Jews and gay people should hide identity in ‘Arab neighbourhoods’, says Berlin police chief
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/11/18/jews-gay-people-hide-identity-arab-areas-germany/
Jews and gay people should hide identity in ‘Arab neighbourhoods’, says Berlin police chief
Barbara Slowik says some residents are openly hostile towards Jews and ‘have sympathies for terrorist groups’
By Jörg Luyken
November 18, 2024
Jews and gay people should hide their identity in parts of Berlin with large Arab populations, the German capital’s police chief has warned.
“There are areas of the city, we need to be perfectly honest here, where I would advise people who wear a kippah or are openly gay to be more careful,” said Barbara Slowik.
“There are certain neighbourhoods where the majority of people of Arab origin live, who also have sympathies for terrorist groups,” she said, adding that they were often “openly hostile towards Jews”.
She told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper that “violent crimes against Jewish people are few and far between, but every act is one too many”.
A fortnight ago, a youth football team from Makkabi Berlin, a Jewish sports club, reported being “hunted down” by youths carrying sticks and knives after a match in an Arab neighbourhood of the city. The victims, aged 13 to 15, said they were spat at and insulted throughout the match.
The incident took place on the same night that migrant gangs filmed attacks on fans of the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv after a European football match against Ajax in Amsterdam.
Germany has seen a surge in anti-Semitism since the beginning of the war in Gaza, with reported incidents doubling in 2023 compared with previous years.
Since Oct 7 last year, Berlin’s police have opened more than 6,000 investigations connected to anti-Semitism, according to Ms Slowik. Most of these concern online hate speech or graffiti.
Other incidents in Berlin include a football fan being attacked for wearing a scarf with a Star of David on it, a petrol bomb attack on a synagogue shortly after the Oct 7 massacres in southern Israel, and a couple being attacked in a fast-food outlet for speaking Hebrew.
On the day of the Hamas massacres, men handed out sweets in celebration in the Berlin neighbourhood of Neukolln, an incident that shocked Germany and led to deep anxiety over whether the recent waves of migration had made Jewish life less safe.
Neukolln, also famous for its LGBT nightlife, is the Berlin district with the highest Arab population. The two communities have coexisted for years, although there have been several incidents of gay couples being physically assaulted in recent years.
Earlier this month, a large majority of lawmakers in the Bundestag, Germany’s national parliament, voted for a new resolution against anti-Semitism that mentioned migration from the Middle East as a factor.
The resolution, drafted by the Greens, the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats, warned of an “alarming extent of anti-Semitism based on migration from countries where anti-Semitism and hostility to Israel are widespread due to state indoctrination”.
The resolution could lead to refugees having their asylum status taken away if they are found guilty of committing anti-Semitic crimes.
The migration debate flared again in the summer amid fears of a rise in terrorism, but is likely to play second fiddle to Germany’s stagnating economy in the upcoming election.
The hard-Right Alternative for Germany has cited the protection of the country’s Jewish minority as a reason to push through a much tougher policy of mass deportations of refugees back to countries such as Syria.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rejects Dem Effort To Count Illegal Ballots
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rejects Dem Effort To Count Illegal Ballots
By Katelynn Richardson
November 18, 2024
Pennsylvania Supreme Court held Monday that incorrectly dated mail ballots cannot be counted.
The court held the ballots “shall not be counted for purposes of the election held” on Nov. 5. The Republican National Committee sued Thursday after several counties decided to count ballots with incorrect dates.
“Following our latest RNC lawsuit, today the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled yet again that undated ballots CANNOT BE COUNTED,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley wrote in a statement on X. “No more excuses. Election officials in Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and other counties have absolutely no choice but to reject illegal ballots. We will hold them to it.”
Bucks County commissioners voted Thursday to allow misdated ballots to be counted as the race between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Senator-elect Dave McCormick headed towards a recount.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court previously affirmed Nov. 1 that requiring mail ballots to have handwritten dates is constitutional.
More logging is proposed to help curb wildfires in the US Pacific Northwest
More logging is proposed to help curb wildfires in the US Pacific Northwest
By Matthew Brown
November 17, 2024
U.S. officials would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades.
The U.S. Forest Service proposal, released Friday, would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles (99,000 square kilometers) in Oregon, Washington and California.
The plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destructive logging practices that resulted in widespread clearcuts and destroyed habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests dropped dramatically in subsequent years, spurring political backlash.
But federal officials now say worsening wildfires due to climate change mean forests must be more actively managed to increase their resiliency. Increased logging also would provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, officials said, helping rural economies that have suffered after lumber mills shut down and forestry jobs disappeared.
The proposal could increase annual timber harvests by at least 33% and potentially more than 200%, according to a draft environmental study. The number of timber-related jobs would increase accordingly.
Harvest volumes from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan averaged about 445 million board feet annually over the past decade, according to government figures.
