thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-07--Saudi Court Issues Final Verdicts In Jamal Khashoggi Murder, Sentencing 8 To Prison

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates ( AP ) — A Saudi court issued final verdicts on Monday in the case of slain Washington Post columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi after his son , who still resides in the kingdom , announced pardons that spared five of the convicted individuals from execution .
While the trial draws to its conclusion in Saudi Arabia , the case continues to cast a shadow over the reputation and international standing of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , whose associates have been sanctioned by the U.S. and the U.K. for their alleged involvement in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul .
The Riyadh Criminal Court ’ s final verdicts were announced by Saudi Arabia ’ s state television , which aired few details about the eight Saudi nationals and did not name them .
The court ordered a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the five .
Another individual received a 10-year sentence , and two others were ordered to serve seven years in prison .
A team of 15 Saudi agents had flown to Turkey to meet Khashoggi inside the consulate for his appointment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up documents that would allow him to marry his Turkish fiance , who waited outside .
The team included a forensic doctor , intelligence and security officers , and individuals who worked directly for the crown prince ’ s office , according to Agnes Callamard , who investigated the killing for the United Nations .
Turkish officials allege Khashoggi was killed and then dismembered with a bone saw inside the consulate .
His body has not been found .
Turkey apparently had the Saudi Consulate bugged and shared audio of the killing with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence agencies , as well as the U.S. Congress , have said the crown prince bears ultimate responsibility for the killing and that an operation of this magnitude could not have happened without his knowledge .
The C.I.A .
concluded in November 2018 that the crown prince had ordered the killing of Khashoggi .
In an extraordinary statement of defiance against the U.S. intelligence agency , President Donald Trump said days later that the world may “ never know ” whether the crown prince was involved in Khashoggi ’ s death .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 people in total in December , sentencing five to death and ordering three others to lengthy prison terms for covering up the crime .
The Saudi trial , however , had concluded that the killing was not premeditated .
That paved the way for Salah Khashoggi , one of the slain writer ’ s sons , to months later announce that the family had forgiven his Saudi killers , which essentially allows them to be pardoned from execution in accordance with Islamic law .
The trial has been widely criticized by rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no senior officials nor anyone suspected of ordering the killing has been found guilty .
The independence of the Riyadh Criminal Court has also been questioned .
Prior to his killing , Khashoggi had written critically of Prince Mohammed in columns for the Washington Post at a time when the young heir to the throne was being widely hailed by Washington for pushing through social reforms .
Khashoggi had been living in exile in the United States for about a year , leaving Saudi Arabia just as Prince Mohammed was beginning to unleash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , writers and critics of the kingdom ’ s devastating war in Yemen .

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Saudi court issued final verdicts on Monday in the case of slain Washington Post columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi after his son, who still resides in the kingdom, announced pardons that spared five of the convicted individuals from execution.
While the trial draws to its conclusion in Saudi Arabia, the case continues to cast a shadow over the reputation and international standing of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose associates have been sanctioned by the U.S. and the U.K. for their alleged involvement in the brutal killing, which took place inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
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The Riyadh Criminal Court’s final verdicts were announced by Saudi Arabia’s state television, which aired few details about the eight Saudi nationals and did not name them. The court ordered a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the five. Another individual received a 10-year sentence, and two others were ordered to serve seven years in prison.
A team of 15 Saudi agents had flown to Turkey to meet Khashoggi inside the consulate for his appointment on Oct. 2, 2018 to pick up documents that would allow him to marry his Turkish fiance, who waited outside. The team included a forensic doctor, intelligence and security officers, and individuals who worked directly for the crown prince’s office, according to Agnes Callamard, who investigated the killing for the United Nations.
FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2014 file photo, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi speaks during a press conference in Manama, Bahrain. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Turkish officials allege Khashoggi was killed and then dismembered with a bone saw inside the consulate. His body has not been found. Turkey apparently had the Saudi Consulate bugged and shared audio of the killing with the C.I.A., among others.
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Western intelligence agencies, as well as the U.S. Congress, have said the crown prince bears ultimate responsibility for the killing and that an operation of this magnitude could not have happened without his knowledge.
The C.I.A. concluded in November 2018 that the crown prince had ordered the killing of Khashoggi. In an extraordinary statement of defiance against the U.S. intelligence agency, President Donald Trump said days later that the world may “never know” whether the crown prince was involved in Khashoggi’s death.
The Saudi verdicts came after the kingdom tried 11 people in total in December, sentencing five to death and ordering three others to lengthy prison terms for covering up the crime.
The Saudi trial, however, had concluded that the killing was not premeditated. That paved the way for Salah Khashoggi, one of the slain writer’s sons, to months later announce that the family had forgiven his Saudi killers, which essentially allows them to be pardoned from execution in accordance with Islamic law.
Salah Khashoggi lives in Saudi Arabia and has received financial compensation from the royal court for his father’s killing.
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The trial has been widely criticized by rights groups and observers, who note that no senior officials nor anyone suspected of ordering the killing has been found guilty. The independence of the Riyadh Criminal Court has also been questioned.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, shakes hands with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Irqah Palace, in the capital Riyadh Saudi Arabia, Thursday, February 20, 2020. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Prior to his killing, Khashoggi had written critically of Prince Mohammed in columns for the Washington Post at a time when the young heir to the throne was being widely hailed by Washington for pushing through social reforms.
Khashoggi’s columns criticized the parallel crackdown on dissent overseen by the prince. Dozens of perceived critics of the prince remain in prison, including women’s rights activists, and face trial on national security charges.
Khashoggi had been living in exile in the United States for about a year, leaving Saudi Arabia just as Prince Mohammed was beginning to unleash a crackdown on Saudi human rights activists, writers and critics of the kingdom’s devastating war in Yemen.
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A small number of diplomats, including from Turkey, as well as members of Khashoggi’s family, were allowed to attend the initial trial’s nine court sessions. Independent media were barred.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-07--Absentee Ballot Rejections Could Triple In Battleground States

If ballots are rejected at the same rate as during this year ’ s primaries , up to three times as many voters in November could be disenfranchised in key battleground states when compared to the last presidential election , according to an Associated Press analysis of rejected ballots .
It could be even more pronounced in some urban areas where Democratic votes are concentrated and ballot rejection rates trended higher during this year ’ s primaries .
“ It is the number one thing that keeps me up at night — the idea that voters will do everything they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on time and the system will still fail them , ” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson .
Those problems could be compounded this year as millions of voters cast mail-in ballots for the first time because of election changes forced by the coronavirus .
Large numbers of uncounted ballots could be used to sow doubts about the election ; President Donald Trump has been claiming for months without evidence that widespread mail-in voting will lead to fraud .
The sudden leap is worrisome : 22 states are going from absentee ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots four years ago to perhaps half or more this November .
Pennsylvania is among them : Nearly 51 % of all votes cast during its June primary were mail-in .
If voter turnout is the same as 2016 and the ballot rejection rate equals the 1.4 % from this year ’ s primary , nearly 43,000 voters in Pennsylvania could be disenfranchised this fall , according to AP ’ s analysis .
That ’ s almost the same number of votes by which Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the state four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were rejected .
Vote-by-mail rejections could be of special concern to Democrats , who have seen a surge in absentee ballot applications this year .
In Pennsylvania , for example , more than twice as many Democrats as Republicans voted by mail in the June primary .
For its analysis , the AP also collected absentee ballot data from Arizona , Colorado , Florida , Michigan , Ohio and Wisconsin .
Based on the percentage of those ballots cast in each state ’ s primary this year , between 185,000 and 292,000 voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disenfranchised if November ’ s turnout matches that of four years ago and the rejection rate remains flat .
That compares to nearly 87,000 ballots rejected in those states in 2016 .
“ There could be a lot of people who are voting this way for the first time , and they tend to make the errors that lead to lost votes , ” said Larry Norden , an elections expert with the Brennan Center for Justice .
Being able to notify voters of problems in time to fix them will be difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t help that election officials in some states , including Michigan and Pennsylvania , are not allowed to begin looking at absentee ballots until Election Day .
That leaves a narrow window for identifying problems and allowing voters to fix them .
Drop boxes can help .
Michigan , Georgia , Colorado and Arizona are among states adding more .
Colorado , which has been mailing ballots to all voters since 2013 , saw a slight increase in rejections from about 1 % in 2016 to 1.6 % in this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubled in Denver but still remained below 2 % .
Joe Bernal , a 31-year-old tech analyst in Miami , expects to be driving to the nearest drop box to deliver his ballot ahead of Nov. 3 .
His ballot was rejected in Florida ’ s March presidential primary for arriving after the deadline , even though Bernal said he mailed it at least three weeks before .
Jennifer Morrell , a former election official in Utah and Colorado , said voters need to be certain they will be given an opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding software that quickly alerts voters via text or email , but Morrell said the problem is being unevenly addressed .

