huffpost--2020-05-27--Guy Who Suggested Injecting Lysol Is Trying To Make Opponent’s Gaffes A Big Deal

ASSOCIATED PRESS Trump ’ s attacks against his opponents appeared to work for him in the 2016 primary and general election , but it is unclear whether attacking Biden for his verbal slips is helping Trump or having the opposite effect .
The strategy is obvious , said David Axelrod , who led former President Barack Obama ’ s 2008 campaign .
“ He can ’ t win a referendum on his own performance and so he has to try and disqualify Biden , ” he said .
“ And his fundamental argument appears to be that Biden lacks the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and restore the economy.
” Trump campaign officials would not respond to queries about their efforts to question Biden ’ s mental fitness , which has been a major component of their overall attack against the former vice president ever since Trump himself recycled the “ Sleepy Joe ” insult he had originally used against former Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly .
On April 28 , the Trump campaign ’ s rapid response director Matt Wolking posted a video clip of Biden ’ s interview with a Miami television station in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s business dealings [ in China ] were not anything what everybody that he ’ s talking about , not even remotely.
” Wolking added the comment : “ I ’ ve watched this approximately 15 times now and it cracks me up every .
single .
time.
” “ So , supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it ’ s ultraviolet or just very powerful light — and I think you said that that hasn ’ t been checked , but you ’ re going to test it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you brought the light inside the body , which you can do either through the skin or in some other way , ” Trump said .
“ And then I see the disinfectant , where it knocks it out in a minute .
One minute .
And is there a way we can do something like that , by injection inside or almost a cleaning .
Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs.
” The next day , he stated : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the contagion is so contagious , nobody ’ s ever seen anything like this where large groups of people all of a sudden have it just by being in the presence of somebody who has it .
The flu has never been like that.
” On May 8 , he expressed surprise at how a medical test might show different results at different times .
“ Katie , she tested very good for a long period of time and then all of the sudden today she tested positive , ” Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is why the whole concept of tests aren ’ t necessarily great.
” Trump ’ s misstatements , of course , began long before the coronavirus outbreak .
He has repeatedly claimed his father was born in Germany , when in fact it was his paternal grandfather .
He called the CEO of Apple “ Tim Apple ” during a White House meeting , rather than Tim Cook , and then spent days claiming he had not made a mistake but was just using shorthand .
Another time , he appeared unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correctly , continually pronouncing it “ oranges.
” He has claimed that wind turbines cause cancer and that the F-35 fighter plane is literally invisible , when in fact it is merely difficult to see on radar .
Related reports of Trump ’ s inability to focus or understand details about topics even led him to take an Alzheimer ’ s screening test during his 2018 physical exam , which he then claimed he had aced with a perfect score .
The White House did not mention Trump retaking that screening at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden , unexplained visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in November .
Rick Tyler , a Republican political consultant who worked on Texas Sen. Ted Cruz ’ s presidential campaign in 2016 , said medical tests are not necessary to see what ’ s plainly visible each time Trump speaks .
“ Trump is not only in physical decline , which is obvious , he is in mental decline .
He ’ s not sharp .
He gets details wrong , ” Tyler said .
George Conway , the husband of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and himself a prominent Trump critic , said the president ’ s attacks on Biden ’ s mental acuity should not be considered a strategy because Trump is not capable of one .
“ I wouldn ’ t call it a tactic .
He lies and projects because that ’ s what narcissistic psychopaths do , ” Conway said .
“ Fish swim , dogs bark , and Trump lies and projects.
” Indeed , that Trump “ projects ” his own failings on his rivals and critics has been a widespread observation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign schedule of any of the Republican candidates running in 2016 , Trump called former Florida Gov .
Jeb Bush — known for his 16-hour workdays — “ low energy.
” Despite running a charity that enriched himself and facing numerous lawsuits for fraud , Trump called Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton “ crooked.
” And despite near-daily dishonesties on matters large and small , Trump called Cruz “ Lying Ted.
” Cruz addressed that himself the day he ended his presidential candidacy in 2016 .
“ Whatever he does , he accuses everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an extended critique .
“ This man is a pathological liar , he doesn ’ t know the difference between truth and lies .
...
In a pattern that is straight out of a psychology textbook , his response is to accuse everyone else of lying .
”

Trump’s attacks against his opponents appeared to work for him in the 2016 primary and general election, but it is unclear whether attacking Biden for his verbal slips is helping Trump or having the opposite effect. ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON – Less than six months from Election Day, the Trump campaign is deeply concerned that the president of the United States next year could be suffering from dementia.
No, not the 73-year-old who confuses his father and his grandfather, claims his actions during the pandemic have saved “billions” of Americans and even suggested people should inject themselves with disinfectants to cure the coronavirus.
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It’s the other guy, 77-year-old presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden, whose gaffes and verbal miscues are apparently proof that he is not mentally fit to occupy the nation’s highest office.
“I don’t think he remembers what he did yesterday,” Trump said of Biden in a recent interview with Sinclair Broadcasting. “He’s not mentally sharp enough to be president.”
The strategy is obvious, said David Axelrod, who led former President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign. “He can’t win a referendum on his own performance and so he has to try and disqualify Biden,” he said. “And his fundamental argument appears to be that Biden lacks the mental acuity and physical stamina to lead the country and restore the economy.”
Biden, for his part, has laughed off the suggestion that he has “lost a step.” In a CNN interview Tuesday, Biden turned the question back toward Trump: “Talk about a guy who’s missing a step. He’s missing something.”
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Trump campaign officials would not respond to queries about their efforts to question Biden’s mental fitness, which has been a major component of their overall attack against the former vice president ever since Trump himself recycled the “Sleepy Joe” insult he had originally used against former Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly.
“He can’t win a referendum on his own performance and so he has to try and disqualify Biden.” - David Axelrod, leader of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign
On May 15, Trump campaign staffer Abigail Marone ridiculed Biden’s interview on Snapchat in a press release. “He can barely get through an appearance without getting lost or telling people not to vote for him,” she wrote.
On April 28, the Trump campaign’s rapid response director Matt Wolking posted a video clip of Biden’s interview with a Miami television station in which he states: “My son’s business dealings [in China] were not anything what everybody that he’s talking about, not even remotely.” Wolking added the comment: “I’ve watched this approximately 15 times now and it cracks me up every. single. time.”
In an April 23 interview on Fox News, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale called Biden a “gaffe machine” and claimed he couldn’t remember when the Sept. 11 attacks had taken place. “We almost can’t decide what gaffes to put up every day, there are so many of them,” Parscale said.
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As it happens, April 23 was also the day of Trump’s infamous soliloquy from the White House briefing room in which he suggested that injecting disinfectants and inserting lights into a COVID-19 patient might cure the disease.
“So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light — and I think you said that that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way,” Trump said. “And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs.”
Trump initially received a bump in his approval rating as the pandemic struck the country, but his remarks that day were followed by a quick decline. His approval ratings are now back to the low 40s, where they have been much of his presidency.
The Lysol and lights comments, though, were just the most well-known in a large and growing collection of nonsensical and erroneous statements he has made about COVID-19.
On April 1, Trump said, “Other countries tried to use the herd mentality,” when he likely meant “herd immunity.”
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The next day, he stated: “I think also in looking at the way that the contagion is so contagious, nobody’s ever seen anything like this where large groups of people all of a sudden have it just by being in the presence of somebody who has it. The flu has never been like that.”
On April 15, he said his favored drug, hydroxychloroquine, “prevents the immune system from overreaching to the virus.”
On May 8, he expressed surprise at how a medical test might show different results at different times. “Katie, she tested very good for a long period of time and then all of the sudden today she tested positive,” Trump said of press aide Katie Miller. “This is why the whole concept of tests aren’t necessarily great.”
And through the whole period, he has continually referred to the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic as having taken place in 1917.
President Donald Trump speaks with members of the coronavirus task force in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Friday, April 10, 2020. Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
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Trump’s misstatements, of course, began long before the coronavirus outbreak. He has repeatedly claimed his father was born in Germany, when in fact it was his paternal grandfather. He called the CEO of Apple “Tim Apple” during a White House meeting, rather than Tim Cook, and then spent days claiming he had not made a mistake but was just using shorthand. Another time, he appeared unable to say the word “origins” correctly, continually pronouncing it “oranges.” He has claimed that wind turbines cause cancer and that the F-35 fighter plane is literally invisible, when in fact it is merely difficult to see on radar.
Related reports of Trump’s inability to focus or understand details about topics even led him to take an Alzheimer’s screening test during his 2018 physical exam, which he then claimed he had aced with a perfect score. The White House did not mention Trump retaking that screening at his 2019 physical in February or during his sudden, unexplained visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in November.
Rick Tyler, a Republican political consultant who worked on Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign in 2016, said medical tests are not necessary to see what’s plainly visible each time Trump speaks. “Trump is not only in physical decline, which is obvious, he is in mental decline. He’s not sharp. He gets details wrong,” Tyler said.
“He lies and projects because that’s what narcissistic psychopaths do. Fish swim, dogs bark, and Trump lies and projects.” - George Conway
George Conway, the husband of a top White House aide to Trump and himself a prominent Trump critic, said the president’s attacks on Biden’s mental acuity should not be considered a strategy because Trump is not capable of one. “I wouldn’t call it a tactic. He lies and projects because that’s what narcissistic psychopaths do,” Conway said. “Fish swim, dogs bark, and Trump lies and projects.”
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Indeed, that Trump “projects” his own failings on his rivals and critics has been a widespread observation for years. Despite keeping the lightest campaign schedule of any of the Republican candidates running in 2016, Trump called former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush — known for his 16-hour workdays — “low energy.” Despite running a charity that enriched himself and facing numerous lawsuits for fraud, Trump called Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton “crooked.” And despite near-daily dishonesties on matters large and small, Trump called Cruz “Lying Ted.”
Cruz addressed that himself the day he ended his presidential candidacy in 2016. “Whatever he does, he accuses everyone else of doing,” he said in an extended critique. “This man is a pathological liar, he doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies. ... In a pattern that is straight out of a psychology textbook, his response is to accuse everyone else of lying.”
Trump’s attacks against his opponents appeared to work for him in the 2016 primary and general election, but it is unclear whether attacking Biden for his verbal slips is helping Trump or having the opposite effect.
Recent polling shows Trump losing support from voters over 65, particularly among women in that cohort. Trump comfortably carried that age group against Clinton in 2016, 53% to 44%.
“If the Trump campaign thinks the answer to their precipitously falling support is to bank on a smear that’s failed for over a year and double down on the subject of mental acuity after all of this, then frankly, maybe it’s not just Donald Trump who’s ‘missing something,’ as the vice president said yesterday,” said Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates.
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And former Obama aide Axelrod said all of the time and energy Trump has invested in questioning Biden’s mental sharpness could be quickly undone.


