themindunleashed--2020-10-18--Downtown Chicago transforms into Gotham City as film crews shoot for “The Batman”

Parts of downtown Chicago have transformed into Gotham City this weekend as film crews have begun shooting exterior scenes of the latest reboot of the Batman saga , titled “ The Batman.
” On Thursday and Friday evening , crew members began preparing the Loop near Chicago ’ s Thompson Center for overnight action sequences involving motorcycles .
Gotham City Police Department squad cars could also be seen driving around the Loop while tattered flyers advertising Gotham Music Festival were also visible .
The latest incarnation of the Batman franchise stars Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame in the titular role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoe Kravitz , John Turturro , Peter Sarsgaard , Colin Farrell and Andy Serkis .
The film is slated to be released in March 2022 after facing several release delays due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
The production of the film also hit a snag after Pattinson was diagnosed with the virus .
Film production crews typically use fake code names for projects in hopes to not attract too much attention , and in this case filming notices posted across downtown Chicago are using the title “ Vengeance ” rather than The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t appear to be too keen on keeping things secret , as evidenced by social media posts thanking the crew members from letting fans snap photos alongside props .
“ Shout out to the Chicago crew of THE BATMAN — very kind and patient , let us take pictures and then kindly asked us to keep walking , ” said Batman fan and local journalist Jake Hamilton in a tweet .
“ [ They ] still allowed us to be fans and were fun about it .
There ’ s no city like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filmed in London , but Chicago has served as a double for Gotham City in previous films about the Caped Crusader such as Christopher Nolan ’ s “ Batman Begins ” ( 2005 ) and “ The Dark Knight ” ( 2008 ) .
Fans have been eagerly analyzing every image from the production of The Batman to pick up clues about the plot points of the film .
On Friday , Twitter user Yassine shared an image from the movie ’ s London set that appears to indicate that the film will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger “ DC Extended Universe ” tying the various characters of DC Comics lore to one another .
In the photo , an extra can be seen wearing a Superman costume in what appears to be a Hollywood party scene .
However , it remains unclear how The Batman will tie into the larger DC world , which includes such popular characters as Aquaman , Wonder Woman , The Flash and Shazam .
The new film is rumored to focus on Bruce Wayne delving into detective work to track down a serial killer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Recurring antagonists of Batman such as Penguin , Catwoman , and Riddler will be among his biggest foes while lesser villains such as the Mad Hatter and Two Face will also play small roles .
It ’ s also been rumored that another villain could appear in the film , but this detail remains under wraps .

Parts of downtown Chicago have transformed into Gotham City this weekend as film crews have begun shooting exterior scenes of the latest reboot of the Batman saga, titled “The Batman.”
On Thursday and Friday evening, crew members began preparing the Loop near Chicago’s Thompson Center for overnight action sequences involving motorcycles. Gotham City Police Department squad cars could also be seen driving around the Loop while tattered flyers advertising Gotham Music Festival were also visible.
BATMAN IS HERE IN CHICAGO pic.twitter.com/GHz8MDgw6s — The White Sensation ?? (@fixthattieson) October 16, 2020
The latest incarnation of the Batman franchise stars Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame in the titular role, as well as big stars like Zoe Kravitz, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Colin Farrell and Andy Serkis. The film is slated to be released in March 2022 after facing several release delays due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Video from my bike ride a few hours ago pic.twitter.com/MftO2YeMe3 — Bobert Bowling (@BobertBowling) October 16, 2020
The production of the film also hit a snag after Pattinson was diagnosed with the virus.
Film production crews typically use fake code names for projects in hopes to not attract too much attention, and in this case filming notices posted across downtown Chicago are using the title “Vengeance” rather than The Batman.
They just put these newspaper booths up @filming_chicago pic.twitter.com/Rf6SWbrlyT — Rowan Quinain (@rowrowrowan) October 16, 2020
The production crew didn’t appear to be too keen on keeping things secret, as evidenced by social media posts thanking the crew members from letting fans snap photos alongside props.
“Shout out to the Chicago crew of THE BATMAN — very kind and patient, let us take pictures and then kindly asked us to keep walking,” said Batman fan and local journalist Jake Hamilton in a tweet. “[They] still allowed us to be fans and were fun about it. There’s no city like Chicago.”
Shout out to the Chicago crew of THE BATMAN — very kind and patient, let us take pictures and then kindly asked us to keep walking.
But still allowed us to be fans and were fun about it.
There’s no city like Chicago. pic.twitter.com/81bZS0QnQ9 — Jake Hamilton (@JakesTakes) October 17, 2020
The film has primarily been filmed in London, but Chicago has served as a double for Gotham City in previous films about the Caped Crusader such as Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” (2005) and “The Dark Knight” (2008).
Fans have been eagerly analyzing every image from the production of The Batman to pick up clues about the plot points of the film.
Wait — is the THE FLASH logo on the Chicago set of THE BATMAN?! pic.twitter.com/p2pRpBv6kn — Jake Hamilton (@JakesTakes) October 17, 2020
On Friday, Twitter user Yassine shared an image from the movie’s London set that appears to indicate that the film will be connected in some way to the larger “DC Extended Universe” tying the various characters of DC Comics lore to one another. In the photo, an extra can be seen wearing a Superman costume in what appears to be a Hollywood party scene.
Sooooo @SamMcTweets just sent me this pic. Sooooo this means two things one this is 100% a Halloween party
And 2 DOES SUPERMAN FUCKING EXIST IN THE REEVERSE!!!!!!
(Full credits : @SamMcTweets ) pic.twitter.com/IDufPhTW6m — Yassine (يس) (@yassinfinite) October 16, 2020
However, it remains unclear how The Batman will tie into the larger DC world, which includes such popular characters as Aquaman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Shazam.
The new film is rumored to focus on Bruce Wayne delving into detective work to track down a serial killer who is running loose in Gotham City. Recurring antagonists of Batman such as Penguin, Catwoman, and Riddler will be among his biggest foes while lesser villains such as the Mad Hatter and Two Face will also play small roles.
It’s also been rumored that another villain could appear in the film, but this detail remains under wraps.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-17--Ex-cop who showed off nude photos of murder victim Lauren McCluskey faces no charges

Lauren McCluskey , a student at the University of Utah , was murdered by a stalker in 2018 after police officers largely ignored her pleas for help .
Instead , the officers acquired nude photos of the young woman and shared them between themselves .
And now , two years later , the former University of Utah officer who disseminated explicit photos of the 21-year-old victim has been cleared of any criminal charges .
On Thursday , the Salt Lake County District Attorney ’ s Office announced that former officer Miguel Dera would not be prosecuted despite the clear misconduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photos of McCluskey .
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill admitted that the officer ’ s actions were “ definitely reckless , ” but no state laws exist on the books that address such offenses , reports the Salt Lake Tribune .
“ We realized there was no real statute we could use for this case , ” Gill explained .
“ We ’ re incensed like everyone else by the behavior .
It was inappropriate .
But if there ’ s not a statute , there ’ s nothing we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 by Melvin Shawn Rowland , 38 , who had been harassing and blackmailing the young student for weeks prior to her killng .
Rowland took his own life hours after murdering McCluskey , according to police .
The two had briefly dated in 2018 before McCluskey ended the relationship after finding out Rowland had lied about his age and criminal past .
Rowland was a convicted sex offender who proceeded to stalk and extort McCluskey .
When McCluskey reached out to campus police to end the harassment , Deras was assigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explicit photos to the officer in hopes that he would use them for the investigation .
Instead , Deras shared the photos of McCluskey with at least three of his male coworkers without any work-related reason , according to an investigation by the Utah Department of Public Safety .
The DPS report also found that lewd comments were allegedly made about the images .
In the days prior to her death , McCluskey complained about campus police failing to follow up or update her , according to 911 transcripts .
While the district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” could have been used to pursue justice in the case , Gill all-too-conveniently waited until precisely one day after the state could have filed misdemeanor charges against the former officer for abusing evidence .
However , the statute of limitations has now expired .
“ We just got it so late and were limited in what options we had , ” Gill said .
Family attorney Jim McConkie said that Lauren McCluskey was also abused while she was alive by the officer , who saw fit to share her photos and brag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before she was murdered .
“ What Gill is saying to women with this decision is , ‘ We can ’ t help you .
Don ’ t come to us , ’ ” McConkie said .
McCluskey ’ s parent ’ s , Jill and Matt McCluskey , have expressed outrage about the failure to file charges .
“ Instead of helping her , Deras showed her images to other male officers and bragged about it , ” the parents said .
“ A consequence of Gill ’ s decision is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harassment for fear that the private information they provide will be compromised , or even leered at , by officers for reasons unrelated to her case .
”

