theroot--2020-12-04--The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Because They Said So

Growing up in predominately Black skin , I heard that phrase a lot .
My grandmother , aunts , uncles and friends ’ parents used it all the time .
But my mother was always careful to never use it .
She had this weird thing about wanting us to know why we did things .
My grandfather owned a taxicab business , so before my sisters , cousins and I could ever get behind a steering wheel , we had to learn how to jump-start a car ; how to check all the fluids ; how to change the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change a tire .
Because my mother was blind , we didn ’ t even own a car .
But one day when I was 11 or 12 years old , riding to church with my aunt , we had a flat .
My mother insisted that this was the time for me to learn how to change a tire .
I ’ m on the grassy edge of a two-lane highway in church clothes , tools in front of me as my mother leaned over me like an over-enthusiastic test proctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she employed her usual Socratic Method to teach me how to change the tire .
Back in those days , cars used these old vintage jacks , which I had seen people use many times : I began assembling the jack when she interrupted me .
“ Why are you doing it like that ?
” she asked .
“ I ’ ve seen people change a tire before , ma , ” I replied .
“ This is how it goes.
” “ But how do you know that ’ s how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Because this is what everyone I ’ ve seen change a tire does , ” I sighed .
She leaned over a bit more .
I can ’ t remember whether it was hot or cold but I clearly recall that she blocked out the sun .
It seemed like she was trying to intimidate me but , looking back , I damn near forgot that she is legally blind .
Regardless , I just wanted to get to church .
Everyone was out of the car watching and waiting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school lesson .
Why was she like this ?
“ Ummm Hmm , ” she said absentmindedly before half-whispering the life lesson that has stuck with me more than any other .
“ But what if everyone else was doing it wrong ?
” This is the Clapback Mailbag .
The article prompted a lot of comments , especially about the “ Defund the Police ” slogan .
I think I ’ ve heard this criticism before .
There are people like Barack Obama and others who believe there is power in messaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addressing a diversion tactic instead of addressing the problem .
But just because Obama and people say it doesn ’ t mean it is true .
In 1918 , after the NAACP started spreading the “ Stop Lynching , Start Building ” slogan , Rep. Leonidas Dyer introduced the 1918 Anti-Lynching Bill .
According to Lyndon Johnson , Southerners objected on the grounds that Black people “ were responsible for more crime , more babies born out of wedlock , more welfare and other forms of social assistance.
” They rejected the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of “ strong measures were needed to keep the Blacks under control.
” The cool thing about the text of Dyer ’ s bill is that it is easy to find because legislators are still trying to pass it .
To this day , no anti-lynching law has ever passed both chambers of Congress .
When the civil rights movement condensed its demands into peaceful slogans such as “ we demand voting rights now ” or “ end Jim Crow rules in our schools ” or “ the law of the land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kicked , beaten , bitten and sprayed with fire hoses .
Protesters against the war in Vietnam were vilified as anti-American for using the slogan “ End the War in Vietnam.
” The reason the GOP vilified “ Medicare for all ” as “ socialism ” is not because they don ’ t understand the message .
It ’ s because they don ’ t give a fuck about people who can ’ t afford healthcare .
When they insisted that Obama say “ radical Islamic extremism , ” they didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban vanish into thin air .
They just don ’ t give a fuck about Muslims .
The reason America continues to oppress us and perpetuate white supremacy isn ’ t that we haven ’ t found the right phraseology .
It ’ s because the country is littered with people who don ’ t give a fuck about Black people .
My point is , that the concept of “ effective messaging ” is a strawman used by white supremacists to ignore the goal of a movement .
But let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the phrase “ defund the police ” meant .
In all likelihood , that person has a device that connects to this thing called the internet .
And if they went to a website called Google , literally the first result links to a page that says : Substantively , there are many mechanisms to fight police brutality .
Local officials can reduce the funding that allow local departments to militarize their forces .
Federal laws can ’ t do much except standardize the policing and threaten to reduce the money to agencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use financial means to force police unions to the table .
There are studies that show that over-policing produces more resistance over time and that removing police officers can actually reduce incidents of brutality .
Some people suggest that we can replace speed stops with cameras .
The most ambitious people want to dismantle police departments altogether and reimagine policing with a combination of criminal investigators , traffic regulators , mental health officials and community-oriented crime-stopping .
All of these different ideas would require one thing in common : the reduction of taxpayer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should come up with a phrase for that .
I have no idea what this is about : I think someone already beat you to starting a news outlet about how bad Black people are .
Finally , there was some pushback on this article : Every summer , my mother forced me to go to some summer camp or another to “ broaden my horizons.
” When I was about 15 , I convinced two niggas from my hood , Dumbo and P , to go to the Summer Science Intensive Training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with me .
Now P and I had been friends for years and I honestly can ’ t tell you how Dumbo even got involved because , before that summer , we weren ’ t friends .
The reason they called him Dumbo was not because he had big ears .
It was because he was born with a condition called “ slight macroglossia , ” or a slightly enlarged tongue that for some reason caused people ( teachers , strangers and even family members ) to think he wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dreamed up an idea to bring high school students to a college campus and offer them college for first-year college courses in chemistry , biology and math .
It was a brilliant idea because most advanced high school courses are really low-level college courses but majority-Black high schools don ’ t often offer these AP-level courses .
We also visited tech companies , factories and anyplace that used STEM grads .
Anyway , the cool thing about SSITP was that they actually treated us like college students .
We had no curfew .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this was Orangeburg , S.C .
There was no mall or really anything to do , so “ hanging out ” mostly meant chilling out on campus with the other students , including a Claflin student they hired as an academic tutor for our program , a senior name Joey .
Joey was a 6-foot , 5-inch basketball player from Brooklyn .
He was smart , charismatic and everyone loved him .
He had a couple of classes left before he graduated and he was taking them during summer school .
Joey came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scholarship , so he was like a fish out of water and complained about it all the time .
When Joey met my friends , who were just some hood niggas I had convinced to leave the neighborhood for the summer , he latched on to them immediately .
Perhaps it was the shared ghetto sensibilities .
Because Joey was so charismatic , by the end of the summer , Bo and P had picked up N.Y. accents and had started calling me by the nickname Joey bestowed upon me the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” because he said I had big lips like the cartoon car in Rickety Rocket .
Bo thought college ( and all school , really ) was useless , and I understood why .
Because people associated his intelligence with his speech , Bo , who was what we call “ nice with his hands , ” became a street nigga at an early age .
P planned on going into the military after high school and Bo had a job waiting on him at a local factory .
They had no business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convinced them that the shit wasn ’ t that hard .
Honestly , I was lying but , what ’ s the worst that could happen ?
They actually hung in there , attended classes and—with some help from Joey—Bo and P actually passed the courses !
When we went back to our hometown , these niggas continued to call me “ Rickety.
” Then my other friends started calling me “ Rickety.
” When my friends came over to my mom ’ s house , they ’ d ask for Rickety and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking about .
To this day , if you are from my hometown , you probably know me as Rickety , even though Bo and P don ’ t live there anymore Well , the next year , our senior year in high school , P died in a drunk driving accident .
That shit wrecked Bo .
Bo had known P all his life and , until that summer , P was the only person who even treated Bo as if he was not a Dumbo .
He never asked me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , P and I just basically evolved into calling him “ Bo , ” all the time .
Joey even came to P ’ s funeral .
He had found a job working at a pharmaceutical company in Virginia and told Bo that he might be able to get him an entry-level job but he ’ d have to pass the company ’ s entrance test .
The same day , Bo dropped out of high school ; relocated to Virginia ; moved into a one-bedroom apartment with Joey and started studying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he applied for the job , Bo didn ’ t even have to prove he had a high school diploma because they had college credits .
Joey eventually took another job but Bo worked there for years , married and raised a family .
After a few years , the job even gave him the opportunity to attend college .
I called Bo the other day , and we started talking about that summer .
I asked him : “ I wonder what happened to Joey ?
” and he casually replied : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hired him a couple of years ago ...
He asked about you .
Do people still call you Rickety ?
” I told him that no one outside of my hometown knew what it meant , to which he replied that he didn ’ t either , and then it hit me .
In our hometown , we had two and a half television channels .
No one had ever seen Rickety Rocket .
I had only seen it spending summers with my aunt in N.J .
Literally , no one who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it meant .
Now , during that phone call , I didn ’ t ask Bo if people still used his nickname because I remember , on the way to Claflin that summer , while P ’ s mother was driving , Bo said to us : “ Hey , when we get there , just call me Bo.
” At P ’ s funeral , Bo had to stop Joey from kicking someone ’ s ass for calling him “ Dumbo.
” My point Linda , is this : Speaking someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how you relate to the world .
Most people blindly , without thought , accept what others have named things without thinking about it .
What I fail to understand is why it ’ s so hard for people to treat people with kindness and respect when they know their actions are hurtful to others .
So I reject your question , Linda .
Instead , I ask you this : Why do you want to hurt people ?
Why is it so hard for so many white people to change their actions—especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sake of being a kind human being .
Is white privilege that hard of a shell for you to remove ?
Why are you so insistent on being mean when being nice won ’ t hurt you a tiny bit ?
I honestly believe Bo didn ’ t escape our hometown because of our friend or his unstable future .
I believe he was escaping the thing that named him .
I think that ’ s why he left our hometown and moved in with Joey .
Joey was probably the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Dumbo .
And like “ Rickety , ” most people didn ’ t know the origin of Dumbo ’ s name .
I believe people wouldn ’ t have called him that if they knew it bothered him because most people aren ’ t assholes .
He probably calls him “ Dr .
Bo ” ...
These days , Dumbo is probably one of the rare , if not the only person in America who has a Ph.D. but not a high school diploma .
He still calls me Rickety .

