Is America having second thoughts about free speech?
At the figurative center of the clash is the norm of near-absolute freedom of speech and expression, which its defenders like to treat as the American default. A number of ideological challenges have arisen in recent years to overturn this norm.
On many college campuses, groups of left-leaning students insist that free speech should be conditional on speakers adhering to explicit standards of diversity and avoiding the infliction of emotional harm on the members of marginalized groups through the spreading of "hate."
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mes5464
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ILLUMINATI NEWS: Global elite secretly running our world claims former DEFENCE MINISTER | Weird | News | Express.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE: A former defence minister has sensationally claimed the legendary Illuminati is REAL and secretly running world affairs from behind the scenes.
Paul Hellyer, a former Canadian Minister of Defence, is believed to be the highest-ranking former politician to come out as a believer of the popular conspiracy theory.
As one of the world's biggest conspiracy theories, the Illuminati is said to be a secretive global elite which runs governments from behind the scenes and is planning to introduce a New World Order (NWO).
EXCLUSIVE: A former defence minister has sensationally claimed the legendary Illuminati is REAL and secretly running world affairs from behind the scenes.
Paul Hellyer, a former Canadian Minister of Defence, is believed to be the highest-ranking former politician to come out as a believer of the popular conspiracy theory.
As one of the world's biggest conspiracy theories, the Illuminati is said to be a secretive global elite which runs governments from behind the scenes and is planning to introduce a New World Order (NWO).
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mes5464
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Inside Facebook's Hellish Two Years—and Mark Zuckerberg's Struggle to Fix it All | WIRED
The day after Fearnow took that second screenshot was a Friday. When he woke up after sleeping in, he noticed that he had about 30 meeting notifications from Facebook on his phone. When he replied to say it was his day off, he recalls, he was nonetheless asked to be available in 10 minutes. Soon he was on a videoconference with three Facebook employees, including Sonya Ahuja, the company’s head of investigations. According to his recounting of the meeting, she asked him if he had been in touch with Nuñez. He denied that he had been. Then she told him that she had their messages on Gchat, which Fearnow had assumed weren’t accessible to Facebook. He was fired. “Please shut your laptop and don’t reopen it,” she instructed him.
That same day, Ahuja had another conversation with a second employee at Trending Topics named Ryan Villarreal. Several years before, he and Fearnow had shared an apartment with Nuñez. Villarreal said he hadn’t taken any screenshots, and he certainly hadn’t leaked them. But he had clicked “like” on the story about Black Lives Matter, and he was friends with Nuñez on Facebook. “Do you think leaks are bad?” Ahuja demanded to know, according to Villarreal. He was fired too. The last he heard from his employer was in a letter from BCforward. The company had given him $15 to cover expenses, and it wanted the money back.
The day after Fearnow took that second screenshot was a Friday. When he woke up after sleeping in, he noticed that he had about 30 meeting notifications from Facebook on his phone. When he replied to say it was his day off, he recalls, he was nonetheless asked to be available in 10 minutes. Soon he was on a videoconference with three Facebook employees, including Sonya Ahuja, the company’s head of investigations. According to his recounting of the meeting, she asked him if he had been in touch with Nuñez. He denied that he had been. Then she told him that she had their messages on Gchat, which Fearnow had assumed weren’t accessible to Facebook. He was fired. “Please shut your laptop and don’t reopen it,” she instructed him.
That same day, Ahuja had another conversation with a second employee at Trending Topics named Ryan Villarreal. Several years before, he and Fearnow had shared an apartment with Nuñez. Villarreal said he hadn’t taken any screenshots, and he certainly hadn’t leaked them. But he had clicked “like” on the story about Black Lives Matter, and he was friends with Nuñez on Facebook. “Do you think leaks are bad?” Ahuja demanded to know, according to Villarreal. He was fired too. The last he heard from his employer was in a letter from BCforward. The company had given him $15 to cover expenses, and it wanted the money back.