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ATLANTA (AP) — Thousands of absentee ballots get rejected in every presidential election. This year, that problem could be much worse and potentially pivotal in hotly contested battleground states.
With the coronavirus creating a surge in mail-in balloting and postal delays reported across the country, the number of rejected ballots in November is projected to be significantly higher than previous elections.
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If ballots are rejected at the same rate as during this year’s primaries, up to three times as many voters in November could be disenfranchised in key battleground states when compared to the last presidential election, according to an Associated Press analysis of rejected ballots. It could be even more pronounced in some urban areas where Democratic votes are concentrated and ballot rejection rates trended higher during this year’s primaries.
“It is the number one thing that keeps me up at night — the idea that voters will do everything they can to ensure their ballot is returned on time and the system will still fail them,” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
Ballot rejections occur even under the best of circumstances. They go uncounted because they arrived too late in the mail, voters forgot to sign them or signatures didn’t match the one on file at local election offices.
Those problems could be compounded this year as millions of voters cast mail-in ballots for the first time because of election changes forced by the coronavirus. Large numbers of uncounted ballots could be used to sow doubts about the election; President Donald Trump has been claiming for months without evidence that widespread mail-in voting will lead to fraud.
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The sudden leap is worrisome: 22 states are going from absentee ballots comprising less than 10% of all ballots four years ago to perhaps half or more this November. Pennsylvania is among them: Nearly 51% of all votes cast during its June primary were mail-in.
If voter turnout is the same as 2016 and the ballot rejection rate equals the 1.4% from this year’s primary, nearly 43,000 voters in Pennsylvania could be disenfranchised this fall, according to AP’s analysis. That’s almost the same number of votes by which Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the state four years ago, when some 2,100 ballots were rejected.
In Philadelphia, a far higher percentage of absentee ballots cast in June were rejected — 3.9%. Most of those arrived too late to be counted, even though Gov. Tom Wolf extended the deadline by a week.
Amy Campbell, a 26-year-old University of Pennsylvania medical student, had her ballot rejected for another reason: a missing signature.
Campbell is upset she didn’t have a chance to fix her ballot. She received an email two days after the vote count ended telling her officials “couldn’t obtain (her) required signature.”
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“The first communication I got from the state was basically to tell me that my ballot had been canceled,” Campbell said.
Philadelphia Board of Elections spokesman Nick Custodio said that’s not supposed to happen, but couldn’t explain why it did.
Vote-by-mail rejections could be of special concern to Democrats, who have seen a surge in absentee ballot applications this year. In Pennsylvania, for example, more than twice as many Democrats as Republicans voted by mail in the June primary.
Only 21 states have defined procedures for notifying voters if absentee ballots are rejected so they have a chance to fix it.
For its analysis, the AP also collected absentee ballot data from Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Based on the percentage of those ballots cast in each state’s primary this year, between 185,000 and 292,000 voters in the seven states examined could be disenfranchised if November’s turnout matches that of four years ago and the rejection rate remains flat. That compares to nearly 87,000 ballots rejected in those states in 2016.
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The ballot rejections could be pivotal in close races. In 2016, Trump won Wisconsin by roughly 23,000 votes.
Reasons for rejection can vary. In a few states, a witness or notary must sign the ballot envelope for the ballot to be valid. Where ballots received after Election Day are counted, a legible postmark from that day is generally required.
“There could be a lot of people who are voting this way for the first time, and they tend to make the errors that lead to lost votes,” said Larry Norden, an elections expert with the Brennan Center for Justice.
New, young, Black and Hispanic voters — who tend to favor Democratic candidates — are disproportionately affected, according to research by University of Florida political scientist Daniel Smith. All have had absentee ballots rejected at higher rates than white and more experienced mail-in voters.
Being able to notify voters of problems in time to fix them will be difficult enough for understaffed election offices. It doesn’t help that election officials in some states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania, are not allowed to begin looking at absentee ballots until Election Day. That leaves a narrow window for identifying problems and allowing voters to fix them.
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Experts say voters must be diligent about requesting and returning absentee ballots well ahead of Election Day; the Postal Service advises allowing seven days for a ballot to reach an election office.
Drop boxes can help. Michigan, Georgia, Colorado and Arizona are among states adding more. Colorado, which has been mailing ballots to all voters since 2013, saw a slight increase in rejections from about 1% in 2016 to 1.6% in this year’s primary; the rejection rate doubled in Denver but still remained below 2%.
Joe Bernal, a 31-year-old tech analyst in Miami, expects to be driving to the nearest drop box to deliver his ballot ahead of Nov. 3. His ballot was rejected in Florida’s March presidential primary for arriving after the deadline, even though Bernal said he mailed it at least three weeks before.
Bernal, who lost an aunt to COVID-19, said he is unwilling to vote in person: “I’m asthmatic. I don’t want to have to risk it.”
But drop boxes only solve one problem. The process of authenticating voter signatures on ballot envelopes — an anti-fraud measure — is so troublesome that lawsuits have been filed seeking to end the practice barring an adequate remedy.
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Jennifer Morrell, a former election official in Utah and Colorado, said voters need to be certain they will be given an opportunity to fix a problem. Some jurisdictions are adding software that quickly alerts voters via text or email, but Morrell said the problem is being unevenly addressed.
“States that are really new to this, most likely they will just be sending out a letter in the mail and hope the voter gets it in time and fills it out,” she said.
That wasn’t the case for Tasha Young, a 43-year-old teacher in metro Atlanta who found a letter from her local election office buried in a pile of mail after Georgia’s primary in June. It said she had failed to sign her ballot, but by then it was too late for her to submit the required affidavit.
She plans to vote in person in November.
“For one thing, I don’t want to have to worry about a deadline or missing a signature,” Young said.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Santa Monica Closes Trails After Hiker Dies In Extreme Heat

The California Department of Parks and Recreation closed all trails in the hills of Santa Monica over the Labor Day weekend after a woman died hiking there in extremely high temperatures .
Other hikers had to be rescued .
Malibu Search and Rescue posted a tweet pleading with people not to hike in the heat wave .
National parks in Ventura County and other regional open spaces also were shut .
A 41-year-old woman whose name was not released collapsed while hiking with a friend Saturday near Calabasas as temperatures soared to at least 110 degrees , officials said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials said the death was likely heat-related .
Effective immediately , we have been advised that all trails in the # SantaMonicaMountains will be closed through # LaborDay .
We responded to several heat related rescues today , including one hiker who unfortunately perished .
PLEASE DO NOT # HIKE IN THIS # HEATWAVE .
# CAwx # LAHeat pic.twitter.com/B1ZdOu46S3 — Malibu Search Rescue ( @ MalibuSAR ) September 6 , 2020 A 22-year-old woman on a Malibu beach was rescued Sunday after she lost consciousness , apparently due to the heat .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quick help !
Please know your limitations & help take care of yourselves .
# SoCal # LAHeat https : //t.co/EXPOHTU3k1 — LA County Sheriffs ( @ LASDHQ ) September 7 , 2020 Los Angeles County recorded its highest temperature ever on Sunday — 121 degrees in Woodland Hills .
The 121° high temperature at Woodland Hills official site ( Pierce College ) was also the highest official temperature ever recorded in L.A. County as well as Ventura , Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties .
Click the URL for more details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pic.twitter.com/TAZuWF2vtG — NWS Los Angeles ( @ NWSLosAngeles ) September 6 , 2020 The historic heat wave in the state is fueling three raging wildfires near Fresno , in San Bernardino County and east of San Diego .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) declared a state of emergency in five counties on Sunday .
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning through Tuesday , citing “ dangerously hot conditions ” and temperatures between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit in certain parts of the state .

The California Department of Parks and Recreation closed all trails in the Santa Monica Mountains over the Labor Day weekend after a woman died hiking there in extremely high temperatures.
Other hikers had to be rescued. Malibu Search and Rescue posted a tweet pleading with people not to hike in the heat wave. National parks in Ventura County and other regional open spaces also were shut.
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A 41-year-old woman whose name was not released collapsed while hiking with a friend Saturday near Calabasas as temperatures soared to at least 110 degrees, officials said. Paramedics were unable to save her.
Officials said the death was likely heat-related.
Effective immediately, we have been advised that all trails in the #SantaMonicaMountains will be closed through #LaborDay. We responded to several heat related rescues today, including one hiker who unfortunately perished. PLEASE DO NOT #HIKE IN THIS #HEATWAVE. #CAwx #LAHeat pic.twitter.com/B1ZdOu46S3 — Malibu Search Rescue (@MalibuSAR) September 6, 2020
A 22-year-old woman on a Malibu beach was rescued Sunday after she lost consciousness, apparently due to the heat.
Glad we got this young woman some quick help! Please know your limitations & help take care of yourselves. #SoCal #LAHeat https://t.co/EXPOHTU3k1 — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 7, 2020
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Los Angeles County recorded its highest temperature ever on Sunday — 121 degrees in Woodland Hills.
The 121° high temperature at Woodland Hills official site (Pierce College) was also the highest official temperature ever recorded in L.A. County as well as Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Click the URL for more details #cawx #LAheat https://t.co/wDCq45s0No pic.twitter.com/TAZuWF2vtG — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) September 6, 2020
The historic heat wave in the state is fueling three raging wildfires near Fresno, in San Bernardino County and east of San Diego. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency in five counties on Sunday.
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning through Tuesday, citing “dangerously hot conditions” and temperatures between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit in certain parts of the state.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Do's And Don'ts Of Wearing A Face Mask At Restaurants During COVID-19

Wearing a face mask has become a requirement in most states when entering most businesses , and for good reason .
But what do you do with that mask when it ’ s time to take a bite ?
Do you place it on the table ?
Store it in your purse until you ’ re ready to leave ?
Do you put the mask back on when speaking to servers ?
And do you put it on between each bite ?
Sanitize your hands as soon as you sit down .
Never set your mask down on the table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the elastic straps around your wrist , with the inside of the mask ( the part that comes in contact with your mouth ) folded inward on itself , means you ’ re essentially wearing the mask like a bracelet .
Rossi said not only does this keep the inside of the mask less contaminated , but it also leaves the mask accessible if you need to put it back on quickly , particularly when talking with a server .
Should you put your mask back on between bites ?
Cherian said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and off between bites can actually increase the risk of spreading COVID , as you increase the [ possibility ] of spreading the virus from your mask to your hands and subsequently spreading it around.
” He suggested that a mask be worn right up until you ’ re ready to eat and only placed back on when you ’ re leaving the restaurant .
What do you do while talking to your server ?

