theblaze--2020-01-10--VIDEO: President Trump brutally mocks Dems, says they would’ve leaked the Soleimani strike to the fa

VIDEO: President Trump brutally mocks Dems, says they would’ve leaked the Soleimani strike to the fake news media and foiled the attack if notified about it

VIDEO : President Trump brutally mocks Dems , says they would ’ ve leaked the Soleimani strike to the fake @ @ @ @ @ attack if notified about it

Speaking Thursday at a raucous campaign rally in Toldeo, Ohio, President Donald Trump told supporters that he did not consult Congress about the strike that killed terrorist military leader Qassem Soleimani because Democrats would have leaked the news to the media, foiling the attack.
"Bernie Sanders, 'Crazy Bernie,' has condemned the U.S. military strike on Soleimani, the world's top terrorist — think of it, the world's top terrorist — and we're having people like Nancy Pelosi, that's a real genius ... 'Nervous Nancy' ... trying to say, 'how dare you take him out that way!'" Trump said in reference to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
"[They're saying], 'You should get permission from Congress, you should come in and tell us what you want to do — you should come in and tell us, so that we can call up the fake news that's back there, and we can leak it,'" continued Trump as the crowd jeered.
The comments came as the House passed a resolution Thursday to limit the president's authority to take military action against Iran.
Many members of Congress, primarily Democratic, have criticized Trump's decision to strike and kill Soleimani without congressional approval.
Watch the full segment here in a video provided by The Daily Caller:
Donald Trump at Toledo, Ohio rally youtu.be
During the rally, Trump argued that notifying Congress would have been impractical given the "split-second" nature of the event.
"No, we got a call, we heard where [Soleimani] was, we knew the way he was getting there, and we had to make a decision. We didn't have time to call up Nancy, who is not operating with a full deck," he said.
"Can you imagine calling 'Crooked Adam Schiff'?" Trump continued, then portraying a hypothetical event where Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) would delay meeting with the president about the strike before eventually tipping the news to the media.
"They want us to tell them so that they can leak it to their friends at the corrupt media," Trump reiterated.
Republicans in Congress largely opposed the resolution passed Thursday by the House, and believe it is more symbolic than effective.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called the resolution "meaningless" and said it has "as much force of law as a New Year's resolution."


theblaze--2020-01-10--Teacher with previous battery conviction arrested after grabbing unruly student, 14, carrying him to

Teacher with previous battery conviction arrested after grabbing unruly student, 14, carrying him to classroom door, shoving him into hallway

Teacher with previous battery conviction arrested after grabbing unruly student , 14 , carrying him to classroom door , shoving @ @ @ @ @ also was previously suspended a number of times by the school district

A Florida middle school teacher — previously convicted of battery in an incident involving an adult and suspended a number of times by the school district — was arrested and placed on leave after being caught on video grabbing an unruly 14-year-old student, carrying him to a classroom door, and shoving him into a hallway.
Image source: WESH-TV video screenshot
What are the details?
The 9 a.m. Tuesday incident at Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast began when the student was playing music on his computer in first-period class, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported, citing a charging affidavit.
The teacher — 47-year-old Jeffrey Paffumi — muted the music, but the student turned it back on, the News-Journal reported, citing the student's statement.
Paffumi and the student went back and forth two more times before Paffumi grabbed the computer, the paper said, citing documents.
"Put my (expletive) down cracka," the student told Paffumi, the News-Journal said, citing the report.
"I am not a cracka," Paffumi replied, the paper said.
"You is a cracka," the student said back to the teacher, the News-Journal reported.
'Show me how tough you are'
With that, video captured by another student shows Paffumi — listed as 6-foot-2 and 243 pounds, the paper said, citing the affidavit — grabbing the student, picking him up, and walking toward the classroom door.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
"Show me how tough you are," the teacher can be heard saying on the video. "Wanna call me a cracka?"
The clip then shows the door slamming open and Paffumi shoving the student into the hallway.
The student told Flagler County Sheriff's deputies the teacher put him in a choke hold that never restricted his airway, the News-Journal reported, adding that the student didn't have any marks or bruises.
Here's video that shows a portion of the incident:
Buddy Taylor Middle School teacher grabs, shoves student youtu.be
What happened to the teacher?
Paffumi was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge Wednesday, the sheriff's office told WESH-TV, which added that he was released to pre-trial services without having to post a monetary bond.
Jeffrey Paffumi Image source: Flagler County Sheriff's Office
Paffumi has two previous arrests in Flagler County from 2012, WESH said: A battery conviction involving another adult that resulted in probation and a criminal mischief charge that was dismissed.
What did the school district have to say?
"The actions of this teacher are not consistent with how we expect our educators to act and behave and it will not be tolerated," Flagler Schools Superintendent James Tager said in a statement, WESH reported. "We immediately removed Mr. Paffumi from the classroom following the incident and placed him on leave pending an investigation."
The school district hired Paffumi in 2005, WESH said — and Tager told the station Paffumi was involved in a handful of school-related incidents that required suspensions and some counseling.
What did the student's father have to say?
"I was infuriated," Keiondrae Woodside, the student's father, told WESH. "As a parent, when you send your kid to school, you expect for them to get an education at a safe, sound environment, and then I saw the video and that really took me over the edge."
Image source: WESH-TV video screenshot
Woodside added to the station that his son shouldn't have behaved disobediently, but he also could have been hurt.
"He traumatized him mentally and emotionally — and not just him, but the other kids that had to witness that," Woodside said.
After watching the video, Woodside said his family immediately wanted to press charges, WESH reported.
What did the sheriff have to say?
"As a teacher, you have to control your temper even when students test you," Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly told WTVT-TV. "This is an unfortunate incident involving a teacher and a student. My daughter is a school teacher, and I know from her how misbehaved some students can be, but as a teacher, you must deal with it appropriately. Corporal punishment like the old days is not allowed today."
School employee had 'handful' of incidents before grabbing student, officials say youtu.be
(H/T: Blue Lives Matter)


theblaze--2020-01-10--Vietnam, Iraq vet has prosthetic legs repossessed after dispute over whether VA or Medicare should c

Vietnam, Iraq vet has prosthetic legs repossessed after dispute over whether VA or Medicare should cover cost

Vietnam , Iraq vet has prosthetic legs repossessed after dispute over whether VA or Medicare should cover cost 'This is @ @ @

A U.S. Army veteran of both the Vietnam and Iraq wars told the Mississippi Clarion Ledger that his prosthetic legs were repossessed after the Department of Veterans Affairs wouldn't pay for them and he refused to go through Medicare and pay a copay.
Jerry Holliman fought in Vietnam as a teenager and served in Iraq in his 50s, earning a Bronze Star in both wars and completing 40 years of military service. He said that exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam led to multiple battles with cancer. Holliman also has diabetes, which led to gangrene and two his legs being amputated — one in 2018 and the other in 2019.
He began a stay in the veterans home in Collins, where he received prosthetics from a company called Hanger. He got a few rehab sessions with the legs in before the matter of who was paying became an issue.
He was told that Veterans Affairs would not pay for the legs, and he said he was then encouraged to go through Medicare. But, when he saw that he would have to pay a copay with Medicare, he refused to follow through.
"Medicare did not send me to Vietnam," Holliman said to the Clarion Ledger. "I was sent there by my country ... with the understanding that if something bad happened to me, that it would be covered by the VA."
On Dec. 23, a Hanger employee came to the veterans home to adjust the prosthetic legs. Holliman said the employee told him to sign some Medicare papers. Holliman declined to do so, telling the man that VA should pay because "this is their responsibility."
The employee took the legs and left, the Clarion Ledger reported.
After Holliman reached out to media about his case, Hanger returned the prosthetics to him — but they aren't functional unless further adjustments are made, so he's still limited to the veterans home, unable to move around much. Holliman said the Hanger representative said the adjustments won't be made until Hanger receives payment.
VA spokesman Matthew Gowan called Holliman's claims "highly misleading," according to Newsweek.
"VA's Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service, which also has more than 600 local contracts with accredited orthotic and prosthetic providers, stands ready to deliver comprehensive support to optimize health and independence of our Veterans," Gowan said "If eligible veterans do not wish to take advantage of these services, VA is unable to intervene and correct issues arising with personal purchases."
Hanger would not comment on Holliman's case, citing health privacy laws.


theblaze--2020-01-10--High schooler discovers brand-new planet just 3 days into NASA internship — and it has a similarity

High schooler discovers brand-new planet just 3 days into NASA internship — and it has a similarity to a 'Star Wars' planet

High schooler discovers brand-new planet just 3 days into NASA internship — and it has a similarity to a 'Star @ @ @

Wolf Cukier, a 17-year-old high school student from Scarsdale, New York, discovered a rare new planet just three days into an internship with NASA.
Cukier's internship took place over the summer at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
What are the details?
According to CBS News, NASA satellite TESS picked up the existence of an exoplanet orbiting two stars instead of just one.
An exoplanet, according to Merriam-Webster, is a "planet orbiting a star that is not [Earth's] sun."
Cukier identified the planet, which prompted comparisons to Tatooine from the "Star Wars" films, as the planet has twin "sunsets" from its dual stars.
The planet — dubbed TOI 1338 b — is nearly seven times larger than Earth, but NASA said the planet is unlikely to be inhabitable, CBS reported. The planet is located 1,300 light years away in Pictor, a constellation. TOI 1338 b orbits its two stars once every 95 days. One of the planet's stars is about 10 percent bigger than the Earth's sun, but the second star is much smaller at about just 33 percent mass of the Earth's sun.
Proxima Centauri, which is the closest star to planet Earth, is approximately four light years away.
What did Cukier say about the discovery?
"I was looking through the data for everything the volunteers had flagged as an eclipsing binary — a system where two stars circle around each other and from our view eclipse each other every orbit," Cukier said, according to CBS.
"About three days into my internship, I saw a signal from a system called TOI 1338. At first, I thought it was a stellar eclipse, but the timing was wrong. It turned out to be a planet," he recalled.
Cukier added that throughout the internship, it became 100% clear that what was discovered was a planet.
"Our confidence went up and down a couple of times, but by the end of the internship, we were confident that what we found was a planet," he said, according to ABC News.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Iran admits to shooting down Ukrainian plane, blames 'human error'

Iran admitted Saturday that its military shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane that crashed near Tehran on Wednesday , after @ @ @ @ @ of its missiles hit the aircraft .
What are the details ?
According to the @ @ @ @ @ Television broadcasted Saturday that the Iranian military `` unintentionally '' shot down the plane and @ @ @ @ @ for the incident that killed all 176 people aboard .
Iran initially denied having any @ @ @ @ @ , and accused western governments of waging `` psychological warfare '' after the U.S. and @ @ @ @ @ down the jetliner by accident .

