theblaze--2020-12-15--Report: Durham investigation heating up with additional prosecutors: 'Excellent progress'

U.S. Attorney John Durham , who is investigating the origins of the Russia investigation , is `` adding additional prosecutors '' to his investigative team , a signal that his probe is expanding even as the Trump administration comes to a close .
Fox News anchor Brett Baier reported Monday that , in addition to adding more prosecutors , Durham is making `` excellent progress '' in the investigation , according to officials .
`` US Attorney John Durham , who AG Bill Barr tapped to investigate the origins of the Trump Russia probe , is expanding his team by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'excellent progress , ' according to a federal law enforcement official familiar w/ the situation , '' Baier reported .
The development comes as Durham 's investigation was recently afforded significant protections to continue operating in president-elect Joe Biden 's administration .
In late October , outgoing Attorney General William Barr secretly appointed Durham special counsel , essentially blocking Biden 's administration from obstructing or interfering with the investigation , which is criminal in nature .
`` I decided the best thing to do would be to appoint them under the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide Durham and his team some assurance that they 'd be able to complete their work regardless of the outcome of the election , '' Barr told the Associated Press .
`` The move has the effect of saddling Biden with a special counsel investigation .
Because while as a U.S. attorney , Durham can—and likely will—be dismissed in the normal course of the change of administration , as a special counsel he is protected from removal by regulations that require he can be fired only for 'good cause ' or for some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a certain amount of day-to-day independence , '' Wittes wrote in an essay at Lawfare .
Politico reported over the weekend that Durham has recently turned his focus to former MI6 agent Christopher Steele , who was responsible for authoring the anti-Trump dossier , under the suspicion that FBI agents mishandled classified information in their relationship with Steele .
So far , Durham 's investigation has resulted in only one criminal case , ending with former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleading guilty to falsifying records used to obtain a surveillance warrant against Carter @ @

U.S. Attorney John Durham, who is investigating the origins of the Russia investigation, is "adding additional prosecutors" to his investigative team, a signal that his probe is expanding even as the Trump administration comes to a close.
Fox News anchor Brett Baier reported Monday that, in addition to adding more prosecutors, Durham is making "excellent progress" in the investigation, according to officials.
"US Attorney John Durham, who AG Bill Barr tapped to investigate the origins of the Trump Russia probe, is expanding his team by adding additional prosecutors, and is making, 'excellent progress,' according to a federal law enforcement official familiar w/ the situation," Baier reported.
The development comes as Durham's investigation was recently afforded significant protections to continue operating in president-elect Joe Biden's administration.
In late October, outgoing Attorney General William Barr secretly appointed Durham special counsel, essentially blocking Biden's administration from obstructing or interfering with the investigation, which is criminal in nature.
"I decided the best thing to do would be to appoint them under the same regulation that covered Bob Mueller, to provide Durham and his team some assurance that they'd be able to complete their work regardless of the outcome of the election," Barr told the Associated Press.
Legal expert Benjamin Wittes described Barr's move as "devilishly clever."
"The move has the effect of saddling Biden with a special counsel investigation. Because while as a U.S. attorney, Durham can—and likely will—be dismissed in the normal course of the change of administration, as a special counsel he is protected from removal by regulations that require he can be fired only for 'good cause' or for some gross impropriety. He is also guaranteed a certain amount of day-to-day independence," Wittes wrote in an essay at Lawfare.
Anything else?
Politico reported over the weekend that Durham has recently turned his focus to former MI6 agent Christopher Steele, who was responsible for authoring the anti-Trump dossier, under the suspicion that FBI agents mishandled classified information in their relationship with Steele.
Politico reported:
In a previously unreported move, Durham enlisted a British law firm over the summer to take Steele to court in London, aiming to compel him to turn over notes he had taken of his meetings with the FBI in 2016, according to people with direct knowledge of the episode.
The underlying context for the request, the people said, is that Durham believes Steele's notes could contain evidence that FBI agents improperly disclosed classified information about Crossfire Hurricane, as the bureau dubbed its Russia probe, in the course of questioning Steele about his own findings regarding a potential conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, the people said.
So far, Durham's investigation has resulted in only one criminal case, ending with former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleading guilty to falsifying records used to obtain a surveillance warrant against Carter Page.


theblaze--2020-12-15--New York woman faces 25 years in prison over felony weapons charges — after police find cache of fak

New York woman faces 25 years in prison over felony weapons charges — after police find cache of fake guns in her home

New York woman faces 25 years in prison over felony weapons charges — after police find cache of fake guns @ @ @

A New York woman is facing weapons charges after the NYPD stormed her home and seized at least 22 guns from her apartment.
According to various reporting, members of the NYPD raided Elizaveta Zlatkis' home in 2019 and discovered the weaponry. A later investigation found that 21 of the 22 firearms were not real.
Analysis from the department showed that all weapons were either inoperable or fake, and Elizaveta Zlatkis has said that she lends the fake weapons to rappers and producers to use in music videos or other artistic productions.
What are the details?
Authorities in 2019 raided Zlatkis' home and charged her with first-degree criminal possession of a weapon. She faces a possible 25-year prison sentence.
According to the Forest Hills Post, NYPD officers "acting on a tip" raided Zlatkis' home and discovered the cache of weaponry in her apartment.
"The next day, cops from the 112th Precinct arranged the 22 seized weapons on a table and posed for a Twitter photo commemorating the bust," the outlet reported.
"There was just one problem with the narrative and the charges: 21 of the 22 supposed firearms were airsoft rifles, toy replicas, or starter pistols — the kind used at track meets — incapable of firing ammunition, according to the NYPD's own laboratory reports," the Forest Hills Post noted.
According to the Queens Daily Eagle, Zlatkis said that just one of the 22 weapons was a real firearm. The trigger, Zlatkis said, hand grip, and other internal components were all missing.
Bearing Arms reported that while the guns were either fake or in operable, "in the eyes of the law Zlatkis may very well be a gun owner, since a firearm is defined federally to include a finished frame or receiver for a gun, even if it doesn't have a trigger attached to it."
"Even starter pistols meet the definition of a firearm under federal law because the ATF says they can be 'readily converted' into a real firearm," the outlet said.
What else?
"I look completely crazy," she said of the arrest and charges. "It's humiliating."
Patch reported that Zlatkis, 31, and her husband, Elvis Selimi face "multiple misdemeanors charges in connection with the seizure," which took place on Dec. 27, 2019.
A rapper named Crucial told the Eagle, "We do videos with [the guns] as props. I didn't know you could actually get in trouble with all that. That's wild. They're fake."
In a statement, detective Denise Moroney, a spokesperson for the NYPD, said, "Firearms were recovered on Friday, December 27, 2019, in regard to a search warrant and deemed inoperable at a later date."
The Daily Eagle reported that Zlatkis has refused to take a plea deal, and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has declined to drop the case over the last year.
"We do not comment on pending cases," a spokesperson for the district attorney's office told Patch this week.


theblaze--2020-12-16--Franklin Graham viral Facebook post celebrates President Trump's accomplishments, proclaims he 'will

Franklin Graham viral Facebook post celebrates President Trump's accomplishments, proclaims he 'will go down in history as one of the great presidents'

Franklin Graham viral Facebook post celebrates President Trump 's accomplishments , proclaims he 'will go down in history as one @ @ @ @ @ I am grateful to God ' for the last four years of Trump 's presidency

Pastor Franklin Graham has hailed President Donald Trump for being a world leader who he says will "go down in history as one of the great presidents."
Graham's remarks came after the Electoral College officially gave the 2020 election victory to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Trump, at the time of this reporting, has yet to concede the 2020 presidential election.
What are the details?
In a lengthy Monday Facebook post, Graham lauded Trump for his four years in the White House amid his disappointment in the results of the election.
"People have asked if I am disappointed about the election," he wrote in the now-viral post.
"When I think about my answer, I have to say honestly, that I am grateful — grateful to God that for the last four years, He gave us a president who protected our religious liberties; grateful for a president who defended the lives of the unborn, standing publicly against abortion and the bloody smear it has made on our nation; grateful for a president who nominated conservative judges to the Supreme Court and to our federal courts; grateful for a president who built the strongest economy in 70 years with the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years before the pandemic; grateful for a president who strengthened and supported our military; grateful for a president who stood against 'the swamp' and the corruption in Washington; grateful for a president who supported law and order and defended our police," Franklin's post continued.
He also gave thanks for Vice President Mike Pence and said that he and the president "brought back the greeting" of "Merry Christmas."
"I'm thankful that the president stood against the secularists who wanted to take Christ out of Christmas and that he brought back the greeting 'Merry Christmas!' So as we come to the end of this election season, I look back with a grateful heart and thank God for all of these things," the famed pastor continued.
He concluded the heartfelt post, "It is unfortunate that many people got confused and made the election about personalities rather than the policies of the candidates. President Trump will go down in history as one of the great presidents of our nation, bringing peace and prosperity to millions here in the U.S. and around the world. May God bless him, Melania, and their family, as God leads him to the next chapter in his life."


theblaze--2020-12-16--Murder suspect escapes police custody by jumping out of car window at McDonald’s drive-thru in India

Murder suspect escapes police custody by jumping out of car window at McDonald’s drive-thru in Indiana

Murder suspect escapes police custody by jumping out of car window at McDonald ’ s drive-thru in Indiana A manhunt @ @ @ @ @ the escapee

A murder suspect with a violent criminal record escaped police custody by jumping out of a transport vehicle window while they waited at a drive-thru of a McDonald's restaurant in Gary, Indiana.
The incident unfolded about 3 p.m. Monday when Leon Taylor, 22, asked a transport agent for the vehicle's window to be lowered so he could spit outside.
Instead, he escaped through the window.
Police say that Taylor was bound by a belly chain restraint, handcuffs and a leg brace, but he was able to vanish after leaving the transport vehicle. He was being extradited to Indiana from Texas at the time to face murder charges.
Taylor is accused of the shooting death of 52-year-old Daniel Nitzsche on Nov. 19 in East Chicago. Police say that Nitzsche told an officer that two men in ski masks robbed him before shooting him twice. He later died at a hospital.
Police have been trying to track down Taylor since the escape Monday.
Taylor has a history of violent crime, according to court records obtained by WBBM-TV, including numerous charges of armed robbery since 2018. Prosecutors also accused him of trying to escape when he cut his ankle monitor.
Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez said that he's a black man about 6 feet tall, weighing 162 pounds. He has hazel eyes and brown hair, and was wearing black jeans, a gray hoodie, and black Puma tennis shoes when he escaped.
Police said he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Here's a local news report about the escape:


theblaze--2020-12-16--Chicago cops raid wrong home and handcuff innocent, naked woman. The city tried to keep video from b

Chicago cops raid wrong home and handcuff innocent, naked woman. The city tried to keep video from being released.