huffpost--2020-06-02--D.C. Church 'Outraged' That Trump Used It As Photo-Op

Bishop Mariann Budde , leader of The Episcopal Diocese of Washington , told HuffPost that she was “ outraged ” about Trump ’ s appearance .
“ I am going to do everything in my power to disassociate our church from what the president did tonight , ” she said .
“ He did not pray when he came to St. John ’ s , ” Budde said .
The president also failed to acknowledge the agony of people of color who are “ rightfully demanding an end to 400 years of systemic racism and white supremacy.
” Budde told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no idea that Trump was planning to appear at the church on Monday ― she found out about it by watching it on television , like everyone else .
St. John ’ s Church is located across the street from Lafayette Square , a park that lies directly north of the White House and has become a gathering spot since protests erupted over the death of George Floyd , a Black man who was killed in Minneapolis last week by a white officer who kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference between loss of life at the hands of a police officer as part of a systemic pattern of racism , and being concerned about the basement of a church , ” Budde said Monday evening .
“ We ’ re trying to keep our focus on the major issues.
” “ We just wanted to make sure the church wasn ’ t just a building , that there were people there praying , offering support and solidarity , offering refreshments , opening the door of the church for people to go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Just to have a sense that we ’ re not just a historic building , that we ’ re people who care.
” At over 200 years old , St. John ’ s Church is a national historic landmark with a membership of over 1,000 people , and has earned the nickname “ church of the presidents.
” Every president since James Madison has attended at least one service inside its halls , according to the church ’ s website .
On Monday , church officials said damage from the blaze was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although there was smoke and water damage to other areas of the basement .
The graffiti on the exterior of the building has already been covered up , they said .
No one from the parish was inside the building at the time it was damaged .
“ If anything , this only encourages us even more to be a ministry of presence as much as we can in the days ahead and beyond , working against racism , and towards compassion and healing , ” Fisher wrote on Facebook early Monday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking Episcopalians and people of other denominations and faiths to gather at St. John ’ s in the upcoming days to “ stand in prayerful solidarity and witness for racial justice and healing.
” Participants are required to wear masks and bring hospitality items , such as water and snacks , to pass out to fellow protesters .
Clergy have been asked to wear clerical collars so that they are identifiable .
“ We ’ ve made it very clear that people who are at risk or have family members at risk should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be wearing masks , ” she said .
“ It is scary .
But I think there are ways we can do that and keep people reasonably safe .
”

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A historic Washington, D.C., church damaged during protests against police brutality over the weekend pledged solidarity with protesters on Monday ― hours before President Donald Trump used its building for a photo-op.
After a press conference in the Rose Garden Monday evening, Trump walked from the White House to pose in front of St. John’s Church’s sign while holding a Bible. Law enforcement fired tear gas at hundreds of peaceful protesters to clear the way for Trump, The Associated Press reported.
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The church belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Washington ― part of a progressive denomination that has often stood at odds with the president’s policies and tactics.
Bishop Mariann Budde, leader of The Episcopal Diocese of Washington, told HuffPost that she was “outraged” about Trump’s appearance. “I am going to do everything in my power to disassociate our church from what the president did tonight,” she said.
We have the greatest country in the world—and we will keep America safe. pic.twitter.com/lqHaUZ4wxW — The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 1, 2020
Trump used the Bible and St. John’s Church as a backdrop for a message that is “antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for,” Budde said in a separate statement.
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“He did not pray when he came to St. John’s,” Budde said. The president also failed to acknowledge the agony of people of color who are “rightfully demanding an end to 400 years of systemic racism and white supremacy.”
“In no way do we support the President’s incendiary response to a wounded, grieving nation,” she said.
Budde told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that she had no idea that Trump was planning to appear at the church on Monday ― she found out about it by watching it on television, like everyone else.
“I just can’t believe what my eyes have seen tonight,” she said.
St. John’s Church is located across the street from Lafayette Square, a park that lies directly north of the White House and has become a gathering spot since protests erupted over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed in Minneapolis last week by a white officer who kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
St. John’s sustained damage late Sunday night during protests. By Monday afternoon, the Episcopal church had set up a hospitality station outside its front doors ― offering protesters water bottles, hand sanitizing liquid, snacks and a place to rest.
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Hours before Trump’s photo-op at the church, Budde told HuffPost that while she was sad to hear about the damage to the church, people are what matter in the end.
“There’s a huge difference between loss of life at the hands of a police officer as part of a systemic pattern of racism, and being concerned about the basement of a church,” Budde said Monday evening. “We’re trying to keep our focus on the major issues.”
Eight members of the clergy from Budde’s diocese were at the church Monday to help with the hospitality station, she said. The diocese plans to maintain a presence outside St. John’s until the protests cease.
“We just wanted to make sure the church wasn’t just a building, that there were people there praying, offering support and solidarity, offering refreshments, opening the door of the church for people to go to the bathroom,” Budde said. “Just to have a sense that we’re not just a historic building, that we’re people who care.”
President Donald Trump holds a Bible outside St. John's Church across Lafayette Park from the White House on June 1, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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At over 200 years old, St. John’s Church is a national historic landmark with a membership of over 1,000 people, and has earned the nickname “church of the presidents.” Every president since James Madison has attended at least one service inside its halls, according to the church’s website.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt attended a church service at St. John’s in 1933 on the morning of his inauguration, setting a precedent followed by many of his successors, including Trump. Pew 54, the “President’s Pew,” is reserved for the president’s use.
Floyd’s death has sparked demonstrations nationwide over police brutality toward Black Americans. Sunday’s protests, which marked the third day of demonstrations in Washington, D.C., started out peacefully. As night fell and the protest outlasted the city’s 11 p.m. curfew, tensions between police and protesters heightened.
Police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of over 1,000 people, The Associated Press reports. The crowd started fires at several nearby buildings, including St. John’s. The church fire was intentionally set, D.C. police said in a tweet.
“We just wanted to make sure the church wasn’t just a building, that there were people there praying, offering support and solidarity.” - Bishop Mariann Budde
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In addition to the fire, protesters reportedly tore down an American flag hanging outside the church, broke protective glass covering a stained-glass window and sprayed graffiti on the walls.
“The Devil is across [the] street,” read one of the messages sprayed onto the exterior of the building, according to The Washington Post.
On Monday, church officials said damage from the blaze was primarily contained to the parish nursery, although there was smoke and water damage to other areas of the basement. The graffiti on the exterior of the building has already been covered up, they said. No one from the parish was inside the building at the time it was damaged.
Parish rector Rev. Rob Fisher said that the events of Sunday night haven’t deterred his church’s resolve to “be an instrument for God’s work” during the protests.
“If anything, this only encourages us even more to be a ministry of presence as much as we can in the days ahead and beyond, working against racism, and towards compassion and healing,” Fisher wrote on Facebook early Monday morning.
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Graffiti says "God is still watching" on the exterior walls of St. John's Episcopal Church near the White House on June 1, 2020, after a night of protests over the death of George Floyd. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
The diocese put out a call asking Episcopalians and people of other denominations and faiths to gather at St. John’s in the upcoming days to “stand in prayerful solidarity and witness for racial justice and healing.” Participants are required to wear masks and bring hospitality items, such as water and snacks, to pass out to fellow protesters. Clergy have been asked to wear clerical collars so that they are identifiable.
Asked if she is concerned about the spread of COVID-19 through this initiative, Budde admitted that she is.
“We’ve made it very clear that people who are at risk or have family members at risk should not go down there. Everyone should be wearing masks,” she said. “It is scary. But I think there are ways we can do that and keep people reasonably safe.”
Police form a line in front of St. John's Episcopal Church on May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Budde said that she doesn’t condone the destruction of property during the protests. But she’s not going to focus on that when the bigger outrage is what is happening to people’s lives.


