theblaze--2020-11-23--Biden names John Kerry to be 'climate envoy' for National Security Council. Environmental groups che

Biden names John Kerry to be 'climate envoy' for National Security Council. Environmental groups cheer.

Biden names John Kerry to be 'climate envoy ' for National Security Council .
Environmental groups cheer .
'This marks @ @ @ @ @ NSC will include an official dedicated to climate change '

Former Vice President Joe Biden on Monday designated former Secretary of State John Kerry to be the "climate envoy" in a Biden-Harris administration. Biden's transition team pledged to elevate the position to the National Security Council, a move that pleased climate activists and progressive groups.
Kerry will be Biden's Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, guiding the federal government's climate policies. The Biden campaign introduced a $2 trillion climate plan that called for reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Presumably, Kerry will be responsible for coordinating multiple federal agencies to implement policies to achieve that goal. His role will not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
"This marks the first time that the NSC will include an official dedicated to climate change, reflecting the president-elect's commitment to addressing climate change as an urgent national security issue," the Biden transition team said in a statement.
"America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is," Kerry tweeted after the announcement. "I'm proud to partner with the President-elect, our allies, and the young leaders of the climate movement to take on this crisis as the President's Climate Envoy."
Biden's transition team touted Kerry's foreign policy experience in a news release, noting his influential role in crafting the Paris climate accord.
"Secretary Kerry elevated environmental challenges as diplomatic priorities, from oceans to hydrofluorocarbons. He was a key architect of the Paris Climate Accord, and signed the historic agreement to reduce carbon emissions with his granddaughter on his lap," Biden's team said.
Biden has pledged to rejoin the Paris climate agreement on his first day as president, reversing one of President Donald Trump's most significant policy accomplishments.
Progressive activists praised the announcement as evidence of Biden's seriousness when it comes to climate issues.
"This is that signal we have been looking for," Nat Keohane, senior vice president at the Environmental Defense Fund, told the Washington Examiner. "It'd be hard to think of a better person for this role or a clearer signal that the U.S. will reengage on climate globally and make it a central aspect of all parts of foreign policy and national security policy. Kerry brings weight, gravitas, and experience."
"Excellent news," tweeted Fred Krupp, the president of the Environmental Defense Fund. "[John Kerry] is one of the world's most effective climate champions, both in the U.S. and abroad. He is the ideal person to restore U.S. global climate leadership."
Environmental activist group Greenpeace praised Kerry's appointment as a "good first step" and a "positive sign for Biden's intention to integrate climate leadership into every facet of the administration."
The Sunrise Movement, another activist group, called Kerry's appointment an "encouraging sign."
Kerry's appointment was announced alongside several other nominees and appointees for key national security roles in a Biden-Harris administration, including former Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken as the nominee to be the next secretary of state.


theblaze--2020-11-23--Video catches moment Shanghai airport erupts into chaos after hazmat-wearing staff force 'thousands'

Video catches moment Shanghai airport erupts into chaos after hazmat-wearing staff force 'thousands' of people into basement for forced COVID-19 testing

Video catches moment Shanghai airport erupts into chaos after hazmat-wearing staff force 'thousands ' of people into basement for forced @ @ @ @ @ watching here ?

Chaos appeared to erupt at an airport in Shanghai, China, Sunday night after the hazmat-wearing staff forced what the Daily Mail reported was ultimately "thousands" of people into the facility's basement for COVID-19 testing.
The move came after two cargo workers reportedly tested positive for coronavirus.
What are the details?
Video of the incident shows the staff, wearing hazmat suits, pushing against a huge crowd of people inside Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
The outlet reported that thousands in the crowd were "being forced into [a] basement area inside Shanghai's international airport" for testing after at least one worker tested positive for the deadly virus.
Some members of the group reportedly tried in vain to escape in order to avoid a mandatory 14-day quarantine following the possible exposure, the outlet reported.
Citing the Xinhua news agency, the Daily Mail noted that "[m]ore than 17,700 had been swabbed by Monday morning in the drive to test airport cargo staff."
According to CNN, photos and videos circulating across Chinese social media platforms show "hundreds of people packed closely together inside the garage — the opposite of social distancing — with a line of people in hazmat suits trying to hold back crowds pushing forward."
CNN reported that the chaos seemed to abate by midnight.
The New York Post reported that more than 17,700 employees "stationed in the cargo-handling terminals underwent testing for the virus," citing Zhou Junlong, who is vice president of the Shanghai Airport Authority.
Zhou added that none of the 11,544 people whose tests were returned have tested positive for COVID-19 at the time of this reporting.
The Post noted that the massive push for testing came following news that two cargo handlers, who had cleaned a container that had just arrived from North America, had tested positive for the virus.
Reuters reported that Sun Xiaodong, an official at Shanghai's disease control center, said the strain that infected the two unnamed cargo handlers was "similar to that from North America," suggesting it could have originated in North America.
"Research at home and abroad has shown coronavirus could live in enclosed, damp environments," Sun said during a recent news conference.


theblaze--2020-11-23--Top Operation Warp Speed doctor says US could reach 'herd immunity,' return to normal life by May 20

Top Operation Warp Speed doctor says US could reach 'herd immunity,' return to normal life by May 2021

Top Operation Warp Speed doctor says US could reach 'herd immunity , ' return to normal life by May 2021 @ @ @ @ @ the tunnel

The chief scientific adviser on President Trump's Operation Warp Speed panel is predicting that Americans may be able to return to normal life by the middle of next year.
What are the details?
Dr. Moncef Slaoui told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that tens of millions of COVID-19 vaccines will begin shipping to immunization sites by the end of this year, and that by May 2021, herd immunity could be reached.
"Our plan is to be able to ship vaccines to the immunization sites within 24 hours from the approval, so I expect maybe on day two after approval on the 11th or the 12th of December," he said, referring to two vaccines produced by biotech companies, Pfizer and Moderna, which will soon be considered for emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Slaoui said there would need to be about "70% or so of the population being immunized" to allow for "true herd immunity to take place" and for life to start returning to normal.
"That is likely to happen in the month of May or something like that, based on our plans," he predicted.
"I really hope and look forward to seeing that the level of negative perception of the vaccine decreases and peoples' acceptance increases," he added, noting acceptance of the vaccine "is going to be critical to help us."
"Most people need to be immunized before we can go back to a normal life," he added.
What else?
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which partnered with German company BioNTech to develop a vaccine, announced that it had submitted an application for emergency approval from the FDA on Friday. A panel of experts are scheduled to review the application on Dec. 10.
Moderna, which also developed a vaccine with 95% efficacy against the novel coronavirus, plans to submit an emergency use authorization application in the coming weeks.
Once the vaccines are approved, the federal government, in cooperation with the private companies, will begin rapidly shipping doses to immunization sites. Health care workers and at-risk individuals will presumably receive vaccinations first.
Also during the interview with Tapper, Slaoui praised Operation War Speed's vaccine development efforts, calling it an "incredible, visionary approach to put together science and the Department of Defense and Industry in an incredible partnership."
Dr. Slaoui on Operation Warp Speed: An “Incredible, Visionary Approach...Incredible Partnership" www.youtube.com
Anything else?
In response to concerns that the political turmoil persisting from the 2020 election may hamper vaccine distribution efforts, Slaoui told NBC's Chuck Todd that distribution plans will be carried out no matter who is occupying the Oval Office.
"The operation has been isolated from the administration, from the political environment and the political context. We work very hard to make sure that's the case. And, therefore, all the decisions are made, the train is running. Whether one administration or the other, it doesn't frankly make a difference," he said.


theblaze--2020-11-23--Oregon's leftist governor tells residents to call police on neighbors who violate her new COVID lock

Oregon's leftist governor tells residents to call police on neighbors who violate her new COVID lockdown edicts

Oregon 's leftist governor tells residents to call police on neighbors who violate her new COVID lockdown edicts What happens @ @ @

Oregon's far-left Democratic governor, Kate Brown, declared strict new COVID-19 lockdown orders last week, and now she's calling on Oregonians to rat out any of their neighbors who might violate her new edict that limits social gatherings, KGW-TV reported.
What is the governor doing?
Gov. Brown's latest statewide coronavirus lockdown mandates — which she has taken to labeling a "freeze" — include much of what Americans have come to expect from governors of both parties who are locking down their states in an attempt to slow the current nationwide COVID-19 surge.
Brown's orders include banning all indoor dining at restaurants; closing indoor gyms, entertainment activities, pools, and museums; closing outdoor recreational facilities, zoos, entertainment activities, gardens, and pools; limiting retail stores to 75% capacity; requiring businesses to mandate work-from-home and to close their offices to the public; restricting "nonessential" travel; and limiting faith-based organizations to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
But what has likely brought the most consternation to Oregon residents has been the cap on social get-togethers — particularly with Thanksgiving only days away. Brown's newest round of commands feature an outright ban on groups of more than six people gathering together in private homes.
The governor's latest move has drawn pushback from not only average citizens but also elected officials and law enforcement.
Newly elected Clackamas County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Tootie Smith (R) told Fox News that Brown's mandates made Oregonian's "second-rate slaves" in their own homes.
And at least one Oregon sheriff is also pushing back on Brown's new orders. Marion County Sheriff's office said Friday, “We recognize that we cannot arrest or enforce our way out of the pandemic, and we believe both are counterproductive to public health goals," KGW reported.
In an interview with KGW on Friday, Brown called the pushback "irresponsible," saying, "These are politicians seeking headlines, not public servants, trying to save lives."
Call the cops
So, how does the governor envision the enforcement of her new mandates?
She wants neighbors to rat on neighbors.
KGW's Maggie Vespa asked Brown a yes-or-no question point blank: Should Oregonians be calling the police on their neighbors who are violating the six-person restriction?
The governor said yes.
"This is no different than what happens if there's a party down the street and it's keeping everyone awake," Brown said to Vespa. "What do neighbors do? They call law enforcement because it's too noisy. This is just like that. It's like a violation of a noise ordinance."
"That could be a 'yes,'" Vespa replied.
"Yes, yes," Brown said, adding that people "shouldn't have to" call police. Instead, she said, people should understand that her new commands are "about saving lives."
(H/T: HotAir)


theblaze--2020-11-23--Cigar-smoking Florida hero describes courageously wresting his puppy from jaws of an alligator