Lauren McCluskey, a student at the University of Utah, was murdered by a stalker in 2018 after police officers largely ignored her pleas for help. Instead, the officers acquired nude photos of the young woman and shared them between themselves.
And now, two years later, the former University of Utah officer who disseminated explicit photos of the 21-year-old victim has been cleared of any criminal charges.
On Thursday, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced that former officer Miguel Dera would not be prosecuted despite the clear misconduct of him acquiring and then sharing the photos of McCluskey.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill admitted that the officer’s actions were “definitely reckless,” but no state laws exist on the books that address such offenses, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.
“We realized there was no real statute we could use for this case,” Gill explained. “We’re incensed like everyone else by the behavior. It was inappropriate. But if there’s not a statute, there’s nothing we can do.”
McCluskey was shot to death in 2018 by Melvin Shawn Rowland, 38, who had been harassing and blackmailing the young student for weeks prior to her killng. Rowland took his own life hours after murdering McCluskey, according to police.
The two had briefly dated in 2018 before McCluskey ended the relationship after finding out Rowland had lied about his age and criminal past. Rowland was a convicted sex offender who proceeded to stalk and extort McCluskey.
When McCluskey reached out to campus police to end the harassment, Deras was assigned to the case. McCluskey provided the explicit photos to the officer in hopes that he would use them for the investigation.
Instead, Deras shared the photos of McCluskey with at least three of his male coworkers without any work-related reason, according to an investigation by the Utah Department of Public Safety. The DPS report also found that lewd comments were allegedly made about the images.
In the days prior to her death, McCluskey complained about campus police failing to follow up or update her, according to 911 transcripts.
While the district attorney claims that “no real statute” could have been used to pursue justice in the case, Gill all-too-conveniently waited until precisely one day after the state could have filed misdemeanor charges against the former officer for abusing evidence. However, the statute of limitations has now expired.
“We just got it so late and were limited in what options we had,” Gill said.
Family attorney Jim McConkie said that Lauren McCluskey was also abused while she was alive by the officer, who saw fit to share her photos and brag about them without her consent mere days before she was murdered.
“What Gill is saying to women with this decision is, ‘We can’t help you. Don’t come to us,’” McConkie said.
McCluskey’s parent’s, Jill and Matt McCluskey, have expressed outrage about the failure to file charges.
“Instead of helping her, Deras showed her images to other male officers and bragged about it,” the parents said. “A consequence of Gill’s decision is that women will hesitate to report extortion and harassment for fear that the private information they provide will be compromised, or even leered at, by officers for reasons unrelated to her case.”
Miguel Deras showed Lauren's private images to officers unrelated to her case. It is a misdemeanor to share nude photos w/o consent. Deras' actions caused harm to us & to women who will now hesitate to report to police. Please let @SimGillDA know Deras should be prosecuted. — Jill McCluskey (@jjmccluskey) October 15, 2020
I have 3 questions for @SimGillDA
1. Did you read the full DPS report?
2. Are you afraid to prosecute police officers?
3. Do you understand the harm to me as Lauren's representative & to women who won't report to police because they can share private evidence w/o consequences? https://t.co/PJxobIFP2V — Jill McCluskey (@jjmccluskey) October 15, 2020
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themindunleashed--2020-10-19--Pastor Says God Intended Earth As A ‘Disposable Planet’ In Climate Sermon

American pastor John MacArthur made headlines this year for his defiance of COVID restrictions , which has brought new attention to his catalog of sermons , and they contain some outrageous claims , as many would suspect .
In one sermon where he discusses environmentalism , he claims that Earth is a “ disposable planet.
” “ God intended us to use this planet to fill this planet for the benefit of man .
Never was intended to be a permanent planet .
It is a disposable planet .
Christians ought to know that , ” MacArthur said He went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its beauty can be seen .
I ’ ve been everywhere on this planet , and I ’ ll tell you , it is a stunning and glorious thing to stand and look at a distance at the beauty of this planet .
But the closer you get to it , the more deadly it becomes .
I ’ ve seen the beauty of the great Alps , the Southern Alps and the Northern Alps .
But I ’ ll tell you what , I don ’ t want to be up there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve seen the beauty of the great deserts of the world , but I don ’ t want to be out there alone without water by myself .
I want to be somewhere where there ’ s a building and that building has air conditioning and water .
I want to go where people have subdued the creation .
I ’ m not under any foolish assumptions that if we just let it go wild , we ’ ll preserve life .
If you let it go , the wilder it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the same sermon , he goes on to say that he would prefer all of nature to be tamed , and even praised the De Beers diamond mines .
He went on a strange rant admitting that slave labor was used to mine diamonds , but then added that “ God loves jewelry.
” “ Get all the pearls you can .
Dig up all the diamonds you can .
Get all the natural resources you can , the replenishable resources , natural gas and oil and everything that God has put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an absolutely staggering little piece that ’ s floating around in infinite space , ” he said .
The sermon is called “ The End of the Universe Part 2 ” and can be seen below : The transcript can be read here .
He has been acknowledged by Christianity Today as one of the most influential preachers of his time and was a frequent guest on Larry King Live as a representative of an evangelical Christian perspective .
MacArthur has written or edited more than 150 books , most notably the MacArthur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1 million copies and received a Gold Medallion Book Award .
Other best-selling books include his MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series ( more than 1 million copies ) , Twelve Ordinary Men ( more than 500,000 copies ) , and the children ’ s book A Faith to Grow On , which garnered an ECPA Christian Book Award .
MacArthur has been involved with multiple controversies regarding his outspokenness on certain topics .
MacArthur is very open about opposing same-sex marriage , against female pastors , and the social justice movement .

American pastor John MacArthur made headlines this year for his defiance of COVID restrictions, which has brought new attention to his catalog of sermons, and they contain some outrageous claims, as many would suspect.
In one sermon where he discusses environmentalism, he claims that Earth is a “disposable planet.”
“God intended us to use this planet to fill this planet for the benefit of man. Never was intended to be a permanent planet. It is a disposable planet. Christians ought to know that,” MacArthur said
He went on to say that, “Yes its beauty can be seen. I’ve been everywhere on this planet, and I’ll tell you, it is a stunning and glorious thing to stand and look at a distance at the beauty of this planet. But the closer you get to it, the more deadly it becomes. I’ve seen the beauty of the great Alps, the Southern Alps and the Northern Alps. But I’ll tell you what, I don’t want to be up there by myself for a week. I’ve seen the beauty of the great deserts of the world, but I don’t want to be out there alone without water by myself. I want to be somewhere where there’s a building and that building has air conditioning and water. I want to go where people have subdued the creation. I’m not under any foolish assumptions that if we just let it go wild, we’ll preserve life. If you let it go, the wilder it is, the more deadly it is.”
In the same sermon, he goes on to say that he would prefer all of nature to be tamed, and even praised the De Beers diamond mines. He went on a strange rant admitting that slave labor was used to mine diamonds, but then added that “God loves jewelry.”
“Get all the pearls you can. Dig up all the diamonds you can. Get all the natural resources you can, the replenishable resources, natural gas and oil and everything that God has put in this planet. It’s an absolutely staggering little piece that’s floating around in infinite space,” he said.
The sermon is called “The End of the Universe Part 2” and can be seen below:
The transcript can be read here.
He has been acknowledged by Christianity Today as one of the most influential preachers of his time and was a frequent guest on Larry King Live as a representative of an evangelical Christian perspective. MacArthur has written or edited more than 150 books, most notably the MacArthur Study Bible, which has sold more than 1 million copies and received a Gold Medallion Book Award. Other best-selling books include his MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series (more than 1 million copies), Twelve Ordinary Men (more than 500,000 copies), and the children’s book A Faith to Grow On, which garnered an ECPA Christian Book Award.
MacArthur has been involved with multiple controversies regarding his outspokenness on certain topics. MacArthur is very open about opposing same-sex marriage, against female pastors, and the social justice movement.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-21--California city begins Guaranteed Basic Income program for those who need it