Chicago cops raid wrong home and handcuff innocent , naked woman .
The city tried to keep video from being @ @ @ @ @ be right .
How is this legal ? '

Newly released body-camera footage shows Chicago Police Department officers raiding the wrong home and handcuffing an innocent woman for 20 minutes while she was nude — before realizing their mistake. The police had the wrong address from an informant.
City officials are under fire for making a last-ditch effort to block a local television station from posting video Tuesday of the incident that occurred nearly two years ago.
What are the details?
Last year, officers broke in the door of longtime social worker Anjanette Young who says she had just arrived home from work on Feb. 21 and had undressed in her room when the police charged inside at 7 p.m. with guns drawn.
Following the incident, Young filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the body-camera footage, but the department denied her requests, according to WBBM-TV.
But Young recently received the video and it was aired Tuesday by WBBM, despite Chicago city attorneys filing an emergency motion in an attempt to block the outlet from doing so.
The video shows officers breaking in the door, and Young pleading to know what is going on as she stands nude with her arms in the air in the living room while the police run through her home. She can be seen sobbing, repeatedly insisting to the room full of male officers that they have "the wrong house."
At one point, she says, "This cannot be right. How is this legal?"
After a few minutes, an officer places a jacket around her shoulders, but the front part of her naked body, of course, remained exposed. Then, an officer wraps one of Young's blankets around her body, but she was unable to keep herself covered because of her hands being cuffed behind her back.
She pleads with the officers while telling them that she lives alone, and that she has lived in her home for four years. She cries, "There is no gun in this place. I'm a social worker, I've been a social worker for 20 years. I follow the law. I don't get in trouble for anything. I don't do illegal stuff. I'm not that person. You've got the wrong person."
Officers eventually apologize, try to repair front door
The body-camera footage also shows that after speaking with Young for several minutes, two officers return to a patrol vehicle where they review documentation regarding the warrant.
One can be heard saying, "It wasn't initially approved or some crap."
He adds, "I mean, they told him it was approved. Then, I guess that person messed up on their end."
The CPD would not comment to WBBM on the officers' exchange. Eventually, the officers tell Young that they believe her, apologize, and attempt to do makeshift repairs to her front door since it was no longer functional after being rammed in.
According to the Chicago Tribune, WBBM "has reportedly extensively on Chicago police officers raiding the wrong home," and called Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's (D) attorneys' request to block the station from airing the report as "extraordinary."
Lightfoot distanced herself from the incident when questioned about it during an unrelated news conference, saying that it happened before her taking office. But, the newspaper noted, it was Lightfoot's administration that sought to prevent the video from being shown to the public.
Young is suing the police department over the incident. Her attorney, Keenan Saulter, told WBBM, "If this had been a young woman in Lincoln Park by herself in her home, naked — a young white woman, let's just be frank — if the reaction would have been the same. I don't think it would have been. I think they would have saw that woman, rightfully so, as someone who was vulnerable. Someone who deserved protection. Someone who deserved to have their dignity maintained."
He argued, "They viewed Ms. Young as less than human."


theblaze--2020-12-16--Leaked recording catches Tom Cruise going ballistic on his movie crew over social distancing guideli

Leaked recording catches Tom Cruise going ballistic on his movie crew over social distancing guidelines He was shooting `` Mission @ @ @ @ @ Britain when he flipped out

Hollywood movie superstar Tom Cruise was caught on an audio recording berating people on his movie set in Britain for not following coronavirus social distancing guidelines.
The expletive-filled audio was published by The Sun, a London-based newspaper, and quickly went viral on social media Tuesday.
"We're the gold standard!" yells Cruise on the recording that lasts more than two minutes.
"They're back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us! Because they believe in us and what we're doing! And I'm on the phone with every f***ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers, and they're looking at us and using us to make their movies!" he continued.
"We are creating thousands of jobs you m****rf***ers!" yelled Cruise.
"I don't ever want to see it again! Ever! And if you don't do it you're fired, and I see you do it again, you're f***ing gone!" he added.
Further along in the recording he says that he is trying to protect people's jobs.
"No apologies! You can tell it to the people that are losing their f***ing homes because our industry is shut down! It's not going to put food on their table or pay for their college education!" he yelled.
"That's what I sleep with every night!" he added. "The future of this f***ing industry!"
Cruise was filming "Mission: Impossible 7" when he excoriated the crew members for endangering the movie by not following the coronavirus guidelines. "Mission: Impossible 7" is set to release on Nov. 19, 2021.
What was the reaction?
Some on social media, like epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding, praised Cruise for taking the guidelines seriously and trying to hold people accountable.
"He actually puts up some good arguments that literally the entire Hollywood film industry and thousands of people's livelihoods are on the line," he tweeted.
Others scolded those praising Cruise over the accusations of abuse against the Church of Scientology that Cruise belongs to and has promoted for so many years.
Here's the audio from The Sun with expletives bleeped out:


theblaze--2020-12-17--Police investigating viral video showing teenagers laughing as they stomp on a boy and throw him out

Police investigating viral video showing teenagers laughing as they stomp on a boy and throw him out of a window @ @ @ @ @ Snapchat and quickly went viral

A shocking video posted to social media showing a teenager being attacked by other teens and then tossed out of a window has prompted a police investigation.
The disturbing incident unfolded in the town of Clarence in Western New York.
The video showed a teenager being stomped by other teens as they laugh and record the assault. The victim's limp body is then lifted and pushed through a window as the teens continue laughing.
In a last scene of the video, the victim's face is shown with what appears to be blood, and his clothing is dirtied by the altercation.
The video was posted to Snapchat, a popular social media platform, and then became the subject of a petition on Change.org which garnered more than 28,000 online signatures.
WGRZ-TV reported that the Erie County Sheriff's Office was investigating the matter but cautioned that many of the rumors online about the assault were exaggerated or untrue. One claim was that the victim was left out in the woods to die, but that appeared to be false.
"There is an open investigation into an incident that occurred on Dec. 12 in Clarence," said the Erie County Sheriff's Office to WGRZ. "Deputies and crime scene unit detectives are working the case."
They went on to say that they had identified the victim and interviewed him and his family. They also photographed his injuries, saying "deputies can confirm that victim sustained an injury, sought medical treatment, and was released."
Clarence High School Principal Kenneth Smith acknowledged the incident in a post to Facebook but also cautioned against some of the rumors about the incident.
"Often, rumors spread via social media and become more distorted as the sharing increase. Remember that there are often changes to a story as it spreads," wrote Smith.
The disturbing video was being circulated on Twitter as of Wednesday with many unconfirmed rumors attached.
Here's a local news report about the harrowing incident:


theblaze--2020-12-17--Murder, Capitalism & War: Santa's story is a lot more EPIC than you think

Murder , Capitalism & War : Santa 's story is a lot more EPIC than you think

This is the story of Santa Claus you've never heard before. Beginning in the Middle Ages with a merciful — yet vengeful — Saint Nick, Glenn Beck details how the medieval hero's actions thrust him into fame around the world. But how did Saint Nick — an elite bishop depicted in lavish robes — transform into the jolly, pipe-in-mouth, soot-on-his-clothes kind of man? The answer lies within a journey that includes murder, stolen relics, French nuns, satirical magazines, the Civil War, Coca-Cola, and more. This is how Santa became a "figure of reconciliation" who helped heal America once before. So, can he do it again?
Watch a short video clip from the full show below:
Watch the full episode on BlazeTV. Subscribe today and save $10 promo code "GLENN"
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theblaze--2020-12-17--'Trusted' Georgia babysitter charged with murder in death of 2-year-old little girl

'Trusted ' Georgia babysitter charged with murder in death of 2-year-old little girl