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mes5464
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You're backwards if you don't believe in climate change.
Robert De Niro takes aim at Trump's climate change policy
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Hollywood star Robert De Niro took aim at the Trump administration's stance on climate change, telling a packed audience in the Middle East that he was visiting from a "backward" country suffering from "temporary insanity."
He said that in the country he's describing, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency suggested last week that global warming may be a good thing for humanity.
"I am talking about my own country, the United States of America. We don't' like to say we are a 'backward' country so let's just say we're suffering from a case of temporary insanity," he added.
Robert De Niro takes aim at Trump's climate change policy
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Hollywood star Robert De Niro took aim at the Trump administration's stance on climate change, telling a packed audience in the Middle East that he was visiting from a "backward" country suffering from "temporary insanity."
He said that in the country he's describing, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency suggested last week that global warming may be a good thing for humanity.
"I am talking about my own country, the United States of America. We don't' like to say we are a 'backward' country so let's just say we're suffering from a case of temporary insanity," he added.
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mes5464
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Sadistic prison guard accused of torturing inmates - NY Daily News
A sadistic prison officer who has cost New York State $877,637 in legal payouts over assault and sex harassment allegations is now under investigation over accusations he waterboarded two inmates and brutally beat them in their genitals.
A sadistic prison officer who has cost New York State $877,637 in legal payouts over assault and sex harassment allegations is now under investigation over accusations he waterboarded two inmates and brutally beat them in their genitals.
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mes5464
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More than a third of all US ex-cons who can’t vote live in Florida. Why? - CSMonitor.com
A judge found that the vote restoration process in Florida used arbitrary means to decide who is worthy. The state has until Feb. 12 to come up with remedies to the constitutional violations.
A judge found that the vote restoration process in Florida used arbitrary means to decide who is worthy. The state has until Feb. 12 to come up with remedies to the constitutional violations.
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mes5464
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Overnight ‘Boom’ Investigated, So Far A Mystery « CBS Denver
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (CBS4)– Wheat Ridge police say they have a true mystery on their hands.
Investigators in the Denver suburb have received dozens of reports of a loud “boom” happening overnight.
Neighbors have said the noise, which some describe as an explosion or a gunshot, only happens once around 3 a.m. typically over the weekend. The noise, according to reports, only happens once, but has been occurring for months now.
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (CBS4)– Wheat Ridge police say they have a true mystery on their hands.
Investigators in the Denver suburb have received dozens of reports of a loud “boom” happening overnight.
Neighbors have said the noise, which some describe as an explosion or a gunshot, only happens once around 3 a.m. typically over the weekend. The noise, according to reports, only happens once, but has been occurring for months now.
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mes5464
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Boston Dynamics’ Unsettling Robodog Can Now Escape Through (Unlocked) Doors
The first time we saw Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robo-dog in action, it used its gripping arm to help load a dishwasher. But after getting a fancy new yellow coat a few months ago, SpotMini has apparently since learned how to open doors, enabling the robot, and its comrades, to escape a life of servitude.
The first time we saw Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robo-dog in action, it used its gripping arm to help load a dishwasher. But after getting a fancy new yellow coat a few months ago, SpotMini has apparently since learned how to open doors, enabling the robot, and its comrades, to escape a life of servitude.
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mes5464
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Worms pulled from Oregon woman's eye in first known case of infection | US news | The Guardian
Fourteen tiny worms removed in 2016 case of Thelazia gulosa, a parasitic infection spread by flies and previously seen only in cattle
Fourteen tiny worms removed in 2016 case of Thelazia gulosa, a parasitic infection spread by flies and previously seen only in cattle
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mes5464
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Total US household debt soars to record above $13 trillion
Total household debt rose to an all-time high of $13.15 trillion at year-end 2017, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Center for Microeconomic Data.
The report said it was fifth consecutive year of annual household debt growth with increases in the mortgage, student, auto and credit card categories.
Total household debt rose to an all-time high of $13.15 trillion at year-end 2017, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Center for Microeconomic Data.
