Butt hurt and not liking it!
Not only does Erick Erickson want Mitt Romney to restart a search for a third-party candidate to challenge Donald Trump, he also wants Romney to consider being that person.
The conservative blogger wrote for The Resurgent on Friday that he would "gladly work for a Romney Presidency given the choices between" Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and Trump.
Erickson, who has said he would never vote for Trump, opposed Romney during his previous presidential runs. On Wednesday, Yahoo News reported that Romney has ruled out an independent bid for president and is not trying to get any other Republicans to take up the mantle despite remaining hopeful for someone else to surface.
"I opposed Romney in 2008 and 2012, but I think the time has come for Mitt Romney," Erickson wrote. "I can’t believe I’m even writing this. But seriously, Mitt Romney should run for President again and transcend party for the good of the country."
Romney has also refused to back the presumptive Republican nominee, attacking Trump for refusing to release his tax returns and previously saying "Trumpism has become associated with racism, misogyny, bigotry, xenophobia, vulgarity and, most recently, threats and violence."
Is it desperate times call for desperate measures or is it I hated you then but I love you now?
Not only does Erick Erickson want Mitt Romney to restart a search for a third-party candidate to challenge Donald Trump, he also wants Romney to consider being that person.
The conservative blogger wrote for The Resurgent on Friday that he would "gladly work for a Romney Presidency given the choices between" Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and Trump.
Erickson, who has said he would never vote for Trump, opposed Romney during his previous presidential runs. On Wednesday, Yahoo News reported that Romney has ruled out an independent bid for president and is not trying to get any other Republicans to take up the mantle despite remaining hopeful for someone else to surface.
"I opposed Romney in 2008 and 2012, but I think the time has come for Mitt Romney," Erickson wrote. "I can’t believe I’m even writing this. But seriously, Mitt Romney should run for President again and transcend party for the good of the country."
Romney has also refused to back the presumptive Republican nominee, attacking Trump for refusing to release his tax returns and previously saying "Trumpism has become associated with racism, misogyny, bigotry, xenophobia, vulgarity and, most recently, threats and violence."
Is it desperate times call for desperate measures or is it I hated you then but I love you now?
[h=1]Gunman who shot dead father-of-three police officer during a traffic stop killed as he jumped out of a closet and wounded a former Navy SEAL who was searching his apartment with a team of cops[/h]
PUBLISHED: 00:14, 23 May 2016 | UPDATED: 02:18, 23 May 2016
A prolific criminal who shot dead a Massachusetts traffic cop has been gunned down by state troopers after a four-hour stand-off that culminated in a shoot-out in a bedroom.
Jorge Zambrano, 35, was at large for 14 hours after shooting married father-of-three Officer Ronald Tarentino, 45, during a traffic stop in Auburn at 12.30am on Sunday.
At around 2pm, detectives located the suspect's car outside a home in Oxford, a few miles away from the crime scene.
After searching the property they found nothing. They then managed to get inside the apartment next door via the cellar, and began to search the premises.
At 6pm, as they went up to a first-floor bedroom, Zambrano burst out of a wardrobe.
He shot one of the troopers - a former Navy SEAL and 18-year veteran - who escaped with a minor wound. Another trooper responded by shooting Zambrano, killing him.
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Killed: Officer Ronald Tarentino (pictured) was shot and killed on Sunday morning during a traffic stop. Hours later his colleagues found and shot dead the suspect Jorge Zambrano (right) during a stand-off in an apartment
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Stand-off: The home in the background of this frame is where officers found the suspect's car at 2pm on Sunday. They spent hours searching the property until the suspect, Jorge Zabrano, jumped out of a wardrobe
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Officers were stationed outside the home for four hours until it reached a climax, shots were fired and the suspect was shot, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said in a press conference on Sunday
Eventually the investigation zeroed in on a home 15 minutes away from the crime scene, which is 45 miles south of Boston.
Officers were stationed outside the home for four hours until it reached a climax, shots were fired and the suspect was shot, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said in a press conference on Sunday evening.
Ambulances could be seen driving at a steady pace away from the crime scene.
Colonel Richard McKeon of Massachusetts State Police told reporters they will not be naming the wounded Navy SEAL until Monday.
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As the stand-off played out on Sunday, Officer Tarentino's body was driven from UMass Medical Center to a funeral home nearby.
Officers lined the streets saluting as he passed.
42-year-old Tarentino was taken to UMass Medical Center, in Worcester, where he was pronounced dead.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey tweeted out on Sunday: 'Our thoughts & prayers are with the @AuburnMAPolice dept. & family of Off. Tarentino.
'A reminder of the heroic work officers do each day.'
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Tarentino stopped a vehicle at about 12.30am. The driver shot him and fled the scene (pictured hours later)
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Investigation: Police did not identify the suspect, who was later traced to a home in nearby Oxford, MA
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Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis (above in white) said Tarentino was a 'dedicated and brave public servant'
.Tarentino, who joined the Auburn Police Department three years ago, is survived by a wife and three children, Sluckis said. Residents in Tarentino's Leicester neighborhood remember him as a pleasant family man.
Next-door neighbor Vin Dagostino called Tarentino a 'super nice guy with a super nice family'.
Sluckis called him a 'dedicated and brave public servant'.
State and local police officers lined up outside the hospital as a police vehicle, escorted by a police procession, took Tarentino's body to the state medical examiner's office in Boston, where the vehicle was met by a large group of officers.
In Auburn, a procession of police cruisers and police motorcycles with lights flashing and sirens sounding drove by the police station around 9.30am while Auburn police officers stood outside and saluted, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported.
Six officers have been fatally shot in Massachusetts since 2000, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
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Tarentino (pictured) joined the Auburn force three years ago and leaves behind three children and a wife
Read more:
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- Officer Ronald Tarentino shot dead in traffic stop on Sunday at 12.30am
- Father-of-three, 42, was pronounced dead at UMass Medical Center
- The suspect, Jorge Zambrano, was tracked down at home nearby at 2pm
- At 6pm shots were fired, suspect 'down', trooper was hit and wounded
- Tarentino joined the Auburn Police Department three years ago
PUBLISHED: 00:14, 23 May 2016 | UPDATED: 02:18, 23 May 2016
A prolific criminal who shot dead a Massachusetts traffic cop has been gunned down by state troopers after a four-hour stand-off that culminated in a shoot-out in a bedroom.
Jorge Zambrano, 35, was at large for 14 hours after shooting married father-of-three Officer Ronald Tarentino, 45, during a traffic stop in Auburn at 12.30am on Sunday.
At around 2pm, detectives located the suspect's car outside a home in Oxford, a few miles away from the crime scene.
After searching the property they found nothing. They then managed to get inside the apartment next door via the cellar, and began to search the premises.
At 6pm, as they went up to a first-floor bedroom, Zambrano burst out of a wardrobe.
He shot one of the troopers - a former Navy SEAL and 18-year veteran - who escaped with a minor wound. Another trooper responded by shooting Zambrano, killing him.
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Killed: Officer Ronald Tarentino (pictured) was shot and killed on Sunday morning during a traffic stop. Hours later his colleagues found and shot dead the suspect Jorge Zambrano (right) during a stand-off in an apartment
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Stand-off: The home in the background of this frame is where officers found the suspect's car at 2pm on Sunday. They spent hours searching the property until the suspect, Jorge Zabrano, jumped out of a wardrobe
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Officers were stationed outside the home for four hours until it reached a climax, shots were fired and the suspect was shot, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said in a press conference on Sunday
Eventually the investigation zeroed in on a home 15 minutes away from the crime scene, which is 45 miles south of Boston.
