tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33606930977037642392024-03-14T01:55:26.167-07:00vice new photoPeter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.comBlogger29981125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-19231996320406673322020-10-14T02:11:00.001-07:002020-10-14T02:11:38.746-07:00Thai Skateboarders Defy Authorities With 'Anti-Dictator' Designs<p>Practicing on an illustration of the prime minister's face, Thai skateboarders are showing support for a growing pro-democracy movement with defiant new designs rolled out at protests in Bangkok on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Rize-Style Skateboard owner Treewit "Chain" Boonkaweesilpn and a group of his friends from a small town outside the capital descended on the latest mass demonstration against Thailand's military-backed government carrying skateboards covered with graphics of hands smashing through a pile of tanks.</p>
<p>A flashy typescript calls for an end to "dictatorship" while popular hashtag #SaveThaiDemocracy sits on the nose of the deck, highlighting the important role social media, especially Twitter, has played in protests that have rattled the government since July. They also feature the three-finger salute from "The Hunger Games" movies, a symbol of resistance in <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/topic/thailand" target="_blank">Thailand</a> since prime minister Prayut Chan-O-cha led a coup in 2014 and held onto power in flawed elections last year.</p>
<p>"Skating is our art, it's how we express our views on things like politics and how we practice our freedom of expression," Chain told VICE News ahead of the event at the city's democracy monument, which marks the anniversary of a 1973 student-led uprising that ushered in a brief period of openness in a country riven by a cycle of coups, street protests and multiple constitutions. </p>
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<div class="article__image-caption">Practicing on an illustration of the Thai prime minister's face. Photo supplied</div>
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<p>At the rally, they plan to offer free skate lessons, giving protesters the chance to learn how to pop ollies, carve and grind on a huge image of Prayut's face. </p>
<p>It's a bold stunt, especially after a smaller protest on Tuesday night led to a scuffle with police and twenty-one arrests as a royal motorcade carrying the country's powerful king passed nearby. The incident raised tensions ahead of Wednesday's bigger event, where crowds grew into late afternoon. But Chain and his team were undaunted.</p>
<p>"Skateboarding is a performance art. If something like gymnastics expresses beauty, then skateboarding is all about bravery. And bravery is important to political expression - it's what we need to fight against the fear that has been created in our minds by the elites," he said.</p>
<p>The new protest movement began with a group called Free Youth, whose demands called for the dissolution of parliament, the drafting of a new constitution and an end to the state harassment of Thai citizens. But the scope soon spread to include a range of societal issues, including LGBT rights, education and the once-taboo topic of the monarchy, which is legally shielded from criticism by royal defamation laws.</p>
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<p>In a kingdom once known for its traditions, old certainties are under the microscope as Thai youth want to reshape their country according to a new set of values. Since the 2014 coup and national elections last year, in which senators handpicked by the former junta got to vote for prime minister, youth subcultures have been at the forefront of resistance.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/59kxkb/this-street-artist-is-trying-to-loosen-the-juntas-iron-grip-on-thailand-with-humor" target="_blank">Graffiti artists</a> have satirized the suspicious wealth of generals. <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/8xp9pp/rap-against-dictatorship-video-thailand-politics" target="_blank">Rappers</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/may/30/thailand-punks-against-junta-repression-military-political" target="_blank">punks</a> and <a href="https://mixmag.asia/read/pisitakun-thailand-pro-democracy-protests-local" target="_blank">experimental techno DJs</a> have used their music to blast dictatorship. And the must-have fashion item for the new generation of Thais is the political parody shirt, which itself has roots in skate clothing brands like X-Large, Freshjive and Fuct. </p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1602662525433-photo-36.jpeg" alt="PHOTO-36.jpg" />
<div class="article__image-caption">Practicing ahead of pro-democracy protests in Bangkok. Photo supplied</div>
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<p>For Chain, the connection between the five-year period of outright military rule from 2014 to 2019 and the current youth rebellion is clear. </p>
<p>"I think it's the pressure kids got in school after the latest coup. They were forced to follow and recite the same old values made by the elites and it just didn't work," he says, referring to the <a href="https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30243522" target="_blank">"Twelve Core Values"</a>, which were pressed on the Thai education system by the military junta with the aim of instilling discipline, patriotism and love of monarchy in young Thais. </p>
<p>"Thai students have always been under a lot of pressure to begin with, so when the junta came and forced all this stuff on them, things got even worse," he added. "And now we have the internet, which can give us a glimpse of what things are like globally, and we see that it’s totally different from Thai schools." </p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-44121972624538235552020-10-14T00:11:00.001-07:002020-10-14T00:11:16.269-07:002020 Has Been a Record Year for Fatal Shark Attacks in Australia<p>On Sunday, police in Western Australia called off their search for the body of a 52-year-old surfer, two days after he was seen being attacked by a shark. This puts the year’s shark attack tally at six—the highest number of people killed in unprovoked attacks since 1934.</p>
<p>This number is well above Australia’s 50-year average of 1.02 deaths a year. Yet while fatalities are at an 86-year high, the number of unprovoked shark <i>bites</i>, 17, is more or less in line with the average over the past decade: meaning it’s not the number but rather the <i>nature</i> of the attacks that’s contributing to the uptick in deaths.</p>
<p>“In some of the cases this year it sounds like the shark hung around and bit more than once, which is unusual behaviour for great white sharks,” Dr Blake Chapman, a marine biologist who examined shark neuroscience for her PhD, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/14/high-number-of-fatal-australian-shark-attacks-prompts-concern-hunting-grounds-are-shifting" target="_blank">Guardian Australia</a>. “[And] when they bite more than once it’s more likely to be fatal as there’s more blood loss.”</p>
<p>Dr Chapman noted that multiple bites could suggest the apex predators are starting to treat humans as prey. Another factor could be the weather.</p>
<p>The Bureau of Meteorology <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-29/bom-declares-la-nina-wet-conditions-likely-for-eastern-australia/12617528" target="_blank">recently declared</a> a La Niña weather event in Australia, which is typically associated with cooler sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific and warmer waters around much of the country’s northern waters. These water temperatures influence the migration patterns of certain fish—like salmon, for example—and so dictate the movement of the sharks that eat them—namely, great whites.</p>
<p>Several of this year’s victims were attacked by great white sharks—and as Dr Chapman points out, “We do tend to see little spikes in shark bites in La Niña.”</p>
<p>She also noted however, that details and data are relatively scarce, making it hard to determine with any real certainty why so many people in Australia have died from shark attacks this year.</p>
<p>In January, an experienced diver was killed by a shark in the waters off Western Australia; in April, a wildlife ranger was killed by one off the Great Barrier Reef. In June, a 60-year-old died from a shark in northern NSW; in July, a teenage surfer died from a shark bite at another beach in the region; and in September, a 46-year-old surfer died after being bitten while surfing near the Gold Coast in Queensland.</p>
<p>However, it’s worth pointing out that just because a lot of people have died this year, it doesn’t mean that shark attacks are on the rise.</p>
<p>As Dr Andrew Chin from James Cook University points out, the number of actual bites is the same as last year and less than 2019. “It’s just that unfortunately the bites this year have led to more fatalities.”</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-1979269361571753882020-10-13T12:11:00.001-07:002020-10-13T12:11:45.952-07:00The Hydraulic Press Channel Is the Internet Sensation of Our Time <p>Lauri and Anni Vuohensilta have been crushing it. The Finnish couple began pulverizing random objects under a 150-ton hydraulic press at their family’s factory five years ago this month, carving out their own genre of “satisfying” internet videos and amassing more than 10 million followers across major social media platforms in the process.</p>
<p>On a video call, I interviewed the Vuohensiltas about what’s left to crush, why the channel appeals to so many people, Lauri’s delightful accent, the effects of the coronavirus on their hydraulic pressing, and how people who don’t have a hydraulic press can fulfill their human need for destruction.</p>
<p><i>The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.</i></p>
<p><b>VICE:</b> Congratulations on five years of pressing! You said on your <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/hydraulicpresschannel" target="_blank">celebratory Twitch stream</a> from a few days ago that your favorite items to crush, Lauri, are steel pipes, because they're satisfying to watch and they aren't as dangerous. So what is the most dangerous thing you've ever crushed?<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWySdXedUiY" target="_blank">Ball bearings</a>, yeah. So just the balls from the bearing. And those explode the small, smallest fragments. They fly one kilometer per second. So it's like, not healthy.</p>
<p><b>And Anni do you have a favorite item that you've crushed?</b><br />
<b>Anni:</b> Bowling balls. Those are best.</p>
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<p><b>Those are great. For people who might not know exactly what hydraulic press is, could you explain it?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> It's a machine that is really good on just crushing things. It uses hydraulic pump and piston to generate huge amounts of force. And it pushes against the table, and then you're gonna put whatever you want there between the table and the piston and it's going to get crushed.</p>
<p><b>OK, so you have crushed paper, molten steel, a tooth, soap, Play-Doh, steel pipes, Play-Doh in steel pipes, fruit, golf ball, toilet paper, toys, a whole collection of household items, and hundreds of other things. When I see people leaving suggestions in the comments of things for you to crush, you almost always have always already crushed them. So is there anything that you haven't crushed?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Gold bar. We have tried to get that for like one year now. Yeah, like at least one kilo gold. But it's not helping that the gold price is just getting higher and higher here. I think it's like $70,000 now per one kilogram, so yeah.</p>
<p><b>Yeah, that seems like it might be tricky. Have you ever crushed a diamond?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah.</p>
<p><b>Ah OK, I missed that one. And it was crushed?</b><br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah. It's a really old video, the first one.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> We have done nice diamond, and then raw diamonds later. Diamonds make really good press tools, but they have to be like grinded to right shape, to be able to withstand a lot of pressure. And they're still like really tiny, so then they're not super hard to crush with the big press.</p>
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<p><b>What are the things the hydraulic press couldn't crush?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah, lot of things, it’s like a function of the size and how hard is the material. For all the items there is size limit. And I have to say that the hardest things to crush are ceramic bearing balls. Those are really hard. I think it was like 20 millimeters was the largest we can crush. And then you can have one size of your fist and that would be probably like a thousand tons. And we have tried to like destroy them with like, giant hammer. We had shot them with rifles and everything and they just don't break. They are the hardest things to break with any method. I think it's like good combination—the material is really hard and then the ball shape is really strong.</p>
<p><b>So is the challenge for you guys now to think of new things to crush or think of different ways to crush them or finding new platforms to get your hydraulic press videos out? What are the challenges for keeping it fresh?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> I would say that all of those. We are all the time coming up with the new tools and ways to crush. And then now we have both like a machine that pulls things, and we are fixing that so we can start to test how strong our chains, cables, stuff like that. And then of course the new platforms are always cool and like new video formats. TikTok been really good for us, and also Instagram reels.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> We have the biggest TikTok account in Finland.</p>
<p><b>Oh, congratulations. You have more than a million Instagram followers—Anni:</b> 1.4 million in Instagram and 7 million in TikTok.</p>
<p><b>Nice! So you started on YouTube, and now you're on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitch, are there any other platforms?</b><br />
<b>Anni:</b> Facebook.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah, Facebook. I have heard some rumors that they're going to launch monetization like a similar thing on YouTube. Finally in Finland at the end of this year.</p>
<p><b>Personally, I love the worms that are created when you smush certain material. Do you remember the first worms that you created?</b><br />
<b>Anni:</b> Actually the worm maker tool was my idea. Because I saw on Instagram, a clip where somebody had like potato ...<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> It’s like potato smasher, potato press, what do you call that kitchen tool?<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah, the kitchen tool and slime. And then he pressed the slime through those holes. And I said, “Lauri, we need big version of this.” And Lauri was like, “Yes, we really need it.”<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> I fired up the design program on computer to make the plan.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> All kinds of worm tools are, I would say, the most popular thing.</p>
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<p><b>Lauri:</b> On TikTok and Instagram. And then on Youtube people like to see complicated and dangerous stuff.</p>
<p><b>Yeah. So you built the worm tool yourself?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah, we build all the tools. If there is like sheet metal parts, then we order from a laser cutting company. But we design and machine all the tools.</p>
<p><b>So in the world of internet videos, the hydraulic press kind of combines the aspect of the “satisfying” videos like slime squishing with an aspect of the destruction videos, like, shooting guns and that stuff, into its own unique thing that's kind of in the middle. And to me, I think the hydraulic press videos kind of have the same plot as the pimple popping videos. There’s the anticipation, the tension, and there's the release. And so I'll say that for me personally, I can't watch the pimple popping videos because I think they're gross. But, they're</b> <a href="https://www.livescience.com/61470-pimple-popping-videos-explained.html" target="_blank">very popular</a><b>, apparently. And so I was wondering if you've ever considered the similarities between the pimple popping videos and the hydraulic press.</b><br />
<b>Anni [laughing]:</b> I think, especially those worm makers, they are really similar.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah, yeah.</p>
<p><b>In your recent Twitch stream, you were describing how you do the videos and how it's kind of too late to change up how you do them and you shared a really funny Finnish saying that my boyfriend and I have been laughing about and hope to work into our everyday lexicon. You said that in Finland “We have this saying that it's too late for farting when you have already shit yourself.”</b><br />
<b>Lauri [laughing]:</b> It goes better in Finnish, it’s more compact and flows better I think.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah.</p>
<p><b>I love it. But is there anything that you wish that you had done differently in the process, or anything you would have changed if you could have?Lauri:</b> Surprisingly little. I think because we tried to keep YouTube a more complicated and dangerous stuff platform. So we waited really long before we started to make videos where we took like 100 Instagram clips, post them together, add some music and make a 10 minute YouTube video. And we did first in March, and those are super popular videos, and they bring a lot of new people in YouTube. So maybe that that's something that would be probably good idea to do even before.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah, some kind of combination videos.</p>
<p><b>So the press is 150 tons, is that right?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah.</p>
<p><b>OK, so that's 300,000 pounds. So do you get up to 300,000 pounds?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Quite often. There is many materials, it's pretty easy to predict that, like, you can put this much paper there and it’s still going to explode. So it’s quite often maybe like a couple times a month when you use the full, full force. But with the worm makers, usually the tools break before that, so with the worm makers you can't go that far.</p>
<p><b>You crushed a wisdom tooth once—and the tooth was quite strong! Could you tell the story of how you acquired the tooth?</b></p>
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<p><b>Anni [laughing]:</b> It was my wisdom tooth. And I was really scared before the surgery. And I still say to them, that I really need those teeth.They took two teeth away and I think they got one of those like, apart, but one was like, in one piece.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> So Anni meant they have to come out in one piece.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah, the dentist said, “Why do you need those?”<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah, and it was cool to get it in one piece because we made more money with video than the dentist bill was. So, free wisdom teeth removal!</p>
<p><b>You’ve said before that you think most children like to break stuff and it's kind of built inside every person—the need to destroy something. I agree completely, and I was wondering if you had any suggestions for what people who don't have a hydraulic press could do, how they could go about fulfilling their need to destroy stuff in their daily life.</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> That's actually a good question. What would be like easy and funny way? We always keep saying “don't try this at home.”<br />
<b>Anni:</b> I don't know.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> I think just like taking up large hammer and hitting stuff if that’s satisfying.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah. Or maybe like, you know, the potato mash—<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> I think that is big let down after watching the press.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah, yeah but if you have slime you can try it.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> I will put just some fruits on the table and go with the hammer. It's like good amount of mess and satisfying.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah, and really nice to clean.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah. Yeah, that's also part of the process.</p>
<p><b>I wanted to ask about the cleaning process. I did see a video the other day of the hydraulic press getting cleaned, but who does the most cleaning of the press?</b><br />