The report said it was fifth consecutive year of annual household debt growth with increases in the mortgage, student, auto and credit card categories.
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mes5464
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Total US household debt soars to record above $13 trillion
Total household debt rose to an all-time high of $13.15 trillion at year-end 2017, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Center for Microeconomic Data.
The report said it was fifth consecutive year of annual household debt growth with increases in the mortgage, student, auto and credit card categories.
Total household debt rose to an all-time high of $13.15 trillion at year-end 2017, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Center for Microeconomic Data.
The report said it was fifth consecutive year of annual household debt growth with increases in the mortgage, student, auto and credit card categories.
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mes5464
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Schools Consider Banning Best Friends To Foster Inclusive Environment « CBS New York
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Growing up, your best friend is the person who is always there for you and the one you share all your secrets and exploits with.
But now there’s a growing movement to ban best friends.
The movement isn’t a ban on friendship, it’s just geared towards having children broaden their friendship circles and become more inclusive.
It’s a move a lot of educators think goes in the right direction.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Growing up, your best friend is the person who is always there for you and the one you share all your secrets and exploits with.
But now there’s a growing movement to ban best friends.
The movement isn’t a ban on friendship, it’s just geared towards having children broaden their friendship circles and become more inclusive.
It’s a move a lot of educators think goes in the right direction.
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mes5464
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The exact opposite of free.
Safe, happy and free: does Finland have all the answers? | World news | The Guardian
In the first of our new series, The Upside, we look at how the country went from famine to topping nearly every global social ranking
Safe, happy and free: does Finland have all the answers? | World news | The Guardian
In the first of our new series, The Upside, we look at how the country went from famine to topping nearly every global social ranking
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mes5464
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Celebrity Big Brother: Omarosa calls Vice President Mike Pence scary | EW.com
“You would be worried about Pence,” Omarosa says to the others. “We would be begging for days of Trump back if Pence became president. He’s extreme. I’m Christian, I love Jesus, but he thinks Jesus tells him to say things.”
“You would be worried about Pence,” Omarosa says to the others. “We would be begging for days of Trump back if Pence became president. He’s extreme. I’m Christian, I love Jesus, but he thinks Jesus tells him to say things.”
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mes5464
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Top ICE lawyer charged with stealing immigrants' identities - UPI.com
Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney has resigned and faces federal charges he stole immigrants' identities and used the information to get credit cards.
Raphael Sanchez, ICE's chief counsel in Seattle, Wash., was charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Along with stealing identities, he is accused of defrauding creditors in the scam, which allegedly took place for four years -- from roughly October 2013 to October 2017.
Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney has resigned and faces federal charges he stole immigrants' identities and used the information to get credit cards.
Raphael Sanchez, ICE's chief counsel in Seattle, Wash., was charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Along with stealing identities, he is accused of defrauding creditors in the scam, which allegedly took place for four years -- from roughly October 2013 to October 2017.
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mes5464
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Six U.S. intelligence agencies warn against using Huawei phones
Six intelligence officials, including the heads of the CIA, FBI, and NSA, have told the Senate Intelligence Committee that they would not recommend that U.S. citizens use smartphones from the Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, reports CNBC. As FBI director Chris Wray told the committee:
Six intelligence officials, including the heads of the CIA, FBI, and NSA, have told the Senate Intelligence Committee that they would not recommend that U.S. citizens use smartphones from the Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, reports CNBC. As FBI director Chris Wray told the committee:
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mes5464
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Berkeley City Council votes to become sanctuary city for cannabis, likely a first - SFGate
Cannabis users and providers in Berkeley got an added layer of protection on Tuesday as the city declared itself a sanctuary city for marijuana, likely the first of its kind.
The Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to become a sanctuary city for legal adult-use marijuana, prohibiting city agencies and employees from turning over information on legal cannabis activities and assisting in enforcing federal marijuana laws.
