Teejayx6 Will Steal Your Identityand Rap About It – WIRED

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All while scamming, Teejayx6 always wanted to rap. In his teens, he gave it a whirl. At first, on early tracks that didn't get traction, he was just punching out predictable lines about drug-dealingstuff he wasnt even really doing. And everybody in the world damn near does that. Its nothing to stand about drug dealing. So he pivoted to putting his scams on the tracks, and he became a part of a wave.

Charting the scam rap scenes rise, Vices Ryan Bassil points to Detroit as the nexus, Bossman Rich as the progenitor, and Bossmans 2017 track Juggin Aint Dead as the index case. Writing about the scene at Pitchfork, Alphonse Pierre paid respect to the more obscure bits of the internet from which these dudes draw inspiration: Every Detroit rapper definitely prefers Ask.com over Google. Scam rap has become a small media darling. Maybe thats because it sounds made-up. Or maybe thats because its so particular. In its insularity, and its strangeness, and its fledgling-ness, theres a very appealing purity.

For me, Teejayx6 stands out from the scene. Hes more audacious and more single-minded. Bar after bar are lessonsliteral details of his own (alleged? alleged-ish?) scammery. He blurs the lines as much as possible. On his Instagram, hes offered to sell verses (at $500 a pop) and scam tutorials (at a much more reasonable $25 per).

At a so-called scammer convention in New York, as Pitchfork's Pierre reported, a kid with two iPhone 10s told Teejayx6, with apparent sincerity, I wouldnt have this sauce without you. One of the top comments on Teejayx6s video for Apple reads, This aint even a song this just a felony with a beat.

You know how lifer comedy writers end up so inured to standard misfortune that they can only laugh at the saddest, darkest shit? I would have to admit theres an element of that operating here, with love for Teejayx6. The dude is just so, so weird. At times, Teejayx6 free-associates himself into very unexpected places. On Violin, he brags, I know the terrorists who did 9/11 back in New York. On Twitter, hes teased a future lyric: My uncle said in World War2 he shot at a T-Rex.

But through it all, his tracks pack an unexpected hookiness. Since I first heard Dark Web a few months back, its opening linesThe government tried to ban me from the dark web / I downloaded Tor Browser then got back inhave been on a near-constant loop inside of my head.

Sometimes, Teejayx6 raps about scamming people and places who most certainly deserve it. Walmart, for one. The New England Patriots Tom Brady, for another. Teejayx6 has a more nihilistic streak, though. Other victims of his scams have supposedly included tenuously employed forward Carmelo Anthony, his barber, his grandma, and a little kid who he think[s] is Arthur.

Do you ever, like, feel bad? I ask Teejayx6.

Sometimes, he says. It depends on the situation. Like around Christmas last year, a lot of people were telling me I was taking their last money for Christmas gifts. Thats really the only time I was feeling bad.

So you wont do that again?

He says he most certainly will be doing that again. Im picking up new scams every day, he adds. Fans and peers send him tips and ideas. I get a lot of DMs every day and a lot of people coming up to me.

But wait. Even with the Christmas money people. You dont feel bad?

Let me ask you a question, he says. You think Donald Trump scammed his way into office?

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Teejayx6 Will Steal Your Identityand Rap About It - WIRED

How can I search the internet without being tracked? – Business MattersBusiness Matters

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Our Internet provider can have access to anything that we browse into and we are also at the mercy of hackers trying their best to tap into our computers.

If you have information that is highly sensitive on your computer or your browser, then this might be very dangerous for you. You need to find a way to become untraceable.

But how can you browse the Internet without being tracked? Can you actually enjoy the benefits of the Internet all while keeping your identity and activity private to the eyes of someone that might be looking? No matter if you decide to buy a proxy server or use a secured platform, here are our tips for you.

The detailed answer might change depending on the person but in most cases, it all boils down to privacy. For instance, lets say that you are looking for a job while you are at work, and you do not want your current employer to see that you are planning to leave. Anonymous browsing will simply erase any signs of that search for the job.

Or lets say that you wish to look for some information on a prescription drug. When you browse for that drug on the mother website, there is a chance that your information (such as your e-mail or IP address) will be taken. This will give them the chance to send you advertisements and spam you with their content regarding that particular medicine. Anonymous browsing should prevent that from happening.

Anonymous browsing can also be very useful if you are in a country with very restrictive web policies, where you cannot view particular pieces of content. So, if you see that your access has been denied based on the country of origin, anonymous browsing might confuse the mother website about the country of origin.

So, you have decided that you wish to go forward with browsing anonymously how do you even start to do that? Well, here are a few tips for you.

A web proxy might be a great way for you to browse anonymously, as it hides your IP address and makes it seem like you are somewhere else. It takes you through a dummy server, so to speak, so that the hosting website does not know where you are coming from. You may get one at proxy-store.com, and you can use it to make your browsing private.

If you use a VPN, you may also keep your browsing private and unable to be tracked. It is similar to a proxy, in a way but it is in many ways different and superior. It is very useful when you want to keep pretty much everything encrypted protecting not only your browsing history, but also your messaging, file sharing, and everything else.

There are several web browsers out there that are very efficient to use in regard to private browsing. Granted, we are all used to Internet Explorer or Google Chrome but Tor Browser, for instance, is very good when you wish to keep your browsing private, as it encrypts your Internet traffic and passes it through many other servers.

Google and Bing are indeed very useful but are not really privacy-minded. In this case, you may want to go for search engines such as DuckDuckGo, as it works well to keep your search history private and block the advertising trackers.

This is something that every browser has. On some, it goes by a private window and in others, its called incognito mode. Regardless of its name, this mode does not track your data and it also prevents your history from being stored.

In the end, you may choose to go incognito or simply opt for a proxy of all websites. Regardless of your choice, there are several ways for you to keep your searches private.

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How can I search the internet without being tracked? - Business MattersBusiness Matters

SCOTUS Is Hearing Its First Big Gun Case in 9 Years. Heres How It Might Play Out. – The Trace

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On December 2, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on a major gun rights case for the first time in almost a decade. The case was brought in 2013 by the New York Pistol and Rifle Association, a gun rights advocacy group located outside of Albany, against New York City. The association argues that a New York City restriction that prevented licensed gun owners from taking their firearms outside the city violated the Second Amendment.

After the Supreme Court agreed to take the case in January of this year, New York City repealed the relevant restriction, hoping the high court would drop the case. It hasnt and could still issue a ruling with broad Second Amendment implications.

The high court has been virtually silent on gun rights since it established that the Second Amendment includes the right to bear arms in the home in District of Columbia v. Heller, a watershed decision from 2008. But the Supreme Courts inertia has frustrated pro-gun advocates who want clarification on the many questions left unanswered in Heller: Does the Second Amendment protect the right to carry guns outside the home? What kinds of firearms are covered by the right to bear arms?

Since Heller, the court has shifted further to the right, but this doesnt mean the petitioners will win. Thats partly because the gun restriction that prompted the suit is no longer law, which could render the entire case moot.

To help us understand exactly what New York State Pistol and Rifle Association v. City of New York means for the law, The Trace spoke to Joseph Blocher, a legal scholar who co-directs the Center for Firearms Law at the Duke University School of Law. Professor Blocher also assisted with briefing for the District of Columbia in the Heller case.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Olivia Li: What is this case about?

Joseph Blocher: The Pistol and Rifle Association is suing over a restriction in New York Citys gun license that prevented gun owners from transporting their firearms outside city limits to a second home or gun range. The association says that the restriction referred to as a transport ban violated the Second Amendment right to bear arms, as well as the constitutional right to travel. There are a lot of different ways this case could go, but it could end up being a pretty big deal.

How are the constitutional questions in this case different than Heller? And how has the composition of the court evolved?

Heller was about whether there was a constitutional right to have a gun inside your home. The Supreme Court said there was, and that the core right in the Second Amendment was to keep an arm in the home for self defense.

This case, however, involves rules and conduct outside the home. Here, the court will be considering whether there is a Second Amendment right to transport your weapon from your home to another place where you have a right to have the gun, like a shooting range. The line between the home and public space has been a battle line in Second Amendment cases since Heller.

This case is also different from Heller in the sense that the Court has changed a lot since Justice [Antonin] Scalia penned the majority opinion in 2008. Justice Scalia has been replaced by Justice [Neil] Gorsuch, and Justice [Anthony] Kennedy was replaced by Justice [Brett] Kavanaugh. Many people believe that Kennedy was the swing vote in Heller, and that he only agreed to sign onto Scalias opinion if it included language that was friendly to reasonable gun regulations. And Kavanaugh and Gorsuch are stronger on gun rights than Kennedy was. The associations case will be heard by a much more conservative, pro-gun court.

Why hasnt the court taken a Second Amendment case in so long?

There werent enough votes to take up gun cases! You need four justices to grant cert [when the Supreme Court agrees to hear a case]. Its likely that Kavanaugh and Gorsuch made the difference here. Before they joined, the Court declined many opportunities to hear Second Amendment cases, including ones about public carry.

But gun rights lawyers have been begging the Supreme Court for years to hear a Second Amendment case. They argue that the Supreme Court has stood idly by while lower federal courts disrespect the right to bear arms by upholding too many gun regulations. Justice [Clarence] Thomas shares this opinion. He has chided his fellow justices for not supervising lower courts on the Second Amendment.

What do the petitioners want in this case?

The petitioners want to be able to transport their guns from within New York City limits to an out-of-city gun range or second home.

Its clear that the association thinks this case is also about the right to bear arms outside the home, not just transport them. But New York Citys regulation only addressed the transport of guns between places. Gun rights groups have tried to attack restrictions on public carry in other cases, but the Supreme Court never wanted to get involved.

What has happened in this case up to this point?

The association lost its case in a federal district court in 2015. And it lost again in 2018, when an appellate court ruled that New York Citys regulation was constitutional because it served New York Citys public safety goals. The Association asked the Supreme Court to reconsider that decision in September of 2018.

Theres another interesting piece to this: The New York City Police Department repealed the transport ban in July of 2019. That same month, New York State passed a law that says all cities within the state must allow gun permit holders to transport their weapons to second homes or gun ranges.

If New York City repealed the law, why is this case still going forward?

The association is saying that New York City only repealed the transport ban because it was afraid of how the Supreme Court might rule. But normally, when a person bringing a lawsuit asks for something, and she gets it, the case is over. In legal terms, this is called mootness, because theres no longer an issue to resolve. Courts should not hear cases that are moot.

There are some exceptions to this rule. For example, you wouldnt want a defendant to stop trespassing as soon as a lawsuit is filed just to get the case dismissed, only to start trespassing again. However, in this case, theres no danger of that happening. Remember, New York State passed a law that prohibits New York City from re-instituting its transport ban.

How might the Court rule? And what are some potential consequences?

There is a range of possible outcomes, but its helpful to think of them in two buckets. First, the court could dismiss the case as moot, because theres nothing the court could do to put the petitioners in a better position than theyre already in. They are free to travel with firearms outside New York City. Second, the justices could say the case should live on, and they will try to figure out whether the transport ban violates the Second Amendment.

