Quantcast
Channel: Gawker
Viewing all 24829 articles
Browse latest View live

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO: Ivanka Trump's Shoes Definitely Made in China

0
0
EXCLUSIVE PHOTO: Ivanka Trump's Shoes Definitely Made in China
Photo: Mike Twombly

Donald Trump, who once claimed to have ended his partnership with Macy’s over the fact that his “shirts and ties were made in China,” is in for a rude awakening as far as his daughter’s own fashion line is concerned. Exclusive photos shared with Gawker confirm that Ivanka Trump, the smokin’ hot apple of her father’s eye, is in fact part of the problem.

The photograph below was snapped by tipster Mike Twombly at Bloomingdales on 59th St. in New York. Look closely—can you spot the daughter’s betrayal of everything her father stands for?

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO: Ivanka Trump's Shoes Definitely Made in China

How about now?

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO: Ivanka Trump's Shoes Definitely Made in China

Do you see it now?

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO: Ivanka Trump's Shoes Definitely Made in China

There it is.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO: Ivanka Trump's Shoes Definitely Made in China

China.

Trump has acknowledged that some of his own products are made overseas, despite his continued insistence that other companies stay within American borders, telling ABC News that “the answer is very simple: Because of the fact that China so manipulates their currency it makes it almost impossible for American companies to compete.”

Trump also, however, admitted during CPAC that “[American] companies make a better product, that’s very important to know. We make a better product.”

Why is Ivanka Trump settling selling an inferior product, according to her own father? And how will this affect Donald Trump’s insatiable lust for his own daughter? We’ve reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment, but since they have yet to answer even one of our inquiries ever—it would seem that some questions are destined to be left unanswered.


Ted Cruz Stuck With Jeb Bush Endorsement

0
0
Ted Cruz Stuck With Jeb Bush Endorsement
Image: Getty

Erstwhile presidential candidate and public sad man Jeb Bush endorsed Ted Cruz in a statement posted to Facebook page this morning.

It reads:

I wanted you all to be the first to know that today I am endorsing Ted Cruz for President.

Ted is a consistent, principled conservative who has demonstrated the ability to appeal to voters and win primary contests, including yesterday’s Utah caucus.

As I said from the moment I launched my presidential campaign, the stakes in 2016 couldn’t be higher.

Washington is broken, too many families are stuck in poverty and Western civilization is under attack from radical Islamic terrorists, as evidenced by the horrific attack in Brussels, which was preceded by attacks in Paris and California.

For the sake of our party and country, we must overcome the divisiveness and vulgarity Donald Trump has brought into the political arena or we will certainly lose our chance to defeat the Democratic nominee, most likely Hillary Clinton, this fall.

That is the only way we can reverse President Obama’s failed domestic and foreign policy agenda, and turn our country around.

Republicans can win back the White House and put our nation on a path to security and prosperity if we support a nominee who can unite our party and articulate how conservative policies will help people rise up and reach their full potential.

At the very least, the endorsement is noteworthy because those in the greater Republican establishment who refuse to support Donald Trump are quickly being forced to decide if they are instead backing Cruz, John Kasich, or none of the above. A recent report in the New York Times showed that the anti-Trump movement is still fractured, with various moneymen and public figures slowly warming to Cruz or Kasich despite others still harboring fantasies of nominating Rick Perry, lmao.

Bush was the establishment’s first choice, and as such he was buoyed by an obscene amount of private money. It was to absolutely no avail, of course, but if Bush takes an active role in campaigning for Cruz he could at least help funnel him some cash. Mike Allen and Alex Isenstadt of The Politico say it’s unclear if Bush’s involvement will reach that level:

The source said Bush “will actively support Senator Cruz’s bid,” but has not yet agreed to a joint appearance with Cruz, or to headline a fundraiser for him.

Nonetheless, the Jeb Bush campaign was a giant dud. Voters never warmed to the man who ended up merely being another for foil for Donald Trump’s wildly successful anti-empty suit campaign. This fact still appears to be escaping some in the establishment, as represented by The Politico, which argues:

The news will surely irk Rubio, who could have benefited greatly from Bush’s embrace.

Hmm. We sure about that one?

Meanwhile, according to The Politico, in a private fundraiser held last night “inside a sleek Denver condominium,” Jeb’s actually successful brother George W., told donors that he won’t be supporting Cruz. He reportedly said:

“I just don’t like the guy.”

Imagine that statement in George W. Bush’s voice. Do you miss 2004 yet? Yeah, me either.

In California, a proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021 has qualified for

At Least One Brussels Attack Suspect Is Still At Large

0
0
At Least One Brussels Attack Suspect Is Still At Large

Belgium’s top prosecutor says at least one of the suspects involved in the Brussels bombing is still on the loose as authorities work to identify all the men involved in the plot that left at least 34 dead and hundreds more injured Tuesday.

Belgian prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw said at a press conference Wednesday that authorities have only identified one of the men in a surveillance photo from the airport—Ibrahim El Bakraoui, a 29-year-old suicide bomber standing in the middle of the picture, who was apparently identified based off a fingerprint.

He apparently left behind a will on a computer that had been thrown in a trash can in the Brussels neighborhood of Schaerbeek, which said in part that he felt “increasingly unsafe and feared landing in prison.”

Authorities say El Bakraoui’s brother, 27-year-old Khalid El Bakraoui, was also involved in the plot and died blowing himself up in the Maelbeek subway station bombing.

The brothers had a criminal history and were “known to police,” but their crimes were not related to terrorism—Ibrahim was reportedly convicted of shooting at police officers during a botched robbery and Khalid was convicted on charges of attempted carjacking.

