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☆ Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos Are Trying to Kill PowerPoint. Good Luck.
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-10 | by ( Matt Alston | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Because you've seen hundreds of PowerPoint presentations since your sixth-grade science-fair days, you instinctively know this one's going to take the full hour. Nearly four decades after the launch of PowerPoint, the slide deck remains one of the most dominant forces shaping how we think — and don't think — about our work. Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, and military top brass have been bad-mouthing and even banning slide presentations from meetings, instead favoring memos or even old-fashioned, visual-aid-free, raw-dogged discussion. Microsoft estimated that 30 million PowerPoint presentations were being made every day. AdvertisementI hate the way people use slide presentations instead of thinking.

Persons: YYou've, It's, you've, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, Edward Norton —, —, Norton, Nick Cogan, Steve Jobs Christina Farr, it's, — it's, there's, Edward Tufte, PowerPoint's, Tufte, what's, Steve Ballmer, Steven Ferdman, Steve Jobs, I've, Gilboa, I'm, Zeck, Robert Wolfe, Jeffrey, Edward Norton, they'd, Wolfe, PATRICK T, FALLON, Floyd, Olive, Jennifer Egan's, Egan, Alison Blake's, we're Organizations: Microsoft, Space Shuttle Columbia, Amazon, Los Angeles Clippers, Google, Getty, Space Corporation, Bravo, Goon, NASA Locations: Zeck, OpenAI, BarkBox, storytime, Aviv, Gilboa, CrowdRise

☆ Stephen King, Sarah Jessica Parker and More Share Their Top Books of the 21st Century
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( The New York Times Books Staff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +26 min

To determine the best books of the 21st century , The New York Times Book Review and The Upshot polled hundreds of literary luminaries. Stephen King Stephen King has written more than 60 books, many of which have been adapted for film and television. Min Jin Lee Min Jin Lee has written two novels: FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES and PACHINKO, which was one of The Times’s 10 Best Books of 2017. Scott Turow Scott Turow is an attorney and writer best known for legal thrillers like PRESUMED INNOCENT and THE BURDEN OF PROOF. DU BOIS, was one of The Times’s 10 Best Books of 2021.

