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Top 10 Conservative Idiots #14-10: Best Of #27: Sanity Plea Edition (official Top 10 #298!)
Top 10 Conservative Idiots #14-10: Best Of #27: Sanity Plea Edition (official Top 10 #298!)
Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! So how is everybody doing? Unfortunately we partied way too heartily in Vancouver, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t have fun, right? I know! But we will be live from Hollywood next week with the full Trump indictment / arraignment special! Fuck yeah! Come on, we’ve been waiting for this for nearly 7 years! But we will still be going to Paris for #300 on 4/20! I mean come on, do you know how much it costs to take an entire comedy show to Paris? And we make, well, Podcast money. We don’t make prime time after the Daily Show money, which really is where we should be by now! Ha ha ha. Oh and by the way, we’re counting this as edition #298 because there is some original material here (mainly Stupidest State and that’s it). But we’ve got some big things planned for the end of the season and for the start of season 15, can I reveal something? Well, remember way back in 2020 when we planned the What’s Up With Florida? docuseries that was unfortunately canceled because of COVID? Well, it’s a go! Yup, we’re going to be touring around the Sunshine State for the first 5 editions of season 15 to find out what’s going on in the state that could once again, mainly thanks to Fox, be at the center of deciding the next president of the United States. And let’s face it, Florida has gone hard, almost authoritarian right in the last few years. Also too for season 15, we’re going to debut our new segment Road To The 2024 Primaries! Because we have to know what’s going on, and we can’t sleep on it or wait for the problem to just go away. Plus we’re finally, after several hiccups in the last few months, going to debut season 2 of Holy Shit: The Sunday Sermons! Plus we have a new source of clips as you could tell from our last Wheel Of Corruption edition. OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to but first we have John Oliver back and his segment on artificial intelligence and ChatGPT is definitely worth watching:
Where do we begin in this Best Of Edition? Well from Idiots #13-11 – the alt right’s favorite blithering idiot candidate Herschel Walker’s (1) increasingly escalating series of blunders , the Christian right has accidentally said the quiet part out loud – which is that they want absolute power, and they don’t care who they stomp on to get it! In the second slot, from Idiots #13-14, the Chief Twit himself, Elon Musk (2) is in hot water again over his decision to make people pay $8 a month for the privilege to have a blue checkmark next to their name. In the number 3 slot this week, from Idiots #14-5, we take a look at some increasingly draconian anti-trans bills that seem to be escalating and one-upping each other (3) in different states around the country, and it’s getting really ugly really quickly. In the fourth slot this week, from Idiots #13-13, Clarence Thomas (4) blocks an inquiry into what happened when Trump tried to steal the 2020 election, because you know that his treasonous wife Ginni was most likely involved in that decision. Taking the number 5 seed this week, from Idiots #14-2, we bring back our segment “Good Guys With Guns” (5) to talk about that horrifying shooting in Alabama where a six year old brought a gun to school and shot a teacher, and it’s the stuff of pure insanity! But of course it could only happen in America. In the number six slot, from Idiots #14-3, is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and conservative Christians everywhere are going into a full blown, 80’s style Satanic Panic over Sam Smith’s performance of his hit song “Unholy” at the Grammy Awards and we’re here for it! Taking the number 7 slot, from Idiots #14-1, our pop culture talking points segment “Beating A Dead Horse” discusses the insane feud between our old buddy Tucker Carlson (7) and Mars Corp, over Mars’ decision to make the green M&Ms character an outed lesbian, and well, it’s insane. In the number 8 slot, from Idiots #14-4, we have a segment of Conspiracy Corner (8) for you with conservatives still being obsessed over that Chinese spy balloon that appeared in the skies over Montana and the government not shooting it down quickly enough. In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot, from Idiots #14-8, we have a People Are Dumb for you, because of course they are! And it’s one of our famous all Florida editions at that! Finally this week it’s time for Stupidest State 2023! And we have some exciting matchups for you for Round 1 Week 4! Over in the Batshit Conference, #3 North Dakota takes on #4 Arizona, while over in the Family Values Conference, last year’s champion #1 Tennessee takes on red hot challenger in #2 – Arkansas! We’re live from the home of the Sacramento Kings, the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, for all of the festivities! Plus to close things out, some live music from Bad Omens! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!
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[font size="8"]Herschel Walker
[br] [/font] [br]
From: Idiots #13-11
Every election, it seems like the candidates are getting increasingly terrible. Of course that’s what happens when one party is out for absolute power and they will nominate the doltiest of dolts because they know that a certain percentage of the voting public will vote for that candidate because they refuse to vote for the other guy. This election cycle we have Herschel Walker (Q – Batshit), who is running to be a Senator from Georgia. And really after watching all of the videos from the last few weeks, Saturday Night Live doesn’t really need to write any sketches, they can just reuse his lines verbatim. But this whole exercise has really shown what an insane, power hungry, batshit crazy cult the GOP has morphed into. They’ll put up with this deadbeat loser as long as he says what he wants to hear and bows down to their every evil move. And not only that, with the overturning of Roe V Wade, it unleashes a whole new era of Christian hypocrisy.
The woman who previously said she had an abortion paid for by Herschel Walker, the GOP Senate nominee in Georgia, said she had to repeatedly push him to fund the 2009 procedure that she said he wanted her to have, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
The woman told the Post that she told Walker, “You need to send – I can’t afford to pay for this.”
“We did this, too. Both of us did this. We both know how babies are made,” she told the Post of her message to Walker.
The woman told the outlet that Walker ultimately sent her a $700 check via FedEx roughly a week after the procedure. The Post said it reviewed an image of the check the woman said Walker sent her, which had his name and signature on it, as well as a receipt from a woman’s medical center in the amount of $575.
A person whom the woman confided in at the time told the Post, “She was like, ‘I’ll do it as soon as you send the check…. And he was like ‘I sent the check.’ And she was like, ‘It’s been seven days. I didn’t get it.’”
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/11/politics/herschel-walker-abortion-payment/index.html
The woman told the Post that she told Walker, “You need to send – I can’t afford to pay for this.”
“We did this, too. Both of us did this. We both know how babies are made,” she told the Post of her message to Walker.
The woman told the outlet that Walker ultimately sent her a $700 check via FedEx roughly a week after the procedure. The Post said it reviewed an image of the check the woman said Walker sent her, which had his name and signature on it, as well as a receipt from a woman’s medical center in the amount of $575.
A person whom the woman confided in at the time told the Post, “She was like, ‘I’ll do it as soon as you send the check…. And he was like ‘I sent the check.’ And she was like, ‘It’s been seven days. I didn’t get it.’”
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/11/politics/herschel-walker-abortion-payment/index.html
Seriously, this is absolutely fucking evil on multiple levels. And not only is it evil, it paints a portrait of a minority group of people who are out for absolute power. So remember that whole thing we went through with the overturning of Roe V Wade? Turns out that getting an abortion doesn’t matter as long as you speak MAGA republican and are running to replace a democratic senator. Not only did the Christian right show that they don’t care about abortion, they actually doubled down by holding a prayer breakfast. Yeah there’s a whole group of people who should probably lose their tax exempt status like immediately.
On the morning after an explosive news report that U.S. Senate hopeful Herschel Walker paid for a girlfriend’s abortion in 2009, the Georgia Republican attended a closed prayer event at First Baptist Church in Atlanta. Journalists who showed up at the church Tuesday (Oct. 4) were told by church staffers they had to leave. But Word&Way found photos and videos shared on social media by attendees that give insights into the campaign event.
The “worship and luncheon with Herschel Walker” had already been planned by “Prayer Warriors for Herschel” before the abortion allegation that Walker denies. As attendees walked in, a welcome sign featuring a smiling Walker announced it as the “Herschel Walker Prayer Luncheon.”
Although churches can open their facilities for campaigns to use under IRS rules governing 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits like First Baptist Atlanta, the staff wearing their name badges (like Director of Business Operations Kelly Stewart) while keeping reporters away suggests the inappropriate use of church resources to aid a partisan campaign. Stewart inaccurately told Religion News Service the prayer event was not preplanned and insisted it did not cover “personal things” like the abortion story.
In February, the church welcomed Walker to the stage during Sunday worship to talk with Senior Pastor Anthony George. A key strategy for Walker’s campaign has been speaking during services of megachurches.
https://publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/baptist-megachurch-pastor-leads-prayer
The “worship and luncheon with Herschel Walker” had already been planned by “Prayer Warriors for Herschel” before the abortion allegation that Walker denies. As attendees walked in, a welcome sign featuring a smiling Walker announced it as the “Herschel Walker Prayer Luncheon.”
Although churches can open their facilities for campaigns to use under IRS rules governing 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits like First Baptist Atlanta, the staff wearing their name badges (like Director of Business Operations Kelly Stewart) while keeping reporters away suggests the inappropriate use of church resources to aid a partisan campaign. Stewart inaccurately told Religion News Service the prayer event was not preplanned and insisted it did not cover “personal things” like the abortion story.
In February, the church welcomed Walker to the stage during Sunday worship to talk with Senior Pastor Anthony George. A key strategy for Walker’s campaign has been speaking during services of megachurches.
https://publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/baptist-megachurch-pastor-leads-prayer
RIP separation of church and state. 1789 – 2022. You will be missed. It’s seriously beyond the pale what the Christian right are doing to this country. And this gets worse! So much worse! In fact this is one of those stories that we say is like peeling an onion. The more layers you pull back, the more it stinks, and the more likely you are to cry as a result. And for the sake of this piece, let's call it Mr. Walker's Home For Peculiar Children. Ha ha ha ha ha ha... nice job graphics department! So apparently if you’re keeping score at home, the Christian right does have exceptions for abortion. Those are that you have to be a privileged male who happens to be a celebrity who happens to be running for senate, even if said candidate is grossly unpopular even with the fringe base!
Herschel Walker, the football legend now running for Senate in Georgia, says he wants to completely ban abortion, likening it to murder and claiming there should be “no exception” for rape, incest, or the life of the mother.
But the Republican candidate has supported at least one exception—for himself.
A woman who asked not to be identified out of privacy concerns told The Daily Beast that, after she and Walker conceived a child while they were dating in 2009, he urged her to get an abortion. The woman said she had the procedure and that Walker reimbursed her for it.
She supported these claims with a $575 receipt from the abortion clinic, a “get well” card from Walker, and a bank deposit receipt that included an image of a signed $700 personal check from Walker.
Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/pro-life-herschel-walker-paid-for-girlfriends-abortion-georgia-senate?ref=home
But the Republican candidate has supported at least one exception—for himself.
A woman who asked not to be identified out of privacy concerns told The Daily Beast that, after she and Walker conceived a child while they were dating in 2009, he urged her to get an abortion. The woman said she had the procedure and that Walker reimbursed her for it.
She supported these claims with a $575 receipt from the abortion clinic, a “get well” card from Walker, and a bank deposit receipt that included an image of a signed $700 personal check from Walker.
Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/pro-life-herschel-walker-paid-for-girlfriends-abortion-georgia-senate?ref=home
Yeah holy shit! So this of course has the GOP, Fox News, and AM radio scrambling to do damage control, because they want their boy in the senate. I mean really GOP, is this who you want to be a shining example of what you stand for? Oh fuck it, he is everything that they stand for – everything horrible that the GOP can do all wrapped up in one disgusting package. And they’re not getting rid of this guy even with three weeks to go before the general election! It’s absolute madness, I tell you. I need a vacation after the election. But Fox News always has an excuse for these clowns. ALWAYS. Move along, nothing to see here. Please disperse.
His denial came after the Daily Beast published a detailed account from an unnamed former girlfriend who said Walker encouraged her to have an abortion after she became pregnant while they were dating
By Annie Linskey and Cleve R. Wootson Jr.
Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Georgia, on Monday denied a claim that he paid for a girlfriend’s abortion in 2009, saying in a televised interview on Fox News Channel that the account published in the Daily Beast is a “flat-out lie.”
Walker’s denial came after the Daily Beast published a detailed description from an unnamed former girlfriend who said that Walker encouraged her to have an abortion after she became pregnant while they were dating, wrote her a $700 check to pay for the procedure and then sent her a subsequent “get well” card.
When asked by Fox News’s Sean Hannity about the reported $700 check, Walker, who has voiced opposition to abortion rights, said he frequently gives money to others. “I send money to a lot of people,” Walker said. “I believe in being generous.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/04/walker-senate-abortion-claim/
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[font size="8"]Elon Musk
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From:https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217348662 | Idiots #13-14]
For those of you who are not familiar with Norse mythology, there’s a mythical being known as Surtur who is a giant flaming monster. When Surtur’s skull is placed atop the eternal flame in Asguard, it turns into a giant flaming monster that destroys the entire planet. Well, I’ve often compared Trump to Surtur, but now I think that designation might be more suited to Elon Musk. That’s right – he’s become a giant flaming monster that is ripping Twitter apart at the seams. Users are leaving, communities are being ruined, and it’s all because he feels the need to be Chief Twit. Well, Chief Twit is doing a hell of a lot of damage to the platform since he took it over. He’s basically turned the entire thing into a laughing stock and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. You know, it might be interesting to see who’s lost more money in the last two months by siding with right wing extremists – Ye or Elon? I think Elon might be the winner in this. Especially if his proposed Twitter Blue platform ever has a chance of getting approved and it will be a bloodbath!
The new Twitter Blue, which now costs $7.99 per month and gets you a blue verified check mark, is officially available in its app for iPhones and iPads. Twitter owner Elon Musk began hyping the new Blue just days after taking over the company at the end of October, promising features like verification, priority in replies, mentions, and search, and “half as many ads,” and now you can actually get the new subscription.