The courageous Florida dog owner who rescued his puppy from the jaws of an alligator said he didn't think much about it and acted on instinct when he dove underwater after his dog.
Retiree Richard Wilbanks, 74, and his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Gunner, appeared on Fox News Monday for an interview about the dramatic rescue, which was captured on video and went viral over the weekend.
"We were just out for a Sunday morning stroll, and walking down by the edge of the pond," Wilbanks recounted to Fox News' Sandra Smith. "All of the sudden an alligator just came out from under the water and grabbed little gunner and had him back in the water and was swimming off with him."
"I just jumped in and got ahold of the alligator and drug [sic] him up to the bank and pried his jaws open and got him out," Wilbanks said.
Watch:
Cameras owned by the Florida Wildlife Federation filmed the incident, which took place just south of Fort Myers, Florida. Wilbanks was walking with Gunner by a pond when suddenly an alligator snatched the poor dog and dragged him underwater.
Wilbanks, who was smoking a cigar, jumped right in after his puppy and seized the alligator, fighting it for his dog's life.
"I didn't have a lot of time to think," Wilbanks told Fox News. "The instinct of saving Gunner because he's such a wonderful little puppy. I just wasn't gonna let that alligator have him."
Wilbanks managed to free Gunner from the gator's grasp, but his hands were chewed up in the process.
"I had a few little bunch of wounds on my hands," Wilbanks said. "After I got Gunner out of the alligator's mouth I had my hands stuck in there. I had to work them out."
The dog suffered a puncture wound and was in shock when Wilbanks, covered in his own blood, carried him home and surprised his wife. They rushed Gunner to the vet and Wilbanks went to the hospital for treatment.
Gunner has made a full recovery since the attack.
"He's such an amazing dog," Wilbanks told Fox News.
The cameras that caught the alligator attack and ensuing rescue were set up by the Florida Wildlife Federation and the fStop Foundation, KHOU-TV reports. Their purpose is to capture images of wildlife for people to appreciate as part of the "Share the Landscape" campaign.
"I would like to emphasize for people that have pets is to make sure that they keep them away from the edge of the water," Florida Wildlife Federation's Meredith Budd said.
Wilbanks told KHOU-TV that he's keeping Gunner away from the water now and always on a leash.


theblaze--2020-11-23--Cancel culture hits Rockefeller Christmas tree for 'American exceptionalism' and its 'toxic relation

Cancel culture hits Rockefeller Christmas tree for 'American exceptionalism' and its 'toxic relationship' with nature

Cancel culture hits Rockefeller Christmas tree for 'American exceptionalism ' and its 'toxic relationship ' with nature

A member of the Columbia University faculty is calling to "cancel" the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree for its apparently offensive tradition.
What are the details?
As reported by Campus Reform, faculty member and environmental journalist Brian Kahn said that the tree — which has been annually erected since 1931 — causes a "toxic relationship" with nature.
In an article published on Gizmodo titled "Cancel the Rockefeller Christmas Tree for Good," Kahn says that cutting down a tree on a yearly basis — which he says is a "veritable island for wildlife" — should come to an abrupt halt.
Last week, an owl was discovered inside the tree, which was transported more than 170 miles from Oneonta, New York, to New York City's Rockefeller Center.
Instead of taking the news of the owl discovery in a positive stride, Kahn argued that it was a miracle the bird wasn't crushed during the cutting of the tree or the transportation process.
"In its previous home ... [the tree] had an iota of dignity lost completely once it was transported to Midtown Manhattan," Kahn argued.
He also insisted that the Rockefeller tree is nothing more than another "icon of American exceptionalism."
"The Rockefeller tree is an icon of American exceptionalism," Kahn wrote. "Its story has humble roots in the Great Depression when workers building Rockefeller Center decorated a tree as a pick-me-up for a beleaguered city. It has since morphed into a made-for-TV spectacle to sell ads against and draw onlookers, wowed by a towering Norway spruce set at the center of the beating, concrete-and-steel heart of capitalism."
He also added that the owl's very presence highlights Americans' "toxic relationship with nature."
"The Northern saw-whet owl is currently considered a low-concern species due to human pressures and has even managed to carve a niche out in human landscapes (clearly)," Kahn explained. "But the climate crisis fueled by unending growth and fossil fuels will eventually come for it, too."
Kahn explained that he's fully aware that his missive might be ill-received — especially during a time when the country needs hope the most — but he doesn't care.
"I know I'll likely receive many a furious email cussing me out for being a tree hugger perpetrating the war on Christmas and a total killjoy," he admitted. "But my point isn't that we should end joy and piss on Santa. It's that now is the perfect moment to consider what we truly value. When I saw the Rockefeller Center tree propped up as it shed entire boughs to the cold plaza ground this year, I felt no elation. I just felt sad that we venerate the continued subjugation of nature at the expense of unfettered growth and consumption — or even simply because we, like those who suffered through the Great Depression, want to feel something like normal again."
"There is poetry in the notion that we could take this tradition, born in the shadow of the Great Depression, and end it for the right reasons in the midst of a new generation-defining catastrophe," he concluded. "We have, in this uniquely horrible moment, the opportunity to look beyond simply what makes us feel good and normal to what we can do to make our future normal truly good."


theblaze--2020-11-23--Democratic congressman wants Rudy Giuliani, other Trump lawyers disbarred for post-election work

Democratic congressman wants Rudy Giuliani , other Trump lawyers disbarred for post-election work Giuliani 'should face the severest sanction your @ @ @ @ @

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell has filled paperwork requesting the disbarment of attorneys working on behalf of President Donald Trump's campaign, citing "attempts to overturn the election and demolish democracy."
What are the details?
Pascrell wrote the legal disciplinary authorities in five states — Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and New York — last week requesting the "severest sanction" against Rudy Giuliani and 22 other Trump attorneys: "revocation of their law licensures."
Speaking about Giuliani specifically, Pascrell claimed the former New York City mayor has violated rules governing the professional conduct of lawyers by participating in "frivolous lawsuits," using the court system to "assault public confidence in the United States electoral system," and engaging "in conduct involving dishonest, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation."
"The egregious pattern of behavior by Mr. Giuliani to effectuate Mr. Trump's sinister arson is a danger not just to our legal system but is also unprecedented in our national life. In carrying out that perversion, Mr. Giuliani has clearly violated the New York Rules of Professional Conduct he swore to uphold and should face the severest sanction your body can mete out: revocation of his law licensure," Pascrell said.
Similar claims of professional attorney misconduct were made against the other Trump lawyers.
What's the background?
Trump's legal team have made numerous allegations of wide-scale voter fraud. However, they have not backed their allegations with concrete evidence in court.
Their failure to substantiate their allegations publicly has earned scorn from Republican lawmakers, Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and even staunch allies of Trump, like former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who called Trump's legal team a "national embarrassment."
One of the Trump legal team's latest losses came in Pennsylvania over the weekend, when a federal judge denied their request to invalidate millions of votes. Doing so would have amounted to violating the Constitution, the judge said.
Anything else?
As TheBlaze reported, Pascrell has also said Trump and his "enablers" should be "tried for their crimes against our nation and Constitution."
"Donald Trump and members of his administration have committed innumerable crimes against the United States," Pascrell said, claiming the Trump administration has "engaged in treachery, in treason."
"Therefore, in 2021 the entire Trump administration must be fully investigated by the Department of Justice and any other relevant offices," Pascrell said.


theblaze--2020-11-23--Biden's pick for secretary of state blasted President Trump's 'America First' foreign policy as xeno

Biden's pick for secretary of state blasted President Trump's 'America First' foreign policy as xenophobic and isolationist; supported Iraq War

Biden 's pick for secretary of state blasted President Trump 's 'America First ' foreign policy as xenophobic and isolationist @ @ @ @ @ Blinken is expected to bring a more globalist perspective to the State Department

Former Vice President Joe Biden's reported pick for secretary of state, longtime adviser Antony Blinken, once slammed President Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy as xenophobic and isolationist and previously advised Biden to vote for the Iraq War.
What are the details?
Blinken, a career foreign policy official who served as Biden's national security adviser and later deputy secretary of state during the Obama administration, is expected to bring a much more globalist perspective to the State Department.
He will reportedly lead efforts to reverse course on several of President Trump's initiatives and re-involve the United States in international agreements such as the Paris climate agreement and the Iran nuclear deal, noted Bloomberg, the first outlet to report the news.
That the potential new secretary of state will distance himself from Trump's policies is no surprise, as he has been a leading critic of trump's "America First" foreign policy.
In a 2019 op-ed that he co-authored, Blinken castigated the principle as "only making the world worse" as it confronts an increasingly dangerous world of populists and demagogues, democracy under siege, mass migration, and global warming.
"Doubling down on 'America First,' with its mix of nationalism, unilateralism and xenophobia, would only exacerbate these problems," Blinken wrote, frequently suggesting that the U.S. should embrace a strategy with more global cooperation, not less. He referred to his counter-strategy as "responsible global engagement."
"Successive administrations have underfunded and undervalued our diplomacy, none more dangerously than the present one," he said.
What else?
Blinken has also come under fire for his support of America's entrance into the Iraq War since news broke that he was Biden's pick for top diplomat.
According to the Nation, Blinken served as Biden's top aide in 2002 when the former senator voted in favor of a resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq.
President Trump made his opposition to involvement in Iraq a major theme of his successful 2016 campaign and, in 2020, hammered Biden for supporting the war.
Anything else?
Blinken was a staunch proponent of U.S. involvement in Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and Libya during the Obama administration and, according to the New York Times, helped craft the American response in those countries with "mixed results."
During a May interview on CBS' "Face the Nation," Blinken himself admitted that the Obama administration "failed" in Syria.
"The last administration has to acknowledge that we failed, not for want of trying, but we failed," Blinken plainly assessed. "We failed to prevent a horrific loss of life. We failed to prevent massive displacement of people internally in Syria and, of course, externally as refugees. And it's something that I will take with me for the rest of my days."
"What happened, unfortunately, since then is that a horrific situation was made arguably even worse," he continued. "And to the extent the United States had any remaining leverage in Syria to try to effectuate some more positive outcome. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has more or less turned that up to pulling out entirely in Syria has taken away significant leverage."


theblaze--2020-11-23--Smiling woman holding pro-police sign infuriates Black Lives Matter protester who threatens, bullies

Smiling woman holding pro-police sign infuriates Black Lives Matter protester who threatens, bullies her: 'Baby girl, you're not walking away anywhere!'

