theblaze--2020-08-21--Biden's DNC speech receives positive reviews from media, including many conservatives

To be fair , the bar was pretty low

Former Vice President Joe Biden's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday received rave reviews from the likely sources in left-wing media — but surprisingly earned praise from some conservatives, too.
First, the liberal reactions
CNN anchor Jake Tapper called the speech perhaps "the best" of Biden's decades-long career in politics.
"I've heard Joe Biden give I don't know — dozens, hundreds of speeches over the years," Tapper said Thursday night on air, according to The Hill. "I have to say this was one of the best if not the best performance I've ever seen."
Speaking on "Anderson Cooper 360," CNN political analyst Van Jones gushed over the speech, calling it "extraordinary." Jones would later post on Twitter that Democrats "went from 'anyone but Trump' to 'THIS GUY IS FOR US!'"
CNN White House reporter Jim Acosta quipped in a tweet that Biden's speech "did not seem very sleepy," poking fun at President Donald Trump's "Sleepy Joe" nickname for his political foe.
MSNBC host Joy Reid added that Biden's speech was "why Donald Trump feared him so much ... his super power is who he is ... he is a regular Joe and that's what he needed to be tonight."
New York Times writer David Brooks also called it Biden's "best speech."
Fox News panel also offers praise
More surprisingly, several panelists on Fox News, including Brit Hume, Chris Wallace, Dana Perino, and Karl Rove, also spoke positively about the speech.
Wallace was the most forceful, calling the speech "enormously effective," and adding that it "blew a hole" in Trump's characterization of Biden as feeble and "mentally shot."
"It seems to me that after tonight, Donald Trump is going to have to run against a candidate, not a caricature," Wallace suggested.
Perino then called the performance a "home run in the bottom of the ninth."
"He had pace, rhythm, energy, emotion and delivery. So I think that if he looks back, he's got to say that's probably the best speech of his life," Perino went on to say.
Hume echoed the sentiment, saying that it was a "very good speech" delivered with "force and clarity." Rove agreed, too, calling it "very good."
Others were less blown away
Some on social media noted it was not that the speech was not particularly strong, but rather that the bar was so low.
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro said as much in a pair of tweets following the event.
National Review's Jim Geraghty tweeted: "Biden is capable of walking to a podium and emphatically delivering a speech he's reading from a teleprompter. Low bar cleared."


theblaze--2020-08-21--Twitter erupts after Mike Bloomberg gets more air time than Ocasio-Cortez at the Democratic National

Twitter erupts after Mike Bloomberg gets more air time than Ocasio-Cortez at the Democratic National Convention

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg received a prime spot for his speech at the Democratic National Convention, but many on social media were outraged that he got more air time than other politicians, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
Bloomberg joked about having been at one time in his life a Democrat, a Republican, and an Independent during his speech on the fourth and last day of the virtual conference.
"I'm not asking you to vote against Donald Trump because he's a bad guy. I'm urging you to vote against him because he's done a bad job," said Bloomberg.
He also criticized the president's tax plan and said higher taxes were necessary to fund more government resources.
"Donald Trump's economic plan was to give a huge tax cut to guys like me who didn't need it, and then lie about it to everyone else," said Bloomberg.
Many on the left were angry that Bloomberg got more speaking time than Ocasio-Cortez, and they rushed to social media to register their displeasure.
"AOC got 90 seconds, and f**king BLOOMBERG HAS BEEN TALKING FOR WHAT FEELS LIKE A YEAR," cursed writer Bonnie Stiernberg.
"The Democratic Party should have given @AOC a lot more than 60 seconds. They should stop uplifting Bill Clinton, Michael Bloomberg, and John Kasich. The convention illustrates how little Democratic elites think of progressives," said Ross Barkan, a writer at The Nation.
"Bloomberg for 12 years let the NYPD go rouge on hubdreds of thousands of Black and Brown in NYC. Made NYC unaffordable to live in, tried to charter school the entire system of public education.F#^$ Bloomberg. Shame at DNC for giving him Republican billionaire, than AOC," tweeted activist Rosa Clemente.
"It should be a scandal that Michael Bloomberg is speaking at the #DemConvention and Ilhan Omar or Ayanna Pressley or Rashida Tlaib isn't. And that Bloomberg had more time than AOC," replied columnist Mehdi Hasan.
"AOC got 90 seconds & Bloomberg got what felt like a million minutes. The Democrats still got it!" joked Brooklyn comic Hari Kondabolu.
Not all of Bloomberg's critics were from the left. President Donald Trump issued a missive at the former mayor during the speech.
"After the worst debate performance in the history of politics, Michael Bloomberg, commonly known as Mini Mike, is trying to make a comeback by begging the Democrats for relevance," tweeted the president.
"They treated him like a dog," he added, "and always will. Before politics, he said GREAT things about me!"
Here's the full speech from Bloomberg:


theblaze--2020-08-21--Biden accepts Democratic Party nomination in speech about 'light,' 'hope,' 'love' — with little or n

Biden accepts Democratic Party nomination in speech about 'light,' 'hope,' 'love' — with little or no policy specifics

Biden accepts Democratic Party nomination in speech about 'light , ' 'hope , ' 'love ' — with little or @ @ @

Former Vice President Joe Biden formally accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for president Thursday night during the party's national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
What did he say?
In his acceptance speech, telecast from Delaware, Biden spoke often about "reclaiming the soul of America" — his campaign slogan — and appealed to Americans about the differences between he and President Donald Trump.
The 77-year-old nominee painted a picture of two very different Americas on the ballot this fall, contrasting his candidacy of "light" and "love" with President Trump's candidacy of "darkness" and "hate."
"I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness," he said. "This is not a partisan moment, this must be an American moment."
"Love is more powerful than hate, hope is more powerful than fear, and light is more powerful than darkness," he added in his closing remarks.
The upshot: In the speech, Biden hoped to inspire hope for a better tomorrow with lofty rhetoric, but failed to provide hardly any real policy detail, save a call for a national mask mandate to stop the coronavirus.
Vice President Joe Biden's 2020 Democratic National Convention Speech | FULL www.youtube.com
The only other areas in which he came close to speaking specifically about policy was in mentioning the Affordable Care Act and his intentions to save it.
Biden did, however, specifically place blame for the over 170,000 deaths as a result of the coronavirus squarely at Trump's feet, calling his handling of the pandemic "unforgivable."
The former vice president also leaned into the promise of healing the country's racial wounds, which have been at the fore of the campaign as Black Lives Matter protests continue to rage on across the nation.
"Will we be the generation that will finally wipe the stain of racism from our national identity?" Biden asked rhetorically after slamming Trump for "fan[ning] the flames of hate and division."
Anything else?
The speech was considered to be a paramount test for Biden, whose appearances on the campaign trail have been few and far between and short since he became the party's presumptive nominee earlier this year.
In the end, Biden appeared to have accomplished his goal of delivering an effective speech without any gaffes or major hiccups.
President Trump was not impressed, however. He tweeted following the speech that Biden's claims were "just words" and nothing more.
Now, with the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention, Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) will look forward to hitting the campaign trail ahead of the election Nov. 3.
Republicans will host their own convention next week, Aug. 24-27, in Charlotte, North Carolina. President Trump is expected to deliver his acceptance speech from the White House.


theblaze--2020-08-21--Kansas City Chiefs ban American Indian-themed face paint and headdresses at stadium; will review 'Ar

Kansas City Chiefs ban American Indian-themed face paint and headdresses at stadium; will review 'Arrowhead Chop'

Kansas City Chiefs ban American Indian-themed face paint and headdresses at stadium ; will review 'Arrowhead Chop' Political correctness is @ @ @ @

The Kansas City Chiefs announced new policies at their stadium meant to prevent fans from donning costumes and face paint that might offend American Indians, including the use of the "Arrowhead Chop."
The NFL championship team made the announcement of the new policies in a statement on Thursday.
"In 2014, we began a dialogue with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences. As an organization, our goal was to gain a better understanding of the issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to both raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area," the statement explained.
The team recounted how they had previously discouraged fans from wearing ceremonial headdresses and American Indian-themed face paint at Arrowhead Stadium, but had come to the conclusion that more measures were necessary.
They said the new policies were developed with "a national organization that works closely on issues affecting American Indian people and tribes."
In addition to an outright ban on Native American-themed face paint and headdresses, the team said they would review the "Arrowhead chop," a fan chant that includes a chopping action with the arm.
"We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders," the statement concluded.
The action comes ahead of a season that will likely see a much greater degree of politicization in the wake of the protests and riots as a result of the death of George Floyd while in police custody. The NFL has announced that players will be allowed to make political statements through the wearing of slogans and other insignia on their uniforms.
Also on Thursday, the Chiefs announced that they would limit seating capacity at Arrowhead Stadium to 22% in order to preserve social distancing guidelines to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Here's a video about the Kansas City Chiefs controversy:


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

WATCH: Crowder's epic DNC Livestream

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

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


theblaze--2020-08-22--Biden accused of plagiarism in DNC acceptance speech

The Democratic presidential nominee has faced similar complaints in the past .

