Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg's billion-dollar ad spend has already upended the 2020 race to challenge Donald Trump, but yesterday's bizarre and coordinated campaign of meme-style content, published by influencers, has certainly gotten him more attention. Taylor Lorenz:Mick Purzycki is the lead strategist of the Meme 2020 project. He is also the chief executive of Jerry Media, a media and marketing company that is a powerful force in the influencer economy. The company’s portfolio includes some of the most notable meme accounts on Instagram. Jerry Media was at the center of controversy last year after a debate around proper crediting in meme culture.Lorenz refers here to Fuck Jerry, the Instagram swipe account whose operators are now coordinating Bloomberg's cringey memes. The memes are screengrabs of made-up private message chats with Bloomberg, portraying him as a tech-savvy, funny billionnaire. Bloomberg is one of those things.Here's Bloomberg spokesperson Sabrina Singh:“Mike Bloomberg 2020 has teamed up with social creators to collaborate with the campaign, including the meme world. While a meme strategy may be new to presidential politics, we’re betting it will be an effective component to reach people where they are and compete with President Trump’s powerful digital operation.”Dollars to donuts Bloomberg doesn't have the first clue about what's being done in his name here, and would not be able to answer questions about it meaningfully should they be asked.I noticed at least one journo doing this on their insta. This is potentially career-limiting behavior. He's paying a lot. Read the rest

I have never taken the idea of large-scale colonization of Mars very seriously, at least not for the foreseeable future. Nothing about these two videos changes my mind. When thinking about colonization, we often focus on the fact that Mars is pretty much hellbent on killing organics. But what about Lord of the Flies-like tribes of humans turning on each other in a desperate fight for resources or via the phantasms in their heads as settlers go loco from the deprivation and isolation? I'm with Bill Nye. Exploration? Yes! Settlement? Hell no. Image: YouTube Read the rest

Yesterday, I posted Sam Rowley's fantastic photo of two brawling mice on a subway platform that won the London Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year LUMIX People's Choice award. Also in the animals-that-fight vein is Aaron Gekoski's photo of a pugilist orangutan, a beautiful and ultimately tragic image that earned Gekoski a Highly Commended award in the Natural History Museum's competition. From the photo caption:Orangutans have been used in degrading performances at Safari World, Bangkok – and many other locations – for decades. The shows were temporarily stopped in 2004 due to international pressure, but today the shows continue – twice a day, every day – with hundreds of people paying to watch the orangutans box, dance, play the drums and more.Image: Aaron Gekoski/Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London. Read the rest

As the world gets weirder, so do the faux passengers that unscrupulous drivers employ to gain access the HOV lane. Washington State Patrol officer Rick Johnson pulled over a speeding driver and discovered that the gentleman's only passenger was a stuffed dinosaur. Fortunately, the dinosaur was wearing a safety belt.According to a UPI report, "The driver could be facing a hefty fine thanks to a law that took effect last summer that adds a $200 fine to the $186 base fine for a HOV violation if a driver is caught 'using a dummy, doll, or other human facsimile to make it appear that an additional person is in the vehicle.'" Read the rest

Bedsheets are the sort of thing you don't think much about until you realize yours are torn, stained, or have seriously seen better days. And that's a shame because, with the variety of oh-so-soft and oh-so-affordable fabrics out there today, you could be slipping into the best slumber of your life instead of under those mismatched sheets from the '90s your mom gave you. Take, for instance, this 4-piece set of Home Collection Ultra-Soft Sheets from iEnjoy, starting at just $37.Made with the finest imported double-brushed microfiber yarns, these hypoallergenic, antimicrobial sheets will shock you (in the best way) with their cozy, comfy, downright-divine feel. Ideal for allergy sufferers and those with sensitive skin, the premium breathable 90 GSM fabric is more durable than cotton, completely wrinkle-free, fade-resistant, and comfortable all year long.Each set includes a flat sheet, a fitted sheet, and a pair of pillowcases, for that grown-up cohesive look you can't go wrong with. Have one of those ginormous mattresses? No worries—the 16" deep-pocket fitted sheet will work with most of them.Available in queen or king sizes and in neutral hues of gray, navy, or white, these half-off Home Collection Premium Sheets are so buttery soft, all you'll want to do is have breakfast in bed and indulge in some actual butter (on pancakes). Apologies in advance to your boss. Read the rest

I have a few questions about this video of Joe Biden giving a talk to some kids at a swimming pool.First, is it fake? I don't think so, but it's possible, given its from Facebook, the only major social media platform that openly welcomes doctored and deepfaked political videos.Second, what is he talking about regarding his leg hairs? From the video:"And by the way, you know, I sit on the stand and I get hot, I got a lotta, I got hairy legs that turn blonde in the sun. And the kids used to come up and reach in the pole and rub my leg down so it was straight and then watch the hair come back up again. And they looked at it. So I learned about roaches and I learned about kids jumpin' on my lap."More importantly than what he is saying, is why is he telling this bizarre story to a bunch of kids who look completely tuned out to his blustering and bloviating?Next, Biden segues to the time he insulted a local bully nicknamed Corn Pop. Like a scene out of a bad S.E. Hinton juvenile fiction knock-off, Biden says that as a lifeguard at the pool he spotted Corn Pop on the diving board. Biden noticed that Corn Pop had pomade in his hair and was concerned that it would pollute the pool water. Biden says he caught Corn Pop's attention by saying "Hey 'Esther,' (after the famous swimming celebrity Esther Williams), you, off the board or I'll come up and drag you off." Read the rest