Iran admitted Saturday that its military shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane that crashed near Tehran on Wednesday, after denying for days that one of its missiles hit the aircraft.
What are the details?
According to the Associated Press, Iranian State Television broadcasted Saturday that the Iranian military "unintentionally" shot down the plane and blamed "human error" for the incident that killed all 176 people aboard.
Iran initially denied having any part in the plane crash, and accused western governments of waging "psychological warfare" after the U.S. and Canada claimed Tehran likely shot down the jetliner by accident.
This is a developing story.


theblaze--2020-01-11--'Why are you siding with terrorists!?'— protester yells at Liz Warren during campaign rally

'Why are you siding with terrorists !
?
'— protester yells at Liz Warren during campaign rally The video shows @ @ @ @ @ confrontation

An irate protester accused Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) of supporting terrorists during her presidential town hall event in Dover, New Hampshire.
The man barged in on the town hall event and started screaming at Warren.
"You're siding with ISIS! You're siding with Iran!" he yelled.
"Why are you siding with terrorists!? Why are you siding with terrorists for?! My grandfather died in World War 2," he continued, as the audience began to boo him.
"You're a fraud! Disgusting! Green New Deal, this liar!" he added, and identified himself as a pastor.
"No, no," said Warren to her audience. "This is a man who's deeply upset. It's alright."
The man appeared to be referring to Warren's criticism of President Donald Trump and his decision to approve a drone strike that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani.
Eventually Warren addressed the protester and asked him to leave the event.
"It's time for you to leave," she said.
After the event, Warren told reporters it wasn't worth addressing the man's objections.
"I think getting into a shouting match with a man who's so clearly disturbed is not helpful to him, and not helpful to anyone," she said.
Dennis Vienneau, a voter attending the rally, said that he thought she needed to calm down because she appeared too angry.
Warren has seen a precipitous drop in support in recent polling, leading many to speculate that she is heading towards exiting the presidential race.
Here's the video of the encounter:


theblaze--2020-01-11--Utah reviewing license plate with 'aggressive and confrontational' message about immigration

Utah reviewing license plate with 'aggressive and confrontational ' message about immigration They said complaints on social media led them @ @ @ @ @

Officials in Utah are reviewing whether a license plate with an "aggressive and confrontational" message about deportation has violated their guidelines after someone posted a photograph of it online.
Matt Pacenza, whose profile indicates he's a public school English teacher, asked on Twitter how the license was approved according to Utah guidelines.
The plate reads, "DEPORTM."
Utah Tax Commission spokesperson Tammy Kikuchi said they were considering recalling the plate.
"We're not sure how it got through," Kikuchi said to the Salt Lake Tribune. "We're really quite surprised."
She said the license was approved in 2015, under a different DMV director.
Pacenza, the man who spotted the plate, vaguely explained what he found offensive about the plate.
"It jumped out at me because of how aggressive and confrontational and political the message was," Pacenza said.
"I'm used to personalized plates being whimsical or playful or personal: GOUTES or DOGMAMA or SKILOVE or something. This felt significantly different," he added.
Utah state Sen. Daniel Thatcher (R) explained on Twitter that free expression rights didn't extend to messages on license plates.
"A private citizen has a first amendment right to say offensive things," Thatcher tweeted. "The State does not, and has rules about license plates. I believe those rules have been violated here. Hopefully Tax Commission agrees."


theblaze--2020-01-11--Joaquin Phoenix flies to DC to declare he will combat climate change by not eating meat

Joaquin Phoenix flies to DC to declare he will combat climate change by not eating meat The actor was arrested @ @ @ @ @

Actor Joaquin Phoenix attended a climate change protest in Washington, D.C., on Friday, where he confessed he couldn't give up flying on jets that are part of the biggest contributor to carbon emissions, but he encouraged the crowd to join him in giving up meat.
What are the details?
Phoenix was in D.C. to join in on Jane Fonda's weekly "Fire Drill Fridays" climate change protest, where he spoke to the crowd about his convictions in admittedly unprepared remarks. He was later arrested, as several stars have been while attending the demonstration in recent months.
"Something that I think oftentimes isn't talked about in the environmental movement or in the conversation about climate change is that the meat and dairy industry is the third leading cause of climate change, and I think, sometimes, we wonder what can we do in this fight against climate change," Phoenix told the audience. "And there's something that you can do today, right now, and tomorrow, by making a choice about what you consume."
"I struggle so much with what I can do, at times," Phoenix added. "There are things that I can't avoid. I flew a plane out here today, or last night, rather. But one thing that I can do is change my eating habits, and so, I just want to urge all of you to join me in that."
Phoenix is correct that animal farts are cited as part of the third leading cause of carbon emissions, but he failed to mention that the burning of fossil fuels (including from airplanes) is cited as the first.
Phoenix has been consistent with his messaging in recent days. During his acceptance speech at the Golden Globe Awards, he first thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for "recognizing and acknowledging the link between animal agriculture and climate change." The actor said it was "a very bold move making tonight plant-based," referring to the vegetarian meal served that evening.
In closing his Golden Globes speech, Phoenix added, "It's really nice that people have come up and sent their well-wishes to Australia, but we have to do more than that. It's such a beautiful gesture, and I have not always been a virtuous man...but I think together, hopefully, we can be unified and actually make some changes."
"It's great to vote, but sometimes we have to take that responsibility on ourselves and make changes and sacrifices in our own lives, and I hope that we can do that," the actor told the audience, "We don't have to take private jets to Palm Springs...sometimes, or back, please, and I'll try to do better and I hope you will, too."


theblaze--2020-01-11--Turkish President Erdogan pardons 2 children on trial for insulting him — but only dropped the charg

Turkish President Erdogan pardons 2 children on trial for insulting him — but only dropped the charges on a few conditions

Turkish President Erdogan pardons 2 children on trial for insulting him — but only dropped the charges on a few @ @ @ @ @ Erdogan can not become any more of a thin-skinned dictatorial creep , he finds a @ @ @

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently pardoned two children who have been on trial for insulting the president on social media years ago, after the kids agreed to apologize to Erdogan and memorize nationalist verses.
What are the details?
In Turkey, insulting a sitting president is a criminal act punishable by up to four years in jail. According to the Middle East Monitor, nearly 13,000 Turkish citizens were prosecuted for the offense between 2010 and 2017 — with nearly all of the cases allegedly filed by President Erdogan's lawyers.
But Erdogan apparently acted in "mercy" when he pardoned the two children who were accused of insulting him. One of the accused committed the alleged offense in 2014, and the other reportedly insulted the now-president during his premiership, which ended the same year.
"Following a court case, the children - whose ages are unknown - were given the option of being pardoned on the condition that they both offer their apologies to Erdogan," The Monitor reported. "Child [1] was also order to memorize the Turkish national anthem, while child [2] was ordered to memorize the famous poem 'Yagmur.'"
The outlet reported that after the children could recite the song and poem by heart, Erdogan dropped his complaint against them. An attorney for the president told Turkish newspaper HaberTurk on Thursday, "The two sides came to an agreement after the two kids memorized the national anthem and apologized to our president."
Sarah McLaughlin, an advocate for campus free speech group FIRE, tweeted out a link to The Monitor's story and wrote, "Just when you think Erdogan cannot become any more of a thin-skinned dictatorial creep, he finds a way. Just incredible."
Anything else?
Erdogan is known for being unable to let it go when he feels insulted.
The Turkish president is seeking the extradition of NBA player Enes Kanter — a Turkish national who plays for the New York Knicks — on charges of alleged connections to a terrorist organization because of his connection to exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Erdogan has accused of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt against him.
Kanter and Gulen are both outspoken critics of Erdogan, and both vehemently deny the charges against them.
American pastor Andrew Brunson was arrested and jailed along with a swarm of other people in Turkey following the 2016 coup, on what he says were completely fabricated charges.
Prior to Erdogan taking office, the role of the Turkish president was largely ceremonial, but he has continued to amass greater power despite — and in reaction to — the coup attempted against him.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Lawyer argues that his $220,000 student loan debt is so huge he shouldn't have to repay it — and a j

Lawyer argues that his $220,000 student loan debt is so huge he shouldn't have to repay it — and a judge agrees

Lawyer argues that his $ 220,000 student loan debt is so huge he should n't have to repay it — @ @ @ @ @ case could make it easier for other student loan debtors to dismiss their debt