Persons: Stephen King Stephen King, ”, Ian McEwan ●, Christine Falls, Benjamin Black ●, Donna Tartt, Gillian Flynn ●, Cormac McCarthy ●, Margaret Atwood ●, Sarah Waters ●, Philip Roth ●, Viet Thanh Nguyen, “, Stephen King, Min Jin Lee Min Jin Lee, Anthony Doerr ●, Katherine Boo ●, Colm Tóibín ●, Julie Otsuka ● “, Tara Westover ● “, Matthew Desmond ● “, Marilynne Robinson, Edward P, Jones, Barbara Ehrenreich ●, Phil Klay Karl Ove Knausgaard Karl Ove Knausgaard, Roberto Bolaño ● “, Maggie Nelson ● “, Elena Ferrante ● “, Ben Marcus ● “, Emmanuel Carrère ●, Kazuo Ishiguro ●, Claire Keegan ● “, Peter Handke ●, Denis Johnson ●, Svetlana Alexievich, Bonnie Garmus Bonnie Garmus, Barnes, Nehisi Coates, Barbara Kingsolver ●, Tara Westover, Matt Ridley ●, Harry Potter, Prince, Rowling ●, Dave Eggers ●, Henry David Thoreau, Laura Dassow, Ben Rice ●, Colson Whitehead ●, Timothy Egan Nana Kwame Adjei ‑ Brenyah Nana Kwame Adjei ‑, ZZ Packer, Diana Khoi Nguyen, “ Greenwood, Michael Christie, Solmaz Sharif, Min Jin Lee ● “, George Saunders ● “, Jesmyn Ward, Ted Chiang ●, George Saunders ●, Colson Whitehead, Chimamanda Ngozi, Edwidge Danticat, Aracelis Girmay, Natsuo Kirino, Roberto Bolaño ●, Francisco Goldman ●, Paul Beatty Sarah Jessica Parker Sarah Jessica Parker, Tayari Jones, Sting, Paul Murray ●, Megha Majumdar ●, Anthony Marra ●, Jonathan Franzen ●, Donna Tartt ●, Janika Oza, Patrick Radden Keefe, Sonali Deraniyagala James Patterson James Patterson, Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, J.D . Barker, Stephen King ● “, Markus Zusak ●, Tara Westover ●, Stieg Larsson, Gillian Flynn, Rowling, Anthony Bourdain ●, Keith Richards, James Fox ●, Dennis Lehane ●, Laura Hillenbrand Elin Hilderbrand Elin Hilderbrand, “ Alice, Oliver, Charles Bock ●, Curtis Sittenfeld, Tim Winton ●, Lily King ● “, Anna Quindlen ●, Lauren Groff ● “, Maggie O'Farrell, Raven Leilani, Erin Morgenstern Annette Gordon ‑ Reed Annette Gordon, Reed, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Annette Gordon, Reed ●, Henrietta, Rebecca Skloot ●, Louis Menand ●, Isabel Wilkerson ●, Hilary, Rebecca Roanhorse Rebecca Roanhorse, Hugo, Ann Leckie ● “, Ted Chiang ● “, Kim Stanley Robinson ●, Stephen Graham Jones ●, Ken Liu ●, Djèlí Clark ●, Louise Erdrich ●, Theodore Sturgeon Marlon James Marlon James, Booker, Maria McCann ● “, Bird, James McBride ●, Alan Hollinghurst ●, Min Jin Lee ●, Skippy, Patrick French Roxane Gay Roxane Gay, Michael Chabon ●, Alicia Erian ●, Bernardine Evaristo, Kiese Laymon, Carmen Maria Machado ●, Zadie Smith, Emma Donoghue ●, Ann Patchett Jonathan Lethem Jonathan Lethem, Eugene Lim ●, Olga Ravn ●, Percival Everett ●, Keith Ridgway ●, Renee Gladman ●, Lydia Millet ● “, Helen DeWitt ● “, Robin McLean ●, Christopher Sorrentino Sarah MacLean Sarah MacLean, Angelina M, Lopez ● “, Lisa Kleypas ●, Jennifer Crusie ●, Circe, Madeline Miller, Kresley Cole ●, Beverly Jenkins ● “ Georgie, Kate Clayborn ● “ Hana Khan, Uzma Jalaluddin, Milla Vane ● “, Sherry Thomas Ed Yong Ed Yong, Bel Canto, Ann Patchett, Nana Kwame Adjei, Abed Salama, Nathan Thrall, Mohsin Hamid ● “, Helen Macdonald ● “, Jenny Odell ●, Julie Otsuka, Amal El, Max Gladstone ●, Hernan Diaz, Thomas Chatterton Williams Thomas Chatterton Williams, Hagar's, Jones ●, Catherine Lacey ● “, Dana Spiotta, Joan Silber ● “ Malcolm X, Manning Marable, Alice Munro ●, Hua Hsu, Veronica, Mary Gaitskill ●, Isabel Wilkerson Paul Tremblay Paul Tremblay, Mark Z, Joker, Kaoru Takamura ●, Benjamín Labatut, Stephen Graham Jones, Mariana Enriquez ●, Sara Levine ●, Colson Whitehead Nick Hornby Nick Hornby, Michael Chabon, David Kynaston ●, Billy Lynn's, Ben Fountain ●, Richard Russo, Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout ●, Mark Harris ●, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc ●, Scott Turow Scott Turow, Sam Quinones ● “, Elena Ferrante, Ann Goldstein, ●, Timothy Snyder ●, Adam Johnson ●, Ann Goldstein ●, Daniel Kahneman ● “, Daniel Alarcón Daniel