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Trump Gets Quick Lesson In Recent History After Awkward Error During Rally Rant Donald Trump on Wednesday seemed to forget who was president in 2021 as he called on voters to remember better times. “Three years ago, we were a great nation,” Trump said at a rally in Michigan during an off day in his criminal trial in the Stormy Daniels hush money case. “And we will soon be a great nation again.” Trump also praised “hard-working patriots,” claimed the the nation is being “laughed at” around the world, and launched into his usual attacks on the media, “globalists,” the “deep state,” etc. But it was his choice of “three years ago” as a measure of greatness that struck many as curious given that he wasn’t president three years ago. President Joe Biden had already been in office more than three months. Biden by this point three years ago had signed dozens of executive orders reversing Trump policies, and signed into law the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion stimulus package aimed at helping the nation out of the COVID-19 pandemic as vaccines became widely available. Click on the link for the full article

Studios Warn Of First Amendment Implications For SAG-AFTRA-Backed AI Bill To Require Consent For Digital Voice And Likeness As SAG-AFTRA and other artists’ groups sound the alarm over the proliferation of AI deepfakes, studios are warning that too sweeping a proposed solution would violate the First Amendment. The alternate views of a draft bill, called the No Fakes Act, were apparent in a Senate hearing on Tuesday, underscoring the thorny task at hand for lawmakers as they try to establish guardrails around AI technology. The Motion Picture Association’s senior VP Ben Sheffner cautioned that “legislating in this area involves doing something that the First Amendment sharply limits: Regulating the content of speech.” “It will take very careful drafting to accomplish the bill’s goals without inadvertently chilling or even prohibiting legitimate, Constitutionally protected uses of technology to enhance storytelling,” he said. The draft Senate bill would give individuals a “digital replication right” to authorize the use of their image, voice or visual likeness. The right also would extend to the heirs, executors or assignees of a deceased person for a period of 70 years. There are exclusions for news and sports broadcasts, documentaries, historical and biographical works, and for the purposes of comment, criticism, satire and parody. Also excluded are incidental uses. Click on the link for the full article

Another whistleblower has died: Whistleblower Josh Dean of Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems has died Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems and one of the first whistleblowers to allege Spirit leadership had ignored manufacturing defects on the 737 MAX, died Tuesday morning after a struggle with a sudden, fast-spreading infection. Known as Josh, Dean lived in Wichita, Kan., where Spirit is based. He was 45, had been in good health and was noted for having a healthy lifestyle. He died after two weeks in critical condition, his aunt Carol Parsons said. Spirit spokesperson Joe Buccino said: “Our thoughts are with Josh Dean’s family. This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones.” Dean had given a deposition in a Spirit shareholder lawsuit and also filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration alleging “serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management of the 737 production line” at Spirit. Spirit fired Dean in April 2023, and he had filed a complaint with the Department of Labor alleging his termination was in retaliation for raising concerns related to aviation safety. Dean was represented by a law firm in South Carolina that also represented Boeing whistleblower John “Mitch” Barnett. Barnett was found dead in an apparent suicide in March. He was in the midst of giving depositions alleging Boeing retaliated against him for complaints about quality lapses when he was found dead from a gunshot wound in Charleston, S.C., where Boeing has its 787 manufacturing facility. Click on the link for the full article

AM radio law opposed by tech and auto industries is close to passing A controversial bill that would require all new cars to be fitted with AM radios looks set to become a law in the near future. Yesterday, Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass) revealed that the "AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act" now has the support of 60 US Senators, as well as 246 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, making its passage an almost sure thing. Should that happen, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would be required to ensure that all new cars sold in the US had AM radios at no extra cost. "Democrats and Republicans are tuning in to the millions of listeners, thousands of broadcasters, and countless emergency management officials who depend on AM radio in their vehicles. AM radio is a lifeline for people in every corner of the United States to get news, sports, and local updates in times of emergencies. Our commonsense bill makes sure this fundamental, essential tool doesn’t get lost on the dial. With a filibuster-proof supermajority in the Senate, Congress should quickly take it up and pass it," said Sen. Markey and his co-sponsor Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). About 82 million people still listen to AM radio, according to the National Association of Broadcasters, which as you can imagine was rather pleased with the congressional support for its industry. The reason there's even a bill in Congress to mandate AM radios in all new vehicles is that some automakers have begun to drop the option, particularly in electric vehicles. A big reason for that is electromagnetic interference from electric motors—rather than risk customer complaints from poor-quality audio, some automakers decided to remove it. But it's not exclusively an EV issue; last year we learned the revised Ford Mustang coupe would also arrive sans AM radio, which Ford told us was because radio stations were modernizing "by offering Internet streaming through mobile apps, FM, digital and satellite radio options," and that it would continue to offer those other audio options in its vehicles. In response to congressional questioning, eight automakers told a Senate committee that they were quitting AM: BMW, Ford, Mazda, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, Volkswagen, and Volvo. This "undermined the Federal Emergency Management Agency's system for delivering critical public safety information to the public," said Sen. Markey's office last year, and AM radio's role as a platform for delivering emergency alerts to the public is given by supporters of the legislation as perhaps the key reason for its necessity. Click on the link for the full article