Within this second bucket, there are a few options. The Court could agree with the reasoning of the lower court and hold that New York Citys regulation does not unconstitutionally burden gun rights. This preserves the status quo.

However, the Supreme Court could instead conclude that the Second Amendment protects the transport of guns to specific locations, as well as the right to bear arms in the home. But such a decision doesnt necessarily turn the tides. The Court could simply say that this particular regulation in New York City goes outside the bounds of reasonable gun laws. Because no other city has a rule like New Yorks and New York took its own law off the books this is a narrow result that changes literally nothing on the ground.

Another option: The Supreme Court could issue a much broader ruling where the justices say that theres a right to public carry. The Supreme Court has never before announced that the Second Amendment covers the right to bear arms in public, although most lower courts have held or assumed otherwise.

Finally, the Supreme Court could change the way lower courts analyze Second Amendment cases. Right now, when a gun rights advocate challenges a firearm law, the courts try to figure out if the gun law is specifically designed to serve public safety goals. In the associations case, the Supreme Court could announce a much more originalist test, one that requires courts to find a particular historical basis for modern day gun regulations. This change could make cases more difficult for governments who want to defend firearm regulations.

We talked about how the Court composition has changed a lot since Heller. The world outside the Supreme Court has changed a great deal too. Weve seen an increase in mass shootings and gun violence, as well as more social activism on gun reform. Will the justices be affected by this?

Thats a really fair question, and its one that comes up in every case, not just gun rights cases: How should the Supreme Court respond to public opinion, if it should at all? And I dont think I have the answer to that. What I can say is that all of the justices in Heller recognized the problem of gun violence in the United States. Justice Scalia even wrote at the end of his opinion that gun violence was a serious problem. That was 2008. Sandy Hook, Orlando, Vegas, and Parkland all postdate Heller.

Who do you think will win?

I think the New York State Pistol and Rifle Association has already won this case, because New York City repealed its transport ban. The association has gotten everything it has asked for, and thats precisely why I believe the Court should dismiss this case as moot, no matter what the justices think about the Second Amendment.

When will we get a decision?

If the Court dismisses the case simply because New York City already repealed the regulation, then we could get a decision very quickly. If the Court actually tries to figure out whether the New York City regulation violated the Second Amendment, well likely be waiting longer. But its really hard to say.

Do you think the Supreme Court will take more Second Amendment cases in the future?

I think if the Court dismisses this case on procedural grounds, theres a good chance it will take another Second Amendment case soon, maybe even by the end of this term.

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SCOTUS Is Hearing Its First Big Gun Case in 9 Years. Heres How It Might Play Out. - The Trace

The Supreme Court Shouldn’t Disrupt the Judicial Consensus on the Second Amendment – brennancenter.org

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This piece was originally published by SCOTUSblog.

In one sense, the stakes inNew York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. City of New Yorkcouldnt be lower: The challenged regulation, a one-of-a-kind New York City restriction on transporting licensed handguns outside city limits, has already been repealed, arguably rendering the case moot. But when it comes to Second Amendment doctrine and methodology, the stakes are higher than theyve been in a decade. If the petitioners have their way, the Supreme Court could reject the mainstream approach for deciding Second Amendment questions in favor of a more radical test focused solely on text, history, and tradition and without consideration of contemporary realities of guns and gun violence. That would be a mistake.

The methodological debate animating this case began 10 years ago inDistrict of Columbia v. Heller, in which the court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms for private purposes like self-defense, and that the right like all constitutional rights is subject to regulation. But, aside from listing some presumptively lawful measures, the court did not identify a doctrinal mechanism to evaluate those regulations (tiers of scrutiny, adequate alternatives, substantial burden, etc.), instead leaving the task to the lower courts.

In more than 1,000 cases sinceHeller, thedoctrinal dust has begun to settle, and the outlines of constitutional rules and standards have become clearer. Of course, no constitutional right is governed by a single doctrinal test; even the canard that fundamental rights get strict scrutiny repeated often by the petitioners in this case issimply false. (Free speech claims, to take one obvious example, are governed by a wide range of tests.) But courts have nonetheless converged, with striking unanimity, on a general framework for adjudicating Second Amendment cases. That framework is frequently called the two-step test.

The first step is a threshold inquiry about whether the Second Amendment comes into play at all. AsHellermakes clear, theres no scrutiny necessary for bans on possession by felons (with arguable and limited exceptions for as-applied challenges), or dangerous or unusual weapons such as machine guns, or weapons in sensitive places. For those regulations that do raise Second Amendment questions, courts proceed to the second step and apply something like a sliding scale of means-end scrutiny to evaluate the relationship between the state interest served by the regulation and the methods employed to further that interest. The more seriously a regulation interferes with the core interest of self-defense in the home, the more scrutiny it gets.

This framework is so basic as to be archetypal constitutional rights adjudication frequently involves a threshold inquiry into the rights applicability, followed by some context-specific scrutiny of burden, purpose and tailoring. In the First Amendment context, for example, courts regularly ask whether an activity campaign contributions, for example counts as speech before applying whatever doctrinal test is appropriate.

In short, assome constitutional law scholars have concluded, using the two-part framework means treating the right to keep and bear arms like the fundamental right that it is. The two-part framework, moreover, accommodates both historical analysis and consideration of contemporary costs and benefits; it includes both bright-line rules (prohibitions on laws that go too far) and standards. And the fact that it has been endorsed by every federal court of appeals is a resounding vote of confidence.

And yet the petitioners in this case contend that applying this common methodology converts the Second Amendment into a second-class right. Courts are too lenient with regard to the tailoring analysis, the argument goes, or misconstrue the historical element of the framework. They say the two-part test has been systematically misapplied.

Of course, mistakes are inevitable in any high-volume area of constitutional litigation, and some have undeniably occurred in Second Amendment cases. One court, for example, found that the amendment protectedonly those arms in existence at the nations founding not modern-day weapons like stun guns a decision overturned by a unanimous Supreme Court. In truth, such mistakes have been relatively rare. Most Second Amendment cases areweak to begin with. This is partly because ofHelleritself, which blessed as presumptively lawful various regulations that are often challenged, like felon-in-possession laws. Its also due to the fact that gun politics prevent most stringent regulations from being enacted in the first place this is not a target-rich environment for gun-rights litigators. When a court errs in upholding an unconstitutional law, however, the typical way to correct the error is through appellate decisions. In this case, by contrast, the Supreme Court is being asked to forgo the typical approach, toss out the consensus methodology and supercharge the Second Amendment with a new set of rules.

The most prominent alternative to the two-part framework is the one articulated by then-judge Brett Kavanaugh in a dissent in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit: That gun regulations should not be evaluated using any level of scrutiny, but rather by looking to text, history and tradition alone.

Some advocates of this new test hope and expect that it would expand the right to keep and bear arms to some imagined historical ideal, immune from regulation. But that historical image is itself ahistorical: Gun rights and regulations have coexisted for centuries. The laws have changed, because guns and gun violence have changed, but from the very beginning weve had versions of safe-storage requirements, bans on dangerous and unusual weapons, restrictions on public carrying and even outright bans on public carry including in supposed gun havens like Dodge City and Tombstone. Guns are a part of American history, but so, too, is gun regulation. For reference, there are more than 1,500 entries inDukes Repository of Historical Gun Laws, a searchable, non-comprehensive database of firearms regulations that predate the federal governments first major intervention into the field in 1934. A properly applied historical test should uphold a lot of gun regulation.

The main problem with relying solely on text, history and tradition, however, is that it doesnt provide useful guidance for modern-day regulations that respond to modern-day gun violence. The text alone cant tell you whether a machine gun is an arm or whether convicted felons are among the People the Second Amendment protects. The 27 words of the amendment are silent on many questions, and history and tradition dont speak with one voice there were and are significantregionaldifferences in approaches to gun regulation, as well as divisionsbetween urban and rural areas.

Perhaps in some extreme cases (a total ban on public carry, for example), text, history and tradition would provide relatively clear rules. But for most standard forms of modern gun regulation restrictive licensing schemes for public carry, for example, or prohibitions on high-capacity magazines or on gun possession by people convicted of domestic violence all of the work would be done by analogical reasoning. Judges would have to decide for themselves whether certain modern guns or gun laws are relevantly similar to laws from 150 or 200 years ago.

How would such a test of judicial analogies work in practice? Is a rocket launcher like a musket, because you can lift it, or is it like a cannon, because its so powerful? How is an AR-15 like a musket? Do you compare barrel lengths? Muzzle velocity? Relative deadliness? Such questions place a lot of weight on judges own, perhaps unexamined intuitions. In this way, the test of text, history and tradition simply cloaks judicial discretion in an air of objectivity.

In practice, the supposedly historical inquiry eventually comes back, in a roundabout and less transparent way, to the same kinds of questions that are front and center for means-end scrutiny. Good analogical reasoning requires finding relevant similarities, and whats most relevant about guns is their function, especially their usefulness for whatHellersays is the core lawful purpose of self-defense. If automatic weapons are prohibited, but semi-automatic handguns are permitted, does that materially interfere with peoples ability to defend themselves in their homes? If so, has the government shown that the prohibition is appropriately tailored to a sufficiently strong interest? The two-part framework makes those questions explicit, rather than laundering them through a subjective form of historical formalism.

Text, history and traditionabsolutely matterin the context of the Second Amendment, just as in other areas of constitutional law. But to make them the sole measure of constitutionality wouldnt give much useful guidance in hard cases, and would invite a lot of unarticulated, potentially hidden judicial discretion and power. Second Amendment scholarNelson Lund puts the point well: Pretending to find the answers in history and tradition will encourage either covert judicial policymaking, which is just what reliance on history and tradition is supposed to prevent, or ill-supported historical stories in defense of results that could honestly and responsibly be justified through normal means-end scrutiny.

The Supreme Court is being asked in this case to reject a doctrinal framework unanimously endorsed by the federal courts of appeals and widely used in constitutional-rights jurisprudence, and to adopt instead a brand-new doctrinal test that would almost certainly invite broad judicial discretion. We hope that the court declines that invitation.

Joseph Blocher is Lanty L. Smith 67 Professor of Law at Duke Law School, where he co-directs the Center for Firearms Law. Eric Ruben is assistant professor of law at SMU Dedman School of Law and a Brennan Center fellow. Along with Darrell A.H. Miller of Duke Law School, they filedan amicus brief in support of neither sideinNew York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. City of New York.

The views expressed here are the authors own and not necessarily those of the Brennan Center.

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The Supreme Court Shouldn't Disrupt the Judicial Consensus on the Second Amendment - brennancenter.org

Fannin County joins other Texas counties as Second Amendment sanctuary movement – KXII-TV

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FANNIN COUNTY, Tex. (KXII) Fannin County has declared themselves a Second Amendment sanctuary county during a commissioners court meeting Tuesday, making them one of at least 15 counties across the state of Texas to do so.