A lawyer argued in court that his $220,000 student loan debt was so massive that he shouldn't be expected to pay it back, and a bankruptcy court judge agreed.
Navy veteran Kevin J. Rosenberg argued that the debt constituted an undue financial hardship because at the time of the filing, his annual salary was $37,600, and he would not be able to make payments to lessen his debt.
Rosenberg borrowed $116,500 to obtain a bachelor's degree and also a legal degree.
But by 2018 when he filed for bankruptcy, the amount had ballooned to $221,400 including the interest charges.
Judge Cecilia G. Morris in New York bankruptcy court ruled in his favor and said he did not have to pay the massive debt.
She said that banks had been misinterpreting a rule for dismissing debts, and that she would rule against that interpretation.
"This Court will not participate in perpetuating these myths," Morris said in her ruling.
The company holding the loan argued that he had not met the test for dismissal because he did not make a living as an attorney and thereby did not make use of the education that he paid with those loans.
Student loan debt has become a key political issue, with many politicians on the left promising to dismiss the loans, while critics have bemoaned the massive price tag that such a policy would incur.
Others argue that such a policy would mostly benefit those who are already socio-economically privileged.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Iranian national armed with knives, pickaxe, machete arrested near Mar-a-Lago

The man also had $ 22,000 cash on him

An Iranian national was arrested by police in Palm Beach a few miles from President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort Friday morning, and authorities say the man was armed with several knives, a pickaxe, and a machete.
What are the details?
Masoud Yareioeill Zoleh was detained after Palm Beach Police responded to a call at around 9:30 a.m and found the man on the Flagler Memorial Bridge roughly four miles north of the president's frequent weekend getaway.
According to The Palm Beach Post, authorities did not disclose the details of the call they received, but told WFOR-TV Zoleh was "suspicious" without elaborating.
Zoleh was also carrying $22,000 in U.S. currency, and investigators discovered he had a car parked at Palm Beach International Airport. The Daily Mail reported that bomb squads were called in to search the vehicle.
While the Palm Beach Police Department is currently leading the investigation, federal authorities are involved and the FBI confirmed it has been notified.
Zoleh was charged with carrying concealed weapons, and the Washington Examiner reported that he has been given a notice to appear in court.
Anything else?
Zoleh's arrest comes a week after President Donald Trump ordered an airstrike that killed Iranian general and known terrorist Qassem Soleimani. At Soleimani's funeral, one eulogist suggested Iranians band together and offer an $80 million reward for assassinating President Trump.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Top pro-Iran militia leader is shot dead in Iraq

A leading pro-Iran militia commander has been killed in Iraq, according to the Daily Mail.
Taleb Abbas Ali al-Saedi, a high-level leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces, was shot dead on Saturday in Karbala, a city about 60 miles southwest of Baghdad, the British news outlet reported. The identities of the gunmen are unknown.
Local Iraqi media claim that al-Saedi was "assassinated" by unknown shooters. No further details about the gunmen were available. He was said to be the leader of the Karbala Brigades, which is a part of the Iran-backed Shiite PMF umbrella group.
The Twitter account Aurora Intel said that reports claim Al-Saedi and two of his companions were killed during the shooting by anonymous gunmen.
A bloody week in the region
The attack against al-Saedi comes after members of the PMF were killed in an airstrike last week, following the U.S. military taking out Iranian terrorist Qassem Soleimani. Iran later retaliated for the killing of Soleimani by launching a dozen missiles at two Iraqi bases housing American troops; however, no Americans were harmed.
Meanwhile, Iran admitted on Sunday to "unintentionally" shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet with 176 innocent civilians on board hours after attacking the military bases with U.S. soldiers. All of the passengers died.
The country's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, blamed the United States for the downing of the commercial plane.
"A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces: Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster," Zarif said.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Powerful videos show angry Iranian protesters flood streets of Tehran over downed jet: 'Death to the

Powerful videos show angry Iranian protesters flood streets of Tehran over downed jet: 'Death to the dictator'

Powerful videos show angry Iranian protesters flood streets of Tehran over downed jet : 'Death to the dictator' Iran is @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian passenger jet

Enraged protesters flooded the streets of Tehran on Saturday and demanded that Ayatollah Khamenei step down as supreme leader of Iran after the Iranian government admitted its armed forces shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 people on board.
Video posted to social media showed protesters shout "death to liars," "death to the Islamic Republic," "Soleimani was a murderer, his leader is also a murderer," among other chants.
According to Reuters, the protesters also chanted, "Death to the dictator," a direct reference to Ayatollah Khamenei.
The protests reportedly began as vigils for the victims of PS752, but quickly descended into anti-government demonstrations.
The protests came the same day that Iran admitted that the Iranian Armed Forces shot down the passenger jet using surface-to-air missiles.
For days, the Iranian government claimed the plane crashed due to mechanical error. However, American intelligence disputed the claims, forcing the Iranian government to admit that it shot down the Ukrainian flight.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded an apology and compensation from Iran.
"Iran has pleaded guilty to downing the Ukrainian plane. But we insist on a full admission of guilt," Zelensky said Saturday. "We expect from Iran assurances of their readiness for a full and open investigation, bringing those responsible to justice, the return of the bodies of the dead, the payment of compensation, official apologies through diplomatic channels."
President Donald Trump also spoke directly to protesters on Saturday, posting a message to Twitter in Persian, the native language of Iranians.
The message reads in English, "To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I've stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage."


theblaze--2020-01-11--Gwyneth Paltrow is selling a candle she says smells like her vagina

Gwyneth Paltrow is selling a candle she says smells like her vagina It costs $ 75 and sold-out within hours

Ever wanted to get to know Gwyneth Paltrow a little better? Here's your chance.
The 47-year-old actress and entrepreneur has created a candle she says smells like her vagina. No, we're not kidding.
According to Fox News, for $75, you can buy the candle, fittingly named "This Smells Like My Vagina." Her beauty and lifestyle brand, Goop, says that the candle (and presumably Paltrow's private parts) smell like a "blend of geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolutes juxtaposed with Damask rose and ambrette seed." Interesting.
It started out as a joke
"This candle started as a joke between perfumer Douglas Little and GP -- the two were working on a fragrance, and she blurted out, 'Uhhh ... this smells like a vagina' -- but evolved into a funny, gorgeous, sexy, and beautifully unexpected scent," a product description of the candle reads.
Apparently, vaginas are a common theme for Paltrow and Goop. Last week, Twitter users mocked a promotion for her new Netflix series featuring the star emerging from what many said looked like a vagina.
"'[I]n gwyneth paltrow's new show, she is shrunk down like a blonde Miss Frizzle in the Magic School Bus, and every episode goes into a different vagina to leave jade eggs, crystals, and healing energies' that's the impression i'm getting from this poster," wrote one user.
The $75 candle sold-out
Although the vaginal-scented candle may have started out as a joke, Paltrow is getting the last laugh. The $75 candle is reported to have sold-out within hours.
Perfurmer Douglas Little is said to be the candle's creator. "I love natural perfume materials because of their wonderfully raw aspects: I want to smell traces of the plant's origin, elements of the soil, bits of the leaves and stems," Little said, according to Goop.
This is also not the first time that Paltrow makes news with her private parts. In 2016, the actress famously declared she regularly "steams" her vagina.
"The first time I tried V-steaming, I was like, this is insane," Paltrow told The Cut. "My friend Ben brought me and I was like, 'You are out of your f—– mind. What is this?' But then by the end of it I was like, 'This is so great.' Then I start to do research, and it's been in Korean medicine for thousands of years and there are real healing properties."
This story has been updated


theblaze--2020-01-11--Controversy erupts over 'Jeopardy' answer declaring famous church in Bethlehem is located in Israel

Controversy erupts over 'Jeopardy ' answer declaring famous church in Bethlehem is located in Israel

Game show "Jeopardy" was sharply criticized Friday evening after the answer to a question identified a famous church in Bethlehem as being located in Israel.
The final question of the night's first round came under the category, "Where's that Church?" The clue stated, "Built in the 300s A.D., the Church of the Nativity."
Contestant Katie Needle first answered, telling host Alex Trebek, "What is Palestine?" But Trebek told Needle her answer was incorrect. Contestant Jack McGuire then followed up, telling Trebek, "What is Israel?" McGuire's answer was the correct answer, Trebek declared.
In response, "Jeopardy" was slammed on social media because Bethlehem, the city where the Church of the Nativity is located, is technically under control of the Palestinian Authority.
Indeed, both the Church of the Nativity and the city of Bethlehem are under the direct control of the Palestinian Authority since the signing of the Oslo II Accords in 1995. However, Israel maintains total control over access points to popular tourist areas in the West Bank, including Bethlehem.


theblaze--2020-01-11--VIDEO COMPILATION: This week in 'Democrats Say'

VIDEO COMPILATION : This week in 'Democrats Say' A recap of this weeks most cringeworthy Democrat moments caught on camera

On Friday's episode of "Steve Deace Show," Steve released the first 2020 edition of "Democrats Say," a weekly video compilation of cringeworthy moments captured on camera and features Democrats saying dumb things.
In this installment, the video began with clips of progressive mainstream media talking heads and Democrats losing their minds over the take down of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani. Later, the video concludeds with Speaker Nancy Pelosi making a self-righteous and cringeworthy clim.
Watch the video below for more.
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theblaze--2020-01-11--Financial records show Joe Biden has made millions since leaving office. How did he do it?

Financial records show Joe Biden has made millions since leaving office .
How did he do it ?

