Podcasts about Geek Pride Day

It's the 25th of May, which can only mean one thing: Geek Pride Day! Or Towel Day. Or the Glorious 25th of May and the Battle of Treacle Mine Road...okay, that's three things. Why not add one more? This is the Pratchat Eeek Club: a bonus episode discussing Terry Pratchett-related topics selected by our "Eeek" tier subscribers. This year, the topics are: So it's been a few years of the Podcast. How are you guys holding up? How could one Discworld character use their skills and influence to change the patriarchal nature of the Disc? What is an unwritten Discworld story for you, e.g. maybe a head canon of a specific character, or a general arc of how things came into being or changed on the Disc? Why no gays? (On the Discworld.) Like learning how to not use magic is the whole point of magic, what have you had to learn not to do to make your life easier/better? What other storylines - other than The Watch - would you like to see turned into a television show? A big thank you to all our subscribers for making Pratchat possible, but especially to this year's Eeek Club contributors: Graham, Karl, Jing, the Caths, Jess and Ellie, Stephanie, Nathan and those we didn't hear from. You'll find notes and errata for this episode on our website. Want to make sure we get through every Pratchett book - or even choose a topic for next year's Eeek Club? You can support Pratchat by subscribing for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus stuff, including the exclusive supporter podcast Ook Club! Click here to find out more.

Special Intro: Gates McFadden - Dr. Crusher from Star Trek  Film at 11: IF (2024)  Book IT: Star Trek: Picard: Firewall (2024) by David Mack  Scroll with it: All eyes on AI this week with Google I/O 2024 rolling out their latest version of Gemini and OpenAI giving the world ChatGPT 4o. It's Geek Pride Day this weekend. Get out and show your pride!  Show Notes: https://bit.ly/tms52124

The Migs Report. Today is Geek Pride Day and National Tap Dance Day. 

