Any Topic Discussion – July 11th 2015
What’s good Blackbutterfly7? Santiago here, checking in with an any topic discussion thread. Feel free to share your thoughts as to recent events that may or may not have been covered by us recently.
As for myself, it’s been a pretty busy week. Our house has sold and we will be moving out by the end of August. Court took place this week. The defendant entered a plea of not guilty Trial is set for September 8th.
My Soap Box For Today
South Carolina finally did what should have been done years ago in taking down the Confederate Flag. (Really, it should have never been flown after the Civil War.) The flag’s removal has caused some to go off the deep end with their arguments that the flag does not represent oppression and bigotry, but rather their history and southern pride.
As slanted as those claims might be, here is what that flag represents to me.
The Historical argument:
How many times have we heard the nonsense that “This Flag represents our history”?
Maybe they have a point and are really proud of their history and what their forefathers did to people of color. I mean, I’m sure Hitler offered no apologies for his actions in committing genocide against the Jewish people and others.
Can you imagine how the world would react if Germany decided to raise the old Nazi flags and justify it by saying its “our history”?
The same folks who support the Confederate flag would be going nuts if that happened.
For me, it represents the history of a nation divided, so much that it took a civil war between Americans to resolve the dispute between the North and the South. When we think about it, the South literally fought to keep people of color enslaved. That’s pretty sickening considering that some people from the south run around talking about how bad other nations treat their own people while at the same time, they treat fellow Americans no different.
People cheer as an honor guard from the South Carolina Highway patrol removes the Confederate battle flag from the Capitol grounds Friday, July 10, 2015, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Of course we have heard from “Southerners” who say there were a lot of African Americans who fought for the south. My response to that is simple — I am pretty darn sure they didn’t have much of a choice.
In recent times, that flag has been used to represent hate, Neo-Nazis, White Supremacist. Even Neo Nazis in Germany use that flag as a symbol of hate and nothing more. Let’s not pretend that it’s about a history of pride because it is not.
If history was so important to Confederate flag supporters, then they should have no problem with a Mexican flag on every capital and government building in the southwestern states. Trust me, they wouldn’t go for that one bit, even though it is our history.
The only history it represents is a time period of hateful ideology that those who support this flag would love to see return. That is NOT going to happen. The South surrendered. Wave the white flag of surrender.
The remaining Southern States should follow suit. This is not a 1st Amendment issue as that only applies to individuals and NOT a government entity. Recently, California voted on a bill to ban the Confederate Flag with a 66-1 vote.
I am amazed and happy to see South Carolina stand up and make this change,. It’s just a shame that it took so long for them to do so, but I’m not complaining. It’s the right thing to do. It is also a respectable way to honor the 9 who lost their lives at the hands of the pathetic little racist worm Dylann Roof , who should have never been allowed to legally purchase a gun.
In closing, I want to send a shout out and a huge thank you to Bree Newsome who took it upon herself to do something that should have been done long ago, to do something that simply was the right thing to do for South Carolina and the rest of America. My hat is off to Bree for her bravery, and we pray that the charges against her are soon dismissed.
What’s Your Opinion About Donald Trump?
Let us continue moving forward loving one another.
Posted on 07/11/2015, in Confederate Flag, Emmanuel 9 and tagged AME Church, Bree Newsome, confederate flag, Donald Trump, Dylann Roof, South Carolina. Bookmark the permalink. 55 Comments.
We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident 
Awesome post scrodriguez! Don’t get me started on Donald Trump! He’s here in AZ today, blowing his trumpet!
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Trump is an idiot but at the same time he is using hate speech that the GOP voters love to hear so obviously he is going to gain some ground.
Lets look at his comments regarding Mexicans,
#1 Trump makes the claim that Mexico sends all the bad ones here who commit murder and rape
My counter argument to that is as followed,
Mr Trump where do you think the 1st place is that all the bad Americans run to when they are on the run from the law? Lets also keep in mind the two convicts who escaped Clinton Max in Upstate New York the plan was to go where? thats right Mexico
Now on to the claim about Murders committed by Illegal immigrants,
I will bet you that in the last year alone there were more American Citizens murdered by “Responsible Gun Owners” than there were by Illegal immigrants
Rape, well again I betcha when you compare the numbers there were more Americans last year who committed Rape than Illegal immigrants
and talk about stealing jobs Trumps clothing line is manufactured in either Mexico or China so Trump can F**k off with his nonsense that all the bad ones are sent here.