Middle-class Joe, no mo'...
Joe Biden once described himself as the poorest man in the United States Senate, but financial records now paint a very different picture. In the two years following leaving office as vice president to Barack Obama, Biden and his wife made $15 million, according to a report published this summer in the Washington Free Beacon.
According to the Free Beacon, Joe and Jill Biden's income totaled approximately $390,000 by the end of the Obama administration. However, by the end of 2018, the Bidens' tax return reported an adjusted gross income of almost $4.6 million, a step down from the $11 million the couple made in 2017. The two are said to have a net worth of approximately $9 million, according to Forbes.
The focus on Biden's finances come as news of his son Hunter Biden's questionable business dealings in Ukraine have become public knowledge. The younger Biden served on the board of Burisma, an energy company that Ukrainian prosecutors suspected was engaged in fraudulent activity. Hunter Biden had no energy industry experience prior to accepting the position where he was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.
How did they do it?
In an article published this week, Business Insider detailed how the Bidens made their wealth.
In his last year in the Senate, Biden's salary was $169,000. Thereafter, his tenure as vice president from 2009 to 2017 gave him a 30 percent raise, earning an average of $225,000 per year. Joe and Jill Biden also earned about $500,000 in pensions and social security benefits during those eight years.
Since leaving the vice presidency, Biden has made hundreds of thousands of dollars from books and speaking fees, and has even amassed a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio.
Biden invested in second and third homes after leaving office, including the purchase of a lavish $2.7 million beach-front 4,800 square-foot house in Delaware. He also rents a 12,000 square foot five bedroom, ten bathroom home in McLean, Virginia.
Millions in speaking fees and royalties
Biden made a significant amount of money from his 2017 book, "Promise Me, Dad," about his relationship with another son, Beau Biden, who died of cancer. Biden's financial disclosure forms showed he made between $8,000 to $90,000 per stop on his book tour. The Free Beacon noted that the former vice president charged $234,000 for a "VIP appearance" stop on his book tour.
According to Forbes, the sales from the book book resulted in $1.8 million for the Bidens. Additional public speaking engagements contributed $2.4 million to the couple's net worth. CNBC also reported that Biden was paid $190,000 for a March 2018 lecture at Drew University in New Jersey.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Ricky Gervais fires back at angry liberals for intolerant reaction to support from Christians, conse

Ricky Gervais fires back at angry liberals for intolerant reaction to support from Christians, conservatives

Ricky Gervais fires back at angry liberals for intolerant reaction to support from Christians , conservatives 'It 's what Jesus @ @ @

Comedian Ricky Gervais fired back at critics who are upset that he is accepting support from Christians and conservatives.
"I've noticed a couple of tweets criticising me for 'accepting' new followers who are the 'opposite' of me. Christian, conservative, pro life, pro gun, reactionaries," Gervais tweeted Friday. "Of course I accept them. To err is human, to forgive divine. It's what Jesus would do. Dog Bless all my followers."
Gervais added, "If you don't believe in free speech for people who you disagree with, and even hate for what they stand for, then you don't believe in free speech."
Gervais generated a mountain of buzz online this week after calling out the hypocrisy of Hollywood while hosting the Golden Globes on Sunday.
"You say you're woke but the companies you work for...Apple, Amazon, Disney...if ISIS started a streaming service you'd call your agent, wouldn't you?" Gervais told the A-list crowd.
After being criticized by those who normally support him, Gervais responded on social media, "How the f**k can teasing huge corporations, and the richest, most privileged people in the world be considered right wing?"
Gervais has gained more than half a million online followers since hosting the Golden Globes, he said Friday, indicating that, despite criticism liberals and Hollywood, his monologue deeply resonated with Americans nationwide.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Confused Joe Biden claims there's a border between Venezuela and Bolivia, which are 700 miles apart

Confused Joe Biden claims there 's a border between Venezuela and Bolivia , which are 700 miles apart Bolivia is @ @ @ @

In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Joe Biden lamented the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. The 77 year-old former vice president described President Donald Trump's foreign policy toward the region as "irresponsible" to the newspaper's editorial board.
"Look what's going on in Venezuela right now...millions of people are crossing the border destabilizing Bolivia," he said.
There's only one problem: There is no border between Bolivia and Venezuela, two countries that are separated by 700 miles of Brazilian rain forests.
It's unclear which country Biden was referring to: while the situation in Venezuela has triggered a humanitarian crisis in the region, as the Washington Examiner noted, Peru and Colombia have absorbed most Venezuelan refugees, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Tweeted by the Washington Examiner
The United Nations has reported that over 4 million Venezuelans have fled their country since it became a failed socialist state, resulting in one of the world's biggest recent displacement crises.
"There has been an 8,000 per cent increase in the number of Venezuelans seeking refugee status worldwide since 2014, principally in the Americas," the UN Refugee Agency said in a fact sheet.
No, the Obama administration did not 'stabilize' Venezuela
Biden's comments seem to imply that the situation in Venezuela was stable during his tenure as vice president, but facts show otherwise.
By early 2014, the country was in free fall as the economy was collapsing, violent gangs has seized control of cities, and hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans were forced to flee. CNN reported at the time:
Nationwide student protests started this month. On February 12, the demonstrations attracted global attention when three people were killed. Demonstrators are demanding better security, an end to goods shortages and protected freedom of speech. Major social and economic problems have fueled the protests. But as the demonstrations gained steam, officials have pointed fingers at other factors and accused the United States of plotting to destabilize the government.
In fact, the Obama-Biden Treasury Department imposed targeted sanctions aimed at a handful of Venezuelan officials.
Obama overlooked "deep trouble" in Venezuela
Despite the limited sanctions, the Obama administration was heavily criticized for largely ignoring Venezuela. As the Washington Post's Jackson Diehl has noted, one of the byproducts of the former president's opening toward Cuba was that it took its eye off the crisis in Venezuela, a major ally and sponsor of the communist regime in Havana.
"Oddly, the only discernible policy the Obama administration has toward this unfolding implosion [in Veneuzlea] is the one it just repudiated for Cuba: sanctions," Diehl wrote in January 2015.
"Now the region's big governments, like the White House, focus on the political rehabilitation of Cuba while ignoring the situation in Caracas," he added.


theblaze--2020-01-11--VIDEO: Trump reveals terrifying new details of Soleimani's plans: More attacks were 'imminent'

VIDEO : Trump reveals terrifying new details of Soleimani 's plans : More attacks were 'imminent' The Iranian terrorist was @ @ @

In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, President Donald Trump revealed new details about Iranian terrorist Qassem Soleimani's plots targeting Americans and U.S. interests in the Middle East.
Ingraham asked Trump whether the American people should have more information on the intelligence that convinced military leaders that Iran's top terror mastermind had to be taken out after his followers targeted the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
"Did he have large-scale attacks planned for other embassies?" Ingraham asked, adding, "and if those were planned, why can't we reveal that to the American people? Wouldn't that help your case?"
"I can reveal that I believe it would have been four embassies and that Baghdad had already started," the commander in chief responded.
Trump first revealed that Soleimani was planning to target four embassies on Thursday, a claim that was confirmed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to the BBC.
"We had specific information on an imminent threat and those included attacks on US embassies. Period, full stop," Pompeo said as he announced new sanctions against Iran.
Soleimani directed attacks on America for years
As TheBlaze reported, violent protesters and members of an Iran-backed militia under Soleimani's command surrounded the United States Embassy in Baghdad in a "siege" against the compound on Dec. 31. The attack came after Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iranian-aligned militia, killing an American contractor during a rocket attack on a U.S. military base in late December.
At the time, the U.S. responded with a series of strikes on Kataeb Hezbollah assets, according to Fox News. The strikes killed at least two dozen Kataeb Hezbollah fighters. In response, several hundred protesters stormed the U.S. embassy and even managed to breach a security entrance.
At least one of the terrorists who attacked the U.S. embassy in Baghdad wrote on a wall that the group was with Soleimani.
Trump praised U.S. response
In his interview with Ingraham, the president said he ordered the military to protect the embassy in Baghdad as quickly as possible.
"We're not going to have another Benghazi on our hands. We did a really amazing job but get no credit for it. We never get credit for anything and that's okay," Trump said.
Trump also said he ordered the killing of Soleimani after it was clear he was planning additional attacks, information he was reluctant to share with Democrats who would leak it to the media.
"They leak. Anything we give will be leaked immediately," the president said.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Iran's foreign minister echoes Dem talking points in shifting blame for passenger jet shot down by I

Iran's foreign minister echoes Dem talking points in shifting blame for passenger jet shot down by Iran

Iran 's foreign minister echoes Dem talking points in shifting blame for passenger jet shot down by Iran

Iran finally admitted late Friday that it is responsible for the Ukrainian passenger jet that crashed outside Tehran on Wednesday after American intelligence indicated that an Iranian missile targeted the plane, killing all 176 on board.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif later took to social media to regurgitate the talking points of some Democrats this week, shifting blame for the downed airliner onto the United States.
"A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces: Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster," Zarif said.
The claim echoes allegations made this week by many of President Donald Trump's political opponents that Trump is ultimately responsible for the downed plane because he provoked Iran by authorizing the airstrike that killed Qassem Soleimani, Iran's chief terrorism architect.
On Friday, Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier (Calif.) claimed the downed jet "is yet another example of collateral damage from the actions that have been taken in a provocative way by the president of the United States."
Meanwhile, Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg said, "Innocent civilians are now dead because they were caught in the middle of an unnecessary and unwanted military tit for tat."
The Associated Press even got in on the blame shifting in a story about Canadians grieving the loss of their countrymen in the downed plane.
The AP later updated its headline and story after outrage circulated on social media.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Key Republican is working with 'small group' of GOP senators to ensure witnesses at Trump's Senate t

Key Republican is working with 'small group' of GOP senators to ensure witnesses at Trump's Senate trial

Key Republican is working with 'small group ' of GOP senators to ensure witnesses at Trump 's Senate trial 'We @ @ @ @ @ calling witnesses '

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), one of the Republican Party's most moderate lawmakers, confirmed Friday that she is working with a "fairly small group" of Republican senators to ensure that witnesses will be called at President Donald Trump's impeachment trial.
"We should be completely open to calling witnesses," she said, the Bangor Daily News reported.
Collins said both Trump's lawyers and House impeachment managers should be allowed to call witnesses in the upcoming trial.
However, Collins, who is up for re-election later this year, declined to say how many Republicans are included in the discussions.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said last month that he is working in "total cooperation" with the White House in the trial, has indicated that he will follow the trial model used during former President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial, NBC News reported.
From NBC News:
In that case, the two sides made opening arguments and took questions from senators before there was a motion to either dismiss the case or hear from witnesses. In the Clinton case, the motion to dismiss failed, and senators wound up taking videotaped depositions of three witnesses, portions of which were played at the trial.
Collins has criticized McConnell for his apparent lack of impartiality.
Democrats begin impeachment trial negotiations by sending McConnell a partial list of witnesses they sought to call, including John Bolton and Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff. McConnell, however, quickly dismissed the requests.
Bolton, however, said this week that he would testify if called upon.
It is not yet clear when Trump's impeachment trial will begin, though it could start as early as next week.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ended her stalemate with Republicans on Friday, announcing that she would transfer two articles of impeachment — one for abuse of power and another for obstruction of Congress — to the Senate next week.