<b>Anni:</b> [points to herself]<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> I think it's more even now. Before we used to do like, let's crush six things, and then it was like, "Hey, I'm going to go edit, have fun." Now we are doing so much content for like small clips. So it's going to be like, they're going to crush like four of the items in the Twitch stream.<br />
<b>Anni [laughing]:</b> Yeah. And now we don't live at the same property with the work, so you can't leave me anymore.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah that’s true.</p>
<p><b>I was wondering how you decided to do the “OK Boomer” crushing. Did someone suggest that to you?</b></p>
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<p><b>Anni:</b> I think it was because I have watched so much TikTok, like for the last one year, and I think it was some TikTok thing that I saw there some “OK boomer.”<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah it was trending thing.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah it was a really trending thing. So we did it.</p>
<p><b>One of the things that I personally love about the press, and that I find validating or optimistic in a way, is that it shows that if you apply pressure to something, it will break. To go a little bit farther, I find it to be kind of like, good and even inspiring, a guiding principle for thinking about how the world works. Have you ever thought about this in the abstract? What you do think about it?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yes, sometimes there's moments when you realize that when you press something and you'll see something new about materials or items, you realize how something worked. For example, with the steel pipes, it's the same idea on the railroad where the tracks end. There are like one meter long, really thick steel tubes. And if the train goes little bit too fast, and it can’t stop, then it's the end of the rails and the tubes, they're going to go in the same way that they do in a press.</p>
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<p><b>Right, yeah. And to be more figurative, pressure is pressure—it's something people could apply in other areas. If people get together and apply enough pressure to something, then they can affect change in an institution, society or what have you. Is that too far out?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yes, that's true. If you just add enough of anything to anything something is going to happen always. That’s true.</p>
<p><b>If you could take the hydraulic press and destroy one thing in the abstract, like one idea, what would you destroy?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> That's really hard one. I would want to, like—I'm not sure is there any like one thing that I come up with. I would use my one magic pressing to squeeze out something like miracle technology that is going to save us. I would like to crush something so hard that it's going to make some kind of fusion power plant and generate endless power, something like that.</p>
<p><b>That’s a good one.</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> But we have been thinking more abstract things because every week we do something that anybody hasn’t done before and it's not going to run off there. And I have been thinking that if we do that for long enough we are going to end up coming up with some invention, maybe. If you do weird things you might come up with some new, like, realization about something or solve some problem or stuff like that.</p>
<p><b>Lauri, people seem to love your accent. (In a previous interview, Lauri said he and Anni had “talked about my accent and how it was going to be very funny thing on top of the press thing.”)</b> <b>What’s the story behind your accent?</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> It's just like general Finnish accent. How you pronounce different letters is completely different in Finnish and English for most of the letters. And also the structure of the language is completely different. I think nowadays most of the Formula One and rally drivers can speak a little bit better, but if you take any interview with a Finnish rally driver from the nineties it’s the same. In Finnish, this accent is called rally English. Because it used to be that most famous Finns in other countries are always the rally drivers and they talk in a funny way.</p>
<p><b>I also wanted to ask if anything has changed with coronavirus and if it has had any impact on your hydraulic press crushing.</b><br />
<b>Lauri:</b> It was interesting because on January, everybody was in Finland, like, it's inside, it doesn't affect us here. And we were like, it’s coming two months, we’re going to buy gas masks and everything.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> Yeah, we knew it’s coming.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> And then before it came, we bought a new house and took quite large loan. And then after signing the papers, it took like two weeks and the whole world just stops. And we were like, “Uh oh, uh oh how’s it going to go?” And then we just decide that we’re going to do so much work and videos. And people just kept watching. Ad revenue on all platforms dropped off quite much. But then people started to watch twice as more. So it ends up like regular year.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> We moved to the new house two months ago. And this is in the countryside. So this is like really far away from coronavirus.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> Yeah. Closest neighbor is half a kilometer. If it gets really bad we can go after everybody else has left work to film the press in the middle of the night so it doesn't matter how bad it gets, we can still get the videos out. The only thing is not sure is how much companies are going to advertise. Online sales are pretty strong and most of our customers are online companies. So i think it will be good.</p>
<p><b>And I do think that the hydraulic press specifically is kind of a perfect fit for this moment in time where everything and everyone is under this intense pressure and breaking down. I hope you guys keep making a lot of videos.</b><br />
<b>Anni:</b> I posted a TikTok video where there was like a doll head, and then they press crushed it. And everyone commented, like, “This is me this year.”</p>
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<p><b>Lauri:</b> Yeah but it was in March when quarantine started for most of the countries, we decided that we’re not going to do any corona-related content. We are going to keep it just fun things so it’s like place to have break from all the madness.</p>
<p><b>Yeah, an escape of a sort. Is there anything else you want to say about the hydraulic press or anything else?</b><br />
<b>Anni:</b> It has been a crazy five years.<br />
<b>Lauri:</b> One cool thing, I’m not sure did you catch it on the Twitch stream, but when we start this, Anni said that this is going to last half a year and I said this is going to last five years. And now after five years, my prediction is that it will last five more years.<br />
<b>Anni:</b> I don’t say six months anymore!</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-16906119231111567372020-10-13T10:11:00.001-07:002020-10-13T10:11:07.103-07:00A White Woman Called Pennsylvania's Second Lady the N-Word at a Grocery Store<p><b>Want the best of VICE News straight to your inbox?</b> <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/page/subscribe-to-the-vice-news-daily-brief" target="_blank">Sign up here.</a></p>
<p>A white woman accosted Gisele Barreto Fetterman, the wife of Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, in a grocery store last weekend and called her a racial slur.</p>
<p>Fetterman posted a video from the incident on Twitter Sunday. It shows the woman pulling down her mask and telling Fetterman, “You’re a [n-word]” as Fetterman slowly pulls away in the parking lot. </p>
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<p>The incident happened at an Aldi grocery store in Pittsburgh, Fetterman <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/12/us/gisele-barreto-fetterman-racist-pennsylvania-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">told CNN</a>, “I ran to the local grocery store and was met by and verbally assaulted by this woman who repeatedly told me I do not belong here,” Fetterman wrote. “The confrontation continued into the parking lot where I was able to finally capture it after the crying winded down.”</p>
<p>The woman knew who Fetterman was, the lieutenant governor’s wife told CNN. “She called me a thief, she said, ‘There’s that [n-word] that Fetterman married," she said. The woman has been identified by Pennsylvania State Police, who are investigating, Fetterman <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/12/us/politics/gisele-fetterman-pennsylvania.html" target="_blank">told the New York Times</a>. </p>
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<p>Fetterman was born in Brazil and came to the United States with her family as an undocumented immigrant. She became a U.S. citizen in 2009 and is a longtime social justice advocate; she <a href="https://412foodrescue.org/" target="_blank">co-founded the food justice non-profit 412 Food Rescue</a> and founded <a href="https://nypost.com/2017/04/15/how-a-mayors-wife-brought-a-factory-town-back-from-the-brink/" target="_blank">The Free Store</a>, a department store of sorts with free groceries, clothing, and other items for people who need them. </p>
<p>“I’m a former DREAMer, I came as a young immigrant and my family lived undocumented for over a decade,” she told CNN. “Those were really scary times. If I had a knock at the door that I wasn’t expecting, it would fear that my family would be sent back to a country we fled due to violent conditions.”</p>
<p>Fetterman’s husband, John, is a former Democratic mayor of the Pittsburgh suburb of Braddock, and was elected lieutenant governor in 2018. He’s <a href="https://www.wtae.com/article/lt-gov-fetterman-considering-2022-run-for-us-senate-or-pa-governor/34277420" target="_blank">considering a run for United States Senate</a> in 2022. </p>
<p>Gov. Tom Wolf tweeted his support of Gisele Barreto Fetterman on Monday.</p>
<p>“The ethnic intimidation and hate speech spewed at the Second Lady of Pennsylvania is shameful and unacceptable,” Wolf said, speaking on behalf of himself and his wife. “The Second Lady has my and Frances’s full support and gratitude for her tireless work to make Pennsylvania the diverse, inclusive place it is today, even in the face of such ignorance and adversity.”</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-56451363225165308932020-10-13T08:17:00.001-07:002020-10-13T08:17:29.573-07:00Journalists Accused of 'Fake News' Could Get Thrown in Jail Under Proposed Nicaragua Law<p>Nicaraguan lawmakers are homing in on legislation that could muzzle foreign journalists and enable President Daniel Ortega to accelerate his regime’s clamp down on political dissent.</p>
<p>Members of the nation’s congress, which is controlled by loyalists to President Ortega, are close to passing two new laws that promise to severely limit freedom of speech.</p>
<p>“Nicaragua’s Congress has proposed ambiguous legislation that leaves ample room for authorities to criminalize independent media and journalists simply for doing their jobs,” <a href="https://cpj.org/2020/10/nicaraguan-congress-proposes-cybercrime-legislation-criminalizing-false-news/" target="_blank">said Natalie Southwick</a>, Central and South American officer for the Committee to Protect Journalists.</p>
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<p>The first law targets the spread of false news online and would mandate prison time for those who violate it. The second would force non-governmental organizations and foreign press correspondents to register with the government so that their income can be tracked.</p>
<p>Congressional committees will review the bill and hold a vote in the coming days. If passed, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-europe-central-america-nicaragua-daniel-ortega-10ffa48c6c133686b1017cde257c647a" target="_blank">legislation</a> will head to Ortega to be signed into law.</p>
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<div class="article__image-caption">Cover: A man wears a mask reading "No to Censorship" during a demonstration in front of the National Assembly in Managua, on March 19, 2018. Credit should read INTI OCON/AFP via Getty Images.</div>
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<p>The bill is the latest proposed limitation on freedoms two years into a wider crackdown on political adversaries and opposition figures in Nicaragua. Ortega was elected in 2007 and has remained in power by taking pages out of the late socialist president of Venezuela Hugo Chávez’s authoritarian playbook.</p>
<p>Once an anti-government rebel himself, Ortega fought to overthrow a U.S.-backed dictatorship in the 1970s as part of the Sandinista movement.</p>
<p>Nicaragua has experienced a slow motion breakdown in democratic institutions during Ortega’s term. Ortega has <a href="https://www.laprensa.com.ni/2020/10/09/nacionales/2731813-la-reaccion-de-rosario-murillo-sobre-las-sanciones-a-ana-julia-guido-paul-oquist-y-caruna" target="_blank">concentrated power</a> in the executive, thrown out foreign diplomatic officials and adopted an increasingly authoritarian style of governance.</p>
<p>In April 2018, a pension reform triggered widespread unrest in the Central American nation of 6.5 million. Protestors called for Ortega’s resignation, and his government responded with oppressive tactics including beatings and extrajudicial killings, leaving at least 300 dead, according to <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/08/nicaragua-ortega-tightening-authoritarian-grip" target="_blank">Human Rights Watch.</a></p>
<p>Since then, Ortega’s government has thrown dozens of political opposition figures in jail and fabricated charges against them, claims the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nicaragua-archive-daniel-ortega-27e8c1666f0b0c8f715012b8f307cf04" target="_blank">United States Treasury Department</a>. The U.S. Treasury recently sanctioned Attorney General Ana Julia Guido and Ortega’s Chief of Staff Ortega Paul Herbert Oquist Kelley.</p>
<p>“The U.S. will continue to take the necessary steps to support the Nicaraguan people and pressure the Ortega regime to cease repression, respect human rights, and restore democracy to Nicaragua,” <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1314581388159578112" target="_blank">tweeted</a> U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on October 9.</p>
<p>The European Union also <a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-europe-central-america-nicaragua-daniel-ortega-10ffa48c6c133686b1017cde257c647a" target="_blank">voted</a> to advance with sanctions if the anti-free speech legislation is passed.</p>
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<p>“Ortega has to go. I don’t have any doubt about it. We have got to understand that he will exit much faster if we work together,” <a href="https://twitter.com/TamaraDvila3/status/1314748518087753728" target="_blank">said</a> opposition leader Tamara Dávila Rivas on October 9 as news of the sanctions hit.</p>
<p>“And once they’re gone, we also have to work together to give life back into every Nicaraguan out there.”</p>
<p>Life after Ortega, who has not responded to the new sanctions against Nicaragua, remains a distant prospect. Under his watch, legislation that limits democratic freedom appears to face little resistance. With or without the U.S. and European sanctions, members of congress will cast their vote in the coming days.</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-72592514801257124912020-10-13T06:11:00.001-07:002020-10-13T06:11:37.864-07:00'Should I Send My Resume to Companies That Aren't Hiring?'<p><i>I was hoping you might be able to help me finally put to bed a long-running argument between me and my mother about the proper way to find a job. For almost as long as I’ve been job hunting, she has insisted that it’s a good idea to apply to places that aren’t actively hiring, just on the chance that they might begin hiring and pull your application off the stack.</i></p>
<p><i>This advice has never really sat well with me. I find applying for jobs fairly stressful, and my gut instinct has always been that it’s a waste of time and effort applying to places that aren’t actually hiring. At best, you would give a future hiring manager that many more outdated applications to sift through once a position actually opens up.</i></p>
<p><i>Am I in the right here, or does my mom know something I don’t? And if I am in the right, can you give me some arguments to help shut her down the next time she decides this is an argument we need to have again? I’ve been job searching again for the last few weeks, and it’s been going well, but I can tell she gets annoyed whenever I mention that there aren’t many new job listings in a given day. (For context, we’re sheltering together after my school closed down the dorms following Covid-19.)</i></p>
<p>There <i>are</i> some fields that operate this way—usually very small businesses—but most don’t.</p>
<p>Most places advertise their job vacancies if they want outside applicants. If they don’t post a job opening, it’s generally because they plan to hire internally or from their existing network, and the chances of you being the perfect fit for a job you don’t know about and which they haven’t described to you are pretty slim. And many companies, especially larger ones, aren’t even set up to accept applications that aren’t directed to a specific and current job opening.</p>
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<p>And that stack of applications that your mom is picturing employers turning to when a position does open up? It usually doesn’t happen that way. Employers do keep applications on file because of record-keeping requirements, but it’s relatively uncommon for them to hunt through old applications for candidates rather than just advertising when a job opens up, especially if those candidates hadn’t applied for a specific role in the first place. Some employers will do it! But most don’t. You see it more frequently when someone has an unusual or hard-to-find skill set, in which case an employer will be more motivated to make sure they remember you the next time they need that skill... but if you’re not in that category, your chances are much lower.</p>
<p>Now, this doesn’t mean that your mom’s strategy never works. Occasionally it does! That’s why you’ll sometimes hear reports of people who found jobs this way. And if there’s a company that you’d really love to work for where you feel your qualifications would be especially well suited, by all means, go ahead and try it. But it shouldn’t be a major focus of your job search, because most of the time it’s just not going to pay off.</p>
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<p>What’s more, on the relatively rare occasions that it does pay off, it’s often because the place that hires you doesn’t have great hiring practices: They’re going for what’s easiest—an application they already have—rather than ensuring that they’re hiring the best person for the job. That can be a sign of other problems; do you want to work with colleagues who were all hired because their applications were close by? That’s not always the case, of course. But it’s true enough of the time that it’s worth factoring into your approach.</p>
<p>It’s worth noting, though, that your mom didn’t make this advice up out of nowhere. It’s been floating out there for a while—in part, I believe, because it helps people feel like they have more control in their job searches. Career counselors and job search coaches want to be able to suggest strategies other than “respond to job postings” and this provides something else to recommend... despite the fact that the payoff is low.</p>
<p>But again, if you want to contact a handful of companies that aren’t hiring as a supplement to your main job search strategies, go for it. It won’t hurt you and, who knows, maybe you’ll happen to email at the perfect time with the perfect skill set. But you’re better off putting the majority of your time and energy into applying for jobs that you know for sure exist and are hiring.</p>