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, May the 4th be with you, 2023. Star Wars- The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)-Play 0:00-0:36 Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate the Star Wars media franchise created by founder, former chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations since the franchise began in 1977. The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", a variant of the popular Star Wars catchphrase "May the Force be with you". Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans around the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and parent company Disney as an annual celebration of Star Wars. Additionally, the release date of the original Star Wars movie on May 25, 1977 is also celebrated as Geek Pride Day. Olive Tree Biblical Software: Discover why more than a million people use the free Olive Tree Bible App as their go-to for reading, studying, and listening to the God’s Word. Download one of many free Bibles and start taking notes, highlighting verses, and bookmarking your favorite passages. Read at your own pace, or choose from a large selection of Reading Plans, including the Bible Reading Challenge. When you are ready to go deeper into your studies, Olive Tree is right there with a large selection of study Bibles, commentaries, and other helpful study resources available for purchase. An extensive bookstore allows you to build your digital library one book at a time. Olive Tree’s sync technology lets you pick up where you left off on your tablet, pc or phone and get right to studying on another supported device. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/europe/ukraine-drone-attack-putin-kremlin-intl/index.html Kyiv denies involvement in alleged Kremlin drone attack Russia claimed Ukraine launched an attempt to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin with a drone strike on the Kremlin overnight on Wednesday, an extraordinary allegation that was met with forceful denials in Kyiv. The Kremlin said the attack was foiled and the alleged drones destroyed. Video that appeared on social media shows a bright flash and a puff of smoke over a part of the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president and the most potent symbol of power in Moscow. In a statement, the Kremlin said it regarded the alleged attack as terrorism and a deliberate attempt on Putin’s life. “Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” it added. Ukraine denied involvement in the alleged strike. US officials said they were still assessing the incident, and had no information about who might have been responsible. Whatever the truth, any admission of a security breach at the heart of the Kremlin is remarkable. Moscow said the alleged attack took place in the early hours of Wednesday. The Russian president was not in the building at the time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. analysis of video showing the incident support the Kremlin’s claim that two drones were flown above the Kremlin early Wednesday, but did not show evidence of Ukrainian involvement: A video that appeared to show smoke rising from the Kremlin surfaced on a local neighborhood channel on social media platform Telegram at 2:37 a.m. local time Wednesday. The first reports of the incident citing the Kremlin came via Russian state media TASS and RIA around 2:33 p.m. local time – around 12 hours later. Shortly after the first media reports, another video appearing to show the moment a drone exploded above the Kremlin began circulating widely on social media. In the video, the drone appears to fly towards the building’s domed roof, followed by what looks like a small explosion. In this video, two people appear to be climbing on the dome holding flashlights, and can be seen ducking down just before the moment of the explosion. The people climbing the dome are not present in the first of these videos, but appear in the second, suggesting they were responding to the fire caused by the first drone at the time the subsequent drone appeared. The Kremlin Press Service has called the purported drone attack an “attempt on the President’s life,” said it was an “act of terrorism” and blamed Ukraine. https://www.outkick.com/audrey-hale-nashville-police-release-update-litigation/ POLICE ANNOUNCE MANIFESTO OF NASHVILLE TRANSGENDER MASS KILLER WON’T BE RELEASED SOON The release of transgender mass killer Audrey Hale’s manifesto has been put on hold. The Nashville Police Department had previously told Fox News Digital last week the manifesto was being revealed and would be released. People are interested to see what drove Hale to murder six innocent people, including three children, at the Covenant School in late March. Now, it appears that the process has hit a roadblock. Metro Nashville PD announced Wednesday afternoon that “Due to pending litigation filed this week, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has been advised by counsel to hold in abeyance the release of records related to the shooting at The Covenant School pending orders or direction of the court.” The update is in response to a lawsuit filed by former Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and the Tennessee Firearms Association against the Nashville city government and the police to release the manifesto, according to TimeFreePress.com. As of early May, the public still doesn’t have any idea what is in the manifesto. It’s been more than a month since Audrey Hale walked into the Covenant School to unleash her rampage of terror against children and staffers. Despite the significant time that has passed, government officials have seemingly dragged their feet to make sure the manifesto doesn’t come out. For most of the time, it appeared that Hale’s writings would never be released. Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston previously told the New York Post, “What I was told is, her manifesto was a blueprint on total destruction, and it was so, so detailed at the level of what she had planned … That document in the wrong person’s hands would be astronomically dangerous.” https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/fed-rate-decision-may-2023-.html Fed increases rates a quarter point and signals a potential end to hikes The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its 10th interest rate increase in just a little over a year and dropped a tentative hint that the current tightening cycle is at an end. In a unanimous decision widely expected by markets, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee raised its benchmark borrowing rate by 0.25 percentage point. The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending but feeds through to many consumer debt products such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. The increase takes the fed funds rate to a target range of 5%-5.25%, the highest since August 2007. Markets, though, are more focused on whether the Fed will pause here, particularly with lingering concerns over economic growth and a banking crisis that has rattled nerves on Wall Street. Stocks rose slightly and Treasury yields were mostly lower immediately following the Fed news, but stocks struggled to hold on to the gains. During Wednesday’s news conference, Chairman Jerome Powell said “a decision on a pause was not made today” but noted the change in the statement language around future policy firming was “meaningful.” The post-meeting statement had only offered some clarity on the future pace of rate hikes — and not by what it said but what it didn’t say. The document omitted a sentence present in the previous statement saying that “the Committee anticipates that some additional policy firming may be appropriate” for the Fed to achieve its 2% inflation goal. The statement also tweaked language to outline the conditions under which “additional policy firming may be appropriate.” Previously, the FOMC had framed the forward guidance around how it would determine “the extent of future increases in the target range.” The statement reiterated that the Fed “will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments.” Taken together, the moves are at least a tenuous nod that while tight policy could remain in effect, the path ahead is less clear for actual interest rate hikes as policymakers assess incoming data and financial conditions. Wednesday’s decision comes amid U.S. economic fragility and over the objections of prominent Democratic lawmakers, who urged the Fed this week to stop rate hikes that they insisted could cause a recession and excessive loss of jobs. However, the labor market has remained strong since the increases started in March 2022. At the same time, inflation is still well above the 2% target that policymakers consider optimum. Multiple officials have said rates probably will need to stay elevated even if the hikes are put on hold. https://www.theepochtimes.com/irs-spent-10-million-on-weapons-since-covid-19-pandemic-began-watchdog_5238319.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport IRS Spent $10 Million on Weapons Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Watchdog The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been splashing out millions stocking up on guns, ammunition, and combat gear since 2020, according to the findings of Open The Books, a watchdog group that tracks government spending. A report by the watchdog, published on April 27, found that the agency has spent a total of $10 million on weaponry and gear since the COVID-19 pandemic began, including $2.3 million on duty ammunition, $1.2 million on ballistic shields, and another $1.3 million on “various other gear for criminal investigation agents.” Additionally, the agency has spent $474,000 on Smith & Wesson rifles, $463,000 on Beretta 1301 tactical shotguns, and $243,000 on body armor vests since 2020. Another $467,000 was reportedly spent on duty tactical lighting, $354,000 on tactical gear bags, and $267,000 on ballistic helmets in the same time. The report, called “The Militarization of Federal Bureaucracy,” contains updated data through the end of March 2023. Since 2006, the IRS has splashed out $35.2 million (adjusted for inflation) on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment. The report found that 2020 and 2021 saw them spend increased amounts. In a statement to Open The Books in 2021, an IRS spokesperson said IRS Criminal Investigation special agents “have been using weapons throughout their history as they have consistently found themselves investigating the most dangerous criminals involved in organized crime, drugs, and gangs.” The IRS Careers website for criminal investigation special agents states that applicants must be willing to “carry a firearm, must be prepared to protect him/herself or others from physical attacks at any time and without warning and use firearms in life-threatening situations; must be willing to use force up to and including the use of deadly force.” https://www.dailyfetched.com/san-francisco-loses-another-retail-giant-as-shops-continue-to-close-due-to-crime/ San Francisco Loses Another Retail Giant as Shops Continue To Close Due to Crime According to a memo from Chief Stores Officer Jamie Nordstrom to employees, the company has decided not to renew its leases for its San Francisco Centre Nordstrom store and the Market Street Rack store. “We’ve spent more than 35 years serving customers in downtown San Francisco, building relationships with them and investing in the local community,” Nordstrom wrote. “But as many of you know, the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.” The San Francisco Centre location will close at the end of August, and the Market Street Rack will close on July 1. the owner of the Westfield mall, told the San Francisco Standard that such closures “underscores the deteriorating situation in Downtown San Francisco.” A spokesperson for the mall added: “A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area.” The statement continued: [Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield] has actively engaged with city leaders for many years to express our serious concerns, which are shared by our customers and retailers. We have urged the city to find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement again.” The news comes not long after San Francisco flagship Whole Foods retail store closed after just a year due to 568 emergency calls over 13 months amid soaring crime in the city. Incidents included vagrants starting fights, throwing food, and defecating on the floor. Twenty retailers have closed stores in the Union Square area since 2020, The Standard reports. Last month, CashApp founder Bob Lee was fatally stabbed in the streets of San Fransisco, while former fire commissioner Don Carmignani was recently beaten over the head with a pipe by a vagrant. Last October, The Daily Fetched reported that commuters were resorting to arming themselves with baseball bats and stun guns due to droves of violent drug addicts. Residents of the SoMa, in northeast San Francisco, said the recent opening of the SoMa RISE drug sobering center, which opened in June, has plagued the neighborhood, making it unsafe. Residents say the center, which aims to temper drug usage, has done nothing but draw heavy users to the neighborhood. Residents said the influx of drug users had brought soaring crime, making the neighborhood more dangerous, Fox News reported. San Francisco Mayor London Breed touted the center as a safe haven for addicts looking to rebuild their lives. But according to SoMa resident and business owner Mark Sackett, the reality of the center in the neighborhood is much different. https://www.dailyfetched.com/joe-biden-offers-500k-grant-for-teachers-in-pakistan-to-help-transgender-youth/ Joe Biden Offers $500K Grant for Teachers in Pakistan to Help Transgender Youth According to the State Department grant, it will teach English language skills to Pakistani transgender youth so they “better participate in the global community and prepare them for success in the workplace.” The grant report aims to focus on three components: (1) Professional Development for English Language Teachers from Non-Mainstream Institutions (2) Professional Development for novice Pakistani English language teachers (3) Professional Development for Transgender Youth and for Afghan Teachers, Students, and Young Professionals Residing in Pakistan.” The program component that includes a focus on transgender youth accepts proposals from applicants “for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000 to implement: (1) intensive professional development courses for Pakistani transgender youth from the ages of 13-25, and (2) and intensive professional development courses for Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals residing in Pakistan.” The components aim to improve English language communication skills and connect trainees to a professional alumni network. Applicants to the Biden grant program are encouraged to address, “What is the most effective way to reach the greatest number of Pakistani transgender youth and Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals from diverse locations across Pakistan?” A spokesperson for the State Department said the education project from the agency focuses on transgender youth like it does with other “marginalized communities.” However, the spokesperson added that the grant funds won’t be used for gender transitions.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, May the 4th be with you, 2023. Star Wars- The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)-Play 0:00-0:36 Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate the Star Wars media franchise created by founder, former chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations since the franchise began in 1977. The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", a variant of the popular Star Wars catchphrase "May the Force be with you". Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans around the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and parent company Disney as an annual celebration of Star Wars. Additionally, the release date of the original Star Wars movie on May 25, 1977 is also celebrated as Geek Pride Day. Olive Tree Biblical Software: Discover why more than a million people use the free Olive Tree Bible App as their go-to for reading, studying, and listening to the God’s Word. Download one of many free Bibles and start taking notes, highlighting verses, and bookmarking your favorite passages. Read at your own pace, or choose from a large selection of Reading Plans, including the Bible Reading Challenge. When you are ready to go deeper into your studies, Olive Tree is right there with a large selection of study Bibles, commentaries, and other helpful study resources available for purchase. An extensive bookstore allows you to build your digital library one book at a time. Olive Tree’s sync technology lets you pick up where you left off on your tablet, pc or phone and get right to studying on another supported device. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/europe/ukraine-drone-attack-putin-kremlin-intl/index.html Kyiv denies involvement in alleged Kremlin drone attack Russia claimed Ukraine launched an attempt to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin with a drone strike on the Kremlin overnight on Wednesday, an extraordinary allegation that was met with forceful denials in Kyiv. The Kremlin said the attack was foiled and the alleged drones destroyed. Video that appeared on social media shows a bright flash and a puff of smoke over a part of the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president and the most potent symbol of power in Moscow. In a statement, the Kremlin said it regarded the alleged attack as terrorism and a deliberate attempt on Putin’s life. “Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” it added. Ukraine denied involvement in the alleged strike. US officials said they were still assessing the incident, and had no information about who might have been responsible. Whatever the truth, any admission of a security breach at the heart of the Kremlin is remarkable. Moscow said the alleged attack took place in the early hours of Wednesday. The Russian president was not in the building at the time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. analysis of video showing the incident support the Kremlin’s claim that two drones were flown above the Kremlin early Wednesday, but did not show evidence of Ukrainian involvement: A video that appeared to show smoke rising from the Kremlin surfaced on a local neighborhood channel on social media platform Telegram at 2:37 a.m. local time Wednesday. The first reports of the incident citing the Kremlin came via Russian state media TASS and RIA around 2:33 p.m. local time – around 12 hours later. Shortly after the first media reports, another video appearing to show the moment a drone exploded above the Kremlin began circulating widely on social media. In the video, the drone appears to fly towards the building’s domed roof, followed by what looks like a small explosion. In this video, two people appear to be climbing on the dome holding flashlights, and can be seen ducking down just before the moment of the explosion. The people climbing the dome are not present in the first of these videos, but appear in the second, suggesting they were responding to the fire caused by the first drone at the time the subsequent drone appeared. The Kremlin Press Service has called the purported drone attack an “attempt on the President’s life,” said it was an “act of terrorism” and blamed Ukraine. https://www.outkick.com/audrey-hale-nashville-police-release-update-litigation/ POLICE ANNOUNCE MANIFESTO OF NASHVILLE TRANSGENDER MASS KILLER WON’T BE RELEASED SOON The release of transgender mass killer Audrey Hale’s manifesto has been put on hold. The Nashville Police Department had previously told Fox News Digital last week the manifesto was being revealed and would be released. People are interested to see what drove Hale to murder six innocent people, including three children, at the Covenant School in late March. Now, it appears that the process has hit a roadblock. Metro Nashville PD announced Wednesday afternoon that “Due to pending litigation filed this week, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has been advised by counsel to hold in abeyance the release of records related to the shooting at The Covenant School pending orders or direction of the court.” The update is in response to a lawsuit filed by former Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and the Tennessee Firearms Association against the Nashville city government and the police to release the manifesto, according to TimeFreePress.com. As of early May, the public still doesn’t have any idea what is in the manifesto. It’s been more than a month since Audrey Hale walked into the Covenant School to unleash her rampage of terror against children and staffers. Despite the significant time that has passed, government officials have seemingly dragged their feet to make sure the manifesto doesn’t come out. For most of the time, it appeared that Hale’s writings would never be released. Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston previously told the New York Post, “What I was told is, her manifesto was a blueprint on total destruction, and it was so, so detailed at the level of what she had planned … That document in the wrong person’s hands would be astronomically dangerous.” https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/fed-rate-decision-may-2023-.html Fed increases rates a quarter point and signals a potential end to hikes The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its 10th interest rate increase in just a little over a year and dropped a tentative hint that the current tightening cycle is at an end. In a unanimous decision widely expected by markets, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee raised its benchmark borrowing rate by 0.25 percentage point. The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending but feeds through to many consumer debt products such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. The increase takes the fed funds rate to a target range of 5%-5.25%, the highest since August 2007. Markets, though, are more focused on whether the Fed will pause here, particularly with lingering concerns over economic growth and a banking crisis that has rattled nerves on Wall Street. Stocks rose slightly and Treasury yields were mostly lower immediately following the Fed news, but stocks struggled to hold on to the gains. During Wednesday’s news conference, Chairman Jerome Powell said “a decision on a pause was not made today” but noted the change in the statement language around future policy firming was “meaningful.” The post-meeting statement had only offered some clarity on the future pace of rate hikes — and not by what it said but what it didn’t say. The document omitted a sentence present in the previous statement saying that “the Committee anticipates that some additional policy firming may be appropriate” for the Fed to achieve its 2% inflation goal. The statement also tweaked language to outline the conditions under which “additional policy firming may be appropriate.” Previously, the FOMC had framed the forward guidance around how it would determine “the extent of future increases in the target range.” The statement reiterated that the Fed “will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments.” Taken together, the moves are at least a tenuous nod that while tight policy could remain in effect, the path ahead is less clear for actual interest rate hikes as policymakers assess incoming data and financial conditions. Wednesday’s decision comes amid U.S. economic fragility and over the objections of prominent Democratic lawmakers, who urged the Fed this week to stop rate hikes that they insisted could cause a recession and excessive loss of jobs. However, the labor market has remained strong since the increases started in March 2022. At the same time, inflation is still well above the 2% target that policymakers consider optimum. Multiple officials have said rates probably will need to stay elevated even if the hikes are put on hold. https://www.theepochtimes.com/irs-spent-10-million-on-weapons-since-covid-19-pandemic-began-watchdog_5238319.