Cutting more trees would help reduce wildfire risk and make communities safer, the study concluded. That would be accomplished in part by allowing cuts in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old — up from the current age threshold of 80 years.
The change could help foster conditions conducive to growing larger, old growth trees that are more resistant to fire, by removing younger trees, officials said.
A separate pending proposal from President Joe Biden’s administration aims to increase protections nationwide for old growth trees, which play a significant role in storing climate change-inducing carbon dioxide.
“Much has changed in society and science since the Northwest Forest Plan was created,” Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, said in a statement. He said the proposal would help the agency adapt to shifting conditions, as global warming increases the frequency of droughts and other extreme weather events.
The proposed plan also calls for closer cooperation between the Forest Service and Native American tribes to tap into tribal knowledge about forest management. Tribes were excluded when the 1994 plan was crafted.
Environmentalists greeted the proposal with skepticism. The group Oregon Wild said it was “deeply troubling” that the Forest Service would release the proposal just ahead of a change in presidential administrations.
“It appears that the Forest Service wants to abandon the fundamental purpose of the Northwest Forest Plan–protecting fish and wildlife and the mature and old-growth forests they need to survive,” John Persell, an attorney for the group, said in a statement.
During former President Donald Trump’s first term, administration officials sought to open millions of acres of West Coast forest to new logging by stripping habitat protections for the imperiled spotted owl. The move was opposed by government biologists and reversed under Biden.
A draft environmental study examined several potential alternatives, including leaving the existing plan’s components in place or changing them to either reduce or increase logging.
A timber industry representative who co-chaired an advisory committee on the Northwest Forest Plan said the proposed plan resulted from discussions involving committee members, the Forest Service and others.
“We want to see a modern approach to federal forest stewardship that protects us from catastrophic wildfires, reduces toxic smoke, meaningfully engages tribes, and delivers for our rural communities and workers,” said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council.
No real woman wants to have facial hair.
https://x.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1858608826347344217
https://twitter.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1858608826347344217
https://nypost.com/2024/10/23/sports/scandal-as-womens-soccer-team-fields-two-bearded-trans-players/
Women’s soccer club embroiled in trans controversy after team fielded two ‘bearded guys’
By Emily Crane
October 23, 2024
Alex Alcaide Llanos has been undergoing hormone treatment for at least five years.
It wasn’t immediately clear when Nil Alcon Labella began his transition.
A Spanish women’s soccer club has sparked outrage after fielding two “bearded guys” who are transitioning from female to male — including one who scored one of the winning goals.
The transgender uproar exploded when the Club Esportiu Europa team fielded the two players — Alex Alcaide Llanos and Nil Alcon Labella — in a Catalan women’s league match against Terrassa over the weekend, Marca reported.
Both players, who took to the pitch with their facial hair clearly visible, are currently banned from playing in the men’s league because they have yet to complete their medical transitions.
Llanos has been undergoing hormone treatment for at least five years, according to local reports. It wasn’t immediately clear when Labella started transitioning.
After the Europa side secured a 3-1 win — including one goal scored by Llanos — a local lawmaker from the rival side quickly lashed out and blamed the loss on what she decried as an unfair advantage.
“Our girls from the @TerrassaFC, they lost against Europa because among their rivals there were two bearded guys who now consider themselves women,” Alicia Tomas, a conservative local councilor who reps the area, said in a translated post on X.
“Decades of struggle to have our place in sport, only for the perverse gender ideology to want to erase our presence. We are governed by sick people.”
The club quickly defended the move to field the players — and blamed trans hate for the outrage.
“In light of the violence perpetrated against two of the players from the women’s reserve team, we at Club Esportiu Europa say no to transphobic and LGBTIphobic violence and to any type of violence,” the club said in a statement.
“Throughout its century-long history, our club has stood out for its values of sportsmanship, fair play and compliance with current sporting regulations. It also works and fights for the right of all people to live lives free from all forms of violence. Lives that deserve to be lived.”
They added: “Combating hate crimes and transphobic violence is a collective duty that challenges all of society. We therefore reiterate and say loudly that we remain firm. Against aggression and fascism, we say ‘not one step back’.”
Llanos, who goes by male pronouns, has addressed his transition in past interviews, telling the Beteve outlet in a 2022 interview that he had to play in whatever league his gender was registered for.
“As long as my ID card still has the F for female, I’m playing in the category that corresponds to me,” the striker said at the time.
“I started the transition of my body early, it hasn’t changed that much, I’ve always had this male body and hormones help me to build muscle sooner, not to build more muscle. The moment I feel superior, with advantages, I’ll quit, I’ll step aside.”
