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Monday, July 06, 2020

Why Nerds are Unpopular

When we were in junior high school, my friend Rich and I made a map of the school lunch tables according to popularity. This was easy to do, because kids only ate lunch with others of about the same popularity. We graded them from A to E. A tables were full of football players and cheerleaders and so on. E tables contained the kids with mild cases of Down's Syndrome, what in the language of the time we called "retards."

We sat at a D table, as low as you could get without looking physically different. We were not being especially candid to grade ourselves as D. It would have taken a deliberate lie to say otherwise. Everyone in the school knew exactly how popular everyone else was, including us.

My stock gradually rose during high school. Puberty finally arrived; I became a decent soccer player; I started a scandalous underground newspaper. So I've seen a good part of the popularity landscape.

I know a lot of people who were nerds in school, and they all tell the same story: there is a strong correlation between being smart and being a nerd, and an even stronger inverse correlation between being a nerd and being popular. Being smart seems tomake you unpopular.

Why? To someone in school now, that may seem an odd question to ask. The mere fact is so overwhelming that it may seem strange to imagine that it could be any other way. But it could. Being smart doesn't make you an outcast in elementary school. Nor does it harm you in the real world. Nor, as far as I can tell, is the problem so bad in most other countries. But in a typical American secondary school, being smart is likely to make your life difficult. Why?

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Governor Hogan Statement on Events in Baltimore City

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today issued the following statement on events in Baltimore City:

"While we welcome peaceful protests and constructive dialogue on whether and how to put certain monuments in context or move them to museums or storage through a legal process, lawlessness, vandalism, and destruction of public property are completely unacceptable. That is the antithesis of democracy and should be condemned by everyone, regardless of their politics. Baltimore City leaders need to regain control of their own streets and immediately start making them safer."

LOL


"We're In Your House. Let's Go." - Black Armed Protesters Challenge White Militia At Confederate Monument

Update (12:40ET): Listen to Not F**king Around Coalition's (NFAC) leader Grand Master Jay describing his group's overall mission:

NFAC's leader Grand Master Jay describing how he will build his black ethnostate inside the United States.
boasting they are all ex-military extremely disciplined & experts shooters..gonna end really bad for these guys.. pic.twitter.com/FKPCT8pRRC— Veritas News Feed (@veritasnewsfeed) July 5, 2020

The group, known as Not F**king Around Coalition (NFAC), marched through Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta on Independence Day, calling out white militias, along with protesting one of the largest Confederate monuments in the country, reported Reuters.

Hundreds of heavily armed NFAC members, predominantly African Americans, were seen dressed in black combat gear with military-style rifles - quietly marched up a road in the park in two columns.

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Portland police declare ‘riot’ again – as city sees 38th straight day of unrest

Rioters burned American flags “while shouting BLM and antifa slogans,” a local journalist says

Police in Portland, Ore., declared a riot around 11 p.m. local time Saturday as Independence Day marked the 38th consecutive day of civil unrest in the city.

Later, around 1 a.m. Sunday local time, a large crowd was seen marching near the the Multnomah County Justice Center, the federal courthouse where rioters and protesters frequently gather.

Other videos showed graffiti painted on downtown buildings and showed a fire burning as a crowd gathered.

Journalist Andy Ngo, writing on Twitter, claimed the rioters were burning American flags “while shouting BLM and antifa slogans.”

Rioters had been ordered to leave the downtown area ias police moved in against the crowd, OregonLive.com reported.

About 10:30 p.m. local time, police ordered the crowd to stop directing fireworks toward the justice center.

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Texas Supremes: Father trumps mom's boyfriend in custody fight

Decision called victory for parental rights

A ruling from the Texas Supreme Court has granted a man custody rights to his young daughter after the mother, from whom he had separated, died in a car accident.

The ruling was praised by the Texas Home School Coalition as a victory for parental rights.

The issue was that the mother had been living with another man, and he had demanded in court essentially the same rights as the father.

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What's inside Mount Rushmore?

New York City violence: 8 killed during Fourth of July weekend

The violence overnight also saw at least four NYPD officers involved in attacks that left two with minor injuries

At least eight people were killed and more than 44 people were shot as New York Citysaw its surge in violence continue throughout the Fourth of July weekend, according to multiple reports.

As fireworks subsided, there were a reported 21 shootings that left at least 37 people injured and three people killed during a nine-hour span between midnight through 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison. Later on Sunday night -- in a span of three hours -- at least seven people were shot, including five fatally.