The Southern California city of Compton is launching a pilot program that aims to provide a basic income to 800 of its low-income residents , with zero strings attached .
Dubbed the Compton Pledge , the guaranteed income program will begin distributing free cash to 800 residents of the city in Los Angeles County for a period of two years .
Compton Mayor Aja Brown has said that the ambitious program is the largest of its kind in for any city in the U.S .
The majority Black and Latino city is just the latest in a growing list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , that is experimenting with new ways to put money in residents ’ hands give the grave economic calamity caused by the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic .
“ I recognized that there ’ s a need for additional income , especially with the pandemic resulting in record high numbers of unemployment throughout the entire country , ” the mayor told the Los Angeles Times .
“ This is a great opportunity to address inequalities for Black and brown people and also additional opportunities for upward mobility.
” The guaranteed income program is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic injustice plaguing both welfare programs and economic systems , ” according to a statement released by the Compton Pledge on Monday .
“ People in our community are going through tough times , and I know that guaranteed income could give people a moment to navigate their situation , and have some breathing room to go back to school , explore a new career path , spend time with their children , or improve their mental and emotional wellbeing , ” Brown said in the statement .
“ Ensuring all people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something we should all strive for in America.
” Roughly 1 in 5 residents of Compton live below the poverty line – roughly double that of the national average – according to census data .
The plight of Compton residents has only been compounded by the ongoing health emergency , which has raised the city ’ s unemployment rate to 21.9 percent .
The Compton Pledge has already raised over $ 2.5 million in private donations through the Fund for Guaranteed Income , a charity headed by the family of L.A. Times owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick Soon-Shiong .
Under the program , randomly selected families from a vetted group of low-income residents will receive at least a few hundred dollars on a recurring basis along with tools helping to advise them on their finances .
Parents and guardians may receive more , while anonymous researchers will track the spending habits and well-being of participants .
A representative board including nonprofit organizations like My Brother ’ s Keeper and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights ( CHIRLA ) will also advise the Compton Pledge on how best to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is aiming to include a representative sample of 68 percent of Latino and 30 percent of Black residents in Compton , along with those typically left out of federal and state welfare programs , such as formerly incarcerated residents and undocumented immigrants .
The program isn ’ t the first of its kind in the Golden State , where opulent displays of wealth often exist side-by-side with extreme poverty .
In 2019 , Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs launched the first guaranteed income program in the country , known as the Stockton Economic Empowerment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 500 payment for 18 months .
The concept of distributing free money to citizens without strings attached has gained popularity in recent times , due in no small part to the economic impact of the pandemic .
Political parties and figures both on the traditional left and the right have raised the demand for guaranteed income or Universal Basic Income ( UBI ) , with some of its strongest proponents include tech oligarchs and venture capitalists like Peter Thiel , Marc Andreesen , and Jack Dorsey .
Supporters of the plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basic income and it would provide an added layer of financial security for certain people .
Supporters of the plan , such as former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang , also suggest that with jobs in myriad industries slated to be rendered obsolete by automation and computerization , a universal basic income is required to prevent a deeper humanitarian and financial crisis .
Critics on the left have suggested that basic income is a Trojan horse that would be a vehicle for dismantling what little remains of the welfare state , offering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stipend in exchange for austerity and the destruction of social safety nets that protect the most vulnerable members of society and offer a small barrier to extreme inequality .
On the right , however , opponents have claimed that the idea is far too expensive and would dis-incentivize people from seeking work and would be tantamount to subsidizing poor people ’ s substance abuse habits or reckless spending on “ temptation goods.
” However , decades of research has shown that most people on such programs continue to work after receiving the transfers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more with their families .
With many countries experiencing a free fall in jobs numbers – as well as sharply declining consumer demand and household spending – the idea of guaranteed basic income has gained popularity unseen since the idea saw a surge of interest following the 2008 financial crash .
In the South American nation of Colombia , politicians across the political spectrum have urged the government to introduce an Emergency Basic Income to mitigate the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The municipal government of Bogota under Green Party Mayor Claudia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South American nation to offer basic income to vulnerable households struggling to feed themselves amid the lockdown .
The plan also included integrating 581,000 poor households into the banking system , according to a press release from the City of Bogota .
While the Compton Pledge is beginning as a far more modest program , community advocates are hopeful that the program can be a success .
“ Guaranteed income is an urgent and necessary strategy for addressing the economic realities of racial injustice , ” said Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a trend that sparks a nationwide system of direct , recurring payments to vulnerable families .
“ Guaranteed income will afford people the dignity of an income floor and agency to make choices for themselves , ” said Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs .
“ Poverty stems from a lack of cash , not a lack of character , ” he added .

The Southern California city of Compton is launching a pilot program that aims to provide a basic income to 800 of its low-income residents, with zero strings attached.
Dubbed the Compton Pledge, the guaranteed income program will begin distributing free cash to 800 residents of the city in Los Angeles County for a period of two years. Compton Mayor Aja Brown has said that the ambitious program is the largest of its kind in for any city in the U.S.
The majority Black and Latino city is just the latest in a growing list of cities across the country, and the world, that is experimenting with new ways to put money in residents’ hands give the grave economic calamity caused by the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.
“I recognized that there’s a need for additional income, especially with the pandemic resulting in record high numbers of unemployment throughout the entire country,” the mayor told the Los Angeles Times. “This is a great opportunity to address inequalities for Black and brown people and also additional opportunities for upward mobility.”
The guaranteed income program is also meant to “challenge the racial and economic injustice plaguing both welfare programs and economic systems,” according to a statement released by the Compton Pledge on Monday.
“People in our community are going through tough times, and I know that guaranteed income could give people a moment to navigate their situation, and have some breathing room to go back to school, explore a new career path, spend time with their children, or improve their mental and emotional wellbeing,” Brown said in the statement. “Ensuring all people are able to live with dignity is something we should all strive for in America.”
Roughly 1 in 5 residents of Compton live below the poverty line – roughly double that of the national average – according to census data. The plight of Compton residents has only been compounded by the ongoing health emergency, which has raised the city’s unemployment rate to 21.9 percent.
The Compton Pledge has already raised over $2.5 million in private donations through the Fund for Guaranteed Income, a charity headed by the family of L.A. Times owner and billionaire bioscientist and transplant surgeon Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong.
Under the program, randomly selected families from a vetted group of low-income residents will receive at least a few hundred dollars on a recurring basis along with tools helping to advise them on their finances. Parents and guardians may receive more, while anonymous researchers will track the spending habits and well-being of participants.
A representative board including nonprofit organizations like My Brother’s Keeper and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) will also advise the Compton Pledge on how best to reach communities on the margins.
The program is aiming to include a representative sample of 68 percent of Latino and 30 percent of Black residents in Compton, along with those typically left out of federal and state welfare programs, such as formerly incarcerated residents and undocumented immigrants.
The program isn’t the first of its kind in the Golden State, where opulent displays of wealth often exist side-by-side with extreme poverty.
In 2019, Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs launched the first guaranteed income program in the country, known as the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration, which gave 125 Stockton residents a $500 payment for 18 months.
The concept of distributing free money to citizens without strings attached has gained popularity in recent times, due in no small part to the economic impact of the pandemic.
Political parties and figures both on the traditional left and the right have raised the demand for guaranteed income or Universal Basic Income (UBI), with some of its strongest proponents include tech oligarchs and venture capitalists like Peter Thiel, Marc Andreesen, and Jack Dorsey.
Supporters of the plan argue that inequality would be reduced by basic income and it would provide an added layer of financial security for certain people. Supporters of the plan, such as former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, also suggest that with jobs in myriad industries slated to be rendered obsolete by automation and computerization, a universal basic income is required to prevent a deeper humanitarian and financial crisis.
Critics on the left have suggested that basic income is a Trojan horse that would be a vehicle for dismantling what little remains of the welfare state, offering the “paying people for being alive” stipend in exchange for austerity and the destruction of social safety nets that protect the most vulnerable members of society and offer a small barrier to extreme inequality.
On the right, however, opponents have claimed that the idea is far too expensive and would dis-incentivize people from seeking work and would be tantamount to subsidizing poor people’s substance abuse habits or reckless spending on “temptation goods.”
However, decades of research has shown that most people on such programs continue to work after receiving the transfers, while those who work less spend more with their families.
With many countries experiencing a free fall in jobs numbers – as well as sharply declining consumer demand and household spending – the idea of guaranteed basic income has gained popularity unseen since the idea saw a surge of interest following the 2008 financial crash.
In the South American nation of Colombia, politicians across the political spectrum have urged the government to introduce an Emergency Basic Income to mitigate the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic. The municipal government of Bogota under Green Party Mayor Claudia Lopez was the first city in the South American nation to offer basic income to vulnerable households struggling to feed themselves amid the lockdown. The plan also included integrating 581,000 poor households into the banking system, according to a press release from the City of Bogota.
While the Compton Pledge is beginning as a far more modest program, community advocates are hopeful that the program can be a success.
“Guaranteed income is an urgent and necessary strategy for addressing the economic realities of racial injustice,” said Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors.
Proponents also hope that this can become a trend that sparks a nationwide system of direct, recurring payments to vulnerable families.
“Guaranteed income will afford people the dignity of an income floor and agency to make choices for themselves,” said Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs.
“Poverty stems from a lack of cash, not a lack of character,” he added.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-20--7 Arrested In Florida For Trafficking Flying Squirrels

