Three members of the Wilmington Police Department in North Carolina were fired after a supervisor reviewing dashcam footage noticed them eagerly discussing the prospect of race war: "We are just going to go out and start slaughtering them fucking n----s", said one of the officers, Kevin Piner. Michael ‘Kevin’ Piner, James ‘Brian’ Gilmore, and Jessie E. Moore II were all terminated from the force. The announcement came from the new Chief of Police Donny Williams — not even 24-hours into his first day as chief.On Wednesday afternoon, members of City Council along with Williams held a press conference to address the conduct of the former police officers. Williams, a nearly 30-year veteran at the department said he was saddened by the actions of the officers, but would have no tolerance for this type of behavior. The comment was one of many similarly racist and homophobic statements made during the conversation:Piner received a phone call from Moore, according to the investigation, a segment in which Moore referred to a black female as a "negro." He also referred to the woman by using a racial slur. He repeated the use of the slur in describing a black magistrate, and Moore used a gay slur to describe the magistrate as well. ... Piner then told Moore he felt a civil war was needed to "wipe them off the (expletive) map. That'll put them back about four or five generations." Moore told Piner he was "crazy," and the recording stopped a short time later. Read the rest

The city of Lopburi om Thailand has allegedly been overrun by gangs of wild macaques, resulting in several "no-go zones" for humans. As one resident told The Guardian: "We live in a cage but the monkeys live outside."The macaque population in Lopburi has doubled in just three years. The monkeys were frequently fed bananas by tourists, by after the coronavirus lockdowns began and tourism froze up, they were forced to seek alternative nutrition — typically junk food and fizzy drinks stolen from local stores or given them by frightened humans. All that sugar might be making them feistier, however, both for fighting and for fucking.But my favorite most horrifying dystopian detail comes from France 24 (which is almost identical to the Guardian, except for this paragraph):An abandoned cinema is the macaques' headquarters -- and cemetery. Dead monkeys are laid to rest by their peers in the projection room in the cinema's rear and any human who enters is attacked.I can't find many other details about this but wow, what a time to be alive.Local wildlife authorities plan to embark on a sterilization campaign to help control the population of wild horny sugar junky cinephile monkeys. According to news reports, they aim to fix 500 macaques by Friday, although I couldn't find any details on how they plan to execute this, or whether it involves an epic Boss-level-esque journey into the Great Macaque Movie Theatre Morgue.Macaque attack: humans try to take back Thai city from monkeys [Agence France-Presse] Read the rest

Arizona is one of the 29 US states and territories surging with coronavirus cases, and Covid-related hospitalizations are at an all time high this week. And today Arizona has reported 79 deaths, according to the global Covid tracker World-O-Meter, and it's still morning for them.Of course this dire information didn't stop Trump from squishing 3,000 people, most without masks, into a tight indoor Phoenix, AZ venue yesterday in an attempt to boost his plummeting approval ratings in national polls (as of right now, FiveThirtyEight has his average approval rating at only 41%, with a 55.4% disapproval rating). One week ago, Arizona's Trump-supporting Governor Doug Ducey downplayed the rise in Covid-19 cases, which shot up after the state began to reopen businesses in May. Although hospitals were sounding alarm bells over fears of running out of ICU beds, Ducey dismissed them, saying, "Those are not needed or necessary right now," and that another stay-at-home order was "not under discussion."Meanwhile, according to AZCentral two days ago:Inpatient beds, ICU beds, ventilators in use and emergency department visits for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients all hit their highest-ever numbers Sunday, according to hospital data released by the Arizona Department of Health Services Monday.The highest jump came in inpatient beds, with 1,992 beds occupied by suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients Sunday, compared with 1,942 Saturday.As of Sunday, 82% of current inpatient beds and 84% of ICU beds were in use for COVID-19 and other patients.Image: ParsonsVillas/Pixabay Read the rest

Tom the Dancing Bug, IN WHICH an amazing new scientific discovery could save us all from Covid

Following dismal polling and a flop rally in Tulsa, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale is to step down, reports Vanity Fair. “Brad really shit the bed Saturday night. You have to remember, execution is 95% of presidential politics,” a Republican close to the White House told me over the weekend. Parscale committed a cascade of errors, from overhyping expected turnout to blaming the half-filled arena on protesters. Trump was so furious when he saw how thin the crowd was that he threatened to not go onstage, two sources briefed on the discussions told me. The sources said that Parscale, reading the tea leaves, is planning to step down. “He knows he can’t survive,” one source told me.Another report has Trump now referring to Parscale as "the website guy", which sounds very much like the end. Who next? Hope it's Kushner.Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale is planning to step down, @GabrielSherman reports: “He knows he can’t survive,” says a source https://t.co/UvtifdA06S— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) June 23, 2020 Read the rest

Here are six new lateral thinking puzzles to test your wits and stump your friends -- play along with us as we try to untangle some perplexing situations using yes-or-no questions.Show notesPlease support us on Patreon! Read the rest

Since 1940, a statue of President Theodore Roosevelt on a horse flanked by a Native American man and an African man on foot has stood outside New York City's American Museum of Natural History. After years of protests against the statue's composition, the museum has now decided to remove it. This decision follows a special exhibition last year, titled "Addressing the Statue," about the disturbing monument and its historical context. (See exhibition video below.) From the New York Times:“The American Museum of Natural History has asked to remove the Theodore Roosevelt statue because it explicitly depicts Black and Indigenous people as subjugated and racially inferior,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “The City supports the Museum’s request. It is the right decision and the right time to remove this problematic statue." [...]A Roosevelt family member released a statement approving the removal.“The world does not need statues, relics of another age, that reflect neither the values of the person they intend to honor nor the values of equality and justice,” said Theodore Roosevelt IV, age 77, a great-grandson of the 26th president and a museum trustee. “The composition of the Equestrian Statue does not reflect Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy. It is time to move the statue and move forward.” [...]Critics, though, have pointed to President Roosevelt’s opinions about racial hierarchy, his support of eugenics theories and his pivotal role in the Spanish-American War. Some see Roosevelt as an imperialist who led fighting in the Caribbean that ultimately resulted in American expansion into colonies there and in the Pacific including Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam, Cuba and the Philippines. Read the rest