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has been accused of plagiarizing a part of his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
Similar allegations arose during his failed 1988 campaign for the White House.
What are the details?
Several Canadians took to Twitter calling foul during the broadcast of Biden's speech Thursday night, accusing Biden of lifting the words of departed liberal Canadian politician Jack Layton, who passed away in 2011.
CBS News Washington correspondent Alexander Panetta noted, "A number of Canadians are struck by the similar parting words of Biden's speech to the final words of Jack Layton's farewell letter before his death."
The reporter provided a side-by-side of the excerpts.
In Biden's speech, he said, "For love is more powerful than hate. Hope is more powerful than fear. Light is more powerful than dark. This is our moment. This is our mission."
Layton's quote read, "My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."
Canadian media picked up on it, too. Left-leaning outlet HuffPost Canada declared, "Joe Biden's DNC speech sounded a lot like a Jack Layton quote," while conservative publication The Post Millennial noted that "left-wing Canadian activists" were making the plagiarism accusation. Both outlets compiled examples of tweets from users claiming Biden stole Layton's words.
HuffPost did not receive a response from the Biden campaign on "whether Layton was a reference for the speech," but the outlet noted:
Even Layton wasn't the first Canadian politician to mobilize 'love is better than hate' phrasing. That honour goes to prime minister Wilfrid Laurier, who said something similar in 1916.
'I shall remind you that already many problems rise before you: problems of race division, problems of creed difference, problems of economic conflict, problems of national duty and national aspiration,' Laurier said during a speech in London, Ont.
'Let me tell you that for the solution of these problems you have a safe guide, an unfailing light if you remember that faith is better than doubt and love is better than hate.'
Accusations of plagiarism have dogged Biden in the past. Last year, Business Insider wrote an entire piece spelling out how "Joe Biden's first presidential run in 1988 cratered amid multiple instances of plagiarism."
The outlet pointed to two New York Times reports from 1987, exposing instances where Biden was accused of plagiarism. In one, "Biden acknowledged plagiarizing a law review journal for a paper during law school, and asked school administrators not to be expelled."
The second report from The Times was published within weeks of Biden dropping out of the race.
As Business Insider described:
During his failed 1988 run, Biden lifted portions of a speech by United Kingdom Labour MP and Margaret Thatcher challenger Neil Kinnock.
During an event at the Iowa State Fair, Biden mimicked entire portions of Kinnock's speech from earlier in the year. At one moment, Biden repeated the line that he was the first 'in a thousand generations' to graduate from college, gesturing to his wife in the exact same way Kinnock did, while also saying the same line about her education and lineage.
Biden would later acknowledge that he in fact did have relatives who attended college, directly contrasting the Kinnock lines.


theblaze--2020-08-22--Biden will be the 'most progressive president since FDR': Bernie Sanders reveals radical platform pl

Biden will be the 'most progressive president since FDR': Bernie Sanders reveals radical platform plans

Biden will be the 'most progressive president since FDR ' : Bernie Sanders reveals radical platform plans 'He knows Joe @ @ @ @ @ '

In his virtual Democratic National Convention speech, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, but Sanders' message to his supporters was very clear: radical progressives plan to "make Biden the most progressive president since FDR."
On "LevinTV" this week, BlazeTV host Mark Levin broke down the details of Sanders' speech, and explained how radical progressives in government intend to take over the executive branch if Biden is elected.
"Why does [Sanders] support Joe Biden?" Levin asked. "Two reasons: One, he knows Joe Biden is an empty suit. And he also knows that [progressives in his administration] are going to push their agenda, and they're going to push it hard.
"There's a piece in Politico that talks about how the progressives are all lined up, and if Joe Biden gets elected, they will not tolerate resistance from Joe Biden," he continued. "They intend to impose their will on him and his administration because that again is the nature of Marxism. They insinuate themselves into society. It's the nature of fascism, too ... they use the existing status quo to insinuate themselves and take over the government. And that's exactly what's planned here."
Watch the video below to hear more from Mark Levin:
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theblaze--2020-08-22--Steve Bannon says his federal indictment is 'a political hit job'

Steve Bannon says his federal indictment is ' a political hit job' The former chief strategist for President Trump was @ @ @ @ @

Steve Bannon, a former top advisor to President Donald Trump, says he is ready for a fight after being arrested on allegations that he defrauded donors to the "We Build the Wall" fundraising campaign, calling his indictment "a political hit job."
What are the details?
Bannon pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges brought by the Department of Justice accusing him and three associates of siphoning money for personal use from "We Build the Wall" — a $25 million fund built by contributions from private citizens for the purpose of constructing a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Politico reported that Bannon struck a "defiant tone" in reacting to his arrest on Friday. Speaking on his show, "War Room," the former Trump campaign CEO said, "I am not going to back down. This is a political hit job,"
"I was called 'honey badger' for many years," Bannon continued. "You know, 'honey badger doesn't give...' So, I'm in this for the long haul. I'm in this for the fight."
"This is to stop and intimidate people that have President Trump's back on building the wall," he argued. "We are never going to stop pushing the wall. This stuff is complete nonsense. I am not going to back down one inch. People who know me know I'm a fighter."
Bannon also speculated on his show the the timing of his indictment was suspicious given his ties to the president, who is in the middle of a reelection campaign.
"The timing is exquisite," Bannon said. "We have 72 [days until Election Day] and a wake up to what Donald Trump says is the most important election."
The Washington Examiner noted that President Trump distanced himself from Bannon following his arrest, telling reporters of the "We Build the Wall" initiative, "When I read about it, I didn't like it. I said, 'This is for government; this isn't for private people.' And it sounded to me like showboating."
According to ABC News, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany issued a statement saying that Trump "has not been involved with Steve Bannon since the campaign and the early part of the Administration, and he does not know the people involved with this project."
Reiterating the president's position, she added, "President Trump has no involvement in this project and felt it was only being done in order to showboat, and perhaps raise funds."
During his show, Bannon addressed the president's statement, too.
"What he said yesterday was absolutely correct," the former head of Breitbart News Network said. "Building the wall is a function of government. But look how much trouble President Trump has had."


theblaze--2020-08-22--WHO director says the world 'cannot go back to the way things were,' even if a vaccine is found

WHO director says the world ' can not go back to the way things were , ' even if a @ @ @ @ @ said the coronavirus gave us a glimpse of a cleaner , less polluted world

The director of the World Health Organization said that the world would not go back to the way it was before the coronavirus, even if a vaccine is found to combat the pandemic.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the comments in a media briefing on Friday. He noted that several countries had seen cases fall only to see a second wave hit months later.
"Progress does not mean victory," said Tedros.
"Even if we do have a vaccine, it wouldn't end the pandemic on its own. We must all learn to manage and control this virus using the tools we have now, and make the adjustments to our daily lives that are needed to keep ourselves and each other safe," he continued later in his speech.
"Lockdowns are not a long term solution"
"So-called lockdowns enabled many countries to suppress transmission and take the pressure off their health systems," Tedros said.
"But lockdowns are not a long term solution for any country. We do not need to choose between lives and livelihoods or between health and the economy. That's false choice. On the contrary, the pandemic is a reminder that health and the economy are inseparable," he continued.
"WHO is committed to working with all countries to move into a new stage of opening their economies, societies, schools, and businesses safely. To do that, every single person must be involved. Every single person can make a difference. Every person, family, community and nation must make their own decisions based on the level of risk where they live," he added.
Climate change
Tedros explained that local governments can best assess what risk they are facing and what steps to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
"At the same time, we will not, we cannot, go back to the way things were," he continued.
"Throughout history, outbreaks and pandemics have changed economies and societies, this one will be no different," Tedros added.
"In particular, the pandemic has given new impetus to the need to accelerate efforts to respond to climate change," he said. "The pandemic has given us a glimpse of our world as it could be, cleaner skies and rivers."
The WHO has been criticized for evidence that they were complicit in helping China hide the coronavirus during the early stages of the pandemic. Tedros himself has been accused of being too closely tied to China, with some critics noting that the country aided his ascendance to the directorship of WHO.
Here's part of the comments from the WHO director:


theblaze--2020-08-21--80-year-old grandfather dies after vicious beating in grocery store bathroom; surveillance video lea

80-year-old grandfather dies after vicious beating in grocery store bathroom; surveillance video leads to suspect arrest

80-year-old grandfather dies after vicious beating in grocery store bathroom ; surveillance video leads to suspect arrest The victim 's @ @ @ @ @ over his wallet

A family is in mourning after an 80-year-old grandfather died, possibly as a result of a vicious beating in a grocery store bathroom during a robbery. Police later apprehended a suspect after obtaining surveillance video.
The troubling incident unfolded in Lancaster, California.
Roberto Flores Lopez was found badly beaten in the restroom of a Superior Grocers after what appeared to be a robbery in July. According to his family, his extensive injuries included "five broken ribs, broken eyes socket, multiple facial fractures, [and] mental trauma."
The victim was hospitalized and released to go home, but had to return to the hospital later. He died on Wednesday, a month after the assault. It was unclear if the man died from the injuries sustained in the incident. TheBlaze has reached out to the Lancaster Sheriff's Station for comment.
Police identified two suspects after seeking help from the public with images from surveillance video.
22-year-old Damaris Wade was charged with attempted murder, elder abuse and second-degree robbery, according to an announcement from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
His girlfriend was initially charged with a felony count of accessory after the fact, but prosecutors later dropped the charge after noting that she had not been at the store during the beating.
The family called for more serious charges to be pressed against the two suspects.
"This case went from just a robbery and an assault to murder," said the victim's son Fernando at a media briefing.
"We want this whole entire thing, for the guy that did this to my dad — for him to get it for manslaughter, and to get charges for manslaughter and murder, because my dad's dead," he added, according to KTLA-TV. "He killed my dad."
Prosecutors said Wade had a previous conviction for robbery and if found guilty, could face 25 years in prison.
Lopez had 16 grandchildren and great-grandson. The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with the medical expenses and his burial arrangements.
Here's a local news report about the horrendous incident:


theblaze--2020-08-21--Democratic mayoral candidate staged her own kidnapping in plot to win votes, police say

Democratic mayoral candidate staged her own kidnapping in plot to win votes , police say The South Carolina woman has @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy and filing a false report .