Still, according to the New York Times, several Belgian news reports indicate they were linked to a March 15 terrorism raid and were wanted by police when the attack occurred.

Both El Bakraoui and the man standing to his right in the surveillance photo died Wednesday when they blew themselves up at the airport, nine seconds apart.

Van Leeuw says police are currently searching for the man in the white coat standing on the right, who fled after leaving behind a suitcase bomb that failed to detonate. Via the AP:

That suspect took flight and left behind a big bag at the airport before the two explosions. Van Leeuw says that bag turned out to have the heaviest load of explosives of all and blew up later when the bomb squad was there due to the instability of the explosives. Van Leeuw says fortunately no one was injured.

A cab driver who took the three men to the airport also led police to a home in Brussels where a bomb squad discovered about 33 pounds of TATP explosives—the same type used in the Paris attacks.

At least two other people have been arrested in connection with the attack—one who was taken into custody on a train headed for Amsterdam Tuesday and another in a raid on an apartment building in the Brussels neighborhood of Anderlecht on Wednesday.

Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More

0
0
Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More

A 3D printer, spring dresses, and an ultra-cheap VR headset lead off Wednesday’s best deals. Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal. Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here to learn more, and don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter.

Top Deals

You know 3D printing is starting to go mainstream when it gets an Amazon Gold Box deal, so if you’ve been waiting for an excuse to buy into the hobby, today’s a great excuse.

http://lifehacker.com/how-to-get-sta...

Today only (or until sold out), Amazon will sell you a ROBO 3D R1 Plus 3D printer for $620, or about $180 less than elsewhere. The R1 Plus can print items up to 8" x 9" x 10", and features a maximum resolution of 100 microns (the same as the Makerbot Replicator 2, for what it’s worth). If you’re on the fence, check out Lifehacker’s getting started guide for some inspiration, but remember, this deal won’t be available for long.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0142PHFVU/...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Dirt Devil Gold Box Deals

If you aren’t particularly happy with your current vacuum situation, Amazon’s offering a Gold Box deal on five different Dirt Devils, today only.

Inside, you’ll find everything from a compact handheld vacuum to a fully-featured bagless vac with a hose, and several models in between. And incredibly, the only one you’ll pay more than $35 for is this maneuverable stick vac, which checks in at $65. The others start at jaw-dropping $14, so head over to Amazon before other shoppers vacuum them all up.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Amazon Spring Dress Sale

In case you didn’t realize the good news, we’re currently in the first week of spring, and Amazon’s celebrating with a huge one-day sale on dozens of spring dresses. Head over to Amazon to see the full selection, and note that if you click into a product page, many of these are available in multiple colors as well. Like all Gold Box deals though, these prices are only available today, or until sold out.


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Refurb Samsung Gear S2, $139

Samsung’s new Gear S2 is one of the best looking wearables on the market, and that rotating bezel is a stroke of genius. If you don’t mind a refurb, Best Buy is selling it today for the lowest price we’ve ever seen. [Refurb Samsung Gear S2, $139]


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Hausbell VR Cardboard-Compatible Headset, $14 with code 7PJVYSO9

Update: Sold out, but check out this View-Master alternative for $19.

http://www.amazon.com/View-Master-Vi...

If you want to experience Google Cardboard VR without strapping a shipping box to your face, this plastic headset is a slightly upscale alternative for most Android handsets and iPhones, and it can be yours for just $14.

The major caveat here is that it lacks a button to interact with the phone while it’s inside, but for watching 360 videos or looking around 3D scenes, it should be just fine.


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Philips Sonicare 2-Pack, $110

If you and your significant other are both striving for cleaner teeth, this two-pack of Sonicare toothbrushes is marked down to $110 on Amazon today. That price even gets you two chargers, and two travel cases. Just note that this is a Gold Box deal, meaning the price is only available today, or until sold out.

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Sonica...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More

If you buy your movie tickets through Fandango anyway, this discounted gift card is basically five extra dollars to spend on popcorn. That might get you a small!

Update: If you deal exclusively with AMC theaters, this $50 gift card comes with a $10 bonus.


The Worx AeroCart could best be described as the lovechild of a dolly and a wheelbarrow, so if you ever need to move heavy loads, this is one of the most flexible tools you can buy. [Refurb Worx AeroCard, $100]


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More

$8 is a solid price for any 3600mAh battery pack, but it’s especially noteworthy when the pack uses a Lightning input for all the Apple devotees out there. Obviously, this won’t appeal to Android users, but if you’re an Apple devotee, it means one less cord to carry around.

http://www.amazon.com/Aukey-Portable...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Dr. Meter Cooking Thermometer, $8 with code W2KS4G54 | Dr. Meter IR Thermometer, $12 with code Q6WQ3ZRZ

Cooking is all about temperatures, and both of these thermometer deals deserve a place in your utensil drawer. The Dr. Meter meat thermometer will let you know when your food is done, while the IR thermometer can tell you when a pan or oil is hot enough to start cooking. It’s also really fun to just mess around with.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R19ANCS?...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014P7WPOM?...

http://gizmodo.com/whats-your-fav...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
AcuRite Color Weather Station, $35

If you’re a weather buff, and want to know the precise conditions outside your house, this $35 AcuRite Weather Station can track temperature, humidity, air pressure and more via a wireless probe. On the right side of the display, you’ll also see your indoor conditions, so you can appreciate the miracle of modern climate control.

http://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-02027A...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Suaoki LED Solar Camping Lantern with USB Output, $12 with code SPRINGDL

This tiny lantern can fold down to the size of a coaster, recharge itself with a built-in solar panel, and even give your phone a (small) emergency charge. If you spend any amount of time outdoors, you can’t ask for much more at this price.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YH0ZFIQ?...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More

If you want a capable media editing suite for standard consumer-grade needs, Amazon will sell you a copy of Photoshop Elements 14 and Premiere Elements 14 for $70 on Amazon today. That combo usually costs $100-$150, and unlike Adobe Creative Cloud, comes with no monthly fees.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014GP8WW2/...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Uniqlo Men’s Oxfords, $20

We’re Uniqlo fanboys around here, with their undershirts winning our reader vote and their Heattech getting the Indefinitely Wild nod, to name a few accolades.