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COVID-19 has changed the way we do pretty much everything, including eating out. Now that many restaurants have reopened dine-in options, with socially distanced tables inside or outdoors, a new problem presents itself: How do you wear a mask while eating?
Wearing a face mask has become a requirement in most states when entering most businesses, and for good reason. But what do you do with that mask when it’s time to take a bite? Do you place it on the table? Store it in your purse until you’re ready to leave? Do you put the mask back on when speaking to servers? And do you put it on between each bite?
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As we’re all navigating this new normal, the questions are endless and understandable. HuffPost consulted doctors to get their best suggestions.
Sanitize your hands as soon as you sit down.
When you enter a restaurant, your initial thought may be to head to the restroom to wash your hands. Though generally nothing can replace hand-washing with soap and water, a few doctors suggest staying seated at your table and utilizing sanitizer in this situation.
Heading to the restroom means walking back through the restaurant to your table ― with all the possibilities for recontamination ― and then taking your mask off.
Instead, “use a personal hand sanitizer that you bring along with you [and] handle the mask by its straps to avoid possible transfer between the mask and your hands,” said internal medicine physician Vivek Cherian.
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Never set your mask down on the table.
So now that you’ve safely removed your mask by the ear straps, the million-dollar question is: Where do you actually place it? Even doctors have varying suggestions, but they all agree on one thing: Putting your mask on the table is a no-no.
“When you are eating at a restaurant, the last place you want to put the mask after you remove it is on the table,” Cherian said.
Indrajit Guha via Getty Images Doctors suggest limiting the number of times you take off and put on your face mask to minimize contamination.
“COVID is transmitted via respiratory droplets, which can occur even when people are talking,” he explained. “So just having a simple conversation with your friend and family can cause droplets to land on and contaminate your mask.”
Do this instead.
Cherian suggested that in addition to hand sanitizer, diners should bring a clean, breathable container, like a paper bag or even a small mesh laundry bag, to put the mask in. This will keep the mask away from possible contaminants while allowing it to dry.
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“Cloth masks lose their effectiveness if they are damp, even from regular breathing,” he said, adding that storing the mask inside your pocket can lead to even more moisture, especially if you’re sweating.
What if you don’t have any paper bags or forgot to bring a mesh bag? Aaron Rossi, a doctor and CEO of Reditus Laboratories, which has partnered with the state of Illinois to provide COVID-19 testing, has another solution.
“I would advise people to utilize the elasticity in masks to roll them up on one’s wrist while dining,” he said, which will help prevent exposure to other contaminants.
Placing both of the elastic straps around your wrist, with the inside of the mask (the part that comes in contact with your mouth) folded inward on itself, means you’re essentially wearing the mask like a bracelet. Rossi said not only does this keep the inside of the mask less contaminated, but it also leaves the mask accessible if you need to put it back on quickly, particularly when talking with a server.
Should you put your mask back on between bites?
The doctors we spoke with advise against too much handling of the mask, which can contaminate it as well as other surfaces it comes in contact with.
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Cherian said, “Constantly putting the mask on and off between bites can actually increase the risk of spreading COVID, as you increase the [possibility] of spreading the virus from your mask to your hands and subsequently spreading it around.” He suggested that a mask be worn right up until you’re ready to eat and only placed back on when you’re leaving the restaurant.
What do you do while talking to your server?
Sometimes the server may approach the table when your mask is off.
“The safest way to protect a server, in addition to maintaining a six-foot distance, would be for the diner to also have their mask on,” Cherian said. But he added, “This involves additional risks to the diner as putting the mask on and off can increase the risk of spreading COVID from your mask to your hands.”
Clearly, you should try to limit the number of times the server must return to the table. Maybe you don’t really need more olive oil.
Another idea from Cherian: Carry a second, sanitized mask as a backup. Slip this one on ― handling the ear straps with clean hands ― instead of reaching for the mask that’s already been worn and possibly contaminated.
As far as how much risk the servers face, there’s no definitive answer, but Kent New, who has a Ph.D. in virology, said the risk is probably low. “Since the server is wearing a mask and standing, listening to seated patrons, the level of risk to the server is unknown but likely minimal,” New said.
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Rossi also agrees that “the risk of transmission and infection for both servers and patrons is minimal” when staff wears masks and sustained contact is limited to a few minutes.
Chains and lanyards aren’t a great option at restaurants.
Face mask accessories like chains and lanyards, similar to eyeglass chains, are becoming increasingly popular as they allow the mask to hang from your neck when not in use. But despite their convenience, you risk exposing the inside of your mask to the coronavirus.
“These chains don’t prevent your mask from being contaminated if it is pulled away from your nose and mouth,” New said.
The same concern arises if you pull your mask down on your chin or leave it dangling from one ear.
“Allowing the inside of the mask to be exposed to air droplets breathed out by others defeats the purpose of wearing the mask. You are better off putting it away until you are finished eating,” New said.
And when you’ve finished your meal, the recommendation is to go through the same routine as when you took off the mask: First sanitize your hands and then use the ear straps to place the mask over your nose and mouth.
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Whatever method you choose for storing your mask while eating, New added that the biggest risk comes not from it but from those you’re eating with.
“The most important thing when dining out is to make sure the people you are eating with have not been exposed to COVID-19 recently,” he said. “You will be most at risk of exposure from the people you are dining with.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Eric Trump's 'Awkward' Labor Day Attack On Joe Biden Backfires

Eric Trump ’ s attempted Labor Day attack on Democratic 2020 nominee Joe Biden backfired as critics on Twitter reminded President Donald Trump ’ s son of his father ’ s failings .
“ Everything this guy does is low energy and awkward ... ” Eric Trump captioned a photo of a Biden event in Lancaster , Pennsylvania , on Monday .
Everyone in the picture was wearing face masks and following social distancing measures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus .
Everything this guy does is low energy and awkward ... https : //t.co/C3dUxjK0q1 — Eric Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Eric Trump ’ s detractors pointed out the stark contrast between the image and those of campaign rallies his father has held during the pandemic , where many supporters have not worn masks or socially distanced .
Public health experts believe the president ’ s June rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , “ more than likely ” contributed to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the area .
The president has also repeatedly downplayed the risk posed by the coronavirus and sent mixed messages about the need for face masks .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States and nearly 900,000 people worldwide .
You mislabeled accountable and authentic , @ EricTrump ; not that I 'd expect the son of @ realDonaldTrump to be able to identify and understand either of those concepts as your father has not practiced either a single day of his adult life .
https : //t.co/oOK18MB0Su — Terri Fraracci ( @ TerriFraracci ) September 8 , 2020 The dumbest of all the Trumps , tweets that social distancing and mask wearing is low energy and awkward .
We 're in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's following the science , caring about his fellow Americans and setting an example .
You 're a dad , since yours sucks , follow Joe .
https : //t.co/wavyPMb0bi — Kristi ( @ InquiringMindGA ) September 7 , 2020 Well , I 'm convinced .
That is an excellent reason to keep an ignorant , hateful fascist in the White House !
https : //t.co/XOlBMpoRlC — Daylin Leach ( @ daylinleach ) September 8 , 2020 Following science may be boring but he has n't killed 190,000 Americans and counting ... https @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TimFaulkner81 ) September 8 , 2020 You just called someone else awkward .
Wow .
Also , he 's following medically advised protocols to help stop a deadly pandemic , you fucking little dweeb .
https : //t.co/NHKxSYlsFm — Adam ( @ CAnxiolytic ) September 8 , 2020 The complete lack of self-awareness from the dumbest Trump brother never ceases to amaze me .
https : //t.co/AJW1iGwVXS — Kevin Bailey ( @ KevBaile ) September 8 , 2020 I 'll gladly take low energy , Derrick .
As for awkward , ha ha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on that quality .
https : //t.co/jsPQ2Qetyk — Betsy # ImVotingForJoe ( @ studio_gal ) September 7 , 2020 Just because he does n't yell and act like a toddler ?
This is how grown up do things https : //t.co/c235I8nOi2 — VickiW22 ( @ catsden234 ) September 8 , 2020 You mean he 's not willing to endanger 1000s of people with an in-person rally ?
https : //t.co/5GZkotGfH8 — Health4AllAmerica ( @ Health4AllAmer ) September 7 , 2020 Everything this guy does is dumb energy and ridiculous .
https : //t.co/AmITNYEQyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GGforthepeople ) September 8 , 2020 Good grief .
The Trump 's are so into superficial they have no understanding of authentic or down to earth or real relationships and communications .
They mock people who have feelings , genuinely listen or respect others .
That 's sad .
https : //t.co/g4KY2LjTZi — John Oberlin ( @ OMGno2trump ) September 7 , 2020 Hey Guess what ?
It ’ s called acting like an actual regular person and not a game show host !
https : //t.co/8Rgf4z3Shj — Rebecca Byrnes ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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Eric Trump’s attempted Labor Day attack on Democratic 2020 nominee Joe Biden backfired as critics on Twitter reminded President Donald Trump’s son of his father’s failings.
“Everything this guy does is low energy and awkward...” Eric Trump captioned a photo of a Biden event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on Monday.
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Everyone in the picture was wearing face masks and following social distancing measures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
Everything this guy does is low energy and awkward... https://t.co/C3dUxjK0q1 — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) September 7, 2020
Eric Trump’s detractors pointed out the stark contrast between the image and those of campaign rallies his father has held during the pandemic, where many supporters have not worn masks or socially distanced.
Public health experts believe the president’s June rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, “more than likely” contributed to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the area.
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The president has also repeatedly downplayed the risk posed by the coronavirus and sent mixed messages about the need for face masks.
The pandemic has killed at least 190,000 people in the United States and nearly 900,000 people worldwide.
You mislabeled accountable and authentic, @EricTrump; not that I'd expect the son of @realDonaldTrump to be able to identify and understand either of those concepts as your father has not practiced either a single day of his adult life. https://t.co/oOK18MB0Su — Terri Fraracci (@TerriFraracci) September 8, 2020
The dumbest of all the Trumps, tweets that social distancing and mask wearing is low energy and awkward.
We're in the middle of pandemic, Eric. He's following the science, caring about his fellow Americans and setting an example. You're a dad, since yours sucks, follow Joe. https://t.co/wavyPMb0bi — Kristi (@InquiringMindGA) September 7, 2020
Well, I'm convinced. That is an excellent reason to keep an ignorant, hateful fascist in the White House! https://t.co/XOlBMpoRlC — Daylin Leach (@daylinleach) September 8, 2020
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Following science may be boring but he hasn't killed 190,000 Americans and counting... https://t.co/vyxEjvpdCN — Timbo Resists (@TimFaulkner81) September 8, 2020
You just called someone else awkward. Wow.
Also, he's following medically advised protocols to help stop a deadly pandemic, you fucking little dweeb. https://t.co/NHKxSYlsFm — Adam (@CAnxiolytic) September 8, 2020
The complete lack of self-awareness from the dumbest Trump brother never ceases to amaze me. https://t.co/AJW1iGwVXS — Kevin Bailey (@KevBaile) September 8, 2020
I'll gladly take low energy, Derrick.
As for awkward, ha ha, your family's got a lock on that quality. https://t.co/jsPQ2Qetyk — Betsy #ImVotingForJoe (@studio_gal) September 7, 2020
Better than your father's raving mad super-spreader events. https://t.co/X3aAC8H1Rd — Eric Takamiya (@ektaka) September 8, 2020
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Your father thinks protesters throw soup. https://t.co/tAbl0KeTMY — DrDinD 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊 (@DrDinD) September 8, 2020
Just because he doesn't yell and act like a toddler? This is how grown up do things https://t.co/c235I8nOi2 — VickiW22 (@catsden234) September 8, 2020
You mean he's not willing to endanger 1000s of people with an in-person rally? https://t.co/5GZkotGfH8 — Health4AllAmerica (@Health4AllAmer) September 7, 2020
Everything this guy does is dumb energy and ridiculous. https://t.co/AmITNYEQyd — Kamala Is On The Ballot-BidenHarrisLandslide (@GGforthepeople) September 8, 2020
Good grief. The Trump's are so into superficial they have no understanding of authentic or down to earth or real relationships and communications. They mock people who have feelings, genuinely listen or respect others. That's sad. https://t.co/g4KY2LjTZi — John Oberlin (@OMGno2trump) September 7, 2020
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Hey Guess what? It’s called acting like an actual regular person and not a game show host! https://t.co/8Rgf4z3Shj — Rebecca Byrnes (@beckwil1) September 7, 2020
I'll take "alleged low energy" any day over a
"big mouth, hyper, arrogant, lying fool" anyday! https://t.co/tyAMaqYU66 — Denise L. Perrault (@perrault777) September 8, 2020
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Washington Post Editorial Predicts ‘Catastrophic’ Consequence Of Donald Trump 2020 Win

