theroot--2020-11-12--Louisville Metro Police Accused of Hiding More Than 730,000 Records Related to Sexual Abuse of Minor

Louisville Metro Police Accused of Hiding More Than 730,000 Records Related to Sexual Abuse of Minors by Officers

The Louisville Metro Police Department is accused of concealing at least 738,000 records documenting the sexual abuse of minors who participated in the Explorer Scouts Program—the department ’ s mentoring program for youth considering professions in law enforcement—by two police officers and then lying to keep the records from coming to light .
The Courier-Journal reports that the Explorer Scouts scandal—which began to unfold in October 2016 when the LMPD confirmed an officer was under investigation for reasons related to his conduct while taking part in the program—led to the program being shut down in 2017 .
The shutdown followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who accused officers Kenneth Betts and Brandon Wood of sexual abuse starting when he was 17 .
Both officers were eventually charged criminally and pleaded guilty .
Wood was sentenced to 70 months in prison for attempted enticement of a teen and Betts was sentenced to 16 years for child pornography and enticement .
He also pleaded guilty to sodomy charges in state court , according to the Courier-Journal .
The Courier Journal last year requested all records regarding sexual abuse of minors by two officers in the Explorer Scout program for youths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials and the Jefferson County Attorney ’ s Office said they couldn ’ t comply , insisting all the records had been turned over to the FBI for its investigation .
But that wasn ’ t true , according to records The Courier Journal recently obtained in the appeal of its open records case .
In fact , the department still had at least 738,000 records , which the city allowed to be deleted .
The records could shed light on when department and city officials first learned of allegations of sexual abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what the officials did — or failed to do — about it .
“ It ’ s very disturbing to me that either the county attorney ’ s office or the police department was so dead-set on making sure those records never reached the public , ” Metro Council President David James said Wednesday .
James also said he will talk to other council members “ about holding people accountable who need to be held accountable .
“ Meanwhile , according to WKLY , a third LMPD officer , Brad Schuhmann , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with sexually abusing an underage girl participating in the program in 2010 .
Schuhmann resigned after he was indicted .
WKLY also reports that a judge has ordered that Louisville release all documents related to the investigation which has not concluded yet .
When it is concluded , investigators will present all findings to Mayor Greg Fischer , James and the chairs of the two largest Metro Council caucuses .
Jean Porter , a spokesman for Mayor Fischer , told the Courier-Journal that the mayor ’ s “ focus is getting to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Issues of ownership for records in an investigation led by a federal task force are not as clear as your newspaper would suggest , ” Porter said in a statement .
“ The mayor is awaiting the independent review being conducted for the Jefferson County Attorney ’ s office before deciding next steps , and he remains committed to releasing all documents that the law allows .
”

The Louisville Metro Police Department is accused of concealing at least 738,000 records documenting the sexual abuse of minors who participated in the Explorer Scouts Program—the department’s mentoring program for youth considering professions in law enforcement—by two police officers and then lying to keep the records from coming to light.
The Courier-Journal reports that the Explorer Scouts scandal—which began to unfold in October 2016 when the LMPD confirmed an officer was under investigation for reasons related to his conduct while taking part in the program—led to the program being shut down in 2017. The shutdown followed a lawsuit filed by an unnamed 22-year-old who accused officers Kenneth Betts and Brandon Wood of sexual abuse starting when he was 17. Both officers were eventually charged criminally and pleaded guilty. Wood was sentenced to 70 months in prison for attempted enticement of a teen and Betts was sentenced to 16 years for child pornography and enticement. He also pleaded guilty to sodomy charges in state court, according to the Courier-Journal.
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From the Courier-Journal:
The Courier Journal last year requested all records regarding sexual abuse of minors by two officers in the Explorer Scout program for youths interested in law enforcement careers. Police officials and the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office said they couldn’t comply, insisting all the records had been turned over to the FBI for its investigation. But that wasn’t true, according to records The Courier Journal recently obtained in the appeal of its open records case. In fact, the department still had at least 738,000 records, which the city allowed to be deleted. The records could shed light on when department and city officials first learned of allegations of sexual abuse of youths by officers in the program and what the officials did — or failed to do — about it.
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“It’s very disturbing to me that either the county attorney’s office or the police department was so dead-set on making sure those records never reached the public,” Metro Council President David James said Wednesday. James also said he will talk to other council members “about holding people accountable who need to be held accountable. “
Meanwhile, according to WKLY, a third LMPD officer, Brad Schuhmann, was charged in federal court last week with sexually abusing an underage girl participating in the program in 2010. Schuhmann resigned after he was indicted.
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WKLY also reports that a judge has ordered that Louisville release all documents related to the investigation which has not concluded yet. When it is concluded, investigators will present all findings to Mayor Greg Fischer, James and the chairs of the two largest Metro Council caucuses.
Jean Porter, a spokesman for Mayor Fischer, told the Courier-Journal that the mayor’s “focus is getting to the truth in this horrific case.”
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“Issues of ownership for records in an investigation led by a federal task force are not as clear as your newspaper would suggest,” Porter said in a statement. “The mayor is awaiting the independent review being conducted for the Jefferson County Attorney’s office before deciding next steps, and he remains committed to releasing all documents that the law allows.”


theroot--2020-11-12--The 10 Best Deals of November 12, 2020

The 10 Best Deals of November 12, 2020

It ’ s November 12 , and we at Kinja Deals are here to bring you the top 10 deals of the day .
Trade in your ancient laptop for a brand new 2019 MacBook Air .
Make dinner while getting your groove on in the kitchen with the Sonos One ( t wo-p ack ) speakers .
And show your skin a little love with the Vitamin To-Glow p ack , available at Ulta .
If you ’ re still craving more deals , take a peek at Thursday ’ s best deals overall .
JACHS NY makes some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sale like this happens you take note .
They are having a killer week of amazing cyber deals and right now you can grab these awesome Merino Wool Sweaters for just $ 39 .
That ’ s up to 78 % off the original price and you don ’ t need a code .
There are 13 styles and colors to pick from so you ’ re sure to find the right one for your taste .
I ’ m partial to a henley and think it looks great on everyone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re getting a great deal to stay warm and cozy through the winter months .
This deal was originally published by Sheilah Villari .
Good news , everyone !
Apple ’ s latest version of macOS , Big Sur , is out today , so you ’ ll have something new to tinker with if quarantine has you feeling a bit antsy .
If your machine ’ s feeling a little slow these days , or you ’ d just like to snag your first Mac , the MacBook Air is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of your needs .
Right now , you can get a 13 '' 256GB Air with 8GB of RAM for $ 850 after applying a discount at checkout , saving you $ 80 .
Do note , though , that this is last year ’ s model , not the latest line using Apple ’ s own ARM chips .
If you ’ d rather get a dedicated home office workstation , last year ’ s 5K iMac is down to $ 1,650 , saving you $ 150 .
For your money , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5K display , 8GB of RAM , and 256GB of SSD storage .
As long as you ’ re not doing anything too resource-heavy , that should be fine for most people , and you won ’ t mind saving a bit of cash .
This deal was originally published by Jordan McMahon .
Greatness may be awaiting the PS5 launch on November 12 , but you can get a head start on your PlayStation Plus subscription renewal ( still required for online multiplayer and monthly freebies ) at Eneba .
Using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whole year , less than half the price you ’ d otherwise spend on Amazon .
Simply redeem the code at checkout and you ’ re set for 365 days .
Disclaimer : While we ’ ve heard your complaints about our use of Eneba links in the past , note the redirection to EU region-locked products has since been resolved by our affiliate partners at Eneba and Awin .
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey .
It will surprise no one who knows me that one of my favorite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forza Horizon 4 with my dad .
In fact , at the beginning of America ’ s COVID-19 saga , I convinced him to buy an Xbox One S and have been sending him Kinja Deals for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate every 3 months .
If you want to keep in touch with your parents while also smoking their asses in a friendly street or cross country racing competition , there really is no better way to turn your brain off for a few hours while you ’ re catching up on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hooked as I am , you ’ ll be starvinging for more content .
Fortunately , Eneba ’ s selling the Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Add-Ons Bundle for $ 17 using the exclusive promo code FORZAKINJA .
Included in the mix is Car Pass , VIP membership , the “ Best of Bond ” 007 car pack ( yes , it ’ s got the iconic Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger ) , the Formula Drift car pack , and both the Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions DLC expansions .
Never run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drive with this steep $ 33 discount—a whopping 66 % off the list price you ’ d pay on the Microsoft Store for the same downloads .
While you ’ re at it , buy a couple for your family and friends , too .
Disclaimer : While we ’ ve heard your complaints about our use of Eneba links in the past , note the redirection to EU region-locked products has since been resolved by our affiliate partners at Eneba and Awin .
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places for beauty products and if you get a deal on top brands even better .
Until Saturday take $ 10 off any purchase over $ 50 or take $ 20 off any order over $ 100 .
Ulta has lots of exclusives and great items to pick from .
I ’ m going to highlight one of my favorite K-Beauty bundles .
The Vitamin To-Glow Pack is one I go back to a lot .
As it ’ s about to get a bit chilly out there skin gets dry and lips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dew Care handles all that and more .
This kit has the Bright Side Up Brightening Vitamin C Serum , the Plush Party Buttery Vitamin C Lip Mask , and the Say You Dew Moisturizing Vitamin C Gel .
That lip mask and moisturizing gel do wonders .
I keep them on my nightstand just in case I ’ ve got dry patches or want my lips to be super smooth in the morning .
I couldn ’ t recommend these more .
This deal ends November 14 and free shipping on orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ originally posted by Sheilah Villari .
So you ’ re ready to grab a smart speaker , but not sure which route to go .
You ’ ve got plenty of options , but right now Amazon has a two-pack of Sonos One speakers , which offers support for both Google Assistant and Alexa to suit all your needs , and can easily be paired up with all your other Sonos gear for better sound .
At $ 380 even with a discount , it ’ s not cheap , but if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t be sweating it while you blast your favorite albums .
This deal was originally published by Jordan McMahon .
If you ’ ve had your eye on the Beats Solo Pro headphones , today is your lucky day .
The full retail on these babies is $ 300 , but you can get three vibrant color options at Best Buy for only $ 180 .
Of course , the dark blue , light blue , and red options have all hovered a good chunk lower than full retail and have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent weeks .
But still , this is a bigger discount than normal .
Now is your chance to listen to your music and podcasts in style for a better price— don ’ t miss it !
This deal was originally published by Liz Lanier .
The iPad is nice , but even with the latest generations starting at much more approachable prices , it ’ s still kind of expensive .
If you ’ re in the under-hundred club for a tablet budget , try the Lenovo Tab M8 .
Only $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , the tablet ships with Android 9 Pie , but an Android 10 upgrade is just around the corner .
You ’ ll get an 8-inch slate running just north of 720p resolution , quad-core performance , 32GB of expandable storage , front and rear cameras , and a battery advertised to last all day .
Perfect for reading , light browsing , and multimedia , Walmart also includes a display stand , so you can use it bedside as a night clock or a digital recipe book in the kitchen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kennemer .
For today only , save 33 % on this Instant Pot Ultra 6qt , which shows a $ 100 subtotal at checkout after the $ 50 discount applies .
The 8qt model is another $ 10 .
This is a great deal if you ’ ve been on the fence of purchasing one or replacing an older worn-out model .
The Ultra is the newest addition to the Instant Pot Fam .
These are easy to use , are quicker , and take a lot of the guess for out if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before .
This Insta Pot is pretty versatile and can be a pressure cooker , slow cooker , rice/porridge cooker , yogurt maker , cake maker , and egg cooker .
It also sautés/sears , steams , warms , and even sterilizers .
That ’ s quite the variety for one appliance .
The programming and presets aid in making sure minimal mistakes are made and each meal is perfect .
This model is Ul certified with 11 proven safety mechanisms and it ’ s energy-efficient .
This deal was originally published by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a regular to Kinja Deals , you should know we ’ re big fans of Kyoku knives .
They ’ re super-sharp and is a necessity for any aspiring home cook .
This six-inch utility knife is made with Japanese , Damascus steel , and has an ergonomic handle .
It ’ s only $ 65 with the promo code KYOKU63K with the additional clipped coupon on the page .
Grab it before it ’ s gone .
This deal was originally published by Ignacia Fulcher .

