/





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



The topics of “cancel culture” and “social media deplatforming” were all the rage this weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. After four years of having a president who thrived as a social media troll, it’s no wonder that conservatives are living in constant fear of saying or doing the wrong thing on social media. Because the conservative agenda deals with racism and sexism and it’s becoming increasingly clear that they want to do something to be able to voice their controversial opinions publicly without fear of consequences. In fact when conservatives get banned from social media, they go and seek out alternatives. This led to the creation of alternate media sites like Parler, Gab, and Telegram, where the policies towards speech are “anything goes”.

Gab, the controversial social media platform favored by right-wing users, has had 70 GB of data hacked and handed to Distributed Denial of Secrets, a whistle-blower site sometimes referred to as a successor to WikiLeaks.

Distributed Denial of Secrets founder Emma Best said the hacked data contains public posts, profiles and hashed passwords, as well as private account posts and messages.

"It contains pretty much everything on Gab, including user data and private posts, everything someone needs to run a nearly complete analysis on Gab users and content," Best wrote in a message to Wired.

Data of former U.S. President Donald J. Trump's account is included in the data hoard, according to an archived post by Gab CEO Andrew Torba (WARNING: Contains offensive language).

In a blog post Friday, Torba told users the company is undertaking a "full security audit" and cast doubt on the extent of the data stolen.
https://www.coindesk.com/gab-refuge-for-the-deplatformed-hacked-for-pretty-much-everything-including-trump-data




Yes think of the alternate reality social media sites like the refuge of the damned. These people clearly don’t care about what others think of them, and it shows. But conservatives are getting increasingly fearful of what the visible social media companies like Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram will do to them if they’re caught doing something that violates the platform’s terms of service, even though they do this daily.

From Washington DC to Wall Street, 2021 has already seen online groups causing major organised offline disruption. Some of it has been in violation of national laws, some in violation of internet platforms’ terms of service. When these groups are seen to cause societal harm, the solution has been knee-jerk: to ban or “deplatform” those groups immediately, leaving them digitally “homeless”.

But the online world is a Pandora’s box of sites, apps, forums and message boards. Groups banned from Facebook migrated seamlessly to Parler, and from Parler, via encrypted messaging apps, to a host of other platforms. My research has shown how easily users migrate between platforms on the “dark web”. Deplatforming won’t work on the regular internet for the same reason: it’s become too easy for groups to migrate elsewhere.

This year, we’ve come to see social platforms not as passive communication tools, but rather as active players in public discourse. Twitter’s announcement that it had permanently suspended Donald Trump in the wake of the Capitol riots is one such example: a watershed moment for deplatforming as a means of limiting harmful speech.

Elsewhere, the Robinhood investment platform suspended the trading of GameStop stocks after the Reddit group r/WallStreetBets (which had 2.2 million members at the time) coordinated a mass purchase of the shares. While the original Reddit group remained open, many r/WallStreetBets users had also been communicating via the social network Discord. In response, Discord banned their channel, citing “hate speech”.
https://theconversation.com/banning-disruptive-online-groups-is-a-game-of-whac-a-mole-that-web-giants-just-wont-win-154427




Now this brings about a really tricky area of banning people from social media. Does this make things better or worse? There’s arguments that could be made for both sides. In fact one side is saying that it is making things better, but the other side is saying that it is making it worse. Stamping out trolls is more of a science than an art. You can ban them from the spotlight, but they aren’t going away. And it is driving them completely crazy.

From a technical perspective, deplatforming just makes things a bit harder. Amazon’s cloud services make it easy to manage computing infrastructure but are ultimately built on open source technologies available to anyone. A deplatformed company or people sympathetic to it could build their own hosting infrastructure. The research community has also built censorship-resistant tools that, if all else fails, harmful online communities can use to persist.

Does deplatforming have an effect on worrisome communities themselves?

Whether or not deplatforming has a social effect is a nuanced question just now beginning to be addressed by the research community. There is evidence that a platform banning communities and content – for example, QAnon or certain politicians – can have a positive effect. Platform banning can reduce growth of new users over time, and there is less content produced overall. On the other hand, migrations do happen, and this is often a response to real world events – for example, a deplatformed personality who migrates to a new platform can trigger an influx of new users.

Another consequence of deplatforming can be users in the migrated community showing signs of becoming more radicalized over time. While Reddit or Twitter might improve with the loss of problematic users, deplatforming can have unintended consequences that can accelerate the problematic behavior that led to deplatforming in the first place.

Ultimately, it’s unlikely that deplatforming, while certainly easy to implement and effective to some extent, will be a long-term solution in and of itself. Moving forward, effective approaches will need to take into account the complicated technological and social consequences of addressing the root problem of extremist and violent Web communities.
https://theconversation.com/does-deplatforming-work-to-curb-hate-speech-and-calls-for-violence-3-experts-in-online-communications-weigh-in-153177




Yes probably. In fact you can deplatform users and they will regroup elsewhere. But you can’t get rid of the trolls altogether, or can you? Because they will start their own platforms. What happens when the entire platform gets deplatformed? Well for that we look to Parler, which recently got banned from both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store because there were users on this service threatening to murder elected officials. Yes, people. Trolling on social media can only get you so far then the death threats happen. It’s an inevitable way of life in the 21st century – life, death, taxes, and the social media death threat. If you get deplatformed for this, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

You can almost think of it in terms of moving house: Parler was evicted from Amazon, Apple and Google and has to find a new place to live. Just like there are more and less safe neighborhoods in the real world to live in, the same is true for the internet. Amazon, Apple and Google are among the safest neighborhoods on the internet. If Parler does move, it likely will be moving to a less safe neighborhood. This means that if you want to keep using Parler if it returns, you’ll likely be going to less safe neighborhoods on the internet to find it and should take extra steps to protect against related increased risks.

There are two areas of greater risk if you follow a deplatformed app to a new home: the app itself, and the web and cloud infrastructure that support it.

When an app is no longer available through the official App Store and/or the Google Play Store, the risks around getting and installing the app skyrocket. You can install apps from places other than those official outlets, but those other places don’t always have the same security checks that those official stores do.

Mobile apps downloaded from third-party sites are one of the main sources of mobile malware, especially on Android devices. Not only are there risks that the apps might have malware, but the sites offering the apps might themselves be risky in terms of malware and phishing. In addition, if you’re using an iPhone, the only way to install apps from anywhere but the App Store is to “jailbreak” the phone, a step that Apple strongly recommends against for a host of reasons, including the fact that it breaks the iOS license agreement and can leave you without help or support from Apple.

There’s also the fact that you can’t be sure that you will get what you think you’re getting. For example, Avast researchers found an Android app on January 16 (after Parler’s deplatforming) that claimed to be a “Parler Updater” and used the Parler logo. The app turned out to be a classic piece of spyware that would seemingly disappear after you installed it, yet it would have complete control of your device — including being able to install other (potentially malicious) packages. The naming, packaging and timing indicate that the people behind it may have been trying to capitalize on the deplatforming of Parler to spread their spyware.
https://securityboulevard.com/2021/02/parler-and-deplatformed-apps-avast/




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 virtual congregation! You know it’s not all fun and games here at the Holy Church Of The Top 10, we occasionally do have serious stuff to talk about. Because America’s Christian right has been replaced with a dangerous and scary cult that is out for blood and revenge based on… reasons. Now that President Joe Biden has been with us for over a month and he is putting into place some sweeping protections for our LGBT brothers and sisters, the Christian right is hopping mad! In fact they are currently waging a war for equality! And this is something that does not sit well with us. They don’t abide by the church or to JAYSUS! Instead they abide by all that is dark and EVIL in society!

As President Joe Biden tells it, the nuns who taught the future president based their religious instruction on the Gospel of Matthew: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

That tenet was echoed during his first days in office, when Biden signed orders to ensure fair treatment for marginalized groups on housing and other issues.

“We’re all God’s children,” Biden said. “We should treat each other as we would like to be treated ourselves.”

Another of his earliest actions strengthened anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender people. On Thursday, Biden was expected to sign a memorandum to protect the rights of LGBTQ people worldwide, including providing protections to gay and lesbian refugees and asylum seekers.

But what to Biden is an “advancing equity” agenda grounded in his deep Catholic faith appears to some Christian conservatives as attacks on their own intensely held beliefs that will unravel the “religious freedom” protections championed by the Trump administration. Those protections treated religious beliefs as paramount, even if they conflicted with another person’s rights – to an abortion, to marry a person of the same sex, or to be transgender.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/04/bidens-faith-based-equity-agenda-counters-trumps-religious-freedom-protections/4376093001/




Religion for me, but none for thee! That’s the way the Christian fascists in the right do things and it’s not pretty. In fact it’s pretty ugly and that’s not what GAWD or JAYSUS would want now, is it? But that said since Biden cannot find religious allies among those in the US because they support the unholy, ungodly Dark One, he must seek answers elsewhere. Like for instance turning to Pope Francis, of which he shares a close alliance with!

The second Roman Catholic president in American history is a devout man who makes no secret of the importance of faith in his life. President Joe Biden is a regular churchgoer, often quotes St. Augustine and carries a rosary that belonged to his late son Beau. In one of the first images released of him in the Oval Office, a photo was visible behind his desk showing him with Pope Francis.

The Argentine-born pope and the new American president have both staked out liberal stances on issues like climate change and economic disparity, and have taken different positions from their "culture warrior" predecessors.

Biden diametrically differs from former President Donald Trump in his support for a more inclusive society, on issues ranging from immigration and health care to LGBTQ equality. Francis has moved away from Pope John Paul II's and Benedict XVI's emphasis on sexual morality, preferring to focus on social justice and the rights of the poor and marginalized. He has repeatedly lashed out at what he describes as the destructive effects of laissez-faire capitalism on society and the environment.

The pope and the president have a lot in common, says Paul Elie, a scholar of Catholicism at Georgetown University.
https://www.kuow.org/stories/in-pope-francis-biden-has-a-potential-ally-who-shares-the-same-catholic-detractors




So let’s get this straight. The religious right want to continue to more to associate themselves with the most unholy, ungodly, disgusting excuse for a human being imaginable. A man who is so abhorrent that I do not allow his name to be spoken in my church! But an actual man of GAWD? He is cast aside because that’s not what the cult wants! What does the cult want? Now see GAWD forbid that anyone else have a different opinion or orientation that they do!

For most Americans, the question of same-sex marriage is a settled one.

Five years after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, a Gallup poll showed two-thirds of Americans believed such marriages were valid, marking the ninth consecutive year a majority of the country expressed a favorable opinion toward it.

As of this writing, two gay men — Richard Grenell and Pete Buttigieg — have served in presidential cabinets under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The Wyoming Legislature currently counts several “out” members of the LGBTQ community among its ranks. And though discrimination remains a persistent issue in Wyoming, the question of whether same-sex marriage is legitimate is generally considered a non-issue.

To most.

On Jan. 25, the Wyoming Republican Party — whose platform remained opposed to same-sex marriage long after that 2015 ruling — released a statement on its Facebook page reaffirming that position. The post included a quote from evangelical pastor James Dobson suggesting homosexual marriage would lead to the downfall of civilization.
https://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/307-politics-two-traditionally-conservative-institutions-two-different-attitudes-on-lgbtq-rights/article_182aa9d1-43f2-521f-b4a0-139eae872837.html




Now see? You got two independent thought alarms there! The religious right are coming for the marriage decisions whether we want them to or not! So in case you’re wondering what the religious right’s radical agenda is when it comes to the GAWD given rights of our LGBT brothers and sisters, well, it’s the exact opposite of what JAYSUS wants and believe me it’s not good. First they came for the gay community… As the old saying goes!

Radical right-wing commentator Josh Bernstein posted a video on his website Sunday night reacting to former President Donald Trump’s speech at CPAC earlier in the day in which Trump called on states to enact a variety of voter suppression measures, such as requiring voter ID and limiting the use of early voting and mail-in voting.

Bernstein agreed with Trump’s recommendations but faulted him for not going far enough.

“We cannot have early voting,” Bernstein declared. “We should have one day to vote, and no, it should not be [a day] off, OK? You either go before work, you either go on your lunch break, or you go after work. That’s it. If you can’t get there in that one day, then it wasn’t important enough for you, and to be quite frank, I don’t want you to vote. If you can’t make it in that one day, stay home.”

Bernstein said that only those in the military or who are sick should be allowed to use mail-in voting, but it should only be available the week before the election. He also called for the Constitution to be amended to outlaw the use of mail-in voting for any other reason.

Bernstein then insisted that we must “raise the voting age to a minimum of 21” and that every voter must provide “proof of income” at the polling place.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/josh-bernstein-brags-that-he-wants-to-make-it-harder-to-vote-in-america/




No we’re allowed to do that, Reverend. So that’s the evil agenda that the religious right is pursuing and they are not on the side of GAWD! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That is it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse: Mr. Potato Head
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By now you’re probably sick and tired of hearing about “cancel culture”. Well guess what? We’re going to talk about it again! Because social conservatives seem hell bent on driving this talking point into the ground, which is what they do. Which is also why this segment exists. Well this week they’re upset about not one, but two things being “canceled”. Look, we get it. Nobody wants to be derived of having a voice, and this shit is getting to be completely ridiculous. But imagine flipping through the channels to find that Fox News has effectively canceled the doll formerly known as Mr. Potato Head, and for a completely ridiculous reason at that. And really it’s the conservatives that are doing the canceling!

Hasbro is dropping the honorific "mister" from the "Mr. Potato Head" brand, renaming the shapeshifting plastic spud to the gender-neutral "Potato Head."

It's a notable change from one of the world's largest toy makers to untether one of its most famous products from a binary gender identity — something that was far less controversial in 1952, when Hasbro introduced the decidedly male and playfully anthropomorphic tuber.

"Hasbro is making sure all feel welcome in the Potato Head world by officially dropping the Mr. from the Mr. Potato Head brand name and logo to promote gender equality and inclusion," the company said. The rebranded toy launches this fall.

News of the name change emerged at an investors meeting on Thursday. Hasbro later tweeted about it, assuring fans that although the brand name is changing, the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head "aren't going anywhere." Those character names will still appear on the boxes under the new brand name.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/25/business/mr-potato-head-hasbro-gender-neutral/index.html




Now come on! I mean in all seriousness, has Mr. Potato Head ever been anatomically correct? I mean seriously unless you’re actually checking the doll for a penis, and who hasn’t, then any outrage you have over this decision is completely null and void. Here’s where the conservative outrage comes in. They pick the pettiest and weirdest battles to fight don’t they? If you tuned into Fox News at all the last week, this is what you got.

Mr. Potato Head caused a lot of buzz last week, and Fox News played a big part in that. Over the past week, the plastic toy — and its gender — has been mentioned at least 35 times on Fox News and Fox Business combined.

"The conversations about Mr. Potato Head and trans kids or whatever the culture war narrative is are a huge distraction," author and CNN columnist Jill Filipovic told CNN's Chief Media Correspondent Brian Stelter on "Reliable Sources" Sunday.

Hasbro stirred the pot on Thursday when news of a Mr. Potato Head branding change emerged at an investors meeting. The toy company later tweeted about it, assuring fans that although the brand name is changing, the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head "aren't going anywhere."

On Saturday, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld said Mr. Potato Head was getting "neutered" and Sean Hannity invited Geraldo Rivera and Dan Bongino on air to talk about the "controversy and confusion" that was created by Hasbro's decision to rebrand the toy.

"There's something wrong when so-called cancel culture gets more attention than the struggles that millions of Americans are facing," Stelter said.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/28/media/fox-news-potato-head/index.html




Oh come on! Of course it’s a distraction! Did you really think we’d see it any other way? If you’re keeping score at home – they are looking the other way on the Texas climate change disaster that happened last week. But Mr. Potato Head losing the “Mr.”? That’s the outrage to end all outrages and… sigh… that’s why we can’t have nice things. But they’re angry! And oh man are they angry!

Over the weekend Mr Potato Head came out as gender neutral, with Hasbro announcing that the toy would go forward being known simply as Potato Head. And, as expected, conservatives lost their damn minds over the news.

Despite early commercials for the toy explicitly stating that Potato Head could be turned into a woman with the different accessories included, and the fact that the character is literally a toy potato, conservatives were outraged.

Hasbro shared that dropping the “Mr” was done to promote more inclusivity beyond the “traditional” family structure, which will allow children to have full creativity when playing.

“Culture has evolved,” Kimberly Boyd, SVP and GM of Hasbro, told Fast Company. “Kids want to be able to represent their own experiences. The way the brand currently exists— with the ‘Mr’ and ‘Mrs’— is limiting when it comes to both gender identity and family structure.”
https://junkee.com/potato-head-gender-neutral-conservatives/288955




So why are conservatives outraged at this? I mean it’s not like we’ve had a killer virus, or a deranged, bloodthirsty cult storm the Capitol, or a catastrophic climate change disaster any time in the last couple of months. But no let’s be outraged that they removed the gender from a toy that really has no gender, and turn the outrage way past 11! I mean come on, Fox! Are you telling me you’re going to look for the penis on a Ken doll? And let’s be honest – if you answer yes to that question, you should probably be put on a sex offender watch list. But sadly conservatives were outraged enough that Hasbro is going to walk back on its’ claims somewhat.

Is it Mr. Potato Head or not?

Hasbro created confusion Thursday when it announced that it would drop the “Mr.” from the brand’s name in order to be more inclusive and so all could feel “welcome in the Potato Head world.” It also said it would sell a new playset this fall without the Mr. and Mrs. designations that will let kids create their own type of potato families, including two moms or two dads.

But in a tweet later that afternoon, Hasbro clarified that while the brand is changing, the actual Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head characters will still live on and be sold in stores. In a picture posted on Twitter, the “Mr.” and “Mrs.” names are less prominently displayed at the bottom of the box, instead of the top.

“While it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand name & logo are dropping the ‘MR.’ I yam proud to confirm that MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD aren’t going anywhere and will remain MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD,” the company tweeted.
https://www.yourbasin.com/news/mr-potato-head-drops-the-mister-kind-of/







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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner
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Welcome back to our segment that attempts to explain the unexplainable, Conspiracy Corner! We are coming to you live from our underground bunker deep in the heart of the New Mexico badlands – undisclosed location of course. Just know that it is in New Mexico. And I say “attempt” because there’s no making sense of the Alex Joneses and the Mark Taylors of the world. So there are times when you just have to smile and nod at the ridiculous shit that they say and say “what the fuck”. This week we’re taking a look at a conspiracy being peddled by anti-vaccination crusaders about a microchip being implanted in you when you go to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. And I’m here to tell you this – you are wrong. Just let me adjust my trusty tin foil hat here for maximum government interference to tell you exactly why!

A new conspiracy theory making its rounds among the population of the unskeptical, including my own family members this time, alleges the COVID vaccines not only contain microchips, but also control your mind with them. There are a few reasons why this is neither possible nor practical.

The first and probably least severe roadblock to controlling humans via injected chip is size restrictions. COVID vaccines are reportedly 22 gauge, or less than half a millimeter across, and even the simple microchips commonly seen in pets is about 2 millimeters wide, or over four times as large. That’s a chip that has no internal energy source and is essentially a barcode, so it seems reasonable to assume that a device with necessary systems to control an entire human brain would be even larger, and certainly wouldn’t fit inside the vaccine needle.

Let’s say the microchip did fit inside the needle though. Now it needs to get from the injection site to the brain. The fastest and only practical way to move would be through the circulatory system, but because the vaccine isn’t administered directly into any veins, the chip would have to move itself into one. The only vessel known to freely travel undetected through the human body is The Magic School Bus, but unfortunately Ms. Frizzle retired over 20 years ago and she’s enjoying her golden years in Palau.
https://www.messagemedia.co/aitkin/opinion/other_opinions/no-microchips-in-covid-19-vaccine/article_e4e1de8c-6bed-11eb-b866-9bff807f1b98.html




Of course we are, Milhouse! But that’s neither here nor there. But there’s plenty of things out there concerning the vaccine that would leave you to believe some insane bullshit. And there really is some insanity floating out there, folks. But the thing you have to remember is that Facebook is a place where disinformation and unchecked claims run rampant and it can be difficult to separate truth from fiction, but Facebook has a solution for that.

Facebook is expanding its ban on vaccine misinformation and highlighting official information about how and where to get COVID-19 vaccines as governments race to get more people vaccinated.

"Health officials and health authorities are in the early stages of trying to vaccinate the world against COVID-19, and experts agree that rolling this out successfully is going to be helping build confidence in vaccines," said Kang-Xing Jin, Facebook's head of health.

Social media platforms including Facebook have played a big role in the spread of false claims, hoaxes and conspiracy theories about the pandemic over the last year, despite efforts by tech companies to clamp down on harmful content and promote authoritative sources.

In December, Facebook said it would remove claims about COVID-19 vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts, such as posts saying, falsely, that the vaccines contain microchips.
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/08/965390755/facebook-widens-ban-on-covid-19-vaccine-misinformation-in-push-to-boost-confiden




Mmmmmmmmm…. Not really. But even the WHO themselves traveled to China with the idea of putting behind the ridiculous myth that the virus originated in a lab and the outbreak was the result of a careless worker. So why are there so many conspiracy theories out there? The answer is insane, and it’s insane that the WHO had to spend so much time, money, and resources into putting an end to this ridiculous myth!

World Health Organization investigators said Tuesday that they would no longer pursue research into whether the coronavirus leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China.

Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety and animal diseases expert, announced the decision during a press conference to wrap up a visit by an international team of WHO experts to the city where COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019.

Embarek said there was not enough evidence to support a hypothesis that the virus escaped from a Chinese biosafety laboratory in Wuhan – the Wuhan Institute of Virology – and that the WHO stood by its previous determination that COVID-19 most likely entered the human population through an intermediate animal.

The WHO team has spent several weeks on a fact-finding mission in Wuhan. Experts from 10 nations have visited hospitals, research institutes and a wildlife market tied to the outbreak. However, WHO's field work and other activities in Wuhan have been closely monitored by Chinese officials and security officers, and Beijing has repeatedly resisted called for a completely independent investigation into the origins of the virus.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2021/02/09/covid-origin-world-health-organization-end-research-wuhan-lab-theory/4446839001/




Not really, you’re among fellow conspiracy theorists, Bart. But then again the people who are watching the watchers are now denying that the watchers exist. That’s right – Q Anon, you know them as the protectors of the children from the child molesters of the world! While Facebook may be cracking down on Q related groups and misinformation, they still haven’t cracked the code. Hell I’m sure even the Q Anon idiots have cracked the code yet, it’s the Da Vinci Code for idiots! And they’re largely responsible for about 95% of the misinformation out there! And come on, who needs microchips when we have cell phones?

You’re not reading this on a smart phone or tablet, are you?

I hope not, for your sake. They say the government can use imperceptible fluctuations in the light to reprogram your brain waves, giving them complete control over your thoughts and actions. You’ll be Joe Biden’s zombie and you won’t even know it.

You think that’s crazy? Shows what you know. You probably think the moon landing was real. You probably think Kennedy was killed by a lone gunman. Heck, you probably think Kennedy was killed. (He was actually a crisis actor.)

If Bill Gates can track your whereabouts by injecting nanobots into your body through a vaccine that supposedly “protects” you from a virus, what makes you think your devices can’t be programmed to program you? If the federal government can paralyze Texas and leave millions in the dark using fake snow and the Green New Deal, anything is possible.
https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article249547008.html





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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink
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Hey everyone I don’t know about you but I could really use a drink!



So you know the idea behind this is that we have some drinks and while we’re drinking we talk about literally anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics. Because there’s a lot of dark shit out there. Even coming from this blank blue void in the back room of a Burbank Comedy Club, drinking is still fun, damn it! This week we have to talk about a really crazy thing that happened involving legendary metal band Metallica. No, it doesn’t involve them robbing from the poor and giving to the rich. So tell me, virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about Metallica? Metallica beer? Made by Stone in San Diego? OK I’ll take an extra large glass of that please! So this week Metallica became victims of their own copyright claims. Remember Napster? Think of that but worse, and it seems while we all can’t wait to get back to having live events, your favorite livestream event may be in jeopardy!

You just hate to see it.

The Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch made a mess of things Friday during a livestream, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer band. Specifically, Metallica, known for (among other things) its 2000 lawsuit against the music-sharing service Napster, was streaming a concert for Blizzard Entertainment's annual news event, BlizzCon, when Twitch Gaming dubbed over the heavy metal with what sounded like elevator music.

While the immediate cause of the mess-up was unclear, fans were quick to speculate that the swap was a result of automated systems attempting to avoid any copyright issues inherent in streaming Metallica's music.

Importantly, however, the Future of Music Coalition — a "nonprofit organization supporting a musical ecosystem where artists flourish and are compensated fairly and transparently for their work" — was quick to point out that the reality of the situation isn't as cut and dry as many on the internet first assumed.

"When people are encouraged to direct all their ire at the DMCA (not at Amazon's failure to implement it correctly) or at the music biz, it improves Amazon's bargaining position in licensing negotiations, and imperils Congress's ability to achieve needed reforms," wrote the nonprofit.
https://mashable.com/article/metallica-twitch-livestream-dmca/




Yeah so that happened! Metallica got hit with a taste of their own medicine. You remember the whole Napster incident right? At least you do if you were born before 2001. And it wasn’t just Twitch that got hit with DMCA claims either! Another Metallica live stream got hit with a similar claim and the hilarious part about this? They replaced Metallica’s signature classic “For Whom The Bell Tolls” with real, actual bells! So keep this in mind the next time you buy a ticket for that virtual event!

No matter what your favorite Metallica song is, when people watch the iconic heavy metal band in action they expect to hear hard-rocking songs and high-gain electric guitar galore.

Unfortunately for those tuning into Metallica's live BlizzCon 2021 performance, the only music they were treated to was a generic twinkly background track – complete with what sounds like, ironically enough, bells – after the official audio was muted amid fears of copyright take-down.

Performing a virtual set as part of Blizzard Entertainment's annual gaming convention BlizzCon, Metallica's appearance was posted live by popular streaming site Twitch, as well as on several other social media platforms.

Thousands tuned in to watch the highly anticipated performance, eager to witness the iconic band in action.

However, during the band's performance of For Whom the Bell Tolls, the audio was cut off and replaced with folky background music, following fears of a potential DMCA takedown.
https://www.guitarworld.com/news/metallicas-livestream-audio-of-for-whom-the-bell-tolls-replaced-by-actual-bells-to-avoid-copyright-takedown




Now here’s the thing – I am not a copyright attorney. But if I am reading these articles correctly, it could spell doom for certain music streaming platforms and certain games if these claims went any further in court than just a slap on the wrist. Blizzard is obviously very paranoid about selling and licensing this game for obvious reasons, and we don’t blame them one bit. As long as it doesn’t interfere with Diablo 4, we’re good!

Streamers who want to play retro game Rock N' Roll Racing may want to turn off the game's iconic music before going live, according to a new suggestion from Blizzard over the weekend.

"PSA: If you stream Rock N' Roll Racing from the Blizzard Arcade Collection, the game has a soundtrack of licensed music which is not cleared for streaming," said Adam Fletcher, a community development lead for Blizzard, in a tweet on Friday, Feb. 19. "If you choose to stream, please do so with the music turned off."

To celebrate the company's 30th anniversary, Blizzard announced the release of the Blizzard Arcade Collection during the first day of BlizzCon 2021. The collection includes three games from Blizzard's early years: Rock N' Roll Racing, The Lost Vikings, and Blackthorne, and it will be available for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch for $30.

As the name suggests, Rock N' Roll Racing included a chiptune soundtrack of several classic rock songs from artists such as Black Sabbath, Steppenwolf, and George Thorogood and the Destroyers. Although the game's songs are arcade-style covers of the original tracks, they are still licensable songs — and are therefore prone to copyright strikes.

Read More: https://www.svg.com/341241/the-real-reason-blizzard-is-warning-streamers-about-this-game/?utm_campaign=clip




Thanks I needed that! And come on! You can’t have a game called “Rock N Roll Racing” without some actual rock n roll! That would be like having a place called “Sal’s Famous Beer Bar” and then not selling any actual beer! But that said these are some very tricky waters to navigate and we suspect things will get worse before they get better. But that said, there are people who are attempting to find work arounds for Twitch’s ultra-strict policies.

DistroKid’s new partnership with Twitch may prove to be a step in the right direction for supporting artists online.

Music aggregator DistroKid has joined forces with Twitch, giving artists a path into their Twitch Affiliate Program, which will allow them to earn money via the platform.

Twitch is notorious for its strict enforcement of DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and has seen countless streamers punished and banned for the use of copyrighted music on their channel. While it aims to protect artists from having their music used unlawfully, it has seen many move away from the platform.

COVID-19 saw artists adapt their performances via an online platform, with many live-streaming their music on Twitch. DJ Dave Eckblad explains that another member of his artist collective “had to pivot and figure out some new stuff to do. And I was able to help him get that going quick. I had already been doing stuff on Twitch, on and off, so we worked to put a show together.”
https://happymag.tv/distrokid-announces-partnership-with-twitch/





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[font size="8"]Stupidest State 2021 Selection Sunday
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16 states will enter, and only one state will become the new Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State!



Welcome welcome welcome! We are back for an unprecedented 5th year in a row! Last year our season nearly got canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But now this year we’re in a place to better manage the tournament. Because the circumstances have changed, normally we would go to venues all over the country. But because we’re being advised against that, we’re consolidating everything into a bubble in Phoenix this year! Why Arizona? Because they’re one of the few places that is still allowing live crowds! That said, let’s do this thing!

[font size="6"]Statement From The Commissioner [/font]

Welcome, welcome, welcome!!! As the official commissioner of the NFFSA, it is my honor and privilege to welcome this year’s squad to the tournament! Last year we faced an extraordinary challenge and circumstance, and I want to thank the teams, their staff, and the NFFSA staff for their unrelenting support in carrying out this year’s games. Also, congratulations again to last year’s winner Florida, I hope that they are still enjoying that victory. This year we’ve got some red hot newcomers and some conference changes! Who will come out on top this year? Only time will tell! But our COVID bubble in Phoenix will make things extra exciting. Now to explain the rules, just like last year, this year will feature two matchups in round 1, then one matchup in round 2, then the Final Four, then the NFFSA championship! For Selection Sunday, we will also be providing you with the states, stats, odds, and info that you can use to fill out your brackets! Also new this year – follow the Top 10 Twitter feed for some Bracketology style info on your states! Now let’s do this thing!

[font size="6"]The Batshit Conference [/font]


The Batshit Conference is the oldest and most distinctive conference in the entire NFFSA with 22 states stretching over a good majority of the country. Diversity is the strength to this division, as is complete and utter batshit craziness. These people are not only crazy, they elect crazy. Batshit Conference winners often assert a distinct method of being unable to tell fiction from reality, and the farther out your conspiracy theories are, the better. It’s not enough that they believe in Bigfoot, aliens, and the Loch Ness Monster, these people believe in Pizzagate, Q Anon, and everything else that makes crazy go even crazier! The Batshit Conference: Still Crazy Since 1859!

1. Georgia: Now you might be thinking “Hey wait a minute, Georgia became a blue state in 2020!”. We are here to tell you you’re wrong! You can take Georgia out of the red, but you can’t take the red out of Georgia! This is the state that gave us batshit Q Anon congress critter Marjorie Taylor Greene, and is toughening laws to make it easier for conservatives to vote and harder for everyone who doesn’t have an R next to their name!
Smoking Gun: Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Batshit) became the quickest congress woman stripped from committees because of her beliefs in far right racist conspiracy theories!
Odds: 2:1 Georgia didn’t make the #1 seed for any reason, they had a strong regular season and are looking to win this whole thing!

2. Kentucky: One of the perennial favorites of the tournament has yet to win a title, but that doesn’t mean that they couldn’t win it all this year! The state that has given us our favorite punching bag, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also gave us Rand Paul! They are currently fighting a recall against governor Andy Beshear, which, as far as we know, has nothing to do with COVID.
Smoking Gun: Like the rest of us, Kentucky is sick of lockdowns and restrictions, but they’re actually considering limiting the governor’s powers on imposing more!
Odds: 5:1 Kentucky had a strong showing in the regular season, but a series of injuries have threatened to derail one of the best franchises in the league. They could go far, or not.

3. South Dakota: A newcomer to the tournament, the Mount Rushmore State had a strong showing last year, hosting a super spreader motorcycle rally at Sturgis in the middle of the worst pandemic in the last 100 years. On top that, governor Kristi Noem is taking one of the most lax approaches to the entire pandemic with an “anything goes” policy. South Dakota has an entire state population less than that of the city of Miami, but they have plenty of representation in Congress with some crazy representatives and senators!
Smoking Gun: At the height of the MAGA movement, the Trump administration met with South Dakota officials to add Trump’s bust to the historic monument.
Odds: 7:1 We were shocked by this team’s strong showing in the regular season. They could pull off some major upsets if capable.

4. Michigan: Now wait, you might be thinking that Michigan is a blue state! Well, you’re wrong – they’re mostly blue, but they have a dark red underbelly. The Wolverine State had a strong showing in the regular season with some stunning upsets and some of the craziest news in the entire country – most of which spawned the alt right protest movement called “The Boogaloo Bois” and Governor Whitmer becoming the target of hardcore Trump fans.
Smoking Gun: Last August, there was a bizarre plot to kidnap governor Whitman, which involved a bunch of alt right terrorists and a PT Cruiser. Yeah that happened!
Odds: 10:1 They are a long shot to win but could pull off some massive upsets if true.

[font size="6"]The Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference [/font]


Excessive greed is the name of the game in the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference. It’s not enough that you have one yacht, your entire family has their own fleet of yachts! Yacht rock is for chumps. You can afford to have the real Pablo Cruise play your next boat party! And who needs frequent flyer miles? You've got your own fleet of private jets and selecting the right one for the occasion is a first world problem known only to you and your other billionaire buddies! And millionaires, really, who needs them at all? These people are billionaires and trillionaires! Well maybe not trillionaires, but these people have more money than you’ll ever see in a lifetime. While you’re drudging through an Amazon warehouse that’s visible from space on your third shift, your boss just bought the next 5 Amazon warehouses and will soon employ half the state! You will bow down to your corporate masters and like it, you worthless peasants! The Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference: Your misery is our pleasure since 1952!

1. Kansas The perennial favorites of the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference have been going strong in the last 5 years. Fraud and billionaire insanity is rampant in Kansas. Kansas is the home to Koch Industries, which recently saw the death of one of the Kochs, and that’s concrete proof that you can’t take it with you! But in addition to the greed, Kansas is rife with insanity and one of the first states to completely lift restrictions all in the name of money!
Smoking Gun: Kansas shut down their unemployment system to deal with rampant, incriminating fraud in the offices!
Odds: 5:1 Kansas is usually the perennial favorite to win this conference, but they had a lot of injuries in the regular season. Expect if they win for them to go far.

2. Wyoming Wyoming is a newcomer to the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference, but they have had some strong showings this year. In fact so much that your favorite celebrities and business tycoons are leaving Silicon Valley and Hollywood for Jackson Hole. The fresh air, low population, and lack of regulations means you can own plenty of land and not be bothered by the neighbors! It does a mind and wallet good!
Smoking Gun: The state is so broke because of the lack of taxes that they’re considering a whopping $100 million cut to education. That’s gonna leave a mark!
Odds 7:1 : Clear underdogs in the tournament, they could turn out to be a Cinderella story if they beat the reigning champs.

3. Nevada: The casino and gambling industry took a nose dive when COVID-19 hit as the once bustling Vegas strip became a virtual ghost town almost literally overnight. While many of Vegas’ most prominent institutions, like MGM and Caesar’s, are now finding new homes online, Vegas is looking to rebuild their tourism industry. As long as you don’t count the socially distanced homeless people sleeping in the casino parking lots.
Smoking Gun: The cancellation of Reno’s famed Burning Man festival cost the state a whopping $3 billion in much needed tourist revenue.
Odds: 7:1 The Silver State has a lot of competition in this category but they got hot at the right time so expect them to go far.

4. Iowa: The Hawkeye State makes its’ long awaited return to the conference championships and they’re out looking for revenge! There’s lots of farmland in Iowa and with it comes excessive greed and hardcore racism! Yes, the state that gave us Charles Grassley and Steve King has reelected these old racist coots for who knows how many terms they’ve served? And on the home front things look scarier and more dire than ever, and it really shows.
Smoking Gun: In a half assed attempt to reopen the state to revive the economy, Gov. Reynolds did not consult experts prior to lifting restrictions!
Odds: 7:1 – very evenly matched in this conference, they are looking to make a big splash in this year’s tournament!

[font size="6"]The Gun Nut Conference [/font]


If you’ve got an itchy trigger finger, a bullet-proof vest, and a massive safe full of the latest in fully automatic and semi-automatic protection, then this is the conference for you! You carry your guns in your belt, your sleeve, and your ankle holster, because you never know when you can't be too quick on the quick draw! It’s the conference where the debate between concealed carry and open carry is considered a contact sport! The cops will pull you over and ask for your driver’s license and your NRA membership. Waiting periods are for chumps! You want your guns and you want them now, and it doesn’t matter who you have to stomp on! Why not take your gun to Chili’s? You’re a raging maniac and you’ve deserved that write. There’s no amount of firepower that will satisfy you, you want all the guns and all the ammo! The Gun Nut Conference: Shooting first and asking questions later since 1896!

1. Florida: What is there to say about the Sunshine State that hasn’t already been said? The state once referred to as “America’s Wang” by Homer Simpson, is the home to Miami, which is where Trump lives now, and Orlando, which recently hosted CPAC. Florida loves them some guns, they have one of the highest capita of gun owners in the country, and they’re not afraid to use them! And in Florida you’re allowed to carry your guns everywhere.
Smoking Gun: Florida is proposing a law that would allow open carry of guns in churches! What could go wrong there?
Odds: 2:1 Last year’s champions are going to give any competitors a run for their money – provided that Florida Man doesn’t screw up first!

2. Texas: Our 2019 reigning champion loves them some guns and they are looking to make a comeback after getting trounced by last year’s reigning champion Florida. They say everything’s bigger in Texas – the guns, the spectacles, the COVID cases, and even the people! But big guns aren’t the only thing Texas has going for it! In fact they also harbor some old timey apocalyptic end of the world fantasy religion! Carrying out the apocalypse and doing it large, that’s the Texas way!
Smoking Gun: Texas’ complete lack of environmental restrictions meant the state suffered one of its’ worst climate change disasters in history!
Odds: 2:1 The odds on favorite to win this year’s conference and even the odds on favorite to win the Layover League, expect them to go far!

3. Idaho The Gem State switched back to the Gun Nut Conference after bowing out early last year, but they’re not giving up! Last year their gun credentials are strong! Idaho bought more guns than anyone else in the entire country, and this is during a raging pandemic! And rural Idaho (read every city in the state not named Boise) is packing some serious heat, and is a hotbed for NRA membership and you can bet that your neighbors are carrying!
Smoking Gun: After a record year of school-related shootings, Iowa is looking to pass a law aimed at allowing people to carry guns in school, what could go wrong there?
Odds: 7-1 Iowa had a strong showing at the beginning of the season but then injuries plagued their team. But they are looking to rebuild and go far.

4.Oregon The Badger State is looking to lick its’ chops after getting a serious beat down last year and they’re not going out quietly. Oregon may be the home to liberal utopia Portland, but Portland has become the battleground city for weekly cage matches between the Proud Boys and Antifa. Outside of Portland isn’t much better – the firearm rules all and it’s inspired some people to do some extremely crazy things, like take over bird sanctuaries. Oregon packs some serious heat and they’re not afraid to use it either!
Smoking Gun: Oregon’s GOP proposed a controversial law that would allow individual jurisdictions to decide open carry laws. What could go wrong there?
Odds: 9-1 A very long shot, they’ve got some strong competition ahead. But if they stay healthy they could shock the pundits.

[font size="6"]The Family Values Conference [/font]


All things are about Jesus in the Family Values Conference! The Bible Belt is proudly worn on your waist, sleeve, and magic underwear in this conference, where something is put in the holy water and it’s not the hand of God, either! Who needs the government when your parish is your governor? The lord of all things holy watches over each and every resident in these states, and going to church is the only form of entertainment most have! While you’re out committing those sins, you godless heathen, your electors are looking to strip away your rights and give them to the church, making the church the most powerful entity out there. It’s the states where the Red Hot Chili Peppers are replaced with Hillsong United on the radio and there’s more Chik-Fil-A locations than there are Starbucks. If you’re counting down the days until the rapture and wondering which prayer to say before breakfast, then the Family Values Conference is for you! The Family Values Conference: Proudly converting the non-believers since 1896!

1. Indiana The Sooner State got bumped up to the #1 seed this year after an abysmal showing last year. The state that gave us our now former Vice President, Mike Pence, also gave us Trump Supreme Court justice Amy Comey Barrett! And what’s fueling Indiana’s rise to the top? A super-secret underground Catholic Cult called People Of Praise that originated in South Bend at Notre Dame and came into the spotlight during the nomination!
Smoking Gun: People Of Praise has earned comparisons to an obscure Nazi cult from the 1940s, that can’t be good, right?
Odds: 2 – 1 They owned the regular season this year and impressed the judges enough to get bumped to the #1 seed! Expect them to go very far.

2. Ohio: The Buckeye State has some of the largest and oldest congregations in the entire United States of America. The home to The Ohio State University (don’t forget the “the”, damn it) and Jim Jordan is also the home to some old school fire and brimstone religion. The state is also home to some of the strictest abortion laws in the entire country! And they are going to be a force to be reckoned with in this conference!
Smoking Gun: Ohio’s controversial heartbeat law echoes the one recently passed in South Carolina that could deal a serious blow to women’s rights.
Odds: 5:1 They had a strong showing in the regular season but got hammered by injuries, playing #1 seed won’t help them but they could score a major upset if healthy enough.

3. Mississippi: The Magnolia State has a small but very loyal fanbase that keeps them coming back for more. The state has elected some absolutely crazy leaders in the last 20 years and is currently led by Tate Reeves, a man who is an old school fire and brimstone religious man who believes that Biden’s policy regarding trans people is a “social experiment”. Mississippi has also proposed numerous religious liberty cases, cementing their Bible belt beliefs!
Smoking Gun: Thanks to Mississippi’s religious nuts, they only have one abortion clinic in the entire state – which did not receive any medication in the last year thanks to a SCOTUS ruling.
Odds: 7:1 They are a long shot to win but could shock the conference if they pull off an upset against a 1 or 2 seed.

4. Arkansas Arkansas was one of the original winners of this conference. While they sat out last year due to injuries, they are coming back strong this year! The Natural State is a religious conservative playground with many small towns and many large churches! They’re also home to former governor Mike Huckabee. Arkansas also has one of the highest divorce rates in the entire country. The religious nuts in the state also oppose hate crimes bills and embraces old school LGBT restrictions!
Smoking Gun: Arkansas is planning a bill that would allow medical providers to discriminate based on religious reasons!
Odds: 7:1 They had a rocky regular season but could pull off an upset or two if healthy enough.

[font size="4"]The Schedule: [/font]

We’re doing things a bit differently this year because of COVID travel restrictions but here we go!



[font size="4"]The Bracket: [/font]

Here's the brackets! Fill them out and post your predictions!



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

We are taking a week off but to kick things off starting on 3/18 it’s a battle of the Batshit as #3 South Dakota takes on #4 Michigan, while over in the Family Values conference, #1 Ohio takes on #2 Indiana in a rivalry showdown!




We’re going to take a short break next week, we’ll be back on 3/18/21 in our new Thursday time slot with a brand new edition and the kickoff of Stupidest State 2021! See you in two weeks!