Smiling woman holding pro-police sign infuriates Black Lives Matter protester who threatens , bullies her : 'Baby girl , you @ @ @ @ @ ! '
The protest in Omaha , Nebraska , was over a police-involved fatal shooting @ @ @ @ @ week

A smiling woman holding a pro-police sign stuck a decidedly opposing tone during a protest against cops in Omaha, Nebraska, following an officer-involved fatal shooting of a black man — and the woman was harassed and threatened for her stance.
What happened?
Multiple videos show the blonde-haired woman dressed in a light-colored "Nebraska" sweatshirt holding a sign that read, "I [heart] OPD" — presumably short for "I love the Omaha Police Department" — and she stuck out prominently among the mob of protesters dressed in black.
Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @KittyLists
At one point as she weaves around the anti-cop crowd growing around her, one protester yells at her, "Baby girl, you're not walking away anywhere!" and continues hollering just feet from her face.
When the blond-haired woman dares to smile in response, her adversary loses it: "Do you think black people being murdered is f***in' funny, bitch?"
Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @KittyLists
When the woman with pro-police sign moves some distance away, the angry protester actually follows her and continues yelling at her.
The accosted woman appears to push the protester's arm away from her face, and with that the protester appears to threaten and even dare her to "put your motherf***in' hands on me, bitch!"
Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @KittyLists
Just as the woman with the pro-cop sign manages to get away from her adversary, it appears police used pepper spray on the unruly crowd, several of whom yell at cops for their actions and run away coughing.
Here are several sets of clips showing the confrontation. (Content warning: Language):
Two women arrested
WOWT-TV said two women were arrested during Saturday night's protest outside the Omaha Police Department headquarters — and that the arrests stemmed from assaults against a man and woman who came to the protest with pro-police signs.
Earlier on, protesters were chanting "Black Lives Matter" before arriving at police headquarters, KETV-TV said. And the man and woman arrived at the protest about 10:20 p.m. holding their signs but not obstructing the protest against cops, WOWT reported.
Five minutes later, protesters used a large cloth sign to block officers' view of the pro-police people, WOWT said, adding that when officers repositioned themselves, they saw the pro-police people being assaulted and their signs torn.
The station said officers went into the crowd and removed two women who allegedly assaulted the pro-police group as well as the pro-police individuals.
Pepper balls and pepper spray were used on the sidewalk "in front of agitators" while controlling the crowd and during suspects' arrests, WOWT reported.
One women was arrested for disorderly conduct and destruction of property, the station said, while the second woman was arrested for misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct.
It isn't clear if the arrests were related to the bullying episode of the blonde-haired woman — although one clip does show a man who appears to be with her getting his sign taken from him.
UPDATE 1:39 p.m.: The woman holding the pro-police sign is 19-year-old Kelsey McDonald who told Andy Ngo that "supporting law enforcement has nothing to do with race and everything to do with protecting law-abiding citizens." She's also apparently a member of the Omaha Young Republicans.
In response to a critic of her actions during the protest, McDonald tweeted that Black Lives Matter is "outraged" because she "stood silently and smiled while they screamed and assaulted me" — and then asked Nicholas Sandmann if the scenario sounded "familiar."
This story has been updated


theblaze--2020-11-23--John Cleese, under fire from woke mob, hopes they all 'fry in their own sanctimoniousness and narcis

John Cleese, under fire from woke mob, hopes they all 'fry in their own sanctimoniousness and narcissistic posturing'

John Cleese , under fire from woke mob , hopes they all 'fry in their own sanctimoniousness and narcissistic posturing @

British comic legend and Monty Python star John Cleese over the weekend refused to submit to a woke social media mob accusing him of "transphobia" for an old tweet supporting author J.K. Rowling.
Cleese, 81, relentlessly and hilariously mocked his accusers, at one point jokingly asking if he was "allowed" to identify as "a Cambodian police woman" if he so desired. The comedian, who has come under fire from woke Twitter before and has vigorously defended free speech each time, was accused of standing in solidarity with "transphobia" after a Twitter user reposted one of Cleese's tweets from September in which he told his followers he signed a letter of solidarity with Rowling.
Transgender activists on the left have frequently directed their outrage at Rowling because of her criticism of transgender political demands for any man who identifies as a woman to be allowed in bathrooms or changing rooms reserved for natal women and girls.
Cleese, by supporting Rowling, was by extension accused of "standing in solidarity with transphobia and discrimination."
And he would have none of it, accusing the rage mob of "wokery, humorless posturing, and moral self-promotion."
"If you can't control your own emotions, you're forced to control other people's behavior," Cleese said of the hordes of Twitter users who've attacked Rowling and demanded that she shut up. "That's why the touchiest, most oversensitive and easily upset must not set the standard for the rest of us."
"Why the f*** can't you just let people be who they want to be? Do you actually think there is some deep conspiracy to turn people 'against their genders'?" one user demanded of Cleese before the comedian brushed him aside with a joke.
"Deep down, I want to be a Cambodian police woman," Cleese wrote. "Is that allowed, or am I being unrealistic?"
Another demanded that Cleese be "upfront" with his actual thoughts on Rowling and her "position on trans folks."
"I'm afraid I'm not that interested in trans folks," Cleese replied. "I just hope they're happy and that people treat them kindly."
Becoming serious for a moment, Cleese said, "Right now I'm more focused on threats to democracy in America, the rampant corruption in the UK, the appalling British Press, the revelations about police brutality, Covid19, the incompetence of the British government, China's complete disregard for the necessity to abandon fossil fuels, the developments in France between Macron and Islamicists, diabetes, and the recent deaths of several of my close friends."
But he refused to sympathize with the woke mob.
"I hope they fry in their own sanctimoniousness and narcissistic posturing. Until they get a sense of perspective, that is."
(H/T: The Post Millennial)


theblaze--2020-11-23--Waffle House CEO unloads on lockdowns and politicians who implement them: 'Not paying the same price

Waffle House CEO unloads on lockdowns and politicians who implement them: 'Not paying the same price'

Waffle House CEO unloads on lockdowns and politicians who implement them : 'Not paying the same price' 'None of the @ @ @ @ @ to shut down businesses and impact people 's livelihoods ever have their own livelihood impacted @

Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer did not mince words last week when he denounced coronavirus-related lockdowns and the leaders who implement the business-killing restrictions.
Speaking with Business Insider, Ehmer explained that he opposes lockdowns because of the severe impact they have on American workers.
"A lockdown is going to put a lot of people out of work," Ehmer said. "It's really not about the business — it's about the people. These people have jobs, they have livelihoods, they need to take care of their families."
Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer. (Jason Davis/Getty Images)
In fact, Ehmer pointed out that leaders who implement lockdowns, putting Americans out of work and creating more economic instability for those who are already not affluent, never have to feel the impact of their decisions.
"None of the people who make the decisions to shut down businesses and impact people's livelihoods ever have their own livelihood impacted," he said. "The people making the decisions are not paying the same price that the workers in this country are paying."
How has Waffle House fared?
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly impacted every segment of society; every person and business has been affected in some way. But Waffle House, the breakfast food restaurant chain spread across the eastern U.S., appears to have fared better than most.
Ehmer told Business Insider that there has not been a single documented case of COVID-19 spreading inside any Waffle House location.
"While the virus is surging in terms of number of cases, we haven't felt a tremendous impact to the business at this point," Ehmer explained.
In fact, fewer than two dozen Waffle Houses are currently closed due to the pandemic, and Ehmer said those restaurants are only closed because of government mandates. "The only reason we think that we would shut a dining room down at this point is if the local government made us do so," he said.
Unfortunately, however, the National Restaurant Association said in September that 100,000 American restaurants have shuttered their doors since the pandemic began. The organization also estimated that restaurants will have lost nearly one-quarter trillion dollars in revenue by year's end.
What about stimulus?
Politicians believe that additional economic stimulus will help businesses fare the the economic rollercoaster of the pandemic.
But Ehmer warned that government stimulus is only a band-aid.
"The stimulus helped a lot of restaurants and more importantly a lot of people early on. But, what you can't value enough is someone's peace of mind and security that they have a job that they can count on," Ehmer said. "Governments can't replace all of the salaries in the economy that you want to shut down. We've got to find safe ways to move forward."


