newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Kurt Luedtke, Oscar-winning ‘Out Of Africa’ screenwriter, dies at 80

Screenwriter Kurt Luedtke , known for his Oscar-winning adapted screenplay “ Out of Africa , ” died on Sunday .
He was 80 .
The Detroit Free Press reported that the Luedtke , who worked at the newspaper during the 1960s and ’ 70s , passed away after a long illness in a Michigan hospital .
Luedtke , a Michigan native , first worked in journalism before turning his attention to Hollywood in the 1980s with screenwriting credits that include “ Absence of Malice ” and “ Random Hearts.
” After graduating from Brown University , the reporter-turned-screenwriter pursued a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and took on journalism courses at Northwestern University ’ s Medill School of Journalism .
After Medill , Luedtke went on to report for the Miami Herald as an intern .
In 1965 , Luedtke moved to the Free Press as a general reporter .
During his time at the paper , he reported a number of stories including the Free Press ’ Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Detroit riots in 1968 .
After rising up the ranks at the Free Press , Luedtke left the Michigan newspaper in 1978 and pivoted towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ Absence of Malice , ” the Paul Newman- and Sally Field-led drama directed by Sydney Pollack about a prosecutor ’ s plans to get back at a local paper for a seemingly false story .
His sophomore Hollywood project , “ Out of Africa , ” brought him the Oscar statuette in 1986 .
The screenwriter ’ s second venture with Pollack starred Meryl Streep and Robert Redford as lovers in 20th century colonial Kenya .
Out of Africa won a total of seven Academy Awards in 1986 , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final writing project , once again with Pollack , was the Harrison Ford-starrer “ Random Hearts.
” The 1999 film features Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas as a man and woman whose love lives are more intertwined that they ’ d like .
Apart from his writing credits , Luedtke appeared as himself in “ Naked Hollywood , ” a documentary about Pollack ’ s 1968 film , and a documentary short for “ Absence of Malice.
” He is survived by his wife Eleanor .

Screenwriter Kurt Luedtke, known for his Oscar-winning adapted screenplay “Out of Africa,” died on Sunday. He was 80. The Detroit Free Press reported that the Luedtke, who worked at the newspaper during the 1960s and ’70s, passed away after a long illness in a Michigan hospital.
Luedtke, a Michigan native, first worked in journalism before turning his attention to Hollywood in the 1980s with screenwriting credits that include “Absence of Malice” and “Random Hearts.” After graduating from Brown University, the reporter-turned-screenwriter pursued a law degree at the University of Michigan and took on journalism courses at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
After Medill, Luedtke went on to report for the Miami Herald as an intern. In 1965, Luedtke moved to the Free Press as a general reporter. During his time at the paper, he reported a number of stories including the Free Press’ Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Detroit riots in 1968.
After rising up the ranks at the Free Press, Luedtke left the Michigan newspaper in 1978 and pivoted towards film work. His first Hollywood screenplay was “Absence of Malice,” the Paul Newman- and Sally Field-led drama directed by Sydney Pollack about a prosecutor’s plans to get back at a local paper for a seemingly false story.
His sophomore Hollywood project, “Out of Africa,” brought him the Oscar statuette in 1986. The screenwriter’s second venture with Pollack starred Meryl Streep and Robert Redford as lovers in 20th century colonial Kenya. Out of Africa won a total of seven Academy Awards in 1986, including the Best Picture prize.
Luedtke’s final writing project, once again with Pollack, was the Harrison Ford-starrer “Random Hearts.” The 1999 film features Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas as a man and woman whose love lives are more intertwined that they’d like.
Apart from his writing credits, Luedtke appeared as himself in “Naked Hollywood,” a documentary about Pollack’s 1968 film, and a documentary short for “Absence of Malice.”
He is survived by his wife Eleanor.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Keith David Bids Farewell To ‘Greenleaf,’ Sheds Some Light On His Infamous ‘They Live!’ Fight Scene

Keith David Bids Farewell To ‘Greenleaf,’ Sheds Some Light On His Infamous ‘They Live!’ Fight Scene With Roddy Piper