I own their men’s slim oxford in several colors, and it’s easily one of the best values in men’s everyday work wear. Choose from 17 colors today.


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Anker Premium Stereo Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker, $50 with code ANKAUDIO

Anker’s SoundCore Bluetooth speaker (which is currently on sale for $34) has shot up the sales charts this year thanks to its 24 hour battery life, but if you’re willing to sacrifice that for sheer power and sound quality, you can save $10 on the company’s premium Bluetooth speaker offering today.

For a point of reference, the SoundCore features dual 3W drivers, while this model has dual 10W drives. So needless to say, it’s loud.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan, $8/month for one year

Adobe’s Photoshop and Lightroom Creative Cloud photography suite normally costs $10 per month, but Amazon’s currently discounting a 12-month plan to just $8 per month. Creative Cloud plans don’t go on sale often, so if you’re a creative professional, or just want to make your own photos look better, this is a great opportunity to save on industry standard software.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Francois et Mimi French Press, $20 with code A4ELVOWS

If you can’t start your day without a morning cup of coffee, but you’re still using an electric drip coffee maker, or even (gasp) a Keurig, you might want to try out a flavor-extracting french press. This Francois et Mimi model looks like belongs in a museum, or maybe Downton Abbey, but you can give it a home in your kitchen for just $20 right now.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...

If you’re not convinced, know that french press took the #1 spot in Lifehacker’s coffee-making Hive Five, and many coffee aficionados swear by it. And with no disposable filters or pods to buy, this machine could pay for itself over time.

http://lifehacker.com/most-popular-c...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Codream Stainless Steel Pizza Cutter Wheel, $7 with code NOIP8DYK

A pizza wheel seems to be one of those miscellaneous kitchen utensils that nearly everyone would benefit from, but (relatively) few people have ever gone out and purchased. If you don’t have one sitting in your drawer, here’s a great excuse to fix that.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0191FS3QW?...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Save an additional 20% with promo code Kinja20

Green Man Gaming just kicked off their Spring Sale with huge discounts on games from Bethesda, Valve, and more. Plus, if you use code Kinja20 at checkout, you’ll save an extra 20% with no minimum order required. That’ll bring Fallout 4 down to $30, Mortal Kombat X down to $24, and The Orange Box down to $5, just to name a few.


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
NatureBright SunTouch Sunshine Simulating Lamp, $40

We all know that lighting can affect our mood and productivity, and this $40 NatureBright SunTouch lamp can give you that “sunny day” feeling, even if you’re tucked away in a cubicle. Today’s deal is one of the best Amazon’s ever listed, but it’s from a third party seller, so it could sell out fairly quickly.

http://www.amazon.com/NatureBright-S...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More

You can’t control these semi-smart power outlets with your phone, or automate them with IFTTT recipes like you can with Belkin’s WeMo line, but you can control them from across your house with a remote control, and they’re incredibly cheap today.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Zabiki Bias Lighting Kit, $18 with code 46DUN6MM

We’ve all heard that watching TV in the dark can be pretty tough on the eyes, but an ambient bias lighting setup can make the experience much more palatable, and improve your TV’s perceived contrast levels to boot.

Bias Lighting deals sell out pretty much instantly when we post them, so be sure to jump on this one, which includes dimming and a Velcro securing system.

http://www.amazon.com/Zabiki-Lightin...


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More
Image by Shane Roberts

The folks at TravelZoo have a great deal going on Iceland trips, very similar to the one I took advantage of in 2015.

$600 gets you roundtrip air from Boston or Baltimore, air and hotel taxes covered, daily breakfast, and more. This is a 3-night trip, but you can extend for around $100/day, and you do not need more than 4-5 days at the most.

The package includes a trip out to see the Northern Lights, and other excursions in the country are relatively cheap.

The flight is short, everyone speaks English, and the country is very tourist-friendly. Feel free to hit me up with questions! - Shane


Today's Best Deals: Cheap Vacuums, Spring Dresses, 3D Printer, and More

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-HF3520...

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-HF3520...

You’ll find Amazon “insets” across much of the content on our network. These modules provide readers with the name of an item, the price, and the retailer (we hope to support more in the future).

The full size insets also provide an image of the item and disclosure about potential for commissions.

The green text in the full size insets is “social proof”, a counter for how many of a product has been purchased through links on Gawker sites. This counter tracks all-time purchases, not purchases from a single post, and is delayed 24 hours.

We’ve recently added a promo code field to our insets, so Kinja Deals readers can now get everything they need to take advantage of a deal in one place.

Finally, you may have noticed in the past that the pricing in our insets could lag behind the current price on Amazon. We’ve made inset prices editable, so let us know if something’s wrong and we can fix it right away! This also means our insets will now take into account promo code discounts when displaying a price.