CDC, FDA, USDA answer big questions about the growing bird flu outbreak Representatives with multiple agencies including the CDC, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration on May 1 discussed the latest news about bird flu in the U.S. The agencies are continuing to test milk, dairy products and meat to ensure they can not spread the virus, and working to monitor farm workers for more human cases of bird flu. Here's a look at some of the questions they addressed. Q: Has the virus spread between people? A: While there can be rare instances of human-to-human transmission of bird flu, there have been no such cases in the United States. Dr. Rosemary Sifford, chief veterinary officer for the USDA, said researchers are not seeing changes in the virus that would indicate it might spread more easily between people. The dairy worker reported with bird flu on April 1 is the second human case of the virus reported in the U.S. The worker had conjunctivitis, a mild eye infection, and recovered. Q: What is the CDC doing to respond to the bird flu outbreak? A: Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said the agency is looking for unusual trends in flu-like illnesses around the country and conjunctivitis—especially in areas where H5N1 virus has been found in dairy cattle or other animals. CDC's flu surveillance systems are not showing any signs of unusual flu activity, which might indicate avian influenza. The CDC is also supporting the monitoring of exposed workers, Daskalakis said. People who have been exposed to infected cows, poultry or other animals are monitored for 10 days and if they show symptoms of illness, they are then tested. So far over 100 farm workers have been monitored. Click on the link for more

And at what point do we start asking what is wrong with most Americans that support Trump despite all of that. It's not just the campaign, it's the way the media treats Trump and the ignorance of the population.

The internet didn't ruin people, it just allowed already ruined people a place where they can anonymously post their insanity for all to see.

Yeah, I would recommend driving up coastal Route 1 in Maine. A lot of scenic small towns like mentioned above. Don't forget to stop at the Maine State Correctional Facility Gift Shop to get some genuine prison made woodworking items.

18-year-old pizza delivery driver shot at 7 times after driveway mix-up An 18-year-old pizza delivery driver in Tennessee was shot at multiple times while on the job after he accidentally parked in the wrong driveway. Caiden Wheeler, an 18-year-old high school student, is still processing what happened to him Monday night in Ashland City. The Domino’s employee was on his first and only delivery of the night when he was shot at seven times after parking in the wrong driveway. “Nothing close to what I thought would happen on a delivery, I’ll say that,” Wheeler said. “‘Cause I was literally about to get killed right there, so it’s attempted murder in my opinion.” On the quiet, residential North Poole Street, most of the houses are only a few feet from each other. Wheeler accidentally parked at 114B instead of 118, which is next door. He dropped the pizza off at the correct house and got back in his truck. Police say that’s when 32-year-old Ryan Bab**** used a handgun to shoot the driver-side below the gas tank, the wheel on the driver-side and right above the driver-side window. Police recovered seven shell casings at the scene. “I understand keeping your firearm, trying to protect your family, but I don’t think you should automatically just shoot at somebody because they pulled in. I don’t think that’s right,” Wheeler said. The suspect told police he thought someone was breaking into his car, so he went outside and started shooting. Wheeler’s car wasn’t marked, but he was in a Domino’s uniform and had a pizza delivery bag. Click on the link for the full article Shoot first, ask questions later.

A real company: Wet Pants Denim Their product:

What ever happened to Word's Fairs? Seems like they used to be a big deal back in the day, but you don't hear about them anymore.

