theblaze--2020-08-20--Kamala Harris accepts Democratic vice presidential nomination

Harris becomes the first woman of color to accept the vice presidential nomination of a major political party in America

California Sen. Kamala Harris (D) received the vice presidential nomination to the Democratic ticket during the third night of the Democratic National Convention. During her acceptance speech, she praised Democratic nominee Joe Biden while jabbing at President Donald Trump.
Harris, 55, became the first woman of color to receive the vice presidential nomination from a major political party in the United States.
"I accept your nomination for the vice president of the United States of America," Harris said.
Harris spoke to a mostly empty hall in Wilmington, Delaware. She began her speech by recounting the story of her mother who immigrated to the United States from India and met her economist father at a march for equality.
She went on to highlight her career in public service and then offered a campaign pitch for Biden and the Democratic platform.
"This is the leader who wrote the Violence Against Women Act, and enacted the assault weapons ban," Harris said of Biden. "Who as vice president, implemented the Recovery Act, which brought our country back from the Great Recession."
She also appeared to jab at the president in an oblique reference to accusations made against him while touting her experience as a prosecutor.
"I've fought for children, and survivors of sexual assault. I've fought against transnational gangs. I took on the biggest banks, and helped take down one of the biggest for-profit colleges," said Harris.
"I know a predator when I see one," she said.
"Right now, we have a president who turns our tragedies into political weapons," she added later in her speech. "Joe will be a president who turns our challenges into purpose."
Harris also attacked President Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
"While this virus touches us all, we gotta be honest, it is not an equal opportunity offender," she said. "Black, Latino and Indigenous people are suffering and dying disproportionately. This is not a coincidence. It is the effect of structural racism."
Harris ended her speech pledging to deal honestly with the American public.
"The road ahead will not be not easy. We will stumble. We may fall short. But I pledge to you that wewill act boldly and deal with our challenges honestly," she said.
"We will speak truths," Harris concluded. "And we will act with the same faith in you that we ask you to place in us."
Harris was met after the speech by Biden, who mimed a socially distant hug at her.
Here's the video of the full speech from Harris:


theblaze--2020-08-20--Netflix accused of sexualizing children with movie about kids who embrace 'sensual dance'

Netflix accused of sexualizing children with movie about kids who embrace 'sensual dance' 'Cuties ' is about an 11-year-old girl @ @ @ @ @ twerking dance crew . '

Netflix is currently promoting an award-winning film, "Cuties," that's being marketed as "a coming-of-age tale" from the streaming giant.
But people across the world are expressing outrage with concerns that the movie sexualizes young girls, and a petition has been launched in an effort to have it removed from Netflix.
What are the details?
On Tuesday, Netflix announced that "Cuties" would be coming soon to its platform, sharing the French language film's trailer on Twitter. The promotional plug reads: "Amy, 11, becomes fascinated with a twerking dance crew. Hoping to join them, she starts to explore her femininity, defying her family's traditions."
Cuties | Official Trailer | Netflix www.youtube.com
The Hollywood News published the full synopsis of the film, which reads:
Eleven-year-old Amy lives with her mom, Mariam, and younger brother, awaiting her father to rejoin the family from Senegal. Amy is fascinated by disobedient neighbor Angelica's free-spirited dance clique, a group that stands in sharp contrast to stoic Mariam's deeply held traditional values. Undeterred by the girls' initial brutal dismissal and eager to escape her family's simmering dysfunction, Amy, through an ignited awareness of her burgeoning femininity, propels the group to enthusiastically embrace an increasingly sensual dance routine, sparking the girls' hope to twerk their way to stardom at a local dance contest.
Even before its major-platform release, the international film has sparked international outrage.
One purported Somalian man's reaction to Netflix's post typified a common response: "SMH... Typical. European & Western films in general forever demonising and portaying African culture/Islamic faith in a negative light. In addition to promoting immorality and promiscuity to young girls! Stop sexualising young girls and let them be kids."
The movie poster released to promote the film sparked further outrage. It shows the 11-year-old lead character kneeling down with her legs spread, and a co-star twerking in the background. All four girls in the picture are wearing dance outfits with crop-tops exposing their midriffs along with bottoms and knee pads similar to a volleyball player's uniform.
A petition was also launched, calling for "Cuties" to be removed from Netflix.
Its plea reads:
This movie/show is disgusting as it sexualizes an ELEVEN year old for the viewing pleasure of pedophiles and also negatively influences our children! There is no need for this kind of content in that age group, especially when sex trafficking and pedophilia are so rampant!
As of this writing, more than 6,700 people had signed the petition.
TheBlaze reached out to Netflix asking for comment regarding the petition and the release of the film, but did not receive a response after several hours.
"Cuties" filmmaker Mainmouna Doucouré told Cineuropa about what inspired her to make the film.
"The day I saw, at a neighbourhood party, a group of young girls aged around 11 years old, going up on stage and dancing in a very sensual way while wearing very revealing clothes," she recalled. "I was rather shocked and I wondered if they were aware of the image of sexual availability that they were projecting."
Doucouré went on to explain that she also wanted to expose the dangers of social media to kids through the film.
"During my research, I saw that all these young girls I'd met were very exposed on social media," she said. "And with new social codes, the ways of presenting yourself change. I saw that some very young girls were followed by 400,000 people on social media and I tried to understand why.
"Today, the sexier and the more objectified a woman is, the more value she has in the eyes of social media," the director continued. "And when you're 11, you don't really understand all these mechanisms, but you tend to mimic, to do the same thing as others in order to get a similar result. I think it is urgent that we talk about it, that a debate be had on the subject."


theblaze--2020-08-20--Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti orders utilities shut off for TikTok influencer's mansion due to loc

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti orders utilities shut off for TikTok influencer's mansion due to lockdown-defying parties

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti orders utilities shut off for TikTok influencer 's mansion due to lockdown-defying parties '' This @ @ @ @ @ nightclub ''

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) ordered utilities cut off at a mansion where large parties were being held in defiance of social distancing guidelines.
Garcetti announced the extreme measures from his official social media account on Wednesday.
"Today I authorized the City to disconnect utility service at a house in the Hollywood Hills to stop the large parties held there in flagrant violation of our public health orders," tweeted Garcetti.
"Parties like these can quickly and easily spread the virus and put our communities at risk," he added.
A writer for the styles section of the New York Times reported that the mansion belongs to TikTok stars Bryce Hall, Noah Beck, and Blake Gray.
Los Angeles police shut down a birthday party for Hall that was held on Friday after noise complaints from neighbors at a separate location.
Garcetti said in a statement that the owners of the mansion had been warned previously that their utilities might be shut off.
"Despite several warnings, this house has turned into a nightclub in the hills, hosting large gatherings in flagrant violation of our public health orders," Garcetti said. "The city has now disconnected utilities at this home to stop these parties that endanger our community."
The mayor said officials were also considering additional punishments including the revocation of permits and licenses for those who are repeat offenders against the lockdown. They have additionally clarified that the utility shutdowns are being considered for large parties, not for smaller gatherings in normal-sized homes.
Garcetti has previously said that the city would consider shutting off the utilities for nonessential businesses that were found defying the coronavirus lockdown orders.
There have been more than 5,300 deaths from the coronavirus in Los Angeles County and more than 224,000 confirmed cases of the virus.
Critics of the Democratic mayor noted that he had been photographed without a mask with a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters, even as the pandemic raged on.
Here's a local news video about Garcetti's threat:


theblaze--2020-08-21--Thousands of chicks shipped through USPS arrive dead to Maine farms

Thousands of chicks shipped through USPS arrive dead to Maine farms Critics are blaming recent changes to the postal service @

Farmers and politicians in Maine are sounding the alarm after discovering thousands of baby chickens have arrived dead to poultry farms following transport through the United States Postal Service in recent weeks.
What are the details?
The Press Herald first reported on the issue, telling the story of poultry farmer Pauline Henderson, who received a shipment of 800 chicks last week — and every one of them was dead.
"We've never had a problem like this before," she told the local newspaper. "Usually they arrive every three weeks like clockwork, and out of 100 birds you may have one or two that die in shipping."
Henderson is left with few alternatives, because it is cost-prohibitive to pay employees to pick the chicks up from hatcheries out of state, and the New York Post reported that the USPS "is the only mail service that ships live chicks."
But Henderson, who owns and operates Pine Tree Poultry in New Sharon, is not the only grower who has this problem.
Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree (D) says her office has received dozens of complaints about large shipments of chicks arriving dead via USPS, and by her count, farmers reported at least 4,800 birds killed during transport over the past few weeks.
Pingree blames recent changes introduced to the USPS by the Trump administration, as the agency struggles with low mail volume due to the COVID-19 crisis.
"It's one more of the consequences of this disorganization, this sort of chaos they've created at the post office and nobody thought through when they were thinking of slowing down the mail," Pingree said.
"This is a system that's always worked well before and it's worked very well until these changes started being made," she added.
What about the postmaster general?
New Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has come under fire from Democrats over the reforms.
Politico reported:
DeJoy, a Republican donor who's the first postmaster general who did not come from the ranks of the Postal Service, took control of the agency in June and has since swiftly engineered cuts and operational changes that are disrupting mail delivery operations. In Maine, two mail-sorting machines were dismantled at the state's postal distribution hub.
Last week, DeJoy issued a statement saying that while he believes "significant reforms" are needed at the USPS, he will put them on hold for now.
"To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail," he wrote, "I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded."


theblaze--2020-08-21--LIVE: Crowder's epic DNC Livestream

LIVE: Crowder's epic DNC Livestream

Steven Crowder Livestreams the Democrat National Convention !
Slow Joe Biden , Phony Kamala Harris , the possibility that hair @ @ @ @ @ jumbled and forgotten , with plenty of Trump Derangement Syndrome .
The insanity of the @ @ @ @ @ display , a spectacular dumpster fire to be enjoyed by all .
Of course , @ @ @ @ @ , so make sure you 're well stocked with the good stuff ( even if @ @ @ @ @ .
Use promo code LWC to save $ 10 on one year of BlazeTV .
@ @ @ @ @ ?
To enjoy more of Steven 's uncensored late-night comedy that 's actually funny , @ @ @ @ @ only place for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand .

Steven Crowder livestreams the Democrat National Convention! Slow Joe Biden, Phony Kamala Harris, the possibility that hair might get sniffed and words jumbled and forgotten, with plenty of Trump Derangement Syndrome. The insanity of the Democratic Party is on full display, a spectacular dumpster fire to be enjoyed by all. Of course, there's a drinking game, so make sure you're well stocked with the good stuff (even if it's non-alcoholic!).
Use promo code LWC to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.
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To enjoy more of Steven's uncensored late-night comedy that's actually funny, join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand.


theblaze--2020-08-21--'Bikers for Trump' show up outside DNC with a message to Democrats: ‘Wisconsin ain’t theirs, it’s ou

'Bikers for Trump' show up outside DNC with a message to Democrats: ‘Wisconsin ain’t theirs, it’s ours’

'Bikers for Trump ' show up outside DNC with a message to Democrats : ‘ Wisconsin ain ’ t theirs @ @ @ @ @ ’ Would n't want to mess with these guys

As the Democratic Party prepared to continue its convention festivities Wednesday, a group called "Bikers for Trump" rode into Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to deliver a message: "Wisconsin ain't theirs, it's ours."
Roughly 100-150 representatives of the group, riding hogs and donning Trump 2020 memorabilia, showed up outside the security perimeter of the Wisconsin Center at around 4 p.m., WTMJ-TV reported.
They started their journey 40 miles north in West Bend before riding down to Milwaukee in order to show support for the president in the battleground state.
They weren't there to "poke the bear," the group's founder Chris Cox told the outlet, "but we're here to keep an eye on things."
While gathered outside the convention center, the group reportedly waved Trump 2020 flags, sang "The Star-Spangled Banner," said the Pledge of Allegiance — and revved their engines to make their presence known.
One biker told WTMJ-TV: "We're not concerned about their convention. We wanted to show our presence and support for our president, Donald Trump. They come into Milwaukee, which is fine. That's their prerogative. They're having their convention, it's not a big deal ... but we want to show support for our president."
"We're not going to cause any problems, but we don't want them to think that because they have their convention here, that they took Wisconsin," he continued.
"Wisconsin ain't theirs, it's ours," he added emphatically.
'Bikers for Trump' arrive in Milwaukee to support President Trump youtu.be
The outlet reported that the assembly was peaceful and police never even approached the group while they gathered outside the convention center.
The Democratic National Convention will conclude its fourth and final night of action on Thursday as former Vice President Joe Biden is set to take the stage and accept the party's nomination for president.


theblaze--2020-08-21--'Violence interrupter' says young man was shot during mediation — NYC is pouring millions into the c

'Violence interrupter' says young man was shot during mediation — NYC is pouring millions into the community program

'Violence interrupter ' says young man was shot during mediation — NYC is pouring millions into the community program '' @ @ @ @ @ part of the job . ''

New York City is pouring millions into community programs intended to offer alternatives to normal policing in an attempt to quell the rise in violent crime.
Visol Smith is employed as a "violence interrupter" at Sheltering Arms, a community program in Far Rockaway, a neighborhood in Queens. He told WLNY-TV that a young man was shot right in front of him as he tried to mediate the situation.
"I was in a situation recently where a young man got shot right next to me," said Smith.
"I was in the process of doing the mediation and um, he got shot, you know, two times, I had to duck and cover," he explained. "So I've been been in a situation where guns been pulled on me, you know, it's part of the job."
New York City is spending $16 million to support these programs, and Sheltering Arms is going to see their budget increase by 25% as a result.
Smith explained why he believed violence interruption could be a more effective policy than simple policing.
"Being that we live in the community and we're for the community, people respect us, who we are," he said. "We don't get that push back, that mind your own business."
The murder rate in New York City has increased by 23% so far in 2020.
Black Lives Matter activists have demanded community efforts like "violence interrupters" to be employed instead of a police force as part of the "defund the police" strategy. Some cities, like Austin, Texas, have already begun to reroute funding away from the police department to social services they say will address the underlying causes of crime and violence.
A poll in July found that most Americans either want funding for the police to stay the same, 42%, or for funding for the police to increase, 31%. Only a quarter of Americans polled said they supported funding for the police to decrease.
Here's the local news report:


theblaze--2020-08-20--Mom and her 6 kids kicked off JetBlue flight because 2-year-old wouldn't wear mask

Mom and her 6 kids kicked off JetBlue flight because 2-year-old would n't wear mask The airline stands by its @

A mother and her six children were booted from a JetBlue flight this week because her 2-year-old little girl refused to wear a mask in accordance with the airline's policy.
The mother says the experience was humiliating and "traumatizing" for her children and her husband is threatening legal action, but JetBlue stands by its decision.
What are the details?
New York mom Chaya Bruck, 39, and her children boarded a JetBlue plane in Florida headed to Newark on Wednesday, when the flight crew told Bruck her toddler must wear a face mask in order to travel. But Bruck explained that the girl — who had a pacifier in her mouth at the time — refused and pushed off her mask whenever the mother tried to put it on her.
The Washington Examiner reported that "video of the Wednesday interaction shows Bruck pleading with flight attendants to let her remain on the flight, with other passengers supporting her fight to keep the family on the plane."
After Bruck resisted leaving, the captain ordered every passenger to get off the plane. Bruck, her children, and other passengers who defended them were not allowed back on, leaving the family stranded. They were eventually able to catch a flight home five hours later through United Airlines.
"I'm not a confrontational person, I didn't want any trouble," Bruck later recalled to Fox News. "I just wanted to get home with my six kids after a family vacation and this put a damper on our experience."
"My kids started crying. They got scared," the mother added. "They didn't know what was going on. It was very traumatizing."
JetBlue Airways' corporate communications manager, Derek Dombrowski, told the outlet in a statement, "During these unprecedented times, our first priority is to keep crew members and customers safe, and we've quickly introduced new safety policies and procedures throughout the pandemic."
He noted that the airline's "face covering policy was updated most recently on Aug. 10 to ensure everyone is wearing a face-covering – adults and children alike – to help prevent the spread of coronavirus."
The spokesman reiterated, "Children age 2 and over must wear a face covering, consistent with CDC guidelines, which say 'Masks should not be worn by children under the age of 2.'"
Anything else?
But Bruck's husband pointed out to The Yeshiva World that JetBlue's own website stated Wednesday that "small children who are not able to maintain a face covering are exempt" from the mandatory mask policy. The language on the website now reads, "all travelers 2 years and older must wear a face covering over their nose and mouth throughout their journey, including during check-in, boarding, while in flight and deplaning."
Bruck's husband says he is hiring an attorney and plans to file a federal lawsuit against the airline over the incident.


theblaze--2020-08-20--Report: With Chicago police already stretched thin, Mayor Lightfoot stations over 100 cops outside h

Report: With Chicago police already stretched thin, Mayor Lightfoot stations over 100 cops outside home, bans protests on her block to protect herself

Report : With Chicago police already stretched thin , Mayor Lightfoot stations over 100 cops outside home , bans protests @ @ @ @ @ herself

Even as police in Chicago are stretched to their limit, Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot has allegedly ordered a continuous heavy police presence outside her home in Logan Square and banned protests on her block to protect herself and her family.
What are the details?
The Chicago Tribune reported Thursday that the city has effectively banned all protests on Lightfoot's street, including peaceful ones, even as elsewhere in the city protests have been allowed to continue and openly supported by the mayor.
According to an email sent by the district's commander at the time, officers assigned to enforce the directive were instructed to tell protesters "that it is against the city code and state law to protest" and that they must "leave immediately."
After the warning is given, the street "should be locked down," the instructions added.
In order to carry out the orders, a large contingent of officers have been routinely stationed outside the home. Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara told the Chicago Sun-Times that as many as 140 officers have been assigned to the home at certain times.
One of Lightfoot's neighbors came up with the name "Fort Lori" to describe the scene.
"Maybe she should move into a high-rise downtown where you can put like 20 officers at the front of the building if need be," Catanzara suggested. "I get the family safety, but you picked this job."
"What about all of the officers who are getting projectiles thrown at 'em, fireworks shot at 'em? It's the do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do mentality," he continued.
Catanzara is not the only one who has taken some offense at the action. The Tribune noted that the order, which siphons away police resources from other areas to protect the mayor's neighborhood, has led to "some quiet grumbling" within the police department.
What else?
Lightfoot defended the move Thursday, telling reporters, "Given the threats that I have personally received. Given the threats to my home and my family, I'm gonna do everything to make sure that they are protected. I make no apologies whatsoever."
"We have a right in our home to live in peace," she added.
The mayor did not elaborate on the threats but said: "Suffice it to say that, every single day, there is something that pops up. There are specific threats to my person, to my wife and to our home."
She also denied the claim that "hundreds" of police were stationed near her home, but said that "sufficient resources" are assigned when a threat is established.
The order to ban protests near Lightfoot's home comes as violence and riots rage in the city and Chicago police officers are resigning or retiring in record numbers.