Right now, for people who subscribe to the new package, their account instantly adds a verified check, but the other new benefits aren’t available yet. According to a support page, “only accounts subscribed to Twitter Blue on iOS on or after November 9, 2022 are eligible for the blue checkmark moving forward.” It’s unclear when the new subscription will become available for users on Android, Twitter web, or in countries where Twitter Blue wasn’t already available. And new Twitter accounts created on or after Wednesday aren’t eligible to sign up for Blue “at this time,” Twitter says.
On the signup form on iOS, the $7.99 per month price is positioned as a “limited time offer.” For the moment, you can’t sign up on the web — you have to sign up on iOS. And some users already subscribed to Blue are reporting they have to subscribe again and specifically to the new tier.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23448317/elon-musk-twitter-blue-verification-live-ios
Right now, for people who subscribe to the new package, their account instantly adds a verified check, but the other new benefits aren’t available yet. According to a support page, “only accounts subscribed to Twitter Blue on iOS on or after November 9, 2022 are eligible for the blue checkmark moving forward.” It’s unclear when the new subscription will become available for users on Android, Twitter web, or in countries where Twitter Blue wasn’t already available. And new Twitter accounts created on or after Wednesday aren’t eligible to sign up for Blue “at this time,” Twitter says.
On the signup form on iOS, the $7.99 per month price is positioned as a “limited time offer.” For the moment, you can’t sign up on the web — you have to sign up on iOS. And some users already subscribed to Blue are reporting they have to subscribe again and specifically to the new tier.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23448317/elon-musk-twitter-blue-verification-live-ios
So Elon, or Chief Twit, is the giant flaming monster that is destroying Twitter and his platform is losing big time. What is this? The Secret Life Of Chief Twitty? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! Oh man another awesome one! But here’s the thing – even the advertisers are starting to worry! I mean come on, they endorse Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity’s hate speech every night. So what was the final straw to get them to leave Twitter? Well as Kanye showed, being a Nazi is bad for business, so it’s only natural that Twitter could follow suit.
Elon Musk held a giant conference call for advertisers and more than 100,000 other people today. He sounded thoughtful about his plans for Twitter, unsure about how it was all going to work out, but solicitous for feedback. “I only got the keys to the building last Friday,” he said, adding later: “I’m open to ideas.”
The problem for Musk is the advertisers he has spooked since buying Twitter for $44 billion are unlikely to be swayed by any of this. They tell me they don’t mind what Musk says in outreach calls like this. They’re concerned about what he does and what he tweets.
This is a new problem for Musk, who became the world’s richest man by selling electric cars and building rocket ships, and not by caring about what other people think about him. Or, at least, not caring what controversy-hating advertisers think about him.
But now he very much has to. At the moment, advertisers are Twitter’s entire revenue stream, and they aren’t happy with Musk. If he can’t turn that around, he’s in very big trouble.
https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/11/9/23450150/twitter-elon-musk-advertising-problem-conference-call-peter-kafka-column
The problem for Musk is the advertisers he has spooked since buying Twitter for $44 billion are unlikely to be swayed by any of this. They tell me they don’t mind what Musk says in outreach calls like this. They’re concerned about what he does and what he tweets.
This is a new problem for Musk, who became the world’s richest man by selling electric cars and building rocket ships, and not by caring about what other people think about him. Or, at least, not caring what controversy-hating advertisers think about him.
But now he very much has to. At the moment, advertisers are Twitter’s entire revenue stream, and they aren’t happy with Musk. If he can’t turn that around, he’s in very big trouble.
https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/11/9/23450150/twitter-elon-musk-advertising-problem-conference-call-peter-kafka-column
So get ready everybody, Elon is about to do some ridiculously dumb stuff. And that’s not already in addition to the bloodbath that he caused earlier. But if you’re like me and you’re watching with sheer horror the damage that one man can do to a multi-billion dollar corporation like Twitter, you’re not alone. Remember that you can spend a lifetime or two building a business and reputation, and then some jackass with a wrecking ball can ruin it literally within seconds. It’s truly insane what is happening and don’t expect things to get better any time soon. But it’s also affecting Elon’s other businesses too, and it’s the stuff of insanity.
Elon Musk sold $3.95 billion worth of Tesla stock since completing his purchase of Twitter late last month.
Musk’s Tesla stock sales, totaling 19.5 million shares, have been widely anticipated ever since the Tesla CEO reached a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion. Musk had sold blocks of Tesla shares worth a total of $15.4 billion earlier this year since his deal to buy Twitter was announced.
Twitter confirmed Musk bought the social media company October 27, but he waited until November 4 to start selling additional Tesla shares. He also sold blocks of Tesla stock on Monday and Tuesday this week, according to filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission late Tuesday night.
It’s not clear if the money Musk raised went toward the Twitter purchase, or to support losses at Twitter since he took over.
Musk disclosed last week that Twitter has seen a “massive drop in revenue,” as a growing number of advertisers pause spending on the platform in the wake of his takeover of the company. He blamed “activist groups” pressuring advertisers for the loss of ad dollars.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/08/business/elon-musk-tesla-stock-sale-twitter-purchase/index.html
Musk’s Tesla stock sales, totaling 19.5 million shares, have been widely anticipated ever since the Tesla CEO reached a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion. Musk had sold blocks of Tesla shares worth a total of $15.4 billion earlier this year since his deal to buy Twitter was announced.
Twitter confirmed Musk bought the social media company October 27, but he waited until November 4 to start selling additional Tesla shares. He also sold blocks of Tesla stock on Monday and Tuesday this week, according to filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission late Tuesday night.
It’s not clear if the money Musk raised went toward the Twitter purchase, or to support losses at Twitter since he took over.
Musk disclosed last week that Twitter has seen a “massive drop in revenue,” as a growing number of advertisers pause spending on the platform in the wake of his takeover of the company. He blamed “activist groups” pressuring advertisers for the loss of ad dollars.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/08/business/elon-musk-tesla-stock-sale-twitter-purchase/index.html
Yeah so Elon is basically Surtur for Twitter. You know what would make things even worse than they already are? Well you enjoy browsing Twitter for free? You soon won’t be able to anymore. Hope that doesn’t give any other platform owners like Zuckerberg any ideas! So while right wing trolls may miss their social media accounts, if they have to pay, they won’t be able to wreak havoc on social media for free anymore. Between Elon owning Twitter and Ye soon to be owning Parler, who’s going to be the bigger loser in the loser patrol? My money is still on Elon.
If Friday brought massive layoffs to Twitter, Monday brought fresh evidence that the company will never be the same. Elon Musk has discussed putting the entire site behind a paywall, Platformer has learned. Meanwhile, the company is scrambling to lure back employees who it laid off mere hours ago, and some workers say the economics behind its soon-to-relaunch Twitter Blue subscription could actually lose the company money.
All of this took place against the backdrop of a company that still has yet to hear anything official from Musk, via email or a companywide meeting. As Monday began, after losing thousands of their colleagues days earlier, many employees didn’t know who their managers are.
Meanwhile, Musk’s increasingly erratic leadership, coupled with his habit of tweeting in eye-watering bad taste, gave many current and former employees I spoke with a sinking feeling about the future of their company.
Today let’s talk a bit more about how the company botched its layoff process, what happened inside Twitter on Monday, and what that paywall might look like.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/7/23446262/elon-musk-twitter-paywall-possible
All of this took place against the backdrop of a company that still has yet to hear anything official from Musk, via email or a companywide meeting. As Monday began, after losing thousands of their colleagues days earlier, many employees didn’t know who their managers are.
Meanwhile, Musk’s increasingly erratic leadership, coupled with his habit of tweeting in eye-watering bad taste, gave many current and former employees I spoke with a sinking feeling about the future of their company.
Today let’s talk a bit more about how the company botched its layoff process, what happened inside Twitter on Monday, and what that paywall might look like.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/7/23446262/elon-musk-twitter-paywall-possible
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[font size="8"]The GOP
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From: Idiots #14-5
So in case you haven’t noticed, the hate in this country is being amplified to unheard of levels. You know, a couple of weeks ago, we talked about some insane anti-LGBT bills being proposed in various states throughout the country (see: link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217610825 | Idiots #14-2] ). But now the war is getting very intense. And don’t think that we haven’t seen the end of this crap. And there’s a metric shit ton of anti-LGBT legislation being proposed in about half the country. You know I thank the highest of high gods every day that our founding fathers wrote that 2/3rds majority rule in the constitution. Because imagine if the Christian right and white wing sources like Fox News got their way on the issues and wrote hate into the Constitution? We’d be screwed. I mean the GOP can’t keep getting away with this and eventually we’ll rise up against them. Apparently nothing is too controversial or off the table for the Christian right ghouls. And the other thing we have to consider is just like death and taxes, these things are only going to get worse before they get better.
Less than two full months into 2023, over 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have now been introduced in state legislatures around the country.
Legislative researcher Allison Chapman made note of the grim statistic on Twitter on Thursday, including a screenshot of the LGBTQ+ Legislative Tracking spreadsheet compiled by her and fellow trans activists Alejandra Caraballo and Erin Reed. Chapman wrote that the largest number of bills, 91, aim to ban gender-affirming care, followed by 44 “Don’t Say Gay” style bills, 39 trans sports bans, and 27 drag bans. Other categories of bills include trans bathroom bans, birth certificate change bans, and forced misgendering.
“We are in truly unprecedented times,” Chapman wrote.
Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and CEO of GLAAD noted in a statement that this number is “nearly the entirety of bills introduced during the whole 2022 legislative session.” In 2022, 315 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in states across the nation, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
The LGBTQ+ Legislative Tracking spreadsheet also includes a map that shows where anti-LGBTQ+ bills are most concentrated, and a map that ranks states by their anti-trans laws. Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida are classified as having the “worst active anti-trans laws,” with Texas, Alabama, and Montana additionally ranked as having introduced the highest number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills this year thus far.
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/anti-lgbtq-bills-filed-2023
Legislative researcher Allison Chapman made note of the grim statistic on Twitter on Thursday, including a screenshot of the LGBTQ+ Legislative Tracking spreadsheet compiled by her and fellow trans activists Alejandra Caraballo and Erin Reed. Chapman wrote that the largest number of bills, 91, aim to ban gender-affirming care, followed by 44 “Don’t Say Gay” style bills, 39 trans sports bans, and 27 drag bans. Other categories of bills include trans bathroom bans, birth certificate change bans, and forced misgendering.
“We are in truly unprecedented times,” Chapman wrote.
Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and CEO of GLAAD noted in a statement that this number is “nearly the entirety of bills introduced during the whole 2022 legislative session.” In 2022, 315 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in states across the nation, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
The LGBTQ+ Legislative Tracking spreadsheet also includes a map that shows where anti-LGBTQ+ bills are most concentrated, and a map that ranks states by their anti-trans laws. Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida are classified as having the “worst active anti-trans laws,” with Texas, Alabama, and Montana additionally ranked as having introduced the highest number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills this year thus far.
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/anti-lgbtq-bills-filed-2023
Yes, what the fuck indeed? We are living in unprecedented times, that much is true, my friends! And it’s because America’s most watched news network has way too much fucking power in this country. Like you ever notice that what’s being talked about on Tucker Carlson one night starts getting turned into state and local policy the next? It’s almost like Fox News is manufacturing legislation. Let’s take a look at this bill in North Dakota, which aims to actually fine people if they use a person’s gender that was not assigned to them at birth. This is some draconian Nazi shit here, folks!
A Republican lawmaker in North Dakota introduced a bill that would fine people $1,500 if they refer to trans people using their correct pronouns, rather than the pronouns they were assigned at birth.
The rule would apply to organizations that receive state funding—which includes public schools. That means schools and teachers could be fined for using their trans colleagues’ or students’ pronouns.
‘Words used to reference an individual's sex, gender, gender identity, or gender expression, mean the individual's determined sex at birth, male or female,” states Senate Bill 2199. “Any person that violates this section must be assessed a fee of one thousand five hundred dollars.”
Republican state Sen. David Clemens introduced the bill, which has received basically zero support, according to local news station KFYR. In fact, the state’s senate judiciary committee recommended the bill shouldn’t pass, in part because it was poorly written and would be difficult to enforce. Still, the bill will move to the senate floor, and is a sign of just how emboldened many conservative lawmakers are getting in their crusades against trans and nonbinary people. In 2023, state governments have already tried to introduce some of the most draconian anti-trans bills yet, including an Oklahoma bill that would ban gender-affirming care for people under 26.
North Dakota is already the site of many proposed anti-trans bills, including bans on gender-affirming care and trans sports participation. SB 2199 is the latest example in a string of related proposed policies.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/xgyjbq/north-dakota-pronoun-republican-anti-trans-bill
The rule would apply to organizations that receive state funding—which includes public schools. That means schools and teachers could be fined for using their trans colleagues’ or students’ pronouns.
‘Words used to reference an individual's sex, gender, gender identity, or gender expression, mean the individual's determined sex at birth, male or female,” states Senate Bill 2199. “Any person that violates this section must be assessed a fee of one thousand five hundred dollars.”
Republican state Sen. David Clemens introduced the bill, which has received basically zero support, according to local news station KFYR. In fact, the state’s senate judiciary committee recommended the bill shouldn’t pass, in part because it was poorly written and would be difficult to enforce. Still, the bill will move to the senate floor, and is a sign of just how emboldened many conservative lawmakers are getting in their crusades against trans and nonbinary people. In 2023, state governments have already tried to introduce some of the most draconian anti-trans bills yet, including an Oklahoma bill that would ban gender-affirming care for people under 26.