huffpost--2020-03-09--Pixar's 'Onward' Debuts At The Top Of The Box Office

LOS ANGELES , March 8 , ( Variety.com ) - Disney and Pixar ’ s “ Onward ” debuted this weekend to $ 40 million , enough to lead box office charts but still a somewhat disappointing start given the studio ’ s near-flawless track record when it comes to animated fare .
Internationally , the film brought in $ 28 million for a global tally of $ 68 million .
“ Onward , ” a fantastical adventure about two brothers ( voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt ) , ranks among Pixar ’ s lowest opening weekend ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Good Dinosaur ” and its $ 39 million as a rare blemish for the Disney-owned company , known for producing hits such as “ Inside Out , ” Coco ” and Up.
” Pixar films typically cost $ 175 million to $ 200 million to produce , a huge sum that doesn ’ t include global marketing fees .
Directed by Dan Scanlon , “ Onward ” received mostly positive reviews , though it didn ’ t welcome the kind of rapturous reception that greets most Pixar titles .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming weeks as one of the few options for family audiences .
It scored an “ A- ” CinemaScore , signaling that moviegoers enjoyed the film .
“ Pixar has earned an incredible reputation for delivering quality to audiences , and based on their response , they are being touched by it , ” said Cathleen Taff , Disney ’ s president of global distribution .
“ We ’ re excited to see such good word-of-mouth .
That bodes well for the life of its run in theaters.
” This weekend ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drama “ The Way Back , ” also fell short of expectations .
But box office experts suggest it was the movies themselves ― not fears of coronavirus ― that stifled ticket sales .
“ Onward ” was tracking an opening between $ 40 million and $ 45 million even before threats of coronavirus in North America .
“ I think there was zero impact , ” Paul Dergarabedian , a senior media analyst with Comscore , said .
“ With $ 40 million for ‘ Onward , ’ a small drop off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ The Way Back ’ getting solid scores from audiences , it looks like people are in the habit of going to the movies.
” Overall box office receipts are down 50 % from the same weekend last year , an inevitable dip given last year saw “ Captain Marvel ” arrive with a huge $ 153 million .
That drastic dip pushed the year-to-date box office down almost 2 % , the first year-over-year decline in 2020 .
“ The Way Back ” brought in $ 8.5 million when it launched in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on box office charts .
It ’ s a lackluster start given its A-list leading man , but an improvement from Warner Bros. recent mid-budget duds like “ The Good Liar ” ( $ 5.6 million ) and “ The Kitchen ” ( $ 5.5 million ) .
The film , which cost roughly $ 21 million to make , was poised as a big-screen comeback for Affleck .
His performance as an alcoholic construction worker who is recruited to become the head coach of a high school basketball team has been praised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the level of reception that smaller dramas need these days to make an impact at the box office .
Among opening weekend crowds , 64 % were over the age of 35 .
Jeff Goldstein , Warner Bros.′ president of domestic distribution , noted it ’ s a demographic that doesn ’ t usually rush out on opening weekend .
“ Our reviews were really strong and we have a ‘ B+ ’ CinemaScore , so we ’ re in a really strong place , ” Goldstein said .
” “ The story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t rush out .
I think we can capture an older audience , assuming a coronavirus scare doesn ’ t keep audiences away.
” In second place , Universal and Blumhouse ’ s “ The Invisible Man ” added $ 15.5 million in its second outing for a cumulative total of $ 52.6 million .
Internationally , the Elisabeth Moss-led thriller generated $ 17.3 million .
Its box office receipts currently stand at $ 98.3 million , already a win for the studio since it cost just $ 7 million .
Paramount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landed at No .
4 , bringing in another $ 8 million .
After four weeks in theaters , the animated family film has made an impressive $ 140 million .
The blue speed demon , voiced by Ben Schwartz , has also been a draw overseas , where it has made $ 154 million .
Globally , “ Sonic ” is nearing the $ 300 million mark with ticket sales currently at $ 295.6 million .
Disney ’ s “ The Call of the Wild ” rounded out the top five , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frame .
The adaptation of Jack London ’ s novel , starring Harrison Ford and a CGI dog named Buck , has generated $ 57.5 million in North America and $ 99.6 million worldwide , a weak result because the film cost a head-scratching $ 125 million to make .
Given the high price tag , sources estimate “ The Call of the Wild ” needs to earn between $ 250 million and $ 275 million to get out of the red .
At this point , it will be difficult to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Wild ” is expected to lose around $ 50 million .
Among indie releases , A24′s “ First Cow ” made $ 96,059 when it opened in four venues ― translating to $ 24,015 from each location .
Directed by Kelly Reichardt , the film is set in the Pacific Northwest and follows a 19th century cook who travels with fur trappers to the Oregon Territory .
It will continue its platform release next weekend before opening nationwide in the spring .

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LOS ANGELES, March 8, (Variety.com) - Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” debuted this weekend to $40 million, enough to lead box office charts but still a somewhat disappointing start given the studio’s near-flawless track record when it comes to animated fare. Internationally, the film brought in $28 million for a global tally of $68 million.
“Onward,” a fantastical adventure about two brothers (voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt), ranks among Pixar’s lowest opening weekend’s in modern times, joining 2015′s “The Good Dinosaur” and its $39 million as a rare blemish for the Disney-owned company, known for producing hits such as “Inside Out,” Coco” and Up.” Pixar films typically cost $175 million to $200 million to produce, a huge sum that doesn’t include global marketing fees.
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Directed by Dan Scanlon, “Onward” received mostly positive reviews, though it didn’t welcome the kind of rapturous reception that greets most Pixar titles. Still, “Onward” looks to benefit in coming weeks as one of the few options for family audiences. It scored an “A-” CinemaScore, signaling that moviegoers enjoyed the film.
“Pixar has earned an incredible reputation for delivering quality to audiences, and based on their response, they are being touched by it,” said Cathleen Taff, Disney’s president of global distribution. “We’re excited to see such good word-of-mouth. That bodes well for the life of its run in theaters.”
This weekend’s other high-profile release, Warner Bros.′ sports drama “The Way Back,” also fell short of expectations. But box office experts suggest it was the movies themselves ― not fears of coronavirus ― that stifled ticket sales. “Onward” was tracking an opening between $40 million and $45 million even before threats of coronavirus in North America.
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“I think there was zero impact,” Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst with Comscore, said. “With $40 million for ‘Onward,’ a small drop off for ‘The Invisible Man’ and ‘The Way Back’ getting solid scores from audiences, it looks like people are in the habit of going to the movies.”
Overall box office receipts are down 50% from the same weekend last year, an inevitable dip given last year saw “Captain Marvel” arrive with a huge $153 million. That drastic dip pushed the year-to-date box office down almost 2%, the first year-over-year decline in 2020.
“The Way Back” brought in $8.5 million when it launched in 2,718 theaters, enough for third place on box office charts. It’s a lackluster start given its A-list leading man, but an improvement from Warner Bros. recent mid-budget duds like “The Good Liar” ($5.6 million) and “The Kitchen” ($5.5 million).
The film, which cost roughly $21 million to make, was poised as a big-screen comeback for Affleck. His performance as an alcoholic construction worker who is recruited to become the head coach of a high school basketball team has been praised, but it didn’t get the level of reception that smaller dramas need these days to make an impact at the box office. Among opening weekend crowds, 64% were over the age of 35. Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.′ president of domestic distribution, noted it’s a demographic that doesn’t usually rush out on opening weekend.
“Our reviews were really strong and we have a ‘B+’ CinemaScore, so we’re in a really strong place,” Goldstein said. ”“The story gears toward an older audience that doesn’t rush out. I think we can capture an older audience, assuming a coronavirus scare doesn’t keep audiences away.”
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In second place, Universal and Blumhouse’s “The Invisible Man” added $15.5 million in its second outing for a cumulative total of $52.6 million. Internationally, the Elisabeth Moss-led thriller generated $17.3 million. Its box office receipts currently stand at $98.3 million, already a win for the studio since it cost just $7 million.
Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” landed at No. 4, bringing in another $8 million. After four weeks in theaters, the animated family film has made an impressive $140 million. The blue speed demon, voiced by Ben Schwartz, has also been a draw overseas, where it has made $154 million. Globally, “Sonic” is nearing the $300 million mark with ticket sales currently at $295.6 million.
Disney’s “The Call of the Wild” rounded out the top five, pocketing $7 million in its third frame. The adaptation of Jack London’s novel, starring Harrison Ford and a CGI dog named Buck, has generated $57.5 million in North America and $99.6 million worldwide, a weak result because the film cost a head-scratching $125 million to make. Given the high price tag, sources estimate “The Call of the Wild” needs to earn between $250 million and $275 million to get out of the red. At this point, it will be difficult to reach those heights so “The Call of the Wild” is expected to lose around $50 million.
Among indie releases, A24′s “First Cow” made $96,059 when it opened in four venues ― translating to $24,015 from each location. Directed by Kelly Reichardt, the film is set in the Pacific Northwest and follows a 19th century cook who travels with fur trappers to the Oregon Territory. It will continue its platform release next weekend before opening nationwide in the spring.
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Sony Pictures Classic’s “Burnt Orange Heresy” had a rocky start in limited release, bringing in $18,296 from four screens for a theater-average of $4,574. The heist thriller stars Claes Bang, Elizabeth Debicki and Mick Jagger.


huffpost--2020-03-09--If You're An Introvert, These 17 Tweets Will Speak Your Mind

If you ’ re an introvert , you value your alone time .
You tend to think before you speak @ @ @ @ @ rather socialize one-on-one than in a group .
A phone call is probably your worst @ @ @ @ @ all , you are silently strong .