theblaze--2020-08-20--Liz Warren supported BLM in the background of her DNC video, but liberals slammed her for the 'insul

Liz Warren supported BLM in the background of her DNC video, but liberals slammed her for the 'insulting' stunt

Liz Warren supported BLM in the background of her DNC video , but liberals slammed her for the 'insulting ' @

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) attempted to subtly show her support for the Black Lives Matter movement during her speech at the Democratic National Convention, but many liberals on social media were not impressed.
Warren snuck in foam letters spelling out "BLM" in the background of her video speech, which aired during the conference on the third night ahead of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) receiving the party's vice presidential nomination.
The progressive senator touted plans in Joe Biden's political platform during her speech and criticized the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Warren's team confirmed that the message was intentional in a tweet from her official social media account.
While some on the left cheered the insertion of the message of support, others rolled their eyes and criticized it as an empty gesture.
"This was insulting," responded one socialist Twitter user.
"So excited that the allegedly left-leaning party has to hide even moderate positions like #BLM in an I-Spy puzzle during their actual f*****g convention when they are supposed to be talking about actual goals. Yay for meaningless gestures!" said another Twitter user who self-identified as a BLM supporter.
"Until Warren is on the front lines getting brutalized by riot pigs, this is just an infantilizing stunt, trying to coopt the energy of an organic movement," was another response.
"Warren is a sitting senator with real power and you just decided to spend your time decorating a preschool set instead?" replied a socialist feminist.
"[Y]'all going crazy for BLM block letters in the background is exactly why the dems are happy to take your votes and not give you policy," said a socialist organizer.
He added, "y'all love a good performance."
Warren faced similar criticism and mockery earlier in the convention when she was included in the DNC Native American Caucus meeting, despite the well-documented scandal over her spurious claims of Native American heritage.
Here's Warren's DNC speech:


theblaze--2020-08-20--President Trump trolls Biden in Pennsylvania ahead of former VP's speech to DNC

President Trump trolls Biden in Pennsylvania ahead of former VP 's speech to DNC Biden was born in the battleground @

President Donald Trump used a campaign stop near Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's hometown in Pennsylvania on Thursday to slam the former vice president, mere hours before Biden's planned address to the Democratic National Convention.
What are the details?
The president held an outdoor rally at Mariotti Building Products in Old Forge just a few miles from Biden's childhood home in Scranton.
"Slow Joe will speak at the Democrat convention, and I'm sure he'll knock 'em dead," Trump told the crowd. "He'll remind us that he was born in Scranton, but he left like 70 years ago. This Scranton stuff, he left, he abandoned Pennsylvania."
Trump added," Joe Biden is no friend of Pennsylvania. He is your worst nightmare."
According to Fox News:
The Biden campaign has used the fact that the candidate was born in Scranton as [a] way to connect with working-class voters – many of whom voted for Trump in 2016. Biden was born in Scranton in 1942, but his family eventually moved to Delaware when he was 11 after the Pennsylvania manufacturing town began to fall on hard times.
The president went on to warn, "If you want a vision of your life under [a] Biden presidency, think of the smoldering ruins in Minneapolis, the violent anarchy of Portland, the bloodstained sidewalks of Chicago, and imagine the mayhem coming to your town and every single town in America."
The Washington Post reported that the president cast "Democrats as the party of 'mobs and criminals.'"
In reaction to Trump's speech, Biden spokesman Andrew Bates told the outlet, "This sideshow is a pathetic attempt to distract from the fact that Trump's presidency stands for nothing but crises, lies, and division — the opposite of what Pennsylvanians are hungry for and what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris represent."
Pennsylvania is a key battleground state, and one of several the president visited this week as the Democrats held their convention. Earlier in the week, Trump spoke at events in Arizona, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
The Hill pointed out that President Barack Obama won Pennsylvania in 2008 and 2012, and that Trump won the state by around 45,000 votes in 2016.
According to the outlet:
A Muhlenberg College/Morning Call survey released Thursday found Biden leading Trump 49 percent to 45 percent in Pennsylvania, an advantage within the margin of error. A RealClearPolitics average of polls in the state show Biden with a roughly 6 percentage point lead over Trump.


theblaze--2020-08-20--Donald Trump Jr. WARNS: Joe Biden is NO moderate, media are selling LIES to the American people

Donald Trump Jr .
WARNS : Joe Biden is NO moderate , media are selling LIES to the American people @ @ @ @ @ has the most liberal voting record in the Senate

The man who needs no introduction, Donald Trump Jr., joined Glenn Beck on Thursday's radio program to weigh in on the past three nights of "hateful drivel" and boundless hypocrisy at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Democratic nominee Joe Biden's deceptively progressive politics, and the past three and a half years of Democratic hoax after hoax against his father, President Donald Trump.
"I've been trying to watch it but it's not easy to get through it. It's painfully boring," Trump Jr. said of the DNC. "You're seeing, you know, hateful drivel, long boring speeches, and hypocrisy that knows no bounds. [Such as] Bill Clinton talking about the sanctity of the Oval Office, and Obama talking about [politicians] enriching themselves from public office. I mean, Obama went in as the community organizer, and now he is buying a $20 million home in Martha's Vineyard. Please, spare me, spare me the nonsense."
Trump Jr. stressed that Joe Biden is not the "moderate" the media makes him out to be, and asked if anyone can name one good thing Biden has accomplished in his eight years as vice president, not to mention the half a century he served as an elected official in Washington, D.C.
"The media can push Joe Biden as the moderate: 'Look, it's moderate Joe from Scranton.' But they don't talk about the fact that he left Scranton at seven. They don't talk about the fact that he was an elected Washington, D.C., official since his 20s and has done nothing else. He's not 'Blue-collar Joe,' but they will try to sell that image to the American people. Meanwhile, you have people like Kamala Harris with the most liberal voting record in the Senate. [...] You have the Biden/Bernie Sanders joint unity platform on Joe Biden's website. You'renot a moderate if you have the Biden/Bernie Sanders joint unity platform on your website," he stated.
Trump Jr. also discussed how his father has been under constant fire from the media, Democrats, and Big Tech, as well as whether anyone will end up going to jail for the "Deep State" coup against a sitting president of the Untied States.
Read more here: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Behind the scenes on the campaign trail with Donald Trump Jr.
Watch the video below to catch more of Glenn's conversation with Donald Trump Jr.:
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theblaze--2020-08-20--Sweden's equivalent to Dr. Fauci says 'it is very dangerous' to believe face masks are a cure-all

Sweden 's equivalent to Dr. Fauci says 'it is very dangerous ' to believe face masks are a cure-all Only @ @ @ @ @ they wear a mask when they leave the house .

Dr. Anders Tegnell, Sweden's top infectious disease expert, has issued a warning about assuming that face masks are a cure-all for the coronavirus pandemic.
Tegnell has served as the chief epidemiologist at Sweden's Public Health Agency since 2013 and has been part of the Nordic country's response team for the H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009 as well as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Tegnell is Sweden's equivalent to Dr. Anthony Fauci from the White House coronavirus task force.
"It is very dangerous to believe face masks would change the game when it comes to COVID-19," Tegnell told The Financial Times. "Face masks can be a complement to other things when other things are safely in place. But to start with having face masks and then think you can crowd your buses or your shopping malls – that's definitely a mistake."
Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Public Health, echoed Tegnell's message.
"The masks are not the panacea," Khan said. "You have to do everything else with the masks."
Earlier this month, Tegnell decried scientific studies on the effectiveness of face masks against COVID-19.
"The findings that have been produced through (the use of) face masks are astonishingly weak," Tegnell told German newspaper Bild.
"I'm surprised that we don't have more or better studies showing what effect masks actually have," Tegnell said. "Countries such as Spain and Belgium have made their populations wear masks but their infection numbers have still risen. The belief that masks can solve our problem is in any case very dangerous."
Johan Carlson, director-general of Sweden's Public Health Agency, also questioned the effectiveness of face masks.
"In Spain, France and elsewhere, cases have increased significantly despite mandatory face mask use," Carlson said on Tuesday at a press briefing in Stockholm. "It's hard to understand what is going on is it that face masks are being misused? Probably, yes. Could face masks crowd out ideas of social distancing? That is also possible."
Only 14% of Swedes say they wear a mask when they leave the house, according to The New York Times.
The World Health Organization has advised the use of face masks in public when social distancing is not possible.
Sweden has been heavily criticized for its laissez-faire coronavirus pandemic strategy that included not carrying out a nationwide lockdown, allowing restaurants, stores, and bars to remain open, and in-person schooling has been in session for students up to the age of 16. There is no face mask mandate, but citizens are advised to maintain social distancing and work from home when possible.
Fauci has objected against "let it rip" strategies such as Sweden has implemented.
"There seems to be a misperception that either you shut down completely and damage a lot of things, mental health, the economy, all kinds of things, or let it rip and do whatever you want," Fauci told Politico's "Pulse Check" podcast earlier this month. "There's a stepwise fashion that you can open up the economy successfully."
According to Worldometers, Sweden has the eighth-highest deaths per million, and it has a far higher COVID-19 death rate than its neighbors. Sweden has 574 coronavirus deaths per million people, compared to only 60 per million in Finland and 49 in Norway.
However, having strict coronavirus precautions hasn't helped other countries such as Peru, which first implemented a lockdown on March 16 when the South American country had 71 COVID-19 cases and no coronavirus deaths. Peru sealed its borders, implemented a military-imposed curfew, closed all nonessential businesses, mandatory face masks, and banned family gatherings.
Despite all of the rigorous restrictions, Peru has 812 COVID-19 deaths per million people, making it the second highest death rate per million in the world for coronavirus after Belgium.