Alarcón, Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz, Claudia Rankine, Jones ● “, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc ● “, Patrick Radden Keefe Honorée Fanonne Jeffers Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Victor Luckerson ●, Alice Walker ●, Toni Morrison ●, Toni Morrison ● “, Ibram X, Tiya Miles ●, Isabel Wilkerson Lucy Sante Lucy Sante, Uwe Johnson, Damion Searls, Jeremiah Moss ●, Sigrid Nunez ●, Ian Penman, Mike DeCapite ●, Rachel Kushner ●, Ed Park ●, Svetlana Alexievich Gary Shteyngart Gary Shteyngart, Pitchaya Sudbanthad, Amy Hempel, Amy Hempel ● “, Colm Tóibín, Joseph O’Neill ●, Rachel Cusk ●, Tony Judt ●, Isabel Wilkerson Anand Giridharadas Anand Giridharadas, Jane Mayer ●, Andrew Solomon ● “, Hanya Yanagihara, Suketu Mehta, Karl Ove Knausgaard ●, Asne Seierstad, Joan Didion Jessamine Chan Jessamine, Barack Obama, Tang, Chloé Cooper Jones, Andrea Elliott ● “, Jenny Erpenbeck, Lauren Groff ●, Cathy Park Hong, Sheila Heti ●, Dorothy Roberts Michael Robbins Michael Robbins, Michael Robbins, Kristin Ross ●, Lauren Berlant, Andreas Malm ●, Anahid Nersessian, “ Lila, Mike Davis ●, Chelsey Minnis, Fred Moten ●, Mary Gaitskill Alma, Alma Katsu, Jonathan Strange, Norrell, Susanna Clarke ● “, Sarah Waters, Julie Otsuka ●, Audrey Niffenegger ●, Megan Abbott Megan Abbott, Edgar, Joyce Carol Oates, Kate Atkinson ●, Robert Kolker ●, Oyinkan Braithwaite ●, Daniel Woodrell ●, Joan Didion Joshua Ferris Joshua Ferris, Hemingway, Anne Enright, Patricia Lockwood ●, Paul Harding ●, Ann Napolitano Ann Napolitano, David Mitchell ●, Yaa Gyasi, Emily St, John Mandel ●, John Irving John Irving, OWEN MEANY, John Boyne, Paul Theroux, Abraham Verghese ●, James Salter ●, Nix, Nathan Hill, Edmund White ●, Peter Matthiessen ●, Michael Ondaatje ●, Jeanette Winterson Tiya Miles Tiya Miles, Frederick Douglass, David W, Blight, Andrew Sean Greer ●, Michael Pollan ●, Dara Horn ●, Stephen Greenblatt ●, Jami Attenberg Jami Attenberg, Ada Limón ●, Jonathan Franzen, Alison Bechdel, Sloane Crosley, Alexander Chee ●, Patti Smith ●, Morgan Parker ●, Sara Novic Stephen L, Carter Stephen L, Carter, Deirdre McCloskey ●, Mohsin Hamid ●, Virginia Postrel, Umberto, Geraldine Brooks ●, Richard Powers ●, Jane Brox ●, David Bentley Hart, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Sarah Schulman Sarah Schulman, Mattilda Bernstein, Natasha Trethewey ●, Adania Shibli, Ned Blackhawk ●, Stephanie E, Rogers, Martha S, Steven W, Raja Shehadeh ●, Hugh Ryan Elizabeth Hand Elizabeth Hand, Rene Denfeld ●, Henry Darger, John M, MacGregor ● “, Dan Chaon ● “ James Tiptree Jr, Julie Phillips ●, Kelly Link, Morgan Talty ●, Robert Macfarlane ●, William Gibson Dion Graham Dion Graham, Jonathan Eig’s, Colson Whitehead’s CROOK, Omar El Akkad, Wolf, Marlon James ● “, Winfred Rembert, Cixin Liu ● “, Dave Eggers ● “, George Floyd, Robert Samuels, Toluse, Jonathan Eig ●, Jonathan Eig ● “ Washington, Jeremy Denk Jeremy Denk, David Foster Wallace ●, Jeff, Geoff Dyer ●, Hanif Abdurraqib, Elif Batuman, Alex Ross ●, Kate Molleson Morgan Jerkins Morgan Jerkins, Zora Neale Hurston, Haruki Murakami ●, Masha Gessen ●, Safiya Sinclair ● “, Carmen Maria Machado ● “, Imani Perry, Jesmyn Ward Michael Roth Michael Roth, Amy Bloom, Saidiya Hartman, Valeria Luiselli ●, Jon Fosse, Daniel Kahneman ●, Ben Lerner ●, Jennifer Egan Organizations: New York, Argonauts, J.K, Railroad, Corrections, ”, A.M, Harvard University, OF, Metaphysical, Suns, Ministry, Indians, The New York Times, Hawthorn, Child, Roberto Bolaño ● “, New Yorker, NPR, University of Oklahoma, DU BOIS, PEN, “, Yale Law School, THE, Umberto Eco, Beginners, MacArthur Foundation, Wesleyan University, Topeka School Locations: ”, Brooklyn, Norwegian, Ben Marcus ● “ The, Nantucket, OF MONTICELLO, Monticello, “, BROOKLYN, Britain, Jones ● “ Lincoln, Feral, Bangkok, Susanna Clarke ● “ Lincoln, Burma, Texas, Jonathan Eig ● “, “ Austerlitz, Venice, Death, Varanasi, America, Lorraine

