At a time when the President of the United States is bragging about his television ratings instead of providing the steady leadership the country desperately needs, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is taking up the slack.

New York is the state hardest hit by the COVID-19 virus with over 1,000 deaths.

On Friday, Cuomo seized the historical moment by giving a powerful speech to the National Guard at a press conference at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

He first praised the National Guard for their work in creating the first of five temporary hospitals in New York City.

“Now, you did such a good job, that I’m asking you for four more [hospitals] from the president,” Cuomo said. “That’s the downside of being as good as you are at what you did.”

He then outlined the importance of the moment from a historical perspective.

“In ten years from now, you will be talking about today with your children or your grandchildren. And you will shed a tear because you will remember the lives lost and you’ll remember the faces,” Cuomo said.

“But you’ll also be proud,” he added. “You’ll be proud of what you did. You’ll be proud that you showed up when other people played it safe, you had the courage to show up.”

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Whole Foods employees nationwide are planning a social-distancing-friendly strike set for Tuesday, March 31st by asking their fellow employees to stay home and call in sick in an effort to get better coronavirus protections during the course of the global pandemic. “On March 31st, DO NOT GO TO WORK,” reads a statement by Whole Worker, the national worker’s group of Whole Foods employees that organized the sick-out.

The plan calls for all employees to call in sick and demand guaranteed paid leave for all workers who isolate or self-quarantine, a reinstatement of health care coverage for all part-time and seasonal workers, free coronavirus testing and treatment for all team members, guaranteed hazard pay in the form of double-time pay, new in-store policies that facilitate social distancing between workers and customers, a commitment to ensuring all locations have adequate sanitation equipment, and the immediate shutdown of any location where a worker test positive for COVID-19 — in which all employees would continue to receive full pay until the store can safely reopen.

According to Whole Worker, “Whole Foods has temporarily relaxed its strict attendance policy, which means that team members can participate in this act of protest without fear of reprisal. We encourage all retail workers at other companies to join us in this act of solidarity.” Currently, the company has boosted wages for all U.S. and Canadian workers by $2 per hour and promised paid leave for all workers diagnosed with COVID-19, but The Hill reports that recent cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Whole Foods locations in Chicago, New York City and Huntington Beach California yet those locations are all still open.

This protest follows a similar move by Amazon workers who walked out of a Staten Island workshop on Monday, March 30th, after the warehouse was kept open despite a positive coronavirus case being found in a worker at the warehouse. Considering Jeff Bezos, who owns both Amazon and Whole Foods, has a net worth of 119.9 billion USD, dude could easily drop $1 billion on supporting his works in a second. Instead, Vice reports that Whole Foods CEO John Mackey has suggested healthy employees donate their unused sick-pay to help fellow workers who might become infected by the virus.

Shaq is a man capable of many things, but some feel the NBA legend is not corporate pizza chain leadership material. According to a report in Bloomberg, his brief tenure on the board of pizza conglomerate may be coming to an end because he simply hasn’t shown up to enough meetings.

Shaq joined the company’s board of directors last June in an attempt to rehab the company’s image following John Schnatter’s using a racial slur on a diversity-themed conference call. The company’s founder and namesake resigned and saw his presence removed from Louisville University while the pizza chain brought in O’Neal and focused on its individual franchisees as it tried to move forward in a post-Papa world. Schnatter, meanwhile, rehabbed his body by eating 40 pizzas in 30 days and issuing new eating challenges for himself while essentially unemployed.

The Shaq experience hasn’t been a very positive one for some in the corporate pizza world, however, as a report indicates Shaq just hasn’t been around enough to justify his position on the board.

O’Neal, the four-time National Basketball Association champion, attended less than 75% of the pizza company’s board and committee meetings over the last year, investment adviser Institutional Shareholder Services said in a Thursday report. Because of that record, ISS is asking investors vote against his re-election at the scheduled April 23 annual meeting — the only such recommendation among members of that board.

O’Neal has a number of other ventures in motion, first and foremost with his Inside The NBA gig on TNT. He’s also a touring musician and has various other endorsement deals, but a spot on a company’s board has its own unique responsibilities. Some clearly think he’s skirting those and his presence, positive PR as it is, may not justify the hassle. According to the report, however, these conflicts would be clear in the future because he now, well, knows he’s got board meetings to attend.

O’Neal was unable to attend several board meetings due to business and broadcasting commitments made prior to his appointment to the board, which couldn’t be rescheduled, the company said in a proxy filing ahead of the annual meeting. The scheduling conflicts are not expected to recur in 2020, Papa John’s said in the filing.

The June 2019 announcement was a pretty big deal, as a company dealing with a racism-based PR crisis hired one of the most popular athletes in America for a major forward-facing role. A Papa John’s in Atlanta even rebranded itself to essentially be Shaq-themed last year when he signed on with the company. In other words, it won’t be easy to untangle Papa John’s from Shaq, and unless the company feels it’s moved past its public relations problems there will be some reaction to his official dismissal. Here’s hoping that if they do cut Shaq loose, he retaliates with a pizza-themed diss track. There’s plenty of material to work with here.