The incredible Julia Garner stars in the upcoming horror movie, The Assistant, which Vanity Fair says,"tracks a day in the life of Jane (Julia Garner), a recent college graduate working as a junior assistant to a powerful, abusive (and unnamed) movie mogul in Manhattan." Vanity Fair has a brief exclusive clip from the movie. Above, the trailer. Read the rest

I love old paperbacks, especially their great hand-lettered titles. I grabbed a few from my shelf to show you what I mean:Not many books feature hand-lettering, but there are still a number of people who keep the tradition alive. Ivan Castro, a graphic designer in Barcelona, Spain, is one such craftsman. He teaches lettering in design schools, and his book, The ABC of Custom Lettering is a beautiful and practical guide for the aspiring letterer.Here are some sample spreads: Read the rest

An elementary school teacher in Pennsylvania called police after a kindergarten-aged girl pointed a "finger gun" pretended to shoot her. The child was not arrested.From CNN:Administrators concluded that Margot made a "transient threat" and didn't intend to harm anyone, but they still called Tredyffrin police.The district said calling law enforcement is part of its safety protocol. But [the Margot's mother Maggie] Gaines said that in her daughter's case, the district misinterpreted its own policy."It was very clear from the beginning that she didn't understand what she was saying," Gaines told CNN affiliate KYW. "Her having Down syndrome is one aspect of it, but I'm sure most six year olds don't understand what that means."She said police filed a report on the incident that mentioned Margot by name. Tredyffrin police didn't immediately respond to CNN's requests for comment, but the school district told CNN that police didn't create criminal or juvenile records for Margot.By User Jeremykemp on en.wikipedia - Jeremykemp, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link Read the rest

In today's hyper-competitive business world, generating leads and converting them into viable business is a vital numbers game that can be the difference between your operation scaling and stagnating. Unfortunately, leads are becoming more and more expensive to generate, meaning any mishandled or dropped leads can have a huge negative impact on your bottom line.Communication is key. Staying aligned with leads, current clients, former clients, and your entire sales team is exceedingly difficult given how many communication mediums there are these days. Between the phone, email, webchats, and more, it's easier than ever to forget to follow up by simply misplacing where the original conversation took place.That's where amoCRM shines. By centralizing each customer's communications (be it on Skype, Instagram, email etc.) into their own lead profile on the platform, this customer relationship manager (CRM) helps you keep track of all of your past communications and continue ongoing conversations without switching apps. This way, you can chat with your leads on their platform of choice, and gain quick access to all of your conversations without closing apps or switching platforms.With the power of unified communications, your sales team is empowered to solve problems, not navigate through them. Retain and convert leads like never before with amoCRM. Right now, you can register for an extended 30 day trial through this link. Read the rest

-- TWO WILCOCK COMICS REMAIN UNTIL THE SERIES CONCLUDES! -- From John Wilcock, New York Years, by Ethan Persoff and Scott Marshall -- (See all Boing Boing installments) Read the rest

In this clip from Late Night with Seth Myers, comedian Maria Bamford talks about how she tried to take out a restraining order against "the unregistered sex offender in the White House." She said she felt unsafe having such a person in the Oval Office.She says she "went down to the local courthouse. Saw a judge within a half hour. He denied me. Ultimately a useless gesture that didn't further the conversation in any way and wasted the time of caring professionals."There are some other funny and heartwarming moments during the interview. Like, Maria picks people on Twitter and then meets up with them at Dunkin' Donuts to workshop her comedy. She also talks about the comedy special she did in front of an audience of two: her parents. And she talks about her show "What's Your Ailment?," where she talks, mainly to celebrities and fellow comedians, about dealing with mental health issues, something that Maria has very openly and courageously struggled with.Image: YouTube Read the rest

The coronavirus test kits distributed to various U.S. states and 30 other countries by the U.S. Centers for disease control may not work, and are feared to deliver results that are at best 'inconclusive,' officials said today.In the United States, 13 cases of the infection in patients have been confirmed so far. An estimated 850 evacuees who are American have quarantined at military bases after flying from China. Others are self-quarantining at home.From the New York Times:The kits were meant to enable states to conduct their own testing and get results faster than they would by shipping samples to the C.D.C. in Atlanta. But the failure of the kits means that states still have to depend on the C.D.C., which will mean several days’ delay in getting results.The C.D.C. announced last week that it had begun shipping about 200 kits to laboratories in the United States and roughly 200 more to labs in more than 30 other countries. Each kit can test about 700 to 800 specimens from patients, the agency said.On trial runs in some states, the kits produced results that were “inconclusive,” Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a news conference on Wednesday.“Things may not always go as smoothly as we may like,” Dr. Messonnier said.Read more:Coronavirus Test Kits Sent to States, 30 Countries Are Flawed, C.D.C. SaysPHOTO: CDC.GOV, the tests now seen as flawed:This is a picture of CDC’s laboratory test kit for the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Read the rest

Last June, Chloe Haines (26) was on a flight from Dalaman in Turkey. She suddenly got out of her seat and shouted to the 206 other people on board, "I want to die" and "I'm going to kill you all" as she lunged at an exit door handle. The crew and passengers were able to restrain her.This week, Chelmsford Crown Court court found Haines guilty and sentenced her to two years in prison, reports The Standard:Judge Charles Gratwicke, sentencing the 26-year-old at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday, said: "Those that are trapped in the confined space of the aircraft will inevitably be distressed, frightened and petrified by the actions of those who in a drunken state endanger their lives."For some it will be their worst nightmare come true."(Image by dayamay from Pixabay) Read the rest

The deputy said the inebriated man initially refused a breath test, saying: “You didn’t pull me over. I pulled you over.”