The Washington Post ’ s editorial board laid out why it believes four more years of President Donald Trump will prove “ catastrophic ” to the country .
In an editorial published Monday , headlined “ Four more years of Trump ’ s contempt for competence would be devastating , ” the newspaper argued that Trump ran his 2016 campaign “ from the gut , under the explicit rationale that ‘ experts are terrible.
’ ” Trump ’ s White House “ has conducted itself according to this philosophy , ” the editorial continued , with a “ devastating effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade to defense , energy and intelligence .
The coronavirus pandemic had exposed the administration ’ s failings and the problem is “ bigger than one missing directorate , or one rebuffed scientist , ” the editorial said , because “ the response to this outbreak required coordination across agencies that have been systematically depleted , because they were full of experts.
” Trump ’ s rejection of research and the drain of experts from government jobs , the editorial added , means “ we can not see the depth of Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could allow Mr. Trump to complete the demoralization , politicization and destruction of a workforce that was once the envy of the world : the American civil service , health service , Foreign Service and uniformed military .
In everything from consumer safety to air quality to life expectancy , the results would be catastrophic .
But there would be nobody left to measure them .
”

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The Washington Post’s editorial board laid out why it believes four more years of President Donald Trump will prove “catastrophic” to the country.
In an editorial published Monday, headlined “Four more years of Trump’s contempt for competence would be devastating,” the newspaper argued that Trump ran his 2016 campaign “from the gut, under the explicit rationale that ‘experts are terrible.’”
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Trump’s White House “has conducted itself according to this philosophy,” the editorial continued, with a “devastating effect” on issues ranging from taxes and trade to defense, energy and intelligence.
The coronavirus pandemic had exposed the administration’s failings and the problem is “bigger than one missing directorate, or one rebuffed scientist,” the editorial said, because “the response to this outbreak required coordination across agencies that have been systematically depleted, because they were full of experts.”
Trump’s rejection of research and the drain of experts from government jobs, the editorial added, means “we cannot see the depth of Mr. Trump’s failures.”
The editorial concluded with a warning:
“Another term could allow Mr. Trump to complete the demoralization, politicization and destruction of a workforce that was once the envy of the world: the American civil service, health service, Foreign Service and uniformed military. In everything from consumer safety to air quality to life expectancy, the results would be catastrophic. But there would be nobody left to measure them.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Sarah Huckabee Sanders Receives Stinging Reminder Of Her Own Dishonesty

Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders , who confessed under oath to lying to journalists , received a scathing reminder of her own dishonesty after she attempted to defend President Donald Trump from what she called “ malicious lies.
” Sanders released a video dismissing a report in The Atlantic last week ( since confirmed by multiple media outlets , including Fox News ) that alleged Trump during a 2018 visit to France described Americans killed in World War I as “ suckers ” and “ losers.
” Trump denied making the comments .
In the 44-second clip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has repeatedly denigrated U.S. war heroes and veterans ― “ has the greatest respect for the men and women of our armed forces.
” “ That story couldn ’ t be further from the truth , ” Sanders said of The Atlantic report .
“ This is a president that loves our country and will do anything to fight to protect it.
” In the caption for her video , below , Sanders described the claims about Trump as “ disgusting.
” The malicious lies about @ realDonaldTrump from anonymous sources in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an insult to journalism .
I would know , because I was there- > pic.twitter.com/pt7rDfwr8x — Sarah Huckabee Sanders ( @ SarahHuckabee ) September 6 , 2020 Critics hit back by reminding Sanders of the lies she told on behalf of Trump , most notably when as White House deputy press secretary she claimed to journalists in May 2017 that “ countless members of the FBI ” did not support former FBI Director James Comey , who had been fired the previous day .
Sanders later confessed to investigators from former special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the claim was “ not founded on anything.
” Sarah Sanders admitted to the FBI that she lied to the public when she was White House deputy press secretary .
— Kyle Griffin ( @ kylegriffin1 ) September 7 , 2020 ok , we 've entered the comical stage of the suckers and liars story .
Next we 'll have @ seanspicer do an interpretive dance denying the story .
This much push back means it 's true .
And btw , @ SarahHuckabee you are an insult to public servants .
https @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joelockhart ) September 7 , 2020 If you want us to believe you now , why did you lie to is so often before ?
Sorry .
Credibility doesn ’ t work that way .
— John Sipher ( @ john_sipher ) September 7 , 2020 Umm you lied from the White House to the American people .
I have no doubt you 'd lie on Twitter .
pic.twitter.com/TVJd3ivQiV — Brandon ( @ brandonwberg ) September 7 , 2020 Oh , well if the woman who admitted in an FBI interview that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not true , I guess that 's that .
https : //t.co/aKGplsxphV — Dan Sweeney ( @ Daniel_Sweeney ) September 7 , 2020 Girl , all you did was lie for Trump .
Your credibility is negative 1000 .
Sit this one out .
https : //t.co/XSD7QjFAFl — Britni Danielle ( @ BritniDWrites ) September 7 , 2020 You admitted to Mueller that you lied for Donald Trump , so you have no credibility .
https : //t.co/CoFEYqy8RA https : //t.co/m19Amj4K5s — Amee Vanderpool ( @ girlsreallyrule ) September 7 , 2020 The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you also have none to lose .
She can lie with impunity .
Her `` career '' is built on being the daughter of a Governor and the sycophant to the worst President in history .
https : //t.co/PHkfyxF5OR — ( ( ( Howard Forman ) ) ) ( @ thehowie ) September 7 , 2020

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Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who confessed under oath to lying to journalists, received a scathing reminder of her own dishonesty after she attempted to defend President Donald Trump from what she called “malicious lies.”
Sanders released a video dismissing a report in The Atlantic last week (since confirmed by multiple media outlets, including Fox News) that alleged Trump during a 2018 visit to France described Americans killed in World War I as “suckers” and “losers.” Trump denied making the comments.
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In the 44-second clip shared Sunday, Sanders claimed Trump — who has repeatedly denigrated U.S. war heroes and veterans ― “has the greatest respect for the men and women of our armed forces.”
“That story couldn’t be further from the truth,” Sanders said of The Atlantic report. “This is a president that loves our country and will do anything to fight to protect it.”
In the caption for her video, below, Sanders described the claims about Trump as “disgusting.”
The malicious lies about @realDonaldTrump from anonymous sources in the Atlantic are disgusting.
This story is an insult to journalism.
I would know, because I was there-> pic.twitter.com/pt7rDfwr8x — Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) September 6, 2020
Critics hit back by reminding Sanders of the lies she told on behalf of Trump, most notably when as White House deputy press secretary she claimed to journalists in May 2017 that “countless members of the FBI” did not support former FBI Director James Comey, who had been fired the previous day.
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Sanders later confessed to investigators from former special counsel Robert Mueller’s office that the claim was “not founded on anything.”
Sarah Sanders admitted to the FBI that she lied to the public when she was White House deputy press secretary. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 7, 2020
Compulsive liar says people are lying. https://t.co/6qq3WHOpRZ — Thor Benson (@thor_benson) September 7, 2020
Calling a professional liar like Sarah Huckabee Sanders as a character witness is tantamount to pleading guilty. https://t.co/1ycPBmk1VS — Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) September 7, 2020
ok, we've entered the comical stage of the suckers and liars story. Next we'll have @seanspicer do an interpretive dance denying the story. This much push back means it's true. And btw, @SarahHuckabee you are an insult to public servants. https://t.co/rjbbzN0thJ — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) September 7, 2020
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If you want us to believe you now, why did you lie to is so often before? Sorry. Credibility doesn’t work that way. — John Sipher (@john_sipher) September 7, 2020
Umm you lied from the White House to the American people. I have no doubt you'd lie on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/TVJd3ivQiV — Brandon (@brandonwberg) September 7, 2020
Says the serial malicious liar who took money for lying to the American people... https://t.co/PXYKmqo7pg — Linda Keating (@Educate4ward) September 7, 2020
You're a liar, Sarah. No one believes a word you say. — Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) September 7, 2020
You lie. A lot. No one cares what you say. — Amy Siskind 🏳🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) September 7, 2020
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No one believes you pic.twitter.com/eu5X4nnKJ7 — Ned Pyle (@NerdPyle) September 7, 2020
Oh, well if the woman who admitted in an FBI interview that she lies to the press says it's not true, I guess that's that. https://t.co/aKGplsxphV — Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) September 7, 2020
Girl, all you did was lie for Trump. Your credibility is negative 1000. Sit this one out. https://t.co/XSD7QjFAFl — Britni Danielle (@BritniDWrites) September 7, 2020
You admitted to Mueller that you lied for Donald Trump, so you have no credibility. https://t.co/CoFEYqy8RA https://t.co/m19Amj4K5s — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) September 7, 2020
The good thing about having no credibility is that you also have none to lose. She can lie with impunity. Her "career" is built on being the daughter of a Governor and the sycophant to the worst President in history. https://t.co/PHkfyxF5OR — (((Howard Forman))) (@thehowie) September 7, 2020
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2nd biggest liar in history right after @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/bNb0K5lcMW — Sophia A. Nelson (@IAmSophiaNelson) September 7, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Mike Pence's New Trump Boast Gets A Brutal Fact-Check On Twitter

