newyorkpost--2020-06-21--NYPD cop suspended for caught-on-camera chokehold in Queens

An NYPD officer was suspended on Sunday just hours after he was caught on cellphone footage appearing to put a suspect in an illegal chokehold during an arrest in Queens .
The cop was one of four involved in the arrest of a black man Sunday morning on the Rockaway boulevard , according to video of the incident circulating on social media .
The encounter took place days after the New York City Council made it a criminal offense for cops to use chokeholds .
“ After a swift investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau , a police officer involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Queens has been suspended without pay , ” Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a statement Sunday evening .
“ While a full investigation is still underway , there is no question in my mind that this immediate action is necessary , ” Shea added .
“ We are committed to transparency as this process continues.
” Shea did not name the suspended officer in his statement .
Video circulating on social media earlier on Sunday showed four officers pressing a man in a D ’ Angelo Russell Nets jersey to the ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 29-second clip shows one of the cops with his arm around the man ’ s neck , as three other officers attempt to handcuff him .
“ Yo stop choking him bro !
” someone off-screen yells , as the man on the ground goes limp .
Another person can be heard saying : “ Look , he ’ s out .
Look officer , he ’ s out , ” as one of the cops tells him to “ back off.
” But the cop only lets go of the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow officers taps him on the back , the footage shows .
The NYPD swiftly released more than 30 minutes of body-camera footage from the incident , showing the man and two others getting angry with the cops over an earlier encounter , not seen in the video .
Police sources said cops were flagged down on the boardwalk around 8:45 a.m. by people who said a man had been throwing objects at them and harassing them .
The man picked up a can from a garbage and threw it at the cops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
In the body-cam footage , the man is seen pulling something out of a trash can and then asking twice if the cops are scared before the officer wearing the camera rushes him .
The man was taken to a hospital to be treated for a laceration on his head , the source said , denying that the man was unconscious and adding that he had been able to walk to the police car .
His attorney , Lori Zeno , told The New York Times that her client did lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t immediately be reached Sunday night .
“ He was on such a hard chokehold that he couldn ’ t speak to say he couldn ’ t breathe , ” she told the Times .
Community advocate Anthony Beckford , who is running for the 45th New York City Council seat in 2021 , shared the clip on Twitter .
The cop performed “ an Illegal modern day lynching chokehold on a Black Man until he was unconscious , ” Beckford wrote .
“ I demand his immediate firing & criminal charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
# DefundThePolice , ” he added .
At least a dozen people protested the arrest in front of the 100th Precinct on Sunday afternoon , carrying “ Black Lives Matter ” signs , video posted on Twitter showed .
The New York City Council on Thursday passed legislation that made it a criminal offense for cops to use chokeholds .
The State Legislature also passed their own ban on chokeholds that result in serious injury or death .

An NYPD officer was suspended on Sunday just hours after he was caught on cellphone footage appearing to put a suspect in an illegal chokehold during an arrest in Queens.
The cop was one of four involved in the arrest of a black man Sunday morning on the Rockaway boardwalk, according to video of the incident circulating on social media.
The encounter took place days after the New York City Council made it a criminal offense for cops to use chokeholds.
“After a swift investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau, a police officer involved in a disturbing apparent chokehold incident in Queens has been suspended without pay,” Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a statement Sunday evening.
“While a full investigation is still underway, there is no question in my mind that this immediate action is necessary,” Shea added.
“We are committed to transparency as this process continues.”
Shea did not name the suspended officer in his statement. But the cop was identified from his shield number as David Afanador, using CAPstat, a database of federal lawsuits against NYPD officers maintained by the Legal Aid Society.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter Sunday night that “Today was the fastest I have EVER seen the NYPD act to discipline an officer.”
“Within hours: Immediate suspension, body camera footage released, discipline process initiated. This is how it needs to be.”
“And the officer who intervened to stop his colleague did exactly the right thing,” De Blasio added. “I commend him. That is what we need to see from all our officers.”
Video circulating on social media earlier on Sunday showed four officers pressing a man in a D’Angelo Russell Nets jersey to the ground on the boardwalk in Far Rockaway.
The 29-second clip shows one of the cops, identified as Afanador, with his arm around the man’s neck, as three other officers attempt to handcuff him.
“Yo stop choking him bro!” someone off-screen yells, as the man on the ground goes limp.
Another person can be heard saying: “Look, he’s out. Look officer, he’s out,” as one of the cops tells him to “back off.”
But the cop only lets go of the man’s neck after one of his fellow officers taps him on the back, the footage shows.
The NYPD swiftly released more than 30 minutes of body-camera footage from the incident, showing the man and two others getting angry with the cops over an earlier encounter, not seen in the video.
Police sources said cops were flagged down on the boardwalk around 8:45 a.m. by people who said a man had been throwing objects at them and harassing them.
The man picked up a can from a garbage and threw it at the cops when they approached him, the source said.
In the body-cam footage, the man is seen pulling something out of a trash can and then asking twice if the cops are scared before the officer wearing the camera rushes him.
Afanador can be heard explaining to a female bystander that the man is known to have a mental illness and saying “they’re all obviously intoxicated” about the trio.
“They were all talking all types of crazy stuff to us. We did nothing. I don’t care. Anybody can say whatever they want to us,” he told the woman. “What changed everything is when he grabbed something and squared off, and was gonna hit my officer who’s standing over there.”
“That’s when everything changed,” he continued. “The minute I saw him flex on him, that’s when he goes down, cause we don’t get hurt and we’re not gonna leave somebody violent out here who might do that to one of you or another innocent person.”
The man was taken to a hospital to be treated for a laceration on his head, the source said, denying that the man was unconscious and adding that he had been able to walk to the police car. He can be seen in the body-cam footage speaking following the arrest, telling the cops that he is bipolar and getting on them about arresting him on Father’s Day, saying he has a daughter in Haiti.
Lori Zeno, the executive director of Queens Defenders, which is representing the man, 35-year-old Ricky Bellevue told The New York Times that he did lose consciousness during the arrest. Zeno didn’t return a call from The Post on Sunday night.
“He was on such a hard chokehold that he couldn’t speak to say he couldn’t breathe,” she told the Times.
Community advocate Anthony Beckford, who is running for the 45th New York City Council seat in 2021, shared the clip on Twitter.
The cop performed “an Illegal modern day lynching chokehold on a Black Man until he was unconscious,” Beckford wrote.
“I demand his immediate firing & criminal charges for breaking the city & state ban. #DefundThePolice,” he added.
At least a dozen people protested the arrest in front of the 100th Precinct on Sunday afternoon, carrying “Black Lives Matter” signs, video posted on Twitter showed.
The New York City Council on Thursday passed legislation that made it a criminal offense for cops to use chokeholds. The State Legislature also passed their own ban on chokeholds that result in serious injury or death.
Afanador and another cop, Tyrone Isaac, were accused of beating 16-year-old Kaheem Tribble during a 2014 drug bust. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun found both officers not guilty following a week-long, non-jury trial in November 2016.


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--‘Defund NASCAR’ banner with Confederate flag flies over Talladega

Some NASCAR fans have their answer for the organization banning Confederate flags from its events : “ Defund NASCAR.
” That was the message flown in a banner next to a Confederate flag Sunday by a plane above the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama , the site of the Geico 500 , which was postponed by thunderstorms until Monday .
It was set to be the first race that allowed fans in since NASCAR announced its ban on Confederate flags on June 10 because of its association with slavery and racism .
NASCAR did not say how it would enforce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lined the street outside the speedway waving the flags , according to reports , and they were present next to Trump 2020 banners and an American flag at Ed Sugg ’ s merchandise tent .
“ They ’ re doing very well , ” Sugg , a Helena , Alabama , resident , told the Associated Press .
“ People are disappointed that NASCAR has taken that stance .
It ’ s been around for as long as all of us have been .
I don ’ t think anybody really connects it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s just a Southern thing .
It ’ s transparent .
It ’ s just a heritage thing.
” Others in attendance supported the ban .
“ I don ’ t think there ’ s a place for it in NASCAR , to be honest with you , ” 32-year-old David Radvansky told the AP .
“ That doesn ’ t sit well with all the good ol ’ boys , but it is what it is.
” NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace , the circuit ’ s only black full-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Confederate flags removed from the sport in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of police in Minneapolis and the ensuing protests against racial injustice and police brutality .

Some NASCAR fans have their answer for the organization banning Confederate flags from its events: “Defund NASCAR.”
That was the message flown in a banner next to a Confederate flag Sunday by a plane above the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, the site of the Geico 500, which was postponed by thunderstorms until Monday.
It was set to be the first race that allowed fans in since NASCAR announced its ban on Confederate flags on June 10 because of its association with slavery and racism. NASCAR did not say how it would enforce the new policy.
On Sunday, cars lined the street outside the speedway waving the flags, according to reports, and they were present next to Trump 2020 banners and an American flag at Ed Sugg’s merchandise tent.
“They’re doing very well,” Sugg, a Helena, Alabama, resident, told the Associated Press. “People are disappointed that NASCAR has taken that stance. It’s been around for as long as all of us have been. I don’t think anybody really connects it to any kind of racism or anything. It’s just a Southern thing. It’s transparent. It’s just a heritage thing.”
Others in attendance supported the ban.
“I don’t think there’s a place for it in NASCAR, to be honest with you,” 32-year-old David Radvansky told the AP. “That doesn’t sit well with all the good ol’ boys, but it is what it is.”
NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, the circuit’s only black full-time driver, led the charge to have the Confederate flags removed from the sport in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police in Minneapolis and the ensuing protests against racial injustice and police brutality.


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--Max Tuerk, former NFL lineman, dead at 26

Max Tuerk , the former NFL offensive lineman and USC standout , has died at 26 , the Trojans announced @ @ @ @ @ death was not disclosed by the college , though he website 247Sports reported Tuerk had @ @ @ @ @ was a third-round draft pick by the Chargers in 2016 but never played a regular-season @ @ @ @ @ He was suspended the first four games of the 2017 season for violating the league @ @ @ @ @ substances .
Tuerk eventually was waived by the Chargers and signed with the Cardinals in @ @ @ @ @ one game for Arizona before being cut a year later .
The Trabuco Canyon , @ @ @ @ @ games for USC and played every position along the program ’ s offensive line .
@ @ @ @ @ 6-foot-5 , 285-pounds , was a First-Team All-Pac-12 selection during his junior season .