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport IRS Spent $10 Million on Weapons Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Watchdog The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been splashing out millions stocking up on guns, ammunition, and combat gear since 2020, according to the findings of Open The Books, a watchdog group that tracks government spending. A report by the watchdog, published on April 27, found that the agency has spent a total of $10 million on weaponry and gear since the COVID-19 pandemic began, including $2.3 million on duty ammunition, $1.2 million on ballistic shields, and another $1.3 million on “various other gear for criminal investigation agents.” Additionally, the agency has spent $474,000 on Smith & Wesson rifles, $463,000 on Beretta 1301 tactical shotguns, and $243,000 on body armor vests since 2020. Another $467,000 was reportedly spent on duty tactical lighting, $354,000 on tactical gear bags, and $267,000 on ballistic helmets in the same time. The report, called “The Militarization of Federal Bureaucracy,” contains updated data through the end of March 2023. Since 2006, the IRS has splashed out $35.2 million (adjusted for inflation) on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment. The report found that 2020 and 2021 saw them spend increased amounts. In a statement to Open The Books in 2021, an IRS spokesperson said IRS Criminal Investigation special agents “have been using weapons throughout their history as they have consistently found themselves investigating the most dangerous criminals involved in organized crime, drugs, and gangs.” The IRS Careers website for criminal investigation special agents states that applicants must be willing to “carry a firearm, must be prepared to protect him/herself or others from physical attacks at any time and without warning and use firearms in life-threatening situations; must be willing to use force up to and including the use of deadly force.” https://www.dailyfetched.com/san-francisco-loses-another-retail-giant-as-shops-continue-to-close-due-to-crime/ San Francisco Loses Another Retail Giant as Shops Continue To Close Due to Crime According to a memo from Chief Stores Officer Jamie Nordstrom to employees, the company has decided not to renew its leases for its San Francisco Centre Nordstrom store and the Market Street Rack store. “We’ve spent more than 35 years serving customers in downtown San Francisco, building relationships with them and investing in the local community,” Nordstrom wrote. “But as many of you know, the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.” The San Francisco Centre location will close at the end of August, and the Market Street Rack will close on July 1. the owner of the Westfield mall, told the San Francisco Standard that such closures “underscores the deteriorating situation in Downtown San Francisco.” A spokesperson for the mall added: “A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area.” The statement continued: [Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield] has actively engaged with city leaders for many years to express our serious concerns, which are shared by our customers and retailers. We have urged the city to find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement again.” The news comes not long after San Francisco flagship Whole Foods retail store closed after just a year due to 568 emergency calls over 13 months amid soaring crime in the city. Incidents included vagrants starting fights, throwing food, and defecating on the floor. Twenty retailers have closed stores in the Union Square area since 2020, The Standard reports. Last month, CashApp founder Bob Lee was fatally stabbed in the streets of San Fransisco, while former fire commissioner Don Carmignani was recently beaten over the head with a pipe by a vagrant. Last October, The Daily Fetched reported that commuters were resorting to arming themselves with baseball bats and stun guns due to droves of violent drug addicts. Residents of the SoMa, in northeast San Francisco, said the recent opening of the SoMa RISE drug sobering center, which opened in June, has plagued the neighborhood, making it unsafe. Residents say the center, which aims to temper drug usage, has done nothing but draw heavy users to the neighborhood. Residents said the influx of drug users had brought soaring crime, making the neighborhood more dangerous, Fox News reported. San Francisco Mayor London Breed touted the center as a safe haven for addicts looking to rebuild their lives. But according to SoMa resident and business owner Mark Sackett, the reality of the center in the neighborhood is much different. https://www.dailyfetched.com/joe-biden-offers-500k-grant-for-teachers-in-pakistan-to-help-transgender-youth/ Joe Biden Offers $500K Grant for Teachers in Pakistan to Help Transgender Youth According to the State Department grant, it will teach English language skills to Pakistani transgender youth so they “better participate in the global community and prepare them for success in the workplace.” The grant report aims to focus on three components: (1) Professional Development for English Language Teachers from Non-Mainstream Institutions (2) Professional Development for novice Pakistani English language teachers (3) Professional Development for Transgender Youth and for Afghan Teachers, Students, and Young Professionals Residing in Pakistan.” The program component that includes a focus on transgender youth accepts proposals from applicants “for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000 to implement: (1) intensive professional development courses for Pakistani transgender youth from the ages of 13-25, and (2) and intensive professional development courses for Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals residing in Pakistan.” The components aim to improve English language communication skills and connect trainees to a professional alumni network. Applicants to the Biden grant program are encouraged to address, “What is the most effective way to reach the greatest number of Pakistani transgender youth and Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals from diverse locations across Pakistan?” A spokesperson for the State Department said the education project from the agency focuses on transgender youth like it does with other “marginalized communities.” However, the spokesperson added that the grant funds won’t be used for gender transitions.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, May the 4th be with you, 2023. Star Wars- The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)-Play 0:00-0:36 Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate the Star Wars media franchise created by founder, former chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations since the franchise began in 1977. The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", a variant of the popular Star Wars catchphrase "May the Force be with you". Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans around the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and parent company Disney as an annual celebration of Star Wars. Additionally, the release date of the original Star Wars movie on May 25, 1977 is also celebrated as Geek Pride Day. Olive Tree Biblical Software: Discover why more than a million people use the free Olive Tree Bible App as their go-to for reading, studying, and listening to the God’s Word. Download one of many free Bibles and start taking notes, highlighting verses, and bookmarking your favorite passages. Read at your own pace, or choose from a large selection of Reading Plans, including the Bible Reading Challenge. When you are ready to go deeper into your studies, Olive Tree is right there with a large selection of study Bibles, commentaries, and other helpful study resources available for purchase. An extensive bookstore allows you to build your digital library one book at a time. Olive Tree’s sync technology lets you pick up where you left off on your tablet, pc or phone and get right to studying on another supported device. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/europe/ukraine-drone-attack-putin-kremlin-intl/index.html Kyiv denies involvement in alleged Kremlin drone attack Russia claimed Ukraine launched an attempt to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin with a drone strike on the Kremlin overnight on Wednesday, an extraordinary allegation that was met with forceful denials in Kyiv. The Kremlin said the attack was foiled and the alleged drones destroyed. Video that appeared on social media shows a bright flash and a puff of smoke over a part of the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president and the most potent symbol of power in Moscow. In a statement, the Kremlin said it regarded the alleged attack as terrorism and a deliberate attempt on Putin’s life. “Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” it added. Ukraine denied involvement in the alleged strike. US officials said they were still assessing the incident, and had no information about who might have been responsible. Whatever the truth, any admission of a security breach at the heart of the Kremlin is remarkable. Moscow said the alleged attack took place in the early hours of Wednesday. The Russian president was not in the building at the time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. analysis of video showing the incident support the Kremlin’s claim that two drones were flown above the Kremlin early Wednesday, but did not show evidence of Ukrainian involvement: A video that appeared to show smoke rising from the Kremlin surfaced on a local neighborhood channel on social media platform Telegram at 2:37 a.m. local time Wednesday. The first reports of the incident citing the Kremlin came via Russian state media TASS and RIA around 2:33 p.m. local time – around 12 hours later. Shortly after the first media reports, another video appearing to show the moment a drone exploded above the Kremlin began circulating widely on social media. In the video, the drone appears to fly towards the building’s domed roof, followed by what looks like a small explosion. In this video, two people appear to be climbing on the dome holding flashlights, and can be seen ducking down just before the moment of the explosion. The people climbing the dome are not present in the first of these videos, but appear in the second, suggesting they were responding to the fire caused by the first drone at the time the subsequent drone appeared. The Kremlin Press Service has called the purported drone attack an “attempt on the President’s life,” said it was an “act of terrorism” and blamed Ukraine. https://www.outkick.com/audrey-hale-nashville-police-release-update-litigation/ POLICE ANNOUNCE MANIFESTO OF NASHVILLE TRANSGENDER MASS KILLER WON’T BE RELEASED SOON The release of transgender mass killer Audrey Hale’s manifesto has been put on hold. The Nashville Police Department had previously told Fox News Digital last week the manifesto was being revealed and would be released. People are interested to see what drove Hale to murder six innocent people, including three children, at the Covenant School in late March. Now, it appears that the process has hit a roadblock. Metro Nashville PD announced Wednesday afternoon that “Due to pending litigation filed this week, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has been advised by counsel to hold in abeyance the release of records related to the shooting at The Covenant School pending orders or direction of the court.” The update is in response to a lawsuit filed by former Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and the Tennessee Firearms Association against the Nashville city government and the police to release the manifesto, according to TimeFreePress.com. As of early May, the public still doesn’t have any idea what is in the manifesto. It’s been more than a month since Audrey Hale walked into the Covenant School to unleash her rampage of terror against children and staffers. Despite the significant time that has passed, government officials have seemingly dragged their feet to make sure the manifesto doesn’t come out. For most of the time, it appeared that Hale’s writings would never be released. Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston previously told the New York Post, “What I was told is, her manifesto was a blueprint on total destruction, and it was so, so detailed at the level of what she had planned … That document in the wrong person’s hands would be astronomically dangerous.” https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/fed-rate-decision-may-2023-.html Fed increases rates a quarter point and signals a potential end to hikes The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its 10th interest rate increase in just a little over a year and dropped a tentative hint that the current tightening cycle is at an end. In a unanimous decision widely expected by markets, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee raised its benchmark borrowing rate by 0.25 percentage point. The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending but feeds through to many consumer debt products such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. The increase takes the fed funds rate to a target range of 5%-5.25%, the highest since August 2007. Markets, though, are more focused on whether the Fed will pause here, particularly with lingering concerns over economic growth and a banking crisis that has rattled nerves on Wall Street. Stocks rose slightly and Treasury yields were mostly lower immediately following the Fed news, but stocks struggled to hold on to the gains. During Wednesday’s news conference, Chairman Jerome Powell said “a decision on a pause was not made today” but noted the change in the statement language around future policy firming was “meaningful.” The post-meeting statement had only offered some clarity on the future pace of rate hikes — and not by what it said but what it didn’t say. The document omitted a sentence present in the previous statement saying that “the Committee anticipates that some additional policy firming may be appropriate” for the Fed to achieve its 2% inflation goal. The statement also tweaked language to outline the conditions under which “additional policy firming may be appropriate.” Previously, the FOMC had framed the forward guidance around how it would determine “the extent of future increases in the target range.” The statement reiterated that the Fed “will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments.” Taken together, the moves are at least a tenuous nod that while tight policy could remain in effect, the path ahead is less clear for actual interest rate hikes as policymakers assess incoming data and financial conditions. Wednesday’s decision comes amid U.S. economic fragility and over the objections of prominent Democratic lawmakers, who urged the Fed this week to stop rate hikes that they insisted could cause a recession and excessive loss of jobs. However, the labor market has remained strong since the increases started in March 2022. At the same time, inflation is still well above the 2% target that policymakers consider optimum. Multiple officials have said rates probably will need to stay elevated even if the hikes are put on hold. https://www.theepochtimes.com/irs-spent-10-million-on-weapons-since-covid-19-pandemic-began-watchdog_5238319.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport IRS Spent $10 Million on Weapons Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Watchdog The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been splashing out millions stocking up on guns, ammunition, and combat gear since 2020, according to the findings of Open The Books, a watchdog group that tracks government spending. A report by the watchdog, published on April 27, found that the agency has spent a total of $10 million on weaponry and gear since the COVID-19 pandemic began, including $2.3 million on duty ammunition, $1.2 million on ballistic shields, and another $1.3 million on “various other gear for criminal investigation agents.” Additionally, the agency has spent $474,000 on Smith & Wesson rifles, $463,000 on Beretta 1301 tactical shotguns, and $243,000 on body armor vests since 2020. Another $467,000 was reportedly spent on duty tactical lighting, $354,000 on tactical gear bags, and $267,000 on ballistic helmets in the same time. The report, called “The Militarization of Federal Bureaucracy,” contains updated data through the end of March 2023. Since 2006, the IRS has splashed out $35.2 million (adjusted for inflation) on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment. The report found that 2020 and 2021 saw them spend increased amounts. In a statement to Open The Books in 2021, an IRS spokesperson said IRS Criminal Investigation special agents “have been using weapons throughout their history as they have consistently found themselves investigating the most dangerous criminals involved in organized crime, drugs, and gangs.” The IRS Careers website for criminal investigation special agents states that applicants must be willing to “carry a firearm, must be prepared to protect him/herself or others from physical attacks at any time and without warning and use firearms in life-threatening situations; must be willing to use force up to and including the use of deadly force.” https://www.dailyfetched.com/san-francisco-loses-another-retail-giant-as-shops-continue-to-close-due-to-crime/ San Francisco Loses Another Retail Giant as Shops Continue To Close Due to Crime According to a memo from Chief Stores Officer Jamie Nordstrom to employees, the company has decided not to renew its leases for its San Francisco Centre Nordstrom store and the Market Street Rack store. “We’ve spent more than 35 years serving customers in downtown San Francisco, building relationships with them and investing in the local community,” Nordstrom wrote. “But as many of you know, the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.” The San Francisco Centre location will close at the end of August, and the Market Street Rack will close on July 1. the owner of the Westfield mall, told the San Francisco Standard that such closures “underscores the deteriorating situation in Downtown San Francisco.” A spokesperson for the mall added: “A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area.” The statement continued: [Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield] has actively engaged with city leaders for many years to express our serious concerns, which are shared by our customers and retailers. We have urged the city to find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement again.” The news comes not long after San Francisco flagship Whole Foods retail store closed after just a year due to 568 emergency calls over 13 months amid soaring crime in the city. Incidents included vagrants starting fights, throwing food, and defecating on the floor. Twenty retailers have closed stores in the Union Square area since 2020, The Standard reports. Last month, CashApp founder Bob Lee was fatally stabbed in the streets of San Fransisco, while former fire commissioner Don Carmignani was recently beaten over the head with a pipe by a vagrant. Last October, The Daily Fetched reported that commuters were resorting to arming themselves with baseball bats and stun guns due to droves of violent drug addicts. Residents of the SoMa, in northeast San Francisco, said the recent opening of the SoMa RISE drug sobering center, which opened in June, has plagued the neighborhood, making it unsafe. Residents say the center, which aims to temper drug usage, has done nothing but draw heavy users to the neighborhood. Residents said the influx of drug users had brought soaring crime, making the neighborhood more dangerous, Fox News reported. San Francisco Mayor London Breed touted the center as a safe haven for addicts looking to rebuild their lives. But according to SoMa resident and business owner Mark Sackett, the reality of the center in the neighborhood is much different. https://www.dailyfetched.com/joe-biden-offers-500k-grant-for-teachers-in-pakistan-to-help-transgender-youth/ Joe Biden Offers $500K Grant for Teachers in Pakistan to Help Transgender Youth According to the State Department grant, it will teach English language skills to Pakistani transgender youth so they “better participate in the global community and prepare them for success in the workplace.” The grant report aims to focus on three components: (1) Professional Development for English Language Teachers from Non-Mainstream Institutions (2) Professional Development for novice Pakistani English language teachers (3) Professional Development for Transgender Youth and for Afghan Teachers, Students, and Young Professionals Residing in Pakistan.” The program component that includes a focus on transgender youth accepts proposals from applicants “for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000 to implement: (1) intensive professional development courses for Pakistani transgender youth from the ages of 13-25, and (2) and intensive professional development courses for Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals residing in Pakistan.” The components aim to improve English language communication skills and connect trainees to a professional alumni network. Applicants to the Biden grant program are encouraged to address, “What is the most effective way to reach the greatest number of Pakistani transgender youth and Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals from diverse locations across Pakistan?” A spokesperson for the State Department said the education project from the agency focuses on transgender youth like it does with other “marginalized communities.” However, the spokesperson added that the grant funds won’t be used for gender transitions.