Attempted assassin and murderer, Thomas Crooks flew his drone around the area near the stage at 4 pm. Trump took the stage two hours later. Crooks flew it about 200 yards away. It seems like no one noticed. Hopefully, someone will ask how big the drone was that no one noticed. Crooks had three relatively […] The post Thomas Crooks Flew His Drone at 4 p.m. on J13 appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

  How the 1980s shaped the development of Magic: The Gathering - the first trading card game Richard Garfield, a mathematics professor and game designer, started to create Magic: The Gathering in the late 1980s. It was first published by Wizards of the Coast in 1993 and became one of the most popular games ever created. It is available in nine languages and played by more than five million people in more than 52 countries across the globe. The game sold more than 10 million cards in just the first six weeks after its release. Richard Garfield's journey towards Magic: The Gathering started when he was just 13 years old. His early interest in games was sparked by playing Dungeons & Dragons, which was a significant influence on his later work. Throughout the 1980s, Garfield was engaged in various game design projects. His academic pursuits in combinatorial mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia provided a fertile ground for his creative ideas. One of the notable games he created during this period was a board game called Five Magics in 1982. Although it was never published, Five Magics featured fantasy themes and strategic elements that clearly foreshadowed the design of Magic: The Gathering. Garfield's experiences in the 1980s were marked by a continuous exploration of game mechanics and design. His first significant game, RoboRally, was developed in 1985. RoboRally is a board game where players control robots navigating a factory floor filled with obstacles, hazards, and conveyor belts. The game involves programming the robots' movements using cards, which requires strategic planning and the ability to deal with unpredictable outcomes. Despite its innovative concept, when Garfield pitched RoboRally to Wizards of the Coast, the company expressed concerns about the production costs and complexity of the game. They requested a simpler, more cost-effective game that could be produced quickly. This feedback led Garfield to conceptualize Magic: The Gathering while he was still a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania. Garfield co-opted mainly fellow Penn students as play-testers for the fledgling game. Their feedback and the iterative design process during this period were instrumental in shaping Magic: The Gathering. The game was first published by Wizards of the Coast in 1993 and quickly became a sensation. It sold more than 10 million cards in the first six weeks after its release. Available in nine languages and played by more than five million people in over 52 countries, Magic: The Gathering revolutionized the gaming world and established the trading card game genre. The 1980s not only shaped Garfield's game design skills but also provided him with valuable experiences in dealing with the realities of game publishing. The delayed publication of RoboRally is a case in point. Initially shelved due to production concerns, RoboRally was finally published in 1994, following the immense success of Magic: The Gathering. This experience highlights the importance of persistence and adaptability in the game design industry. Garfield's commercial success with Magic: The Gathering allowed him to transition from academia to a full-time career in game design. Initially believing that game design could not provide a reliable income, Garfield had pursued a career as a mathematics professor. However, the overwhelming success of Magic: The Gathering changed his career trajectory. In June 1994, he left academia to join Wizards of the Coast as a full-time game designer. During his tenure, he continued to develop Magic: The Gathering and contributed to the creation of other games for around a decade. One of the unique aspects of Garfield's involvement with Magic: The Gathering is his creation of four special Magic cards to celebrate important life events: - "Proposal" to celebrate his first marriage proposal - "Splendid Genesis" to celebrate the birth of his first child - "Fraternal Exaltation" to celebrate the birth of his second child - "Phoenix Heart" to celebrate his second marriage These cards were given out to friends and colleagues and are considered extremely rare by Magic: The Gathering trading card collectors, adding a personal touch to his legacy within the gaming community. Garfield eventually co-founded Three Donkeys, a game design, development, and consulting company. Three Donkeys specializes in creating unique solutions to challenges in both electronic and board game design. Garfield's influence on the gaming industry extends beyond Magic: The Gathering, as he continues to innovate and contribute to the field of game design. The 1980s were instrumental in shaping Richard Garfield's career and the development of Magic: The Gathering. From his early experiences with game design to his academic pursuits and the iterative development process, this decade laid the foundation for what would become one of the most influential games in history. The success of Magic: The Gathering is a testament to Garfield's creativity, perseverance, and passion for games.