I am so glad that I voted for Jo Jorgensen in 2020 and Chase Oliver in 2024. New York Times: “Biden Allows Ukraine to Strike Russia With Long-Range U.S. Missiles”
https://x.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1858560315769733516
https://twitter.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1858560315769733516
No charges will be made against a Connecticut teacher who made an online video where she threatened to put Trump supporters “on a stretcher.”
https://x.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1858206554790531297
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgrWtMaprNU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlj6FCgqDFI
No criminal charges to be filed against Cheshire teacher over viral video
November 14, 2024
No criminal charges will be filed against a Cheshire teacher after a politically charged video where she appeared to threaten people who voted for President-elect Donald Trump went viral, according to police.
In the video, Annie Dunleavy can be seen saying, “You’ll end up on a stretcher,” and she appeared to warn those on her private social media account who voted for Trump to stay away, or else.
The video went viral after a screen recording was re-shared online.
In a statement, Cheshire Public Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Solan said Dunleavy resigned from her position with the school district, effective immediately.
Cheshire police said they were made aware of the video, which had been circulating on social media platforms, on Monday and no criminal charges will be brought.
“After investigating this incident including speaking with the originator of the video and consultation with the State’s Attorney Office at Meriden Superior Court, it was decided that no criminal charges would be brought in this case,” police said in a statement on Thursday.
Town Council Chair At Large Peter Talbot spoke about it briefly at the beginning of the meeting and described the video as an “expletive-laced tirade.”
“This kind of rhetoric has no place in our society and serves absolutely no purpose. Cheshire, we are better than this. America, we are better than this,” Talbot said.
Several parents shared their concerns about the video during the meeting.
“The comments on that video did not reflect the position of our school system. They were hurtful, deeply concerning and ultimately undermined the faith that our community has placed in us,” Solan said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
“Every student and family has the right to attend our schools free from concern of political prejudice, let alone their safety,” Solan continued. “I feel terrible for the angst this has caused our community.”
Solan acknowledged that the video included Dunleavy sharing what she intended to be a private message.
“She was expressing her personal opinion and not those of the Cheshire Public Schools. The person who filmed this then posted the video to social media outlets,” Solan previously said in a statement.
When actual Nazis show up, Antifa is nowhere to be found.
https://x.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1858187092150383025
https://www.yahoo.com/news/masked-group-marches-ohio-neighborhood-004600236.html
Masked group marches through Ohio neighborhood with swastika flags
By Ivan Pereira
November 16, 2024
The governor of Ohio and city officials in Columbus are speaking out after a group of masked individuals marched through the streets of the Ohio capital city Saturday dressed in black and holding flags with swastikas on them.
The unidentified people were spotted around 1 p.m. walking through the Short North neighborhood, according to Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX. Images and videos of the marchers went viral on social media sites.
The Columbus Police were dispatched, and the investigation is ongoing.
“We will not tolerate hate in Ohio,” Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement on the social media platform X on Saturday evening. “Neo-Nazis — their faces hidden behind red masks — roamed streets in Columbus today, carrying Nazi flags and spewing vile and racist speech against people of color and Jews. There were reports that they were also espousing white power sentiments.”
He added, “There is no place in this State for hate, bigotry, antisemitism, or violence, and we must denounce it wherever we see it.”
“The Columbus community stands squarely against hatred and bigotry. We will not allow any of our neighbors to be intimidated, threatened or harmed because of who they are, how they worship or whom they love,” the City of Columbus said in a statement Saturday evening. “We embrace tolerance and acceptance, and derive great strength from our diversity. It is who we are as a people, and it is precisely what has enabled us to grow and thrive and reach new heights of excellence. Together, we reject the cowardly display reported in the Short North earlier today, and we will continue to monitor the situation in partnership with the Columbus Division of Police to ensure the safety and security of our city.”
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein echoed those sentiments in a statement posted on X.
“To those involved in the neo-Nazi march in the Short North today, take your flags and the masks you hide behind and go home and never come back,” he said. “Your hate isn’t welcome in our city.”
Last week, a group of masked demonstrators were seen waving Nazi flags outside a production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” in Howell, Michigan.
The protesters were asked to move and there were no arrests.
November 16, 2024: “California’s 45th Congressional seat is now set to flip from Republican to Democrat after THOUSANDS of new ballots pour in”
https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1857956282465988654
https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1857956282465988654
https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1857981221445218803
https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1857981221445218803
Kamala Harris is not paying her campaign workers the money that she had promised. Politico just reported: “… the campaign’s decision to stop paying many senior staff as of Saturday, even those initially told they would be paid through the end of the year.”
https://x.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1857976820307558573
https://x.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1857976820307558573
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/16/kamala-harris-donors-00190020
CNN reporter Andy Kaczynski: Democrats in PA are openly defying court rulings from the state’s Supreme Court to benefit Bob Casey.
Democrats thumb their nose at the rule of law in Pennsylvania: Elections need rules, and they must be applied equally and consistently.
Original: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/11/15/pennsylvania-senate-casey-provisional-ballots/
Archive: https://archive.ph/4oDg4
Democrats thumb their nose at the rule of law in Pennsylvania
Elections need rules, and they must be applied equally and consistently.