Cannabis users and providers in Berkeley got an added layer of protection on Tuesday as the city declared itself a sanctuary city for marijuana, likely the first of its kind.
The Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to become a sanctuary city for legal adult-use marijuana, prohibiting city agencies and employees from turning over information on legal cannabis activities and assisting in enforcing federal marijuana laws.
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mes5464
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Now you don't even have to chat with your own friends. You can get an AI to do it for you!
Tired of texting? Google tests robot to chat with friends for you | Technology | The Guardian
Are you tired of the constant need to tap on a glass keyboard just to keep up with your friends? Do you wish a robot could free you of your constant communication obligations via WhatsApp, Facebook or text messages? Google is working on an AI-based auto-reply system to do just that.
Google’s experimental product lab called Area 120 is currently testing a new system simply called Reply that will work with Google’s Hangouts and Allo, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Android Messages, Skype, Twitter direct messages and Slack.
Tired of texting? Google tests robot to chat with friends for you | Technology | The Guardian
Are you tired of the constant need to tap on a glass keyboard just to keep up with your friends? Do you wish a robot could free you of your constant communication obligations via WhatsApp, Facebook or text messages? Google is working on an AI-based auto-reply system to do just that.
Google’s experimental product lab called Area 120 is currently testing a new system simply called Reply that will work with Google’s Hangouts and Allo, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Android Messages, Skype, Twitter direct messages and Slack.
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mes5464
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Texas girl's homework assignment: draw herself as a slave | Fort Worth Star-Telegram
AUSTIN
A mother near Austin was outraged by her 12-year-old daughter's homework assignment: Draw yourself as a slave, then color and write a visualization of what you see around you.
An Austin TV station reported the incident on Saturday and spoke with the girl's mother, identified as Tonya Jennings. She told the station that she was shocked when her daughter pulled the single-page assignment out of her backpack at home.
"There's nothing about slavery that I would want any child, regardless of color, to have to relive," said Jennings.
AUSTIN
A mother near Austin was outraged by her 12-year-old daughter's homework assignment: Draw yourself as a slave, then color and write a visualization of what you see around you.
An Austin TV station reported the incident on Saturday and spoke with the girl's mother, identified as Tonya Jennings. She told the station that she was shocked when her daughter pulled the single-page assignment out of her backpack at home.
"There's nothing about slavery that I would want any child, regardless of color, to have to relive," said Jennings.
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mes5464
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NYT Investigates If White Children Can Wear Black Panther Mask » Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!
“Many parents are split on how Black Panther’s blackness should figure into their children’s relationship to the character.”
So sayeth The New York Times.
The failing, but widely-circulated newspaper claims Marvel’s Black Panther, set to hit theaters this week, is dividing parents “not of color” on whether it’s appropriate for their children to dress up as superhero T’Challa, AKA Black Panther.
“Many parents are split on how Black Panther’s blackness should figure into their children’s relationship to the character.”
So sayeth The New York Times.
The failing, but widely-circulated newspaper claims Marvel’s Black Panther, set to hit theaters this week, is dividing parents “not of color” on whether it’s appropriate for their children to dress up as superhero T’Challa, AKA Black Panther.
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tribrac
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The flight to Dubai from New York is 12.5 hours. Google says a 747 burns 30,000 gallons of fuel in 10-hours. What are the chances DeNiro flew on a commercial flight with other passengers?mes5464 wrote: ↑February 12th, 2018, 9:55 am You're backwards if you don't believe in climate change.
Robert De Niro takes aim at Trump's climate change policy
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Hollywood star Robert De Niro took aim at the Trump administration's stance on climate change, telling a packed audience in the Middle East that he was visiting from a "backward" country suffering from "temporary insanity."
He said that in the country he's describing, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency suggested last week that global warming may be a good thing for humanity.
"I am talking about my own country, the United States of America. We don't' like to say we are a 'backward' country so let's just say we're suffering from a case of temporary insanity," he added.