And besides how the hell can anybody push a border south stealing thousands of miles of land then complain there are too many Mexicans here?
I mean for Christ sake whats next? is the GOPs next move going to be to start calling all the Native Americans illegals as well?
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Tell me about it! He is such a blowhard and hypocrite! He’s not worth nearly as much as he claims…. and then there’s the bankruptcies! Here’s the Vanity Fair article if anyone is interested:
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/06/donald-trump-companies-bankruptcy-atlantic-city
Plus, since Mexican heritage is technically half Native American anyway, just who is illegal??!!
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That’s a pretty hilarious idea, but that’s exactly what it’d be like if some fools in Germany decided the nazi flag was their “history!”
We look at the freaks slobbering over the confederate flag same way germans think of their wannabe nazi idiots! They’re properly repelled at the sight of them. They’re the dregs of society. And most ppl wouldn’t even know those ppl on purpose.
I watched part of The Abolitionists on PBS, its… Wow.
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Actually I have also come to this conclusion as the flag is still an issue of debate. Southerners claim this flag is about their History, Their Culture and their heritage… and they are TICKED!!!!!!
My response to that is simple, NOW those same very people complaining about their precious flag being removed have something in common with People of Color.
They are now experiencing just a small taste of what its like to have your History, Your Culture and your Heritage stripped from them… and then they wonder why we are so mad!
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I think they’re mad cuz the last shreds of state approved bigotry keep slipping through their fingers. Imagine how infuriating it is for those idiot bigots to watch the same government that’s always been their greatest ally in confirming the idea that white is right & black can’t do shit about it, now suddenly obeying the demands black ppl are making of them!! LMFAO
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Just saw this on AOL. Sorry, I don’t know how to strip the commercials and other garbage out of the story:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/11/walmart-to-melt-class-rings-bearing-confederate-flag-rather-than-complete/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D-1969750345
I’ve never been a big fan of Walmart, but this time, I’m impressed!
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There is no way of stripping the commercials. Don’t worry about it.
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Thanks, Xena. I learn something new every day!
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Linda, there are some blogs that report on very interesting topics, but I don’t reblog because of the advertisements that you have to watch for 30 seconds or more before you can read the article. More and more, I’m tending to avoid sites that force readers to sit through advertising.
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You know it’s bad when other Republicans are trying to distance themselves from him!
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Hopefully the harasser is the defendant and the jury sees through the ruse and finds harrasser guilty! Best wishes for the September round. ❤
Those folks have been mighty busy on Twitter lately and it's not hard to find them! They seem most focused on some nationally-known activists lately – guess they realize they're better off talking about public figures, and as usual, their hatred has them twisting facts into some laughable configurations. Karma can't work fast enough for me!
I'm encouraged by S. Carolina's removal of the Confederate flag – Jenny Horne's speech was tremendously moving and will probably historic!
While I'd rather not think about Mr. Trump at all, he does actually do some good by publicly airing his wacko thoughts that some other Republican politicians only hint at during election campaigns via "dog whistles." I would think that his embarrassing screeds probably have encouraged some moderates to abandon the party or made certain they'll support more moderate candidates. I'm hearing that some Republicans and Libertarians are interested in Bernie Sanders. I hope that's true! It would be great if we had bilateral support for a candidate who could get some serious work for the people done.
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Hey Two Sides! Just a note about the pending case. It will be a bench trial unless all violations are presented which would result in a sentence of over 180 days. For a sentence over 180 days, it will be a jury trial.
About the certain folks on Twitter, all they are doing is showing their ignorance. They took-off on the Rachel Dolezal thing and think they can now convince Blacks to stop supporting activists either because they pretend to be Black, or they are Black and scamming donors — as if full-time activists are to have no form of income. It’s simply another use of the same defamation scheme in effort to harm and divide. The next person they might attack because of their race is Tim Wise. They might say he really isn’t Jewish but a Black man pretending to be White to scam money from Whites.