By the Editorial Board
November 15, 2024
Before the Nov. 5 election, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruled that provisional ballots must be signed in two required places and that mail-in votes should be dated. Yet elected Democratic officials in Philadelphia and three other counties — Bucks, Centre and Montgomery — voted this week to defy these and other court decisions at the request of lawyers for Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, who trails GOP challenger Dave McCormick by about 24,000 votes, with almost all of the roughly 7 million ballots cast having been counted. These Democrats’ decisions will almost certainly be overturned on appeal, but the mere attempt to defy judicial rulings is corrosive to democracy and invites similar behavior in future elections.
Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, offered this breathtaking rationalization on Thursday: “I think we all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country,” she said, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “People violate laws any time they want. So, for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention. There’s nothing more important than counting votes.”
Democrats would surely protest if a Republican commissioner made the same statement to justify tipping the scales for their party’s Senate nominee — and they would be right. Elections need rules, established in advance of the voting, and those rules must be applied equally and consistently. Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court, by the way, includes five justices elected in partisan elections as Democrats and just two elected as Republicans. Even if that partisan balance were reversed, however, the court’s authority would be equally legitimate.
Counting mail and provisional ballots has been a contentious issue in Pennsylvania since the pandemic-year election of 2020. While multiple lower courts have ruled that it’s unconstitutional or illegal not to count ballots lacking formally required signatures or dates, the state Supreme Court blocked those decisions from going into effect before Nov. 5 — most recently on Nov. 1. Democrats argue that they’re refusing to let constituents be deprived of their constitutional right to vote over an “immaterial” issue, as Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija put it during a public meeting. His frustration is understandable, to a point. Votes are being discarded over seemingly mundane clerical errors. The Casey campaign notes that, two years ago, Mr. McCormick sued for an order to count undated or misdated mail ballots during his hard-fought GOP primary battle with Mehmet Oz (who eventually won the nomination), but now he’s arguing they should be invalid. Back then, it says, the McCormick campaign attacked the requirements it now defends as “games of ‘gotcha.’”
There’s hypocrisy on both sides of this dispute — this is politics, after all — but it is irrelevant to the legal merits. Mr. Makhija and other county officials do not get to decide whether a legal requirement is “material” and must be followed. Courts do. And they have spoken clearly.
Mr. Casey has almost certainly lost this race. The Associated Press called it for Mr. McCormick on Nov. 7. Mr. Casey’s deficit still appears insurmountable. The three-term incumbent sees it differently and has every right to plead his case in court. State law also entitles Mr. Casey to a statewide recount because Mr. McCormick’s margin of victory is smaller than half a percentage point, though not by much. A recount is unlikely to change the outcome.
Elsewhere, two Republican Senate candidates are also refusing to concede their apparent defeats: Eric Hovde in Wisconsin and Kari Lake in Arizona. Democrats in both states are attacking them as sore losers. Fortunately, Mr. Casey and Mr. Hovde, and Ms. Lake, are exceptions among losing candidates this year. The vast majority, including downballot Republicans in tight races, have accepted defeat this month, though the story might well be different had Donald Trump lost and cried fraud.
It cannot have been easy, but it was honorable for President Joe Biden to welcome his predecessor and successor for a two-hour visit at the White House on Wednesday, especially because Mr. Trump refused to extend him such courtesy four years ago. The picture of the two presidents signaled to the world that the United States believes in the peaceful transfer of power. It was also appropriate for Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) to invite Mr. McCormick to attend an orientation for new senators this week, despite his initial hesitation in deference to Mr. Casey’s stance. Pennsylvania Democratic elected officials should take heed, especially if they want to continue claiming theirs is the party of democracy.
The U.S. has moved so far to the right that even radical leftists have decided to adopt sexual abstinence.
How is it possible for leftist women to go on a sex strike in response to the 2024 election, when they were, allegedly, already on a sex strike from the repeal of Roe v Wade? For the record, I voted for Chase Oliver. I am pro-choice.
Dog-free zones needed to make outdoors less racist, Welsh Government told
Dog-free zones needed to make outdoors less racist, Welsh Government told
Tories claim that plan to remove ‘barriers to the outdoors’ is out of touch and ‘virtue signalling nonsense’
By Craig Simpson
November 13, 2024
The Welsh Government has been advised to create dog-free zones to help make the outdoors “anti-racist”.
Labour’s devolved administration has pledged to rid Wales of racism by 2030, and set out a plan to ensure “all areas” of public life were transformed.
According to a report submitted to the Welsh Government to steer “anti-racist” policy, dog-free zones should be created to make the outdoors more inclusive.
The report by the environmental group Climate Cymru BAME advises, as part of a suite of proposals, that authorities should create “dog-free areas in local green spaces”.
The reason for this is not elaborated on in the report, which will be used by the Welsh Government to “support policy teams” who are “developing and implementing” anti-racist plans for Wales.
