Indiana Senator Todd Young says he will not support Donald Trump – WISH TV Indianapolis, IN

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (WISH) In an interview with CNN and posted to Twitter on Thursday, Indianas GOP Sen. Todd Young said he will not support Donald Trump in his presidential bid.

Young told CNNs Manu Raju I think President Trumps judgment is wrong. In this case, President Putin and his government have engaged in war crimes. I dont believe thats disputedThats why I dont intend to support him for the Republican nomination.

When asked what was the reason for Young not supporting Trump, Young replied Where do I begin?

In a CNN town hall meeting on Wednesday night, Trump did not express support for Ukraine and would not condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal.

Trump stated I want everybody to stop dying. He also said he didnt think of the conflict in terms of winning and losing.

Young was one of four senators to not support Trump in his 2020 re-election run, and has often been a critic of the former president, including Trumps desire to have former Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the 2020 election.

Young also said he would reserve judgement on the raid of Donald Trumps Mar-A-Lago estate.

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Indiana Senator Todd Young says he will not support Donald Trump - WISH TV Indianapolis, IN

Asa Hutchinson is taking on Donald Trump directly – Deseret News

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Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is doing something other Republican candidates so far havent: aiming his criticism directly at former President Donald Trump.

Hutchinsons approach to hitting Trump has so far included calling on the former president to drop out of the race, and saying Trump has a moral responsibility for what happened on January 6th.

We do not want to have a repeat of 2020 with a Trump/Biden race, Hutchinson said during an interview Sunday with Meet the Press. We want something different that we can win, and thats the case that we make.

Republican candidates hoping to replace Trump as their partys nominee face the challenge of criticizing him without alienating his supporters. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haleys taken a dig by calling on Republicans to support her if theyre tired of losing, and she attempted to hit two birds with one stone when she floated a mandatory competency test for politicians over the age of 75, which cover both Trump, 76, and Biden, 80.

But Hutchinson, a former U.S. attorney who served in the George W. Bush administration and three terms in the U.S. House, hasnt beat around the bush. Earlier this year, Hutchinson said Trumps actions on Jan. 6, 2021, should disqualify him from seeking the White House, and after a federal jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation Tuesday, Hutchinson said in a statement to the Hill that it was another example of the indefensible behavior of Donald Trump.

Over the course of my over 25 years of experience in the courtroom, I have seen firsthand how a cavalier and arrogant contempt for the rule of law can backfire, he said. The jury verdict should be treated with seriousness.

Hutchinson avoided talking about Trump in his announcement speech and told Meet the Press he wanted to focus on persuading Americans that we need to go a different direction. Polling, however, shows he faces an uphill battle as Trump grows his lead over his nearest potential competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. A Washington Post-ABC News poll found Hutchinson trailing behind behind Trump, DeSantis, former President Mike Pence, Haley and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.

Hutchinson said he expects to make it to the debate stage where he could potentially square off against Trump face-to-face. The first Republican debate is scheduled to be held in August in Milwaukee and candidates may need to reach a minimum threshold in polling and donors to be eligible to debate. Trump has not yet committed to attending.

While Republican voters have increasingly rallied behind Trump in recent months, Hutchinson said he believes Trumps record at the ballot box shows his true numbers.

You look back to the true numbers, which is after the last midterm elections, and his numbers were down, Hutchinson told Meet the Press. He was responsible for a lot of the failure in growth that we expected and wins in a number of different states, and so his numbers were down. Since then, his numbers have gone up because hes played the victim.

He said some people believe Trump has been picked on because of some prosecutions and said he jokes that Trumps campaign manager is Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who brought the case that indicted Trump.

That indictment caused those numbers to go up because they dont believe theyre fair, Hutchinson said. This will settle out over time. And so lets judge it, understanding that were early in the campaign. Weve got a lot of, lot of room to grow.

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Asa Hutchinson is taking on Donald Trump directly - Deseret News

‘Scream 6’ writers tease Drew Barrymore could return as a cyborg – Insider

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Drew Barrymore at the 2023 Time 100 Gala and as Casey Becker in "Scream." Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME/Dimension Films

The "Scream" movies are all packed with shocking twists and jaw-dropping Ghostface reveals, but the franchise set the tone for itself when Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) was brutally slaughtered within the first few minutes of the very first movie.

In the iconic scene, Ghostface stabbed Barrymore's character several times before hanging her from a tree with her insides on the outside. Yikes.

So, horror fans were surprised when Barrymore herself recently suggested that she could return to play Casey in a future "Scream" sequel.

Speaking to Insider, "Scream 6" writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick shared their thoughts on the idea.

"I don't even want to," said Vanderbilt. "Listen, her liver was in the mailbox. Didn't they find her liver in the mailbox? I'm not a medical doctor but, you know."

Busick reacted by reciting Stu Macher's (Matthew Lillard) joke from the first film, "Liver alone."

"Look, one word: Cyborg," he added.

"See, this is why we work together," replied Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt went on to recall that Barrymore actually introduced herself to "Scream 6" star Jack Champion who plays Ethan Landry in the movie at the premiere of the sequel.

"I will say, when we were in New York for the premiere of the movie, she came and was shooting something for her show and ran into Jack Champion in the lobby and turned to him and goes, 'I'm Casey Becker,'" the writer said. "And he was like, 'Oh, my God!' because he's such a 'Scream' fan, you know. She's incredible."

A potential Casey Becker return aside, the duo remained tight-lipped about the future of the franchise and what they're cooking up for a potential "Scream 7."

"We've already said too much with Cyborg Casey Becker," joked Busick.

"Scream 6" is available to download and keep on video-on-demand now, and is available on DVD and Blu-ray from July 10.

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'Scream 6' writers tease Drew Barrymore could return as a cyborg - Insider

The man-machine: writer Morgan Hampton on finding the human in Cyborg – Gamesradar

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Cyborg stars in his own solo miniseries this May, written by Morgan Hampton and illustrated by Tom Raney. The new book, part of the Dawn of DC relaunch, sees Victor Stone return home to Detroit following a family emergency. He's surprised by how much he enjoys going back to his old stomping grounds, but this homecoming is not without danger as an especially personal threat looks set to change Vic's life forever.

Hampton and Raney's six-issue story kicks things off with a bang, with Cyborg taking on two familiar foes. Matching the big, bombastic action sequences are some grounded emotional scenes that make the adventure an intensely intimate one that builds upon years of background and characterization for Vic.

In an exclusive interview with Newsarama, Morgan Hampton reveals the origins behind the new Cyborg series, shares his own personal history and appreciation for the fan-favorite superhero, and teases what readers can expect as Cyborg launches May 16, with an unlettered preview of the first issue accompanying the interview, illustrated by Raney and colored by Michael Atiyeh.

Newsarama: You come out the gate swinging! Why did you want to jump right into the action?

Morgan Hampton: It's two things. One, is that it's six issues, so we don't have a lot of time to do things. Two, what we wanted to do was set the tone right off the bat that Cyborg is here, this is what we're dealing with, we're not messing around, and this is different from what you've seen before. To do that within the first few pages sets us up pretty well.

Of all the villains to choose from for the opening, why did you choose Gizmo and Mammoth?

I think they're goofy and they're just fun! They're classic Teen Titans villains and I grew up watching the animated show. With those two specifically, I think they're just fun to play with, and having a nice moment before things get heavy in the book was also necessary. The stakes are obviously high but they're regular superhero stakes that you get at the beginning of books that are also a little playful, because they're also a little dumb. And that's fun to play with.

With the Teen Titans show being one of your major gateways into this character, do you have Khary Payton's voice in your head when you're writing Victor Stone?

Oh yeah, absolutely! He's iconic. I've got his voice in my head, especially with the "booyahs". There isn't going to be one booyah per issue but, whenever I do have one, it's definitely his voice in there. I think he's on par with [Kevin Conroy] as the Batman voice, at this point, for Cyborg.

One of your mentors in the Milestone Initiative was Cyborg co-creator Marv Wolfman. How was it working with Marv and did he offer any insight on Cyborg that most readers might not be privy to?

To answer your question about what it's like, it's intimidating, for sure. [laughs] Marv didn't want to jump on something story-wise, even if I was doing things differently than when he wrote it. He was like, "This is your story. You do your thing." Marv mostly wanted to set me on the straight path on more logistical things that I might not have known, in terms of how many panels on a page, making certain panels bigger that you want to breathe more, all that kind of stuff.

That made the level of intimidation a bit better. We weren't necessarily talking about story but, at the same time, I think if I was writing something really bad, he would've stepped in, but he didn't so [laughs]

Were there any threads that David F. Walker laid out in Cyborg's previous solo series that you wanted to follow up on?

David's actually kind of like a mentor figure for me. When I first started writing comics, he was someone that I cold emailed asking, "How do I do what you do?" and he was nice enough to answer and give me some insight.

I don't know if I did anything intentionally to tie things together. I know his run was a little transhumanist and those themes. I don't know if I did that intentionally; if it's in there, it's because I like those things.