theblaze--2020-11-23--Thousands gathered for a secret, massive wedding ceremony in Brooklyn — and Gov. Cuomo is livid abou

Thousands gathered for a secret, massive wedding ceremony in Brooklyn — and Gov. Cuomo is livid about it

Thousands gathered for a secret , massive wedding ceremony in Brooklyn — and Gov .
Cuomo is livid about it @ @ @ @ @ investigation

A report over the weekend revealed that thousands of Hasidic Jews gathered for a secret, massive wedding in New York City earlier in this month.
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo was none too happy about it when he found out, calling the gathering "a blatant disregard of the law" and demanding an investigation.
What secret wedding?
The New York Post published a report Saturday of a secretly organized wedding in Brooklyn that took place Nov. 8.
According to the Post, the wedding for a chief rabbi's grandson was secretly organized and pulled off in spite of COVID directives from the state and the city prohibiting such gatherings during the pandemic.
Thousands of guests "crammed shoulder to shoulder" into the Yetev Lev temple in Williamsburg, which has a capacity of 7,000 people, for the event, "stomping, dancing and singing at the top of their lungs without a mask in sight," the Post said.
Video and photos of the nuptials obtained by the Post show the synagogue jam-packed to the rafters with thousands of men in the bleachers and women in the balcony.
The Post reported that organizers planned the wedding of the grandson of Satmar Grand Rabbi Aaron Teitelman in secret to hide it from the media and the government.
"Due to the ongoing situation with government restrictions, preparations were made secretly and discreetly, so as not to draw attention from strangers," the Satmar sect's Yiddish newspaper Der Blatt reported, the Post said.
According to the paper, the organizers did their best to make all arrangements on the sly. All updates about the event were passed along by word of mouth and no notices were made in writing and no invitations were sent.
The secretly planned wedding came in the wake of the government's cancellation last month of a massive planned wedding that was expected to draw 10,000 people.
How did Cuomo react?
Needless to say, Gov. Cuomo was displeased.
The governor has been issuing increased lockdowns across the state, with special attention on New York City — and especially the Big Apple's Jewish community. So it's no wonder he had something to say about the massive event.
"It was a blatant disregard of the law. It's illegal. It was also disrespectful to the people of New York," Cuomo said Sunday, the Post reported. “The law protects everybody. It protects you, but it also protects me."
The governor demanded that the city conduct an investigation into the massive wedding.
He said he's particularly interested in how such a large event could be kept secret.
"If 7,000 people went to a wedding, you can figure that out, right? That's the problem with a 'secret' 7,000. It's hard to keep a secret," he said, adding, "It's my information the city is investigating. They should investigate, and if 7,000 people were at a wedding, I'm sure they'll be able to figure it out, and then we'll bring the full consequences of legal action to bear."
A spokeswoman for City Hall told the Post that the city is investigating the wedding and "will hold those accountable to the fullest extent of the law."


theblaze--2020-11-23--Alan Dershowitz says 'legal, constitutional paths' to 2020 presidential election exist for Trump

Alan Dershowitz says 'legal , constitutional paths ' to 2020 presidential election exist for Trump

Alan Dershowitz, legal scholar and famed criminal defense attorney, believes President Donald Trump has at least two or three potential constitutional paths to securing the 2020 presidential election.
Several states across the country are still in the process of officially certifying the vote, and the Electoral College convenes mid-December.
Inauguration Day is Jan. 20, 2021.
What are the details?
According to the Washington Examiner, Dershowitz said during an interview with Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo that Trump and his legal team have several strategies in order to clinch a re-election against former Vice President Joe Biden.
"In Pennsylvania, [the Trump team has] two very strong legal arguments," he explained. "One, that the courts changed what the legislature did about counting ballots after the end of election day. That's a winning issue in the Supreme Court. I don't necessarily support it, but it's a winning issue in the Supreme Court. ... They also have a winning issue in the Supreme Court on equal protection, that some counties allowed flawed ballots to be cured while others didn't. Bush v. Gore suggests that an equal protection argument can prevail."
Dershowitz also said that Biden's vote lead, however, could prevent Trump and his legal team from contesting what the Examiner refers to as a "sufficient number of ballots."
"The other legal theory they have, which is a potentially strong one, is that the computers, either fraudulently or by glitches, changed hundreds of thousands of votes. There, there are enough votes to make a difference, but I haven't seen the evidence to support that," he explained to Bartiromo. "So, in one case, they don't have the numbers. In another case, they don't seem yet to have the evidence; maybe they do. I haven't seen it. But the legal theory is there to support them if they have the numbers and they have the evidence."
Dershowitz pointed out that Trump and his team is under the gun to prove a case based on voter fraud.
"You need to have witnesses, experts subject to cross-examination, and findings by a court," he explained.
"Notwithstanding the fact that there are legal paths to potential victory," the professor continued, "I don't think that the election is going to be reversed based on the numbers that I see at the moment and based on the fact that I haven't seen the evidence. Their strongest case, if they have the evidence, is that computers may have turned hundreds of thousands of votes."


theblaze--2020-11-23--Trump supporter faces simple assault charges after blowing on anti-Trump protesters

The incident was caught on video .

A man wearing a Trump shirt and seen breathing on anti-Trump protesters in a video that went viral over the weekend has been charged with misdemeanor assault by Virginia police.
Loudon County police charged Raymond Deskins, 61, of Sterling, Virginia, with misdemeanor simple assault after he allegedly blew on two women who were protesting outside the Trump National Golf Club on Sunday, WRC-TV reports. One of the women, Kathy Beynette, told WRC-TV that Trump supporters were counterprotesting across the street from where they were.
"Then, quite out of nowhere, the guy came over from across the street, came charging across the street," Beynette said.
She began filming as the man, wearing a Trump T-shirt and an inflatable Trump innertube around his waist, confronted her and her fellow anti-Trump protester.
In the video, one of the women tells the man, "You're in my face and you don't have a mask, so you need to back off."
One of the women yells, "Get away from me! Get away from me!"
The other says, "You don't get up in somebody's face," and the man responds, "I'm not in anybody's face."
Then she replies, "You are in my face — and you don't have a mask, so you need to back up."
Then the man takes a deep breath and begins blowing on them.
"He just proceeded to assault us by taking a deep breath and doing a very powerful exhalation on both of us," Beynette said.
The Loudon County Sheriff's office released a statement on Sunday announcing charges against Deskins.
"Two separate parties reported they were assaulted during a verbal argument outside of Trump National Golf Club," police said. "As the incident was not witnessed by law enforcement and the video did not capture the entire interaction, an investigation was conducted on scene and both parties were advised they could go to a Loudoun County Magistrate and seek a citizen obtained warrant."
"This afternoon our deputies served a warrant obtained by a citizen through a Loudoun County Magistrate. Raymond Deskins, age 61, of Sterling, VA, was charged with simple assault (misdemeanor) and released on a summons."
Beynette told WRC-TV she's worried that about contracting COVID-19 from the incident, saying that she's had to cancel her Thanksgiving plans because she might have been exposed to the virus.
"We're both senior citizens both close to 70 years old, which puts us in a high-risk category," she said. "Because of this guy, my family has had to cancel the small Thanksgiving that we had planned with just a few people because I said I might've been exposed."


theblaze--2020-11-23--Horowitz: A severely symptomatic lie about asymptomatic spread

The American people were very patient in March as novel and irrational theories were posited regarding the uniqueness of SARS-CoV-2 — even to the extent that those theories forced a dramatic change to their lifestyles. However, eight months later, these same draconian policies are still in place after the theories undergirding those policies appear to be false. Nowhere is this more evident than with the theory about mass asymptomatic spread.
We have been told that every human being must be treated as a leper — a liability that must be shunned, isolated, and distanced in perpetuity. This mentality has affected every aspect of our lives. Why have we never done this in all our history, which has included viruses with much higher fatality rates? It was all supposedly because of the novel idea that most people spread this particular virus without showing symptoms, so we are all suspect for carrying and spreading the virus at any given time. That theory was always extremely speculative and unfounded, but a new study shows that eight months later, it is simply not true.
Beginning in May, the Chinese government conducted the largest mass testing for COVID-19 of anywhere on the globe. Out of 10 million people tested in Wuhan, just 300 were positive and were all asymptomatic. None of them spread it to their contacts. That is zero out of 1,174 contacts. According to the study, published in Nature Communications, none of those who tested positive produced live virus in the cultures. This explains very easily why none of them seemed to infect others.
We can dismiss this at our own peril simply because the study came from China, but let's not forget that the Chinese stand to benefit from the rest of the world panicking over asymptomatic spread and purchasing more personal protection equipment, a market dominated by Chinese companies. Moreover, this study harmonizes with other research and the prevailing common sense for decades.
Dr. Fauci himself, before this became political and a tool for control, stated very emphatically that "the driver of outbreaks is always a symptomatic person." "Even if there is some asymptomatic transmission, in all the history of respiratory viruses of any type, asymptomatic transmission has never been the driver of outbreaks," said Fauci in a January 28 press conference.
The World Health Organization said in May that asymptomatic spread was "very rare." Then, like any time a major scientific figure reveals the truth, the WHO suddenly recanted that position when the media raised a howl.
A U.S.-based study from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Department of Biostatistics, observed similar low rates of transmission among the asymptomatic. Researchers found symptomatic individuals transmitted the virus at rates 28 times higher than asymptomatic individuals. Another Chinese study from May found very weak transmission capability among asymptomatic infections.
We also know that as many as 50% of flu cases every year are asymptomatic, yet we never panic or assume they are drivers of community spread.
Thus, putting together all the information we have now observed from this virus, paired against "all the history of respiratory viruses of any type," why are we still pushing illegal, illogical, and immoral lockdown policies all based on a premise of mass asymptomatic spread that is rooted in zero evidence?
This study also lays waste to the entire premise of mass testing using high levels of amplification known as "cycle thresholds." What this study shows is that testing asymptomatic people with high cycle thresholds usually means that they merely have traces of the virus in them that are scientifically insignificant. "Virus cultures were negative for all asymptomatic positive and repositive cases, indicating no 'viable virus' in positive cases detected in this study," concluded the authors.
In September, a study on cycle thresholds funded by the French government was published and found that the accuracy of PCR tests using 35 cycles of viral RNA amplification is only about 3%. You know what that means? 97% of those people testing positive are likely false. As the New York Times reported in August, most labs in the U.S. use 40 cycle thresholds! Thus, there are very few people who are actually contagious and most of them have evident symptoms. The notion that perfectly healthy people can't get together for Thanksgiving is insane.
A state's power to quarantine extends only to the sick, not the healthy. To take away someone's liberty based on these fault tests without any due process violates the Constitution. How sad that it took a court in Portugal to recognize this right before any American court. Recently, a Portuguese judge ruled that any positive test that used more than 25 cycle thresholds is not reliable and cannot be used to force quarantine. He also questioned the entire legal premise of quarantining the healthy. What happened to the land of the free?
Truth be told, we are seeing the same perfidy regarding the efficacy of mask-wearing and school closures. Both policies are still being promoted with religious fervor despite a lack of evidence that they slow the spread one iota. Despite an uninterrupted stream of data and research both before and during the epidemic discounting these archaic views, Western governments are dogmatically reverting to the superstitious, accusatory, and panicked responses of the Dark Ages during the Black Plague.
"In summary, the detection rate of asymptomatic positive cases in the post-lockdown Wuhan was very low (0.303/10,000), and there was no evidence that the identified asymptomatic positive cases were infectious," concluded the Chinese study. "These findings enabled decision makers to adjust prevention and control strategies in the post-lockdown period."
In other words, following the data and the scientific research after eight months of torture has landed us in the same position we started this year – quarantining the healthy is counterproductive and achieves nothing in stopping the spread of a respiratory virus. The Chinese government learned to move on from authoritarian lockdowns of healthy individuals. The Western world, on the other hand, is still stuck on stupid, as the Chinese laugh all the way to the bank.