Man Nabbed For Fried Chicken Battery On Sister A 20-year-old man is behind bars, charged with launching a fried chicken fusillade at his sister during a domestic clash in the Florida residence they share, police allege. According to investigators, the poultry pelting occurred Sunday afternoon in the Clearwater home of Khanye Medley and his sibling. During a “verbal altercation,” Medley grabbed a bag of Church’s Chicken from his sister and began throwing pieces of chicken at her. “One piece of fried chicken hit the victim in the back and left debris of food on her shoulders,” a patrolman reported. After being read his rights, Medley reportedly admitted throwing two pieces of chicken, “one of which hit her.” The motive for the chicken winging? Medley “stated he did this because he had not eaten and did not want the piece of chicken the victim offered him so he became upset.” Click on the link for the full story

Menu pricing for buying a senator: Read this powerful GOP senator’s pay-to-play 'benefits package' for lobbyists Are you a lobbyist itching for a fishing trip with Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), the top Republican on the powerful Senate Finance Committee? How about skiing and face time with Crapo? For years, Crapo has brazenly given donors to his political action committee a veritable menu for the access that their money can buy. This year, according to a flier obtained by Raw Story, $5,000 given to the Crapo Victory Committee buys donors one of the following: Annual Ski Fest at Sun Valley, Idaho (last February). Fishing on the Chesapeake at Solomons Island, Md., in June.25th Annual Hook ‘n Bullet at Sun Valley, Idaho, in August.12th Annual Greenbrier Resort Retreat at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., in November. What the committee calls the “Max Out Benefits Package” — a reference to donations reaching the legal limits — also includes the Holiday Potato Fest Reception in Washington, D.C, in December and a “donor or industry event.” In case that’s not enough flexibility, there is another option for donors of $5,000. They can get a “DC Luncheon” in addition to the Potato Fest and donor or industry event. “The issue here is not whether a law was violated, but how the influence of campaign contributions from special interests affects the behavior of our elected officials when performing their official duties,” Kustra wrote. “Money might not always talk, but, at the very least, it whispers in cases like this, and aids and abets the interests of those who have the most cash to supply.” While Crapo aggressively courts contributions from corporate PACs, some members of Congress, from both parties, have sworn off that particular kind of cash. Click on the link for the full article

Republicans in Congress are trying to reshape election maps by excluding noncitizens A growing number of Republican lawmakers are making a renewed push for an unprecedented change to the country's election maps. Their proposals call for excluding millions of non-U.S. citizens from the census results that determine each state's share of House seats and Electoral College votes. In the current Congress, GOP lawmakers have filed at least a dozen measures related to using the next once-a-decade head count to tally how many noncitizens are living in the country, and then subtracting some or all of those U.S. residents from what are known as the congressional apportionment counts. The 14th Amendment says those counts must include the "whole number of persons in each state." Still, the Republican-controlled House is on track to hold a floor vote as early as next week on a bill that calls for leaving out "individuals who are not citizens of the United States." Another proposal would change the Constitution to require citizens-only apportionment counts, though it has been stuck in the House Judiciary Committee for more than a year. While these measures face long odds in this divided Congress — and would have to overcome constitutional questions and practical challenges — they are reviving a decades-long campaign to remake the population numbers that form the foundation of U.S. democracy. Click on the link for the full article

And in the UK as well: Untreated mental health issues too often leading to violent crimes, says Khan Too many people with mental health issues who have committed violent crimes missed out on treatment as a result of cuts to support services, Sadiq Khan has warned. In an interview with the Guardian ahead of this week’s local elections, he said such crimes were preventable and said years of austerity has left NHS mental health provision on its knees. The mayor of London’s remarks came after a “devastating” attack by a man armed with a sword left a 14-year-old boy dead and four others injured in east London, including two police officers who sustained serious wounds. “We’ve had too many examples in recent years of people responsible for the most serious crimes having mental ill-health,” he said. Click on the link for the full article