Officers were stationed outside the home for four hours until it reached a climax, shots were fired and the suspect was shot, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said in a press conference on Sunday evening.
Ambulances could be seen driving at a steady pace away from the crime scene.
Colonel Richard McKeon of Massachusetts State Police told reporters they will not be naming the wounded Navy SEAL until Monday.
.
As the stand-off played out on Sunday, Officer Tarentino's body was driven from UMass Medical Center to a funeral home nearby.
Officers lined the streets saluting as he passed.
42-year-old Tarentino was taken to UMass Medical Center, in Worcester, where he was pronounced dead.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey tweeted out on Sunday: 'Our thoughts & prayers are with the @AuburnMAPolice dept. & family of Off. Tarentino.
'A reminder of the heroic work officers do each day.'
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Tarentino stopped a vehicle at about 12.30am. The driver shot him and fled the scene (pictured hours later)
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Investigation: Police did not identify the suspect, who was later traced to a home in nearby Oxford, MA
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Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis (above in white) said Tarentino was a 'dedicated and brave public servant'
.Tarentino, who joined the Auburn Police Department three years ago, is survived by a wife and three children, Sluckis said. Residents in Tarentino's Leicester neighborhood remember him as a pleasant family man.
Next-door neighbor Vin Dagostino called Tarentino a 'super nice guy with a super nice family'.
Sluckis called him a 'dedicated and brave public servant'.
State and local police officers lined up outside the hospital as a police vehicle, escorted by a police procession, took Tarentino's body to the state medical examiner's office in Boston, where the vehicle was met by a large group of officers.
In Auburn, a procession of police cruisers and police motorcycles with lights flashing and sirens sounding drove by the police station around 9.30am while Auburn police officers stood outside and saluted, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported.
Six officers have been fatally shot in Massachusetts since 2000, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
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Tarentino (pictured) joined the Auburn force three years ago and leaves behind three children and a wife
Read more:
- Auburn police officer shot and killed early Sunday morning | FOX25
- Maura Healey on Twitter: "Our thoughts & prayers are with the @AuburnMAPolice dept. & family of Off. Tarentino. A reminder of the heroic work officers do each day."
- Auburn Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. slain; father of 3 mourned - News - telegram.com - Worcester, MA
- Watch Live Boston News Online | FOX25
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[h=1]Former NBA star and activist says woman refused to let him sit next to her on a train because he is black[/h]
By DAILYMAIL.COM REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:34, 22 May 2016 | UPDATED: 23:43, 22 May 2016
A black man who played in the NBA claims he was denied a seat next to a white woman on a train before she offered it to another white man moments later.
Etan Thomas, an activist who played for the Washington Wizards for most of his career, shared his experience in a Facebook post that has gone viral and racked up more than 122,000 reactions.
According to Thomas, she told him the seat was taken, and then offered to move her belongings two minutes later when a white man asked if he could sit.
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The Facebook post has gone viral and racked up more than 122,000 reactions
He wrote that he softened his voice 'as to not frighten her' and asked 'very politely', but was told the seat was not available.
After the white man took a seat without realizing what had transpired, Thomas said he confronted her, writing: 'I ask ummmmm did you just not want ME to sit next to you?
'Were you scared? Not comfortable with a black man sitting next to you?'
She told him not to 'pull the race card' and claimed she dated a black man in college as a defense, according to Thomas' post.
The man offered to give Thomas his seat, but the former basketball player turned it down and took a photograph instead to share with his 43,274 followers.
She was upset that he took the photo without her consent, and tried to enlist the Amtrak conductor, Thomas wrote in the post.
He wrote: 'So the conductor came up and said, "Hey Etan Thomas, love what you’re doing in the community, loved you with the Wizards...@
'And I said: "Was there something you wanted to tell my man?"'
According to Thomas she simply rolled her eyes in response.
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Some lauded him for speaking up, others lashed out at the woman and called her derogatory names, while others questioned the validity of his story.
Angela Muhammad commented on the post: 'If someone asked and I felt uncomfortable saying yes, I would have said something close to what she said.
'So, maybe he should have just nicely said 'excuse me' and started sitting down since it was public transportation.
'And if she didn't like it, she could have gotten up and moved and taken the other empty seat.'
The woman has not been identified and could not be reached for comment.
.
- Etan Thomas is a black ex-NBA player who is known for being an activist
- He claims he asked white woman on Amtrak train if he could sit next to her
- According to Thomas, she said the seat was taken, but offered to move her belongings when a white man asked two minutes later
- She tried to enlist the help of a conductor after he took a photo of her
- But the conductor was a fan of Thomas, and the woman ended up rolling her eyes rather than complaining
- Thomas' Facebook post recounting the incident has been shared more than 30,000 times and has more than 120,000 reactions
By DAILYMAIL.COM REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:34, 22 May 2016 | UPDATED: 23:43, 22 May 2016
A black man who played in the NBA claims he was denied a seat next to a white woman on a train before she offered it to another white man moments later.
Etan Thomas, an activist who played for the Washington Wizards for most of his career, shared his experience in a Facebook post that has gone viral and racked up more than 122,000 reactions.
According to Thomas, she told him the seat was taken, and then offered to move her belongings two minutes later when a white man asked if he could sit.
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The Facebook post has gone viral and racked up more than 122,000 reactions
He wrote that he softened his voice 'as to not frighten her' and asked 'very politely', but was told the seat was not available.
After the white man took a seat without realizing what had transpired, Thomas said he confronted her, writing: 'I ask ummmmm did you just not want ME to sit next to you?
'Were you scared? Not comfortable with a black man sitting next to you?'
She told him not to 'pull the race card' and claimed she dated a black man in college as a defense, according to Thomas' post.
The man offered to give Thomas his seat, but the former basketball player turned it down and took a photograph instead to share with his 43,274 followers.
She was upset that he took the photo without her consent, and tried to enlist the Amtrak conductor, Thomas wrote in the post.
He wrote: 'So the conductor came up and said, "Hey Etan Thomas, love what you’re doing in the community, loved you with the Wizards...@
'And I said: "Was there something you wanted to tell my man?"'
According to Thomas she simply rolled her eyes in response.
+3
Some lauded him for speaking up, others lashed out at the woman and called her derogatory names, while others questioned the validity of his story.
Angela Muhammad commented on the post: 'If someone asked and I felt uncomfortable saying yes, I would have said something close to what she said.
'So, maybe he should have just nicely said 'excuse me' and started sitting down since it was public transportation.
'And if she didn't like it, she could have gotten up and moved and taken the other empty seat.'
The woman has not been identified and could not be reached for comment.
.
[h=1]Congress votes to ban Confederate flags on veterans' cemetery flagpoles prompting some Republicans to compare it to ISIS 'destroying history'[/h]
By ALEXANDRA GENOVA FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 18:20, 19 May 2016 | UPDATED: 19:04, 20 May 2016
The House has voted to ban the display of the Confederate flag on flagpoles at federal veterans' cemeteries.
The 265-159 vote on Thursday would block descendants and others seeking to commemorate veterans of the Confederate States of America from flying the Confederate Battle Flag over mass graves on the two days a year that flag displays are permitted.
California Democrat Jared Huffman drafted the prohibition, saying the flag represents 'racism, slavery and division.'
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The 265-159 vote would block descendants and others seeking to commemorate veterans of the Confederate States of America from flying the Confederate Battle Flag over mass graves, even on days that flag displays are permitted. Pictured: Confederate battle flags fly in Mountain Creek, Alabama
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The amendment would not ban the display of small Confederate flags placed at individual graves
Huffman's amendment is mostly symbolic and applies only to instances in which Confederate flags are flown on flagpoles over mass graves.
