Month: July 2020

After seeing the video of the everyday hero who called out the racist rant of Kelly Anne Wolfe, we should all go out and purchase a bicycle if there is even a chance we could become as cool as this guy.

The unnamed citizen was riding his bike through the streets of Toronto and came across a group of people eager to get out their message that no one needs to wear a mask. When they handed him a “face mask exempt” card, he calmly ripped it up.

Racist anti masker Kelly Anne Wolfe in Toronto

www.youtube.com

Some of you might be aware of the cards people are handing out absolving anyone of responsibility to wear a mask. These cards have appeared all over social media, claiming the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has cleared certain individuals from wearing protective face covering because of mental and/or physical conditions. Last week, the DOJ claimed that it does not endorse any such identification.”Do not be fooled by the chicanery and misappropriation of the DOJ eagle,” U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina said in a statement. “These cards do not carry the force of law. The ‘Freedom to Breathe Agency,’ or ‘FTBA,’ is not a government agency.”

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As seen in the video, these anti-maskers are pushing the “face mask exempt” cards on everyone who passes by, including our man riding a bicycle who took the card and turned it into confetti. And that is when things took a bit of an unexpected turn.

You can hear another anti-masker announcing through a megaphone, “If somebody is being rude to you, the only thing you say to them is have a good day.” You then see Kelly Anne Wolfe, a name that sounds like she’s Trump’s next press secretary, saying, “That’s okay. Those are the people that walked the Jews into the gas tanks.”

She repeats it again, using the same grammatical and historical inaccuracies from her original statement. Someone tells her to be polite. Of course, she responds saying: “I’m being polite. It’s a fact.” The Bike Guy decides he’s not going to let this slide. He asks, “What was that?” while filming the entire event on his phone. Kelly Anne repeats the same racist comment for a third time. Bike Guy just says, “Oh, good. Thank you. I got you on video.”

“Anyone who is going to commit to this kind of civil obedience is the same kind of people that believed their government when they walked the Jews into the gas tanks,” she says, for a fourth time. Bike Guy is stunned.”Hmmmm,” he says. That’s pretty much all he had to say. Take a lesson from Bike Guy. Capturing the anti-Semitism lets the world know that these hateful words still exist. It brings light to the situation and hopefully will inspire change.

Kelly Anne went on to say that she is a successful musician with “13 degrees in psychology,” a master’s degree in political science and is a member of Mensa.

Bike Guy laughs, uncontrollably at her, saying, “How much did you pay for those degrees?”

She quips, “He’ll never be as smart as me.”

Her science knowledge might be laughing but we’ll give her an honorary degree in unintentional stand-up comedy.

If you still think that wearing a mask is a violation of your civil rights, just read about Richard Rose.

As a country, we need to band together and protect each other. People are still dying every day. Thank you, Bike Guy. Thank you for bringing this type of ignorance to the forefront. For the record, I do not believe that you were responsible for the Holocaust, despite the accusations of Kelly Anne Wolfe. We all applaud you for taking a stand and getting it on video.

The Pinkett Smith family was the talk of the Internet on Friday when Jada Pinkett Smith’s tell-all interview on Red Table Talk covered some serious relationship drama between herself and Will Smith. The Facebook Watch show became the center of drama when Pinkett Smith disclosed a relationship she had with 27-year-old musician August Alsina while she and Will were separated.

Both Will and Jada Pinkett Smith took part in the tell-all interview, in which the two detailed their separation and the relationship Jada had before the two apparently reconciled. The episode, entitled “Jada Brings Herself to the Table,” addressed headlines about Pinkett Smith and Alsina that the family had initially denied, clarifying the timing of the romantic relationship and addressing what happened and an attempt to find “peace through pain.”

Social media was abuzz with the episode’s details and further rumors that it sparked, and all that talk certainly translated into viewers. According to the Daily Mail, the episode garnered more than 12 million viewers in just 16 hours, far and away the most popular video in the platform’s history. As of this writing, the episode has more than 17 million views and counting, and as talk about the episode and its fallout intensifies that’s sure to increase in the coming days.

Interestingly, Red Table Talk also had the record for another scandal-filled episode that featured an interview with Jordyn Woods which detailed the Tristan Thompson cheating scandal. That episode had a one-day record of 7.6 million views, a record now dwarfed by Pinkett Smith’s own drama.

The Philadelphia 76ers, one can argue, is the single-most interesting team entering the NBA’s bubble league in Orlando. The team is healthy, which hasn’t always been the case this season, and if they can iron out some of the wrinkles that emerged a little more frequently than you’d like, they have legitimate aspirations of winning a championship under such incredibly unique circumstances.