<p><i><b>Get more good advice from Alison Green at</b></i> <a href="https://www.askamanager.org/" target="_blank">Ask a Manager</a> <i><b>or in</b></i> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ask-Manager-Navigate-Colleagues-Lunch-Stealing/dp/0399181814/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3NZWX8K0HAAPJ&keywords=ask+a+manager&qid=1573660512&sprefix=ask+a+manager%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-3" target="_blank">her book</a><i><b>. Do you have a pressing work-related question of your own? Submit it using</b></i> <a href="https://forms.gle/9VNG8kqVLoR9iAEz8" target="_blank">this form</a><i><b>.</b></i></p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-49132542954611282462020-10-13T04:11:00.001-07:002020-10-13T04:11:55.247-07:00Trolls in China Are Boycotting BTS. Will This Hurt the Band's Success?<p>With two songs currently <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9464165/bts-jason-derulo-jawsh-365-savage-love-number-one-hot-100" target="_blank">on the Billboard Hot 100</a> and an online concert attended by <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/9464078/bts-virtual-map-of-the-soul-one-concert-recap-viewers/" target="_blank">nearly 1 million viewers</a> over the weekend, K-pop group BTS continues to surge in popularity. In <a href="http://vice.com/en/topic/china" target="_blank">China</a>, however, the band has garnered a different kind of attention than they're used to.</p>
<p>Outrage flooded the Chinese internet this week over remarks the band made about the Korean War, even drawing comments from a top Chinese official. But given the band's phenomenal success and positive global image, experts and loyal fans said that they weren't too worried about the backlash.</p>
<p>On Monday, New York-based organization The Korea Society awarded <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/pky8jk/success-dynamite-billboard-bts-future-plans-grammy-quarantine" target="_blank">BTS</a> its prestigious Van Fleet Award, which recognizes "distinguished Koreans and Americans for outstanding contributions to the promotion of U.S.-Korean relations."</p>
<p>"This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War," said BTS leader <a href="https://twitter.com/BTS_twt/status/1315317786529263617" target="_blank">RM</a> in an acceptance speech, emphasizing the importance of world peace. "As members of the global community, we should build a deeper understanding and solidarity to be happier together. We will always remember the history of pain that our two nations shared together and the sacrifices of countless men and women."</p>
<p>The speech did not go over well on Chinese social media, incurring the wrath of some netizens who say the singer failed to acknowledge "wartime sacrifices" of Chinese soldiers, who fought on the side of <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/xg8ev3/did-north-korean-strongman-kim-jong-un-just-cry" target="_blank">North Korea</a>.</p>
<p>The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 and saw thousands upon thousands of North Korean troops storming into South Korea following intense border clashes. South Korean forces, with the support of the United Nations and United States troops, clashed with North Korean soldiers who were aided by China and the Soviet Union. The war unofficially ended in 1953 in an armistice but its devastating impact, which cost millions of lives and divided the Korean peninsula, is still felt today.</p>
<p>"The Korean War affected millions in China and North Korea too. How arrogant of BTS to assume that only their country's side should be acknowledged for a peace award," <a href="https://weibo.com/2375086267/JoP9AoN1n?refer_flag=1001030103_&type=comment#_rnd1602559740182" target="_blank">remarked one netizen</a> on Chinese social media platform Weibo.</p>
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<p>Others on the micro-blogging site flexed their patriotism and slammed the boy band on their <a href="https://weibo.com/BTSbighit" target="_blank">official Weibo page</a>, <a href="https://weibo.com/5209478895/JoK2y3LkG?refer_flag=1001030103_&type=comment#_rnd1602559942945" target="_blank">applauding decisions</a> by big brands like Samsung and Fila who swiftly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/12/business/bts-korean-war-china-samsung.html" target="_blank">removed references and advertisements</a> featuring the band from their Chinese social media accounts and websites.</p>
<p>"We are proud of our soldiers who fought bravely in the war which still divides Korea today. To exclude China's sacrifices and efforts on the global stage is an insult to our entire country," read <a href="https://weibo.com/1686546714/JoOcki8sI?refer_flag=1001030103_&type=comment" target="_blank">another comment</a> from a Chinese netizen, which drew thousands of likes.</p>
<p class="article__pull-quote">"Your career in China is over. Kiss your success goodbye."</p>
<p>Adding to the controversy, Chinese state media published stories saying that the band's speech "reflected a <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1203151.shtml" target="_blank">one-sided attitude</a>" and "<a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1203171.shtml" target="_blank">hurt fans</a>." Even the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Deputy Director and spokesperson Zhao Li Jian weighed in on the backlash.</p>
<p>"We should learn from history, value love and peace, and promote friendship. These should be our common goals," <a href="https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/t1823343.shtml" target="_blank">Zhao said</a>.</p>
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<p>BTS, <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/akzjz8/bts-fans-army-campaign-donation-social-political-issues" target="_blank">known to speak up about social issues</a> like mental health, was alongside other award recipients like Korean War veterans credited for strengthening South Korea's relations with the U.S. through positive messages and promoting inclusion.</p>
<p>The band's agency Big Hit Entertainment did not immediately respond to questions from VICE News about the issue. But on Twitter, their fiercely loyal and vocal fan base, known as ARMY, mobilized and sprang into action.</p>
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<p>"BTS is Korean. They will stand by their country and it's totally correct," <a href="https://twitter.com/souljoon_/status/1315195753225101312" target="_blank">tweeted one fan</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/_Ai_cha_/status/1315669501296467969" target="_blank">Another quipped</a>: "Still waiting for Kim Jong Un to get mad too because BTS didn't mourn North Korean sacrifices."</p>
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<p>"How on earth was that an insult," <a href="https://twitter.com/ellalim1204/status/1315647126223773696" target="_blank">tweeted one fan</a>, in defense of their idols. "I literally have no idea why some Chinese people don't realize that it's unreasonable to ask the rest of the world to think from China's perspective."</p>
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<p>Hong Kong democracy activist and politician Joshua Wong, often the target of mainland Chinese internet trolls, also got involved in the debate and <a href="https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf/status/1315600756133818368" target="_blank">expressed his support</a> and solidarity with BTS.</p>
<p>In a series of tweets, he wrote: "Nothing could be more ridiculous when the award was given to those promoting #U.S.-#Korean relation, it's natural to only mention the two nations. In fact, the speech didn't even mention #China, nor anything against it, but nationalist trolls have already treated it as an insult."</p>
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<p>The outrage and anger from Chinese netizens were also drowned out in South Korea, where many supported BTS.</p>
<p>On South Korea's biggest online portal <a href="https://news.naver.com/main/ranking/read.nhn?mid=etc&sid1=111&rankingType=popular_day&oid=009&aid=0004673194&date=20201013&type=1&rankingSeq=1&rankingSectionId=104" target="_blank">Naver</a>, users said the Chinese government and people overreacted to BTS' comments.</p>
<p>"It's ridiculous that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China criticizes singers from another country, and the people followed it blindly," one Naver user commented on an article about the issue. The comment now has over 4,000 likes.</p>
<p>Some Koreans also recalled an incident involving K-pop singer Lee Hyo-ri, who <a href="https://supchina.com/2020/08/24/korean-singer-lee-hyori-catches-heat-from-chinese-internet-users-for-mao-zedong-remarks/" target="_blank">became the target of Chinese internet users</a> in August and was accused of making "disrespectful" comments about Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong. This, after Lee suggested using "Mao" as her stage name in a TV show, although the production team said that she was not actually referring to the late Chinese leader.</p>
<p>While calls for a BTS boycott grew in China, which wields <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dzekz/hong-kong-protesters-boycott-mulan-disney-live-action" target="_blank">significant spending power</a> and great influence over entertainment and media markets, experts were not fazed by the recent controversy.</p>
<p class="article__pull-quote">"One of the historical points that BTS has achieved is that they have become a K-pop group that can ignore the Chinese market," wrote prominent columnist Kim Do-hoon.</p>
<p>"From the get-go, they made the world market theirs [and reached] the level of having no need to bend their heads down on every word that censors culture nationalistically and patriotically."</p>
<p>Stanley Rosen, a political science and international relations professor from the University of Southern California, said that the controversy was "a non-issue" and would only affect BTS "in the short-run."</p>
<p>"Chinese favorability ratings have declined drastically and dramatically in South Korea for the past few years and this is one more example of why Chinese soft power is so weak in the East Asian countries," Rosen told VICE News.</p>
<p>"Given their immense success, it would be incredibly foolish for big-name companies to remove BTS from their websites and campaigns outside of China."</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-55174954753065518482020-10-12T10:11:00.003-07:002020-10-12T10:11:20.034-07:00Depressed After Trump Tested Positive for COVID-19, Indian Fan Dies of Cardiac Arrest<p>Bussa Krishna Raju, a 33-year-old Indian farmer from the southern Indian state of Telangana, a fan of US President Donald Trump, died from a cardiac arrest on Sunday, October 11. Krishna was fasting and praying for Trump’s recovery from coronavirus when he passed away. He suffered a cardiac arrest and was declared dead by doctors at a nearby hospital.</p>
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<p>Last week, he uploaded an emotional <a href="https://www.facebook.com/100024570164655/videos/815739985921666/" target="_blank">video of him crying</a> and talking about his love and devotion for Trump on his Facebook page.</p>
<p>“When he heard of Trump contracting the virus, he went into depression and wasn’t even able to eat properly,” Krishna’s cousin B Vivek, 25, told VICE News over the phone. Vivek said while Krishna was a school dropout, he tracked global politics through local news apps and channels. “He did not have any prior medical complications, but his health deteriorated when he heard about Trump being admitted to the hospital,” said Vivek.</p>
<p>Those in Krishna’s inner circle could trace his obsession with Trump to a <a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2018/may/06/kansas-shooting-hyderabad-techie-srinivas-kuchibhotlas-killer-gets-life-term-1810870.html" target="_blank">hate crime in Kansas</a> in February 2017. A US Navy veteran had shot dead a Telangana-born software engineer. To show that Indians were still compassionate towards Americans, Krishna put a photo of Trump in the prayer room in his house.</p>
<p>Last year, in honour of Trump’s 73rd birthday, he spent almost INR 200,000 (US $2725) to <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/j5wnby/a-farmer-in-india-just-unveiled-a-6-ft-statue-of-president-donald-trump" target="_blank">erect a six-feet tall statue</a> of the leader. He would routinely pour milk on the statue--a gesture many Hindus associate with God.</p>
<p>For Krishna, worshipping Trump could help improve India’s relations with the US, and also help the <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/telangana-news/this-donald-trump-fan-in-telangana-credits-him-for-indias-win-over-pak-in-cricket-world-cup-2056131" target="_blank">Indian cricket team win matches</a> against Pakistan. “On the day of the India vs Pakistan cricket match, I saw him in my dream and thankfully India won the match. Since then, I have even kept Trump's picture as a wallpaper in my mobile," he told the news agency, <i>ANI,</i> last year.</p>
<p>Krishna’s family members told VICE News that he took the dream as a sign that he was destined to live and die worshipping Donald Trump.</p>
<p>“Krishna was in awe of the US President. He would regularly wear a Trump t-shirt and conduct charity drives for the less fortunate using Trump’s name,” multiple family members told VICE News.</p>
<iframe width="320" height="320" frameborder="0" src="https://www.facebook.com/krish.raju.9231/posts/694210344741298"></iframe>
<p>He earned the name “Trump Krishna” in his village and his residence came to be known as Trump House.</p>
<iframe width="320" height="320" frameborder="0" src="https://www.facebook.com/krish.raju.9231/posts/794709174691414"></iframe>
<p>Krishna was keen to see Trump getting re-elected in the US elections due in November.</p>
<p>Krishna’s wife passed away while delivering his son, who now lives with his maternal grandparents.</p>
<p>In February this year, when Donald Trump visited India, Krishna was ecstatic and desperately wanted to meet his idol. “He travelled 88 kilometres (54 miles) from his village to Hyderabad, the state capital, hoping to get an appointment with Trump,” said Vivek.</p>
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<p>Krishna’s family, friends and village residents are most upset by the fact that he did not get the chance to meet his idol.</p>
<p><i>Follow Shamani on</i> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shazamgram/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><i>.</i></p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-1070456598832214472020-10-12T10:11:00.001-07:002020-10-12T10:11:19.071-07:00California Republicans Have Installed Fake Ballot Boxes at Churches, Gyms, and Gun Stores<p>California Republicans are allegedly trying to prove that voter fraud is real by committing actual election fraud.</p>
<p>Metal containers marked “Official ballot drop-off box” have been popping up in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/10/12/california-illegal-ballot-boxes" target="_blank">gyms, gun stores, campaign headquarters, and even churches</a> across California in recent weeks, with Republicans urging voters to drop their ballots inside. </p>
<p>But these boxes are not official ballot drop boxes, and the Republicans who have been actively promoting them in recent weeks could face criminal charges.</p>
<p>“Doing my part and voting early,” Jordan Tygh, a GOP regional field director, said in a now-deleted tweet posted last Friday. “DM me for convenient locations to drop your ballot off at!”</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1602515180986-screenshot-2020-10-12-at-153427.png" alt="GOP field director Jordan Tygh kneeling in front of a fake ballot box in an image posted to Twitter." />
<div class="article__image-caption">GOP field director Jordan Tygh kneeling in front of a fake ballot box in an image posted to Twitter.</div>
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<p>The tweet was accompanied by a picture of Tygh kneeling in front of one of the unofficial boxes, holding a ballot, and wearing a mask with Orange County congressional candidate Michelle Steel’s name on it.</p>
<p>But this box is not an isolated incident. </p>
<p>The California Secretary of State confirmed Sunday that his office has received reports in recent days about possible unauthorized ballot drop boxes in Fresno, Los Angeles, and Orange counties, <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2020/10/11/unofficial-ballot-drop-boxes-popping-up-throughout-the-state-worry-elections-officials/" target="_blank">the Orange County Register reported</a>. </p>
<p>Another box was spotted outside the Freedom’s Way Baptist Church in Castaic in northern LA county, and its presence was promoted on Facebook by Pastor Jerry Cook. “Our church has a voting drop box in front of our complex — if you are voting early, drop your ballot on by,” Cook said in the now-deleted post.</p>
<p>A post from the church said that the box was “approved and brought by the GOP,” adding that church officials don’t have a key to the box and that GOP officials would collect the ballots.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1602515055164-screenshot-2020-10-12-at-144456.png" alt="A fake ballot box outside the Freedom’s Way Baptist Church in Castaic, California in an image promoted on Facebook by Pastor Jerry Cook." />
<div class="article__image-caption">A fake ballot box outside the Freedom’s Way Baptist Church in Castaic, California in an image promoted on Facebook by Pastor Jerry Cook.</div>
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<p>Cook did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but he told a local Fox station that he was <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/illegal-ballot-drop-box-removed-outside-castaic-church?fbclid=IwAR3t3bvSPSPKbmWvQLdO3TEKD5PrmBXlIk8zTkAY0I8z4cEk_-w_Kct_IZQ" target="_blank">confident the box was official</a>.</p>
<p>Fresno County Republican Party also posted a list of “secure” ballot collection locations but none of the locations on the list, which include its own headquarters and multiple gun shops are official county drop box sites.</p>
<p>The California Republican Party has not responded officially to questions about the boxes, but it has been defending its position on Twitter.</p>
<p>“If a congregation/business or other group provides the option to its parishioners/associates/ or colleagues to drop off their ballot in a safe location, with people they trust, rather than handing it over to a stranger who knocks on their door — what is wrong with that?” the @CAGOP account tweeted on Sunday.</p>
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<p>But in California, ballot drop boxes can only be overseen by county elections officials who chose the number, location, hours of operation, and other details. Registrars have to make sure the boxes follow strict guidelines, ensuring their security and chain of custody for the ballots.</p>
<p>“Operating unofficial ballot drop boxes — especially those misrepresented as official drop boxes — is not just misleading to voters, it’s a violation of state law,” Alex Padilla, California’s Secretary of State, said in a statement issued on Sunday evening. </p>
<p>“My office is coordinating with local officials to address the multiple reports of unauthorized ballot drop boxes. Californians should only use official ballot drop boxes that have been deployed and secured by their county elections office.”</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-18624511214106947392020-10-12T08:11:00.001-07:002020-10-12T08:11:31.929-07:00Weekly Horoscope: October 12 - 18<p>Jupiter, the planet of expansion, gently connects with psychic Neptune on Monday, October 12, at 3:06 AM, for the third and last time this year. This is one of the signatures of 2020, and has a sedating, optimistic effect. There may be eureka moments about what we believe in. Also on Monday, Venus gently connects with Mercury, the planet of communication, at 1:38 PM, helping us communicate affection and desire clearly and collaboratively.</p>
<p>The sun faces off with warrior Mars on Tuesday, October 13, at 7:25 PM, requiring us to reach a compromise with people who are misbehaving or acting like babies, but that’s what being the bigger person is all about! Mercury retrograde begins on Tuesday at 9:04 PM, but you’ve likely already been feeling things malfunction since Sunday or Monday. The times around Mercury retrograde’s beginning and end are the most frustrating, as the planet slows to an apparent stop. Mercury retrogrades bring delays and misunderstandings, but also opportunities to correct our mistakes.</p>
<p>The sun clashes with power planet Pluto on Thursday, October 15, at 6:14 AM, digging up the dirt on something juicy and behind the scenes. The sun in Libra wants justice, and asks that we take action to address greed and corruption. This can also agitate manipulative behaviors, so take time to think about other people’s intentions, and if they’re aligned with yours.</p>
<p>There’s a new moon in Libra on Friday, October 16, at 3:31 PM. Get to understand how you are in control of your relationships—they’re a two way street! Feel free to give more love than you’re receiving, because it feels good, not because you’re holding it over someone’s head.</p>