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, May the 4th be with you, 2023. Star Wars- The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)-Play 0:00-0:36 Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate the Star Wars media franchise created by founder, former chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations since the franchise began in 1977. The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", a variant of the popular Star Wars catchphrase "May the Force be with you". Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans around the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and parent company Disney as an annual celebration of Star Wars. Additionally, the release date of the original Star Wars movie on May 25, 1977 is also celebrated as Geek Pride Day. Olive Tree Biblical Software: Discover why more than a million people use the free Olive Tree Bible App as their go-to for reading, studying, and listening to the God’s Word. Download one of many free Bibles and start taking notes, highlighting verses, and bookmarking your favorite passages. Read at your own pace, or choose from a large selection of Reading Plans, including the Bible Reading Challenge. When you are ready to go deeper into your studies, Olive Tree is right there with a large selection of study Bibles, commentaries, and other helpful study resources available for purchase. An extensive bookstore allows you to build your digital library one book at a time. Olive Tree’s sync technology lets you pick up where you left off on your tablet, pc or phone and get right to studying on another supported device. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/europe/ukraine-drone-attack-putin-kremlin-intl/index.html Kyiv denies involvement in alleged Kremlin drone attack Russia claimed Ukraine launched an attempt to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin with a drone strike on the Kremlin overnight on Wednesday, an extraordinary allegation that was met with forceful denials in Kyiv. The Kremlin said the attack was foiled and the alleged drones destroyed. Video that appeared on social media shows a bright flash and a puff of smoke over a part of the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president and the most potent symbol of power in Moscow. In a statement, the Kremlin said it regarded the alleged attack as terrorism and a deliberate attempt on Putin’s life. “Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” it added. Ukraine denied involvement in the alleged strike. US officials said they were still assessing the incident, and had no information about who might have been responsible. Whatever the truth, any admission of a security breach at the heart of the Kremlin is remarkable. Moscow said the alleged attack took place in the early hours of Wednesday. The Russian president was not in the building at the time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. analysis of video showing the incident support the Kremlin’s claim that two drones were flown above the Kremlin early Wednesday, but did not show evidence of Ukrainian involvement: A video that appeared to show smoke rising from the Kremlin surfaced on a local neighborhood channel on social media platform Telegram at 2:37 a.m. local time Wednesday. The first reports of the incident citing the Kremlin came via Russian state media TASS and RIA around 2:33 p.m. local time – around 12 hours later. Shortly after the first media reports, another video appearing to show the moment a drone exploded above the Kremlin began circulating widely on social media. In the video, the drone appears to fly towards the building’s domed roof, followed by what looks like a small explosion. In this video, two people appear to be climbing on the dome holding flashlights, and can be seen ducking down just before the moment of the explosion. The people climbing the dome are not present in the first of these videos, but appear in the second, suggesting they were responding to the fire caused by the first drone at the time the subsequent drone appeared. The Kremlin Press Service has called the purported drone attack an “attempt on the President’s life,” said it was an “act of terrorism” and blamed Ukraine. https://www.outkick.com/audrey-hale-nashville-police-release-update-litigation/ POLICE ANNOUNCE MANIFESTO OF NASHVILLE TRANSGENDER MASS KILLER WON’T BE RELEASED SOON The release of transgender mass killer Audrey Hale’s manifesto has been put on hold. The Nashville Police Department had previously told Fox News Digital last week the manifesto was being revealed and would be released. People are interested to see what drove Hale to murder six innocent people, including three children, at the Covenant School in late March. Now, it appears that the process has hit a roadblock. Metro Nashville PD announced Wednesday afternoon that “Due to pending litigation filed this week, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has been advised by counsel to hold in abeyance the release of records related to the shooting at The Covenant School pending orders or direction of the court.” The update is in response to a lawsuit filed by former Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and the Tennessee Firearms Association against the Nashville city government and the police to release the manifesto, according to TimeFreePress.com. As of early May, the public still doesn’t have any idea what is in the manifesto. It’s been more than a month since Audrey Hale walked into the Covenant School to unleash her rampage of terror against children and staffers. Despite the significant time that has passed, government officials have seemingly dragged their feet to make sure the manifesto doesn’t come out. For most of the time, it appeared that Hale’s writings would never be released. Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston previously told the New York Post, “What I was told is, her manifesto was a blueprint on total destruction, and it was so, so detailed at the level of what she had planned … That document in the wrong person’s hands would be astronomically dangerous.” https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/fed-rate-decision-may-2023-.html Fed increases rates a quarter point and signals a potential end to hikes The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its 10th interest rate increase in just a little over a year and dropped a tentative hint that the current tightening cycle is at an end. In a unanimous decision widely expected by markets, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee raised its benchmark borrowing rate by 0.25 percentage point. The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending but feeds through to many consumer debt products such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. The increase takes the fed funds rate to a target range of 5%-5.25%, the highest since August 2007. Markets, though, are more focused on whether the Fed will pause here, particularly with lingering concerns over economic growth and a banking crisis that has rattled nerves on Wall Street. Stocks rose slightly and Treasury yields were mostly lower immediately following the Fed news, but stocks struggled to hold on to the gains. During Wednesday’s news conference, Chairman Jerome Powell said “a decision on a pause was not made today” but noted the change in the statement language around future policy firming was “meaningful.” The post-meeting statement had only offered some clarity on the future pace of rate hikes — and not by what it said but what it didn’t say. The document omitted a sentence present in the previous statement saying that “the Committee anticipates that some additional policy firming may be appropriate” for the Fed to achieve its 2% inflation goal. The statement also tweaked language to outline the conditions under which “additional policy firming may be appropriate.” Previously, the FOMC had framed the forward guidance around how it would determine “the extent of future increases in the target range.” The statement reiterated that the Fed “will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments.” Taken together, the moves are at least a tenuous nod that while tight policy could remain in effect, the path ahead is less clear for actual interest rate hikes as policymakers assess incoming data and financial conditions. Wednesday’s decision comes amid U.S. economic fragility and over the objections of prominent Democratic lawmakers, who urged the Fed this week to stop rate hikes that they insisted could cause a recession and excessive loss of jobs. However, the labor market has remained strong since the increases started in March 2022. At the same time, inflation is still well above the 2% target that policymakers consider optimum. Multiple officials have said rates probably will need to stay elevated even if the hikes are put on hold. https://www.theepochtimes.com/irs-spent-10-million-on-weapons-since-covid-19-pandemic-began-watchdog_5238319.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport IRS Spent $10 Million on Weapons Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Watchdog The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been splashing out millions stocking up on guns, ammunition, and combat gear since 2020, according to the findings of Open The Books, a watchdog group that tracks government spending. A report by the watchdog, published on April 27, found that the agency has spent a total of $10 million on weaponry and gear since the COVID-19 pandemic began, including $2.3 million on duty ammunition, $1.2 million on ballistic shields, and another $1.3 million on “various other gear for criminal investigation agents.” Additionally, the agency has spent $474,000 on Smith & Wesson rifles, $463,000 on Beretta 1301 tactical shotguns, and $243,000 on body armor vests since 2020. Another $467,000 was reportedly spent on duty tactical lighting, $354,000 on tactical gear bags, and $267,000 on ballistic helmets in the same time. The report, called “The Militarization of Federal Bureaucracy,” contains updated data through the end of March 2023. Since 2006, the IRS has splashed out $35.2 million (adjusted for inflation) on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment. The report found that 2020 and 2021 saw them spend increased amounts. In a statement to Open The Books in 2021, an IRS spokesperson said IRS Criminal Investigation special agents “have been using weapons throughout their history as they have consistently found themselves investigating the most dangerous criminals involved in organized crime, drugs, and gangs.” The IRS Careers website for criminal investigation special agents states that applicants must be willing to “carry a firearm, must be prepared to protect him/herself or others from physical attacks at any time and without warning and use firearms in life-threatening situations; must be willing to use force up to and including the use of deadly force.” https://www.dailyfetched.com/san-francisco-loses-another-retail-giant-as-shops-continue-to-close-due-to-crime/ San Francisco Loses Another Retail Giant as Shops Continue To Close Due to Crime According to a memo from Chief Stores Officer Jamie Nordstrom to employees, the company has decided not to renew its leases for its San Francisco Centre Nordstrom store and the Market Street Rack store. “We’ve spent more than 35 years serving customers in downtown San Francisco, building relationships with them and investing in the local community,” Nordstrom wrote. “But as many of you know, the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.” The San Francisco Centre location will close at the end of August, and the Market Street Rack will close on July 1. the owner of the Westfield mall, told the San Francisco Standard that such closures “underscores the deteriorating situation in Downtown San Francisco.” A spokesperson for the mall added: “A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area.” The statement continued: [Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield] has actively engaged with city leaders for many years to express our serious concerns, which are shared by our customers and retailers. We have urged the city to find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement again.” The news comes not long after San Francisco flagship Whole Foods retail store closed after just a year due to 568 emergency calls over 13 months amid soaring crime in the city. Incidents included vagrants starting fights, throwing food, and defecating on the floor. Twenty retailers have closed stores in the Union Square area since 2020, The Standard reports. Last month, CashApp founder Bob Lee was fatally stabbed in the streets of San Fransisco, while former fire commissioner Don Carmignani was recently beaten over the head with a pipe by a vagrant. Last October, The Daily Fetched reported that commuters were resorting to arming themselves with baseball bats and stun guns due to droves of violent drug addicts. Residents of the SoMa, in northeast San Francisco, said the recent opening of the SoMa RISE drug sobering center, which opened in June, has plagued the neighborhood, making it unsafe. Residents say the center, which aims to temper drug usage, has done nothing but draw heavy users to the neighborhood. Residents said the influx of drug users had brought soaring crime, making the neighborhood more dangerous, Fox News reported. San Francisco Mayor London Breed touted the center as a safe haven for addicts looking to rebuild their lives. But according to SoMa resident and business owner Mark Sackett, the reality of the center in the neighborhood is much different. https://www.dailyfetched.com/joe-biden-offers-500k-grant-for-teachers-in-pakistan-to-help-transgender-youth/ Joe Biden Offers $500K Grant for Teachers in Pakistan to Help Transgender Youth According to the State Department grant, it will teach English language skills to Pakistani transgender youth so they “better participate in the global community and prepare them for success in the workplace.” The grant report aims to focus on three components: (1) Professional Development for English Language Teachers from Non-Mainstream Institutions (2) Professional Development for novice Pakistani English language teachers (3) Professional Development for Transgender Youth and for Afghan Teachers, Students, and Young Professionals Residing in Pakistan.” The program component that includes a focus on transgender youth accepts proposals from applicants “for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000 to implement: (1) intensive professional development courses for Pakistani transgender youth from the ages of 13-25, and (2) and intensive professional development courses for Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals residing in Pakistan.” The components aim to improve English language communication skills and connect trainees to a professional alumni network. Applicants to the Biden grant program are encouraged to address, “What is the most effective way to reach the greatest number of Pakistani transgender youth and Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals from diverse locations across Pakistan?” A spokesperson for the State Department said the education project from the agency focuses on transgender youth like it does with other “marginalized communities.” However, the spokesperson added that the grant funds won’t be used for gender transitions.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, May the 4th be with you, 2023. Star Wars- The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)-Play 0:00-0:36 Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate the Star Wars media franchise created by founder, former chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations since the franchise began in 1977. The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", a variant of the popular Star Wars catchphrase "May the Force be with you". Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans around the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and parent company Disney as an annual celebration of Star Wars. Additionally, the release date of the original Star Wars movie on May 25, 1977 is also celebrated as Geek Pride Day. Olive Tree Biblical Software: Discover why more than a million people use the free Olive Tree Bible App as their go-to for reading, studying, and listening to the God’s Word. Download one of many free Bibles and start taking notes, highlighting verses, and bookmarking your favorite passages. Read at your own pace, or choose from a large selection of Reading Plans, including the Bible Reading Challenge. When you are ready to go deeper into your studies, Olive Tree is right there with a large selection of study Bibles, commentaries, and other helpful study resources available for purchase. An extensive bookstore allows you to build your digital library one book at a time. Olive Tree’s sync technology lets you pick up where you left off on your tablet, pc or phone and get right to studying on another supported device. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/europe/ukraine-drone-attack-putin-kremlin-intl/index.html Kyiv denies involvement in alleged Kremlin drone attack Russia claimed Ukraine launched an attempt to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin with a drone strike on the Kremlin overnight on Wednesday, an extraordinary allegation that was met with forceful denials in Kyiv. The Kremlin said the attack was foiled and the alleged drones destroyed. Video that appeared on social media shows a bright flash and a puff of smoke over a part of the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president and the most potent symbol of power in Moscow. In a statement, the Kremlin said it regarded the alleged attack as terrorism and a deliberate attempt on Putin’s life. “Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” it added. Ukraine denied involvement in the alleged strike. US officials said they were still assessing the incident, and had no information about who might have been responsible. Whatever the truth, any admission of a security breach at the heart of the Kremlin is remarkable. Moscow said the alleged attack took place in the early hours of Wednesday. The Russian president was not in the building at the time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. analysis of video showing the incident support the Kremlin’s claim that two drones were flown above the Kremlin early Wednesday, but did not show evidence of Ukrainian involvement: A video that appeared to show smoke rising from the Kremlin surfaced on a local neighborhood channel on social media platform Telegram at 2:37 a.m. local time Wednesday. The first reports of the incident citing the Kremlin came via Russian state media TASS and RIA around 2:33 p.m. local time – around 12 hours later. Shortly after the first media reports, another video appearing to show the moment a drone exploded above the Kremlin began circulating widely on social media. In the video, the drone appears to fly towards the building’s domed roof, followed by what looks like a small explosion. In this video, two people appear to be climbing on the dome holding flashlights, and can be seen ducking down just before the moment of the explosion. The people climbing the dome are not present in the first of these videos, but appear in the second, suggesting they were responding to the fire caused by the first drone at the time the subsequent drone appeared. The Kremlin Press Service has called the purported drone attack an “attempt on the President’s life,” said it was an “act of terrorism” and blamed Ukraine. https://www.outkick.com/audrey-hale-nashville-police-release-update-litigation/ POLICE ANNOUNCE MANIFESTO OF NASHVILLE TRANSGENDER MASS KILLER WON’T BE RELEASED SOON The release of transgender mass killer Audrey Hale’s manifesto has been put on hold. The Nashville Police Department had previously told Fox News Digital last week the manifesto was being revealed and would be released. People are interested to see what drove Hale to murder six innocent people, including three children, at the Covenant School in late March. Now, it appears that the process has hit a roadblock. Metro Nashville PD announced Wednesday afternoon that “Due to pending litigation filed this week, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has been advised by counsel to hold in abeyance the release of records related to the shooting at The Covenant School pending orders or direction of the court.” The update is in response to a lawsuit filed by former Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and the Tennessee Firearms Association against the Nashville city government and the police to release the manifesto, according to TimeFreePress.com. As of early May, the public still doesn’t have any idea what is in the manifesto. It’s been more than a month since Audrey Hale walked into the Covenant School to unleash her rampage of terror against children and staffers. Despite the significant time that has passed, government officials have seemingly dragged their feet to make sure the manifesto doesn’t come out. For most of the time, it appeared that Hale’s writings would never be released. Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston previously told the New York Post, “What I was told is, her manifesto was a blueprint on total destruction, and it was so, so detailed at the level of what she had planned … That document in the wrong person’s hands would be astronomically dangerous.” https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/fed-rate-decision-may-2023-.html Fed increases rates a quarter point and signals a potential end to hikes The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its 10th interest rate increase in just a little over a year and dropped a tentative hint that the current tightening cycle is at an end. In a unanimous decision widely expected by markets, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee raised its benchmark borrowing rate by 0.25 percentage point. The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending but feeds through to many consumer debt products such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. The increase takes the fed funds rate to a target range of 5%-5.25%, the highest since August 2007. Markets, though, are more focused on whether the Fed will pause here, particularly with lingering concerns over economic growth and a banking crisis that has rattled nerves on Wall Street. Stocks rose slightly and Treasury yields were mostly lower immediately following the Fed news, but stocks struggled to hold on to the gains. During Wednesday’s news conference, Chairman Jerome Powell said “a decision on a pause was not made today” but noted the change in the statement language around future policy firming was “meaningful.” The post-meeting statement had only offered some clarity on the future pace of rate hikes — and not by what it said but what it didn’t say. The document omitted a sentence present in the previous statement saying that “the Committee anticipates that some additional policy firming may be appropriate” for the Fed to achieve its 2% inflation goal. The statement also tweaked language to outline the conditions under which “additional policy firming may be appropriate.” Previously, the FOMC had framed the forward guidance around how it would determine “the extent of future increases in the target range.” The statement reiterated that the Fed “will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments.” Taken together, the moves are at least a tenuous nod that while tight policy could remain in effect, the path ahead is less clear for actual interest rate hikes as policymakers assess incoming data and financial conditions. Wednesday’s decision comes amid U.S. economic fragility and over the objections of prominent Democratic lawmakers, who urged the Fed this week to stop rate hikes that they insisted could cause a recession and excessive loss of jobs. However, the labor market has remained strong since the increases started in March 2022. At the same time, inflation is still well above the 2% target that policymakers consider optimum. Multiple officials have said rates probably will need to stay elevated even if the hikes are put on hold. https://www.theepochtimes.com/irs-spent-10-million-on-weapons-since-covid-19-pandemic-began-watchdog_5238319.