A record-breaking number of Kentuckians have registered to vote this year, when Lovecraftian demon Mitch McConnell is up for another term in the Senate. A slight majority of those voters are actually registered as Democrats, too. In fact, only 9 percent of those registered voters are ineligible to participate in the state primary elections because they are not affiliated with either party.Unfortunately, Kentuckians of all stripes will likely face some difficulty voting in the primaries this year, regardless of their political affiliation. As The Independent reports:In a typical election year, Kentucky has about 3,700 polling sites, according to most reports. When Election Day arrives on 23 June, there will be just 200 polling sites across the state — with some of those sites having to serve upwards of 600,000 residents.Voting rights expert Ari Berman wrote in a tweet: “There will be one polling place for 616,000 registered voters in Louisville’s Jefferson County, where half state’s black voters live.”He added: “This is going to be a disaster.”The State Election Board had previously postponed the primary election by a month because of coronavirus. But it appears they did not use that time to make any better plans for how to deal with the sudden increase in voters amidst a global pandemic.Unless their plan was to sabotage the entire thing. Which is certainly possible, as Black voter disenfranchisement efforts have increased in recent years.Mitch McConnell, whose approval rating after 35 years dropped down to an embarrassing 18 percent last fall, has 4 challengers in this primary: Nicholas Alsager, Paul John Frangedakis, Louis Grider, and Naren James. Read the rest

If your mother has been screaming at you for years to sit up straight, it might be time to finally take her advice.That’s because bad posture does more than make you look like a slob at the dinner table. It creates muscle imbalances, puts added wear and tear on your spine, impacts your flexibility, and can even impair your breathing.If it’s time to break those bad habits or just reinforce good posture, the revolutionary Allbaro Air Posture Corrector is tackling posture problems with a whole new approach.Earning almost $250,000 in funding from fans on both Kickstarter and Indiegogo, the Allbaro Air is more than just a back brace. Using their own patented technology, the Allbaro Air uses an ergonomically-designed air pressure cell that forms to your body and lets you adjust the air pressure. That way, you get the most comfort while still receiving personalized spinal support to align, strengthen, and correct your posture.The air pump twists easily on to the valve and you start pumping. A press of the valve can also release air if you overfilled, assuring you can always get an optimal fit for both the best comfort and effectiveness. With a resistance strength of up to 300 pounds, you’ll always get the reinforced pressure to readjust your entire body posture over time. Consistent pressure is what makes a system like the Allbaro Air work. Since you’ll only keep using it if it’s comfortable, Allbaro used quality material to craft the Air, including durable double fabric sewing, air mesh to prevent sweat and overheating, a soft, but firm neoprene wire band to cut down on any pain from prolonged use, and more. Read the rest

Courtesy of Fox News blatherskite Kat Timpf, here's a lesson on the dangers of perform smirking contempt for laughs. When your reptile brain feeds you something really nasty to say and you just do it, you'll have a choice on doubling-down on a career-ender or eating all that shit.TV host Jimmy Kimmel had announced he's taking time off to be with his family, so Timpf ranted... ‘You know what, I’ve got to give my cat heart medicine every night, alright – that’s pretty hard.’ At this point, host Greg could be seen wincing and covering his face with his hands, but Kat went on oblivious. The 31-year-old continued: ‘Sometimes kids need medicine but it’s a lot more difficult to hold down a cat than a kid. Babies don’t have claws and if they do, you should see a priest.’ Greg then cut in to say: ‘Kat, I just want to remind you that Jimmy Kimmel has a son with a very serious heart condition.’Given that choice, Timpf ate the shit.“First of all, I’m very sorry for what I said in the last segment. I was just trying to make a lighthearted joke. I had no idea. I’m sorry to Jimmy Kimmel, and I am sorry to America. I had no idea and I’m very sorry, I’m an idiot.” Read the rest

John Bolton, challenged as to why he reserved his claims about Trump's behavior for a book deal, has a grimly convincing excuse: revealing them during his former boss's impeachment trial wouldn't have made any difference because his party controls the Senate. American voters are the only jury with the power to get dispose of him.The book, out Tuesday, is titled The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir [Amazon] and promises to be a blockbuster. It bears real dirt and was made sensational after the administration suddenly moved to block its publication. A judge ended that effort, remarking that the horse was out the barn, and it truly is: some of the key claims have already generated headlines and the book itself has leaked widely.Some key claims:As revealed in an taster posted last week, Trump asked President Xi Jinping of China to help him win the 2020 election. "I would print Trump’s exact words," Bolton writes, "but the government’s prepublication review process has decided otherwise.”Trump gave personal approval to China's detention of at least 1m Uighur muslims in concentration camps: “According to our interpreter,” Bolton writes, “Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which Trump thought was exactly the right thing to do.”Trump regularly says outrageous things to get more important stories out the news. In one example, he defended Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman's killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi to get Ivanka Trump's use of private email servers out of the news. Read the rest