<p>On Sunday, October 18, the sun clashes with Saturn, the planet of structure, at 9:57 AM, which can feel like a defeat. Sometimes standards are simply too high, but the fact that you’re trying does count for something. Later, at 10:48 AM, love planet Venus faces off with Neptune, which can lead to confusion or fantasy. While we imagine the best, we are also forced to grapple with reality.</p>
<p>All times ET.</p>
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<h2>Aries</h2>
<p>After living under incessant pressure from higher-ups, you can finally get a peaceful moment to yourself. Lucky Jupiter connects with Neptune, the planet of transcendence, offering you optimism if you’re ready to take the high road. Try to look at the bigger picture and find peace and acceptance there. The sun faces off with your planetary ruler, warrior Mars, and you’re going to have to make a compromise. Just because things aren’t going your way doesn’t mean you’ve lost. Mercury retrograde begins in a financial sector of your chart. Pay attention to missed payments during Mercury retrograde—hopefully you can finally get paid back, too! The new moon in Libra brings fresh energy into your relationships, romantic or otherwise. The sun clashes with Pluto and Saturn, and you’re ready to prioritize relationships that put you ahead of the curve.</p>
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<h2>Taurus</h2>
<p>It becomes easier for you to express your desires as your planetary ruler Venus gently connects with messenger Mercury. This is a nice time for socializing, going on dates, or just having discussions with your friends and partners about what you want. Mercury retrograde begins in your house of partnerships, so this one will affect your relationships, finding you getting a better understanding of others via misunderstandings and clarifications! Old partners come back into your life to check in. The new moon in Libra affects your work life and habits as it falls in your house of work and routine—a good time to quit or begin a habit. Venus faces off with dreamy Neptune, bringing a whimsical vibe to the weekend.</p>
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<h2>Gemini</h2>
<p>Your work and private life is going well as sweet Venus gently connects with your planetary ruler, messenger Mercury, making it easy to ask for things that you need at home. You have to ask for what you want in order to get it! Mercury retrograde begins, so expect delays and miscommunications when it comes to your job and daily schedule. Give yourself extra breathing room and buffers, as there will be technical errors and delays. The new moon in fellow air sign Libra falls in your house of relationships, flings, and socializing realigns you with what you actually find fun and pleasurable. This is a good time to meet new friends, or to invite new energy into your dating life.</p>
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<h2>Cancer</h2>
<p>It’s easy to believe in your relationships, and to have faith that you are meant to be with the people you are now. Jupiter, the planet of growth, gently connects with spiritual Neptune, finding you believing in soulmates. Relationships seem to have a higher purpose! The sun faces off with warrior Mars, creating some tension in your home and work life. Work takes the cake for now, but compromise is necessary regardless. Mercury retrograde in fellow water sign Scorpio can find ex flings and old friends back in your inbox. Be patient with your friends if they’re running late! The sun clashes with power planet Pluto and serious Saturn. The new moon in Libra brings a fresh start to your home and family life, something that has been a focus of yours since Libra season began.</p>
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<h2>Leo</h2>
<p>As Mercury retrograde begins, expect delays in your home and private life. If you’re moving house or doing repairs, be sure to measure twice, and give everyone involved extra time and patience! You have a great deal of focus, even with the distractions happening, so stay on task! Rome wasn’t built in a day, so enjoy the down time while you have it. You could use some rest, considering how much you have been working lately! The new moon in Libra occupies a social, if not busy area of your chart, your house of communication and close acquaintances (also siblings, if you’ve got them). This is a good time to renew contracts and start important conversations.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901587787-virgo-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Virgo</h2>
<p>You’re able to talk about what you want, if you want to, as Venus, the planet of desires, gently connects with your planetary ruler, messenger Mercury. Be brave and ask! As Mercury retrograde begins, give yourself extra time to get things done since there will be delays. Mercury will be retrograde in your house of communication, contracts, and commuting, so have more patience in these areas—bring a book. The new moon in Libra falls in your house of money and personal resources, making it a good time to take inventory and draw up a budget. Venus faces off with dreamy Neptune, bringing confusion, or fantasy, into your relationships.</p>
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<h2>Libra</h2>
<p>Career stuff has been a little hectic, but you get a sense of peace when it comes to having faith in the bigger picture as optimistic Jupiter gently connects with tranquil Neptune. Trust the process, Libra. You’re fine with change, and this just makes it easier to accept. Your planetary ruler Venus connects with messenger Mercury, helping you find hidden resources if you ask the right questions to the right people. There is a standoff in your relationships as the sun faces off with warrior Mars. People are going to be petty and childish, but you still have to meet them halfway. Mercury retrograde begins and you are going over your finances trying to see if you can afford everything. You are aligned with your needs, however, under this new moon!</p>
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<h2>Scorpio</h2>
<p>You are coming down from a social weekend, which can extend into the work week as sweet Venus gently connects with messenger Mercury, making all social interactions pleasant and easy. Send out invitations now! The sun faces off with your planetary ruler, warrior Mars, which is still retrograde, making things a little tense at work. You need more rest, but things are malfunctioning, making it hard to find common ground. Infamous Mercury retrograde begins in your sign, finding you rethinking things and possibly going back on your word. Think about how you have grown, mentally, and the direction you’d like to go in terms of mindset. The new moon falls in a secretive sector of your chart—a good time to do something witchy, or just catch up on your sleep.</p>
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<h2>Sagittarius</h2>
<p>Your planetary ruler Jupiter gently connects with dreamy Neptune, giving you faith that things will work out financially, or at least distracting you from any hardships or stress that you’ve been experiencing this year. Sweet Venus gently connects with messenger Mercury, encouraging you to share sexy secrets. Mercury retrograde begins in a secretive sector of your chart, giving you new perspectives on things that you don’t have all of the information on to begin with. It's a good time to parse through your thoughts and do some meditation. The new moon falls in a social sector of your chart, giving you a new understanding of your community and how you want to participate in socializing moving forward. Venus faces off with dreamy Neptune, bringing whimsy into your career.</p>
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<h2>Capricorn</h2>
<p>You’re not typically a happy-go-lucky person, Cap, but generous Jupiter gently connects with dreamy Neptune, giving you a high dose of optimism. Take this as a psychic painkiller that helps you move through 2020’s discomfort, with the faith that something greater is taking place. You can also be the person that helps people get through stressful times, offering a wider perspective to others and being an intuitive, good listener. The sun faces off with warrior Mars and you are seeing tension in that work-life balance. This time life wins. You have things at home that require your attention. The sun clashes with power planet Pluto and serious Saturn, and you are being asked to step into a position of authority.</p>
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<h2>Aquarius</h2>
<p>Mercury retrograde begins in fellow fixed sign Scorpio, bringing delays to your professional and public life. Mercury retrograde is always a time of delays and frustrations, but you’re going to have to just be patient. It’s possible that old job offers and projects that you have put down in the past are ready for your attention once more, which can be exciting. Conversations may seem to regress, but this is for a reason. The new moon in fellow air sign Libra will bring you fresh ideas and a new perspective on intellectual matters. There is a lot to talk about, and a lot you want to share. This can be a new writing project, or a new plan for travel!</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902531620-pisces-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Pisces</h2>
<p>This week feels pretty magical. Jupiter, your traditional planetary ruler, gently connects with Neptune, your modern planetary ruler, bringing a higher faith in what the future has to offer and how you can participate in it. Of course this can be overwhelming—everything feels like so much all the time—but try to build a raft and float up with the flood. Venus connects with messenger Mercury, making it easy for you to share your desires and have an open conversation with your partners, romantic and otherwise. Mercury retrograde begins in fellow water sign Scorpio, and you are refining your beliefs and deleting old posts. The new moon falls in a sensitive sector of your chart, signifying an important transformation.</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-58862484874797769652020-10-12T07:11:00.003-07:002020-10-12T07:11:44.166-07:00Trump Is Returning to the Campaign Trail With Lies About COVID Immunity<p>President Donald Trump is trying to get his reelection campaign back on track by lying about being immune from coronavirus, just six days after he left the hospital.</p>
<p>He first made the claim Sunday in an interview on Fox News, where it went unchallenged. Later in the day he doubled down on social media, saying: “A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can’t get it (immune), and can’t give it. Very nice to know!!!” </p>
<p>Twitter flagged the tweet, placing it behind a warning label that said it violated the company’s policies for “misleading and potentially harmful information.” </p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1602502582866-screenshot-of-tweet.png" alt="SCREENSHOT OF TWEET.png" /></div>
<p>Facebook, however, has left the post untouched on its platform. So far it has been shared 36,000 times, with 705,00 reactions and 66,000 comments. </p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1602502567246-screenshot-of-fb-post.png" alt="SCREENSHOT OF FB POST.png" /></div>
<p>Facebook has yet to respond to questions about why the claim about immunity does not violate its policies about COVID-19 misinformation. VICE News reported last week that Facebook was allowing the Trump campaign to run dozens of ads which featured a video in which <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dz77k/trump-is-spending-big-on-facebook-ads-claiming-he-might-be-immune-to-covid" target="_blank">Trump claimed he may be immune from COVID-19</a>. </p>
<p>The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), whose guidance the White House says it is following, is clear that there is no evidence that people who were infected with coronavirus were immune to reinfection in the following three months.</p>
<p>Trump’s own doctor Sean Conley said late on Saturday that Trump was no longer at risk of passing on coronavirus, but did not confirm if Trump had tested negative and didn’t mention immunity. </p>
<p>Trump told Fox News on Sunday that he “beat this crazy, horrible China virus,” with the help of an experimental cocktail of drugs that he described falsely as a “cure.”</p>
<p>“To me, it’s a cure, it’s much more than a therapeutic,” Trump said. “Once you’ve recovered, you’re immune. I am immune… maybe for a short time, maybe for a long time. The president is in very good shape,” Trump said, adding that immunity gave him a “protective glow.” </p>
<iframe width="320" height="320" frameborder="0" src="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1315300954925936641"></iframe>
<p>Trump also claimed that his doctors told him that he was “totally free of spreading. There's no spread.”</p>
<p>But the CDC says on its website that in some cases those infected with the coronavirus can remain infectious for up to 20 days after they first present with symptoms. While there is still some dispute around the exact timeline of when Trump first tested positive for COVID-19, he is still at least a week away from passing that 20-day mark.</p>
<p>Despite this, Trump has lined up three campaign rallies in three swing states in the next three days. He will travel to Sanford, Florida, on Monday night, followed by events in Pennsylvania and Iowa on Tuesday and Wednesday.</p>
<p>Trump continues to trail Democratic nominee Joe Biden in all major polls ahead of next month’s vote. The latest survey, A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Sunday, had <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/oct-6-9-2020-washington-post-abc-news-national-poll/e4e13300-1a85-4b08-ac26-5975d0de0d51/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2" target="_blank">Biden leading Trump on 54%-42% among likely voters</a>.</p>
<p>Trump has asked his campaign to put him on the road every day until the election on Nov. 3,” <a href="https://www.axios.com/trump-campaign-election-day-events-3285eb68-0299-4088-ad9c-57019a359124.html" target="_blank">Axios reported Sunday</a>. The details are still being finalized, but some within the campaign are questioning the tactic. “He’s going to kill himself,” one adviser told Axios.</p>
<p><i>Cover: With two bandages on his hand, President Donald Trump removes his face mask to speak from the Blue Room Balcony of the White House to a crowd of supporters, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)</i></p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-72553921233285237862020-10-12T07:11:00.001-07:002020-10-12T07:11:43.122-07:00Did North Korean Strongman Kim Jong Un Cry?<p>When <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/topic/north-korea" target="_blank">North Korea</a>n leader Kim Jong Un unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) over the weekend, there was another eye-catching development alongside the usual saber-rattling: he appeared to cry.</p>
<p>During his speech in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary of the Korea Workers' Party on Saturday, Kim apologized for past errors and thanked the public and armed forces. He used the words "thanks" and "gratitude" more than 10 times, and his voice trembled with emotion as he removed his glasses and put them back on, holding a handkerchief in his right hand.</p>
<iframe width="320" height="320" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw8Uecnevo0"></iframe>
<p>"I extend the highest tribute to their ardent loyalty and filial devotion to our state and people and warm thanks to all the service personnel," Kim said at the ceremony, in which the gigantic missile was paraded for view next to thousands of maskless soldiers in a country that <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7ev4m/north-korea-coronavirus-free" target="_blank">claims to be free of the pandemic.</a></p>
<p>"I thank them for their good health without any one of them having fallen victim to the malignant virus," Kim added. "I am moved by this success, and as I see their healthy appearance, I can find no word other than thanks."</p>
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<p>But experts say the emotional moments in his speech were not simply a rare display of the vicious dictator's soft side. Like so many things in the hermit kingdom, they were analyzed for what they can tell the world about the reclusive leader and what's happening in the country.</p>
<p>"This is the difference between Kim and his father," Koh Yu-hwan, the president of the <a href="https://www.kinu.or.kr/cms/content/view/639" target="_blank">Korea Institute for National Unification</a>, told VICE News, referring to Kim Jong Il, who died in 2011.</p>
<p>"While his father rarely appeared in public and said just a few words in his speeches, Kim used emotional comments and shed tears."</p>
<p>Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, echoed his comments and said it is part of Kim's personal style of leadership to admit mistakes and apologize to his people in contrast with his father.</p>
<p>During his speech on Saturday, Kim also said that "our people have placed their trust with me as high as the sky and as deep as the sea, but I have failed to live up to it satisfactorily all the time. I am really sorry for that."</p>
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<div class="article__image-caption">A screen grab taken from a KCNA broadcast on Oct. 10, 2020 shows North Korean soldiers and attendees gathered listening to a speech by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ahead of a military parade on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang. Photo: KCNA VIA KNS / AFP </div>
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<p>It's his second apology in weeks since he told South Korean counterpart President Moon Jae-in that he was "very sorry" after North Korean soldiers <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/3azgv8/kim-jong-un-makes-rare-public-apology-over-brutal-killing-of-south-korean-official" target="_blank">shot and killed a maritime official</a> from the South at sea.</p>
<p>In his speech, the North Korean leader sent another message to the South. "I also send this warm wish of mine to our dear fellow countrymen...and hope that this health crisis would come to an end as early as possible and the day would come when we take each other's hand again."</p>
<p>Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University in Seoul, told VICE News that the more humble signals could also be an attempt to send messages of unity at a time of discontent.</p>
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<p>"Kim appealed to people emotionally who are going through difficulties due to triple challenges such as the sanctions, the virus, and typhoon damage," he said, referring to several typhoons that struck the peninsula in recent months and ongoing tensions with the U.S. after two failed summits with President Donald Trump. "This could help his image, that he shares joys and sorrows with people."</p>
<p>"Kim is showing that he is trying to overcome the challenges in spite of the difficulties as a father of the nation," he added.</p>
<p>But some South Korean politicians weren't buying it and said the tears and messages were just for show. Kim Chong-in, a leader of the main conservative opposition <a href="http://www.peoplepowerparty.kr/intro.jsp#visual" target="_blank">People Power Party</a>, condemned the North Korean leader's speech during a meeting at the National Assembly.</p>
<p>"We are just astonished at these crocodile tears, talking about Koreans in the South after shooting one of us to death."</p>
<p><i>Find Junhyup Kwon on</i> <a href="https://twitter.com/junhyupkwon" target="_blank">Twitter.</a></p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-29672156637867895052020-10-12T06:11:00.001-07:002020-10-12T06:11:38.570-07:00I Have Chronic Vertigo. This Is How I Have Sex<p>Medical experts don’t know much about <a href="https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/menieres-disease/" target="_blank">what causes</a> Ménière’s disease, a <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/vestibular-balance-disorder#:~:text=Dizziness%20and%20vertigo%20are%20symptoms,These%20are%20called%20semicircular%20canals." target="_blank">vestibular disorder</a> (meaning, part of a category of conditions related to dizziness and imbalance) that causes a periodic <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/menieres-disease-a-to-z" target="_blank">build-up of fluid</a> in the inner ear accompanied by bouts of pain, tinnitus, and vertigo. Some people with Ménière’s experience <a href="https://www.wakehealth.edu/Condition/m/Menieres-disease" target="_blank">relatively light, infrequent episodes</a> that last a few minutes, while others end up with the spins for hours, which can lead to nausea, vomiting, shakiness, and blurred vision. Some have rapid “drop attacks,” symptoms that appear out of nowhere and may cause them to suddenly collapse, while others feel a slower build-up of symptoms. Some only feel symptoms during episodes, while others feel off balance or mentally foggy <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menieres-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374916" target="_blank">long after</a>. </p>