The amendment would not ban the display of small Confederate flags placed at individual graves.
Such displays are generally permitted on Memorial Day and Confederate Memorial Day in the states that observe it.
Top House GOP leaders such as Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and GOP Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana voted with Democrats to approve the amendment.
But behind the scenes, some Republicans vehemently pushed against Huffman's amendment, according to The Hill.
The legislative director to Rep. Lynn Westmoreland compared the effort to ban the Confederate flag to Islamic State's cultural cleansing.
Pete Sanborn wrote in an email seen by The Hill: 'You know who else supports destroying history so that they can advance their own agenda? ISIL. Don't be like ISIL. I urge you to vote NO.
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California Democrat Jared Huffman drafted the prohibition, saying the flag represents 'racism, slavery and division.'
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After a mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina (nine victims pictured in the church) in June last year, the state legislature ordered the flag removed from the capitol
And signed the email: 'Yours in freedom from the PC police.'
Republicans said recently that the Mississippi State Flag, which contains Confederate imagery, will not be returned to a House hallway where it was displayed prior to a recent renovation.
'Symbols like the Confederate battle flag have meaning. They are not just neutral, historical symbols of pride. They represent slavery, oppression, lynching and hate,' Huffman said. 'To continue to allow national policy condoning the display of this symbol on Federal property is wrong, and it is disrespectful to what our country stands for and what our veterans fight for.'
After a mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina in June last year, the state legislature ordered the flag removed from the capitol in Columbia.
The House approved amendments last year to block the display and sale of the Confederate flag at national parks but a backlash from Southern Republicans caused GOP leaders to scrap the underlying spending bill.
Democrats in the House are likely to continue to push for votes on the flag with the hopes of making it a campaign issue in an election cycle that has already shown itself to be racially charged, according to Slate.
GOP leaders subsequently scrapped action on the remaining spending bills.
Read more:
.
- The House voted 265-159 to block the display of Confederate flags over mass graves over Memorial Day and Confederate Memorial Day
- Democrat who drafted prohibition says it represents 'racism and slavery'
- One Republican likened it to ISIS's cleansing of culture
By ALEXANDRA GENOVA FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 18:20, 19 May 2016 | UPDATED: 19:04, 20 May 2016
The House has voted to ban the display of the Confederate flag on flagpoles at federal veterans' cemeteries.
The 265-159 vote on Thursday would block descendants and others seeking to commemorate veterans of the Confederate States of America from flying the Confederate Battle Flag over mass graves on the two days a year that flag displays are permitted.
California Democrat Jared Huffman drafted the prohibition, saying the flag represents 'racism, slavery and division.'
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The 265-159 vote would block descendants and others seeking to commemorate veterans of the Confederate States of America from flying the Confederate Battle Flag over mass graves, even on days that flag displays are permitted. Pictured: Confederate battle flags fly in Mountain Creek, Alabama
+4
The amendment would not ban the display of small Confederate flags placed at individual graves
Huffman's amendment is mostly symbolic and applies only to instances in which Confederate flags are flown on flagpoles over mass graves.
The amendment would not ban the display of small Confederate flags placed at individual graves.
Such displays are generally permitted on Memorial Day and Confederate Memorial Day in the states that observe it.
Top House GOP leaders such as Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and GOP Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana voted with Democrats to approve the amendment.
But behind the scenes, some Republicans vehemently pushed against Huffman's amendment, according to The Hill.
The legislative director to Rep. Lynn Westmoreland compared the effort to ban the Confederate flag to Islamic State's cultural cleansing.
Pete Sanborn wrote in an email seen by The Hill: 'You know who else supports destroying history so that they can advance their own agenda? ISIL. Don't be like ISIL. I urge you to vote NO.
+4
California Democrat Jared Huffman drafted the prohibition, saying the flag represents 'racism, slavery and division.'
+4
After a mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina (nine victims pictured in the church) in June last year, the state legislature ordered the flag removed from the capitol
And signed the email: 'Yours in freedom from the PC police.'
Republicans said recently that the Mississippi State Flag, which contains Confederate imagery, will not be returned to a House hallway where it was displayed prior to a recent renovation.
'Symbols like the Confederate battle flag have meaning. They are not just neutral, historical symbols of pride. They represent slavery, oppression, lynching and hate,' Huffman said. 'To continue to allow national policy condoning the display of this symbol on Federal property is wrong, and it is disrespectful to what our country stands for and what our veterans fight for.'
After a mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina in June last year, the state legislature ordered the flag removed from the capitol in Columbia.
The House approved amendments last year to block the display and sale of the Confederate flag at national parks but a backlash from Southern Republicans caused GOP leaders to scrap the underlying spending bill.
Democrats in the House are likely to continue to push for votes on the flag with the hopes of making it a campaign issue in an election cycle that has already shown itself to be racially charged, according to Slate.
GOP leaders subsequently scrapped action on the remaining spending bills.
Read more:
.
Beaufort69, Devore Heights, United States, 2 days ago
Ridiculous. It's part of our history. Confederates were Americans too who died for our country. Tragic that everything should be politically correct and scrubbed from existence.
Moorehead, Portland-Me, United States, 2 days ago
Amazing how a flag can kill a country. Next it will be the color blue it is offensive.
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Joshua_USA17, NYC, United States, 2 days ago
As a New Yorker, I say this. I do NOT think of the Confederate Flag as a sign of racism. The people who flew it were traitors and racists by today's standards but this doesn't mean we need to BAN them. This is a free country, what's next? Banning Foreign Flags? It's bad enough people barely fly American Flags as it is.
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Defeat liberals, Eastern USA, United States, 2 days ago
This country will turn to be like erupt if keep on this pace of liberal demands
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Karen Bishop, Palm City , United Kingdom, 2 days ago
I am proud of the Confederate flag and proudly display it. What a dishonour to the memories of my family and thousands of other descendants of those who fought in the Civil War.
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Phil, Quincy, United States, 2 days ago
When you decide who to vote for this fall, remember that you have the means to change all this stupidness happening in our government today. I'm not sure how you feel, but I'm frustrated that this great nation is being destroyed from within. My being successful is not the reason you are poor.
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VoteRIGHT, TheSouth, United States, 2 days ago
Really Really sad.
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Phil, Quincy, United States, 2 days ago
Stupid
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Staggerleee, Philadelphia, United States, 2 days ago
House GOP doing what they do best... side with democrats
.
Ridiculous. It's part of our history. Confederates were Americans too who died for our country. Tragic that everything should be politically correct and scrubbed from existence.
Moorehead, Portland-Me, United States, 2 days ago
Amazing how a flag can kill a country. Next it will be the color blue it is offensive.
.
Joshua_USA17, NYC, United States, 2 days ago
As a New Yorker, I say this. I do NOT think of the Confederate Flag as a sign of racism. The people who flew it were traitors and racists by today's standards but this doesn't mean we need to BAN them. This is a free country, what's next? Banning Foreign Flags? It's bad enough people barely fly American Flags as it is.
.
Defeat liberals, Eastern USA, United States, 2 days ago
This country will turn to be like erupt if keep on this pace of liberal demands
.
Karen Bishop, Palm City , United Kingdom, 2 days ago
I am proud of the Confederate flag and proudly display it. What a dishonour to the memories of my family and thousands of other descendants of those who fought in the Civil War.
.
Phil, Quincy, United States, 2 days ago
When you decide who to vote for this fall, remember that you have the means to change all this stupidness happening in our government today. I'm not sure how you feel, but I'm frustrated that this great nation is being destroyed from within. My being successful is not the reason you are poor.