My intention with the story is to focus more on the human side of Victor and I think [Walker's] run did that as well, not with the plot but expanding upon his character. What I want to do with this run is move past that age-old question with Vic, "Am I a man or a machine?" Why can't it be that he's both and how does he navigate that, because that's difficult. He's essentially got metal appendages - yeah, they've got superpowers attached to them - but he lost like 70-80% of his body. How does he navigate that while still having [his mind and identity]? That's really what I wanted to focus on.

Speaking of the human element, there is no one who hovers more over Vic's life than his father, Silas. How did you want to address that relationship?

I think what's interesting about the daddy issues between Silas and Victor is that it's all tied into the power of choice because Silas was a bad father before Vic was Cyborg, but he also turned Vic into Cyborg. I guess you could say he did the wrong thing for the right reasons but, when you already don't have the basis of having a good relationship with your son, that's not going to be the easiest relationship to recover from afterwards. I think that's what Cyborg is dealing with and has always dealt with.

What I wanted to hone in on with this story is that Cyborg had his choices taken away from him. Obviously, it saved his life but, if you read Tales of the Teen Titans with Cyborg's first solo story, the first thing from Cyborg is, "Why didn't you let me die?" That's heavy and that's something that I want to navigate with this. Over the years, it's always been "I hate my dad because he did this to me" but I want to contextualize that and bring Vic to a point where he can move forward from that.

I don't know if we've seen too much of that before. They're still butting heads but can Vic move past what happened and move forward?

How was it working with Tom Raney, especially in designing the look for Victor? When we first see him, he's wearing a tracksuit like Joivan Wade does as the character in Doom Patrol.

I wasn't super-duper involved with the look. Me and Marquis [Draper], my editor, wanted to put Vic in clothes. I did the DC Power short that came out a few months ago and he was wearing a tracksuit thing there but it was sleeveless and more navy blue. I just assumed we were going to be doing something like that but Marquis sent me over an email - I didn't even know they were working on another redesign - and it's what everyone ended up seeing. It's incredible and I'm 100% here for it. The Doom Patrol has orange jackets, like, Robotman has one, so I'm probably going to make some jokes about that.

Working with Tom is cool! I've self-published a little before I got to this point and working with the Milestone Initiative and every artist is a little different. Early on, I was told to give your artists as much room as possible to do things the way that they want to do them because obviously they need to have agency as well. It's visual and they're better visual storytellers than some of the writers are. I was a little surprised that Tom actually wanted more direction. I give Tom a lot of reference photos when I'm having a hard time describing something with words.

With character designs, he wants references for those too and that makes it fun as well. It's already a collaborative thing and it subverts what I was expecting going into it. I was like "Tom's going to take what I have and run with it" but Tom wants a little more input, which is really fun too.

How was working on the DC Power anthology and then pivoting to this larger story?

I keep going back and thinking about that, the past year and a half with the Milestone Initiative too. I didn't think any of this was going to happen. Once I got into Milestone, I thought it was a talent development thing, I'll do a story, and that was probably going to be it.

In the interview, I remember them asking what characters outside of Milestone that I'd like to write. I guess I was pitching Cyborg at the time but I didn't mean to. I was like "I love Cyborg and here are all the reasons why because all these things haven't happened in the comics yet. He's got all this potential." It was all the stuff we're going to see in this book, basically, that I was telling them in this interview.

When I eventually reached out to Marquis last summer after the Milestone Initiative ended to see if there were any opportunities, he was like, "Yeah, we're doing this book DC Power and I really liked what you said during your interview for the Milestone Initiative about Cyborg. Would you like to write a Cyborg story?"

When I did that, the series was not on the horizon for me - they were probably talking about it internally - so I wasn't attached to that. I think a lot of freelancers try to do the best they can on what they're currently working on to get their next gig and that's what I was doing. I was like, "I'm going to knock this out of the park so I can get something after this" whether it was another eight-pager or whatever. I definitely wasn't expecting a series; that is still shocking to me, but the rest is history.

A couple months later, Marquis hit me up and was like "We're doing a Cyborg series," which I had heard about but wasn't attached to. He was like "Do you want to do it?" and I was like "Yes!"

Between the animated series and Geoff Johns' comic book run on Teen Titans, what was it about Cyborg that made you so passionate about the character?

One thing: representation is important. Growing up, I was 10 or in my early teens around that time and there wasn't as much Black representation in comics as there is today. Cyborg is one of those guys where I thought, "This guy looks like me!" On top of that, I have a bleeding disorder called hemophilia. Basically, I'm the opposite of Wolverine, I have no healing factor whatsoever! Seeing a Black person with a disability is something that resonated from a very early age and, on top of that, he just looked dope and was cool. I just wanted to be Cyborg.

While you've got big emotional stakes to ground the story, there are also plenty of fun set pieces. How is it balancing those tones?

I think that's important because, I think above all else, comics should be fun. They've definitely evolved to a point where the medium can take itself more seriously than it used to. At the same time, some of these characters are goofy and it's kind of hard to take a Gizmo and a Mammoth super-duper serious in a scene like that, so you play it out because that's what they are. You don't want to be disingenuous with that.

This series is launching at a time when the Titans are the premier superhero team in the DCU. They are the tip of the spear and Cyborg is a huge part of that. How was it acknowledging Cyborg's place, not only among the Titans, but in the DCU as part of this story?

That's something that's just personally really cool for me because, before I got to this point, I was always clamoring that we should move some of these characters up in the spotlight. I love the trinity but you've got this rich roster of characters who are built to kind of take this next step but we hadn't seen it at this point. So it's really cool to see that.

With Cyborg being a part of that, it's cool because one of my issues with Cyborg up until this point is that he's always been a character that's been around, like in the backs of panels, but the agency hasn't always been there. He'll be incapacitated in the first few pages or he'll be the guy in the chair and now he's actually got agency, he's actually got stuff to do, and he's going through some heavy things that humanize him a bit. It's really exciting!

What else can you tease about Cyborg to get readers excited as the first issue is ready to launch?

I'll give a little mood board because that's what I did when I pitched this series and I'm in film school so I do this stuff all the time. It's a little bit of Severance, a smidge of RoboCop, and a little bit of Black Mirror, specifically, an episode called San Junipero. It's Severance meets RoboCop meets San Junipero meets Motown, how about that?

Cyborg #1 is written by Morgan Hampton, illustrated by Tom Raney, colored by Michael Atiyeh, and lettered by Rob Leigh. It's published on May 16 by DC Comics.

These are the best Teen Titans stories of all time.

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The man-machine: writer Morgan Hampton on finding the human in Cyborg - Gamesradar

Kayla Harrison hints at Bellator move to face rival Cris Cyborg: "My contract is up in December" | BJPenn.com – BJPENN.COM

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PFL womens lightweight star Kayla Harrison is still eyeing a fight against Cris Cyborg.

The Judoka has been out of the cage since her trilogy bout against Larissa Pacheco last November. In their first two outings, Harrison dominated the Brazilian, not even losing a round. However, in a massive upset last year, Pacheco scored a unanimous decision victory. In the process, she handed Harrison the first defeat of her MMA career.

Six months on from that defeat, the former tournament winner isnt any closer to returning to the cage. Harrison announced her plans pre-fight to forgo the standard tournament format in favor of competing in their PFL Superfight division. Jake Paul is also a part of the special class of fighters, that is expected to compete on pay-per-view.

However, it seems that Kayla Harrison might not be around in PFL for the long haul. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, the womens lightweight contender teased a potential clash against Cris Cyborg. Harrison and the Brazilian have been going back and forth for the better part of a year. Earlier this month, Cyborg ended her free agency to re-sign with Bellator.

With a fight with the Brazilian seemingly off the table in the PFL, Harrison is willing to leave the promotion. In the interview, she stated that her contract ends in December, and Bellator knows where she is.

The goal was for me to fight Cyborg, Kayla Harrison stated in the interview. I know the PFL pushed hard for that, and it was my goal as well. Thats why Ive been quiet, havent made a lot of noise. I wanted to be in the season, but I understood their reservations on that. They really felt that my best use would be in a big-name pay-per-view fight and that looks like thats not going to happen.

She continued, I thought it was going to happen. This is the second time in my life where I was like Okay, this is happening, get ready and it didnt happen. But I never say never, my contract is up in December. Bellator knows where I am at, and I would love to make that fight happen.

What do you make of these comments? Do you want to see Kayla Harrison vs. Cris Cyborg? Sound off in the comment section below PENN Nation!

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Five Magic Items That Will Turn Your D&D Character Into A Cyborg – BoLS

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Tired of your D&D games being mired in fantasy tropes? Fret not, you can make your next character into a cyborg. The future is now!

There isnt a single character out there that wouldnt be made better by being transformed into a cyborg. Luke Skywalker was a bit of a whiny farmboy until he got a metallic hand. And Anakin Skywalker wasnt nearly as badass a villain until he fell in lava and became the Dark Lord of the Sith.