<p>What <i>is</i> known about Ménière’s is that episodes start soon after someone with the disorder experiences a trigger. Alcohol, caffeine, salt, and stress are the most common, though certain physical activities can also be triggers for some—including, in some (<a href="https://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/symptoms/sex.html" target="_blank">possibly underreported</a>) cases, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6336730/" target="_blank">sexual exertion</a>. </p>
<p>Even people whose episodes of Ménière’s (or <a href="https://ohns.ucsf.edu/sites/ohns.ucsf.edu/files/menieres_guide_v4.pdf" target="_blank">other conditions like it</a>) are not triggered by or during sex often find that the condition can affect their sex lives. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21112573/" target="_blank">One study</a> suggests that people with Ménière’s experience elevated levels of sexual dysfunction compared to the general population, thanks to the disease’s stresses and complications. It can be hard to feel sexual while coping with lingering the disorienting or fatiguing aftereffects of a recent episode, or with anxiety about possibly triggering a new one in the future. </p>
<p>VICE recently spoke to Steven, who developed Ménière’s while in college, and his partner Val about how the disorder has affected their sex life and wider relationship over the years. </p>
<p><i>This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Steven and Val's names have been changed for privacy reasons.</i></p>
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<p><b>Steven:</b> In 2010, I started experiencing a lot of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3617392/" target="_blank">brain fog</a> and fatigue, although I didn’t have the words for that at the time. I just knew I wasn’t feeling good. I was out of it and unfocused, and I had a sense of imbalance and dizziness on and off. I was in college and my diet wasn’t great—I was eating a lot of fast food—so I thought, <i>Maybe I’m just tired</i>. </p>
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<p>Things slowly got worse over the course of about six months. After big meals, I got violently sick. I thought I was maybe getting food poisoning over and over, but really it was nausea caused by vertigo. The room would be spinning, and I’d be throwing up, but I’d just shrug it off because I’d start to feel a little better afterwards. I felt like something was wrong—but also like I was invincible, or something. </p>
<p>Val and I had been dating for about a year when my symptoms started up. One night, we went out to a steak house where I had a bacon-wrapped fillet and french fries. So, a lot of salt, which I’ve since learned is a big trigger for me. Then we went to a coffee shop. I got dizzy and ran to the bathroom to violently throw up. That was the first time I wondered how my health problems would affect our relationship. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> He needed help—he literally had to text me to come to the bathroom to help him.</p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> I was a mess. I felt guilty and ashamed. I didn’t want her to see me like that. </p>
<p>Living with those symptoms, it’s hard to get in the mood, to connect on a sexual level. They make me not want to have sex. They also exacerbate my underlying anxiety, which affects my ability to get into sex when I do have it. When that happens, I get in my own head and can’t lose myself in the moment. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> In the first year we were together, we had sex every day. But by the time this started, we’d settled into our relationship and weren’t a high-libido couple. Once a week was fine for us. Even in those early days, before Steven had a diagnosis, we still had sex once a week. Although, Steven, when we were younger, did you sometimes not feel well and try to have sex anyway? </p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> Yeah. I never had an episode during sex, though. I’ve never had drop attacks, where things escalate with no warning sign. There’s always been a pattern of escalation. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> It’s always been like the emergency alert colors: yellow, orange, red.</p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> If I’m not feeling well long before I have an episode, I’m already not feeling sexual. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> Because we didn’t know what was going on, every day was unpredictable. He might have a cup of coffee, which we later learned is a trigger, then all of a sudden it was a bad day. I felt a lot of empathy. But I didn’t think this was going to be a big thing. I wanted him to go to the doctor, but I thought he might have a weird gut bacteria and there’d be some magic pill.</p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> I had a major vertigo attack after eating Wendy’s at Val’s apartment. The room was spinning and I couldn’t get off the couch. It was way worse than anything before. It lasted for a few hours and I was a shattered shell at the end of it. </p>
<p>I went to the doctor’s office the next day. He told me that I might have Ménière’s disease, and that I’d eventually lose my hearing in both of my ears. It was terrifying. I went into a downward spiral of anxiety, despair, depression. I felt like I was going to get worse and worse. Val was there for me, but I had this fear about what might happen to us later. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> Once he got diagnosed and I realized this was going to lead to lifestyle changes for him, it was a little scary to think about what that might mean for us. I thought about silly things, like, <i>What if I want to go on a roller coaster, but he can’t?</i> But none of that was a dealbreaker. </p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> I had a lot of anxiety in those early days about what this would mean for my sex life—but also for my life overall. Would I even be able to have one? Because I was so miserable, Val and my family pushed me to get a second opinion, so I went to a specialist in balance disorders and he told me about Ménière’s patients who were doing well, and that my hearing could be protected if I got a handle on my lifestyle. (He was right. My hearing is still good.) I had hope again after that. I said, “I’m going to do everything I can to figure this out.” A few triggers became obvious really fast—like caffeine and sodium. I’m lucky, because every case is a little different and a lot of people never figure out how to manage things. But I started to figure it out early on. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> That was a turn-on—that he was committing himself to working on it and making these changes. </p>
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<p><b>Steven:</b> Now, I’m mostly free of major symptoms. I haven’t had a vertigo attack in a while. Still, it’s easy for me to overexert myself if I’m under stress or off my routine or diet. I can get fatigued and dizzy and feel brain fog, which can take sex out of the picture for days at a time. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> When we decided to try to have a baby, we were trying to have sex every day, regardless of whether or not it was a good day. We managed to do that, but it wasn’t always enjoyable. If his head wasn’t in a good place, he wouldn’t be as aroused as he usually is. I’d take it personally, even though it wasn’t personal at all. We’d get into arguments about it. </p>
<p>Generally, though, since Ménière’s came into our lives, we can’t just have sex whenever. The way his triggers work, there were suddenly times of the day where sex worked better than others. I gradually learned to tell, depending on what we’d done on a given day, whether sex would be an option or not. I started to plan around that a bit. If we want to have sex, we won’t go out for a meal with a lot of sodium in it that day, or we'll find time to be together earlier in the day.</p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> We try to schedule and set aside time for sex sometimes, yeah. But there’s still always a chance I’m just not going to be feeling good. Val wanted to have sex this weekend. It’d probably been a week or two since we’d had sex. But a family member just got diagnosed with cancer and I’m dealing with pain from a shoulder injury, so my stress levels are through the roof. That’s activating my symptoms quite a bit, and I’m feeling worn down. When Saturday came around, she wanted to have sex, and I had to say that I wasn’t feeling it, but maybe I’d rally on Sunday. Then, on Sunday, I still wasn’t feeling into it. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> We have to be more verbal than other couples may feel like they need to be. In the early days of our relationship, I’d just hit him with my shoulder and, OK, it was on. But after a while with Ménière’s, I realized I had to tell him, “Hey, you can ask me if I’m in the mood. And if you’re in the mood, please tell me." We have to seize our opportunities when they’re there.</p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> When I’m not feeling well, we find ways of being intimate that aren’t penetrative sex. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> We still kiss and touch. </p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> Sometimes when I’m in a bad place, she’ll just say, “Lay down and let me give you a blowjob.” There’s something nice and caring in her offering that when I’m not feeling well. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> We’ve also experimented with using toys on me when sex isn’t on the table. </p>
<p><b>Steven:</b> One thing we’ve done every day, for our entire relationship, is that no matter what’s happening or how we feel, for the last 10 to 15 minutes before we go to sleep, we lay in bed and cuddle and talk—not always in a sexual way, but we stay physically close and intimate. </p>
<p><b>Val:</b> That’s so important. Having a moment when it’s just me and him, without the TV or the kid or anything else, is what glues us together through all the crap we’ve been through as a couple.</p>
<p><b>Follow Mark Hay on</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/goraladka" target="_blank">Twitter</a><b>.</b></p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-51689296572580175242020-10-12T02:11:00.001-07:002020-10-12T02:11:26.730-07:00Democracy or Swipe Left: How Thailand’s Protest Movement Influences Dating<p>When Thai web designer Nottajorn updated her Tinder profile with a protest photo from Bangkok’s democracy monument, she intended to send a message.</p>
<p>"I want people to know that I am interested in politics – so much that I’d go to a protest," the 28-year-old told VICE News. "This is to filter out those who aren’t. They can swipe left on me."</p>
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<div class="article__image-caption">Thai web designer Nottajorn put a pro-democracy photo on her Tinder account. Screenshot supplied</div>
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<p>Decades of coups, street protests and gaping inequality have left Thais divided over how their country should be run. But young supporters of a <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxq34q/with-hunger-games-salutes-thais-directly-defy-norms-over-monarchy" target="_blank">new pro-democracy movement</a> are now advertising where they stand on dating apps and other online platforms, making clear this is an area where differences can’t be overlooked. </p>
<p>On Tinder, for instance, users may post photos of themselves at protests or declare no interest in dating anyone who does not believe in democracy. They have added "no salim" or "not a salim" to their profile. "Salim" - the name of a multicolored Thai dessert of sweet noodles and coconut milk - is slang for backers of the military-aligned government led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-cha. </p>
<p>A former army chief, Prayut led the 2014 coup that overthrew a democratically elected government and cemented his grip on power after elections in 2019 that were marred by irregularities. He and other generals are also closely linked to the monarchy, which has become a focal point of growing calls for democratic reforms.</p>
<p>"Politics is not like liking different styles of music. Your political views say something about what your values in life are," Nottajorn said, adding that supporting Prayut sends a signal that you do not care about justice, human rights, or freedom of speech.</p>
<p class="article__blockquote">"For people my age who are in the midst of building our future, it seems like we have no future, so we have to do something to build a better future for ourselves. Therefore, it’s important to date someone who values these things," she said.</p>
<p>Cho, a 26-year-old software developer and DJ, who like several others interviewed for this article asked to be identified by their first name only for privacy reasons, agreed.</p>
<p>"People who love Prayut would normally say things like 'the poor people are poor because they are lazy,'" Cho told VICE News. "And that is a reflection on their personality – that they lack compassion and have low empathy."</p>
<p>Despite the surging popularity of dating apps in <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/topic/thailand" target="_blank">Thailand</a>, not everyone is open about their political leanings online, and disputes can appear after a relationship just gets going. That happened to retail store manager Aridhat Kheosopa. "I recently had an experience dating someone who I later found out supported Prayut, I ended up ghosting him. Thank you, next," he said, quoting an Ariana Grande song.</p>
<p>But in other cases, having similar views can help bring like-minded singles together. One 34-year-old veterinarian who asked to remain anonymous said on her Tinder profile that she is even looking for people interested in going to protests with her. </p>
<p>"I want to be upfront about my political views so we don’t end up wasting each other’s time," she told VICE News. "Things will not work out if you support the dictatorship."</p>
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<p>The internet has become the latest battleground in Thailand’s turbulent politics as young organizers break with tradition and debate taboo topics with unprecedented boldness. Social media companies have found themselves caught in the middle of demands for free expression and Thailand’s attempt to control dissent online.</p>
<p>Thailand’s digital economy minister <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7wxb8/thailand-files-complaints-against-facebook-twitter" target="_blank">has filed legal complaints</a> against Facebook and Twitter for not taking down posts deemed offensive to either the government or the monarchy, which is normally shielded from criticism by royal defamation laws. Facebook has also said it would <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/world/asia/thailand-facebook-monarchy.html" target="_blank">challenge an order</a> to restrict access to a popular page critical of the monarchy.</p>
<p>Tinder has reportedly been drawn into the dispute, as some users claimed their accounts were suspended after sharing pro-democracy content, <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/02/tinder-is-the-latest-social-media-battleground-in-thai-protests/" target="_blank">according to researchers writing in</a> <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/02/tinder-is-the-latest-social-media-battleground-in-thai-protests/" target="_blank">Foreign Policy</a><a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/02/tinder-is-the-latest-social-media-battleground-in-thai-protests/" target="_blank">.</a> Tinder did not immediately respond to requests for comment from VICE News.</p>
<p>While social media platforms have been mainly leveraged by pro-democracy protest figures, Twitter said last week that it removed nearly 1,000 accounts linked to the Royal Thai Army for information operations, <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/thai-army-denies-twitter-disinformation-campaign-after-takedowns-13240426" target="_blank">which a spokesperson later denied</a>.</p>
<p>Some young Thais said they would be open to dating someone from another political party that they didn’t vote for, but too close a connection with the military’s Phalang Pracharat party was a non-starter.</p>
<p>"I don’t think I’m right about everything. It would be nice to date someone who can challenge me," said 22-year-old French language tutor Surachai Rukniwed.</p>
<p>Still, he left the option open for a more casual encounter, maybe even a fling where he’d have to weigh the benefits of a brief romantic encounter against his moral and political beliefs.</p>
<p>"It depends," he said, laughing.</p>
<p><i>Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj is a Thai journalist and co-founder of the digital media website Thisrupt.</i></p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-83394579775513982832020-10-12T01:11:00.001-07:002020-10-12T01:11:22.303-07:00Can Robots Help People With Their Mental Health?<p>As <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/topic/ai" target="_blank">artificial intelligence</a> (AI) systems continue to advance, robots have gone from being a pipe dream in the faraway future to real alternatives in present-day jobs. There are now robot <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxqvp4/singapore-cafe-with-robot-barista" target="_blank">baristas</a>, robot <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/finished-eating-robot-will-pause-for-your-tray" target="_blank">cleaners</a>, and robot <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/3azdg8/boston-dynamics-robot-dog-is-now-available-for-purchase-at-dollar74500" target="_blank">dogs</a>. And now, robot therapists?</p>
<p>According to a <a href="https://www.oracle.com/uk/news/announcement/artificial-intelligence-supports-mental-health-2020-10-07.html" target="_blank">recent study</a> by tech company Oracle and HR advisory firm Workplace Intelligence, 82 percent of people surveyed in 11 countries believe robots can support their mental health better than humans. It also found that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased work-related stress on many people, negatively affecting the mental health of 78 percent of the global workforce.</p>
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<p>Previous studies have also noted <a href="https://www.ajmc.com/view/mental-health-issues-on-the-rise-among-adolescents-young-adults" target="_blank">an increase in mental health issues</a>, especially among young people, which has been attributed to social media.</p>
<p>With the lack of mental health professionals and social workers in many countries, some experts believe that using robots could help clinics diagnose people, giving psychiatrists and psychologists more time to counsel other patients.</p>
<p>Singapore, for example, remains one of the world's most overworked cities and is in need of better mental health services. The government now plans to take measures to solve the mental health crisis, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong addressing the problem <a href="https://www.facebook.com/leehsienloong/posts/3712397508822928" target="_blank">in a recent speech</a>.</p>
<p>“AI would definitely help with the automation of routine tasks such as psychometric assessments or IQ tests, which would give us space to do other things,” Desmond Soh, a practicing psychologist at Singapore’s <a href="https://www.annabellepsychology.com/desmond-soh" target="_blank">Annabelle Psychology</a>, told VICE News.</p>
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<p>Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2018/neural-network-model-detect-depression-conversations-0830" target="_blank">developed a neural-network model</a> that can detect depression in speech patterns in recorded text and audio of conversations. In the future, the model could be added to mobile apps that monitor a user’s text and voice for mental distress. This could be especially useful for people who can’t go to a mental health clinic for a proper diagnosis due to distance, cost, or even uneasiness of being vulnerable to a human therapist.</p>
<p>Beyond diagnosis, <a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/news?id=145308" target="_blank">a study</a> by the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision and the Queensland University of Technology found that social robots have enormous potential to help people deal with depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and eating disorders.</p>
