Why Americans are so divided over teaching critical race theory | PBS NewsHour

Critical race theory, or CRT — often a graduate-level framework examining how the legacy of slavery and segregation in America is embedded in its legal systems and policies — has become the source of a political flashpoint across the country. The debate over its potential role in school curricula has roiled school districts and state legislatures nationwide. Amna Nawaz reports.

  • Judy Woodruff:

    Critical race theory is a way of thinking about America’s past and present by looking at the role of systemic racism, what we have just been discussing.

    But the very term itself, critical race theory, has become a political flash point across the country, especially when it comes to how to teach young people about justice and equity in America.

    As Amna Nawaz reports for our Race Matters series, the debate over its potential role in school curricula has set off a firestorm that has roiled school districts and state legislatures nationwide.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    Next year, Jamison Maddox will be a senior here in Loudoun County, Virginia. His favorite subject is history, even though he felt Black history was lacking.

  • Jamison Maddox, Student:

    I think there could be some things that happened in history that should have been taught.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    In school, do you — did you learn about the Tulsa massacre?

  • Jamison Maddox:

    No.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    Did you learn about Juneteenth?

  • Jamison Maddox:

    No.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    Do you feel like those are things that should be taught as part of your formal education?

  • Jamison Maddox:

    Yes, definitely, definitely.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    Jamison’s mother, Vanessa, agrees.

  • Vanessa Maddox, Parent:

    This is American history. All of it should be taught in certain contexts and also age-appropriate.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    Maddox, who works as a job recruiter, and her husband, raised both their sons in this affluent Northern Virginia suburb over the last two decades.

    Last year, as the national racial reckoning resonated here, Vanessa joined a Facebook group pushing what they see as anti-racism efforts in school.

  • Vanessa Maddox:

    When I saw the anti-racist parent group, I’m like, OK, I got to be in that.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    What spurred you to join that group in the first place? What has that been like?

  • Vanessa Maddox:

    There is a definite need for a group like this. I like to be surrounded by like-minded, fair-minded, equitable people. You don’t have to think like me. You don’t have to be like me, but you do have to be anti-racist.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    Not everyone in Loudoun County sees it that way.

  • Ian Prior, Parent:

    There were parents that were just sick of it. They were just sick of constantly being told, if you don’t agree with me, then you’re a racist.

  • Amna Nawaz:

    Ian Prior’s two daughters are in elementary school here. He’s a former Trump administration Justice Department spokesman now leading a group called Fight For Schools, a political action committee pushing back on equity and inclusion measures.

  • Ian Prior:

    We’re not about not teaching history. We’re about teaching history in an objective way that is not represented as America is systemically racist.

     

Source: Why Americans are so divided over teaching critical race theory | PBS NewsHour

‘Manifest’ Could Become Netflix’s Most Popular Show Ever

As the show continues to dominate the Top 10 charts, we must ask: Is Manifest the most popular series on Netflix…ever?

Something unprecedented is happening over on Netflix right now. Manifest is in the midst of a historic run on the Top 10 charts, as the program just completed its 23rd consecutive day in the #1 position—a feat only two other shows have accomplished: Ginny & Georgia and Tiger King.

And as the show inches closer and closer to claiming the best streak ever, we must ask: is Manifest the most popular series on Netflix…ever?

The world’s biggest streaming service has produced several shows over the past few years that were mega-hits—but it’s difficult to determine exactly which one was the most popular. The streaming service claims that Bridgerton had a record 82 million views in its first 28 days. But Bridgerton was only able to overtake The Witcher’s previous record of 76 million views because Netflix’s subscriber base had grown so exponentially during the coronavirus pandemic.

Then we have to consider the Top 10 charts. Last year, I formed a points-based system that allowed me to rank every show’s popularity based on their Top 10 placements each day (here are the 2021 rankings, in case you’re curious). And while this system doesn’t give us hard numbers, it does let us know which shows have been the most consistently popular on Netflix.