Between vacation photos and cookout invitations posted on their private text thread, a group of Mississippi sheriff’s deputies who called themselves the Goon Squad traded pictures of rotting corpses and joked about rape and shocking people with Tasers. An encrypted WhatsApp group chat obtained by The New York Times and Mississippi Today provides a yearslong record of the day-to-day conversations of a patrol unit involved in terrorizing residents across a central Mississippi county for a generation. The Goon Squad came to national attention last year after Rankin County sheriff’s deputies tortured two Black men in their home and shot one of them in the face, nearly killing him. Six officers, including three from the Goon Squad shift, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to federal prison in March. An investigation by The Times and Mississippi Today last fall revealed that nearly two dozen residents experienced similar brutality when Rankin deputies burst into their homes looking for illegal drugs.

Persons: Rankin Organizations: Goon Squad, The New York Times, Mississippi Today, The Times, Mississippi Locations: Mississippi, Rankin

Today "is a day we've long awaited," attorney Malik Shabazz said after six White former Mississippi officers were sentenced in state court for torturing and abusing his clients Eddie Parker and Michael Jenkins. The court has "given out justice," Shabazz said. In departing from the initial recommendations of "low" prison sentences for the squad, the judge "set a new standard here in Rankin County, that police brutality will not be tolerated in Rankin County," Shabazz said. Jenkins also reacted to the sentencing, telling reporters that it's been "a long time coming."

Persons: Malik Shabazz, Eddie Parker, Michael Jenkins, Shabazz, Jenkins, it's Locations: Mississippi, Rankin County

☆ 6 ex-officers who pleaded guilty in ‘Goon Squad’ torture of 2 Black men sentenced in state court
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Emma Tucker | Holly Yan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

– Middleton was sentenced in state court to 20 years in prison, which will run concurrently with his federal sentence of 17.5 years. – Opdyke was sentenced in state court to 20 years in prison, to run concurrently with his federal sentence of 17.5 years. – Hartfield was sentenced in state court to 15 years in prison, to run concurrently with his federal sentence of 10 years. – Dedmon was sentenced in state court to 25 years in prison, to run concurrently with his federal sentence of 40 years. – McAlpin was sentenced in state court to 20 years in prison, to run concurrently with his federal sentence of just over 27 years.

Persons: Michael Jenkins, Eddie Parker, – Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Daniel Opdyke, Jeffrey Middleton –, Joshua Hartfield, Jenkins, Malik Shabazz, “, Eddie, Hunter Elward, ” Jenkins, ” Eddie Terrell Parker, Michael Corey Jenkins, Rogelio V . Solis, Dedmon, Elward, – Elward, – Middleton, – Opdyke, – Hartfield, – Dedmon, – McAlpin, Brandon –, Parker, Opdyke –, Lynn Fitch, Middleton, ” picturing, Angela English, ”, Sheriff Bryan Bailey, Jason Dare, Bailey, jailers, Fitch, Eddie Terrell Parker, ” Fitch, CNN’s Devon Sayers, Ryan Young Organizations: Mississippi CNN —, Richland Police Department, NAACP, Confederate, Justice, Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Justice, Sheriff’s Department, CNN, Civil Rights Unit Locations: Brandon, Mississippi, Rankin, Rankin County, Braxton, McAlpin, Middleton, Opdyke, Jackson

☆ Opinion: Trump’s image is on the line
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. … Deals are my art form.”Having a lot of money distinguished him from other presidential candidates, Trump contended. ‘I don’t need anybody’s money,’ Trump said in his June 2015 presidential campaign announcement.”“Now Trump needs money, a lot of it. In July 2006, she met Trump at a celebrity golf tournament and says that the two had sex that weekend. “Whatever the Fifth Circuit and Supreme Court decide next, the question for President Joe Biden is what to do now,” wrote Lawrence Downes.