If you’re an introvert, you value your alone time. You tend to think before you speak. You’d much rather socialize one-on-one than in a group. A phone call is probably your worst nightmare. But most of all, you are silently strong.


huffpost--2020-03-09--North Korea Fires Projectiles In New Weapons Test, South Korean Military Says

North Korea fired several projectiles into the sea on Monday , the country ’ s second weapons test in a week as tensions have heated up once again on the Korean peninsula .
The South Korean military said the North fired three unidentified projectiles , some flying about 125 miles before falling into the East Sea , Yonhap News reported .
The outlet noted it appeared to be some sort of military exercise similar to one from March 2 , which was denounced by some European nations as a “ provocative ” act that could undermine efforts to negotiate with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jong Un .
“ The launches appear to be part of its artillery strike drill involving multiple types of multiple rocket launchers for a wintertime exercise , following the previous ones staged on Feb. 28 and March 2 , ” South Korea ’ s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement to Yonhap .
Negotiations between Kim and President Donald Trump have stalled over the past year after a failed summit in Vietnam last February related to the country ’ s nuclear ambitions .
Kim has since pledged to jumpstart the weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North was no longer bound by a moratorium on testing and promising to conduct some sort of trial “ in the near future.
” People watch a TV showing a file image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul , South Korea , Monday , March 9 , 2020 .
North Korea fired three unidentified projectiles off its east coast on Monday , South Korea 's military said , two days after the North threatened to take `` momentous '' action to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercises .
( AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon ) Trump , for his part , has shrugged off those threats , saying that Kim “ likes me ” and was a “ man of his word ” at the time .
Last week ’ s test involved two projectiles and Kim was on hand personally to oversee the test of what North Korea called a “ super-large multiple rocket launcher.
” Seoul denounced that test at the time , saying it did “ not help efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement of her own condemning South Korean President Moon Jae-in ’ s office as “ idiotic , ” saying it had the right to test its own weapons due to longstanding joint military exercises between the South and the United States .
“ Such incoherent assertion and actions … only magnify our distrust , hatred and scorn for the South side as a whole , ” Kim ’ s sister and aide , Kim Yo-jong , said in a statement .
Kim has extended words of support to South Korea as it deals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has sickened more than 7,300 people , writing in a letter of his “ unwavering friendship and trust toward President Moon and said that he will continue to quietly send his best wishes for President Moon to overcome , ” according to the AP .
In January , Trump reportedly said he hoped to resume talks with Pyongyang about its nuclear program after months of stalled negotiations .

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North Korea fired several projectiles into the sea on Monday, the country’s second weapons test in a week as tensions have heated up once again on the Korean peninsula.
The South Korean military said the North fired three unidentified projectiles, some flying about 125 miles before falling into the East Sea, Yonhap News reported. The outlet noted it appeared to be some sort of military exercise similar to one from March 2, which was denounced by some European nations as a “provocative” act that could undermine efforts to negotiate with the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un.
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“The launches appear to be part of its artillery strike drill involving multiple types of multiple rocket launchers for a wintertime exercise, following the previous ones staged on Feb. 28 and March 2,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement to Yonhap.
Negotiations between Kim and President Donald Trump have stalled over the past year after a failed summit in Vietnam last February related to the country’s nuclear ambitions. Kim has since pledged to jumpstart the weapons program, saying in January that the North was no longer bound by a moratorium on testing and promising to conduct some sort of trial “in the near future.”
People watch a TV showing a file image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 9, 2020. North Korea fired three unidentified projectiles off its east coast on Monday, South Korea's military said, two days after the North threatened to take "momentous" action to protest outside condemnation over its earlier live-fire exercises. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trump, for his part, has shrugged off those threats, saying that Kim “likes me” and was a “man of his word” at the time.
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Last week’s test involved two projectiles and Kim was on hand personally to oversee the test of what North Korea called a “super-large multiple rocket launcher.” Seoul denounced that test at the time, saying it did “not help efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”
But Kim’s sister released a rare statement of her own condemning South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s office as “idiotic,” saying it had the right to test its own weapons due to longstanding joint military exercises between the South and the United States.
“Such incoherent assertion and actions … only magnify our distrust, hatred and scorn for the South side as a whole,” Kim’s sister and aide, Kim Yo-jong, said in a statement.
Kim has extended words of support to South Korea as it deals with an outbreak of the novel coronavirus that has sickened more than 7,300 people, writing in a letter of his “unwavering friendship and trust toward President Moon and said that he will continue to quietly send his best wishes for President Moon to overcome,” according to the AP.
In January, Trump reportedly said he hoped to resume talks with Pyongyang about its nuclear program after months of stalled negotiations.


huffpost--2020-03-09--Madonna Cancels Paris Concerts After France Limits Crowds Over Coronavirus Fears

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Madonna has cancelled the last two stops of her latest tour in France after the country said it was banning events of more than 1,000 people to limit the spread of the coronavirus .
A statement posted onto the pop star ’ s website on Monday says her March 10-11 shows in Paris would no longer take place .
“ Following official notification from the Office of the Police this morning prohibiting all events with an audience attendance of over 1000 , Live Nation regrets to announce the final two Madame X performances previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be cancelled , ” the statement read .
“ Tickets are refundable at point of purchase .
We regret the disappointment to fans.
” France reported 1,126 cases as of Sunday , up 19 % from the day before , the second largest number of cases in Europe after Italy .
So far , 19 people in France have died .
Several musicians have cancelled or postponed concerts — most of them outside of the United States — because of the spreading virus , including Queen , Ciara , BTS , Khalid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
The South by Southwest festival in Austin , Texas , has been cancelled and the Ultra electronic dance music festival in Miami has been postponed .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover .
In mainland China , where the virus first exploded , more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

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NEW YORK (AP) — Madonna has cancelled the last two stops of her latest tour in France after the country said it was banning events of more than 1,000 people to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
A statement posted onto the pop star’s website on Monday says her March 10-11 shows in Paris would no longer take place.
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“Following official notification from the Office of the Police this morning prohibiting all events with an audience attendance of over 1000, Live Nation regrets to announce the final two Madame X performances previously re-scheduled to 10-March and 11-March are forced to be cancelled,” the statement read. “Tickets are refundable at point of purchase. We regret the disappointment to fans.”
France reported 1,126 cases as of Sunday, up 19% from the day before, the second largest number of cases in Europe after Italy. So far, 19 people in France have died.
Several musicians have cancelled or postponed concerts — most of them outside of the United States — because of the spreading virus, including Queen, Ciara, BTS, Khalid, Mariah Carey, Green Day and more. The South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, has been cancelled and the Ultra electronic dance music festival in Miami has been postponed.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
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The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.
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huffpost--2020-05-27--Why Jigsaw Puzzles Are So Soothing And Addicting Right Now

“ Our primitive lizard brains are on overdrive in quarantine .
We know on a cellular level that there is a threat to our survival , as both individual humans and a species , so we are stuck in a fight-flight-freeze cycle where our brains can ’ t figure out which one will keep us alive , ” psychotherapist Jenny Maenpaa told HuffPost .
“ We ’ re not sleeping well because we ’ re staying alert enough to jump out of bed if the threat comes close enough to us , which our brains can ’ t understand is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a virus , ” Maenpaa said .
“ When we don ’ t get enough restorative sleep , our reaction times are slower , our emotional self-regulation is poorer , and we have trouble performing high-level cognitive functions .
Puzzles are a surprising antidote to all of those challenges.
” Karen Kavett is YouTube personality with a channel entirely dedicated to jigsaw puzzles .
She told HuffPost she agrees that jigsaw puzzles are a great activity when the world feels out of control because the task is entirely within your power .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group .
You can spend all day putting it together or just work on it for a few minutes at a time whenever you ’ re in the mood .
“ It ’ s also an activity where you ’ re simply assembling an item that already exists , rather than needing to expend mental energy to create something new , ” she added .
“ Plus , since there are so many different types of jigsaw puzzles out there these days , anyone can find an image that speaks to them.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of us are performing meaningless tasks , like showering , just to feel like we did something , ” Maenpaa said .
“ Sure , it ’ s ‘ doing something ’ ; but it ’ s not productive in the sense that it gets you towards any larger goals other than not offending those in your close proximity .
But doing a puzzle feels like working towards something bigger than your to-do list , which is especially alluring when meaningful action in quarantine can be hard to come by.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ servomechanism , meaning it is goal-striving , ” he explained .
“ During quarantine , when we have no environmental changes from one day to the next , it can feel like we ’ re living in Groundhog Day , as depicted in the Bill Murray movie .
Jigsaw puzzles provide a challenge that gives this goal-seeking behavior an outlet .
With each puzzle piece found , the puzzler gets a little hit of dopamine , which soothes the brain , and this reward then climaxes with the puzzle ’ s completion.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of our brain is active all day , whether by navigating through traffic , working through a busy schedule , or planning a meal so every dish will be ready to serve at the same time , ” he said .
“ This is how our brains build and maintain neuroplasticity , the ability to stay flexible and active .
Therefore , jigsaw puzzles are an excellent choice for people of all ages during quarantine , or anytime.
” You Can Make It About Togetherness “ While puzzles can be satisfying on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a welcome social activity during quarantine , in that the conversation can be about something other than COVID-19 and can bring about a sense of togetherness and working toward a shared goal , ” Vilensky said .
“ Puzzling is such a social event , and it ’ s always fun to see different people ’ s personalities and strengths , such as problem solving , leadership qualities , and the ability to work together toward a common goal , emerge when working a jigsaw puzzle with others , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a chaotic place where the puzzle pieces are all willy-nilly , to a place of organization with the common goal of completing a picture.
” “ I often get asked by people what puzzle they should buy , and my main rule of thumb is to just look for an image that makes you happy , ” said Kavett .
“ I like bright colors , so many of the puzzles I do are bright gradients or very highly saturated illustrations , but there is a perfect puzzle out there for everyone @ @