Credits

Host: Initech
Top 10 Conservative Idiots Recorded At: Flappers Comedy Club, Burbank, CA
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Initech Productions: Yes, We Got The Memo

February 24, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-5: Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-5: Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! Still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future. I mean look at the color of this background! It's so blue! Holy fucking shit! Are we living in the year 2021 or is this 2020 in extra innings? Or maybe 2021 is 2020 wearing a ridiculously comical and painfully obvious Scooby Doo mask and is just waiting for the big reveal at the end of the episode. Either way this has been a truly batshit crazy fucking week and we’ve got a lot of idiocy to bring you. But first let’s talk about cancel culture – it’s a favorite talking point among social conservatives. Because let’s face it, nobody wants to get canceled but if you say something racist or sexist or you call for violence, expect to get some serious shit thrown at you! So what I’m talking about is starting this weekend is the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. The agenda for the conference has been circulating online and one topic in particular has caught my eye – “So you’ve been deplatformed, now what?”. Which is a much better title than “Are you there GAB, it’s me, Margaret!”. Yeah I thought so! But conservatives are so afraid of getting “canceled” that they’re literally shitting bricks about the subject. OK maybe they’re not literally shitting bricks but I can sum this particular forum up in one sentence. Guys if you’re that scared of being “canceled”, maybe, I don’t know, don’t say or do things that would get you in that position? OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver is back and he discusses the humiliating position and horrifying conditions that America’s meat packing workers have been going through since COVID hit. Holy crap is this insane:



Last week when we were literally getting the show ready for air, Rush Limbaugh passed away at age 70 from stage 4 lung cancer. So to pay tribute, we are going to mourn the original Conservative Idiot (1) by playing his greatest hits which I can assure you are not flattering at all. Taking the second slot this week is of course the State Of Texas (2) and if you want to get a preview of what it’s like if conservative hell were to literally freeze over, just look at the extremely horrifying events that unfolded next week. Don’t worry we won’t make fun, we’ll keep it tasteful. Taking the number 3 slot this week, speaking of Texas, is Senator Ted Fucking Cruz (3). That’s right, Raphael, we’re not letting you off the hook for skipping town in one of the worst climate disasters in the state’s history! At slot #4 this week is the guy who’s our former president, Donald J. Trump (4). So Atlantic City says goodbye to your era in the most Atlantic City way possible, what do you do? Take the spotlight once again at CPAC, now operating under the title “Disgraced former 45th president of the United States”. In slot #5 is our weekly investigative piece Top 10 Investigates (5) and look, everyone hates wearing face masks, but an alarming study by the FDA and a seizure by the FBI has shown that there’s fakes out there. Yeah fake masks are now a thing thanks to COVID-19. At slot #6 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 take a look at the violent side of the Bible, because there’s something out there that is making the most fervent right wingers into violent psychopaths, and it’s time to find out what! Taking the #7 slot this week is the return of Parler (7) and with the return of Parler is another look into the depraved and warped minds posting on that site in Parlerfiles! At the #8 seed this week is a new “This Fucking Guy” and we have a twofer – we’re profiling insane Trump attorney Lin Wood, and insane Trump sycophant Ali Alexander, the psycho behind those “Stop The Steal” rallies that you might have seen popping up in your town! In the number 9 (NEIN!!) slot this week is a new People Are Dumb, because of course they are! Finally this week it’s our very last and final Road To The White House! We did it and we will share our final thoughts on Biden being #46! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Rush Limbaugh
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So as we were finalizing last week’s edition, just as we were getting ready to go on, we got word that Rush Limbaugh, the original conservative idiot has died. Now rather than title this week’s edition something snarky, we decided instead to simply name it after the book that put Al Franken on the political radar: Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot. And boy was he. You know what folks? Death isn’t always sad. Rush Limbaugh was a garbage human being. He was a serial womanizer, liar, bully, and an abusive jerk who enabled the serial liars, bullies, and abusive jerks of the world. His divisive rhetoric gave us the most divisive president in American history. If you’re a garbage person in life, that doesn’t excuse your behavior in death. You can’t all of a sudden flip a switch and think he’s the greatest person on earth. Ask Michael Jackson how well that went. What? Too soon? You know the irony of this? He succumbed to the very disease he once called a hoax and literally blew smoke in the faces of its’ victims.

Rush Limbaugh, the relentlessly provocative voice of conservative America who dominated talk radio for more than three decades with shooting-gallery attacks on liberals, Democrats, feminists, environmentalists and other moving targets, died on Wednesday. He was 70.

His wife, Kathryn, announced the death at the beginning of Mr. Limbaugh’s radio show.

“I know that I am most certainly not the Limbaugh that you tuned in to listen to today,” she said before adding that Mr. Limbaugh had died of lung cancer that morning.

He had announced on his show last February that he had advanced lung cancer. A day later, President Donald J. Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, during the State of the Union address.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/business/media/rush-limbaugh-dead.html




Yeah that guy is pretty much Rush Limbaugh in a nutshell. And in death he’s not done with his work of dividing America. We’re more divided than ever. If you want to know just how divisive Limpballs was, then I will be posting some of his greatest hits here. Yeah if you have any barf bags you might want to get them out now, because it’s going to get pretty dark pretty quick. And there’s plenty more where this came from.

Most recently, he falsely and repeatedly said on his show the day after the 2021 inauguration that President Joe Biden did not win the election — this after a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol and left five people dead weeks prior. Democrats, Limbaugh falsely said, "know that this is something that's been arranged rather than legitimately sought and won."

As his loyal fans, who call themselves "Dittoheads," mourn the death of the radio giant, read on to revisit some of Limbaugh's most controversial quotes.

He began airing “Barack, the Magic Negro,” a racist parody song about then-Sen. Barack Obama’s popularity with many white voters, in 2007.

In John K. Wilson's book, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Rush Limbaugh's Assault on Reason, the host was quoted as saying this homophobic statement: "When a gay person turns his back on you, it is anything but an insult; it's an invitation."

In his "Undeniable Truths," written as part of an article for the Sacramento Union in 1988, Limbaugh wrote, "Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream of society."

On The Rush Limbaugh Show in 2004, he said, "I think it's time to get rid of this whole National Basketball Association. Call it the TBA, the Thug Basketball Association, and stop calling them teams. Call 'em gangs."

As a young broadcaster in the 1970s, Limbaugh once told a Black caller: “Take that bone out of your nose and call me back,” according to Fair.
https://people.com/politics/rush-limbaugh-most-controversial-moments/




Oh and let’s not forget his casual dips into hardcore racism. That isn’t being forgotten either, especially as the racists and gun nuts merged into one psychopathic entity, much like a really fucked up ending to Terminator 2. And let’s not forget what he said about Michael J. Fox either. A man who was the lead in one of my personal favorite movies of all time, Back To The Future. We’re not letting him get away with that one either.

When actor Michael J. Fox, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, appeared in a Democratic campaign commercial, Limbaugh mocked his tremors. When a Washington advocate for the homeless killed himself, he cracked jokes. As the AIDS epidemic raged in the 1980s, he made the dying a punchline. He called 12-year-old Chelsea Clinton a dog.

He suggested that the Democrats’ stand on reproductive rights would have led to the abortion of Jesus Christ. When a woman accused Duke University lacrosse players of rape, he derided her as a “ho,” and when a Georgetown University law student supported expanded contraceptive coverage, he dismissed her as a “slut.” When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Limbaugh said flatly: “I hope he fails.”

He was frequently accused of bigotry and blatant racism but could often enunciate the Republican platform better and more entertainingly than any party leader, becoming a GOP kingmaker.

Trump, like a long line of conservative politicians before him, heaped praise on Limbaugh, and during last year’s State of the Union speech, awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. On Wednesday, Trump lauded Limbaugh on Fox News as “a legend” who “was fighting till the very end."
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/rush-limbaugh-voice-american-conservatism-died-75953360




Oh man if we had an audience right now you can bet they would be booing as loudly as possible. That is fucked up! It is so fucked up! And if you want to know what he really thinks about people who have had crippling cancer, well, let’s just say that he got what was coming to him. In fact I’m reminded of George Carlin’s bit about cigars. Think about this as you see what he said about gay men suffering from AIDS, one of the worst possible ways to go. Yes, Rush Limbaugh, may you rot in peace.

Many high-profile people on Twitter have been commenting to say that Limbaugh once had a segment on his show, The Rush Limbaugh Show, called "AIDS Update" that mocked the deaths of gay people.

For example, columnist Jessica Valenti went viral with her tweet that claimed: "Rush Limbaugh had a segment called 'AIDS update' set to music where he mocked dying gay people so I don't really want hear about 'speaking ill of the dead' today."

Another viral tweet came from Paul Elliott Johnson, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, who tweeted: "Rush Limbaugh had a regular radio segment where he would read off the names of gay people who died of AIDS and celebrate it and play horns and bells and stuff."

British political commentator Ash Sarkar tweeted: "In the 1980s, Rush Limbaugh hosted a regular radio segment called 'AIDS Update', where he celebrated and mocked the deaths of gay and bisexual men. May the hatred he spread in life be buried with him."
https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-did-rush-limbaugh-mock-aids-death-radio-show-1570282


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[font size="8"]Texas Weather Crisis

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Our policy here at the Top 10 Conservative Idiots is that we try to encourage you to know that elections have consequences. And that doesn’t matter if it’s at the state, local, national level. When you vote, leave no box unchecked. Now you might be asking what does this have to do with the Texas climate change disaster last week? Well, I answer you this: it has to do a whole fucking lot with what happened in Texas last week. If you elect disastrous politicians, you’re going to find your self at the hands of an unthinkable disaster. It’s that fucking simple! And don’t worry Ted Cruz, we’re not letting you get away with this. We’re saving that for the next entry! But really this is a colossal fuck up of epic proportions and no one is spared in this. No one!

Across the plains of West Texas, the pump jacks that resemble giant bobbing hammers define not just the landscape but the state itself: Texas has been built on the oil-and-gas business for the last 120 years, ever since the discovery of oil on Spindletop Hill near Beaumont in 1901.

Texas, the nation’s leading energy-producing state, seemed like the last place on Earth that could run out of energy.

Then last week, it did.

-snip-

Part of the responsibility for the near-collapse of the state’s electrical grid can be traced to the decision in 1999 to embark on the nation’s most extensive experiment in electrical deregulation, handing control of the state’s entire electricity delivery system to a market-based patchwork of private generators, transmission companies and energy retailers.

-snip-

With so many cost-conscious utilities competing for budget-shopping consumers, there was little financial incentive to invest in weather protection and maintenance. Wind turbines are not equipped with the de-icing equipment routinely installed in the colder climes of the Dakotas and power lines have little insulation. The possibility of more frequent cold-weather events was never built into infrastructure plans in a state where climate change remains an exotic, disputed concept.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-power-grid-run-by-ercot-set-up-the-state-for-disaster/ar-BB1dSg2O?li=BBnb7Kz




Holy shit! Let’s think about this for a minute – try de-icing a fucking airplane when there’s no de-icing equipment available anywhere in the state! Not only that, the elected officials dismissed climate change and thought it was a joke. And if you think I’m joking about this, if you want to see the cruelty of Gov. Abbott in action, just check out Idiots # 7-3 when he cared more about Chik Fil A getting banned from San Antonio Airport, or Idiots #4-19 when he suggested that schools have too many exits to allow mass shooters to enter. That’s the kind of conservative idiot we’re dealing with here!

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on Wednesday rebuked a claim made a day before by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that put the blame for that state's massive cold-weather power outage on the failure of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.

In fact, extreme weather like the winter storm that swept across the country in recent days will become more likely as climate change worsens, Gates told Yahoo Finance, advocating instead for an expansion of renewable energy as part of his call for the U.S. to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

On Tuesday, Abbott blamed the outages on wind turbines and on the Green New Deal, a plan for combating climate change that the Texas governor called "a deadly deal for the United States of America."

“Our wind and our solar got shut down, and they were collectively more than 10 percent of our power grid, and that thrust Texas into a situation where it was lacking power on a statewide basis. ... It just shows that fossil fuel is necessary,” Abbott told Sean Hannity in an interview cited by the Washington Post.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bill-gates-texas-gov-greg-abbott-power-outage-claims-climate-change-002303596.html




That’s right! I know there’s no audience right now but I can hear you booing through the power of telepathy! Greg Abbott might easily be the straight winner for the worst governor in America – by, and this is what we in the show business call – a long shot. He had the audacity to blame windmills for the reason the power went out! Taking a page from Trump are we? Yeah remember when he said windmills give you cancer? I do! Oh and here’s the kind of politician Texas elects. Rather than face this disaster head on, this guy decided to flee and leave his constituents to fend for themselves! Oh 2021, and I thought you were going to be a much better year.

The mayor of a West Texas town said Tuesday that he had already resigned after he was widely condemned for writing on Facebook that people suffering in the cold without power shouldn’t look to their local governments for help.

Tim Boyd, who was mayor of Colorado City, made his original, typo-ridden post Tuesday morning, writing that “no one owes you are your family anything; nor is it the local government’s responsibility to support you during trying times like this! … The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING!”

Boyd continued at length, saying that he was “sick and tired” of people looking for handouts and that the current situation is “sadly a product of a socialist government.” “Only the strong will survive and the weak will parish,” he wrote.

The post is no longer available, but numerous screenshots show it and a follow-up post he made several hours later in which he said he stood by the sentiments in his first missive but would have either kept his mouth shut or phrased his message better if he could do things over.

more
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2021/02/17/texas-mayor-says-he-had-already-resigned-after-writing-only-the-strong-will-survive-amid-cold-power-outages/





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[font size="8"]Ted Cruz
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Where’s my guitar at? Gather around kids, and let me tell you the tale of the Senator who decided to flee! That’s about the extent of my guitar playing and songwriting abilities. Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, what are we going to do with you? It’s not just that your state fucked up at the state level. Texas is so chock full of such batshit crazy politcians that it fucked up on every single level. But here’s what makes this so fucking crazy. It’s that Ted Cruz actually fled the border with his family seeking refuge in a place that’s much warmer and had power. But the story goes much deeper than that, we haven’t even begun yet to scratch the surface on what a colossal fuck up this story has been. And Ted Cruz is really just tanking his career at this point.

What happens in Cancun stays in Cancun — unless you’re a U.S. senator.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz admitted Thursday that he “obviously made a mistake” by flying off with his family to the popular Mexican tourist destination while his home state remained paralyzed by a catastrophic winter storm that has knocked out power and water for millions of residents.

Cruz, who left for Cancun on Wednesday with his family, told reporters after landing back in Texas on Thursday evening that he went to the Mexican beach paradise because his two daughters had been “cold for two days” and were begging to “get out” of their home in Houston’s ritzy River Oaks neighborhood.

“It was obviously a mistake. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it. I was trying to be a dad,” said Cruz, one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress. “I think there are a lot of parents that’d be like, ‘If I can do this, great!’ That’s what I wanted to do.”

He claimed he started “second-guessing” the last-minute trip as soon as his family took off from an airport in Houston.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/us-elections-government/ny-weather-texas-ted-cruz-cancun-20210218-pt3mwezb5bhy3ldnab7dx745mu-story.html




Seriously, Ted Cruz i a real life Mayor Quimby! Hey you get that steel drum out of the senator's office!



That is true! Even worse is that is that Ted Cruz didn’t stop there. The man is an absolute monster and he had the audacity to blame his family for this fuck up. That’s right – he’s the kind of conservative who would literally throw his own kids under the bus if it meant saving his own ass. On top of that we’re still in a raging pandemic and we can’t travel anywhere. So why is Ted Cruz fleeing town?

When Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was discovered to have fled frozen, outage-plagued Texas for an extended weekend vacation at the Ritz-Carlton Cancún, he first blamed the trip on his daughters, aged 10 and 12. That was bad politics and probably worse parenting, but then someone on his wife's text message chain leaked the messages to The New York Times, showing that she had been trying to round up a group of neighborhood friends to join them in Mexico. They did not get any takers from Houston, but they also didn't vacation alone.

Ted Cruz invited his longtime friend and college roommate, David Panton, to join the family in Mexico — and Panton, who lives in Atlanta, accepted, Axios reported Monday morning. "An aide tells Axios the senator extended the invitation only after the Cruz family planned the vacation last Tuesday" — leaving conspicuously open the possibility that Cruz himself wasn't the driving force behind the vacation.

Cruz has been trying to make amends to Texans for jumping ship on the state — and, apparently, the family dog — in the middle of a very serious crisis. But the consequences also extend to his daughters, who, according to rules posted by their elite Houston private school on Jan. 30, must now quarantine for 7 to 10 days before returning to class, Politico reports. St. John's School won't even let students in quarantine attend virtually. There was already a divide in the school between parents who followed the safety guidelines and those who flouted them, and "Cruz's trip this week wrenched that divide wide open," Politico says.
https://news.yahoo.com/ted-cruz-invited-college-roommate-135427315.html




I mean seriously, Ted Cruz is the kind of guy who would have blamed the dog for eating his homework in the 4th grade. Now here’s where it gets weird, and you knew it was going to. He not only brought his best friend from college on the trip, he stayed in the Ritz Carlton! That’s not the place you go on an emergency trip! That’s the kind of place you go when you’re relaxing on the beaches during the day and drinking margaritas at night, all while pretending not to be a tourist!

Last week, Texas Senator Ted Cruz left behind frigid Texas temperatures to visit the luxurious Ritz-Carlton in Cancun.

Cruz's decision to fly to Cancun, while millions of Texas residents battled severe winter storms, power outages, and water shortages, sparked intense backlash.

The senator also invited several people outside of the family to the hotel, which the Cruz family has reportedly visited "many times" in the past, according to leaked text messages from the senator's wife, Heidi Cruz.

Cancun has become a popular destination during the pandemic. Expedia's 2021 Travel Trends Report lists Cancun as the No. 1 destination for US travelers.

Here's what you need to know about the luxury Cancun resort Cruz frequents:
https://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-cancun-trip-hotel-he-stayed-at-ritz-carlton-2021-2




I’d expect that kind of thing from Mayor Quimby! And he’s hateable because he’s a rich idiot who keeps getting reelected in spite of being a rich idiot! Though you could say the same about Ted Cruz, the man who ate bacon off a machine gun (see: Idiots #1-2). But ask Ted what he thinks about this debacle and he will tell you that it’s not me, it’s the media’s fault! I told you he’d play the persecution card! If you’re a conservative all you have to do is cry to Fox News and they’ll believe any disgusting spin!

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas says the news media is "obsessed" with his Mexican-vacation scandal because it's suffering from "Trump withdrawal."

Cruz was caught flying to Cancún last week to stay at a luxury five-star resort with his family after a winter storm crippled his state and forced millions of Texans to endure brutally cold temperatures without power.

The senator appeared on the Fox News show "Hannity" on Monday night, when the host Sean Hannity argued that Cruz's getaway got outsize attention from news outlets compared with the revelations coming to light about Gov. Andrew Cuomo's handling of nursing-home deaths in New York during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Where's the proportionality from the mob and the media?" Hannity asked.

To which Cruz responded: "You're right, and I think the media is suffering from Trump withdrawal, where they've attacked Trump every day for four years — they don't know what to do, so they obsessed over my taking my girls to the beach."
https://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-slams-media-mexico-trip-trump-withdrawal-2021-2





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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The downfall of Donald J. Trump, aka Loser 45, is the gift that keeps on giving. Back in late December, it was announced that Atlantic City was going to dear down the last remaining beacon of the Trump Mafia’s reign in the gambling city – Taj Mahal. The casino had been boarded up and closed down for 7 years, finally meeting its’ end this week. The only downside to this story is that I wish that I had been the one to pull the trigger and send that tower into a smoldering rubble. But this week it was revealed that Atlantic City had sent the Trump tower to its’ ultimate demise. And that’s before the NYSG laid the smack down too. Don’t worry we will get to that in a minute!

A few minutes after 9 a.m. on a bitterly cold Tuesday morning on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a horn sounded, and a flock of seagulls perched on the former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino flew away in formation.

A series of booms reverberated from each floor as 3,800 sticks of dynamite exploded and in 19.5 seconds, the 34-story building was on the ground. A cloud of dust thrust towards the Atlantic Ocean and just like that, the last remaining building former President Donald Trump built in the casino town by the sea came down, and his complicated four-decade legacy in Atlantic City was over.

Moments before the implosion, Gina Wislack, a retiree who has lived in Atlantic City for nearly 30 years, was sitting at a table in One Atlantic, a venue across the Boardwalk from Trump Plaza, taking in the last few moments the tower still stood tall.

“I wish he was in there,” says Wislack, who bought the front row seats for $500 through an auction held to benefit the city’s local Boys and Girls Club. “He screwed a lot of small businesses here in Atlantic City. Fuck him. That’s why we’re all here.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2021/02/17/trump-plaza-implosion-how-atlantic-city-celebrated-the-trump-plaza-demolition/?sh=378b15ea5751




I’m with that guy by the way! They could have blown up Taj Mahal with Trump inside and no one would miss him other than the MAGAs! Yeah but I’m not touching that with a 10 foot pole. But what is worth touching on (see what I did there?) is the SCOTUS decision on Trump’s taxes. Don’t worry we are going to keep a huge eye on this subject. It seems now that Trump is a private citizen, he’s subject to the same laws as the rest of us are!

Every U.S. president since Jimmy Carter has released their tax returns with the exception, of course, of Donald Trump. After lying about being unable to share them due to a “routine audit” and claiming that he would do so just as soon as he got the green light, Trump proceeded to spend the next four-plus years doing everything in his power to ensure such information never saw the light of day—almost as though he had something to hide! So you can imagine his reaction when the Supreme Court decided on Monday to reject his last-ditch attempt to shield his returns, which certainly sounds like that of a guy who’s committed all manner of tax fraud and is concerned about the possibility of spending a good chunk of his twilight years in prison.

In a statement on “The Continuing Political Persecution of President Donald J. Trump,” Trump rants that he is the victim of “the greatest political Witch Hunt in the history of our Country.” Referring to the case the court ruled on, which concerns a subpoena of Trump’s accountants by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance, who has opened a criminal investigation into the ex-president, Trump says, “This is something which has never happened to a President before,” naturally failing to mention the fact that, among past POTUSes, only Trump has a reputation as a notorious con man. Nevertheless, he incomprehensibly continues:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/02/donald-trump-supreme-court-tax-returns




Yeah he’s definitely boned all right! So exactly what are prosecutors hoping to gain from looking at Trump’s tax returns? Well everyone knows that he kept them hidden for 5 years which could reveal some seriously shady business dealings, potential criminals he owes money to, and it could potentially reveal anything incriminating like he profited from the presidency. Well the answer to that is “well fucking duh! It doesn’t take a forensic auditor to reveal that information!”.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. fought for a year and a half to get access to former President Donald Trump’s tax records.

Now, thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, he will soon have them. But what will that mean for the Democrat’s grand jury investigation into Trump’s business affairs?

Former prosecutors say the trove of records could give investigators new tools to determine whether Trump lied to lenders or tax officials, before or after he took office.

“Prosecutors look for discrepancies in paperwork. For example, if Trump told the IRS he’s broke and lenders that he’s rich that’s just the type of discrepancy they could build a case around,” said Duncan Levin, a former federal prosecutor who worked on a wide range of white collar cases as Vance’s chief of asset forfeiture.

“These documents are a very important piece of the jigsaw puzzle,” Levin said.

Whether Trump’s records will contain evidence of a crime is uncertain. The former president, a Republican, has argued for years that he broke no laws and has been unfairly targeted by Democrats for political reasons.
https://apnews.com/article/trump-taxes-new-york-prosecutors-0fa3d5f8dba60353aa8a5b25b94b1071




So think of this like a jigsaw puzzle – and one that could potentially incriminate the former president of the United States at that! And don’t worry we will keep an eye on this as it develops. As it stands right now, Trump is in some serious deep shit. And he’ll probably blame his subsequent arrest and trial on the deep state. But the truth is, he did it. And if he’s found guilty, he will be going away for a very long time, so kiss 2024 goodbye! Oh by the way, the answer to the question of if he profited while he was serving as president? The answer to that question is fucking yes of course he did!

Donald Trump never really got out of business. Sure, he handed day-to-day management of his companies to his children, like a lot of tycoons who get preoccupied with other interests late in life. But the president held onto ownership of his assets after taking office, ensuring that he would continue to generate money while serving in the White House. From 2017 to 2019, the president’s businesses raked in an estimated $1.9 billion of revenue.

It’s a significant sum, no matter how you look at it. Documents from various sources—including private lenders, local governments, federal officials and overseas regulators—help show where the money comes from and roughly how much of it turns into profit. An analysis that relies on those documents and conversations with industry experts, broken down for the first time in the forthcoming book White House, Inc., provides an unprecedented look at the president’s finances, which he has worked so hard to shield from public scrutiny.

Trump’s golf course and club portfolio produced the biggest chunk of revenue, some $753 million in three years. The Trump National Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida led the way, bringing in $228 million of revenue from 2017 to 2019, about three-quarters of the total from the 10 other golf courses Trump owns in the United States. In Europe, another golf resort named Trump Turnberry generated $70 million. Holdings in Doonbeg, Ireland and Aberdeenshire, Scotland added $53 million, while Mar-a-Lago took in $69 million.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2020/09/11/trumps-businesses-raked-in-19-billion-of-revenue-during-his-first-three-years-in-office/?sh=b4ab0791e137





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Is Your Mask Fake?
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



We’re nearly one year into the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed nearly 500,000 American lives. Now nearly everyone is asking the same questions. When will social distancing and mask wearing end for good? When will pandemic protocols end? And the thing is that nobody likes wearing the masks but we have to at the moment. Everyone is preparing for that time. With the advent of the vaccines, we’re learning that a black market for vaccines is emerging. Now there’s another side to the pandemic that is creating potentially new headaches. Black market masks. That’s right – the mask you’re wearing on your face to protect you from COVID-19 might be fake. This is a stunningly evil practice and the US just cracked down on the black market for masks.

Federal agents have seized roughly 10m fake 3M brand N95 masks in recent weeks, the result of an ongoing investigation into counterfeits sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies.

The most recent seizures occurred on Wednesday when homeland security agents intercepted hundreds of thousands of counterfeit 3M masks in an east coast warehouse that were set to be distributed, officials said.

Investigators also notified about 6,000 potential victims in at least 12 states including hospitals, medical facilities and others who may have unknowingly purchased knockoffs, urging them to stop using the medical-grade masks. Officials encouraged medical workers and companies to go to 3M’s website for tips on how to spot fakes.

The phony masks are not tested to see whether they meet strict N95 standards and could put frontline medical workers at risk if they are used while treating patients with Covid-19.

Nearly a year into the pandemic, fraud remains a major problem as scammers seek to exploit hospitals and desperate Americans. Federal investigators say they have seen an increase in phony websites purporting to sell vaccines as well as fake medicine produced overseas and scams involving personal protective equipment. The schemes deliver phony products, unlike earlier in the pandemic when fraudsters focused more on fleecing customers.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/17/fake-n95-masks-coronavirus-usa




But the numbers don’t stop there, it’s absolutely startling how it got this way. In fact the fake masks are stemming to nearly a dozen states now, making it almost impossible for the feds to control. At a time when personal protection equipment (PPE) is as important as clothing or shoes, knowing that you have a mask that meets federal standards is important. But how far does this go?

“We are at a vulnerable time, of course, with the pandemic costing so many lives and causing so much harm,” Mayorkas said. “And that individuals, criminals exploit our vulnerabilities for a quick buck is something that we will continue to aggressively pursue.”

Mayorkas noted that the initial leads on the investigation came from 3M, which reported that suspected counterfeit masks were being purchased for health-care workers and first responders.

“This collaboration has helped prevent millions of counterfeit respirators from reaching frontline workers,” Kevin Rhodes, 3M Deputy General Counsel, said in a statement. “We are committed to fighting the pandemic from all angles – manufacturing needed PPE, working to prevent counterfeiting, and helping ensure N95s get to where they are needed the most.”

DHS officials declined to identify where the raids occurred, saying that they cannot comment on an ongoing investigation. Criminal charges are forthcoming, they said. DHS said they have notified about 6,000 suspected victims of the fraud in at least 12 states, including hospitals, medical facilities and others who may have purchased medical masks from what Mayorkas described as a “criminal enterprise.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/17/dhs-seizes-over-11-million-counterfeit-3m-n95-masks-more-raids-to-come.html




Oh yes it’s real. Fake. Real fake. So how do you identify whether the mask you have is real or fake and what do you do about it? Well there’s plenty of ways to determine and whether or not you have a real N95 mask or a fake one. So use caution when you are ordering your masks online and make sure that they meet a few simple requirements. Then you are good to go.
News recently surfaced that the federal and state governments are grappling with a massive counterfeiting ring that managed to distribute at least 10 million fake 3M N95 masks throughout at least five states—and those are just the ones that have been identified and seized by federal officials.

The initial reports involved distribution of fake masks in at least five states. In Washington State alone, it was discovered that a total of 300,000 masks the state had purchased for about $1.4 million were counterfeit. One hospital reported that the vendor had been examined and approved before purchase of the masks, which also passed physical and visual inspections.

The phony masks have been carefully designed to mimic the ones made and sold by 3M, including raised markings and printed labels. 3M also has issued a warning describing the model and lot numbers and other information to look out for when it comes to identifying the mask models that were counterfeited.

In addition, a guide to how masks can be spotted that are falsely claimed to be approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was recently distributed by NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL).
https://www.ehstoday.com/ppe/article/21155518/how-to-identify-fake-n95-masks




Yes probably. But until the COVID-19 pandemic is over you can never be too careful about having the right protection should you have to leave your house. But just as with the amount of fake products circulating on the internet right now, make no mistake that fake pandemic protection is becoming a real problem. The seizures at the Long Island Port Authority have shown that this could have the potential to be problematic as more people discover that they have purchased fake equipment.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have seized nearly 15 million counterfeit face masks since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the agency reported Thursday. Agents confiscated the unsafe personal protective equipment as part of an effort to prevent criminals from exploiting the public crisis for economic gain.

The agency also seized roughly 180,000 prohibited COVID-19 test kits and more than 38,000 prohibited chloroquine tablets typically used to treat malaria. Chloroquine is considered safe for patients with malaria, but has not been shown to be an effective treatment for COVID-19.

Customs and Border Protection import personnel work closely with legitimate trademark holders to identify fake N95 and surgical masks, which may not meet U.S. health and safety standards. Authentic N95 masks are critical for protecting frontline workers from aerosols and droplets that could contain the virus.

"What we've seen is there certainly is a market for these. All of us in the U.S. are really anxious for high-quality masks and test kits and medications," CBP executive assistant commissioner Brenda Smith told CBS MoneyWatch. The "N95 is a really desirable mask right now and really likely to be counterfeited."

When counterfeit goods are sold in the U.S., they also deprive legitimate sellers of revenue, Smith added.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/n95-masks-fake-seized/




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 virtual congregation! It is time that we talk about the violent side of the Bible. See, our Good Book doesn’t have the kind of violent imagery that you see in the real Holy Bible. But before I get into that, I really want to talk about this comment that I saw coming from the Fox News channel. Yes, I happen to stumble upon it in my quarters while I was watching the SINS being committed on our regular television. But every once in a while you see something out there that is so stupid, so mind-boggling dumb that you can’t help but wonder if this is what JAYSUS would even think! And let’s not go over the 9 million ways GAWD struck down vengeance in the Holy Bible, because I could do that standing on my head thank you very much!

A Chicago committee examining the names of more than 500 statues, sculptures, and other public art landmarks could open the doors to biblical figures facing the wrath of cancel culture - or so speculated Fox News host Bill Hemmer.

"If they start canceling American presidents, they'll come after Bible characters next," he said Friday. "Mark my words, right

Similar segments on Fox News became more common over the summer during the height of Black Lives Matter protests and incidents of vandalism in cities around the country.
Hemmer and co-anchor Dana Perino brought on Fox News headlines reporter Carley Shimkus to discuss the name changes with particular attention to those of former presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln.

Shimkus said Lincoln's statue - of which five are under consideration - "could be removed from the city."
"And you know, over the summer, statues were ripped down," Shimkus said. "It was violent. It was wrong. It was illegal."

"But," she added, "I think equally troubling would be to have a group of professional people go through this months long process, look at the history of these men and what they represent to our country, and still decide to take these statues down."
https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/fox-news-host-warns-cancel-culture-could-come-after-bible-characters-next-if-chicago-statues-are-renamed/articleshow/81119483.cms




Oh but cancel culture does exist in the Bible! Need I remind you that GAWD canceled out an entire city when he destroyed Sodom? Or what about angels battling angels? That’s some old, old, really old school cancel culture! But it’s not the Bible that is the threat. It’s white Christian nationalism that is the threat and their followers are getting weirder and scarier. Which is why we need to address this this week, because while we make fun, we’re really poking the bear here.

After a portion of the mob entered the Senate chamber on Jan. 6, a handful of men mounted the podium. One of them lifted his hands and cried out, “Jesus Christ, we invoke your name. Amen.” Then Jacob Chansley, sometimes called the "QAnon Shaman," took his bullhorn and announced gratitude to God for being able to “send a message to all the tyrants, the communists, and the globalists that this is our nation, not theirs.”Bare-chested to expose his white supremacist tattoos, he had paused briefly to remove his Viking-inspired horned headdress and cap — presumably to assume a properly humble posture as he claimed the United States for himself and his fellow-believers.

The violence was roundly condemned, if a bit mealy-mouthed in certain quarters. People spoke of the criminal threat against members of Congress, staffers and police. They lamented the violation of sacred civic space and democratic norms (the few we have left). Many were especially dismayed to find police, veterans and elected officials among the rioters — individuals who had taken oaths to serve and protect the nation.

It is easy to protest when white Christian nationalism turns violent. Within the chorus of critics, however, are a substantial number of Christians who plan to take the country for Jesus another way. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, a leader of the misinformation campaign that led people to believe (falsely) that the presidential election was stolen, is among them.

Speaking in his official capacity as attorney general of Missouri in 2017, he proclaimed at a “Pastors and Pews” meetingthat their charge is to “take the lordship of Christ, that message, into the public realm and to seek the obedience of the nations — of our nation… to influence our society, and even more than that, to transform our society to reflect the gospel truth and lordship of Jesus Christ.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/01/31/christian-nationalism-josh-hawley-ted-cruz-capitol-attack-column/4292193001/




Yes, Senator Hawley is a perfect example of what happens when Christian extremists turn violent and you don’t want to be on the receiving end of this. And when someone says they want you to live by their values, run and run the other way fast! Because that’s not what the GOOD LAWRD JAYSUS would want now, is it? Because his values are not what your values are. But here’s the thing – even now that the unholy, ungodly Dark One is gone from power, his crap still remains!

On the first Sunday after the assault on the U.S. Capitol in January, the Rev. Bill Corcoran stood before his socially distant parishioners at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in suburban Chicago and finally, unambiguously, crossed the line.

“Over the past four years,” he said, “I have failed you by not speaking out when awful things were said and done.” He should have spoken up, he said, about Donald Trump’s abuse of women, his contempt for truth, his mocking of a disabled reporter, his denigration of political rivals, his disrespect for the parents of a dead soldier.

As everyone in the pews understood, Corcoran’s mea culpa implicated more than a lone parish priest. If Corcoran was wrong not to have denounced Trump’s bad words and deeds, what of the parishioners who had supported them, and then voted for more?

Reaction was swift. A dozen congregants walked out of 7:30 Mass, Corcoran told the Chicago Tribune. Nearly two dozen at 9:30. About 30 more at 11:30. Corcoran was “rattled” as he watched members of his flock turn away, he told me in an email.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/americas-churches-are-now-polarized-too




But here’s the thing they’re not telling you – today’s young Christians are proud and more violent than ever. They will make you pray, and that’s after shooting first and asking questions later. And while most of our congregations have overwhelmingly supported the unholy, ungodly Dark One – a man who is so disgusting that his name shall not be spoken in my church, real or virtual! But he has turned the pulpit violent, and there’s no going back!

On the first Sunday after the assault on the U.S. Capitol in January, the Rev. Bill Corcoran stood before his socially distant parishioners at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in suburban Chicago and finally, unambiguously, crossed the line.

“Over the past four years,” he said, “I have failed you by not speaking out when awful things were said and done.” He should have spoken up, he said, about Donald Trump’s abuse of women, his contempt for truth, his mocking of a disabled reporter, his denigration of political rivals, his disrespect for the parents of a dead soldier.

As everyone in the pews understood, Corcoran’s mea culpa implicated more than a lone parish priest. If Corcoran was wrong not to have denounced Trump’s bad words and deeds, what of the parishioners who had supported them, and then voted for more?

Reaction was swift. A dozen congregants walked out of 7:30 Mass, Corcoran told the Chicago Tribune. Nearly two dozen at 9:30. About 30 more at 11:30. Corcoran was “rattled” as he watched members of his flock turn away, he told me in an email.

America’s 380,000 churches have long managed political conflict. Issues such as abortion, capital punishment and government aid to the poor all have a religious valence. But as political polarization has grown more intense, the most sacred spaces have grown more vulnerable to it. Some churches have turned to professional moderators to help keep congregations together.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/americas-churches-are-now-polarized-too




And that’s all you need isn’t it? Well don’t expect the violence to die down any time soon because it’s going to get ugly. Just sit back, grab some popcorn and watch the show. Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Parlerfiles
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So when the far right gets butthurt by real world social media sites – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube - and retreats to their safe spaces of Parler, Gab, Dlive, and Telegram, that’s where we come in! Oh yeah they think they can hide anonymously behind a user name and a teenage girl icon (don’t ask me why, it gets more likes) but we’re coming for them. There is some seriously batshit crazy stuff coming from the alt right and we’re going to find the latest posts and dissect their craziness as we find them. And here’s the thing, normally this is a free-floating segment where we usually don’t have any news, but this week we actually have a story to start us off with!

The alternative social network Parler has reopened after a month offline. The company announced in a press release that the site is now accessible for users with existing accounts and will accept new signups starting next week. It’s also announced a new interim CEO: Mark Meckler, who previously cofounded the right-wing group Tea Party Patriots. The relaunch comes after Apple, Google, and Amazon suspended service in the wake of January’s attack on the US Capitol, citing violent threats on the platform.

Old Parler user accounts have been restored, but old “parleys” — the site’s term for posts — don’t appear to have carried over. Some high-profile users, like Fox News host Sean Hannity, have begun posting on the new site already. The timelines for other major accounts, like fellow host Tucker Carlson or Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), remain empty. Many posts were previously archived by an outside researcher who scraped them before its takedown.

Parler describes itself as politically unaffiliated, but the loosely moderated site became popular with conservative users who were either banned from larger sites or disagreed with the fact-checking and moderation policies of platforms like Twitter and Facebook. After the election, it became a hub for the pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” campaign, which escalated into a deadly attempt to overturn the US election on January 6th. The site went offline on January 10th, when its old host Amazon Web Services suspended its account.

The platform has now relaunched with what a press release calls “robust, sustainable, independent technology.” Parler transferred its domain registration in January to Epik, a registrar known for providing a haven to “deplatformed” far-right-friendly sites.
https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/15/22284036/parler-social-network-relaunch-new-hosting




So that said let’s go through and dissect some Parler posts. Oh my god these people are batshit fucking crazy. I am particularly drawn to the posts coming from an account called “Clay The…” and it’s impossible to tell if this guy is for real, or if he’s a troll, or what the drug of choice he might be smoking or inhaling is. But nevertheless, thanks to the Twitter feed called @Patriottakes, there’s no shortage of good Clay material.

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363902646298443777

What’s a demon tag? You know what? Let us know in the comments what you think a demon tag is, because I’m sure it’s code for something. Either that or he can’t use a keyboard. Then this one makes absolutely no sense.

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363229005621551104



NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! He broke the grammar checker robot! But even Clay has to pay his respects to R4vch Lebrumbgew! Even when I intentionally type something wrong it comes off looking like an airline conformation code. And here’s another one – just trying to unravel the mystery of Clay The is stunningly maddening. What does he do? Pull a keyboard cat and start madly typing out the words hoping to form a coherent sentence?

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1362068056579731463

But then some of these just make absolutely no sense, and I will post them here without comment because these are fucking crazy. Your head will explode Kingsman style if you even dare try to comprehend what Clay is saying. No amount of English majors or 4th grade grammar teachers could ever properly diagram a Clay sentence. I’m calling it now.

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1362071243810365444
https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1362067477904166913
https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1362471050559295500



Well at least we’ll sleep easier knowing more about Clay’s balls! Moving on there’s some other batshit crazy stuff being posted on Parler. What’s even better right now is the social media circle jerk firing squad right now – Gab users are attacking Parler users, and Parler users are attacking Gab users, so sit back, relax, and grab a bag of popcorn and your favorite beverage and watch the show!

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363860183026294786

Here’s the thing, if you don’t want to be canceled, maybe, I don’t know, don’t do anything that might get you canceled? I’m just throwing that suggestion out there. And in case you’re wondering if they have some good old fashioned hardcore racism, oh yeah they got it!

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363963688588247040

And you can also bet our old buddy Alex Jones is flocking to the site, where he’s touting the “banned videos” and his precious armored tank:

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363954151495884804

But at least this guy is honest!

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363952844454252545



And with that it’s time to close the files for this week! Don’t worry, we hope to get some Gab, Dlive, and Telegram posts soon!




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[font size="8"]This Fucking Guy: Ali Alexander And Lin Wood
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Trump always attracts the best people to his cause doesn’t he? That’s why this week we’ve got a double feature on This Fucking Guy – in this corner, we have Trump’s batshit crazy attorney and hardcore racist Lin Wood! And in this corner, we have the guy who is vying to be Trump’s running mate on the 2024 ticket, the guy who is behind those “Stop The Steal” rallies that you might have seen popping up in your neighborhood – Ali Alexander! And here’s the thing, guys, if you are conspiring to take down the 2nd most powerful man in the world, maybe, I don’t know, don’t advertise it on MSNBC beforehand! And hey I always thought they hated MSNBC. Remember all the shit we had to put up with when they called it “MSDNC”? Well anyway guys, you don’t dox the doxxers because otherwise you will be on the receiving end of an FBI probe, and trust us, you don’t want that!

Pro-Trump lawyer and major QAnon booster Lin Wood has urged hundreds of thousands of his supporters to dig up dirt on Georgia officials who will decide if he should be disbarred or not — and to help them in their research, Wood published the officials’ addresses on social media.

In a 1,600-page filing, the State Disciplinary Board of the State Bar of Georgia said that it had “received information concerning the above-named attorney that suggests that said attorney may have violated one or more of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.”

The complaint centers on the “frivolous filings in numerous courts” that Wood — together with Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani — made in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s election loss last November. In total 62 lawsuits were filed, with the Trump team winning just a single one.

The filing, dated Feb. 5 and marked confidential, was revealed only when Wood posted it on social media on Saturday.

Wood, who is one of the most prominent boosters of the dangerous QAnon movement, was kicked off Twitter last month for spreading baseless election fraud allegations, but quickly reestablished his online presence on Telegram, where his channel now has almost 800,000 followers.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/7k9jd9/lin-wood-doxed-georgia-officials-to-hundreds-of-thousands-of-qanon-supporters




Yes doxing the doxxers isn’t just a crime – it might be considered “light treason”. And you know what? Is there any person connected to Trump or the Trump campaign that isn’t batshit fucking crazy? Here’s how crazy Lin Wood is. He’s so crazy that the Georgia State Bar Association is looking to remove him from membership! And I mean come on, this is the state that elected Marjorie Taylor Greene. So you know that Lin Wood doesn’t scratch the surface of Georgia crazy!

The State Bar of Georgia is "proceeding with an inquiry" into attorney Lin Wood, one of the lawyers who unsuccessfully pushed a handful of suits to block Georgia's election results after alleging unfounded claims of fraud, the organization told CNN in a statement Tuesday.

In a statement to CNN, Sarah Coole, chief operating officer with the State Bar of Georgia wrote, "We can confirm the Bar is proceeding with an inquiry under Bar Rule 4-104, but we aren't able to make further comments."

Wood confirmed that he received a complaint filed against him by the State Bar of Georgia, writing on the social app Telegram on February 13, "I just received a 1,600+ page grievance complaint filed against me by the State Bar of Georgia. The GA State Bar has thrown the kitchen sink at me."