A South Carolina woman has been accused of attempting to boost her profile as a mayoral candidate by faking her own kidnapping and posting video of it online in a bid for sympathy votes.
What are the details?
Sabrina Belcher, 29, is competing in a crowded field of six candidates to become the next mayor of Sumter. But police say her political strategizing got out of hand when she allegedly plotted with associate James Eaddy, 34, to orchestrate a Facebook Live video showing her being robbed, beaten, and abducted "in order to garner publicity, sympathy and votes in the November election."
During the video, Belcher mentioned the name of another candidate, which police say was an attempt to "discredit" her rival. Officers determined she "also had ongoing plans to smear other mayoral candidates prior to the election."
Belcher showed up at the Sumter police station late Tuesday night claiming she had been "assaulted and kidnapped by an unknown man during an attempted robbery," according to the department. The candidate was wounded and the windows of her vehicle were knocked out during the alleged attack.
"During the investigation," police said, "Belcher provided a fake name of her attacker. However, officers later determined she was in contact with Eaddy whom she had worked with days prior to concoct and stage the reported incident."
"This was simply an effort to create disorder and discontent in our community for personal gain," Chief Russell Roark said. "As a result, a valuable number of resources, including personnel, manhours of the police department as well as local medical professionals, were wasted based on false information."
Belcher eventually confessed to planning the ordeal, and she was arrested and booked into the Sumter County Detention Center with a $10,000 bond on charges of filing a false police report of a felony and conspiracy. Eaddy was charged with conspiracy.
The Miami Herald reported:
According to Belcher's campaign page on Facebook, she is the first 'Black female candidate ever to run.' The page describes her as 'a decorated community activist and local volunteer" as well as a volunteer firefighter in Sumter County. Her platform includes a bid for '24/7 police presence during school bus hours to help protect our children."
If elected, Belcher would be the first black mayor elected in Sumter. The Daily Caller noted that she is still in the race.


theblaze--2020-08-21--'Wonder Woman 1984' director says President Trump partly inspired movie's villain but, 'It's not abo

'Wonder Woman 1984' director says President Trump partly inspired movie's villain but, 'It's not about being political'

'Wonder Woman 1984 ' director says President Trump partly inspired movie 's villain but , 'It 's not about being @ @ @ @ @ want to get political ; it 's not about being political . '

The villain in the upcoming comic book movie "Wonder Woman 1984" is partly inspired by President Donald Trump, but the film's director insists, "It's not about being political."
Patty Jenkins directed the 2017 blockbuster "Wonder Woman" that made over $821 million at the international box office, and returns to direct the sequel, "Wonder Woman 1984."
While discussing the upcoming DC Comics sequel about the superhero from the island nation of Themyscira, Jenkins gave some insight into one of the movie's villains, Maxwell Lord, played by Pedro Pascal of "Narcos" and "Game of Thrones" fame.
Jenkins was asked by Screen Rant if President Trump was an inspiration for Maxwell Lord.
"He's one of them," Jenkins said. "I mean honestly, the funny thing is he is [an influence], but I'm not trying to make...We even have the president in this movie, and I've gone out of my way not to make it look like Ronald Reagan."
"I don't want to get political, it's not about being political," Jenkins asserts.
"So, yes, Trump's definitely one of the people that we looked at, but it's any of those kind of mavericks of business success that was big in the '80s," she said. "Who went on to be major players in our world in potentially questionable other ways."
"Yeah, I don't have an agenda to have a political message to send to the world, but I think that the world all needs the same political message," Jenkins adds. "Everybody needs to look at themselves right now, and our politics, our belief system of excess."
The 49-year-old director said that the villain is also based on disgraced financier Bernie Madoff, but when he was younger.
The official DC Comics website bio of Maxwell Lord:
Though he may appear to be little more than a greasy businessman, the manipulative Maxwell Lord has been the ringmaster of the Justice League, the world's greatest spymaster, and an apocalyptic threat to metahumankind.
Like many of the most successful and influential people in the DC Universe, Maxwell Lord IV was born into money. His father was the CEO of a highly profitable but morally suspect pharmaceutical company, and when he killed himself upon discovering that they were releasing carcinogenic products, his surviving son resolved to put the family coffers to better use.
With the aid of an alien computer he had discovered on his own expeditions, Lord took it upon himself to establish a new Justice League of metahumans and capable vigilantes: one which would not just represent America, but function internationally. Maxwell Lord also discovered that he possessed the ability to manipulate the minds of others. Unfortunately, the use of these powers came with a deadly side effect that aggravated a brain tumor, causing him to bleed from the nose and eventually leading to his presumed death.
One scene in the "Wonder Woman 1984" trailer shows a large wall that stretches for miles being obliterated, whether that is a reference to President Trump's border wall that he has made one of his paramount campaign promises is not specified. There is also a fight scene that takes place in the White House where Wonder Woman battles Secret Service agents.
The movie's other villain is Cheetah, portrayed by comedic actress Kristen Wiig.
"Wonder Woman 1984" was scheduled to be released in June of this year, but was delayed to October because of the COVID-19 pandemic closing U.S. movie theaters.


theblaze--2020-08-21--Derecho windstorm destroys Iowa harvests, causes catastrophic destruction over millions of acres — a

Derecho windstorm destroys Iowa harvests, causes catastrophic destruction over millions of acres — and casts ominous shadow on heartland future

Derecho windstorm destroys Iowa harvests , causes catastrophic destruction over millions of acres — and casts ominous shadow on heartland @

A violent windstorm ripped across America's heartland last week, devastating the Corn Belt with insurmountable damage to the season's harvest.
What are the details?
Last week, a derecho windstorm ravaged millions of acres of corn and soybeans fields in Iowa as winds gusted at over 100 mph.
According to the New York Times, Iowa state officials estimate that at least 14 million acres of necessary farmland were damaged by the gusting winds.
In addition to ruined crops, hundreds of millions of bushels of commercial storage grain as well as tens of millions of bushels of on-farm storage grain were also lost to the devastating storm.
Shannon Textor, a spokesperson for the Iowa Corn Growers Association, told the outlet that it may be weeks to determine the monetary loss as a result of the storm.
"It's really hard to get your arms around the devastation at this point," Textor admitted.
Corn and soybeans in Iowa are typically harvested in September and October. This year, the outlet notes, was set to be one of the largest producing harvests in several years.
In 2013, demand for corn and soy slowed as production increased, according to Chad Hart, due to a variety of factors including leveling out of the ethanol industry, the Times reported.
The slow demand led to a massive decline in prices, which was compounded by international trade disputes.
Farmers who were attempting to regain their footing over the last several years began to breathe easier after 2019 — and then came the storm.
Jim Greif, a corn and soybean farmer, told the Times, "The short story is 2019 was the year from hell and we were glad when it was over. Now, 2020, I don't know what you'd call it, but it's worse than last year."
The disaster is also especially problematic as the loss of the corn crop will affect livestock producers even more than what's already happening because of COVID-19.
Iowa is No. 1 in the country for its corn and ethanol production.
What else?
President Donald Trump on Tuesday discussed the ravaged state and promised Iowans the "full support of the federal government in recovery.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) said that the devastation caused an estimated $4 billion in damages from the storm.
During a briefing with the president, Reynolds described the storm as a "40-mile-wide tornado that went through the state of Iowa."
Iowa State Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig added, "There are millions of acres of corn that just won't flat-out be able to be harvested."
“We're going to help you recover from the storm and we'll get it done and we'll get it done together," Trump said.
You can read more about local farmers' experiences following the massive storm here.


theblaze--2020-08-21--Postmaster General promises timely delivery of election mail, says USPS doesn't need bailout money

Democrats have accused him of trying to hinder mail-in voting Louis DeJoy , postmaster general of the U.S .
Postal @ @ @ @ @ Friday during a Senate Homeland and Governmental Security Committee hearing seen on a laptop computer @ @ @ @ @ Photographer : Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images )

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy denied accusations that the United States Postal Service wouldn't be able to handle increased volumes of election mail in November, and told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday that the USPS was "fully capable" of getting the job done, CBS News reported.
DeJoy has been a target of Democrats who believe the Trump donor and logistics expert is handicapping the Postal Service at the president's urging in order to discourage or limit mail-in voting.
"As we head into the election season, I want to assure this committee, and the American public, that the Postal Service is fully capable of delivering the nation's election mail securely and on time," DeJoy testified.
DeJoy said even mail-in ballots sent one week before Election Day would be counted, because USPS workers will "scour every plant each night leading up to Election Day" to make sure no ballot is left behind.
Rather than being opposed to mail-in voting, as President Donald Trump is, DeJoy told the committee "I think the American public should be able to vote by mail, and the Postal Service will support it."
DeJoy clarified that the potential issue with mail-in ballots is related to state deadlines that are too close to Election Day, which is why 46 states were notified of that issue in a letter late last month. DeJoy said Americans should vote early, if they can.
The U.S. Postal Service plans to "send a letter to every American" explaining "what our process is" for mail-in voting, DeJoy said Friday.
DeJoy, who has been in his role since June, said he has never spoken to Trump or White House advisers about making changes to service.
The USPS has long been in bad financial shape, and DeJoy was hired as a logistics expert from the private sector to address issues of cost and efficiency. Some of the changes that have reportedly been made, such as the limiting of overtime and the removal of some mail sorting machines and collection boxes, have led to some delays in mail delivery in some areas. Those operational changes were suspended by DeJoy this week to avoid the appearance of tampering with the Nov. 3 election.
Some recent primary elections were disrupted by issues with mail-in ballots. A New York congressional election was delayed by six weeks due to a dispute over some ballots that were not postmarked or that were received after the deadline. Tens of thousands of votes that were mailed in weren't counted for various reasons.
Democrats are pushing for billions of dollars in additional funding for the USPS, partially to help with the election. On Friday, DeJoy told Congress the USPS did not need a federal bailout, but did advocate for reimbursement for service provided during the pandemic even while revenues were down.