Keith David has a voice that ’ s as memorable as his filmography is diverse , and if you aren ’ t certain whether or not this comparison holds up , go take a gander at the work he ’ s done over the course of his 40+ years as an actor , and we ’ ll wait here for your apology .
Okay , now that that ’ s settled , the final episode of David ’ s most recent series , Greenleaf , is airing this evening on OWN , and it ’ s been quite a journey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , over the run of its five seasons .
David was kind enough to hop on the phone with Decider to discuss his run on the show , as well as a few other projects in his back catalog , including his work with both Mr. Rogers and John Carpenter .
In regards to the latter , we must admit that while we didn ’ t necessarily expect the answer to a question about the epic fight scene in They Live to get quite so serious , the resulting conversation was an extremely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial climate in America .
DECIDER : It ’ s already been announced that this will be the final season of Greenleaf .
Are you wistful that it ’ s coming to a close ?
KEITH DAVID : Well , I ’ m excited that the season is finally here , so I can see how the people receive it .
I think it ’ s a very exciting season , and I can ’ t wait to see what the reactions are .
Have you enjoyed the bishop ’ s arc over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than I can tell you on one phone call .
[ Laughs . ]
I mean , just immensely .
It ’ s been one of the most exciting rides of my life , and I deeply appreciate it .
Is there any particular aspect of the character or any of his travails that ’ s surprised you ?
I think , if anything , it ’ d be how truly and deeply the bishop ’ s faith goes .
I say all the time that the bishop is just a man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 years that he has been a preacher and wanting to preach the word of God and getting to know the word of God , his own human ambitions have come into play about being a leader , where he wanted the status in the community and all those things , and having all the trappings .
I think he was susceptible to all those things .
But once acquired and then having to examine how they were acquired , there comes a point in his life where it ’ s , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes I let my way get in the way of Your will.
” And by the time we get to the first season , when his daughter comes back after 20 years , he is entering a season in his life where he is ready to accept whatever the consequences of his actions were .
There are times , I think , when he wants to say , “ Oh , Lord , does it have to be right now ?
Can ’ t we put it off for a little while ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we revisit this at another time ?
” But that ’ s also not how God works .
God works in God ’ s time .
So I think he ’ s ready and willing to accept that , no matter how painful it is .
And as you see , it can be pretty painful at times .
I ’ ve enjoyed a lot of the character actors they ’ ve brought in as recurring characters .
It was great seeing Richard Gant pop up relatively recently .
Yeah , Richard ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was wonderful to get to hang out with him .
I ’ ve known Richard over 30 years , and it was a great pleasure to finally get to share some screen time with him .
And the most wonderful thing – and this has been true for my whole cast – is that he ’ s such a wonderful artist that I didn ’ t have to act .
I didn ’ t have to pretend anything .
I just had to read the script and be true to the story .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn up .
That was pretty awesome .
That was pretty awesome .
[ Laughs . ]
I mean , I wasn ’ t surprised , given the nature of the character .
It was quite a part .
Not just anybody could take on that part .
That takes an extraordinary human being…and when I say “ extraordinary , ” I mean great people who are out for the betterment of mankind , not necessarily just for the betterment of their own kind .
I wanted to ask you about a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have to start with the fact that you spent some time on Mr. Rogers ’ Neighborhood .
What was Fred Rogers like ?
Fred Rogers was a phenomenal man .
I didn ’ t know before I started working with him that he was a Presbyterian minister , and his ministry was to children , and I think children between , like , 6 and 8 was the target demographic of his ministry .
And he did that quite well .
I mean , when you examine it… I remember when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like , “ Okay , all right , all right… ” [ Laughs . ]
But there were other moments that I absolutely enjoyed , like some of the puppet shows .
But as an adult , when I got to work on it , it was just extraordinary .
Paul Lally was the director that I worked with over there , and it was extraordinary how they never condescended to children .
They talked to them about real things , real subjects , in an incredibly human way that was… Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It didn ’ t play down to them .
It took in the innocence of their sensibilities , but it didn ’ t play down to them as if they couldn ’ t understand or didn ’ t understand .
One of my favorite episodes that I participated in was called “ War and Peace , ” and that was how arguments and disputes and wars happen due to misunderstandings and fear .
I thought that that was an extraordinary way to explain adult behavior in those situations .
If you overhear some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you watch the fear creep in and how , as people on either side get more afraid , they get more angry , they get more vitriolic , and they start shutting down .
They think that their point is not going to be made or that they ’ re somehow being compromised in a way they don ’ t want to be .
I mean , I have great , great respect for Mr. Rogers .
One of our readers was curious if you had any specific recollections of the bass violin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
[ Singing . ]
“ Bass violin / Bass violin / We love you / Yes , we do / We love you… ” [ Laughs . ]
That ’ s pretty specific !
Okay , onward to less kid-friendly topics : how did you first cross paths with John Carpenter ?
It was at the audition [ for The Thing ] .
But what I remember most about that whole period is that I was living in New York , and I ’ d go up to auditions with mostly the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So we ’ d be in the producer ’ s office , reading a scene where an argument breaks out , and one of the guys… I think he pulls out a gun or something .
And this particular actor just sort of cleared that producer ’ s desk .
He just swept everything off his desk .
And I was , like , “ Holy crap !
” [ Laughs . ]
And I was so engrossed in what was going on in the room and what was transpiring between the actors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there was a moment of silence…and the moment continued .
And pretty soon everybody in the room was on the same bus , wondering , “ What ’ s next ?
” And that ’ s when I looked down…and it was my line !
I , uh , had a two-word response when I realized it .
It was very funny .
So let me ask you : do you think Childs was The Thing ?
I think it ’ s so if you think it ’ s so .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ Laughs . ]
And , of course , if you follow the track of the movie , I wouldn ’ t know if I was until I was attacked , right ?
Fair enough .
Okay , time to dispel another theory was the epic-length fight scene in They Live improvised ?
[ Long pause . ]
Let me ask you something : what do you think ?
I think it ’ s hard to imagine that it wasn ’ t choreographed .
Any fight scene you see in any movie is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question is going to be a winner… [ Laughs . ]
Yeah , well , it ’ s my job to make it look spontaneous .
But it ’ s choreographed .
If you ’ ve ever been in a fight , you know there ’ s stuff that happens… In fact , most fights that you see in the street – that are very real – last all of three minutes , if that long .
Somebody gets hurt , and then it stops .
A fight like we did in They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was some pretty dangerous slugging going on !
If one of us had cut the other with that bottle , or if that 2×4 had gone into somebody ’ s leg or across somebody ’ s leg , the fight is over !
Now , what I like about the question… I mean , obviously , there was something in and about it that rang true enough for them to believe that it could be that spontaneous .
And that ’ s the goal .
That ’ s what we want .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality to it that you go , “ Oh , my God , these guys are really fighting !
” But at the same time , we didn ’ t want to take you out of the moment of the story and think , “ These are actors… ” You want to believe that these characters are settling something .
And that ’ s a wonderful thing .
I can ’ t say that I ’ ve witnessed it myself , but I ’ ve heard tell that there have been moments onstage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real , and suddenly the action is really happening .
Now , depending on how they come out of that moment , the audience can tend to think that that was just part of the show , unless and except when there ’ s nothing said about why these two characters enter into some kind of brawl .
But it happens !
And suddenly the reality that you ’ ve been led to believe up to that moment shifts into something else .
One of the reasons why fight scenes have to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moment do you ever want the audience to become so fearful for one of the characters that it takes them out of the experience .
You want to keep them engrossed and involved in the story .
If they think that one of the guys is going to really get hurt , suddenly you ’ re out of the moment , and you ’ re watching two guys fight , and…that ’ s not fun .
Not so much .
It ’ s one thing if you see teenagers fighting in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and no sticks , guns , or knives come out .
That ’ s one thing .
But it ’ s a whole other thing when you see two grown men fight .
Just think about when adults get carried away at their kids ’ games .
If you see two guys duking it out on the hockey field , you want it stopped because anybody gets hurt , but when you see two fathers go at it because of some bad call the ref made , that ’ s a whole other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And nobody wants to be the witness to a murder .
It ’ s one thing to watch it on TV , when you know the other guy ’ s gon na get up once the camera ’ s off .
But if you were actually watch the life being snuffed out of someone in person , your reality changes .
It has to .
As we are experiencing right now .
I was just going to say that .
The videos that are emerging , hearing the people in the background @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and understandably horrified exclamations… Real life is very , very different .
It ’ s very different in real life .
That ’ s something… [ Takes a deep breath . ]
You don ’ t forget that .
You can ’ t dismiss that as an episode of The Twilight Zone or something .
It ’ s sad , because it was a lesson learned in sacrifice .
It was abominable .
But if his death serves as a wake-up call to America , to the world… This stuff has got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ okay in anybody ’ s book to watch the senseless , brutal murder of another human being .
Especially unnecessarily , if you ’ re not defending your life , or the life of a loved one .
But even then it can be questionable if you can stop it in some other way .
Cops are supposed to be trained to wound before they kill .
But such is not the case , especially when it comes to black men and people of color .
And the cops in this country have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That has never been okay , but it ’ s certainly no longer okay .
And never should ’ ve been .
And never should ’ ve been .
And now I ’ ve got to find something really lighthearted to change up this tone .
[ At this , David bursts out laughing . ]
But having said that , every conversation goes this way now .
As it should .
That ’ s what supposed to happen .
That is what ’ s supposed to happen !
Because for far too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lighten up the conversation when you start talking about this .
We ’ re talking about the brutal murder of a human being .
We ’ re talking about the inequity in the way people of color in this country are dealt with .
Now , it ’ s been going on so long that there ’ s a kind of status quo that goes along with it , that even when you feel bad – especially as a white person – you don ’ t say anything about it because , well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very few people have the balls to say , “ That ’ s not right !
” And we have to stop that .
We have to stop that .
Not you have to stop that .
We have to stop that !
White-on-white crime is just as heinous as white-on-black crime , but white-on-black crime is even more heinous because it has become acceptable on some level .
It is no longer acceptable .
And as long as we can all agree upon that , then changes can be made .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are , sooner than later .
Well , I do want to ask you about one of your earlier series , and it ’ s more lighthearted , certainly , but Enlisted does actually tackle something serious , albeit within the confines of a comedy .
I always thought it was an underrated sitcom .
You and me both !
[ Laughs . ]
Yeah , I mean , first of all , it was really the first show of its kind , that talked about this other aspect of serving this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of American soil , dealing with whatever has to be dealt with , but perhaps the only other comedy that dealt with people at home who don ’ t go to war was Gomer Pyle…and that was an altogether different kind of comedy !
Enlisted was really about the guys who serve our country , taking care of the families of the men and women who serve .
It ’ s very important that we don ’ t forget them and their value , because the men and women who go out there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job if they ’ re worried about their loved ones at home .
Somebody has to take care of them , and they have to be taken care of well , so you can concentrate on whatever it is that you need to do .
So that ’ s what Enlisted was about , and what distinguishes it from Gomer Pyle , or from M*A*S*H or Combat !
or any of those other war series .
How did you enjoy the experience of doing New York Undercover ?
What was that , 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had a great time .
As I remember , I had a five-episode arc as a priest .
Actually , it was kind of a civil-activist part .
There was some civil unrest going on in my community which had to be dealt with .
So I enjoyed that .
I like double-edged swords .
Comedies that have a little bit of drama in them , drama that you can find a little bit of humor in .
Because life is not maudlin all the time , and in the midst of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big belly laugh .
There may not necessarily be anything happy going on around you , but there ’ s a joy in life to be found in any circumstance .
I just want to say that – although perhaps it ’ s more relevant now – I recently rewatched Community , and I think my favorite bit from your stint on the show was when you were encouraging white people .
[ Cackles long and loud . ]
I was compelled to encourage white people !
I recently saw a clip of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funny .
I enjoyed doing Community .
In fact , I just did an episode of the podcast Joel [ McHale ] and Ken [ Jeong ] are doing .
It was fun .
It was great being with those guys .
Lastly , with your voiceover work , was there any job that you found difficult to get through , whether it was because of the vocabulary or just because it was ridiculous ?
Sometimes .
I mean , yeah , I ’ ve done some things that have medical terms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War II documentaries where some of the German words or other foreign words had to be dealt with .
And when I did The War , some of the imagery , talking about people being buried in mass graves , some of that was hard to get through .
I can ’ t be totally devoid of what that feels like .
It doesn ’ t have to be my immediate family , my brother-in-law , or my cousin for me to feel the loss of life .
Again , going back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you have any humanity within you at all , you can ’ t see life snuffed out… Even if they ’ re the most heinous criminal , there ’ s something in you that ’ s diminished when you see a man ’ s life ended .
I mean , when it comes down to it , even a serial killer , your Jeffrey Dahmer or whoever , if you were to see them get shot down in the street… .
[ Long exhale . ]
There ’ s something in me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a speech by Dr. King recently , and he quoted John Donne : “ No man is an island .
No man stands alone .
Each man ’ s joy is joy to me .
Each man ’ s grief is his own.
” I believe that to be profoundly true .
Will Harris ( @ NonStopPop ) has a longstanding history of doing long-form interviews with random pop culture figures for the A.V .
Club , Vulture , and a variety of other outlets , including Variety .
He ’ s currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jim Abrahams , and Jerry Zucker .
( And don ’ t call him Shirley . )
Watch the Greenleaf series finale on OWN