The report was part of a call for evidence to assess “racism relating to climate change, environment, and rural affairs”, in order to steer how green spaces can be made to align with the Labour’s 2022 Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan.
On the basis of reports provided to date, the Welsh Government has concluded that ethnic minorities face “barriers” to the outdoors created by “exclusions and racism”.
Barriers to outdoor activities includes the perception that growing food in gardens or allotments is an activity “dominated by middle-aged white women”.
A report submitted to the Welsh Labour Government by the environmental group Green Soul recorded the complaint that food growing groups are run by “majority White/British/Welsh individuals” and “older white people”.
Climate Cymru BAME, along with groups polled to inform the anti-racist policy, suggested that ethnic minority residents could be directed to “community led” food growing groups to mitigate the issue.
One report to the Welsh Government complained that the environmental sector was not sufficiently inclusive, stating that environmentalism is “essentially a white middle class issue” and groups are filled with people from a “white middle-class background”.
A separate set of recommendations submitted by the North Wales Africa Society suggested that “dog-free areas” should be created, explaining that during its focus groups “one black African female stated that she feels unsafe with the presence of dogs”.
The report also noted that others kept “seeing dog fouling on the floor”.
Mess and the quality of urban green spaces was an issue consistently recorded in reports of ethnic minority experiences fed to the Welsh Government.
One respondent in a “community dialogue” focus group complained that “the green spaces are not respected in areas where there is a bigger population of ethnic minority people”.
Other issues raised included a lack of public transport access to non-urban green spaces, and the poor air quality in towns and cities.
Summarising findings and recommendations submitted by polled groups, a Welsh Government report published on Nov 6 also stated that “some participants expressed apprehension about visiting the countryside owing to their racial or religious identities”.
It added that there were “concerns of the lack of understanding and relationships by the wider white population particularly in rural areas, from personal experiences”.
Ultimately, the Welsh Government’s report, which will steer future policy, concludes that “people of ethnic minority background in Wales face barriers created by exclusions and racism”.
The conclusions of the report have been criticised by Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, who said: “This kind of outdated virtue signalling nonsense is completely out of touch with the needs of the people of Wales.
“Labour is stuck on yesterday’s thinking, the kind that is being roundly rejected globally. Time to turf them out.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are committed to creating an anti-racist nation by 2030. Our Anti-racist Wales Action Plan is built on the values of anti-racism and calls for zero tolerance of all racial inequality.”
San Francisco elected official Hillary Ronen said she’s against building new housing because it would cast a shadow. Instead, they want people to live in tiny little “pods.”
https://x.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1857467164891963460
https://twitter.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1857467164891963460
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExgxwKnH8y4
https://rollingout.com/2024/11/14/san-francisco-sleeping-pod-housing/
San Francisco’s sleeping pod solution to affordable housing crisis
Hundreds apply for scarce rentals at $700 per month
By Amari Apple
November 14, 2024
As the cost of living continues to soar in major cities across the United States, innovative housing solutions are emerging to address the growing crisis of affordability and homelessness. One such solution is the introduction of sleeping pods in San Francisco, a city notorious for its exorbitant rental prices.
The sleeping pod initiative
Brownstone Shared Housing, led by CEO James Stallworth, has recently made headlines by revealing that a staggering 300 individuals have applied for just 17 available sleeping pods in downtown San Francisco. Each pod is priced at $700 per month, a fraction of the average rent in the city, which is reported to be around $4,000.
These sleeping pods are designed to provide a low-cost housing option in one of the most expensive urban areas in the country. Measuring approximately 3.5 feet by 4 feet by 6.5 feet, the pods are large enough to accommodate a twin mattress. Each pod is equipped with privacy curtains, interior lighting and charging ports, making them a practical choice for those in need of affordable shelter.
Addressing the housing crisis
The concept of sleeping pods first gained traction last year, and despite facing coding hurdles in 2024, Brownstone Shared Housing remains committed to serving the community. This initiative highlights the urgent need for creative solutions to combat homelessness and provide affordable living spaces in urban environments.
With the rising number of applicants for these sleeping pods, it raises an important question: Should more cities adopt similar innovations to tackle the homelessness crisis? As urban areas continue to grapple with the challenges of high rent and limited housing options, the sleeping pod model could serve as a blueprint for other cities facing similar issues.
Potential benefits of sleeping pods
Affordability: At $700 per month, sleeping pods offer a significantly lower cost of living compared to traditional housing options in San Francisco.
Space efficiency: The compact design of sleeping pods maximizes the use of limited urban space, allowing more individuals to find shelter.
Community building: Shared living spaces can foster a sense of community among residents, providing social support and reducing feelings of isolation.
Privacy and comfort: Despite their small size, the inclusion of privacy curtains and personal lighting enhances the living experience for residents.
Challenges and considerations
While the sleeping pod initiative presents a promising solution, it is not without its challenges. Concerns about zoning regulations, health and safety standards and the overall acceptance of such living arrangements in urban neighborhoods must be addressed. Additionally, the psychological impact of living in a confined space should not be overlooked, as it may affect residents’ well-being.