Questions? Feedback? Let us know!


Tech

Power

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015361YI2?...

Audio

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XVJF2JG/...

Home Theater

Computers & Accessories

http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Gigabi...

PC Parts

Mobile Devices

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

Photography

Home

Home

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NW31YSE/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081V2184/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GLDQFPY/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01728NLRG/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F8EUFI/...

Apparel

Beauty & Grooming

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ALH3F0S?...

http://www.amazon.com/DBPOWER-Rechar...

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Sonica...

Kitchen

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PAJL59G?...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014P7WPOM?...

Camping & Outdoors

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YH0ZFIQ?...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V5QJ4KA?...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017XGQRO6?...

Fitness

Tools & Auto

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R19ANCS?...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016JRI2S4/...

Media

Movies & TV

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NP06DJE/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENNUC9Y/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030ZOYHC/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EC5IUW/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F9IB1M4/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HXEWG2G/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00II4DYHG/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J49R1M8/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KDP31US/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KU3Y60W/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LXGQ766/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NP06FAQ/...

Books

Apps

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

Gaming

Peripherals

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S5Z0FK2/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HS5G75M/...

PC

PlayStation 4

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017AGIDT6/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013CQHQFU/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017AGIDV4/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VMB5VCS/...

Xbox One

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017AGIDS2/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017AGIDY6/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DB9JV5W/...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VMB5RDQ/...

Wii U

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VMB5VFK/...

Vita

Board Games

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CMRD4SY/...

Toys

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AW1R5Y0/...


Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here to learn more, and don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter. We want your feedback.

Ex-Police Official Says He Heard a Horny Recording of Alabama Governor and Top Advisor

0
0
Ex-Police Official Says He Heard a Horny Recording of Alabama Governor and Top Advisor
Image: AP

Alabama governor Robert Bentley is widely suspected of having carried on an affair with a woman named Rebekah Caldwell Mason, who currently serves as one of his most senior advisors. Although the rumors of infidelity are public enough that several fellow state Republicans asked the attorney general to investigate, Bentley, who divorced his wife last year, has always denied he was unfaithful.

http://gawker.com/alabama-govern...

In Bentley’s defense, no one had put their name to an on-the-record quote alleging personal knowledge of the supposed affair. Until yesterday, when Spencer Collier, who led the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency until being fired, provided firsthand knowledge—including new details—of a relationship between Bentley and Mason to AL.com.

Collier says saffers close to Bentley first became aware of the exact nature of that relationship in August 2014, when one of his underlings noticed a sext from Mason when picking up Bentley’s cell phone after he had dropped it:

Collier said the first evidence of an affair arose Aug. 2, 2014, when Stan Stabler – who took his place as the head of ALEA – saw a text message from Mason on Bentley’s cell phone. Collier said Stabler saw the message after the governor dropped his phone at a Business Council of Alabama conference at Point Clear.

He said Stabler notified his then-boss, former Bentley security officer Ray Lewis, of the “sexual nature” of the text.

Further, Collier says that three days later, Lewis played him a recording in which Bentley and Mason talk about screwing each other:

Three days later, at 3 p.m. on Aug. 5, 2014, Lewis brought a laptop to Collier and played an audiotape of conversations between the governor and Mason, Collier said. The tape, purportedly created by a Bentley family member hoping for an “intervention,” left no doubt about the relationship, he said.

“’If we’re gonna do what we did yesterday we’re going to have to lock that door,’” Collier says Mason said.

The governor responded, Collier maintains, with improper comments about “her breasts and behind.”

Collier says the tape was erased but members of Bentley’s family are still in possession of it. Per AL.com, Bentley is continuing to deny that he had an affair with Mason. Stabler, who allegedly saw the sext and still works closely with the governor, told the paper that “the allegation and implication from Mr. Collier is completely false and without merit.”

On the Origin of Certain Quotable 'African Proverbs'

0
0
On the Origin of Certain Quotable 'African Proverbs'

Today, I was reading a column by Alana Massey at the Cut; its subject was loneliness, and it mentioned an “African proverb” in passing as such:

An African proverb that I think of often says, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” I used to think it was an indictment of the solitary runner who wanted to go quickly until I realized that speed and distance are morally neutral objectives. There are times when we need to go fast and there are times when we need to go far. Some people need to do each more often than the other.

Not a wise type personally, I rarely—or more precisely, never—think about proverbs myself. But they (particularly the “African” kind) come up often enough in personal writing that I’ve developed a curiosity about their geneses. Even our contemporary ones (“never tweet,” etc) are born out of quite specific scenarios, and this one, being attributed non-extemporaneously to “Africa,” intrigued me. In a continent that stretches over 11 million square miles and holds over a billion proverb-generators, which particular structure of labor and leisure and social organization gave rise to this pithy little saying?

I Googled it. If you Google If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together, you may find yourself doing what I just did, which is reading 40 pages of search results only to turn up nothing except a wide variety of white people saying:

“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” ~African proverb.

Here’s a sampling of what I mean.

The quote is the headline of a Forbes story that opens with the morning routine of a 23-year-old white entrepreneur who owns a company called “Heyo.” The quote is on the Goodreads page of a white author of Christian fiction; in an installment called Coming Attractions, a white missionary named Eli says to a white girl named Katie:

In Africa we having [sic] a saying, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’

“Before I go back home, I want you to consider us, Katie,” the young missionary adds. This unfortunately sent me down a rabbit hole of that book, in which the characters talk about Africa like this:

On the Origin of Certain Quotable 'African Proverbs'

The quote was also named Wikipedia Quote of the Day on October 14, 2007. It is attributed to Al Gore:

There’s an old African proverb that says “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” We have to go far — quickly. And that means we have to quickly find a way to change the world’s consciousness about exactly what we’re facing, and why we have to work to solve it.