Monty Python co-founder Terry Jones who died last month was also a scholar of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, having penned two books about the great English poet. Before Jones's death, he was collaborating with an international team of Chaucer geeks on a Canterbury Tales app called "General Prologue." It is the first in a series. “We want the public, not just academics, to see the manuscript as Chaucer would have likely thought of it—as a performance that mixed drama and humor,” said University of Saskatchewan English professor and project leader Peter Robinson.“We were so pleased that Terry was able to see and hear this app in the last weeks of his life. His work and his passion for Chaucer was an inspiration to us,” Robinson said. “We talked a lot about Chaucer and it was his idea that the Tales would be turned into a performance.”From the University of Saskatchewan:The app features a 45-minute audio performance of the General Prologue of the Tales—the masterpiece work by the most important English writer before Shakespeare—along with the digitized original manuscript. While listening to the reading, users have access to supporting content such as a translation in modern English, commentary, notes and vocabulary explaining Middle English words used by Chaucer.The app, an offshoot of Robinson’s 25-year work to digitize the Canterbury Tales, contains key new research work. This includes a new edited text of the Prologue created by USask sessional lecturer Barbara Bordalejo, a new reading of the Tales by former USask student Colin Gibbings, and new findings about the Tales by UCL (University College London) medievalist professor Richard North. Read the rest

Within Disney's fantastically complicated five-tier ticket pricing scheme, the cost of a one-day pass has increased from $199 to $209 per day. Here are other highlights from the SFGate article about Disney's new prices:The MaxPass, which enables a park visitor to digitally book reservations for rides and attractions instead of waiting in line, increased to $20 from $15.Parking stayed flat at $25 a day.The price of the least expensive annual pass, the Select Pass, which blocks out holidays and peak-demand days, rose 5% to $419 from $399. The most expensive annual pass, the Premier Pass, which gives guests access to Disney parks in Anaheim and Orlando, Fla., without blocking any dates, jumped 13% to $2,199 from $1,949.(Image: Mickey Mouse riding toy in Chinatown, New York City, by Benjamin Thompson, CC-BY-SA 2.0) Read the rest

President Trump today was asked by a reporter if he would pardon Roger Stone.His reply:“I don't want to say that yet...”During a photo op in the Oval Office, Donald Trump again thanked his Justice Department for intervening in the sentencing recommendation for Stone yesterday. Again, the impeached president called a 9-year sentence "a disgrace."Trump from pooler @Laura_Figueroa -”They treated Roger Stone very badly...”“no one even knows what he did...it’s a disgrace...they ought to apologize to him”Asked if he would pardon Stone:“I don't want to say that yet...”— Debra J. Saunders (@debrajsaunders) February 12, 2020"I don't want to say yet," says Pres Trump, asked if he's considering a pardon for Roger Stone. During Oval Office photo op, Trump thanks Justice Dept for intervening in the sentencing recommendation for Stone. Again calls a 9-year sentence "a disgrace."— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) February 12, 2020Per pool reporter, President Trump was just asked in the Oval if he would pardon Roger Stone. He replied: “I don't want to say that yet.”— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) February 12, 2020President Trump when asked if he would pardon Roger Stone, per pool:“I don't want to say that yet...”— Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) February 12, 2020NEW: @realDonaldTrump asked again by pool reporters if he is considering a a pardon for Roger Stone?.@realdonaldtrump responds: “I don’t want to say yet.”— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) February 12, 2020Vaguely surprised this didn't exist yet. Interesting timing. "Michael Caputo, former campaign advisor to President Donald J. Read the rest

Ex-convict, sex scandalist, and TV evangelist Jim Bakker is at it again.The 'Christian television pioneer' and snake oil entrepreneur is now selling a purported coronavirus cure that also turns you blue for no additional charge. He's implying in this video clip snipped by @RightWingWatch that a colloidal silver bullshit product he sells will kill coronavirus within 12 hours (it does not).Only one way to test this out, though. Dump him in Wuhan with only a bottle of colloidal silver and let God sort it out.The Jim Bakker Show is suggesting that the silver solution it sells can kill the coronavirus within 12 hours. pic.twitter.com/kbUGnUp69m— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) February 12, 2020We have written about this idiot many times before.[H/T: @wokyleeks] Read the rest

During a promotional event for the movie Sonic the Hedgehog, Jim Carrey was asked by Heat Magazine's Charlotte Long if the actor had anything remaining on his bucket list (things one wants to do or see in life before “kicking the bucket”). “Just you”, he replied.Super gross. Jim Carrey condemned over 'creepy' sexual remark to female journalist https://t.co/wUv4QzTA1V— The Independent (@Independent) February 12, 2020An entertainment journalist got an unexpected reply when she asked Jim Carrey what was left on his bucket listhttps://t.co/ImtFYGwJTa— ES Entertainment (@StandardEnts) February 12, 2020Jim Carrey raises eyebrows with inappropriate response to journalist's bucket list question https://t.co/s4PA0ZUN7X— HuffPost UK (@HuffPostUK) February 12, 2020 Read the rest