Markus Spiering / EyeEm via Getty Images There are psychological reasons to explain the appeal of jigsaw puzzles amid the pandemic.
As people practice social distancing at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many have picked up new hobbies like tie-dyeing, baking banana bread and learning TikTok dances. Another increasingly popular pastime: doing jigsaw puzzles.
Puzzle manufacturers have reported soaring sales and even shortages. It turns out there are psychological reasons for the mania right now.
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“Our primitive lizard brains are on overdrive in quarantine. We know on a cellular level that there is a threat to our survival, as both individual humans and a species, so we are stuck in a fight-flight-freeze cycle where our brains can’t figure out which one will keep us alive,” psychotherapist Jenny Maenpaa told HuffPost.
“We’re not sleeping well because we’re staying alert enough to jump out of bed if the threat comes close enough to us, which our brains can’t understand is an unhelpful and irrelevant biological response to a virus,” Maenpaa said. “When we don’t get enough restorative sleep, our reaction times are slower, our emotional self-regulation is poorer, and we have trouble performing high-level cognitive functions. Puzzles are a surprising antidote to all of those challenges.”
But why and how exactly do puzzles soothe us during difficult times? HuffPost spoke to Maenpaa and other experts to find out.
They Offer A Sense Of Control
“While COVID-19 is associated with a lack of control and an unknown end, puzzles offer the opposite,” said Michael Vilensky, a psychologist at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. “With a puzzle, with enough time and effort, we can control the outcome, know it will end, and experience a sense of relief and accomplishment when it’s finished.”
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Karen Kavett is YouTube personality with a channel entirely dedicated to jigsaw puzzles. She told HuffPost she agrees that jigsaw puzzles are a great activity when the world feels out of control because the task is entirely within your power. You can do it solo or with a group. You can spend all day putting it together or just work on it for a few minutes at a time whenever you’re in the mood.
“With a puzzle, with enough time and effort, we can control the outcome, know it will end, and experience a sense of relief and accomplishment when it’s finished.” - Michael Vilensky, Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center
“It’s also an activity where you’re simply assembling an item that already exists, rather than needing to expend mental energy to create something new,” she added. “Plus, since there are so many different types of jigsaw puzzles out there these days, anyone can find an image that speaks to them.”
There’s A Clear Purpose
Puzzles can provide a clear goal and sense of purpose in this time when people feel aimless and unable to map out future plans.
“Right now in quarantine, so many of us are performing meaningless tasks, like showering, just to feel like we did something,” Maenpaa said. “Sure, it’s ‘doing something’; but it’s not productive in the sense that it gets you towards any larger goals other than not offending those in your close proximity. But doing a puzzle feels like working towards something bigger than your to-do list, which is especially alluring when meaningful action in quarantine can be hard to come by.”
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There are very few clear answers in the chaos of life ― particularly in 2020. But jigsaw puzzles are all about clear solutions, which can be very soothing.
“In this uncertain time, we’ve heard from customers that seeing a pile of pieces come together as a finished puzzle is extremely satisfying,” said Thomas Kaeppeler, president of Ravensburger North America.
Patrick K. Porter, creator of BrainTap Technologies, noted that there’s a neuroscience component to this phenomenon. It also helps explain why some people feel like they can’t stop working on a puzzle until it’s finished.
“The conscious mind is known as a servomechanism, meaning it is goal-striving,” he explained. “During quarantine, when we have no environmental changes from one day to the next, it can feel like we’re living in Groundhog Day, as depicted in the Bill Murray movie. Jigsaw puzzles provide a challenge that gives this goal-seeking behavior an outlet. With each puzzle piece found, the puzzler gets a little hit of dopamine, which soothes the brain, and this reward then climaxes with the puzzle’s completion.”
LOUISE BEAUMONT via Getty Images Jigsaw puzzles allow you to see the progress you're making.
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You Can Feel Accomplished
“Human beings perform best when we have tasks that we are competent at and can succeed at but that challenge us just enough to feel accomplished when we complete them,” said Maenpaa.
He added that jigsaw puzzles are unique in the way they engage the logical part of the brain (rationally fitting pieces together) and the creative side (envisioning the big picture of the completed work).
Porter noted that our brains love patterns, but the uncertainty of the pandemic has disrupted our usual patterns of daily activities and left our minds seeking ways to fill that void.
“In common times, the problem-solving part of our brain is active all day, whether by navigating through traffic, working through a busy schedule, or planning a meal so every dish will be ready to serve at the same time,” he said. “This is how our brains build and maintain neuroplasticity, the ability to stay flexible and active. Therefore, jigsaw puzzles are an excellent choice for people of all ages during quarantine, or anytime.”
“People who find satisfaction in doing jigsaw puzzles tend to be those who prefer a planned and actionable life,” he continued. “These same people need the payoff in completing a task, which gives them a sense of accomplishment.”
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It’s A Meditative Experience
For many, doing a jigsaw puzzle almost feels like meditation. That’s how A.J. Jacobs, an author who is working on a book about different types of puzzles, describes the experience.
“Some jigsaw friends of mine talk about how time just melts away,” he said. “You feel like you’ve been working on a puzzle for five minutes, but in reality three hours have passed. That can be helpful when you’re stuck inside for two months.”
“[Puzzles] take a certain level of concentration that creates mindful moments. These moments take us outside of ourselves and our worries.” - Elizabeth Hinkle, therapist
Focusing on individual puzzle pieces and one overall image forces people to be present and relax. It’s also a tactile task without external stimulation like screens.
“They take a certain level of concentration that creates mindful moments. These moments take us outside of ourselves and our worries,” said Elizabeth Hinkle, a licensed marriage and family therapist with Talkspace.
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In this meditative state, your brain may block out toxic thoughts and even process other ideas and feelings that had been bothering you. In any case, the destressing effects are powerful.
“When immersed in a great jigsaw puzzle your heart rate goes down and a sense of peacefulness overtakes you, lowering blood pressure and anxiety,” said Donna Brown, founder of The Missing Piece Puzzle Co. “Puzzling immerses you into a problem-solving situation that is relaxing and soothing, and it always feels great to place a piece in a puzzle.”
MoMo Productions via Getty Images Puzzles are great as a solo or group activity.
You Can Make It About Togetherness
“While puzzles can be satisfying on your own, they can also act as a welcome social activity during quarantine, in that the conversation can be about something other than COVID-19 and can bring about a sense of togetherness and working toward a shared goal,” Vilensky said.
Indeed, the group collaboration in completing a puzzle offers its own form of satisfaction. Brown said that in her days as a teacher, she rarely witnessed anyone passing a puzzle in progress without stopping to see what’s happening or offering to help. She believes the activity fosters a sense of community.
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“Puzzling is such a social event, and it’s always fun to see different people’s personalities and strengths, such as problem solving, leadership qualities, and the ability to work together toward a common goal, emerge when working a jigsaw puzzle with others,” she said. “Starting a puzzle takes us from a chaotic place where the puzzle pieces are all willy-nilly, to a place of organization with the common goal of completing a picture.”
They Provide A Welcome Escape
Jigsaw puzzles offer a way to break up the monotony of the day in quarantine. They also take us back to simpler times before the pandemic.
“Puzzles are a throwback,” said Vilensky. “Like other popular quarantine activities (bread-making, going for a drive), puzzles can help us connect to the past and offer a sense of familiarity that is reassuring during new and chaotic times.”
Kaeppeler noted that certain types of puzzle images are calming and appealing to customers because they provide a sense of escape.
“For example, images that have a first-person view of a setting provide a calm environment for someone to focus and relax,” he said. Travel-related puzzles can also offer a feeling of a getaway.
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Even if travel themes or cozy settings aren’t for you, there are countless other image options.


huffpost--2020-05-27--Protester Who Hanged Effigy Of Kentucky Governor Fired From Job

