#Rogan #Spotify #Cancel

Podcaster Joe Rogan has apologized to Spotify, while also addressing the controversy around his podcast. Musicians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell recently boycotted the service for continuing to host “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which has been accused by medical professionals of spreading Covid misinformation. Both musicians have since pulled their music libraries from Spotify.

“I want to thank Spotify for being so supportive during this time and I’m very sorry that this is happening to them and that they’re taking so much heat from it,” Rogan said Sunday. He also apologized to Young and Mitchell.

In a nearly 10-minute long video posted on Instagram, Rogan said he is open to changes to the show such as booking more mainstream experts after having controversial ones and doing more research on certain topics. Rogan praised Spotify for its latest decision to add content advisories to any material mentioning Covid-19, and direct its users to public health sites for more information. He also thanked the platform for its support.

Shares of Spotify closed up 13% Monday after Citi upgraded the stock, noting it believes the company can “improve ad-supported monetization.”

“I’m not trying to promote misinformation, I’m not trying to be controversial,” Rogan added. “I’ve never tried to do anything with this podcast other than to just talk to people.”

“I do all the scheduling myself, and I don’t always get it right,” he added.

Rogan has been in hot water with accusations from medical professionals that he has repeatedly spread conspiracy theories about Covid-19. Spotify has also been under fire for hosting the episodes. It bought the exclusive streaming rights to “The Joe Rogan Experience” in a deal reportedly worth more than $100 million.

Earlier this month, 270 medical professionals wrote an open letter to the streaming giant asking it to take action against Rogan’s podcast, accusing the company of broadcasting misinformation.

Rogan has repeatedly used Spotify’s platform, with millions of listeners, to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccinations, once saying that young adults don’t need to get a shot.

“If you’re a healthy person, and you’re exercising all the time, and you’re young, and you’re eating well ... like, I don’t think you need to worry about this,” he said in an April episode of his podcast. But, Rogan added he is “not a doctor” or a “respected source of information.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, called out Rogan in April and said young people “absolutely” need to get vaccinated.

Rogan on Sunday also defended his decision to book Dr. Robert Malone, an infectious disease specialist who has become well-known among anti-vaccine Americans and was banned from Twitter for spreading Covid misinformation. Rogan in the past has also promoted the use of ivermectin to treat Covid-19, despite warnings that there’s no proof it can be effective at treating the virus.

#2022 #AOC #Karen

merry, Christmas, lets, go, brandon, joe, biden, jill, president, turd, white, house, loser, trump, holiday, holidays,

#Kentucky #Teacher #Fight #Student

A Kentucky teacher who pinned a student to the ground and pulled his hair has a years-long history of violent incidents, according to local reports.

William Bennett was reassigned to “non-instructional duties” at Jefferson County Public Schools following the August incident, in which he was caught on video brawling with student Jamir Strane. Strane was suspended and faces an assault charge.

Now records obtained by WAVE 3 News detail a 1999 incident from when Bennett taught at Hardin County Schools.

Bennett, facing a rowdy class, allegedly grabbed the desk of one disruptive student and threatened him with detention, according an account of the 1999 incident. The student then left the classroom.

“Mr. Bennett caught up with him, grabbed him by the arm,” an assistant principal wrote at the time. “The student jerked his arm away. I told Mr. Bennett I had the student and not to worry. Mr. Bennett grabbed the student again by the arm. The student jerked his arm away again.”

“Mr. Bennett tried to grab the student one more time and missed the student’s arm and got hold of the student’s shirt instead,” the assistant principal went on. “At this time I grabbed Mr. Bennett’s hand and took it off the student. I asked another administrator to take the student while I talked to Mr. Bennett.”

Hardin County Board of Education meeting minutes from 2000 show Bennett was the only certified teacher whose contract wasn’t renewed, the station reported.

In the most recent violent encounter between Bennett and a student, Strane admitted to striking his teacher before the scrap, and claimed Bennett told him he would be “another black boy shot,” in an interview with WAVE 3 News, a local TV station.

The teacher’s remark set the teen off in part because he had been wounded in a drive-by last summer, his mother told another station, WDRB.

#onlyfans #sexwork #simp

LONDON — OnlyFans said Wednesday it has “suspended” plans to ban pornography, in a stunning U-turn that came after fierce backlash from its users.

The online subscription platform said it secured the “assurances” required to continue allowing sexually explicit content. The London-based firm last week announced plans to prohibit porn from Oct. 1, citing pressure from its banking partners.

“Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard,” OnlyFans said in a tweet Wednesday.

“We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change.”

“OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators,” the firm added. “An official communication to creators will be emailed shortly.”

OnlyFans’ decision to block sexually explicit posts drew swift condemnation from sex workers, who were in large part responsible for the platform’s success. The site lets adult performers sell “not safe for work” content for a subscription fee.

#JMU #White #Racism

A training video for student employees at James Madison University portrays people who are male, straight, cisgender, or Christian as 'oppressors'.

These so-called dominant 'oppressors' are considered a threat to submissive groups of different races, genders, sexualities and religions, according to the video.

Fox News reports that the video was mandated by JMU staff and shown to students that were in charge of working for first-year student orientations.

The training being provided to these students was meant to teach them about social justice and inclusion.

Students were warned via email after training was completed to not share the material they learned.

A statement released by JMU said: 'The training was held to help ensure that every student guide for freshmen orientation had the tools and understanding to work with incoming students, who might have a different background than their own.

'At JMU, we strive to create an inclusive and welcoming community for all students. We also seek feedback on the training to constantly work on improving how we communicate and train student staff members.'

In the video, staff coordinators Jessica Weed and Jennifer Iwerks discussed topics relating to oppression and privilege.

To begin, oppression was defined in the presentation as 'the systematic subjugation of one social group by a more powerful social group for the social, economic and political benefit of the more powerful social group.'

Systematic subjugation is when a group of individuals hold more power and privilege than others.

These powerful individuals were seen as oppressor groups in the workshop that seem to set perceptions of the world for themselves as well as for other target groups.

In turn, these target groups accept these perceptions and apply them to their lives as well as their method of thinking and acting.

This privilege was defined as 'unearned social power accorded by the formal and informal institutions of society to ALL members of a dominant group at the expense of targeted groups.'

'It also said members of both the oppressor and target groups are "socialized to play their roles as normal and correct.'

The privileged were considered to be 'male, cisgender, heterosexual, heteroromantic, Christian, White, Western European, American, upper to middle class, thin/athletic build, able-bodied, or ages 30s to early 50s.'

The oppressed in turn were identified as 'Black, Asian, Latinx, non-Western European, LGBTQ+, homoromantic, Muslim, Jewish, working class, overweight, or disabled, among others.'

These teachings relate to a concept formally known as critical race theory designed to examine the relationship between race and US law.

JMU is not the only institution to be teaching these values to their students as other schools have received criticism for implementing it into the education system.