From NPR:The new order — which is expected to come with broad exceptions — comes as the administration continues to wrestle with high unemployment among American workers because of the coronavirus pandemic and tries to kick-start the economic recovery.The order would target H-1B visas, which are designed for certain skilled workers such as those employed in the tech industry, as well as L-1 visas, which are meant for executives who work for large corporations.The executive action is also expected to suspend H-2B visas for seasonal workers such as hotel and construction staff, and J-1 visas, which are meant for research scholars and professors and other cultural and work-exchange programs. Trump could renew the suspensions when they lapse. The order is not expected to immediately affect anyone already in the United States.Back in April, Trump had already attempted to limit some immigration despite the coronavirus outbreak. That fact that there is an ongoing pandemic — even with some states "opening up" for the time being — the idea of restricting work travel seems like a moot point. On one hand, it does perhaps sound like a considerate gesture, by prioritizing employment for the record-number of Americans currently out of work. On the other hand, it also feels like an opportunistic attempt to say "Hey look I did the things I promised and I stopped immigration!" without actually stopping anything, because no one's travelling, let alone immigrating in search of work right now.Trump Expected To Suspend H-1B, Other Visas Until End Of Year [Franco Ordoñez / NPR]Image: Public Domain via Needpix Read the rest

Disney has just released a first look trailer for the new 'Hamilton' film. A movie version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda is scheduled to premiere on the Disney+ streaming service on July 3. 'Hamilton' the film features the original Broadway cast, including Lin Manuel Miranda.July 3 on @disneyplus, #Hamilfilm.May you always be satisfied... pic.twitter.com/42ecf0XkHO— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 22, 2020 Read the rest

A noose was discovered in the garage stall of Black race car driver Bubba Wallace at a NASCAR race in Alabama on Sunday, less than two weeks after Wallace advocated successfully for NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag at all tracks and facilities.NASCAR is investigating, and said they will to do everything possible to find out who was responsible and “eliminate them from the sport.”“We are angry and outraged, and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act,” a NASCAR statement reads. “As we have stated unequivocally, there is no place for racism in NASCAR, and this act only strengthens our resolve to make the sport open and welcoming to all.”Here was Wallace's tweeted comment.pic.twitter.com/koL655AJB9— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) June 22, 2020From AP:Wallace is the only fulltime Black driver in NASCAR’s elite Cup Series. On Twitter, he said the “the despicable act of racism and hatred leaves me incredibly saddened and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and ow persistent we must be in the fight against racism.”“As my mother told me today, ‘They are just trying to scare you,’” he wrote. “ This will not break me, I will not give in nor will I back down. I will continue to proudly stand for what I believe in.”IMAGES: courtesy BUBBA WALLACE (bubbaspeedshop.com) Read the rest

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says Septeber 15 is the tentative date for the electric car company's shareholder meeting, and “Battery Day,” at which it Musk is expected to show off advances in battery technology. Elon previously boasted that “Battery Day” will be “one of the most of exciting days in Tesla’s history”, and was originally scheduled for May, with the shareholder meeting on July 7. Both dates were postponed because of coronavirus. Reports Reuters:The Battery Day event will include a tour of the company’s cell production system, Musk tweeted, without elaborating.Tesla and China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd are jointly developing batteries designed to last a million miles of use and enable electric Teslas to sell profitably for the same price or less than a gasoline vehicle, people familiar with the plans have said. More at Reuters:Musk says Tesla 'Battery Day' and shareholder meeting tentatively set for Sept. 15 Read the rest

Powerful stuff.Wait for it at the end. https://t.co/nDnhTFxDIN— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 21, 2020 Read the rest

How productive are you in the new work from homeworld? Well, we can’t specifically gauge your specific performance and level of engagement, but according to recent reports, workers throughout the world are generating some mixed reviews overall.One California firm reported that 30,000 remote workers they recorded showed a 47 percent increase in worker productivity last month, answering more phone calls and emails while engaging more with their daily tasks. However, a global study discovered that despite spending an additional three hours on their computers, employee productivity was actually down.Either way, you may still likely be spending more time working from home in the coming months — and the training found in The Essential WFH Productivity Bundle can go a long way to helping you stay focused while still generating results remotely.The package includes five courses aimed at making sure you stay locked in on your professional targets and remain centered while avoiding distractions.The Learn How to Work from Home Successfully course is your primer for being a remote worker, whether you have a current employer or not. The jobs are out there from respected companies that can afford you the work from home lifestyle — and this course explains how.Then, the Productivity: Be Hyper Productive When Working From Home shifts focus to how, explaining why some workers struggle with being productive when working from home while offering secrets to be highly productive and highly profitable in your own home-based business or job.Next, Time Management: Prioritization and Productivity gets down to the actual hours and minutes of your day as you actually employ prioritization hacks, planning techniques, and other methods to stay on top of your work and feel like you accomplished something. Read the rest

It’s not a good week to be Prince Andrew. (Was it ever?)Billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged under-age sex ring “madam” has stabbed him in the back, spilling the beans about the Prince's romps with sex slaves.He’s under guard by his own security team, with orders from the Queen to stop him fleeing the country.As if that isn't bad enough, he’s being hunted by the assassins who murdered Epstein - and if they can break into a New York jail and kill Epstein behind locked steel doors, you know they’re good.At least, that’s all according to this week’s highly dubious tabloids, which have clearly concluded that when it comes to royal scandals, Prince Andrew is low-hanging fruit.For centuries the British Royal Family has indulged in behavior that would have provided ample juicy fodder for today’s scandal-hungry tabloids.Henry VIII’s predilection for serial marriage and decapitating wives, the murder of the princes in the tower to secure the throne for Richard III, the execution of Charles I, the multiple mistresses of Charles II, and Edward VIII relinquishing the crown for love - all would have grabbed the front page of America’s supermarket tabloids, if only supermarkets (and America) had existed back in the day.So it’s no surprise that this week’s tawdry tabloids are packed with fresh royal scandal.“Prince Andrew Hunted By Epstein Killers!” screams the cover of the ‘National Enquirer,’ promising to reveal “What he knows and who wants him dead!”While Federal prosecutors pursue a reluctant Andrew to submit to questioning, the ‘Enquirer’ reports that the 60-year-old royal has been “marked for death - after declaring he’s willing to give evidence against deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein!” Read the rest

