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Trump Labor Secretary Resigns; R. Kelly Arrested
Trump Labor Secretary Alex Acosta resigns amid pressure from Jeffrey Epstein sex traffic case
Labor Secretary Alex Acosta said Friday he will resign amid controversy over the way he handled a sex crimes case against wealthy businessman Jeffrey Epstein a decade ago when he was U.S. attorney for southern Florida.
Acosta made the announcement to reporters while standing next to President Donald Trump outside the White House. Trump said Acosta had called him Friday morning and that it was Acosta's decision to quit.
R. Kelly Arrested on Federal Sex Trafficking Charges: Law Enforcement Officials
Singer R. Kelly has been arrested in Chicago on federal sex crime charges, according to two law enforcement officials.
The 52-year-old was arrested by Homeland Security Investigation agents and NYPD Public Safety Task Force Thursday night on sex trafficking charges, officials tell News 4, and it is expected he will be brought to New York.
The 13-count indictment includes charges of child pornography, enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice, U.S. attorney spokesman Joseph Fitzpatrick tells The Associated Press. Further details on the case are expected to be announced Friday out of the Eastern District of New York.
They were trapped in the closet.
See also: R. Kelly is arrested by feds on new charges while walking his dog in Chicago
Previously: R. Kelly Contracts Ligma
R. Kelly Exposes Himself
R. Kelly Meltdown
Previously 2: Epstein Charged Again (Southern District of New York)
Final Moments of Himalayas Climbers Caught on GoPro
Recovered GoPro video shows final moments of Himalayas climbers
Indian authorities have released footage showing the final moments of the climbers who died in the Indian Himalayas in May.
The video was found on a "memory video device" near the Nanda Devi East, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said Monday, which showed the group of climbers moving slowly near the summit on the unnamed peak.
The group of eight climbers -- four Britons, two Americans, an Australian and their Indian liaison officer -- went missing when they were attempting to scale a previously unclimbed peak on May 26.
The final final moments were not released.
Leaked Intel Lineup Shows 10 Cores at $409
(Wccftech incorrectly labels Intel Core i7-10700K as $339 instead of $389, so refer to this blurry table from the source article.)
Intel feeling the heat, or just a deepfake?
The AMD X570 Motherboard Overview: Over 35+ Motherboards Analyzed
Interesting comment:
Jansen - Tuesday, July 09, 2019
The ASUS Pro WS X570-Ace has officially validated ECC support. This is a really big deal, as Ryzen has usually only had unofficial ECC support. It opens up a whole other revenue steam for AMD that Intel has deliberately cut off in order to drive Xeon sales.
Micron is ramping up its 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 ECC modules MTA18ADF2G72AZ-3G2 specifically for this market.
X-37B Photographed in Orbit
Mysterious X-37B Military Space Plane Caught on Camera (Photo)
Rare image of US Air Force's secretive space plane in orbit
Related: USAF Secret Plane Makes Longevity Record
What is the X-37B Doing Up There?
Modified X-37B Spaceplane Could Act as "Astronaut Ambulance" for the ISS
As Hurricane Irma Looms, X-37B Poised for First Flight Atop SpaceX Falcon 9
Epstein Charged Again
Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein arrested and accused of sex trafficking minors, sources say
Florida-based billionaire Jeffrey Epstein has been indicted on new charges related to alleged sex crimes involving minors, law enforcement sources told CNN on Saturday.
Epstein was arrested Saturday and is expected to appear in federal court in New York on Monday. Epstein faces charges brought by US prosecutors in Manhattan, after previously evading similar charges when he secured a non-prosecution deal with federal prosecutors in Miami.
The charges, contained in a sealed indictment, involve alleged sex trafficking crimes committed between 2002 and 2005, according to law enforcement sources. The indictment alleged that the crimes occurred in both New York and Palm Beach, Florida.
[...] A team of federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York, along with some in the public corruption unit, have been assigned to the case. Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, is one of the prosecutors, according to a source with knowledge of the case.
COMEY?
Jeffrey Epstein, Billionaire Long Accused of Molesting Minors, Is Charged
He is expected to appear before a federal magistrate on Monday, more than a decade after he first gained notoriety with lurid accusations that he had paid dozens of girls for sexual massages in Florida.
Mr. Epstein had avoided federal criminal charges in 2007 and 2008 in a widely criticized plea deal whose lenient terms continue to roil the Justice Department and are facing new scrutiny in the #MeToo era.
Before the plea deal, Mr. Epstein, a former hedge-fund manager, had been friendly with Donald J. Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.
[...] Women who said they were Mr. Epstein’s victims have repeatedly assailed federal prosecutors for agreeing to a nonprosecution deal with him more than a decade ago.
[...] The plea deal that protected Mr. Epstein from federal charges was signed by the top federal prosecutor in Miami at the time, Alexander Acosta, who is now President Trump’s labor secretary.
In February, a judge in Florida ruled that the prosecutors led by Mr. Acosta violated federal law when they failed to disclose Mr. Epstein’s nonprosecution agreement to his victims.
Check to see if "prince andrew epstein" is censored by GOOG autocomplete. Looks like it is.
Will the Epstein story have a... happy ending?