Juliana Clark on Kinja Deals, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Thursday’s Best Deals | Kinja Deals
It’s November 12, and we at Kinja Deals are here to bring you the top 10 deals of the day. Trade in your ancient laptop for a brand new 2019 MacBook Air. Make dinner while getting your groove on in the kitchen with the Sonos One (t wo-p ack) speakers. And show your skin a little love with the Vitamin To-Glow p ack, available at Ulta.
If you’re still craving more deals, take a peek at Thursday’s best deals overall.
#1: JAchs NY WOOL SWEATERS
JACHS NY makes some really beautiful and quality clothing so when a sale like this happens you take note. They are having a killer week of amazing cyber deals and right now you can grab these awesome Merino Wool Sweaters for just $39. That’s up to 78% off the original price and you don’t need a code. There are 13 styles and colors to pick from so you’re sure to find the right one for your taste. I’m partial to a henley and think it looks great on everyone. But no matter what you choose you’re getting a great deal to stay warm and cozy through the winter months.
Free shipping for orders over $100.
This deal was originally published by Sheilah Villari.
#2: MACBOOK AIR + 5K IMAC
Good news, everyone! Apple’s latest version of macOS, Big Sur, is out today, so you’ll have something new to tinker with if quarantine has you feeling a bit antsy. If your machine’s feeling a little slow these days, or you’d just like to snag your first Mac, the MacBook Air is a great option that’ll cover most of your needs. Right now, you can get a 13" 256GB Air with 8GB of RAM for $850 after applying a discount at checkout, saving you $80. Do note, though, that this is last year’s model, not the latest line using Apple’s own ARM chips.
If you’d rather get a dedicated home office workstation, last year’s 5K iMac is down to $1,650, saving you $150. For your money, you’ll get a 27" 5K display, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. As long as you’re not doing anything too resource-heavy, that should be fine for most people, and you won’t mind saving a bit of cash.
This deal was originally published by Jordan McMahon.
#3: PLAYSTATION PLUS
Greatness may be awaiting the PS5 launch on November 12, but you can get a head start on your PlayStation Plus subscription renewal (still required for online multiplayer and monthly freebies) at Eneba. Using the promo code PSFIVEALERT, $28 nets a whole year, less than half the price you’d otherwise spend on Amazon. Simply redeem the code at checkout and you’re set for 365 days.
Disclaimer: While we’ve heard your complaints about our use of Eneba links in the past, note the redirection to EU region-locked products has since been resolved by our affiliate partners at Eneba and Awin.
Save $21 PlayStation Plus 1-Year Membership Get Online
Gain online multiplayer support for your PlayStation consoles on the PlayStation Plus Network. Buy for $39 at Eneba Use the promo code PlusWeekend
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey.
#4: Forza horizon 4 add-ons
It will surprise no one who knows me that one of my favorite quarantine pastimes on the weekends is playing Forza Horizon 4 with my dad. In fact, at the beginning of America’s COVID-19 saga, I convinced him to buy an Xbox One S and have been sending him Kinja Deals for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate every 3 months. If you want to keep in touch with your parents while also smoking their asses in a friendly street or cross country racing competition, there really is no better way to turn your brain off for a few hours while you’re catching up on a call. And once you’re hooked as I am, you’ll be starvinging for more content.
Fortunately, Eneba’s selling the Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Add-Ons Bundle for $17 using the exclusive promo code FORZAKINJA. Included in the mix is Car Pass, VIP membership, the “Best of Bond” 007 car pack (yes, it’s got the iconic Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger), the Formula Drift car pack, and both the Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions DLC expansions. Never run out of things to do or cars to drive with this steep $33 discount—a whopping 66% off the list price you’d pay on the Microsoft Store for the same downloads. While you’re at it, buy a couple for your family and friends, too.
Disclaimer: While we’ve heard your complaints about our use of Eneba links in the past, note the redirection to EU region-locked products has since been resolved by our affiliate partners at Eneba and Awin.
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey.
#5: uLTA HOLIDAY SALE
Ulta is one of the best places for beauty products and if you get a deal on top brands even better. Until Saturday take $10 off any purchase over $50 or take $20 off any order over $100.
Ulta has lots of exclusives and great items to pick from. I’m going to highlight one of my favorite K-Beauty bundles. The Vitamin To-Glow Pack is one I go back to a lot. As it’s about to get a bit chilly out there skin gets dry and lips get chapped. This set from I Dew Care handles all that and more. This kit has the Bright Side Up Brightening Vitamin C Serum, the Plush Party Buttery Vitamin C Lip Mask, and the Say You Dew Moisturizing Vitamin C Gel. That lip mask and moisturizing gel do wonders. I keep them on my nightstand just in case I’ve got dry patches or want my lips to be super smooth in the morning. I couldn’t recommend these more.
This deal ends November 14 and free shipping on orders over $35.
This deal was originally posted by Sheilah Villari.
#6: sonos speakers
So you’re ready to grab a smart speaker, but not sure which route to go. You’ve got plenty of options, but right now Amazon has a two-pack of Sonos One speakers, which offers support for both Google Assistant and Alexa to suit all your needs, and can easily be paired up with all your other Sonos gear for better sound. At $380 even with a discount, it’s not cheap, but if you’ve got the money, you won’t be sweating it while you blast your favorite albums.
This deal was originally published by Jordan McMahon.
#7: beats solo pro headphones
If you’ve had your eye on the Beats Solo Pro headphones, today is your lucky day. The full retail on these babies is $300, but you can get three vibrant color options at Best Buy for only $180. Of course, the dark blue, light blue, and red options have all hovered a good chunk lower than full retail and have been as low as $200 in recent weeks. But still, this is a bigger discount than normal.
Now is your chance to listen to your music and podcasts in style for a better price— don’t miss it!
This deal was originally published by Liz Lanier.
#8: lenovo tab m8
The iPad is nice, but even with the latest generations starting at much more approachable prices, it’s still kind of expensive. If you’re in the under-hundred club for a tablet budget, try the Lenovo Tab M8. Only $59 at Walmart (normally $90), the tablet ships with Android 9 Pie, but an Android 10 upgrade is just around the corner.
You’ll get an 8-inch slate running just north of 720p resolution, quad-core performance, 32GB of expandable storage, front and rear cameras, and a battery advertised to last all day. Perfect for reading, light browsing, and multimedia, Walmart also includes a display stand, so you can use it bedside as a night clock or a digital recipe book in the kitchen.
This deal was originally published by Quentyn Kennemer.
#9: Instant pot ultra
For today only, save 33% on this Instant Pot Ultra 6qt, which shows a $100 subtotal at checkout after the $50 discount applies. The 8qt model is another $10. This is a great deal if you’ve been on the fence of purchasing one or replacing an older worn-out model.
The Ultra is the newest addition to the Instant Pot Fam. These are easy to use, are quicker, and take a lot of the guess for out if you’ve experimented with instant pots before. This Insta Pot is pretty versatile and can be a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice/porridge cooker, yogurt maker, cake maker, and egg cooker. It also sautés/sears, steams, warms, and even sterilizers. That’s quite the variety for one appliance. The programming and presets aid in making sure minimal mistakes are made and each meal is perfect. This model is Ul certified with 11 proven safety mechanisms and it’s energy-efficient.
This deal was originally published by Sheilah Villari.
#10: kyoku damascus chef knife
If you’re a regular to Kinja Deals, you should know we’re big fans of Kyoku knives. They’re super-sharp and is a necessity for any aspiring home cook. This six-inch utility knife is made with Japanese, Damascus steel, and has an ergonomic handle. It’s only $65 with the promo code KYOKU63K with the additional clipped coupon on the page. Grab it before it’s gone.
This deal was originally published by Ignacia Fulcher.


theroot--2020-11-12--Emmy-Winner Cord Jefferson Inks Overall Deal With Warner Bros. Television Group

If 2020 Emmy-winner and alumni of The Root Cord Jefferson wasn ’ t already having a bomb-ass year , then this latest announcement via Warner Bros. is sure to seal the deal .
It ’ s been announced that Jefferson has now signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Television Group , marking it as Jefferson ’ s first overall studio deal .
In a press release sent to The Root , further details about Jefferson ’ s deal are as followed : “ The agreement continues Jefferson ’ s relationship with WBTVG and WarnerMedia , as he most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writer for the landmark Emmy®-winning HBO limited series Watchmen , produced by Warner Bros. Television .
Under terms of the deal , Jefferson will create , develop and produce original programming to be produced by the Studio , including drama series , comedies , longform , and unscripted projects for all platforms .
This includes projects for HBO Max , HBO and other WarnerMedia-affiliated outlets , as well as external streaming services , premium and basic cable channels , and the five broadcast networks .
Under this pact , Jefferson plans to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as affecting unscripted projects , a callback to his roots as a journalist.
” Earlier this year , Jefferson took home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series , Movie or Dramatic Special ( alongside Damon Lindelof ) for the “ This Extraordinary Being ” episode of HBO ’ s Watchmen .
He was also nominated for both an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series and USC Scripter Award for Television for the same episode .
Jefferson ’ s writing credits also include several other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of None , and The Good Place on HBO , Netflix , and NBC , respectively .
Wow , we truly do love to see it .
Especially when it ’ s one of our own .
Alexa , play “ WIN ” by Jay Rock .
It doesn ’ t look like Cord Jefferson ’ s reign is about to let up any time soon .