theblaze--2020-08-20--Uber and Lyft shutdown in California averted at last minute by appeals court

Uber and Lyft shutdown in California averted at last minute by appeals court The ride-sharing companies have bought some time @ @ @ @ @ leave California

After Uber and Lyft threatened to shut down operations in California, an appeals court intervened to grant an emergency injunction preventing enforcement of a California law that requires the ride-sharing companies to reclassify their gig workers as employees.
Lyft announced Thursday afternoon that it was planning to suspend its ride-sharing operations in California at 11:59 p.m. Thursday. Then a last-minute reprieve averted what was threatening to become a midnight shutdown of the ride-sharing services in California.
Hours before Lyft had planned on halting operations in the Golden State, California's 1st Circuit Court of Appeal granted Lyft and Uber more time to comply with Assembly Bill 5, which requires California companies to treat their independent contractors as employees.
"We are glad that the Court of Appeals recognized the important questions raised in this case, and that access to these critical services won't be cut off while we continue to advocate for drivers' ability to work with the freedom they want," an Uber spokesperson said in a statement.
Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) called the companies' threats to leave California a "mean-spirited tactic to bully Californians into giving the companies a special exemption" from the law, as reported in The Sacramento Bee.
Oral arguments on the appeal are scheduled for Oct. 13. Less than a month later, voters will be able to voice their opinion on the ride-sharing saga at the ballot box.
On Nov. 3, Californians can vote on Proposition 22 in the general election. Prop 22, "App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative," was sponsored by companies that employ gig workers to let citizens decide if independent contractors should be able to operate in California.
In May, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a lawsuit against Lyft and Uber, claiming that the ride-sharing companies violated AB5. The lawsuit alleged the ride-sharing companies deprived gig workers of protections and benefits that typical employees receive. Becerra argued that Lyft and Uber were evading payroll taxes and unemployment insurance for their drivers.
"We're confident in the facts of our case and look forward to continuing our fight to defend the rights of workers," a spokesperson for Becerra said in a statement.
"When they get caught breaking law, the app companies throw a tantrum — using extortion tactics to intimidate elected officials, drivers, and consumers into giving them what they want: a blank check to rewrite laws that work for their bottom line and leave drivers out in the cold," said Mike Roth, spokesman for the No on Prop 22 campaign.


theblaze--2020-08-20--The odds of catching COVID-19 on a flight are extremely low, MIT professor says

The odds of catching COVID-19 on a flight are extremely low , MIT professor says Travelers wearing protective masks wait @ @ @ @ @ , Aug. 11 , at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco .
Travel stocks @ @ @ @ @ and cruise-line operators , gained some more premarket Tuesday , building on Monday 's rally @ @ @ @ @ data showed airline passenger numbers were improving .
( Photographer : David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via @ @ @

The odds of catching COVID-19 on a short commercial flight, even if it's full, are extremely low, according to an analysis by a statistician at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
CNN reported on the findings of Arnold Barnett, professor of statistics at MIT, who calculated the odds and determined that although flyers will want to take precautions such as wearing a mask, transmission of the virus on airplanes is very rare. From CNN:
According to his findings, based on short haul flights in the US on aircraft configured with three seats on either side of the aisle, such as the Airbus 320 and the Boeing 737—and assuming everyone is wearing a mask—the risk of catching the virus on a full flight is just 1 in 4,300. Those odds fall to 1 in 7,700 if the middle seat is vacant.
"Most things are more dangerous now than they were before Covid, and aviation is no exception to that," he tells CNN Travel.
"But three things have to go wrong for you to get infected (on a flight). There has to be a Covid-19 patient on board and they have to be contagious," he says. "If there is such a person on your flight, assuming they are wearing a mask, it has to fail to prevent the transmission.
"They also have to be close enough that there's a danger you could suffer from the transmission."
Burnett calculated those odds specifically for two-hour domestic flights. Chances of infection go up if you're in an aisle seat, but only slightly. Longer flights also carry higher risk, as there is more time to potentially be exposed if someone with COVID-19 is on the flight.
Some airlines are still limiting capacity on airplanes, keeping the middle seats open in order to facilitate some social distancing, although the International Air Transport Association has called that policy "economically unfeasible" in the long term.
Air travel in the U.S. is trending up in recent weeks, although it is still down about 31% from the same time last year.
Burnett said that while masks offer some protection, flyers who want to be extra safe should wear face shields, which also cover the eyes and may block things that the mask doesn't. The air on planes is completely cycled out with new air every two or three minutes, which may help explain why in-flight coronavirus transmission is so rare.


theblaze--2020-08-20--VIDEO: Leftist 'mob' surrounds, harasses Seattle photojournalist; one militant threatens to come to

VIDEO: Leftist 'mob' surrounds, harasses Seattle photojournalist; one militant threatens to come to his house, break his car windows

VIDEO : Leftist 'mob ' surrounds , harasses Seattle photojournalist ; one militant threatens to come to his house , @ @ @ @ @ are just trying to do our jobs '

A Seattle photojournalist recorded video of a leftist "mob" harassing him Wednesday as he was inside his vehicle — with one of the militants threatening to come his house and break his car windows.
Here's the clip from KIRO-TV's Jon Jussero. (Content warning: Language and flashes of the finger):
"Mob would not allow me to do my job today when trying to videotape KC Jail in Seattle," Jussero wrote in his tweet of his video. "I tried to leave, but they surrounded my car put items on windows & continued to terrorize me. One man threaten to break my vehicle windows & come to my home. We are just trying to do our jobs."
What are the details?
While two men were giving him the finger and putting their hands on his vehicle, Jussero is heard saying, "You've got to stop threatening me, sir."
But the man he presumably was talking to — dressed in a black T-shirt emblazoned with a giant fist in the middle — told the photojournalist, "I'll come to your house."
At another point in the clip the same militant told Jussero, "Don't make me break this window. Keep filming me, and I will."
Image source: Twitter video screenshot
Soon a larger crowd is outside Jussero's vehicle with one militant uttering "f*** you" over and over rapidly while others call Jussero "liar" and announce "KIRO in the house."
The group also placed shirts over the vehicle's windows presumably in attempt to prevent Jussero from recording them on video.
A fellow photojournalist — Eric Jensen from Seattle news station KOMO-TV — replied to Jussero's tweet about the incident saying KOMO crews have endured similar treatment. Jensen added an encouraging sign off: "Keep up the good work, Jon."
Left-wing pushback
Jussero's tweet also attracted the attention of the left.
One true believer commented, "If you continue to ignore the behavior of the police you will continue to not be welcome at or near protests against police violence. Right now you are acting as a propaganda arm of the police, and that will absolutely not be tolerated quietly."
Another comment was more sinister: "Well when your organization has a reputation for being the tireless propaganda arm of the white supremacist police, constantly broadcasting their lies without question, I guess what happens happens. People should show up at your house. You should be afraid to show your face."
(H/T: BizPac Review)


theblaze--2020-08-20--In wake of leaked audio, Goodyear president says company will let employees wear pro-police gear, co

In wake of leaked audio, Goodyear president says company will let employees wear pro-police gear, controversial presentation not OK'd by corporate

In wake of leaked audio , Goodyear president says company will let employees wear pro-police gear , controversial presentation not @ @ @ @ @ says police , first responder relationship is 'foundational to our company '

Goodyear President and CEO Rich Kramer spoke out in defense of the company on Thursday following reports of a leaked audio reportedly recorded during a training meeting at a Topeka, Kansas, facility.
The audio caught an unnamed instructor saying that certain social causes — such as Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ pride — were appropriate to display via work apparel, but others — such as MAGA-wear, Blue Lives Matter, and items relating to supporting law enforcement — were not.
What was in the letter?
In a tweet, Kramer issued a lengthy letter about Goodyear's policies.
The lengthy letter was captioned, "A message from Rich Kramer: By now, you are aware of a visual from our Topeka factory that has been circulating in the media. I want to personally clear the record on what you are seeing and hearing."
"The slide in question was created by a plant employee to try to explain what is acceptable to wear in the workplace. The slide was not approved or distributed by Goodyear Corporate or anyone outside of that facility," Kramer wrote.
"I deeply regret the impression it has created and want to clarify Goodyear's position," the letter continued, pointing out that the company has long prohibited political expression in the workplace.
"First, to be clear, Goodyear does not endorse any political organization, party, or candidate. We have a longstanding corporate policy that asks associates to refrain from workplace expressions in support of any candidate or political party."
Company says it is certainly pro-police
Kramer also added that the company is staunchly pro-police.
"Goodyear strongly supports our law enforcement partners and deeply appreciates all they do to put their lives on the line each and every day for our communities," the letter continued. "We have proudly supplied tires to police and fire personnel for more than 100 years and that relationship is foundational to our company."
The president and CEO also noted that employees are permitted to wear pro-police apparel.
Kramer added, "We have clarified our policy to make it clear associates can express support for law enforcement through apparel at Goodyear facilities."
Kramer's letter concluded, "The core of our company is our people and our culture. Goodyear has always supported both law enforcement and equal justice. We will always do so."
You can read the letter in its entirety below.


theblaze--2020-08-20--Veteran baseball announcer suspended for using anti-gay slur during live broadcast