Oh my God !
@ VP don ’ t say things that make you seem to be any more slavishly @ @ @ @ @ .
In some countries we are the object of scorn & some pity .
In @ @ @ @ @ of how wildly unpredictable we ’ ve become .
But more respected ?
Never .
@ @ @

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Vice President Mike Pence made a campaign claim about America’s place in the world under President Donald Trump. But not many people are buying it.
Pence and Democratic rival Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) ― the running mate of former Vice President Joe Biden ― campaigned in the swing state of Wisconsin on Monday. Harris met privately with the family of Jacob Blake, visited a training facility of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and urged supporters to vote. Pence attacked Harris for voting against the Trump administration’s new North American free-trade pact and accused Biden of “policies that have literally led to violence in our major American cities.”
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But it was another line uttered by the vice president that received much of the attention on social media.
“I can tell you that after traveling to more than 30 countries as your vice president, America is respected in the world again,” Pence said.
Critics were quick to point out that the Trump administration’s botched response to the coronavirus pandemic had caused many nations to restrict or even ban Americans from entry lest they bring the infection:
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When at some point in the future I’m allowed to visit other countries, I look forward to asking about this https://t.co/fVRxrFvr6C — Mark Mazzetti (@MarkMazzettiNYT) September 7, 2020
Not hyperbole.
We are not allowed to step on 90% of land on this planet. https://t.co/5csGQGmqYq — YS (@NYinLA2121) September 8, 2020
Is that why no country will allow us to visit? We’re too respected? https://t.co/TzmQT7gIDS — MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) September 8, 2020
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Correction: America is a laughingstock. — A Worried Citizen (@ThePubliusUSA) September 7, 2020
"America is respected in the world again."
yea rite- the President isn't even respected in D.C. pic.twitter.com/EdEBR1anLH — Dennis Herring (@dcherring) September 8, 2020
Who's gonna break it to him? https://t.co/Yw8vjNMvV5 — Salena (@DahlinFutureHab) September 8, 2020
Oh my God! @VP don’t say things that make you seem to be any more slavishly ridiculous than you already are. In some countries we are the object of scorn & some pity. In others we are feared because of how wildly unpredictable we’ve become. But more respected? Never. https://t.co/TcUN3GwXOR — James J. Zogby (@jjz1600) September 7, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-07--Critics Explode After Trump Lashes Pentagon Leaders As Warmongers

Critics were flabbergasted Monday when President Donald Trump slammed his own Pentagon leadership as warmongers .
Speaking at a White House press conference , Trump claimed that U.S. soldiers are “ in love with me , ” but top Pentagon officials “ probably aren ’ t because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.
” The unprecedented attack appeared to be a twisted response to The Atlantic ’ s explosive report last week that Trump has called members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heroes , “ suckers ” and “ losers.
” The president ’ s sudden slam may have been an attempt to suggest that disgruntled officials were behind that story .
People on Twitter pointed out that many Pentagon higher-ups were named to their jobs by Trump and that the president has boosted the defense budget three years running , reaching a record $ 738 billion for fiscal year 2020 .
The president is also the commander in chief , which makes the military his responsibility .
It was Trump who picked Mark Esper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raytheon ― to be the current secretary of defense .
Wait , so after insisting he 'd never insult military veterans , Trump goes on live television and accuses military leaders of being warmongers ?
— Josh Campbell ( @ joshscampbell ) September 7 , 2020 '' '' We have purchased the finest planes , missiles , rockets , ships , and every other form of military equipment — all made in the United States of America . ''
- Donald Trump , 2020 State of the Union address — Edward-Isaac Dovere ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is basically confirmation of the Atlantic ’ s story about Trump calling our troops suckers and losers .
Trump is pissed that , he thinks , the generals leaked this to the media .
So now the Pentagon ’ s top generals are part of the ever-growing “ swamp.
’ — John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳🌈 ( @ aravosis ) September 7 , 2020 I know you do not believe facts matter .
But if you are really opposed to companies that make bombs and planes making money , why have you proposed over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than Obama , including a slush fund for endless wars .
https : //t.co/W18IN0WGFM — Ro Khanna ( @ RoKhanna ) September 7 , 2020 What 's also notable about Trump now railing against the `` military industrial complex '' is that he spent most of his first term touting how much funding he got for the military for those very same planes and bombs .
https : //t.co/DDGglaMSHp — Abby D. Phillip ( @ abbydphillip ) September 7 , 2020 Trump increased the Pentagon budget , authorized record arms exports and escalated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be anti-war , media should maybe mention that bit of context ?
?
pic.twitter.com/6YWWDNxDVa — Ken Klippenstein ( @ kenklippenstein ) September 7 , 2020 For what it ’ s worth , President Trump has appointed all the top level people at the Pentagon , which includes both uniformed military officers and civilian personnel https : //t.co/1EESfSNfR6 — Ryan Browne ( @ rabrowne75 ) September 7 , 2020 Pretty unusual to see a President accusing his own appointees and senior military in the Pentagon of being war profiteers .
https : //t.co/zAxo70NEtF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September 7 , 2020 He ’ s Commander-in-Chief .
He ’ s shitting on his own military leaders and trying to divide the ranks .
This is insane .
— Trump accuses Pentagon leaders of wanting to 'fight wars ' to make defense companies rich via  @ JeffSchogol https : //t.co/iA8DyR8ZLR — Fred Wellman ( @ FPWellman ) September 7 , 2020 The White House is aware that they do n't have a bench of top military officials willing to defend the president .
But denigrating them as mainly serving the military-industrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //t.co/L7EPaAXSGW — Maggie Haberman ( @ maggieNYT ) September 7 , 2020

Critics were flabbergasted Monday when President Donald Trump slammed his own Pentagon leadership as warmongers.
Speaking at a White House press conference, Trump claimed that U.S. soldiers are “in love with me,” but top Pentagon officials “probably aren’t because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.”
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The unprecedented attack appeared to be a twisted response to The Atlantic’s explosive report last week that Trump has called members of the military, including fallen war heroes, “suckers” and “losers.” The president’s sudden slam may have been an attempt to suggest that disgruntled officials were behind that story.
People on Twitter pointed out that many Pentagon higher-ups were named to their jobs by Trump and that the president has boosted the defense budget three years running, reaching a record $738 billion for fiscal year 2020. The president is also the commander in chief, which makes the military his responsibility.
It was Trump who picked Mark Esper — former chief lobbyist for defense contractor Raytheon ― to be the current secretary of defense.
Wait, so after insisting he'd never insult military veterans, Trump goes on live television and accuses military leaders of being warmongers? — Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) September 7, 2020
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""We have purchased the finest planes, missiles, rockets, ships, and every other form of military equipment — all made in the United States of America." - Donald Trump, 2020 State of the Union address — Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) September 7, 2020
This is basically confirmation of the Atlantic’s story about Trump calling our troops suckers and losers. Trump is pissed that, he thinks, the generals leaked this to the media. So now the Pentagon’s top generals are part of the ever-growing “swamp.’ — John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳🌈 (@aravosis) September 7, 2020
I know you do not believe facts matter. But if you are really opposed to companies that make bombs and planes making money, why have you proposed over $140 billion MORE in defense spending than Obama, including a slush fund for endless wars. https://t.co/W18IN0WGFM — Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) September 7, 2020
What's also notable about Trump now railing against the "military industrial complex" is that he spent most of his first term touting how much funding he got for the military for those very same planes and bombs. https://t.co/DDGglaMSHp — Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) September 7, 2020
Trump increased the Pentagon budget, authorized record arms exports and escalated the drone wars. When Trump claims to be anti-war, media should maybe mention that bit of context?? pic.twitter.com/6YWWDNxDVa — Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) September 7, 2020
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For what it’s worth, President Trump has appointed all the top level people at the Pentagon, which includes both uniformed military officers and civilian personnel https://t.co/1EESfSNfR6 — Ryan Browne (@rabrowne75) September 7, 2020
Pretty unusual to see a President accusing his own appointees and senior military in the Pentagon of being war profiteers. https://t.co/zAxo70NEtF — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) September 7, 2020
He’s Commander-in-Chief. He’s shitting on his own military leaders and trying to divide the ranks. This is insane. — Trump accuses Pentagon leaders of wanting to 'fight wars' to make defense companies rich via @JeffSchogol https://t.co/iA8DyR8ZLR — Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) September 7, 2020
The White House is aware that they don't have a bench of top military officials willing to defend the president. But denigrating them as mainly serving the military-industrial complex is quite something. https://t.co/L7EPaAXSGW — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 7, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--House Democrats To Open Investigation Into Louis DeJoy Amid Straw-Donor Claims

The chief Democrat on the House Oversight Committee said late Monday the panel will open an investigation into Postmaster General Louis DeJoy amid a series of bombshell claims that he pressured former employees to donate to GOP lawmakers and then reimbursed them through large bonuses .
The Washington Post reported late Monday that Rep. Carolyn Maloney ( D-N.Y. ) , the chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform , planned to probe whether DeJoy had broken the law or if he had lied under oath to the panel .
The publication first reported Sunday that DeJoy urged workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Logistics , to write checks to Republican lawmakers he supported for more than a decade between 2003 and 2014 .
Several employees told the Post it was expected they would then be reimbursed for the donations with large bonuses .
“ He asked employees for money .
We gave him the money , and then he reciprocated by giving us big bonuses , ” David Young , a former director of human resources at DeJoy ’ s company , told the Post .
“ When we got our bonuses , let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceeded expectations — and that covered the tax and everything else.
” If true , the donations could be illegal if they constitute a straw-donor donation scheme .
The donation ploy sees individuals bypass political donation limits by reimbursing others who effectively donate for them , which is a federal and state crime in North Carolina , where New Breed was based .
It is legal for people to encourage their employees to donate to a candidate , as long as the money is not reimbursed in any way .
On Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made by the former employees and said he “ believes that all campaign fundraising laws and regulations should be complied with in all respects.
” “ Mr .
DeJoy was never notified by the New Breed employees referenced by the Washington Post of any pressure they might have felt to make a political contribution , and he regrets if any employee felt uncomfortable for any reason , ” the spokesman , Monty Hagler , told the Post .
DeJoy was asked directly if he had done so during testimony before House lawmakers last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Postmaster General .
Maloney said Monday that DeJoy should be suspended while the investigation goes forward amid the claims , which were also corroborated by The New York Times .
Asked about the allegations , President Donald Trump said Monday DeJoy should be investigated and lose his job “ if something can be proven .
”