A "trusted" Georgia babysitter has been charged with murder in the death of a two-year-old little girl, who authorities say was beaten to death earlier this month.
The suspect, 29-year-old Kirstie Flood, had allegedly made disturbing online searches that police discovered on her phone.
What are the details?
Flood was responsible for caring for two-year-old Fallon Fridley. The Daily Mail reported that on Dec. 9, Flood "phoned Fallon's mother hysterically crying, saying the toddler wasn't breathing and that she'd hit her head on the slide at the park."
Fallon was taken to Children's Health of Atlanta, where she was pronounced dead, and an autopsy later determined that the child had been beaten to death. Injuries cited included a skull fracture, and lacerations to several internal organs.
The Sandy Springs Police Department announced Monday that Flood had been arrested and charged with two counts of felony murder, and one count each of malice murder, aggravated battery, and cruelty to children in the 1st degree.
According to WSB-TV, "when police searched Flood's phone, a warrant says she had been searching things like 'what type of people enjoy abusing other people's children' and 'what does it mean to have a sudden urge to beat a child that's not yours.'"
Fallon's mother, Kristen Fridley Gantt, told the outlet that Flood had been the full-time babysitter for Fallon since August, but Flood had been a friend of the family for five years or so. "It's like she snapped," Gantt said. "It's like this evil was in front of my face for years and I never saw it."
Friends of the family have set up a GoFundMe account in memorial for the toddler and to cover funeral expenses. Fallon loved singing, dancing, and animals.
Babysitter charged with murder in death of 2-year-old Sandy Springs girl www.youtube.com
Anything else?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted that Flood has had brushes with the law in the past, reporting that she was "arrested five times before her 21st birthday" according to records, and that "charges ranged from battery to alcohol use and drug possession."
Friends of Flood also expressed shock over the murder charges she now faces. One of them told WSB, "She loves children. Her children are her whole world. She posts about her children every single day. She's an amazing mom. She would never hurt a child."


theblaze--2020-12-17--FBI foils alleged 911-style terror plot by Kenyan man at the direction of al-Shabab jihadists

FBI foils alleged 911-style terror plot by Kenyan man at the direction of al-Shabab jihadists The man allegedly planned to @ @ @ @ @ tall building in the U.S .

Federal prosecutors say they foiled a plot by a Kenyan national who allegedly planned a 911-style terror attack at the direction of the al-Shabab jihadist group.
Cholo Abdi Abdullah was arrested in the Philippines in July 2019 but the federal indictment against him was unsealed on Wednesday a day after he arrived in Manhattan, New York, on Tuesday for prosecution.
Al-Shabab is an affiliate of al-Qaeda and has been blamed for numerous bloody attacks in East Africa.
Prosecutors allege that Abdullah received pilot training in order to attempt a terror plot to hijack a commercial airliner and fly it into a tall building of a major U.S. city. The city in the alleged plot was not identified.
"I plead not guilty to all the counts," Abdullah said at his arraignment.
The indictment further claims that Abdullah was allegedly under order from senior al-Shabaab leaders, that he obtained a pilot's license in the Philippines for the attack, and that he was in the process of seeking a U.S. visa. At the time of his arrest in the Philippines, local news reports said that he allegedly had in his possession a homemade bomb and a grenade.
Prosecutors filed 6 terror-related charges against Abdullah. He faces a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison if found guilty, but could receive a life sentence for the charges.
"This chilling callback to the horrific attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, is a stark reminder that terrorist groups like al-Shabaab remain committed to killing U.S. citizens and attacking the United States," said acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss in statement.
In 2013 the al-Shabab terror group called on all Muslims living in the West to launch terror attacks on non-Muslims.
Here's a local news report about the alleged terror plot:


theblaze--2020-12-17--Glenn Beck: What has AG Bill Barr done about self-proclaimed 'baseless accusations' against Trump?

Glenn Beck : What has AG Bill Barr done about self-proclaimed 'baseless accusations ' against Trump ?
AG Bill Barr @ @ @ @ @ reports first

Attorney General Bill Barr has announced his resignation from the Justice Department effective Dec. 23. In a written statement, Barr said President Donald Trump had been "met by a partisan onslaught ... in which no tactic, no matter how abusive and deceitful was out of bounds" and lamented what he called an effort to "cripple, if not oust [the Trump] administration with frenzied and baseless accusations of collusion with Russia."
On the "Glenn Beck Radio Program," Glenn wanted to know what exactly Bill Barr has done about those "baseless accusations"?
"Where was Bill Barr on the actual ... 'campaign to cripple, if not oust your [Trump's] campaign with frenzied and baseless accusations of collusion with Russia'," Glenn asked, quoting the attorney general's letter. "Where were you? Where is the document you said you were going to provide back in August? Where is the evidence of it?"
Glenn argued that Barr is, once again, dividing the American people. His letter acknowledges an effort to cripple the Trump administration "with frenzied and baseless accusations of collusion with Russia" and yet he failed to take the action needed for justice to be served. So, how will we ever regain trust in the American system?
Watch the video below to catch more of the conversation:
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theblaze--2020-12-17--University of Texas names journalism award after Dan Rather

University of Texas names journalism award after Dan Rather The former CBS News anchor was fired for reporting lies about @ @ @

The University of Texas at Austin's School of Journalism and Media announced Wednesday that it has introduced new awards "honoring reporting as well as exceptional content," named after former CBS News anchor Dan Rather.
While the school did not mention the fact that Rather was fired after being caught reporting fake news based on forged documents smearing President George W. Bush in 2004, observers on social media were quick to remind them.
What are the details?
Jay Bernhart, dean of UT's Moody College of Education, tweeted, "Dan Rather is not only a legend -- he's the namesake of new awards honoring his career and the work of today's journalists. We are thrilled to announce the @DanRather Medals for News and Guts."
The dean's post was roundly mocked and criticized, garnering reactions such as, "It's interesting that someone created an award for a man who was forced to resign in disgrace for violating the most basic standards of journalism. A legend, indeed."
Another person joked, "The back has the inscription 'Fake, but accurate," while someone else wrote, "I've got to believe that even Dan finds this embarrassing."
"Irony is dead, buried, and cremated," quipped Daily Telegraph opinion editor James Morrow.
In their promotion of the new awards, UT stated, "The Dan Rather Medals for News and Guts honor the process of journalism as much as the end product. They will be awarded to professional and collegiate journalists who go the extra yard — overcoming obstacles like stonewalling and harassment — to get the story that tells truth to power."
They added, "While journalism and journalists have long been under constant fire from the powerful, recognizing those who show "News and Guts" has never been more important than it is today."
UT did not mention the fact that Rather was fired for reporting false information.
Fox News reported:
Rather, a Texas native, was forced out of the CBS anchor chair in 2005 after using unauthenticated documents in a 2004 report claiming that George W. Bush had gone absent without leave from the Texas Air National Guard. He has enjoyed a recent career renaissance thanks to his folksy, far-left Twitter persona and standing among media correspondents like CNN's Brian Stelter.
According to The Washington Examiner's Becket Adams, "Rather should be a pariah in media, especially because he still maintains he did nothing wrong (he did). But he has enjoyed a renaissance in the news business these past couple of years, thanks, in large part, to his anti-President Trump social media activities."


theblaze--2020-12-16--Detroit asks federal judge to impose sanctions against pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell over 'Kraken'

Detroit asks federal judge to impose sanctions against pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell over 'Kraken' lawsuit

Detroit asks federal judge to impose sanctions against pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell over 'Kraken ' lawsuit

The city of Detroit, Michigan, asked a federal judge to impose sanctions against Sidney Powell over her lawsuit alleging massive voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Powell has made headlines for her "Kraken" lawsuits meant to prove allegations of voter fraud that flipped the election and concluded in a fraudulent defeat of President Donald Trump. While she was originally counted among the president's legal team, they later distanced themselves from Powell.
Among those lawsuits was one alleging voter fraud perpetrated by officials in Detroit. The city responded in a scathing filing that excoriated Powell on December 2.
"Few lawsuits breathe more lies than this one. The allegations are little more than fevered rantings of conspiracy theorists built on the work of other conspiracy theorists," said the filing.
"Plaintiffs rely on affidavits of so-called 'experts' — really confidence men who spread lie after lie under cover of academic credential — which misstate obviously false statistics. These 'experts' use academic jargon as if that could transmute their claims from conspiracy theory to legal theory," they added.
That lawsuit was ultimately rejected.
David Fink, an attorney for Detroit, petitioned U.S. District Judge Linda Parker to impose sanctions on Powell based on federal Rule 11 which forbids lawsuits to be filed "for any improper purpose, such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of litigation."
The motion asked for fines to be levied against Powell, as well as a ban against practicing in the Eastern District of Michigan.
"Plaintiffs and their counsel understood that the mere filing of a suit (no matter how frivolous) could, without any evidence, raise doubts in the minds of millions of Americans about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election," wrote Fink.
Powell has a three week window to rescind her lawsuit and avoid the sanctions, but when Forbes inquired about that possibility, Powell said she would not withdraw the claims.
Here's more about the lawsuit against the votes in Detroit:


theblaze--2020-12-16--Sen. Rand Paul says voter 'fraud happened' and 'the election in many ways was stolen'

Sen. Rand Paul says voter 'fraud happened ' and 'the election in many ways was stolen' Will the Kentucky Republican @ @ @ @ @ ?

Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul said Wednesday that voter "fraud happened" in the Nov. 3 election and that "the election in many ways was stolen," pointing to examples of allegations raised in several states.
The Republican made the comment during a Senate hearing addressing election irregularities as President Donald Trump continues to challenge the outcome of the race despite President-elect Joe Biden officially winning the Electoral College vote.
What are the details?
"A lot of the laws that have to be confirmed and I think reaffirmed are state laws, so it's not in our purview," Paul said, addressing the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. "But the state laws are set, and then we have federal elections. So what we've heard about what happened in Wisconsin, what happened in Nevada, I think is absolutely true and we have to prevent it from happening again.
"I think state legislatures will need to reaffirm that election law can only be changed by a state legislature," he continued, referring to changes in election laws made in some states by officials rather than lawmakers — such as in Pennsylvania where universal mail-in voting was implemented ahead of the general election without action from the legislature.
Paul went on to argue, "The fraud happened. The election in many ways was stolen, and the only way it will be fixed is by in the future reinforcing the laws."
What else?
Sen. Paul's remarks sparked speculation over whether he might be considering challenging the Electoral College votes next month when Congress meets to certify the election for Biden, an action that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in a call earlier this week reportedly urged GOP members not to do.
When asked about the prospect by CNN, Paul replied, "I haven't thought about it, or made any plans to do anything." Regarding McConnell's alleged warning, Paul said, "I wasn't part of that phone call."
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) announced weeks ago that he plans to contest the Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, saying that the "election was stolen by the socialists engaging in extraordinary voter fraud and election theft measures."
No Senate Republicans has yet committed to joining Brooks in the challenge, but if one were to do so it would force debate over the issue. However, the prospect of overturning the Electoral College vote by Congress is highly unlikely, particularly given that Democrats control the House.


theblaze--2020-12-16--ESPN host blasts American flag-waving, dog-loving fans of NFL quarterback Josh Allen — and gets blas

ESPN host blasts American flag-waving, dog-loving fans of NFL quarterback Josh Allen — and gets blasted back as a 'racist'

ESPN host blasts American flag-waving , dog-loving fans of NFL quarterback Josh Allen — and gets blasted back as a @ @ @ @ @ the most f***ed up sports take I 've ever heard , ' one observer declared

ESPN host Domonique Foxworth got a bit sociopolitical the other day, blasting fans of Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen as "people with American flags and dogs and skull and crossbones."
Foxworth — a former NFL cornerback — uttered his blatant stereotype during a chat with ESPN's Bomani Jones. According to Western Journal, Foxworth noted that "I am fully aware that I have biases; and my biases are not based on Josh Allen" — and then he proceeded to rip Allen's fans.
Take a listen:
"It's based on the people that are defending Josh Allen. I would be 100 percent lying if I said that when Josh does something dumb, a little part of me doesn't get happy. ... It's because the people who are telling me that Josh is the Second Coming, and Josh is better than everybody are people with American flags and dogs and skull and crossbones. … If you go just take a dip into their tweet history, it's some really concerning retweets and likes. … It's not about Josh," Foxworth said.
Foxworth added that "generally, I'm pro-player, and I'm looking for ways to understand a player's position and defend a player. But in Josh's case, it's not about him. He is the ground on which we are fighting," Western Journal also noted.
It may come as no surprise that the Bills are one of only six NFL teams with a majority of fans who are Republicans, the outlet added, citing FiveThirtyEight.
How are folks reacting?
It also may come as no surprise that more than a few folks didn't like Foxworth's take on Allen's patriotic, canine-crazy fans:
"Damn this has to be the most f***ed up sports take I've ever heard," one Twitter commenter reacted. "Is he insinuating that all Bills fans are racist, or am I reading into this wrong?"
"Get that racist douche bag Foxworth off the air," another user declared. "No place for his comments ... Imagine if a white dude said something equally disgusting about [black NFL quarterback] Lamar Jackson? Whitey would have been fired immediately! ESPN SUCKS!"
"When do people who are sick of hearing elites badmouth your beliefs stand up?" another commenter asked. "When is it enough? How do people get to say such crazy things and no longer suffer street justice or retaliation? Let's [not] let them get away with it anymore. Enough is enough."
Outkick's Clay Travis wasn't letting it go, either:


theblaze--2020-12-16--Conflicting electors: Lawyer Bill Richmond explains how the Electoral College works

Steven Crowder 's lawyer , Bill Richmond , clarified how the Electoral College process works .
So what exactly is @ @ @ @ @ procedural standpoint , Richmond explained , the governors in the weeks following the election , @ @ @ @ @ .
That certificate says these are the electors for this party , these are the @ @ @ @ @ and how many votes each party received on Nov. 3 .
Watch the clip for @ @ @ @ @ ?
Listen to the podcast here : https : //apple.co/3m0wzvP Use promo code LWC to @ @ @ @ @ year of BlazeTV .
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To enjoy more of Steven @ @ @ @ @ 's actually funny , join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder @ @ @ @ @

Steven Crowder's lawyer, Bill Richmond, clarified how the Electoral College process works. So what exactly is the process?
From a procedural standpoint, Richmond explained, the governors in the weeks following the election, create a certificate of ascertainment. That certificate says these are the electors for this party, these are the votes for that party, and how many votes each party received on Nov. 3. Watch the clip for more.
Can't watch? Listen to the podcast here: https://apple.co/3m0wzvP
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theblaze--2020-12-16--Report: Hunter Biden sent best wishes from 'entire Biden family' in 2017 email to Chinese energy mag

Report: Hunter Biden sent best wishes from 'entire Biden family' in 2017 email to Chinese energy magnate requesting $10 million wire

Report : Hunter Biden sent best wishes from 'entire Biden family ' in 2017 email to Chinese energy magnate requesting @ @ @ @

Newly obtained email correspondence shows Hunter Biden telling the chairman of CEFC China in 2017 that he sends his "best wishes from the entire Biden family" while requesting a $10 million money transfer to jumpstart their joint venture with the Chinese energy firm.
The email, which was recently obtained by Fox News, raises new questions about Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's past involvement in the prospective business deal. Joe Biden has repeatedly denied having any knowledge or involvement in his son's overseas business dealings.
What are the details?
In an email sent on June 18, 2017, Hunter Biden requested that Zhao Runlong "translate my letter to [CEFC] Chairman Ye, please extend my warmest best wishes and that I hope to see the Chairman soon."
"I hope my letter finds you well. I regret missing you on your last visit to the United States," he wrote in an attached letter to Ye Jianming, who has reported ties to the Chinese communist government. "Please accept the best wishes from the entire Biden family as well as my partners. We are all hoping to see you here again soon, or in Shanghai."
Biden reportedly went on to share that the establishment of SinoHawk Holdings, the joint venture between his team and CEFC, had been completed, and that he looked forward to introducing Ye to Tony Bobulinski, who would "act as the CEO."
"He is a very close friend of James Gilliar and the Biden family and joined our team to focus on the execution of things as a partner," Biden wrote of Bobulinski. "He has invested capital all over the world for some of the world's wealthiest families."
"[Bobulinski had] sent a request to [Gongwen Dong] and Director Zang for the funding of the $10 MM USD wire," Biden continued. "I would appreciate if you will send that quickly so we can properly fund and operate Sinohawk."
What else?
Ye, responding in a letter attached to a Sept. 6, 2017, email obtained by Fox News, assured Biden that he had "arranged Director Zang and Gongwen Dong to expedite the charter capital input to SinoHawk."
"I look forward to meeting you in the near future and discussing our joint undertaking. If there is anything I could do please do not hesitate to write to me," Ye wrote. "Please accept my best regards to you and your family."
Fox News noted that the $10 million wire transfer was never completed. The joint venture fell apart shortly after Ye was detained by the Chinese government for unspecified crimes.
Anything else?
Bobulinski, a former Hunter Biden business associate, went public in October about the deal-gone-bad turning over a trove of documents and evidence to federal agents and congressional committees. He claimed that, despite his denials, Joe Biden was both aware of the deal and involved in it.
He claimed that an email obtained by the New York Post which outlined compensation packages for the venture illustrated Biden's involvement. In the email, Hunter Biden stated, "10 held by H for the big guy?" in reference to Joe Biden, according to Bobulinski.
Since then, another 2017 email has surfaced in which Hunter Biden called his father and his new Chinese business partner "office mates," and even had keys made for them.


theblaze--2020-12-16--Tulsi Gabbard introduces bills to protect abortion survivors and pain-capable unborn children

Outgoing Rep. Tulsi Gabbard ( D-Hawaii ) has introduced two pro-life bills in the House of Representatives , one to protect abortion survivors and another to protect pain-capable unborn children from abortion .
The first piece of legislation , H.R .
8923 , would amend Title 18 of the United States Code `` to ensure a health care practitioner exercises the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion . ''
Live Action News reported that this bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary .
The second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the text is currently unavailable , the title of the bill states its purpose is `` to protect pain-capable unborn children . ''
Pro-life Republicans have long supported additional legislative measures to protect unborn children and those that survive abortion procedures , but Democrats generally have blocked efforts to pass such bills .
Gabbard herself has voted against similar pro-life bills to the ones she has now introduced .
As a presidential candidate in the 2020 Democratic primary , Gabbard was heavily criticized by members of her party for taking a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions on abortion in the third trimester .
TheBlaze reached out to Gabbard 's office for comment but did not hear back before this article was published .
Gabbard , who will retire from Congress at the end of her current term , has received praise from pro-life groups and activists for her legislation .
In a statement posted to Facebook , Democrats for Life of America thanked Gabbard for introducing the legislation , acknowledging that she previously opposed similar bills .
`` Former Democratic Presidential Candidate Tulsi Gabbard introduced her SECOND Pro-Life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Title 18 of the U.S. code to give pain-capable fetuses rights under the law , '' said the pro-life group .
`` Tulsi has previously voted against this bill three times , but is now the SPONSOR of the new bill .
[ … ] thank you Tulsi ! ''
`` Democratic House Rep and former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard has introduced two crucial bills , one to protect pain-capable fetuses and another to ensure the provision of healthcare for abortion survivors , '' Pro-Life San Francisco wrote in a Facebook post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice for UCSF 's most vulnerable victims of fetal organ harvesting , and we are inspired to see them originate from a left-leaning national legislator .
The future of California , the Democratic Party , and all of America is pro-life ! ''
Activists on the left , however , expressed hostility toward Gabbard because of her legislation .
`` Tulsi Gabbard also introduced a redundant bill that claims to protect infants in the infinitesimally rare cases they are born after attempted abortions , '' feminist Jill Filipovic said , claiming that `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rewire editor Imani Gandy criticized Gabbard as well , tweeting , `` You seem to be under the impression that born alive is a thing .
It is not .
Shame on you .
I do n't know what your problem is but you 're turning out to be a real right wing s**t heel . ''
The Rev .
Franklin Graham , a prominent evangelical leader and outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump , came to Gabbard 's defense , asking , `` She introduced a bill to protect babies who survive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could any sane person be against that ? ''
Gabbard 's pro-life legislation follows her introduction of a bill to ban males from competing in women 's sports if they identify as transgender and the introduction of a bill with Rep. Thomas Massie ( R-Ky. ) to repeal the Patriot Act .
All of this legislation could attract bipartisan support but is unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled House .