Cincinnati Reds announcer Thom Brennaman was suspended by the team for using a gay slur during a broadcast, when he apparently did not realize he was live on the air, CNN reported.
Brennaman was the sole announcer during Wednesday's game between the Reds and the Kansas City Royals. Brennaman was heard saying "One of the f*g capitals of the world" right before snapping back into play-by-play mode. It's not clear what the context of the remark was.
Brennaman was able to apologize during the broadcast before being replaced in the fifth inning in the second game of the doubleheader after being made aware that his remark was broadcast for the Fox Sports Ohio audience.
"I made a comment earlier tonight that I guess went out over the air that I am deeply ashamed of," Brennaman said. "If I have hurt anyone out there, I can't tell you how much I say from the bottom of my heart I'm so very, very sorry. I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith.
"I don't know if I'm going to be putting this headset on again," Brennaman continued. "I don't now if it's going to be for the Reds. I don't know if it's going to be for my bosses at Fox. I want to apologize for the people who sign my paycheck, for the Reds, for Fox Sports Ohio, for the people I work with. For anybody that I've offended here tonight, I can't begin to tell you how deeply sorry I am. This is not who I am and never has been, and I'd like to think maybe I could have some people that can back that up. I am very, very sorry and I beg for your forgiveness."
In a statement, the Reds said they were "devastated by the horrific, homophobic remark." The team has not said how long his suspension might be. Fox Sports Ohio said it agreed with the decision "to suspend him until further notice."
Thom Brennaman “f*g capitals of the world" , slur, apology, and home run call youtu.be
"The Cincinnati Reds organization is devastated by the horrific, homophobic remark made this evening by broadcaster Thom Brennaman," a Reds statement said. "He was pulled off the air, and effective immediately was suspended from doing Reds broadcasts. We will be addressing our broadcasting team in the coming days. In no way does this incident represent our players, coaches, organization, or our fans. We share our sincerest apologies to the LGBTQ+ community in Cincinnati, Kansas City, all across this country, and beyond. The Reds embrace a zero-tolerance policy for bias or discrimination of any kind, and we are truly sorry to anyone who has been offended."


theblaze--2020-08-20--Goodyear scandal gets worse after leaked audio from a training meeting is released

Goodyear scandal gets worse after leaked audio from a training meeting is released Somehow this just got uglier

Newly released audio purported to be from a recent training meeting at Goodyear Tire and Rubber company appears to corroborate the alleged training slide that went viral earlier this week.
The company came under fire this week for its recent "zero-tolerance" policy that banned overt support for police officers or MAGA hats, but expressed approval for social justice measures such as Black Lives Matter.
What are the new details?
In the newly released audio posted by WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas, an unidentified instructor can be heard telling employees that they are permitted to express their views on social justice or inequity matters on attire — but only if it's the "right" kind of social justice and inequity, such a supporting Black Lives Matter or LGBTQ issues.
"Some people may wish to express their views on social justice or inequity or equity issues such as black lives matter or LGBTQ pride on their face coverings, shirts or wristbands," the instructor can be heard telling employees. "That will be deemed approved because it applies with a zero-tolerance stance."
"However," the trainer can be heard adding, "if any associate wears all, blue, white lives matter shirts or face coverings, that will be not appropriate."
Goodyear Audio on Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter youtu.be
The unidentified instructor goes on to explain that such zero-tolerance rules were put into place to encourage harmony in the workplace.
"The rules around now what you can wear. Let's try and comply with these so you know everybody feels good in this factory. I want to make sure guys, think about what we do in this factory, in this factory right," the instructor adds. "We all work together to make tires, that's what we do. That's what we get paid to do. So, let's continue to do that and do the right thing and keep this place what it has always been, a good place to work."
You can listen to the full audio at WIBW.
Anything else?
President Donald Trump blasted Goodyear on Wednesday and called for a boycott of the company because of the training graphic that appeared to support Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ, but banned MAGA-wear and more.
Also, on Wednesday, the company released a statement insisting that its corporate office, which is based in Akron, Ohio, neither created or distributed the slide.


theblaze--2020-08-20--Horowitz: Study: In 2 weeks in Denver, more people died of heart attacks in lockdown than of coronav

Horowitz: Study: In 2 weeks in Denver, more people died of heart attacks in lockdown than of coronavirus

Horowitz : Study : In 2 weeks in Denver , more people died of heart attacks in lockdown than of @ @ @ @ @ and fear causing more deaths than the virus itself .

Something uncanny happens when the government exaggerates the threat level of one particular virus and tells people they must stay home. People get scared and stay home … even when they are having a heart attack. A new study indicates that more people might have died at home from untreated heart attacks for fear of coming to hospitals than from coronavirus in Denver, Colorado. This would be yet another example of the man-made plague of lockdown and fear causing more deaths than the virus itself.
A group of doctors at Denver Health Medical Center led by Brian Stauffer were baffled by what many other hospitals have noticed across the world – that the number of people coming into emergency rooms for heart attacks plummeted during the lockdowns in late March and April. Rather than positing some voodoo explanation of coronavirus curing heart attacks, Stauffer's teams observed an obvious anomaly in the data on emergency calls that gives away the culprit in this mystery.
On the one hand, the weekly activation of EMS calls by the Denver Health Paramedic Division, the only public ambulance service in the region, plummeted nearly by half during the shelter-in-place order between March 29 and April 11. On the other hand, the number of reported cardiac deaths at home were 2.2 times higher in 2020 compared with averaged historical controls over the same two-week period.
While this hypothesis needs further study, it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out that the two observations work together. ER doctors were likely seeing fewer cardiac patients because people were scared to call 911 and come to hospitals after experiencing typical warning signs of the onset of a heart attack. In turn, a good number of those people likely died of heart attacks at home. There were 92 cardiac arrests at home during that period of time, 51 more than the recent average for a two-week period.
"It is interesting to note that the excess in OHCA (out of hospital cardiac arrests) was greater than the number of patients who died with COVID-19 diagnoses during the same time frame," observed Stauffer et al.
A similar dichotomy was observed in Seattle, Washington, during the lockdown. In King County, Washington, commensurate with a 25% drop in 911 calls was a 10% increase in EMTs discovering people dead at home.
What's the culprit for more people dying of heart attacks at home? The Denver study hypothesizes that the restriction on nonemergent procedures "may lead to delays in diagnosis and definitive treatment," in addition to the fact that "patient fear of contracting COVID-19 while seeking care may lead to avoidance of lifesaving therapies."
In other words, lockdown policies, along with the accompanying disproportionate fear that they induce, gave people the impression that coronavirus was a bigger threat than heart attacks. They responded in kind, with tragic outcomes. Stauffer advises that pending further study, "Providers should consider the unintended consequence of the pandemic response in the context of chronic and emergent cardiovascular disease."
Even if the panic ceased today, we will still see long-term effects from the damage already done. In an interview with the Colorado Sun, Stauffer noted that although the cardiovascular patient volume is back up to normal levels, the patients appear to be sicker than usual. This likely portends more negative outcomes in the long run for heart patients thanks to the delayed care, in addition to those who actually died during the period of the shelter-in-place orders.
What's so gut-wrenching is that even with all this collateral damage of unprecedentedly draconian policies, we're not even saving any lives from the virus. The observations from the past few months demonstrate that the virus must achieve 15%-20% saturation in any given area and will do so regardless of human intervention and panic. The only difference we are seeing with human intervention is that countries like Sweden that chose not to panic avoided the excess man-made deaths, while we have chosen a path that created more deaths from lockdown and panic than from the virus.
The psychological factors are starkly revealed in a recent survey from Franklin Templeton. Researchers observe, "Americans still misperceive the risks of death from COVID-19 for different age cohorts—to a shocking extent." They found from their survey that "Americans believe that people aged 44 and younger account for about 30% of total deaths; the actual figure is 2.7%" and that they overestimate the risk of death from COVID-19 for people aged 24 and younger by a factor of 50."
Here is their thesis:
This misperception translates directly into a degree of fear for one's health that for most people vastly exceeds the actual risk: we find that the share of people who are very worried or somewhat worried of suffering serious health consequences should they contract COVID-19 is almost identical across all age brackets between 25 and 64 years old, and it's not far below the share for people 65 and older.
The discrepancy with the actual mortality data is staggering: for people aged 18–24, the share of those worried about serious health consequences is 400 times higher than the share of total COVID deaths; for those age 25–34 it is 90 times higher. The chart below truly is worth a thousand words:
Well, what happens if people are convinced to overestimate the threat of a virus by a factor of 100 or even 400 – and adjust their lives accordingly? They will prioritize futile efforts to avoid getting the virus at the risk of contracting other physical or mental ailments that are indeed 100 times more deadly for them.
COVID-19 poses a risk to a small portion of the population. But when our government and media treat it as a greater threat than any ailment known to man, that is not erring on the side of caution, but on the side of destruction.


theblaze--2020-08-20--UPDATED: Lyft threatens immediate shutdown of all services in California

UPDATED : Lyft threatens immediate shutdown of all services in California 'What Sacramento politicians are pushing is an employment model @ @ @ @ @ drivers do n't support '