Gore appears to have said this in a quote accepting his Nobel Peace Prize that same year, and then again when he guest-starred on Season 4 of 30 Rock, on an episode that aired November 2009. To Kenneth the page, Gore goes:

You know, there’s an old African proverb that I made up. “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” We need to go far, quickly.

What else? The proverb is a lede of a “Meaning Manifesto” by a white guy named Dan who appears to be promoting his ebooks. A white woman used it in a LinkedIn article called “Lessons Learned in Africa” that starts “Summer is the time for vacations.” The quote is on a website called AnswersAfrica.com, on a page called “African Quotes: 100+ Sayings That Will Leave You Amazed.” (It’s listed as #3, right after “Always being in a hurry will not prevent death.”) Hmm. Richard Branson said it:

The quote appears in an LA Times story about the Westlake basketball team. It is a pull-quote on the corporate responsibility page of TOMS. It’s in a book about “teaching entrepreneurship to postgraduates.” It is identified as “Kenyan” in a book called Glorious & Free; it is identified as a saying of “Botswanan grandmothers” in a novel by Jodi Picoult. It is the quote of the day on the Facebook page of a Portland bakery called Pip’s Original Doughnuts. And on and on and on.

In my passing experience, the “~African Proverb” type of wisdom—extremely general, with a veneer of authenticity borrowed from the continent where human life originated—seems particularly popular among tech types, NGO types, techy NGO types, Ted Talks and evangelical Christians; this rough gesture is frequently made on Instagram and Pinterest, as well.

An image search pulls up the visual equivalent of the above situation:

On the Origin of Certain Quotable 'African Proverbs'

There are pages and pages of more:

On the Origin of Certain Quotable 'African Proverbs'

Well, if you happen to have any leads of the origin of this popular African proverb, my inbox is open. Otherwise, a good rule of thumb is—if you hear a gripping “African proverb” in a TED Talk or an episode of 30 Rock, or even just from a person who is comfortable saying “African proverb” with a straight face, you might remember:

On the Origin of Certain Quotable 'African Proverbs'

Images via screenshot, Shutterstock/Bobby Finger

"God Bless New York [a City I Hate]" -Ted Cruz 

0
0
"God Bless New York [a City I Hate]" -Ted Cruz 
Photo: AP

In New York City, you find subcultures for every sexual persuasion, bars dedicated to every football team, and food from every nation on earth. Hell, you can even find a few hundred people who support Ted Cruz.

Cruz, the official candidate of Brylcreem, has in the past denigrated “New York values,” which is a phrase meaning “anal sex and then getting an abortion, even though you don’t need to.” Another New York value, though, is a laissez-faire approach to criticism. People here don’t hold grudges. Particularly if they are a certain sort of Upper East Side residents seeking a viable candidate to cut their taxes.

This morning, a line of free people stretched halfway down 51st Street and around the corner of Fifth Avenue. These people were waiting to see a novelty: a speech by Ted Cruz in New York City. Inside of the cramped event space (gold plastic chairs, heavy curtains, high ceilings, two chandeliers—cheap knockoff of the White House) several hundred sat shoulder to shoulder waiting to see if, perhaps, this smarmy Texan opportunist could be a better solution for the Republican Party than the smarmy New York opportunist they all found distasteful. The crowd was heavy on businessman types with suits tailored a little too tightly around the waist, and middle-aged women with unnaturally pouty lips who help to support our city’s thriving cosmetic surgery industry.

I sat in the back row. As the peppy chairwoman of the Manhattan Republicans began her introduction, a flood of photographers moved in my direction. Was there something behind me?

"God Bless New York [a City I Hate]" -Ted Cruz 

Ahhh

"God Bless New York [a City I Hate]" -Ted Cruz 

AHHHHHH!

The security at this event was not very tight, which is neither here nor there.

“God bless New York,” Cruz said upon taking the stage. This seemed to differ from his previous statements, but no one rose to point it out. As he launched into his stump speech, it became clear that he had made little effort to tailor it to this particular audience.

“I want to talk to all the single moms who are here, who are working two or three jobs...” he said. The room full of Upper East Side SoulCycle aficionados who pay someone to blow-dry their hair leaned forward attentively. “I want to talk to all the truck drivers... all the men and women with calluses on your hands,” Cruz said. The room full of financiers playing hooky from work unbuttoned their suit buttons so as to allow for easier clapping. “We’re gonna rein in the EPA, and the CFPB!” Cruz thundered. In this, he had read the room correctly: no one in this crowd needed a government agency to protect their finances. They were the ones the CFPB is meant to protect people from.

Cruz name-dropped various New York Democrats, derisively. None drew a louder negative reaction than “Charlie Rangel.” What is the one quality that might make Republicans hate Charlie Rangel even more than Eliot Spitzer, Anthony Weiner, Andrew Cuomo, or Bill de Blasio? I can’t think of anything.

After applause lines, Cruz would pause, and slip his lower lip over his upper lip, a tic that lends the superficial appearance of thoughtfulness but which he repeats often enough that it could qualify as obsessive-compulsive. He speaks with the exaggerated seriousness of a mediocre character actor playing a hard-nosed prosecutor on Law & Order. “Given the choice between terrorists and criminals on one side, and the brave men and women of law enforcement on the other side,” Cruz assured us, “I will stand with law enforcement every time!”