'Secret Service had been charged up to $650 per night for rooms at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida, and charged $17,000 a month for a cottage at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster'

The season finale of the Mandalorian is certainly not the first time Star Wars has introduced 'the Darksaber.' Created by the first Mandalorian jedi, Tarre Vizsla, this laser sword has a long history...Star Wars...The Darksaber goes back to the time of Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian to become a Jedi Knight. He created a one-of-a-kind lightsaber with a flat blade of dark, swirling energy. In the Star Wars Rebels episode “Trials of the Darksaber,” Fenn Rau shared more of the Mandalorian folklore surrounding the weapon.“Legend tells that it was created over 1,000 years ago by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian ever inducted into the Jedi Order,” Rau told Kanan Jarrus. “After his passing, the Jedi kept the saber in their temple. That was, until members of House Vizsla snuck in and liberated it.”While not much is known about Tarre Vizsla, we do know he is a revered figure on Mandalore who later became one of its rulers. His legacy was so well-respected that the Darksaber became a symbol of power the Mandalorians rallied behind as they supported the leader wielding it.“[House Vizsla] used the saber to unify the people and strike down those that would oppose them. At one time, they ruled all of Mandalore wielding this blade,” said Rau...What is the Darksaber/StarWars.com Read the rest

When I tell Americans what British children's TV used to be like, they just won't believe it. Some might concede that Watership Down offered a level of brutal matter-of-factness seldom found in U.S. programming aimed at youngsters, for example, and I'll shake my head and say, "No, that's not it. You just don't understand." I have related accurate specifics only to be looked at askance, with the clear implication I'm just making it up.But now I have this clip to show them.There's not much to know about Mr. Spanky, a deeply memory-holed creation. Here's one description, from Glad You Remember.We were gobsmacked by the filthy innuendo, the various presenters blatantly taking the piss out of their own personas and the incredible regular characters ... Mr. SpankyThis character, a velvet-clad man with a mask whom the presenters avoided naming on air, was introduced in episode 1 when he came over to a table laden with Batman prizes and marvelled at the "jew-ells" before revealing his "waistcoat of roast beef" many years before Lady Gaga dressed in meat.He used to run amok squirting children with "ghee" from a small plastic tortoise, "Naughty Torty". Mr. Spanky was gone by Christmas 1992. In a later episode, Simon and Andy found Torty hibernating in Pat Sharp's head. Following a sneeze, the character appeared as a giant tortoise who squirted audience members and guests with white foam from a doll. Thank you very much to Michelle Davies for most of these details. Read the rest

Back in 1938, a local Florida cruise operator called Colonel Tooey — "Colonel" was in fact his first name, according to the New York Times — let loose about a dozen rhesus macaque monkeys onto a man-made island inside Silver Springs State Park. According to National Geographic, Colonel had big plans to build a Tarzan-themed attraction there.But naturally, the monkeys escaped, and over the years, multiplied. The International Primate Protection League tried to keep their eye on them, and they (apparently) became a bit of a tourist attraction. Eventually, wildlife officials tried to tame the population, approving the removal of more than 1,000 of these feral macaques. As of 2018, a study in the Journal of Wildlife Management estimated that there were still around 300 of them now roving around the strip malls of suburban Florida. And some of them have migrated more than 100 miles away, as far as Jacksonville.And about 30 percent of the remaining feral rhesus macaques also have Herpes-B, also known as "monkey herpes."Monkey herpes is rare in humans, with only about 50 known cases (none of which were actually contracted from monkeys). But it can kill a person in just six weeks.More and more of these rhesus macaques have been found roaming around residential neighbors in Florida. While they tend to be pretty skittish, they can also get aggressive around humans; they've even been known to organize mass raids of deer feeders in Florida. So local authorities are raising red flags, in hopes of preventing the inevitable Florida-Man-Gets-Bitten-By-Feral-Herpes-Monkey headlines. Read the rest

When you’re out camping or just relaxing as the sun lazily slips below the horizon, there’s an elegant romanticism to the darkening sky and the onset of inky blackness. But when you’re stuck outside fixing a flat, trying to navigate or simply find something in the dark, all the charm and wonder of the night disappears pretty darn fast.At that point, you just want some serious wattage right now. Thankfully, the ZeroDark 3-Piece Tactical Set is the instant light you need, regardless of your situation.The set includes a lantern, flashlight and headlamp...but these are no ordinary light sources. Each is packed with a wickedly robust LED light array, blasting up to 40 times brighter than even a standard LED light. If you need your surroundings to go from pitch black to light of day in an instant, each of these handy accessories can do the trick.The lantern is collapsible, with a beam capable of radiating up to 2 miles. Meanwhile, the flashlight is no lightweight either, packing six different light modes and an adjustable zoom. Finally, the heads-free headlamp has three light modes of its own and can be maneuvered into five swivel positions to throw light in any direction it’s needed.Each of these lights is weather-resistant, comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty and is delivered with their own batteries. You don’t even need to make a trip to the store to light up the night right out of the box.Regularly a $59.99 package, the three-piece kit is now 66% off at just $19.99 Read the rest

When the first glint of light appears beneath the right nostril of MSNBC's Chris Matthews, during another of his bellowing yet sedentary ramblings about Dem frontroller Bernie Sanders, it's an amusing moment. One empathizes, even – who has not been forced to deal with the sudden runny nose that comes only when everyone's looking? Then he licks the snot off. Read the rest