theblaze--2020-11-23--DHS officials warn illegal border crossings are surging in anticipation of Biden presidency

DHS officials warn illegal border crossings are surging in anticipation of Biden presidency Border arrests shot up 21 % in @ @ @ @ @ of a growing trend .

Homeland Security officials warned recently they are already seeing a surge in illegal border crossings at the United States southern border as migrants anticipate more lenient immigration enforcement policies under a Joe Biden presidency.
What are the details?
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics released last Thursday, immigration authorities made more than 69,000 arrests during the month of October, which was a 21% increase from September and marked the highest total of any October since 2005.
The high numbers were part of a trend, as illegal border crossing arrests have been steadily climbing since the summer. Immigration authorities made 47,283 arrests in August and 38,536 in July.
On a conference call with reporters Thursday, acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan noted that while many of the crossings are due to worsening economic conditions south of the border, "perceived or anticipated shifts in policies" under a Biden administration were also creating new pull factors.
Morgan warned that things would only get worse if more Trump-era policies, such Migrant Protection Protocols, which sent migrants to Mexico to await hearings, were repealed.
"If you remove MPP as well as other policies that critics have said they're going to remove, make no mistake that is going to sound the alarm that our borders are open," he said. "It'll be absolutely devastating."
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf added: "If these critical tools are removed or overturned, then the Department — and you, our frontline partners — would be imperiled by another immigration crisis."
What else?
Democratic nominee Joe Biden has pushed for a number of liberal immigration policies on the campaign trail, including a moratorium on deportations for his first 100 days in office and a road map to citizenship for 11 million illegal aliens residing in America.
"Within 100 days, I'm going to send the United States Congress a pathway to citizenship for over 11 million undocumented people," Biden said during a debate with President Trump in October.
Morgan noted on the call that statements like that undoubtedly "sound the alarm that our borders are open," adding, "you will see a crisis that makes last year's crisis look like child's play, and you can take that to the bank."
Anything else?
If recent comments from immigrants facing deportation in Denver, Colorado, are emblematic of the whole, Morgan appears to be correct.
One illegal immigrant, who has lived "in sanctuary" for two years in the city and is now awaiting deportation to Mexico, told a local news outlet she hopes Biden makes changes to the immigration system for the benefit all illegal immigrants.
"My hope is this new president create change in the immigration system," she said. "Yeah, my hope is it's about time, not just for me, but for more than 11 million people."
Another, facing deportation to Peru, added: "Yes we have more hope with this president, Joe Biden. With [the Trump] administration we tried but had a lot of doors closed."


theblaze--2020-11-23--'Murphy, you are such a d**k!': Women curse out NJ governor — who just extended COVID-19 executive o

'Murphy, you are such a d**k!': Women curse out NJ governor — who just extended COVID-19 executive order — while he dines at restaurant

'Murphy , you are such a d**k ! '
: Women curse out NJ governor — who just extended COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ dines at restaurant 'You 're having fun with your family , in the meantime you @ @ @ @ @ other bulls**t going on ! '

A pair of women cursed out New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy — who just extended his executive order for COVID-19 restrictions — while he was dining with his family outside a restaurant.
What are the details?
In the clip the women appear to recognize Murphy as he sits at a table in the middle of a meal. It isn't clear when or where the video was recorded, but it was posted to Twitter Sunday night.
"Oh my God, Murphy, you are such a d**k!" one woman says as the governor turns his head back to his forkful of food.
"You're having fun with your family, in the meantime you're having all kind of other bulls**t going on!" the second woman says.
What has Murphy been up to?
Earlier this month — with COVID-19 cases rising — Murphy restricted bars and restaurants from indoor service after 10 p.m. And on Sunday he extended his emergency public health executive order for another 30 days; it was the ninth time Murphy extended it since March. Indoor gatherings in the state also are limited to 10 people.
"Despite the hope that is on the horizon, the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over," Murphy said in a statement, according to NJ.com.
He also appeared Monday on "Good Morning America" and said he's "pleading with people, keep Thanksgiving really small, immediate family, don't travel, and don't let your guard down just 'cause you're at home."
Back to the action at the table
After the women in the video confront Murphy, a male who apparently is the governor's son asks the women if they're drunk — which is denied — and if they'd put on their masks.
"You can go f*** yourself, how's that?" one woman shoots back. "I don't need a f***ing mask. You know why I don't need a mask? Because there ain't nothing f***ing wrong with me."
The male then notices one of the women has a phone case supporting President Donald Trump, and he adds that Trump "likes my dad."
Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @Breaking911
"No, he doesn't like your father!" one woman replies before adding "get the f*** out of here!"
Soon Murphy puts on his mask, and the women begin to leave — but not before one of them tells the governor, "You know what? You suck!"
Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @Breaking911
Content warning: Language:
Anything else?
On Sunday dozens marched in northern New Jersey to protest Murphy's COVID-19 restrictions on businesses, News 12 New Jersey reported. Elected leaders and business owners were among the participants, the station said, and protesters urged the governor to trust businesses to make their own decisions since another lockdown would be financially disastrous.
In addition, Howell Township's police chief told "Fox & Friends Weekend" that his officers won't enforce Murphy's "draconian" coronavirus guidelines for the holidays.
"Our community is hurting," Chief Andrew Kudrick Jr. told the cable network. "I live here. I grew up here. I shop here. I go out to dinner here. And I talk one-on-one with our business owners… and I see how much they're hurting."
In August, the owner of Lakeside Diner in Lacey Township told the Asbury Park Press there's no way authorities will stop him from providing indoor service at his establishment despite Murphy's executive orders.
"There's only two ways they're going to get me out of here ... in handcuffs or a body bag," Brian Brindisi said.
Also in August, a Bellmawr gym that repeatedly reopened despite Murphy's coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions had its business license officially revoked.


theblaze--2020-11-24--Major PPE manufacturer shutters more than half of its factories after 2,500 workers test positive fo

Major PPE manufacturer shutters more than half of its factories after 2,500 workers test positive for COVID All workers who @ @ @ @ @

Malaysia's Top Glove, the world's largest manufacturer of latex gloves, has closed more than half of its factories after approximately 2,500 workers tested positive for coronavirus.
What are the details?
According to a Tuesday Forbes report, 2,453 of the company's 5,800 Malaysian workers have tested positive for the deadly virus.
All 2,453 workers have been hospitalized, according to Reuters.
At the time of this reporting, researchers at Johns Hopkins University estimate that there have been at least 58,847 confirmed coronavirus cases in Malaysia, with at least 341 deaths attributed to COVID.
"In an official statement," Forbes writer Siladitya Ray noted, "the company said it has temporarily stopped production in 16 of its facilities in the badly hit Meru region, while its remaining 12 facilities in the area have been operating at 'reduced capacities.'"
A report from the BBC noted that the company is set to shutter 28 of its 41 plants across the country in an attempt to tamp down the spread of the virus.
"All those who tested positive have been hospitalized and their close contacts have been quarantined to avoid infecting other workers," Director-General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah told Reuters in a statement on the infections.
Abdullah added that the vast majority of the positive cases in the cluster were factory workers, with 2,360 foreigners and 164 Malaysians.
It is unclear at the time of this reporting when the company will begin closures. Reuters reported that Senior Security Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that certain Top Glove factories will be "closed in stages, to allow further screening and quarantine."
In a statement about the closures, the company added, "We have completed full screening of about 5,700 workers at our hostels. We are committed to proceed with the (health ministry) recommended COVID-19 screening test of the balance (of) workers and staff at our factories in Meru, Klang."
You can read more on the background of the company here.