"The NYPD and the community need to work together as a team to help curb the violence," Harrison tweeted on Sunday. "As shootings throughout NYC continue to rise, news articles like these are becoming a daily occurrence."

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Migrant Who Killed Italian for Being ‘White’ and ‘Happy’ Gets 30 Years in Prison

Moroccan-born Said Mechaout has been sentenced to a maximum 30 years behind bars over a year after he murdered Italian man Stefano Leo in Turin because he was “white” and “happy”.

The murder took place on February 23rd on the banks of the river Po in Turin but it wasn’t until around a month later that 27-year-old Mechaout, a naturalised Italian citizen born in Morocco, confessed to the killing.

Italian prosecutors Ciro Santoriello and Enzo Bucarelli both pushed for the maximum sentence of 30 years in the case after remarking that Mechaout showed little to no remorse following the murder.

Mariagrazia Chiri, the mother of Stefano Leo, was also present at the sentencing and commented “We have always been confident. And the sentence gives us that reason. Justice has run its course,” Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reports.

Basilio Foti, the lawyer for Mechaout, said that he expected the sentenced to be reduced on appeal, however, noting that Mechaout came forward himself and confessed to the crime.

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Virginia Officials Order American Flag Removed from Construction Site

An American flag was removed from a construction site in Richmond, Virginia, on Friday after officials claimed it was a potential target for protesters.

“Over the past month we’ve seen buildings and structures around Capitol Square vandalized and flags, dumpsters, a bus and other items set ablaze during demonstrations around the city,” spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of General Services Dena Potter said in an email, according to the Hill.

“When we saw the flag, we were concerned that it could become a target, so we told the contractor to remove it,” she continued.

However, the decision reportedly angered a subcontractor whose fireproofing company made the approximately one-story tall flag out of tarps, according to NBC 12.

In a Facebook post Thursday, Eric Winston of American Coatings Corp. shared a picture of the flag and said, “the straw just broke the camels back!”:

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Newt Gingrich: Joe Biden’s 4th of July Video ‘Most Anti-American’ Speech by Presidential Candidate — Ever

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich panned former Vice President Joe Biden’s short speech on the Fourth of July, saying it “may be the most anti-American speech ever given by an American presidential candidate.”

Biden delivered a short video address on Twitter from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, in which he told Americans that the November election offered “a chance to rip the roots of systemic racism out of this country,” implying the country itself was racist by design.

.@JoeBiden's July 4th message mentions slavery, the Civil War, systemic racism: "This Independence Day, let’s not just celebrate the words. Let’s celebrate that promise and commit to work — the work we must do to fulfill that promise." @cbsnewspic.twitter.com/zAQVw8Unxn

— Bo Erickson CBS (@BoKnowsNews) July 4, 2020

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Western Supermarkets Drop Coconut Goods Picked By Slave Monkeys

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia investigators found Thailand's major coconut milk producers are forcing monkeys to pick coconuts as slave laborers. After the report emerged, major Western supermarket chains have removed coconut water and oil from their store shelves that are connected with these farms.

Eight farms were noted in the report. Two in focus are Aroy-D, and Chaokoh, which have dozens of monkeys picking upwards of 1,000 coconuts each, per day. It was found these two farms supply coconut products to Giant Food, Food Lion, Stop & Shop, and Hannaford in the U.S.

PETA said Walgreens Boots Alliance had dropped products from Aroy-D and Chaokoh:

After hearing from PETA, Walgreens Boots Alliance has pledged to not stock Aroy-D or Chaokoh, and not knowingly sell any own-brand coconut food and drink products of Thai origin in their 9,277 Walgreens and 250 Duane Reade stores in the U.S. and 2,758 Boots stores in the U.K. and Thailand, and Morrisons has suspended its supply of Chaokoh products pending an investigation and Ocado, Waitrose, and Co-op have committed to never knowingly stocking any products from suppliers that use monkey labour. - PETA said on its website

Following PETA's report, 15,000 stores worldwide have abandoned products from Thailand's major coconut milk producers the employ monkeys.

PETA released disturbing images of the coconut picking monkeys:

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Never Trump Republicans Plot to Give Democrats the Senate Majority

Never Trump super PAC the Lincoln Project and other anti-Trump Republicans continue to plot to not only take down President Donald Trump, but also the Senate Republican majority, according to a report released on Saturday.