LOS ANGELES — Max Tuerk, an All-America offensive lineman at Southern California who was drafted by the Chargers, has died. He was 26.
Tuerk’s family said he died Saturday while hiking with his parents on a favorite trail in Cleveland National Forest north of San Diego. No details were provided.
“Max loved his teammates, coaches and schools,” the family said in a statement. “Max was a loving son and older brother and his passing leaves a giant hole in our hearts.”
Tuerk played for the Trojans from 2012 to 2015. He was a freshman All-American and an All-Pac-12 first-team selection in 2014. As a three-year starter, he played under three head coaches — Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian and Clay Helton.
“Heartbroken by the loss of Max Tuerk,” Helton tweeted. “Incredible person, teammate, and Trojan. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”
The Chargers selected Tuerk in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft, but a knee injury during his senior year affected his progress. Despite making the Chargers’ roster, he was inactive all season.
Before his second season, Tuerk was suspended four games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He said he tested positive after taking over-the-counter supplements.
After being released by the Chargers, he was signed by the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 and played one game before being cut in 2018.
Tuerk, who was from Trabuco Canyon, California, played football at Santa Margarita Catholic High, where he helped the school win a state title in 2011.


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--‘Words are violence’ is the slogan of tyranny

Eventually , they came for Bon Appétit , as we always knew ...

We’re in the dawn of a high-tech, bloodless Cultural Revolution, one that relies on intimidation, public shaming and economic ruin to dictate what words and ideas are permissible in the public square.
“Words are violence” is an illiberal notion meant to stifle speech. Popularized by a generation of coddled college kids, it now guides the editorial pages of major newspapers. New York Times staffers, for example, had a meltdown over a Sen. Cotton op-ed calling for deploying the military into cities. The column, they said, put black lives in “danger.”
None of the Times’ editors, who routinely run fabulist apologias for Communist tyrannies, pushed back against the caustic notion that engaging in debate was an act of violence. They bowed to the internal mob and pleaded for forgiveness. What editor at a major newspaper is going to stand up for ideals of open and free debate if doing so means putting “black lives in danger” and ends his career? Few, if any.
The Times has been cleansed of reactionary elements. The paper is in the hands of The People. Others will follow.
You may also have noticed another progressive slogan gaining circulation these days: “Silence is violence.” It’s no longer enough to renounce wrong-think in the op-ed pages of the local paper. Now you must also actively champion woke progressive positions — or you, too, are tacitly engaged in violence and racism.
This is a neat trick: To speak out in the wrong way is violence. Not to speak out is violence. Not to speak out in the way progressives dictate is violence. This is why your apolitical local lawn-care company is sending out e-mails promising to dedicate itself to Black Lives Matter; no one wants to be accused of harboring counterrevolutionary sympathies.
That doesn’t leave much room for dissent, does it? Anyone in the public square who doesn’t conform — save those who work for conservative op-ed pages or political journals, perhaps — risks being humiliated and ruined.
Social media have finally given our illiberal activists tools to ferret out suspicious characters and drag them in front of the digital tribunal. By my count, there have been around a dozen struggle sessions for crimes against Black Lives Matter or related issues since last week.
“Dee Nguyen has been fired from MTV sports reality show, ‘The Challenge,’ after making insensitive comments about the Black Lives Matter movement,” reads one story.
Sacramento Kings play-by-play announcer Grant Napear, who’s been calling games since 1988, was forced to resign after saying the words “all lives matter.”
Christene Barberich, an editor at a women’s media outlet, was pushed out for alleged “racist aggressions” (even the wording of the accusations has a mildly Marxist flavor). Bon Appetit editor Adam Rapoport was booted for the same, but only after “insensitive” photos of him wearing a costume emerged.
In not one of these cases, as far as I can tell, did friends and co-workers rise to defend those whose careers may have been ruined over a bad joke, errant comment or stupid costume. No, they participate in the ritual shaming along with everyone else.
And while these struggle sessions are primarily about public humiliation and intimidation, they are also ostensibly about self-criticism. Hoping to salvage his future, for example, Rapoport has confessed that he had “not championed an inclusive vision” — and who can blame him?
By the time you read this, Saints quarterback Drew Brees will probably be on his 10th round of ritual public self-flagellation — his wife having already apologized, as well — for saying the words: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America.”
Without an apology, we’re told, Brees would have been unable to work with teammates who are offended, because there is no room for dissent on this issue. Brees promises to “listen.” Brees implores all of America to “listen.” “Listen” is a euphemism for groupthink.
Of course, everyone should genuinely listen. They should hear out Tom Cotton, too. Black Lives Matter is a group that is not only home to an inspirational sentiment and good people, but also various hard-left groups and sentiments that some of us reject. It shouldn’t get a dispensation from the rules every other movement lives by. In a free and healthy nation, no issue should be above criticism or debate.
We once called that liberalism.


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--Emmanuel Acho making major noise after ESPN exit

You ask , we answer .
The Post is fielding questions from ...

It is unusual that a 29-year-old sports media personality is about to start a big new job, and there is already speculation about what could be next.
Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho said he’ll pass on being the next Michael Strahan, but maybe Oprah 2.0. It really doesn’t matter to him because he doesn’t believe in limiting himself with goals.
“I think I will be what hasn’t been,” Acho told The Post.
Acho, who played mostly for the Eagles, recently left ESPN to sign with Fox Sports. At ESPN, he was somewhat on the rise, appearing on college football coverage and “Get Up,” but was still down on the depth chart.
Since the protests over the death of George Floyd in police custody, Acho has taped three YouTube videos titled “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” that have been viewed nearly 40 million times.
They have landed him on CBS’ “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” with future guest spots on the other late night programs on the horizon.
On Wednesday, he will start his new job, replacing Jason Whitlock as Marcellus Wiley’s co-host on FS1’s “Speak For Yourself.”
“I lean into my skill-set,” Acho said. “I was 6-[foot]-2, 240 pounds so I played football. I am good with my words, so I said, ‘Let’s try broadcasting out.’
“After doing it for a year or two, I realized I want to be the best on television that has ever been seen on television. People would always say to me: Do you want to be like Michael Strahan? And my response would always be, ‘I want to be like someone who hasn’t been seen yet.’ ”
In 2012, Acho had graduated from Texas with a sports management degree when the Browns took Acho in the sixth round. During his four-year playing career, he added a master’s degree in sports psychology from Texas.
He started the mobile series about race with no aspirations. The first was a well-received monologue. Then, Matthew McConaughey reached out to be on the second edition.
After Chip Gaines retweeted an episode, Acho contacted Gaines and had the “Fixer Upper” family on.
“Sports is a career for me, and I’m very good at it,” said Acho, whose brother Sam also has played in the NFL. “Bridging the racial divide in our society is what appears to be a calling, as well, for me. I think that both are incredibly important. The world needs sports because the world needs entertainment. The world, at times, needs to forget about its pain, its sorrow, its anguish, its struggles.
“At the same time, we need more than just a Band-Aid. We need a long lasting solution. So the series came about because I realized there is a great divide between my black brethren and my white brethren.
“By growing up in white culture in an all-white private school [Dallas’ St. Mark’s] predominantly, playing in the NFL and being fully fluent in black culture, I realized I can bridge the gap between my white and my black brothers, and I guess after 37 million views across three episodes it has been very well received.”
ESPN wanted Acho to stay, but didn’t have a prime spot for him. There were some discussions about pairing him with Will Cain on ESPN Radio’s forthcoming new weekday lineup, but that never really went anywhere.
Acho originally was going to be on FS1’s morning program, “First Things First.”
“It was difficult because it was a big decision,” Acho said of choosing between ESPN and Fox. “But Fox is just so different. They actually … we are on the record, so let me be polite. Fox values their talent in a way that other networks don’t. Fox treats and esteems their talent in a way that other networks don’t. I know what I can bring to the table. I know my skill-set. The world is starting to see my ability. Fox just noticed the fastest how good I am capable of being.”
Charlie Dixon, FS1’s executive vice president, spotted Acho’s ability before his recent star turn. After a meeting and follow-up phone call with him, Dixon was sold.
“I think sports will be bedrock of what he will do in his career, but I don’t think there is a limitation nor a direct model that he will follow,” Dixon said.
When Whitlock left, Dixon slid Acho into “Speak for Yourself.”
On June 10, it was officially announced that Acho would join the show, which was exactly four years to the day since he tried out for a then just-starting “Speak For Yourself.”
“I wasn’t ready,” Acho said.
Acho said he has no interest in getting into politics, but he thinks he is going to bring “Speak For Yourself” to a new level.
“I honestly think it is going to be amazing,” Acho said. “The world will see.”
And after that?
“I don’t know [what is next], maybe to be Oprah,” Acho said.


