Moms for Liberty and Florida Teacher Schemed to Manipulate Student Book Controversy

An Escambia County teacher reportedly collaborated with Moms for Liberty to get a student to check out a book the group called pornographic.

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Meta says vetting teens’ ages should fall on app stores, parents

Meta is pushing for rival tech giants such as Google and Apple to play a bigger role in keeping teens off potentially harmful sites.

The NRA Is Cannibalizing Itself

The NRA is slowly abandoning its original mission to teach Americans how to handle guns. Spending on these programs has dropped 77 percent

Flötenkreis

Daily Telescope: Two galaxies colliding 300 million light-years from Earth

“I have wanted to image these for some time.”

An Anti-Porn Leader Is Accused and the Media’s Silence Is Deafening

Mike Bickle, a founding father of anti-porn org Exodus Cry, has stepped away from his ministry after sexual misconduct allegations.

Ohio Republicans Say It’s Their ‘God Given Right’ to Restrict Abortion Access

Republicans in Ohio want to undermine the will of voters who approved a measure enshrining reproductive freedom into the state’s constitution.

Mass Murder Is a Choice. The Gun Industry Made It

Mass shootings like the one in Lewiston, Maine, in October are the product of the gun industry flooding America with military-style assault weapons.

The Christian hard line on abortion dooms the GOP

(RNS) — It’s no longer a political question, but a summons to spiritual warfare.

Why Is Mike Johnson Flying a Christian Nationalist Flag Outside His Office?

A new report confirmed that the House speaker is displaying an “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside his door.

Second teacher at Missouri high school suspended for using OnlyFans to supplement income

A second teacher at a high school in Missouri has been suspended after it was discovered she has an OnlyFans account.

Tumblr is reportedly on life support as its latest owner reassigns staff

“600+ person-years of effort” have not stopped the site from losing $30M a year.

Joe Manchin Is Retiring From the Senate

Sen. Joe Manchin says he’s not running for reelection, leaving his Senate seat in West Virginia vulnerable to a Republican takeover.

Jezebel to shut down after 16 years as parent company lays off staff

Chief executive of parent company G/O Media Jim Spanfeller says in staff memo ‘our business model … did not align with Jezebel’s’

Omegle, the Site That Paired Strangers for Video Chats, Is Dead

The owner of the site took it offline as of Wednesday, and wrote a long message to users alluding to “attacks” against the site.

RIP Omegle

From the moment I discovered the Internet at a young age, it has been a magical place to me. Growing up in a small town, relatively isolated from the larger world, it was a revelation how much more there was to discover – how many interesting people and ideas the world had to offer.

Russell Letson Reviews War Bodies by Neal Asher

War Bodies, Neal Asher (Tor UK 978-1-5290-5008-0, £20.00, 563pp, hc) July 2023. Cover by Steve Stone. I have been trying to get a line on Neal Asher since first encountering his Polity universe two…

Steam might let you hide those embarrassing games in your profile soon

“Mark as Private” would let players of… certain games keep them off timelines.

Platforms Must Stop Unjustified Takedowns of Posts By and About Palestinians

Legal intern Muhammad Essa Fasih contributed to this post.Social media is a crucial means of communication in times of conflict—it’s where communities connect to share updates, find help, locate loved ones, and reach out to express grief, pain, and solidarity. Unjustified takedowns during crises…

Inside Team Trump’s Very Gross Plans to Keep Humiliating DeSantis

Donald Trump is crushing Ron DeSantis in the polls, but he and his team are trying to use an extremely gross rumor to humiliate the Florida governor.

Megan Fox Debuts Poetry in New York: ‘You’re Never Going to Cancel Me’

Actress spoke to a packed crowd in Manhattan about her new book of poetry ‘Pretty Boys Are Poisonous’ and toxic relationships.

Ohio Votes to Enshrine Abortion Rights Despite GOP’s Dirty Tricks

Ohio voters voted overwhelming on Tuesday in support of a ballot measure protecting reproductive rights.

Photographer Who Won Warhol Copyright Case Paid Over $2.5M to Defend Rights

She had to sell her house.