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport IRS Spent $10 Million on Weapons Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Watchdog The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been splashing out millions stocking up on guns, ammunition, and combat gear since 2020, according to the findings of Open The Books, a watchdog group that tracks government spending. A report by the watchdog, published on April 27, found that the agency has spent a total of $10 million on weaponry and gear since the COVID-19 pandemic began, including $2.3 million on duty ammunition, $1.2 million on ballistic shields, and another $1.3 million on “various other gear for criminal investigation agents.” Additionally, the agency has spent $474,000 on Smith & Wesson rifles, $463,000 on Beretta 1301 tactical shotguns, and $243,000 on body armor vests since 2020. Another $467,000 was reportedly spent on duty tactical lighting, $354,000 on tactical gear bags, and $267,000 on ballistic helmets in the same time. The report, called “The Militarization of Federal Bureaucracy,” contains updated data through the end of March 2023. Since 2006, the IRS has splashed out $35.2 million (adjusted for inflation) on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment. The report found that 2020 and 2021 saw them spend increased amounts. In a statement to Open The Books in 2021, an IRS spokesperson said IRS Criminal Investigation special agents “have been using weapons throughout their history as they have consistently found themselves investigating the most dangerous criminals involved in organized crime, drugs, and gangs.” The IRS Careers website for criminal investigation special agents states that applicants must be willing to “carry a firearm, must be prepared to protect him/herself or others from physical attacks at any time and without warning and use firearms in life-threatening situations; must be willing to use force up to and including the use of deadly force.” https://www.dailyfetched.com/san-francisco-loses-another-retail-giant-as-shops-continue-to-close-due-to-crime/ San Francisco Loses Another Retail Giant as Shops Continue To Close Due to Crime According to a memo from Chief Stores Officer Jamie Nordstrom to employees, the company has decided not to renew its leases for its San Francisco Centre Nordstrom store and the Market Street Rack store. “We’ve spent more than 35 years serving customers in downtown San Francisco, building relationships with them and investing in the local community,” Nordstrom wrote. “But as many of you know, the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.” The San Francisco Centre location will close at the end of August, and the Market Street Rack will close on July 1. the owner of the Westfield mall, told the San Francisco Standard that such closures “underscores the deteriorating situation in Downtown San Francisco.” A spokesperson for the mall added: “A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area.” The statement continued: [Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield] has actively engaged with city leaders for many years to express our serious concerns, which are shared by our customers and retailers. We have urged the city to find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement again.” The news comes not long after San Francisco flagship Whole Foods retail store closed after just a year due to 568 emergency calls over 13 months amid soaring crime in the city. Incidents included vagrants starting fights, throwing food, and defecating on the floor. Twenty retailers have closed stores in the Union Square area since 2020, The Standard reports. Last month, CashApp founder Bob Lee was fatally stabbed in the streets of San Fransisco, while former fire commissioner Don Carmignani was recently beaten over the head with a pipe by a vagrant. Last October, The Daily Fetched reported that commuters were resorting to arming themselves with baseball bats and stun guns due to droves of violent drug addicts. Residents of the SoMa, in northeast San Francisco, said the recent opening of the SoMa RISE drug sobering center, which opened in June, has plagued the neighborhood, making it unsafe. Residents say the center, which aims to temper drug usage, has done nothing but draw heavy users to the neighborhood. Residents said the influx of drug users had brought soaring crime, making the neighborhood more dangerous, Fox News reported. San Francisco Mayor London Breed touted the center as a safe haven for addicts looking to rebuild their lives. But according to SoMa resident and business owner Mark Sackett, the reality of the center in the neighborhood is much different. https://www.dailyfetched.com/joe-biden-offers-500k-grant-for-teachers-in-pakistan-to-help-transgender-youth/ Joe Biden Offers $500K Grant for Teachers in Pakistan to Help Transgender Youth According to the State Department grant, it will teach English language skills to Pakistani transgender youth so they “better participate in the global community and prepare them for success in the workplace.” The grant report aims to focus on three components: (1) Professional Development for English Language Teachers from Non-Mainstream Institutions (2) Professional Development for novice Pakistani English language teachers (3) Professional Development for Transgender Youth and for Afghan Teachers, Students, and Young Professionals Residing in Pakistan.” The program component that includes a focus on transgender youth accepts proposals from applicants “for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000 to implement: (1) intensive professional development courses for Pakistani transgender youth from the ages of 13-25, and (2) and intensive professional development courses for Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals residing in Pakistan.” The components aim to improve English language communication skills and connect trainees to a professional alumni network. Applicants to the Biden grant program are encouraged to address, “What is the most effective way to reach the greatest number of Pakistani transgender youth and Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals from diverse locations across Pakistan?” A spokesperson for the State Department said the education project from the agency focuses on transgender youth like it does with other “marginalized communities.” However, the spokesperson added that the grant funds won’t be used for gender transitions.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, May the 4th be with you, 2023. Star Wars- The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)-Play 0:00-0:36 Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4 to celebrate the Star Wars media franchise created by founder, former chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations since the franchise began in 1977. The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", a variant of the popular Star Wars catchphrase "May the Force be with you". Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans around the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and parent company Disney as an annual celebration of Star Wars. Additionally, the release date of the original Star Wars movie on May 25, 1977 is also celebrated as Geek Pride Day. Olive Tree Biblical Software: Discover why more than a million people use the free Olive Tree Bible App as their go-to for reading, studying, and listening to the God’s Word. Download one of many free Bibles and start taking notes, highlighting verses, and bookmarking your favorite passages. Read at your own pace, or choose from a large selection of Reading Plans, including the Bible Reading Challenge. When you are ready to go deeper into your studies, Olive Tree is right there with a large selection of study Bibles, commentaries, and other helpful study resources available for purchase. An extensive bookstore allows you to build your digital library one book at a time. Olive Tree’s sync technology lets you pick up where you left off on your tablet, pc or phone and get right to studying on another supported device. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/europe/ukraine-drone-attack-putin-kremlin-intl/index.html Kyiv denies involvement in alleged Kremlin drone attack Russia claimed Ukraine launched an attempt to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin with a drone strike on the Kremlin overnight on Wednesday, an extraordinary allegation that was met with forceful denials in Kyiv. The Kremlin said the attack was foiled and the alleged drones destroyed. Video that appeared on social media shows a bright flash and a puff of smoke over a part of the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president and the most potent symbol of power in Moscow. In a statement, the Kremlin said it regarded the alleged attack as terrorism and a deliberate attempt on Putin’s life. “Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” it added. Ukraine denied involvement in the alleged strike. US officials said they were still assessing the incident, and had no information about who might have been responsible. Whatever the truth, any admission of a security breach at the heart of the Kremlin is remarkable. Moscow said the alleged attack took place in the early hours of Wednesday. The Russian president was not in the building at the time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. analysis of video showing the incident support the Kremlin’s claim that two drones were flown above the Kremlin early Wednesday, but did not show evidence of Ukrainian involvement: A video that appeared to show smoke rising from the Kremlin surfaced on a local neighborhood channel on social media platform Telegram at 2:37 a.m. local time Wednesday. The first reports of the incident citing the Kremlin came via Russian state media TASS and RIA around 2:33 p.m. local time – around 12 hours later. Shortly after the first media reports, another video appearing to show the moment a drone exploded above the Kremlin began circulating widely on social media. In the video, the drone appears to fly towards the building’s domed roof, followed by what looks like a small explosion. In this video, two people appear to be climbing on the dome holding flashlights, and can be seen ducking down just before the moment of the explosion. The people climbing the dome are not present in the first of these videos, but appear in the second, suggesting they were responding to the fire caused by the first drone at the time the subsequent drone appeared. The Kremlin Press Service has called the purported drone attack an “attempt on the President’s life,” said it was an “act of terrorism” and blamed Ukraine. https://www.outkick.com/audrey-hale-nashville-police-release-update-litigation/ POLICE ANNOUNCE MANIFESTO OF NASHVILLE TRANSGENDER MASS KILLER WON’T BE RELEASED SOON The release of transgender mass killer Audrey Hale’s manifesto has been put on hold. The Nashville Police Department had previously told Fox News Digital last week the manifesto was being revealed and would be released. People are interested to see what drove Hale to murder six innocent people, including three children, at the Covenant School in late March. Now, it appears that the process has hit a roadblock. Metro Nashville PD announced Wednesday afternoon that “Due to pending litigation filed this week, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has been advised by counsel to hold in abeyance the release of records related to the shooting at The Covenant School pending orders or direction of the court.” The update is in response to a lawsuit filed by former Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and the Tennessee Firearms Association against the Nashville city government and the police to release the manifesto, according to TimeFreePress.com. As of early May, the public still doesn’t have any idea what is in the manifesto. It’s been more than a month since Audrey Hale walked into the Covenant School to unleash her rampage of terror against children and staffers. Despite the significant time that has passed, government officials have seemingly dragged their feet to make sure the manifesto doesn’t come out. For most of the time, it appeared that Hale’s writings would never be released. Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston previously told the New York Post, “What I was told is, her manifesto was a blueprint on total destruction, and it was so, so detailed at the level of what she had planned … That document in the wrong person’s hands would be astronomically dangerous.” https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/03/fed-rate-decision-may-2023-.html Fed increases rates a quarter point and signals a potential end to hikes The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its 10th interest rate increase in just a little over a year and dropped a tentative hint that the current tightening cycle is at an end. In a unanimous decision widely expected by markets, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee raised its benchmark borrowing rate by 0.25 percentage point. The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending but feeds through to many consumer debt products such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. The increase takes the fed funds rate to a target range of 5%-5.25%, the highest since August 2007. Markets, though, are more focused on whether the Fed will pause here, particularly with lingering concerns over economic growth and a banking crisis that has rattled nerves on Wall Street. Stocks rose slightly and Treasury yields were mostly lower immediately following the Fed news, but stocks struggled to hold on to the gains. During Wednesday’s news conference, Chairman Jerome Powell said “a decision on a pause was not made today” but noted the change in the statement language around future policy firming was “meaningful.” The post-meeting statement had only offered some clarity on the future pace of rate hikes — and not by what it said but what it didn’t say. The document omitted a sentence present in the previous statement saying that “the Committee anticipates that some additional policy firming may be appropriate” for the Fed to achieve its 2% inflation goal. The statement also tweaked language to outline the conditions under which “additional policy firming may be appropriate.” Previously, the FOMC had framed the forward guidance around how it would determine “the extent of future increases in the target range.” The statement reiterated that the Fed “will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments.” Taken together, the moves are at least a tenuous nod that while tight policy could remain in effect, the path ahead is less clear for actual interest rate hikes as policymakers assess incoming data and financial conditions. Wednesday’s decision comes amid U.S. economic fragility and over the objections of prominent Democratic lawmakers, who urged the Fed this week to stop rate hikes that they insisted could cause a recession and excessive loss of jobs. However, the labor market has remained strong since the increases started in March 2022. At the same time, inflation is still well above the 2% target that policymakers consider optimum. Multiple officials have said rates probably will need to stay elevated even if the hikes are put on hold. https://www.theepochtimes.com/irs-spent-10-million-on-weapons-since-covid-19-pandemic-began-watchdog_5238319.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport IRS Spent $10 Million on Weapons Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Watchdog The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been splashing out millions stocking up on guns, ammunition, and combat gear since 2020, according to the findings of Open The Books, a watchdog group that tracks government spending. A report by the watchdog, published on April 27, found that the agency has spent a total of $10 million on weaponry and gear since the COVID-19 pandemic began, including $2.3 million on duty ammunition, $1.2 million on ballistic shields, and another $1.3 million on “various other gear for criminal investigation agents.” Additionally, the agency has spent $474,000 on Smith & Wesson rifles, $463,000 on Beretta 1301 tactical shotguns, and $243,000 on body armor vests since 2020. Another $467,000 was reportedly spent on duty tactical lighting, $354,000 on tactical gear bags, and $267,000 on ballistic helmets in the same time. The report, called “The Militarization of Federal Bureaucracy,” contains updated data through the end of March 2023. Since 2006, the IRS has splashed out $35.2 million (adjusted for inflation) on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment. The report found that 2020 and 2021 saw them spend increased amounts. In a statement to Open The Books in 2021, an IRS spokesperson said IRS Criminal Investigation special agents “have been using weapons throughout their history as they have consistently found themselves investigating the most dangerous criminals involved in organized crime, drugs, and gangs.” The IRS Careers website for criminal investigation special agents states that applicants must be willing to “carry a firearm, must be prepared to protect him/herself or others from physical attacks at any time and without warning and use firearms in life-threatening situations; must be willing to use force up to and including the use of deadly force.” https://www.dailyfetched.com/san-francisco-loses-another-retail-giant-as-shops-continue-to-close-due-to-crime/ San Francisco Loses Another Retail Giant as Shops Continue To Close Due to Crime According to a memo from Chief Stores Officer Jamie Nordstrom to employees, the company has decided not to renew its leases for its San Francisco Centre Nordstrom store and the Market Street Rack store. “We’ve spent more than 35 years serving customers in downtown San Francisco, building relationships with them and investing in the local community,” Nordstrom wrote. “But as many of you know, the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.” The San Francisco Centre location will close at the end of August, and the Market Street Rack will close on July 1. the owner of the Westfield mall, told the San Francisco Standard that such closures “underscores the deteriorating situation in Downtown San Francisco.” A spokesperson for the mall added: “A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area.” The statement continued: [Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield] has actively engaged with city leaders for many years to express our serious concerns, which are shared by our customers and retailers. We have urged the city to find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement again.” The news comes not long after San Francisco flagship Whole Foods retail store closed after just a year due to 568 emergency calls over 13 months amid soaring crime in the city. Incidents included vagrants starting fights, throwing food, and defecating on the floor. Twenty retailers have closed stores in the Union Square area since 2020, The Standard reports. Last month, CashApp founder Bob Lee was fatally stabbed in the streets of San Fransisco, while former fire commissioner Don Carmignani was recently beaten over the head with a pipe by a vagrant. Last October, The Daily Fetched reported that commuters were resorting to arming themselves with baseball bats and stun guns due to droves of violent drug addicts. Residents of the SoMa, in northeast San Francisco, said the recent opening of the SoMa RISE drug sobering center, which opened in June, has plagued the neighborhood, making it unsafe. Residents say the center, which aims to temper drug usage, has done nothing but draw heavy users to the neighborhood. Residents said the influx of drug users had brought soaring crime, making the neighborhood more dangerous, Fox News reported. San Francisco Mayor London Breed touted the center as a safe haven for addicts looking to rebuild their lives. But according to SoMa resident and business owner Mark Sackett, the reality of the center in the neighborhood is much different. https://www.dailyfetched.com/joe-biden-offers-500k-grant-for-teachers-in-pakistan-to-help-transgender-youth/ Joe Biden Offers $500K Grant for Teachers in Pakistan to Help Transgender Youth According to the State Department grant, it will teach English language skills to Pakistani transgender youth so they “better participate in the global community and prepare them for success in the workplace.” The grant report aims to focus on three components: (1) Professional Development for English Language Teachers from Non-Mainstream Institutions (2) Professional Development for novice Pakistani English language teachers (3) Professional Development for Transgender Youth and for Afghan Teachers, Students, and Young Professionals Residing in Pakistan.” The program component that includes a focus on transgender youth accepts proposals from applicants “for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000 to implement: (1) intensive professional development courses for Pakistani transgender youth from the ages of 13-25, and (2) and intensive professional development courses for Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals residing in Pakistan.” The components aim to improve English language communication skills and connect trainees to a professional alumni network. Applicants to the Biden grant program are encouraged to address, “What is the most effective way to reach the greatest number of Pakistani transgender youth and Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals from diverse locations across Pakistan?” A spokesperson for the State Department said the education project from the agency focuses on transgender youth like it does with other “marginalized communities.” However, the spokesperson added that the grant funds won’t be used for gender transitions.