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The link here is to an editorial by Tim Wise on Ferguson. It’s a long one, but it’s worth reading: http://aattp.org/tim-wise-pens-brilliant-editorial-on-ferguson-most-white-americans-are-completely-oblivious/
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Arraignment happened and things are moving forward.
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Just got my default notice from the 2nd Dist court of appeals…. Not participating in that garbage and no need to notify either. It’s not worth the spit on the stamp to send out.
Besides the brief itself that was filed makes No logical argument as to where or how the court ruled in error. It’s basically a hissy fit of what happened in Fresno and whats going on now. 90% of that brief has nothing to do with the trial court
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I think you saw in his previous appeal that he has to support the reasons given by the judge for his/her decision. The Appellate Court Justices do not rely on “the judge said …” without a transcript.
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Reblogged this on rosemondemarchand.wordpress.com gratuit.
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Thanks for the reblog
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Someone on MSNBC yesterday (I can’t remember who) called Trump a one-trick-pony and said he is 2015’s Sarah Palin. Once the novelty wears off, so does the admiration. But then, there are the diehards who are unable to reason past their initial impression.
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Weren’t the gym mats rolled up and vertical in Kendrick Johnson’s old gym? I didn’t see any rolled-up ones in a vertical position in the surveillance videos on the at the time Kendrick entered the gym.
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I’ve always wondered if Kendrick was found with the matt laying down or standing up.
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I think the mat was standing up because a girl reported seeing feet sticking out of the top. They first thought it was a prank.
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Oh yeah now that you mention it, i remember “feet sticking out” too. But upside down w/feet out sounds even more absurd! No one noticed some kids feet the whole day & evening cleaning??? How about when he first went in, no one else saw him? Or saw him struggling to get out?! I really haven’t looked at much of the evidence here, probably bcuz nothing makes sense.
The videos were obviously tampered with. there’s just no question about that. & that’s proof of a cover up. There’s no other explanation for the video issue.
If it was an accident like the local PD claim there’d be no reason for the tampered video.
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The videos cut off before Kendrick crosses the gym. How easy it would have been for those investigating to leave the whole video intact and let the video show Kendrick climbing into one of those mats. It would have been simple end to their “investigation”….I can only assume that the tapes were “cut off” (with an hour missing) because Kendrick did not climb into a gym mat.
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Yep. Bcuz basically that’s the only logical conclusion.
It can’t be bcuz the school was covering their ass for a probable lawsuit since an accident, on school property, that killed a child in their charge, who wasn’t even found until the next day, is exactly what they claim happened.
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I can tell you this the mat should have never been found standing upright. Let’s think logically here. If he somehow managed to climb in that mat head first like that at the first sign of trouble KJ would have been able to wobble that mat enough to get it to fall.
But let’s also use logic here why go through all that trouble, why not just push the mat and get the shoes out from the bottom?
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Here is CNN’s investigative analysis of the surveillance tapes:
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Also this from CNN:
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Off topic, but Xena, I hope you are feeling better. I HATE being sick and I hate doctors even more. There are a couple from the time I was in rehab (after my stroke), that I’d love to go back and beat up! They’re lucky I have to use a walker now and can’t run very fast!
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Linda, thanks for asking. I am feeling better at times, not so good other times. Speaking of doctors, I’m getting the impression that there are not enough. When patients have to wait a month for an appointment, that’s too long.
You and the walker — that’s funny. How are you doing?
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I’m doing okay, Xena. The hemorrhagic stroke was at the base of my brain (the medulla?), so it primarily affects my balance. Hence the walker.
At the rehab hospital, you weren’t allowed to go to the bathroom by yourself; you had to push the buzzer and wait for someone to assist you. I pushed that damn buzzer until I was blue in the face! Just as I got out of bed to go to the bathroom anyway, these two male doctors came around the corner, grabbed my arm and yanked me out the bathroom door. Those are the two I have murderous fantasies about when I’m plotting my novel!