.
VoteRIGHT, TheSouth, United States, 2 days ago
Really Really sad.
.
Phil, Quincy, United States, 2 days ago
Stupid
.
Staggerleee, Philadelphia, United States, 2 days ago
House GOP doing what they do best... side with democrats
.
San Diego Padres accused of homophobia after city's gay men's chorus were forced to walk off the field to taunts
A hundred singers from The San Diego Gay Men's Chorus had stepped onto the field to sing the national anthem at Petco Park, but were forced to stand there while a recording of a woman played.
[h=1]San Diego Padres baseball team accused of homophobia after recording of a woman singing national anthem played instead of the city's gay men's chorus who claim they were forced to walk off the field to taunts[/h]
PUBLISHED: 22:05, 22 May 2016 | UPDATED: 22:06, 22 May 2016
The San Diego Padres have been accused of homophobia after the recorded voice of a woman singing the national anthem was played when it should have been sung by the city’s Gay Men’s Chorus.
A hundred volunteer singers from The San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus had stepped onto the field to sing the national anthem ahead of Saturday evening’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park.
But they were forced to stand on the field for the duration of the anthem while, instead of their voices, the large crowd heard the woman singing.
The chorus slammed the baseball team after the incident,
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The San Diego Padres have been accused of homophobia after the recorded voice of a woman singing the national anthem was played when it should have been sung by the city’s Gay Men’s Chorus (pictured on the field on Saturday)
The San Diego Padres apologized for the error hours later on Twitter, writing: ‘This evening, during the pregame ceremony, a mistake was made in the Petco Park control room that prevented the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus from performing the National Anthem as scheduled.
‘We apologize to anyone in the ballpark who this may have offended, and have reached out to the Chorus to express our deep regret for the error.’
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The Padres later said they have offered the chorus the opportunity to return to sing the anthem again.
But the chorus slammed the Padres for allegedly not making any attempting to stop the recording at the time or starting again.
They urged Padres and Major League Baseball officials to investigate if anyone ‘intentionally engaged in anti-gay discrimination or a hate crime’ by playing the recording.
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[h=3]'YOU SING LIKE A GIRL': SAN DIEGO GAY MEN'S CHORUS FULL STATEMENT [/h]What should have been a night of joy and celebration at Petco Park last night, instead turned into a nightmare raising serious questions about homophobia within the San Diego Padres organization and its relationship with the LGBT community.
Before the start of the last night’s San Diego Padres game, 100 volunteer singers of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus took to the field to proudly sing the National Anthem. Instead, in front of the large crowd gathered for the LA Dodgers game, the San Diego Padres played the recorded voice of a woman singing the anthem.
No attempt was made to stop the recording and start over. No announcement of apology was made to the singers or their friends and families in the stands. No attempt to correct the situation occurred other than to force the 100 men to stand in the spotlight of center field for the song’s duration and then be escorted off the field to the heckles of baseball fans shouting homophobic taunts including “You sing like a girl.”
This incident followed several days of troubling comments and behavior within the San Diego Padres organization. Three days before the game, San Diego Padres representatives aggressively sought to prevent singers from performing the National Anthem unless they purchased a ticket to the game—even if they did not plan to stay for the game—which was not part of any previous discussion or written or verbal agreement and would have cost the small, community-based non-profit thousands of dollars. The demand eventually was rescinded on Friday following repeated complaints made by SDGMC and San Diego Pride to San Diego Padres management.
With this as background, we call on the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball to immediately launch a full and transparent investigation into the incident to determine if someone or some people intentionally engaged in anti-gay discrimination or a hate crime by playing a female’s voice to represent a group of gay men with the purpose of denigrating and/or ridiculing gay men. The historic significance of such an act is not lost on the LGBT community—especially in relation to professional sports—and added to the depth of embarrassment experienced by the singers and their families.
We also call upon the City of San Diego City Attorney’s Office and the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission to independently investigate this incident to determine if members of the San Diego Padres organization engaged in activity in violation of the San Diego Human Rights Ordinance or engaged in any deliberate hate crimes based on sexual orientation.
We applaud San Diego Padres President and Chief Executive Office Mike Dee for reaching out to our organization to apologize and to offer to meet with LGBT leaders to discuss the incident. We look forward to this meeting. We believe it is important to work together with the San Diego Padres organization to build bridges within the LGBT community rather than burn them down as happened last night.
However, we are very disappointed with the San Diego Padres dismissively brief two sentence statement at 9:37 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2016 which did not appropriately address the gravity of the situation nor pay due to the 100 volunteers who took to the field in celebration and were led off in humiliation.
The chorus also urged the City Attorney’s office to independently investigate if the incident was a violation of the San Diego Human Rights Ordinance or if it ‘engaged in any deliberate hate crimes based on sexual orientation.
‘What should have been a night of joy and celebration at Petco Park last night, instead turned into a nightmare raising serious questions about homophobia within the San Diego Padres organization and its relationship with the LGBT community,’ the chorus said in a statement on their Facebook page.
The chorus also slammed the Padres for trying to prevent singers from performing on Saturday unless they bought a ticket for the game – but added that the demand was ultimately rescinded following complaints.
‘We were very disappointed with the San Diego padres dismissively brief two sentence statement at 9.37pm on Saturday, May 21, 2016 which did not appropriately address the gravity of the situation nor pay due to the 100 volunteers who took to the field in celebration and were led off in humiliation,’ the statement added.
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The San Diego Gay Men's Chorus are pictured on the field at Petco Park on a different occasion
The Padres’ brief apology also provoked a backlash on Twitter, with users asking why the recording wasn’t immediately stopped when officials realized a mistake had been made
However, the chorus acknowledged that San Diego Padres President Mike Dee had been in touch to apologize and had offered to meet with LGBT leaders to discuss the incident.
The Padres’ brief apology also provoked a backlash on Twitter, with users asking why the recording wasn’t immediately stopped when officials realized a mistake had been made.
‘@Padres when you realized it was a woman singing why didn't you cut the track and turn the mics up? #sad,’ commented one person on Twitter.
‘The tape could have been stopped and the SDGMC allowed to sing. This was no mistake, this was bigotry by the Padres organization,’ added Paul Silver.
‘I was at game,’ wrote a Twitter user named Ronnie. ‘Everybody was so confused cuz the recording starts off high pitch so you thought it was them, then realize it wasn't and then you just feel bad for them for having to stand there the entire time and then immediately have to get off the field.’
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The incident occurred at San Diego's Petco Park (file photo) on Saturday ahead of the Padres game against the Los Angeles Dodgers
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[h=1]San Diego Padres baseball team accused of homophobia after recording of a woman singing national anthem played instead of the city's gay men's chorus who claim they were forced to walk off the field to taunts[/h]
- The incident occurred at Petco Park in San Diego on Saturday evening
- A hundred singers from San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus took the field
- But instead of their voices, a recorded voice of a woman played
- The Padres apologized, but the chorus urged officials to investigate what happened
PUBLISHED: 22:05, 22 May 2016 | UPDATED: 22:06, 22 May 2016
The San Diego Padres have been accused of homophobia after the recorded voice of a woman singing the national anthem was played when it should have been sung by the city’s Gay Men’s Chorus.
A hundred volunteer singers from The San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus had stepped onto the field to sing the national anthem ahead of Saturday evening’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park.
But they were forced to stand on the field for the duration of the anthem while, instead of their voices, the large crowd heard the woman singing.