theblaze--2020-01-11--Fearless predictions: Gazing into the crystal ball for 2020

Fearless predictions : Gazing into the crystal ball for 2020

Each year, I like to go on the record with my top 10 predictions for what some of the big stories will be in the new year. You can click hereto go back and read what predictions I made 12 months ago for 2019.
10. The Kansas City Chiefs will win the Super Bowl.
Tom Brady is the only player to ever beat the infamous Madden cover jinx – Pat Mahomes is about to become the second. Mahomes will overcome the jinx, as well as early-season injuries, to lead Kansas City to its first Super Bowl win since the first one after the AFL-NFL merger more than 50 years ago. Mahomes will also finally help his genius head coach, Andy Reid, check the final box on his otherwise sterling career coaching resume.
9. Soul will be the No.1 grossing movie at the domestic box office.
2020 is a year with no absolute bankable No.1 franchise making a return to the box office, with the possible exception of the anticipated Wonder Woman sequel. But if there's a bankable brand at the movies, it's Disney's Pixar. The brilliant animation studio has had the Midas touch for more than two decades, and its next release seems perfectly-timed to tap into a zeitgeist craving meta stories with existential themes.
8. Four different people will win the first four states in the Democrat presidential primary to set off a free-for-all for the nomination.
This has never happened before, but if we've learned anything the past few years it's that it's time to throw the norms out the window. For months now, former Vice President Joe Biden has been polling much better nationally than he has in the early states. The Democrat base seems united on its primary desire for a nominee – someone who can beat Trump. But it doesn't seem to be settled on whom the best person is for that job. So I think Pete Buttigieg wins Iowa, Bernie Sanders wins New Hampshire, Elizabeth Warren claims Nevada, and then Biden's black-voter firewall saves him in South Carolina.
7. For the first time since Kennedy-Carter in 1980 there will be a truly brokered convention.
Not since Senator Ted Kennedy went all the way to the end in his 1980 battle with President Jimmy Carter has there been a brokered convention in American politics. That's going to change in 2020, especially if my previous prediction comes to pass.
6. A move will be made to nominate Michelle Obama as a compromise candidate for president at the brokered Democrat convention, which she will turn down.
Faction within the Democrat Party as well as the media (but I repeat myself) will attempt to come out of their brokered convention in Milwaukee with a dream compromise candidate – former First Lady Michelle Obama. However, she will decline to be a candidate before there's a formal vote.
5. The Democrats will nominate Bernie Sanders for president at their brokered convention.
There's two ways to win at a brokered convention: either be the top second-choice folks can settle on, or the triumph of the will. With no clear second choice in their midst, either, the Democrat Party will complete its full immersion into the spirit of the age by giving way to Bernie Sanders and his Soviet-style mobocracy. When there is no unifying figure, go with the one with the most-devoted following. Besides, the American Left has been obsessed with following in the footsteps of the European Left for years, so it seems only fitting for the Democrats to nominate their own Jeremy Corbyn.
4. Sanders will name Nevada U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto his running mate.
Conventional wisdom would say Sanders must pick a running mate who satisfies more moderate elements in the Democrat Party. But if you're Bernie, you didn't stubbornly stay on the wrong side of history all these years to show restraint now that you're king of the hill. Instead, Sanders opts to improve his intersectionality street cred by naming the first Latina U.S. Senator as his running mate.
3. Sensing the Democrat Party is in disarray and unable to count on it to win at the ballot box, the so-called "deep state" will go all-in to do whatever it takes to stop Donald Trump from winning re-election – including unprecedented disruptions of our foreign policy and economy.
I think this will include everything we've seen the past two years, except now on full tilt. For example, instead of classified intel leaks to partisan media, these will be open and blatant attempts to undo American foreign policy that lifelong bureaucrats will proudly put their names upon. And I wouldn't even be surprised if the Federal Reserve tried to tank the economy in the third quarter if it doesn't slow down all on its own.
2. Iran and North Korea will form a formal strategic alliance whose primary intent is to destabilize U.S. foreign policy across the globe.
And they will commit their first coordinated acts of aggression before the election as well, timed purposely to try and alter the outcome of the presidential race.
1. Donald Trump will be re-elected president with more popular votes and electoral college votes than he won the last time.
Historically, incumbent U.S. presidents win re-election about 70% of the time. So the odds are already in Trump's favor just by sheer precedent. Only once, though, has a president been re-elected with fewer popular and electoral college votes than he was originally elected with (other than during WWI and WWII) and that was Barack Obama in 2012. The nomination of Sanders proves to be too far out of the American mainstream for most voters, so Trump adds states like Minnesota and Colorado to his 2016 coalition.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Climate activist calls for the extinction of the human race

Climate activist calls for the extinction of the human race 'With us gone , other species will have a chance @ @ @

Les Knight, a climate activist in Portland, Oregon, has a novel solution for improving the environment: eradicate the human race.
In an article in the UK's The Guardian newspaper, Knight detailed his five-decade long journey of advocating for an end to mankind.
Fifty years ago, I concluded that the best thing for the planet would be a peaceful phase-out of human existence. We're causing the extinction of hundreds of thousands of other species. With us gone, I believe ecosystems will be restored and there will be enough of everything. No more fighting over resources.
Surprised, Knight conceded his idea "wasn't as well received" as he hoped. Still, the climate activist said he led by example and voluntarily had himself sterilized in the 1970s.
"At 25, I wanted to show I was serious. A medical school gave me a discounted vasectomy in exchange for being a student doctor's first try at the procedure, which was successful," he wrote.
The Voluntary Human Extinction Project
Then, in 1980, Knight settled in Portland where he founded the Voluntary Human Extinction Project. "Our message is simple," he wrote, "we encourage people to stop procreating so the biosphere might return to its former glory, and everyone already here will be able to live life more abundantly."
Knight says his organization has a global presence. "We have active volunteers across the world, from India to Mexico," he wrote while lamenting how his vasectomy has limited his dating life.
"In my own relationships, I've always explained that pregnancy is impossible," Knight said. "Marriage never made sense to me anyway: I would have missed getting to know many wonderful women had I stuck with one."
Attacks capitalism, says it will be a "magnificent world" without humans
The climate activist said that couples limiting themselves to just one child is not good enough. "Procreation today is the moral equivalent of selling berths on a sinking ship," he wrote.
Knight said his motivations have also changed. "I was a deep ecologist at first, caring more about our impact on the ecosphere than human needs," but now the Portland-based activist's concerns extend beyond the environment.
"I've become more concerned about any new humans being brought into existence," he declared. "It's true that society would be greatly diminished without children, but it isn't right to create them just because we like having them around."
Unsurprisingly, Knight also attacked American capitalism. "We don't need to breed more wage slaves to prop up an obsolete system," he wrote, concluding the world will be a better place without human beings.
"If we go extinct, other species will have a chance to recover. I'll never see the day when there are no humans on the planet, but I can imagine what a magnificent world it would be – provided we go soon enough," he said.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Just two days on the job, San Fran's new socialist DA fires 7 tough-on-crime prosecutors

Just two days on the job , San Fran 's new socialist DA fires 7 tough-on-crime prosecutors Boudin has been @ @ @ @ @ of sorts ' by sheriff deputies

Progressives and neo-Marxists across the country blushed at the thought of San Francisco having an unabashed socialist as district attorney who pledged to radically reshape the city's criminal justice practices.
Just two days on the job, Chesa Boudin is delivering on what he promised: the Bay Area's new D.A. has fired seven prosecutors, many of them seasoned veterans who have worked to get violent criminals off the streets.
"I had to make difficult staffing decisions today in order to put in place a management team that will help me accomplish the work I committed to do for San Francisco," Boudin said in a statement to KPIX-TV.
A top prosecutor known for defending domestic violence victims was fired
Among those fired on Friday was Mike Swart, who worked for 10 years as an attorney in the San Francisco D.A.'s homicide unit. Swart was a well-respected prosecutor who helped bring to justice the killer of Pearla Ann Louis, a woman who was murdered and stuffed into a suitcase.
Louis' daughter told NBC San Francisco that she was "appalled" by Boudin's decision to terminate Swart.
"This is a blow to the judicial system," Ayesha Louis said. "I'm appalled he would be fired," she added while noting that Swart had been "promoted after my mom's trial." In 2017, the Commission on the Status of Women of the City & County of San Francisco recognized Swart for his "skillful presentation of the facts" in the trial that resulted in a guilty verdict.
Other prosecutors who were terminated included: Linda Allen, managing attorney; Ana Gonzalez, head of the gang unit; and four trial attorneys with significant experience.
"What's strange is that these people aren't being moved, they're not being demoted, they're being fired and they're being told that essentially their services have no use in the office anymore," Tony Brass, a former assistant D.A. who was critical of the terminations, told CBS San Francisco. "I've worked with these people both as a co-worker and as an opponent."
Deputy Sheriffs: Boudin is a 'communist radical of sorts'
NBC News noted in December that Boudin was called a "communist radical of sorts" by the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs' Association during his campaign. As TheBlaze has reported, Chesa Boudin ran as a progressive prosecutor and has a long sordid history of far-left activism and ties to Marxists, including having once worked for late Venezuelan ruler Hugo Chavez.
Boudin's candidacy was acclaimed by American socialists, including the magazine Jacobin, which described him as "the child of revolutionaries." In an interview, Boudin described Weather Underground bomber Bill Ayers and his wife Bernardine Dohrn, who the FBI once added to its "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list, as his "adoptive parents."
His campaign was supported by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and anti-Israel activist Linda Sarsour, who said she cried tears of joy upon learning of his election victory.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Obama's campaign manager explains why running against Bernie Sanders would be great for Trump in 202