theblaze--2020-08-21--Tearful Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli receive jail sentences in college admissions scam: 'I have

Tearful Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli receive jail sentences in college admissions scam: 'I have great faith in God'

Tearful Lori Loughlin , Mossimo Giannulli receive jail sentences in college admissions scam : ' I have great faith in @ @

Actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli were respectively sentenced to serve two and five months in jail for their role in a college admissions scandal.
The couple received their sentences on Friday.
In May, the two agreed to plea guilty over their roles in the college admissions scam, which came to light in 2019. They admitted to paying $500,000 to William Rick Singer, the scheme's mastermind, get their daughters into the University of Southern California.
What are the details?
Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton sentenced Loughlin and Giannulli through separate Zoom meetings on Friday, in which Loughlin and her husband issued apologies for their actions.
"I made an awful decision," a tearful Loughlin told the judge. "I went along with a plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process, and in doing so, I ignored my intuition and allowed myself to be swayed from my moral compass. I have great faith in God, and I believe in redemption, and I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and use this experience as a catalyst to do good."
An attorney for Loughlin said that his client grew up in a modest household that often lived paycheck to paycheck.
"She didn't attend college because her family couldn't afford it," her lawyer said, but insisted that she was determined "from a young age" to succeed for herself "and for her family."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin O'Connell said that Loughlin, however, should have been content with the advantages her children were born into with her being an actress and her husband, a prolific fashion designer.
"[E]veryone, no matter your status, is accountable in our justice system," O'Connell said during the Friday sentencing hearing.
The couple's May plea agreement stipulated that Loughlin would serve two months in prison and pay a fine of at least $150,000. She would be subject to two years of supervised release, as well as 100 hours of community service.
What else?
Giannulli also expressed his regrets for taking part in the scam.
"I do deeply regret ... the harm that my actions have caused my daughters, my wife, and others," he said. "I take full responsibility for my conduct, I'm ready to accept consequences and move forward with the lessons I've learned from this experience."
Giannulli, who will serve five months in prison, will pay a $250,000 fine, serve two years of supervised release and 250 hours of community service.
The two have 60 days to pay the fine related to their sentencing and are required to report to an as-yet determined prison facility on Nov. 19.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said that Giannulli's crimes were greater than that of his wife.
“The crime Giannulli and Loughlin committed was serious," Lelling said. "Over the course of two years, they engaged twice in ... [the] fraudulent scheme. They involved both their daughters in the fraud, directing them to pose in staged photographs for use in fake athletic profiles and instructing one daughter how to conceal the scheme from her high school counselor. As between the defendants, the evidence suggests that Giannulli was the more active participant in the scheme."


theblaze--2020-08-21--Exposing BLM violence and extremism: Here's what's REALLY happening in Portland

Exposing BLM violence and extremism : Here 's what 's REALLY happening in Portland

As protests in Portland, Oregon, have continued for more than 85 consecutive nights, tensions have continued to escalate. But you'd never know it by listening to the mainstream media's false narrative about "peaceful protests" against racism and police brutality.
Black Lives Matter protests (riots) took an especially vicious turn this week when a man was savagely beaten and kicked in the head from behind. Protesters have taken to marching through residential streets in the dead of night, shouting vulgarities and shining lights to "disrupt the peace." When will the local government step up and take care of its citizens, who are tired of nightly attacks on their city?
On "Slightly Offens*ve" this week, host Elijah Schaffer reveals what the mainstream media doesn't want you to know about what's really going on in Portland.
Watch the video below:
Content warning: Language and graphic images:
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theblaze--2020-08-21--Iowa tells Des Moines Public Schools they cannot start year fully online. Now the district plans to

Iowa tells Des Moines Public Schools they cannot start year fully online. Now the district plans to sue.

Iowa tells Des Moines Public Schools they can not start year fully online .
Now the district plans to sue @

The Iowa Department of Education on Thursday denied a request from Des Moines Public Schools to start the school year fully online, arguing that the state's goal is to allow "parents to choose what's best for their child" — not school districts.
What are the details?
Last month, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) ordered schools in the state to begin the new year by offering at least 50% of its classes within the school building.
The order permitted school districts to apply for an exemption from the law allowing them to operate in a primarily virtual option, but outlined that such requests would need to be approved by the state.
The state's guidelines delineated that districts must have a 2-week rolling average positive test rate of at least 15% in their county before they can transition.
In a letter to the district Thursday, Education Department Director Ann Lebo said the coronavirus infection rate in Polk County, where DMPS is located, did not meet the state's criteria.
"The Iowa Department of Public Health has corrected the current 14-day average percent positivity rate for Polk County as 8%," Lebo wrote. "And your request, including the detailed letter of you provided, and our consultation with the Iowa Department of Public Health have not identified any other basis for concluding that it is appropriate to start the school year with primarily remote learning. For these reasons, your request is denied."
Lebo made clear that the order does not stop DMPS from providing 100% online classes for families that select that option, "nor does it affect the district's ability to provide hybrid learning that offers at least half of its instruction in person."
What else?
Now, the school district is planning to sue the state, making them the second district to do so since Reynolds' order was implemented.
According to the Des Moines Register, DMPS said Friday that it will ask a judge to block the state's enforcement of the order and review the state's authority to deny local school boards the "ability to make decisions in accordance with the law and the interests of their local communities."
"The governor and her agencies have decided to ignore the local decision-making authority set out in the law to try and force their will on school districts to do things we all know are simply not safe at this time," said Kyrstin Delagardelle, chair of the Des Moines school board, in a statement.
"The virtual learning proposed by DMPS is not an act of political defiance," Superintendent Tom Ahart added. "It's about following science as we resume instruction for our students while doing our part to keep our community safe during a time of continuing uncertainty regarding public health."
The district plans to file the petition in court next week. Students are scheduled to begin classes the week after Labor Day.


theblaze--2020-08-21--Utah students who don't wear masks in schools can be criminally charged — even kindergartners

Utah students who do n't wear masks in schools can be criminally charged — even kindergartners But it 's up @ @ @ @ @ , and the governor 's office expects that will be rare

Utah students as young as kindergartners can be criminally charged for not wearing masks in schools in order to protect against the spread of COVID-19, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
What are the details?
And while the paper said the office of Republican Gov. Gary Herbert confirmed the potential for K-12 students and staff getting misdemeanors for violating the mask mandate, spokeswoman Anna Lehnardt said it's up to schools to seek such charges — and that it's expected they will be rarities.
"It's enforced on a district and superintendent level," she added to the Tribune. "But we're not thinking, 'Let's slap a bunch of kids with misdemeanors.'"
More from the paper:
Herbert had issued the mask mandate for public schools in July. As classrooms have begun reopening across the state this week, though, it's become a new source of frustration for many parents — with a focus on the enforcement.
During a legislative meeting Wednesday, one mother questioned why there should be potential misdemeanor charges associated with something she sees as a personal choice.
"Our children should not have to suffer criminal consequences for getting an education," Angie Martin, whose child attends high school in Cache County, said, according to the Tribune.
In addition to the rarity of pursued charges, the paper said schools can encourage students who won't wear masks to do online school work — and that there are exceptions for the mask-wearing mandate for individuals with medical conditions, as well as during breakfast or lunch periods.
What if criminal prosecutions are pursued?
The Tribune said that if schools do pursue criminal prosecutions, violators could face class B misdemeanors, which Lehnardt said is the standard for public health order violations. And violators can be punished with sentences of up to six months in jail and fines of up to $1,000, the paper added, which is the same as a first offense for driving drunk.
"We want our teachers to be safe," Lehnardt told the Tribune in explaining the rationale behind the penalty.
In addition, she said that the mask mandate for schools has no expiration date, as it was issued in conjunction with the Utah Department of Health, the paper said.
Parental pushback
Some parents, however, aren't down with the mandate and are even attempting to get it repealed, the Tribune said.
Danielle Cottam has removed her five children from school so they don't have to abide by the order, the paper reported, adding that on Wednesday — during what was supposed to be a school day — her kids played with a crowd of other mask-free kids at a splash pad in St. George.
"I should have the kids in school," Cottam noted to the Tribune. "But I chose to keep them home because of the mask crap. … It's totally unconstitutional. It's not even giving us a choice. I think I should have a right to choose whether or not my kids have to wear it."


theblaze--2020-08-21--Video of white cop using Taser on black woman goes viral as all sides fight over what really happene

Video of white cop using Taser on black woman goes viral as all sides fight over what really happened. And now, the officer is on desk duty.

