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Published by The Street By Daniel Kline Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made Walt Disney his proxy for every company that embraces diversity and pushes what he calls “woke” values. That’s a political marketing decision that seems pretty flawed because the presidential candidate could have made Starbucks, Target, or lots of other companies his target rather than going after the company that drives billions of dollars in tourism to his state. Starbucks (SBUX) – Get Free Report and Target (TGT) – Get Free Report, however, while they clearly support values DeSantis does not agree with, did not specifically call out the gov… Read More View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — Sally Ride was the first American woman in space when she rode on Space Shuttle Challenger from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A on June 18, 1983. She broke barriers, but she wasn’t alone. She was among six women named in 1978 as part of NASA Astronaut Group 8, all mission specialists. Ride was the first, but all six women from that class made it to space including Anna Fisher, who became the first mom in space when she launched on her lone mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 1984. “I was assigned to my flight two weeks before my daughter was born,” Fisher said duri… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK WARSAW (Reuters) -Tens of thousands marched through the streets of Warsaw on Saturday to demand equality for LGBTQ people, as the community eyes upcoming Polish elections in which gay rights could play a prominent role. The country’s ruling conservative nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party has focused on opposing what it calls “LGBT ideology” in previous campaigns. With an election in October or November looking tight, activists expect PiS to use issues like gay marriage or teaching about LGBTQ issues in schools to mobilise socially conservative voters. “I am almost 100% percent sure that i… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Raven-Symoné thinks that coming out was the “biggest hurdle” of her life. The 37-year-old actress announced her sexuality to the world over a decade ago and has been married to Miranda Maday since 2020 but explained that coming to terms with being gay will always be a “mental struggle” and has promised to be there for those who are also battling with their identity. She told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “It’s a journey for everyone. No matter how many laws get passed, no matter how inclusive shows are, it’s a struggle that you’re going to go through with yourself and the people around you. That is the biggest hurdle we have to go through: the shame that your society might put on you or your family might put on you or your thoughts, mentally. It’s getting over your personal struggle. And then once you jump over that hump, we’ll catch you. Just gotta get there yourself.” In the joint interview, Raven’s wife urged others to “stay true” to themselves whilst figuring out their identity and promised that if someone chooses to live as their authentic self, everything else will fall into place. She said: “Stay true to yourself… I think that when people live in their authenticity, the pieces fall into place naturally. It just takes time, and you have to be patient and offer yourself a lot of grace. And just continue, you know. It’s life.” Raven became known to audiences around the world when she took on the title role of a teenage psychic in ‘That’s So Raven’ – which ran on Disney Channel from 2003 until 2007 – but insisted that when the sitcom was rebooted as ‘Raven’s Home’ in 2017, there was no need for her alter ego to be made into a lesbian when Disney was rebooting the series in 2016 because she and her character are two different people. Speaking on the ‘Pride’ podcast, she said: “There was a conversation before the series started and I was asked the question, ‘Would you like Raven Baxter to be a lesbian?’ And I said, no. I said no. The reason I said no wasn’t because I wasn’t proud of who I was, or I didn’t want to represent the LGBTQ+ community in any way. “It was because Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter. There was no reason for me to change the human that she was in order to fit the actress that played her. And Raven Baxter is a character that I was proud to play, even if she is straight, cisgender, I don’t mind. Let her have her moment.” View the full article

Published by Global Voices A self-portrait. Since his identity as a gay man was discovered, Ashkan Shabani’s life has been in danger, with his parents pursuing him to kill him in order to preserve their honor. Photo by Shababi. Used with permission. Ashkan Shabani shared his personal journey as an Iranian photographer and a member of the LGBTQ+ community in a Zoom interview with Global Voices. He also shared some of his experiences within the community while residing in Turkey. Selected photos are showcased throughout the article, providing a visual representation of his journey. This interview has been edited for clar… Read More View the full article