Never Trump Republicans believe that preventing a second term for Trump is insufficient, and that Senate Republicans must also pay the price of backing the 45th president.

Steve Schmidt, who works for the Never Trump Lincoln Project, said, “The analogy would be in the same way that fire purifies the forest, it needs to be burned to the ground and fundamentally repudiated. Every one of them should be voted out of office, with the exception of Mitt Romney.”

To wage their war on the Republican Party, the Lincoln Project announced six-figure ad buys against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Martha McSally (R-AZ). The latter three senators face competitive Senate races this November.

Breitbart News reported in June that the Lincoln Project endorsed Montana Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock’s bid to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT).

“Bullock represents the best of America’s ideals,” John Weaver, one of the Lincoln Group’s cofounders, said. “He cares about his constituents and works every day to make sure their lives are better. The Lincoln Project is proud to support Steve Bullock and usher in a new era of decent, fair, and honest leadership.”

Jennifer Horn, a former New Hampshire GOP chairwoman who advises the Lincoln Project, said that Senate Republicans had the “authority and the ability” challenge Trump, but chose not to.

“The only way to make sure that Trumpism doesn’t continue to rule the Republican Party for years to come is to make sure that we defeat not only the president, but those people who have enabled him,” she added.

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Did Maxwell 'Kill Herself' By Getting Arrested?

Ghislaine Maxwell was caught in New Hampshire. Jeffrey Epstein’s partner-in-crime is now in U.S. custody in the darkest of all places, the Southern District of New York (SDNY).

The first thing on everyone’s mind should be, “Which faction actually has her and how long will she survive?”

I can’t answer those questions but it doesn’t hurt to run out a few scenarios, all of which, at this point, are pure speculation. When Epstein was arrested the same questions hung in the air.

Was this the Deep State getting a hold of him to shut him up? Was this Donald Trump trying to tie up a ‘loose end?’ Or was Trump and new Attorney General William Barr putting operational tempo on their opponents forcing Epstein into a potentially explosive situation?

The raid on Epstein’s home was conducted under the auspice of an indictment filed in the SDNY, a place “where the worst crimes in the world…go unpunished,” as I noted recently in a piece about Trump and Barr going after U.S. Attorney there Geoffrey Berman.

Trump and Barr took another shot at getting someone less controlled by the Deep State in charge of the SDNY and it looks like, for now, that they missed the mark.

With Berman gone, but in such a way as to allow his hand-picked assistant, Audrey Strauss, to take over, rather than anyone picked by Barr and Trump, this arrest seems way out of place.

Now, Strauss, a woman who prosecuted legendary mobster and one of Trump’s mentors, Roy Cohn, has to be considered suspect. Because the furor over Berman’s removal died down immediately after she was put in place.

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Fourth of July weekend marked by violence as girl, 7, among dead in Chicago, cities see deadly shootings

New York City, Memphis, Philadelphia, Baltimore all saw shootings this weekend

The Fourth of July holiday weekend across the U.S. was marred by violence as more than 14 were killed and dozens were injured in shootings, including at a nightclub inSouth Carolina.

In Chicago, a city known for its bloody gun violence, more than 67 people were shot over the holiday weekend and at least 13 were killed, including a 7-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy.

President Trump reacted to shootings in two big cities in a tweet Sunday evening. “Chicago and New York City crime numbers are way up. 67 people shot in Chicago, 13 killed. Shootings up significantly in NYC where people are demanding that@NYGovCuomo & @NYCMayor act now. Federal Government ready, willing and able to help, if asked!”

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Reckless 'celebratory gunfire' kills 74-year-old in North Carolina: police

Durham police were called around 11 p.m. to a home for a report of a gunshot wound

An investigation was underway into the Fourth of July shooting death of a 74-year-oldNorth Carolina woman who police say was the innocent victim of reckless “celebratory gunfire.”

Durham police were called around 11 p.m. to a house address for a report of a gunshot wound, according to reports.

The victim, Paulette Thorpe, was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, police said.

“Last night as people throughout Durham peacefully celebrated the July Fourth holiday with their friends and family, a small few chose to put our community at risk by carelessly firing guns into the air,” Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said.

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https://www.foxnews.com/us/reckless-celebratory-gunfire-kills-74-year-old-in-north-carolina-police

Colin Kaepernick bashes America on July 4th — but had completely different message when Obama was president

'We reject your celebration of white supremacy'

Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback turned activist, denounced America on Independence Day this year — but he had a completely different message when Barack Obama was president.