In another Fox interview, teacher Monica Gill of Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia stated that critical race theory was also being implemented by their education system.

Gill said that she witnessed students of color excluding white students from conversations because of their race.

'No child should be excluded from a discussion because of their race', Gill said.

The idea of concept of critical race theory became a nationwide debate during the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred last year.

The theory has received criticism for it's views on race and defining privilege and oppression based on the color of someone's skin.

However, the theory has also been supported by other for it's way in which the relationship between race and American politics, culture, and law can be further explored and built upon.

#Dolezal #Onlyfans #Fraud #White #Fake

Notorious 'race faker,' Rachel Dolezal, the white woman who famously adopted a black identity for years, is now on OnlyFans.

Dolezal, 43, shared her new venture on Instagram Wednesday. Her page on the site launches September 1 and will consist primarily of 'foot photos,' hair tutorials, and fitness routines.

'I got approved! . . . LINK IN BIO! ~ My OnlyFans content launches September 1st!' the former president of Spokane, Washington's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter wrote on Instagram.

Additionally, Dolezal's fans can expect 'Friday Unwind: I bring the Art, you bring the wine/drinks,' which will consist of Dolezal discussing her art.

Dolezal, who also goes by the Nigerian name Nkechi Amare Diallo, promised three weekly posts in addition to 'others sprinkled in',' and is offering 40 percent off to the first 10 individuals who subscribe by August 25, or just $3 for their first 30 days.

'A little something for (almost) everyone. Looking forward to bringing you some great content!' Dolezal added.

For those only interested in witnessing the lunacy once, rest assured, Dolezal mentioned you can cancel anytime, even after the 30-day discount subscription.

In addition to hew new Only Fans account, Dolezal has previously sold homemade lollipops, Melanin Spectrum dolls and a $1,000 sculpture of an electric chair.

OnlyFans has become famous as a space for celebrities to interact with people on a personal level, as well as a place where sex workers can post and get paid in a relatively safe manner.

On Thursday the site announced it will ban the 'sexually explicit' content that drove its value up to $1billion.

The ban will start October 1 and is the result of requests from banking partners and companies that handle financial transactions, a spokesperson said.

Still, nudity is OK if it's 'consistent' with the company's policy. It's not clear what that policy is, and the company did not reply to questions. OnlyFans will be sharing more information in 'coming days.'

Individuals were quick to criticize Dolezal, expressing their disdain throughout social media.

'Onlyfans destroying the livelihood of sex workers and relaunching as the site where Rachel Dolezal talks about wellness is like if HBOMax launched with a Viggo Mortenson only cut of Green Book,' one user wrote on Twitter.

'Is it a coincidence that onlyfans shuts down a day after Rachel Dolezal joins?' wrote another.

According to Dolezal, side hustles are the only way she can earn a living, since she's been unable to get a job due to the scandal surrounding her fake race.

Dolezal had pretended to be black for more than 10 years until her ruse was revealed in 2015.

Because of the scandal, Dolezal was forced to resign from a leadership position at her local Spokane chapter of the NAACP and was fired from her job as an adjunct professor of Africana Studies at Eastern Washington University.

Earlier this year, Dolezal appeared in a new documentary about black beauty, in which she claims people who criticize her are 'white supremacy folks' and blames her black ex-husband for 'repressing' her.

Titled 'Subjects of Desire' and directed by Jennifer Holness', the documentary debuted at SXSW in March, and featured Dolezal saying she had been a victim of 'shaming and ridicule' due to the scandal.

'I've been called an insult to white women and an insult to black women. White women are angry because I did what they never would do and went further, like I put 110,' she said, according to Daily Beast.

'I didn't just be that white ally and do a little bit, I canceled my white privilege. I canceled my hair.'

Dolezal also appeared that to indicate that she received criticism from black women because her scandal was 'like a trigger to post-traumatic stress,' though her comments were not entirely clear.

#Onlyfans #Spicy #Corporate

OnlyFans, which has become the go-to place for creators to post explicit photos and videos, is banning pornography starting October 1.

The move, announced Thursday, is part of the UK-based company's changes 'to comply with the requests of our banking partners and payout providers,' an OnlyFans spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com in an email.

OnlyFans says creators can continue to share content with nudity 'as long as it is consistent with our Acceptable Use Policy,' which prohibits specific explicit content such as, torture, revenge porn and sex trafficking.

'In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of our platform, and the continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines,' the spokesperson said.

OnlyFans has more than 130 million users, over 2 million creators who have earned over $5 billion since its inception in 2016, but is struggling to raise money from outside investors, according to an Axios report.

However, the company has not disclosed how much of its revenue is generated from pornography and adult content shared by creators.

The bump in the road comes from the company's reputation as an adult content website and has landed itself on the 'no fly zone' of many venture capital firms that have rules against investing in such apps and sites.

OnlyFans was launched four years ago by Timothy Stokely who is, in his own words, a 'British entrepreneur in the adult entertainment industry'.

It is a subscription-based site that allows creators to earn a living by sharing original videos on the platform.

Fans pay creators for access to their content via a monthly subscription, which can range from $4.99 to $49.99. OnlyFans takes a 20 percent cut of all payments.

The platform's slick PR team insists it was set up for all creators, 'from fitness, dancing, DJs to music', on the premise that if fans of influencers were really fans, they'd pay a subscription fee to see the content their idols produced.
However, much of OnlyFans' popularity stems from its adult content that has attracted millions and even celebrities.

It has also become a safe haven for sex workers who could generate an income without meeting a client in person.

However, the ban on pornography changes how these individuals conduct business and may even push them back to their 'unsafe underground conditions,' The National Center for Lesbian Rights shared in a tweet.

Thursday's announcement comes just a day after OnlyFans launched a new 'suitable for work' app that allows people to share nudity-free content about topics such as fitness, wellness and cooking.

Called OFTV, the free app has a library of more than 800 videos, including ones with its biggest stars such as Mia Khalifa, Bella Thorne and Holly Madison.

There are also clips from chefs, Pilates instructors and podcasters, as well as meditation videos and instructions for how to make tasty cocktails.

OFTV is available for free on all major devices, including iOS, Amazon Fire and Roku. It was launched in January but only now has the company started to promote it.

'OFTV provides a super convenient way for fans to watch content from favorite creators,' Stokely told Bloomberg.

'There's no adult content on OFTV. Because it's not being monetized and there's no direct impact on creators' earnings, we are able to be in the app store.'

OnlyFans is planning to use OFTV as a marketing tool to attract a different audience. It doesn't plan to make any profit from it, at least to begin with, and the app won't include advertising.

#Secoriea #Turner #Justice

Two alleged gang members have been indicted on charges related to the death of an eight-year-old girl who was gunned down during Black Lives Matter riots in Atlanta last year.

Secoriea Turner was killed July 4, 2020, while riding in an SUV with her mother and her mother's friend near the Wendy's restaurant where Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black man, had been killed by a white police officer just weeks earlier.