“Because I said so...”
Growing up in predominately Black skin, I heard that phrase a lot. My grandmother, aunts, uncles and friends’ parents used it all the time. But my mother was always careful to never use it. She had this weird thing about wanting us to know why we did things.
My grandfather owned a taxicab business, so before my sisters, cousins and I could ever get behind a steering wheel, we had to learn how to jump-start a car; how to check all the fluids; how to change the oil and, of course, how to change a tire. Because my mother was blind, we didn’t even own a car. But one day when I was 11 or 12 years old, riding to church with my aunt, we had a flat. My mother insisted that this was the time for me to learn how to change a tire.
Advertisement
I’m on the grassy edge of a two-lane highway in church clothes, tools in front of me as my mother leaned over me like an over-enthusiastic test proctor. Instead of giving me instructions, she employed her usual Socratic Method to teach me how to change the tire. Back in those days, cars used these old vintage jacks, which I had seen people use many times:
Advertisement Advertisement
I began assembling the jack when she interrupted me.
“Why are you doing it like that?” she asked.
“I’ve seen people change a tire before, ma,” I replied. “This is how it goes.”
“But how do you know that’s how it goes?” she asked again.
“Because this is what everyone I’ve seen change a tire does,” I sighed.
She leaned over a bit more. I can’t remember whether it was hot or cold but I clearly recall that she blocked out the sun. It seemed like she was trying to intimidate me but, looking back, I damn near forgot that she is legally blind. Regardless, I just wanted to get to church. Everyone was out of the car watching and waiting for my mama to finish her impromptu automotive school lesson. Why was she like this?
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“Ummm Hmm,” she said absentmindedly before half-whispering the life lesson that has stuck with me more than any other.
“But what if everyone else was doing it wrong?”
This is the Clapback Mailbag.
This week, Senior Reporter Terrell Starr wrote this:
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The article prompted a lot of comments, especially about the “Defund the Police” slogan.
From: JYStad
To: Terrell Starr Whoever named it “Defund the Police” killed that baby in the crib. They could have called it Police Budget Reallocation/Reapportionment or literally ANYTHING that did not sound like it completely deprived police of *all* their funding. If we learned anything from Lovecraft Country or even Spirited Away, there is power in a name, and christening Defunding the Police stopped that dead in its tracks. Democrats have ALL the communications majors working for them, and no damn cohesive message. Let us hope that shiny, new, all-female communications team at the White House drastically improves messaging from the top-down. Godspeed, ladies! Love me some Dems, but yeeeeesh, the pre-election DNC message was so milquetoast, it is no small wonder that every staunch republican with a beating heart showed up at the polls. The DNC message was essentially, “Hey, Joe is not Trump,”
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Dear American Thai Guy and JYStad,
I think I’ve heard this criticism before.
There are people like Barack Obama and others who believe there is power in messaging. Those people are wasting their time addressing a diversion tactic instead of addressing the problem. But just because Obama and people say it doesn’t mean it is true.
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In 1918, after the NAACP started spreading the “Stop Lynching, Start Building” slogan, Rep. Leonidas Dyer introduced the 1918 Anti-Lynching Bill. According to Lyndon Johnson, Southerners objected on the grounds that Black people “were responsible for more crime, more babies born out of wedlock, more welfare and other forms of social assistance.” They rejected the bill because it criminalized law-abiding whites who felt as of “strong measures were needed to keep the Blacks under control.”
The cool thing about the text of Dyer’s bill is that it is easy to find because legislators are still trying to pass it. To this day, no anti-lynching law has ever passed both chambers of Congress.
Advertisement
When the civil rights movement condensed its demands into peaceful slogans such as “we demand voting rights now” or “end Jim Crow rules in our schools” or “the law of the land is our demand,” they were kicked, beaten, bitten and sprayed with fire hoses. Protesters against the war in Vietnam were vilified as anti-American for using the slogan “End the War in Vietnam.”
The reason the GOP vilified “Medicare for all” as “socialism” is not because they don’t understand the message. It’s because they don’t give a fuck about people who can’t afford healthcare. When they insisted that Obama say “radical Islamic extremism,” they didn’t think the words would magically make the Taliban vanish into thin air. They just don’t give a fuck about Muslims.
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The reason America continues to oppress us and perpetuate white supremacy isn’t that we haven’t found the right phraseology. It’s because the country is littered with people who don’t give a fuck about Black people.
My point is, that the concept of “effective messaging” is a strawman used by white supremacists to ignore the goal of a movement.
Advertisement
But let’s suppose someone didn’t understand what the phrase “defund the police” meant. In all likelihood, that person has a device that connects to this thing called the internet. And if they went to a website called Google, literally the first result links to a page that says:
“Defund the police” means reallocating or redirecting funding away from the police department to other government agencies funded by the local municipality. That’s it. It’s that simple. Defund does not mean abolish policing. And, even some who say abolish, do not necessarily mean to do away with law enforcement altogether.
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Substantively, there are many mechanisms to fight police brutality. Local officials can reduce the funding that allow local departments to militarize their forces. Federal laws can’t do much except standardize the policing and threaten to reduce the money to agencies that flout these laws. Cities can use financial means to force police unions to the table. There are studies that show that over-policing produces more resistance over time and that removing police officers can actually reduce incidents of brutality. Some people suggest that we can replace speed stops with cameras. The most ambitious people want to dismantle police departments altogether and reimagine policing with a combination of criminal investigators, traffic regulators, mental health officials and community-oriented crime-stopping.
All of these different ideas would require one thing in common: the reduction of taxpayer dollars to law enforcement agencies.
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Someone should come up with a phrase for that.
I have no idea what this is about:
From: Jack R.
To: The Root What a racist piece of garbage Media outlet this is. Y’all should be ashamed of yourself language, shit y’all started! Here’s a hot tip Facebook needs to remove you from their newsfeed you guys are fucked up assholes! How about if I start a news media that’s all about how bad Black people are?
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I think someone already beat you to starting a news outlet about how bad Black people are.
It’s called “The media.”
Finally, there was some pushback on this article:
From: Linda
To: Michael Harriot Hey, I recently discovered you and I love your writing. I want to ask you a serious question: WHy is there Why is racist for someone to say “colored” if the organization is called the NAACP. It’s like we spend a lot of time arguing about names and words like the n-word. If u use the er it’s racist and I can’t use it at all. But you still think it’s so important for people to say “Black Lives Matter” if they don’t want too but you get mad when I say All lives Matter?
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My homeboys call me “Rickety.”
Every summer, my mother forced me to go to some summer camp or another to “broaden my horizons.” When I was about 15, I convinced two niggas from my hood, Dumbo and P, to go to the Summer Science Intensive Training Program at an HBCU, Claflin College, with me. Now P and I had been friends for years and I honestly can’t tell you how Dumbo even got involved because, before that summer, we weren’t friends.
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The reason they called him Dumbo was not because he had big ears. It was because he was born with a condition called “slight macroglossia,” or a slightly enlarged tongue that for some reason caused people (teachers, strangers and even family members) to think he wasn’t intelligent.
Anyway, someone at Claflin dreamed up an idea to bring high school students to a college campus and offer them college for first-year college courses in chemistry, biology and math. It was a brilliant idea because most advanced high school courses are really low-level college courses but majority-Black high schools don’t often offer these AP-level courses. We also visited tech companies, factories and anyplace that used STEM grads.
Advertisement
Anyway, the cool thing about SSITP was that they actually treated us like college students. We had no curfew. We could hang out. Now, this was Orangeburg, S.C. There was no mall or really anything to do, so “hanging out” mostly meant chilling out on campus with the other students, including a Claflin student they hired as an academic tutor for our program, a senior name Joey.
Joey was a 6-foot, 5-inch basketball player from Brooklyn. He was smart, charismatic and everyone loved him. He had a couple of classes left before he graduated and he was taking them during summer school. Joey came to S.C. from N.Y. on a basketball scholarship, so he was like a fish out of water and complained about it all the time. When Joey met my friends, who were just some hood niggas I had convinced to leave the neighborhood for the summer, he latched on to them immediately. Perhaps it was the shared ghetto sensibilities.
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Because Joey was so charismatic, by the end of the summer, Bo and P had picked up N.Y. accents and had started calling me by the nickname Joey bestowed upon me the first time he saw me: “Rickety,” because he said I had big lips like the cartoon car in Rickety Rocket.
Bo thought college (and all school, really) was useless, and I understood why. Because people associated his intelligence with his speech, Bo, who was what we call “nice with his hands,” became a street nigga at an early age. P planned on going into the military after high school and Bo had a job waiting on him at a local factory. They had no business taking these advanced courses, but I convinced them that the shit wasn’t that hard. Honestly, I was lying but, what’s the worst that could happen? They actually hung in there, attended classes and—with some help from Joey—Bo and P actually passed the courses!
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When we went back to our hometown, these niggas continued to call me “Rickety.” Then my other friends started calling me “Rickety.” When my friends came over to my mom’s house, they’d ask for Rickety and she’d know who they were talking about. To this day, if you are from my hometown, you probably know me as Rickety, even though Bo and P don’t live there anymore
Where’d they go?
Well, the next year, our senior year in high school, P died in a drunk driving accident.
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That shit wrecked Bo. Bo had known P all his life and, until that summer, P was the only person who even treated Bo as if he was not a Dumbo. He never asked me to do it, but after that summer, P and I just basically evolved into calling him “Bo,” all the time. Joey even came to P’s funeral. He had found a job working at a pharmaceutical company in Virginia and told Bo that he might be able to get him an entry-level job but he’d have to pass the company’s entrance test.
The same day, Bo dropped out of high school; relocated to Virginia; moved into a one-bedroom apartment with Joey and started studying to pass the test. Apparently, when he applied for the job, Bo didn’t even have to prove he had a high school diploma because they had college credits.
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Joey eventually took another job but Bo worked there for years, married and raised a family. After a few years, the job even gave him the opportunity to attend college. I called Bo the other day, and we started talking about that summer. I asked him: “I wonder what happened to Joey?” and he casually replied: “Oh he works here. “I hired him a couple of years ago...He asked about you. Do people still call you Rickety?”
I told him that no one outside of my hometown knew what it meant, to which he replied that he didn’t either, and then it hit me.
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In our hometown, we had two and a half television channels. No one had ever seen Rickety Rocket. I had only seen it spending summers with my aunt in N.J. Literally, no one who called me that nickname had ever known what it meant.
Now, during that phone call, I didn’t ask Bo if people still used his nickname because I remember, on the way to Claflin that summer, while P’s mother was driving, Bo said to us: “Hey, when we get there, just call me Bo.”
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At P’s funeral, Bo had to stop Joey from kicking someone’s ass for calling him “Dumbo.”
My point Linda, is this:
Speaking someone’s name is a metaphor for how you relate to the world. Most people blindly, without thought, accept what others have named things without thinking about it. What I fail to understand is why it’s so hard for people to treat people with kindness and respect when they know their actions are hurtful to others.
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So I reject your question, Linda. Instead, I ask you this:
Why do you want to hurt people?
Why is it so hard for so many white people to change their actions—especially actions they have never even thought about—for the sake of being a kind human being. Is white privilege that hard of a shell for you to remove? Why are you so insistent on being mean when being nice won’t hurt you a tiny bit?
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I honestly believe Bo didn’t escape our hometown because of our friend or his unstable future. I believe he was escaping the thing that named him. I think that’s why he left our hometown and moved in with Joey. Joey was probably the only person who didn’t treat him like Dumbo. And like “Rickety,” most people didn’t know the origin of Dumbo’s name. I believe people wouldn’t have called him that if they knew it bothered him because most people aren’t assholes.
Most people.
But Joey probably doesn’t call Bo “Bo” anymore.
He probably calls him “Dr. Bo”...
These days, Dumbo is probably one of the rare, if not the only person in America who has a Ph.D. but not a high school diploma.
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He still calls me Rickety.