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--How COVID-19 killed the office and other commentary

The concept of telecommuting has been around since the 1970s , Rory Sutherland notes at Spectator USA , yet it wasn ’ t until “ a plague descended ” that it “ escaped the limbo between invention and implementation.
” As recently as last year , only about 5 percent of British adults worked primarily from home .
Fast-forward to the post-COVID age , and “ half of employed adults are now working from home .
And to almost everyone ’ s surprise , it works.
” Stuffing thousands of workers into tall glass buildings now seems plain silly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has revealed that a large part of the busy-ness of business was driven by the need to signal commitment ( presentee-ism ) , rather than the creation of value.
” Good riddance , then , to the “ worthless bustle ” and “ stressful commutes ” of office life !
Oxford ’ s “ glorious ” High Street , longtime resident Peter Hitchens writes at First Things , features a “ rather ugly graven image of the businessman , politician and philanthropist Cecil Rhodes , ” a figure long associated with British imperialism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now facing calls to have his statue removed .
Rhodes is only one of many embronzed historic figures “ being investigated , to see if they in some way celebrate a wicked past , ” among them Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln at Westminster .
No doubts these men “ did things that we might now think of as bad.
” But removing their images from the public square serves only a “ cheap simulation of virtue , which comes from damning sins we have no mind to , while committing the ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently indicted Atlanta ex-cop Garrett Rolfe on 11 charges , including felony murder , in the recent shooting death of Rayshard Brooks .
Yet it ’ s “ hard to square those charges ” with the complex facts , argues The Wall Street Journal ’ s editorial board .
After failing a Breathalyzer , Brooks “ wrestled with Officer Rolfe and the other officer on the scene , grabbed that officer ’ s taser and punched Officer Rolfe.
” Then he ran away ; Rolfe gave chase , firing three rounds after Brooks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backwards at Officer Rolfe.
” No , Brooks didn ’ t deserve to die , but “ the situation was moving fast , and Officer Rolfe may not have known ” the taser was empty .
The danger : Prosecutorial overkill could mean “ officers will take fewer risks in harm ’ s way , ” knowing “ prosecutors will assume the worst about any altercation.
” Iconoclast : All of Us Appease China ’ s Xi Among the bombshells in former National Security Adviser John Bolton ’ s new memoir , The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ is what the president is alleged to have said about China : namely , that he is indifferent to the fate of as many as 1 million Uighurs Muslims living in concentration camps there.
” If he indeed made it , the president ’ s remark is gross .
But far worse is that we Americans “ are addicted to the endless supply of plastic junk and to the Chinese slave labor that makes it possible.
” And “ we do not especially mind if our military hardware and pharmaceuticals and technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totalitarian regime as wicked as the ones we spent the better part of the last century fighting.
” Thus , if Trump “ told Xi Jinping to go ahead and do what he had to do , ” the sad truth is that the president “ was speaking on our behalf.
” The latest polls show President Trump far trailing Joe Biden , but “ polls are not an accurate gauge for predicting the November election outcome , ” warns Joshua Sandman at The Hill .
“ After all , if all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2016 election was correct , Hillary Clinton would be president.
” Pollsters especially and consistently underestimate the president ’ s populist message , which remains his “ enduring strength ” and has him solidly securing his base among the working class — a story “ general poll numbers do not ” fully account for .
Mere Trump fatigue and cascading crises , moreover , aren ’ t guaranteed to propel Biden across the Electoral College finish line .
Bottom line : “ It is an eternity until November .
By then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could very well be a bleak outlook for Biden .
”

Culture critic: How COVID Killed the Office
The concept of telecommuting has been around since the 1970s, Rory Sutherland notes at Spectator USA, yet it wasn’t until “a plague descended” that it “escaped the limbo between invention and implementation.” As recently as last year, only about 5 percent of British adults worked primarily from home. Fast-forward to the post-COVID age, and “half of employed adults are now working from home. And to almost everyone’s surprise, it works.” Stuffing thousands of workers into tall glass buildings now seems plain silly, and more than that, “lockdown has revealed that a large part of the busy-ness of business was driven by the need to signal commitment (presentee-ism), rather than the creation of value.” Good riddance, then, to the “worthless bustle” and “stressful commutes” of office life!
Foreign desk: Britain’s False PC Virtue
Oxford’s “glorious” High Street, longtime resident Peter Hitchens writes at First Things, features a “rather ugly graven image of the businessman, politician and philanthropist Cecil Rhodes,” a figure long associated with British imperialism — and, for that reason, now facing calls to have his statue removed. Rhodes is only one of many embronzed historic figures “being investigated, to see if they in some way celebrate a wicked past,” among them Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln at Westminster. No doubts these men “did things that we might now think of as bad.” But removing their images from the public square serves only a “cheap simulation of virtue, which comes from damning sins we have no mind to, while committing the ones we are inclined to.”
Urban beat: Atlanta’s Prosecutorial Overkill
Local prosecutors recently indicted Atlanta ex-cop Garrett Rolfe on 11 charges, including felony murder, in the recent shooting death of Rayshard Brooks. Yet it’s “hard to square those charges” with the complex facts, argues The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board. After failing a Breathalyzer, Brooks “wrestled with Officer Rolfe and the other officer on the scene, grabbed that officer’s taser and punched Officer Rolfe.” Then he ran away; Rolfe gave chase, firing three rounds after Brooks “fired [the stolen taser] backwards at Officer Rolfe.” No, Brooks didn’t deserve to die, but “the situation was moving fast, and Officer Rolfe may not have known” the taser was empty. The danger: Prosecutorial overkill could mean “officers will take fewer risks in harm’s way,” knowing “prosecutors will assume the worst about any altercation.”
Iconoclast: All of Us Appease China’s Xi
Among the bombshells in former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s new memoir, The Week’s Matthew Walther reports, “is what the president is alleged to have said about China: namely, that he is indifferent to the fate of as many as 1 million Uighurs Muslims living in concentration camps there.” If he indeed made it, the president’s remark is gross. But far worse is that we Americans “are addicted to the endless supply of plastic junk and to the Chinese slave labor that makes it possible.” And “we do not especially mind if our military hardware and pharmaceuticals and technology infrastructure are sold to us by a totalitarian regime as wicked as the ones we spent the better part of the last century fighting.” Thus, if Trump “told Xi Jinping to go ahead and do what he had to do,” the sad truth is that the president “was speaking on our behalf.”
2020 watch: Don’t Dismiss Trump’s Chances
The latest polls show President Trump far trailing Joe Biden, but “polls are not an accurate gauge for predicting the November election outcome,” warns Joshua Sandman at The Hill. “After all, if all the polling data up to the day of the 2016 election was correct, Hillary Clinton would be president.” Pollsters especially and consistently underestimate the president’s populist message, which remains his “enduring strength” and has him solidly securing his base among the working class — a story “general poll numbers do not” fully account for. Mere Trump fatigue and cascading crises, moreover, aren’t guaranteed to propel Biden across the Electoral College finish line. Bottom line: “It is an eternity until November. By then, today’s bleak outlook for Trump could very well be a bleak outlook for Biden.”
— Compiled by Sohrab Ahmari


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Perry Mason’ On HBO, Where Matthew Rhys Plays The Famous TV Lawyer As A Downt

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Perry Mason’ On HBO, Where Matthew Rhys Plays The Famous TV Lawyer As A Downtrodden ‘30s Gumshoe

The reboot of Perry Mason has had an interesting history .
When this HBO version was first announced four years ago , True Detective EP Nic Pizzolatto was slated to write it and Robert Downey , Jr. was set to play the title role .
But that went by the wayside ; not only have different writers been brought in but Downey also bowed out , replaced by Matthew Rhys .
Will this new version make you long for watching the old Raymond Burr version or can it stand on its own ?
PERRY MASON : STREAM IT OR SKIP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walks down a dark Los Angeles street , with a baby wrapped in a blanket in his arms .
He ’ s walking towards the Angels Flight Railway .
The Gist : The person holding the baby isn ’ t the baby ’ s father .
He places the baby on the trolley and calls the baby ’ s parents , Matthew and Emily Dodson ( Nate Corddry and Gayle Rankin ) , telling them where he is in exchange for a $ 100,000 ransom , which is a huge amount of money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the train car , though , they find their baby is dead , his eyes sewn open .
Meanwhile , private investigator Perry Mason ( Matthew Rhys ) and his sometimes partner Pete Strickland ( Shea Whigham ) are staking out a rather rotund film comedy star whose studio hired Mason to see if he ’ s violating the morals clause in his contract .
The pair follow the star in Mason ’ s rickety milk truck — he lives on his family ’ s mostly defunct dairy farm — and Mason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the studio ’ s best young starlet .
After he takes pictures , the rotund star chases after the truck , completely naked .
He comes back to the farm , where one of his two emaciated cows have drifted into the airport that ’ s being built around his farm .
The airport ’ s owner , Lupe ( Veronica Falcón ) , keeps wanting to buy Mason out , but he refuses .
Instead she goes to his house and screws him so hard he falls between his twin bed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back from retrieving the cow , he sees Elias Birchard “ E.B.
” Jonathan ( John Lithgow ) in his living room .
E.B .
often hired Mason to investigate cases he takes on , but he hasn ’ t called on Mason in awhile .
But now he has a big one : The Dodson case , which he received through a powerful connection in an evangelical church , Herman Baggerly ( Robert Patrick ) .
Mason and E.B .
goes to meet Baggerly with E.B.
’ s assistant Della Street ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baggerly that he wouldn ’ t trust the LAPD to investigate this case properly .
His concerns are confirmed when the LAPD detectives on the case , Holcomb ( Eric Lange ) and Ennis ( Andrew Howard ) , start pointing at Matthew Dodson as the culprit .
Mason isn ’ t so sure , and he especially doesn ’ t think so after he talks to Emily Dodson in private .
And he especially doesn ’ t think so after talking to people in and around the Angels Flight stations , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of him when Mason stumbles upon their stakeout spot .
To further his investigation , he pays his morgue source to give him access to the baby ’ s body in order for him to snip the thread used to sew his eyes open .
With the studio case , he tries to leverage the pictures of the starlet to wheedle more money out of the studio .
But instead of more money , the studio invites them to their New Year ’ s Eve party so the head of the studio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , give him the $ 200 they agreed to ( “ Minus $ 199 for all the bullshit , ” the studio head says ) and burn his pistol muzzle into his chest for good measure .
We then not only see there might be some unexpected connections to the case , but a drunken Mason sees something in his files that he never noticed before .
Our Take : It ’ s been said that this Perry Mason series hews closer to the character created by Erle Stanley Gardner in his pulp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played by Aaron Burr in the 1957-66 CBS series and the TV movies in the ’ 80s and ’ 90s .
But that ’ s not entirely accurate ; the series , written by Rollin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald , is not only set in Depression-era L.A. , but Mason is a downtrodden P.I .
instead of an attorney .
And , while there are some familiar names in the first episode , any resemblance to Raymond Burr ’ s Perry Mason is completely coincidental .
Once you get that out of your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Perry Mason is a fascinating show on a lot of levels .
The style of the show isn ’ t neo-noir , it ’ s pure noir , if there is such a term .
The visuals are dark , the themes are dark , and the characters are dark .
And it seems that there could be no one better to play this version of Perry Mason than Rhys .
Rhys has proven , through his Emmy-winning role as Phillip Jennings in The Americans , that he can convey multiple layers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the downtrodden Mason is right in his wheelhouse .
He ’ s especially powerful when he ’ s on the phone with his ex-wife , drunkenly begging her to put his son on the phone , even though it ’ s after midnight on New Year ’ s Day .
There ’ s pain in his life , from his broken family to failing at maintaining his parents ’ farm to the way he was dishonorably discharged from the military during World War I.
It ’ s such a great fit that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jr. ( who is an EP along with his wife Susan ) was originally supposed to play Mason , when the series was going to be written by Nic Pizzolatto .
As great as Downey is , we just can ’ t see him playing this version of Mason as well as Rhys can .
Rhys has been surrounded by a fantastic cast ; fellow Emmy winner Lithgow is his usual avuncular but forceful presence , and we ’ ve yet to see the show ’ s third Emmy winner , Tatiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nun who has a almost cult-like following at Baggerly ’ s church .
But a cast full of Emmy winners is nothing without a good story , and Mason ’ s background is also buttressed by a good mystery .
It may seem like a standard whodunit at first , but as we get to the end of the episode , we realize that there are a lot more threads to the Dodson case .
Why were the Dodsons , a very middle-class couple , being extorted for so much money ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see this case through ?
And why are the cops so eager to pin this on Matthew Dodson ?
And how does the studio case that Mason is following tie in — or is it just another thing that makes Mason into such a sad figure ?
All of this will be interesting to follow , but Rhys ’ performance is what got us on board to begin with .
Sex and Skin : We see the rough sex between Lupe and Mason , and the food-based oral sex Mason observes during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lays out his Dodson case files on his floor , looks at the thread he snipped from the body , and a picture of a turtle sculpture he shot in the boy ’ s room .
“ He liked turtles , ” he mutters , repeating something the boy ’ s mom told him .
Sleeper Star : In any version of Perry Mason , the role of Della Street has always been a thankless one , and Juliet Rylance does the most with it , keeping Mason in his place and contributing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical .
We wonder how big her involvement will be as the series goes on .
Most Pilot-y Line : Nothing , really .
Our Call : STREAM IT .
Matthew Rhys ’ powerful performance is the main reason to watch this reboot of Perry Mason , but the mystery is intriguing enough to justify watching all of the show ’ s fine performances .
Joel Keller ( @ joelkeller ) writes about food , entertainment , parenting and tech , but he doesn ’ t kid himself : he ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the New York Times , Slate , Salon , VanityFair.com , Playboy.com , Fast Company.com , RollingStone.com , Billboard and elsewhere .