He may lose the terrorist vote, but that is the sort of uncompromising leader that he is.

One year ago today, Ted Cruz launched his campaign for president. There are many, many Republicans who despise Ted Cruz who never would have suspected one year ago that they would be desperate enough to support Ted Cruz for president today. Yet here we are. “New York—is gonna be a battleground,” he intoned at the conclusion of his speech. It sure won’t. Outside of that room on 51st street, millions of New Yorkers went about their day. They ass-fucked, gay married, did pornography, spoke profanity, and unashamedly went to mosques. But they would never, ever cast a vote for Ted Cruz. Even New York City doesn’t get that wild.


NYPD Cops Cuff On-Duty Mailman for Yelling at Them While He Delivered Mail

0
0
NYPD Cops Cuff On-Duty Mailman for Yelling at Them While He Delivered Mail

The NYPD can be relied on to take down or arrest all manner of dangerous criminal in New York: drug dealer, gang man, subway knifer, extremely famous tennis star, murderer, burglar, sidewalk griller. Now we can add another class of lowlife to the list: friendly neighborhood mailman.

Video circulating today shows a group of plainclothes officers cuffing a uniformed U.S. Postal Service worker named Glenn Grays as he makes his rounds, delivering packages from house to house in Crown Heights. The footage begins after their altercation has already started, so we don’t know exactly what’s going on, but according to Grays, he had previously shouted at the cops for nearly hitting his truck with their police cruiser.

In the video, we see the officers asking the mailman for identification, which he says is in his truck. Shortly thereafter, they cuff him and put him in the back of the car. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who called for NYPD Internal Affairs to investigate the officers, said Grays was issued a summons at the station and released.

Another potential threat off the streets. Good work, boys.

Report: Brussels Suicide Bomber Was Paris Bombmaker

0
0
Report: Brussels Suicide Bomber Was Paris Bombmaker

According to the Washington Post, Najim Laachraoui, 24, who died after detonating a suicide bomb at Zaventem airport in Brussels yesterday, is believed to have also helped make explosives used (poorly) in ISIS’ attacks in Paris:

An Islamic State bombmaker whose DNA connected him to November’s Paris attacks was one of two suicide bombers at Brussels Airport, two intelligence officials said Wednesday, the strongest link yet between two Islamic State attacks that have stunned Europe with their power and planning.

Per the Post, two other attackers have been identified: Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, 29, who was the second suicide bomber at the airport, and his younger brother Khalid el-Bakraoui, 27, who blew himself up in a Brussels metro station.

The fourth accomplice is the man shown in an image released by police yesterday, who is believed to have left the airport immediately before the attacks. It’s unclear if police have yet to identify that man or if they have chosen to temporarily withhold his name.

The two attacks in Brussels are believed to have killed at least 30 while injuring another 230. Yesterday, ISIS claimed responsibility for the offensive.

Gawker Has a Real Plan to Defeat ISIS

0
0
Gawker Has a Real Plan to Defeat ISIS

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton released, via Twitter, the details of her “three-part plan to defeat ISIS in the Middle East, around the world, and here at home.” With all due respect to the former secretary of state, here is Gawker’s plan:

  1. Take ‘em out.
  2. Stop ‘em.
  3. Don’t let ‘em in.

Now. Let’s get to work.

No, Tinder, I Do Not Want to Bang Bernie

0
0
No, Tinder, I Do Not Want to Bang Bernie
Feel the Bern, awwwww yeah. (Getty)

Tinder, the dating equivalent of trying on a bunch of different pairs of pants before giving up and eating some cheese fries, just announced a new feature called Swipe the Vote.

The goal, ostensibly, is to enable young people to become more politically aware while they swipe through potential fuck partners. Starting today, users can expect to come across a special video card—built by an online polling platform called, for some reason, Wedgies—that invites them to swipe left or right on a variety of relevant political issues. Swipe the Vote will then cough up the presidential candidate that best matches the user’s preferences.

No, Tinder, I Do Not Want to Bang Bernie

The poll includes questions about hot-button topics like same-sex marriage, reproductive rights, military spending, the legalization of marijuana, raising the minimum wage, and abolishing the death penalty. According to Tinder, it’s designed to help clarify things for millennial voters who might be unfamiliar with the current American electoral circus, which is currently under siege by a runaway cheese whiz-hued clown with small hands.

My own presidential match was Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, whom I agreed with a whopping 90% of the time. This is great and all—it is true, I do enjoy Feeling the Bern every so often—except for the fact that I don’t want to think about a cranky, balding socialist while I’m trying to get laid.

No, Tinder, I Do Not Want to Bang Bernie

There is a good reason that “don’t talk about politics” is a cardinal rule of first dates. Nobody wants to think about Ted Cruz’s demon spittle while they’re also thinking about a dick. Seriously, coming across politicians while scoping out the bone zone is about the biggest turn-off imaginable. No one is on Tinder to be politically active, unless you’re one of those assholes who proudly displays “#BernieBro” or “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” in your profile because you think it will get you some ass. If you’re trying to do that, go to a DC-area bar where such advances will be welcome and normal and not offensive.

I get the impulse. Young people are an important voting bloc, and the more informed and active they are, the better. Helping people figure out what the candidates actually believe in is valuable. The “register to vote” tab at the end of the whole ordeal is a noble and worthy addition. But there are other ways to engage young people in the electoral system without dipping into the same trough that they use to find their next warm body. Politics is decidedly not hot, and it’s unclear why Tinder thought it would be a good idea to mix sex and politics. Have we learned nothing?

