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Top 10 Idiots

Top 10 Idiots's Journal
Top 10 Idiots's Journal
March 3, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-6: Let Me Tell You About The Birds And The Bees Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-6: Let Me Tell You About The Birds And The Bees Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? We’re still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future which currently seems hopeless, I know. But look at that void! It’s so blue! We of course bring you last week’s news smack dab in the middle of the week, but this is our final Top 10! To be broadcast in this time slot, sorry, I should have finished that sentence. But starting on the 18th, we are moving to Thursday. This last year has been extremely difficult to deal with and staff complaints forced the move. This is my favorite Top 10 of the entire year because it’s time for Stupidest State 2021 and this year we’re introducing some new features to make this more interactive and to encourage you to get your brackets in! There’s some red hot newcomers to the tournament and some really exciting developments to the NFFSA. But we think you’ll be satisfied with this year’s developments! Plus if you check the Top 10 Twitter feed, and you absolutely should, it’s on Twitter @10Idiots, we will be adding some ESPN-style Bracketology advice starting today to help you fill out your brackets! Who do you think is going to go all the way this year and win the coveted DeLay trophy? I know who I have! Anyway that’s enough of the intro, we have a lof of idiocy to get to this week. But first John Oliver is back and he delves into America’s obsession with the police raid:



Another year, another time to visit the annual circus of insanity known as the Conservative Political Action Conference! To start with this week, we are going to bring you highlights of the conference (1) which includes literally worshipping Trump with praise, loyalty and statues. But they’re not a cult or anything. Taking the second slot this week, is of course our FORMER 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump (2) and we have highlights of what we think will be a completely predictable speech from him. Taking the 3rd slot this week is Trump sycophant Marjorie Taylor Greene (3). And Margie is going full on crazy this week with her war on trans people and a bizarre and probably totally unethical gun giveaway. At slot #4 this week is the plot against Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom (4). The MAGA cult is out for blood against the east and west coast governors, and it’s going to get really ugly really quickly. Taking the 5th slot this week is our weekly investigative piece Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week, what does it mean to be “deplatformed”? We take a look at why conservatives are so hysterical about this social media phenomenon. And at the #6 seed this week, is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and this week with President Biden set to sign sweeping reforms against LGBT discrimination, the church is organizing a full out assault, and our resident pastor is telling you it’s going to get very ugly very quickly. Taking the 7th slot this week, we have a new “Beating A Dead Horse”, and Hasbro decided to introduce a new kind of Potato Head doll and it’s blowing conservative minds. Yeah shut up! In the #8 slot this week is a new edition of Conspiracy Corner (8) – we’re going to take a look at the insane theory being peddled by anti-vaccination crusaders that a microchip is being implanted in you when you get the COVID vaccine and then cross that with people who don’t think Q Anon exists and we’ve got a Clustertrump. In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is a new “I Need A Drink” and we have to find out why Metallica hilariously and ironically got slapped with a DMCA claim during the bands’ own livestream performance at the virtual Blizzcon this year. But it’s not ending with Metallica either. Finally it’s that time, ladies and gentlemen! Time for the 5th annual Stupidest State contest! This year, the circumstances have changed but the spirit remains the same! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]CPAC 2021: America Uncanceled
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It’s the last week of February and that means that the annual Gathering Of The Deplorables, otherwise known as the Conservative Political Action Conference, is here. Now the thing is we could have spent literally the entire edition talking about how batshit crazy conservatives are. There was Ted Cruz and there was Josh Hawley, and there was Trump, and there was just an endless parade of psychos and crazy people. But this picture I feel perfectly sums up the conservative movement and the end of MAGA. Can we show that?:

https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/1365773383032594450

I don't think I need to add any commentary to this one, it's a perfect metaphor for the remnants of the Trump administration at this point, isn't it? But what we got to talk about is the shape of the stage at CPAC. That was a very interesting topic of discussion.

It’s been said that you should never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity. Applying this maxim to the Conservative Political Action Conference makes it one of the stupidest organizations in American politics today, and that’s saying something.

As difficult as it is to get your head around, the stage at CPAC 2021 last weekend was built in the shape of a rebranded swastika, something called an odal or othala rune. This symbol was incorporated into SS uniforms and is frequently used by white supremacists. Neo-Nazis get tattooed with this thing. It was even on display at the 2017 Unite the Right protest in Charlottesville. Here’s a picture of the CPAC stage next to a picture of a Nazi uniform. Judge for yourself.

An extraordinary controversy erupted over this, as you would expect. Any normal person on being confronted with such a colossally idiotic mistake would blanch whiter than a Klansman’s hood and take immediate steps to fix the problem while profusely apologizing for the screw-up and Googling to see if the federal witness protection program was accepting volunteers. But not CPAC host Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union.
A celebration of white supremacy

"Stage design conspiracies are outrageous and slanderous. We have a long standing commitment to the Jewish community. Cancel culture extremists must address antisemitism within their own ranks. CPAC proudly stands with our Jewish allies, including those speaking from this stage," he tweeted.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/03/02/cpac-2021-stage-design-public-high-five-white-supremacy-column/6883518002/




Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait. You’re blaming the design of the stage on cancel culture extremists? That’s rich! I don’t want to point fingers but a Nazi symbol is a Nazi symbol, am I right about that? But what does the hosting venue – Hyatt Hotels think about this? Are they happy or sad that they hosted a gathering of white supremacists and Neo Nazis? Which is exactly on brand for the modern conservative movement!

The Hyatt Hotels Corporation called symbols of hate “abhorrent” on Sunday after the design of a stage at the right-wing Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at one of its hotels drew comparisons to a Norse rune used by Nazis during the second world war

High-profile Republicans including former president Donald Trump were attending the four-day event in Orlando, Florida, as conflict raged between Trump allies and establishment politicians trying to distance the party from him.

A photo of the CPAC stage went viral on social media on Saturday, with thousands of Twitter users sharing posts comparing its distinctive design to an othala rune, also known as an odal rune, one of many ancient European symbols that Nazis adopted to “reconstruct a mythic ‘Aryan’ past”, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

The ceiling of the conference room featured a lighting display in the same shape as the stage, according to Reuters photographs.

Hyatt said all aspects of conference logistics, including the stage design, were managed by the American Conservative Union, which organized the conference.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/01/cpac-2021-stage-design-nazi-sign-odal-othala-rune-hyatt-hotels-hate-symbol-abhorrent




Yeah seriously where are those guys when you need them? And I completely say this with all seriousness: Nazis can go fuck themselves. And the fact that the CPAC stage resembled a symbol from Hitler’s SS is appalling. But let’s move on to the main events shall we? There was Ted Cruz who was every bit as deplorable as you might expect.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz gave a fiery speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday, shouting about freedom, mask-wearing, and late-night comedians.

He also proclaimed the Republican Party is the party of working-class Americans and not just country clubs — but the conference itself seemed to be fixated on former President Donald Trump, a man who literally lives at one.

"The Republican Party is not just the party of country clubs, the Republican Party is the party of steel workers, construction workers, pipeline workers, police officers, firefighters, waiters and waitresses," Cruz said in his speech.

Cruz also emphasized his support of Trump in his speech, indicating that Trumpism is the future of the GOP.

"There are a whole lot of voices in Washington that want to just erase the last four years," Cruz said. "Let me tell you this right now, Donald J. Trump ain't going anywhere."
https://www.businessinsider.com/cruz-gop-not-just-party-country-clubs-cpac-fixates-trump-2021-2




Yeah sorry Ted Trump is going away – we’ve had a collective ass full of him. And if Kimberly Guilfoyle’s entrance was anything to scoff at, they’re going out in a blaze of glory:

https://twitter.com/MysterySolvent/status/1365448913247993863

Yeah what the fuck was that??? And Ted you don’t get to walk away from what happened in Texas with a snappy one liner. Seriously… fuck you! But if there’s one takeaway from CPAC 2021 it’s that the conservative movement is only going to devolve into something more sinister if we let it.

Former President Donald Trump turned the Conservative Political Action Conference into his first post-presidential rally Sunday evening, pledging in a speech riddled with falsehoods to purge his enemies from the Republican Party and hinting repeatedly at another run for the White House in 2024.

But before Trump closed out the annual conservative gathering, held in Orlando, Florida, this year, a cadre of ambitious Republicans eyeing 2024 presidential runs of their own tried to put their spins on Trump's populist message, echoing his grievances against big tech, the media and liberal "cancel culture" in efforts to tap into the "Make America Great Again" base Trump built.

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley called for a break-up of leading tech companies. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem leaned into a cultural battle over statues of founding fathers. Florida Sen. Rick Scott promised not to intervene against pro-Trump candidates in primaries from his perch as the chairman of the Senate GOP's campaign arm. And Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said the GOP is "not just the party of country clubs," a reflection of Trump remaking the party's base into a largely White, rural and working-class coalition even as the former President lives at a private club he owns.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/28/politics/cpac-2021-takeaways-sunday/index.html





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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You know it’s so nice not having to dedicate brain cells to the word diarrhea that comes out of the mouth of our now FORMER president Donald J. Trump isn’t it? Well unfortunately we had to this weekend because he was the headline speaker at CPAC. And as we predicted the word vomit that comes out of his head was extremely predictable. But here’s the thing – what is to make of the now former president? Is he just becoming a parody of what he once was? Or is he an emerging threat to American democracy as we know it? Or is he literally just a golden calf to anyone that’s to the right of the KKK? I mean he’s Trump The Golden Calf! But this is crazy that the CPAC has become a loyalty test to the darkest corners of the Trump cult.

Donald Trump emerged from his luxurious Palm Beach exile to wallow in the warmth of devotees at the Conservative Political Action Conference 170 miles away in Orlando. Is he a spent supernova, or a giant barely submerged land mine that could obliterate the landscape at any time? Either way, we've seen our future. There will be no avoiding him. Deputy Editorial Page Editor David Mastio and Commentary Editor Jill Lawrence consider his Sunday speech, all 90-plus minutes:

David: Trump’s CPAC comeback speech revealed a sad little man, angry at local courts and politicians and disappointed in the federal judges he seated, but who “didn’t have the guts or the courage” to bow to him. Trump tried to carry on as if he hadn’t been impeached after the Capitol was ransacked by a mob, but even the lies seemed faintly ridiculous. “We will win. We’ve been doing a lot of winning,” was the wacko fib he launched his speech with, as if he hadn’t cost Republicans control of the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House. Trump Republicans know that truth.

And even with a golden Trump idol on hand, 45% of CPAC attendees, in the organization’s straw poll, said they’d vote for someone other than the former president in the 2024 Republican primary. That’s a disappointing showing for a man out of the limelight for only a few weeks and way up from 2019, the last time the straw poll was taken, when fewer than 20% were looking for an alternative to Trump.

If he can’t get to 90% support at CPAC, the core of the Trumpian Republican base, he’s going to be weaker nationwide. Maybe Republicans are looking for a new messenger, even if they’ll stick with the redefined platform of Trumpism. That’s the one optimistic takeaway I saw anyway in a crowd happily nodding along to nonsense.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/02/28/trump-cpac-comeback-speech-showed-sad-little-man-angry-world/6859607002/




Yeah Trump can’t even get 90% of the voters at CPAC! They were split down the middle, and this is after a convention that saw speeches from the most deranged, hard right members of the cult like Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley. But let’s go through some of the zanier quotes from the speech. Yeah I didn’t watch it, so I’ll let someone else do the talking. And no, I don’t want Trump to do the talking either.

Donald Trump delivered his first major post-presidential speech on Sunday, an address to the Conservative Political Action Conference laden with falsehoods and attacks on his fellow Republicans -- suggesting absolutely nothing has changed since he ceased being president on January 20.
I went through the speech and pulled out the lines you need to see. They're below.
1. "Do you miss me yet? Do you miss me?"
At root, Trump wants to be loved. Forever. And away we go!

2. "I stand before you today to declare that the incredible journey we've begun together, we went through a journey like nobody else. There's never been a journey like it."
Never been a journey that incredible? Um, these two dogs and a cat would disagree.

3. "We've been doing a lot of winning."
During Trump's four years, Republicans lost the House majority, the Senate majority and the White House.

4. "We're not starting new parties. You know, they kept saying, he's going to start a brand new party. We have the Republican Party. It's going to unite and be stronger than ever before. I am not starting a new party."
Some news! Trump says he won't start a Trump-centric third party! Of course, if you think he might not change his mind about that, well, you must have missed the last four years.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/01/politics/donald-trump-cpac-speech/index.html




Yeah I kind of feel like Michael Scott when he saw Toby back at Dunder Mifflin after several months – like a bad weed that you keep having to spray weed killers on in order to get rid of, and it still grows back! But like any other boss, Trump has his own shit list of employees that he would like to get rid of if he had an opportunity to do so. Which would replace them with those who are the most loyal to his cause, and after 5 years, we’re still unclear of what that cause is.

After days of insisting they could paper over their intraparty divisions, Republican lawmakers were met with a grim reminder of the challenge ahead on Sunday when former President Donald J. Trump stood before a conservative conference and ominously listed the names of Republicans he is targeting for defeat.

As Democrats pursue a liberal agenda in Washington, the former president’s grievances over the 2020 election continue to animate much of his party, more than a month after he left office and nearly four months since he lost the election. Many G.O.P. leaders and activists are more focused on litigating false claims about voting fraud in last year’s campaign, assailing the technology companies that deplatformed Mr. Trump and punishing lawmakers who broke with him over his desperate bid to retain power.

In an address on Sunday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, his first public appearance since he left the White House, Mr. Trump read a sort of hit list of every congressional Republican who voted to impeach him, all but vowing revenge.

“The RINOs that we’re surrounded with will destroy the Republican Party and the American worker and will destroy our country itself,” he said, a reference to the phrase “Republicans In Name Only,” adding that he would be “actively working to elect strong, tough and smart Republican leaders.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/28/us/politics/trump-cpac-republicans.html




And here’s something you’re really not going to like. While we’re all moving on from the nightmare that was the 2020 election and Trump’s super spreader MAGA rallies, there’s one thing that is perfectly clear about this. At least even the most die-hard cults, like Charles Manson’s Helter Skelter cult, die out after they’re found out that they are frauds. It turns out that the MAGA cult may be the next victim of a long line of cults, and we couldn’t be happier about that!

The former president made a semi-Trumphant return on Sunday. Donald Trump’s rapturous reception at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, made clear that the conservative movement, as well as the Republican Party, belongs to him. Yet there were also signs that his brand is tarnished.

Trump made the expected attacks on President Joe Biden and the anticipated elbow tosses at Republicans deemed either insufficiently loyal or outright treacherous. There were nods and winks to a 2024 run, when he will win for “a third time.”
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And yet, the CPAC straw poll (which, in fairness, is notorious for not being so accurate) shows that the devotion is not quite total. Yes, Trump won, but he did so with a mere 55%. Meanwhile, not only did local boy Ron DeSantis come in second, with 21%, the Florida governor lapped the field with 43% in a separate survey with Trump not included.

Perhaps those results explained Trump’s surprisingly low-energy performance. The crowd in the room and at home got “TelePrompTer Trump,” as he stuck to the script and included few if any of the improvised bits that energize him and his audience. Trump upended a tradition (shocking, right?) by attacking his successor, but the criticism of Biden was … bland. It was the “most disastrous first month in history,” he said. Biden had taken the country “from America First to America Last,” Trump declared.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-03-01/trump-cpac-speech-won-raves-but-poll-shows-cracks-in-his-appeal





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[font size="8"]Marjorie Taylor Greene
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We need some music for this one!



Yeah let me tell you about the birds and the bees. And Marjorie Taylor Greene. There’s two things we know about Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q – Batshit). The first is that her tenure in Congress is most likely going to be short lived. The second thing is that at some point in the next year and a half, Rep. Greene will get in a fist fight with another member of Congress. While we can’t guarantee that, we can guarantee that Greene has caused quite the shit show in the last few weeks and isn’t done yet. This week Greene took her fight to the transgender community and specifically attacked and intimidated Rep. Newman (D-IL), who has a transgender daughter. Yeah this woman is an incredibly vile piece of shit. And it seems the more we’re offended by her, the more it drives her. Which makes her a psychopath.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgia Republican who's become a flashpoint for her promotion of dangerous conspiracy theories, on Wednesday placed an anti-transgender sign outside her office to mock Rep. Marie Newman, a Democrat from Illinois whose daughter is transgender, in a back-and-forth that quickly spread on social media and drew widespread outrage.

Newman and Greene are both freshmen members of Congress whose offices in the Capitol complex are located across the hall from one another.

The conflict between the two began after Newman spoke in favor of the Equality Act, a measure that's been proposed in multiple iterations over the past several decades. The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act to also prohibit discrimination or segregation in areas like employment, housing and more based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"I rise today on behalf of the millions of Americans who continue to be denied housing, education, public services and much, much more because they identify as members of the LGBTQ community - Americans like my own daughter, who years ago bravely came out to her parents as transgender," Newman said Tuesday in remarks on the House floor that she later posted on social media. "I knew from that day on my daughter would be living in a nation where most of its states, she could be discriminated against, merely because of who she is. And yet it was still the happiest day of my life and my daughter has found her authentic self."
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-hangs-anti-transgender-sign-in-response-to-rep-marie-newmans-pride-flag/2447430/




Man I wish we had an audience right now because this woman deserves all the booing and shaming that you can muster up. Seriously – calling Marjorie Taylor Greene a piece of shit, is an insult to actual pieces of shit. Because actual shit has useful purposes, like being turned into manure. This woman on the other hand does not. This woman is a colossal scumbag through and through. And like I said I would not be surprised to see her in an actual brawl on Capitol Hill sometime soon.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) tweeted that Greene’s actions represent “the hate- and fame-driven politics of self-promotion at all evil costs. This garbage must end, in order to #RestoreOurGOP.”

Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) called Greene’s poster “sickening, pathetic, unimaginably cruel” and added that “this hate is exactly why” the Equality Act is necessary.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said he put up a transgender flag outside of his office in 2019 and advised Greene to “probably avoid the Rayburn building, too, if she doesn’t want to see another’ symbol of love and acceptance.”

In an interview with CNN Thursday morning, Newman said that Greene was “welcome to her sign,” but that “no one’s buying it, and that is not science.”

Newman said Thursday afternoon that Facebook labeled her post as "hate speech" and temporarily took the post down from the site, despite allowing Greene’s video to remain on its platform.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/02/25/marjorie-taylor-greene-slammed-for-anti-trans-tweet-and-sign-aimed-at-colleagues-transgender-daughter/?sh=417e7cfb5a8f




By the way in case you’re wondering what actual trans people think of Greene, well, their opinion is not at all favorable. And this woman isn’t going away no matter how hard we would like to thwack her into the sun. But this woman is fueled by a diet of hate and conspiracy theories, and our animosity towards
her is only making her stronger. So how does someone this full of hate and egomaniacism sleep during the night? Well it’s going to be hard to tell.

HRC announced that over 2,800 parents of transgender, non-binary and gender expansive youth sent a letter thanking U.S. Representative Marie Newman (D-IL) for standing up on behalf of transgender youth everywhere.

“As fellow parents of transgender, non-binary, and gender-expansive youth, we want to thank you for publicly representing our pride in and love for our children,” reads the letter. “Transgender youth are remarkable, honest, courageous, resilient, and deserving of the chance to live a full and authentic life. When you stood on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives and said ‘I’m voting yes on the Equality Act for Evie Newman, my daughter and the strongest, bravest person I know,’ we felt your words deeply.”

“Unfortunately, many of us also have a person like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene in our lives,” continues the letter. “A person who is close-minded, mean, petty, and willing to say hurtful things about our loved ones and even vote against their rights. A person who clings to outdated notions of sex and gender and who refuses to learn from major medical and mental health associations — or from us and from our experiences. A person who promotes junk science and fringe theories in hate-filled attacks against trans youth and adults alike.”

Earlier this week, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) campaigned against the Equality Act and showcased behavior that was mean-spirited, cruel and vindictive. Rep. Greene escalated her campaign against the Equality Act and personally and intentionally misgendered her colleague Rep. Newman’s transgender daughter. Democratic and Republican lawmakers widely criticized Greene’s transphobic remarks, with one Congressman saying her actions were “sickening, pathetic, unimaginably cruel.”
https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/over-2-800-parents-of-transgender-non-binary-and-gender-expansive-youth-send-letter-thanking-congresswoman-marie-newman




Oh but you see? With Greene, the cruelty is the point! This woman has a media diet consisting of Alex Jones and social media fueled paranoid conspiracy theories that are getting increasingly amplified each and every day. Now here’s where it’s going to get even uglier. While embassies around the world are showing increasing acceptance of gay and trans rights, Marjorie Greene wants the exact opposite. Thank god the Dems retain control of the House right now. So Marjorie has a problem with the Pride flags, but no problem with the MAGA flag? I’m shocked, shocked I tell you!

Controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has co-sponsored legislation that would ban U.S. embassies from flying the LGBTQ Pride flag.

Greene, a freshman Republican from Georgia, has earned widespread criticism for her support for QAnon conspiracy theories, attacks on religious minorities, and suggestions that mass school shootings were “false flag” operations.

If passed, H.R. 85, the Old Glory Only Act, would require the secretary of state to ensure “that no United States diplomatic or consular post flies any flag other than the United States flag over such post.”

In a release issued earlier this week, Greene, 46, stated her support for the measure was a continuation of her “America First Agenda.”

“The federal government should only be flying the flag that represents ALL people, the American flag,” she said. “We need to bring back pride in our country and raise the Star Spangled Banner proudly. Old Glory represents our great American military and their sacrifices to ensure our freedom."
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-backs-bill-would-ban-pride-flags-n1256796





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[font size="8"]The Andrew Cuomo Scandal

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I was having a debate with my staff on how to approach this one. Because I know the name of this show is “Top 10 Conservative Idiots” and we are about to talk about the plot to take down New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Who currently is up to his ass in scandal. And we try to be fair here. But the simple fact of the matter is that Cuomo is about to get the Al Franken treatment (see: Top 10 #3-26. Remember that guy? Well this is that scandal but with an added dose of an unrelated COVID scandal! Yeah holy shit is right, and we haven’t even got to Holy Shit yet this week. But here’s what we know so far – it is a coordinated attack to take down one of the most powerful governors in the country and here’s how it is going so far, and it’s not pretty.

You could practically see and hear the ground shifting underneath Governor Andrew Cuomo. On Saturday evening The New York Times posted a devastating story: highly detailed, highly credible accusations of sexual harassment from Charlotte Bennett, a former aide to Cuomo, three days after another former staffer, Lindsey Boylan, said Cuomo had planted an unwanted kiss on her lips. The governor flatly denied Boylan’s claims; after the Bennett story broke, he released a fairly anodyne statement in which he was careful to make it clear he took her allegations seriously, said he never made any advances, and called for an outside review, adding that he would make no further comment until the review was complete. Behind the scenes Cuomo seemed to believe that he had been misunderstood by Bennett. As in other skirmishes, politicians who did not like him were taking shots, and he would calibrate—to use one of the governor’s favorite words—his way through the trouble, as always. He would fight this one out. He wasn’t going anywhere.

Most of which rapidly proved untenable, only deepening the crisis engulfing New York’s three-term governor—and calling into question whether Cuomo understood that the circumstances this time were very different from those of his previous political battles. In his initial Saturday night response, Cuomo appeared to be creating a home field advantage for the “independent” investigation, decreeing that it would be conducted by former federal judge Barbara Jones. Jones’s integrity is not in doubt—but the fact that the accused was selecting his interrogator, and that Jones had once worked with a longtime top Cuomo adviser, Steve Cohen, provoked a new fury. The backlash was also partly because of some thorny Cuomo history with investigations: In 2014, he abruptly unplugged the Moreland Commission, an ethics probe, when he decided it had served its purpose in pressuring the state legislature—and when the commission had started asking questions about Cuomo associates.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/03/as-scandal-rocks-cuomo-the-governor-is-determined-to-hold-on-to-power




Yeah you can say that again! So yeah the news here is not good. And it’s only about to get worse for Gov. Cuomo. So now the debate rages – does Gov Cuomo resign or does he keep fighting against these accusations? Of course without proof, we have to assume that he’s somewhat guilty but in order for him to be innocent, we need concrete, actual proof of this. And no, we don’t need a bad court thingy just yet, there has to be a trial first!

(CNN)New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been pleading with lawmakers for support and even threatening political retribution against Democrats who have criticized him in an aggressive effort to contain political fallout from revelations that his administration had concealed the full extent of nursing home-related deaths during the Covid pandemic.

Describing an alleged exchange with the governor that has not been previously reported, Democratic Assemblyman Ron Kim told CNN that he received a call on his cell phone from the governor last week as he was bathing his children at home.
"Gov. Cuomo called me directly on Thursday to threaten my career if I did not cover up for Melissa [DeRosa] and what she said. He tried to pressure me to issue a statement, and it was a very traumatizing experience," Kim said. Cuomo proceeded to tell the assemblyman that "we're in this business together and we don't cross certain lines and he said I hadn't seen his wrath and that he can destroy me," according to Kim.

Cuomo's adviser denied that the governor threatened to destroy Kim.
DeRosa is a top aide to the governor who came under fire last week after she told state lawmakers in a private virtual meeting that the state had delayed sharing with the legislature the full scope of the Covid-related death toll of New York's nursing home residents because of concerns about a potential federal investigation by the Department of Justice. (The governor's office has since released a partial transcript of the call.)
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/17/politics/cuomo-ron-kim-nursing-home/index.html




Yeah so there’s that to deal with too. I mean this whole thing is going to get worse before it gets better and that’s if it gets better. And oh yeah I’m watching you too, Sean Hannity. If you’re going to accuse the media of being mobsters, and the thing is the “media mob” didn’t take down Brett Kavanaugh – he did that to himself. And he’s still in power! But just like Brett Kavanaugh, Andrew Cuomo could be the victim of his own demise. Watch the conservative blogosphere, it’s gonna get ugly very fast.

Last summer, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was must-see TV. Now, he’s a must-to-avoid, the skunk at the Democratic political picnic. His once-promising future is now in freefall — without a parachute.

Watching the self-immolation of any powerful figure is never fun. Failure is only laughable to those too naïve to know its enduring pain. And with Cuomo — frankly, with any number of political figures, from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas to New Jersey’s Chris Christie during his Bridgegate fiasco — it’s entirely understandable for critics to chortle: “Well, it’s about time” or “Justice is finally served” or “He had it coming.”

But when someone with promise stumbles and flops, the story is framed more by tragedy than comedy.

Such is the case with Cuomo.

As New York’s governor, he took the lead last spring and summer in speaking to America about our collective fears and sorrow over the spread of the coronavirus.

To understand Cuomo's profound impact, it's important to remember those somber days.
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/columnists/mike-kelly/2021/02/26/andrew-cuomo-meteoric-rise-and-rapid-collapse-behind-covid-scandal/6821698002/





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Social Media Deplatforming
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



The topics of “cancel culture” and “social media deplatforming” were all the rage this weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. After four years of having a president who thrived as a social media troll, it’s no wonder that conservatives are living in constant fear of saying or doing the wrong thing on social media. Because the conservative agenda deals with racism and sexism and it’s becoming increasingly clear that they want to do something to be able to voice their controversial opinions publicly without fear of consequences. In fact when conservatives get banned from social media, they go and seek out alternatives. This led to the creation of alternate media sites like Parler, Gab, and Telegram, where the policies towards speech are “anything goes”.

Gab, the controversial social media platform favored by right-wing users, has had 70 GB of data hacked and handed to Distributed Denial of Secrets, a whistle-blower site sometimes referred to as a successor to WikiLeaks.

Distributed Denial of Secrets founder Emma Best said the hacked data contains public posts, profiles and hashed passwords, as well as private account posts and messages.

"It contains pretty much everything on Gab, including user data and private posts, everything someone needs to run a nearly complete analysis on Gab users and content," Best wrote in a message to Wired.

Data of former U.S. President Donald J. Trump's account is included in the data hoard, according to an archived post by Gab CEO Andrew Torba (WARNING: Contains offensive language).

In a blog post Friday, Torba told users the company is undertaking a "full security audit" and cast doubt on the extent of the data stolen.
https://www.coindesk.com/gab-refuge-for-the-deplatformed-hacked-for-pretty-much-everything-including-trump-data




Yes think of the alternate reality social media sites like the refuge of the damned. These people clearly don’t care about what others think of them, and it shows. But conservatives are getting increasingly fearful of what the visible social media companies like Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram will do to them if they’re caught doing something that violates the platform’s terms of service, even though they do this daily.

From Washington DC to Wall Street, 2021 has already seen online groups causing major organised offline disruption. Some of it has been in violation of national laws, some in violation of internet platforms’ terms of service. When these groups are seen to cause societal harm, the solution has been knee-jerk: to ban or “deplatform” those groups immediately, leaving them digitally “homeless”.

But the online world is a Pandora’s box of sites, apps, forums and message boards. Groups banned from Facebook migrated seamlessly to Parler, and from Parler, via encrypted messaging apps, to a host of other platforms. My research has shown how easily users migrate between platforms on the “dark web”. Deplatforming won’t work on the regular internet for the same reason: it’s become too easy for groups to migrate elsewhere.

This year, we’ve come to see social platforms not as passive communication tools, but rather as active players in public discourse. Twitter’s announcement that it had permanently suspended Donald Trump in the wake of the Capitol riots is one such example: a watershed moment for deplatforming as a means of limiting harmful speech.

Elsewhere, the Robinhood investment platform suspended the trading of GameStop stocks after the Reddit group r/WallStreetBets (which had 2.2 million members at the time) coordinated a mass purchase of the shares. While the original Reddit group remained open, many r/WallStreetBets users had also been communicating via the social network Discord. In response, Discord banned their channel, citing “hate speech”.
https://theconversation.com/banning-disruptive-online-groups-is-a-game-of-whac-a-mole-that-web-giants-just-wont-win-154427




Now this brings about a really tricky area of banning people from social media. Does this make things better or worse? There’s arguments that could be made for both sides. In fact one side is saying that it is making things better, but the other side is saying that it is making it worse. Stamping out trolls is more of a science than an art. You can ban them from the spotlight, but they aren’t going away. And it is driving them completely crazy.

From a technical perspective, deplatforming just makes things a bit harder. Amazon’s cloud services make it easy to manage computing infrastructure but are ultimately built on open source technologies available to anyone. A deplatformed company or people sympathetic to it could build their own hosting infrastructure. The research community has also built censorship-resistant tools that, if all else fails, harmful online communities can use to persist.

Does deplatforming have an effect on worrisome communities themselves?

Whether or not deplatforming has a social effect is a nuanced question just now beginning to be addressed by the research community. There is evidence that a platform banning communities and content – for example, QAnon or certain politicians – can have a positive effect. Platform banning can reduce growth of new users over time, and there is less content produced overall. On the other hand, migrations do happen, and this is often a response to real world events – for example, a deplatformed personality who migrates to a new platform can trigger an influx of new users.

Another consequence of deplatforming can be users in the migrated community showing signs of becoming more radicalized over time. While Reddit or Twitter might improve with the loss of problematic users, deplatforming can have unintended consequences that can accelerate the problematic behavior that led to deplatforming in the first place.

Ultimately, it’s unlikely that deplatforming, while certainly easy to implement and effective to some extent, will be a long-term solution in and of itself. Moving forward, effective approaches will need to take into account the complicated technological and social consequences of addressing the root problem of extremist and violent Web communities.
https://theconversation.com/does-deplatforming-work-to-curb-hate-speech-and-calls-for-violence-3-experts-in-online-communications-weigh-in-153177




Yes probably. In fact you can deplatform users and they will regroup elsewhere. But you can’t get rid of the trolls altogether, or can you? Because they will start their own platforms. What happens when the entire platform gets deplatformed? Well for that we look to Parler, which recently got banned from both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store because there were users on this service threatening to murder elected officials. Yes, people. Trolling on social media can only get you so far then the death threats happen. It’s an inevitable way of life in the 21st century – life, death, taxes, and the social media death threat. If you get deplatformed for this, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

You can almost think of it in terms of moving house: Parler was evicted from Amazon, Apple and Google and has to find a new place to live. Just like there are more and less safe neighborhoods in the real world to live in, the same is true for the internet. Amazon, Apple and Google are among the safest neighborhoods on the internet. If Parler does move, it likely will be moving to a less safe neighborhood. This means that if you want to keep using Parler if it returns, you’ll likely be going to less safe neighborhoods on the internet to find it and should take extra steps to protect against related increased risks.

There are two areas of greater risk if you follow a deplatformed app to a new home: the app itself, and the web and cloud infrastructure that support it.

When an app is no longer available through the official App Store and/or the Google Play Store, the risks around getting and installing the app skyrocket. You can install apps from places other than those official outlets, but those other places don’t always have the same security checks that those official stores do.

Mobile apps downloaded from third-party sites are one of the main sources of mobile malware, especially on Android devices. Not only are there risks that the apps might have malware, but the sites offering the apps might themselves be risky in terms of malware and phishing. In addition, if you’re using an iPhone, the only way to install apps from anywhere but the App Store is to “jailbreak” the phone, a step that Apple strongly recommends against for a host of reasons, including the fact that it breaks the iOS license agreement and can leave you without help or support from Apple.

There’s also the fact that you can’t be sure that you will get what you think you’re getting. For example, Avast researchers found an Android app on January 16 (after Parler’s deplatforming) that claimed to be a “Parler Updater” and used the Parler logo. The app turned out to be a classic piece of spyware that would seemingly disappear after you installed it, yet it would have complete control of your device — including being able to install other (potentially malicious) packages. The naming, packaging and timing indicate that the people behind it may have been trying to capitalize on the deplatforming of Parler to spread their spyware.
https://securityboulevard.com/2021/02/parler-and-deplatformed-apps-avast/




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.





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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual 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 virtual congregation! You know it’s not all fun and games here at the Holy Church Of The Top 10, we occasionally do have serious stuff to talk about. Because America’s Christian right has been replaced with a dangerous and scary cult that is out for blood and revenge based on… reasons. Now that President Joe Biden has been with us for over a month and he is putting into place some sweeping protections for our LGBT brothers and sisters, the Christian right is hopping mad! In fact they are currently waging a war for equality! And this is something that does not sit well with us. They don’t abide by the church or to JAYSUS! Instead they abide by all that is dark and EVIL in society!

As President Joe Biden tells it, the nuns who taught the future president based their religious instruction on the Gospel of Matthew: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

That tenet was echoed during his first days in office, when Biden signed orders to ensure fair treatment for marginalized groups on housing and other issues.

“We’re all God’s children,” Biden said. “We should treat each other as we would like to be treated ourselves.”

Another of his earliest actions strengthened anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender people. On Thursday, Biden was expected to sign a memorandum to protect the rights of LGBTQ people worldwide, including providing protections to gay and lesbian refugees and asylum seekers.

But what to Biden is an “advancing equity” agenda grounded in his deep Catholic faith appears to some Christian conservatives as attacks on their own intensely held beliefs that will unravel the “religious freedom” protections championed by the Trump administration. Those protections treated religious beliefs as paramount, even if they conflicted with another person’s rights – to an abortion, to marry a person of the same sex, or to be transgender.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/04/bidens-faith-based-equity-agenda-counters-trumps-religious-freedom-protections/4376093001/




Religion for me, but none for thee! That’s the way the Christian fascists in the right do things and it’s not pretty. In fact it’s pretty ugly and that’s not what GAWD or JAYSUS would want now, is it? But that said since Biden cannot find religious allies among those in the US because they support the unholy, ungodly Dark One, he must seek answers elsewhere. Like for instance turning to Pope Francis, of which he shares a close alliance with!

The second Roman Catholic president in American history is a devout man who makes no secret of the importance of faith in his life. President Joe Biden is a regular churchgoer, often quotes St. Augustine and carries a rosary that belonged to his late son Beau. In one of the first images released of him in the Oval Office, a photo was visible behind his desk showing him with Pope Francis.

The Argentine-born pope and the new American president have both staked out liberal stances on issues like climate change and economic disparity, and have taken different positions from their "culture warrior" predecessors.

Biden diametrically differs from former President Donald Trump in his support for a more inclusive society, on issues ranging from immigration and health care to LGBTQ equality. Francis has moved away from Pope John Paul II's and Benedict XVI's emphasis on sexual morality, preferring to focus on social justice and the rights of the poor and marginalized. He has repeatedly lashed out at what he describes as the destructive effects of laissez-faire capitalism on society and the environment.

The pope and the president have a lot in common, says Paul Elie, a scholar of Catholicism at Georgetown University.
https://www.kuow.org/stories/in-pope-francis-biden-has-a-potential-ally-who-shares-the-same-catholic-detractors




So let’s get this straight. The religious right want to continue to more to associate themselves with the most unholy, ungodly, disgusting excuse for a human being imaginable. A man who is so abhorrent that I do not allow his name to be spoken in my church! But an actual man of GAWD? He is cast aside because that’s not what the cult wants! What does the cult want? Now see GAWD forbid that anyone else have a different opinion or orientation that they do!

For most Americans, the question of same-sex marriage is a settled one.

Five years after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, a Gallup poll showed two-thirds of Americans believed such marriages were valid, marking the ninth consecutive year a majority of the country expressed a favorable opinion toward it.

As of this writing, two gay men — Richard Grenell and Pete Buttigieg — have served in presidential cabinets under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The Wyoming Legislature currently counts several “out” members of the LGBTQ community among its ranks. And though discrimination remains a persistent issue in Wyoming, the question of whether same-sex marriage is legitimate is generally considered a non-issue.

To most.

On Jan. 25, the Wyoming Republican Party — whose platform remained opposed to same-sex marriage long after that 2015 ruling — released a statement on its Facebook page reaffirming that position. The post included a quote from evangelical pastor James Dobson suggesting homosexual marriage would lead to the downfall of civilization.
https://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/307-politics-two-traditionally-conservative-institutions-two-different-attitudes-on-lgbtq-rights/article_182aa9d1-43f2-521f-b4a0-139eae872837.html




Now see? You got two independent thought alarms there! The religious right are coming for the marriage decisions whether we want them to or not! So in case you’re wondering what the religious right’s radical agenda is when it comes to the GAWD given rights of our LGBT brothers and sisters, well, it’s the exact opposite of what JAYSUS wants and believe me it’s not good. First they came for the gay community… As the old saying goes!

Radical right-wing commentator Josh Bernstein posted a video on his website Sunday night reacting to former President Donald Trump’s speech at CPAC earlier in the day in which Trump called on states to enact a variety of voter suppression measures, such as requiring voter ID and limiting the use of early voting and mail-in voting.

Bernstein agreed with Trump’s recommendations but faulted him for not going far enough.

“We cannot have early voting,” Bernstein declared. “We should have one day to vote, and no, it should not be [a day] off, OK? You either go before work, you either go on your lunch break, or you go after work. That’s it. If you can’t get there in that one day, then it wasn’t important enough for you, and to be quite frank, I don’t want you to vote. If you can’t make it in that one day, stay home.”

Bernstein said that only those in the military or who are sick should be allowed to use mail-in voting, but it should only be available the week before the election. He also called for the Constitution to be amended to outlaw the use of mail-in voting for any other reason.

Bernstein then insisted that we must “raise the voting age to a minimum of 21” and that every voter must provide “proof of income” at the polling place.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/josh-bernstein-brags-that-he-wants-to-make-it-harder-to-vote-in-america/




No we’re allowed to do that, Reverend. So that’s the evil agenda that the religious right is pursuing and they are not on the side of GAWD! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That is it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse: Mr. Potato Head
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By now you’re probably sick and tired of hearing about “cancel culture”. Well guess what? We’re going to talk about it again! Because social conservatives seem hell bent on driving this talking point into the ground, which is what they do. Which is also why this segment exists. Well this week they’re upset about not one, but two things being “canceled”. Look, we get it. Nobody wants to be derived of having a voice, and this shit is getting to be completely ridiculous. But imagine flipping through the channels to find that Fox News has effectively canceled the doll formerly known as Mr. Potato Head, and for a completely ridiculous reason at that. And really it’s the conservatives that are doing the canceling!

Hasbro is dropping the honorific "mister" from the "Mr. Potato Head" brand, renaming the shapeshifting plastic spud to the gender-neutral "Potato Head."

It's a notable change from one of the world's largest toy makers to untether one of its most famous products from a binary gender identity — something that was far less controversial in 1952, when Hasbro introduced the decidedly male and playfully anthropomorphic tuber.

"Hasbro is making sure all feel welcome in the Potato Head world by officially dropping the Mr. from the Mr. Potato Head brand name and logo to promote gender equality and inclusion," the company said. The rebranded toy launches this fall.

News of the name change emerged at an investors meeting on Thursday. Hasbro later tweeted about it, assuring fans that although the brand name is changing, the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head "aren't going anywhere." Those character names will still appear on the boxes under the new brand name.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/25/business/mr-potato-head-hasbro-gender-neutral/index.html




Now come on! I mean in all seriousness, has Mr. Potato Head ever been anatomically correct? I mean seriously unless you’re actually checking the doll for a penis, and who hasn’t, then any outrage you have over this decision is completely null and void. Here’s where the conservative outrage comes in. They pick the pettiest and weirdest battles to fight don’t they? If you tuned into Fox News at all the last week, this is what you got.

Mr. Potato Head caused a lot of buzz last week, and Fox News played a big part in that. Over the past week, the plastic toy — and its gender — has been mentioned at least 35 times on Fox News and Fox Business combined.

"The conversations about Mr. Potato Head and trans kids or whatever the culture war narrative is are a huge distraction," author and CNN columnist Jill Filipovic told CNN's Chief Media Correspondent Brian Stelter on "Reliable Sources" Sunday.

Hasbro stirred the pot on Thursday when news of a Mr. Potato Head branding change emerged at an investors meeting. The toy company later tweeted about it, assuring fans that although the brand name is changing, the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head "aren't going anywhere."

On Saturday, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld said Mr. Potato Head was getting "neutered" and Sean Hannity invited Geraldo Rivera and Dan Bongino on air to talk about the "controversy and confusion" that was created by Hasbro's decision to rebrand the toy.

"There's something wrong when so-called cancel culture gets more attention than the struggles that millions of Americans are facing," Stelter said.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/28/media/fox-news-potato-head/index.html




Oh come on! Of course it’s a distraction! Did you really think we’d see it any other way? If you’re keeping score at home – they are looking the other way on the Texas climate change disaster that happened last week. But Mr. Potato Head losing the “Mr.”? That’s the outrage to end all outrages and… sigh… that’s why we can’t have nice things. But they’re angry! And oh man are they angry!

Over the weekend Mr Potato Head came out as gender neutral, with Hasbro announcing that the toy would go forward being known simply as Potato Head. And, as expected, conservatives lost their damn minds over the news.

Despite early commercials for the toy explicitly stating that Potato Head could be turned into a woman with the different accessories included, and the fact that the character is literally a toy potato, conservatives were outraged.

Hasbro shared that dropping the “Mr” was done to promote more inclusivity beyond the “traditional” family structure, which will allow children to have full creativity when playing.

“Culture has evolved,” Kimberly Boyd, SVP and GM of Hasbro, told Fast Company. “Kids want to be able to represent their own experiences. The way the brand currently exists— with the ‘Mr’ and ‘Mrs’— is limiting when it comes to both gender identity and family structure.”
https://junkee.com/potato-head-gender-neutral-conservatives/288955




So why are conservatives outraged at this? I mean it’s not like we’ve had a killer virus, or a deranged, bloodthirsty cult storm the Capitol, or a catastrophic climate change disaster any time in the last couple of months. But no let’s be outraged that they removed the gender from a toy that really has no gender, and turn the outrage way past 11! I mean come on, Fox! Are you telling me you’re going to look for the penis on a Ken doll? And let’s be honest – if you answer yes to that question, you should probably be put on a sex offender watch list. But sadly conservatives were outraged enough that Hasbro is going to walk back on its’ claims somewhat.

Is it Mr. Potato Head or not?

Hasbro created confusion Thursday when it announced that it would drop the “Mr.” from the brand’s name in order to be more inclusive and so all could feel “welcome in the Potato Head world.” It also said it would sell a new playset this fall without the Mr. and Mrs. designations that will let kids create their own type of potato families, including two moms or two dads.

But in a tweet later that afternoon, Hasbro clarified that while the brand is changing, the actual Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head characters will still live on and be sold in stores. In a picture posted on Twitter, the “Mr.” and “Mrs.” names are less prominently displayed at the bottom of the box, instead of the top.

“While it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand name & logo are dropping the ‘MR.’ I yam proud to confirm that MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD aren’t going anywhere and will remain MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD,” the company tweeted.
https://www.yourbasin.com/news/mr-potato-head-drops-the-mister-kind-of/







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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner
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Welcome back to our segment that attempts to explain the unexplainable, Conspiracy Corner! We are coming to you live from our underground bunker deep in the heart of the New Mexico badlands – undisclosed location of course. Just know that it is in New Mexico. And I say “attempt” because there’s no making sense of the Alex Joneses and the Mark Taylors of the world. So there are times when you just have to smile and nod at the ridiculous shit that they say and say “what the fuck”. This week we’re taking a look at a conspiracy being peddled by anti-vaccination crusaders about a microchip being implanted in you when you go to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. And I’m here to tell you this – you are wrong. Just let me adjust my trusty tin foil hat here for maximum government interference to tell you exactly why!

A new conspiracy theory making its rounds among the population of the unskeptical, including my own family members this time, alleges the COVID vaccines not only contain microchips, but also control your mind with them. There are a few reasons why this is neither possible nor practical.

The first and probably least severe roadblock to controlling humans via injected chip is size restrictions. COVID vaccines are reportedly 22 gauge, or less than half a millimeter across, and even the simple microchips commonly seen in pets is about 2 millimeters wide, or over four times as large. That’s a chip that has no internal energy source and is essentially a barcode, so it seems reasonable to assume that a device with necessary systems to control an entire human brain would be even larger, and certainly wouldn’t fit inside the vaccine needle.

Let’s say the microchip did fit inside the needle though. Now it needs to get from the injection site to the brain. The fastest and only practical way to move would be through the circulatory system, but because the vaccine isn’t administered directly into any veins, the chip would have to move itself into one. The only vessel known to freely travel undetected through the human body is The Magic School Bus, but unfortunately Ms. Frizzle retired over 20 years ago and she’s enjoying her golden years in Palau.
https://www.messagemedia.co/aitkin/opinion/other_opinions/no-microchips-in-covid-19-vaccine/article_e4e1de8c-6bed-11eb-b866-9bff807f1b98.html




Of course we are, Milhouse! But that’s neither here nor there. But there’s plenty of things out there concerning the vaccine that would leave you to believe some insane bullshit. And there really is some insanity floating out there, folks. But the thing you have to remember is that Facebook is a place where disinformation and unchecked claims run rampant and it can be difficult to separate truth from fiction, but Facebook has a solution for that.

Facebook is expanding its ban on vaccine misinformation and highlighting official information about how and where to get COVID-19 vaccines as governments race to get more people vaccinated.

"Health officials and health authorities are in the early stages of trying to vaccinate the world against COVID-19, and experts agree that rolling this out successfully is going to be helping build confidence in vaccines," said Kang-Xing Jin, Facebook's head of health.

Social media platforms including Facebook have played a big role in the spread of false claims, hoaxes and conspiracy theories about the pandemic over the last year, despite efforts by tech companies to clamp down on harmful content and promote authoritative sources.

In December, Facebook said it would remove claims about COVID-19 vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts, such as posts saying, falsely, that the vaccines contain microchips.
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/08/965390755/facebook-widens-ban-on-covid-19-vaccine-misinformation-in-push-to-boost-confiden




Mmmmmmmmm…. Not really. But even the WHO themselves traveled to China with the idea of putting behind the ridiculous myth that the virus originated in a lab and the outbreak was the result of a careless worker. So why are there so many conspiracy theories out there? The answer is insane, and it’s insane that the WHO had to spend so much time, money, and resources into putting an end to this ridiculous myth!

World Health Organization investigators said Tuesday that they would no longer pursue research into whether the coronavirus leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China.

Peter Ben Embarek, a food safety and animal diseases expert, announced the decision during a press conference to wrap up a visit by an international team of WHO experts to the city where COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019.

Embarek said there was not enough evidence to support a hypothesis that the virus escaped from a Chinese biosafety laboratory in Wuhan – the Wuhan Institute of Virology – and that the WHO stood by its previous determination that COVID-19 most likely entered the human population through an intermediate animal.

The WHO team has spent several weeks on a fact-finding mission in Wuhan. Experts from 10 nations have visited hospitals, research institutes and a wildlife market tied to the outbreak. However, WHO's field work and other activities in Wuhan have been closely monitored by Chinese officials and security officers, and Beijing has repeatedly resisted called for a completely independent investigation into the origins of the virus.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2021/02/09/covid-origin-world-health-organization-end-research-wuhan-lab-theory/4446839001/




Not really, you’re among fellow conspiracy theorists, Bart. But then again the people who are watching the watchers are now denying that the watchers exist. That’s right – Q Anon, you know them as the protectors of the children from the child molesters of the world! While Facebook may be cracking down on Q related groups and misinformation, they still haven’t cracked the code. Hell I’m sure even the Q Anon idiots have cracked the code yet, it’s the Da Vinci Code for idiots! And they’re largely responsible for about 95% of the misinformation out there! And come on, who needs microchips when we have cell phones?

You’re not reading this on a smart phone or tablet, are you?

I hope not, for your sake. They say the government can use imperceptible fluctuations in the light to reprogram your brain waves, giving them complete control over your thoughts and actions. You’ll be Joe Biden’s zombie and you won’t even know it.

You think that’s crazy? Shows what you know. You probably think the moon landing was real. You probably think Kennedy was killed by a lone gunman. Heck, you probably think Kennedy was killed. (He was actually a crisis actor.)

If Bill Gates can track your whereabouts by injecting nanobots into your body through a vaccine that supposedly “protects” you from a virus, what makes you think your devices can’t be programmed to program you? If the federal government can paralyze Texas and leave millions in the dark using fake snow and the Green New Deal, anything is possible.
https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article249547008.html





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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink
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Hey everyone I don’t know about you but I could really use a drink!



So you know the idea behind this is that we have some drinks and while we’re drinking we talk about literally anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics. Because there’s a lot of dark shit out there. Even coming from this blank blue void in the back room of a Burbank Comedy Club, drinking is still fun, damn it! This week we have to talk about a really crazy thing that happened involving legendary metal band Metallica. No, it doesn’t involve them robbing from the poor and giving to the rich. So tell me, virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about Metallica? Metallica beer? Made by Stone in San Diego? OK I’ll take an extra large glass of that please! So this week Metallica became victims of their own copyright claims. Remember Napster? Think of that but worse, and it seems while we all can’t wait to get back to having live events, your favorite livestream event may be in jeopardy!

You just hate to see it.

The Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch made a mess of things Friday during a livestream, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer band. Specifically, Metallica, known for (among other things) its 2000 lawsuit against the music-sharing service Napster, was streaming a concert for Blizzard Entertainment's annual news event, BlizzCon, when Twitch Gaming dubbed over the heavy metal with what sounded like elevator music.

While the immediate cause of the mess-up was unclear, fans were quick to speculate that the swap was a result of automated systems attempting to avoid any copyright issues inherent in streaming Metallica's music.

Importantly, however, the Future of Music Coalition — a "nonprofit organization supporting a musical ecosystem where artists flourish and are compensated fairly and transparently for their work" — was quick to point out that the reality of the situation isn't as cut and dry as many on the internet first assumed.

"When people are encouraged to direct all their ire at the DMCA (not at Amazon's failure to implement it correctly) or at the music biz, it improves Amazon's bargaining position in licensing negotiations, and imperils Congress's ability to achieve needed reforms," wrote the nonprofit.
https://mashable.com/article/metallica-twitch-livestream-dmca/




Yeah so that happened! Metallica got hit with a taste of their own medicine. You remember the whole Napster incident right? At least you do if you were born before 2001. And it wasn’t just Twitch that got hit with DMCA claims either! Another Metallica live stream got hit with a similar claim and the hilarious part about this? They replaced Metallica’s signature classic “For Whom The Bell Tolls” with real, actual bells! So keep this in mind the next time you buy a ticket for that virtual event!

No matter what your favorite Metallica song is, when people watch the iconic heavy metal band in action they expect to hear hard-rocking songs and high-gain electric guitar galore.

Unfortunately for those tuning into Metallica's live BlizzCon 2021 performance, the only music they were treated to was a generic twinkly background track – complete with what sounds like, ironically enough, bells – after the official audio was muted amid fears of copyright take-down.

Performing a virtual set as part of Blizzard Entertainment's annual gaming convention BlizzCon, Metallica's appearance was posted live by popular streaming site Twitch, as well as on several other social media platforms.

Thousands tuned in to watch the highly anticipated performance, eager to witness the iconic band in action.

However, during the band's performance of For Whom the Bell Tolls, the audio was cut off and replaced with folky background music, following fears of a potential DMCA takedown.
https://www.guitarworld.com/news/metallicas-livestream-audio-of-for-whom-the-bell-tolls-replaced-by-actual-bells-to-avoid-copyright-takedown




Now here’s the thing – I am not a copyright attorney. But if I am reading these articles correctly, it could spell doom for certain music streaming platforms and certain games if these claims went any further in court than just a slap on the wrist. Blizzard is obviously very paranoid about selling and licensing this game for obvious reasons, and we don’t blame them one bit. As long as it doesn’t interfere with Diablo 4, we’re good!

Streamers who want to play retro game Rock N' Roll Racing may want to turn off the game's iconic music before going live, according to a new suggestion from Blizzard over the weekend.

"PSA: If you stream Rock N' Roll Racing from the Blizzard Arcade Collection, the game has a soundtrack of licensed music which is not cleared for streaming," said Adam Fletcher, a community development lead for Blizzard, in a tweet on Friday, Feb. 19. "If you choose to stream, please do so with the music turned off."

To celebrate the company's 30th anniversary, Blizzard announced the release of the Blizzard Arcade Collection during the first day of BlizzCon 2021. The collection includes three games from Blizzard's early years: Rock N' Roll Racing, The Lost Vikings, and Blackthorne, and it will be available for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch for $30.

As the name suggests, Rock N' Roll Racing included a chiptune soundtrack of several classic rock songs from artists such as Black Sabbath, Steppenwolf, and George Thorogood and the Destroyers. Although the game's songs are arcade-style covers of the original tracks, they are still licensable songs — and are therefore prone to copyright strikes.

Read More: https://www.svg.com/341241/the-real-reason-blizzard-is-warning-streamers-about-this-game/?utm_campaign=clip




Thanks I needed that! And come on! You can’t have a game called “Rock N Roll Racing” without some actual rock n roll! That would be like having a place called “Sal’s Famous Beer Bar” and then not selling any actual beer! But that said these are some very tricky waters to navigate and we suspect things will get worse before they get better. But that said, there are people who are attempting to find work arounds for Twitch’s ultra-strict policies.

DistroKid’s new partnership with Twitch may prove to be a step in the right direction for supporting artists online.

Music aggregator DistroKid has joined forces with Twitch, giving artists a path into their Twitch Affiliate Program, which will allow them to earn money via the platform.

Twitch is notorious for its strict enforcement of DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and has seen countless streamers punished and banned for the use of copyrighted music on their channel. While it aims to protect artists from having their music used unlawfully, it has seen many move away from the platform.

COVID-19 saw artists adapt their performances via an online platform, with many live-streaming their music on Twitch. DJ Dave Eckblad explains that another member of his artist collective “had to pivot and figure out some new stuff to do. And I was able to help him get that going quick. I had already been doing stuff on Twitch, on and off, so we worked to put a show together.”
https://happymag.tv/distrokid-announces-partnership-with-twitch/





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[font size="8"]Stupidest State 2021 Selection Sunday
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16 states will enter, and only one state will become the new Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State!



Welcome welcome welcome! We are back for an unprecedented 5th year in a row! Last year our season nearly got canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But now this year we’re in a place to better manage the tournament. Because the circumstances have changed, normally we would go to venues all over the country. But because we’re being advised against that, we’re consolidating everything into a bubble in Phoenix this year! Why Arizona? Because they’re one of the few places that is still allowing live crowds! That said, let’s do this thing!

[font size="6"]Statement From The Commissioner [/font]

Welcome, welcome, welcome!!! As the official commissioner of the NFFSA, it is my honor and privilege to welcome this year’s squad to the tournament! Last year we faced an extraordinary challenge and circumstance, and I want to thank the teams, their staff, and the NFFSA staff for their unrelenting support in carrying out this year’s games. Also, congratulations again to last year’s winner Florida, I hope that they are still enjoying that victory. This year we’ve got some red hot newcomers and some conference changes! Who will come out on top this year? Only time will tell! But our COVID bubble in Phoenix will make things extra exciting. Now to explain the rules, just like last year, this year will feature two matchups in round 1, then one matchup in round 2, then the Final Four, then the NFFSA championship! For Selection Sunday, we will also be providing you with the states, stats, odds, and info that you can use to fill out your brackets! Also new this year – follow the Top 10 Twitter feed for some Bracketology style info on your states! Now let’s do this thing!

[font size="6"]The Batshit Conference [/font]


The Batshit Conference is the oldest and most distinctive conference in the entire NFFSA with 22 states stretching over a good majority of the country. Diversity is the strength to this division, as is complete and utter batshit craziness. These people are not only crazy, they elect crazy. Batshit Conference winners often assert a distinct method of being unable to tell fiction from reality, and the farther out your conspiracy theories are, the better. It’s not enough that they believe in Bigfoot, aliens, and the Loch Ness Monster, these people believe in Pizzagate, Q Anon, and everything else that makes crazy go even crazier! The Batshit Conference: Still Crazy Since 1859!

1. Georgia: Now you might be thinking “Hey wait a minute, Georgia became a blue state in 2020!”. We are here to tell you you’re wrong! You can take Georgia out of the red, but you can’t take the red out of Georgia! This is the state that gave us batshit Q Anon congress critter Marjorie Taylor Greene, and is toughening laws to make it easier for conservatives to vote and harder for everyone who doesn’t have an R next to their name!
Smoking Gun: Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Batshit) became the quickest congress woman stripped from committees because of her beliefs in far right racist conspiracy theories!
Odds: 2:1 Georgia didn’t make the #1 seed for any reason, they had a strong regular season and are looking to win this whole thing!

2. Kentucky: One of the perennial favorites of the tournament has yet to win a title, but that doesn’t mean that they couldn’t win it all this year! The state that has given us our favorite punching bag, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also gave us Rand Paul! They are currently fighting a recall against governor Andy Beshear, which, as far as we know, has nothing to do with COVID.
Smoking Gun: Like the rest of us, Kentucky is sick of lockdowns and restrictions, but they’re actually considering limiting the governor’s powers on imposing more!
Odds: 5:1 Kentucky had a strong showing in the regular season, but a series of injuries have threatened to derail one of the best franchises in the league. They could go far, or not.

3. South Dakota: A newcomer to the tournament, the Mount Rushmore State had a strong showing last year, hosting a super spreader motorcycle rally at Sturgis in the middle of the worst pandemic in the last 100 years. On top that, governor Kristi Noem is taking one of the most lax approaches to the entire pandemic with an “anything goes” policy. South Dakota has an entire state population less than that of the city of Miami, but they have plenty of representation in Congress with some crazy representatives and senators!
Smoking Gun: At the height of the MAGA movement, the Trump administration met with South Dakota officials to add Trump’s bust to the historic monument.
Odds: 7:1 We were shocked by this team’s strong showing in the regular season. They could pull off some major upsets if capable.

4. Michigan: Now wait, you might be thinking that Michigan is a blue state! Well, you’re wrong – they’re mostly blue, but they have a dark red underbelly. The Wolverine State had a strong showing in the regular season with some stunning upsets and some of the craziest news in the entire country – most of which spawned the alt right protest movement called “The Boogaloo Bois” and Governor Whitmer becoming the target of hardcore Trump fans.
Smoking Gun: Last August, there was a bizarre plot to kidnap governor Whitman, which involved a bunch of alt right terrorists and a PT Cruiser. Yeah that happened!
Odds: 10:1 They are a long shot to win but could pull off some massive upsets if true.

[font size="6"]The Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference [/font]


Excessive greed is the name of the game in the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference. It’s not enough that you have one yacht, your entire family has their own fleet of yachts! Yacht rock is for chumps. You can afford to have the real Pablo Cruise play your next boat party! And who needs frequent flyer miles? You've got your own fleet of private jets and selecting the right one for the occasion is a first world problem known only to you and your other billionaire buddies! And millionaires, really, who needs them at all? These people are billionaires and trillionaires! Well maybe not trillionaires, but these people have more money than you’ll ever see in a lifetime. While you’re drudging through an Amazon warehouse that’s visible from space on your third shift, your boss just bought the next 5 Amazon warehouses and will soon employ half the state! You will bow down to your corporate masters and like it, you worthless peasants! The Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference: Your misery is our pleasure since 1952!

1. Kansas The perennial favorites of the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference have been going strong in the last 5 years. Fraud and billionaire insanity is rampant in Kansas. Kansas is the home to Koch Industries, which recently saw the death of one of the Kochs, and that’s concrete proof that you can’t take it with you! But in addition to the greed, Kansas is rife with insanity and one of the first states to completely lift restrictions all in the name of money!
Smoking Gun: Kansas shut down their unemployment system to deal with rampant, incriminating fraud in the offices!
Odds: 5:1 Kansas is usually the perennial favorite to win this conference, but they had a lot of injuries in the regular season. Expect if they win for them to go far.

2. Wyoming Wyoming is a newcomer to the Fiscal Irresponsibility Conference, but they have had some strong showings this year. In fact so much that your favorite celebrities and business tycoons are leaving Silicon Valley and Hollywood for Jackson Hole. The fresh air, low population, and lack of regulations means you can own plenty of land and not be bothered by the neighbors! It does a mind and wallet good!
Smoking Gun: The state is so broke because of the lack of taxes that they’re considering a whopping $100 million cut to education. That’s gonna leave a mark!
Odds 7:1 : Clear underdogs in the tournament, they could turn out to be a Cinderella story if they beat the reigning champs.

3. Nevada: The casino and gambling industry took a nose dive when COVID-19 hit as the once bustling Vegas strip became a virtual ghost town almost literally overnight. While many of Vegas’ most prominent institutions, like MGM and Caesar’s, are now finding new homes online, Vegas is looking to rebuild their tourism industry. As long as you don’t count the socially distanced homeless people sleeping in the casino parking lots.
Smoking Gun: The cancellation of Reno’s famed Burning Man festival cost the state a whopping $3 billion in much needed tourist revenue.
Odds: 7:1 The Silver State has a lot of competition in this category but they got hot at the right time so expect them to go far.

4. Iowa: The Hawkeye State makes its’ long awaited return to the conference championships and they’re out looking for revenge! There’s lots of farmland in Iowa and with it comes excessive greed and hardcore racism! Yes, the state that gave us Charles Grassley and Steve King has reelected these old racist coots for who knows how many terms they’ve served? And on the home front things look scarier and more dire than ever, and it really shows.
Smoking Gun: In a half assed attempt to reopen the state to revive the economy, Gov. Reynolds did not consult experts prior to lifting restrictions!
Odds: 7:1 – very evenly matched in this conference, they are looking to make a big splash in this year’s tournament!

[font size="6"]The Gun Nut Conference [/font]


If you’ve got an itchy trigger finger, a bullet-proof vest, and a massive safe full of the latest in fully automatic and semi-automatic protection, then this is the conference for you! You carry your guns in your belt, your sleeve, and your ankle holster, because you never know when you can't be too quick on the quick draw! It’s the conference where the debate between concealed carry and open carry is considered a contact sport! The cops will pull you over and ask for your driver’s license and your NRA membership. Waiting periods are for chumps! You want your guns and you want them now, and it doesn’t matter who you have to stomp on! Why not take your gun to Chili’s? You’re a raging maniac and you’ve deserved that write. There’s no amount of firepower that will satisfy you, you want all the guns and all the ammo! The Gun Nut Conference: Shooting first and asking questions later since 1896!

1. Florida: What is there to say about the Sunshine State that hasn’t already been said? The state once referred to as “America’s Wang” by Homer Simpson, is the home to Miami, which is where Trump lives now, and Orlando, which recently hosted CPAC. Florida loves them some guns, they have one of the highest capita of gun owners in the country, and they’re not afraid to use them! And in Florida you’re allowed to carry your guns everywhere.
Smoking Gun: Florida is proposing a law that would allow open carry of guns in churches! What could go wrong there?
Odds: 2:1 Last year’s champions are going to give any competitors a run for their money – provided that Florida Man doesn’t screw up first!

2. Texas: Our 2019 reigning champion loves them some guns and they are looking to make a comeback after getting trounced by last year’s reigning champion Florida. They say everything’s bigger in Texas – the guns, the spectacles, the COVID cases, and even the people! But big guns aren’t the only thing Texas has going for it! In fact they also harbor some old timey apocalyptic end of the world fantasy religion! Carrying out the apocalypse and doing it large, that’s the Texas way!
Smoking Gun: Texas’ complete lack of environmental restrictions meant the state suffered one of its’ worst climate change disasters in history!
Odds: 2:1 The odds on favorite to win this year’s conference and even the odds on favorite to win the Layover League, expect them to go far!

3. Idaho The Gem State switched back to the Gun Nut Conference after bowing out early last year, but they’re not giving up! Last year their gun credentials are strong! Idaho bought more guns than anyone else in the entire country, and this is during a raging pandemic! And rural Idaho (read every city in the state not named Boise) is packing some serious heat, and is a hotbed for NRA membership and you can bet that your neighbors are carrying!
Smoking Gun: After a record year of school-related shootings, Iowa is looking to pass a law aimed at allowing people to carry guns in school, what could go wrong there?
Odds: 7-1 Iowa had a strong showing at the beginning of the season but then injuries plagued their team. But they are looking to rebuild and go far.

4.Oregon The Badger State is looking to lick its’ chops after getting a serious beat down last year and they’re not going out quietly. Oregon may be the home to liberal utopia Portland, but Portland has become the battleground city for weekly cage matches between the Proud Boys and Antifa. Outside of Portland isn’t much better – the firearm rules all and it’s inspired some people to do some extremely crazy things, like take over bird sanctuaries. Oregon packs some serious heat and they’re not afraid to use it either!
Smoking Gun: Oregon’s GOP proposed a controversial law that would allow individual jurisdictions to decide open carry laws. What could go wrong there?
Odds: 9-1 A very long shot, they’ve got some strong competition ahead. But if they stay healthy they could shock the pundits.

[font size="6"]The Family Values Conference [/font]


All things are about Jesus in the Family Values Conference! The Bible Belt is proudly worn on your waist, sleeve, and magic underwear in this conference, where something is put in the holy water and it’s not the hand of God, either! Who needs the government when your parish is your governor? The lord of all things holy watches over each and every resident in these states, and going to church is the only form of entertainment most have! While you’re out committing those sins, you godless heathen, your electors are looking to strip away your rights and give them to the church, making the church the most powerful entity out there. It’s the states where the Red Hot Chili Peppers are replaced with Hillsong United on the radio and there’s more Chik-Fil-A locations than there are Starbucks. If you’re counting down the days until the rapture and wondering which prayer to say before breakfast, then the Family Values Conference is for you! The Family Values Conference: Proudly converting the non-believers since 1896!

1. Indiana The Sooner State got bumped up to the #1 seed this year after an abysmal showing last year. The state that gave us our now former Vice President, Mike Pence, also gave us Trump Supreme Court justice Amy Comey Barrett! And what’s fueling Indiana’s rise to the top? A super-secret underground Catholic Cult called People Of Praise that originated in South Bend at Notre Dame and came into the spotlight during the nomination!
Smoking Gun: People Of Praise has earned comparisons to an obscure Nazi cult from the 1940s, that can’t be good, right?
Odds: 2 – 1 They owned the regular season this year and impressed the judges enough to get bumped to the #1 seed! Expect them to go very far.

2. Ohio: The Buckeye State has some of the largest and oldest congregations in the entire United States of America. The home to The Ohio State University (don’t forget the “the”, damn it) and Jim Jordan is also the home to some old school fire and brimstone religion. The state is also home to some of the strictest abortion laws in the entire country! And they are going to be a force to be reckoned with in this conference!
Smoking Gun: Ohio’s controversial heartbeat law echoes the one recently passed in South Carolina that could deal a serious blow to women’s rights.
Odds: 5:1 They had a strong showing in the regular season but got hammered by injuries, playing #1 seed won’t help them but they could score a major upset if healthy enough.

3. Mississippi: The Magnolia State has a small but very loyal fanbase that keeps them coming back for more. The state has elected some absolutely crazy leaders in the last 20 years and is currently led by Tate Reeves, a man who is an old school fire and brimstone religious man who believes that Biden’s policy regarding trans people is a “social experiment”. Mississippi has also proposed numerous religious liberty cases, cementing their Bible belt beliefs!
Smoking Gun: Thanks to Mississippi’s religious nuts, they only have one abortion clinic in the entire state – which did not receive any medication in the last year thanks to a SCOTUS ruling.
Odds: 7:1 They are a long shot to win but could shock the conference if they pull off an upset against a 1 or 2 seed.