Previously: Jeffrey Epstein Settles Suit
Jeffrey Epstein Plea Deal Must Stand
Our Tribe of Soylentils
Since SoylentNews is people, it focuses a lens onto an interesting cross section of humanity. At its best and worst it reflects the most beautiful and ugliest aspects of humanity, aspects that if we look hard enough, we can see hints of in all of us. A key theme is humanity's tendencies towards tribalism. We formed a tribe united originally around the so-called Slashcott, a group of nerds sharing a common, perhaps some would say curmudgeonly, resistance to change for the sake of change, and perhaps a streak of distrust in the authority figures that were running Slashdot.
Those tendencies arguably have upsides and downsides. This stubborn strong will, combined with the natural human tendency towards tribalism, of course exhibit themselves most obviously here whenever a political thread surfaces.
This is a great community, but I am wondering whether we are sometimes a bit hard on the editors and admins of this site. I often find myself disagreeing strongly with some of their political and sometimes ethical views as I can see many others do. I know most of us like to think we're thick-skinned, but I wonder whether sometimes we should pause to think before flaming those we disagree with. Arguing these issues to solve problems or figure things out is great. When it starts to become more like venting pent up anger at one another, we should probably think twice.
Just my two cents.
Amazon Sells "Tiny Home" Kits
Something like this is what comes to mind when I hear "tiny home/house", not necessarily a "mobile home". Although they can be even smaller than this $19k cabin kit.
220 Square Foot Tiny House (compare to $19k cabin which is 292 sq. ft. + the loft)
2 of 3 of the reviews on the $19k cabin are bad, pointing out that it is expensive and requires insulation and more stuff to make it liveable. There are better options out there.
"Needed" for no frills house: solar panels, battery, Starlink, camp cooking equipment or a grill, water source, outhouse or shit pit. DIY insulation probably won't cost a lot for something this size. Maybe you could swipe a couple hundred Tyvek envelopes from the post office to help waterproof it some more. You could use the wooden frame to set up brick/concrete/etc. walls if you want more protection.
Nike Betsy Ross Backlash
Nike Drops ‘Betsy Ross Flag’ Sneaker After Kaepernick Criticizes It
But rather than including a flag with 50 stars as part of its design, the sneaker’s heel featured the 13-star model, a design associated with the Revolutionary War, the Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross and, for some people, a painful history of oppression and racism.
On Tuesday, Nike canceled the release of the sneaker, again plunging headlong into the nation’s culture wars.
The abrupt cancellation came after Colin Kaepernick, the former National Football League quarterback and social justice activist, privately criticized the design to Nike, according to a person with knowledge of the interaction.
Mr. Kaepernick, who signed a lucrative deal to serve as a Nike brand ambassador last year, expressed the concern to the company that the Betsy Ross flag had been co-opted by groups espousing racist ideologies, the person said.
Nike loses [Arizona] factory aid as 'racist trainer' row intensifies
The state's governor had condemned Nike's decision, which was prompted by complaints about its use of an old US flag embraced by white nationalists.
Nike-sponsored sportsman Colin Kaepernick had criticised the trainers, now selling on websites for $1,500.
But governor Doug Ducey said Nike had bowed to political correctness.
The special edition Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July trainer features the Betsy Ross flag.
With a circle of 13 stars representing the first US colonies, the flag was created during the American Revolution. Although opinion is divided over its origins, the flag was later adopted for use by the American Nazi Party.
Mitch McConnell says he will "make the first order" for Nike shoes featuring Betsy Ross flag
A veteran-owned company releases a Betsy Ross flag shirt after Nike controversy
First Female Dalai Lama Does Not Have to be Attractive
Dalai Lama 'deeply sorry' for remarks about women
The Dalai Lama has apologised for controversial comments about the possibility of a woman succeeding him.
Speaking to the BBC last month, the Tibetan spiritual leader said that any future female Dalai Lama should be "attractive".
But a statement from his office apologised for his words, suggesting he had been joking.
"He is deeply sorry that people have been hurt by what he said and offers his sincere apologies," it said.
Dalai Lama. 14th tidbits:
In 2014 and 2016, he stated that Tibet wants to be part of China but China should let Tibet preserve its culture and script.
In 2018, he stated that "Europe belongs to the Europeans" and that Europe has a moral obligation to aid refugees whose lives are in peril. Further he stated that Europe should receive, help and educate refugees but ultimately they should return to develop their home countries.
In March 2019, the Dalai Lama spoke out about his successor, saying that after his death he is likely to be reincarnated in India. He also warned that any Chinese interference in succession should not be considered valid.
California to Ban Natural Hair Discrimination
California set to be first US state to ban hair discrimination
California is set to become the first US state to ban discrimination against natural hair. The new bill, which the Senate passed in April, amends anti-discrimination laws to include "traits historically associated with race" and "blackness". It bars discrimination against black hairstyles in schools and workplaces. California's assembly voted unanimously in favour of the measure on Thursday, sending it to Governor Gavin Newsom's desk for signing into law.
The update to the law comes after years of nationwide reports of black students being sent home from school over braids or natural styles that violated dress code rules. In the workplace, black employees have often reported unfair policies that describe natural hair as unhygienic and unprofessional. The US military had a ban on dreadlocks for women until 2017.
"Professionalism was, and still is, closely linked to European features and mannerisms, which entails that those who do not naturally fall into Eurocentric norms must alter their appearances, sometimes drastically and permanently, in order to be deemed professional," the California bill states. "Hair remains a rampant source of racial discrimination with serious economic and health consequences, especially for black individuals."