In his Fourth of July message, Kaepernick claimed the national holiday, marking America's independence from Great Britain, is a "celebration of white supremacy."

"Black ppl have been dehumanized, brutalized, criminalized + terrorized by America for centuries, & are expected to join your commemoration of 'independence', while you enslaved our ancestors. We reject your celebration of white supremacy & look forward to liberation for all," Kaepernick said.

Black ppl have been dehumanized, brutalized, criminalized + terrorized by America for centuries, & are expected to… https://t.co/A1gWniFcxm— Colin Kaepernick (@Colin Kaepernick)1593882896.0

Kaepernick has turned up the volume on his anti-America rhetoric in recent years, especially in the wake of his departure from the NFL.

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67 Shot, 13 Fatally, Over Fourth of July Weekend In Chicago: Police

Nine of the weekend’s victims were minors, and two children died, officials told Fox32. That includes 14-year-old boy who was among four people who were killed in the South Side neighborhood Englewood on Saturday evening.

The victims were at a large gathering on the street at around 11:35 p.m. on South Carpenter Street. Four males then approached the group and began shooting, police said, adding that the 14-year-old boy was shot in the back before he was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The three other males, who were not identified, were pronounced dead at the scene and at the University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.

In the same incident, an 11-year-old boy suffered a bullet graze wound, and a 15-year-old boy was shot in the abdomen. They were taken to the Comer hospital, and both are currently in fair condition, authorities said.

Officials said a 7-year-old girl was shot in the head while standing on the sidewalk at her grandmother’s house during a Fourth of July celebration at 7 p.m. in Austin on the West Side, according to The Associated Press.

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VIDEO: Hundreds Return to Protest Outside Armed Couple’s Home in St. Louis

Hundreds of protesters returned Friday to the home of the couple who confronted demonstrators with firearms on June 28 in St. Louis, Missouri.

“Protesters marched along the busy public boulevard called Kingshighway, which intersects with Portland Place, a private street that is the site of the Renaissance palazzo-style home of Mark McCloskey, 61, and his 63-year-old wife, Patricia,” according to Yahoo! News.

Protesters march past the Portland Place neighborhood in the Central West End. #protests2020 #CWE #marchtothemayorshouse#proteststl #BlackLivesMatter #portlandplace #McCloskeyspic.twitter.com/qkkrVEfb1E

— Jennifer Sarti (@JenniferSarti10) July 4, 2020

The article continued:

The Hooter's Signs Came Down Today In West Ocean City


Out with the old, in with the new. The new owners of this location removed the signs on the building and are getting things ready for the next venture. 

Charles Hurt: Biden Would Prefer You Obey the Law, But You Know, Whatever

What kinds of political vultures sit around bobbing their nasty little heads in search of rotten carrion after a human catastrophe?

Well, Democrats, of course! (Joe Biden is the first vulture in history to get hair implants on his pale, beady little head. Which only makes him look even more unfit for civilized company.)

Emerging from the worst economic collapse in U.S. history, the country last month posted the largest job expansion in U.S. history. But that was nothing according to Mr. Biden, who, along with President Barack Obama, presided over the slowest economic recovery in U.S. history.

“There’s no victory to be celebrated,” complained Mr. Biden.

“We are still down nearly 15 million jobs and the pandemic is getting worse, not better,” he said in a scripted, recorded video released by his campaign.

Again, this from the guy who oversaw the slowest recovery in U.S. history talking about the fastest recovery.

You start to see a pattern emerging here?

In this titanic struggle between humans and the Wuhan Virus, these people are rooting for the pandemic. Anything for their own personal, political gain. In other words, more dead Americans mean more roadkill for them.

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Burgess Owens: America Will See a ‘Renaissance’ with Trump Re-Elected, GOP House

Utah congressional Republican candidate Burgess Owens told Breitbart News Saturday that America will see a “true renaissance” with President Donald Trump re-elected for a second term and a Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

Owens — a former Oakland Raiders safety and Super Bowl champion — recently won Utah’s fourth congressional district primary. The black conservative hopes to unseat freshman swing district Democrat Rep. Ben McAdams.

Owens said that, ahead of the 2020 November elections, that conservatives are fighting for the “soul” of the nation.

“At stake right now, we are fighting for the heart and soul of our nation. And I think it’s more evident today that we have an ideology that is way against our country’s values,” Owens told Breitbart News Saturday host Matthew Boyle.