Shanelle Genai on The Grapevine, shared by Shanelle Genai to The Root

If 2020 Emmy-winner and alumni of The Root Cord Jefferson wasn’t already having a bomb-ass year, then this latest announcement via Warner Bros. is sure to seal the deal. It’s been announced that Jefferson has now signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Television Group, marking it as Jefferson’s first overall studio deal.
In a press release sent to The Root, further details about Jefferson’s deal are as followed:
“The agreement continues Jefferson’s relationship with WBTVG and WarnerMedia, as he most recently was an executive story editor and writer for the landmark Emmy®-winning HBO limited series Watchmen, produced by Warner Bros. Television. Under terms of the deal, Jefferson will create, develop and produce original programming to be produced by the Studio, including drama series, comedies, longform, and unscripted projects for all platforms. This includes projects for HBO Max, HBO and other WarnerMedia-affiliated outlets, as well as external streaming services, premium and basic cable channels, and the five broadcast networks. Under this pact, Jefferson plans to create thoughtful character dramas and comedies, as well as affecting unscripted projects, a callback to his roots as a journalist.”
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Earlier this year, Jefferson took home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special (alongside Damon Lindelof) for the “This Extraordinary Being” episode of HBO’s Watchmen. He was also nominated for both an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series and USC Scripter Award for Television for the same episode. Jefferson’s writing credits also include several other award-winning shows such as Succession, Master of None, and The Good Place on HBO, Netflix, and NBC, respectively.
Wow, we truly do love to see it. Especially when it’s one of our own. Alexa, play “WIN” by Jay Rock. It doesn’t look like Cord Jefferson’s reign is about to let up any time soon.


theroot--2020-11-12--America Is Sick. This Shouldn't Surprise Us Anymore

On Thursday morning , as rates of coronavirus infection continued to soar around the country , Dr. Sanjay Gupta , CNN ’ s chief medical correspondent , tried to relay just how serious the state of the pandemic is in the United States .
“ Doctors Without Borders have come to the United States to do their work .
They go to the hottest spots in the world , they look at the Earth and say ‘ Where are we needed ?
’ Well , they ’ re needed here in the United States right now , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This was evidence that the pandemic is a “ humanitarian disaster , ” Gupta continued .
A clip of his remarks went viral on Twitter , with more than a few responders lamenting the fact that Trump had turned the U.S. into “ a third-world ” or “ developing ” country .
Doctors Without Borders reached out to clarify that they ’ ve actually been in the United States since April working on several projects related to the pandemic—including trainings on infection prevention .
But , because the international humanitarian nonprofit is known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zones or areas affected by endemic diseases , the nuances of that work—or the organization ’ s presence in other nations with developed economies , like France and Italy—was lost .
Nonetheless , the knee-jerk reactions were noteworthy because they played into the same flawed ideas of American exceptionalism that have defined the response to the coronavirus .
The archaic phrase “ third-world ” —which arose during the Cold War era as a way to demarcate nations in various stages of economic development—has always told us less about how well a country is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to believe .
( I ’ ll also admit here that , having been born in and spent a substantial portion of my life living in countries with emerging economies , I ’ ve found the term more than a little insulting . )
But well before the coronavirus pandemic , America ’ s lagged behind much of the world on several key indicators—no matter how developed the economy .
Income inequality ?
According to data from the World Bank , the United States has a Gini Index coefficient of .42 ( the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equality , and 1.0 , perfect inequality ) , making its income inequality ranking similar to Cote d ’ Ivoire , Argentina and Haiti .
In some cities , like Miami , New Orleans , and San Juan , Puerto Rico , that rate is far worse .
If you were to measure the world according to gender inequality , you ’ d find the United States comes 51st out of 149 countries : slightly behind Cuba and Mexico , and substantially behind Nicaragua , the Philippines and Namibia , all of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parity .
Were we to look at another health metric—maternal mortality rates—we ’ d find that the World Bank rates the United States 56th ; birthing parents are less likely to die during childbirth in Iran and Kazakhstan than in the U.S. ( Not surprisingly , among our industrialized peer countries , America ranks last . )
And , as The Root has reported over the years , America ’ s maternal mortality rates are profoundly shaped by systemic racism , with Black birthing parents far more likely to die due to pregnancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distinction of “ third ” and “ first ” world becomes even more useless when we think about the coronavirus specifically .
Many countries with emerging economies have actually done much better than their industrialized counterparts in managing the coronavirus—a fact that has left many journalists and public health experts scratching their heads .
Countries such as Thailand , Rwanda , Niger , and Cambodia have all seen stunningly low rates of infection throughout the year , and Western news outlets were quick to express puzzlement at that very fact .
That so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests that we ’ ve all internalized the belief that wealth—or more specifically , GDP—ought to keep you healthier .
That it ought to save you , to a certain degree ; even if we can look at many parts of America—urban and rural—and see that this is not the case .
Despite hundreds of years of policies codifying racial caste and concentrating poverty in destitute , under-resourced communities—policies that we see manifested in the health of our physical bodies—some Americans believe sickness shouldn ’ t happen here the way it does in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American exceptionalism rots brains , and folks across the political spectrum are equally susceptible to it , though they may express it in different ways .
America has been a “ conflict zone ” throughout its history , its endemic problems as visible now as they have ever been .
Despite our status as the world ’ s lone superpower , if anyone needs humanitarian assistance , it ’ s us .
This country is sick and has been for some time now .
Only a uniquely American arrogance would have us deny @ @

On Thursday morning, as rates of coronavirus infection continued to soar around the country, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, tried to relay just how serious the state of the pandemic is in the United States.
“Doctors Without Borders have come to the United States to do their work. They go to the hottest spots in the world, they look at the Earth and say ‘Where are we needed?’ Well, they’re needed here in the United States right now,” he said on CNN’s New Day.
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This was evidence that the pandemic is a “humanitarian disaster,” Gupta continued.
A clip of his remarks went viral on Twitter, with more than a few responders lamenting the fact that Trump had turned the U.S. into “a third-world” or “developing” country.
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Doctors Without Borders reached out to clarify that they’ve actually been in the United States since April working on several projects related to the pandemic—including trainings on infection prevention. But, because the international humanitarian nonprofit is known for aiding people who live in conflict zones or areas affected by endemic diseases, the nuances of that work—or the organization’s presence in other nations with developed economies, like France and Italy—was lost.
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Nonetheless, the knee-jerk reactions were noteworthy because they played into the same flawed ideas of American exceptionalism that have defined the response to the coronavirus. The archaic phrase “third-world”—which arose during the Cold War era as a way to demarcate nations in various stages of economic development—has always told us less about how well a country is actually doing than we’d like to believe. (I’ll also admit here that, having been born in and spent a substantial portion of my life living in countries with emerging economies, I’ve found the term more than a little insulting.)
But well before the coronavirus pandemic, America’s lagged behind much of the world on several key indicators—no matter how developed the economy. Income inequality? According to data from the World Bank, the United States has a Gini Index coefficient of .42 (the scale toggles between 0.0, for perfect equality, and 1.0, perfect inequality), making its income inequality ranking similar to Cote d’Ivoire, Argentina and Haiti. In some cities, like Miami, New Orleans, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, that rate is far worse.
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If you were to measure the world according to gender inequality, you’d find the United States comes 51st out of 149 countries: slightly behind Cuba and Mexico, and substantially behind Nicaragua, the Philippines and Namibia, all of which ranked in the top 10 for gender parity.
Were we to look at another health metric—maternal mortality rates—we’d find that the World Bank rates the United States 56th; birthing parents are less likely to die during childbirth in Iran and Kazakhstan than in the U.S. (Not surprisingly, among our industrialized peer countries, America ranks last.) And, as The Root has reported over the years, America’s maternal mortality rates are profoundly shaped by systemic racism, with Black birthing parents far more likely to die due to pregnancy complications than their white counterparts.
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This distinction of “third” and “first” world becomes even more useless when we think about the coronavirus specifically. Many countries with emerging economies have actually done much better than their industrialized counterparts in managing the coronavirus—a fact that has left many journalists and public health experts scratching their heads. Countries such as Thailand, Rwanda, Niger, and Cambodia have all seen stunningly low rates of infection throughout the year, and Western news outlets were quick to express puzzlement at that very fact. That so many people could find these facts shocking suggests that we’ve all internalized the belief that wealth—or more specifically, GDP—ought to keep you healthier. That it ought to save you, to a certain degree; even if we can look at many parts of America—urban and rural—and see that this is not the case. Despite hundreds of years of policies codifying racial caste and concentrating poverty in destitute, under-resourced communities—policies that we see manifested in the health of our physical bodies—some Americans believe sickness shouldn’t happen here the way it does in other places.
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An unflinching belief in American exceptionalism rots brains, and folks across the political spectrum are equally susceptible to it, though they may express it in different ways. America has been a “conflict zone” throughout its history, its endemic problems as visible now as they have ever been. Despite our status as the world’s lone superpower, if anyone needs humanitarian assistance, it’s us.
This country is sick and has been for some time now. Only a uniquely American arrogance would have us deny it.