Wood did not immediately respond to CNN's request for additional comment.

On January 29, Wood wrote on Telegram that "I am fighting battles on every front. The State Bar of Georgia told me today they would demand a mental health exam from me if I wanted to keep my law license. My mind is sound. I have broken no rules. I asked what I had done wrong, I was only told it was about my social media comments. My speech."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/politics/lin-wood-georgia-state-bar-inquiry/index.html




That’s future footage of Trump by the way! As if one brand crazy isn’t enough, there’s another brand of crazy that Trump attracts. Meet Ali Alexander. He’s the organizer of those “Stop The Steal” rallies that have been popping up, probably in your city! Never mind that they have ties to anti-vaxxers and far right militias, and not to mention the usual crop of suspects like Roger Stone and Rudy Guiliani. But if you see a group like this in your neighborhood, you can rest assured they are all over the fucking place!

Ali Alexander, the lead organizer of the so-called Stop the Steal campaign, has resurfaced after going into hiding following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Streaming on Trovo Wednesday night, Alexander claimed that while he has been licking his wounds, he has been plotting to restart rallies in March, abolish the media, and build a separate society for Trump supporters.

As former President Donald Trump faces an impeachment trial this week for inciting an insurrection with his speech at the Stop the Steal rally the morning of Jan. 6, it appears Alexander has yet to face charges for his role. Alexander rebooted the so-called Stop the Steal campaign the day after Election Day, when Trump’s lead began to slip as mail-in ballots began to be counted. He pushed voter fraud conspiracy theories, embraced QAnon conspiracy theorists and far-right activists in his campaign, claimed to be doing God’s work, and organized three massive rallies in Washington, D.C., that featured the Proud Boys hate group, paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers, and other extremists.

Following Jan. 6, Alexander was booted off most major social media platforms and, as a result, is now streaming on Trovo, a gaming platform that appears to be growing in popularity among far-right actors kicked off other platforms. On Wednesday night, Alexander lamented the “racist, bigoted, anti-Christian, anti-Southern, anti-Republican, anti-conservative, anti-human smear machine” that he says targeted him, and he promised to create chaos. “We’ve got to get back in the driver’s seat,” he added.

“They’ve done a great number on my life, they’ve cost me tens of thousands of dollars, they’ve really destroyed parts of my life, but in a lot of ways, I have no other choice but to announce that I’m building the future, so I’m making strategic investments in tools that fight deplatforming and to create chaos on existing platforms,” Alexander claimed.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/ive-been-plotting-lead-stop-the-steal-organizer-promises-to-restart-rallies-punish-his-enemies-and-build-new-society-for-trump-supporters/




Oh yeah? Well I’ll build my own city with blackjack and hookers! Really, these two goons are made for each other. So if you want to know the kind of person that might attend a rally hosted by Ali Alexander, well they’re about the caliber of person you might expect. And don’t expect these rallies to go away anytime soon. I’ve seen the ones in my town dwindle and they’ll probably soon cease to exist. It will be one guy dressed in a clown suit with a bunch of Trump flags flying from his back.

As the Trump faithful gathered around the Capitol on January 6, two conspiracy theories peddling in government mistrust converged: The fraudulent belief that the election was stolen, and the dangerous narrative that Covid-19 vaccinations are wildly unsafe.

"We're being led off of a cliff," Del Bigtree, an anti-vaccine activist, told the crowd at the "MAGA Freedom Rally D.C." about a block from the Capitol.

"I wish I could tell you that Tony Fauci cares about your safety..." he said. "I wish I could believe that voting machines worked... but none of this is happening."

In the wake of Trump's electoral defeat, some leaders of the anti-vaccine movement latched onto the "Stop the Steal" crusade, advancing their own conspiratorial claims and, in some cases, promoting private business ventures, CNN has found. Some prominent anti-vaxxers say they directly coordinated with organizers of the DC rallies in January and pushed their message at other MAGA demonstrations, and on pro-Trump podcasts and social media platforms.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/politics/anti-vaxxers-stop-the-steal-invs/index.html




So conniving and scheming to build their own places, and getting kicked out of the Bar Association and banned from Twitter. That’s Lin Wood and Ali Alexander, this week’s:




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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 how you define a stupid person in this segment is the same way Dwight Schrute would. Ask yourself “If I were to do something, would an idiot do that thing? And if they would, I don’t do that thing”. So use this segment as a handy guide for things we shouldn’t do. Even in the middle of a still raging pandemic. I want to start with stupid AI bots. Even in the world of super computers, the AI bots are no better than the people who program them. A YouTube algorithm that is designed for checking the trending status of videos actually violated Youtube’s own terms of service agreement because… it flagged the video’s use of “black” and “white” chess pieces for being racist! Yeah… and people wonder why other people hate “cancel culture”.

Did YouTube block a chess channel over violation of community guideline and usage of racist language? Late last year, a YouTuber who produces popular chess videos found that his channel was blocked over charges of 'harmful and dangerous' content.

Even though the channel was restored within 24 hours, the YouTube did not explain why it had blocked Croatian chess player Antonio Radic, also known as 'Agadmator,' from its platform briefly, the Dailymail reported.

Experts suspect that it was the usage of words like "black" and "white" that confused the Yutube's AI filters. They found that 80% of chess videos that were flagged for hate speech actually ahd terms like 'black,' 'white,' 'attack' and 'threat.'

The researchers now suggest that social-media platforms should incorporate chess language in their algorithms to avoid future incidents like this.

Agadmator has over a million subscribers on his channel and is considered the most popular chess vertical on YouTube. However, his channel was blocked in June last year after he posted a segment with Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, a five-time champion and the youngest American to earn the title of Grandmaster.

Youtube uses AI algorithms and human moderators to filter out prohibited content. But in this case, the algorithm couldn't differentiate between hate speech and normal conversation.
https://www.news18.com/amp/news/buzz/youtube-ai-blocked-chess-channel-after-confusing-black-and-white-for-racist-slurs-3454316.html?__twitter_impression=true




Yeah I think we’ve been under Trump too long when our AI bots can’t distinguish real conversation from actual hate speech. Moving on… next up, speaking of stupid people and machines, would you really trust your male organ parts to a device that can be locked electronically and hacked by Wifi? Seriously I don’t even trust my phone to connect to my car stereo by Bluetooth. You must have balls of… oh wait… what would you call this thing?

Dick Cage Maker Says IoT Chastity Belt Is Safe After New Penetration Test

After several customers got hacked, the distributor of an internet connected chastity cage wants to reassure everyone that the device is now safe to use.

Last year, a hacker locked the internet-connected chastity cages of several men and asked for a ransom after taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the device's mobile app infrastructure. One victim, who had his device on when the hacker took control, had no choice but to use bolt cutters to free himself, which left him "bleeding and it fucking hurt," as he told Motherboard recently.
Advertisement

Now, the European distributor of the chastity cage, which is called CELLMATE, wants everyone to know that it's safe to use the device after the release of a new app, which it says fixed the vulnerabilities in the API used to control it. The vulnerabilities were found last year by the security firm Pen Test Partners, which specializes in finding bugs in Internet of Things devices. The distributor says it contracted with a third party to do an additional penetration test of the cock cage's app.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5b3mw/dick-cage-maker-says-iot-chastity-belt-is-safe-after-new-penetration-test




That is a good question! Next up on People Are Dumb – we go to the south of the border to Cajeme, Mexico for this one. Now there’s nothing funny about someone stabbing someone no matter what the situation is. OK yes I know George Carlin said you can joke about anything. But what makes this dumb is not that the woman stabbed her husband in a fit of jealous rage. But what happens after the fit of psychotic passion. Yes, plot twist!

A jealous wife has been arrested in Mexico after she reportedly stabbed her husband in a blind rage when she found old photos on his cell phone of him having sex with ‘another’ woman - failing to realize the images were actually of her.

The woman, identified by police only as 'Leonora R', was arrested last week after law enforcement were summoned to a home in the municipality of Cajeme, Sonora, to reports of a domestic dispute.

When officers arrived they found that Leonora’s husband, identified as 'Juan N', had been stabbed multiple times on his legs and arms.

The violent attack was reportedly sparked after Leonora found explicit photos on Juan’s cell phone, showing him having sex with whom she believed to be another woman.

Without giving him time to explain himself, Leonora allegedly began stabbing Juan over and over again, while hurling insults at him.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9185805/Wife-stabs-husband-multiple-times-finding-pictures-woman-her.html




Next up – we go to our favorite state, the great state of Florida. Because no “People Are Dumb” segment is complete without a trip to the Sunshine State, or as Homer Simpson famously called it, “America’s Wang”. First up you know those De Beers commercials when they show people giving people elaborate diamonds in romantic settings? Well I don’t know what this next story is, but it’s quite the opposite of that!

Detectives are searching for a Central Florida man who authorities suspect stole engagement rings from a woman in Orange City and used them with a different woman in Orlando.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said Joseph L. Davis, 48, is wanted on a felony charge of grand theft, according to a VCSO press release.

Deputies charged him after an Orange City woman saw a photo on social media of Davis engaged to another woman. The Orange City woman noticed the Orlando woman wore a similar wedding band and engagement ring.

She told deputies both items, and her grandmother’s diamond ring, were missing when she went to check her jewelry box.

The total value of the property is around $6,270, the sheriff’s office said.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-ne-central-florida-man-stealing-engagement-rings-girlfriend-20210211-weh6vyvghrclrmvfo7e3x6emz4-story.html?




Yeah probably. Maybe, and I don’t know here, don’t steal an engagement ring and give it to another girlfriend. Finally this week – OK look we’re all tired of the pandemic and we all want to see normal life come back. So get the vaccine people. But really don’t cheat or do anything that could get you arrested as you wait for your turn in line. That’s where these idiots come into play. But really just remember Dwight’s thoughts on idiots and you are good.

Two women who dressed as senior citizens in an attempt to get COVID-19 vaccinations were turned away and issued trespass warnings in Orlando, Florida, officials said.

Dr Raul Pino, the state health officer in Orange County, where Orlando is located, said the women “dressed up as grannies” and disguised themselves on Wednesday with bonnets, gloves and glasses.

Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Michelle Guido told the Orlando Sentinel that the women, aged 34 and 44, altered their birth years on their vaccination registrations to bypass the state system, which prioritises people age 65 and older. It appeared that the women had gotten the first shot, but it was unclear where.

“Their names matched their registration but not their dates of birth,” Guido told the Sentinel.

Health Department officials asked deputies to issue trespass warnings.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/19/florida-women-dressed-as-grannies-fail-in-vaccination-attempt




That’s it this week for:





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Welcome back to the coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there! This is the very last and final one of these we’re ever going to do. Now don’t be sad. We’ll be back in 2024 when Biden will run for office again and we hopefully won’t be in a raging pandemic! For our final thoughts on what has been an absolutely insane election cycle, we thought we’d go over Biden’s poll numbers after his first month in office and the things he’s done to get there. Because you know what? Now that the other guy is now a private citizen and been kicked off social media, who the fuck cares? This might be one of the best headlines I’ve ever seen and this is after four years of President Shithead McFuckface!

As the nation faces a pandemic, a weakened economy and political unrest that began under his predecessor, Joe Biden is enjoying a honeymoon with its voters.

Morning Consult Political Intelligence tracking conducted during the 46th president’s first few days in office shows 56 percent of voters approve of his job performance, while 34 percent disapprove. Biden’s approval rating is 4 percentage points higher than the 52 percent who approved of former President Donald Trump in an early March 2017 poll from Morning Consult and Politico — his best-ever showing during his presidency — and it looks even stronger compared to polling conducted at a similar point four years ago, when 46 percent approved of Trump’s initial work.

Echoing Morning Consult’s pre-inauguration findings, Biden’s superior early marks are driven by a more unified base, as well as more support among self-described independent voters: 91 percent of Democrats approve of Biden’s initial job performance, compared with 83 percent of Republicans who said the same of Trump in January 2017, and 49 percent of independents back Biden’s early approach — up 8 points from Trump’s four years ago.

The Jan. 22-24 poll of more than 11,000 registered voters, which has a 1-point margin of error, came after Biden’s Jan. 20 inaugural address that focused on bridging America’s political divide received a warm reception from most voters, including those of the opposition party.
https://morningconsult.com/2021/01/25/morning-consult-political-intelligence-biden-job-approval-polling/




Oh man that felt good! And you know what? The Trump fans can claim that Biden is sitting in his basement all they want when he’s actually at the Oval Office and making policies both national and international. So yeah who the hell cares what they think anymore? And the best part is that he’s doing this as he is undoing Trump’s dangerous agenda! I like to call this “the untrumpening”. Not a horror movie either!

President Joe Biden has been in office for one full month, and recent polls have shown that more than 50 percent of Americans so far view his job performance favorably.

Biden transitioned into the White House last month with support from over two-thirds of Americans, and his first few days saw approval ratings as high as 63 percent – a number larger than any of former President Donald Trump's rating during his term.

Now, with 30 days into office, Biden continues to have the support of more than half of Americans, though his approval tends to fall heavily along party lines.

According to FiveThirtyEight's poll tracker, 54.4 percent of Americans approve of Biden's presidency one month in, while 38.1 percent disapprove. According to the data, that number has remained relatively consistent since Biden's first week in office, when he had 53 percent approval.
https://www.newsweek.com/over-50-percent-americans-approve-bidens-performance-during-his-first-month-office-1570666




Even on the economy Biden is polling better than Trump. Imagine that! A guy who puts honor over humanity is actually good for the economy! Unlike Trump, who put himself and his ego over just about everything else. Right now, we need a guy like Joe Biden in the White House because he represents the honor that this nation needs after Trump came in like a bull in a china shop. Both literally and figuratively, I might add.

President Joe Biden is on the best presidential honeymoon going back at least to Bill Clinton in 1993.

A special online edition of the CNBC All-America Economic Survey focusing on the Biden agenda finds his approval rating at a sky-high 62%, beating the first presidential ratings of Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. In fact, Biden’s initial rating is 18 points higher than Trump’s.

The survey of 1,000 people conducted earlier this month sees Biden with majority approval for his handling of the economy and for uniting the country. Sixty-five percent of the public approve of his actions so far when it comes to fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Unlike Trump, Biden “has made the coronavirus his most important issue in office and throughout the campaign,” said Jay Campbell, a Hart Research partner and the Democratic pollster for the survey. “And the health and economic plans he has put forward have a great deal of resonance with the public.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/11/biden-gets-62percent-approval-in-cnbc-economic-survey-topping-first-ratings-of-the-last-four-presidents.html




Oh man this is so excellent! And I must say everybody job well fucking done. From Stacy Abrahams flipping Georgia to Beto getting the vote out in Texas to strong showings in North Carolina and Ohio – both red states – we are going to turn the United States even bluer in 2024. Now that Rush Limbaugh is dead, let’s make Limbaughism history. We did it! Let’s celebrate this one. The battle may be won, but the war is far from over!

Fifty-seven percent of Americans approve of the job Joe Biden is doing as president in Gallup's first measurement of the 46th president. That is just below the average 60% rating for post-World War II presidents elected to their first term.

Biden's 37% disapproval rating is among the highest for a president's first reading, second only to Donald Trump's 45%. Americans were much more inclined to form early judgments -- good or bad -- of these two most recent presidents than their predecessors, with no opinion responses typically exceeding 20% for presidents prior to 2017.

Biden's initial job approval rating is similar to those of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, while it is better than those of Trump, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower all had higher ratings than Biden, with two-thirds or more of Americans approving of their performance at the beginning of their presidencies.

The Biden data come from a Jan. 21-Feb. 2 Gallup poll. The new president has spent much of his early days in office trying to address the coronavirus pandemic by developing a nationwide strategy to confront the virus and vaccinate the public. He is also marshaling support for a coronavirus relief bill. He has signed a number of executive orders, many undoing actions undertaken by the Trump administration.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/329348/biden-begins-term-job-approval.aspx









See you next week!

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Top 10 Conservative Idiots Recorded At: Flappers Comedy Club, Burbank, CA
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Initech Productions: Yes, We Got The Memo

February 21, 2021

Preview For This Week's Top 10 Conservative Idiots

What happens in Cancun stays in Cancun — unless you’re a U.S. senator.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz admitted Thursday that he “obviously made a mistake” by flying off with his family to the popular Mexican tourist destination while his home state remained paralyzed by a catastrophic winter storm that has knocked out power and water for millions of residents.

Cruz, who left for Cancun on Wednesday with his family, told reporters after landing back in Texas on Thursday evening that he went to the Mexican beach paradise because his two daughters had been “cold for two days” and were begging to “get out” of their home in Houston’s ritzy River Oaks neighborhood.

“It was obviously a mistake. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it. I was trying to be a dad,” said Cruz, one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress. “I think there are a lot of parents that’d be like, ‘If I can do this, great!’ That’s what I wanted to do.”

He claimed he started “second-guessing” the last-minute trip as soon as his family took off from an airport in Houston.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/us-elections-government/ny-weather-texas-ted-cruz-cancun-20210218-pt3mwezb5bhy3ldnab7dx745mu-story.html




Seriously, Ted Cruz i a real life Mayor Quimby! Hey you get that steel drum out of the senator's office!

**canned audience laughter and applause**

This week the Top 10 is all new live from Burbank! We mourn the death of the original Conservative Idiot - Rush Limbaugh by playing his greatest hits, and they're not flattering! Plus the Texas Climate Change Disaster, we have a recap of CPAC, we probe the latest in the Capitol Riots, Atlantic City says goodbye to Trump, we profile two batshit Trump sycophants - Lin Wood and Ali Alexander, and we welcome the return of Parler with another look into the alt right social media depths of depravity! Plus in our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates - is your mask fake? A new federal crackdown on bogus COVID masks shows that yes, the sketchy black market for COVID products exists! And in our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in "Holy Shit" - our resident pastor is going to take a look at the more violent side of the Bible! Do what they say or God will destroy you! We also have a new People Are Dumb because of course they are! Finally it's our very last Road To The White House! Can't believe it took us this long but we finally did it!

Top 10 Conservative Idiots: Wed at 2:00 PM /shameless self promotion
February 17, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-4: It's Always Sunny In Philly-Delphia Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-4: It’s Always Sunny In Philly-Delphia Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! OMG - breaking fucking news. As we were getting ready to tape this week's episode, Rush Limbaugh is dead! The Wicked Witch is dead! Don't worry, we will cover it in full next week. So on with our regularly scheduled program. How’s everybody doing? Of course we’re still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future, so there’s that. I mean look at this backdrop! It’s so blue!!! But some good news – we are just two weeks away from our annual scourge of stupidity – the 2021 Stupidest State! Yay!! Do we have time for the thing? Anyways I think we’ve all been on Zoom too long don’t you think? I mean I am seriously getting a serious case of eye strain. My eyes literally can’t take anymore staring at a computer screen. And I’m sure that’s what happened when a lawyer in Presidio County, Texas turned on his Zoom to attend a hearing, only to find that his chat filter had been replaced with… a cat filter! That’s right – there’s a picture of the judge, two attorneys… and the third guy is pictured as a talking cat! Yes, think of this as a really fucked up version of the Brady Bunch intro. Except one of the Bradys is a cat! I’m looking at you, Marcia! Oh and if you guess that the guy – whose real name is Rod Ponton, which is a very West Texas name, is selling merchandise – you are correct! That’s right you can now buy Zoom Cat merchandise, and really in the grand scheme of things this is more believable than Ted Cruz unable to analyze reality from satire! OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to, but first John Oliver is back and discussing the Next Pandemic. Dear god I don’t want to think about it!



So in the number one slot this week, of course is the former president of the United States, Donald Trump (1) and we have to bring you the highlights and lowlight of his second impeachment trial. Yeah it’s all BLM and Antifa’s faults! Taking the second slot this week is Jacob Chansley (2). You might know him better as the Q Anon Shaman from the Capitol Riots (2). And if you guessed that his arrest has forced him to revaluate his life, you might be correct! Taking the #3 slot this week is another dip into the international Conservative Idiots file with our segment “What’s Up With India?” and we’re going to take a look at the farmer’s revolt against brutal PM Narajendra Modi (3), it’s another look at the creeping fascism that is engulfing the globe at the moment! In slot #4 this week is Q Anon (4) – it seems the conspiracy theory is unraveling at the seems and they keep moving back the goal posts to when Trump’s “real” inauguration is going to be. In the #5 slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates, and this week we’re going to take a look at an alarming FDA study that says that your baby food might be toxic! Yup that is happening. In the #6 slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6), and this week – the Christian right is turning up their propaganda to 11 and they’re coming up with some ridiculous prophecies in regards to current events, and our resident pastor will help you sort fact from fiction! In the #7 slot this week we’re bringing back one of our favorite segments – “Is It Racist?” (7) and this week there’s a lot of racism in the news including (former) Mandalorian star Gina Carano and country star Morgan Wallen. In the #8 slot this week we have a new “This Fucking Guy” and this week we’re profiling Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey (8) and whew, this guy is a colossal dick, but you probably already knew that! In the #9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is a new “I Need A Drink” and this week we’re going to get drunk and tell you the strange tail of the Gorilla Glue Girl, well, at least it has a happy ending. No, not that kind of happy ending! Finally this week is our penultimate “Road To The White House” (10) and this week we’re going to educate Trump fans on what a president really does, and that he doesn’t need to congratulate himself every time he does something presidential! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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Hey! I’m just going to rile up my armed followers to enter the Capitol to stop an election that was already decided based on deranged conspiracies being floated about by my most loyal fans! How’s anyone gonna get hurt?





You know last week when we started planning this week’s edition. And it really looked like there was actually a slight possibility that Trump could get acquitted! And the keyword there is “slight”. Yeah I know that there’s no way in hell he would have actually been convicted for the Capitol Riots, but a man can dream can’t he? And I will admit that I had a totally different idea planned for this entry but then the trial went out and fizzled out on its’ own and we’re left with a “not guilty” verdict. And yeah don’t worry, Mitch, we haven’t forgot about you, you coward! And for god sakes people! Let’s get a grip here, Trump may have been acquitted! But he’ll never be pardoned!

When you read the Constitution and the Federalist Papers, you can see how clearly the Founders understood a single moral maxim—power corrupts. Having just thrown off the yolk of a king they could not elect and a parliament they did not select, they were keenly concerned that no single person could dominate the new American government.

Their solution was of course the checks and balances that we’re taught in high school civics. Presidents can veto Congress. The House and Senate can override vetoes. Courts can invalidate unconstitutional legislation. Each branch has only the powers granted it in the Constitution. Critically, however, the branches were not “co-equal.” Each could check the other, but at the end of the day, Congress—the branch closest to the people—was supreme.

Think about it. Not only can Congress override vetoes, it has the sole power of the purse (thus it can fund or defund any operation of government), through impeachment and conviction it can fire a president or any member of the Supreme Court, and it has the sole power to declare war. But if Trump’s presidency taught us anything, it’s that Congress is neutered. It’s neutered by its own long, voluntary legal decline and by increasing partisanship.

And so, now, one single person can dominate American government. And when that single person has the moral character of a man like Donald Trump, he can place immense strains on the American republic.
https://time.com/5939806/donald-trump-impeachment-acquittal-democracy/




Dude, seriously, Trump could have Charlie as his attorney and he’d still probably get the same outcome of that trial! But hey, at least the guy who did serve as Trump’s attorney, provided some comic relief from the proceedings. I’m sure everyone was as nervous as I was, but hey we kind of expected this going into the trial. But that said, it’s always sunny in Philly-Delphia! Seriously, where are Frank, Mac, Dennis, and Charlie when you need them?

Philadelphia attorney Michael T. van der Veen has taken a starring role in Donald Trump’s impeachment defense over the last two days — but he’s also incurred backlash.

Vandals smashed windows and spray-painted “TRAITOR” on the driveway of his suburban Philadelphia home Friday night, after he spent hours on the Senate floor hurling partisan invective and testily condemning the former president’s second impeachment trial as “constitutional cancel culture.”

A group of demonstrators with the group Refuse Fascism gathered outside his Center City law office chanting, “When van der Veen lies, what do you do? Convict. Convict.”

And when he returned to the Senate podium Saturday for a debate over whether witnesses would be called to testify about Trump’s mindset during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, his suggestion that he would seek to depose at least 100 people at his office drew audible, bipartisan guffaws from the room — and set the internet ablaze.

“None of these depositions should be done by Zoom,” he said. “These depositions should be done in person, in my office in Philly-delphia.”
https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/michael-van-der-veen-trump-phillydelphia-vandalism-20210213.html




Poor choice of words there, Charlie. Though I think Trump might be into that sort of thing. Yeah it’s a really shitty situation and you could say that the Dems were walking into a trap, and I might say that you’re right. But the truth is that Trump needs to be punished for what happened on Jan. 6th, it’s not like we can pretend it didn’t happen. But the good news is that his defeat in 2020 has exposed new light on the circular firing squad that is the GOP.

Donald Trump's acquittal in the Senate's impeachment trial -- and the backlash now facing Republicans who voted to convict him -- have exposed the deepening rift within the GOP over whether to continue to fully embrace the former President or seek to move past his divisive brand of politics.

The immediate aftermath of Trump's trial has underscored just how difficult it will be for the GOP to break from Trump as the party charts its path forward. The round of recriminations over Trump has Republicans who are tasked with winning back the House and Senate in the 2022 midterm elections concerned it could distract from the party's ability to focus on defeating Democrats and regaining power in Washington.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is vowing to focus on electability over loyalty to Trump as the party faces a slate of races to control the Senate in the states where the margins between Trump and President Joe Biden had been closest.

But Republican senators who voted to convict Trump are now facing censures from local and state parties that so far have not tolerated any criticism of the former President, now nearly four weeks removed from office. Those reprisals are an illustration of how the party is currently fashioned around a single leader -- and illustrate the difficulty Republican candidates will face in retaining the support of a Trump-adoring GOP base while appealing to a broader electorate with whom Trump is unpopular.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/15/politics/republican-party-trump-midterms/index.html




Well it could always pan out that way! But when you’re the head of a mob, don’t be surprised when you get compared to other mobsters. Yeah I wanted to bring highlights from the trial, but since there really wasn’t a trial, I can bring you this. at least Trump is being compared to being the mob boss that he is, rather than previous presidents. John Gotti may have earned the nickname “Teflon Don” but I think Trump could easily secure that title!

Former President Donald Trump’s acquittal in his second impeachment trial has earned him a new nickname from the folks on Twitter.

On Saturday, “Teflon Don” began trending on the social media platform with spectators comparing the 74-year-old to former mafia boss John Gotti. Teflon is a chemical used for a variety of purposes, including creating nonstick surfaces, according to Healthline.

Gotti was nicknamed Teflon Don because of his past of avoiding convictions throughout the 1980s in which prosecutors struggled to get charges to stick, History reports.

Meanwhile, Trump has received the nickname after being charged with inciting the insurrection on the Capitol on Jan. 8 and being acquitted on a technicality. The verdict left people in the Twitterverse outraged.

“This was a big waste of money and time his name might as well be Teflon Don. he's as dirty and as guilty as they come but yet he's still going to get away with it because some fast-talking lawyers and some very racist crooked Republicans decided not to find him guilty. Disgusting,” one person wrote.
https://www.ibtimes.com/trump-compared-teflon-don-john-gotti-after-being-acquitted-impeachment-trial-3144927





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OK so you know how many of us usually have that stream of conscious that when you do something that is really fucked up, it causes you to rethink your life choices? For many who were involved in the horrific events of January 6th, that decision was when they decided to enter the Capitol. And now many of them regret following the pied piper that is our former president. Donald J. Trump. These people are such died in the wool Trump fans that if he instructed his followers to go jump off a cliff, they’d be fighting each other over who would be first in line. Damn I’ve been to concerts where the headliner didn’t have that kind of fanfare. Remember those? Yeah. Well for our friend the Q Anon Shaman, aka Jacob Chansley, is certainly showing signs of regret.

Jacob Chansley, the "QAnon Shaman," regrets his involvement in the Capitol Riot that occurred on January 6, he said in a statement his St. Louis-based attorney released Monday.

Chansley is facing charges for his alleged role in the Capitol Riot. In a statement released by attorney Al Watkins, Chansley says he takes responsibility for his actions.

“My time in jail has permitted me to start to reanalyze my life. I am deeply committed to ahimsa, a basic principle of non-violence which applies all living creatures, large and small. There was a lot that happened over time which led up to January 6, 2021. I am working on coming to grips with that.

I am deeply disappointed in former President Trump. He was not honorable. He let a lot of peaceful people down. I have to leave judging him up to other people. It is my aim to focus on what is important at this time. What is important is for me to apologize.

Read more: https://www.kmov.com/news/qanon-shaman-regrets-capitol-riot-says-president-trump-was-not-honorable/article_5577a5ca-6a84-11eb-8c1f-df7eac09a7b2.html




Oh sure it's all fun and games until your man crush commences a violent insurrection that gets 5 people killed and cops beaten to death with their own flag. But hey, you do you! I mean come on, don’t squeeze the Shaman! Hey that’s a double reference too! I mean seriously? Peaceful? Who is he kidding? You don't bring pipe bombs, zip lines, AR-15s, and hand axes to a rally unless you're looking to start some shit. But here’s the kind of scrutiny this guy is facing – well none because he’s apparently getting special treatment in prison. Yeah fuck this bullshit.

As trays with bologna sandwiches and canned fruit are being served to millions of people in America's prisons and jails, US Capitol rioter and so-called "QAnon Shaman" Jacob Chansley is only eating organic food while he awaits trial.

Last week, a federal judge ordered that Chansley should be given organic food after several requests and an apparent hunger strike, claiming non-organic food was against his religion and sickened him. Chansley's demand and the subsequent judge's decision exuded privilege in a system that has a reputation of serving inmates bland and sometimes unsafe meals, advocates say.

"The fact that this man is given this kind of preference shows the double standard in the criminal justice system, and in the detention system," said Rev. Al Sharpton, an iconic civil rights activist and founder of the National Action Network.

Chansley, the man seen in photos dressed in horns, fur headdress and face paint inside the US Capitol during the January 6 riot, was first detained at the Federal Correctional Institution Phoenix in Arizona, where he had been fed organic food, according to court documents. When Chansley was moved to the nation's capital to face his charges, the DC Jail denied his request to eat only organic food because the jail's contracted food providers did not offer those type of meals.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/08/us/prison-meals-qanon-shaman-organic-food/index.html




Yeah maybe healthy eating is at least a good thing? So what kind of charges is our good friend, Mr. Shaman facing? Well besides inciting a riot, there’s new evidence that our good friend was spotted at the Capitol screaming about how Trump is still the president. I mean my god how stupid and insane can these people get? This is what happens when you court gullible people into becoming even more gullible is that they believe this shit!

St. Louis attorney Al Watkins is speaking out after his 'QAnon Shaman’ client, who was seen in viral photos storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, did not receive a pardon during President Donald Trump’s final hours in office.

Jake Angeli, whose legal name is Jacob Anthony Chansley, has been charged with civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, demonstrating in a Capitol building, entering a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

One of Watkins’ first statements when he began representing Chansley, who is known for his painted face and horned hat, was that his client "accepted President Trump's invitation to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol." The attorney has said the 33-year-old did not participate in the violence and surrendered peacefully.

“My client had heard the oft-repeated words of President Trump,” Watkins said last week. “The words and invitation of a president are supposed to mean something. Given the peaceful and compliant fashion in which Mr. Chansley comported himself, it would be appropriate and honorable for the president to pardon Mr. Chansley and other like-minded, peaceful individuals who accepted the president’s invitation with honorable intentions.”
https://www.kmov.com/news/qanon-shaman-attorney-speaks-out-on-pardon-snub-would-have-been-the-honorable-thing-to/article_fb2cb6fc-5b36-11eb-a63a-1bc14a00c135.html




Wait – he really thought Trump was going to pardon him for this? He must be smoking some bad covfefe there! Did Mr. Shaman hire Lin Wood as his attorney? It seems like these guys are all connected somehow, that’s what happens when you join a cult. But at least he’s showing regret for these actions, that’s a start, I guess? The thing is it’s going to take out years and maybe even decades to sort out what went down on January 6th, but if enough people turn, we might get some results before then!

An Arizona man who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol while sporting face paint, no shirt and a furry hat with horns now says he regrets storming the building, apologized for causing fear in others and expressed disappointment with former President Donald Trump.

In a statement released late Monday through his attorney, Jacob Chansley said he has re-evaluated his life since being jailed for over a month on charges stemming from the riot and now realizes he shouldn’t have entered the Capitol building. Chansley, who previously said Trump inspired him to be in Washington on Jan. 6, said Trump “let a lot of peaceful people down.”

Chansley said he’s coming to terms with the events leading up to the riot and asked people to “be patient with me and other peaceful people who, like me, are having a very difficult time piecing together all that happened to us, around us, and by us. We are good people who care deeply about our country.”

Chansley’s attorney, Al Watkins, released the statement about a half day before Trump’s impeachment trial was scheduled to begin in the U.S. Senate.
https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/us_world_news/qanon-shaman-apologizes-from-his-jail-cell-for-storming-us-capitol/article_ba74b962-10b0-5f2a-af42-3614827a8750.html





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[font size="8"]India Farmer’s Revolt

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Our continuing policy here at the Top 10 Conservative Idiots is that we recognize that conservative idiocy isn’t just limited to being a state, local, or even uniquely American problem anymore. It’s a global problem with conservative idiocy now reaching most of the world. With that said we’re going to take a look at the world’s largest subcontinent with the world’s largest population, India. Since the election of Narajendra Modi in 2019, the people of India are growing increasingly concerned that he’s ruling with an autocratic iron fist, similar to what we experienced here with Donald Trump. So here’s why the farmers are revolting. It’s another example of “Do as I say, not do as I do”. Because Modi is saying one thing but the truth… is far more horrifying.

Narendra Modi, India’s Hindu nationalist prime minister, has probably never read Lord Hailsham. But maybe he should. The former lord chancellor’s 1976 BBC lecture contains perhaps the most penetrating assessment of parliamentary democracy, of which India is its largest version. Lord Hailsham’s argument carries a constitutional lesson at an opportune moment for Mr Modi. The Conservative peer warned that Britain risked becoming an “elective dictatorship”. A government’s parliamentary majority is merely tempered by political realities and MPs’ consciences. “Only a revolution, bloody or peacefully contrived, can put an end to the situation,” he said.

Mr Modi swept to victory in elections in 2019. The once‑mighty Congress party almost disappeared. No rival party gained enough seats to have its chief named leader of the opposition. The judiciary has been cowed by Mr Modi. It is no laughing matter when Indian Muslim comedians are jailed for jokes that they have not made. Mr Modi has an autocratic style. He takes decisions without forewarning and expects them to be rubber‑stamped by a pliant legislature. Last summer, Mr Modi enacted major farm laws that threaten the livelihoods of two-thirds of India’s 1.3 billion people without discussion, during the Covid lockdown of parliament. What followed was arguably the largest general strike in history and weeks of unrest. Unless there is a climbdown, farmers will bring the capital to a halt this week, when Mr Modi hopes to be taking the military salute on the country’s Republic Day.

India’s prime minister says that the reforms will benefit farmers. Agriculture needs updating not least because it is fast-depleting the country’s water tables. But Mr Modi blocked parliamentary scrutiny and prevented farmers from raising objections via lawmakers. The supreme court has stepped in, but judges were no honest brokers, setting up a committee to investigate the issue that was dominated by pro-Modi voices.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/24/the-guardian-view-on-indias-farming-revolt-a-bitter-harvest




Yeah so that’s just the Art Of The Deal. See we give Trump a lot of shit but really he’s just another piece of the fascist global puzzle that’s being put together. See? People don’t want a fair and free democratic ruler who cares about people! They want the opposite of that, they want what Loki attempted to accomplish in the Avengers! Ah if only Loki knew what people were talking about on Facebook, he could easily exploit that!

Tens of thousands of farmers drove a convoy of tractors into the Indian capital as the nation celebrated Republic Day on Tuesday in the backdrop of agricultural protests that have grown into a rebellion and rattled the government.

The capital’s roads were swarmed by rows upon rows of tractors bearing flags of India and farm unions. Farmers, wearing distinctive colorful turbans, shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and what they call his “black laws.” Thousands more marched on foot while dancing and singing, and at one place they were showered with flower petals by residents, some of whom recorded the unprecedented rally on their phones.

“We want to show Modi our strength,” said Satpal Singh, a farmer who marched into the capital on a tractor along with his family of five. “We will not surrender.”

Police in riot gear used tear gas and water cannon at two places to push back the protesters who tried to knock down barricades. Authorities also parked large trucks to barricade multiple routes so that farmers don’t march to the interiors of the capital.
https://time.com/5933366/india-republic-day-protests-farmers/




Sorry, Loki, not doing that today! Where is Captain America when you need him? But sure it’s all fun and games until the riot police are called! So why don’t we hear from the man himself? Where does Modi stand on this whole situation? Well if you guessed that he’s blaming the farmers for their own revolt, you might be right! Hey the guy who robbed that bank was actually a bank employee! That might have worked in the Dark Knight but it doesn’t work in real life!

India's prime minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that protesters who stormed New Delhi's historic Red Fort had caused "insult" to the country, his first public comments on a months-long farmers' revolt that turned violent last week.

Tens of thousands of farmers have camped on the outskirts of the capital for more than two months, protesting against new agricultural laws they say benefit private buyers at the expense of growers.

A tractor parade on Tuesday's Republic Day turned violent when some protesters deviated from pre-agreed routes, clashing with police and breaking into the Red Fort complex. One died and hundreds were injured.

"The country was saddened by the insult to the Tricolor [Indian flag] on the 26 of January in Delhi," Mr Modi said in a radio address.

"The government is committed to modernising agriculture and is also taking many steps in that direction."
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/india-farmer-protests-modi-b1795358.html




Yeah that’s a great idea! Why don’t we just ask Texas how well that’s going! What? Too soon! Oh don’t worry we will cover that next week. And you know what, India? Take it from us! We had to put up with 4 years of Trump. If we can handle him, you can handle Modi! But just like the Trump administration, the more this pans out, the weirder and stranger it gets. We’ll keep an eye on this situation for future editions. But let’s just say for now, shit is getting real!

Media organizations across India and internationally have denounced the latest attack on press freedom in the country following a raid on the office of Newsclick, a progressive online news portal based in the capital New Delhi. The raid began at 10 am on February 9, and is still ongoing at the time of this publication. Newsclick has stood out in recent months for its consistent reporting on the ongoing farmers struggle against the pro-corporate farm laws passed by the far-right BJP-led government in India.

The residences of its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, editor Pranjal and human resources head Amit Chakraborty were also raided. According to media reports, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the intelligence agency of the ministry of finance in charge of dealing with economic fraud, raided the media organization and the residences of its stakeholders in connection with a money laundering case.

Dr. Ashok Dhawle, the president of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which is one of the major farmers’ unions involved in the ongoing struggle, joined the dozens of progressive voices condemning the raid. “Newsclick has done excellent objective reporting on the ongoing farmers struggle and on all just and legitimate people’s movements over the last few years,” he wrote. “This is nothing but the BJP central government’s attempt to penalise Newsclick for standing firmly with the fighting people.”
https://www.liberationnews.org/police-in-india-raid-leading-progressive-news-outlet/





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[font size="8"]Q Anon
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Q Anon. You know it’s that thing that makes you never want to speak to the conservatives you know ever again. They are getting nuttier and crazier. Let’s go over things that Q Anon loves. They love talking about a global ring of Satanic pedophiles who practice cannibalism. They also love to talk about Donald Trump taking down that global ring of Satanic pedophiles who practice cannibalism. And the people who are on that list are well, just about everyone who has a D next to their name. But you can imagine, just as with that Q Anon Shaman, since the election of Joe Biden, prominent members of the Q Anon cult are rethinking their life choices. But not Ali Alexander – he’s doubling down and going certifiably batshit fucking crazy. Maybe going for a VP slot in that 2024 Trump campaign that will probably never happen?

Ali Alexander, the lead organizer of the so-called Stop the Steal campaign, has resurfaced after going into hiding following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Streaming on Trovo Wednesday night, Alexander claimed that while he has been licking his wounds, he has been plotting to restart rallies in March, abolish the media, and build a separate society for Trump supporters.

As former President Donald Trump faces an impeachment trial this week for inciting an insurrection with his speech at the Stop the Steal rally the morning of Jan. 6, it appears Alexander has yet to face charges for his role. Alexander rebooted the so-called Stop the Steal campaign the day after Election Day, when Trump’s lead began to slip as mail-in ballots began to be counted. He pushed voter fraud conspiracy theories, embraced QAnon conspiracy theorists and far-right activists in his campaign, claimed to be doing God’s work, and organized three massive rallies in Washington, D.C., that featured the Proud Boys hate group, paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers, and other extremists.

Following Jan. 6, Alexander was booted off most major social media platforms and, as a result, is now streaming on Trovo, a gaming platform that appears to be growing in popularity among far-right actors kicked off other platforms. On Wednesday night, Alexander lamented the “racist, bigoted, anti-Christian, anti-Southern, anti-Republican, anti-conservative, anti-human smear machine” that he says targeted him, and he promised to create chaos. “We’ve got to get back in the driver’s seat,” he added.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/ive-been-plotting-lead-stop-the-steal-organizer-promises-to-restart-rallies-punish-his-enemies-and-build-new-society-for-trump-supporters/




He wants to build his own city? I wouldn’t trust him to build a Sim City! Oh and if you think that Alexander and his “Stop The Steal” rallies are going away any time soon, I’ve got a used car loan at 27% interest to sell you! He really is equal parts used car salesman and televangelist preacher, isn’t he? And if that’s not enough, Q Anon is now floating a batshit crazy new theory that Biden’s inauguration didn’t happen on January 20th. Instead the real inauguration is happening on March 4th – when it used to happen 140 years ago! Can you imagine if we had to wait until March 4th under that administration? Yeah me either!

Law enforcement in Washington D.C. said they are monitoring the potential threat of further violence as followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory eagerly await March 4.

Supporters of the radical movement, listed as an domestic terrorist threat by the FBI, believe that Donald Trump will once again be inaugurated as president next month.

There is no suggestion that the QAnon supporters are planning anything in particular, but both Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department are keen not to have a repeat of the deadly January 6 attack, which conspiracy theorists took part in.

QAnon followers first mentioned the supposed significance of March 4 following Joe Biden's inauguration. The date has since been widely discussed on encrypted messaging service app Telegram.

"Happy President's Day Mr. President! We love you!! Can't wait until March 4th," Telegram user Jennifer wrote on Monday in a QAnon channel with more than 20,000 subscribers. "A beautiful day for the history books and to restore America. It cannot come soon enough."
https://www.newsweek.com/qanon-donald-trump-reinstatement-march-4-dc-police-threats-1569534





Yeah probably! Now you might be wondering just how crazy Q Anon gets! And don’t worry – we’ll get to Rep Adam Kinzinger in a minute. But first let’s talk about how ordinary lives are being turned upside down by how far people go down the Q Anon rabbit hole and got duped. And I’m not even going to point out the irony of their love of references for the 1999 movie “The Matrix”. We could do a whole entry on that, maybe a future Conspiracy Corner!

Former QAnon supporter Ashley Vanderbilt spoke with "The View" about how she got swept up to believe in the conspiracy theory and how she eventually came to reject the fringe movement.

The conspiracy theory is based in part on the unfounded belief that a secret cabal of elites -- including billionaires, Democrats and Hollywood stars -- are running an underground pedophilia ring and that former President Donald Trump is working to bring it to justice.

Once confined to the darkest corners of the internet, QAnon has grown in its number of followers. Vanderbilt, a lifelong Republican from South Carolina and mother to a 4-year-old daughter, last fall joined the millions of Americans who have come to believe in the conspiracy in recent years.

"I was never one that was into politics," Vanderbilt said on "The View" Monday. "I just always voted red. I wanted to be like my family and that's as much as I ever thought into it."