The chorus slammed the baseball team after the incident,
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The San Diego Padres have been accused of homophobia after the recorded voice of a woman singing the national anthem was played when it should have been sung by the city’s Gay Men’s Chorus (pictured on the field on Saturday)
The San Diego Padres apologized for the error hours later on Twitter, writing: ‘This evening, during the pregame ceremony, a mistake was made in the Petco Park control room that prevented the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus from performing the National Anthem as scheduled.
‘We apologize to anyone in the ballpark who this may have offended, and have reached out to the Chorus to express our deep regret for the error.’
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The Padres later said they have offered the chorus the opportunity to return to sing the anthem again.
But the chorus slammed the Padres for allegedly not making any attempting to stop the recording at the time or starting again.
They urged Padres and Major League Baseball officials to investigate if anyone ‘intentionally engaged in anti-gay discrimination or a hate crime’ by playing the recording.
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[h=3]'YOU SING LIKE A GIRL': SAN DIEGO GAY MEN'S CHORUS FULL STATEMENT [/h]What should have been a night of joy and celebration at Petco Park last night, instead turned into a nightmare raising serious questions about homophobia within the San Diego Padres organization and its relationship with the LGBT community.
Before the start of the last night’s San Diego Padres game, 100 volunteer singers of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus took to the field to proudly sing the National Anthem. Instead, in front of the large crowd gathered for the LA Dodgers game, the San Diego Padres played the recorded voice of a woman singing the anthem.
No attempt was made to stop the recording and start over. No announcement of apology was made to the singers or their friends and families in the stands. No attempt to correct the situation occurred other than to force the 100 men to stand in the spotlight of center field for the song’s duration and then be escorted off the field to the heckles of baseball fans shouting homophobic taunts including “You sing like a girl.”
This incident followed several days of troubling comments and behavior within the San Diego Padres organization. Three days before the game, San Diego Padres representatives aggressively sought to prevent singers from performing the National Anthem unless they purchased a ticket to the game—even if they did not plan to stay for the game—which was not part of any previous discussion or written or verbal agreement and would have cost the small, community-based non-profit thousands of dollars. The demand eventually was rescinded on Friday following repeated complaints made by SDGMC and San Diego Pride to San Diego Padres management.
With this as background, we call on the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball to immediately launch a full and transparent investigation into the incident to determine if someone or some people intentionally engaged in anti-gay discrimination or a hate crime by playing a female’s voice to represent a group of gay men with the purpose of denigrating and/or ridiculing gay men. The historic significance of such an act is not lost on the LGBT community—especially in relation to professional sports—and added to the depth of embarrassment experienced by the singers and their families.
We also call upon the City of San Diego City Attorney’s Office and the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission to independently investigate this incident to determine if members of the San Diego Padres organization engaged in activity in violation of the San Diego Human Rights Ordinance or engaged in any deliberate hate crimes based on sexual orientation.
We applaud San Diego Padres President and Chief Executive Office Mike Dee for reaching out to our organization to apologize and to offer to meet with LGBT leaders to discuss the incident. We look forward to this meeting. We believe it is important to work together with the San Diego Padres organization to build bridges within the LGBT community rather than burn them down as happened last night.
However, we are very disappointed with the San Diego Padres dismissively brief two sentence statement at 9:37 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2016 which did not appropriately address the gravity of the situation nor pay due to the 100 volunteers who took to the field in celebration and were led off in humiliation.
The chorus also urged the City Attorney’s office to independently investigate if the incident was a violation of the San Diego Human Rights Ordinance or if it ‘engaged in any deliberate hate crimes based on sexual orientation.
‘What should have been a night of joy and celebration at Petco Park last night, instead turned into a nightmare raising serious questions about homophobia within the San Diego Padres organization and its relationship with the LGBT community,’ the chorus said in a statement on their Facebook page.
The chorus also slammed the Padres for trying to prevent singers from performing on Saturday unless they bought a ticket for the game – but added that the demand was ultimately rescinded following complaints.
‘We were very disappointed with the San Diego padres dismissively brief two sentence statement at 9.37pm on Saturday, May 21, 2016 which did not appropriately address the gravity of the situation nor pay due to the 100 volunteers who took to the field in celebration and were led off in humiliation,’ the statement added.
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The San Diego Gay Men's Chorus are pictured on the field at Petco Park on a different occasion
The Padres’ brief apology also provoked a backlash on Twitter, with users asking why the recording wasn’t immediately stopped when officials realized a mistake had been made
However, the chorus acknowledged that San Diego Padres President Mike Dee had been in touch to apologize and had offered to meet with LGBT leaders to discuss the incident.
The Padres’ brief apology also provoked a backlash on Twitter, with users asking why the recording wasn’t immediately stopped when officials realized a mistake had been made.
‘@Padres when you realized it was a woman singing why didn't you cut the track and turn the mics up? #sad,’ commented one person on Twitter.
‘The tape could have been stopped and the SDGMC allowed to sing. This was no mistake, this was bigotry by the Padres organization,’ added Paul Silver.
‘I was at game,’ wrote a Twitter user named Ronnie. ‘Everybody was so confused cuz the recording starts off high pitch so you thought it was them, then realize it wasn't and then you just feel bad for them for having to stand there the entire time and then immediately have to get off the field.’
+3
The incident occurred at San Diego's Petco Park (file photo) on Saturday ahead of the Padres game against the Los Angeles Dodgers
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[h=2]Women pilots who flew missions in World War two are finally allowed to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery[/h]
President Barack Obama signed a bill into law on Friday that enables the ashes of females who flew in the Women Airforce Service Pilots Program to be laid to rest at the military cemetery in Virginia.
Trying to prove a point? This isn’t the way you do it.
A vegan woman who attempted to climb Mount Everest to demonstrate that “vegans can do anything” died on Saturday afternoon at an Everest base camp before reaching the summit.
The woman, Maria Strydom, was a professor at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, reports the Daily Mail.
Strydom, a 34-year-old citizen of South Africa, described herself as an experienced mountain climber.
On Friday, she turned back during the last leg of her expedition after she began to feel ill.
A vegan woman who attempted to climb Mount Everest to demonstrate that “vegans can do anything” died on Saturday afternoon at an Everest base camp before reaching the summit.
The woman, Maria Strydom, was a professor at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, reports the Daily Mail.
Strydom, a 34-year-old citizen of South Africa, described herself as an experienced mountain climber.
On Friday, she turned back during the last leg of her expedition after she began to feel ill.
Really?
Obama has recently criticized presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump by insisting that the presidency “is not entertainment — this is not a reality show.”
Then he proceeded to tape a segment for CNN’s “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown,” while he was in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Oh yeah!
Obama has recently criticized presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump by insisting that the presidency “is not entertainment — this is not a reality show.”
Then he proceeded to tape a segment for CNN’s “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown,” while he was in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Oh yeah!
- SHARE PICTURE
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President Obama (left) and CNN's 'Parts Unkown' host Anthony Bourdain (right) sat down for dinner in Vietnam
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Bourdain tweeted this picture on Monday, showing he and the president were sat on low blue stools but enjoyed the food and beer
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The president is in Hanoi, Vietnam, as part of a trip to Asia and had 'Bun Cha' dinner with Bourdain on Monday
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Bourdain praised the president, saying his 'chopstick skills' were 'on point' as the two appeared to sip beer
The CNN host said he picked up the president's tab, which only cost him $6. The episode was filmed for the shows eighth season
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The CNN host will discuss Obama's interest in the people, food and culture of Vietnam, for an episode to air in September
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Rock star president: Local residents hoped to snap a picture as Obama left his evening meal with Bourdain
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Obama had his fun with Bourdain but also took serious strides with the U.S.'s former war enemy nation of Vietnam
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On Monday Obama lifted a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam, which was at war with the U.S. beginning in 1955
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Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference where he vowed to leave behind the troubled history between the U.S. and Vietnam
- SHARE PICTURE
+10
Obama steered clear of harsh condemnation of what critics see as Vietnam's abysmal treatment of dissidents
[h=2]Bill Cosby ADMITS to sexual encounters with teens and says agency sent him young models on a weekly basis in deposition released the day before he learns if sex assault case will go to trial[/h]
Bill Cosby admitted to engaging in sexual encounters with multiple teenagers and having an agency send him models on a weekly basis in depositions given in 2005 and 2006.