Der 13. Juli ist der Geek-Pride-Day und den feiere ich mit euch, in dem ich meinem inneren Geek eine Stunde Raum gebe, sich auszutoben. Wir reden über Fandom-Wiki, über Serien, über Musik. Wir gehen in Details und haben einfach Spaß an Sachen, die sonst keinem interessieren. ;-)

In this episode, Patrick and Tommie hoe a row over dogs and gardens, sing the praises of Beverly Sills and the wonderful puppeteer and film wizard Frank Oz, nerd out over Geek Pride Day, dry themselves off with Towel Day, scratch their heads over the Supreme Court, firearms laws, and the state of the nation, applaud gay student activist Zander Moricz, debate Ricky Gervais' recent Netflix special, stand up for police in uniform in Pride parades, and contemplate the sex lives of the inhabitants of Gilligan's Island.

HAPPY GEEK PRIDE DAY! Join Reggie Reg as she has NICK REIGOTA from Nick and Jon: "Live" in New Jersey join her to talk all things nerdy! http://twitter.com/reggieregpod27

Special Intro: Author Mike Chen Film at 11: The Time Traveler's Wife (2022) Book IT: We Could Be Heroes (2021) by Mike Chen Scroll With IT: What a week! We have Star Wars Celebration 2022 in Anaheim, CA this weekend and the Glorious 25th of May is here to celebrate Geek Pride Day 2022 #GeekPrideDay Show Notes: https://bit.ly/tms52422