It also helps that basketball fans are going to get a unique look at life in the bubble thanks to a member of the Sixers’ roster. Rookie wing Matisse Thybulle posted a video on Saturday afternoon showing his journey from Philly down to the bubble, along with what life is like for an NBA player in Orlando.

Thybulle tweeted out that this isn’t some project being put together by members of Philly’s communications team or anything like that. The No. 20 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft tweeted that he shot and edited the entire video himself — which, if I may be honest, makes the way he used Mase’s “Welcome Back” around the 2:11 mark all the more impressive.

A quick Google search indicates that Thybulle majored in communications during his time at the University of Washington, so it stands to reason he cut his teeth making videos while he was in school. Regardless, we’re excited to see how this all turns out, if only because we’d enjoy frequent updates on how the food is in the bubble.

The NBA’s bubble league in Orlando will have a few goals. From a basketball perspective, 22 teams will head to Disney to try and determine a champion for the 2019-20 campaign, which has been on pause since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But following the nationwide unrest in the aftermath of George Floyd death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, the league — following some lobbying by a handful of players — will use this as a chance to highlight the worldwide efforts to protest police brutality and systemic racism.

One way this will happen is that NBA players will get their pick of a number of words and phrases that they can wear across the backs of their uniforms in place of their last name. A collection of players have already picked out which phrases they’ll wear, but on Saturday afternoon, we learned that LeBron James will go the more conventional route and put his last name across his back.

As James explained, while he is in support of the initiative — which is by no means mandatory for players who participate in the bubble — none of the messages from which he could choose resonated with him.

James alludes to this, but the various phrases that players can wear were agreed upon following conversations between players and the league. There’s no word on which words or phrases James would have wanted to have in lieu of his name, should he have opted to go in that direction.

This week, a Supreme Court ruling has acknowledged that, at least for the sake of federal criminal prosecutions, most of the eastern half of Oklahoma belongs to the Muscogee (Creek) Indian Tribe. The ruling enforces treaties made in the 19th century, despite objections from state and federal governments, and upholds the sovereignty of the Muscogee to prosecute crimes committed by tribe members within their own lands.

The U.S. government has a long and storied history of breaking treaties with Native American tribes, and Indigenous communities have suffered greatly because of those broken promises.

Stacy Leeds, a former Cherokee Nation Supreme Court justice and former special district court judge for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, described the ruling in an article on Slate:

“Yesterday’s long-awaited United States Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma pulled no punches in recognizing and reaffirming the political and territorial boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The court held that the treaty-guaranteed geographic borders of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation survived Oklahoma statehood and that these reservation boundaries remain legally valid jurisdictional markers for criminal jurisdiction over tribal citizens.

The court noted that Oklahoma repeatedly overstepped and stretched its governmental powers beyond what federal law provides. In short, Oklahoma has no legal authority to prosecute Native Americans for crimes committed within an Indian reservation. Oklahoma spent a century actively creating a law on the ground that was contrary to the law on the books.”

Leeds also described the history of the U.S. abrogating its own laws, violating treaties, and abusing non-native police powers in the name of “law and order” on Indian lands. “Unlawful acts, performed long enough and with sufficient vigor, are never enough to amend the law,” the Supreme Court ruling states, in a rebuke Leeds called “powerful.”

“If ever there were a statement to capture the collective experience of Indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities across the United States, that was it,” she wrote. “Might does not make right.”

Native American groups also celebrated the ruling, with the National Congress of American Indians saying in a statement they “applaud” the decision, “which confirmed that the treaty-defined boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation still remain in full force today.”

The NCAI continued, pointing to the specific treaties being upheld:

“Through treaty, the United States ‘solemnly guarantied’ the Muscogee (Creek) Nation their reservation as a ‘permanent home’ in exchange for leaving their eastern homelands (Treaty with the Creeks (1832) and Treaty with the Creeks (1833)). In a later treaty, the United States reaffirmed that the reservation was ‘forever set apart as a home for said Creek Nation’ (Treaty with the Creeks (1866)).

Today’s historic decision by the United States Supreme Court reaffirms that understanding. In issuing the opinion of the Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch said, ‘Today we are asked whether the land these treaties promised remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law. Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word.'”

Holding the government to its word. What a novel idea.

Leeds pointed out that the ruling wasn’t radical, but right in line with what we should expect in sovereign nations, which the Muscogee (Creek) Nation is:

“The sun came up just fine in Tulsa today. Oklahoma state court judges will do their jobs and exercise jurisdiction over most crimes that take place in Oklahoma for the rest of their careers.