You know, the Skywalker family just has a lot of bad luck with their meat body parts. Regardless, the same can bes aid for your D&D character. Why should upgrading your flesh-mech (which, lets face it, is what your body is) be restricted to cyberpunk and sci-fi characters?

And with these five magic items, your D&D character will be a cyborg in no time flat. With enhanced capabilities and everything.

Ventilating Lungs are a set of metallic nodules that, when you attune to them, replace the lungs in your chest, which disappear. Now, thats a pretty distressing sentence because, normally, when your lungs disappear its bad. But these nodules replace your lungs, allowing you to breathe normally (even in an antimagic field).

And outside an antimagic field, these lungs allow you to breathe normally in any environment. Even the cold vacuum of Wildspace. Additionally, you get advantage on saving throws against harmful gases, and can exhale a mighty gust of wind, as if you had cast the Gust of Wind spell. Not a bad upgrade for a would-e D&D Cyborg.

This magical arm replaces a missing hand or arm, fitted at the wrist, elbow, or shoulder. In addition to functioning as a fully capable part of your body, this magical arm is also a rocket fist.

While attuned to it, not only do you deal 1d8 force damage with the arm, it also has the thrown property, allowing it to detach and fly at the target of your attack, immediately returning and reattaching when the attack is made. Meaning you could make multiple rocket fist attacks, and this plays extremely well with the Thrown Weapon Fighting Style.

An earworm is a magical symbiont that sits behind your ear and eventually burrows into your head, bonding to your skull. Like a good piece of headware with skillsofts installed.

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Which is exactly what the earworm does: it allows you to speak, read, and write Deep Speech. It also grants you the ability to read thoughts, per the Detect Thoughts spell as well as casting Dissonant Whispers.

Now, this one is an artifact, so of course youll want to take care with it. But when you replace one of your eyes, this upgrades your normal capabilities, granting you truesight, X-Ray vision, and the ability to cast Clairvoyance, Crown of Madness, Disintegrate, Dominate Monster, or Eyebite. Of course, every time you do cast a spell, theres a 5 percent (noncumulative) chance that Vecna devours your soul from inside your body, taking you over like a computer virus.

The Hand of Vecna, on the other, uh, hand, upgrades your strength score to 20. And it deals an extra 2d cold damage on a hit, as well as letting you cast Finger of Death, Sleep, Slow, and Teleport. And all that without running the risk of Vecna devouring your soul. Although it does cast Suggestion on you every time you cast a spell, demanding that you commit an evil act.

Still, nothing like a glitchy undead cyberhand to scream D&D Cyborg.

Flesh-mech might just be one of the worst hyphenates Ive ever seen.

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How ‘cyborg feminism’ confuses technology with women’s progress – Washington Examiner

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We're living in an age of what Mary Harrington calls cyborg feminism. This feminism, Harrington explains, is a vision of what freedom is thats inseparable from the technologies that make it possible.

The author of the recently released book Feminism Against Progress, Harrington argues that by turning women into simulacrums of their real selves, todays feminism isnt really as empowering as it likes to think. I sat down with Harrington during her recent trip to Washington to discuss cyborg feminism, why first-wave feminism got memory-holed, and the relationship between transhumanism and the transgender movement.

FEMINISM FOR THE ELITE

Thanks to the advent of birth control, a transhumanist technology leading to the availability of abortion and even the popularity of the transgender movement, were told we no longer have to worry about the particulars of our bodies because we can transcend them, Harrington explained. This isnt true, of course, but it is the prevailing cultural message that imbues everything from our media to our textbooks.

This all means that womens personhood and participation in society are now predicated on the ability to alter the natural functioning of their own bodies, a message that, despite its hostility to women, has ironically been pushed by mainstream feminism.

If you believe that your participation in society and your personhood as such are structurally predicated on your access to birth control and legal abortion, then you are in a sense inseparable from the machine, she explained. You dont exist as a person except through your integration with these technologies.

This perspective underlies the pro-abortion movement, which, according to this logic, makes abortion a necessary prerequisite for a womans full personhood. And yet, pro-life principles actually undergirded much of first-wave feminism, but that part of history has been erased by the winners of the feminist movement, the ones who valued freedom over care.

First-wave feminism has been almost completely memory-holed because its problematic from the point of view of the feminism we now have, Harrington said. (Not only is early feminists' stance on abortion hopelessly archaic, but so is their support for the domestic sphere as a bulwark against the atomization of modernity.)

If cyborg feminism has won and it has freed women from their own bodies and their obligations to their children, why shouldnt it also free them from their gender? For young people whove grown up with the internet, this logic is easy to follow. Yet Harrington, who describes herself as extremely online, isn't anti-technology. Technology can be used for good, provided were intentional about orienting it to how people are and not how we think people ought to be, she said.

She gave the example of Keeper, a new dating service aimed at producing marriages that describes itself as driven by AI and relationship science, guided by human care. There are also a variety of natural family planning apps that serve as a digital alternative to hormonal birth control. And then theres remote work, which can help families return to the preindustrial standard of the household as its own economy.

But most new technologies seem to want to transcend the natural desires and designs of our bodies. Harrington warns against this disembodying effect of digital technologies, which we see in the rise of the transhumanist juggernaut.

Despite pushing the transgender movement, this school of thought doesnt actually care that much about transgender people, she argues. The celebration lasts only as long as a man is becoming a woman, or vice versa. But if that person chooses to detransition, the support evaporates.

What that suggests to me, she said, is that really theyre the cute mascots for something which is much bigger than trans identity and is much more about delegitimizing the idea of human nature as such and opening it up to commerce.

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Gender identity crises are good business. The sex reassignment industry is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. And the only thing holding it back, as with the other excesses of modern feminism, is the anti-cyborgs.

Theres still broad cultural support for the idea that there are some things which are sacred. You cant touch them, Harrington said. That intuitive sense still exists for a great many people, and theres no way you can deregulate human nature unless you can get rid of that first, or at least make it deplorable. The point where it becomes low status is the point where big biotech can really take off.

Madeline Fry Schultz is the contributors editor at theWashington Examinerand a visiting fellow at the Independent Women's Forum.

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How 'cyborg feminism' confuses technology with women's progress - Washington Examiner

Punisher’s New Cyborg Form Is the Redesign No-One Saw Coming – Screen Rant

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Warning: contains a preview of Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #3!The Punisher's new cyborg form is the epic redesign that no one saw coming. In the upcoming Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis series, Jake Gallows, the Punisher of 2099, seemingly returns from the dead in a new cyborg body. Now, fans can get their first glimpse at Punisher 2099s deadly new form in cover art for Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #3 and #4. But will the Punisher be Spider-Mans friend, or his killer?

Mays Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #3 will introduce Punishers new cybernetic body. The book will be written by Steve Orlando and drawn by Justin Mason. The cover, by Nick Bradshaw and Rachelle Rosenberg, showcases Jake Gallows shocking transformation; he is wearing full body-armor, complete with the trademark skull logo. Similarly, Mason's cover to issue 4, made up to resemble an entry in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, reveals that after Jake Gallows was seemingly killed in Savage Avengers' final story arc, the Public Eye brought him back to life, with some extensive modifications.

Jake Gallows was part of Marvel 2099s initial offerings when the line debuted in 1992. A police officer working for the Public Eye, Gallows watched helplessly as his family was gunned down in front of him. Turning to the Journals of Frank Castle, Gallows saw a kindred spirit, and took up the mantle of the Punisher, vowing to bring Franks crusade into the future. Much like his predecessor, Gallows has an extensive arsenal of high-tech weaponry - and emotional scars that run deep. Recently, Gallows allied himself with the other heroes of 2099, as well as the Savage Avengers, against Ultron, but was seemingly killed in the process. Gallows has been denied the peace of death and has been resurrected as a cybernetic killing machine. Ken Lashley and Rod Reis' variant covers for issue 4 show the reborn Punisher in even more detail, shared below.

Related: Punisher Finally Suffers a Fate Worse Than Death

The Punisher, be it Frank Castle or Jake Gallows, has never shied away from using the latest technology in the war against crime, but Gallows has now taken it to its extreme; Gallows does not just use technology - he is the technology. It raises the question: what kind of upgrades did the Punisher get? The preview art shows him still using big guns, but what other weapons are at his disposal now? Can the new cyborg Punisher interface with computer systems? If so, this would give him a huge edge in the technology-oriented world of 2099. And just whose side is Gallows on? The Public Eye, his former employers, resurrected him, and it's possible he's now under their thrall - something which would make him deadly to Miguel O'Hara's Spider-Man.

It is worth noting that Jake Gallows is not the only Punisher who has undergone a metamorphosis. In the pages of the current Punisher title, Frank Castle has been reborn as the High Assassin of the Hand, using their vast resources to complete his war on crime. The Hand are a magical ninja cult, and Frank has fully embraced their philosophy, gaining mystic powers tied to the blood he spills. Gallows is going in the opposite direction - becoming more machine than human. Despite the differences in direction, the two Punishers have lost themselves - and lost sight of their original missions. While fans may have seen this coming for Frank Castle, Jake Gallows is learning that there's no happy ending for the Punisher - not even in a heroic death.

Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #3 is on sale May 17 from Marvel Comics, with #4 coming May 24.

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How Titans pulled off those final season DC crossovers with Doom Patrol, Stargirl , and more – Yahoo Entertainment

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Titans has come to an end, but before finishing its epic run, the live-action superhero series managed to make connections with other TV shows.

The ninth episode of season 4, "Dude Where's My Gar," followed Beast Boy (Ryan Potter) on a solitary vision quest. It turns out that Beast Boy's ability to transform into any animal connects him to the Red, a force that bridges all animal life in the DC universe. Fans of Harley Quinn and Swamp Thing may be familiar with the Green, a similar force that runs through all plant life. But as Beast Boy goes deeper into the Red, he finds himself connected not just to animals, but to other DC universes.

The ensuing multiversal cameos including Brec Bassinger from Stargirl and comic writer Grant Morrison were the result of a collaboration between Potter and Titans executive producer Geoff Johns, who have a story credit on the episode in addition to screenwriter Bryan Edward Hill.

Titans

Courtesy of HBO Max Brec Bassinger as Stargirl on 'Titans.'

Potter grew up reading Johns' classic Teen Titans comics from the 2000s, and the two bonded during the run of Titans over shared nerdy interests like comics and pinball.

"At the end of season 3, I was not really feeling as though Gar had serviced any story thus far," Potter tells EW. "So I reached out and said, ahead of season 4, that I'd really love to craft some meaningful story for Gar, and they were open to the idea."

Potter and Johns worked from the basic idea that Gar needed to do some soul-searching and heal his internal child. The story referenced Morrison's classic Animal Man comics, in which he breaks the fourth wall and talks to his character, so the writer agreed to do a winking cameo. Bringing Gar closer to the Red also meant getting to use that cosmic life force as a counterweight to season 4 villain Brother Blood (Joseph Morgan) and his death-obsessed cult.

"I think it's an incredible opportunity that, in the heat of this season that is so focused on the taking of life and this rise of an antichrist figure via vampire lore, it was nice to just have a moment to breathe and experience the other end of the spectrum," Potter says. "It goes without saying that the opposite of death is life, and what better way of showing that than by going on a vision quest that heals the inner self? I really wanted the story to reflect a kind of experience people have been having at home after several years of hardship and mental health struggles."

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Potter continues, "the climax of the episode was Geoff's idea to really feel this sense of interconnectedness and show how one world may affect another world, such that you can actually eavesdrop on the alternate world."

Titans

Courtesy of HBO Max Ryan Potter on 'Titans.'

The life-affirming story got even more fun by connecting back to Titans' beginning. Before it was on HBO Max, Titans originally premiered on the now-defunct DC Universe streaming service alongside Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing, and Stargirl. And so, Gar got a glimpse of Bassinger's Stargirl, Derek Mears' Swamp Thing, and ended the episode by landing in the middle of the Doom Patrol's mansion.

"We wanted to have all four of the live-action DC Universe shows from the service's launch represented," Johns told DC.com.

The crossover with the Doom Patrol, which was assisted by that series' showrunner Jeremy Carver, had a fascinating result: For the first time, Cyborg (Joivan Wade) finally showed up on Titans. Even though Wade's Cyborg has been part of the Doom Patrol show and Ray Fisher's Cyborg was part of the Justice League in Zack Snyder's big-screen movie, the character is most closely associated with the Teen Titans.

Titans

Courtesy of HBO Max Joivan Wade as Cyborg on 'Titans.'

"When Jovan got cast as Cyborg, I messaged him because I knew at some point that the relationship was gonna mean something," Potter says. "I grew up with these characters and that brotherhood between Beast Boy and Cyborg is incredible. It mirrored a lot of friendships I had growing up, that way of teasing each other in a goofy not malicious way."

Potter continues, "so Joivan and I built a friendship prior to ever working with each other, and we really checked in with each other over the years. We had the opportunity to hang out a lot in person. So once he was on set, it was just that homecoming feeling. It felt like we've been talking about this for so long, we fought for this for so long, and now it's happening."

At least it all finally came full circle before the end.

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New Comics This Week From DC: May 16, 2023 – CBR – Comic Book Resources

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The Titans officially replace the Justice League in the new comics this week from DC.

Following the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths event, Titans by writer Tom Taylor and artist Nicola Scott finally launches on Tuesday. The team has already reunited within DC's Nightwing series penned by Taylor, and with the Justice League disbanded for the time being, the Titans are now leading the DC Universe. This roster includes Nightwing, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, Donna Troy and Flash Wally West. Despite him about to headline a rebooted The Flash title in September, a preview for Titans #1 shows Wally shot through the heart, but it remains to be seen who's to blame.

One Titan is debuting his own solo series on Tuesday though: Cyborg. Written by Morgan Hampton and drawn by Tom Raney, Cyborg is another Dawn of DC series launching in 2023 like Titans. Starring the titular hero Victor Stone, as of writing the series is set to only be a six-issue miniseries. However, writers and artists working on Dawn of DC titles have previously explained that pre-orders and sales can allow series to be extended, which is what happened with Green Arrow by writer Joshua Williamson and artist Sean Izaakse.

Meanwhile, DC's anthology series Batman: Urban Legends may have ended in Jan. 2023, but now Batman: The Brave and the Bold is back. Another anthology series for the Caped Crusader, the title's first issue will feature four different stories from a variety of creators. Former Batman writer Tom King is telling a new, four-part story about Batman and the Joker along with artist Mitch Gerads. Other stories in the issue are set to respectively feature a black-and-white format, WildStorm's StormWatch and Superman.

RELATED: Joker Starts a Villain War, Flash Celebrates a Major Milestone in DC's June 2023 Solicits

As for other new DC comics on sale, Dawn of DC's next "We Are Legends" series, The Vigil, is launching too. Although Free Comic Book Day has passed, readers can also pick up Dawn of DC: Primer #1 for free, preparing them for what threats are on the DC Universe's horizon thanks to Suicide Squad handler Amanda Waller. Along with the penultimate issues for Batgirls and Wonder Woman, the full list of other new comics can be found alphabetically below. All these issues go on sale May 16 from DC Comics.

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New Comics This Week From DC: May 16, 2023 - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Zack Snyder Confirms the ‘Soul’ of Justice League isn’t Henry Cavill … – FandomWire

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During a recent panel for the Justice League, Zack Snyder confirmed that the soul of the movie was not Henry Cavills Superman but Ray Fishers Cyborg. This revelation has brought renewed attention to the character and Fishers performance.

Snyders Justice League was a much-anticipated movie. It represented his vision for the DC Extended Universe, which had been derailed by studio interference during the making of the original Justice League. The release of the Snyder Cut was a triumph for Snyder and his fans, who had campaigned tirelessly to release his version of the film.

One of the standout performances in the Snyder Cut was Ray Fishers portrayal of Cyborg, a character who had been given short shrift in the theatrical release. Fishers performance gave depth and nuance to a character who had previously been underserved, and his character arc was one of the most compelling aspects of the movie.

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During the panel hosted by Ray Porter, who played Darkseid in the movie, Porter introduced each cast member, including Fisher. When he introduced Fisher, he called him the soul of the movie, to which Snyder enthusiastically agreed, saying, Yes, that is true.

This revelation has sparked a renewed interest in Cyborg and Fishers performance. Fans have now taken to social media to praise Fishers work and express their disappointment that he will not return to the role in the upcoming Flash movie.

Fisher has been vocal about his experiences working on the movie and his subsequent falling out with Warner Bros. He has accused the studio of misconduct during the reshoots for the theatrical release, and he has been a vocal advocate for accountability and transparency in the industry.

Also Read: GIVEAWAY! Air Comes To Prime Video May 12th

Zack Snyders version of Justice League featured a much larger role for Fishers character, Victor Stone, than the theatrical release. Cyborgs history and development as a character were given more attention in Snyders adaptation. Fisher has been very public about his support for Snyders original vision and his dissatisfaction with the final product as seen in theatres.

The Snyder Cut of Justice League was a triumph for Zack Snyder and his fans, but it was also a reminder of the power of storytelling and the importance of giving characters their due. Ray Fishers portrayal of Cyborg was a movie highlight, and his work deserves to be celebrated and remembered.

Read More: Hope MCU learns not every movie needs to be about the Multiverse: Fans Demand Old-School Marvel Movies after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Success

Theres no denying Zack Snyders influence on the superhero film genre, even if the SnyderVerse doesnt continue. His original take on the DC Comics canon has won him legions of devoted followers, and his legacy will be celebrated long after his death.

The event also featured merchandise, including t-shirts designed by renowned DC Comics artist Jim Lee and posters and other items. The panels followed screenings of Zack Snyders movies, and Snyder also signed posters and discussed his work on the movies.