Funk Turkey used lyrics.rip to scrape the Genius database of Nirvana lyrics and then set a Markov chain bot to work generating lyrics to a new "Nirvana" song. Funk Turkey made the music and sang the bot's poetry. Listen to "Smother" and spot the actual Cobain phrases! From the YouTube description:All music/vocals performed, mixed, and mastered by me, in my kitchen, on a sparkly red cheap Stratocaster, a crappy mic, and an old copy of ProTools. All lyrics provided by Hal 9000 (AKA lyrics.rip). Guitars are the aforementioned Stratocaster bounced hard left and right. Flanged Stratocaster through a Fender twin is dead center in the mix. Bass is a no-name bass run through amp emulation. Percussion is Superior Drummer 2. I know Dave Grohl hates computer drums but it's the best thing I got, soooo.... Sorry Dave. I still love you.Vocals are doubled, slightly compressed, and run though an emulated reel-to-reel and tube saturation for a bit of extra warmth and grit. Also the first use of my new pop filter that my wife bought me for early father's day. She's the best. Read the rest

These Ray-O-Vac LED penlights have a clip so you can pull them from your pocket and entertain your cats on a moment's notice. It uses one AAA battery, included, and is surprisingly bright given the size. Read the rest

36 years after the release of David Lynch's film adaptation of Dune, that famous flop is still finding new ways to surprise me. Like this Dune Activity Book — not to be confused with the Dune Coloring Book, or the Dune Color and Activity Book, all of which were apparently released in a failed attempt to market the film to kids.Today, I'm particularly fascinated by this recipe for Dune "No-Bake Spice Cookies."Anyone feel like making me some #Dune No-Bake Spice Cookies with me over Zoom? pic.twitter.com/NFDv3z4FYv— Patrick Macias (@Patrick_Macias) June 19, 2020Was melange supposed to taste like cinnamon and coconut? That doesn't strike me as a very exotic, out-of-this-world spice flavor. Was this supposed to tantalize children like a gateway drug to lead them towards the addictions of hallucinogenic-induced space navigation skills and telepathy? And why should the Kwisatz-Haderach need parental assistance to melt the butter in a saucepan? Children must not fear! Fear is the mindkiller!Perhaps these cookies are the little death that brings total obliteration. Only one way to find out.(If you want to get a closer look inside these weird childrens' books, check out this post from Coilhouse)Image via YouTube Read the rest

The summer solstice is important to the Burning Man community, as its when the first Burning Man event happened on San Francisco's Baker some 34 years ago. For this year's anniversary, Larry: the Burning Man Story, a new film about its Stetson-wearing founder Larry Harvey, will premiere through three live online screenings held in three time zones (details below). A live Q&A session will follow each screening. Suggested donation is $10 and all proceeds will support Burning Man Project.Produced by Profiles in Dust in collaboration with Burning Man Project, the new film Larry: A Burning Man Story chronicles the life and influence of Burning Man’s iconic founder, featuring never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with Larry’s friends, family and colleagues.Premiere times:Screening 1: Asia/PacificSaturday, June 20 at 04:00 GMT (9PM PDT)12:00 in Beijing (June 21)13:00 in Tokyo (June 21)14:00 in Sydney (June 21)Screening 2: Europe/Mideast/AfricaSunday, June 21 at 16:00 GMT (9AM PDT)17:00 in London18:00 in Berlin19:00 in Tel AvivScreening 3: The AmericasSunday, June 21 at 20:00 GMT (1PM PDT)13:00 in San Francisco16:00 in New York17:00 in Rio de Janeiro Read the rest

How out of your mind do you have to be to think that people who wear a facemask aren't interested in slowing the spread of a communicable disease that has killed over 100,000 Americans but instead a way to indicate their disapproval of you? From the Wall Street Journal:Mr. Trump said testing for Covid-19 was overrated and allowed for the possibility that some Americans wore facial coverings not as a preventive measure but as a way to signal disapproval of him. Many public-health experts say testing followed by quarantining sick individuals and their close contacts is crucial to contain the spread of the virus. Read the rest

The Republican Voters Against Trump coalition has a new ad that interviews two lifelong Republican voters from Oklahoma who voted for Trump in 2016 but will be voting for Joe Biden this November. “I voted for Donald Trump in 2016,” says Nancy. “I tried to cross my fingers and hope that we could get through four years without a major crisis. Well, I lost that bet!” "I think a lot of Republicans, representatives and senators, are scared of him," says Carter. "That's one of the biggest problems with Trump. He thinks he knows it all...we certainly need to get back to our core beliefs."The ad is airing in Tulsa on Fox during this Trump-rally weekend.Via Raw Story Read the rest

Today is Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the long-delayed emancipation of enslaved Black people in Texas on June 19, 1865. In the New Yorker, historian and Columbia University journalism professor Jelani Cobb writes that, "Emancipation is a marker of progress for white Americans, not black ones." From the New Yorker:[...] Juneteenth exists as a counterpoint to the Fourth of July; the latter heralds the arrival of American ideals, the former stresses just how hard it has been to live up to them. This failure was not exclusive to the South. Northern states generally abolished slavery in the decades after the American Revolution, but many slaveholders there, rather than free the people they held in bondage, sold them to traders in the South, or moved to states where the institution was still legal. The black men, women, and children who heard [Major General Gordon] Granger’s pronouncement [of emancipation] a hundred and fifty-five years ago in Galveston were not slaves; they were a barometer of American democracy.There’s a paradox inherent in the fact that emancipation is celebrated primarily among African-Americans, and that the celebration is rooted in a perception of slavery as something that happened to black people, rather than something that the country committed. The paradox rests on the presumption that the arrival of freedom should be greeted with gratitude, instead of with self-reflection about what allowed it to be deprived in the first place. Juneteenth and the Meaning of Freedom by Jelani Cobb (The New Yorker)image: "An early celebration of Emancipation Day (Juneteenth) in 1900Mrs. Read the rest