Moreover, the sustainability of such initiatives relies heavily on community support and government policies that prioritize affordable housing solutions. As cities explore innovative ways to combat homelessness, collaboration between private organizations, local governments and community members will be crucial.
The introduction of sleeping pods in San Francisco is a bold step towards addressing the housing crisis that many urban areas face today. As more individuals seek affordable living options, initiatives like these could pave the way for a new era of housing solutions that prioritize accessibility and community.
As we continue to navigate the complexities of urban living, it is essential to remain open to new ideas and solutions that can provide relief to those struggling with housing insecurity. The sleeping pod model may just be the beginning of a transformative shift in how we think about affordable housing.
Bucks County commissioners vote to count illegal ballots in Pennsylvania recount
Bucks County commissioners vote to count illegal ballots in Pennsylvania recount
November 14, 2024
Bucks County commissioners voted to count ballots lacking proper signatures, violating a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling earlier this year.
The three-member board voted two to one to count these illegal ballots in the Senate race recount.
“I think we all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country, and people violate laws anytime they want,” Diane Marseglia said. “So for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it.”
Board chairman Robert Harviie, Jr., joined Marseglia in voting to accept the ballots that voters signed in one section but not another. Democrats challenged the decision not to count the ballots, placing the blame for the mistake on poll workers who did not double-check the provisional ballots before accepting them.
The board’s legal team suggested the commissioners reject the ballots because the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had given clear guidance about signatures being required for votes to count.
There were approximately 124 ballots that would not count because of missing signatures.
Republican Sen.-elect David McCormick won 48.93% of the vote and Democratic incumbent Bob Casey captured 48.50% of the vote, thus triggering a recount.
However, as of Wednesday, there are approximately 80,000 left to be counted, including 20,000 mail-in and absentee ballots and around 60,000 provisional ballots.
Counties must begin their recount on Nov. 20 and have until Nov. 27 to report their results to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Casey, the third-term Senator, has not yet conceded the race.
Philadelphia City Commissioners also voted to count a “relatively small number of undated and incorrectly dated mail ballots.”
“Republicans filed a petition to the PA Supreme Court against all counties to attempt to stop all counties from counting these ballots,” Philadelphia City Commissioners said in a statement to Fox News. “They also filed a statutory appeal challenging Bucks County’s decision to count undated and incorrectly dated mail ballots. We are reviewing the filings.”
An RNC official told Fox News that the decisions made by the county election boards were “ridiculous.” The GOP has filed two lawsuits against Bucks County and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to stop the counting of these ballots.
“The court just ruled on this two weeks ago,” an RNC official said. “And it’s just very clear to us that Democrat lawyers and officials see a way to kind of make money off of Bob Casey by trying out this process, but Dave McCormick is already in D.C. to attend Senate orientation.”
Republicans hold the majority in the Senate by 52-47 without including Sen.-elect McCormick’s seat.
10-year-old walks alone a mile away from Georgia home, leading to his mother’s arrest
10-year-old walks alone a mile away from Georgia home, leading to his mother’s arrest
Brittany Patterson, 41, said she was shocked that her son’s stroll could lead to a criminal charge.
By David K. Li
November 14, 2024
A Georgia woman was arrested and accused of allegedly endangering her son — all because the unsupervised 10-year-old walked less than a mile away from home, officials said.
Brittany Patterson, 41, had taken another son to a doctor on Oct. 30, and she became mildly annoyed — but not at all worried — when the Fannin County Sheriff’s Department called to say her son Soren had wandered from their rural home in Mineral Bluff and into town.
“It’s not a super dangerous or even dangerous-at-all stretch of road,” Patterson told NBC News in an interview that aired Wednesday. “I wasn’t terrified for him or scared for his safety.”
Deputies drove Soren, now 11, home and that was that, or so Patterson thought.
But then hours later, the sheriff’s department went back to the family’s home near the North Carolina border, where Patterson was handcuffed, arrested, booked on suspicion of reckless conduct and forced to post $500 bail.
“It was anger and frustration, of course, because my children were having to witness that all,” she said. “They asked me to put my hands behind my back and all that stuff, and I realized what was going on.”
Authorities have offered to drop the charge if Patterson signs a form that outlines a safety plan guaranteeing that her children would always be under a watchful eye, she and her lawyer said.
Patterson refuses to sign the form and said she’ll contest the charge, which carries up a year behind bars.
“This is not right. I did nothing wrong,” she said. “I’m going to fight for that.”
Patterson’s lawyer, David DeLugas, rhetorically asked whether mothers and fathers now have to know the precise locations of their children at all times.
“Are all parents going to have to put GPS on their child?” he said. “The parents get to decide for their children unless it is unreasonably dangerous.”