Lyft announced that it was planning to suspend ride-share operations in the state of California at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday. However, a California appeals court stepped in Thursday afternoon to provide Lyft and Uber with an extension to comply with an order requiring the ride-sharing companies to classify independent contractors as employees, according to CNBC.
The last-minute reprieve averts what was drawing out to be a midnight shutdown of the ride-sharing services in California. The ride-hailing companies have until 5 p.m. PT on Aug. 25 to file written statements accepting the expedited procedures set out in the order.
The massively popular ride-sharing service based out of San Francisco had planned to cease operations Thursday night because of a state labor law that forces gig workers to be recognized as employees.
"This is not something we wanted to do, as we know millions of Californians depend on Lyft for daily, essential trips," the Lyft news release stated before the appeals court stepped in. "We're personally reaching out to riders and drivers to share more about why this is happening, what you can do about it, and to provide some transportation alternatives.
"For multiple years, we've been advocating for a path to offer benefits to drivers who use the Lyft platform — including a minimum earnings guarantee and a health care subsidy — while maintaining the flexibility and control that independent contractors enjoy," the statement said. "This is something drivers have told us over and over again that they want.
"Instead, what Sacramento politicians are pushing is an employment model that 4 out of 5 drivers don't support," the blog post continued. "This change would also necessitate an overhaul of the entire business model — it's not a switch that can be flipped overnight."
Lyft says it has "spent hundreds of hours meeting with policymakers and labor leaders to craft an alternative proposal for drivers that includes a minimum earnings guarantee, mileage reimbursement, a health care subsidy, and occupational accident insurance, without the negative consequences."
Earlier this month, Lyft and Uber threatened to cease their ride-hailing services in California. The two app-based ride-sharing companies have said they would leave the state because of Assembly Bill 5, legislation that passed last year that requires companies to treat independent contractors the same as regular employees.
Uber is also expected to suspend its operations in California by Thursday night.
There is a chance that Uber and Lyft suspend services in California, but could return in November. Proposition 22, a bill named "App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative," would provide an exemption for ride-sharing drivers and food delivery services. Prop 22 will be on the ballot in the Nov. 3 general election.
Earlier this month, Lyft co-founder and President John Zimmer told CNBC, "If our efforts here are not successful, it would force us to suspend operations in California. Fortunately, California voters can make their voices heard by voting yes on Prop 22 in November."
Lyft, which operates in 644 cities in the United States and Puerto Rico, has 1.4 million drivers in the U.S. and Toronto, according to a 2018 CNET report. As of Oct. 1, Lyft had about 305,000 drivers in California who completed trips within the past year, according to CNBC.
In a May 28 news release, Uber estimates to have 209,000 active drivers, but warned the coronavirus pandemic could decrease that number by 76%.
Uber sent an alert to riders via its app on Wednesday that read, "Ridesharing in CA may be suspended."
On Wednesday, the official Uber Twitter account retweeted a post that said: "As bipartisan mayors of CA's 2/3 largest cities, we share serious concern for the exodus of ride-share companies statewide. This Friday, nearly 1M gig workers will lose their income in the Golden State—deepening the economic pain felt in our communities during this crisis."
Editor's Note: This story has been updated.


theblaze--2020-08-20--HS students decorate their parking spots with 'Trump 2020' message. Of course, Black Lives Matter fa

HS students decorate their parking spots with 'Trump 2020' message. Of course, Black Lives Matter fans can't just live and let live.

HS students decorate their parking spots with 'Trump 2020 ' message .
Of course , Black Lives Matter fans ca @ @ @ @ @ live .
Believe it or not , left-wing vandals managed to misspell 'breathe ' and @ @ @ @ @ response

Since Texas' Lubbock-Cooper High School allows students to decorate their reserved parking spots before the school year begins, a group of students who support President Donald Trump and share adjacent spaces decided to pool their resources and spell out "TRUMP 2020," KCBD-TV reported.
What happened next?
But as you might guess, such a sentiment isn't likely to go unchallenged in our woke, reactionary culture — even in northwest Texas.
And indeed, sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning, the 10 parking spots spelling out "Trump 2020" were vandalized, the station said, adding that at least one other pro-Trump spot was tagged while another Trump-themed space was left alone.
Image source: KCBD-TV video screenshot
It appeared the spots were hit with tire tracks as well as black spray paint spelling out the acronym "BLM" for Black Lives Matter, "I can't breath" [sic] and "save the famalies [sic]."
School officials told KCBD that the district will move to prosecute anyone responsible for destroying or defacing school property.
"My son and several of his friends spent over $750 painting their parking spots," a parent of one affected student added to the station. "They spent eight hours creating this. Their spaces have been completely vandalized, and all boys have been threatened."
More from KCBD:
Lubbock-Cooper Superintendent Keith Bryant said in a statement to KCBD that all parking space designs must be approved by administration before they're painted. Political statements are not prohibited, but the designs must follow the dress code; which means the designs may not contain profanity, vulgar images or statements or references to illegal activity.
He also said political statements have been a fairly common theme among parking lot spaces each year, without issue. "The idea behind the parking lot painting project is to encourage students' creativity and allow them another outlet to express their personality and thoughts."
Sadie Alderson, Director of Public Information for Lubbock-Cooper ISD says the district is investigating the vandalism.
"We have students and staff with differing political beliefs; and we expect those beliefs to be respected and valued," she told the station in a statement. "As United States citizens, we have the freedom to disagree with one another, but it is completely unacceptable (and illegal) to vandalize property in disagreement. As a public school district, we have an obligation to protect not only our students, but their rights."


theblaze--2020-08-20--Netflix issues bizarre apology after sexualizing 11-year-olds in tasteless promotion for film about

Netflix issues bizarre apology after sexualizing 11-year-olds in tasteless promotion for film about 'sensual dance' What the heck is wrong @ @ @ @

Netflix has issued an apology for the "inappropriate artwork" used for one of its latest acquired films, "Cuties."
The "inappropriate artwork" in question was still footage from the actual French film itself. The company defended the film, lauding it for winning an award at the annual Sundance Film Festival.
What are the details?
The popular digital streaming company came under fire earlier this week after promoting the forthcoming film, which is centered on the burgeoning interest of an 11-year-old black Muslim child who becomes "fascinated" with a "twerking dance crew" that engages in "sensual" dance.
"We're deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties. It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which won an award at Sundance. We've now updated the pictures and description," a Thursday tweet from Netflix read.
Here is the original photo:
The network did, indeed, change the film's description in its online offering.
Here is what the film's landing page looked like before the edit, reading, "Amy, 11, becomes fascinated with a twerking dance crew. Hoping to join them, she starts to explore her femininity, defying her family's traditions."
Image source: Wayback Machine screenshot
And here's what it looks like at the time of this reporting, reading, "Eleven-year-old Amy starts to rebel against her conservative family's traditions when she becomes fascinated with a free-spirited dance crew."
How has the film synopsis changed?
The full synopsis of the film initially said:
Eleven-year-old Amy lives with her mom, Mariam, and younger brother, awaiting her father to rejoin the family from Senegal. Amy is fascinated by disobedient neighbor Angelica's free-spirited dance clique, a group that stands in sharp contrast to stoic Mariam's deeply held traditional values. Undeterred by the girls' initial brutal dismissal and eager to escape her family's simmering dysfunction, Amy, through an ignited awareness of her burgeoning femininity, propels the group to enthusiastically embrace an increasingly sensual dance routine, sparking the girls' hope to twerk their way to stardom at a local dance contest.
The new synopsis simply says:
Amy, 11 years old, tries to escape family dysfunction by joining a free-spirited dance clique named "Cuties," as they build their self confidence through dance.
There are lots of critics who don't want to see this film released
A petition to remove the French film from Netflix's online repository has received more than 50,000 signatures, and continues to climb.
At the time of this writing, Netflix is still planning to premiere the film on Sept. 9.


theblaze--2020-08-20--VIDEO: BLM protesters march to NYPD union president's house to protest union's Trump endorsement. Th

VIDEO: BLM protesters march to NYPD union president's house to protest union's Trump endorsement. They're met by a swarm of cops.

VIDEO : BLM protesters march to NYPD union president 's house to protest union 's Trump endorsement .
They 're @ @ @ @ @ cops .

When the New York Police Department union endorsed President Donald Trump's re-election late last week, the Black Lives Matter movement was not happy about it. So dozens of BLM protesters decided to protest at the home of the union's president, and they were met there by a slew of New York City cops and their barricades to protect the block.
What happened?
On Friday, New York City Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch announced the union's endorsement of Trump, the New York Post reported.
As the city faces riots, looting, shootings, and other crimes, as well as public clashes with police, the union decided the president's increased push for law and order is something it needed to get behind.
"I cannot remember when we've ever endorsed for the president of the United States until now — that's how important this is," Lynch told the president at an event Friday evening, the Post said. "We need your strong voice across the country."
The union's proclamation upset the BLM movement, which attempted to march to Lynch's house in Queens Wednesday evening, the Post said.
As protesters worked to get to Lynch's home, a swarm of NYPD officers set up barricades blocking off the neighborhood.
Multiple videos from the protests and the police's response show dozens of cops and supervisors standing in the street to keep demonstrators from marching all over Lynch's community.
Protesters can be heard chanting "all cops are bastards" and "NYPD, suck my d**k."
Content warning: Rough language
Despite the protests, Lynch was undeterred in his and his union's support for President Trump.
"New York City police officers will protect your right to protest wherever it can be done safely and legally, including in front of my house," Lynch said in a statement, NY1 reported. "But these protestors should realize they are wasting their time. Their campaign of harassment and intimidation might have the politicians running scared, but it will have zero impact on the PBA."
NY1 reported that Lynch's neighbors said the protest, which they characterized as mostly peaceful, caught them by surprise and involved vulgar language.


theblaze--2020-08-20--Two DNC caucuses — 1 Muslim and 1 LGBT — omit 'under God' from Pledge of Allegiance this week

Two DNC caucuses — 1 Muslim and 1 LGBT — omit 'under God ' from Pledge of Allegiance this week