Keith David has a voice that’s as memorable as his filmography is diverse, and if you aren’t certain whether or not this comparison holds up, go take a gander at the work he’s done over the course of his 40+ years as an actor, and we’ll wait here for your apology.
Okay, now that that’s settled, the final episode of David’s most recent series, Greenleaf, is airing this evening on OWN, and it’s been quite a journey for his character, Bishop James Greenleaf, over the run of its five seasons. David was kind enough to hop on the phone with Decider to discuss his run on the show, as well as a few other projects in his back catalog, including his work with both Mr. Rogers and John Carpenter. In regards to the latter, we must admit that while we didn’t necessarily expect the answer to a question about the epic fight scene in They Live to get quite so serious, the resulting conversation was an extremely illuminating one in light of the current racial climate in America.
DECIDER: It’s already been announced that this will be the final season of Greenleaf. Are you wistful that it’s coming to a close?
KEITH DAVID: Well, I’m excited that the season is finally here, so I can see how the people receive it. I think it’s a very exciting season, and I can’t wait to see what the reactions are.
Have you enjoyed the bishop’s arc over the show’s run?
More than I can tell you on one phone call. [Laughs.] I mean, just immensely. It’s been one of the most exciting rides of my life, and I deeply appreciate it.
Is there any particular aspect of the character or any of his travails that’s surprised you?
I think, if anything, it’d be how truly and deeply the bishop’s faith goes. I say all the time that the bishop is just a man, and in the course of the nearly 50 years that he has been a preacher and wanting to preach the word of God and getting to know the word of God, his own human ambitions have come into play about being a leader, where he wanted the status in the community and all those things, and having all the trappings. I think he was susceptible to all those things. But once acquired and then having to examine how they were acquired, there comes a point in his life where it’s, like, “You know, God, sometimes I let my way get in the way of Your will.”
And by the time we get to the first season, when his daughter comes back after 20 years, he is entering a season in his life where he is ready to accept whatever the consequences of his actions were. There are times, I think, when he wants to say, “Oh, Lord, does it have to be right now? Can’t we put it off for a little while?” [Laughs.] “Can we revisit this at another time?” But that’s also not how God works. God works in God’s time. So I think he’s ready and willing to accept that, no matter how painful it is. And as you see, it can be pretty painful at times.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of the character actors they’ve brought in as recurring characters. It was great seeing Richard Gant pop up relatively recently.
Yeah, Richard’s a good friend, and it was wonderful to get to hang out with him. I’ve known Richard over 30 years, and it was a great pleasure to finally get to share some screen time with him. And the most wonderful thing – and this has been true for my whole cast – is that he’s such a wonderful artist that I didn’t have to act. I didn’t have to pretend anything. I just had to read the script and be true to the story.
I was surprised to see Beau Bridges turn up. That was pretty awesome.
That was pretty awesome. [Laughs.] I mean, I wasn’t surprised, given the nature of the character. It was quite a part. Not just anybody could take on that part. That takes an extraordinary human being…and when I say “extraordinary,” I mean great people who are out for the betterment of mankind, not necessarily just for the betterment of their own kind.
I wanted to ask you about a few things in your back catalog, but I have to start with the fact that you spent some time on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. What was Fred Rogers like?
Fred Rogers was a phenomenal man. I didn’t know before I started working with him that he was a Presbyterian minister, and his ministry was to children, and I think children between, like, 6 and 8 was the target demographic of his ministry. And he did that quite well. I mean, when you examine it… I remember when I was young watching Mr. Rogers and going, like, “Okay, all right, all right…” [Laughs.] But there were other moments that I absolutely enjoyed, like some of the puppet shows. But as an adult, when I got to work on it, it was just extraordinary.
Paul Lally was the director that I worked with over there, and it was extraordinary how they never condescended to children. They talked to them about real things, real subjects, in an incredibly human way that was… Well, it was kind of adult. It didn’t play down to them. It took in the innocence of their sensibilities, but it didn’t play down to them as if they couldn’t understand or didn’t understand. One of my favorite episodes that I participated in was called “War and Peace,” and that was how arguments and disputes and wars happen due to misunderstandings and fear. I thought that that was an extraordinary way to explain adult behavior in those situations. If you overhear some of these summit meetings, and as you watch the fear creep in and how, as people on either side get more afraid, they get more angry, they get more vitriolic, and they start shutting down. They think that their point is not going to be made or that they’re somehow being compromised in a way they don’t want to be. I mean, I have great, great respect for Mr. Rogers.
One of our readers was curious if you had any specific recollections of the bass violin festival episode.
I remember the song. [Singing.] “Bass violin / Bass violin / We love you / Yes, we do / We love you…” [Laughs.]
That’s pretty specific! Okay, onward to less kid-friendly topics: how did you first cross paths with John Carpenter?
It was at the audition [for The Thing]. But what I remember most about that whole period is that I was living in New York, and I’d go up to auditions with mostly the same group of New York actors. So we’d be in the producer’s office, reading a scene where an argument breaks out, and one of the guys… I think he pulls out a gun or something. And this particular actor just sort of cleared that producer’s desk. He just swept everything off his desk. And I was, like, “Holy crap!” [Laughs.] And I was so engrossed in what was going on in the room and what was transpiring between the actors that, when he cleared that desk, there was a moment of silence…and the moment continued. And pretty soon everybody in the room was on the same bus, wondering, “What’s next?” And that’s when I looked down…and it was my line! I, uh, had a two-word response when I realized it. It was very funny.
So let me ask you: do you think Childs was The Thing?
I think it’s so if you think it’s so. But I don’t think so. [Laughs.] And, of course, if you follow the track of the movie, I wouldn’t know if I was until I was attacked, right?
Fair enough. Okay, time to dispel another theory was the epic-length fight scene in They Live improvised?
[Long pause.] Let me ask you something: what do you think?
I think it’s hard to imagine that it wasn’t choreographed.
Any fight scene you see in any movie is choreographed.
Look, not every reader question is going to be a winner…
[Laughs.] Yeah, well, it’s my job to make it look spontaneous. But it’s choreographed. If you’ve ever been in a fight, you know there’s stuff that happens… In fact, most fights that you see in the street – that are very real – last all of three minutes, if that long. Somebody gets hurt, and then it stops. A fight like we did in They Live, which lasted seven minutes… And there was some pretty dangerous slugging going on! If one of us had cut the other with that bottle, or if that 2×4 had gone into somebody’s leg or across somebody’s leg, the fight is over!
Now, what I like about the question… I mean, obviously, there was something in and about it that rang true enough for them to believe that it could be that spontaneous. And that’s the goal. That’s what we want. We want to bring that level of reality to it that you go, “Oh, my God, these guys are really fighting!” But at the same time, we didn’t want to take you out of the moment of the story and think, “These are actors…” You want to believe that these characters are settling something. And that’s a wonderful thing.
I can’t say that I’ve witnessed it myself, but I’ve heard tell that there have been moments onstage where two actors get into it for real, and suddenly the action is really happening. Now, depending on how they come out of that moment, the audience can tend to think that that was just part of the show, unless and except when there’s nothing said about why these two characters enter into some kind of brawl. But it happens! And suddenly the reality that you’ve been led to believe up to that moment shifts into something else.
One of the reasons why fight scenes have to be choreographed is that at no point in the moment do you ever want the audience to become so fearful for one of the characters that it takes them out of the experience. You want to keep them engrossed and involved in the story. If they think that one of the guys is going to really get hurt, suddenly you’re out of the moment, and you’re watching two guys fight, and…that’s not fun.
Not so much.
It’s one thing if you see teenagers fighting in a school yard and it remains fisticuffs, and no sticks, guns, or knives come out. That’s one thing. But it’s a whole other thing when you see two grown men fight. Just think about when adults get carried away at their kids’ games. If you see two guys duking it out on the hockey field, you want it stopped because anybody gets hurt, but when you see two fathers go at it because of some bad call the ref made, that’s a whole other thing. People get killed that way. And nobody wants to be the witness to a murder. It’s one thing to watch it on TV, when you know the other guy’s gonna get up once the camera’s off. But if you were actually watch the life being snuffed out of someone in person, your reality changes. It has to. As we are experiencing right now.
I was just going to say that. The videos that are emerging, hearing the people in the background, the witnesses, making very loud and understandably horrified exclamations… Real life is very, very different.
It’s very different in real life. That’s something… [Takes a deep breath.] You don’t forget that. You can’t dismiss that as an episode of The Twilight Zone or something. It’s sad, because it was a lesson learned in sacrifice. It was abominable. But if his death serves as a wake-up call to America, to the world… This stuff has got to stop. And it’s not okay in anybody’s book to watch the senseless, brutal murder of another human being. Especially unnecessarily, if you’re not defending your life, or the life of a loved one. But even then it can be questionable if you can stop it in some other way. Cops are supposed to be trained to wound before they kill. But such is not the case, especially when it comes to black men and people of color. And the cops in this country have been given license to do that. That has never been okay, but it’s certainly no longer okay.
And never should’ve been.
And never should’ve been.
And now I’ve got to find something really lighthearted to change up this tone.
[At this, David bursts out laughing.]
But having said that, every conversation goes this way now. As it should. That’s what supposed to happen.
That is what’s supposed to happen! Because for far too long, we have been looking to lighten up the conversation when you start talking about this. We’re talking about the brutal murder of a human being. We’re talking about the inequity in the way people of color in this country are dealt with. Now, it’s been going on so long that there’s a kind of status quo that goes along with it, that even when you feel bad – especially as a white person – you don’t say anything about it because, well, what can you say? And very few people have the balls to say, “That’s not right!” And we have to stop that. We have to stop that. Not you have to stop that. We have to stop that!
I agree 100%.
White-on-white crime is just as heinous as white-on-black crime, but white-on-black crime is even more heinous because it has become acceptable on some level. It is no longer acceptable. And as long as we can all agree upon that, then changes can be made. They have to be.
And I hope they are, sooner than later.
Amen.
Well, I do want to ask you about one of your earlier series, and it’s more lighthearted, certainly, but Enlisted does actually tackle something serious, albeit within the confines of a comedy. I always thought it was an underrated sitcom.
You and me both! [Laughs.] Yeah, I mean, first of all, it was really the first show of its kind, that talked about this other aspect of serving this country. M*A*S*H was about people off of American soil, dealing with whatever has to be dealt with, but perhaps the only other comedy that dealt with people at home who don’t go to war was Gomer Pyle…and that was an altogether different kind of comedy! Enlisted was really about the guys who serve our country, taking care of the families of the men and women who serve. It’s very important that we don’t forget them and their value, because the men and women who go out there and serve can’t do their job if they’re worried about their loved ones at home. Somebody has to take care of them, and they have to be taken care of well, so you can concentrate on whatever it is that you need to do. So that’s what Enlisted was about, and what distinguishes it from Gomer Pyle, or from M*A*S*H or Combat! or any of those other war series.
How did you enjoy the experience of doing New York Undercover?
What was that, 25 years ago? [Laughs.] I had a great time. As I remember, I had a five-episode arc as a priest. Actually, it was kind of a civil-activist part. There was some civil unrest going on in my community which had to be dealt with. So I enjoyed that. I like double-edged swords. Comedies that have a little bit of drama in them, drama that you can find a little bit of humor in. Because life is not maudlin all the time, and in the midst of deepest sorrow, you can have a big belly laugh. There may not necessarily be anything happy going on around you, but there’s a joy in life to be found in any circumstance.
I just want to say that – although perhaps it’s more relevant now – I recently rewatched Community, and I think my favorite bit from your stint on the show was when you were encouraging white people.
[Cackles long and loud.] I was compelled to encourage white people! I recently saw a clip of it online, and it was pretty funny. I enjoyed doing Community. In fact, I just did an episode of the podcast Joel [McHale] and Ken [Jeong] are doing. It was fun. It was great being with those guys.
Lastly, with your voiceover work, was there any job that you found difficult to get through, whether it was because of the vocabulary or just because it was ridiculous?
Sometimes. I mean, yeah, I’ve done some things that have medical terms. I’ve done a couple of World War II documentaries where some of the German words or other foreign words had to be dealt with. And when I did The War, some of the imagery, talking about people being buried in mass graves, some of that was hard to get through. I can’t be totally devoid of what that feels like. It doesn’t have to be my immediate family, my brother-in-law, or my cousin for me to feel the loss of life.
Again, going back to what we were talking about, if you have any humanity within you at all, you can’t see life snuffed out… Even if they’re the most heinous criminal, there’s something in you that’s diminished when you see a man’s life ended. I mean, when it comes down to it, even a serial killer, your Jeffrey Dahmer or whoever, if you were to see them get shot down in the street…. [Long exhale.] There’s something in me that gets wounded. I was watching a speech by Dr. King recently, and he quoted John Donne: “No man is an island. No man stands alone. Each man’s joy is joy to me. Each man’s grief is his own.” I believe that to be profoundly true.
Will Harris (@NonStopPop) has a longstanding history of doing long-form interviews with random pop culture figures for the A.V. Club, Vulture, and a variety of other outlets, including Variety. He’s currently working on a book with David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. (And don’t call him Shirley.)
Watch the Greenleaf series finale on OWN


