Tracker

I hear you and fear for friends and family there.

Studies consistently show that the higher the education level, the more likely the individual is to vote progressive, so not wonder Pallister, Kenney et al hate education. As Trump said," I love uneducated people".

The right wing in Britain, the US and Canada have made a handsome living stoking the culture of perpetual victimhood.

Judge Denies Request to Release Footage of Cops Killing Andrew Brown Jr. Because It Wouldn't Be Fair to Cops Who Killed Andrew Brown Jr. (No, Seriously) A North Carolina judge has ruled that publicly owned footage of public employees killing a member of the public cannot be released to the public, citing stuff and things. Meanwhile, the district attorney fought the request from a coalition of media outlets by showing exactly why it should be released. On Wednesday, North Carolina Superior Court Judge Jeffery B. Foster (you might want to remember that name for a few minutes) denied a media lawsuit demanding the release of body camera footage showing Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Department deputies shooting and killing 46-year-old Andrew Brown Jr. in Elizabeth City, N.C., on April 21. Judge Foster did, however, grant a petition allowing Brown’s family and one member of his legal team to privately view the videos of what family attorneys previously described as an “execution.” During the hearing, District Attorney Andrew Womble disputed that claim with a claim of his own—namely that Brown’s car made contact with the deputies at the scene. Although the sheriff’s office and members of the Brown family’s legal team both told The Root that no law enforcement officers were injured when they riddled Brown’s body with bullets from high-powered weapons as he sat with his hands on the steering wheel, there’s probably no way to clear this up. Although attorney Chantel Cherry-Lassiter said she didn’t see it happen in the 20-second clip of the incident that she was allowed to watch, Womble insists that Brown’s car moved forward and backward before a cop stopped Brown with a “kill shot” to the back of the head. If only there was some kind of definitive, objective way the two parties could clear up this disagreement. Anyway... Judge Won't Release Video of Cops Killing Andrew Brown Jr. (theroot.com)

In Memoriam: Everyone has heard of Karl Marx. But no one remembers his sister, Onya, who invented the starting pistol.

A former Georgia deputy boasted of charging Black people with felonies to make sure they lost their vote In recent months, as less and less white people support voter suppression and more and more people of color organize around gaining political power, our country has once again reached an inflection point. Republican operatives across the country, long pushing for voter suppression laws that target Black and Latino communities, have decided to be even more overt in their attempts at returning to a pre-Brown v. Board of Education, segregated America, where law enforcement can stop citizens from voting based on their skin color or perceived non-whiteness. The feeble excuse from conservative lawmakers and their handlers is that there is massive voter fraud taking place by Jews and Blacks Democratic demons. Of course, the great con here is that the people pretending that Democrats participate in massive voter fraud are usually the only ones guilty of actual elections fraud. On Wednesday, a 28-year-old former Georgia sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty to possessing "unregistered firearms resulting from an FBI-led investigation into a violent extremist group," according to the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia Peter D. Leary. Cody Richard Griggers, an ex-Wilkinson County deputy, was fired in November after the FBI contacted his sheriff about an investigation the agency was conducting on Griggers. U.S. Attorney Leary released a statement saying "Griggers clearly violated his oath with his egregious actions and has no place in law enforcement." But what Griggers did wasn't simply "possess a cache of unregistered weapons, silencers, and a machinegun, keeping many of them in his duty vehicle." An investigation of Griggers by the FBI revealed ties to a group of racist pricks calling themselves "Shadow Moses" or "Shadmo." Griggers' texts and the claims he made in this group, from his position of power in law enforcement at the time, is the real—and frightening—story. Griggers, a former Marine, is facing up to 10 years in prison for having 11 illegal firearms. But it is the nature of his violent, racist, and antisemitic texts that initially prompted his removal from the police force. According to the Belleville News-Democrat, some of the text threads include Griggers boasting, "I beat the (expletive) out of a (racial slur) Saturday. (Expletive) tried to steal (a gun magazine) from the local gun store. ... Sheriff's dept. said it looked like he fell." According to Wilkinson Sheriff Richard Chatman, who is Black, he had Griggers removed from duty when he was contacted with this information by the FBI. According to Sheriff Chatman, after investigating this claim he believes that Griggers was lying to the group in the text thread, as he could not find any evidence that this had happened. "We don't even have a gun shop here," he said. And while that is the single silver lining here, Griggers' others statements reveal the true threats posed by white supremacists and our racism-infected law enforcement system. According to the News-Democrat, the affidavit highlighted Griggers' claims to the text thread group that he planned on violating the civil rights and liberties of Georgia's Black citizens, saying that he was planning on just arresting Black folks to trump up charges. "Also I'm going to charge them with whatever felonies I can to take away their ability to vote," he claimed. A former Georgia deputy boasted of charging Black people with felonies to make sure they lost their vote - Alternet.org

Devin Nunes is caught up in Giuliani’s 'Russian mob' scandal: Trump impeachment prosecutor Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has exposure in Rudy Giulian's legal scandal, according to former prosecutor Daniel Goldman, who served as majority counsel in Donald Trump's first impeachment trial. Goldman offered his analysis after The New York Times reported that FBI agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Giuliani ally Victoria Toensing. "This makes sense because, during the Ukraine impeachment investigation, we obtained draft retainer agreements between a Ukrainian official and Toensing and diGenova that Giuliani brokered," Goldman tweeted. Podcast host Eric Garland noticed Goldman's analysis and added his summary of the situation. "UM. SO GIULIANI AND TOENSING AND DIGENOVA WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY UNREGISTERED AGENTS OF UKRAINE *WHILE ON THE PAYROLL OF RUSSIAN MOB BOSS DMITRO FIRTASH* - while working for Trump. When he was President. And they all were conspiring with Russian intelligence," he wrote. "Correct," Goldman said. "And don't forget Devin Nunes and his sidekick Derek Harvey were involved too," he added. Devin Nunes is caught up in Giuliani’s 'Russian mob' scandal: Trump impeachment prosecutor - Alternet.org

I am somewhat surprised that Trump didn't choose Quaid as a running mate.