Vanderbilt says she began seeing posts related to the conspiracy theory on TikTok during the heat of Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign when she began liking more Trump-related content.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/qanon-conspiracies-moms-life-made-emotionally-unavailable/story?id=75840525




Now that’s how ordinary people get duped into following a fairy tale. They get enticed, then they follow blindly. And it’s easy to see how people who ordinarily don’t care about politics get roped into believing truly warped bullshit created by crackpots. If you want to see it in its’ full blown spectacle, look no further than Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger – one of the few GOP reps who voted to convict Trump. This letter is completely insane and really shows how depraved Trump supporters really are.

Eleven members of Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger's family sent him a vitriolic letter accusing him of being a member of the "devil's army" in light of his criticism of then-President Donald Trump after the January 6 insurrection, The New York Times reported Monday.

"Oh my, what a disappointment you are to us and to God!" they wrote to the Illinois Republican, according to a copy of the letter obtained by the paper, rebuking his "horrible, rude accusations of President Trump."

"It is now most embarrassing to us that we are related to you," they continued in the letter, which was dated January 8, after Kinzinger called for the 25th Amendment to be used to remove Trump from office. "You have embarrassed the Kinzinger family name!"

Kinzinger was one of 10 Republicans who later joined all House Democrats in voting to impeach Trump last month for "incitement of insurrection" in light of his role in encouraging the riot at the US Capitol.

Kinzinger's office confirmed the letter's authenticity to CNN.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/15/politics/kinzinger-impeachment-family-letter/index.html





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



Last week, we brought you the story of Subway’s tuna might not actually be what it seems to be underneath. This week, there’s another type of mislabeled food out there. Is the food your infant is consuming toxic? An alarming joint investigation between Congress and the US Food And Drug Administration is sounding the alarm that there could be poison in your infants’ food. And it’s not just limited to one brand either. That it might be a supply chain problem. Because any brand that uses this particular supply chain might be toxic. Before you buy that food for your baby you might want to read the warnings beforehand.

A congressional investigation has found levels of arsenic, lead and other toxic metals that can harm brain development in many popular baby foods, including organic brands.

In a report released Thursday, a U.S. House Subcommittee said it requested internal data from seven companies, including Walmart, in 2019 after a nonprofit called Healthy Babies Bright Futures published results of testing it did on baby foods.

Four of the companies – Gerber, Beech-Nut, Earth's Best Organics maker Hain Celestial and Happy Family Organics maker Nurture Inc. – shared documents. The subcommittee said Walmart, Sprout Foods and Campbell Soup Co., which makes Plum Organics baby food, didn't cooperate.

Arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury – metals that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers harmful to human health – can remain in the environment for decades from past pesticide and herbicide use, according to Michael Hansen, a senior staff scientist with Consumer Reports.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2021/02/04/baby-food-toxic-heavy-metals-fda-congressional-report/4379474001/




But it isn’t just that they sold toxic baby food. It’s that the manufacturers knew that their products allegedly contained poison and they sold it anyways! That would be like if someone knew their products were going to catch on fire but they were approved for sale. Hey! Why did the Firematic 9000 burn my house down? It only said so on the label! But what will be done? That is the question.

Four leading baby food manufacturers knowingly sold baby food that contained high levels of toxic heavy metals, according to internal company documents included in a congressional investigation released Thursday.

"Dangerous levels of toxic metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury exist in baby foods at levels that exceed what experts and governing bodies say are permissible," said Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, chair of the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, which conducted the investigation, signed by the Democratic members.

Krishnamoorthi said the spreadsheets provided by manufacturers are "shocking" because they show evidence that some baby foods contain hundreds of parts per billion of dangerous metals. "Yet we know that in a lot of cases, we should not have anything more than single digit parts per billion of any of these metals in any of our foods," he told CNN.

Arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury are in the World Health Organization's top 10 chemicals of concern for infants and children.

As natural elements, they are in the soil in which crops are grown and thus can't be avoided. Some crop fields and regions, however, contain more toxic levels than others, partly due to the overuse of metal-containing pesticides and ongoing industrial pollution.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/health/baby-food-heavy-metal-toxins-wellness/index.html




There’s nothing funny about this young baby. So what can be done? Do you blame the companies that sold this or do you blame the supply chain? Well it’s a combination of both. So what do parents need to know about the toxins? And what can they do for their babies if they come across these foods? You can’t just say “don’t purchase them” because if you don’t do the research beforehand, how would you know which is which?

Congressional investigators have found “dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals” in many popular baby food brands, according to a new report released Thursday.

The investigators examined a wide range of rice cereals, purees, puffs and juices from Nurture (which sells Happy Family Organics), Beech-Nut Nutrition, Hain Celestial Group (which sells the Earth’s Best Organics brand) and Gerber. They allege those companies have permitted the sale of foods tainted with arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury.

The investigators also noted they were “greatly concerned” that Walmart, Campbell Soup and Sprout Organic Foods did not cooperate with their inquiries.

All of the baby food manufacturers cited in the report have taken issue with it in some form or another — as well as noting that the Food and Drug Administration does not set federal standards for toxic heavy metals in baby foods.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/report-toxic-metals-baby-food-parents-need-know_l_601d852fc5b66c385ef92b86




Now what’s the FDA response you might ask? Well the targeting against these companies is continuing and it’s not going to be resolved overnight. But you can rest assured that they are dealing with it, because that is what they are supposed to do. Anyways until these products are recalled and replaced with the non-toxic varieties, this is what parents can expect when they purchase food for their infants.

Following a report released nearly two weeks ago about the potential danger posed by toxic heavy metals found in baby foods manufactured by several major companies, FDA has issued a response. The report, “Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury”, was released by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy on February 4. The Subcommittee stated that FDA should require baby food manufacturers to test their finished products for toxic heavy metals and require any toxic heavy metals be reported on food labeling. It also stated that FDA should set maximum levels of toxic heavy metals allowed in baby foods.

“The FDA has been actively working on this issue using a risk-based approach to prioritize and target the agency’s efforts. Consumers should know that FDA scientists routinely monitor levels of toxic elements in baby foods, along with other foods consumed in the country’s diet, through the Total Diet Study,” the agency stated in a CFSAN update. “Further, the FDA also monitors baby food under the FDA’s compliance program for Toxic Elements in Food and Foodware, and Radionuclides in Food and through targeted sampling assignments.”

FDA cited its work in sampling infant rice cereal for arsenic, which it says has resulted in safer products on the market, along with its recent court order to stop a U.S. company from distributing adulterated juice that had potentially harmful levels of inorganic arsenic and patulin (a mycotoxin).

The CFSAN update, however, did not specifically address the companies or baby foods called out in the Subcommittee’s report.
https://foodsafetytech.com/news_article/fda-responds-to-subcommittee-report-on-toxic-metals-in-baby-food/




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 virtual congregation! You know it is so nice not to be run by the crazy, domineering, and EVIL cult of the former President Of The United States. The unholy, ungodly Dark One, a man so disgusting and dishonorable that his name dare not be mentioned in my church whether it’s real or virtual! Now, we are still in a time of a great plague. But we have rid ourselves of at least one virus! Now we just got to rid ourselves of the other! But the sad thing is we won’t be rid of either in the foreseeable future. But after watching my brothers and sisters on the right last week, does everything need to be a sign from GAWD that the Unholy Dark One is still going to be president? I mean seriously guys, lighten up! Not everything is a sign! No! Just no!

Right-wing author, commentator, and Trump cultist Eric Metaxas welcomed “prophetess” Amanda Grace on to his radio program Monday, where Grace declared that the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump is evidence that Trump is still the president.

On “The Eric Metaxas Radio Show,” Grace claimed that it is all part of God’s plan to make it appear as if Joe Biden is president so that everyone will know it was a miracle of God when Trump is put back into office.

“There has been a delay for a reason,” Grace said. “It’s not over, and it’s far from over with what the Lord is going to do with President Trump, what the Lord is going to do to the wicked of this nation, including the media. You know, I prophesied from the Lord in October about the media suffering the biggest crisis they ever had in 2021 for their crimes, so I’m watching for that to unfold.”

“There’s been a delay because I believe God is trying to get people’s eyes on him,” she continued. “He wants all eyes on him right now for the demonstration he’s going to put on. Just like when the Jews were at the Red Sea, and they’re there, and Egypt’s at their back, and it’s all eyes on God because either the Lord is going to do this, or it’s not going to happen. And when they thought there was a dead end, God saw a path through that water. So, God’s ways are much higher when he sees how to make a path when people don’t think there is a way.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/prophetess-amanda-grace-says-trumps-impeachment-trial-is-proof-hes-still-president/




I’m pretty sure that even the good LAWRD JAYSUS is shaking his head at this one! Really, I’m a man of GAWD and I see signs that the LAWRD is everywhere! But I am also holy enough to see that the man who they worship is the DAYMON spawn of SAYTAN himself! That is why his name dare not be spoken in my church! But these people are certifiably insane!

Jeff Jansen, a self-proclaimed “prophet” who leads Global Fire Ministries International in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, appeared on the Elijah Streams YouTube program last Thursday, where he asserted that, contrary to all appearances, Joe Biden is “not our president” and prophesied Donald Trump will be back in the White House by June at the latest.

Jansen was among the various “prophets” who guaranteed that Trump would win the 2020 election and serve a second term. Despite the fact that that obviously didn’t happen, Jansen remains adamant that he will soon be proven accurate.

“He’s not our president,” Jansen declared about Biden. “He is not, nor will he ever be. Everybody knows there was a red tidal wave, there was a Red Sea moment, which is a red tidal wave. And quite frankly, America voted in Donald J. Trump.”

“President Trump is president,” he added. “We will be rejoicing in the streets by March, April, May, June. There’s going to be an amazing turnaround. You just watch what happens. And the world will rejoice. Not just America, the world will rejoice because of this exposure. I’m telling you that’s going to take place. I’m going down with the ship on this. The Lord showed me this.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/prophet-jeff-jansen-says-trump-will-be-back-in-office-by-june/




President Dark One is president? I mean that’s sound logic there! Ooh man, I will sleep much easier at night knowing these raving maniacs are in charge! And no this isn’t anything that GAWD does! I’ve read the Bible, I should know, I am a pastor. But really this is what a cult does. And the fact that they are invoking their insane lust for the military and military order. But there’s nothing about that in the Bible is there? At least not my Bible!

Dave Hayes, a self-declared prophet, Christian author, and leading online QAnon activist who is better known as the “Praying Medic,” has been rather quiet ever since former President Donald Trump left office, likely because none of the bold predictions Hayes made about Trump arresting and executing his political enemies ever came true.

Despite the fact that Trump is now out of office and the QAnon movement is falling apart, Hayes continues to keep the faith, posting a video on Rumble Wednesday in which he predicted that God will soon force the military to remove President Joe Biden from office.

Hayes dismissed a recent video of retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who has long been a hero to QAnon conspiracy theorists, saying that the various conspiracy theories posited by QAnon supporters about plans by the military to reinstate Trump to office are “nonsense” and flatly declaring that “there’s no plan.”

“If the military had a plan to intervene in American politics and Gen. Flynn was aware of it, I guarantee you he wouldn’t tell anybody what he knew publicly for operational security,” Hayes said. “If there is a plan and he knows about it, he couldn’t tell anybody. So there’s no way General Flynn is going to come out and say, ‘Yeah, there’s a plan, the military is going to step in and do all this.’ You’re never going to hear that from Gen. Flynn.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/dave-hayes-says-god-will-compel-the-military-to-remove-biden-from-office/




Except with these kooks, believe in them and they want WAR! They are out for blood and fire and brimstone, because they are that crazy! But this might be the worst thing to come out of the last few weeks. You know those Proud Boys that keep getting arrested because they’ve done stupid things in the name of the Dark One? Well apparently their LAWRD is helping them! Seriously this is insane.

Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio alongside organizer Joe Biggs (Credit: vasilis asvestas / Shutterstock.com)

In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection—a day that saw a mob of Donald Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election—several members of the far-right, neo-fascist hate group known as The Proud Boys were arrested in connection to the Capitol breach.

Faced with criminal charges such as conspiracy, engaging in physical violence, and destruction of government property, the group raised approximately $25,000 to date on GiveSendGo, a self-described “Christian crowdfunding site” that claims to “work together with the body of Christ to make a difference in the world.”

There are currently at least four active crowdfunding campaigns for Proud Boys members on GiveSendGo, including former InfoWars staffer and Proud Boys “organizer” Joe Biggs, Proud Boys Hawaii founder Nicholas Ochs, and Ethan Nordean, the self-described “ Sergeant of Arms” of the Seattle Chapter of the Proud Boys. All were arrested last month in connection to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

“All Patriots are being dragged through the legal system rather than those who truly incited violence and destruction,” read Biggs’ fundraising page.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/the-proud-boys-are-using-a-christian-crowdfunding-site-to-raise-money-for-legal-expenses/




Sigh… you’re the ones who did this guys! You can’t blame anyone but yourselves. I mean holy shit! Hey that’s the name of this segment! Virtual mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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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 we always say that if you have to ask, it’s probably racist! And there’s been a lot of racism in the news lately but this week I want to examine the cause and effect of two very similar stories. Behind door #1 is Gina Carano, the Mandalorian “star” who got axed from Lucasfilm for comparing GOP celebrities and politicians getting banned from social media to the holocaust. And what’s behind door #2 you might ask? Why it’s country star Morgan Wallen! Who got caught on tape using the N word! Now here’s where it gets fucked up. In the pre-Trump days if you pulled this said and did this kind of shit, you’d get fired from your job and blacklisted from whatever profession you happen to be in. And I’ll explain the kind of shit conservatives have pulled after we answer the question – my fake audience – “IS IT RACIST?”.

Lucasfilm says Gina Carano is no longer a part of “The Mandalorian” cast after many online called for her firing over a social media post that likened the experience of Jews during the Holocaust to the U.S. political climate.

A spokesperson with the production company said in a statement on Wednesday that Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm with “no plans for her to be in the future.”

“Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable,” the statement read.

Carano fell under heavy criticism after she posted that “Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors…. even by children.”

The actor continued to say, “Because history is edited, most people today don’t realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views?”
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/02/11/gina-carano-fired-from-mandalorian/




First, let me ask the question – IS IT RACIST??? Well yeah it’s fucking racist. Second – oh fuck off, Gina, seriously! Here’s the thing, in the conservative Trump fantasy crazy world, you’re not fired for being a racist douchebag who makes stupid Hitler comparisons. Instead, you’re “cancelled by the out of control media”. And rather than these dipshits get the punishment they deserve they get rewarded. Never mind that Hasbro cancelled Gina’s Mandalorian action figure too. Instead this happens!

Less than two days after Gina Carano was fired by Lucasfilm over “abhorrent” social media posts, Ben Shapiro, the conservative political commentator and co-founder of The Daily Wire, has pledged to make a movie with her.

“Hollywood cancelled Gina Carano for being conservative. That’s bullshit. So we’re fighting back,” Shapiro tweeted on Friday. “Become a DW member today with promo code GINA for 25% off, and join the cultural resistance.”

Lucasfilm fired Carano, who starred in both seasons of Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian,” on Wednesday night after she shared several controversial social media posts on her Instagram story. One of the posts compared contemporary political differences to the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany, and another post made light of masking-wearing mandates amid the coronavirus pandemic. Carano has also drawn controversy by posting misinformation about election fraud and mocking people who specify their gender pronouns.

Carano was also dropped by UTA as a client within hours after her Lucasfilm firing. Many users on Twitter used the hashtag #FireGinaCarano on Wednesday during the social media backlash.
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/gina-carano-ben-shapiro-mandalorian-fired-1234907154/




Seriously? I mean who the fuck actually wants to watch a movie made by the Daily Wire? No thanks, I will just sit here and keep waiting for No Time To Die to be released. Next up – country music! As a rock music fan, I will admit that the Stagecoach and Coachella crowd don’t mix, even though they’re both owned by the same conglomerate. But even the country world has to admit that even the N word is off limits in this day and age – or any day and age. So what happens when you get caught using it?

Country star Morgan Wallen asked fans not to downplay the racist language he was caught saying on camera and said that he accepted the punishments he faced.

TMZ posted a video last week of Wallen saying a racial slur and Wallen apologized at the time. Wallen posted a five-minute Instagram video Wednesday night saying he had let so many people down, including his parents and his son.

“Our actions matter. Our words matter. And I want to encourage anyone that is watching to please learn from my mistake. There’s no reason to downplay what I did,” he said.

He said he was waiting until he could personally apologize to people he had hurt. He said that the video was taken after a three-day “bender,” but he has since gotten sober.
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2021/02/morgan-wallen-tells-fans-not-to-defend-his-racist-language/




So my virtual audience – IS IT RACIST??? Oh extremely! And here’s the thing – if you don’t want to get “cancelled”, how about don’t be a fucking racist? If you were more outraged about someone being canceled then about why they were canceled, then guess what? You’re part of the problem! Oh and also, fuck off with this self-victimization bullshit. I’ve been drunk a lot of times in my life but never not once used the kind of language Wallen did!

Morgan Wallen has faced a week of repercussions after a video released Tuesday showed the singer using a racial slur, but the artist is seeing a spike in album sales and streams.

The video was released Feb. 2 around 9 p.m. ET. In the following days, Wallen's streams and album sales spiked despite major radio players, IHeartMedia and Entercom, announcing his music would be taken out of rotation, according to data by Billboard and Rolling Stone.

Billboard and Rolling Stone's data compares radio airplay to sales and streams of Wallen's music between Tuesday (when the video was released) and the days after.

His radio airplay across U.S. genres fell from 2,100 plays on Feb. 2 to 617 plays by Feb. 3, an approximate 71% drop, according to Billboard.

But Wallen's album sales and streams saw an increase despite the radio declines, Billboard reported.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/02/09/morgan-wallen-racial-slur-music-sales-streams-spike-after-video/4451319001/





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[font size="8"]This Fucking Guy: Dave Ramsey
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This week’s This Fucking Guy is Dave Ramsey. If you’ve never heard the name, that’s probably because you’re not a frequent Fox News viewer. And if you’re here, I would assume that you’re not a regular Fox News viewer! Which means that you’re not a part of the Fox / Q / Trump / evangelical mega cult. Last time I talked about Dave Ramsey, his business was under fire for holding a massive Christmas party in the middle of COVID (see: Top 10 #9-19 ). This week, he’s under fire for saying ridiculously cold-hearted shit about Joe Biden’s planned COVID relief. But here is the thing – of course people like this are going to say stupid shit! But Dave is among the worst of the worst! I can already here you booing.

Radio host and financial advisor Dave Ramsey said he was against another round of stimulus checks and those in need of them were already "screwed" during a Thursday morning appearance on Fox News.

"I don't believe in a stimulus check because if $600 or $1,400 changes your life you were pretty much screwed already," Ramsey said. "You got other issues going on."

Ramsey said those who need the money have problems with their careers, debt, relationships, or their mental health. and said the checks were simply throwing money at the problem or "peeing on a forest fire" but not fixing the issue.

"That's not talking down to folks. I've been bankrupt. I've been broke. I work with people every day who are hurting. I love people. I want people to be lifted up, but this is, again, it is just political rhetoric," he said.
https://news.yahoo.com/radio-host-dave-ramsey-slammed-032059296.html




Yes BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! OK let’s give you a little background on Mr. Ramsey – he runs a company called Ramsey Solutions. And it employs 800 people who claim it’s the best company to work for in America. Oh yeah, they also have a cult like atmosphere with their own radio empire, a fake university, and workshops that charge anywhere from $3K to $10K, and his own plan ironically to get people out of debt!

Dave Ramsey has spent the past three decades trying to build what he calls the best place to work in America.

From his headquarters south of Nashville, the evangelical Christian personal finance guru runs a media and live events empire that includes a popular national talk radio show. Tickets to workshops on topics such as “EntreLeadership” run from $3,000 to $10,000.

Thousands of churches around the country, meanwhile, host Ramsey’s “Financial Peace University,” a 9-week program built around his principles for handling money “God’s way.”

Ramsey’s primary product, he says, is hope, often in short supply when debt mounts up. That’s something Ramsey knows firsthand. When he was in his mid-20s, Ramsey and his wife owed millions after his real estate business failed. Following advice from a church friend, they rebuilt their lives.

The people who have followed his path now make pilgrimages to perform their “Debt Free Scream” on his radio show — celebrating that Ramsey’s methods gave them control of their lives.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2021/01/29/is-dave-ramseys-empire-best-place-work-america/4281535001/




That’s right! Bet you didn’t think I was going to compare him to this guy, didn’t you? And you think you’re so smart! Let’s refer to Mr. Ramsey as “Trump Light”, or “Mini Trump”. Well you got to be smarter than the people who fork over $10K for a “leadership” seminar! See this is why credit lenders exist! But we should never speak ill of the program or our undying love and support of Mr. Ramsey! And remember having Dave’s undying loyalty? Here’s what happens when you have an independent thought!

An email from the human resources department for financial guru Dave Ramsey shows a longtime employee was fired because her husband made disparaging comments about the company’s holiday party.

That employee asked News4 Investigates to conceal her identity as she fears retaliation from the company as she looks for new employment.

News4 Investigates reported in December that a vendor who was contacted about working for the massive company Christmas party filed a complaint with the city of Franklin that vendors were being asked not to wear masks or gloves as not to frighten attendees.

Even before the party, featuring mask-less disco dancing and casino gambling, the former employee said the mentality about masks inside Ramsey’s company was clear.

“It was an odd dynamic. People, I did feel, looked down on for wearing a mask because the running tagline was, ‘We have faith over fear.’ And I think we should have had a healthier respect for the virus and what it does,” the employee told News4 Investigates.
https://www.wsmv.com/news/investigations/fired-dave-ramsey-employee-i-was-fired-after-husband-criticized-mask-less-holiday-party/article_cad60c22-6cae-11eb-a39b-433bde803adb.html




Oh and by the way you want to know what Ramsey is really like behind the scenes? Picture Kevin Spacey’s cringe-worthy performance as Comnidyne president Dave Harken in “Horrible Bosses” – just like Trump, Ramsey does not like people to question their undying loyalty to him. And if you question or double cross him, they will reject you faster than you get outcasted from Scientology. What? Too soon?

Veteran religion reporter Bob Smietana of Religion News Service set out to get comments on allegations of employee dissatisfaction at Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey’s company. What he got in return was a sarcastic email from the company, copied to Ramsey’s 1,000 employees and others, that identified where the reporter lives, his phone number and email and a request to harass him.

“If you are on this email we would ask a favor for Ramsey … would you help us? Bob’s phone number and email are here, and we would ask that you contact him TODAY and tell him all the evil horrible stories you know about us,” the company email said. “Also, he lives in Spring Hill so if you see him out and about, be sure to congratulate him on his virtue. He needs to sell this story to pay his rent and the dirtier your story on us the more we can help him.”

It continued: “When you call please do not be mean; Bob already has a lot of anxiety and we don’t want to add to that. If his phone is overwhelmed or he doesn’t want to hear your story, you should contact Religion News Service and tell them of Bob’s amazing grasp on virtue and truth. You can also tell them of all the people that have been helped by his pursuit of truth throughout the years as we all have followed his ‘career.’ It is time the world knows about Bob and the blessing he has been to so many.”
https://baptistnews.com/article/how-dave-ramsey-responded-to-a-story-about-being-a-bully-by-bullying-the-reporter-who-wrote-it/




That’s Dave Ramsey – a guy who’s equal parts Donald Trump, Zapp Brannagin, and Keith Raniere, this week’s:




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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink: Gorilla Glue Girl
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Hey everyone, I don’t know about you, but I could really use a drink!



So of course you know by now that the purpose of this segment is that we have some drinks and while we are drinking we talk about anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics or COVID because there’s some really dark shit out there right now. Man I miss having a real bartender and a real audience for this one! So tell me virtual bartender, what’s a good drink that goes with a story about Gorilla Glue? A banana daquiri? I think you’re taking this gorilla thing a bit too literally here, don’t you think? So I’m sure those of you who listen to podcasts right now know the bizarre plight of Gorilla Glue Girl – also known as Tessica Brown – and the journey to get here. it’s one of the more bizarre stories of this year and we’re only two months in!

Tessica Brown, the TikTok user who became a viral sensation after opening up about using Gorilla Glue Spray Adhesive instead of traditional hair spray, has found a good cause for the money she raised through a GoFundMe page. Her manager told TMZ she plans to donate more than $20,000 to the Restore Foundation, which provides reconstructive surgery to those in need. Brown, dubbed the "Gorilla Glue Girl" online, no longer needs most of the funds herself after a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon agreed to help her for free.

After the video describing her ordeal went viral, Brown and her sister Juanita Brown launched a GoFundMe page, where they have raised over $23,000 in just seven days from over 1,400 individual donations. She initially planned to use the funds for medical expenses, but surgeon Dr. Michael Obeng offered her help Brown for free. She took him up on the offer and flew from Louisiana to Los Angeles. TMZ cameras caught the procedure, which restored Brown's hair back to normal.

On Saturday, Brown's manager told TMZ she will donate most of the funds to Obeng's Restore Foundation. She hopes to help those who need procedures similar to hers and do not have the same access she did. Brown only plans to keep $1,000 from the GoFundMe to pay for her emergency room visit in Louisiana before she went to Los Angeles and for other travel expenses. According to TMZ, Brown has already made a "small fortune" from selling merchandise related to her ordeal. "With the remainder of the money I will be blessing three local families thanks for all the support love you guys so much thank you," Brown wrote on Instagram Sunday.
https://popculture.com/trending/news/gorilla-glue-girl-tessica-brown-using-20k-gofundme-donations-good-cause/




Oh come on really? This woman has a manager now??? We here at the Top 10 are represented by PJ Foodstuff’s Fantastic Talent Agency and Great American Steakery! Which is why we have that coveted Wednesday at 2:00 PM slot! But here’s the thing – like all horrible things, you know that art begats art, and the Gorilla Glue Girl has certainly inspired her fair share of imitators. Like this guy who stuck a cup to his face to prove this wasn’t real. Come on people, we’re in the middle of a raging pandemic, don’t invent ways to send yourself to the hospital, please!

The bizarre Gorilla Glue craze has claimed a new victim - a Louisiana man who ended up in the hospital after using the powerful adhesive to stick a cup to his face. Len Martin, like millions of people across the world, read about Tessica Brown, who exploded into Internet fame after using Gorilla Glue as hairspray and landing in the hospital after multiple unsuccessful attempts to wash it off. Unlike others, however, Mr Martin refused to believe the story and set out to prove that Ms Brown's claims about the adhesive were exaggerated.

"I thought she was just playing around because I didn't think it was that serious," the 37-year-old aspiring rapper told WKBN.

Mr Martin filmed himself using Gorilla Glue to stick a red Solo Cup to his face in a stunt he is now warning others not to try. In the video, he was heard saying that he believed he could lick the cup right off.

Unfortunately, as you can see from his Instagram post below, things did not go his way. Mr Martin ended up in the hospital after the cup refused to become unstuck.
https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/viral-video-man-sticks-cup-to-face-using-gorilla-glue-ends-up-in-hospital-2370956




Ah don’t hog all the vodka! Save some for me! But here’s the thing – we’ve covered every viral “internet” challenge going all the way back to Tide Pods. Remember when that was the worst way to spend a night in the ER? I miss those times! And like all internet “challenges” – they have their strengths and weaknesses. And they also have their share of experts who weigh in on the medical and legal ramifications should you attempt such a challenge. This is my favorite part!

Rutgers toxicologists are available to discuss the dangers of applying ultra-strong adhesives on hair or skin, following a viral TikTok video about a woman who used Gorilla Glue instead of hair spray to style her hair.

Diane Calello, executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Center and professor at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Bruce Ruck, managing director at the New Jersey Poison Control Center, give insights into the methods emergency room doctors may employ to help remove the product. They caution others to refrain from copying the viral incident as it could be dangerous to their health.

People who accidentally apply ultra-strong glues, also known as Cyanoacrylate glues, to skin, eyes or hair, are generally treated with fat-based ointments like Vaseline, oil or even mayonnaise. These are usually applied for several hours to days, a process that requires patience. It will take a long time to have these remedies work. However, it must be noted that these fat-based remedies should not be directly applied into the eye. These will work for only the eye lashes and the outer areas of the eye.

Ultra-strong glues can cause localized burns or irritations and may destroy hair. In this case there is a concern that the hair itself will need to be cut, to wait for new growth.

It is vitally important to avoid anything that would cause more damage, such as bleach, a perm or hair straightening products. This can be dangerous if used.
https://www.newswise.com/articles/rutgers-experts-available-to-discuss-the-use-of-gorilla-glue-as-hair-spray-its-dangers




Man I miss drinking in front of a live audience! But seriously I would love to be in a room full of lawyers who are all arguing about the legal ramifications of using toxic glue as hair spray. I bet they have some pretty interesting conversations and Google searches! But instead let’s as an actual hair stylist what they think of this insane situation. Moral of the story: don’t use a toxic spray glue as a substitute for hair spray. Just don’t!

Well, we’ve all had bad hair days before but for a New Orleans woman, it was a bad hair month.

It’s a viral video that has many people across the nation talking, but what attracted so many people to Tessica Brown’s video?

It was her decision to use Gorilla Spray Adhesive to keep her hair in place after running out of her regular Got2b Glued Spray, a product normally used for styling or holding hair in place.

“My first initial reaction was ‘Is she serious?’ because that is Gorilla adhesive spray that you bond wood and other metals and stuff to,” said Tara Johnson. “So, I was kinda like she didn’t read the labels?”

Johnson, a sales associate at Buy & Save Hair & Beauty Supply Store, knows a thing or two about hair, especially having worked around hair products for the past eleven years.
https://www.kplctv.com/2021/02/13/local-beauty-store-weighs-gorilla-glue-tiktok/





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[font size="8"]Road To The White House
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Welcome back to our coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *CUE REVERB* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE! Ooh that was some good reverb there! So last week we talked about Biden’s embrace of Black History Month – and not just in a ceremonial tweet. This week we’re going to educate the Trump fans about what a real president does. See – Biden actually gets up before noon and doesn’t spend 8 hours in bed hate watching 15 different channels on 6 monitors while gorging himself stupid on fast food. No, that was the last guy who did that. But you see kids? This is how a real president is supposed to act!

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that President Biden has signed 15 executive actions, part of a flurry of steps he plans to take in the coming days to address his top policy priorities — and to roll back some of former President Donald Trump's initiatives.

White House officials had originally told reporters there would be 17 actions signed, focused on addressing the COVID-19 crisis, the economy, racial justice and climate change.

The signed actions include a mandate for masks on federal property, an action to rejoin the Paris climate accord, a removal of Trump's travel ban affecting Muslim-majority nations, a proclamation halting further funding or construction to the wall along the U.S. southern border, and an order reversing Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization.

"This will strengthen our own efforts to get the pandemic under control by improving global health," Psaki said during her first White House press briefing Wednesday night.
https://www.npr.org/sections/inauguration-day-live-updates/2021/01/20/958630029/heres-what-biden-plans-to-do-in-his-1st-day-as-president




Yes, see? This is what a real president does! Signing executive orders does not require a celebration and a thousand people with cameras photographing you holding up the order as if you were holding up the Lombardi Trophy like you won the Super Bowl! Tom Brady does that, an d nearly throws it in the ocean while wasted, Biden does not. And here’s an example of an executive order that actually does something good!

In his first two weeks in office, President Biden has signed nearly as many executive orders as Franklin Roosevelt signed in his entire first month. And President Roosevelt holds the record.

Adding his signature to three executive orders on immigration Tuesday, Biden has now signed 28 executive orders since taking office. FDR signed 30 in his first month.

"By sheer volume, Biden is going to be the most active president on this front since the 1930s," said Andy Rudalevige, a professor of government at Bowdoin College.

Executive orders are the easiest presidential directives to track over time because they are all numbered and published in the Federal Register. But Biden is using many more levers of executive authority, also signing presidential memoranda, proclamations and letters.

And while the numbers are large, these actions aren't barrier-breaking. They call for the creation of task forces, direct agencies to begin a regulatory process or explore a policy change.

"A lot of what these orders consist of are plans to make plans, in a sense," Rudalevige said. "There's a lot of reviewing, reporting, sort of an urging to rev up that process, but it's not a substitute for the process itself."
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/03/963380189/with-28-executive-orders-signed-president-biden-is-off-to-a-record-start




Yes, daaaaaaaaaaaamn indeed! So why is Biden doing this? Well let’s think of the last guy who we had in charge and how his policies got us into the current mess we’re in. Think of it like Homer and the drinking bird from the Simpsons. You can only push the “Y” button on your keyboard so many times before a catastrophic disaster happens and you have to go back and find out where it went wrong. Don’t worry, we will get to that next week!
President Joe Biden signed three major executive orders Tuesday aimed at reversing former President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration practices.

One executive order will create a task force to reunite children who were separated from their parents under Trump's "zero tolerance" policy, which an administration official called a "moral failing." The task force will be chaired by the homeland security secretary.

"President Trump was so focused on the wall he did nothing to address the root causes of why are people are coming to our southern border — it was a limited, wasteful and naive strategy, and it failed," a senior administration official said. "People continue to migrate to the United States — even today — because of it. President Biden's approach is to deal with immigration comprehensively, fairly and humanely."

After signing the orders in the White House on Tuesday, Biden told reporters he is not creating "new law" but "eliminating bad policy." He did not take questions.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/biden-sign-executive-orders-immigration-including-family-reunification-n1256431




Yeah so unlike Trump, we’re not going to leave a toy bird in charge to do all the work for him while he goes and watches TV and stuffs his face. Oh my god… I just realized something! Trump is the Homer Simpson of presidents! And it only took me 200+ editions and 5 years of doing this thing! At least we have someone who actually reads these things before signing them, and I never since I started doing this thought I would say it, but I think things are going to be OK!

Following an unusual inauguration ceremony, US president Joe Biden got right to work.

In a symbolic move, Biden signed 17 executive actions, ranging from orders to memoranda and directives, that are in line with the promises he’s made to govern differently from his predecessor, Donald Trump.

The flurry of orders—which deal with the pandemic, climate change, and racism—is a testament to how swiftly the new administration wants to reverse Trump’s legacy. It’s also at odds with Biden’s historical instinct of turning to Congress to enact legislation. Politico reports that more progressive Democrats have pushed the newly elected president to use his executive powers to the fullest extent, as Biden might otherwise struggle to enact his agenda with only a slim Congressional majority.

The actions range in importance, but a couple stand out. We’ve outlined them all, and highlighted a few, below.
https://qz.com/1960136/joe-bidens-most-significant-executive-orders/






See you next week!

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Top 10 Conservative Idiots Recorded At: Flappers Comedy Club, Burbank, CA
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February 10, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-3: This One's For All The Haters In The Room Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-3: This One’s For All The Haters In The Room Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? Yeah I know, it’s supposed to get better. We’re still coming at you live from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club and we will be doing that for the foreseeable future at least. Man, I cannot wait to get back on the road! So how about that Super Bowl? I mean… Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Huh there was a game happening? Oh I’m sorry, a game is when two teams are playing. Oh well, at least the winning team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ,won’t have to suffer the embarrassment of going to the White House and having to eat a fast food buffet with the former social media influencer turned president, Donald J. Trump. This time when they are actually able to go to the White House, they will have a real president who will actually present them with some real food and maybe even some beer! Because hey, we all deserve a party when COVID is finally over, am I right about that? Seriously even the commercials sucked this year and was a reminder of the shitty situation that we’re currently stuck in! Yeah I still watched it to spite my racist neighbors who were boycotting it because of the NFL’s support of Black Lives Matter. Yeah congrats to Tom Brady and the Bucs, I guess. OK enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first Bill Maher is back and he spells out what went down at the Capitol Riots and how half of America is completely delusional:



So where do we begin this week? Well in the number one slot this week, we have to talk about what’s happening in Myanmar (1). Yes, the country formerly known as Burma has been undergoing some changes, but recently fell under the spell of a coup. And why are we talking about this now? Because the parallels between the Myanmar military and Q Anon are frighteningly similar. Taking the second slot this week, is Kenosha murderer and Alt Right celebrity Kyle Rittenhouse (2). Yet another douchebag from the Trump era that won’t go away, Kyle is facing murder charges and seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. Yeah it’s quite insane. In the number four slot this week is Robinhood (3), and you haven’t heard the last of the stock trading app, especially since now it literally seems to be at war with its’ own customers. In the number 4 slot this week is Mike Lindell! That’s right – the My Pillow CEO is losing his business left and right, and has hit rock bottom. But he’s got a 3 hour documentary that will once and for all solve the voter fraud problem! Or maybe not. Taking the fifth slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5), and this week, we’re going to take a look at fast food – particularly that of a certain large sandwich chain. Yes – Subway, but is their tuna really tuna? Only one way to find out! Taking the number 6 slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit”, and this week – who’s side is God on when it comes to proving the conservative claim of voter fraud? Well our resident pastor will examine both sides of the argument because it’s insane. And in the #7 slot this week – we have a new “Beating A Dead Horse”. While conservatives and conspiracy theorists love to argue about “cancel culture”, we’ll explain it to them using the latest “victim” of this – Marilyn Manson! And speaking of conspiracy theorists, in the #8 slot this week, is a new edition of Conspiracy Corner (8) - and this week, the Proud Boys are adding military firepower to their ranks and for what reason? They’re going crazy and we need to get to the bottom of this before it’s too late! And in the number 9 (NEIN!!) slot this week, we have a new People Are Dumb, because of course they are! Finally this week, in Road To The White House, we’re going to talk about Joe’s plans to celebrate Black History Month, and his plans to use the Super Bowl to increase vaccine awareness! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]The Myanmar Coup Explained
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We here at the Top 10 Conservative Idiots in Burbank recognize that conservative idiocy isn’t just limited to being a national or even a local problem anymore. No, it’s a global problem and the line between our right wing idiots and right wing idiots all over the world is getting increasingly blurred each and every day. As such, we like to feature the international idiots from time to time. And they’re the same no matter where you go. If you’re in say, Spain, and you see someone who’s a belligerent, raging douchebag, you can almost tell which side of the fence they fall on. Same goes for Italy, or France, or Australia, or Brazil. Let’s take what is happening in Myanmar right now as an example. I could literally spend the entire edition comparing the Myanmar military to Q Anon because their beliefs are the same. But I don’t have that kind of time! So let’s get the rundown on what’s going on. Make no mistake that social media played a huge role in this one!

It is widely said that, in Myanmar, Facebook is the internet, so when the military asked for it to be blocked for the sake of "stability" it sent a shockwave through the country.

As Myanmar's military seized control in a coup on 1 February, many Burmese watched events unfold on Facebook in real-time. It's the primary source of information and news, where businesses operate and how authorities disseminate vital information.

Its ubiquity has meant it plays an outsized role in what information is amplified and its real-world impact.

Up until the mid-2000s most people did not have access to the internet or mobile phones under the military-run government.

A sim card could cost hundreds of dollars with the state-owned telecommunications firm, MPT, so mobile penetration was one of the lowest in the world.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55929654




OK so you know how Q Anon loves to drone on about military tribunals, martial law, public executions and jailing their political opponents? Well we can literally get a preview of what their wildest fantasies would look like being carried out right now in Myanmar! I mean seriously, this one’s for all the haters in the room. No wait, this is Valentine’s Day let’s do that in a sexy voice. No take it down, like Barry White style. This one’s for all the haters in the room! We did it everybody! We made a military coup sound sexy. But it’s anything but sexy. In fact it’s more Platoon and less Love Actually.

Myanmar's junta shut down the internet in the country on Saturday, as thousands took to the streets of Yangon to denounce this week's coup and demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

In the first such demonstration since the generals seized power on Monday, activists chanted, "Military dictator, fail, fail; Democracy, win, win" as bystanders offered them food and water.

Many in the crowd wore red, the color of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) which won Nov. 8 elections in a landslide, a result the generals have refused to recognize claiming fraud.

As the protest swelled and activists issued calls on social media for people to join the march, the country's internet crashed.

Monitoring group NetBlocks Internet Observatory reported a "national-scale internet blackout," saying on Twitter that connectivity had fallen to 54 percent of ordinary levels. Witnesses reported a shutdown of mobile data services and Wi-Fi.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/thousands-protest-myanmar-coup-generals-shut-down-internet-n1256929




Yeah so here’s the thing, Q Anon nuts – the next time you go spouting conspiracy theories about martial law, just think – it will affect you guys as much as it affects us! If a scenario were to arise where the military could cut off the entire internet, it would cut you off too. This really is what Q Anon could look like if their plan to storm the Capitol actually went through! And here’s the bizarre part – the protests were organized through Facebook. And guess what the new government’s first order of business was? That’s right!

Myanmar's military rulers have blocked access to Facebook, days after they overthrew the democratic government.

Officials said the social media platform - for many in Myanmar the main source of online information - would be blocked for the sake of "stability".

Facebook has become a key rallying point for opposition to Monday's coup.

In further civil disobedience, lawmakers are refusing to leave their compound in the capital, and more pot-banging was seen in Yangon.

The coup, led by armed forces chief Min Aung Hlaing, installed an 11-member junta, ending a short period of majority civilian rule.

The military said an election in November had been fraudulent - though the country's election commission said there was no evidence to back up such claims.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55923486




Yeah that’s what it could be like. Look, I know that our long-standing policy here at the Top 10 is not to make fun of anything that’s truly horrifying. But the reason why we’re talking about this is because this is everything that Q Anon fans salivate about - think of the worst thing to happen in a Stephen King horror novel and then watch it come to life. The parallels are frightening. We stopped them here, but if what happened in Myanmar actually happened here, it would be catastrophic. Yes I’m paranoid about this but knowing Q nuts in real life, you can see how batshit their fantasies go, and how any scenario can play out like this. We’ll keep an eye on this situation. But for now let’s say it can’t happen here, and thank god for that.

Myanmar's military defended its actions and enacted new restrictions on Monday, exactly one week after it seized control of the government and on the third consecutive day of anti-coup protests that have intensified across the country.

In his first televised address since the takeover, Min Aung Hlaing, a career military officer who is commander in chief of Myanmar's armed forces, repeated claims of fraud in November's election, and said the military will hold new elections and transfer power to the winner. He did not specify when those elections would take place, though the military had previously declared a year-long state of emergency.

The military has imposed a slew of restrictions on gatherings and activities in the country's largest cities of Yangon and Mandalay, effective Monday until further notice.

Those include an 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew, as well as a ban on motorized processions and gatherings of more than five people. They are effective on a township-by-township basis.

In his address, Min Aung Hlaing said an electoral commission did not properly investigate irregularities over voter lists or allow fair campaigning, according to the BBC, which notes that the commission did not find evidence to support claims of widespread fraud. He also promised that a reformed commission would oversee another election, and spoke of achieving a "true and disciplined democracy."
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/08/965413876/myanmar-coup-military-defends-takeover-and-enacts-curfew-as-protests-intensify





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[font size="8"]Kyle Rittenhouse
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I’ve seriously tried to put a moratorium on talking about this douchebag. I don’t want any part of making him famous because he’s basically George Zimmerman, version 2.0. Yes, you remember that fuck face who became an Alt Right celebrity after murdering an unarmed teenager in a dark alleyway. Well, the next evolution of George Zimmerman is Kyle Rittenhouse. You remember him as the teenager who borrowed an AR-15 and drove across state lines to murder two protestors who were protesting the murder of George Floyd in Wisconsin. And this would be a perfect use of the “How it started / how’s it going” meme. Because it started off well. About as well as it could have for a wannabe teenage mass murderer. And then things went horribly, horribly south as you could predict.

John M. Pierce, a California lawyer who has employed war-like rhetoric in his advocacy and fundraising for Kyle Rittenhouse -- the 17-year-old accused of killing two men and wounding another during a night of unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin -- filed a motion to withdraw from Rittenhouse's criminal case, just hours after prosecutors alleged in a court filing Thursday that Pierce's reported financial problems raised ethical concerns and a potential conflict of interest.