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Chicago politician calls mayor ‘unprepared’, wants to call in the feds

If “ unprepared ” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot can ’ t get crime under control , the feds must be called in to help , a Windy City politician is urging in the aftermath of a chaotic night of riots and looting .
Brian Hopkins , an alderman who represents parts of the downtown area , blasted Lightfoot in a statement to CWBChicago Monday night .
“ Our city was devastated by widespread looting and rioting for which our mayor seemed totally unprepared , ” he said .
He also accused Lightfoot of offering “ nothing but rhetoric and blame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar riots in May .
He demanded she come up with a “ safety plan that will protect all neighborhoods and small business owners.
” Anything short of that and “ I am strongly in favor of asking for federal assistance , ” Hopkins said .
“ Our city can not afford even one more night of rampant and uncontrolled criminal activity , ” he said .
“ This has to stop .
And it has to stop now.
” Earlier Monday , Lightfoot slapped down calls for federal intervention and instead called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent future riots .
“ Again , no , we do not need federal troops in Chicago , period , full stop , ” Lightfoot said .
Chicago ’ s Magnificent Mile and other parts of the city descended into pandemonium Sunday night into Monday after police shot and injured a 20-year-old man who had fired at them .
That kicked off hours of looting and vandalism that resulted in the arrest of 100 people .
Thirteen cops were also injured .
Police Superintendent David Brown and Lightfoot said the mayhem was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This was an incident of pure criminality , ” Brown said .

If “unprepared” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot can’t get crime under control, the feds must be called in to help, a Windy City politician is urging in the aftermath of a chaotic night of riots and looting.
Brian Hopkins, an alderman who represents parts of the downtown area, blasted Lightfoot in a statement to CWBChicago Monday night.
“Our city was devastated by widespread looting and rioting for which our mayor seemed totally unprepared,” he said.
He also accused Lightfoot of offering “nothing but rhetoric and blame,” just like she did after similar riots in May.
He demanded she come up with a “safety plan that will protect all neighborhoods and small business owners.”
Anything short of that and “I am strongly in favor of asking for federal assistance,” Hopkins said.
“Our city cannot afford even one more night of rampant and uncontrolled criminal activity,” he said. “This has to stop. And it has to stop now.”
Previous 1 of 6 Next Advertisement Damage to businesses after a night of unrest in Chicago EPA/ANNE FIELDS A man sweeps up outside Paul Young Fine Jewelers after looting broke out in Chicago. Ashlee Rezin Garcia /Chicago Sun Advertisement A CVS store is damaged after looting broke out overnight in Chicago. Ashlee Rezin Garcia /Chicago Sun Yogi Dalal hugs his daughter Jigisha as his other daughter, Kajal (left), bows her head at the family food and liquor store after it was vandalized in Chicago. AP/Charles Rex Arbogast Advertisement
Earlier Monday, Lightfoot slapped down calls for federal intervention and instead called on the community to come together to prevent future riots.
“Again, no, we do not need federal troops in Chicago, period, full stop,” Lightfoot said.
Chicago’s Magnificent Mile and other parts of the city descended into pandemonium Sunday night into Monday after police shot and injured a 20-year-old man who had fired at them.
That kicked off hours of looting and vandalism that resulted in the arrests of 100 people. Thirteen cops were injured.
Police Superintendent David Brown and Lightfoot said the mayhem was not part of an organized protest.
“This was an incident of pure criminality,” Brown said.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Rare storm ravages Midwest, leaves 1.1 million without power

Apple CEO Tim Cook became a billionaire this month , after ...

A rare storm with hurricane-like, 100-mph winds left more than a million people without power Monday as it wreaked havoc across much of the Midwest — battering Chicago as the city recovered from a night of chaos and widespread looting.
The derecho — which has the strength of a hurricane but hovers over a far wider area — flattened homes and flipped over vehicles as it spent several hours leaving a trail of damage from eastern Nebraska across Iowa and parts of Wisconsin and Illinois.
By Monday night, PowerOutage.us reported more than 1.1 million people without power due to the storm — with more than 570,000 in Illinois.
“It ramped up pretty quick,” said Patrick Marsh, science support chief at the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.
“I don’t think anybody expected widespread winds approaching 100, 110 mph,” he said.
A derecho often causes more damage than even a tornado because it can hover in one place and its high winds can affect a far larger area, Marsh said.
Winds of 100 mph can stretch for “20, 30, 40 or God forbid, 100 miles,” he said.
What happened Monday morning was the result of unstable, very moist air that had parked for days over the northern Plains — culminating in a derecho.
“They are basically self-sustaining amoebas of thunderstorms,” said Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini. “Once they get going like they did across Iowa, it’s really hard to stop these suckers.”
Previous 1 of 6 Next Advertisement People search for cover during the derecho in Chicago. Getty Images A storm with gusts of more than 80 mph knocked down a tree, which crushed about four cars in Des Moines, Iowa. AP Advertisement A John Deere agricultural tractor sits under a collapsed building following a derecho near Franklin Grove, Illinois. Getty Images Residents help clear a fallen tree from an intersection after a severe storm in Iowa City, Iowa. AP Advertisement
He compared it to a devastating super derecho of 2009, which was one of the strongest on record and traveled more than 1,000 miles in 24 hours, causing $500 million in damage, widespread power outages and killing a handful of people.
“This is our version of a hurricane,” said Gensini, who added it was one of the strongest in recent history and predicted it would prove to be one of the nation’s worst weather events of 2020.
As Chicago recovered from its depressing night of looting, residents were warned by the National Weather Service of winds of 80 to 90 mph.
“This is an extremely dangerous line of storms. … Stay away from windows and head indoors immediately if walking near high-rise buildings,” the service warned.
“Make preparations NOW, don’t wait for the storms to arrive.”
The city experienced its most severe winds at about 4 p.m. with a 72-mph gust recorded at Midway Airport.
The National Weather Service tweeted that “much of northern Illinois has pockets of damage with downed trees, debris, and power lines blocking roadways” after the worst had passed.
After blitzing Chicago, the storm moved east, and a severe thunderstorm watch covered much of southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana until midnight.
A flood warning was issued for Lake Michigan over fears the derecho would generate large waves and push water ashore.
Several people were injured and widespread property damage was reported in Marshall County in central Iowa after 100-mph winds swept through the area, said its homeland security coordinator, Kim Elder.
Elder said winds blew over trees, flipped cars, downed power lines, ripped up road signs and tore roofs off buildings, some of which caught fire.
“We had quite a few people trapped in buildings and cars,” Elder said, adding that the extent of injuries was unknown and no fatalities had been reported. “We’re in life-saving mode right now.”
Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer declared a civil emergency, telling residents to stay home and off the streets so that first responders could respond to calls.
Roof damage to homes and buildings was reported in several Iowa cities, including the roof of a hockey arena in Des Moines.
Photos showed semi-trailers flipped over or blown off highways.
MidAmerican Energy Company spokeswoman Tina Hoffman said downed trees made it difficult in some locations for workers to get to power lines. In some cases, power line poles were snapped off.
“It’s a lot of tree damage. Very high winds. It will be a significant effort to get through it all and get everybody back on,” Hoffman said. “It was a big front that went all the way through the state.”
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, had “both significant and widespread damage throughout the city,” said public safety spokesman Greg Buelow. Tens of thousands of people in the metro area were without power.
Previous 1 of 5 Next Advertisement The steeple at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois, was toppled during the storm. AP Downed trees and other debris covers front yards in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. AP Advertisement Two men survey the damage to their cars after a severe thunderstorm battered Chicago neighborhoods. AP Advertisement
“We have damage to homes and businesses, including siding and roofs damaged,” he said. “Trees and power lines are down throughout the entire city.”
Cedar Rapids on Monday night issued a 10 p.m. curfew that will continue until further notice, as crews worked to clean up fallen debris.
The power outages were particularly alarming given the high heat across the region.
With people with medical conditions — heightened by the coronavirus pandemic — “it becomes dire pretty quickly,” Marsh said.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Over half of likely voters don’t believe Joe Biden will finish first term: poll

More than half of likely voters believe that presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden would not finish his first term if elected president , a new poll found .
The poll , released Monday by Rasmussen Reports , found that 59 percent of likely voters thought it was probable that Biden ’ s running mate would become president over the course of the four-year span .
Thirty-nine percent of likely voters saw the scenario of Biden not finishing his first term as very likely , as opposed to just likely .
Divided up by party , even 49 percent of likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s veep would take over the job .
Seventy-three percent of Republicans and 57 percent of non-party affiliated likely voters also said they did not believe Biden would be able to last the entirety of his term .
Biden , who would be 78 in January , has faced rumors that he would be a one-term president due to his age .
This has led to speculation that whoever was chosen as his running mate would almost certainly be poised to take the presidency in 2024 .
Biden and his campaign have denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling found that only 45 percent of all voters said they believed that Biden ’ s choice for a VP was important to their vote this fall .
Biden spent the weekend huddled with family in his home in Rehoboth Beach , Delaware , narrowing down his choices for a running mate .
The former vice president was spotted in and around his beach house throughout the weekend , even taking a bike ride during which he quipped to a Fox News reporter that he had chosen him as his running mate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was , in fact , a joke .
The former vice president has previously said he would announce his running mate in the first week of August .
Despite this , aides , surrogates and other campaign officials have long said that Biden ’ s only real deadline is the Democratic National Convention , which starts on Aug. 17 .
This aligns with Biden ’ s past of ignoring self-imposed deadlines on bigger political decisions .
The former vice president missed deadline after deadline in early 2019 while deciding whether to enter the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters between Aug 6-9 .
Their margin of error was +/- 3 percentage points .

More than half of likely voters believe that presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden would not finish his first term if elected president, a new poll found.
The poll, released Monday by Rasmussen Reports, found that 59 percent of likely voters thought it was probable that Biden’s running mate would become president over the course of the four-year span.
Thirty-nine percent of likely voters saw the scenario of Biden not finishing his first term as very likely, as opposed to just likely.
Divided up by party, even 49 percent of likely Democratic voters said they believed Biden’s veep would take over the job.
Seventy-three percent of Republicans and 57 percent of non-party-affiliated likely voters also said they did not believe Biden would be able to last the entirety of his term.
Biden, who would be 78 in January, has faced rumors that he would be a one-term president due to his age. This has led to speculation that whoever was chosen as his running mate would almost certainly be poised to take the presidency in 2024.
Biden and his campaign have denied the speculation.
Still, the Rasmussen polling found that only 45 percent of all voters said they believed that Biden’s choice for a VP was important to their vote this fall.
Biden spent the weekend huddled with family in his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, narrowing down his choices for a running mate.
The former vice president was spotted in and around his beach house throughout the weekend, even taking a bike ride during which he quipped to a Fox News reporter that he had chosen him as his running mate. The Biden campaign later clarified that this was, in fact, a joke.
The former vice president has previously said he would announce his running mate in the first week of August.
Despite this, aides, surrogates and other campaign officials have long said Biden’s only real deadline is the Democratic National Convention, which starts on Aug. 17.
This aligns with Biden’s past of ignoring self-imposed deadlines on bigger political decisions. The former vice president missed deadline after deadline in early 2019 while deciding whether to enter the 2020 race.
Rasmussen polled 1,000 likely voters between Aug. 6 and 9. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--NHL playoff predictions: Breaking down first-round matchups

Let me be the first to observe that there has ...

The tournament qualifying round is over. The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs begins on Tuesday, best-of-seven. Here’s a look at the matchups:
Eastern Conference
Philadelphia Flyers (1) over Montreal Canadiens (8) in six
When is the last time the Flyers entered the playoffs with an asset in nets to the degree of Carter Hart? Ron Hextall in 1987, maybe? And what is the Rangers’ ideal second-line center — Kevin Hayes, by any other description — doing in Philadelphia anyway? The Canadiens are dangerous beyond Carey Price but Alain Vigneault has his team humming.
Columbus Blue Jackets (7) over Tampa Bay Lightning (2) in six
The size of the alleged and often-invoked “chip on their shoulders” won’t quite compensate for Tampa Bay’s injury issues, with Victor Hedman a question mark after going down over the weekend and the same for Steven Stamkos. Plus, Columbus is simply dialed in on who they are the same way the 2011-12 Rangers were under John Tortorella.
New York Islanders (6) over Washington Capitals (3) in six
When the test becomes one of will, and increasingly that is what this tournament will become as isolation under the bubble moves into Weeks Three, Four, Five, etc., it is never wise to bet against a Lou Lamoriello operation. Having Barry Trotz behind the bench doesn’t hurt, either. It will be fascinating to see if Trotz can design a penalty kill to deny (or limit) Alexander Ovechkin his complement of left-circle one-timers. Also interesting will be the match against Tom Wilson, who is not likely to be allowed to run roughshod over the Islanders as he did when they hooked up in a seven-game first-round series in 2015.
Carolina Hurricanes (5) over Boston Bruins (4) in five
The B’s approached the round-robin as if it were a lark, scoring a sum of four goals while going 0-3, with all the scoring from Chris Wagner (2), Louie DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy. The ’Canes, meanwhile, were in machine-like mode in dismantling the Rangers, emerging from the qualifiers with their Petr Mrazek-James Reimer goaltending tandem at the height of its powers. Plus, the desire to avenge last year’s conference finals sweep by Boston.
Western Conference
Vegas Golden Knights (1) over Chicago Blackhawks (8) in five
Do you think that the Blackhawks would have traded Robin Lehner to the Golden Knights if they’d known about this? How could GM Stan Bowman have been so short-sighted?
Arizona Coyotes (7) over Colorado Avalanche (2) in seven
So Taylor Hall finally won the first postseason series of his career, even if considered a pseudo-playoff round. That victory over the Predators in which Clayton Keller distinguished himself should give the Coyotes a bump, especially with netminder Darcy Kuemper at the top of his game.
Calgary Flames (6) over Dallas Stars (3) in seven
Cam Talbot reclaimed the No. 1 job and posted a 1.51 GAA with a .945 save percentage in the Flames’ four-game victory over depleted Winnipeg in which Calgary’s Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau elevated above their less than scintillating seasons.
St. Louis Blues (4) over Vancouver Canucks (5) in seven
The defending Cup champs didn’t win a game in the round-robin (0-2-1) but Vladimir Tarasenko did return to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 24, when the winger suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. The Canucks have the goods to win this tossup series with pending free-agent goaltender Jacob Markstrom capable of outdoing Jordan Binnington at the other end.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Tim Cook is a billionaire after Apple stock jumps

Apple CEO Tim Cook became a billionaire this month , after nine years at the helm of the world ’ s most valuable company .
The 59-year-old executive ’ s net worth passed the $ 1 billion mark thanks to a nearly 5 percent jump in Apple ’ s stock price last week that put its market value near $ 2 trillion , according to an analysis by Bloomberg ’ s Billionaires Index .
That puts Cook among an “ elite ” group of billionaire CEOs who did not start the companies they lead , Bloomberg reported .
The club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ballmer , who was with the company from 1980 to 2014 and is the world ’ s seventh-richest person with a net worth of $ 75 billion .
Cook has quietly built up his fortune on stock awards he ’ s received in his 22 years at Apple , according to Bloomberg ’ s Monday analysis .
His 847,969 Apple shares — which make up a tiny 0.02 percent stake in the company — are worth about $ 375 million , while “ proceeds from previous share sales , dividends and other compensation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the news service reported .
Cook has pledged to give his Apple fortune to charity , and Bloomberg noted that his wealth could be smaller if he ’ s made donations that haven ’ t been disclosed .
But his worth could grow as Apple nears the $ 2 trillion mark amid an increased reliance on technology during the coronavirus pandemic .
Apple ’ s stock price rose another 1.4 percent Monday to $ 450.91 , and Cook is due to receive an award of 560,000 shares this month unless the price plunges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , announced a 4-for-1 stock split last month that will allow investors to buy shares at a 75 percent discount at the end of August .
Cook — who took over for Apple co-founder Steve Jobs before his 2011 death — still has a long way to go to catch up with the fortunes of other tech tycoons .
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos remained the world ’ s richest person as of Monday with a $ 186 billion fortune , followed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg @ @ @ @ @

Apple CEO Tim Cook became a billionaire this month, after nine years at the helm of the world’s most valuable company.
The 59-year-old executive’s net worth passed the $1 billion mark thanks to a nearly 5 percent jump in Apple’s stock price last week that put its market value near $2 trillion, according to an analysis by Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index.
That puts Cook among an “elite” group of billionaire CEOs who did not start the companies they lead, Bloomberg reported. The club also includes former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer, who was with the company from 1980 to 2014 and is the world’s seventh-richest person with a net worth of $75 billion.
Cook has quietly built up his fortune on stock awards he’s received in his 22 years at Apple, according to Bloomberg’s Monday analysis. His 847,969 Apple shares — which make up a tiny 0.02 percent stake in the company — are worth about $375 million, while “proceeds from previous share sales, dividends and other compensation” are worth $650 million, the news service reported.
Cook has pledged to give his Apple fortune to charity, and Bloomberg noted that his wealth could be smaller if he’s made donations that haven’t been disclosed. But his worth could grow as Apple nears the $2 trillion mark amid an increased reliance on technology during the coronavirus pandemic.
Apple’s stock price rose another 1.4 percent Monday to $450.91, and Cook is due to receive an award of 560,000 shares this month unless the price plunges, Bloomberg reported. The iPhone maker, however, announced a 4-for-1 stock split last month that will allow investors to buy shares at a 75 percent discount at the end of August.
Cook — who took over for Apple co-founder Steve Jobs before his 2011 death — still has a long way to go to catch up with the fortunes of other tech tycoons. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos remained the world’s richest person as of Monday with a $186 billion fortune, followed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, according to Bloomberg.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Bindi Irwin is pregnant, expecting first child with husband Chandler Powell

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Bindi Irwin is starting a new adventure in 2021 : motherhood .
On Tuesday , Irwin , 22 , announced she and husband Chandler Powell , 23 , are expecting their first child together , nearly five months after tying the knot .
“ Baby Wildlife Warrior due 2021 , ” Irwin posted to Instagram .
“ Chandler and I are proud to announce that we ’ re expecting !
It ’ s an honor to share this special moment in our lives with you.
” Irwin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trimester , added she and Powell want fans to be part of their journey as they begin “ this new life chapter.
” “ We couldn ’ t wait to share the news as this beautiful little being has become the most important part of our lives , ” the Aussie continued .
“ Your support means the world to us .
Please let me know your best advice and send good vibes & prayers to our little sweetheart .
Love & light.
” Dad-to-be Powell also shared the exciting news on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be parents !
!
We have a baby Wildlife Warrior on the way coming in 2021 .
Becoming a dad is the highlight of my life .
I can not wait to embark on this new adventure and life chapter with my gorgeous wife , @ bindisueirwin .
Bee , you ’ re going to be the most amazing mother , ” the wakeboarder wrote .
In March , Irwin — the daughter of the late “ Crocodile Hunter ” Steve Irwin — wed Flordia native Powell in an intimate ceremony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
“ We ’ ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything , as we didn ’ t have guests at our wedding , ” Irwin shared at the time .
“ This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe .
We wish all of our friends and family could have been there with us , however it ’ s lovely that we will be able to share photos and videos.
” Irwin and Powell announced their engagement in 2019 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia Zoo .

Bindi Irwin is starting a new adventure in 2021: motherhood.
On Tuesday, Irwin, 22, announced she and husband Chandler Powell, 23, are expecting their first child together, nearly five months after tying the knot.
“Baby Wildlife Warrior due 2021,” Irwin posted to Instagram. “Chandler and I are proud to announce that we’re expecting! It’s an honor to share this special moment in our lives with you.”
Irwin, who is currently in her first trimester, added she and Powell want fans to be part of their journey as they begin “this new life chapter.”
“We couldn’t wait to share the news as this beautiful little being has become the most important part of our lives,” the Aussie continued. “Your support means the world to us. Please let me know your best advice and send good vibes & prayers to our little sweetheart. Love & light.”
Dad-to-be Powell also shared the exciting news on his Instagram page.
“We’re going to be parents!! We have a baby Wildlife Warrior on the way coming in 2021. Becoming a dad is the highlight of my life. I cannot wait to embark on this new adventure and life chapter with my gorgeous wife, @bindisueirwin. Bee, you’re going to be the most amazing mother,” the wakeboarder wrote.
In March, Irwin — the daughter of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin — wed Flordia native Powell in an intimate ceremony with immediate family due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we didn’t have guests at our wedding,” Irwin shared at the time. “This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe. We wish all of our friends and family could have been there with us, however it’s lovely that we will be able to share photos and videos.”
Irwin and Powell announced their engagement in 2019. The pair met six years prior at the Australia Zoo.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Dr. Fauci slams Georgia school that reopened for ‘disturbing’ crowding

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed for the “ universal wearing of masks ” in a televised interview , in which he said the viral image of schoolchildren crowding a Georgia school hallway was “ disturbing.
” “ There should be universal wearing of masks , ” Fauci said on ABC ’ s “ World News Tonight ” on Monday when asked about reopening schools .
“ There should be the extent possible social distancing , avoiding crowds .
Outdoors [ is ] always better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in a situation where you continually have the capability of washing your hands and cleaning up with sanitizers , ” he said .
“ When I see sights like that , it is disturbing to me , ” added Fauci , 79 , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House coronavirus task force .
The top infectious disease doctor was referring to the image shared by North Paulding High School sophomore Hannah Watters , who was suspended briefly for violating school policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school had rescinded the suspension amid a public outcry .
Nine people — six students and three faculty members — have since tested positive for the coronavirus , the school in Dallas , Georgia , informed parents on Saturday .
The school was closed as a result of the infections and the district announced it would move learning online for Monday and Tuesday .
Fauci recommended “ a comprehensive way to really avoid the things ” the image captured , including the lack of face coverings and social distancing in enclosed quarters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be decided at the local level , he insisted the “ universal wearing of masks is one of five or six things that are very important in preventing the upsurge in infection and in turning around the infections that we are seeing surge .
”

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Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed for the “universal wearing of masks” in a televised interview, in which he said the viral image of schoolchildren crowding a Georgia school hallway was “disturbing.”
“There should be universal wearing of masks,” Fauci said on ABC’s “World News Tonight” on Monday when asked about reopening schools.
“There should be the extent possible social distancing, avoiding crowds. Outdoors [is] always better than indoors and [you should] be in a situation where you continually have the capability of washing your hands and cleaning up with sanitizers,” he said.
“When I see sights like that, it is disturbing to me,” added Fauci, 79, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House coronavirus task force.
The top infectious disease doctor was referring to the image shared by North Paulding High School sophomore Hannah Watters, who was suspended briefly for violating school policies. On Friday, she tweeted that the school had rescinded the suspension amid a public outcry.
Nine people — six students and three faculty members — have since tested positive for the coronavirus, the school in Dallas, Georgia, informed parents Saturday.
The school was closed as a result of the infections and the district announced it would move learning online for Monday and Tuesday.
Fauci recommended “a comprehensive way to really avoid the things” the image captured, including the lack of face coverings and social distancing in enclosed quarters.
While conceding that mask-wearing rules will be decided at the local level, he insisted the “universal wearing of masks is one of five or six things that are very important in preventing the upsurge in infection and in turning around the infections that we are seeing surge.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Lightning shatters tree into splinters

Lightning shatters tree into splinters

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Lightning struck fear into the heart of this woman in Morgan City, Louisiana, when a bolt hit a nearby tree. Watch the terrifying moment when Sarah Ribardi walks onto her doorstep mere seconds before a lightning bolt splits a tree into dozens of pieces.
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newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Russia registers COVID-19 vaccine, Putin says daughter already inoculated

Some medical workers and government employees in Moscow have been ...

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Amid international skepticism, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday announced that his country has officially registered the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine – saying it offers “sustainable immunity” and that one of his daughters has already been inoculated.
Putin emphasized during a government meeting that the vaccine, which was developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, has undergone proper testing and was proven safe to use.
“This morning, for the first time in the world, a vaccine against the new coronavirus was registered” in Russia, the strongman said during a video conference call with ministers.
“I would like to repeat that it has passed all the necessary tests,” Putin said. “The most important thing is to ensure full safety of using the vaccine and its efficiency.”
He added that one of his two daughters has received two shots of the vaccine and is feeling well.
“She has taken part in the experiment,” Putin said, adding that she had a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit on the day of the first shot, and then it dropped to just over 98.6 degrees the following day.
After the second dose, she again had a slight increase in temperature, but then it was all over.
“She’s feeling well and has high number of antibodies,” added Putin, who didn’t specify which of his two daughters — Maria or Katerina — received the vaccine.
His declaration comes as scientists at home and abroad have warned that the rush to roll out the vaccine before Phase 3 trials — which usually last for months and involve thousands of people — could backfire.
“The point is not to be first with a vaccine,” US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday during a visit to Taiwan when asked about the Russian vaccine. “The point is to have a vaccine that is safe and effective for the American people and the people of the world.”
But Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, for one, was ready to throw caution to the wind and get inoculated as he welcomed a supply offer from Moscow, Al Jazeera reported.
“I will tell President Putin that I have huge trust in your studies in combating COVID and I believe that the vaccine that you have produced is really good for humanity,” Duterte said on TV.
“I can be the first they can experiment on,” he said to allay public fears by being a guinea pig, with his office adding that the country stands ready to work with Russia on vaccine trials, supply and production, the news outlet reported.
Russia, which has been pushing hard to quickly develop a vaccine, said earlier this month it hoped to launch mass production within weeks and turn out “several million” doses per month by 2021.
Last week, the World Health Organization urged Russia to follow established guidelines and go “through all the stages” necessary to develop a safe vaccine.
Russian health workers treating coronavirus patients will be given the chance of volunteering to be vaccinated soon, a source told Reuters last month.
More than 100 possible vaccines are being developed worldwide to try to stop the pandemic. At least four are in final Phase III human trials, according to WHO data.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Protester dies in clashes after disputed Belarus vote

MINSK , Belarus — A protester died amid clashes between police and thousands of people gathered for a second straight night Monday in Belarus after official results from weekend elections — dismissed by the opposition as a sham — gave an overwhelming victory to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko .
Interior Ministry spokesman Alexander Lastovsky said the victim was part of a crowd of people protesting results of Sunday ’ s presidential vote .
The protester intended to throw an explosive device , but it blew up in his hand and killed him , Lastovsky said .
The death came amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minsk that met with a harsh response from police who tried to disperse protesters with flash-bang grenades and rubber bullets .
Near the Pushkinskaya subway station , some 3,000 protesters tried to build barricades .
Lukashenko ’ s hardline rule began in 1994 and his victory would extend it until 2025 .
He derided the opposition as “ sheep ” manipulated by foreign masters .
Dozens were injured and thousands detained hours after Sunday ’ s vote , when police brutally broke up mostly young protesters with tear gas , water cannons and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said one person died after being run over by a police truck — which authorities denied .
Election officials said Lukashenko won a sixth term in office with 80 % of the vote , while opposition challenger Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya got 10 % .
Tsikhanouskaya submitted a formal request for a recount to the Central Election Commission .
After submitting the request , both Tsikhanouskaya and her spokeswoman remained unreachable .
Upon leaving the commission ’ s headquarters she said “ I have made a decision , I must be with my children.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she was heading abroad to reunite with her children , whom she had earlier sent to an unspecified European country after receiving threats .
On Monday evening , scattered groups of opposition supporters began gathering in downtown Minsk , chanting “ Freedom !
” and “ Long live Belarus !
” A heavy police contingent blocked central squares and avenues , moving quickly to disperse protesters and detained dozens .
Later , about 1,000 protesters gathered near a big shopping mall in downtown Minsk before being dispersed by police .
The Viasna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several other Belarusian cities , including Brest , Mogilev and Vitebsk , where detentions also took place .
The police crackdown drew harsh criticism from European capitals and will likely complicate Lukashenko ’ s efforts to mend ties with the West amid tensions with his main ally and sponsor , Russia .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the election was not “ free and fair ” and added : “ We strongly condemn ongoing violence against protesters and the detention of opposition supporters.
” Lukashenko , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discontent in the ex-Soviet nation of 9.5 million , warned that he wouldn ’ t hesitate to use force again .
He argued that the protesters met a due response overnight after injuring dozens of police officers and attempting to take control of official buildings in several Belarusian cities .
“ We will not allow them to tear the country apart , ” he said .
The 65-year-old former state farm director asserted that the opposition was being directed from Poland and the Czech Republic , adding that some groups in Ukraine and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests .
“ They are directing the ( opposition ) headquarters where those sheep don ’ t understand what they want from them , ” he said in a dismissive reference to Tsikhanouskaya and her campaign .
Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek dismissed Lukashenko ’ s claim , saying his country has not organized any protests .
The Interior Ministry said 89 people were injured during the protests late Sunday and early Monday , including 39 law enforcement officers , and about 3,000 people were detained , some 1,000 of them in Minsk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher without any prior political experience , entered the race after her husband , an opposition blogger who had hoped to run for president , was arrested in May .
She has managed to unite fractured opposition groups and draw tens of thousands to her campaign rallies — the largest opposition demonstrations since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union .
“ We don ’ t agree with ( election results ) , we have absolutely opposite information , ” Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press on Monday .
“ We have official protocols @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of votes in my favor are many more times than for another candidate.
” The coronavirus-induced economic damage and Lukashenko ’ s swaggering response to the pandemic , which he airily dismissed as “ psychosis , ” has fueled broad anger , helping swell the opposition ranks .
The post-election protest , in which young demonstrators — many of them teenagers — confronted police , marked a previously unseen level of violence .
Internet and mobile networks went down after the polls closed as authorities tried to make it more difficult for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they beat us , the less we believe in the official results , ” said Denis Golubev , a 28-year-old IT specialist who joined the protests .
The European Union condemned the police crackdown and called for an immediate release of all those detained .
In a joint statement , EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the EU commissioner responsible for relations with Europe ’ s close neighbors , Oliver Varhelyi , lamented that “ the election night was marred with disproportionate and unacceptable state violence against peaceful protesters.
” Belarus ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lithuania , also issued strong rebukes .
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called on European Union ’ s leaders to convene an extraordinary summit to support the Belarusian people ’ s democratic aspirations .
The U.K. Foreign Office also urged Belarusian authorities to “ refrain from further acts of violence following the seriously flawed presidential elections.
” In the early 2000s , the United States and the European Union slapped sanctions against Lukashenko ’ s government , but they lifted most of the penalties in recent years after Lukashenko freed political prisoners and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adminsitration has recently sought to improve long-strained ties with Lukashenko , who some officials believe could be a valuable partner in countering Russian influence in eastern and central Europe .
In early February , Pompeo became the first U.S. chief diplomat in more than 25 years to travel to Belarus , and offered to sell U.S. oil and gas to the country to reduce its dependence on Russian energy .
The administration has also nominated an ambassador to Belarus who , if confirmed , would be the first to the country since 2008 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to exert pressure on the Kremlin with the prospect of normalizing ties with the West in a bid to win more Russian subsidies .
But the violent crackdown now appears likely to derail Lukashenko ’ s hopes for those ties as Russia exerts pressure on its small neighbor .
Moscow this year cut supplies of cheap oil to Belarusian refineries , depriving the country of an estimated $ 700 million in revenues from oil product exports .
Russia-Belarus ties were further strained last week , when Belarusian law enforcement agencies arrested 33 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of planning to stage “ mass riots.
” Moscow has rejected the charges .
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Lukashenko Friday to mend the rift , and quickly congratulated him Monday on winning the vote .
The Belarusian leader also received congratulations from Chinese President Xi Jinping and heads of several ex-Soviet nations .

MINSK, Belarus — A protester died amid clashes between police and thousands of people gathered for a second straight night Monday in Belarus after official results from weekend elections — dismissed by the opposition as a sham — gave an overwhelming victory to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Interior Ministry spokesman Alexander Lastovsky said the victim was part of a crowd of people protesting results of Sunday’s presidential vote. The protester intended to throw an explosive device, but it blew up in his hand and killed him, Lastovsky said.
The death came amid demonstrations in at least four areas of Minsk that met with a harsh response from police who tried to disperse protesters with flash-bang grenades and rubber bullets. Near the Pushkinskaya subway station, some 3,000 protesters tried to build barricades.
Lukashenko’s hardline rule began in 1994 and his victory would extend it until 2025. He derided the opposition as “sheep” manipulated by foreign masters.
Dozens were injured and thousands detained hours after Sunday’s vote, when police brutally broke up mostly young protesters with tear gas, water cannons and beat them with truncheons. Rights activists said one person died after being run over by a police truck — which authorities denied.
Election officials said Lukashenko won a sixth term in office with 80% of the vote, while opposition challenger Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya got 10%. Tsikhanouskaya submitted a formal request for a recount to the Central Election Commission.
After submitting the request, both Tsikhanouskaya and her spokeswoman remained unreachable. Upon leaving the commission’s headquarters she said “I have made a decision, I must be with my children.”
It was unclear if her statement meant that she was heading abroad to reunite with her children, whom she had earlier sent to an unspecified European country after receiving threats.
On Monday evening, scattered groups of opposition supporters began gathering in downtown Minsk, chanting “Freedom!” and “Long live Belarus!” A heavy police contingent blocked central squares and avenues, moving quickly to disperse protesters and detained dozens.
Later, about 1,000 protesters gathered near a big shopping mall in downtown Minsk before being dispersed by police. The Viasna rights group said protesters also gathered in several other Belarusian cities, including Brest, Mogilev and Vitebsk, where detentions also took place.
The police crackdown drew harsh criticism from European capitals and will likely complicate Lukashenko’s efforts to mend ties with the West amid tensions with his main ally and sponsor, Russia.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the election was not “free and fair” and added: “We strongly condemn ongoing violence against protesters and the detention of opposition supporters.”
Lukashenko, whose iron-fisted rule since 1994 has fueled growing discontent in the ex-Soviet nation of 9.5 million, warned that he wouldn’t hesitate to use force again. He argued that the protesters met a due response overnight after injuring dozens of police officers and attempting to take control of official buildings in several Belarusian cities.
“We will not allow them to tear the country apart,” he said.
The 65-year-old former state farm director asserted that the opposition was being directed from Poland and the Czech Republic, adding that some groups in Ukraine and Russia could also have been behind the protests.
“They are directing the (opposition) headquarters where those sheep don’t understand what they want from them,” he said in a dismissive reference to Tsikhanouskaya and her campaign.
Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek dismissed Lukashenko’s claim, saying his country has not organized any protests.
The Interior Ministry said 89 people were injured during the protests late Sunday and early Monday, including 39 law enforcement officers, and about 3,000 people were detained, some 1,000 of them in Minsk.
Tsikhanouskaya, a 37-year-old former English teacher without any prior political experience, entered the race after her husband, an opposition blogger who had hoped to run for president, was arrested in May. She has managed to unite fractured opposition groups and draw tens of thousands to her campaign rallies — the largest opposition demonstrations since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
“We don’t agree with (election results), we have absolutely opposite information,” Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press on Monday. “We have official protocols from many poll stations, where the number of votes in my favor are many more times than for another candidate.”
The coronavirus-induced economic damage and Lukashenko’s swaggering response to the pandemic, which he airily dismissed as “psychosis,” has fueled broad anger, helping swell the opposition ranks. The post-election protest, in which young demonstrators — many of them teenagers — confronted police, marked a previously unseen level of violence.
Internet and mobile networks went down after the polls closed as authorities tried to make it more difficult for protesters to coordinate.
“The more they beat us, the less we believe in the official results,” said Denis Golubev, a 28-year-old IT specialist who joined the protests.
The European Union condemned the police crackdown and called for an immediate release of all those detained.
In a joint statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the EU commissioner responsible for relations with Europe’s close neighbors, Oliver Varhelyi, lamented that “the election night was marred with disproportionate and unacceptable state violence against peaceful protesters.”
Belarus’ EU and NATO neighbors, Poland and Lithuania, also issued strong rebukes. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called on European Union’s leaders to convene an extraordinary summit to support the Belarusian people’s democratic aspirations.
The U.K. Foreign Office also urged Belarusian authorities to “refrain from further acts of violence following the seriously flawed presidential elections.”
In the early 2000s, the United States and the European Union slapped sanctions against Lukashenko’s government, but they lifted most of the penalties in recent years after Lukashenko freed political prisoners and allowed some opposition protests.
The Trump Adminsitration has recently sought to improve long-strained ties with Lukashenko, who some officials believe could be a valuable partner in countering Russian influence in eastern and central Europe. In early February, Pompeo became the first U.S. chief diplomat in more than 25 years to travel to Belarus, and offered to sell U.S. oil and gas to the country to reduce its dependence on Russian energy.
The administration has also nominated an ambassador to Belarus who, if confirmed, would be the first to the country since 2008.
Throughout his tenure, Lukashenko has tried to exert pressure on the Kremlin with the prospect of normalizing ties with the West in a bid to win more Russian subsidies. But the violent crackdown now appears likely to derail Lukashenko’s hopes for those ties as Russia exerts pressure on its small neighbor.
Moscow this year cut supplies of cheap oil to Belarusian refineries, depriving the country of an estimated $700 million in revenues from oil product exports. Russia-Belarus ties were further strained last week, when Belarusian law enforcement agencies arrested 33 Russian private military contractors and accused them of planning to stage “mass riots.”
Moscow has rejected the charges. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Lukashenko Friday to mend the rift, and quickly congratulated him Monday on winning the vote. The Belarusian leader also received congratulations from Chinese President Xi Jinping and heads of several ex-Soviet nations.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Seattle police chief to resign following department cuts

SEATTLE — Seattle ’ s police chief says she is stepping down , a move made public the same day the City Council approved reducing the department by as many as 100 officers through layoffs and attrition .
Carmen Best , the city ’ s first Black police chief , said in a letter to the department that her retirement will be effective Sept. 2 and the mayor has appointed Deputy Chief Adrian Diaz as the interim chief , KING-TV reported Monday .
Councilmembers had approved the cuts Monday .
“ I am confident the department will make it through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the letter .
“ You truly are the best police department in the country , and please trust me when I say , the vast majority of people in Seattle support you and appreciate you .
… I look forward to seeing how this department moves forward through the process of re-envisioning public safety .
I relish the work that will be done by all of you.
” In an email to police Mayor Jenny Durkan said she she accepted Best ’ s decision “ with a very heavy heart.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best way to serve the city and help the department was a change in leadership , in the hope that would change the dynamics to move forward with the City Council , ” Durkan wrote .
The mayor picked Best in July of 2018 to lead the department .
She had been serving as interim chief .
A military veteran , Best joined the department in 1992 and had worked in a wide variety of roles , including patrol , media relations , narcotics and operations and deputy chief .
Cuts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have marched in the city following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis but strongly opposed by Durkan and Best .
Measures that would cut less than $ 4 million of the department ’ s $ 400 million annual budget this year passed out of committee unanimously last week .
On Monday , only council member Kshama Sawant voted against the budget package , saying it does not do enough to defund the police .
Seattle currently has about 1,400 police officers and the reductions fell far short of the 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter protesters are seeking .
Several council members on Monday said the changes were a starting point in a long process to reimagine policing and public safety .
The City Council also cut Best ’ s roughly $ 285,000 annual salary and the pay of other top police leaders , although the final cuts to Best ’ s salary were significantly more modest than those approved last week .
The council plan also takes officers off a team that removes homeless camps .
“ While we can ’ t do everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have set the path forward for tremendous work in front of us as a council and as a city , ” Council member Teresa Mosqueda said .
Durkan and Best had urged the council to slow down its discussions about police budgets , saying the issue could be taken up in earnest when the 2021 city budget is considered .
They also said any layoffs would disproportionately target newer officers , often hired from Black and brown communities , and would inevitably lead to lawsuits .
Durkan has proposed cutting about $ 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely because of reduced revenues amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Last month , the mayor sketched out a plan to reduce the police budget by about $ 75 million next year by transferring parking enforcement officers , the 911 call center and other areas out of the department .
“ It is unfortunate Council has refused to engage in a collaborative process to work with the mayor , Chief Best , and community members to develop a budget and policies that respond to community needs while accounting for — not just acknowledging — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in transforming the Seattle Police Department , ” Durkan said in a statement after the vote .

SEATTLE — Seattle’s police chief says she is stepping down, a move made public the same day the city council approved reducing the department by as many as 100 officers through layoffs and attrition.
Carmen Best, the city’s first black police chief, said in a letter to the department that her retirement will be effective Sept. 2 and the mayor has appointed Deputy Chief Adrian Diaz as the interim chief, KING-TV reported Monday. Council members had approved the cuts Monday.
“I am confident the department will make it through these difficult times,” Best said in the letter. “You truly are the best police department in the country, and please trust me when I say, the vast majority of people in Seattle support you and appreciate you. … I look forward to seeing how this department moves forward through the process of re-envisioning public safety. I relish the work that will be done by all of you.”
In an email to police, Mayor Jenny Durkan said she accepted Best’s decision “with a very heavy heart.”
“I regret deeply that she concluded that the best way to serve the city and help the department was a change in leadership, in the hope that would change the dynamics to move forward with the City Council,” Durkan wrote.
Durkan and Best planned a Tuesday morning news conference.
The mayor picked Best in July 2018 to lead the department. She had been serving as interim chief.
A military veteran, Best joined the department in 1992 and had worked in a wide variety of roles, including patrol, media relations, narcotics and operations and deputy chief.
Cuts to the department have been supported by demonstrators who have marched in the city following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis but strongly opposed by Durkan and Best.
Measures that would cut less than $4 million of the department’s $400 million annual budget this year passed out of committee unanimously last week. On Monday, only council member Kshama Sawant voted against the budget package, saying it does not do enough to defund the police.
Seattle currently has about 1,400 police officers and the reductions fell far short of the 50% cut to the department that many Black Lives Matter protesters are seeking. Several council members on Monday said the changes were a starting point in a long process to reimagine policing and public safety.
The city council also cut Best’s roughly $285,000 annual salary and the pay of other top police leaders, although the final cuts to Best’s salary were significantly more modest than those approved last week. The council plan also takes officers off a team that removes homeless camps.
“While we can’t do everything in this summer rebalancing package, we have set the path forward for tremendous work in front of us as a council and as a city,” council member Teresa Mosqueda said.
Durkan and Best had urged the council to slow down its discussions about police budgets, saying the issue could be taken up in earnest when the 2021 city budget is considered. They also said any layoffs would disproportionately target newer officers, often hired from black and brown communities, and would inevitably lead to lawsuits.
Durkan has proposed cutting about $20 million from the police budget this year largely because of reduced revenues amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month, the mayor sketched out a plan to reduce the police budget by about $75 million next year by transferring parking enforcement officers, the 911 call center and other areas out of the department.
“It is unfortunate Council has refused to engage in a collaborative process to work with the mayor, Chief Best, and community members to develop a budget and policies that respond to community needs while accounting for — not just acknowledging — the significant labor and legal implications involved in transforming the Seattle Police Department,” Durkan said in a statement after the vote.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--Man punches Sesame Place worker over mask requirement at Pennsylvania theme park

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A man reportedly @ @ @ @ @ the face at the Sesame Place theme park in Pennsylvania after the employee told him @ @ @ @ @ premises .
The suspect is still wanted for Sunday ’ s assault at the theme @ @ @ @ @ outside Philadelphia in Langhorne , WCAU reported , citing police .
The man , believed @ @ @ @ @ of 20 and 30 , was with a woman when the teen worker let him @ @ @ @ @ s mask policy .
Later in the day , the man ran into the teen @ @ @ @ @ ’ s High C ’ s Adventure ride and socked him in the face , @ @ @ @ @ required surgery on Monday to injuries he sustained to his jaw , the report said @ @ @ @ @ tooth damage from the blow .
The suspect and the woman fled the park in @ @ @ @ @ in New York .

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A man reportedly punched a 17-year-old worker in the face at the Sesame Place theme park in Pennsylvania after the employee told him masks were required on the premises.
The suspect is still wanted for Sunday’s assault at the theme park located about 30 minutes outside Philadelphia in Langhorne, WCAU reported, citing police.
The man, believed to be between the ages of 20 and 30, was with a woman when the teen worker let him know about the park’s mask policy.
Later in the day, the man ran into the teen again at the Captain Cookie’s High C’s Adventure ride and socked him in the face, police said.
The teen required surgery Monday for injuries he sustained to his jaw, the report said. The worker also sustained tooth damage from the blow.
The suspect and the woman fled the park in a car that was registered in New York.


newyorkpost--2020-08-11--J.A. Happ’s struggles may not be only reason for Yankees skipping start

People involved in making decisions about what the trade landscape ...

With Jordan Montgomery and Masahiro Tanaka starting Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, against the Braves at Yankee Stadium and Gerrit Cole likely to face the Red Sox on Friday night, J.A. Happ’s next turn is in flux.
Happ, 37, isn’t hurt, but with Monday and Thursday this week being dark the Yankees are skipping the struggling left-hander.
Because Happ and the Yankees are in discussions about the pitcher’s vesting option for 2020, it could be speculated he is being skipped to limit his innings.
A recent deal between the union and MLB stated players with vesting options would receive the contractual option total in full, but the thresholds that trigger the option would be prorated based on games played this year.
Happ has a $17 million option for 2021 that in a standard 162-game season would have vested if he reached 26 starts or 165 innings. Prorated for a 60-game season, Happ would have to reach 10 starts or 61 ¹/₃ innings to trigger the $17 million option. In two starts this year, Happ has worked a total of seven innings.
However, Happ being skipped is likely due to him not pitching well.
Happ is 0-1 with a 10.39 ERA and has allowed seven hits and eight walks in those seven innings. In his last outing on Wednesday in Philadelphia, Happ gave up four runs in three innings and walked six. That is one shy of his career high which happened in 2011. The last time Happ walked six in a game was in 2018.
“I’ve got to make them put the ball in play,’’ Happ said. “I’ve got to force the issue better than I did today.”
He called the walks “uncharacteristic” and admitted frustration with home plate umpire Angel Hernandez: “I did hit some [spots in the strike zone] and didn’t get [calls]. That’s just a fact, but that happens. I’ve got to move on.”
With Giancarlo Stanton on the IL, Aaron Boone used the word “creative’’ Sunday talking about what he will do without his DH.
With Clint Frazier joining the Yankees for Tuesday night’s game, he will likely get a crack at the DH spot. However, Boone is very high on left-handed hitting Mike Ford, so he could take over for Stanton and not just against right-handers. In 21 games versus lefties last season, Ford hit .333 (11-for-33) with seven homers, 11 RBIs and a 1.389 OPS. In 49 games against righties, Ford batted .236 (26-for-110) with five homers, 14 RBIs and a 7.66 OPS. Ford could also play first base, which would give Boone the option to use the right-handed hitting Luke Voit as the DH.
Boone could also mix in regular players such as Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks and Gary Sanchez in the DH spot.
A bullpen that has Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino and Chad Green is certainly strong, but the Yankees pen could be adding Aroldis Chapman. The left-handed closer is expected to face batters Tuesday at the alternate site in Scranton. That would move Chapman a step closer to rejoining the Yankees after his stint on the COVID-19 IL. Chapman hasn’t pitched in a big-league game this year.
When Chapman returns, he will close and Britton will work in front of him. Britton is 5-for-5 in save chances, but was shaky in the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss to the Rays on Sunday. He gave up a run, two hits, walked one and bounced a wild pitch.