Trump has been identified as a malignant narcissist and he certainly presents as such. He is all about gathering sycophants, seeing self in grandiose terms and punishing anyone/everyone who does not worship and obey him.

Hurt people hurt people. There are four non-negotiable steps to change and healing: awareness, closure, modeling of new behaviours and integration.

He should be more interested in his aged mom's empty kitchen cabinets.

We are probably going to see a steady stream of these sorts of things over the coming months as those who survived in the Department of Justice despite having a conscience and commitment to justice start opening up their notebooks and following up on all the crap that has been going on during the Reign of Error. Rudy did not complete his mission to overturn the election and exonerate Trump, and billed the hell out of Trump as well (will probably never get paid), so the lack of pardon on Trump's part is cold revenge.

On CBC radio news today, it was reported by Manitoba Health officials that in the Winkler-Morden and Hanover communities, the vaccinations rate is only 20% by the choice of the residents. They were trying very hard to be diplomatic about why but it seems that there is certain group of religious followers who are refusing. There are other, smaller pockets as well in northern Manitoba.

To infinity and beyond...

Feds Search Rudy Giuliani’s Manhattan Apartment, Seize Electronic Devices NEW YORK (AP) — Federal investigators executed search warrants Wednesday morning at the Manhattan home and office of Rudy Giuliani, former President Donald Trump’s attorney, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The former New York City mayor has been under investigation for several years over his business dealings in Ukraine. Details of the searches were not immediately available, but it comes as the Justice Department continues its investigation into the former New York City mayor and staunch Trump ally. Investigators executed warrants at Giuliani’s home on Madison Avenue and his office on Park Avenue and seized electronic devices, a person familiar with the investigation told the AP. The officials could not discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. News of the search was first reported by The New York Times. The federal probe into Giuliani’s overseas and business dealings stalled last year because of a dispute over investigative tactics as Trump unsuccessfully sought reelection, and amid Giuliani’s prominent role in subsequently disputing the results of the contest on Trump’s behalf. The full scope of the investigation is unclear, but it at least partly involves the Ukraine dealings, law enforcement officials have told the AP. Feds Search Rudy Giuliani's Manhattan Apartment, Seize Electronic Devices | HuffPost

Louisiana GOP lawmaker schooled on House floor after insisting students should learn about the 'good' of slavery A Louisiana state representative was quickly corrected after he suggested schools teach about the "good of slavery." Subsequently, he also became a laughing stock on the House floor. On Tuesday, April 27, Rep. Ray Garofalo (R-La.) spoke out in support of the proposed education bill he sponsored. In reference to including the history of slavery in Louisiana schools curriculum, Garofalo said, "If you're having a discussion on, whatever the case may be, on slavery, then you can talk about everything dealing with slavery, the good the bad the ugly." However, one of his Republican colleagues quickly set the record straight. Rep. Stephanie Hilferty (R-La.) made it clear that "There's no good to slavery though." A clip of their exchange was shared by the Louisiana Democratic Party via Twitter. With the video, the political party tweeted, "The low point of session undoubtedly came today when Rep. Ray Garofalo said Louisiana schools need to teach the good of slavery." Louisiana GOP lawmaker schooled on House floor after insisting students should learn about the 'good' of slavery - Alternet.org NY Post Reporter Resigns, Says She Was ‘Ordered’ To Write False Kamala Harris Story A New York Post reporter said Tuesday she had resigned after being ordered to write a false story that claimed migrant children were being given copies of a book authored by Vice President Kamala Harris in “welcome kits.” The story, published last Friday, set off a days-long misinformation cycle among Republican leaders and on conservative media. The Washington Post debunked the claims Tuesday, demonstrating that the article appeared to be based entirely on one image of a single copy of Harris’ 2019 children’s book that was propped on a bed at a Long Beach, California shelter. NY Post Reporter Resigns, Says She Was 'Ordered' To Write False Kamala Harris Story | HuffPost

A couple of weeks ago in the US, a guy in Home Depot was told to put a mask on or leave and he hit the security guard in the head with a hammer. So, shooting people is just one small step further.

There's a lot of information out there and some of it is misinformation. Hard to tell them apart sometimes.

Garage sales. Kijiji. Facebook marketplace. Failing that, perhaps a hunger strike on your part will sway Disney.

MAGA donor's private school says it is now 'policy not to employ' vaccinated teachers The founder of the first "happiness school" in America is a Miami-based anti-vaxxer who has just announced she is banning any teacher who has been vaccinated from being in contact with students – to "protect" the students. Teachers are required to notify the school, Centner Academy, in writing of their vaccination status and are urged to wait until summer to get their vaccine if they have not yet been inoculated against the coronavirus. Leila Centner, who co-founded Centner Academy with her husband, David Centner, "with a very heavy heart" notified faculty in a letter, saying "we cannot allow recently vaccinated people to be near our students until more information is known," The New York Times reports. "Teachers who get the vaccine over the summer will not be allowed to return", the letter said," until clinical trials on the vaccine are completed, and then only 'if a position is still available at that time' — effectively making teachers' employment contingent on avoiding the vaccine." But CBS Miami (video below) reports that letter also reads in part: "It is our policy, to the extent possible, not to employ anyone who has taken the experimental COVID-19 injection until further information is known." Centner told faculty they are required to fill out a confidential form disclosing their vaccination status, and "acknowledge the School will take legal measures needed to protect the students if it is determined that I have not answered these questions accurately," according to the Times.

Life will go on.