Outgoing Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) has introduced two pro-life bills in the House of Representatives, one to protect abortion survivors and another to protect pain-capable unborn children from abortion.
The first piece of legislation, H.R. 8939, would ban late-term abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, the point at which an unborn child can feel pain. The second bill, H.R. 8923, would amend Title 18 of the United States Code "to ensure a health care practitioner exercises the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion." Live Action News reported that this bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Pro-life Republicans have long supported additional legislative measures to protect unborn children and those that survive abortion procedures, but Democrats generally have blocked efforts to pass such bills. Gabbard herself has voted against similar pro-life bills to the ones she has now introduced.
As a presidential candidate in the 2020 Democratic primary, Gabbard was heavily criticized by members of her party for taking a more moderate position on abortion and supporting some restrictions on abortion in the third trimester.
In a statement made to TheBlaze, Congresswoman Gabbard explained what her legislation does and how it differs from past bills she's opposed.
"The first bill is the 'Late Term Abortion Ban' bill, banning late-term abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, unless the mother is at risk of losing her life or faces severe, irreversible health consequences if an abortion is not performed. There was a bill previously introduced entitled the Pain Capable Unborn Child Act that I felt that I needed to oppose because it did not include an exception for severe irreversible health consequences. My legislation includes that exception," Gabbard said.
"The second is the 'Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act, which would prohibit what essentially is infanticide. If a late-term abortion is attempted and the baby is born alive, physicians must follow the same procedures that they would in any case of premature birth. The genesis of this bill came from seeing the infanticide bills introduced in Virginia and New York, how they would make it easier to get a late-term abortion, and if the baby is born alive, they would make the baby comfortable and then allow the baby to die."
Gabbard, who will retire from Congress at the end of her current term, has received praise from pro-life groups and activists for her legislation.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Democrats for Life of America thanked Gabbard for introducing the legislation, acknowledging that she previously opposed similar bills.
"Former Democratic Presidential Candidate Tulsi Gabbard introduced her SECOND Pro-Life bill this week, which would amend Title 18 of the U.S. code to give pain-capable fetuses rights under the law," said the pro-life group. "Tulsi has previously voted against this bill three times, but is now the SPONSOR of the new bill. […] thank you Tulsi!"
"Democratic House Rep and former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard has introduced two crucial bills, one to protect pain-capable fetuses and another to ensure the provision of healthcare for abortion survivors," Pro-Life San Francisco wrote in a Facebook post. "Both are fundamental to ensuring justice for UCSF's most vulnerable victims of fetal organ harvesting, and we are inspired to see them originate from a left-leaning national legislator. The future of California, the Democratic Party, and all of America is pro-life!"
Activists on the left, however, expressed hostility toward Gabbard because of her legislation.
"Tulsi Gabbard also introduced a redundant bill that claims to protect infants in the infinitesimally rare cases they are born after attempted abortions," feminist Jill Filipovic said, claiming that "infants are already legally protected."
Rewire editor Imani Gandy criticized Gabbard as well, tweeting, "You seem to be under the impression that born alive is a thing. It is not. Shame on you. I don't know what your problem is but you're turning out to be a real right wing s**t heel."
The Rev. Franklin Graham, a prominent evangelical leader and outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, came to Gabbard's defense, asking, "She introduced a bill to protect babies who survive abortions & are born alive. How could any sane person be against that?"
Gabbard thanked Graham for his support.
Gabbard's pro-life legislation follows her introduction of a bill to ban males from competing in women's sports if they identify as transgender and the introduction of a bill with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) to repeal the Patriot Act.
All of this legislation could attract bipartisan support but is unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled House.
Editor's note: This article was updated to include a statement from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and to adjust the description of her legislation in the second paragraph.


theblaze--2020-12-16--Horowitz: So much for state election powers: SCOTUS blocks Kansas from requiring proof of citizenshi

Horowitz: So much for state election powers: SCOTUS blocks Kansas from requiring proof of citizenship to vote

Horowitz : So much for state election powers : SCOTUS blocks Kansas from requiring proof of citizenship to vote

We'll likely have to carry around papers to show we were vaccinated in order to live, even unfreely with masks, in this society, but illegal aliens can vote. That is the upshot of the latest insidious Supreme Court decision to allow lower courts to shred all voter verification processes in election law.
For the past few weeks, we've been told "states' rights" force us to pursue a "live and let live" policy toward state governors who violate the state's election law to weaken voter integrity laws. However, this principle is evidently a one-way street and doesn't apply to governors who want to follow, not break, state voter integrity laws. Then, the federal courts have every right to get involved and nullify those laws, and the Supreme Court doesn't seem to be concerned about the 10th Amendment and Art. I Sec. 4, which dictate that state legislatures prescribe the "Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections."
On Monday, the Supreme Court denied Kansas' request (in Schwab v. Fish) to hear an appeal from the 10th Circuit, which ruled earlier this year that the state could not require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Amid a trend of states seizing boundless powers to crush the lives and liberty of citizens under the guise of coronavirus, evidently anyone can get standing to sue and block a state from merely ensuring non-citizens don't vote.
In 2011, the duly elected Kansas legislature passed a law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. Non-citizen voting is increasingly becoming a problem as the immigrant population grows and immigrants are automatically asked to register to vote when they obtain driver's licenses. In many states, there is automatic voter registration of anyone on record as having a driver's license, which includes legal immigrants in all states and illegal immigrants in some states. Just days after long lines were seen of illegal aliens registering for driver's licenses in New York beginning last December, the state Senate passed a law to enact automatic voter registration. This will help get illegal aliens on the voter rolls as well. Almost all of the 15 states that grant licenses to illegal aliens also have automatic voter registration.
There are already numerous questions of non-citizens voting in this election, including in states where the outcome hinged on razor-thin margins. The Nevada GOP is alleging, based on subpoenaed DMV data, that "6,260 non-citizens were registered to vote and 3,987 non-citizens had voted" in this past election.
There is no greater state interest in enacting legislation than keeping the franchise in the hands of the citizenry. The Kansas law passed in 2011 by 111-11 in the House of Representatives and 36-3 in the Senate, with more than 70% of Democrats supporting it. Yet the same federal courts that believe we should butt out of the business of states that violate their own election laws to weaken verification suddenly have no problem intervening and nullifying state laws that strengthen voter verification.
In April, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals reiterated a lower court ruling that somehow asking for proof of citizenship violates the phantom Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and that the state interest does "not justify the burden imposed on the right to vote." Shockingly, the two judges (the third passed away) concocted their own law that states must first "show that a substantial number of noncitizens registered to vote" before enacting such measures.
So, while we are forced to show proof of citizenship to get a license and for many other public and private functions, states cannot require anyone to show papers to register to vote. I'm sure these same courts won't find any 14th Amendment issues when states inevitably pass "show your papers" requirements for individuals to prove they were vaccinated before they can obtain basic services or even employment.
There is no more foundational election integrity measure than ensuring non-citizens aren't voting. This is not some far-flung fear, but a prima facie concern. We have a record level of immigrants in this country, and the motor-voter laws seamlessly register anyone who signs up for a driver's license with nothing more than a voluntary honor system for immigrants to self-report. If anything, non-citizens are often harmed by weak verification, because some unwittingly sign up to vote and then are subject to deportation for violating federal law.
And talk about burdening fundamental rights! We are told that states can now place curfews on our movement, cover our mouths, vaccinate our bodies, shut down our businesses, schools, and churches, and track our every movement. They can even place travel bans on other states, something states couldn't do even under the Articles of Confederation. But the minute they try to stop non-citizens from voting … suddenly state powers go out the window.
There is a very salient point many will miss in this case. I warned earlier this week that if Republicans give up the fight on election integrity this year out of supposed respect for state powers, they will never be able to stop voter fraud, even if they win full control of the contested states. As we are seeing in every red state that tried to enact voter integrity laws, the same Supreme Court that seems too bashful to override state election policy decisions when they weaken existing integrity laws is suddenly eager to torch those states that try to enforce the laws and protect the franchise.
It is self-evident that we have a two-tiered justice system in this country: one for the elites, criminals, and illegal aliens, and the other for we the sheeple. It's just a shame we can't get illegal aliens to sue the results of this election or to sue against the heavy-handed coronavirus edicts suspending civil liberties.


theblaze--2020-12-16--Pat Gray reacts: Tom Cruise freaked out on crew members over social distancing

Pat Gray reacts : Tom Cruise freaked out on crew members over social distancing

Audio of Hollywood star Tom Cruise was leaked Tuesday that captured him freaking out when he caught a crew member standing too close to someone else on a movie set.
He "wigged out!" Pat Gray told his listeners on Wednesday's episode of "Pat Gray Unleashed." Pat explained how Cruise caught someone "standing too close to someone else" while filming "Mission Impossible 7" and verbally assaulted his crew members.
"I don't ever want to see it again. EVER," Cruise shouted. "If you do it again, you're fired. If I see it again, you're gone."
Watch the clip to see Pat's full reaction.
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Tom Cruise Loses his Mind and Yells at his Film Crew Over Social Distancing
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theblaze--2020-12-16--Vice President-elect Harris touts Biden's planned 100-day mask mandate, but says administration will