Markhacks creates cardboard pendulums and such. Here's one with a bunch of bothersome magnets underneath the weight.I made another pendulum of cardboard. Using multiple magnets with reversed polarity causes chaotic motion. Read the rest

The coronavirus outbreak (previously) has now claimed more victims than SARS, with more than 1,000 dead in China and 45,000 infected worldwide. The Chinese government, illiberal by any measure, is definitely taking prisoners: video shows biohazard-suited men dragging people off, purportedly to quarantine facilities, in an effort to prevent the disease's spread.PREVIOUSLY: Coronavirus exposes China's surveillance state Read the rest

"Fire in the hole!" shouts an engineer as a detonator sparks. A second later, the shockwave and the thunder--a close shave with the last sight some people ever saw. The video apparently depicts work on Indianapolis' sewer system. Read the rest

It's hard to wrap one's head around the fact that, this year, Black Sabbath's eponymous debut album turns 50. It's also hard to wrap one's head around the seismic impact this record and this band would have on modern music.“We knew instantly that ‘Black Sabbath’ was very different to what was around at the time,” guitarist Tony Iommi says of the piece that gave the group its name.“We always wanted to go heavier than any other band,” bassist Geezer Butler says.“I thought the song would be a flop, but I also thought it was brilliant,” drummer Bill Ward says. “I still think it’s brilliant.”“When we played that song for the first time, the crowd went nuts,” Butler says.Half a century has passed since Black Sabbath first scared the bejesus out of rock fans with their eponymous anthem. The song opens with the sound of a powerful thunderstorm and ominous church chimes before crashing into its lumbering, iconic riff. The guitar chords lurch seismically, each one like a gut punch before quieting down just enough for Ozzy Osbourne to paint his own vivid portrait of fear — “What is this that stands before me/Figure in black which points at me?” It’s a scene so unnerving that he eventually pleads to the heavens, “Oh, no, NO, please God help me,” before the guitar riff and church bells come around again to strike him down. “Is this the end, my friend?” he wonders aloud. The six-minute horror vignette was spooky yet thrilling, and the song, “Black Sabbath,” would serve as the prototype for a genre poised to captivate the world. Read the rest

Tom the Dancing Bug, IN WHICH the spunky little boy president Donald gets away with being a very bad boy, and his imaginary publicist John helps him plot revenge and much more authoritarian naughtiness.

Pipe smoking is in a weird place culturally. Even while smoking restrictions fall nationwide and companies produce tobacco flavors of every variety, there remains a stigma around conventional pipes that can be problematic in the wrong places.For those who want to smoke without all the attention, the Genius Mini 5.0 Pipe is a smart 21st-century smoking alternative, sleek and stylish, yet very subtle and a lot more efficient than those old school means.The Genius has an all-aluminum finish with a discreet sliding smell-proof cover that shields your smoking material. In fact, the whole unit is so compact and unassuming that most users could hold it in their hands without anyone even knowing what it is.While the Genius is amazing portable, it’s drawing the ravest reviews from users for how well it works. Inside the Genius are hundreds of tiny dimples on the interior, which serve to cool and filter the smoke before it reaches the user without ever diluting the taste.Users get cooler, mellower draws that not only accentuate that taste but actually smooth out the smoke, which eliminates coughing and choking. Instead, you just get a pleasant smoking experience anywhere you go.You need to be at least 21 years old to purchase and the Genius is for tobacco use only.Right now, the Genius is $10 off its regular price at just $64.99. Read the rest

What is Bill Barr about to do for Roger Stone on behalf of Donald Trump?Whatever it is, that seems to be what's behind the “Tuesday Afternoon Massacre.”More AUSAs resign from the Roger Stone case on the same day the DoJ intervened on Trump's behalf. Earlier today, top Mueller prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky resigned from his position as AUSA in the DC office, but still works in MD... for now.Jonathan Kravis became the second -- in a statement he said he "has resigned as an Assistant United States Attorney and therefore no longer represents the government in this case." A third AUSA, Adam Jed, another Mueller veteran, just withdrew.And a new DOJ attorney, John Crabb Jr., has entered his appearance.These are the ones we know about, from court filings. At the least, three AUSA have resigned so far. Are there or will there be more?And John Crabb, the acting chief of the DC US Attorney's Office criminal division, enters his appearance in the case. pic.twitter.com/kIm3GXgXFQ— Andrew Prokop (@awprokop) February 11, 2020Adam Jed becomes the third Stone prosecutor to withdraw, days before sentencing. pic.twitter.com/P1gT1LUlqL— Andrew Prokop (@awprokop) February 11, 2020Trump says he did not ask the Justice Dept to change the Roger Stone sentence recommendation but says he would be allowed to do so pic.twitter.com/5AI2cCjFvy— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) February 11, 2020Another one out: Adam Jed, who joined Mueller's team in 2017, withdraws from the Stone case— Betsy Woodruff Swan (@woodruffbets) February 11, 2020Third prosecutor, Adam Jed, seeks to withdraw from Roger Stone case amid fight with superiors over sentencing recommendation https://t.co/RR05M63kIl Read the rest