theroot--2020-11-12--Republican Senator Puts White House on Notice and Then Remembers He’s a Republican and Backtracks

I don ’ t know much about the spine .
I know that it ’ s like a fuse box inside the body and that all of the central nervous system is hooked into it .
I also know that baffling scientists everywhere , one GOP member is appearing to grow one back .
Well , kind of .
On Wednesday , Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford noted that the Trump administration needs to stop fucking around with the possible transition ( Lankford believes it ’ s a possible transition ; I would say it ’ s definite ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily intelligence briefings by Friday or he ’ s going to intervene .
“ There is no loss from him getting the briefings and to be able to do that , ” Lankford , who sits on the Senate Oversight Committee , told radio station KRMG .
“ This needs to occur so that regardless of the outcome of the election , whichever way that it goes , people can be ready for that actual task.
” CNN notes that despite winning the election , Biden and his senior advisers have yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brief , the highly classified intelligence briefings about pressing national security issues that their soon-to-be predecessor has been offered daily.
” But because Lankford is a Republican , well , he can ’ t not appease these bullshit claims of voter fraud .
Despite the election results that proved Biden as the winner , Trump has issued several baseless and evidence-less claims that the election was disrupted with massive voter fraud .
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Monday that Biden ’ s lack of access stems from the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services Administration — a clear indication that the Biden transition team is not getting the same briefings that presidents-elect typically receive .
It remains unclear whether the race needs to be ascertained before the President-elect can legally receive the briefings .
Biden has said that the daily briefings “ would be useful , but it ’ s not necessary.
” This is Biden shorthand for : “ It would be nice to have it , but let ’ s be clear I don ’ t need that shit to go about the work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House premises and getting to the work of keeping American safe again.
” “ There ’ s nothing wrong with Vice President Biden getting the briefings to be able to prepare himself and so that he can be ready — the President ’ s already getting those , ” Lankford said , Sen. Mark Warner , the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee , also called for Biden to receive the briefings .
“ As has been done in every other transition , the President should order that Biden and his team receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past , even during the contested election of 2000 , ” Warner said Wednesday .
“ It ’ s simply irresponsible to withhold this in these uncertain times.
” Because Lankford is a Republican , he still didn ’ t go as far as to acknowledge Biden is the president-elect , adding that the best thing is for President Trump to exhaust his fake ass legal avenues and “ get real answers ” before moving forward .
Lankford added : “ Joe Biden can continue to be able to function and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president-elect , ’ and great if you want to say that , go do it , and to be able to do your preparation work .
The President can say , ‘ Not so fast .
I ’ ve got questions to answer.
’ Great , go ask them.
” Meanwhile , judges have been throwing Trump ’ s lawsuits in the trash as there has been no evidence of voter fraud .

I don’t know much about the spine. I know that it’s like a fuse box inside the body and that all of the central nervous system is hooked into it. I also know that baffling scientists everywhere, one GOP member is appearing to grow one back. Well, kind of.
On Wednesday, Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford noted that the Trump administration needs to stop fucking around with the possible transition (Lankford believes it’s a possible transition; I would say it’s definite) and give President-elect Joe Biden access to presidential daily intelligence briefings by Friday or he’s going to intervene.
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“There is no loss from him getting the briefings and to be able to do that,” Lankford, who sits on the Senate Oversight Committee, told radio station KRMG. “This needs to occur so that regardless of the outcome of the election, whichever way that it goes, people can be ready for that actual task.”
CNN notes that despite winning the election, Biden and his senior advisers have yet to receive “the President’s Daily Brief, the highly classified intelligence briefings about pressing national security issues that their soon-to-be predecessor has been offered daily.”
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But because Lankford is a Republican, well, he can’t not appease these bullshit claims of voter fraud.
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Despite the election results that proved Biden as the winner, Trump has issued several baseless and evidence-less claims that the election was disrupted with massive voter fraud.
From CNN:
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Monday that Biden’s lack of access stems from the election being not yet ascertained by the General Services Administration — a clear indication that the Biden transition team is not getting the same briefings that presidents-elect typically receive. It remains unclear whether the race needs to be ascertained before the President-elect can legally receive the briefings. Biden has said that the daily briefings “would be useful, but it’s not necessary.”
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This is Biden shorthand for: “It would be nice to have it, but let’s be clear I don’t need that shit to go about the work of removing a squatter off the White House premises and getting to the work of keeping American safe again.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Vice President Biden getting the briefings to be able to prepare himself and so that he can be ready — the President’s already getting those,” Lankford said,
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Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, also called for Biden to receive the briefings.
“As has been done in every other transition, the President should order that Biden and his team receive the PDB, as has been done in the past, even during the contested election of 2000,” Warner said Wednesday. “It’s simply irresponsible to withhold this in these uncertain times.”
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Because Lankford is a Republican, he still didn’t go as far as to acknowledge Biden is the president-elect, adding that the best thing is for President Trump to exhaust his fake ass legal avenues and “get real answers” before moving forward.
Lankford added: “Joe Biden can continue to be able to function and say, ‘I’m the president-elect,’ and great if you want to say that, go do it, and to be able to do your preparation work. The President can say, ‘Not so fast. I’ve got questions to answer.’ Great, go ask them.”
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Meanwhile, judges have been throwing Trump’s lawsuits in the trash as there has been no evidence of voter fraud.


theroot--2020-11-12--The Best Countertop Dishwashers, According to Our Readers

When your dishwasher ’ s broken and you ’ re moving apartments soon , with no response from the super , you may be in a weirdly specific situation that I am coincidentally also faced with as of this writing .
When I found out countertop dishwashers exist , however , my initial reaction was that of intrigue ; finally , an option we can take with us to the next place ( that may not have a dishwasher itself ) without paying an appliance specialist to repair our old GE Potscrubber dating back to the early aughts .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thoughts on the best countertop dishwashers , reactions were mixed .
While most of our readers suggested I wash the dishes by hand , keep in mind I work 10-12 hours a day writing ane editing this nonsense , go for long-distance runs in the evening , and by the time I eat dinner , it ’ s already 8 PM .
Somewhere in there , I need some time to chill .
And manually washing dishes is not my idea of leisure .
Since I ’ d rather be playing video games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour , and because free time is scarce in my household , I do consider a dishwasher essential .
A more valid recommendation came from Avorial , a rolling dishwasher they claim is a safer bet than the countertop kind .
I know this is not “ counter top ” but have you ever thought about a “ rolling ” dishwasher ?
It ’ s a normal sized one with a butcher block on top , you roll it in an out when you do dishes , and the rest of the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are much more reliable [ than ] countertops as they are basically a normal dishwasher on wheels .
It ’ s what I have used in all the apartments I have had .
A few more commenters chimed in to agree : Still , in my search for the best countertop dishwashers around , some of you came through with answers to my original question , and for that I am grateful .
I bought a Danby DDW621WDB a couple of years ago , which I plumbed in , because what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is inconvenient ?
It is a dream .
It is very quiet , except for the completed cycle indicator , which isn ’ t great if you want to start the dishwasher when you go to bed ( usually I still don ’ t hear it ) .
Does a good job reliably .
I would like to figure out a way in which to install the dishwasher under the counter , but I am not up to reconfiguring the cabinets , YET .
It is small but want that bit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I purchased from [ Best Buy ] .
- Critifur I got a Farberware FDW05ASBWHA [ complete portable countertop dishwasher ] on sale for less than $ 200 and it was worth it .
I got a sink attachment to divert water from the faucet , but you don ’ t have to do that ; you can just pour the water directly into the Dishwasher .
It works great , has a surprising amount of capacity , and it only uses 5L of water ( 1.3 gallons ) .
I got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly because of the water use .
Handwashing uses something like 8 to 27 gallons of water , depending on how you do it ; I felt bad that I was using so much water .
Even when I ’ d conserve water , I ’ d still end up using at least 4 gallons ( half of my sink with water ) , then another gallon or 2 with the rinse .
So , I started realizing that even when I was conserving water , cooking 3 meals a day at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gallons of water a day just for dishwashing .
I don ’ t have to pay for my water or anything .
I just think it ’ s important to conserve water and to be as ecofriendly as you can be on an individual basis .
I like this one because it ’ s compact and also works pretty fast .
It ’ s not very quiet , but it doesn ’ t take up much space and it does the job well .
- effdot It ’ s the same as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little simpler and much cheaper .
It has [ three ] cycle options instead of [ five ] and no glass front , but costs [ two thirds ] as much .
It has been the best thing I ’ ve bought in the pandemic and makes me so happy to have !
It cleans really well .
It doesn ’ t require sink hookups to work , giving it a lot more flexibility than most portable dishwashers .
It fits tall plates and has a smartly organized rack .
I got it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago .
I ’ ve had an EdgeStar DWP62BL for about a year now and I ’ ve been so pleased with it that I ’ m tempted to actually write an Amazon review ( lol fat chance , but still ) .
I ’ m in a situation where I can ’ t actually use the faucet attachment ( which seems fairly well-built ) with my faucet , so instead I ’ ve swapped in a tee adapter to the hot water line under the sink and connected the water input to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I actually set it up with valves and quick disconnect couplers ( like you ’ d have on a pressure washer or you ’ d use for homebrewing equipment ) so that I can disconnect that and roll up most of the braided hose under the sink if desired , but most of the time I just leave it connected with the cabinet open .
My point is : big plus that it ’ s got standard port sizes in the back of the unit .
Beyond the ( custom ) setup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with it .
It works just like your normal-sized dishwasher , but drains into your sink .
It ’ s not much louder than a regular dishwasher and I ’ ve had it going on in the background while watching TV a few feet away .
Seems to get everything as clean as I need it to , though I do try to wash off any big chunks or stuck on stuff as I don ’ t want to test its limits .
My only complaint—and its super minor–is that it doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , these are some fairly wide diameter Pottery Barn plates ( like PB White something-or-others ) , so this may not affect everybody and I am able to fit some of them with some effort , but they don ’ t feel as secure in the rack as I ’ d like .
So , just calling that out—double check your widest plates , I guess .