A grand jury returned a 37-count indictment against Julian Conley, 19, and Jerrion McKinney, 23, on Friday.

Conley is charged with malice murder and felony murder in Secoriea's killing, and both men face aggravated assault, gun and gang-related charges.

'This case is the highest priority for my office,' Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said, calling it 'one of the saddest cases I've seen.'

'We are alleging that Mr. Conley fired into the car when it failed to stop and respect their barricade, and that led to the tragic killing of Secoriea Turner,' Willis said during a news conference.

Conley, 20, was arrested last year. An attorney for Conley who no longer represents him has previously said he was peacefully protesting and witnessed the shooting but did not open fire himself. No new attorney for Conley was listed in online court records.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation last week announced the arrest of 23-year-old McKinney. No attorney who could comment on the charges was listed for him in online court records.

Willis said the two men were members of the Bloods street gang.

Wendy's restaurant was set on fire the day after Brooks' killing, and people protesting police brutality camped out at the site during the weeks that followed.

Makeshift barricades had been set up in the area by members of the Bloods street gang who were protesting the killing of Brooks.

Willis said Brooks was also a member of the gang, but lawyers for his family said they had no knowledge of such an affiliation.

Authorities said armed men had been blocking roads and turning some drivers away. As the driver of the SUV Secoriea was riding in approached the barricade, armed people began walking toward the vehicle and signaling that the driver couldn't pass, according to officials.

'We are alleging that Mr. Conley fired into the car when it failed to stop and respect their barricade and that led to the tragic killing of Secoriea Turner,' Willis said.

Willis said Conley and McKinney are accused of guarding the barricade and encouraging the commission of various crimes as part of their participation in the Bloods, including aiming a firearm at at least two other people in a car the same day Secoriea was killed.

L. Chris Stewart and Justin Miller, attorneys for the family of Brooks, said they 'have no knowledge or information regarding any alleged gang affiliation of Rayshard Brooks'.

Willis said she has video evidence that shows other people besides Conley and McKinney were involved in Secoriea's killing, and she urged anyone with information to call her office.

The city stopped tolerating protesters occupying the Wendy's site after Secoriea's killing, and the charred shell of the restaurant was demolished on July 14, 2020.

Secoriea's parents, Charmaine Turner and Secoriey Williamson, said the indictment brings them closer to justice for their daughter.

'We are thankful that at least two of the men have been captured and pray and hope that more arrests are made,' Turner said at a news conference after the charges were announced.

#Shatavia #Adams #NYC #Crime #Gang #Violence

A Brooklyn woman has been hunted down and executed by members of a New York City gang who she testified against four years ago.

Shatavia Walls, 33, was shot dead in the Louis H. Pink Houses, a housing authority complex, in East New York, on July 7. She died of her injuries in the hospital on July 17.

Prosecutors say she was targeted by four members of the Ninedee Gang, which operates out of the housing complex.

Walls had testified about being shot earlier this year by members of the gang in a different incident which she survived.

According to federal prosecutors, that testimony put a target on her back; in the months that followed, the gang posted flyers of her in Brooklyn - including in the apartment building - labeling her a 'rat'.

Walls was walking on a path near the building on July 7 when she was ambushed.

A newly-unsealed indictment names Quintin Green aka Wild Child, 20, Chayanne Fernandez aka White Boy, 21, Maliek Miller aka Leak, 27, and Kevin Wint, aka Kev G, 27, as her killers.

Wint, aka Kev G, is an amateur rapper who posts about the gang on social media and in music videos.

According to prosecutors, Walls was first shot by a Ninedee member in 2017, and appeared as a federal witness in a subsequent 2019 court case into that shooting.

At the time of her testimony, she faced public humiliation in her building after gang members posted flyers that labeled her a 'rat' throughout the complex.

Matters came to a head on July 4 2020, when Walls clashed with the gang again for setting off fireworks at the housing complex.

It was after an altercation over fireworks on July 4 that Ninedee members Maliek Miller, 27, who called Walls a 'snitch' and fired a gun into the air, Quintin Green, 20, and Chayanne Fernandez, 21, began plotting her murder, prosecutors said.

Green and another unnamed suspect, who was a juvenile at the time, decided to carry out the plot later three days later, according to court documents.

The pair 'waited at the Pink Houses all afternoon and through the early evening for an opportunity to shoot Ms. Walls, changing their clothes throughout the day in order to disguise their appearance,' prosecutors wrote in a memo filed Monday, urging a federal judge to order two members of the gang detained pending trial.

When Walls emerged from a building in the complex at about 9:25pm, Green came up from behind, exchanged words with her, then began firing a gun at her, the feds said. Green missed and hit an innocent bystander, prosecutors said.

Walls then sprinted away from Green, who gave chase while continuing to fire at her — at one point leaping over a fence to get a clear shot, according to the court documents.

In the chase, Walls' fate was sealed when she unknowingly ran toward a second shooter — the unidentified juvenile suspect — who opened fire, prosecutors said.

Green then caught up and gunned down Walls behind one of the buildings on Linden Boulevard, according to prosecutors.

After the brutal murder, a number of Ninedee members hid out in Queens to avoid increased police scrutiny at the Pink Houses.

Fernandez, Green and Miller were each indicted on murder in-aid-of-racketeering charges in the slaying, and could face life in jail - or the death penalty.

A fourth suspect, Kevin Wint, 27, was charged with accessory after the fact for helping them hide out in Queens after the murder, according to court papers.

In the days after Walls’ death, her heartbroken mother told The Post that her daughter approached the gang members on July 4 after Borough President Eric Adams urged Brooklyn residents to talk to neighbors about fireworks, rather than call the police.

'She watched the news. Yes, she heard it,' Helen Testagros said at the time, referring to Adams’ advice. 'It was probably in the back of her mind.'

Attorney information for the suspects was not immediately available.

#Bush #Squad #CNN

CNN and 'Squad' member congresswoman Cori Bush highlighted the struggle of a single mom of three facing homelessness who turned out to be the children's babysitter.

Dasha Kelly, 32, of Las Vegas, was featured in a segment last week with CNN Reporter Nick Watt, who took a tour of Kelly's home.

It promoted a GoFundMe she set up to collect rent which has since raised more than $230,000 thanks to CNN's report, and repeatedly referred to her as the mother of Sharron, 8, Kia, 6, and Imani, 5. But it turns out Kelly was just their babysitter.

Kelly appeared on the network - and was subsequently hailed by Missouri US Representative Bush - after claiming she faced homelessness when the federal eviction moratorium designed to stop people being left homeless by COVID ends.

But before making the clarification, CNN even brought Kelly back with the children for a follow-up interview with Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush amid the Biden administrations announcement that the eviction moratorium would extend until October 3.

'This is the least that we can do for you is to step up and make sure that you get to stay in the safety and comfort of your home, while we work on other things, to help make sure that your life and the lives of your children are better,' Bush said.