Source: ‘Manifest’ Could Become Netflix’s Most Popular Show Ever

AI Designs Quantum Physics Experiments Beyond What Any Human Has Conceived – Scientific American

Originally built to speed up calculations, a machine-learning system is now making shocking progress at the frontiers of experimental quantum physics

AI Designs Quantum Physics Experiments Beyond What Any Human Has Conceived
Credit: Getty Images

Quantum physicist Mario Krenn remembers sitting in a café in Vienna in early 2016, poring over computer printouts, trying to make sense of what MELVIN had found. MELVIN was a machine-learning algorithm Krenn had built, a kind of artificial intelligence. Its job was to mix and match the building blocks of standard quantum experiments and find solutions to new problems. And it did find many interesting ones. But there was one that made no sense.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘My program has a bug, because the solution cannot exist,’” Krenn says. MELVIN had seemingly solved the problem of creating highly complex entangled states involving multiple photons (entangled states being those that once made Albert Einstein invoke the specter of “spooky action at a distance”). Krenn, Anton Zeilinger of the University of Vienna and their colleagues had not explicitly provided MELVIN the rules needed to generate such complex states, yet it had found a way. Eventually, he realized that the algorithm had rediscovered a type of experimental arrangement that had been devised in the early 1990s. But those experiments had been much simpler. MELVIN had cracked a far more complex puzzle.

“When we understood what was going on, we were immediately able to generalize [the solution],” says Krenn, who is now at the University of Toronto. Since then, other teams have started performing the experiments identified by MELVIN, allowing them to test the conceptual underpinnings of quantum mechanics in new ways. Meanwhile Krenn, working with colleagues in Toronto, has refined their machine-learning algorithms. Their latest effort, an AI called THESEUS, has upped the ante: it is orders of magnitude faster than MELVIN, and humans can readily parse its output. While it would take Krenn and his colleagues days or even weeks to understand MELVIN’s meanderings, they can almost immediately figure out what THESEUS is saying.“It is amazing work,” says theoretical quantum physicist Renato Renner of the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, who reviewed a 2020 study about THESEUS but was not directly involved in these efforts.

Krenn stumbled on this entire research program somewhat by accident when he and his colleagues were trying to figure out how to experimentally create quantum states of photons entangled in a very particular manner: When two photons interact, they become entangled, and both can only be mathematically described using a single shared quantum state. If you measure the state of one photon, the measurement instantly fixes the state of the other even if the two are kilometers apart (hence Einstein’s derisive comments on entanglement being “spooky”).

In 1989 three physicists—Daniel Greenberger, the late Michael Horne and Zeilinger—described an entangled state that came to be known as “GHZ” (after their initials). It involved four photons, each of which could be in a quantum superposition of, say, two states, 0 and 1 (a quantum state called a qubit). In their paper, the GHZ state involved entangling four qubits such that the entire system was in a two-dimensional quantum superposition of states 0000 and 1111. If you measured one of the photons and found it in state 0, the superposition would collapse, and the other photons would also be in state 0. The same went for state 1. In the late 1990s Zeilinger and his colleagues experimentally observed GHZ states using three qubits for the first time.

Source: AI Designs Quantum Physics Experiments Beyond What Any Human Has Conceived – Scientific American

TC Energy wants Biden administration to pay it $15 billion for blocking the Keystone XL pipeline – CNN

New York (CNN Business)TC Energy Corporation, the company that developed the Keystone XL pipeline project, is seeking to recover more than $15 billion in damages from the United States, claiming the US government breached its free trade obligations when it revoked the permit for the project.

The energy company announced in June that it is pulling the plug on the controversial Keystone pipeline project after the Biden administration revoked the permit on the president’s first day in the White House. The announcement ended more than a decade of controversy over the pipeline, marking a win for environmentalists who argued the project would worsen the climate crisis.
To recover economic damages from the project’s cancellation, TC Energy (TRP) on Friday filed a Notice of Intent with the US State Department to initiate a legacy NAFTA claim under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the company said in a statement.
When the permit cancellation was announced, TC Energy warned that it would “directly lead to the layoff of thousands of union workers.”
The project, which aimed to carry oil from the tar sands of Canada into the United States, has been the subject of controversy for years, igniting conversations about environmental, political and social justice issues. The end of the Keystone XL project could push environmentalists to pressure Biden to end other projects, including Line 3 and the Dakota Access pipeline.

Source: TC Energy wants Biden administration to pay it $15 billion for blocking the Keystone XL pipeline – CNN

Pittsburgh beefing up security presence for Downtown celebrations this weekend | TribLIVE.com

With full-blown Fourth of July celebrations back for this year’s holiday weekend, Pittsburgh Public Safety officials are stepping up security for events Downtown and in Point State Park.