Gabe Carey on Co-op, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

When your dishwasher’s broken and you’re moving apartments soon, with no response from the super, you may be in a weirdly specific situation that I am coincidentally also faced with as of this writing. When I found out countertop dishwashers exist, however, my initial reaction was that of intrigue; finally, an option we can take with us to the next place (that may not have a dishwasher itself) without paying an appliance specialist to repair our old GE Potscrubber dating back to the early aughts. But when I asked our readers for your thoughts on the best countertop dishwashers, reactions were mixed.
While most of our readers suggested I wash the dishes by hand, keep in mind I work 10-12 hours a day writing and editing this nonsense, go for long-distance runs in the evening, and by the time I eat dinner, it’s already 8 PM. Somewhere in there, I need some time to chill. And manually washing dishes is not my idea of leisure. Since I’d rather be play ing video games than scouring dishes for that half an hour, and because free time is scarce in my household, I do consider a dishwasher essential. A more valid recommendation came from Avorial, a rolling dishwasher they claim is a safer bet than the countertop kind.
I know this is not “counter top” but have you ever thought about a “rolling” dishwasher? It’s a normal sized one with a butcher block on top, you roll it in an out when you do dishes, and the rest of the time it’s like a small island. They are much more reliable [than] countertops as they are basically a normal dishwasher on wheels. It’s what I have used in all the apartments I have had.
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A few more commenters chimed in to agree:
I second this. I had one (Frigidaire, maybe?) around twenty years ago when I bought my first house and the tiny kitchen couldn’t accommodate a full size dishwasher. It worked surprisingly well, and being able to roll it around was nice.
Still, in my search for the best countertop dishwashers around, some of you came through with answers to my original question, and for that I am grateful.
Advertisement Advertisement
I bought a Danby DDW621WDB a couple of years ago, which I plumbed in, because what is the point of a convenience appliance that is inconvenient? It is a dream. It is very quiet, except for the completed cycle indicator, which isn’t great if you want to start the dishwasher when you go to bed (usually I still don’t hear it). Does a good job reliably. I would like to figure out a way in which to install the dishwasher under the counter, but I am not up to reconfiguring the cabinets, YET. It is small but want that bit of countertop real estate back at some point. I purchased from [Best Buy]. - Critifur
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I got a Farberware FDW05ASBWHA [complete portable countertop dishwasher] on sale for less than $200 and it was worth it. I got a sink attachment to divert water from the faucet, but you don’t have to do that; you can just pour the water directly into the Dishwasher. It works great, has a surprising amount of capacity, and it only uses 5L of water (1.3 gallons). I got it partially for the convenience, but mostly because of the water use. Handwashing uses something like 8 to 27 gallons of water, depending on how you do it; I felt bad that I was using so much water. Even when I’d conserve water, I’d still end up using at least 4 gallons (half of my sink with water), then another gallon or 2 with the rinse. So, I started realizing that even when I was conserving water, cooking 3 meals a day at home meant I was using somewhere between 18+ gallons of water a day just for dishwashing. I don’t have to pay for my water or anything. I just think it’s important to conserve water and to be as ecofriendly as you can be on an individual basis. I like this one because it’s compact and also works pretty fast. It’s not very quiet, but it doesn’t take up much space and it does the job well. - effdot
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It’s the same as the Farberware in the article, just a little simpler and much cheaper. It has [three] cycle options instead of [five] and no glass front, but costs [two thirds] as much. It has been the best thing I’ve bought in the pandemic and makes me so happy to have! It cleans really well. It doesn’t require sink hookups to work, giving it a lot more flexibility than most portable dishwashers. It fits tall plates and has a smartly organized rack. I got it for $230 [3] months ago.
Advertisement
I’ve had an EdgeStar DWP62BL for about a year now and I’ve been so pleased with it that I’m tempted to actually write an Amazon review (lol fat chance, but still). I’m in a situation where I can’t actually use the faucet attachment (which seems fairly well-built) with my faucet, so instead I’ve swapped in a tee adapter to the hot water line under the sink and connected the water input to that using a standard dishwasher connection kit. I actually set it up with valves and quick disconnect couplers (like you’d have on a pressure washer or you’d use for homebrewing equipment) so that I can disconnect that and roll up most of the braided hose under the sink if desired, but most of the time I just leave it connected with the cabinet open. My point is: big plus that it’s got standard port sizes in the back of the unit. Beyond the (custom) setup, I’ve had zero problems/complications with it. It works just like your normal-sized dishwasher, but drains into your sink. It’s not much louder than a regular dishwasher and I’ve had it going on in the background while watching TV a few feet away. Seems to get everything as clean as I need it to, though I do try to wash off any big chunks or stuck on stuff as I don’t want to test its limits. My only complaint—and its super minor–is that it doesn’t fit my large plates very well. Now, these are some fairly wide diameter Pottery Barn plates (like PB White something-or-others), so this may not affect everybody and I am able to fit some of them with some effort, but they don’t feel as secure in the rack as I’d like. So, just calling that out—double check your widest plates, I guess. That said, probably the best purchase I’ve made since moving to my current place, and definitely worth it. Price isn’t bad compared to others, either.


theroot--2020-11-12--#SquadStyle: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley's Style Advice for Rep.-Elect Cori Bush Is

#SquadStyle: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley's Style Advice for Rep.-Elect Cori Bush Is Our New Favorite Political Agenda

Remember not that long ago ( read : two weeks ago , and throughout the two years before that ) , when Republicans had nothing better to do than obstruct justice and play fashion police , with freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—she of the red lipstick and Vanity Fair covers—as one of their favorite targets ?
Ocasio-Cortez wasn ’ t shy about clapping back—then or now .
And while those same Republicans are now busy obstructing a presidential transition while still spouting nonsense ( I believe they call it “ fake news ” ) , the representative from the Bronx , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , as did her fellow members of “ the Squad , ” Reps. Ayanna Pressley ( D-Mass . )
, Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) and Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) .
Now a sophomore congresswoman well-accustomed to being both on the floor of the House and in the spotlight , Ocasio-Cortez is also well-primed to give advice to another upstart entering the House in January , history-making freshman , Rep.-elect Cori Bush ( D-Mo. )
.
Bush may be ready to lead Missouri ’ s 1st Congressional District , but on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honoree and former nurse shared a hangup familiar to any of us who ’ ve had to build a business-ready wardrobe virtually overnight , tweeting : While several of Bush ’ s followers stepped up with encouragement , Ocasio-Cortez was at the ready with reassurance on building a congressional wardrobe .
“ Thrifting , renting , and patience as you get your closet together sis , ” she advised , adding The Glow Up-endorsed advice that a “ [ c ] apsule wardrobe will be your best friend ” and recommending some online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the co-sponsor of the Green New Deal noted : “ all these practices are very sustainable and good for the planet !
” “ When ppl used to tell me what I needed for a Congressional wardrobe .
My response was ‘ I ’ m a Congresswoman- if I wear it , it ’ s Congressional , ’ ” Hayes tweeted .
“ My go-to is thrift shopping , otherwise I feel like I ’ m in a uniform.
” Ocasio-Cortez also lauded her friend , Rep. Pressley ’ s “ accessory game.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pressley then came through in true Squad fashion with the beauty tips—since we know C-Span doesn ’ t come with filter—and she was full of budget-friendly drugstore love .
“ [ F ] or all those media hits , don ’ t sleep on the lashes or HD make up products at CVS , ” she advised Bush .
“ Black Opal , NYX , Wet N Wild are the truth !
” Since Pressley is well known for a flawless beat , we ’ re now scrambling to CVS to try out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether Bush will become the newest member of the Squad , but what we ’ re really here for is all this congressional solidarity .
This is a political agenda we can get behind and welcome positive energy in a moment when much of Congress has anything but—no fake news necessary .

Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

Remember not that long ago (read: two weeks ago, and throughout the two years before that), when Republicans had nothing better to do than obstruct justice and play fashion police, with freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—she of the red lipstick and Vanity Fair covers—as one of their favorite targets?
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Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t shy about clapping back—then or now. And while those same Republicans are now busy obstructing a presidential transition while still spouting nonsense (I believe they call it “fake news”), the representative from the Bronx, N.Y. handily won her reelection to the House, as did her fellow members of “the Squad,” Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). Now a sophomore congresswoman well-accustomed to being both on the floor of the House and in the spotlight, Ocasio-Cortez is also well-primed to give advice to another upstart entering the House in January, history-making freshman, Rep.-elect Cori Bush (D-Mo.).
Bush may be ready to lead Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, but on social media, The Root 100 2020 honoree and former nurse shared a hangup familiar to any of us who’ve had to build a business-ready wardrobe virtually overnight, tweeting:
The reality of being a regular person going to Congress is that it’s really expensive to get the business clothes I need for the Hill. So I’m going thrift shopping tomorrow. Should I do a fashion show?
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While several of Bush’s followers stepped up with encouragement, Ocasio-Cortez was at the ready with reassurance on building a congressional wardrobe. “Thrifting, renting, and patience as you get your closet together sis,” she advised, adding The Glow Up-endorsed advice that a “[c]apsule wardrobe will be your best friend” and recommending some online thrifting. What’s more, the co-sponsor of the Green New Deal noted: “all these practices are very sustainable and good for the planet!”
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Fellow Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) eagerly co-signed, warning Bush against “overthinking it.”
“When ppl used to tell me what I needed for a Congressional wardrobe. My response was ‘I’m a Congresswoman- if I wear it, it’s Congressional,’” Hayes tweeted. “My go-to is thrift shopping, otherwise I feel like I’m in a uniform.”
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Ocasio-Cortez also lauded her friend, Rep. Pressley’s “accessory game.” Once tagged into the conversation, Pressley then came through in true Squad fashion with the beauty tips—since we know C-Span doesn’t come with filter—and she was full of budget-friendly drugstore love. “[F]or all those media hits, don’t sleep on the lashes or HD make up products at CVS,” she advised Bush. “Black Opal, NYX, Wet N Wild are the truth!”
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Since Pressley is well known for a flawless beat, we’re now scrambling to CVS to try out her recommendations. No word yet on whether Bush will become the newest member of the Squad, but what we’re really here for is all this congressional solidarity. This is a political agenda we can get behind and welcome positive energy in a moment when much of Congress has anything but—no fake news necessary.


theroot--2020-11-12--Debbie Allen's Story About Snatching Jenifer Lewis' Wig on the Set of Dolly Parton’s Christmas on th

Debbie Allen's Story About Snatching Jenifer Lewis' Wig on the Set of Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square Is a Gift