The reboot of Perry Mason has had an interesting history. When this HBO version was first announced four years ago, True Detective EP Nic Pizzolatto was slated to write it and Robert Downey, Jr. was set to play the title role. But that went by the wayside; not only have different writers been brought in but Downey also bowed out, replaced by Matthew Rhys. Will this new version make you long for watching the old Raymond Burr version or can it stand on its own?
PERRY MASON: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Opening Shot: A man walks down a dark Los Angeles street, with a baby wrapped in a blanket in his arms. He’s walking towards the Angels Flight Railway.
The Gist: The person holding the baby isn’t the baby’s father. He places the baby on the trolley and calls the baby’s parents, Matthew and Emily Dodson (Nate Corddry and Gayle Rankin), telling them where he is in exchange for a $100,000 ransom, which is a huge amount of money in 1931. When the Dodsons go into the train car, though, they find their baby is dead, his eyes sewn open.
Meanwhile, private investigator Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys) and his sometimes partner Pete Strickland (Shea Whigham) are staking out a rather rotund film comedy star whose studio hired Mason to see if he’s violating the morals clause in his contract. The pair follow the star in Mason’s rickety milk truck — he lives on his family’s mostly defunct dairy farm — and Mason finds him eating food off the crotch of the studio’s best young starlet. After he takes pictures, the rotund star chases after the truck, completely naked.
He comes back to the farm, where one of his two emaciated cows have drifted into the airport that’s being built around his farm. The airport’s owner, Lupe (Veronica Falcón), keeps wanting to buy Mason out, but he refuses. Instead she goes to his house and screws him so hard he falls between his twin bed and the wall.
When Mason gets back from retrieving the cow, he sees Elias Birchard “E.B.” Jonathan (John Lithgow) in his living room. E.B. often hired Mason to investigate cases he takes on, but he hasn’t called on Mason in awhile. But now he has a big one: The Dodson case, which he received through a powerful connection in an evangelical church, Herman Baggerly (Robert Patrick). Mason and E.B. goes to meet Baggerly with E.B.’s assistant Della Street (Juliet Rylance); Mason forthrightly tells Baggerly that he wouldn’t trust the LAPD to investigate this case properly.
His concerns are confirmed when the LAPD detectives on the case, Holcomb (Eric Lange) and Ennis (Andrew Howard), start pointing at Matthew Dodson as the culprit. Mason isn’t so sure, and he especially doesn’t think so after he talks to Emily Dodson in private. And he especially doesn’t think so after talking to people in and around the Angels Flight stations, and after the detective nearly beat the crap out of him when Mason stumbles upon their stakeout spot. To further his investigation, he pays his morgue source to give him access to the baby’s body in order for him to snip the thread used to sew his eyes open.
With the studio case, he tries to leverage the pictures of the starlet to wheedle more money out of the studio. But instead of more money, the studio invites them to their New Year’s Eve party so the head of the studio can bring him to an empty soundstage, give him the $200 they agreed to (“Minus $199 for all the bullshit,” the studio head says) and burn his pistol muzzle into his chest for good measure.
We then not only see there might be some unexpected connections to the case, but a drunken Mason sees something in his files that he never noticed before.
Our Take: It’s been said that this Perry Mason series hews closer to the character created by Erle Stanley Gardner in his pulp fiction novels than the attorney most famously played by Raymond Burr in the 1957-66 CBS series and the TV movies in the ’80s and ’90s. But that’s not entirely accurate; the series, written by Rollin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald, is not only set in Depression-era L.A., but Mason is a downtrodden P.I. instead of an attorney. And, while there are some familiar names in the first episode, any resemblance to Raymond Burr’s Perry Mason is completely coincidental.
Once you get that out of your mind, though, the current iteration of Perry Mason is a fascinating show on a lot of levels. The style of the show isn’t neo-noir, it’s pure noir, if there is such a term. The visuals are dark, the themes are dark, and the characters are dark. And it seems that there could be no one better to play this version of Perry Mason than Rhys.
Rhys has proven, through his Emmy-winning role as Phillip Jennings in The Americans, that he can convey multiple layers of pathos just through his face, and the downtrodden Mason is right in his wheelhouse. He’s especially powerful when he’s on the phone with his ex-wife, drunkenly begging her to put his son on the phone, even though it’s after midnight on New Year’s Day. There’s pain in his life, from his broken family to failing at maintaining his parents’ farm to the way he was dishonorably discharged from the military during World War I.
It’s such a great fit that it seems almost remarkable that Robert Downey, Jr. (who is an EP along with his wife Susan) was originally supposed to play Mason, when the series was going to be written by Nic Pizzolatto. As great as Downey is, we just can’t see him playing this version of Mason as well as Rhys can.
Rhys has been surrounded by a fantastic cast; fellow Emmy winner Lithgow is his usual avuncular but forceful presence, and we’ve yet to see the show’s third Emmy winner, Tatiana Maslany, who plays Sister Alice, a nun who has a almost cult-like following at Baggerly’s church.
But a cast full of Emmy winners is nothing without a good story, and Mason’s background is also buttressed by a good mystery. It may seem like a standard whodunit at first, but as we get to the end of the episode, we realize that there are a lot more threads to the Dodson case. Why were the Dodsons, a very middle-class couple, being extorted for so much money? What’s Baggerly’s incentive to see this case through? And why are the cops so eager to pin this on Matthew Dodson? And how does the studio case that Mason is following tie in — or is it just another thing that makes Mason into such a sad figure?
All of this will be interesting to follow, but Rhys’ performance is what got us on board to begin with.
Sex and Skin: We see the rough sex between Lupe and Mason, and the food-based oral sex Mason observes during his stakeout.
Parting Shot: Mason lays out his Dodson case files on his floor, looks at the thread he snipped from the body, and a picture of a turtle sculpture he shot in the boy’s room. “He liked turtles,” he mutters, repeating something the boy’s mom told him.
Sleeper Star: In any version of Perry Mason, the role of Della Street has always been a thankless one, and Juliet Rylance does the most with it, keeping Mason in his place and contributing information to the case that’s critical. We wonder how big her involvement will be as the series goes on.
Most Pilot-y Line: Nothing, really.
Our Call: STREAM IT. Matthew Rhys’ powerful performance is the main reason to watch this reboot of Perry Mason, but the mystery is intriguing enough to justify watching all of the show’s fine performances.
Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, VanityFair.com, Playboy.com, Fast Company.com, RollingStone.com, Billboard and elsewhere.
Stream Perry Mason On HBO Go
Stream Perry Mason On HBO Max


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--The ‘cancel’ crew will come for you someday soon

A moral panic is sweeping the nation .
How we react to the pitchfork hordes will determine the fate of our country for a generation or longer .
We call what the hordes do to our fellow citizens “ cancel culture , ” but the term is far too cute to capture the cruel , mindless and life-destroying process taking place all around us in the name of “ fighting racism.
” The tendency has been with us for some time , but the current , extra-crazed moment has accelerated its malignant energies : Locked in for months due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more enraged and at war with itself than ever before .
Then the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis took the ideological madness to the next level .
The great majority of Americans agreed that Floyd ’ s death was horrific and that the police officers responsible for it must be held to account .
But that sane consensus wasn ’ t enough , as far as the cancel left was concerned : Enemies had to be found and eradicated .
And if there weren ’ t enough racist enemies , then more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prominent conservatives , as I have pointed out in these pages , can rarely be canceled .
A Sen. Tom Cotton might express an opinion deemed utterly verboten , but the left can ’ t drum him out of public life or destroy him .
But all other Americans — including those with small or nonexistent public profiles — are vulnerable .
It ’ s a chilling development : We can ’ t cancel a Cotton or a Ben Shapiro , so let ’ s cancel citizens who might dare to share similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted with Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy .
Gundy wore a T-shirt featuring the logo of TV station called One America News .
OAN has a variety of personalities presenting a variety of opinions , generally right of center .
When the swarm came after Gundy , he folded , saying he was sorry for the “ pain and discomfort ” he had caused .
No one pointed to any particular opinion promoted by an OAN host that was beyond the bounds of discourse .
We can ’ t shut down OAN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its viewers .
Being an unknown private citizen won ’ t save you .
In one of the strangest pieces in the history of journalism , The Washington Post outed a left-leaning woman , who isn ’ t a public figure , for attending a Halloween party two years ago in black face .
That she was making fun of Megyn Kelly ( who had been accused of making light of minstrelsy ) didn ’ t save this woman from ritual shaming in a major newspaper ; her employer summarily fired her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizen apparently escaped the Post ’ s writers and editors .
In fact , there is a good chance they saw themselves rendering a public service .
You don ’ t even have to have committed the offense to be fired .
LA Galaxy midfielder Aleksandar Katai was released from his contract over his wife ’ s social-media posts .
Somehow in America in 2020 , if the actions of one spouse reflect poorly on the other , he can lose his job .
In Atlanta , the stepmother of one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brooks was fired from her human-resources job , by her account simply because of her family link to the officer .
Communist regimes the world over similarly punish guilt by family association .
To fight this moral panic , ordinary people will have to be brave , and we all need to show solidarity : People will have to stand up for their friends when they ’ re in danger of being swarmed , companies will have to stand up for their employees and the rest of us will have to speak out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a tough ask in a still-shaky economy and with a deadly virus still menacing the elderly and infirm .
It ’ s easier to bend the knee than to withstand the slings and arrows that inevitably attend refusing to do so .
But it ’ s something we must do to return to sanity and be a cohesive country again .
Courage is not just helping others — it ’ s helping yourself , too : Are you sure the mobs won ’ t come for you ?