Also, what the hell is Tinder doing with all this handy data?

In any case, I’m not an American citizen, so I can’t vote anyway. Joke’s on you, Tinder. Now, let me get back to my thirstmongering.

Brooklyn DA Not Seeking Prison Time for Former Cop Convicted in Deadly Akai Gurley Shooting

0
0
Brooklyn DA Not Seeking Prison Time for Former Cop Convicted in Deadly Akai Gurley Shooting

The Brooklyn district attorney, Ken Thompson, is not seeking prison time for former New York City police officer Peter Liang, convicted of manslaughter last month in the fatal shooting of Akai Gurley, per sentencing recommendations submitted to the State Supreme Court on Wednesday.

http://gawker.com/jury-finds-nyp...

Thompson has recommended five years of probation, including six months of home confinement, for Liang, who is due to be sentenced next month. The rookie cop shot and killed Gurley, 28, in a poorly-lit stairwell in East New York’s Louis H. Pink Houses in November 2014. Gurley was unarmed and visiting his girlfriend. The case, Thompson said in a statement, according to the New York Times, was about “justice and not about revenge.”

“Mr. Liang has no prior criminal history and poses no future threat to public safety,” the district attorney wrote in his sentencing letter, addressed to the judge. (Sentencing in the case is ultimately at the judge’s discretion.) “Because his incarceration is not necessary to protect the public, and because of the unique circumstances of this case, a prison sentence is not warranted.”

Gurley’s mother, aunt, and stepfather expressed their disappointment in a statement. “We are outraged at District Attorney Thompson’s inadequate sentencing recommendation,” they said, according to the New York Daily News. “Officer Liang was convicted of manslaughter and should serve time in prison for his crime.”

“This sentencing recommendation sends the message that police officers who kill people should not face serious consequences,” the family’s statement continued.

“There is no evidence that the defendant intended to kill or even injure Mr. Gurley,” Thompson wrote in his sentencing letter. “There are no winners here.”

Rush Limbaugh Praises Ted Cruz's Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent 

0
0
Rush Limbaugh Praises Ted Cruz's Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent 

Rush Limbaugh, like an evil dad in a sports movie giving his antagonist son a stern sideline pep talk, has claimed that the media is bullying Ted Cruz because we’re jealous of his many excellent qualities, which he outlined as “IQ,” “intelligence,” “talent,” and “ability.” Yas gawd!

Cruz—an admittedly easy target thanks to the fact that he is both awful and bears striking resemblance to the ferryman of the River Styx—has been getting smacked around in the press a bit more than usual of late following several violently off-the-wall comments he made in the aftermath of the Brussels attacks, including declaring that Muslim neighborhoods ought to be “patrolled.” In interviews on Wednesday, Limbaugh was like, sashay away, media!!

Via Politico:

“Why do they hate Ted Cruz so much? Well yeah, partly it’s because he’s conservative. But why hate that?” said Limbaugh, who has not endorsed. “It’s more than—it’s threatening. And I’m just going to tell you in the case of Ted Cruz, every damned one of these people knows full well that they are not in his league in terms of IQ, in terms of intelligence, in terms of talent and ability. They can’t compete with him.”

Limbaugh continued, claiming that the media perceives Ted Cruz as a “threat” (uh, yes, guilty!) who boasts a “raw native intelligence”—which I believe roughly translates to fanatical xenophobic realness, y’all! Werk!


Images via Getty.

Donald Trump Isn't the Only One in His Campaign Interested in What White Supremacists on Twitter Have to Say

0
0
Donald Trump Isn't the Only One in His Campaign Interested in What White Supremacists on Twitter Have to Say
Photo: AP

Individual instances of Donald Trump’s (seemingly ambivalent) embrace of Twitter’s white supremacist community have been well documented. However, according to a report from Fortune, Trump’s affinity for right-wing social media accounts goes beyond intermittent retweets.

Freelance reporter Ben Kharakh and Fortune editor Dan Primack partnered with social media analytics firm Little Bird to generate a ranked list of just under 2,000 #WhiteGenocide “influencers.” They found that Trump has retweeted at least 75 users who follow at least three of the top 50 #WhiteGenocide influencers, and a majority of the accounts Trump has retweeted are, in turn, followed by more than 100 such influencers.

“The retweets are based solely on the content, not the personal views of those individuals as they are not vetted, known or of interest to the candidate or the campaign,” campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said.

(Others—like Andrew Anglin, editor of white supremacist blog The Daily Stormer—have a different theory. “Our Glorious Leader and ULTIMATE SAVIOR has gone full-wink-wink-wink to his most aggressive supporters,” Anglin wrote in January. “Where as the odd White genocide tweet could be a random occurrence, it isn’t statistically possible that two of them back to back could be a random occurrence. It could only be deliberate.”)

It’s not just Trump, though: Katrina Pierson, his national campaign spokesperson, who is black, follows the account @Genophilia, which topped Little Bird’s list of #WhiteGenocide influencers.

Pierson also follows #WhiteGenocide influencer @Trumphat, who has tweeted that he looks forward to seeing people “swing from lampposts” on the #DOTR, which stands for Day of the Rope ― a seminal event in the racist Turner Diaries novels that inspired Timothy McVeigh.

There’s more: Read the Fortune piece.