Video of white cop using Taser on black woman goes viral as all sides fight over what really happened .
@ @ @ @ @ is on desk duty .

A white Georgia police officer is on desk duty after a video featuring him using a stun gun on a black woman during an arrest showed up on the internet and went viral.
What are the details?
Gwinnett County Police Officer Michael Oxford is on administrative duty pending an internal investigation into the incident, which took place at an unnamed woman's home Tuesday.
Oxford responded to a woman's home following a property damage call in which the woman said a group of people pelted her vehicle with a bottle. The woman also alleged that at least one person in the group threatened to assault her 9-year-old child.
A spokesperson for the department said that Oxford approached a group of women sitting on the porch of a nearby residence. Kyndesia Smith was one of those women and reportedly matched the description of one of suspects in the woman's complaint.
According to WSB-TV, Oxford approached the group of women and attempted to question them about the report. The station reported that Smith became combative and refused to respond to his line of questioning.
Video later shows Oxford approaching Smith, who defiantly says, "You're on our property. We did not call you."
Oxford responds by asking Smith, "Do you want to go to jail?"
Smith insists that she won't be going anywhere.
Her defiance apparently prompted Oxford to tell the woman that she is under arrest, and as he moves to take her into custody, she fights back and tries to move away.
Oxford pulls her out from behind a chair, and demands she get down on the ground as he begins to pull out his Taser.
In the background, you can hear a female shouting, "Black lives matter! Black lives matter!"
He deploys the Taser moments later, and Smith can be seen falling into some nearby bushes on the property.
Image source: Twitter video screenshot
Oxford approaches Smith, who is now sitting on the ground, and demands she put her hands behind her back.
He cautions that if she refuses, he will use the stun gun on her once more.
Oxford attempts to handcuff Smith, but she continues to resist, demanding that he let her go.
The video ends seconds later.
A second video of the incident, obtained by WSB-TV, appears to show Smith kicking at Oxford as he tries to force her into the back of his cruiser.
(Content warning: Rough language):
What else do we know?
A news release Tuesday from the Gwinnett County Police Department provided further context on the arrest.
"When [Oxford] arrived, he was informed by the complainant that two people had thrown a bottle at her car. She also said the people threatened to assault her and beat her 9 year old child," a portion of the release said.
The release noted that there is surveillance footage of the bottle-throwing incident.
Oxford was able to view the surveillance footage and reportedly recognized Smith as the same person in the surveillance video.
He then reportedly attempted to approach Smith, who was on the nearby porch, but she reportedly began shouting at him instead.
"After she resisted the officer's commands [she was] tased and placed in handcuffs," the release said. "After she was placed in handcuffs, she kicked the officer and continued to be uncooperative."
So where does it stand now?
Oxford remains on administrative duty, while Smith has been charged with felony obstruction and simple battery against a police officer. She was released Wednesday after posting bond.
In a statement, the Gwinnett County Police Department said, "An investigation into this incident is being conducted. The officer has been placed in an administrative role pending the outcome of the internal investigation."
You can watch a full video of the incident here.
And what is social media saying about this?
A simple Twitter search will render varying results ranging from doxxing attempts on the officer to a circulation of false reports.
One user writes, "A Gwinnett County, Ga. officer is under fire after arresting a woman for 'TALKING TO [sic] LOUD' on her own front porch."
Another user adds, "Just another 'CRACKER COP.' This is disgraceful. The southerners who continue to treat black Americans this way are dinosaurs & need to go extinct."


theblaze--2020-08-21--Democratic candidate, 19, wins primary after admitting to past revenge porn and blackmailing girl fo

Democratic candidate, 19, wins primary after admitting to past revenge porn and blackmailing girl for nude photos

Democratic candidate , 19 , wins primary after admitting to past revenge porn and blackmailing girl for nude photos He @ @ @ @ @ feminist '

A 19-year-old Democratic candidate, who confessed that he carried out abusive behavior toward multiple girls in middle school, won his primary race for the Kansas state House of Representatives. Community college student Aaron Coleman won his primary despite confessing that he engaged in "bullying, revenge porn, and blackmail."
Coleman defeated 13-year incumbent Stan Frownfelter, 823 to 809, in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary for the 37th District. The results were certified this week. There is no Republican challenger for the seat, which makes Coleman a near shoo-in for the November election.
However, Coleman has baggage that has his own party questioning whether he is fit to serve office. During the campaign, he told former Republican state lawmaker John Whitmer that he would "laugh and giggle when you get COVID and die," according to the Kansas City Star.
"In exercising my first amendment rights, earlier this week I crossed a boundary and offended people," Coleman said in an Aug. 1 apology. "After careful deliberation, I recognize I responded impulsively regarding a serious issue. For that I am sorry. Additionally, I apologize to the Democratic Party for my actions which are in no way a reflection of the party's ideals."
But there are far darker allegations against Coleman, who is accused of harassing girls online in middle school. The Kansas City Star released an editorial earlier this month that detailed the accusations against the progressive Democratic candidate.
"I was just in disbelief that another man that doesn't respect women is in power," said one of Coleman's alleged victims, who is now 18 years old.
The woman said Coleman's abuse included "calling me fat, telling me to kill myself, like I'm never going to find anyone, like I'm worthless, just downgrading me every day."
She claims that he sent her messages that read, "F*** you you f***ing ratchet fat s**t. F*** off whale. Go on a diet and get some braces."
She revealed that the abuse in sixth grade caused her to try to commit suicide.
"I tried to end my life," she said.
Another young woman alleged that Coleman attempted to extort her with one of her nude photos when they were in middle school five years ago.
"He got one of my nudes and blackmailed me with it and told me if I didn't send him more he would (send) it to all of my friends and family," she wrote on social media, according to the Star. "And when I didn't send him more, he sent it to everyone I knew."
The victim wasn't sure how Coleman obtained the naked photo of her.
"All I know is he's an awful person and he should not be allowed to run for anything," she stated.
In 2016, then-Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) signed a bill to outlaw revenge porn in the state, making it illegal to post nude photos or videos of a person on the internet without his or her consent. The first offense is presumptive probation, and the second offense is felony blackmail with up to six years in prison.
Another young woman claimed that Coleman "harassed me for months, it got so bad that he found out my family's home phone and wouldn't stop calling it until we picked up."
On his Facebook page dedicated to his campaign, Coleman admitted to the accusations.
"The charges include: bullying, revenge porn, and blackmail — I just want to make clear all these allegations are both true and occurred only digitally," a June 17 post from The Aaron Coleman for Kansas Facebook page stated before it was deleted. "I denounce these actions and they are the actions of a sick and troubled 14-yo boy."
"I made serious mistakes in middle school and I deeply regret and apologize for them. I've grown up a great deal since then," Coleman told the Star editorial board in a statement.
In an email statement to the Associated Press, Coleman said the accusations were "accurate."
Coleman noted that he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder at the age of 15 because he was put "in a closet" during elementary school. Doug Powers, the assistant superintendent of the Kansas City-area school district where Coleman attended elementary school, has denied the allegations.
Coleman describes himself as a "proud feminist."
"I will work to repeal the bills my opponent passed that prohibit the civil rights of women," the candidate wrote in July. "Now more than ever, it is super important we have leaders who have dedicated their life to the advancement of women."
A spokesperson for Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly told the Associated Press that Coleman is "not fit to serve in the Legislature."


theblaze--2020-08-21--Former Tulsi Gabbard campaign strategist TORCHES Kamala Harris

Tulsi Gabbard 's former campaign strategist , Paul Alexander , joined the `` Steve Deace Show '' Wednesday and discussed @ @ @ @ @ down Kamala Harris on the Democratic debate stage .
He also shared brutally honest opinions @ @ @ @ @ and why Alexander , a Democrat , will not vote for Biden this November .
@ @ @ @ @ save $ 10 on one year of BlazeTV .
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@ @ @ @ @ 's take on national politics , Christian worldview and principled conservatism with a snarky twist @ @ @ @ @ the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America , defend the Constitution and live @ @ @ @

Tulsi Gabbard's former campaign strategist, Paul Alexander, joined the "Steve Deace Show" Wednesday and discussed the moment when Tulsi took down Kamala Harris on the Democratic debate stage. He also shared brutally honest opinions about why Kamala is dangerous and why Alexander, a Democrat, will not vote for Biden this November.
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theblaze--2020-08-21--Musician Pharrell Williams: BLM rioters who tear down statues are just like Revolutionary War patrio

Musician Pharrell Williams: BLM rioters who tear down statues are just like Revolutionary War patriots

Musician Pharrell Williams : BLM rioters who tear down statues are just like Revolutionary War patriots