A moral panic is sweeping the nation. How we react to the pitchfork hordes will determine the fate of our country for a generation or longer.
We call what the hordes do to our fellow citizens “cancel culture,” but the term is far too cute to capture the cruel, mindless and life-destroying process taking place all around us in the name of “fighting racism.”
The tendency has been with us for some time, but the current, extra-crazed moment has accelerated its malignant energies: Locked in for months due to COVID-19, we re-emerged into a society more enraged and at war with itself than ever before.
Then the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis took the ideological madness to the next level. The great majority of Americans agreed that Floyd’s death was horrific and that the police officers responsible for it must be held to account. But that sane consensus wasn’t enough, as far as the cancel left was concerned: Enemies had to be found and eradicated.
And if there weren’t enough racist enemies, then more of them had to be invented.
Prominent conservatives, as I have pointed out in these pages, can rarely be canceled. A Sen. Tom Cotton might express an opinion deemed utterly verboten, but the left can’t drum him out of public life or destroy him.
But all other Americans — including those with small or nonexistent public profiles — are vulnerable. It’s a chilling development: We can’t cancel a Cotton or a Ben Shapiro, so let’s cancel citizens who might dare to share similar opinions.
That’s what was attempted with Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy. Gundy wore a T-shirt featuring the logo of a TV station called One America News. OAN has a variety of personalities presenting a variety of opinions, generally right of center.
When the swarm came after Gundy, he folded, saying he was sorry for the “pain and discomfort” he had caused.
No one pointed to any particular opinion promoted by an OAN host that was beyond the bounds of discourse. We can’t shut down OAN, so let’s go after its viewers.
Being an unknown private citizen won’t save you. In one of the strangest pieces in the history of journalism, the Washington Post outed a left-leaning woman, who isn’t a public figure, for attending a Halloween party two years ago in blackface. That she was making fun of Megyn Kelly (who had been accused of making light of minstrelsy) didn’t save this woman from ritual shaming in a major newspaper; her employer summarily fired her.
The sheer viciousness of ruining a private citizen apparently escaped the Post’s writers and editors. In fact, there is a good chance they saw themselves rendering a public service.
You don’t even have to have committed the offense to be fired. LA Galaxy midfielder Aleksandar Katai was released from his contract over his wife’s social media posts. Somehow in America in 2020, if the actions of one spouse reflect poorly on the other, he can lose his job.
In Atlanta, the stepmother of one of the cops involved in the shooting of Rayshard Brooks was fired from her human resources job, by her account simply because of her family link to the officer. Communist regimes the world over similarly punish guilt by family association.
To fight this moral panic, ordinary people will have to be brave, and we all need to show solidarity: People will have to stand up for their friends when they’re in danger of being swarmed, companies will have to stand up for their employees and the rest of us will have to speak out for all of them.
It’s a tough ask in a still-shaky economy and with a deadly virus still menacing the elderly and infirm. It’s easier to bend the knee than to withstand the slings and arrows that inevitably attend refusing to do so. But it’s something we must do to return to sanity and be a cohesive country again. Courage is not just helping others — it’s helping yourself, too: Are you sure the mobs won’t come for you?
Twitter: @Karol


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--Can’t replace policing with social services that don’t do what they’re supposed to

Black Lives Matter and other activists are calling on cities across the nation to # DefundthePolice .
So what would they have us replace law enforcement with ?
Many are calling for diverting resources from police to social-service systems , including mental-health care .
The problem is that these arguments studiously ignore the dysfunctional state of the systems we have .
Indeed , it ’ s because of chronic policy failure in areas such as mental health that the police and other public-safety agencies so often find themselves dealing with problems that shouldn ’ t be their responsibility .
Consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31-year-old homeless New Yorker with a serious mental illness , who has been arrested a whopping 103 times over the last 15 years .
This month , he allegedly shoved to the ground a 92-year-old woman near the corner of Third Avenue and East 16th Street in Manhattan .
Surveillance video of the incident shows her striking her head against a fire hydrant and Brimmage proceeding along without even breaking his stride .
The alleged assault was random and completely unprovoked .
Would more spending on mental health have kept Brimmage out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put “ in a state where [ she ’ s ] fearful to walk the streets alone , ” as The Post has reported ?
Probably not .
We know this , because we tried it , via Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s high-profile ThriveNYC initiative and other equally expensive and misbegotten programs in the Big Apple .
If states and cities are “ laboratories of democracy , ” New York should be seen as an experiment in whether vast spending on social services fixes social problems .
The budgets of Gotham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hygiene and the New York state Office of Mental Health are the envy of social workers in poorer red states .
And yet the results are utterly underwhelming .
Even if they haven ’ t been assaulted by the mentally ill , many Gothamites have shared subway cars with symptomatic street people and grown inured to headline-grabbing atrocities .
Before Brimmage , there was Randy Santos , the perp behind the Chinatown stabbing spree last fall .
Before Santos , there was David Aleer-Chol , a mentally ill homeless man busted in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital after assaulting him near Bryant Park with a bike lock .
And then there was Marcus Gomez , a resident of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center arrested on charges that he repeatedly stabbed his grandmother ’ s home-health aide the same year .
The data back up New Yorkers ’ impressions of a broken mental-health system .
As of last year , about 17 percent of the city ’ s jail inmates have a serious mental illness , as do more than 13,000 of the homeless .
Both metrics have been on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2015 , Hizzoner ’ s Thrive initiative has faced withering criticism for its lack of accountability and opacity .
Its core flaw , though , is its neglect of cases like Brimmage .
The program dedicates only a token share of its $ 222 million annual budget to the seriously mentally ill , instead focusing mainly on problems such as mild depression and anxiety .
Even after a recent reboot , Thrive is expected to dedicate about a quarter of its budget to serious mental illness .
Shoveling more money into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amounts to a call for “ revenue before reform.
” Progressives might as well cut the police budget and send taxpayers a rebate .
Helping the hardest cases always takes more than money .
In the case of mental health , the hardest cases are found largely in shelters and jails and on the streets .
That ’ s where we should target our resources , using interventions targeted to the seriously mentally ill. People with mild depression and anxiety don ’ t need court-ordered treatment programs , such as Kendra ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But people with schizophrenia sometimes do .
Advocates believe that stripping funds from the police and transferring them to social services takes an enlightened , “ upstream ” approach to policymaking .
But that same prevention-oriented rationale justified ThriveNYC ’ s focus on mild mental illness instead of serious mental illness .
Far too often , going upstream to prevent social problems isn ’ t enlightened — but simply an excuse to dodge responsibility for our most pressing social challenges .
# DefundthePolice would have us hamstring a vital public service — only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already gorged with taxpayer cash .

Black Lives Matter and other activists are calling on cities across the nation to #DefundthePolice. So what would they have us replace law enforcement with? Many are calling for diverting resources from police to social-service systems, including mental-health care.
The problem is that these arguments studiously ignore the dysfunctional state of the systems we have. Indeed, it’s because of chronic policy failure in areas such as mental health that the police and other public-safety agencies so often find themselves dealing with problems that shouldn’t be their responsibility.
Consider the case of Rashid Brimmage, a 31-year-old homeless New Yorker with a serious mental illness, who has been arrested a whopping 103 times over the last 15 years.
This month, he allegedly shoved to the ground a 92-year-old woman near the corner of Third Avenue and East 16th Street in Manhattan. Surveillance video of the incident shows her striking her head against a fire hydrant and Brimmage proceeding along without even breaking his stride. The alleged assault was random and completely unprovoked.
Would more spending on mental health have kept Brimmage out of jail and his victim from having been put “in a state where [she’s] fearful to walk the streets alone,” as The Post has reported?
Probably not. We know this, because we tried it, via Mayor Bill de Blasio’s high-profile ThriveNYC initiative and other equally expensive and misbegotten programs in the Big Apple.
If states and cities are “laboratories of democracy,” New York should be seen as an experiment in whether vast spending on social services fixes social problems. The budgets of Gotham’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the New York state Office of Mental Health are the envy of social workers in poorer red states. And yet the results are utterly underwhelming.
Even if they haven’t been assaulted by the mentally ill, many Gothamites have shared subway cars with symptomatic street people and grown inured to headline-grabbing atrocities. Before Brimmage, there was Randy Santos, the perp behind the Chinatown stabbing spree last fall.
Before Santos, there was David Aleer-Chol, a mentally ill homeless man busted in 2018 for sending a senior citizen to the hospital after assaulting him near Bryant Park with a bike lock. And then there was Marcus Gomez, a resident of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center arrested on charges that he repeatedly stabbed his grandmother’s home-health aide the same year.
The data back up New Yorkers’ impressions of a broken mental-health system. As of last year, about 17 percent of the city’s jail inmates have a serious mental illness, as do more than 13,000 of the homeless. Both metrics have been on the rise during the ThriveNYC era.
Launched in 2015, Hizzoner’s Thrive initiative has faced withering criticism for its lack of accountability and opacity. Its core flaw, though, is its neglect of cases like Brimmage.
The program dedicates only a token share of its $222 million annual budget to the seriously mentally ill, instead focusing mainly on problems such as mild depression and anxiety. Even after a recent reboot, Thrive is expected to dedicate about a quarter of its budget to serious mental illness.
Shoveling more money into the mental-health system without addressing its manifold deficiencies amounts to a call for “revenue before reform.” Progressives might as well cut the police budget and send taxpayers a rebate.
Helping the hardest cases always takes more than money.
In the case of mental health, the hardest cases are found largely in shelters and jails and on the streets. That’s where we should target our resources, using interventions targeted to the seriously mentally ill. People with mild depression and anxiety don’t need court-ordered treatment programs, such as Kendra’s Law, and inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. But people with schizophrenia sometimes do.
Advocates believe that stripping funds from the police and transferring them to social services takes an enlightened, “upstream” approach to policymaking. But that same prevention-oriented rationale justified ThriveNYC’s focus on mild mental illness instead of serious mental illness. Far too often, going upstream to prevent social problems isn’t enlightened — but simply an excuse to dodge responsibility for our most pressing social challenges.
#DefundthePolice would have us hamstring a vital public service — only to swell the budgets of failed programs already gorged with taxpayer cash.
Stephen Eide is a Manhattan Institute senior fellow and a City Journal contributing editor.