The lawmaker shared the segment in a tweet on Aug. 5, in which she wrote, 'When I say your Congresswoman loves you, this is what I mean. Kelly, I may not be your representative, but I love you and I will not stop working to make sure you and every person in our country has what they need to thrive.'

But today, CNN released the following correction to the story: 'After CNN aired a story about her potential eviction, Dasha Kelly clarified to CNN that she is not the mother of the three children featured in the story. CNN has verified she takes care of the children in her home for periods of time.'

The updates continues: 'She says she originally described herself to CNN as a mother because she considers herself to be like one to them. CNN has learned the children are also cared for by their mother, Shadia Hilo, and their father, David Allison, who is Kelly's boyfriend. GoFundMe tells CNN they are in close contact with Kelly and funds will stay on hold until they verify her information. GoFundMe says no funds have been withdrawn.'

CNN also released a follow-up segment with the update, in which Watt described the situation from his vantage point. He said, 'We interviewed Kelly at her home, the girls all called her mom, appeared to be very much at home and there was nothing we could see to raise any suspicion.'

He adds, 'But later last week a woman named Shadia Hilo came forward and said she was the mother of those three girls and they lived with her.'

Watt said that Hilo even showed CNN the birth certificates to prove it. He said that the rest of Kelly's story checks out and 'she clearly does look after those girls part of the time. But in that GoFundMe post, she described those girls as her daughters and that's just not true.'

Kelly's GoFundMe page, which has raised $230,000 since CNN's coverage, reads, 'My name is Kelly and I have 3 daughters living in Nevada. We were maintaining just fine before this pandemic hit. Now we are suffering.'

After CNN's clarification, Kelly posted an update to the page that reads, 'I've been contacted with some concerns around my relationship to the girls mentioned on my fundraiser, and I'd like to clarify a couple things. The girls recognize me as a mother figure in their lives, but I am not their biological mother.'

She confirmed that her boyfriend is the girls' father, but she doesn't live with him and only babysits the girls on occasion. 'I've loved these girls unconditionally, and have been out of the kindness of my heart,' she added. 'I treat them as my daughters, and care for them in this way. This detail doesn't change my original need for donations to avoid eviction, and I will be using the funds to get back on my feet and support my family.'

On Wednesday, an Indonesian man with COVID-19 disguised himself as his wife to board a commercial flight and escape the authorities. Identified only as “DW," the man wore a ‘niqab’ or a black veil as he covered his face and produced his wife’s identification card. The accused attempted to board the Citilink flight from Jakarta to Ternate, with the fake negative PCR test result, the authorities in Indonesia said, according to multiple reports. However, he was busted. After a flight attendant on board the Citilink plane, the man was caught by the police found the man suspiciously changing his clothes in the lavatory of the plane bound for Jakarta to Ternate in North Maluku province.

Ternate police chief Aditya Laksimada reportedly stated that the said man had bought the plane ticket under his wife’s name and had attempted to make a journey on her behalf as he was infected with the novel coronavirus. The police chief added that the man carried the identity card, the PCR test result, and the vaccination card all under his wife’s name. He was immediately detained upon landing. All the documents retrieved by the law enforcement authorities were under his wife’s name. He had attempted to misguide the airport authorities as he travelled with the black veil.

The cops launched a probe into the matter, and the cross-dressed man was now self-isolating at home. He was taken into an ambulance after he returned a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. An officer who tested him mid-flight secured him with the personal protective gear (PPE) to avoid the transmission onboard the plane. The man was unvaccinated and he was forced to evacuate, Ternate COVID-19 Task Force operational head Muhammad Arif Gani told reporters. The police say that ‘DW’ will face prosecution once his mandatory isolation period terminates.

Indonesia has become the world’s COVID hotspot as it is now one of the worst-hit with 74,920 fatalities and a mounting case count nearing 3 million. There has been an acute oxygen shortage in several parts of the country witnessing the highly contagious delta variant surge, particularly Java, as the onslaught of cases has pushed the healthcare system to the brink of collapse. The devastating new wave of coronavirus has pushed the government to tighten the health safety measures and impose restrictions such as a ban on large gatherings and air travel.

#Stokes #Jones #LawandOrder #NYC

An actor who starred in the TV series Law & Order and Power has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting a man 10 times in a daylight execution in New York City following an argument over a woman.

Isaiah Stokes, 41, was arrested and charged Friday over the February 7 slaying of Tyrone Jones, 37, in Forest Hills, Queens.

Police said Jones was shot multiple times in the face and head while he sat in a white rented Jeep near the corner of Linden Blvd and 200th St in St. Albans.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, while law enforcement sources said footage of his execution quickly started circulating on social media.

His death comes amid a surge in gun violence in the Big Apple in recent months, with shootings up 29 percent so far in 2021 and fears mounting that the city is headed back to the dark days of the '70s and '80s when it earned the nickname 'Fear City'.

A police source told New York Daily News that Stokes and Jones had gotten into a fight four months before the shooting at Jones' birthday party in a nightclub in Long Island City in October.

The fight broke out when Stokes allegedly hit on Jones' girlfriend, the source said.

Four months later, police said Jones was waiting to meet a woman in the rented Jeep around a mile from his home when he was ambushed by a gunman.

Jones was shot almost a dozen times and police recovered 10 shell casings from a 9mm weapon at the scene.

Prosecutors said surveillance footage shows Stokes walk past the driver's side window of the Jeep before doubling back, gunning down his victim and fleeing the scene.

The suspect was then captured on separate footage getting into a rented Audi, they said.

The net closed in on Stokes when police then tracked that vehicle to a parking spot near his home, they said.

Stokes was taken into custody Friday morning at his apartment in Forest Hills before being arraigned later that day on three charges of second degree murder and weapons possession.

He is scheduled to next appear in court Monday.

If convicted of murder, he faces up to life in prison.

Police said Stokes has several prior arrests for drugs and has ties to gangs.

Stokes, from Queens, has starred in several TV shows, according to his IMDB page.

He played Mozzy in the TV series Power in 2019 and had parts in Boardwalk Empire in 2011 and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2009.

He also records music under the name I$AIAH, according to IMBD.

The shooting comes amid an escalating crime wave in New York City, with gun violence surging and attacks on the city's subway systems and in the streets becoming increasingly common.

NYPD data shows that shootings have spiked 28.9 percent in 2021 compared to last year as of July 11, with 803 incidents compared to 623 in 2020.

Shooting victims are also up a staggering 22.2 percent year over year, with 931 people falling victim to gun crime compared to 623 by this time last year.

The number of murders has also risen from 215 to 225 in the same timeframe - a 4.7 percent rise.

has surged 7.3 percent and other sex crimes 25.9 percent.

The biggest leap in crime rates is for hate crimes, which has surged by 118.2 percent in the last year.

This data comes amid numerous random attacks on Asian Americans in the city, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With violent incidents surging, fears are mounting that the city is headed back to the dark days of the 70s and 80s when crime was rife.