The average american car getting 20 mpg adn driving 10,000 miles per year would drive for 60 years to consume as much fuel as DeNiro's one way flight to talk about climate change.
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mes5464
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Institute For Justice lawsuit attacks 'prosecutions fees' in California cities
On Tuesday, Morales filed a class-action lawsuit against Indio and Coachella, two cities that have made a practice of taking residents to criminal court for exceptionally minor crimes, then charging them thousands to pay for the cost of their own prosecution. The lawsuit is a direct response to a Desert Sun investigation, published in November, which revealed that the cities had billed residents like Morales more than $122,000 in “prosecution fees" and threatened to take their homes if they didn't pay.
On Tuesday, Morales filed a class-action lawsuit against Indio and Coachella, two cities that have made a practice of taking residents to criminal court for exceptionally minor crimes, then charging them thousands to pay for the cost of their own prosecution. The lawsuit is a direct response to a Desert Sun investigation, published in November, which revealed that the cities had billed residents like Morales more than $122,000 in “prosecution fees" and threatened to take their homes if they didn't pay.
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mes5464
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Colorado Considers ‘Purple Card’ As Its Own Version Of The ‘Green Card’ « CBS Denver
DENVER (CBS4) – Colorado would have it’s own version of a “green card” under legislation at the state capitol.
It would be called a “purple card.”
DENVER (CBS4) – Colorado would have it’s own version of a “green card” under legislation at the state capitol.
It would be called a “purple card.”
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mes5464
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Jury tampering conviction upheld for man who passed out fliers on sidewalk | Fox17
MECOSTA COUNTY, Mich. -- Twenty-seven months into his case, a judge denied the appeal for the man convicted of jury tampering, after passing out jury rights' pamphlets on a sidewalk before the Mecosta County Courthouse.
Friday in the Mecosta County, Isabella County District Judge Eric Janes upheld Keith Wood's conviction for the one-year misdemeanor jury tampering. Wood was escorted in handcuffs from the courtroom he first faced Nov. 24 2015, after he says Mecosta County District Judge Peter Jaklevic ordered his arrest for passing out 50 Fully Informed Jury Association fliers. Wood stood on the sidewalk in front of that courthouse the day another trial was set to begin.
For Wood, his case has been merciless from the start: when he exclusively spoke on camera with FOX 17 saying he was "speechless" after his 2015 arrest. Wood was initially charged with a five-year felony for obstructing justice and jury tampering, then held on a $150,000 bond two days before Thanksgiving that year.
MECOSTA COUNTY, Mich. -- Twenty-seven months into his case, a judge denied the appeal for the man convicted of jury tampering, after passing out jury rights' pamphlets on a sidewalk before the Mecosta County Courthouse.
Friday in the Mecosta County, Isabella County District Judge Eric Janes upheld Keith Wood's conviction for the one-year misdemeanor jury tampering. Wood was escorted in handcuffs from the courtroom he first faced Nov. 24 2015, after he says Mecosta County District Judge Peter Jaklevic ordered his arrest for passing out 50 Fully Informed Jury Association fliers. Wood stood on the sidewalk in front of that courthouse the day another trial was set to begin.
For Wood, his case has been merciless from the start: when he exclusively spoke on camera with FOX 17 saying he was "speechless" after his 2015 arrest. Wood was initially charged with a five-year felony for obstructing justice and jury tampering, then held on a $150,000 bond two days before Thanksgiving that year.
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Joel
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Teacher charged after allegedly forcing student to stand for Pledge
A Colorado middle school teacher now faces child abuse charges after allegedly forcing a student to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance earlier this month.
Karen Smith, a physical education teacher at Angevine Middle School, was also charged on Tuesday with third-degree assault.
The Lafayette Police Department said Smith grabbed a male student by his jacket, lifted him to his feet and removed him from the classroom on Feb. 1.
Boulder Valley School District spokesman Randy Barber said district policy allows students to stand or sit for the Pledge
Barber said Smith is a 20-year employee of the district.
She was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the police investigation.