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--DOE to probe Staten Island assistant principal for racially charged Facebook post

The city says it ’ s launching a probe into a Staten Island assistant principal after a racially charged screed against people who wear $ 200 sneakers while living on public assistance was posted to her Facebook page , The Post has learned .
New Dorp High School assistant principal Deborah Morse-Cunningham will be investigated for the racially charged comment that appeared on her social media account , asking “ what is privilege ?
” “ Privilege is wearing $ 200 sneakers when you ’ ve never had a job .
Privilege is wearing $ 300 Beats headphones while living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post , which has since been removed .
“ Privilege is living in public subsidized housing where you don ’ t have a water bill , where rising property taxes and rents and energy costs have absolutely no effect on the amount of food you can put on your table , ” it adds .
A “ concerned parent ” saw the post and started an online petition to have Morse-Cunningham removed from her post , where , according to city records , she makes more than $ 130,000 a year .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our youth , this is especially troubling and problematic rhetoric to say the least , ” the petition reads , calling the statement “ anti-black.
” “ This leads me to question what kind of practices she ’ s instilled in the culture at New Dorp High School , and what kind of environment our children are learning in , especially Black youth , ” it adds .
The school ’ s minority enrollment is 49 percent , but 60 percent of its students are economically disadvantaged , according to U.S. News and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York City DOE said the post was reported for investigation .
“ The DOE stands against racism and schools must be safe and inclusive learning environments , ” press secretary Miranda Barbot said .
“ Teachers and staff have a responsibility to uphold those values , and the principal reported this incident for investigation , ” Barbot added .
A woman who answered a call placed to a number listed as Morse-Cunningham ’ s said she didn ’ t know her .

The city says it’s launching a probe into a Staten Island assistant principal after a racially charged screed against people who wear $200 sneakers while living on public assistance was posted to her Facebook page, The Post has learned.
New Dorp High School assistant principal Deborah Morse-Cunningham will be investigated for the racially charged comment that appeared on her social media account, asking “what is privilege?”
“Privilege is wearing $200 sneakers when you’ve never had a job. Privilege is wearing $300 Beats headphones while living on public assistance,” read the post, which has since been removed.
“Privilege is living in public subsidized housing where you don’t have a water bill, where rising property taxes and rents and energy costs have absolutely no effect on the amount of food you can put on your table,” it adds.
A “concerned parent” saw the post and started an online petition to have Morse-Cunningham removed from her post, where, according to city records, she makes more than $130,000 a year.
“As someone responsible for the tutelage of our youth, this is especially troubling and problematic rhetoric to say the least,” the petition reads, calling the statement “anti-black.”
“This leads me to question what kind of practices she’s instilled in the culture at New Dorp High School, and what kind of environment our children are learning in, especially Black youth,” it adds.
The school’s minority enrollment is 49 percent, but 60 percent of its students are economically disadvantaged, according to U.S. News and World Report.
In a statement, the New York City DOE said the post was reported for investigation.
“The DOE stands against racism and schools must be safe and inclusive learning environments,” press secretary Miranda Barbot said.
“Teachers and staff have a responsibility to uphold those values, and the principal reported this incident for investigation,” Barbot added.
A woman who answered a call placed to a number listed as Morse-Cunningham’s said she didn’t know her.


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--John Bolton Talks Trump, His New Book, and More in ABC News Interview — How to Watch

John Bolton is ready to unveil his explosive new book , The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir .
The former national security advisor will be sitting down tonight with ABC News ’ Martha Raddatz to explain his misgivings about the “ stunningly uninformed ” President Trump , as well as his push to release the tell-all book ahead of the 2020 election .
ABC has been teasing the John Bolton interview all week , and now , it ’ s finally time to let viewers in on the White House ’ s best-kept secrets .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Martha Raddatz ?
How can I watch the interview with John Bolton ?
Here ’ s everything you need to know about the John Bolton interview Sunday night .
WHEN IS THE JOHN BOLTON INTERVIEW ABC ?
WHAT CHANNEL IS THE MARTHA RADDATZ JOHN BOLTON INTERVIEW ON ?
John Bolton ’ s interview will air on ABC from 9-10 p.m .
ET .
To find the exact ABC channel number , head to your cable provider ’ s website .
HOW TO WATCH MARTHA RADDATZ ’ S INTERVIEW WITH JOHN BOLTON FREE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolton interview live stream can watch on ABC , online at ABC.com , or via the ABC app .
All you have to do is sign in with a participating TV provider and get streaming !
HOW ELSE CAN I FIND AN ABC LIVE STREAM FOR THE BOLTON INTERVIEW SUNDAY ?
If you don ’ t have a cable log-in , you can find an ABC live stream with an active subscription to Hulu + Live TV , AT & T TV NOW or YouTube TV .
All three services carry ABC live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
WHERE CAN I BUY JOHN BOLTON ’ S BOOK , THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED ?
Bolton ’ s book has yet to be released , but it ’ s already at the top of the pre-order charts .
The Room Where It Happened will hit the shelves on Tuesday , June 23 ; order it on Amazon .

John Bolton is ready to unveil his explosive new book, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir. The former national security advisor will be sitting down tonight with ABC News’ Martha Raddatz to explain his misgivings about the “stunningly uninformed” President Trump, as well as his push to release the tell-all book ahead of the 2020 election. ABC has been teasing the John Bolton interview all week, and now, it’s finally time to let viewers in on the White House’s best-kept secrets.
When is ABC’s John Bolton interview with Martha Raddatz? How can I watch the interview with John Bolton? Here’s everything you need to know about the John Bolton interview Sunday night.
WHEN IS THE JOHN BOLTON INTERVIEW ABC?
Bolton’s exclusive interview with Martha Raddatz airs tonight, Sunday, June 21, at 9/8c.
WHAT CHANNEL IS THE MARTHA RADDATZ JOHN BOLTON INTERVIEW ON?
John Bolton’s interview will air on ABC from 9-10 p.m. ET. To find the exact ABC channel number, head to your cable provider’s website.
HOW TO WATCH MARTHA RADDATZ’S INTERVIEW WITH JOHN BOLTON FREE ONLINE
Political junkies looking for a John Bolton interview live stream can watch on ABC, online at , or via the ABC app. All you have to do is sign in with a participating TV provider and get streaming!
HOW ELSE CAN I FIND AN ABC LIVE STREAM FOR THE BOLTON INTERVIEW SUNDAY?
If you don’t have a cable log-in, you can find an ABC live stream with an active subscription to Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV NOW or YouTube TV. All three services carry ABC live and offer free trials to new users.
WHERE CAN I BUY JOHN BOLTON’S BOOK, THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED?
Bolton’s book has yet to be released, but it’s already at the top of the pre-order charts. The Room Where It Happened will hit the shelves on Tuesday, June 23; order it on Amazon.


newyorkpost--2020-06-21--Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Lost Bullet’ on Netflix, a French Action Flick That’s Modestly Ludicrous