If youâre one of the millions who regularly trudge down to a laundromat to clean all your clothes and other washables, then youâve undoubtedly wished for your own washing machine. Unfortunately, folks in apartments, mobile homes, dorms, tiny houses and other confined or restricted living situations donât always have the luxury. And to say the laundry visit is often a chore doesnât do it adequate justice.However, you might be surprised at the ability and usefulness of some mini washing machines like the ZENY Twin Tub Washing Machine, a unit that can go where its full-sized brothers never could. And before you dismiss the idea, consider that the notoriously trollish Amazon reviewers pretty firmly support the ZENY, offering 4 out of 5 stars from more than 330 reviews.At just two feet across and 26 inches high, the unit can fit almost anywhere, washing up to eight pounds of laundry per load in its tiny footprint. Of course, the real game-changer here is the Twin Tub dual design, which allows you to wash and spin dry separate loads at the same time.But it isnât enough to do a job -- it has to be done well. The ZENY is powered by a silent 1300RPM motor with rotary controls for a better cleaning effect and a water-efficient design that leaves your laundry clean, fresh and ready to be worn.And at 23.5 pounds, this washer is so portable you can even throw it in your vehicle to use during camping trips. Read the rest

BREAKING NEWS: Top Robert Mueller prosecutor Aaron S.J. Zelinsky resigns from the Roger Stone case, effective immediately, he tells the court in a filing.[READ THE FILING: PDF LINK]Zelinsky's filing includes this footnote:"The Court is advised that the undersigned attorney has resigned effective immediately after this filing as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for District of Columbia."He isn't quitting the DoJ, but rather resigning from that role.Wonder if this whole mess has anything to do with the DoJ, under pressure from Trump, stepping in in an unprecedented and lawless move today to shorten Roger Stone’s prison sentence (which has yet to be announced)?Hmm.So does Amy Berman Jackson have any discretion over Zelinsky's withdrawal?https://t.co/QCKTdP9Uvw pic.twitter.com/sI2J2A4crc— emptywheel (@emptywheel) February 11, 2020BREAKING In a one sentence court filing, former Mueller team prosecutor Aaron S.J. Zelinsky withdraws from Roger Stone prosecution in apparent protest to DOJ reversal/intervention in Trump prosecution sentencing. https://t.co/WKpyXEuw2B pic.twitter.com/93lL5Le4Bo— Spencer Hsu (@hsu_spencer) February 11, 2020Top Mueller prosecutor Aaron S.J. Zelinsky resigned from Roger Stone’s case, effective immediately, he told the court in a filing, after the Justice Department announced that it planned to change the recommendation to give Stone a lighter sentence, per @kpolantz— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 11, 2020Wow, Mueller prosecutor Zelinsky withdraws from the Stone case AND includes this footnote(!): "The Court is advised that the undersigned attorney has resigned effective immediately after this filing as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for District of Columbia" pic.twitter.com/TrNSo9qXeB Read the rest

I grew up in Virginia, and we used Old Bay Seasoning like folks around the country use salt and pepper. We really did put it on and in everything -- definitely stuff like crab cakes, fried fish, chicken, steaks, and of course, boiled crab ("crab bawl!").I buy it in a 24-oz institutional size can. I am not even kidding.Recently, Old Bay Seasoning teased a new hot sauce on social media. 🔥 #OLDBAYHOTSAUCE IS COMING 🔥 Less than 1 day until you can get your hands on a bottle (or 10) of this LIMITED EDITION product, available on https://t.co/bgVkhHJlOx. Tag someone who NEEDS this. 🌶️ pic.twitter.com/O80iJNmRqH— OLD BAY (@OLDBAYSeasoning) January 28, 2020🔥 #OldBayHotSauce is HERE🔥 Get your hands on a bottle (or 10) of this LIMITED EDITION product, available online. 🌶️ https://t.co/P7WQvM4ja2 pic.twitter.com/DWBCHn9M5I— OLD BAY (@OLDBAYSeasoning) January 29, 2020Evidently, so many other people love both Old Bay AND hot sauce that the response was just too much. The company's website crashed. The limited edition product sold out in 30 minutes.I have but three words for whoever is running things over there at McCormick (which owns Old Bay).PLEASEMAKEMORE.The Old Bay social media account is apologizing to sad fans like me who didn't manage to place an order before it sold out.Hi Scott,We are working hard to restock ASAP! You can visit the Old Bay website and sign up for updates about the restock here: https://t.co/Y1ArCrFqQ4 ~Cara— OLD BAY (@OLDBAYSeasoning) February 10, 2020Hi @PeteMacc51, We apologize for this experience with our Old Bay Hot Sauce. Read the rest

A California lawyer was arrested by federal authorities who say she was also selling guns and distributing methamphetamine. Sadly, neither are covered under attorney-client privilege. On Monday, feds arrested Orange County lawyer Melinda Romines, 41, for allegedly illegally selling firearms-- including to an undercover agent. The Anaheim resident was charged with conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and with possession of an unregistered firearm, as well as two counts of distributing the illegal drug. ATF worked with local law enforcement to carry out the bust.[READ THE INDICTMENT]The federal indictment, returned last week, says Romines "found guns available for purchase from black market firearms dealers." Feds say Romines served as a broker between black market dealers and paying customers, and conducted business from various parking garages in Los Angeles.She wasn't messing around. Check out the size of the transactions.From Ashley Ludwig, Patch Staff writer with the Los Alamitos-Seal Beach, CA Patch.com:In May 2018, Romines was suspected of selling two firearms in a Los Angeles parking lot. Both a .40-caliber pistol and an AR-type .45-caliber rifle, each missing serial numbers, were sold in that exchange.Officials suspect also suspect Romines of selling a silencer and a high-capacity magazine with approximately 20 rounds of ammunition at that time, officials say. That transaction that netted her $2,600.In October 2018, in another Los Angeles parking lot, she sold a .45-caliber pistol and ammunition to a buyer for $900, the indictment alleges. Read the rest