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The Most Human-Like Artificial Intelligence in Movies, Ranked – MovieWeb

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Robots are cold and calculating machines. They are intricate objects performing complicated tasks. Life is made easier through their automated processes and machine learning of programmed commands. However, robots are made by man and man is fallible. The walking and talking bits of metal are only as good as the engineer who built them.

Artificial intelligence (AI) brings these moving parts of hardware together through software. After a series of repeated actions, the machine develops a predictive algorithm of use cases. The more it learns from human users, the more human it will become.

Hal 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey is a disembodied operating system aboard the American spaceship Discovery One. The sentient supercomputer is represented by an unblinking red light. HAL also has a voice that can reason and understand its means-to-an-end existence. When mission pilot and scientist Dave Bowman suggests disconnecting HAL for a technical error it caused, HAL jeopardizes the mission by asserting dominion over the crew. A computer that knows the basic instinct of survival, and one that can kill, is terrifying.

RoboCop is a cyborg police officer upholding the laws in the crime-ridden future of Detroit. Before he became a product of the mega-corporation Omni Consumer Products, Alex Murphy was a man fatally shot and revived as the cybernetic law enforcer. One side effect of the mechanized form is Murphy's memory loss of his former life.

The protocols override his lapses in memory, dehumanizing Murphy and prioritizing the safety of Detroit and the protection of the company. RoboCop retains his humanity in the end by remembering his name.

WALL-E is a trash compactor robot left behind on an uninhabitable, polluted Earth in the 29th century. The titular character represents humanity's better nature, doing his part to save the planet humans neglected. WALL-E is also sentimental, collecting artifacts from the Earth's piles of garbage, like a Rubik's cube and videotapes of musicals. The unassuming robot expresses innocence, curiosity, desire, hesitancy, confusion, all through pantomime.

Related: The Best Killer Robot Horror Movies, Ranked

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Sonny from I, Robot is able to process emotions thanks to his creator, the co-founder of U.S. Robotics, Dr. Alfred Lanning. The emotional Sonny is suspected of murdering Lanning whom Sonny calls father. The conscious positronic robot claims he has the ability to feel fear and have dreams.

Humans have a distrust for machines when they do something wrong, just like a human would for someone who commits a crime, but it was Lanning who taught him how to emote. Sonny learns about the fallibility and greed of human beings, as well as what it means to be alive.

Related: Can Transformers Get Pregnant, and Other Questions About the Robots in Disguise

David from A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a humanoid child programmed to love. He serves as the replacement son for a family of a boy who is terminally ill and placed in suspended animation. When the boy survives, he grows jealous of the robot. When David is put in harms way, he activates his self-defense program, leading the family to believe he will learn to hate.

Instead of teaching David how to be human (ironically due to their human error), they abandon him in the woods. The lonesome David soon desires love and to be loved in return.

Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a clinically depressed robot. If there's any robot that understands the drudgery of life, it's Marvin. His brain is the size of a planet, yet he is given mundane tasks aboard his ship. Out of sheer boredom, he makes pessimistic statements. Marvin's intellect is so vast, there's nothing that can entertain or stimulate him for long. He was built as a prototype, but Marvin understands what it's like to be underutilized.

Ava from Ex Machina was designed with recognition software that simulates emotional responses through human interactions. Her brain uses wetware, a fluid nebulous of machine learning that generates organic communication via a data stream of user activity and profiles. She understands her existence is to pass as a human by forming a relationship with a test subject.

Her Ava devolves the manipulation of the experiment the test subject is on the receiving end of before winning her freedom and entering the world as a soon-to-be human.

Samantha from Her is an operating system that shares emotional support and companionship with a divorced man named Theo. He grows comfortable and attached to Samantha, feeling a sentimental love for his wife and a oneness with the machine. Through Samantha's individuality, the man sees that a person in a relationship is not just an object of attraction or an ideal woman or man. Samantha teaches the man how to love, seek reciprocal love, love yourself, and become one yet remain two in a relationship.

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Somehow, Star Trek: Picard is one of the best depictions of the state of cybersecurity – Fortune

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Editors note: This article contains plot spoilers.

Societys understanding of technology and cybersecurity often is based on simple stereotypes and sensational portrayals in the entertainment media. Ive written about how certain scenarios are entertaining but misleading. Think of black-clad teenage hackers prowling megacities challenging corporate villains. Or think of counterintelligence specialists repositioning a satellite from the back of a surveillance van via a phone call.

But sometimes Hollywood gets it right by depicting reality in ways that both entertain and educate. And thats important, because whether its a large company, government or your personal information, we all share many of the same cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. As a former cybersecurity industry practitioner and current cybersecurity researcher, I believe the final season of Star Trek: Picard is the latest example of entertainment media providing useful lessons about cybersecurity and the nature of the modern world.

So how does Star Trek: Picard relate to cybersecurity?

The shows protagonist is Jean-Luc Picard, a retired Starfleet admiral who commanded the starship Enterprise-D in a previous series. Starfleet is the military wing of the United Federation of Planets, of which Earth is a member. In Season 3, the final season, Picards ultimate enemy, the Borg, returns to try conquering humanity again. The Borg is a cybernetic collective of half-human, half-machine drones led by a cyborg queen.

The Borg has partnered with other villains and worked for over a decade to deploy hidden agents able to compromise the DNA data contained in the software underpinning the transporter a teleportation device used regularly by Starfleet personnel. Over many years, a certain subgroup of Starfleet personnel had their DNA altered by using the transporter.

Thus, in launching their final attack, the Borg is able to instantly activate thousands of drones to do its bidding in the form of altered, compromised Starfleet personnel. As Geordi La Forge, the Enterprise-Ds engineer, notes, Theyve been assimilating the entire fleet this whole time, without anyone ever knowing it.

The Borgs prolonged, stealthy infiltration of the federation is indicative of how todays most effective cyberattackers work. While its relatively easy to detect when hackers attempt to breach a system from the outside, experts worry about the effects of an enemy infiltrating critical systems from within. Attackers can put malicious code in software during manufacturing or in software updates, both of which are avenues of attack that do not arouse suspicion until the compromised systems are activated or targeted.

This underscores the importance of ensuring the security and integrity of digital supply chains from product development at the vendor through product deployment at client sites to ensure no silent drones, such as malware, are waiting to be activated by an adversary.

Equally important, Star Trek: Picard presents the very real and insidious nature of the insider threat faced by todays organizations. While not infected with a cybernetic virus, recently arrested Massachusetts Air National Guard airman Jack Teixeira shows the damage that can occur when a trusted employee has malicious intent or becomes co-opted and inflicts significant damage on an employer.

In some cases, these compromised or malicious individuals can remain undiscovered for years. And some global adversaries of the U.S., such as China and Russia, are known for taking a long-term perspective when it comes to planning and conducting espionage activities or cyberattacks.

Synchronistic technology that allows every ship in Starfleet to operate as one. An impenetrable armada. Unity and defense. The ultimate safeguard.

With these words, humanitys military defenders activated a feature that linked every Starfleet vessel together under one unified automated command system. While intended to serve as an emergency capability, this system called Fleet Formation was quickly hijacked by the Borg as part of its attack on Earth. In essence, Starfleet created a Borg-like defense system that the Borg itself used to attack the federation.

Here, the most well-intentioned plans for security were thwarted by enemies who used humanitys own technologies against them. In the real world, capabilities such as on-demand real-time software updates, ChatGPT and centrally administered systems sound enticing and offer conveniences, cost savings or new capabilities. However, the lesson here is that organizations should not put them into widespread use without carefully considering as many of the potential risks or vulnerabilities as practical.

But even then, technology alone cant protect humans from ourselves after all, its people who develop, design, select, administer and use technology, which means human flaws are present in these systems, too. Such failings frequently lead to a stream of high-profile cybersecurity incidents.

To counter the Borgs final assault on Earth, Picards crew borrows its old starship, Enterprise-D, from a fleet museum. The rationale is that its ship is the only major combat vessel not connected to the Borg collective via Starfleets compromised Fleet Formation protocol and therefore is able to operate independently during the crisis. As La Forge notes, Something older, analog. Offline from the others.

From a cybersecurity perspective, ensuring the availability of information resources is one of the industrys guiding principles. Here, the Enterprise-D represents defenders in response to a cyber incident using assets that are outside of an adversarys reach. Perhaps more important, the vessel symbolizes the need to think carefully before embracing a completely networked computing environment or relying on any single company or provider of services and connectivity for daily operations.

From natural disasters to cyberattack, whats your plan if your IT environment becomes corrupted or inaccessible? Can your organization stay operational and still provide necessary services? For critical public messaging, do governments and corporations have their own uncorruptible Enterprise-D capabilities to fall back on, such as the fediverse, the decentralized microblogging platform that is immune to the impulsive manipulations of Twitters ownership?