Trump, Venting About Lawyer in His Criminal Trial, Seeks More Aggression Donald J. Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial had barely begun when he started to turn his anger toward his lead lawyer, Todd Blanche. Although Mr. Blanche has been Mr. Trump’s favorite lawyer for some time, behind closed doors and in phone calls, the former president has complained repeatedly about him in recent weeks, according to four people familiar with the situation. He has griped that Mr. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor and veteran litigator, has not been following his instructions closely, and has been insufficiently aggressive. Mr. Trump wants him to attack witnesses, attack what the former president sees as a hostile jury pool, and attack the judge, Juan M. Merchan. Mr. Trump, who often complains about legal fees and sometimes refuses to pay them, has also wondered aloud why his lawyers cost so much, according to the people, who all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic. Click on the link for the full article

So this was almost a week ago: Airlines will now be required to give automatic cash refunds for canceled and delayed flights The Biden administration issued final rules Wednesday to require airlines to automatically issue cash refunds for things like delayed flights and to better disclose fees for baggage or canceling a reservation. The Transportation Department said airlines will be required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for canceled flights and “significant” delays. Under current regulations, airlines decide how long a delay must last before triggering refunds. The administration is removing that wiggle room by defining a significant delay as lasting at least three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international ones. Airlines still will be allowed to offer another flight or a travel credit instead, but consumers can reject the offer. Click on the link for the full article In response, congresscritters are trying to introduce legislation that would negate this rule: Ted Cruz Wants to Make Sure Airlines Don’t Have to Refund Your Money Ted Cruz and four of his fellow members of Congress want you to fly through hoops to get a refund from an airline. Last week, the Biden administration issued a new rule requiring automatic refunds from airlines if a flight is delayed or canceled. But then, Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, as well as Representatives Sam Graves and Rick Larsen, proposed legislation that would undermine the rule by requiring passengers to submit a “written or electronic request” to get a full refund if their flight is canceled or heavily delayed. The bill would essentially make refunds only available to people who have the time and resources to navigate whatever processes an airline sets up. Plus, contacting an airline has never been easy to do. This would also seem to defeat the purpose of Biden’s new rule: hassle-free payback to inconvenienced travelers. “Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them—without headaches or haggling,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a statement last week. “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.” It’s not just Republicans attempting to ground Biden’s new rule: Cantwell and Larsen are both Democrats from Washington state, where airplane manufacturer Boeing has several facilities. Click on the link for the full article

A real product: Ass-Air Denim Shorts

Trump doesn’t rule out political violence if he loses, and other takeaways from his Time interview Former President Donald Trump wouldn’t dismiss the potential for political violence from his supporters if he isn’t elected in November, suggesting it would depend on the outcome of the presidential race. “I don’t think we’re going to have that,” the presumptive GOP nominee told Time magazine. “I think we’re going to win. And if we don’t win, you know, it depends. It always depends on the fairness of an election.” Click on the link for he full article

More than half of voters think Trump has committed crimes: Poll More than half of voters think former President Trump has committed crimes for which he should be convicted, according to a new Harvard CAPS-Harris poll shared with The Hill. Fifty-five percent of surveyed voters think Trump has committed crimes, a finding that comes as the first of four criminal indictments against the former president goes before a jury in New York. A 53-percent majority also said Trump’s legal cases make it “impossible” for him to be a viable candidate for the Oval Office, even as he campaigns for another four years. At the same time, 57 percent of respondents said they think the legal prosecutions against Trump constitute “lawfare,” or a way for Democrats to use the legal system to take out political opponents, while 43 percent said the prosecutions are fair and unpolitical. Just 49 percent of respondents said Trump has committed crimes for which he will — rather than should — be convicted, while 51 percent said he will not be convicted. Click on the link for the full article

Just more evidence that he's a toddler in an old man's body. He can't sit still that long.

That's not a great recommendation.

Fox News Pulls Hunter Biden ‘Mock Trial’ Miniseries Amid Lawsuit Threat Fox News swiftly took down a six-part miniseries focused on Hunter Biden from its streaming platform following a threat of legal action from Hunter Biden’s attorneys. The controversial program, titled “The Trial of Hunter Biden,” stirred controversy with its incendiary content, including sexually explicit images and a “mock trial” narrative surrounding Biden’s legal issues. Despite initial defense of the program by Fox News spokespeople, the network quickly responded to the legal threat by removing the series. This move highlights the conservative media giant’s tendency to cater to its audience’s preferences, even if it means promoting conspiracy theories or controversial content. The dispute underscores Fox News’ role in perpetuating narratives that align with its viewers’ beliefs, regardless of the ethical or legal implications. Click on the link for the full article