Obama's campaign manager explains why running against Bernie Sanders would be great for Trump in 2020

Obama 's campaign manager explains why running against Bernie Sanders would be great for Trump in 2020 'Socialism is not @ @ @ @ @ are going to want to defend '

Jim Messina, who managed Barack Obama's 2012 campaign, revealed in an interview over the weekend that Bernie Sanders winning the Democratic presidential nomination would be welcomed news for President Donald Trump.
"If I were a campaign manager for Donald Trump and I look at the field, I would very much want to run against Bernie Sanders," Messina told Politico.
"I think the contrast is the best. He can say, 'I'm a business guy, the economy's good and this guy's a socialist.' I think that contrast for Trump is likely one that he'd be excited about in a way that he wouldn't be as excited about Biden or potentially Mayor Pete or some of the more Midwestern moderate candidates," he explained.
"From a general election perspective, socialism is not going to be what Democrats are going to want to defend," Messina went on to say. "If you're the Democratic nominee for the Montana Senate race, you don't want to spend the election talking about socialism."
Messina's comments come as Sanders' campaign continues to surge just weeks before the Iowa caucuses. The latest Des Moines Register/CNN poll, in fact, found that Sanders is now leading in Iowa.
However, Sanders still trails Joe Biden nationally, according to RealClearPolitics.
Despite voicing concerns about Sanders' general election viability, Messina is not endorsing a Democrat in the 2020 contest, Politico reported.
In response to Messina's comments, Sanders's communications director Mike Casca hit back hard.
"If he spent less time in boardrooms courting CEOs, he would witness the incredible energy generated by Bernie's campaign, which has more than 5 million individual donations — the all-time record for a presidential candidate at this point in the race," Casca told Politico. "But please do make sure Jim gives our best to his dear friend Theresa May."


theblaze--2020-01-12--Top House Republican believes Nancy Pelosi withheld impeachment articles for nefarious reasons

'And what this does is , this benefits Joe Biden '

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said on Fox News Sunday that he believes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has withheld the approved articles of impeachment from the Senate for nefarious reasons.
Speaking with host Maria Bartiromo on "Sunday Morning Futures," McCarthy said the "dirty little secret" about Pelosi delaying the articles is that she has done so in order to boost Joe Biden's presidential campaign and hurt Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose campaign is gaining momentum by the day.
"The Iowa caucus is on Feb. 3. Bernie Sanders is in first place. And what this does is, this benefits Joe Biden," McCarthy said.
"This harms Senator Sanders, who is in first place and could become their nominee, because he will be stuck in a chair, because Nancy Pelosi held the papers, different than what she said to the American public why she had to move so urgently," he continued.
"She told the American public it was urgent. She had to move so fast. The only reason why she should be — that she is doing this that no one is talking about — it is harming Bernie Sanders, the senator, who has been coming into first place, who could win Iowa and propel himself to be the nominee," McCarthy explained. "It's the exact same thing they did to him four years ago."
McCarthy: Pelosi delayed articles to give Biden an edge in 2020 primaries www.youtube.com
Indeed, a new Des Moines Register/CNN poll revealed last week that Sanders has taken the lead in Iowa with less than one month before the Iowa caucuses.
Despite his campaign's surge, however, Sanders still trails Biden nationally, according to RealClearPolitics.
Pelosi announced last week that she would transfer the two approved articles of impeachment — one for abuse of power and another for obstruction of Congress — to the Senate this week, meaning President Donald Trump's impeachment trial could begin within days.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Facebook suspends pastor for post criticizing Iran

He says this is the latest example of social media bias

A Christian pastor says Facebook suspended his account for three days over a simple post meant to criticize Iran and their homophobic policies.
Pastor Ken Peters of Covenant Church in Spokane, Washington, tweeted about the suspension from his social media account.
"Facebook said I was making the LGBTQ less than human with this post: 'The LGBTQ supporting Iran, is like chickens supporting KFC,'" he tweeted.
In an exclusive statement to TheBlaze, Peters explained his rationale behind the post that got his account suspended.
"My post was in no way hateful. I was making the point that totalitarian Muslims in Iran persecute and execute LGBTQ people. On the other hand Freedom loving Christians in America disagree with their immorality, but would never hurt them," Peters said.
"It is strange and ironic that the LGBTQ community would take the side of those who would murder them if they could," he concluded.
Facebook has been under heightened scrutiny over accusations that their algorithm unfairly screens out some social media posts based on political bias.
Peters made headlines when he founded "the Church at Planned Parenthood," which holds services outside an office of the abortion services provider.
Here's more about bias claims against Facebook:


theblaze--2020-01-12--Video: Thousands of pro-life activists rally for an end to late-term abortions

Video : Thousands of pro-life activists rally for an end to late-term abortions Initiative 120 would outlaw abortions after 22 @ @ @

Thousands of pro-life activists marched in two major U.S. cities, Denver and Chicago, on Saturday calling for an end to abortion. The marches are part of a nation-wide effort to build awareness around the more than 700,000 abortion procedures carried out each year that result in the deaths of unborn children, along with calls for state legislatures to enact policies that protect human life.
In the "Mile High City," approximately 8,000 people gathered for the Celebrate Life rally on the steps of the Colorado state capitol. This year, the speakers and attendees calls for the state legislature to pass Initiative 120, which would ban late-term abortions in Colorado, defined as abortions occurring after 22 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for the life of the mother.
The supporters of the initiative must turn in 124,632 valid signatures by March 4 to qualify for the November ballot.
'We respect life, and we respect it for all the pregnancy'
Among the speakers at the rally was Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of the Archdiocese of Denver, who told the crowd about his time working in a hospital as a college student where he saw fetuses after abortions had been performed. Aquila said the experience changed his life.
"It is tragic and I remember being stunned," he said, according to Colorado Public Radio. "Only persons whose consciousnesses are dead, who have no conscience, can participate in such things."
Archbishop Aquila told the attendees about a particular abortion procedure that still impacted him even decades later. "I can still remember the horror on the young woman's face when she saw the broken body come out of her."
Referring to Initiative 120, the Catholic archbishop assured attendees of the rally that it does not amount to an endorsement of abortion during earlier stages of a pregnancy.
"But we also desire to protect, even in increments, the gift of given life. We are not voting for abortion, nor are we saying we agree with abortion up to 22 weeks. What we are saying, is that we respect life, and we respect it for all the pregnancy," Aquila said.
"We hope in November 2020 you and the citizens of Colorado will have the chance to protect unborn children, mothers, and fathers," he added.
'Civil rights begin in the womb'
Denver's Celebrate Life Rally and March Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Colorado became the first state to allow abortion in limited instances in 1967. According to CPR, the state does not have any restrictions on when women can have abortions. According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, a pro-life research group, in 2018 there were 323 abortions that occurred in Colorado at 21 weeks or later in a pregnancy.
The attendees carried signs that read, "Civil rights begin in the womb" and "I am the pro-life generation." Others held 6-foot-high images of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Aquila also noted that despite the persecution faced by opponents of abortion, the pro-life movement has to persevere.
"No matter what culture of death we live in, no matter what words of hate are spoken to us, no matter what persecution we experience...have the courage to proclaim the dignity of life from the moment of conception until natural death," he said to applause, Colorado Politics reported.
The rally was organized largely by Respect Life Denver.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Judge hits Florida Democrat with stiff sentence for slapping, spitting on elderly man wearing MAGA h

Judge hits Florida Democrat with stiff sentence for slapping, spitting on elderly man wearing MAGA hat

Judge hits Florida Democrat with stiff sentence for slapping , spitting on elderly man wearing MAGA hat ' I do @ @ @ @ @ 'm going to jail '

A Florida man who was caught on surveillance camera assaulting an elderly man for wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat last October learned last week that he would spend the next several months in jail.
Judge David Morgan sentenced 43-year-old Matthias Ajple, a registered Democrat, to 90 days in jail after finding him guilty of battery against 67-year-old Robert Youngblood. Ajple pleaded no-contest, according to TCPalm.
In addition to his jail sentence, Ajple was ordered to serve one year of supervised probation and pay Youngblood $155 in restitution, some of which will reportedly be used to replace Youngblood's "MAGA" hat.
What happened?
On Oct. 25, Youngblood was with two friends at a local sports bar when Ajple walked over and said, "You should go back to Russia you f***ing communist." As TheBlaze reported, surveillance footage also showed Ajple slap the "MAGA" hat and spit on Youngblood.
Ajple then got in his car and left the scene, but not before Youngblood wrote down the car's license plate number. Police later tracked down Ajple and arrested him.
Ajple reportedly told an arresting sheriff's deputy that he assaulted Youngblood to protect police. "I was just trying to protect you guys because I support law enforcement. Trump supporters are communist and racist. I don't even care that I'm going to jail; this is actually exciting."
Ajple was booked on charges of battery.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Leading conservative intellectual Sir Roger Scruton dies at 75