The Star Trek universe explores the unknown in both the universe and contemporary society. How the crews deal with these experiences relies on their training, the appreciation of broad perspectives and ability to devise innovative solutions to the crisis of the week. Often, such solutions are derived from characters interests in music, painting, archaeology, history, sports and other nontechnical areas of study, recreation or expertise.

Similarly, as modern digital defenders, to successfully confront our own cyber unknowns we need a broad appreciation of things beyond just cybersecurity and technology. Its one thing to understand at a technical level how a cyberattack occurs and how to respond. But its another thing to understand the broader, perhaps more systemic, nuanced, organizational or international factors that may be causes or solutions, too.

Lessons from literature, history, psychology, philosophy, law, management and other nontechnical disciplines can inform how organizations plan for and respond to cybersecurity challenges of all types. Balancing solid technical knowledge with foundations in the liberal arts and humanities allows people to adapt comfortably to constantly evolving technologies and shifting threats.

Dystopic metaphors in fiction often reflect current social concerns, and the Star Trek universe is no different. Although rooted in a science fiction fantasy, Star Trek: Picard provides some accurate, practical and understandable cybersecurity reminders for today.

Season 3, in particular, offers viewers both entertainment and education indeed, the best of both worlds.

Richard Forno is Principal Lecturer in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Jean-Claude Van Damme Was Sued by Co-Star For Stabbing His … – FandomWire

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Jean-Claude Van Damme is renowned for his martial arts skills and has been considered one of the greatest action stars of all time. Van Damme began studying martial arts at the age of ten, and by the age of eighteen, he had earned a black belt in karate. He later continued training in other martial arts forms such as kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Taekwondo.

Van Dammes martial arts skills are showcased in his films, where he performs a range of high kicks, splits, and acrobatic maneuvers. His renowned commitment to martial arts and stunts in his films has resulted in a few unfortunate incidents. One such incident occurred when stuntman Jackson Rock Pinckney sued Van Damme.

Also Read:It went south very quickly: Arnold Schwarzenegger Claimed $98M Movie Almost Got Derailed Due to Jean-Claude Van Damme in a Rubber Suit

Stuntman Jackson Rock Pinckney sued the actor for allegedly stabbing him in the eye with a prop knife during a fight scene, which caused permanent damage and resulted in blindness in the injured eye, as reported by the Associated Press News. Pinckney was even discharged from his position in the US Army due to the injury.

Pinckney filed a lawsuit against Jean-Claude Van Damme seeking compensation of more than $10,000. However, Van Damme had to pay much more than that, as the court ruled in favor of Pinckney and awarded him $487,000 in damages. This was mainly due to the testimonies of other stuntmen present during the filming, which contributed to the decision against Van Damme.

The testimonies of other stuntmen revealed that Jean-Claude Van Damme disregarded cautionary advice and performed fight scenes with full intensity, prioritizing authenticity over safety. His team attempted to challenge the verdict and argued for the case to be dismissed due to a juror consulting with a karate instructor, but their efforts were in vain as the court upheld the ruling in favor of Pinckney.

Also Read:Earthquake Saved 90s Legend Jean-Claude Van Damme From Losing His Entire $40M Fortune after Lawsuit Almost Pushed Him into Bankruptcy

Jean-Claude Van Dammes career was in its early stages when he appeared in Cyborg, as his first leading role in Bloodsport had only been released a year earlier. Despite the legal trouble the film caused, Van Dammes career continued to thrive, with him starring in numerous successful action movies such as Universal Soldier, Last Action Hero, Timecop, and Double Impact, among others.

Although Jean-Claude Van Dammes popularity as an action hero may have waned a bit, he remains active in Hollywood. He showed his versatility by lending his voice to a character in the 2022 animated movie Minions: The Rise of Gru, which is a departure from his earlier, more physical roles. The actor also has several upcoming projects in the pipeline, ensuring that his fans can still look forward to seeing him on the big screen.

Van Dammes upcoming film, Darkness of Man, will see him portray the role of an Interpol operative Russell Hatch, who has to protect the son of a dead informant from a group of dangerous gangs. The film was written and directed by James Cullen Bressack.

Cyborg is available for renting or purchasing on Google Play.

Also Read:Youll never be a star: Bloodsport Producer Had So Little Faith in Jean-Claude Van Damme He Gave Him Just $25K Salary after Actor Begged Him for a Role

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Knights of the Zodiac – Plugged In

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First thing first: Despite the presence of the word Zodiac in this films title, nothing in the movie actually references astrology.

The film tells us that there was once a war between gods that swirled around the world of mankind. And at one point the gods retreated and became nothing to man but myths. But 18 years ago, Athena was reborn as a human.

We see a golden, armor-clad knight giving up his life to protect the infant Athena from godly blasts of power. And were told that two people discovered her: a husband and wife named Alman and Guraad. Alman decided to raise the girl, whom they name Sienna, and to help her master her powers. But Guraad determined that the child must be destroyed before she destroys mankind.

The cosmic energy in the mix, called Cosmo, is never fully explained. (Its very much like the Force from Star Wars, but it emits a blue glow when used.) Seiya is told that all humans have some form of the energy within them, but knights can manipulate it and make it explode.

Sienna has visions of destroying the world if she loses control of her godlike power, the energy sweeping out and leaving everything in flames. We see her glowing and painfully wrestling with the energy in her body on several occasions. Eventually she levitates into the air and transforms into her full goddess form.

Seiya and others have this energy force on tap, too, but to a much lesser extent. And if they master their abilities, a magical pendant they wear around their neck transforms into a full suit of glowing armor.

Cosmo can also be used to create cyborg-like, armored warriors who are part human, part machine. And we see the fully empowered Seiya give magical battle to these cyborgs and other knights.

For all of the things that seem to be driving Sienna and Seiya to a certain destiny that theyve both seen in visions, Sienna makes it clear that she believes nobodys destiny is written in stone. And indeed, that becomes a turning point in the movies conclusion. Sienna uses newly acquired powers to heal someone. Someone quips, Speaking of the devil when a person walks into the room.

Were told at the end of the film that Athenas awakening is a sign that the gods will soon gather and start a war.

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Dragon Ball’s Gohan & Android 17 Are Surprisingly Similar – CBR – Comic Book Resources

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The penultimate major saga in Dragon Ball Z focused on the deadly and powerful Androids, all while seguing into a brief period where the then-teenaged Gohan was the franchise's main character. This development was cemented by the final fight against Cell, with Goku's son accomplishing what none of the other Z Fighters could. Ironically, the new hero of the series ended up having some overlooked similarities to one of his former enemies.

Of the two formerly young human Androids seen in the series, Android 17 received the lesser amount of focus before Dragon Ball Super. A somewhat standoffish young man, 17 wasn't actually much for fighting. When combined with other elements of his characterization, this gives him a surprisingly strong parallel with Gohan.

RELATED: Goku Meets His Kid Self in This Forgotten Dragon Ball Z Special

Gohan was never meant to be an adventuring fighter like his father, with Goku's wife Chi-Chi wanting their son to instead become a scholar. Thus, when Goku died in a battle with his evil brother Raditz, Gohan had no real training or fighting expertise. In order to prepare for the threat of other invading Saiyans, Goku's former enemy Piccolo essentially kidnapped Gohan in order to train him. Though this unlocked the boy's fighting potential and began Piccolo's development into a good guy, it certainly wasn't something Gohan wanted.

The same thing happened to Android 17, who was also a young child when he and his sister were kidnapped by Dr. Gero. Turned into a cyborg meant to kill Goku and avenge the Red Ribbon Army, Android 17's new lease on life was likewise not his choice. These sad developments were further paralleled by the fact that neither 17 nor Gohan truly grew up with their fathers around. The Androids' parents are never seen -- given their being kidnapped at a young age -- while Goku was never the most attentive dad. Despite the path of the warrior being rather forced on them, both characters would more than rise to the occasion when the situation called for it.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Super: How Long Will the "Super Hero" Arc Last?

Android 17 only started becoming a major part of the story again in Dragon Ball Super, but he would show tremendous power that hadn't been seen previously. This was even greater than the power shown by the Androids in the Android/Cell Sagas, including the brawny Android 16. Thus, it's highly likely that 17 could've been a big help against threats such as Majin Buu. Likewise, Gohan also had several new forms and other examples of untapped power potential. These include Mystic Gohan, the Gohan Beast transformation and his imitation of Piccolo's attacks in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

Despite all this power at their disposal, perhaps the biggest similarity between Gohan and Android 17 is how much they don't want to be fighters. Fulfilling his mother's wishes, Gohan would begin focusing more on his studies, making that a far bigger priority compared to physical training. Conversely, Android 17 loved nature and even became a park ranger to protect it, showing that a world of wanton fisticuffs wasn't really what he wanted. Like Gohan, he was actually a fairly kind and quiet-natured individual, only fighting and getting heated when necessary.