Grammy Award-winning recording artist Pharrell Williams recently compared Black Lives Matter rioters who tear down statues to the patriots who dumped tea in the Boston Harbor and fought during the American Revolution.
Williams drew the comparisons in an op-ed for Time magazine posted Thursday, in which the musician made the case that America's past and present are "racist" and that what's needed is a "black future."
In the op-ed, Williams writes fondly of the protests that have swept the nation following George Floyd's death in late May, suggesting that the events — which have frequently devolved into violence — have granted him a renewed a sense of patriotism.
"The ongoing protests for equity and accountability that have overtaken cities across the nation have made me feel something new that I can only describe with one word: American," he wrote.
Then he gets historical, hoping to make his case that the precinct-burners and statue-removers are just like the patriots of old.
Here's what he said (emphasis mine):
The desperate longing for economic justice that spurred unrest in the streets of Minneapolis after George Floyd's murder reminds me of the same fire that burned in the veins of the Sons of Liberty when they dumped 342 chests of tea into the sea at Griffin's Wharf. (Now we call that incident "the Boston Tea Party"—which is a poetic way to describe a "riot.") When I see people tearing down the monuments to secessionist traitors who wanted to start their own white-supremacist nation, I see patriots acting in service of this country. It reminds me of the protesters who were inspired to tear down the statue of King George on July 9, 1776, after they heard Thomas Jefferson's letter telling his oppressors to kick rocks. Those "thugs" would serve under the direction of George Washington in the American Revolution. But the Declaration of Independence makes it sound dignified: "In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms," wrote our Founding Fathers. "Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury."
"The activists who tossed chests of tea into the ocean to protest economic injustice were patriots. But they were also oppressors, unwilling to extend the freedoms for which they fought to everyone," Williams argued later in the piece.
He also called for economic reparations to pay for the damages incurred due to slavery.
"We deserve the interest earned from those Confederate dollars and the refund of our tax dollars handed out to our white brothers and sisters in the New Deal while our neighborhoods were redlined," he argued. "We want the return on our investment from when our local tax dollars funded schools our children couldn't attend."
The op-ed is part of Time Magazine's forthcoming Aug. 31-Sep. 7 issue, fittingly titled, "The New American Revolution."


theblaze--2020-08-21--Leftist thug suspected of brutal assault is arrested, jailed; victim was repeatedly punched then kic

Leftist thug suspected of brutal assault is arrested, jailed; victim was repeatedly punched then kicked in head from behind on Portland street

Leftist thug suspected of brutal assault is arrested , jailed ; victim was repeatedly punched then kicked in head from @ @ @ @ @ Lee Love was booked into jail Friday morning on assault , riot , and coercion @

The suspect wanted in connection to a brutal assault on a Portland street over the weekend has been arrested, KPTV-TV reported.
Marquise Lee Love, 25, was booked Friday morning into Multnomah County Jail on charges of riot, coercion, and second-degree assault. His total bail is set at $260,000, jail records indicate.
Image source: Multnomah County Jail
The station said information surrounding Love's arrest hasn't been released. TheBlaze on Friday afternoon didn't immediately hear back from Portland police regarding the newly reported developments.
What are the details?
Portland police earlier this week identified Love as the suspect seen in cellphone videos repeatedly punching a man who was forced by a mob to sit in the street after which the suspect kicked the victim in the head from behind and apparently knocked him out.
Here's the clip of the head kick. (Content warning: Language):
Officers found the injured, unconscious adult male after the Sunday night attack and took him to a hospital, police said.
Image source: Twitter video screenshot
He was released and is recovering from injuries that aren't life-threatening.
Image source: KPTV -TV video screenshot
The victim, identified as Adam Haner, earlier was helping a woman who had some of her things stolen, KPTV said.
Haner's girlfriend, Tammie Martin, exited Haner's truck and was tackled to the ground, the station added.
Witnesses told police that a white Ford truck crashed at a nearby intersection, KPTV reported. (Content warning: Language):
Police said protesters dragged the driver out of the vehicle. Another witness called before officers arrived and reported that nine to 10 people were "beating the guy," police said. The following clip shows the suspect punching the victim in the head at least eight times before running at him from behind and kicking him in the head. (Content warning: Language):
Journalist Drew Hernandez said he witnessed how it all unfolded and provided video that appeared to mirror what police said about the victim earlier trying to help someone who had things stolen. (Content warning: Language):
After the victim crashed his truck, the mob descended upon the man outside his truck, and they took turns beating him and forcing him to sit in the street. (Content warning: Language):
Here's another clip of the head-kicking thug — who was wearing a "security" vest — showing him repeatedly punching the victim in the head. (Content warning: Language):
Haner, recounting the incident to KPTV, said he was yanked out his vehicle, hit the ground, after which the mob "wouldn't let me get up" — and then the beating began.
"I was just standing for myself as a citizen," he told the station, "and if you can't do that on a street, then what can you do?"


theblaze--2020-08-21--Kanye West misses ballot in Wisconsin because his lawyer was a couple minutes late submitting signat

Kanye West misses ballot in Wisconsin because his lawyer was a couple minutes late submitting signatures

Kanye West will not be on the ballot for November's presidential election in the state of Wisconsin, after his election lawyer got the required signatures in just a couple of minutes too late, Politico reported.
In the latest consequence of his campaign's disorganization, the state election commission ruled against accepting West's signatures that were turned in one or two minutes after the 5 p.m. Aug. 4 deadline.
"When you're late, you're late," said Commissioner Julie Glancey, according to Politico. "We've knocked people off the ballot for being one signature short. If we are holding their feet to the fire on the number of signatures, we need to hold their feet to the fire on the time they file."
West's election lawyer is Lane Ruhland. Ruhland has represented President Donald Trump's campaign and served as general counsel for the Wisconsin GOP. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ruhland met a state elections agency employee named Cody Davies at the door of the building between 12 and 14 seconds after 5 p.m.
Davies said he told Ruhland she was late and said he would consult with a supervisor about how to go forward. Riley Williams, another staff member, said they entered the elections commission office at 5:01 p.m. and then had to organize their paperwork, which took a few more minutes.
West's legal team tried to argue that the signatures were turned in before 5:01 p.m., which means they technically met the 5 p.m. deadline. By a 5-1 margin, the commission rejected that argument.
Milwaukee Republican Robert Spindell was the only commissioner to argue that West should still be on the ballot, not necessarily because he believes West made the deadline, however.
"Mr. West is an African American candidate," Spindell said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "And I think we should do all we can to — after the terrible treatment that the black population in Milwaukee received during the April election — that we give them a choice."
Spindell accused Democrats of attempting to suppress the black vote.
West has gotten much hype as a potential spoiler who can take votes, especially black votes, away from Democratic nominee Joe Biden in key states. But not only is West failing to get on the ballot in some key states, polling indicates that even if he did, he wouldn't make much noise.
A Politico/Morning Consult poll showed West at 2% support among registered voters and 2% among black voters. Perhaps most importantly, West's presence as a choice didn't impact Biden's margin over President Trump.


theblaze--2020-08-21--Politically Incorrect: Steven Crowder fact-checks Biden's acceptance speech and it is glorious

Politically Incorrect : Steven Crowder fact-checks Biden 's acceptance speech and it is glorious

If this year's Democratic National Convention proved anything, it's that Democrats use many words to say absolutely nothing. As predicted, Joe Biden accepted the Democratic nomination for president and tried to paint Americans as victims of Donald Trump and himself as the people's savior. Steven Crowder livestreamed CNN's coverage of the DNC and fact-checked speakers in real time, thankfully, so sit back and enjoy Crowder's politically incorrect and honest assessment of Biden's acceptance speech.
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theblaze--2020-08-21--Video footage captures aftermath of 2 separate daytime shootings that took place in NYC this week

Video footage captures aftermath of 2 separate daytime shootings that took place in NYC this week 'We have lost control @ @ @ @

Two men were reportedly shot in broad daylight in the streets of New York City this week.
According to social media user Adam Weiss — who is described as a publicist from New York City and shared the disturbing footage on social media — the incidents took place on the city's streets on Wednesday.
What is in these videos?
He captioned the video, writing, "Welcome to the new NYC. Day time shootings mean we have lost control of the city."
Weiss shared a second video of a second shooting victim, which he captioned, "Two people were shot, one fatally, in broad daylight on a Brooklyn street Wednesday afternoon. This is thanks to the failed policies and lack of support for police by @NYCMayor. The suspects have not been located."
He later added, "We cannot let this be our new normal."
In one of the videos, what appears to be a male shooting victim can be seen lying on the street with blood smeared over his stomach as concerned bystanders approach.
A second video shows a second male victim lying on the road, grievously wounded, next to an expanding pool of blood.
A third video shows good Samaritans trying to assist the same male victim, who is clearly in dire condition, as he bleeds out on the street.
A male bystander can be heard off-camera repeatedly saying, "Jesus loves you. The God of Israel loves you" as sirens wail in the background.
(Content warning: Graphic footage)
Daytime shootings more than double
Earlier in August, Fox News reported that daytime shootings across the city have doubled over the last year.
The report revealed that the city "saw more than double the daytime shootings — those that occurred between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. — from May 1 through July 31 than it did during the same period last year."
"New York Police Department statistics show a nearly 137% increase in the number of shootings that occurred over the three-month period specifically during the daylight hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.," the report continued. "From May through July 2020, 168 incidents were reported, while during the same time period in 2019 the number of shootings reported was 71."
In total, daytime shootings over a three-month period increased from 85 in 2019 to 192 in 2020.


theblaze--2020-08-21--Judge orders new election in NJ race marred by mail-in ballot fraud charges

Judge orders new election in NJ race marred by mail-in ballot fraud charges Nearly 1 in 5 ballots were rejected