Scruton was staunchly anti-communist and wrote 50 books during his career

The UK's Sir Roger Scruton, one of the world's most prominent conservative philosophers, writers, and intellectuals of the last century, has died of cancer at the age of 75. Scruton was a formal advisor to the UK's Conservative Party and published around 50 books on politics, morality, and aesthetics throughout his career.
His passing was announced on his official website on Sunday morning:
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Sir Roger Scruton, FBA, FRSL. Beloved husband of Sophie, adored father to Sam and Lucy and treasured brother of Elizabeth and Andrea, he died peacefully on Sunday 12th January. He was born on 27th February 1944 and had been fighting cancer for the last 6 months. His family are hugely proud of him and of all his achievements.
A renowned author, among Scruton's most notable were "The Meaning of Conservatism," (1980), "The Aesthetics of Music" (1997), and "How to be a Conservative" (2014). Scruton was also a political commentator, most notably in publications including The Times, The Spectator, and the New Statesman.
Scruton was also remembered for his anti-communism, including helping to establish underground academic networks in Eastern Europe during the Cold War. For his efforts, Scruton was awarded the Czech Republic's Medal of Merit by President Václav Havel in 1998. In 2016, he was knighted in Buckingham Palace for his "services to philosophy, teaching and public education."
This is a developing story and we will be updating it shortly.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Viral Twitter thread by prominent journalist exposes liberal hypocrisy on Iran protests

'But these same people do n't seem to care to to support their right to protest ? '

Yashar Ali, one of Twitter's most beloved users, called out some of President Donald Trump's opponents in a viral Twitter thread early Sunday.
In a series of tweets that were widely circulated, Ali, who is of Iranian descent, said that some on the left are using the Iranian people "as a tool to attack President Trump."
To back his claims, Ali said that many of "the most active and prominent liberal Twitter accounts" ignored the latest anti-government protests in Iran orchestrated by citizens angry that the Islamic Republic lied about shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet last week.
The protests, Ali went on to say, were an "inconvenient" fact for those who continue to blame Trump for the escalating situation in Iran.
Ali said, "It seems to me the protests were inconvenient for some of these folks today. They were placing the blame on the Iranian leadership who lied repeatedly about what happened. They weren't blaming President Trump...so it wasn't worth it to bring attention to or support them?"
Earlier in his thread, Ali said that Iran "is a tinderbox internally" because Iranians are "furious" with Tehran for lying about what brought down Ukraine International Flight PS752, which resulted in the deaths of all 176 people onboard the plane.
The anti-government protests have continued into Sunday.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Pelosi leaves the door open for new articles of impeachment against President Trump

Pelosi leaves the door open for new articles of impeachment against President Trump The House will submit the articles of @ @ @

Here we go again.
In an interview on Sunday morning, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) left the door open to new articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
Pelosi was asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos, "You said he has violated the constitution again and again. Do you think it's possible the House may have to file new articles of impeachment?"
"Well, let's just see what the Senate does," the Pelosi responded.
Pelosi added, "The ball will be in their court soon, and as I say, the American people have been very fair in saying 'yes, we do want to see witnesses.' That wasn't part of the discussion three weeks ago."
What's happening?
House Democrats impeached Trump on Dec. 18, 2019, alleging the president had engaged in "high crimes and misdemeanors" in his dealings with Ukraine. Democrats approved two articles of impeachment against the president: obstruction of Congress and abuse of power.
The impeachment vote broke along party lines and not a single Republican backed the measures.
The constitutional process for impeachment is that the House sends the approved articles of impeachment to the Senate, which is tasked with conducting a trial to determine whether the president or federal official should be removed from office. Pelosi has yet to formally submit the articles of impeachment to the Senate, though.
Pelosi was said to be holding on to the articles of impeachment to try to influence how the Senate would conduct its trial. However, as TheBlaze's Nate Madden reported, the House Speaker said during a press briefing with reporters on Thursday that she will send them to the Senate "when I'm ready," which "will probably be soon."
Politico reported on Friday that Pelosi will be sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate this week.
"I have asked Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler to be prepared to bring to the Floor next week a resolution to appoint managers and transmit articles of impeachment to the Senate," she said in a letter to House Democrats.
Republicans respond to Pelosi
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said that the Senate cannot hold a trial until the House submits the articles of impeachment. He has also described the notion of Pelosi dictating terms to the Senate as a "fantasy."
Earlier in the week, McConnell announced that Senate Republicans had sufficient votes to agree to "phase one" of a trial without having to accept Democrats' demands on the process.
Reacting to Friday's news, McConnell said on Friday that he was "glad" the articles of impeachment were finally being sent to the Senate.
"We've been anxious to get started ... how many weeks has it been now?" McConnell told reporters. "It's been a long wait, I'm glad it's over."


theblaze--2020-01-12--Trump's support for Iranian protestors breaks a Twitter record, something the MSM 'will not report'

Trump 's support for Iranian protestors breaks a Twitter record , something the MSM 'will not report' The most 'liked @ @ @ @ @ history of Twitter

President Donald Trump expressed his solidarity with Iranian protestors calling for the resignation of Ayatollah Khamenei on Saturday.
As he often does, the president took to Twitter to circumvent the media and speak directly to the people. Only this time, he did so in Farsi, the official language in Iran—and broke a Twitter record in the process. As of the writing of this article, one of his tweets had earned over 300,000 "likes," making it the most "liked" Farsi tweet in history, according to the Washington Examiner.
The other Farsi tweet is at over 223,000 "likes."
Expert: Tweets are something the media 'will not report'
The president's tweets in support of the Iranian people was noticed by Saeed Ghasseminejad, a senior adviser and financial economist at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who remarked the protests were, "A strong show of support by Iranians for Trump's Iran policy, something the MSM does not and will not report."
The nation's commander in chief also tweeted translations in English of his messages to the Iranian people:
To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I've stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage.
In his second Persian tweet, Trump directed his message to the Iranian regime:
The government of Iran must allow human rights groups to monitor and report facts from the ground on the ongoing protests by the Iranian people. There can not be another massacre of peaceful protesters, nor an internet shutdown. The world is watching.
On Sunday morning, America's 45th president warned Iran not to harm its protestors:
Why are Iranians protesting?
As TheBlaze's Chris Enloe reported, protesters took to the streets of Tehran on Saturday and demanded that Ayatollah Khamenei step down as supreme leader of Iran. The protests come after the Iranian government admitted its armed forces "unintentionally" shot down a Ukrainian commercial plane, killing all 176 people on board.
In videos posted on social media, protestors can be seen shouting "death to the Islamic Republic," "death to liars," and "Soleimani was a murder, his leader is also a murderer." Reuters also reported the protestors were chanting "death to the dictator," a direct reference to Khamenei.
Other leaders of the Trump administration have also spoken out in support of the Iranian protestors.
Commenting on Twitter, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday afternoon, "The voice of the Iranian people is clear. They are fed up with the regime's lies, corruption, ineptitude, and brutality of the IRGC under [Khamenei's] kleptocracy."
"We stand with the Iranian people who deserve a better future," Pompeo added.


theblaze--2020-01-12--Iran's only female Olympic medalist announces her defection from Iran in scathing message

Iran 's only female Olympic medalist announces her defection from Iran in scathing message 'The virtue of a woman is @ @ @ @ @ ! '

Kimia Alizadeh, Iran's sole female Olympic medalist, has announced her defection from Iran.
Amid increasing unrest in the Islamic Republic following Tehran's admission that it shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet last week, Alizadeh, who is just 21 years old, posted to her Instagram on Saturday that she has officially defected from Iran.
"Should I start with hello, goodbye, or condolences?" Alizadeh wrote in her native Persian, Agence France-Presse reported.
"They took me wherever they wanted. I wore whatever they said. Every sentence they ordered me to say, I repeated. Whenever they saw fit, they exploited me," she went on to write, CNN reported.
"I wasn't important to them. None of us mattered to them, we were tools," she continued. "The virtue of a woman is not to stretch her legs!"
She also accused the Iranian government of "hypocrisy," "lying," and "injustice," according to AFP.
Alizadeh became the first Iranian woman to win an Olympic medal when she secured the bronze medal in female taekwondo during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Her defection came just one day after the Iranian government admitted responsibility for shooting down Ukrainian International Flight PS752, killing all 176 people on board, including a large contingency of Iranians and Canadians.
It is not yet clear where Alizadeh has defected to. Initial reports indicated that traveled to Europe.


theblaze--2020-01-13--Powerful video shows Iranians demonstrating more respect for the US flag than Colin Kaepernick has

Powerful video shows Iranians demonstrating more respect for the US flag than Colin Kaepernick has Kaepernick was quick to attack @ @ @ @ @ killed Soleimani

As protestors took to the streets of Tehran this weekend calling for the resignation of Ayatollah Khamenei, a video shows thousands of them demonstrating more respect toward the flags of the U.S. and Israeli than, frankly, many Americans, like Colin Kaepernick and others, show to Old Glory.
The 12-second video was shared early Sunday morning on Twitter by an account known as "@mamlekate."
"Today, the crowd in an Iranian university refused to trample US and Israel flag #LoveBeyondFlags. These IR ideologies, like forced hijab, are falling one by one," it reads in a caption.
The video shows thousands of protestors marching in Iran, approaching an American and Israeli flags that appear to be painted on the floor, and most of them carefully walking around them to avoid stepping on the national symbols.
As of the writing of this story, the video has nearly 1 million views, over 2,800 "likes," and has been retweeted over 1,000 times.
Why are Iranians protesting?
As TheBlaze has reported, protesters took to the streets of Tehran on Saturday to demand that Ayatollah Khamenei step down as supreme leader of Iran. The protests come after the Iranian government admitted on Friday that its armed forces "unintentionally" shot down a Ukrainian commercial plane, killing all 176 people on board.
In others videos posted on social media, protestors can be seen shouting "death to the Islamic Republic," "death to liars," and "Soleimani was a murder, his leader is also a murderer." Reuters also noted the protestors were chanting "death to the dictator," in a direct reference to Khamenei.
What has Kaepernick said about the Iran situation?
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who is known for leading the kneeling protest during national anthems in NFL games, has not made any public comments regarding the protests in Iran. However, Kaepernick was quick to attack the U.S. after President Donald Trump ordered an airstrike that killed terrorist Qassem Soleimani.
"There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism," Kaepernick wrote on Jan. 4.
In a separate tweet, the former San Francisco 49ers player added, "America has always sanctioned and besieged Black and Brown bodies both at home and abroad. America militarism is the weapon wielded by American imperialism, to enforce its policing and plundering of the non white world."
Kaepernick is no stranger to controversy or making comments that many perceive as anti-American. Last July, Nike famously stopped selling a special Fourth of July edition of its shoes featuring the Betsy Ross flag after Kaepernick reportedly told the company that the flag, with 13 stars, was a racist symbol for slavery.