<p>"The beauty of social robot interventions is that they could help to side-step potential negative effects of face-to-face therapy with a human health practitioner such as perceived judgement or stigma," Dr. Nicole Robinson, co-author of the study, said.</p>
<p>According to the Oracle survey, only 18 percent of people would prefer humans over robots to support their mental health as they believe robots provide a judgement-free zone, an unbiased outlet to share problems, and quick answers to health-related questions.</p>
<p>Robots could also pave the way for new modes of treatment, opportunities to engage hard-to-reach populations, and better patient response, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6532335/" target="_blank">a study</a> by the Technical University of Munich found.</p>
<p>But technology still has its limitations.</p>
<p>Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) looked into the <a href="https://www.jmir.org/2019/5/e13216/#Abstract" target="_blank">ethical implications</a> of robot therapists and found that people may be more easily manipulated by robots than fellow humans.</p>
<p>Then there’s the matter of empathy, a quality that will be difficult to replicate <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/09/can-we-create-robots-with-human-emotions/" target="_blank">as it cannot be fully automated or programmed</a>, at least not right now.</p>
<p>20-year-old Singapore resident Jolin Pan attends counseling sessions for her anxiety. While she sees the benefits of robots in mental health, she said she still longs for that human connection.</p>
<p>“When I go for a counseling session I would want someone who has emotion and who can empathize,” she told VICE News. “I think robots or AI systems definitely help to a certain extent but when it comes to more complex problems such as deep-rooted family issues or intricate friendship conflicts, I feel that an AI would not be able to meet my needs.”</p>
<p>Soh said this human connection is crucial to effectively manage mental health concerns.</p>
<p>“While a robot can be programmed to say certain things, it's different when it comes from another human who might have his [or] her own struggles,” he said.</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-15704602269784667452020-10-12T00:11:00.001-07:002020-10-12T00:11:33.120-07:00Court Orders Brothers to Pay Their Drug Dealer After Robbing Him<p>Two brothers who tried to steal from their drug dealer after running out of money and crystal methamphetamines have been jailed for aggravated robbery and forced to repay the man $1,900 AUD (USD $1,373).</p>
<p>The Supreme Court of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia <a href="https://www.supremecourt.tas.gov.au/sentences/ford-j-l/" target="_blank">heard that</a> Jake Laurence Ford, 25, and Angus James Ford, 23, decided to rob "a man who had been selling ice [crystal meth] to them" because they had "run out of both money and ice".</p>
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<p>The brothers reportedly arranged to meet their dealer at his house around 10:00PM on the night of October 2, 2019. After arriving and being invited inside, they sat down to consume some drugs, and while the dealer was weighing out $150 AUD (USD $108) worth of ice to sell them, Angus—the younger brother—approached him from behind and put him in a chokehold, squeezing his neck.</p>
<p>Jake, the older brother, then grabbed a double-barrelled shotgun that was in the room—"not because he wanted to use it, but because he did not want the complainant to use it"—and pointed it at the dealer, saying "Give me everything you have."</p>
<p>The dealer “protested that they were mates, to no avail”, and while still in a chokehold grabbed both barrels of the gun, leading to a struggle that caused one of the barrels to discharge, damaging the floor and a cupboard.</p>
<p>It was only when Jake stabbed the dealer in the arm that he let go of the gun, at which point Angus choked him until he passed out. The brothers then fled the scene with the shotgun, about 4.7 grams of ice and the man's wallet, which contained $1,900 cash.</p>
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<p>After regaining consciousness the dealer called the police and reported the robbery. The Ford brothers were arrested two days later.</p>
<p>"The complainant knew the two brothers. It was inevitable that he would either report them to the police, or retaliate in some way, or both," said Chief Justice Alan Blow in his sentencing last week, describing the event as “certainly not a well-planned robbery".</p>
<p>"It is lucky that nobody was shot," he noted.</p>
<p>Both the brothers pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated robbery. Jake was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, with a non-parole period of 15 months, while Angus was sentenced to 14 months with a non-parole period of seven months.</p>
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<p>Chief Justice Blow further noted that the incident had a "substantial psychological and financial impact" on the dealer, who had been working full-time as a concreter but was forced to leave his job because of his state of mind.</p>
<p>"He had been the primary carer of one of his children, but has said that he lost custody of her as a result of this incident,” said Chief Justice Blow. "He has moved house and become reclusive. He has problems with sleeplessness, social withdrawal and depression."</p>
<p>In addition to their sentences, the Ford brothers were ordered to repay the man the money that they stole.</p>
<p>The court statement did not specify whether any charges were filed against the complainant for dealing drugs.</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-15502153512077547082020-10-11T17:11:00.001-07:002020-10-11T17:11:26.228-07:00Daily Horoscope: October 12, 2020<p>Two heavy, spiritual planets, Jupiter and Neptune, align at 3:11 AM, creating a mystical atmosphere. These planets are associated with the ocean, and ask us to consider our own vastness. It’s a wonderful time to be generous and of service to others. The moon in Leo connects with the sun at 7:09 AM and Mars retrograde at 10:30 AM, bringing a boost in confidence. Mercury connects with Venus at 12:38 PM, inspiring an easygoing, sweet, and social atmosphere.</p>
<p>All times ET.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902582865-ares-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Aries</h2>
<p>It’s a powerful day to lean into your spiritual practice as Jupiter and Neptune align. Your intuitive abilities are deepening. The moon in Leo brings creative inspiration and finds you and your lovers connecting on a deep level about your desires. Mercury connects with Venus, inspiring a helpful atmosphere.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902636310-taurus-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Taurus</h2>
<p>You’re connecting with inspiring people today as Jupiter aligns with Neptune. Big ideas are born. The moon in Leo illuminates the home and family sector of your chart, putting you in a nostalgic mood. Your ruling planet Venus mingles with Mercury, making for a flirty atmosphere.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902709121-gemini-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Gemini</h2>
<p>It’s a powerful moment in your career as Jupiter and Neptune align: Your creative output is high and people are inspired to invest in your work. The moon in Leo encourages open communication today. Your ruling planet Mercury mingles with sweet Venus, inspiring an easygoing energy.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530900679841-cancer-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Cancer</h2>
<p>Philosophical Jupiter mingles with mystical Neptune, finding you and your partners having big conversations about purpose and potential! The moon in Leo lights up the sector of your chart that rules cash, finding you reflecting on how you can build wealth. Mercury connects with Venus, bringing a flirty energy.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530900865376-leo-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Leo</h2>
<p>Today’s alignment between Jupiter and Neptune creates a hugely helpful atmosphere for smoothing over whatever needs some love in your life. The moon is in your sign, too, finding you connecting with your heart’s desires. There’s a cozy vibe at home as Mercury connects with Venus.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901587787-virgo-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Virgo</h2>
<p>It’s a powerful day in your relationships as Jupiter and Neptune align: You’re connecting on a deeply creative, mystical level, discussing your hopes and dreams. It’s a playfully romantic day as Venus connects with Mercury, but the moon in Leo asks you to catch up on rest, too.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901867735-libra-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Libra</h2>
<p>Help is coming your to your living situation and daily routine (including your day job) as Jupiter connects with Neptune. The moon in Leo creates an exciting atmosphere in your social life, too. Your ruling planet Venus connects with Mercury, which bodes well for your finances.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901911134-scorpio-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Scorpio</h2>
<p>Meaningful, inspiring conversations take place today as Jupiter and Neptune align. You’re gaining a better understanding of everything. Connection and creativity flow. The moon in Leo brings your attention in your career, and Venus mingles with Mercury, making for a fun day in your social life.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901966903-sagittarius-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Sagittarius</h2>
<p>Your ruling planet Jupiter aligns with Neptune, creating an emotionally healing atmosphere as you release the past and invite more security and freedom into your life. The moon is in fellow fire sign Leo, bringing inspiring new opportunities. Good vibes flow in your career as Venus connects with Mercury; you’re easily intuiting what the public wants.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902316870-capricorn-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Capricorn</h2>
<p>Expansive Jupiter connects with mystical Neptune, bringing a boost in your intuitive abilities, and finding you having inspiring conversations! Easy energy flows in your social life as Venus connects with Mercury. The moon in Leo also finds you contemplating closure and release.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902367365-aquarius-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Aquarius</h2>
<p>Jupiter and Neptune align, bringing a big boost in creativity and imagination. It’s a powerful time to make your dreams come true. Venus connects with Mercury, and people are inspired to help you. The moon is in your opposite sign Leo, encouraging you and your partners to connect.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902531620-pisces-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Pisces</h2>
<p>Your two ruling planets, Jupiter and Neptune, align today, making for a whimsical atmosphere! It’s a powerful day to meet new people. Easy energy flows around communication in your partnerships as Venus connects with Mercury. The moon is in Leo, encouraging you to reflect on your daily routine and how you can get more organized.</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-22325731467787705972020-10-10T18:11:00.001-07:002020-10-10T18:11:08.828-07:00Facebook Workers Sign Petition Demanding Hazard Pay for Content Moderators Who Have to Go Back to the Office<p>At least 290 Facebook employees and contractors have signed a petition demanding that Facebook content moderators receive hazard pay and other benefits when they return to the office.</p>
<p>On October 1, Accenture <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/1/21497789/facebook-content-moderators-accenture-return-office-coronavirus" target="_blank">informed content</a> moderators based in Austin, Texas that they would be required to return to the office on October 12—despite the fact that <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/06/facebook-will-allow-employees-to-work-remotely-until-july-2021.html" target="_blank">Facebook has allowed</a> its full-time employees to continue working remotely until July 2021.</p>
<p>The petition was circulated on an internal Facebook group called Workers@ that includes both contractors and full-time Facebook employees, as well as a group called TakeAction that was formed following George Floyd’s murder to address issues at Facebook related to racism. The petition was signed by both Facebook employees and contractors.</p>
<p>Since March, Accenture has allowed hundreds of moderators to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and according to the Verge, did not provide an explanation for why workers had to return to the office on October 12. The news has prompted widespread fear from contractors, and growing anger from full time Facebook employees expressed in internal company forums, according to screenshots of postings in internal Facebook groups viewed by Motherboard.</p>
<p>The petition outlines eight main demands: that Facebook contractors who return to the office receive a 50 percent increase in hourly wages as hazard pay, worker compensation for all costs related to COVID-19 treatment and testing, paid leave and sick time for time taken off as a result of COVID-19, an additional 32 hours of paid time off per month, an expedited process for approving time off (24 hours instead of one month), and in the event that a worker's family member tests positive for COVID-19, full compensation for that worker and the cost of the family member's medical care.</p>
<p>"I signed the petition because the idea of going back and working is very, very stressful, and making me feel really anxious. I live with a mother and a one-year-old with compromised immune systems," a Facebook content moderator in Austin, Texas who was called back to work on Monday told Motherboard. They work in the child safety queue, reviewing child pornography and violence against children on the platform.</p>
<p>"Facebook and Accenture have proven time and again that we don't matter to them. We're just a number," they continued. "There’s already so much stress coming from the work we do. It's not wanting to be sexually active with your partner, and feeling uncomfortable around children. We signed a contract to work there with the understanding that our mental health would be valued. We didn’t sign up to sacrifice our health, our family's health and our mental health. We don't get paid enough for that."</p>
<p>Facebook content moderators review graphic videos, hate speech, and other disturbing material posted on Facebook for violations of its community policies. The job has been widely acknowledged as mentally and emotionally distressing to workers, some of whom have <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/25/18229714/cognizant-facebook-content-moderator-interviews-trauma-working-conditions-arizona" target="_blank">developed post-traumatic stress disorders</a> after spending hours viewing content that includes, murder, assault, and pornography.</p>
<p>As the election nears, Facebook is currently facing intense pressure to enforce its own policies that ban content that includes misinformation and calls to violence on the platform. Much of this labor is executed by Facebook's 15,000 content moderators, almost all of whom are contractors employed by third-party companies.</p>
<p class="article__pull-quote">“No, snacks don't make up for it. No one cares about the snacks.”</p>
<p>Since the return to the office announcement was made on October 1, full-time Facebook employees and contractors have been expressing fear and anger in posts on the internal Facebook group Workers@, which were <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/terrified-facebook-moderators-return-offices" target="_blank">first reported by Buzzfeed</a>.</p>
<p>"Even after all of these months of going through a global pandemic, they still don't even have decency to offer us sick days," one Accenture contractor wrote. "Sure they'll pay us if we get COVID, but if we get the flu? Hope you have the PTO."</p>
<p>"That fact that it hasn't even occurred to them to give us this tiny kindness is ghoulish," they continued. "We are being shown blatant disregard for our well-being, and it's outlandish, disrespectful, and greedy. They will shove as many people as they can into one building so they can make one more dollar. And no, snacks don't make up for it. No one cares about the snacks."</p>
<p>Facebook holds weekly Q&A sessions, where Mark Zuckerberg and other executives often answer questions by employees. Employees can pose questions that are voted on by other employees as high priority. In the lead up to an October 8 session, several employees posted questions related to their concerns about the return of Accenture content moderators to the office that received hundreds of upvotes.</p>
<p>"Why don't we hire content moderators as full-time employees? They do extremely difficult work and are being asked to return to the office," one of the questions that received the most upvotes said, according to screenshots obtained by Motherboard.</p>
<p>Other top questions that received hundreds of upvotes included "Breitbart promoted QAnon-boosted Biden conspiracy on 9/29 after streaming COVID misinfo to millions in summer—why is it a trust news source?" and "Human rights monitors say Facebook is pushing Ethiopia toward genocide like Myanmar. What is your perspective on this warning?"</p>
<p>Currently, Facebook content moderators employed by Accenture in Austin said they do not receive paid sick days, and must approve time off a month in advance.</p>
<p>In addition to the demands listed above, the petition asks that employees "be spaced out according to CDC guidelines, and will be required to wear masks at all times other than when eating. Temperatures will be taken upon entrance into the office. Employees will be tested on a monthly basis, with all testing costs covered by the company…. Should a vaccine become available, the company will cover the cost."</p>
<p class="article__blockquote"><i>Do you work for Facebook and have a tip to share with us? Please get in touch with the author by email <a href="mailto:Lauren.gurley@vice.com" target="_blank">Lauren.gurley@vice.com</a> or on Signal 201-897-2109.</i></p>
<p>Accenture did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but a post on an internal Facebook group said that the company will enforce limited 25 percent capacities in buildings, a mandatory mask requirement, 24-hour deep cleanings of the office, and "robust contact tracing." A spokesperson for Facebook <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/1/21497789/facebook-content-moderators-accenture-return-office-coronavirus" target="_blank">told the Verge</a> that “A lot of the work done by the Accenture Austin team involves work streams that can’t be done from home.”</p>
<p>“Since March, we’ve increased our use of technology and enabled an overwhelming majority of our reviewers to work from home,” a Facebook spokesperson told Motherboard. “But considering some of the most sensitive content can’t be reviewed from home, we’ve begun allowing reviewers back into some of our sites as government guidance has permitted. Our focus on reopening any office is on how it can be done in a way that prioritizes people's health and safety. We are putting strict measures in place, making sure they’re followed, and addressing any confirmed cases of illness.”</p>
<p><i><b>Update:</b></i> This post has been updated with comment from Facebook.</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-29078296807429025242020-10-10T16:11:00.001-07:002020-10-10T16:11:13.373-07:00Daily Horoscope: October 11, 2020<p>The sun clashes with Jupiter at 9:35 AM, creating an inspiring atmosphere and bringing exciting opportunities—but also finding us running into know-it-alls and big egos. Try not to over-indulge! The moon in Leo clashes with Uranus at 1:27 PM and Mercury at 4:50 PM, bringing surprises, and encouraging open communication.</p>
<p>All times ET.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902582865-ares-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Aries</h2>
<p>You’re larger than life to begin with, Aries, but today’s clash between Jupiter and the sun may find you more over-the-top than usual! Try not to over-commit or over-indulge, especially in the realm of your relationships and career. A playful mood flows as the moon moves through Leo.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902636310-taurus-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Taurus</h2>