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The chief Democrat on the House Oversight Committee said late Monday the panel will open an investigation into Postmaster General Louis DeJoy amid a series of bombshell claims that he pressured former employees to donate to GOP lawmakers and then reimbursed them through large bonuses.
The Washington Post reported late Monday that Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, planned to probe whether DeJoy had broken the law or if he had lied under oath to the panel.
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The publication first reported Sunday that DeJoy urged workers at his former company, New Breed Logistics, to write checks to Republican lawmakers he supported for more than a decade between 2003 and 2014. Several employees told the Post it was expected they would then be reimbursed for the donations with large bonuses.
“He asked employees for money. We gave him the money, and then he reciprocated by giving us big bonuses,” David Young, a former director of human resources at DeJoy’s company, told the Post. “When we got our bonuses, let’s just say they were bigger, they exceeded expectations — and that covered the tax and everything else.”
If true, the donations could be illegal if they constitute a straw-donor donation scheme. The donation ploy sees individuals bypass political donation limits by reimbursing others who effectively donate for them, which is a federal and state crime in North Carolina, where New Breed was based.
Yet ANOTHER conflict of interest w PMG DeJoy- proving why he should have never been considered for the job in the first place.https://t.co/bBmeLTXXyM — Carolyn B. Maloney (@RepMaloney) September 7, 2020
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It is legal for people to encourage their employees to donate to a candidate, as long as the money is not reimbursed in any way.
On Sunday, a spokesman for DeJoy rejected the assertions made by the former employees and said he “believes that all campaign fundraising laws and regulations should be complied with in all respects.”
“Mr. DeJoy was never notified by the New Breed employees referenced by the Washington Post of any pressure they might have felt to make a political contribution, and he regrets if any employee felt uncomfortable for any reason,” the spokesman, Monty Hagler, told the Post.
DeJoy was asked directly if he had done so during testimony before House lawmakers last month, prompting a fiery rebuke from the Postmaster General.
“That’s an outrageous claim, sir, and I resent it. . . . The answer is no,” he told Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) at the time.
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Maloney said Monday that DeJoy should be suspended while the investigation goes forward amid the claims, which were also corroborated by The New York Times.
Asked about the allegations, President Donald Trump said Monday DeJoy should be investigated and lose his job “if something can be proven.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--'Princess Bride' Fanboy Ted Cruz Rips Cast Plan To Raise Funds For Democrats

Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-Texas ) is a mega-fan of Rob Reiner ’ s 1987 film “ The Princess Bride , ” but somehow he completely missed the point of the movie .
The besotted senator was responding to a tweet last week from actor Cary Elwes , who played Westley , the love interest of the Princess Bride herself ( Robin Wright ) .
Elwes announced a “ virtual cast reunion ” on Sept. 13 to raise money for the Wisconsin Democratic Party .
Several cast members , including Elwes , Wright , Mandy Patinkin , Billy Crystal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will reunite for a live-streamed script reading and a question-and-answer session moderated by comedian and actor Patton Oswalt .
Reiner invited fans to “ have some fun storming the castle.
” Cruz responded by tweeting a line about suffering from movie hero Inigo Montoya ( played by Pantikin ) : “ Do you hear that Fezzik ?
That is the sound of ultimate suffering .
My heart made that sound when the six-fingered man killed my father .
Every Princess Bride fan who wants to see that perfect movie preserved from Hollywood politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruz ( @ tedcruz ) September 5 , 2020 The cast is promoting the event under the hashtag “ Dump Trumperdinck , ” a comparison of President Donald Trump to the film ’ s villain , the evil and obnoxious King Humperdinck .
# Inconceivable !
I ’ m excited to announce a virtual # PrincessBrideReunion !
Chip in any amount at the link & get an invite to this special event on Sun .
Sept. 13th with myself , @ RealRobinWright , @ PatinkinMandy , @ robreiner & many more !
# @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ Cary_Elwes ) September 4 , 2020 And yes , Elw popped off after he spotted Cruz ’ s grumbling on Twitter .
He told the senator that “ if only you could leave the fire swamp , you could join us.
” Here ’ s a taste of the fire swamp , with tongues of flame and rodents of “ unusual size ” : Elwes later tweeted to Cruz that it “ must be getting hot in there.
” Fans mostly thanked Cruz for raising awareness about the fundraiser and already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never thought I ’ d write this , but I ’ d like to personally thank Ted Cruz for helping drive the biggest fundraising day of the cycle for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin .
— Ben Wikler ( @ benwikler ) September 6 , 2020 Using a quote from The Princess Bride to chastize the star of The Princess Bride about a Princess Bride reunion is peak Ted Cruz .
— Daniel Summers , MD ( @ WFKARS ) September 6 , 2020

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is a mega-fan of Rob Reiner’s 1987 film “The Princess Bride,” but somehow he completely missed the point of the movie.
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Cruz responded by tweeting a line about suffering from movie hero Inigo Montoya (played by Patinkin):
“Do you hear that Fezzik? That is the sound of ultimate suffering. My heart made that sound when the six-fingered man killed my father. Every Princess Bride fan who wants to see that perfect movie preserved from Hollywood politics makes it now.” pic.twitter.com/mbUs4y6Ro0 — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 5, 2020
The cast is promoting the event under the hashtag “Dump Trumperdinck,” a comparison of President Donald Trump to the film’s villain, the evil and obnoxious King Humperdinck.
#Inconceivable! I’m excited to announce a virtual #PrincessBrideReunion! Chip in any amount at the link & get an invite to this special event on Sun. Sept. 13th with myself, @RealRobinWright, @PatinkinMandy, @robreiner & many more! #DumpTrumperdinck https://t.co/NTXPMpRiLk — Cary Elwes (@Cary_Elwes) September 4, 2020
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And yes, Elw popped off after he spotted Cruz’s grumbling on Twitter. He told the senator that “if only you could leave the fire swamp, you could join us.”
Here’s a taste of the fire swamp, with tongues of flame and rodents of “unusual size”:
Elwes later tweeted to Cruz that it “must be getting hot in there.”
Fans mostly thanked Cruz for raising awareness about the fundraiser and already making it a huge success:
I never thought I’d write this, but I’d like to personally thank Ted Cruz for helping drive the biggest fundraising day of the cycle for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. — Ben Wikler (@benwikler) September 6, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--‘Un-American’ Donald Trump Raked Over The Coals In New Republican Ad

President Donald Trump is hammered as “ simply un-American ” in The Lincoln Project ’ s latest ad that slams his reported insults of U.S. soldiers killed in combat .
With its spot released Monday , the anti-Trump group of Republicans blasts the president for allegedly describing U.S. service members killed in World War I as “ suckers ” and “ losers ” during a 2018 visit to France .
The Atlantic first reported Trump ’ s alleged comments last week .
Multiple media outlets , including the conservative Fox News , have now confirmed them .
Trump denied making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500,000 views in its first 12 hours on YouTube .
It ’ s unclear if the ad will appear on television .
The online popularity of the clip is not a guarantee that it will sway swing voters on Election Day .
Other political groups have released similar videos condemning Trump ’ s comments about fallen troops .
The anti-Trump Really American PAC captioned its clip with the hashtag # TrumpHatesOurTroops : Gold Star families spoke out against Trump in this video shared online by progressive PAC VoteVets : Donald Trump called our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losers . ''
They ca n't speak for themselves , but these 6 Gold Star families speak for our fallen .
Here is their POWERFUL message.
# GoldStarParentsAgainstTrump # VeteransAgainstTrump pic.twitter.com/ZnbFevqkNR — VoteVets ( @ votevets ) September 4 , 2020 Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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President Donald Trump is hammered as “simply un-American” in The Lincoln Project’s latest ad that slams his reported insults of U.S. soldiers killed in combat.
With its spot released Monday, the anti-Trump group of Republicans blasts the president for allegedly describing U.S. service members killed in World War I as “suckers” and “losers” during a 2018 visit to France.
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The Atlantic first reported Trump’s alleged comments last week. Multiple media outlets, including the conservative Fox News, have now confirmed them. Trump denied making them.
Check out the spot here:
The video garnered more than 500,000 views in its first 12 hours on YouTube.
It’s unclear if the ad will appear on television. The online popularity of the clip is not a guarantee that it will sway swing voters on Election Day.
Other political groups have released similar videos condemning Trump’s comments about fallen troops.
The anti-Trump Really American PAC captioned its clip with the hashtag #TrumpHatesOurTroops:
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Gold Star families spoke out against Trump in this video shared online by progressive PAC VoteVets:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-07--Kamala Harris Speaks With Jacob Blake, Paralyzed In Police Shooting, And Family