North Dakota is already the site of many proposed anti-trans bills, including bans on gender-affirming care and trans sports participation. SB 2199 is the latest example in a string of related proposed policies.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/xgyjbq/north-dakota-pronoun-republican-anti-trans-bill
Yes BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! But you know what we say about actions having consequences. We love to point this stuff out there here on this program. It turns out that the Christian fundamentalist Fox News agenda is grossly unpopular. Yes, the Fox Opinion Channel may be the most watched “news” network in America, but the people who they elect and the hateful and extremely discriminatory laws that are being proposed and passed have very unfavorable approval ratings. I mean seriously, naval lint and sweaty rashes have higher approval ratings. Just check out what is happening in Oklahoma thanks to a proposed law.
In Oklahoma, it seems like every trans person knows someone who is leaving.
For Lukas, a 23-year-old college senior, it isn’t so much a question of whether he will go, but when. Lukas, who has asked to use their first name to protect his privacy, is a nonbinary art student in the city of Norman. He’s just begun the process of trying to get a doctor to prescribe him testosterone to alleviate his dysphoria — and he dreams of one day getting top surgery.
But recently, Republicans in the state legislature introduced a bill that would force Lukas to delay getting care for years. When SB 129 was prefiled in January, it proposed a ban on gender-affirming care for anyone under the age of 26 — the first time legislation in the US has targeted access to care for trans adults.
The bill was then known as the Millstone Act, drawing its name from a Bible passage that states that it would be better to tie a stone around one’s neck and “be drowned in the depths of the sea” than to harm a child. The bill also sought to criminalize doctors and healthcare professionals for providing this care.
On Wednesday, the bill’s Republican sponsor, state Sen. David Bullard, amended the bill’s language, removing any reference to age restrictions or biblical boulders. The new text of the bill would ban the use of public funds going toward gender-affirming care — which means that trans people of all ages could face challenges seeking care at a state- or county-owned facility.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/lilkalish/anti-trans-bills-oklahoma-people-fleeing-state
For Lukas, a 23-year-old college senior, it isn’t so much a question of whether he will go, but when. Lukas, who has asked to use their first name to protect his privacy, is a nonbinary art student in the city of Norman. He’s just begun the process of trying to get a doctor to prescribe him testosterone to alleviate his dysphoria — and he dreams of one day getting top surgery.
But recently, Republicans in the state legislature introduced a bill that would force Lukas to delay getting care for years. When SB 129 was prefiled in January, it proposed a ban on gender-affirming care for anyone under the age of 26 — the first time legislation in the US has targeted access to care for trans adults.
The bill was then known as the Millstone Act, drawing its name from a Bible passage that states that it would be better to tie a stone around one’s neck and “be drowned in the depths of the sea” than to harm a child. The bill also sought to criminalize doctors and healthcare professionals for providing this care.
On Wednesday, the bill’s Republican sponsor, state Sen. David Bullard, amended the bill’s language, removing any reference to age restrictions or biblical boulders. The new text of the bill would ban the use of public funds going toward gender-affirming care — which means that trans people of all ages could face challenges seeking care at a state- or county-owned facility.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/lilkalish/anti-trans-bills-oklahoma-people-fleeing-state
That’s a good question! What’s wrong with people? Well the problem is that Fox is a huge part of the problem and there’s really no solution to it. When Tucker Carlson has social media stochastic terrorist Chaya Raichik on, who became famous for doxxing any teachers who are in favor of the LGBT community and gender identity, who spews insane conspiracy theories about how doctors are mutilating children and that trans health care is evil, and the next day people start threatening to blow up hospitals and murder doctors (see: Top 10 #13-8 ), that’s a huge problem with no easy solution! And then there’s Florida. Seriously, Florida, what the fuck are you doing? Florida is admitting this wasn’t about kids at all, and are enacting some very potentially evil legislation that looks to ban care altogether. And you know that Ron DeShithead is going to sign this into law. The culture war was not supposed to be an actual war!
Florida has become well-known as one of the worst states for anti-trans policies in recent years. After failing to pass a ban on gender affirming care for transgender youth, Governor Ron DeSantis used a handpicked Board of Medicine to enforce the same ban. Additionally, the state has cut Medicaid coverage for gender affirming care for transgender adults, and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that schools can discriminate against transgender students regarding bathroom access. While the number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed in Florida this year has been lower than expected during the start of this year, activists have been anticipating an increase. Now, the "Reverse Woke Act" has emerged as one of the first anti-trans bills in Florida of the 2023 legislative cycle. This bill would hold employers accountable for the detransition of any person who receives gender affirming care coverage for the rest of their life, potentially deterring coverage for many transgender adults in Florida.
The bill creates an impossible requirement for companies: if they provide health insurance coverage for gender affirming care, they are responsible for any procedures to reverse that care for the entirety of the individual's life. As there is no set time limit for this liability and the mandate extends to "any benefits" that cover gender affirming care, companies may conclude that the risk of offering such coverage is unacceptably high. Relevant provisions are included below:
The provisions are ridiculously broad and lack precedent in law. If an individual undergoes a surgical procedure, such as a knee operation, and later regrets it or desires to modify it, no employer is liable for it a decade later simply because the company's health insurance covered the surgery. That liability is between the patient and the doctor, and often would carry some form of statute of limitations. This not only extends the statute of limitations to perpetuity, it targets the employers just for having health insurance that covers gender affirming care. This targeting of the company itself for the procedures covered under its health insurance is designed to get companies to drop that care.
https://erininthemorn.substack.com/p/florida-reverse-woke-act-tries-end
The bill creates an impossible requirement for companies: if they provide health insurance coverage for gender affirming care, they are responsible for any procedures to reverse that care for the entirety of the individual's life. As there is no set time limit for this liability and the mandate extends to "any benefits" that cover gender affirming care, companies may conclude that the risk of offering such coverage is unacceptably high. Relevant provisions are included below:
The provisions are ridiculously broad and lack precedent in law. If an individual undergoes a surgical procedure, such as a knee operation, and later regrets it or desires to modify it, no employer is liable for it a decade later simply because the company's health insurance covered the surgery. That liability is between the patient and the doctor, and often would carry some form of statute of limitations. This not only extends the statute of limitations to perpetuity, it targets the employers just for having health insurance that covers gender affirming care. This targeting of the company itself for the procedures covered under its health insurance is designed to get companies to drop that care.
https://erininthemorn.substack.com/p/florida-reverse-woke-act-tries-end
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[font size="8"]Clarence Thomas
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From: Idiots #13-13
It's time for another one of our patented (patent pending) Clips Without Context!
Dude, you do realize this is 100% going full Nazi here, right? And speaking of dangerous extremists, let's check in on SCOTUS!
We all knew that with a SCOTUS full of religious fundamentalist extremists, that it was only a matter of time before they went rogue, right? Well who knew that time would be now? As we were putting together last week’s edition, Clarence Thomas went full obstructionist and interfered with Lindsay Graham testifying before the Georgia Elections Board about interference in the 2020 election. George Carlin was right – it’s a big club and we’re not in it. If you’re in the audience, or you’re viewing this show at home, you know that we’re not in the proverbial Big Club. But there’s no mistaking that what Clarence Thomas did was a “do not fuck with us” kind of message – you know, like that infamous Brad Pitt scene in Fight Club. Yes, the lunatic right wing fringe that has taken over has devolved into their own real life version of Project Mayhem. Only a matter of time before they start destroying public works of art and trashing franchise coffee houses.
Conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Monday temporarily put on hold a requirement that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., testify in a Georgia prosecutor's probe of allegations of interference in the 2020 election by former President Donald Trump and his allies.
The decision by Thomas, who handles emergency requests that arise from Georgia, freezes the litigation while the justices weigh Graham's plea that the Supreme Court quash the subpoena. Thomas had asked lawyers for the Fulton County District Attorney's Office to respond to Graham's request by close of business Thursday. Thomas can handle the application by himself, although generally such issues get referred to the full nine-justice court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority.
Last week, the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Graham's attempt to avoid answering questions about two phone calls he made to Georgia election officials after the 2020 election because, he argued, his actions were protected under the Constitution’s speech and debate clause.
Graham's lawyers argued in a request filed last week that the court needs to step in or else Graham's “constitutional immunities will be lost, and his statutorily guaranteed appeal mooted, the moment the local Georgia prosecutor questions him.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/justice-clarence-thomas-temporarily-blocks-graham-testimony-georgia-el-rcna53723
The decision by Thomas, who handles emergency requests that arise from Georgia, freezes the litigation while the justices weigh Graham's plea that the Supreme Court quash the subpoena. Thomas had asked lawyers for the Fulton County District Attorney's Office to respond to Graham's request by close of business Thursday. Thomas can handle the application by himself, although generally such issues get referred to the full nine-justice court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority.
Last week, the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Graham's attempt to avoid answering questions about two phone calls he made to Georgia election officials after the 2020 election because, he argued, his actions were protected under the Constitution’s speech and debate clause.
Graham's lawyers argued in a request filed last week that the court needs to step in or else Graham's “constitutional immunities will be lost, and his statutorily guaranteed appeal mooted, the moment the local Georgia prosecutor questions him.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/justice-clarence-thomas-temporarily-blocks-graham-testimony-georgia-el-rcna53723
Yes the right, alt right, far right, and all the other flavors of extreme conservatism have gone into “do not fuck with us” mode. So why did they do it? Well for one thing it could have something to do with Clarence Thomas’s treasonous wife Ginny, who we’ve all established is a die-hard Trump supporter, founding member of and supporter of campus conservative group TPUSA, and she probably got paid some 6 figures from the Federalist Society. Yeah wait, what? Yeah that happened! Shit, give me close to a mil and I’ll happily do anything you say!
Who knew that working for a conservative think tank paid so well?
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Virginia Thomas, the politically active wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, earned over $680,000 over five years while working at the Heritage Foundation. That’s pretty nice scratch.
A possible problem: according to Common Cause, Clarence Thomas never reported the income in his federal financial disclosures…
Between 2003 and 2007, Virginia Thomas, a longtime conservative activist, earned $686,589 from the Heritage Foundation, according to a Common Cause review of the foundation’s IRS records. Thomas failed to note the income in his Supreme Court financial disclosure forms for those years, instead checking a box labeled “none” where “spousal noninvestment income” would be disclosed…
In his 2009 disclosure, Justice Thomas also reported spousal income as “none.” Common Cause contends that Liberty Central paid Virginia Thomas an unknown salary that year.
https://abovethelaw.com/2011/01/clarence-thomas-and-his-wifes-680000-of-unreported-income/
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Virginia Thomas, the politically active wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, earned over $680,000 over five years while working at the Heritage Foundation. That’s pretty nice scratch.
A possible problem: according to Common Cause, Clarence Thomas never reported the income in his federal financial disclosures…
Between 2003 and 2007, Virginia Thomas, a longtime conservative activist, earned $686,589 from the Heritage Foundation, according to a Common Cause review of the foundation’s IRS records. Thomas failed to note the income in his Supreme Court financial disclosure forms for those years, instead checking a box labeled “none” where “spousal noninvestment income” would be disclosed…
In his 2009 disclosure, Justice Thomas also reported spousal income as “none.” Common Cause contends that Liberty Central paid Virginia Thomas an unknown salary that year.
https://abovethelaw.com/2011/01/clarence-thomas-and-his-wifes-680000-of-unreported-income/
Yeah BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Look before anyone points out that this story is over 10 years old, first off – the answer is yes, we know. And the second answer is – this story is back in the news because, since the overturning of Roe V. Wade back in June, it shows the kind of corrupt asshole that Clarence Thomas really is, and why we should have removed him from the court when we had the chance to. And you know what? MAGA conservatives can cry all they want about “shadow banning” (which isn’t a thing), but what’s a shadow docket? That seems like a fact worth knowing!
The Supreme Court’s new term is barely three weeks old, and already public discussion has been dominated by transparent Republican efforts to use the court to secure political victories — or, at least, to avoid political defeats. There was former President Donald Trump’s effort to have the justices step into the ongoing dispute over his classified Mar-a-Lago files. There was the attempt by Wisconsin taxpayers to have the court shut down President Joe Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness program. There was South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s request that the court block a lower-court ruling requiring him to answer questions before a Fulton County grand jury investigating attempted interference in the 2020 election. And, most recently, there was Arizona state Sen. Kelli Ward's request to block a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee.
All these came as requests for emergency relief — efforts to have the court issue interim rulings on its so-called “shadow docket,” temporarily freezing the relevant lower-court decision while the appeals process plays out. And the common thread uniting them wasn’t lost on commentators; Steven Mazie, who covers the court for The Economist, tweeted that the docket is becoming a magnet for "generalized GOP gripes.”
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-trying-exploit-supreme-court-docket-trend-n1300236
All these came as requests for emergency relief — efforts to have the court issue interim rulings on its so-called “shadow docket,” temporarily freezing the relevant lower-court decision while the appeals process plays out. And the common thread uniting them wasn’t lost on commentators; Steven Mazie, who covers the court for The Economist, tweeted that the docket is becoming a magnet for "generalized GOP gripes.”