theblaze--2020-11-24--Republican Maryland governor says no one has a 'constitutional right to walk around without a mask'

Republican Maryland governor says no one has a 'constitutional right to walk around without a mask '

Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said during a media briefing about the coronavirus that no one had the "constitutional right to walk around without a mask."
The dubious claim was made by Hogan while he announced further coronavirus pandemic restrictions on Monday.
"It's sort of like saying I have a constitutional right to drive drunk. I have a constitutional right to not wear a seat belt, or to yell fire in a crowded movie theater, or to not follow the speed limit," Hogan said.
"We're talking about a quarter of a million people dying already. You know, more than, you know, the Korean War, the Gulf War and the Vietnam War added together. Which part don't you understand?" he asked rhetorically.
"There's no constitutional right to walk around without a mask," Hogan added, "this is, we did it in 1918, I don't know why we can't do it now. Wear the mask."
Hogan's comment was circulated on social media by those upset by his claim:
The Maryland Department of Health reported that the state had seen 4,293 deaths from coronavirus, and 183,797 positive cases. While the state saw greater hospitalization and positive rate numbers in March, officials were increasing lockdown restrictions in order to avoid another spike.
"It is a very serious problem, and we're going to keep messaging everybody to take it seriously. The more seriously we take it, the faster we're going to be able to get it under control," Hogan said.
The Republican also made headlines when he scolded President Donald Trump on Sunday over a tweet criticizing his pandemic response.
"If you had done your job, America's governors wouldn't have been forced to fend for themselves to find tests in the middle of a pandemic, as we successfully did in Maryland," tweeted Hogan.
"Stop golfing and concede," he added.
Here's more about Maryland's pandemic response:


theblaze--2020-11-24--Steven Crowder plays the 'Try To Laugh Challenge': Late-night edition

Steven Crowder plays the 'Try To Laugh Challenge ' : Late-night edition

Steven Crowder and the Louder with Crowder team played the latest installment of the "Try to Laugh Challenge." This installment featured the guys reviewing late-night TV show clips, only instead of trying not to laugh, they desperately waited for a joke worthy of a laugh. Watch the clip to find out if they win or lose the game.
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--2020-11-24--Rand Paul says there won't be an investigation into 'who is funding' protesters who attacked him and

Rand Paul says there won't be an investigation into 'who is funding' protesters who attacked him and his wife after president's speech

Rand Paul says there wo n't be an investigation into 'who is funding ' protesters who attacked him and his @ @ @ @ @ 'The irony is lost on these idiots '

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said that there would be no investigation into who might have funded the protesters who attacked him and his wife in August after they left the president's closing speech at the Republican National Convention.
Paul tweeted that he was informed by the U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., of the decision to not pursue the investigation.
"The DC U.S. Attorney today confirmed to me that they will not pursue an investigation of who is funding the thugs who attacked my wife and me and sent a DC police officer to the hospital," Paul tweeted.
Paul and his wife were leaving the South Lawn of the White House after the president's closing speech when a mob of protesters surrounded them and threatened them. At one point, they pushed an officer who fell into the senator.
Paul later said that the mob was demanding that he say the name of Breonna Taylor, the black woman who was shot and killed by police during a raid at her Louisville, Kentucky, apartment in March. He noted with irony that he had authored the bill outlawing the kind of raid that was said to have led to Taylor's death.
"I'm actually the author of the Breonna Taylor law to end no-knock raids. So the irony is lost on these idiots that they're trying to kill the person who is actually trying to get rid of no-knock raids," Paul said during an interview on "Fox & Friends."
He went on to call for an investigation by the FBI into who might have funded the protesters who attacked him. Paul explained why he believed that the mob of attackers were funded and not simply an organic political demonstration.
"My feeling is there is interstate criminal traffic being paid for across states lines," said Paul. "They flew here on a plane, they all got fresh new clothes, and they were paid to be here. It is a crime to do that and it needs to be traced."
Here's more about the attack on Rand Paul and his wife:


theblaze--2020-11-24--First lady Melania Trump accepts delivery of official White House Christmas tree

First lady Melania Trump celebrated the arrival of the official White House Christmas tree on Monday, kicking off the 2020 holiday season.
What are the details?
"Today I welcomed the arrival of the beautiful @WhiteHouse Christmas Tree!" the first lady tweeted. "We are excited to begin decorating the People's House for the holiday season!
WPRI-TV reported that the Fraser fir is nearly 20 feet tall, and came from a West Virginia tree farm owned by Dan and Anne Taylor, who won this year's National Christmas Tree Association's Grand Champion Grower Award. The tree arrived at the White House in a horse-drawn carriage, pulled by two Clydesdales named Winston and Bud while a military band played "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "O Tannenbaum."
The first lady accepted the tree's arrival at the north portico.
According to the New York Post, Mrs. Trump told reporters "Merry Christmas" in response to their "shouted questions about how the president is doing."
The White House will move forward with hosting holiday gatherings this year, but with added precautions because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Stephanie Grisham, Mrs. Trump's spokeswoman and chief of staff, told NBC News, "Attending the parties will be a very personal choice. It is a longstanding tradition for people to visit and enjoy the cheer and iconic décor of the annual White House Christmas celebrations."
Grisham said that guest lists will be smaller than in previous years, and that mask-wearing will be required.
The outlet reported:
The decision to move forward with indoor events and other gatherings comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, top White House advisers and public health professionals across the nation have been pleading with Americans not to travel for Thanksgiving or spend the holiday with people from outside of their households.
Anything else?
The arrival of the White House Christmas tree kicked off the holiday season, just a few days before Thanksgiving.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump is set to pardon two turkeys named Corn and Cob during the traditional White House ceremony. As of Monday, the lucky birds were staying in the nearby luxurious Willard International Hotel.
WUSA-TV reported that the "poultry duo rolled up in a chauffeured car and walked a red carpet to the entrance of the Willard Hotel. They were escorted into their suite where, they too, jumped on the bed."
The Trumps will celebrate Thanksgiving at the White House, breaking a tradition of traveling to Florida to spend Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago.


theblaze--2020-11-26--Biden urges Americans to 'forgo family traditions' on Thanksgiving to fight COVID-19

Biden urges Americans to 'forgo family traditions ' on Thanksgiving to fight COVID-19 As Democrats keep getting busted flouting their @ @ @

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who has widely been declared president-elect by mainstream media, urged Americans on the eve of Thanksgiving Day to "forgo family traditions" as part of the nation's fight against COVID-19.
What are the details?
"This year we are asking Americans to forgo so many of the traditions that we've long made this holiday," Biden said, in an address where he called on people to pass on large gatherings with extended family, according to the New York Post.
Biden explained that he and his wife, Jill, would be celebrating at home in Delaware with their daughter and son-in-law, and that "the rest of the family will be doing the same thing in small groups."
"I know how hard it is to forgo family traditions," he continued. "But it is very important. Our country's in the middle of a dramatic spike in cases. We are now averaging 160,000 new cases a day."
He went on to say that "it's literally our patriotic duty as Americans" to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, saying, "It means wearing a mask, keeping social distance, limiting the size of any group we're in until we have a vaccine."
Biden added that "the federal government can't do this alone. Each of us has a responsibility in our own lives to do what we can do to slow the virus. Every decision we make matters."
What about members of Biden's own party?
Fox News reported that Biden also called for unity, telling Americans that "we're all in this together." But, as the outlet noted, "his plea comes as his fellow Democrats continue getting busted for breaking the same rules that they continue to preach."
Biden has not addressed the difficulties members of his party have had in following their own rules when it comes to COVID-19.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) was accused of hypocrisy earlier in the week after he let it slip that he planned to invite his 89-year-old mother to Thanksgiving dinner, after telling his constituents for weeks to skip family gatherings. Following public backlash, the mayor changed his plans, according to an aide.
On the same day as Biden's pre-Thanksgiving speech, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock (D) was caught hopping on a flight to see family, roughly 30 minutes after warning folks via Twitter to "avoid travel" for the holiday.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) are also on the list of Democratic politicians who have hit the headlines for flouting the coronavirus restrictions.
Regardless of the numerous instances of hypocrisy from leaders, the U.S. is seeing a rise in COVID-19 that is expected to worsen into the holiday season.


theblaze--2020-11-26--Days before Christmas, Jupiter and Saturn will look like one bright star — some believe the alignmen

Days before Christmas, Jupiter and Saturn will look like one bright star — some believe the alignment is the same described in the Bible

Days before Christmas , Jupiter and Saturn will look like one bright star — some believe the alignment is the @ @ @ @ @ It will be the first time the planets are this close since the Middle Ages

A rare event in the heavens just ahead of Christmas will feature an alignment of planets that a famous astronomer believed was the phenomenon that is mentioned in the Bible when Jesus Christ was born.
The alignment of Jupiter and Saturn will appear in the skies on December 21, the winter solstice. The last time the rare alignment of the planets was this close was in 1623, nearly 400 years ago. That was only 14 years after Galileo discovered the moons of Jupiter with the invention of the telescope.
Another famous astronomer, Johannes Kepler, posited in 1614 that the alignment of the two planets might have been what was reported in the Nativity Story of Christ in the Bible. The planets aligned in 7 B.C., around the time that Christ was born.
The account in the Gospel of Matthew says that the wisemen came to Jerusalem to seek the birth of the "King of the Jews" after seeing a bright star in the sky.
...behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.
There is much debate among theologians and Christians as to whether the bright star in the sky was a natural phenomenon or a supernatural event.
Whether the star was the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn or not, the rare sight will be visible to those in the Northern Hemisphere shortly after sunset in the southwestern sky. The conjunction will dip under the horizon after a few hours.
Here's more about the rare planetary conjunction:


theblaze--2020-11-26--Denver mayor warns against holiday travel, then hops on a plane to visit family for Thanksgiving