My primary care provider now is a physician’s assistant and I like her much better than many full fledged doctors, whom I feel are often more impressed with the diplomas on their walls than with practicing medicine!
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Linda, your comment reminded me of a situation. Back in the 90’s, I had a gall bladder attack. Laser surgery was fairly new, and my doctor said because he thought I had stones in the ducts that I would not be able to have laser surgery. It was going to be to old cut, slice and dice.
So, that night a nurse came into the room with a bottle of solution and told me that I was to take a bath with it as part of the prep for surgery in the morning. When I went to the bathroom, my roommate’s bed pan was in the tub and it was not empty.
I put on the light for the nurse and waited almost 30 minutes. I then walked to the nurse’s station and was told that my nurse was busy with another patient but they would give her the message. I can’t say when she came in to remove the bed pan or even if housekeeping did it because I fell asleep. What I did know is that after it was removed, the tub would need to be sanitized or I wasn’t getting in it.
The next morning, in comes my doctor and says that he got a report that I refused to take the bath. (sigh) Thankfully, my roommate was in the room and able to verify what happened.
That is when the spiritual side of me kicked in because there is a difference between lying and bearing false witness. If the nurse found it necessary to lie, she could have lied about what she was doing. But, she choose to bear false witness against me. I signed out of that hospital without having the surgery, called the HMO (remember HMO’s back in the 90’s?),and arranged for them to allow me to see my old physician. He put me on medication to dissolve the stones in the ducts and I had laser surgery 6 months later.
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I’m so glad you stood up for yourself. I was somewhat of a doormat in the old days (remember my 22 years with Mr. Wonderful?), so I was more likely to wait until I was alone and just cry.
I’ll add your nurse to my two doctors when plotting the murders in my novel!
Gawd, do I ever remember HMOs! Kaiser Permanente was mine for a while. Not bad, but not great either.
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The first HMO I joined was MedCare HMO. It was taken over by Chicago HMO and about a year thereafter, hospitalization insurance changed and offered PPOs and HMOs.
Oh — about your novel; rather than writing a plot of murder, write a plot where the things they have done to patients is done to them, only let their medical condition be worst. 🙂
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Omg I’ll NEVER FORGET what you said about lying & bearing false witness! All my life I thought they meant the same thing.
The points you made about Zimmerman & the guy who murdered Renisha, both murderers lied but only Zimmerman bore false witness against his victim.
I know you’ve mentioned this topic a few times but i don’t know if everyone, esp new ppl who haven’t seen it really understand those things. One day when its appropriate in maybe even another case you could talk about that.
I even remember your post about Zimmerman bearing false witness, but it wasn’t till much later that i asked you if there was something i wasn’t getting.. I thought we all knew he lied.
I have to wonder if a lot of other ppl think lying & false witness is the same.
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I agree, Shannon. Xena’s explanation was the first time I ever clearly grasped the difference between the two types of lies. I would willingly tell a little white lie to keep from hurting someone’s feelings (that color looks gorgeous on you!), even if the dress itself IS HIDEOUS! It’s the false witness ones that tend to stick in my craw and make it impossible to forget, even if I think I have sorta forgiven.
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When i see an ugly baby (we all have Lmao) i’ll just comment on something that i do like, like “omg how adorable is her hairdo there?!” That way I’m not lying & not hurting feelings 🙂
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Shannon and Linda, that understanding came when I was studying women in the Bible and pondered over the study of Rahab. She lied. She told the guards that she saw the two strange men leave the city gates. But, Rahab had hidden the men on the roof of her house — a house of prostitution. When we get to the New Testament, it says that God calls Rahab righteous.
Rahab did not bear false witness. She did not tell a lie, such as giving the guards the name of a person saying that she saw someone take and hide the two spies.
So, I remember that it was during the Ted Wafer case when I shared about this, because I felt mercy for him that I do not feel for George Zimmerman or Michael Dunn.