theroot--2020-12-04--House Passes Historic but Largely Symbolic Measure to Decriminalize Marijuana

In what was largely a symbolic move , the House of Representatives voted on Friday to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level .
Don ’ t spark up just yet , though .
Vice reports that the bill is unlikely to pass through the Republican-controlled Senate .
The measure , titled the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act , would potentially remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and allow states to decide for themselves how to regulate it .
The act would expunge the records of those previously convicted on marijuana charges , as well as mandate resentencing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It would also prevent marijuana from affecting a person ’ s immigration status or ability to obtain federally subsidized housing .
This sounds like it could be a genuinely positive development for a large swath of the population .
It ’ s not as though there isn ’ t support among the public for legalization either , as polls show two-thirds of Americans are all about it .
Alas , the decision to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level falls upon old-ass politicians who probably don ’ t know the joy of popping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2049 in an IMAX theater .
I ’ m not saying that I did that two or three times when it was in theaters , but I ’ m also not not saying it .
Rep. Earl Blumenauer , an Oregon Democrat and one of the key figures behind the bill , argued that the bill wasn ’ t just about legalizing marijuana , saying during a debate on the House floor that voters are more or less already doing that on the state level .
“ We ’ re here because Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war on drugs and do its part for the over 15 million marijuana users in every one of your districts , ” Blumenauer told his colleagues in the House .
“ It ’ s time for Congress to step up and do its part .
We need to catch up with the rest of the American people.
” While this was the first time either chamber of Congress has voted on marijuana decriminalization , recent years have seen voters in red and blue states vote to legalize its recreational and medicinal use .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Montana , New Jersey , and South Dakota voted to legalize recreational use .
Medicinal marijuana is currently legal in 38 of the 50 states , which is incredible progress considering that it was still illegal in all 50 states just a decade ago .
Even on the off chance the bill manages to pass through the Senate , President-elect Joe Biden has previously indicated he had no desire to legalize marijuana , and the sitting president seems so consumed by his election loss to probably even care .
So again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but at least it shows the House kind of has a feeling for what the country wants .

In what was largely a symbolic move, the House of Representatives voted on Friday to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level.
Don’t spark up just yet, though.
Vice reports that the bill is unlikely to pass through the Republican-controlled Senate. The measure, titled the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, would potentially remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and allow states to decide for themselves how to regulate it.
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The act would expunge the records of those previously convicted on marijuana charges, as well as mandate resentencing for anyone currently incarcerated on marijuana charges. It would also prevent marijuana from affecting a person’s immigration status or ability to obtain federally subsidized housing.
This sounds like it could be a genuinely positive development for a large swath of the population. It’s not as though there isn’t support among the public for legalization either, as polls show two-thirds of Americans are all about it.
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Alas, the decision to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level falls upon old-ass politicians who probably don’t know the joy of popping a few edibles and watching Blade Runner 2049 in an IMAX theater.
I’m not saying that I did that two or three times when it was in theaters, but I’m also not not saying it.
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Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat and one of the key figures behind the bill, argued that the bill wasn’t just about legalizing marijuana, saying during a debate on the House floor that voters are more or less already doing that on the state level.
“We’re here because Congress has failed to deal with a disastrous war on drugs and do its part for the over 15 million marijuana users in every one of your districts,” Blumenauer told his colleagues in the House. “It’s time for Congress to step up and do its part. We need to catch up with the rest of the American people.”
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While this was the first time either chamber of Congress has voted on marijuana decriminalization, recent years have seen voters in red and blue states vote to legalize its recreational and medicinal use. In the 2020 election voters in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota voted to legalize recreational use. Medicinal marijuana is currently legal in 38 of the 50 states, which is incredible progress considering that it was still illegal in all 50 states just a decade ago.
Even on the off chance the bill manages to pass through the Senate, President-elect Joe Biden has previously indicated he had no desire to legalize marijuana, and the sitting president seems so consumed by his election loss to probably even care. So again, this is a largely symbolic measure, but at least it shows the House kind of has a feeling for what the country wants.
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Emphasis on kind of.


theroot--2020-12-04--Trailer Roundup: Wendy Williams Asks 'How You Doin?' Ideally, You're in a State of Euphoria