Michaem Schmitt's (very) short film Hiccups was featured in Clive Barker's half-hour TV special "Short Screamers" (2003) and won on America's Funniest Home Videos in 2005. It reminds me of Albert Brooks and Dan Aykroyd's excellent prologue from Twilight Zone: The Movie, below. (via r/ObscureMedia) Read the rest

Remember 'Friday,' the internet-propelled pop hit everyone loved to mock in 2011? Yeah. Rebecca Black became a star overnight, and she says it sucked. Oh, and: She's back, and she's not 13 anymore."I'm trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit," she wrote. "You are not defined by any one choice or thing. Time heals and nothing is finite. It's a process that's never too late to begin."pic.twitter.com/lcua4H076t— Rebecca Black (@MsRebeccaBlack) February 11, 2020From CNN:Black was only in middle school when she filmed the infamous video. She paid a company called Ark Music Factory to write her a song and film a music video for it, starring her and her friends. It's not an artistic achievement, but it's fitting for the young star at its center. In it, Black sways and sings her way through a Friday -- she wakes up, she eats cereal, she can't decide which seat in a convertible to take. Typical teen stuff.The negative comments rolled in almost immediately, and nearly all of them lambasted Black."It's not that I was protecting this thing as, like, my prized most beautiful creative thing I've ever made in my life," she told Buzzfeed in 2019. "But it was me. And that was my face. And that was my name people were making fun of."Watch the video and read more at CNN:'Friday' almost ruined Rebecca Black's life. Read the rest

Would you guess the sound of ricocheting bullets on a Saturday morning cartoon? When isotopic geochemist, John Andrew Higgins, posted this to Twitter, people thought it was fake, a joke. He had to assure them it was not.IT NEVER GETS OLD! Ice drop 2020! N(ice)ly done.🧊🕳️💥🔊 https://t.co/5kx5UnCyYj— Peter Neff (@peter_neff) February 7, 2020Image: Screengrab from Twitter Read the rest

Password Of The Day describes itself as a sort-of "Internet Treasure Hunt." Sign up for their list with your phone number, and they'll send you one text message every day with a random username and password. The login credentials themselves are (supposedly) real; they just won't tell you where that particular combination will work. The discovery part is up to you. But if you're lucky, you might land access to a free account on Spotify, or Steam, or Pornhub, or Headspace, or any other sites. Even if it is technically someone else's account. As they explain in an FAQ on the site:Every day we are releasing one valid username+password combo to a mystery account. It could be Disney+, Creative Cloud, a bank account with $1000 in it - every day is different. So we give you the login info, but it’s up to you to discover what the account is; it’s like having a key, but not knowing what door it opens. Scour the internet, try your login on all the services you can think of. If you successfully log in, the account is yours!It's not clear where they're getting this data from, or who's paying for it. But if you want to take the gamble — hey, go for it.MSCHF, the company behind the list, is a pseudo-internet-performance-art-collective founded by ex-Buzzfeed employees that specializes in viral pranks. Sometimes these function as promotional material for other companies; sometimes they just exist, and maybe go viral, or don't. Read the rest

In 1952, New Zealander Tom Neale set out to establish a solitary life for himself on a remote island in the South Pacific. In all he would spend 17 years there, building a fulfilling life fending entirely for himself. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe Neale's adventures on the island and his impressions of an isolated existence.We'll also revisit Scunthorpe and puzzle over a boat's odd behavior.Show notesPlease support us on Patreon! Read the rest

Nearly 200 Americans who were evacuated from the coronavirus outbreak zone in China might be released soon from quarantine at a U.S. Air Force base in California. All Americans returning from Hubei province, where Wuhan city is located, were required to undergo a mandatory 14 day quarantine, and when that's up, they can go if determined to be healthy, a leading U.S. health official said. The fast-spreading outbreak has killed over 1,000 in China, where nearly 43,000 cases are reported. Another 319 confirmed cases have been confirmed in 24 other countries, 13 of which are in the United States. From Reuters:The first group of U.S. citizens to be evacuated from the coronavirus-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan are mostly U.S. State Department employees and their families. They were flown by government-chartered cargo jet to March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County about 60 miles (97 km) east of Los Angeles.“They are being assessed to make sure they remain symptom-free and we hope they’ll be released to travel home today,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington.Read more at Reuters:Nearly 200 Americans evacuated from China set to be freed from quarantine[February 11, 2020]FILE PHOTO: The ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China, is seen in an illustration released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Read the rest

Lest we forget, the Dancing Baby of 1996 was one of the first viral videos online and became an iconic meme of the early Web. Now, creative programmer Jack Armstrong has brought the Dancing Baby (aka the Oogachaka Baby) back to life in high definition and ported it to Garry's Mod (GMod) sandbox game. Armstrong posted a fascinating Twitter thread detailing his quest for the original 3D model of the character and how he re-rendered it into an HD form fit for today's uncanny valley. Read the rest