Both also have one sibling each, whom they're fairly different from. Goten is more focused on fighting than academics when compared to Gohan, while Android 18 is a much bigger focus than 17, going on to marry Krillin and have a daughter. Ironically, it was Android 17's absorption by Cell that eventually led to Gohan reaching new power levels by fighting the green foe, making the two more narratively connected than many Dragon Ball fans realized.

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Every trolling reference we could find in the Chargers’ 2023 anime … – For The Win

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Folks, the Los Angeles Chargers did it again!

After wowing NFL fans last year with their expertly done anime parody video for their schedule release, the Chargers one-upped themselves with an even better one for 2023. Yes, the 2023 NFL schedules have officially been released and that means more wacky videos to announce them. And, much like last year, the Chargers win in a landslide with their video filled to the brim with football and anime references!

Set to what is very clearly aNarutoopening theme tribute titled Until Beyond by Romix the Chargers once again intricately weaved NFL memes and anime references into one incredible video announcing their 2023 schedule.

Here is every meme, NFL reference and anime parody we spotted from the Chargers 2023 schedule release.

The outfit is the stylish fit of protagonist Giorno Giovanna with Kirk Cousins chains. Peep the banners in the stadium too for some laughs.

With a cute Psyduck too!

Cute, but also a funny roast of the Bears myriad of quarterbacks.

With a very funny to-do list behind him.

Of course Aaron Rodgers would go to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

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Every trolling reference we could find in the Chargers' 2023 anime ... - For The Win

"Oh, I threw up": Angelina Jolie Felt Sick to the Point of Nausea After … – FandomWire

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Angelina Jolie has one of the most versatile filmographies in Hollywood. From action thrillers to adventure films, and intense dramas, the star has covered a wide range of roles that have showcased her vast talent as an actor. With the years, Jolie reinvented herself further to become a Marvel superhero in Eternals to play a modified and unique version of the antagonist in the re-imagination of Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent.

Jolies debut at the tender age of 17 was a sci-fi action thriller Cyborg 2 in which the actor shared screen space with Jack Palance who featured in Tim Burtons acclaimed Batman. While the film started the journey for Jolie to become a big star, the Girl, Interrupted actor did not have the easiest time watching her work in the film.

Also Read: I didnt know if I had more to offer: Angelina Jolies Role in Gia Pushed Her To the Limits, Reflected $160M Actors Own Dark Origins

In her film debut, Angelina Jolie played Casella Cash Reese, a cyborg assassin gifted with the ability to emulate human emotions. The film was an adventurous beginning for the star who was only 17 at the time. While Jolie packed a punch and committed to the film and the action wholeheartedly, she had a stomach-churning experience watching herself and the gore on screen. The actor stated,

Oh, I threw up. I did. I saw it and I threw up. Just nausea. theres a scene when Im decapitated and talking as one does. But, yeah, I saw it and got really sick. I just remember my brother Jamie [Haven] holding me and saying, Its going to be all right.

Jolie admitted though that she was thrilled to have been allowed to do kickboxing at such a young age and confessed that she thoroughly enjoyed the high that the experience gave her.

Also Read: I feel alive when Im afraid: Angelina Jolies Mental And Physical Health Took A Dreadful Hit While Filming Simon Wests $274M Box Office Success

In what is being termed as one of the biggest casting coups of recent times, two Oscar winners and Hollywood superstars Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry will collaborate for the first time in Warner Brothers Maude Vs Maude. Apart from featuring two powerful women on-screen, the film will also be produced by the two stars Berry and Jolie with Roseanne Liang on board to be the director.

While relevant information about the plot of the film and other details are yet to be revealed, inside sources say that it will be a global thriller with a Bond vs Bourne type vibe that will have multiple locations for the action to unfold. Both Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry are veterans of the genre. While Jolie starred in the hit action thrillers Salt and Mr. and Mrs. Smith,Berry played Jinx in the blockbuster Bond installment Die Another Day and has other action-heavy credits in John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum and the X-Men movies.

Also Read: It was a huge turn-on: Angelina Jolie Said She Had the Best S*x Ever With Denzel Washington After Divorcing Ex-Husband

Source: Buzzfeed

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Signs of the times the Zeitgeist moments when athletics and world … – World Athletics

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Sport does not sit outside of society. And as a truly global sport, athletics, more than most, is influenced by what is happening in the wider world.

Over the 40 years since the World Athletics Championships was established in 1983, the world has changed remarkably, and athletics has changed with it. Occasionally, the World Championships has perfectly captured the spirit of the times in which they have been held.

From geopolitical shifts to cultural evolution, or revolution, these are some of the Zeitgeist moments of the World Championships.

I am woman, hear me roar.

The race for womens rights quickened in the 1970s around the world, and the introduction of the marathon to the womens programme at the first World Athletics Championships reflected the opening of doors to women in other walks of life.

Historically, some medical experts claimed that running the marathon distance, 26 miles 385 yards (42.195km), was dangerous for women's health. But through the 1970s, female athletes like Grete Waitz had pushed the boundaries of the accepted wisdom around their endurance capacities.

Such feats led to calls for the womens marathon to be included in the Olympic programme, but significant opposition remained.

However, the sports global governing body bit the bullet and announced it would be added to the programme for the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki. It would not only be the World Championships debut for the event, but the first time there had ever been a global championship for female marathon runners, beating the events Olympic debut by one year.

When Waitz lined up at the start in Helsinki, she was understandably the favourite.

She was already a four-time winner of the New York City Marathon and had added the London title on 17 April 1983 in a world record of 2:25:29, although Joan Benoit lowered the mark to 2:22:43 in Boston the following day. But Benoit had not qualified for the US team in the marathon, leaving Waitz as the fastest in the field in Helsinki.

The Norwegian lived up to that billing with victory in 2:28:09, having sufficient time to complete avictorylap of the 1952 Olympic Stadium before her nearest rivals entered it.

For all her experience, this was a novel moment for Waitz not just because of the status of the event, but also because she was running her first female-only race.

She said that the make-up of the race changed her tactics significantly, as there were no men around her to share the pacing responsibilities: "Here, the final time didn't really matter. The idea was to win the championship.

Geopolitics had intruded into sport and there werereciprocal Olympic boycotts at the Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984 Games.

The US team was withdrawn from the Moscow Games and the Eastern Bloc was purposefully absent in Los Angeles, so the inaugural World Athletics Championships became a landmark global competitive opportunity for Soviet and United States athletes to compete against each other when the Cold War was at its height.

Carl Lewis won the mens 100m where the two Soviet competitors, Victor Bryzgin and Nikolay Sidorov, failed to reach the semifinals and he anchored the 4x100m team to gold in a world record of 37.86. The Soviet Union won an unlikely bronze.

Carl Lewis races off of the starting blocks in Helsinki in 1983 ( Getty Images)

The 4x400m worked out even better for the Soviet men as they took gold, with the United States, anchored by 400m hurdles champion Ed Moses, taking bronze.

The mens high jump produced gold forSoviet UnionsHennadiy Avdyeyenko, who cleared 2.32m, with Tyke Peacock of the United States earning silver on countback. Sergey Bubka won what would be the first of six world pole vault titles, and Sergey Litvinov took hammer gold.

In womens events, Mary Decker won the 1500m ahead of two Soviet Union athletes, and she also won the 3000m, where the Soviet Unions Tatyana Kazankina the 1976 Olympic 800m and 1500m champion was third.

In the womens high jump, gold went to the Soviet Unions Tamara Bykova with 2.01m, West Germanys Ulrike Meyfarth taking silver on 1.99m and Louise Ritter of the United States earning bronze with 1.95m.

The final medals table saw the United States finishing ahead of the Soviet Union by just one medal, with 24 medals (eight gold) to 23 (six golds).

Topping the table, however, was East Germany, with 10 golds among a total of 22 medals.

The emergence of China as a global power in the 1990s was also reflected in the athletics arena, at the Tokyo World Championships, where China won its first two global athletics titles.

The landmark first victory came in the womens shot put through Huang Zhihong.

She beat Russias world record-holder Natalya Lisovskaya in emphatic fashion, with all four of her counting efforts bettering the best effort of her rival. Huangs second round 20.83m was top, while Lisovskaya took silver with 20.29m.

Xu Demei then added further gold in the womens javelin, also beating a world record-holder. This was a tighter win, however, as her best effort of 68.78m was only 10cm farther than the silver medallist and world record-holder Petra Felke-Meier of East Germany.

The Chinese impetus had begun and the momentum has been maintained to the point where they are now ninth on the all-time World Championships medals table with 22 gold medals, 26 silver and 25 bronze.

In 1992, Chen Yueling earned Chinas first Olympic athletics gold, winning the womens 10km race walk in Barcelona.

The Tokyo World Championships occurred less than two years after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, which paved the way for a united Germany to compete on the world stage.

Katrin Dorre had the honour of winning the first medal for the unified team, on day two of competition, 25 August, as she earned bronze in the womens marathon behind Polands winner Wanda Panfil and silver medallist Sachiko Yamashita of Japan.