Denver mayor warns against holiday travel , then hops on a plane to visit family for Thanksgiving

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is the latest Democrat to get caught flouting his own guidance amid the coronavirus pandemic, after his office confirmed that he flew out of state Wednesday to visit family for Thanksgiving — just 30 minutes after a warning went out from his Twitter account urging people to "avoid travel" for the holiday.
What are the details?
"Pass the potatoes, not COVID," a message from Hancock's Twitter feed read, urging constituents to "stay home as much as you can," suggesting they "host virtual gatherings instead of in-person dinner," and warning folks to "avoid travel, if you can."
But local outlet KUSA-TV reported that roughly 30 minutes later, Hancock hopped on a flight to Houston, in order to visit is daughter in Mississippi. A spokeswoman for the mayor confirmed his plans, noting that his wife was already there.
Observers on social media were not impressed. "Are you kidding?" one person wrote in reply to Hancock's tweet. "We're out here, staying home, doing our best and you fly to Houston? Not only is this over-the-top hypocritical, it's plain stupid. Nice job giving the repubs more ammo."
Another chided, "Being that you are on a plane to visit family, can we visit family? You think it's safe enough for you, why not us?!?"
Some argued, "Every bar and restaurant in the city of Denver should re-open in protest of the Mayor's 'Do what I say, not what I do' policy."
What did the mayor say?
After the news broke and hit several nationaloutlets, Hancock issued a public apology and his own explanation via Twitter, writing in a thread:
I fully acknowledge that I have urged everyone to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel. I have shared how my family cancelled our plans for our traditional multi-household Thanksgiving celebration.
What I did not share, but should have, is that my wife and my daughter have been in Mississippi, where my daughter recently took a job. As the holiday approached, I decided it would be safer for me to travel to see them than to have two family members travel back to Denver.
I recognize that my decision has disappointed many who believe it would have been better to spend Thanksgiving alone. As a public official, whose conduct is rightly scrutinized for the message it sends to others I apologize to the residents of Denver who see my decision as conflicting with the guidance to stay at home for all but essential travel.
I made my decision as a husband and father, and for those who are angry and disappointed, I humbly ask you to forgive decisions that are borne of my heart and not my head.


theblaze--2020-11-25--Glenn Beck: Here's what these Democrats should be thankful for this Thanksgiving

Glenn Beck : Here 's what these Democrats should be thankful for this Thanksgiving

The Left has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Take, for example, Nancy Pelosi's freezer full of gourmet ice cream, or Gov. Gavin Newsom's opulent dinner at the French Laundry. Then there's Gov. Andrew Cuomo who is apparently grateful for his own leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But even with all that 2020 has brought, we have even more to be grateful for. After all, this is still the greatest time to be alive, especially in America.
Watch the clip below to hear Glenn Beck break down his list of the things he thinks Democrats should be grateful for, and the things he's genuinely thankful for this Thanksgiving:
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theblaze--2020-11-25--Police say juvenile who allegedly wrote racist messages against Black Lives Matter at a grade school

Police say juvenile who allegedly wrote racist messages against Black Lives Matter at a grade school playground committed a misdemeanor violation

Police say juvenile who allegedly wrote racist messages against Black Lives Matter at a grade school playground committed a misdemeanor @ @ @ @ @ messages with wood chips

A juvenile could face misdemeanor charges for allegedly writing racist messages against Black Lives Matter with wood chips in a playground at an elementary school in Burlington, Wisconsin.
The messages were discovered in September at Cooper Elementary School but it took months for police to identify a juvenile suspect and notify the public.
The wood chips were arranged to spell out the phrase, "die n***** die," and "down with BLM."
A spokesperson for the Burlington Area School District would not say if the juvenile suspect identified by the police was a student of the elementary school, and if the juvenile were to face punishment from the district if they were a student.
Police Chief Mark Anderson said that the juvenile had committed a misdemeanor and that the police are considering charging the juvenile with disorderly conduct charges for crimes committed against certain people or property.
The phrases were discovered three days after a heated school board meeting over a controversy stemming from a teacher that decided to teach her fourth-grade class about the Black Lives Matter movement. Many of the parents in the district were outraged that she was teaching what they believed to be political propaganda in favor of the liberal movement.
At a later school board meeting in November, Black Lives Matter protesters interrupted the board members and demanded that more be done to curtail incidents of racism related to the outrage around the fourth-grade BLM lesson. Police had to escort them out after the scene turned ugly with angry confrontations.
If the juvenile is charged with the Class B misdemeanor violation and found guilty, the juvenile could face up to a year in jail, or a $1,000 fine, or both.
Here's more about the controversy at Cooper Elementary:


theblaze--2020-11-25--'I'm for the Constitution': Meet the NY sheriff standing up to Andrew Cuomo this Thanksgiving

' I 'm for the Constitution ' : Meet the NY sheriff standing up to Andrew Cuomo this Thanksgiving We @ @ @ @ @ the people

Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's COVID-19 policies took another step this Thanksgiving season, with a new 10-person cap on gatherings in private residences among the new set of restrictions. But Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino refuses to enforce them.
Sheriff Giardino joined Glenn Beck on the radio program to explain what governors can and can't do through executive orders, according to the Constitution. And his message couldn't be clearer: "I'm not against the governor. I'm for the Constitution."
Watch the video below to catch the conversation:
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theblaze--2020-11-25--'I just want to take a moment to drink you in': Stephen Colbert unleashes man crush on Barack Obama

' I just want to take a moment to drink you in ' : Stephen Colbert unleashes man crush on @ @ @ @ @ people said ... ewww !

Remember how left-wing TV host Stephen Colbert reacted to President Donald Trump winning the 2016 election over Hillary Clinton? Oh, it was a sad night for him.
In fact, Colbert said not long afterward that the show he had to pull off on election night was "the hardest thing I've ever done in my life" and that "our audience was sobbing openly. And those are people who work for me, like my cameramen."
Oh, what a difference four years makes
Fast forward to November 2020 — four years later — and Colbert indeed has struck a much happier tone in the wake of the media declaring Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden the victor over Trump earlier this month.
And Colbert's pleasure was on full display Tuesday when he interviewed former President Barack Obama — and let's just say "The Late Show" host's man crush on Obama was glaringly apparent.
'I just want to take a moment to drink you in'
"I just want to take a moment to drink you in, for just a moment because I'm having to get used to looking at a president again," Colbert told Obama. "You know, I've gotten out of — I've gotten out of the habit. I gotta warm up for Joe Biden. I don't want to pull anything when I see him take the oath of office. You gotta ease me into this a little bit."
Obama told Colbert that with Biden "we've got the potential for returning to a presidency that is actually paying attention and trying to do right all people and not just some."
Colbert said the prospect of new Cabinet holders would be a "return to stability and — what's that word? — competency of your eight years," after which he and Obama chuckled knowingly.
Obama took some indirect shot at Trump Cabinet holders, saying that those under Biden would have actually "read about stuff, know where countries are. It's great."
The former president also ripped the governmental response to the coronavirus, calling it "shambolic" and "frustrating" while stating that he and his family "don't have to worry about the bills" — as if anyone doubted that.
President Barack Obama Shares His Frustrations About The White House's Failed Pandemic Response youtu.be
(H/T: The Washington Times)


theblaze--2020-11-25--Jason Whitlock calls out Shannon Sharpe over racist watermelon outrage: 'I know it's a gimmick'

Jason Whitlock calls out Shannon Sharpe over racist watermelon outrage : ' I know it 's a gimmick '

Outkick sports writer Jason Whitlock grilled Shannon Sharpe after the Hall of Fame tight end insinuated Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was being racially insensitive by smashing watermelons in order to motivate his team.
McCarthy reportedly pulled out a sledgehammer and smashed watermelons with different objectives written on them during the Cowboys' team meeting Saturday night ahead of their matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. The stunt was an imitation of prop comic Gallagher and the players reportedly loved it. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence even got involved, taking a turn swinging the sledgehammer.
But Sharpe didn't think the stunt was funny. He blasted McCarthy on Tuesday, saying, "Dear white America, any time you have black people in your presence, watermelon has a negative connotation."
Whitlock sounds off
"I'm not sure what Shannon Sharpe is thinking," Whitlock said Wednesday, filling in for BlazeTV's Glenn Beck on his radio show. "Who lives this way ... constantly looking for something to be offended by?"
"The Dallas Cowboys, like most of the NFL, 70% probably [are] black players on that roster. DeMarcus Lawrence, the defensive lineman gets up [and] smashes the watermelon, too," he continued. "It didn't mean a damn thing to them because they're not thinking of, 'How can I be controversial on TV' and 'How can I accuse a white person of being racist?'
"That's not a common thought for most people," he added.
Jason Whitlock: "REPULSIVE" to Suggest Dallas Cowboys Coach is Racist for Watermelon Stunt youtu.be
What else?
Whitlock defended McCarthy against the baseless attack and went even further to make the case that Sharpe's outrage was actually disingenuous.
"Mike McCarthy, I've known him for years. I've been a critic of him as a football coach," Whitlock noted. "But there is not a shred of evidence that he's racist ... and to just willy-nilly throw in that tag on him to get through a television segment is repulsive to me.
"I've known Shannon Sharpe just as long," he continued. "And I know it's a gimmick. I know he doesn't believe it."
Whitlock, who has always been outspoken about racial and political issues, has been making headlines this week. On Tuesday, he went on an emotional tear, explaining how modern-day liberals are the "ideological descendants" of slaveholders and accused them of "imposing mental slavery" on black people.