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-trying-exploit-supreme-court-docket-trend-n1300236
Of course it would directly benefit that asshole! It all comes back to him doesn’t it? Well, while the right plays a dangerous game of “quid pro quo”, conservatives are definitely taking the time to scratch each other’s backs while growing their cult and spreading their hate. So was the ruling on Lindsay Graham an actual ruling or was it a “do not fuck with us” message? We’re guessing the latter because conservatives are trying to escalate the conservative – democratic cold war into an actual war, and things are probably going to backfire on them big time.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a request by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to block a subpoena demanding his testimony before a Georgia grand jury investigating possible criminal interference in that state’s 2020 presidential election.
The court in its ruling said a federal judge’s earlier order upholding the subpoena adequately protected Graham from being questioned about what he has claimed was legislative activity during his testimony, as provided for by the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause.
There were no noted dissents by any of the Supreme Court’s justices to the order, which lifts a temporary hold placed on the subpoena last week by Justice Clarence Thomas.
The Fulton County special grand jury is probing the actions of former President Donald Trump and his allies, including Graham, on the heels of Georgia’s 2020 election, which was won by President Joe Biden.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/01/supreme-court-denies-sen-lindsey-grahams-request-to-avoid-testifying-in-georgia-election-interference-case.html
The court in its ruling said a federal judge’s earlier order upholding the subpoena adequately protected Graham from being questioned about what he has claimed was legislative activity during his testimony, as provided for by the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause.
There were no noted dissents by any of the Supreme Court’s justices to the order, which lifts a temporary hold placed on the subpoena last week by Justice Clarence Thomas.
The Fulton County special grand jury is probing the actions of former President Donald Trump and his allies, including Graham, on the heels of Georgia’s 2020 election, which was won by President Joe Biden.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/01/supreme-court-denies-sen-lindsey-grahams-request-to-avoid-testifying-in-georgia-election-interference-case.html
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[font size="8"]Good Guys With Guns
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From: Idiots #14-2
“No matter what the situation, a guy with a gun is a guy with a gun.” – Michael Weston in Burn Notice
Top 10 Conservative Idiots Presents:
You know, Wayne La Pierre, the president of that most American of institutions known as the National Rifle Association has famously said that “The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”. But what happens when said bad guy is 6 years old? Yes, that is the conundrum that we’re dealing with. This incident just only goes to show you how completely reckless and stupid America’s “no frills” policy towards guns is. Like 20 years ago this would have been front page news. Hell, we had a gunman shoot up an elementary school and there were extremist fuckheads out there that not only acted like it didn’t happen, they heckled and abused the poor parents out of existence. Now people are just like “eh”, whatever. We’ve become so numb to gun violence that literally you could picture any scenario happening that you could think of and it would barely be a blip on page 4. Which brings us to this bizarre story out of Virginia. You may have heard about the 6 year old who obtained his parents’ gun and nearly murdered his teacher. Well, the more you dig into this story the weirder it gets.
A 6-year-old student shot and wounded a Virginia teacher Friday during an altercation inside a first-grade classroom, police and school officials in the city of Newport News said.
No students were injured in the shooting at Richneck Elementary School, police said. The teacher — a woman in her 30s — suffered life-threatening injuries. Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew told reporters that her condition had improved somewhat by late afternoon.
“We did not have a situation where someone was going around the school shooting,” Drew told reporters. “We have a situation in one particular location where a gunshot was fired.”
He added that the shooting was not an accident.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/newport-news-virginia-88dfe91f65173cbbd198a8816a21b5be
No students were injured in the shooting at Richneck Elementary School, police said. The teacher — a woman in her 30s — suffered life-threatening injuries. Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew told reporters that her condition had improved somewhat by late afternoon.
“We did not have a situation where someone was going around the school shooting,” Drew told reporters. “We have a situation in one particular location where a gunshot was fired.”
He added that the shooting was not an accident.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/newport-news-virginia-88dfe91f65173cbbd198a8816a21b5be
Well you might be asking yourself – how the hell did a 6 year old get a gun? And the answer is easy – ‘Murica! What? Come on, I know what country I live in! But like I said, the more you dig into this story, the weirder it gets. And it’s also a perfect example of how the right wing echo chamber affects everyone around it. Like if the parents listen to Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson for 6 hours a day, don’t be surprised when the kids grow up to be gun toting neo Nazi incels. And of course take it out on the administrators. But you should never, ever question how easy it is to get a gun in this country, because you’d be a fool and a communist if you did.
A school board voted Wednesday evening to oust its superintendent, weeks after a 6-year-old allegedly shot a teacher in one of the district’s schools and on the same day that the teacher’s lawyer said school administrators were warned that the child had a gun the day of the shooting.
The Newport News Public Schools school board voted 5-1 in favor of a separation agreement and severance with Superintendent Dr. George Parker III.
The teacher’s lawyer alleged earlier Wednesday that school administrators had multiple warnings about the boy the day of the incident.
“Over the course of a few hours, three different times – three times – school administration was warned by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun on him at the school and was threatening people,” Diane Toscano, an attorney for the teacher, Abby Zwerner, told reporters in a news conference Wednesday. “But the administration could not be bothered.”
Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/25/us/newport-news-virginia-school-board-superintendent-vote/index.html
The Newport News Public Schools school board voted 5-1 in favor of a separation agreement and severance with Superintendent Dr. George Parker III.
The teacher’s lawyer alleged earlier Wednesday that school administrators had multiple warnings about the boy the day of the incident.
“Over the course of a few hours, three different times – three times – school administration was warned by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun on him at the school and was threatening people,” Diane Toscano, an attorney for the teacher, Abby Zwerner, told reporters in a news conference Wednesday. “But the administration could not be bothered.”
Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/25/us/newport-news-virginia-school-board-superintendent-vote/index.html
Yes, how can that happen? The superintendent’s not the one who brought the gun to school! Of course this will bring about the usual debate of guns vs gun safety, nothing will get done, and our Congressional representatives under the NRA’s payroll will do anything to avoid the actual problem and make things worse, while simultaneously passing laws to make it easier to get guns and enough ammo to take out a small army. So now thanks to ‘Murica’s reckless gun laws, a 6 year old is looking at a life sentence behind bars for attempted murder. Insanity.
'Virginia teacher who was shot by six-year-old tried to confiscate gun – report,' The Guardian, Jan. 9, 2023. - Abby Zwerner, 25, had life-threatening injuries but is now continuing to improve in hospital -
The Virginia school teacher shot by her six-year-old student was injured after she sought to confiscate the weapon from the child who had revealed the gun in class, a parent of another child in the class has said. Brittaney Gregory, whose son is in the same class as the shooter at Richneck elementary school in Newport News, Virginia, detailed her son’s reaction to the shocking scene to the Washington Post newspaper. Gregory said her son told her he that he felt like he couldn’t breathe when the gun was fired.
Gregory said the class was reading and about to go to art class when the child pulled a handgun from their backpack and pointed it at his teacher, Abby Zwerner. “She was going to confiscate it, and that’s when he shot,” Gregory told the Post. Gregory described Zwerner as a “sweet lady” and “very attentive”. She said Zwerner was her son’s favorite teacher. Zwerner, 25, had injuries described as life-threatening but she is now continuing to improve in the hospital. She was shot in the abdomen through her hand. After she was shot, the teacher told the other students to run. The students stayed in lockdown in another teacher’s classroom.
It is not known how the child came to be in possession of the handgun he used to shoot his teacher. The six-year old remains in custody and Newport News city officials have said it is not likely a child so young can be prosecuted, but his guardian or other adult could face misdemeanor charges if the gun came from the child’s home.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/09/virginia-teacher-shot-newport-news-richneck-elementary-abby-zwerner
The Virginia school teacher shot by her six-year-old student was injured after she sought to confiscate the weapon from the child who had revealed the gun in class, a parent of another child in the class has said. Brittaney Gregory, whose son is in the same class as the shooter at Richneck elementary school in Newport News, Virginia, detailed her son’s reaction to the shocking scene to the Washington Post newspaper. Gregory said her son told her he that he felt like he couldn’t breathe when the gun was fired.
Gregory said the class was reading and about to go to art class when the child pulled a handgun from their backpack and pointed it at his teacher, Abby Zwerner. “She was going to confiscate it, and that’s when he shot,” Gregory told the Post. Gregory described Zwerner as a “sweet lady” and “very attentive”. She said Zwerner was her son’s favorite teacher. Zwerner, 25, had injuries described as life-threatening but she is now continuing to improve in the hospital. She was shot in the abdomen through her hand. After she was shot, the teacher told the other students to run. The students stayed in lockdown in another teacher’s classroom.
It is not known how the child came to be in possession of the handgun he used to shoot his teacher. The six-year old remains in custody and Newport News city officials have said it is not likely a child so young can be prosecuted, but his guardian or other adult could face misdemeanor charges if the gun came from the child’s home.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/09/virginia-teacher-shot-newport-news-richneck-elementary-abby-zwerner
Yeah sure, blame the cigarettes! But ignore the actual problem: it’s the fucking guns!!! Now here’s where it gets weird. Remember what I said earlier about what the parents watching having an effect on the kids? Well guess what? It does! Because how could a 6 year old already be a violent psychopath with abusive behavior red flags? Fox News that’s what. If the GOP is so concerned about the health and well being of kids, they should stop caring less about drag shows and more caring about the violent content that’s appearing on Fox News every night. Because when you are fed hate, lies, and bullshit 24 hours a day, this is what you get. We’re really surprised this doesn’t happen more often in this country.
Concerned staff warned administrators at a Virginia elementary school three times that a 6-year-old boy had a gun and was threatening other students in the hours before he shot and wounded a teacher, but the administration “was paralyzed by apathy” and didn’t call police, remove the boy from class or lock down the school, the wounded teacher's lawyer said Wednesday.
Diane Toscano, an attorney for Abigail Zwerner, said during a news conference that she has notified the school board in Newport News that the 25-year-old teacher at Richneck Elementary School plans to sue the school district over the Jan. 6 shooting, which left Ms. Zwerner with serious injuries.
“On that day, over the course of a few hours, three different times — three times — school administration was warned by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun on him at the school and was threatening people. But the administration could not be bothered,” Ms. Toscano said.
She said that Ms. Zwerner first went to an administrator at around 11:15 a.m. on the day of the shooting and said the boy had threatened to beat up another child, but no action was taken.
Read more: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2023/01/25/newport-news-virginia-abigail-zwerner-us-shooting-richneck-elementary/stories/202301250086
Diane Toscano, an attorney for Abigail Zwerner, said during a news conference that she has notified the school board in Newport News that the 25-year-old teacher at Richneck Elementary School plans to sue the school district over the Jan. 6 shooting, which left Ms. Zwerner with serious injuries.
“On that day, over the course of a few hours, three different times — three times — school administration was warned by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun on him at the school and was threatening people. But the administration could not be bothered,” Ms. Toscano said.
She said that Ms. Zwerner first went to an administrator at around 11:15 a.m. on the day of the shooting and said the boy had threatened to beat up another child, but no action was taken.
Read more: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2023/01/25/newport-news-virginia-abigail-zwerner-us-shooting-richneck-elementary/stories/202301250086
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[font size="8"]Holy Shit: Satanic Panic At The Grammys
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From: Idiots #14-3
Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:
My fair congregation! Please be seated! You know we live in strange times. The social media era has brought about new levels of conservative nuttery that we’ve never seen before. For my audience members who were alive during the 80s, you all remember the Satanic Panic? It was when conservative Christians everywhere reported satanic abuse rituals. It was kind of the modern day version of the Salem Witchcraft Trials from the 1600s. It may have been started by a book called “Michelle Remembers”. OK, enough history. Let’s fast forward to the present. Last week was the Grammy Awards. Since the news has been replaced with conspiracy theories, people who speak MAGA wouldn’t know what a real musical performance is if it jumped up and bit them. But Sam Smith and Kim Petras may have sparked a new modern Satanic Panic movement and it’s the stuff of insanity. And the more you go down the wormhole, the weirder it gets.
The post Ted Cruz Calls Sam Smith and Kim Petras “Evil” as Right Spreads Satanic Panic Conspiracies appeared first on Consequence.
Following Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ performance of “Unholy” at the 2023 Grammy Awards, Senator Ted Cruz called the artists”evil” and conservatives flooded social media with Satanic panic and anti-vaccine conspiracy theories.
Smith, who is nonbinary, and Petras, a transgender woman, performed their international smash hit “Unholy” in moody red lighting, with Smith dressed like the display window in a Spirit Halloween while centered in a circle of dancers who looked like they’d just stepped out of the television in The Ring. Afterwards he threw it back to Petras, writhing suggestively inside a cage in front of a fiery backdrop.
“This… is… evil,” Cruz wrote on Twitter, the ellipses perhaps representing the breaks he took to consume more pornography. His post was a re-tweet from conservative commenter and former OANN presenter Liz Wheeler, famed for having the kind of brain you normally find in an aquarium. “Demons are teaching your kids to worship Satan,” she wrote. “I could throw up.”
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/ted-cruz-calls-sam-smith-163422752.html
Following Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ performance of “Unholy” at the 2023 Grammy Awards, Senator Ted Cruz called the artists”evil” and conservatives flooded social media with Satanic panic and anti-vaccine conspiracy theories.
Smith, who is nonbinary, and Petras, a transgender woman, performed their international smash hit “Unholy” in moody red lighting, with Smith dressed like the display window in a Spirit Halloween while centered in a circle of dancers who looked like they’d just stepped out of the television in The Ring. Afterwards he threw it back to Petras, writhing suggestively inside a cage in front of a fiery backdrop.
“This… is… evil,” Cruz wrote on Twitter, the ellipses perhaps representing the breaks he took to consume more pornography. His post was a re-tweet from conservative commenter and former OANN presenter Liz Wheeler, famed for having the kind of brain you normally find in an aquarium. “Demons are teaching your kids to worship Satan,” she wrote. “I could throw up.”
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/ted-cruz-calls-sam-smith-163422752.html
Evil??? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! That’s a good one, Teddy! You might want to take a look in the mirror, because you are EVIL! You and your Christian right buddies! Because you do not stand for anything good in this world. You represent darkness! Your favorite president is the unholy, ungodly Dark One! I of course speak of a man so foul, so depraved and disgusting that his name DARE NOT be spoken in my church! But I do love that Sam Smith’s performance at the Grammys is causing conservatives to let their conspiracy theory freak flag fly!
Conservatives are clutching their pearls in horror over Sam Smith and Kim Petras' cheeky performance at the Grammys.
During Sunday night's ceremony, the pair took center stage to perform their hit song "Unholy," which also won the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The hell-themed showcase featured several red-robed dancers, cages, whips and Smith sporting a top hat adorned with red devil horns.
Naturally, conservative critics took offense at this apparent love letter to the Prince of Darkness and took to Twitter to slam the performance. The comments ranged from interpreting the number as an actual Satanic ritual to – what else? – an attempt to advance the vaccine agenda.
"If as a Christian, you think we are reaching when we talk about the dominance and normalization of Satan worship in pop music, you need discernment," wrote Christian life coach Solomon Buchi. "Sam Smith's performance at the Grammy's last night was satanic, gory. No, it's not art; it's symbolic of who they serve."
https://www.salon.com/2023/02/06/sam-smith-grammys-satan-phizer-unholy/
During Sunday night's ceremony, the pair took center stage to perform their hit song "Unholy," which also won the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The hell-themed showcase featured several red-robed dancers, cages, whips and Smith sporting a top hat adorned with red devil horns.
Naturally, conservative critics took offense at this apparent love letter to the Prince of Darkness and took to Twitter to slam the performance. The comments ranged from interpreting the number as an actual Satanic ritual to – what else? – an attempt to advance the vaccine agenda.
"If as a Christian, you think we are reaching when we talk about the dominance and normalization of Satan worship in pop music, you need discernment," wrote Christian life coach Solomon Buchi. "Sam Smith's performance at the Grammy's last night was satanic, gory. No, it's not art; it's symbolic of who they serve."
https://www.salon.com/2023/02/06/sam-smith-grammys-satan-phizer-unholy/
You know what conservatives? If this bothers you, I highly suggest turning off Fox News and coming back to the real world, OK? But it’s not just conservatives, it’s the usual group of MAGA idiots and Fox News hosts that are sparking the outrage machine. But why are they fueling anti-vaccine hysteria too? Well it’s because Mr. Smith’s performance was sponsored by Pfizer. So yeah naturally link the vaccine to SAYTAN hysteria! Because you know that it’s the conservative thing to do. Sigh, you know this is going to get worse before it gets better.
Right-wing influencers in the US on Monday stoked moral panic over Sam Smith dressing as Satan for a performance at the Grammy Awards.
In a posting on Twitter, Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized the performance and referenced anti-vaccine conspiracy theories about pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer, one of the sponsors of the awards.
Some right-wing figures have pushed baseless claims about the COVID-19 vaccines developed by the company.
"The Grammy's featured Sam Smith's demonic performance and was sponsored by Pfizer. And the Satanic Church now has an abortion clinic in NM that requires its patients to perform a satanic ritual before services. American Christians need to get to work," said Greene.
https://www.businessinsider.com/conservatives-kim-petras-sam-smith-satan-unholy-grammy-devil-2023-2
In a posting on Twitter, Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized the performance and referenced anti-vaccine conspiracy theories about pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer, one of the sponsors of the awards.
Some right-wing figures have pushed baseless claims about the COVID-19 vaccines developed by the company.
"The Grammy's featured Sam Smith's demonic performance and was sponsored by Pfizer. And the Satanic Church now has an abortion clinic in NM that requires its patients to perform a satanic ritual before services. American Christians need to get to work," said Greene.
https://www.businessinsider.com/conservatives-kim-petras-sam-smith-satan-unholy-grammy-devil-2023-2
Come on, conservatives, live a little! It’s just music! If you’re offended by Sam Smith’s performance, well I’ll have to tell you about this band called Twin Temple. Or maybe Ghost is more to your liking. But that’s some light satanism. You know what they say about the devil being in the details. Well, of course here, in my church, we’re pretty much for anything that would cause the Christian right to get their collective underwear in a wad. And of course it’s more culture war bullshit being brought to you by Fox News and Christian right megachurch pastors. You know what? I say let ‘em melt down. Just grab some popcorn and watch your religious right friends’ heads explode.
“I know we on the right probably use the word satanic too often but this performance from Sam Smith is literally a tribute to Satan,” wrote Human Events editor Ben Kew.
While many conservatives were melting down over Smith and Petras’ performance, the majority of Grammy viewers were celebrating the duo’s historic evening. “Unholy” won the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance, making Petras the first openly transgender woman to win in the category.
“I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open before me so I could be here tonight,” Petras said in her acceptance speech. When asked about the fiery performance backstage at the Grammys, Petras said it was inspired by not feeling accepted by religion.
“I think a lot of people, honestly, have kind of labeled what I stand for and what Sam stands for as religiously not cool, and I personally grew up wondering about religion and wanting to be a part of it but slowly realizing it didn’t want me to be a part of it,” Petras said. “So it’s a take on not being able to choose religion. And not being able to live the way that people might want you to live, because as a trans person I’m already not kind of wanted in religion. So we were doing a take on that and I was kind of hell-keeper Kim.”
https://variety.com/2023/music/news/ted-cruz-slams-sam-smith-kim-petras-grammys-evil-performance-1235514438/
While many conservatives were melting down over Smith and Petras’ performance, the majority of Grammy viewers were celebrating the duo’s historic evening. “Unholy” won the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance, making Petras the first openly transgender woman to win in the category.
“I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open before me so I could be here tonight,” Petras said in her acceptance speech. When asked about the fiery performance backstage at the Grammys, Petras said it was inspired by not feeling accepted by religion.
“I think a lot of people, honestly, have kind of labeled what I stand for and what Sam stands for as religiously not cool, and I personally grew up wondering about religion and wanting to be a part of it but slowly realizing it didn’t want me to be a part of it,” Petras said. “So it’s a take on not being able to choose religion. And not being able to live the way that people might want you to live, because as a trans person I’m already not kind of wanted in religion. So we were doing a take on that and I was kind of hell-keeper Kim.”
https://variety.com/2023/music/news/ted-cruz-slams-sam-smith-kim-petras-grammys-evil-performance-1235514438/
Well, like I said, just sit back and watch the meltdown! It’s fun to watch the Christian right be in hysterics over a music performance. Next week’s outrage du jour will be fun to watch too! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:
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[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse:: Tucker Vs M&Ms
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From: Idiots #14-1
Once again, the right wing has their collective underwear in a wad over a commercial. And here’s the thing that we’ve been emphasizing from the beginning since we’ve been doing this thing. The right wing uses Fox News to keep us fighting over bullshit culture war issues while the Republican party consolidates all the wealth and power in this country. So why are they so bent out of shape over a stupid M&Ms commercial? Any Google search will tell you that the green M&M has been presented as female since the 90s – way before Fox News and 20 years before the word “woke” was a thing. But come on, conservatives, just admit that the green M&M is hot and get it over with already. This infighting over this stupid advertisement is getting way out of hand. Of course if you watch the Tucker Carlson show, you would know that the green M&M is a threat to the very existence of humanity because it makes the most manly of alpha males feel insecure! I mean really, dude bros, if your masculinity is threatened by a commercial for chocolate candy, you should probably take a step back and rethink your life choices.
Early last year, Fox News host Tucker Carlson warned Americans of one of the greatest threats the nation had ever faced: “Woke M&M’s.” Driven into a no-doubt-completely-legitimate fury over a chocolate mascot redesign that saw the green M&M become less sexy, Carlson ranted that “M&M’s will not be satisfied until every last cartoon character is deeply unappealing and totally androgynous—until the moment you wouldn’t want to have a drink with any one of them.”
We laughed at the time, not taking his warning that we would no longer want to bang sentient cocoa spheres seriously. And, left unchecked, the M&M’s advertising team pushed even further into realms of political and moral decay we could never have imagined.
M&M’s have now, god help us all, become even more woke.
The above clip, tweeted by @leash_kid_ earlier this week, sees Carlson take up the mantle of the battle-hardened freedom fighters of generations before him when faced with an all-women M&M’s package, furrow his brow in trademark puzzlement over the sugary complexities of this modern world of ours, and announce: “Woke M&Ms have returned.”
“The green M&M got her boots back, but apparently is now a lesbian maybe, and there’s also a plus-sized, obese purple M&M,” he states, before concluding, “So, we’re going to cover that. Of course. Because that’s what we do.”
https://www.avclub.com/m-ms-tucker-carlson-fox-news-outnumbered-ben-shapiro-1849985704
We laughed at the time, not taking his warning that we would no longer want to bang sentient cocoa spheres seriously. And, left unchecked, the M&M’s advertising team pushed even further into realms of political and moral decay we could never have imagined.
M&M’s have now, god help us all, become even more woke.
The above clip, tweeted by @leash_kid_ earlier this week, sees Carlson take up the mantle of the battle-hardened freedom fighters of generations before him when faced with an all-women M&M’s package, furrow his brow in trademark puzzlement over the sugary complexities of this modern world of ours, and announce: “Woke M&Ms have returned.”
“The green M&M got her boots back, but apparently is now a lesbian maybe, and there’s also a plus-sized, obese purple M&M,” he states, before concluding, “So, we’re going to cover that. Of course. Because that’s what we do.”
https://www.avclub.com/m-ms-tucker-carlson-fox-news-outnumbered-ben-shapiro-1849985704
Link to tweet
That’s a real clip by the way! We did not alter this in any way, shape or form! Damn, a bunch of easily amused second graders running Fox. Come on, conservatives, just admit that you want to sleep with the green M&M and get it over with already! By the way I love that our old buddy Nick Adams proposed that Mars manufacture an “all male” M&Ms packaging because I think he might be into that sort of thing. Fine if you are! But really of all the issues facing this country right now, shouldn’t we have more important things to focus on instead of fawning over which M&M is hot? Oh who am I kidding? It’s Fox News, of course they will attempt to distract us with shiny things!
Fox News host Tucker Carlson is infamous for his unusual pop culture rants, which often focus on inclusive marketing campaigns, framing corporate “wokeness” as a symbol of societal decline.
Carlson has tackled important issues such as Elmo’s opinions on BLM, and the supposed cancellation of Dr. Seuss, whose books continue to be massively popular. Recently, Carlson was triggered by a redesign of the M&M cartoon characters used to market the candy.
The M&Ms are set to shift their focus, for some reason, reflecting a new era of diversity and inclusiveness, in a move that amused many Twitter users; the focus on Orange M&Ms “anxiety” proved a particularly popular joke.
Carlson, however, didn’t see the funny side; the Fox News host seemed particularly upset by the change seen in the two female M&Ms, as the green M&M has traded her knee-high boots for comfy trainers, while the brown M&M has shortened the height of her heels.
In one of the Fox News host’s most unhinged rants yet, Carlson condemned the chocolate-coated characters as “less sexy.” Carlson went on to make some odd assumptions regarding the motive of M&M’s marketing team, passionately stating:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2022/01/22/tucker-carlson-widely-mocked-after-criticizing-less-sexy-mms/?sh=1b6259172b62
Carlson has tackled important issues such as Elmo’s opinions on BLM, and the supposed cancellation of Dr. Seuss, whose books continue to be massively popular. Recently, Carlson was triggered by a redesign of the M&M cartoon characters used to market the candy.
The M&Ms are set to shift their focus, for some reason, reflecting a new era of diversity and inclusiveness, in a move that amused many Twitter users; the focus on Orange M&Ms “anxiety” proved a particularly popular joke.
Carlson, however, didn’t see the funny side; the Fox News host seemed particularly upset by the change seen in the two female M&Ms, as the green M&M has traded her knee-high boots for comfy trainers, while the brown M&M has shortened the height of her heels.
In one of the Fox News host’s most unhinged rants yet, Carlson condemned the chocolate-coated characters as “less sexy.” Carlson went on to make some odd assumptions regarding the motive of M&M’s marketing team, passionately stating:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2022/01/22/tucker-carlson-widely-mocked-after-criticizing-less-sexy-mms/?sh=1b6259172b62
Again, conservatives – let me spell it out for you. It’s a fucking commercial. For chocolate candy. It’s not something to waste time thinking about! But of course, you know how the conspiracy theorists tend to ruin everything they talk about. Well, guess what? The M&Ms commercial is no exception. Because it was, wait for it, a Chinese psy-op! Which we must ask the question – are you fucking kidding me? Do you even know what a psy-op is? Well,. I don’t, and I know enough not to make ridiculously stupid claims like this. Seriously, MAGA conspiracy theorists, stop talking. Now.
An event of cataclysmic proportions has captured the attention of Fox News. Something so egregious, horror-inducing, and shocking that it has even prompted the network to deprioritize coverage of an attempted coup in Brazil. Sensitive readers please close this article now: The girl M&M’s got their own publicity campaign.
I know. Absurd.
Mars Wrigley is featuring their delectable chocolate mamasitas on new limited-edition “Flipping the Status Quo” packages. The company even introduced a new purple M&M (she’s really cute). A portion of proceeds from the campaign will benefit two nonprofits dedicated to supporting women in the music industry: She Is the Music and We Are Moving the Needle.
Fox News is apoplectic.First, they de-slut the green M&M. Now, they want to shove candy-coated femininity down our throats? What if China is behind this sinister attempt to convince viewers that the gender of a candy mascot has real-world implications? No ma’am, it must be stopped.
“When you look at the package, the women are upside down,” said Harris Faulkner on Outnumbered, a show whose literal premise is having female commentators outnumber a male guest. “And I understand ‘flipped’ but thank you very much we stand on our own, we don’t need to be shown upside-down on a package looking crazy.” Note to readers: you will not transform into an upside down anthropomorphic M&M if you consume the new purple M&M. Or maybe you will. We don’t know, we’re not doctors. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/fox-news-melts-down-feminist-mms-campaign-1234658005/
I know. Absurd.
Mars Wrigley is featuring their delectable chocolate mamasitas on new limited-edition “Flipping the Status Quo” packages. The company even introduced a new purple M&M (she’s really cute). A portion of proceeds from the campaign will benefit two nonprofits dedicated to supporting women in the music industry: She Is the Music and We Are Moving the Needle.
Fox News is apoplectic.First, they de-slut the green M&M. Now, they want to shove candy-coated femininity down our throats? What if China is behind this sinister attempt to convince viewers that the gender of a candy mascot has real-world implications? No ma’am, it must be stopped.
“When you look at the package, the women are upside down,” said Harris Faulkner on Outnumbered, a show whose literal premise is having female commentators outnumber a male guest. “And I understand ‘flipped’ but thank you very much we stand on our own, we don’t need to be shown upside-down on a package looking crazy.” Note to readers: you will not transform into an upside down anthropomorphic M&M if you consume the new purple M&M. Or maybe you will. We don’t know, we’re not doctors. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/fox-news-melts-down-feminist-mms-campaign-1234658005/
You know what? Just take a step back and imagine what life would be like if Fox News didn’t exist for a minute. Wouldn’t society be so much better without their nonsense and bullshit polluting the airwaves on a nightly basis? But come on really, imagine masculinity so toxic that you feel threatened because Mars decided to out their most popular character. Dude, it’s a 30 second commercial. You know what to do with it? Just watch it and move on. But there’s no need to really get your underwear in a wad over this nonsense. Really it’s time to end the culture wars, this crap is getting more ridiculous every week and it’s hard to keep up with all the plot twists!
Yes, M&M’s are in the news again. Yes, it’s once again because conservatives are freaking out. You may remember when, in an effort to promote diversity and inclusion, M&M’s parent company, Mars, updated the look and backstory of their infamous M&M’s characters. The green M&M lost her boots in favor of sneakers, which made Tucker Carlson steaming mad. Now, Mars announced its first ever all-female package (brown, purple, and green) and faux alpha-male conservatives are once again furious.
"Man-hating!" they yell. "Woke mob!" they whine. At this point it shouldn’t be surprising that these people will take any opportunity to rant and rave toward a camera with wild-eyed zealotry, but it shocks me every time. Let me take this opportunity to be crystal clear: I support the green M&M’s possible budding sapphic love! I support the brown M&M’s choice of chunky heel! I support the purple M&M’s girlbossery! I’m giving the new all-female M&M’s packaging a delicious, candy-coated, 4.8/5 delicious. —Sam Stone, staff writer
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/m-and-m-all-female-character-packages
"Man-hating!" they yell. "Woke mob!" they whine. At this point it shouldn’t be surprising that these people will take any opportunity to rant and rave toward a camera with wild-eyed zealotry, but it shocks me every time. Let me take this opportunity to be crystal clear: I support the green M&M’s possible budding sapphic love! I support the brown M&M’s choice of chunky heel! I support the purple M&M’s girlbossery! I’m giving the new all-female M&M’s packaging a delicious, candy-coated, 4.8/5 delicious. —Sam Stone, staff writer
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/m-and-m-all-female-character-packages
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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner: Insane Balloon Theories
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Welcome back to our segment that attempts to explain the unexplainable, Conspiracy Corner! Of course conspiracies exist when people simply don’t want to read the article past the headlines and just flat out make shit up. We of course are coming to you live from our underground doomsday shelter from deep within the New Mexico badlands. Undisclosed location, of course! Let me just adjust my trusty tin foil hat for maximum government interference. They are trying to read yours and my thoughts after all! So folks last week I’m sure you know where you were when you heard about the Chinese spy balloon that was spotted on radar! Well, naturally this is the moment that conspiracy theorists have been salivating about for the last 6 years. Because they are letting their conspiracy theory freak flag fly. There have been literally thousands of social media posts with some absolutely insane theories that are so off the wall they can be custom tailored to your preferred level of batshit lunacy. So here’s just a brief summarization of some of the crazier theories out there.
The Pentagon announced on Thursday that it is tracking what it believes to be a Chinese surveillance balloon soaring over the western United States. President Biden took the military’s advice to refrain from taking “kinetic action” on the balloon, as officials believe it doesn’t pose any physical or intelligence risks and debris from a strike could harm people on the ground. China has claimed the balloon is a weather research “airship” that blew off course, but the Pentagon isn’t buying the PRC’s explanation, announcing on Friday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken is now postponing a scheduled trip to China.
The story has been conspiracy catnip for conservatives who have been trying to cast the president as a compromised agent of China. “How many insane decisions… or lack of intelligent decisions (a la watching a spy balloon & not shooting it down) have been made because Joe Biden and his family are compromised by our enemies?” Donald Trump Jr. tweeted on Friday. “Incredible that no one even asks given the prolific amount of evidence out there!!!”
“SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!” the elder Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Biden should shoot down the Chinese spy balloon immediately,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted. “President Trump would have never tolerated this. President Trump would have never tolerated many things happening to America.” Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) seemed to suggest that his constituents might shoot the balloon down themselves. “Shoot. It. Down,” he wrote. “The Chinese spy balloon is clear provocation. In Montana we do not bow. We shoot it down. Take the shot.”
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/chinese-spy-balloon-conspiracies-don-jr-1234673319/
The story has been conspiracy catnip for conservatives who have been trying to cast the president as a compromised agent of China. “How many insane decisions… or lack of intelligent decisions (a la watching a spy balloon & not shooting it down) have been made because Joe Biden and his family are compromised by our enemies?” Donald Trump Jr. tweeted on Friday. “Incredible that no one even asks given the prolific amount of evidence out there!!!”
“SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!” the elder Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Biden should shoot down the Chinese spy balloon immediately,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted. “President Trump would have never tolerated this. President Trump would have never tolerated many things happening to America.” Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) seemed to suggest that his constituents might shoot the balloon down themselves. “Shoot. It. Down,” he wrote. “The Chinese spy balloon is clear provocation. In Montana we do not bow. We shoot it down. Take the shot.”
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/chinese-spy-balloon-conspiracies-don-jr-1234673319/
Yes, allow me to explain it to those of you who don’t follow batshit conservative nuttery. They wanted President Joe Biden to shoot it down. He shot it down. What more do you want? Well that hasn’t stopped the craziest of the crazy to continue being the craziest of the crazy. But the question that’s on everyone’s mind – was it aliens or was it “aliens”? Well the general consensus is that… no it wasn’t aliens. But the more that you dig down the internet conspiracy theory wormhole, the more you realize that yeah… it was probably aliens.
U.S. fighter jets have shot down four high-altitude objects this month — including the first instance in which U.S. Northern Command "has taken kinetic action against an airborne object" in U.S. airspace over its nearly 65-year existence, according to the unit's commanding officer, Gen. Glen VanHerck.
The shootdowns came in steady succession over the weekend, after alarms were raised in early February over an object that the U.S. said was a surveillance balloon deployed by China.
China has accused the U.S. of flying its own spy balloons over China — a claim rejected by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"We do not send spy balloons over China, period," Blinken told NPR's Morning Edition.
With the other recently downed objects yet to be publicly identified, speculation has included questions of whether they might be alien UFOs.
https://www.npr.org/2023/02/13/1156498101/ufos-unidentified-objects-what-we-know-4-shootdowns
The shootdowns came in steady succession over the weekend, after alarms were raised in early February over an object that the U.S. said was a surveillance balloon deployed by China.
China has accused the U.S. of flying its own spy balloons over China — a claim rejected by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"We do not send spy balloons over China, period," Blinken told NPR's Morning Edition.
With the other recently downed objects yet to be publicly identified, speculation has included questions of whether they might be alien UFOs.
https://www.npr.org/2023/02/13/1156498101/ufos-unidentified-objects-what-we-know-4-shootdowns
Yes, that’s right, ladies and gentlemen! It wasn’t the aliens… but it was probably the aliens! But it might not have been the UFOs. Instead, let’s ask our old friend Marjorie Greene (Q – Batshit) what she thinks that the UFOs might have been. Well, apparently Rep. Greene went absolutely ballistic during a recent meeting of generals at the Pentagon who gathered to talk about the now frequent occurrence of spy balloons appearing in US airspace. Apparently they’re more than just spy balloons according to Marjorie Three Names. They could be so much more – they could be carrying missiles or even bioweapons like deadly viruses! Yeah, if you were looking to invest in stock, the time to invest in tin foil futures is now, because the right wing is going to be needing a lot of it!
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-R) has revealed her furious response to a briefing about the Chinese spy balloon.
In a video shared by commentator and critic of MAGA Republicans Ron Filipkowski on Saturday, February 11, Greene could be seen addressing a room with several people supportive of her comments.
Greene referred to a briefing in which she had heard about the Chinese spy balloon and shared her criticism of explanations given about why the Pentagon didn't order it to be shot down earlier.
She said: "You sat by and allowed this Chinese spy balloon that could have contained a bioweapon, like COVID, it could have contained a nuclear bomb an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack, or hypersonic missiles, like the Chinese government - the CCP - has shown their own people of these weather balloons dropping hypersonic missiles.
"They show those on video. Absolutely, this is a common thing. I said, 'you allowed this to go across the country and then you want to stand up here and give us our excuses, your excuses about you're gathering 'intelligence,' or you didn't want to risk endangering anyone's lives.
https://www.newsweek.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-reveals-her-angry-response-spy-balloon-briefing-1780640
In a video shared by commentator and critic of MAGA Republicans Ron Filipkowski on Saturday, February 11, Greene could be seen addressing a room with several people supportive of her comments.
Greene referred to a briefing in which she had heard about the Chinese spy balloon and shared her criticism of explanations given about why the Pentagon didn't order it to be shot down earlier.
She said: "You sat by and allowed this Chinese spy balloon that could have contained a bioweapon, like COVID, it could have contained a nuclear bomb an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack, or hypersonic missiles, like the Chinese government - the CCP - has shown their own people of these weather balloons dropping hypersonic missiles.
"They show those on video. Absolutely, this is a common thing. I said, 'you allowed this to go across the country and then you want to stand up here and give us our excuses, your excuses about you're gathering 'intelligence,' or you didn't want to risk endangering anyone's lives.
https://www.newsweek.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-reveals-her-angry-response-spy-balloon-briefing-1780640
Yeah probably! But that’s why we have Fox News asking the big questions! Like were the Chinese spy balloons the product of UFOs or does China have something more sinister in mind, like starting World War III? Well, we wouldn’t rule out the possibility that Fox News is attempting to start World War III, but they might just be heading to the crazy house. Really, if you thought you heard the last of this story, well, it’s not going away any time soon. The Fox News addicts and internet conspiracy theorists are going to keep this going because it’s good for ratings! And it may or may not have something to do with Hunter Biden’s laptop. It’s all connected, people! We’re just asking questions!
In a Sunday Morning Futures interview so eerily reminiscent of a (subpar) SNL sketch, Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo brought on Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) to discuss the recent influx of potential surveillance craft in U.S. airspace and, of course, went down a bonkers conspiracy rabbit hole.
After a five-minute conversation recapping Hunter Biden’s business dealings to build up her case, Bartiromo suggested to the senator that President Joe Biden may have intentionally allowed the spy balloon to fly over the U.S. because the Chinese Community Party (CCP) has compromising information on him and his family.
“I’m wondering if, in fact, this is one of the reasons that the CCP feels empowered to be able to send spy flights across America to take pictures of our military installations and why this president allowed that spy flight to get all the way in the middle of the country, all the way up to South Carolina,” she said. “Your thoughts on where this is going and whether or not Joe Biden—they have so much on Joe Biden that they don’t care, they’re not expecting any repercussions.”
Johnson has made the Sunday morning circuit in recent weeks discussing his desire to investigate the president’s son, most notably sparring with NBC’s Chuck Todd last month over his own inability to name an actual crime Hunter Biden allegedly committed. After Johnson whined about Todd’s bias, the NBC host told the senator he could retreat to his “partisan media cocoon”—which Johnson did a day later by appearing on Fox News.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-hpmaria-bartiromo-floats-bizarre-biden-china-spy-balloon-conspiracy
After a five-minute conversation recapping Hunter Biden’s business dealings to build up her case, Bartiromo suggested to the senator that President Joe Biden may have intentionally allowed the spy balloon to fly over the U.S. because the Chinese Community Party (CCP) has compromising information on him and his family.
“I’m wondering if, in fact, this is one of the reasons that the CCP feels empowered to be able to send spy flights across America to take pictures of our military installations and why this president allowed that spy flight to get all the way in the middle of the country, all the way up to South Carolina,” she said. “Your thoughts on where this is going and whether or not Joe Biden—they have so much on Joe Biden that they don’t care, they’re not expecting any repercussions.”
Johnson has made the Sunday morning circuit in recent weeks discussing his desire to investigate the president’s son, most notably sparring with NBC’s Chuck Todd last month over his own inability to name an actual crime Hunter Biden allegedly committed. After Johnson whined about Todd’s bias, the NBC host told the senator he could retreat to his “partisan media cocoon”—which Johnson did a day later by appearing on Fox News.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-hpmaria-bartiromo-floats-bizarre-biden-china-spy-balloon-conspiracy
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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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From: Idiots #14-8
Hit it!
Of course you know by now that people are people, and people are dumb. The fact that we’re in the Sunshine State means that we must do an all Florida edition! You know before we go any further, you know we always give Florida a hard time, but that’s only because so many batshit crazy off the rails stories happen here that it’s almost insane itself. And we do a lot of stupid criminal stories, but not every People Are Dumb story is a stupid criminal story. But I do want to preface by saying that a good People Are Dumb story is someone who leads a freeway chase with a truck full of loaded chickens, because that’s just animal endangerment. Well, I want to start with this story out of West Palm Beach, and this is the perfect reason why People Are Dumb exists. So guy walking naked down the main street is enough to be crazy, right? Well even weirder when he adds some flat earth nonsense to the mix and some even wilder theories on top of that!
It happened around 9 p.m. on March 8 when an employee who works at Taboo, located in the 200 block of Worth Avenue, told police a naked white male walked past the establishment in front of numerous people.
Upon arrival, an officer located Jason Smith, 44, in the 300-block walking with no clothes on, fully exposing his genitals to the public.
Smith was taken to the Palm Beach Police Department, where he initially refused to provide his name and date of birth. He told officers he did not have a social security number or an ID card from any state.
He also said he resided on a different earth; then later said he lived in West Palm Beach.
Smith was subsequently charged with one count of indecent exposure, resisting an officer without violence and disorderly conduct.
https://www.wpbf.com/article/lance-reddick-s-wife-shares-emotional-tribute/43356360
Upon arrival, an officer located Jason Smith, 44, in the 300-block walking with no clothes on, fully exposing his genitals to the public.
Smith was taken to the Palm Beach Police Department, where he initially refused to provide his name and date of birth. He told officers he did not have a social security number or an ID card from any state.
He also said he resided on a different earth; then later said he lived in West Palm Beach.
Smith was subsequently charged with one count of indecent exposure, resisting an officer without violence and disorderly conduct.
https://www.wpbf.com/article/lance-reddick-s-wife-shares-emotional-tribute/43356360
Next up – OK this is another great People Are Dumb story. Like you know how we always say that at the end of the day you really want to hear a story about how someone goes crazy and destroys a McDonalds because they ran out of chicken nuggets? Well this story out of Tarpon Springs is kind of like that. You know if you work at a coffee shop that’s called “We Spy Coffee & More”, you should probably, at some point, expect to get spied on. I mean come on, it’s in the name, right? But if there’s one thing no business should ever, ever do is put cameras in the bathroom. I mean come on, have we learned nothing from Chuck Berry?
An employee of “We Spy Coffee & More,” located on the gorgeous Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks, has been arrested after a camera was found in the men’s restroom.
On Saturday, Officers from the Tarpon Springs Police Department arrested Spyridon Voulgarakis, 31, on charges of Battery and Video Voyeurism.,
The victim was a customer of “We Spy Coffee & More,” located at 505 Dodecanese Boulevard.
While using the male restroom at the business, the victim discovered he was being video recorded by a camera placed underneath the sink.
The victim confronted the Voulgarakis, who is an employee of “We Spy Coffee & More.”
https://www.tampafp.com/florida-sponge-docks-coffee-shop-we-spy-coffee-more-employee-arrested-over-spying-in-mens-bathroom/
On Saturday, Officers from the Tarpon Springs Police Department arrested Spyridon Voulgarakis, 31, on charges of Battery and Video Voyeurism.,
The victim was a customer of “We Spy Coffee & More,” located at 505 Dodecanese Boulevard.
While using the male restroom at the business, the victim discovered he was being video recorded by a camera placed underneath the sink.
The victim confronted the Voulgarakis, who is an employee of “We Spy Coffee & More.”
https://www.tampafp.com/florida-sponge-docks-coffee-shop-we-spy-coffee-more-employee-arrested-over-spying-in-mens-bathroom/
Good question! Next up – this story comes straight out of Broward County – where a lot of our People Are Dumb Florida stories are based out of, it seems. I mean come on, are people putting something in the water supply in Broward County that makes people turn crazy? And seriously – what does one do with 70 bottles of lotion unless they were using it for a frat party like in Old School? Well, this happened and if you’re going to steal that much, you probably shouldn’t use a gallon size trash bag to carry out your stolen merchandise. Use a box, come on, people!
In a case of lotion larceny gone awry, a man and his accomplice were caught red-handed – or rather, red-skinned – after stealing over 70 bottles of lotion from a local Walgreens.
On March 3, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported lotion theft in progress at the Walgreens located at 6401 West Commerical Boulevard.
According to the report, the manager on duty at Walgreens recognized the alleged thief, later identified as Anthony Nigel Sealey, 34, of Miramar, from a prior incident and immediately alerted the police.
The report says Sealey was observed by employees and on surveillance footage entering the store and filling a garbage bag with several bottles of various brands of lotions from the cosmetic section of the store before exiting the store past all points of sale without attempting to pay.
https://tamaractalk.com/lotion-looters-land-in-jail-43631
On March 3, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported lotion theft in progress at the Walgreens located at 6401 West Commerical Boulevard.
According to the report, the manager on duty at Walgreens recognized the alleged thief, later identified as Anthony Nigel Sealey, 34, of Miramar, from a prior incident and immediately alerted the police.
The report says Sealey was observed by employees and on surveillance footage entering the store and filling a garbage bag with several bottles of various brands of lotions from the cosmetic section of the store before exiting the store past all points of sale without attempting to pay.
https://tamaractalk.com/lotion-looters-land-in-jail-43631
EWWWWWWWWW!!!! No wait. Yeah, Ew. Next up – speaking of drugs, one thing you shouldn’t ever do if you if you work for the Drug Enforcement Agency is get high on your own supply. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha… right? Love me some Scarface! Rule #1: Don’t get high on your own supply. Rule #2: Never underestimate the OTHER guy’s greed! But yeah sometimes the cops are the criminals themselves and when that happens, it almost never ends well! Made even worse is that this guy was named the Federal Highway Patrol Trooper of The Year! I mean come on, people! This is a classic People Are Dumb story!
A former Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Year who was assigned to a Drug Enforcement Agency task force is accused of buying drugs from a confidential source, according to a criminal complaint obtained by First Coast News.
According to the complaint, the FBI found probable cause to arrest Joshua Earrey on Friday for being an "unlawful user or addict of controlled substances" in possession of a firearm.
Earrey has worked for FHP for approximately 22 years and has been assigned to the DEA Task Force since Sept. 2020. In 2009, he was honored by the Florida Cabinet as trooper of the year.
Attempts to reach Earrey by phone were unsuccessful. Messages left for his attorney were not immediately returned.
The criminal complaint says a confidential informant told the FBI that Earrey had been addicted to Oxycodone since 2021. The man he was buying the drugs from is a confidential source for the DEA, the document says.
https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/florida-highway-patrol-drug-enforcement-agency-gun-possession-drug-possession/77-828d41ee-0d1c-4adc-b903-29d9b00726bb
According to the complaint, the FBI found probable cause to arrest Joshua Earrey on Friday for being an "unlawful user or addict of controlled substances" in possession of a firearm.
Earrey has worked for FHP for approximately 22 years and has been assigned to the DEA Task Force since Sept. 2020. In 2009, he was honored by the Florida Cabinet as trooper of the year.
Attempts to reach Earrey by phone were unsuccessful. Messages left for his attorney were not immediately returned.
The criminal complaint says a confidential informant told the FBI that Earrey had been addicted to Oxycodone since 2021. The man he was buying the drugs from is a confidential source for the DEA, the document says.
https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/florida-highway-patrol-drug-enforcement-agency-gun-possession-drug-possession/77-828d41ee-0d1c-4adc-b903-29d9b00726bb
Finally this week – this is a classic Florida story that really has everything. Most people associate getting a DUI with cars. But in reality you can get a DUI for literally any moving vehicle. Doesn’t matter if it’s a car, a bicycle, a motorcycle, airplane, tractor, or in this case a boat. And this story comes out of the city of Cape Coral. And it’s got literally everything that makes a classic People Are Dumb story, and also a classic Florida Man story. And if you do a ven diagram between the two, you will find they have a lot more in common than you might think!
A man was arrested Thursday night after police say he caused a scene in Cape Coral canals while drunk and fled on his boat after striking several docks.
According to the Cape Croal Police Department, Kurt Snowden, 51, was arrested after officers went to the 2100 block of Southwest 45th Terrace. A call had come in regarding a boating hit-and-run around 9:15 p.m.
The call notes said a man later identified as Snowden was operating a boat inside the canals while highly drunk, causing a scene. He played music loudly, screamed, disturbed the peace and struck several docks in the area with his boat.
Witnesses at the scene gave similar accounts of what happened. They led officers to where Snowden was still operating the boat. Officers ordered him to dock his boat, which he refused to do, steering the boat toward his home.
https://winknews.com/2023/03/17/boater-accused-of-dui-chaos-in-cape-coral-canals-evading-police/
According to the Cape Croal Police Department, Kurt Snowden, 51, was arrested after officers went to the 2100 block of Southwest 45th Terrace. A call had come in regarding a boating hit-and-run around 9:15 p.m.
The call notes said a man later identified as Snowden was operating a boat inside the canals while highly drunk, causing a scene. He played music loudly, screamed, disturbed the peace and struck several docks in the area with his boat.
Witnesses at the scene gave similar accounts of what happened. They led officers to where Snowden was still operating the boat. Officers ordered him to dock his boat, which he refused to do, steering the boat toward his home.
https://winknews.com/2023/03/17/boater-accused-of-dui-chaos-in-cape-coral-canals-evading-police/
That’s it this week for:
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[font size="8"]Stupidest State 2023: Round 1 Week 4: Single Elimination Round
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16 states will enter and only one state will become the new Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State!
Folks, I don’t need to tell you that last week was one for the ages! Missouri shocked the pundits and sank heavily favored Texas to advance to the Gun Nut Conference Championship! And wow, what a game that was! Meanwhile, over in the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference, Ohio hangs on to beat Wisconsin to advance to the next round. This week it’s the final week of round 1 and it’s going to be a hot one, as South Dakota takes on Arizona to play Florida in the Batshit Conference, while over in the Family Values Conference, last year’s champion, heavily favored #1 Tennessee looks to repeat, but upstart challenger Arkansas isn’t going down without a fight! We’re live at the home of the Sacramento Kings, the fabulous Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, with all the exciting action! Let’s go to the floor, shall we?
[font size="4"]Batshit Conference: South Dakota vs Arizona [/font]
[font size="2"]South Dakota [/font]
South Dakota. They are a favorite in the Batshit Conference. They are dominated by the mountains, but among those mountains, they have a living, breathing monument to American history: Mt. Rushmore, which has become a favorite talking point of MAGAs as to whether or not to include a certain former president on there. The answer is no by the way. South Dakota is also home to a famous gathering – the Sturgis Biker Rally presented by Harley Davidson, which became a hotbed of MAGAs and internet conspiracy theorists during the worst parts of COVID. But what else is South Dakota the home of? It is the home of some next level insanity. Well it’s also the home of one of the most unethical governors in the country, Kristi Noem, who is in a hotbed of trouble lately.
A South Dakota ethics board on Monday said it found sufficient information that Gov. Kristi Noem may have “engaged in misconduct” when she intervened in her daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser license that it could take action against her.
The three retired judges on the Government Accountability Board determined that “appropriate action” could be taken against Noem, though it didn’t specify the action.
The board voted unanimously to invoke procedures calling for a contested case hearing that would give Noem, who has denied wrongdoing, a chance to publicly defend herself against the allegations related to “conflicts of interest” or “malfeasance.”
The retired judges also referred a complaint that Noem flew on state-owned airplanes to political events to the state attorney general’s office for further investigation. That puts the investigation under the oversight of the interim attorney general, Mark Vargo, who was appointed by Noem.
https://apnews.com/article/kristi-noem-south-dakota-sd-state-wire-1c5fb7828aba13ad4f6467b76554c022
The three retired judges on the Government Accountability Board determined that “appropriate action” could be taken against Noem, though it didn’t specify the action.
The board voted unanimously to invoke procedures calling for a contested case hearing that would give Noem, who has denied wrongdoing, a chance to publicly defend herself against the allegations related to “conflicts of interest” or “malfeasance.”
The retired judges also referred a complaint that Noem flew on state-owned airplanes to political events to the state attorney general’s office for further investigation. That puts the investigation under the oversight of the interim attorney general, Mark Vargo, who was appointed by Noem.
https://apnews.com/article/kristi-noem-south-dakota-sd-state-wire-1c5fb7828aba13ad4f6467b76554c022
So Noem stumps for that guy who we inexplicably used to call president and all the insanity and internet conspiracy theories he stands for. And by the way don’t expect anything to improve in the Mt. Rushmore State anytime soon. Because South Dakota is also a state that has been ruined by partisan politics and one-sided propaganda. Which of course translates into anti-education policies that will further deride anyone’s chances to get a good education. Yes, we can thank Fox News for that one as well. The reason why we can’t have nice things!
Concern over the future of the teaching profession in South Dakota has led to more aggressive efforts by education officials to train and inspire a new generation of classroom leaders, with particular emphasis on elementary school classrooms.
The push comes as kindergarten through 12th grade teacher shortages worsen across the state, a trend driven by below-average salaries and dissatisfaction in the teaching ranks following the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent politicization of social studies standards and crackdown on so-called “inherently divisive” or race-based curricula under Gov. Kristi Noem.
Noem proposed a 5% increase in state aid to education for the 2024 fiscal year as part of her $7.2 billion budget plan, on the heels of a 6% increase in 2023.
That would put $24 million in new money into public schools for the 2023-24 school year, 44% less than the nearly $43 million in new funding allocated in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Associated School Boards of South Dakota. School districts can determine how much to allocate for salaries, but the money is also needed for expenses such as utility costs, food services, transportation, technology and extracurricular activities.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/teacher-shortage-worsens-south-dakota-112709087.html
The push comes as kindergarten through 12th grade teacher shortages worsen across the state, a trend driven by below-average salaries and dissatisfaction in the teaching ranks following the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent politicization of social studies standards and crackdown on so-called “inherently divisive” or race-based curricula under Gov. Kristi Noem.
Noem proposed a 5% increase in state aid to education for the 2024 fiscal year as part of her $7.2 billion budget plan, on the heels of a 6% increase in 2023.
That would put $24 million in new money into public schools for the 2023-24 school year, 44% less than the nearly $43 million in new funding allocated in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Associated School Boards of South Dakota. School districts can determine how much to allocate for salaries, but the money is also needed for expenses such as utility costs, food services, transportation, technology and extracurricular activities.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/teacher-shortage-worsens-south-dakota-112709087.html
[font size="2"]Arizona [/font]
OK I’ve really got to admit that Arizona has one of the coolest state flags in the entire country. Arizona, the Grand Canyon State, the home of former senator and presidential candidate John McCain. Also the home of Arizona and Arizona State. The home of the Phoenix Suns, the Phoenix Coyotes, and Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s also the home of the Grand Canyon. But Arizona shocked the world by turning blue in 2020 and even bluer in 2022. But that still doesn’t mean that they’re not with their fair share of batshit crazy lunatics. No state is completely immune, even my home state of California. But Arizona is at the helm of yet another draconian book ban, which is another thing we can thank Fox News and internet conspiracy theorists for!
State senators gave preliminary approval Thursday to a measure directing the Education Department to come up with a list of books to ban in public schools.
And it wouldn’t just include lewd or sexual materials.
SB1700 would require the department, now headed by elected Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, to also include on that list materials that “promote gender fluidity or gender pronouns.’’
The measure includes similar language on what local school boards and school libraries would be required to remove from shelves.
https://tucson.com/news/government-and-politics/arizona-senate-oks-making-list-of-books-to-ban-in-schools/article_1fa44b02-beaf-11ed-94bf-978d791cbdf6.html
And it wouldn’t just include lewd or sexual materials.
SB1700 would require the department, now headed by elected Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, to also include on that list materials that “promote gender fluidity or gender pronouns.’’
The measure includes similar language on what local school boards and school libraries would be required to remove from shelves.
https://tucson.com/news/government-and-politics/arizona-senate-oks-making-list-of-books-to-ban-in-schools/article_1fa44b02-beaf-11ed-94bf-978d791cbdf6.html
[font size="2"]And The Winner Is: [/font]
This one is no contest, folks! Arizona has absolutely dominated the second half of the game here, and they are just totally thrashing South Dakota. For three… YES! And that’s all she wrote, folks. This one was a mercy killing! Final score: 89 – 75. Arizona is moving on to the conference finals to play Florida!
[font size="4"]Family Values Conference: Tennessee Vs Arkansas [/font]
[font size="4"]Arkansas [/font]
Arkansas has long been a fan favorite of the Family Values Conference. For one reason. They’re home to America’s farmlands and slaughter houses, and there is plenty of land to go around. They’re also the home of such cities as Bentonville, the headquarters of a little corporation you may have heard of called Wal-Mart. But under new coach Sarah Sanders, Arkansas dominated the second half of the season in regular play. So is the new look Arkansas ready to take to the top of the tournament? Well Arkansas is going hard in on conservative idiocy and internet conspiracy theories. Like lost in all the news lately is this little number that new gov. Sanders pulled. I mean how do these people get elected? It’s true insanity.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a measure this week loosening child labor protections in the state.
Under the law, the Youth Hiring Act of 2023, children under 16 do not have to obtain permission from the Division of Labor to get a job. They will no longer need to get an employment certificate, which verified their age, described their work and work schedule, and included written consent from a parent or guardian. Sanders signed the bill into law on Tuesday.
Alexa Henning, Sanders' communication director, said that the permit requirement had placed an "arbitrary burden on parents" who needed government permission for their child to get a job.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/arkansas-gov-sanders-signs-measure-rolling-back-child-labor-protection-rcna73977?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma
Under the law, the Youth Hiring Act of 2023, children under 16 do not have to obtain permission from the Division of Labor to get a job. They will no longer need to get an employment certificate, which verified their age, described their work and work schedule, and included written consent from a parent or guardian. Sanders signed the bill into law on Tuesday.
Alexa Henning, Sanders' communication director, said that the permit requirement had placed an "arbitrary burden on parents" who needed government permission for their child to get a job.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/arkansas-gov-sanders-signs-measure-rolling-back-child-labor-protection-rcna73977?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma
Well yeah I wish someone would, because the freaks that are in the GOP just legalized child labor, so they’re clearly not looking out for the best interests of children. They just want people dumb enough to push buttons and not ask questions about the terrible working conditions they are being subjected to on a daily basis. Arkansas is also the home of creepy old white men legislating policy on who can use what bathroom, because in 2023, the GOP is once again being run by men whose brain age hasn’t advanced beyond the age of 6. 7 maybe.
The Arkansas House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved an amended version of a bill that initially would have criminalized entering and remaining in bathrooms and locker rooms that do not match an adult’s gender assigned at birth if children are present.
Senate Bill 270 now limits potential misdemeanor charges and prosecutions to adults present “for the purpose of arousing or gratifying a sexual desire of himself or herself or any other person.”
The amendment and the bill both passed on unanimous voice votes after five cumulative hours of frequently emotional testimony from 40 witnesses against the bill. Almost half identified themselves as transgender, including three minors, and several more said they are the parents, spouses or loved ones of transgender Arkansans.
Aaron Jennen, a Fayetteville attorney whose daughter Sabrina is transgender, requested the amendment during his testimony. The Jennens are plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit against a 2021 state law that banned gender-affirming health care for transgender minors.
https://arkansasadvocate.com/2023/03/28/arkansas-house-committee-changes-controversial-public-bathroom-bill/
Senate Bill 270 now limits potential misdemeanor charges and prosecutions to adults present “for the purpose of arousing or gratifying a sexual desire of himself or herself or any other person.”
The amendment and the bill both passed on unanimous voice votes after five cumulative hours of frequently emotional testimony from 40 witnesses against the bill. Almost half identified themselves as transgender, including three minors, and several more said they are the parents, spouses or loved ones of transgender Arkansans.
Aaron Jennen, a Fayetteville attorney whose daughter Sabrina is transgender, requested the amendment during his testimony. The Jennens are plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit against a 2021 state law that banned gender-affirming health care for transgender minors.
https://arkansasadvocate.com/2023/03/28/arkansas-house-committee-changes-controversial-public-bathroom-bill/
[font size="4"]Tennessee [/font]
The Volunteer State were last year’s champions for good reason because their win and dominance over the Family Values Conference over abortion issues put them on the map. Tennessee is of course the home of the Smoky Mountains (as seen in the flick Inglorious Basterds) and also made famous as the home of bootlegging in the 1920s. The are the home of such universities as Vanderbilt and Memphis, and the home of Elvis Presley. But with all Tennessee has to offer, can last year’s Stupidest State champions look to repeat? Well under coach Bill Lee, the Volunteer State is about to enact one of the nation’s most draconian anti-drag and anti-trans bills. It’s absolute insanity what the GOP has turned into. The party of anti-freedom.
Jaquavious Lee describes the last few months of his drag career as the sensation of taking the perfect bite of ice cream after deliberating on your flavor choice for weeks. The 22-year-old is a local drag artist in Memphis, known as Lady Ikora Pluto. Lee has only been performing for about a year and two months, but his career has taken off quickly. He has already earned feature spots in multiple shows and a reputation as a fierce contender in competitions across the city.
Lee says the the experience has been eye-opening. Not only has he healed his inner child through his drag persona, but his elevated platform has given him the opportunity to build up younger, aspiring drag performers.
Lee's rise, however, has also coincided with a backlash against LGBTQ+ rights in general and, in states like Tennessee, drag specifically. According to Time magazine, anti-drag bills are currently being considered in at least 15 states.
Growing up, Lee says, he navigated the world with two identities: Black and closeted. He experienced racism, but not a lot of homophobia. Now, as an out Black man, Lee feels as though he's living in a time when racism isn’t the biggest challenge he faces. As he thinks back to earlier trans activists, like Marsha P. Johnson and Leiomy Maldonado, he tells Teen Vogue that it is disheartening to see all of their work “essentially being undone.”
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/tennessee-drag-ban-lgbtq-youth
Lee says the the experience has been eye-opening. Not only has he healed his inner child through his drag persona, but his elevated platform has given him the opportunity to build up younger, aspiring drag performers.
Lee's rise, however, has also coincided with a backlash against LGBTQ+ rights in general and, in states like Tennessee, drag specifically. According to Time magazine, anti-drag bills are currently being considered in at least 15 states.
Growing up, Lee says, he navigated the world with two identities: Black and closeted. He experienced racism, but not a lot of homophobia. Now, as an out Black man, Lee feels as though he's living in a time when racism isn’t the biggest challenge he faces. As he thinks back to earlier trans activists, like Marsha P. Johnson and Leiomy Maldonado, he tells Teen Vogue that it is disheartening to see all of their work “essentially being undone.”
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/tennessee-drag-ban-lgbtq-youth
Pretty sure that’s live footage of Bill Lee watching the insanity unfold from the Tennessee governor’s mansion. And speaking of trans issues, the TN House is currently debating a bill that would flat out ban any marriage involving the LGBT community. Because remember that county clerk in Kentucky who decided to not allow a same sex marriage? Yeah expect that but much, much worse if this passes, and given that Tennessee has a veto proof supermajority, we can expect this to be a massive “fuck you” to the LGBT community.
Tennessee law already says that religious leaders do not have to officiate weddings they object to. Critics say the new bill goes beyond that and would empower county clerks to refuse to certify marriage licenses, meaning that LGBTQ, interfaith, or interracial couples could be unable to get married at all, rather than just needing to find a new officiant for their ceremony.
Marriage equality is technically the law of the land thanks to the Respect for Marriage Act, which President Joe Biden signed in December. But Tennessee’s bill exploits a major loophole in that law. Critics had long warned that the Respect for Marriage Act did not go far enough. The bill had been amended during the debate process to say that religious organizations do not have to marry same-sex couples, and the law also does not require states to actually issue same-sex marriage licenses.
This latest bill was passed alongside another measure that would require drag artists to obtain a permit from the government in order to perform. Both come just days after Governor Bill Lee signed two new laws, one banning drag performances in public and another banning gender-affirming care for minors.
https://newrepublic.com/post/171025/tennessee-house-bill-gutting-marriage-equality
Marriage equality is technically the law of the land thanks to the Respect for Marriage Act, which President Joe Biden signed in December. But Tennessee’s bill exploits a major loophole in that law. Critics had long warned that the Respect for Marriage Act did not go far enough. The bill had been amended during the debate process to say that religious organizations do not have to marry same-sex couples, and the law also does not require states to actually issue same-sex marriage licenses.
This latest bill was passed alongside another measure that would require drag artists to obtain a permit from the government in order to perform. Both come just days after Governor Bill Lee signed two new laws, one banning drag performances in public and another banning gender-affirming care for minors.
https://newrepublic.com/post/171025/tennessee-house-bill-gutting-marriage-equality
[font size="2"]And The Winner Is: [/font]
Holy crap this one is going to come down to the wire folks. Tennessee dominated the second half, but Arkansas isn’t going down without a fight! It’s tied at 80 going into the final minute here. Tennessee with the ball and 10 seconds remaining… for three! IT’S GOOD!!! Tennessee survives and sinks Arkansas with a stunning last second 3 pointer! They will move on to face Utah!
[font size="4"]Next Week: [/font]
The Elite 8 is set! Florida. Arizona. Kansas. Ohio. Missouri. Montana. Tennessee. Utah. One of these states will win it all! Next week it’s Round 2 Week 1 which means it’s the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference Championship! Ohio vs Kansas. One team will advance, the other will go home! We are live at the home of the Seattle Kraken, the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, with all the exciting action!
[font size="4"]And Now This: [/font]
[font size="4"]Bad Omens[/font]
Folks my next guest are one of the hottest bands in rock music! Their new album is called “The Death Of Peace Of Mind”. You can see them at the Sonic Temple festival in Columbus, Ohio on May 19th. Playing their song “Concrete Jungle”, give it up for Bad Omens!
Thank you New York! This was a lot of fun! It’s great to be back on the east coast! We’re off to Philadelphia, the PHL next! See you next week!
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