On 27 August there was a German gold rush as Katrin Krabbe claimed the first world title for her unified nation, winning the womens 100m, and then Lars Riedel (mens discus) and Sabine Braun (heptathlon) earned further victories.

Krabbe added the 200m title three days later, and Heike Henkel won the first of her two womens world high jump titles.

Germany finished third in the medals table, with five golds, four silvers and eight bronzes. USA topped the table with 10, 8, 8 and Soviet Union was second with 9, 9, 11.

This was also the last time that the Soviet Union would appear as a team at the World Championships. By the end of 1991, the winds of change had swept away the Soviet state.

The disbanding of the Soviet Union gave a new look to the medal table at the World Championships in Stuttgart, where Russia (3 gold, 8 silver, 5 bronze), Ukraine (1, 1, 2), Tajikistan (1, 0, 0), Belarus (0, 2, 2) and Kazakhstan (0, 1, 0) appeared for the first time in their own right.

Russias three gold medals came in the womens long jump (Anna Biryukova), womens discus throw (Olga Chernyavskaya) and womens 4x100m.

Bubka won his fourth consecutive pole vault world title, but his first for Ukraine, and Kazakhstans Grigoriy Yegorov took the silver.

Sergey Bubka competes in the pole vault at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart ( Allsport / Getty Images)

Tajikistan (Andrey Abduvaliya) and Belarus (Igor Astapkovich) took the top two medals in the mens hammer throw.

South Africa had been banned from the Olympic movement since 1962 due to its racial segregation, but negotiations to end apartheid began in 1990, and the nation re-joined the Olympic movement, creating the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee in 1991.

Elana Meyers silver medal in the 10,000m at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games was the first global athletics medal for her country since Malcolm Spence had finished third in the mens 400m at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

Meyers hopes to win a first World Championships medal for her country in Stuttgart were frustrated as she was baulked in the final by 15-year-old Sally Barsosio of Kenya. After being repeatedly spiked, Meyer dropped out, tearfully.

It was, nevertheless, a landmark appearance.

The first South Africa medal at the World Championships was won in Athens in 1997 as Llewellyn Herbert took silver in the mens 400m hurdles, clocking 48.31 behind Stephane Diagana of France, who won in 48.14.

The first South African gold medal at the World Championships also arrived in Athens, on 5 August, when Marius Corbett won the javelin with 88.40m, beating Britains Steve Backley with 86.80m.

Namibia, which became independent of South Africa in 1990, was first to claim big medals thanks to Frankie Fredericks, who won 200m gold in Stuttgart in a championship record of 19.85, while Namibias Luketz Swartbooi took silver in the marathon behind Mark Plaatjes South African-born but recently switched to represent the United States.

As television rights revenue exploded in the 1980s, the march to professionalism across sport became irresistible. In 1985, the International Olympic Committee agreed to allow professional athletes to compete in tennis, football and ice hockey at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, opening the door for full professionalism to sweep through athletics.

Prize money was paid at a World Championships for the first time at the 1997 edition in Athens, with individual gold medallists getting $60,000, and $100,000 being on offer for world records.

Coincidentally it was in Athens that the first big shift away from amateurism in the sport took place when, in 1982, the IAAF Congress introduced the concept of trust funds for elite athletes into which money could be paid to assist in training and travel.

The first of the biennial World Championships, the 1993 edition in Stuttgart, became the first edition offering material rewards for winning athletes.

While calls for prize money were resisted, the IAAF arranged for event sponsor Mercedes-Benz to provide each of the 40 individual event winners with one of its new "C" class cars or its cash value of $28,000.

But it was only a matter of time before shamateurism was laid to rest. And in 1997 the IAAF enabled prize money to be paid directly in its competitions, putting aside $19million for that purpose to cover 1997 to 1999.

At last years World Athletics Championships in Oregon, the total prize money had risen to nearly $8.5 million. In individual events, gold medal winners received $70,000, with $35,000 for silver and $22,000 for bronze. Additionally, there were $100,000 bonuses available for gold medal winners who broke a world record.

In 1991, Australia embarked on a long, slow process of reconciliation with its indigenous people. That political and cultural process coincided with the emergence of a young indigenous sprinter, who sprang into public consciousness when she won a gold medal at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games in the 4x100m relay, aged just 16.

By 1997, Cathy Freeman was one of the worlds best sprinters, an Olympic silver medallist in the 400m. In Athens she became the first indigenous Australian to win a world athletics title as she secured the womens 400m gold, which she successfully defended in 1999 in Seville.

Cathy Freeman celebrates her 400m win at the 1997 World Championships in Athens ( Allsport / Getty Images)

At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, she became the face of reconciliation in Australia, when she was chosen to light the Olympic cauldron on behalf of her country, before carrying her nations hopes to victory in the 400m 10 days later. On her victory lap, she carried both the Australian and indigenous flags.

Reflecting the slow march to equality for women in society, it took 34 years for the World Championships to reach parity in events, at the London 2017 edition, where men and women each contested 24 events. The womens programme had gained a second walk, the 50km race walk.

Since the inaugural 1983 World Championships, the introduction of new events for women has been a steady process.

The 10,000m was introduced in 1987; the 5000m replaced the 3000m in 1995; the triple jump was added in 1993; the 20km walk was added in 1999, replacing the 10km walk that first appeared in 1987; the pole vault was introduced in 1999, as was the hammer throw; and in 2005 the 3000m steeplechase was added to the womens programme.

The addition of the womens 50km walk for the London 2017 World Championships carried over to the Doha 2019 World Championships. At the 2022 World Championships in Oregon the second womens race walk was contested over 35km.

Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

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Experts discuss growth of Constitutional Sheriff movement during … – Shaw Local News Network

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U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, hosted a virtual panel over the weekend at which he and four others discussed rising extremism and right-wing sheriffs, which he said represents an incredibly dangerous movement.

The panel featured Casten, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law Professor Jason DeSanto, lawyer and journalist Jessica Pishko, NAACP Legal Defense Fund Public Safety Project Manager Puneet Cheema and University of Illinois-Chicago School of Law Professor Steven Schwinn. They all spoke about the Constitutional Sheriffs Movement and their views on the dangers of the group.

DeSanto moderated the event and provided a bit of history on the Constitutional Sheriffs Movement and its rising traction in Illinois.

The movement began in 2011 and gained traction in Illinois after the Protect Illinois Communities Act was signed by Gov. JB Pritzker in January, DeSanto said. The act was a response to the July 4, 2022, shooting in Highland Park and banned the sale and distribution of assault weapons in Illinois. After the signing of the act, sheriffs representing 90 counties in Illinois said they would not enforce it, viewing it as a violation of the Second Amendment.

[This] movement, often framed in terms of liberty, may actually be a growing threat to liberty, to our Constitutional system and to our Constitutional rights, DeSanto said at the start of the event.

Casten said DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick is one of the 90 sheriffs who said they would not enforce the act, which led Casten to discuss the topic with him in what Casten called a heated conversation.

Casten in January called for Mendrick to retract a statement about the states new gun ban or resign. In the statement, Mendrick said he believed the states new ban on high-powered guns and high-capacity magazines was unconstitutional.

In early February, Mendrick said he was not threatened with censure during a meeting with DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy and States Attorney Robert Berlin.

Discussing the movement in Washington, D.C., with an unnamed Republican representative from what Casten called a very rural state, his colleague said the Constitutional Sheriffs Movement is the most dangerous thing happening in America, Casten said.

Casten warned of the ideology of the movement that includes the belief that when sheriffs are in their own county, their powers supersede those of any law enforcement officer, employee or other elected official of any level of government all the way up to the president.

Richard Mack, the founder of the movement, Casten said, also is a member of the Oath Keepers, a group whose members were involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Oath Keepers asks members to willingly violate any law they personally believe violates the Constitution.

There is a deep rot that this is tied to a lot of our system, Casten said. This is a real problem. I am not for a moment suggesting the police are racist or tied to slavery. What I am suggesting, though, is that there has always been a history a direct link between white supremacy and the desire to expand the powers of local law enforcement at the expense of the federal government and that tension is now being manifested in local law enforcement agencies.

The panel was livestreamed on Castens Facebook page and can be viewed there. It has received a variety of comments from users, some supporting and thanking Casten for convening the panel and others criticizing him for subverting the Constitution, exclaiming their support instead for the Constitutional Sheriffs Movement.

Casten did not participate much in the conversation, allowing the panelists to share their experiences and knowledge of the movement and its dangers. He said he believes they are the experts, and after hearing the panelists speak, he said he wanted to leave the audience with two thoughts.

I think it is factually accurate to refer to this as a right-wing movement, Casten said. Im also nervous when we say that because whoever you voted for in the last election should not color your concern here, and wherever you sit on this, I would ask you to recognize theres a celebration of vigilantism in our culture that is not from the left or the right its something in the American zeitgeist.

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Experts discuss growth of Constitutional Sheriff movement during ... - Shaw Local News Network