Thirty-six miles to the south, Muscogee (Creek) Nation judges will do their jobs today, but for the first time in over a century, they will exercise jurisdiction over all of their citizens who commit crimes within their nation. It’s not a radical notion. It’s a basic right of governance exercised all over the globe.”

Duke has hired Boston Celtics assistant and former WNBA player Kara Lawson as head coach of its women’s basketball team, the team announced Saturday. With the move, the 39-year-old becomes the first Black head coach in program history and the fifth in the ACC. Lawson is the second Black woman to be hired in the ACC this offseason after Niele Ivey — also a former WNBA player and NBA assistant coach — was promoted to head coach of Notre Dame’s women’s basketball team.

Lawson replaces Joanne P. McCallie, who announced earlier this month that she would be stepping away from the role following 13 season at the helm. Last season, Duke finished with an 18-12 overall record and 12-6 in the ACC. While the Blue Devils did expect to play in the 2020 NCAA tournament before it was canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the team has struggled in recent years. Duke endured its first non-winning season in 25 years when it finished 15-15 in the 2018-19 season, and the program’s run of 21 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances came to an end in 2016.

Additionally, Duke has fallen behind in its recruiting efforts, consistently missing out on the top 25 recruits, according to ESPN. Fans and analysts alike hope that the addition of Lawson, with her basketball background, will help boost the school’s reputation and change the overall culture of the team in a way similar to what Dawn Staley has done with the Gamecocks since she arrived in South Carolina in 2008.

Lawson has spent the past season in the NBA as an assistant coach for the Celtics — the first female assistant coach in team history — but prior to that, the Virginia native shined as a point guard at the University of Tennessee under legendary coach Pat Summitt. Lawson helped lead the team to three Final Four appearances and two NCAA Championship games during her time as a Lady Vol. She went on to play in the WNBA for 12 seasons, winning the 2005 WNBA Championship with the Sacramento Monarchs and a gold medal with Team USA at the 2008 Olympics. After she retired from the WNBA in 2015, the star guard pivoted to working full-time as a television analyst for the Washington Wizards.

Several players have welcomed news of Lawson’s hire on social media, with Celtics rookie Grant Williams, Duke alumnae Alana Beard and Haley Gorecki all tweeting out their congratulations.

Ticha Penicheiro, who played alongside Lawson on the Monarchs, was also a major supporter of the move.

In a video posted to Twitter by the ACC Network, ESPN analyst LaChina Robinson said that the move was a “home run” for Duke.

“When I think about the Duke brand, I think integrity, winning mentality, pursuit of excellence, and Kara Lawson has been all of those things for as long as I’ve known her,” Robinson said.

Despite a surge in COVID-19 cases, Disney World is pushing ahead with their plans for a phased reopening in Florida, starting today, as the Magic and Animal Kingdoms open their gates to eager Disneyphiles across the state. The remaining Disney World theme parks, Epcot and Hollywood Studio are expected to follow suit and open up next week on July 15th. In California, another state that is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases, Disneyland and California Adventure will remain closed until given the go-ahead by the state government, after plans for a July 17th reopening fell apart due to safety concerns from employees, though Disney’s shopping center, Downtown Disney, did open retail stores this week, which resulted in some pretty lengthy lines.

If you’re planning on a trip to Disney World this weekend, you’ll be upset to know that just because the parks are reopening, doesn’t mean we live in a fantasy world where COVID-19 doesn’t exist. The experience at Disney World will be much different than what you’re used to. All guests over the age of two, according to Disney’s “Know Before You Go” preparation page, must wear face coverings in all public areas.

That means in line, on the ride, while you’re buying tickets, and even when you’re queuing up for a turkey leg. Guests may only remove their face masks to eat and drink, and all restaurants will require a dining reservation. The park also recommends that you are prepared for contactless forms of payment and suggests all visitors download the My Disney Experience App to receive up to date park information and additional safety reminders.

That, frankly, sounds less like a place where dreams come true and more like a nightmare that all Disney employees are probably dreading. We suggest you don’t go. If the new rules aren’t enough to dissuade you, we’ve got some data for you to chew on as well. As of July 10th, Florida has a total of 244,151 confirmed cases of coronavirus, it’s not the highest (it’s the third-highest) but it gets especially scary when you consider how quickly that number is rising.

According to Florida’s Local 10 News, on Friday, July 10th, Florida reported 11,433 new cases in a single day, a small decrease from the state’s single-day high of 11,458 recorded just last Saturday. This week alone, the state saw close to 10,000 new cases per day. According to CNN, the number of cases per 100k people living in the state is 1,137 — compared to California’s 767 per 100k. All of which makes the reopening a test balloon with the potential for disaster.