A representative for the district attorney in Fannin County could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
Instead of firing Rachel Zegler, Disney should issue a public statement saying that it was wrong for them to fire Gina Carano, and that it’s wrong to fire anyone for something that is not related to their job performance.
3 facing federal charges of allegations of staging hate crime hoax during 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral race
3 facing federal charges of allegations of staging hate crime hoax during 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral race
By Lindsey Grewe
November 13, 2024
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Three people are now facing federal charges for allegedly staging a hate crime during the Colorado Springs mayoral race in 2023.
In the early morning hours of April 23, 2023, a burning cross in front a campaign sign for then-candidate Yemi Mobolade was found at the intersection of Union and Fillmore. The sign had been defaced with a racial slur.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado (USAOC) now says the entire scene was a hoax, intended to make citizens think that there was a group of racists in Colorado Springs strongly opposed to a Black mayoral candidate.
In a news release Tuesday, the USAOC announced 35-year-old Derrick Bernard Jr., 40-year-old Ashley Blackcloud, and 38-year-old Deanna West had been indicted by a grand jury for their “maliciously conveying false information about a threat made by means of fire” and “their alleged roles in a conspiracy to spread disinformation about the threat.”
In the indictment obtained by 11 News, the USAOC states the trio started plotting in early April 2023, the day after a runoff election was announced in the mayoral race, with Mobolade and Wayne Williams the projected candidates. The indictment included a series of emails it alleges were from the three suspects:
(a) On or about April 5, 2023, the day after the mayoral election, BERNARD texted BLACKCLOUD that he wanted to talk “in person” because he was “not talking on the phone bout nothing that’s bout to happen” and that “Ima just talk to you bout a few plans.”
(b) On or about April 13, 2023 BERNARD sent a Facebook message to CANDIDATE 1: “I know it’s crunch time sir but look . . . I spoke with some of my friends in other places and theirs [sic] a plot amidst . . . I’m mobilizing my squadron in defense and for the final push. Black ops style big brother. The klan cannot be allowed to run this city again.”
(c) On or about April 13, 2023 BERNARD sent a series of Facebook messages to BLACKCLOUD. Among other things, BERNARD told BLACKCLOUD “I can’t let the klan retake the city,” “[CANDIDATE 1] really won already. They doing some B’s [sic] run off now bc they ain’t tryna let an African win,” and “I got a plan . . . .”
– Excerpt from indictment
The indictment then goes on to accuse the three of vandalizing one of Mobolade’s campaign sings, then erecting and intentionally setting a cross on fire in front of it. Investigators allegedly later recovered spray paint from one of the suspects’ cars.
On or about April 23, 2023, between approximately 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. BERNARD, BLACKCLOUD, and WEST worked together to place a wooden cross in front of that campaign sign. Red spray paint, similar in kind to a can later found in the passenger compartment of BLACKCLOUD’s car, was used to write [a racial slur] on the sign. The wooden cross was then set on fire. An iPhone 13 was used to take a short video of the scene and to take a photograph.
– Excerpt from indictment
Afterward, the indictment says the photo and video were circulated to media outlets:
(e) On or about that same day, later in the evening on April 23, 2023, BLACKCLOUD and WEST worked together to send an email … to, among others, local broadcast news outlets. Attached to the email was the above photograph and the video. Several news organizations published news stories on the cross burning.
…
(b) On or about April 23, 2023, at approximately 3:52 a.m. BLACKCLOUD used Instagram to send a message to WEST: “Hey did u get back ok?”
(c) On or about April 23, 2023, between approximately 1:53 p.m. and 7:42 p.m., BLACKCLOUD researched online 15 of the 24 organizations that received the … email and performed searches such as “kkk email,” “contact news about a story,” and “news colorado springs.”
(d) On or about April 23, 2023, between approximately 7:18 p.m. and 7:24 p.m., WEST performed web searches such as “complaint letter against racist acts” and “candidates racist acts during campaign.” (e) On or about April 23, 2023, at approximately 7:24 p.m., WEST used the internet to access a document entitled “Hate in Elections” with the subtitle “How Racism and Bigotry Threaten Election Integrity in the United States”
…
(j) On or about April 25, 2023, at approximately 7:56 p.m. BERNARD used Facebook Messenger to send BLACKCLOUD a link to a local broadcast news report on the cross burning.
(k) On or about April 25, 2023, at approximately 7:56 p.m. BERNARD texted BLACKCLOUD: “Look at ya messenger ASAP” and “we got traction.”
– Excerpt from indictment
Both Mobolade and Williams strongly condemned the display at the time.
The USAOC says Bernard, Blackcloud and West were indicted following a lengthy investigation by the FBI and Colorado Springs Police Department. Blackcloud made her first appearance in federal court Tuesday, with Bernard expected to follow suit after he is transferred from state custody into federal custody.
West has not been located.