Back then, NYC earned the nickname as 'Fear City' due to its prevalence of crime an disorder.

In the 1970s, the city faced $10 billion in debt and funds were cut to the police and other services.

The dark days continued into the 1980s when the crack epidemic ravaged the city.

All types of crime were up and, at its peak, someone was murdered every 63 hours in the worst-hit parts including East New York and Cypress Hill.

Eric Adams, the ex-cop who is the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, warned on Wednesday that 'no one is going to come back' if violence, and in particular gun violence in the Big Apple continues.

The Brooklyn borough president appeared at an event with Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday as the two political leaders presented a united front in addressing the worrying rising crime.

'No one is going to come back to our multibillion-dollar tourism industry if 3-year-olds are being shot in Times Square,' Adams said.

Adams, 60, won the Democratic primary for this year's mayoral race and will become the mayor of New York if he defeats Republican Curtis Sliwa in the general election.

He ripped New York judges and bail reform laws for not doing their part to combat the rising crime rates.

He also said judges are not using tools they do have at their disposal like Kendra's Law which lets courts order mental health treatment in some cases.

#Dre #Divorce #MGTOW

More like nuthin’ but a 300G thang…

Andre Romelle Young, better known as Dr. Dre and a co-founding member of N.W.A., has been ordered to temporarily pay his estranged wife Nicole Young almost $3.5 million a year in spousal support, which breaks down to almost $300,000 a month, according to reports from Page Six, The Blast and Radar Online. Representatives for Dre were not immediately available for comment.

Nicole Young filed to end the pair’s 24-year marriage in June 2020. They have two adult children together, ages 19 and 23. The contentious divorce proceedings have included Young accusing her hip-hop mogul husband of domestic abuse, which he has denied. Young also claims that she was forced to sign a prenuptial agreement before their 1996 wedding. Whether this prenup is enforceable is a main point of contention, Billboard notes, as Young’s legal team claims that Dre “tore up” the agreements in her presence, and that Young never received a copy of the original prenup.

New legal documents from a court hearing this week obtained by The Blast note that the “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” rapper and Beats Electronics co-founder had been ordered to pay $293,306 per month to his ex, which is due on the first of every month, on a temporary basis until the pair can negotiate the terms of their final divorce settlement.

It reads: “[Dre] is ordered to pay to the [Nicole] spousal support in the sum of $293,306.00 per month, payable on the first of each month, commencing August 1, 2021.”

What’s more, these payments are ordered to continue until Nicole Young “remarries or enters into a new domestic partnership,” or the death of either party. Dre is also covering her health insurance, which will be comparable to the coverage she had during their marriage. The judge also ordered Dre to “continue paying the expenses for the Malibu, and Pacific Palisades homes.”

The Moneyist: I’m worth $3 million, and separating from my much wealthier partner of 33 years. What kind of financial settlement can I expect?

The Youngs are part of a recent wave of high-profile, wealthy couples coming to a close.

#Hillsong #Tweet #Vax #Jab

A member of the Hillsong megachurch who tweeted 'got 99 problems but a vax ain't one' has died in California after a month-long battle with COVID-19.

Stephen Harmon, 34, died on Wednesday at the Corona Regional Medical Center outside Los Angeles where he was being treated for COVID and pneumonia.

Harmon, who was a Hillsong College graduate, had made several jokes on social media in recent weeks about not having the COVID-19 vaccine, including when he was in the hospital being treated for the virus.

'Ben has just passed on to us the devastating news that our beloved friend, Stephen Harmon has passed away from Covid. Heartbreaking,' Houston said.

Ben is Houston's son and a pastor in the church.

The church doesn't appear to have taken a stance one way or the other on the vaccine: One video posting on the church's YouTube channel shows parishioners talking about the pros and cons of the vaccine. The church in Australia has been vocally against locking down religious activities.

Prior to his death, Harmon had joked about the COVID-19 to his 7,000 social media followers.

'If you're having email problems, I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a vax ain't one,' he posted on June 3.

On July 8, Harmon wrote: 'Biden's door to door vaccine 'surveyors' really should be called JaCovid Witnesses. #keepmovingdork.'

He also posted memes about how people trusted Dr Anthony Fauci, the US's top infectious disease doctor, over the Bible.

'When you can't trust the Bible cause it was written by man, but you trust the CDC/Fauci guidelines cause they were written by man. Makes total sense,' he posted on May 25.

Harmon had previously claimed on social media that he wasn't an anti-vaxxer but rather 'pro information'.

It is not clear when Harmon was diagnosed with COVID-19.

He revealed on June 30 that he had been hospitalized with the virus and pneumonia and posted several photos of himself on a breathing machine.

In the days prior to his death, Harmon had been posting about how he was 'on max oxygen', 'struggling to function' and questioning whether he should go on a ventilator.

'Please pray y'all, they really want to intubate me and put me on a ventilator. even the slightest movements and my heart rate skyrockets and oxygen dependency increases. and please, I'm not asking for anyone's opinion on intubation, I'll make my own choice, I'm asking for prayer,' he said.

He followed up with: 'If you don't have faith that God can heal me over your stupid ventilator then keep the out of my ICU room, there's no room in here for fear or lack of faith!' #ThingsIAmAboutToScream.'

His tragic final tweet, which was posted on Wednesday, revealed that he had decided to be intubated.

'I'm choosing to going under intubation, I've fought this thing as hard as I can but unfortunately it's reached a point of critical choice & as much as I hate having to do this I'd rather it be willingness than forced emergency procedure. Don't know when I'll wake up, please pray.'

#Oakland #Asian #Crime #Discrimination

Video captured the moment an Asian man was pistol-whipped and robbed in broad daylight by two brazen criminals in Oakland.

The attack unfolded on Thursday in the city's Chinatown neighborhood. Surveillance video showed the thieves knocking the elderly man to the ground before turning their attention to a good Samaritan who sought to intervene - striking him with the pistol as well.

The man, has not been publicly named, was standing on a street corner when he was approached by the thieves, one of whom was armed with a gun.

They then shoved the victim to the ground while trying to take his watch, as the man's walking cane can be seen falling right next to him.

The bystander, who has also not been named publicly, was passing on his bicycle when he jumped in to help, only to be pistol-whipped himself before falling to the ground as the other robber continues to struggle for the downed Asian man's belongings.

The extent of their injuries was not immediately made available.

On Friday another attack occurred in the same location when an elderly Asian woman was beaten and robbed.

The victim in the second attack, Aiwon Woo, told KPIX in Cantonese that the robbers struck her and her daughter in the head until they both fell to the ground, where the robbers took then proceeded to steal Woo's purse.

Crime throughout the adjacent cities of San Francisco and Oakland has remained an ongoing issue over the years, with San Francisco seeing gun crimes increase in 2021, more than double from last year.

'We are trying to get a handle on this issue,' San Francisco Police Chief William 'Bill' Scott said of the city’s gun violence according to KRON 4.