Ce 25 mai 2021, c'est la Journée internationale des Geeks (Geek Pride Day, en anglais) ! Une manifestation humoristique, célébrée depuis 2006, pour revendiquer le droit d'être geek. Alors, à cette occasion, (ré)écoutez les meilleurs épisodes de Puzzle qui parlent des meilleurs jeux vidéos, avec Jean Zeid ! A vos casques (et manettes !)Les jeux vidéo qu'il faut avoir joué au moins une fois dans sa vieEntre "Demon's Souls", à jouer exclusivement sur la nouvelle console PlayStation ou Dark Souls, pour ceux qui sont équipés d'un PC, d'une Xbox ou ou d'une Switch, à "The Last of Us", en passant par "Super Mario Bros", voici la sélection de Jean Zeid, spécialiste des jeux vidéo, des jeux à absolument découvrir dans sa vie.Puzzle, c’est le podcast culture de Bababam : cinq voix qui se succèdent pour vous parler de cinéma, musique, littérature, podcast, spectacle. Des épisodes à réécouter sans modération. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ce 25 mai 2021, c'est la Journée internationale des Geeks (Geek Pride Day, en anglais) ! Une manifestation humoristique, célébrée depuis 2006, pour revendiquer le droit d'être geek. Alors, à cette occasion, (ré)écoutez les meilleurs épisodes de Puzzle qui parlent des meilleurs jeux vidéos, avec Jean Zeid ! A vos casques (et manettes !)Un jeu vidéo ressorti du placardAprès un deuxième opus à succès, la franchise tomba peu à peu dans l’oubli faute de repreneur crédible, sauf dans le cœur des passionnés de RPG. Jusqu’en 2020, quand Larian Studios, déjà coupable de jeux salués par la critique comme la saga Divinity : Original Sin, décide de ressortir du placard un troisième épisode de la légende Baldur’s Gate...Puzzle, c’est le podcast culture de Bababam : cinq voix qui se succèdent pour vous parler de cinéma, musique, littérature, podcast, spectacle. Des épisodes à réécouter sans modération. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Unsere heutigen Rubriken sind: Erfolgserlebnis der Woche, Sinnlose Tagesfakten, Tag des, Absurdität der Woche, 2Faltifaktor und natürlich das 2Faltiquiz der Superlative. Wie immer chaotisch und lustig, zumindest für uns. Wir wünschen euch eine schöne Woche

I'm quitting smoking, its Geek Pride Day, a full lunar eclipse and celebrity birthdays. #rant #nonsmoker #GeekPride #bloodmoon #lunareclipse #celebbirthdays

Ils sont passionnés par la technologie. Ils sont toujours partants pour tester les dernières innovations. Ils adorent mettre les mains dans le moteur. Ils sont très pointus sur les sujets techniques et, de temps en temps, ils arrivent à nous perdre lorsqu’ils se mettent à jargonner ou à se tirer la bourre entre eux parce qu’ils se lancent dans un débat d’experts parfois interminable. Mais qui sont-ils ? On les appelle les Geeks, ce sont des hommes et des femmes passionnés et passionnants. En tous cas, à la rédac, on les adore. Et ça tombe bien car voici venue la journée internationale du Geek. On appelle ça la Geek Pride Day. C’est une manifestation humoristique revendiquant le droit d’être Geek. Etre Geek et fier de l’être valait bien un épisode du podcast, non ? PS : Et si tu veux écouter l’intégralité du live sur YouTube, le lien magique est ici https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58h32WbsQFk Lien vers le groupe Discord si ça te dit de nous rejoindre et de pratiquer le cozy web https://discord.gg/nGsejwX Lien pour t’abonner à la newsletter https://bonjourppc.substack.com Lien pour t’abonner à notre chaîne YouTube https://bit.ly/YTbonjourppc

Ce 25 mai 2021, c'est la Journée internationale des Geeks (Geek Pride Day, en anglais) ! Une manifestation humoristique, célébrée depuis 2006, pour revendiquer le droit d'être geek. Alors, à cette occasion, (ré)écoutez les meilleurs épisodes de Puzzle qui parlent des meilleurs jeux vidéos, avec Jean Zeid ! A vos casques (et manettes !)Vikings, dieux et héros nordiquesEn novembre 2020, sortait l’un des jeux vidéo les plus attendus de ces derniers temps : Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Un véritable phénomène, quand on sait que le jeux vidéo est la plus grosse industrie culturelle en France. Après avoir exploré récemment les terres grecques et égyptiennes pendant l’Antiquité, cette saga à succès met une nouvelle fois en scène le combat imaginaire entre l’ordre des Assassins et celui des templiers à travers le temps. Ce nouvel opus pose maintenant ses valises en plein cœur des conquêtes Vikings.Puzzle, c’est le podcast culture de Bababam : cinq voix qui se succèdent pour vous parler de cinéma, musique, littérature, podcast, spectacle. Des épisodes à réécouter sans modération. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To celebrate "National Geek Pride Day" Dario breaks down the full rankings of the "Best Geek Hobbies."

News (00:00:00) Entertainment Report (00:11:26) Odds & Ends (00:40:57) Bizarre Files (01:19:34) Not Wanting To Return To The Office (01:28:42) Geek Pride Day (02:03:44) Melissa Villasenor Zooms In & Bizarre Files (02:34:35) Hollywood Trash & Music News (02:54:56) Wrap Up (03:04:27)  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Is National and International Missing Children's Day,  National Tap Dance Day,  National Wine Day,  Nerd Pride Day, Geek Pride Day, National Brown Bag It Day,  World Thyroid Day,  and Towel DaySupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Itstoday)

The Migs Report. Today is National Wine Day and Geek Pride Day. A woman climbed in a monkey enclosure and fed them flaming hot Cheetos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's your three-minute update! How to celebrate Geek Pride Day, a new Bleach mobile game, Queen gives BTS's "Butter" a nod, Nintendo Switch Online retro games hits century mark, Friends cast get together for a reunion, and Ariana Grande gets married!

Un imprevedibile e classico "minestrone", registrato (cotto) nel giorno del Geek Pride Day in 15 minuti e 27 secondi, tra asciugamani, pellicole protettive e vetri temperati, mascherine, biciclette e uccellini amplificati. Compito per lunedì prossimo: ferro, colesterolo e trigliceridi.

Something To Think About segment Verbal Diaries: Ryder is loving the positive energy and Lisa likes surprise Amazon packages Who would you rather invest with after Ryder and Lisa pitch their fake inventions Lisa figured out where her weird pimple came from What is the best canned food? Taylor Swifts latest power move

Special Intro: Mike Chen author of A Beginning a the End (2020)   Film at 11: The Wrong Missy (2020)   Book IT: Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard (2010) by Chip and Dan Heath   Scroll with It: Our t-shirt site http://teepublic.toomuchscrolling.com is carrying custom fabric face coverings. Geek Pride Day 2020 is right around the corner (The Glorious 25th of May). Go to http://GeekPrideDay.net for all the #GeekPrideDay details.   Read with us: We are embarking on a daily podcast to discuss the entire canon of Sherlock Holmes. Read along with us follow #TMSSHerlockHolmes   Show Notes: https://bit.ly/tms51920

Film at 11: Upload (2020)   Book IT: A Beginning at the End (2020) by Mike Chen   Scroll with It: Our t-shirt site http://teepublic.toomuchscrolling.com is carrying custom fabric face coverings. Geek Pride Day 2020 is right around the corner (The Glorious 25th of May). Go to http://GeekPrideDay.net for all the #GeekPrideDay details.   Read with us: We are embarking on a daily podcast to discuss The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1903). Read along with us follow #TMSSHerlockHolmes   Show Notes: https://bit.ly/tms51220

This week’s episode brought to you by Sidekick Media Services, Slice on Broadway, and Alex Kahrs Design & Media!   We've got Uncle Crappy back in studio to join Katie, Sorg, and Chilla as we talk this week in tech, including: When you have the Beer Me guy on the podcast, he brings beer. Tune in to see what we're drinking in studio! Uncle Crappy is sharing the Moto Z4 as his Awesome Thing of the Week. Chilla is sharing the Elgato stream deck as his Awesome Thing of the Week. Katie is sharing an interesting use of Tesla's auto-pilot feature as her Awesome Thing of the Week. Sorg is sharing Mario Kart Tour as his Awesome Thing of the Week. PSA - Remember to watch your orientation for video on social media. Looking for something bigger and deeper for your vertical garden? There's a wall planter for you on Amazon! Queen Elizabeth receives over a million dick pics since joining Instagram. VR has been used for lots of things - now it's helping with pain management and opioid usage. iPod Touch is still a relevant part of tech conversations. Looking to do a home remodel? Modsy allows you to check it out in AR before you commit to something you'll regret later! Contra anniversary collection is coming. He-Man or She-Ra fan? How about a power sword power strip? Katie is sad that her 3-in-1 TV/VCR/DVD combo player died. Panic's PlayDate comes with a crank - but at least there's WiFi! LEGO is celebrating Geek Pride Day the right way - with PacMan! After the show remember to: Want to support our friends at Postindustrial? Check out their Kickstarter. Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com) Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat! Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion! Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Sorg (@Sorgatron), Chilla (@chilla), Katie (@Kdudders) and Uncle Crappy (@unclecrappy) Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos? You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast! Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week! Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST

This week’s episode brought to you by Sidekick Media Services, Slice on Broadway, and Alex Kahrs Design & Media!   We've got Uncle Crappy back in studio to join Katie, Sorg, and Chilla as we talk this week in tech, including: When you have the Beer Me guy on the podcast, he brings beer. Tune in to see what we're drinking in studio! Uncle Crappy is sharing the Moto Z4 as his Awesome Thing of the Week. Chilla is sharing the Elgato stream deck as his Awesome Thing of the Week. Katie is sharing an interesting use of Tesla's auto-pilot feature as her Awesome Thing of the Week. Sorg is sharing Mario Kart Tour as his Awesome Thing of the Week. PSA - Remember to watch your orientation for video on social media. Looking for something bigger and deeper for your vertical garden? There's a wall planter for you on Amazon! Queen Elizabeth receives over a million dick pics since joining Instagram. VR has been used for lots of things - now it's helping with pain management and opioid usage. iPod Touch is still a relevant part of tech conversations. Looking to do a home remodel? Modsy allows you to check it out in AR before you commit to something you'll regret later! Contra anniversary collection is coming. He-Man or She-Ra fan? How about a power sword power strip? Katie is sad that her 3-in-1 TV/VCR/DVD combo player died. Panic's PlayDate comes with a crank - but at least there's WiFi! LEGO is celebrating Geek Pride Day the right way - with PacMan! After the show remember to: Want to support our friends at Postindustrial? Check out their Kickstarter. Eat at Slice on Broadway (@Pgh_Slice) if you are in the Pittsburgh area! It is Awesome! (sliceonbroadway.com) Want to be part of our studio audience? Hit us up at awesomecast@sorgatronmedia.com and we’ll save you a seat! Join our AwesomeCast Facebook Group to see what we’re sharing and to join the discussion! Follow these awesome people on Twitter: Sorg (@Sorgatron), Chilla (@chilla), Katie (@Kdudders) and Uncle Crappy (@unclecrappy) Have you seen our AwesomeTips videos? You can support the show at Patreon.com/awesomecast! Remember to check out our friends at the River’s Edge (@RiversEdgePGH) and The 405 Media (@The405Radio) who replay the show on their stream throughout the week! Also, check out sorgatronmedia.com and awesomecast.com for more entertainment; and view us livestreaming Tuesdays around 7:00 PM EST

Star Wars: Episode IV -A New Hope (DVD)- https://goo.gl/R7zUhe Star Wars: Episode IV -A New Hope (BLU-RAY)- https://goo.gl/cs4JDG Star Wars: Episode V -Empire Strikes Back (DVD)- https://goo.gl/JZUWDe Star Wars: Episode V-Empire Strikes Back (BLU-RAY)- https://goo.gl/xC99WP Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi (DVD)- https://goo.gl/qWNpwN Star Wars: Episode VI -Return of the Jedi (BLU-RAY)- https://goo.gl/6M51nm Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (DVD)- https://goo.gl/uDVVVJ Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (BLU-RAY)- https://goo.gl/UcBsGF Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (DVD)- https://goo.gl/pFBeCY Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (BLU-RAY)- https://goo.gl/Lp87GQ Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (DVD)- https://goo.gl/9gYyiN Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (BLU-RAY)- https://goo.gl/jyw774 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (DVD)- https://goo.gl/JvZd4W Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/htPK3G Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (DVD)- https://goo.gl/uepbbF Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/p6stzu Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban (DVD)- https://goo.gl/qciGj2 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/Lwto6X Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (DVD)- https://goo.gl/NdrDcS Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/rNeBk9 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (DVD)- https://goo.gl/H26PPY Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (BOOK) https://goo.gl/kqhmU8 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (DVD)- https://goo.gl/2zCkU8 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/99sUKL Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1 (DVD)- https://goo.gl/JCKCNS Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2 (DVD)- https://goo.gl/21L3mJ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/MCB6J9 Star Trek: First Contact (DVD)- https://goo.gl/mV5QAP Star Trek: Generations (DVD)- https://goo.gl/n3vbi2 Doctor Who: The Complete Specials (DVD)- https://goo.gl/R7FsEN The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Season One (DVD)- https://goo.gl/8Dx3ym The Monkees: Season One (DVD)- https://goo.gl/AnZqnF Warcraft (DVD)- https://goo.gl/t6ZEsH Warcraft (BLU-RAY)- https://goo.gl/bXo7uC Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons & Dragons (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/8igDDi Ready Player One (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/yrZT3M Ready Player One (DVD)- https://goo.gl/sw6vb4 Ready Player One (BLU-RAY)- https://goo.gl/Qbj98y The Wanderers (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/wp3ZDz Microserfs (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/JVCnyn You're Never Weird on the Internet (almost) (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/BHtJ5d Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/gD9Qeu The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/PnDzzf Dune (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/ADQPWD Neuromancer (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/UwT1cx Ender's Game (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/Yv2EVr Snow Crash (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/5mEz3m Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/wYwfy2 Console Wars (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/MM2XJP Watchmen (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/XDUJw7 V For Vendetta (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/muJa4m Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (BOOK)- https://goo.gl/QtRn9o

Special Intro: Bill Corbett from Rifftrax and MST3K Film at 11: Deadpool 2 (2018) BookIT: Author Jessica Eise joins us to discuss her sci-fi time travel novel Renee Scroll With it: School’s out for Summer and Too Much Scrolling is hitting the road. Join us on June 8th, 2018 in Indianapolis for Indy POP con and make your plans now for Star Wars Celebration 2019 in Chicago, April 11-15, 2019. Show Notes: http://bit.ly/tms52218

This solo episode was recorded on Fourth of July (American west coast time - Pacific Daylight Time). I recorded the show with IK Multimedia's iRig Mic Lav (mobile lavalier microphone) and Boss Jock Studio app, on my smartphone (iPhone 6S Plus). Post-production was done through Auphonic. Show notes: 00 Libsyn's post on Google+ 01 I Have a Message 01 EGO Interview with Colin Gray 02 How YOU Can Be The Trusted Resource Your Listeners Are Looking For [Ep #71] - Podcastification 02 EGO NetCast Support page 02 Lyceum (Martin Lindeskog) on Voxer 03 Lyceum on Instagram 03 Lyceum on Twitter 03 Lyceum on Periscope 03 John Cox Art 04 Betsy Ross flag 04 Ego wearing a tennis (polo) shirt with a Betsy Ross flag. 04 Boston Tea Party 05 My birthday is on May 25, a.k.a Geek Pride Day! ;) 06 Real money...

This solo episode was recorded on Fourth of July (American west coast time - Pacific Daylight Time). I recorded the show with IK Multimedia's iRig Mic Lav (mobile lavalier microphone) and Boss Jock Studio app, on my smartphone (iPhone 6S Plus). Post-production was done through Auphonic. Show notes: 00 Libsyn's post on Google+ 01 I Have a Message 01 EGO Interview with Colin Gray 02 How YOU Can Be The Trusted Resource Your Listeners Are Looking For [Ep #71] - Podcastification 02 EGO NetCast Support page 02 Lyceum (Martin Lindeskog) on Voxer 03 Lyceum on Instagram 03 Lyceum on Twitter 03 Lyceum on Periscope 03 John Cox Art 04 Betsy Ross flag 04 Ego wearing a tennis (polo) shirt with a Betsy Ross flag. 04 Boston Tea Party 05 My birthday is on May 25, a.k.a Geek Pride Day! ;) 06 Real money...

Vilken Onsdag! Gänget pratade TV-serier och Anders gav en täckande uppdatering i sporten. Kompisen Thomas Bodström svarade på lyssnarnas frågor och gänget firade den internationella Geek Pride Day.

For more Derringer audio go to: http://bit.ly/13R4vwr See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plus behind the scenes of the Warcraft movie, the saddest trailer ever, and Bruce Lee is a boss. Get your movie, TV show, and gaming news live weekdays from 4.30pm - lifefm.co.nz

Hey everyone, in honor of today's double holiday, and in order to do lots of extra geeky stuff through the week, Stanton and Davis decide to share a mini-episode of shout-outs from all the friends and contributors to the Awkward Social hour!MP3 DownloadYouTubeEnjoy the geekitude and keep listening!awkwardsocialhour.comawkwardsocialhour@gmail.comtwitter.com/ASHPodcastiTunes (subscribe!)YouTube Channel (subscribe!)RSS Feed (subscribe!)

Kevin and Kornflake recount their long perilous road trip to the Speak Up storytelling event in Hartford; along the way, they visit a couple of shops celebrating Free Comic Book Day, discover a place called Chicken City, and endure massive amounts of Tiffany music. Also this week: Geek Pride Day (prepare to take over the world, kids), Bacon Night at the library (which was a huge artery-clogging success), the Breeders reunion tour (which has us nostalgic for 90s music, for a change), the Watch City Festival (featuring our favorite steampunk mermaid), and the Pudding Pages with Dapper Dan. Tune in and help us figure out if we ever really escaped the mean streets of Connecticut.

Tonight on the SciFi Diner Podcast, we interview John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox from Star Trek: Enterprise) and Bonita Friedericy (General Beckman from Chuck) during our time at the Farpoint Con 2013. David Moulton from the Lancast joins us. Scott, Miles, and M announce who won some awesome Star Trek loot! They also share the following news: Are there gonna be new seasons of Grimm and Revolution? NBC decides.; Ron Moore's sci-fi series Outlander finally moves forward; Dark Archer knows Arrow's identity in 1st look at season finale; NEW COOL AND WEIRD FALLING SKIES TV SPOTS MAY MAKE YOUR EYES – OR EARS – BUG OUT; Trailers for Thor 2, Monster University and R.I.P.D; Must Watch Netflix TV; and Geek Pride Day. Miles brings us This Week In Star Trek with information on a site from Rod Roddenberry. We wrap up the show with our SciFi Five in Five with great Warehouse 13 Quotes.

Tonight on the SciFi Diner Podcast, we interview John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox from Star Trek: Enterprise) and Bonita Friedericy (General Beckman from Chuck) during our time at the Farpoint Con 2013. David Moulton from the Lancast joins us. Scott, Miles, and M announce who won some awesome Star Trek loot! They also share the following news: Are there gonna be new seasons of Grimm and Revolution? NBC decides.; Ron Moore's sci-fi series Outlander finally moves forward; Dark Archer knows Arrow's identity in 1st look at season finale; NEW COOL AND WEIRD FALLING SKIES TV SPOTS MAY MAKE YOUR EYES – OR EARS – BUG OUT; Trailers for Thor 2, Monster University and R.I.P.D; Must Watch Netflix TV; and Geek Pride Day. Miles brings us This Week In Star Trek with information on a site from Rod Roddenberry. We wrap up the show with our SciFi Five in Five with great Warehouse 13 Quotes.

**SPOILER ALERT: We ruin the only “spoilery” type thing in Men in Black 3 between 00:47:00 to 00:48:20. You have been warned. This week, Paul finally starts his quest to catch up on Game of Thrones and knocks down four episodes while also finishing off season 3 of Community. Nathan agrees with the New York Times about Game of Thrones’ lacking in draw lately and tries some Lilyhammer on Netflix while continuing on with more Eastbound and Down. Both the monks went to see Men in Black 3 and discuss it in depth and Paul talks a bit about Chernobyl Diaries before his review went up. Nathan still loves Animal Crossing and Max Payne 3 while Paul finds it hard to get into Diablo III and spends more time playing the indie game Decay. Also, a discussion on Geek Pride Day sparks a chat about Remembrance Day, which Nathan feels strongly about. And YOLO is kind of a stupid term with a decent message.

Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things! A Jedi craves the lastest all-new episode of Frontlines: The Clone Wars Podcast! Join Mike and Matt this week as they recap the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode Pursuit of Peace. ALong with that, they’ll also talk about STar Wars and Geek Pride Day, […]