County officials said it all started when a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination said he planned to take away certain kinds of firearms if he was elected next year. In response, counties all around the state have declared their properties, facilities and resources off limits to any government trying to seize weapons or arrest people for having them.

Fannin County Judge Randy Moore says the proclamation was approved unanimously, 5 - 0, by the court.

"It just lets our county know where we stand," said Moore. "We feel like those are God given rights, we feel like those are rights that were given to us by the Constitution of the United States, and we plan to uphold them."

Fannin County Sheriff Mark Johnson said he wants people to know that nothing is going to change in terms of the legal purchasing process.

"We're not going to participate with the federal government, or anyone that's going to come in and try and take away people's guns" said Johnson.

This means the county will not allow anyone to use their resources if they try and take away someone's firearm, such as the jail, or any help from law enforcement.

Some Fannin County residents were not enthused. Bill Roberts, who lives in Bailey, said during the court meeting he didn't see how the resolution fell within the rights of the court.

"Are we now putting the putting the sheriff and commissioners court in charge of what's constitutional and what is not?" Roberts said.

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Fannin County joins other Texas counties as Second Amendment sanctuary movement - KXII-TV

Williams: The "Second Amendment Sanctuary" movement is a sham. But more local control is a good idea. – Richmond.com

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Williams: The "Second Amendment Sanctuary" movement is a sham. But more local control is a good idea. - Richmond.com

Collin County Passes Resolution Supporting the Second Amendment – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

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Collin County has joined a growing number of Texas cities taking a stand for the Second Amendment.

So far, at least 10 counties have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries.

The trend came after the mass shooting in El Paso and comments by former presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke during a Democratic primary debate.

"Hell yes, we're going to take away your AR-15, we're not going to let them be used against fellow Americans anymore!" O'Rourke exclaimed.

Monday, Collin County passed a resolution that's "reaffirming our support for the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution."

It was introduced by Collin County Judge Chris Hill during Monday's commissioners meeting.

"I wanted to put together a resolution that says we will honor our oath of office. We will follow the laws and we will preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the laws," Hill said.

Members of the public weighed in.

"People kill people, not guns," said Fairview City Councilman Roland Feldman.

"I have never felt more afraid for my brown boys than I do in this county," said a tearful opponent.

Since O'Rourke's response at the Democratic debate in September, Hill said more than 100 people came forward to request the county take a stand for the Second Amendment.

"That frustrates citizens in this community who are law abiding," Hill said.

Some criticized the timing -- three months after an Allen man carried out the El Paso mass shooting and the same day as an Allen teenager was laid to rest. Marquel Ellis Jr., 16, was shot and killed at a party on Nov. 16.

"I would love to see the county be just as interested in everyone's safety as they are to try to make a political statement," said one critic at Monday's meeting.

Supporters said with gun rights under fire, defending the Second Amendment is their first priority.

"In this day and age, when so many politicians are out here trying to shred the constitution and not stand by their oath, I applaud you," one supporter said.

The resolution passed unanimously.

The resolution reads as follows:

A resolution of the Collin County Commissioners Court, reaffirming our support for the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

WHEREAS, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; and

WHEREAS, for the benefit and protection of all people, these unalienable rights are enumerated and enshrined in the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Texas; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, we hereby reaffirm our sacred oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Texas. So help us God.

A resolution of the Collin County Commissioners Court, reaffirming our support for the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

WHEREAS, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed;

and WHEREAS, for the benefit and protection of all people, these unalienable rights are enumerated and enshrined in the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Texas;

now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, we hereby reaffirm our sacred oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Texas. So help us God.

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Collin County Passes Resolution Supporting the Second Amendment - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

"Meet Me in the Middle" Podcast on the Second Amendment – Reason

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The way I explain the 2nd amendment, is by analogy to a volunteer fire department.

Suppose youre concerned, not just that your community may suffer from fires, but that arsonists might get control of the local government. Your fire department might end up being sent out of the way while the fires raged, or even set to igniting them itself.

But if you rely on a volunteer fire department, even if arsonists are in control of the government, that fire department will be motivated to put fires out, not set them.

And if you guarantee the right of people to own and train with fire fighting equipment, then even if your local arsonist rules shut down the volunteer fire department, you can still organize to put out the fires they set.

The 2nd amendment, like the rest of the Bill of Rights, is not intended to facilitate the government doing the right thing out of good motives. Its intended to stop the government from doing the wrong thing out of bad motives. You simply cant understand the Bill of Rights if youre not willing to think of the government as a potential enemy of the people, intent on doing evil, not good.

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"Meet Me in the Middle" Podcast on the Second Amendment - Reason

19 States Now Have Counties with Second Amendment Sanctuaries in Place – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

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Opinion

USA -(AmmoLand.com)- Communities around the nation are standing up to the narrative that gun control is the will of the people. Over 230 counties, towns, and cities have passed what is known as Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinances, or SASOs.

These ordinances tell their state and federal government that the county does not support gun control and that it will not be enforced even if it becomes law.

Just in the past month, counties in Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida, Tennessee, and Arizona have enacted versions of SASOs, bringing the number of states that have them up to 19.

However, while these ordinances are passed for the right reasons, they could be better.

Many of the ordinances that have been passed simply declare the county as a Second Amendment Sanctuary, but do not usually offer any way to enforce the ordinance.

In other words, these SASOs dont have any teeth, or ways to hold those who break the ordinance accountable.

That is where our SASO is different.

Gun Owners of America has created a SASO template that can be adopted by any community, county, city, or town.

This minor addition makes your SASO much more meaningful and turns it into something impactful, rather than just a simple resolution.

Please click here to learn more about our Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance and to download a copy for yourself.

Whether you are a county commissioner, on the city council or just a private citizen who wants to see our resolution passed in your community please take a copy to tell people about it.

Click here to let us know if your locality has taken up our SASO.

We are in this fight together.

In liberty,

Matthew PattersonDirector of State and Local AffairsGun Owners of America

P.S. Please take our SASO to your commission or council and make your community a Second Amendment sanctuary. And if youve let your membership lapse, make sure to renew your membership in Gun Owners of America today for only $20!

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19 States Now Have Counties with Second Amendment Sanctuaries in Place - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

Former Brady Campaign President Dan Gross, Stands with Second Amendment Supporters – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

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Opinion

USA -(AmmoLand.com)- In an amazing twist that was somehow completely overlooked by most of the nations media, Dan Gross, who served for 6 years as president of the gun control advocacy group, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, joined thousands of Second Amendment supporters at a rally on the West Lawn of the nations capital in Washington DC.

Not only did Gross express support for Second Amendment rights and respect for gun owners, but he also criticized gun control groups for intentionally and dogmatically demonizing guns and gun owners, while focusing on restricting guns instead of saving lives.

In the past, there have occasionally been lobbyists and politicians who abandoned pro-rights groups or positions to express support for some form of gun control, and those defectors typically received significant media attention for their actions.

Gross remarks are available on multiple YouTube channels and were covered in the conservative and gun press, including here on AmmoLand News, so its not hard for anyone interested to see exactly what he said.

As a member of the 2nd Amendment Rally Organizing Committee, I interviewed Gross before we agreed to invite him to the rally. I found him to be sincere in his commitment to the right to arms, if not quite as devoted to the full extent of the protections the amendment provides. At least hes open to discussion and learning.

Theres a possibility that Gross came out in support of the Second Amendment as a publicity stunt, looking for exposure and support for his new effort that focuses more on the responsibilities involved in gun ownership than on additional government regulations, and Im okay with that. Gun ownership carries significant responsibilities, and as long as those pushing the message of responsible firearm ownership arent advocating for government intervention into the lives of gun owners, I welcome them to the discussion. I might not agree with everything that Gross decides to promote, just as I dont always agree with the actions and positions of established gun rights groups, but iron sharpens iron. Discussions, even arguments, over philosophy and the best approach to the right to arms are a useful and productive process, unlike shouting and foot-stomping.

We gathered over 2000 rights advocates on the Capitol lawn on very short notice, and without funding or active support from any of the major advocacy organizations. We brought together some 30 speakers representing a wide array of perspectives and approaches, all fiercely advocating against the creeping encroachment of government regulation on our fundamental right to arms. We were respectful, cheerful, and more diverse in terms of race, outlook, and lifestyle than the dominant media would ever admit.

We used technology to send our message far beyond the couple of thousand in direct attendance to thousands more virtual participants watching the live stream, and still, more who have and continue to watch the archive footage online, making this one of the most widely seen Second Amendment events ever held.

The core theme of the rally was the message that You Are the Gun Lobby. It is and must remain the core message of the pro-rights movement. You cant rely on some group any group to protect your rights, and just sending a few dollars now and then does not get the job done. You must take direct action in the form of calls and letters to elected officials, and involvement in getting the right people elected. Its also critical that you engage with friends and family, with clear facts and by demonstrating a strong example of responsible gun ownership.

Efforts to spread the truth about gun owners and gun ownership into non-traditional communities women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, LGBTQ folks, and people of every political and religious persuasion depend on you. We need everyone to know that the Second Amendment protects THEIR rights, just as it protects our rights. The Second Amendment is for everyone, and we need everyone we come in contact with to feel welcome and appreciated as a fellow rights supporter. The right to arms must transcend our differences and bind us together under a single banner and common cause.

Dont let other differences and disagreements get in the way of what really matters. The right to arms is universal. Christians and Jews and Muslims and Sikhs and Hindus and Buddhists and atheists and everyone else, have the right to defend themselves and their families from criminals and from oppressors. We dont have to agree on the path to Heaven or road to enlightenment, but we can all agree that life is precious and worth defending.

Sure, its hard to understand how someone could be a supporter of the Second Amendment and also be a supporter of Beto ORourke, but they undoubtedly exist. The trick is to focus on the former rather than the latter. Embrace the agreement rather than focusing on the difference, and you might have a chance of changing their mind about their choice in presidential candidates. If instead, you focus on the difference, you not only have virtually no chance of influencing that choice, you run a very high probability of pushing that person away from support for rights, by making them feel unwelcome. Thats not how we win in the long run. For more insights into this sort of thing, check out the new podcast from my liberal friend Sarah Cade and Jon Hauptman. I think this is going to be a very useful series.

The Second Amendment belongs to everyone, and we must let everyone know that because we need everyone supporting it if we ever hope to secure our rights.

It wasnt that long ago that some of the most dedicated defenders of the Second Amendment in Congress were Democrats, and gun rights legislation could pass with bipartisan support. Thats not the case today, but could be true again at some point in the future, but not if we push away Democrat gun owners.

Thats why I welcome Dan Gross into our fraternity. He cant hurt us, and he could potentially help us immensely. He can help us to understand our opponents better, and thats always useful. The most important thing though, is that we can only win this fight by increasing our numbers. Rejecting and offending people who could be our allies is just foolish and self-defeating.

You Are the Gun Lobby. Your activism, your example, and your influence are what will make the difference between winning this fight, or sliding down the slippery slope of never-ending, incremental gun control.