If you made it to the end of the week without drunkenly testifying on behalf of a citrus-colored commander-in-chief ’ s unfounded voter fraud agenda—congrats !
Ready for some trailers ?
Let ’ s go !
First Impressions : COVID has had quite the effect on our daily lives—and every aspect of our lives , so naturally , you ’ re going to see content that specifically caters to the global pandemic .
Case in point , couples therapy is a general concept ... but factor in a COVID society .
Dr. Orna Guralnik will help couples who are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown—meaning they ’ re quarantined together and can ’ t even escape their problems .
Yikes .
First Impressions : Yaaaasss give us young Black ballerinas and ballerinos !
Also , I love this title .
In this doc , we follow the students ( aged 8-18 ) of School of American Ballet ( SAB ) as they rehearse and eventually perform in New York City Ballet ’ s holiday classic “ George Balanchine ’ s The Nutcracker ” at the Lincoln Center .
Speaking of Black performers at the Lincoln Center , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build the “ Black version of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts ” on the South Side of Chicago .
Doctor Who : Revolution of the Daleks ( BBC America ; Release Date : Jan. 1 , 2021 at 8 p.m. ET/PT ) Doctor Who : Revolution of the Daleks trailer / YouTube First Impressions : The 13th season ( or series for the Brits ) of Doctor Who returns with a New Year ’ s Day special ( and The Thirteenth Doctor ) , everything will pick up right where Season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set to guest star in the special .
First Impressions : At this point , I expect to see Mariah Carey in front of the Supreme Court with a motion to legally own Christmas because she does in our hearts !
You can now watch her , Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande hollering for the holidays on Apple TV+ .
( Editor ’ s note : You can also hear all about the process of writing her bestselling memoir , The Meaning of Mariah Carey on today ’ s episode of The Root @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) First Impressions : That ’ s right , it ’ s time for yet another installment of Steve McQueen ’ s Small Axe series .
This time we will meet Alex Wheatle ( Sheyi Cole ) , who has a reckoning after having grown up in a mostly white institutional care home and later finding his first sense of community ( and passion ) in Brixton .
However , he is thrown in prison during the Brixton Uprising of 1981 , where he “ confronts his past and sees a path to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Adventure Will Follow documents an impromptu trip around the globe .
Per the press release : “ Told through the lens and pen of Sasha Tobago , an African American filmmaker , journalist and explorer with 2 decades , 6 continents and 100s of locales under her travel belt.
” I ’ m sure all travelers are experiencing some exploration withdrawal right now ( I know I am ! )
, so maybe this film can serve as a virtual escape ( or torture , depending on how avid of a traveler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now available for pre-order at the film ’ s official website .
First Impressions : GET INTO “ EMMY AWARD WINNER ZENDAYA ” IN THE PROMO CAPTION .
Also , shout-out to the masterful Colman Domingo !
In this special episode ( one of a two-part special ) , we follow Rue ( Zendaya ) on Christmas , following her relapse .
And yes , I know you see that official release date up there but fans were recently surprised on Thursday with the fact that HBO Max subscribers can stream it early—as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( OnDemand via San Francisco Playhouse ; Now Streaming Through Dec. 25 ) First Impressions : Written and performed by Brian Copeland , The Jewelry Box is a prequel to Copeland ’ s Not a Genuine Black Man and is about a young Black boy who hits the “ mean streets ” of Oakland on a mission to get his mama a jewelry box for Christmas .
Subscribers and single-ticket buyers can access the performance now through Dec. 25th , 2020 .
Tickets ( $ 15 - $ 100 ) and subscriptions ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now available at the San Francisco Playhouse website .
First Impressions : In a relevant special told in “ self-shot documentary style , ” Homeschool Musical : Class of 2020 will offer a look into American teens who have had to face the many challenges of this year .
Each teen will sing a song that encapsulates their feelings and the special will feature interviews with each .
That ’ s a pretty cool concept .
First Impression : Who run this motha ?
!
From showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser ( a damn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and series creator Leigh Davenport , Run The World follows four Black women friends and is described as an “ unapologetically female show about enviable friendship and not only surviving—but thriving together.
” First Impressions : The ladies are back pursuing their dreams in the ATL , and we all know that will come with more drama and beyond .
Even if you ’ ve never seen one episode of Little Women : Atlanta , you know Shirlene “ Ms .
Juicy ” Pearson when you see her thanks to her countless memes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Little Women : Atlanta Kickoff Special will debut on Jan. 22 at 9 pm ET/PT featuring a tribute to the late Ashley “ Minnie ” Ross .
First Impressions : A Christmas Surprise stars Wendy Raquel Robinson , Keesha Sharp , Will Blagrove , Katelynn Bennett and Mustapha Slack and follows a self-made businesswoman who gets a Christmas surprise ( get it ?
! )
from her daughter—welp , she ’ s engaged !
Another surprise ?
The nigga she ’ s engaged to is described as “ less-than-impressive ” and he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First Impressions : Belle Collective follows Dr. Antoinette Liles ( Mississippi ’ s few Black female dentists ) , Lateshia Pearson ( CEO of National Women ’ s Brunch Organization ) , Latrice Rogers ( founder of Goddess Lengths ) , Marie Hamilton-Abston ( CEO of Hamilton Davis Mental Health ) , Tambra Cherie ( host of “ The Relationship Hour ” ) , who are all described as “ successful , glamourous boss women , who are redefining what it means to be a southern belle in Jackson , Mississippi.
” First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Cold Hard Truth stars Simone Missick ( All Rise ) and Dorian Missick ( Luke Cage ) .
Wait , is that Michael Beach ?
!
Why yes , yes it is .
And his character ( a minister ! )
says “ don ’ t push me ” in the trailer , further cementing that he is allergic to roles where the character is a decent person .
First Impressions : Jordan Johnson-Hinds ( Blindspot ) , co-stars in this Canadian series about “ five young nurses working on the frontlines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first premiered earlier this year on Global TV ( the premiere became the most-watched episode of a scripted Canadian series in over two years for total viewers ) and its 10-episode season will soon air on NBC .
It ’ s giving me Grey ’ s Anatomy , but specifically centering on nurses .
From Poor to CEO : The Incredible Journey of Herman Cain ( Now Available on DVD and Digital via hermancainmovie.com ; Available on Amazon.com in January 2021 ) First Impressions : After being diagnosed with COVID-19 , Herman Cain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the disease this past summer .
This documentary will chronicle “ a man who came from a poor and under-educated family and reached the highest levels of corporate , social and political America , while always remembering his roots in family and faith ” and will feature first-person interviews with Cain , his family and community members .
Christmas Comes Twice ( Hallmark Channel ; Premiere Date : Dec. 13 at 8 p.m .
ET and o n Hallmark Movies & Mysteries ; Air Date : Dec. 13 at 10 p. m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mowry-Housley , Michael Xavier , Zarrin Darnell-Martin and Sheryl Lee Ralph , Christmas Comes Twice is a time-travel tinsel treat ( say that five times fast ) following an astrophysicist who , not quite satisfied with the trajectory of her career , ends up five years in the past after a magical carnival snafu and finds a new appreciation for her life .
Christmas In Evergreen : Bells Are Ringing ( Hallmark Channel ; Release Date : Dec. 5 at 8 p.m .
ET ) First Impressions : Holly Robinson Peete ( A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( One Winter Weekend ) , Antonio Cayonne ( Fashionably Yours ) , Barbara Niven ( Chesapeake Shores ) , Colin Lawrence ( Riverdale ) and Ashley Williams ( How I Met Your Mother ) star in this film following a beloved mayor juggling wedding preparations and a Christmas Museum opening .
To alleviate some of that stress , she enlists her sister-in-law to take the lead on the museum launch , but the shenanigans don ’ t end there—the mayor ’ s sister also comes to town with some unexpected news .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on ) First Impressions : From Black-owned award-winning production studio Campsight Studios , A Balcony In Brooklyn “ gives a dystopian look at an underground party during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC.
” The fact that “ Who would you rather be , Shaun King or Shawn Carter ?
” is a line in the trailer made me stop in my tracks , and now I ’ m intrigued .
LOL !
Also , Happy Birthday to the latter Shawn .
With Drawn Arms ( Bounce ; Release Date : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. ET/PT ) First Impressions : Bounce recently acquired the world broadcast premiere rights to this documentary produced by Jesse Williams and John Legend , which “ explores the impact and the legacy of American track star Tommie Smith ’ s then-shocking symbol of protest against social injustice while receiving the gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
” Power to the people , indeed .
Bear Witness , Take Action 2 ( YouTube Originals ; Release Date : Dec. 5 at 6 p.m .
ET ) First Impressions : Keke Palmer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this series highlighting racial injustice and inspiring viewers to take action to protect Black lives with appearances by Anthony Anderson , Dr. Deepak Chopra , Mark Cuban , Jemele Hill and more .
Plus , Patti Labelle , Rapsody and SAINt JHN are set to perform .
The Christmas Lottery ( BET and BET Her ; Release Date : Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT ) First Impressions : Basically , a father wins a $ 10-million lottery and plans to split it with his three daughters , but there ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their broken relationships before they get a cut of the profitable pie .
As Entertainment Weekly pointed out in their first look spotlight , this film “ features an LGBTQ couple and a mother with dementia.
” The “ mother with dementia ” part is important here because there ’ s another layer of conflict—because of the mother ’ s illness ...
THEY CAN ’ T EVEN FIND THE TICKET .
Lord .
Anyway , OMG there ’ s Carl Winslow ( government name Reginald VelJohnson ) !
Wendy Williams : The Movie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 , 2021 at 8 p.m .
ET ) First Impressions : Ciera Payton stars as Wendy Williams herself in the biopic , with Morocco Omari starring as Wendy ’ s ex-husband and former manager Kevin Hunter .
Wendy already had a relationship with Lifetime , executive producing that mess known as Aaliyah : The Princess of R & B and now she ’ s showcasing her own life ( and you can tell it ’ s from her perspective ) .
A couple of things about the trailer though—where the hell is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
!
And why didn ’ t I hear at least one “ How You Doin ’ ?
” soundbite ?
!
Come on , y ’ all !
Anyway ...
I bet you I ’ ll be tuned the fuck in for this mess , regardless !
First Impressions : Afro-Atlantic Memories tells the story of “ a Black American linguist , Lorenzo Dow Turner , [ who ] came to Brazil to study the African languages still spoken and sung in the Candomblés of Bahia ” in 1940 .
This doc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute ’ s ( CCCADI ) “ Zumbi Afro Bahia Cultural Program Series.
” Additionally , CCCADI is hosting an ongoing series called “ Curators in Conversation ” and the next session will feature Maria Elena Ortiz ( curator at the Perez Art Museum Miami ) , O ’ Neil Lawrence ( chief curator of The National Gallery of Jamaica and co-curator of the Jamaica Biennial 2017 ) and will be moderated by CCCADI ’ s Curator-at-Large Grace Aneiza Ali .
To watch the series and learn more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Jaden Smith portrays a 17-year-old who falls for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks ( Cara Delevingne ) , then learns she ’ s dying and only has a year of life left .
Oh man , this surely seems like one of those melancholy teen films that will leave you curled up in your bed in a puddle of tears .
First Impressions : Karen Bryson co-stars in this three-part mini-series adapted from the 1939 Rumer Godden novel of the same name .
The series follows “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a hostile environment of a remote Himalayan palace that they wish to make a convent.
” I haven ’ t seen it yet , but the press release describes it as “ forbidden desire , religion and sexual repression.
” Ooooh .