4. Arkansas Arkansas was one of the original winners of this conference. While they sat out last year due to injuries, they are coming back strong this year! The Natural State is a religious conservative playground with many small towns and many large churches! They’re also home to former governor Mike Huckabee. Arkansas also has one of the highest divorce rates in the entire country. The religious nuts in the state also oppose hate crimes bills and embraces old school LGBT restrictions!
Smoking Gun: Arkansas is planning a bill that would allow medical providers to discriminate based on religious reasons!
Odds: 7:1 They had a rocky regular season but could pull off an upset or two if healthy enough.

[font size="4"]The Schedule: [/font]

We’re doing things a bit differently this year because of COVID travel restrictions but here we go!



[font size="4"]The Bracket: [/font]

Here's the brackets! Fill them out and post your predictions!



[font size="4"]Next Week: [/font]

We are taking a week off but to kick things off starting on 3/18 it’s a battle of the Batshit as #3 South Dakota takes on #4 Michigan, while over in the Family Values conference, #1 Ohio takes on #2 Indiana in a rivalry showdown!




We’re going to take a short break next week, we’ll be back on 3/18/21 in our new Thursday time slot with a brand new edition and the kickoff of Stupidest State 2021! See you in two weeks!

Credits

Host: Initech
Top 10 Conservative Idiots Recorded At: Flappers Comedy Club, Burbank, CA
Images: All images copyright belongs to respective copyright holders.
Videos: All videos copyright belongs to respective copyright holders
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Initech Productions: Yes, We Got The Memo

February 24, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-5: Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-5: Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! Still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future. I mean look at the color of this background! It's so blue! Holy fucking shit! Are we living in the year 2021 or is this 2020 in extra innings? Or maybe 2021 is 2020 wearing a ridiculously comical and painfully obvious Scooby Doo mask and is just waiting for the big reveal at the end of the episode. Either way this has been a truly batshit crazy fucking week and we’ve got a lot of idiocy to bring you. But first let’s talk about cancel culture – it’s a favorite talking point among social conservatives. Because let’s face it, nobody wants to get canceled but if you say something racist or sexist or you call for violence, expect to get some serious shit thrown at you! So what I’m talking about is starting this weekend is the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. The agenda for the conference has been circulating online and one topic in particular has caught my eye – “So you’ve been deplatformed, now what?”. Which is a much better title than “Are you there GAB, it’s me, Margaret!”. Yeah I thought so! But conservatives are so afraid of getting “canceled” that they’re literally shitting bricks about the subject. OK maybe they’re not literally shitting bricks but I can sum this particular forum up in one sentence. Guys if you’re that scared of being “canceled”, maybe, I don’t know, don’t say or do things that would get you in that position? OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver is back and he discusses the humiliating position and horrifying conditions that America’s meat packing workers have been going through since COVID hit. Holy crap is this insane:



Last week when we were literally getting the show ready for air, Rush Limbaugh passed away at age 70 from stage 4 lung cancer. So to pay tribute, we are going to mourn the original Conservative Idiot (1) by playing his greatest hits which I can assure you are not flattering at all. Taking the second slot this week is of course the State Of Texas (2) and if you want to get a preview of what it’s like if conservative hell were to literally freeze over, just look at the extremely horrifying events that unfolded next week. Don’t worry we won’t make fun, we’ll keep it tasteful. Taking the number 3 slot this week, speaking of Texas, is Senator Ted Fucking Cruz (3). That’s right, Raphael, we’re not letting you off the hook for skipping town in one of the worst climate disasters in the state’s history! At slot #4 this week is the guy who’s our former president, Donald J. Trump (4). So Atlantic City says goodbye to your era in the most Atlantic City way possible, what do you do? Take the spotlight once again at CPAC, now operating under the title “Disgraced former 45th president of the United States”. In slot #5 is our weekly investigative piece Top 10 Investigates (5) and look, everyone hates wearing face masks, but an alarming study by the FDA and a seizure by the FBI has shown that there’s fakes out there. Yeah fake masks are now a thing thanks to COVID-19. At slot #6 this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” and this week our resident pastor is going to take a look at the violent side of the Bible, because there’s something out there that is making the most fervent right wingers into violent psychopaths, and it’s time to find out what! Taking the #7 slot this week is the return of Parler (7) and with the return of Parler is another look into the depraved and warped minds posting on that site in Parlerfiles! At the #8 seed this week is a new “This Fucking Guy” and we have a twofer – we’re profiling insane Trump attorney Lin Wood, and insane Trump sycophant Ali Alexander, the psycho behind those “Stop The Steal” rallies that you might have seen popping up in your town! In the number 9 (NEIN!!) slot this week is a new People Are Dumb, because of course they are! Finally this week it’s our very last and final Road To The White House! We did it and we will share our final thoughts on Biden being #46! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Rush Limbaugh
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So as we were finalizing last week’s edition, just as we were getting ready to go on, we got word that Rush Limbaugh, the original conservative idiot has died. Now rather than title this week’s edition something snarky, we decided instead to simply name it after the book that put Al Franken on the political radar: Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot. And boy was he. You know what folks? Death isn’t always sad. Rush Limbaugh was a garbage human being. He was a serial womanizer, liar, bully, and an abusive jerk who enabled the serial liars, bullies, and abusive jerks of the world. His divisive rhetoric gave us the most divisive president in American history. If you’re a garbage person in life, that doesn’t excuse your behavior in death. You can’t all of a sudden flip a switch and think he’s the greatest person on earth. Ask Michael Jackson how well that went. What? Too soon? You know the irony of this? He succumbed to the very disease he once called a hoax and literally blew smoke in the faces of its’ victims.

Rush Limbaugh, the relentlessly provocative voice of conservative America who dominated talk radio for more than three decades with shooting-gallery attacks on liberals, Democrats, feminists, environmentalists and other moving targets, died on Wednesday. He was 70.

His wife, Kathryn, announced the death at the beginning of Mr. Limbaugh’s radio show.

“I know that I am most certainly not the Limbaugh that you tuned in to listen to today,” she said before adding that Mr. Limbaugh had died of lung cancer that morning.

He had announced on his show last February that he had advanced lung cancer. A day later, President Donald J. Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, during the State of the Union address.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/business/media/rush-limbaugh-dead.html




Yeah that guy is pretty much Rush Limbaugh in a nutshell. And in death he’s not done with his work of dividing America. We’re more divided than ever. If you want to know just how divisive Limpballs was, then I will be posting some of his greatest hits here. Yeah if you have any barf bags you might want to get them out now, because it’s going to get pretty dark pretty quick. And there’s plenty more where this came from.

Most recently, he falsely and repeatedly said on his show the day after the 2021 inauguration that President Joe Biden did not win the election — this after a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol and left five people dead weeks prior. Democrats, Limbaugh falsely said, "know that this is something that's been arranged rather than legitimately sought and won."

As his loyal fans, who call themselves "Dittoheads," mourn the death of the radio giant, read on to revisit some of Limbaugh's most controversial quotes.

He began airing “Barack, the Magic Negro,” a racist parody song about then-Sen. Barack Obama’s popularity with many white voters, in 2007.

In John K. Wilson's book, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Rush Limbaugh's Assault on Reason, the host was quoted as saying this homophobic statement: "When a gay person turns his back on you, it is anything but an insult; it's an invitation."

In his "Undeniable Truths," written as part of an article for the Sacramento Union in 1988, Limbaugh wrote, "Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream of society."

On The Rush Limbaugh Show in 2004, he said, "I think it's time to get rid of this whole National Basketball Association. Call it the TBA, the Thug Basketball Association, and stop calling them teams. Call 'em gangs."

As a young broadcaster in the 1970s, Limbaugh once told a Black caller: “Take that bone out of your nose and call me back,” according to Fair.
https://people.com/politics/rush-limbaugh-most-controversial-moments/




Oh and let’s not forget his casual dips into hardcore racism. That isn’t being forgotten either, especially as the racists and gun nuts merged into one psychopathic entity, much like a really fucked up ending to Terminator 2. And let’s not forget what he said about Michael J. Fox either. A man who was the lead in one of my personal favorite movies of all time, Back To The Future. We’re not letting him get away with that one either.

When actor Michael J. Fox, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, appeared in a Democratic campaign commercial, Limbaugh mocked his tremors. When a Washington advocate for the homeless killed himself, he cracked jokes. As the AIDS epidemic raged in the 1980s, he made the dying a punchline. He called 12-year-old Chelsea Clinton a dog.

He suggested that the Democrats’ stand on reproductive rights would have led to the abortion of Jesus Christ. When a woman accused Duke University lacrosse players of rape, he derided her as a “ho,” and when a Georgetown University law student supported expanded contraceptive coverage, he dismissed her as a “slut.” When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Limbaugh said flatly: “I hope he fails.”

He was frequently accused of bigotry and blatant racism but could often enunciate the Republican platform better and more entertainingly than any party leader, becoming a GOP kingmaker.

Trump, like a long line of conservative politicians before him, heaped praise on Limbaugh, and during last year’s State of the Union speech, awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. On Wednesday, Trump lauded Limbaugh on Fox News as “a legend” who “was fighting till the very end."
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/rush-limbaugh-voice-american-conservatism-died-75953360




Oh man if we had an audience right now you can bet they would be booing as loudly as possible. That is fucked up! It is so fucked up! And if you want to know what he really thinks about people who have had crippling cancer, well, let’s just say that he got what was coming to him. In fact I’m reminded of George Carlin’s bit about cigars. Think about this as you see what he said about gay men suffering from AIDS, one of the worst possible ways to go. Yes, Rush Limbaugh, may you rot in peace.

Many high-profile people on Twitter have been commenting to say that Limbaugh once had a segment on his show, The Rush Limbaugh Show, called "AIDS Update" that mocked the deaths of gay people.

For example, columnist Jessica Valenti went viral with her tweet that claimed: "Rush Limbaugh had a segment called 'AIDS update' set to music where he mocked dying gay people so I don't really want hear about 'speaking ill of the dead' today."

Another viral tweet came from Paul Elliott Johnson, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, who tweeted: "Rush Limbaugh had a regular radio segment where he would read off the names of gay people who died of AIDS and celebrate it and play horns and bells and stuff."

British political commentator Ash Sarkar tweeted: "In the 1980s, Rush Limbaugh hosted a regular radio segment called 'AIDS Update', where he celebrated and mocked the deaths of gay and bisexual men. May the hatred he spread in life be buried with him."
https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-did-rush-limbaugh-mock-aids-death-radio-show-1570282


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[font size="8"]Texas Weather Crisis

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Our policy here at the Top 10 Conservative Idiots is that we try to encourage you to know that elections have consequences. And that doesn’t matter if it’s at the state, local, national level. When you vote, leave no box unchecked. Now you might be asking what does this have to do with the Texas climate change disaster last week? Well, I answer you this: it has to do a whole fucking lot with what happened in Texas last week. If you elect disastrous politicians, you’re going to find your self at the hands of an unthinkable disaster. It’s that fucking simple! And don’t worry Ted Cruz, we’re not letting you get away with this. We’re saving that for the next entry! But really this is a colossal fuck up of epic proportions and no one is spared in this. No one!

Across the plains of West Texas, the pump jacks that resemble giant bobbing hammers define not just the landscape but the state itself: Texas has been built on the oil-and-gas business for the last 120 years, ever since the discovery of oil on Spindletop Hill near Beaumont in 1901.

Texas, the nation’s leading energy-producing state, seemed like the last place on Earth that could run out of energy.

Then last week, it did.

-snip-

Part of the responsibility for the near-collapse of the state’s electrical grid can be traced to the decision in 1999 to embark on the nation’s most extensive experiment in electrical deregulation, handing control of the state’s entire electricity delivery system to a market-based patchwork of private generators, transmission companies and energy retailers.

-snip-

With so many cost-conscious utilities competing for budget-shopping consumers, there was little financial incentive to invest in weather protection and maintenance. Wind turbines are not equipped with the de-icing equipment routinely installed in the colder climes of the Dakotas and power lines have little insulation. The possibility of more frequent cold-weather events was never built into infrastructure plans in a state where climate change remains an exotic, disputed concept.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-power-grid-run-by-ercot-set-up-the-state-for-disaster/ar-BB1dSg2O?li=BBnb7Kz




Holy shit! Let’s think about this for a minute – try de-icing a fucking airplane when there’s no de-icing equipment available anywhere in the state! Not only that, the elected officials dismissed climate change and thought it was a joke. And if you think I’m joking about this, if you want to see the cruelty of Gov. Abbott in action, just check out Idiots # 7-3 when he cared more about Chik Fil A getting banned from San Antonio Airport, or Idiots #4-19 when he suggested that schools have too many exits to allow mass shooters to enter. That’s the kind of conservative idiot we’re dealing with here!

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on Wednesday rebuked a claim made a day before by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that put the blame for that state's massive cold-weather power outage on the failure of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.

In fact, extreme weather like the winter storm that swept across the country in recent days will become more likely as climate change worsens, Gates told Yahoo Finance, advocating instead for an expansion of renewable energy as part of his call for the U.S. to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

On Tuesday, Abbott blamed the outages on wind turbines and on the Green New Deal, a plan for combating climate change that the Texas governor called "a deadly deal for the United States of America."

“Our wind and our solar got shut down, and they were collectively more than 10 percent of our power grid, and that thrust Texas into a situation where it was lacking power on a statewide basis. ... It just shows that fossil fuel is necessary,” Abbott told Sean Hannity in an interview cited by the Washington Post.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bill-gates-texas-gov-greg-abbott-power-outage-claims-climate-change-002303596.html




That’s right! I know there’s no audience right now but I can hear you booing through the power of telepathy! Greg Abbott might easily be the straight winner for the worst governor in America – by, and this is what we in the show business call – a long shot. He had the audacity to blame windmills for the reason the power went out! Taking a page from Trump are we? Yeah remember when he said windmills give you cancer? I do! Oh and here’s the kind of politician Texas elects. Rather than face this disaster head on, this guy decided to flee and leave his constituents to fend for themselves! Oh 2021, and I thought you were going to be a much better year.

The mayor of a West Texas town said Tuesday that he had already resigned after he was widely condemned for writing on Facebook that people suffering in the cold without power shouldn’t look to their local governments for help.

Tim Boyd, who was mayor of Colorado City, made his original, typo-ridden post Tuesday morning, writing that “no one owes you are your family anything; nor is it the local government’s responsibility to support you during trying times like this! … The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING!”

Boyd continued at length, saying that he was “sick and tired” of people looking for handouts and that the current situation is “sadly a product of a socialist government.” “Only the strong will survive and the weak will parish,” he wrote.

The post is no longer available, but numerous screenshots show it and a follow-up post he made several hours later in which he said he stood by the sentiments in his first missive but would have either kept his mouth shut or phrased his message better if he could do things over.

more
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2021/02/17/texas-mayor-says-he-had-already-resigned-after-writing-only-the-strong-will-survive-amid-cold-power-outages/





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[font size="8"]Ted Cruz
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Where’s my guitar at? Gather around kids, and let me tell you the tale of the Senator who decided to flee! That’s about the extent of my guitar playing and songwriting abilities. Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, what are we going to do with you? It’s not just that your state fucked up at the state level. Texas is so chock full of such batshit crazy politcians that it fucked up on every single level. But here’s what makes this so fucking crazy. It’s that Ted Cruz actually fled the border with his family seeking refuge in a place that’s much warmer and had power. But the story goes much deeper than that, we haven’t even begun yet to scratch the surface on what a colossal fuck up this story has been. And Ted Cruz is really just tanking his career at this point.

What happens in Cancun stays in Cancun — unless you’re a U.S. senator.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz admitted Thursday that he “obviously made a mistake” by flying off with his family to the popular Mexican tourist destination while his home state remained paralyzed by a catastrophic winter storm that has knocked out power and water for millions of residents.

Cruz, who left for Cancun on Wednesday with his family, told reporters after landing back in Texas on Thursday evening that he went to the Mexican beach paradise because his two daughters had been “cold for two days” and were begging to “get out” of their home in Houston’s ritzy River Oaks neighborhood.

“It was obviously a mistake. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it. I was trying to be a dad,” said Cruz, one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress. “I think there are a lot of parents that’d be like, ‘If I can do this, great!’ That’s what I wanted to do.”

He claimed he started “second-guessing” the last-minute trip as soon as his family took off from an airport in Houston.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/us-elections-government/ny-weather-texas-ted-cruz-cancun-20210218-pt3mwezb5bhy3ldnab7dx745mu-story.html




Seriously, Ted Cruz i a real life Mayor Quimby! Hey you get that steel drum out of the senator's office!



That is true! Even worse is that is that Ted Cruz didn’t stop there. The man is an absolute monster and he had the audacity to blame his family for this fuck up. That’s right – he’s the kind of conservative who would literally throw his own kids under the bus if it meant saving his own ass. On top of that we’re still in a raging pandemic and we can’t travel anywhere. So why is Ted Cruz fleeing town?

When Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was discovered to have fled frozen, outage-plagued Texas for an extended weekend vacation at the Ritz-Carlton Cancún, he first blamed the trip on his daughters, aged 10 and 12. That was bad politics and probably worse parenting, but then someone on his wife's text message chain leaked the messages to The New York Times, showing that she had been trying to round up a group of neighborhood friends to join them in Mexico. They did not get any takers from Houston, but they also didn't vacation alone.

Ted Cruz invited his longtime friend and college roommate, David Panton, to join the family in Mexico — and Panton, who lives in Atlanta, accepted, Axios reported Monday morning. "An aide tells Axios the senator extended the invitation only after the Cruz family planned the vacation last Tuesday" — leaving conspicuously open the possibility that Cruz himself wasn't the driving force behind the vacation.

Cruz has been trying to make amends to Texans for jumping ship on the state — and, apparently, the family dog — in the middle of a very serious crisis. But the consequences also extend to his daughters, who, according to rules posted by their elite Houston private school on Jan. 30, must now quarantine for 7 to 10 days before returning to class, Politico reports. St. John's School won't even let students in quarantine attend virtually. There was already a divide in the school between parents who followed the safety guidelines and those who flouted them, and "Cruz's trip this week wrenched that divide wide open," Politico says.
https://news.yahoo.com/ted-cruz-invited-college-roommate-135427315.html




I mean seriously, Ted Cruz is the kind of guy who would have blamed the dog for eating his homework in the 4th grade. Now here’s where it gets weird, and you knew it was going to. He not only brought his best friend from college on the trip, he stayed in the Ritz Carlton! That’s not the place you go on an emergency trip! That’s the kind of place you go when you’re relaxing on the beaches during the day and drinking margaritas at night, all while pretending not to be a tourist!

Last week, Texas Senator Ted Cruz left behind frigid Texas temperatures to visit the luxurious Ritz-Carlton in Cancun.

Cruz's decision to fly to Cancun, while millions of Texas residents battled severe winter storms, power outages, and water shortages, sparked intense backlash.

The senator also invited several people outside of the family to the hotel, which the Cruz family has reportedly visited "many times" in the past, according to leaked text messages from the senator's wife, Heidi Cruz.

Cancun has become a popular destination during the pandemic. Expedia's 2021 Travel Trends Report lists Cancun as the No. 1 destination for US travelers.

Here's what you need to know about the luxury Cancun resort Cruz frequents:
https://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-cancun-trip-hotel-he-stayed-at-ritz-carlton-2021-2




I’d expect that kind of thing from Mayor Quimby! And he’s hateable because he’s a rich idiot who keeps getting reelected in spite of being a rich idiot! Though you could say the same about Ted Cruz, the man who ate bacon off a machine gun (see: Idiots #1-2). But ask Ted what he thinks about this debacle and he will tell you that it’s not me, it’s the media’s fault! I told you he’d play the persecution card! If you’re a conservative all you have to do is cry to Fox News and they’ll believe any disgusting spin!

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas says the news media is "obsessed" with his Mexican-vacation scandal because it's suffering from "Trump withdrawal."

Cruz was caught flying to Cancún last week to stay at a luxury five-star resort with his family after a winter storm crippled his state and forced millions of Texans to endure brutally cold temperatures without power.

The senator appeared on the Fox News show "Hannity" on Monday night, when the host Sean Hannity argued that Cruz's getaway got outsize attention from news outlets compared with the revelations coming to light about Gov. Andrew Cuomo's handling of nursing-home deaths in New York during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Where's the proportionality from the mob and the media?" Hannity asked.

To which Cruz responded: "You're right, and I think the media is suffering from Trump withdrawal, where they've attacked Trump every day for four years — they don't know what to do, so they obsessed over my taking my girls to the beach."
https://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-slams-media-mexico-trip-trump-withdrawal-2021-2





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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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The downfall of Donald J. Trump, aka Loser 45, is the gift that keeps on giving. Back in late December, it was announced that Atlantic City was going to dear down the last remaining beacon of the Trump Mafia’s reign in the gambling city – Taj Mahal. The casino had been boarded up and closed down for 7 years, finally meeting its’ end this week. The only downside to this story is that I wish that I had been the one to pull the trigger and send that tower into a smoldering rubble. But this week it was revealed that Atlantic City had sent the Trump tower to its’ ultimate demise. And that’s before the NYSG laid the smack down too. Don’t worry we will get to that in a minute!

A few minutes after 9 a.m. on a bitterly cold Tuesday morning on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a horn sounded, and a flock of seagulls perched on the former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino flew away in formation.

A series of booms reverberated from each floor as 3,800 sticks of dynamite exploded and in 19.5 seconds, the 34-story building was on the ground. A cloud of dust thrust towards the Atlantic Ocean and just like that, the last remaining building former President Donald Trump built in the casino town by the sea came down, and his complicated four-decade legacy in Atlantic City was over.

Moments before the implosion, Gina Wislack, a retiree who has lived in Atlantic City for nearly 30 years, was sitting at a table in One Atlantic, a venue across the Boardwalk from Trump Plaza, taking in the last few moments the tower still stood tall.

“I wish he was in there,” says Wislack, who bought the front row seats for $500 through an auction held to benefit the city’s local Boys and Girls Club. “He screwed a lot of small businesses here in Atlantic City. Fuck him. That’s why we’re all here.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2021/02/17/trump-plaza-implosion-how-atlantic-city-celebrated-the-trump-plaza-demolition/?sh=378b15ea5751




I’m with that guy by the way! They could have blown up Taj Mahal with Trump inside and no one would miss him other than the MAGAs! Yeah but I’m not touching that with a 10 foot pole. But what is worth touching on (see what I did there?) is the SCOTUS decision on Trump’s taxes. Don’t worry we are going to keep a huge eye on this subject. It seems now that Trump is a private citizen, he’s subject to the same laws as the rest of us are!

Every U.S. president since Jimmy Carter has released their tax returns with the exception, of course, of Donald Trump. After lying about being unable to share them due to a “routine audit” and claiming that he would do so just as soon as he got the green light, Trump proceeded to spend the next four-plus years doing everything in his power to ensure such information never saw the light of day—almost as though he had something to hide! So you can imagine his reaction when the Supreme Court decided on Monday to reject his last-ditch attempt to shield his returns, which certainly sounds like that of a guy who’s committed all manner of tax fraud and is concerned about the possibility of spending a good chunk of his twilight years in prison.

In a statement on “The Continuing Political Persecution of President Donald J. Trump,” Trump rants that he is the victim of “the greatest political Witch Hunt in the history of our Country.” Referring to the case the court ruled on, which concerns a subpoena of Trump’s accountants by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance, who has opened a criminal investigation into the ex-president, Trump says, “This is something which has never happened to a President before,” naturally failing to mention the fact that, among past POTUSes, only Trump has a reputation as a notorious con man. Nevertheless, he incomprehensibly continues:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/02/donald-trump-supreme-court-tax-returns




Yeah he’s definitely boned all right! So exactly what are prosecutors hoping to gain from looking at Trump’s tax returns? Well everyone knows that he kept them hidden for 5 years which could reveal some seriously shady business dealings, potential criminals he owes money to, and it could potentially reveal anything incriminating like he profited from the presidency. Well the answer to that is “well fucking duh! It doesn’t take a forensic auditor to reveal that information!”.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. fought for a year and a half to get access to former President Donald Trump’s tax records.

Now, thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, he will soon have them. But what will that mean for the Democrat’s grand jury investigation into Trump’s business affairs?

Former prosecutors say the trove of records could give investigators new tools to determine whether Trump lied to lenders or tax officials, before or after he took office.

“Prosecutors look for discrepancies in paperwork. For example, if Trump told the IRS he’s broke and lenders that he’s rich that’s just the type of discrepancy they could build a case around,” said Duncan Levin, a former federal prosecutor who worked on a wide range of white collar cases as Vance’s chief of asset forfeiture.

“These documents are a very important piece of the jigsaw puzzle,” Levin said.

Whether Trump’s records will contain evidence of a crime is uncertain. The former president, a Republican, has argued for years that he broke no laws and has been unfairly targeted by Democrats for political reasons.
https://apnews.com/article/trump-taxes-new-york-prosecutors-0fa3d5f8dba60353aa8a5b25b94b1071




So think of this like a jigsaw puzzle – and one that could potentially incriminate the former president of the United States at that! And don’t worry we will keep an eye on this as it develops. As it stands right now, Trump is in some serious deep shit. And he’ll probably blame his subsequent arrest and trial on the deep state. But the truth is, he did it. And if he’s found guilty, he will be going away for a very long time, so kiss 2024 goodbye! Oh by the way, the answer to the question of if he profited while he was serving as president? The answer to that question is fucking yes of course he did!

Donald Trump never really got out of business. Sure, he handed day-to-day management of his companies to his children, like a lot of tycoons who get preoccupied with other interests late in life. But the president held onto ownership of his assets after taking office, ensuring that he would continue to generate money while serving in the White House. From 2017 to 2019, the president’s businesses raked in an estimated $1.9 billion of revenue.

It’s a significant sum, no matter how you look at it. Documents from various sources—including private lenders, local governments, federal officials and overseas regulators—help show where the money comes from and roughly how much of it turns into profit. An analysis that relies on those documents and conversations with industry experts, broken down for the first time in the forthcoming book White House, Inc., provides an unprecedented look at the president’s finances, which he has worked so hard to shield from public scrutiny.

Trump’s golf course and club portfolio produced the biggest chunk of revenue, some $753 million in three years. The Trump National Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida led the way, bringing in $228 million of revenue from 2017 to 2019, about three-quarters of the total from the 10 other golf courses Trump owns in the United States. In Europe, another golf resort named Trump Turnberry generated $70 million. Holdings in Doonbeg, Ireland and Aberdeenshire, Scotland added $53 million, while Mar-a-Lago took in $69 million.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2020/09/11/trumps-businesses-raked-in-19-billion-of-revenue-during-his-first-three-years-in-office/?sh=b4ab0791e137





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Is Your Mask Fake?
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



We’re nearly one year into the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed nearly 500,000 American lives. Now nearly everyone is asking the same questions. When will social distancing and mask wearing end for good? When will pandemic protocols end? And the thing is that nobody likes wearing the masks but we have to at the moment. Everyone is preparing for that time. With the advent of the vaccines, we’re learning that a black market for vaccines is emerging. Now there’s another side to the pandemic that is creating potentially new headaches. Black market masks. That’s right – the mask you’re wearing on your face to protect you from COVID-19 might be fake. This is a stunningly evil practice and the US just cracked down on the black market for masks.

Federal agents have seized roughly 10m fake 3M brand N95 masks in recent weeks, the result of an ongoing investigation into counterfeits sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies.

The most recent seizures occurred on Wednesday when homeland security agents intercepted hundreds of thousands of counterfeit 3M masks in an east coast warehouse that were set to be distributed, officials said.

Investigators also notified about 6,000 potential victims in at least 12 states including hospitals, medical facilities and others who may have unknowingly purchased knockoffs, urging them to stop using the medical-grade masks. Officials encouraged medical workers and companies to go to 3M’s website for tips on how to spot fakes.

The phony masks are not tested to see whether they meet strict N95 standards and could put frontline medical workers at risk if they are used while treating patients with Covid-19.

Nearly a year into the pandemic, fraud remains a major problem as scammers seek to exploit hospitals and desperate Americans. Federal investigators say they have seen an increase in phony websites purporting to sell vaccines as well as fake medicine produced overseas and scams involving personal protective equipment. The schemes deliver phony products, unlike earlier in the pandemic when fraudsters focused more on fleecing customers.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/17/fake-n95-masks-coronavirus-usa




But the numbers don’t stop there, it’s absolutely startling how it got this way. In fact the fake masks are stemming to nearly a dozen states now, making it almost impossible for the feds to control. At a time when personal protection equipment (PPE) is as important as clothing or shoes, knowing that you have a mask that meets federal standards is important. But how far does this go?

“We are at a vulnerable time, of course, with the pandemic costing so many lives and causing so much harm,” Mayorkas said. “And that individuals, criminals exploit our vulnerabilities for a quick buck is something that we will continue to aggressively pursue.”

Mayorkas noted that the initial leads on the investigation came from 3M, which reported that suspected counterfeit masks were being purchased for health-care workers and first responders.

“This collaboration has helped prevent millions of counterfeit respirators from reaching frontline workers,” Kevin Rhodes, 3M Deputy General Counsel, said in a statement. “We are committed to fighting the pandemic from all angles – manufacturing needed PPE, working to prevent counterfeiting, and helping ensure N95s get to where they are needed the most.”

DHS officials declined to identify where the raids occurred, saying that they cannot comment on an ongoing investigation. Criminal charges are forthcoming, they said. DHS said they have notified about 6,000 suspected victims of the fraud in at least 12 states, including hospitals, medical facilities and others who may have purchased medical masks from what Mayorkas described as a “criminal enterprise.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/17/dhs-seizes-over-11-million-counterfeit-3m-n95-masks-more-raids-to-come.html




Oh yes it’s real. Fake. Real fake. So how do you identify whether the mask you have is real or fake and what do you do about it? Well there’s plenty of ways to determine and whether or not you have a real N95 mask or a fake one. So use caution when you are ordering your masks online and make sure that they meet a few simple requirements. Then you are good to go.
News recently surfaced that the federal and state governments are grappling with a massive counterfeiting ring that managed to distribute at least 10 million fake 3M N95 masks throughout at least five states—and those are just the ones that have been identified and seized by federal officials.

The initial reports involved distribution of fake masks in at least five states. In Washington State alone, it was discovered that a total of 300,000 masks the state had purchased for about $1.4 million were counterfeit. One hospital reported that the vendor had been examined and approved before purchase of the masks, which also passed physical and visual inspections.

The phony masks have been carefully designed to mimic the ones made and sold by 3M, including raised markings and printed labels. 3M also has issued a warning describing the model and lot numbers and other information to look out for when it comes to identifying the mask models that were counterfeited.

In addition, a guide to how masks can be spotted that are falsely claimed to be approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was recently distributed by NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL).
https://www.ehstoday.com/ppe/article/21155518/how-to-identify-fake-n95-masks




Yes probably. But until the COVID-19 pandemic is over you can never be too careful about having the right protection should you have to leave your house. But just as with the amount of fake products circulating on the internet right now, make no mistake that fake pandemic protection is becoming a real problem. The seizures at the Long Island Port Authority have shown that this could have the potential to be problematic as more people discover that they have purchased fake equipment.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have seized nearly 15 million counterfeit face masks since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the agency reported Thursday. Agents confiscated the unsafe personal protective equipment as part of an effort to prevent criminals from exploiting the public crisis for economic gain.

The agency also seized roughly 180,000 prohibited COVID-19 test kits and more than 38,000 prohibited chloroquine tablets typically used to treat malaria. Chloroquine is considered safe for patients with malaria, but has not been shown to be an effective treatment for COVID-19.

Customs and Border Protection import personnel work closely with legitimate trademark holders to identify fake N95 and surgical masks, which may not meet U.S. health and safety standards. Authentic N95 masks are critical for protecting frontline workers from aerosols and droplets that could contain the virus.

"What we've seen is there certainly is a market for these. All of us in the U.S. are really anxious for high-quality masks and test kits and medications," CBP executive assistant commissioner Brenda Smith told CBS MoneyWatch. The "N95 is a really desirable mask right now and really likely to be counterfeited."

When counterfeit goods are sold in the U.S., they also deprive legitimate sellers of revenue, Smith added.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/n95-masks-fake-seized/




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.





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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual 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 virtual congregation! It is time that we talk about the violent side of the Bible. See, our Good Book doesn’t have the kind of violent imagery that you see in the real Holy Bible. But before I get into that, I really want to talk about this comment that I saw coming from the Fox News channel. Yes, I happen to stumble upon it in my quarters while I was watching the SINS being committed on our regular television. But every once in a while you see something out there that is so stupid, so mind-boggling dumb that you can’t help but wonder if this is what JAYSUS would even think! And let’s not go over the 9 million ways GAWD struck down vengeance in the Holy Bible, because I could do that standing on my head thank you very much!

A Chicago committee examining the names of more than 500 statues, sculptures, and other public art landmarks could open the doors to biblical figures facing the wrath of cancel culture - or so speculated Fox News host Bill Hemmer.

"If they start canceling American presidents, they'll come after Bible characters next," he said Friday. "Mark my words, right

Similar segments on Fox News became more common over the summer during the height of Black Lives Matter protests and incidents of vandalism in cities around the country.
Hemmer and co-anchor Dana Perino brought on Fox News headlines reporter Carley Shimkus to discuss the name changes with particular attention to those of former presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln.

Shimkus said Lincoln's statue - of which five are under consideration - "could be removed from the city."
"And you know, over the summer, statues were ripped down," Shimkus said. "It was violent. It was wrong. It was illegal."

"But," she added, "I think equally troubling would be to have a group of professional people go through this months long process, look at the history of these men and what they represent to our country, and still decide to take these statues down."
https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/fox-news-host-warns-cancel-culture-could-come-after-bible-characters-next-if-chicago-statues-are-renamed/articleshow/81119483.cms




Oh but cancel culture does exist in the Bible! Need I remind you that GAWD canceled out an entire city when he destroyed Sodom? Or what about angels battling angels? That’s some old, old, really old school cancel culture! But it’s not the Bible that is the threat. It’s white Christian nationalism that is the threat and their followers are getting weirder and scarier. Which is why we need to address this this week, because while we make fun, we’re really poking the bear here.

After a portion of the mob entered the Senate chamber on Jan. 6, a handful of men mounted the podium. One of them lifted his hands and cried out, “Jesus Christ, we invoke your name. Amen.” Then Jacob Chansley, sometimes called the "QAnon Shaman," took his bullhorn and announced gratitude to God for being able to “send a message to all the tyrants, the communists, and the globalists that this is our nation, not theirs.”Bare-chested to expose his white supremacist tattoos, he had paused briefly to remove his Viking-inspired horned headdress and cap — presumably to assume a properly humble posture as he claimed the United States for himself and his fellow-believers.

The violence was roundly condemned, if a bit mealy-mouthed in certain quarters. People spoke of the criminal threat against members of Congress, staffers and police. They lamented the violation of sacred civic space and democratic norms (the few we have left). Many were especially dismayed to find police, veterans and elected officials among the rioters — individuals who had taken oaths to serve and protect the nation.

It is easy to protest when white Christian nationalism turns violent. Within the chorus of critics, however, are a substantial number of Christians who plan to take the country for Jesus another way. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, a leader of the misinformation campaign that led people to believe (falsely) that the presidential election was stolen, is among them.

Speaking in his official capacity as attorney general of Missouri in 2017, he proclaimed at a “Pastors and Pews” meetingthat their charge is to “take the lordship of Christ, that message, into the public realm and to seek the obedience of the nations — of our nation… to influence our society, and even more than that, to transform our society to reflect the gospel truth and lordship of Jesus Christ.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/01/31/christian-nationalism-josh-hawley-ted-cruz-capitol-attack-column/4292193001/




Yes, Senator Hawley is a perfect example of what happens when Christian extremists turn violent and you don’t want to be on the receiving end of this. And when someone says they want you to live by their values, run and run the other way fast! Because that’s not what the GOOD LAWRD JAYSUS would want now, is it? Because his values are not what your values are. But here’s the thing – even now that the unholy, ungodly Dark One is gone from power, his crap still remains!

On the first Sunday after the assault on the U.S. Capitol in January, the Rev. Bill Corcoran stood before his socially distant parishioners at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in suburban Chicago and finally, unambiguously, crossed the line.

“Over the past four years,” he said, “I have failed you by not speaking out when awful things were said and done.” He should have spoken up, he said, about Donald Trump’s abuse of women, his contempt for truth, his mocking of a disabled reporter, his denigration of political rivals, his disrespect for the parents of a dead soldier.

As everyone in the pews understood, Corcoran’s mea culpa implicated more than a lone parish priest. If Corcoran was wrong not to have denounced Trump’s bad words and deeds, what of the parishioners who had supported them, and then voted for more?

Reaction was swift. A dozen congregants walked out of 7:30 Mass, Corcoran told the Chicago Tribune. Nearly two dozen at 9:30. About 30 more at 11:30. Corcoran was “rattled” as he watched members of his flock turn away, he told me in an email.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/americas-churches-are-now-polarized-too




But here’s the thing they’re not telling you – today’s young Christians are proud and more violent than ever. They will make you pray, and that’s after shooting first and asking questions later. And while most of our congregations have overwhelmingly supported the unholy, ungodly Dark One – a man who is so disgusting that his name shall not be spoken in my church, real or virtual! But he has turned the pulpit violent, and there’s no going back!

On the first Sunday after the assault on the U.S. Capitol in January, the Rev. Bill Corcoran stood before his socially distant parishioners at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in suburban Chicago and finally, unambiguously, crossed the line.

“Over the past four years,” he said, “I have failed you by not speaking out when awful things were said and done.” He should have spoken up, he said, about Donald Trump’s abuse of women, his contempt for truth, his mocking of a disabled reporter, his denigration of political rivals, his disrespect for the parents of a dead soldier.

As everyone in the pews understood, Corcoran’s mea culpa implicated more than a lone parish priest. If Corcoran was wrong not to have denounced Trump’s bad words and deeds, what of the parishioners who had supported them, and then voted for more?

Reaction was swift. A dozen congregants walked out of 7:30 Mass, Corcoran told the Chicago Tribune. Nearly two dozen at 9:30. About 30 more at 11:30. Corcoran was “rattled” as he watched members of his flock turn away, he told me in an email.

America’s 380,000 churches have long managed political conflict. Issues such as abortion, capital punishment and government aid to the poor all have a religious valence. But as political polarization has grown more intense, the most sacred spaces have grown more vulnerable to it. Some churches have turned to professional moderators to help keep congregations together.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/americas-churches-are-now-polarized-too




And that’s all you need isn’t it? Well don’t expect the violence to die down any time soon because it’s going to get ugly. Just sit back, grab some popcorn and watch the show. Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Parlerfiles
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So when the far right gets butthurt by real world social media sites – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube - and retreats to their safe spaces of Parler, Gab, Dlive, and Telegram, that’s where we come in! Oh yeah they think they can hide anonymously behind a user name and a teenage girl icon (don’t ask me why, it gets more likes) but we’re coming for them. There is some seriously batshit crazy stuff coming from the alt right and we’re going to find the latest posts and dissect their craziness as we find them. And here’s the thing, normally this is a free-floating segment where we usually don’t have any news, but this week we actually have a story to start us off with!

The alternative social network Parler has reopened after a month offline. The company announced in a press release that the site is now accessible for users with existing accounts and will accept new signups starting next week. It’s also announced a new interim CEO: Mark Meckler, who previously cofounded the right-wing group Tea Party Patriots. The relaunch comes after Apple, Google, and Amazon suspended service in the wake of January’s attack on the US Capitol, citing violent threats on the platform.

Old Parler user accounts have been restored, but old “parleys” — the site’s term for posts — don’t appear to have carried over. Some high-profile users, like Fox News host Sean Hannity, have begun posting on the new site already. The timelines for other major accounts, like fellow host Tucker Carlson or Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), remain empty. Many posts were previously archived by an outside researcher who scraped them before its takedown.

Parler describes itself as politically unaffiliated, but the loosely moderated site became popular with conservative users who were either banned from larger sites or disagreed with the fact-checking and moderation policies of platforms like Twitter and Facebook. After the election, it became a hub for the pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” campaign, which escalated into a deadly attempt to overturn the US election on January 6th. The site went offline on January 10th, when its old host Amazon Web Services suspended its account.

The platform has now relaunched with what a press release calls “robust, sustainable, independent technology.” Parler transferred its domain registration in January to Epik, a registrar known for providing a haven to “deplatformed” far-right-friendly sites.
https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/15/22284036/parler-social-network-relaunch-new-hosting




So that said let’s go through and dissect some Parler posts. Oh my god these people are batshit fucking crazy. I am particularly drawn to the posts coming from an account called “Clay The…” and it’s impossible to tell if this guy is for real, or if he’s a troll, or what the drug of choice he might be smoking or inhaling is. But nevertheless, thanks to the Twitter feed called @Patriottakes, there’s no shortage of good Clay material.

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363902646298443777

What’s a demon tag? You know what? Let us know in the comments what you think a demon tag is, because I’m sure it’s code for something. Either that or he can’t use a keyboard. Then this one makes absolutely no sense.

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363229005621551104



NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! He broke the grammar checker robot! But even Clay has to pay his respects to R4vch Lebrumbgew! Even when I intentionally type something wrong it comes off looking like an airline conformation code. And here’s another one – just trying to unravel the mystery of Clay The is stunningly maddening. What does he do? Pull a keyboard cat and start madly typing out the words hoping to form a coherent sentence?

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1362068056579731463

But then some of these just make absolutely no sense, and I will post them here without comment because these are fucking crazy. Your head will explode Kingsman style if you even dare try to comprehend what Clay is saying. No amount of English majors or 4th grade grammar teachers could ever properly diagram a Clay sentence. I’m calling it now.

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1362071243810365444
https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1362067477904166913
https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1362471050559295500



Well at least we’ll sleep easier knowing more about Clay’s balls! Moving on there’s some other batshit crazy stuff being posted on Parler. What’s even better right now is the social media circle jerk firing squad right now – Gab users are attacking Parler users, and Parler users are attacking Gab users, so sit back, relax, and grab a bag of popcorn and your favorite beverage and watch the show!

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363860183026294786

Here’s the thing, if you don’t want to be canceled, maybe, I don’t know, don’t do anything that might get you canceled? I’m just throwing that suggestion out there. And in case you’re wondering if they have some good old fashioned hardcore racism, oh yeah they got it!

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363963688588247040

And you can also bet our old buddy Alex Jones is flocking to the site, where he’s touting the “banned videos” and his precious armored tank:

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363954151495884804

But at least this guy is honest!

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1363952844454252545



And with that it’s time to close the files for this week! Don’t worry, we hope to get some Gab, Dlive, and Telegram posts soon!




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[font size="8"]This Fucking Guy: Ali Alexander And Lin Wood
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Trump always attracts the best people to his cause doesn’t he? That’s why this week we’ve got a double feature on This Fucking Guy – in this corner, we have Trump’s batshit crazy attorney and hardcore racist Lin Wood! And in this corner, we have the guy who is vying to be Trump’s running mate on the 2024 ticket, the guy who is behind those “Stop The Steal” rallies that you might have seen popping up in your neighborhood – Ali Alexander! And here’s the thing, guys, if you are conspiring to take down the 2nd most powerful man in the world, maybe, I don’t know, don’t advertise it on MSNBC beforehand! And hey I always thought they hated MSNBC. Remember all the shit we had to put up with when they called it “MSDNC”? Well anyway guys, you don’t dox the doxxers because otherwise you will be on the receiving end of an FBI probe, and trust us, you don’t want that!

Pro-Trump lawyer and major QAnon booster Lin Wood has urged hundreds of thousands of his supporters to dig up dirt on Georgia officials who will decide if he should be disbarred or not — and to help them in their research, Wood published the officials’ addresses on social media.

In a 1,600-page filing, the State Disciplinary Board of the State Bar of Georgia said that it had “received information concerning the above-named attorney that suggests that said attorney may have violated one or more of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.”

The complaint centers on the “frivolous filings in numerous courts” that Wood — together with Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani — made in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s election loss last November. In total 62 lawsuits were filed, with the Trump team winning just a single one.

The filing, dated Feb. 5 and marked confidential, was revealed only when Wood posted it on social media on Saturday.

Wood, who is one of the most prominent boosters of the dangerous QAnon movement, was kicked off Twitter last month for spreading baseless election fraud allegations, but quickly reestablished his online presence on Telegram, where his channel now has almost 800,000 followers.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/7k9jd9/lin-wood-doxed-georgia-officials-to-hundreds-of-thousands-of-qanon-supporters




Yes doxing the doxxers isn’t just a crime – it might be considered “light treason”. And you know what? Is there any person connected to Trump or the Trump campaign that isn’t batshit fucking crazy? Here’s how crazy Lin Wood is. He’s so crazy that the Georgia State Bar Association is looking to remove him from membership! And I mean come on, this is the state that elected Marjorie Taylor Greene. So you know that Lin Wood doesn’t scratch the surface of Georgia crazy!

The State Bar of Georgia is "proceeding with an inquiry" into attorney Lin Wood, one of the lawyers who unsuccessfully pushed a handful of suits to block Georgia's election results after alleging unfounded claims of fraud, the organization told CNN in a statement Tuesday.

In a statement to CNN, Sarah Coole, chief operating officer with the State Bar of Georgia wrote, "We can confirm the Bar is proceeding with an inquiry under Bar Rule 4-104, but we aren't able to make further comments."

Wood confirmed that he received a complaint filed against him by the State Bar of Georgia, writing on the social app Telegram on February 13, "I just received a 1,600+ page grievance complaint filed against me by the State Bar of Georgia. The GA State Bar has thrown the kitchen sink at me."

Wood did not immediately respond to CNN's request for additional comment.

On January 29, Wood wrote on Telegram that "I am fighting battles on every front. The State Bar of Georgia told me today they would demand a mental health exam from me if I wanted to keep my law license. My mind is sound. I have broken no rules. I asked what I had done wrong, I was only told it was about my social media comments. My speech."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/politics/lin-wood-georgia-state-bar-inquiry/index.html




That’s future footage of Trump by the way! As if one brand crazy isn’t enough, there’s another brand of crazy that Trump attracts. Meet Ali Alexander. He’s the organizer of those “Stop The Steal” rallies that have been popping up, probably in your city! Never mind that they have ties to anti-vaxxers and far right militias, and not to mention the usual crop of suspects like Roger Stone and Rudy Guiliani. But if you see a group like this in your neighborhood, you can rest assured they are all over the fucking place!

Ali Alexander, the lead organizer of the so-called Stop the Steal campaign, has resurfaced after going into hiding following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Streaming on Trovo Wednesday night, Alexander claimed that while he has been licking his wounds, he has been plotting to restart rallies in March, abolish the media, and build a separate society for Trump supporters.

As former President Donald Trump faces an impeachment trial this week for inciting an insurrection with his speech at the Stop the Steal rally the morning of Jan. 6, it appears Alexander has yet to face charges for his role. Alexander rebooted the so-called Stop the Steal campaign the day after Election Day, when Trump’s lead began to slip as mail-in ballots began to be counted. He pushed voter fraud conspiracy theories, embraced QAnon conspiracy theorists and far-right activists in his campaign, claimed to be doing God’s work, and organized three massive rallies in Washington, D.C., that featured the Proud Boys hate group, paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers, and other extremists.

Following Jan. 6, Alexander was booted off most major social media platforms and, as a result, is now streaming on Trovo, a gaming platform that appears to be growing in popularity among far-right actors kicked off other platforms. On Wednesday night, Alexander lamented the “racist, bigoted, anti-Christian, anti-Southern, anti-Republican, anti-conservative, anti-human smear machine” that he says targeted him, and he promised to create chaos. “We’ve got to get back in the driver’s seat,” he added.

“They’ve done a great number on my life, they’ve cost me tens of thousands of dollars, they’ve really destroyed parts of my life, but in a lot of ways, I have no other choice but to announce that I’m building the future, so I’m making strategic investments in tools that fight deplatforming and to create chaos on existing platforms,” Alexander claimed.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/ive-been-plotting-lead-stop-the-steal-organizer-promises-to-restart-rallies-punish-his-enemies-and-build-new-society-for-trump-supporters/




Oh yeah? Well I’ll build my own city with blackjack and hookers! Really, these two goons are made for each other. So if you want to know the kind of person that might attend a rally hosted by Ali Alexander, well they’re about the caliber of person you might expect. And don’t expect these rallies to go away anytime soon. I’ve seen the ones in my town dwindle and they’ll probably soon cease to exist. It will be one guy dressed in a clown suit with a bunch of Trump flags flying from his back.

As the Trump faithful gathered around the Capitol on January 6, two conspiracy theories peddling in government mistrust converged: The fraudulent belief that the election was stolen, and the dangerous narrative that Covid-19 vaccinations are wildly unsafe.

"We're being led off of a cliff," Del Bigtree, an anti-vaccine activist, told the crowd at the "MAGA Freedom Rally D.C." about a block from the Capitol.

"I wish I could tell you that Tony Fauci cares about your safety..." he said. "I wish I could believe that voting machines worked... but none of this is happening."

In the wake of Trump's electoral defeat, some leaders of the anti-vaccine movement latched onto the "Stop the Steal" crusade, advancing their own conspiratorial claims and, in some cases, promoting private business ventures, CNN has found. Some prominent anti-vaxxers say they directly coordinated with organizers of the DC rallies in January and pushed their message at other MAGA demonstrations, and on pro-Trump podcasts and social media platforms.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/politics/anti-vaxxers-stop-the-steal-invs/index.html




So conniving and scheming to build their own places, and getting kicked out of the Bar Association and banned from Twitter. That’s Lin Wood and Ali Alexander, this week’s:




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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people and people are dumb! And how you define a stupid person in this segment is the same way Dwight Schrute would. Ask yourself “If I were to do something, would an idiot do that thing? And if they would, I don’t do that thing”. So use this segment as a handy guide for things we shouldn’t do. Even in the middle of a still raging pandemic. I want to start with stupid AI bots. Even in the world of super computers, the AI bots are no better than the people who program them. A YouTube algorithm that is designed for checking the trending status of videos actually violated Youtube’s own terms of service agreement because… it flagged the video’s use of “black” and “white” chess pieces for being racist! Yeah… and people wonder why other people hate “cancel culture”.

Did YouTube block a chess channel over violation of community guideline and usage of racist language? Late last year, a YouTuber who produces popular chess videos found that his channel was blocked over charges of 'harmful and dangerous' content.

Even though the channel was restored within 24 hours, the YouTube did not explain why it had blocked Croatian chess player Antonio Radic, also known as 'Agadmator,' from its platform briefly, the Dailymail reported.

Experts suspect that it was the usage of words like "black" and "white" that confused the Yutube's AI filters. They found that 80% of chess videos that were flagged for hate speech actually ahd terms like 'black,' 'white,' 'attack' and 'threat.'

The researchers now suggest that social-media platforms should incorporate chess language in their algorithms to avoid future incidents like this.

Agadmator has over a million subscribers on his channel and is considered the most popular chess vertical on YouTube. However, his channel was blocked in June last year after he posted a segment with Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, a five-time champion and the youngest American to earn the title of Grandmaster.

Youtube uses AI algorithms and human moderators to filter out prohibited content. But in this case, the algorithm couldn't differentiate between hate speech and normal conversation.
https://www.news18.com/amp/news/buzz/youtube-ai-blocked-chess-channel-after-confusing-black-and-white-for-racist-slurs-3454316.html?__twitter_impression=true




Yeah I think we’ve been under Trump too long when our AI bots can’t distinguish real conversation from actual hate speech. Moving on… next up, speaking of stupid people and machines, would you really trust your male organ parts to a device that can be locked electronically and hacked by Wifi? Seriously I don’t even trust my phone to connect to my car stereo by Bluetooth. You must have balls of… oh wait… what would you call this thing?

Dick Cage Maker Says IoT Chastity Belt Is Safe After New Penetration Test

After several customers got hacked, the distributor of an internet connected chastity cage wants to reassure everyone that the device is now safe to use.

Last year, a hacker locked the internet-connected chastity cages of several men and asked for a ransom after taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the device's mobile app infrastructure. One victim, who had his device on when the hacker took control, had no choice but to use bolt cutters to free himself, which left him "bleeding and it fucking hurt," as he told Motherboard recently.
Advertisement

Now, the European distributor of the chastity cage, which is called CELLMATE, wants everyone to know that it's safe to use the device after the release of a new app, which it says fixed the vulnerabilities in the API used to control it. The vulnerabilities were found last year by the security firm Pen Test Partners, which specializes in finding bugs in Internet of Things devices. The distributor says it contracted with a third party to do an additional penetration test of the cock cage's app.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5b3mw/dick-cage-maker-says-iot-chastity-belt-is-safe-after-new-penetration-test




That is a good question! Next up on People Are Dumb – we go to the south of the border to Cajeme, Mexico for this one. Now there’s nothing funny about someone stabbing someone no matter what the situation is. OK yes I know George Carlin said you can joke about anything. But what makes this dumb is not that the woman stabbed her husband in a fit of jealous rage. But what happens after the fit of psychotic passion. Yes, plot twist!

A jealous wife has been arrested in Mexico after she reportedly stabbed her husband in a blind rage when she found old photos on his cell phone of him having sex with ‘another’ woman - failing to realize the images were actually of her.

The woman, identified by police only as 'Leonora R', was arrested last week after law enforcement were summoned to a home in the municipality of Cajeme, Sonora, to reports of a domestic dispute.

When officers arrived they found that Leonora’s husband, identified as 'Juan N', had been stabbed multiple times on his legs and arms.

The violent attack was reportedly sparked after Leonora found explicit photos on Juan’s cell phone, showing him having sex with whom she believed to be another woman.

Without giving him time to explain himself, Leonora allegedly began stabbing Juan over and over again, while hurling insults at him.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9185805/Wife-stabs-husband-multiple-times-finding-pictures-woman-her.html




Next up – we go to our favorite state, the great state of Florida. Because no “People Are Dumb” segment is complete without a trip to the Sunshine State, or as Homer Simpson famously called it, “America’s Wang”. First up you know those De Beers commercials when they show people giving people elaborate diamonds in romantic settings? Well I don’t know what this next story is, but it’s quite the opposite of that!

Detectives are searching for a Central Florida man who authorities suspect stole engagement rings from a woman in Orange City and used them with a different woman in Orlando.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said Joseph L. Davis, 48, is wanted on a felony charge of grand theft, according to a VCSO press release.

Deputies charged him after an Orange City woman saw a photo on social media of Davis engaged to another woman. The Orange City woman noticed the Orlando woman wore a similar wedding band and engagement ring.

She told deputies both items, and her grandmother’s diamond ring, were missing when she went to check her jewelry box.

The total value of the property is around $6,270, the sheriff’s office said.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-ne-central-florida-man-stealing-engagement-rings-girlfriend-20210211-weh6vyvghrclrmvfo7e3x6emz4-story.html?




Yeah probably. Maybe, and I don’t know here, don’t steal an engagement ring and give it to another girlfriend. Finally this week – OK look we’re all tired of the pandemic and we all want to see normal life come back. So get the vaccine people. But really don’t cheat or do anything that could get you arrested as you wait for your turn in line. That’s where these idiots come into play. But really just remember Dwight’s thoughts on idiots and you are good.

Two women who dressed as senior citizens in an attempt to get COVID-19 vaccinations were turned away and issued trespass warnings in Orlando, Florida, officials said.

Dr Raul Pino, the state health officer in Orange County, where Orlando is located, said the women “dressed up as grannies” and disguised themselves on Wednesday with bonnets, gloves and glasses.

Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Michelle Guido told the Orlando Sentinel that the women, aged 34 and 44, altered their birth years on their vaccination registrations to bypass the state system, which prioritises people age 65 and older. It appeared that the women had gotten the first shot, but it was unclear where.

“Their names matched their registration but not their dates of birth,” Guido told the Sentinel.

Health Department officials asked deputies to issue trespass warnings.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/19/florida-women-dressed-as-grannies-fail-in-vaccination-attempt




That’s it this week for:





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Welcome back to the coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there! This is the very last and final one of these we’re ever going to do. Now don’t be sad. We’ll be back in 2024 when Biden will run for office again and we hopefully won’t be in a raging pandemic! For our final thoughts on what has been an absolutely insane election cycle, we thought we’d go over Biden’s poll numbers after his first month in office and the things he’s done to get there. Because you know what? Now that the other guy is now a private citizen and been kicked off social media, who the fuck cares? This might be one of the best headlines I’ve ever seen and this is after four years of President Shithead McFuckface!

As the nation faces a pandemic, a weakened economy and political unrest that began under his predecessor, Joe Biden is enjoying a honeymoon with its voters.

Morning Consult Political Intelligence tracking conducted during the 46th president’s first few days in office shows 56 percent of voters approve of his job performance, while 34 percent disapprove. Biden’s approval rating is 4 percentage points higher than the 52 percent who approved of former President Donald Trump in an early March 2017 poll from Morning Consult and Politico — his best-ever showing during his presidency — and it looks even stronger compared to polling conducted at a similar point four years ago, when 46 percent approved of Trump’s initial work.

Echoing Morning Consult’s pre-inauguration findings, Biden’s superior early marks are driven by a more unified base, as well as more support among self-described independent voters: 91 percent of Democrats approve of Biden’s initial job performance, compared with 83 percent of Republicans who said the same of Trump in January 2017, and 49 percent of independents back Biden’s early approach — up 8 points from Trump’s four years ago.

The Jan. 22-24 poll of more than 11,000 registered voters, which has a 1-point margin of error, came after Biden’s Jan. 20 inaugural address that focused on bridging America’s political divide received a warm reception from most voters, including those of the opposition party.
https://morningconsult.com/2021/01/25/morning-consult-political-intelligence-biden-job-approval-polling/




Oh man that felt good! And you know what? The Trump fans can claim that Biden is sitting in his basement all they want when he’s actually at the Oval Office and making policies both national and international. So yeah who the hell cares what they think anymore? And the best part is that he’s doing this as he is undoing Trump’s dangerous agenda! I like to call this “the untrumpening”. Not a horror movie either!

President Joe Biden has been in office for one full month, and recent polls have shown that more than 50 percent of Americans so far view his job performance favorably.

Biden transitioned into the White House last month with support from over two-thirds of Americans, and his first few days saw approval ratings as high as 63 percent – a number larger than any of former President Donald Trump's rating during his term.

Now, with 30 days into office, Biden continues to have the support of more than half of Americans, though his approval tends to fall heavily along party lines.

According to FiveThirtyEight's poll tracker, 54.4 percent of Americans approve of Biden's presidency one month in, while 38.1 percent disapprove. According to the data, that number has remained relatively consistent since Biden's first week in office, when he had 53 percent approval.
https://www.newsweek.com/over-50-percent-americans-approve-bidens-performance-during-his-first-month-office-1570666




Even on the economy Biden is polling better than Trump. Imagine that! A guy who puts honor over humanity is actually good for the economy! Unlike Trump, who put himself and his ego over just about everything else. Right now, we need a guy like Joe Biden in the White House because he represents the honor that this nation needs after Trump came in like a bull in a china shop. Both literally and figuratively, I might add.

President Joe Biden is on the best presidential honeymoon going back at least to Bill Clinton in 1993.

A special online edition of the CNBC All-America Economic Survey focusing on the Biden agenda finds his approval rating at a sky-high 62%, beating the first presidential ratings of Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. In fact, Biden’s initial rating is 18 points higher than Trump’s.

The survey of 1,000 people conducted earlier this month sees Biden with majority approval for his handling of the economy and for uniting the country. Sixty-five percent of the public approve of his actions so far when it comes to fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Unlike Trump, Biden “has made the coronavirus his most important issue in office and throughout the campaign,” said Jay Campbell, a Hart Research partner and the Democratic pollster for the survey. “And the health and economic plans he has put forward have a great deal of resonance with the public.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/11/biden-gets-62percent-approval-in-cnbc-economic-survey-topping-first-ratings-of-the-last-four-presidents.html




Oh man this is so excellent! And I must say everybody job well fucking done. From Stacy Abrahams flipping Georgia to Beto getting the vote out in Texas to strong showings in North Carolina and Ohio – both red states – we are going to turn the United States even bluer in 2024. Now that Rush Limbaugh is dead, let’s make Limbaughism history. We did it! Let’s celebrate this one. The battle may be won, but the war is far from over!

Fifty-seven percent of Americans approve of the job Joe Biden is doing as president in Gallup's first measurement of the 46th president. That is just below the average 60% rating for post-World War II presidents elected to their first term.

Biden's 37% disapproval rating is among the highest for a president's first reading, second only to Donald Trump's 45%. Americans were much more inclined to form early judgments -- good or bad -- of these two most recent presidents than their predecessors, with no opinion responses typically exceeding 20% for presidents prior to 2017.

Biden's initial job approval rating is similar to those of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, while it is better than those of Trump, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower all had higher ratings than Biden, with two-thirds or more of Americans approving of their performance at the beginning of their presidencies.

The Biden data come from a Jan. 21-Feb. 2 Gallup poll. The new president has spent much of his early days in office trying to address the coronavirus pandemic by developing a nationwide strategy to confront the virus and vaccinate the public. He is also marshaling support for a coronavirus relief bill. He has signed a number of executive orders, many undoing actions undertaken by the Trump administration.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/329348/biden-begins-term-job-approval.aspx









See you next week!

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Host: Initech
Top 10 Conservative Idiots Recorded At: Flappers Comedy Club, Burbank, CA
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Initech Productions: Yes, We Got The Memo

February 21, 2021

Preview For This Week's Top 10 Conservative Idiots

What happens in Cancun stays in Cancun — unless you’re a U.S. senator.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz admitted Thursday that he “obviously made a mistake” by flying off with his family to the popular Mexican tourist destination while his home state remained paralyzed by a catastrophic winter storm that has knocked out power and water for millions of residents.

Cruz, who left for Cancun on Wednesday with his family, told reporters after landing back in Texas on Thursday evening that he went to the Mexican beach paradise because his two daughters had been “cold for two days” and were begging to “get out” of their home in Houston’s ritzy River Oaks neighborhood.

“It was obviously a mistake. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it. I was trying to be a dad,” said Cruz, one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress. “I think there are a lot of parents that’d be like, ‘If I can do this, great!’ That’s what I wanted to do.”

He claimed he started “second-guessing” the last-minute trip as soon as his family took off from an airport in Houston.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/us-elections-government/ny-weather-texas-ted-cruz-cancun-20210218-pt3mwezb5bhy3ldnab7dx745mu-story.html




Seriously, Ted Cruz i a real life Mayor Quimby! Hey you get that steel drum out of the senator's office!

**canned audience laughter and applause**

This week the Top 10 is all new live from Burbank! We mourn the death of the original Conservative Idiot - Rush Limbaugh by playing his greatest hits, and they're not flattering! Plus the Texas Climate Change Disaster, we have a recap of CPAC, we probe the latest in the Capitol Riots, Atlantic City says goodbye to Trump, we profile two batshit Trump sycophants - Lin Wood and Ali Alexander, and we welcome the return of Parler with another look into the alt right social media depths of depravity! Plus in our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates - is your mask fake? A new federal crackdown on bogus COVID masks shows that yes, the sketchy black market for COVID products exists! And in our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in "Holy Shit" - our resident pastor is going to take a look at the more violent side of the Bible! Do what they say or God will destroy you! We also have a new People Are Dumb because of course they are! Finally it's our very last Road To The White House! Can't believe it took us this long but we finally did it!

Top 10 Conservative Idiots: Wed at 2:00 PM /shameless self promotion
February 17, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-4: It's Always Sunny In Philly-Delphia Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-4: It’s Always Sunny In Philly-Delphia Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! OMG - breaking fucking news. As we were getting ready to tape this week's episode, Rush Limbaugh is dead! The Wicked Witch is dead! Don't worry, we will cover it in full next week. So on with our regularly scheduled program. How’s everybody doing? Of course we’re still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club for the foreseeable future, so there’s that. I mean look at this backdrop! It’s so blue!!! But some good news – we are just two weeks away from our annual scourge of stupidity – the 2021 Stupidest State! Yay!! Do we have time for the thing? Anyways I think we’ve all been on Zoom too long don’t you think? I mean I am seriously getting a serious case of eye strain. My eyes literally can’t take anymore staring at a computer screen. And I’m sure that’s what happened when a lawyer in Presidio County, Texas turned on his Zoom to attend a hearing, only to find that his chat filter had been replaced with… a cat filter! That’s right – there’s a picture of the judge, two attorneys… and the third guy is pictured as a talking cat! Yes, think of this as a really fucked up version of the Brady Bunch intro. Except one of the Bradys is a cat! I’m looking at you, Marcia! Oh and if you guess that the guy – whose real name is Rod Ponton, which is a very West Texas name, is selling merchandise – you are correct! That’s right you can now buy Zoom Cat merchandise, and really in the grand scheme of things this is more believable than Ted Cruz unable to analyze reality from satire! OK that’s enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to, but first John Oliver is back and discussing the Next Pandemic. Dear god I don’t want to think about it!



So in the number one slot this week, of course is the former president of the United States, Donald Trump (1) and we have to bring you the highlights and lowlight of his second impeachment trial. Yeah it’s all BLM and Antifa’s faults! Taking the second slot this week is Jacob Chansley (2). You might know him better as the Q Anon Shaman from the Capitol Riots (2). And if you guessed that his arrest has forced him to revaluate his life, you might be correct! Taking the #3 slot this week is another dip into the international Conservative Idiots file with our segment “What’s Up With India?” and we’re going to take a look at the farmer’s revolt against brutal PM Narajendra Modi (3), it’s another look at the creeping fascism that is engulfing the globe at the moment! In slot #4 this week is Q Anon (4) – it seems the conspiracy theory is unraveling at the seems and they keep moving back the goal posts to when Trump’s “real” inauguration is going to be. In the #5 slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates, and this week we’re going to take a look at an alarming FDA study that says that your baby food might be toxic! Yup that is happening. In the #6 slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6), and this week – the Christian right is turning up their propaganda to 11 and they’re coming up with some ridiculous prophecies in regards to current events, and our resident pastor will help you sort fact from fiction! In the #7 slot this week we’re bringing back one of our favorite segments – “Is It Racist?” (7) and this week there’s a lot of racism in the news including (former) Mandalorian star Gina Carano and country star Morgan Wallen. In the #8 slot this week we have a new “This Fucking Guy” and this week we’re profiling Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey (8) and whew, this guy is a colossal dick, but you probably already knew that! In the #9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is a new “I Need A Drink” and this week we’re going to get drunk and tell you the strange tail of the Gorilla Glue Girl, well, at least it has a happy ending. No, not that kind of happy ending! Finally this week is our penultimate “Road To The White House” (10) and this week we’re going to educate Trump fans on what a president really does, and that he doesn’t need to congratulate himself every time he does something presidential! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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Hey! I’m just going to rile up my armed followers to enter the Capitol to stop an election that was already decided based on deranged conspiracies being floated about by my most loyal fans! How’s anyone gonna get hurt?





You know last week when we started planning this week’s edition. And it really looked like there was actually a slight possibility that Trump could get acquitted! And the keyword there is “slight”. Yeah I know that there’s no way in hell he would have actually been convicted for the Capitol Riots, but a man can dream can’t he? And I will admit that I had a totally different idea planned for this entry but then the trial went out and fizzled out on its’ own and we’re left with a “not guilty” verdict. And yeah don’t worry, Mitch, we haven’t forgot about you, you coward! And for god sakes people! Let’s get a grip here, Trump may have been acquitted! But he’ll never be pardoned!

When you read the Constitution and the Federalist Papers, you can see how clearly the Founders understood a single moral maxim—power corrupts. Having just thrown off the yolk of a king they could not elect and a parliament they did not select, they were keenly concerned that no single person could dominate the new American government.

Their solution was of course the checks and balances that we’re taught in high school civics. Presidents can veto Congress. The House and Senate can override vetoes. Courts can invalidate unconstitutional legislation. Each branch has only the powers granted it in the Constitution. Critically, however, the branches were not “co-equal.” Each could check the other, but at the end of the day, Congress—the branch closest to the people—was supreme.

Think about it. Not only can Congress override vetoes, it has the sole power of the purse (thus it can fund or defund any operation of government), through impeachment and conviction it can fire a president or any member of the Supreme Court, and it has the sole power to declare war. But if Trump’s presidency taught us anything, it’s that Congress is neutered. It’s neutered by its own long, voluntary legal decline and by increasing partisanship.