A New Jersey judge ordered a new election for a Paterson City Council seat, which was initially believed to be won by a candidate who has since been charged with voter fraud. State Superior Court Judge Ernest Caposela issued his ruling on Wednesday.
Alex Mendez appeared to have won the May 12 special election, but then the U.S. Postal Service's law enforcement arm informed the state attorney general's office that hundreds of mail-in ballots were found in a mailbox in Paterson.
The Passaic County Board of Elections decided not to count 800 ballots cast in the race. An additional 2,300 ballots were disqualified after the signatures didn't match those on file. Of the total votes cast, 19% were rejected. Mendez won the election by fewer than 250 votes.
Mendez, who thought he had won the election, was hit with six criminal charges, including election fraud and falsifying records. Paterson Council Vice President Michael Jackson, Abu Rayzen of Prospect Park and Shelim Khalique of Wayne, were also charged with voter fraud. All four defendants have denied the charges, according to The Hill.
"Today's charges send a clear message: If you try to tamper with an election in New Jersey, we will find you and we will hold you accountable," New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal (D) said in a statement in June. "We will not allow a small number of criminals to undermine the public's confidence in our democratic process."
The new election will be held in November.
President Donald Trump cited the Paterson City Council election in his argument against nationwide mail-in voting.
"Absentee Ballots are fine. A person has to go through a process to get and use them. Mail-In Voting, on the other hand, will lead to the most corrupt Election is USA history. Bad things happen with Mail-Ins," President Trump tweeted in June. "Just look at Special Election in Patterson, N.J. 19% of Ballots a FRAUD!"
On Tuesday, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee sued New Jersey over Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order to provide mail-in ballots to all voters in the Garden State.
"In a direct usurpation of the legislature's authority, Gov. Murphy issued Executive Order 177 ... purporting to rewrite the election code for the November 2020 election," the lawsuit alleges. "This brazen power grab was not authorized by state law and violates both the Elections Clause and Electors Clause of the U.S. Constitution and 3 U.S.C. §1."
"Moreover, in his haste, the governor created a system that will violate eligible citizens' right to vote," the lawsuit states. "By ordering universal vote-by-mail, he has created a recipe for disaster. Fraudulent and invalid votes dilute the votes of honest citizens and deprive them of their right to vote in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment."
The lawsuit cites the Paterson City Council election marred by mail-in ballot fraud charges.
Murphy responded to the lawsuit on Wednesday.
"The President's campaign is putting itself on-record as wanting to delegitimize our November election, instead of working with us to ensure that voters' rights are upheld along with public health," Murphy wrote on Twitter. "This goes far beyond attempts at weaponizing the @USPS to disenfranchise voters. This is now becoming a full-throated propaganda campaign to undermine the election itself."


theblaze--2020-08-21--CDC director expects US coronavirus deaths to start falling by next week

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield indicated Thursday that coronavirus deaths in the United States should begin falling by next week as case numbers have continued to decline since late July.
So far since the start of the outbreak, the U.S. has reported more than 5.5 million cases and 170,000 deaths as a result of the virus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. And over the last 24 days, the nation's seven-day average for daily deaths has consistently topped 1,000.
But that number is primed to fall, noted Redfield in an interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"You and I are going to see the cases continue to drop. And then hopefully this week and next week, you're going to start seeing the death rate really start to drop again," he predicted.
When states experience steady declines in case numbers — as several states across the Southern and Western regions of the country have recently — it typically means that death rates will follow.
"It is important to understand these interventions are going to have a lag, that lag is going to be three to four weeks," Redfield continued. "Hopefully this week and next week you're going to start seeing the death rate really start to drop."
Coronavirus Update From the CDC With Robert R. Redfield, MD youtu.be
Redfield said he would like to see the number of daily new deaths fall below 250, which has not happened since the start of the outbreak earlier this year.
In early July, before the start of what Redfield calls the "southern outbreak," the number of daily new deaths fell to roughly 500.
The director added that even as Southern and Western states such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona are improving, there are worrying figures coming out of "Middle America," in states such as Nebraska and Oklahoma.
"We're starting to see some of the cases now in the red zone areas are falling, but if you look at those states that are in what we call the yellow zone, between 5% and 10%, they're not falling, so middle America right now is getting stuck," he said. "This is why it's so important for middle America to recognize the mitigation steps that we talked about, about masks, about social distancing, hand washing, closing bars, being smart about crowds."


theblaze--2020-08-21--Horowitz: Maricopa County health official ‘reassures’ public that county is overcounting COVID death

Horowitz: Maricopa County health official ‘reassures’ public that county is overcounting COVID deaths!

Horowitz : Maricopa County health official ‘ reassures ’ public that county is overcounting COVID deaths !

If we can't get prudence and scientific research out of our public health officials, the next best thing is honesty. It's better that they be up front with us about their insidious methods of measuring the severity of this virus than resort to obfuscation or outright lies. In that vein, Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director of disease control for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Arizona, should be commended for her candor.
During an exchange with ABC15 reporter Nicole Grigg about unaccounted deaths in the county, Dr. Sunenshine offered the most vivid admission to date that anyone who dies with any positive test for COVID-19 is counted as a COVID death regardless of the evidence of symptoms. And she is proud of it!
What is striking is how blissfully ignorant she is of the absurdity and irony of her candor. She makes two disparate but related points: 1) Anyone with a COVID-19 positive test who dies within a certain time frame from the test is counted as a COVID death; 2) Anyone with COVID "anywhere" on the death certificate is counted as a COVID death.
There are some estimates that up to 80 percent of those infected with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic. With a virus that is this widespread but only deadly in a small number of people, how can any individual who tests positive be counted as a COVID death, even if it's not mentioned on the death certificate? As we know, anyone who is in the hospital for a large range of life-threatening ailments – from heart failure and cancer to car accident trauma or drug overdoses – is tested for the virus. A certain percentage, especially when the virus is spreading rapidly in that area, will always test positive, but most will not present meaningful symptoms.
This problem of inflated death counts is getting worse as the virus appears to become even more widespread but less deadly over time. The distortion of the death count will diverge even more from reality as this trend continues.
Next, Dr. Sunenshine says that among those who do have the virus listed as one of the causes of death on their death certificates, their deaths go into the count so long as COVID-19 is listed "anywhere" on that document. But if someone really came in with trouble breathing from COVID-19 and died of it, that should be quite apparent. Especially given the financial incentives encouraging hospitals to list COVID as the primary cause of death, no doctor is going to list it on line B or C simply because the decedent had an underlying diabetes condition when COVID clearly killed them at that moment. The fact that a doctor would list it on line B or C, unless line A was related to COVID (like pneumonia or respiratory distress), clearly indicates in this context that the person likely died of other causes. Yet the Maricopa health official is admitting all of those cases are included in the death count without any investigation.
In June, I reported that fewer than half of coronavirus deaths counted in Minnesota had the virus listed as the primary cause of death. Many of them had stroke or dementia listed as the top cause of death. Some cases listed "lung cancer," "terminal cerebral degeneration," "stroke," "acute renal failure," or "abdominal catastrophe" as the primary cause of death.
Let's face it: At this pace, even if the death rate of the virus drops to zero, we will continue to have "COVID-19 deaths," given the widespread testing mixed with deceptive coding of death. Imagine if we took the time to identify any individual who happened to have a cold while he died and then listed the cold as the cause of death.
The analogy to a cold is not far-fetched, given that the virus might very well be attenuating or transforming into a fifth coronavirus cold. According to Matteo Bassetti, director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the San Martino Hospital in Genoa, over 90% of cases tested in his region are asymptomatic, and the virus is weakening. "In the months of March, April, May at San Martino in Genoa we had a mortality of 11% in hospitalized patients. Now it is zero," said Bassetti in an interview with Milan daily newspaper Corriere della Sera. (Translation via Google Translate.)
Hence, endless cases of a cold mixed with universal testing and absurd coding of deaths could perpetuate a pseudo-epidemic for months to come, turning good news into phantom doom and destruction.


theblaze--2020-08-21--Actress and activist Rose McGowan shreds Democratic Party for being 'monsters' and 'frauds': 'Why di

Actress and activist Rose McGowan shreds Democratic Party for being 'monsters' and 'frauds': 'Why did people vote Trump? Because of you motherf***ers'

Actress and activist Rose McGowan shreds Democratic Party for being 'monsters ' and 'frauds ' : 'Why did people vote @ @ @ @ @ motherf***ers '

Actress and activist Rose McGowan has hit out at the Democratic Party for its apparent failure to serve the American people.
McGowan made her feelings on the Democratic Party clear in a blistering tweet accusing the party — which this week officially nominated former Vice President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate — of turning against the oppressed voices to whom they endlessly pander and for which they claim to advocate.
What are the details?
In a viral tweet Thursday night after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention, the award-winning actress and best-selling author wrote, "What have the Democrats done to solve ANYTHING? Help the poor? No. Help black & brown people? No. Stop police brutality? No. Help single mothers? No. Help children? No. You have achieved nothing. NOTHING. Why did people vote Trump? Because of you motherf***ers."
Image source: Twitter screenshot
It was only just starting there
Just before the viral tweet, McGowan wrote, "You are the season of darkness. @JoeBiden@dnc You are monsters. You are frauds. You are the lie."
Naturally, many of McGowan's fellow social media users tried to bury her over the sentiment — which many would consider to be quite unpopular among liberals and leftists — but she wasn't standing down.
One user responded to McGowan and others, "He was not my pic [sic] in the Special Election but there are only 2 candidates now. Anyone not voting for Biden adds another vote in Trump's favor. I won't do that. I'm voting for Biden. America can't afford another 4 years of Trump."
The user later added, "If you don't vote for Biden you are knowingly helping Trump."
True to form, the woman who was instrumental in bringing down embattled film mogul and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, fired back, "I don't vote for rapists, unlike you."