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

If you made it to the end of the week without drunkenly testifying on behalf of a citrus-colored commander-in-chief’s unfounded voter fraud agenda—congrats! Ready for some trailers? Let’s go!
Couples Therapy: The COVID Special (Showtime; Release Date: Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT)
Couples Therapy COVID Special trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: COVID has had quite the effect on our daily lives—and every aspect of our lives, so naturally, you’re going to see content that specifically caters to the global pandemic. Case in point, couples therapy is a general concept...but factor in a COVID society. Dr. Orna Guralnik will help couples who are now dealing with their existing issues during a lockdown—meaning they’re quarantined together and can’t even escape their problems. Yikes.
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On Pointe (Disney+; Release Date: Dec. 18)
On Pointe trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Yaaaasss give us young Black ballerinas and ballerinos! Also, I love this title. In this doc, we follow the students (aged 8-18) of School of American Ballet (SAB) as they rehearse and eventually perform in New York City Ballet’s holiday classic “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” at the Lincoln Center. Speaking of Black performers at the Lincoln Center, I recently heard Harry Lennix wants to build the “Black version of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts” on the South Side of Chicago.
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Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks (BBC America; Release Date: Jan. 1, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET/PT)
Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: The 13th season (or series for the Brits) of Doctor Who returns with a New Year’s Day special (and The Thirteenth Doctor), everything will pick up right where Season 12 left off. Nathan Stewart-Jarrett is set to guest star in the special.
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Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special (Apple TV+; Now Streaming)
Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: At this point, I expect to see Mariah Carey in front of the Supreme Court with a motion to legally own Christmas because she does in our hearts! You can now watch her, Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande hollering for the holidays on Apple TV+. (Editor’s note: You can also hear all about the process of writing her bestselling memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey on today’s episode of The Root Presents: It’s Lit!)
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Alex Wheatle (Amazon Prime Video; Release Date: Dec. 11)
Alex Wheatle trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: That’s right, it’s time for yet another installment of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series. This time we will meet Alex Wheatle (Sheyi Cole), who has a reckoning after having grown up in a mostly white institutional care home and later finding his first sense of community (and passion) in Brixton. However, he is thrown in prison during the Brixton Uprising of 1981, where he “confronts his past and sees a path to healing.”
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Adventure Will Follow (OnDemand; Release Date: March 2021)
Adventure Will Follow trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Shot pre-COVID, Adventure Will Follow documents an impromptu trip around the globe. Per the press release: “Told through the lens and pen of Sasha Tobago, an African American filmmaker, journalist and explorer with 2 decades, 6 continents and 100s of locales under her travel belt.” I’m sure all travelers are experiencing some exploration withdrawal right now (I know I am!), so maybe this film can serve as a virtual escape (or torture, depending on how avid of a traveler you are). The doc is now available for pre-order at the film’s official website.
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Euphoria: Special Episode Part 1 (HBO; Release Date: Dec. 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)
Euphoria Special Episode Part 1 trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: GET INTO “EMMY AWARD WINNER ZENDAYA” IN THE PROMO CAPTION. Also, shout-out to the masterful Colman Domingo! In this special episode (one of a two-part special), we follow Rue (Zendaya) on Christmas, following her relapse. And yes, I know you see that official release date up there but fans were recently surprised on Thursday with the fact that HBO Max subscribers can stream it early—as in right now.
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The Jewelry Box (OnDemand via San Francisco Playhouse; Now Streaming Through Dec. 25)
The Jewelry Box trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Written and performed by Brian Copeland, The Jewelry Box is a prequel to Copeland’s Not a Genuine Black Man and is about a young Black boy who hits the “mean streets” of Oakland on a mission to get his mama a jewelry box for Christmas. Subscribers and single-ticket buyers can access the performance now through Dec. 25th, 2020. Tickets ($15 - $100) and subscriptions ($200 - $300) are now available at the San Francisco Playhouse website.
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Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 (HBO Max; Release Date: Dec. 17)
Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: In a relevant special told in “self-shot documentary style,” Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 will offer a look into American teens who have had to face the many challenges of this year. Each teen will sing a song that encapsulates their feelings and the special will feature interviews with each. That’s a pretty cool concept.
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Run The World (Starz; Release Date: 2021)
Run the World trailer / YouTube
First Impression: Who run this motha?! From showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser (a damn legend in the Black TV game) and series creator Leigh Davenport, Run The World follows four Black women friends and is described as an “unapologetically female show about enviable friendship and not only surviving—but thriving together.”
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Little Women: Atlanta (Lifetime; Season 6 Release Date: Jan. 29, 2021, at 9 p.m. ET/PT)
Little Women: Atlanta Season 6 trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: The ladies are back pursuing their dreams in the ATL, and we all know that will come with more drama and beyond. Even if you’ve never seen one episode of Little Women: Atlanta, you know Shirlene “Ms. Juicy” Pearson when you see her thanks to her countless memes alone. A season preview titled, Little Women: Atlanta Kickoff Special will debut on Jan. 22 at 9 pm ET/PT featuring a tribute to the late Ashley “Minnie” Ross.
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A Christmas Surprise (BET+; Release Date: Dec. 10)
A Christmas Surprise trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: A Christmas Surprise stars Wendy Raquel Robinson, Keesha Sharp, Will Blagrove, Katelynn Bennett and Mustapha Slack and follows a self-made businesswoman who gets a Christmas surprise (get it?!) from her daughter—welp, she’s engaged! Another surprise? The nigga she’s engaged to is described as “less-than-impressive” and he has an “overbearing mother.” Yikes.
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Belle Collective (OWN; Release Date: Jan. 15, 2021)
Belle Collective trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Belle Collective follows Dr. Antoinette Liles (Mississippi’s few Black female dentists), Lateshia Pearson (CEO of National Women’s Brunch Organization), Latrice Rogers (founder of Goddess Lengths), Marie Hamilton-Abston (CEO of Hamilton Davis Mental Health), Tambra Cherie (host of “The Relationship Hour”), who are all described as “successful, glamourous boss women, who are redefining what it means to be a southern belle in Jackson, Mississippi.”
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A Cold Hard Truth (DVD / Digital; Release Date: January 2021)
A COLD HARD TRUTH Trailer A Cold Hard Truth trailer / Courtesy of Indican Pictures
First Impressions: Directed by Charles Murray, A Cold Hard Truth stars Simone Missick (All Rise) and Dorian Missick (Luke Cage). Wait, is that Michael Beach?! Why yes, yes it is. And his character (a minister!) says “don’t push me” in the trailer, further cementing that he is allergic to roles where the character is a decent person.
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Nurses (NBC; Release Date: Dec. 7 at 10 p.m. ET)
Nurses trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Jordan Johnson-Hinds (Blindspot), co-stars in this Canadian series about “five young nurses working on the frontlines of a busy downtown hospital.” It first premiered earlier this year on Global TV (the premiere became the most-watched episode of a scripted Canadian series in over two years for total viewers) and its 10-episode season will soon air on NBC. It’s giving me Grey’s Anatomy, but specifically centering on nurses.
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From Poor to CEO: The Incredible Journey of Herman Cain (Now Available on DVD and Digital via hermancainmovie.com; Available on Amazon.com in January 2021)
FROM POOR TO CEO: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF HERMAN CAIN Trailer From Poor to CEO: The Incredible Journey of Herman Cain trailer / Courtesy of Tolli/Cain Entertainment and Liftable Media
First Impressions: After being diagnosed with COVID-19, Herman Cain lost his battle and died from complications from the disease this past summer. This documentary will chronicle “a man who came from a poor and under-educated family and reached the highest levels of corporate, social and political America, while always remembering his roots in family and faith” and will feature first-person interviews with Cain, his family and community members.
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Christmas Comes Twice (Hallmark Channel; Premiere Date: Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET and on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries; Air Date: Dec. 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT)
Christmas Comes Twice trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Starring Tamera Mowry-Housley, Michael Xavier, Zarrin Darnell-Martin and Sheryl Lee Ralph, Christmas Comes Twice is a time-travel tinsel treat (say that five times fast) following an astrophysicist who, not quite satisfied with the trajectory of her career, ends up five years in the past after a magical carnival snafu and finds a new appreciation for her life.
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Christmas In Evergreen: Bells Are Ringing (Hallmark Channel; Release Date: Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET)
Christmas In Evergreen: Bells Are Ringing trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Holly Robinson Peete (A Family Christmas Gift), Rukiya Bernard (One Winter Weekend), Antonio Cayonne (Fashionably Yours), Barbara Niven (Chesapeake Shores), Colin Lawrence (Riverdale) and Ashley Williams (How I Met Your Mother) star in this film following a beloved mayor juggling wedding preparations and a Christmas Museum opening. To alleviate some of that stress, she enlists her sister-in-law to take the lead on the museum launch, but the shenanigans don’t end there—the mayor’s sister also comes to town with some unexpected news.
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A Balcony In Brooklyn (Now Streaming on Vimeo
A Balcony in Brooklyn trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: From Black-owned award-winning production studio Campsight Studios, A Balcony In Brooklyn “gives a dystopian look at an underground party during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC.” The fact that “Who would you rather be, Shaun King or Shawn Carter?” is a line in the trailer made me stop in my tracks, and now I’m intrigued. LOL! Also, Happy Birthday to the latter Shawn.
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With Drawn Arms (Bounce; Release Date: Dec. 13, following the Bounce Trumpet Awards
With Drawn Arms trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Bounce recently acquired the world broadcast premiere rights to this documentary produced by Jesse Williams and John Legend, which “explores the impact and the legacy of American track star Tommie Smith’s then-shocking symbol of protest against social injustice while receiving the gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics.” Power to the people, indeed.
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Bear Witness, Take Action 2 (YouTube Originals; Release Date: Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. ET)
Bear Witness, Take Action 2 trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Keke Palmer and Common will host the second part of this series highlighting racial injustice and inspiring viewers to take action to protect Black lives with appearances by Anthony Anderson, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Mark Cuban, Jemele Hill and more. Plus, Patti Labelle, Rapsody and SAINt JHN are set to perform.
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The Christmas Lottery (BET and BET Her; Release Date: Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT)
The Christmas Lottery trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Basically, a father wins a $10-million lottery and plans to split it with his three daughters, but there’s a catch! They all have to mend their broken relationships before they get a cut of the profitable pie. As Entertainment Weekly pointed out in their first look spotlight, this film “features an LGBTQ couple and a mother with dementia.” The “mother with dementia” part is important here because there’s another layer of conflict—because of the mother’s illness...THEY CAN’T EVEN FIND THE TICKET. Lord. Anyway, OMG there’s Carl Winslow (government name Reginald VelJohnson)!
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Wendy Williams: The Movie (Lifetime; Release Date: Jan. 30, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET)
Wendy Williams: The Movie trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Ciera Payton stars as Wendy Williams herself in the biopic, with Morocco Omari starring as Wendy’s ex-husband and former manager Kevin Hunter. Wendy already had a relationship with Lifetime, executive producing that mess known as Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B and now she’s showcasing her own life (and you can tell it’s from her perspective). A couple of things about the trailer though—where the hell is the deep timbre of her well-known voice?! And why didn’t I hear at least one “How You Doin’?” soundbite?! Come on, y’all! Anyway...I bet you I’ll be tuned the fuck in for this mess, regardless!
Advertisement
Afro-Atlantic Memories trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Afro-Atlantic Memories tells the story of “a Black American linguist, Lorenzo Dow Turner, [who] came to Brazil to study the African languages still spoken and sung in the Candomblés of Bahia” in 1940. This doc’s screening is part of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute’s (CCCADI) “Zumbi Afro Bahia Cultural Program Series.” Additionally, CCCADI is hosting an ongoing series called “Curators in Conversation” and the next session will feature Maria Elena Ortiz (curator at the Perez Art Museum Miami), O’Neil Lawrence (chief curator of The National Gallery of Jamaica and co-curator of the Jamaica Biennial 2017) and will be moderated by CCCADI’s Curator-at-Large Grace Aneiza Ali. To watch the series and learn more, head to cccadi.org.
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Life in a Year (Amazon Prime Video; Now Streaming)
Life in a Year trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Jaden Smith portrays a 17-year-old who falls for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks (Cara Delevingne), then learns she’s dying and only has a year of life left. Oh man, this surely seems like one of those melancholy teen films that will leave you curled up in your bed in a puddle of tears.
Advertisement
Black Narcissus (FX on Hulu; Now Streaming)
Black Narcissus trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Karen Bryson co-stars in this three-part mini-series adapted from the 1939 Rumer Godden novel of the same name. The series follows “a group of nuns [facing] challenges in a hostile environment of a remote Himalayan palace that they wish to make a convent.” I haven’t seen it yet, but the press release describes it as “forbidden desire, religion and sexual repression.” Ooooh.