The 2nd Amendment Rally Organizing Committee has disbanded, and all of our records are being deleted, as we promised they would be, but a new committee is already forming to hold another rally next year. Start planning now to be part of its success, but more importantly, start acting now to own the title of the Gun Lobby, and lead the way into a brighter future.

About Jeff Knox:

Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father Neal Knox led many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox The Gun Rights War.

The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition has offices in Buckeye, Arizona and Manassas, VA. Visit: http://www.FirearmsCoalition.org.

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Former Brady Campaign President Dan Gross, Stands with Second Amendment Supporters - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

LETTERS: City driving habits are awful; impact of the Second Amendment – Colorado Springs Gazette

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City driving behaviors awful

A street near where I live has had a number of complaints from residents about speeding vehicles, most of which continue through to other streets in the area. The city Traffic Engineering Department is now working the issue and is likely to install calming features that narrow the road to slow traffic.

I asked for and received speed data for the street in question. The speed limit is 25 mph. Over a two day period in one lane, only 1.48% of vehicles drove at a speed below the 25 mph limit. Over 61% drove at 35 mph or higher; 33.7% were doing 40 mph or higher. Out of 1,416 vehicles, 121 were clocked at 50 mph or higher; thats two times the limit. Thirty-seven vehicles traveled at 65 mph or higher.

Nobody in his right mind should condone these kinds of driving habits. However, one has to wonder if these same bad behaviors dont also exist on the other streets in our neighborhood that are traveled by the same drivers. Narrowing one street will not likely change driver behaviors on others. To really solve the problem using the tools available to the city would mean narrowing multiple streets, not just the one that is under scrutiny. This doesnt seem practical.

I have long opposed photo enforcement. Im not fond of the thought of being under surveillance wherever I go, and Im not fond of the possibility of being ticketed two weeks after the fact by a machine that cant immediately field questions or points in my defense.

I have now changed my mind. Our driving behaviors are awful; the city cant reasonably make physical changes to every street to slow people down; and the police cannot have an enforcement presence on many streets while also chasing bad guys and clearing accidents.

I realize this is not popular, but it is time for us to bite the bullet and agree to the use of portable photo speed enforcement tools. Such devices can reliably rein in extreme speeders with relative ease and at low cost. To be clear, Im not advocating rigid enforcement of the limit; many well-intending drivers will sometimes find themselves a little bit over the limit before correcting the problem. But, I am saying that we should not tolerate people who do over 40 or 50 mph in a 25 mph zone, and that photo speed enforcement can, and would, solve that problem.

Charles Rollman

Colorado Springs

The Monday Gazette Sports section article by Brent Briggeman briefly recognized the Air Force offensive line. Those down linemen are the reason that Air Force running backs are breaking records this year, but they are never recognized during the game. Why cant announcers say lead block by Ferguson or key blocks by Hattock and Vikupitz just like they announce the runner or receivers names? It might take an extra spotter in the booth, especially with the Falcons complicated blocking schemes, but it would be nice to recognize the guys who are winning the games in the fourth quarter.

Rip Blaisdell

Teller County

Thank you for the article in the Nov. 20 edition of the Gazette: Warm ocean water delays sea ice for Alaska towns and wildlife. The dangers of the climate crisis need to be emphasized by our tireless free press to counteract the constant climate denials of the Trump administration.

(I am a subscriber, but I read it online. Thanks for that, too.)

Susan Permut

Monument

In watching the congressional investigation into possible illegal activities by the present occupant of the White House, the meeting notes between President Donlad Trump and Vladimir Putin in Helsinki were mentioned. If memory serves me, I believe that President Trump took those notes from the meeting secretary with him as he left the meeting with Putin. Have those been published? It would be interesting to know the contents of said notes, dont you think? It might help in clarifying present matters.

Bob Armintor

Colorado Springs

At this time there are nearly a dozen countries protesting their government. Many of these protesters are being shot and killed fighting government soldiers and police. These people only have rocks and wooden clubs to fight with.

What is the common denominator of these countries? The citizens of these countries have no guns to confront a corrupt government. The other common denominator is that these citizens only other alternative is to leave their homeland. This is very evident in the droves of people leaving the Middle East and trying to get into any eastern European country.

The same situation exists at our southern border. These illegal immigrants are lured here and groomed by Democratic politicians. (The Democrats cannot win an election without the illegal votes). Case in point is the 3 million illegal votes from California in the last presidential election. The dream of these Democratic politicians is to disarm American gun owners.

Then they can throw the Constitution in file 13. After that they can make and change laws at their own discretion. These poor people coming across our southern border have no idea that they would be voting for a government just like they one they left.

Be aware that no country in the world would be foolish enough to plan a land invasion of our country with 170 million gun owners.

As a Japanese general once said after Pearl Harbor and the U.S. declaring war. We have made a very bad mistake; The Americans have an armed citizen behind every tree.

The Second Amendment was not designed for personal protection even though that is an added benefit. It was to keep out government under control. (A lesson learned by our forefathers fighting an oppressive British government).

Max Tallent

Colorado Springs

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LETTERS: City driving habits are awful; impact of the Second Amendment - Colorado Springs Gazette

Readers sound off on ad hominem attacks, the Second Amendment, and Mutts (again) – New York Daily News

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Garwood, N.J.: Dear Snarky Voice of the People Editor: I take exception to your obnoxious labeling of Voicer Skip Triviginos letter This is a stick up as if it is amusing that we readers are now being presented a lesser Daily News. Even if a lesser News is still light years ahead of that rag across town that Sauron, er, Rupert Murdoch, publishes, Skip rightly cited the ever-shrinking comics section, the letting go of sportswriters, rising price of your paper and the last straw, the axing of the Mutts comic strip. Mutts, featuring Mooch the cat and Earl the dog is quite simply one of the best comic strips of all time. Period. Thats not my opinion, rather its the opinion of the greatest cartoonist of all time, Charles Schulz. And that aint chopped liver. Mooch and Earl have far more heart and insight into the human condition then the person who axed them out of just plain bloody mindedness and lack of a sense of humor. Come on, Daily News, your readers have spoken and we want our Mutts back. As Sonny Liston said after his last fight: I think its time to sit down and reevaluate our philosophy. Mike Gordeuk

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Readers sound off on ad hominem attacks, the Second Amendment, and Mutts (again) - New York Daily News

The ‘artificial’ eye of the artist – The Drum

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Computers are more powerful than ever. We are simulating complicated functions of the human mind and collecting and curating their output. Thousands of iterations created in minutes, novelty and ambiguity imbued into work whose core components are not directly from the human mind. Instead we are constructing and abstracting and handing over the keys of creativity to a fabrication of our mental facilities.

Sounds dystopian. But does the emergence of AI mean the end of creativity or a whole new pallet to play with?

All hail the Prometheans

Theres a new kid on the block whose process and output is intertwined with surprise, novelty, ambiguity, complexity and eccentricity. You wouldnt be wrong for mistaking it for magic, instead its the product of AI, and media creators are clambering over themselves to wield this new fire from the blue-chip Gods. Below are some Promethean heroes who are paving the way in creativity, leveraging this new tool to take their visions to new artistic heights.

Control. Shift. Face.

One content creator playing with the proverbial fire is someone who goes by the pseudonym Ctrl + Shift + Face. He is using Deep Fake - an AI GAN (generative adversarial network) that allows one to transpose one persons face onto another seamlessly, to create mind bending videos. His YouTube channel is getting attention from around the world for his incredible video editing work that superimposes other people's faces onto well-known celebrities. This deep-fake artist has done bizarre, but entirely believable, mashups of Sylvester Stallone in Terminator 2, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in Fight Club.

You might not believe your own eyes when you see Bill Hader do an almost perfect impression of Tom Cruise.

Apeiron art

Mario Klingemann is another pioneer, who works with code, AI and data. A German artist and Google Arts and Culture resident, he created one of the first pieces of AI artwork to be sold at auction.

Memories of Passersby creates a never-ending stream of unique and uncanny portraits. Utilising a GAN model and thousands of 17th to 19th century portraits as a base data set, it creates portraits in real time, never repeating and never tiring, yet contains no database of created works. The work consists of two screens, each using AI to generate a portrait every few seconds. Every image is unique and morphs seamlessly into its successor.

Senses and sensibilities

The Chinese App Zao is another formalisation of this computer vision software, allowing people to replace the main characters in films with themselves. The app works like this: by uploading one of your selfies to the app, it can place your face on top of celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, making it seem like you starred in the Titanic. The app essentially lets anyone create a deepfake, or a fake video that seems incredibly real.

Meanwhile, fraudsters have utilised the same principle to manipulate sound. It was recently reported that a voice-generating AI software was used to impersonate the boss of a German parent company that owns a UK-based energy firm. They then tricked the latters chief executive into urgently wiring said funds to a Hungarian supplier in an hour a first of its kind AI-based voice fraud, that cost the company $243,000.

Are you scared yet?

We as humans are the creators and wielders of all tools which are allowing us to manipulate the fabric of our own digital reality. With A.I. at our fingertips, it might be said that we are leaving the age of Homo Sapien and entering the age of Homo Deus.

Theres no denying there is creativity on show here, but is this the future we want? Well, whether you like it or not, its the future weve got. Weve opened the Pandoras box, reality will never be the same again and its down to us as stewards of technology to ensure that what we create is constructive, not destructive.

Miles Tincknell, developer at Halo.

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The 'artificial' eye of the artist - The Drum

Heres What to See, Watch, and Stream This Thanksgiving – Vulture

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The Irishman, Heartstrings, and Knives Out Photo: From left: Courtesy of Netflix, Courtesy of Netflix, Courtesy of Lionsgate

There are two categories of Thanksgiving programming from which one can choose this holiday weekend. (Call it the white meat vs. dark meat dilemma of seasonal watching, or imagine them as dueling football teams if you so choose.) The first is comprised of shows and movies you can watch with your family: unlikely to offend, appealing to all ages, so cozy they blend right into the overstuffedness of the day. The other is comprised of shows and movies you can watch whilst escaping your family, whether that means its streamable on a contraband iPad during an extended bathroom break or in a different state entirely, after youve piled the Friendsgiving plates in the sink. Below, a heavy helping of both. You decide which is which. (Just maybe dont let the kids watch Rachel Getting Married.) Happy bingeing, in every sense of the word!

Knives OutThis one requires some effort, like actually getting into a car and going to a theater and feeling rotten for the people who have to work there on a holiday. But youll be rewarded with knits galore and rich, woodsy, family-murder-catharsis vibes. The money? Old. The England? New. The Knives? Most certainly OUT.

Marriage StoryWould you like some utter devastation with your mashed potatoes? Just the gravys fine? Oh, okay. If you change your mind, see Noah Baumbachs divorce film Marriage Story as it was intended: in a theater full of sniffling strangers. We also recommend sitting the family down to watch the most powerful eight minutes on Youtube to prepare for Adam Drivers performance.

Frozen 2Into the Unknown has major Just Around the Riverbend vibes. This is praise! This is a good thing! Lost in the Woods sounds like a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend track without the jokes! This is fine! You know youre going to have to see Frozen 2 if you have a tiny human in your life, so why not just give in and check it out?