At least seven people are facing numerous criminal charges after they were caught trafficking flying squirrels .
According to investigators , their operation was worth an estimated $ 1 million .
In a statement on Monday , the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ( FWC ) said that the suspects have been charged with racketeering , money laundering , scheming to defraud , and other organized criminal laws involving “ an elaborate organized enterprise to smuggle Florida ’ s wildlife to interstate and international buyers.
” The agency says that in January of 2019 , they received a complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being illegally trapped in a rural part of Marion County .
Flying squirrels are considered a protected wild animal in Florida , but they are illegally sold internationally because their rarity fetches such high prices .
After receiving the initial complaints , the FWC began a 19-month investigation where they tracked the hunters and monitored their international operation .
The investigators found that once the poachers captured the squirrels , they sold the animals to a wildlife dealer in Bushnell and were laundered through the licensed business of the dealer , who claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made them legal to sell .
The poachers set out an estimated 10,000 squirrel traps throughout central Florida and investigators tracked as many as 3,600 flying squirrels being captured by the group in less than three years .
It is not clear how the agency estimated the operation to be worth $ 1 million , because the dealer involved in the scheme only received an estimated $ 213,800 in gross sales in the three years that he was being monitored .
The wildlife dealer was selling the animals to buyers from South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the squirrels .
The buyers would then take the animals to Chicago , where they were sent to Asia by a wildlife exporter who was unaware of the plot .
The investigation into the flying squirrels revealed that the same group was trafficking a variety of other poached animals , including protected freshwater turtles and alligators .
There were also dealers and traffickers in Florida and Georgia dealing with the group .
However , the operation was meticulous and careful , and many of the people involved with the scheme did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Burton , FWC Investigation ’ s section leader , said that the poachers were a danger to the state ’ s wildlife .
“ Wildlife conservation laws protect Florida ’ s precious natural resources from abuse .
The concerned citizen who initially reported this activity started an investigation that uncovered a major smuggling operation .
These poachers could have severely damaged Florida ’ s wildlife populations , ” said Maj. Burton .
The life expectancy of flying squirrels in the wild is about six years , but flying squirrels can live up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate in young flying squirrels is high because of predators and diseases .
Predators of flying squirrels include tree snakes , raccoons , owls , martens , fishers , coyotes , bobcats , and feral cats .
In the Pacific Northwest of North America , the northern spotted owl ( Strix occidentalis ) is a common predator of flying squirrels .
Obviously , poachers also represent a serious threat to the species .

At least seven people are facing numerous criminal charges after they were caught trafficking flying squirrels. According to investigators, their operation was worth an estimated $1 million.
In a statement on Monday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said that the suspects have been charged with racketeering, money laundering, scheming to defraud, and other organized criminal laws involving “an elaborate organized enterprise to smuggle Florida’s wildlife to interstate and international buyers.”
The agency says that in January of 2019, they received a complaint from a concerned citizen about flying squirrels being illegally trapped in a rural part of Marion County. Flying squirrels are considered a protected wild animal in Florida, but they are illegally sold internationally because their rarity fetches such high prices.
After receiving the initial complaints, the FWC began a 19-month investigation where they tracked the hunters and monitored their international operation. The investigators found that once the poachers captured the squirrels, they sold the animals to a wildlife dealer in Bushnell and were laundered through the licensed business of the dealer, who claimed they were captive-bred, which would have made them legal to sell.
The poachers set out an estimated 10,000 squirrel traps throughout central Florida and investigators tracked as many as 3,600 flying squirrels being captured by the group in less than three years.
It is not clear how the agency estimated the operation to be worth $1 million, because the dealer involved in the scheme only received an estimated $213,800 in gross sales in the three years that he was being monitored.
The wildlife dealer was selling the animals to buyers from South Korea who traveled to the United States specifically for the squirrels. The buyers would then take the animals to Chicago, where they were sent to Asia by a wildlife exporter who was unaware of the plot. The investigation into the flying squirrels revealed that the same group was trafficking a variety of other poached animals, including protected freshwater turtles and alligators. There were also dealers and traffickers in Florida and Georgia dealing with the group. However, the operation was meticulous and careful, and many of the people involved with the scheme did not even know each other.
Maj. Grant Burton, FWC Investigation’s section leader, said that the poachers were a danger to the state’s wildlife.
“Wildlife conservation laws protect Florida’s precious natural resources from abuse. The concerned citizen who initially reported this activity started an investigation that uncovered a major smuggling operation. These poachers could have severely damaged Florida’s wildlife populations,” said Maj. Burton.
The life expectancy of flying squirrels in the wild is about six years, but flying squirrels can live up to fifteen years in zoos. The mortality rate in young flying squirrels is high because of predators and diseases. Predators of flying squirrels include tree snakes, raccoons, owls, martens, fishers, coyotes, bobcats, and feral cats. In the Pacific Northwest of North America, the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is a common predator of flying squirrels. Obviously, poachers also represent a serious threat to the species.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-20--Appeals court rules Ghislaine Maxwell’s “extremely confidential” deposition must be made public

Accused sex trafficker and ex-girlfriend of the notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein , Ghislaine Maxwell , has failed in a court battle to prevent the public release of a 2016 deposition that could shed further light on details about her criminal involvement with the disgraced late financier .
On Monday , the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied efforts by Maxwell ’ s attorneys to flip the decision of a lower court that ordered the transcript be unsealed and made public .
According to Maxwell ’ s legal team , the 418-page deposition includes “ extremely personal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and voluminous details on her dealings with her notorious partner , including flight logs from Epstein ’ s private jets .
The deposition is one component of a larger batch of thousands of files related to Epstein accuser and former “ sex slave ” Virginia Roberts Giuffre ’ s now-settled 2015 civil lawsuit against Maxwell .
Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation after she was accused by the British socialite of fabricating the sexual abuse allegations against her and Epstein .
Guiffre also alleged that Maxwell lured her into joining Epstein ’ s ring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by him and his “ clients ” when she was only 15 .
“ ( T ) he District Court correctly held that the deposition materials are judicial documents to which the presumption of public access attaches and did not abuse its discretion in rejecting Maxwell ’ s meritless arguments that her interests superseded the presumption of access , ” wrote the appellate court panel .
“ The District Court ’ s order articulated and applied the correct legal framework in its individualized review of the materials to be unsealed , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July , the 58-year-old British socialite was denied bail and placed in prison ahead of her trial in 2021 .
Maxwell faces faces charges of conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts ; enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts ; conspiracy to transport minors , and transportation of a minor , with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity ; and two counts of perjury .
She is accused of grooming multiple minors to engage in sex acts with Epstein by befriending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and families while building friendships with the young girls alongside Epstein by taking their victims on social outings or out shopping .
She has pleaded not guilty to assisting Epstein in the recruitment and sexual abuse of three girls between 1994 and 1997 , and of committing perjury by lying about her involvement while under oath .
In a July ruling , U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska said that the public has a right to know the contents of deposition and that this right far outweighs any “ annoyance or embarrassment ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this case , especially its allegations of sex trafficking of young girls , the court finds any minor embarrassment or annoyance resulting from Ms. Maxwell ’ s mostly non-testimony … is far outweighed by the presumption of public access , ” she added .
Preska did , however , note that some information will remain sealed , including several medical records included in the court filings and the identities of the anonymous women , or “ Jane Does , ” who have accused Epstein of abuse .
Epstein , 66 , was found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special housing unit ( SHU ) of a federal Manhattan prison in New York City while facing a potential prison sentence of up to 45 years on charges of pedophilia and sex trafficking .

Accused sex trafficker and ex-girlfriend of the notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, has failed in a court battle to prevent the public release of a 2016 deposition that could shed further light on details about her criminal involvement with the disgraced late financier.
On Monday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied efforts by Maxwell’s attorneys to flip the decision of a lower court that ordered the transcript be unsealed and made public.
According to Maxwell’s legal team, the 418-page deposition includes “extremely personal, confidential” information about her sex life and voluminous details on her dealings with her notorious partner, including flight logs from Epstein’s private jets.
The deposition is one component of a larger batch of thousands of files related to Epstein accuser and former “sex slave” Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s now-settled 2015 civil lawsuit against Maxwell. Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation after she was accused by the British socialite of fabricating the sexual abuse allegations against her and Epstein.
Guiffre also alleged that Maxwell lured her into joining Epstein’s ring before grooming her to be sexually abused by him and his “clients” when she was only 15.
“(T)he District Court correctly held that the deposition materials are judicial documents to which the presumption of public access attaches and did not abuse its discretion in rejecting Maxwell’s meritless arguments that her interests superseded the presumption of access,” wrote the appellate court panel.
“The District Court’s order articulated and applied the correct legal framework in its individualized review of the materials to be unsealed,” the three-judge panel added.
Following her arrest in July, the 58-year-old British socialite was denied bail and placed in prison ahead of her trial in 2021. Maxwell faces faces charges of conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts; enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts; conspiracy to transport minors, and transportation of a minor, with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; and two counts of perjury.
She is accused of grooming multiple minors to engage in sex acts with Epstein by befriending them to ask them about their lives and families while building friendships with the young girls alongside Epstein by taking their victims on social outings or out shopping.
She has pleaded not guilty to assisting Epstein in the recruitment and sexual abuse of three girls between 1994 and 1997, and of committing perjury by lying about her involvement while under oath.
In a July ruling, U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska said that the public has a right to know the contents of deposition and that this right far outweighs any “annoyance or embarrassment” to Maxwell.
“In the context of this case, especially its allegations of sex trafficking of young girls, the court finds any minor embarrassment or annoyance resulting from Ms. Maxwell’s mostly non-testimony … is far outweighed by the presumption of public access,” she added.
Preska did, however, note that some information will remain sealed, including several medical records included in the court filings and the identities of the anonymous women, or “Jane Does,” who have accused Epstein of abuse.
Epstein, 66, was found dead in a lone cell in the special housing unit (SHU) of a federal Manhattan prison in New York City while facing a potential prison sentence of up to 45 years on charges of pedophilia and sex trafficking.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-20--Jeff Bridges says he has lymphoma, but adds: “The prognosis is good”