We've been treated bad, talked about as sure as you're bornBut just as sure as it take two eyes to make a pair, huh!Brother we can't quit until we get our shareSay it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Read the rest

These amazing creations are the work of Mihai Armeanu Rosin, a retired chef turned mad tinkerer in Romania whose nephew posted about them on IMGUR. You can purchase them!Hey guys, so my uncle used to be a chef and about 2 years ago decided to follow his true, original passion, art. He builds these by making the parts mechanically fit together, so he doesn't use any glue. Besides building these models, he also paints, draws and is an infinite pool of imagination and creativity. Everything he does is original, born inside his very own mind. But he is too humble for his own good, and feels that promoting his artwork would be bragging of some sort. I disagree, that's why I am showing you guys his latest creation. You can find more of his artwork on his facebook page.And on his Instagram.The photos are not edited, this is exactly how the thing looks. I want one!My uncle from Romania just built this out of recycled old parts from everyday objects. Read the rest

He seems eager for violence.Yes, now Trump is personally threatening protesters with violent harm. It's very presidential.On Friday morning, before an ill-advised campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which will take place in the middle of an unabated COVID-19 pandemic, the president of the United States threatened Americans who might come to the rally to express their first amendment rights.Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis. It will be a much different scene!For context, here is an article from a local newspaper in Tulsa about a curfew in place, and other restrictions related to Trump's dumb rally:In a Facebook post Thursday evening, Tulsa police announced that an area of downtown will be off limits from 10 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Saturday ahead of the rally. The curfew will again take effect after the rally until 6 a.m. Sunday.The curfew is the result of an executive order from Mayor G.T. Bynum, which cites both local and nationwide unrest in recent weeks as the rationale for the curfew.“I have received information from the Tulsa Police Department and other law enforcement agencies that shows that individuals from organized groups who have been involved in destructive or violent behavior in other states are planning to travel to the City of Tulsa for purposes of causing unrest in and around the rally,” the order states.The curfew affects the area from Archer Street to Sixth Street between Houston Avenue and Boulder Avenue. Read the rest

• POTUS says federal government will resubmit papers on DACA• 'FOX IS TERRIBLE!'• He's feeling weak and vulnerable, and he's lashing out against Fox News.In a series of crazy-ass tweets on Friday morning, impeached and obviously unfit U.S. president Donald J. Trump says he will renew his effort to end legal protections for young immigrants, after the Supreme Court blocked his first try just yesterday in an historic ruling.On Twitter, POTUS said he is preparing to file new, enhanced DACA order and papers “shortly.”Here are the tweets:The Supreme Court asked us to resubmit on DACA, nothing was lost or won. They “punted”, much like in a football game (where hopefully they would stand for our great American Flag). We will be submitting enhanced papers shortly in order to properly fulfil the Supreme Court’s........ruling & request of yesterday. I have wanted to take care of DACA recipients better than the Do Nothing Democrats, but for two years they refused to negotiate - They have abandoned DACA. Based on the decision the Dems can’t make DACA citizens. They gained nothing! @DHSgov.@FoxNews is out with another of their phony polls, done by the same group of haters that got it even more wrong in 2016. Watch what happens in November. Fox is terrible!Another day in America. Read the rest

Peter Thiel's Palantir on Thursday said a Japanese insurance holding company, Sompo Holdings, has committed to invest $500 million in the Silicon Valley data analysis and surveillance technology firm that serves the U.S. government and the Central Intelligence Agency, among other clients worldwide.Writes Jane Lanhee Lee at Reuters:The large investment from Sompo comes as Palantir has seen an uptick in demand for its products that help companies and governments manage the COVID-19 pandemic with data. The company declined to talk about Palantir’s latest valuation or its plans to go public.Reuters reported last week that Palantir is aiming to file confidentially with U.S. regulators for an initial public offering in the coming weeks, citing sources.Palantir was valued at around $20 billion in its last fundraising round in 2015. In the private market, its shares have been trading in recent weeks at a valuation of between $10 billion and $14 billion, according to market sources.Late last year, Palantir also launched a 50-50 joint venture with Sompo called Palantir Technologies Japan K.K. to service the Japanese government as well as commercial clients. And earlier this month another Japanese tech company, Fujitsu Limited, invested $50 million into Palantir in the United States. Both Sompo and Fujitsu are also customers of Palantir. More at Reuters:Japanese insurer Sompo investing $500 million in data analytics firm Palantir Read the rest