Persons: Charles Dickens, “ David Copperfield, Micawber, ” Micawber, “, Dickens, Donald Trump, Letitia James, Trump, he’ll, ”, Tony Schwartz, I’ve, Frida Ghitis, ’ Trump, … Dana Summers, Joe Biden’s, Julian Zelizer, Biden’s, ” Bill Bramhall, Stormy Daniels, Peacock, Ana Marie Cox, Daniels, she’s, Peter Navarro, He’s, Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, House Republicans —, Matt Gaetz ’, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Johnson, Clay Jones, Paul Sracic, Fareed Zakaria, Biden, Peter Bergen, Bashar al, Assad, ” Bergen, Vladimir Putin, Richard Aboulafia, ” David Horsey, Joann, Lynda Gorov, it’s, ” Kate Middleton’s, Princess, Wales, Sara Stewart, Kate, that’s, she’ll, Joe Biden, Lawrence Downes, “ Biden, Greg, Abbott, ’, ” Downes, Trump’s, Jared Kushner, Kushner, Donald Trump’s, Aseel Mousa, Drew Sheneman, Max Besbris, ” Besbris, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Thomas, Eleanor Roosevelt, ‘, ” Don’t, Grace Elizabeth Hale, Elizabeth Yuko, Avi Weiss, Jennifer Jones, Jill Filipovic, Christine Blasey Ford Derrick Johnson, Peter Rutland, Holly Thomas, Lily Allen, Mary Ziegler, Lanhee Chen, Steve Garvey, Adam Schiff, Patricia Grisafi, Caitlin Clark Walt Handelsman, Caitlin Clark, Amy Bass, Kamilla Cardoso, UCLA’s Kiki Rice, ’ ” Clark, Bass, Pete ’ Maravich, Court, Serena Williams, Clark, Maravich …, — Organizations: CNN, New, Trump, Agency, Twitter, Save, Maga Inc, Biden, Content Agency Trump, House Republicans, Rep, Ohio GOP, Russia ISIS, ISIS, Boeing, Airbus, Crafts, Boys, BBC Studios, Circuit, Texas Gov, Abbott, of Justice, Texans, Harvard, National Association of Realtors, United Nations, “, University of Iowa, ESPN, Iowa Hawkeyes, NCAA Division Locations: Save America, New York, Baton Rouge , Louisiana, Ohio, Russia, Moscow, Iraq, Syria, Syrian, “, Iran, Afghanistan, ”, Ukrainian, Windsor, ” Texas, Texas, Gaza, Southern, Rafah, Egypt, Israel, Gaza City, Al, Grace Elizabeth Hale : Mississippi, ‘, California

Six former law enforcement officers who called themselves the Goon Squad face sentencing in Mississippi starting today, months after they pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses for torturing and sexually assaulting two Black men and a third white man who has remained anonymous until now. Prosecutors are expected to detail the officers’ violent actions, and victims will have an opportunity to share their stories. The officers could speak publicly for the first time if they choose to talk about their crimes or ask the judge for leniency. Hunter Elward, who pleaded guilty to shooting one of the victims, is scheduled to be sentenced first, on Tuesday morning. The other officers will then be sentenced during individual hearings.

Persons: Hunter Elward Organizations: Prosecutors Locations: Mississippi, Jackson, Miss

☆ Judge delays sentencing for Mississippi police 'goon squad' that tortured and sexually assaulted two Black men
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewA federal judge has, for the second time, postponed sentencing for six former Mississippi cops who pleaded guilty to a long list of state and federal charges for torturing two Black men. Sentencing had been set to begin on January 16, but a court hearing schedule shows that US District Judge Tom Lee has pushed back sentencing to March 19. In October, he granted motions from some former officers to delay sentencing after their attorneys said they needed more time to evaluate sentencing reports and prepare objections. The men admitted in August to subjecting Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker to numerous acts of racially motivated, violent torture. AdvertisementProsecutors say some of the officers called themselves the "Goon Squad" because of their willingness to use excessive force and cover up attacks.

Persons: —, Tom Lee, Michael Corey Jenkins, Eddie Terrell Parker, Jenkins, Parker, Brett McAlpin, Hunter Elward, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield Organizations: Service, Mississippi, Business, Rankin County, Associated Press, Prosecutors Locations: Rankin, Richland

☆ A group of Mississippi cops terrorized residents for more than two decades almost entirely unchecked
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Business Insider previously sued the sheriff's department for records related to police brutality. AdvertisementA number of deputies within the Rankin County Sheriff's Department in Mississippi got away with abusing people for years, almost entirely unchecked. Loveday told The Times. A spokesperson for the Rankin County Sheriff's Department did not return a request for comment from Business Insider. Lee told Business Insider that she didn't understand the jury's decision because the evidence of the beating was "in his face."