"So that it does not take Kyle's supporters by surprise, effective immediately I am taking over all civil matters for Kyle including his future defamation claims," Pierce wrote on Twitter Thursday afternoon. "I will also be orchestrating all fundraising for defense costs. The terrific Mark Richards [a local criminal defense attorney] will proceed in Wisconsin."

Kenosha County prosecutor Thomas Binger on Thursday morning took the highly unusual step of advocating against Pierce's request for admission to the criminal case, a procedural measure required of out-of-state lawyers that would typically be granted without objection.

But Binger filled six and a half pages with unsparing criticism of Pierce, citing numerous public statements by Pierce that Binger claimed could "materially prejudic[e]" the case, along with reports of the collapse of Pierce's law firm earlier this year "under a cloud of debt," and several lawsuits alleging Pierce defaulted on hundreds of thousands of dollars in business and personal loans.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/controversial-attorney-withdraws-kyle-rittenhouse-criminal-case-launches/story?id=74545504




Yeah and Kyle Rittenhouse is sort of a racist and a murderer. Now here’s the fun part because you can pretty much see where this is going. And it’s not going what one would call “particularly well”. And by the way, did you know that the Proud Boys have a theme song? Yes they do, and I curse them for making me look this up, but it was a rejected song from Disney’s Aladdin called “Proud Of Our Boy”, and Gavin McInnes adopted that as the official group song. So yeah that and also white power.

During Kyle Rittenhouse’s recent visit to a Racine County tavern, he drank beer, flashed white power signs while posing for photos, and was serenaded with the Proud Boys anthem, according to documents filed by prosecutors Wednesday.

Shortly after he formally entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment on Jan. 5, Rittenhouse spent about two hours at Pudgy’s Pub with his mother and several other people. A photo of Rittenhouse in the bar, wearing a T-shirt that said “Free as [expletive],” was widely shared on social media last week, outraging some in the community. Mount Pleasant Police visited the bar after a complaint, obtaining security video that confirmed Rittenhouse had been in the bar.

Police found Rittenhouse did not violate the conditions of his $2 million bond — state law allows people who are underage to drink if accompanied by a parent or guardian. But they did forward the video on to prosecutors.

Kenosha County prosecutors are now seeking to modify Rittenhouse’s bond, asking the court to order that Rittenhouse should not possess or consume alcohol, that he be restricted from associating with known militia members or known members of white power or white supremacist organizations, and that he be prohibited from publicly displaying symbols and gestures associated with violent white supremacist groups.
https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/rittenhouse-allegedly-flashed-white-power-signs-serenaded-with-proud-boys-anthem-during-bar-visit/article_3a44c023-cd01-507a-a770-c6e51ab1ebc3.html




Yeah but that doesn’t really apply here. But let’s check in now with how is it going? Well, he’s gone AWOL after being serenaded at a bar with singing racists who flash white power signs. Yeah this dude is 18 and in the last year, during a raging pandemic, he’s had more adventures than I have. But seriously, this is kind of turning into a really, really fucked up version of Smokey & The Bandit.

Since his release from jail, Kyle Rittenhouse has flaunted his freedom. Last month, ABC affiliate WISN12 reported that Rittenhouse was seen at a bar wearing a shirt that read “Free As Fuck.” He allegedly flashed a white power hand signs, took photos with fans, and sang Proud Boy anthems.

Now, the Illinois teen charged with shooting three protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year seems to be MIA. According to NBC affiliate TMJ4 in Milwaukee, an investigation conducted by the Kenosha Police Department determined that Rittenhouse hasn’t lived at the address listed to the court for over a month.

Prosecutors argue that Rittenhouse violated his bond because he failed to update his address with 48 hours of his move, and that the Court is therefore unable to properly monitor Rittenhouse’s whereabouts. They’re also urging the Court to issue a warrant for his arrest and increase his bond by $200,000 so that he can take this whole you-allegedly-murdered-people-and-might-spend-the-rest-of-your-life-in-jail thing a little more seriously.

Rittenhouse has been out of jail since posting $2 million bond with money raised by supporters. These supporters flocked to him after he was rendered into a right-wing boy wonder for playing wannabe minute man during a protest responding to the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha back in August. Rittenhouse claimed he was in Kenosha to protect businesses from rioters. He allegedly shot three people, killing two, before fleeing the scene and running home to Antioch, Illinois, just across the state border. He was arrested the next day and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. Rittenhouse pled not guilty.
https://theslot.jezebel.com/um-how-did-wisconsin-lose-track-of-alleged-killer-kyle-1846193106




Shit, if I were Kyle Rittenhouse’s attorney I’d be drunk too. Oh no wait, I would actually pray to be fired because there’s nothing you can do to defend this douchebag. I mean this case is so toxic that it’s almost impossible to begin to find any moral ground. And it’s a perfect example of what happens when you make terrible people famous. That’s exactly what the Trump administration has done – they make terrible people famous. Trump attracts sick and depraved minds, and Kyle Rittenhouse is no exception, no wonder he’s loved by racists everywhere.

An 18-year-old from Illinois who’s accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a police brutality protest in Wisconsin last summer fired a California attorney who had been soliciting money for his case.

John Pierce, a Los Angeles lawyer, had been at the forefront of Kyle Rittenhouse’s defense, helping raise money from conservatives to post Rittenhouse’s $2 million bail in November. He also hired attorney Mark Richards to handle proceedings in Wisconsin.

Rittenhouse, who is white and was 17 at the time, is accused of shooting three people in Kenosha in August as hundreds were protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man. Rittenhouse, who had come to Kenosha from his home in nearby Antioch, Illinois, has argued they attacked him and he fired in self-defense.

Pierce removed himself from Rittenhouse’s criminal case in December after prosecutors alleged he has “significant financial difficulties” and shouldn’t be allowed to raise money for Rittenhouse. He remained Rittenhouse’s attorney on civil matters
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/05/kyle-rittenhouse-fires-attorney-who-helped-raise-his-bail/





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[font size="8"]Robinhood
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I will admit that I know next to nothing about how the stock market works. But I will say that the clusterfuck that has arisen between Robinhood, Reddit day traders, and billionaire hedge fund managers has been one of the most entertaining thing to come out of late 2020 – early 2021. Because we’re still in a raging pandemic and we don’t know when actual entertainment will return. I hope soon! Last week we brought you the fact that they’re screwing over their customers, and Google and Apple both seem to be looking the other way. So why does Robinhood seem to hate their own customers? Well while we’re talking about the Super Bowl, let’s say for the record that Robinhood had one of the worst ads in Super Bowl history. Like yeah let’s just say “READ THE ROOM, GUYS!!!!”.

Robinhood's Super Bowl ad couldn't have come at a worse time. They're in the midst of a ton of bad press and ran and ad that felt it was made to make people even angrier.

In case you missed the wild saga: Robinhood came under fire after it limited the trades on stocks that Reddit investors targeted to inflate, like AMC and GameStop. This was part of a widespread battle between retail traders and certain hedge funds that had shorted stocks. Robinhood claims they didn't have enough cash to continue trading, making the pricey ad even more controversial.

From the get go, newly popular subreddit r/WallStreetBets was pissed off when Robinhood announced, and debuted, its planned Super Bowl ad. "Fuck Robinhood," posted one commenter as the subreddit floated crowdfunding an (uber expensive) ad of its own. WallStreetBets ended up raising about $30,000 — that's many millions away from from buying a Super Bowl ad — but the contentious atmosphere didn't go away.

To be fair, the ad from Robinhood almost seemed designed to make people angry. The message of the ad is literally "we are all investors" just after it made headlines for denying people the chance to invest. Here's the Robinhood spot that aired toward the end of the big game.
https://mashable.com/article/robinhood-super-bowl-ad-memes-jokes-reactions/




Yeah so you’re already unpopular because you’re telling people not to buy stock in things that you could buy stock from, so you buy ad time to explain that you’re all investors. Yeah read the room guys! Even worse – you know how you try to cancel that subscription service and then you go through customer service hell before you can actually speak to a person to cancel your account? Turns out that Robinhood is guilty of that too!

A U.S. consumer watchdog saw a surge in complaints regarding Robinhood last week, with some clients claiming they were unable to liquidate holdings and move to other brokerage firms.

The Federal Trade Commission received more than 100 Robinhood-related reports from Jan. 24 through Feb. 2, according to the agency. The prior week brought in seven such complaints. Agency data on other firms was not immediately available.

Last week was chaotic for trading platforms as investors piled into GameStop, AMC and other high-flying stocks. Robinhood restricted trading of as many as 50 names due to the volatility, and has since lifted those limits.

The move saw backlash from users and lawmakers who accused Robinhood of market manipulation, and siding with hedge funds managers who shorted those stocks. The start-up said it did not make those decisions based on relationships with market makers, and needed to limit the buy-side so it could meet capital requirements.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/05/ftc-sees-surge-in-robinhood-complaints-as-clients-claim-they-cant-leave-the-app.html




I’m pretty sure the only thing that would make Robinhood worse would be if you call customer service and Michael Scott were on the other line. Just what we need – some bad pop culture references and a that’s what she said joke. Am I right? Oh wait that’s what we do. So why are we talking about Robinhood when this is really just more ways of bashing politicians? Well see that’s where the two worlds intersect – Wall Street and DC, and they have a lot more in common than you might think!

As the financial services industry prepares for congressional scrutiny in the coming weeks following the public outcry related to online broker Robinhood’s decision to restrict trading of GameStop Inc. GME, -18.33% and other stocks, the perception of a cozy relationship between financial regulators and the industry could once again come to the fore.

Of particular interest will be regulators’ lack of action in recent years in reforming market structure issues — including payment for order flow, or the practice of market makers paying stockbrokers to route customer orders to them — as many of the former regulators responsible for such reforms are now working for firms in the industry that engage in and profit from the practice.

“We’ve had festering problems for 12 years now of not addressing, acute, pressing market structure issues,” said James Cox, law professor at Duke University, who specializes in corporate and securities law.

Cox said the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority should have done more in recent years to significantly rein in the practice of payment for order flow and to set new rules about the types of orders market makers and stock exchanges can accept from traders that can give them informational advantages over individual investors.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/robinhood-gamestop-saga-could-put-spotlight-on-dc-wall-street-revolving-door-11612817586




Everything burns! Even the stock market can burn and they are getting burned quite badly with this whole Robinhood debacle. But you know the phrase “risk management” comes to mind and everything Robinhood is doing is what one might consider “risky”. Especially when you’ve planned an IPO and your customers are being pissed off that badly, it could end as badly for them as you might expect!

The Super Bowl ad that Robinhood is airing this weekend doesn’t talk much about stocks, and maybe that’s for the better.

A surge in stock trading by retail investors has put the investing app in the spotlight, and it’s likely to stay there for several months. In the weeks ahead, the company’s CEO, Vlad Tenev, is set to testify before Congress, and after that—perhaps as soon as the second quarter—Robinhood is expected to go public. The initial-public-offering process will probably highlight Robinhood’s huge growth, but also the significant risks it faces in trying to overturn decades of Wall Street norms.

Robinhood, founded in 2013, has risen from plucky start-up to central player in the broker wars, and it’s now an important part of the plumbing of the U.S. financial system. Its basic innovation—commission-free trading—has realigned the industry and helped attract millions of new Americans to stock investing.

Robinhood’s platform became the central battlefield where retail traders took on Wall Street during the GameStop (ticker: GME) frenzy late last month. But the company faltered at a key moment, banning the buying of GameStop, AMC Entertainment (AMC), and several other stocks just as retail investors were rushing in.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/after-the-gamestop-frenzy-robinhood-faces-a-new-set-of-risks-51612573317




Well this might be one of the best things about this story. You know how when an angry mob starts destroying the wrong thing when they don’t know what they’re even angry at anymore? Well guess what happened? The angry mob that was bent on destroying Robinhood, the investing app, wound up taking aim at the wrong Robin Hood! I think they need to refine their Google searches a bit better!

The day Robinhood Markets Inc. brokerage restricted trading in GameStop Corp. , a howl rose among the small-time traders looking to take a swing at Wall Street big shots during the market’s end-of-January frenzy.

The trading folderol caught the attention of Robin Hood enthusiasts in Nottingham, England, where legends swirl of past campaigns to squeeze the rich.

Bob White, at home that day, Jan. 28, was the first to see opportunity. His phone started beeping and wouldn’t let up. As chairman of the World Wide Robin Hood Society—a band of some 10 people—Mr. White handles the group’s Twitter account, @robinhood. Most days, he said, he gets one or two pings.

Furious traders messaged him as the feud between Reddit users and Wall Street blew up, thinking his was the Twitter account of Robinhood, the brokerage, not Robin Hood, the legendary outlaw’s booster group.

“The thing was just going ping, ping, ping, ping,” the 77-year-old author and amateur historian said. “All these messages were just scrolling off the screen, about how they couldn’t trade these stocks.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/robinhood-traders-accidentally-boost-robin-hood-societys-merry-band-11612800522





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[font size="8"]Mike Lindell
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At the end of this week, My Pillow should probably change its’ name to My Bankruptcy. Yes, the sleep manufacturing conglomerate founded by former drug addict turned born again Christian turned batshit hardcore Trump conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell is in some really deep shit. We already reported on how his part in the Capitol Riot caused major department stores to drop his business. So what do you do when that happens? Do you cry into your own product? No! In Mike Lindell’s case he’s so determined to prove that voter fraud existed in the 2020 election that he simply made a 3 hour documentary incorporating every conspiracy theory that’s ever been on Youtube or social media. And it got picked up and aired by OAN. That’s how it started, anyways!

“Absolute Proof,” the so-called “documentary” about election fraud from My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, has been yanked by YouTube.

The two-hour film sees the avid Donald Trump supporter falsely claim that the former president won the 2020 presidential election, repeating a number of debunked election fraud claims in the process. The film was uploaded to multiple platforms, with several sites since YouTube removed it. YouTube said in a statement on Friday that all versions of the film would be taken down.

“Per our presidential election integrity policy, we remove content uploaded after the safe harbor deadline that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election,” a rep for the company told Fast Company. “We removed this video and its reuploads in accordance with this policy.”

The video has also been flagged on Facebook and will have its distribution “reduced” after being rated false by fact-checkers. According to Vice, it has also been removed from Vimeo.

The conservative news network OAN inserted a lengthly disclaimer before airing “Absolute Proof” in an attempt to distance themselves from Lindell. Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic, two of the companies whose technology has been at the center of many of the election fraud claims, have both filed lawsuits targeting proponents of the false assertions in the film.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pillow-ceo-mike-lindell-election-202009712.html




That's right! You saw the documentary before it got pulled from Youtube, now buy the pillows! Use promo code "ABSOLUTELYWORTHLESS" and "OWNTHELIBS" to get 20% off at checkout! Thank you fake audience! I am here all week! But wait there’s more! This might be my favorite part of this and I’ll let the story run before I point out the irony. But this is too damn good not to mention this week.

MyPillow CEO and staunch Donald Trump supporter Mike Lindell, who had been promising for weeks to drop “evidence” backing unfounded claims of election fraud and vote tampering in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, found the effort undermined Friday as the channel on which his quasidocumentary aired took pre-emptive steps to avoid appearing to vouch for its credibility.

Lindell’s three-hour movie, “Absolute Proof,” which he put together over the past two weeks and had claimed would show “100 percent” that China and other countries manipulated votes in President Joe Biden’s favor — there is zero evidence to support such claims, and Biden beat incumbent Trump by more than 7 million votes, 4½ percentage points and 74 votes in the Electoral College — premiered Friday on the right-wing One American News Network, or OAN.

Much to the amusement of many on Twitter TWTR, 3.71%, OAN aired a lengthy disclaimer ahead of “Absolute Proof” advising viewers that “the statements and claims expressed in this program are presented at this time as opinions only and are not intended to be taken or interpreted by the viewer as established facts.”

Early reviews of the footage have noted there is no actual proof provided, only more of the same conspiracy theories and misinformation that Lindell has trafficked in for weeks. Indeed, several viewers shared screenshots of YouTube removing the Lindell movie for violating its terms of service, although some pro-Lindell users of the Alphabet-owned GOOGL, -0.08% GOOG, -0.01% video service have continued to upload “Absolute Proof” to the platform. Alphabet was not immediately available for comment, but a spokesperson reportedly told Vice that the video “violated our presidential election integrity policy.”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/oans-absolute-proof-disclaimer-is-getting-more-buzz-on-twitter-than-mike-lindells-documentary-11612554617




Ooh can we have the Offspring sing it? I think it would be even funnier if they did it, and I know Noodles, he hates Trump! But let’s think about the underlying irony here – OAN is the most pro-Trump TV network around, airing a 3 hour documentary from the most pro-Trump guy not named Donald Trump, with a lengthy disclaimer saying that the views in the documentary are not the views of OAN! See? Even they occasionally have to play by the rules! But this might be my favorite story – My Pillow now has some real competition! Coming from Parkland survivor David Hogg! Yes!

Who's up for a pillow fight?

Parkland, Florida, shooting survivor and gun control advocate David Hogg says he wants to launch his own pillow company to compete with MyPillow, whose CEO, Mike Lindell, has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and has insisted the 2020 election was rigged.

The idea started on Twitter as an apparent joke, when entrepreneur William LeGate asked Hogg, "What if we put MyPillow out of business?"

In a later series of tweets, Hogg, 20, said he and LeGate were serious about starting the pillow company. "The website will be up in a couple weeks we are very much in the early stages right now. But we really are doing this," Hogg wrote.

In a CNN interview, he said that they are hoping to find a union pillow factory to manufacture their product in the USA but "it's very hard."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/02/05/david-hogg-says-hes-launching-mypillow-competitor/4403468001/




You’re supposed to buy the pillows, not destroy them! Well you can destroy My Pillows anyways! But that said, Mike Lindell is soon going to be up shit creek without a paddle. But in case you’re wondering if Mr. Hogg is serious or not, he’s dead serious on taking down My Pillow with a more consumer, environmental, and politically friendly pillow company. I definitely look forward to buying one!

A Parkland High School shooting survivor and gun control advocate may be a new competitor for the MyPillow company.

Twenty-year-old David Hogg is considering whether to launch his own pillow company to compete against the embattled bedding company MyPillow.

The MyPillow company has lost financial value since CEO and founder Mike Lindell showed his unwavering support of former President Donald Trump.

On Thursday Hogg tweeted out, "Mike "The MyPillow Guy" this pillow fight just got very real."

Hogg is taking name suggestions on Twitter, one of them is "Our Pillow."
https://kttc.com/2021/02/05/parkland-survivor-starting-a-rival-company-to-take-on-mypillow/





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



Every 5 or 6 years, there is a major lawsuit against a major fast food company alleging that the “meat” that they sell isn’t exactly real meat. 10 years ago, that lawsuit took on Taco Bell, alleging that the ground beef that they sold wasn’t exactly beef. This time around, the target is the world’s largest sandwich chain, Subway. Subway previously got hit with a lawsuit alleging that their bread contained an ingredient that’s also found in gym mats. But the target of the new lawsuit alleges that Subway’s tuna isn’t real tuna. Which could explain why it’s one of the highest calorie sandwiches you can get on the menu. So what do you get when you actually order a tuna sandwich at Subway? Well, the lawsuit alleges that you could get something that isn’t what you paid for.

A new lawsuit filed against a popular sandwich chain gives new meaning to the term "mystery meat."

Subway, a company known for its footlong subs, is facing claims that its tuna sandwiches and wraps don't actually contain any tuna at all, as first reported by The Washington Post.

The complaint, filed on Jan. 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, names two plaintiffs who allege that they “were tricked into buying food items that wholly lacked the ingredients they reasonably thought they were purchasing.”
Alameda County residents Karen Dhanowa and Nilima Amin are suing Subway for several claims including fraud, intentional misrepresentation and unjust enrichment. According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by TODAY Food, the plaintiffs claim that an independent testing of the sandwich ingredients confirmed that the "products are made from anything but tuna
https://www.today.com/food/subway-s-tuna-sandwiches-don-t-contain-tuna-new-lawsuit-t207346




So how is Subway handling the suit? Well about as well as you might expect. Of course they’re going to come out and say that their tuna salad is actually real tuna. But if you dig deeper their tuna might actually contain chicken. Which would wreak havoc on certain diets. And that’s exactly what the lawsuit is alleging. But let’s take a minute to see what is actually being sued for here.

Alex Brown, an attorney with the Lanier Law Firm who is representing Dhanowa and Amin in the case, said the firm is trying to determine what ingredients are used in Subway's tuna. "We are conducting tests to figure out what it is. The lab tests thus far have only told us what it isn't," he said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch last week.

A spokesperson for the company denied the claims laid out in the lawsuit. "There simply is no truth to the allegations in the complaint that was filed in California," Maggie Truax, director of Global PR, said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch. "Subway delivers 100% cooked tuna to its restaurants, which is mixed with mayonnaise and used in freshly made sandwiches, wraps and salads that are served to and enjoyed by our guests."

According to the company's website, the tuna salad in the chain's sandwiches is made with flaked tuna in brine, mayonnaise and a flavor-protecting additive.

"Unfortunately, this lawsuit is part of a trend in which the named plaintiffs' attorneys have been targeting the food industry in an effort to make a name for themselves in that space," Truax said.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/subway-tuna-lawsuit-promo-code/




At least Krusty Burger would probably use actual fish in their fish sandwiches. So Subway’s tuna isn’t really tuna at all. It’s more of a mixture of chicken and flaked tuna, then doused with mayonnaise. Which probably makes the Krusty fish sandwich a healthier alternative. What’s in the actual lawsuit you might ask? Well using real tuna costs money. And Subway is out to move as many sandwiches as possible, so they might cut corners on their products. Which isn’t really that shocking.

According to the lawsuit, California Subway locations "are deceptively saving substantial sums of money in manufacturing the Products because the fabricated ingredient they use in the place of tuna costs less money." Let's examine that.

A spokesperson for Subway told the Washington Post the tuna in their sandwiches is wild-caught, and the company's website describes it as "flaked," which means it's made up of the leftover pieces from a loin of tuna. Essentially, that's the same stuff you get in a can of Starkist. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the average price of one ton of frozen, wild-caught skipjack—the kind of fish most commonly used in canned tuna—hovered around $1,000 throughout 2020.

Each six-inch Subway tuna sandwich contains no more than 150 grams of tuna, according to nutrition information from Subway. There are 907,185 grams in a ton—enough to make about 6,000 subway tuna sandwiches. At $1,000 a ton, the tuna on each individual Subway sandwich theoretically costs the company about 16 cents.

Perhaps, as the lawsuit against Subway claims, there's some other, cheaper substance out there that looks like tuna, smells like tuna, and tastes like tuna, and Subway is putting it on their sandwiches. But it's hard to imagine something like that costing less than 16 goddamn cents per sandwich.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/qjpnmv/whats-actually-going-on-with-this-subway-tuna-lawsuit




Yes, Subway has been featured in many different advertisements. But if you don’t believe Subway you are welcome to try it yourself. In fact the store has an interesting take on the subject. It’s almost like when someone denounces an advertiser, then finds out that the advertiser is sponsoring your own program! Whoa, that’s a whole new level of meta!

Subway is offering a 15% discount for its tuna fish sandwich after a lawsuit claimed the sandwiches don't contain real tuna.

The complaint argued that the ingredients used in the sandwich do not contain tuna, and that the company used misleading marketing to get customers to buy them.

Subway denied these claims, and started the discount. Customers just have to use the code "itsreal" to get the discount, PennLive reported.

“Our tuna salad is 100% tuna mixed with mayo,” Subway's website states.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, but attorneys are pushing to get the claim certified as a class action lawsuit, the Washington Post reported.
https://www.phillyvoice.com/subway-tuna-discount-lawsuit/




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 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 congregation! You know this has been a truly unprecedented time that we are currently living in when there’s still a great plague going on. But people are still fighting about the 2020 election! Never mind that it’s already been decided and the guy who is really the 46th president of the United States has already been inaugurated and is already making policies that will affect the United States and probably the entire world. But that doesn’t matter! The 45th president of the United States – that’s right, the unholy, ungodly Dark One thinks he still has a shot! Yes, even though he is no longer the president of the United States, his name shall not be said in my church, whether it is real or virtual! To hell with him! To HELL I say!!! So what does JAYSUS think of the issue? And where does GAWD stand?

incited a crowd to attack the U.S. Capitol, opened with a prayer. Trump’s longtime spiritual adviser and White House adviser, the Florida televangelist Paula White, called on God to “give us a holy boldness in this hour.” Standing at the same podium where, an hour later, Trump would exhort the crowd to “fight like hell,” White called the election results into question, asking God to let the people “have the assurance of a fair and a just election.” Flanked by a row of American flags, White implored God to “let every adversary against democracy, against freedom, against life, against liberty, against justice, against peace, against righteousness be overturned right now in the name of Jesus.”

Within hours, insurrectionists had surrounded the Capitol, beaten police, battered down barricades and doors, smashed windows and rampaged through the halls of the Capitol, breaching the Senate chamber. In video captured by The New Yorker, men ransacked the room, rifling through senators’ binders and papers, searching for evidence of what they claimed was treason. Then, standing on the rostrum where the president of the Senate presides, the group paused to pray “in Christ’s holy name.” Men raised their arms in the air as millions of evangelical and charismatic parishioners do every Sunday and thanked God for allowing them “to send a message to all the tyrants, the communists and the globalists, that this is our nation, not theirs.” They thanked God “for allowing the United States of America to be reborn.”
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/capitol-christian-right-trump-1121236/




But there is you see, for this is a house of GAWD! And GAWD failed on January 6th, because we’re learning that the Dark One commanded his minions to wreak havoc, and they did wreak some havoc all right, even if that meant for them all to get arrested! I mean is this Making America Great Again? I’m sure that even the LAWRD does not want him in power! But there’s signs everywhere, even where you might least suspect them!

QAnon conspiracy theorist and supposed “prophet” Johnny Enlow streamed a “special prophetic broadcast” on his YouTube page Monday morning in which he sought to reveal the supposed prophetic significance in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl victory Sunday night.

Enlow, who claimed in January that the result of the college football national championship game was a prophetic sign that President Donald Trump would remain in office (he didn’t), asserted that a game-sealing interception by Buccaneers’ linebacker Devin White near the end of the game prophetically signaled that Trump will return to office because White wears the number 45.

“A snapshot that really gives the big picture revelation is what happened with just under two minutes left in the game and a player named Devin White—number 45 for the Tampa Bay Bucs—number 45 intercepts in the end zone a pass from the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback,” Enlow said. “And with that, what takes place immediately is celebration begins.”

“All the observers already knew even before that point that Tampa Bay had won the game, because they had a huge lead.,” he continued. “It was 31-9, but at that point, it took out even the possibility [of a comeback], that was just it, there was no miracle comeback at that point, once number 45 [intercepted the pass]. So, I’m going to make a [prophetic] connection with number 45 intercepting the enemy in the end zone, and that’s when the celebration takes place, and I’m going to connect that with our president number 45—Donald Trump, the Cyrus 45, Isaiah 45 anointing—and so that’s where it ends, that’s the moment of celebration.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/johnny-enlow-sees-prophetic-significance-for-trump-in-the-super-bowl/




Oh but all things are about the LAWRD our GAWD! They are not about the unholy, ungodly Dark One, because that man is such a disgusting pig of a human that we can’t even begin to list how desperate and depraved that man is. But really this is the Da Vinci Code but for idiots. But do we really need the church *MORE* involved in politics? And I ask this as a preacher! But I say this because they’ve already done enough damage!

Rob McCoy, a religious-right pastor-politician based in Southern California, continues to promote the false claim that the presidential election was stolen from former President Donald Trump in battleground states won by President Joe Biden. McCoy appeared on Monday’s “Wallbuilders Live,” hosted by Christian nationalist “historian” David Barton and his co-host Rick Green.

McCoy is closely aligned with influential right-wing figures, including Christian nationalist political operative David Lane and Turning Point USA founder and Falkirk Center co-founder Charlie Kirk. McCoy resigned his position on the Thousand Oaks City Council earlier this year so he could lead defiance of COVID-19-related restrictions on church gatherings.

On the show, Green, Barton, and McCoy postured as voices of reason and truth in a sea of deception from the left and right, particularly what they called “hopium”—messages from right-wing leaders who assured Trump supporters that he would definitely remain in power, whether through martial law or divine intervention.

But despite portraying himself as a voice of truth, McCoy continued to promote the big lie at the core of the post-election turmoil, including the deadly insurrection at the Capitol. Here’s McCoy speaking with Barton and Green:
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/rob-mccoy-says-the-church-could-have-stopped-the-election-from-being-stolen-if-it-were-more-involved-in-politics/




No there is no salvaging for that man. It’s time to cast him aside and support a real man – Joe Biden – who is righteous and godly, and will lead us into a new era of prosperity after what we’ve been through in the last year! But you just can’t go and declare yourself the government. That’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works! But keep telling yourself that, guys!

Religious-right author and pundit Eric Metaxas hosted Virginia pastor Bill Cook on his radio show last Friday, where Cook said that all legitimate governments are based in “the lordship of Jesus Christ” and that Christians are “called to govern.” Cook met Metaxas at a pro-Trump “prayer rally” on the National Mall organized by Jericho March and Stop the Steal.

Cook wore an Oath Keepers T-shirt while speaking at the Dec. 12 rally. On the same stage later that day, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes threatened bloody civil war if Trump did not stay in power. Several Oath Keepers have been charged with conspiring to commit violence in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Cook founded a group called America’s Black Robe Regiment. The “black robe regiment,” often invoked by Christian nationalist leaders who want to get conservative pastors more involved in right-wing politics, refers to Colonial-era pastors who mobilized men in their churches to join the war for independence from England.

Historian John Fea responded to Cook’s appearance with Metaxas in a blog post in which he wrote, “There was no such thing as the ‘black robe regiment’ in revolutionary America.” Fea noted that Cook told Metaxas that everything he knew about the black robe regiment he learned from religious-right “historian” David Barton. Like Right Wing Watch, Fea has spent years challenging Barton’s “false claims and misleading interpretations of American history.” Barton’s book about Thomas Jefferson was pulled by his Christian publisher after many historians complained about its inaccuracies
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/black-robe-pastor-wore-oath-keepers-t-shirt-at-trump-prayer-rally-in-december-we-are-the-government-of-america/




Well that is a good question Homer! We can’t tell you the answer though! But I will say, if the churches on the right want to die on the hill that supports the unholy Dark One, so be it! More for us! 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: Marilyn Manson
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Is anyone really that surprised that a guy who took his stage name from one of the world’s most notorious serial killers for shock value would turn out to be a narcissistic, psychopathic, abusive, raging douchebag? No? Yeah us neither. While the entire world is lecturing each other about the concept of “cancel culture”, we can see it in action! Now before I go any further, I must state the official Top 10 policy that we do not make fun of abuse or anything that would be considered horrifying. But we can take shots at someone as horrible as Marilyn Manson, am I right? Here’s the other burning question that I have – why would anyone date someone who is easily searched on a Google database like this when you can easily find this out about someone? But that’s neither here nor there.

Tony Ciulla, who managed Marilyn Manson for the past 25 years, has dropped the shock rocker as a client, a source close to the situation confirmed to Rolling Stone. The move comes after several women, including actress and Manson’s ex-fiancé Evan Rachel Wood, accused Manson of sexual and physical abuse.

Ciulla started managing Manson in 1996, the same year the artist put out his mainstream breakthrough, Antichrist Superstar. He stood by the singer, whose real name is Brian Warner, through multiple controversies — including criticism that followed the musician after the Columbine shooting — and myriad lawsuits. Manson has been subject to suits by both former band members over royalty disputes and alleged assaults on security personnel at concerts.

But Ciulla’s stance changed this week after Wood named Manson as the previously anonymous abuser she referenced while testifying before the California Senate in relation to the state’s Phoenix Act, which extends the statute of limitations on domestic violence from three years to five. (Ciulla declined to comment.)

“The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,” Wood wrote on Instagram Monday. “He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years. I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail. I am here to expose this dangerous man and call out the many industries that have enabled him before he ruins any more lives. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent.” Four other women came forward with similar stories in an article for Vanity Fair.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/marilyn-manson-dropped-manager-1124545/




Yeah maybe a little bit! Oh no wait, a whole lot! So let me explain where the concept of “cancel culture” comes in. Brian Warner, the musician who is known as Marilyn Manson, is an abusive douchebag. We’re not going to list all the creepy things he’s done, like upskirt photos, or pulling guns on people. We don’t have that kind of time! When you’re an abusive douchebag and you get found out as an abusive douchebag, bad things should happen to you! But despite all the creepy things he’s done, it’s actually having the reverse effect!

In the week following new claims of abuse from actress Evan Rachel Wood and other women, Marilyn Manson’s latest single, “Don’t Chase The Dead,” has fallen off Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, while his total on-demand streams and digital sales rose slightly last week.

“Don’t Chase The Dead,” the latest single from Manson’s 2020 album We Are Chaos, falls out of Mainstream Rock Airplay’s top 40 after posting at No. 34 on last week’s chart. The song had spent 12 weeks on the tally since debuting on the chart dated Nov. 21, 2020, and reached a peak of No. 29.

According to MRC Data, “Don’t Chase The Dead” received 102 spins on Mainstream Rock Airplay reporters in the seven-day tracking period ending Feb. 7, down from 194 plays in the previous week, according to MRC Data. The song had been declining in plays in each of the three prior weeks, peaking four weeks ago with 245 plays.

Meanwhile, Manson’s total on-demand streams were up 7% in the week ending Feb. 4 to 6 million. His digital sales reached 2,000, a 40% increase (also in the week ending Feb. 4).
https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/9523844/marilyn-manson-charts-mainstream-rock-airplay-streams-abuse-allegations




That is a good question, sir! Here’s the thing guys, if you don’t want to be canceled, maybe I don’t know, don’t do things that could get you canceled? Like being a creepy douchebag for instance? That could get you canceled, and it’s what got Roy Moore canceled. Now let’s hear from Warner / Manson himself, and you know the statement is going to be really shitty. You know, when you’re in a hole, the best thing to do is to stop digging!

Wood and Manson began dating when she was 19 and he was 38. They got engaged in 2010, but ended their relationship a few months later.

Following Wood's post, Manson's record label Loma Vista Recordings cut ties with him and released a statement: "In light of today's disturbing allegations by Evan Rachel Wood and other women naming Marilyn Manson as their abuser, Loma Vista will cease to further promote his current album, effective immediately. Due to these concerning developments we have also decided not to work with Marilyn Manson on any future projects."

Manson had a reoccurring role on the Starz show, "American Gods" but the network has now decided to curtail their working relationship with him as well.
"Due to the allegations made against Marilyn Manson, we have decided to remove his performance from the remaining episode he is in, scheduled to air later this season. Starz stands unequivocally with all victims and survivors of abuse," the network said in a statement.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/entertainment/marilyn-manson-abuse-dropped-record-label/index.html




Now it doesn’t quite work that way. I know what you music heads are thinking – what does Trent Reznor think about all of this? You know that Marilyn Manson started out on his Nothing Records label. I’m sure right now he’s making faces at record labels going “I told you so” followed by a very childish “neener neener”. Oh wait, Trent doesn’t do that sort of thing. But here’s how that is going!

Nine Inch Nails frontman and The Social Network composer Trent Reznor has issued a new statement regarding former friend and collaborator Marilyn Manson.

Trent Reznor sent Pitchfork a statment. It reads: “I have been vocal over the years about my dislike of Manson as a person and cut ties with him nearly 25 years ago. As I said at the time, the passage from Manson’s memoir is a complete fabrication. I was infuriated and offended back when it came out and remain so today.”

Reznor’s statement addresses Manson’s autobiography The Long Hard Road Out of Hell. In the book Manson says he and Reznor physically and sexually assaulted an inebriated woman in the 90s. Screenshots of the book circulated on Twitter after multiple women came forward with allegations that Manson abused them.

Manson’s record label dropped him. They released a statement. It reads: “In light of today’s disturbing allegations by Evan Rachel Wood and other women naming Marilyn Manson as their abuser, Loma Vista will cease to further promote his current album, effective immediately. Due to these concerning developments, we have also decided not to work with Marilyn Manson on any future projects”. An upcoming episode of Creepshow featuring Manson will not air and will be replaced. You can read Mason’s response to these allegations HERE.
https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/372927/trent-reznor-issues-new-statement-regarding-marilyn-manson/





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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner: Proud Boys Go Guerilla
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Welcome back to the segment where we attempt to explain the unexplainable, Conspiracy Corner! See when man has things that he can’t explain, the mind obviously goes to conspiracies. We are coming to you live from our underground bunker deep in the badlands of New Mexico. Undisclosed location, of course! Just allow me to adjust my trusty tin foil hat for maximum government interference… they can read minds, don’t you know? Well this week, it seems that conspiracy theorists have become self-aware, and one such group is the Proud Boys. Now the fight club of the alt right is adding some much needed military firepower, and this is where things could get really crazy.

The majority of the Proud Boys who dressed up in matching polo shirts and attempted to disrupt a peaceful protest in Halifax more than three years ago are still in the military, even though the federal government deemed the alt-right group a terrorist organization last week.

The five men — four of them in the navy and one an army soldier — attended a July 1, 2017 ceremony meant to honour Canada's missing and murdered Indigenous women near the statue of former governor Edward Cornwallis, infamous for his 1749 scalping proclamation aimed at Mi'kmaq people.

“Of the five members involved in this incident, two have since released from the Forces, and three have completed required counselling and probation and have renounced their affiliation with the Proud Boys,” Jessica Lamirande, who speaks for the Department of National Defence, said in an email responding to a question about whether the new terrorist designation means the men would be kicked out of the military.

“These actions are absolutely not tolerated behaviour in the CAF. There are serious consequences for any CAF members who express intolerance while in — or out — of uniform.”
https://www.journalpioneer.com/news/canada/majority-of-proud-boys-who-disrupted-peaceful-halifax-protest-still-in-uniform-despite-new-terrorist-designation-550008/




You know why do these guys wear fucking polo shirts? That doesn’t say “I am the leader of a rogue guerilla wannabe military unit”, that says “Come take a look at this used Kia Optima, only $329 per month!”. But there is good news – the Proud Boys are finally getting the terrorist designation that they very much deserve! So Canada is calling the Proud Boys terrorists, will the Biden administration? Let’s hope they are!

Canada formally designated the Proud Boys as a terrorist group under its criminal law on Wednesday, a move that could lead to financial seizures and allow police to treat any crimes committed by members as terrorist activity.

Government officials said they believe Canada is the first nation to label the Proud Boys a terrorist entity. The events last month in Washington, they added, contributed to the move, which was already under consideration.

“Since 2018, we have seen an escalation, an escalation toward violence in this group,” Bill Blair, the public safety minister, told a news conference, adding that the Proud Boys and 12 other groups added to the list on Wednesday are “all hateful, intolerant and, as we’ve seen, they can be highly dangerous.”

An official, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified, said that while information gleaned after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in Washington was a “contributing factor, it certainly wasn’t the driving force.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/world/canada/canada-proud-boys-terror-group.html




And what’s their excuse for morphing from a protest group designed to beat up protestors in the way that the Harlem Globetrotters beat up the Washington Generals, to a full blown terrorist organization that is going to overthrow the government? Well it can be boiled down to four simple words “Because Trump said so”. That’s right – 4th grade ideology, 4th grade ideas. And their minds haven’t progressed beyond the 4th grade, either.

With former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial starting today, Senate Democrats are focused on trying to tie a direct line between Trump's rhetoric and the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

An ABC News investigation into the nearly 200 accused rioters facing federal charges for their alleged involvement at the Capitol -- based on court filings, military records, interviews, and available news reports-- found that at least fifteen individuals who stormed the building have since said that they acted based on Trump's encouragement, including some of those accused of the most violent and serious crimes.

"I believed I was following the instructions of former President Trump," said Garret Miller in a statement released through his lawyer. "I also left Washington and started back to Texas immediately after President Trump asked us to go home."

Miller, who admitted to entering the Capitol in his statement, also threatened to "assassinate" Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez that same day, which he apologized for.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/president-trump-dozen-capitol-rioters-trumps-guidance/story?id=75757601




Tin foil hats and bras – interesting choice of uniforms! But the thing is that Trump may be gone, but his adoring fans aren’t; but they aren’t the only ones who are getting rowdier and adding some military firepower to their ranks. But the fact that the Proud Boys are recruiting former military members shows that there is extremism in the military and that it should be rooted out. Now that’s a conspiracy!

On January 6, Larry Rendall Brock Jr. stood on the floor of the United States Senate. He and thousands of others had attacked Congress and sacked the Capitol building. Rendall was clad in a helmet and tactical gear. He held white zip tie handcuffs in his right hand.

Brock is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1989. And in a recently deleted LinkedIn profile, first reported by The New Yorker, Brock described himself as having served as a flight commander with the 706th Fighter Squadron. He retired in 2014 and on Facebook, he once posted that he was preparing for "a second civil war." According to NPR, in the weeks after President Biden's election victory, Brock posted: "We are now under occupation by a hostile governing force."

Brock was arrested and charged several days after the attack. Of the more than 140 people charged so far, almost 20% have some current or former service connection to the military, according to an NPR analysis.

In 2019, the Military Times polled active duty service members and found that more than 30% of white service members said they'd personally witnessed examples of white nationalism, such as white supremacist tattoos and Nazi-style salutes within the ranks. According to the same report, more than 50% of minority service members said "they have personally witnessed examples of white nationalism or ideological-driven racism," and "Overall, troops who responded to the poll cited white nationalists as a greater national security threat than both domestic terrorism with a connection to Islam, as well as immigration." These numbers are up significantly from similar polls the Military Times fielded in 2017 and 2018.
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2021/01/26/extremism-in-the-military-capitol




So if there’s one cross section that the Proud Boys and the military have, it’s they actually have members of both groups. And there’s probably both ex-military and the Proud Boys involved in the Capitol Riots. We may never know the full extent of the damage that was done. Or who was there, or who gets caught. But one thing’s for certain – you don’t bring zip lines, pipe bombs, and AR-15s to a supposedly peaceful protest.

Of the 125 federal arrests made so far in connection with the riot at the Capitol earlier this month, most have been relatively simple: Agents and prosecutors have put together cases largely by scouring the news and social media for incriminating photographs and videos.

Some of the evidence has been almost comically easy to obtain. Several people have been turned in by their loved ones or have openly bragged about their roles in the attack on Facebook or in interviews with their hometown newspapers. One man went so far as to post a photo of himself on Instagram with a helpful finger-pointing icon and the words, “THIS IS ME.”

But the inquiry into the Capitol assault, a huge effort that has focused its attention on as many as 400 people, took an important turn this week as prosecutors filed their first serious conspiracy charges, accusing three members of the right-wing militia group the Oath Keepers of plotting the incursion in advance. If, as they have promised, investigators are hoping to narrow their gaze on organized extremists who may have preplanned the attack, they are going to have to use a different and more difficult-to-master set of skills.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/21/nyregion/capitol-riot-conspiracy-fbi.html





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Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people and people are dumb. And one thing I’ve learned about this year is that people are stupider than ever. Especially since we’re still in the middle of a raging pandemic! But even that hasn’t stopped stupid people from being stupid. I want to start with this story out of Oklahoma. The article doesn’t specify the town but does state some positively shocking information about the criminal in question. And really we’re on the side of the woman who tore down the flag, because, fuck Nazis. But I want to talk about this story because, yeah, fuck Nazis. And would you guess this guy has a profile on Gab? I’m not at all shocked. This story has everything!

The unarmed woman who was shot in the back after tearing down a Nazi flag flying in front of the gunman’s Oklahoma home has sued her assailant for negligence, according to court records.

In a January 28 District Court petition, Kyndal McVey, 26, accuses Alexander Feaster of acting with “reckless disregard” in connection with the shooting last year outside Feaster’s residence in the town of Hunter (pop. 173).