In this amazing music video, 40 women musical artists from Ireland perform 'Dreams' by The Cranberries to raise funds for SAFE IRELAND, which supports women and children affected by domestic abuse. [Irish Women In Harmony] has a YouTube channel, also.This is a beautiful and emotionally overwhelming musical performance. Watch, and donate to support if you can.Listen/Add to your collection - https://orcd.co/iwihdreams All funds raised go to Safe Ireland, you can check out all the great work they do on their website https://www.safeireland.ie/You can also text SAFE to 50300 to donate €4. Some operators apply VAT which means that a minimum of €3.25 will go to SAFE Ireland. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 0766805278.A huge thank you to Kevin Cassidy and his team at Document Films for the beautiful video edit. CollaboratorsAILBHE REDDYAIMÉEÁINE CAHILLALLIE SHERLOCKCAROLINE CORRELAINE MAIEMMA LANGFORDERICA CODYEVE BELLEFAYE O’ROURKEFIA MOONIMELDA MAYLAOISELILLA VARGENLISA HANNIGANLOAHLYRAMELINA MALONEMOYA BRENNANNIAMH FARRELLORLA GARTLANDPILLOW QUEENSROERÓISÍN ORUTHANNESAINT SISTERSIBÉALSOULÉSTEPHANIE RAINEYTOLU MAKAYUNA HEALYWYVERN LINGOMusiciansAOIFE DENNEDYLOUIZE CARROLLLUCIA MCPARTLINMARIA O’CONNORMARIA RYANSARAH LYNCHTHEODORA BYRNE[h/t @KevinDTwomey] Read the rest

When you hear the brand name Marshall, any music fan instantly conjures a single image: a classic Marshall stack. The amp has been synonymous with live performance since the 60s, with music artists of every stripe lining their stage sets with these thunderous cabinets. Even when you close your eyes, you can see them. The clean black squares stacked like a wall. Six, eight, 10 across; three, four, even five or more high, each emblazoned with that simple script Marshall logo right in the center.Marshall amps were created because guitarists wanted more power. And while the need for audio power has never wavered, that power — as well as the Marshall heritage — can be found today in products that can literally fit in your hand like the Marshall Mode EQ Wired Earphones.Marshall turned all their audio output knowledge inward, creating an in-ear headphone that delivers all the power that personifies the brand, despite their tiny size.Customized drivers deliver high audio performance with minimal distortion, a well-balanced display boasting clear midrange, extended highs and deep bass when needed. Of course, not everyone wants to listen to their music in exactly the same way, which is Mode EQ is true to its name with a pair of different EQ settings, one for warm, bass-heavy listeners, another for brighter, airier fans with an emphasis on the mids and highs.While music is any headphones’ bread and butter, the Mode EQ doesn’t forget about day-to-day usage either. These buds are outfitted with a built-in mic for receiving phone calls that also includes a remote letting users click once to answer incoming calls or play a song, twice to fast forward, three times to rewind. Read the rest

I can’t believe this happened in Bed Stuy wtf pic.twitter.com/H9iGPARd7s— AIRSTEVEJOBS (@AIRSTEVEJOBS) June 18, 2020Here's a guy who didn't like seeing a Black Lives Matter sign taped to a coffee shop window, so he refused to wear a face mask or leave the service counter and instead threw a little temper tantrum, shouting "all lives matter!? You can watch the entire 10-minute video here:Guy loses his shit over BLM sign at a Bed-Stuy coffee shop from r/nycA Venn diagram of covidiots and racists makes a perfect circle. View this post on Instagram We strongly stand with Black Lives Matter and applaud our staff for standing up to the blinding hate that has appeared at our door. Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident with this person and our priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our staff. We are overwhelmed by the generous support of our staff via our Venmo Tip Jar. The baristas that experienced this hatred will receive the tips directly. Burly will be making a contribution in support of the community we love and are thankful to be a part of. #supportbedstuy #bedfordstuyvesant #bedstuylocal #baristadailyA post shared by Burly Coffee (@burlycoffeebrooklyn) on Jun 18, 2020 at 1:41pm PDT Image: Reddit Read the rest

Hot the heels of the GWAR statue petition to replace Robert E. Lee in Richmond (now closing in on 55K signatures) comes a petition to replace all of the Confederate statue in West Virginia with statues of Mothman (the humanoid moth creature that's part of modern WV folklore).starting a petition to replace every confederate statue with mothman pic.twitter.com/jIv7Vt9VO2— Brenna (@HumanBrennapede) June 8, 2020Read more about the effort at Mel Magazine.Image: Twitter screengrab Read the rest

For such a terrible idea Opposite Worlds is shockingly fun to watch. Filmed in 2014 this reality tv disasterpiece has two teams facing off each week. One team has been living in a super modern home with all the advantages, and the other is emulating neanderthal living.You will be unsurprised at how well-fed people getting lots of rest can outperform folks forced to huddle together for warmth and poop in a pit toilet!I laugh and laugh as the show struggles to create some sort of competition. I hope they bring it back. Read the rest

NEW: "I don't think he's fit for office," former national security adviser John Bolton says of Pres. Trump. "I don't think he has the competence to carry out the job."Watch more from Bolton's interview with @MarthaRaddatz Sunday at 9|8c. https://t.co/ZP6hogsbjv pic.twitter.com/N3eUNbElTU— ABC News (@ABC) June 18, 2020 It's frustrating, to say the least, that former National Security Adviser John Bolton would not testify during the impeachment inquiry against Trump, but here is in a clip from an ABC interview with Martha Raddatz on Trump's incompetence and willingness to do anything to get reelected, even if it means endangering the nation. The full interview will be aired on Sunday at 9pm est. Read the rest

People who live with obsessive-compulsive disorder, especially those who have learned to manage it with cognitive-behavioral therapy tools, may actually be psychologically well-prepared for this pandemic. The techniques those of us with OCD practice to handle anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and all-consuming compulsions are well-suited to dealing with worries of infection and the endless what-ifs about what lies ahead. Those fortunate enough to have been treated for OCD with cognitive-behavioral therapy, often in combination with medication, are usually pretty comfortable being uncomfortable. (If you're suffering and not being treated, please seek help; you really can feel much better.) From the International OCD Foundation:Accept anxiety instead of wishing it away and making it worse. No one enjoys anxiety and it’s normal to wish you weren’t anxious. But when you label your anxiety as “bad” and try to get rid of it, your brain then misinterprets the anxiety as a problem and dumps more stress chemicals into your body to help you manage this “threat.” The result? You feel more, not less, anxious. Instead, accept that it’s likely you will continue to feel anxious during the pandemic, and that this is okay. Anxiety is uncomfortable, but it’s not going to hurt you, and if you tell yourself you can handle being anxious, your brain is less likely to get confused and think anxiety is a threat. Accepting anxiety, not being afraid of being afraid, is how to keep it manageable. Tell yourself you can handle uncertainty, because you can. This situation is scary because there are so many unknowns. Read the rest