Published by The Spun By Matt Audilet Former Olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner, now a contributor for Fox News, has weighed in on the Bud Light controversy. Bud Light recently drew a load of criticism from conservative consumers due to an ad campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Jenner, who came out as transgender in 2015, said Bud Light (and Target) went wrong by “throwing it” in consumers faces. “In the Bud Light case, and even in the Target case, they really tried to go so public with it that it just blew up,” she said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “When you throw it in somebody’s face … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has imposed visa restrictions on Uganda officials after the African nation passed an anti-LGBTQ law that was condemned by many countries and the United Nations, the U.S. State Department said in a statement on Friday. The State Department did not mention any names or even the number of officials on whom this restriction had been placed but said the U.S. would hold accountable those who are responsible for abusing human rights in Uganda, “including those of LGBTQI+ persons.” (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Susan Heavey) View the full article

Published by Raw Story He was an early backer of former President Donald Trump, and he contributed to Republicans all over the country, including those advancing anti-abortion causes. Now, tech billionaire Peter Thiel is getting involved in women’s health care in a different way, reported The Daily Beast. “Recharge Capital announced Thursday that Thiel is among the top funders of its $200 million women’s health investment vehicle focused on funding fertility care in foreign countries,” reported Emily Shugerman. “According to Axios, the vehicle will focus on companies working in ‘menstrual wellness,’ ‘women’s disease… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jonathan Allen and Joseph Ax (Reuters) -A jury on Friday found Robert Bowers guilty of dozens of federal hate crimes for the killing of 11 worshippers at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. Bowers, 50, now faces the penalty phase of his trial at the U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh in which the 12 jurors must weigh whether he deserves the death sentence. Federal prosecutors charged Bowers with 63 counts, including 11 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death. The jury found him guilty on all counts in what was a foregone conclusion, after defense lawyers did not dispute that he planned and carried out the attack. Instead, Bowers’ attorneys are focused on avoiding a death sentence in the trial’s next phase, scheduled to begin on June 26. During the trial, which began on May 30, jurors heard testimony from some of the survivors of the attack and evidence of Bowers’ antisemitism, including multiple posts attacking Jews made on a far-right website in the months leading up to the attack. In a statement, Jeffrey Myers, the Tree of Life synagogue’s rabbi who survived the attack, thanked God, law enforcement and prosecutors. “Today I’m focused on being with my congregation and praying, singing and clapping in praise of God as we do each Shabbat,” he said. “In the face of the horror our community has experienced, I can think of no better response than practicing my Jewish faith and leading worship.” In the sentencing phase, prosecutors will try to show that aggravating factors were involved, making a case that Bowers carefully planned the attack and that he targeted vulnerable victims. Most of the victims were elderly. Defense lawyers for Bowers have argued that a death sentence would violate the Constitution on the grounds that he suffers from major mental illness, including schizophrenia. All 12 jurors must vote unanimously in order to sentence Bowers to death. Otherwise, he will face life in prison. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen and Joseph Ax; Editing by Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Homophobic chants from the crowd forced a referee to end the U.S. Men’s National Team soccer match against the Mexico National Football Team, RadarOnline.com has learned. The USMNT faced Mexico Thursday night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The U.S. men beat Mexico 3-0 and earned a spot in the finals against Canada on Sunday; however, the match was plagued with hateful taunting from fans. mega After a dramatic 89 minutes of play, Salvadoran referee Iván Barton was initially forced to interrupt the game due to homophobic chants from Mexico National Team fans. After Barton’s warning was made at the 90-minute mark, twelve minutes of stoppage time was added to the clock. Play resumed — and so did the offensive taunting. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. mega Mexico’s fans reinvigorated the chant around the 8-minute stoppage time mark. The heated crowd began hurling anti-gay remarks at U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner. As a result of the fan’s behavior against U.S. players as they attempted goal kicks, referee Barton called the game. ESPN reported four minutes remained on the clock at the time of Barton’s call, a significant amount of time for the crucial match. mega The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) confirmed the homophobic taunting “led to the activation of the anti-discrimination protocol” in a statement following Thursday’s match. “Concacaf strongly condemns the discriminatory chanting by some fans during the 2023 Concacaf Nations League Semifinal match between Mexico and the United States,” the statement read. “These incidents were extremely disappointing and tarnished what should have been a positive occasion to showcase high quality football in our region,” the statement continued. “The Confederation is in the process of urgently establishing further details and reports from security and match officials and will make a further statement in short order.” mega Thursday’s incident was not the first time the chant was used by Mexico fans. The anti-gay heckling became an unofficial tradition during the opponent’s goal kicks. Last year, FIFA, the global governing body of soccer, slapped The Mexican Football Federation with a $108,000 sanction over similar homophobic chants from fans during the 2022 World Cup. Despite the federation’s effort to stop the chants through social media posts and player-endorsed PSAs, the behavior continued. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Ivanka Trump has chosen to do what’s best for her family! A source recently spilled to a news outlet that the former First Daughter had chosen to stay quiet amid her father Donald Trump’s two indictments in order to protect her three kids: Arabella, 11, Joseph, 9, and Theodore, 6. mega “It has been a rough period for all of the Trump kids, but Ivanka has always been especially close to her father,” the source shared. “She loves him, her kids love him, and they are still a close family. But Ivanka does not want to be involved with the legal issues. She is removed from it and has adapted well to Miami. Her whole family loves it,” the insider insisted. While Ivanka is focused on their family, husband Jared Kushner continues to hone in on money-making opportunities in the major city. “Jared has lots of business going on in south Florida,” the source added. mega Prior to the ex-president’s 2020 loss, both Ivanka and Jared were top aides to her father while he was in the White House. The family-of-five now lives a much quieter life of leisure. Although she has not spoken about Donald’s current legal debacle, there is no love lost between the pair as she wished him a Happy Birthday on Wednesday, June 14. mega “Happy Birthday, Dad! You are an incredible father. Your love, energy and strength inspire me every day. Wishing you a year filled with the happiness you deserve,” she wrote on her Instagram Story about the 77-year-old. In November 2022, the blonde beauty began to lessen her involvement with her dad’s political affairs when she announced she would not be a part of the former reality TV star’s 2024 presidential campaign. Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! “I love my father very much,” she said just moments following Donald’s campaign debut. “This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family.” “I do not plan to be involved in politics. While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena,” she added. People reported on the source’s comments. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jonathan Allen (Reuters) – Police in Minneapolis routinely use excessive force and discriminate against Black and Native American people, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday after a two-year investigation prompted by the police killing of George Floyd. The city has agreed to what will likely be years of federal oversight as it works to reform the Minneapolis Police Department, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in announcing the findings. The scathing 89-page report vindicated long-standing community complaints of rampant abuse by the police force that predated Floyd’s murder by white former police officer Derek Chauvin, who kneeled on his neck for more than nine minutes. “We found that the Minneapolis Police Department routinely uses excessive force, often when no force is necessary, including unjust deadly force and unreasonable use of Tasers,” Garland said at a press conference at the city’s federal courthouse. The report found that officers frequently violated residents’ constitutional rights. They used potentially deadly neck restraints, since banned by the city, and shot at people in situations where there was no immediate threat. Other findings included officers frequently failing to intervene when they saw colleagues using excessive force, discriminating against people with behavioral health disabilities and unconstitutionally retaliating against protesters and journalists. “We observed many MPD officers who did their difficult work with professionalism, courage and respect, but the patterns and practices we observed made what happened to George Floyd possible,” Garland said at the press conference with Mayor Jacob Frey and other city officials. Frey and other Minneapolis officials will negotiate an agreement with the Justice Department known as a consent decree in which a federal judge will oversee the city’s progress in reforming the police department. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched its investigation in April 2021 after Chauvin was convicted of murdering Floyd, a Black man, by kneeling on the handcuffed man’s neck as he begged for his life before going limp. Floyd’s murder in May 2020, captured in a bystander’s cellphone video, sparked nationwide protests decrying police brutality and racism in the criminal justice system. In Minneapolis, protesters damaged property, including a police precinct house that was set ablaze. Many in Minneapolis complained Chauvin’s excessive use of force against Floyd was not an exceptional case, but rather a commonplace practice of the city’s police officers abusing the rights of Black residents. Garland said the investigation found that there were several incidents in which city police officers “were not held accountable for racist conduct” until there was a public outcry. Marcia Howard, a Minneapolis teacher and prominent civil rights activist, said the report was being cautiously welcomed by community members who have occupied the intersection where Floyd was killed, in what is now a years-long protest seeking an overhaul of the police. “It emphasizes what Black and Indigenous people have been saying for years, that we have lived under the yoke of a racist regime in the Minneapolis Police and they have gone unchecked with their egregious uses of force,” Howard said. Mayor Frey said he welcomed the Justice Department’s help in reforming the police department. “Our success will be defined by the people of Minneapolis feeling safe when interacting with police in our city,” he said. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, released a statement calling the report’s findings disturbing. He repeated his call for Congress to pass reforms “that increase public trust, combat racial discrimination and thereby strengthen public safety.” Negotiating the consent decree with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is expected to take several months, officials said. The department has negotiated similar federal oversight agreements in other cities, including Ferguson in Missouri, Baltimore and Cleveland. Chauvin, the former officer convicted on state charges for Floyd’s murder, later pleaded guilty to federal charges that he violated Floyd’s civil rights, and is serving a 21-year sentence in federal prison. Three other police officers involved in the arrest were also convicted on state and federal charges. (This story has been refiled to correct the spelling of Marcia Howard in paragraph 13) (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York, editing by Deepa Babington and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Will Young is taking legal action against the “monsters” at his “very abusive” former school. The 44-year-old singer – who previously revealed he was left with PTSD because of the “appalling” experiences he had as a child – didn’t give specific details about the “big civil legal case” he is involved in against Horris Hill Prep school in Berkshire, but admitted the allegations centre around “physical abuse”. He told the Daily Mail newspaper’s Weekend magazine: “Singing has always been so personal to me, maybe it’s a vulnerability thing. “Singing has always been a little escape, since being at a very abusive boarding school, with whom I am now involved in a big civil legal case, with other people. That’s ongoing.” Asked if he can talk about the legal action, he said: “I think I can say I’m in legal proceedings concerning physical abuse, what the school knew about that and a particular person. “I was surrounded by monsters. When it does go to court you’ll know exactly what happened, but I can tell you what I saw, which was children being punched in the stomach, thrown down stairs, heads banged against radiators. “My brother was lifted up by his throat and shoved against a bookcase in the library by a teacher. This place was not normal.” The ‘Leave Right Now’ hitmaker found solace in music during his difficult school days. He said: “Singing was a refuge for me. We weren’t allowed music but I’d sneak in a Walkman and go into the woods and listen to music. It’s always been very important to me. You’ve got it wherever you are. I can sing anywhere. Maybe I feel that singing is just for me.” Will previously claimed staff at the school would throw children “against radiators”, watch them getting changed, and rip out the only phone they had to communicate with their guardians. He said: “We weren’t allowed to wear pants under our football shorts, so my d*** used to fall out of my football shorts when I got tackled. Less washing. “I saw kids being made to change on the football pitch because they had worn pants. Teachers looking at our penises in the shower, in the bath.’ “It was appalling. That’s why I’ve got PTSD. There was such a sense of injustice from things that I experienced and witnessed. I think I escaped – not that it didn’t damage me.