Netflix ’ s Lost Bullet ( or Balle Perdue in its native French ) is a chase flick with two-thirds of a story , and is probably all the better for it .
Don ’ t even think about calling it “ fast ” or “ furious ” — I know we ’ re all aching in our cockles that F9 was shuttled to 2021 due to the pandemic , and need a ludicrous car chase blasted into our veins ASAP .
Let it be known that Guillaume Pierret ’ s modest action movie isn ’ t a slick , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it boasts enough silly rigamarole to possibly satisfy our fix .
LOST BULLET : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT ?
The Gist : Lino ( Alban Lenoir ) just drove a car straight through a building and survived .
Neat !
Using a welding torch and lots of ingenuity , he took a Renault Clio roughly the size of a very large ant and transformed it into a supercharged battering ram .
His smash-and-grab robbery attempt worked too well — parked behind the smoldering wreckage of four solid concrete walls with Renault Clio-sized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his little brother Quentin ( Rod Paradot ) gets away and he ’ s nabbed by the cops .
Hanging in the prison yard one day , Lino is approached by a cop , Charas ( Ramzy Bedia ) , with a proposition : put your bazonkers mechanic skills to work for the good guys as part of a highly unconventional work-release program , and your sentence will be reduced .
He agrees .
And so the GO FAST BRIGADE is born , a group of living-on-the-edge law-enforcers skilled in the high-speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a BRIGADE , and the project is called GO FAST , because they ’ re apparently hardcore literalists .
Julia ( Stefi Celma ) is a skilled driver paired with Charas , and Areski ( Nicolas Duvauchelle ) and Marco ( Sebastien Lalanne ) are the brutal duo who smash their Lino-fortified prowler into some fleeing drugmongers , unconcerned if the perps perish or not .
An early twist involving this and that finds Lino framed for murder , and running , running , running to save his heinie and find the blocky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll clear his name ( the title of the movie is Lost Bullet , remember ) .
There ’ s a scene in which he reveals himself to be the second coming of Georges St. Pierre as he initiates a him-against-a-dozen-cops brawl in precinct 1 2 3 , and we realize his hoodie bears the logo of the PRIDE AND GLORY FIGHT CLUB .
So he ’ s not just a gifted wrench monkey , he ’ s a master of the way of the fist and foot or whatever , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sniff out corrupt cops , just in case there should be any of them in this plot .
I ’ m not saying ; no spoilers here .
What Movies Will It Remind You Of ?
: You ’ ll smell a little Ronin here and maybe an old Bruce Lee flick where he takes on way more guys than he can possibly handle but wins anyway there .
It also brings to mind a movie you forgot existed but I didn ’ t , The Last Stand , a Schwarzenegger comeback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects , sturdy direction and entertainment value .
And there ’ s a funny reveal in Lost Bullet that I won ’ t spoil — but I will say it ’ ll tickle your Mad Max erogenous zones .
Performance Worth Watching : He ’ s not asked to do much , but Lenoir gives Lino an earnest streak that makes us believe in the hint of a hair of a redemption story buried beneath the vroom-vroom-screech and fisticuffs here .
Memorable Dialogue : “ I need a magician .
And that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sums up Lino ’ s skills with no hyperbole whatsoever .
Sex and Skin : None .
TBWGHTTBOABVRTF : Too busy welding giant hooks to the bumper of a blocky vintage Renault to f— .
Our Take : Pierret immediately endears us to Lost Bullet by opting for practical effects over CGI , so those Fast/Furious comparisons are admittedly superficial , and fall apart quickly .
And let ’ s face it , this is a modestly budgeted picture that makes the most of its limitations , setting humble goals — hey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and meeting them for the most part .
It doesn ’ t dawdle , it involves us in the protagonist ’ s plight , it makes the bad guy convincingly loathsome , and it all works .
Is it at all plausible ?
Why would I ask such a question ?
To be an a-hole ?
Its relative far-fetchedness is one of its assets .
Sometimes , we sense Pierret biting off a crumb or two more than he can chew ; an early chase has a few hasty edits that later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As for the characters , well , a little development would be nice .
But the director shows significant skill , and adheres to his M.O .
— GO FAST , of course — with satisfying results .
Our Call : STREAM IT .
Keep your expectations modest , and Lost Bullet will scratch your itch for action .
John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids , Michigan .
Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter : @ johnserba .

Netflix’s Lost Bullet (or Balle Perdue in its native French) is a chase flick with two-thirds of a story, and is probably all the better for it. Don’t even think about calling it “fast” or “furious” — I know we’re all aching in our cockles that F9 was shuttled to 2021 due to the pandemic, and need a ludicrous car chase blasted into our veins ASAP. Let it be known that Guillaume Pierret’s modest action movie isn’t a slick, megabudgeted exercise in OTT convolution, but it boasts enough silly rigamarole to possibly satisfy our fix.
LOST BULLET: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
The Gist: Lino (Alban Lenoir) just drove a car straight through a building and survived. Neat! Using a welding torch and lots of ingenuity, he took a Renault Clio roughly the size of a very large ant and transformed it into a supercharged battering ram. His smash-and-grab robbery attempt worked too well — parked behind the smoldering wreckage of four solid concrete walls with Renault Clio-sized holes in them, his seatbelt jams, his little brother Quentin (Rod Paradot) gets away and he’s nabbed by the cops.
Hanging in the prison yard one day, Lino is approached by a cop, Charas (Ramzy Bedia), with a proposition: put your bazonkers mechanic skills to work for the good guys as part of a highly unconventional work-release program, and your sentence will be reduced. He agrees. And so the GO FAST BRIGADE is born, a group of living-on-the-edge law-enforcers skilled in the high-speed chase. Yes, they call themselves a BRIGADE, and the project is called GO FAST, because they’re apparently hardcore literalists. Julia (Stefi Celma) is a skilled driver paired with Charas, and Areski (Nicolas Duvauchelle) and Marco (Sebastien Lalanne) are the brutal duo who smash their Lino-fortified prowler into some fleeing drugmongers, unconcerned if the perps perish or not.
An early twist involving this and that finds Lino framed for murder, and running, running, running to save his heinie and find the blocky vintage Renault containing the forensic evidence that’ll clear his name (the title of the movie is Lost Bullet, remember). There’s a scene in which he reveals himself to be the second coming of Georges St. Pierre as he initiates a him-against-a-dozen-cops brawl in precinct 1 2 3, and we realize his hoodie bears the logo of the PRIDE AND GLORY FIGHT CLUB. So he’s not just a gifted wrench monkey, he’s a master of the way of the fist and foot or whatever, and he’s wily-brained enough to evade and sniff out corrupt cops, just in case there should be any of them in this plot. I’m not saying; no spoilers here.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: You’ll smell a little Ronin here and maybe an old Bruce Lee flick where he takes on way more guys than he can possibly handle but wins anyway there. It also brings to mind a movie you forgot existed but I didn’t, The Last Stand, a Schwarzenegger comeback picture that surprised me with its practical effects, sturdy direction and entertainment value. And there’s a funny reveal in Lost Bullet that I won’t spoil — but I will say it’ll tickle your Mad Max erogenous zones.
Performance Worth Watching: He’s not asked to do much, but Lenoir gives Lino an earnest streak that makes us believe in the hint of a hair of a redemption story buried beneath the vroom-vroom-screech and fisticuffs here.
Memorable Dialogue: “I need a magician. And that’s what he is.” — Charas sums up Lino’s skills with no hyperbole whatsoever.
Sex and Skin: None. TBWGHTTBOABVRTF: Too busy welding giant hooks to the bumper of a blocky vintage Renault to f—.
Our Take: Pierret immediately endears us to Lost Bullet by opting for practical effects over CGI, so those Fast/Furious comparisons are admittedly superficial, and fall apart quickly. And let’s face it, this is a modestly budgeted picture that makes the most of its limitations, setting humble goals — hey, be entertained for 90 minutes! — and meeting them for the most part. It doesn’t dawdle, it involves us in the protagonist’s plight, it makes the bad guy convincingly loathsome, and it all works.
Is it at all plausible? Why would I ask such a question? To be an a-hole? Its relative far-fetchedness is one of its assets. Sometimes, we sense Pierret biting off a crumb or two more than he can chew; an early chase has a few hasty edits that later, more smartly staged action sequences thankfully lack. As for the characters, well, a little development would be nice. But the director shows significant skill, and adheres to his M.O. — GO FAST, of course — with satisfying results.
Our Call: STREAM IT. Keep your expectations modest, and Lost Bullet will scratch your itch for action.
John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter: @johnserba.
Stream Lost Bullet on Netflix


newyorkpost--2020-06-22--New ‘Hamilton’ movie trailer is here to hype Disney+ launch

Do not throw away your shot because the “ Hamilton ” trailer is here .
Launching on Disney Plus on July 3 , the minute-long trailer shows off footage from Lin-Manuel Miranda ’ s Broadway musical .
The film features footage with the original cast , including Miranda , Leslie Odom Jr. , Daveed Diggs , Phillipa Soo , Renée Elise Goldsberry , Christopher Jackson , Anthony Ramos , Jonathon Groff , Okieriete Onaodowan and Jasmine Cephas Jones .
In the trailer , fans will surely recognize music from the iconic opening number “ Alexander Hamilton ” and Goldsberry ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with scenes from the show .
The rap-inspired musical about founding father Alexander Hamilton ’ s life was originally supposed to come to theaters on Oct. 15 , 2021 , but Disney moved up the release last month .
With most movie theaters still closed due to the coronavirus pandemic , the film is one of the few highly anticipated releases in an otherwise quiet past few months .
Disney paid $ 75 million for the rights to Miranda ’ s musical , a mighty fee for a show that premiered on Broadway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Awards , “ Hamilton ” had a record-setting 16 nominations and won 11 of them , including best musical .
It also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama that year .
This week , some “ Hamilton ” fans were dismayed to find out Disney Plus stopped offering free trials , less than three weeks before the musical is set to premiere .
However , the fairly new streaming platform has been a major success , pulling in 54.5 million subscribers at the beginning of May , just six months after it launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a big-screen version of “ Hamilton , ” but they remain a long way off .

Do not throw away your shot because the “Hamilton” trailer is here.
Launching on Disney Plus on July 3, the minute-long trailer shows off footage from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical. The film features footage with the original cast, including Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Christopher Jackson, Anthony Ramos, Jonathon Groff, Okieriete Onaodowan and Jasmine Cephas Jones.
In the trailer, fans will surely recognize music from the iconic opening number “Alexander Hamilton” and Goldsberry’s show-stopping song “Satisfied” interspersed with scenes from the show.
The rap-inspired musical about founding father Alexander Hamilton’s life was originally supposed to come to theaters on Oct. 15, 2021, but Disney moved up the release last month. With most movie theaters still closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the film is one of the few highly anticipated releases in an otherwise quiet past few months.
Disney paid $75 million for the rights to Miranda’s musical, a mighty fee for a show that premiered on Broadway in 2015. At the 2016 Tony Awards, “Hamilton” had a record-setting 16 nominations and won 11 of them, including best musical. It also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama that year.
This week, some “Hamilton” fans were dismayed to find out Disney Plus stopped offering free trials, less than three weeks before the musical is set to premiere. However, the fairly new streaming platform has been a major success, pulling in 54.5 million subscribers at the beginning of May, just six months after it launched worldwide.
There are still plans for a big-screen version of “Hamilton,” but they remain a long way off.


newyorkpost--2020-06-22--Justin Bieber calls sexual assault allegations ‘factually impossible’

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Justin Bieber slammed allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2014 as “ factually impossible ” — as he threatened legal action against her in a series of tweets .
The 26-year-old “ Sorry ” star responded at length on Twitter Sunday night , posting numerous photos , news links and receipts he claims prove he was with then-girlfriend Selena Gomez and nowhere near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to be clear .
There is no truth to this story , ” he said of the sexual abuse claims made online by a woman named Danielle .
“ I don ’ t normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight , ” Bieber wrote .
“ Rumors are rumors but sexual abuse is something I don ’ t take lightly.
” Danielle claims the pop star forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Four Seasons hotel in Austin , Texas on March 9 , 2014 , after he made a surprise appearance at the South by Southwest music festival .
“ What this person did not know was that I attended that show with my then gf Selena Gomez , ” Bieber wrote , although Danielle ’ s since-deleted claims mentioned Gomez repeatedly .
Bieber then produced receipts for an Airbnb he stayed at with Gomez — and not the Four Seasons — on the night of the alleged attack .
Other receipts show he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after his Four Seasons reservation got “ messed up.
” “ We have also confirmed with the Four Seasons regional manager that I was never on property on the 9th of March 2014 and never a guest on the 9th or the 10th and I welcome all press to inquire with them if needed or wanted , ” Bieber tweeted .
He also posted photos and news clippings from the night , which he says helps confirm his denials .
It all shows he and Selena “ were together that night and went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never went to the four seasons , ” he wrote .
“ Every claim of sexual abuse should be taken very seriously and this is why my response was needed , ” he wrote .
“ However this story is factually impossible and that is why I will be working with twitter and authorities to take legal action , ” he concluded .

