What's in the News? 2.0

[Tolvo]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/02/politics/eddie-gallagher-navy-seal-trial-verdict/index.html

A very disturbing case, Eddie Gallagher has been found not guilty for now in the case regarding his alleged murder of a prisoner of war. There have also been accusations of him firing upon civilians, him intimidating witnesses, and there have been contradictory accounts from fellow soldiers some of which he alleges are out to get him because they're millennials. The case was heavily complicated when one witness, a medic, was given immunity then changed his story to claim he killed the prisoner of war though Eddie still stabbed him and posed with his dead body and claimed in text to have killed the prisoner. Despite taking a photo with the body, holding the murder weapon, and claiming he did it in a message, he's been found not guilty.

[Lustful Bride]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/02/politics/eddie-gallagher-navy-seal-trial-verdict/index.html

A very disturbing case, Eddie Gallagher has been found not guilty for now in the case regarding his alleged murder of a prisoner of war. There have also been accusations of him firing upon civilians, him intimidating witnesses, and there have been contradictory accounts from fellow soldiers some of which he alleges are out to get him because they're millennials. The case was heavily complicated when one witness, a medic, was given immunity then changed his story to claim he killed the prisoner of war though Eddie still stabbed him and posed with his dead body and claimed in text to have killed the prisoner. Despite taking a photo with the body, holding the murder weapon, and claiming he did it in a message, he's been found not guilty.

He brings dishonor to the country and to the uniform he wears. But that doesn't matter to all the happy clapping yes men who will praise this.

[Callie Del Noire]

He brings dishonor to the country and to the uniform he wears. But that doesn't matter to all the happy clapping yes men who will praise this.

I heard he’s demoted and odds are that means he’s done in the Navy. He’ll get an honorable discharge but he could get other than honorable for the photo.. in the modern navy it’s hard to say.  70/30 I figure.  He’ll never advance again I know that.

[Twisted Crow]

In other news, we are still supposed to hate America and everything about it, according to Nike & Colin Kaepernick.

I really hope this is fake, but... I get the feeling it isn't.

“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured an old version of the American flag,” Nike said in a statement to CNN Business.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Nike had already sent the sneakers to stores, but asked the retailers to return them after the company received a complaint from the former NFL star.

According to the Journal, Kaepernick, a Nike endorser, “reached out to company officials saying that he and others felt the Betsy Ross flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery, the people said. Some users on social media responded to posts about the shoe with similar concerns.”

The sneakers are not available on Nike’s apps or websites.

Kaepernick “declined to comment,” according to the newspaper.

Now, these are shoes I probably wouldn't buy anyway... but I feel like the overall message here is wrong. I mean, this is a flag from our Colonial history. I would understand if it were the first confederate flag.

http://historynet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/1st-confederate-natl-flag-13-stars.jpg

... But it isn't. The Betsy Ross dates back to when we were fighting the British. You know, 1777. I mean, this same flag is also used in Presidential Inaugurations. And, yes. Yes! YES! Even including the 'Infallible God of Democracy': Barack Obama's first inauguration. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsy_Ross_flag#/media/File:Aoc_uncat_photo_-7609.jpg

I am typically a touch left-of-center when it comes to many things. And on Colin Kapernick, I was in the "Let him kneel" club... but this whole "We must hate this country and ourselves" thing is really getting on my goddamn nerves. 

[Twisted Crow]

Can I wear a Kamikaze flag bandana? Or have it decal'd to a skateboard? That flag can be related to the Japanese in WWII and Pearl Harbor. It can also be "related" (if one wanted to go out and make that association) with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki... as these events also took place in World War II.

Symbolism can be blurry, I get that. I also get how something like wearing a Swaztika would be offensive due to what is often attributed to such symbols... but the Betsy Ross flag is hardly among the same grounds as something like that or the 'Battle Flag of Northern Virginia' (the one everyone always mistakes for as "The" Confederate Flag). I am not an expert on History. I will admit that I still fall victim to some popular historical misnomers but I felt like this sort of stuff was common knowledge. 

[Skynet]

The resulting publicity by having him sponsor their brand (and so-called anti-fans going out to buy Nike shoes to burn them) helped their stocks, so it's a case of trying to strike gold twice. The flag does actually have a history of being used by some extreme right-wing movements, although nowhere near to the extent of the Confederacy so it's a less cut and dried case.

If you haven't seen it before, WOKE BRANDS is a great piece of edutainment behind the motivations of corporations trying to be "progressive" to varying degrees of success.

[Twisted Crow]

*sigh* Doesn't seem to be helping that some of the hardcore conservatives are apparently using this as giant middle finger.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/07/04/nike-dropped-shoes-with/

Dunno how valid Salt Lake Tribune is, mind you...

I agree that this is a Revolutionary War flag... but using it out of spite only muddys up the waters. 

[gaggedLouise]

MAD Magazine ceases prodution of new content. The end of an era, really - the mag was a real trailblazer both in North America and through the editions and competitors it inspired overseas (Swedish MAD built a massive cult following from its inception in 1960 until it closed shop around 2000, with a mix of translated US content and spirited Scandinavian material). How ironic that the paper would close when Trump and some others have made politics more nutty than ever!