'We are addressing this with ATF and federal partners, hoping to continue confiscating these guns so they won’t be in the hands of people driving gun violence,' he added.

Meanwhile, authorities have seen a 'troubling' increase in burglaries compared to last year, however post-lockdown numbers have since slightly declined. Auto thefts and aggravated assaults have also seen small increases as of this month.

The only crimes that haven't increased thus far this year are rapes, larcenies and robberies.

The increase in crime comes as San Francisco and the nation at large continue to see a surge in hate crimes toward Asians and Asian-Americans following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

According to recent reports by California’s attorney general released earlier this month, hate crimes against Asians in California more than doubled last year, just as the pandemic began to reach critical levels worldwide.

With only 43 anti-Asian hate crimes reported in 2019, the number of anti-Asian hate crimes spiked 107 percent in 2020, with 89 such reports filed with police.

The report also reveals that the most common kind of anti-Asian hate crime reported to authorities was violent crime, with 72 reports in 2020 compared to just 32 the year before.

In March, an elderly Asian-American woman was applauded for fighting back against her attackers in a hate crime in nearby San Francisco, receiving $1million in donations from a GoFundMe and donating all of the funds to the city to help combat racism, according to a Mail Online report.

The 76-year-old grandmother received two black eyes during that attack.

That same month, a 75-year-old Asian man died after being assaulted and robbed in Oakland.

And last month, a 94-year-old Asian woman was stabbed multiple times in an unprovoked attack in San Francisco, the Mail Online reported in June.

The unsettling trend is part of an overall 31 percent increase in hate-based crime throughout the state, the state's attorney general reports.

#Texas #Democrats #Fugitives #Covid

Three Texas Democrats have tested positive for COVID-19 five days after they packed onto private jets without wearing face masks and snapped selfies intended to taunt their Republican rivals.

Meanwhile, a Texas state representative alleged that the three lawmakers were lying and 'playing games' just to stay in DC - and away from a vote on an election reform bill - in Texas.

On Monday, 60 left-wing lawmakers fled Texas in order to block a 'restrictive' voting reform bill proposed by conservatives. They chartered two flights to Washington, DC that purportedly cost a whopping $100,000.

The group has since been staying at a plush hotel in the nation's capital and schmoozing with many high-powered politicians. They even met with Vice President Kamala Harris during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday.

Several of the Texas Democrats have publicly endorsed wearing face masks, but it seems they are not so enthused about using the coverings in private. The Austin American Statesman claims that the group has only used masks 'sparingly' at meetings in DC.

Officials have not released the names of the three Democrats who have contracted the coronavirus, but they are now in self-isolation and will stay there for at least 10 days.

The outbreak was discovered on Friday, when one of the lawmakers tested positive after taking a rapid COVID test.

Others from the group were subsequently tested on Saturday morning, and two more were found to be positive. One of them is said to be experiencing 'mild' symptoms.

All three of the infected officials are fully vaccinated.

Texas State. Rep. Briscoe Cain told Fox News he thought the news of the COVID positive tests was an 'excuse to avoid coming back' and face a vote on the elections overhaul bill.

'I say prove it,' Cain said of the positive results. 'They want a reason to do a 14-day quarantine; they don’t want to come back and do their jobs. If they really have it, prove it.'

According to the Austin American Statesman, 'there was a notable increase in the use of face coverings among lawmakers and Democratic staffers at their hotel on Saturday morning'.

In statement on Saturday, Rep. Chris Turner, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said: 'The House Democratic Caucus is following all CDC guidance and protocols.

'This is a sober reminder that COVID is still with us, and though vaccinations offer tremendous protection, we still must take necessary precautions. We are in touch with public health experts in Texas to provide additional guidance. Our caucus will follow all recommendations from public health experts as we continue our work.'

The Texas Democrats fled the Lone Star State in order to break a quorum and block the Republican-controlled Texas State House from passing new voting rights legislation.

Republicans are seeking to pass two new 'election integrity' bills, whereby voting would be allowed on election days from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and mail voters would also be asked to verify their identities with a state ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

But Democrats have called the bills 'restrictive' and say they are designed to turn citizens off voting and restrict access to the polls in minority communities.

The group fled from Texas before the bills could be voted on, and they plan to wait out the full 30-day legislative session in Washington D.C.

The group are staying at the Washington Plaza Hotel, where rooms start at $199 a night.

Their decision to flee infuriated their Republican rivals, who have voted to arrest them when they return to the state.

#Vegas #Violence #Haskins #Wife

Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Dwayne Haskins lost a tooth and suffered 'substantial' injuries on July 3 in Las Vegas when he was allegedly attacked by his wife, who now faces a domestic battery charge in Nevada.

Kalabrya Gondrezick-Haskins was arrested and charged with battery and domestic violence resulting in bodily harm as a result of the alleged altercation at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Police described Haskins's injuries as 'substantial in nature,' and specified that he had bruising around his mouth, a split lip and was missing a tooth, part of which was discovered on the hotel room floor. According to police, Haskins 'would most certainly require dental work to repair his teeth.'

'I want her out of my room,' Haskins told a security officer at the hotel, according to multiple reports.

The couple told police they were married in March and were in Las Vegas to celebrate their commitment to each other with friends, according to KTNV.com.

However, they appear to have made up since the alleged July 3 altercation. On Monday, Haskins posted a picture on Instagram showing the couple kissing as she held up a diamond ring on her hand.

'Couldn't make you wait forever, for forever,' read Haskins's caption, quoting a song by Wale.

On Thursday, Haskins may have referenced reports of his wife's arrest on social media by quoting Drake's '9': 'If they don't have a story these days, they'll make one. Life always on, man, I never get a break from it.'

As Haskins told police, Gondrezick-Haskins was upset that he went to a nightclub with his friends without waiting for her and the rest of their group. Haskins said he did not remember being hit in the mouth, but did say they got into a verbal argument, according to KTNV.com.

Gondrezick-Haskins told police that she tried to break up a fight between him and one of his friends earlier in the evening, resulting in her falling and hitting the back of her head. She said she was suffering from head and neck pain, in addition to bruises on her legs, but told police she 'could not remember who, if anyone had battered her.'

According to the police report, Gondrezick-Haskins told police she was unsure how Haskins's face was injured, suggesting that one of his friends did it. When told by police that she was being accused of causing Haskins's facial injuries, she asked if it was the former Ohio State star who was accusing her.

The report says she told police Haskins could not be arrested 'because of his occupation.'

Friends of Gondrezick-Haskins told police they heard an argument between the couple and saw them 'tussling' and shoving each other.

Gondrezick-Haskins is scheduled to be back in court on August 3.

A former first-round pick by Washington, Haskins struggled over his first two years in the league and was cut last season. In addition to losing his starting job last season, Haskins was also fined $40,000 for violating the NFL's COVID-19 protocols after he was seen in public partying without a mask.