And so, now, one single person can dominate American government. And when that single person has the moral character of a man like Donald Trump, he can place immense strains on the American republic.
https://time.com/5939806/donald-trump-impeachment-acquittal-democracy/




Dude, seriously, Trump could have Charlie as his attorney and he’d still probably get the same outcome of that trial! But hey, at least the guy who did serve as Trump’s attorney, provided some comic relief from the proceedings. I’m sure everyone was as nervous as I was, but hey we kind of expected this going into the trial. But that said, it’s always sunny in Philly-Delphia! Seriously, where are Frank, Mac, Dennis, and Charlie when you need them?

Philadelphia attorney Michael T. van der Veen has taken a starring role in Donald Trump’s impeachment defense over the last two days — but he’s also incurred backlash.

Vandals smashed windows and spray-painted “TRAITOR” on the driveway of his suburban Philadelphia home Friday night, after he spent hours on the Senate floor hurling partisan invective and testily condemning the former president’s second impeachment trial as “constitutional cancel culture.”

A group of demonstrators with the group Refuse Fascism gathered outside his Center City law office chanting, “When van der Veen lies, what do you do? Convict. Convict.”

And when he returned to the Senate podium Saturday for a debate over whether witnesses would be called to testify about Trump’s mindset during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, his suggestion that he would seek to depose at least 100 people at his office drew audible, bipartisan guffaws from the room — and set the internet ablaze.

“None of these depositions should be done by Zoom,” he said. “These depositions should be done in person, in my office in Philly-delphia.”
https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/michael-van-der-veen-trump-phillydelphia-vandalism-20210213.html




Poor choice of words there, Charlie. Though I think Trump might be into that sort of thing. Yeah it’s a really shitty situation and you could say that the Dems were walking into a trap, and I might say that you’re right. But the truth is that Trump needs to be punished for what happened on Jan. 6th, it’s not like we can pretend it didn’t happen. But the good news is that his defeat in 2020 has exposed new light on the circular firing squad that is the GOP.

Donald Trump's acquittal in the Senate's impeachment trial -- and the backlash now facing Republicans who voted to convict him -- have exposed the deepening rift within the GOP over whether to continue to fully embrace the former President or seek to move past his divisive brand of politics.

The immediate aftermath of Trump's trial has underscored just how difficult it will be for the GOP to break from Trump as the party charts its path forward. The round of recriminations over Trump has Republicans who are tasked with winning back the House and Senate in the 2022 midterm elections concerned it could distract from the party's ability to focus on defeating Democrats and regaining power in Washington.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is vowing to focus on electability over loyalty to Trump as the party faces a slate of races to control the Senate in the states where the margins between Trump and President Joe Biden had been closest.

But Republican senators who voted to convict Trump are now facing censures from local and state parties that so far have not tolerated any criticism of the former President, now nearly four weeks removed from office. Those reprisals are an illustration of how the party is currently fashioned around a single leader -- and illustrate the difficulty Republican candidates will face in retaining the support of a Trump-adoring GOP base while appealing to a broader electorate with whom Trump is unpopular.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/15/politics/republican-party-trump-midterms/index.html




Well it could always pan out that way! But when you’re the head of a mob, don’t be surprised when you get compared to other mobsters. Yeah I wanted to bring highlights from the trial, but since there really wasn’t a trial, I can bring you this. at least Trump is being compared to being the mob boss that he is, rather than previous presidents. John Gotti may have earned the nickname “Teflon Don” but I think Trump could easily secure that title!

Former President Donald Trump’s acquittal in his second impeachment trial has earned him a new nickname from the folks on Twitter.

On Saturday, “Teflon Don” began trending on the social media platform with spectators comparing the 74-year-old to former mafia boss John Gotti. Teflon is a chemical used for a variety of purposes, including creating nonstick surfaces, according to Healthline.

Gotti was nicknamed Teflon Don because of his past of avoiding convictions throughout the 1980s in which prosecutors struggled to get charges to stick, History reports.

Meanwhile, Trump has received the nickname after being charged with inciting the insurrection on the Capitol on Jan. 8 and being acquitted on a technicality. The verdict left people in the Twitterverse outraged.

“This was a big waste of money and time his name might as well be Teflon Don. he's as dirty and as guilty as they come but yet he's still going to get away with it because some fast-talking lawyers and some very racist crooked Republicans decided not to find him guilty. Disgusting,” one person wrote.
https://www.ibtimes.com/trump-compared-teflon-don-john-gotti-after-being-acquitted-impeachment-trial-3144927





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OK so you know how many of us usually have that stream of conscious that when you do something that is really fucked up, it causes you to rethink your life choices? For many who were involved in the horrific events of January 6th, that decision was when they decided to enter the Capitol. And now many of them regret following the pied piper that is our former president. Donald J. Trump. These people are such died in the wool Trump fans that if he instructed his followers to go jump off a cliff, they’d be fighting each other over who would be first in line. Damn I’ve been to concerts where the headliner didn’t have that kind of fanfare. Remember those? Yeah. Well for our friend the Q Anon Shaman, aka Jacob Chansley, is certainly showing signs of regret.

Jacob Chansley, the "QAnon Shaman," regrets his involvement in the Capitol Riot that occurred on January 6, he said in a statement his St. Louis-based attorney released Monday.

Chansley is facing charges for his alleged role in the Capitol Riot. In a statement released by attorney Al Watkins, Chansley says he takes responsibility for his actions.

“My time in jail has permitted me to start to reanalyze my life. I am deeply committed to ahimsa, a basic principle of non-violence which applies all living creatures, large and small. There was a lot that happened over time which led up to January 6, 2021. I am working on coming to grips with that.

I am deeply disappointed in former President Trump. He was not honorable. He let a lot of peaceful people down. I have to leave judging him up to other people. It is my aim to focus on what is important at this time. What is important is for me to apologize.

Read more: https://www.kmov.com/news/qanon-shaman-regrets-capitol-riot-says-president-trump-was-not-honorable/article_5577a5ca-6a84-11eb-8c1f-df7eac09a7b2.html




Oh sure it's all fun and games until your man crush commences a violent insurrection that gets 5 people killed and cops beaten to death with their own flag. But hey, you do you! I mean come on, don’t squeeze the Shaman! Hey that’s a double reference too! I mean seriously? Peaceful? Who is he kidding? You don't bring pipe bombs, zip lines, AR-15s, and hand axes to a rally unless you're looking to start some shit. But here’s the kind of scrutiny this guy is facing – well none because he’s apparently getting special treatment in prison. Yeah fuck this bullshit.

As trays with bologna sandwiches and canned fruit are being served to millions of people in America's prisons and jails, US Capitol rioter and so-called "QAnon Shaman" Jacob Chansley is only eating organic food while he awaits trial.

Last week, a federal judge ordered that Chansley should be given organic food after several requests and an apparent hunger strike, claiming non-organic food was against his religion and sickened him. Chansley's demand and the subsequent judge's decision exuded privilege in a system that has a reputation of serving inmates bland and sometimes unsafe meals, advocates say.

"The fact that this man is given this kind of preference shows the double standard in the criminal justice system, and in the detention system," said Rev. Al Sharpton, an iconic civil rights activist and founder of the National Action Network.

Chansley, the man seen in photos dressed in horns, fur headdress and face paint inside the US Capitol during the January 6 riot, was first detained at the Federal Correctional Institution Phoenix in Arizona, where he had been fed organic food, according to court documents. When Chansley was moved to the nation's capital to face his charges, the DC Jail denied his request to eat only organic food because the jail's contracted food providers did not offer those type of meals.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/08/us/prison-meals-qanon-shaman-organic-food/index.html




Yeah maybe healthy eating is at least a good thing? So what kind of charges is our good friend, Mr. Shaman facing? Well besides inciting a riot, there’s new evidence that our good friend was spotted at the Capitol screaming about how Trump is still the president. I mean my god how stupid and insane can these people get? This is what happens when you court gullible people into becoming even more gullible is that they believe this shit!

St. Louis attorney Al Watkins is speaking out after his 'QAnon Shaman’ client, who was seen in viral photos storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, did not receive a pardon during President Donald Trump’s final hours in office.

Jake Angeli, whose legal name is Jacob Anthony Chansley, has been charged with civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, demonstrating in a Capitol building, entering a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

One of Watkins’ first statements when he began representing Chansley, who is known for his painted face and horned hat, was that his client "accepted President Trump's invitation to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol." The attorney has said the 33-year-old did not participate in the violence and surrendered peacefully.

“My client had heard the oft-repeated words of President Trump,” Watkins said last week. “The words and invitation of a president are supposed to mean something. Given the peaceful and compliant fashion in which Mr. Chansley comported himself, it would be appropriate and honorable for the president to pardon Mr. Chansley and other like-minded, peaceful individuals who accepted the president’s invitation with honorable intentions.”
https://www.kmov.com/news/qanon-shaman-attorney-speaks-out-on-pardon-snub-would-have-been-the-honorable-thing-to/article_fb2cb6fc-5b36-11eb-a63a-1bc14a00c135.html




Wait – he really thought Trump was going to pardon him for this? He must be smoking some bad covfefe there! Did Mr. Shaman hire Lin Wood as his attorney? It seems like these guys are all connected somehow, that’s what happens when you join a cult. But at least he’s showing regret for these actions, that’s a start, I guess? The thing is it’s going to take out years and maybe even decades to sort out what went down on January 6th, but if enough people turn, we might get some results before then!

An Arizona man who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol while sporting face paint, no shirt and a furry hat with horns now says he regrets storming the building, apologized for causing fear in others and expressed disappointment with former President Donald Trump.

In a statement released late Monday through his attorney, Jacob Chansley said he has re-evaluated his life since being jailed for over a month on charges stemming from the riot and now realizes he shouldn’t have entered the Capitol building. Chansley, who previously said Trump inspired him to be in Washington on Jan. 6, said Trump “let a lot of peaceful people down.”

Chansley said he’s coming to terms with the events leading up to the riot and asked people to “be patient with me and other peaceful people who, like me, are having a very difficult time piecing together all that happened to us, around us, and by us. We are good people who care deeply about our country.”

Chansley’s attorney, Al Watkins, released the statement about a half day before Trump’s impeachment trial was scheduled to begin in the U.S. Senate.
https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/us_world_news/qanon-shaman-apologizes-from-his-jail-cell-for-storming-us-capitol/article_ba74b962-10b0-5f2a-af42-3614827a8750.html





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[font size="8"]India Farmer’s Revolt

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Our continuing policy here at the Top 10 Conservative Idiots is that we recognize that conservative idiocy isn’t just limited to being a state, local, or even uniquely American problem anymore. It’s a global problem with conservative idiocy now reaching most of the world. With that said we’re going to take a look at the world’s largest subcontinent with the world’s largest population, India. Since the election of Narajendra Modi in 2019, the people of India are growing increasingly concerned that he’s ruling with an autocratic iron fist, similar to what we experienced here with Donald Trump. So here’s why the farmers are revolting. It’s another example of “Do as I say, not do as I do”. Because Modi is saying one thing but the truth… is far more horrifying.

Narendra Modi, India’s Hindu nationalist prime minister, has probably never read Lord Hailsham. But maybe he should. The former lord chancellor’s 1976 BBC lecture contains perhaps the most penetrating assessment of parliamentary democracy, of which India is its largest version. Lord Hailsham’s argument carries a constitutional lesson at an opportune moment for Mr Modi. The Conservative peer warned that Britain risked becoming an “elective dictatorship”. A government’s parliamentary majority is merely tempered by political realities and MPs’ consciences. “Only a revolution, bloody or peacefully contrived, can put an end to the situation,” he said.

Mr Modi swept to victory in elections in 2019. The once‑mighty Congress party almost disappeared. No rival party gained enough seats to have its chief named leader of the opposition. The judiciary has been cowed by Mr Modi. It is no laughing matter when Indian Muslim comedians are jailed for jokes that they have not made. Mr Modi has an autocratic style. He takes decisions without forewarning and expects them to be rubber‑stamped by a pliant legislature. Last summer, Mr Modi enacted major farm laws that threaten the livelihoods of two-thirds of India’s 1.3 billion people without discussion, during the Covid lockdown of parliament. What followed was arguably the largest general strike in history and weeks of unrest. Unless there is a climbdown, farmers will bring the capital to a halt this week, when Mr Modi hopes to be taking the military salute on the country’s Republic Day.

India’s prime minister says that the reforms will benefit farmers. Agriculture needs updating not least because it is fast-depleting the country’s water tables. But Mr Modi blocked parliamentary scrutiny and prevented farmers from raising objections via lawmakers. The supreme court has stepped in, but judges were no honest brokers, setting up a committee to investigate the issue that was dominated by pro-Modi voices.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/24/the-guardian-view-on-indias-farming-revolt-a-bitter-harvest




Yeah so that’s just the Art Of The Deal. See we give Trump a lot of shit but really he’s just another piece of the fascist global puzzle that’s being put together. See? People don’t want a fair and free democratic ruler who cares about people! They want the opposite of that, they want what Loki attempted to accomplish in the Avengers! Ah if only Loki knew what people were talking about on Facebook, he could easily exploit that!

Tens of thousands of farmers drove a convoy of tractors into the Indian capital as the nation celebrated Republic Day on Tuesday in the backdrop of agricultural protests that have grown into a rebellion and rattled the government.

The capital’s roads were swarmed by rows upon rows of tractors bearing flags of India and farm unions. Farmers, wearing distinctive colorful turbans, shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and what they call his “black laws.” Thousands more marched on foot while dancing and singing, and at one place they were showered with flower petals by residents, some of whom recorded the unprecedented rally on their phones.

“We want to show Modi our strength,” said Satpal Singh, a farmer who marched into the capital on a tractor along with his family of five. “We will not surrender.”

Police in riot gear used tear gas and water cannon at two places to push back the protesters who tried to knock down barricades. Authorities also parked large trucks to barricade multiple routes so that farmers don’t march to the interiors of the capital.
https://time.com/5933366/india-republic-day-protests-farmers/




Sorry, Loki, not doing that today! Where is Captain America when you need him? But sure it’s all fun and games until the riot police are called! So why don’t we hear from the man himself? Where does Modi stand on this whole situation? Well if you guessed that he’s blaming the farmers for their own revolt, you might be right! Hey the guy who robbed that bank was actually a bank employee! That might have worked in the Dark Knight but it doesn’t work in real life!

India's prime minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that protesters who stormed New Delhi's historic Red Fort had caused "insult" to the country, his first public comments on a months-long farmers' revolt that turned violent last week.

Tens of thousands of farmers have camped on the outskirts of the capital for more than two months, protesting against new agricultural laws they say benefit private buyers at the expense of growers.

A tractor parade on Tuesday's Republic Day turned violent when some protesters deviated from pre-agreed routes, clashing with police and breaking into the Red Fort complex. One died and hundreds were injured.

"The country was saddened by the insult to the Tricolor [Indian flag] on the 26 of January in Delhi," Mr Modi said in a radio address.

"The government is committed to modernising agriculture and is also taking many steps in that direction."
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/india-farmer-protests-modi-b1795358.html




Yeah that’s a great idea! Why don’t we just ask Texas how well that’s going! What? Too soon! Oh don’t worry we will cover that next week. And you know what, India? Take it from us! We had to put up with 4 years of Trump. If we can handle him, you can handle Modi! But just like the Trump administration, the more this pans out, the weirder and stranger it gets. We’ll keep an eye on this situation for future editions. But let’s just say for now, shit is getting real!

Media organizations across India and internationally have denounced the latest attack on press freedom in the country following a raid on the office of Newsclick, a progressive online news portal based in the capital New Delhi. The raid began at 10 am on February 9, and is still ongoing at the time of this publication. Newsclick has stood out in recent months for its consistent reporting on the ongoing farmers struggle against the pro-corporate farm laws passed by the far-right BJP-led government in India.

The residences of its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, editor Pranjal and human resources head Amit Chakraborty were also raided. According to media reports, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the intelligence agency of the ministry of finance in charge of dealing with economic fraud, raided the media organization and the residences of its stakeholders in connection with a money laundering case.

Dr. Ashok Dhawle, the president of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which is one of the major farmers’ unions involved in the ongoing struggle, joined the dozens of progressive voices condemning the raid. “Newsclick has done excellent objective reporting on the ongoing farmers struggle and on all just and legitimate people’s movements over the last few years,” he wrote. “This is nothing but the BJP central government’s attempt to penalise Newsclick for standing firmly with the fighting people.”
https://www.liberationnews.org/police-in-india-raid-leading-progressive-news-outlet/





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[font size="8"]Q Anon
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Q Anon. You know it’s that thing that makes you never want to speak to the conservatives you know ever again. They are getting nuttier and crazier. Let’s go over things that Q Anon loves. They love talking about a global ring of Satanic pedophiles who practice cannibalism. They also love to talk about Donald Trump taking down that global ring of Satanic pedophiles who practice cannibalism. And the people who are on that list are well, just about everyone who has a D next to their name. But you can imagine, just as with that Q Anon Shaman, since the election of Joe Biden, prominent members of the Q Anon cult are rethinking their life choices. But not Ali Alexander – he’s doubling down and going certifiably batshit fucking crazy. Maybe going for a VP slot in that 2024 Trump campaign that will probably never happen?

Ali Alexander, the lead organizer of the so-called Stop the Steal campaign, has resurfaced after going into hiding following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Streaming on Trovo Wednesday night, Alexander claimed that while he has been licking his wounds, he has been plotting to restart rallies in March, abolish the media, and build a separate society for Trump supporters.

As former President Donald Trump faces an impeachment trial this week for inciting an insurrection with his speech at the Stop the Steal rally the morning of Jan. 6, it appears Alexander has yet to face charges for his role. Alexander rebooted the so-called Stop the Steal campaign the day after Election Day, when Trump’s lead began to slip as mail-in ballots began to be counted. He pushed voter fraud conspiracy theories, embraced QAnon conspiracy theorists and far-right activists in his campaign, claimed to be doing God’s work, and organized three massive rallies in Washington, D.C., that featured the Proud Boys hate group, paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers, and other extremists.

Following Jan. 6, Alexander was booted off most major social media platforms and, as a result, is now streaming on Trovo, a gaming platform that appears to be growing in popularity among far-right actors kicked off other platforms. On Wednesday night, Alexander lamented the “racist, bigoted, anti-Christian, anti-Southern, anti-Republican, anti-conservative, anti-human smear machine” that he says targeted him, and he promised to create chaos. “We’ve got to get back in the driver’s seat,” he added.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/ive-been-plotting-lead-stop-the-steal-organizer-promises-to-restart-rallies-punish-his-enemies-and-build-new-society-for-trump-supporters/




He wants to build his own city? I wouldn’t trust him to build a Sim City! Oh and if you think that Alexander and his “Stop The Steal” rallies are going away any time soon, I’ve got a used car loan at 27% interest to sell you! He really is equal parts used car salesman and televangelist preacher, isn’t he? And if that’s not enough, Q Anon is now floating a batshit crazy new theory that Biden’s inauguration didn’t happen on January 20th. Instead the real inauguration is happening on March 4th – when it used to happen 140 years ago! Can you imagine if we had to wait until March 4th under that administration? Yeah me either!

Law enforcement in Washington D.C. said they are monitoring the potential threat of further violence as followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory eagerly await March 4.

Supporters of the radical movement, listed as an domestic terrorist threat by the FBI, believe that Donald Trump will once again be inaugurated as president next month.

There is no suggestion that the QAnon supporters are planning anything in particular, but both Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department are keen not to have a repeat of the deadly January 6 attack, which conspiracy theorists took part in.

QAnon followers first mentioned the supposed significance of March 4 following Joe Biden's inauguration. The date has since been widely discussed on encrypted messaging service app Telegram.

"Happy President's Day Mr. President! We love you!! Can't wait until March 4th," Telegram user Jennifer wrote on Monday in a QAnon channel with more than 20,000 subscribers. "A beautiful day for the history books and to restore America. It cannot come soon enough."
https://www.newsweek.com/qanon-donald-trump-reinstatement-march-4-dc-police-threats-1569534





Yeah probably! Now you might be wondering just how crazy Q Anon gets! And don’t worry – we’ll get to Rep Adam Kinzinger in a minute. But first let’s talk about how ordinary lives are being turned upside down by how far people go down the Q Anon rabbit hole and got duped. And I’m not even going to point out the irony of their love of references for the 1999 movie “The Matrix”. We could do a whole entry on that, maybe a future Conspiracy Corner!

Former QAnon supporter Ashley Vanderbilt spoke with "The View" about how she got swept up to believe in the conspiracy theory and how she eventually came to reject the fringe movement.

The conspiracy theory is based in part on the unfounded belief that a secret cabal of elites -- including billionaires, Democrats and Hollywood stars -- are running an underground pedophilia ring and that former President Donald Trump is working to bring it to justice.

Once confined to the darkest corners of the internet, QAnon has grown in its number of followers. Vanderbilt, a lifelong Republican from South Carolina and mother to a 4-year-old daughter, last fall joined the millions of Americans who have come to believe in the conspiracy in recent years.

"I was never one that was into politics," Vanderbilt said on "The View" Monday. "I just always voted red. I wanted to be like my family and that's as much as I ever thought into it."

Vanderbilt says she began seeing posts related to the conspiracy theory on TikTok during the heat of Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign when she began liking more Trump-related content.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/qanon-conspiracies-moms-life-made-emotionally-unavailable/story?id=75840525




Now that’s how ordinary people get duped into following a fairy tale. They get enticed, then they follow blindly. And it’s easy to see how people who ordinarily don’t care about politics get roped into believing truly warped bullshit created by crackpots. If you want to see it in its’ full blown spectacle, look no further than Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger – one of the few GOP reps who voted to convict Trump. This letter is completely insane and really shows how depraved Trump supporters really are.

Eleven members of Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger's family sent him a vitriolic letter accusing him of being a member of the "devil's army" in light of his criticism of then-President Donald Trump after the January 6 insurrection, The New York Times reported Monday.

"Oh my, what a disappointment you are to us and to God!" they wrote to the Illinois Republican, according to a copy of the letter obtained by the paper, rebuking his "horrible, rude accusations of President Trump."

"It is now most embarrassing to us that we are related to you," they continued in the letter, which was dated January 8, after Kinzinger called for the 25th Amendment to be used to remove Trump from office. "You have embarrassed the Kinzinger family name!"

Kinzinger was one of 10 Republicans who later joined all House Democrats in voting to impeach Trump last month for "incitement of insurrection" in light of his role in encouraging the riot at the US Capitol.

Kinzinger's office confirmed the letter's authenticity to CNN.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/15/politics/kinzinger-impeachment-family-letter/index.html





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Toxic Baby Food
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



Last week, we brought you the story of Subway’s tuna might not actually be what it seems to be underneath. This week, there’s another type of mislabeled food out there. Is the food your infant is consuming toxic? An alarming joint investigation between Congress and the US Food And Drug Administration is sounding the alarm that there could be poison in your infants’ food. And it’s not just limited to one brand either. That it might be a supply chain problem. Because any brand that uses this particular supply chain might be toxic. Before you buy that food for your baby you might want to read the warnings beforehand.

A congressional investigation has found levels of arsenic, lead and other toxic metals that can harm brain development in many popular baby foods, including organic brands.

In a report released Thursday, a U.S. House Subcommittee said it requested internal data from seven companies, including Walmart, in 2019 after a nonprofit called Healthy Babies Bright Futures published results of testing it did on baby foods.

Four of the companies – Gerber, Beech-Nut, Earth's Best Organics maker Hain Celestial and Happy Family Organics maker Nurture Inc. – shared documents. The subcommittee said Walmart, Sprout Foods and Campbell Soup Co., which makes Plum Organics baby food, didn't cooperate.

Arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury – metals that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers harmful to human health – can remain in the environment for decades from past pesticide and herbicide use, according to Michael Hansen, a senior staff scientist with Consumer Reports.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2021/02/04/baby-food-toxic-heavy-metals-fda-congressional-report/4379474001/




But it isn’t just that they sold toxic baby food. It’s that the manufacturers knew that their products allegedly contained poison and they sold it anyways! That would be like if someone knew their products were going to catch on fire but they were approved for sale. Hey! Why did the Firematic 9000 burn my house down? It only said so on the label! But what will be done? That is the question.

Four leading baby food manufacturers knowingly sold baby food that contained high levels of toxic heavy metals, according to internal company documents included in a congressional investigation released Thursday.

"Dangerous levels of toxic metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury exist in baby foods at levels that exceed what experts and governing bodies say are permissible," said Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, chair of the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, which conducted the investigation, signed by the Democratic members.

Krishnamoorthi said the spreadsheets provided by manufacturers are "shocking" because they show evidence that some baby foods contain hundreds of parts per billion of dangerous metals. "Yet we know that in a lot of cases, we should not have anything more than single digit parts per billion of any of these metals in any of our foods," he told CNN.

Arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury are in the World Health Organization's top 10 chemicals of concern for infants and children.

As natural elements, they are in the soil in which crops are grown and thus can't be avoided. Some crop fields and regions, however, contain more toxic levels than others, partly due to the overuse of metal-containing pesticides and ongoing industrial pollution.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/health/baby-food-heavy-metal-toxins-wellness/index.html




There’s nothing funny about this young baby. So what can be done? Do you blame the companies that sold this or do you blame the supply chain? Well it’s a combination of both. So what do parents need to know about the toxins? And what can they do for their babies if they come across these foods? You can’t just say “don’t purchase them” because if you don’t do the research beforehand, how would you know which is which?

Congressional investigators have found “dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals” in many popular baby food brands, according to a new report released Thursday.

The investigators examined a wide range of rice cereals, purees, puffs and juices from Nurture (which sells Happy Family Organics), Beech-Nut Nutrition, Hain Celestial Group (which sells the Earth’s Best Organics brand) and Gerber. They allege those companies have permitted the sale of foods tainted with arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury.

The investigators also noted they were “greatly concerned” that Walmart, Campbell Soup and Sprout Organic Foods did not cooperate with their inquiries.

All of the baby food manufacturers cited in the report have taken issue with it in some form or another — as well as noting that the Food and Drug Administration does not set federal standards for toxic heavy metals in baby foods.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/report-toxic-metals-baby-food-parents-need-know_l_601d852fc5b66c385ef92b86




Now what’s the FDA response you might ask? Well the targeting against these companies is continuing and it’s not going to be resolved overnight. But you can rest assured that they are dealing with it, because that is what they are supposed to do. Anyways until these products are recalled and replaced with the non-toxic varieties, this is what parents can expect when they purchase food for their infants.

Following a report released nearly two weeks ago about the potential danger posed by toxic heavy metals found in baby foods manufactured by several major companies, FDA has issued a response. The report, “Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury”, was released by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy on February 4. The Subcommittee stated that FDA should require baby food manufacturers to test their finished products for toxic heavy metals and require any toxic heavy metals be reported on food labeling. It also stated that FDA should set maximum levels of toxic heavy metals allowed in baby foods.

“The FDA has been actively working on this issue using a risk-based approach to prioritize and target the agency’s efforts. Consumers should know that FDA scientists routinely monitor levels of toxic elements in baby foods, along with other foods consumed in the country’s diet, through the Total Diet Study,” the agency stated in a CFSAN update. “Further, the FDA also monitors baby food under the FDA’s compliance program for Toxic Elements in Food and Foodware, and Radionuclides in Food and through targeted sampling assignments.”

FDA cited its work in sampling infant rice cereal for arsenic, which it says has resulted in safer products on the market, along with its recent court order to stop a U.S. company from distributing adulterated juice that had potentially harmful levels of inorganic arsenic and patulin (a mycotoxin).

The CFSAN update, however, did not specifically address the companies or baby foods called out in the Subcommittee’s report.
https://foodsafetytech.com/news_article/fda-responds-to-subcommittee-report-on-toxic-metals-in-baby-food/




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates! Good day!




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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual 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 virtual congregation! You know it is so nice not to be run by the crazy, domineering, and EVIL cult of the former President Of The United States. The unholy, ungodly Dark One, a man so disgusting and dishonorable that his name dare not be mentioned in my church whether it’s real or virtual! Now, we are still in a time of a great plague. But we have rid ourselves of at least one virus! Now we just got to rid ourselves of the other! But the sad thing is we won’t be rid of either in the foreseeable future. But after watching my brothers and sisters on the right last week, does everything need to be a sign from GAWD that the Unholy Dark One is still going to be president? I mean seriously guys, lighten up! Not everything is a sign! No! Just no!

Right-wing author, commentator, and Trump cultist Eric Metaxas welcomed “prophetess” Amanda Grace on to his radio program Monday, where Grace declared that the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump is evidence that Trump is still the president.

On “The Eric Metaxas Radio Show,” Grace claimed that it is all part of God’s plan to make it appear as if Joe Biden is president so that everyone will know it was a miracle of God when Trump is put back into office.

“There has been a delay for a reason,” Grace said. “It’s not over, and it’s far from over with what the Lord is going to do with President Trump, what the Lord is going to do to the wicked of this nation, including the media. You know, I prophesied from the Lord in October about the media suffering the biggest crisis they ever had in 2021 for their crimes, so I’m watching for that to unfold.”

“There’s been a delay because I believe God is trying to get people’s eyes on him,” she continued. “He wants all eyes on him right now for the demonstration he’s going to put on. Just like when the Jews were at the Red Sea, and they’re there, and Egypt’s at their back, and it’s all eyes on God because either the Lord is going to do this, or it’s not going to happen. And when they thought there was a dead end, God saw a path through that water. So, God’s ways are much higher when he sees how to make a path when people don’t think there is a way.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/prophetess-amanda-grace-says-trumps-impeachment-trial-is-proof-hes-still-president/




I’m pretty sure that even the good LAWRD JAYSUS is shaking his head at this one! Really, I’m a man of GAWD and I see signs that the LAWRD is everywhere! But I am also holy enough to see that the man who they worship is the DAYMON spawn of SAYTAN himself! That is why his name dare not be spoken in my church! But these people are certifiably insane!

Jeff Jansen, a self-proclaimed “prophet” who leads Global Fire Ministries International in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, appeared on the Elijah Streams YouTube program last Thursday, where he asserted that, contrary to all appearances, Joe Biden is “not our president” and prophesied Donald Trump will be back in the White House by June at the latest.

Jansen was among the various “prophets” who guaranteed that Trump would win the 2020 election and serve a second term. Despite the fact that that obviously didn’t happen, Jansen remains adamant that he will soon be proven accurate.

“He’s not our president,” Jansen declared about Biden. “He is not, nor will he ever be. Everybody knows there was a red tidal wave, there was a Red Sea moment, which is a red tidal wave. And quite frankly, America voted in Donald J. Trump.”

“President Trump is president,” he added. “We will be rejoicing in the streets by March, April, May, June. There’s going to be an amazing turnaround. You just watch what happens. And the world will rejoice. Not just America, the world will rejoice because of this exposure. I’m telling you that’s going to take place. I’m going down with the ship on this. The Lord showed me this.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/prophet-jeff-jansen-says-trump-will-be-back-in-office-by-june/




President Dark One is president? I mean that’s sound logic there! Ooh man, I will sleep much easier at night knowing these raving maniacs are in charge! And no this isn’t anything that GAWD does! I’ve read the Bible, I should know, I am a pastor. But really this is what a cult does. And the fact that they are invoking their insane lust for the military and military order. But there’s nothing about that in the Bible is there? At least not my Bible!

Dave Hayes, a self-declared prophet, Christian author, and leading online QAnon activist who is better known as the “Praying Medic,” has been rather quiet ever since former President Donald Trump left office, likely because none of the bold predictions Hayes made about Trump arresting and executing his political enemies ever came true.

Despite the fact that Trump is now out of office and the QAnon movement is falling apart, Hayes continues to keep the faith, posting a video on Rumble Wednesday in which he predicted that God will soon force the military to remove President Joe Biden from office.

Hayes dismissed a recent video of retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who has long been a hero to QAnon conspiracy theorists, saying that the various conspiracy theories posited by QAnon supporters about plans by the military to reinstate Trump to office are “nonsense” and flatly declaring that “there’s no plan.”

“If the military had a plan to intervene in American politics and Gen. Flynn was aware of it, I guarantee you he wouldn’t tell anybody what he knew publicly for operational security,” Hayes said. “If there is a plan and he knows about it, he couldn’t tell anybody. So there’s no way General Flynn is going to come out and say, ‘Yeah, there’s a plan, the military is going to step in and do all this.’ You’re never going to hear that from Gen. Flynn.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/dave-hayes-says-god-will-compel-the-military-to-remove-biden-from-office/




Except with these kooks, believe in them and they want WAR! They are out for blood and fire and brimstone, because they are that crazy! But this might be the worst thing to come out of the last few weeks. You know those Proud Boys that keep getting arrested because they’ve done stupid things in the name of the Dark One? Well apparently their LAWRD is helping them! Seriously this is insane.

Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio alongside organizer Joe Biggs (Credit: vasilis asvestas / Shutterstock.com)

In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection—a day that saw a mob of Donald Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election—several members of the far-right, neo-fascist hate group known as The Proud Boys were arrested in connection to the Capitol breach.

Faced with criminal charges such as conspiracy, engaging in physical violence, and destruction of government property, the group raised approximately $25,000 to date on GiveSendGo, a self-described “Christian crowdfunding site” that claims to “work together with the body of Christ to make a difference in the world.”

There are currently at least four active crowdfunding campaigns for Proud Boys members on GiveSendGo, including former InfoWars staffer and Proud Boys “organizer” Joe Biggs, Proud Boys Hawaii founder Nicholas Ochs, and Ethan Nordean, the self-described “ Sergeant of Arms” of the Seattle Chapter of the Proud Boys. All were arrested last month in connection to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

“All Patriots are being dragged through the legal system rather than those who truly incited violence and destruction,” read Biggs’ fundraising page.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/the-proud-boys-are-using-a-christian-crowdfunding-site-to-raise-money-for-legal-expenses/




Sigh… you’re the ones who did this guys! You can’t blame anyone but yourselves. I mean holy shit! Hey that’s the name of this segment! Virtual mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Is It Racist
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Hey everyone it’s time to play the hot new game that’s sweeping the nation!



And we always say that if you have to ask, it’s probably racist! And there’s been a lot of racism in the news lately but this week I want to examine the cause and effect of two very similar stories. Behind door #1 is Gina Carano, the Mandalorian “star” who got axed from Lucasfilm for comparing GOP celebrities and politicians getting banned from social media to the holocaust. And what’s behind door #2 you might ask? Why it’s country star Morgan Wallen! Who got caught on tape using the N word! Now here’s where it gets fucked up. In the pre-Trump days if you pulled this said and did this kind of shit, you’d get fired from your job and blacklisted from whatever profession you happen to be in. And I’ll explain the kind of shit conservatives have pulled after we answer the question – my fake audience – “IS IT RACIST?”.

Lucasfilm says Gina Carano is no longer a part of “The Mandalorian” cast after many online called for her firing over a social media post that likened the experience of Jews during the Holocaust to the U.S. political climate.

A spokesperson with the production company said in a statement on Wednesday that Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm with “no plans for her to be in the future.”

“Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable,” the statement read.

Carano fell under heavy criticism after she posted that “Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors…. even by children.”

The actor continued to say, “Because history is edited, most people today don’t realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views?”
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/02/11/gina-carano-fired-from-mandalorian/




First, let me ask the question – IS IT RACIST??? Well yeah it’s fucking racist. Second – oh fuck off, Gina, seriously! Here’s the thing, in the conservative Trump fantasy crazy world, you’re not fired for being a racist douchebag who makes stupid Hitler comparisons. Instead, you’re “cancelled by the out of control media”. And rather than these dipshits get the punishment they deserve they get rewarded. Never mind that Hasbro cancelled Gina’s Mandalorian action figure too. Instead this happens!

Less than two days after Gina Carano was fired by Lucasfilm over “abhorrent” social media posts, Ben Shapiro, the conservative political commentator and co-founder of The Daily Wire, has pledged to make a movie with her.

“Hollywood cancelled Gina Carano for being conservative. That’s bullshit. So we’re fighting back,” Shapiro tweeted on Friday. “Become a DW member today with promo code GINA for 25% off, and join the cultural resistance.”

Lucasfilm fired Carano, who starred in both seasons of Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian,” on Wednesday night after she shared several controversial social media posts on her Instagram story. One of the posts compared contemporary political differences to the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany, and another post made light of masking-wearing mandates amid the coronavirus pandemic. Carano has also drawn controversy by posting misinformation about election fraud and mocking people who specify their gender pronouns.

Carano was also dropped by UTA as a client within hours after her Lucasfilm firing. Many users on Twitter used the hashtag #FireGinaCarano on Wednesday during the social media backlash.
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/gina-carano-ben-shapiro-mandalorian-fired-1234907154/




Seriously? I mean who the fuck actually wants to watch a movie made by the Daily Wire? No thanks, I will just sit here and keep waiting for No Time To Die to be released. Next up – country music! As a rock music fan, I will admit that the Stagecoach and Coachella crowd don’t mix, even though they’re both owned by the same conglomerate. But even the country world has to admit that even the N word is off limits in this day and age – or any day and age. So what happens when you get caught using it?

Country star Morgan Wallen asked fans not to downplay the racist language he was caught saying on camera and said that he accepted the punishments he faced.

TMZ posted a video last week of Wallen saying a racial slur and Wallen apologized at the time. Wallen posted a five-minute Instagram video Wednesday night saying he had let so many people down, including his parents and his son.

“Our actions matter. Our words matter. And I want to encourage anyone that is watching to please learn from my mistake. There’s no reason to downplay what I did,” he said.

He said he was waiting until he could personally apologize to people he had hurt. He said that the video was taken after a three-day “bender,” but he has since gotten sober.
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2021/02/morgan-wallen-tells-fans-not-to-defend-his-racist-language/




So my virtual audience – IS IT RACIST??? Oh extremely! And here’s the thing – if you don’t want to get “cancelled”, how about don’t be a fucking racist? If you were more outraged about someone being canceled then about why they were canceled, then guess what? You’re part of the problem! Oh and also, fuck off with this self-victimization bullshit. I’ve been drunk a lot of times in my life but never not once used the kind of language Wallen did!

Morgan Wallen has faced a week of repercussions after a video released Tuesday showed the singer using a racial slur, but the artist is seeing a spike in album sales and streams.

The video was released Feb. 2 around 9 p.m. ET. In the following days, Wallen's streams and album sales spiked despite major radio players, IHeartMedia and Entercom, announcing his music would be taken out of rotation, according to data by Billboard and Rolling Stone.

Billboard and Rolling Stone's data compares radio airplay to sales and streams of Wallen's music between Tuesday (when the video was released) and the days after.

His radio airplay across U.S. genres fell from 2,100 plays on Feb. 2 to 617 plays by Feb. 3, an approximate 71% drop, according to Billboard.

But Wallen's album sales and streams saw an increase despite the radio declines, Billboard reported.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/02/09/morgan-wallen-racial-slur-music-sales-streams-spike-after-video/4451319001/





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[font size="8"]This Fucking Guy: Dave Ramsey
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This week’s This Fucking Guy is Dave Ramsey. If you’ve never heard the name, that’s probably because you’re not a frequent Fox News viewer. And if you’re here, I would assume that you’re not a regular Fox News viewer! Which means that you’re not a part of the Fox / Q / Trump / evangelical mega cult. Last time I talked about Dave Ramsey, his business was under fire for holding a massive Christmas party in the middle of COVID (see: Top 10 #9-19 ). This week, he’s under fire for saying ridiculously cold-hearted shit about Joe Biden’s planned COVID relief. But here is the thing – of course people like this are going to say stupid shit! But Dave is among the worst of the worst! I can already here you booing.

Radio host and financial advisor Dave Ramsey said he was against another round of stimulus checks and those in need of them were already "screwed" during a Thursday morning appearance on Fox News.

"I don't believe in a stimulus check because if $600 or $1,400 changes your life you were pretty much screwed already," Ramsey said. "You got other issues going on."

Ramsey said those who need the money have problems with their careers, debt, relationships, or their mental health. and said the checks were simply throwing money at the problem or "peeing on a forest fire" but not fixing the issue.

"That's not talking down to folks. I've been bankrupt. I've been broke. I work with people every day who are hurting. I love people. I want people to be lifted up, but this is, again, it is just political rhetoric," he said.
https://news.yahoo.com/radio-host-dave-ramsey-slammed-032059296.html




Yes BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! OK let’s give you a little background on Mr. Ramsey – he runs a company called Ramsey Solutions. And it employs 800 people who claim it’s the best company to work for in America. Oh yeah, they also have a cult like atmosphere with their own radio empire, a fake university, and workshops that charge anywhere from $3K to $10K, and his own plan ironically to get people out of debt!

Dave Ramsey has spent the past three decades trying to build what he calls the best place to work in America.

From his headquarters south of Nashville, the evangelical Christian personal finance guru runs a media and live events empire that includes a popular national talk radio show. Tickets to workshops on topics such as “EntreLeadership” run from $3,000 to $10,000.

Thousands of churches around the country, meanwhile, host Ramsey’s “Financial Peace University,” a 9-week program built around his principles for handling money “God’s way.”

Ramsey’s primary product, he says, is hope, often in short supply when debt mounts up. That’s something Ramsey knows firsthand. When he was in his mid-20s, Ramsey and his wife owed millions after his real estate business failed. Following advice from a church friend, they rebuilt their lives.

The people who have followed his path now make pilgrimages to perform their “Debt Free Scream” on his radio show — celebrating that Ramsey’s methods gave them control of their lives.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2021/01/29/is-dave-ramseys-empire-best-place-work-america/4281535001/




That’s right! Bet you didn’t think I was going to compare him to this guy, didn’t you? And you think you’re so smart! Let’s refer to Mr. Ramsey as “Trump Light”, or “Mini Trump”. Well you got to be smarter than the people who fork over $10K for a “leadership” seminar! See this is why credit lenders exist! But we should never speak ill of the program or our undying love and support of Mr. Ramsey! And remember having Dave’s undying loyalty? Here’s what happens when you have an independent thought!

An email from the human resources department for financial guru Dave Ramsey shows a longtime employee was fired because her husband made disparaging comments about the company’s holiday party.

That employee asked News4 Investigates to conceal her identity as she fears retaliation from the company as she looks for new employment.

News4 Investigates reported in December that a vendor who was contacted about working for the massive company Christmas party filed a complaint with the city of Franklin that vendors were being asked not to wear masks or gloves as not to frighten attendees.

Even before the party, featuring mask-less disco dancing and casino gambling, the former employee said the mentality about masks inside Ramsey’s company was clear.

“It was an odd dynamic. People, I did feel, looked down on for wearing a mask because the running tagline was, ‘We have faith over fear.’ And I think we should have had a healthier respect for the virus and what it does,” the employee told News4 Investigates.
https://www.wsmv.com/news/investigations/fired-dave-ramsey-employee-i-was-fired-after-husband-criticized-mask-less-holiday-party/article_cad60c22-6cae-11eb-a39b-433bde803adb.html




Oh and by the way you want to know what Ramsey is really like behind the scenes? Picture Kevin Spacey’s cringe-worthy performance as Comnidyne president Dave Harken in “Horrible Bosses” – just like Trump, Ramsey does not like people to question their undying loyalty to him. And if you question or double cross him, they will reject you faster than you get outcasted from Scientology. What? Too soon?

Veteran religion reporter Bob Smietana of Religion News Service set out to get comments on allegations of employee dissatisfaction at Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey’s company. What he got in return was a sarcastic email from the company, copied to Ramsey’s 1,000 employees and others, that identified where the reporter lives, his phone number and email and a request to harass him.

“If you are on this email we would ask a favor for Ramsey … would you help us? Bob’s phone number and email are here, and we would ask that you contact him TODAY and tell him all the evil horrible stories you know about us,” the company email said. “Also, he lives in Spring Hill so if you see him out and about, be sure to congratulate him on his virtue. He needs to sell this story to pay his rent and the dirtier your story on us the more we can help him.”

It continued: “When you call please do not be mean; Bob already has a lot of anxiety and we don’t want to add to that. If his phone is overwhelmed or he doesn’t want to hear your story, you should contact Religion News Service and tell them of Bob’s amazing grasp on virtue and truth. You can also tell them of all the people that have been helped by his pursuit of truth throughout the years as we all have followed his ‘career.’ It is time the world knows about Bob and the blessing he has been to so many.”
https://baptistnews.com/article/how-dave-ramsey-responded-to-a-story-about-being-a-bully-by-bullying-the-reporter-who-wrote-it/




That’s Dave Ramsey – a guy who’s equal parts Donald Trump, Zapp Brannagin, and Keith Raniere, this week’s:




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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink: Gorilla Glue Girl
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Hey everyone, I don’t know about you, but I could really use a drink!



So of course you know by now that the purpose of this segment is that we have some drinks and while we are drinking we talk about anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics or COVID because there’s some really dark shit out there right now. Man I miss having a real bartender and a real audience for this one! So tell me virtual bartender, what’s a good drink that goes with a story about Gorilla Glue? A banana daquiri? I think you’re taking this gorilla thing a bit too literally here, don’t you think? So I’m sure those of you who listen to podcasts right now know the bizarre plight of Gorilla Glue Girl – also known as Tessica Brown – and the journey to get here. it’s one of the more bizarre stories of this year and we’re only two months in!

Tessica Brown, the TikTok user who became a viral sensation after opening up about using Gorilla Glue Spray Adhesive instead of traditional hair spray, has found a good cause for the money she raised through a GoFundMe page. Her manager told TMZ she plans to donate more than $20,000 to the Restore Foundation, which provides reconstructive surgery to those in need. Brown, dubbed the "Gorilla Glue Girl" online, no longer needs most of the funds herself after a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon agreed to help her for free.

After the video describing her ordeal went viral, Brown and her sister Juanita Brown launched a GoFundMe page, where they have raised over $23,000 in just seven days from over 1,400 individual donations. She initially planned to use the funds for medical expenses, but surgeon Dr. Michael Obeng offered her help Brown for free. She took him up on the offer and flew from Louisiana to Los Angeles. TMZ cameras caught the procedure, which restored Brown's hair back to normal.

On Saturday, Brown's manager told TMZ she will donate most of the funds to Obeng's Restore Foundation. She hopes to help those who need procedures similar to hers and do not have the same access she did. Brown only plans to keep $1,000 from the GoFundMe to pay for her emergency room visit in Louisiana before she went to Los Angeles and for other travel expenses. According to TMZ, Brown has already made a "small fortune" from selling merchandise related to her ordeal. "With the remainder of the money I will be blessing three local families thanks for all the support love you guys so much thank you," Brown wrote on Instagram Sunday.
https://popculture.com/trending/news/gorilla-glue-girl-tessica-brown-using-20k-gofundme-donations-good-cause/




Oh come on really? This woman has a manager now??? We here at the Top 10 are represented by PJ Foodstuff’s Fantastic Talent Agency and Great American Steakery! Which is why we have that coveted Wednesday at 2:00 PM slot! But here’s the thing – like all horrible things, you know that art begats art, and the Gorilla Glue Girl has certainly inspired her fair share of imitators. Like this guy who stuck a cup to his face to prove this wasn’t real. Come on people, we’re in the middle of a raging pandemic, don’t invent ways to send yourself to the hospital, please!

The bizarre Gorilla Glue craze has claimed a new victim - a Louisiana man who ended up in the hospital after using the powerful adhesive to stick a cup to his face. Len Martin, like millions of people across the world, read about Tessica Brown, who exploded into Internet fame after using Gorilla Glue as hairspray and landing in the hospital after multiple unsuccessful attempts to wash it off. Unlike others, however, Mr Martin refused to believe the story and set out to prove that Ms Brown's claims about the adhesive were exaggerated.

"I thought she was just playing around because I didn't think it was that serious," the 37-year-old aspiring rapper told WKBN.

Mr Martin filmed himself using Gorilla Glue to stick a red Solo Cup to his face in a stunt he is now warning others not to try. In the video, he was heard saying that he believed he could lick the cup right off.

Unfortunately, as you can see from his Instagram post below, things did not go his way. Mr Martin ended up in the hospital after the cup refused to become unstuck.
https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/viral-video-man-sticks-cup-to-face-using-gorilla-glue-ends-up-in-hospital-2370956




Ah don’t hog all the vodka! Save some for me! But here’s the thing – we’ve covered every viral “internet” challenge going all the way back to Tide Pods. Remember when that was the worst way to spend a night in the ER? I miss those times! And like all internet “challenges” – they have their strengths and weaknesses. And they also have their share of experts who weigh in on the medical and legal ramifications should you attempt such a challenge. This is my favorite part!

Rutgers toxicologists are available to discuss the dangers of applying ultra-strong adhesives on hair or skin, following a viral TikTok video about a woman who used Gorilla Glue instead of hair spray to style her hair.

Diane Calello, executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Center and professor at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Bruce Ruck, managing director at the New Jersey Poison Control Center, give insights into the methods emergency room doctors may employ to help remove the product. They caution others to refrain from copying the viral incident as it could be dangerous to their health.

People who accidentally apply ultra-strong glues, also known as Cyanoacrylate glues, to skin, eyes or hair, are generally treated with fat-based ointments like Vaseline, oil or even mayonnaise. These are usually applied for several hours to days, a process that requires patience. It will take a long time to have these remedies work. However, it must be noted that these fat-based remedies should not be directly applied into the eye. These will work for only the eye lashes and the outer areas of the eye.

Ultra-strong glues can cause localized burns or irritations and may destroy hair. In this case there is a concern that the hair itself will need to be cut, to wait for new growth.

It is vitally important to avoid anything that would cause more damage, such as bleach, a perm or hair straightening products. This can be dangerous if used.
https://www.newswise.com/articles/rutgers-experts-available-to-discuss-the-use-of-gorilla-glue-as-hair-spray-its-dangers




Man I miss drinking in front of a live audience! But seriously I would love to be in a room full of lawyers who are all arguing about the legal ramifications of using toxic glue as hair spray. I bet they have some pretty interesting conversations and Google searches! But instead let’s as an actual hair stylist what they think of this insane situation. Moral of the story: don’t use a toxic spray glue as a substitute for hair spray. Just don’t!

Well, we’ve all had bad hair days before but for a New Orleans woman, it was a bad hair month.

It’s a viral video that has many people across the nation talking, but what attracted so many people to Tessica Brown’s video?

It was her decision to use Gorilla Spray Adhesive to keep her hair in place after running out of her regular Got2b Glued Spray, a product normally used for styling or holding hair in place.

“My first initial reaction was ‘Is she serious?’ because that is Gorilla adhesive spray that you bond wood and other metals and stuff to,” said Tara Johnson. “So, I was kinda like she didn’t read the labels?”

Johnson, a sales associate at Buy & Save Hair & Beauty Supply Store, knows a thing or two about hair, especially having worked around hair products for the past eleven years.
https://www.kplctv.com/2021/02/13/local-beauty-store-weighs-gorilla-glue-tiktok/





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[font size="8"]Road To The White House
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Welcome back to our coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *CUE REVERB* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE! Ooh that was some good reverb there! So last week we talked about Biden’s embrace of Black History Month – and not just in a ceremonial tweet. This week we’re going to educate the Trump fans about what a real president does. See – Biden actually gets up before noon and doesn’t spend 8 hours in bed hate watching 15 different channels on 6 monitors while gorging himself stupid on fast food. No, that was the last guy who did that. But you see kids? This is how a real president is supposed to act!

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that President Biden has signed 15 executive actions, part of a flurry of steps he plans to take in the coming days to address his top policy priorities — and to roll back some of former President Donald Trump's initiatives.

White House officials had originally told reporters there would be 17 actions signed, focused on addressing the COVID-19 crisis, the economy, racial justice and climate change.

The signed actions include a mandate for masks on federal property, an action to rejoin the Paris climate accord, a removal of Trump's travel ban affecting Muslim-majority nations, a proclamation halting further funding or construction to the wall along the U.S. southern border, and an order reversing Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization.

"This will strengthen our own efforts to get the pandemic under control by improving global health," Psaki said during her first White House press briefing Wednesday night.
https://www.npr.org/sections/inauguration-day-live-updates/2021/01/20/958630029/heres-what-biden-plans-to-do-in-his-1st-day-as-president




Yes, see? This is what a real president does! Signing executive orders does not require a celebration and a thousand people with cameras photographing you holding up the order as if you were holding up the Lombardi Trophy like you won the Super Bowl! Tom Brady does that, an d nearly throws it in the ocean while wasted, Biden does not. And here’s an example of an executive order that actually does something good!

In his first two weeks in office, President Biden has signed nearly as many executive orders as Franklin Roosevelt signed in his entire first month. And President Roosevelt holds the record.

Adding his signature to three executive orders on immigration Tuesday, Biden has now signed 28 executive orders since taking office. FDR signed 30 in his first month.

"By sheer volume, Biden is going to be the most active president on this front since the 1930s," said Andy Rudalevige, a professor of government at Bowdoin College.

Executive orders are the easiest presidential directives to track over time because they are all numbered and published in the Federal Register. But Biden is using many more levers of executive authority, also signing presidential memoranda, proclamations and letters.

And while the numbers are large, these actions aren't barrier-breaking. They call for the creation of task forces, direct agencies to begin a regulatory process or explore a policy change.

"A lot of what these orders consist of are plans to make plans, in a sense," Rudalevige said. "There's a lot of reviewing, reporting, sort of an urging to rev up that process, but it's not a substitute for the process itself."
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/03/963380189/with-28-executive-orders-signed-president-biden-is-off-to-a-record-start




Yes, daaaaaaaaaaaamn indeed! So why is Biden doing this? Well let’s think of the last guy who we had in charge and how his policies got us into the current mess we’re in. Think of it like Homer and the drinking bird from the Simpsons. You can only push the “Y” button on your keyboard so many times before a catastrophic disaster happens and you have to go back and find out where it went wrong. Don’t worry, we will get to that next week!
President Joe Biden signed three major executive orders Tuesday aimed at reversing former President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration practices.

One executive order will create a task force to reunite children who were separated from their parents under Trump's "zero tolerance" policy, which an administration official called a "moral failing." The task force will be chaired by the homeland security secretary.

"President Trump was so focused on the wall he did nothing to address the root causes of why are people are coming to our southern border — it was a limited, wasteful and naive strategy, and it failed," a senior administration official said. "People continue to migrate to the United States — even today — because of it. President Biden's approach is to deal with immigration comprehensively, fairly and humanely."

After signing the orders in the White House on Tuesday, Biden told reporters he is not creating "new law" but "eliminating bad policy." He did not take questions.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/biden-sign-executive-orders-immigration-including-family-reunification-n1256431




Yeah so unlike Trump, we’re not going to leave a toy bird in charge to do all the work for him while he goes and watches TV and stuffs his face. Oh my god… I just realized something! Trump is the Homer Simpson of presidents! And it only took me 200+ editions and 5 years of doing this thing! At least we have someone who actually reads these things before signing them, and I never since I started doing this thought I would say it, but I think things are going to be OK!

Following an unusual inauguration ceremony, US president Joe Biden got right to work.

In a symbolic move, Biden signed 17 executive actions, ranging from orders to memoranda and directives, that are in line with the promises he’s made to govern differently from his predecessor, Donald Trump.

The flurry of orders—which deal with the pandemic, climate change, and racism—is a testament to how swiftly the new administration wants to reverse Trump’s legacy. It’s also at odds with Biden’s historical instinct of turning to Congress to enact legislation. Politico reports that more progressive Democrats have pushed the newly elected president to use his executive powers to the fullest extent, as Biden might otherwise struggle to enact his agenda with only a slim Congressional majority.

The actions range in importance, but a couple stand out. We’ve outlined them all, and highlighted a few, below.
https://qz.com/1960136/joe-bidens-most-significant-executive-orders/






See you next week!

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February 10, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-3: This One's For All The Haters In The Room Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-3: This One’s For All The Haters In The Room Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? Yeah I know, it’s supposed to get better. We’re still coming at you live from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club and we will be doing that for the foreseeable future at least. Man, I cannot wait to get back on the road! So how about that Super Bowl? I mean… Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Huh there was a game happening? Oh I’m sorry, a game is when two teams are playing. Oh well, at least the winning team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ,won’t have to suffer the embarrassment of going to the White House and having to eat a fast food buffet with the former social media influencer turned president, Donald J. Trump. This time when they are actually able to go to the White House, they will have a real president who will actually present them with some real food and maybe even some beer! Because hey, we all deserve a party when COVID is finally over, am I right about that? Seriously even the commercials sucked this year and was a reminder of the shitty situation that we’re currently stuck in! Yeah I still watched it to spite my racist neighbors who were boycotting it because of the NFL’s support of Black Lives Matter. Yeah congrats to Tom Brady and the Bucs, I guess. OK enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first Bill Maher is back and he spells out what went down at the Capitol Riots and how half of America is completely delusional:



So where do we begin this week? Well in the number one slot this week, we have to talk about what’s happening in Myanmar (1). Yes, the country formerly known as Burma has been undergoing some changes, but recently fell under the spell of a coup. And why are we talking about this now? Because the parallels between the Myanmar military and Q Anon are frighteningly similar. Taking the second slot this week, is Kenosha murderer and Alt Right celebrity Kyle Rittenhouse (2). Yet another douchebag from the Trump era that won’t go away, Kyle is facing murder charges and seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. Yeah it’s quite insane. In the number four slot this week is Robinhood (3), and you haven’t heard the last of the stock trading app, especially since now it literally seems to be at war with its’ own customers. In the number 4 slot this week is Mike Lindell! That’s right – the My Pillow CEO is losing his business left and right, and has hit rock bottom. But he’s got a 3 hour documentary that will once and for all solve the voter fraud problem! Or maybe not. Taking the fifth slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5), and this week, we’re going to take a look at fast food – particularly that of a certain large sandwich chain. Yes – Subway, but is their tuna really tuna? Only one way to find out! Taking the number 6 slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit”, and this week – who’s side is God on when it comes to proving the conservative claim of voter fraud? Well our resident pastor will examine both sides of the argument because it’s insane. And in the #7 slot this week – we have a new “Beating A Dead Horse”. While conservatives and conspiracy theorists love to argue about “cancel culture”, we’ll explain it to them using the latest “victim” of this – Marilyn Manson! And speaking of conspiracy theorists, in the #8 slot this week, is a new edition of Conspiracy Corner (8) - and this week, the Proud Boys are adding military firepower to their ranks and for what reason? They’re going crazy and we need to get to the bottom of this before it’s too late! And in the number 9 (NEIN!!) slot this week, we have a new People Are Dumb, because of course they are! Finally this week, in Road To The White House, we’re going to talk about Joe’s plans to celebrate Black History Month, and his plans to use the Super Bowl to increase vaccine awareness! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]The Myanmar Coup Explained
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We here at the Top 10 Conservative Idiots in Burbank recognize that conservative idiocy isn’t just limited to being a national or even a local problem anymore. No, it’s a global problem and the line between our right wing idiots and right wing idiots all over the world is getting increasingly blurred each and every day. As such, we like to feature the international idiots from time to time. And they’re the same no matter where you go. If you’re in say, Spain, and you see someone who’s a belligerent, raging douchebag, you can almost tell which side of the fence they fall on. Same goes for Italy, or France, or Australia, or Brazil. Let’s take what is happening in Myanmar right now as an example. I could literally spend the entire edition comparing the Myanmar military to Q Anon because their beliefs are the same. But I don’t have that kind of time! So let’s get the rundown on what’s going on. Make no mistake that social media played a huge role in this one!

It is widely said that, in Myanmar, Facebook is the internet, so when the military asked for it to be blocked for the sake of "stability" it sent a shockwave through the country.

As Myanmar's military seized control in a coup on 1 February, many Burmese watched events unfold on Facebook in real-time. It's the primary source of information and news, where businesses operate and how authorities disseminate vital information.

Its ubiquity has meant it plays an outsized role in what information is amplified and its real-world impact.

Up until the mid-2000s most people did not have access to the internet or mobile phones under the military-run government.

A sim card could cost hundreds of dollars with the state-owned telecommunications firm, MPT, so mobile penetration was one of the lowest in the world.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55929654




OK so you know how Q Anon loves to drone on about military tribunals, martial law, public executions and jailing their political opponents? Well we can literally get a preview of what their wildest fantasies would look like being carried out right now in Myanmar! I mean seriously, this one’s for all the haters in the room. No wait, this is Valentine’s Day let’s do that in a sexy voice. No take it down, like Barry White style. This one’s for all the haters in the room! We did it everybody! We made a military coup sound sexy. But it’s anything but sexy. In fact it’s more Platoon and less Love Actually.

Myanmar's junta shut down the internet in the country on Saturday, as thousands took to the streets of Yangon to denounce this week's coup and demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

In the first such demonstration since the generals seized power on Monday, activists chanted, "Military dictator, fail, fail; Democracy, win, win" as bystanders offered them food and water.

Many in the crowd wore red, the color of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) which won Nov. 8 elections in a landslide, a result the generals have refused to recognize claiming fraud.

As the protest swelled and activists issued calls on social media for people to join the march, the country's internet crashed.

Monitoring group NetBlocks Internet Observatory reported a "national-scale internet blackout," saying on Twitter that connectivity had fallen to 54 percent of ordinary levels. Witnesses reported a shutdown of mobile data services and Wi-Fi.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/thousands-protest-myanmar-coup-generals-shut-down-internet-n1256929




Yeah so here’s the thing, Q Anon nuts – the next time you go spouting conspiracy theories about martial law, just think – it will affect you guys as much as it affects us! If a scenario were to arise where the military could cut off the entire internet, it would cut you off too. This really is what Q Anon could look like if their plan to storm the Capitol actually went through! And here’s the bizarre part – the protests were organized through Facebook. And guess what the new government’s first order of business was? That’s right!

Myanmar's military rulers have blocked access to Facebook, days after they overthrew the democratic government.

Officials said the social media platform - for many in Myanmar the main source of online information - would be blocked for the sake of "stability".

Facebook has become a key rallying point for opposition to Monday's coup.

In further civil disobedience, lawmakers are refusing to leave their compound in the capital, and more pot-banging was seen in Yangon.

The coup, led by armed forces chief Min Aung Hlaing, installed an 11-member junta, ending a short period of majority civilian rule.

The military said an election in November had been fraudulent - though the country's election commission said there was no evidence to back up such claims.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55923486




Yeah that’s what it could be like. Look, I know that our long-standing policy here at the Top 10 is not to make fun of anything that’s truly horrifying. But the reason why we’re talking about this is because this is everything that Q Anon fans salivate about - think of the worst thing to happen in a Stephen King horror novel and then watch it come to life. The parallels are frightening. We stopped them here, but if what happened in Myanmar actually happened here, it would be catastrophic. Yes I’m paranoid about this but knowing Q nuts in real life, you can see how batshit their fantasies go, and how any scenario can play out like this. We’ll keep an eye on this situation. But for now let’s say it can’t happen here, and thank god for that.

Myanmar's military defended its actions and enacted new restrictions on Monday, exactly one week after it seized control of the government and on the third consecutive day of anti-coup protests that have intensified across the country.

In his first televised address since the takeover, Min Aung Hlaing, a career military officer who is commander in chief of Myanmar's armed forces, repeated claims of fraud in November's election, and said the military will hold new elections and transfer power to the winner. He did not specify when those elections would take place, though the military had previously declared a year-long state of emergency.

The military has imposed a slew of restrictions on gatherings and activities in the country's largest cities of Yangon and Mandalay, effective Monday until further notice.

Those include an 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew, as well as a ban on motorized processions and gatherings of more than five people. They are effective on a township-by-township basis.

In his address, Min Aung Hlaing said an electoral commission did not properly investigate irregularities over voter lists or allow fair campaigning, according to the BBC, which notes that the commission did not find evidence to support claims of widespread fraud. He also promised that a reformed commission would oversee another election, and spoke of achieving a "true and disciplined democracy."
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/08/965413876/myanmar-coup-military-defends-takeover-and-enacts-curfew-as-protests-intensify





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[font size="8"]Kyle Rittenhouse
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I’ve seriously tried to put a moratorium on talking about this douchebag. I don’t want any part of making him famous because he’s basically George Zimmerman, version 2.0. Yes, you remember that fuck face who became an Alt Right celebrity after murdering an unarmed teenager in a dark alleyway. Well, the next evolution of George Zimmerman is Kyle Rittenhouse. You remember him as the teenager who borrowed an AR-15 and drove across state lines to murder two protestors who were protesting the murder of George Floyd in Wisconsin. And this would be a perfect use of the “How it started / how’s it going” meme. Because it started off well. About as well as it could have for a wannabe teenage mass murderer. And then things went horribly, horribly south as you could predict.

John M. Pierce, a California lawyer who has employed war-like rhetoric in his advocacy and fundraising for Kyle Rittenhouse -- the 17-year-old accused of killing two men and wounding another during a night of unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin -- filed a motion to withdraw from Rittenhouse's criminal case, just hours after prosecutors alleged in a court filing Thursday that Pierce's reported financial problems raised ethical concerns and a potential conflict of interest.

"So that it does not take Kyle's supporters by surprise, effective immediately I am taking over all civil matters for Kyle including his future defamation claims," Pierce wrote on Twitter Thursday afternoon. "I will also be orchestrating all fundraising for defense costs. The terrific Mark Richards [a local criminal defense attorney] will proceed in Wisconsin."

Kenosha County prosecutor Thomas Binger on Thursday morning took the highly unusual step of advocating against Pierce's request for admission to the criminal case, a procedural measure required of out-of-state lawyers that would typically be granted without objection.

But Binger filled six and a half pages with unsparing criticism of Pierce, citing numerous public statements by Pierce that Binger claimed could "materially prejudic[e]" the case, along with reports of the collapse of Pierce's law firm earlier this year "under a cloud of debt," and several lawsuits alleging Pierce defaulted on hundreds of thousands of dollars in business and personal loans.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/controversial-attorney-withdraws-kyle-rittenhouse-criminal-case-launches/story?id=74545504




Yeah and Kyle Rittenhouse is sort of a racist and a murderer. Now here’s the fun part because you can pretty much see where this is going. And it’s not going what one would call “particularly well”. And by the way, did you know that the Proud Boys have a theme song? Yes they do, and I curse them for making me look this up, but it was a rejected song from Disney’s Aladdin called “Proud Of Our Boy”, and Gavin McInnes adopted that as the official group song. So yeah that and also white power.

During Kyle Rittenhouse’s recent visit to a Racine County tavern, he drank beer, flashed white power signs while posing for photos, and was serenaded with the Proud Boys anthem, according to documents filed by prosecutors Wednesday.

Shortly after he formally entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment on Jan. 5, Rittenhouse spent about two hours at Pudgy’s Pub with his mother and several other people. A photo of Rittenhouse in the bar, wearing a T-shirt that said “Free as [expletive],” was widely shared on social media last week, outraging some in the community. Mount Pleasant Police visited the bar after a complaint, obtaining security video that confirmed Rittenhouse had been in the bar.

Police found Rittenhouse did not violate the conditions of his $2 million bond — state law allows people who are underage to drink if accompanied by a parent or guardian. But they did forward the video on to prosecutors.

Kenosha County prosecutors are now seeking to modify Rittenhouse’s bond, asking the court to order that Rittenhouse should not possess or consume alcohol, that he be restricted from associating with known militia members or known members of white power or white supremacist organizations, and that he be prohibited from publicly displaying symbols and gestures associated with violent white supremacist groups.
https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/rittenhouse-allegedly-flashed-white-power-signs-serenaded-with-proud-boys-anthem-during-bar-visit/article_3a44c023-cd01-507a-a770-c6e51ab1ebc3.html




Yeah but that doesn’t really apply here. But let’s check in now with how is it going? Well, he’s gone AWOL after being serenaded at a bar with singing racists who flash white power signs. Yeah this dude is 18 and in the last year, during a raging pandemic, he’s had more adventures than I have. But seriously, this is kind of turning into a really, really fucked up version of Smokey & The Bandit.

Since his release from jail, Kyle Rittenhouse has flaunted his freedom. Last month, ABC affiliate WISN12 reported that Rittenhouse was seen at a bar wearing a shirt that read “Free As Fuck.” He allegedly flashed a white power hand signs, took photos with fans, and sang Proud Boy anthems.

Now, the Illinois teen charged with shooting three protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year seems to be MIA. According to NBC affiliate TMJ4 in Milwaukee, an investigation conducted by the Kenosha Police Department determined that Rittenhouse hasn’t lived at the address listed to the court for over a month.

Prosecutors argue that Rittenhouse violated his bond because he failed to update his address with 48 hours of his move, and that the Court is therefore unable to properly monitor Rittenhouse’s whereabouts. They’re also urging the Court to issue a warrant for his arrest and increase his bond by $200,000 so that he can take this whole you-allegedly-murdered-people-and-might-spend-the-rest-of-your-life-in-jail thing a little more seriously.