theroot--2020-12-04--The 10 Best Deals of December 4, 2020

The 10 Best Deals of December 4, 2020

It ’ s December 4 , and we at Kinja Deals are here to bring you the top 10 deals of the day .
Liven up your backyard with the Anker S oundcore M otion+ .
Stock up on AAA batteries for the apocalypse 2.0 .
And ring in the holiday season with a 6-foot flocked snow Christmas tree .
If you ’ re still craving more deals , take a peek at Friday ’ s best deals overall .
A good Bluetooth speaker can liven up a dreary day indoors , whether it ’ s by streaming your favorite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bumping your playlist while you cook .
There ’ s no shortage of options , so whatever your needs are , there ’ s a good fit for you .
Right now , Anker ’ s waterproof Soundcore Motion+ , is down from $ 100 to $ 80 .
Anker claims the speaker will run for up to twelve hours , so it ’ ll work just fine for a day outside .
If you want something a little funkier , the Anker Soundcore Trance , which features a couple rings of LED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what you ’ re listening to , is down to $ 100 right now .
It ’ s waterproof too , so you won ’ t have to worry about any splashes mucking things up .
This deal was originally published by Jordan McMahon .
The PlayStation 5 is current-gen and PlayStation 4 is now retro gaming .
Sorry , I don ’ t make the rules .
Everyone who calls the PS5 next-gen is living in the past .
It ’ s a new age and all of your favorite games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now .
If you want to go back and relive the good old days like a geezer , you ’ ve got a few ways to do it .
You could grab a PS5 and subscribe to PS Plus to get access to most of the old-school system ’ s first-party library .
But if you ’ re not ready to upgrade , Best Buy has a handful of PlayStation 4 classics down to $ 8 .
That includes ancient games like God of War , Horizon : Zero Dawn , and Bloodborne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time as the dinosaurs , so enjoy your un-ray-traced casual games , gramps .
I ’ m living in the future and all I do is play Godfall 24/7 now .
This deal was originally published by Giovanni Colantonio .
Whether you need to replace the batteries in your TV remote , smoke detector , or whatever else requires ‘ em , it never hurts to keep a set of AAA batteries around .
For a limited time , you can pick up 48 on Amazon for $ 11 using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AAA batteries ?
Carry on then .
But for those of you who crave the 1.5 volts of a Nafu alkaline battery , today ’ s your lucky day .
Buy these and you can become Electro .
Face off against the web-head himself in an electrifying duel audiences will rave about for years to come .
You do not want to miss out on that .
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey .
Ulta ’ s Beauty Box : Glitz Edition is one of the company ’ s best sellers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s currently $ 10 off and is filled with shadows , blushes , glosses , and anything you could need all valued at $ 172 .
This time they are offering the box in light pink instead of gold .
This is a 49-piece kit , the case is reusable , and it ’ s easy to travel with .
All the makeup within is cruelty-free and top quality .
Here is what you ’ ll get : 30 eyeshadows , four blushes , four highlighters , two bronzers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glosses , two eyeliner pencils , eyeshadow primer , brow gel , and an eyeshadow/blush brush .
All of this makeup is highly pigmented , blendable , and made to create looks that will carry you through the day or night .
This deal was originally published by Sheilah Villari .
Christmas snow is a sight to behold and I ’ m lucky enough to grow up with a northern family so I got lots of it over the years .
Bring some of that winter charm to your home and your tree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snow Christmas tree .
It ’ s 40 % off and is definitely a nice twist to the traditional artificial tree .
Just clip the coupon and use the code KINGSOMV73 .
These faux snow leaves and branches are a fun touch especially if you live in a place where holiday snow just never happens .
The flocking is tightly fastened to the branches so no worries about it falling off and making a mess .
This tree comes in three sections making it easy to put up and take down .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store .
It ’ s a good size and definitely fills out once you have the branches properly fluffed .
As with most of these trees , it is made of eco-friendly high-quality PVC material .
It comes with a sturdy metal base with a plastic bottom to protect wood floors .
This is a unique tree at a great price so I ’ m sure it won ’ t last long .
This tree will ship for free .
This deal was originally posted by Sheilah Villari .
Air fryers are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re able to crisp up food—including meats and veggies—in a healthier way than traditional frying .
But if you ’ re not keen on splashing out a big chunk of cash on another cooking appliance that you may or may not use that often , here ’ s a great deal on one that won ’ t break the bank .
Right now , Best Buy is slashing $ 80 off the price of the Insignia 10-quart digital air fryer , making the price a mere $ 50 .
And unlike some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window into the cook , letting you pull out your food at the exact right moment… or just marvel at the process .
This deal was originally published by Andrew Hayward .
Sometimes you just need a computer to get you from point A to point B .
No fancy bells and whistles , no overclocking ( whatever the hell that is ) , and no superfluous gaming amenities .
If that ’ s the case for you , allow me to introduce you to the HP Pavilion TP01-1016 desktop , now 41 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Staples .
With it , you can browse the web , crunch your numbers , do some light photo and video editing , and do most other things that don ’ t require a high-end graphics card .
Just plug it into your surge protector , hook up your monitor , and connect the included USB keyboard and mouse to get started .
This bad boy can fit so much storage space in it , with a 1TB 7,200 RPM hard drive .
And while you may be worried about speed—believe me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clunker of a computer that freezes up CONSTANTLY when you ’ re trying to do your Excel sheets—note that the Pavilion boasts a six-core 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor , which is both midrange and pretty up-to-date .
A decent 8GB of RAM keeps the multitasking dream alive , so you can listen to the “ It ’ s 3 AM and I Can ’ t Stand the Sight of Not Being With You ” lo-fi beats video on YouTube as you work without interruption .
As is custom with today ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and you ’ ll have access to a range of connections including USB-C , an octuplet of USB-A ports of varying speeds , an SD card reader , HDMI , VGA , a headphone/mic combo jack—the works !
Weirdly enough , it ’ s also got a DVD optical drive , which I didn ’ t know PCs still HAD .
The more you know .
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey .
In order to game , you must first clear your mind .
Close your eyes .
Leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just you , a mouse , and a keyboard .
Take a deep breath .
Put a single Dorito on your tongue , as if you are receiving communion .
When you open your eyes like a newborn infant , the first thing you will see is your monitor .
So it ’ s important that you ’ re using one that capitalizes on your newfound mental clarity with an equally clear image .
If you ’ re looking to upgrade , BuyDig has the LG UltraFine down to $ 399 using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 32 '' 4K monitor with a 60Hz refresh rate , that ’ s optimized for gaming with Dynamic Action Sync ( a fancy way to say it minimizes input lag ) .
Add in Radeon FreeSync technology , which helps prevent stutters , and you ’ ve got a solid all-around gaming monitor destined to free your mind .
This deal was originally published by Giovanni Colantonio .
Someone call Tim “ The Toolman ” Taylor because this is one deal even your problematic fave shouldn ’ t miss .
Milwaukee ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set is currently on sale for 50 % off the sticker price as part of Home Depot ’ s Tool Gift Savings promotion .
For just under a Benjamin , you can start loosening even the most secure fasteners with a 56-piece set of ratchets .
But it doesn ’ t stop there .
The kit also includes a 6-pack of screwdrivers , an even mix of Phillips head and flat .
All sockets come wrench-ready with a flush directional lever , a slim design profile , and an inner storage tray you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll also find in the box .
The whole set comes with a lifetime manufacturer ’ s warranty if anything goes wrong and is returnable up to 180 days after your purchase is made .
Place the order to your house now and it should arrive by December 9 .
Ship-to-store options may vary , but my closest location personally says it won ’ t be available until at least December 15 .
Either way , you won ’ t have to pay a penny for shipping .
Don ’ t mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AuuGGhhh of the savings .
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey .
Many states require kids to be strapped into some form of car seat until they ’ re 8 years old , and depending on the eventual size of your child , you might be inclined to keep ‘ em in one for longer .
Of course , if you ’ re expecting a baby soon , it ’ ll still be years off before you really know .
That ’ s why the Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 convertible car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a full-fledged infant car seat that you can use immediately , and then over the years you can convert it from rear-facing into front-facing , and finally into a highback booster and backless booster as your child grows and ages .
Speaking from experience , you won ’ t want to have to buy another car seat in a few years if you can help it .
Luckily , Amazon is taking $ 100 off of the Graco 4Ever DLX convertible car seat right now , marking it down to $ 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossed , it ’ ll be the only car seat you ever need for your impending kiddo .
This deal was originally published by Andrew Hayward .