Persons: —, Michael Jenkins, Eddie Terrell Parker, Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Paloma Wu, Brett McAlpin, Rick Loveday, Rankin, McAlpin, Loveday, Sheriff Bryan Bailey, Elward, Damien Cameron, Monica Lee, Cameron's, Lee, Monica Lee Elward, Pierre Woods, Vanessa Barrett, Dris Mitchell, Woods, Bailey, Dedmon, Woods's Organizations: Mississippi, The New York Times, Business, Service, Sheriff's Department, Rankin, sheriff's Department, Mississippi Bureau, Investigation, Mississippi Today, The Times, Hinds County sheriff's, Times Locations: Rankin, Mississippi, Hinds

Ms. Dettore and Mr. Grozier were each fined several hundred dollars, and she has since left Rankin County. After Mr. McAlpin arrested Mr. Loveday and accused him of consorting with drug dealers, he ordered him to leave town. Before he left Mississippi, Mr. Loveday said, he called Sheriff Bailey personally to warn him about his deputies’ behavior. He called Mr. Loveday a dirty cop and accused him of secretly recording the call. Then, Mr. Loveday said, “He hung up on me.”Jerry Mitchell , Ilyssa Daly , Eric Sagara and Irene Casado Sanchez contributed reporting.

Persons: Robert Grozier, Christian Dedmon, Dettore, Grozier, Hobson, Loveday, McAlpin, ”, Sheriff Bailey, Bailey, “, ” Jerry Mitchell, Ilyssa Daly, Eric Sagara, Irene Casado Sanchez, Kitty Bennett Organizations: Big Local, Stanford University, Pulitzer Center Locations: Rankin County, Mississippi

With a heavy dose of Bay Area slang, E-40 created a lane for his unique hip-hop vernacular that has made him one of the genre’s most revered artists. In a recent interview, E-40 spoke with The Associated Press about being an underrated legend, his unorthodox rap style and the new cookbook called “Snoop Dogg Presents: Goon With The Spoon, ” which released earlier this week. AP: Where does your unorthodox rap style and wisdom come from? E-40: I’m the oldest of four. E-40: Snoop, that’s my guy.

Persons: —, he’s, Larry June, Gucci Mane, Droop, Snoop, aren’t, That’s, I’m, I’ve, Lewis, Earl, ”, He's, You’ve, Kamala Harris, DJ Kool Herc, Flash, “, ” I’ve Organizations: ANGELES, Oracle, “, NBA, Associated Press, White, Grambling State University Locations: San Francisco, “ Federal, London, Vallejo , California

☆ Mississippi Sheriff Whose Deputies Tortured Black People Is Reelected
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey won reelection after running unopposed. Bailey refused to resign after five Rankin sheriff's deputies were convicted of torturing Black men. Those deputies called themselves the "Goon Squad" for their willingness to use excessive force. Rankin County, home to several Jackson suburbs, is the largest county in Mississippi, with a population of almost 160,000, according to the US Census. Five were deputies for the Rankin County Sheriff's Office, and one was an officer for the Richland Police Department.

Persons: Sheriff Bryan Bailey, Bailey, Rankin, —, — Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield —, Michael Corey Jenkins, Eddie Terrell Parker, Elward, Jenkins, Angela English, Bailey's Undersheriff Paul Holley, Jason Dare, Tate Reeves Organizations: NAACP, Service, Sheriff's Office, Richland Police Department, The New York Times, Mississippi Today Locations: Rankin, Mississippi, Rankin County, Jackson, Braxton , Mississippi

(AP) — A federal judge has postponed sentencing for six former Mississippi law enforcement officers who pleaded guilty to a long list of federal charges for torturing two Black men in January. Lee has not yet rescheduled the sentencing hearing, but some of the former officers requested it be delayed until Dec. 15. The men admitted in August to subjecting Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker to numerous acts of racially motivated, violent torture. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesThe officers taunted the men with racial slurs and poured milk, alcohol and chocolate syrup over their faces. “Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker are urging that the sentencing for the ‘Goon Squad’ members ... take place as quickly as possible," Shabazz said.