Bill Cosby ADMITS to sexual encounters with teens and says agency sent him young models on a weekly basis in deposition released the day before he learns if sex assault case will go to trial
PUBLISHED: 19:20, 23 May 2016 | UPDATED: 22:06, 23 May 2016
Bill Cosby admitted to sexual encounters with teenagers and having an agency send him models on a weekly basis in depositions released just as he learns if his sexual assault case will go to trial.
He admitted in those depositions, given in 2005 and 2006 during Andrea Constand's lawsuit against him, that he gave quaaludes to 19-year-old Therese Serignese in Las Vegas in 1976 and that he had another teenager, who he met in 2000, masturbate him with lotion.
That second teenager was one of the 'five to six models' Cosby said an agency sent to his studio each week. Cosby, 78, said in his deposition that he would give the young women 'a very, very good meal.'
These new details from Cosby's depositions come one day before he is scheduled to appear in a Pennsylvania court for a preliminary hearing to determine if his criminal sex-assault case goes to trial.
He was charged in that complaint, made by Constand in 2005, after these depositions were first made public last year.
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Latest: Bill Cosby (above in February) discussed sexual encounters he had with two teenagers in depositions given in 2005 and 2006
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Timing: Cosby will learn tomorrow if his sex assault case in Pennsylvania will go to trial. Andrea Constand (above in December) alleges that Cosby drugged and raped her inside his home in 2004
After admitting to giving Serignese quaaludes during his deposition and acknowledging that they made the teenager 'high', Cosby was then asked by Constand's lawyer Dolores Troiani; 'She said that she believes she was not in the position to consent to intercourse after you gave her the drug. Do you believe that is correct?'
Cosby responded to that question by saying; 'I don't know. ... How many years ago are we talking about? 197(6)? ... I meet Ms. Picking in Las Vegas. She meets me backstage. I give her quaaludes. We then have sex.'
He also stated that he had never taken quaaludes despite the fact that he gave them to women, claiming they make him sleepy.
Troiana then asked how he could know that they would make him sleepy if he never took any, to which Cosby replied; 'Quaaludes happen to be a depressant. I have had surgery and while being given pills that block the nervous system, in particular the areas of muscle, the back, I found that I get sleepy and I want to stay awake.'
.Serignese said in a 2014 interview that she met Cosby at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1976 and was invited to spend time with him after his show, which is when he gave her two Quaaludes.'I took them, didn't know what they were didn't even ask. I just was intimidated I guess and I took them,' Serignese told WPTV.
'Then my next memory is feeling drugged and him having sex with me.'
Despite this, she ended up staying with Cosby, living in his penthouse for weeks, but eventually she moved out and later married.
She did however take up Cosby on his promise to pay her $500 if she went to school and earned good grades.
After attending nursing school, and doing well, she got word to go down to Western Union. In the end, she got $10,000 from Cosby.
[h=3]EXCERPTS FROM BILL'S COSBY'S DEPOSITON[/h]COSBY DISCUSSING HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH 19-YEAR-OLD THERESE SERIGNESE
Q: Did you give her quaaludes?
A: Yes.
Q: What effect did the quaaludes have on her?
A: She became in those days what was called high.
Q: She said that she believes she was not in the position to consent to intercourse after you gave her the drug. Do you believe that is correct?
A: I don't know. ... How many years ago are we talking about? 197(6)? ... I meet Ms. Picking in Las Vegas. She meets me backstage. I give her quaaludes. We then have sex.
COSBY DISCUSSING THE TEENAGE MODEL HE HAD A SEXUAL ENCOUNTER WITH
Q: She says that just days after ... she told you that she did not drink, you told her to come over to (your townhouse) and served her amaretto. Do you recall serving her amaretto?
A: No.
Q: That you told her to sit next to you on the couch and that you put your arm around her and began massaging her shoulder and arms suggestively. Did that occur? ... This occurred sometime after you met her parents.
A: I need clarification on time.
Q: She's 17 and I believe throughout the time she knows you she becomes 18 or 19.
Q: On a later occasion you had her masturbate you with lotion. Did that ever happen?
A: Yes.
Q: (She) used the lotion to rub your penis and make you ejaculate?
A: Bingo.
COSBY DISCUSSING A TEENAGER WHO FILED A POLICE COMPLAINT AGAINST HIM
A: I fed her dinner, gave her three drinks. We went then to the living room. We went through acting, elementary moves. We then went to the sofa. We laid down together. I was behind her.
Q: Was she lying down or sitting up?
A: No, she was down.
Q: Did she fall asleep?
A: Yes.
Q: What did you do when she fell asleep?
A: I got up.
Q: Did you engage in any type of sexual contact with her while you were on the couch?
A: No.
Q. Are you aware that the woman's statement was that on the night of the dinner at your New York townhouse, "At some point Cosby and the woman were sitting on a sofa and Cosby was massaging her back?"
A: Yes.
Q: "Cosby then lowered his pants in an effort to receive oral sex?"
A: "In an effort to receive oral sex," that did not happen.
Q: "The woman rebuffed Cosby's advances and was immediately sent home, driven by Cosby's driver?"
A: And that is not true.
The other teenager Cosby admitted to having a sexual interaction with he first met when she was just 17, though he does not state how old she was when he had her masturbate him with lotion.
After admitting to the sexual act with the teenager, Troiana asked Cosby; '[She] used the lotion to rub your penis and make you ejaculate?'
Cosby responded to this by saying; 'Bingo.'
The deposition also reveals a previously unknown young actress filed a complaint with police in New York City after she claims Cosby tried to force her to have oral sex.
Cosby denied this allegation in the deposition.
The comedian also spoke about trying to hide the money he paid out to Serignese and later Constand from his wife.
In the case of Serignese, he had the money sent through his agent at William Morris.
With Constand, Cosby said he told his wife 'there is a person I would like to help.'
Constand, the former director of operations for Temple's women's basketball team and a one time college basketball star herself, launched the legal suit against Cosby, a man she called her 'mentor', in March 2005.
Now 42, she said she first met Cosby, a Temple alum, in November 2002 and the pair became friends and she was a frequent guest at dinner parties at his home.
Cosby is now accused of drugging and sexually assaulting Constand at his mansion in January 2004.
The case against him emerged just days before Pennsylvania's 12-year statute of limitation deadline for pressing charges was about to run out and despite a previous DA declining to charge Cosby a decade ago.
Cosby previously said under oath that he had consensual sexual contact with Constand.
The criminal complaint alleges that on the night in question Cosby told Constand to take three blue pills that left her feeling weak and then led her to a sofa where the assault took place.
When she woke up the next morning he gave her a muffin and sent her home.
The charge against him is punishable by five to 10 years behind bars and a $25,000 fine.
Steele said at the press conference on Wednesday that Cosby made two failed sexual advances towards Constand before the incident now in question.
The affidavit of probable cause describes both incidents, as well as the night of the alleged assault.