Jeff Bridges, the Oscar award-winning actor beloved his iconic role as the weed-loving bowler The Dude in “The Big Lebowski,” announced on Monday that he has been diagnosed with lymphoma.
“As the Dude would say,” Bridges tweeted, “New S**T has come to light.”
“Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good,” he added.
The 70-year-old thespian was scarce on the details of the diagnosis, but he said that his treatment had started and he would keep fans updated on his status.
Bridges said that he was grateful for the love and support of his family and friends during the ordeal.
I’m profoundly grateful for the love and support from my family and friends.
Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. And, while I have you, please remember to go vote. Because we are all in this together. https://t.co/6sAU4MYixl
Love, Jeff — Jeff Bridges (@TheJeffBridges) October 20, 2020
“Thank you for your prayers and well wishes,” he added while urging people to vote, noting “we are all in this together.”
The tweet, which has been “liked” nearly half a million times, quickly led to an outpouring of fan support.
“My dad had large cell lymphoma and beat it dude,” one fan wrote. “You can too.”
Another user wrote, “If anyone can abide this with grace, we know it’s you dude.”
If anyone can abide this with grace, we know it’s you dude ??? pic.twitter.com/QZCc2HCO1u — MadisonSplit98 (@MSplit98) October 20, 2020
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which helps the body fight germs, according to the Mayo Clinic. While many types of lymphoma exist, treatment can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy medications, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplants, or a combination of these treatments.
The disease begins when disease-fighting white blood cells called lymphocytes develop genetic mutations, causing the cell to rapidly multiply and spreading diseased lymphocytes through the body when other normal cells would die. This results in a swelling of lymph nodes, the spleen, and the liver.
Men over the age of 55 are more prone to developing lymphoma than females are, the clinic said.
Bridges is a veteran of the silver screen who comes from a family of actors, including his father Lloyd Bridges, who died in 1998, and his brother, Beau.
Bridges began his acting career in the late 1950s and has since appeared in over 90 projects. Throughout his career, Bridges has garnered seven Academy Award nominations. In 2010, he finally won the Oscar for best performance by an actor in the leading role of “Crazy Heart,” where he was hailed for his captivating performance as an embittered country music singer battling alcohol addiction.
However, Bridges is most famous for his role as The Dude – a burned-out aging hipster and lover of bowling who drinks White Russians while on an adventure across Los Angeles – in the Coen brothers film, “The Big Lebowski.”
The 1998 film, which also stars John Goodman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Steve Buscemi, and John Goodman, has since become a major cult classic alongside “Animal House,” “Cheech and Chong’s Up In Smoke.” The stoner comedy has even spawned its own religion known as Dudeism, which claims to be “An ancient philosophy that preaches non-preachiness, practices as little as possible, and above all, uh…lost my train of thought there.”
Bridges’ other celebrated films include “Starman,” “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” “The Fisher King,” and the first “Iron Man” film.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-20--50 Cent Tells His Fans To Vote For Trump

The Southern California city of Compton is launching a pilot program that aims to provide a basic income to 800 of its low-income residents , with zero strings attached .
Dubbed the Compton Pledge , the guaranteed income program will begin distributing free cash to 800 residents of the city in Los Angeles County for a period of two years .
Compton Mayor Aja Brown has said that the ambitious program is the largest of its kind in for any city in the U.S .
The majority Black and Latino city is just the latest in a growing list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , that is experimenting with new ways to put money in residents ’ hands give the grave economic calamity caused by the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic .
“ I recognized that there ’ s a need for additional income , especially with the pandemic resulting in record high numbers of unemployment throughout the entire country , ” the mayor told the Los Angeles Times .
“ This is a great opportunity to address inequalities for Black and brown people and also additional opportunities for upward mobility.
” The guaranteed income program is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic injustice plaguing both welfare programs and economic systems , ” according to a statement released by the Compton Pledge on Monday .
“ People in our community are going through tough times , and I know that guaranteed income could give people a moment to navigate their situation , and have some breathing room to go back to school , explore a new career path , spend time with their children , or improve their mental and emotional wellbeing , ” Brown said in the statement .
“ Ensuring all people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something we should all strive for in America.
” Roughly 1 in 5 residents of Compton live below the poverty line – roughly double that of the national average – according to census data .
The plight of Compton residents has only been compounded by the ongoing health emergency , which has raised the city ’ s unemployment rate to 21.9 percent .
The Compton Pledge has already raised over $ 2.5 million in private donations through the Fund for Guaranteed Income , a charity headed by the family of L.A. Times owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick Soon-Shiong .
Under the program , randomly selected families from a vetted group of low-income residents will receive at least a few hundred dollars on a recurring basis along with tools helping to advise them on their finances .
Parents and guardians may receive more , while anonymous researchers will track the spending habits and well-being of participants .
A representative board including nonprofit organizations like My Brother ’ s Keeper and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights ( CHIRLA ) will also advise the Compton Pledge on how best to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is aiming to include a representative sample of 68 percent of Latino and 30 percent of Black residents in Compton , along with those typically left out of federal and state welfare programs , such as formerly incarcerated residents and undocumented immigrants .
The program isn ’ t the first of its kind in the Golden State , where opulent displays of wealth often exist side-by-side with extreme poverty .
In 2019 , Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs launched the first guaranteed income program in the country , known as the Stockton Economic Empowerment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 500 payment for 18 months .
The concept of distributing free money to citizens without strings attached has gained popularity in recent times , due in no small part to the economic impact of the pandemic .
Political parties and figures both on the traditional left and the right have raised the demand for guaranteed income or Universal Basic Income ( UBI ) , with some of its strongest proponents include tech oligarchs and venture capitalists like Peter Thiel , Marc Andreesen , and Jack Dorsey .
Supporters of the plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basic income and it would provide an added layer of financial security for certain people .
Supporters of the plan , such as former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang , also suggest that with jobs in myriad industries slated to be rendered obsolete by automation and computerization , a universal basic income is required to prevent a deeper humanitarian and financial crisis .
Critics on the left have suggested that basic income is a neoliberal Trojan horse that would be a vehicle for dismantling what little remains of the welfare state , offering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” stipend in exchange for austerity and the destruction of social safety nets that protect the most vulnerable members of society and offer a small barrier to extreme inequality .
On the right , however , opponents have claimed that the idea is far too expensive and would dis-incentivize people from seeking work and would be tantamount to subsidizing poor people ’ s substance abuse habits or reckless spending on “ temptation goods.
” However , decades of research has shown that most people on such programs continue to work after receiving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend more with their families .
With many countries experiencing a free fall in jobs numbers – as well as sharply declining consumer demand and household spending – the idea of guaranteed basic income has gained popularity unseen since the idea saw a surge of interest following the 2008 financial crash .
In the South American nation of Colombia , politicians across the political spectrum have urged the government to introduce an Emergency Basic Income to mitigate the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The municipal government of Bogota under Green Party Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the South American nation to offer basic income to vulnerable households struggling to feed themselves amid the lockdown .
The plan also included integrating 581,000 poor households into the banking system , according to a press release from the City of Bogota .
While the Compton Pledge is beginning as a far more modest program , community advocates are hopeful that the program can be a success .
“ Guaranteed income is an urgent and necessary strategy for addressing the economic realities of racial injustice , ” said Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can become a trend that sparks a nationwide system of direct , recurring payments to vulnerable families .
“ Guaranteed income will afford people the dignity of an income floor and agency to make choices for themselves , ” said Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs .
“ Poverty stems from a lack of cash , not a lack of character , ” he added .