At least two caucuses at the 2020 Democratic National Convention opted to omit "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance during this week's convention meetings, according to reports.
What are the details?
David Brody at CBN News posted the videos to Twitter, which have been widely shared.
Brody shared video footage of the meeting, captioning it, "NEW! Democrats leave out 'Under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance at the #DemocraticNationalConvention Muslim Caucus meeting this week. Watch delegate AJ Durrani skip it. Featured speakers at this event were @BernieSanders @RashidaTlaib & @TomPerez."
During the meeting, the assembly said, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
At the LGBTQ caucus, the speaker said, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Brody also shared the now viral video, captioning it, "At the #DemocraticNationalConvention, LGBT Caucus purposely leaves out the words 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance. Watch. This now makes twice that two key constituencies of the Democratic Party have done this. See my earlier tweet about DNC Muslim Caucus."
'One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all'
As highlighted by the Washington Times, the term "under God" was not officially part of the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954.
The decision to include the verbiage was made official in a bill signed by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
At the time, Eisenhower wrote, "From this day forward, the millions of our school children will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural school house, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty ... In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource, in peace or in war."


theblaze--2020-08-20--Mashable's chief editor defends #BLM and gets OWNED by Steven Crowder on-air

Mashable 's chief editor defends # BLM and gets OWNED by Steven Crowder on-air

Dang! Steven Crowder may have missed his calling as a defense lawyer. On Wednesday's "Good Morning Mug Club," Crowder called up Mashable's chief editor and head of content, Jessica Coen, for clarification as to why Mashable ran a hit piece about him, but never reached out for comment. If you are curious as to why journalism is in a state of disrepair, look no further than Mashable. Enjoy.
Want more from Steven Crowder?
To enjoy more of Steven's uncensored late-night comedy that's actually funny, join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand.


theblaze--2020-08-20--Left-wing Pittsburgh mayor big fan of Black Lives Matter protesters — but not when they bring the no

Left-wing Pittsburgh mayor big fan of Black Lives Matter protesters — but not when they bring the noise in front of his home

Left-wing Pittsburgh mayor big fan of Black Lives Matter protesters — but not when they bring the noise in front @ @ @ @ @ a line that can not be allowed to continue '

Pittsburgh Democratic Mayor Bill Peduto has said he supports Black Lives Matter and defends protests in the city's streets to "demand much-needed reforms to policing," KDKA-TV reported.
But apparently not when such protests end up at his front door.
What are the details?
The station said a massive protest took place in front of Peduto's residence Tuesday night and lasted all night. There was a siren going off, KDKA said, and protesters banged drums, blew horns, and used megaphones to express their desire for the mayor's resignation after the Saturday arrest of 25-year-old Matthew Cartier, who was taken away in an unmarked van by plainclothes officers.
Image source: KDKA-TV video screenshot
Indeed, a number of protesters spent the night, the station said, adding that there were mattresses along the sidewalk.
Jesse Seager — co-owner of Point Brugge Cafe, located just steps from the action — told KDKA that at one point around 300 people were on the street.
"There definitely are neighbors that are scared," Seager noted to the station. "I talked to multiple neighbors that left for the evening that have kids, that have elderly people in the house."
The mayor wasn't home at the time of the protest either, KDKA said.
Finally a line of officers stood near Peduto's home around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday and declared the gathering an "unlawful assembly" — and that protesters could be arrested if they didn't leave, the station said. Only about a dozen protesters were there at that point, KDKA added, and they all left about 30 minutes later.
It was the second time in just days protesters were seen in front of Peduto's home, the station said, adding that many of them believe he doesn't support their movement.
Image source: KDKA-TV video screenshot
What did the mayor have to say?
Peduto later released a statement about the protests, KDKA said:
I have long defended First Amendment rights to peaceably protest. I strongly believe that Black Lives Matter, that we are in a historic fight for civil rights in this country, and that it is right for people to take to the streets to demand much-needed reforms to policing in our cities.
What I cannot defend is any neighborhood in our city — and their residents and families — being disturbed through the night and morning, and a peaceful protest devolving into unacceptable conduct in which residents are being harassed and threatened. This crosses a line that cannot be allowed to continue, causing those committing crimes against residents to face possible legal consequences for their actions. Using protests to create conflict and division, as some are doing, only impacts the ability of others to exercise their constitutional rights safely.
I am working to make Pittsburgh a better city for all, and I have condemned and halted the arrest methods Pittsburgh Police used last weekend. I understand that people are feeling fear, pain and anger in our communities, and that some want to take their frustrations out on me. I fully accept that, but I will not accept unjustified actions that threaten neighbors in any part of the city.
Indeed, the leftist mayors of Seattle and Olympia, Washington, didn't like it when Black Lives Matter protesters recently descended upon their homes, either.
Police not happy with Peduto, either
Fraternal Order of Police President Robert Swartzwelder told the station he's predicting massive police retirements in October when 268 officers become eligible, citing criticism from Peduto and District Attorney Stephen Zappala over how police have handled protests.
"They're pinching the police in the middle, and they're putting them in a precarious position where police officers feel that no matter what they do, they're going to be criticized by the two highest-level politicians ..." Swartzwelder told KDKA, adding that such a scenario "is going to change public opinion and force negative ramifications on the police officers, and some police officers are going to say, 'OK, you don't want us? We'll go and do something else.'"
The station said police have allowed demonstrators access to city streets without permits, but added that even the American Civil Liberties Union said officers are within their rights to make arrests if protesters create disturbances or block vital streets and intersections and refuse to disperse.
"People need to — especially in this time — have an outlet to be able to exercise their right to express their displeasure with what's going on in government," Vic Waczak of the ACLU told KDKA. "But at the same time, I think everybody need to recognize that those rights are not unlimited."
Back for more
As it happens, protesters returned to Peduto's home Wednesday night — and this time the mayor talked to them, WTAE-TV reported.
One video showed him speaking, but what he was saying couldn't be heard over protesters chanting, "Hey hey, ho ho, Mayor Peduto has got to go!"
More from the station:
Public safety officials said the exchange between Peduto and protesters ended in an impasse on Wednesday evening. Peduto went back inside his house after the conversation.
The group of protesters remained outside of his house chanting in the street after the conversation before they returned to Mellon Park.
(H/T: Hot Air)


theblaze--2020-08-20--Gravely injured Seattle police officer reveals disturbing reports of 'very violent, very destructive

Gravely injured Seattle police officer reveals disturbing reports of 'very violent, very destructive' rioters

Gravely injured Seattle police officer reveals disturbing reports of 'very violent , very destructive ' rioters 'We need to hold @ @ @ @

Seattle Police Officer Adam Fowler, who was injured Sunday night during the region's latest riots, says that the ongoing demonstrations are becoming increasingly dangerous.
Fowler was one of six police officers who were injured Sunday. At least 18 people were arrested.
What are the details?
Fowler, who recounted his injury with KING-TV, was rushed to the hospital after a mortar went off near his eye.
“These aren't tiny fireworks, they're not firecrackers, these are commercial grade mortars," Fowler told the local station. “One had been thrown behind me and when that detonated it hit me in the back and when I went back toward my patrol bicycle another went off."
The brave officer said that he thought for certain he would lose his eye because of the explosion assault.
“The only think I could see was a bright flash and then a loud bang and what felt like a hammer hitting me in the face," he recalled. "When I got hit, I lost my vision momentarily. I lost my vision probably anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. It was just blurry in my left eye and my first initial thought was 'I'm going to lose my left eye.' That was pretty scary."
Fowler said that while there is a large contingent of peaceful protesters, there are even more violent demonstrators bent on wreaking havoc in the streets and instilling violence on the opposition.
"[W]e have this separate group that now is [there] every night," he said. "It can range between 50 people all the way up to 200 people. ... Those people are very violent, very destructive. They are ruining things. They want to harm us, harm businesses, harm things in Seattle and then quickly try to turn the story on us like we have created something bad when they are going out and seeking us out every night to try to cause these issues."
Time to hold those accountable
Fowler said that the only way to stop the violence is to "hold these people accountable" for their actions.
"We need to have follow-through," he insisted. "We need to hold these people accountable for going out and doing the things that they're doing, because it's not going to get better if they're not held accountable for it."
The Seattle officer added that local police are feeling the strain of having to deal with such abuses night after night.
“Morale is not super great right now," he admitted. "It's pretty low and a lot of people feel the same way that I feel and are very frustrated. People want to be appreciated."
RAW: Seattle police officer describes SODO riot that injured 6 officers, led to 18 arrests www.youtube.com
(H/T: Hotair)


theblaze--2020-08-20--Obama takes direct aim at Trump in DNC speech: 'Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he ca

Obama takes direct aim at Trump in DNC speech: 'Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he can't'

Obama takes direct aim at Trump in DNC speech : 'Donald Trump has n't grown into the job because he @ @ @

Former President Barack Obama launched his most direct attack ever against President Donald Trump during his Democratic National Convention speech Wednesday night, spending the first several minutes of the speech criticizing Trump before even mentioning Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Obama's speech carried a similar tone toward President Trump as his wife Michelle's speech earlier in the week, taking a tone of disappointed acceptance that the president is not going to change for the better, and therefore it's important for voters to show up for Biden in November.
I have sat in the Oval Office with both of the men who are running for president. I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or continue my policies. I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously; that he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care.
But he never did. For close to four years now, he's shown no interest in putting in the work; no interest in finding common ground; no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends; no interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves.
Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he can't. And the consequences of that failure are severe. 170,000 Americans dead. Millions of jobs gone while those at the top take in more than ever. Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before.
Barack Obama's fiery DNC speech in full youtu.be
The speech highlights the consistent dynamic of the Democrats' approach to this election — that it's much more about opposing and eliminating President Trump than it is about Biden's quality as a nominee.
Throughout the 2020 primary, Biden's biggest strength and primary appeal to Democratic voters is his ability to win a general election against Trump, which allowed him to secure the nomination despite not being the strongest candidate in terms of progressive policies or the party's desire for a female or minority nominee.
Even as voters rejected Biden in early primary elections, when it became clear that the alternative was a Bernie Sanders nomination, Democrats rallied around Biden with high-profile endorsements to resurrect Biden's near-dead candidacy.
Obama and other top Democrats seem aware of the potential that Biden, as a relatively uninspiring candidate, could fail to generate the turnout needed to win in November, and many of their appeals to voters have focused on asking them not to stay home even if they're discouraged about the current state of the nation's politics.
"We can't let that happen," Obama said. "Do not let them take away your power. Don't let them take away your democracy. Make a plan right now for how you're going to get involved and vote."


theblaze--2020-08-20--POLL: What will be the most important issue in the debates?