Vice President-elect Harris touts Biden's planned 100-day mask mandate, but says administration will not punish people who refuse to comply

Vice President-elect Harris touts Biden 's planned 100-day mask mandate , but says administration will not punish people who refuse @ @

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris says there will be "no punishment" for people who violate President-elect Joe Biden's 100-day mask mandate, according to The Wrap.
According to the outlet, the Biden administration hopes to be able to distribute 100 million COVID-19 vaccine shots in the first 100 days of taking office in January.
What are the details?
Harris appeared on Wednesday's broadcast of "Good Morning America" where she discussed Biden's plan to hand down a mandate regarding mask-wearing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There's no punishment, nobody — they don't have to, but he is saying, as a leader, 'Please, everybody work with me here. For the first 100 days, let's everybody just wear a mask and see the outcomes there.'"
The California senator also told "Good Morning America" co-host Robin Roberts that it just makes sense for people to listen to Biden's advice.
"Because, of course, the scientists and the public health officials tell us there'll be really great outcomes if everyone does wear a mask when they're in public," she added.
President-elect Biden has previously promised that he will take the COVID-19 vaccine for the public to see. Harris told Roberts that she plans to receive the vaccination as well.
"I think we all have to understand that right now, this is a moment for everyone to sacrifice," she explained. "If we're gonna get through this together as a country, then we all have to do it."
You can watch video of Harris' remarks here.
What else?
Harris said that in four years, she hopes to look back on the first term of Biden's presidency and define her own personal success as making him a successful president.
"Joe and I were elected to do a job, which is to build back better and to fight for the best of who we are as a nation," she said. "And he and I as partners, if we are able to do that together, I think our country will be the better for it."


theblaze--2020-12-16--California sheriff fights back against judge's order to release half of Orange County's inmates: 'Th

California sheriff fights back against judge's order to release half of Orange County's inmates: 'The public should be in a panic'

California sheriff fights back against judge 's order to release half of Orange County 's inmates : 'The public should @ @ @ @ @ County Sheriff Don Barnes ( center ) attends the Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting @ @ @ @ @ topics of discussion were the sheriff 's appeal of a ruling from an Orange County @ @ @ @ @ half of the population in the county 's jails over coronavirus concerns .
( Allen @ @ @ @ @ Times via Getty Images )

An Orange County, California, judge ordered the sheriff to release half of the county's jail population in order to protect inmates from the coronavirus during a recent outbreak.
The sheriff responded by taking a stand against the judge's order and declaring that he has no intention of following the decree.
What happened?
Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter Wilson ruled Friday that the county must release half of its 3,716 inmates so that convicts can abide by COVID-19 protocols, including properly socially distancing, KCBS-TV reported Monday.
Wilson sided with the American Civil Liberties Union in its lawsuit against the sheriff's office over concerns that Orange County inmates could spread COVID-19 in their "congregated living areas."
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said he has no plans to release another 1,858 known criminals into the general populace and put citizens' safety at risk.
"These aren't low-lying offenders," Barnes told KCBS. "These are people in for very serious offenses, like murder, attempted murder, and domestic violence.
"The public should be in a panic, and they should be concerned about this release," the sheriff added.
Barnes is appealing the judge's order out of concerns for public safety.
About 700 inmates fall into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's classification of "medically vulnerable," KCBS reported.
The sheriff told the outlet that of those 700, "there are 59 of them in for murder, another 39 for attempted murder, 90 of them for child molestation and a litany of other violent crimes."
What did the sheriff do?
Judge Wilson gave Barnes a New Year's Eve deadline to submit a list of inmates who will be released, but Barnes told KCBS he has no intention of following that order. Barnes believes that every inmate in the Orange County jail should remain behind bars, the station reported.
The sheriff put the onus back on Wilson, saying that if the judge wants to put the public at risk, then he will have to come up with his own list.
"If this judge is going to order the release of people entrusted in my care who I believe present a significant threat to the public, he will have to identify each one of those by name and order their release pursuant to his authority, not mine," Barnes said.
KCBS noted that as of Monday there were 416 positive tests in the Orange County Jail.


theblaze--2020-12-16--NYC awards $47 million in culture grants while shuttering small businesses and slashing police fundi

NYC awards $47 million in culture grants while shuttering small businesses and slashing police funding

NYC awards $ 47 million in culture grants while shuttering small businesses and slashing police funding

New York City is spending tens of millions of dollars on arts and cultural institutions while leaving small businesses high and dry and slashing law enforcement budgets.
The city's Department of Cultural Affairs announced Tuesday that it would be giving $47 million in grants to more than 1,000 culturally focused nonprofit organizations, the New York Times reported. Some of the beneficiaries include the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, the Apollo Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Museum of Chinese in America — all of which will receive more than $100,000.
While the newspaper reported that $3 million out of the $47 million will go to organizations in low-income neighborhoods and to those most affected by the pandemic, the news is still likely to receive pointed criticism.
It comes as small businesses all over the city remain shuttered under stringent coronavirus lockdown mandates and just months since the city opted to slash the police budget by $1 billion. The Times even noted that the news comes amid "a year filled with layoffs and budget cuts."
Small businesses in the city such as restaurants, bars, and retails shops have been greatly suffering under heavy-handed lockdowns. In August, the Times reported that one-third of the city's small businesses were in danger of closing their doors forever because of the pandemic restrictions. As of late November, their grim prediction appeared to be coming true.
Then just last week, Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a new ban on indoor dining as part of an effort to combat a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. The move came despite estimates from the governor's office showing that restaurants and bars accounted for less than 1.5% of the virus' spread while household and small social gatherings accounted for nearly 75%.
Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned recently that a "full shutdown" might be looming.
What's more is that the city itself — not just small businesses — is facing a financial crisis in the form of a $9 billion, two-year revenue shortfall. Yet, city officials were still able find stimulus money for some, just not for everybody.
(H/T: The Post Millennial)


theblaze--2020-12-16--Left-wing activist, 32, accused of punching chest of 80-year-old woman rallying for President Trump

Left-wing activist, 32, accused of punching chest of 80-year-old woman rallying for President Trump after she tossed water on him

Left-wing activist , 32 , accused of punching chest of 80-year-old woman rallying for President Trump after she tossed water @ @ @ @ @ Jr. , was charged with assault and battery on a person 60 years or older @ @ @ @ @ was angry that the suspect was 'gyrating in front of me '

A 32-year-old leftist activist is accused of punching an 80-year-old woman in the chest while she was rallying for President Donald Trump in Swampscott, Massachusetts, on Saturday.
But while Ernst Jean-Jacques, Jr., was charged with assault and battery on a person 60 years or older, the alleged victim admitted she was angry at the suspect for "gyrating in front of me" and tossed water on him in response, the Daily Item reported.
What are the details?
In video recorded at the event, Jean-Jacques Jr. — founder of the Freedom Fighters Coalition of 2020 — is seen across a barrier from the Trump supporters dancing to "It's Raining Men," which the Trump supporters had playing in the background.
At one point Jean-Jacques gives the finger to the Trump supporters:
Image source: YouTube screenshot, redacted
The alleged victim — Swampscott resident Linda Greenberg, the Daily Item said — was seen making her way through the crowd and approaching Jean-Jacques Jr. at another barrier.
Left to right, circled: Ernst Jean-Jacques, Jr., Linda Greenberg Image source: YouTube screenshot
Video appears to show Greenberg toss water on Jean-Jacques, after which he looks around and then appears to punch Greenberg.
Video shows Jean-Jacques' elbow cocked slightly, but his forward motion is obscured by others in the video, so it's not clear if he made contact with Greenberg. But the horrified reaction of others in the clip seems to reveal Greenberg sustained some pain.
Multiple police officers described Jean-Jacques as "punching" Greenberg after they witnessed "water propel from where Greenberg was standing," the paper said.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Jean-Jacques left the scene after the apparent punch, but the Daily Item said police caught up with him and took him away in handcuffs.
But in the paper's follow-up story about Jean-Jacques' Monday arraignment, defense attorney Murat Erkan said Greenberg admitted to tossing water on Jean-Jacques in a police interview.
"I was drinking my water, and he was gyrating in front of me, and I was getting mad, and I did get water on him," Greenberg said in the interview, the Daily Item reported. "I don't want to lie."
The paper added that a bystander asked Greenberg if she agreed her conduct made her the aggressor, to which Greenberg replied, "Oh, why don't you f*** off ... You are not America, you are not America."
Swampscott MAGA-chusetts Freedom Rally! youtu.be
Now what?
The Daily Item said Jean-Jacques was released on $550 bail bond and that Greenberg refused medical assistance.
Prosecutor Danielle Doherty-Wirwicz at the arraignment asked that Jean-Jacques be declared a dangerous person, be banished from Swampscott, and be prohibited from contact with elderly persons, the paper said. But Judge Matthew Nestor — who described the case as "disturbing" — denied the prosecutor's requests, the Daily Item added.
The defense also argued, based on the video and additional still images, that Jean-Jacques was "attempting to disarm Greenberg of the bottle" and that he used an "open hand" rather than a fist, the paper said.
More from the Daily Item:
Erkan also brought up images of 1960s Birmingham, Ala., when police sprayed water on peaceful black Civil Rights protesters, and implied that Greenberg's splashing water on Jean-Jacques dehumanized him in that same manner.
Judge Nestor disagreed with the analogy.
Erkan indicated that he was speaking with authorities and expected to request that Greenberg be charged with a hate crime.
The defense also said Jean-Jacques has no record of prior convictions and works at a senior center caring for adults with intellectual disabilities, the paper said, adding that a pretrial hearing is set for February 24, 2021.
Anything else?
Jean-Jacques noted on his Facebook page that the Boston Red Sox honored him in August as part of the team's "Hats Off to Heroes" ceremony that usually honors members of the military.
The letter to Jean-Jacques read: "This year, with everything that has been going on in the country, we got permission from the presenting sponsor John Hancock to expand the breadth of the program ... So far this year we have recognized front-line health workers, other essential workers, military, a [woman] who spent her life fighting for civil rights and social justice. On Aug. 28 we are going to recognize an activist and pillar of their community, and I would absolutely love it if we could highlight you, for all that you do for [the] city and in the fight against social injustice."
(H/T: RedState)