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recently ordered a statue of noted American traitor Jefferson Davis to be removed from the state capitol. And as workers took the statue down, they discovered an empty bottle of Glenmore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and an old newspaper inside the base.Here’s a look at what Governor Andy Beshear pulled out from the hole after the Jefferson Davis statue was moved to ground level of the Rotunda ⁦@SpectrumNews1KY⁩ pic.twitter.com/2Bjp8g9SLR— Michael Cadigan (@michaelcadigan) June 13, 2020The newspaper was dated October 20, 1936, and the front page makes references to some violent actions at the hand of anti-fascists vigilantes in Spain. According to Fox News, October 20, 1936 was also the same day that the statue was erected, which is very probably true and also rather ridiculous considering that that was more than 70 years after Jefferson Davis led the Confederacy in betraying the United States.The Kentucky Historic Properties Advisory Commission has voted to move the statue to the Jefferson Davis State Historic Site — though I'm not sure why the leader of a traitorous secession force should continue to have a state park named in his unseemly honor, either.Maybe if they raze the park, they'll find more bourbon?In fact, we should probably search for more bourbon beneath every Confederate statue. Who knows what kind of liquid treasure we might find!Artifacts found inside base of Jefferson Davis statue at state Capitol [Darby Beane / WDRB] Read the rest

The recent Sesame Street seminar on racism has caused quite a stir on the Internet, thanks in large part to a scene in which Elmo's father, Louie, explains why people are protesting police brutality.Beyond its socio-political importance, many were aghast to learn that Elmo — who is a muppet — also has a biological family.Elmo has parents?? https://t.co/axESQB9KVN— Mario Candelaria (@TheOtherMarioC) June 8, 2020But Elmo doesn't just have a dad. According to his Muppet wikia entry:Elmo lives in an apartment on Sesame Street with his mother Mae, his father Louie, and, in some storybooks, a sister named Daisy. He has a pet goldfish named Dorothy.Other relatives in Elmo's family include his grandma and grandpa; his great-grandmother (featured in a 1989 episode) and his great-grandfather (named Selmo); his Uncle Jack, Aunt Jill, and cousin Jesse (featured in When Families Grieve); plus additional cousins Elmer (featured in Kids' Favorite Country Songs), Chester (featured in Here For You), and Mimsy. Additionally, the television special Sesame Street Stays Up Late shows Elmo's "international" cousins — Pepé from Mexico and Elmonosuke from Japan. As seen in The Furchester Hotel, he also has an aunt Funella Furchester, an uncle Furgus Fuzz, and a cousin Phoebe Furchester-Fuzz.In short, Elmo has a big family. Which means a lot of Muppet sex.But what if Elmo's dad … isn't actually his dad?They never discuss why Uncle Jack is dead but I HAVE MY THEORIES https://t.co/Qt2QAPQOTD Read the rest

A clever meteorologist in Austin was able to give the weather report from his backyard, because his lawn is so lush that it doubles as a green screen! See the footage at CNN.(Neatorama, Reddit)screengrab via RedditPreviously: The internet is having a field day with the Queen's "green screen" dress Read the rest

Madness was supposed to go on a U.S. tour this year but COVID changed that. But, that didn't stop the English ska band from making music with a string quartet from their studio, all socially distanced. The resulting 36-minute concert "Two Mad Men and a String Quartet" is a joy.(Coudal)Image: YouTube Read the rest

what in the world kind of pig cat eats like this pic.twitter.com/q1LojIN6bY— Luke in Philadelphia (@tramL116) June 13, 2020Does this cat eating kibble remind you of a certain seventies' kiddie game?This reminds me of a past cat of mine, Sunny. I rescued the polydactyl runt from a restaurant's dumpster one winter. Once she was settled in, she soon starting eating more than her share. But that wasn't the crazy part. She would lie down next to her food bowl, stick her big paw in the dry food and bring it to her face one piece at a time. This was a long time ago, otherwise I'd have a hundred videos to share.gif created via YouTube video Read the rest

Emily aka Angsty X tried to teach her 8-year old how to use Photoshop. She figured that the best way to do this was to introduce her to a few simple manipulation techniques, and let her daughter instruct her on how to change them (it takes a little while to get the hang of that magic wand tool).They decided to start with band t-shirts, because mom wears a lot of them. There was one shirt that Emily used to wear more often, but she told her daughter that she didn't like one of the people on it anymore. So her daughter said, "Well, just don't put him on it!"And thus it began.Emily's daughter didn't understand why her mom was laughing so hard. Frankly, I don't, either, because Emily's daughter is clearly a genius, as demonstrated by the other shirts that she designed. Emily decided to turn these into actual t-shirts, which you can find on Teepublic for the time being, with all proceeds going to the Okra Project to support mental health work for black trans men and women; they've already raised around $100! Read the rest