Rittenhouse has been out of jail since posting $2 million bond with money raised by supporters. These supporters flocked to him after he was rendered into a right-wing boy wonder for playing wannabe minute man during a protest responding to the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha back in August. Rittenhouse claimed he was in Kenosha to protect businesses from rioters. He allegedly shot three people, killing two, before fleeing the scene and running home to Antioch, Illinois, just across the state border. He was arrested the next day and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. Rittenhouse pled not guilty.
https://theslot.jezebel.com/um-how-did-wisconsin-lose-track-of-alleged-killer-kyle-1846193106




Shit, if I were Kyle Rittenhouse’s attorney I’d be drunk too. Oh no wait, I would actually pray to be fired because there’s nothing you can do to defend this douchebag. I mean this case is so toxic that it’s almost impossible to begin to find any moral ground. And it’s a perfect example of what happens when you make terrible people famous. That’s exactly what the Trump administration has done – they make terrible people famous. Trump attracts sick and depraved minds, and Kyle Rittenhouse is no exception, no wonder he’s loved by racists everywhere.

An 18-year-old from Illinois who’s accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a police brutality protest in Wisconsin last summer fired a California attorney who had been soliciting money for his case.

John Pierce, a Los Angeles lawyer, had been at the forefront of Kyle Rittenhouse’s defense, helping raise money from conservatives to post Rittenhouse’s $2 million bail in November. He also hired attorney Mark Richards to handle proceedings in Wisconsin.

Rittenhouse, who is white and was 17 at the time, is accused of shooting three people in Kenosha in August as hundreds were protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man. Rittenhouse, who had come to Kenosha from his home in nearby Antioch, Illinois, has argued they attacked him and he fired in self-defense.

Pierce removed himself from Rittenhouse’s criminal case in December after prosecutors alleged he has “significant financial difficulties” and shouldn’t be allowed to raise money for Rittenhouse. He remained Rittenhouse’s attorney on civil matters
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/05/kyle-rittenhouse-fires-attorney-who-helped-raise-his-bail/





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[font size="8"]Robinhood
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I will admit that I know next to nothing about how the stock market works. But I will say that the clusterfuck that has arisen between Robinhood, Reddit day traders, and billionaire hedge fund managers has been one of the most entertaining thing to come out of late 2020 – early 2021. Because we’re still in a raging pandemic and we don’t know when actual entertainment will return. I hope soon! Last week we brought you the fact that they’re screwing over their customers, and Google and Apple both seem to be looking the other way. So why does Robinhood seem to hate their own customers? Well while we’re talking about the Super Bowl, let’s say for the record that Robinhood had one of the worst ads in Super Bowl history. Like yeah let’s just say “READ THE ROOM, GUYS!!!!”.

Robinhood's Super Bowl ad couldn't have come at a worse time. They're in the midst of a ton of bad press and ran and ad that felt it was made to make people even angrier.

In case you missed the wild saga: Robinhood came under fire after it limited the trades on stocks that Reddit investors targeted to inflate, like AMC and GameStop. This was part of a widespread battle between retail traders and certain hedge funds that had shorted stocks. Robinhood claims they didn't have enough cash to continue trading, making the pricey ad even more controversial.

From the get go, newly popular subreddit r/WallStreetBets was pissed off when Robinhood announced, and debuted, its planned Super Bowl ad. "Fuck Robinhood," posted one commenter as the subreddit floated crowdfunding an (uber expensive) ad of its own. WallStreetBets ended up raising about $30,000 — that's many millions away from from buying a Super Bowl ad — but the contentious atmosphere didn't go away.

To be fair, the ad from Robinhood almost seemed designed to make people angry. The message of the ad is literally "we are all investors" just after it made headlines for denying people the chance to invest. Here's the Robinhood spot that aired toward the end of the big game.
https://mashable.com/article/robinhood-super-bowl-ad-memes-jokes-reactions/




Yeah so you’re already unpopular because you’re telling people not to buy stock in things that you could buy stock from, so you buy ad time to explain that you’re all investors. Yeah read the room guys! Even worse – you know how you try to cancel that subscription service and then you go through customer service hell before you can actually speak to a person to cancel your account? Turns out that Robinhood is guilty of that too!

A U.S. consumer watchdog saw a surge in complaints regarding Robinhood last week, with some clients claiming they were unable to liquidate holdings and move to other brokerage firms.

The Federal Trade Commission received more than 100 Robinhood-related reports from Jan. 24 through Feb. 2, according to the agency. The prior week brought in seven such complaints. Agency data on other firms was not immediately available.

Last week was chaotic for trading platforms as investors piled into GameStop, AMC and other high-flying stocks. Robinhood restricted trading of as many as 50 names due to the volatility, and has since lifted those limits.

The move saw backlash from users and lawmakers who accused Robinhood of market manipulation, and siding with hedge funds managers who shorted those stocks. The start-up said it did not make those decisions based on relationships with market makers, and needed to limit the buy-side so it could meet capital requirements.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/05/ftc-sees-surge-in-robinhood-complaints-as-clients-claim-they-cant-leave-the-app.html




I’m pretty sure the only thing that would make Robinhood worse would be if you call customer service and Michael Scott were on the other line. Just what we need – some bad pop culture references and a that’s what she said joke. Am I right? Oh wait that’s what we do. So why are we talking about Robinhood when this is really just more ways of bashing politicians? Well see that’s where the two worlds intersect – Wall Street and DC, and they have a lot more in common than you might think!

As the financial services industry prepares for congressional scrutiny in the coming weeks following the public outcry related to online broker Robinhood’s decision to restrict trading of GameStop Inc. GME, -18.33% and other stocks, the perception of a cozy relationship between financial regulators and the industry could once again come to the fore.

Of particular interest will be regulators’ lack of action in recent years in reforming market structure issues — including payment for order flow, or the practice of market makers paying stockbrokers to route customer orders to them — as many of the former regulators responsible for such reforms are now working for firms in the industry that engage in and profit from the practice.

“We’ve had festering problems for 12 years now of not addressing, acute, pressing market structure issues,” said James Cox, law professor at Duke University, who specializes in corporate and securities law.

Cox said the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority should have done more in recent years to significantly rein in the practice of payment for order flow and to set new rules about the types of orders market makers and stock exchanges can accept from traders that can give them informational advantages over individual investors.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/robinhood-gamestop-saga-could-put-spotlight-on-dc-wall-street-revolving-door-11612817586




Everything burns! Even the stock market can burn and they are getting burned quite badly with this whole Robinhood debacle. But you know the phrase “risk management” comes to mind and everything Robinhood is doing is what one might consider “risky”. Especially when you’ve planned an IPO and your customers are being pissed off that badly, it could end as badly for them as you might expect!

The Super Bowl ad that Robinhood is airing this weekend doesn’t talk much about stocks, and maybe that’s for the better.

A surge in stock trading by retail investors has put the investing app in the spotlight, and it’s likely to stay there for several months. In the weeks ahead, the company’s CEO, Vlad Tenev, is set to testify before Congress, and after that—perhaps as soon as the second quarter—Robinhood is expected to go public. The initial-public-offering process will probably highlight Robinhood’s huge growth, but also the significant risks it faces in trying to overturn decades of Wall Street norms.

Robinhood, founded in 2013, has risen from plucky start-up to central player in the broker wars, and it’s now an important part of the plumbing of the U.S. financial system. Its basic innovation—commission-free trading—has realigned the industry and helped attract millions of new Americans to stock investing.

Robinhood’s platform became the central battlefield where retail traders took on Wall Street during the GameStop (ticker: GME) frenzy late last month. But the company faltered at a key moment, banning the buying of GameStop, AMC Entertainment (AMC), and several other stocks just as retail investors were rushing in.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/after-the-gamestop-frenzy-robinhood-faces-a-new-set-of-risks-51612573317




Well this might be one of the best things about this story. You know how when an angry mob starts destroying the wrong thing when they don’t know what they’re even angry at anymore? Well guess what happened? The angry mob that was bent on destroying Robinhood, the investing app, wound up taking aim at the wrong Robin Hood! I think they need to refine their Google searches a bit better!

The day Robinhood Markets Inc. brokerage restricted trading in GameStop Corp. , a howl rose among the small-time traders looking to take a swing at Wall Street big shots during the market’s end-of-January frenzy.

The trading folderol caught the attention of Robin Hood enthusiasts in Nottingham, England, where legends swirl of past campaigns to squeeze the rich.

Bob White, at home that day, Jan. 28, was the first to see opportunity. His phone started beeping and wouldn’t let up. As chairman of the World Wide Robin Hood Society—a band of some 10 people—Mr. White handles the group’s Twitter account, @robinhood. Most days, he said, he gets one or two pings.

Furious traders messaged him as the feud between Reddit users and Wall Street blew up, thinking his was the Twitter account of Robinhood, the brokerage, not Robin Hood, the legendary outlaw’s booster group.

“The thing was just going ping, ping, ping, ping,” the 77-year-old author and amateur historian said. “All these messages were just scrolling off the screen, about how they couldn’t trade these stocks.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/robinhood-traders-accidentally-boost-robin-hood-societys-merry-band-11612800522





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[font size="8"]Mike Lindell
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At the end of this week, My Pillow should probably change its’ name to My Bankruptcy. Yes, the sleep manufacturing conglomerate founded by former drug addict turned born again Christian turned batshit hardcore Trump conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell is in some really deep shit. We already reported on how his part in the Capitol Riot caused major department stores to drop his business. So what do you do when that happens? Do you cry into your own product? No! In Mike Lindell’s case he’s so determined to prove that voter fraud existed in the 2020 election that he simply made a 3 hour documentary incorporating every conspiracy theory that’s ever been on Youtube or social media. And it got picked up and aired by OAN. That’s how it started, anyways!

“Absolute Proof,” the so-called “documentary” about election fraud from My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, has been yanked by YouTube.

The two-hour film sees the avid Donald Trump supporter falsely claim that the former president won the 2020 presidential election, repeating a number of debunked election fraud claims in the process. The film was uploaded to multiple platforms, with several sites since YouTube removed it. YouTube said in a statement on Friday that all versions of the film would be taken down.

“Per our presidential election integrity policy, we remove content uploaded after the safe harbor deadline that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election,” a rep for the company told Fast Company. “We removed this video and its reuploads in accordance with this policy.”

The video has also been flagged on Facebook and will have its distribution “reduced” after being rated false by fact-checkers. According to Vice, it has also been removed from Vimeo.

The conservative news network OAN inserted a lengthly disclaimer before airing “Absolute Proof” in an attempt to distance themselves from Lindell. Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic, two of the companies whose technology has been at the center of many of the election fraud claims, have both filed lawsuits targeting proponents of the false assertions in the film.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pillow-ceo-mike-lindell-election-202009712.html




That's right! You saw the documentary before it got pulled from Youtube, now buy the pillows! Use promo code "ABSOLUTELYWORTHLESS" and "OWNTHELIBS" to get 20% off at checkout! Thank you fake audience! I am here all week! But wait there’s more! This might be my favorite part of this and I’ll let the story run before I point out the irony. But this is too damn good not to mention this week.

MyPillow CEO and staunch Donald Trump supporter Mike Lindell, who had been promising for weeks to drop “evidence” backing unfounded claims of election fraud and vote tampering in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, found the effort undermined Friday as the channel on which his quasidocumentary aired took pre-emptive steps to avoid appearing to vouch for its credibility.

Lindell’s three-hour movie, “Absolute Proof,” which he put together over the past two weeks and had claimed would show “100 percent” that China and other countries manipulated votes in President Joe Biden’s favor — there is zero evidence to support such claims, and Biden beat incumbent Trump by more than 7 million votes, 4½ percentage points and 74 votes in the Electoral College — premiered Friday on the right-wing One American News Network, or OAN.

Much to the amusement of many on Twitter TWTR, 3.71%, OAN aired a lengthy disclaimer ahead of “Absolute Proof” advising viewers that “the statements and claims expressed in this program are presented at this time as opinions only and are not intended to be taken or interpreted by the viewer as established facts.”

Early reviews of the footage have noted there is no actual proof provided, only more of the same conspiracy theories and misinformation that Lindell has trafficked in for weeks. Indeed, several viewers shared screenshots of YouTube removing the Lindell movie for violating its terms of service, although some pro-Lindell users of the Alphabet-owned GOOGL, -0.08% GOOG, -0.01% video service have continued to upload “Absolute Proof” to the platform. Alphabet was not immediately available for comment, but a spokesperson reportedly told Vice that the video “violated our presidential election integrity policy.”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/oans-absolute-proof-disclaimer-is-getting-more-buzz-on-twitter-than-mike-lindells-documentary-11612554617




Ooh can we have the Offspring sing it? I think it would be even funnier if they did it, and I know Noodles, he hates Trump! But let’s think about the underlying irony here – OAN is the most pro-Trump TV network around, airing a 3 hour documentary from the most pro-Trump guy not named Donald Trump, with a lengthy disclaimer saying that the views in the documentary are not the views of OAN! See? Even they occasionally have to play by the rules! But this might be my favorite story – My Pillow now has some real competition! Coming from Parkland survivor David Hogg! Yes!

Who's up for a pillow fight?

Parkland, Florida, shooting survivor and gun control advocate David Hogg says he wants to launch his own pillow company to compete with MyPillow, whose CEO, Mike Lindell, has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and has insisted the 2020 election was rigged.

The idea started on Twitter as an apparent joke, when entrepreneur William LeGate asked Hogg, "What if we put MyPillow out of business?"

In a later series of tweets, Hogg, 20, said he and LeGate were serious about starting the pillow company. "The website will be up in a couple weeks we are very much in the early stages right now. But we really are doing this," Hogg wrote.

In a CNN interview, he said that they are hoping to find a union pillow factory to manufacture their product in the USA but "it's very hard."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/02/05/david-hogg-says-hes-launching-mypillow-competitor/4403468001/




You’re supposed to buy the pillows, not destroy them! Well you can destroy My Pillows anyways! But that said, Mike Lindell is soon going to be up shit creek without a paddle. But in case you’re wondering if Mr. Hogg is serious or not, he’s dead serious on taking down My Pillow with a more consumer, environmental, and politically friendly pillow company. I definitely look forward to buying one!

A Parkland High School shooting survivor and gun control advocate may be a new competitor for the MyPillow company.

Twenty-year-old David Hogg is considering whether to launch his own pillow company to compete against the embattled bedding company MyPillow.

The MyPillow company has lost financial value since CEO and founder Mike Lindell showed his unwavering support of former President Donald Trump.

On Thursday Hogg tweeted out, "Mike "The MyPillow Guy" this pillow fight just got very real."

Hogg is taking name suggestions on Twitter, one of them is "Our Pillow."
https://kttc.com/2021/02/05/parkland-survivor-starting-a-rival-company-to-take-on-mypillow/





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Subway Tuna Suit
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



Every 5 or 6 years, there is a major lawsuit against a major fast food company alleging that the “meat” that they sell isn’t exactly real meat. 10 years ago, that lawsuit took on Taco Bell, alleging that the ground beef that they sold wasn’t exactly beef. This time around, the target is the world’s largest sandwich chain, Subway. Subway previously got hit with a lawsuit alleging that their bread contained an ingredient that’s also found in gym mats. But the target of the new lawsuit alleges that Subway’s tuna isn’t real tuna. Which could explain why it’s one of the highest calorie sandwiches you can get on the menu. So what do you get when you actually order a tuna sandwich at Subway? Well, the lawsuit alleges that you could get something that isn’t what you paid for.

A new lawsuit filed against a popular sandwich chain gives new meaning to the term "mystery meat."

Subway, a company known for its footlong subs, is facing claims that its tuna sandwiches and wraps don't actually contain any tuna at all, as first reported by The Washington Post.

The complaint, filed on Jan. 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, names two plaintiffs who allege that they “were tricked into buying food items that wholly lacked the ingredients they reasonably thought they were purchasing.”
Alameda County residents Karen Dhanowa and Nilima Amin are suing Subway for several claims including fraud, intentional misrepresentation and unjust enrichment. According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by TODAY Food, the plaintiffs claim that an independent testing of the sandwich ingredients confirmed that the "products are made from anything but tuna
https://www.today.com/food/subway-s-tuna-sandwiches-don-t-contain-tuna-new-lawsuit-t207346




So how is Subway handling the suit? Well about as well as you might expect. Of course they’re going to come out and say that their tuna salad is actually real tuna. But if you dig deeper their tuna might actually contain chicken. Which would wreak havoc on certain diets. And that’s exactly what the lawsuit is alleging. But let’s take a minute to see what is actually being sued for here.

Alex Brown, an attorney with the Lanier Law Firm who is representing Dhanowa and Amin in the case, said the firm is trying to determine what ingredients are used in Subway's tuna. "We are conducting tests to figure out what it is. The lab tests thus far have only told us what it isn't," he said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch last week.

A spokesperson for the company denied the claims laid out in the lawsuit. "There simply is no truth to the allegations in the complaint that was filed in California," Maggie Truax, director of Global PR, said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch. "Subway delivers 100% cooked tuna to its restaurants, which is mixed with mayonnaise and used in freshly made sandwiches, wraps and salads that are served to and enjoyed by our guests."

According to the company's website, the tuna salad in the chain's sandwiches is made with flaked tuna in brine, mayonnaise and a flavor-protecting additive.

"Unfortunately, this lawsuit is part of a trend in which the named plaintiffs' attorneys have been targeting the food industry in an effort to make a name for themselves in that space," Truax said.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/subway-tuna-lawsuit-promo-code/




At least Krusty Burger would probably use actual fish in their fish sandwiches. So Subway’s tuna isn’t really tuna at all. It’s more of a mixture of chicken and flaked tuna, then doused with mayonnaise. Which probably makes the Krusty fish sandwich a healthier alternative. What’s in the actual lawsuit you might ask? Well using real tuna costs money. And Subway is out to move as many sandwiches as possible, so they might cut corners on their products. Which isn’t really that shocking.

According to the lawsuit, California Subway locations "are deceptively saving substantial sums of money in manufacturing the Products because the fabricated ingredient they use in the place of tuna costs less money." Let's examine that.

A spokesperson for Subway told the Washington Post the tuna in their sandwiches is wild-caught, and the company's website describes it as "flaked," which means it's made up of the leftover pieces from a loin of tuna. Essentially, that's the same stuff you get in a can of Starkist. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the average price of one ton of frozen, wild-caught skipjack—the kind of fish most commonly used in canned tuna—hovered around $1,000 throughout 2020.

Each six-inch Subway tuna sandwich contains no more than 150 grams of tuna, according to nutrition information from Subway. There are 907,185 grams in a ton—enough to make about 6,000 subway tuna sandwiches. At $1,000 a ton, the tuna on each individual Subway sandwich theoretically costs the company about 16 cents.

Perhaps, as the lawsuit against Subway claims, there's some other, cheaper substance out there that looks like tuna, smells like tuna, and tastes like tuna, and Subway is putting it on their sandwiches. But it's hard to imagine something like that costing less than 16 goddamn cents per sandwich.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/qjpnmv/whats-actually-going-on-with-this-subway-tuna-lawsuit




Yes, Subway has been featured in many different advertisements. But if you don’t believe Subway you are welcome to try it yourself. In fact the store has an interesting take on the subject. It’s almost like when someone denounces an advertiser, then finds out that the advertiser is sponsoring your own program! Whoa, that’s a whole new level of meta!

Subway is offering a 15% discount for its tuna fish sandwich after a lawsuit claimed the sandwiches don't contain real tuna.

The complaint argued that the ingredients used in the sandwich do not contain tuna, and that the company used misleading marketing to get customers to buy them.

Subway denied these claims, and started the discount. Customers just have to use the code "itsreal" to get the discount, PennLive reported.

“Our tuna salad is 100% tuna mixed with mayo,” Subway's website states.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, but attorneys are pushing to get the claim certified as a class action lawsuit, the Washington Post reported.
https://www.phillyvoice.com/subway-tuna-discount-lawsuit/




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.




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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew and pass the VENMO 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! You know this has been a truly unprecedented time that we are currently living in when there’s still a great plague going on. But people are still fighting about the 2020 election! Never mind that it’s already been decided and the guy who is really the 46th president of the United States has already been inaugurated and is already making policies that will affect the United States and probably the entire world. But that doesn’t matter! The 45th president of the United States – that’s right, the unholy, ungodly Dark One thinks he still has a shot! Yes, even though he is no longer the president of the United States, his name shall not be said in my church, whether it is real or virtual! To hell with him! To HELL I say!!! So what does JAYSUS think of the issue? And where does GAWD stand?

incited a crowd to attack the U.S. Capitol, opened with a prayer. Trump’s longtime spiritual adviser and White House adviser, the Florida televangelist Paula White, called on God to “give us a holy boldness in this hour.” Standing at the same podium where, an hour later, Trump would exhort the crowd to “fight like hell,” White called the election results into question, asking God to let the people “have the assurance of a fair and a just election.” Flanked by a row of American flags, White implored God to “let every adversary against democracy, against freedom, against life, against liberty, against justice, against peace, against righteousness be overturned right now in the name of Jesus.”

Within hours, insurrectionists had surrounded the Capitol, beaten police, battered down barricades and doors, smashed windows and rampaged through the halls of the Capitol, breaching the Senate chamber. In video captured by The New Yorker, men ransacked the room, rifling through senators’ binders and papers, searching for evidence of what they claimed was treason. Then, standing on the rostrum where the president of the Senate presides, the group paused to pray “in Christ’s holy name.” Men raised their arms in the air as millions of evangelical and charismatic parishioners do every Sunday and thanked God for allowing them “to send a message to all the tyrants, the communists and the globalists, that this is our nation, not theirs.” They thanked God “for allowing the United States of America to be reborn.”
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/capitol-christian-right-trump-1121236/




But there is you see, for this is a house of GAWD! And GAWD failed on January 6th, because we’re learning that the Dark One commanded his minions to wreak havoc, and they did wreak some havoc all right, even if that meant for them all to get arrested! I mean is this Making America Great Again? I’m sure that even the LAWRD does not want him in power! But there’s signs everywhere, even where you might least suspect them!

QAnon conspiracy theorist and supposed “prophet” Johnny Enlow streamed a “special prophetic broadcast” on his YouTube page Monday morning in which he sought to reveal the supposed prophetic significance in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl victory Sunday night.

Enlow, who claimed in January that the result of the college football national championship game was a prophetic sign that President Donald Trump would remain in office (he didn’t), asserted that a game-sealing interception by Buccaneers’ linebacker Devin White near the end of the game prophetically signaled that Trump will return to office because White wears the number 45.

“A snapshot that really gives the big picture revelation is what happened with just under two minutes left in the game and a player named Devin White—number 45 for the Tampa Bay Bucs—number 45 intercepts in the end zone a pass from the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback,” Enlow said. “And with that, what takes place immediately is celebration begins.”

“All the observers already knew even before that point that Tampa Bay had won the game, because they had a huge lead.,” he continued. “It was 31-9, but at that point, it took out even the possibility [of a comeback], that was just it, there was no miracle comeback at that point, once number 45 [intercepted the pass]. So, I’m going to make a [prophetic] connection with number 45 intercepting the enemy in the end zone, and that’s when the celebration takes place, and I’m going to connect that with our president number 45—Donald Trump, the Cyrus 45, Isaiah 45 anointing—and so that’s where it ends, that’s the moment of celebration.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/johnny-enlow-sees-prophetic-significance-for-trump-in-the-super-bowl/




Oh but all things are about the LAWRD our GAWD! They are not about the unholy, ungodly Dark One, because that man is such a disgusting pig of a human that we can’t even begin to list how desperate and depraved that man is. But really this is the Da Vinci Code but for idiots. But do we really need the church *MORE* involved in politics? And I ask this as a preacher! But I say this because they’ve already done enough damage!

Rob McCoy, a religious-right pastor-politician based in Southern California, continues to promote the false claim that the presidential election was stolen from former President Donald Trump in battleground states won by President Joe Biden. McCoy appeared on Monday’s “Wallbuilders Live,” hosted by Christian nationalist “historian” David Barton and his co-host Rick Green.

McCoy is closely aligned with influential right-wing figures, including Christian nationalist political operative David Lane and Turning Point USA founder and Falkirk Center co-founder Charlie Kirk. McCoy resigned his position on the Thousand Oaks City Council earlier this year so he could lead defiance of COVID-19-related restrictions on church gatherings.

On the show, Green, Barton, and McCoy postured as voices of reason and truth in a sea of deception from the left and right, particularly what they called “hopium”—messages from right-wing leaders who assured Trump supporters that he would definitely remain in power, whether through martial law or divine intervention.

But despite portraying himself as a voice of truth, McCoy continued to promote the big lie at the core of the post-election turmoil, including the deadly insurrection at the Capitol. Here’s McCoy speaking with Barton and Green:
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/rob-mccoy-says-the-church-could-have-stopped-the-election-from-being-stolen-if-it-were-more-involved-in-politics/




No there is no salvaging for that man. It’s time to cast him aside and support a real man – Joe Biden – who is righteous and godly, and will lead us into a new era of prosperity after what we’ve been through in the last year! But you just can’t go and declare yourself the government. That’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works! But keep telling yourself that, guys!

Religious-right author and pundit Eric Metaxas hosted Virginia pastor Bill Cook on his radio show last Friday, where Cook said that all legitimate governments are based in “the lordship of Jesus Christ” and that Christians are “called to govern.” Cook met Metaxas at a pro-Trump “prayer rally” on the National Mall organized by Jericho March and Stop the Steal.

Cook wore an Oath Keepers T-shirt while speaking at the Dec. 12 rally. On the same stage later that day, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes threatened bloody civil war if Trump did not stay in power. Several Oath Keepers have been charged with conspiring to commit violence in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Cook founded a group called America’s Black Robe Regiment. The “black robe regiment,” often invoked by Christian nationalist leaders who want to get conservative pastors more involved in right-wing politics, refers to Colonial-era pastors who mobilized men in their churches to join the war for independence from England.

Historian John Fea responded to Cook’s appearance with Metaxas in a blog post in which he wrote, “There was no such thing as the ‘black robe regiment’ in revolutionary America.” Fea noted that Cook told Metaxas that everything he knew about the black robe regiment he learned from religious-right “historian” David Barton. Like Right Wing Watch, Fea has spent years challenging Barton’s “false claims and misleading interpretations of American history.” Barton’s book about Thomas Jefferson was pulled by his Christian publisher after many historians complained about its inaccuracies
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/black-robe-pastor-wore-oath-keepers-t-shirt-at-trump-prayer-rally-in-december-we-are-the-government-of-america/




Well that is a good question Homer! We can’t tell you the answer though! But I will say, if the churches on the right want to die on the hill that supports the unholy Dark One, so be it! More for us! 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: Marilyn Manson
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Is anyone really that surprised that a guy who took his stage name from one of the world’s most notorious serial killers for shock value would turn out to be a narcissistic, psychopathic, abusive, raging douchebag? No? Yeah us neither. While the entire world is lecturing each other about the concept of “cancel culture”, we can see it in action! Now before I go any further, I must state the official Top 10 policy that we do not make fun of abuse or anything that would be considered horrifying. But we can take shots at someone as horrible as Marilyn Manson, am I right? Here’s the other burning question that I have – why would anyone date someone who is easily searched on a Google database like this when you can easily find this out about someone? But that’s neither here nor there.

Tony Ciulla, who managed Marilyn Manson for the past 25 years, has dropped the shock rocker as a client, a source close to the situation confirmed to Rolling Stone. The move comes after several women, including actress and Manson’s ex-fiancé Evan Rachel Wood, accused Manson of sexual and physical abuse.

Ciulla started managing Manson in 1996, the same year the artist put out his mainstream breakthrough, Antichrist Superstar. He stood by the singer, whose real name is Brian Warner, through multiple controversies — including criticism that followed the musician after the Columbine shooting — and myriad lawsuits. Manson has been subject to suits by both former band members over royalty disputes and alleged assaults on security personnel at concerts.

But Ciulla’s stance changed this week after Wood named Manson as the previously anonymous abuser she referenced while testifying before the California Senate in relation to the state’s Phoenix Act, which extends the statute of limitations on domestic violence from three years to five. (Ciulla declined to comment.)

“The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,” Wood wrote on Instagram Monday. “He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years. I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail. I am here to expose this dangerous man and call out the many industries that have enabled him before he ruins any more lives. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent.” Four other women came forward with similar stories in an article for Vanity Fair.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/marilyn-manson-dropped-manager-1124545/




Yeah maybe a little bit! Oh no wait, a whole lot! So let me explain where the concept of “cancel culture” comes in. Brian Warner, the musician who is known as Marilyn Manson, is an abusive douchebag. We’re not going to list all the creepy things he’s done, like upskirt photos, or pulling guns on people. We don’t have that kind of time! When you’re an abusive douchebag and you get found out as an abusive douchebag, bad things should happen to you! But despite all the creepy things he’s done, it’s actually having the reverse effect!

In the week following new claims of abuse from actress Evan Rachel Wood and other women, Marilyn Manson’s latest single, “Don’t Chase The Dead,” has fallen off Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, while his total on-demand streams and digital sales rose slightly last week.

“Don’t Chase The Dead,” the latest single from Manson’s 2020 album We Are Chaos, falls out of Mainstream Rock Airplay’s top 40 after posting at No. 34 on last week’s chart. The song had spent 12 weeks on the tally since debuting on the chart dated Nov. 21, 2020, and reached a peak of No. 29.

According to MRC Data, “Don’t Chase The Dead” received 102 spins on Mainstream Rock Airplay reporters in the seven-day tracking period ending Feb. 7, down from 194 plays in the previous week, according to MRC Data. The song had been declining in plays in each of the three prior weeks, peaking four weeks ago with 245 plays.

Meanwhile, Manson’s total on-demand streams were up 7% in the week ending Feb. 4 to 6 million. His digital sales reached 2,000, a 40% increase (also in the week ending Feb. 4).
https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/9523844/marilyn-manson-charts-mainstream-rock-airplay-streams-abuse-allegations




That is a good question, sir! Here’s the thing guys, if you don’t want to be canceled, maybe I don’t know, don’t do things that could get you canceled? Like being a creepy douchebag for instance? That could get you canceled, and it’s what got Roy Moore canceled. Now let’s hear from Warner / Manson himself, and you know the statement is going to be really shitty. You know, when you’re in a hole, the best thing to do is to stop digging!

Wood and Manson began dating when she was 19 and he was 38. They got engaged in 2010, but ended their relationship a few months later.

Following Wood's post, Manson's record label Loma Vista Recordings cut ties with him and released a statement: "In light of today's disturbing allegations by Evan Rachel Wood and other women naming Marilyn Manson as their abuser, Loma Vista will cease to further promote his current album, effective immediately. Due to these concerning developments we have also decided not to work with Marilyn Manson on any future projects."

Manson had a reoccurring role on the Starz show, "American Gods" but the network has now decided to curtail their working relationship with him as well.
"Due to the allegations made against Marilyn Manson, we have decided to remove his performance from the remaining episode he is in, scheduled to air later this season. Starz stands unequivocally with all victims and survivors of abuse," the network said in a statement.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/entertainment/marilyn-manson-abuse-dropped-record-label/index.html




Now it doesn’t quite work that way. I know what you music heads are thinking – what does Trent Reznor think about all of this? You know that Marilyn Manson started out on his Nothing Records label. I’m sure right now he’s making faces at record labels going “I told you so” followed by a very childish “neener neener”. Oh wait, Trent doesn’t do that sort of thing. But here’s how that is going!

Nine Inch Nails frontman and The Social Network composer Trent Reznor has issued a new statement regarding former friend and collaborator Marilyn Manson.

Trent Reznor sent Pitchfork a statment. It reads: “I have been vocal over the years about my dislike of Manson as a person and cut ties with him nearly 25 years ago. As I said at the time, the passage from Manson’s memoir is a complete fabrication. I was infuriated and offended back when it came out and remain so today.”

Reznor’s statement addresses Manson’s autobiography The Long Hard Road Out of Hell. In the book Manson says he and Reznor physically and sexually assaulted an inebriated woman in the 90s. Screenshots of the book circulated on Twitter after multiple women came forward with allegations that Manson abused them.

Manson’s record label dropped him. They released a statement. It reads: “In light of today’s disturbing allegations by Evan Rachel Wood and other women naming Marilyn Manson as their abuser, Loma Vista will cease to further promote his current album, effective immediately. Due to these concerning developments, we have also decided not to work with Marilyn Manson on any future projects”. An upcoming episode of Creepshow featuring Manson will not air and will be replaced. You can read Mason’s response to these allegations HERE.
https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/372927/trent-reznor-issues-new-statement-regarding-marilyn-manson/





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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner: Proud Boys Go Guerilla
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Welcome back to the segment where we attempt to explain the unexplainable, Conspiracy Corner! See when man has things that he can’t explain, the mind obviously goes to conspiracies. We are coming to you live from our underground bunker deep in the badlands of New Mexico. Undisclosed location, of course! Just allow me to adjust my trusty tin foil hat for maximum government interference… they can read minds, don’t you know? Well this week, it seems that conspiracy theorists have become self-aware, and one such group is the Proud Boys. Now the fight club of the alt right is adding some much needed military firepower, and this is where things could get really crazy.

The majority of the Proud Boys who dressed up in matching polo shirts and attempted to disrupt a peaceful protest in Halifax more than three years ago are still in the military, even though the federal government deemed the alt-right group a terrorist organization last week.

The five men — four of them in the navy and one an army soldier — attended a July 1, 2017 ceremony meant to honour Canada's missing and murdered Indigenous women near the statue of former governor Edward Cornwallis, infamous for his 1749 scalping proclamation aimed at Mi'kmaq people.

“Of the five members involved in this incident, two have since released from the Forces, and three have completed required counselling and probation and have renounced their affiliation with the Proud Boys,” Jessica Lamirande, who speaks for the Department of National Defence, said in an email responding to a question about whether the new terrorist designation means the men would be kicked out of the military.

“These actions are absolutely not tolerated behaviour in the CAF. There are serious consequences for any CAF members who express intolerance while in — or out — of uniform.”
https://www.journalpioneer.com/news/canada/majority-of-proud-boys-who-disrupted-peaceful-halifax-protest-still-in-uniform-despite-new-terrorist-designation-550008/




You know why do these guys wear fucking polo shirts? That doesn’t say “I am the leader of a rogue guerilla wannabe military unit”, that says “Come take a look at this used Kia Optima, only $329 per month!”. But there is good news – the Proud Boys are finally getting the terrorist designation that they very much deserve! So Canada is calling the Proud Boys terrorists, will the Biden administration? Let’s hope they are!

Canada formally designated the Proud Boys as a terrorist group under its criminal law on Wednesday, a move that could lead to financial seizures and allow police to treat any crimes committed by members as terrorist activity.

Government officials said they believe Canada is the first nation to label the Proud Boys a terrorist entity. The events last month in Washington, they added, contributed to the move, which was already under consideration.

“Since 2018, we have seen an escalation, an escalation toward violence in this group,” Bill Blair, the public safety minister, told a news conference, adding that the Proud Boys and 12 other groups added to the list on Wednesday are “all hateful, intolerant and, as we’ve seen, they can be highly dangerous.”

An official, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified, said that while information gleaned after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in Washington was a “contributing factor, it certainly wasn’t the driving force.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/world/canada/canada-proud-boys-terror-group.html




And what’s their excuse for morphing from a protest group designed to beat up protestors in the way that the Harlem Globetrotters beat up the Washington Generals, to a full blown terrorist organization that is going to overthrow the government? Well it can be boiled down to four simple words “Because Trump said so”. That’s right – 4th grade ideology, 4th grade ideas. And their minds haven’t progressed beyond the 4th grade, either.

With former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial starting today, Senate Democrats are focused on trying to tie a direct line between Trump's rhetoric and the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

An ABC News investigation into the nearly 200 accused rioters facing federal charges for their alleged involvement at the Capitol -- based on court filings, military records, interviews, and available news reports-- found that at least fifteen individuals who stormed the building have since said that they acted based on Trump's encouragement, including some of those accused of the most violent and serious crimes.

"I believed I was following the instructions of former President Trump," said Garret Miller in a statement released through his lawyer. "I also left Washington and started back to Texas immediately after President Trump asked us to go home."

Miller, who admitted to entering the Capitol in his statement, also threatened to "assassinate" Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez that same day, which he apologized for.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/president-trump-dozen-capitol-rioters-trumps-guidance/story?id=75757601




Tin foil hats and bras – interesting choice of uniforms! But the thing is that Trump may be gone, but his adoring fans aren’t; but they aren’t the only ones who are getting rowdier and adding some military firepower to their ranks. But the fact that the Proud Boys are recruiting former military members shows that there is extremism in the military and that it should be rooted out. Now that’s a conspiracy!

On January 6, Larry Rendall Brock Jr. stood on the floor of the United States Senate. He and thousands of others had attacked Congress and sacked the Capitol building. Rendall was clad in a helmet and tactical gear. He held white zip tie handcuffs in his right hand.

Brock is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1989. And in a recently deleted LinkedIn profile, first reported by The New Yorker, Brock described himself as having served as a flight commander with the 706th Fighter Squadron. He retired in 2014 and on Facebook, he once posted that he was preparing for "a second civil war." According to NPR, in the weeks after President Biden's election victory, Brock posted: "We are now under occupation by a hostile governing force."

Brock was arrested and charged several days after the attack. Of the more than 140 people charged so far, almost 20% have some current or former service connection to the military, according to an NPR analysis.

In 2019, the Military Times polled active duty service members and found that more than 30% of white service members said they'd personally witnessed examples of white nationalism, such as white supremacist tattoos and Nazi-style salutes within the ranks. According to the same report, more than 50% of minority service members said "they have personally witnessed examples of white nationalism or ideological-driven racism," and "Overall, troops who responded to the poll cited white nationalists as a greater national security threat than both domestic terrorism with a connection to Islam, as well as immigration." These numbers are up significantly from similar polls the Military Times fielded in 2017 and 2018.
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2021/01/26/extremism-in-the-military-capitol




So if there’s one cross section that the Proud Boys and the military have, it’s they actually have members of both groups. And there’s probably both ex-military and the Proud Boys involved in the Capitol Riots. We may never know the full extent of the damage that was done. Or who was there, or who gets caught. But one thing’s for certain – you don’t bring zip lines, pipe bombs, and AR-15s to a supposedly peaceful protest.

Of the 125 federal arrests made so far in connection with the riot at the Capitol earlier this month, most have been relatively simple: Agents and prosecutors have put together cases largely by scouring the news and social media for incriminating photographs and videos.

Some of the evidence has been almost comically easy to obtain. Several people have been turned in by their loved ones or have openly bragged about their roles in the attack on Facebook or in interviews with their hometown newspapers. One man went so far as to post a photo of himself on Instagram with a helpful finger-pointing icon and the words, “THIS IS ME.”

But the inquiry into the Capitol assault, a huge effort that has focused its attention on as many as 400 people, took an important turn this week as prosecutors filed their first serious conspiracy charges, accusing three members of the right-wing militia group the Oath Keepers of plotting the incursion in advance. If, as they have promised, investigators are hoping to narrow their gaze on organized extremists who may have preplanned the attack, they are going to have to use a different and more difficult-to-master set of skills.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/21/nyregion/capitol-riot-conspiracy-fbi.html





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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people and people are dumb. And one thing I’ve learned about this year is that people are stupider than ever. Especially since we’re still in the middle of a raging pandemic! But even that hasn’t stopped stupid people from being stupid. I want to start with this story out of Oklahoma. The article doesn’t specify the town but does state some positively shocking information about the criminal in question. And really we’re on the side of the woman who tore down the flag, because, fuck Nazis. But I want to talk about this story because, yeah, fuck Nazis. And would you guess this guy has a profile on Gab? I’m not at all shocked. This story has everything!

The unarmed woman who was shot in the back after tearing down a Nazi flag flying in front of the gunman’s Oklahoma home has sued her assailant for negligence, according to court records.

In a January 28 District Court petition, Kyndal McVey, 26, accuses Alexander Feaster of acting with “reckless disregard” in connection with the shooting last year outside Feaster’s residence in the town of Hunter (pop. 173).

McVey was at a party across from Feaster’s home last June when she crossed the street around 2:55 AM and grabbed one of the two swastika flags flying outside the residence. As McVey fled with the flag, Feaster--carrying an AR-15 rifle--emerged from his home.

Without warning, the 45-year-old Feaster fired at least seven shots at McVey, who was struck several times in the lower abdomen and legs, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police found McVey (seen at right) in a ditch across from Feaster’s property.

McVey’s gunshot injuries required multiple surgeries and several weeks of hospitalization. Her lawsuit is seeking in excess of $75,000 in damages for “mental and physical pain and suffering,” medical expenses, lost time, and “change in physical and mental condition.”
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/flag-shoot-lawsuit-285930




Yeah where are Jake and Elwood when you need them? Next up – if you’ve seen any of the Marvel movies, particularly Guardians Of The Galaxy 2, in the beginning of that movie, the plot is put in motion when Rocket Raccoon steals a bunch of rare batteries. Well, guess what? In real life that happened, and what makes this dumb is these batteries have a location tracker in them, so Verizon was easily able to identify that they were stolen! D’oh!!!

A 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly stealing four deep-cycle batteries which were used to power a San Bernardino, California Verizon cell tower site, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

On January 14, a suspect cut two padlocks to access the cell towner site at 17101 State 330 Highway. Unbeknownst to the thief, the batteries were equipped with GPS tracking devices.

On the following day, the GPS was tracked and located at the residence of Kenneth McFarlane, who is on San Bernardino felony probation, the Sheriff’s Department said. McFarlane was alone in the garage with all four stolen batteries, the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.

{snip}

Some carriers are using GPS enabled batteries that are automatically triggered when they are removed from an enclosure, rack room or shelter, alerting the NOC through text and email notifications.
http://wirelessestimator.com/articles/2021/geo-catch-puts-california-man-behind-bars-for-verizon-cell-site-batteries-theft/




Yeah maybe Rocket isn’t the best being to go to for advice. Next up – we go to the Oregon city of Beaverton for this stupid criminal story. So here’s the thing – if you are going to steal a car, you might want to, I don’t know, check for things like toddlers or small persons in them. But also, you might not want to be around at the crime scene if you get caught because that could turn ugly quickly.

A car thief who found a toddler in the backseat of a stolen vehicle drove back and chastised the mother for leaving the child unattended before taking off again, police in Oregon said.

-SNIP-

A store employee told authorities the woman was in the market for a few minutes before someone began driving away with the SUV. Once the thief realized the toddler was in the backseat, he drove back, berated the woman for leaving her child unattended, told the woman to take the child and drove away in the stolen vehicle.

“He actually lectured the mother for leaving the child in the car and threatened to call the police on her,” Henderson said.

The vehicle was found a few hours later in Portland but police are still searching for the thief. The suspect was said to be in his 20s or 30s with dark brown or black braided hair and a multi-colored face mask.

Police said anyone with information on the theft should contact the department.

https://apnews.com/article/thief-berates-mom-kid-in-stolen-car-29b28e4e64aa51978f7b7b91a163db35




Ah, great movie! Next up – we got to go to our favorite state of Florida. Yes, America’s most penis-shaped state never fails to amaze with all of the crazy people they have. And here’s the thing – you don’t want to send drugs through the mail. That’s why you have vigilante groups for that sort of thing, because if you send meth through the mail, you will get caught. And that’s exactly what happened.

A man from Florida is going to prison on drug charges after mailing more than 18 pounds of methamphetamine to West Virginia.

According to United States Attorney Mike Stuart, Thomas Drew Bess, 39, of Flordia was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on a charge of “conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.”
Crews respond to fire at Charleston business

“It’s 30 years in prison for Bess who mailed more than 18 pounds of meth from Los Angeles to Charleston,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “It was the great teamwork between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the DEA, the U.S. Postal Service-OIG, the West Virginia National Guard and my office that kept this shipment of 96% pure meth from being sold throughout our communities.”

Bess has previously pleaded guilty to the charge, admitting that on Sept. 1, 2019, he flew to Los Angeles from Florida and mailed a package to Charleston. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted the package Sept. 4, 2019, and after obtaining a search warrant, found approximately 18.25 pounds of meth inside, which was intended to be sold in the Charleston area. Officials removed all but 11.2 grams in order to conduct a controlled delivery.
https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/florida-man-sentenced-after-mailing-18-pounds-of-meth-to-west-virginia/




Oh man do I love that show. Finally this week – speaking of America’s most penis-shaped state, Florida, we go to the town of Port Richie for this one, and if you have a rather easily identifiable tattoo, you might want to refrain from doing stupid things. I guess you could say this guy really is Florida Man because he has a Florida tattoo on his forehead! Now cue up “911 is a joke”!

Deputies have arrested a man with a tattoo of the State of Florida on his forehead after he was accused of misusing the 911 calling system.

According to an arrest report obtained by Fox 13, 22-year-old Matthew Leatham was arrested early Sunday morning by Pasco County deputies.

According to deputies, Leatham called 911 to ask for a ride home and cursed at the operator while on the phone. Investigators said the operator gave Leatham the non-emergency number.

A deputy also spoke to Leatham and said they offered to call a taxi, but Leatham said he didn’t have any money and instead started traveling on foot.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida-man-with-florida-tattoo-on-forehead-arrested-for-calling-911-to-ask-for-ride-home/




That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Road To The White House
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Welcome back to our coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there! You know, Biden is making it harder to get material for these things and I guess that’s a good thing. We’ve only got two more of these and then we’re done but before that I want to show you what a real president does. Last week we talked about what a real president does, and it doesn’t involve golfing or rage tweeting while sitting on the toilet for two hours. It also doesn’t involve eating cheeseburgers in bed and throwing the wrappers on the floor while yelling at 8 different monitors broadcasting 10 different channels. But no, Biden does presidential things, like honoring Black History Month for instance, which this is what is happening right now!

President Joe Biden offered the following statement in reference to Black History Month:

This February, during Black History Month, I call on the American people to honor the history and achievements of black Americans and to reflect on the centuries of struggle that have brought us to this time of reckoning, redemption and hope.

We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation that all people are created equal and have the right to be treated equally throughout their lives. We know that it is long past time to confront deep racial inequities and the systemic racism that continue to plague our nation.

A pandemic has further ripped a path of destruction through every community in America, but we see its acute devastation among black Americans who are dying, losing jobs, and closing businesses at disproportionate rates in the dual pandemic and economic crises.

We are also less than a month after the attack on the Capitol by a mob of insurrectionists and white supremacists that shows that we are very much in a battle for the soul of America.
https://www.albanyherald.com/local/biden-offers-black-history-month-statement/article_6ac21d96-6577-11eb-8963-0be010d55a00.html




Well interesting point Tracy, but we’ll save that for another topic! Anyway, unlike the last guy (who shall remain nameless), this administration does everything right and has been doing it so far! And the other nice thing about Biden is that unlike the last guy, he doesn’t need to make a huge spectacle in front of a million people with cameras and microphones to do it! What else does he do in this case?

President Joe Biden on Wednesday will make his first trip to the Pentagon since taking office and will speak to the significance of having the first African American in the nation's history serving as secretary of defense, according to the White House.

The trip comes as Biden forges ahead with his agenda while his predecessor former President Donald Trump faces an impeachment trial in the Senate.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other senior military and civilian leadership during the visit. The President and vice president will then deliver remarks to Department of Defense personnel and tour the African Americans in Service Corridor, according to the White House.

Austin is the first Black secretary of defense, and Harris is the first Black vice president, as well as the first woman and first South Asian to hold the position.

Biden on Wednesday will "pay special tribute to the rich history of Black service members," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, noting that the trip coincides with Black History Month.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/10/politics/biden-pentagon-visit/index.html




Well what’s happening is more of that “radical left agenda” that the right wing media has been harping on about for decades. It will be nice to have compassion back in Washington and a return to a sense of normalcy now that we’re past that other guy. See this? This is what a president is supposed to do! While we’re on the subject of Black History Month it’s important to know that Biden will not be like the other guy, who only recognized it in tweet form. Biden is much more than that!

In recent years, Maryland native and abolitionist Harriet Tubman has been honored in many ways.

She was honored through the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, the movie 'Harriet' and most recently the University of Maryland changed the name of its department of women’s studies, to the Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

“Another thing is, she has received full honor into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame,” said Tubman’s great-great-great grandniece Ernestine “Tina” Martin Wyatt.

There is one honor that Wyatt is still hoping for in the near future.

While President Barack Obama was in office, efforts were underway to add Harriet Tubman to the $20 bill, but there has been little progress in recent years.
https://wjla.com/features/black-history-month/harriet-tubmans-great-grandniece-holds-on-to-hope-as-biden-administration-renews-effort




Oh just more of that “radical left agenda” again! Seriously do we need any more of this? I mean with the previous guy people were literally fighting each other in the streets. I don’t think you will have that with Biden in power! But unlike the last guy, Biden doesn’t just talk the talk. He is a guy who actually practices what he preaches! Oh the horror!

On the first Black History Month since the 2020 reckoning in response to racial injustice, a pandemic that has wreaked disproportionate havoc on communities of color, and new milestones in political representation, there are plenty of ways to honor and celebrate the historical contributions of Black Americans — while pushing for greater equity in the present and future.

The federally recognized celebration grew out of Negro History Week, an observance established in 1926 by author and historian Carter G. Woodson during the second week of February, which spans the birthdays of abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass and the 16th U.S. president Abraham Lincoln.

Demand grew in the 1960s for providing more education on African-American studies and extending the weeklong observance into a month, according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), an organization founded by Woodson. The observance was expanded to encompass all of February in 1976, and that year, former President Gerald Ford issued a message to mark the monthlong celebration. Congress in 1986 designated February as National Black History Month.

This year’s theme, ASALH says, is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/economic-justice-is-inextricably-linked-to-racial-justice-how-to-make-black-history-month-a-lifelong-effort-to-learn-and-evolve-11612878410?mod=article_inline











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February 3, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-2: Sharks With Jewish Laser Beams Attached To Their Heads Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-2: Sharks With Jewish Laser Beams Attached To Their Heads Edition

Ed. Note: Due to a scheduling conflict IRL, the Top 10 will be early this week. Enjoy!

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? We’re still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club. Yeah we’re all in the same boat right now watching and waiting to see what happens with COVID. Seriously, I’ve literally reached the end of Netflix. I’ve watched all the TV I can watch! I can’t watch anymore! I literally feel like that scene from the Simpsons when Apu worked a 52 hour shift and by the end he was buzzing around his store like a hummingbird. OK do we have time for the thing? OK look I know we’re still on lockdown and everyone is getting to the point where we’re losing our minds, but that said, in the immortal words of Will Ferrell from Old School, WE GOT TO KEEP OUR COMPOSURE!!!!! I’m of course referring to the colossal fuck up from Brian Williams on MSNBC when he played footage of Jerry McGuire instead of footage from the meeting that was supposed be between Trump and Kevin McCarthy. Yeah my producer reminds me of the idiot who played footage of Dumb & Dumber instead of a man on the street interview. It’s literally the same shit, different day, circa 2021. But come on, in this day and age in 2021 have we not learned how copy and paste works? If we hit CTRL-V do our fingers not bleed? Yeah I will admit I am close to losing my mind! OK enough of the intro! We have a lot of idiocy to get to! But first Bill Maher is back and he is introducing the incoming Congress of 2021 and how crazy some of our freshmen reps can get!



So where do we begin this week? In the number one slot this week is of course the 2nd impeachment trial of former president Donald J. Trump (1) and right now the case would make for a perfect one of those how it started / how’s it going memes! Taking the second slot this week is our new favorite Congressional idiot, Marjorie Taylor Greene (2) and whew, this woman is a real piece of Alex Jones style brainwashing. And speaking of Infowars, in slot #3 this week is our old buddy Alex Jones and the lawsuits from Sandy Hook are still going on, but the Texas Supreme Court threw him a new curveball, and well, it looks like he might be ranting about fake news from prison! In the #4 slot this week we’re going to talk stock trading and tell you about the bizarre feud between trading firm Robinhood (4) and Reddit’s largest forum dedicated to stock trading and it’s quite the stuff of insanity! In the 5th slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week with the pandemic and everyone living online, a new form of self-awareness has risen, and we’re going to take a look at the strange new world of Zoom Dysmorphia and people getting unnecessary plastic surgery so they can look good in front of their web cams. Yeah that’s a thing. Taking the 6th slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church of the Top 10 in “Holy Shit” and this week, are we in a cold holy war? Our resident pastor is taking a look at far right churches dividing and conquering over their support of our former leader and it’s quite the stuff of insanity! Taking the #7 slot this week is a new Beating A Dead Horse (7)! This may be our fourth one dedicated to the ongoing fight between conservatives and Colin Kaepernick, but with the Super Bowl approaching, how come we have double standards for Kapernick and Tom Brady? It’s quite insane. And in slot #8, we are very excited to debut our new feature Parlerfiles (8)! This is a new free-floating segment where we take apart and dissect some of the batshit crazy posts found on far right social media sites like Parler, Gab, Dlive, and Telegram! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week, we have our first “I Need A Drink” of 2021 and we’re going to get drunk and tell you about Oklahoma’s insane new plan to attract tourists – by establishing a Bigfoot Hunting Season! Finally this week in our ongoing coverage of the transition of power in “Road To The White House” – what does a daily schedule for President Biden look like? Well it’s miles different than the one from the other guy! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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OK so remember in the Avengers movies when Thor said that Loki would face Asguardian justice for unleashing Thanos’ army on New York City? And then in Thor: The Dark World, he’s hauled in chains to face punishment from Odin? Yeah I’m sure the upcoming Trump impeachment trial is going to reflect this sentiment. But here’s the thing – we’re not impeaching over the 2016 election, that’s spilled milk at this point. We’re impeaching over the events that happened on January 6th, 2021! And what’s hilarious is that conservatives love to talk trash, and that’s really all they have. But when they stage a coup that nearly gets our Congressional leaders murdered in their own offices? Surprisingly they are dead silent on this issue. Guess they don’t want to get caught.

A constellation of conservative groups that rallied behind former President Donald Trump during his first impeachment is sitting this one out, confident that the outcome is preordained.

The groups have gone quiet on social media, eschewing the pro-Trump tweets and calls for action that dominated their Twitter feeds last time Trump was approaching a Senate trial. Others said they are content to watch from the sidelines — opting to preserve their war chests for the 2022 midterm elections — or are still considering if and how they will get involved.

“We’re really more focused right now on a lot more of the Biden policies and executive orders,” said Peter Vicenzi, director of communications for FreedomWorks, which became an unofficial rapid response operation during Trump’s first impeachment in the fall of 2019.

During the impeachment trial in January 2020, the Tea Party Patriots did calls to action, urged supporters to call congressional offices, hosted conference calls to discuss messaging and talking points, and sent materials to voters. The group also sent 47 tweets condemning or criticizing the process. So far, this go around, it has only shared five impeachment-related tweets since the House impeached Trump again on Jan. 13, according to a POLITICO review.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/02/donald-trump-impeachment-trial-464826




Hey you know we’ve already had one host of the Apprentice as president. We don’t need another one, though at least Arnold knows what to do with Nazis. But this might be my favorite part of the whole trial so far – Trump’s lawyers have all abandoned him! And that’s right – I said all!! Eventually it will be down to just Lin Wood, Lionel Hutz, and Barry Zuckerkorn. But I think that this case would be too toxic for even Lionel Hutz to consider, which makes it pretty damn toxic!

Former President Donald J. Trump has abruptly parted ways with five lawyers handling his impeachment defense, just over a week before the Senate trial is set to begin, people familiar with the situation said on Saturday.

Those departures include his lead lawyer, Butch Bowers, whose hiring was announced last week, a person familiar with the situation said. Four other lawyers who were reported to be joining, including Deborah Barbier, a criminal defense lawyer in South Carolina, are also leaving, according to multiple people familiar with the situation.

Mr. Trump had pushed for his defense team to focus on his baseless claim that the election was stolen from him, one person familiar with the situation said. A person close to Mr. Trump disputed that that was the case but acknowledged that there were differences in opinion about the defense strategy. However, Mr. Trump has insisted that the case is “simple” and has told advisers he could argue it himself and save the money on lawyers. (Aides contend he is not seriously contemplating doing so.)

The decision for Mr. Bowers to leave was “mutual,” another person familiar with the situation said, adding that Mr. Trump and Mr. Bowers had no chemistry, a quality the former president generally prizes in his relationships. Mr. Trump prefers lawyers who are eager to appear on television to say that he never did anything wrong; Mr. Bowers has been noticeably absent in the news media since his hiring was announced.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/30/us/politics/trump-butch-bowers-impeachment.html




That's actual footage of Trump from next week when he fires all of his attorneys again and realizes he's got nothing! And I mean really how do you defend what happened at the Capitol? It’s absolute madness and it’s impossible to even begin to comprehend. So what blew up Trump’s legal team? Well I will give you a hint – money! That’s right – Trump’s biggest grift can’t pay his legal bills and this is going to get really juicy as the trial goes on!

Disagreements over legal strategy weren't the only reason Donald Trump's defense team collapsed just days before his second impeachment trial, Axios has learned.

What we're hearing: The notoriously stingy former president and his lead lawyer, Butch Bowers, wrangled over compensation during a series of tense phone calls, sources familiar with their conversations said. The argument came even though Trump has raised over $170 million from the public that could be used on his legal defenses.

The two initially agreed Bowers would be paid $250,000 for his individual services, a figure that "delighted" Trump, one of the sources said.

However, Trump didn't realize Bowers hadn't included additional expenses — including more lawyers, researchers and other legal fees that would be accrued on the job.

He was said to be livid when Bowers came back to him with a total budget of $3 million. Trump called the South Carolina attorney and eventually negotiated him down to $1 million.

All of this infuriated Trump and his political team, who think the case will be straightforward, given 45 Republican senators already voted to dismiss the trial on the basis it's unconstitutional to convict a former president on impeachment charges.
https://www.axios.com/trump-legal-fees-impeachment-trial-8f6578e6-0662-4aea-8edc-aee2530c5165.html




Yeah so Trump is the Joker and he just lit a huge pile of money on fire. Already we haven’t even started the trial and it’s turning into a dumpster fire. So that raises two questions – the first is that Trump claims to have made a boatload (or pantload) off the White House, and he’s not accounting for a whole lot of that money. And no money means no defense which means that Trump could very well represent himself, and we know what a disaster that could be!

Donald Trump's new political committee took in more $30 million in the final weeks of 2020 as he made relentless and baseless claims of voter fraud, new filings show.

And Trump's Save America political action committee started this year with a substantial $31.1 million in cash reserves, as the former president faces a second impeachment trial in the US Senate and works to cement his standing as an enduring force in Republican politics.

Sunday's filings offered a snapshot of the continued financial backing from Trump's loyal supporter base. He formed Save America shortly after losing the election last November. Even as his legal team's claims of fraud were tossed out in courts around the country, Trump aggressively sought new donations, imploring his contributors to help fund his "election defense." While his political operation pulled in big sums, the new filings show his campaign spent far more on outreach to his supporters than on court fights.

The first and largest cut of contributions Trump raised after the election went to Save America, a major vehicle for his post-presidential political activity. He can use the leadership PAC to donate to other candidates, as well as fund travel and staffing. Federal rules set few restrictions on leadership PAC spending, which campaign watchdogs warn can become slush funds for politicians.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/31/politics/donald-trump-save-america-pac-contributions/





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By now you’ve probably had an ass full of Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Green (R – Batshit). Because she’s certifiably fucking crazy and basically channeling Trump. In fact she’s Trump version 2.0. In fact, she could be the Congress person who serves the shortest term – if she’s fired or expelled. And she 100% deserves it. If you want to know her makeup, she’s a product of Infowars and social media mental conditioning. She has claimed that Sandy Hook and Parkland didn’t happen, has claimed Vegas was a false flag, and even gone so far as to suggest that California’s wildfires were started by a space laser owned by George Soros. Does he own everything these idiots don’t like? But here’s the thing Marjorie – I live in an area prone to fires. We’ve had to evacuate on multiple occasions, I would like to see you have to flee your home!

When Lilli Heart fled California’s deadliest wildfire in 2018, she was stuck in traffic for two hours outside the town of Paradise with her two cats in a car that was running low on gas.

As the septuagenarian sat behind the wheel on Neal Road — waiting helplessly while the Camp fire destroyed her two-bedroom house — she saw a huge, dark cloud in the sky. She saw firetrucks. She saw the fear in the eyes of others trying to escape.

“All I saw was a bunch of really, really scared people trying to get the hell out of there,” said Heart, 74.

What Heart did not see is this: laser beams.

That, apparently, might come as a surprise to a newly elected Republican congresswoman known for supporting the QAnon conspiracy theory, making anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim comments, and falsely suggesting that school shootings in Newtown, Conn., and Parkland, Fla., were staged.

The Camp fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed more than 13,900 homes, is the latest focus of conspiracy theories spread by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who speculated that the blaze might have been started by a laser beam in space. Greene made the claim in a now-deleted Facebook post that was reported this week by Media Matters for America, a liberal watchdog group.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-30/a-space-laser-did-it-gop-congressman-had-out-there-theory-on-deadly-california-wildfire




Sometimes I wonder if I’m reading the LA Times or the Onion. I mean really even Saturday Night Live couldn’t make up something this batshit fucking crazy. I mean what, speaking of Dr. Evil, does Marjorie think that we have sharks with Jewish laser beams attached to their heads? But if you want to know how deep Majorie’s crazy goes, well, it goes pretty fucking deep!

Marjorie Taylor Greene had just finished questioning whether a plane really flew into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and flatly stating that President Barack Obama was secretly Muslim when she paused to offer an aside implicating another former president in a crime.

“That’s another one of those Clinton murders,” Greene said, referring to John F. Kennedy Jr.’s death in a 1999 plane crash, suggesting that he had been assassinated because he was a potential rival to Hillary Clinton for a New York Senate seat.

Greene casually unfurled the cascade of dangerous and patently untrue conspiracy theories in a previously unreported 40-minute video that was originally posted to YouTube in 2018. It provides a window into the warped worldview amplified by the freshman Republican congresswoman from Georgia, who in the three months since she was elected has created a national brand for herself as a conservative provocateur who has proudly brought the hard-right fringe to the Capitol.

“Yes, I do believe he is a Muslim,” Greene said of Obama. “And, yes, Valerie Jarrett is too.”
https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-nw-nyt-marjorie-taylor-greene-conspiracies-20210130-as4fmrrzd5hzzfc5hsjmlknz2e-story.html




Here’s the thing Marjorie – if you make a claim as crazy as this which you have to follow up with “I’m not racist, but… “ well, guess what? You’re a racist! Holy shit, literally anyone can see that! Even Mitch McConnell can see that! And if you’re too toxic for Moscow Mitch, well , that’s pretty damn toxic! But no way, Mitch, you’re not off the hook just yet! Marjorie’s madness is just a byproduct of how batshit insane your former boss is! And Marjorie’s Madness by the way would make an awesome band!

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — the controversial, QAnon-supporting freshman congresswoman — on Monday found herself facing blowback from her own party's leadership for espousing dangerous and unfounded conspiracies about American politics.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called her views, which have at various points included such baseless accusations as blaming the Jewish people for California wildfires and accusing mass shooting events of having been staged, a "cancer" on the Republican Party.

"Loony lies and conspiracy theories are cancer for the Republican Party and our country. Somebody who's suggested that perhaps no airplane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that horrifying school shootings were pre-staged, and that the Clintons crashed JFK Jr.'s airplane is not living in reality," McConnell said in a short statement Monday night that doesn't directly cite her by name.

"This has nothing to do with the challenges facing American families or the robust debates on substance that can strengthen our party."

McConnell's condemnation comes as Democrats in the House have called for Greene to be censured for her past remarks or even expelled from office.
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/01/963069170/mcconnell-slams-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-conspiracies-as-loony-lies




Yes, because that baby will grow up to spout batshit crazy things if you’re not careful! And yes if Marjorie steps out and sees her shadow, it’s six more months of batshit! Thank you my fair virtual audience! So Mitch isn’t getting off easy and neither is the GOP. Here’s the thing guys – you either own it or it becomes an entity that consumes you! But the thing is, most in the GOP secretly agree with her, and we’re looking in your direction, Devin and Ted!

The common murre is a big seabird found, among other places, on an island off the coast of Sweden. The New York Times ran an article about these murres Tuesday. I read it, even though I have no particular interest in either seabirds or Sweden.

I’m glad I did. The article explains how biologists are eagerly exploiting the pandemic shutdown of global travel to see what effect the departure of humans has on ecosystems such as the murre colony at the Stora Karlsö nature preserve.

The general perception when it comes to the natural world is humans = bad. But here “the sudden absence of tourists at Stora Karlsö during the pandemic set off a surprising chain reaction that wreaked havoc on the island’s colony of common murres, diminishing its population of newborn birds.”

Oh no! What happened?

The murres aren’t the only birds in the area. There are also white-tailed eagles. Researchers discovered that the eagles don’t like people — and who can blame them?— so they stay away when tourists tramp about. But with people gone, the eagles are emboldened, and their presence, swooping around, throws the ungainly seabirds off their egg rearing.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2021/1/28/22254446/qanon-conspiracy-theories-gop-republicans-marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-biden-election-gun-violence





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[font size="8"]Alex Jones

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You know this is like in those middle school movies where the kids finally fight back against the bully and he gets taken down several notches? Well the fight against Alex Jones’ Infowars is kind of like that. We saw the conspiracy theorists get their asses handed to them in the 2020 election because we’re tired of being run by fucking idiots. And one thing that’s nice about the Biden Administration is that he doesn’t care about these shitheads. Remember when Trump called into Infowars to tell Alex Jones that he will be very pleased? How cringe worthy that was? Well, this more than makes up for it! Well after the ruling by the Texas Supreme Court last week, it looks like Alex Jones can be sued into oblivion, and he’ll eventually be taking his conspiracy theories to padded walls.

Austin-based conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' attempt to get four defamation lawsuits – filed by the parents of children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012 – dropped was rejected by the Texas Supreme Court Friday.

The parents of the children sued Jones in Travis County, arguing that they were defamed by Jones and his Austin-based website InfoWars. They also stated in the suit that they suffered emotional distress after InfoWars broadcasts disputed whether the school shooting in 2012 and the news coverage of the incident were authentic.


A 20-year-old gunman shot his way into the school on the morning of Dec. 14, 2012, and killed 26 victims before shooting himself. The school building where the shooting occurred was destroyed and a new one was built at the same site, according to the Associated Press.

Friday's ruling by the Texas Supreme Court upheld rulings by two lower courts that had allowed the lawsuits to continue, according to KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/alex-jones-infowars-sandy-hook-texas-court-ruling/269-bd7a729b-3138-4365-9cb7-f1c1e4ea59aa




Yeah conspiracy theorists, this is where you can shout all the crap you want about free speech, but even that has consequences! Here’s the thing – the Constitution gives you the right to be as crazy of an asshole as you want to be, but if you cross lines that you were not meant to cross, such as what Alex Jones did, then there will be punishments handed out!

Two fathers who lost children in the Sandy Hook massacre spoke out on Monday after the highest court in Texas rejected appeals by extremist Alex Jones to dismiss their defamation lawsuits against him.

“The First Amendment doesn’t give you the right to slander or defame or spread malicious lies that put people’s lives in jeopardy,” said Neil Heslin, whose son Jesse was one of 20 first-graders and six educators slain at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. “I look forward to seeing Alex Jones in court, face to face.”

The Texas Supreme Court’s rejection of Jones’ appeals is the latest defeat in a streak of legal setbacks for the host of the Houston-based “Infowars” program, who faces four defamation lawsuits in Texas and Connecticut for calling the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre “staged,” “synthetic,” “manufactured,” “a giant hoax” and “completely fake with actors.”

Jones, whose lawyers argued unsuccessfully in Texas Supreme Court that the lawsuits against him should be dismissed because his speech is “protected commentary” under the First Amendment, has said in court filings that he no longer believes that the worst crime in modern Connecticut history was faked.
https://www.ctinsider.com/local/newstimes/article/After-Alex-Jones-loses-appeal-a-Sandy-Hook-15897119.php




Oh and here’s where it gets weird and you knew it was going to! Because that’s how things roll around here. So back in October, when Alex Jones was transitioning from being Trump’s lackey to just an idiot with a megaphone, he attempted to do what grade school kids might refer to as “backsies”. That’s right – after 8 years of lies and slander, he attempted to walk back his slander of the Sandy Hook families. I guess he doesn’t want his ass handed to him!

Extremist Alex Jones puts himself in the same company as investigative journalists pursuing a lead in new court papers asking a judge to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by eight Sandy Hook families.

Jones, the Texas-based host of the internet show, Infowars, no longer believes that the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre was a “hoax” and “fake” as he stated in 2014, according to the latest papers filed in Connecticut Superior Court.

As such, his lawyer says, Jones has a right under the First Amendment to be wrong.

“Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein relied on allegations from Deep Throat to link the Nixon administration to the Watergate break-in,” Jones’ attorney Jay Wolman wrote to the judge. “Such journalism, questioning official narratives, would be chilled if reporters were subject to liability if they turned out to be wrong.”
https://www.ctinsider.com/local/newstimes/article/Alex-Jones-says-the-shooting-happened-asks-15640653.php




Yeah Alex, you just can’t take back what you did! That’s truly the stuff of insanity there. But if you want to see the true extent of the damage that Alex Jones did to that small community, look no further than this PBS report from last year. Because this is truly some batshit crazy stuff. Alex Jones isn’t just a menace – he’s a threat to national security. His role in the Capitol Riots proved it, and this should cement the idea.

Lenny Pozner lives in hiding. His six-year-old son Noah was one of the 20 elementary school children killed in the Sandy Hook shooting almost eight years ago.

In the days after the shooting, Pozner realized that the tragedy that stole his son’s life had become the subject of conspiracy theories, fueled by people like Alex Jones.

“Alex Jones has this style of narrative that will dispute anything that’s being reported in the mainstream media,” Pozner said, in an interview for FRONTLINE’s United States of Conspiracy. The documentary examines how Jones, longtime Trump associate Roger Stone and the president helped to lay the foundation for conspiracy theories to take center stage in America’s national conversation.

“By the time Sandy Hook rolled around, [Jones] was already well practiced in that,” Pozner said. “And his audience was easily primed for all of those different ideas — that it’s either a false flag, or that everyone is faking their grief, and that it didn’t happen.”
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/this-sandy-hook-father-lives-in-hiding-because-of-conspiracy-theories-fueled-by-alex-jones/





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[font size="8"]Robinhood
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Last week you might have seen Gamestop and AMC trending and you had absolutely no clue what this was about. I will be the first to admit that I didn’t know either. But let’s put it this way. Some of America’s biggest retailers like Gamestop, AMC, Burger King, and (former) Blockbuster video all have one thing in common: they are run by some greedy-ass hedge fund managers, and the pandemic has accelerated the case for them all to get the same treatment that Borders and Toys R Us got. Which will mean lots of empty storefronts and lots of unemployed people. And the hedge fund managers get richer. But trying to explain what happened and to explain the science and math behind what has been going on the stock world is way too complex for us to comprehend. So we’ll let Elizabeth Warren explain just what the hell is going on.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday asked Robinhood in a letter to explain why it restricted trading in red-hot shares of GameStop after hedge funds suffered huge losses in a short squeeze.

Warren, D-Mass., noted that the online brokerage last week abruptly changed trading rules for individual investors in certain stocks on its no-fee platform, while hedge funds and Wall Street institutional investors were allowed to keep trading in GameStop, Koss, AMC Entertainment, Express, Naked Brand Group and other companies.

“Robinhood has a responsibility to treat its investors honestly and fairly, and provide them with access to the market under a transparent and consistent set of rules,” Warren wrote in her letter to Robinhood CEO Vladimir Tenev.

“It is deeply troubling that the company may not be doing so,” wrote Warren, who is a member of the Senate Banking Committee.

The letter asks Robinhood to disclose what led it to impose tight trading restrictions on the video game retailer Gamestop and the other stocks, and whether its hedge fund investors or other financial services partners who had big stakes in such trading affected the app company’s decision.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/02/elizabeth-warren-asks-robinhood-to-explain-gamestop-trade-restrictions.html




So let’s try and explain this as best we can – this is known as what’s called “micro trading” and it’s trading small stocks for big gains. I don’t know much about stocks, so stop me if I am wrong. But what the stock managers are really doing is exploiting the same loopholes that hedge fund managers have been doing for decades. Now it seems like people are getting their own slice of the pie, but Robinhood wants it back!

GameStop traders sent the stock on a wild ride Thursday, and it looks set for another manic session Friday.

The stock lost more than 44% of its value on Thursday after surging nearly 40% at one point earlier in the day. Adding to the drama? The trading platform Robinhood restricted trading in the red hot stock as well as several others.

"We continuously monitor the markets and make changes where necessary. In light of recent volatility, we are restricting transactions for certain securities to position closing only," Robinhood said in a statement, adding that it was also doing so for AMC (AMC), BlackBerry (BB), Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), Nokia (NOK) and three other stocks.

"Amid significant market volatility, it's important as ever that we help customers stay informed," Robinhood added.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/investing/gamestop-stock-reddit/index.html




Yeah so what happens when Robinhood finds out about actual Robin Hood going on, they turn into the Sheriff Of Nottingham. But the simple fact is that Reddit has managed to turn Wall Street and hedge fund managers on its’ ear. And when you screw with hedge fund managers, it may end about as well as Scarface. Because those guys are the kind who get high on their own supply!

So much for the “rigged” market, the supposed conspiracy to fleece Reddit traders, and other nonsense spouted about last week’s stock market ructions involving GameStop and other companies. It turns out the controversy was essentially about a larger than normal clearinghouse call for capital.

As David Battan explains nearby, that’s almost certainly the story behind the decision by Robinhood, the internet trading app, to limit trades in certain stocks for a time late last week. Politicians like Sen. Ted Cruz and bar-stool financial analysts claimed to see a plot by the new Robber Barons.

The reality is more prosaic. Robinhood and other brokers were deluged by traders looking to invest in GameStop and other shares, often with options contracts that can increase leverage and trading risk. A clearinghouse that processes and settles trades watched the volatile trading and demanded more collateral to cope with potential losses.

Robinhood Chief Executive Vlad Tenev explained the demand Sunday night in an interview on a livestream on Clubhouse, a social-networking app. “The request was around $3 billion, which is, you know, about an order of magnitude more than what it typically is,” Mr. Tenev said.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-robinhood-non-conspiracy-11612222878




That’s right – never, ever get high on your own supply! And in case you’re wondering if this is hurting Robinhood’s business, well, they are getting slammed. Not by Congress or the Fed, mind you. They are getting slammed where it really hurts – the Google reviews section! And you know they struck a nerve when even Google’s review editors don’t give a shit! They’re just like “yeah whatever, rate it as low as you want!”. Your move, Robinhood!

Online stock trading platform Robinhood has seen its review score on Google’s mobile app store plummet to a one-star rating out of five for the second time in less than a week, as irate users flooded the app with negative reviews in retaliation to its decision to curb the trading of several popular but volatile meme stocks like GameStop and AMC last week, highlighting how anger over the incident still persists among online traders.

At the time of publishing, Robinhood has a 1.1-star rating out of five from over 310,000 reviews on Google Play Store, after slipping down to a similar number last week.

The score had shot back up to 4.3 stars after Google threw out more than 100,000 reviews in an action against what it called “coordinated or inorganic reviews,” without offering any further details.

Google is unlikely to intervene this time though as it told The Verge that the new reviews are compliant with Google’s policies, and won’t be removed.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/02/02/robinhood-is-down-to-1-star-on-googles-mobile-app-store-again-this-time-google-wont-intervene/?sh=33d99be7c84b






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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Zoom Dysmorphia
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



It’s been nearly 10 months now since the novel coronavirus outbreak sent the entire world out of the public view and living on their webcams. But with change also comes unwanted change. In fact since so many people have been spending so much time in front of a webcam, a new form of an old disorder has arisen. Dysmorphia can take many forms – whether one is unhappy with their gender, race, height, or weight, can cause a person to be unhappy with themselves. But now a new form of dysmorphia has arisen – Zoom Dysmorphia. That’s right – people are unhappy with the way they are looking in front of their webcams and are taking steps to improve their appearance on a computer monitor. And by “taking steps” – we mean “unnecessary plastic surgery”. That’s right – people are going so far as to modify their appearance by scheduling plastic surgery so that they can look good for their admiring virtual public. Even scarier than that? The market is booming right now.

Thanks to the pandemic and the subsequent decrease in social interaction it's caused over the last year, video calls and virtual meetings are now a normal part of everyday life for employees working from home. Convenient as it is to phone in to nearly every special occasion from weddings to happy hours to work meetings these days, new reports have shown that the heavy increase in screen time has contributed to a new phenomenon called "Zoom dysmorphia" — and it may be another reason behind the reported spike in plastic-surgery procedures months ago.

A form of body dysmorphia disorder (BDD), the term was coined in a new study published in the International Journal of Women's Dermatology to explore how staring at your reflection on video for several hours a day might lead some people to develop a "negative self-perception." The study surveyed more than 100 board-certified dermatologists, many of whom claimed to have come across patients seeking cosmetic procedures to change or improve the appearance they see on video calls. While the research suggests that the images many users see are distorted due to lighting, blurring, and/or bad camera quality, some experts argue that what we're experiencing is somewhat of a reality check.

"We have never spent this much time looking at ourselves — not in photographs, not in the mirror," Amir Karam, MD, of Carmel Valley Facial Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Center in San Diego, told POPSUGAR. "This is giving us a chance to really understand what our faces look like after years of not looking or examining. There are changes that are happening to the soft tissues, to the eye shape, and to the face neck volume that are real and expected, but have remained unexamined for quite some time. For that reason, I believe it's more of a matter of realization than it is a dysmorphic, nonreality effect."
https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/zoom-dysmorphia-plastic-surgery-trends-48137238




Yes, if you spend all day everyday looking at yourself on a video screen, you’re going to notice things that you’ve never noticed before that you wouldn’t have been able to detect if you weren’t sitting in front of a monitor all day. But what happens if you notice these things? And in the middle of a raging pandemic would you really want to risk having to go to the hospital just because you’re uncomfortable with how your chin line looks? We find out.

A rise in at-home working amid the pandemic is said to be fuelling “Zoom dysmorphia”.

Millions of office staff have been working remotely for the best part of a year, communicating with colleagues via video calls.

With England in its third lockdown and similarly strict restrictions in place for the rest of the UK, Britons have also relied on the technology to stay connected with their loved ones.

While many have described the likes of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts as a “lifeline”, new research suggests staring at a “distorted image on screen” for up to several hours a day is causing some to develop “a negative self-perception”.

Scientists from the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Dermatology sent a survey to more than 100 dermatologists across the US.

Results suggest there has been a 56% increase in people seeking cosmetic procedures amid the widespread uptake of video calls, with a 24-year-old patient claiming her double chin “became apparent” while using the technology.
https://news.yahoo.com/zoom-dysmorphia-prompting-cosmetic-surgery-124935567.html




That is an astonishingly high number of people who are willing to get procedures during this pandemic, and nobody looks good on a webcam no matter how hard you try. But you know who is winning the game during this pandemic? That’s right – surgery providers and botox manufacturers. Because those who are willing to go so far as to look good online are willing to pay big money for these procedures, and you had better have deep pockets if you’re willing to go this far.

In June, Susie Sessoms got her first lip filler. In November, she tried Kybella, the “fat dissolving” double chin injectable. “I swelled up like a bullfrog,” she says. “It’s a good thing I didn’t have to go to work!” Like many office workers, Sessoms, a mortgage executive in the Twin Cities, has worked from home from March of last year. Her company doesn’t do Zoom, which made it even easier to get treatments discreetly. “I wasn’t concerned about catching Covid,” she says. Her medspa’s sanitization protocols make her feel safer than at the grocery store.

Like so many businesses in the pandemic, cosmetic surgeons took a big hit last March; there was less interest in beautification and more focus on shelter in place and toilet paper supplies. Across America, shutdowns for elective cosmetic work varied wildly; New York closed for three months, Minnesota for seven weeks, and so on. Some places never reopened. In July 2020, AbbVie, the pharmaceutical firm that owns Botox, reported a huge dip in global net revenues from sales of cosmetic Botox — down to $226 million, a 43.1% decrease from 2019.

Then, a shift. Practices reopened. Phones rang. Appointment after appointment was booked. AbbVie’s October earnings call was distinctly sunnier: $393 million in net revenues from Botox, a mere 2.2% decrease from regular operations.

In 2021, with the vaccine on the horizon, and an end in sight, people are turning their attention to the possibility of IRL meetups — and what impression they’ll give. The stress, inertia, and (for some) carb-heavy diet of the last year has left many feeling prematurely aged, out of shape, and saggy. That’s led to a boom in cosmetic procedures, which are now widely accessible, even amid shutdowns (in California you can’t get your hair cut but can have Botox). RealSelf.com, the “Yelp’’ for cosmetic surgery, says appointment bookings spiked 71% in October, and they are seeing this trend continue in 2021.
https://marker.medium.com/america-is-having-a-plastic-surgery-and-botox-bonanza-bc3caf7a9164




And yes that would be a good idea. But the Botox and plastic surgery industry are booming, and while Zoom Dysmorphia may be a temporary solution for a temporary problem, people are also preparing for the possibility of real life meetings in the near future when the virus finally subsides. So how does one deal with Zoom Dysmorphia for the time being? We ask some actual therapists on how to deal with this very temporary problem.

As licensed clinical social worker and certified cognitive therapist Alyssa "Lia" Mancao, LCSW, reminds me, we live in society that's hyper-focused on physical appearance. "We internalize those messages, so we're going to hyper-focus on ourselves when we're on Zoom calls," she says. We also have this fixation with wanting to "see what other people are seeing" as we chat. "We tend to believe that other people care about how we look, when really it's only us that cares how we're coming off."

For Nunez, it's all about thought patterns. According to a recent research, the average person has over 6,000 thoughts per day. "We're constantly thinking," she says. Plus, she notes, a substantial portion of those thoughts tend to run negative: "Sometimes instead of focusing on the meeting, you're actually doing self-talk, focusing on yourself and identifying all the negative things that are wrong with you," she notes.

In society B.C. (before COVID), we weren't privy to our own features during everyday conversations—we were simply chatting it up with others (mask-free, no less!) and going on our merry way. That's not to say self-scrutiny didn't exist at all, but the criticism was largely left to the mirror. Now in a virtual reality, you're so much more aware of your own features while you're speaking in real time, down to every facial expression you make.

This, notes the journal article, can not only sabotage mental health but can also "[lead] people to rush to their physicians for treatments they may not have considered before months confronting a video screen, a new phenomenon of 'Zoom Dysmorphia.'" Board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D., tells me she's certainly seen an uptick in requests for in-office procedures. She even discussed the very topic on the Today Show, revealing an increase in patients' concerns over frown lines, dark spots, wrinkles, and acne.
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/expert-tips-to-help-deal-with-zoom-dysmorphia




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.




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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew and pass the VENMO 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! Are we in a holy war? Because now that the DEVIL is finally gone from the White House and a new era of prosperity following a devastating tragedy is coming, there are some of us who still support the unholy, ungodly Dark One, a man so disgusting that his name not be mentioned in my church – whether it is real or virtual! Because those who march for the Dark One, are supporting the DEVIL , the almighty SAYTAN himself! In fact, some blows are being traded on both sides as we speak between congregations that support the light side and those that support the dark side! The churches are participating in the ultimate circular firing squad. In fact our fellow brother Gordon has offered to fire the first shot!

On a recent episode of his “Pray In Jesus Name” program, religious-right activist and former Colorado state legislator Gordon Klingenschmitt declared that President Joe Biden is possessed by a “demonic spirit” and that “the devil’s will” is now running the White House.

“I do believe God wanted Donald Trump to be reelected,” Klingenschmitt said. “I think it was God’s will, and yet sometimes in this fallen world, the devil wins, and God’s perfect will is not always done on Earth. I think it’s an abomination now that someone with a demonic spirit of, for example, transgenderism—Joe Biden is now promoting boys going into girls’ locker rooms in public school. He is promoting abortion on demand with taxpayer funding to kill innocent children. He is going to harm Israel in their unique calling in the world.”

“That is the devil’s will who is ruling in the White House right now when, I believe, President Trump was for God on those issues,” Klingenschmitt proclaimed.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/gordon-klingenschmitt-says-the-devils-will-is-ruling-the-white-house/




Seriously, Gordon, that was the last guy! And I can guarantee that GAWD would not want that horrible, vile DAYMON to be reelected, because that’s just not who we are as a people! And I thank GAWD that I can finally say the president’s name again – and his name is Joesph R. Biden! But these guys are angry, and I mean really angry. Just look at what Brother Josh said before the supporters of the unholy Dark One stormed the Capitol!

Joshua Feuerstein, a hard-right evangelical online personality, declared at a Jan. 5 pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C., “It is time for war! Stop the steal!” The next day, a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol interrupted congressional affirmation of Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory and left five people dead.

The rally featured right-wing leaders mixing Christian nationalism, Trumpism, stolen-election conspiracy theories, COVID-19 denialism, and threats of violence. Feuerstein was one of several speakers who talked about the “black robe regiment,” colonial-era preachers who mobilized the men in their congregations to join the war for independence from the British.

Here’s what Feuerstein had to say at the rally:

Ladies and gentlemen, the Bible declares that the thief and the enemy has come, but to kill, to steal, and to destroy. For the last 40 years, the liberals have tried to kill our unborn babies, steal elections, and destroy the Constitution. But patriots have come to Washington, D.C., to make their voices heard that we will not allow them to steal this election!
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/it-is-time-for-war-joshua-feuerstein-told-trumpists-on-eve-of-insurrection/




I’m pretty sure that is not what is really happening, Josh! But then another one of our usual suspects, Brother Lance, had this to say! You know is GAWD finished with the Dark One? Let’s think about this here for a minute – because the Dark One spent nearly $140 million on golf trips during the course of his administration. What did President Biden do last Sunday? He went to church! I can’t imagine the Dark One would set foot in a church, less see the buildings disintegrate into a pit of fiery hell!

Trump-loving evangelist Lance Wallnau appeared on “The Jim Bakker Show” Thursday, where he declared that the United States is divided because God’s “anointing” remains on Donald Trump while “there’s an illegal counterfeit in office” in Joe Biden. Wallnau warned that Biden will have trouble dealing with the issues of North Korea, Iran, and terrorism because he does not have God’s anointing the way Trump does.

Wallnau likened the situation in the U.S. to the split of ancient Israel mentioned in 1 Kings 12, when the northern tribes refused to submit to Rehoboam following the death of King Solomon and revolted, resulting in the creation of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

“God isn’t finished with America, and God isn’t even finished with Donald Trump,” Wallnau said. “I think people think, ‘He’s out of office, [we] have a new president,’ but what if God has an anointing on Donald Trump to be Cyrus, and there’s an illegal counterfeit in office?”

“We’re almost in the time when Israel was divided between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, and Jeroboam went to the north, and he created his own counterfeit religion to mirror the real thing. This is what the Democrats are doing,” he continued. “It’s the woke politics of intersectionality and race and transgenderism. Meanwhile, the kingdom is divided because the real anointing is still on Donald Trump.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/lance-wallnau-says-biden-is-an-illegal-counterfeit-because-gods-anointing-remains-on-trump/




Yes he does ! In fact some on the right are even going so far as to call this a “crusade”. It’s insane how deep their support for the cult that surrounds the Dark One goes! Even though he is no longer in power, I will continue my policy of never mentioning his name in my church! For the good LAWRD JAYSUS would proclaim that he does not support the Ungodly one! But these people are completely crazy and if they’re willing to die for the cause, well, that’s their funeral!

Christian nationalist pastor Brian Gibson, an active participant in the March for Trump effort to overturn the results of the presidential election, says that “leftists” and the media are persecuting the church by falsely blaming Christians for the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Gibson says that he and his wife have been inundated with death threats after online activists circulated a selfie that he says he took at an Arizona event with a costumed activist who later became notorious as the Q Shaman over his conspicuous role in the storming of the Capitol. On Jan. 6, Gibson says, he and his wife went to Trump’s rally on the Ellipse near the White House but returned to their hotel, where they heard about people breaking into the Capitol.

Gibson oversees churches in Kentucky and Texas and was one of the pastors who infused March for Trump’s rallies with religious purpose. He portrayed the effort as a campaign to defend religious freedom and the First Amendment. Gibson has called COVID-19-related restrictions on churches “tyrannical” and urged pastors and congregations to defy them.

At a Jan. 5 rally at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., that mixed support for Trump with evangelization and threats of violence, Gibson spoke more than once, delivering a Christian nationalist message and talking about his efforts to resist pandemic restrictions on churches. Here’s part of the message he delivered:
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/march-for-trump-pastor-brian-gibson-says-leftists-are-using-the-capitol-insurrection-as-excuse-to-persecute-christians/


OK brother Brian! If that’s the hill that you want to die on, it’s your loss! We’re not persecuting Christians, we just elected a real one to the presidency! So yeah have that! 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: Kaepernick V Brady
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We might be officially beating our own dead horse here. Because if you remember this started with conservatives berating Colin Kaepernick over that whole kneeling during the anthem thing (see: Idiots #3-16 ), and now with Super Bowl LV less than a week away, featuring yet *ANOTHER* appearance by Tom Brady, is it OK to separate the politics from the player? After all, don’t hate the player, hate the game! And the game can be quite hateable if the same team keeps winning it year after year! Well let’s think about this here – Tom Brady is a super wealthy, charismatic Super Bowl champion who’s been to the White House 5 times, has previously supported our former president Trump, and is married to a super model. Colin Kaepernick’s qualifications? He’s a black guy who pissed off the people who previously supported our 45th president.

Colin Kaepernick's name rarely surfaces during the middle of football season unless an NFL team is having a quarterback crisis. His name usually comes up during the offseason, protests against police brutality and whenever athletes of any sport kneel for the national anthem.

Not long after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC Championship game on Sunday, Kaepernick's name arose once again. Not for his prowess as a quarterback, but his stances that were deemed political in nature.

The Buccaneers are led by quarterback Tom Brady, who played for the New England Patriots the last 20 years before leaving for Tampa last offseason. Brady has been viewed as a conservative, but he hasn't really been vocal about it one way or another. He used to play golf with Donald Trump long before he was President Donald Trump—as far back as 2005 when George W. Bush was the president. Trump, as president, was vocal against those who knelt during the national anthem, especially Kaepernick.

So after Brady won his 10th conference championship and advanced to his 10th career Super Bowl, a statement was posted on social media how fans can differentiate, or separate, political views between Brady and Kaepernick.
https://www.newsweek.com/tom-brady-vs-colin-kaepernick-super-bowl-lv-conjures-qb-political-debate-1564347




Yeah so Tom Brady has been to the Super Bowl a whopping 10 times and Colin Kaepernick still doesn’t have a job. But the difference? Tom Brady has supported right-leaning politics and football’s biggest fans generally tend to lean more conservative, but that comes with changing demographics. But you can’t deny that president #45 still has an impact on pro sports, no matter what your preference is – if you prefer NASCAR, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, I could go on and on.

On Sunday, Tom Brady faces off against Aaron Rodgers in the 2021 NFC championship game. The world’s best quarterback (arguably) and low-key supporter of former President Donald Trump lives in Florida now and reportedly bought land in the same exclusive Miami community as Ivanka Trump. Earlier this month, Brady’s old coach Bill Belichick turned down Trump’s Presidential Medal of Freedom offer. Trump may no longer reside on Pennsylvania Avenue, but his specter still haunts the professional sports world.

Indeed, Trump has long enjoyed support in the sports world — particularly in the ownership suites and on the golf greens. Yet there is no question that, on the whole, he will not be greatly missed. Trump changed and destabilized sports just like he changed and destabilized pretty much everything else, and there is an undeniable eagerness among leagues, executives and most players to get back to normal business with a normal president. Though it might not always be that easy.

Trump has always been involved in various sports industries, from his golf courses to the old, failed United States Football League and his membership in the WWE Hall of Fame. But with his move to the White House, everything in sports came to revolve around Trump, from NFL players kneeling to championship teams refusing to meet with him to his Twitter war with Bubba Wallace and NASCAR. The United States women’s national soccer team became American heroes as much for their open defiance of Trump as they did for their dominant performance in the World Cup.
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/tom-brady-nfl-wnba-nascar-trump-still-haunts-pro-sports-ncna1255434




Man that just keeps coming! But seriously you know that you’re too toxic when you’re considered toxic for a guy who’s been accused of cheating multiple times! But again this asks the question – why does Tom Brady get a free pass for his toxic politics, but Colin Kaepernick gets ostracized from the league for a simple kneel during the national anthem? Well let’s ask former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston!

When was the last time you saw a jersey burned and run over a full year after the player was last a part of the team, simply because the player wasn’t a part of that team’s newfound success? Thirty quarterbacks every year don’t make the Super Bowl. A majority of quarterbacks never will. Hell, Matthew Stafford has played quarterback for the Detroit Lions since 2009, has only made the playoffs thrice, and hasn’t won a single postseason game. When his time in Detroit comes to a close this offseason, after the two sides have agreed to part ways, I highly doubt his jersey will be stomped, run over, or burned in the streets.

Winston is not blameless. He was accused of rape stemming from a 2012 incident at Florida State, which led to a civil suit that was settled in 2016. He was also suspended three games in 2018 after allegedly groping an Uber driver. That case was also settled, and he got a slap on the wrist from the league, so apparently that was good enough for everyone to move on and forget. Even with Winston’s past, I don’t hear anyone bringing that up now. I don’t see any Bucs fans lighting Winston’s jersey on fire because of his character issues. The motivation instead seems driven by the fact that Winston, a Black quarterback, didn’t take them to a Super Bowl, but Tom Brady did.

As I wrote last week, the NFL has a problem with Black quarterbacks. Beyond that, the league has a race problem that is systemic, woven into the foundational fabric of the league. Fans take cultural cues from football on what is allowed from leadership, much as insurrectionists took their Capitol-storming cues from the former Commander in Least. Leadership matters. Integrity matters.

The fans outraged about Colin Kaepernick taking a knee were given cover to feel that way by Roger Goodell and team owners like Jerry Jones. Somehow, Kaepernick’s desire for equality was disrespectful to America, or something. Black coaches are getting passed over — again — while we take away the “Washington Redskins” moniker, yet allow the Tomahawk Chop to live on at Arrowhead Stadium.
https://deadspin.com/tom-brady-zealots-reek-of-racism-in-burning-running-ov-1846136662



So the NFL chastised Colin Kaepernick for his political beliefs while covering up some far worse crimes that have happened. Rape, assault and attempted murder? Yeah we’ll look the other way, because, ratings!!! But kneeling before the national anthem? That’s a sin and you pissed off the Fox News crowd and they are ones to hold a grudge! But let’s ask the man himself what he thinks about this issue and well, you’ll get the answer you probably expected.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady evaded a question about whether he's gotten a pass from criticism for sporting a Donald Trump hat in his locker in 2015 because he is white.

In a Jan. 26 segment on Fox Sports, analyst Shannon Sharpe was critical of Brady's brief support of Trump. The six-time Super Bowl champion later backpedaled on his support of Trump, dismissing any political-oriented questions during the former president's campaign trail and presidency over the last four years. But Sharpe said Brady was given a pass as a white athlete that a Black athlete like LeBron James wouldn't have gotten.

"Let’s just say for sake of argument, LeBron James says my friend is Minister (Louis) Farrakhan," Sharpe said, referring to the controversial Nation of Islam leader. "How would America react? Blacks have always had to be very, very quiet about who our friends are. ... LeBron James can never say, a prominent black athlete can never say, Minister Farrakhan is just my friend. They’d try to cancel anybody with the just mere mention of Mister Farrakhan’s name. Because we like Tom Brady."

Brady, in response to a question by USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on a Super Bowl news conference Monday, dodged a direct answer.

"I'm not sure how to respond to hypothetical like that," Brady said over Zoom during Super Bowl media availability. "I hope everyone can — we're in this position like I am to, again, try to be the best I can be every day as an athlete, as a player, as a person in my community, for my team and so forth, so yeah, I'm not sure what else."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2021/02/01/tom-brady-dodges-question-donald-trump-support/4342575001/





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Welcome everyone to our brand new segment, Parlerfiles! So why did we decide to do this segment, you might ask? Well I answer you – there’s a lot of batshit crazy out there. It’s no secret that ever since Twitter finally fired @realDonaldTrump that things have turned upside down in the social media world and everything is crazy. In the far right world – all the usual social media suspects that we’ve come to love and hate have been replaced. Facebook has been replaced with Gab. Twitter has been replaced with Parler. Instagram has been replaced by Telegram. And Youtube has been replaced by Dlive. The thing that unites all of these sites? Anyone can say anything they want, and there’s some seriously batshit crazy stuff out there. For the purpose of this segment, there’s no story we’re reporting on, it’s a free-floating segment, just taking a few posts and trying to make sense of them! You can’t do it! Like for instance:



Holy shit, people believe this stuff! Look, Trump is none of those things. He’s literally Grandpa Simpson sitting at a typewriter writing complaints about stupid nonsense.



Yeah Trump is that guy! He doesn’t tweet like a 20 year old, though I could see him very lazily trying to type “UR” instead of “your” ,and he has been known to confuse “your” and “you’re”. Believe me we’ve seen enough of his tweets! Then if you go on Parler you see posts like this:



Nah. The Proud Boys vs Antifa is like the Harlem Globetrotters vs the Washington Generals. You don’t go there to watch fundamentals, you go strictly for the entertainment value, and you know that one person is pulling the strings for both teams! And by the way next week we’ll go into full detail about what went down in Myanmar but there’s no way Trump would have the charisma to pull off such a coup:

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1356326209462923265



Man these guys want to overthrow the government? I wouldn’t trust them to overthrow a freaking Home Depot. Let’s see 10,000 wannabe militia types open fire on the US military. They’d retreat with their tails between their legs in 10 minutes. Let’s get into some video next and I am in no way shocked that Russia is involved with Q Anon.

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1356250311824965639


Seriously, what does Putin have on Roger Stone? Is it money or is it something that’s far more incriminating like the Trump pee pee tape? Yeah you know what? That’s something I hope that I will never see. And something that can not be unseen are some of the absolutely batshit memes being posted around Parler like this one:

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1356118940230049793



People really believe this shit! And that’s insane that 3 weeks after the inauguration we still see idiots with Trump signs at street corners. And then Parler is known as a place where trolls go to troll. Want proof? One of the worst trolls imaginable – ultra far right pastor Joshua Feurerstien posts there, and we had honestly forgot about that guy, despite that he was one of the original inspirations for “Holy Shit”.

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1356113690127458310

Seriously? This was three days ago. Biden’s already been inaugurated and cleaning up most of Trump’s mess. And speaking of Q conspiracy theorists, this has to be one of my favorite ones because for some reason, they think that 5th dimensional chess is an actual thing. But what makes this even funnier is that a Google search for “5th dimensional chess” brings up the 1960s band 5th Dimension, which sang the song “Age Of Aquarius”. Yeah so there is that.

https://twitter.com/parlertakes/status/1353881592633159683



That is a good question, sir! Because there is one story that I wanted to report on is that everyone’s favorite batshit crazy Congresswoman, a poster child for how crazy Q Anon and Infowars followers can get, Marjorie Taylor Greene spent a whopping $207,000 advertising on this shit. No wonder she attracts the crazies!

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s disturbing social media trail may be on Twitter and Facebook, but it’s the conservative platform Parler where Greene has been actively spending her money — dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars of campaign cash since the Nov. 3rd election.

In 17 separate transactions, Greene’s campaign has spent $207,000 to advertise on the site, according to a review of federal election records.

It’s not unusual for campaigns to advertise where their supporters are, but Greene’s spending on Parler stands out because of its size and timing, with all of it posting days before or in the weeks after the Nov. 3rd election.

By that time, Greene had been comfortably elected to her 14th Congressional District seat for months, with her Republican primary behind her and her Democratic opponent dropping out of the race before Election Day.
https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-gop-insider-marjorie-taylor-greenes-parler-spending-spree/YHB2D755SNA7FPOGT2LWR342XU/ [/div




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Hey everyone, I don’t know about you, but I could really use a drink!

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So of course you know the idea behind this segment is that we have some drinks, and while we have some drinks, we discuss literally anything as long as it doesn’t relate to the news or politics. And there’s a lot of dark shit out there right now – we’re in a time of a great plague, and we had a transition of power that I would not exactly say went what one would call “smooth”. So fuck that shit. Instead we’re going to talk about the latest sensation to come out of Oklahoma. So tell me, virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about Bigfoot? A beer served in a giant glass shaped like a foot? No thanks, I don’t know where I could find such a glass. Maybe on Etsy. They have everything. But Oklahoma has an absolutely batshit way to draw tourism revenue when / if we ever get to tour things again.

Love a good conspiracy theory? Oklahoma is looking for you.

In January, Oklahoma Rep. Justin Humphrey introduced a new bill to the state legislature in an attempt to open up licenses for Bigfoot Hunting Season. Yes. For real.

"A lot of people don't believe in Bigfoot, but a lot of people do," Humphrey said in a statement, explaining the licenses would be regulated by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. There would be set dates for hunting the mythical creature, just as there are for other wildlife.

"I have been in the woods all my life and I have not ever seen any sign of Bigfoot," Humphrey additionally told the Oklahoman. "I have never heard Bigfoot, but I have some people that I know that are good, solid people who I will guarantee you 100% have said they have had experience with Bigfoot. So, I know there are people out there that you will not convince that Bigfoot doesn't exist."

"Tourism is one of the biggest attractions we have in my House district," Humphrey added. "Establishing an actual hunting season and issuing licenses for people who want to hunt Bigfoot will just draw more people to our already beautiful part of the state. It will be a great way for people to enjoy our area and to have some fun."
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/oklahoma-bigfoot-hunting-season-bill




Yeah what a great idea! Give your gun-loving conspiracy theorist relatives an excuse to shoot something, that will “own the libs”! But there’s more to this than would meet the eye. So what’s in it for the state of Oklahoma you might ask? Well besides that sweet, sweet tourism revenue, which states very badly need, there’s a monetary prize for whoever captures Bigfoot. Which is weird because nobody knows what Bigfoot looks like! I mean is he a monkey with giant feet, or is he your 7’4 cousin with a size 24 triple wide sneaker? Well that would be murder, then, wouldn’t it?

A Republican House member has introduced a bill that would create a Bigfoot hunting season. Rep. Justin Humphrey’s district includes the heavily forested Ouachita Mountains in southeast Oklahoma, where a Bigfoot festival is held each year near the Arkansas border. He says issuing a state hunting license and tag could help boost tourism.

“Establishing an actual hunting season and issuing licenses for people who want to hunt Bigfoot will just draw more people to our already beautiful part of the state," Humphrey said in a statement.

Humphrey says his bill would only allow trapping and that he also hopes to secure $25,000 to be offered as a bounty.

Micah Holmes, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, which oversees hunting in Oklahoma, told television station KOCO that the agency uses science-driven research and doesn’t recognize Bigfoot.
https://www.kmov.com/oklahoma-lawmaker-proposes-bigfoot-hunting-season/article_d4e77d43-4b6c-5bb0-a11e-803bca5fdadb.html




I don’t even think that’s enough booze right now! So get your best Daffy Duck vs Bugs Bunny impression ready because it’s literally Bigfoot hunting season in Oklahoma! And what’s going to happen when things get out of control? Because you know they will, and putting a $25,000 bounty on Bigfoot is going to have disastrous consequences, and you know things will get weird!

If he came to Texas, he would be safe here with only a few mouth-breathers down around Liberty and Beaumont who still are hunting Sasquatch in the Big Thicket country.

“Wait!” Is that a “Squatch” I hear? If it is, he’s laughing at the clowns who are chasing him. Despite all the shows on Discovery Channel and Nat Geo and whatever other channels that have enough money to pour it down the Bigfoot hole, there’s never been a credible picture or movie or shredded hunter’s carcass to introduce into evidence that these creatures actually exist.

I’ve been to the Texas Bigfoot Society meetings and even the speakers there try to play down the blurry videos of a Holstein cow standing facing the camera 300 yards across a pasture.

One speaker, an anatomical expert from somewhere, had the stones to say that the famous Gimlin-Patterson film from 1968 had to be a human in an ape suit walking across that dry stream bed. A man who claimed he was the one in the suit passed a lie detector test on television claiming that was he not a female Bigfoot.
https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/outdoors/2021/01/30/oklahoma-could-bigfoot-hunting-be-legal-soon-mike-leggett/4315098001/




So take heart, Oklahoma hunters! No one has ever actually caught Bigfoot! And the one person who claims to have caught Bigfoot was actually just flat out making shit up. If you do go Bigfoot hunting, be sure to take that into account. But why Oklahoma? Well the myth of Bigfoot traces back to Honobia, Oklahoma where the annual Bigfoot Festival takes place every year. And this is mainly just a way to promote the festival. For when we can have festivals again.

Just when you think you've heard it all, on Jan. 5, Oklahoma state Rep. Justin Humphrey proposed an official Bigfoot hunting season bill, House Bill 1648, to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, FieldandStream.com reports (bit.ly/OKbigfoot). Before you ask, yes the bill has provisions for the hunting season's dates, regulations and tags.

Which should prove interesting to enforce, because a spokesman for the state's Department of Wildlife Conservation has decreed that Bigfoot does not exist in Oklahoma, creating quite a legal conundrum for prospective hunters.

There is an ulterior motive in this bill. The annual Bigfoot festival takes place in Honobia, Oklahoma, in October, Humphrey, a Republican, explained, so he wants to use the monthlong Bigfoot hunting season to promote that area and the festival.

"This is tourism!" he told Lacie Lowry of News 9 in Oklahoma City (bit.ly/JHbigfoot). He is pictured, inset, courtesy of News 9.
https://www.dailyastorian.com/life/in_one_ear/in-one-ear-hunting-bigfoot/article_ad0624b2-5e89-11eb-ab41-3b1e7e6f7c0b.html





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[font size="8"]Road To The White House: Joe Biden’s First Week
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Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there! Now that we’ve given Trump the heave ho he so richly deserves, Biden is ready to get to work, but what has his first week in office looked like? We’re going to examine this in full, and it looks a hell of a lot different than when Trump assumed power in 2017. For one thing it is so nice to have a president who doesn’t toilet tweet or give self congratulatory interviews on Fox News every night. It’s so refreshing to have a president who doesn’t speak to Sean Hannity on a nightly basis. And in case you’re wondering, he really is hard at work right now cleaning up Trump’s mess!

Did President Joe Biden sign more executive orders in his first week than any past president did in that same time period?

ANSWER:

Yes. The Verify team looked through a pair of databases that track presidential executive orders. They showed that President Biden issued 22 executive orders in his first week, along with many presidential proclamations and memorandums.

This compares to four executive orders issued in President Trump's first week, five by President Obama, and zero by President George W. Bush.

Since taking office, President Joe Biden has signed a flurry of executive orders. Many of these actions were reversals of President Trump's policies. Others were meant to set a new tone in Washington.

The swift action has prompted praise from those on the left, and ire from those on the right. Many critics have posted to social media that they are upset by the unilateral action.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/verify-yes-biden-signed-more-executive-orders-in-his-first-week-than-any-past-president/65-06d6cad9-3027-41ef-96be-654216ad81e3




And the best part too – Biden just moves onto the next thing and doesn’t hold it up for the world to see like Trump did! So what does Joe have planned in his first 100 days? Well in his first 7 days he’s already accomplished more than Trump has in four years. But his first 100 days look to be really intense and he plans a lot to get Americans back to work and get COVID under control. But it looks like Biden is channeling FDR in his plans!

When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn in as President on March 4, 1933, a quarter of Americans were unemployed and multitudes were living in shanty-towns. By the end of his first 100 days in office, he had pushed 15 bills through Congress, revamped the financial and agricultural systems, expanded unemployment relief and laid the foundation for economic recovery.

Nine decades later, another Democrat, Joseph R. Biden Jr., ascends to the White House at a time of extraordinary crisis. A once-in-a-century pandemic has killed more than 400,000 Americans and erased nearly 10 million jobs. The new President has to contend with climate change, a national reckoning on racial justice and a bitterly divided electorate.

As he plots his first months in office, President Biden has been studying Roosevelt’s model. “We are coming to this with a determination to meet these challenges with solutions as big as the problems are,” White House chief of staff Ron Klain tells TIME. “Our goal is to rally the country behind that, mobilize the Congress behind that, start to make the changes we need to make to tackle these horrible problems.”

That mission was reflected in Biden’s opening flurry of executive actions. Within hours of his Inauguration, Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization and rescinded the Trump Administration’s so-called Muslim ban, which restricted immigration from a host of Muslim-majority countries. The moves were intended to telegraph that his presidency would eschew the isolationist tendencies of his predecessor.
https://time.com/5931852/joe-biden-100-days/




That is a good question! But what is happening right now is that we finally have a leader with compassion – as opposed to having a leader who’s been a colossal dick for the last four years that got us in a raging pandemic and crippling unemployment. And also while Trump tried to play the “cool boss” part of being president without actually doing his job, Biden is the boss and he will be playing the “cool boss” part when COVID finally gets under control!

As his first full week in the White House begins, Joe Biden already faces critical early tests of a presidency premised on political compromise and uniting Washington to fight the pandemic.

The President's team Sunday appealed for two things that may ultimately be elusive: time to stand up an aggressive attempt to finally turn around the Covid-19 nightmare and Republican buy-in for his $1.9 trillion economic relief plan.

In the week ahead, Biden is expected to unleash a new blitz of executive actions to deliver momentum to his new administration -- on Monday, for instance, removing the ban on transgender people serving in the military.

The President plans to move aggressively later in the week, taking steps to boost US workers, address racial inequality and combat climate change.

But true, lasting change and the nation's hopes of finally overcoming the pandemic will rely on Biden's ability to leverage years of experience to forge common ground in the scorched earth of the capital.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/25/politics/joe-biden-coronavirus-congress-trump-impeachment/index.html




See that conservatives? That’s what a president is supposed to do! Yeah you can cheerlead Trump all you want but he never really did any actual work. Biden gets shit done before noon, while Trump sleeps until noon and then spends the next 8 hours yelling at the TV, while calling other people lazy. Oh and this might be one of the best parts of the Biden administration so far – he won’t be making decisions involving his family members! Again… what’s happening right now? Is it that far left agenda? You bet!

President Joe Biden vowed that no one in his extended family will have sway over government decisions in an interview with People magazine published Wednesday.

"We're going to run this like the Obama-Biden Administration," he said of ethics requirements pertaining to government appointees' family and friends to avoid the semblance of wrongdoing.

"No one in our family and extended family is going to be involved in any government undertaking or foreign policy," he added. "And nobody has an office in this place. They always have access to Pop and Nana but nobody (will have an office)."

Biden shared an anecdote of previously rejecting personal benefits that could have been paid by the government, professing his commitment to steering clear of impropriety.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/politics/biden-people-magazine-family-members-government/index.html









[font size="4"]And Now This: [br] [/font]
[font size="8"]Black Pumas [br] [/font]

Ladies and gentlemen, you saw them and loved them at the Inauguration of Joe Biden! Now playing the song “Colors” from their album Black Pumas – you can buy the Deluxe Edition of this album anywhere you get music, give it up for Black Pumas!



See you next week!

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Initech Productions: Yes, We Got The Memo

January 27, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-1: Lauren's Got A Gun Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-1: Lauren’s Got A Gun Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? We’re of course still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back room of a Burbank comedy club. Look at it, it’s so blue, how could you possibly miss it? But we made it everybody!!! Our long national nightmare is finally over! And you know what? People have been asking me what the end of the Trump era feels like, and I got to say it kind of feels like pulling off a scab. It feels very satisfying at first, but it opens up a festering wound that will take a long time to stop bleeding. Pleasant analogy, I know, but then again the last four years have been anything but pleasant. More on that later. Do we have time for the thing? Yes, we actually do have a thing! It feels good! No, not that kind of thing. But it’s really about our show. What are we going to do now that Trump is no longer in power? Well we’re going to continue on for the 10th and 11th seasons, and we’ve got plenty of exciting new content to debut for you including a feature that we’re debuting next week called “Parler Files” where we will dissect for you some of the ridiculously batshit crazy things being said on right wing social media. We might also work on that name. Plus all your favorite segments are coming back for more. OK enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to, but first one of my favorite podcasts is from Christopher Titus, and this week on the Armageddon Update, he very clearly spells out what went down at the Capitol Riot and defines the language for those who are too dumb to understand:



Well in the number one slot, we made it everybody! Taking the #1 slot this week is Senate Republicans (1) because the 2nd impeachment and actual trial of our 45th president is getting underway and they’re doing their best to sweep it under the rug! Taking the second slot this week is Tucker Carlson (2) and we ask the question – could his viewers be racist? The answer might surprise you! Taking the third slot this week is our now FORMER president Donald Trump (3) and this is where we send off the Trump administration by taking a look at some of my favorite things that he’s said and done, and I still can’t believe that a sitting president did these things and we survived as a country. Taking the 4th slot this week is Rudy Giuliani (4) and he’s basically admitted all but the fact that Trump was accepting bribes for presidential pardons, and there were a lot of them to dissect, Steve Bannon probably being the most egregious one. Taking the fifth slot this week is the return of our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week we’re taking a look at Bitcoin failures. Bitcoin has been surging but you got to remember your passwords, folks! In the number 6 slot this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in Holy Shit (6) and this week our resident pastor is going to take a look at predictions from right wing pastors about the forthcoming year 2021 and the Biden administration and well, they’re fucked up. Taking the #7 slot this week, we add Colorado’s Q Anon loving Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (7) to the ever-growing list of People Who Somehow Got Elected! In the number 8 slot this week, we have a new edition of This Fucking Guy, and this week we’re profiling heavy metal guitarist and hardcore Trumpfile Jon Schhaffer (8), founder of the band Iced Earth! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week we have our first People Are Dumb (9) of 2021 and we’re going to dedicate it to some of the ridiculously dumb people that participated in the Capitol riot and did it for the selfies! And finally this week is Road To The White House (10) and this week we’re going to talk about Joe Biden’s awe-inspiring inauguration and what to expect in his first 100 days! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Senate Republicans
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I know what you’re thinking – it’s a new year and we have a new president, right? Wrong! Yes, I know that Joe Biden has officially been inaugurated and he’s already been hard at work reversing most of Trump’s policies, right? Meet the new boss, same as the old boss! No!!! Thank god! We do not need a new boss that’s the same as the old boss. Because the old boss was literally the worst president we’ve ever had. And after going full Avengers Loki on us, he’s now awaiting his Asguard like fate like Loki did in Thor: The Dark World. But I wish he would meet that fate. I really want to see him dragged away in handcuffs for what he did at the Capitol. But that said, conservative republicans in the Senate are doing their best to imitate Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun.

Sometimes in Washington, the powers that be will embark on a little bit of political theater. You can always spot it, though, if you look closely enough at what's real and what's not.

In the last days of the presidency of Donald Trump, the Democrats and a handful of Never Trumpers banded together to insist he be impeached, again.

The first impeachment of Donald Trump in 2019 was a witch hunt filled with fabricated charges, unsupported evidence and partisan rancor disguised as legal concern.

I worked against this impeachment, but I will grant it one thing — while wrongheaded, the Democrats had every right to do it and at least pursued it as dictated and foreseen by the Constitution.

Fast-forward to January 2021. A national tragedy occurred when militants, agitators and zealots were convinced and allowed to believe that Jan. 6 could produce any result other than the certification of the electors of President Joe Biden.
https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/535582-boycott-sham-impeachment




Dude, seriously, you almost got killed in a riot incited by your previous president. Is that whole damn party under Stockholm Syndrome or what? They’ve been kidnapped by a dangerous cult and are refusing to do anything about it. But the whole reason for this exercise is to prevent a certfiably insane lunatic like Trump from ever holding office again. So why are they so resistant to the idea? Oh don’t worry, Josh Howley, we’re coming for you next. Look no further than Florida Man himself, Marco Rubio, to provide the lack of answers.

Senator Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) on Sunday called the effort to impeach former President Trump in order to bar him from running for office again “arrogant,” saying “voters get to decide” who is elected.

“I think that’s an arrogant statement for anyone to make,” Rubio responded when asked by host Chis Wallace on Fox News Sunday about whether Trump should be impeached to prevent a future campaign for office.

“Voters get to decide that. Who are we to tell voters who they can vote for in the future?” the Florida Republican asked.

The House is set to deliver the single article of impeachment against Trump on grounds of “incitement of insurrection” to the Senate on Monday, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) has said that the impeachment trial will begin the week of February 8.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rubio-says-its-arrogant-to-impeach-trump-to-bar-him-from-running-again/ar-BB1d35XZ?ocid=DELLDHP&li=BBnbfcL




Yeah true! Well, someone must care enough to put Trump on trial, am I right? Before you go crazy on the Trump impeachment trial, let’s take a minute to assess that there are people on the right who are criminally insane. Don’t worry, we’ll get to Josh Howley in a bit. And they’re not alone, behind door #3 is House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Obviously). But let’s not overlook the fact that Trump deserves to be punished for the uprising. Oh wait I hear he likes that sort of thing. *shudder*

But since then, he has seemed to walk back his criticism.

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In an interview airing Sunday on Gray Television’s “Full Court Press With Greta Van Susteren,” McCarthy insisted he wasn’t changing his tune.

“No, I have not changed in that,” he said.

He stood by his assertion that Trump does bear some responsibility for what happened. But, he added, so does every other person around the country.

“I also think everybody across this country has some responsibility,” he said.

McCarthy then started pointing to Democrats who opposed Trump, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), people who are rude on social media and law enforcement authorities who didn’t prepare for the attack as some of the people who were somehow responsible.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214992483




Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait. Wait. Everybody is responsible for what happened at the Capitol? Even me? I want nothing to do with these traitor scumbags. But I thought what happens at the capitol stays at the capitol, right? Oh wait, it’s a riot, it’s not Vegas. What happens there will definitely come back to haunt you for the rest of eternity and that’s not going to be pretty when it eventually catches up to you! But really, with friends like these, who needs enemies?

The Texas Republican senator John Cornyn warned on Saturday that Donald Trump’s second impeachment could lead to the prosecution of former Democratic presidents if Republicans retake Congress in two years’ time.Trump this month became the first US president to be impeached twice, after the Democratic-controlled House, with the support of 10 Republicans, voted to charge him with incitement of insurrection over the assault on the Capitol by his supporters on 6 January which left five people dead.

. . .

After a brief moment of bipartisan sentiment in which members from both parties condemned the unprecedented attack on Congress as it met to formalize Biden’s victory, a number of Senate Republicans are opposing Trump’s trial, which could lead to a vote blocking him from future office.

“If it is a good idea to impeach and try former presidents, what about former Democratic presidents when Republicans get the majority in 2022?” Cornyn, a 19-year veteran of the Senate who last year tried to distance himself from Trump when it seemed his seat was at risk, tweeted at majority leader Chuck Schumer.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/23/senate-republican-john-cornyn-impeachment-trump-past-democratic-presidents






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[font size="8"]Fox News
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Here’s the thing guys – if you have to ask if you’re racist, chances are probably good (I’d say 95% with a +-5% margin of error) that you most likely are a racist. Case in point: Last week, Tucker Carlson – a stupid person’s definition of a smart person – asked his viewers to define what a white supremacist really was. But before I get into that, I want to first examine Josh Howley and his criminally batshit crazy Op Ed that he wrote in the New York Post. Before you get mad at me for this, I want you to know that I am sharing this because this will illustrate the point that I’m trying to make in this entry. This is what your average white wing Fox News watching friend / neighbor / coworker is thinking right now.

Have you checked your social credit score lately? You might want to. Mine seems to have taken a nosedive this month. You might want to see how yours is doing.

Everyone knows what a credit score is. But social credit scores are new. They’re the latest corporate import from Communist China, where government and big business monitor every citizen’s social views and statements.

And they’re the latest form of cancel culture in this country, as corporate monopolies and the left team up to shut down speech they don’t like and force their political agenda on America. For those who still believe in free speech and the First Amendment, this is the time to take a stand.

Like the old-fashioned kind of credit score, your social credit requires a lot of maintenance. You’ll need to get good grades in school and stay out of trouble with the law. But that’s just the start — you have to earn your right to live in polite society these days. So if you want to get a good job, stay at hotels and be served at restaurants, you will need to do a few other things. You will need to voice the right opinions. You will need to endorse the right ideas. You will need to conform. That’s what the corporate chieftains tell us, anyway.
https://nypost.com/2021/01/24/its-time-to-stand-up-against-the-muzzling-of-america/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons




Yeah go cue up the world’s smallest violin. See, if you’re mad about being canceled without actually taking the time to examine *WHY* you were canceled, then guess what? You’re part of the problem and not the solution! Yeah thank you blank pre-recorded audience! But that illustrates the point I am making – this is what Trump fans are really thinking right now! Which leads me to Tucker Carlson. This is exactly the “I’m not racist, but…” argument.

Now that we're waging war on white supremacists, can somebody tell us in very clear language what a white supremacist is?

That's not some picayune semantic question -- Joe Biden isn't a high school debate coach. Joe Biden is the new president of the United States. Joe Biden controls the largest military and largest law enforcement agencies in the world. He has now declared war. So we should know specifically and precisely who exactly he has declared war on. We have a right to know that.

Innocent people could be hurt in this war, they usually are. There could be collateral damage in this war. And the casualties will be Americans.

So again, what is a white supremacist? You might be surprised to learn just how broad the definition for that has become.

Bloomberg News has described a wall along our southern border as “a monument to white supremacy." So be certain not to support that.
https://www.mediamatters.org/tucker-carlson/tucker-carlson-warns-viewers-they-could-be-targets-war-white-supremacists




Whoa, whoa, whoa!!! You can’t just expect to walk back the wall! I mean come on, there’s been rumors that one of your fellow employees, Sean Hannity, had a direct line to Trump every night and was more influential on Trump’s policy than the Joint Chiefs were! Oh and Tucker Carlson isn’t the only one in the GOP questioning the party’s ties to white male racists. I give you Rand Paul, who said that he thinks Biden is calling them racist. Well guess what guys? You kind of sort of are!

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul quickly criticized President Joe Biden’s inauguration speech on Wednesday, saying Biden was calling Republicans racist.

“If you read his speech and listen to it carefully, much of it is thinly-veiled innuendo calling us white supremacists, calling us racists, calling us every name in the book, calling us people who don’t tell the truth,” Paul said on Fox News Primetime.

Paul said he also thought Biden was calling his political opponents liars.

Paul’s assessment was a sharp contrast to the widespread accolades for Biden’s remarks that predominantly emphasized unity following Trump supporters’ Capitol riot that was set off in part by Trump’s election fraud lies and misinformation. Some Republicans, including Kentucky’s other senator, have called Trump and his acolytes’ comments lies.

Twitter users criticized Paul’s comments, saying that it’s not Biden’s fault if Paul was offended when Biden condemned racism. Some also pointed out Paul’s opposition to an anti-lynching bill last year. Paul said at the time he was worried the bill would “conflate lesser crimes with lynching,” according to Politico.
https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article248658995.html




Really guys! Did you ever stop to think for a minute that it might not be them, it’s you? Because while you’re wondering whether or not you’re a racist, Biden is actively looking into threats from domestic terrorists! So keep asking that question, Tucker, because the next white supremacist you find might actually be the one you see in the mirror. Yes, Boogaloo Bois and Proud Boys, we’re coming for you, and you might want to get used to seeing another color – orange.

The Biden administration is “committed to developing policies and strategies” based on that analysis, bearing in mind “our respect for constitutionally respected free speech and political activities,” she said.

“This is the first step in the process,” she noted.

The administration is also working to boost the National Security Council’s ability to counter domestic extremism, Psaki said, adding that other parts of the government will coordinate to “enhance and accelerate” efforts to address those threats.

The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for additional information.

The Jan. 6 break-in at the Capitol left five dead, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer, and forced a joint session of Congress to evacuate, halting the confirmation of Biden’s Electoral College victory over Trump.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/22/biden-asks-for-threat-assessment-on-domestic-terrorism.html





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[font size="8"]The Capitol Riot: The Suspects
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The Capitol Riot is still huge news and why not? The last time someone tried something that batshit insane was 150 years ago! And due to the sheer amount of people who were at this thing, not only is it going to provide good fodder for us for the next two years, but we may never know the real extent of everything that happened there. But one thing is for certain – the people who infiltrated the Capitol Building are some of the dumbest motherfuckers alive! So much that we’re dedicating this week’s People Are Dumb to just that! But one thing is for certain is that these are some of the stupidest criminals alive. You don’t break into a government building and take a selfie to upload to Instagram! I mean they have things like location and IP trackers. So if you do this, that will make it that much easier for the Feds to find you. Like this for instance!

Texas resident Garret Miller, who posted a picture of himself participating in the January riot at the U.S. Capitol on social media, was arrested by authorities on Friday.

Lawmakers were forced to shelter in place during the riot which interrupted the Congressional confirmation of President Joe Biden's victory in the Electoral College. Five individuals died in connection with the riot which was carried out by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Many members of the mob broadcast their activities on social media, including Miller.

According to an affidavit from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miller posted a 14-second-long video taken inside the Capitol Rotunda that showed rioters waving flags. Miller captioned the video, "From inside congress."

Miller also posted a selfie of himself inside the Rotunda to his Facebook page.
"After MILLER posted the selfie above showing him inside the U.S. Capitol building, an individual on Facebook commented, 'bro you got in?! Nice!,' to which MILLER replied, 'just wanted to incriminate myself a little lol,'" the affidavit read.
https://www.newsweek.com/man-who-posted-selfie-capitol-riot-incriminate-myself-little-arrested-1563867




Here’s the thing guys – not only are you making the Feds’ job that much easier, you’re also making my job that much easier! Hell I am writing this entry in 10 freaking minutes! The more we find out about what went on during the January 6th riot, the more we find out how fucking stupid and crazy the Trump fans really are. Really – if you play stupid games, you’re going to win stupid prizes. Like a trip to jail or COVID-19. Yeah there’s still that happening too!

The Texas-based real estate agent who traveled to the January 6 Capitol riots in a private plane was kicked off PayPal Thursday evening after attempting to solicit donations for business losses.

Jenna Ryan, who was arrested last week, asked her Twitter followers for help Thursday afternoon, sharing a link to a PayPal account where supporters could offer a donation. In a tweet, Ryan said, "I am accepting donations to pay legal fees and losses due to my arrest and charges by the FBI" and later claimed she had raised $1,000.

By Thursday evening, PayPal had closed the account, according to Kim Eichorn, a PayPal spokesperson.

"PayPal has a policy to allow fundraising for legal defense purposes," Eichorn said in an email to CBS News. "PayPal thoroughly reviews accounts, and if we learn that funds are used for anything other than legal defense, the account will be subject to immediate closure. We can confirm that the account in question has been closed."

Ryan acknowledged that her account was closed Thursday evening in a now-deleted tweet: "Shucky darn I can't do business with PayPal anymore. What am I gonna do with myself? I think I will survive. Seems like some people want to cancel me because I'm trying to get donations from PayPal. Big Woop."
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jenna-ryan-paypal-capitol-riots/#app




Aw… shucky darn, you’re going to go to jail! Hope you like prison food! I mean really, who the fuck talks like that? Let alone someone who has access to private jets? But you might be thinking “Gee, there’s got to be an explanation for such stupidity! Well guess what? I got news for you: there isn’t. You know how we’re always asking for “pics or it didn’t happen?”. Yeah the same applies here. But when you post selfies with location and IP tracking, you’re gonna get caught.

As she approached the U.S. Capitol doors, Jenna Ryan lined up her face in the frame of a Facebook Live video. “Y’all know who to hire for your Realtor. Jenna Ryan for your Realtor,” she said to the camera.

University of Kentucky student Gracyn Courtright posted a photo of herself on Instagram from outside the Capitol doors, arms lifted in celebration. “Can’t wait to tell my grandkids I was here!” the caption read.

In posts on Instagram and Facebook, Edward “Jake” Lang shared his confrontation with police officers at the Capitol. Using a finger-pointing emoji toward the front of the crowd, Lang wrote, “This is me.”

All three publicly documented their roles in the mob attack Jan. 6 on the U.S. Capitol that left five dead and sent lawmakers fleeing for safety, and all three saw that documentation used against them in charges filed by the Department of Justice.

They are hardly anomalies. Of the 119 people facing federal charges in connection to the riot as of Thursday afternoon, at least 71 cases involve photos, posts or footage from social media. At least 47 people saw screenshots of their own selfies, livestreams, videos or posts in their charges, according to a USA TODAY analysis of the federal charging documents.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2021/01/21/fbi-uses-selfies-social-posts-arrest-u-s-capitol-rioters/4203158001/




Yeah really! There aren’t enough facepalms for this. But again we say – play stupid games and win stupid prizes! Before you think about uploading that selfie of you posing in front of Nancy Pelosi’s office, you might want to think about the consequences of your actions. I mean come on, it got the alt right personality known as Baked Alaska caught. And really who names themselves after a desert from the 1950s? These idiots.

Far-right media personality Tim Gionet, who calls himself “Baked Alaska,” has been arrested by the FBI for his involvement in the riot at the U.S. Capitol, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

Gionet was arrested by federal agents in Houston on Saturday, according to the official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter before the public release of a criminal complaint and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress was meeting to vote to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral win. Five people died in the mayhem.

Gionet faces charges of violent and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and knowingly entering a restricted building without law
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/personality-baked-alaska-arrested-riot-probe-75296715





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[font size="8"]Rudy Giuliani
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Speaking of playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes, in this corner we have our next contender… *drum roll* Rudy Giuliani!!! Come on down, what do you win? Well, Mr. New York’s Mayor, you win a prison sentence! And so does everyone in the administration! You get a prison sentence and you get a prison sentence! And you get one! And you get one! Everybody gets a prison sentence! So what did Giuliani do that was so egregious you might ask? Well for one thing in Trump’s final hours – his lawyer Giuliani revealed the true cost of a presidential pardon. It turns out that freedom really isn’t free and in fact it has a price. Well, it has a price tag, anyways! See what I did there?

An associate of Rudy Giuliani told a former CIA officer a presidential pardon was “going to cost $2m”, the New York Times reported on Sunday in the latest bombshell to break across the last, chaotic days of Donald Trump’s presidency.

The report detailed widespread and in some cases lucrative lobbying involving people seeking a pardon as Trump’s time in office winds down. The 45th president, impeached twice, will leave power on Wednesday with the inauguration of Joe Biden.

The former CIA officer John Kiriakou, who was jailed in 2012 for leaking the identity of an operative involved in torture, told the Times he laughed at the remark from the associate of Giuliani, the former New York mayor who as Trump’s personal attorney is reportedly a possible pardon recipient himself.

“Two million bucks – are you out of your mind?” Kiriakou reportedly said. “Even if I had two million bucks, I wouldn’t spend it to recover a $700,000 pension.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/17/rudy-giuliani-associate-john-kiriakou-trump-pardon




But that said, would you really trust Giuliani for your attorney? Hell I wouldn’t trust him as my attorney in a mock trial. Seriously, I wouldn’t trust him as my attorney on an episode of Mock Trial With J. Reinhold! Just Google that reference. With Trump’s trial going to the Senate, well, we can expect that Giuliani will not be a part of this mess. And don’t worry – we will get to that in a minute. Do you really want a guy this unstable on your side? Well, look at who his boss is!

President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, will not be taking part in the president’s defense in the Senate trial for his second impeachment, a person close to Mr. Trump said on Monday.

Mr. Trump met with Mr. Giuliani on Saturday night at the White House, and the next day the president began telling people that Mr. Giuliani was not going to be part of the team. It is unclear who will be the defense lawyer for Mr. Trump, given that many attorneys have privately said they won’t represent him.

Mr. Giuliani himself at first said he was taking part in the trial and then a day later said he had no involvement.

He told ABC News on Sunday that he would not be part of the defense, noting that he is a potential witness since he gave a speech at the rally on Jan. 6 of Trump supporters who went on to storm the Capitol complex, overtaking it for hours.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/18/us/giuliani-trump-impeachment-trial.html




Yeah that’s because Giuliani might have a huge legal mess on his own. You know those pesky Slapp suits? Well this is one that could work to our advantage because you know conservative conspiracy theorists have been floating bullshit conspiracies about Dominion Voting Systems? Well Giuliani was named in a lawsuit this morning and it’s going to get really ugly really quickly!

Dominion Voting Systems filed a lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani on Monday, accusing the lawyer of defamation after he promoted the baseless conspiracy theories that Dominion was responsible for election fraud.

The election-technology company is seeking more than $1.3 billion in damages.

In the lawsuit, Dominion accused Giuliani, former President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, of creating "a viral disinformation campaign about Dominion," referring to more than 50 of his statements.

"Rudy Giuliani actively propagated disinformation to purposefully mislead voters," Dominion CEO John Poulos said in a statement. "Because Giuliani and others incessantly repeated the false claims about my company on a range of media platforms, some of our own family and friends are among the Americans who were duped."
https://www.businessinsider.com/dominion-sues-rudy-giuliani-13-billion-over-election-fraud-claim-2021-1




You know here’s the thing guys, and allow me to play life coach here for a minute. Maybe, I don’t know, don’t live your life in such a way that you get sued by a voting machine company for a fucking BILLION DOLLARS because you peddled lies and baseless bullshit conspiracy theories against them! That’s some sound advice there! And if you think this is going to go away overnight, Dominion actually makes a really solid case.

Dominion Voting Systems filed another defamation lawsuit, this time against Rudy Giuliani, accusing him of spreading lies to “purposefully mislead voters” and causing “irreparable harm” to the company. It didn’t rule out suing former President Donald Trump.

“While pushing the disinformation campaign that incited death threats and violence and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, Giuliani cashed in by hawking gold coins, supplements, cigars, and protection from ‘cyberthieves,’” Dominion legal counsel Thomas Clare said in a statement Monday.

Giuliani was deeply involved in Trump’s efforts to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. The former New York City mayor argued repeatedly in public that Trump’s win had been stolen by widespread electoral fraud.

Dominion accuses Giuliani of promulgating the “Big Lie” that Dominion had tampered with votes to fix the election for Biden, in order to “financially enrich himself, to maintain and enhance his public profile, and to ingratiate himself to Donald Trump for money and benefits he expected to receive as a result of that association.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/25/dominion-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-rudy-giuliani-for-election-claims.html





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Invesitgates: Bitcoin Password Fails
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



Remember to write down your password. That’s the moral of the story here. because you never know when you might need it, or that hundreds of millions are at stake. The reason why this is brought up is because Bitcoins are back in the news, and people are getting richer than they’ve ever been. But they also can’t figure out how to access their money. But when you can’t access a fortune because you forgot your password, it can come back to haunt you. And if that happens then you can be in seriously deep trouble, both with the Feds and with your actual bank. These entrepreneurs are learning it the really hard way. And in most cases the word “password” isn’t going to work as your password.

With Bitcoin prices increasing by over 50% since it reached its all-time high of $20,000 last month, those locked out of their cryptocurrency wallets are becoming desperate as they calculate how much wealth they would gain if only they remembered their passwords.

Around 20% of the existing 18.5 million Bitcoin — worth a total of $140 billion – are in stranded wallets, according to the cryptocurrency data firm Chainalysis, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Wallet Recovery Services, a firm that helps recover lost digital keys, told the Times that it received 70 requests a day from users who are trying to access their digital wallets — a number that is three times higher than it was a month ago.

In an interview with the Times, Stefan Thomas, a programmer living in San Francisco, said that his strategies to remember his password continue to fail, leaving him with only two guesses to figure out his password before being permanently locked out. His 7,002 Bitcoin is worth around $220 million as of this week.

The password should allow him to unlock an IronKey, a small hard drive containing the private keys to a digital wallet that holds his Bitcoin.
https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-owners-without-wallet-password-watch-prices-rise-2021-1




Yes, if you’re worth a hundred million dollars, you might want to realize that we could let you get away with having your password as 12345. But this isn’t the only self-made millionaire in the world of electronic currency that’s having a hard time accessing his fortune. Look at this man in Belfast who is offering a staggering amount of money for someone to find his lost hard drive. You know if you had that much money in a hard drive, you might want to, maybe hold onto that device? We’re just saying.

The Missing Bitcoin Millions

James Howells is searching for buried treasure, bitcoin style. The Welshman is negotiating with his local council in an attempt to recover an old hard drive that was disposed of in 2013.

Howell had previously approached the local authorities to help him dig up the lost hard drive, said to contain around 7,500 bitcoin. Howell accidentally threw out the hard drive during a spring clean and only realized his error some months later.

The hard drive is reportedly located somewhere at the city’s landfill site. The elusive hardware currently holds approximately $280 million worth of bitcoin.

The 35-year-old IT engineer is relentlessly pushing to have the hard drive found. And has even received backing from a hedge fund that is willing to fund the operation.
Council Hesitations

While the undertaking might seem like a no-brainer to most, the Newport council believes that the operation could do more harm than good.
https://beincrypto.com/welsh-man-offers-local-council-72-million-to-dig-up-bitcoin-hard-drive/




That is pretty much what it is like if you don’t find your Bitcoin password. Even more mind blowing is that these guys’ fortune is increasing while they are forgetting their password. So is it intentional or is it just plain stupid? Well it’s a combination of the two. And the guy in Ireland can’t be any worse than this man in the US who is literally just two password guesses from losing his entire fortune. Yeah just think about that for a minute.

Stefan Thomas is a bitcoin millionaire. Or, he would be if only he could remember his password.

The San Francisco software developer and CEO was an early adopter of bitcoin. Back in 2011, he produced an animated video explaining how the digital currency works. For his efforts, a bitcoin enthusiast awarded him 7,002 bitcoins.