Rapper and entrepreneur 50 Cent recently expressed his support for Donald Trump and seemed to indicate that everything is riding on one issue, his tax rate. In a recent Instagram post, 50 Cent, who files his businesses under his government name Curtis Jackson, told his Instagram followers to vote for Donald Trump. Jackson seemed to be upset by Biden’s proposed tax rate for the wealthy. He took a photo of his television showing a proposed 62% tax rate, and said that he doesn’t even care if Trump “doesn’t like black people,” he’s voting for Donald Trump anyway.
“WHAT THE FCK! (VOTE ForTRUMP) IM OUT, FCK NEW YORK The KNICKS never win anyway. I don’t care Trump doesn’t like black people 62% are you out of ya fucking mind,” Jackson said in the now-viral post.
As he probably expected, his post sparked outrage among a large portion of his audience and was instantly praised in conservative media.
50 Cent says the quiet part out loud pic.twitter.com/7PCgeAMVb9 — KnowNOthing (@KnowN0thing1) October 19, 2020
His posts even caught the attention of the Trump family. Jackson continued to post in support of the President after his original comments made the news. In a later tweet, he posted a video of a Fox News segment where his comments were discussed, and he quoted one of the hosts, saying that he does not want to become “20 Cent.”
?Yeah, i don’t want to be 20cent. 62% is a very, very,bad idea. ?i don’t like it ! #abcforlife nov 18 #starzgettheapp pic.twitter.com/y9TsSs0o6Q — 50cent (@50cent) October 20, 2020
Christopher Bouzy, a Black CEO and the founder of Bot Sentinel, was one of the first prominent names to criticize Jackson for his remarks. Bouzy called out Jackson as well as Kanye West and Ice Cube, and accused them of being opportunists.
Men like Kanye West, Ice Cube, and 50 Cent aren't Black leaders, they are nothing more than opportunistic puppets who would sell their own people into slavery for a profit. They offer nothing tangible to society; these men should be ignored & discarded to the dustbin of history. — Christopher Bouzy (@cbouzy) October 20, 2020
Black men who would endorse a man who disparages Black people, repeatedly disrespects Black women, and does nothing for the Black community aren't "free thinkers," they are sellouts. In 1964, Malcolm X warned us about Black sellouts; they are not a new phenomenon. https://t.co/CQHvaQvLh8 — Christopher Bouzy (@cbouzy) October 20, 2020
It appears that Jackson is clearly supporting Donald Trump in the election this year, but he has also been critical of the president in the past, so perhaps he is just voting for what he perceives as the lesser of two evils. Jackson has previously attacked the president on his COVID-19 response, saying “You wanted a reality show host as president. Well, now you’re on Survivor.”
In 2017, during an interview with US radio station Hot 97, Jackson said that he was offered $500,000 to make an appearance as part of Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign. In the same interview, he went on to call Trump’s presidency an “accident.”
“They wanted to pay me $500,000 as part of the campaign just to make an appearance. His presidency is an accident. If you were a President by accident, you might do some of the things Donald Trump is doing… I think he was [campaigning] to build his profile for a bigger deal on television, and everything else,” Jackson said in the interview.
It is also important to note that the initial tax figures posted by Jackson are a bit misleading, as CNBC noted these figures are based on a study that doesn’t include deductions or loopholes that most people take advantage of, and will only be applied to top earners.
Under Biden’s plan, the effective tax rate for the top 1% would increase from 26.8% to 39.8%, according to the Tax Policy Center, which means that top earners in California and New York City would pay effective state and federal tax rates of around 53%, compared with the roughly 40% they pay in effective rates today.
As of 2020, Jackson’s net worth is estimated to be $30 million, which is a huge drop from previous years, when his net worth was declared at $150 million by Forbes.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-21--California city begins Guaranteed Basic Income program


themindunleashed--2020-10-22--Pope Francis Becomes First Pope To Endorse Same-Sex Civil Unions

Pope Francis has become the first Catholic pope to openly endorse same-sex civil unions .
The comments were made in “ Francesco , ” a new documentary about his life that recently premiered at the Rome Film Festival .
The film features a series of new interviews where the pope discussed some of the issues that were most important to him , including the environment , poverty , racial and income inequality , and discrimination .
“ Homosexual people have the right to be in a family .
They are children of God .
You can ’ t kick someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their life miserable for this .
What we have to have is a civil union law ; that way they are legally covered , ” Francis says in the new interview .
This is not the first time that Francis has spoken on this issue , but it is the first time that he has publicly discussed it as a sitting pope .
When he was serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires , he endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages .
Francis is now the first pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rev .
James Martin , who advocates for LGBT Catholics , praised the comments as “ a major step forward in the church ’ s support for LGBT people.
” “ The pope ’ s speaking positively about civil unions also sends a strong message to places where the church has opposed such laws , ” Martin said in a statement , according to the Associated Press .
Of course , there are also plenty of more conservative leaders in the Catholic Church who were critical of the pope ’ s comments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Archdiocese of New York , said in a blog post that the pope has “ made a serious mistake.
” It is also important to note the distinction between same-sex civil union and marriage .
Marriage is seen as an institution of the church , although it is a tradition that has been practiced under a variety of different religions .
Fewer people these days are identifying as religious , and even fewer as catholic , but many still get married in churches out of a sense of tradition .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to refuse to formally recognize a same-sex civil union as a “ marriage , ” and wish to separate these into two classifications .
For most people , equality under the law and legal recognition of the union is what is most important , but recognition by the church will still be important for members of the LGBT community who identify as catholic .
Francis DeBernardo , executive director of New Ways Ministry , an organization of LGBT Catholics , said that the pope ’ s comments are “ historic.
” “ At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francis to apply the same kind of reasoning to recognize and bless these same unions of love and support within the Catholic Church , too , ” he said in a statement .
Francis is the first Jesuit pope , the first from the Americas , the first from the Southern Hemisphere , and the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III , who reigned in the 8th century .

Pope Francis has become the first Catholic pope to openly endorse same-sex civil unions. The comments were made in “Francesco,” a new documentary about his life that recently premiered at the Rome Film Festival.
The film features a series of new interviews where the pope discussed some of the issues that were most important to him, including the environment, poverty, racial and income inequality, and discrimination.
“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God. You can’t kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered,” Francis says in the new interview.
This is not the first time that Francis has spoken on this issue, but it is the first time that he has publicly discussed it as a sitting pope. When he was serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires, he endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages. Francis is now the first pope to advocate same-sex civil unions.
The Rev. James Martin, who advocates for LGBT Catholics, praised the comments as “a major step forward in the church’s support for LGBT people.”
“The pope’s speaking positively about civil unions also sends a strong message to places where the church has opposed such laws,” Martin said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.
Of course, there are also plenty of more conservative leaders in the Catholic Church who were critical of the pope’s comments.
Ed Mechmann, director of public policy at the Archdiocese of New York, said in a blog post that the pope has “made a serious mistake.”
It is also important to note the distinction between same-sex civil union and marriage. Marriage is seen as an institution of the church, although it is a tradition that has been practiced under a variety of different religions.
Fewer people these days are identifying as religious, and even fewer as catholic, but many still get married in churches out of a sense of tradition. Some of the more conservative churches still want to refuse to formally recognize a same-sex civil union as a “marriage,” and wish to separate these into two classifications.
For most people, equality under the law and legal recognition of the union is what is most important, but recognition by the church will still be important for members of the LGBT community who identify as catholic.
Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, an organization of LGBT Catholics, said that the pope’s comments are “historic.”
“At the same time, we urge Pope Francis to apply the same kind of reasoning to recognize and bless these same unions of love and support within the Catholic Church, too,” he said in a statement.
Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III, who reigned in the 8th century.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-21--Man Tried To Steal Every Newspaper In Town To Hide Story About Him Stealing Election Signs

It was like something out of a movie or a cartoon .
An Iowa man attempted to steal every newspaper in his small town , just so his neighbors couldn ’ t see that he was listed in the police blotter for stealing election signs .
Unfortunately for him , his outrageous plot to cover up his local act of election interference backfired , because the case ended up making national headlines .
Peter De Yager got a small mention in the September 2nd edition of the Dickinson County News and he wasn ’ t happy about it .
De @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Joe Biden election sign from a neighbors yard , so his name was listed in the crime roundup section of the paper .
Just three sentences were dedicated to De Yager on the third page of the paper , but he seemed determined to keep news of his arrest private .
After the issue featuring De Yager was released , the staff at Dickinson County News began getting reports that entire stacks of papers had gone missing from numerous locations around town .
Dickinson County News staff writer Seth Boyes told As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a delivery driver was the first to notice that something was wrong .
“ He told us that there were no papers anywhere along his route that day .
And he also happened to mention that there was one location , at least , that told him they had some footage of a guy stealing all the papers on their on their security cameras .
So from that point , I started making some calls , ” Boyes said .
De Yager is a well-known businessman in the area , and a regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he stole from , so he was identified immediately .
In fact , one of the store owners recognized De Yager and didn ’ t even call the police , but just confronted him the next time that he came into the store .
Boyes said the staff at the newspaper also figured things out pretty quickly .
“ I got to thinking about why anyone would want to take all the papers .
And it did occur to me that we ’ d run that police blotter , what we call the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edition .
It was kind of a long shot , we thought , but , you know , maybe it was , ” he said .
As Boyes pointed out , most news is distributed on the internet these days , and print editions are more commonly sent to the homes of subscribers .
“ The paper is not only available online , but subscribers get the paper directly mailed to the residents .
So stealing papers out of the racks is going to have an effect , but not as large an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boyes said .
Only one of the stores , a Jiffy station , decided to press charges , while the other locally-owned stores simply accepted an apology and a repayment .
“ We went around to the various convenience stores , and some of them opted not to press charges if he agreed to come in and pay for the papers , ” Spirit Lake Police Lt. Daren Diers said .
De Yager pleaded guilty to theft and trespassing for taking about $ 20 worth of newspapers from the Jiffy gas station , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back for the papers that were taken .

