How Pro-Trump Forces Work the Refs in Silicon Valley
One of the oddest moments during last month’s tech hearings on Capitol Hill came when a Florida congressman darkly hinted that Google was making it difficult for him to find a website he was looking for, The Gateway Pundit. Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive, wearing a dark suit and the forced solemnity of an undertaker, promised the congressman he’d look into the issue. Mr. Pichai could have said that he wouldn’t let nitwits lobby him to pollute Google with lies. But while it was a quintessentially 2020 exchange, the gripe voiced by Representative Greg Steube was also a classic example of a politician “working the refs” — that is, complaining vocally about a referee’s decision in the hopes of getting a better call next time. It’s a tactic the Trump movement has revived and deftly employed against the powerful, befuddled new referees of public debate, Google, Facebook and Twitter.
Source:New York Times
August 10, 2020 00:45 UTC
Trump says he's open to allowing unemployed to get enhanced benefits without states paying part of the cost
(CNN) President Donald Trump opened the door on Sunday to allowing some unemployed Americans to get enhanced unemployment benefits even if the states in which they live won't pay part of the costs. His comments come just one day after he signed a memorandum that would require states to agree to enter into a financial arrangement with the federal government for any unemployed person living there to get any of the additional benefits. But Trump said Sunday it was possible that the federal government could pick up the entire cost if governors make a request. "And they will make a application. We will look at it, and we'll make a decision."
Source:CNN
August 10, 2020 00:22 UTC
Angels rookie Jo Adell has nightmare moment as fly ball pops out of his glove and over right field wall
MLB Rookie outfielder Jo Adell accidentally knocked the ball over the outfield wall on Sunday, giving the opposing team a 'home run' during the Los Angeles Angels' matchup against the Texas Rangers. Nick Solak hit the ball hard in the bottom of the fifth inning deep into right field and Adell began backpedaling and seemed to have a beat on it. The ball, however, ended up bouncing off his glove and over the wall, costing the Angels a run. This news comes as the remainder of the MLB season still remains in doubt due to coronavirus concerns. “We recognize that these changes place additional burdens and restrictions on players and staff,’’ the memo, obtained by USA Today Sports, read.
Source:Fox News
August 10, 2020 00:22 UTC
U.S. Agency Sidelines Planned $765 Million Loan to Kodak Amid Probes
WASHINGTON—A federal agency has put a planned $765 million loan to Eastman Kodak Co. on hold after the deal came under congressional and regulatory scrutiny. The U.S. International Development Finance Corp. announced plans last month to loan Kodak the funds to produce drug ingredients at its factories. But in a tweet late Friday, the agency said that “recent allegations of wrongdoing raise serious concerns. We will not proceed any further unless these allegations are cleared.” The action was earlier reported by other news...
Source:Wall Street Journal
August 10, 2020 00:11 UTC
What’s on TV Monday: ‘POV: Phadke Family’ on PBS; Shark Week
The prime-time TV grid is on hiatus in print but an expanded version is available in your daily Times eNewspaper. DiscoveryShaqAttack Shaquille O’Neal returns to Discovery’s Shark Week to determine which kind of shark has developed the best style of attack. (N) 7 a.m. KCBSToday (N) 7 a.m. KNBCKTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLAGood Morning America Frank Grillo. (N) 2 p.m. KNBCAmanpour and Company (N) 11 p.m. KCET; midnight KVCR; 1 a.m. KLCSAdvertisementThe Daily Show With Trevor Noah (N) 11 p.m. (N) 11:35 p.m. and 12:36 a.m. KABCNightline (N) 12:06 a.m. KABCLate Night With Seth Meyers Tracee Ellis Ross; Luke Bryan performs.
Source:Los Angeles Times
August 10, 2020 00:00 UTC
Scenes From a Biker Rally, Undaunted by the Virus
STURGIS, S.D. — Despite the coronavirus pandemic, tens of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts converged over the weekend outside the small South Dakota community of Sturgis for the 80th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The sounds of screeching tires and engines revving echoed across the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, a 600-acre campground that will be home for the next week for the majority of attendees. This year, many said they were not concerned about the virus, as they walked around without masks and took helicopter rides and attended outdoor concerts and motorcycle shows. Others have been attending for decades, and said they were unwilling to miss what they consider an annual tradition.