theblaze--2020-01-14--VIDEO: California homeless man reportedly tries to kidnap a 6-year-old girl when her Army veteran un

VIDEO: California homeless man reportedly tries to kidnap a 6-year-old girl when her Army veteran uncle intervenes and takes him to the ground

VIDEO : California homeless man reportedly tries to kidnap a 6-year-old girl when her Army veteran uncle intervenes and takes @ @ @ @ @ took six police officers to hold him down

A homeless man with a "lengthy criminal record" allegedly attempted to kidnap a 6-year-old girl from her mother's arms when the girl's uncle stepped in and took the man to the ground, KTLA-TV reported.
The homeless man approached the young girl and her mother outside a Venice Beach pizzeria in Venice, California, Jan. 4, appearing to be extremely intoxicated.
According to the girl's father, Riley Pegram, the man repeatedly approached the girl and her mother, saying, "You guys are kidnapping her, I need to save her," and "God is telling me to save her."
He then followed the mother until she sat down with the girl on her lap, before reportedly attempting to grab her from her mother's clutch. The girl's uncle, a U.S. Army veteran, then grabbed the man and pushed him back away from the child.
But the man didn't get the message. Seconds later, he approached the girl and her mother again, this time actually touching the girl.
At this point, the uncle grabbed the man by his hair and threw him to the ground. The girl's father and uncle then held the man down until police arrived.
The suspect, later identified as Evan McLaurin-Nelson, 31, was described by police as a homeless man with a criminal record in California and Nevada that includes battery, indecent exposure, and disorderly conduct.
According to the family, when police arrived, it took six officers to subdue him.
"We think he was on something. On some type of drugs or something," Pegram said in an interview with KABC-TV. "They got him down but the whole time he was just yelling out loud, 'Save the girl. I need to save her!'"
The young girl, Nevaeh Pegram, was shaken up after the incident.
"It was so scary," she told KTLA-TV reporters. "I was bawling my eyes out because I was scared I was going to get taken away from my mommy and daddy."
McLaurin-Nelson pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of attempted kidnapping and resisting or obstructing police, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records. He was scheduled to return to court Jan. 20.
Homelessness in California is out of control
The Department of Housing and Urban Development released a report in December revealing that the increase in homelessness in California — up 16.4 percent in 2019 — was higher than all other states combined.
"While the rest of the country experienced a combined decrease in homelessness in 2019, significant increases in unsheltered and chronic homelessness on the West Coast, particularly California and Oregon, offset those nationwide decreases, causing an overall increase in homelessness of 2.7 percent in 2019," the HUD report said.
"Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia reported declines in homelessness between 2018 and 2019, while 21 states reported increases in the number of persons experiencing homelessness. Homelessness in California increased by 21,306 people, or 16.4 percent, which is more than the total national increase of every other state combined," the report added.
In response to the growing epidemic, President Trump warned California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a tweet to "fix the problem" or the federal government "will get involved."
(H/T: The Daily Wire)


theblaze--2020-01-14--Liberals outraged at Vince Vaughn for speaking with President Trump. Conservatives hit back with moc

Liberals outraged at Vince Vaughn for speaking with President Trump. Conservatives hit back with mockery.

Liberals outraged at Vince Vaughn for speaking with President Trump .
Conservatives hit back with mockery .

Actor Vince Vaughn caught flak from liberals on social media Monday after he was seen talking with President Donald Trump at the 2020 college football national championship game in New Orleans.
"I'm very sorry to have to share this video with you. All of it, every part of it," Timothy Burke wrote on Twitter, posting a video of the interaction between Vaughn and Trump that has since went viral.
In reaction, people who said Vaughn was one of their most favorite actors disavowed him, calling his meeting with Trump "gross." Other critics were more brash, simply saying, "F*** em both."
Yet still other critics claimed the left does not want to "cancel" Vaughn because they do not remember who he is, implying that he is no longer relevant.
Though civilized interaction between two adults should not be news, neither is Vaughn's apparent interest in Republicans.
Vaughn, of course, is a well-known libertarian who does not shy away from his beliefs in small government. He has been outspoken about his beliefs on taxation and the Second Amendment, for example, in the past. Vaughn endorsed Mitt Romney for president in 2012, and even once said that Edward Snowden is a "hero."
Criticism of Vaughn for cordially speaking with Trump was met with swift condemnation and mockery.
"You guys really have no idea how petty and ridiculous you look when you do this, do you," one person responded.
"Vince Vaughn is really trending because of that? Get a life," another person wrote.
"It's an amazing time to be alive when shaking the hand of the president is enough to get you canceled. Vince Vaughn doesn't strike me as one to give a s**t fortunately. Y'all have lost your minds. You never learn," another person said.
"Please say a little prayer for Timothy who's perturbed by three adults interacting in a civil manner. PS Vince Vaughn is cancelled, naturally," one person mocked in response.
"So do Swingers and Wedding Crashers get taken off the air for all of eternity now after Vince Vaughn had a civilized conversation with the president at the Superdome tonight?" another person mocked.
Even the White House responded to the criticism. White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley told Fox News, "Democrats seem to be more upset at this exchange than they do over Soleimani killing American citizens.


theblaze--2020-01-14--Is it because they're black? Democrats ask the wrong questions about the failures of Harris and Book

Is it because they're black? Democrats ask the wrong questions about the failures of Harris and Booker

Is it because they 're black ?
Democrats ask the wrong questions about the failures of Harris and Booker

The only people who have a chance to be the Democratic presidential nominee are white. The top three who really have a chance are old and white. And the two who really, really have a chance are old, white men.
Now, this doesn't bother me. But it's a big, big problem for Democrats. How could the party that elected Barack Obama enter an election year having shed all its diversity in the early stages of the primary?
One of the larger questions surrounding Democrats' all-white debate stage — slated at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa — is: What happened to the promising black candidates, Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)? Was the system rigged against minorities?
I get why someone would ask this question. But I think it demonstrates a misunderstanding of how people choose a preferred candidate, and overstates the degree to which candidates' race factors into that decision.
I won't try to speak for every black person, and I definitely won't try to speak for Democrats. I'll just talk about myself.
I like seeing black political candidates succeed. Democrat or Republican. It doesn't mean I always want them to win, but I do want them to perform well. I pay attention to them. That's my personal bias. Generic black candidate ____ will get my initial attention more than generic white candidate _____. Whether that's Barack Obama, Ben Carson, John James, or whoever. But that doesn't mean, like some seem to falsely believe, that being black is enough to hold my attention as a black voter for the entirety of a race.
I had high expectations for Harris' campaign. She seemed to check the many political boxes that a Democratic nominee would need to check. A black woman with high name recognition, a strong resume, and the toughness to hold her own on a debate stage with anyone. Liberal to be sure, but not too far left for mainstream Democratic voters.
But she didn't have a set stance on health care and she didn't have a good answer for choices she made as a prosecutor in California. As it turned out, those things mattered more than her blackness and pandering (seemingly untrue) stories about smoking weed in college while listening to Tupac and Snoop.
Booker had a similar profile to Harris as a well-known senator who'd had plenty of national exposure through judiciary committee hearings. He has a dramatic tendency about him that I, and most Republicans, find unbearable, but which seemed to have an appeal to Democratic voters who share his beliefs.
But his campaign lacked a competitive edge, and he failed to demonstrate in any way why he was better or different than any of the other candidates. His campaign had no identity, and as a result, it was quickly forgotten in the shuffle of more dynamic candidates. Being black and living in a neighborhood with lots of violent crime do not make a presidential identity.
I'm not a Democrat. But in covering their primary, I try to evaluate the candidates as a voter trying to choose the best one. Harris and Booker are black — that's great, and it got my attention in the beginning — but they never did anything to convince me, or most actual Democrats, that they should be president.
Some people think Barack Obama won in 2008 because he's black. I don't think that's true. I think his race gave him the same starting point as Harris and Booker had. It helped sparked an initial interest in his political potential to reach various segments of the population. But he won because he was good at running for president, and he had a message that resonated with people for that particular moment in our nation's history. As a result, he attracted a diverse coalition of voters that Harris and Booker tried, and failed, to retrieve after it dispersed in 2016.
Being black isn't what caused these two candidates to lose. Candidates have to connect with something voters want, regardless of their race. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren connect with voters who want a revolutionary change in how our country operates. Joe Biden connects with voters who want things to be familiar and calm and stable.
Biden isn't leading primary polls because he's old and white. He isn't winning black voters just because he was VP to the first black president. He's winning because in the face of a potential socialist upheaval, he feels like a safe choice for most Democrats. He's the candidate for Democrats who don't like Donald Trump, but who still think the country is mostly OK.
Kamala Harris didn't lose because she's black. She lost because she felt inauthentic, like she was fishing for what people wanted from her rather than showing them who she is. Cory Booker didn't lose because he's black. He lost because America isn't in the mood for a touchy-feely let's-all-get-along president in this contentious era of politics. Debate qualifying thresholds aren't racist, as Booker has implied. America isn't too racist to elect a black woman, as Harris has implied.
Race can be an easy narrative to plug in to any situation, but it's often the wrong lens through which to evaluate something. Race can bring attention, or the benefit of the doubt, to a candidate, but support must be earned. As long as Democrats fail to realize that, they'll keep asking the wrong questions.