Sen. Kamala Harris spoke privately with Jacob Blake ― the Black man shot in the back seven times by a police officer in Kenosha , Wisconsin ― and his family on Monday , her campaign said .
The Democratic vice presidential nominee was in Wisconsin for her first campaign visit since joining former Vice President Joe Biden in his bid to unseat President Donald Trump this November .
Harris said she wanted to speak with Blake ’ s family “ to express concern for their well-being and , of course , for their brother and their son ’ s well-being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have support.
” “ They ’ re an incredible family and what they ’ ve endured and they just do it with such dignity and grace , ” Harris told reporters after the meeting .
“ And you know they ’ re carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders.
” Several members of Blake ’ s immediate family , including his parents and two sisters , met with Harris .
Blake joined by phone for about an hour .
Kamala Harris on her meeting with Jacob Blake ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re an incredible family and what they ’ ve endured and they do it with such divinity and grace and you know they ’ re carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders.
” pic.twitter.com/O98W5XhICI — Tyler Pager ( @ tylerpager ) September 7 , 2020 “ In a moving moment , Jacob Jr. told Sen. Harris that he was proud of her , and the senator told Jacob that she was also proud of him and how he is working through his pain .
Jacob Jr. assured her that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the sake of his children , ” Crump said in a statement .
“ She encouraged them to continue to use their voices even through their pain to help America make progress to end systematic racism.
” Harris ’ visit follows Biden ’ s own trip to Wisconsin last week , during which he also met with Blake ’ s family and spoke with Blake via phone .
Trump went to Wisconsin last week as well , but the president did not meet with or mention Blake during the trip .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree on a way to meet .
A cellphone video of Blake ’ s Aug. 23 shooting by Officer Rusten Sheskey spread around the internet , sparking more calls for an end to police brutality in America and spawning additional protests in Wisconsin and across the nation three months after the death of George Floyd .
All of the officers involved in the encounter with Blake have been suspended .
State and federal authorities are investigating the matter , but no charges have been filed .
Blake ’ s attorney shared a video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his first comments on his injuries .
Speaking from a hospital bed , Blake , who is paralyzed from the waist down , said his experience was “ nothing but pain.
” “ Your life and not only just your life , your legs ― something that you need to move around and move forward in life ― could be taken from you like this , ” he said in the video .
“ You do not want to have to deal with this shit , man .
...
It hurts to breathe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurts to move from side to side .
It hurts to eat .
”

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Sen. Kamala Harris spoke privately with Jacob Blake ― the Black man shot in the back seven times by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin ― and his family on Monday, her campaign said.
The Democratic vice presidential nominee was in Wisconsin for her first campaign visit since joining former Vice President Joe Biden in his bid to unseat President Donald Trump this November. Harris said she wanted to speak with Blake’s family “to express concern for their well-being and, of course, for their brother and their son’s well-being and to let them know that they have support.”
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“They’re an incredible family and what they’ve endured and they just do it with such dignity and grace,” Harris told reporters after the meeting. “And you know they’re carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders.”
Several members of Blake’s immediate family, including his parents and two sisters, met with Harris. Blake joined by phone for about an hour.
Kamala Harris on her meeting with Jacob Blake’s family: “I mean they’re an incredible family and what they’ve endured and they do it with such divinity and grace and you know they’re carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders.” pic.twitter.com/O98W5XhICI — Tyler Pager (@tylerpager) September 7, 2020
Blake’s attorney, Ben Crump, said the discussion was “inspirational.”
“In a moving moment, Jacob Jr. told Sen. Harris that he was proud of her, and the senator told Jacob that she was also proud of him and how he is working through his pain. Jacob Jr. assured her that he would not give up on life for the sake of his children,” Crump said in a statement. “She encouraged them to continue to use their voices even through their pain to help America make progress to end systematic racism.”
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Harris’ visit follows Biden’s own trip to Wisconsin last week, during which he also met with Blake’s family and spoke with Blake via phone.
Trump went to Wisconsin last week as well, but the president did not meet with or mention Blake during the trip. Earlier he said that the parties could not agree on a way to meet.
A cellphone video of Blake’s Aug. 23 shooting by Officer Rusten Sheskey spread around the internet, sparking more calls for an end to police brutality in America and spawning additional protests in Wisconsin and across the nation three months after the death of George Floyd.
All of the officers involved in the encounter with Blake have been suspended. State and federal authorities are investigating the matter, but no charges have been filed.
Blake’s attorney shared a video on Saturday in which the 29-year-old gave his first comments on his injuries. Speaking from a hospital bed, Blake, who is paralyzed from the waist down, said his experience was “nothing but pain.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--'Like A Boss': Twitter Users Are Raving About Kamala Harris' Campaign Trail Shoes

Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) is breaking ground on many counts with her candidacy as Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s running mate ― including her choice of shoes .
Harris set Twitter abuzz on Monday when she arrived in Milwaukee for a campaign stop wearing Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars .
Commentators praised Harris for ditching the heels ― the custom for women in politics ― and opting for more practical sneakers .
Chuck Taylors , Chucks and Converse trended for hours after videos , viewed millions of times , were posted showing the senator disembarking her plane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her first trip as the Democratic vice presidential nominee .
She will be meeting with unions and business leaders this afternoon .
pic.twitter.com/o9NbNQQc7g — Tyler Pager ( @ tylerpager ) September 7 , 2020 Harris has long been a fan of Converse and has worn them to numerous past events .
Last year , during her own run for president , she told The Cut she has a whole selection .
“ I run through airports in my Converse sneakers , ” she said .
“ I have a whole collection of Chuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a white pair , I have the kind that don ’ t lace , the kind that do lace , the kind I wear in the hot weather , the kind I wear in the cold weather , and the platform kind for when I ’ m wearing a pantsuit.
” She was seen rocking her Chucks throughout her stop in Milwaukee .
( And she had a face mask , too . )
“ Sneakers are a form of footwear finding their way into many women ’ s closets as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ femininity , ” Elizabeth Semmelhack , the author of “ Sneaker X Culture : Collab , ” told The Guardian last week of Harris ’ Converse .
“ The sneakers are acting as the sartorial equivalent of being willing to roll up her sleeves.
” The Guardian ’ s deputy fashion editor Priya Elan noted that the shoes were “ a small sartorial detail , but it is linked to the larger cultural moment in which we live.
” Chuck Taylor ’ s .
Skinny jeans .
Suit jacket .
First Black woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be nominated for national office by a major party .
Born in Oakland , California ( for you birthers ) .
Her first name is pronounced COMMA-lah .
Get it straight .
American , badass ... https : //t.co/ubVsaFV5nR — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 ( @ RexChapman ) September 7 , 2020 This is minuscule in the grand scheme of things , but seeing @ KamalaHarris campaign in Converse makes me smile .
Women were not allowed to wear pants on the Senate floor until 1993 .
We ’ re taught to push through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VP candidate is rocking sneakers .
https : //t.co/2pCSVQ3ywm — Becca Brubaker 🔔 ( @ itsmebeccam ) September 7 , 2020

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Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is breaking ground on many counts with her candidacy as Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s running mate ― including her choice of shoes.
Harris set Twitter abuzz on Monday when she arrived in Milwaukee for a campaign stop wearing Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars. Commentators praised Harris for ditching the heels ― the custom for women in politics ― and opting for more practical sneakers.
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Chuck Taylors, Chucks and Converse trended for hours after videos, viewed millions of times, were posted showing the senator disembarking her plane.
Kamala Harris arrives in Milwaukee for her first trip as the Democratic vice presidential nominee. She will be meeting with unions and business leaders this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/o9NbNQQc7g — Tyler Pager (@tylerpager) September 7, 2020
Harris has long been a fan of Converse and has worn them to numerous past events. Last year, during her own run for president, she told The Cut she has a whole selection.
“I run through airports in my Converse sneakers,” she said. “I have a whole collection of Chuck Taylors: a black leather pair, a white pair, I have the kind that don’t lace, the kind that do lace, the kind I wear in the hot weather, the kind I wear in the cold weather, and the platform kind for when I’m wearing a pantsuit.”
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She was seen rocking her Chucks throughout her stop in Milwaukee. (And she had a face mask, too.)
“Sneakers are a form of footwear finding their way into many women’s closets as part of a larger challenge to outmoded concepts of femininity,” Elizabeth Semmelhack, the author of “Sneaker X Culture: Collab,” told The Guardian last week of Harris’ Converse. “The sneakers are acting as the sartorial equivalent of being willing to roll up her sleeves.”
The Guardian’s deputy fashion editor Priya Elan noted that the shoes were “a small sartorial detail, but it is linked to the larger cultural moment in which we live.”
Check out what commentators thought of the “badass” shoe choice:
Chuck Taylor’s. Skinny jeans. Suit jacket.
First Black woman & first person of Indian descent to be nominated for national office by a major party.
Born in Oakland, California (for you birthers). Her first name is pronounced COMMA-lah. Get it straight.
American, badass... https://t.co/ubVsaFV5nR — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) September 7, 2020
Kamala Harris arrives in Milwaukee for meetings this afternoon in her black hightop Chuck Taylor Converse LIKE A BOSS. pic.twitter.com/auSGfTYkso — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) September 7, 2020
Chuck Taylors in the House! https://t.co/dfYp0QwmQr — Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 7, 2020
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This is minuscule in the grand scheme of things, but seeing @KamalaHarris campaign in Converse makes me smile.
Women were not allowed to wear pants on the Senate floor until 1993. We’re taught to push through the pain of wearing heels.
Now our VP candidate is rocking sneakers. https://t.co/2pCSVQ3ywm — Becca Brubaker 🔔 (@itsmebeccam) September 7, 2020
Hell yes!
VP to be, Kamala Harris walking off the plane like the boss — in her Chuck Taylors.pic.twitter.com/SSxfYO6Qx0 — Bill Madden (@maddenifico) September 7, 2020
People are obsessed with Kamala wearing Chuck Taylors with a suit.
As they should be.
She’s the coolest. https://t.co/WodYy2icti — Bryan Behar (@bryanbehar) September 7, 2020
Find yourself a VP who will increase voter turnout in minority communities while wearing Chuck Taylors. https://t.co/5W9PGd4QS5 — United for the People 💛🥁 (@people4kam) September 7, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Stephen Fry Reveals How Trump Exploited Systemic Racism To Enrich Himself

President Donald Trump last week denied that systemic racism was a problem in the United States .
Yet as British screen icon Stephen Fry pointed out , Trump has been a huge beneficiary of it , both politically and financially .
In a new video for Pindex , Fry highlighted the “ hidden tricks behind Trump ’ s wealth ” that were skewed against people of color and which he had taken advantage of even while exploiting racial tensions as president .
At one point , Fry noted , Trump posted fake stats “ painting Blacks as the cause of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ favorite channel ” ― Fox News ― pushed racist talking points on his behalf .
Fry also shared a clip of Fox News host Tucker Carlson claiming systemic racism had “ no real definition.
” “ It ’ s defined as racism that is embedded as normal practice , ” Fry said before sharing an example from Carlson ’ s own show .
“ Like a racist was embedded as Carlson ’ s scriptwriter.
” Fry , who was once voted the most intelligent person on British television , then cited a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divisive approach may have backfired .
“ Most have woken up to the shocking extent of systemic racism and stand more firmly against it , ” he said .