Bearing false witness is wrongfully accusing. George Zimmerman and Michael Dunn bore false witness. They put words in the mouths of the deceased and contributed unsupported actions to them. Ted lied, but his lies pertained to what he did or didn’t do. He didn’t see Renisha’s face nor hear her voice. He did not say that Renisha threatened him. He didn’t say that she looked angry or intent on harming him.
Two years ago today, George Zimmerman walked free, but he planted a tree in his life of being a false witness. It takes time (seasons) for trees to bear fruit, but one day that tree will demand payment.
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I’m waiting. But the waiting is unbearable.
We’ll never forgive that pig for stealing Trayvon’s screams.
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Shannon, as I believe I’ve mentioned before, having lived in both Manassas, VA and Florida, I was obsessed with Zimmerman’s trial from the beginning. The thing that really stood out for me with both Zimmerman’s trial AND Casey Anthony’s trial is that both of them come from a family of LIARS, Even if the results weren’t what any of us would have wanted, the evidence is out there, Eventually, someone will connect all the dots and the “evidence” will cross the line into “proof,” It’s just a shame that people’s personal biases won’t allow them to see it.
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Casey Anthony is more of an anomaly to me than Zimmerman. She kills her own baby instead of letting her parents keep her. It feels like she simply didn’t love her daughter enough to share her “beautiful life” with her. she didn’t even love Caylee enough to allow her to have a beautiful life with someone else!
For a long time I believed she hid Caylee with someone and didn’t tell her parents to spite them.
I do NOT believe her father molested her. I saw it as another lie to save her own ass.
Her mom& dad were so desperate to make the pain go away they both considered what they could forsake themselves to make it go away.
Casey is just a sick bitch who killed her own baby & tried to sacrifice her dad. And she’s about as dangerous as they get.
Her parents lied&covered for her her whole life. But for stealing& lies. Which now that I think of it, there’s this saying; a liar is a thief, a thief is a killer. Scary.
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Interesting point, Shannon. For me, all I could see was the lies, and more lies. I don’t believe her father molested her either. It was just too much like my own family history, however, that it always stuck with me.
I remember wondering if my mother ever counted the change that I gave back to her, so I tested her by adding MORE change to the pile. Lost my extra change! Drat!
I know that may sound laughable to a lot of people, but I still remember the first time I ever held a $20 bill. I was 12 years old and didn’t know they even MADE such exotic things!
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Oh-oh.
Son of Boston Police Captain Arrested as Possible Terrorist.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/officials-son-boston-police-captain-arrested-terrorist/story?id=32414150
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Interesting….
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Sometimes, I think religion is responsible for more bad than good in the world. My paternal grandmother died of uterine cancer at age 39. She could have gotten free medical care, but her idea of medical care consisted of rattlesnakes and speaking in tongues.
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The New York Times @nytimes
“Eric Garner Case Is Settled by New York City for $5.9 Million”
http://nyti.ms/1CCMrwO
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Great News!!! However lets just do some math, 5.9 Million plus the officers who worked during protesting. How much money do you think that is?
How much tax payer dollars would have been saved had they done the right thing and put this officer on trial and convict him?
So not only are the people of the United States being denied Justice but these pay outs are also at our expense.
they should require the Police Union to pay off that settlement
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This sounds scary:
“Scarred: Bite stories reveal darker side of North Port’s award-winning police canine team”
http://watchdogsarasota.heraldtribune.com/2015/07/12/scarred-bite-stories-reveal-darker-side-of-north-ports-award-winning-police-canine-team/
Excerpt:
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When you click on the link and read the full article, the statistics are frightening. There are also two common denominators here… “bearing false witness” and Florida.
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MSNBC’s Ed Schultz saw his first political bumper sticker today: SUPPORT TRUMP. WHY JUST GO HALF CRAZY!
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That’s a good one. LOL!
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Xena, I love MSNBC. Not only is it a nice Libtard (might as well own it) news station, I have learned more about politics, social injustice, and cultural evolution than from watching any other newscast. I still get my local news elsewhere, but for National and International news, MSNBC is my choice.
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Linda, same here. MSNBC is the only news channel I watch unless there is something urgent in the news and they are not reporting it during one of their scheduled programs. Then I’ll turn to CNN to see if they are reporting it.
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