Later that year, he lost the password to his IronKey, the USB hard drive that contains the digital wallet that holds his bitcoins. Since then, the currency's value has skyrocketed, and Thomas' holdings are worth $220 million US ($321 million Cdn.)

The IronKey gives users 10 password guesses before it encrypts its contents permanently, and Thomas' bitcoin is lost forever. He has two guesses left.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.5875363/this-man-owns-321m-in-bitcoin-but-he-can-t-access-it-because-he-lost-his-password-1.5875366




So how do you fix this? Do you implement harsher or easier for cyber security? That is a question being asked all over the country, especially in light of the recent Solar Winds attack. But here is a possible encryption solution coming from the places that the right likes to refer to as “big tech”. Yes, they created both the problem and what looks like the solution in this case!

Right on the mid-week schedule, Microsoft has released a new Edge Dev build. This week’s build is quite small in scope, but it does bring some well-deserved tweaks and bug fixes. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about Microsoft Edge Dev version 89.0.760.0.

We’ll start first with new features. Microsoft has added Password Monitor support on Mac, and also added Edge Update policies to edge://policy. In addition, also new is support for the Browing Data Lifetime management policy from Chromium. Finally, they also added a management policy to Define Preferred Languages.

Now, for the reliability and changed behaviors. Note that there’s only a few this week. These include a fix for crash on launch, a fix for an issue on Mac where going to check Edge’s version might cause a crash, and a hang issue when using Edge in a virtual desktop. See below for the other changes.

Note that the known issues still haven’t changed from the past releases. The issues are all still the same. As a reminder, some of the known issues include ad-blocking extensions not working on Linux, playback errors on YouTube, issues with Kaspersky Internet Suite, and more. Microsoft did fix the issue from last week where tab drag and drop was broken for vertical tabs.
https://www.onmsft.com/news/latest-microsoft-edge-dev-feature-brings-password-monitor-feature-to-macs




That’s it for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.




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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew and pass the VENMO 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 virtual congregation! I have returned from my sabbatical refreshed and ready to take on a new year which I hope will much better than the last year. And things are already better? You know how I know? I can start referring to the President as a real human being again, and we can freely say his name in my church! Unlike the last guy, who was the most unholy, ungodly excuse for a human being and we dare not say his name in church, even if it is virtual for the time being! But that said, there are those on the right, who cannot help themselves but make some stunningly horrible observations about how the new year and new president will pan out. Let’s start with our good friend Sean Feucht, who I previously profiled in Idiots #9-17, what has he been up to lately? Well this!

Sean Feucht, a religious-right musician and missionary who ran unsuccessfully for Congress last year as a pro-Trump culture warrior in Northern California, gave followers suggestions this week on how “believers” should “respond to a Biden presidency.” In an email, blog post, and related Facebook video he posted on Inauguration Day, Feucht encouraged people to turn off the news and turn on worship music, and to pray for President Joe Biden and other political leaders as the Bible instructs. But Feucht also made it clear that he believes Biden is advancing a satanic agenda. His email to supporters said, “The enemy is launching an all out attack on truth, attacking the Bible, and God’s sacred design for the family, sexuality and gender.”

He reiterated that point in the Facebook video, in which he said, “This administration, I believe, is carrying some of the most anti-Christ agenda and philosophy that maybe we have seen in the history of America.” He warned, “There is a mob spirit that wants us to bow down to the gods of secular liberalism … and if we don’t bow, we’re gonna be bullied, harassed, and threatened. We’re going to be censored. We’re going to banished from speaking in the public square.”

Feucht said it breaks his heart to see Christians celebrating the historic swearing-in of Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, “you’re placing race, you’re placing gender above the values and the biblical and theological foundation that we believe in.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/sean-feucht-tells-followers-biden-administration-is-pushing-an-anti-christ-agenda/




Gee, I am not shocked at all that someone who sells Christian rock music is trying to tell people to turn off reality. And what is their obsession with “the public square”? Hey guys we’re in a raging pandemic right now, there is no public square! And there’s no one stopping you from saying this crap, just good luck getting anyone to listen. It’s hard, I know! But I do love it when the prophecies fail, as is demonstrated by this next piece!

Right-wing pastor and self-proclaimed “prophet” Hank Kunneman used his sermon Sunday to lash out at those who have dared to call him a false prophet for repeatedly proclaiming that Donald Trump would win the 2020 election and serve a second term in office.

Citing a passage from Proverbs 6 that claims that God hates, among other things, those who sow discord, Kunneman told his critics that God “hates you” as he continued to insist that Trump won the election and will serve a second term.

“God hates six things,” Kunneman said. “Number one: a proud look. Number two: a lying tongue. Number three: abortion, or hands that shed innocent blood. Yeah, you thought it was OK to vote for [Joe Biden]? [Number four:] a heart that devises wicked imaginations, and yet you voted for them. It’s obvious, their wicked imaginations on how they want to destroy this country. [Number five:] feet that are swift in running to mischief. It’s amazing how quickly they signed their executive orders; that’s called feet that run quickly to mischief.”

“But notice something,” he continued. “God hates what? He didn’t say he hates discord. He hates you that are being a troll. He hates you that are attacking your Christian brothers and sisters. ‘Yeah, but they’re false. They’re wrong.’ Excuse me. How do you know? ‘Because it hasn’t come to pass.’ How do you know that it hasn’t come to pass? First of all, the president was reelected. Let’s get that clear. Second of all, he was given a second term based on reelection. ‘Well, he’s not serving it now?’ Because it was stolen by thieve
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/hank-kunneman-says-god-hates-those-who-call-him-a-false-prophet-for-falsely-prophesying-trumps-reelection/




Yes, Hank. You know what God also doesn’t love? He doesn’t love people who attempt to murder those who they don’t agree with. As is the case here with the unholy, ungodly Dark One, and even though he is no longer in power, we must never speak his name in my church, must less I cast thee out! Because the good LAWRD JAYSUS knows this! But is this really comparable to the 1930s? Only when a bunch of right wingers knowingly get their asses handed to them!

Eric Metaxas, a right-wing author who has tumbled ever-deeper into Trumpism and stolen election conspiracy theories, complained on his radio show Tuesday that he and his sponsor, MyPillow guy Mike Lindell, are the victims of a “wicked” cancel culture that Metaxas claimed “really is like what happened in Germany in the ‘30s.”

Lindell became a major funder of right-wing media during the Trump administration and has heavily promoted conspiracy theories about Donald Trump’s loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. He sponsors “The Eric Metaxas Radio Show” as well as the Right Side Broadcasting Network, which livestreamed Trump rallies and so-called Stop the Steal events. On a show posted Monday, Metaxas called Lindell “an American hero.”

Metaxas griped that he is losing sponsors and that YouTube took down a video of the Monday show on which the two of them talked about widely debunked conspiracy theories that the election had been stolen from Donald Trump. On that video, Lindell claimed that Trump won by millions of votes and that “China and other countries chose our president and many down-ticket people, too, including the two runoff Senate races in Georgia.”

Metaxas also noted that two large retail outlets, Kohl’s and Bed, Bath and Beyond, recently announced they would no longer carry Lindell’s products, a development that Metaxas called “despicable” and “absolutely chilling.” He urged his listeners never to shop at those stores again.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/eric-metaxas-plays-the-victim-claims-wicked-cancel-culture-really-is-like-what-happened-in-germany-in-the-30s/




Nah, it’s only a douchebag getting treated like the douchebag that he is. Because even in the new year we must make sure that they are getting what is coming to them. That’s a passage in the Good Book, which you can still buy! But really you’re defending a pillow salesman? A guy who hawks cheaply made garbage at that? Fine if that is the hill that you shall layeth on. And by the way if you want to know where the new year is headed, just consult your local Alt Right!

With Joe Biden inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States on the same steps that right-wing extremists had charged up to storm the U.S. Capitol less than two weeks ago, reality hit some right-wing activists and extremists: Trump was out of office, and their campaign to keep him there was fruitless. But while some recognized defeat, others were keen to press new conspiracy theories, cling to old ones, and double down on their attacks.

Far-right activist Jack Posobiec was not feeling Biden’s message of unity. Posobiec continued pushing the conspiracy theory that conservatives were being hunted and that Biden would impose martial law. In numerous tweets, he compared Biden to President Snow, the despotic character in “The Hunger Games” book and movie series. “I can’t wait for the Unity Trials to start!” he tweeted. In another, he wrote, “Mao promoted unity too.”

Posobiec wasn’t the only one attacking calls for unity. The right-wing Catholic Vote sent out a message shortly after Biden’s inaugural address: “In his inaugural address, President Biden spoke of the need for unity. He’s right, America is divided like never before. The cheap excuse offered by the media and the Left is to blame President Trump and his supporters. Yet anyone paying attention knows Joe Biden and the progressive Left have divided America based on race, gender, income, religion, and more for decades.”

Others directed their anger at their former hero. In response to a question about whether Trump unsealed any indictments, issued last minute pardons, or declassified anything Wednesday morning, Cassandra Fairbanks, a far-right activist who has defended white supremacists and made racist comments, replied, “Let me answer all of that for you in trumps favorite medium,” and tweeted a video featuring the lyrics, “He went out like a bitch!” Banks, who has deep ties to Wikileaks and its founder Julian Assange, was infuriated Trump chose not to pardon Assange.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/we-are-going-into-the-pain-cave-right-wing-activists-react-to-bidens-presidency/




Now that is where the right wants to take us in 2021! Yes, things are going to get interesting and possibly ugly, and we will keep you up on the latest developments! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]People Who Somehow Got Elected: Lauren Boebert
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Politicians at the state and local levels who are so toxic, you wonder how they’re able to get away with the things they get away with. This is:



This week: Colorado’s Lauren Boebert. Rep Boebert is a representative of Colorado’s 3rd district which includes the city of Pueblo. Pueblo is a town that is known for it’s ski resorts in the winter. It’s also now known for electing criminally batshit crazy representatives such as Lauren Boebert, who represents a Q Anon Congressional installation as well as the 3rd district of Colorado. Boebert is a freshmen representative for 2021, but has come under fire for her involvement in the January 6th insurrection against the United States Capitol, for which she almost got herself killed along with just about everyone in Congress. So why is Rep Boebert under so much scrutiny right now? Well first let’s give you a bit of background:

Born December 15, 1986, Lauren Boebert is an American politician and gun rights activist serving as the US Representative for Colorado's 3rd congressional district.

Boebert defeated incumbent congressman Scott Tipton in the 2020 primary election, becoming the first woman to represent Colorado's 3rd Congressional district in Congress.

The gun activist owns Shooters Grill, a restaurant in Rifle, Colorado, where staffers are encouraged to openly carry firearms.

During Beto O'Rourke's 2020 presidential campaign at Aurora, Colorado, Boebert challenged the presidential hopeful over his proposal for a gun buyback program, saying, "Hell, no, you won't take our guns."

In November 2020, Boebert said she planned to carry a gun while working as a congresswoman on Capitol Hill in Washington DC.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13732755/gun-rights-activist-lauren-boebert-washington-dc/




Yes, Boebert is a gun enthusiast who was the previous owner of a gun-themed bar called Shooters, and yes this is a real thing that exists. Then January 6th happened when a group of armed insurrectionists stormed the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. How did Rep Boebert respond? By bringing a gun to the Capitol and setting off the metal detectors, prompting a $5,000 fine and some much needed explanation.

Dozens of officials in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District have signed a letter requesting U.S. House officers launch an investigation into the conduct of Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Boebert, a freshman legislator, has turned heads for her pro-gun rhetoric, including a video and several statements that claim she will carry a handgun with her throughout the Capitol complex, as well as her dogged support of the Make America Great Again movement and President Donald Trump's political stances.

On Jan. 9, Pueblo residents held a rally asking Boebert to listen to her constituents and tone down divisive statements, as well as requesting that House officials either not allow her to take her seat or not give her any committee assignments. Many individuals and groups have questioned Boebert's social media conduct, especially on Jan. 6. They have discussed ways to recall her from office.

Critics pointed to Tweets from Boebert on Jan. 6 regarding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's whereabouts during the Capitol attack as evidence she was working with members of the attack. Five individuals died as a result of the events of Jan. 6, and many were injured.

Read more: https://www.chieftain.com/story/news/2021/01/15/rep-lauren-boebert-should-investigated-colorado-officials-say/4175409001/




Indeed! What makes this even more troubling is that Rep. Boebert has been known to hang out with paramilitary white supremacists, including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, of which she recently accepted a personalized firearm from, prompting ethics complaints. Yes, Lauren’s Got A Gun all right, but here’s hoping the Q Anon gun nuts don’t fire when ready!

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) found herself in an ethics flap on Monday as controversy continues to dominate her first month in office.

The progressive political action committee Rural Colorado United posted video of Boebert being gifted a gun.

"Lauren Boebert breaks state and federal laws accepting gifted gun from white supremacist Stephen Moore on video. Illegal to accept gifts over $50 and illegal to gift guns in CO," Rural Colorado United posted to Twitter.

Less than two hours later, Boebert addressed the matter on Twitter, saying she planned to purchase the .40 S&W Glock from Colorado Boots on the Ground Bikers for Trump. She did not address the allegations of white supremacy, but praised the militia group as "patriots."

Kyle Clark of 9 News Denver was shocked about her "lack of awareness" and noticed what appears to be a "Three Percenters" militia patch:
https://www.rawstory.com/lauren-boebert-militia/




That’s probably how you order a drink at Shooters! But all of that said, in case you wonder how it started and how’s it going, per the favorite Twitter meme, well, it’s going about as well as you would expect, and don’t expect her to provide any meaningful legislation. Instead all Boebert is doing there is to serve as an FU to the people who go against the Trump cult.

Republican Representative Lauren Boebert has introduced her first three bills in Congress. All three take aim at President Biden's recent executive orders.

The first bill would prevent the U.S. from spending any money to rejoin the Paris Climate agreement unless the Senate ratifies the agreement.

“Responsible energy production supports more than 230,000 Colorado jobs,” she said in a statement. “The Paris Agreement puts these jobs at risk and will increase energy costs.”

The second bill would prevent funds going to the World Health Organization until America holds the international health organization and China “accountable for their role in the global pandemic.”

This was a constant refrain from former President Donald Trump, who downplayed the pandemic in its early days and whose administration was criticized for its response to the coronavirus and attempted to pull out from the WHO.

Boebert’s third bill would overturn Biden’s mask mandate on federal lands and interstate travel on planes, trains or buses. She called it “continued federal overreach.” Boebert defied public health orders by keeping her restaurant open during the early days of the pandemic.

https://www.cpr.org/2021/01/22/rep-lauren-boebert-targets-bidens-paris-agreement-who-orders-with-first-bills/




So skirting around metal detector laws, hanging out with white supremacists, and saying “fuck you” to Biden’s agenda. That’s Colorado District 3 representative Lauren Boebert, yet another inexplicable addition to the ever-growing list of:




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[font size="8"]This Fucking Guy: Jon Schaffer
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We’re delving into the world of heavy metal this week for This Fucking Guy. I am sure a lot of you know that I am a metal head. I fucking love the metal genre. But that said, every genre has their fair share of douchebags. Now this is a band that I used to *LOVE* back in the day when I first started getting into the metal genre, but had no idea about this guy’s personal life. That guy is Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer. You probably heard this guy’s name pop up because he was one of the people involved in storming the Capitol and the Capitol riot. And he’s probably the most famous person there who’s not an elected official.

A heavy metal guitarist from Indiana who was photographed inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection turned himself in to the FBI Sunday afternoon, according to Indianapolis FBI spokeswoman Chris Bavender.

Jon Ryan Schaffer, a native of Central Indiana and founder of the band Iced Earth, is accused of using "bear spray," a pepper-based irritant sold by many outdoor retailers, on police officers as rioters forced their way into the Capitol building. A federal statement of facts in his case says Schaffer was seen in photographs and video "engaging in verbal altercations with Capitol Police insider the Capitol building" and holding a container of bear spray.

He had been featured on an FBI poster seeking the public's help in identifying protesters. Multiple people contacted by IndyStar identified Schaffer as the man seen in a photograph at the Capitol.

Bavender said Schaffer faces six charges, including engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, Bavender told IndyStar. He also faces charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disrupting the orderly conduct of government business, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, engaging in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, and demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2021/01/17/jon-schaffer-fbi-custody-after-capitol-riot/4200215001/




And by the way in case you’re wondering where the rest of Iced Earth stands on the political spectrum, well, they’re pretty much the opposite of Schaffer. In fact so much that they actually issued a statement saying that they condemned the fact that he was at the capitol. So this will be quite the interesting circular firing squad for when / if he’s ever released from prison. Which will probably not be very likely given what’s transpired.

The bandmates of Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer have released a statement following the news the musician is wanted by US authorities for his involvement at the Capitol riots on January 6.

Schaffer is wanted by Metropolitan Police in D.C. after he was pictured among the crowd of Trump supporters who breached the central US government building on January 6, while Congress were in the process of certifying Joe Biden’s election victory.

Releasing a statement via bassist Luke Appleton’s Instagram page today (January 10), the other members of the Florida heavy metal outfit – Appleton, Stu Block, Jake Dreyer and Brent Smedley – began by saying they understood the concerns their silence had caused some people, explaining they needed time to properly process events before making a statement.

“We absolutely DO NOT condone nor do we support riots,” the band said, “or the acts of violence that the rioters were involved in on January 6th at the US Capitol building.

“We hope that all those involved that day are brought to justice to be investigated and answer for their actions.”
https://www.nme.com/news/music/john-schaffers-iced-earth-bandmates-have-released-a-statement-2852684




By the way in case you’re wondering if actions have consequences, let’s take a look at what happened when Schaffer entered the Capitol. Well their record label, Century Media, which is the host to just about every amazing metal band you can think of, gave him the heave ho that he so properly deserved for that little stunt! Yup, actions have consequences all right!

It looks like Iced Earth‘s record label Century Media may be taking action following Jon Schaffer‘s arrest for his involvement in the U.S. Capitol riots.

This week, onlookers noticed that both Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards are now missing from Century Media’s website roster. This has led to speculation that both of Schaffer’s projects have potentially been dropped by the label.
Read more: Fall Out Boy’s first reported Funko Pop! figures just surfaced—look

On Jan. 6, Pro-Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol building in efforts to stop the confirmation of Electoral College votes. The riots caused a great amount of destruction and led to five deaths. Shortly following the events that transpired, metal fans quickly identified Jon Schaffer in the mob of Trump supporters.

Then, last week, Schaffer’s Iced Earth bandmates spoke out on the situation. They released a joint statement denouncing the riots. However, they failed to address Schaffer’s involvement in the insurrection. As well, singer Stu Block attempted to clarify his stance on the riots after a now-deleted post seemingly showed he was in support of the U.S. Capitol breach.
https://www.altpress.com/news/iced-earth-jon-schaffer-century-media-site-roster/




Warm up act abuse! And at the rate things are going, Iced Earth will probably be downgraded to warm up acts at some point, when concerts will ever resume. But speaking of that if you want one of those how it started / how’s it going memes, this would be a perfect example of what not to do. Because John Schaffer isn’t exactly having what one would call a “stellar year” so far since his one and only tour appearance in Washington DC. We’ll keep an update on this story as it develops.
Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer is reportedly set to be extradited to Washington D.C. after his alleged participation in the US Capitol riots earlier this month.

Schaffer will be extradited to the capital from Edinburgh, Indiana, where he is currently being held in Marion County Jail.

He faces a series of charges in connection with the incident and must prove to a federal magistrate that he is not a threat to himself or the public before being released on bail.

Other rioters who face similar charges have been already granted bail, but ordered to surrender their firearms, avoid contact with other alleged rioters and stay away from all state capitol buildings.

In images captured during the January 6 riot, Schaffer was seen wearing a baseball cap with the slogan ‘Oath Keepers Lifetime Member’.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/iced-earths-jon-schaffer-faces-extradition-to-washington-d-c-for-role-in-capitol-riots-2864142



That’s Iced Earth guitarist John Schaffer. This week’s:




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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people, and people are dumb. And we haven’t done this segment in a while, so of course there’s going to be some ridiculously stupid people floating about out there. I want to start with this story out of Maine, where a guy with a chainsaw channeled his inner Freddie Kruger. Yeah that’s someone who you do not want to imitate in public. Nor any horror movie serial killer with a chainsaw. Look, I love Evil Dead as much as the next horror fan, but this is a whole new level of stupid and dangerous. Let the professionals like Bruce Campbell handle the chainsaw wielding fun!

A man wielding a chain saw was arrested Tuesday afternoon after chasing people at the McDonald’s restaurant in Westbrook, damaging two vehicles and stealing a drink and some food, police said.

Alice Sweet, 26, of Portland was captured by Westbrook police near the Fireside Inn on Riverside Street after fleeing from the Main Street restaurant, according to Westbrook police Capt. Steve Goldberg. Sweet was charged with robbery, criminal mischief, refusing to submit to arrest and violating his conditions of release.

The bizarre incident began around 3:30 p.m. when police started receiving multiple 911 calls about a man “chasing people with a chain saw at McDonald’s,” Goldberg said in a news release.

Sweet entered the restaurant and while revving the saw intermittently, he went behind the counter where employees were preparing meals and stole a drink and food, Goldberg said.

“When the manager confronted the suspect in the parking lot, the suspect began chasing the manager with the chain saw,” Goldberg said. “The suspect also used the chain saw to damage two vehicles that were at the restaurant.”

Every on-duty police officer in Westbrook responded to the 911 calls. Sweet was located near VIP Tires on Riverside Street but fled when officers approached. He was apprehended without incident near the Fireside Inn, Goldberg said. No injuries were reported.

https://www.sunjournal.com/2020/12/15/chainsaw-wielding-man-arrested-after-chasing-people-at-a-mcdonalds/




Yeah Evil Dead is fiction. Next up – the Capitol Riots have produced some stunningly stupid criminals and we were going to dedicate this whole feature to them, but we might save that for another feature. But this is one of my favorites – and it involves famously hardcore right wing actor Chuck Norris. No, Chuck Norris was not at the riots. But take a selfie while you’re there with the location tracking feature turned on, and you’ll eventually get found out.

After a viral photo claimed to show Chuck Norris at last week's rally of supporters of President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., his camp issued a statement on Tuesday saying it wasn't actually the martial arts actor.

Erik Kritzer, a spokesman for the "Walker, Texas Ranger" actor, insisted that his client was thousands of miles away from the U.S. Capitol last week.

"This is not Chuck Norris and is a wannabe look-alike, although Chuck is much more handsome," Kritzer said in a statement to NBC News. "Chuck remains on his range in Texas where he has been with his family."

A photo posted to Twitter on Monday appeared to show a Trump supporter snapping a selfie with Norris during Wednesday's rally to oppose the results of the presidential election.

After the rally, a violent pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol Building and tried to stop lawmakers from formally accepting President-elect Joe Biden's victory. At least five people died as a result of the riot.
https://news.yahoo.com/chuck-norris-not-pro-tump-210933140.html




I’m sure the actual Chuck Norris would approve. Anyway next up – we go overseas to our new overlords in Russia! There are stupid people everywhere, and this tale of stupid criminals takes place in the Russian Navy, where a captain decided to take a few “souvenirs” from his submarine as it was in the process of being decommissioned. File this one under “play stupid games, win stupid prizes”.

The Russian Navy says that a former commander of the now-decommissioned Sovremenny class destroyer Bespokoynyy conspired with others and stole the ship's two bronze propellers while it was in dry dock being converted into a floating museum. The alleged caper sounds like it was ripped straight from the plot of a comedic Hollywood heist movie, with the thieves reportedly swapping out the pair of screws, each weighing approximately 13 tons, for ones made out of a cheaper metal.

Russian media outlet Interfax reported on Jan. 11, 2021, that Sergei Sharshavykh, head of the military investigation department of the Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet, confirmed that the investigation into the theft was nearly complete. The names of the former commander of the Bespokoynyy, or any of their accomplices, and what kind of jail time or fines they might be facing, were not disclosed. The two propellers are valued at approximately 39 million rubles, or just over $522,513 at the rate of exchange at the time of writing.

Sharshavykh, the Russian Navy investigator told Interfax that, to "cover their tracks," those involved in the theft had imitation screws made up, the "cost and quality of which are several times lower" than the original bronze ones.
...
It's unclear when the theft took place, but Sharshavykh said that happened after Bespokoynyy arrived at Yantar in 2016 for conversion into a museum ship as part of its decommissioning from the Russian Navy. That process included remove the destroyer's two propellers, as well as its driveshafts, and sealing the hull in such a way as to allow it to remain afloat, but without the need for regular maintenance.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38659/russian-navy-commander-stole-two-13-ton-bronze-propellers-from-his-own-destroyer




Next up – back to the Capitol Riots, look here’s the thing guys. If you took part in the Trump uprising, maybe, I don’t know, don’t take selfies? Seriously guys these things have things like location trackers and IP tracers, if you took a selfie at the Capitol, the Feds are going to find you! Where’s J. Walter Weatherman when you need him? And that’s why you always leave a note!

A New York man has now been charged with participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection in D.C. after allegedly texting a picture and video of himself in the Capitol to his girlfriend’s brother – a special agent with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the agent – who is a federal officer employed by the U.S. Department of State – reported the photo and video to the Diplomatic Security Service, which then passed it along to the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

The agent reportedly saw a post from his sister on Facebook that her boyfriend, Thomas Fee, of Freeport, New York, was in D.C. “at the rally” on Jan. 6. The agent subsequently texted Fee, who allegedly confirmed his presence and sent him a “selfie” of him in the Capitol Rotunda, along with a video and a text saying he was “at the tip of the spear.”

According to the affidavit, federal investigators were able to confirm a white Chevy Tahoe registered to Fee left Long Island, where Freeport is located, on Jan. 5 and returned Jan. 7 at around 11 a.m.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/capitol-rioter-new-york-thomas-fee-selfie-rotunda-insurrection-retired-firefighter/65-9c7cd936-35e5-402e-a085-63cb14bf045a


?itemid=10631278

Finally this week – don’t worry, Florida! You’re not spared from this week! Of course everyone knows Florida – as Homer Simpson once called it “America’s Wang”. And really when you’re drunk – and I know I have been many times in my life, why does there need to be a last call? Why not take the whole bar with you? That’s what this one guy did in the Florida Keys!

A drunk Florida man was arrested after he was caught operating a floating tiki bar that was reportedly stolen, the US Coast Guard announced.

Agents from the Coast Guard’s Key West station found the man on the stolen tiki hut near Hawk’s Channel off the coast of the Florida Keys, the agency wrote in a Wednesday tweet.

“Don’t drink and boat!” the tweet quipped.

The man appeared intoxicated and was taken into custody by officers from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Coast Guard said. ......(more)

https://nypost.com/2021/01/15/florida-man-arrested-for-allegedly-stealing-floating-tiki-bar/




That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Road To The White House
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Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there. We’ll be doing this segment until March 10th. But we did it everybody!!! We finally served Trump the eviction notice he so badly deserves and Joesph R. Biden has won the election to become our 46th president! Or has he? Well there’s some on the right who are denying Biden as much as they are a certain deadly disease that’s out there. But that’s not here or there. Here, we’re out to celebrate the inauguration and remind the kids that Democrats get all the cool celebrities, and if you vote conservative, you get trashy celebrities like Ted Nugent and Kid Rock. So here’s how the party went down.

The inauguration of President Joe Biden won more viewers than President Donald Trump’s 2017 ceremony, per early Nielsen figures, and saw a reversal of fortunes for some of the nation’s best-watched cable-news outlets.

Approximately 39.87 million people watched the half-hour swearing-in ceremony over the nation’s six major TV-news outlets, according to Nielsen, compared with 38.35 million viewers for the 2017 event. The 2021 figure represents an approximately 4% increase over its 2017 predecessor.

Nielsen estimated that an average of 33.7 million people watched the event across 17 different networks, compared with an average of 30.6 million who watched former President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017. Those figures, which include viewing via broadband and by people not in their own homes, indicate that 10.2% more people watched some part of the Biden proceedings than Trump’s.

CNN’s coverage captured an average of 9.9 million for the pivotal half hour, leading the pack. The AT&T-backed cable-news network said the numbers represented the biggest audience it has captured for an inauguration broadcast in its history.
https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/tv-ratings-joe-biden-inauguration-trump-1234889655/




Thank you Nelson! Oh man I bet that had to burn Trump. Because you know he loves him some ratings, and nobody gets bigger ratings than he does! Except of course… for Joe Biden! And you know what else is nice? Having a president who has a deep consideration for the arts because Trump doesn’t. And the arts will play a huge role in our economic recovery after this damn pandemic. But having a rainbow is nice after the dark storm that was the Trump administration!

'The “inauguration painting” displayed at a reception inside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday delivered on a message of hope for peace just as the new administration was sworn in.

Incoming first lady Jill Biden and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) selected the painting as the official artwork for the swearing-in ceremony. Painted in 1859 by renowned Black artist Robert S. Duncanson (1821-1872), "Landscape With Rainbow" features an idyllic American countryside under a rainbow.

As Christopher Knight writes for the LA Times, the work possibly echoes the famous Black spiritual, “Mary Don’t You Weep,” dating from the pre-Civil War era. Even before a storm--the Civil War was on the horizon--a rainbow, sign of hope, appears. From the song's chorus: “God gave Noah the rainbow sign; no more water, the fire next time.”

On loan from the Smithsonian, the painting's gallery label reads:

Robert Seldon Duncanson was America’s best known African American painter in the years surrounding the Civil War. Based in Cincinnati, he was supported by abolitionists who bought his paintings and sponsored his trip to Europe to study from the Old Masters. In this pastoral landscape, a young couple strolls through fertile pastureland, toward a house at the end of a rainbow. The cattle head home toward the nearby cottage, reinforcing the sense that man lives in harmony with nature. Duncanson’s vision of rural America as Arcadia, a landscape akin to paradise, is a characteristic feature of his work, a late hope for peace before the onset of Civil War.'

https://www.artfixdaily.com/news_feed/2021/01/20/9822-this-historic-american-painting-selected-for-the-inauguration-con?




So that said, even though it was minimalist compared to previous inaugurations, and we’re not counting the minimalist audience that was at Trump’s inauguration. Hey o!!! But still, Biden’s inauguration was definitely something and something history will remember because we’re still in a raging pandemic and everything is awkward and socially distant. But Biden delivered a great address.

'In his inaugural address today, President Joe Biden emphasized unifying this country and ending what he called an uncivil war: “We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes.”

Stanford history professor David M. Kennedy tells KCRW what national leadership must do now: “The federal government needs to demonstrate that it can be a competent government that can deliver the goods, not least of all, improving the speed and reach of the COVID vaccine rollout. ... That kind of thing would go a long way to restoring the public's confidence in government.”

Washington Post columnist Michele Norris points out that Biden has empathy, which she calls his “natural octave.”

“He is quite good at that. … There was a lot of tough language in the inaugural address today. But there's a gentleness about Joe Biden. … That is the kind of thing that Joe Biden might be able to extend, some sort of olive branch so people are at least willing to perhaps listen to what he has to say and what he has to offer in terms of governance,” Norris says.
https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/press-play-with-madeleine-brand/inauguration-coronavirus-health




You’re not going to capture their attention that way! But see if you hang with us you get to see concerts by the Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, and Black Pumas! If you hang with conservatives you get to see Diamond and Silk, and performances by Vanilla Ice and 3 Doors Down. Maybe Ted Nugent will show up but he’ll just be standing on the side. And you know what? Enough talking about Orange Douche, we did it everybody!!!!

You have heard the song “Feeling Good.” You have heard it a lot. You have heard Michael Buble’s version over mimosas, or Nina Simone’s on your friend’s turntable, or any of the thousands bellowed by first-round The Voice auditioners. It is familiar now, to the point where it almost doesn’t register when it’s playing, even in an interpretation as heartfelt as the one John Legend delivered last night as part of Celebrating America, the prime-time, mid-Covid, virtual, audienceless, small and soaring post-inaugural concert that kicked off the Biden/Harris administration on Wednesday night and made me tear up at a goddamn Katy Perry song.

But it should register. It has meaning, and I hope that meaning came through amid the fireworks and the flossing and the champagne. “Feeling Good” and feeling good are important, and I’m here for them both. We’ve earned them.

Here’s the deal with the song: In 1965, Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse debuted their musical The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd, which in the tradition of 1960s entertainment is smugly symbolic and absolutely ridiculous. It is the story of Sir, a big fat rich fucking asshole, and Cocky, a disheveled but proud young striver. The plot revolves around their longstanding rivalry in The Game, a hopscotch-type exercise performed on a chalk circle in the middle of the stage, which Sir always wins because he changes the rules over and over to his advantage. It is, as you fully understood three sentences ago, an allegory for society. It is also awful, and it will almost definitely be revived on Broadway to great critical acclaim in our lifetime.
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a35277380/celebrating-america-joe-biden-inauguration-2021-concert-recap/






See you next week!

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January 13, 2021

Top 10 Conservative Idiots Best Of #14: Imagine If You Will... Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots Best Of #14: Imagine If You Will… Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! The only progressive news show brought to you by an actual idiot. I’m just kidding, of course. We are still coming to you from this blank, blue void in the back of a Burbank Comedy Club. I mean would you look at that background? It’s so blue! Of course this is the space where we were supposed to say goodbye to the Trump administration the way we’ve been dreaming of the last four years. But given the horrible atrocities and violent attempted coup that happened at the Capitol Building in DC last week, our writers simply said “fuck it” before attempting to walk off the job and smoke some badly needed weed. Shout out to People’s in Santa Ana, they’ve been keeping us from fucking losing our minds in the last 11 months! Imagine if you will, the news gets so fucking dark that we actually need as much weed as we can get during these trying times! But there is some great news - Trump got his ass impeached again! Now I kind of wish we were going through with it, oh well. Lost opportunity is lost. Anyway we badly needed some because we decided to completely scrap our planned “Goodbye To Trump” special and we may revisit it at a later date. Also, we planned to start Season 10 on 1/20, and since we still don’t know what will happen on that day, we are moving the start of our new season to 1/27. Hopefully things will have calmed down by then. And I use the word “hopefully” in the same sense that a racoon will hopefully stop digging through your garbage. This was a rock bottom point for America. I mean it can only get better, right? Well, anyway enough of the intro. We have a lot of Idiocy to get to this week. But first Stephen Colbert eviscerates Trump and the Capitol Rioters:



So where do we begin for this week’s Best Of? In the first slot this week is Idiots #8-15 where we turn back to last April, and anti-vaxxers, you think the cure is worse than the disease? Well just wait until you find out what Dr. Trump (1) has prescribed for you!. In the second slot this week, from Idiots #9-5, Trump (2) has a bizarre endorsement of the Mexican food brand Goya from the Resolute Desk and let’s just say beans are the musical fruit! Taking the #3 slot, from Idiots #8-9, Trump went to India as a guest of prime minister Narajandra Modi (3) and well that whole thing was quite the colossal shit show. In the #4 slot, from Idiots #8-13 after the pandemic has been raging, we take a look at which conservative senators (4) are profiting from it and you will rage yourself! In the fifth slot this week, from Idiots #8-14, our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates, takes a look at the conspiracy theories surrounding the so-called “miracle cure”, hydroxychloroquine, and the fact that it’s been banned repeatedly by the FDA, AMA, and well, all sane people. In the #6 slot, from Idiots #9-9, our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” takes a look at the scandal surrounding longtime Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr and well, talk about one being way too stupid to breathe. Taking the 7th slot this week, from Idiots #9-8, our editorial on pop culture, “Beating A Dead Horse” takes a look at why our favorite star of the Deadpool franchise, Ryan Reynolds (7) got married at one of the biggest plantations in America and how he’s now come to regret it. In the #8 slot this week, from Idiots #9-6, our segment that attempts to explain the unexplainable, Conspiracy Corner (8) takes a look at why Q Anon fans wasted their weekends harassing furniture manufacturer Wayfair over “alleged” child sex trafficking, prompting Wayfair to give one of the craziest PR releases ever! Taking the #9 (NEIN!!!!) slot this week, from Idiots #9-11 is a People Are Dumb, because of course they are! Finally this week from Idiots #9-14, we’re not at all surprised that Trump (10) walked off the second presidential debate, because we all know that everything about that guy just screams and oozes class (sarcasm). Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!


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From: Idiots #8-15

Mark it down: 4/23/20. That is the day that the President Of The United States, in his trying and infinite wisdom, simply stopped giving a flying fuck. See, we at the Top 10 have been tracking Trump’s exploits since he first wormed his way down that golden escalator way back in 2015, which by today’s standards, literally seems like an eternity ago. Remember civilization? I miss those times. But last week, he crossed the line and just stopped caring about us. Remember that in November, kids. Want a president who will be at your side? Vote Biden. Want a president who will bring about the apocalypse and then not give a shit about you? Then vote Trump. Because here’s what you get with a Donald J. Trump presidency as opposed to a president who actually listens to experts.

Presented with incontrovertible evidence that Donald Trump is stupid and clueless and that the American people should not follow his advice, reporters and editors in America's top newsrooms averted their eyes.

Home delivery subscribers to the Washington Post, for instance, wouldn't have a clue that Trump on Thursday evening proposed injecting patients with disinfectants to see if they would kill the coronavirus in lungs, as they do on the kitchen counter. There was no mention of it in the print edition.

Yes, Trump actually asked, after hearing a presentation on how bleach and rubbing alcohol can kill the virus on surfaces: "Is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning? Because, you see, it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that."

Is there a stupider, more dangerous thing he could possibly say? Could he possibly give a clearer indication that he is manifestly unfit to lead the nation during a public health crisis? Small children know better than this.
https://www.salon.com/2020/04/24/dont-drink-the-bleach-why-is-the-elite-press-still-covering-for-trumps-profound-stupidity/




Yes, poison control is higher than number one! But really we have a president who’s a fucking sitcom character. He is the kind of character who’s the annoying neighbor who is constantly looking for his next get rich quick scheme, and then when said scheme backfires on him, he desperately wants to get a “get out of jail free” card. And that’s what this is. But like all things that happen, actions have consequences.

Illinois Poison Control has seen an uptick in calls since President Donald Trump questioned if injecting disinfectant could cure coronavirus.

Dr. Nogzi Ezike, head of the Illinois Department of Public Health, warned people not to try to use cleaning products on or in their bodies to fight coronavirus. She also said Illinois Poison Control has gotten more callers after Trump’s Thursday comments.

“Injecting, ingesting, snorting household cleaners is dangerous. It is not advised and can be deadly,” Ezike said during a Saturday press conference. “In the past two days, there’s been a significant increase in calls to the Illinois Poison Center compared to the same time last year.”

The governor’s office did not immediately provide numbers showing how large an uptick there has been.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/04/25/illinois-poison-control-gets-more-calls-after-trump-incorrectly-wondered-if-disinfectants-can-fight-coronavirus/




Yeah exactly Trump is Newman in this case! His scheme to peddle hydroxychloroquine is backfiring on him, now he’s suggesting that people simply drink bleach. And never mind that bleach packages have giant warning labels on them, and Rob Gronkowski did a commercial to remind people not to eat Tide Pods (see: Top 10 #4-2). But no, we have a president who is telling people to drink bleach.

A talk radio caller suggested vaping bleach as a possible treatment for coronavirus, and conservative host Jeff Kuhner assured him the recommendation wasn’t crazy.

The caller, who identified himself as Zack from Stoughton, called into Boston’s WRKO-AM on Friday morning to talk about President Donald Trump’s dangerous suggestion to use disinfectants or powerful light internally to treat COVID-19.

“I’ve been thinking about this thing,” Zack began. “I was a smoker for years, I smoked about three packs a day, and I never liked this new vape thing coming out with the nicotine in it, but I also have a bunch of friends with big cleaning companies.”

After hearing an ad on Kuhner’s program offering a disinfecting service during the pandemic, Zack said he started connecting the dots and wondered whether vape pens could deliver bleach and other disinfecting chemicals into infected lungs.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/04/conservative-radio-host-agrees-with-caller-that-vaping-bleach-might-cure-covid-19-youre-not-crazy/




Seriously, we went from curing polio and exploring the moon to telling people that they shouldn't drink bleach. And after realizing tha Trump is our president and he's spouting this nonsense, it occurred to me, this is why we don't get nice things. That is a huge drop off in the ever ongoing sad state of humanity in 2020. At least this has been good for some cheap laughs, and god knows we need more of that in society to get us through this thing. Even Snoop Dogg is having some laughs at Trump’s expense, and at this point, I’d much rather have Snoop in charge!

Rapper Snoop Dogg shared a depiction of President Donald Trump drinking bleach on Instagram, following the president's suggestion that maybe disinfectant may be used to treat the virus, via injection.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Trump suggested that ultraviolet light or disinfectant maybe used to treat COVID-19. "And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?" he said, according to BBC. "So it'd be interesting to check that."

Snoop was one of many people to show his skepticism for the disinfectant treatment. The image Snoop shared showed Trump pouring a giant bottle of Clorox right into his mouth. He said that he thought if Trump or his supporters tried it first, maybe then he'd give it a shot. "Aight u go first then ya voters and I'll be here waiting to c [sic] how y'all feel before I go under my kitchen sink for some bleach," he wrote in the caption.

Granted, Trump did qualify his statement by saying that he wasn't a doctor. "I'm not a doctor. But I'm, like, a person that has a good you-know-what," he said.
https://www.newsweek.com/snoop-dogg-trump-drinking-bleach-1500073





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From: [link:democraticunderground.com/100213792117 | Idiots #9-5]

Donald Trump is the Krusty The Klown of presidents. You can find him all over the TV, he once hosted a show that got progressively worse as it went on, and he’s hawked a ton of incredibly poor quality merchandise over the years, to varying degrees of success. Not to mention he lives in a giant house with his name on it, and flies around in a jet with his name on it. But the difference – Krusty isn’t the one who is the leader of the free world! And of course, Trump’s true goal is not being president of the United States, but selling out. So why should we be surprised when he hawks products while he’s sitting in the Oval Office? He’s already hawked My Pillow numerous times, but now we can add Goya Mexican Foods to the list.

President Donald Trump took to Twitter Wednesday morning as he sought to undermine the backlash Goya Foods has been facing from core Latino consumers after the company's chief executive, Robert Unanue, said "we are all truly blessed" to have Trump as a leader last week.

"Goya Foods is doing GREAT. The Radical Left smear machine backfired, people are buying like crazy!" Trump tweeted.

Trump's response led to more fresh calls from Latino consumers to boycott Goya, which says it's the nation's largest Hispanic-owned food brand.

Unanue's words praising Trump's leadership at a time when Latinos have been disproportionately hit by the health and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic did not sit well with many people who went online to post videos of themselves trashing Goya products or sharing homemade "adobo" and "sazón" recipes under the hashtags #BoycottGoya and #goyaway.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/trump-tweets-his-support-goya-now-there-s-more-fresh-n1233881




Seriously, you know the series finale is coming up when the characters start hawking products on the show! Beans, beans, the musical fruit! The more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot, the better you feel! Let’s have beans for every meal! That joke would have killed in front of a live audience by the way. I miss live audiences. But getting back on topic, it seems Ivanka is hawking products too, and why not? This is 2020, yo!

The Trump family has long struggled in their promotion of food products — and even their efforts to make menu items look vaguely edible — but that didn’t stop Ivanka Trump from endorsing a can of Goya Foods black beans on Tuesday night. In elementary Spanish, she provided the latest entry in the uncanny genre of Trump-food pictures, clocking in on the horror scale somewhere between “GOP candidate eats bucket of chicken with a fork on a private plane” and “president turns the White House East Room into the fast-food Overlook Hotel.”

After Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue appeared at the White House last week and said that the country was “blessed to have a leader” like President Trump, some consumers of the country’s largest Hispanic-owned food company said they would boycott the brand’s pantry staples. Gustavo Arellano, a Los Angeles Times reporter and the author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, told the New York Times that the comments were a betrayal for many Latinx consumers: “To see something that represents nurture and community and family and most importantly the kitchen? That’s where it’s a stab in the heart. Or the stomach.”

In her effort to make a can of beans the latest totem of the culture war, the tweet from the senior adviser to the president also appears to violate the ethical standards for executive-branch employees, who may not use public office for private gain or “for the endorsement of any product.” Past examples of White House officials endorsing products — specifically, Trump-family products — include Kellyanne Conway telling a Fox News audience to “go buy Ivanka’s stuff” and the president’s advertising of his Doral resort as the potential site of the G-7.
https://www.thecut.com/2020/07/ivanka-trump-promotes-goya-violates-ethical-standards.html




Ethics. Trump keeps using that word, I do not think it means what he thinks it means. So why is this so controversial? Because Trump just opened up a whole new can of worms turning the Resolute Desk into a Price Is Right game. So what’s the boycott really about? It’s not just about buying one brand of canned beans over the other, it’s about politics and privilege. Just ask real Latino folks!

When Ricardo Alvarado went grocery shopping this week, he had a list of items to buy, but he steered clear of anything from Goya Foods. “I was using their beans, but I found a different brand," he said. "I switched olive oil, too, and I bought my own spices, not theirs."

A performing artist based in New York City, Alvarado is boycotting Goya Foods. “As long as I’m helping my community, I will do my part. It’s important that we show unity and solidarity.”

The CEO of Goya Foods, Robert Unanue, plunged the company into turmoil last week when he praised President Donald Trump at an event announcing the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative. “We’re all truly blessed, at the same time, to have leader like President Trump who is a builder,” Unanue said. He compared the president to his grandfather, a Spanish immigrant who founded the company in 1936.

News of Unanue’s words spread quickly, and hashtags like #Goyaway and #BoycottGoya trended on social media.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latinos-boycotting-goya-say-it-s-not-about-politics-it-n1234052




Don’t buy that device, it will cause severe burns! And by the way if you pick sides in this battle, if your neighbor has a can of Goya beans in their cupboard, could be trouble. And if you side with an increasingly unpopular president, be prepared for the backlash, because it can sink your popularity faster than Superman can leap a 30 story building. Even if it sounds seemingly innocent.

Goya Foods is facing backlash following flattering comments made by the company's CEO in a show of support for President Trump, but a local church in South Florida is standing by the producer of Latino cuisine.

Though many are calling for boycotts of Goya products, the leaders at Alpha & Omega Church on 7800 Miller Drive in Miami told NBC 6 their partnership with the company will continue.

"We really like Goya because they have been helping us for years," said Pastor Esther Jivanjee. "They are not doing it now because of what's going on."

Last week, Robert Unanue, the CEO of Goya Foods, publicly praised President Trump during a press conference at the White House. Some consumers who were critical of Unanue's comments said they would stop buying Goya.

Jivanjee, however, does not think that Unanue's political beliefs make a difference as far as the company's operations are concerned. "We're proud that they have been helping," she said. "We say, 'If it's Goya, it has to be good.'"
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-church-stands-by-partnership-with-goya-foods-despite-backlash-after-ceos-trump-praise/2264301/





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From: Idiots #8-9

Let’s take a look at the relationship between India and the United States. The two countries are undergoing a dynamic shift in culture and thanks to social media propaganda, are shifting extremely far to the right. So why does India love Trump? Well as John Oliver pointed out, Trump and India’s PM Modi have a lot in common. They’re both loved and supported by nationalist extremists and they’re both self-centered egomaniacs who spend a lot of time on social media. That said, the differences between the two are uncanny. The only difference is that Trump doesn’t exactly participate in state sanctioned murder, at least not yet. We hope it doesn’t come to that.

A potentially brilliant foreign policy strategy unfolded last week during President Trump’s trip to India. Hardly anyone in America knows that, or has been talking about it, because it’s hard to find a journalist who filed an interesting or insightful story from New Delhi.

Trump’s visit to India reflected a complex approach for strengthening America’s hand in South Asia and triangulating Russia, China and India in Central Asia. But, rather than assessing what was happening on this trip from a geopolitical perspective, most journalists subjected Americans to a predictable Trump-diminishing snarkfest. A central storyline was that Trump flew halfway around the world to get the adulation of 100,000 Indians in a cricket stadium, broadcasted back to the U.S. at 3 a.m. Eastern time. Pseudo-psychologist commentators branded the trip an effort to “seek adulation” and “a sightseeing tour.”

But, as they like to say, here is the breaking news: Any day of any week, Trump could fill stadiums from Cleveland to Dallas with 100,000 cheering Americans who actually could vote for him, rather than flying a grueling 20 hours to India for affirmation. Actually, global power politics took place under the noses of an evidently clueless press corps and major agreements were discussed that could change the balance of power in Asia.
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/485452-trumps-namaste-magic-in-india-eludes-american-media




You first. Come on, we elected the meanest, most self-centered jackass in American history. But is it any wonder why we’re going to shit? Trump isn’t just a side effect he’s the problem. Don’t worry, we will get to what he did with the food in a minute. But Trump’s idea of diplomacy isn’t exactly bringing what one would call “peace and good will”. Instead, Trump’s level of diplomacy is chaos and destruction. Think the Gotham riot scene in the Joker movie.

U.S. President Donald Trump visited India last week for the first time. The trip packed in a massive welcome rally in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat – one that Trump is unlikely to forget – and an array of deals touching upon defense, telecom, energy, and so on.

Modi wished to use Trump’s visit for various political and economic gains. The Modi government has suffered from international backlash against policies such as the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the lockdown in Kashmir. This was an opportunity for Modi to rebuild his image. Further, India is also in desperate need of foreign investment to fight record levels of unemployment and boost sagging demand in its economy.

Yet, for the most part, these objectives were undermined during Trump’s visit, as the world’s eyes were transfixed elsewhere. Not far from Trump’s hotel in Delhi, communal riots erupted, resulting in an ever-increasing death toll and pulling away the attention of the international press corps who were accompanying the president. The riots turned out to be Delhi’s worst since the 1984 communal violence against the Sikh community. And even Trump himself admitted to having talked to Modi about the importance of religious freedom during their meeting.
https://thediplomat.com/2020/03/delhi-riots-turned-trumps-india-visit-counterproductive/




Trump is the Arthur Fleck of presidents. If he actually did shoot someone on 5th Avenue, I could guarantee that he could utter the line “YOU GET WHAT YOU FUCKING DESERVE!” and it would not feel out of place! And guess what? With all that diplomacy they got very little to show for it. It was pretty much a MAGA rally in another country and it began and ended nearly the same as that rally in New Jersey a couple weeks ago did – disappointed fans and large piles of trash.

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has Donald Trump’s number. More to the point, he understands the president’s obsession with numbers. How many people attended Trump’s inauguration? You guessed it. More than were present at any previous presidential inauguration. Trump’s IQ? Right again; it’s “one of the highest” and exceeds that of several really smart people, including, of course, former President Barack Obama. The intelligence of the participants on Trump’s former television show, The Apprentice? Well, they are geniuses with IQs that nudge two hundred. And so it goes.

Little wonder then that Modi assured Trump that vast numbers of admirers—five to seven million people, according to the president—would show up to greet him in Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat, Modi’s home state. Let’s go with a charitable interpretation: something must have gotten garbled in translation. Ahmedabad’s population totals 8.6 million, so even Modi, who has his own fascination with numbers (he claims to have a fifty-six-inch chest), couldn’t possibly have mobilized his many minions to muster a crowd that met Trump’s outlandish expectations.

The prime minister did deliver on another front, though. He doubtless knows that Trump loves big walls and had some built to grace the occasion. Modi’s wall was four feet high and nearly a kilometer long. Its purpose: to ensure that the president’s delicate sensibilities wouldn’t be offended by the sight of slums during his motorcade from the airport. India’s poor population apparently shame Modi and had to be erased for the August occasion, which lasted all of thirty-six hours. Trump then promptly departed, having seen the Taj Mahal as well the fawning posters hailing the greatness of the American president and his host. An example: “Two Dynamic Leaders: One Momentous Occasion.” Kim Jong-un couldn’t have done better.
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/trumps-india-visit-was-little-substance-and-all-show-129002





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[font size="8"]Who’s Profiting From The Pandemic???
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From: Idiots #8-13

By now everyone knows that the first case of the highly contagious and very deadly coronavirus was confirmed by the WHO on 12/31/19. And we know that in that length of time, Trump went golfing 6 times, held 3 fundraisers and also held 5 MAGA rallies. During that whole time he downplayed the true dangers of this deadly disease. And while we were being distracted, the Senate knew that it was coming, and what they did next will make your blood fucking boil. Guess what they did? They profited off the pandemic. Yes, they sold stocks that they knew were going to tank because of this thing, before the stock market went into a free fall. Hold your boos.

Four senators sold stocks shortly after a January briefing in the Senate on the novel coronavirus outbreak, unloading shares that plummeted in value a month later as the stock market crashed in the face of a global pandemic.

According to financial disclosure forms, Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) each sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in stocks within days of the Senate holding a classified briefing on Jan. 24 with Trump administration officials on the threat of the coronavirus outbreak.

The sales raise questions about whether the senators violated the STOCK Act, a law that bans members of Congress from making financial trades based on nonpublic information.

Loeffler and her husband, who is the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, sold at least $355,000 in stocks from Jan. 24-31, according to Senate records, after the coronavirus briefing hosted by the Senate Health and Foreign Relations committees.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/488593-four-senators-sold-stocks-before-coronavirus-threat-crashed-market




Yeah BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Normally this would be a number one entry in the Top 10 any other week but in this world that’s been upended by the virus, this gets bumped to number 4! I mean there’s no way that anyone involved in this should get a “get out of jail free” card. While we’re scrambling to find supplies, these monsters profited. And they should not be allowed to get away with it!

Senator Richard Burr has called for an ethics investigation into himself and three other senators who sold off stock after receiving classified briefings on the coronavirus threat.

Burr—a North Carolina Republican who is chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee—sold up to $1.72 million in stock through Feb. 13, shortly before reassuring the public that the government had a handle on the coronavirus response. A week later, the S&P 500 Index started what would become a 30% drop, wiping out most gains made since President Donald Trump's inauguration.

In a tweet on Friday, Burr denied any wrongdoing, saying that he “relied solely on public news reports” to inform his decisions.

Here’s how well those stocks performed after he sold them.

Another senator under scrutiny, Georgia Republican Kelly Loeffler, sold off millions of dollars worth of stock beginning on Jan. 24, the day the health committee she sits on was briefed by U.S. public-health officials.
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-senators-dump-stocks-coronavirus-crash/




You got that right sir! This is unquestionably what one might call a “dick move”. And it’s such a dick move that they knew this was coming and rather than sound they alarm, they opened up their wallets because, why not? This is America!! This is huge, and this is certainly one of the most evil, egregious acts that has ever happened. Crap, they put Martha Stewart away for less than this! Just how bad is this whole thing? Well it gets worse!

Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and her husband, Intercontinental Exchange Chairman Jeff Sprecher, disclosed additional stock trades as they faced criticism for dumping shares before the market plummeted over the coronavirus crisis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Tuesday.

Last month, both Loeffler and Sprecher, who is also the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, came under scrutiny for selling hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock before the market's drop.

The Daily Beast reported last month that after she attended a January 24 closed-door US Senate briefing on the COVID-19 outbreak, Loeffler sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in shares of Resideo Technologies, Comcast, AutoZone, and more before the decline and also bought up shares in Citrix, a company that makes telecommuting software.

On Tuesday, The Journal-Constitution reported that newly disclosed stock transactions from early March involved the sale of retail stocks, which have seen a sharp decline as the industry suffers from the outbreak. Loeffler sold over $70,000 in shares of the retailer Ross on March 4 and 5; $27,000 in shares of TJX Cos., the parent company of TJ Maxx; and over $56,000 in shares of Lululemon, a popular athleisure clothing brand.
https://www.businessinsider.com/sen-loeffler-dumped-more-retail-stock-in-new-disclosures-coronavirus-2020-4




I wouldn’t go that far, but considering over twice as many people have died from this wretched virus as have died in 9/11, it’s not that far of a stretch. So we know that four senators have made untold money on this deadly pandemic. Not only did they dump retail stocks, it gets worse! They also dumped travel stocks because they knew a travel ban is coming. These are people who are going to have to answer for their crimes.

Senator Kelly Loeffler sold a total of $46,027 worth of stock in an online travel company in the day leading up to President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ban on most European travel to the U.S.

Though the transactions were relatively small for Loeffler and her husband -- whose net worth is estimated at more than $500 million -- the sales represented an about-face.

Loeffler, a Georgia Republican, had just days earlier purchased the shares, in Booking Holdings, jointly with her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, the chief executive officer of Intercontinental Exchange, parent firm of the New York Stock Exchange

Booking Holdings provides online bookings for flights, hotels and other travel-related services, all of which have collapsed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-03/georgia-senator-loeffler-did-quick-dump-of-travel-company-stock






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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: DIY Hydroxychloroquine
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From: Idiots #8-14

Now entering the spin zone! And it lands on… wait for it… ah hey it’s time for a clip without context!



In that case then call me Satan! Because I want the damn vaccine, damn it! Spin it again! Hey it’s time for Top 10 Investigates! It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines. This is Top 10 Investigates!



With the coronavirus upending our society and way of life as we currently know it, the idea of self-medication becomes ever more prevalent as doctors and hospitals are being repurposed to deal with this evolving and unprecedented crisis. One such medication being touted by President Trump is an old malaria drug called hydroxychloroquine and also the regular chloroquine. But the hype of this drug from the right wing media is illustrating why we need doctors to guide us through this pandemic and why we shouldn’t listen to hype men and product pitchmen. Because this is serious and taken in the wrong capacity, the cure really is worse than the disease.

A malaria drug widely touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus showed no benefit in a large analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals. There were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care, researchers reported.

The nationwide study was not a rigorous experiment. But with 368 patients, it’s the largest look so far of hydroxychloroquine with or without the antibiotic azithromycin for COVID-19, which has killed more than 171,000 people as of Tuesday.

The study was posted on an online site for researchers and has not been reviewed by other scientists. Grants from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Virginia paid for the work.

Researchers analyzed medical records of 368 male veterans hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infection at Veterans Health Administration medical centers who died or were discharged by April 11.

About 28% who were given hydroxychloroquine plus usual care died, versus 11% of those getting routine care alone. About 22% of those getting the drug plus azithromycin died too, but the difference between that group and usual care was not considered large enough to rule out other factors that could have affected survival.
https://apnews.com/a5077c7227b8eb8b0dc23423c0bbe2b2




So when people are getting desperate to find a cure and get back to the way things were before the virus you’re going to get desperate. And that’s what is happening right now. Yes, there might have been a few successes with hydroxychloroquine, but there’s been more failures and the drug has yet to be proven to work long term. Which is why even Trump himself has turned down the rhetoric.

President Donald Trump and his allies in conservative media have subtly scaled down their hyping of hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure for the coronavirus, according to a POLITICO review of White House briefings and cable news coverage.

Although Trump had repeatedly promoted the decades-old malaria drug since the early days of the disease’s outbreak in the United States, his public statements regarding hydroxychloroquine have diminished significantly over the past week for reasons that remain unclear.

His most recent mention of the drug at the White House’s daily coronavirus news conferences came last Tuesday, when the president announced his administration had deployed roughly 28 million doses of hydroxychloroquine from the federal government’s Strategic National Stockpile.

Earlier at that same briefing, though, the president also trumpeted remdesivir, another experimental treatment developed by the biopharmaceutical company Gilead, and spoke positively of its “promising results.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/20/trump-hydroxychloroquine-coronavirus-196191




Yeah you probably should there, doctor. In fact the idea of hyrdroxychloroquine has become big business, even if it is a lot of false hope. And false hope is not something we need right now. But what will make this worse is that repurposing this drug takes away from people who actually need it, like lupus patients for instance. Yes, they need this drug, and thanks to Trump, they cant find it.

When Aimee Blou heard the lupus drug she has relied on for more than a decade promoted as a coronavirus antidote, she visited her pharmacist.

The 40-year-old woman from Stockton, California, was told the decades-old antimalarial drug commonly prescribed for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis was in short supply. She would get only a 30-day refill, not her typical 90-day supply.

“It’s all backordered,” the pharmacist explained to Blou on March 23. “We are not going to be able to give you these (90-day) refills."

Hydroxychloroquine, also sold under the brand name Plaquenil, has been touted by President Donald Trump, media personality Mehmet Oz and others as a COVID-19 treatment, though scientific evidence the drug is effective against the virus is lacking.

The renewed interest in chloroquine, an antimalarial drug available since 1944, and the similar drug hydroxychloroquine has made it difficult for pharmacies and hospital chains to manage a limited supplies, leaving patients like Blou fearful the shortage will harm their health.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/04/18/hydroxychloroquine-coronavirus-creates-shortage-lupus-drug/5129896002/




In this case you probably should. Because this fight is going to get very ugly very quickly and this is a can of worms being opened up that you definitely shouldn’t open up. Let’s take it from someone who’s actually had the virus and actually used the drug to combat the virus. And their experiences were shall we say, less than ideal.

Tom Hanks is getting personal about the coronavirus battle that he and his wife Rita Wilson experienced.

The actor says although he didn't have symptoms as bad as Wilson, he felt "wiped" while in isolation at a hospital in Queensland, Australia, last month.

"I was wiped after 12 minutes [of exercising]. I laid down in my hospital bed and just slept," Hanks told National Defense Radio Show.

He recalled telling a medical professional who was treating him at the time, "'I just had the weirdest thing. I just tried to do basic stretches and exercises on the floor and I couldn't even get halfway through.' And she looked at me through her glasses like she was talking to the dumbest human being. And she said, 'You have Covid-19.'"

Hanks said that his wife had such bad nausea from the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, that at times she couldn't even walk.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/entertainment/tom-hanks-coronavirus-interview-trnd/index.html




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.






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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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From: Idiots #9-9

Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual 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 virtual congregation! You know it’s not my style to engage in a bit of schadenfreude because that’s not what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want. But when it involves an institution that is widely known for spreading HERESY and worshipping the unholy, ungodly dark one, whose name shall not be mentioned in my church – real or virtual, then exceptions must be made! But here’s the thing my fair flock, that still come to us week after week to put up with my nonsense, Liberty University was a well oiled machine that actually had some credibility. Then their founder died and made the asshole son president, who worships the unholy, ungodly Dark One, whose name shall not be mentioned in my church! That’s when things started to go predictably south.

A few days after Jerry Falwell Jr. buried his father in 2007, an author writing about the family visited Falwell Jr.’s office and made what he thought was an obvious comment. With the death of Jerry Falwell Sr., a charismatic religious-right titan, Falwell Jr. was about to become president of a Christian mega-university as the heir of the extremely famous brand name.

“I said: ‘You’re really in the spotlight now, eh?’ ” said Dirk Smillie, then a Forbes writer working on a book about the family and the booming university Falwell Sr. had created in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. “If I was in his place, I’d expect a number of emotions. But instead he had this look like he was being taken to the guillotine, like: ‘This is, like, the last thing I want to do.’ He was dreading the visibility that would come from having to replace what his father had engineered.”

Over the next 13 years, Falwell Jr. transformed from a shy, reclusive real estate developer and lawyer nervous in public settings to a highflying national figure — known not only for his leadership of the country’s most prominent evangelical university, which boasts 85,000 students, but also for a long series of controversial social media posts — some criticized as Islamophobic, sexist and racist — and for his zealous public defense of President Trump.

Earlier this month, in the minds of Liberty leaders, he went too far. On Aug. 7 Falwell Jr. was put on an indefinite leave of absence from the presidency after he posted a provocative Instagram photo of himself posing with his wife’s assistant.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/08/17/liberty-president-falwell-instagram-reckoning-trump/




Of course! You cannot support the unholy Dark One because everything he touches turns to absolute shit! Remember, we are allowed to swear in my church! Remember that movie from a few years ago called Horrible Bosses? Jerry Falwell Jr is the dim son who takes over the family business and doesn’t have a clue how to run it. Which is probably how he lost control of the message so easily!

As president and chancellor of the country’s largest Christian university and the son of one of the founding fathers of the religious right, Jerry Falwell Jr. has come to serve as a stand-in for American evangelicals. But to those inside the Liberty University community, Falwell’s leading role has lately seemed more like a liability than an asset. On Friday, the executive committee of the school’s board announced that Falwell will take an indefinite leave of absence.

Alumni feel “they have to hide their association with Liberty,” Colby Garman, a pastor who graduated from Liberty and serves on the board of Virginia’s Southern Baptist Convention, told me by phone Friday night. “A lot of pastors feel that way, a little bit, when it comes to the leadership of the school.” (Falwell did not reply to my request for an interview.)

What finally pushed Liberty’s leaders to act was their belief that Falwell had openly flaunted immoral behavior: He posted, and then deleted, an image of himself on a yacht, his arm around the waist of a young woman who was not his wife. Both of their pants were partially unzipped, and a glass of what looked like alcohol—which he called “black water” in his caption—was in Falwell’s hand. Later, in an interview with a local radio station in Lynchburg, Virginia, where Liberty is located, Falwell explained that the woman works as an assistant to his wife. He laughed the incident off: “I promised my kids I’m going to try to be a good boy from here on out,” he said. But alumni and staff who had previously expressed their concerns about Falwell in private began openly calling for his resignation, including Representative Mark Walker of North Carolina; many of them noted that any number of Falwell’s actions would have gotten a Liberty student written up.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/08/jerry-fallwell-evangelicals-liberty/615112/




So Liberty University has gone over the edge. Guess you can say that we tried to warn them because that’s what you get when you trust the unholy Dark One. Everything he touches dies! Instead, you must trust the good LAWRD JAYSUS! Of course you can see why Liberty is currently in shambles and one incident must be what pushed them over the edge! You can’t trust how things are going right now.

Jerry Falwell Jr., the president and chancellor of Liberty University, has agreed to take an "indefinite leave of absence," according to a statement Friday from the evangelical Christian university.

The leave of absence is effective immediately, the statement said. The executive committee of the university's board of trustees made the request of Falwell. The board did not provide a reason for Falwell's leave in its statement.

CNN has reached out to Falwell for comment. In a separate statement, Jerry Prevo, chairman of the university's board of trustees, said the Lynchburg, Virginia-based university has "experienced unprecedented success" during Falwell's 13 years as president.

"Unfortunately, with this success and the burdens of leading a large and growing organization comes substantial pressure," Prevo said in the statement. "Today, my colleagues and I on the Liberty University Board of Trustees and Jerry mutually agreed that it would be good for him to take an indefinite leave of absence."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/07/us/jerry-falwell-jr-liberty-university-leave/index.html




Except when there is judgement of course, and I speak of that in the Good Book, which you can now buy online for the low low price of $19.99! But yeah this is the incident I am referring to that got Mr. Falwell ousted from his own school. Really don’t do this people, and especially don’t be partying on a boat during a pandemic. But once again everything the Dark One touches dies!

The executive committee did not provide a reason, but the request comes several days after Falwell posted -- and then deleted -- a photograph on Instagram with his pants unzipped and his arm around a woman, The New York Times reported.

According to WSLS, the caption on the post -- which has been deleted -- reads, “More vacation shots. Lots of good friends visited us on the yacht. I promise that’s just black water in my glass. It was a prop only.”

On Thursday, Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., a Southern Baptist minister and former Liberty instructor, called for Falwell’s resignation, according to The Washington Post.

“Jerry Falwell Jr’s ongoing behavior is appalling,” Walker tweeted. “I’m convinced Falwell should step down.”

On Friday, Walker tweeted that the move was the right call for the university and offered prayers for Falwell and his family.
https://www.wsoctv.com/news/trending/jerry-falwell-jr-announces-leave-absence-liberty-university/5RZAAJAKORFRNKGQ2CFEGV7HPI/




So we must not celebrate or pity Rev Falwell, rather, just heed this warning as a caution of things not to do in dire times! 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: Ryan Reynolds Wedding
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From: Idiots #9-8



Let’s talk about weddings. Everyone has their vision of the perfect marriage ceremony. Beautiful backdrops, everyone’s friends and family there, ravishing looking wedding parties, free flowing booze, and an overall good time. But could you regret where you have said wedding? Well, lately with racism being erased all over the world after the death of George Floyd, it’s hit the glorious star of everyone’s favorite wise-cracking, foul-mouthed, murderous superhero Deadpool, the great Ryan Reynolds, pretty hard. See, he and his wife Blake Lively got married at one of America’s oldest plantations. Which sounds pretty innocent until you start digging deeper and find out the true history of where he got married.

"Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds said he and his wife, actress Blake Lively, are "deeply and unreservedly sorry for" for holding their 2012 wedding ceremony at a South Carolina plantation.

"It’s impossible to reconcile," Reynolds told Fast Company, in a profile published Tuesday. "What we saw at the time was a wedding venue on Pinterest. What we saw after was a place built upon devastating tragedy."

Reynolds and Lively got married at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, which features nine slave cabins, referred to as "Slave Street." The move was criticized at the time, but came under renewed scrutiny in 2018 after Reynolds tweeted in support of "Black Panther," the first superhero movie to feature a majority Black cast, and was accused of hypocrisy.