McVey was at a party across from Feaster’s home last June when she crossed the street around 2:55 AM and grabbed one of the two swastika flags flying outside the residence. As McVey fled with the flag, Feaster--carrying an AR-15 rifle--emerged from his home.

Without warning, the 45-year-old Feaster fired at least seven shots at McVey, who was struck several times in the lower abdomen and legs, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police found McVey (seen at right) in a ditch across from Feaster’s property.

McVey’s gunshot injuries required multiple surgeries and several weeks of hospitalization. Her lawsuit is seeking in excess of $75,000 in damages for “mental and physical pain and suffering,” medical expenses, lost time, and “change in physical and mental condition.”
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/flag-shoot-lawsuit-285930




Yeah where are Jake and Elwood when you need them? Next up – if you’ve seen any of the Marvel movies, particularly Guardians Of The Galaxy 2, in the beginning of that movie, the plot is put in motion when Rocket Raccoon steals a bunch of rare batteries. Well, guess what? In real life that happened, and what makes this dumb is these batteries have a location tracker in them, so Verizon was easily able to identify that they were stolen! D’oh!!!

A 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly stealing four deep-cycle batteries which were used to power a San Bernardino, California Verizon cell tower site, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

On January 14, a suspect cut two padlocks to access the cell towner site at 17101 State 330 Highway. Unbeknownst to the thief, the batteries were equipped with GPS tracking devices.

On the following day, the GPS was tracked and located at the residence of Kenneth McFarlane, who is on San Bernardino felony probation, the Sheriff’s Department said. McFarlane was alone in the garage with all four stolen batteries, the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.

{snip}

Some carriers are using GPS enabled batteries that are automatically triggered when they are removed from an enclosure, rack room or shelter, alerting the NOC through text and email notifications.
http://wirelessestimator.com/articles/2021/geo-catch-puts-california-man-behind-bars-for-verizon-cell-site-batteries-theft/




Yeah maybe Rocket isn’t the best being to go to for advice. Next up – we go to the Oregon city of Beaverton for this stupid criminal story. So here’s the thing – if you are going to steal a car, you might want to, I don’t know, check for things like toddlers or small persons in them. But also, you might not want to be around at the crime scene if you get caught because that could turn ugly quickly.

A car thief who found a toddler in the backseat of a stolen vehicle drove back and chastised the mother for leaving the child unattended before taking off again, police in Oregon said.

-SNIP-

A store employee told authorities the woman was in the market for a few minutes before someone began driving away with the SUV. Once the thief realized the toddler was in the backseat, he drove back, berated the woman for leaving her child unattended, told the woman to take the child and drove away in the stolen vehicle.

“He actually lectured the mother for leaving the child in the car and threatened to call the police on her,” Henderson said.

The vehicle was found a few hours later in Portland but police are still searching for the thief. The suspect was said to be in his 20s or 30s with dark brown or black braided hair and a multi-colored face mask.

Police said anyone with information on the theft should contact the department.

https://apnews.com/article/thief-berates-mom-kid-in-stolen-car-29b28e4e64aa51978f7b7b91a163db35




Ah, great movie! Next up – we got to go to our favorite state of Florida. Yes, America’s most penis-shaped state never fails to amaze with all of the crazy people they have. And here’s the thing – you don’t want to send drugs through the mail. That’s why you have vigilante groups for that sort of thing, because if you send meth through the mail, you will get caught. And that’s exactly what happened.

A man from Florida is going to prison on drug charges after mailing more than 18 pounds of methamphetamine to West Virginia.

According to United States Attorney Mike Stuart, Thomas Drew Bess, 39, of Flordia was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on a charge of “conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.”
Crews respond to fire at Charleston business

“It’s 30 years in prison for Bess who mailed more than 18 pounds of meth from Los Angeles to Charleston,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “It was the great teamwork between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the DEA, the U.S. Postal Service-OIG, the West Virginia National Guard and my office that kept this shipment of 96% pure meth from being sold throughout our communities.”

Bess has previously pleaded guilty to the charge, admitting that on Sept. 1, 2019, he flew to Los Angeles from Florida and mailed a package to Charleston. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted the package Sept. 4, 2019, and after obtaining a search warrant, found approximately 18.25 pounds of meth inside, which was intended to be sold in the Charleston area. Officials removed all but 11.2 grams in order to conduct a controlled delivery.
https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/florida-man-sentenced-after-mailing-18-pounds-of-meth-to-west-virginia/




Oh man do I love that show. Finally this week – speaking of America’s most penis-shaped state, Florida, we go to the town of Port Richie for this one, and if you have a rather easily identifiable tattoo, you might want to refrain from doing stupid things. I guess you could say this guy really is Florida Man because he has a Florida tattoo on his forehead! Now cue up “911 is a joke”!

Deputies have arrested a man with a tattoo of the State of Florida on his forehead after he was accused of misusing the 911 calling system.

According to an arrest report obtained by Fox 13, 22-year-old Matthew Leatham was arrested early Sunday morning by Pasco County deputies.

According to deputies, Leatham called 911 to ask for a ride home and cursed at the operator while on the phone. Investigators said the operator gave Leatham the non-emergency number.

A deputy also spoke to Leatham and said they offered to call a taxi, but Leatham said he didn’t have any money and instead started traveling on foot.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida-man-with-florida-tattoo-on-forehead-arrested-for-calling-911-to-ask-for-ride-home/




That’s it this week for:




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Welcome back to our coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there! You know, Biden is making it harder to get material for these things and I guess that’s a good thing. We’ve only got two more of these and then we’re done but before that I want to show you what a real president does. Last week we talked about what a real president does, and it doesn’t involve golfing or rage tweeting while sitting on the toilet for two hours. It also doesn’t involve eating cheeseburgers in bed and throwing the wrappers on the floor while yelling at 8 different monitors broadcasting 10 different channels. But no, Biden does presidential things, like honoring Black History Month for instance, which this is what is happening right now!

President Joe Biden offered the following statement in reference to Black History Month:

This February, during Black History Month, I call on the American people to honor the history and achievements of black Americans and to reflect on the centuries of struggle that have brought us to this time of reckoning, redemption and hope.

We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation that all people are created equal and have the right to be treated equally throughout their lives. We know that it is long past time to confront deep racial inequities and the systemic racism that continue to plague our nation.

A pandemic has further ripped a path of destruction through every community in America, but we see its acute devastation among black Americans who are dying, losing jobs, and closing businesses at disproportionate rates in the dual pandemic and economic crises.

We are also less than a month after the attack on the Capitol by a mob of insurrectionists and white supremacists that shows that we are very much in a battle for the soul of America.
https://www.albanyherald.com/local/biden-offers-black-history-month-statement/article_6ac21d96-6577-11eb-8963-0be010d55a00.html




Well interesting point Tracy, but we’ll save that for another topic! Anyway, unlike the last guy (who shall remain nameless), this administration does everything right and has been doing it so far! And the other nice thing about Biden is that unlike the last guy, he doesn’t need to make a huge spectacle in front of a million people with cameras and microphones to do it! What else does he do in this case?

President Joe Biden on Wednesday will make his first trip to the Pentagon since taking office and will speak to the significance of having the first African American in the nation's history serving as secretary of defense, according to the White House.

The trip comes as Biden forges ahead with his agenda while his predecessor former President Donald Trump faces an impeachment trial in the Senate.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other senior military and civilian leadership during the visit. The President and vice president will then deliver remarks to Department of Defense personnel and tour the African Americans in Service Corridor, according to the White House.

Austin is the first Black secretary of defense, and Harris is the first Black vice president, as well as the first woman and first South Asian to hold the position.

Biden on Wednesday will "pay special tribute to the rich history of Black service members," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, noting that the trip coincides with Black History Month.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/10/politics/biden-pentagon-visit/index.html




Well what’s happening is more of that “radical left agenda” that the right wing media has been harping on about for decades. It will be nice to have compassion back in Washington and a return to a sense of normalcy now that we’re past that other guy. See this? This is what a president is supposed to do! While we’re on the subject of Black History Month it’s important to know that Biden will not be like the other guy, who only recognized it in tweet form. Biden is much more than that!

In recent years, Maryland native and abolitionist Harriet Tubman has been honored in many ways.

She was honored through the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, the movie 'Harriet' and most recently the University of Maryland changed the name of its department of women’s studies, to the Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

“Another thing is, she has received full honor into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame,” said Tubman’s great-great-great grandniece Ernestine “Tina” Martin Wyatt.

There is one honor that Wyatt is still hoping for in the near future.

While President Barack Obama was in office, efforts were underway to add Harriet Tubman to the $20 bill, but there has been little progress in recent years.
https://wjla.com/features/black-history-month/harriet-tubmans-great-grandniece-holds-on-to-hope-as-biden-administration-renews-effort




Oh just more of that “radical left agenda” again! Seriously do we need any more of this? I mean with the previous guy people were literally fighting each other in the streets. I don’t think you will have that with Biden in power! But unlike the last guy, Biden doesn’t just talk the talk. He is a guy who actually practices what he preaches! Oh the horror!

On the first Black History Month since the 2020 reckoning in response to racial injustice, a pandemic that has wreaked disproportionate havoc on communities of color, and new milestones in political representation, there are plenty of ways to honor and celebrate the historical contributions of Black Americans — while pushing for greater equity in the present and future.

The federally recognized celebration grew out of Negro History Week, an observance established in 1926 by author and historian Carter G. Woodson during the second week of February, which spans the birthdays of abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass and the 16th U.S. president Abraham Lincoln.

Demand grew in the 1960s for providing more education on African-American studies and extending the weeklong observance into a month, according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), an organization founded by Woodson. The observance was expanded to encompass all of February in 1976, and that year, former President Gerald Ford issued a message to mark the monthlong celebration. Congress in 1986 designated February as National Black History Month.

This year’s theme, ASALH says, is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/economic-justice-is-inextricably-linked-to-racial-justice-how-to-make-black-history-month-a-lifelong-effort-to-learn-and-evolve-11612878410?mod=article_inline











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February 3, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-2: Sharks With Jewish Laser Beams Attached To Their Heads Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-2: Sharks With Jewish Laser Beams Attached To Their Heads Edition

Ed. Note: Due to a scheduling conflict IRL, the Top 10 will be early this week. Enjoy!

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? We’re still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club. Yeah we’re all in the same boat right now watching and waiting to see what happens with COVID. Seriously, I’ve literally reached the end of Netflix. I’ve watched all the TV I can watch! I can’t watch anymore! I literally feel like that scene from the Simpsons when Apu worked a 52 hour shift and by the end he was buzzing around his store like a hummingbird. OK do we have time for the thing? OK look I know we’re still on lockdown and everyone is getting to the point where we’re losing our minds, but that said, in the immortal words of Will Ferrell from Old School, WE GOT TO KEEP OUR COMPOSURE!!!!! I’m of course referring to the colossal fuck up from Brian Williams on MSNBC when he played footage of Jerry McGuire instead of footage from the meeting that was supposed be between Trump and Kevin McCarthy. Yeah my producer reminds me of the idiot who played footage of Dumb & Dumber instead of a man on the street interview. It’s literally the same shit, different day, circa 2021. But come on, in this day and age in 2021 have we not learned how copy and paste works? If we hit CTRL-V do our fingers not bleed? Yeah I will admit I am close to losing my mind! OK enough of the intro! We have a lot of idiocy to get to! But first Bill Maher is back and he is introducing the incoming Congress of 2021 and how crazy some of our freshmen reps can get!



So where do we begin this week? In the number one slot this week is of course the 2nd impeachment trial of former president Donald J. Trump (1) and right now the case would make for a perfect one of those how it started / how’s it going memes! Taking the second slot this week is our new favorite Congressional idiot, Marjorie Taylor Greene (2) and whew, this woman is a real piece of Alex Jones style brainwashing. And speaking of Infowars, in slot #3 this week is our old buddy Alex Jones and the lawsuits from Sandy Hook are still going on, but the Texas Supreme Court threw him a new curveball, and well, it looks like he might be ranting about fake news from prison! In the #4 slot this week we’re going to talk stock trading and tell you about the bizarre feud between trading firm Robinhood (4) and Reddit’s largest forum dedicated to stock trading and it’s quite the stuff of insanity! In the 5th slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week with the pandemic and everyone living online, a new form of self-awareness has risen, and we’re going to take a look at the strange new world of Zoom Dysmorphia and people getting unnecessary plastic surgery so they can look good in front of their web cams. Yeah that’s a thing. Taking the 6th slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church of the Top 10 in “Holy Shit” and this week, are we in a cold holy war? Our resident pastor is taking a look at far right churches dividing and conquering over their support of our former leader and it’s quite the stuff of insanity! Taking the #7 slot this week is a new Beating A Dead Horse (7)! This may be our fourth one dedicated to the ongoing fight between conservatives and Colin Kaepernick, but with the Super Bowl approaching, how come we have double standards for Kapernick and Tom Brady? It’s quite insane. And in slot #8, we are very excited to debut our new feature Parlerfiles (8)! This is a new free-floating segment where we take apart and dissect some of the batshit crazy posts found on far right social media sites like Parler, Gab, Dlive, and Telegram! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week, we have our first “I Need A Drink” of 2021 and we’re going to get drunk and tell you about Oklahoma’s insane new plan to attract tourists – by establishing a Bigfoot Hunting Season! Finally this week in our ongoing coverage of the transition of power in “Road To The White House” – what does a daily schedule for President Biden look like? Well it’s miles different than the one from the other guy! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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OK so remember in the Avengers movies when Thor said that Loki would face Asguardian justice for unleashing Thanos’ army on New York City? And then in Thor: The Dark World, he’s hauled in chains to face punishment from Odin? Yeah I’m sure the upcoming Trump impeachment trial is going to reflect this sentiment. But here’s the thing – we’re not impeaching over the 2016 election, that’s spilled milk at this point. We’re impeaching over the events that happened on January 6th, 2021! And what’s hilarious is that conservatives love to talk trash, and that’s really all they have. But when they stage a coup that nearly gets our Congressional leaders murdered in their own offices? Surprisingly they are dead silent on this issue. Guess they don’t want to get caught.

A constellation of conservative groups that rallied behind former President Donald Trump during his first impeachment is sitting this one out, confident that the outcome is preordained.

The groups have gone quiet on social media, eschewing the pro-Trump tweets and calls for action that dominated their Twitter feeds last time Trump was approaching a Senate trial. Others said they are content to watch from the sidelines — opting to preserve their war chests for the 2022 midterm elections — or are still considering if and how they will get involved.

“We’re really more focused right now on a lot more of the Biden policies and executive orders,” said Peter Vicenzi, director of communications for FreedomWorks, which became an unofficial rapid response operation during Trump’s first impeachment in the fall of 2019.

During the impeachment trial in January 2020, the Tea Party Patriots did calls to action, urged supporters to call congressional offices, hosted conference calls to discuss messaging and talking points, and sent materials to voters. The group also sent 47 tweets condemning or criticizing the process. So far, this go around, it has only shared five impeachment-related tweets since the House impeached Trump again on Jan. 13, according to a POLITICO review.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/02/donald-trump-impeachment-trial-464826




Hey you know we’ve already had one host of the Apprentice as president. We don’t need another one, though at least Arnold knows what to do with Nazis. But this might be my favorite part of the whole trial so far – Trump’s lawyers have all abandoned him! And that’s right – I said all!! Eventually it will be down to just Lin Wood, Lionel Hutz, and Barry Zuckerkorn. But I think that this case would be too toxic for even Lionel Hutz to consider, which makes it pretty damn toxic!

Former President Donald J. Trump has abruptly parted ways with five lawyers handling his impeachment defense, just over a week before the Senate trial is set to begin, people familiar with the situation said on Saturday.

Those departures include his lead lawyer, Butch Bowers, whose hiring was announced last week, a person familiar with the situation said. Four other lawyers who were reported to be joining, including Deborah Barbier, a criminal defense lawyer in South Carolina, are also leaving, according to multiple people familiar with the situation.

Mr. Trump had pushed for his defense team to focus on his baseless claim that the election was stolen from him, one person familiar with the situation said. A person close to Mr. Trump disputed that that was the case but acknowledged that there were differences in opinion about the defense strategy. However, Mr. Trump has insisted that the case is “simple” and has told advisers he could argue it himself and save the money on lawyers. (Aides contend he is not seriously contemplating doing so.)

The decision for Mr. Bowers to leave was “mutual,” another person familiar with the situation said, adding that Mr. Trump and Mr. Bowers had no chemistry, a quality the former president generally prizes in his relationships. Mr. Trump prefers lawyers who are eager to appear on television to say that he never did anything wrong; Mr. Bowers has been noticeably absent in the news media since his hiring was announced.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/30/us/politics/trump-butch-bowers-impeachment.html




That's actual footage of Trump from next week when he fires all of his attorneys again and realizes he's got nothing! And I mean really how do you defend what happened at the Capitol? It’s absolute madness and it’s impossible to even begin to comprehend. So what blew up Trump’s legal team? Well I will give you a hint – money! That’s right – Trump’s biggest grift can’t pay his legal bills and this is going to get really juicy as the trial goes on!

Disagreements over legal strategy weren't the only reason Donald Trump's defense team collapsed just days before his second impeachment trial, Axios has learned.

What we're hearing: The notoriously stingy former president and his lead lawyer, Butch Bowers, wrangled over compensation during a series of tense phone calls, sources familiar with their conversations said. The argument came even though Trump has raised over $170 million from the public that could be used on his legal defenses.

The two initially agreed Bowers would be paid $250,000 for his individual services, a figure that "delighted" Trump, one of the sources said.

However, Trump didn't realize Bowers hadn't included additional expenses — including more lawyers, researchers and other legal fees that would be accrued on the job.

He was said to be livid when Bowers came back to him with a total budget of $3 million. Trump called the South Carolina attorney and eventually negotiated him down to $1 million.

All of this infuriated Trump and his political team, who think the case will be straightforward, given 45 Republican senators already voted to dismiss the trial on the basis it's unconstitutional to convict a former president on impeachment charges.
https://www.axios.com/trump-legal-fees-impeachment-trial-8f6578e6-0662-4aea-8edc-aee2530c5165.html




Yeah so Trump is the Joker and he just lit a huge pile of money on fire. Already we haven’t even started the trial and it’s turning into a dumpster fire. So that raises two questions – the first is that Trump claims to have made a boatload (or pantload) off the White House, and he’s not accounting for a whole lot of that money. And no money means no defense which means that Trump could very well represent himself, and we know what a disaster that could be!

Donald Trump's new political committee took in more $30 million in the final weeks of 2020 as he made relentless and baseless claims of voter fraud, new filings show.

And Trump's Save America political action committee started this year with a substantial $31.1 million in cash reserves, as the former president faces a second impeachment trial in the US Senate and works to cement his standing as an enduring force in Republican politics.

Sunday's filings offered a snapshot of the continued financial backing from Trump's loyal supporter base. He formed Save America shortly after losing the election last November. Even as his legal team's claims of fraud were tossed out in courts around the country, Trump aggressively sought new donations, imploring his contributors to help fund his "election defense." While his political operation pulled in big sums, the new filings show his campaign spent far more on outreach to his supporters than on court fights.

The first and largest cut of contributions Trump raised after the election went to Save America, a major vehicle for his post-presidential political activity. He can use the leadership PAC to donate to other candidates, as well as fund travel and staffing. Federal rules set few restrictions on leadership PAC spending, which campaign watchdogs warn can become slush funds for politicians.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/31/politics/donald-trump-save-america-pac-contributions/





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By now you’ve probably had an ass full of Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Green (R – Batshit). Because she’s certifiably fucking crazy and basically channeling Trump. In fact she’s Trump version 2.0. In fact, she could be the Congress person who serves the shortest term – if she’s fired or expelled. And she 100% deserves it. If you want to know her makeup, she’s a product of Infowars and social media mental conditioning. She has claimed that Sandy Hook and Parkland didn’t happen, has claimed Vegas was a false flag, and even gone so far as to suggest that California’s wildfires were started by a space laser owned by George Soros. Does he own everything these idiots don’t like? But here’s the thing Marjorie – I live in an area prone to fires. We’ve had to evacuate on multiple occasions, I would like to see you have to flee your home!

When Lilli Heart fled California’s deadliest wildfire in 2018, she was stuck in traffic for two hours outside the town of Paradise with her two cats in a car that was running low on gas.

As the septuagenarian sat behind the wheel on Neal Road — waiting helplessly while the Camp fire destroyed her two-bedroom house — she saw a huge, dark cloud in the sky. She saw firetrucks. She saw the fear in the eyes of others trying to escape.

“All I saw was a bunch of really, really scared people trying to get the hell out of there,” said Heart, 74.

What Heart did not see is this: laser beams.

That, apparently, might come as a surprise to a newly elected Republican congresswoman known for supporting the QAnon conspiracy theory, making anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim comments, and falsely suggesting that school shootings in Newtown, Conn., and Parkland, Fla., were staged.

The Camp fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed more than 13,900 homes, is the latest focus of conspiracy theories spread by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who speculated that the blaze might have been started by a laser beam in space. Greene made the claim in a now-deleted Facebook post that was reported this week by Media Matters for America, a liberal watchdog group.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-30/a-space-laser-did-it-gop-congressman-had-out-there-theory-on-deadly-california-wildfire




Sometimes I wonder if I’m reading the LA Times or the Onion. I mean really even Saturday Night Live couldn’t make up something this batshit fucking crazy. I mean what, speaking of Dr. Evil, does Marjorie think that we have sharks with Jewish laser beams attached to their heads? But if you want to know how deep Majorie’s crazy goes, well, it goes pretty fucking deep!

Marjorie Taylor Greene had just finished questioning whether a plane really flew into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and flatly stating that President Barack Obama was secretly Muslim when she paused to offer an aside implicating another former president in a crime.

“That’s another one of those Clinton murders,” Greene said, referring to John F. Kennedy Jr.’s death in a 1999 plane crash, suggesting that he had been assassinated because he was a potential rival to Hillary Clinton for a New York Senate seat.

Greene casually unfurled the cascade of dangerous and patently untrue conspiracy theories in a previously unreported 40-minute video that was originally posted to YouTube in 2018. It provides a window into the warped worldview amplified by the freshman Republican congresswoman from Georgia, who in the three months since she was elected has created a national brand for herself as a conservative provocateur who has proudly brought the hard-right fringe to the Capitol.

“Yes, I do believe he is a Muslim,” Greene said of Obama. “And, yes, Valerie Jarrett is too.”
https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-nw-nyt-marjorie-taylor-greene-conspiracies-20210130-as4fmrrzd5hzzfc5hsjmlknz2e-story.html




Here’s the thing Marjorie – if you make a claim as crazy as this which you have to follow up with “I’m not racist, but… “ well, guess what? You’re a racist! Holy shit, literally anyone can see that! Even Mitch McConnell can see that! And if you’re too toxic for Moscow Mitch, well , that’s pretty damn toxic! But no way, Mitch, you’re not off the hook just yet! Marjorie’s madness is just a byproduct of how batshit insane your former boss is! And Marjorie’s Madness by the way would make an awesome band!

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — the controversial, QAnon-supporting freshman congresswoman — on Monday found herself facing blowback from her own party's leadership for espousing dangerous and unfounded conspiracies about American politics.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called her views, which have at various points included such baseless accusations as blaming the Jewish people for California wildfires and accusing mass shooting events of having been staged, a "cancer" on the Republican Party.

"Loony lies and conspiracy theories are cancer for the Republican Party and our country. Somebody who's suggested that perhaps no airplane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that horrifying school shootings were pre-staged, and that the Clintons crashed JFK Jr.'s airplane is not living in reality," McConnell said in a short statement Monday night that doesn't directly cite her by name.

"This has nothing to do with the challenges facing American families or the robust debates on substance that can strengthen our party."

McConnell's condemnation comes as Democrats in the House have called for Greene to be censured for her past remarks or even expelled from office.
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/01/963069170/mcconnell-slams-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-conspiracies-as-loony-lies




Yes, because that baby will grow up to spout batshit crazy things if you’re not careful! And yes if Marjorie steps out and sees her shadow, it’s six more months of batshit! Thank you my fair virtual audience! So Mitch isn’t getting off easy and neither is the GOP. Here’s the thing guys – you either own it or it becomes an entity that consumes you! But the thing is, most in the GOP secretly agree with her, and we’re looking in your direction, Devin and Ted!

The common murre is a big seabird found, among other places, on an island off the coast of Sweden. The New York Times ran an article about these murres Tuesday. I read it, even though I have no particular interest in either seabirds or Sweden.

I’m glad I did. The article explains how biologists are eagerly exploiting the pandemic shutdown of global travel to see what effect the departure of humans has on ecosystems such as the murre colony at the Stora Karlsö nature preserve.

The general perception when it comes to the natural world is humans = bad. But here “the sudden absence of tourists at Stora Karlsö during the pandemic set off a surprising chain reaction that wreaked havoc on the island’s colony of common murres, diminishing its population of newborn birds.”

Oh no! What happened?

The murres aren’t the only birds in the area. There are also white-tailed eagles. Researchers discovered that the eagles don’t like people — and who can blame them?— so they stay away when tourists tramp about. But with people gone, the eagles are emboldened, and their presence, swooping around, throws the ungainly seabirds off their egg rearing.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2021/1/28/22254446/qanon-conspiracy-theories-gop-republicans-marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-biden-election-gun-violence





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You know this is like in those middle school movies where the kids finally fight back against the bully and he gets taken down several notches? Well the fight against Alex Jones’ Infowars is kind of like that. We saw the conspiracy theorists get their asses handed to them in the 2020 election because we’re tired of being run by fucking idiots. And one thing that’s nice about the Biden Administration is that he doesn’t care about these shitheads. Remember when Trump called into Infowars to tell Alex Jones that he will be very pleased? How cringe worthy that was? Well, this more than makes up for it! Well after the ruling by the Texas Supreme Court last week, it looks like Alex Jones can be sued into oblivion, and he’ll eventually be taking his conspiracy theories to padded walls.

Austin-based conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' attempt to get four defamation lawsuits – filed by the parents of children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012 – dropped was rejected by the Texas Supreme Court Friday.

The parents of the children sued Jones in Travis County, arguing that they were defamed by Jones and his Austin-based website InfoWars. They also stated in the suit that they suffered emotional distress after InfoWars broadcasts disputed whether the school shooting in 2012 and the news coverage of the incident were authentic.


A 20-year-old gunman shot his way into the school on the morning of Dec. 14, 2012, and killed 26 victims before shooting himself. The school building where the shooting occurred was destroyed and a new one was built at the same site, according to the Associated Press.

Friday's ruling by the Texas Supreme Court upheld rulings by two lower courts that had allowed the lawsuits to continue, according to KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/alex-jones-infowars-sandy-hook-texas-court-ruling/269-bd7a729b-3138-4365-9cb7-f1c1e4ea59aa




Yeah conspiracy theorists, this is where you can shout all the crap you want about free speech, but even that has consequences! Here’s the thing – the Constitution gives you the right to be as crazy of an asshole as you want to be, but if you cross lines that you were not meant to cross, such as what Alex Jones did, then there will be punishments handed out!

Two fathers who lost children in the Sandy Hook massacre spoke out on Monday after the highest court in Texas rejected appeals by extremist Alex Jones to dismiss their defamation lawsuits against him.

“The First Amendment doesn’t give you the right to slander or defame or spread malicious lies that put people’s lives in jeopardy,” said Neil Heslin, whose son Jesse was one of 20 first-graders and six educators slain at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. “I look forward to seeing Alex Jones in court, face to face.”

The Texas Supreme Court’s rejection of Jones’ appeals is the latest defeat in a streak of legal setbacks for the host of the Houston-based “Infowars” program, who faces four defamation lawsuits in Texas and Connecticut for calling the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre “staged,” “synthetic,” “manufactured,” “a giant hoax” and “completely fake with actors.”

Jones, whose lawyers argued unsuccessfully in Texas Supreme Court that the lawsuits against him should be dismissed because his speech is “protected commentary” under the First Amendment, has said in court filings that he no longer believes that the worst crime in modern Connecticut history was faked.
https://www.ctinsider.com/local/newstimes/article/After-Alex-Jones-loses-appeal-a-Sandy-Hook-15897119.php




Oh and here’s where it gets weird and you knew it was going to! Because that’s how things roll around here. So back in October, when Alex Jones was transitioning from being Trump’s lackey to just an idiot with a megaphone, he attempted to do what grade school kids might refer to as “backsies”. That’s right – after 8 years of lies and slander, he attempted to walk back his slander of the Sandy Hook families. I guess he doesn’t want his ass handed to him!

Extremist Alex Jones puts himself in the same company as investigative journalists pursuing a lead in new court papers asking a judge to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by eight Sandy Hook families.

Jones, the Texas-based host of the internet show, Infowars, no longer believes that the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre was a “hoax” and “fake” as he stated in 2014, according to the latest papers filed in Connecticut Superior Court.

As such, his lawyer says, Jones has a right under the First Amendment to be wrong.

“Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein relied on allegations from Deep Throat to link the Nixon administration to the Watergate break-in,” Jones’ attorney Jay Wolman wrote to the judge. “Such journalism, questioning official narratives, would be chilled if reporters were subject to liability if they turned out to be wrong.”
https://www.ctinsider.com/local/newstimes/article/Alex-Jones-says-the-shooting-happened-asks-15640653.php




Yeah Alex, you just can’t take back what you did! That’s truly the stuff of insanity there. But if you want to see the true extent of the damage that Alex Jones did to that small community, look no further than this PBS report from last year. Because this is truly some batshit crazy stuff. Alex Jones isn’t just a menace – he’s a threat to national security. His role in the Capitol Riots proved it, and this should cement the idea.

Lenny Pozner lives in hiding. His six-year-old son Noah was one of the 20 elementary school children killed in the Sandy Hook shooting almost eight years ago.

In the days after the shooting, Pozner realized that the tragedy that stole his son’s life had become the subject of conspiracy theories, fueled by people like Alex Jones.

“Alex Jones has this style of narrative that will dispute anything that’s being reported in the mainstream media,” Pozner said, in an interview for FRONTLINE’s United States of Conspiracy. The documentary examines how Jones, longtime Trump associate Roger Stone and the president helped to lay the foundation for conspiracy theories to take center stage in America’s national conversation.

“By the time Sandy Hook rolled around, [Jones] was already well practiced in that,” Pozner said. “And his audience was easily primed for all of those different ideas — that it’s either a false flag, or that everyone is faking their grief, and that it didn’t happen.”
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/this-sandy-hook-father-lives-in-hiding-because-of-conspiracy-theories-fueled-by-alex-jones/





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[font size="8"]Robinhood
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Last week you might have seen Gamestop and AMC trending and you had absolutely no clue what this was about. I will be the first to admit that I didn’t know either. But let’s put it this way. Some of America’s biggest retailers like Gamestop, AMC, Burger King, and (former) Blockbuster video all have one thing in common: they are run by some greedy-ass hedge fund managers, and the pandemic has accelerated the case for them all to get the same treatment that Borders and Toys R Us got. Which will mean lots of empty storefronts and lots of unemployed people. And the hedge fund managers get richer. But trying to explain what happened and to explain the science and math behind what has been going on the stock world is way too complex for us to comprehend. So we’ll let Elizabeth Warren explain just what the hell is going on.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday asked Robinhood in a letter to explain why it restricted trading in red-hot shares of GameStop after hedge funds suffered huge losses in a short squeeze.

Warren, D-Mass., noted that the online brokerage last week abruptly changed trading rules for individual investors in certain stocks on its no-fee platform, while hedge funds and Wall Street institutional investors were allowed to keep trading in GameStop, Koss, AMC Entertainment, Express, Naked Brand Group and other companies.

“Robinhood has a responsibility to treat its investors honestly and fairly, and provide them with access to the market under a transparent and consistent set of rules,” Warren wrote in her letter to Robinhood CEO Vladimir Tenev.

“It is deeply troubling that the company may not be doing so,” wrote Warren, who is a member of the Senate Banking Committee.

The letter asks Robinhood to disclose what led it to impose tight trading restrictions on the video game retailer Gamestop and the other stocks, and whether its hedge fund investors or other financial services partners who had big stakes in such trading affected the app company’s decision.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/02/elizabeth-warren-asks-robinhood-to-explain-gamestop-trade-restrictions.html




So let’s try and explain this as best we can – this is known as what’s called “micro trading” and it’s trading small stocks for big gains. I don’t know much about stocks, so stop me if I am wrong. But what the stock managers are really doing is exploiting the same loopholes that hedge fund managers have been doing for decades. Now it seems like people are getting their own slice of the pie, but Robinhood wants it back!

GameStop traders sent the stock on a wild ride Thursday, and it looks set for another manic session Friday.

The stock lost more than 44% of its value on Thursday after surging nearly 40% at one point earlier in the day. Adding to the drama? The trading platform Robinhood restricted trading in the red hot stock as well as several others.

"We continuously monitor the markets and make changes where necessary. In light of recent volatility, we are restricting transactions for certain securities to position closing only," Robinhood said in a statement, adding that it was also doing so for AMC (AMC), BlackBerry (BB), Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), Nokia (NOK) and three other stocks.

"Amid significant market volatility, it's important as ever that we help customers stay informed," Robinhood added.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/investing/gamestop-stock-reddit/index.html




Yeah so what happens when Robinhood finds out about actual Robin Hood going on, they turn into the Sheriff Of Nottingham. But the simple fact is that Reddit has managed to turn Wall Street and hedge fund managers on its’ ear. And when you screw with hedge fund managers, it may end about as well as Scarface. Because those guys are the kind who get high on their own supply!

So much for the “rigged” market, the supposed conspiracy to fleece Reddit traders, and other nonsense spouted about last week’s stock market ructions involving GameStop and other companies. It turns out the controversy was essentially about a larger than normal clearinghouse call for capital.

As David Battan explains nearby, that’s almost certainly the story behind the decision by Robinhood, the internet trading app, to limit trades in certain stocks for a time late last week. Politicians like Sen. Ted Cruz and bar-stool financial analysts claimed to see a plot by the new Robber Barons.

The reality is more prosaic. Robinhood and other brokers were deluged by traders looking to invest in GameStop and other shares, often with options contracts that can increase leverage and trading risk. A clearinghouse that processes and settles trades watched the volatile trading and demanded more collateral to cope with potential losses.

Robinhood Chief Executive Vlad Tenev explained the demand Sunday night in an interview on a livestream on Clubhouse, a social-networking app. “The request was around $3 billion, which is, you know, about an order of magnitude more than what it typically is,” Mr. Tenev said.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-robinhood-non-conspiracy-11612222878




That’s right – never, ever get high on your own supply! And in case you’re wondering if this is hurting Robinhood’s business, well, they are getting slammed. Not by Congress or the Fed, mind you. They are getting slammed where it really hurts – the Google reviews section! And you know they struck a nerve when even Google’s review editors don’t give a shit! They’re just like “yeah whatever, rate it as low as you want!”. Your move, Robinhood!

Online stock trading platform Robinhood has seen its review score on Google’s mobile app store plummet to a one-star rating out of five for the second time in less than a week, as irate users flooded the app with negative reviews in retaliation to its decision to curb the trading of several popular but volatile meme stocks like GameStop and AMC last week, highlighting how anger over the incident still persists among online traders.

At the time of publishing, Robinhood has a 1.1-star rating out of five from over 310,000 reviews on Google Play Store, after slipping down to a similar number last week.

The score had shot back up to 4.3 stars after Google threw out more than 100,000 reviews in an action against what it called “coordinated or inorganic reviews,” without offering any further details.

Google is unlikely to intervene this time though as it told The Verge that the new reviews are compliant with Google’s policies, and won’t be removed.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/02/02/robinhood-is-down-to-1-star-on-googles-mobile-app-store-again-this-time-google-wont-intervene/?sh=33d99be7c84b






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



It’s been nearly 10 months now since the novel coronavirus outbreak sent the entire world out of the public view and living on their webcams. But with change also comes unwanted change. In fact since so many people have been spending so much time in front of a webcam, a new form of an old disorder has arisen. Dysmorphia can take many forms – whether one is unhappy with their gender, race, height, or weight, can cause a person to be unhappy with themselves. But now a new form of dysmorphia has arisen – Zoom Dysmorphia. That’s right – people are unhappy with the way they are looking in front of their webcams and are taking steps to improve their appearance on a computer monitor. And by “taking steps” – we mean “unnecessary plastic surgery”. That’s right – people are going so far as to modify their appearance by scheduling plastic surgery so that they can look good for their admiring virtual public. Even scarier than that? The market is booming right now.

Thanks to the pandemic and the subsequent decrease in social interaction it's caused over the last year, video calls and virtual meetings are now a normal part of everyday life for employees working from home. Convenient as it is to phone in to nearly every special occasion from weddings to happy hours to work meetings these days, new reports have shown that the heavy increase in screen time has contributed to a new phenomenon called "Zoom dysmorphia" — and it may be another reason behind the reported spike in plastic-surgery procedures months ago.

A form of body dysmorphia disorder (BDD), the term was coined in a new study published in the International Journal of Women's Dermatology to explore how staring at your reflection on video for several hours a day might lead some people to develop a "negative self-perception." The study surveyed more than 100 board-certified dermatologists, many of whom claimed to have come across patients seeking cosmetic procedures to change or improve the appearance they see on video calls. While the research suggests that the images many users see are distorted due to lighting, blurring, and/or bad camera quality, some experts argue that what we're experiencing is somewhat of a reality check.

"We have never spent this much time looking at ourselves — not in photographs, not in the mirror," Amir Karam, MD, of Carmel Valley Facial Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Center in San Diego, told POPSUGAR. "This is giving us a chance to really understand what our faces look like after years of not looking or examining. There are changes that are happening to the soft tissues, to the eye shape, and to the face neck volume that are real and expected, but have remained unexamined for quite some time. For that reason, I believe it's more of a matter of realization than it is a dysmorphic, nonreality effect."
https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/zoom-dysmorphia-plastic-surgery-trends-48137238




Yes, if you spend all day everyday looking at yourself on a video screen, you’re going to notice things that you’ve never noticed before that you wouldn’t have been able to detect if you weren’t sitting in front of a monitor all day. But what happens if you notice these things? And in the middle of a raging pandemic would you really want to risk having to go to the hospital just because you’re uncomfortable with how your chin line looks? We find out.

A rise in at-home working amid the pandemic is said to be fuelling “Zoom dysmorphia”.

Millions of office staff have been working remotely for the best part of a year, communicating with colleagues via video calls.

With England in its third lockdown and similarly strict restrictions in place for the rest of the UK, Britons have also relied on the technology to stay connected with their loved ones.

While many have described the likes of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts as a “lifeline”, new research suggests staring at a “distorted image on screen” for up to several hours a day is causing some to develop “a negative self-perception”.

Scientists from the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Dermatology sent a survey to more than 100 dermatologists across the US.

Results suggest there has been a 56% increase in people seeking cosmetic procedures amid the widespread uptake of video calls, with a 24-year-old patient claiming her double chin “became apparent” while using the technology.
https://news.yahoo.com/zoom-dysmorphia-prompting-cosmetic-surgery-124935567.html




That is an astonishingly high number of people who are willing to get procedures during this pandemic, and nobody looks good on a webcam no matter how hard you try. But you know who is winning the game during this pandemic? That’s right – surgery providers and botox manufacturers. Because those who are willing to go so far as to look good online are willing to pay big money for these procedures, and you had better have deep pockets if you’re willing to go this far.

In June, Susie Sessoms got her first lip filler. In November, she tried Kybella, the “fat dissolving” double chin injectable. “I swelled up like a bullfrog,” she says. “It’s a good thing I didn’t have to go to work!” Like many office workers, Sessoms, a mortgage executive in the Twin Cities, has worked from home from March of last year. Her company doesn’t do Zoom, which made it even easier to get treatments discreetly. “I wasn’t concerned about catching Covid,” she says. Her medspa’s sanitization protocols make her feel safer than at the grocery store.

Like so many businesses in the pandemic, cosmetic surgeons took a big hit last March; there was less interest in beautification and more focus on shelter in place and toilet paper supplies. Across America, shutdowns for elective cosmetic work varied wildly; New York closed for three months, Minnesota for seven weeks, and so on. Some places never reopened. In July 2020, AbbVie, the pharmaceutical firm that owns Botox, reported a huge dip in global net revenues from sales of cosmetic Botox — down to $226 million, a 43.1% decrease from 2019.

Then, a shift. Practices reopened. Phones rang. Appointment after appointment was booked. AbbVie’s October earnings call was distinctly sunnier: $393 million in net revenues from Botox, a mere 2.2% decrease from regular operations.

In 2021, with the vaccine on the horizon, and an end in sight, people are turning their attention to the possibility of IRL meetups — and what impression they’ll give. The stress, inertia, and (for some) carb-heavy diet of the last year has left many feeling prematurely aged, out of shape, and saggy. That’s led to a boom in cosmetic procedures, which are now widely accessible, even amid shutdowns (in California you can’t get your hair cut but can have Botox). RealSelf.com, the “Yelp’’ for cosmetic surgery, says appointment bookings spiked 71% in October, and they are seeing this trend continue in 2021.
https://marker.medium.com/america-is-having-a-plastic-surgery-and-botox-bonanza-bc3caf7a9164




And yes that would be a good idea. But the Botox and plastic surgery industry are booming, and while Zoom Dysmorphia may be a temporary solution for a temporary problem, people are also preparing for the possibility of real life meetings in the near future when the virus finally subsides. So how does one deal with Zoom Dysmorphia for the time being? We ask some actual therapists on how to deal with this very temporary problem.

As licensed clinical social worker and certified cognitive therapist Alyssa "Lia" Mancao, LCSW, reminds me, we live in society that's hyper-focused on physical appearance. "We internalize those messages, so we're going to hyper-focus on ourselves when we're on Zoom calls," she says. We also have this fixation with wanting to "see what other people are seeing" as we chat. "We tend to believe that other people care about how we look, when really it's only us that cares how we're coming off."

For Nunez, it's all about thought patterns. According to a recent research, the average person has over 6,000 thoughts per day. "We're constantly thinking," she says. Plus, she notes, a substantial portion of those thoughts tend to run negative: "Sometimes instead of focusing on the meeting, you're actually doing self-talk, focusing on yourself and identifying all the negative things that are wrong with you," she notes.

In society B.C. (before COVID), we weren't privy to our own features during everyday conversations—we were simply chatting it up with others (mask-free, no less!) and going on our merry way. That's not to say self-scrutiny didn't exist at all, but the criticism was largely left to the mirror. Now in a virtual reality, you're so much more aware of your own features while you're speaking in real time, down to every facial expression you make.

This, notes the journal article, can not only sabotage mental health but can also "[lead] people to rush to their physicians for treatments they may not have considered before months confronting a video screen, a new phenomenon of 'Zoom Dysmorphia.'" Board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D., tells me she's certainly seen an uptick in requests for in-office procedures. She even discussed the very topic on the Today Show, revealing an increase in patients' concerns over frown lines, dark spots, wrinkles, and acne.
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/expert-tips-to-help-deal-with-zoom-dysmorphia




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 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 congregation! Are we in a holy war? Because now that the DEVIL is finally gone from the White House and a new era of prosperity following a devastating tragedy is coming, there are some of us who still support the unholy, ungodly Dark One, a man so disgusting that his name not be mentioned in my church – whether it is real or virtual! Because those who march for the Dark One, are supporting the DEVIL , the almighty SAYTAN himself! In fact, some blows are being traded on both sides as we speak between congregations that support the light side and those that support the dark side! The churches are participating in the ultimate circular firing squad. In fact our fellow brother Gordon has offered to fire the first shot!

On a recent episode of his “Pray In Jesus Name” program, religious-right activist and former Colorado state legislator Gordon Klingenschmitt declared that President Joe Biden is possessed by a “demonic spirit” and that “the devil’s will” is now running the White House.