POLL : What will be the most important issue in the debates ?
Cast your vote and do n't forget @ @ @

POLL: What will be the most important issue in the debates?
Cast your vote and don't forget to share!


theblaze--2020-08-20--Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden has a history of mocking 'dumb ass' masks; now he faces Delta A

Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden has a history of mocking 'dumb ass' masks; now he faces Delta Air Lines ban for not wearing one

Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden has a history of mocking 'dumb ass ' masks ; now he faces @ @ @ @ @ not wearing one A deputy editor for the New York Times went after Robert O'Neill @ @ @ @ @ is 'not willing to sacrifice '

Former Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill, who has been credited as the person who killed Osama Bin Laden in a 2011 raid, faces a potential ban by Delta Air Lines after he posted a photo of him not wearing a face mask on a recent flight.
In a since-deleted tweet, O'Neill proudly shared a photo of himself on a commercial airplane where he was not wearing a face mask, which has been mandatory on Delta Air Lines since May and enforced since June.
O'Neill captioned the photo: "I'm not a p***y."
There is a man in the background wearing a United States Marine Corps hat, and many Twitter commenters accused O'Neill of disparaging the man with the USMC hat.
New York Times deputy editor Dan Saltzstein replied, "I don't know this guy but: counterpoint, you might just be because you're not willing to sacrifice and be a little uncomfortable for your fellow humans (including that marine behind you)!"
Saltzstein said he deleted the tweet "because I broke my own rule about name-calling." He added, "I honor O'Neill for his sacrifices to his country and his heroism. It's sad that he can't extend the same for the safety of his fellow passengers."
O'Neill responded, "This was not a dig at the Marine behind me. I love Marines."
The former SEAL Team Six member's original tweet was deleted. O'Neill claimed that his wife deleted the polarizing tweet.
O'Neill added, "I am not the bad guy. I killed the bad guy."
Actress turned activist Alyssa Milano reprimanded O'Neill for not wearing a face mask.
"You do realize you may be a-symptomatic and give the virus to other people that could potentially kill them," she wrote. "I think that makes you a sociopath. Besides, p***ies are actually so strong that we can deliver human beings out of them. Please, I'm begging you, wear a damn mask."
A Delta Air Lines spokesperson told the Intercept that O'Neill might face a ban for not wearing a mask.
"We're aware of this customer's tweet and are reviewing this event," the spokesperson said. "All customers who don't comply with our mask-wearing requirement risk losing their ability to fly Delta in the future. Medical research tells us that wearing a mask is one of the most effective ways to reduce the COVID-19 infection rate."
Delta Air Lines has banned anti-maskers from taking flights. The carrier's CEO, Ed Bastian, said the company had placed over 100 people on its "no-fly list" because they didn't adhere to the face mask mandate.
"We've been steadily and rather aggressively stepping up our enforcement of the mask policy," Bastian said on "Today" in late July. "You cannot board a Delta plane unless you have a mask on. If you board the plane and insist on not wearing a mask, we insist that you do not fly Delta into the future. We already have 100 people put onto that list."
O'Neill said the photo was an "attempt at a joke" that "did NOT go over well." He also said that he does wear a mask.
In an Instagram post from late June, O'Neill and his wife Jessica are seen wearing face masks in an airplane. The caption reads: "The airline makes them mandatory. We make them f***ing cool."
In the past, O'Neill has voiced his skepticism of the effectiveness of face masks against COVID-19.
O'Neill shared a study that found that bandanas and neck gaiters could be more harmful than not wearing a mask at all.
"'Mask' is easier to say than 'Placebo,'" he wrote in June.
On June 28, O'Neill tweeted, "I'm on a @SouthwestAir flight right now. They just announced, 'Facemasks must be worn at all times unless you're actively eating or drinking.' Wow. Thanks for keeping the sheep safe!"
"There are now stores with mirrors next to face-masks so you can try them on and see how you look. Let that sink in," O'Neill wrote last week.
Also last week, the former Navy SEAL said, "You know that s**t you're wearing on your face is novelty, right?"
"I know more about biological warfare than most of you. We were trained. These dumb ass masks do nothing. Nothing," O'Neill wrote in a since-deleted tweet.
"China told you to wear a mask. Look down … you're wearing a mask. I'm not," O'Neill claimed in a since-deleted tweet.
"I shook thousands of hands and gave thousands of hugs this week," O'Neill said on Wednesday. "I flew on some planes. I'll be alive next week."
"I'm not afraid of the mob," he said on Wednesday. "Come get some."
A spokesperson for O'Neill did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Intercept.
Comedian and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan received similar backlash in June after he declared that wearing face masks is "for bitches."
"Because that's what men do, we make fun of things. Anything," Rogan explained. "Anything that seems like you're not taking chances. And that's what the mask is."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that the use of cloth face masks can help slow the spread of coronavirus.
"We are not defenseless against COVID-19," CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield said. "Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus — particularly when used universally within a community setting. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities."


theblaze--2020-08-20--Uber and Lyft might stop offering rides in California this week

Uber and Lyft might stop offering rides in California this week The state 's new law fighting the 'gig economy @ @ @ @ @ 1 million ride-share workers losing their jobs .

Ride-share companies Uber and Lyft have sounded the alarm that they may be forced to stop operations in the state of California this week, over a state law aimed at them that forces reorganization and higher taxes on the firms in an attempt to squash the "gig economy."
What are the details?
The fight is over Assembly Bill 5, legislation that passed last year in an effort to make firms convert gig workers into employees, requiring the companies to provide benefits (and contributions to state coffers) as they would for someone classified as an employee.
California sued Uber and Lyft to force compliance with the measure, and the judge overseeing the case signaled last week that the state's Democratic lawmakers and governor will likely win.
That prompted both companies to warn that they would have to leave the state at least until the general election Nov. 3, when voters can decide on a ballot initiative that would provide ride-share workers an exemption — which the legislature has done several times after seeing how AB 5 began to destroy numerous industries like trucking when it went into effect earlier this year.
The final decision comes Friday, and if the state wins, Californians will be relegated back to hitchhiking or calling for the more expensive option of a cab — a move that critics say will cost citizens and gig workers alike.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo (D) and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (R) released a joint statement Wednesday warning their fellow Californians that allowing ride-share firms to flee would hurt the pocketbooks of citizens — especially amid high unemployment from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Liccardo shared the plea on Twitter with the message, "As bipartisan mayors of CA's 2/3 largest cities, we share serious concern for the exodus of ride-share companies statewide. This Friday, nearly 1M gig workers will lose their income in the Golden State—deepening the economic pain felt in our communities during this crisis."
Gig workers have expressed mixed views on the issue publicly. KCAL-TV presented a segment declaring that Uber warned "it could suspect service in California by Thursday."
The outlet interviewed two drivers with opposing positions.
The first was Jerome Gage — a gig worker for both Uber and Lyft — who expressed his frustration that the companies are not complying with AB 5, saying that "drivers are constantly having to work more, and more, and more, and more, and Uber and Lyft — they keep on paying us less and less and less and less."
But Uber driver Rodolfo Valdivia feels otherwise, telling KCAL, "I feel like something's being taken away from me. Like I'm being robbed of my right to be able to work at my own discretion."


theblaze--2020-08-20--Insane brawl breaks out on American Airlines flight when a passenger reportedly refuses to comply wi

Insane brawl breaks out on American Airlines flight when a passenger reportedly refuses to comply with mask policy 'So much @ @ @ @

Video footage of a serious fight breaking out between two passengers on a waiting American Airlines flight has gone viral on the internet.
The fight reportedly took place because one passenger allegedly refused to comply with the airline's mask policy.
What are the details?
The incident took place on a flight from Las Vegas to Charlotte, North Carolina, after one woman allegedly would not wear a mask and refused to deplane in response.
Twitter user Caryn Ross shared video of the brawl, writing, "Nothing like a morning Fight Club as tempers flared on American Airlines LAS-CLT flight today....So much for social distancing."
The video shows a group of women standing in the plane's aisle, which is waiting for takeoff.
One woman can be heard shouting at another woman, who, in turn, hauls off and punches the first woman.
Just one of the women can be seen wearing a mask during the altercation.
The women begin viciously swinging at each other and eventually fall onto nearby seats, where they continue pummeling one another.
Authorities arrived on the tarmac and escorted at least one of the women from the flight, reports say.
In a statement provided to Fox News, the airline said, "On Monday, a customer on American Airlines Flight 1665 with service from Las Vegas to Charlotte failed to comply with our mandatory face-covering policy after boarding the aircraft prior to departure. In accordance with our policy, the customer was subsequently asked to leave the aircraft and became disruptive, resulting in an altercation with other passengers."
American Airlines has had no problem removing other passengers from flights who have refused to comply with the mandatory face covering rule.
(Content warning: Rough language):
Anything else?
Early reports on the fight said the women's anger might also have been related to seat assignments on the flight.
Ross' husband, Jack — who filmed the viral footage — reportedly said that an argument initially broke out over the seat assignments as the plane sat on the tarmac awaiting takeoff.