He has since signed a one-year, $850,000 deal to be a backup in Pittsburgh.

Haskins has earned over $14 million in his brief career.

DeSantis said every option should be explored, including using offshore and satellite technology to supply internet service, even using hot air balloons as to provide connectivity.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki acknowledged on Thursday that the lack of internet 'is a huge issue in Cuba and one that is very challenging for the people of Cuba so they can gain access to accurate information they can correspond with family members and others.'

'We are certainly looking at that to see what can be done to address, but in terms of that specific proposal I don't have an assessment of that,' she added.

Additionally, Psaki finally condemned communism as a 'failed ideology.'

'Communism is a failed ideology, and we certainly believe that it has failed the people of Cuba,' she said at her press briefing. 'They deserve freedom.'

Psaki originally refused to condemn the communist regime amid the state crackdown on demonstrations and instead blamed 'government mismanagement'.

Psaki also defended critics who say Biden hasn't done enough on the issue, saying 'he is certainly advocating for and speaking out as we put out a statement, multiple statements.'

'He has made clear that he stands with the Cuban people and their call for freedom from both the pandemic and from decades of repression and economic suffering to which they've been subjected by Cuba's authoritarian regime,' she added.

Florida Democrats want Biden to come to Miami to give a pro-democracy and human rights speech that would address the situation in Cuba but could also tie in Haiti.

#WiSpa #Trans #Man #LosAngeles #Antifa

Tense protests erupted Saturday outside a California spa where a woman allegedly exposed herself to children, teens and adults in the women’s area.

It happened in Downtown Los Angeles outside Wi Spa on Wilshire Boulevard.

Groups showed up in support of the woman who complained about the incident – but videos from FOX Los Angeles and others shared to social media showed that people from both sides of the rights movement clashed at the scene.

Images show people wearing masks and flak vests, some of them carrying weapons and others waving signs or flags.

Another video shows a mob of people clad in dark clothes and masks, some wearing vests bearing the word "PRESS," mocking and chasing a man down the street. He can be seen wearing a T-shirt that reads "Obey Jesus." He is punched from behind at least once, and subsequent photos show him with blood running down his face and chest.

The camera pans around and shows the dark-clad group engaging in physical contact with at least two other men on the sidewalk.

A dumpster had been dragged into the middle of the street, with its contents burning. When officers arrived, wearing helmets and carrying batons, the smoke could be seen billowing behind them as they tried to restore order.

Some of the street brawling occurred in the middle of traffic as drivers blared their horns and tried to avoid the chaos.

The LAPD confirmed officers were on the scene and had taken control of the situation a short while later.

Additional videos show rows of squad cars and police SUVs parked up and down the street, as well as helmeted officers declaring the protest an unlawful assembly and attempting to restore order after the opposing groups battled in the street with weapons including bats and bottles. One woman claimed to have been stabbed.

Bystanders tried to break up some of the fighting, videos show, but violence erupted on repeated occasions.

LAPD Officer Mike Lopez, a department spokesman, told Fox News Saturday that no arrests had been made but at least five crimes had been reported against five separate victims.

"Three of them were victims of assault and battery, and the other two were assault with deadly weapon," he said.

Police were looking for numerous suspects.

The dueling demonstrations came in response to complaints about the spa’s policy after a customer accused a woman of exposing her genitals "right in front of young girls, teens and grown women" in a profanity-laced video of her complaint to a spa worker posted to Instagram.

It’s difficult to make out the clerk’s response behind a Plexiglas shield and coronavirus face mask but appears to mention the customer is protected by California law.

Another customer can be heard demanding a refund and telling a different clerk she won’t be returning to the store.

Other customers attempted to intervene in the argument, and one bystander approached the woman taking the video.

"Are you talking about a person?" he asks.

"There is no such thing as," she replies. "He has a d---."

"You’re being a d---," the man replies.

In a statement, Wi Spa noted California's anti-discrimination law protects individuals but said it had zero tolerance for "lewd conduct" by customers.

"As a spa located in Los Angeles, Wi Spa complies with California law prohibiting discrimination by a business, including the Civil Code provision set forth above," the statement reads. "Like many other metropolitan areas, Los Angeles contains a population, some of whom enjoy visiting a spa. Wi Spa strives to meet the needs and safety of all of its customers, and does not tolerate harassment or lewd conduct by any customer, regardless of their sex, gender, or other characteristic."

#LAPD #Defund #Bomb #Fireworks

Shocking footage, captured in multiple videos, showed the moment an LAPD Bomb Squad truck was blasted apart as a controlled removal went awry.

The explosion rocked South Los Angeles on Wednesday evening and left several people injured, including at least nine officers, as police were trying to safely store fireworks taken from a home, according to ABC 7.

Trump appears to acknowledge tax schemes while questioning…
Protest turns violent in Los Angeles over trans woman disrobing at spa

Shocking footage, captured in multiple videos, showed the moment an LAPD Bomb Squad truck was blasted apart as a controlled removal went awry.

a person that is on fire: The video footage shows the shocking moment the LAPD bomb disposal truck explodes.© @alyssaacasillas via Storyful The video footage shows the shocking moment the LAPD bomb disposal truck explodes.
The explosion rocked South Los Angeles on Wednesday evening and left several people injured, including at least nine officers, as police were trying to safely store fireworks taken from a home, according to ABC 7.

CaptionFull screen
Illegal Fireworks Seizure Goes Wrong As LAPD Bomb Squad Truck Blows Up
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Nearby homes and cars were damaged in the massive blast and all the people caught up in it were transported to a nearby hospital where they were treated for minor injuries, the station reported.

Police said 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks were seized from a home in the area of 27th Street and San Pedro.

As police attempted to safely store them the Bomb Squad trailer, which was positioned in the middle of the street, was torn apart in the sudden explosion.

There was a flash of light, before a large amount of smoke was released and rose into the air over the neighborhood.

The aftermath showed the trailer had been completely wrecked, having been ripped apart from the inside during the blast.

Another clip showed a nearby car had been thrown onto its side, as trees and other vehicles shuddered during the explosion.

Debris could also be seen flying across the street before a huge bang echoed out around the area.

Hundreds of thousands of people had watched the videos across a number of accounts as of Thursday morning.

Police and firefighters were later seen examining the trailer in order to establish what had happened.

In a statement issued late on Wednesday, the LAPD said it didn't know what had caused the explosion and that police are now carrying out an investigation.

#Oakland #Twerk #Ambulance

Partiers celebrating Juneteenth in Northern California were seen blocking an ambulance, with a woman twerking atop the vehicle, despite responders trying to navigate through the scene to transport victims of a shooting in which one person was killed and several others were injured.

The Oakland Police Department believes Saturday's shooting at Lake Merritt was gang-related and multiple shooters are being sought, the department said Monday. An estimated 5,000 people were gathered near where the incident occurred in the 2200 block of Lakeshore Avenue just after 6:20 p.m., police said.