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Former girlfriend: Cosby admitted to having sex with 19-year-old Therese Serignese (above in 2014) in Las Vegas in 1976 and giving her quaaludes before they had intercourse
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Payout: Serignese (above in photo as a teenager) claims she eventually received $10,000 from Cosby
.Constand claims that the first time Cosby made an advance at her was after the two shared a meal at his house and were sitting on his sofa having a discussion.That is when 'without warning, Cosby reached over and touched her pants, her waist, and her inner thigh', according to the affidavit of probable cause.
She claims she then excused herself, went to the bathroom, gathered her things and left.
The next time he made an advance at her also occurred at his home in Elkins Park, and this time he 'unbuttoned her pants and began touching her,' according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Once again Constand claims she left soon after.
Then, sometime between mid-January and mid-February 2004, the alleged sexual assault occurred.
Constand claims she arrived at Cosby's home and was greeted by the actor, who was wearing a sweatsuit.
The two spoke about Constand's future, and she told Cosby she was feeling 'drained' and 'emotionally occupied'.
That is when Cosby allegedly went upstairs and returned with three blue pills. telling Constand: 'These will make you feel good. The blue things will take the edge off.'
Constand claims she then asked if the pills were herbal, to which Cosby replied: 'Yes. Down them. Put 'em down. Put them in your mouth.'
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Cosby then told Constand to have some wine, and soon after she began to have trouble speaking and seeing.
Cosby then allegedly told her to lie down on the couch, and soon after, according to the affidavit of probable hearing, was 'fondling her breasts, put his hands into her pants, and penetrated her vagina with his fingers'.
He also allegedly took her hand and placed it on his erect penis.
Constand claims she woke up hours later around 4am and realized her bra was undone and above her breasts and that her sweater was bunched up.
As she made her way to the door she claims Cosby was standing there in a robe and holding a muffin, which he handed to her as she left while saying: 'Alright.'
Constand later returned to her native Canada, where she reported the incident to police in January 2005.
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Better half: Cosby also spoke about trying to hide the money he paid out to some women from his wife Camille (above in 2009)
Authorities in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, followed up with an investigation after she reported the assault, but in February 2005 District Attorney Bruce Castor declined to press criminal charges due to a lack of evidence.
The affidavit of probable cause also details an interview authorities had with Cosby about the alleged assault on January 26, 2005.
Cosby said at that time he had given Constand Benadryl and then, according to the affidavit, 'they began to pet (touching and kissing) and then he touched her bare breast and private parts.'
Cosby claims that Constand did not ask him to stop at any point.
He then admitted to giving her a blueberry muffin and some tea when she awoke early the next morning.
He also said the two had 'petted and kissed' several times in the past, and that he 'liked the petting and touching'.
When asked if he had ever had sexual intercourse with Constand he said 'never asleep or awake'.
Constand then launched her civil suit against Cosby, a man she called her 'mentor' in March 2005, after no criminal charges were filed against the actor.
Cosby settled that suit for undisclosed terms in 2006.
An attorney for Constand said in a statement when Cosby was charged last December: 'We have the utmost confidence in Mr Steele, Ms Feden and their team, who have impressed us with their professionalism.'
Through this all, Cosby's wife Camille has stood by him and even been forced to give her own deposition in a lawsuit filed against her husband by several of his accusers.
Camille married the comedian in 1964 and the couple have three children; Erinn, Evin and Erica.
Their oldest son, Ennis, was shot dead while changing a tire in 1997 at the age of 27.
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- Bill Cosby discussed sexual encounters he had with two teenagers in depositions given in 2005 and 2006
- He admitted to having sex with Therese Serignese, 19, in Las Vegas in 1976 and giving her quaaludes before they had intercourse
- Cosby also discussed how a teenage model masturbated him with lotion
- Said an agency would send 'five to six' models weekly around 2000
- Cosby to learn tomorrow if his sex assault case will go to trial
- Andrea Constand alleges he drugged and raped her at his home in 2004
PUBLISHED: 19:20, 23 May 2016 | UPDATED: 22:06, 23 May 2016
Bill Cosby admitted to sexual encounters with teenagers and having an agency send him models on a weekly basis in depositions released just as he learns if his sexual assault case will go to trial.
He admitted in those depositions, given in 2005 and 2006 during Andrea Constand's lawsuit against him, that he gave quaaludes to 19-year-old Therese Serignese in Las Vegas in 1976 and that he had another teenager, who he met in 2000, masturbate him with lotion.
That second teenager was one of the 'five to six models' Cosby said an agency sent to his studio each week. Cosby, 78, said in his deposition that he would give the young women 'a very, very good meal.'
These new details from Cosby's depositions come one day before he is scheduled to appear in a Pennsylvania court for a preliminary hearing to determine if his criminal sex-assault case goes to trial.
He was charged in that complaint, made by Constand in 2005, after these depositions were first made public last year.
.
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Latest: Bill Cosby (above in February) discussed sexual encounters he had with two teenagers in depositions given in 2005 and 2006
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Timing: Cosby will learn tomorrow if his sex assault case in Pennsylvania will go to trial. Andrea Constand (above in December) alleges that Cosby drugged and raped her inside his home in 2004
After admitting to giving Serignese quaaludes during his deposition and acknowledging that they made the teenager 'high', Cosby was then asked by Constand's lawyer Dolores Troiani; 'She said that she believes she was not in the position to consent to intercourse after you gave her the drug. Do you believe that is correct?'
Cosby responded to that question by saying; 'I don't know. ... How many years ago are we talking about? 197(6)? ... I meet Ms. Picking in Las Vegas. She meets me backstage. I give her quaaludes. We then have sex.'
He also stated that he had never taken quaaludes despite the fact that he gave them to women, claiming they make him sleepy.
Troiana then asked how he could know that they would make him sleepy if he never took any, to which Cosby replied; 'Quaaludes happen to be a depressant. I have had surgery and while being given pills that block the nervous system, in particular the areas of muscle, the back, I found that I get sleepy and I want to stay awake.'
.Serignese said in a 2014 interview that she met Cosby at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1976 and was invited to spend time with him after his show, which is when he gave her two Quaaludes.'I took them, didn't know what they were didn't even ask. I just was intimidated I guess and I took them,' Serignese told WPTV.
'Then my next memory is feeling drugged and him having sex with me.'
Despite this, she ended up staying with Cosby, living in his penthouse for weeks, but eventually she moved out and later married.
She did however take up Cosby on his promise to pay her $500 if she went to school and earned good grades.
After attending nursing school, and doing well, she got word to go down to Western Union. In the end, she got $10,000 from Cosby.
[h=3]EXCERPTS FROM BILL'S COSBY'S DEPOSITON[/h]COSBY DISCUSSING HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH 19-YEAR-OLD THERESE SERIGNESE
Q: Did you give her quaaludes?
A: Yes.
Q: What effect did the quaaludes have on her?
A: She became in those days what was called high.
Q: She said that she believes she was not in the position to consent to intercourse after you gave her the drug. Do you believe that is correct?
A: I don't know. ... How many years ago are we talking about? 197(6)? ... I meet Ms. Picking in Las Vegas. She meets me backstage. I give her quaaludes. We then have sex.
COSBY DISCUSSING THE TEENAGE MODEL HE HAD A SEXUAL ENCOUNTER WITH
Q: She says that just days after ... she told you that she did not drink, you told her to come over to (your townhouse) and served her amaretto. Do you recall serving her amaretto?
A: No.
Q: That you told her to sit next to you on the couch and that you put your arm around her and began massaging her shoulder and arms suggestively. Did that occur? ... This occurred sometime after you met her parents.