The wedding industry has also been responding to plantation weddings' role in glamorizing sites of violence against Black people. Last year, Pinterest and The Knot banned pictures of all plantation weddings on its platform, including Reynolds' and Lively's.
https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/ryan-reynolds-blake-lively-apologize-plantation-themed-wedding-n1235770




That’s like what? 16 walls? Yes, that probably was a bad idea to begin with. And this might be a good topic to explore in the future but who knew that weddings could be racist? I mean aside from when your creepy drunk uncle gets up during the toasts and makes uncomfortable remarks about white supremacist content he found on Facebook – and hey we’ve all been there, right? So why is this not OK to do something like this?

When planning their nuptials, some couples dream of having a “classic Southern” wedding at a grand, columned mansion with oak trees covered in Spanish moss and fireflies winking at dusk—a picturesque affair hosted on an antebellum estate that has made its facilities available to rent for parties and events. In other words, a plantation wedding.

But there’s a growing consensus that there’s something deeply wrong with this concept. A beautiful mansion and sprawling estate cannot be separated from a horrifying violent history. These are monuments to American slavery, not a place to hold a celebration or a backdrop for beautiful photos. “If anyone wanted to get married at a plantation, you must ask, ‘What are you doing?’ ‘what exactly are you saying about yourself?’” says Steven Hahn, a historian and the author of A Nation Without Borders: The United States and its World in an Age of Civil Wars.

White Southerners may be the most likely candidates to choose a plantation wedding, as it might be the popular venue in the area, but they are far from alone. Speaking to representatives for plantations like Middleton Place near Charleston, they say that people from all over the world, of all races and genders, opt to have their ceremony and reception there.

There are even celebrity examples. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds (who are from California and Vancouver, respectively) married in 2012 at Boone Plantation in South Carolina. Though they received mostly positive coverage at the time, it has sparked criticism on social media since and it is something Reynolds says he and Lively now deeply regret. “It’s something we’ll always be deeply and unreservedly sorry for,” Reynolds recently told Fast Company.
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/the-scene/weddings/a33446093/plantation-wedding-controversy-ryan-reynolds-blake-lively/




No wonder Southern people are always clamoring for “heritage” – they want that sweet, sweet Antebellum lifestyle! Which really if you think about it, is really just a trashy version of the rich life from Pride & Prejudice. Mr. Reynolds would say that this is a mistake. But that said, I am sure that Deadpool would be mocking you before slicing and dicing you after saying that. I’m just saying.

In the wake of the racial justice movement renewed by the death of George Floyd, Ryan Reynolds apologized for his plantation wedding with Blake Lively. The two wed in 2012 at Boone Hall Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, a location fraught with painful history as a site where Black slaves lived and produced bricks and crops. (Pinterest and The Knot have since restricted promotions of plantation weddings.) In an interview with Fast Company on Aug. 4, Reynolds said the decision is one that he and Lively will “always be deeply and unreservedly sorry for" — and that it was "impossible to reconcile."

“What we saw at the time was a wedding venue on Pinterest," Reynolds said. "What we saw after was a place built upon devastating tragedy.” He revealed that the two got married a second time at home — but “shame works in weird ways.” Reynolds continued, “A giant f*cking mistake like that can either cause you to shut down or it can reframe things and move you into action. It doesn’t mean you won’t f*ck up again.” He added that “repatterning and challenging lifelong social conditioning is a job that doesn’t end.”

The interview comes after Reynolds and Lively donated $200,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in June and acknowledged their own history of complicity. “We want to educate ourselves about other people’s experiences and talk to our kids about everything, all of it,” Lively wrote on Instagram, in part. “We look back and see so many mistakes which have led us to deeply examine who we are and who we want to become.” She also pledged that she and Reynolds would “stay educated and vote in every local election” — and use their “privilege and platform to be an ally."
https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/ryan-reynolds-apologizes-for-his-plantation-wedding-with-blake-lively







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[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner
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From: Idiots #9-6



Welcome back to the segment that attempts to explain the unexplainable! It’s Conspiracy Corner! Oh hello, I am broadcasting the inner most thoughts from deep inside my brain from an underground bunker in the vast cornfields of the rural Iowa farmlands! Of course it’s an undisclosed location! Just let me adjust my tin foil hat for maximum government blockage. They are trying to read my thoughts and your thoughts after all. So this week, an extra dose of crazy happened as Trump’s favorite cult Q Anon attempted to dig up some dirt on furniture purveyor Wayfair, and not only did it backfire on them spectacularly, they have lost one of their biggest social media hangouts where they can wreak their brand of conspiracy theory havoc!

The claim: Expensive products on Wayfair are coded listings for missing children being sold in a human-trafficking scheme

The internet has been gripped with a conspiracy theory this month as thousands of viral posts allege that online furniture firm Wayfair is involved in a child sex-trafficking operation.

“So wayfair has third party vendors that are HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING on their website,” various social media posts have alleged. “There are items like throw pillows, cabinets etc. priced at 10-20,000 dollars and named after missing girls. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!”

Posts point to the high prices of items like pillows and dressers as evidence that the products are secretly fronts for child trafficking. Theorists further note the names of some of the dressers, which are allegedly the same children who have gone missing over the past few years.

Some users also allege similar activities occur on other e-commerce sites like Amazon, Etsy and Walmart. Others claim the scandal can only be tracked by using the Russian search engine Yandex.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/07/22/fact-check-wayfair-not-involved-child-sex-trafficking/5460739002/




Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Put a warning label on that one! But seriously, Q Anon has gone full batshit, and in a world where we currently don’t have anything to do, can we at least get something to do for the Q Anon nuts? Because they clearly need a hobby, and this one ain’t it. So who started this insane conspiracy theory? And why are they so convinced? Yeah right now we’re trying to survive a horrible pandemic and retailers might be going a little overboard with price gouging, but not this.

Last weekend, an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory that online furnishings retailer Wayfair is trafficking children through listings of products with inflated prices and human names erupted on social media.

An Arizona couple helped fuel the rumor by posting on Instagram that they had purchased a $17,000 desk from Wayfair and would share their experience with their followers.

The theory that pillows and cabinets being sold at wayfair.com for thousands of dollars is somehow evidence of a child trafficking scheme has been debunked by independent fact-checking publication Snopes. It gained traction through a July 9 Reddit post on a forum dedicated to discussing conspiracy theories, Snopes notes.

Maddie and Justin Thompson, of Gilbert, are not convinced.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/16/wayfair-human-trafficking-conspiracy-arizona-couple-spread-instagram-rumors/5449777002/




Well I guess that’s one way to go furniture shopping right now! But yeah sure, buy a $17,000 desk and it contains a… child? How did that one get past the loading docks? Really, these people are fucking batshit crazy, and they really need to find a hobby. But you know what is not to be done? Don’t overload the national child sex trafficking hotline with bullshit conspiracy theories, OK? This is a fake crisis, don’t make it a real one!

A national organization fighting to end human trafficking says the believers in the unfounded Wayfair human trafficking conspiracy theory are overwhelming the organization with reports and making it harder to do its work.

Polaris, a non-profit that runs the National Human Trafficking Hotline, said in a press release on Tuesday that "the extreme volume of these contacts has made it more difficult for the Trafficking Hotline to provide support and attention to others who are in need of help."

Polaris said that the reports included no information "beyond what has been widely shared online. Nor have any of these reports been made by someone who has a specific connection to any alleged missing children."

Believers in the conspiracy theory think that the furniture company is selling human children who have gone missing by disguising them as pillows and other goods. The theory went viral in the last few weeks after being spread by QAnon believers on Twitter and Facebook, though both platforms told Insider they had removed certain posts containing this misinformation.
https://www.insider.com/wayfair-human-trafficking-conspiracy-theory-national-hotline-call-2020-7




Yes, we get it, this is one of the worst crimes imaginable. But why the fuck are you so obsessed with it right now? I get that we don’t have anything to do. Really, don’t waste Wayfair’s time, and don’t waste the time of actual officials who are trying to find real sex traffickers. And by the way this can have some real world consequences for you if you get caught trying to do this. So really, shut the fuck up and keep the batshit insanity to yourself.

Twitter (TWTR) has removed thousands of accounts linked to QAnon, a group known for spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation online.
"We've been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behavior that has the potential to lead to offline harm," Twitter's safety team said late Tuesday in a tweet. "In line with this approach, this week we are taking further action on so-called 'QAnon' activity across the service."

More than 7,000 accounts have been removed in the last several weeks, according to Twitter. It also expects that additional actions it is taking to limit the reach of QAnon activity on its platform could affect 150,000 accounts worldwide.
QAnon began as a single conspiracy theory. But its followers now act more like a virtual cult, largely adoring and believing whatever disinformation the conspiracy community spins up.

Its main conspiracy theories claim dozens of politicians and A-list celebrities work in tandem with governments around the globe to engage in child sex abuse. Followers also believe there is a "deep state" effort to annihilate President Donald Trump.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/tech/twitter-qanon-crackdown/index.html





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[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
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From: Idiots #9-11

Hit it!



Of course you know by now that people are people and people are dumb. While we were off for the Labor Day holiday, stupid obviously never takes a holiday! So who is dumb this week? Well first, Dr. Phil is dumb. Yes, the fake TV psychiatrist that Oprah unwittingly leashed upon the masses continues to prove why he should not be practicing any medicine. Hell, he doesn’t understand the unwritten rules of social media! And one of those rules is that you don’t tell people what to do! No! if you tell someone to do something, they’re only going to want to do more of this. Especially when we’re in a pandemic and everyone is bored out of their skulls!

Dr. Phil McGraw popped up on TikTok on Thursday to pop off to his followers who keep calling him “Daddy.”

It seems that a lot of people who follow his posts refer to him as “Daddy” in the comments and he’s apparently annoyed.

So as part of the app’s popular “you have to stop” posts, McGraw asked his TikTok fans to cease the patriarchal nicknames when commenting on his posts.

“I hate to break it to you, but I ain’t your daddy, and your real daddy is probably getting his feelings hurt,” McGraw said. “I appreciate the support — it’s a little weird, but I appreciate the support.”

@drphil

#YouHaveTo stop calling me “daddy.” I ain’t ya daddy.
♬ you have to stop supporting trump - hannah_harpist

And because this is the internet, everyone immediately respected his wishes ― not!
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=post&forum=1103&pid=18286




Damn right!! You don’t tell the internet what to do, Dr. Phil! No, no, no, no, no, no. Next up – let’s go across the pond to France! As we have proven on this program time and time again, there’s stupid people no matter what country you go to. But in this particular case, we all get annoyed with bugs and insects. But this might not be the best way to go about doing things. In fact, you could put a “DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME” warning on this next story.

The man, who is in his 80s, was about to tuck into his dinner when he became irritated by a fly buzzing around him.

He picked up an electric racket designed to kill bugs and start swatting at it - but a gas canister was leaking in his Dordogne home.

A reaction between the racket and the gas caused an explosion, destroying the kitchen and partly damaging the roof of the home in Parcoul-Chenaud village.

According to local media, the unnamed man had a lucky escape, sustaining just a burn to the hand.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54051423




Yeah something like that. Next up – you know much of the country is experiencing devastating wildfires, and I swear that it’s Mother Nature’s way of saying she’s bound and determined to get rid of us once and for all. And you can spout your conspiracy theories, believe me. But one thing you should never ever do? How about don’t set off fucking explosives in a dry climate on the hottest day of the year? What could go wrong?

At the time of writing there are 7,718 fires raging across California, 20 people have lost their lives, and nearly 5,000 buildings have been destroyed. The ignition of one of these fires caught the attention of the press, and the internet, more than others.

On September 5, an explosion of coloured smoke revealed the gender of a Californian couple’s soon to be born child, and simultaneously set light to over 10,000 acres of the El Dorado Ranch Park in Yuaipa.

Gender-reveal parties, relatively unheard of just a few years ago, have now become an important rite of passage for expectant parents in the US. Seen by some as an unhelpful reinforcement of binary gender stereotypes, these parties have long been the source of mockery by the internet. Years of one-upmanship have seen ever more extravagant reveals posted to social media – cake cutting, mass dance performances, balloons dropped from planes, and, increasingly, pyrotechnics.

So, when a gender-reveal party started the El Dorado fire, it was bound to draw attention. Memes and spoof articles soon appeared, and the mainstream media latched on to the story. The idea that the fires were started by human stupidity is one we actually find appealing, and almost comforting. But this narrative hides a very uncomfortable truth.
https://theconversation.com/california-wildfires-why-a-gender-reveal-party-got-the-blame-but-shouldnt-have-146033




Yeah seriously don’t do anything that dumb. There are limits people! Next up – the state of Florida always brings the crazy! We make fun of America’s most penis-shaped state but it does have some of the craziest people alive! For instance this particular story out of Port St. Lucie, Florida. Now I love me some bacon, but don’t get your bacon and your cocaine mixed up, that’s mistake number one. Mistake number two? Don’t keep either one in the backseat of your car for an extended period of time.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A Florida man was arrested Wednesday after deputies found more than a pound of cocaine in his truck and even more at his home, including some on top of a stack of bacon.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said Clifford Eugene Tindall was pulled over around 7 p.m. and deputies found a bag filled with nearly a pound of cocaine in the back seat, TC Palm reported.

Deputies found more cocaine during a search of his home around 9 p.m. Some cocaine was found “directly on top of a stack of bacon,” investigators said.
Content Continues Below

Tindall, 62, was arrested and charged with two counts of cocaine trafficking, according to jail records. He was released on $70,000 bond.
https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/trending/florida-man-arrested-with-pound-cocaine-some-kept-stack-bacon-deputies-say/DTHZQL5X5RERZJ2JO6ZCG2D62Y/




Of course! Finally this week, we go to that most senior of all Florida cities, The Villages! And yes many times during the course of this horrible administration I’ve been there, and we have all been there. But if Trump drives you to drink, maybe don’t tell this as your excuse to the cops. Me personally? I’m going to go have a few cold ones after this because well, Trump and the COVID pandemic are really driving me to drink.

A man who crashed his golf cart while driving it drunk through The Villages said he was driven to drink after watching President Donald Trump on TV, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they were called to a single-vehicle golf cart crash the evening of July 30 on Rainey Trail and Buena Vista Boulevard and when they questioned the driver, 82-year-old Cary De Van, he said he hit a wall inside the golf cart tunnel while driving home.

De Van’s red golf cart had what appeared to be a broken axle, leading deputies to believe he ran over a concrete curb, records show.

The report said De Van was slurring his words and smelled of alcohol as deputies were questioning him about the crash. De Van was not injured and no property was damaged during the crash.

He claimed that about two hours prior, he saw Trump speaking on TV and “then got really mad at what he said” so he started drinking vodka, according to authorities.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/08/19/florida-man-involved-in-dui-golf-cart-crash-claims-president-trump-drove-him-to-drink-deputies-say/




That’s it this week for:




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[font size="8"]Road To The White House: Trump Bails On Debate
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From: Idiots #9-14



Welcome back to…. Cue reverb… ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!! Oh man that was some good reverb there. Last week, which seems like an eternity ago this year, we covered the first presidential debates and of course the term “shit show” doesn’t even begin to describe it. Of course we are in a raging pandemic and all rules about the way society is supposed to function are thrown out the window, and we are in an election year at that! But then again Trump is still our president, and he refuses to abide by the rules. So put those two things together and the question is asked – is there a possibility there will even be a second debate? To which I answer: “are you fucking kidding me?”.

It seemed novel when Donald Trump boycotted the final debate before the Iowa caucuses four years ago.

This time, polls and the timing of the election suggest, it looks more like a mistake.

Twenty-six days before the election, more than 6.3 million people have already voted, according to the United States Elections Project, and that number is ballooning by the day. In declaring Thursday he wouldn't do a remote debate, he's surrendering an opportunity, with an audience of tens millions, to turn around his campaign.

“I don’t see how he catches up to and passes [Joe] Biden without two more debates,” said Frank Luntz, the veteran Republican consultant and pollster. “While an online debate is clearly problematic, no debate at all is worse.”

Trump's reelection prospects are already precarious, at best. He is running behind Biden by nearly 10 percentage points nationally, and he has given up so much ground in battleground states that Biden is expanding the map into states that Trump was once expected to win comfortably, like Texas and Ohio.
https://ww w.politico.com/news/2020/10/08/trump-debate-boycott-428039




So rather than play by the rules and hold a virtual rally, Trump instead is going out on his own and holding super spreader events! So what happens if Trump decides to again bail on the second debate – it’s widely known that he’s infected with COVID and continues to infect everyone in his path, so the idea of holding an in-person debate is out of the question. But there’s no mistaking that Trump is an abusive, obnoxious jerk and would love to give Biden the virus if he could!

The fate of the final debates between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden was thrown into uncertainty Thursday as the campaigns offered dueling proposals for moving forward with a process that has been upended by the president’s coronavirus infection.

By Thursday afternoon, it was unclear when or how the next debates would proceed, or whether voters would even get to see the two men running for the White House on the same stage again before Election Day.

The whipsaw day began with an announcement from the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which said the next debate on Oct. 15 would be held virtually. The commission cited health concerns following Trump’s infection as the reason for changing the structure of the town hall-style debate.

Trump, who is eager to return to the campaign trail despite uncertainty about his health, said he wouldn’t participate if the debate wasn’t in person. Biden suggested the event be delayed a week until Oct. 22, which is when the third and final debate is already scheduled.
https://www.ocregister.com/2020/10/08/second-trump-biden-debate-to-be-virtual-due-to-trumps-covid-19/




That is true and Trump is quite the evil fucker. In fact not only does he have COVID, he’s flying out to Florida (obviously) to do another in-person campaign event. And of course his supporters don’t give a flying fuck about COVID or their own health. Dear Leader is speaking and they will avoid Satan himself to go see him! But here’s where it gets creepy and weird.

Donald Trump has claimed he is immune to coronavirus and told a rally it makes him feel ‘so powerful’ he would jump into the crowd and give supporters a ‘big fat kiss’. The US president called the pandemic a ‘lovefest’ and threw face masks into the crowd of hundreds at the Orlando Sanford International Airport, Florida, on Monday night. Trump told the predominantly mask-less audience: ‘One thing with me, the nice part: I went through it, now they say I’m immune. ‘I feel so powerful, I’ll walk into that audience. I’ll walk in there, I’ll kiss everyone in that audience. I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women, everyone, I’ll just give you a big fat kiss.’

Speaking at his first rally since falling ill, the 74-year-old president defended his handling of the pandemic – which has so far killed 215,000 Americans – in a bid to revive his campaign with just weeks to go until Election Day. Although he was admitted to hospital with the virus only a week ago, Trump claimed to the audience the pandemic was almost a thing of the past. He said: ‘Under my leadership, we’re delivering a safe vaccine and a rapid recovery like no one can even believe. ‘If you look at our upward path, no country in the world has recovered the way we have recovered.’

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/13/trump-tells-fans-hell-give-them-big-fat-kiss-after-covid-infection-at-packed-rally-13412428/?ito=cbshare




Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! EW! EW! EW! EW! EW! EW! EW! Wait a minute… EW. Why the flying fuck does he always make every thing so creepy and weird? Because he is a creepy weirdo and it’s just totally disgusting. OK now that I have got that off my chest, you know what the GOP really thinks of us and Joe Biden? Well let’s just say that they’ve gone full asshole and now all rules are off the table.

Ronna McDaniel seethed at the Commission for Presidential Debates for their decision to adopt a virtual format for their second event of the 2020 election.

The GOP chairwoman remains in quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19, which seems to have originated from the White House’s apparent super-spreader event that left President Donald Trump and many others infected. Nonetheless, McDaniel gave an interview to Fox News’ Sandra Smith on Thursday, where the focus was on Trump’s refusal to participate in a virtual debate.

McDaniel began by slamming the commission and saying it was “filled with Republicans who have been very critical of this president, and a large group of Democrats.” After that, she insinuated that the commission is in Joe Biden’s pocket, claiming “47 years of Joe Biden being in D.C. has bought him a lot of favors across the aisle.”

“I hope no future nominee of our party works with this commission,” McDaniel said. “They are a total joke and they are hurting our democracy and impacting this election.”
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/ronna-mcdaniel-blasts-debate-commissions-virtual-format-from-quarantine-after-trump-bails-theyre-a-total-joke/




[font size="8"]And Now This:

Folks last week we lost one of the greats of all time – Eddie Van Halen. And I know that live music is off the table right now so I am paying tribute to him through live music. Really anyone who knows the Sunset Strip scene has a Van Halen story or two. Me I’ve always liked his song “Right Now” from his 1991 album “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge” and it’s a protest song even though it at one point was used for a Pepsi product that no longer exists. So here it is – Van Halen performing “Right Now”.



Folks, before we get out of here, a programming note. Next week is our last new regular Top 10 before the election. 10/28 will be a Viewer’s Choice All Time Best Of (with maybe a new entry or two), and 11/4 will go dark. Maybe we will do a Top 10 Mini depending on how I feel or how things are going. We will be back in full on 11/11 once the dust has been settled – and hopefully in a much better mood than we have been the last 4 years! Next week, we will have our final thoughts going into the election in “Road To The White House”.

See you next week!

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December 2, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-18: The Shart Of The Deal Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-18: The Shart Of The Deal Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! How’s everybody doing? I know, this has been quite a week, hasn’t it? Holy shit we are actually in December! The year from hell that is 2020 is nearly over everybody!!! We made it!!! There are just two Top 10s remaining for the end of the year – one of course being next week, and the other being our 2020 Year In Review edition on 12/16. Yay, the shittiest year ever is almost over! Do we have time for the thing? Sure! OK I will say one thing. I am a dog person, I have dogs, I love my dogs, I love all the dogs I’ve ever had. Having my dog has definitely kept me from losing my mind the last few months. But I’ve never really been on board with the concept of “pet parenting”. I will take my dogs on walks, but I won’t spend $250 on a stroller for them, and I don’t care that it has a curtain either. I’ll feed them dog food but I’m not spending $50 for “gourmet” pet food that looks like it has better ingredients than what I got at the McDonalds drive thru. No, seriously, my dog should not be eating better food than what I am eating. But that said, do we really need Christmas music for dogs? Can dogs really hear music nor do they care what is being sung? Well there’s a song called “Raise The Woof” that is quite literally insane. But at least all the proceeds go to charity so it’s all good… right? Right? OK enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first in his season finale, Bill Maher compares Trump to the leader of the NXIVM cult:



Man I look forward to the day when this asshole is no longer the number one! In the number one slot this week is of course, Twitter’s own @realDonaldTrump (1). Because he threw quite the tantrum last week giving a press conference from what looked like a desk that came from Baby’s First Presidenting Kit. It was quite insane. In the second slot is someone who we haven’t talked much about on the show, and that’s our First Lady, Melania Trump (2)! Did she tell a group of supporters that Christmas, as a holiday should fuck off? We will get to the bottom of this mystery, and we presume the answer is already yes. Taking the third slot this week is the Trump offspring of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump (3) and someone give me the world’s tiniest violin because they are looking for life after the White House, and it seems that no one in New York wants to hang around them! In the #4 slot this week is a new edition of We’re All Gonna Die (4) and we finally have a president who is going to address climate change, but is it too little too late? Well maybe yes and maybe no. In the #5 slot this week, is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and sadly COVID-19 is still a thing. But vaccines are almost here, and the FDA will be approving shortly, but is your state ready? We will find out what it will take! And speaking of COVID, in the #6 slot this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and this week our resident pastor is dumbfounded, but not surprised, by the SCOTUS ruling that is reversing the bans passed on the number of people allowed at religious gatherings right now. It’s insane. In the number 7 slot this week is a new Beating A Dead Horse. Yeah we all know about the Grammys and every year you always talk about how much you hate their choices, and man you really hate them! Music is subjective, folks! In the #8 slot this week, we have a new People Who Somehow Got Elected, and this week we’re adding Wyoming governor Mark Gordon (8) (no relation to the Phish guitarist) to the ever-growing list! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week, we have a new “I Need A Drink” and we’re going to have some drinks and talk about the bizarre monolith that appeared and then disappeared in the Utah desert. Is it Planet Of The Apes or is God just fucking with us? Either way we will drink! Finally in “Road To The White House” – Biden’s inauguration is being planned but whiny crybaby Trump is planning his own rally! Yeah seriously screw that guy! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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[font size="8"]Donald Trump
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I know what you’re thinking. You probably saw that Trump press conference on Saturday and thought “Gee, that sure is a very tiny desk he’s sitting at”, to which I would reply – of course it is! And you’re not wrong either! You might also be thinking “This is the worst NPR tiny desk concert ever!” and to that I reply – yes you are correct! Because Trump gave a tiny desk MAGA concert this week, and it literally wasn’t supposed to be at an actual tiny desk! By the way the memes and Photoshops that came out of this were absolutely hysterical. But let’s get to the actual tiny desk concert at hand. It seems that it was one of his more unusual and completely deranged and off the rails MAGA rallies in the entire history that he’s been doing this!

President Donald Trump's press conferences often go awry in one way or another, but on Thanksgiving it was a peculiarly tiny desk that grabbed the spotlight.

On Thursday evening, Trump delivered an address from the White House that began with a recap of his calls to service members on the holiday. From there, it quickly devolved into him bragging about the Space Force and repeating lies about voter fraud, calling the election "rigged" once again without any evidence.

He also took questions from members of the press and at one point snapped at a journalist from Reuters, calling him a "lightweight."

"Don't talk to me that way. You're just a lightweight. Don't talk to me that — I'm the president of the United States. Don't ever talk to the president that way," he told the reporter, while pointing at him.

Overall, there were awkward moments abound, but it was all underscored by the visual of Trump carrying this all out while sitting behind a comically small desk with the presidential seal attached.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/trump-tiny-desk




Yeah seriously where’s Nelson when you need him? And by the way if you want a bit of White House trivia – that desk that the president sits at? It was made from timbers taken from a Royal Navy ship and represents pure power. That desk that Trump was sitting at on Saturday? It’s a tray meant so the president can watch TV and eat TV dinners off of. Yes that’s right – this just gets better and better and better. Really you can’t get to be much more of a loser than this.

Has Donald Trump conceded the presidency by design? Is his choice of furniture betraying a subconscious admission of defeat? When the outgoing US president gave a speech this week saying he would depart if the electoral college voted for Joe Biden, his words came as less of a shock than the desk he chose to sit at. It was tiny. It sent out a clear signal. And that signal was “loser”.

Jokes about the shrunken size of Trump’s desk – one photograph, taken from low down, captures his legs barely fitting beneath it – are easy. So let’s not. You want to see a real ruler’s desk? The Resolute desk in the Oval Office is the definition of one: a massive fortress of a working space, like an aircraft carrier with legs, sporting the US eagle at the heart of its heavy Victorian carvings. Its timbers are British in origin: they come from a Royal Navy sailing ship, HMS Resolute, that once braved the icy waters of the north pole. And in a final addition of defensive machismo, Franklin D Roosevelt had the front bulwarked so no one could see his leg braces and discover he was disabled.

Trump’s appearance behind this itsy-bitsy piece of flotsam shows why Roosevelt and other presidents have always chosen to moor themselves behind the grandiose Resolute. It bulks them out. What Trump was leaning on was not even a desk. It was merely a table. It fails all the design criteria required of a desk. It isn’t even an escritoire, which may be cosy but at least has important-looking drawers. Nor could it qualify as a secretaire. In fact, there’s no storage at all. Has he already cleared everything out?
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/nov/27/trumps-furniture-fail-desk-donald-table-tv-dinners



And even better was as I said before the memes and Photoshops that came out of this press conference were some of the best and most entertaining things Twitter has produced in a while. Trump loves him a good deal, but this case, would it be the Shart Of The Deal? He’s hopping mad over this incident and hell he’s even threatening to go nuclear on Twitter. And one thing I think it’s all safe to say that we don’t want to see naked pictures of him to prove that he doesn’t wear them!

During his Thanksgiving Day address yesterday, November 26th, Donald Trump started trending on Twitter, but for what, to him, are all the wrong reasons—Diaper Don.

Joe Biden got his fair share of memes for his Thanksgiving Day address mishap, and Donal Trump’s meme coverage wasn’t any different.

The name trended worldwide over Twitter, and continues to do so, after MediasTouch first tweeted an image of Donald Trump sitting at his desk for the address.

MediasTouch is a political action committee that describes its goal as “to stop the re-election of Donald Trump.” The group is run by three brothers and the group has over 500,000 followers on Twitter.

Viewers noticed that the desk Donald Trump used for the address appeared smaller than usual, while the padding around the president’s trousers looked more voluminous, according to some Twitter users.
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/11/27/diaper-don/




No don’t give him any more ideas! He’s already produced plenty of bad ones! And by the way would anyone be surprised at all that this was all revenge for Trump’s repeated bashing of CNN? Yeah you can only bully a person for so long before they start fighting back. And where’s Melania? How come we can’t use this for Be Best? Oh wait that program was a total failure too.

Donald Trump has been left humiliated by a photo of him at a tiny desk inside the White House, which went viral after it was tweeted by a reporter working for his arch-enemy, CNN.

The photo was taken by Kaitlan Collins, White House correspondent for the network and long-time sparring partner of the Trump team, who was on duty on Thanksgiving when Trump phoned the troops.

The president spoke from a small table pictured inside the Diplomatic Reception Room - a ground floor room that leads to the South Lawn.

It was the president's first Thanksgiving at the White House: in 2017 and 2018 he was at Mar-a-Lago, and last year he made a trip to Afghanistan to celebrate with the troops.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8995371/CNN-reporter-admonished-repeatedly-Trump-took-humiliating-picture-president-tiny-desk.html





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[font size="8"]Melania Trump
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OK it’s December. Finally! The year from hell is almost over!!! But before we get out of this nightmare of a year that is 2020, let’s first ask ourselves this question – “What absolutely batshit scheme did Melania decorate the White House for this Christmas?”. Now it’s no secret that the Trumps have absolutely no taste in interior decorating. We saw that at their gaudy apartment complex in New York City. In the past, Melania’s Christmas decorations have resembled murder scenes and winter-related horror movies. So what path did they choose this year? Well this year’s path is a combination of all of the above and it still resembles something of a nightmare scene. No you’re not dreaming these images, they really did happen, and well, they really need to hire new interior decorators.

Apart from the odd nod to a funerary urn, first lady Melania Trump broke with tradition this year with her White House Christmas decorations, opting for fairly normal green trees with red and gold ornaments instead of the blood-red foliage or Shining-esque ghost-white branches of previous years.

This year’s theme, unveiled on Monday, was “America the beautiful”, inspired, she said, by Americans’ shared appreciation “for our traditions, values and history”.

The New York Times declared the aesthetic was “strikingly normal”. Mashable reported that the decorations were “fine”.

The Associated Press reported that workers on the front lines of a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 266,000 people in the United States and infected more than 13 million others were recognised in the Red Room with a Christmas tree dotted with handmade ornaments, as well as other decorations around the parlour.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/01/melania-trump-swaps-horror-for-tradition-with-lighter-approach-to-christmas-decor




I could totally see this being handed out as White House Christmas gifts! But I love how the New York Times referred to the decorations as “fine”. Just fine? At least they’re a step up from looking like a dream sequence in a murder mystery. But since this is our last Christmas with the Trumps – and it cannot come too soon, let’s take a look back at Melania’s delightfully horrifying taste in interior decorating, shall we?

Melania Trump has unveiled her fourth and final set of White House Christmas decorations. This year’s come on the heels of a now-infamous leaked recording of her anti-Christmas rant, in which she was taped by her former assistant complaining about the holiday way back in July of 2018 (“I’m working my ass off on Christmas stuff … Who gives a fuck about Christmas stuff and decorations?” she said, among other things.)

As we bid adieu to Melania and the cursed Christmas tableaus she has given us these past four years, here’s a look back at them all, ranked from the most to least haunted:

Melania’s 2018 Christmas decorations are easily her most malignant-looking. The focal point was a hallway of flayed, blood-red Christmas trees. Also of note: a menacing-looking wreath crafted out of branded “Be Best” pencils. It was supposed to evoke the theme “American Treasures,” but the effect was deeply ominous.

Melania’s first White House Christmas was a barren landscape of fir trees dripping with plastic icicles. Its highlight was a stark, shadowy hallway that suggested the First Lady may have been inspired by Silent Hill.
https://www.thecut.com/2020/11/melania-trumps-white-house-christmas-decorations-ranked.html




Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’m dreaming of a murrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrder Christmas… just like the ones I used to know… OK that doesn’t have the same ring to it, and I should probably never attempt to sing that song again. Now here’s where it gets weird. You know how politicians say things that they don’t really mean sometimes and then that thing they said could absolutely end their career before it starts? Well Melania said one of those things.

A secretly taped conversation from July 2018 between Melania Trump and former top aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff recorded several profanity-laced comments made by the first lady, including: “Who gives a fuck about Christmas stuff and decoration?”

The audio first aired on Oct. 1, 2020, on the CNN primetime program “Anderson Cooper 360.” Cooper referred to Wolkoff as her “former best friend,” and The New York Times identified Wolkoff as being a “close confidant.” The portion about Christmas runs from 4:35-6:03 in this video:

It is true that the first lady said the words: “Who gives a fuck about Christmas stuff and decoration?” The quote appeared to be in the context of Melania Trump having wished she could concentrate on more important duties, including purportedly wishing to reunite a mother and child that may have been separated at the U.S.-Mexico border. At the time, the Trump administration was under scrutiny for its practice of separating families at that border with no clear plan for reuniting them. (More than two years later in October 2020, hundreds of such children had still not been reunited with their parents.)

Wolkoff’s audio recordings featured more of the first lady talking about her June 21, 2018, visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, in which she received quite a bit of press for a jacket she wore that read: “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” Running from 2:44-4:34 in the same video from “Anderson Cooper 360,” Trump mentioned her visit to see the children who came to America:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/melania-christmas-recording/




Yeah don’t let that guy anywhere near Santa. But holy shit, that happened! If that had happened at any time during the 2016 campaign they would have been flushed down the toilet like the proverbial turds that they are. But Trump and Melania are made for each other. And if there’s one thing we don’t need any more proof of, it’s anything involving Trump and leaks. I’m done with that.

Melania Trump is once again working her “ass off at the Christmas stuff” even though “you know, who gives a fuck about the Christmas stuff and decorations.” This year, her last as first lady, she’s carrying out her prescribed duties as if it were like any other year. She’s doing it all as though she wasn’t recorded besmirching the name of the holiday that her husband famously saved from the dreaded P.C. police.

On Monday she welcomed the Christmas tree. In years past, a couple of beautiful Clydesdales have taken a break from starring in beer commercials to escort the tree to its penultimate resting place, the Blue Room of the White House. Often, both halves of the first couple are there to greet the fallen fir and the family who grew it—Don in his wide tie, Melania in a tartan coat, serving literal Mrs. Claus to the people.

This year Don was not there, and Melania’s coat was herringbone, but otherwise, it was business as usual. She made some conversation with the two men steering the sleigh and dutifully smiled for the camera alongside the Taylors, who grew the Fraser fir—one photo with mask on, one mask off.
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/11/melania-trump-receives-christmas-tree





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[font size="8"]Jared Kushner And Ivanka Trump
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You know we don’t really discuss much of the Trump offspring. We all know that Eric and Trump Jr are losers. But what about Ivanka and Jared? Yes, Jared, the quietest and creepiest of the Trump bunch who we all suspect has a side hustle as a serial killer, are trying to figure out what to do once they leave Washington, DC. And there isn’t a violin small enough to be able to accurately portray how little we care about their attempts to integrate into society are after they leave the White House. And they can’t leave the White House soon enough as far as we are concerned. Either they can go run roach motels in Baltimore or they can go join Trump in Mar-A-Shithole and stay there. I’m personally for building a wall around Mar-A-Shithole. But what awaits them?

If the celebrations that spilled into the streets of New York City in the wake of Joe Biden's victory made one thing clear, it's that the Trumps aren't welcome here.

For the President, who changed his primary residency last year to Florida, that's perhaps no major loss, but for Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the block parties celebrating the demise of the Trump administration may provide a glimpse of what awaits them once they exit the White House.

Now that their political lives in Washington are over -- the question for this once-golden power couple is what their time in the political spotlight has meant for their brand, particularly in their old Manhattan stomping grounds.

"[The President] was so awful and divisive about New York, saying it's a nightmare or that it's empty, or a has-been," said Jill Kargman, a writer, Upper East Side resident and daughter of the former chairman of Chanel who has socialized at events with the couple in the past. "No one here is going to forget that. To even come back here after everything he's said, it's not going to work."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/14/politics/jared-kushner-ivanka-trump-post-white-house/index.html




Yes… womp womp! Or maybe they should heed the advice from Melania’s jacket: “I really don’t care, do U?”. But there isn’t a violin small enough for this one. This is equal parts Arrested Development and Schitts Creek, and maybe Dallas thrown in for good measure. But here’s the thing – does high society really care? Will they welcome them back like nothing is wrong? Well they won’t return to normal and act like nothing happened, that’s for sure!

In the purgatory of Donald Trump’s unacknowledged election defeat, the knives are out for Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump who, like dozens of other lesser-placed Trump acolytes, may be looking to return to New York, a city that the lame-duck president calls an “anarchic jurisdiction”.

The reception they will receive, judging from the city’s press commentary, could be brutal.

“They are the Faustian poster couple of the Trump presidency, the king and queen of the principle-torching prom at which so many danced alongside them, although in less exquisitely tailored attire,” wrote Frank Bruni in the New York Times this week.

Posing a question broadly to what he called “the whole shockingly populous court of collaborators”, Bruni addressed the couple directly: “Tell me, Jared. Be honest, Ivanka. Was it worth it?”

The answer, of course, is one for the couple alone to answer. But that hasn’t stopped others from offering their thoughts. “I see them as Glenn Close at the end of Dangerous Liaisons, with the entire opera house jeering,” says Jill Kargman, creator and star of Odd Mom Out, a highly praised TV comedy that skewered the Ivanka-style perfectionism of Upper East Side mothers.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/24/ivanka-trump-jared-kushner-new-york-elite




Yes but if anyone deserves to be shunned from society – whether high class or not, it’s them. Although no one really deserves it. Cue the disclaimer. But I mean come on, if Ivanka Trump opened a gallery, would you go? No! Only the MAGAs would go, and knowing how Trumps spend their money, it’s pretty apparent that there’s a sucker born every minute.

A few years ago, the art world had no real problem with the designer and socialite Ivanka Trump. In the time that she spent in our milieu, Ivanka collected work by Alex Israel, Dan Colen, Nate Lowman, and Harmony Korine. She went to openings at Gagosian, hosted parties with Sotheby’s, attended charity galas at the Met and the Whitney, and socialized frequently with the likes of Emmanuel Di Donna and the Acquavella kids. Ivanka seemed to actually like contemporary art—she and husband Jared Kushner arrived early to auction previews at Phillips, with the kids in strollers, to diligently go through evening and day sale material and pick out what to buy.

Ivanka has not been hobnobbing on the gallery circuit recently, given the fact that she’s been working in the White House as an advisor to her father, President Donald Trump. But with Joe Biden looking to clinch the presidency, Ivanka may soon be out of a job. And Wet Paint hears that she’s planning a return to New York to resume her art-collecting lifestyle. Sources said Ivanka has been low-key maintaining her connection to art-world power brokers, and as soon as she ditches the District of Columbia for the old pad she owns with Kushner at Trump Park Avenue in Manhattan, she’ll beg to be back on the scene.

Even during the White House years, Ivanka knew this scenario could play out, and has prepared by frequently dipping her toe back into art-world society. Close confidants of the first daughter include Tico and Colby Mugrabi, who went to the Kushner-Trump wedding anniversary at Camp David in late 2019. She’s also welcomed gallery owners such as Pace president Marc Glimcher to the White House—a spokesperson for Pace confirmed Glimcher’s meet-and-greet with Ivanka, saying: “Marc has participated in a number of conversations across both sides of the aisle to bring attention to possible solutions to the economic crisis facing the industry.” And in addition to allies such as the Di Donnas and the Acquavellas (longtime pals from the Palm Beach circuit), sources said that many of the more prominent dealers would not think twice about selling Jared and Ivanka works, even if they wouldn’t want to be buddy-buddy with the couple in public.
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/wet-paint-ivanka-trump-return-1921445






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[font size="8"]We’re All Gonna Die
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Hey everyone guess what? We’re all gonna die! Woooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! Wooooooooo!!! Woooo. woo. That works much better in front of an audience! But besides being in a raging pandemic that doesn’t look to be dying down anytime soon, we’ve got a far more dire situation on our hands – and one that is being denied by about half of America. Again, not talking about the virus. I’m talking about climate change. And if we don’t change our habits soon, some serious shit is going to hit the fan, both literally and figuratively! In fact this alarming little number was just published in Europe last week, and right now I can hear Trumpers going “Europe? Fuck that!”. Well don’t worry guys, this will affect you too!

Trees will start to shed their leaves earlier as the planet warms, a new study has suggested, contradicting previous assumptions that warming temperatures are delaying the onset of fall.

Every year, in a process known as senescence, the leaves of deciduous trees turn yellow, orange and red as they suspend growth and extract nutrients from foliage, before falling from the tree ahead of winter. Leaf senescence also marks the end of the period during which plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.

Global warming has resulted in longer growing seasons -- spring leaves are emerging in European trees about two weeks earlier, compared with 100 years ago, researchers said.
"Previous models assumed that because autumns will get warmer and warmer over the coming century, autumn will get delayed -- growing seasons will overall get longer, and autumn will get delayed by two to three weeks," ecosystem ecologist Constantin Zohner said.

However, Zohner and a team of researchers have said their findings reverse this prediction.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/27/europe/fall-leaves-intl-scli-climate-scn/index.html




Yeah sure we can read all the Al Gore books that we want, but the fact is that if we don’t change some of our habits soon, a whole hell of a lot of people are going to die for the earth to correct itself. And there ain’t no vaccine that will solve that problem! Now if leaves falling off trees doesn’t scare you, here’s another potential unwanted parasite that could jump to humans! And no, again, I am not talking about COVID! I’m talking about blood sucking ticks!

Climate change could turn some dog ticks into suckers for humans instead of canines.

At temperatures around 38° Celsius (100° Fahrenheit), some brown dog ticks were more attracted to people than to dogs, experiments show. The ticks can carry the pathogen that causes deadly Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The finding suggests that a warmer climate could lead to greater spread of the disease from ticks to humans, researchers reported November 16 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

“We can expect more frequent and larger disease outbreaks of Rocky Mountain spotted fever when hot weather occurs, and when we get hot weather more often,” says Laura Backus, a researcher at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Patients with Rocky Mountain spotted fever can die if they don’t receive antibiotic treatment within five days. Around 5 to 10 percent of people infected succumb to the disease.

Previous research in Europe had suggested that ticks are more aggressive toward people in hot weather. To find out whether brown dog ticks’ preference of host depends on temperature, Backus and her colleagues captured babies and adults of two genetically distinct groups, or lineages, of the species Rhipicephalus sanguineus. One lineage hailed from a hot region in Arizona, and was considered a tropical tick. The other lineage, from Oklahoma, tolerates colder weather and is considered temperate.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/dog-ticks-bite-human-blood-disease-climate-change




Actually this one there is a chance that we could all die from this! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!! And if blood sucking parasites don’t scare you, how about the one area where it could actually hurt conservatives – their pocketbooks? That get your attention? I thought so! Since wealthy conservatives think of human life as expendable, maybe when it hits their pocketbooks, they might finally pay attention. And no, there’s no spaceship they can escape to like in Elysium. This is real!

With its lively parks and colorful bungalows, Hialeah, Fla., has been the gateway to the American middle class for thousands of Cuban immigrants.

Hialeah was the place where home ownership, an unattainable goal under the Communist regime of their homeland, became a reality. And as in many American communities — rich and poor, of every ethnic makeup — the American dream for families in Hialeah was helped along by the taxpayer-funded mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Their willingness to purchase the loans on homes in the area provides local lenders with a steady flow of cash to invest in the community.

But behind the vibrant life in Hialeah is a troubling reality: flooding. Heavy rains overran the streets this year, last year — almost every year. And the problem is projected to get worse: Some scientists fear the city could be underwater within the lifetimes of some current residents.

Despite that grim prognosis, the federal government keeps pumping mortgage money into Hialeah, as it does in hundreds of other communities now facing grave dangers from climate change. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac hold the majority of home mortgages in some Hialeah neighborhoods. More significantly, federal taxpayers hold greater than 60 percent of mortgages on homes in some areas outside the specially designated federal floodplain, according to an analysis of federal data by Amine Ouazad, an associate economics professor at Canadian business school HEC Montréal.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/30/climate-change-mortgage-housing-environment-433721




Not only that, we might all also be going broke too! Because I mean think about it – we need trees to print money, no trees means no money! Which means no money being spent, which means interest rates go down and the economy crashes! Ahhhhh!!! OK enough fearmongering. At least it’s not all doom and gloom. Maybe we can just drop a giant ice cube in the ocean. That might work for a little while at least.

The Climate Action Tracker group looked at new climate promises from China and other nations, along with the carbon plans of US President-elect Joe Biden.

These commitments would mean the rise in world temperatures could be held to 2.1C by the end of this century.

Previous estimates indicated up to 3C of heating, with disastrous impacts.

But the experts are worried the long-term optimism is not matched by short-term plans to cut CO2.

John Kerry named as Biden's climate tsar
Covid pandemic has little impact on rise in CO2
Climate pledge on gas boilers for 2023 'vanishes'

For more than a decade, researchers from the Climate Action Tracker have kept a close eye on what countries' collective carbon-cutting pledges mean for our warming world.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55073169





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: Vaccine Preparedness
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



Everyone wants to know when the COVID vaccine is going to be here so that we can take steps to end the COVID-19 pandemic that’s thrown the entire world into a tailspin. But now there are four vaccines all vying for competition to be distributed among the world’s population. From the United States, the Pfizer – BioNTech vaccine is ready, as is the Moderna vaccine. From Europe the much convoluted AstraZenaca – Oxford University vaccine, and from Asia, the vaccine developed by China’s Sinopharm is also showing promise. But which of these hopes to be the winner? There’s plenty to discuss and plenty that’s awaiting approval. And what do actual health experts think of this? Well let’s find out!

That means the first people to receive the vaccine will be those who live or work in long-term care facilities and frontline health care workers, like nurses.

The head of the Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA) believes if that’s going to be the case, they need to know what it is they are getting.

“It’s part of our responsibility to nurses and our community that they have the accurate information about the safety and the efficacy of the vaccine,” KNA CEO Delanor Manson said, “so that the will still feel conformable taking the vaccine.”

Even if the vaccine proves to be super effective, at least one nurse and former head of the KNA Board, does not believe it will be mandatory for frontline workers anywhere.

“I think that we’re going to have so many people that value their health and safety, their families and their communities that they will embrace these vaccines readily,” Dr. Ruth Carrico said.

Moyer also said Tuesday that if you visited friends or family during Thanksgiving, you should avoid going anywhere at all for a few days.
https://www.wave3.com/2020/12/01/louisvilles-top-health-official-provides-latest-vaccine-preparedness-city/




So while you’re waiting to return to your pre-pandemic life, keep in mind that things won’t be so easy at first that it will be a gradual transition. In fact one of the hardest hit states in the entire country – the state of Washington, is stating that. The very limited first batch means that it will go to only the most qualified candidates – meaning doctors, nurses, front line workers, the elderly, and those with severe immune deficiencies.

No. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention anticipates very limited availability of vaccines in the beginning. Pfizer, for instance, thinks it can produce 50 million doses by year’s end for the world’s population. As a result, vaccinations will be focused on people deemed most in need of them, according to state vaccination plans.

“It's going to be the Beanie Baby phenomenon,” said Offit. “I mean, this is a limited edition vaccine.”

The state of Washington estimates it will receive 2% of all vaccine doses during the first two months of their availability, when they are scarcest, and suggests it could vaccinate between 150,000 and 400,000 people in that timeframe.

To determine who gets vaccines and when, Washington state is following ethical guidance from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. According to Duchin, the plan will be executed “in an orderly way, based on a framework that incorporates (people’s) risk of disease and ethics and transparency, and who's getting offered a vaccine at what time.”
https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2020/12/01/how-washington-state-preparing-covid-19-vaccines-arrival/3783806001/




No the vaccines won’t be distributed that way. Now what about the anti-vaccination crowd? How will they affect the deployment of a vaccine? Back in the early days of the pandemic many said their willingness to take the vaccine was affected by who would win the election. Now that we know it’s Joe Biden, that opinions might change differently. But that said there’s no reason why they wouldn’t.

Studies suggest that many Americans will not accept this new vaccine — at least not right away. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, only 51 percent of U.S. adults indicated their willingness to take a coronavirus vaccine. Distrust is even higher among communities of color. This hesitancy may impede herd immunity even once a safe vaccine is available in wide supply. A lot of this mistrust is likely to be a result of recent attempts, especially by President Trump and his aides, to interfere in the scientific and regulatory review process. In the Pew survey, only 19 percent had a high level of confidence that the vaccine development process will yield a safe and effective product.

Building trust in a new vaccine starts with ensuring a transparent, science-based regulatory process. Despite political pressure by the Trump White House, career professionals at the Food and Drug Administration, backed by a few political appointees, have taken steps to ensure evidence-based review of candidate vaccines in recent weeks.

These steps are essential for restoring vaccine confidence, but they are not sufficient. A large enough number of people won’t take the vaccine without a national communication and education campaign. Such a campaign was recommended by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. Unfortunately, there has been minimal investment in such a campaign and other efforts to increase confidence in a vaccine. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received $200 million for vaccine preparedness from the Cares Act, this money is supposed to cover all activities, including distribution and administration, not just communication and education. This money is not enough for vaccine distribution, let alone for communication and education.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/11/30/vaccine-communication-plan/




Yes, we will need the drugs to be able to survive. Now what about competition among the COVID-19 vaccine distributors? There’s plenty of discussion to be had there as well. China is hoping to restore some dignity and honor to its’ country because they want to play a role in the distribution of the vaccine after many point to their country being the origin of the virus that has shut down the entire world due to the pandemic. But can they? Only time will tell.

There was no VIP on board the plane from China that arrived in São Paulo airport earlier this month, but the state governor, João Doria, nonetheless led a high-level welcome delegation gathered on the tarmac.

The masked dignitaries were there to mark the arrival of seven refrigerated containers of vaccines, posing for official photos with tiny vials that Doria hopes will end or at least slow the ravages of Covid-19 in the state he runs.

Brazil is among the countries worst hit by the pandemic, with over six million cases and nearly 170,000 deaths.

China has promised that 6 million doses of CoronaVac, made by the biotech firm Sinovac, will reach Brazil by January. São Paulo’s highly respected Butantan Institute, which is testing the vaccine, will get raw materials to make millions more.

The shipments to Brazil are part of a campaign of vaccine diplomacy that Beijing has mounted around the world. The fallout from the spread of Covid-19 has fuelled mistrust of China internationally, and damaged the global appetite for the exports which helped drive its growth.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/29/china-hopes-vaccine-diplomacy-will-restore-its-image-and-boost-its-influence




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.





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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual 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 virtual congregation! We live in a time of unprecedented danger at every corner you turn, and it’s about to get even worse! And we can thank the Supreme Court of the United States for what’s about to happen in the next few weeks! Now I know I am shouting but this is being broadcast on a video chat and we can’t hold our in person sermons for a while. But in case you are wondering why we can’t hold sermons in person, things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. Because the Supreme Court, as it has been called, is the supreme law of the land. But what they did during this nightmare pandemic world that we live in that’s controlled by the virus is quite frankly, inexcusable. But then again we can blame this all on our new justice now.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said a U.S. Supreme Court decision handed down Wednesday night blocking state officials from enforcing a cap on religious gatherings in coronavirus hot spots in Brooklyn and Queens is “irrelevant from any practical impact” because those areas are no longer designated virus hot spots.

He said the decision, among the first that includes newly appointed Justice Amy Coney Barrett, was “really more an opportunity for the court to express its philosophy and politics.”

“The Brooklyn zone no longer exists as a red zone. That’s mooted. So that restriction is not in effect,” Cuomo said on a conference call with reporters Thursday. “That’s what was irregular about the court taking it up.”

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of issuing an injunction on the state’s enforcement of the religious service rules, which cap religious gatherings at 25 in areas designated as “orange zones” and 10 in areas designated as “red zones” under state orders.

The ruling departs from past Supreme Court decisions that largely upheld states’ rights to limit religious gatherings.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/2020/11/26/cuomo-calls-supreme-court-decision-blocking-ny-restrictions-on-religious-gatherings-a-political-statement/




Of course it’s a political statement! The supreme law of the land is now being judged by the supporters of the unholy, ungodly dark one – a man so repulsive his name shall not be uttered in my church even if it is online! But now to make things even worse, it’s being determined by every state going before this abomination of a court to determine what states can have large gatherings. Yes they are forcing New York to do so, but Louisiana? They don’t want any part of this!

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Friday declined to hear a petition brought forth by a Louisiana pastor who claimed Gov. John Bel Edwards' order meant to stem the spread of COVID-19 was in violation of his First Amendment rights.

In the spring, Tony Spell the pastor at the Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana, had ignored Edwards' stay-at-home order that prohibited gatherings larger than 10, even busing in individuals from neighboring towns to attend church services, according to the Monroe News-Star.

At the time, Spell said he had defied Edwards' stay-at-home order in the spring because "the Lord told us to," according to the report. As Insider previously reported, Spell held services of approximately 1,000 people while the order was in place.

The pastor was later arrested and charged with a misdemeanor in relation to an altercation with a counter-protester, according to the News-Star. On another occasion, he also led a protest against Edwards outside the governor's mansion in Baton Rouge, according to the report.
https://www.businessinsider.com/supreme-court-not-involved-in-pastors-case-against-governor-2020-11




And sadly that’s kind of where this is headed. So New York, OK, and Louisiana – don’t want to touch this with a 10 foot pole! But now our church’s home state of California is even being forced to grovel before the court because they want to keep the bans on large gatherings! Sigh… we’re in for a long haul here, my fair worshippers! Because that’s not what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want, is it?

Attorney’s representing Pasadena-based Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry are seeking intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court as they battle restrictions instituted by Gov. Gavin Newsom who aims to stem the rising tide of coronavirus cases.

As they await a pending appeal, the church on Wednesday, Nov. 25, filed an emergency petition asking the Supreme Court to approve an injunction before Sunday, Nov. 29, against the state-imposed coronavirus restrictions.

“During his nine-month reign of executive edicts subjugating Californian’s to restrictions unknown to constitutional law, the governor continues to impose draconian and unconscionable prohibitions on the daily life of all Californians,” attorneys with the Liberty Counsel, which is representing the ministry, wrote in the petition.

The Governor’s Office, in a statement regarding the Supreme Court petition, noted that numerous courts have already upheld the legality of the coronavirus restrictions on worship services, restrictions that the office said it looked “forward to defending … while protecting Californians’ health in this pandemic.”

Along with the Pasadena church, Harvest Rock has 161 other churches across the state, including locations in Irvine, Corona and Los Angeles. It is not affiliated with Pastor Greg Laurie’s Harvest Christian Fellowship church in Riverside
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/11/26/pasadena-church-petitions-u-s-supreme-court-over-coronavirus-restrictions/




And yes my friends, the devil is the church!!!! Because while the governor of my great state intends to impose even stricter virus orders, the churches plan to defy them! When COVID hits your community, and trust me, it will, blame your local megachurch pastor! For these people only care about one god and that’s the almighty dollar! Sigh, well you’d better get used to the virtual world because we’re not going to see the real one for a while. And that’s something that JAYSUS is shaking his head at!
Greg Fairrington, pastor of a Rocklin megachurch that’s been defying California’s pandemic restrictions on indoor churchgoing, opened Sunday’s service by pulling out his cell phone and reading aloud from a fresh U.S. Supreme Court decision.

“There is no world in which the Constitution tolerates a color-coded executive edict that opens liquor stores ... and bike shops but shutters churches,” Fairrington said, quoting the opinion written by Justice Neil Gorsuch.

The pastor then looked out at his congregants at Destiny Church and shouted: “The Supreme Court of the United States of America — yeah! We have a biblical mandate and First Amendment rights!” What appeared to be a large crowd of worshippers, packed closely together, roared its approval.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order preventing indoor church services in much of California, a move aimed at halting the spread of COVID-19, may have hit a major legal obstacle. Last week, the Supreme Court struck down New York state’s rules that limited in-person attendance at houses of worship, declaring it was unconstitutional to severely restrict church and synagogue attendance while allowing merchants and other non-religious institutions to welcome big crowds.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article247507750.html




Sigh… fuck it, I’m done. You just can’t reason with these morons. Tune in next week when we hope to bring back the full Holy Shit show you know and love, since we apparently can get away with that sort of thing now! 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: Grammy Snubs 2020
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Look, I get it. This is 2020 and we don’t have much to look forward to right now. Even 2021 award shows like the Oscars are still up in the air right now but don’t worry, we’ll get back on track. So that said, we get it. You hate the Grammy Awards. And we get that everyone’s taste in music is subjective. That’s why there’s so many different genres and styles of music. You may love techno beats to a reggaeton horn, while your neighbor loves ambient Christian rock. I’m just pulling buzzwords out of my hat. So why do people hate the Grammy Awards so much? Well there’s way too many reasons to list, and we’ll save those for another show. But this year what’s going on?

Oh, the Grammys, how you mean so little to us. Between the big three award shows, the Grammys by the Recording Academy, the Emmys by the Television Academy, and the Oscars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Grammys are the most meaningless award show.

The Recording Academy has the worst representation among the three award shows and isn’t a high bar to meet. We don’t ever think differently about an artist, song, or album because it wins a Grammy. They always get it wrong and never know what they want to be. Some years, the biggest honor goes to the most commercially successful, other years, they give it to an artist album — can you make up your mind?!

The Recording Academy released its nominations for the 2021 Grammy Awards, and honestly, it’s as bland as you can expect. There were still many snubs & terrible decisions made on behalf of voters who are clearly not in tune with what the world thinks is good. While we hope for better every year with the Grammys, we only keep getting millimeters closer every time, if at all.

For the first time since the Grammys created the award in 2012, the Recording Academy didn’t nominate a single male rock group or artist for Best Rock Performance. Grace Potter, Brittany Howard, HAIM, Phoebe Bridger, Big Thief, and Fiona Apple were all nominated for Rock’s top award.
https://filmdaily.co/music/grammy-award-nominations/




Wait a minute, didn’t Homer already win a Grammy? And I can see all the white male sociopaths gnashing their teeth right now at the diversity in the awards this year. But then again they think of diversity about the same as Ron Burgundy does in the movie Anchorman. So how about this why don’t we ask someone who has actually been nominated for a Grammy how we should feel? I know! How about friend of the show Halsey?

Halsey is the latest musician to let the world know how she feels about this year’s Grammy nominations. She joins the supporting chorus of The Weeknd who, after being shut out of the noms, took to Twitter to call the Grammys “corrupt.” He garnered support from fellow musicians like Drake, Elton John, Charlie Puth and others.

Halsey, who was also shut out of this year’s Grammy nods, shared her feelings via Instagram stories.

“I’ve been thinking and wanted to choose my words carefully because a lot of people have extended sympathy and apology to me since the Grammy nominations,” she wrote. “The Grammys are an elusive process. It can often be about behind the scenes private performances, knowing the right people, campaigning through the grapevine, with the right handshakes and ‘bribes’ that can be just ambiguous enough to pass as ‘not bribes.’ And if you get that far, it’s about committing to exclusive TV performances and making sure you help the Academy make their millions in advertising on the night of the show…Perhaps sometimes it is (!!!) but it’s not always about the music or quality or culture.

She continued, “Just wanted to get that off my chest. @theweeknd deserves better, and Manic did too perhaps it’s unbecoming of me to say so but I can’t care anymore. While I am THRILLED for my talented friends who were recognized this year, I am hoping for more transparency or reform. But I’m sure this post will blacklist me anyway.”
https://deadline.com/2020/11/halsey-grammy-nominations-the-weeknd-snubs-1234622974/




Come on, they gave a Grammy to Homer Simpson, for crying out loud! So legitimate artists who have made great albums this year like Halsey and the Weeknd get snubbed and people who we’ve never heard of are the ones who get the most nominations? Come on! And by the way do we really care what Pop Smoke’s manager thinks? Do the Grammys really have a “far left bias”? Shut up!

Pop Smoke’s manager Steven Victor is the latest to speak out against the Grammy Awards and the Recording Academy.

The late rapper earned a nomination this year for “Dior” in the Best Rap Song category. But manager Steven Victor believes the lack of a nomination for Best Rap Album is a snub.

“I think the Grammys is cap, bro,” he said in an interview with GQ. “No disrespect, but who is [Best Rap Album nominee] D Smoke? This is an artist–I’m not saying he started a genre because he didn’t start drill music–but [Pop Smoke] brought drill music to the forefront and made it mainstream. He had a huge impact. Forget about whether he passed away, his impact was felt way before that.”

Victor then questioned the ‘far-left’ political bias of the nominating committee, with artists like Nas and Jay Electronica scoring noms instead of higher-selling artists. “They didn’t include any albums that had commercial success,” Victor continued. “I’m not saying that’s the criteria for the Grammys. Lil Baby and Pop Smoke, those were culturally impactful records. You look at the songs from Pop Smoke, they were super relevant with what was going on in our community earlier this year.”
https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2020/11/30/pop-smoke-manager-steven-victor-grammys-comments/




What he said! But here’s the thing – you can speculate, hate, and demean the Grammy Awards until the cows come home. But seriously I know this is 2020 and everyone has way too much time on their hands, but let’s just stop hounding the Grammy awards, OK? Yeah I get that your favorite artist didn’t get nominated but still… can we just take a deep breath and pull our heads out of our asses for just one single minute? No?

Twelve things worth noting about the 2021 Grammy nominees, announced Nov. 24, from snubbed singers to posthumous nominees to famous folks competing for awards.
Snubbed singers

The Weeknd sings about being a “star boy,” but the Grammys’ response to his latest album? Bye, boy.

The pop star was severely snubbed despite having one of the year’s biggest albums with “After Hours” and topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Blinding Lights” and “Heartless.”

Luke Combs also walked away without a single nomination, though he was country music’s most successful musician this year. Morgan Wallen also had a great year in country music but didn’t earn any nods. And the Chicks’ first album in 14 years was not recognized.

A group of young R&B female acts moving the needle also missed out on nominations, including Summer Walker, Teyana Taylor and Kehlani. Late rapper Juice WRLD, Brandy and Chris Brown were also snubbed.

Though they received nominations in their genre categories, acts such as Lady Gaga, Fiona Apple and Harry Styles didn’t pick up bids for album, song or record of the year.
https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/takeaways-surprises-and-snubs-from-2021-grammy-award-nominations/article_cb3ea5ec-cc9b-5d22-b065-f21663e66e45.html







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[font size="8"]People Who Somehow Got Elected: Mark Gordon
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Politicians at the state, national and local levels who are so toxic that you ever wonder how they were able to get into office, much less stay there. This is:



This week – Wyoming governor Mark Gordon. How did this guy get elected? While the entire world is coming to grips with the raging super virus known as COVID-19, the governor of Wyoming is taking a decidedly lax approach to it. And when the collective counties in the state of Wyoming are urging the governor to take drastic measures to help combat COVID, he instead takes the opposite approach of broaching the subject. Because he’s a die hard Trump supporter, and most Trump supporters still don’t believe that COVID-19 is real, despite the fact that the virus is literally everywhere, the US did a piss poor job of containing it, and people are dying because of it.

Earlier this month, with coronavirus cases rising dramatically across Wyoming, a coalition of medical experts and nearly every county health officer in the state wrote to Republican Gov. Mark Gordon with an urgent demand: to issue a statewide mask mandate.

Gordon declined. While he has stressed the importance of wearing masks, he has also argued that it's an individual choice to do so.

"It is incredibly important that we take personal responsibility for our actions and understand how those actions can implicate others," Gordon said last month.

Now Gordon, 63, has tested positive for the virus, his office announced Wednesday. "He only has minor symptoms at this time and plans to continue working on behalf of Wyoming remotely," Gordon's office said in a news release.

Throughout the pandemic, a number of Republican governors have resisted mandating face coverings, with some questioning their effect - an echo of President Donald Trump's dismissive attitude toward masks - and others, like Gordon, calling for personal responsibility. But in recent weeks, with the pandemic dramatically worsening and evidence mounting that mask mandates can reduce transmission, several have reversed course.
https://www.theday.com/article/20201126/NWS13/201129505




That probably is the safest way to protect yourself from COVID right now. One way to not get COVID is to live in a state run by people like Mark Gordon. So keep denying that the virus exists, COVID-truthers because in the end you will be the ones who will get it. Because he is currently digging his own political grave here. And he may be also be digging his own grave since he got COVID. As the old elementary school saying goes – “he who denied it supplied it”.

An aide for Gov. Mark Gordon said Monday that Wyoming's chief executive is experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19 five days after testing positive for the virus. Gordon has continued to work a full schedule while in quarantine.

Gordon first began to experience symptoms of the virus on Nov. 22 — roughly one week after the conclusion of a previous quarantine prompted by an exposure to the virus at a White House event with tribal officials and White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Deborah Birx last month in Riverton, according to Gordon spokesman Michael Pearlman.

Gordon's diagnosis came days after his office announced it would close temporarily for a deep cleaning after a pair of staffers tested positive for the virus. Pearlman said no other employees have tested positive since, and all other close contacts of the Governor have since tested negative for the virus.

It remains unclear where the governor contracted the virus, Pealrman said. The governor immediately took an at-home test after exhibiting symptoms on Nov. 22. After showing more symptoms, Gordon visited a medical clinic on Wednesday, where he received a test that returned a positive result. The results of the earlier test came back positive the same day.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/wyoming-governor-experiencing-only-mild-symptoms-five-days-after-covid-19-diagnosis/article_645d4f33-e53d-51e9-8617-1894df61afbd.html




No that won’t fight the virus either. But only after he had it do we have a change of heart now. But this is what happens when you go against the WHO guidelines – you will get the virus. It is almost like it has a habit of targeting stupidity. So why go all out now with more restrictions? Because it’s what will stop the virus, though it may be too late for that.

More restrictive public health measures are likely imminent in Wyoming as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to soar statewide, Gov. Mark Gordon confirmed in a press briefing Friday.

And for the first time, the governor said a statewide face mask requirement was also being considered.

“There will be changes, they will be more restrictive,” Gordon said.

The governor said “all things are on the table,” when asked what the new measures might include.

The new message came during an emotional press conference in Cheyenne where Gordon raised his voice several times and began by telling residents he was angry and concerned.
https://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/wyoming-governor-to-consider-state-mask-order-more-restrictions/article_d1fc10f5-c65f-517d-86e8-d0b7fb5f7b60.html




3 Stooges Syndrome isn’t really a thing though. And in non COVID related news, Mark Gordon was looking to slash $500 million from the state budget. That’s right - $500 mllion. Especially in a time when Americans need it the most. So think about that the next time you cast a vote for a guy like Wyoming governor Mark Gordon. It’s the red states that are being hurt the most in this pandemic, and this looks like it will hurt them even further.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon will ask lawmakers to slash $500 million from the state budget in response to weak revenue from the coal, oil and natural gas industries.

The proposed cuts would lay off 62 state employees and eliminate 44 vacant positions, Gordon said in a news conference announcing his regular supplemental budget Monday.

The supplemental budget, approved in the in-between year of Wyoming’s two-year budget cycle, used to be a chance for state agency directors to score extra funding.

Not this year. Wyoming has been facing a $400 million shortfall even after Gordon cut 10% from state agencies last summer.

The new proposed cuts would bring the total agency reduction to about 15%.

In all, the cuts would further reduce the state’s total, two-year budget from $3.3 billion, as approved in March, to $2.4 billion, Gordon said.
https://apnews.com/article/wyoming-coronavirus-pandemic-mark-gordon-state-budgets-67aaea24d5e75dffc64e44cfb4f2bba4




Good luck with economic recovery in 2021, Wyoming! That’s your governor Mark Gordon, yet another inexplicable politician in the long list of:




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[font size="8"]I Need A Drink
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Hey everyone I don’t know about you but I could really use a drink!



So of course you know the idea behind this segment is that we have some drinks and we talk about anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics. Because I don’t know about you, but quite frankly I’m getting really sick of all the negative politics all the time. This week we’re going to talk about something insane happening in the Utah desert. The bad thing is we’re still in a pandemic, so my drinks have to be served via robot. So tell me, oh virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about a disappearing monolith? The Monolith cocktail? What’s in it? Just a really tall glass with a bunch of vodka and lime juice? I’ll take two! For a brief moment we forgot about the pandemic and the president trying to steal an election when it was announced that surveyors found a strange monolith in the Utah desert and people were speculating what movie it’s from. My money is on 2001.

In a scene that could have been taken from the science fiction classic “2001: A Space Odyssey,” officials in Utah have discovered a mysterious metallic monolith in the remote southeastern part of the state.