Biden announces $1.3 billion to build new power lines, upgrade aging electric grid

The power lines will aim to supply 3.5 additional gigawatts of energy to the U.S. grid, which equates to powering 3 million homes.

FIFTY SHADES OF SANTA

Students hated ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ Their teachers tried to dump it.

Four teachers in Washington’s Mukilteo School District wanted to protect students from a book they saw as outdated and harmful. The blowback was fierce.

Soda additive linked to thyroid toxicity may finally get banned by FDA

BVO has largely been phased out of big-name sodas and was recently banned in CA.

Missy Elliott Makes History as First Female Rapper Inducted Into Rock Hall of Fame

Missy Elliott performed a medley of her hits, including ‘Lose Control’ and ‘Work It,’ before delivering an emotional speech

High School Students Use AI to Make Deepfake Nude Photos of Classmates

A police investigation is underway.

Mark Meadows Slapped With Book Publisher Lawsuit Over False Election Claims

Former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows has been sued by his book publisher over claims he made about the 2020 presidential election.

New position statement supports permanent standard time

An updated position statement from AASM supports the replacement of daylight saving time with permanent standard time.

Nighttime on the East Coast – NASA

This nighttime view from the International Space Station shows the city lights of the northeastern United States and major urban areas including Long Island, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C. The orbital lab was soaring 262 miles above the Pine Tree State of Maine at the time of this photograph.

e1b-pia25665_cadre-dm-with-sand-engineer-edited-web – NASA

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Passing tarantula causes traffic accident in Death Valley that hospitalized motorist

One man was treated for his injuries while the “spider walked away unscathed,” authorities said.

Mariah Carey Sued Again Over ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’

A country musician revives his $20 million copyright claim over holiday hit, alleging Mariah Carey stole his title, lyrics, and composition.

North Dakota Republican Party Leader Resigns After Telling Black People To Leave And Move To Wakanda

North Dakota Republican Party Executive Director Dave Roetman resigned after racist and sexist tweets surfaced.

What Is Happening With Mike Johnson’s Money?

A new report reveals House Speaker Mike Johnson doesn’t have a single bank account. So where the hell is his money?

‘Children were carrying other injured children.’ Witness describes aftermath of Israeli strike on Gaza refugee camp | CNN

An Israeli strike on the densely populated Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza caused many casualties, officials in the enclave said Tuesday.

Don’t look away. Israel’s response is textbook ethnic cleansing.  

(RNS) — A newly leaked document shows that Israel sees the war as an opportunity to push Palestinians into Egypt.

Teetotal Trump and the drinking presidents

What the chief executive’s relationship with alcohol reveals about the occupants of the White House.

Mike Johnson’s Wife Takes Down Website That Compared Being Gay To Bestiality, Incest

HuffPost first reported on Kelly Johnson’s counseling service that likens LGBTQ+ people to people who have sex with animals and family members.

Record Labels Trying to Prevent ‘Taylor’s Version’ Re-Recording Scenarios With New Artists, Lawyers Reveal

Find out what’s going on.

Ron DeSantis seized control of Disney’s district. Employees are now quitting en masse.

Former employees at the district that oversees Walt Disney World say Ron DeSantis has installed leaders who are inept, dishonest and toxic.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders lowest approval rating for governor in last 20 years, Arkansas Poll says

The 25th annual Arkansas Poll shows that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has a lower than usual approval rating for governors in Arkansas.

Final Army base stripped of Confederate name as Fort Gordon becomes Fort Eisenhower

The names of Confederate leaders who took up arms against the United States in the Civil War have been fully stripped from Army installations, as the former Fort Gordon in Georgia was renamed Fort Eisenhower on Friday.

‘Friends’ Star Matthew Perry Dead at 54 After Apparent Drowning

Matthew Perry drowned to death Saturday, law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

What we learned from our Florida voting rights investigation

A crackdown by Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans has spent millions pursuing rare voter fraud, hampered voter registration and weakened Black voters’ influence

Maine Shooting Suspect Found Dead After 3-Day Manhunt

Robert Card has been found dead by authorities after mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine left at least 18 people dead on Wednesday night

Russian TV fawns over new House Speaker Mike Johnson: “This suits us”

A Russian TV host has explained why she believes Johnson will be of assistance to Moscow in the war against Ukraine.

