Musical visionary Janelle Monáe, during an appearance Friday on NBC's Today show, performed two songs and then took the mic to speak out against police brutality. It was a gripping, pleading speech—until she was interrupted by one of the show's anchors, Savannah Guthrie. The singer said: "God bless. God bless all the lives lost to police brutality. We want white America to know that we stand tall today. We want black America to know we stand tall today. We will not be silenced!" At that moment, the camera panned away from Monáe and Guthrie began talking over the rest of her speech, according to Consequence of Sound . The anchor then ushered in a commercial break, a move that historically has been show business's way of changing the subject. It's unclear whether NBC consciously cut off Monáe, but because of the timing the symbolism is potent. Her speech is not on the Today website. NBC did not immediately return a request for comment. The incident comes on the heels of … [Read more...] about NBC Cuts Off Janelle Monáe During Black Lives Matter Speech
Black lives matter
Anti-Cop Anthem Kneeler Kaepernick Works Out For NFL Team, Plots Comeback | The Daily Wire
Colin Kaepernick , the former NFL quarterback who alienated fans by leading protests against the National Anthem and likening police officers to pigs, reportedly worked out for the Las Vegas Raiders as he attempts a comeback after five years away from the game. The 34-year-old quarterback, whose last NFL game was in 2017, had a workout with the Raiders Wednesday, according to ESPN . There was no word on how he looked, but he reportedly is ready to accept a backup role to get back into the league. “You don’t bring in a player like this unless you are understanding of the ramifications and everything that comes along with it and what he can do for your offense,” said ESPN’s football maven Adam Shefter. “But he’s been looking for a chance to get back to the National Football League. He knows that he’ll have to come in as a backup, but again, this is something that’s interesting because the Raiders have always been a progressive organization.” Colin Kaepernick is scheduled to … [Read more...] about Anti-Cop Anthem Kneeler Kaepernick Works Out For NFL Team, Plots Comeback | The Daily Wire
How Portland Lives With, Not Against, Its Rats
To understand the rats around you, look in the mirror. Every human society determines how rats live among them. Portland, Oregon, made choices early in its history that have resulted in a more benign relationship between people and rats than most cities enjoy. The founders of Portland seem to have understood that the life of a city is shaped by how it deals with the garbage it creates. As far back as 1890 , residents sorted their garbage (into burnable and non-burnable) and scolded each other for not doing it right. The law most relevant to Portland's rat population, passed in the 19th century and still enforced, requires that trash be kept in sturdy rat-resistant containers with lids that fit tight. Compliance and enforcement have, predictably, drifted over the decades. But this custom has by now constrained over a hundred generations of rats. Meanwhile, all that many other cities require for refuse is a plastic bag, which a rat can pierce with a stern look. Urban refuse … [Read more...] about How Portland Lives With, Not Against, Its Rats
Texas shooting: How a sunny Uvalde school day ended in bloodshed
By Matt Murphy Published 16 hours ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing As the US reels from another school shooting, more details are emerging of the horror that unfolded in Texas near the border with Mexico. Witnesses have described traumatised children covered in blood being hugged by parents. Others had to come to terms with devastating news of the deaths of loved ones. But Tuesday began much like any other weekday in May in Uvalde, about 80 miles (130km) west of San Antonio. Around 08:00 local time, near the centre of the town, some 600 students aged seven to 10 were arriving at Robb Elementary School. The summer holidays were fast approaching and many children were savouring their final days in middle school before graduation. How the shooting began That morning on the other side of town Salvador Ramos fired the opening shots of one of America's … [Read more...] about Texas shooting: How a sunny Uvalde school day ended in bloodshed
Floyd Mayweather’s controversial moments – racial slur and homophobic comments
Floyd Mayweather has been warned about booking fights against fighters with a considerable size advantage . This is despite the former five-weight world champion looking comfortable in a recent exhibition match against Don Moore. No scorecard was kept, but it was unlikely Mayweather's 50-0 professional record would have been tainted in any way. The wealthy boxer seems to be enjoying taking a step back from the top of boxing. Now 45, he has had exhibition bouts against Logan Paul , among others. Fights with the likes of Paul may not be that beneficial to his overall health of 'Money' as he had an obvious height and weight disadvantage against his YouTuber opponent. However, the boxer is often controversial for some of the comments he makes and is unlikely to care too much about the opinions of those concerned watching on. Floyd Mayweather's most controversial moments Floyd Mayweather's most controversial moments included homophobic comments about opponents and … [Read more...] about Floyd Mayweather’s controversial moments – racial slur and homophobic comments
The Amber Heard–Johnny Depp Trial Is Not a Joke
The first time it happened, she said, she thought it was a joke. On the stand in her defamation trial a few weeks ago, the actor Amber Heard shared her account of the first time her now-ex-husband, Johnny Depp, allegedly hit her. She’d asked him about one of his tattoos: the one on his bicep (the one he’d famously had edited ) that to her looked like a muddle of black ink. The tattoo spelled out wino , she said he told her. Thinking he was kidding—Depp had publicly struggled with substance abuse, and Heard claimed he’d been drinking that night—she laughed. And then, she alleged: “He slapped me across the face.” Her response, she testified, was to laugh some more. “I didn’t know what else to do. I thought, This must be a joke . This must be a joke . Because I didn’t know what was going on.” Depp has denied ever hitting or assaulting Heard. And the trial is not directly ligitating whether he did so. Instead, the proceedings center on a Washington Post op-ed that Heard … [Read more...] about The Amber Heard–Johnny Depp Trial Is Not a Joke