[via Bloomberg]

Tonight, in the final With Spandex WWE Raw open discussion thread before Gym WrestleMania:

Brock Lesnar and Drew McIntyre have not been in the same building in the weeks since Lesnar absorbed a trio of Claymores from his WrestleMania challenger. That may or may not change on Monday, but The Beast Incarnate will be on Raw, making what’s become his customary appearance on the last show before a high-profile title match. Tune in to Monday Night Raw, tonight at 8/7 C on USA Network, to see the WWE Champion and more.

Also:

The Undertaker and AJ Styles are set to battle in what Styles described as The Phenom’s signature bout — a Boneyard Match — at WrestleMania. But The Deadman has been notably silent throughout the pair’s rivalry, choosing to answer Styles’ insults against him and his family with actions rather than words. An appearance on the final Raw before WrestleMania will give The Last Outlaw an opportunity to break his silence — or perhaps put another hurting on who’s become his most personal rival in years. (via WWE.com)

It’s Brock Lesnar, boneyards, and more as we head into legitimately the weirdest and most unprecedented WrestleMania ever.

As always, +1 your favorite comments from tonight’s open thread and give them a thumbs up and we’ll include 10 of the best in tomorrow’s Best and Worst of Raw column. Make sure to flip your comments to “newest” in the drop down menu under “discussion,” and enjoy the show!

One of the most uplifting stories to come out of the coronavirus epidemic has been the number of people who have fostered or adopted shelter dogs or cat over the past few weeks.

After the first few cases of COVID-19 began popping up in the U.S. animals shelters across the country put out pleas for people to adopt or foster a pet. The shelters feared many pet owners would become sick and would have to temporarily surrender their pets because of the virus.

They also feared their employees would become sick and they wouldn’t be able to provide proper care for the animals.

The shelters’ pleas combined with a lot of people suddenly having a lot of time on their hands made for a perfect storm that increased the number of dogs being adopted and fostered.

via Pixabay

“They just want to help,” Katy Hansen, spokesperson for the Animal Care Centers of New York City (ACC), said according to The Daily Beast. “Having another heartbeat in the apartment is so nice, and another reason to get up in the morning and take care of something, so the focus is not on you and how sad and sorry you are.”

Busch is further encouraging people to adopt a dog at the Midwest Animal Rescue in Minnesota by offering a three-month supply of beer to the first 500 people to adopt or foster a dog.

“Everyone could use a companion for the couch right now,” the brewery said on Twitter. “So if you foster (or adopt) a dog from Midwest Animal Rescue, we’ll give you 3 months worth of Busch to enjoy by their side.”

Entries must be received by April 25.

Three months worth of beer could mean a lot of different things depending on one’s ability to suck back a cold one. Busch is giving away $100 gift cards — the cash equivalent of two 24 packs a month for three months.

“During these uncertain and lonelier times, people need an escape: cue the cute puppy memes and photos,” a spokesperson for Busch told People magazine in a statement. “But as much as we need those cute puppy pics to help get us through social distancing, it’s actually them who need us.”

“Social distancing is better with a furry friend by your side and a cold beer in your hand,” the spokesperson added.

Although Busch is only giving away the beer to people who adopt at a specific shelter in Minnesota, the promotion has gone viral so it’s bound to inspire others to adopt throughout the country — free beer or not.

The number of people adopting and fostering dogs right now is encouraging but shelters aren’t getting too excited. The coronavirus outbreak has caused an economic downturn and that usually corresponds with more people surrendering their dogs due to economic hardship.

“We’re doing whatever we can to empty all of our shelter facilities,” Lisa LaFontaine, chief executive officer of the Humane Rescue Alliance, said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen when the economic wave starts hitting.”

This story was originally shared on #EqualEverywhere — a campaign to champion the changemakers working to make equality for girls and women a reality. You can find the original story here.

Christine T. Rose is founder and CEO of Christine Rose Coaching & Consulting, a boutique coaching firm in the greater Seattle area dedicated to facilitating and accelerating transformation for individuals and organizations. The firm has helped business leaders grow their leadership skills, teams, and companies since 2015. Christine’s book, Life Beyond #MeToo: Creating a Safer World for our Mothers, Daughters, Sisters and Friends, lays out a vision for freedom from violence and discrimination and offers tools for taking action to change the world.

Why do you advocate for equal rights for girls and women?

I grew up in a home with three sexual abusers. My early life was traumatic. In fact, I’ve forgotten much of my childhood and made some very poor decisions about relationships with men as a result. I’ve spent years working with counselors and coaches, reclaiming my life and rebuilding on the ashes of past abuse. I also have experienced workplace sexual harassment. I’ve volunteered and coached and worked with countless girls and women who have shared stories of harassment, abuse, and violence. I have felt the call to use what I know about coaching to help others who have faced similar challenges. Even recently, since press releases about the book have gone out, I’ve been subjected to online sexual harassment from people I’ve never met. It’s an epidemic which needs immediate attention around the world.