Persons: JACKSON, Tom Lee, Lee, Michael Corey Jenkins, Eddie Terrell Parker, Jenkins, Parker, Brett McAlpin, Hunter Elward, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield, Malik Shabazz, “ Michael Jenkins, Eddie Parker, Shabazz, Michael Jenkins, ___ Michael Goldberg Organizations: —, District, Rankin County, Associated Press, ” Prosecutors, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: MISS, Mississippi, U.S, Braxton, Rankin, Richland, @mikergoldberg

☆ Opinion | The Palestinian Republic of Fear and Misinformation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Bret Stephens | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

As with many other Palestinian journalists, Said’s primary source of income was working with foreign reporters as a “fixer,” someone who could arrange difficult meetings, translate from Arabic, show you around. Said had an independent streak and he was no fan of Yasir Arafat, which made him particularly helpful in cutting through the Palestinian Authority’s propagandistic bombast. With Said, I interviewed senior Hamas leaders in Gaza, officials in Ramallah, retired terrorists in Nablus, political dissidents in Jenin and construction workers in Hebron. The Palestinian territories, by contrast, are republics of fear — fear of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and of Hamas in Gaza. During the first major Israel-Hamas war, in 2008 and 2009, Palestinian groups claimed the death toll was mostly civilian, with roughly 1,400 people killed.

Persons: Said, Yasir Arafat, ”, I’ll, Gaza’s Shifa, Hani al, Agha, Israel, — Organizations: Street, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, West Bank, Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Locations: Palestinian, Gaza, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, Hebron, Israel, Gaza’s, Pyongyang, —

(AP) — The Mississippi sheriff who leads the department where former deputies pleaded guilty to a long list of state and federal charges for the torture of two Black men has asked a federal court to dismiss a civil lawsuit against him. Court records show that attorney Jase Dare asked to dismiss the lawsuit on Oct. 6, just one day after a settlement conference was filed with the court. A settlement conference is scheduled when the parties in a lawsuit try to settle a case before trial. One of those men was Pierre Woods, who was shot and killed by Rankin County deputies in 2019. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Persons: JACKSON, Michael Corey Jenkins, Eddie Terrell Parker, Bryan Bailey's, Jenkins, Parker's, Bailey, “, Jase Dare, Malik Shabazz, Trent Walker, ’, Bryan Bailey’s, Walker, Parker, Hunter Elward, Pierre Woods, Rankin, Woods, Brett McAlpin, Dare, McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield, ___ Michael Goldberg Organizations: Prosecutors, Associated Press, U.S, Circuit, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: Miss, The Mississippi, Rankin, Elward, Richland, @mikergoldberg

☆ Nick Hornby Reviews a Short History of the Beatles Before the Band
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Nick Hornby | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

THIS BOY: The Early Lives of John Lennon & Paul McCartney, by Ilene CooperIn the early 1980s I was an English teacher at a high school in Cambridge, England. “He introduced John Lennon to Paul McCartney.” I stared at him. Vaughan invented fame. Introducing Paul to John was like introducing ketchup to fries, or causing the Big Bang. By the time John and Paul were 10 and 8, respectively, only 7 percent of 17-year-olds were in school.

Persons: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ilene Cooper, Ivan Vaughan, ”, Vaughan, Paul, John, Paul McCartney ”, “, Cooper, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Peter Sellers, Starchy George Martin Locations: Cambridge, England, Woolton, Liverpool, American

☆ 6 ex-officers, some of whom called themselves 'The Goon Squad,' expected to plead guilty in alleged torture of 2 Black men
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Dakin Andone | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers pleaded guilty Monday to all state charges against them stemming from the torture and abuse of two Black men earlier this year. Additionally, Dedmon was charged with home invasion and Elward was charged with home invasion and aggravated assault, the release says. McAlpin, Middleton, Opdyke and Hartfield each faced an additional charge of first-degree obstruction of justice. The Richland Police Department announced in July that Hartfield – who was off-duty at the time of the alleged assault – had resigned. An attorney for Opdyke said the former officer “has admitted to his wrongdoing” and will plead guilty to all charges against him in Rankin County Circuit Court on August 14.

Persons: –, Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield, Dedmon, Elward, McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton Jerome DeLoach, Michael Jenkins, Eddie Parker, Jenkins, Brett McAlpin Forrest, Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, Hartfield –, Joshua Hartfield Forrest, Opdyke, “, ”, Parker, Jeffery Reynolds Organizations: CNN, Sheriff’s Office, Richland Police, Mississippi Attorney General’s, Justice Department, Adult Detention, Rankin County, Richland Police Department, AP CNN, Dedmon Locations: Mississippi, Rankin, Middleton, Opdyke, Braxton , Mississippi, Elward, Rankin County

☆ Tasers, taunts, torment: What we know about the hours of horror 2 Black men suffered at the hands of a self-described 'Goon Squad'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Emma Tucker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Dedmon, Opdyke and Elward broke open the carport door and Hartfield kicked open the back door. Entering the home without a warrant, the officers encountered two Black men: Eddie Parker and Michael Jenkins. The abuse continued in a bedroom, where Opdyke, Middleton, Dedmon and McAlpin assaulted Parker with pieces of wood and a metal sword. Dedmon, Middleton, Hartfield and Elward then began to tase the two men repeatedly to see “which (Taser) was the most powerful,” the document said. Attorneys for Middleton, Elward and Hartfield declined to comment on the case.