A Beautiful Day in the NeighborhoodEvery time I see the promotional still of Tom Hanks in character (the one that absolutely every article about this movie uses), I think its a biopic about the journalist who threw his shoes at Bush. You see an airborne shoe and your brain only has so many points of reference. Anyway, this is not that. Its not even a biopic, in the traditional sense. Its about a journalist played by Matthew Rhys profiling Mister Rogers. This would be a very nice thing to see with parents.

Ford v FerrariThe vroom-vroom movie where the cars go fast, starring Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Tracy Letts, Noah Jupe, a bunch of cars, and one (1) human woman. Settle your sensitive tum after you feast by going to the theater, buying a Coca Cola, and watching this with your old man. Did I mention the cars go real fast?

Queen & SlimFrom fast cars to fast cars with higher stakes, make a double feature of it and go see Queen & Slim, the feature-film debut from Formation music-video director Melina Matsoukas, written by Lena Waithe. The Thanksgiving tie-in here? The filmmakers respectively directed and wrote the Thanksgiving episode of Master of None.

The Good LiarIve seen this trailer so many times before so many movies and still have no idea what its about on account of the generic title but I do know it stars Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen, and that has to count for something. Go take a beloved grandparent or aunt. Itll be a real treat.

Jojo RabbitIts cute and I liked it, why is everyone yelling at me!! You know your loved ones better than I do, and their mileage may vary with Taika Waititis Hitler-youth comedy. So you can determine whether or not to take them. I personally think seeing the little bespectacled kid is worth the price of admission.

Dark WatersFar from Heaven probably qualifies as Todd Hayness Thanksgiving movie, seeing as it looks like a harvest Pinterest mood board sprung to life. But this holiday season hes brought us a true story about an attorney going up against DuPont, which I think is where Ken Cosgrove worked by the end of Mad Men. Or was it Dow Chemical? Either way, its evil and its poisonous and Mark Ruffalo is gonna put a stop to it!

HarrietCynthia Erivo plays Harriet Tubman in this movie about the leader of the Underground Railroad movement, alongside Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monae. If your family members like historical epics told on epic scales, this is a safe bet.

The Irishman (Netflix)Gratitude is one thing, but forgiveness? Thats a whole other roast beast. Thankfully, Netflix is uploading Martin Scorceses ruminative The Irishman in time for an inter-generational Thanksgiving viewing with your grandpa, your dad, and your very quiet, reproachful niece Peggy that stares at yall condemningly through a doorway. Its also such a good food movie that this one list of all the food in it forgot, like, at least five iconic foods.

Big Night (Rent on Amazon Prime)Is there a better food movie out there (excluding those about rat-chefs who control humans like puppets by pulling their hair)? You could make a case for Tampopo, but the highly erotic egg and oyster scenes make it less than ideal for watching with the fam. So in comes Big Night, a movie about brotherhood, passion, stuffing your face with lovingly prepared carbs, and an excitable Ian Holm walking around with a little moustache. The power of Allison Janney, Minnie Driver and Isabella Rossellini in one movie is undeniable.

First Reformed (Amazon Prime)Be thankful for literally the Planet Earth because it wont be around for much longer! Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner of bread dipped in whiskey! (And then enjoy your Irishman dessert of bread dipped in grape juice.)

The Family Stone (Hulu)This is the first appearance of Sarah Jessica Parker on this list, but it will not be the last. The Family Stone is traumatic, tonally bizarre, and often a downer, but its strange alchemy is just-different-enough from the Ephron/Meyers/Curtis holiday stand-bys to be more interesting than you remembered.

Rachel Getting Married (Netflix)Every family gathering should have a timed dishwasher-loading contest.

The VVitch (Netflix)I refuse to consult the style guide and I will never not spell it with those Satanic double-Vs. Thomasins dread tale is the only pilgrim movie youll ever need.

Chicken Run (Hulu)As the great Robert Pattinson once said when asked about his favorite chick flick, Chicken Run is the only thing coming into my head. Maybe its horribly wrong to watch this after carving into the turducken, but I like to think its a way to honor the fallen fowl for its service. For more stop motion in autumnal palettes, follow it up with Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Dora and the Lost City of Gold (rent on Amazon)You already made your family watch Paddington 2 last year, and Paddington the year before that. If youre starved for another charming story about a young naf who moves from deepest Peru to the big city to spread kindness and teach manners this is also that!

Dolemite Is My Name (Netflix)For all the expectedly raunchy humor, this Eddie Murphy biopic comedy about Rudy Ray Moore is ultimately a sweet story about the thrill of getting your voice out there. Its earnest approach to the maaaaaagic of moooooovies is very winning and probably a good watch with the grandparents.

The Big Chill (Crackle)Yuppie scum but yuppie scum with a gorgeous soundtrack, cozy sweatshirts, and so, so many 80s dream daddies. It captures the best of friendsgiving vibes, just hanging out in leggings on various couches. Its a chilly Michigonian Everybody Wants Some, if Everybody Wants Some grew up and got a mortgage.

Lady Bird (Kanopy, Amazon)Well, Happy Thanksgiving. We missed you, Lady Bird.

Dolly Partons Heartstrings (Netflix)Bless Dolly for single-handedly saving the wretched wasteland of a genre that is streaming anthology series by doing something cute with it and weaving together a series of original stories each based on a different Dolly song. Genius. I havent seen it yet because I told my mom Id save it for Thanksgiving when we can watch it together. Pinky swear youll do the same.

National Dog Show (Thursday, November 28, NBC)A.K.A. the only sporting event that matters on Thanksgiving. Football who? Never heard of her. Immediately after the parade, 2,000 good boys and girls will compete to be the best pup in the land, based the judgment on an old man in a tuxedo fingerin his gums. Always fun to turn it on and see how your dog reacts to the screen. This year, Azawakh hounds will be competing for the first time. Picture a Saluki without the blowout.

Glee, Thanksgiving (Netflix)The Sarah Jessica Parker performance of Lets Have a Kiki will haunt me until my dying day. Lea Michele mashes it up with Turkey Lurkey Time from Promises, Promises to make it more holiday-appropriate, and the end result will ignite your fight-or-flight response. See if you can spot baby Shangela.

Over the Garden Wall (Hulu)An honest-to-goodness underrated gem of the decade in TV, and one that uses every woodsy Thanksgiving motif: brown leaves and settlers and log cabins, crackling fireplaces and turkeys and pumpkins. Its like if Ichabod and Mr. Toad were made by Ghibli instead of Disney. Plus, its only ten 11-minute episodes.

Billy on the Street (Netflix)Billy Eichners deconstructed talk show is now on Netflix in all its shouting, exasperated glory, and its a fun, easy binge. Sure, youve seen the For a Dollar games and segments where celebrities run around Flatiron, but the more high-concept bits are stellar as well. The alternate Macys Day parade featuring a Carol balloon is a classic, as is the Wicked tailgate.

Happy Endings (Hulu)The gonna tell my kids this was ___ meme is asinine and stupid and sucks, but the one about Happy Endings was good and correct. Demonstrate some goddamn integrity and eschew the Friends Thanksgiving agenda in favor of its superior successor. Nothing captures the gluttonous spirit of Thanksgiving like watching Alex eat ribs.

Gilmore Girls Marathon (Wednesday Nov 27, UPtv)Scott Patterson (Luke) hosts a 24-hour marathon of the most Thanksgivingy show of all time. Considering the new season of Mrs. Maisel wont be out until after Thanksgiving this year, its a perfect way to get your Amy Sherman-Palladino fix. And as always, Lane deserved better.

Documentary Now, Juan Loves Rice and Chicken (Netflix)This season-one episode of Documentary Now has the Dewey Cox problem of being leagues better than what its parodying. Fred Armisen is at his best when hes playing wide-eyed, humble neurotics who you feel sorry for, and watching Juan overcome his chicken-phobia to cook out of his fathers shadow is more moving than it has any right to be.

A Self-Guided Frasier Dinner Party Marathon (Netflix)If youre hosting Thanksgiving this year, just know that no matter how stressful it gets, youre pulling off a better soiree than Niles and Frasier ever could. Take comfort in their panic in dinner-party episodes like To Kill a Talking Bird, The Life of the Party, Daphne Does Dinner, The Seal Who Came to Dinner, Taps at the Montana, Dinner Party, Halloween, and The Innkeeper, to name a few of many.

Bobs Burgers (Hulu)So many Thanksgiving episodes, so many Emmy-worthy vocal stylings from John Roberts.

Real Housewives of New Jersey Marathon (Wednesday November 27, Bravo)If youre lucky enough to get Wednesday off, make the least of it (in a good way!) with an all-day-long Real Housewives of New Jersey marathon. Teresa flipping the table is a Thanksgiving mood if ever weve seen one.

Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Gang Squashes their Beefs (Hulu)A little Thanksgiving bounce-around between this holiday episode, the Suburbs one (with Macs famous mac and cheese), the 2-part holiday special, and the Jersey Shore one (rum ham!) will help you give thanks your family isnt McPoyle-level bad. The less we say about the Pilgrim-themed The Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell, the better.

Twin Peaks: The Return and David Lynch Cooking Quinoa (Hulu and Youtube)Theres still a month left in this decade to watch the single best piece of audiovisual media that came out of it so get on that and give thanks that David Lynch was given the resources to make this. Then rewatch the original if you want actual autumnal-sweater, log-cabin, save the pine weasel vibes. Watch Fire Walk with Me if you want festive Thanksgiving turkey talk and a side of trauma. Watch this 20-minute video of David Lynch cooking quinoa if you need a last-minute dietary-restriction-friendly side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. Gobble gobble!

Succession (HBO)Season two had so many pivotal meals: the stinky Summer Palace, Tern Haven, the yacht betrayal-meal, the Dundee dinner feat. DJ Squiggle, and of course, Boar on the Floor. Relive the memories with a weekend binge.

Bon Appetits Making Perfect (Youtube)Its a comfort to know that even professional, Youtube-famous chefs mess up, and mess up a lot. Binge every episode of their Making Perfect Thanksgiving miniseries as they fumble their turkey brines, undercook their sprouts, overcook their sprouts, fight about sumac, and (spoiler alert) lose a state fair pie-baking competition. The final episode, where they all come together for an August Thanksgiving dinner at Claires parents house, is the Avengers: Endgame of the BA stan community.

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Heres What to See, Watch, and Stream This Thanksgiving - Vulture

Guide To Beautiful Gifts From Craftsmen, Artists, And US Entrepreneurs – The Federalist

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Ive slowly been refining my gift buying philosophy. Weve done big Christmasses, little Christmasses, piles of cheap plastic from China, handcrafted gifts, big-ticket items and small. As I think about what to give the people I love, both for Christmas and at other times such as birthdays, I find myself wanting to be more intentional, and give fewer, better things rather than more cheap things.

Things like that can be really hard to come up with. And sometimes the kid just wants cheap plastic from China, and you can get it for a ridiculous steal on Black Friday or on sale in July, and its fine. But where possible, and when I can manage, Im trying to up the quality and reduce the consumerism. Other goals include sending fewer dollars to corporations that use them to attack my faith and freedom, and fewer to enrich countries whose leaders run gulags.