“I do believe God wanted Donald Trump to be reelected,” Klingenschmitt said. “I think it was God’s will, and yet sometimes in this fallen world, the devil wins, and God’s perfect will is not always done on Earth. I think it’s an abomination now that someone with a demonic spirit of, for example, transgenderism—Joe Biden is now promoting boys going into girls’ locker rooms in public school. He is promoting abortion on demand with taxpayer funding to kill innocent children. He is going to harm Israel in their unique calling in the world.”

“That is the devil’s will who is ruling in the White House right now when, I believe, President Trump was for God on those issues,” Klingenschmitt proclaimed.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/gordon-klingenschmitt-says-the-devils-will-is-ruling-the-white-house/




Seriously, Gordon, that was the last guy! And I can guarantee that GAWD would not want that horrible, vile DAYMON to be reelected, because that’s just not who we are as a people! And I thank GAWD that I can finally say the president’s name again – and his name is Joesph R. Biden! But these guys are angry, and I mean really angry. Just look at what Brother Josh said before the supporters of the unholy Dark One stormed the Capitol!

Joshua Feuerstein, a hard-right evangelical online personality, declared at a Jan. 5 pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C., “It is time for war! Stop the steal!” The next day, a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol interrupted congressional affirmation of Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory and left five people dead.

The rally featured right-wing leaders mixing Christian nationalism, Trumpism, stolen-election conspiracy theories, COVID-19 denialism, and threats of violence. Feuerstein was one of several speakers who talked about the “black robe regiment,” colonial-era preachers who mobilized the men in their congregations to join the war for independence from the British.

Here’s what Feuerstein had to say at the rally:

Ladies and gentlemen, the Bible declares that the thief and the enemy has come, but to kill, to steal, and to destroy. For the last 40 years, the liberals have tried to kill our unborn babies, steal elections, and destroy the Constitution. But patriots have come to Washington, D.C., to make their voices heard that we will not allow them to steal this election!
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/it-is-time-for-war-joshua-feuerstein-told-trumpists-on-eve-of-insurrection/




I’m pretty sure that is not what is really happening, Josh! But then another one of our usual suspects, Brother Lance, had this to say! You know is GAWD finished with the Dark One? Let’s think about this here for a minute – because the Dark One spent nearly $140 million on golf trips during the course of his administration. What did President Biden do last Sunday? He went to church! I can’t imagine the Dark One would set foot in a church, less see the buildings disintegrate into a pit of fiery hell!

Trump-loving evangelist Lance Wallnau appeared on “The Jim Bakker Show” Thursday, where he declared that the United States is divided because God’s “anointing” remains on Donald Trump while “there’s an illegal counterfeit in office” in Joe Biden. Wallnau warned that Biden will have trouble dealing with the issues of North Korea, Iran, and terrorism because he does not have God’s anointing the way Trump does.

Wallnau likened the situation in the U.S. to the split of ancient Israel mentioned in 1 Kings 12, when the northern tribes refused to submit to Rehoboam following the death of King Solomon and revolted, resulting in the creation of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

“God isn’t finished with America, and God isn’t even finished with Donald Trump,” Wallnau said. “I think people think, ‘He’s out of office, [we] have a new president,’ but what if God has an anointing on Donald Trump to be Cyrus, and there’s an illegal counterfeit in office?”

“We’re almost in the time when Israel was divided between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, and Jeroboam went to the north, and he created his own counterfeit religion to mirror the real thing. This is what the Democrats are doing,” he continued. “It’s the woke politics of intersectionality and race and transgenderism. Meanwhile, the kingdom is divided because the real anointing is still on Donald Trump.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/lance-wallnau-says-biden-is-an-illegal-counterfeit-because-gods-anointing-remains-on-trump/




Yes he does ! In fact some on the right are even going so far as to call this a “crusade”. It’s insane how deep their support for the cult that surrounds the Dark One goes! Even though he is no longer in power, I will continue my policy of never mentioning his name in my church! For the good LAWRD JAYSUS would proclaim that he does not support the Ungodly one! But these people are completely crazy and if they’re willing to die for the cause, well, that’s their funeral!

Christian nationalist pastor Brian Gibson, an active participant in the March for Trump effort to overturn the results of the presidential election, says that “leftists” and the media are persecuting the church by falsely blaming Christians for the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Gibson says that he and his wife have been inundated with death threats after online activists circulated a selfie that he says he took at an Arizona event with a costumed activist who later became notorious as the Q Shaman over his conspicuous role in the storming of the Capitol. On Jan. 6, Gibson says, he and his wife went to Trump’s rally on the Ellipse near the White House but returned to their hotel, where they heard about people breaking into the Capitol.

Gibson oversees churches in Kentucky and Texas and was one of the pastors who infused March for Trump’s rallies with religious purpose. He portrayed the effort as a campaign to defend religious freedom and the First Amendment. Gibson has called COVID-19-related restrictions on churches “tyrannical” and urged pastors and congregations to defy them.

At a Jan. 5 rally at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., that mixed support for Trump with evangelization and threats of violence, Gibson spoke more than once, delivering a Christian nationalist message and talking about his efforts to resist pandemic restrictions on churches. Here’s part of the message he delivered:
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/march-for-trump-pastor-brian-gibson-says-leftists-are-using-the-capitol-insurrection-as-excuse-to-persecute-christians/


OK brother Brian! If that’s the hill that you want to die on, it’s your loss! We’re not persecuting Christians, we just elected a real one to the presidency! So yeah have that! 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: Kaepernick V Brady
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We might be officially beating our own dead horse here. Because if you remember this started with conservatives berating Colin Kaepernick over that whole kneeling during the anthem thing (see: Idiots #3-16 ), and now with Super Bowl LV less than a week away, featuring yet *ANOTHER* appearance by Tom Brady, is it OK to separate the politics from the player? After all, don’t hate the player, hate the game! And the game can be quite hateable if the same team keeps winning it year after year! Well let’s think about this here – Tom Brady is a super wealthy, charismatic Super Bowl champion who’s been to the White House 5 times, has previously supported our former president Trump, and is married to a super model. Colin Kaepernick’s qualifications? He’s a black guy who pissed off the people who previously supported our 45th president.

Colin Kaepernick's name rarely surfaces during the middle of football season unless an NFL team is having a quarterback crisis. His name usually comes up during the offseason, protests against police brutality and whenever athletes of any sport kneel for the national anthem.

Not long after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC Championship game on Sunday, Kaepernick's name arose once again. Not for his prowess as a quarterback, but his stances that were deemed political in nature.

The Buccaneers are led by quarterback Tom Brady, who played for the New England Patriots the last 20 years before leaving for Tampa last offseason. Brady has been viewed as a conservative, but he hasn't really been vocal about it one way or another. He used to play golf with Donald Trump long before he was President Donald Trump—as far back as 2005 when George W. Bush was the president. Trump, as president, was vocal against those who knelt during the national anthem, especially Kaepernick.

So after Brady won his 10th conference championship and advanced to his 10th career Super Bowl, a statement was posted on social media how fans can differentiate, or separate, political views between Brady and Kaepernick.
https://www.newsweek.com/tom-brady-vs-colin-kaepernick-super-bowl-lv-conjures-qb-political-debate-1564347




Yeah so Tom Brady has been to the Super Bowl a whopping 10 times and Colin Kaepernick still doesn’t have a job. But the difference? Tom Brady has supported right-leaning politics and football’s biggest fans generally tend to lean more conservative, but that comes with changing demographics. But you can’t deny that president #45 still has an impact on pro sports, no matter what your preference is – if you prefer NASCAR, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, I could go on and on.

On Sunday, Tom Brady faces off against Aaron Rodgers in the 2021 NFC championship game. The world’s best quarterback (arguably) and low-key supporter of former President Donald Trump lives in Florida now and reportedly bought land in the same exclusive Miami community as Ivanka Trump. Earlier this month, Brady’s old coach Bill Belichick turned down Trump’s Presidential Medal of Freedom offer. Trump may no longer reside on Pennsylvania Avenue, but his specter still haunts the professional sports world.

Indeed, Trump has long enjoyed support in the sports world — particularly in the ownership suites and on the golf greens. Yet there is no question that, on the whole, he will not be greatly missed. Trump changed and destabilized sports just like he changed and destabilized pretty much everything else, and there is an undeniable eagerness among leagues, executives and most players to get back to normal business with a normal president. Though it might not always be that easy.

Trump has always been involved in various sports industries, from his golf courses to the old, failed United States Football League and his membership in the WWE Hall of Fame. But with his move to the White House, everything in sports came to revolve around Trump, from NFL players kneeling to championship teams refusing to meet with him to his Twitter war with Bubba Wallace and NASCAR. The United States women’s national soccer team became American heroes as much for their open defiance of Trump as they did for their dominant performance in the World Cup.
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/tom-brady-nfl-wnba-nascar-trump-still-haunts-pro-sports-ncna1255434




Man that just keeps coming! But seriously you know that you’re too toxic when you’re considered toxic for a guy who’s been accused of cheating multiple times! But again this asks the question – why does Tom Brady get a free pass for his toxic politics, but Colin Kaepernick gets ostracized from the league for a simple kneel during the national anthem? Well let’s ask former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston!

When was the last time you saw a jersey burned and run over a full year after the player was last a part of the team, simply because the player wasn’t a part of that team’s newfound success? Thirty quarterbacks every year don’t make the Super Bowl. A majority of quarterbacks never will. Hell, Matthew Stafford has played quarterback for the Detroit Lions since 2009, has only made the playoffs thrice, and hasn’t won a single postseason game. When his time in Detroit comes to a close this offseason, after the two sides have agreed to part ways, I highly doubt his jersey will be stomped, run over, or burned in the streets.

Winston is not blameless. He was accused of rape stemming from a 2012 incident at Florida State, which led to a civil suit that was settled in 2016. He was also suspended three games in 2018 after allegedly groping an Uber driver. That case was also settled, and he got a slap on the wrist from the league, so apparently that was good enough for everyone to move on and forget. Even with Winston’s past, I don’t hear anyone bringing that up now. I don’t see any Bucs fans lighting Winston’s jersey on fire because of his character issues. The motivation instead seems driven by the fact that Winston, a Black quarterback, didn’t take them to a Super Bowl, but Tom Brady did.

As I wrote last week, the NFL has a problem with Black quarterbacks. Beyond that, the league has a race problem that is systemic, woven into the foundational fabric of the league. Fans take cultural cues from football on what is allowed from leadership, much as insurrectionists took their Capitol-storming cues from the former Commander in Least. Leadership matters. Integrity matters.

The fans outraged about Colin Kaepernick taking a knee were given cover to feel that way by Roger Goodell and team owners like Jerry Jones. Somehow, Kaepernick’s desire for equality was disrespectful to America, or something. Black coaches are getting passed over — again — while we take away the “Washington Redskins” moniker, yet allow the Tomahawk Chop to live on at Arrowhead Stadium.
https://deadspin.com/tom-brady-zealots-reek-of-racism-in-burning-running-ov-1846136662



So the NFL chastised Colin Kaepernick for his political beliefs while covering up some far worse crimes that have happened. Rape, assault and attempted murder? Yeah we’ll look the other way, because, ratings!!! But kneeling before the national anthem? That’s a sin and you pissed off the Fox News crowd and they are ones to hold a grudge! But let’s ask the man himself what he thinks about this issue and well, you’ll get the answer you probably expected.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady evaded a question about whether he's gotten a pass from criticism for sporting a Donald Trump hat in his locker in 2015 because he is white.

In a Jan. 26 segment on Fox Sports, analyst Shannon Sharpe was critical of Brady's brief support of Trump. The six-time Super Bowl champion later backpedaled on his support of Trump, dismissing any political-oriented questions during the former president's campaign trail and presidency over the last four years. But Sharpe said Brady was given a pass as a white athlete that a Black athlete like LeBron James wouldn't have gotten.

"Let’s just say for sake of argument, LeBron James says my friend is Minister (Louis) Farrakhan," Sharpe said, referring to the controversial Nation of Islam leader. "How would America react? Blacks have always had to be very, very quiet about who our friends are. ... LeBron James can never say, a prominent black athlete can never say, Minister Farrakhan is just my friend. They’d try to cancel anybody with the just mere mention of Mister Farrakhan’s name. Because we like Tom Brady."

Brady, in response to a question by USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on a Super Bowl news conference Monday, dodged a direct answer.

"I'm not sure how to respond to hypothetical like that," Brady said over Zoom during Super Bowl media availability. "I hope everyone can — we're in this position like I am to, again, try to be the best I can be every day as an athlete, as a player, as a person in my community, for my team and so forth, so yeah, I'm not sure what else."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2021/02/01/tom-brady-dodges-question-donald-trump-support/4342575001/





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[font size="8"]Parlerfiles
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Welcome everyone to our brand new segment, Parlerfiles! So why did we decide to do this segment, you might ask? Well I answer you – there’s a lot of batshit crazy out there. It’s no secret that ever since Twitter finally fired @realDonaldTrump that things have turned upside down in the social media world and everything is crazy. In the far right world – all the usual social media suspects that we’ve come to love and hate have been replaced. Facebook has been replaced with Gab. Twitter has been replaced with Parler. Instagram has been replaced by Telegram. And Youtube has been replaced by Dlive. The thing that unites all of these sites? Anyone can say anything they want, and there’s some seriously batshit crazy stuff out there. For the purpose of this segment, there’s no story we’re reporting on, it’s a free-floating segment, just taking a few posts and trying to make sense of them! You can’t do it! Like for instance:



Holy shit, people believe this stuff! Look, Trump is none of those things. He’s literally Grandpa Simpson sitting at a typewriter writing complaints about stupid nonsense.



Yeah Trump is that guy! He doesn’t tweet like a 20 year old, though I could see him very lazily trying to type “UR” instead of “your” ,and he has been known to confuse “your” and “you’re”. Believe me we’ve seen enough of his tweets! Then if you go on Parler you see posts like this:



Nah. The Proud Boys vs Antifa is like the Harlem Globetrotters vs the Washington Generals. You don’t go there to watch fundamentals, you go strictly for the entertainment value, and you know that one person is pulling the strings for both teams! And by the way next week we’ll go into full detail about what went down in Myanmar but there’s no way Trump would have the charisma to pull off such a coup:

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1356326209462923265



Man these guys want to overthrow the government? I wouldn’t trust them to overthrow a freaking Home Depot. Let’s see 10,000 wannabe militia types open fire on the US military. They’d retreat with their tails between their legs in 10 minutes. Let’s get into some video next and I am in no way shocked that Russia is involved with Q Anon.

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1356250311824965639


Seriously, what does Putin have on Roger Stone? Is it money or is it something that’s far more incriminating like the Trump pee pee tape? Yeah you know what? That’s something I hope that I will never see. And something that can not be unseen are some of the absolutely batshit memes being posted around Parler like this one:

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1356118940230049793



People really believe this shit! And that’s insane that 3 weeks after the inauguration we still see idiots with Trump signs at street corners. And then Parler is known as a place where trolls go to troll. Want proof? One of the worst trolls imaginable – ultra far right pastor Joshua Feurerstien posts there, and we had honestly forgot about that guy, despite that he was one of the original inspirations for “Holy Shit”.

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1356113690127458310

Seriously? This was three days ago. Biden’s already been inaugurated and cleaning up most of Trump’s mess. And speaking of Q conspiracy theorists, this has to be one of my favorite ones because for some reason, they think that 5th dimensional chess is an actual thing. But what makes this even funnier is that a Google search for “5th dimensional chess” brings up the 1960s band 5th Dimension, which sang the song “Age Of Aquarius”. Yeah so there is that.

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1353881592633159683



That is a good question, sir! Because there is one story that I wanted to report on is that everyone’s favorite batshit crazy Congresswoman, a poster child for how crazy Q Anon and Infowars followers can get, Marjorie Taylor Greene spent a whopping $207,000 advertising on this shit. No wonder she attracts the crazies!

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s disturbing social media trail may be on Twitter and Facebook, but it’s the conservative platform Parler where Greene has been actively spending her money — dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars of campaign cash since the Nov. 3rd election.

In 17 separate transactions, Greene’s campaign has spent $207,000 to advertise on the site, according to a review of federal election records.

It’s not unusual for campaigns to advertise where their supporters are, but Greene’s spending on Parler stands out because of its size and timing, with all of it posting days before or in the weeks after the Nov. 3rd election.

By that time, Greene had been comfortably elected to her 14th Congressional District seat for months, with her Republican primary behind her and her Democratic opponent dropping out of the race before Election Day.
https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-gop-insider-marjorie-taylor-greenes-parler-spending-spree/YHB2D755SNA7FPOGT2LWR342XU/ [/div




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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink
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Hey everyone, I don’t know about you, but I could really use a drink!

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So of course you know the idea behind this segment is that we have some drinks, and while we have some drinks, we discuss literally anything as long as it doesn’t relate to the news or politics. And there’s a lot of dark shit out there right now – we’re in a time of a great plague, and we had a transition of power that I would not exactly say went what one would call “smooth”. So fuck that shit. Instead we’re going to talk about the latest sensation to come out of Oklahoma. So tell me, virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about Bigfoot? A beer served in a giant glass shaped like a foot? No thanks, I don’t know where I could find such a glass. Maybe on Etsy. They have everything. But Oklahoma has an absolutely batshit way to draw tourism revenue when / if we ever get to tour things again.

Love a good conspiracy theory? Oklahoma is looking for you.

In January, Oklahoma Rep. Justin Humphrey introduced a new bill to the state legislature in an attempt to open up licenses for Bigfoot Hunting Season. Yes. For real.

"A lot of people don't believe in Bigfoot, but a lot of people do," Humphrey said in a statement, explaining the licenses would be regulated by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. There would be set dates for hunting the mythical creature, just as there are for other wildlife.

"I have been in the woods all my life and I have not ever seen any sign of Bigfoot," Humphrey additionally told the Oklahoman. "I have never heard Bigfoot, but I have some people that I know that are good, solid people who I will guarantee you 100% have said they have had experience with Bigfoot. So, I know there are people out there that you will not convince that Bigfoot doesn't exist."

"Tourism is one of the biggest attractions we have in my House district," Humphrey added. "Establishing an actual hunting season and issuing licenses for people who want to hunt Bigfoot will just draw more people to our already beautiful part of the state. It will be a great way for people to enjoy our area and to have some fun."
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/oklahoma-bigfoot-hunting-season-bill




Yeah what a great idea! Give your gun-loving conspiracy theorist relatives an excuse to shoot something, that will “own the libs”! But there’s more to this than would meet the eye. So what’s in it for the state of Oklahoma you might ask? Well besides that sweet, sweet tourism revenue, which states very badly need, there’s a monetary prize for whoever captures Bigfoot. Which is weird because nobody knows what Bigfoot looks like! I mean is he a monkey with giant feet, or is he your 7’4 cousin with a size 24 triple wide sneaker? Well that would be murder, then, wouldn’t it?

A Republican House member has introduced a bill that would create a Bigfoot hunting season. Rep. Justin Humphrey’s district includes the heavily forested Ouachita Mountains in southeast Oklahoma, where a Bigfoot festival is held each year near the Arkansas border. He says issuing a state hunting license and tag could help boost tourism.

“Establishing an actual hunting season and issuing licenses for people who want to hunt Bigfoot will just draw more people to our already beautiful part of the state," Humphrey said in a statement.

Humphrey says his bill would only allow trapping and that he also hopes to secure $25,000 to be offered as a bounty.

Micah Holmes, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, which oversees hunting in Oklahoma, told television station KOCO that the agency uses science-driven research and doesn’t recognize Bigfoot.
https://www.kmov.com/oklahoma-lawmaker-proposes-bigfoot-hunting-season/article_d4e77d43-4b6c-5bb0-a11e-803bca5fdadb.html




I don’t even think that’s enough booze right now! So get your best Daffy Duck vs Bugs Bunny impression ready because it’s literally Bigfoot hunting season in Oklahoma! And what’s going to happen when things get out of control? Because you know they will, and putting a $25,000 bounty on Bigfoot is going to have disastrous consequences, and you know things will get weird!

If he came to Texas, he would be safe here with only a few mouth-breathers down around Liberty and Beaumont who still are hunting Sasquatch in the Big Thicket country.

“Wait!” Is that a “Squatch” I hear? If it is, he’s laughing at the clowns who are chasing him. Despite all the shows on Discovery Channel and Nat Geo and whatever other channels that have enough money to pour it down the Bigfoot hole, there’s never been a credible picture or movie or shredded hunter’s carcass to introduce into evidence that these creatures actually exist.

I’ve been to the Texas Bigfoot Society meetings and even the speakers there try to play down the blurry videos of a Holstein cow standing facing the camera 300 yards across a pasture.

One speaker, an anatomical expert from somewhere, had the stones to say that the famous Gimlin-Patterson film from 1968 had to be a human in an ape suit walking across that dry stream bed. A man who claimed he was the one in the suit passed a lie detector test on television claiming that was he not a female Bigfoot.
https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/outdoors/2021/01/30/oklahoma-could-bigfoot-hunting-be-legal-soon-mike-leggett/4315098001/




So take heart, Oklahoma hunters! No one has ever actually caught Bigfoot! And the one person who claims to have caught Bigfoot was actually just flat out making shit up. If you do go Bigfoot hunting, be sure to take that into account. But why Oklahoma? Well the myth of Bigfoot traces back to Honobia, Oklahoma where the annual Bigfoot Festival takes place every year. And this is mainly just a way to promote the festival. For when we can have festivals again.

Just when you think you've heard it all, on Jan. 5, Oklahoma state Rep. Justin Humphrey proposed an official Bigfoot hunting season bill, House Bill 1648, to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, FieldandStream.com reports (bit.ly/OKbigfoot). Before you ask, yes the bill has provisions for the hunting season's dates, regulations and tags.

Which should prove interesting to enforce, because a spokesman for the state's Department of Wildlife Conservation has decreed that Bigfoot does not exist in Oklahoma, creating quite a legal conundrum for prospective hunters.

There is an ulterior motive in this bill. The annual Bigfoot festival takes place in Honobia, Oklahoma, in October, Humphrey, a Republican, explained, so he wants to use the monthlong Bigfoot hunting season to promote that area and the festival.

"This is tourism!" he told Lacie Lowry of News 9 in Oklahoma City (bit.ly/JHbigfoot). He is pictured, inset, courtesy of News 9.
https://www.dailyastorian.com/life/in_one_ear/in-one-ear-hunting-bigfoot/article_ad0624b2-5e89-11eb-ab41-3b1e7e6f7c0b.html





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[font size="8"]Road To The White House: Joe Biden’s First Week
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Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there! Now that we’ve given Trump the heave ho he so richly deserves, Biden is ready to get to work, but what has his first week in office looked like? We’re going to examine this in full, and it looks a hell of a lot different than when Trump assumed power in 2017. For one thing it is so nice to have a president who doesn’t toilet tweet or give self congratulatory interviews on Fox News every night. It’s so refreshing to have a president who doesn’t speak to Sean Hannity on a nightly basis. And in case you’re wondering, he really is hard at work right now cleaning up Trump’s mess!

Did President Joe Biden sign more executive orders in his first week than any past president did in that same time period?

ANSWER:

Yes. The Verify team looked through a pair of databases that track presidential executive orders. They showed that President Biden issued 22 executive orders in his first week, along with many presidential proclamations and memorandums.

This compares to four executive orders issued in President Trump's first week, five by President Obama, and zero by President George W. Bush.

Since taking office, President Joe Biden has signed a flurry of executive orders. Many of these actions were reversals of President Trump's policies. Others were meant to set a new tone in Washington.

The swift action has prompted praise from those on the left, and ire from those on the right. Many critics have posted to social media that they are upset by the unilateral action.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/verify-yes-biden-signed-more-executive-orders-in-his-first-week-than-any-past-president/65-06d6cad9-3027-41ef-96be-654216ad81e3




And the best part too – Biden just moves onto the next thing and doesn’t hold it up for the world to see like Trump did! So what does Joe have planned in his first 100 days? Well in his first 7 days he’s already accomplished more than Trump has in four years. But his first 100 days look to be really intense and he plans a lot to get Americans back to work and get COVID under control. But it looks like Biden is channeling FDR in his plans!

When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn in as President on March 4, 1933, a quarter of Americans were unemployed and multitudes were living in shanty-towns. By the end of his first 100 days in office, he had pushed 15 bills through Congress, revamped the financial and agricultural systems, expanded unemployment relief and laid the foundation for economic recovery.

Nine decades later, another Democrat, Joseph R. Biden Jr., ascends to the White House at a time of extraordinary crisis. A once-in-a-century pandemic has killed more than 400,000 Americans and erased nearly 10 million jobs. The new President has to contend with climate change, a national reckoning on racial justice and a bitterly divided electorate.

As he plots his first months in office, President Biden has been studying Roosevelt’s model. “We are coming to this with a determination to meet these challenges with solutions as big as the problems are,” White House chief of staff Ron Klain tells TIME. “Our goal is to rally the country behind that, mobilize the Congress behind that, start to make the changes we need to make to tackle these horrible problems.”

That mission was reflected in Biden’s opening flurry of executive actions. Within hours of his Inauguration, Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization and rescinded the Trump Administration’s so-called Muslim ban, which restricted immigration from a host of Muslim-majority countries. The moves were intended to telegraph that his presidency would eschew the isolationist tendencies of his predecessor.
https://time.com/5931852/joe-biden-100-days/




That is a good question! But what is happening right now is that we finally have a leader with compassion – as opposed to having a leader who’s been a colossal dick for the last four years that got us in a raging pandemic and crippling unemployment. And also while Trump tried to play the “cool boss” part of being president without actually doing his job, Biden is the boss and he will be playing the “cool boss” part when COVID finally gets under control!

As his first full week in the White House begins, Joe Biden already faces critical early tests of a presidency premised on political compromise and uniting Washington to fight the pandemic.

The President's team Sunday appealed for two things that may ultimately be elusive: time to stand up an aggressive attempt to finally turn around the Covid-19 nightmare and Republican buy-in for his $1.9 trillion economic relief plan.

In the week ahead, Biden is expected to unleash a new blitz of executive actions to deliver momentum to his new administration -- on Monday, for instance, removing the ban on transgender people serving in the military.

The President plans to move aggressively later in the week, taking steps to boost US workers, address racial inequality and combat climate change.

But true, lasting change and the nation's hopes of finally overcoming the pandemic will rely on Biden's ability to leverage years of experience to forge common ground in the scorched earth of the capital.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/25/politics/joe-biden-coronavirus-congress-trump-impeachment/index.html




See that conservatives? That’s what a president is supposed to do! Yeah you can cheerlead Trump all you want but he never really did any actual work. Biden gets shit done before noon, while Trump sleeps until noon and then spends the next 8 hours yelling at the TV, while calling other people lazy. Oh and this might be one of the best parts of the Biden administration so far – he won’t be making decisions involving his family members! Again… what’s happening right now? Is it that far left agenda? You bet!

President Joe Biden vowed that no one in his extended family will have sway over government decisions in an interview with People magazine published Wednesday.

"We're going to run this like the Obama-Biden Administration," he said of ethics requirements pertaining to government appointees' family and friends to avoid the semblance of wrongdoing.

"No one in our family and extended family is going to be involved in any government undertaking or foreign policy," he added. "And nobody has an office in this place. They always have access to Pop and Nana but nobody (will have an office)."

Biden shared an anecdote of previously rejecting personal benefits that could have been paid by the government, professing his commitment to steering clear of impropriety.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/politics/biden-people-magazine-family-members-government/index.html









[font size="4"]And Now This: [br] [/font]
[font size="8"]Black Pumas [br] [/font]

Ladies and gentlemen, you saw them and loved them at the Inauguration of Joe Biden! Now playing the song “Colors” from their album Black Pumas – you can buy the Deluxe Edition of this album anywhere you get music, give it up for Black Pumas!



See you next week!

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January 27, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-1: Lauren's Got A Gun Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-1: Lauren’s Got A Gun Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? We’re of course still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club. Look at it, it’s so blue, how could you possibly miss it? But we made it everybody!!! Our long national nightmare is finally over! And you know what? People have been asking me what the end of the Trump era feels like, and I got to say it kind of feels like pulling off a scab. It feels very satisfying at first, but it opens up a festering wound that will take a long time to stop bleeding. Pleasant analogy, I know, but then again the last four years have been anything but pleasant. More on that later. Do we have time for the thing? Yes, we actually do have a thing! It feels good! No, not that kind of thing. But it’s really about our show. What are we going to do now that Trump is no longer in power? Well we’re going to continue on for the 10th and 11th seasons, and we’ve got plenty of exciting new content to debut for you including a feature that we’re debuting next week called “Parler Files” where we will dissect for you some of the ridiculously batshit crazy things being said on right wing social media. We might also work on that name. Plus all your favorite segments are coming back for more. OK enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to, but first one of my favorite podcasts is from Christopher Titus, and this week on the Armageddon Update, he very clearly spells out what went down at the Capitol Riot and defines the language for those who are too dumb to understand:



Well in the number one slot, we made it everybody! Taking the #1 slot this week is Senate Republicans (1) because the 2nd impeachment and actual trial of our 45th president is getting underway and they’re doing their best to sweep it under the rug! Taking the second slot this week is Tucker Carlson (2) and we ask the question – could his viewers be racist? The answer might surprise you! Taking the third slot this week is our now FORMER president Donald Trump (3) and this is where we send off the Trump administration by taking a look at some of my favorite things that he’s said and done, and I still can’t believe that a sitting president did these things and we survived as a country. Taking the 4th slot this week is Rudy Giuliani (4) and he’s basically admitted all but the fact that Trump was accepting bribes for presidential pardons, and there were a lot of them to dissect, Steve Bannon probably being the most egregious one. Taking the fifth slot this week is the return of our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week we’re taking a look at Bitcoin failures. Bitcoin has been surging but you got to remember your passwords, folks! In the number 6 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 is going to take a look at predictions from right wing pastors about the forthcoming year 2021 and the Biden administration and well, they’re fucked up. Taking the #7 slot this week, we add Colorado’s Q Anon loving Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (7) to the ever-growing list of People Who Somehow Got Elected! In the number 8 slot this week, we have a new edition of This Fucking Guy, and this week we’re profiling heavy metal guitarist and hardcore Trumpfile Jon Schhaffer (8), founder of the band Iced Earth! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week we have our first People Are Dumb (9) of 2021 and we’re going to dedicate it to some of the ridiculously dumb people that participated in the Capitol riot and did it for the selfies! And finally this week is Road To The White House (10) and this week we’re going to talk about Joe Biden’s awe-inspiring inauguration and what to expect in his first 100 days! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Senate Republicans
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I know what you’re thinking – it’s a new year and we have a new president, right? Wrong! Yes, I know that Joe Biden has officially been inaugurated and he’s already been hard at work reversing most of Trump’s policies, right? Meet the new boss, same as the old boss! No!!! Thank god! We do not need a new boss that’s the same as the old boss. Because the old boss was literally the worst president we’ve ever had. And after going full Avengers Loki on us, he’s now awaiting his Asguard like fate like Loki did in Thor: The Dark World. But I wish he would meet that fate. I really want to see him dragged away in handcuffs for what he did at the Capitol. But that said, conservative republicans in the Senate are doing their best to imitate Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun.

Sometimes in Washington, the powers that be will embark on a little bit of political theater. You can always spot it, though, if you look closely enough at what's real and what's not.

In the last days of the presidency of Donald Trump, the Democrats and a handful of Never Trumpers banded together to insist he be impeached, again.

The first impeachment of Donald Trump in 2019 was a witch hunt filled with fabricated charges, unsupported evidence and partisan rancor disguised as legal concern.

I worked against this impeachment, but I will grant it one thing — while wrongheaded, the Democrats had every right to do it and at least pursued it as dictated and foreseen by the Constitution.

Fast-forward to January 2021. A national tragedy occurred when militants, agitators and zealots were convinced and allowed to believe that Jan. 6 could produce any result other than the certification of the electors of President Joe Biden.
https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/535582-boycott-sham-impeachment




Dude, seriously, you almost got killed in a riot incited by your previous president. Is that whole damn party under Stockholm Syndrome or what? They’ve been kidnapped by a dangerous cult and are refusing to do anything about it. But the whole reason for this exercise is to prevent a certfiably insane lunatic like Trump from ever holding office again. So why are they so resistant to the idea? Oh don’t worry, Josh Howley, we’re coming for you next. Look no further than Florida Man himself, Marco Rubio, to provide the lack of answers.

Senator Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) on Sunday called the effort to impeach former President Trump in order to bar him from running for office again “arrogant,” saying “voters get to decide” who is elected.

“I think that’s an arrogant statement for anyone to make,” Rubio responded when asked by host Chis Wallace on Fox News Sunday about whether Trump should be impeached to prevent a future campaign for office.

“Voters get to decide that. Who are we to tell voters who they can vote for in the future?” the Florida Republican asked.

The House is set to deliver the single article of impeachment against Trump on grounds of “incitement of insurrection” to the Senate on Monday, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) has said that the impeachment trial will begin the week of February 8.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rubio-says-its-arrogant-to-impeach-trump-to-bar-him-from-running-again/ar-BB1d35XZ?ocid=DELLDHP&li=BBnbfcL




Yeah true! Well, someone must care enough to put Trump on trial, am I right? Before you go crazy on the Trump impeachment trial, let’s take a minute to assess that there are people on the right who are criminally insane. Don’t worry, we’ll get to Josh Howley in a bit. And they’re not alone, behind door #3 is House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Obviously). But let’s not overlook the fact that Trump deserves to be punished for the uprising. Oh wait I hear he likes that sort of thing. *shudder*

But since then, he has seemed to walk back his criticism.

snip

In an interview airing Sunday on Gray Television’s “Full Court Press With Greta Van Susteren,” McCarthy insisted he wasn’t changing his tune.

“No, I have not changed in that,” he said.

He stood by his assertion that Trump does bear some responsibility for what happened. But, he added, so does every other person around the country.

“I also think everybody across this country has some responsibility,” he said.

McCarthy then started pointing to Democrats who opposed Trump, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), people who are rude on social media and law enforcement authorities who didn’t prepare for the attack as some of the people who were somehow responsible.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214992483




Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait. Wait. Everybody is responsible for what happened at the Capitol? Even me? I want nothing to do with these traitor scumbags. But I thought what happens at the capitol stays at the capitol, right? Oh wait, it’s a riot, it’s not Vegas. What happens there will definitely come back to haunt you for the rest of eternity and that’s not going to be pretty when it eventually catches up to you! But really, with friends like these, who needs enemies?

The Texas Republican senator John Cornyn warned on Saturday that Donald Trump’s second impeachment could lead to the prosecution of former Democratic presidents if Republicans retake Congress in two years’ time.Trump this month became the first US president to be impeached twice, after the Democratic-controlled House, with the support of 10 Republicans, voted to charge him with incitement of insurrection over the assault on the Capitol by his supporters on 6 January which left five people dead.

. . .

After a brief moment of bipartisan sentiment in which members from both parties condemned the unprecedented attack on Congress as it met to formalize Biden’s victory, a number of Senate Republicans are opposing Trump’s trial, which could lead to a vote blocking him from future office.

“If it is a good idea to impeach and try former presidents, what about former Democratic presidents when Republicans get the majority in 2022?” Cornyn, a 19-year veteran of the Senate who last year tried to distance himself from Trump when it seemed his seat was at risk, tweeted at majority leader Chuck Schumer.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/23/senate-republican-john-cornyn-impeachment-trump-past-democratic-presidents






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[font size="8"]Fox News
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Here’s the thing guys – if you have to ask if you’re racist, chances are probably good (I’d say 95% with a +-5% margin of error) that you most likely are a racist. Case in point: Last week, Tucker Carlson – a stupid person’s definition of a smart person – asked his viewers to define what a white supremacist really was. But before I get into that, I want to first examine Josh Howley and his criminally batshit crazy Op Ed that he wrote in the New York Post. Before you get mad at me for this, I want you to know that I am sharing this because this will illustrate the point that I’m trying to make in this entry. This is what your average white wing Fox News watching friend / neighbor / coworker is thinking right now.

Have you checked your social credit score lately? You might want to. Mine seems to have taken a nosedive this month. You might want to see how yours is doing.

Everyone knows what a credit score is. But social credit scores are new. They’re the latest corporate import from Communist China, where government and big business monitor every citizen’s social views and statements.

And they’re the latest form of cancel culture in this country, as corporate monopolies and the left team up to shut down speech they don’t like and force their political agenda on America. For those who still believe in free speech and the First Amendment, this is the time to take a stand.

Like the old-fashioned kind of credit score, your social credit requires a lot of maintenance. You’ll need to get good grades in school and stay out of trouble with the law. But that’s just the start — you have to earn your right to live in polite society these days. So if you want to get a good job, stay at hotels and be served at restaurants, you will need to do a few other things. You will need to voice the right opinions. You will need to endorse the right ideas. You will need to conform. That’s what the corporate chieftains tell us, anyway.
https://nypost.com/2021/01/24/its-time-to-stand-up-against-the-muzzling-of-america/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons




Yeah go cue up the world’s smallest violin. See, if you’re mad about being canceled without actually taking the time to examine *WHY* you were canceled, then guess what? You’re part of the problem and not the solution! Yeah thank you blank pre-recorded audience! But that illustrates the point I am making – this is what Trump fans are really thinking right now! Which leads me to Tucker Carlson. This is exactly the “I’m not racist, but…” argument.

Now that we're waging war on white supremacists, can somebody tell us in very clear language what a white supremacist is?

That's not some picayune semantic question -- Joe Biden isn't a high school debate coach. Joe Biden is the new president of the United States. Joe Biden controls the largest military and largest law enforcement agencies in the world. He has now declared war. So we should know specifically and precisely who exactly he has declared war on. We have a right to know that.

Innocent people could be hurt in this war, they usually are. There could be collateral damage in this war. And the casualties will be Americans.

So again, what is a white supremacist? You might be surprised to learn just how broad the definition for that has become.

Bloomberg News has described a wall along our southern border as “a monument to white supremacy." So be certain not to support that.
https://www.mediamatters.org/tucker-carlson/tucker-carlson-warns-viewers-they-could-be-targets-war-white-supremacists




Whoa, whoa, whoa!!! You can’t just expect to walk back the wall! I mean come on, there’s been rumors that one of your fellow employees, Sean Hannity, had a direct line to Trump every night and was more influential on Trump’s policy than the Joint Chiefs were! Oh and Tucker Carlson isn’t the only one in the GOP questioning the party’s ties to white male racists. I give you Rand Paul, who said that he thinks Biden is calling them racist. Well guess what guys? You kind of sort of are!

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul quickly criticized President Joe Biden’s inauguration speech on Wednesday, saying Biden was calling Republicans racist.

“If you read his speech and listen to it carefully, much of it is thinly-veiled innuendo calling us white supremacists, calling us racists, calling us every name in the book, calling us people who don’t tell the truth,” Paul said on Fox News Primetime.

Paul said he also thought Biden was calling his political opponents liars.

Paul’s assessment was a sharp contrast to the widespread accolades for Biden’s remarks that predominantly emphasized unity following Trump supporters’ Capitol riot that was set off in part by Trump’s election fraud lies and misinformation. Some Republicans, including Kentucky’s other senator, have called Trump and his acolytes’ comments lies.

Twitter users criticized Paul’s comments, saying that it’s not Biden’s fault if Paul was offended when Biden condemned racism. Some also pointed out Paul’s opposition to an anti-lynching bill last year. Paul said at the time he was worried the bill would “conflate lesser crimes with lynching,” according to Politico.
https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article248658995.html




Really guys! Did you ever stop to think for a minute that it might not be them, it’s you? Because while you’re wondering whether or not you’re a racist, Biden is actively looking into threats from domestic terrorists! So keep asking that question, Tucker, because the next white supremacist you find might actually be the one you see in the mirror. Yes, Boogaloo Bois and Proud Boys, we’re coming for you, and you might want to get used to seeing another color – orange.

The Biden administration is “committed to developing policies and strategies” based on that analysis, bearing in mind “our respect for constitutionally respected free speech and political activities,” she said.

“This is the first step in the process,” she noted.

The administration is also working to boost the National Security Council’s ability to counter domestic extremism, Psaki said, adding that other parts of the government will coordinate to “enhance and accelerate” efforts to address those threats.

The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for additional information.

The Jan. 6 break-in at the Capitol left five dead, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer, and forced a joint session of Congress to evacuate, halting the confirmation of Biden’s Electoral College victory over Trump.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/22/biden-asks-for-threat-assessment-on-domestic-terrorism.html





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[font size="8"]The Capitol Riot: The Suspects
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The Capitol Riot is still huge news and why not? The last time someone tried something that batshit insane was 150 years ago! And due to the sheer amount of people who were at this thing, not only is it going to provide good fodder for us for the next two years, but we may never know the real extent of everything that happened there. But one thing is for certain – the people who infiltrated the Capitol Building are some of the dumbest motherfuckers alive! So much that we’re dedicating this week’s People Are Dumb to just that! But one thing is for certain is that these are some of the stupidest criminals alive. You don’t break into a government building and take a selfie to upload to Instagram! I mean they have things like location and IP trackers. So if you do this, that will make it that much easier for the Feds to find you. Like this for instance!

Texas resident Garret Miller, who posted a picture of himself participating in the January riot at the U.S. Capitol on social media, was arrested by authorities on Friday.

Lawmakers were forced to shelter in place during the riot which interrupted the Congressional confirmation of President Joe Biden's victory in the Electoral College. Five individuals died in connection with the riot which was carried out by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Many members of the mob broadcast their activities on social media, including Miller.

According to an affidavit from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miller posted a 14-second-long video taken inside the Capitol Rotunda that showed rioters waving flags. Miller captioned the video, "From inside congress."

Miller also posted a selfie of himself inside the Rotunda to his Facebook page.
"After MILLER posted the selfie above showing him inside the U.S. Capitol building, an individual on Facebook commented, 'bro you got in?! Nice!,' to which MILLER replied, 'just wanted to incriminate myself a little lol,'" the affidavit read.
https://www.newsweek.com/man-who-posted-selfie-capitol-riot-incriminate-myself-little-arrested-1563867




Here’s the thing guys – not only are you making the Feds’ job that much easier, you’re also making my job that much easier! Hell I am writing this entry in 10 freaking minutes! The more we find out about what went on during the January 6th riot, the more we find out how fucking stupid and crazy the Trump fans really are. Really – if you play stupid games, you’re going to win stupid prizes. Like a trip to jail or COVID-19. Yeah there’s still that happening too!

The Texas-based real estate agent who traveled to the January 6 Capitol riots in a private plane was kicked off PayPal Thursday evening after attempting to solicit donations for business losses.

Jenna Ryan, who was arrested last week, asked her Twitter followers for help Thursday afternoon, sharing a link to a PayPal account where supporters could offer a donation. In a tweet, Ryan said, "I am accepting donations to pay legal fees and losses due to my arrest and charges by the FBI" and later claimed she had raised $1,000.

By Thursday evening, PayPal had closed the account, according to Kim Eichorn, a PayPal spokesperson.

"PayPal has a policy to allow fundraising for legal defense purposes," Eichorn said in an email to CBS News. "PayPal thoroughly reviews accounts, and if we learn that funds are used for anything other than legal defense, the account will be subject to immediate closure. We can confirm that the account in question has been closed."

Ryan acknowledged that her account was closed Thursday evening in a now-deleted tweet: "Shucky darn I can't do business with PayPal anymore. What am I gonna do with myself? I think I will survive. Seems like some people want to cancel me because I'm trying to get donations from PayPal. Big Woop."
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jenna-ryan-paypal-capitol-riots/#app




Aw… shucky darn, you’re going to go to jail! Hope you like prison food! I mean really, who the fuck talks like that? Let alone someone who has access to private jets? But you might be thinking “Gee, there’s got to be an explanation for such stupidity! Well guess what? I got news for you: there isn’t. You know how we’re always asking for “pics or it didn’t happen?”. Yeah the same applies here. But when you post selfies with location and IP tracking, you’re gonna get caught.