I wrote about this subject in my Life Beyond #MeToo book because we live in a world that is unsafe and unjust, where girls and women are not treated equally but are objectified and abused — where one third will be victims of violence and more are harassed. I believe it is past time for this old normal to end. It is time for a new normal where girls and women are honored and valued — not only for who they are, but also for the unique gifts and talents they bring to the world. The world has nothing to lose and everything to gain from working together to create this new normal.

What does #EqualEverywhere mean to you?

I dream of a new normal where all people are respected and honored for their unique gifts and have equal opportunities to live and learn and grow and earn and lead, while they contribute their brilliance to the world.

What motivates you to do this work?

The silence of millions of girls who were not born due to gender discrimination, the silence of countless more who endure harassment and abuse daily, and the outcry of those who dare to raise their voices against injustice is more than enough motivation for me and for the entire human race to engage in creating a new normal.

What are the main challenges you experience in your work to advance gender equality?

Like most who are engaged in work to advance gender equality, I am under resourced — one small voice in a community that deserves more attention. I write about some of the obstacles to change in my book.

What progress are you seeing as a result of your work?

Life Beyond #MeToo reached #1 in Amazon.com’s new release in the Workplace Behavior category the day it launched and is receiving five star reviews. Men and women are saying “I get it now.” I’m very encouraged that people are recognizing that we all need to engage to create the kind of culture change it will take to make gender equity a reality.

What progress are you seeing in the wider gender equality movement?

I believe silos are breaking down and diverse groups and people are coming together to do the work that will allow for norms to shift. As a result, more ideas and knowledge are spreading to raise awareness and to advance change. The #MeToo movement created an unprecedented opportunity for open conversations about gender equality. The world is seeing small shifts in how women are treated, and I write about some of these in my book.

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Although the coronavirus epidemic has forced music fans to miss out on Coachella for the next several months, they can still get their festival fix with the upcoming documentary, Coachella: 20 Years In The Desert, premiering for streaming on YouTube next Friday, April 10 at 12pm PST — the exact time the festival would have opened. Today, YouTube Originals and Coachella released a special sneak peek of the film which you can watch above.

The sneak peek opens with a voiceover from Billie Eilish, who performed at the festival in 2019 and covers some of its most memorable moments, from being name-checked by President Barack Obama to the first appearance of hologram Tupac to Beyonce’s #Beychella takeover. The clip also features excerpts from interviews with Perry Farrell, Chali 2na, and even Moby, who performed at the first-ever festival in 1999 and admits that he didn’t believe that the idea could work.

Work it has, though. For the last 20 years, the festival has been the premiere destination for artists on the rise to prove they’ve made it and for legendary icons to prove they’ve still got it. The festival has become a household name, a punchline, an ambition, and a launching pad for some of music’s biggest stars. While this year’s fest has been postponed to autumn, the documentary will likely only increase its notoriety while we look forward to seeing Travis Scott, Rage Against The Machine, and Frank Ocean finally hit the stage in October.

Watch the sneak peek of the Coachella: 20 Years In The Desert documentary above.

Coachella: 20 Years In The Desert premieres 4/10 on YouTube.

As the Netflix docu-series Tiger King continues its viral dominance in the age of social distancing, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister has latched onto the social media heat generated from the show. Chronister is looking for any information that could solve the 1997 cold case surrounding Jack “Don” Lewis, whose disappearance was featured prominently in the Netflix show.

Lewis was the multi-millionaire owner of the Big Cat Rescue animal sanctuary before he went missing in August 1997. His then-wife Carole Baskin, who now owns the sanctuary, is a central character in Tiger King where she’s allegedly targeted by eccentric animal trainer Joe Exotic in a murder-for-hire plot. Exotic also “wrote” a country song where he accuses Baskin of feeding her missing husband to the tigers at her sanctuary.

The mysterious circumstances surrounding Lewis’ disappearance are the perfect fodder for a true crime series. The millionaire vanished without a trace, and two days after he was reported missing, police found his van at an airport 40 miles away. Several theories implicating Baskin sprang up at the time, but she has maintained her innocence, according to Oxygen. The activist has maintained that she had not planned to divorce Lewis despite rumors to the contrary, but they were having trouble with their marriage due to her belief that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s:

She said he was having trouble with short-term memory, had taken to hoarding vehicles and “junk” and had “deteriorated into dumpster diving” to feed those impulses. In one instance, she said, he “even got stuck in a dumpster and called me crying because he did not know where he was.”

Lewis’ former attorney Joe Fritz painted a different picture in the docuseries, however, saying his former client knew exactly what was going on. Wendell Williams, Lewis’ former business associate, likewise told producers the claims of mental deterioration were “all bull,” and accused Baskin of “setting the stage for the dementia and Alzheimer’s” so it would make more sense if he just up and vanished.

However, one fact that has worked in Baskin’s favor is that she claims he took off to Costa Rica, which the Tiger King filmmakers revealed was something Lewis often did for “sexual dalliances.” In a blog post defending her innocence, Baskin wrote that Lewis would fly there whenever she was menstruating. She also claims that a caretaker saw Lewis alive in Costa Rica after his disappearance.

However, judging by the Sheriff’s recent tweet, it doesn’t seem like he’s sold on Baskin’s story.

(Via Sheriff Chad Chronister, Oxygen)