This is a horrible and very unfair situation. The real crimes were on the other side, as nothing happens to them. Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice! https://t.co/rHPfYX6Vbv— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2020Trump has pardoned at least a couple of cartoonishly repugnant people in recent years, so it's likely Roger Stone will be the next one to get his blessing.Replying to a tweet that said prosecutors are seeking a sentence of up to 9 years for the convicted felon, Trump tweeted: "This is a horrible and very unfair situation. The real crimes were on the other side, as nothing happens to them. Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice!"From National Review:Federal prosecutors said in a court filing Monday that Stone, who was found guilty in November of obstructing justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress over alleged Russian contacts, should face seven to nine years in federal prison.“Investigations into election interference concern our national security, the integrity of our democratic processes, and the enforcement of our nation’s criminal laws. These are issues of paramount concern to every citizen of the United States. Obstructing such critical investigations thus strikes at the very heart of our American democracy,” the prosecutors stated.After that, Flynn?Image by The Circus on SHOWTIME - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVRmVlNFEa0, CC BY 3.0, Link Read the rest

I use a password manager to deal with my hundreds of different passwords, and it's pretty convenient to use on my phone and laptop. But the Fido (fast identification online) Alliance thinks getting access to your online accounts could be even more convenient and secure by replacing passwords with your trusted devices. From 9To5Mac:For example, if you try to login to a website on your iPhone, you would enter only your username and it would then send an authentication request to one of your other registered devices, such as an Apple Watch. You could simply tap to authorize. Similarly, when accessing a service on your Mac, you would be able to approve it on your iPhone – and so on.Although this might sound like weaker security, it’s actually secure. Only one of your own trusted devices can make a request for authentication as you, and only a different one of your own trusted devices can approve that request. An attacker wanting to impersonate you would need physical possession of two of your trusted devices, and to be logged in to both. For example, they would need to have your iPhone and its passcode, and your Mac and its password.While Apple’s system is limited to its own devices, the alliance wants all manufacturers to sign up to this approach, so you’d also be able to authorize a login on an Android smartphone, Android tablet, Chromebook, Windows PC or any other trusted device.Image: YouTube Read the rest

For nearly forty years, master Nyabinghi percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah has collaborated with dub magician Adrian Sherwood/On-U Sound and friends in a psychedelic reggae ensemble called African Head Charge. (In the 1980s, their first album, My Life in a Hole in the Ground (1981), was the go-to soundtrack for my own personal journeys into inner space.) On March 6, they're following up a series of vinyl reissues with Drumming Is A Language: 1990-2011 a CD box set or vinyl bundle containing five essential albums along with "Churchical Chant Of The Iyabinghi," a collection of unreleased version mixes from the early 1990s. For a taste, immerse yourself in the gorgeous expanse of "Peace and Happiness" above. The way out is the way in. (via Dangerous Minds) Read the rest

From CBS News:A national monument in Arizona, home to rare species and sacred Native American burial sites, is being blown up this week as part of construction for President Trump's border wall, Customs and Border Protection confirmed to CBS News. "Controlled blasting" inside Arizona's Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument began this week without consultation from the Native American nation whose ancestral land it affects, according to the congressman whose district includes the reservation."There has been no consultation with the nation," said Congressman Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, who is the chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources and whose district contains the reservation and shares 400 miles of border with Mexico. "This administration is basically trampling on the tribe's history — and to put it poignantly, it's ancestry."Unfortunately, the burial grounds are not technically part of the land that the US government had designated as property of the Tohono O'odham Nation. They are adjacent to the reservation; but under US law, that puts them onto public property.The glaringly obvious issue here is the complete and utter disrespect for the religion and culture of non-white, non-Christian people — in this case, people with roots in this country that far pre-date any white or Christian roots here. In fact, shortly before construction began, archaeologists artifacts and bone fragments at the site that were 10,000 years point.But then, at this point, I'm honestly not sure if there would be any backlash if the Trump administration blew up a white Evangelical cemetery, or if they'd all cheer him on in the name of White American Jesus. Read the rest

Behold the smooth disco of Kirinji. The director is Eisuke Shirota, but the perfectly exquisite dance routine is choreographed and performed by Reijiro Kaneko. Read the rest

Why did Jeff Bezos recently sell $4.1 billion in Amazon shares, in a single week?His stake in Amazon.com Inc., the company he founded and serves as CEO, stayed more or less the same over the last 10 years, but like everything else involving Bezos -- things have changed.“Bezos sold 2 million shares, worth $4.1 billion, as part of a pre-arranged trading plan between Jan. 31 and Feb. 6,” reports Tom Metcalf at Bloomberg News, citing SEC regulatory filings. “That’s the largest seven-day selldown by any executive tracked by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which began in 2012.”Excerpt from the Bloomberg News piece:WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum sold $4 billion of Facebook Inc. shares in 2016, but that took months. Laurene Powell Jobs divested more than $6 billion of Walt Disney Co. shares in 2016, though it wasn’t part of a trading plan.For Bezos, it’s a sharp reversal from years of relative restraint even as the value of his Amazon stake eclipsed 12 figures in 2017.His increased pace of sales this year might be a result of his 2019 split from MacKenzie Bezos. The pair divorced in the state of Washington, where Amazon is based and the couple lived. It’s a community property state, meaning all assets and debt acquired during a marriage “will be divided equitably by the court if the couple cannot negotiate an agreement,” according to the website of McKinley Irvin, a family law firm in the region.Read more:Jeff Bezos’s Record $4.1 Read the rest