If you ask anyone from the 80s about their favorite toy store, you’re more than likely to hear the answer: Toys “R” Us or maybe KB Toys. While I have plenty of memories of going to both through my teens and beyond, the place for me to check out the latest action figures as a young kid was Play Co.Play Co Toys was a chain of smaller toy stores with multiple locations in the San Diego area, and one of them was right down the street from my childhood home. I think my parents liked letting my two brothers and me loose in the smaller store where they could always see us and not the giant warehouses of Toys “R” Us we could get lost in. Though the stores weren’t nearly the size of those, they were packed to the gills with as many action figures, play sets, and video games as you could ask for.Most of my memories there are of Transformers, since that was all I seemed to care about. Play Co was the only store I ever saw that had Transformers trading cards, a collection that I still own, although I never completed the set. I remember seeing tabletops with toys on display for the kids to marvel over, without a glass case in sight so we could try them out ourselves. One time I remember seeing Omega Supreme in all its battery-operated glory, the tank running its course around the missile tower. You’d better believe I tried transforming it, without a single employee telling me not to touch it. One year, after much begging and whining, I convinced my parents to lie down the thirty bucks to buy Scorponok, only to find out the store was out of stock. I still have no idea why I didn’t just ask them to take me to one of the other locations – there were eleven more within a few miles.Not all my memories there included Transformers, though. My brother, not obsessed with a single toyline like I was, spent his money on He-Man figures and Mad Scientist Monster Flesh sets, one of which I remember him opening up in the car and playing with on the way home. Man, that stuff felt weird! I also remember getting a lot of back-to-school stuff like the lunch boxes that I wish I still had.Play Co had bigger events sometimes, I remember, attracting hobbyist adults and kids alike. They routinely had enormous tables set up for slot car races out in the parking lot. Other days, they had RC car races in the lot and down the alley next to the store. While I never took part, everyone there was happy to show off their cars, surrounded by kids fully engrossed in them.I moved out of the area around 1988, but I was determined recently to find the store from my youth. Unfortunately, I found out the company filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and closed all their Play Co locations and 23 other stores under different names. When asking my mom which toy store we went to most often, she could only remember Toys “R” Us. I found an ad that listed all the stores in the San Diego and looked up each one, trying to determine the closest to my childhood home, and one was just a mile or so from my old address! The spot looks familiar on Google Earth, but of course, now it’s a car dealership.Even though I no longer live in the area, I was disappointed to find out the chain shuttered over twenty years ago. KB Toys only lasted a few more years longer before they also went out of business, and of course, Toys “R” Us closed its doors a few years ago. Since then, Geoffrey has started coming back, and I only wish Play Co could make a similar return some day.Besides being an avid toy collector and cartoon enthusiast, I’m an author of retro-inspired novels. Old School Evil celebrates the cartoons of the 80s and their over-the-top villains - Megatron, Miles Mayhem, Skeletor, and the others that used to hold our weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings hostage. Check out my books Old School Evil and Old School Evil: The Rejects on Amazon, or go to my site www.oldschoolevil.com.

Former President Donald Trump demanded he be given equal network air time ahead of President Joe Biden’s scheduled speech on Wednesday night, which is expected to address his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris.  In a letter to Fox, ABC, NBC, and CBS, Trump campaign counsel David Warrington said that they would be required by law to give him equal time if Biden used the speech to promote Harris’s campaign.  “This speech is expected to address President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race in the wake of his widely panned debate performance and freefalling poll numbers,” Warrington wrote. “It is also expected to address President Biden’s endorsement of Vice President (and ‘border czar’) Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination for president. As such, it appears that President Biden’s speech will not be a bona fide news event, but rather, a primetime campaign commercial to boost Vice President Harris’ anemic poll numbers.” Warrington’s letter pointed to federal law that broadcasting companies “afford equal opportunities” to all candidates if they allow one candidate to use a facility.  “By broadcasting President Biden’s campaign speech, you have permitted the use of your facilities by a candidate for public office. Thus, you are obligated to provide an equal opportunity for President Trump,” Warrington said.  “Moreover, your granting of free airtime to President Biden to speak on behalf of Vice President Harris’ campaign may result in an impermissible and excessive corporate in-kind contribution to the Biden (now Harris) for President Committee,” he added.  Biden will speak from the Oval Office on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. EST, his first public remarks since announcing his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race.  Harris quickly secured pledges by the necessary number of Democrat delegates to support her nomination. She kicked off her campaign in Wisconsin on Tuesday, a critical battleground state, where she promised to pass an “assault weapons ban” and promote abortion. WATCH BEN SHAPIRO’S ‘SCAMALA: KAMALA HARRIS UNMASKED’ ON DAILYWIRE+ Trump’s team has quickly pivoted to going after Harris for her record as Biden’s “border czar” and arguing that she is “dangerously radical.”  

A man identifying as a woman stabbed a female homeless shelter employee until her “internal organs were exposed.” Michell Silva Perez, 34, refused to leave a women and children’s homeless shelter in Greenville, North Carolina, around 11 a.m. on July 18, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook, which referred to Perez as a woman. Perez started arguing with the worker, who has not been identified, when he “began causing a disturbance.” Perez then pushed the woman to the ground and stabbed her in the stomach with a sharp object, which an arrest warrant obtained by The Post and Courier described as a “sword.” Perez stabbed the woman until her “internal organs were exposed,” the Courier reported, while also repeatedly referring to Perez as a woman. The victim was taken to a local hospital for emergency surgery, and her condition is unknown, according to GCSO spokesman Lt. Ryan Flood. Flood told the Courier that the victim was stabbed with a “sharp-edged object” but didn’t elaborate further. Perez was arrested and charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the Courier reported, citing arrest warrants. A spokesperson for the shelter told Inside Edition in a statement that they were unaware that Perez identified as transgender. “After the incident, we became aware in media reports that the former guest was transgender. Our ministry had no knowledge of this. That report, whether true or false, had no bearing on whether Miracle Hill would help, and did not contribute to the guest’s exit from the facility,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The well-being of our staff and current guests is our top priority. We continue to work closely with authorities who are investigating the incident. We are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for everyone who relies on our services. Our staff members are dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to support those in need, and we will continue to prioritize their safety and well-being, as we care for this vulnerable population in the Upstate. We appreciate the support and understanding of the community as we address this situation and act in response to it.” The spokesperson also told the outlet in the statement that Perez had been “disqualified” from the shelter the night before the attack “for not following the guidelines of the facility.” The shelter is run by Miracle Hill Ministries, a Christian organization that operates four shelters in the Greenville area – one for adult men, two for men, women, and mothers with young children, and one just for women and mothers with young children. The shelter Perez was evicted from, Shepard’s Gate on Regency Hill Drive, was the only one specifically designated for women and children. GCSO spokesperson Flood also told the Courier that Perez is being housed with men at the Greenville County jail but is being isolated because he is still transitioning. It is unclear what Perez is actually doing as part of his transition.

In the wake of the pro-Hamas protests and threats against Jewish students at numerous universities across the nation, two Christian colleges issued an open letter to Jewish students, welcoming them and slamming the hate and violence directed at them. The presidents of Indiana Wesleyan University, which has 14,000 students, and Colorado Christian University, which has 10,000 students, released the letter on Wednesday, the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address the United States Congress. “To our Beloved Jewish Brothers and Sisters,” IWU president Jon S. Kulaga and CCU president Eric K. Hogue began. “We write to express our profound shock and indignation in response to the surge of hate and violence directed against Jewish and Israeli individuals on university campuses across the United States earlier this year.” “We want to make it clear to our nation and the world that our Christian institutions will not tolerate this behavior,” they continued. “ We also want to express our profound concern that the terrible events we all witnessed at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year are already being forgotten. What we have all seen reveals a profound problem in the culture of many institutions, a problem which must be addressed.” “For centuries, the academy has stood as a beacon of enlightenment, embodying the Judeo-Christian values of tolerance, freedom, and human dignity,” they noted. “Yet, in recent days, what we have seen is an insidious darkness encroaching upon the academy. It is a darkness emblematic of other terrible periods in history.” “History warns us, now,” they declared. Then they turned to the hatred that had been expressed toward Jews on other campuses, writing: Revered institutions have professed a commitment to inclusion even as they welcomed clubs like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which spread antisemitism openly. These groups not only refused to condemn the horrendous atrocities of October 7, 2023, but they celebrated them as legitimate acts of resistance beginning on October 8th. Is it any wonder that eventually, the activities of SJP and organizations aligned with them ignited an inferno of violence and hate on countless campuses?  No student club should be allowed to celebrate and justify such violence on any campus. They will not be allowed to do so on our campuses.  We are profoundly grieved by the loss of civilian life in this war, as in all wars. Still, it is morally clear to us how this all began on October 7, 2023. “All university administrators must take decisive action to root out the seeds of hatred on their campuses before roots of hate take hold in academic communities,” they urged. “We call upon all seminaries and universities to review their commitment to upholding Biblical principles of inclusivity and diversity. Institutions should recommit themselves to creating and sustaining an environment on their campuses conducive to learning, modeling these values to all higher education institutions.” They concluded, “Finally, we want to extend a heartfelt invitation to Jewish and Israeli students to join us on our campuses. You will be welcomed, and you will be safe.  We stand with you in solidarity and thank you for your community’s stewardship through many centuries of the values underpinning our institutions.”

Anti-Israel protesters bragged about “manufacturing chaos” on Wednesday by releasing bugs and pulling fire alarms at the Watergate Hotel, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is staying. The Washington, D.C., chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement took credit for the disruptions on their Instagram account. saying they wanted to make sure Netanyahu and his team had “no peace.” The Watergate boosted security ahead of Netanyahu’s arrival, installing temporary fences to keep protesters away. The hotel did not immediately respond to a request for comment about how the activists were able to enter. “BON APPETIT!! MAGGOTS RELEASED ON THE CRIMINAL ZIONIST’S WAR TABLE!” the group posted. “Palestine protestors manufactured chaos at the Watergate Hotel last night so that Netanyahu, Israeli Mossad agents, and the Secret Service had no peace as they continue to terrorize our people [sic].” The group stated they left mealworms and maggots on the banquet tables Netanyahu has been using to host meetings with community leaders, including a group of Christians who met with the prime minister on Tuesday. The activists said they also released crickets on “multiple floors” of the hotel and pulled fire alarms overnight. “Fire alarms were triggered for over 30 minutes on multiple floors to ensure that there will be no rest before Netanyahu and Congress disgrace themselves in front of the world for failing to achieve any of their military and political objectives,” the group wrote. “May their dreams be haunted by the death of our people and decay of their society.” “There will be no peace, there will be no rest, until the war criminal’s arrest,” the group added. On the group’s Telegram, they claimed they dyed multiple fountains near the U.S. Capitol red. Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress Wednesday afternoon. An anti-Israel group in DC is taking credit for dyeing fountains near the Capitol red last night. “The people of DC and the US refuse to allow these corrupt politicians to continue their genocidal legacy without marking them with the true color of their actions: blood red.” pic.twitter.com/lqNFY8qxnX — Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) July 24, 2024 There has been a protester presence outside the hotel including a man wearing a keffiyeh threatening to kill and burn Jews and “take out” Netanayahu’s neck. Around 200 protesters were arrested yesterday after making a ruckus inside the Capitol’s Cannon Rotunda on Tuesday, causing staff and interns to barricade themselves in their offices, Fox News reported.

Former President Donald Trump and his newly tapped running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) are set to hold a rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Saturday as the Republican campaign targets a state that has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1972. Trump’s team, citing internal polling, has suggested that Minnesota could likely be in play for the former president in November, Fox News reported. RealClearPolitics has labeled the state a “toss-up,” similar to the other vital midwestern states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. According to the St. Cloud Times, the Trump/Vance Minnesota rally is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. Trump and Vance’s speeches are set to focus on the economy, law and order, and illegal immigration, the Trump campaign said. In his statement announcing Vance as his running mate last week, Trump specifically mentioned Minnesota as a state the Midwestern senator could help him win, especially considering Vance’s focus on fighting for the working class and farmers. “J.D. has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now, during the Campaign, will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond,” Trump said. Former President Richard Nixon was the last Republican to win Minnesota in a presidential election 52 years ago. Even in Ronald Reagan’s blowout victory in 1984, Minnesota was the only state that went for the Democratic candidate, Walter Mondale, who had been a U.S. senator representing the state from 1964-76 and served as vice president from 1977-81. Before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday, Trump was within striking distance of an upset in Minnesota, according to the RCP average of polls that showed Biden at 45.7% and Trump at 42.7% in the state. Biden’s exit from the race and Vice President Kamala Harris’ presumed nomination, however, could change the playing field. Trump’s Minnesota rally will come just six days after Biden announced via a letter posted on social media that he was ending his campaign.

Although I’ve never wanted to be a real estate agent, if I were one, I’d like to work at Pridemore Properties. First, they’re hilarious. Second, they’re laughing at themselves, and it’s more hilarious. Third, they pick on their Gen Z employee like she’s the boss’s daughter, and they all had a hand in raising her. They up the ante on hilarity with her, and she dishes it right back. She is their tech wiz kid, which makes sense. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Pridemore Team at Compass (@pridemoreproperties) If the hairs on the back of your neck rose watching that, we don’t blame you a bit. It is CREEPY. She found every random noise, weird face, every breath he took, and inappropriate gesture and edited them into one horrendous compilation. The results are indeed hilarious. However, if I visit the office, I might be sidestepping that particular real estate agent (his name is Mike). Image from Instagram. In defense of the Gen Z employee, she also did the video correctly. It turned out pretty well and is a very professional production. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mike Hege | Charlotte | Lake Norman Realtor ® (@mikehege.realestate) In addition to selling real estate, everyone in the office seems to have fun at work, which makes going to work much easier every day. They tease one another, laugh, and even make blooper reels for their social media viewers. You can hear the Gen Z employee behind the camera telling them that none of the footage is usable. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Pridemore Team at Compass (@pridemoreproperties) If you’re wondering why they (especially Mike) seem to pick on the Gen Z employee, it’s probably because she is the youngest in the office. Real Estate Agents Learn A New Language Gen Z encompasses people born between 1997 and 2012, making them all less than 27 years old. Many 20-somethings are college graduates, but that doesn’t make them any easier to understand. They seem to have a language of their own. We’re not sure it qualifies them as bi-lingual, but it might be handy. Sales to this younger generation of upwardly mobile DINK (Dual Income No Kids) homebuyers might be enhanced if real estate agents spoke their language. Being diligent, the Gen Z employee is working with the dinosaur population to teach them the correct terminology. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mike Hege | Charlotte | Lake Norman Realtor ® (@mikehege.realestate) If you find yourself confused after that video, you are not alone. I am clueless when it comes to talking “Gen Z-ese.” I know the word “Yeet,” but my Gen Z (she’s 22) child informed me that I just ruined that word for her. Go figure. Not everything on their Instagram channel is fun and games. Pridemore Properties has also published several videos to assist homebuyers and sellers. You may find information about mortgages, homeowner’s insurance, selecting your perfect neighborhood, foreclosures, FSBO (For Sale by Owner), or many other subject areas. You can find Pridemore Properties on Facebook or Instagram. We hope you enjoyed this fun look at real estate agents and what goes on behind the scenes. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Real Estate Agent Asks Employee To Edit A Video For Him & Gets Back Hilarious Results appeared first on InspireMore.

'This is a new office with a new, exciting function'