July 15, 2020

OMFG! Liberals EVERYWHERE!1!!!!!1

Saudi Arabia rules in favor of woman living independently without permission
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/07/15/-Saudi-Arabia-rules-in-favor-of-woman-living-independently-without-permission

A court in Saudi Arabia has ruled in favor of a woman who was on trial for living and traveling on her own to the Kingdom’s capital, Riyadh, without her father’s permission.

“A historic ruling was issued today, affirming that independence of a sane, adult woman in a separate house is not a crime worthy of punishment,” al-Lahim said in a tweet. “I am very happy with this this ruling that ends tragic stories for women.”

The court ruled that the independence of the defendant in a separate home is not considered a punishable criminal act as the “woman is a sane adult who has the right to decide where she wants to live,” according to the document.

In an interview with Al Arabiya, al-Lahim said that he considers this a historic ruling because it represents a significant change is underway within the Kingdom’s judicial system.

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July 14, 2020

In other news, Shaggy was a hippie. Oh yes he was.

Yes, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated's Velma Is a Lesbian, Producer Confirms
https://www.cbr.com/scooby-doo-mystery-incorporateds-velma-lesbian-producer-confirms/

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated producer Tony Cervone confirmed Velma Dinkley was written as gay, though they could only show so much 10 years ago.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated producer Tony Cervone confirmed a long-standing theory by explaining that the show's incarnation of classic Scooby-Doo! character Velma Dinkley was, in fact, written as a gay woman.

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July 13, 2020

An observation about DC statehood.

It would be a good occasion to change the name while we're at it.

July 12, 2020

Trump isn't secretly winking at QAnon. He's retweeting its followers.

Trump isn't secretly winking at QAnon. He's retweeting its followers.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/12/trump-tweeting-qanon-followers-357238

On July Fourth, before President Donald Trump spoke to the nation from the White House lawn, he spoke indirectly to another community on Twitter: QAnon.

That afternoon, he retweeted 14 tweets from accounts supporting the QAnon conspiracy theory, a sprawling and ever-mutating belief that a mysterious government official who goes by “Q” is leaving online clues about a messianic Trump’s secret plan to dismantle a cadre of Washington elites engaged in everything from pedophilia to child sex trafficking.

It wasn’t the first time Trump has nodded — accidentally or not — to QAnon followers on Twitter. But Trump's QAnon-baiting has gone into overdrive in recent months. According to a Media Matters analysis, ever since the pandemic began, Trump has retweeted at least 90 posts from 49 pro-QAnon accounts, often multiple times in the same day.

Those around Trump have followed suit. Eric Trump, the president’s son, recently posted a giant “Q” on Instagram as well as the hashtag version of the community’s slogan: “Where we go one, we go all.” White House deputy communications director Dan Scavino sparked glee on Facebook when he posted a photo with Q symbology in it back in March. Over on Parler, the niche Twitter alternative and MAGA hub, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, one of Trump’s most strident congressional defenders, directed people to The Dirty Truth, a video producer who has promoted QAnon-related conspiracies in the past.

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Analysis: I don't think he encouraged them in the first place, but now he's playing them for suckers because he can.

July 12, 2020

Aren't you supposed to *not* say it out loud, Donnie?

Trump: 'Shouldn't be hard' for Kanye West to take away votes from Biden
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/506875-trump-shouldnt-be-hard-for-kanye-west-to-take-away-votes-from-biden

President Trump on Saturday expressed confidence that rapper Kanye West — who recently announced that he plans to launch a late bid for the White House — could steal votes from Trump's presumptive Democratic opponent in November, former Vice President Joe Biden.

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West in the past has been a big Trump supporter, meeting with the president multiple times and often wearing Trump's signature red "Make America Great Again" hat.

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July 12, 2020

With FEMA aid to rebuild from riots denied, Minnesota looks elsewhere

With FEMA aid to rebuild from riots denied, Minnesota looks elsewhere
https://www.startribune.com/with-fema-aid-to-rebuild-from-riots-denied-minnesota-looks-elsewhere/571731112/

Denied federal aid to help rebuild burned-out, vandalized businesses in the wake of riots that followed George Floyd’s killing, Minnesota leaders pondered their next steps Saturday.

But it’s not yet clear what other sources of funds they may tap.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Friday denied Gov. Tim Walz’s request for nearly $16 million in aid to help rebuild and repair structures in Minneapolis and St. Paul, many of them left in ruins by the riots and fires that erupted during protests of Floyd’s May 25 death while in Minneapolis police custody.

On July 2, Walz had asked President Donald Trump to declare a “major disaster” for the state of Minnesota. More than 1,500 buildings were damaged by fires, looting and vandalism, racking up more than $500 million in damages, according to Walz. The $16 million would have been used to reimburse local governments for debris clearing, repair and rebuilding costs.

In a prepared statement, FEMA said Saturday that after “a thorough review,” the agency determined “that the impact to public infrastructure is within the capabilities of the local and state governments to recover from.”

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July 9, 2020

Going after gun manufacturers for doing business with law enforcement?

I haven't heard of anyone doing this, but it occurred to me that this might be a good idea.

Am I missing something that's already out there?

July 9, 2020

Why don't my neuroses ever manifest as something fun like running for president?

Kanye West 'is in the middle of a serious bipolar episode and his family are very concerned for him' following controversial Forbes interview and decision to run for president
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8505647/Kanye-West-middle-bipolar-episode.html

The UK Daily Mail is certainly not a good source for political news, but notice they have filed this under "US showbiz".

July 7, 2020

Fox News apologizes for 'mistakenly' cropping Trump out of photo with Epstein, Maxwell

Fox News apologizes for 'mistakenly' cropping Trump out of photo with Epstein, Maxwell
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/506096-fox-news-apologizes-for-mistakenly-cropping-trump-out-of-photo-with-epstein

The headline is the story, click link for details.

Just as an aside, I don't think there was any direct order from Trump's people,
merely that Fox understood what was required of them.

July 6, 2020

Supreme Court rules states can remove 'faithless electors'

Supreme Court rules states can remove 'faithless electors'
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/505984-supreme-court-rules-states-can-remove-faithless-electors

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that states can prohibit their Electoral College representatives from disregarding voters when casting their ballots in presidential elections.

The unanimous decision, arising out of a case from Washington state, essentially gives states the right to outlaw "faithless electors" who cast their votes for people other than those chosen by voters.

"Nothing in the Constitution expressly prohibits States from taking away presidential electors’ voting discretion as Washington does," Justice Elena Kagan wrote in the majority decision.

A handful of electors had cast their votes in 2016 for people who did not win their states' popular votes in a failed attempt to deny President Trump an Electoral College majority. In the final vote tally, just seven of the 538 electors successfully chose someone other than their state's popular vote winner.

Three Democratic electors in Washington state voted for former Secretary of State Colin Powell instead of Hillary Clinton, hoping that Republican electors would follow suit. The state fined them $1,000 each, prompting a legal challenge from the three officials, who argued that the state law restricting their Electoral College vote was unconstitutional.

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