theblaze--2020-12-16--WATCH: Vote for the Best Liberal Meltdown Video of 2020

WATCH : Vote for the Best Liberal Meltdown Video of 2020

Vote now for your favorite Liberal Meltdown video of 2020. Here are the four nominees ...
BlazeTV Reporter VIOLENTLY Assaulted by Anti-Trump Protestor at Million MAGA March
Mark Levin: Pelosi’s Unhinged Meltdown Shows Just How Much She Hates America
Crazy SJW Girl FREAKS OUT on Rape Culture
This Week in Democrats Say | Steve Deace Show


theblaze--2020-12-16--Republican Sen. Ron Johnson explodes at Democrats accusing GOP of spreading disinformation after Rus

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson explodes at Democrats accusing GOP of spreading disinformation after Russia hoax fiasco ' I ca n't @ @ @ @ @ this '

A shouting match erupted at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on election security Wednesday when Republican Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Democratic ranking member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) accused each other of lying about the other.
Johnson said that Peters and other Democratic senators falsely accused him of spreading misinformation about Russian interference in the 2016 election and of spreading Russian disinformation about Hunter Biden.
"I just have to talk about Russian disinformation because the people peddling it are not on my side of the aisle. Senior Democrat leaders including ranking member Peters were involved in the process of creating a false intelligence product," Johnson said, referring to the Steele Dossier, which FBI officials believed was compromised by Russian Intelligence Service disinformation.
Johnson accused Democrats of leaking that false information from the dossier to the press and then hypocritically accusing Republicans of spreading Russian disinformation.
After reports confirmed there is an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into Hunter Biden's business dealings, Johnson blasted Democrats and members of the intelligence community for asserting that his committee's investigation into Hunter Biden played into Russian hands.
"It's just galling and I just have to point out that the purveyors of Russian disinformation — Hillary Clinton's campaign, the DNC, the Steele Dossier, the ranking member Peters accusing Sen. Grassley and I of disseminating Russian disinformation — that's where the disinformation is coming from," Johnson said.
"I can't sit by and listen to this and say that this is not disinformation, this hearing today. This is getting information. We have to take a look at to restore confidence in our election integrity," he continued.
Peters denied that he'd put out any disinformation.
"You say I'm putting out information. I had nothing to do with this report," he said.
"You lied repeatedly! You lied repeatedly in the press that I was spreading Russian disinformation, and that was an outright lie and I told you to stop lying and you continued to do it!" Johnson shouted back at Peters.
"Mr. Chairman, this is not about airing your grievances. I don't know what rabbit hole you're running down right now," Peters responded.
"You can't make these false allegations," he continued as Johnson banged his gavel and indicated it was Sen. Rand Paul's time to speak.
"This is terrible what you're doing to this committee," Peters accused.
"It is what you have done to this committee, falsely accusing the chairman of spreading disinformation," Johnson retorted. "Nothing could have been further from the truth, and you're spouting it again."
"This is outrageous," Peters mumbled into his mask.
According to the New York Post, the argument was about a July letter Democrats sent to FBI Director Christopher Wray claiming that members of Congress were being targeted by a foreign influence campaign to affect the outcome of the 2020 election.
Democrats have repeatedly accused Johnson's Hunter Biden investigation of spreading Russian disinformation. Johnson's comments today show he's fed up with the accusations.
Also discussed during Wednesday's hearing were claims of election irregularities made by witnesses associated with the Trump campaign. Attorneys James Troupis and Jesse Binnall and Pennsylvania state legislator Francis Ryan claimed to have hundreds of thousands of examples of dead people and non-citizens voting as well as people casting multiple ballots, tainting the election results. These allegations of voter fraud were also made in court challenges dismissed in Wisconsin, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
Christopher Krebs, the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency who was fired last month after contradicting President Donald Trump's claims of election fraud testified that there is no evidence suggesting the election was not secure.
"I think we're past the point where we need to be having conversations about the outcome of this election," Krebs said, noting that Attorney General William Barr has also said the DOJ has not yet uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud.
"Continued assaults on democracy and the outcome of this election only serve to undermine confidence in the process and is ultimately corrosive to the institutions that support elections," he added.
Democrats have denounced claims of voter fraud or other election irregularities as false and accused those making such claims of spreading disinformation.
"Whether intended or not, this hearing gives a platform to conspiracy theories and lies and is a destructive exercise that has no place in the U.S. Senate," Sen. Peters said during his remarks. "Joe Biden won the election."


theblaze--2020-12-16--Pornhub removes most videos in massive victory for orgs fighting sex trafficking

Pornhub removes most videos in massive victory for orgs fighting sex trafficking Pornhub 's inventory shrank by more than 10 @ @

Organizations fighting against pornography received a major victory this week after Pornhub, the internet's biggest pornography website, announced that it would cut the majority of its video inventory.
Pornhub announced on Monday that it would delete all videos not uploaded by "content partners" or by members of its "model program."
"As part of our policy to ban unverified uploaders, we have now also suspended all previously uploaded content that was not created by content partners or members of the Model Program," Pornhub said in a statement. "This means every piece of Pornhub content is from verified uploaders, a requirement that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Twitter have yet to institute."
Prior to the change, Pornhub hosted more than 13.5 million videos. After unverified videos were purged, fewer than 3 million videos remained, CNN reported. This means that more than 10 million videos — more than 80% of all site content — were deleted.
What is the background?
The development comes after an exposé by the New York Times revealed how Pornhub is complicit in human sex trafficking. The report detailed the stories of child sex trafficking victims whose traumatic videos of abuse had been uploaded to Pornhub.
Pornhub responded by announcing policy changes, but they were not enough to stop Visa and Mastercard from severing processing ties with the porn website.
"Given the allegations of illegal activity, Visa is suspending Pornhub's acceptance privileges pending the completion of our ongoing investigation. We are instructing the financial institutions who serve MindGeek to suspend processing of payments through the Visa network," Visa said in a statement.
Similarly, Mastercard said, "Our investigation over the past several days has confirmed violations of our standards prohibiting unlawful content on their site. We instructed the financial institutions that connect the site to our network to terminate acceptance."
Victory for anti-porn orgs
The development is a massive victory for organizations fighting against pornography, which recognize how the porn industry is used as a conduit for human trafficking.
In fact, Pornhub lashed out at two organizations in particular, Exodus Cry and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, both of which have been campaigning for years against the pornography industry.
"It is clear that Pornhub is being targeted not because of our policies and how we compare to our peers, but because we are an adult content platform," Pornhub said, citing both organizations.
In a tweet, Exodus Cry called the video removals a "huge WIN."
Why do people fight against porn?
Although progressives attempt to normalize pornography by claiming "sex work is work," research on the effects of pornography is revealing just how dangerous and addictive it is.
Dr. William Struthers, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at Wheaton College in Chicago, told TheBlaze in 2016 that porn hijacks the same pleasure centers of the human brain that hard drugs target, making the viewing of sex videos highly addictive.
"When we talk about pornography as a drug, we've really got the cart before the horse. Really, the only reason why any drugs are addictive is that they act on the brain's natural pleasure systems," Struthers said. "Sex is a great example of what the brain is made for when it comes to pleasure. Sex is very pleasurable for human beings the majority of the time."
"The brain has these natural pleasure circuits — these circuits that are designed to give us the feeling of closeness, of excitement, of love — and so the only reason why these drugs, like crack, morphine, methamphetamine, or any of those have any pleasurable consequences at all is because they act on these natural systems that are already there," he explained. "So a better way to talk about heroin is that heroin is actually injected orgasm."
"Drugs that mimic the chemical properties already in the brain and are part of this natural pleasure circuit, those are the ones that we get addicted to," he added. "So porn isn't crack for your eyes, crack is smoked sexual arousal."
The problem with porn addiction, of course, is that people, by visiting porn websites and paying for porn, are perpetuating an industry that exploits women and engages in human trafficking.


theblaze--2020-12-16--New York bans sale of Confederate flags and other 'symbols of hate'; Gov. Cuomo admits bill he just

New York bans sale of Confederate flags and other 'symbols of hate'; Gov. Cuomo admits bill he just signed has First Amendment problems

New York bans sale of Confederate flags and other 'symbols of hate ' ; Gov .
Cuomo admits bill he @ @ @ @ @ problems