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

Friday’s Best Deals | Kinja Deals
It’s December 4, and we at Kinja Deals are here to bring you the top 10 deals of the day. Liven up your backyard with the Anker S oundcore M otion+. Stock up on AAA batteries for the apocalypse 2.0. And ring in the holiday season with a 6-foot flocked snow Christmas tree.
If you’re still craving more deals, take a peek at Friday’s best deals overall.
#1: Anker Bluetooth speakers
A good Bluetooth speaker can liven up a dreary day indoors, whether it’s by streaming your favorite podcast as you doodle away, or bumping your playlist while you cook. There’s no shortage of options, so whatever your needs are, there’s a good fit for you. Right now, Anker’s waterproof Soundcore Motion+, is down from $100 to $80. Anker claims the speaker will run for up to twelve hours, so it’ll work just fine for a day outside.
If you want something a little funkier, the Anker Soundcore Trance, which features a couple rings of LED lights that change colors and rhythms based on what you’re listening to, is down to $100 right now. It’s waterproof too, so you won’t have to worry about any splashes mucking things up.
This deal was originally published by Jordan McMahon.
#2: PS4 Greatest hits
The PlayStation 5 is current-gen and PlayStation 4 is now retro gaming. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. Everyone who calls the PS5 next-gen is living in the past. It’s a new age and all of your favorite games from the past seven years are old now. If you want to go back and relive the good old days like a geezer, you’ve got a few ways to do it. You could grab a PS5 and subscribe to PS Plus to get access to most of the old-school system’s first-party library. But if you’re not ready to upgrade, Best Buy has a handful of PlayStation 4 classics down to $8. That includes ancient games like God of War, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and Bloodborne. These games were practically around at the same time as the dinosaurs, so enjoy your un-ray-traced casual games, gramps. I’m living in the future and all I do is play Godfall 24/7 now.
This deal was originally published by Giovanni Colantonio.
#3: AAA Batteries
Whether you need to replace the batteries in your TV remote, smoke detector, or whatever else requires ‘em, it never hurts to keep a set of AAA batteries around. For a limited time, you can pick up 48 on Amazon for $11 using the promo code 50BNIPTR. Already have enough AAA batteries? Carry on then. But for those of you who crave the 1.5 volts of a Nafu alkaline battery, today’s your lucky day. Buy these and you can become Electro. Face off against the web-head himself in an electrifying duel audiences will rave about for years to come. You do not want to miss out on that.
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey.
#4: Ulta Beauty Box
Ulta’s Beauty Box: Glitz Edition is one of the company’s best sellers and is a favorite among makeup aficionados. It’s currently $10 off and is filled with shadows, blushes, glosses, and anything you could need all valued at $172. This time they are offering the box in light pink instead of gold.
This is a 49-piece kit, the case is reusable, and it’s easy to travel with. All the makeup within is cruelty-free and top quality. Here is what you’ll get: 30 eyeshadows, four blushes, four highlighters, two bronzers, two lip glosses, two sheer lip glosses, two eyeliner pencils, eyeshadow primer, brow gel, and an eyeshadow/blush brush. All of this makeup is highly pigmented, blendable, and made to create looks that will carry you through the day or night.
Free shipping on orders over $35.
This deal was originally published by Sheilah Villari.
#5: Flocked Christmas Snow Tree
Christmas snow is a sight to behold and I’m lucky enough to grow up with a northern family so I got lots of it over the years. Bring some of that winter charm to your home and your tree this season with a 6 foot flocked snow Christmas tree. It’s 40% off and is definitely a nice twist to the traditional artificial tree. Just clip the coupon and use the code KINGSOMV73.
These faux snow leaves and branches are a fun touch especially if you live in a place where holiday snow just never happens. The flocking is tightly fastened to the branches so no worries about it falling off and making a mess. This tree comes in three sections making it easy to put up and take down. This also means it’s simple to store. It’s a good size and definitely fills out once you have the branches properly fluffed. As with most of these trees, it is made of eco-friendly high-quality PVC material. It comes with a sturdy metal base with a plastic bottom to protect wood floors. This is a unique tree at a great price so I’m sure it won’t last long.
This tree will ship for free.
This deal was originally posted by Sheilah Villari.
#6: INSIGNIA AIR FRYER
Air fryers are the latest kitchen gadget sensation, as they’re able to crisp up food—including meats and veggies—in a healthier way than traditional frying. But if you’re not keen on splashing out a big chunk of cash on another cooking appliance that you may or may not use that often, here’s a great deal on one that won’t break the bank.
Right now, Best Buy is slashing $80 off the price of the Insignia 10-quart digital air fryer, making the price a mere $50. And unlike some air fryers, you get a clear window into the cook, letting you pull out your food at the exact right moment… or just marvel at the process.
This deal was originally published by Andrew Hayward.
#7: HP Pavilion desktop
Sometimes you just need a computer to get you from point A to point B. No fancy bells and whistles, no overclocking (whatever the hell that is), and no superfluous gaming amenities. If that’s the case for you, allow me to introduce you to the HP Pavilion TP01-1016 desktop, now 41% off its $600 list price at Staples. With it, you can browse the web, crunch your numbers, do some light photo and video editing, and do most other things that don’t require a high-end graphics card. Just plug it into your surge protector, hook up your monitor, and connect the included USB keyboard and mouse to get started.
This bad boy can fit so much storage space in it, with a 1TB 7,200 RPM hard drive. And while you may be worried about speed—believe me, no one wants a beat-up old clunker of a computer that freezes up CONSTANTLY when you’re trying to do your Excel sheets—note that the Pavilion boasts a six-core 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, which is both midrange and pretty up-to-date. A decent 8GB of RAM keeps the multitasking dream alive, so you can listen to the “It’s 3 AM and I Can’t Stand the Sight of Not Being With You” lo-fi beats video on YouTube as you work without interruption.
As is custom with today’s PCs, Windows 10 comes pre-installed, and you’ll have access to a range of connections including USB-C, an octuplet of USB-A ports of varying speeds, an SD card reader, HDMI, VGA, a headphone/mic combo jack—the works! Weirdly enough, it’s also got a DVD optical drive, which I didn’t know PCs still HAD. The more you know.
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey.
#8: LG UltraFine Monitor
In order to game, you must first clear your mind. Close your eyes. Leave behind your worldly troubles. It is just you, a mouse, and a keyboard. Take a deep breath. Put a single Dorito on your tongue, as if you are receiving communion. When you open your eyes like a newborn infant, the first thing you will see is your monitor. So it’s important that you’re using one that capitalizes on your newfound mental clarity with an equally clear image. If you’re looking to upgrade, BuyDig has the LG UltraFine down to $399 using the promo code KHY27. It’s a 32"4K monitor with a 60Hz refresh rate, that’s optimized for gaming with Dynamic Action Sync (a fancy way to say it minimizes input lag). Add in Radeon FreeSync technology, which helps prevent stutters, and you’ve got a solid all-around gaming monitor destined to free your mind.
This deal was originally published by Giovanni Colantonio.
#9: Milwaukee tool set
Someone call Tim “The Toolman” Taylor because this is one deal even your problematic fave shouldn’t miss. Milwaukee’s 56-piece ratchet and 6-piece screwdriver tool set is currently on sale for 50% off the sticker price as part of Home Depot’s Tool Gift Savings promotion. For just under a Benjamin, you can start loosening even the most secure fasteners with a 56-piece set of ratchets. But it doesn’t stop there. The kit also includes a 6-pack of screwdrivers, an even mix of Phillips head and flat. All sockets come wrench-ready with a flush directional lever, a slim design profile, and an inner storage tray you can remove from the carrying case you’ll also find in the box.
The whole set comes with a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty if anything goes wrong and is returnable up to 180 days after your purchase is made. Place the order to your house now and it should arrive by December 9. Ship-to-store options may vary, but my closest location personally says it won’t be available until at least December 15. Either way, you won’t have to pay a penny for shipping.
Don’t mind me, I’m just in AuuGGhhh of the savings.
This deal was originally published by Gabe Carey.
#10: Graco car seat
Many states require kids to be strapped into some form of car seat until they’re 8 years old, and depending on the eventual size of your child, you might be inclined to keep ‘em in one for longer. Of course, if you’re expecting a baby soon, it’ll still be years off before you really know.
That’s why the Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 convertible car seat is so handy. It’s a full-fledged infant car seat that you can use immediately, and then over the years you can convert it from rear-facing into front-facing, and finally into a highback booster and backless booster as your child grows and ages.
Speaking from experience, you won’t want to have to buy another car seat in a few years if you can help it. Luckily, Amazon is taking $100 off of the Graco 4Ever DLX convertible car seat right now, marking it down to $200 in a variety of styles. Fingers crossed, it’ll be the only car seat you ever need for your impending kiddo.
This deal was originally published by Andrew Hayward.