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President Donald Trump last week denied that systemic racism was a problem in the United States. Yet as British screen icon Stephen Fry pointed out, Trump has been a huge beneficiary of it, both politically and financially.
In a new video for Pindex, Fry highlighted the “hidden tricks behind Trump’s wealth” that were skewed against people of color and which he had taken advantage of even while exploiting racial tensions as president.
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At one point, Fry noted, Trump posted fake stats “painting Blacks as the cause of nearly all white deaths” while his “favorite channel” ― Fox News ― pushed racist talking points on his behalf. Fry also shared a clip of Fox News host Tucker Carlson claiming systemic racism had “no real definition.”
“It’s defined as racism that is embedded as normal practice,” Fry said before sharing an example from Carlson’s own show. “Like a racist was embedded as Carlson’s scriptwriter.”
Fry, who was once voted the most intelligent person on British television, then cited a study that said the president’s divisive approach may have backfired.
“Most have woken up to the shocking extent of systemic racism and stand more firmly against it,” he said.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Disorderly Goat Takes Over Cop Car, Head-Butts Deputy And Eats All The Paperwork

A sheriff ’ s deputy in Georgia had a run-in with the baddest of the bad last week when she returned to her cruiser to find a goat had taken over .
The Douglas County Sheriff ’ s Office said the unnamed deputy was serving civil papers at a home during the encounter .
She typically leaves her car door open as she ’ s had to retreat from “ vicious dogs ” in the past .
“ Never once did she expect or even consider what was about to happen this day , ” the agency wrote .
Footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the front seat and was busily eating the deputy ’ s paperwork .
Then , after leaving the vehicle with a mouthful of delicious papers , the goat delivered a head-butt to the deputy ’ s knees , knocking her down before hoofing it from the scene of the crime .
“ Even though she was knocked to the ground she was not physically harmed in the incident , ” the department wrote .
“ At the end of the day we all got a little laugh out of it and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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A sheriff’s deputy in Georgia had a run-in with the baddest of the bad last week when she returned to her cruiser to find a goat had taken over.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the unnamed deputy was serving civil papers at a home during the encounter. She typically leaves her car door open as she’s had to retreat from “vicious dogs” in the past.
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“Never once did she expect or even consider what was about to happen this day,” the agency wrote.
Footage from the hairy situation showed the goat in the front seat and was busily eating the deputy’s paperwork. Then, after leaving the vehicle with a mouthful of delicious papers, the goat delivered a head-butt to the deputy’s knees, knocking her down before hoofing it from the scene of the crime.
“Even though she was knocked to the ground she was not physically harmed in the incident,” the department wrote. “At the end of the day we all got a little laugh out of it and we hope you do as well!”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-08--Woman Who Made Gender-Reveal Parties A Thing: Stop These 'Stupid Parties'

The woman credited with making gender-reveal parties popular has a request after a major California wildfire was ignited during one such event over the weekend : “ Stop having these stupid parties.
” On Saturday morning , a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party sparked the El Dorado Fire east of Los Angeles , which has since burned more than 9,670 acres and forced thousands of people to evacuate .
It remained only 7 % contained on Monday evening amid extreme weather conditions .
The device would typically generate blue or pink smoke to indicate the gender of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numerous iterations of these parties follow .
( It ’ s not yet clear what color it was in this instance ) .
Karvunidis threw what ’ s now known as a gender reveal party in 2008 , she told HuffPost in a phone interview .
She didn ’ t call it that at the time , though .
She simply threw a party where she and her family discovered that she was going to have a baby girl by cutting into a cake that contained pink icing .
“ I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved and excited as my sister-in-law just had a baby , ” she said .
After posting about it on her blog , High Gloss and Sauce , the idea was picked up by a local magazine called The Bump .
Karvunidis said in the following years , she noticed the events became more prevalent .
Last year , after a Twitter user described Karvunidis as the “ inventor ” of the gender-reveal party , she told NPR that her views on gender had changed .
“ Who cares what gender the baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because we didn ’ t live in 2019 and didn ’ t know what we know now ― that assigning focus on gender at birth leaves out so much of their potential and talents , ” she wrote on Facebook at the time .
Karvunidis told HuffPost she began to find the concept problematic when her daughter became upset because she received what she perceived as a “ boy ’ s toy ” for Christmas ( it wasn ’ t pink ) .
In more recent years , gender-reveal events have moved from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more dramatic reveals ― sometimes with dangerous results .
In 2017 , an Arizona man set off a massive 45,000-acre wildfire that left more than $ 8 million worth of damage after shooting at a target loaded with an explosive substance intended to burst pink or blue .
And last year , a “ burnout ” gender-reveal stunt in Australia sent a car up in flames and the driver to court .
Other headline-making events have included a live alligator , fireworks and colored hair .
As Karvunidis spends her Monday evening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home due to the Bobcat Fire ― a wildfire near Azusa located not far from the El Dorado blaze ― she said things have truly gone too far .

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The woman credited with making gender-reveal parties popular has a request after a major California wildfire was ignited during one such event over the weekend: “Stop having these stupid parties.”
On Saturday morning, a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party sparked the El Dorado Fire east of Los Angeles, which has since burned more than 9,670 acres and forced thousands of people to evacuate. It remained only 7% contained on Monday evening amid extreme weather conditions.
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The device would typically generate blue or pink smoke to indicate the gender of an expected baby, a formula that the numerous iterations of these parties follow. (It’s not yet clear what color it was in this instance).
“Stop it. Stop having these stupid parties. For the love of God, stop burning things down to tell everyone about your kid’s penis,” Jenna Karvunidis wrote on Facebook on Monday. “No one cares but you.”
Karvunidis threw what’s now known as a gender reveal party in 2008, she told HuffPost in a phone interview. She didn’t call it that at the time, though. She simply threw a party where she and her family discovered that she was going to have a baby girl by cutting into a cake that contained pink icing.
“I was just trying to get my family more involved and excited as my sister-in-law just had a baby,” she said.
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After posting about it on her blog, High Gloss and Sauce, the idea was picked up by a local magazine called The Bump. Karvunidis said in the following years, she noticed the events became more prevalent.
Last year, after a Twitter user described Karvunidis as the “inventor” of the gender-reveal party, she told NPR that her views on gender had changed.
“Who cares what gender the baby is? I did at the time because we didn’t live in 2019 and didn’t know what we know now ― that assigning focus on gender at birth leaves out so much of their potential and talents,” she wrote on Facebook at the time.
Karvunidis told HuffPost she began to find the concept problematic when her daughter became upset because she received what she perceived as a “boy’s toy” for Christmas (it wasn’t pink).
In more recent years, gender-reveal events have moved from simple balloon pops, confetti and cakes to more dramatic reveals ― sometimes with dangerous results. In 2017, an Arizona man set off a massive 45,000-acre wildfire that left more than $8 million worth of damage after shooting at a target loaded with an explosive substance intended to burst pink or blue. And last year, a “burnout” gender-reveal stunt in Australia sent a car up in flames and the driver to court. Other headline-making events have included a live alligator, fireworks and colored hair.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-07--Iconic Yosemite Landmarks Look Absolutely Apocalyptic As Wildfires Approach

Parts of Yosemite National Park are under advisory for a possible evacuation as the massive Creek Fire rages to the south .
It ’ s not clear how many people have been evacuated or if any structures have been damaged , but thousands of homes and other buildings are under threat .
Yosemite remained open to those with reservations as of Monday , but park officials warned that air quality varies and visibility is limited .
Those who have braved the conditions have posted apocalyptic images of some of the park ’ s most iconic sites draped with a heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : # CreekFire This is what # YosemitePark looks like .
@ YosemiteNPS pic.twitter.com/DnJO603do0 — Viviana Tirado 🌸 ( @ VTiradoM ) September 7 , 2020 View of wildfires from Sentinel Dome in Yosemite at ~8,100 feet .
It was about 3pm .
# creekfire # wildfires # YosemiteNationalPark pic.twitter.com/ZixKy8JXpf — Naureen Malik ( @ naurtorious ) September 6 , 2020 NO FILTER : Due to the Creek Fire , Yosemite National Park has issued a fire advisory for areas south of Chinquapin .
📷 : Gina Marie Woodardhttps : //t.co/6CbZ2TehNb pic.twitter.com/hqFDSF6xpS — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 , 2020 This morning at tunnel view in Yosemite .
Beauty due to the tragic Creek Fire .
May all souls trapped make it out ok !
[ 1600x1600 ] [ OC ] via https : //t.co/pUFvjVCeqL pic.twitter.com/UddJDWPLsw — Simon Nathanael ( @ simonnathanael ) September 6 , 2020 Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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Parts of Yosemite National Park are under advisory for a possible evacuation as the massive Creek Fire rages to the south.
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It’s not clear how many people have been evacuated or if any structures have been damaged, but thousands of homes and other buildings are under threat.
Yosemite remained open to those with reservations as of Monday, but park officials warned that air quality varies and visibility is limited.
Those who have braved the conditions have posted apocalyptic images of some of the park’s most iconic sites draped with a heavy layer of smoke and an orange glow:
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View of wildfires from Sentinel Dome in Yosemite at ~8,100 feet. It was about 3pm. #creekfire #wildfires #YosemiteNationalPark pic.twitter.com/ZixKy8JXpf — Naureen Malik (@naurtorious) September 6, 2020
NO FILTER: Due to the Creek Fire, Yosemite National Park has issued a fire advisory for areas south of Chinquapin.
📷: Gina Marie Woodardhttps://t.co/6CbZ2TehNb pic.twitter.com/hqFDSF6xpS — KRON4 News (@kron4news) September 7, 2020
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This morning at tunnel view in Yosemite. Beauty due to the tragic Creek Fire. May all souls trapped make it out ok! [1600x1600] [OC] via https://t.co/pUFvjVCeqL pic.twitter.com/UddJDWPLsw — Simon Nathanael (@simonnathanael) September 6, 2020
Yosemite filled with smoke from massive Creek Fire burning in Sierra https://t.co/8EHvPnd5Y8 — Allie Larkin (@AllieLarkin) September 6, 2020