New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill Tuesday outlawing the sale of Confederate battle flags, Nazi paraphernalia, and anything else deemed a "symbol of hate" on state property.
The bill, Spectrum News reported, builds on attempts to ban the sale and display of Confederate flags at fairgrounds.
Cuomo acknowledged even as he signed the bill that it may well have some First Amendment problems.
What does the bill do?
The bill bars anyone from selling or displaying hate symbols on public grounds unless it serves an educational or historical purpose.
The bill's summary claimed that the definition of "symbol of hate" to be "symbols of white supremacist and neo-Nazi ideology or the Battle Flag of the Confederacy."
However, the actual text of the bill does not offer such a clear definition.
According to the bill's text, "the term 'symbols of hate' shall include, but not be limited to, symbols of white supremacy, neo-Nazi ideology or the battle flag of the Confederacy," leaving the definition of "symbols of hate" open to bureaucrats' interpretation.
Cuomo admits free speech problems
In a statement accompanying his bill signing, Cuomo admitted that the new law may have First Amendment problems and might need to be fixed now that it has been signed, the New York Post noted.
"This country faces a pervasive, growing attitude of intolerance and hate — what I have referred to in the body politic as an American cancer," Cuomo said, according to the Post. "By limiting the display and sale of the confederate flag, Nazi swastika and other symbols of hatred from being displayed or sold on state property, including the state fairgrounds, this will help safeguard New Yorkers from the fear-installing effects of these abhorrent symbols."
But, he added, the law needs to be tweaked to "balance" New York's priorities with U.S. free speech protections.
"While I fully support the spirit of this legislation, certain technical changes are necessary to balance the State's interests in preventing the use of hate symbols on state land with free speech protections embodied in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution," he said.
The governor's office told the Post that "the governor's legal team will be reviewing the bill in consultation with the state Legislature to make a possible amendment."
The bill's lead sponsor, state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, a Democrat, touted the governor's signing, saying, "With the signing of my bill, we are drawing a clear line in the sand. By limiting hateful symbols from being glorified on state property, New York will denounce images that represent violence while still acknowledging our nation's shameful history of oppression," Spectrum News reported.
She added that the new law will let New York "discourage the perpetuation of symbols that do not represent our values of justice and inclusion" without noting exactly what could eventually be added to the state's list of proscribed "symbols."
Biaggi's press secretary later told the Post that there will be an amendment to the bill that "limits the prohibitions at the state fair, to ensure that we are respecting the protections that the Supreme Court has recognized for individuals and vendors at state fairs to exercise their First Amendment rights."


theblaze--2020-12-16--Adam Carolla calls for California Gov. Gavin Newsom to be recalled, shreds state lockdown

Adam Carolla calls for California Gov .
Gavin Newsom to be recalled , shreds state lockdown Comedian says Californians should @ @ @ @

Outspoken comedian and radio show host Adam Carolla said that California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) should be recalled over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also said that Californians should stand up for their rights and blasted the notion of continual coronavirus-related lockdowns.
What are the details?
In video footage captured by TMZ, Carolla indicated that Newsom is akin to some sort of self-appointed king and that Californians should balk at his never-ending COVID-19 restrictions.
"We talked to the comedian Tuesday in Burbank, CA, where he was about to head into a restaurant his friend owns for a little sit-down mean ... almost out of protest, it seems," TMZ reported. "It's pretty clear ... Adam thinks the new shutdown orders are ridiculous, and he explains why."
In his remarks, Carolla said, "F*** Newsom. F** that idiot."
"I don't know who Newsom thinks he is. He's not a monarch. You can't shut down society. You gotta offer some proof why it's dangerous," he said. "And by the way, sheep: Wake up, sheep. It's not Newsom, it's all the sheep who listen to Newsom."
Carolla also said that he thinks a recall movement against Newsom is gaining momentum.
"It'd be nice. ... I think it is gaining some ground because he's an imbecile and he's incompetent and he's running this state into the ground," he proclaimed. "Listen. We should recall him and just replace him with one of those plastic owls that they put on top of restaurants so seagulls don't s**t on the roof. And we would be much better off ... with no replacement than with Gavin Newsom."
Los Angeles-based TMZ reported, "Might sound crazy, but the petition already has more than half the necessary signatures needed to get the issue on a ballot soon — and word is Newsom's camp is nervous."
(Content warning: Rough language):


theblaze--2020-12-16--Mike Rowe exposes the student debt cancellation scam

'Tuition will never come back to earth , if we bail out those who borrowed more than they could repay @

In another articulate and insightfulFacebook post, Mike Rowe of "Dirty Jobs" fame explained why he doesn't support student loan forgiveness and why he pities those who were "possibly sold a bill of goods" by going into debt for a four-year college degree.
"Lots of people on this page have asked me to comment on the various proposals to forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt. Many it seems, suspect that I'll be supportive of these efforts, since I've written at length about the outrageous rise of college tuition, and the scandalous ways in which hundreds of thousands of students have been conned into borrowing ridiculous sums of money to purchase degrees that never lead to an actual job," Rowe wrote. "Well, for the record, I do not support student loan forgiveness."
Democratic politicians such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have recently championed the idea of canceling up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt for each individual with government loans. Rowe argues that such a policy is fundamentally unfair, "especially to the millions of Americans who have paid their college debts, and sacrificed much to do so." He also says that American colleges and universities will be incentivized to increase their already skyrocketing tuition rates because now the government is sending a signal that it will pay off student loan bills even if students can't.
"Tuition will never come back to earth, if we bail out those who borrowed more than they could repay," Rowe wrote.
He cited an article by National Review's Kevin Williamson that pointed out how canceling student debt is a boon to the wealthiest and most privileged Americans, not to the poorest.
"The majority of student debt is held by relatively high-income people, poor people mostly are not college graduates, and those who attended college but did not graduate hold relatively little college-loan debt, etc. As the New York Times puts it, 'Debt relief overall would disproportionately benefit middle- to upper-class college graduates.' Which ones? 'Especially those who attended elite and expensive institutions, and people with lucrative professional credentials like law and medical degrees,'" Williamson wrote.
Rowe concluded by expressing sympathy for those struggling with student loan debt.
"You were quite possibly sold a bill of goods," he wrote. "You were very likely pressured by your friends, your parents, or your guidance counselor, to attend the 'right' school. You were perhaps a victim of this persistent, pernicious, and preposterous push to peddle a four-year degree to every person with a pulse, and for that, you have my sympathy."
"But that's not my fault. Nor is it the fault of the American people," he added. "The fault belongs to you, and so does the debt."
That's why, Rowe explains, he has worked for more than a decade to encourage people to pursue alternate career paths to obtaining a four-year college degree and why his foundation, Mike Rowe Works, funds work-ethic scholarships to help people get training for skilled jobs.
"I don't want to see more people borrow money they can't afford to pay back," Rowe wrote. "But nor do I wish to pay it back for you. I will however, encourage you to apply for a work-ethic scholarship, and wish you every success in the future."


theblaze--2020-12-16--New study: Wearing a dirty or overused mask might be worse than wearing no mask at all

New study : Wearing a dirty or overused mask might be worse than wearing no mask at all Seems like @ @ @ @ @ are wearing masks ?

A new study released by researchers in the field of fluid physics purports to show that, overall, mask-wearing does reduce the chances of COVID-19 transmission. However, the study also contains a warning that using a mask with a poor filtration rate — e.g., a mask that has been worn numerous times and has gotten dirty — might actually increase the risk of infection with COVID-19.
The researchers conducted their study by creating a computerized model of airflow through and around various kinds of protective face masks, and evaluating the extent to which those masks were effective at preventing particles of various size from reaching the areas of the body that are known to be receptors for the COVID-19 virus, like the nose and lungs.
The researchers tested a wide variety of particle sizes because, although the COVID-19 virus itself is small enough to pass through holes in all commercially available masks, the aerosol droplets to which the virus attaches can vary in "shape and size distribution" and are susceptible to being caught by properly fitted and worn masks.
Indeed, the study found that wearing masks — regardless of their filtration efficiency — was effective at preventing particles of all sizes from reaching the lungs, which is one of the sites to which the novel coronavirus attaches.
With regard to the nasal cavity, however, the findings were more complex, and revealed what the study authors characterized as an "unexpected finding" that should raise an "alarm" with policymakers: masks that are unduly restrictive of airflow, particularly those that may have become clogged and dirty, might actually increase the risk that COVID-19 will settle in the nasal cavity. According to the study:
The results of this study show that wearing a zero-filtration mask can lead to a higher deposition rate of particles smaller than 10 µm (i.e., PM10) in the upper airway for all flow rates (15 l/min–60 l/min) and mask resistance matrices considered. This seemingly counterintuitive observation may be attributed to the altered pressure and airflow fields caused by the mask, which further changes the inhalability of the particles and subsequent deposition in the upper airways. The overall lower speeds of the respirable particles after wearing a mask, as well as an increased area of respiration, can increase the chance of respirable particles to land on the face or being inhaled into the mouth and nose. This unexpected finding raises an alarm that wearing masks with very low filtration efficiencies may lead to a higher chance of deposition of ambient aerosols and thus can do more harm than protection.
However, the study's authors were adamant that wearing a clean, properly functioning face mask would reduce the overall viral load that would reach the nose and upper airways, as well:
Luckily, the adjusted dosimetry of ambient aerosols is lower with a mask than without one for all particle sizes considered (1 µm–20 µm) in the face, upper airway, and lungs. Considering that the nasal epithelium is one of three sites in the human body binding with the SARS-CoV-2 virus,46,47 wearing a 65%-filtration mask can reduce the nasal deposition (viral load) by half for 3 µm–10 µm aerosols and by four to five times for 15-µm aerosols (Fig. 13).
The study has practical implications for policymakers, given that at this point in the pandemic, a sizeable portion of the mask-wearing population has traded in disposable, single-use masks for more "permanent" face coverings that they reuse over and over, often with little or no washing. The results of this study suggest that people who are using masks in this fashion may be worse off than those who are using no masks at all.