A 22-year-old San Francisco man was killed and seven people were injured, police said. The victims range in age from 16 to their mid-60s and are in stable condition, Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong told reporters Monday.

Most of those involved are not from Oakland, he said.

As first responders were trying to make their way through the scene following the shooting, several people began dancing and twerking against and on top of their ambulance, while a large crowd watched and cheered, according to footage of the incident posted online. At one point, someone climbed on top of the vehicle and a woman danced while standing on the hood.

"The fact that we had several people shot and injured, we had people who continued to dance on and around ambulances, preventing the ambulances from leaving the area to get people to hospitals so that they can be treated," Armstrong said.

He noted that some people helped the responders make their way through the crowd.

"We also had some people that stood up, that actually helped out and helped open up traffic," he said. "We thank them for their efforts."

In a statement, Mayor Libby Schaaf condemned the latest act of gun violence.

"It’s heartbreaking a joyous occasion at Lake Merritt was marred by violence," she said.

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Fox News has reached out to the ambulance company and the police department but has not heard back.

Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a gang feud in San Francisco. Two men spotted running from the scene were arrested and two firearms were recovered. Investigators said it was unclear if they are connected to the shooting.

"There were a large number of firearms at the lake on that day," Armstrong said. "People continue to come to the city of Oakland armed with firearms."

#Biden #Trump #Tubman #Kobe #Whitney #Ginsberg

Joe Biden has ditched Donald Trump's plan to build a 'Garden of American Heroes' featuring statues of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Whitney Houston and Kobe Bryant.

The President of the United States revoked his predecessor's July 2020 executive order via an email sent Friday while also axing a Trump order on punishing statue vandals.

No explanation for the cancellation was given.

Trump unveiled his proposed heroes on January 18, just two days before he left office. They included the late Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg, who died of cancer in September 2020 aged 87.

Also on the list was Houston, hailed as one of the United States' greatest ever pop stars, who tragically drowned while high on drugs in February 2012. LA Lakers basketball icon Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles in January 2020 aged 41.

Other statues planned by Trump included late Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, underground railroad heroine Harriet Tubman, cookery book writer Julia Child and evangelist Billy Graham.

He had envisioned that the garden would be 'a site of natural beauty that enables visitors to enjoy nature, walk among the statues, and be inspired to learn about great figures of America’s history.'

No site was ever selected, and the planned garden did not receive any congressional funding. Biden's decision to cancel the plan marks a highly symbolic distancing of his administration from the Trump-era White House.

Meanwhile, Biden revoked Trump’s decree in June 2020 calling for the federal government to 'prosecute to the fullest extent permitted under Federal law' acts of vandalism and destruction to statues on federal property.

That order came in response to the defacement of statues — particularly those honoring the Confederacy — during nationwide protests over racial injustice following the killing of George Floyd while in police custody. These demonstrations later spread around the world.

Mr Biden’s decree also revoked Trump’s May 2020 order calling for the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate social media companies for labeling or removing posts or entire accounts in what the then president claimed was a restriction on free speech.

That order came before Trump himself was removed from platforms like Twitter and Facebook after the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

A proclamation from Trump that required immigrants to prove they would be covered by certain health insurance plans within 30 days of entering the US or prove they could cover medical costs was also vetoed by Biden.

'My administration is committed to expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare,' Biden said in revoking that proclamation.

'We can achieve that objective, however, without barring the entry of non-citizens who seek to immigrate lawfully to this country but who lack significant financial means or have not purchased health insurance coverage from a restrictive list of qualifying plans.'

#PennState #Woke #University

Penn State is finally known for something else besides Jerry Sandusky, is it 'wokeness' in the truest sense of the definition, maybe, maybe not, but I figured it would be a funny story for me to head out on vacation on! Have a great two weeks everyone, I'll be back at the beginning of June, unless of course a Pedobear attacks me on one of my hikes!

Pennsylvania State University has been mocked after axing the words 'freshman,' 'junior' and 'senior' - as well as the phrase 'him or her' over fears they're sexist.

Last month, the University's Senate Committee on Curricular Affairs passed the 'Removal of Gendered & Binary Terms from Course and Program Descriptions' resolution with a majority vote. They said the axed terms were examples of 'male-centric' terminology that needed to be updated with more inclusive words.

Among the concerns raised by the committee were that 'freshmen' were too male-specific, with 'junior' and 'senior' axed for being 'parallel to western male father-son naming conventions.'

The phrase 'upperclassmen' was condemned for being 'both sexist and classist,' while the new rules also lashed Penn's existing documentation for many appearances by he/she pronouns.'

The bill was one of several equity and diversity resolutions to pass at the Senate's April 27 meeting, Penn State News reported.

The changes for gendered terms would apply to all written materials, including both internal and outward-facing documents, Fox News reported.

The senate also recommended replacing freshman/sophomore/junior/senior with 'first-year',' second-year' etc.

Its members suggested replacing gendered pronouns with neutral terms like 'student,' 'faculty member' or staff member.'

Other recommendations included replacing 'underclassmen' and 'upperclassmen' with 'lower division' and 'upper division.'

The senate also called for the term 'super seniors' to be axed. That refers to students who have taken longer than the usual four years to complete their studies, over fears the moniker could make some of them self-conscious.

But the resolution also conceded that old terms - including male and female pronouns - may be required in courses such as gender studies classes.

'The committee recognizes that there may be places where these terms, especially gender terms, may need to remain intact, for example in the case of courses or degrees that delve into gender studies,' the resolution said. 'In such cases, efforts shall be made to clearly delineate between the 'academic' study of these gendered terms, and the newly established nomenclature as it would apply to faculty, staff, students, and guests.'

The announcement drew mixed criticism from people online, with some calling the move the schools attempt to be 'woke.'

On Facebook one parent complained about the resolution, commenting: 'Are you really getting rid of terminology such as freshman and sophomore? because I have a child at the main campus and I am at my wits end with this stupidity.'

Another Facebook commenter was even harsher, commenting: 'Your woke agenda is both sad and really pathetic and you represent what's wrong with this generation. Please pack up and leave asap because your agenda proves how worthless these students are who get triggered over real terms like male, senior and junior.'

Reactions on Twitter were not any better, with one person tweeting 'College campuses are quickly becoming complete jokes. Glad I went to college before academics went completely crazy.'

'I guess Penn State grads don't have and Alma Mater any more. I mean, 'nourishing mother' so CIS and ungender neutral. Maybe it should be Alma They?' someone tweeted in reaction to the resolution.

'Great to see we are focusing on important issues like this in the U.S,' one person sarcastically tweeted.

Another person shared a 'Family Guy' meme of Peter Griffin that reads 'Oh my god! who the cares!?'

One person simply tweeted 'Its official, these idiots are fully certifiable.'

While reaction to the resolution has been mixed online, students at Penn State do not seem to mind.

88.75 percent of students at the university approved the change, campusreform.org reported.