An anti-quarantine protester seen hoisting an effigy of Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear ( D ) at the state Capitol in Frankfort last weekend has been dismissed from his job .
Frankfort ’ s Neil Huffman Auto Group on Tuesday tweeted that a company employee had been terminated following an internal investigation , noting , “ There is no place for hate or intolerance at any of our dealerships.
” By Wednesday , the Louisville Courier-Journal identified the employee as Terry Bush , president of the Kentucky Three Percenters group .
Though Bush had no comment on the matter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspaper , “ He was fired because this governor is more important than the regular joe out in this state trying to put food on their tables.
” According to the group ’ s website , the Three Percenters are “ committed to standing against and exposing corruption and injustice.
” The Southern Poverty Law Center identifies the anti-government , pro-gun organization as part of the right-wing militia movement .
Patsy Kays Bush said the group was not involved in the creation of the effigy , though her husband helped hang it from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been promoted as a “ Patriot Day 2nd Amendment Rally , ” drawing demonstrators angered by restrictions Beshear implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Photographer Gerry Seavo , who covered the protest , said the effigy was brought out by the event ’ s organizer , Ben Kennedy .
“ It was eerie to me because as an African American , there ’ s these intergenerational trauma triggers , ” he told HuffPost .
“ It ’ s a lynching .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my mind and I thought , ‘ What am I doing here ?
’ ” The act was lambasted by Beshear , who called it a “ celebration of assassination on our capitol grounds.
” “ Doing this in front of our Capitol , just a short walk from where the Governor , First Lady , and their two young children live , is an act that reeks of hate and intimidation and does nothing but undermine our leading work to battle this deadly disease and restore our economy safely , ” Kentucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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An anti-quarantine protester seen hoisting an effigy of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) at the state Capitol in Frankfort last weekend has been dismissed from his job.
Frankfort’s Neil Huffman Auto Group on Tuesday tweeted that a company employee had been terminated following an internal investigation, noting, “There is no place for hate or intolerance at any of our dealerships.”
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By Wednesday, the Louisville Courier-Journal identified the employee as Terry Bush, president of the Kentucky Three Percenters group.
A statement from Neil Huffman Auto Group on May 26, 2020. pic.twitter.com/SkElCl0KhH — Huffman Chevy Buick GMC of Frankfort (@NeilHuffmanGM1) May 26, 2020
Though Bush had no comment on the matter, his wife Patsy Kays Bush told the newspaper, “He was fired because this governor is more important than the regular joe out in this state trying to put food on their tables.”
According to the group’s website, the Three Percenters are “committed to standing against and exposing corruption and injustice.” The Southern Poverty Law Center identifies the anti-government, pro-gun organization as part of the right-wing militia movement.
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Patsy Kays Bush said the group was not involved in the creation of the effigy, though her husband helped hang it from a tree.
Sunday’s protest had been promoted as a “Patriot Day 2nd Amendment Rally,” drawing demonstrators angered by restrictions Beshear implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Photographer Gerry Seavo, who covered the protest, said the effigy was brought out by the event’s organizer, Ben Kennedy.
“It was eerie to me because as an African American, there’s these intergenerational trauma triggers,” he told HuffPost. “It’s a lynching. It’s a lynching. That popped into my mind and I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’”
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The act was lambasted by Beshear, who called it a “celebration of assassination on our capitol grounds.”
Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle felt similarly.
“Doing this in front of our Capitol, just a short walk from where the Governor, First Lady, and their two young children live, is an act that reeks of hate and intimidation and does nothing but undermine our leading work to battle this deadly disease and restore our economy safely,” Kentucky state House Democrats said in a statement.


huffpost--2020-05-27--Chris Cuomo Says His COVID-19 After Effects Are Freaking Him Out

Chris Cuomo may have officially recovered from the coronavirus but the after effects are weirding him out , the CNN host said on “ Cuomo Prime Time ” Tuesday .
“ I ’ m not 100 % , ” Cuomo told Dr. Sanjay Gupta , per Entertainment Tonight .
“ There is funky stuff in my bloodwork , that doctors say is what they see in people who have had COVID .
So it freaks me out a little bit.
” Cuomo said he would continue to update viewers on his recovery , just as he did while he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 98,000 people in the United States .
“ As long as there are other people who have the same kind of funky bloodwork , I ’ ll just keep taking it one day at a time , ” he said .
“ And , as relevant , I am always telling people about the experience.
” While Cuomo did not specify the findings in ET ’ s report of the chat , doctors and scientists have been finding other alarming blood developments .
Clots resulting in “ strokes , heart attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lungs ” are being discovered more often in coronavirus patients , The Associated Press reported Tuesday .
Cuomo quarantined in his basement as he chronicled his fight with COVID-19 , which involved high fever and hallucinations .
He also had the near-daily counsel of infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force .
Cuomo ’ s wife and son got sick as well and recovered .
“ People who ’ ve been through this have strange tales to tell and not a lot of great answers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weird stuff in their bloodwork , ” Cuomo said , per ET .
“ I ’ m not back to where I was before I had the virus but I can work .
I can hang out .
I can engage with my family .
”

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Chris Cuomo may have officially recovered from the coronavirus but the after effects are weirding him out, the CNN host said on “Cuomo Prime Time” Tuesday.
“I’m not 100%,” Cuomo told Dr. Sanjay Gupta, per Entertainment Tonight. “There is funky stuff in my bloodwork, that doctors say is what they see in people who have had COVID. So it freaks me out a little bit.”
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Cuomo said he would continue to update viewers on his recovery, just as he did while he was sick with the virus that has killed more than 98,000 people in the United States.
“As long as there are other people who have the same kind of funky bloodwork, I’ll just keep taking it one day at a time,” he said. “And, as relevant, I am always telling people about the experience.”
While Cuomo did not specify the findings in ET’s report of the chat, doctors and scientists have been finding other alarming blood developments.
Clots resulting in “strokes, heart attacks and dangerous blockages in the legs and lungs” are being discovered more often in coronavirus patients, The Associated Press reported Tuesday.
Cuomo quarantined in his basement as he chronicled his fight with COVID-19, which involved high fever and hallucinations. He also had the near-daily counsel of infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci of the White House’s coronavirus task force. Cuomo’s wife and son got sick as well and recovered.


huffpost--2020-05-27--Valerie Plame Went Viral. That Might Not Be Enough In New Mexico.

Chad Buchanan via Getty Images Former CIA agent Valerie Plame , nationally famous among liberals , is in a tight race for a U.S. House seat representing New Mexico .
But by the time Plame ’ s launch video — which featured her driving a sports car backward while recounting how the George W. Bush administration had ended her career as an undercover agent , racking up 1.9 million views — went viral in September 2019 , one of her opponents had already started lining up the support that would turn the battle for the Democratic nomination for New Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neck-and-neck race .
As the June 2 primary nears , a once-crowded contest has narrowed down to Leger Fernandez and Plame , according to Democratic operatives tracking the race , pitting Plame ’ s fundraising prowess , national security experience and celebrity in liberal circles against Leger Fernandez ’ s longtime local ties , history of work on progressive issues and support from a host of D.C.-based outside groups eager to elect a Latina to Congress .
The race is a vivid display of how , even in the most nationalized era in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still require a local touch .
“ I have lived through the Bush-Cheney machine and came out the other side , and I want to be able to take that searing life experience and put it to good use for my community , ” Plame said in a phone interview .
“ I have this national name recognition now , but it ’ s not something I wanted or I asked for .
And if I can use that to focus on issues that I care about passionately , that ’ s OK. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make lemonade out of lemons.
” But Leger Fernandez argues Plame ― who has lived in Santa Fe for more than a decade ― doesn ’ t understand the district in the same way she does .
The daughter of a local state senator , Leger Fernandez has worked for years with the Native American tribes in the region , building rural health centers and affordable housing , and boasts of speaking “ perfect New Mexican Spanish.
” Since Leger Fernandez won the Democratic convention in the district with 42 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race have believed she held a slight lead over Plame .
A poll released Tuesday , paid for by EMILY ’ s List and conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs , seems to confirm that : It showed Leger Fernandez leading Plame 33 % to 24 % , with the remaining candidates all in single digits .
The survey of 661 voters , conducted last week , has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points .
Outside interventions from groups like EMILY ’ s List have helped shape the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leger Fernandez , who has benefited from television ads backing her from BOLD PAC ― the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus ― and from other groups that don ’ t have to disclose their donors .
But a digital ad that began running earlier this week attacking Plame for tweeting links to an anti-Semitic website has shaken up the contest , drawing condemnation from seemingly everyone involved in the race .
The Alliance to Combat Extremism , a little-known nonprofit that does not disclose its donors , paid for the ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replaced by spinning swastikas and alleges she is a white supremacist .
The sprawling district is roughly equal in size to New Jersey , and covers all of Northern New Mexico , including a slew of rural counties with major Hispanic populations ; the ski town of Taos ; the state capital of Santa Fe , where a combination of retirees and artists mean white progressives dominate local politics ; Los Alamos , where federal research jobs have created one of the nation ’ s wealthiest communities ; and in the west , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ravages of the coronavirus pandemic have only exacerbated the long-standing abject poverty faced by the Native American population .
The divide between the candidates might be best illustrated by their fundraising bases : Plame ’ s fame in liberal circles ― the Bush administration leaked her identity to a conservative journalist after her then-husband , Amb .
Joseph Wilson , questioned the intelligence used to justify the war in Iraq ― has helped her raise over $ 2 million .
( Scooter Libby , a top aide to then-Vice President Dick Cheney , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of justice in relation to the investigation .
Trump pardoned Libby in 2018 . )
At the same time , Leger Fernandez also has the endorsements of a slew of Democratic interest and advocacy groups , many of them eager to elect an additional Latina to Congress .
The Sierra Club , the Working Families Party , Planned Parenthood Action Fund and End Citizens United have all endorsed Leger Fernandez .
Support from these groups , and especially television ads form BOLD PAC , has kept Plame from gaining a dominating edge over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad that has generated the most controversy in the race hasn ’ t aired on television at all .
The 45-second spot from the Alliance to Combat Extremism , a nonprofit founded by a Democratic operative who previously worked at The Israel Project , ran on Facebook last week and rehashed a controversy over Plame linking to a white supremacist website that alleged Jewish involvement in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks .
Plame has apologized for sharing the links .