<p>As one of the most sensual signs in the zodiac, you’re all about pleasure, dear Taurus, but be careful not to over-indulge today as the sun clashes with Jupiter. The moon in Leo inspires you to connect with family.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902709121-gemini-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Gemini</h2>
<p>The moon in Leo brings news your way. The sun clashes with lucky Jupiter, bringing many opportunities, but making choices may feel overwhelming at this time. Go slow!</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530900679841-cancer-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Cancer</h2>
<p>Exciting growth takes place in your relationships today, Cancer, as the sun clashes with Jupiter. Luck is in the air. Just try not to over-indulge or make promises too big to live up to.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530900865376-leo-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Leo</h2>
<p>The moon is in your sign, encouraging you to connect with your emotions and check in with what your heart is trying to tell you. The sun clashes with Jupiter, so watch out for big egos. Opportunities arrive: Don’t say yes to everything; be wise about what you choose.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901587787-virgo-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Virgo</h2>
<p>The sun clashes with lucky Jupiter today, and a great amount of growth takes place when it comes to your family or living situation. That said, you may want to catch up on some time alone as the moon moves through Leo.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901867735-libra-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Libra</h2>
<p>The moon in Leo lights up the sector of your chart that rules your hopes and dreams for the future, and brilliant opportunities arrive to expand your living situation as the sun clashes with Jupiter.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901911134-scorpio-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Scorpio</h2>
<p>The moon is in spotlight-loving Leo, bringing news concerning your career. Big conversations take place as the sun clashes with Jupiter, but watch out for know-it-alls.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530901966903-sagittarius-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Sagittarius</h2>
<p>The moon in fellow fire sign Leo brings news from afar. It’s a busy day with many exciting opportunities as the sun clashes with Jupiter. It’s an exciting time to grow your wealth—just try not to spend all your money!</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902316870-capricorn-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Capricorn</h2>
<p>Issues like debts and taxes are on your mind as the moon moves through Leo. The sun clashes with lucky planet Jupiter, finding you going through an exciting moment of growth. Just try not to over-indulge!</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902367365-aquarius-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Aquarius</h2>
<p>The moon moves through your opposite sign Leo today, lighting up the relationship sector of your chart and finding you connecting with your partners on a deep level. The sun squares off with Jupiter, bringing big ideas your way; just don’t let your imagination run away from you.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1530902531620-pisces-bar2x.png" /></div>
<h2>Pisces</h2>
<p>The moon in Leo inspires you to get organized today, but there is a lot going on, especially in your social life, as the sun clashes with Jupiter. It’s an exciting day to connect with people, but try not to overbook yourself, and watch out for know-it-alls!</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-43589394122621231732020-10-10T01:11:00.001-07:002020-10-10T01:11:24.762-07:00Monkey ‘Gang Wars’ Keep Killing People in India<p>On October 6, Laxman Tulsiani, a gold dealer, and Veera, a caretaker, were examining a construction site in Agra city in north India’s Uttar Pradesh (UP) state. A massive monkey brawl broke out at the property, resulting in a wall collapsing on the two men. Laxman and Veera died at a nearby hospital.</p>
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<p>In July this year, a family sleeping in their courtyard were crushed to death after the wall beside them was <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8540319/Monkeys-kill-family-five-collapsing-wall-India.html" target="_blank">“violently shaken”</a> by a troop of brawling monkeys in UP’s Shahjahanpur district.</p>
<p>With a monkey population of <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/8gdw5x/monkeys-are-taking-over-india" target="_blank">more than 50 million</a>, there have been at least 13 deaths caused by monkey attacks across India since 2015. More than 1,000 cases of monkey bites are <a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/wildlife-biodiversity/out-of-control-why-monkeys-are-a-menace-50817" target="_blank">reported</a> every day in Indian cities, according to a government run primate research centre.</p>
<p>“India has been facing a monkey menace since the late 80’s. Before that, humans and primates peacefully co-existed without such conflicts,” Dr Iqbal Malik, a primatologist, with 40 years of experience in studying monkey species in India, told VICE News.</p>
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<p>Dr Malik points to a variety of reasons behind the deteriorating relationship between humans and primates. “Lack of population control of both humans and monkeys, depletion of forest areas which could have been habitats for monkeys, and shift to monoculture farming has led to increased rivalry and aggression amongst monkeys.”</p>
<p>“This aggression then carries on to humans, especially in cases when the land inhabited by monkeys is usurped by the authorities.”</p>
<p>Between 2002 and 2018, India <a href="https://rainforests.mongabay.com/deforestation/archive/India.htm" target="_blank">lost 310,624 hectares</a> of forest cover due to deforestation and industrialisation.</p>
<p>Depending on the scale and nature of damage, state governments have come up with various ideas to tackle the issue. In the national capital, Delhi, the government has been relocating monkeys to a wildlife sanctuary. There have also been <a href="https://scroll.in/article/941701/delhi-government-has-a-new-strategy-to-curb-monkey-attacks-an-area-wise-census" target="_blank">efforts to shift monkeys</a> from Delhi to forests in neighbouring states.<br />
In 2016, the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh <a href="https://science.thewire.in/environment/himachal-pradesh-rhesus-macaques-vermin-poisoning-death/" target="_blank">declared monkeys as vermin</a>, allowing people to kill them. In 2019, Uttarakhand state followed suit. In east India’s Bihar state, farmers have tried to persuade local politicians to <a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/aug/13/bihars-awaraiya-barai-tola-village-adopts-unique-technique-to-drive-off-monkey-menace-2182822.html" target="_blank">contain attacks of monkeys</a> on crops.</p>
<p>In India, people’s cultural beliefs impact the way they treat monkeys. Hanuman (also called Bajrangbali), the monkey deity, is one of the most popular gods in Hindu mythology.</p>
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<p>“People call me to relocate monkeys in urban areas, but I can’t bear to see them caged. After all, they are our lord Bajrangbali,” Ravi Kumar, a monkey chaser in Delhi, told VICE News. Kumar, who chases monkeys by imitating their sound, describes himself as a “security guard for monkeys”.</p>
<p>Yogesh Gokhale, a Delhi-based botanical researcher with expertise in natural resource management, told VICE News, “In my housing society, we have a serious monkey menace, but people continue to feed these animals because they look at them as a religious symbol,” he said.</p>
<p>The role of local civic bodies is crucial in dealing with man-animal conflict. “In urban spaces, monkeys are usually found in places where food waste is not disposed properly,” said Khushboo Gupta, the chief advocacy officer for PETA India.</p>
<p>“The solution lies in town planning including forest protection, keeping bins covered and regular garbage collection.”</p>
<p>Last year, scientists in Delhi <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/monkey-menace-why-a-lasting-solution-may-be-years-away/articleshow/67595735.cms" target="_blank">discussed using Immunocontraception</a> to keep the population of monkeys in check. However, activists argue, this could potentially worsen the menace. “Sterilisation of monkeys is not an ideal first solution, as the capture process can upset and disturb them,” said Gupta.</p>
<p>She stressed that while sterilization is a scientific method of population control, it is our humane responsibility to look at other means to curb the menace.</p>
<p>“The solution is to create monkey homes or shelters in urban areas with natural greenery that allows monkeys to forage for their food,” said Dr Malik.</p>
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<p>“The monkeys are not the problem,” said Gupta. “Humans, who have created the circumstance that forces these animals into cities, are.”</p>
<p><i>Follow Shamani on</i> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shazamgram/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><i>.</i></p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-67706281075644197742020-10-09T19:11:00.001-07:002020-10-09T19:11:23.221-07:00Trump Is Pretty Sure He's Not Taking Drugs and Is Doing Fine<p>President Donald Trump said he feels “really good” and “really strong” in an interview with a Fox News contributor who’s also a doctor Friday, his first since his diagnosis with COVID-19. But he also didn’t seem to be sure if he was still taking medication.</p>
<p>Earlier in the interview, which was pre-taped, Trump said he had been “medication-free” for about eight hours. When Fox News contributor Marc Siegel — a doctor at the NYU Langone Medical Center — asked what medication he was on, however, Trump responded: “I think, really, nothing.”</p>
<p>Trump was also evasive when asked how long the doctors wanted him to stay at the hospital or when he last tested positive. </p>
<p>“I have been retested and I haven’t even found out the numbers,” Trump said. “I know I’m at the bottom of the scale or free.” The White House has so far refused to explicitly say when Trump’s last negative test took place.</p>
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<p>Trump’s main symptoms were congestion, which showed up on a lung scan, he told Siegel, known for <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/foxs-dr-marc-siegel-says-worse-case-scenario-coronavirus-it-could-be-flu" target="_blank">comparing the coronavirus to the flu</a>. He also complained of a sore throat and lack of energy. “You were tired, it was just getting to you. My life is based on energy and you didn’t have it,” Trump said. “It could have led to bad things from this point.”</p>
<p>Trump was diagnosed as part of an outbreak that’s <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7g93d/a-whole-lot-of-people-in-trumpworld-need-to-quarantine" target="_blank">infected several people in Trumpworld and elsewhere</a> and forced dozens into quarantine. On Friday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top advisor on the White House coronavirus task force, said that Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation event on September 26, where few people wore masks or practiced social distancing, was a “super spreader event.” </p>
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<p>Trump admitted that he “maybe” was infected during a White House event. </p>
<p>“I don't know, we had some big events at the White House. Maybe there,” he said. “We learned this is a contagious disease, and generally you get better from it.”</p>
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<p>Trump claimed that the Secret Service approved <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7wa4z/trump-just-exposed-secret-service-to-covid-19-to-do-a-drive-by-for-maga-supporters" target="_blank">his drive-by outside of the hospital last weekend</a>, and defended his decision to expose Secret Service members to COVID-19.</p>
<p>“I had tremendous numbers of people, I could hear them from the hospital. Through these very powerful windows I could hear people shouting with love,” Trump told Siegel. “I went to the Secret Service, and these are the people with me all the time, and they said, ‘We have no problem sir.’”</p>
<p>“It was a great display of love, Trump added. “I don’t think there was one negative person.” </p>
<p>Dr. Sean P. Conley, Trump’s personal physician, said that Trump could <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7g5b3/donald-trump-spent-a-deranged-evening-coughing-at-sean-hannity" target="_blank">resume public appearances on Saturday</a>, although that marks just ten days since Trump’s positive COVID-19 test. Trump is planning to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-plans-in-person-white-house-event-for-saturday-11602275494" target="_blank">make an appearance at a rally on the White House lawn Saturday</a> and a campaign rally in Florida on Monday. </p>
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<p>On Friday, the second presidential debate was officially canceled by the Committee on Presidential Debates, one day after Trump refused to virtually debate Biden. Biden will instead hold a town hall of his own in Philadelphia; the White House has so far not announced what Trump will do. The third debate is currently scheduled for October 22.</p>
<p>Trump said he would do a debate outside in Miami Beach. “I’d have no trouble with it at all,” he said. “Outside is better than inside with this crazy thing.”</p>
<p>Trump said that the main lesson he’s learned from the experience is that he caught it early, and described his experience at the hospital. “They said, ‘Leave your jacket on, leave your shirt on,’” he said. “I said, ‘I can take it off if you want.’ It tested good. I think they had some congestion in there but it tested ultimately good and with each day it got better.’”</p>
<p>Trump admitted, however, that he has a unique access to medical care as the president. “I have such great access to medical so it's a lot easier for me than someone who doesn’t have access to a doctor so easily,” Trump said. </p>
<p>“The big secret for me was I got there very early,” he said. “It would have gotten a lot worse. One of the doctors said it would have been a lot worse.”</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-73387669835532747752020-10-09T17:11:00.001-07:002020-10-09T17:11:30.281-07:00A Trump Rally in Minnesota Probably Spread COVID, State Health Dept. Says<p>A Trump rally in Minnesota probably helped spread coronavirus, a state health official said.</p>
<p>Nine people who attended the rally in Bemidji, MN on Sept. 18 have tested positive for the disease and two were hospitalized, Doug Schultz, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Health, told VICE News on Friday. One attendee is in intensive care.</p>
<p>The news comes just as President Trump plans a return to live events in an attempt to buttress his troubled campaign. Trump’s rallies were curtailed by an outbreak of the disease inside the White House that left Trump hospitalized with COVID last weekend. Trump now plans to host an outdoor event at the White House this Saturday and a rally in Florida on Monday.</p>
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<p>Public health officials have blasted the Trump administration for flouting basic safety precautions, including masks and social distancing. And now, Minnesota health officials are eyeing one of Trump’s most recent rallies as a likely driver of the disease.</p>
<p>One person was known to have been infectious at the rally, Schultz said. Two people who attended a protest against the Trump rally in Bemidji also later tested positive for COVID, he said.</p>
<p>“Since September 1, there have been 278 cases among Beltrami County residents,” Schultz told VICE News. Of those cases, “43% of cases occurred 2-10 days after the political rally held on September 18th or a wedding held on the 19th.”</p>
<p>Both the Trump rally and the wedding seem to have helped spread the disease, Schultz said. Fifteen cases have been associated with the wedding, he said.</p>
<p>“These events appear, based on case characteristics, to be likely drivers of increases in COVID-19 cases in Beltrami County,” Schultz wrote.</p>
<p>There have been no deaths associated with the rally so far, Schultz said.</p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-50309743212413728252020-10-09T13:11:00.001-07:002020-10-09T13:11:37.468-07:00Hulu's 'Woke' Uses Fantasy, Comedy, and Comics to Talk About Racial Justice<p>The premise: A Black cartoonist named Keef Knight lives in San Francisco, making a popular milquetoast comic strip called Toast and Butter. After a SFPD officer profiles and brutalizes him, Knight becomes spiritually awakened and more sensitized to racism. His cartooning marker and other inanimate objects begin speaking to him, often about Blackness. He becomes more outspoken about injustice, and is now emboldened—sometimes with the help of one of these inanimate objects—to call these injustices out. And the show is called <i>Woke</i>. Seem a little heavy-handed?</p>
<p>"We knew we were taking the piss out of it," Knight told VICE. "If we had some serious, preachy show, it would have flopped terribly, especially with the name <i>Woke</i>."</p>
<p>The show, now on Hulu, works surprisingly well, thanks to Knight's excellent source material. Knight is a nationally syndicated cartoonist, one behind the "<a href="http://www.kchronicles.com/" target="_blank">The K Chronicles</a>," "The Knight Life," and "<a href="http://www.kchronicles.com/think.html" target="_blank">(th)INK</a>." The comics cover Knight's own life, politics, racism, police brutality, and American history. He was also profiled by an SFPD officer in real life, though he'd been making political comics since before that incident.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1602191568294-votebingo2021tweak.jpeg" alt="Voter Suppression Bingo" />
<div class="article__image-caption">Comic provided by Keith Knight</div>
</div>
<p>When Knight spoke to VICE, he sounded grateful to be in the position he's in. Before Hulu picked up the show, Knight was able to stay in his profession by supplementing his income with a <a href="https://www.patreon.com/keefknight" target="_blank">Patreon</a>, which he described as "a universal basic income for art." He also previously <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/how-to-kickstarter-cartoonist-keith-knights-14-tips-for-a-more-successful-funding-campaign/2012/04/13/gIQAF8LJFT_blog.html" target="_blank">crowdfunded on Kickstarter</a> for his “I Was a Teenage Michael Jackson Impersonator" comic. As he told <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/13885890/woke-cartoonist-keith-knight-wrote-his-own-path-to-hollywood" target="_blank">KQED</a>, Knight ended all of his pitch meetings for <i>Woke</i> by slamming a 500-page compilation of his comics on the table, saying, "There's your first ten seasons." And when he met with Hulu, it worked.</p>
<p>Co-created by <i>Barbershop</i> writer Marshall Todd, the show has an impressive cast. Lamorne Norris stars as Knight in the show, while <i>Workaholics'</i> Blake Anderson, and Chicago actor-comedian T. Murph portray Knight's roommates, Gunther and Clovis; with <i>Saturday Night Live's</i> Sasheer Zamata as Ayana, a journalist-slash-antagonist-turned-ally, to Knight. The anthropomorphized objects that speak to Knight are used lightly throughout the show—an intentional choice—but these objects, too, are voiced by a high-profile cast that includes Nicole Byer, Eddie Griffin, JB Smoove, Cedric the Entertainer, and more.</p>
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<p>Knight is aware of the show's polarizing title, but abides by the idea that there's no such thing as bad publicity, as long as it gets people watching. The cartoonist spoke to VICE about his show, cartooning, and the "incidental" timeliness of <i>Woke</i>.</p>
<hr />
<p><b>VICE: You've been writing and doing cartoons on topics like racism and police brutality for a couple decades. What were the conversations around those issues like when pitching the show at this point in time?</b><br />