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega CNN broadcast journalist Chris Wallace claimed embattled former POTUS Donald Trump has “every reason to worry” about possibly receiving prison time in his late 70’s following his recent 37-count indictment, noting it could be effectively turn into a “life sentence” at his age. mega “You’d have to be crazy not to be worried. It’s — almost everyone, Republican and Democrat who has any kind of independence has said it’s a very strong indictment,” Wallace told told anchor Abby Phillip on a recent installment of CNN Tonight. “Now, an indictment is not proof,” he clarified. “And a lot of people who were indicted end up being found not guilty, but there’s every reason for him to worry. And as a man who just turned 77, you talk about a jail term, it could be a life sentence if it were to happen.” mega “But on the other hand, you know, Donald Trump has led a very different life than the rest of us,” Wallace continued. “He’s been involved in litigation for decades, not this kind, not a criminal case where he could actually face jail time, but, you know, this is a lot more in his wheelhouse than it is for the average person.” Wallace also marveled at Trump’s apparent ability to “keep on keeping on despite all of the incoming that he faces all the time.” mega “Yes, I mean, that is an interesting point,” Phillip replied. “I mean, you can love him or hate him, but that’s true. He has a very high tolerance for this kind of thing almost to a fault. In fact, maybe if his tolerance for this were a little bit lower, he would not have found himself in this situation.” Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! AsOK! previously reported, Trump confirmed on Thursday, June 8, that he was set to be indicted in connection with his alleged mishandling of classified documents after federal investigators raided his Mar-a-Lago resort in August 2022. The following week, on Tuesday, June 13, he was arraigned in a Miami, Fla., courthouse and pleaded “not guilty” to all charges. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Now that Spotify has parted ways with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, company exec Bill Simmons is airing out his grievances against the couple. The Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetization of the company discussed his feelings on the situation during the Friday, June 16, episode of his own podcast. “I wish I was involved in the Meghan and Harry [leaving] Spotify negotiation. ‘The f****** grifters.’ That’s the podcast we should of launched with them,” he chuckled. “I gotta get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. It’s one o… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet An official from the anti-LGBTQ hate group American Family Associationpublicly attacked U.S. Senator Ted Cruz over the Texas Republican’s opposition to the “Kill the Gays” law in Uganda. Cruz, who is not pro-LGBTQ civil rights, called the legislation “horrific & wrong” in late May. “Any law criminalizing homosexuality or imposing the death penalty for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ is grotesque & an abomination. ALL civilized nations should join together in condemning this human rights abuse,” Cruz added. AFA’s Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs Jameson Taylor told attendees at the Nationa… Read More View the full article

Published by The Spun By Andrew Gould MLB has discreetly blocked teams from wearing Pride rainbows on their uniforms this season. On Thursday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred claimed he doesn’t want MLB members representing a marginalized community because he’s worried about the players’ safety. “We have told teams, in terms of actual uniforms, hats, bases that we don’t think putting logos on them is a good idea just because of the desire to protect players,” Manfred said, per Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post. Manfred also doesn’t want to make bigoted players “uncomfortable because of their personal views.” The de… Read More View the full article

Published by SI Swim By Cara O’Bleness The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. If you’re looking for a fun way to wear your pride on your sleeve, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community or a strong ally, there’s no better time than Pride Month to colorfully accent your wardrobe accordingly. The SI Swimsuit team has selected 15 must-have accessories for Pride Month, which you can find on our Amazon Storefront here, that are cute enough to rock all year long. Below, find a sh… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan on Friday passed a much-contested bill to promote understanding of the LGBT community amid criticism that the legislation provides no human rights guarantees and may tacitly encourage some forms of discrimination. Japan, the only Group of Seven (G7) nation with no legal protection for same-sex unions, had originally pledged to pass the law before hosting the G7 leaders’ summit from May 19 to 21. However, wrangling