It was like something out of a movie or a cartoon. An Iowa man attempted to steal every newspaper in his small town, just so his neighbors couldn’t see that he was listed in the police blotter for stealing election signs. Unfortunately for him, his outrageous plot to cover up his local act of election interference backfired, because the case ended up making national headlines.
Peter De Yager got a small mention in the September 2nd edition of the Dickinson County News and he wasn’t happy about it. De Yager had recently pleaded guilty to stealing a Joe Biden election sign from a neighbors yard, so his name was listed in the crime roundup section of the paper. Just three sentences were dedicated to De Yager on the third page of the paper, but he seemed determined to keep news of his arrest private.
After the issue featuring De Yager was released, the staff at Dickinson County News began getting reports that entire stacks of papers had gone missing from numerous locations around town.
Dickinson County News staff writer Seth Boyes told As It Happens guest host Peter Armstrong that a delivery driver was the first to notice that something was wrong.
“He told us that there were no papers anywhere along his route that day. And he also happened to mention that there was one location, at least, that told him they had some footage of a guy stealing all the papers on their on their security cameras. So from that point, I started making some calls,” Boyes said.
De Yager is a well-known businessman in the area, and a regular customer at many of the stores that he stole from, so he was identified immediately. In fact, one of the store owners recognized De Yager and didn’t even call the police, but just confronted him the next time that he came into the store.
Boyes said the staff at the newspaper also figured things out pretty quickly.
“I got to thinking about why anyone would want to take all the papers. And it did occur to me that we’d run that police blotter, what we call the Sirens, in that week’s edition. It was kind of a long shot, we thought, but, you know, maybe it was,” he said.
As Boyes pointed out, most news is distributed on the internet these days, and print editions are more commonly sent to the homes of subscribers.
“The paper is not only available online, but subscribers get the paper directly mailed to the residents. So stealing papers out of the racks is going to have an effect, but not as large an effect as one would think,” Boyes said.
Only one of the stores, a Jiffy station, decided to press charges, while the other locally-owned stores simply accepted an apology and a repayment.
“We went around to the various convenience stores, and some of them opted not to press charges if he agreed to come in and pay for the papers,” Spirit Lake Police Lt. Daren Diers said.
De Yager pleaded guilty to theft and trespassing for taking about $20 worth of newspapers from the Jiffy gas station, and has paid the other convenience stores back for the papers that were taken.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-21--Rudy Giuliani Caught With Hands In Pants In Hotel Room Scene With “Borat’s Daughter” In New Film

Rudy Giuliani is among the high profile figures who were pranked for Sasha Baron Cohen ’ s new Borat sequel , and so far his encounter is the most embarrassing .
Cohen and Maria Bakalova , the actress who portrays Borat ’ s daughter in the film , brought Giuliani into their prank by posing as conservative TV journalists .
They conducted an interview with Giuliani where they were extremely agreeable and after the interview , Bakalova went back to a nearby hotel room with him for a drink .
The room was rigged with hidden cameras , which recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his pants .
Once he began to reach into his pants , Borat runs into the room and shouts , “ She ’ s 15 .
She ’ s too old for you.
” Just after the incident , Giuliani called New York City police to report the incident , claiming that he was the victim of a scam or a set up .
Giuliani described the encounter to the New York Post , saying that , “ This guy comes running in , wearing a crazy , what I would say was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pink bikini , with lace , underneath a translucent mesh top , it looked absurd .
He had the beard , bare legs , and wasn ’ t what I would call distractingly attractive .
This person comes in yelling and screaming , and I thought this must be a scam or a shakedown , so I reported it to the police .
He then ran away.
” Giuliani said that he later realized that it was Sacha Baron Cohen and was relieved that he didn ’ t fall for their prank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only one that thinks that .
“ I thought about all the people he previously fooled and I felt good about myself because he didn ’ t get me , ” he said .
Of course , the encounter made Giuliani look very creepy , but no laws were technically broken because Bakalova is 24-years-old and initiated the encounter .
They were also interrupted before Giuliani got the chance to do anything illegal .
The plot of the new film revolves around Borat ’ s quest to give his daughter to a powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the last film , Borat encounters a variety of different Americans in his travels , and their interactions are intended to illustrate a sort of culture shock that he is experiencing , while also satirizing the cultures of both America and Kazakstan .
However , due to the overwhelming success of the first film , Borat ’ s face was very easy to recognize for most of the people who he attempted to prank , so he needed to get creative and don disguises so his targets would feel more comfortable and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene , he wears a very realistic Donald Trump disguise and crashes the American Conservative Union ’ s Conservative Political Action Conference , while Mike Pence is giving a speech .
In the scene , which is shown in the trailer , Cohen is seen running through the conservative convention wearing the Trump mask , and carrying an unconscious woman over his shoulder .
He bursts into the room where Pence is speaking and shouts “ Micheal Paenis I brought that girl or you.
” Mike Pence looked directly into the crowd , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be available to stream for Amazon Prime subscribers on Oct. 23 .

Rudy Giuliani is among the high profile figures who were pranked for Sasha Baron Cohen’s new Borat sequel, and so far his encounter is the most embarrassing. Cohen and Maria Bakalova, the actress who portrays Borat’s daughter in the film, brought Giuliani into their prank by posing as conservative TV journalists.
They conducted an interview with Giuliani where they were extremely agreeable and after the interview, Bakalova went back to a nearby hotel room with him for a drink. The room was rigged with hidden cameras, which recorded Giuliani untucking his shirt and reaching into his pants.
Once he began to reach into his pants, Borat runs into the room and shouts, “She’s 15. She’s too old for you.”
Just after the incident, Giuliani called New York City police to report the incident, claiming that he was the victim of a scam or a set up.
Giuliani described the encounter to the New York Post, saying that, “This guy comes running in, wearing a crazy, what I would say was a pink transgender outfit. It was a pink bikini, with lace, underneath a translucent mesh top, it looked absurd. He had the beard, bare legs, and wasn’t what I would call distractingly attractive. This person comes in yelling and screaming, and I thought this must be a scam or a shakedown, so I reported it to the police. He then ran away.”
Giuliani said that he later realized that it was Sacha Baron Cohen and was relieved that he didn’t fall for their prank, although he seems to be the only one that thinks that.
“I thought about all the people he previously fooled and I felt good about myself because he didn’t get me,” he said.
Of course, the encounter made Giuliani look very creepy, but no laws were technically broken because Bakalova is 24-years-old and initiated the encounter. They were also interrupted before Giuliani got the chance to do anything illegal.
The plot of the new film revolves around Borat’s quest to give his daughter to a powerful US politician as a gift. As with the last film, Borat encounters a variety of different Americans in his travels, and their interactions are intended to illustrate a sort of culture shock that he is experiencing, while also satirizing the cultures of both America and Kazakstan.
However, due to the overwhelming success of the first film, Borat’s face was very easy to recognize for most of the people who he attempted to prank, so he needed to get creative and don disguises so his targets would feel more comfortable and let their guard down.
In one scene, he wears a very realistic Donald Trump disguise and crashes the American Conservative Union’s Conservative Political Action Conference, while Mike Pence is giving a speech.
In the scene, which is shown in the trailer, Cohen is seen running through the conservative convention wearing the Trump mask, and carrying an unconscious woman over his shoulder. He bursts into the room where Pence is speaking and shouts “Micheal Paenis I brought that girl or you.” Mike Pence looked directly into the crowd, glaring at Cohen.
The new film will be available to stream for Amazon Prime subscribers on Oct. 23.
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themindunleashed--2020-10-21--Michael Jordan feels “great pride” as he opens new health clinic for uninsured in his hometown

Legendary basketball superstar Michael Jordan is giving back to his community in a big way , and has opened a second medical clinic in his hometown of Charlotte , North Carolina , to offer critical care to underprivileged community members during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Last year , the 57-year-old former Chicago Bulls shooting guard unveiled the Michael Jordan Family Clinic on Freedom Drive , which he personally contributed $ 7 million to .
The clinic , which provides much-needed access to primary and preventive care to low-income residents , is being operated by nonprofit healthcare group Novant Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the six-time NBA champion and owner of the Charlotte Hornets tearfully explained that “ it ’ s a very emotional thing for me to be able to give back to a community that ’ s supported me over the years.
” Jordan has now opened a second clinic alongside Novant Health in hopes to provide comprehensive primary care to underserved communities .
“ It gives my family great pride to know that we are making a difference in Charlotte , ” Jordan told The Charlotte Observer .
While the opening of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works , the timing couldn ’ t be better given the dire impact of the ongoing pandemic on people across the United States and especially the Black community .
In April , the Freedom Drive clinic became widely used as a respiratory assessment center where locals had free access to coronavirus “ screening , testing , treatment and education.
” “ When this clinic opened , I said ‘ We ’ re here for the long haul .
Not just in a crisis ’ , ” said Novant Health CEO and president Carl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first clinic enabled us to better respond to the [ coronavirus ] crisis .
It gave us the infrastructure to set up walk-up testing – no referral needed .
It gave us a platform to educate and treat patients – close to home , ” he added .
“ It even gave us a distribution point for our universal masking initiative , where we provided free masks to anyone who needed them .
This second location is critical , as it expands our impact and reach.
” Over 14,000 tests for the deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health appointments were conducted , forcing the Michael Jordan Family Clinic to direct those in need of primary care to another location – and proving the need for the second clinic to urgently begin operations amid the spiking demand in treatment .
“ When we came together to mark the first clinic ’ s opening last fall , no one could have predicted we would be facing a global pandemic just five months later , ” Jordan said in a Zoom meeting to launch the new healthcare center .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinic has had on the community so far , especially during [ the pandemic ] , ” he added .
“ Our second clinic will provide critical services to improve the health and lives of more Charlotteans , which is so important to me and to Novant Health.
” The new clinic will be opening on Statesville Ave. in the North End of Charlotte , and will include 12 patient exam rooms , an X-ray room , and a physical therapy center .
A full-time clinical social worker will also be on-site .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ community of Charlotte will have access to the same comprehensive care that is transforming lives at the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic in west Charlotte , ” said Armato .
“ The impact of the first clinic has been measurable and if [ the coronavirus ] has taught us anything , it is the importance of having accessible , safe and quality care in communities that need it most , ” he continued .
“ Michael Jordan ’ s commitment to improving the health of our communities , and society , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ re so grateful to be his partner in bringing care and resources to those who would otherwise be without.
” Jordan is hopeful that the community has better days ahead .
“ We ’ ve been dealt with some very difficult cards in 2020 , ” he commented .
“ I hope 2021 is going to be much better .
”