Here are a few such favorite items Ive found from artists, small businesses, craftsmen (and craftswomen), and the like. Theyre arranged in no particular order. While I have personal relationships with one or two of the entrepreneurs mentioned, they have no idea I planned to mention them here and we have no financial relationship besides me buying their stuff at retail because I like it.

Feel welcome to ping me on Twitter if you also have recommendations in this vein. Im always looking for ideas.

Ad Crucem is a boutique Christian art company, and their selection of especially paintings include some striking original items. But I have to say my favorite of their offerings are the christmons. Christmons are basically decorations that involve historic symbols of Christ, hence the name.

Below is a nativity christmon perfect for a Christmas tree, but others in the collection would also make beautiful wedding, baptism, ordination, confirmation, Easter, or birthday gifts. They are of the right size and price to be included with a card in a small padded envelope.

The symbols are clear, strong, and beautiful. Just check out the strength of this Agnus Dei image:

Did I mention theyre on a 20 percent sale if you buy one of the collections starting at five pieces for $31? Plus free shipping on all orders to the continental USA. That just got me to buy a few more. Theyre perfect for stashing away for gifts throughout the year. I dont know how long this sale lasts but Id imagine its going through this Thanksgiving week.

I also adore this fleur-de-lis cheese plate but havent bought it yet because, well, if I bought everything I like wed be broke. Go make your wife, mom, or sister happy, though, and get it for her. Its $14, you cant beat that!

One gift I gave last year to a K-12 school was a set of these reproductions of master artists on canvas in beautiful frames. The Leonardo da Vinci I bought had some fading in the print but that is because the current original looks the same (da Vinci notoriously used experimental paints that have not always held up well through the centuries). I was very pleased with what came in the mail.

Id thought before of just uploading a high-quality JPEG of a classic work during one of those JCPenney or Michaels canvas art sales, but that would have taken time, and I got these with three clicks plus beautiful frames instead of me hating my life resizing and cropping for two hours on my computer. The frames alone are worth the $145-$185 price tags.

But if youre a budget shopper who doesnt mind resizing on your screen for an hour, try that route. The canvas prints sales are also good this week from just about all the places that sell them.

This. This, my friends, is an original bust of Flannery OConnor. Every single reader friend of yours wants one. If theyre not Flannery fans, Mud House Art and Literature has got them covered, too. Theyve got Homer, Jane Austin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bach, Dante, and more, in busts, half busts, bookends, magnets, even Christmas ornaments.

Prices range from $21 for a refrigerator magnet to $299 for a full bust. Get 10 percent off with the code memoria when you check out.

Mud House Art and Literature is two fellas working down in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They also publish books.

We bought this for a friends wedding last year: A U.S.-made Stargazer cast iron skillet. Stargazers have a forever warranty and are designed to not burn your hand and to pour sanely. They come in two sizes: 10.5-inch for $95 seasoned/$85 unseasoned; and 12-inch at $130 seasoned/$120 unseasoned.

I of course cant resist sharing the Etsy shop of my friend and watercolors teacher. Her selections change based on what shes working on. She started her original painting of Mary and Christ below next to me and another friend as we all slapped paint in a local rose garden.

You can get a 1620 canvas print of it for $49. Imagine it as a focal point of a family altar or prayer corner, or as the centerpiece of your mantel decorations this Christmas. You can also get Christmas cards from Red Letter Design with the same images, plus several more, in sets of 40 or 15.

Other friends who run a boutique Christian press, Emmanuel Press, produce Christmas cards Ive used now for years, and they update their selections each year with new commissions from working artists or designs that newly incorporate classic sacred art. The quality and richness they present is impossible to find in a mass-produced card.

Here are a few of my favorites. A small wood reproduction of the Russian holy family triptych, which is famous throughout Orthodox Christendom, is mounted on our familys playroom wall.

Religious art lifts my thoughts heavenward throughout my day, and the Lord knows I need that. So Ive been trying to slowly add more of it to our home. I hit the jackpot this summer by finding the booth of this mother who works in watercolors. Samanthas handle is Pleasantly Crafted. I own the piece below (and need its reminder multiple times a day) and bought several of the striking framed solo gratia calligraphy prints in the rich gold and purple for myself and as gifts.

Her prices are modest and her work beautiful. I believe she also does custom work, so contact her for calligraphy and more (details on her Etsy and Facebook). A lot of her things (she has a huge number of designs) are not on her Etsy shop right now, so if you see something you like in her Instagram feed, ask her about it! And here is her fresh Christmas card design for this season, also available to frame:

If you are interested in sacred art, and supporting working artists even as a small-time patron, page through the Catholic Artists Directory.

I found that through Theology of Home, a cottage enterprise by a trio of lovely Catholic ladies, several of whom have written excellent material for The Federalist. Check out their custom-scented candles. I like the idea of the smell of victory.

Even though I am not a Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox believer, all Christians share in the artistic tradition they continue to preserve, which is undeniably beautiful and worth supporting. Its millennia better than the Precious Moments and Thomas Kinkaide-ware of the typical evangelical mall. An Orthodox priest gave me my first icon and I cant wait to add more. Theyre not hard to find, in any price range, and would be a lovely gift for any believer who has good taste.

These two small publishers reprint beautiful old childrens books: The Good and the Beautiful and Living Book Press. Both also offer low prices, so you can afford to buy a boatload (which I just did for my kids for Christmas I get them books for every occasion).

The former reprints the books with very appealing covers and sometimes illustrations, which is absolutely effective at getting kids interested. They definitely judge books by the cover. Sometimes I will dress up an old book with a new cover just to snooker them.

Living Book Press tends to print the books with their original illustrations, another nice touch. I basically buy every new book they put out as soon as they get a new one off the press the prices range from $6 to $12 usually so its a very cheap habit. And it keeps my kids in books, which is the important thing. Way cheaper and better than supplying a video game habit. Use coupon code nostress (without the quote marks) UNTIL Friday for 10 percent off.

Here are a few recommended titles to start you off, excluding obvious classics you should be aware of like Kidnapped and Heidi. Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin. We spent the summer reading through that book before bed together, a story or two at a time. The King of the Golden River, by John Ruskin. This is impossible to find for $6 anywhere else. This Country of Ours, by Henrietta Marshall. This is a truly wonderful older childrens history of the United States. I read it for my own edification. Its best fit for middle school and up, unless youre reading aloud to younger children.

The Story Book of Science, by Jean Fabre. This book uses a frame narrative of a grandfather telling stories to his grandchildren. Some people like that and some people find it artificial. Depends on you and your child. If it works for you, this is an excellent book and aptly titled. The Story of the Illiad, by Alfred Church. This is a child-level retelling of the classic. Church does excellent retellings of Greek myths and his books are often very hard to find in good condition at a decent price.

Then from The Good and the Beautiful theres a bevy of history and historical fiction, at all reading levels and subjects of interest: Abraham Lincoln, by Wilbur Fisk Gordy, a 1917 biography; Boy of the Pyramids: A Mystery of Ancient Egypt, by Ruth Fosdick Jones; Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle; The Adventures of Philippe: A Story of Old Quebec, by Gwendolyn Bowers; Prudence Crandall, by Elizabeth Yates; and The Journey of Ching Lai, by Eleanor Frances Lattimore.

The only complaint I have about both presses is that Id like to buy hardcover editions of their reprints. I know those cost more but they also hold up much better to little kids hands. I might be able to keep them for the grandkids that way. If you care about that, like me, you might invest in some softcover contact paper like libraries use to keep your softcovers lasting longer. You can get a roll at Demco.

Note: It requires VERY careful hands to apply that stuff without totally mangling the book. Maybe try it on a few garbage books you got at the thrift store to get the hang of it. But it does help preserve your books.

If you havent heard about Saddleback Leather and drooled over their stuff ever since, head on over there and try to keep your greed in check by planning to give their goods to other people. Basically anything they offer is the right gift for any man in your life. They have some things for women, too, but really, this is a man store. All handmade in the United States and with a 100-year warranty.

When we were poor early in our marriage, I pinched and hid freelancing money from my husband for months to buy him this one, which he can hand down to whatever lucky son sucks up enough to get it. If youre not looking to drop $719, their wallets are a great anyman gift and much more affordable.

This mother of two embroiders primarily baby slings but also other lovely items that would make beautiful gifts. Heres her Etsy shop. Dont you wish you could do that? Wow.

This Etsy link sent by a friend is to handmade unisex beanies in a rainbow of colors. You could almost get this gift for anyone, and its only $20.

Federalist writer R.H. says of this papercraft duo, I just took profile snaps of each of my five children and they sent me digital files. I love them made a framed gallery for myself, but also since I own the digitals I plan on making little ornaments too. Basically every mother ever wants one of these of her kids.

This crafters personalized family embroidery schedule is full through the rest of the year, she says on Instagram, but these stitched family portraits would also be perfect for an anniversary, birthday, or family reunion gift.

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Guide To Beautiful Gifts From Craftsmen, Artists, And US Entrepreneurs - The Federalist

Behind the Mask: Theories and Analysis for Watchmen S1E5 – 25YearsLaterSite.com

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Welcome back, dear reader, to your one-stop-shop for all the latest and greatest theories and analysis following the airing of HBOs Watchmen S1E5 Little Fear of Lightning. As a reminder, this article will be chock-full of spoilers. Ive scrubbed internet forums, YouTube videos, podcasts, preview clips, and various interviews, so you dont have to. Be forewarned; if its publicly available, well be talking about it here.

If thats not your cup of tea, you might rather check out 25YLs weekly recap and review written by Laura Stewart this week.

Still here? Great! Chop-chop, everyone! Come on! Time is of the essence!

Here we review some of the real-world history that the series is pointing us to. Not much to talk about this week, but in anticipation of next weeks episode, with Angela Abar tripping through her grandfathers memories, heres at least one historical event we have a hint (see the PeteyPedia section) that we would do well to brush up on:

Three new files in the PeteyPedia files this week:

Yet another source of in-world data dumps has been HBO EXTRAS, an app for HBO Digital Latin America that gives additional background information at seemingly random times throughout the episode. Reddit user u/Bbkoul has been capturing images from these popups and posting them. The Episode 5 popups are mostly fluff unfortunately, but theyre mildly entertaining to read.

Speaking of background material from HBO, heres an interesting tidbit. Someone else on Reddit dug up a two year old casting call for Watchmen that gives a little blurb describing most of the main characters on the show. Whats changed is changed now, but this provides some interesting background on early thoughts about the characters and their stories. Worth taking a look.

In the closed captions (at least as captured by the wonderful Springfield! Springfield! site), when the Game Warden suddenly moves to cut Adrians helmet off, it reads (CLONES EXCLAIM). When Adrian declares that their god has abandoned them, the (CLONES EXCLAIM) once again. OK, yes, the closed captions are often wrong. But still.