As she approached the U.S. Capitol doors, Jenna Ryan lined up her face in the frame of a Facebook Live video. “Y’all know who to hire for your Realtor. Jenna Ryan for your Realtor,” she said to the camera.

University of Kentucky student Gracyn Courtright posted a photo of herself on Instagram from outside the Capitol doors, arms lifted in celebration. “Can’t wait to tell my grandkids I was here!” the caption read.

In posts on Instagram and Facebook, Edward “Jake” Lang shared his confrontation with police officers at the Capitol. Using a finger-pointing emoji toward the front of the crowd, Lang wrote, “This is me.”

All three publicly documented their roles in the mob attack Jan. 6 on the U.S. Capitol that left five dead and sent lawmakers fleeing for safety, and all three saw that documentation used against them in charges filed by the Department of Justice.

They are hardly anomalies. Of the 119 people facing federal charges in connection to the riot as of Thursday afternoon, at least 71 cases involve photos, posts or footage from social media. At least 47 people saw screenshots of their own selfies, livestreams, videos or posts in their charges, according to a USA TODAY analysis of the federal charging documents.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2021/01/21/fbi-uses-selfies-social-posts-arrest-u-s-capitol-rioters/4203158001/




Yeah really! There aren’t enough facepalms for this. But again we say – play stupid games and win stupid prizes! Before you think about uploading that selfie of you posing in front of Nancy Pelosi’s office, you might want to think about the consequences of your actions. I mean come on, it got the alt right personality known as Baked Alaska caught. And really who names themselves after a desert from the 1950s? These idiots.

Far-right media personality Tim Gionet, who calls himself “Baked Alaska,” has been arrested by the FBI for his involvement in the riot at the U.S. Capitol, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

Gionet was arrested by federal agents in Houston on Saturday, according to the official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter before the public release of a criminal complaint and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress was meeting to vote to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral win. Five people died in the mayhem.

Gionet faces charges of violent and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and knowingly entering a restricted building without law
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/personality-baked-alaska-arrested-riot-probe-75296715





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[font size="8"]Rudy Giuliani
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Speaking of playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes, in this corner we have our next contender… *drum roll* Rudy Giuliani!!! Come on down, what do you win? Well, Mr. New York’s Mayor, you win a prison sentence! And so does everyone in the administration! You get a prison sentence and you get a prison sentence! And you get one! And you get one! Everybody gets a prison sentence! So what did Giuliani do that was so egregious you might ask? Well for one thing in Trump’s final hours – his lawyer Giuliani revealed the true cost of a presidential pardon. It turns out that freedom really isn’t free and in fact it has a price. Well, it has a price tag, anyways! See what I did there?

An associate of Rudy Giuliani told a former CIA officer a presidential pardon was “going to cost $2m”, the New York Times reported on Sunday in the latest bombshell to break across the last, chaotic days of Donald Trump’s presidency.

The report detailed widespread and in some cases lucrative lobbying involving people seeking a pardon as Trump’s time in office winds down. The 45th president, impeached twice, will leave power on Wednesday with the inauguration of Joe Biden.

The former CIA officer John Kiriakou, who was jailed in 2012 for leaking the identity of an operative involved in torture, told the Times he laughed at the remark from the associate of Giuliani, the former New York mayor who as Trump’s personal attorney is reportedly a possible pardon recipient himself.

“Two million bucks – are you out of your mind?” Kiriakou reportedly said. “Even if I had two million bucks, I wouldn’t spend it to recover a $700,000 pension.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/17/rudy-giuliani-associate-john-kiriakou-trump-pardon




But that said, would you really trust Giuliani for your attorney? Hell I wouldn’t trust him as my attorney in a mock trial. Seriously, I wouldn’t trust him as my attorney on an episode of Mock Trial With J. Reinhold! Just Google that reference. With Trump’s trial going to the Senate, well, we can expect that Giuliani will not be a part of this mess. And don’t worry – we will get to that in a minute. Do you really want a guy this unstable on your side? Well, look at who his boss is!

President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, will not be taking part in the president’s defense in the Senate trial for his second impeachment, a person close to Mr. Trump said on Monday.

Mr. Trump met with Mr. Giuliani on Saturday night at the White House, and the next day the president began telling people that Mr. Giuliani was not going to be part of the team. It is unclear who will be the defense lawyer for Mr. Trump, given that many attorneys have privately said they won’t represent him.

Mr. Giuliani himself at first said he was taking part in the trial and then a day later said he had no involvement.

He told ABC News on Sunday that he would not be part of the defense, noting that he is a potential witness since he gave a speech at the rally on Jan. 6 of Trump supporters who went on to storm the Capitol complex, overtaking it for hours.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/18/us/giuliani-trump-impeachment-trial.html




Yeah that’s because Giuliani might have a huge legal mess on his own. You know those pesky Slapp suits? Well this is one that could work to our advantage because you know conservative conspiracy theorists have been floating bullshit conspiracies about Dominion Voting Systems? Well Giuliani was named in a lawsuit this morning and it’s going to get really ugly really quickly!

Dominion Voting Systems filed a lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani on Monday, accusing the lawyer of defamation after he promoted the baseless conspiracy theories that Dominion was responsible for election fraud.

The election-technology company is seeking more than $1.3 billion in damages.

In the lawsuit, Dominion accused Giuliani, former President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, of creating "a viral disinformation campaign about Dominion," referring to more than 50 of his statements.

"Rudy Giuliani actively propagated disinformation to purposefully mislead voters," Dominion CEO John Poulos said in a statement. "Because Giuliani and others incessantly repeated the false claims about my company on a range of media platforms, some of our own family and friends are among the Americans who were duped."
https://www.businessinsider.com/dominion-sues-rudy-giuliani-13-billion-over-election-fraud-claim-2021-1




You know here’s the thing guys, and allow me to play life coach here for a minute. Maybe, I don’t know, don’t live your life in such a way that you get sued by a voting machine company for a fucking BILLION DOLLARS because you peddled lies and baseless bullshit conspiracy theories against them! That’s some sound advice there! And if you think this is going to go away overnight, Dominion actually makes a really solid case.

Dominion Voting Systems filed another defamation lawsuit, this time against Rudy Giuliani, accusing him of spreading lies to “purposefully mislead voters” and causing “irreparable harm” to the company. It didn’t rule out suing former President Donald Trump.

“While pushing the disinformation campaign that incited death threats and violence and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, Giuliani cashed in by hawking gold coins, supplements, cigars, and protection from ‘cyberthieves,’” Dominion legal counsel Thomas Clare said in a statement Monday.

Giuliani was deeply involved in Trump’s efforts to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. The former New York City mayor argued repeatedly in public that Trump’s win had been stolen by widespread electoral fraud.

Dominion accuses Giuliani of promulgating the “Big Lie” that Dominion had tampered with votes to fix the election for Biden, in order to “financially enrich himself, to maintain and enhance his public profile, and to ingratiate himself to Donald Trump for money and benefits he expected to receive as a result of that association.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/25/dominion-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-rudy-giuliani-for-election-claims.html





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Invesitgates: Bitcoin Password Fails
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



Remember to write down your password. That’s the moral of the story here. because you never know when you might need it, or that hundreds of millions are at stake. The reason why this is brought up is because Bitcoins are back in the news, and people are getting richer than they’ve ever been. But they also can’t figure out how to access their money. But when you can’t access a fortune because you forgot your password, it can come back to haunt you. And if that happens then you can be in seriously deep trouble, both with the Feds and with your actual bank. These entrepreneurs are learning it the really hard way. And in most cases the word “password” isn’t going to work as your password.

With Bitcoin prices increasing by over 50% since it reached its all-time high of $20,000 last month, those locked out of their cryptocurrency wallets are becoming desperate as they calculate how much wealth they would gain if only they remembered their passwords.

Around 20% of the existing 18.5 million Bitcoin — worth a total of $140 billion – are in stranded wallets, according to the cryptocurrency data firm Chainalysis, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Wallet Recovery Services, a firm that helps recover lost digital keys, told the Times that it received 70 requests a day from users who are trying to access their digital wallets — a number that is three times higher than it was a month ago.

In an interview with the Times, Stefan Thomas, a programmer living in San Francisco, said that his strategies to remember his password continue to fail, leaving him with only two guesses to figure out his password before being permanently locked out. His 7,002 Bitcoin is worth around $220 million as of this week.

The password should allow him to unlock an IronKey, a small hard drive containing the private keys to a digital wallet that holds his Bitcoin.
https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-owners-without-wallet-password-watch-prices-rise-2021-1




Yes, if you’re worth a hundred million dollars, you might want to realize that we could let you get away with having your password as 12345. But this isn’t the only self-made millionaire in the world of electronic currency that’s having a hard time accessing his fortune. Look at this man in Belfast who is offering a staggering amount of money for someone to find his lost hard drive. You know if you had that much money in a hard drive, you might want to, maybe hold onto that device? We’re just saying.

The Missing Bitcoin Millions

James Howells is searching for buried treasure, bitcoin style. The Welshman is negotiating with his local council in an attempt to recover an old hard drive that was disposed of in 2013.

Howell had previously approached the local authorities to help him dig up the lost hard drive, said to contain around 7,500 bitcoin. Howell accidentally threw out the hard drive during a spring clean and only realized his error some months later.

The hard drive is reportedly located somewhere at the city’s landfill site. The elusive hardware currently holds approximately $280 million worth of bitcoin.

The 35-year-old IT engineer is relentlessly pushing to have the hard drive found. And has even received backing from a hedge fund that is willing to fund the operation.
Council Hesitations

While the undertaking might seem like a no-brainer to most, the Newport council believes that the operation could do more harm than good.
https://beincrypto.com/welsh-man-offers-local-council-72-million-to-dig-up-bitcoin-hard-drive/




That is pretty much what it is like if you don’t find your Bitcoin password. Even more mind blowing is that these guys’ fortune is increasing while they are forgetting their password. So is it intentional or is it just plain stupid? Well it’s a combination of the two. And the guy in Ireland can’t be any worse than this man in the US who is literally just two password guesses from losing his entire fortune. Yeah just think about that for a minute.

Stefan Thomas is a bitcoin millionaire. Or, he would be if only he could remember his password.

The San Francisco software developer and CEO was an early adopter of bitcoin. Back in 2011, he produced an animated video explaining how the digital currency works. For his efforts, a bitcoin enthusiast awarded him 7,002 bitcoins.

Later that year, he lost the password to his IronKey, the USB hard drive that contains the digital wallet that holds his bitcoins. Since then, the currency's value has skyrocketed, and Thomas' holdings are worth $220 million US ($321 million Cdn.)

The IronKey gives users 10 password guesses before it encrypts its contents permanently, and Thomas' bitcoin is lost forever. He has two guesses left.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.5875363/this-man-owns-321m-in-bitcoin-but-he-can-t-access-it-because-he-lost-his-password-1.5875366




So how do you fix this? Do you implement harsher or easier for cyber security? That is a question being asked all over the country, especially in light of the recent Solar Winds attack. But here is a possible encryption solution coming from the places that the right likes to refer to as “big tech”. Yes, they created both the problem and what looks like the solution in this case!

Right on the mid-week schedule, Microsoft has released a new Edge Dev build. This week’s build is quite small in scope, but it does bring some well-deserved tweaks and bug fixes. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about Microsoft Edge Dev version 89.0.760.0.

We’ll start first with new features. Microsoft has added Password Monitor support on Mac, and also added Edge Update policies to edge://policy. In addition, also new is support for the Browing Data Lifetime management policy from Chromium. Finally, they also added a management policy to Define Preferred Languages.

Now, for the reliability and changed behaviors. Note that there’s only a few this week. These include a fix for crash on launch, a fix for an issue on Mac where going to check Edge’s version might cause a crash, and a hang issue when using Edge in a virtual desktop. See below for the other changes.

Note that the known issues still haven’t changed from the past releases. The issues are all still the same. As a reminder, some of the known issues include ad-blocking extensions not working on Linux, playback errors on YouTube, issues with Kaspersky Internet Suite, and more. Microsoft did fix the issue from last week where tab drag and drop was broken for vertical tabs.
https://www.onmsft.com/news/latest-microsoft-edge-dev-feature-brings-password-monitor-feature-to-macs




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 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! I have returned from my sabbatical refreshed and ready to take on a new year which I hope will much better than the last year. And things are already better? You know how I know? I can start referring to the President as a real human being again, and we can freely say his name in my church! Unlike the last guy, who was the most unholy, ungodly excuse for a human being and we dare not say his name in church, even if it is virtual for the time being! But that said, there are those on the right, who cannot help themselves but make some stunningly horrible observations about how the new year and new president will pan out. Let’s start with our good friend Sean Feucht, who I previously profiled in Idiots #9-17, what has he been up to lately? Well this!

Sean Feucht, a religious-right musician and missionary who ran unsuccessfully for Congress last year as a pro-Trump culture warrior in Northern California, gave followers suggestions this week on how “believers” should “respond to a Biden presidency.” In an email, blog post, and related Facebook video he posted on Inauguration Day, Feucht encouraged people to turn off the news and turn on worship music, and to pray for President Joe Biden and other political leaders as the Bible instructs. But Feucht also made it clear that he believes Biden is advancing a satanic agenda. His email to supporters said, “The enemy is launching an all out attack on truth, attacking the Bible, and God’s sacred design for the family, sexuality and gender.”

He reiterated that point in the Facebook video, in which he said, “This administration, I believe, is carrying some of the most anti-Christ agenda and philosophy that maybe we have seen in the history of America.” He warned, “There is a mob spirit that wants us to bow down to the gods of secular liberalism … and if we don’t bow, we’re gonna be bullied, harassed, and threatened. We’re going to be censored. We’re going to banished from speaking in the public square.”

Feucht said it breaks his heart to see Christians celebrating the historic swearing-in of Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, “you’re placing race, you’re placing gender above the values and the biblical and theological foundation that we believe in.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/sean-feucht-tells-followers-biden-administration-is-pushing-an-anti-christ-agenda/




Gee, I am not shocked at all that someone who sells Christian rock music is trying to tell people to turn off reality. And what is their obsession with “the public square”? Hey guys we’re in a raging pandemic right now, there is no public square! And there’s no one stopping you from saying this crap, just good luck getting anyone to listen. It’s hard, I know! But I do love it when the prophecies fail, as is demonstrated by this next piece!

Right-wing pastor and self-proclaimed “prophet” Hank Kunneman used his sermon Sunday to lash out at those who have dared to call him a false prophet for repeatedly proclaiming that Donald Trump would win the 2020 election and serve a second term in office.

Citing a passage from Proverbs 6 that claims that God hates, among other things, those who sow discord, Kunneman told his critics that God “hates you” as he continued to insist that Trump won the election and will serve a second term.

“God hates six things,” Kunneman said. “Number one: a proud look. Number two: a lying tongue. Number three: abortion, or hands that shed innocent blood. Yeah, you thought it was OK to vote for [Joe Biden]? [Number four:] a heart that devises wicked imaginations, and yet you voted for them. It’s obvious, their wicked imaginations on how they want to destroy this country. [Number five:] feet that are swift in running to mischief. It’s amazing how quickly they signed their executive orders; that’s called feet that run quickly to mischief.”

“But notice something,” he continued. “God hates what? He didn’t say he hates discord. He hates you that are being a troll. He hates you that are attacking your Christian brothers and sisters. ‘Yeah, but they’re false. They’re wrong.’ Excuse me. How do you know? ‘Because it hasn’t come to pass.’ How do you know that it hasn’t come to pass? First of all, the president was reelected. Let’s get that clear. Second of all, he was given a second term based on reelection. ‘Well, he’s not serving it now?’ Because it was stolen by thieve
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/hank-kunneman-says-god-hates-those-who-call-him-a-false-prophet-for-falsely-prophesying-trumps-reelection/




Yes, Hank. You know what God also doesn’t love? He doesn’t love people who attempt to murder those who they don’t agree with. As is the case here with the unholy, ungodly Dark One, and even though he is no longer in power, we must never speak his name in my church, must less I cast thee out! Because the good LAWRD JAYSUS knows this! But is this really comparable to the 1930s? Only when a bunch of right wingers knowingly get their asses handed to them!

Eric Metaxas, a right-wing author who has tumbled ever-deeper into Trumpism and stolen election conspiracy theories, complained on his radio show Tuesday that he and his sponsor, MyPillow guy Mike Lindell, are the victims of a “wicked” cancel culture that Metaxas claimed “really is like what happened in Germany in the ‘30s.”

Lindell became a major funder of right-wing media during the Trump administration and has heavily promoted conspiracy theories about Donald Trump’s loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. He sponsors “The Eric Metaxas Radio Show” as well as the Right Side Broadcasting Network, which livestreamed Trump rallies and so-called Stop the Steal events. On a show posted Monday, Metaxas called Lindell “an American hero.”

Metaxas griped that he is losing sponsors and that YouTube took down a video of the Monday show on which the two of them talked about widely debunked conspiracy theories that the election had been stolen from Donald Trump. On that video, Lindell claimed that Trump won by millions of votes and that “China and other countries chose our president and many down-ticket people, too, including the two runoff Senate races in Georgia.”

Metaxas also noted that two large retail outlets, Kohl’s and Bed, Bath and Beyond, recently announced they would no longer carry Lindell’s products, a development that Metaxas called “despicable” and “absolutely chilling.” He urged his listeners never to shop at those stores again.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/eric-metaxas-plays-the-victim-claims-wicked-cancel-culture-really-is-like-what-happened-in-germany-in-the-30s/




Nah, it’s only a douchebag getting treated like the douchebag that he is. Because even in the new year we must make sure that they are getting what is coming to them. That’s a passage in the Good Book, which you can still buy! But really you’re defending a pillow salesman? A guy who hawks cheaply made garbage at that? Fine if that is the hill that you shall layeth on. And by the way if you want to know where the new year is headed, just consult your local Alt Right!

With Joe Biden inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States on the same steps that right-wing extremists had charged up to storm the U.S. Capitol less than two weeks ago, reality hit some right-wing activists and extremists: Trump was out of office, and their campaign to keep him there was fruitless. But while some recognized defeat, others were keen to press new conspiracy theories, cling to old ones, and double down on their attacks.

Far-right activist Jack Posobiec was not feeling Biden’s message of unity. Posobiec continued pushing the conspiracy theory that conservatives were being hunted and that Biden would impose martial law. In numerous tweets, he compared Biden to President Snow, the despotic character in “The Hunger Games” book and movie series. “I can’t wait for the Unity Trials to start!” he tweeted. In another, he wrote, “Mao promoted unity too.”

Posobiec wasn’t the only one attacking calls for unity. The right-wing Catholic Vote sent out a message shortly after Biden’s inaugural address: “In his inaugural address, President Biden spoke of the need for unity. He’s right, America is divided like never before. The cheap excuse offered by the media and the Left is to blame President Trump and his supporters. Yet anyone paying attention knows Joe Biden and the progressive Left have divided America based on race, gender, income, religion, and more for decades.”

Others directed their anger at their former hero. In response to a question about whether Trump unsealed any indictments, issued last minute pardons, or declassified anything Wednesday morning, Cassandra Fairbanks, a far-right activist who has defended white supremacists and made racist comments, replied, “Let me answer all of that for you in trumps favorite medium,” and tweeted a video featuring the lyrics, “He went out like a bitch!” Banks, who has deep ties to Wikileaks and its founder Julian Assange, was infuriated Trump chose not to pardon Assange.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/we-are-going-into-the-pain-cave-right-wing-activists-react-to-bidens-presidency/




Now that is where the right wants to take us in 2021! Yes, things are going to get interesting and possibly ugly, and we will keep you up on the latest developments! 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: Lauren Boebert
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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: Colorado’s Lauren Boebert. Rep Boebert is a representative of Colorado’s 3rd district which includes the city of Pueblo. Pueblo is a town that is known for it’s ski resorts in the winter. It’s also now known for electing criminally batshit crazy representatives such as Lauren Boebert, who represents a Q Anon Congressional installation as well as the 3rd district of Colorado. Boebert is a freshmen representative for 2021, but has come under fire for her involvement in the January 6th insurrection against the United States Capitol, for which she almost got herself killed along with just about everyone in Congress. So why is Rep Boebert under so much scrutiny right now? Well first let’s give you a bit of background:

Born December 15, 1986, Lauren Boebert is an American politician and gun rights activist serving as the US Representative for Colorado's 3rd congressional district.

Boebert defeated incumbent congressman Scott Tipton in the 2020 primary election, becoming the first woman to represent Colorado's 3rd Congressional district in Congress.

The gun activist owns Shooters Grill, a restaurant in Rifle, Colorado, where staffers are encouraged to openly carry firearms.

During Beto O'Rourke's 2020 presidential campaign at Aurora, Colorado, Boebert challenged the presidential hopeful over his proposal for a gun buyback program, saying, "Hell, no, you won't take our guns."

In November 2020, Boebert said she planned to carry a gun while working as a congresswoman on Capitol Hill in Washington DC.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13732755/gun-rights-activist-lauren-boebert-washington-dc/




Yes, Boebert is a gun enthusiast who was the previous owner of a gun-themed bar called Shooters, and yes this is a real thing that exists. Then January 6th happened when a group of armed insurrectionists stormed the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. How did Rep Boebert respond? By bringing a gun to the Capitol and setting off the metal detectors, prompting a $5,000 fine and some much needed explanation.

Dozens of officials in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District have signed a letter requesting U.S. House officers launch an investigation into the conduct of Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Boebert, a freshman legislator, has turned heads for her pro-gun rhetoric, including a video and several statements that claim she will carry a handgun with her throughout the Capitol complex, as well as her dogged support of the Make America Great Again movement and President Donald Trump's political stances.

On Jan. 9, Pueblo residents held a rally asking Boebert to listen to her constituents and tone down divisive statements, as well as requesting that House officials either not allow her to take her seat or not give her any committee assignments. Many individuals and groups have questioned Boebert's social media conduct, especially on Jan. 6. They have discussed ways to recall her from office.

Critics pointed to Tweets from Boebert on Jan. 6 regarding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's whereabouts during the Capitol attack as evidence she was working with members of the attack. Five individuals died as a result of the events of Jan. 6, and many were injured.

Read more: https://www.chieftain.com/story/news/2021/01/15/rep-lauren-boebert-should-investigated-colorado-officials-say/4175409001/




Indeed! What makes this even more troubling is that Rep. Boebert has been known to hang out with paramilitary white supremacists, including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, of which she recently accepted a personalized firearm from, prompting ethics complaints. Yes, Lauren’s Got A Gun all right, but here’s hoping the Q Anon gun nuts don’t fire when ready!

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) found herself in an ethics flap on Monday as controversy continues to dominate her first month in office.

The progressive political action committee Rural Colorado United posted video of Boebert being gifted a gun.

"Lauren Boebert breaks state and federal laws accepting gifted gun from white supremacist Stephen Moore on video. Illegal to accept gifts over $50 and illegal to gift guns in CO," Rural Colorado United posted to Twitter.

Less than two hours later, Boebert addressed the matter on Twitter, saying she planned to purchase the .40 S&W Glock from Colorado Boots on the Ground Bikers for Trump. She did not address the allegations of white supremacy, but praised the militia group as "patriots."

Kyle Clark of 9 News Denver was shocked about her "lack of awareness" and noticed what appears to be a "Three Percenters" militia patch:
https://www.rawstory.com/lauren-boebert-militia/




That’s probably how you order a drink at Shooters! But all of that said, in case you wonder how it started and how’s it going, per the favorite Twitter meme, well, it’s going about as well as you would expect, and don’t expect her to provide any meaningful legislation. Instead all Boebert is doing there is to serve as an FU to the people who go against the Trump cult.

Republican Representative Lauren Boebert has introduced her first three bills in Congress. All three take aim at President Biden's recent executive orders.

The first bill would prevent the U.S. from spending any money to rejoin the Paris Climate agreement unless the Senate ratifies the agreement.

“Responsible energy production supports more than 230,000 Colorado jobs,” she said in a statement. “The Paris Agreement puts these jobs at risk and will increase energy costs.”

The second bill would prevent funds going to the World Health Organization until America holds the international health organization and China “accountable for their role in the global pandemic.”

This was a constant refrain from former President Donald Trump, who downplayed the pandemic in its early days and whose administration was criticized for its response to the coronavirus and attempted to pull out from the WHO.

Boebert’s third bill would overturn Biden’s mask mandate on federal lands and interstate travel on planes, trains or buses. She called it “continued federal overreach.” Boebert defied public health orders by keeping her restaurant open during the early days of the pandemic.

https://www.cpr.org/2021/01/22/rep-lauren-boebert-targets-bidens-paris-agreement-who-orders-with-first-bills/




So skirting around metal detector laws, hanging out with white supremacists, and saying “fuck you” to Biden’s agenda. That’s Colorado District 3 representative Lauren Boebert, yet another inexplicable addition to the ever-growing list of:




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[font size="8"]This Fucking Guy: Jon Schaffer
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We’re delving into the world of heavy metal this week for This Fucking Guy. I am sure a lot of you know that I am a metal head. I fucking love the metal genre. But that said, every genre has their fair share of douchebags. Now this is a band that I used to *LOVE* back in the day when I first started getting into the metal genre, but had no idea about this guy’s personal life. That guy is Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer. You probably heard this guy’s name pop up because he was one of the people involved in storming the Capitol and the Capitol riot. And he’s probably the most famous person there who’s not an elected official.

A heavy metal guitarist from Indiana who was photographed inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection turned himself in to the FBI Sunday afternoon, according to Indianapolis FBI spokeswoman Chris Bavender.

Jon Ryan Schaffer, a native of Central Indiana and founder of the band Iced Earth, is accused of using "bear spray," a pepper-based irritant sold by many outdoor retailers, on police officers as rioters forced their way into the Capitol building. A federal statement of facts in his case says Schaffer was seen in photographs and video "engaging in verbal altercations with Capitol Police insider the Capitol building" and holding a container of bear spray.

He had been featured on an FBI poster seeking the public's help in identifying protesters. Multiple people contacted by IndyStar identified Schaffer as the man seen in a photograph at the Capitol.

Bavender said Schaffer faces six charges, including engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, Bavender told IndyStar. He also faces charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disrupting the orderly conduct of government business, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, and demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2021/01/17/jon-schaffer-fbi-custody-after-capitol-riot/4200215001/




And by the way in case you’re wondering where the rest of Iced Earth stands on the political spectrum, well, they’re pretty much the opposite of Schaffer. In fact so much that they actually issued a statement saying that they condemned the fact that he was at the capitol. So this will be quite the interesting circular firing squad for when / if he’s ever released from prison. Which will probably not be very likely given what’s transpired.

The bandmates of Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer have released a statement following the news the musician is wanted by US authorities for his involvement at the Capitol riots on January 6.

Schaffer is wanted by Metropolitan Police in D.C. after he was pictured among the crowd of Trump supporters who breached the central US government building on January 6, while Congress were in the process of certifying Joe Biden’s election victory.

Releasing a statement via bassist Luke Appleton’s Instagram page today (January 10), the other members of the Florida heavy metal outfit – Appleton, Stu Block, Jake Dreyer and Brent Smedley – began by saying they understood the concerns their silence had caused some people, explaining they needed time to properly process events before making a statement.

“We absolutely DO NOT condone nor do we support riots,” the band said, “or the acts of violence that the rioters were involved in on January 6th at the US Capitol building.

“We hope that all those involved that day are brought to justice to be investigated and answer for their actions.”
https://www.nme.com/news/music/john-schaffers-iced-earth-bandmates-have-released-a-statement-2852684




By the way in case you’re wondering if actions have consequences, let’s take a look at what happened when Schaffer entered the Capitol. Well their record label, Century Media, which is the host to just about every amazing metal band you can think of, gave him the heave ho that he so properly deserved for that little stunt! Yup, actions have consequences all right!

It looks like Iced Earth‘s record label Century Media may be taking action following Jon Schaffer‘s arrest for his involvement in the U.S. Capitol riots.

This week, onlookers noticed that both Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards are now missing from Century Media’s website roster. This has led to speculation that both of Schaffer’s projects have potentially been dropped by the label.
Read more: Fall Out Boy’s first reported Funko Pop! figures just surfaced—look

On Jan. 6, Pro-Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol building in efforts to stop the confirmation of Electoral College votes. The riots caused a great amount of destruction and led to five deaths. Shortly following the events that transpired, metal fans quickly identified Jon Schaffer in the mob of Trump supporters.

Then, last week, Schaffer’s Iced Earth bandmates spoke out on the situation. They released a joint statement denouncing the riots. However, they failed to address Schaffer’s involvement in the insurrection. As well, singer Stu Block attempted to clarify his stance on the riots after a now-deleted post seemingly showed he was in support of the U.S. Capitol breach.
https://www.altpress.com/news/iced-earth-jon-schaffer-century-media-site-roster/




Warm up act abuse! And at the rate things are going, Iced Earth will probably be downgraded to warm up acts at some point, when concerts will ever resume. But speaking of that if you want one of those how it started / how’s it going memes, this would be a perfect example of what not to do. Because John Schaffer isn’t exactly having what one would call a “stellar year” so far since his one and only tour appearance in Washington DC. We’ll keep an update on this story as it develops.
Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer is reportedly set to be extradited to Washington D.C. after his alleged participation in the US Capitol riots earlier this month.

Schaffer will be extradited to the capital from Edinburgh, Indiana, where he is currently being held in Marion County Jail.

He faces a series of charges in connection with the incident and must prove to a federal magistrate that he is not a threat to himself or the public before being released on bail.

Other rioters who face similar charges have been already granted bail, but ordered to surrender their firearms, avoid contact with other alleged rioters and stay away from all state capitol buildings.

In images captured during the January 6 riot, Schaffer was seen wearing a baseball cap with the slogan ‘Oath Keepers Lifetime Member’.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/iced-earths-jon-schaffer-faces-extradition-to-washington-d-c-for-role-in-capitol-riots-2864142



That’s Iced Earth guitarist John Schaffer. This week’s:




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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 we haven’t done this segment in a while, so of course there’s going to be some ridiculously stupid people floating about out there. I want to start with this story out of Maine, where a guy with a chainsaw channeled his inner Freddie Kruger. Yeah that’s someone who you do not want to imitate in public. Nor any horror movie serial killer with a chainsaw. Look, I love Evil Dead as much as the next horror fan, but this is a whole new level of stupid and dangerous. Let the professionals like Bruce Campbell handle the chainsaw wielding fun!

A man wielding a chain saw was arrested Tuesday afternoon after chasing people at the McDonald’s restaurant in Westbrook, damaging two vehicles and stealing a drink and some food, police said.

Alice Sweet, 26, of Portland was captured by Westbrook police near the Fireside Inn on Riverside Street after fleeing from the Main Street restaurant, according to Westbrook police Capt. Steve Goldberg. Sweet was charged with robbery, criminal mischief, refusing to submit to arrest and violating his conditions of release.

The bizarre incident began around 3:30 p.m. when police started receiving multiple 911 calls about a man “chasing people with a chain saw at McDonald’s,” Goldberg said in a news release.

Sweet entered the restaurant and while revving the saw intermittently, he went behind the counter where employees were preparing meals and stole a drink and food, Goldberg said.

“When the manager confronted the suspect in the parking lot, the suspect began chasing the manager with the chain saw,” Goldberg said. “The suspect also used the chain saw to damage two vehicles that were at the restaurant.”

Every on-duty police officer in Westbrook responded to the 911 calls. Sweet was located near VIP Tires on Riverside Street but fled when officers approached. He was apprehended without incident near the Fireside Inn, Goldberg said. No injuries were reported.

https://www.sunjournal.com/2020/12/15/chainsaw-wielding-man-arrested-after-chasing-people-at-a-mcdonalds/




Yeah Evil Dead is fiction. Next up – the Capitol Riots have produced some stunningly stupid criminals and we were going to dedicate this whole feature to them, but we might save that for another feature. But this is one of my favorites – and it involves famously hardcore right wing actor Chuck Norris. No, Chuck Norris was not at the riots. But take a selfie while you’re there with the location tracking feature turned on, and you’ll eventually get found out.

After a viral photo claimed to show Chuck Norris at last week's rally of supporters of President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., his camp issued a statement on Tuesday saying it wasn't actually the martial arts actor.

Erik Kritzer, a spokesman for the "Walker, Texas Ranger" actor, insisted that his client was thousands of miles away from the U.S. Capitol last week.

"This is not Chuck Norris and is a wannabe look-alike, although Chuck is much more handsome," Kritzer said in a statement to NBC News. "Chuck remains on his range in Texas where he has been with his family."

A photo posted to Twitter on Monday appeared to show a Trump supporter snapping a selfie with Norris during Wednesday's rally to oppose the results of the presidential election.

After the rally, a violent pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol Building and tried to stop lawmakers from formally accepting President-elect Joe Biden's victory. At least five people died as a result of the riot.
https://news.yahoo.com/chuck-norris-not-pro-tump-210933140.html




I’m sure the actual Chuck Norris would approve. Anyway next up – we go overseas to our new overlords in Russia! There are stupid people everywhere, and this tale of stupid criminals takes place in the Russian Navy, where a captain decided to take a few “souvenirs” from his submarine as it was in the process of being decommissioned. File this one under “play stupid games, win stupid prizes”.

The Russian Navy says that a former commander of the now-decommissioned Sovremenny class destroyer Bespokoynyy conspired with others and stole the ship's two bronze propellers while it was in dry dock being converted into a floating museum. The alleged caper sounds like it was ripped straight from the plot of a comedic Hollywood heist movie, with the thieves reportedly swapping out the pair of screws, each weighing approximately 13 tons, for ones made out of a cheaper metal.

Russian media outlet Interfax reported on Jan. 11, 2021, that Sergei Sharshavykh, head of the military investigation department of the Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet, confirmed that the investigation into the theft was nearly complete. The names of the former commander of the Bespokoynyy, or any of their accomplices, and what kind of jail time or fines they might be facing, were not disclosed. The two propellers are valued at approximately 39 million rubles, or just over $522,513 at the rate of exchange at the time of writing.

Sharshavykh, the Russian Navy investigator told Interfax that, to "cover their tracks," those involved in the theft had imitation screws made up, the "cost and quality of which are several times lower" than the original bronze ones.
...
It's unclear when the theft took place, but Sharshavykh said that happened after Bespokoynyy arrived at Yantar in 2016 for conversion into a museum ship as part of its decommissioning from the Russian Navy. That process included remove the destroyer's two propellers, as well as its driveshafts, and sealing the hull in such a way as to allow it to remain afloat, but without the need for regular maintenance.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38659/russian-navy-commander-stole-two-13-ton-bronze-propellers-from-his-own-destroyer




Next up – back to the Capitol Riots, look here’s the thing guys. If you took part in the Trump uprising, maybe, I don’t know, don’t take selfies? Seriously guys these things have things like location trackers and IP tracers, if you took a selfie at the Capitol, the Feds are going to find you! Where’s J. Walter Weatherman when you need him? And that’s why you always leave a note!

A New York man has now been charged with participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection in D.C. after allegedly texting a picture and video of himself in the Capitol to his girlfriend’s brother – a special agent with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the agent – who is a federal officer employed by the U.S. Department of State – reported the photo and video to the Diplomatic Security Service, which then passed it along to the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

The agent reportedly saw a post from his sister on Facebook that her boyfriend, Thomas Fee, of Freeport, New York, was in D.C. “at the rally” on Jan. 6. The agent subsequently texted Fee, who allegedly confirmed his presence and sent him a “selfie” of him in the Capitol Rotunda, along with a video and a text saying he was “at the tip of the spear.”

According to the affidavit, federal investigators were able to confirm a white Chevy Tahoe registered to Fee left Long Island, where Freeport is located, on Jan. 5 and returned Jan. 7 at around 11 a.m.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/capitol-rioter-new-york-thomas-fee-selfie-rotunda-insurrection-retired-firefighter/65-9c7cd936-35e5-402e-a085-63cb14bf045a


?itemid=10631278

Finally this week – don’t worry, Florida! You’re not spared from this week! Of course everyone knows Florida – as Homer Simpson once called it “America’s Wang”. And really when you’re drunk – and I know I have been many times in my life, why does there need to be a last call? Why not take the whole bar with you? That’s what this one guy did in the Florida Keys!

A drunk Florida man was arrested after he was caught operating a floating tiki bar that was reportedly stolen, the US Coast Guard announced.

Agents from the Coast Guard’s Key West station found the man on the stolen tiki hut near Hawk’s Channel off the coast of the Florida Keys, the agency wrote in a Wednesday tweet.

“Don’t drink and boat!” the tweet quipped.

The man appeared intoxicated and was taken into custody by officers from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Coast Guard said. ......(more)

https://nypost.com/2021/01/15/florida-man-arrested-for-allegedly-stealing-floating-tiki-bar/




That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Road To The White House
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Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there. We’ll be doing this segment until March 10th. But we did it everybody!!! We finally served Trump the eviction notice he so badly deserves and Joesph R. Biden has won the election to become our 46th president! Or has he? Well there’s some on the right who are denying Biden as much as they are a certain deadly disease that’s out there. But that’s not here or there. Here, we’re out to celebrate the inauguration and remind the kids that Democrats get all the cool celebrities, and if you vote conservative, you get trashy celebrities like Ted Nugent and Kid Rock. So here’s how the party went down.

The inauguration of President Joe Biden won more viewers than President Donald Trump’s 2017 ceremony, per early Nielsen figures, and saw a reversal of fortunes for some of the nation’s best-watched cable-news outlets.

Approximately 39.87 million people watched the half-hour swearing-in ceremony over the nation’s six major TV-news outlets, according to Nielsen, compared with 38.35 million viewers for the 2017 event. The 2021 figure represents an approximately 4% increase over its 2017 predecessor.

Nielsen estimated that an average of 33.7 million people watched the event across 17 different networks, compared with an average of 30.6 million who watched former President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017. Those figures, which include viewing via broadband and by people not in their own homes, indicate that 10.2% more people watched some part of the Biden proceedings than Trump’s.

CNN’s coverage captured an average of 9.9 million for the pivotal half hour, leading the pack. The AT&T-backed cable-news network said the numbers represented the biggest audience it has captured for an inauguration broadcast in its history.
https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/tv-ratings-joe-biden-inauguration-trump-1234889655/




Thank you Nelson! Oh man I bet that had to burn Trump. Because you know he loves him some ratings, and nobody gets bigger ratings than he does! Except of course… for Joe Biden! And you know what else is nice? Having a president who has a deep consideration for the arts because Trump doesn’t. And the arts will play a huge role in our economic recovery after this damn pandemic. But having a rainbow is nice after the dark storm that was the Trump administration!

'The “inauguration painting” displayed at a reception inside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday delivered on a message of hope for peace just as the new administration was sworn in.

Incoming first lady Jill Biden and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) selected the painting as the official artwork for the swearing-in ceremony. Painted in 1859 by renowned Black artist Robert S. Duncanson (1821-1872), "Landscape With Rainbow" features an idyllic American countryside under a rainbow.

As Christopher Knight writes for the LA Times, the work possibly echoes the famous Black spiritual, “Mary Don’t You Weep,” dating from the pre-Civil War era. Even before a storm--the Civil War was on the horizon--a rainbow, sign of hope, appears. From the song's chorus: “God gave Noah the rainbow sign; no more water, the fire next time.”

On loan from the Smithsonian, the painting's gallery label reads:

Robert Seldon Duncanson was America’s best known African American painter in the years surrounding the Civil War. Based in Cincinnati, he was supported by abolitionists who bought his paintings and sponsored his trip to Europe to study from the Old Masters. In this pastoral landscape, a young couple strolls through fertile pastureland, toward a house at the end of a rainbow. The cattle head home toward the nearby cottage, reinforcing the sense that man lives in harmony with nature. Duncanson’s vision of rural America as Arcadia, a landscape akin to paradise, is a characteristic feature of his work, a late hope for peace before the onset of Civil War.'

https://www.artfixdaily.com/news_feed/2021/01/20/9822-this-historic-american-painting-selected-for-the-inauguration-con?




So that said, even though it was minimalist compared to previous inaugurations, and we’re not counting the minimalist audience that was at Trump’s inauguration. Hey o!!! But still, Biden’s inauguration was definitely something and something history will remember because we’re still in a raging pandemic and everything is awkward and socially distant. But Biden delivered a great address.

'In his inaugural address today, President Joe Biden emphasized unifying this country and ending what he called an uncivil war: “We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes.”

Stanford history professor David M. Kennedy tells KCRW what national leadership must do now: “The federal government needs to demonstrate that it can be a competent government that can deliver the goods, not least of all, improving the speed and reach of the COVID vaccine rollout. ... That kind of thing would go a long way to restoring the public's confidence in government.”

Washington Post columnist Michele Norris points out that Biden has empathy, which she calls his “natural octave.”

“He is quite good at that. … There was a lot of tough language in the inaugural address today. But there's a gentleness about Joe Biden. … That is the kind of thing that Joe Biden might be able to extend, some sort of olive branch so people are at least willing to perhaps listen to what he has to say and what he has to offer in terms of governance,” Norris says.
https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/press-play-with-madeleine-brand/inauguration-coronavirus-health




You’re not going to capture their attention that way! But see if you hang with us you get to see concerts by the Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, and Black Pumas! If you hang with conservatives you get to see Diamond and Silk, and performances by Vanilla Ice and 3 Doors Down. Maybe Ted Nugent will show up but he’ll just be standing on the side. And you know what? Enough talking about Orange Douche, we did it everybody!!!!

You have heard the song “Feeling Good.” You have heard it a lot. You have heard Michael Buble’s version over mimosas, or Nina Simone’s on your friend’s turntable, or any of the thousands bellowed by first-round The Voice auditioners. It is familiar now, to the point where it almost doesn’t register when it’s playing, even in an interpretation as heartfelt as the one John Legend delivered last night as part of Celebrating America, the prime-time, mid-Covid, virtual, audienceless, small and soaring post-inaugural concert that kicked off the Biden/Harris administration on Wednesday night and made me tear up at a goddamn Katy Perry song.

But it should register. It has meaning, and I hope that meaning came through amid the fireworks and the flossing and the champagne. “Feeling Good” and feeling good are important, and I’m here for them both. We’ve earned them.

Here’s the deal with the song: In 1965, Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse debuted their musical The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd, which in the tradition of 1960s entertainment is smugly symbolic and absolutely ridiculous. It is the story of Sir, a big fat rich fucking asshole, and Cocky, a disheveled but proud young striver. The plot revolves around their longstanding rivalry in The Game, a hopscotch-type exercise performed on a chalk circle in the middle of the stage, which Sir always wins because he changes the rules over and over to his advantage. It is, as you fully understood three sentences ago, an allegory for society. It is also awful, and it will almost definitely be revived on Broadway to great critical acclaim in our lifetime.
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a35277380/celebrating-america-joe-biden-inauguration-2021-concert-recap/






See you next week!

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This is the official DU account for the new format Top 10 Conservative Idiots separate from the host account Initech. The new format Top 10 will launch June 13th, 2018 and all posts related to the Top 10 (promos, etc) will be posted from this account only. The Top 10 is posted once a week on Thursdays at 2:00 PM. There is a full archive of all past, present and future Top 10 editions that can be found here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218599098\ Announcements for our current season schedule are posted in our Best Of editions that appear at the end of each season. Updates are posted regularly on the official Top 10 Mastodon account and the official Holy Shit Mastodon account. The Mastodon accounts are used to announce what's going to be in next week's edition, new content, advertising our segments, and so on. This account will post official Top 10 editions, and any related content including our spinoff series: Holy Shit The Sunday Sermons. If you wish to contact the Top 10 you may do so here: E-mail (all questions, concerns, suggestions, and hate mail welcome): Top10ConIdiots@gmail.com Follow the Top 10 on Mastodon: Top10ConIdiots@mstdn.party Follow The Holy Church Of The Top 10 on Mastodon: ChurchOfTop10@mstdn.party **This account will ONLY be used to post official Idiots editions, promos, and things related to the Top 10. No other posts will come from this account** Top 10 Wiki: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211322508
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