Former CIA agent Valerie Plame, nationally famous among liberals, is in a tight race for a U.S. House seat representing New Mexico. Chad Buchanan via Getty Images
Former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s run for a Congressional seat in northern New Mexico had all the ingredients for Democratic success in the Trump era: Fame from a GOP administration’s persecution, a woman with a national security background and a viral campaign video to entice small-dollar donors.
But by the time Plame’s launch video — which featured her driving a sports car backward while recounting how the George W. Bush administration had ended her career as an undercover agent, racking up 1.9 million views — went viral in September 2019, one of her opponents had already started lining up the support that would turn the battle for the Democratic nomination for New Mexico’s 3rd congressional district into a neck-and-neck race.
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Teresa Leger Fernandez, a longtime in-state activist, lawyer and lobbyist, had locked down the endorsement of EMILY’s List, the the powerful group backing Democratic women, a month earlier. And Leger Fernandez would soon consolidate even more support, and use it to highlight her roots in this diverse and solidly Democratic district.
As the June 2 primary nears, a once-crowded contest has narrowed down to Leger Fernandez and Plame, according to Democratic operatives tracking the race, pitting Plame’s fundraising prowess, national security experience and celebrity in liberal circles against Leger Fernandez’s longtime local ties, history of work on progressive issues and support from a host of D.C.-based outside groups eager to elect a Latina to Congress. The race is a vivid display of how, even in the most nationalized era in modern political history, some districts can still require a local touch.
“I have lived through the Bush-Cheney machine and came out the other side, and I want to be able to take that searing life experience and put it to good use for my community,” Plame said in a phone interview. “I have this national name recognition now, but it’s not something I wanted or I asked for. And if I can use that to focus on issues that I care about passionately, that’s OK. To use a cliche, I want to make lemonade out of lemons.”
But Leger Fernandez argues Plame ― who has lived in Santa Fe for more than a decade ― doesn’t understand the district in the same way she does. The daughter of a local state senator, Leger Fernandez has worked for years with the Native American tribes in the region, building rural health centers and affordable housing, and boasts of speaking “perfect New Mexican Spanish.”
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“Valerie Plame has her own attributes, but she doesn’t have her own understanding of the district. And that’s what I bring to the table,” Leger Fernandez said. “I understand the district intimately, not because it’s campaign stop, but because it’s my life’s work.”
Since Leger Fernandez won the Democratic convention in the district with 42% of the votes in March, operatives tracking the race have believed she held a slight lead over Plame. A poll released Tuesday, paid for by EMILY’s List and conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs, seems to confirm that: It showed Leger Fernandez leading Plame 33% to 24%, with the remaining candidates all in single digits. The survey of 661 voters, conducted last week, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
Outside interventions from groups like EMILY’s List have helped shape the race, mostly to the benefit of Leger Fernandez, who has benefited from television ads backing her from BOLD PAC ― the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus ― and from other groups that don’t have to disclose their donors.
But a digital ad that began running earlier this week attacking Plame for tweeting links to an anti-Semitic website has shaken up the contest, drawing condemnation from seemingly everyone involved in the race. The Alliance to Combat Extremism, a little-known nonprofit that does not disclose its donors, paid for the ad, which features Plame’s pupils replaced by spinning swastikas and alleges she is a white supremacist.
“It’s awful. It’s a terrible ad. They need to take it down,” said Rep. Deb Haaland (D), who represents an adjacent district centered around Albuquerque and is supporting Leger Fernandez.
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While there’s been little public polling of the race, the winner is effectively guaranteed a seat in Congress: Six-term Rep. Ben Ray Luján, a Democrat who left the seat open to run for Senate, won by 32 percentage points in 2018.
The sprawling district is roughly equal in size to New Jersey, and covers all of Northern New Mexico, including a slew of rural counties with major Hispanic populations; the ski town of Taos; the state capital of Santa Fe, where a combination of retirees and artists mean white progressives dominate local politics; Los Alamos, where federal research jobs have created one of the nation’s wealthiest communities; and in the west, the Navajo Nation reservation, where the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic have only exacerbated the long-standing abject poverty faced by the Native American population.
The primary electorate is almost certain to be majority-Hispanic, with white progressives making up the other key voting bloc in the district. While about one-fifth of the district’s population is Native American, the coronavirus is likely to drive the Native population’s already-low turnout rates even lower.
“The strongest candidate will be the one that can combine the Anglo liberal vote in Santa Fe with the Hispanic vote,” said former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), who was the first person to ever hold the district and won reelection seven times.
The divide between the candidates might be best illustrated by their fundraising bases: Plame’s fame in liberal circles ― the Bush administration leaked her identity to a conservative journalist after her then-husband, Amb. Joseph Wilson, questioned the intelligence used to justify the war in Iraq ― has helped her raise over $2 million. (Scooter Libby, a top aide to then-Vice President Dick Cheney, was eventually convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to the investigation. Trump pardoned Libby in 2018.)
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Leger Fernandez, meanwhile, has banked just under $1.3 million. But while Plame has raised the overwhelming majority ― roughly 89%, according to OpenSecrets ― of her money from out-of-state, Leger Fernandez has raised about two-thirds of her cash from New Mexicans.
With the candidates unable to engage in a typical schedule of parades, meet-and-greets and in-person forums, Plame has used her cash advantage to air more ads than the other candidates, often highlighting her CIA background. One shows her completing an obstacle course.
“We need her national security experience to fight the coronavirus,” her brother says as footage of Plame vaulting over obstacles and crawling under barbed wire appears on-screen.
Plame also argues her political celebrity could help her bring back federal cash to a state with the 47th-highest median income in the country. “I’ll get my phone calls returned,” she said. “I know how Washington works and how it doesn’t work.”
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In a state where Hispanics and Native Americans often trace their ancestry back hundreds of years ― Haaland said she was a 35th-generation New Mexican ― Leger Fernandez, the daughter of a state senator, hasn’t been shy about highlighting her status as a lifelong New Mexican.
“Like many, my family has been making tamales for generations,” Leger Fernandez says at the start of one ad. Another ad highlights her work as an Acequia commissioner, helping manage community-built irrigation systems critical to farming and ranching systems in the state.
At the same time, Leger Fernandez also has the endorsements of a slew of Democratic interest and advocacy groups, many of them eager to elect an additional Latina to Congress. The Sierra Club, the Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and End Citizens United have all endorsed Leger Fernandez. Support from these groups, and especially television ads form BOLD PAC, has kept Plame from gaining a dominating edge over Leger Fernandez on television.
But the ad that has generated the most controversy in the race hasn’t aired on television at all. The 45-second spot from the Alliance to Combat Extremism, a nonprofit founded by a Democratic operative who previously worked at The Israel Project, ran on Facebook last week and rehashed a controversy over Plame linking to a white supremacist website that alleged Jewish involvement in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Plame has apologized for sharing the links.
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“It’s vile. It’s disgusting,” Plame said of the spot. Of allegations she was anti-Semitic, Plame responded: “They’re completely false, and I’ve addressed them multiple times in multiple forums.”
Ian Sugar, the group’s executive director, declined to be interviewed. “We decided to become involved because Valerie Plame poses a real unique threat — combining bigotry with celebrity,” he wrote in an email. “Moving forward in accordance with our mission, we may become involved in other races where extremist candidates traffic in bigotry, intolerance, and hate.” (Facebook’s ad archive indicates the group has also run ads criticizing Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.)
The ad, which Facebook removed over the weekend, has frustrated allies of Leger Fernandez, who believe the over-the-top nature of the ad made it more difficult to effectively attack Plame on the issue. Last week, a top official at BOLD PAC appeared to signal to outside groups to attack Plame on the topic.
It is important & urgent that voters across NM-03 see that a commitment to inclusion & multiculturalism is part of New Mexico's history and way of life. Valerie Plame sees it differently & has proven she lacks the judgement to stand up for New Mexico's most fundamental values. — GiselAceves (@GiselAceves) May 20, 2020
Leger Fernandez took a careful approach. She called the ad “extremely offensive and sexist,” but said it was fair to question Plame about her past anti-Semitic comments.
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“I think the press and others have the right to ask her about that, and to raise those issues in a way that is respectable,” Leger Fernandez said.


huffpost--2020-05-27--This Homeless Choir From San Diego Strikes Gold On 'America's Got Talent'

A passion for music led D-Rock to join the Voices of Our City Choir , an organized singing group for @ @ @ @ @ the last few years , Voices of Our City has metamorphosed into a lifeline for @ @ @ @ @ to the homeless .
What once was a stem peeking out between a sidewalk crack @ @ @ @ @ flower garden of love and inspiration .
Getting To The Show On Time She Always @ @ @ @ @ Think about how we ’ ve all been in quarantine , ” Johnson says .
@ @ @ @ @ is instructed to stay home — but you don ’ t have a home .
@ @ @ @ @ to homelessness .
If it ’ s possible , it makes you feel even more @ @ @ @ @ triggering .
It feels bleak .
It ’ s like you matter even less .
@