After the pandemic canceled celebrations in the city last year, Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said as many as 200,000 people are expected to crowd into Downtown and Point State Park for fireworks and other activities on Saturday and Sunday.

“We expect this to be one of the busiest nights of the year with people eager to gather together after a challenging time,” Hissrich said. “But Public Safety’s primary focus will always be to protect residents and visitors so they can safely enjoy Independence Day with their families and friends.”

Hissrich said there will be more than a dozen mobile light towers at key locations to increase visibility Downtown. Also, Pittsburgh police, state police and Allegheny County Mounted Units will be activated to keep crowds moving and allow first responders to reach people in the event of an emergency.

As part of the effort to head off rowdiness, Point State Park Rangers will help Pittsburgh Police with bag screenings at the Park’s entrances.

 

The fireworks are scheduled to end at 10 p.m. on Sunday. Hissrich said police will be working with Port Authority personnel to move people out of the Downtown core as quickly as possible to reduce problems related to overcrowding in some areas at the end of the evening.

Source: Pittsburgh beefing up security presence for Downtown celebrations this weekend | TribLIVE.com

$500,000 grant boosts affordable housing efforts in Hazelwood | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

BY MARK BELKO:

A $500,000 state grant will help to boost key affordable housing initiatives in Hazelwood as part of an effort to prevent residents from being displaced as the neighborhood redevelops.

The money, awarded by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, will be used in part to build 12 for-sale houses along Hazelwood Avenue.

City of Bridges Community Land Trust was selected through a request for proposals last year to develop the townhouses and condos, which will be available to households at 50% to 80% of the area median income.

Part of the grant also will be used by the Hazelwood Initiative community development corporation to acquire from a former resident the last 19 of 62 rental units scattered throughout the neighborhood.

Source: $500,000 grant boosts affordable housing efforts in Hazelwood | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Donald Trump Jr. blasts Weisselberg indictment as ‘banana republic stuff’

Trump Organization Executive Vice President Donald Trump Jr. blasted the Manhattan DA’s office Thursday night for bringing tax fraud and other charges against the company’s longtime chief financial officer, calling the case “political persecution of a political enemy.”

“This is what Vladimir Putin does,” the eldest son of former President Donald Trump told “Fox News Primetime,” later adding that “after … 3 million documents, countless witnesses and hours of grand jury testimony, outside forensic auditors, this is what they come up with: they’re going to charge a guy who’s 75 years old on crimes of avoiding paying taxes on a fringe benefit.”

Allen Weisselberg pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court to charges of tax fraud, conspiracy, grand larceny and falsifying business records. Prosecutors say Weisselberg and the company concocted a 15-year scheme to compensate the CFO and other Trump Organization executives “off the books.”

Source: Donald Trump Jr. blasts Weisselberg indictment as ‘banana republic stuff’

California Sets Date For Newsom Recall Election

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2021, file photo, California Gov. Gavin Newsom gestures during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. California on Thursday, July 1, 2021 scheduled a Sept. 14 recall election that could drive Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, the result of a political uprising largely driven by angst over state coronavirus orders that shuttered schools and businesses and upended life for millions of Californians. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool, File)
FILE – In this Jan. 8, 2021, file photo, California Gov. Gavin Newsom gestures during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. California on Thursday, July 1, 2021 scheduled a Sept. 14 recall election that could drive Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, the result of a political uprising largely driven by angst over state coronavirus orders that shuttered schools and businesses and upended life for millions of Californians. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool, File)

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD and KATHLEEN RONAYNE

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California on Thursday scheduled a Sept. 14 recall election that could drive Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, the result of a political uprising largely driven by angst over state coronavirus orders that shuttered schools and businesses and upended life for millions of Californians.

The election in the nation’s most populous state will be a marquee contest with national implications, watched closely as a barometer of the public mood heading toward the 2022 elections, when a closely divided Congress again will be in play.

The date was set by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat, after election officials certified that enough valid petition signatures had been turned in to qualify the election for the ballot.

The announcement will set off a furious, 10-week burst of campaigning through the California summer, a time when voters typically are ignoring politics to enjoy vacationing, backyard barbecuing and travel.

Many voters have yet to pay attention to the emerging election, while polls have shown Newsom would beat back the effort to remove him. Republicans haven’t won a statewide race in heavily Democratic California since 2006.