A: I need clarification on time.
Q: She's 17 and I believe throughout the time she knows you she becomes 18 or 19.
Q: On a later occasion you had her masturbate you with lotion. Did that ever happen?
A: Yes.
Q: (She) used the lotion to rub your penis and make you ejaculate?
A: Bingo.
COSBY DISCUSSING A TEENAGER WHO FILED A POLICE COMPLAINT AGAINST HIM
A: I fed her dinner, gave her three drinks. We went then to the living room. We went through acting, elementary moves. We then went to the sofa. We laid down together. I was behind her.
Q: Was she lying down or sitting up?
A: No, she was down.
Q: Did she fall asleep?
A: Yes.
Q: What did you do when she fell asleep?
A: I got up.
Q: Did you engage in any type of sexual contact with her while you were on the couch?
A: No.
Q. Are you aware that the woman's statement was that on the night of the dinner at your New York townhouse, "At some point Cosby and the woman were sitting on a sofa and Cosby was massaging her back?"
A: Yes.
Q: "Cosby then lowered his pants in an effort to receive oral sex?"
A: "In an effort to receive oral sex," that did not happen.
Q: "The woman rebuffed Cosby's advances and was immediately sent home, driven by Cosby's driver?"
A: And that is not true.
The other teenager Cosby admitted to having a sexual interaction with he first met when she was just 17, though he does not state how old she was when he had her masturbate him with lotion.
After admitting to the sexual act with the teenager, Troiana asked Cosby; '[She] used the lotion to rub your penis and make you ejaculate?'
Cosby responded to this by saying; 'Bingo.'
The deposition also reveals a previously unknown young actress filed a complaint with police in New York City after she claims Cosby tried to force her to have oral sex.
Cosby denied this allegation in the deposition.
The comedian also spoke about trying to hide the money he paid out to Serignese and later Constand from his wife.
In the case of Serignese, he had the money sent through his agent at William Morris.
With Constand, Cosby said he told his wife 'there is a person I would like to help.'
Constand, the former director of operations for Temple's women's basketball team and a one time college basketball star herself, launched the legal suit against Cosby, a man she called her 'mentor', in March 2005.
Now 42, she said she first met Cosby, a Temple alum, in November 2002 and the pair became friends and she was a frequent guest at dinner parties at his home.
Cosby is now accused of drugging and sexually assaulting Constand at his mansion in January 2004.
The case against him emerged just days before Pennsylvania's 12-year statute of limitation deadline for pressing charges was about to run out and despite a previous DA declining to charge Cosby a decade ago.
Cosby previously said under oath that he had consensual sexual contact with Constand.
The criminal complaint alleges that on the night in question Cosby told Constand to take three blue pills that left her feeling weak and then led her to a sofa where the assault took place.
When she woke up the next morning he gave her a muffin and sent her home.
The charge against him is punishable by five to 10 years behind bars and a $25,000 fine.
Steele said at the press conference on Wednesday that Cosby made two failed sexual advances towards Constand before the incident now in question.
The affidavit of probable cause describes both incidents, as well as the night of the alleged assault.
+5
Former girlfriend: Cosby admitted to having sex with 19-year-old Therese Serignese (above in 2014) in Las Vegas in 1976 and giving her quaaludes before they had intercourse
+5
Payout: Serignese (above in photo as a teenager) claims she eventually received $10,000 from Cosby
.Constand claims that the first time Cosby made an advance at her was after the two shared a meal at his house and were sitting on his sofa having a discussion.That is when 'without warning, Cosby reached over and touched her pants, her waist, and her inner thigh', according to the affidavit of probable cause.
She claims she then excused herself, went to the bathroom, gathered her things and left.
The next time he made an advance at her also occurred at his home in Elkins Park, and this time he 'unbuttoned her pants and began touching her,' according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Once again Constand claims she left soon after.
Then, sometime between mid-January and mid-February 2004, the alleged sexual assault occurred.
Constand claims she arrived at Cosby's home and was greeted by the actor, who was wearing a sweatsuit.
The two spoke about Constand's future, and she told Cosby she was feeling 'drained' and 'emotionally occupied'.
That is when Cosby allegedly went upstairs and returned with three blue pills. telling Constand: 'These will make you feel good. The blue things will take the edge off.'
Constand claims she then asked if the pills were herbal, to which Cosby replied: 'Yes. Down them. Put 'em down. Put them in your mouth.'
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Cosby then told Constand to have some wine, and soon after she began to have trouble speaking and seeing.
Cosby then allegedly told her to lie down on the couch, and soon after, according to the affidavit of probable hearing, was 'fondling her breasts, put his hands into her pants, and penetrated her vagina with his fingers'.
He also allegedly took her hand and placed it on his erect penis.
Constand claims she woke up hours later around 4am and realized her bra was undone and above her breasts and that her sweater was bunched up.
As she made her way to the door she claims Cosby was standing there in a robe and holding a muffin, which he handed to her as she left while saying: 'Alright.'
Constand later returned to her native Canada, where she reported the incident to police in January 2005.
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Better half: Cosby also spoke about trying to hide the money he paid out to some women from his wife Camille (above in 2009)
Authorities in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, followed up with an investigation after she reported the assault, but in February 2005 District Attorney Bruce Castor declined to press criminal charges due to a lack of evidence.
The affidavit of probable cause also details an interview authorities had with Cosby about the alleged assault on January 26, 2005.
Cosby said at that time he had given Constand Benadryl and then, according to the affidavit, 'they began to pet (touching and kissing) and then he touched her bare breast and private parts.'
Cosby claims that Constand did not ask him to stop at any point.
He then admitted to giving her a blueberry muffin and some tea when she awoke early the next morning.
He also said the two had 'petted and kissed' several times in the past, and that he 'liked the petting and touching'.
When asked if he had ever had sexual intercourse with Constand he said 'never asleep or awake'.
Constand then launched her civil suit against Cosby, a man she called her 'mentor' in March 2005, after no criminal charges were filed against the actor.
Cosby settled that suit for undisclosed terms in 2006.
An attorney for Constand said in a statement when Cosby was charged last December: 'We have the utmost confidence in Mr Steele, Ms Feden and their team, who have impressed us with their professionalism.'
Through this all, Cosby's wife Camille has stood by him and even been forced to give her own deposition in a lawsuit filed against her husband by several of his accusers.
Camille married the comedian in 1964 and the couple have three children; Erinn, Evin and Erica.
Their oldest son, Ennis, was shot dead while changing a tire in 1997 at the age of 27.
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[h=2]'It's like someone crossed a horse with the hunky lead from a romance novel': Black stallion famed for his lustrous mane may just be the world's most handsome horse[/h]
He may just be the world's most handsome horse. Frederik The Great, a real life Black Beauty from the Ozarks region of the United States, has a muscular build, striking black features and flowing black mane. The friesian stallion has amassed quite a hefty fan following and is so popular that an online gallery featuring artwork of him has been created
[h=2]Looking for enlightenment, Mr President? Obama visits Buddhist pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City after pressing the flesh with ordinary Vietnamese on day two of Asia tour[/h]
President Barack Obama showed off his quick wit once again as he toured the Jade Emperor Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A Buddhist monk urged him to pray to a certain statue if he'd like to have a son and the President, who is the father of teenagers Malia and Sasha, replied 'I like daughters'. Obama headed straight for the pagoda after landing from Hanoi, where he had met with activists and entrepreneurs and given a speech on the importance of respecting human rights. He winked when he arrived in Vietnam on Monday and has continued to charm ever since.