We did have verifiable clones in this episode, in the form of the cloned animals at the Forever Pet clinic where Cynthia, Wades ex, works. The best meme of the week on Reddit is Heath Ledgers Joker saying, Drop fetuses on a lake and no one bats an eye. Drop a puppy in the incinerator and everybody loses their minds. Its also noteworthy that there seem to be a lot of twins working at that facility. Is human cloning a thing in this Watchmen universe? And if so, are they as cavalier about disposing of them?

In the wacky theories about who could be a clone department, one new and slightly interesting one did pop up on Reddit proposing that Angela actually did die on White Night, and that the Angela weve been seeing is a Nostalgia-fueled clone of her. I would write this off if I hadnt listened to an interview with Regina King (Angela Abar) did for the Previously On podcast from Sky Atlantic. Trying to avoid spoilers (yeah right), the host asks her, Ive just watched the season finale, how am I feeling? She answers, Um, youre feeling like, what?! No!! Is she Keep an eye on Angela, Im telling you.

So, if we believe Senator Keene (does Wade?), he came in after White Night to take over the Seventh Kavalry, and at the same time his buddy Judd took over the police. Since then, theyve each managed their respective teams to maintain the peace. So much for the masks save lives slogan of the Senators upcoming presidential campaign. More like conspiracies save lives, but thats not a very good campaign slogan to run on.

Also, if he is to be believed, he apparently has no idea who killed Judd. That wasnt part of their plan. He actually suspects Angela might have done it, or at least she knows who did (hes right on that last part). So, assuming he truly is in control of the Seventh Kavalry, it really wasnt them who killed the police chief. That tracks with the interrogation campaign the police has been conducting, which has yielded absolutely f**king nothing, as Laurie admonishes.

The Seventh Kavalry is definitely going to do something. Something original. Something that will presumably happen in a couple of days, because thats how long Keene needs Angela off the board while he wraps things up. Of course, Lady Trieu and Will Reeves are also going to do something in three days. Same thing? Well now, thats a good question.

We know Will Reeves was involved in Judds death. Hes the killer, in fact, if he is to be believed. That would seem to put the Keene-Crawford faction against the Trieu-Reeves faction. If we consider that Judd knew he was sacrificing himselfdulling the fear with cocaine, dressing in his full uniform, taking none of his subordinates with himwe have to consider the idea that maybe he flipped sides.

One of Keenes 7K guys stepped out of line and shot a cop, but it could have stopped there. Judd is the one who upped the ante on the police side of things. He authorized the release of guns, a move that he expected pushback from Angela on. Hes the one who pressed the Archie to its limits to blow up the 7K plane before it got away. Maybe whatever Keene is up to was unknown to Judd, or at least not agreed to. Maybe Trieu-Reeves clues him in on it and devises a counter plan, but it requires a sacrifice. Maybe Judd has some blood on his hands over White Night or Vietnam. Enough guilt to motivate his sacrifice for a larger goodto fall on one last grenade to save his people.

Could they all be in league together? We cant rule it out yet, but it seems unlikely. On one side, we have two white guys, controlling the two oppressing powers of white supremacy and government-sanctioned brutality. On the other side, we have the oppressed minorities, dealing with pharmaceuticals that share generational trauma. Do their timelines coincide because one is trying to stop the other then? Maybe, but it seems like they both have positive goals in mind. More likely one side is unknowingly playing patsy to the other, i.e. Trieu is using Keene.

We talked a bit last week about what Trieu could be up to with the Millennium Clock, so lets turn to what the 7K could be up to with the teleportation window. Theyre tuning it for a fairly close-in operation that needs precision. Theyre dropping objects from the ceiling, so its doubtful they are sending people. Besides, last we heard, this technology scrambles and kills organic creatures, and this is a model that was in use back in 1985. Sounds like precision bomb-dropping into a building or set of buildings. While it could be a government building, like maybe trying to complete what McVeigh was stopped from doing in 1995 (by Laurie Blake, mind you), there is one obvious tall structure in Tulsa that would make an excellent target for toppling.

This is our recurring section devoted to the best bits of Watchmen (IMHO), those involving the character formerly known as probably who you think he is. We now have two avenues to explore, present-day Veidt and 1985 Veidt. Lets start with the latter.

In his video message to the newly elected President Redford, Veidt starts with, Assuming my instructions have been followed to the letter. That implies he anticipated that he might not be around to deliver the tape in person. Interesting.

People are a bit freaked out by the idea that Veidt would leave evidence implicating himself in the giant squid hoax. They are saying this would not have been smart for the smartest man in the world to have doneeven going so far as to call it a retcon. I dont see it that way at all. Especially in light of the idea that he anticipated not being present to see phase two of his plan carried out. A phase two that apparently starts with the election of President Robert Redford, after allowing the world sufficient time to heal. He gives the video to Redford in order to win him over as a willing partner in that project.

In the video, Adrian says that hell have to maintain the peace with additional small-scale extra-dimensional events, which most are presuming refers to the squid-fall. If the tape implies he knew he might not be around, he may have set up something to keep the squid-fall going in his absence, even 30+ years later.

Now lets turn to the present day (more or less) Adrian Veidt. First of all, we now know hes on Europa, one of the four larger moons of Jupiter. Lindelof has confirmed this. Im amazed by how many quick turn-around podcasts mistook that looming planet in the background (those who even noticed it) for Mars or even Earththe astronomy geek in me wept a bit at that. The imaging satellite he was aiming for is likely Juno, which launched in 2011 and arrived in orbit in 2016 (in our world, at least). Time enough for Veidt to have been aware of it, assuming he left in 2012. Though counting on there being no issues with its final deployment upon arrival at Jupiter was a bit presumptive.

Its also clear now that he is in some sort of cloaked vivarium on that moon. Hmm, who likes to build vivariums in harsh environments? Oh, I know: Adrian Veidt. So dig this, assuming thats right, what Lindelof has done here is show us that Adrian Veidt was already working on phase two (or three) of his plan: getting humanity off-planet. We were shown this at the end of the Watchmen comic and just didnt know what we were seeing. If this is where they are going, and Id wager it is, thats the most amazing inclusion of the original source material yet.

This ties in with the PeteyPedia article from the New Frontiersman where the editor suggests at the end that the white supremacists get their butts to Mars. Heck, that might have even been something Adrian has planted into the public discourse to seed acceptance of the idea of colonization once it is revealed. Figuring that he cant resolve humanitys internal conflicts, only put them on hold through the use of fear, the goal of this phase would be to give us breathing room to dispel conflict. This would also explain why the Appropriations Committee (of which Senator Keene is a member) would be shown the Adrian Veidt video because they would need to be quietly funnelling funding from anti-squid defence to future colonization projects.

The one hard thing to distil out of this though is Veidts disdain for the maker, that god of the Philips / Crookshanks clones who has abandoned them. Maybe Veidt didnt work on those bits, having help from Dr. Manhattan (who wanted to work on creating life) or Lady Trieu (who works on cloning and fertility technology). Although Veidt does call their god a he, so probably not Lady Trieu. But labeling Dr. Manhattan as a god just seems a tad too obvious, right? The other possibility is (I hate to say it) this Veidt is a clone sent to babysit the prototype colony and his disdain is for the original Veidt, who got plastic surgery and retired to Argentina.

One last thing to discuss is Adrians message: SAVE ME D Everyone wants to know what the rest of that message is. Guesses include:

Theres a theory thats gaining traction, especially with me, that Lady Trieu could, in some manner, be working towards getting revenge for the United States actions in the Vietnam War. Certainly with Lady Trieu, Angela, and Cal all having ties back to Vietnam, our 51st state is going to become more of an influence on the story soon.

Laurie was requested by name to come to Oklahoma to lead the FBI investigation into Judd Crawfords death. Weve seen a future clips scene of Laurie tied to a chair in what is likely the same 7K headquarters in the abandoned department store, with another big red eye logo on the wall behind her. If someone were targeting Laurie, that would be a strike against both the Comedian, as his daughter, and Dr. Manhattan, as his former lover. As Wade puts it in his conversation with the radiologist at the bar, technically, Dr. Manhattan won Vietnam. Laurie could be the bait that would finally motivate Dr. Manhattan to return to Earth to save herstepping into a trap.

That would even say that Judds hanging was set into motion specifically to get Laurie to Oklahoma. Added bonus: Judd fought in Vietnam. A lot of us cant shake the nagging feeling that Judd knew he was going to his death, as I mentioned above. He was making a sacrifice for some larger good.

Instead of a trap to kill Dr. Manhattan, what if the empathy bomb (as many are calling this theory; we talked about it last week) is targeting him specifically, not the world at large? Trying to get him to care about humanity again, to step in and start helping. Maybe this is phase three of Veidts plan.

Speaking of the empathy bomb theory, some more support for this idea came when the guy in Wades support group talked about genetic trauma, locked into his mothers DNA so that he inherits her pain ten years later. Sounds just like what Bian is tapping into with her dream of the Vietnam War. We also got a data dump in the PeteyPedia files on the drug Nostalgia that, if nothing else, tells us that memory transfer is a real thing in this universe. Although like teleportation in the original Watchmen, its a dangerous technology that can go wrong and injure people when misused.

Many have commented on Lauries constant references to how good looking Cal is, humorously suggesting that Cal is Dr. Manhattan and thats why she is inexplicably attracted to him. If we assume though that, like everything else, Laurie already knew about his accident before she rolled into town, then perhaps it was a disfiguring accident and his recovery presents another one of those thermodynamic miracles. Maybe he was a masked vigilante in Vietnam and got injured doing so, which would be a good reason to want to hide it from Agent Blake. Perhaps he even died for a bit, which would explain why hes so confident that theres nothing after death.

In this section, Ill be pointing you to a few of the more interesting interviews with cast and crew:

In this section, I pose some of my own thoughts and any unique theories I might be harboring.

Firstly, a shout out to the Daily DVR podcast, which had me on Sunday night for their Initial Reaction podcast for this weeks episode. It was a blast, and I thank them so much for the opportunity. These guys are one of my go-to podcasts, doing three podcasts a week on each episode. Check them out.

Now on to the theories:

Thats it for this week. If you have any interesting theories or clever Easter eggs that I missed, let me know in the comments below, or catch me on Reddit as u/catnapspirit.

25YL is providing continual, in-depth coverage of HBOs Watchmen, including:

Help us keep the conversation alive! We publish new content daily that can easily be found by following us onTwitter,Instagram, by joining ourFacebook Page, our Forumsor becoming an email subscriber here onthe site. Thank you as always for your support of 25YL!

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Behind the Mask: Theories and Analysis for Watchmen S1E5 - 25YearsLaterSite.com

NASAs giant Super Guppy plane delivers the agencys spacecraft to Ohio – The Verge

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Transporting a large space capsule around Earth can be a daunting process, but NASA has its own various equipment for such jobs one of which is a very big plane with a very big belly. Known as the Super Guppy, NASAs cavernous plane is capable of carrying large loads from point A to point B, and the aircraft just transported the space agencys next-generation passenger spacecraft to Ohio for a round of testing.