November is speeding along , which means it ’ s time to dive into those feel-good ( and endearingly predictable ) Christmas movies !
Along with mastering everything else from acting , producing and choreographing , Debbie Allen is a director .
( Check her long list of credits , y ’ all—she probably directed at least one of your favorite episodes of television . )
Allen recently stepped into the director ’ s chair once again for the upcoming holiday musical , Dolly Parton ’ s Christmas on the Square—and unsurprisingly , she choreographed it , too !
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the film , per Netflix ’ s press release sent to The Root : A rich and nasty woman , Regina Fuller , returns to her small hometown after her father ’ s death to evict everyone and sell the land to a mall developer - right before Christmas .
However , after listening to stories of the local townsfolk , reconnecting with an old love , and accepting the guidance of an actual angel , Regina starts to have a change of heart .
This is the story about family , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Christmas spirit can warm even the coldest of hearts .
Starring Dolly Parton , Christine Baranski , Jenifer Lewis , Treat Williams , and directed and choreographed by three-time Emmy and Golden Globe winner Debbie Allen .
Featuring 14 original songs with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton .
As a fellow creator , y ’ all know I ’ m about that behind-the-scenes scoop ( BTS ) life , and asking for Allen ’ s favorite BTS story from Christmas on the Square resulted in one of the funniest stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to corral the wayward cast back onto the set and how she personally reined in the ringleader—Jenifer Lewis .
“ Jenifer Lewis !
We got a schedule , chile , we got to go like this , ” Allen exclaimed , snapping her fingers to signal how quickly things needed to go with production .
“ She took the whole cast—it was a piano in a bar ...
I go over there and she has the entire cast singing !
I ’ m like , ‘ We don ’ t have time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here !
’ We had words , I snatched her wig off of her head ... it was so funny , oh my God !
” HAHA , fun times !
As Cardi B would say , I need the “ footages ” of this !
Allen also talked about Parton walking the walk when it comes to Black Lives Matter , as well as the evolution of TikTok dance trends .
Get into our full interview above !
Dolly Parton ’ s Christmas on the Square hits Netflix on Nov. 22 .

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

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Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude


theroot--2020-11-12--This Is Not a Drill: Pharrell Is Dropping a Skincare Line by Thanksgiving

Can “ Black don ’ t crack ” be bottled ?
We ’ re about to find out , because Pharrell Williams , whose famously flawless skin has yet to develop a crease in years , is making our long-held holiday wishes come true .
The multihyphenate hitmaker launching a skincare line by the end of this month—and no , apparently the blood of young virgins is not a prime ingredient .
Nevertheless , what we do know is that Pharrell ’ s new line does have a patently Pharrell-sounding name : Humanrace .
According to the brand ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new universe dedicated to the everyday pursuit of wellbeing.
” As Pharrell explained in his now prototypically philosophical style while being interviewed for Allure ’ s December/January issue cover story , his new line ’ s aesthetics are equally esoteric .
“ Sometimes you need to cleanse your spirit .
Sometimes you just need to cleanse your mind .
Sometimes you ’ ve just got to get rid of some dead skin.
” he said .
“ Sometimes you ’ ve got to get rid of some bad habits .
Sometimes you just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
Sometimes your spirit needs that.
” Umm ... OK. ( Seriously , I ’ m already confusing this with Alicia Keys ’ beauty ethos . )
Thankfully , Allure was there to translate : “ What our spirits might also need , Williams suggests , is three skin-care products—cleanser , an exfoliant , and a moisturizer.
” In less than two short weeks , we will get exactly that ; a three-product launch line that includes Humancare ’ s Rice Powder Cleanser ( $ 32 ) , Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 48 ) —or presumably , all three in the brand ’ s Routine Pack ( $ 100 ) .
Allure reports that all are packaged sustainably ; the housing is comprised of 50 percent post-consumer recycled plastic “ with only a small amount of virgin plastic used—and each product has a removable inner chamber that can be exchanged for a refill.
” Additionally , the already tactile embossed logo also appears in Braille .
Aside from the prospect of preserving our skin in amber like the super-producer , what ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black female dermatologist to develop the line , the Bronx , N.Y.-based Dr. Elena Jones , who has worked with the artist and entrepreneur for years .
“ What struck me most about my first meeting with him was how committed to his skin and health he was at his age , ” Dr. Jones tells Allure , explaining the three basic objectives of this or any optimal skincare routine : Prepare , repair , protect .
“ He wanted a routine to follow , and he ’ s dedicated to a skincare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In fact , Pharrell has reportedly always sought out the advice of women for maintaining his own famous skin , including this gem from Naomi Campbell : “ ‘ As soon as you ’ re done washing your face , you wash it with cold water.
’ She would always talk to me about never washing my face with the downward strokes of whatever cloth I was using , to always go upward , to go against the gravity.
” As for what accumulated genius Pharrell is now bringing to his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after its own exclusive trial of Humanrace ’ s initial offerings : It seems the mogul may have already chosen a hero product from his inaugural launch : “ ‘ You put on that humidifying cream ... You ’ re like , ‘ Oh man , my skin is popping , ’ ” he tells the magazine , which further reports : Again : okay .
But beauty secrets weren ’ t all Pharrell waxed poetic about during his chat with the magazine .
Aside from releasing music of his own as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” with Jay-Z , a song he tells Allure was created “ as a PSA ” ) , he ’ s been working with fellow beauty mogul Rihanna on her long-awaited ninth album .
“ Rih is in a different place right now .
Like , wow .
She ’ s from a different world .
I ‘ m willing to bet , because Venus is gaseous , that if they had a telescope that could zoom through all that shit , you ’ d see Rih laying there naked , ” Pharrell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s an Aries with Cancer rising ( perhaps giving some explanation for his planetary metaphor ) .
But in reference to the far more serious and earthbound matters we ’ ve all been mired in as of late , Pharrell apparently also reads The Root , shouting out not only Senior Writer Michael Harriot but our co-founder , Henry Louis “ Skip ” Gates .
“ Gates said , there are many different ways to protest , to be on the front lines , ” he says .
“ Some people are great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some people can stand and hold a placard , protest sign , for way longer than other people .
There are people making sandwiches and bringing nourishment to people who are out there .
My activism has [ taken a lot of shapes ] .
Because my culture , our lives matter.
” In that context , it ’ s clear Pharrell considers Humanrace a bit of activism , too—albeit an aesthetic one .
“ Humanrace is a full-on brand , ” he tells Allure .
“ We just want to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the experience of achieving wellness .
And I ’ m not trying to be like any other wellness brand out there .
That ’ s what they do .
That ’ s what they give .
Ours is all based on results and solutions and sensations .
We wanted to look at sensations .
I mean , we live in a world that needs it.
” Allure ’ s December/January issue , starring Pharrell , will be on national newsstands on November 24 .

Can “Black don’t crack” be bottled? We’re about to find out, because Pharrell Williams, whose famously flawless skin has yet to develop a crease in years, is making our long-held holiday wishes come true. The multihyphenate hitmaker launching a skincare line by the end of this month—and no, apparently the blood of young virgins is not a prime ingredient.
Nevertheless, what we do know is that Pharrell’s new line does have a patently Pharrell-sounding name: Humanrace. According to the brand’s Instagram page, it is “A new universe dedicated to the everyday pursuit of wellbeing.” As Pharrell explained in his now prototypically philosophical style while being interviewed for Allure’s December/January issue cover story, his new line’s aesthetics are equally esoteric.
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“Sometimes you need to cleanse your spirit. Sometimes you just need to cleanse your mind. Sometimes you’ve just got to get rid of some dead skin.” he said. “Sometimes you’ve got to get rid of some bad habits. Sometimes you just need to be humidified, brought to life. Sometimes your spirit needs that.”
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Umm...OK. (Seriously, I’m already confusing this with Alicia Keys’ beauty ethos.) Thankfully, Allure was there to translate:
“ What our spirits might also need, Williams suggests, is three skin-care products—cleanser, an exfoliant, and a moisturizer.”
Advertisement
In less than two short weeks, we will get exactly that; a three-product launch line that includes Humancare’s Rice Powder Cleanser ($32), Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator ($46) and Humidifying Cream ($48)—or presumably, all three in the brand’s Routine Pack ($100). Allure reports that all are packaged sustainably; the housing is comprised of 50 percent post-consumer recycled plastic “with only a small amount of virgin plastic used—and each product has a removable inner chamber that can be exchanged for a refill.” Additionally, the already tactile embossed logo also appears in Braille.
Advertisement
Aside from the prospect of preserving our skin in amber like the super-producer, what’s also promising is that Pharrell worked with a Black female dermatologist to develop the line, the Bronx, N.Y.-based Dr. Elena Jones, who has worked with the artist and entrepreneur for years.
“What struck me most about my first meeting with him was how committed to his skin and health he was at his age,” Dr. Jones tells Allure, explaining the three basic objectives of this or any optimal skincare routine: Prepare, repair, protect. “He wanted a routine to follow, and he’s dedicated to a skincare regimen. He wanted explanations for everything.”
Advertisement
In fact, Pharrell has reportedly always sought out the advice of women for maintaining his own famous skin, including this gem from Naomi Campbell: “‘As soon as you’re done washing your face, you wash it with cold water.’ She would always talk to me about never washing my face with the downward strokes of whatever cloth I was using, to always go upward, to go against the gravity.”
As for what accumulated genius Pharrell is now bringing to his own product line, Allure outlined the following after its own exclusive trial of Humanrace’s initial offerings:
Rice Powder Cleanser: “A dime-sized dusting of the stuff, mixed with water, produces a milky, lightweight emulsion that gently exfoliates using fruit alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)...Over half of the cleanser formula is kaolin clay, a common skin “detoxifier” mined for centuries for the manufacture of porcelain. Lotus Enzyme Exfoliant: “Formulated foremost with glycolic acid...at the relatively high concentration of 8 percent, the cream invites new and fresh cells to the skin’s surface.” Humidifying Cream: “It is a dense and creamy blanket of moisture, formulated foremost with snow mushroom extract, a moisture-binding organic ingredient with roots in Chinese medicine that behaves similarly to hyaluronic acid...the cream has HA, too, plus soothing rice water and niacinamide.”
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It seems the mogul may have already chosen a hero product from his inaugural launch: “‘You put on that humidifying cream...You’re like, ‘Oh man, my skin is popping,’” he tells the magazine, which further reports:
If you wanted to invent a title for him, Williams is Humanrace’s chief sensations officer. He defines his particular skin-care expertise as a talent for being able to “describe sensations,” which are then reverse-engineered by his team, making previously nonexistent experiences real. Like the experience of wearing shoes that grasp your feet with the gentlest of embraces, or the feeling of humidity on your face, but in a cream that also glazes your cheekbones.
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Again: okay. But beauty secrets weren’t all Pharrell waxed poetic about during his chat with the magazine. Aside from releasing music of his own as of late (the aptly named “Entrepreneur” with Jay-Z, a song he tells Allure was created “as a PSA”), he’s been working with fellow beauty mogul Rihanna on her long-awaited ninth album.
“Rih is in a different place right now. Like, wow. She’s from a different world. I‘m willing to bet, because Venus is gaseous, that if they had a telescope that could zoom through all that shit, you’d see Rih laying there naked,” Pharrell shares, noting elsewhere that he’s an Aries with Cancer rising (perhaps giving some explanation for his planetary metaphor). But in reference to the far more serious and earthbound matters we’ve all been mired in as of late, Pharrell apparently also reads The Root, shouting out not only Senior Writer Michael Harriot but our co-founder, Henry Louis “Skip” Gates.
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“Gates said, there are many different ways to protest, to be on the front lines,” he says. “Some people are great orators. Some people are great strategists. Some people can stand and hold a placard, protest sign, for way longer than other people. There are people making sandwiches and bringing nourishment to people who are out there. My activism has [taken a lot of shapes]. Because my culture, our lives matter.”
In that context, it’s clear Pharrell considers Humanrace a bit of activism, too—albeit an aesthetic one.
Advertisement
“Humanrace is a full-on brand,” he tells Allure. “We just want to make things better. We want to democratize the experience of achieving wellness. And I’m not trying to be like any other wellness brand out there. That’s what they do. That’s what they give. Ours is all based on results and solutions and sensations. We wanted to look at sensations. I mean, we live in a world that needs it.”
Allure’s December/January issue, starring Pharrell, will be on national newsstands on November 24.