Source:New York Times
August 09, 2020 23:48 UTC
Understanding What Good Agile Looks Like
Thus, Agile management began with exploring more nimble processes for one team, then several teams, then many teams and then the whole organization. We need to keep in mind what good Agile looks like—essentially a better way for human beings to create more value other human beings. What Good Agile Looks LikeIn any established organization, a small set of fairly stable principles (also known as mindset or management model) tends to guide decision-making throughout the organization. The following table shows how the principles, processes, and practices of Agile management compare to those of traditional 20th Century management. And read also:From Agile Mindset to Agile PrinciplesWhy Most Firms Lack The Agility To Implement An Ecosystem
Source:Forbes
August 09, 2020 23:48 UTC
After Falwell Stumbles, His Hometown Sees a Leader in Need of Redemption
LYNCHBURG, Va. — At the Tree of Life Ministries, down the road from Liberty University, the senior pastor, Mike Dodson, did not have to look very far for sermon material about sin, redemption and what’s expected of a Christian. “You have watched one of the most influential leaders of this city, of the country and the world, the Christian community, go down,” Mr. Dodson said, bent with passion. “The Christian community is being laughed at.”Jerry Falwell Jr., a close ally of President Trump and one of the most prominent evangelical leaders in the country, has weathered one controversy after another in recent years. In it, he had his pants unbuttoned and his arm around a woman who was not his wife. In an accompanying post, he had a glass of what he described as “black water” that appeared to be alcohol.
Source:New York Times
August 09, 2020 23:28 UTC
Trump’s Directives Were Supposed to Offer Relief. Most May Not.
Payroll TaxesYou would still owe your payroll taxes under the terms of the president’s memorandum, and so would your employer, if you have one. What might change would be when some of the taxes for the period from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31 are due. If you are not self-employed, what usually happens is that your employer pays half of the 12.4 percent in Social Security payroll taxes that most people owe and then withholds the other half from your paycheck. Those who earn more than that would still be subject to withholding, up to the annual limit of $137,700. Still more of them may simply make adjustments via a W-4 withholding form on their own, no matter what sort of default withholding strategy their employer selects.
Source:New York Times
August 09, 2020 23:24 UTC
Puerto Rico voting temporarily halted amid lack of ballots
(CNN) Puerto Rico's primary elections were temporarily halted Sunday because of a lack of ballots in voting centers across the island, according to election officials. The State Elections Commission (CEE) suspended voting at some precincts because they had not received ballots, CEE said. The CEE later announced voting would be rescheduled for any precincts that were not able to open by 1:45 p.m. Sunday. Voting will resume at those centers on August 16 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., according to a CEE release. What the State Elections Commission did today is unprecedented and there is no excuse that can support it," Vázquez said.
Source:CNN
August 09, 2020 23:03 UTC
L.A. County reports more than 1,700 new coronavirus cases, many among younger people
Young residents continue to account for an outsize share of the new cases, officials said. Hospitalizations continued to trend downward, with a total of 1,514 confirmed coronavirus patients as of Saturday, compared with 2,017 patients two weeks before. Orange County added 565 cases of the virus and six deaths on Sunday, bringing its total to 39,641 cases and 726 deaths. Hospitalizations continued to decline there too, with 487 confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals as of Saturday, compared with 687 two Saturdays before. They are working to fix the system and said that could cause a spike in new cases as the backlog of lab reports is cleared.
Source:Los Angeles Times
August 09, 2020 22:39 UTC
8 Dead After Attack in a Wildlife Reserve in Niger
DAKAR, Senegal — Gunmen killed eight people on Sunday at a wildlife reserve in Niger, including six French humanitarian workers, their Nigerien driver and a guide, according to authorities. The group had traveled to Kouré reserve in an area known as the Giraffe Zone, home to the only remaining population of West African giraffes. “They had been brutally shot with bullets, but also flamethrowers had charred the car and some of the people. But the Giraffe Zone has been widely considered safe. The visitors were French humanitarian workers, said the authorities.
Source:New York Times
August 09, 2020 22:30 UTC
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Advances Goal of Becoming Trusted, Long-Term Military Launch Provider
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has vaulted into an elite tier of military suppliers, winning a multibillion-dollar contract that makes it one of the Pentagon’s two primary satellite-launch providers through most of the decade. In a significant boost to Mr. Musk’s closely held Southern California company, the Air Force on Friday said SpaceX will split an estimated nearly three dozen launches through 2027 with United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. Until a few years ago, ULA had a virtual monopoly...
Source:Wall Street Journal
August 09, 2020 22:07 UTC
Zoë Kravitz slams Hulu for lack of diversity after ‘High Fidelity’ cancellation
Zoë Kravitz took a swipe at Hulu after the streaming service confirmed it had canceled its show “High Fidelity,” which starred the 31-year-old actress. Under an Instagram post where she commemorated her time on the show with her castmates, Kravitz suggested Hulu’s programming lacks racial diversity. at least hulu has a ton of other shows starring women of color we can watch. “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “The Mindy Project” are two original Hulu series that stand out from the bunch. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIn the 10-episode series, Kravitz played the role of Robyn Brooks – a music and pop-culture-obsessed record store owner who is trying to make sense of her failed past relationships.
Source:Fox News
August 09, 2020 21:56 UTC