theroot--2020-12-04--Proving Black Is Always the New Black, the British Fashion Awards 2020 Celebrated 'Leaders of Change

Proving Black Is Always the New Black, the British Fashion Awards 2020 Celebrated 'Leaders of Change'

Fashion prides itself on being one well-heeled step ahead of the moment , and setting the trends , rather than following them .
But the converging moments that comprised 2020 demanded more introspection from the industry that is always looking forward ; as an already raging pandemic debilitated economies and discretionary spending worldwide , many hid behind black boxes this spring as racial justice also emerged as a global conversation .
In a moment that required action and substantive change , those who demanded more from the multibillion-dollar industry proved to be the true visionaries , compelling initiatives , restructuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than a trend , changing the face of fashion for future generations .
These are the types of visionaries this year ’ s British Fashion Awards chose to honor in place of their typical awards ceremony , which has historically celebrated the designer and models who make the industry beautiful .
By contrast , the message of the Fashion Awards 2020 was that “ pretty is as pretty does , ” as explained via its website : In a virtual ceremony that in no way attempted to mimic the red carpet and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 honorees were recognized “ for humanitarian efforts , adapting business models , responding to their community ’ s needs as well as for leadership and creative resilience under four categories : Environment , Community , People and Creativity , ” says the BFA website .
Of those 20 , seven honorees were Black designers , editors , and innovators .
“ Gone are the traditional awards categories that mostly favored a select few megabrands ” noted Women ’ s Wear Daily ( WWD ) , which also reported .
“ The lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a more powerful message : Let ’ s change.
” The full list is as follows : A-Cold-Wall* founder and designer Samuel Ross gave insight into why he was honored in the “ People ” category for “ encouraging equal , diverse , empowered workforces from head office to supply chain and shop floor.
” Having launched a Black Lives Matter-themed financial aid initiative and offering grants to Black-owned businesses , he told WWD : “ We need to make sure that we are adding visibility to what ’ s happening from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employment perspective .
I believe we need to start looking at giving back to the consumer base , the followers , who have taken the time to invest in what we make and have to say .
We need to give it back .
It needs to be a two-way conversation .
It needs to be more plural , it can ’ t just be selling goods to people.
” Another “ People ” honoree , designer Priya Ahluwalia , was honored for taking taking a holistic approach to the buzzy concepts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guess what they really like about me was the way I represent the community and I like telling people stories that are not necessarily at the forefront of fashion , ” she told WWD , also adding , “ It ’ s very important when we think about positive fashion , that we really think about people and the planet before profit ... How can we work with our business not only to support but regenerate communities and the environment with different craft , social and development initiatives ?
” It has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inadequacies and vulnerabilities in so many ways , simultaneously .
In considering how the fashion world can and should move forward with its diversity and inclusion efforts , perhaps Nigerian honoree Kenneth Ize , honored in the “ Community ” category for his commitment to supporting local economies and craftspeople through his label , said it best : “ Moving forward , the community will have to be more than just a means to an end , ” he told WWD .
“ There has to be a higher value placed on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... my hope is to one day look around and see more brands like mine on runways and in stores all over the world.
” The full presentation of the Fashion Awards 2020 are available below .

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

Fashion prides itself on being one well-heeled step ahead of the moment, and setting the trends, rather than following them. But the converging moments that comprised 2020 demanded more introspection from the industry that is always looking forward; as an already raging pandemic debilitated economies and discretionary spending worldwide, many hid behind black boxes this spring as racial justice also emerged as a global conversation. In a moment that required action and substantive change, those who demanded more from the multibillion-dollar industry proved to be the true visionaries, compelling initiatives, restructuring and rethinking that will make this moment more than a trend, changing the face of fashion for future generations.
These are the types of visionaries this year’s British Fashion Awards chose to honor in place of their typical awards ceremony, which has historically celebrated the designer and models who make the industry beautiful. By contrast, the message of the Fashion Awards 2020 was that “pretty is as pretty does,” as explained via its website:
The Fashion Awards 2020 honored and celebrated the designers, brands, creatives and individuals who have led change within the fashion industry this year; from those who bravely faced this challenging year with pro-active responses to the global pandemic, showed leadership and creative resilience over the past year, to the ones who stood up against prejudice within the fashion industry and fight for change.
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In a virtual ceremony that in no way attempted to mimic the red carpet and major fashion moments of years past, 20 honorees were recognized “for humanitarian efforts, adapting business models, responding to their community’s needs as well as for leadership and creative resilience under four categories: Environment, Community, People and Creativity,” says the BFA website. Of those 20, seven honorees were Black designers, editors, and innovators. “Gone are the traditional awards categories that mostly favored a select few megabrands” noted Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), which also reported. “The lack of industry fanfare and sparkle made way for a more powerful message: Let’s change.”
The full list is as follows:
A Sai Ta; Anya Hindmarch; Brother Vellies Creative Director Aurora James for the 15 Percent Pledge Chanel; Christopher Raeburn; British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful; Bethany Williams, Cozette McCreery, Holly Fulton and Phoebe English of the Emergency Designer Network; Gabriela Hearst; Grace Wales Bonner; Jonathan Anderson; Kenneth Ize; Kim Jones; Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Lindsay Peoples Wagner and Sandrine Charles for Black in Fashion Council; Michael Halpern; Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons; Priya Ahluwalia; Riccardo Tisci and Burberry; Samuel Ross; Stella McCartney and he Fashion Pact.
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A-Cold-Wall* founder and designer Samuel Ross gave insight into why he was honored in the “People” category for “encouraging equal, diverse, empowered workforces from head office to supply chain and shop floor.” Having launched a Black Lives Matter-themed financial aid initiative and offering grants to Black-owned businesses, he told WWD:
“We need to make sure that we are adding visibility to what’s happening from a racial perspective, or from an employment perspective. I believe we need to start looking at giving back to the consumer base, the followers, who have taken the time to invest in what we make and have to say. We need to give it back. It needs to be a two-way conversation. It needs to be more plural, it can’t just be selling goods to people.”
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Another “People” honoree, designer Priya Ahluwalia, was honored for taking taking a holistic approach to the buzzy concepts of sustainability and social responsibility.
“I guess what they really like about me was the way I represent the community and I like telling people stories that are not necessarily at the forefront of fashion,” she told WWD, also adding, “It’s very important when we think about positive fashion, that we really think about people and the planet before profit...How can we work with our business not only to support but regenerate communities and the environment with different craft, social and development initiatives?”
Advertisement
It has been a year which confronted us with our inadequacies and vulnerabilities in so many ways, simultaneously. In considering how the fashion world can and should move forward with its diversity and inclusion efforts, perhaps Nigerian honoree Kenneth Ize, honored in the “Community” category for his commitment to supporting local economies and craftspeople through his label, said it best:
“Moving forward, the community will have to be more than just a means to an end,” he told WWD. “There has to be a higher value placed on the community, as it offers much more...my hope is to one day look around and see more brands like mine on runways and in stores all over the world.”
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The full presentation of the Fashion Awards 2020 are available below.