theblaze--2020-08-21--VIDEO: Democratic senator doesn't know he's live on camera, rattles off the F-word during virtual Po

VIDEO: Democratic senator doesn't know he's live on camera, rattles off the F-word during virtual Postal Service hearing

VIDEO : Democratic senator does n't know he 's live on camera , rattles off the F-word during virtual Postal @ @

During the coronavirus pandemic, people have had to make changes in their lives, which for many has meant working remotely. That even applies to United States senators, who have attended virtual government functions. With the addition of unfamiliar technology and the inexperience with video conferencing services, it opens the door for misadventures. Just ask Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.).
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified Friday morning before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Carper believed he was experiencing some technical difficulties when he was called upon, prompting him to curse up a storm.
Unknowingly to Carper, there were no technical difficulties, and his expletive outburst was livestreamed for the entire world to behold.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the panel's chairman, called on Carper to speak during the virtual hearing. After Carper didn't respond, Johnson moved on to Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.).
Carper, 73, believed that he wasn't broadcasting to the virtual hearing. Upset that he couldn't participate in the hearing, Carper turned to his aide and into the hot mic he exclaimed, "F***! F***! F***!"
Johnson asks, "Senator Carper can you unmute?" An amused Johnson adds, "We don't want to be on TV again."
Carper then began his questioning of DeJoy.
The Democrats are interrogating DeJoy over cost-cutting measures to the U.S. Postal Service that led to concerns as to whether the USPS will be able to effectively handle mail-in ballots of the November general election.
DeJoy, who is a Republican donor and ally of President Donald Trump, implemented cost-saving actions to try to ease the financial woes of the USPS after he assumed the position on June 15.
Some Democrats believe that there has been a reduction in USPS assets, including mailboxes and mail-sorting machines. There is a conspiracy theory that the alleged downsizing of the USPS is a calculated scheme to stymie mail-in ballots in the presidential election.
"There has been no changes in any policies with regard to the election mail for the 2020 election," DeJoy said during Friday's hearing. "Trying to have any negative impact on the election is an outrageous claim."
"As we head into this election season, I want to assure this committee and the American public that the Postal Service is fully capable and committed to delivering the nation's election mail securely and on time," DeJoy said. "This sacred duty is my number one priority between now and election day.
"I want to make a few things clear: The Postal Service is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall," DeJoy declared. "Even with the challenges of keeping our employees and customers safe and healthy as they operate amid a pandemic, we will deliver the nation's election mail on time and within our well-established service standards.
"Changes must be made to ensure our sustainability for the years and decades ahead," DeJoy said of needed spending cuts at the USPS.


theblaze--2020-08-21--A Tennessee school district tried to ban parents from observing their kids' virtual classes

Seven-year-old Hamza Haqqani , a 2nd grade student at Al-Huda Academy , uses a computer to participate in an E-learning @ @ @ @ @ classmates while at his home on May 1 in Bartlett , Illinois .
( Photo @ @ @ @ @

A school district in Tennessee told parents they should not attempt to observe their children's online classes and threatened that children of parents who violate that policy could be removed from class, according to the Tennessee Star.
Appealing to academic privacy concerns for students, Rutherford County Schools sent a form to parents for them to sign and agree not to listen in on what their kids are learning. The Star obtained a copy of the form.
"RCS strives to present these opportunities in a secure format that protects student privacy to the greatest extent possible, however because these meetings will occur virtually RCS is limited in its ability to fully control certain factors such as non-student observers that may be present in the home of a student participating in the virtual meeting," the form reads. "RCS strongly discourages non student observation of online meetings due to the potential of confidential information about a student being revealed."
The agreement includes a clause allowing for students to be removed from virtual class sessions if the agreement is not adhered to.
The letter apparently caused some alarm in the district, enough that a spokesman for Rutherford County Schools had to respond and modify the guidance about class observation.
"We are aware of the concern that has been raised about this distance-learning letter that was sent to parents," spokesman James Evans told the Star via email. "The intent was not to prevent parents from being involved with their children during distance learning, but it was intended to protect the academic privacy of other students in the classroom who are visible during certain virtual class sessions."
"We have issued new guidance to principals that parents can assist their children during virtual group lessons with the permission of the instructor but should refrain from sharing or recording any information about other students in the classroom," Evans continued.
While that new guidance allows some wiggle room, it indicates that parents could still be blocked from observing if teachers choose not to allow it.
Some Tennessee schools have resumed in-person classes. The governor has allowed districts to make the decision whether to conduct in-person classes or stay virtual.
Rutherford County Schools opened for in-person classes, but two schools have already closed because of the number of students who have been forced to quarantine due to symptoms or exposure to someone who possibly had COVID-19. According to WZTV, roughly 20,000 out of the district's 48,000 students are taking classes online.


theblaze--2020-08-21--POLL: Did you watch any of the 2020 Democratic National Convention?

POLL : Did you watch any of the 2020 Democratic National Convention ?
Cast your vote and do n't forget @ @ @

POLL: Did you watch any of the 2020 Democratic National Convention?
Cast your vote and don't forget to share!


theblaze--2020-08-21--Black Lives Matter protesters angrily take to Portland neighborhood in dead of night: 'Wake up, moth

Black Lives Matter protesters angrily take to Portland neighborhood in dead of night: 'Wake up, motherf***er!'

Black Lives Matter protesters angrily take to Portland neighborhood in dead of night : 'Wake up , motherf***er ! '
@ @ @ @ @ wake up

Black Lives Matter protesters and activists swarmed residential streets in Portland, Oregon, late Thursday night in an attempt to violently rouse people from their slumber.
What are the details?
Journalist Andy Ngo tweeted video footage of the incident, describing the scene, "'Wake up, mother f—ker wake up!' chant BLM in Portland tonight as they go through residential areas and shut down the streets."
The video, on the city's 85th consecutive night of protests, shows a horde of masked demonstrators marching through the streets, waving Black Lives Matter flags, armed with flashlights, laser pointers, and more, shouting vulgarities at the local residents.
"Wake up!" the activists can be heard screaming as they march down the street. "Wake up, motherf***er, wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, motherf***er!"
What else?
On Friday, the Oregonian reported that two protests took place on Thursday into Friday, one "peaceful," and another, "confrontational."
The one that took place in South Portland, which was held outside the city's Immigration and Customs Enforcement building, saw no less than three arrests. Police declared the demonstration in South Portland an unlawful assembly.
One demonstrator told the outlet, "The goal right now is to disrupt the peace. If you're here right now, you need to be loud. You need to be exhausted. Because we're exhausted."
Protesters held signs reading, "Black Lives Matter," "Abolish the Police," "Reparations," and "Silence Perpetuates Violence."
They chanted "No cops, no KKK, no fascist USA" and "My neck, my back, we gonna take these streets back."
As the protests progressed, federal protective services officers took to the streets and made an official announcement warning demonstrators of arrest or use of crowd control tactics if the group got out of hand.
Portland police later arrived at the scene and discovered rioters attempting to break into the building and setting fires.
"Police said some demonstrators threw rocks, cones, glass bottles and paint balloons at officers during the protest," the outlet reported. "Some in the crowd also shined green lasers at officers, police said. Three people were arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center."
(H/T: The Daily Wire)


theblaze--2020-08-21--Report: California Gov. Gavin Newsom didn't take pay cut as promised — despite cutting state workers

Report: California Gov. Gavin Newsom didn't take pay cut as promised — despite cutting state workers' salaries by 10%

Report : California Gov .
Gavin Newsom did n't take pay cut as promised — despite cutting state workers ' @ @ @ @

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom was in hot water Thursday after it was discovered that he had not taken a pay cut as promised, despite asking state workers to take a reduced salary to aid the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
In May, Newsom proposed a 10% pay cut for state workers to help fill the state's $54 billion budget deficit amid coronavirus shutdowns. In a show of solidarity, he voluntarily pledged to join the state's 96,000-member workforce in reducing his salary.
But, according to a report Thursday from the Sacramento Bee, that has not happened.
In July, the governor continued drawing his regular monthly salary of $17,479, as shown by pay data recorded by the State Controller's Office.
A spokesman for the governor's office called it an "oversight."
The outlet added that of the state's eight elected constitutional officers — which includes the treasurer, secretary of state and attorney general — only one, State Controller Betty Yee, took the pay cut last month.
After the Sacramento Bee began asking questions Wednesday, Newsom reportedly sent a letter to Yee asking her to reduce his pay retroactively to the beginning of July, when pay cuts kicked in for the rest of the government workforce.
Amazingly, Yvonne Walker, the president of SEIU Local 1000, the state's largest union, refrained from criticizing the governor Thursday. She essentially suggested that perhaps he and his office were too busy.
"If there's one thing we know, it's that our governor keeps his word," Walker said in an emailed statement. "We can only imagine that with all the things going on in our state ... it wouldn't be surprising if processing the necessary paperwork has taken a backseat to more pressing matters."
It is certainly not the first time that Newsom has faced scrutiny for not living under the same standards that his office has implemented since the start of the pandemic.
KOVR-TV reported in July that PlumpJack, a Northern California-based winery and hospitality company founded and part-owned by Newsom, had continued operations months after the governor ordered all essential businesses closed in March.
PlumpJack also raised eyebrows for reportedly receiving a loan worth $150,000 to $350,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program.
TheBlaze reached out to Gov. Newsom's office for further comment regarding the news but had not received a reply at time of publication.