over the bill and its wording meant it was only submitted to parliament for consideration the day before the summit began. It passed the more powerful lower house on Tuesday even after some lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party broke rank with party directives and either were absent altogether or left while the voting took place. The initial draft stipulated that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity should “not be tolerated” but was changed to “there should be no unfair discrimination”, wording critics say tacitly allows bigotry. “Though the original bill was not especially meaningful, I thought it was better than nothing,” said Takeharu Kato, a lawyer and member of “Marriage for all Japan,” an activist group, prior to the bill’s passage. “But now I’ve begun to think it might be better to have nothing at all.” Japan has come under pressure from other G7 nations, especially the United States, to allow same-sex marriage. Economic leaders have said they fear Japan will not be able to remain internationally competitive without greater diversity, including representation for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Opinion polls show a vast majority of Japanese approve of same-sex marriage. Roughly 70% of the country now allows same-sex partnership agreements, although the partnership rights fall short of those guaranteed by marriage. (Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Hugh Hefner’s son Marston Hefner is doing OnlyFans – against his wife’s wishes. The 33-year-old heir to the Playboy fortune is expecting his first child with spouse Anna Lambropoulos, and he has started flogging subscriptions to his racy content on the adult site as extra “financial security” for his family – and to fund his Pokémon card obsession. His content includes “undressing myself slowly” and engaging in “butt plug play”, but most of it is Pokemon-themed. He told The New York Post’s Page Six column: “It is a long-term avenue for further financial security.” His late father – who passed away at the age of 91 on September 27, 2017 – made his millions from the X-rated Playboy magazine and brand and his mother, Kimberley Conrad, was a Playboy model. Marston – who is bisexual – said: “I believe that there’s nothing wrong with nudity or sexuality. “If people have sex and they make money from it, cool. If I end up doing it, cool.” Marston even insisted he wouldn’t mind if his wife wanted to have an open relationship or start her own OnlyFans account, though he claims she’s not “crazy” about him selling his kinky content. He added: “If she wanted to do an open relationship, we’ll talk about it. “If she wanted to do anything sexual, that’s a conversation that we have no matter what, and we are always having it.” Hef – who was married three times – was also survived by grown-up children Christie, 70, David, 67, and 31-year-old Cooper. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Rosie O’Donnell has a “weird relationship” with Ellen DeGeneres. The 61-year-old star fronted her own daytime chat show from 1996 until 2002 and – following a brief period where she was replaced by ‘Sabrina, the Teenage Witch’ actress Caroline Rhea – her slot was ultimately taken by fellow comedienne Ellen, 65, who fronted ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ between 2003 and 2022 but Rosie has recalled feeling as if there was no room to have two lesbian comics on screen at the time. She told The Hollywood Reporter: “It was a good relationship. We were friends. We supported each other. Which is why when she came on my show, I said, “Let me not have you standing there by yourself. Let’s get a joke in there.” And we sat down and came up with that, ‘Oh my God, I love Casey Kasem. Maybe I’m Lebanese.’ It became a big thing. “Then the episode aired, Time ran its ‘Yep, I’m Gay’ cover and everybody was asking me, “What do you think about Ellen?” It became a strange, ‘There can’t be two lesbians in this town,’ kind of a thing. “Then we each had success and went our separate ways.” Rosie went on to add that even though Ellen infamously said on TV that the pair of them were “not friends”, they are actually still in touch and Ellen has even apologised for her remarks. “She texted me a few weeks ago checking in, seeing how I’m doing, and I asked her how she’s surviving not being on TV. It’s a big transition. But we’ve had our weirdness in our relationship. I don’t know if it’s jealousy, competition or the fact that she said a mean thing about me once that really hurt my feelings. “She wrote, ‘I’m really sorry and I don’t remember that.’ I guess she saw me talk about it on Andy Cohen’s show. I remembered it so well, I had T-shirts printed and I gave them to my staff that said “I don’t know Rosie. We’re not friends.” I have a picture of her holding [my then-infant son] Parker. I know her mother. I could identify her brother without her in the room. I knew her for so many years. It just felt like I don’t trust this person to be in my world.” View the full article