Why Unity felt the need to “rush out” its controversial install-fee program

New report details internal divisions, intense push for mobile ad money.

Charlottesville’s Robert E. Lee statue melted down

(RNS) — ‘It’s taking that culture of death and repurposing it for the sake of life, telling this very long story of resistance to that white supremacist culture,’ said the Rev. Isaac Collins, a Methodist minister who attended the melting.

New House Speaker Blamed School Shootings on Teaching Evolution and Abortion

House Speaker Mike Johnson is a Christian nationalist who has blamed school shootings on teaching evolution and abortion.

Well, We Have a Speaker. He’s an Election Denier and an Extreme Christian Fundamentalist.

Meet Mike Johnson, Republicans’ new House speaker.

Florida doles out $50 million to contractor providing DeSantis Israel flights

Emergency management officials have authorized up to nearly $50 million in taxpayer dollars to one contractor for open-ended charter flights since Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the state to bring Flori…

Radical new forecast shows how rapidly the energy economy is changing

Economics, policies will revolutionize energy, still stick us with over 2° C warming.

The New House Speaker Is a Far-Right Extremist Who Helped Plot 2020 Coup

House Republicans elected far-right extremist Mike Johnson as the new House Speaker following weeks of dysfunction following Kevin McCarthy’s ouster.

Museum Corrects Dwayne Johnson Wax Figure Skin Tone: ‘We Just Made an Honest Mistake’

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s wax figure at a Paris museum has been updated following backlash regarding the lightened skin tone of the original figure.

Mark Meadows Spills to Special Counsel About Trump’s Election Lies: Report

Mark Meadows has reportedly been granted immunity and told Special Counsel Jack Smith that he warned Donald Trump about 2020 election lies.

FCC robocall enforcement does little to stop illegal calls, Senate hears

“Fines go uncollected, and the company dissolves and moves assets elsewhere.”

Living The Dream

feet guys

Yet Another Trump Election Lawyer Has Taken a Plea Deal

Jenna Ellis, one of Donald Trump’s lawyers who helped challenge the 2020 election, has pleaded guilty in the Fulton County election interference case.

Florida residents flee state as insurance premiums skyrocket up to 900%

Insurance premiums in the Sunshine State have climbed so high that people are considering going without insurance coverage, or moving out of the state.

Bad Bunny Lawsuit: Judge Concerned Reggaeton Copyright Claim Might ‘Stifle’ Entire Genre

Lawyers for Bad Bunny and dozens of reggaeton stars argued at a hearing that a sprawling copyright infringement lawsuit seeks to monopolize genre

How It’s Made: Mayonnaise

Michigan State apologizes for displaying picture of Adolf Hitler on the videoboard before a football game | CNN

Michigan State University apologized for displaying a picture of Adolf Hitler on the videoboard during a trivia quiz before the school’s football game against in-state rivals the University of Michigan on Saturday.

Drawn Out: How Iowa Got Redistricting Right | The Harkin Institute

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SEXY

More Google layoffs: Google News cuts dozens of jobs

40–45 jobs are cut, one employee says. “We’re definitely worse off without them.”

Congressman Ken Buck says he is being evicted after refusing to vote for Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House

Congressman Ken Buck, a Republican from Weld County, says his office in Windsor will soon be forced to move after receiving an eviction notice.

In the latest sign of House chaos, the temporary speaker is threatening to quit

Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., is resisting a push to get him to move legislation without an explicit vote to expand his powers.

GOP congressman claims the Bible has been banned in America for 60 years

He said “generations of Americans today have no knowledge” of the Bible because it was banned so long ago…

Kenneth Chesebro takes last-minute plea deal, agrees to testify in Georgia election case

Kenneth Chesebro, a key co-defendant in former President Trump’s Georgia election interference case, has taken a last-minute plea deal in the case.

Jordan out as speaker candidate in secret ballot after top ally warned death threats “will continue”

Republicans voted against keeping Jordan as the speaker designee — so they’ll start from scratch next week.