The first season of the DC Universe Original Doom Patrol TV series was truly wonderful in all the weirdest ways. Ostensibly about a group of "superheroes" (kind of) who are kind of like a way more fucked up version of the X-Men, the show (like the comic) was less interested in traditional superheroics, and more interested in an avant-garde exploration of the damaged psyches of these strange individuals. Their greatest enemies are the Brotherhood of Dada, who aren't trying to destroy the world but rather prove that everything is meaningless nonsense. Like that time they kidnapped Paris and trapped it in a painting.The first season begins with a journey down the butthole of a donkey who speaks with its farts, segues into Kaiju sex between a giant rat and a messianic cockroach, passes through a sentient genderqueer street named Danny, and somehow still finds a way to invoke Chumbawamba in a surprisingly touching and emotional way. The show's biggest "villain," as it were, was the US Bureau of Normalcy, determined to make all the freaks and queer people and people with disabilities fit into some idyllic Pleasantville mold.Needless to say, I could not recommend it more highly, regardless of whether you typically enjoy "superhero"-fare. It's just some gloriously bonkers abstract art about a bunch of damaged people trying to connect with one another.For Season 2, the show has graduated from DC's proprietary Universe app to HBO Max, beginning June 25. And this season introduces paranormal investigators, the SeX-Men! Read the rest

Yesterday, Quaker Oats finally retired Aunt Jemima, their brand mascot, based on a racist stereotype, that the company has unsuccessfully attempted to "modernize" for many years. Not surprisingly, their decision sparked other food companies to get with the program: Uncle Ben, Mrs. Butterworth, and the Black chef on Cream of Wheat packages are likely next to go. From the New York Times:Mars Food, the owner of the brand Uncle Ben’s rice, which features an older black man smiling on the box, said on Wednesday afternoon that it would “evolve” the brand as protests over racism and police brutality across the country continue.“We recognize that now is the right time to evolve the Uncle Ben’s brand, including its visual brand identity, which we will do,” said Caroline Sherman, a spokeswoman for Mars. The company does not know the nature of the changes, or the timing, she said, “but we are evaluating all possibilities.”Shortly after that announcement, ConAgra Brands, the maker of Mrs. Butterworth’s pancake syrup, released a statement saying the company had begun a “complete brand and package review."[...]And later on Wednesday, B&G Foods Inc., the parent company of Cream of Wheat, announced that it too was conducting a review of its packaging.The porridge box, which depicts a beaming black man in a white chef’s uniform, has not been altered much since its debut in the late 19th century. The character was named “Rastus,” a pejorative term for black men, and he was once depicted as a barely literate cook who did not know what vitamins were. Read the rest

The queen of soul Aretha Franklin brings the gospel funk to The Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" at the 1970 Jazz à Juan festival in Antibes, France. Well, good morning to you too!And here's a bonus clip from the same gig, "Respect": Read the rest

He hires only the best people, Trump told us. Last night on Fox News, president Donald Trump accused his former national security adviser John Bolton of breaking the law by writing and publishing a White House tell-all memoir. Today, he calls Bolton a “sick puppy,” and bashes him on bad book reviews.These tweets undermine the Justice Department's case against Bolton.Trump says puppies should be fired.Puppies.Bolton’s book, which is getting terrible reviews, is a compilation of lies and made up stories, all intended to make me look bad. Many of the ridiculous statements he attributes to me were never made, pure fiction. Just trying to get even for firing him like the sick puppy he is!Okay.Trump administration sues John Bolton to block publication of new book that claims presidential misconductOne of the enduring mysteries of the presidential psyche: Why does he hate puppies so much? https://t.co/z43fD2hWiF— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) June 18, 2020For all his bloviating, Trump is probably thrilled that, like him, Bolton has decided that profiting off of public service is better than actually doing what's in the best interest of the public -- which for Bolton would have meant testifying in Trump's impeachment trial https://t.co/TEKvXCNyVW— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) June 18, 2020Last evening @POTUS, on @FoxNews, said @AmbJohnBolton broke the law. https://t.co/dD5sSIT7Qa— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) June 18, 2020 Read the rest

President Brain Worms Donald Trump is in the midst of quite a tweety-tantrum this morning. Now he's falsely saying that NBC News and Google Ads have conspired to deny revenue to far-right websites.Tweeted the president:.@NBCNews is facing considerable backlash for pushing @Google to remove Conservative sites from its ad platform.No they are not.He seems to have mangled up some version of this recent NBC News story, which, granted, was confusing -- about Google reminding a couple of extremist publications about terms of use boundaries. The Federalist and ZeroHedge are doing just fine. Nobody was demonetized.Google literally sent an inaccurate statement on this, but somehow has dodged the accountability for either getting it totally wrong at first or backtracking amid public backlash https://t.co/5isJBbmMlO— Tony Romm (@TonyRomm) June 18, 2020Google cracks down on The Federalist & ZeroHedge for violating race-related content policies, may permanently suspend access to Google Ads revenue Read the rest

The Avengers. The Justice League. The X-Men. David Blaine. Our world is full of mythical beings endowed with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. We gaze upon their herculean feats, marvel, and dream.But while we all wish we could fly or lift tons or shoot lasers from our eyes, we’re really not Thor. We’re more like Hawkeye, just a guy with no powers and a gimmick. However, a simple bow and arrow still got Clint into the Avengers — and some of the skills found in The Superhuman Lifetime Subscription Bundle can practically turn you into a real-life superhero.In all, you’ll get lifetime access to five different apps to help reshape your mind, body, and abilities, each granting you a new set of superpowers that a surprisingly small number of people possess.Speaking another language opens you up to whole new worlds of culture, understanding, and perception — and uTalk will open up their language archives to help you add two new languages to your skillset. Scientists, researchers, and linguists all pooled their expertise to help make uTalk, featuring short lessons, native speakers, dual-coding images, voice recognition technology, word games, and a host of other tools to help you immerse in your new language quickly. You’ve got 140 languages to choose from, each featuring up to 180 hours of intensive training to get you speaking fluently.Next, you can rev up the speed you take on new information with the help of 7 Speed Reading. Read the rest