The lurid twists in the “Tiger King” story keep coming: As per The New York Post, the private zoo once owned by the now-imprisoned Joe Exotic had to be investigated yesterday when authorities were notified about possible human remains. Unlike some of the other aspects of this neverending saga, at least we have a sense of closure with this one: The claims turned out to be false.

It all happened Friday, when the show Ghost Adventures — which investigates potentially haunted locations — were filming Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma. A team of cadaver dogs were present, and they sniffed out what appeared to be remains of some sort — possibly human.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation were quickly called in, but after a search they discovered that the remains were not human at all but rather that of a small animal.

The private zoo, owned by Joe Exotic until his conviction in April of 2019 for conspiring to kill animal rights activist and his nemesis, Carole Baskin. Baskin herself has been accused, with questionable credibility by Joe Exotic and others, of being involved in the disappearance of her missing husband — accusations Baskin has roundly denied. In any case, there is seemingly no end to the gruesome twists and turns in a tale made most famous by the hit Netflix show, Tiger King.

(Via The New York Post)

Kid Cudi has been pretty active this year, at least compared to others, and he continued his streak this past weekend, releasing his latest single, “The Adventures Of Moon Man And Slim Shady.” It’s his third of the year, following “The Leader Of The Delinquents,” a track that dates back nearly a decade, and his Travis Scott collaboration “The Scotts,” the lead single off their upcoming joint album. To honor the occasion, the rapper stopped by Lil Wayne’s Young Money Radio show to discuss the song.

In their discussion, Cudi revealed how Lil Wayne helped make the collaboration a reality. Back in May, the former sent out a tweet requesting the help of the “rap god.” Since Eminem’s presence on social media is more or less nonexistent, it could be assumed at the time that the legend did not see Cudi’s call for help. When Eminem later joined Wayne on Young Money Radio, Wayne brought the tweet to his attention, setting off what would become their collaboraiton.

Wayne also pushed Cudi to send him a song for a collaboration saying, “I’m in the stu everyday so shoot me something.” When Cudi onliged, Wayne promised he would deliver on the song, boasting, “Just know, Eminem effect when I send it back.”

Soon after the track’s release, the song would make headlines as Cudi and Eminem both commented on the death of George Floyd while Eminem said “f*ck Drew Brees” on the track, in response to the Saints’ quarterback’s comments on kneeling for the national anthem last month.

Check out the video above to hear Cudi and Wayne’s conversation.

The Indiana Fever announced that the team will arrive in Bradenton, Fla. on Saturday after initially delaying their travel when two players tested positive for COVID-19. Following the WNBA’s last round of league-wide COVID-19 testing before teams were scheduled to leave for Florida, the league announced that seven players out of 137 tested positive and that the Fever would “delay their travel by at least five days in an abundance of caution due to the CDC’s close contact self-quarantine requirements.” The Fever did not release which players had tested positive for COVID-19, but the Indy Star reported that two players had tested positive.

“We thank Pacers Sports & Entertainment and WNBA leadership for diligently working on a safe course of action for our players and staff to travel,” Fever President Dr. Allison Barber said in a statement. “Our team is excited to tip off the 2020 WNBA season and we invite Hoosiers in all 92 counties to watch our games via our new streaming capabilities.”

While most of the Fever will arrive in Bradenton today, Erica Wheeler announced that she would have to quarantine for a bit longer before she can join the team. Last season, Wheeler started every game while averaging 10.1 points and five assists per game on her way to becoming an All-Star for the first time in her career. The star guard started her career in Puerto Rico, earning $200 a week after going undrafted in the WNBA, and last year, she was named MVP of the All-Star Game after she finished with 25 points and a game record-tying seven three-pointers.

Led by new head coach Marianne Stanley, the team recently finalized its roster after releasing guard Betnijah Laney and adding Stephanie Mavunga, after the forward was removed from the “Non-Active/Non-WNBA Injury” list. As The Next reported, the Fever’s 12-woman lineup features nine returners from last year, including veterans Candice Dupree and Natalie Achonwa. Rookies Lauren Cox, Julie Allemand, and Kathleen Doyle are all looking to get their first taste of WNBA action this summer.

The 2020 WNBA season is set to tip off on July 25 ⁠— two and a half months after it was originally scheduled to do so ⁠— at IMG Academy, with 22 games in the regular season and a normal playoffs format that will stretch into October. Following their arrival in Bradenton, all players, coaches and staff were required to quarantine in their rooms for four days before starting practice. Training camps for each team on site began on Friday, with players able to practice with their teams for the first time.