theroot--2020-11-12--Spend and Save for the Rest of the Week in This Ulta Beauty Deal

Ulta is one of the best places for beauty products and if you get a deal on top brands even better .
Until Saturday take $ 10 off any purchase over $ 50 or take $ 20 off any order over $ 100 .
Ulta has lots of exclusives and great items to pick from .
I ’ m going to highlight one of my favorite K-Beauty bundles .
The Vitamin To-Glow Pack is one I go back to a lot .
As it ’ s about to get a bit chilly out there skin gets dry and lips get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care handles all that and more .
This kit has the Bright Side Up Brightening Vitamin C Serum , the Plush Party Buttery Vitamin C Lip Mask , and the Say You Dew Moisturizing Vitamin C Gel .
That lip mask and moisturizing gel do wonders .
I keep them on my nightstand just in case I ’ ve got dry patches or want my lips to be super smooth in the morning .
I couldn ’ t recommend these more .
This deal ends November 14 and free shipping on orders over @ @ @

Sheilah Villari on Kinja Deals, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Save $10 on a $50 Purchase | Ulta | Use Code HOLIDAY10
Ulta is one of the best places for beauty products and if you get a deal on top brands even better. Until Saturday take $10 off any purchase over $50 or take $20 off any order over $100.
Ulta has lots of exclusives and great items to pick from. I’m going to highlight one of my favorite K-Beauty bundles. The Vitamin To-Glow Pack is one I go back to a lot. As it’s about to get a bit chilly out there skin gets dry and lips get chapped. This set from I Dew Care handles all that and more. This kit has the Bright Side Up Brightening Vitamin C Serum, the Plush Party Buttery Vitamin C Lip Mask, and the Say You Dew Moisturizing Vitamin C Gel. That lip mask and moisturizing gel do wonders. I keep them on my nightstand just in case I’ve got dry patches or want my lips to be super smooth in the morning. I couldn’t recommend these more.
This deal ends November 14 and free shipping on orders over $35.


theroot--2020-11-12--Hollywood Keeps Taking Us on The Ride Toward White Supremacist Endearment and I Want Off

The phrase “ I want off this ride ” has never been so perfect for what I ’ m about to discuss .
The first trailer for The Ride ( which was apparently made in 2018 ) starring Chris “ Ludacris ” Bridges and Shane Graham recently dropped this month as it ’ s scheduled to be released on Prime Video on Nov. 13 and…well , see for yourself : The summary on the film ’ s IMDb page buries the lede , noting that it tells “ the inspiring story of a BMX champion who overcame an abusive childhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his interracial foster family.
” From the inspiring true story of extreme sports legend John Buultjens , THE RIDE follows John McCord , an athletically gifted youth who triumphs over a troubled upbringing .
After a violent , racially-charged incident lands John ( Shane Graham ) in juvenile detention , he is finally placed with an unlikely set of foster parents , Eldridge ( Ludacris ) and Marianna Buultjens ( Sasha Alexander ) , an interracial couple who want to provide a fresh start for the tormented youth .
Eldridge makes it his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s white supremacist upbringing and slowly begins to forge a relationship through his foster son ’ s fascination with extreme sports by giving John his first bike .
Rooted by this newfound passion , the family builds a bond of mutual respect , love and together they speed toward BMX glory and ultimately , redemption .
You see it ; those last two sentences basically saying , “ BLACK PERSON AND WHITE SUPREMACIST DISMANTLE ALL OF RACISM THROUGH THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE.
” Don ’ t forget the interracial couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can reach across that trite figurative table and find a middle ground !
And don ’ t get me started on how stereotypical it is to include an uplifting John Legend song in the background of the trailer !
!
!
Y ’ all , we ’ ve done this before , plenty of times ( Burden , Best of Enemies , etc .
etc.
, I ’ m looking at y ’ all ! )
.
Hollywood salivates for it .
I can see the Oscar campaigns now .
As The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put it , “ die , trope , die.
” To drive home just how much this keeps happening ( seemingly with an uptick in recent years ) , I had already written about my frustrations with this ongoing trope just a little over a year ago .
I said what I said then , and I am saying again now : Forcing “ love over hate ” propaganda is stripping away our right to be human , especially in an era where we can barely blink without being subjected to images of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t minimize this narrative as a simple and fickle Hollywood trend when I ’ m watching a real-life montage of a black man forgiving his brother ’ s killer ( while attempting to fully erase the mother who spoke out against police corruption ) .
I ’ m tired .
I ’ m tired of the need to humanize racists .
I ’ m tired of exploiting the very real pain and trauma of the Black community with unnecessary images of Black kids hugging cops .
I ’ m tired of this “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awful every time I see countless frames of police officers ( many of whom may very well be the KKK with a badge ) torturing Black children for simply existing .
Shit , at this point , I ’ m already expecting MAGA endearment stories to come down the pipeline , expressing some sort of post-MAGA rhetoric ( taking the baton from the delusional term “ post-racial ” ) .
Oh wait , that ’ s already happening !
!
Hey , Hillbilly Elegy , girl !
Please , for the love of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this racist pacification propaganda train derail already !
Imagine how tired we are !
Hey , Hollywood gatekeepers !
!
Perhaps maybe you can dig into that Black Box and offer some jobs , financing and distribution deals to the countless Black creators equipped with a flurry of rich stories ?
There ’ s an idea !
Or you know ... a trendy promise made earlier this year that has already seemed to lose steam !
What a ride ...

The phrase “I want off this ride” has never been so perfect for what I’m about to discuss.
The first trailer for The Ride (which was apparently made in 2018) starring Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Shane Graham recently dropped this month as it’s scheduled to be released on Prime Video on Nov. 13 and…well, see for yourself:
The Ride Official Trailer / YouTube
The summary on the film’s IMDb page buries the lede, noting that it tells “the inspiring story of a BMX champion who overcame an abusive childhood through the love and life lessons of his interracial foster family.”
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The trailer’s synopsis though:
From the inspiring true story of extreme sports legend John Buultjens, THE RIDE follows John McCord, an athletically gifted youth who triumphs over a troubled upbringing. After a violent, racially-charged incident lands John (Shane Graham) in juvenile detention, he is finally placed with an unlikely set of foster parents, Eldridge (Ludacris) and Marianna Buultjens (Sasha Alexander), an interracial couple who want to provide a fresh start for the tormented youth. Eldridge makes it his mission to overcome the challenges of John’s white supremacist upbringing and slowly begins to forge a relationship through his foster son’s fascination with extreme sports by giving John his first bike. Rooted by this newfound passion, the family builds a bond of mutual respect, love and together they speed toward BMX glory and ultimately, redemption.
Advertisement Advertisement
You see it; those last two sentences basically saying, “BLACK PERSON AND WHITE SUPREMACIST DISMANTLE ALL OF RACISM THROUGH THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE.” Don’t forget the interracial couple sprinkled in as a plot device so they can reach across that trite figurative table and find a middle ground! And don’t get me started on how stereotypical it is to include an uplifting John Legend song in the background of the trailer!!!
Advertisement
Y’all, we’ve done this before, plenty of times (Burden, Best of Enemies, etc. etc., I’m looking at y’all!). Hollywood salivates for it. I can see the Oscar campaigns now. As The Root’s editor-in-chief Danielle Belton succinctly put it, “die, trope, die.” To drive home just how much this keeps happening (seemingly with an uptick in recent years), I had already written about my frustrations with this ongoing trope just a little over a year ago.
Advertisement
I said what I said then, and I am saying again now:
Forcing “love over hate” propaganda is stripping away our right to be human, especially in an era where we can barely blink without being subjected to images of black execution. I certainly can’t minimize this narrative as a simple and fickle Hollywood trend when I’m watching a real-life montage of a black man forgiving his brother’s killer (while attempting to fully erase the mother who spoke out against police corruption). I’m tired. I’m tired of the need to humanize racists. I’m tired of exploiting the very real pain and trauma of the Black community with unnecessary images of Black kids hugging cops. I’m tired of this “feel-good” trope when I feel fucking awful every time I see countless frames of police officers (many of whom may very well be the KKK with a badge) torturing Black children for simply existing.
Advertisement
Shit, at this point, I’m already expecting MAGA endearment stories to come down the pipeline, expressing some sort of post-MAGA rhetoric (taking the baton from the delusional term “post-racial”). Oh wait, that’s already happening!! Hey, Hillbilly Elegy, girl!
Please, for the love of everything that is actually progressive, let this racist pacification propaganda train derail already! Imagine how tired we are! Hey, Hollywood gatekeepers!! Perhaps maybe you can dig into that Black Box and offer some jobs, financing and distribution deals to the countless Black creators equipped with a flurry of rich stories? There’s an idea! Or you know...a trendy promise made earlier this year that has already seemed to lose steam! What a ride...
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(Updated 3/3/22 with new details)


theroot--2020-11-12--GTFOH Trump Watch: Just Because You Don’t Acknowledge It Doesn’t Mean It Ain’t So