Public safety workers spotted the object November 18 from a helicopter while conducting a count of bighorn sheep, according to a news statement.

So far, there is no indication of who could have placed the 3- to 3.6-meter-tall monolith in that location.

“It is illegal to install structures or art without authorization on federally managed public lands, no matter what planet you’re from,” the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement.

“That’s been about the strangest thing that I’ve come across out there in all my years of flying,” pilot Bret Hutchings told KSL-TV.
https://www.voanews.com/usa/mysterious-metallic-monolith-found-remote-utah




Yes this is every bit as much 2001 as it is Planet Of The Apes. Now here’s the weird part – it has completely disappeared. That’s right. Just as fast as it was found, it’s gone. Now some people have said that it was found in upstate New York and there’s claims that it’s as far away as Romania. But where the hell is it? Nobody knows for sure. Of course we’re still in a pandemic so nobody can do any actual exploring to find this thing, we’re just guessing from the couch!

Discovering the origins of the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey requires only a keen cinematic eye or time spent with Arthur C. Clarke's novel. But the mystery surrounding its apparent real-life counterpart just got stranger.

A metallic monolith of unknown origin, discovered more than a week ago, has vanished from the Utah desert as mysteriously as it appeared, according to the Bureau of Land Management's Utah division.

An agency statement says credible reports point to "an unknown party" removing the illegally installed structure on the evening of Nov. 27. The agency also asserts its own lack of involvement in the object's removal or intent to investigate, noting it does "not investigate crimes involving private property which are handled by the local sheriff's office."

A subreddit dedicated to the monolith showcased several images purporting to show that the structure had been removed.
The structure, a three-sided metallic prism, was discovered by Utah public safety and wildlife officials on Nov. 18 while they were conducting a survey of bighorn sheep by helicopter in Red Rock Country in southeastern Utah.
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/29/939882228/metallic-monolith-in-utah-vanishes-just-as-mysteriously-as-it-appeared




It was removed? Wait a minute – things don’t just appear and then disappear! This isn’t the claims of voter fraud that Trump is pulling out of his ass! Now here’s where it gets weird. And you knew that it was going to. Because while the one in Utah disappeared, another one popped up half way around the world in Romania. That’s right – you read that correctly!

The monolith that mysteriously appeared out of nowhere in the Utah desert was removed from its location in the middle of the night over the weekend while a similar structure showed up in Europe, according to officials and witnesses.

However, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) reassured the public that whoever took the 10- to 12-foot vertical metal object from its desert location was not from out of this world.

The agency said agents discovered Saturday that the structure was gone from its location in the southeastern Utah desert. Desert rocks marked the spot where the silver-colored object once stood.

BLM officials said "an unknown party or parties" removed the monolith sometime after Friday evening.

"The BLM did not remove the structure which is considered private property. We do not investigate crimes involving private property," the agency said in a Facebook post Saturday night.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/monolith-discovered-utah-desert-mysteriously-disappears-overnight/story?id=74465679




Ah, that’s the stuff! So while we’re waiting to see where this mysterious structure will land next, one thing is clear – god is definitely fucking with us. Although it could be aliens. Yeah I’m now drunk so let’s go with aliens! But if there’s anything that could break through the nightmare pandemic world of 2020, maybe it’s a mysterious monolith in the desert! Nevertheless, we will bring you updates here as this thing keeps popping up all over the world!

A mysterious metal monolith appeared in the Utah desert in mid-November, giving everyone flashbacks to 2001: A Space Odyssey -- and then vanished just as mysteriously around a week later.

But not before David Surber drove more than six hours from Salt Lake City to see it in person.

The angular silver pillar, between three and four metres tall, made headlines after a helicopter crew from Utah Department of Public Safety’s Aero Bureau discovered it accidentally. Some speculated aliens were responsible -- others pointed to an anonymous artist, aiming to cause chaos and joy.

Surber, along with a collection of internet sleuths, just wanted to know where it was and how to see it.

“I think everybody saw that initial report on the news,” Surber told CTV News Channel. “Obviously it’s just a pretty unique object out there, but more importantly, I think there’s very little left, it seems at times, in this world, to get out there and discover. So something new and intriguing.”

If anything could break through the pandemic paralysis, a mysterious monolith would do it.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/hiker-drove-six-hours-into-utah-desert-to-see-metal-monolith-before-it-vanished-1.5211323





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[font size="8"]Road To The White House
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Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!!! Oh that was some good reverb there. It’s been a month since the 2020 election. Wait what? It’s been a month? And the election is still not over? What the fuck is going on here – I mean seriously? Well it’s no secret that soon to be former president @realDonaldTrump isn’t going down without a fight. And I mean come on really fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 38 times, you must be Trump. But that said, this is what we are not here to talk about this week. This week, we are here to discuss what Joe’s inauguration plans are going to be, and no interference from that meddling Trump! No, we won’t have any of that!

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Monday announced the senior leadership of the committee charged with planning and executing what will be an unprecedented presidential inauguration, as it is set to take place during a global pandemic.

The committee, which is charged with fundraising and organizing inaugural events, promises that in its planning, it will prioritize "keeping people safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19 while engaging all Americans."

Tony Allen, who worked as Biden's speechwriter when he was a senator, will take the helm as chief executive officer. Allen, who the inauguration team says will serve in his personal capacity, is currently the president of Delaware State University, an HBCU.

Maju Varghese will serve as executive director. Varghese was chief operating officer and senior adviser on Biden's 2020 presidential campaign, beginning in the primaries.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/30/politics/biden-inauguration-committee/index.html




Yes so… excuse me a minute… OK so Joe is going through with planning his inauguration, despite that there’s one person objecting. And how badly is he objecting? He’s objecting to the point where he’s starting his own event adjacent to Biden’s inauguration. It reminds me of that scene from Futurama when Bender is going to start his own theme park with blackjack and hookers. On second thought forget about the inauguration!

Donald Trump is reportedly considering hosting a campaign event for a 2024 presidential bid to take place on Joe Biden's Inauguration Day.

The Daily Beast, citing sources familiar with conversations about a possible 2024 run, reported that Trump is strategizing ways to remain relevant even after he steps down from the presidency. The conversations revolve around launching a run for president again in four years after Biden's first term will have neared an end.

It would be an "unprecedented" decision to host a campaign event on the day of Biden's inauguration, according to Carl Tobias, University of Richmond law professor.

"No one who has lost a race for President has ever announced the intent to run 4 years later on the day that the victor is sworn in," Tobias told Business Insider in an emailed statement.
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-reportedly-wants-2024-campaign-event-during-bidens-inauguration-2020-11




Yeah that pretty much is Trump. I mean we already covered about how he wears diapers – allegedly – in this edition! And I mean come on, how much attention does Trump need? He’s like the toddler you see in the aisles of Target screaming because his parents won’t buy him a cheap toy to satisfy his need to have things. And yes I’ve seen a few of those. I mean if Trump wears diapers, no wonder he acts like a gigantic baby all the time!

With the reality of losing his reelection campaign setting in, it appears as though Donald Trump is focusing on announcing his plans to run again before year’s end.

According to the Daily Beast, Trump has spoken to close advisers about how and when to kickstart his 2024 run, and the spiteful option of holding an event during Joe Biden’s inauguration is a possibility.

The report goes on to say that Trump and “some of his closest associates” have already spoken with donors and those close to him “are doing what they can to stay in the president’s good graces” in case he runs again.

Trump, according to the report, has also been bragging about how easy it will be for him to grab attention away from the new president because Biden is “boring” and cable news networks won’t get ratings with Trump gone.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Trump spoke of his plans to run again in 2024 during an Oval Office meeting with National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, and Vice President Mike Pence just 10 days after the election.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-may-start-2024-campaign-during-bidens-inauguration-1095993/




Yeah Trump is pretty much Stewie in this case. No one loves him anymore, and 6 million and counting are still voting for Biden over him. The 2021 inauguration is going to be the first major event in 20201, and since we’re still in a major pandemic, it’s going to get real weird real fast. Especially since Trump isn’t going to go quietly, and god help us if these two groups intermingle. Because we’ve seen this story before and it never ends well.

On the heels of a norm-shattering presidential election and amid a surging pandemic, federal and local officials are laying the groundwork for a presidential inauguration unlike any other.

They are under pressure to stage an event that will kick-start a new chapter in American history and begin to heal a nation bruised by its deep partisan divides. But they are also operating within the constraints of a health crisis that has upended traditions dependent on massive gatherings and cross-country travel. The balls, presidential parade and throngs huddled together on the National Mall that transform the District of Columbia every four years could look significantly different from past inaugurations.

Over the next nine weeks, President-elect Joe Biden is expected to launch an inaugural committee that will work with a congressional committee and local partners to rise to a moment defined by competing political and public health needs.

Presidential inaugurations are planned by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) and a committee formed by the president-elect. While Biden has yet to announce his committee, the bipartisan group and D.C. agencies have spent the better part of the year preparing for the formal launch regardless of the Election Day outcome. They say they are forging ahead with plans for in-person events on Jan. 20 with the understanding that it is easier to scale down than scale up operations.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/d-c-preparing-for-pandemic-inauguration-day/






See you next week!

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November 18, 2020

Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-17: The Man With The Golden Goose Edition


Top 10 Conservative Idiots #9-17: The Man With The Golden Goose Edition

Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! Still coming to you from this blank void. How’s everybody doing? I know, this has been quite a week, hasn’t it? For the first time in five years I feel like I can finally sleep easier at night. But we’ve still got a long way to go before the end of 2020. And man it’s going to feel like an eternity until January 1st gets here, after which we only have 20 more days left of this god forsaken administration! So do we have time for the thing? And yeah this is the first “thing” we’ve had in like two months so let’s do this thing! Well we got to talk about the Space X launch for a minute. Wasn’t that great on Sunday? Yes like the Lakers winning the NBA Finals or the Dodgers winning the World Series, just some mild escapism from the absolute shit show that is 2020. But that said it was pretty cool to watch wasn’t it? I mean it wasn’t quite the spectacular they had last year when they launched a Tesla Roadster in orbit around the earth but it was still pretty cool, am I right? I mean I always said that space travel will start expanding when it becomes profitable to do so. And now that Space X has taken the helm it looks like it might start becoming profitable to do so! Although really, Elon Musk believes in alien DNA and promoted Kanye West for president, and named his baby after a series of unpronounceable syllables, so is this really the guy who we want in charge? It remains to be seen. OK enough of the intro, we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver is back and he talks about Trump’s insane denial of the 2020 election results:



Wow, the dust has finally been settled from the 2020 election but Trump isn’t going quietly! In the #1 slot this week is of course the guy who won’t be president for much longer and that’s’ Twitter’s own @realDonaldTrump (1). He’s attempting to stage what one might call a coup and it’s backfiring on him spectacularly! In the second slot this week is Trump Supporters (2) – they’re planning a Million MAGA March on Washington DC and we will have all the low lights from the shit show! Yes, you saw that correctly! In the third slot this week is SCOTUS (3). So Boofing Brett Kavanaugh had an independent thought on health care, but then Samuel Alito decided to channel his inner Frank Costanza and air his grievances to the Federalist Society! In the number four slot this week is also @realDonaldTrump (4) and he has a plan to start his own news network! Yes, he’s declaring war on the channel that made him, Fox, because, reasons. In the number 5 slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5) and this week my home state of California always makes the news for the big money and big prizes poured in to their proposition system, so what made the cut this year? Well it was quite the mixed bag for starters! In the number 6 slot this week is our weekly visit to the Holy Church of the Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and this week – our resident pastor takes a look at what Northern California megachurch hipster cult pastor Sean Feucht is up to and well, let’s just say that coronavirus likes this. In the #7 slot this week is a new edition of “Beating A Dead Horse”. So Ben Shapiro – you know him as the guy who constantly attacks liberals for needing “safe spaces” – hates the concept of gender bending in rock music. Well guess what? That concept is older than time itself! Taking the #8 slot this week, is a new segment! We have our first ever edition of “People Who Somehow Got Re-Elected” (8) and who better to induct into the new class than our old buddy Mitch McConnell? Because he has an inexplicably low approval rating, yet keeps getting reelected every time! WTF! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week is a new I Need A Drink – why are celebrities buying controlling stakes in European EFL teams? We will have some drinks and find out! Finally in “Road To The White House” (10) – why does Trump refuse to concede? And why won’t they tell the incoming president anything? So many questions! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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Can we talk about the New Zealand Bird Of The Year vote for a minute? Because it’s quite literally insane that they actually have a Bird Of The Year vote. And in this election there were 1500 votes that were found to be fraudulent. That’s because New Zealand really cares about its’ bird of the year. Which this year happened to be Spotted Kiwi. Although I personally happen to be a fan of the Yellow Eyed Penguin in this case. So cute! But the reason I bring this up is because this is just an election to decide New Zealand’s national bird. Now imagine this having real consequences like here in America, where President Boy Who Cried Wolf is screaming about voter fraud. Allow me to cue my inner Twilight Zone narrator and just imagine if you will, a scenario in which 5,000,000 votes suddenly got overturned. It’s frightening, isn’t it?

President Donald Trump on Friday sought to reframe his unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud, proclaiming in a statement that his push to ensure the integrity of this year’s vote “is no longer about any single election.”

He also vowed to pursue a fair and transparent vote counting process “through every aspect of the law,” despite there being no evidence of broad wrongdoing.

The president struck a slightly less combative tone than he has previously this week, ditching his pleas to “stop the count” of ballots as his opponent Joe Biden pulled ahead in two states that would hand him the presidency.

“We believe the American people deserve to have full transparency into all vote counting and election certification, and that this is no longer about any single election,” Trump argued. “This is about the integrity of our entire election process.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/06/trump-campaign-election-is-not-over-434684




That’s right – Trump is hopping mad! But just think about that bird election there for a minute. Now just imagine what could go wrong if Trump ordered a recount in every state and somehow got the majority of the popular vote overturned? It’s pure fantasy at this point – he lost and the election results are unlikely to be overturned. But take a look at the clusterfuck currently happening in Georgia to get a preview of where we could be headed.

A recount in Georgia’s presidential race found more than 2,600 ballots in Floyd County that hadn’t originally been tallied, likely helping President Donald Trump reduce his 14,000-vote deficit to Joe Biden.

Trump could gain nearly 800 net votes from the discovered ballots. There were 1,643 new votes for Trump and 865 for Biden.

The problem occurred because county election officials didn’t upload votes from a memory card in an ballot scanning machine, said Gabriel Sterling, the state’s voting system manager.

He called it “an amazing blunder” and said the county’s elections director should resign.

“It’s not an equipment issue. It’s a person not executing their job properly,” Sterling said. This is the kind of situation that requires a change at the top of their management side."
https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-recount-uncovers-2600-new-votes-in-presidential-race/I75NSPYYGNF43HQZBPYKJWJ5MA/




That is true! And there’s no one who’s a bigger sore loser than Trump is. Hell he’s even a sore winner – think about the fact that he’s spent the last four years just berating Hillary over the results of the 2016 election. Nothing pleases this guy! But in fact he’s dead wrong on his election claims and he’s fighting quite the losing battle. He’ll go down in flames and it might take Bradley Tanks and a SWAT team to remove him from the White House on 1/21/21.

A group of 59 computer scientists, researchers and cybersecurity experts on Monday released a letter rejecting President Donald Trump’s claims of widespread electoral fraud as “technically incoherent” and “unsubstantiated” in the latest rebuke of Trump’s campaign to undermine public confidence in the election results.

“We are aware of alarming assertions being made that the 2020 election was ‘rigged’ by exploiting technical vulnerabilities,” wrote the group of experts, which included Matt Blaze, a cryptologist and professor at Georgetown University, and Alex Stamos, the former security chief at Facebook. “However, in every case of which we are aware, these claims either have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent.”

Since multiple media outlets, including Fox News and the Associated Press, on Nov. 7 projected Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election, Trump and his allies have continuously made false claims of election fraud. The director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has debunked the president’s conspiracy theories while mostly avoiding mentioning Trump by name.

“Anyone asserting that a US election was ‘rigged’ is making an extraordinary claim, one that must be supported by persuasive and verifiable evidence,” the security experts wrote in their letter. Trump and his allies have provided no such evidence, and lawyers representing the Trump campaign in court have consistently failed to convince judges of their arguments.
https://www.cyberscoop.com/election-security-experts-trump-voter-fraud-baseless/




Holy shit! I’m no expert on cyber security by any means but I think even a room full of chain smoking monkeys on typewriters could tell Trump that he’s completely full of shit on election fraud! I could go on all day about how members of his own party are saying that he’s completely full of shit but I don’t have that kind of time! Even the US election security officials claim he’s full of shit!

US election officials have said the 2020 White House vote was the "most secure in American history", rejecting President Donald Trump's fraud claims.

"There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised," a committee announced.

They spoke out after Mr Trump claimed without proof that 2.7 million votes for him had been "deleted".

He has yet to concede to the president-elect, Democrat Joe Biden.

The result of the 3 November election was projected by all the major US TV networks last weekend.

On Friday, the BBC projected Mr Biden to have won Georgia and Mr Trump to have won North Carolina.
https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54926084





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We seriously had a pool in the Top 10 Home Offices going as to how long before Saturday’s Million MAGA March in Washington DC would turn violent. I figured it was going to be at some point after the march when the protestors got bored and went home. I was not disappointed. Of course you should know by now that when the MAGAs gather – whether it’s the Proud Boys or the Oath Keepers, that some serious shit will fly and it will most likely end with injuries and arrests. Or as the Los Angeles Lakers call it, a victory parade. I kid, I kid. But let’s take a look at the million MAGA March for a minute and how the Trump presidency began and how it will end.

The Trump administration is ending the same way it started: spreading false claims about crowd sizes in Washington, D.C.

On Nov. 14, thousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters rallied in Washington to support false claims that he had won re-election. But White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted an alternative estimate of the demonstration’s attendance.

"AMAZING! More than one MILLION marchers for President @realDonaldTrump descend on the swamp in support," McEnany said in the tweet, which has been shared more than 56,000 times.

The post took us back to January 2017, when Trump’s first press secretary, Sean Spicer, claimed the crowd at Trump’s inauguration "was the largest audience to witness an inauguration, period." We rated that claim Pants on Fire!

Since Trump retweeted a claim that more than a million people gathered in Washington to support him, we wanted to take a closer look at McEnany’s tweet.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/nov/16/kayleigh-mcenany/million-maga-march-did-not-have-more-1-million-att/




Yes these are some extremely terrible people. And if you saw the posts on Twitter you’d think that conservatives were badly mistreated during the protests. No they weren’t. In fact like most protests, they’re the antagonists looking to start some shit, but they’re able to spin it in such a way that they’re the victims. And yes like every pro-Trump march since the administration began, this one ended about how you’d expect.

Supporters of President Donald Trump — including members of the militant hate group the Proud Boys — fought with counterprotesters in Washington, DC, on Saturday night following the “Million MAGA March” rally that attracted crowds of thousands in the nation’s capital throughout the day.

During the day, the rally was largely peaceful, with only minor altercations between demonstrators and counterprotesters. But by evening, the violence reportedly intensified, leading to at least one hospitalization.

The Proud Boys, as Vox’s Fabiola Cineas has explained, are known for inciting violence, and reports from the scene note provocations coming from demonstrators, as well as from counterprotesters at various points. Video footage shows a number of street brawls breaking out in various parts of the city, including some fights that left onlookers asking for a greater police response.

During one such melee near the White House, baton-wielding Trump supporters fought with a group of counterprotesters in a brawl that left one man hospitalized after being stabbed in the back. Separately, an independent journalist said she believed she was stabbed in the ear by a member of the Proud Boys. Four police officers were injured.
https://www.vox.com/2020/11/15/21565938/million-maga-march-violence-protests-dc




So yeah just keep in mind that if you hang out with the Proud Boys, someone is gonna get stabbed and that’s something that you should try to avoid at all costs! But the thing is the Trump administration ended the same way it began – by lying about crowd sizes! And let’s comment on their uniforms for a minute. I mean seriously they complain about Harry Styles wearing a dress, but they have no problem with color coordinating and matching scarves? Please!!!

The Proud Boys, a violent far-right group which Donald Trump told to “stand by” during a September presidential debate, are expected to rally in Washington DC, on Saturday. They’re part of a constellation of groups and demonstrations heading to the capitol to protest the election result in a “Million MAGA March.”

“People want to show up and have their voice heard,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told Fox on Thursday, when asked about the event. “I mean this president — look, he got more votes than any Republican nominee, or for president I should say, in the history of our country and indeed he got more Republican votes as any nominee in the history of our party back in 2016.”

The president did not win the presidential election, and in all likelihood lost the popular vote by millions, but he and his allies have continued to claim without evidence Democrats cheated the results in statements and a series of flagging lawsuits around the country.

The concurrent demonstrations in the capitol, including the Million MAGA March as well as various “Stop the Steal” events, are a physical manifestation of the outrage that’s spread in conservative circles online, and are expected to attract a broad cross-section of Trump-supporting factions, including radical anti-government vigilante groups like the Oath Keepers and Three Percenters, followers of conspiracy-peddling outlet Infowars, alt-right activists, neo-Nazis, as well other supporters of the president.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/proud-boys-dc-maga-trump-election-b1722071.html




Yeah seriously! The Proud Boys even got a visit from Dear Leader as he drove through the rally on his way to go golfing. But the one nice thing is that the MAGA movement appears to be dying down even though 70 million voted for the Orange Asshole. And like I said the Trump administration will end as it began – with them lying about crowd sizes. In fact this was one of the most poorly attended rallies in recent memory.
Saturday’s “Million MAGA March” in Washington D.C. failed to live up to its name, in that only thousands of people—nowhere near a million—gathered in the nation’s capital over the weekend to protest the right of their fellow Americans to vote for someone other than Donald Trump to be President.

According to a report from the Washington Post, those gathered at the march heard from a cast of speakers who were conspiracy theorists, among them Alex Jones (who has been sued for accusing the families of the children killed at Sandy Hook of being actors), after getting a glimpse of their head conspiracy theorist Trump, who drove by the people gathered in his name on the way to golf.

During the day the Trumpers marched through the streets against voting, COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and even Fox News (which has begun acknowledging the fact that Biden is the projected winner of the presidential election).

True to form, current White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany hopped on Twitter to continue the tradition of press secretaries in the Trump White House, by outright lying about the numbers of people present for the march, claiming that it was “more than one million”:
https://www.theroot.com/the-million-maga-march-didnt-meet-its-target-number-bu-1845679318





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Yes it’s a fact that conservatives now have a 6 – 3 supermajority on the Supreme Court. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that even they have to follow the law and the constitution of the United States. Even a man such as Boofing Brett Kavanaugh has to comply by the standards of the bench that he presides over and it cannot be ignored! But even such hard lined conservatives like Boofing Brett have an independent thought every once in a while. But it won’t be long before the conservatives break his spirits and remind him who he is working for. After all they will strip our rights and take away our nice things whether we like it or not!

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts made comments Tuesday implying they’re likely to uphold the Affordable Care Act as the fate of the landmark health care act was argued before the court, suggesting it is unlikely that a majority of justices will ultimately vote to strike down the ACA even if its individual mandate provision is declared unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court heard Texas v. California Tuesday, which concerns whether the individual mandate in the ACA, which imposed a penalty on Americans who didn’t purchase health insurance, should be declared unconstitutional after Congress invalidated the mandate by getting rid of the tax penalty in their 2017 tax legislation.

Conservative state attorneys general and the Trump administration argue that the individual mandate is unconstitutional, and because of that the entire ACA should be struck down, because they believe the individual mandate cannot be severed from the rest of the law without the entire law being invalidated.

Kavanaugh said during the hearing that the case appeared to be a “straightforward case for severability” based on the Supreme Court precedent, and “it does seem fairly clear that the proper remedy would be to sever the mandate provision and leave the rest of the act in place,” including protections for preexisting conditions.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/11/10/kavanaugh-roberts-suggest-they-wont-strike-down-affordable-care-act-obamacare-in-supreme-court-hearing/?sh=5dabed5a6954




That’s right! Brett Kavanaugh had an independent thought alarm that even conservatives can’t ignore, and it certainly wasn’t what Trump signed him up for and paraded him around for! Both he and Roberts are suggesting that it’s not the court’s duty to strike down ACA. Though no matter what happens we’ll keep an eye on it because that’s what we do. But even the insurance industry themselves is surprised by this ruling! And they would know.

It’s been 10 years, and Republicans still can’t quit Obamacare.

As coronavirus cases mount and as state and local governments brace for more COVID fallout, the battle over President Obama’s signature achievement continues to rage -- and the health benefits of more than 20 million Americans hang in the balance.

The war over the Affordable Care Act has been full on since its enactment in March 2010.

Republicans who voted against it then called parts of the ACA unconstitutional, taking particular aim at the individual mandate provision, which requires people to enroll in insurance coverage or face fines. It faced challenges in the Supreme Court in 2012 and 2015, and was upheld both times. President Trump has vowed to overturn Obamacare as well, but after nearly four years in office still has relatively little to show for his efforts.

Now, as coronavirus continues to take lives, and with two months left in the White House for Trump, the fight over Obamacare is before the Supreme Court once again.
https://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/the-war-against-obamacare-is-still-raging-after-10-years-and-a-pandemic




Oh seriously people! Stop your rabbling! Kavanaugh will be told to get in line soon enough. As if that wasn’t enough, let’s switch gears and talk about Samuel Alito’s showing at the Federalist Society’s annual gathering of deplorables. It seems he has a few thoughts on COVID destroying our basic civil liberties. And before we do I want to show just what we’re up against. And why Alito is not fucking helping at all!

Washington (CNN)White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Scott Atlas criticized Michigan's new Covid-19 restrictions in a tweet shortly after they were announced Sunday evening, urging people to "rise up" against the new public health measures.

"The only way this stops is if people rise up," Atlas said. "You get what you accept. #FreedomMatters #StepUp"

His message -- which runs counter to the consensus of public health officials -- is likely to fuel new tension between the White House and Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whom federal and state officials announced last month was the target of an alleged domestic terrorism kidnapping plot.

Responding to Atlas' tweet Sunday evening, Whitmer told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, "We know that the White House likes to single us out here in Michigan, me out in particular. I'm not going to be bullied into not following reputable scientists and medical professionals."

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/15/politics/scott-atlas-coronavirus-michigan/index.html




Gee seriously what could go wrong there? We already have one petulant man child attempting to stage a coup the last thing we need are clones! So Dr. Atlas said that shit. We’re in the worst pandemic not seen in an entire century, so why do Alito's comments matter when Atlas says shit like this? Well take this combined with Kavanuagh’s comments on the ACA and we have a colossal shit show in the making and it’s all thanks to you know who.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito delivered an unusually inflammatory public speech Thursday night, starkly warning about the threats he contends religious believers face from advocates for gay and abortion rights, as well as public officials responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to a virtual conference of conservative lawyers, the George W. Bush appointee made no direct comment on the recent election, the political crisis relating to President Donald Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his defeat or litigation on the issue pending at the Supreme Court.

However, Alito didn’t hold back on other controversial subjects, even suggesting that the pressure Christians face surrounding their religious beliefs is akin to the strictures the U.S. placed on Germany and Japan after World War II.

“Is our country going to follow that course?” Alito asked. “For many today, religious liberty is not a cherished freedom. It’s often just an excuse for bigotry and can’t be tolerated, even when there is no evidence that anybody has been harmed. ... The question we face is whether our society will be inclusive enough to tolerate people with unpopular religious beliefs.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/13/alito-speech-religious-freedom-436412





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Well if you can’t beat them, steal them. That seems to be the motto of the Donald J. Trump reelection campaign. And we’ve said before that if Trump loses the election that he’s going to burn the house down before he goes. In fact it’s already started and he’s going nuclear on Fox News. That’s right – the network that made him into the heartless monster that he is is turning on him, like some kind of fucked up Frankenstein monster. And I mean come on, I read the Frankenstein novel in middle school I have seen how this sort of thing turns out! And it will not turn out well for Trump or for Fox News.

"Fox News Sucks! Fox News Sucks!"

For those of us who are no fans of Donald Trump, we have all likely thought words to that effect over the years as Fox News defended Trump and the Republican Party. But the chant "Fox News Sucks!" didn't come out of the mouths of Trump's opponents, but rather from a swath of Trump's own supporters during Saturday's march in Washington, D.C.

For me, it was a beautiful sight: watching Trump supporters adorned with their Trump paraphernalia, waving Trump flags, in the streets chanting the mantra over and over. Finally, I agree with Trump supporters on something!
This is not the first time Trump lovers have mocked Fox News. Days after the November 3 election, some Trump supporters were heard chanting "Fox sucks" in Arizona outside a vote counting location -- reportedly because they were upset the network had called Arizona for Joe Biden before most other media outlets.

But the large numbers of Trump supporters Saturday vocally eclipsed what happened in Arizona. This was clearly a reaction to Trump's increased attack on Fox News via his tweet Thursday, where he claimed Fox News forgot he was the "Golden Goose" for their ratings. Trump, in essence, appeared to blame Fox News for his election loss, writing: "The biggest difference between the 2016 Election, and 2020, was @FoxNews!"
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/15/opinions/trump-election-war-fox-news-obeidallah/index.html




I could honestly see that’s where news is headed. Seriously a man as petty and vindictive as Trump obviously has something up his sleeve. The guy is fuming mad over losing the election and he’s taking it more like the child screaming at Target when his parents don’t buy him a toy than he is taking the loss like a real man should. So how did the relationship between Trump and Fox News turn into a modern day version of the Frankenstein story?

The last day of Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign began just after 7 a.m., as polls opened on the East Coast, with a call to “Fox & Friends,” the television morning show that had turned the reality star into a U.S. president. He got his usual hero’s welcome. But it was no longer enough.

“This has been a very special show for me,” he told the hosts of this broadcasting safe haven where he had workshopped his birther message, shared gossip and conspiracy theories, and repeatedly set the tone for his entire administration’s day. “We’ve had a great relationship, and you have a great show. So, it’s my honor.”

But his remarks quickly turned pointed that Tuesday morning as he boasted about how well he had done in the job of president, despite unexpected challenges — not from China or Russia or North Korea, he said, but from the United States. And he mused rhetorically about what had changed the most for him since 2016.

“Fox,” he said, answering his own question. “It’s much different now.” As the hosts sputtered, he elaborated: “In the old days, they wouldn’t put sleepy Joe Biden on every time he opened his mouth. .?.?. It’s a much different operation — I’m just telling you.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/the-long-love-affair-between-fox-news-and-trump-may-be-over-heres-how-it-ended-last-week/2020/11/09/f4dddb5e-2095-11eb-90dd-abd0f7086a91_story.html




That did go south so fast! And remember that episode of Futurama where Bender gets kicked out of a theme park and vows to start his own, but better? Well Trump is aiming to do just that. He’s made the world look at the US as a laughing stock, and he’s taken his brand of poison to Fox News as well. So if he gets kicked out of Fox News where’s he going to go? It seems Trump’s brand of love – hate with Fox News has been taken to new extremes.

President Trump has told friends he wants to start a digital media company to clobber Fox News and undermine the conservative-friendly network, sources tell Axios.

The state of play: Some Trump advisers think Fox News made a mistake with an early call (seconded by AP) of President-elect Biden's win in Arizona. That enraged Trump, and gave him something tangible to use in his attacks on the network.

"He plans to wreck Fox. No doubt about it," said a source with detailed knowledge of Trump's intentions.

With loyal viewers and longtime dominance, Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch said on a Nov. 3 earnings call:

"We love competition. We have always thrived with competition. ... Fox News has been the number one network, including broadcast networks, ... from Labor Day through to Election Day."

Here's Trump's plan, according to the source:

There's been lots of speculation about Trump starting a cable channel. But getting carried on cable systems would be expensive and time-consuming.
https://www.axios.com/trump-fox-news-digital-media-competitor-25afddee-144d-4820-8ed4-9eb0ffa42420.html




Oh come on, Axios! You know Trump isn’t the type to throw tons of money away on a business that will go nowhere! Oh wait, he’s already lost money in casinos, airlines, vodka, steaks, hotels, golf courses, and a fake university. What’s there to stop him from investing money in his own media company? Well like most breakups, this one is going to be extremely long and extremely painful, and the last thing we need is another conservative media outlet. Trump might think he's the golden goose, but really he's more The Man With The Golden Goose. And a solid gold toilet. So I give this one six months before they pack it in.

Allies of President Trump have reportedly looked into investing in the conservative news outlet Newsmax to compete with Fox News, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal published on Sunday.

Hicks Equity Partners, a private-equity firm with connections to a co-chair of the Republican National Committee, have been in discussions in recent months with the media company about investing in Newsmax. The Journal reports the talks may also be part of larger efforts that could include a streaming video service.

Trump's allies have been exploring ways to compete with Fox News for the past two years, according to the Journal. Trump’s relationship with the network has been complicated. He has often shown appreciation for the support he receives from Fox News hosts and the network's coverage of his presidency has often influenced decisions he's made inside the White House. He has also lashed out at the network when it criticized him.

Trump recently posted a flurry of anti-Fox News tweets that attacked the network and lamented that it had forgotten the "golden goose" that made it successful. He appeared furious at the network's projection that Democrat Joe Biden would be victorious in Arizona's presidential tally.
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/526069-trump-allies-raising-millions-for-new-conservative-tv-network-report





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[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: California Propositions
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It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!



Every election cycle, the state of California always makes national news for it’s increasingly controversial series of laws that are decided by the people known as “propositions”. They’re always a mixed bag of stuff and you never know what you are going to get with each one. But unlike other states, California’s propositions are sponsored by some big money investors on both sides – for and against. And this year there was a lot at stake – including allowing rideshare drivers to unionize (Prop 22), requiring dialysis clinics to employ on site medical staff (Prop 23) to a tale as old as time, requiring employers and colleges to embrace diversity (Prop 16). So what were the big winners and losers this year? Let’s start with one of the big losers, Proposition 22.

What happened in California? Despite the state’s liberal reputation, voters there last week approved Proposition 22, a ballot initiative exempting many gig companies from state workplace laws and stripping their workers of basic, essential protections.

Uber, Instacart, Lyft, DoorDash and other on-demand providers of ride-shares and food and grocery deliveries spent $200 million pushing the proposal, an astounding sum that workers and their allies couldn’t remotely hope to match. Not surprisingly, Californians were misled by an avalanche of claims about the proposal’s impact on workers. The measure, which takes effect next month, was approved with 58 percent of the vote.

Emboldened by the results in California, Uber and friends are apparently planning to take the show on the road. Potential targets could include Massachusetts or New Jersey, where state regulators have pursued them, or New York or Pennsylvania, where courts have rejected the argument by gig companies that workers run their own independent businesses. The rest of us need to understand what happened in California.

What was at stake with Proposition 22 was whether workers for app-based driver and delivery companies would be considered employees under California statutes, which like workplace laws nationwide, cover only employees, or whether they should be classified as independent contractors. Proponents argued that requiring gig companies to follow current laws would badly damage their on-demand business model and result in longer wait times, higher prices and the loss of countless jobs. These were the same bleak prognostications gig companies made about the minimum wage for drivers that New York City enacted two years ago — predictions that did not come to pass.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/opinion/prop-22-california-gig-workers.html




Yes so think of Uber and Lyft sponsoring legislation against their employees like KFC sponsoring legislation against chicken. It’s in their name! Another big loser in all of the Propositions was Prop 20, a measure that would have reduced prison populations and toughened stances on criminals. So how did that one favor with voters? Well it was, as they say, rejected.

Proposition 20, a California initiative that would have toughened sentencing in criminal cases and reduced the number of prison inmates eligible for early parole, was rejected by state voters on Tuesday.

The measure by law enforcement and prosecutors hit the ballot just as the Black Lives Matter movement was drawing new attention to demands for change in the criminal justice system to reduce incarceration and its disproportionate effect on people of color.

“The defeat of Proposition 20 is a significant milestone in California’s ongoing effort to make its criminal justice system more effective, and the rejection of mass incarceration by voters is a major advance for the national criminal justice reform movement,” said Jay Jordan, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice, the organization behind many of the reforms that Proposition 20 targeted to eliminate.

Proposition 20 was opposed by 62% of the voters, according to the state’s unofficial election tally.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-11-03/2020-california-election-prop-20-falling-short-in-early-returns




Well that’s prison-ist. But this year this shows that California isn’t the progressive paradise that conservatives think it is. In fact if any of these propositions had won, you could think that it indeed was a progressive paradise. But if you look at the actual exit polling data, you will see that in fact the opposite is true about California.

No surprise — unofficial election results show California voters going for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden over President Donald Trump by a 2-to-1 margin. Democrats dominate state government, too.

But while California is often painted as a solidly blue state, the 2020 election has shown that when issues are on the ballot, it’s always not so progressive.

“Everybody focuses on candidates, while initiatives are where all the policy gets done,” said Democratic strategist Jim DeBoo.

DeBoo worked on the successful “No on Prop 21” campaign this cycle, advocating against expanded rent control laws. He was speaking on a panel hosted by Capitol Weekly Thursday.

“When you’re having a discussion with voters about initiatives, the partisanship pieces separate,” he said. DeBoo noted that there’s often a false assumption that Californians are going to turn to their political party leaders for guidance on ballot measures.
https://www.capradio.org/articles/2020/11/06/why-this-years-ballot-propositions-show-california-isnt-as-progressive-as-some-might-think/




That said how can some of these measures pass in the future? Well it’s just like any other campaign where you have to get out the vote. Unfortunately for some, Prop 22 and 23 had some huge money backing them. Although if you do live in California, you’re probably relieved that you don’t have to see commercial after commercial and receive robocall after robocall. What won and lost? Here’s a definitive guide.

California voters weighed 12 statewide ballot measures in areas including criminal justice, rent control and privacy laws.

Here’s a look at what failed and what was approved:

PROPOSITION 14: APPROVED. Authorizes $5.5 billion in state bonds to fund stem cell research, with $1.5 billion dedicated to research on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, epilepsy and other medical conditions. The money would include funding for construction of research facilities. The bonds would be paid off over about 30 years at a total cost of about $7.8 billion.

PROPOSITION 15: REJECTED. Would have loosened some of 1978?s Proposition 13 limits on property tax increases by permitting most commercial and industrial properties to be taxed on current market value rather than the original purchase price. Those properties would be reassessed every three years. Residential property wouldn’t have been affected. Supporters said the measure could raise an additional $12.5 billion a year to fund schools and local government services.

PROPOSITION 16: REJECTED. Would have allowed race, sex, color, ethnicity, and national origin to be considered in the awarding of government contracts, public employment and in admissions to state colleges and universities. Supporters sought to repeal a 1996 voter-passed amendment to the state Constitution that effectively banned affirmative action.
https://ktla.com/news/california-voters-have-decided-on-all-12-state-propositions-heres-what-passed-and-failed/




That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.




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[font size="8"]Holy Shit
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Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the virtual pew make an online donation in the LAWRD’s virtual 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 virtual congregation!! Well we can’t have any real congregations congregating until we deal with this virus. And in case you’re wondering why cases aren’t going down where you live, you have two people to thank – Sean Feucht and Lauren Daigle. Who are these people you might ask? Well us Californians are well aware of Mr. Feucht’s shenanigans as he runs the notorious Bethel Church in Redding – a church that got busted for ponzi schemes and runs lunatic fringe representative candidates among other things. And Lauren Daigle is an inexplicably popular Christian music star. Which is what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want! So if you see a “Let Us Worship” event coming to your city, since we are still at the height of COVID-19, you should absolutely run the other way!

What in God’s name were they thinking?

On Saturday afternoon, Lauren Daigle, the hugely popular contemporary Christian pop singer from Lafayette, joined California-based worship leader, activist, musician and shrewd self-promoter Sean Feucht near Jackson Square for one of his “Let Us Worship” rallies/concerts.

Feucht, who operates out of the 11,000-member nondenominational charismatic Bethel Church in Redding, Calif., apparently believes coronavirus restrictions represent an existential threat to organized religion. He also seems to think Christians who gather, unmasked, in large crowds are somehow immune from the virus.

The many thousands of dead Christian COVID-19 victims might beg to differ.

Undeterred, Feucht has presided over meticulously filmed and social media-shared “Let Us Worship” events around the country. Thousands of folks showed up Oct. 25 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/keith_spera/article_44b2ea74-2380-11eb-b0e3-87e81927bff8.html




That is a good point, guy with unusually large angel wings! But here’s the thing about this guy – this isn’t the first time he’s been caught doing this sort of thing during this pandemic. Look, you idiots just don’t get it – nobody is trying to cancel church. We’re just canceling mass gatherings until this virus is dealt with and goes away. So until you realize that, stay away from stuff like this. Because that’s what the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want!

Organizers of an unauthorized Christian music festival that drew thousands of mostly unmasked attendees to Tempe Town Lake earlier this month could face thousands in fines.

Tempe seeks to charge organizers with violating several city codes, the city’s mask mandate and state guidelines on large gatherings.

The city also seeks to recover costs related to police, fire and parks staff that responded to the event. A cost estimate is not yet available.

People from across the Valley and out-of-state gathered at Tempe Town Lake on Nov. 1 for the event, Let Us Worship, hosted by California-based Christian worship leader Sean Feucht.

Organizers didn’t obtain an event permit from Tempe and held the event even after city staffers told them they could not. They flouted the city’s mask mandate that requires people to wear masks in public when social distancing isn’t possible during the new coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2020/11/11/tempe-may-charge-christian-concert-organizers-let-us-worship-covid-19-violations/6228698002/




Yes, Mr. Feucht is the devil!!! He is a DAYMON!!! His church fully embraces and supports the unholy, ungodly Dark One, a man who is so disgusting that his name shall not be mentioned in my church, even if it is online for the time being! What’s even crazier is that somehow this album got to the top of the iTunes charts. In case you’re wondering why this evil virus is spreading out of control, thank this guy!

Thousands of people are expected to gather on the National Mall on Sunday for a prayer rally, and participants are not required to wear masks, triggering concerns this could become a super spreader event.

Up to 15,000 people are expected to attend Let Us Worship from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Dr. Glenn Wortmann, chief of infectious diseases at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, says it’s very difficult to protect yourself from COVID-19 at these types of large gatherings.

“It’s concerning,” he said. “I mean, anytime there's a group of a large number of people in one area, there is a potential for spread. The fact that the event is happening outside makes the risk lower.”

The D.C. event is the last stop on a national tour that has drawn controversy. Event leader and evangelist Sean Feucht has said he’s holding worship protests in defiance of coronavirus restrictions. At those events, many attendees could be seen not wearing masks.

Feucht’s group did submit a COVID-19 mitigation plan outlining precautions for those working the event, not for those attending.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/worship-protest-planned-on-national-mall-without-mask-requirement-prompts-super-spread-concerns/2452538/




Well now of course they didn’t! They don’t care! They support the Dark One and have been busted for fraud multiple times! So of course leave it up to this mad man to skirt the laws and make a dangerous situation that much worse. And that’s divided even his own congregation who has mixed feelings on this subject. Just ahh!!! The stupid boggles my mind!

At least two Shasta County supervisors are losing their patience with the leadership at Bethel Church over its messaging amid the recent COVID-19 outbreak at its School of Supernatural Ministry.

At Thursday’s special board meeting, Supervisors Les Baugh and Leonard Moty said the tipping point for them came this week, when they learned Kris Vallotton, a church leader who co-founded the evangelical school, hosted a large family outdoor wedding last weekend in Shingletown.

The wedding also came up at Tuesday’s regular board meeting.

“I’m not convinced they’re really hearing (us),” said Baugh, a pastor at Anderson Community Church in Anderson.

“Supervisor Moty, you mentioned the wedding (Tuesday) and I didn’t know at the time the wedding actually had been a personal wedding of one of the leaders of the Bethel community, and I do say, as a community, that’s wrong. That should not have happened,” Baugh said on Thursday.
https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2020/10/24/shasta-county-covid-outbreak-bethel-church-coronavirus-cases/3744308001/




I’m done ranting about this moron. Seriously how does that guy have 11,000 followers and we barely fill a small theater? It boggles the mind! 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
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Well here’s a dead horse that’s been beaten since the days of ancient Greece! If you don’t know conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, he’s the darling of the campus wing of the alt right with his constant attacks on “safe spaces” and “triggered liberals”. But he might be the triggered one here since he’s got a major problem with Harry Styles (of One Direction fame) wearing a dress in his latest music video. Yes you heard that right – Harry Styles channels his inner David Bowie on this one! You might remember that famous cover from “The Man Who Sold The World”, right? Or literally anything that Elton John has ever done? Or ever seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show? I could go on and on about this, but really, Ben Shapiro needs to get out of his bubble and experience the world. But we all know that he won’t do that.

We live in an age of professional internet trolls. It’s a bustling industry. One is currently POTUS. The current Senate Majority Leader’s soul has been replaced with enough nuclear-strength trollishness that his flesh is starting to rot off his body like he tried to wear a cursed horcrux or something. There’s an entire network devoted to trolling, and it’s one that a significant portion of the population of the United States considers a reliable source for news.

Yes, this is a troll’s world, and we’re just living in it. But every so often a troll’s powers can be turned into a force for good. Bossip headlines are a fine example. Last Week Tonight’s “Eat Shit, Bob” is another. A drag queen roasts some homophobe and the world grows a little brighter. And today, November 16, we got another such instance, when professional trolls Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens decided to get performatively distressed by Harry Styles wearing selling the shit out of a dress on the cover of Vogue.

First, here’s the shocking development that’s so riled up Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, and other hate-fueled buttholes of the internet: A Vogue cover, a.k.a. an assault on contemporary masculinity.

Set aside the stupidity of these tepid takes—and boy howdy, are they ever stupid. The important thing here is not that two adult humans had nice little snit fits about a pop star wearing a dress on the cover of a magazine. The important thing is that the pop star in question is Harry Styles, and anyone with even a modicum of knowledge of how the internet and fandom intersect knows better than to willfully pick a fight with the Stylers.
https://news.avclub.com/grab-your-popcorn-ben-shapiro-and-candace-owens-just-p-1845691538




Let’s make one thing perfectly clear – Ben Shapiro is a professional troll. He gets paid to say stupid shit like this. But then again so do we. The only difference is our ridiculous claims are based in reality. Ben Shapiro on the other hand lives in conservative fantasy world. But then another professional troll – Candace Owens – also had to chime in on the subject. You might be asking yourself “don’t these people have anything better to do?” and I answer you “no they do not.”.

Owens only doubled down after she was criticized for the comment, backed by the likes of Ben Shapiro and a handful of others on social media. But in his interview, Styles told Vogue that a good outfit was armor enough against the barbs.

“I think if you get something that you feel amazing in, it’s like a superhero outfit,” he told Vogue. “Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with. What’s really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away. When you take away ‘There’s clothes for men and there’s clothes for women,’ once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play. I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing. It’s like anything—anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself. There’s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes. I’ve never really thought too much about what it means—it just becomes this extended part of creating something.”

Even if he doesn’t think much about what he wears, the star’s choices are significant. LGBTQ+ advocates applauded the fashion choice featured on one of the world’s largest platforms for fashion as a win for greater acceptance of gender fluidity. Still others pointed out that it took a cisgender, heterosexual white man to make this statement.

"Am I happy to see Harry be celebrated for openly flouting gendered fashion norms? Yes. Do trans femmes of color receive praise for doing the same thing every day? No," wrote author and activist Alok Menon on Instagram.
https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/diversity-inclusion/526180-candace-owens-might-not-like-seeing-harry-styles




Excuse me a minute… Now I’m not saying go as far as Bender here, but you know we are living in strange times indeed. So to put this in perspective, a normal person would look at this and think that Mr. Styles’ reasons for wearing a dress would seem perfectly normal and innocent. But not in conservative batshit land, where they think he’s a demon and sets men back 100 years! No the only people who set men back 100 years are well, men like Ben Shapiro!

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro mostly discusses politics, but sometimes he ventures out into entertainment. Most famously in recent days, he was taken aback by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP,” and a video of him reciting the song’s lyrics went viral. Now he has focused his attention on Harry Styles and his affinity for women’s clothing.

Styles and Candace Owens went viral today after Owens criticized Styles recent dress-filled Vogue photo shoot. Owens tweeted, “There is no society that can survive without strong men. The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men.” Shapiro showed support for Owens’ perspective, tweeting this morning, “This is perfectly obvious. Anyone who pretends that it is not a referendum on masculinity for men to don floofy dresses is treating you as a full-on idiot.”

Meanwhile, Owens has since expanded upon her original comments. Fellow conservative commentator Matt Walsh tweeted, “Candace Owens is trending because a bunch of whiney idiots are mad that she said men who wear dresses aren’t manly. Her statement, of course, is true and utterly self-evident, and would have provoked no reaction as recently as a decade ago.” Owens shared the tweet and responded, “Wait until they find out that I also think women should be feminine — and I enjoy cooking for and taking care of my husband. DEFCON 1.”
https://uproxx.com/pop/harry-styles-womens-clothes-ben-shapiro-candace-owens/




Well Harry is maybe not full drag queen yet like Billy Porter is. I mean come on I’m not knocking Billy Porter, that dude has style! I mean it takes a real man to wear a dress in public! But really Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens went too far. It’s not all doom and gloom though. At least people are stepping up to defend Harry Styles’ choice of clothing. So let’s leave it at least on a positive note, shall we? Because last I checked it’s still the shittiest year ever, 2020 and we do need good news once in a while!

Nobody's going to drag Harry Styles down.

Last week, the former One Direction singer made history by becoming the first man to appear solo on the cover of Vogue. In fact, the 26-year-old chose to wear a Gucci jacket layered over a dress for part of his photo shoot.

While many fans were quick to applaud the singer, others like New York Times best-selling author Candace Owens chose to put down the look.

"There is no society that can survive without strong men," Candace wrote on Twitter. "The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men."

While some Twitter users agreed with the sentiment, others quickly called Candace out. Olivia Wilde, who is directing Harry in the upcoming film Don't Worry Darling, replied writing, "You're pathetic" while Kathy Griffin warned her there's nobody stronger than Harry's fans. As the comedian explained, "Candy Owens doesn't know what she in for going up against the Harry Styles stans."
https://www.eonline.com/news/1209182/olivia-wilde-and-more-stars-defend-harry-styles-after-candace-owens-slams-vogue-dress





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[font size="8"]People Who Somehow Got Re-Elected
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Politicians at the state and local levels who are so toxic, you wonder how they’re able to get away with the things they get away with. This is:



This week’s person who somehow got re-elected is none other than our current Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell. Mitch Mitch Mitch. What are we going to do with you? In a world where the guy who lost the presidential elections won’t contest the results, he has enablers. One of those enablers is the current Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell. He has been a hard supporter of the Trump train and won’t accept the results. Trump is an abuser, and every abuser has their enabler. Trump has his enabler and that’s Mitch McConnell. How do we deal with an abuser and enabler even after the abuser has been kicked to the curb? It’s going to be difficult.

On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused in a speech to acknowledge that President-elect Joe Biden had won the election, echoing President Trump’s suggestion that voter fraud—which is so rare as to barely exist—delegitimized the former vice president’s victory.

“President Trump is 100 percent within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options,” McConnell said in a statement on the Senate floor. But so far, the “allegations of irregularities” lack any evidence. They are so off-base that even one Fox News host refused to air them.

Trump’s attempts at suing his way to victory are unlikely to work. Biden won both the popular vote and the Electoral College by large enough margins that even the alleged fraud is unlikely to make up the deficit. Still, McConnell is sticking by Trump’s side. His unblinking deference to Trump not only strokes the president’s ego—it allows for a scenario in which Trump could refuse to leave the White House even if he lost, potentially endangering the sanctity of the United States’ democratic process.

During the Watergate scandal, when a trio of Republicans—House Minority Leader John Rhodes, Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott, and Senator Barry Goldwater—told Richard Nixon that he was certain to be impeached, he resigned the next day. Today, conversely, a sizable portion of Republican leadership refuses to accept reality. And rather than packing his bags, Trump is out planning rallies.
https://www.motherjones.com/2020-elections/2020/11/mitch-mcconnell-wont-accept-that-biden-won-the-election/




So Trump has lost and Mitch McConnell won’t accept the election results. He’s one of the most powerful men in the country, we might add. Now you can boo. So if you can’t accept the election results, even though you lost by a huge margin, what do you do? Well you sue until you get your way. Think of it like the toddler who screams out of control at the department store until he gets his toy. And yes, Mitch is helping the toddler get his way!

In a short but extraordinary speech Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stood behind President Donald Trump, who is baselessly alleging widespread voter fraud after losing the presidential election to Joe Biden.

Trump continues to vow he will fight the election results in the courts, despite judges repeatedly tossing out his legal team’s claims on the evidence. On the Senate floor Monday afternoon, McConnell defended Trump’s right to question the election results and repeated talking points used by Trump’s team.

“In the United States of America, all legal ballots must be counted. Any illegal ballots must not be counted,” he said. “The process should be transparent or observable by all sides and the courts are here to work through concerns.”

There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, or that “illegal” votes swung the election for Biden. Trump’s team conceded in court that their observers are overseeing the ballot counts.

McConnell, the most powerful Republican in Congress, is well versed in crafting statements that do not anger President Trump. But in the midst of a contested election, his speech is a sign the Republican establishment may refuse to acknowledge the reality that Trump lost the election. McConnell even mocked news outlets for projecting that Biden was the winner after the numbers showed he had won the Electoral College, saying the Constitution gives the media no role in selecting the president.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paulmcleod/mitch-mcconnell-backs-trump-contest-election-results




Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are just like Bruce Banner – don’t make them angry, and when they do, they turn into giant monsters capable of doing enormous and untold damage. So how does Mitch McConnell keep winning time and time again despite that he polls negatively every single time? It is totally baffling to the mind. And Trump’s chief enabler is going to do some serious damage if we’re not careful.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is walking a fine line with his handling of President Trump’s refusal to concede the election.

The GOP leader is defending Trump’s right to challenge the vote counts in several key battleground states, arguing the courts are meant to handle disputed election results and that “wealthy media corporations” should not project the winner.

But McConnell is also keeping his distance from the president’s claims of voter fraud that his campaign has yet to back up with any hard evidence.

“What I’m going to do here in the Senate is concentrate on the business that we have left to do,” he told reporters Tuesday, adding he would “let the presidential election go through the various stages that it goes through under the Constitution.”

Asked if there were any signs of fraud in his own reelection race in Kentucky or any Senate races, McConnell responded: “I don’t know — at the risk of bragging, it wasn’t very close.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/525612-mcconnell-treads-cautiously-in-trumps-post-election-fight




Yes, they do suck all right! We’re venturing into uncharted territory if Trump will not concede the election and he has Mitch McConnell to back him. And let’s not forget that we have two senate runoff elections that could favor democrats and flip the senate toward President Biden’s favor. The election may be over, but we’re not done yet, and come January 20th, here’s what is on McConnell’s agenda if he remains the Senate Majority Leader.

Mitch McConnell doesn't think Donald Trump needs to concede the 2020 election -- even days after the race has been called for former Vice President Joe Biden.

"In the United States of America, all legal ballots must be counted. Any illegal ballots must not be counted. The process must be transparent or observable by all sides, and the courts are here to work through concerns," McConnell said on the Senate floor on Monday. "Our institutions are actually built for this. We have the system in place to consider concerns, and President Trump is 100% within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options."

Which is an interesting take -- especially given that McConnell is perhaps the biggest institutionalist in the Senate, a believer in the "way things are supposed to work" and mindful of the ways in which precedents are set, met and heeded.

So why is McConnell defending Trump's right to hold out on admitting defeat despite the total and complete lack of evidence of any sort of widespread voter fraud? Well, politics.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-conceding/index.html




So Mitch McConnell would waste time going after mail in voting despite that this was one of the most secure elections ever. That’s Mitch McConnell, yet another inexplicable candidate who is one of the:




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Hey everyone, I don’t know about you but I could really use a drink!



Of course you know by now that the idea is that there’s so much dark shit out there that we have a few drinks and discuss literally anything in the news as long as it doesn’t relate to politics. And hell I’m going to add a provision to this topic in that we also don’t talk about COVID-19. Because seriously it’s on the news 24 hours a day. This week we’re going to talk about celebrities and football teams. And I don’t mean American football. I’m talking European football. And how this got started is that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhanny of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia fame have teamed up to buy EFL teams on the cheap. So tell me virtual bartender, what goes well with a story about soccer? A cranberry grapefruit vodka? Well that is Deadpool’s favorite drink, but don’t call it a seabreeze! I’ll just stick to my usual Jack Daniels mixed with Jack Daniels. It’s all I’ve got in the studio right now. Anyway here’s more.

A new era of Hollywood glitz and glamour is coming to the fifth tier of the English football pyramid where Wrexham AFC -- the third-oldest professional soccer club in the world -- are now under the ownership of "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" creator Rob McElhenney.

As you're no doubt aware, the two actors this week completed their unlikely takeover at the Racecourse Ground after initially submitting their plans in September. The bid garnered backing from the 156-year-old Welsh club's supporters, which includes plans for an immediate cash injection of £2 million ($2.65m) on completion of the deal.

Wrexham sit 14th in the 23-team National League, the division in which they've played since their relegation from the Football League in 2008. However, Reynolds and McElhenney have vowed to reawaken what Reynolds has branded a "sleeping giant" with the goal of transforming the Red Dragons into a "global force" like never before.

As things stand, the venerable club's highest ever league finish was 15th in the old Second Division (now the Championship), which they achieved in 1978-79.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-the-toe-poke/story/4112007/ryan-reynolds-and-rob-mcelhenney-join-lebrondurantelton-john-and-will-ferrell-as-celebrity-football-owners




Ah, I needed that! And that is an unusually large glass of wine by the way! So A list celebrities are buying D list teams. It’s pretty much the reverse of that Will Ferrell basketball movie where a D list celebrity owned a D list team. And Ryan Reynolds isn’t the only one who’s buying football clubs. No sports can have audiences right now, so they are being bought on the cheap.

The gang has bought a soccer club.

You may have never heard of Wrexham AFC, but you might do soon.

Actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney moved a step closer to becoming investors in the Welsh soccer team -- one of the world's oldest professional soccer clubs and currently playing in English soccer's fifth tier -- after their takeover bid was overwhelmingly approved by the club's board.

The Wrexham Supporters Trust Board, which currently owns the club, voted in favor of the deal that would see the celebrity duo take complete ownership of the club.

The bid is still subject to final agreement and official confirmation from governing bodies, but the stars have said they already have lofty ambitions to turn Wrexham into a "global force."

Reynolds, known for appearing in blockbusters such as "Deadpool," and McElhenney, co-creator and star in US sitcom "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," first expressed their interest in a takeover back in September.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/16/football/ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-wrexham-takeover-approved-spt-intl/index.html




I can’t wait to see that episode – The Gang Buys A Soccer team! I can just imagine them purchasing a like Z grade club in the garbage part of Philadeliphia, and then Frank tries to become a coach and uses his own dirty tricks to win games. That would be hilarious! And of course Ryan Reynolds is a guy who knows advertising. So leave it to him to do something funny and self-deprecating!
As if 2020 wasn't weird enough, Ryan Reynolds and his actor pal, Rob McElhenney, have had their takeover bid for a football team in Wales approved and to mark the occasion they have produced an advert for a trailer company. Yes, really.

Reynolds and McElhenney, best known for his work in the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, registered their interest in the team, which plays in the National League, the fifth tier of English football, in September. The news came literally out of nowhere and caught many people completely unaware.

Was this another one of Reynolds' elaborate pranks or the plot of a new movie? The answer to both of those is no, as their interest was 100 per cent genuine and on Monday they confirmed that fans of the club had voted overwhelmingly in support of the proposed takeover bid. The club has been fan-owned since 2011 and 98 per cent of the Wrexham Supporter's Trust voted in favour of Reynolds and McElhenney's $2.5 million takeover, which is expected to bring in £2m worth of investment into the team.

Their big unveiling came on Monday afternoon when the pair put together an advert for Ifor Williams, a trailer company (the kind that you tow behind your car, not the movie kind) which is the current sponsor of the club.
https://www.indy100.com/article/ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-wrexham-football-9725380




Ah that’s good stuff! So if you don’t know the Wrexham AF football club, you soon will! And when we can get back to having audiences again, Mr. Reynolds and Mr. McElhanny will be there watching the games with you. Also just like being a Patreon subscriber you can get more perks the more you pay for tickets, and you’ll even be able to watch games with the guys themselves!

Vancouver native and Whitecaps FC supporter, Ryan Reynolds made global soccer news on Monday, becoming part-owner in Welsh side Wrexham Football Club, which plays in the fifth tier of English soccer.

Reynolds joined forces with fellow actor Rob McElhenney, who take over the club with the blessing of the Wrexham Supporters Trust. An overwhelming 98 percent of the supporters voted in favor of the takeover by the Hollywood duo.

Vancouver native and Whitecaps FC supporter, Ryan Reynolds made global soccer news on Monday, becoming part-owner in Welsh side Wrexham Football Club, which plays in the fifth tier of English soccer.

Reynolds joined forces with fellow actor Rob McElhenney, who take over the club with the blessing of the Wrexham Supporters Trust. An overwhelming 98 percent of the supporters voted in favor of the takeover by the Hollywood duo.

“We want to be great ambassadors for the club, to introduce the club to the world and be a global force,” Reynolds reportedly told Wrexham supporters at a November 8 meeting.

Reynolds and McElhenney have already announced plans for a behind-the-scenes documentary. Formed in 1864, Wrexham are the oldest club in Wales and the third oldest club in the world.

Reynolds has never been shy about sharing his love for soccer, including for his hometown Whitecaps. He said that his "heart belongs to the Vancouver Whitecaps" in a 2018 Facebook post on the heels of a promotional visit to the Santiago Bernabeu:
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/11/16/vancouver-whitecaps-supporter-ryan-reynolds-becomes-owner-wrexham-football-club





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Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the 2020 election to end all elections in… *cue reverb* ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!! Ooh that was some good reverb there! So this week there’s some shenanigans happening. Yes, Biden finally settled the election with a whopping 306 electoral votes and kicked Trump’s fat ass to the curb. But Trump isn’t willing to go quietly! It’s going completely insane and about as well as you’d expect. But you know what? We’ve already covered that for the beginning of this edition and now we’re going to talk about what we should be talking about – President Biden’s transition team. So who is going to be on the team?

President-elect Joe Biden is building out the staff that will surround him in the White House, announcing Tuesday that he is tapping two long-time advisers for top roles and naming several other veterans of his presidential campaign to senior positions.

Among Tuesday's announced hires: Mike Donilon, the chief strategist for Biden's campaign who played a leading role in crafting his speeches and advertising as he framed the 2020 race as a "battle for the soul of the nation," will be a senior adviser to the president. And Steve Ricchetti, the Biden campaign chairman and a veteran of the Barack Obama and Bill Clinton White Houses, will be a counselor to the president.
The announcements come days after Biden tapped veteran Democratic operative Ron Klain as his chief of staff, and show that Biden is first filling out the staff that will surround him in the White House before moving on to Cabinet announcements.

News of at least two of the appointments had already broken Monday: Jen O'Malley Dillon, the campaign manager who took over after Biden limped through the Democratic primary and turned his campaign into the biggest fundraising juggernaut in history, is Biden's deputy chief of staff.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/17/politics/biden-white-house-senior-staff/index.html




So unlike Trump, Biden isn’t packing his administration with partisan and divisive hacks. He’s actually packing the posts with qualified people! Which is what should be done! Though just like the election, there are shenanigans. Which is why Trump needs to be kicked to the curb. Because we need to get through COVID and through this administration. But we can’t do either as long as shit like this is being pulled!

The top General Services Administration official who's blocking President-elect Joe Biden's transition team from accessing government resources ahead of his inauguration appears to be looking for a new job, according to a message obtained by ABC News.

Emily Murphy, head of the GSA, recently sent that message to an associate inquiring about employment opportunities in 2021, a move that some in Washington interpreted as at least tacitly acknowledging that the current administration soon will be gone.

Murphy has the power to decide -- or "ascertain" -- when election results are evident enough to trigger a transition of power, allowing the winning team access to career staff at federal agencies and internal government information including national security matters and plans for administering a COVID-19 vaccine.

Donald Trump appointed Murphy in 2017, and she's so far refused to certify Biden as the election's winner as Trump attempts to overturn the election result in court.

A White House spokesperson referred ABC News to the GSA when reached for comment.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gsa-official-blocking-bidens-transition-privately-plans-post/story?id=74234794




Ha we’ve already had one Apprentice host, last thing we need is another one. So looking for a new job is probably the right move. And while the Trump administration has declared war on “Big Tech”, Biden’s team is actually embracing it. Because unlike Trump trolls, we can say stuff online that doesn’t get immediately flagged! And yes the next time we’ll go into them grilling Mark Zuckerberg (again) about censorship. So here’s what to expect from that!

When it comes to Silicon Valley, Joe Biden is something of a blank slate. And for Silicon Valley, that means Joe Biden is something of an opportunity.

So Big Tech reformers and Big Tech allies are gearing up for a spirited fight in the coming months over the types of people who will staff the Biden administration. Those personnel decisions will offer some of the first revelations into how exactly the president-elect will regulate the tech industry and its titans, a high-stakes question about the American economy that he mostly avoided answering during his campaign.

That ambiguity is making the transition period all the more important, a dozen people with ties to the Biden team tell Recode. Reformers want to make sure they at least have a seat at the table and that they aren’t boxed out by well-paid industry interests. Forces aligned with the industry, meanwhile, want to make sure that a Biden administration isn’t too captive to the online left, even though they know it won’t resemble the halcyon days of Barack Obama.

Back then, Silicon Valley was a celebrated part of America’s innovation economy. Since Obama left office, though, the tech industry has become radioactive to parts of both the left and the right, part of a “techlash” that has culminated in calls to break up Big Tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. Tech critics worry that these companies and their leaders have amassed too much control over Americans’ lives when it comes to privacy, the economy, and politics. Now Obama’s former No. 2 will have to answer these important questions on dicier terrain: Will he pursue this breakup? Will he inflame the tensions or cool them? Will he side more with the reformers or the industry?
https://www.vox.com/21561878/joe-biden-transition-silicon-valley-personnel-eric-schmidt




The other thing that makes Biden’s transition team worth noting is that unlike Trump – whose transition team and cabinet was mostly white, Biden’s is far more diverse. In fact he’s embracing diversity while Trump thinks of diversity as being a very old wooden ship from the Civil War era. And that’s precisely why Biden won and Trump lost – people are rejecting his ideas of hate and racial supremacy.

As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office in January, nearly half of the transition team laying the groundwork for his administration is made up of people of color, and women are in the majority.

Forty-six percent of the transition staff are people of color, according to new diversity data of the transition team provided to CNN, and 41% of the senior staff are people of color. The majority of transition staff -- 52% -- are women, and 53% of the senior staff are women.

The new diversity figures come as Biden is set to announce his Cabinet picks and senior staff for the White House in the coming weeks -- one of the first tests of his campaign pledge to build an administration that will "look like America."

Biden's first major step toward diversity in his administration came when he selected Kamala Harris, a Black and South Asian woman, as his vice president. In his first staffing announcement, Biden chose a White man and longtime adviser -- Ron Klain -- as his chief of staff for the White House.
https://www.kmov.com/news/people-of-color-make-up-nearly-half-of-biden-transition-team/article_84bb56e1-19ed-531c-9014-40e5c62a57d6.html






Programming note: We are off next week for Thanksgiving. We will be running a viewer mail bag Best Of. We will be back in two weeks and beginning our sendoff to this nightmare year that was 2020! And when we come back on 12/2, we will announce the winner of the Trumper Games!

See you in two weeks!

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About Top 10 Idiots

This is the official DU account for the new format Top 10 Conservative Idiots separate from the host account Initech. The new format Top 10 will launch June 13th, 2018 and all posts related to the Top 10 (promos, etc) will be posted from this account only. The Top 10 is posted once a week on Thursdays at 2:00 PM. There is a full archive of all past, present and future Top 10 editions that can be found here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218599098\ Announcements for our current season schedule are posted in our Best Of editions that appear at the end of each season. Updates are posted regularly on the official Top 10 Mastodon account and the official Holy Shit Mastodon account. The Mastodon accounts are used to announce what's going to be in next week's edition, new content, advertising our segments, and so on. This account will post official Top 10 editions, and any related content including our spinoff series: Holy Shit The Sunday Sermons. If you wish to contact the Top 10 you may do so here: E-mail (all questions, concerns, suggestions, and hate mail welcome): Top10ConIdiots@gmail.com Follow the Top 10 on Mastodon: Top10ConIdiots@mstdn.party Follow The Holy Church Of The Top 10 on Mastodon: ChurchOfTop10@mstdn.party **This account will ONLY be used to post official Idiots editions, promos, and things related to the Top 10. No other posts will come from this account** Top 10 Wiki: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211322508
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