Kamala Harris ditched Joe Rogan podcast interview over progressive backlash fears
https://www.ft.com/content/9292db59-8291-4507-8d86-f8d4788da467
Kamala Harris ditched Joe Rogan podcast interview over progressive backlash fears
Decision seen as major blunder for campaign that lost male votes to Donald Trump
By Joshua Franklin and Anna Nicolaou
November 13, 2024
Kamala Harris’s fears of a progressive backlash killed a plan for her to appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast, a campaign official has said, shedding light on a decision that infuriated some Democrats who are reeling after Donald Trump’s election victory.
The Harris campaign and Rogan, whose audience is bigger than that of many television networks, had discussed an interview for his podcast — a move some Democrats hoped would help Harris reach young men who were gravitating towards Trump.
The talks faltered because of concerns at how the interview would be perceived within the Democratic party, said Jennifer Palmieri, a senior adviser to Harris’s husband, Douglas Emhoff, during the campaign.
“There was a backlash with some of our progressive staff that didn’t want her to be on it, and how there would be a backlash,” Palmieri said on Wednesday.
Palmieri, who previously worked in the White House and for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, is among the first officials from the Harris campaign to go into detail over a decision that some Democrats fear may have contributed to their loss.
Just over a week after Harris’s heavy defeat the party is hunting for scapegoats, with some operatives blaming President Joe Biden. Others have said the campaign flubbed its media strategy and was too cautious with alternative media.
Rogan, who endorsed Trump the night before the US election, is widely viewed as the most popular podcaster in the country. He holds a particularly large following among young men — a demographic Trump successfully spent much of the past year courting through appearances across a “manosphere” of YouTubers and podcasters.
Palmieri also said news leaking that Harris was in talks to do Rogan’s show created a “very weird dynamic” with the podcaster.
“Because all of a sudden he’s on his heels about how his audience is going to react to this, and the demands that they were going to put on him to be tough on her,” Palmieri said at a conference organised by The Clearing House, a payments group owned by large US banks.
A representative from Harris’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s interview with Rogan has been viewed nearly 50mn times on YouTube, while the interview with vice-president-elect JD Vance racked up 16mn views.
By comparison, about 29mn people watched Harris’s speech to the Democratic National Convention and fewer than 8mn watched her interview on Fox News.
Rogan, a former UFC commentator, has gained a large following particularly among men for his hours-long, often meandering conversations with guests on a wide range of topics, including martial arts, aliens, workout routines and politics.
He also stirs controversy. In 2022, musicians including Joni Mitchell pulled their music from Spotify in protest against the platform’s ties with Rogan, who had recently interviewed a virologist who was critical of coronavirus vaccines. Backlash swelled when musician India.Arie posted a video of Rogan using the N-word multiple times on his show. Spotify removed more than 100 of his podcast episodes from its app.
Democratic senator Bernie Sanders this week argued members of his party should be speaking to podcasters such as Rogan. “I think we’ve got to get — and clearly you have an alternative media out there, a lot of podcasts that millions and millions of viewers — get on the show,” he told CNN on Sunday.
Cenk Uygur: I think Trump or Elon Musk are more likely to come on The Young Turks than any Democratic leader. We disagree more with Trump and Elon, but they’re at least willing to have a conversation.
OLD Border Czar [Kamala Harris] VS NEW Border Czar [Tom Homan]…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8bqqzOmDDg
The Twitter website still works even after Elon Musk fired 80% of its employees. Will he do the same thing with the federal government?
Elon Musk says ‘all actions’ taken by Department of Government Efficiency will be online: ‘Transparency’
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1856520760656797801
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1856520760656797801
https://www.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-says-actions-taken-071306757.html
Elon Musk says ‘all actions’ taken by Department of Government Efficiency will be online: ‘Transparency’
By Elizabeth Pritchett
November 13, 2024
Elon Musk, who was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, shared some insight on X on Tuesday into how the department will operate.
Musk said that the department will take suggestions and concerns from everyday Americans regarding how the government spends money.
“Anytime the public thinks we are cutting something important or not cutting something wasteful, just let us know!” Musk said in part in the X post.
Musk also said all the department’s actions “will be posted online for maximum transparency.”
“We will also have a leaderboard for [the] most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars. This will be both extremely tragic and extremely entertaining,” he wrote.
When announcing the new department on Tuesday, Trump said its purpose will be to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”
“DOGE” will advise and guide the administration by utilizing knowledge from outside of government and will partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform.”
Musk and Ramaswamy, both of whom are successful entrepreneurs, have been adamant about their desires to cut unnecessary spending in order to reduce the government’s debt of at least $35 trillion.
“This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people!” Musk said.
Ramswamy also said he and Musk “will not go gently” shortly after Trump announced their new roles.
Musk and Ramaswamy are the latest additions to Trump’s administration after a busy few days loaded with appointments.
The latest include South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for Homeland Security secretary, Fox News’ Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel, and John Ratcliffe for CIA director.
Dan from Squirrel Hill's Blog 