The Super Guppys precious cargo was NASAs Orion spacecraft, a new crew capsule thats designed to take future astronauts into deep space and eventually to the vicinity of the Moon. Orion is gearing up for its first flight on top of NASAs future monster rocket, the Space Launch System a mission, without a crew, thats supposed to take place in the early 2020s. The flight will send Orion around the Moon on a three-week trip before the capsule heads back to Earth.

Engineers are preparing Orion for the mission, known as Artemis 1, by putting the capsule through a series of tests to see if its ready to take on space. Over the next two months at NASAs Plum Brook Station, Orion will be subjected to extreme temperatures in the largest vacuum chamber in the world. The vehicle will experience temperatures from -250 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit to simulate the wide range of environments it will experience off of Earth. Orions electronics systems will also be tested to make sure they all function as they should at the same time.

Once all of this is done, the Super Guppy will take Orion back to Florida where it will be mounted on top of its future ride, the SLS. However, the SLS is still in development for its debut flight, and its unclear exactly when itll be ready to launch. A recent government audit suggested it wouldnt fly until 2021 at the earliest, and one NASA official also indicated that was likely. But if all goes well with testing, at least Orion will be ready once the rocket is finally finished.

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NASAs giant Super Guppy plane delivers the agencys spacecraft to Ohio - The Verge

Now there are two NASA flying Astrobee robots working on the ISS – SlashGear

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NASA has deployed a second Astrobee free-flying robot called Honey on the International Space Station. As with the initial Astrobee, the new addition is designed to help astronauts on the space station get their routine work done, freeing humans to spend their time working on more pressing tasks. An Astrobee system can support up to three free-flying robots that utilize a docking station for recharging.

Astronauts on the International Space Station are busy with scientific experiments, but that work has to be interrupted so that they can regularly complete chores and other rote activities. NASA developed the Astrobee robot system to aid the humans on the ISS with completing these important tasks so that they can spend more hours on research.

Late last week, European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano wrapped up the initial tests on the second Astrobee robot named Honey, according to NASA. The robot was connected to the main Astrobee docking system, the space agency explains, which prompted it to wake up for work.

Honey joins the first Astrobee on the ISS, Bumble, and it will eventually work alongside a third robot to complete the system. The robots are all identical, so NASA gave Honey a different color than Bumble, enabling astronauts to tell the two machines apart (Honey is yellow, in case you were wondering).

It wont take as long to get Honey in operation as it did Bumble because the first robot already worked to map the entire interior of the ISS, NASA explains. This map is used by the Astrobee robots to navigate. Queen, the third and final robot for the Astrobee system already on the ISS, is expected to launch to the space station in July 2020.

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Now there are two NASA flying Astrobee robots working on the ISS - SlashGear

NASA astronaut lets go of shield as terrifying video shows it hurtling towards Earth – Express.co.uk

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There are a reported 170 million pieces of junk floating in Earths upper atmosphere, but only 22,000 are being tracked. Some 7,000 tonnes of space junk circle our planet, as defunct satellites, collateral from rockets and other metals and rocks build up close to Earth. Experts have previously warned that as space debris increases, it will make it harder for rockets to escape Earths orbit out of fear of colliding with an object, known as the Klesser syndrome.

NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan and Luca Parmitano, an astronaut from the European Space Agency, needed to remove this debris shield during a spacewalk.

NASA wrote on Instagram: "Did this debris shield spark joy?"Sometimes you need to let go of what no longer serves you!"On the first spacewalk to repair the International Space Station's cosmic particle detector,@AstroDrewMorganand@europeanspaceagencyastronaut Luca Parmitano removed a debris shield to access the worksite."

READ MORE:NASA news: Orion spacecraft arrives for vacuum chamber test in Ohio

Last month NASAreleased a video showing the extent of space junk in the Earths atmosphere amid fears humans are trapping themselves on the planet.

There are fears the space junk could crash into each other causing a breakdown in systems such as mobile phones, television, GPS and weather-related services which rely on the satellites.

It comes as Ralph Dinsley, founder and executive director of Northern Space and Security LTD believes we are approaching a point where it could be too late.

Mr Dinsley told Express.co.uk: At the far end of the spectrum, worst-case scenario, it will wipe it out.

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NASA astronaut lets go of shield as terrifying video shows it hurtling towards Earth - Express.co.uk

NASA’s TESS Spacecraft Is Finding Hundreds of Exoplanetsand Is Poised to Find Thousands More – Singularity Hub

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Within just 50 light-years from Earth, there are about 1,560 stars, likely orbited by several thousand planets. About a thousand of these extrasolar planets, known as exoplanets, may be rocky and have a composition similar to Earths. Some may even harbor life. Over 99 percent of these alien worlds remain undiscoveredbut this is about to change.

With NASAs new exoplanet-hunter space telescope TESS, the all-sky search is on for possibly habitable planets close to our solar system. TESSorbiting Earth every 13.7 days and ground-based telescopes are poised to find hundreds of planets over the next few years. This could transform astronomers understanding of alien worlds around us and provide targets to scan with next-generation telescopes for signatures of life. In just over a year, TESS has identified more than 1,200 planetary candidates, 29 of which astronomers have already confirmed as planets. Given TESSs unique ability to simultaneously search tens of thousands of stars for planets, the mission is expected to yield over 10,000 new worlds.

These are exciting times for astronomers and, especially, for those of us exploring exoplanets. We are members of the planet-hunting Project EDEN, which also supports TESSs work. We use telescopes on the ground and in space to find exoplanets to understand their properties and potential for harboring life.

Worlds around us await discovery. Take, for example, Proxima Centauri, an unassuming, faint red star, invisible without a telescope. It is one of over a hundred billion or so such stars within our galaxy, unremarkable except for its status as our next-door neighbor. Orbiting Proxima is a fascinating but mysterious world, called Proxima b, discovered only in 2016.

Scientists know surprisingly little about Proxima b. Astronomers name the first planet discovered in a system b. This planet has never been seen with human eyes or by a telescope. But we know it exists due to its gravitational pull on its host star, which makes the star wobble ever so slightly. This slight wobble was found in measurements collected by a large, international group of astronomers from data taken with multiple ground-based telescopes. Proxima b very likely has a rocky composition similar to Earths, but higher mass. It receives about the same amount of heat as Earth receives from the sun.

And that is what makes this planet so exciting: It lies in the habitable zone and just might have properties similar to Earths, like a surface, liquid water, andwho knows? maybe even an atmosphere bearing the telltale chemical signs of life.

NASAs TESS mission launched in April 2018 to hunt for other broadly Earth-sized planets, but with a different method. TESS is looking for rare dimming events that happen when planets pass in front of their host stars, blocking some starlight. These transit events indicate not only the presence of the planets, but also their sizes and orbits.

Finding a new transiting exoplanet is a big deal for astronomers like us because, unlike those found through stellar wobbles, worlds seen transiting can be studied further to determine their densities and atmospheric compositions.

By measuring the depth of the dip in brightness and knowing the size of the star, scientists can determine the size or radius of the planet. NASA Ames

For us, the most exciting exoplanets are the smallest ones, which TESS can detect when they orbit small stars called red dwarfs (stars with masses less than half the mass of our sun).

Each of these systems is unique. For example, LP 791-18 is a red dwarf star 86 light-years from Earth around which TESS found two worlds. The first is a super-Earth, a planet larger than Earth but probably still mostly rocky, and the second is a mini-Neptune, a planet smaller than Neptune but gas- and ice-rich. Neither of these planets have counterparts in our solar system.

Among astronomers current favorites of the new broadly Earth-sized planets is LHS 3884b, a scorching hot Earth that orbits its sun so quickly that on it you could celebrate your birthday every 11 hours.

But how Earth-like are Earth-sized planets? The promise of finding nearby worlds for detailed studies is already paying off. A team of astronomers observed the hot super-Earth LHS 3884b with the Hubble Space Telescope and found the planet to be a horrible vacation spot, without even an atmosphere. It is just a bare rock with temperatures ranging from over 700 C (1300 Fahrenheit) at noon to near absolute zero (-460 Fahrenheit) at midnight.

The TESS mission was initially funded for two years. But the spacecraft is in excellent shape and NASA recently extended the mission through 2022, doubling the time TESS will have to scan nearby, bright stars for transits.

However, finding exoplanets around the coolest starsthose with temperatures less than about 2700 C (4900 F)will still be a challenge due to their extreme faintness. Since ultracool dwarfs provide our best opportunity to find and study exoplanets with sizes and temperatures similar to Earths, other focused planet searches are picking up where TESS leaves off.

Illustration of TESS, NASAs Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center

In May 2016, a Belgian-led group announced the discovery of a planetary system around the ultracool dwarf they christened TRAPPIST-1. The discovery of the seven transiting Earth-sized exoplanets in the TRAPPIST-1 system was groundbreaking.

It also demonstrated how small telescopesrelative to the powerful behemoths of our age can still make transformational discoveries. With patience and persistence, the TRAPPIST telescope scanned nearby faint, red dwarf stars from its high-mountain perch in the Atacama desert for small, telltale dips in their brightnesses. Eventually, it spotted transits in the data for the red dwarf TRAPPIST-1, whichalthough just 41 light-years awayis too faint for TESSs four 10-cm (4-inch) diameter lenses. Its Earth-sized worlds would have remained undiscovered had the TRAPPIST teams larger telescope not found them.

Two projects have upped the game in the search for exo-Earth candidates around nearby red dwarfs. The SPECULOOS team installed four robotic telescopesalso in the Atacama desertand one in the Northern Hemisphere. Our Exoearth Discovery and Exploration NetworkProject EDENuses nine telescopes in Arizona, Italy, Spain, and Taiwan to observe red dwarf stars continuously.

The SPECULOOS and EDEN telescopes are much larger than TESSs small lenses and can find planets around stars too faint for TESS to study, including some of the transiting Earth-sized planets closest to us.

This artists concept shows what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system may look like, based on available data about the planets diameters, masses and distances from the host star, as of February 2018. NASA/JPL-Caltech

The next decade is likely to be remembered as the time when we opened our eyes to the incredible diversity of other worlds. TESS is likely to find between 10,000 and 15,000 exoplanet candidates by 2025. By 2030, the European Space Agencys GAIA and PLATO missions are expected to find another 20,000-35,000 planets. GAIA will look for stellar wobbles introduced by planets, while PLATO will search for planetary transits as TESS does.

However, even among the thousands of planets that will soon be found, the exoplanets closest to our solar system will remain special. Many of these worlds can be studied in great detail, including the search for signs of life. Discoveries of the nearest worlds also represent major steps in humanitys progress in exploring the universe we live in. After mapping our own planet and then the solar system, we now turn to nearby planetary systems. Perhaps one day Proxima b or another nearby world astronomers have yet to find will be the target for interstellar probes, like Project Starshot, or even crewed starships. But first weve got to put these worlds on the map.

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

Image Credit: Image by JAKO5D from Pixabay

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NASA's TESS Spacecraft Is Finding Hundreds of Exoplanetsand Is Poised to Find Thousands More - Singularity Hub