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Before coronavirus forced the country into quarantine, Derek Williams was “outdoors.” He’s part of a group of people experiencing homelessness who sometimes sleep in Balboa Park, a lush tourist area near downtown San Diego.
Williams has a scruffy, graying beard. He favors a beige fedora. The 55-year-old University of Southern California alumnus shelters in a camping tent he sometimes shares with an ex-girlfriend. There’s a twinkle in his blue eyes when he talks about singing to entertain friends who also live on the street. His showmanship has earned him the nicknames “DJ Derek” and “D-Rock.”
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A passion for music led D-Rock to join the Voices of Our City Choir, an organized singing group for local homeless folks. Over the last few years, Voices of Our City has metamorphosed into a lifeline for the disenfranchised, offering hope to the homeless. What once was a stem peeking out between a sidewalk crack has been tended into a flower garden of love and inspiration.
D-Rock and the rest of the choir got to share their skills with millions of viewers Tuesday night on the premiere of “America’s Got Talent,” NBC’s talent-show smorgasbord and ratings juggernaut, hosted by actor Terry Crews.
The Voices Of Our City Choir with "America's Got Talent" host Terry Crews Rob Thorsen
And Voices of Our City’s “AGT” audition was a huge hit. The 2,500-person audience went berserk, standing and cheering wildly. Onstage and off, there were tears of happiness and joy and incredulity. Sure, “AGT” audiences are known for over-the-top applause. But the choir won the show’s coveted Golden Buzzer — complete with a shower of gold glitter — an award that grants the group automatic advancement to the show’s semifinal rounds.
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Getting To The Show On Time
On a pre-pandemic March 7, D-Rock rises and shines early at his tent. He needs time to get to downtown San Diego’s East Village. That’s where a charter bus is waiting to take 50 choir members to audition for “America’s Got Talent.”
This year’s celebrity judges are TV personality Simon Cowell, comedian Howie Mandel and model/actors Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara.
“Once I get on that bus, I know this is for real,” D-Rock says. “I had been telling people it was going to happen, but I’m not sure if I’d believed it myself.”
Derek "D-Rock" Williams with a piece of the golden glitter from the "America's Got Talent" audition. Ron Donoho
The two-and-a-half-hour drive to Pasadena was like a magic carpet ride.
“Insane” is how Steph Johnson describes the vibe inside the “AGT” charter bus.
“Everybody is singing and cheering for each other — it’s total excitement,” says Johnson, a talented singer, songwriter and guitarist. She’s the founder, creative director and executive director of the 250-member Voices of Our City Choir, which recently became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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Johnson is the last one to board the bus. Often, she drives the choir to gigs in a much smaller Dodge van. On this day, she’s a passenger and is enjoying the ride.
“I take a seat on the back of the bus next to our board president and tell her I’m going to cry,” Johnson says. “She looks at me and goes, ‘That’s OK. I’ve already cried five times.’”
The Birth Of A Homeless Choir
In a country with more than half a million unsheltered residents, the city and county of San Diego ranked fifth on the list of regions with the highest number of people experiencing homelessness.
Two years ago, Sean DiMarius was sleeping in the Alpha Project’s 325-bed Temporary Bridge Shelter. He noticed a flyer about the choir meeting in the Living Water Church of the Nazarene. His interest was piqued, but he demurred.
“I saw it was in a church, and I said no,” recalls the 40-year-old man, who identifies himself as transgender. He wears a Superman baseball cap over a short crop of red-dyed hair. “I didn’t want to hear no God talk, telling me God gonna make everything better while I’m sleeping on the street.”
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By chance, DiMarius later met Johnson at a community event. Among a multitude of honors, Johnson was named 2020 Woman of the Year by San Diego assembly member Todd Gloria. Her own jazz album, “So in Love,” is due out this summer.
Sean DiMarius Ron Donoho
“I see and hear this wonderful lady playing music,” DiMarius says. “And it was like she’d come to get me.”
Armed with her 100-watt smile, Johnson gave DiMarius a choir songbook. Nobody smiles like that at everybody, he thought to himself. Shortly after, DiMarius showed up for a Friday choir practice.
“Everybody starts hugging me,” he says. “I’m like, ‘Is this a cult?’ But, no, it’s not a cult. It’s a group of people that care about each other.”
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Ricky Infante Ron Donoho
Ricky Infante agrees. The 25-year-old self-identified transgender woman has been on and off the streets since running away from home as a teen to escape physical and verbal abuse. She almost never misses a choir practice.
“When I’m feeling negative, I can take in the ambiance of the choir and feel better,” Infante says shyly. “It’s filled with so much love and authenticity.”
Johnson held the first official choir practice in 2016. It included a half dozen people, including Mark Sheetz. Homeless then and now, he’s sheltering during the pandemic with 1,200 others in the convention-less San Diego Convention Center.
Mark Sheetz Ron Donoho
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“I had a feeling this choir could be something,” Sheetz, 57, says in a gravelly voice. “I guess I never thought it would get on ‘America’s Got Talent’ or that I’d meet Terry Crews.”
John Brady is one of 60-plus choir members who found housing through services run by Voices of Our City. He is now a paid staffer and an advocate on several San Diego boards. He also advises the mayor and the city council on homelessness issues.
Brady was desperate and suicidal following a brutal hate crime and was living right outside the Living Waters Church when he first met Johnson. “I had a background in stage, lighting [and] audio,” he says. “I offered to set up the sound system in the church, and Steph roped me in.”
She Always Says ‘Yes’
Johnson and the choir are on a journey that’s likely to hit warp speed following the group’s national TV appearance on “AGT.”
In the last few years, Voices of Our City’s profile has risen. The choir is the subject of a Susan Polis Schutz documentary that aired nationally on PBS. The group sang “Amazing Grace” with the San Diego Symphony. And it performed at the historic Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on a bill with Jason Mraz and original members of The Doors.
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How did the group get here? It wasn’t easy. The road was bumpy. Johnson points to one primary factor that moved the needle. When opportunities arose, she always said, “Yes.”
Steph Johnson, founder of the Voices of Our City Choir Taylor Guitars
“If anybody reads about us or sees us on TV and is moved, they should come away with one idea,” Johnson says — smiling, of course. “It’s that one person really can make a difference.”
Not because that one individual has to carry the full burden or save the world.
“One person will attract another person and another,” Johnson says. “Pretty soon you have a mission. If your true intention is to create a solution for a societal problem, then it’s going to be a positive.”
Johnson and the choir co-wrote an original song for the “AGT” audition, “Sounds of the Sidewalk,” about the homeless experience. The upbeat collaboration includes a spoken-word solo by 62-year-old Patricia Gaines.
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Homeless off and on for most of her life, Gaines uses a wheeled walker to get around. Soft-spoken and polite, she’s the epitome of that kindly lady who passes you the peace during church service.
It’s jarring when she quietly says that, if she wasn’t singing with the choir, she’d probably be out drunk somewhere.
Patricia Gaines Ron Donoho
“The choir is a blessing that drew me away from alcoholism,” Gaines says. “Not only that, it inspires me to write down what I’m feeling. Before, I kept those feelings on the inside. And drowned them with alcohol and drugs. Now, I let them out. And it matters to somebody.”
Apparently, her words matter to Simon Cowell.
“I’d seen Simon on TV before,” Gaines says. “And now, here I am shaking Simon’s hand. And he looks me in the eye and says, ‘I appreciate what you write. I appreciate what you done.’ This is Simon telling me this.”
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Gaines’ solo on “Sounds of the Sidewalk” is about a bygone vision of her mother leaving the kids for an evening.
“She wore high heels and a nice dress, … and I would watch her going out … to do whatever it was,” Gaines recalls. “She was beautiful, and she had a rhythm. And she always told us, ‘Everything gonna be all right.’”
The Power Of Music
At the nucleus of the choir’s soul-tugging message: the power of music.
“Singing is a metaphor for having a voice,” Johnson says. “It feels good to open up and say what you want to say. Art is a vital way for people to rediscover their worth. And it has a ripple effect.”
Steph Johnson with Patricia Gaines of the Voices of Our City Choir Trae Patton/NBC
She hopes the “AGT” exposure helps in some way to melt away the barriers separating people from those who live just outside their own safe walls.
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“Think about how we’ve all been in quarantine,” Johnson says. “Imagine the whole world is instructed to stay home — but you don’t have a home. That adds an extra heaviness to homelessness. If it’s possible, it makes you feel even more alone. The isolation is triggering. It feels bleak. It’s like you matter even less.”
The choir will be back on TV later this summer. Rest assured, whether it’s a Christmas concert, a corporate gig or a highly produced TV talent show, Voices of Our City has the mojo to profoundly move an audience.
“It’s a cosmic and totally spiritual experience,” Johnson says. “Audiences don’t expect the choir to be brilliant. But our music hits on a deeply emotional level. It moves people, and it has a heavy impact.”
Now living in a single room occupancy hotel, D-Rock carries an “AGT” memento in his wallet — a rectangular piece of golden glitter that flitted into his mouth during the Golden Buzzer hoopla.