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Day: March 22, 2020

Odds and Ends 

Actor Orlando Jones reveals more internal conflicts at ‘American Gods’

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American Gods behind-the-scenes turmoil is only getting more public, with actor Orlando Jones posting screencaps of a private conversation with the shows lead actor Ricky Whittle. The conversation sees Whittle accuse Jones of pulling the race card after Jones was unexpectedly let go from the show last year. Meanwhile, Jones posted additional commentary saying, This man has no idea what transpired between me, [production company] Fremantle and Stars. Nvr asked. Nvr cared. American Gods has become infamous for its internal conflicts and extensive turnover among the cast and crew. After…

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Headlines 

Japan asked the international media to change how we write their names. No one listened

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Hong Kong (CNN Business)In a full-page spread on March 2, 1979, the Los Angeles Times introduced its readers to Pinyin, a Chinese romanization system it said was changing the “familiar map of China.” Now, Japan wants its turn. As the country marked the dawn of the Reiwa Era last year with the coronation of Emperor Naruhito, its foreign ministry felt it was an opportune time to request that the names of Japanese officials be written differently. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s name, for example, would become Abe Shinzo, with his family…

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Odds and Ends 

Pete Buttigieg drops out of the 2020 presidential race

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Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg is dropping out of the 2020 presidential race. Reports are circulating that Buttigieg will formally announce his campaign suspension in a speech on Sunday evening. Pete Buttigieg is OUT. All of his SuperTuesday votes will go to Sleepy Joe Biden. Great timing. This is the REAL beginning of the Dems taking Bernie out of play – NO NOMINATION, AGAIN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2020 Others were more supportive of Buttigieg, with many noting that he was the most successful openly gay presidential candidate…

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Odds and Ends 

Barstool Goons Follow Founders Order to Attack NASCAR Reporter

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Dave Portnoy has been in a satirical mens lifestyle blog he founded in 2003, was very wealthy man. But the financial windfall apparently required Barstool to sand down some of its rougher edges, at least according to Penn Gaming. Eric Schippers, Penn Nationals senior vice president, discussed the guardrails Barstool was implementing in an email interview with BillyPenn.com. We have done our due diligence and are confident that [Barstool Sports] understands the importance of our new relationship and has the right guardrails in place to ensure that their comments wont…

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Odds and Ends 

Dee Rees Inspired Joan Didion Film Doesnt Deserve the Hate

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I stand (mostly) alone here saying I enjoyed Dee Rees latest Netflix-distributed film, The Last Thing She Wanted, an adaptation of a Joan Didion novel, starring Anne Hathaway as Elena, a hard-nosed veteran D.C. reporter who takes over her absentee fathers (an always excellent Willem Dafoe) role in an international arms deal. In fact, its much better than Rees last film, over-adored explainers such as The Big Short. Instead, the film is interested in how all kinds of people, at a particular political and cultural moment in the U.S., often…

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Headlines 

Don’t call it ‘social distancing’

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(CNN)Public health officials tell us to minimize physical contact in order to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. While the public, thankfully, is hearing the message, there is a hidden danger: As we retreat into our homes, we can lose sight of our essential connections to one another and forget about the plight of those most vulnerable to the fraying of social bonds. To combat those social ills, we should replace the term “social distancing” with the more precise “physical distancing.” In fact, when we practice physical distancing, we need social connectivity…

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Headlines 

Security News This Week: Ransomware Groups Promise Not to Hit Hospitals Amid Pandemic

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The news at large this week has understandably focused on the new coronavirus that continues to spread throughout the world. It's slowly seeping into the world of cybersecurity as well, as hackers and scammers take advantage of confusion, anxiety, and lax work from home set-ups to stir up trouble. The need for information has spurred partnerships between encrypted messaging app WhatsApp and several governments; on Friday, the World Health Organization announced that it, too, would use the ubiquitous Facebook subsidiary to provide reliable, up-to-date information. The White House, meanwhile, has…

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Odds and Ends 

Gwyneth Paltrows Vagina Candle Is Back in Stock, She Tells Jimmy Kimmel

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Good news for fans of the worlds most famous scented wax: Gwyneth Paltrows This Smells Like My Vagina candle is back in stock. Paltrow was on Jimmy Kimmel Live Monday night and he kicked off proceedings by asking her: Did you do anything weird today? Did you stick your head in a beehive or milk a goat? The actress was on the show to discuss which explores fringe and alternative wellness therapies. The show has been praised and ridiculed in roughly equal proportions (the head of Britains National Health Service…

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Headlines 

North Korea says it received a letter from Trump

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(CNN)North Korea said President Donald Trump sent Kim Jong Un a personal letter in which he expressed his willingness to help with “anti-epidemic work,” according to North Korea state-run media KCNA early Sunday. CNN has reached out to both the White House and National Security Council for comment. Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/21/politics/north-korea-trump/index.html

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Odds and Ends 

TSA bans employees from using TikTok

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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has joined a number of other government agencies in banning its employees from using the popular app TikTok. The Associated Press reports that the TSA made the decision after Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote a letter to them saying national security experts have raised concerns about the app, which is owned by China-based company ByteDance. In his letter, Schumer noted that the Department of Homeland Security has banned TikTok from being downloaded on government-issued devices, according to AP. In a statement to…

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