Persons: Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, Brett McAlpin, White, Dedmon, ” Dedmon, Joshua Hartfield, McAlpin, Jerome DeLoach, Elward, Hartfield, Eddie Parker, Michael Jenkins, Parker, Jenkins, —, Mary Helen Wall, Kristen Clarke, tased, Brett McAlpin Forrest, Jenkins –, Opdyke, defecated, Jeffrey Middleton Jerome DeLoach, Elward’s Taser, Middleton, Daniel Opdyke Jerome DeLoach, Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, CNN Parker, Sheriff Bailey, Joshua Hartfield orrest, “, ”, Jeffery Reynolds, Bailey, CNN’s Ryan Young, ” Parker, “ You’re, ” Jenkins, he’s, I’m Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Adult Detention, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Department of Public, Rankin, Detention, Mississippi Attorney General’s, Dedmon Locations: Rankin County , Mississippi, Braxton, Jackson, Mississippi, Rankin County, Black, Opdyke, Middleton, Dedmon, Hartfield, McAlpin, Elward

☆ Mike Pence, the Indictment and the Chaos of Donald Trump - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Katherine Miller | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

They left behind a few panicked people who remained grounded in reality like former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Mr. Pence, and then Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and the rest. Again and again, people describe desperate circumstances, arguments about doing things like seizing the voting machines, or trying to persuade Mr. Trump to call off the riot. According to prosecutors, at 7:01 p.m. on Jan. 6, Mr. Cipollone called Mr. Trump and asked him to withdraw his objections to certification; Mr. Trump refused. In his book, “Why We Did It,” Tim Miller debates this question with Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former White House communications official. In his book, Mr. Esper describes the way Mr. Pence represented a sane, normal presence in meetings.

Persons: Trump, Pat Cipollone, Pence, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Cipollone, Jonathan Swan, Trump’s, Tim Miller, Alyssa Farah Griffin, ”, Miller, Alyssa, flack, George Floyd, Mark Esper, Esper Organizations: Mr, White, Trump, Federal Trade Commission, White House

☆ How Putin's Russian goon squad used Mexican gig workers to troll an American election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

Posting to social media sounded like an easy work-from-home gig, so he applied. This post from the Prigozhin-backed Social CMS network in Mexico referred to America as "we." He verified his account by providing chat transcripts, screenshots, contracts, and internal company documents. But just because Social CMS didn't yield an immediate, large-scale impact doesn't mean it should be ignored. "I didn't know who are you," wrote the person who is listed in the corporate directory as Prigozhin's media liaison.

☆ Microsoft could bring back Clippy, but make him smart
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —This week, Microsoft confirmed it’s planning to invest billions in OpenAI, the company behind the viral new chatbot tool ChatGPT. The prospect of Microsoft, maker of software that people mostly hate, getting involved with ChatGPT, a product people generally like, is raising a lot of eyebrows. Almost immediately, people began joking on social media that ChatGPT could be used to revive the broadly maligned, big-eyed goon known as Clippy. “There is a kernel of truth to the Clippy comparison,” David Lobina, an artificial intelligence analyst at ABI Research, told Sam. All of the above suggestions were generated by asking ChatGPT various forms of the question, “How could Microsoft integrate ChatGPT into its products?”Argh, Samantha, you scamp!

☆ A new study confirms it: The pandemic turned us all into jerks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Graceless under pressureTo see how the pandemic affected us, researchers looked at the so-called Big Five personality traits: agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness. But the new study found a surprising shift during the pandemic — roughly equivalent to what they'd expect from 10 years of life, not two. During the first months of the pandemic, Sutin's team found little personality change. "The only thing that went wrong," says Brent Roberts, a psychologist and expert in personality change at the University of Illinois, "is the goddamn pandemic kept going." For some Americans, the most stressful thing about the pandemic was experts telling them they should help people they don't like.

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