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Miami Mayor Gimenez: ‘Protests Had a Lot to Do with’ Florida Coronavirus Spike

Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez acknowledged the waves of protests and civil unrest have something to do with the current COVID-19 flare-up going on around the country.

Gimenez also blamed other gatherings for the increase, which he said included socializing at beaches, bars and restaurants.

“I think obviously the protests had a lot to do with it,” he said. “We had, you know, thousands of young people together outside, a lot of them not wearing masks. And we know when you do that, and you are talking, and you are chanting, etc., that really spreads the virus.”

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Watch: Rioters turn U.S. city into a war zone, attack cops with fireworks and mortars

On Thursday night into Friday morning, a group of far-left rioters attacked Portland police with fireworks.

In addition to more conventional tactics to deal with the problem, the police took an odd tack to deal with it: They went on Twitter and threatened the troublemakers.

"A riot is still declared in the area of the Federal Courthouse and Justice Center," one tweet stated. "You must leave the area now by moving to the west. Tear gas and other crowd control munitions may be deployed. Leave the area now."

"There are several people in this crowd starting fires, throwing rocks at officers, pointing lasers at officers, and launching projectiles with slingshots at officers," a follow-up tweet stated. "Leave the area now or you will be subject to arrest."

There are several people in this crowd starting fires, throwing rocks at officers, pointing lasers at officers, and launching projectiles with slingshots at officers. Leave the area now or you will be subject to arrest.

— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 3, 2020


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Time to declare independence – this time from Communist China

Exclusive: Curtis Ellis points out, 'The American Revolution was a trade war'

Americans lived in a global economy when the Declaration of Independence was first written.

At that time "the global economy" was known as the British Empire.

The British Empire touched the four corners of the Earth, and the sun never set on it. There were no borders in the British Empire. British ships ruled the waves. British industry ruled commerce. The king enforced a uniform set of rules controlling the flow of people, goods and money throughout the realm.

In this borderless "global economy" ruled from London, people whose names are now legend – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Tom Paine, among others – decided America should be its own independent country.

The American Revolution was a rebellion against globalism.

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Biden praised for calling America a failure

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Charlotte, NC — Across the mainstream media, Joe Biden is being praised for the “unifying message” that he shared in honor of the July 4th holiday. In the video statement released on Twitter, Biden says that America is a failure and has never lived up to its claims and promises. He even goes on to attack some of the founding fathers for their lifestyles.

Throughout the remainder of the statement, Biden talks about the battle for the soul of our nation. In the video, he shares images of Black Lives Matter protests across the country. Those same protests that were responsible for deaths and destruction of American monuments, businesses, and more. You can see the video below.

The praise of Biden calling America a failure comes as others call President Trump divisive in his statements on July 4th. It is true, there was a significant difference in the statements between the two candidates for President.

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2020 Presidential Election Prediction


Atlanta mayor says Wendy's occupied by protesters will be cleared after shootings; 8-year-old girl killed

The mayor says she is done trying to negotiate with protesters after the girl's death

After a night of a dozen shootings, including one in which an 8-year-old girl was killed,Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Sunday said protesters could no longer occupy the Wendy’s where a police officer shot and killed Rayshard Brooks last month.

The girl, identified by police as Secoriea Turner, was killed not far from the scene where Brooks was shot on June 12, Atlanta’s Fox 5 reported, citing police.

Police said Turner was riding in a car with her mother and another adult when a group fired multiple times at the vehicle, hitting the girl.

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Played...


July 4 shootings leave at least 14 people dead and dozens injured

Former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly has blamed Bill de Blasio for the city's recent surge in gun violence, accusing the mayor of 'surrendering' the city with hefty cuts to its police force as shootings surge across the US.

At least 41 people were injured and at least nine killed following a troubling spike of shootings in the Big Apple across the holiday weekend. A spokesperson for the NYPD said the majority of the incidents occurred within a 15-hour time period.

Shootings in New York City have doubled every week for the last three weeks. In the last seven days alone, the city has experienced a 142 percent surge in shootings compared to the same time period last year.

Speaking during a radio interview Sunday morning, Kelly blamed the cause of the chaos on de Blasio's decision to slash $1 billion from the NYPD budget earlier in the week.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea has previously disbanding an anti-crime plainclothes unit that had focused on stopping people and searching for guns.

'Here, the mayor eliminated the anti-crime units, which were probably the most effective tool that existed in the department for decades to fight violent street crime,' Kelly said. 'So that was a direct signal of surrender.'

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