Published by AlterNet On the far right, “woke” has become one of the most weaponized terms of 2023. The term has come to have an extremely negative connotation among MAGA Republicans and right-wing media elite — so negative that, according to Axios’ Javier E. David, anti-“wokeness” has collectively caused Target, Anheuser Busch and Kohl’s to suffer a “$28.7 billion loss in market value since the beginning of April.” “Woke” is not a new expression. The term emerged in the Black community as far back as the 1940s, and for decades, it had a very positive connotation — essentially meaning enlightened, well-informed and… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story Two purported Ku Klux Klan members allegedly terrorized a pro-LGBTQ rally in Kentucky, and one pulled a handgun on protesters — but law enforcement officers on the scene did not arrest them, according to local police documents obtained by Raw Story through an open records request. One of the men who pulled a KKK card from his wallet, identified in the police report as 44-year-old Kenneth W. Hutton, had recently worked for the city government in Corbin, Ky., a local official confirmed Thursday. “He quit about a month ago,” Corbin City Manager Marlon Sams told Raw Story on Thursday. The new info… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA After the death of one of one the most celebrated Western novelists, Cormac McCarthy, AI now appears set to usher in a new literary era. Scientists are heralding a “transformation of creativity” with AI tools that could upend how books, music and art is created. Jan Woitas/dpa The jury is out on whether artificial intelligence (AI) could make people extinct, and while some academics reckon it at least should not kill off art or writing or music, they do believe it may “fundamentally transform” human creativity. AI tools are capable of “high-quality artistic media for visual arts, concept art, music and literature, as well as for video and animation,” according to US academics writing in the journal Science. However tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney, already being used to write passages of novels and create realistic photos, are not likely to be “the harbinger of art’s demise.” Bot-generated books, paintings and songs would not mean an end to art, said Ziv Epstein of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Washington’s Aaron Hertzmann, but instead would be a “new medium with its own distinct affordances.” And while machine-learned art might sound like an oxymoron, it could end up “ultimately enabling new models of creative labour and reconfiguring the media ecosystem,” they believe. “The generative capabilities of these tools will fundamentally transform creative processes: how creators formulate ideas and put those ideas into production,” the researchers said. In turn this “transformation of creativity” would “disrupt many sectors of society” and would, as many industry analysts have predicted, result in people being laid off or even left without work. “As a suite of tools used by human creators, generative AI is positioned to upend many sectors of the creative industry and beyond—threatening existing jobs and labour models in the short term,” they said. Their journal article was published on June 15, two days after the death of Cormac McCarthy, author of “The Road” and “No Country For Old Men”, as well as “Blood Meridian”, which, though published in 1985, has in recent years been touted as the best US novel ever written. On June 13, the day McCarthy died, Paul McCartney said that AI tools were used to prise the late John Lennon’s voice out of demo tapes from the 1970s for inclusion in what would be a final Beatles single to be released in 2023. But could ChatGPT and similar tools go beyond the kind of work done with the late Lennon’s voice? Could they emulate McCarthy’s story-telling, his seamless and singular weaving of exhilarating lyricism and sublime menace? It seems unlikely, going by recent accounts – in publications from The Washington Post to Business Insider – of what the bots churn out when asked to come up with fiction. There was obvious lifting from real books, a concern previously raised by analysts reviewing how the bots come up with scientific or medical output. Meanwhile, reviewers listed “weak endings”, a “lack of a distinctive voice” and “inconsistencies” as among the defects of the AI-generated ‘literature’. It sounds like a long way off one of the late McCarthy’s more celebrated passages – the ‘coin toss’ scene in “No Country For Old Men”, the watch-through-your-fingers cinema version of which has been doing the rounds on the internet since the 89-year-old’s death. In words that could be used regarding some chatbot output, Anton Chigurh, the book’s nerveless, psychotic hit-man, sneers ominously at a hapless gas station operator, telling him: “You don’t know what you’re talking about, do you?” After the death of one of one the most celebrated Western novelists, Cormac McCarthy, AI now appears set to usher in a new literary era. Scientists are heralding a “transformation of creativity” with AI tools that could upend how books, music and art is created. Beowulf Sheehan/Penguin Random House/dpa View the full article