Republican candidates have depicted Newsom as an incompetent fop whose bungled leadership inflicted unnecessary financial pain statewide, while Democrats have sought to frame the contest as driven by far-right extremists and supporters of former President Donald Trump.

Newsom’s campaign issued a statement describing the election “a naked attempt by Trump Republicans to grab control in California.” It called on his supporters to “defend our state.” Kevin Faulconer, a former San Diego mayor and one of the leading Republican candidates, predicted that “retirement is coming for Gavin Newsom.”

While a final date wasn’t set until Thursday, the campaign has been underway for months after it became clear that recall organizers had gathered more than enough of the required 1.5 million petition signatures needed to place the recall on the ballot.

It’s not uncommon in California for residents to seek recalls but they rarely get on the ballot — and even fewer succeed. A sitting governor has been ousted just once in the state, when unpopular Democrat Gray Davis was recalled in 2003 and replaced by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Conservative talk show host Larry Elder, 69, issued a brief statement Wednesday night saying he was seriously considering entering the race and would announce his decision early next week. His entry into the race would give the Republican field a jolt of celebrity sparkle and a name on the ticket known through his nationally syndicated radio show and appearances on Fox News.

Along with Faulconer, other Republicans who have said they will run include Republican businessman John Cox, who was defeated by Newsom in 2018, former U.S. Rep. Doug Ose and reality TV personality and former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner.

The GOP field is expected to continue to grow: Candidates have until 59 days before election to file papers to declare their candidacy, or roughly about two weeks away.

Source: California sets date for recall election targeting Newsom

Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleads not guilty to tax charges

Weisselberg, 73, was charged with grand larceny in the 2nd degree, along with other charges and entered a plea of “not guilty.” The Trump Organization also pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors, in the indictment, described a years-long scheme to compensate executives “off the books” to avoid taxes.

Weisselberg’s attorney, Mary Mulligan, said before the hearing that he “will fight these charges in court.” He was a longtime Trump employee who turned himself in early Thursday morning.

The DA’s office said it does not expect to hold a news conference afterward “as the case relates to an active, ongoing investigation.”

Trump, in a statement through his political PAC, called the charges political.

“The political Witch Hunt by the Radical Left Democrats, with New York now taking over the assignment, continues,” he said in a statement. “It is dividing our Country like never before!”

Source: Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleads not guilty to tax charges

Top Trump Executive Allen Weisselberg Surrenders to Face Charges From New York Grand Jury

The Trump Organization and Mr. Weisselberg have been indicted in connection with a tax investigation and company representatives are expected to appear in court later today.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office has informed Donald J. Trump’s lawyers that it is considering criminal charges against his family business, the Trump Organization, in connection with fringe benefits the company awarded a top executive, according to several people with knowledge of the matter.

The prosecutors had been building a case for months against the executive, Allen H. Weisselberg, as part of an effort to pressure him to cooperate with a broader inquiry into Mr. Trump’s business dealings. But it was not previously known if the Trump Organization also might face charges.

If the case actually moves ahead, the grand jury will announce charges today, the people said. Mr. Vance’s prosecutors have been conducting the investigation along with lawyers from the office of the New York State attorney general, Letitia James.

Today’s indictment would be the first to emerge from the long-running investigation and would raise the startling prospect of a former president having to defend the company he founded, and has run for decades, against accusations of supposed criminal behavior in connection with taxes.

Source: Top Trump Executive Allen Weisselberg Surrenders to Face Charges

Trump Organization and its CFO indicted by Manhattan grand jury

The Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg, its longtime finance chief, were indicted Wednesday by a grand jury in Manhattan.

The offices of the Manhattan District Attorney and New York Attorney General have obtained indictments against the Trump Organization and its longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News.

The indictments against the organization and Weisselberg, handed up by a New York grand jury, are expected to be unsealed in court Thursday afternoon in Manhattan, a Trump representative told NBC.

Weisselberg is expected to surrender Thursday morning, The Washington Post reported earlier, citing sources. The Post said he is expected to be arraigned in front of a state judge later that day. The Trump Organization is also expected to be arraigned.

NBC previously reported the charges center around allegations of Weisselberg and other Trump Organization executives receiving benefits without reporting them properly on their tax returns.

Former President Donald Trump is not expected to be charged this week, the Post’s sources said, but the indictments could bring possible fines and legal problems to his company. However, prosecutors hope Weisselberg will exchange testimony against Trump for reducing his own risk, another source told the Post.

A representative for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. declined CNBC’s request for comment. Trump Organization lawyer Ronald Fischetti had no immediate comment. Weisselberg’s lawyer, Mary Mulligan, declined to comment.

Source: Trump Organization and its CFO indicted by Manhattan grand jury

‘Not a healthy environment’: Kamala Harris’ office rife with dissent

There is dysfunction inside the VP’s office, aides and administration officials say. And it’s emanating from the top.

When Vice President Kamala Harris finally made the decision to visit the Mexico border last week, people inside her own office were blindsided by the news.

For days, aides and outside allies had been calling and texting with each other about the political fallout that a potential trip would entail. But when it became known that she was going to El Paso, it left many scrambling, including officials who were responsible for making travel arrangements and others outside the VP’s office charged with crafting the messaging across the administration.

Source: ‘Not a healthy environment’: Kamala Harris’ office rife with dissent

Surfside, Florida, condo collapse: ‘There is still hope,’ rescue team leader says as search enters 7th day at Florida building collapse – CNN

Rescue teams are entering their seventh day searching the rubble of a collapsed building in Surfside, Florida — still holding out hope they will find the 149 people still unaccounted for.

Source: Surfside, Florida, condo collapse: ‘There is still hope,’ rescue team leader says as search enters 7th day at Florida building collapse – CNN

Pittsburgh is one step closer to banning plastic bags – WPXI

PITTSBURGH — Nearly every time you go to the grocery store, you walk out with several plastic bags. A little-known part left out of the Pennsylvania state budget could now open the door for cities like Pittsburgh to ban them.

In the past, state lawmakers included a provision in the budget preventing local governments from banning single-use plastics. That was not included in the latest budget, meaning this could be the opportunity people like Ashleigh Deemer with PennEnvironment are looking for.

“We think this is a really critical policy to protect the health of our environment and the health of our people. We also know there’s a profound amount of support for it,” said Deemer.

“It’s weird to me. If I don’t give them a straw, people ask for them all of the time. I’m not sure where this is coming from or why they’re doing it,” said Matthew Voelker, owner of Nadine’s Diner. “I just want to see their game plan behind it and what the reasons are. Who is considering this? Why don’t they ask the people what they want?”

The Pittsburgh City Council is going to examine eliminating single-use plastics sometime this summer. Any ordinance likely wouldn’t go into effect until December per state law.

Source: Pittsburgh is one step closer to banning plastic bags – WPXI

Spectator who caused massive crash at Tour de France missing after fleeing the country – CBS News

A spectator at the Tour de France who caused a massive crash involving dozens of cyclists is missing as race authorities plan to sue her. Tour de France deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault told the AFP news agency they plan to sue the woman “so that the tiny minority of people who do this don’t spoil the show for everyone. ”

Video shows the woman, who held a long banner on the sidelines of the race, stick the banner out a little too far, causing German cyclist Tony Martin to bike right into it. Martin fell, setting off a domino effect for competitors as cyclists behind him also fell.

The sign was a hello message for the woman’s grandparents, CBS Sports reports. She appeared to hold the sign out so it was in the view of cameras – but it blocked part of the road.

Source: Spectator who caused massive crash at Tour de France missing after fleeing the country – CBS News

Officers shoot, kill man near pot farm in Lava Fire evacuation zone | KRCR

Officers shot and killed a man who pulled a gun as they tried to keep him out of a complex of marijuana farms in the Lava Fire evacuation zone.

Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue told The Sacramento Bee that the man was trying to drive into the Mount Shasta Vista subdivision on Monday and pointed a handgun at a group of officers that included a sheriff’s deputy and local police.

“Based upon preliminary information, it appears that there might have been a couple rounds fired from the suspect’s firearm,” LaRue said.

The officers killed the man, who was not immediately identified.

Source: Officers shoot, kill man near pot farm in Lava Fire evacuation zone | KRCR

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Case on Transgender Bathroom Rights – The New York Times

The Supreme Court turned down a request from a Virginia school board to reinstate its policy barring a transgender boy from using the boys’ bathroom.

As is the court’s practice, it gave no reasons for declining to hear the appeal. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. said they would have granted the school board’s petition seeking Supreme Court review.

An appeals court had ruled that a Virginia school board’s policy barring a transgender boy from using the boys’ bathroom was unlawful.

Source: Supreme Court Won’t Hear Case on Transgender Bathroom Rights – The New York Times

Who’s hiring in Pittsburgh? Microsoft, CMU, the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden and more — 6/28/21

Photo by Jennifer Baron.

Hiring? Post your job here

IT and Engineering

Eaton has an opening for a Cybersecurity Engineer to drive cybersecurity initiatives for product solutions as part of a global team of security experts.

Niche is looking for a Data Engineer to build technical solutions to move, transform, extract and analyze data for internal stakeholders.

Marketing and Communications

EQT has an opening for a Director, Communications to translate company themes into compelling storyboards, develop branded and digital content, leverage social media technology and more.

Legal

Microsoft is looking for a Principal Corporate Counsel, U.S. Commercial to advise business clients regarding complex cloud computing deals, strategic alliances, software licensing, consulting services, product support, and other agreements with U.S. commercial customers and partners.

Business and Finance

DICK’S Sporting Goods seeks an eCommerce Experience Strategist to perform analysis and research to define athlete expectations related to the digital shopping path.

Nonprofit

Jewish Family and Community Services has an opening for a Career Development Center Director to oversee the organization’s Career Development Center and assist with fund development, operations, staff, new partnerships, advocacy and outcomes.

Administrative

Carnegie Mellon University is hiring a Manager of Administrative Services for the school’s Mechanical Engineering Department to supervise administrative staff and support faculty, tech staff, students and visitors.

Hospitality

Flyspace Productions seeks an Event Operations Assistant to work on hands-on projects, assist with events, help set up equipment and more.

Business and Finance

The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is looking for a Finance Director to oversee the organization’s accounting and financial operations.

Healthcare

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital seeks a Clinical Support Specialist III to support the Ultrasound OBGYN Department.

Advanced Manufacturing

Nestle Health Science is hiring a Senior Factory Director to provide leadership for manufacturing, packaging, distribution, supply chain, planning and engineering for its Pittsburgh and Philadelphia factories.

Matt Machine and Manufacturing seeks a CNC Programmer to use MasterCAM software to program CNC vertical and horizontal mills and axis lathes, assist machinists and operators with troubleshooting, maintain job files and more.

Source: Who’s hiring in Pittsburgh? Microsoft, CMU, the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden and more — 6/28/21

AOC dismisses concern over crime spikes in major cities as ‘hysteria’ | Fox News

“We are seeing these headlines about percentage increases,” Ocasio-Cortez said during a conversation with New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman over Zoom. “Now, I want to say that any amount of harm is unacceptable and too much, but I also want to make sure that this hysteria, you know, that this doesn’t drive a hysteria and that we look at these numbers in context so that we can make responsible decisions about what to allocate in that context.”

CURTIS SILWA PLANS TO CRACK DOWN ON CRIME AS NYC MAYOR Sliwa

Ocasio-Cortez argued earlier in June that authorities should stop building prisons and instead focus on underlying public health issues, adding it is “not acceptable” to use jails as “garbage bins.”

“If we want to reduce violent crime, if we want to reduce the number of people in our jails, the answer is to stop building more of them,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “The answer is to make sure that we actually build more hospitals, we pay organizers, we get people mental health care and overall health care, employment, etc. It’s to support communities, not throw them away.”

Source: AOC dismisses concern over crime spikes in major cities as ‘hysteria’ | Fox News

The false promise of modern monetary theory | TheHill

MMT advocates claim they have the secret recipe to avoid the pitfalls of currency debasement and mountains of debt.

For those unaccustomed with MMT, in essence it states that the U.S. government can print and spend money limitlessly. Deficits don’t matter. Neither does the national debt.

MMT has several high-profile adherents, from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

Source: The false promise of modern monetary theory | TheHill

Kansas lawmaker to introduce critical race theory bill to ban it from schools

TOPEKA, (KSNT) — A Kansas senator said they plan to introduce a bill banning critical race theory from being taught in schools.

Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, told the Kansas Capitol Bureau on Thursday that she will pre-file for next year’s legislative session a bill that would prohibit the teaching of the subject, also referred to as CRT.

“We need to make sure that race is not an issue,” Tyson said. “People should not be judged by the color of their skin. They shouldn’t.”

Critical Race Theory is the study of racism as a social construct that impacts legal systems and policies, arguing that some institutions oppress minorities. Tyson said it’s become a topic of concern for several of her constituents, as a national debate takes place on whether it should be taught in schools.

On Friday, a spokesperson for the Kansas National Education Association, Marcus Baltzell, said that current attacks against the concept seem to be a “siren” or “conflation” of the subject by “ultra-conservatives” intending to ignite a movement against the theory. He said no schools in the state are explicitly teaching the subject.

Source: Kansas lawmaker to introduce critical race theory bill to ban it from schools

Biden executive order aims to further equity, inclusiveness in federal hiring – The Washington Post

Order calls for “a government-wide, comprehensive plan” to address such things as harassment, equity for LGBTQ+ employees and people with disabilities, and access to leadership roles.

Source: Biden executive order aims to further equity, inclusiveness in federal hiring – The Washington Post

Festival a celebration of Dean Martin’s life and devotion to Steubenville | WTOV

“Dean Martin is so important to Steubenville,” said JoJo Dialbert, owner of The Spot Bar. “We all know he was nationally known as a singer and entertainer. And numerous times, he mentioned Steubenville. And everybody knows that’s where he’s from.”

The celebration was an opportunity to learn more about Martin, but it also brought vendors of jewelry. food trucks and live music to downtown.

In addition. the cruise-in Saturday afternoon saw vintage cars gather so their drivers could see each other after a long year.”

This is one big family, these car people,” Kathy Waszkiewicz said. “We don’t get to see them often enough. It’s just nice to come out and support Steubenville and see our friends and have a good time with everybody.”

And the people living in Steubenville, as well as the people who come to visit, are the focus of the event’s organizers.”

That’s what we try to do with these festivals,” Barilla said. “Whether it’s the Fort Festival, the summer concert series, the Dean Martin Festival, the Nutcracker Festival, people coming together, families coming together, saying hello to one another, hugging one another, it’s a warm feeling. And it’s a rewarding feeling.””

You know it’s a lot of work and a lot of headaches, but when you look outside and see hundreds, sometimes a thousand, that are enjoying themselves, enjoying Dean Martin’s music, it makes you feel good,” Dialbert added. “You feel satisfied that you were able to pull it off and make a lot of people happy.”

The festival wrapped up Saturday night at The Spot Bar with a tribute to Dean Martin put on by Tom Stevens.

Source: Festival a celebration of Dean Martin’s life and devotion to Steubenville | WTOV

‘We Are Holding Out For A Miracle:’ Friends Of Pittsburgh Native Lost In Florida Condo Collapse Hoping She’s Found – CBS Pittsburgh

With 159 people unaccounted for following the collapse of a condo in Florida, a Pittsburgh native and her husband are among them.

Nicole Doran-Manashirov, originally from South Park, and her husband Ruslan Manashirov are missing. Some of her lifelong friends in Pittsburgh said the couple lived on the 7th floor, in one of the units that came down when the 12-story building partially collapsed Thursday.

READ MORE:Pittsburgh Native Among The 156 Unaccounted For As Search And Rescue Efforts Continue Following Condo Collapse In Surfside, FL

Source: ‘We Are Holding Out For A Miracle:’ Friends Of Pittsburgh Native Lost In Florida Condo Collapse Hoping She’s Found – CBS Pittsburgh

Unruly passenger leaps from aircraft taxiing down LAX runway

An unruly passenger reportedly tried to open the cockpit door multiple times before opening and leaping out the exit door.

An unruly passenger jumped from the door of a plane taxiing for takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport Friday night after allegedly attempting to breach the cockpit.

The male suspect allegedly jumped onto the plane’s automatically inflated emergency slide and was treated for injuries at a local hospital, according to FOX 11 of Los Angeles.

He reportedly tried to open the cockpit door multiple times before opening and leaping out the exit door.

Source: Unruly passenger leaps from aircraft taxiing down LAX runway

Opinion | A message to GOP congressmen: In D.C., critical race theory is simple truth-telling – The Washington Post

Washington, D.C.’s children should learn about Black history in the District.

As though they didn’t have enough pressing national issues on their plates, five Republican congressmen — Glenn Grothman (Wis.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Bob Gibbs (Ohio), Pat Fallon and Ronny Jackson (both of Texas) — have introduced legislation to ban the teaching of critical race theory in D.C. public and charter schools.

Grothman, the bill’s chief sponsor, said in a news release that, through critical race theory curriculum, “students are being taught that they are defined by the color of their skin, not the content of their character.” “This neo-racist ideology,” warned Grothman, “should have no place in our public education system, especially in our nation’s capital.”

Set aside for a minute the confusion over just what is critical race theory. Understand, also, that D.C. schools don’t teach critical race theory but do provide anti-racist training for educators and classroom discussions of systemic racism.

Source: Opinion | A message to GOP congressmen: In D.C., critical race theory is simple truth-telling – The Washington Post

Southern California Gas Prices At Highest Since July Of 2015 – CBS Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Gas prices in Los Angeles County are at their highest level since July of 2015.

AAA and the Oil Price Information Service says the average price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County is now at $4.285, nearly 10 cents higher than a month ago. In Orange County, the same gallon of gas is at $4.239.

Gas prices typically rise as summer travel ramps up and California phases in its higher-cost summer blend. Demand may be even higher this year due to a pent-up desire to hit the road after more than a year of lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Source: Southern California Gas Prices At Highest Since July Of 2015 – CBS Los Angeles

Trump Organization could face New York state criminal charges next week | Fox News

Donald Trump’s lawyers have been notified by the Manhattan district attorney’s office that it is considering charges against the Trump Organization, according to reports Friday.

The charges, which could be announced by district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. as early as next week, involve fringe benefits the organization allegedly awarded to top executive Allen H. Weisselberg – the organization’s longtime chief financial officer, an attorney for Trump Organization and Donald Trump confirmed to Fox News.

Prosecutors are reportedly looking into perks that were awarded to the top executive, including tens of thousands of dollars for private schooling for one of Weisselberg’s grandchildren, along with car leases and apartment rent doled out by the organization.

Trump has repeatedly called the investigation a “witch hunt” and claimed it is politically motivated.

Source: Trump Organization could face New York state criminal charges next week | Fox News

Derek Chauvin sentencing: Ex-Minneapolis cop sentenced to 22.5 years in prison in murder of George Floyd | Fox News

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin received a 270-month prison sentence Friday for second-degree unintentional murder in the death of George Floyd last spring.

Minnesota District Court Judge Peter Cahill said a 22-page sentencing memorandum would explain his reasoning on the sentence in greater detail.

“Most of it’s going to be in writing, 22-page memorandum – to emphasize the fact that determining the appropriate sentence in any case and in this case is a legal analysis,” he said. “It’s applying the rule of law to the facts of an individual and specific case. As opposed to trying to be profound here on the record, I prefer you read the legal analysis.”

He added that the sentence was not motivated by “public opinion,” “emotion or sympathy” and granted Chauvin credit for 199 days in time already served.

“I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family,” Cahill said. “You have our sympathies, and I acknowledge and hear the pain that you are feeling. I acknowledge the pain not only of those in this courtroom, but the Floyd family outside this courtroom and other members of the community.”

Download Windows 10 for free right now

Microsoft has ended support for Windows 7, so it’s time to make the move to Windows 10.

Support for Windows 7 ended more than a year ago, and Microsoft wants holdouts to upgrade to Windows 10 to keep devices running securely and smoothly — particularly before the operating system gets a big redesign later this year, and possibly morphs into Windows 11.

If you have an older PC or laptop still running Windows 7, you can buy the Windows 10 Home operating system on Microsoft’s website for $139 (£120, AU$225). But you don’t necessarily have to shell out the cash: A free upgrade offer from Microsoft that technically ended in 2016 still works for many people. With the potential new version of Windows right around the corner, now may be a good time to make sure you’re on the latest version to make any future updates easier.

When Windows 10 was first released in July 2015, Microsoft offered an unprecedented free upgrade offer for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users, good through July 2016. But in 2017, Ed Bott of CNET sister site ZDNet reported that the free upgrade tool was still functional. I tried it out in November 2019, and was able to upgrade a 2014 Dell OptiPlex 9020 desktop from Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro. As June 2021, readers are still emailing me and commenting below, saying that it’s worked for them as well.

Read more: Windows 10 tips: How to take screenshots, find the secret Start menu and more 

Source: Download Windows 10 for free right now

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