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Justin Bieber slammed allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2014 as “factually impossible” — as he threatened legal action against her in a series of tweets.
The 26-year-old “Sorry” star responded at length on Twitter Sunday night, posting numerous photos, news links and receipts he claims prove he was with then-girlfriend Selena Gomez and nowhere near the alleged scene that night.
“I want to be clear. There is no truth to this story,” he said of the sexual abuse claims made online by a woman named Danielle.
“I don’t normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight,” Bieber wrote.
“Rumors are rumors but sexual abuse is something I don’t take lightly.”
Danielle claims the pop star forced himself on her in a room at the Four Seasons hotel in Austin, Texas, on March 9, 2014, after he made a surprise appearance at the South by Southwest music festival.
“What this person did not know was that I attended that show with my then gf Selena Gomez,” Bieber wrote, although Danielle’s since-deleted claims mentioned Gomez repeatedly.
Bieber then produced receipts for an Airbnb he stayed at with Gomez — and not the Four Seasons — on the night of the alleged attack.
Other receipts show he stayed at a Westin the following night after his Four Seasons reservation got “messed up.”
“We have also confirmed with the Four Seasons regional manager that I was never on property on the 9th of March 2014 and never a guest on the 9th or the 10th and I welcome all press to inquire with them if needed or wanted,” Bieber tweeted.
He also posted photos and news clippings from the night, which he says helps confirm his denials.
It all shows he and Gomez “were together that night and went from the venue to our Airbnb and never went to the four seasons,” he wrote.
“Every claim of sexual abuse should be taken very seriously and this is why my response was needed,” he wrote.
“However this story is factually impossible and that is why I will be working with twitter and authorities to take legal action,” he concluded.


newyorkpost--2020-06-22--How NYC’s hottest sex club is doing socially distanced orgies

As New York City emerges from lockdown and enters into Phase Two of reopening Monday , a Soho sex club is navigating how to get down and dirty while still staying squeaky clean and coronavirus-free .
In order for the members-only group called NSFW — which stands for the New Society For Wellness — to open their clubhouse doors again , they ’ ve rolled out an assortment of new rules and regulations that take the risk out of risqué , The Post has learned .
“ We had to figure out how to do this in the safest way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk or in danger , but can still enjoy themselves , ” says NSFW founder Daniel Saynt .
Indeed , earlier this month , the city issued some guidelines for group sex , including to do the deed in a well-ventilated area and keep alcohol-based sanitizer on hand .
So , Saynt — whose job title is “ chief conspirator ” of the club — drafted additional safety precautions himself including mandatory temperature-checks at the door , bringing a separate change of clean clothes in a plastic bag , wearing a mask ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gloves , using sanitation stations throughout the space , and of course , “ no new sex , ” which means you can ’ t hook up with anyone besides the partner you came with .
“ We have enough room to give each other space , so we ’ re asking members to engage in a ‘ no new play ’ policy , which means come and play with a partner and experience NSFW for the exhibitionist and voyeuristic sides of it , ” says Saynt of the 3,000-square-foot clubhouse the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Throughout the clubhouse , there ’ s additional hand sanitizer and toy cleaners at sanitization stations.
” In order to adhere to social-distancing policy , the cannabis-positive club is only allowing 20 members to attend in-person , which is 10 % of the space ’ s capacity .
“ We ’ re keeping the cap nice and low , at least until we get to Phase Three , ” Saynt adds .
Last weekend , NSFW gave the new rules a spin for a two-day in-person and digital “ sex-tival ” called Relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performers and erotic dancers via their livestreaming platform Cam4 to online viewers for $ 10 ( members only ) and $ 25 ( first-timers ) .
Members who snagged a spot fast enough were able to attend in-person for $ 50 .
The Domme Kat , a professional dominatrix and fetish wrestler , was one of the first to dip her toes , butt and bosom into the new kind of sex party .
“ When you walk in , there ’ s a bowl of masks , a bowl of black gloves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to it right away , ” she recalls .
“ And everything is cleaned like crazy.
” As Kat set up for her booty painting performance — which saw her “ cover my butt in paint and sit on stuff , ” as well as “ make flowers with my vulva ” — she couldn ’ t help but notice less sex in the air .
“ Usually I ’ m jammed on a couch with someone — passing a spliff , a couple people are in the back having sex and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she says .
“ This … was not that.
” But once she got into her groove of pouring and knifing candle wax off of a “ bratty ” submissive , she was more grateful than ever to be back in business .
“ Even just spanking somebody — that skin-on-skin touch feels so good , ” she says .
“ You ’ re like , ‘ That ’ s another person .
There ’ s warm flesh under there.
’ Oh my God , I missed it.
” The future of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blend the virtual with the real by equipping the clubhouse — which also has a stripper pole , sex swing and cage — with cameras and computer screens throughout .
“ It ’ s taking the digital audience and bringing them into the clubhouse and taking our physical audience and giving them access to dozens of additional members online , ” explains Saynt .
In order to become a member of NSFW , applicants must submit a detailed questionnaire that ’ s reviewed by “ The Council , ” and the review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once approved , members must pay a monthly membership fee of $ 20 .
The average age of members is 28 , and many tend to be “ attractive , influential , socially driven with a desire to raise a little hell , ” according to their website .
Their next Master Series event will be on June 28 , and will teach viewers and attendees the art of “ shibari ” ( Japanese rope bondage ) .
While the changes have thrown a wrinkle into their revelry , just being back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Melissa Vitale , the publicist for NSFW .
“ Even though it wasn ’ t normal , for a moment , it felt almost normal .
”

They’re open for frisky business.
As New York City emerges from lockdown and enters into Phase Two of reopening Monday, a Soho sex club is navigating how to get down and dirty while still staying squeaky clean and coronavirus-free.
In order for the members-only group called NSFW — which stands for the New Society For Wellness — to open their clubhouse doors again, they’ve rolled out an assortment of new rules and regulations that take the risk out of risqué, The Post has learned.
“We had to figure out how to do this in the safest way possible, where no one feels at risk or in danger, but can still enjoy themselves,” says NSFW founder Daniel Saynt. Indeed, earlier this month, the city issued some guidelines for group sex, including to do the deed in a well-ventilated area and keep alcohol-based sanitizer on hand.
So Saynt — whose job title is “chief conspirator” of the club — drafted additional safety precautions himself, including mandatory temperature checks at the door, bringing a separate change of clean clothes in a plastic bag, wearing a mask (NSFW has their own branded version) and gloves, using sanitation stations throughout the space, and of course, “no new sex,” which means you can’t hook up with anyone besides the partner you came with.
“We have enough room to give each other space, so we’re asking members to engage in a ‘no new play’ policy, which means come and play with a partner and experience NSFW for the exhibitionist and voyeuristic sides of it,” says Saynt of the 3,000-square-foot clubhouse the group uses for sex parties. “Throughout the clubhouse, there’s additional hand sanitizer and toy cleaners at sanitization stations.”
In order to adhere to social-distancing policy, the cannabis-positive club is only allowing 20 members to attend in person, which is 10% of the space’s capacity.
“We’re keeping the cap nice and low, at least until we get to Phase Three,” Saynt adds.
Last weekend, NSFW gave the new rules a spin for a two-day in-person and digital “sex-tival” called Relief, which broadcast kink workshops, adult performers and erotic dancers via a livestreaming platform Cam4 to online viewers for $10 (members only) or $25 (first-timers).
Members who snagged a spot fast enough were able to attend in person for $50.
The Domme Kat, a professional dominatrix and fetish wrestler, was one of the first to dip her toes, butt and bosom into the new kind of sex party.
“When you walk in, there’s a bowl of masks, a bowl of black gloves and hand sanitizer, so everyone has access to it right away,” she recalls. “And everything is cleaned like crazy.”
As Kat set up for her booty painting performance — which saw her “cover my butt in paint and sit on stuff,” as well as “make flowers with my vulva” — she couldn’t help but notice less sex in the air.
“Usually I’m jammed on a couch with someone — passing a spliff, a couple people are in the back having sex and there’s lots of moaning,” she says. “This … was not that.”
But once she got into her groove of pouring and knifing candle wax off of a “bratty” submissive, she was more grateful than ever to be back in business.
“Even just spanking somebody — that skin-on-skin touch feels so good,” she says. “You’re like, ‘That’s another person. There’s warm flesh under there.’ Oh my God, I missed it.”
The future of Saynt’s sex parties will continue to blend the virtual with the real by equipping the clubhouse — which also has a stripper pole, sex swing and cage — with cameras and computer screens throughout.
“It’s taking the digital audience and bringing them into the clubhouse and taking our physical audience and giving them access to dozens of additional members online,” explains Saynt.
In order to become a member of NSFW, applicants must submit a detailed questionnaire that’s reviewed by “The Council,” and the review can take up to four weeks. Once approved, members must pay a monthly membership fee of $20.
The average age of members is 28, and many tend to be “attractive, influential, socially driven with a desire to raise a little hell,” according to their website.
Their next Master Series event will be on June 28, and will teach viewers and attendees the art of “shibari” (Japanese rope bondage).
Related Video Inside LA's most exclusive sex party
While the changes have thrown a wrinkle into their revelry, just being back in action last weekend was sweeter than ever, says Melissa Vitale, the publicist for NSFW.
“Even though it wasn’t normal, for a moment, it felt almost normal.”