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48865342

[Oniya]

http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#176

(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.

[gaggedLouise]

http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#176

(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.

People are breaking that rule all the time when taking an honorary lap at sports events draped in the flag, or jogging along with the flag stretched over their forearms and back while waving to the crowd. And it's not just the US flag - it's done with all kinds of national flags (the Swedish too). I find it a bit tasteless personally, but what can you do? :(

[gaggedLouise]

Major earthquake in southern California, about 150 miles from central Los Angeles (where buildings were reported to be shaking), with several aftrshocks

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/04/us/southern-california-earthquake/index.html?adkey=bn

[Twisted Crow]

http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#176

(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.

I was always under the impression that this applies to something made out of an actual US flag, though. Not something like a logo or a design. If this were the case, I would have been violating this rule in the United States Army, as every single uniform (which would be apparel) sports a patch depicting the United States flag. I'm no lawyer, but this is something I always felt was different than wearing an actual US flag as a toga or a dress or something. 

[Twisted Crow]

What I found more concerning that matter.


https://www.legion.org/flag/questions-answers/91517/it-permissible-wear-item-clothing-looks-united-states-flag

Question:
Is it permissible to wear an item of clothing that looks like the United States flag?
Answer:
Unless an article of clothing is made from an actual United States flag, there is NO breach of flag etiquette whatsoever. People are simply expressing their patriotism and love of country by wearing an article of clothing that happens to be red, white, and blue with stars and stripes. There is nothing illegal about the wearing or use of these items.

Granted, I do think some are a bit much. Like a shirt or a dress that is entirely in a US flag theme. I don't quite see it the same as a TV shirt with art that happens to have the US flag on it.

There are other interesting things on flag etiquette there, some that I didn't even realize.

[Lustful Bride]

China is adding malware and spyware into the phones of those entering the (primarily muslim) province of Xinjiang to monitor its people.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/02/technology/china-xinjiang-app.html

[Sara Nilsson]

Pregnant woman who was shot and lost her baby will not be charged for manslaughter.

On Wednesday, District Attorney Lynneice Washington said she respected the findings of the grand jury in bringing the charge against Jones, but she was dropping the charge in the “interest of justice.”

“After reviewing the facts of this case and the applicable state law, I have determined that it is not in the best interest of justice to pursue prosecution of Ms. Jones on the manslaughter charge for which she was indicted by the grand jury,’’ Washington said, according to AL.com. “Therefore, I am hereby dismissing this case, and no further legal action will be taken against Ms. Jones in this matter.”

“There are no winners, only losers, in this sad ordeal,” she said.

https://www.theroot.com/prosecutor-drops-charges-against-marshae-jones-the-ala-1836094664

Well thank the maker for that.

[Lustful Bride]

More unnerving stories from China's Xiangjing province and Children being taken from parents. Sadly thanks to Trump, we don't really have any moral highground to so much as wag a finger at China in that regard, but they shouldn't be allowed any breaks or passes on this.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-separating-muslim-children-from-families/ar-AADRAli?ocid=spartanntp

[Missy]

An asteroid made out of Gold has been discovered. With an estimated worth of $700 Quintillion.

If that isn't enough motivation to get us to space, nothing will.

Which is of course the main issue with M-type asteroids, there so abundant that if you mine them vigourously enough you actually ship enough product that you oversupply, thereby reducing the value of your goods to the point where you spend more money mining than you earn from your product.

[gaggedLouise]

An asteroid made out of Gold has been discovered. With an estimated worth of $700 Quintillion.

If that isn't enough motivation to get us to space, nothing will.

"GOLDFINGEEER! - *off-note saxophone stab* - He's the man, the man with the Midas touch..." :)

I'm fairly sure that amount of gold is an umpteenth number of times the sum of all gold that's ever been mined here on Earth.

[gaggedLouise]

The ruins of Babylon have finally become a UNESCO World Heritage site. I'm mostly surprised they had not been part of the list for a long time already. :)

http://www.spacewar.com/afp/190705151143.1i2n21w4.html

[Mechelle]

In Britain, right wing activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, alias Tommy Robinson, has been found guilty of contempt of court for his activities filming defendants in child grooming cases.
He hasn't been sentenced yet, but I think a prison term is likely.

[RedRose]

I don't find it on a normal famous site but what https://scramnews.com/former-nazi-ss-soldiers-coaching-next-generation-far-right-germany/

[Tolvo]

I can't find anything about that site, I can barely even find the site through google. I'm a little wary of clicking the link at that point.

[Lustful Bride]

So apparently Alaska is being hit with a Heatwave. >_>

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/heatwave-and-wildfires-in-alaska-as-temperatures-hit-90-degrees-on-independence-day/ar-AADUyVt?ocid=spartandhp

[TheGlyphstone]

There was a guy in the bank today talking about his impending vacation to Alaska, and how it's going to be so hot there.

[Skynet]

The same man who back in the Obama era was freaking out about FEMA Concentration Camps has now turned around and is pro-concentration camp. 3:04 mark.