theblaze--2020-11-25--Obama invites avalanche of criticism with 'condescending' remarks on Hispanic Trump supporters

Obama invites avalanche of criticism with 'condescending ' remarks on Hispanic Trump supporters

Former President Barrack Obama invited a wave of criticism with remarks he made on a radio program about why President Donald Trump won a larger share of the Hispanic vote in the 2020 presidential election.
In his comments, Obama said that "evangelical Hispanics" ignored the "racist things" Trump says about Mexicans and how he put "undocumented workers in cages" because Trump agrees with them on gay marriage and abortion.
"People were surprised about a lot of Hispanic folks who voted for Trump, but there's a lot of evangelical Hispanics who, the fact that Trump says racist things about Mexicans, or puts detainees, undocumented workers in cages, they think that's less important than the fact that he supports their views on gay marriage or abortion," Obama said on "The Breakfast Club" radio show.
Trump earned 32% of the Latino vote in the presidential election, improving his election margins in 78 of 100 Hispanic counties in key battleground states from 2016. As Obama noted, many political commentators were surprised that Trump performed so well with Hispanics despite the media narrative that his immigration policies and focus on border security are "racist" toward Mexicans and other Hispanics.
Critics were quick to point out that the policy of separating migrant children from their parents or adult accompaniment was carried out under the Obama administration and that the infamous picture of children in cages used to attack Trump's immigration enforcement policies was from 2014, when Obama was president.
Also, Obama publicly opposed gay marriage when he first ran for president in 2008 and it wasn't until just before the 2012 election that his views "evolved" to appease progressives. President Trump, on the other hand, was the first elected president to support gay marriage while he campaigned for office.
"[Barack Obama] sadly will not be fact-checked by the adoring media for this lie," said Richard Grenell, the first openly gay official to serve as acting director of National Intelligence under President Trump. "Obama ran for president saying he was against gay marriage. And he created the cages."
Others suggested Obama's comments were reminiscent to his 2008 statement on "bitter" working-class Americans who "cling" to guns and religion.
"Ah yes, those Hispanic evangelicals. So backwards. Clinging to their guns and religion, you might say," said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). "Barack Obama still the most condescending corporate liberal in America."
"This is a great example of why Democrats are losing support in America's Hispanic community," said former Florida Congressman Carlos Curbelo. "The comment is dismissive of millions of people and seems to diminish their faith. Regrettable at a time when the President-elect has called for healing and reconciliation."


theblaze--2020-11-25--Michael Flynn granted full pardon by President Donald Trump

The president announced the news on Wednesday

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn has been granted a full pardon by President Donald Trump, just in time for the holidays.
What are the details?
"It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon," the president tweeted Wednesday afternoon. "Congratulations to @GenFlynn and his wonderful family, I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!"
The day before, Axios cited two sources who said the president had plans to pardon the retired Army lieutenant general, who was prosecuted under special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian collusion.
Flynn originally pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI over conversations he had with a Russian envoy, but then withdrew his guilty plea and insisted on his innocence after obtaining a new legal team — led by attorney Sidney Powell — who produced a cache of evidence suggesting Flynn was targeted.
The Department of Justice then moved to drop the case, but presiding Judge Emmet Sullivan has refused to do so. Now, the case is over after years of court battles.
Prominent conservatives hailed the decision. Fox News host Sean Hannity tweeted in response to the news, "Happy Thanksgiving to General Flynn and the Flynn Family. The way this war hero and his family were treated by the Government of the US, the deep state, and democrats has been a repulsive injustice. After 4 years of hell, they can rebuild their lives. This can never happen again."
Meanwhile, high-profile Democrats expressed outrage, with Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) — who led the impeachment proceedings against Trump — tweeting, "Donald Trump has repeatedly abused the pardon power to reward friends and protect those who covered up for him. This time he pardons Michael Flynn, who lied to hide his dealings with the Russians. It's no surprise that Trump would go out as he came in — Crooked to the end."


theblaze--2020-11-25--Judge orders Pennsylvania halt certification of election results as fight over mail-in ballots conti

Judge orders Pennsylvania halt certification of election results as fight over mail-in ballots continues The judge blocked any further certification @ @ @ @ @ held on Friday

A Pennsylvania judge has ordered state officials to stop any further action in the certification of election results in the Keystone State until her court is able to hold an evidentiary hearing scheduled on Friday.
Commonwealth Judge Patricia McCullough, issued the injunction order on Wednesday in response to an emergency request made by Republican lawmakers and candidates who claim that a state law allowing no-excuse absentee voting violated the state constitution.
"To the extent that there remains any further action to perfect the certification of the results of the 2020 General Election for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States of America, respondents are preliminarily enjoined from doing so, pending an evidentiary hearing to be held on Friday," McCullough wrote in the injunction order. "Respondents are preliminarily enjoined from certifying the remaining results of the election, pending the evidentiary hearing."
McCullough is the presiding judge over a lawsuit brought by Republican lawmakers and candidates against the state, its general assembly, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, and Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar.
The plaintiffs in the case allege that the statute in question, Act 77, "is the most expansive and fundamental change to the Pennsylvania voting code, implemented illegally, to date." They argue that in order for absentee voting to be expanded, a constitutional amendment is required, not just the passage of legislation.
"As with prior historical attempts to illegally expand mail-in voting by statute, which have been struck down going as far back as the Military Absentee Ballot Act of 1839, Act 77 is another illegal attempt to override the limitations on absentee voting prescribed in the Pennsylvania Constitution, without first following the necessary procedure to amend the constitution to allow for the expansion," the lawsuit reads.
The plaintiffs filed the emergency request after they say state officials announced the certification of presidential election results prematurely. The state certified election results on Tuesday. In 2016, Pennsylvania certified the presidential election on Dec. 12, the Epoch Times noted.
Democratic Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro immediately responded to the news, vowing to appeal the order with the state Supreme Court.
News of the order broke as state lawmakers conducted a public hearing on "election issues and irregularities" in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Members of President Trump's legal team were present at the hearing.


theblaze--2020-11-25--'Jeopardy!' names Ken Jennings as guest host. Just 1 day later, cancel culture comes for him over a

'Jeopardy!' names Ken Jennings as guest host. Just 1 day later, cancel culture comes for him over a 6-year-old tweet.

'Jeopardy ! '
names Ken Jennings as guest host .
Just 1 day later , cancel culture comes for him @ @ @ @ @

Former "Jeopardy!" champion — and newly announced guest host — Ken Jennings is facing cancel culture after a questionable 2014 tweet of his resurfaced, sparking outrage on the internet.
Jennings currently holds the record for the longest winning streak at 74 of any contestant on the show.
On Monday, the show announced Jennings as one of production's guest hosts.
What are the details?
As highlighted by Decider, Jennings in 2014 tweeted, "Nothing sadder than a hot person in a wheelchair."
In 2018, he issued an apology for the remarks, saying, "I never did a public flogging for this but I did apologize personally to angry/hurt people who reached out to me personally. It was a joke so inept that it meant something very different in my head & I regret the ableist plain reading of it."
He later added, "I'm strongly against deleting old tweets, even the gross ones. [S]eems like whitewashing."
The offending tweet resurfaced once more after Jennings was named a guest host following the death of longtime host, Alex Trebek, who passed away on Nov. 8 at the age of 80 after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown responded to the announcement of Jennings' new position by simply tweeting, "Nope," pointing to the 2014 controversy.
"His tweet was bad enough," she later added, according to Decider. "But the arrogance or callousness to leave it up [on his feed] says more about him than the horrible tweet does."
Screen Rant reported that Brown wasn't the only one opposed to Jennings temporarily standing in as host, and some "Jeopardy!" fans have even reportedly said they refuse to watch the show with Jennings at the helm.
The Wrap also reported that Jennings has also been taking fire from the disabled community. The outlet cited Rebecca Cokley, who is director of the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress.
Cokley wrote, "[Y]eah..[N]ot sure I'll be able to watch Jeopardy after learning what an ableist-trash heap Ken Jennings is. That just sucks."
Anything else to know?
At the time of this reporting, Jennings' initial offending tweet appears to have since been deleted.
"Jeopardy!" is still in its 37th season, and set to begin filming on Monday with Jennings as its host. The new shows hosted by Jennings will air in January 2021, the show said.
A long-term host to replace the beloved Trebek has not yet been announced.


theblaze--2020-11-25--Alyssa Milano extends 'olive branch to Trump supporters' — and the left-wing, Trump-despising actres

Alyssa Milano extends 'olive branch to Trump supporters' — and the left-wing, Trump-despising actress gets totally torched

Alyssa Milano extends 'olive branch to Trump supporters ' — and the left-wing , Trump-despising actress gets totally torched

TheBlaze has kept our dear readers informed of left-wing actress Alyssa Milano's long-waged war against President Donald Trump and conservatives in general over the last several years.
Milano, shall we say, has proven herself frequently brutal — and sometimes a bit hilarious, like the time in 2017 when she was horrified by a department store Christmas elf arrangement showing the little fellas engaged in a Nazi salute:
Of course, when Milano tried to tie the incident to then-Trump adviser Steve Bannon, she got justifiably ripped for it.
Let's see now — what else?
Now what?
After all that and more, Milano tweeted Thursday that she wants to extend an "olive branch to Trump supporters":
"I am ready to move #ForwardTogether," she added to her tweet. "There's so much work to do to heal the nation. Let's be a part of the solution and not add to the problems we face."
How did folks react?
As you can imagine, among the commenters on Milano's tweet were those who agreed with her but didn't believe it would work, hardcore leftists who wanted no part of reconciliation — and Trump backers who blasted her words: