The Daniel Penny verdict has been met with threats by at least one high-profile activist hoping he would be convicted of killing Jordan Neely, who was threatening people on a New York City subway train last year. After Penny was found not guilty of the criminally negligent homicide of Neely, the founder of Black Lives Matter (BLM) of Greater New York, Hawk Newsome, called on black people to attack white people in the city. “We need some black vigilantes,” Newsome said during a press conference. “People wanna jump up and choke us and kill us for being loud? How about we do the same when they attempt to oppress us.” “We need some black vigilantes!” New York BLM leader Hawk Newsome after Daniel Penny’s acquittal.pic.twitter.com/lsz5QCphhn — Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) December 9, 2024 The trial has also inspired vandalism. Last week, law enforcement said that nine suspects who boarded the northbound F train at the Neptune Avenue station around 4:24 a.m. allegedly plastered the interior of the car with messages that said: “A man was lynched here,” according to AMNY. The statements are believed to be a reference to Neely, who died after Penny subdued him in a chokehold to keep him from hurting other passengers. While Neely’s official cause of death is asphyxiation, Dr. Satish Chundru, a forensic pathologist, testified for the defense that Penny’s chokehold did not result in Neely’s death. “In your opinion, did Mr. Penny choke Mr. Neely to death?” Steven Raiser, one of Penny’s defense attorneys, asked Chundru on the stand. “No,” Chundru replied, “The chokehold did not cause death.” Chundru also testified that Neely’s death was the result of “the combined effects of sickle cell crisis, the schizophrenia, the struggle and restraint, and the synthetic marijuana,” Fox News reported. He said that someone high on synthetic marijuana with schizophrenia can die while involved in a struggle, even without a chokehold being used. Chundru went on to say that even if Neely hadn’t had those other health factors, he still would not have died from Penny’s chokehold. CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Chundru said he ruled the chokehold out as the cause of death because there were other factors, and he pointed out discrepancies in Neely’s records. He said that Neely’s medical records were inconsistent when it came to bruising on his neck and stated there were “almost negligible” tiny bleeding spots on his eyelids. Chundru said these discrepancies were not consistent with a fatal chokehold, the New York Post reported at the time. Jurors deliberated most of last week on whether Penny was responsible for “recklessly” causing the death of Neely as part of a charge of manslaughter in the second degree. On Friday, they told Judge Maxwell Wiley that they could not come to a unanimous decision on that count of the indictment, so Wiley allowed Assistant District Attorney Dafna Yoran to drop the charge and allow the jury to deliberate on a lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide. When the jury returned on Monday to deliberate the lesser charge, it took them less than an hour to find Penny not guilty.

Many viewers were not laughing at the Weekend Update bit on the most recent episode of “Saturday Night Live” as it made jokes about the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Saturday night’s episode of the sketch comedy show included hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che making a few jokes about the circumstances surrounding Thompson’s death on December 4, including the NYPD’s search for the shooter and reactions to the exec’s assassination. “This week, New York City officials sent a tough message on crime,” Jost said, mocking law enforcement for not having a suspect in custody yet. “‘If you shoot somebody in the middle of the street, you better get on your bike, hop on a bus, and get the heck out of here, mister.'” “The manhunt continues for the assassin who gunned down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on Wednesday,” Jost went on. “And it really says something about America that a guy was murdered in cold blood and the two main reactions were, ‘Yeah, well, healthcare stinks!’ And also, ‘Girl, that shooter hot.'” CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Jost also mentioned the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, which happened the same day Thompson was murdered. “It’s also so crazy that the shooting happened three blocks from here in broad daylight, and the guy just bicycled away. Probably because they have every cop in the city guarding our Christmas tree,” he said. “The NYPD now believes the suspect left the city on a bus from Port Authority. Thanks, but a Port Authority passenger who looks like a murderer actually widens the search,” Jost went on. “New York City police say that they were able to get the smiling picture of the suspect after the man apparently was caught on camera at a local hostel, flirting with a female employee, whose name has been reported as ‘Lucky S. Bechalive,'” Che said. Reactions to the bit have been mixed, with many saying the bit was in poor taste as Thompson was a husband and father to two young sons. “Long time viewer of SNL. I don’t consider myself particularly [sensitive] to any topic, but in today’s Weekend Update edition they made jokes about the United Health CEO gunned down in NYC. That was really distasteful and disrespectful. SNL, you need to do better,” one X user wrote. “Disgusting. I couldn’t watch this segment. The victim’s family and friends are very much grieving right now,” one commenter wrote in response to a YouTube clip of the segment.  “Agreed,” said another. “I don’t usually watch SNL, and I can see by the segment and comments supporting it, that I will no longer be watching it. Joking about someone’s murder like that is absolutely disgusting… a family is grieving right now.” Thompson was gunned down last Wednesday morning by a masked assassin. Some people on social media openly celebrated the CEO’s death as they insisted it was retribution for corruption and greed in the healthcare industry. On Monday, police arrested Luigi Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s on firearms charges. Law enforcement described him as “a strong person of interest” in connection with the murder.  

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny identified the man arrested in connection with the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione. Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday after an employee at the fast-food chain tipped off local police. Mangione is from Maryland and has ties to San Francisco, Kenny said at a press conference. Police believe he attended college in Pennsylvania and most recently lived in Honolulu. The person of interest presented fake IDs to police and was found in possession of what appeared to be a homemade firearm and a suppressor, according to authorities. According to Kenny, the gun found on the person of interest was capable of shooting a 9mm round and could have been made with a 3-D printer. Mangione is facing a firearm charge in Pennsylvania. A manifesto was also found on Mangione’s person after his arrest. Kenny did not go into detail on what was written in the manifesto, but he said, “It does seem he has some ill will toward corporate America.” Mangione has no criminal record in New York, according to authorities. Mangione reportedly showed police officers the same fake New Jersey ID used by a person of interest in the case who checked into a Manhattan hostel on November 24 — just 10 days before Thompson was gunned down. An X account under the name Luigi Mangione indicates that he received an Ivy League degree in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania. The X account has skyrocketed in followers since Mangione was identified, going from 131 followers to nearly 40,000 within hours. Mangione attended the Gilman School, an upscale prep school in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was valedictorian of his 2016 graduating class, the New York Post reported. On his Goodreads account, Mangione reportedly liked quotes from “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski. The Post reported that law enforcement sources said Mangione has subscribed to anti-capitalist and climate change causes. Law enforcement sources told The New York Times that Mangione’s manifesto rages against health insurance companies. Thompson’s company, UnitedHealthcare, is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurance company in the world. Thompson, 50, was gunned down by an assassin last Wednesday as he was making his way to the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan for an Investor’s Conference. CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Responding to Mangione’s arrest, a UnitedHealthcare spokesman said in a statement, “Our hope is that today’s apprehension brings some relief to Brian’s family, friends, colleagues and the many others affected by this unspeakable tragedy. We thank law enforcement and will continue to work with them on this investigation. We ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy as they mourn.”

While many of these Republicans supported Biden's cabinet confirmations, they now seem tentative about Trump's selections.

A post on X claims that World Economic Forum (WEF) officials declared that pedophilia must be added as a sexual orientation to the LGBTQ+ acronym with a ‘P’. That’s because they’re the part of the same Big Club & want to normalise it before the entire World finds out….. pic.twitter.com/NN3Hkkh08O — Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) December […]

'We are entering a brand-new era of rebellion'

With the massive growth in cryptocurrency adoption, the environmental impact of blockchain technology has become a pressing issue. Many popular blockchain networks, particularly those that use proof-of-work (PoW) mechanisms like Bitcoin, consume significant amounts of electricity, contributing to a large carbon footprint.  Sustainable crypto wallet solutions have emerged as a response to this challenge, aiming […]

Blog Horror 5 Horror Movies Featuring Killer Jobs If you’re working for the “man,” better make sure the “man” isn’t a demon—or something worse. By Lilliam Rivera | Published on December 9, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share “This job is trying to kill me!” is something I would jokingly say to my friends, a self-soothing mantra I’ve used throughout my life. It didn’t matter if work was an easy enough desk job answering phones or managing a large team of writers as an entertainment editor, capitalism was and is always asking for too much. The assumed 24-7 on call availability, the “we are a team” pep speeches, the paltry perks in lieu of real compensation. It’s why the daily grind makes a perfect backdrop for a scary movie.  Since labor is trying to consume human’s actual sweat, blood, and tears, horror labor films quicken the tension with devilish bosses and competitive co-workers willing to off the competition. Ambition can be such a seductive siren. It’s why I wrote my adult debut Tiny Threads (Del Rey Books). The supernatural thriller follows Samara Martin as she moves to the new hipster city Vernon, California to work for a legendary fashion designer. As the pressure of the new job gets to her, Samara’s drinking increases so much that she’s blinded by the signs alerting her that she’s in danger.  Whether it’s predators in the modeling world or disturbed sailors stuck in a claustrophobic lighthouse, the movies listed below all have one thing in common: work is trying to take them out. Consider these films a good reminder that if you’re working for the “man,” better make sure the “man” isn’t some demon.  The Lighthouse Prepare for some strangeness, mythology, and violent rants. Robert Eggers’ films (The Witch, The Northman) are never lite-fare and The Lighthouse does not stray from this. Starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, the 2019 film is a psychological thriller of two lighthouse keepers stuck on a 1800 New England island forced to work together. Dafoe, as the more experienced worker, truly takes his role to unhinged heights when both of them find themselves bearing down a storm. Questions of superstitions and visions of deadly mermaids bubble up under the strain. Add alcohol to the mix and things get ugly real quick. Filmed in black and white, the movie illustrates what it means when co-workers are not quite who they seem to be.  The Neon Demon The 2016 indie film stars a young Elle Fanning as Jesse, a newly arrived transplant to Los Angeles. The fresh-faced Jesse just wants to be a model but predators hide in every corner, from makeup artists to budding photographers. She’s the new girl in town and everyone wants a piece of what she’s selling, that taste of innocence. The closer Jesse reaches her goal to runway stardom, the more disturbing those around her reveal themselves to be. Los Angeles is portrayed in extremes, from cavernous studios to scummy motels. Every single person Jesse encounters is eager to consume her but the young ingénue really believes she somehow has the upper hand until it’s too late. You don’t want to miss a sleazy Keanu Reeves playing the motel manager eager to pounce. Sorry to Bother You Directed by Boots Riley, the 2018 surreal comedy stars the amazing LaKeith Stanfield as the unemployed Cassius “Cash” Green who lives in his uncle’s garage.  His girlfriend Detroit, played by Tessa Thompson, is an activist slash performance artist who is trying to bring down the corporation exploiting the community. When Cassius gets a job at said corporation as a telemarketer, he starts employing a white voice to climb up the corporate ladder, losing sight of his morals. Set in a near future Oakland where people in severe debt go on game shows to be thrown excrement at for money, Sorry to Bother You is a disturbing tale of how far a person is willing to go to sell their soul for money. The dark scene when Cassius “raps” to a room full of white people is nightmare fodder. Eyes of Laura Mars Fashion and horror slink together in a scary, seventies haze in this 1978 film. Eyes of Laura Mars stars Faye Dunaway as fashion photographer Laura Mars whose work glorifies violent imagery. A young Tommy Lee Jones, all brooding in fitted turtlenecks, is the detective hired to investigate recent murders that seem to be linked to Laura’s photos since it appears the serial killer is reimagining her controversial images. When Laura starts to black out and see the murders being played out in real time, the photographer begins to spiral, wondering which of her friends or co-workers are next. A serial killer taking over your body can definitely put a damper on creative work. New York is depicted in all of its grittiness while real life models Darlanne Feugal and Lisa Taylor bring the sleazy decadence of the time to life but it’s Tommy Lee Jones who really keeps the audiences guessing. Atlantics Marking her feature film debut, director Mati Diop directed this 2019 Senegalese supernatural drama that centers around Souleiman (played by Ibrahmia Traoré), a young construction worker, and his girlfriend Ada (Mame Bineta Sane). After Souleiman and his co-workers complain of how they’ve haven’t been paid in months working on a high-rise, the downtrodden laborers try their luck searching for work in Spain traveling by boat and leaving behind the women who love them. Ada, betrothed to an affluent businessman, can only think of Souleiman and the other workers, their demise evident. But when a fire engulfs her wedding day, word gets out that the boys have returned home. The detective hired to investigate the fire accuses Ada of hiding the truth but she’s confused. Is Souleiman back? Why are the women of the city sleepwalking, and where does the detective fall in all of this? Atlantics deservedly won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, a haunting film of laborers traveling across time and space to get back what they are owed. [end-mark] Buy the Book Tiny Threads Lilliam Rivera A young woman gets her dream job working for a famous designer—and discovers the dark side of high-stakes fashion. Buy Book Tiny Threads Lilliam Rivera A young woman gets her dream job working for a famous designer—and discovers the dark side of high-stakes fashion. A young woman gets her dream job working for a famous designer—and discovers the dark side of high-stakes fashion. Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget The post 5 Horror Movies Featuring Killer Jobs appeared first on Reactor.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. As the legislative session nears its conclusion, X CEO Linda Yaccarino has announced her role in revising the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a move seemingly intended to sway hesitant Republican leaders in the House. But skeptics warn that the bill’s approach to protecting children online—through measures likely to require age verification—could come at the cost of privacy and online anonymity, leading to the broader adoption of digital ID systems. Under KOSA, tech platforms would face a “duty of care” to prevent harm to minors, targeting features like infinite scroll and photo filters. While Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) lauded the updates for “safeguarding free speech online and ensuring it is not used to stifle expression,” privacy advocates argue the bill’s underlying mechanisms remain problematic. They warn that fulfilling KOSA’s requirements could necessitate platforms to verify users’ ages, potentially by tying online activity to government-issued IDs—a move that threatens to erode online anonymity and jeopardize free expression. X owner Elon Musk has recently criticized Australia for trying to implement a similar bill so it’s unclear why Musk and Yaccarino aren’t aligned on the issue. Proponents of the bill claim the revisions address concerns of misuse, including clarifying that its provisions cannot be enforced “based upon the viewpoint of users expressed by or through any speech, expression, or information protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.” However, this adjustment doesn’t resolve the broader implications of mandating age verification systems, which critics say would effectively link real-world identities to digital activity. Blumenthal and Blackburn, in their joint statement, dismissed objections to the bill as a “false narrative” that it “would be weaponized by unelected bureaucrats to censor Americans.” However the mechanism for ensuring compliance—age verification—remains a central concern. Platforms would likely be forced to implement digital ID systems, raising alarms about surveillance, data breaches, and a chilling effect on online expression. While the bill cleared the Senate with overwhelming support, its path in the House remains uncertain. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has expressed doubts about the legislation, stating, “I love the principle, but the details of that are very problematic.” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) has been described as even more critical, reportedly questioning the scope of the duty of care provisions. Yaccarino’s backing of the bill, alongside X’s broader involvement, has added momentum to the push for KOSA. However, major tech companies like Meta and Google have refrained from supporting it, with KOSA’s proponents blaming industry lobbying for stalling progress. Critics counter that the hesitation stems not from industry self-interest but from legitimate concerns about the precedent the bill would set for online privacy. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post X’s Linda Yaccarino Backs Kids’ “Safety” Bill as Digital ID Privacy Fears Grow appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is an advocate of a range of controversial policies he these days promotes through his foundation – from much-scrutinized agriculture practices, aggressive vaccination, and digital ID crusades, to now endorsing online age verification. We learn this from the “Books to keep you warm this holiday season” – a blog post, published along with a photo of a smirking Gates and a Christmas tree in the background. Related: The 2024 Digital ID and Online Age Verification Agenda The message might look cheesy and in stark contrast with Gates’ reputation, but things get serious since once of the stack of books he is holding is that of social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s, The Anxious Generation. Gates likes Haidt’s stance that children shouldn’t be allowed to use smartphones “until they’re older.” One possible reason for this endorsement is that Gates is behind the idea of age verification, which would be the only way to know how old an online user is. Every online user, that is – the only schemes known to be effective so far are the extremely invasive ones where “everyone is treated as a minor until they prove otherwise.” Gates opens up his recommendation of Haidt’s book by appealing to most adults’ rose-tinted view of their youth, filled with real-life games, reading books, etc. (as if those could not be dangerous/contain harmful content – not to mention that Gates speaks fondly of isolating himself from the rest of world in a cabin for a week at a time during the 90s.) But, Gates (who sneakily, with no apparent evidence, links this practice with his “success later on”) thinks it was a healthy one, and Haidt’s book made him wonder if the technology available today (the proliferation of which resulted in his “success later on”) would have been too distracting at the time. Distracting from what, though – from becoming better equipped to become a tech billionaire? The argument is a bit of a “snake that bites its own tail” – but that’s also irrelevant. It’s simply a stage being set for advancing the policy of online age verification, as supposedly the way to counter modern technology-related harms. “The solutions Haidt proposes aren’t simple, but I think they’re needed. He makes a strong case for better age verification on social media platforms and delaying smartphone access until kids are older,” writes Gates, noting that the author would like to see “coordination between parents, schools, tech companies, and policymakers.” And clearly, so would Gates. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Bill Gates Pushes for Age Verification Digital ID appeared first on Reclaim The Net.