I don ’ t think powerful white people understand how this works .
And , maybe that is America ’ s fault .
Maybe America didn ’ t do the hard work of teaching them that sometimes things won ’ t go their way .
Sometimes the hero ( both actual and perceived ) loses .
And sometimes , no matter how much of a temper tantrum they throw , they aren ’ t going to get anymore TV .
It ’ s really been a joy to watch these grown people who believe that their voice is enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s kind of like my 3-year-old son who believes if he throws himself around the house , he won ’ t have to take a bath .
I have no idea why he enjoys being dirty or why he hates all water inside the bathtub , but my job as a father is to gently show him that , try as he might , he still takes a bath before bed .
Those are just the rules .
So as much as these powerful white people throw a temper tantrum all over America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t my president , ” guess what ?
You still have to take a bath .
On Monday , West Virginia Gov .
Jim Justice refused to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the presidential election , despite no evidence showing otherwise and the fact that the race was called for Biden .
“ As far as acknowledging that the election is over , I do not do that , ” said Justice , an ally of President Donald Trump , WPXI reports .
Justice did note that he ’ d be willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and potential recounts prove that Biden has , in fact , won the race .
Umm , I don ’ t think Justice knows how this works .
Biden doesn ’ t need his approval or acknowledgment to be president-elect , because in America ... forget it , powerful whiteness is a hell of a drug or whatever Rick James said .
“ If Joe Biden is truly our legally elected president of the United States , we should all celebrate and support him , ” Justice said .
Ever been to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , like myself , had to have been disappointed to learn that not everything in the store is actually a dollar .
Like , some things are even five dollars .
But no one is protesting outside of dollar stores claiming false advertising .
We just all kind of accept that some things are a dollar and many things are not .
Newsmax is like this .
They claim to be news and even have news in the title , but alas they are really just a porn station for far-right wingnuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masturbate to the stories on Fox News .
NewsMax is so fake that even Fox News is like “ Bitch , at least we aren ’ t Newsmax !
” Newsmax hasn ’ t declared Biden the president-elect and has been pushing the president ’ s crazy conspiracy theories .
The president has even used Newsmax stories to trash Fox News .
And the whole dustup feels like a smoked-out , meth-scented Florida motel room that I can ’ t stomach .
In Trumpworld , all things—the moon , the sun , South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Monday , pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced that an experimental coronavirus vaccine is more than 90 percent effective and this is great news , yes ?
Well , not if you live in Trumpworld .
See , Trump wanted desperately to be the man who saved America from the coronavirus , and he could ’ ve been that hero had he just issued a mask mandate and followed social distancing protocols .
Trump wanted a coronavirus vaccine , and not a vaccine that would help save lives ( who gives a shit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine before the election to save his presidency .
Well , the vaccine was announced some six days after the election and Trump now believes it was the work of some medical “ deep state ” to keep him out of the White House .
After the meeting and without evidence Trump tweeted : “ As I have long said , @ Pfizer and the others would only announce a Vaccine after the Election , because they didn ’ t have the courage to do it before .
Likewise , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not for political purposes , but for saving lives !
” Trump wrote .
“ The @ US_FDA and the Democrats didn ’ t want to have me get a Vaccine WIN , prior to the election , so instead it came out five days later — As I ’ ve said all along !
” I love how in the first half of his tweet , Trump claims that he didn ’ t want the vaccine announcement for political purposes but just wanted to save lives , and then in the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that everyone was working for him not to have a vaccine win before the election .
Which one is it , playboy ?
I swear y ’ all president stays mad about something .
Meanwhile , Pfizer doesn ’ t know what the fuck the president or sexless Mike Pence , who may or may not be the only white member of the Unsullied , is talking about .
We ’ ve not checked in on the Trump offspring in a minute , so maybe I can see what the powerful brood is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his day coffin .
Donald Jr. is face deep in a mound of white powder that surely is not cocaine .
Tiffany is posting Republican thirst traps ( which are basically fully clothed photos near very expensive drapes ) And it totally worked on Matt Gaetz , who tweeted some creepy-ass emojis at her .
Does Nestor know what his “ father ” is out here doing ?
Oh , and it looks like because Ivanka and Jared can ’ t follow COVID-19 safety protocols , their children have been removed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment .
According to Business Insider , parents grew tired of the powerless couple not wearing masks and complained .
I guess the opposite of Meghan and Harry decided that they ’ ve had enough and instead of just wearing fucking masks , they moved their children to another school .
Kushner and Trump are reportedly Satan ’ s pick for homecoming couple .

I don’t think powerful white people understand how this works. And, maybe that is America’s fault. Maybe America didn’t do the hard work of teaching them that sometimes things won’t go their way. Sometimes the hero (both actual and perceived) loses. And sometimes, no matter how much of a temper tantrum they throw, they aren’t going to get anymore TV.
It’s really been a joy to watch these grown people who believe that their voice is enough to stop a tidal wave. It’s kind of like my 3-year-old son who believes if he throws himself around the house, he won’t have to take a bath. I have no idea why he enjoys being dirty or why he hates all water inside the bathtub, but my job as a father is to gently show him that, try as he might, he still takes a bath before bed. Those are just the rules.
Advertisement
So as much as these powerful white people throw a temper tantrum all over America with their cries of “Biden ain’t my president,” guess what? You still have to take a bath.
On Monday, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice refused to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the presidential election, despite no evidence showing otherwise and the fact that the race was called for Biden.
Advertisement Advertisement
“As far as acknowledging that the election is over, I do not do that,” said Justice, an ally of President Donald Trump, WPXI reports.
Justice did note that he’d be willing to support Biden after all legal challenges and potential recounts prove that Biden has, in fact, won the race. Umm, I don’t think Justice knows how this works. Biden doesn’t need his approval or acknowledgment to be president-elect, because in America...forget it, powerful whiteness is a hell of a drug or whatever Rick James said.
Advertisement
“If Joe Biden is truly our legally elected president of the United States, we should all celebrate and support him,” Justice said.
He. Is.
Full stop.
Newsmax Is a Fake News Version of Fox News
Ever been to a dollar store? If you have then you, like myself, had to have been disappointed to learn that not everything in the store is actually a dollar. Like, some things are even five dollars. But no one is protesting outside of dollar stores claiming false advertising. We just all kind of accept that some things are a dollar and many things are not.
Advertisement
Newsmax is like this. They claim to be news and even have news in the title, but alas they are really just a porn station for far-right wingnuts who can no longer bring themselves to masturbate to the stories on Fox News. NewsMax is so fake that even Fox News is like “Bitch, at least we aren’t Newsmax!”
Newsmax hasn’t declared Biden the president-elect and has been pushing the president’s crazy conspiracy theories. The president has even used Newsmax stories to trash Fox News. And the whole dustup feels like a smoked-out, meth-scented Florida motel room that I can’t stomach.
Advertisement
Medical Deep State?
In Trumpworld, all things—the moon, the sun, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham—all revolve around Trump.
Advertisement
On Monday, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced that an experimental coronavirus vaccine is more than 90 percent effective and this is great news, yes?
Advertisement
Well, not if you live in Trumpworld. See, Trump wanted desperately to be the man who saved America from the coronavirus, and he could’ve been that hero had he just issued a mask mandate and followed social distancing protocols. Trump wanted a coronavirus vaccine, and not a vaccine that would help save lives (who gives a shit about that?); Trump wanted a vaccine before the election to save his presidency. Well, the vaccine was announced some six days after the election and Trump now believes it was the work of some medical “deep state” to keep him out of the White House.
From the Washington Post:
Shortly after Trump heard the news Monday, he demanded Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar “get to the bottom” of what happened with Pfizer, according to a senior White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the president’s actions.
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After the meeting and without evidence Trump tweeted:
“As I have long said, @Pfizer and the others would only announce a Vaccine after the Election, because they didn’t have the courage to do it before. Likewise, the @US_FDA should have announced it earlier, not for political purposes, but for saving lives!” Trump wrote. “The @US_FDA and the Democrats didn’t want to have me get a Vaccine WIN, prior to the election, so instead it came out five days later — As I’ve said all along!”
Advertisement
I love how in the first half of his tweet, Trump claims that he didn’t want the vaccine announcement for political purposes but just wanted to save lives, and then in the second half of the tweet, he notes that everyone was working for him not to have a vaccine win before the election.
Which one is it, playboy? I swear y’all president stays mad about something.
Meanwhile, Pfizer doesn’t know what the fuck the president or sexless Mike Pence, who may or may not be the only white member of the Unsullied, is talking about.
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Trumpkins
We’ve not checked in on the Trump offspring in a minute, so maybe I can see what the powerful brood is up to.
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Eric is still sleeping in his day coffin.
Donald Jr. is face deep in a mound of white powder that surely is not cocaine.
Tiffany is posting Republican thirst traps (which are basically fully clothed photos near very expensive drapes) And it totally worked on Matt Gaetz, who tweeted some creepy-ass emojis at her.
Advertisement
Does Nestor know what his “father” is out here doing?
Oh, and it looks like because Ivanka and Jared can’t follow COVID-19 safety protocols, their children have been removed from their school and placed in another learning environment.
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According to Business Insider, parents grew tired of the powerless couple not wearing masks and complained. I guess the opposite of Meghan and Harry decided that they’ve had enough and instead of just wearing fucking masks, they moved their children to another school. Kushner and Trump are reportedly Satan’s pick for homecoming couple.