Legendary basketball superstar Michael Jordan is giving back to his community in a big way, and has opened a second medical clinic in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, to offer critical care to underprivileged community members during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Last year, the 57-year-old former Chicago Bulls shooting guard unveiled the Michael Jordan Family Clinic on Freedom Drive, which he personally contributed $7 million to. The clinic, which provides much-needed access to primary and preventive care to low-income residents, is being operated by nonprofit healthcare group Novant Health Clinics.
During the October 2019 opening, the six-time NBA champion and owner of the Charlotte Hornets tearfully explained that “it’s a very emotional thing for me to be able to give back to a community that’s supported me over the years.”
Jordan has now opened a second clinic alongside Novant Health in hopes to provide comprehensive primary care to underserved communities.
“It gives my family great pride to know that we are making a difference in Charlotte,” Jordan told The Charlotte Observer.
Michael Jordan opens a 2nd clinic in Charlotte ? pic.twitter.com/NqV295rOjq — Hornets Nation (@HornetsNationCP) October 20, 2020
While the opening of the second clinic has long been in the works, the timing couldn’t be better given the dire impact of the ongoing pandemic on people across the United States and especially the Black community.
In April, the Freedom Drive clinic became widely used as a respiratory assessment center where locals had free access to coronavirus “screening, testing, treatment and education.”
“When this clinic opened, I said ‘We’re here for the long haul. Not just in a crisis’,” said Novant Health CEO and president Carl Armato.
“In fact, the first clinic enabled us to better respond to the [coronavirus] crisis. It gave us the infrastructure to set up walk-up testing – no referral needed. It gave us a platform to educate and treat patients – close to home,” he added. “It even gave us a distribution point for our universal masking initiative, where we provided free masks to anyone who needed them. This second location is critical, as it expands our impact and reach.”
Over 14,000 tests for the deadly virus were provided while around 12,600 mobile health appointments were conducted, forcing the Michael Jordan Family Clinic to direct those in need of primary care to another location – and proving the need for the second clinic to urgently begin operations amid the spiking demand in treatment.
Our Chairman Michael Jordan and @NovantHealth make an incredible team and are committed to impacting the Charlotte community. The second Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic recently opened in the North End community. ? Learn more here: https://t.co/M7y2TRBxwD pic.twitter.com/6Kigq4g7bG — Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) October 21, 2020
“When we came together to mark the first clinic’s opening last fall, no one could have predicted we would be facing a global pandemic just five months later,” Jordan said in a Zoom meeting to launch the new healthcare center.
“I’m so proud of the positive impact our clinic has had on the community so far, especially during [the pandemic],” he added. “Our second clinic will provide critical services to improve the health and lives of more Charlotteans, which is so important to me and to Novant Health.”
The new clinic will be opening on Statesville Ave. in the North End of Charlotte, and will include 12 patient exam rooms, an X-ray room, and a physical therapy center. A full-time clinical social worker will also be on-site.
“We are thrilled the North End community of Charlotte will have access to the same comprehensive care that is transforming lives at the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic in west Charlotte,” said Armato.
“The impact of the first clinic has been measurable and if [the coronavirus] has taught us anything, it is the importance of having accessible, safe and quality care in communities that need it most,” he continued.
“Michael Jordan’s commitment to improving the health of our communities, and society, is deep-rooted,” Armato added. “We’re so grateful to be his partner in bringing care and resources to those who would otherwise be without.”
Jordan is hopeful that the community has better days ahead.
“We’ve been dealt with some very difficult cards in 2020,” he commented.
“I hope 2021 is going to be much better.”
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themindunleashed--2020-10-21--Oxycontin producer Purdue Pharma pleads guilty to criminal charges for role in opiate crisis

OxyContin producer Purdue Pharma will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges for the role that it played in the ongoing opiate crisis .
On Wednesday , Justice Department officials said that the company will be pleading guilty as part of a settlement worth over $ 8 billion .
In the settlement , Purdue will pay $ 225 million directly to the government and will give up an additional $ 2 billion to the government through criminal asset forfeiture .
The company also faces a $ 3.54 billion criminal fine , but this money may not be collected due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion in damages to cover lawsuits that victims have brought against the company .
The company will be pleading guilty to three federal charges , including conspiracy to defraud the United States and violating federal anti-kickback laws .
The company admitted to pushing doctors to prescribe more opioids than they would have otherwise .
As part of the plea deal , the company will admit it violated federal law and “ knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with others to aid and abet ” the dispensing of medication from doctors “ without a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course of professional practice , ” according to a copy of the plea agreement obtained by the Associated Press .
These charges are separate from the investigation against the Sacklers , the wealthy family that owns the company .
They are still the target of an ongoing criminal investigation .
As a part of the agreement , Purdue will admit that it obstructed the Drug Enforcement Administration by reporting false and misleading information about the drug and its addictive properties .
The settlement promises to change the nature of Purue Pharma for good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit company , which means that it will be governed by a trust that prioritizes public health instead of profit .
Furthermore , the Sackler family would not have any involvement in the new company .
In a recent letter , 38 Democratic members of Congress and other advocates wrote to Attorney General William Barr asking him to hold the company fully accountable for their actions , without cutting them any deals .
“ Millions of American families impacted by the opioid epidemic are looking to you and your Department for justice .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about sons and daughters trapped in the grip of substance use disorder , justice for the jobs lost and the lives ruined , and justice for the lives of loved ones lost to overdoses .
If the only practical consequence of your Department ’ s investigation is that a handful of billionaires are made slightly less rich , we fear that the American people will lose faith in the ability of the Department to provide accountability and equal justice under the law , ” the letter stated .
Purdue is the first opioid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges because they were the largest and most profitable , but there are many other companies in the industry who took part in the same actions , and many of those companies are currently under investigation for their involvement in the opiate epidemic .

OxyContin producer Purdue Pharma will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges for the role that it played in the ongoing opiate crisis. On Wednesday, Justice Department officials said that the company will be pleading guilty as part of a settlement worth over $8 billion.
In the settlement, Purdue will pay $225 million directly to the government and will give up an additional $2 billion to the government through criminal asset forfeiture. The company also faces a $3.54 billion criminal fine, but this money may not be collected due to bankruptcy. Purdue also owes $2.8 billion in damages to cover lawsuits that victims have brought against the company.
The company will be pleading guilty to three federal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and violating federal anti-kickback laws. The company admitted to pushing doctors to prescribe more opioids than they would have otherwise.
As part of the plea deal, the company will admit it violated federal law and “knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with others to aid and abet” the dispensing of medication from doctors “without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice,” according to a copy of the plea agreement obtained by the Associated Press.
These charges are separate from the investigation against the Sacklers, the wealthy family that owns the company. They are still the target of an ongoing criminal investigation.
As a part of the agreement, Purdue will admit that it obstructed the Drug Enforcement Administration by reporting false and misleading information about the drug and its addictive properties.
The settlement promises to change the nature of Purue Pharma for good, by turning it into a public benefit company, which means that it will be governed by a trust that prioritizes public health instead of profit. Furthermore, the Sackler family would not have any involvement in the new company.
In a recent letter, 38 Democratic members of Congress and other advocates wrote to Attorney General William Barr asking him to hold the company fully accountable for their actions, without cutting them any deals.
“Millions of American families impacted by the opioid epidemic are looking to you and your Department for justice. Justice for the sleepless nights spent worrying about sons and daughters trapped in the grip of substance use disorder, justice for the jobs lost and the lives ruined, and justice for the lives of loved ones lost to overdoses. If the only practical consequence of your Department’s investigation is that a handful of billionaires are made slightly less rich, we fear that the American people will lose faith in the ability of the Department to provide accountability and equal justice under the law,” the letter stated.
Purdue is the first opioid maker to plead guilty to serious criminal charges because they were the largest and most profitable, but there are many other companies in the industry who took part in the same actions, and many of those companies are currently under investigation for their involvement in the opiate epidemic.
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