<b>Keith Knight:</b> [Racism] is an evergreen subject. And I think that's one of the problems with Hollywood is, I don't think as a Black creator, you can sell a show that isn't couched in some sort of oppression. Right? When you look at some of the most popular, Black-led shows, over the past couple years—<i>Lovecraft Country</i>, and _Watchmen_—it'd be great if our show was somewhere in there. But a lot of that stuff, I don't know if it would've sold if it was like, 'I just want to do one [show] about Black joy. A fantasy, with a Black character.' It's one of those things where I would say that Hollywood needs to get to the place where there are gatekeepers in the room that are receptive to all sorts of stuff. I'm totally grateful for Hulu giving us the opportunity, but if we didn't have a compelling story that dealt with something so topical, I don't know if we would've been able to sell it somewhere. It's an interesting conundrum.</p>
<p><b>From a pure aesthetic standpoint, I'm sure there was a concern about how to integrate animation to be in service of the story rather than a gimmick. How did you approach that? Were there examples you looked to that executed on that concept well?</b><br />
I gotta credit Maurice Marable, the producing director, directed most of the episodes. When he was first pitching what he wanted the show to look like, he'd present a lookbook. He came with a lookbook with a lot of images from stuff like <i>Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind</i>, <i>Amélie</i>, <i>Do the Right Thing</i>, and <i>Sorry to Bother You</i>. This is sort of the magical realism that was going on in all those movies. He was the one that suggested that we use puppetry and real-world stuff, as opposed to using flat 2D animation or making it all computer animation. I think that was the key to elevating the animation. It wasn't like we had a lot of examples [of other shows that have done this]. That's why it was [so difficult] to convince people that it would work.</p>
<p>When we were first getting the footage back, we waited till it was completely done. Once it was done, you could see, 'Oh, OK, this does work.' So it's really exciting and gratifying in the end. And also, [our smaller budget] prevented us from overusing animation. If we had our druthers and a super-large budget, we may have overdid it.</p>
<p><b>Stepping back, can you tell me more about what made you try Patreon before selling the show?</b><br />
I remember going to an editorial cartoon convention in [Washington,] DC. I was like, <i>Oh man, I'm looking forward to speaking to all the folks who've been doing it longer than me.</i> I just remember all these people walking up to me, going, 'Keith, can you give me advice on how to make it without having a regular gig?' I realized, <i>Oh my god, [if] they're coming to</i> me <i>for advice, we're in big trouble.</i> I remember consciously shifting, going, <i>OK, I'm not going to seek advice out from people 20 years older than me. I'm gonna seek advice out from people 20 years</i> younger <i>than me.</i> I remember someone writing to me, saying, 'Keith, you know, there's this new thing called Patreon that I think you'll do really well at.' A few months later, I saw a cartoonist was making, like $9,000 off of it. Then I started looking at different cartoonists on there that were doing really well. I started to realize this is an opportunity for people to support your ongoing work, almost like a universal basic income for art. It's enough to keep you moving forward and doing the thing you were put on earth to do. It took a while to catch on and really figure it out. But once I figured it out, it was so freeing that I was able to really pursue looking for the chance to develop the script into a TV show. I was in LA at the time, and LA's not cheap.</p>
<p><b>You've said before that you left San Francisco before becoming one of those of those people is like, 'Everything has changed!' But then you had to go and shoot</b> <i><b>Woke</b></i> <b>in Vancouver because it was too expensive to shoot in San Francisco.</b><br />
Yeah, that's the irony of it, I would love to be able to shoot in San Francisco, but it priced itself out, even to Hollywood producers. For what it's worth, it's nice to hear from people who see the show and say, 'You didn't shoot in San Francisco, but you catch the vibe of it,' which I like.</p>
<p><b>If you had your druthers, are there things you would've loved to be in San Francisco for, in terms of scenes, or bars, or places?</b><br />
I just wanted to make sure we didn't spend a lot of time showing cable cars, and Golden Gate Bridge, all the typical San Francisco footage that they show to go 'you're in San Francisco!' The biggest thing for me, I remember saying, was that I want the <a href="https://www.thesisters.org/" target="_blank">Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence</a> as some extras. So on the set of the pilot, there was some sisters there, and they came up to me, and they said 'I heard you specifically requested us.' I said, 'yeah?' and one of them said, 'My grandfather was one of the original Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in San Francisco.' There was a lot of neat stuff like that that happened. The first night that we shot the scene that I wrote, where I was like, 'Oh, man, I can write for TV!' was the scene where [Morris and T. Murph] find the wallet in the pilot. <i>[In this scene, Morris and T. Murph find a white woman's wallet, and argue about the safety of turning it in.]</i> That street that we shot on was called Keefer Street, and the bus that rode down that street was the Knight bus. We saw that bus ride down Keefer, and we were like, 'Holy shit! We're gonna get this show!'</p>
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<p><b>Speaking of names, how do you think the word 'woke' has changed?</b><br />
We had the name for a while, and watched it become super popular along the gestation of the show, and then turn into this bad thing. We were actively trying to think of another name. So much so that we were pitching all this different stuff, even during production, but frankly, we weren't coming up with something else that worked. I just remember, at some point, <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/3a87n9/trump-is-peddling-woke-merch-now-to-black-voters" target="_blank">Trump put out "Woke" hats</a>, and someone wrote to me, 'Did you see Trump is advertising your show?' When you see the word, it's like, free advertising for us. Why not just own it?</p>
<p><b>You've written about how some people have complained that your comics are racist because they depict an act of racism. Is that something that has happened with the show, with a broader audience on Hulu?</b><br />
Automatically, if you have any show that tackles any sort of touchy issue, you're gonna have plenty of complaints. And if you're going to call your show 'Woke,' you're opening yourself up to a lot of criticism, and it's just part of the territory that you've got to expect. I would be more worried if no one gave a shit about our show.</p>
<p><b>You've been doing this for a while so you must have a sense of what will ruffle more feathers than others. Have there been responses to things that you didn't expect to offend anyone?</b><br />
Not really. <i>[laughs]</i> The last thing that really surprised me, I did a strip about how all of the people who are following Trump to all his stops when he was just doing nonstop campaigning rallies, I likened it to the Grateful Dead, and the [Deadheads] following the band around. He does the usual set list, it's when he improvises is when the magic happens, going off script, doing all this weird stuff. I just got all these angry Deadheads writing me, saying, 'You just lost 42 million fans!' And people going, 'Fuck you, Keith Knight!' Saying all this horrible stuff to me. I was surprised. I thought that was really interesting and refreshing.</p>
<div class="article__media"><img src="https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1602191395488-magajpg.jpeg" alt="Keith Knight K Chronicles Comic" />
<div class="article__image-caption">Comic provided by Keith Knight</div>
</div>
<p><b>On a totally separate topic,</b> <a href="https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-10-03/keith-knights-cartoons-get-heart-us-conversation-race" target="_blank">you've mentioned</a> <b>how Germany approaches its history in a much more straightforward way than how America does. How do you think about that, in terms of the work you're doing, and are you seeing any meaningful change in how we approach our history?</b><br />
You see stuff like the success of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html" target="_blank">the 1619 Project</a> that the <i>New York Times</i> put out, and people want to put that in the curriculum of schools. And then you <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/21/opinions/patriotic-education-1776-commission-zelizer/index.html" target="_blank">see the pushback</a> by Trump and all this stuff. If it's going straight up to the top like that, it really is getting out. And it's just important for us to acknowledge how this country was built, and I just don't think we take the time to do it. This is what I do in my racial literacy slideshows that I do around the country. I think people actually want the truth. And if you hear the truth, it's like, <i>Oh, OK, now I get it. Now, I understand why people are complaining. The</i> <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kpvnb/end-of-policing-book-extract" target="_blank">police grew out of slave patrols</a><i>? Poor whites were hired to track down slaves and keep the Black community in order?</i></p>
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<p>When you look at the timeline, [you can] see how Black people have spent more time in this country enslaved than they have been free. And I don't think people totally understand what happens when you have generations and generations and generations of free labor. What is it that you can build? And when they were supposedly freed, what do you think happened?</p>
<p>When I was growing up, slavery was basically covered in a paragraph. And they said, <i>Well, slave owners, a lot of them treated their slaves like family.</i> That's it. We have to change that. We have to come to terms of what happened. And we also have to celebrate the contributions of non-white people to this country, which we don't. Maybe George Washington Carver. <i>[laughs]</i> We need to really celebrate this, just understand what folks went through from the perspective of the Native Americans, the Chinese immigrants, the Mexicans, all that. And I'm just trying to do one little small part. I'm like a gateway drug, hopefully.</p>
<hr />
<p><i>This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.</i></p>
<p><i>Woke is streaming now on Hulu.</i></p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-9562213241393315482020-10-09T11:11:00.001-07:002020-10-09T11:11:13.292-07:00How the 'Goat Simulator' Studio Is Making Game Dev More Diverse<p>It might not come as a galloping shock to hear that the video game industry struggles with diversity and inclusion. While the gaming audience has grown more varied and all but closed the gender gap in recent years, the development side of the industry fails to mirror the changing demographics. </p>
<p><a href="https://igda.org/dss/" target="_blank">In a 2019 survey</a>, the Independent Game Developers Association found that 71% of respondent game developers identified as male with fewer than a quarter identifying as female. Similarly, 69% identified solely as white/Cauciasian/European, with 81% claiming that option as one of several ethnicities.</p>
<p>It is a problem that some within the industry have now tasked themselves with solving. One approach comes from Coffee Stain, the developers of wildly successful games like Goat Simulator, Goat Simulator, and Deep Rock Galactic. But what does making a successful indie game have to do with trying to crack gaming's diversity problem?</p>
<p>“We have a huge pot of money from Goat Simulator and a will to do something with it,” explained Coffee Stain level designer Hannah Beuger, who is also one of the founders of the studio's ‘Leveling the Playing Field’ initiative, which seeks to contribute to up-and-coming diverse studios developing interesting projects with both money and support. </p>
<p>As the studio grew more successful, so did the desire to do something with all that success. </p>
<p>“Why not start something that will help diversity?” Beuger said.</p>
<p>At its genesis in 2018, Leveling the Playing Field sought to provide development studios that were at least 50% female with a $100,000 contribution and development support from Coffee Stain. After soliciting applications, the team picks the projects they feel represent these values of diversity and that Coffee Stain would best work with. </p>
<p>Kavalri Games, another Swedish studio that has <a href="https://www.kavalrigames.com/about-us" target="_blank">an explicit mission statement to make more video games about horses</a>, was the recipient of one of these investments. Co-founder Molly Ericson found Leveling the Playing Field a lot more preferable than dealing with investors.</p>
<p>“The other investor that we had—they have producers that we work with, a bit like advisors, but they don't have actual developers,” Ericson said. “So we felt like Coffee Stain would be a good addition, since they are developers and working on their own games, so they would have the same problems we have and hopefully already solved them.”</p>
<p>The initiative started with a strong focus on gender disparity over other kinds of diversity due partly to practical concerns. As this was a side project for Coffee Stain employees in addition to their regular duties, they admitted they had a hard time figuring out other experiences beyond their own and initially were unable to dedicate proper time to it. </p>
<p>“We're just employees that were working on a game at the same time, you know, [Leveling the Playing Field] is not its own company,” Beuger clarifies. “We felt it's maybe too much. Let's start small, let's start with something that we know, something we can help with, because we have people that are part of that group already and then build up from there, see if it works.”</p>
<p>This heading changed considerably over the summer when the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others at the hands of police officers sparked protests across the United States, with the news reaching Coffee Stain’s corner of the world. According to Beuger, while they had been intending to one day go that direction, the historic moment hurried things along.</p>
<p>“It was definitely a catalyst,” she noted, “but it wasn't a new idea in the sense that there were several things that sort of led up to it. And Black Lives Matter was definitely part of it because it just helped educate us a lot.”</p>
<p>In making this change, Level the Playing Field acknowledged they should diversify its own board. The now seven-person evaluation team, which at one point just two caucasian women, has expanded to include different genders, races, and ethnicities from among Coffee Stain’s employees. The idea is for people to be able to speak to their own experiences and relay those to the rest of the team to pick projects and studios among the dozens of applications they get.</p>
<p>The process has now sponsored three studios for over $300,000 combined.</p>
<p>There doesn’t appear to be any kind of endpoint for this for Coffee Stain or Leveling the Playing Field, a goal that would say they "solved" diversity. They admit that expanding into diversity metrics beyond the male-to-female ratio means trying to figure out a criteria for diversity that is considerably more complicated. To Beuger and the rest, however, this comes as a welcome challenge to getting this particular ball rolling in the games industry.</p>
<p>“In a way, we've already reached the main goal, and that is adding projects into the market that are made by diverse teams. That's it,” she affirms. “So with every project, we reach our goal again essentially. Eventually, of course, we hope to add just a little bit to the overall diversity in the industry, but that is hard to quantify.”</p>
<p>It will take more than one game studio and more than one diversity and inclusion initiative to expand and transform the video game industry. Overwhelming cultural resistance stands taller than any realistic amount of money could, but there’s still plenty of room for trying. </p>
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Peter Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12144132293874104989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360693097703764239.post-75786154527043565092020-10-09T09:11:00.001-07:002020-10-09T09:11:22.085-07:00Donald Trump Spent a Deranged Evening Coughing at Sean Hannity<p>President Donald Trump is running a full-court press to shore up his base as his poll numbers continue to decline, <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/4aykdg/trump-and-bidens-second-debate-will-be-a-glorified-zoom-call" target="_blank">with two Fox appearances</a> on Thursday and a weekend full of appearances planned—if he can stop coughing for long enough. </p>
<p>Trump spoke by phone with Fox News’ Sean Hannity Thursday and said his doctors “think I’m in great shape,” apparently enough so to plan a rally for as early as Saturday. The White House <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1314340347334537217?s=20" target="_blank">released a statement on Thursday evening</a> from Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, who said that he “fully anticipate[s] the President’s safe return to public engagements” that day, although it’ll have been just 10 days since Trump’s diagnosis, per the timeline given by the White House. </p>
<p>“I think I’m going to try doing a rally on Saturday night if we can, if we have enough time to put it together. But we want to do a rally probably in Florida on Saturday night, might come back and do one in Pennsylvania on the following night. And it’s incredible what’s going on,” Trump told Hannity. “I feel so good!”</p>
<p>Trump struck his usual bitter tone during the Hannity interview. For instance, he chose to attack Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/pky7b7/fbi-uncovers-massive-militia-plot-to-kidnap-michigan-governor-gretchen-whitmer" target="_blank">the same day that the FBI arrested more than a dozen men</a> tied to a far-right group in Michigan for an alleged plot to kidnap Whitmer. In mid-April, as protests were underway against Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders during the early part of the pandemic, Trump <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/04/17/trump-tweets-liberate-michigan-other-states-democratic-governors/5152037002/" target="_blank">tweeted</a>: “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!”</p>
<p>“I see Whitmer today, she was complaining, but it was our Justice Department that arrested the people that she was complaining about, it was my Justice Department that arrested them," he said.</p>
<iframe width="320" height="320" frameborder="0" src="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1314383851700006913"></iframe>
<p>But Trump was evasive with Hannity about how recently he’d tested positive for COVID-19. “The test will be tomorrow, because there’s no reason to test all the time, but they found very little infection or virus, if they found any,” adding that he “didn’t go into great detail” about it. </p>
<iframe width="320" height="320" frameborder="0" src="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1314379728032280577"></iframe>
<p>In <a href="https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1314385113766125568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1314385113766125568%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_2&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailybeast.com%2Ftrump-coughing-through-hannity-interview-says-he-wants-to-do-saturday-rally" target="_blank">other parts of the interview</a>, Trump coughed, cleared his throat, and at one point appeared to lose his voice.</p>
<iframe width="320" height="320" frameborder="0" src="https://twitter.com/BadFoxGraphics/status/1314384173487067136"></iframe>
<p>Trump isn’t slowing down, however. On Thursday, Rush Limbaugh <a href="https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2020/10/08/rush-announces-virtual-radio-rally-with-president-trump/" target="_blank">announced</a> that the president would be taking over his radio show for the “largest virtual rally in radio history” on Friday. And on Friday night, Trump will do his first on-camera interview since his hospitalization with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson at 8 p.m. </p>
<p><i>Cover: President Donald Trump removes his mask as he stands on the balcony outside of the Blue Room as returns to the White House Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, in Washington, after leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md. Trump announced he tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 2. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)</i></p>
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