Leaked Audio: Alabama Governor Tells Advisor That He Cherishes Touching Her Breasts

0
0

This morning, a recently deposed top police officer in Alabama told AL.com that he had heard audio of the state’s governor, Robert Bentley, having a sexually charged conversation with Rebekah Caldwell Mason, a top advisor who, dating back to last year, has been rumored to be the governor’s mistress. Late this afternoon, the audio of that conversation leaked, forcing Bentley to hold a press conference in which he apologized for his remarks while still maintaining that he and Mason never had an affair.

http://gawker.com/ex-police-offi...

You can hear the audio above. The recording is from 2014 but is of unknown origin (though local muckrakers, who have been on the Bentley affair story since the beginning, say they know). It captures one side of a phone conversation between Bentley and Mason, with her voice unheard. Here are some highlights, all quotes from the governor:

  • “You kiss me. I love that. You know I do love that.”
  • “You know what, when I stand behind you and I put my arms around you, and I put my hands on your breasts, and I put my hands on you [unintelligible] and pull you real close...”
  • “Hey, I love that too, putting my hands under you.”
  • “Oh, great. I think about that right now, so let’s do it.”
  • “Yeah, I could tell you were thinking about—I could tell you were thinking about it last night.”
  • “It’s okay, everything is going to be fine. We’re going to be alright this week.”
  • “I love you. I love to talk to you. I do.”
  • “But baby, lemme tell you what we’re gonna have to do tonight: Start locking the door. If we’re gonna do what we did the other day, we’re gonna have to start locking the door.”

It’s about to be the Horny Time. Does this get you in the mood?

In his press conference late this afternoon, Bentley admitted that the audio is indeed between him and Mason. Nonetheless, he still tried to thread an impossible needle. Via AL.com:

Bentley said his comments, captured on recordings in 2014, have hurt his family and Mason’s. He called today “a difficult day.”

He repeated over and over that his sins were in the words he used in talking to Mason, nothing more.

When asked to comment on the recordings – part of which include Bentley describing how he liked the come up behind the woman and touch her breasts – he clarified that it was not a “sexual relationship.”

It’s hard to fathom how Bentley can assert that he and Mason did not have a sexual relationship. He seems to make several references to sex, saying to Mason that “I could tell you were thinking about it last night” and “we’re gonna have to start locking the door.” At the very least, he admits to touching her breasts. The alternative that he’s proposing—that he didn’t have a sexual relationship with Mason but did feel her up—is actually worse than if they were having an affair. It would be, potentially, sexual assault, or, at the very least, highly inappropriate workplace behavior that would easily make the case for him to resign his office.

Of course, that might happen anyway. Bentley, despite his insistence to the contrary, was caught speaking sexually to a subordinate at a time in which he was still married to his wife, whom he separated from in January 2015 before officially divorcing in September. Republicans in his state have already pressed the attorney general to investigate whether Bentley used state funds to cover up the affair, and the leaking of this audio only figures to add fuel to those flames.

Judge Dismisses Federal Lawsuit Against Donald Trump's Modeling Agency

0
0
Judge Dismisses Federal Lawsuit Against Donald Trump's Modeling Agency
Donald Trump enjoys attention from his wife Melania and Heidi Klum in 2008. Photo: AP

On Wednesday, a federal judge in Manhattan dismissed a lawsuit filed against Trump Model Management, ruling that Alexia Palmer, the Jamaican model who brought the putative class-action suit, had provided insufficient evidence that she’d been defrauded or had been denied fair wages.

According to Palmer’s complaint, filed in October 2014, the modeling agency owned and founded by Donald Trump, had promised her $75,000 a year and “a life of glamour in Soho clubs and on catwalks.”

Judge Dismisses Federal Lawsuit Against Donald Trump's Modeling Agency

By the conclusion of her three-year contract—during which time she worked on twenty one different projects, exclusively through Trump Model Management—Palmer alleges she was paid just $3,880.75, after the agency withheld nearly 80 percent of her earnings, calling it “expenses.” She sought a quarter-million dollars in back pay.

Further, Palmer accused Trump’s modeling agency of orchestrating a scheme whereby foreign models were lured to the United States with the promise of a H-1B visa. “Such misrepresentation was made solely to evade immigration laws and to perpetrate Defendants’ fraudulent scheme of exploiting non-immigrant workers by grossly underpaying them,” the complaint alleges.

Judge Dismisses Federal Lawsuit Against Donald Trump's Modeling Agency

Donald Trump himself, who founded the agency in 1999, was not named in the suit. At one point, Melania Trump (then Melania Knauss) was under contract with Trump Model Management. From the Trump Organization website:

With a name that symbolizes success, the agency has risen to the top of the fashion market, producing models that appear on the pages of magazines such as Vogue, on designer runways, in advertising campaigns and blockbuster movies...Trump Model Management is an expression of exquisite beauty and contemporary style.

The Republican frontrunner’s lawyers called the case “frivolous” and “without merit,” Reuters reports. But U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres’s dismissal had less to do with the relative merits of the case, and more to do with the fact that Palmer didn’t really argue it in the right way. For one thing, she didn’t even say how many hours she worked, which made it impossible to determine what her hourly wage even was.

In any event, the suit was dismissed without prejudice. Palmer’s lawyer, Naresh Gehi, said he plans to file a complaint with the Labor Department—which is what he should have done in the first place. CNN Money reports:

If a complaint was deemed valid by the Labor Department, the agency could require that the modeling agency pay Palmer back wages, along with financial penalties of up to $35,000 per violation. It could also bar the agency from receiving future H-1B visas and even file criminal charges if it is determined that fraud has occurred.

“We are not backing down on this case,” said Gehi. “This is the beginning of a battle.”

If the suit were to move forward as a class action, it would bring further attention to the fact that Trump, who is very adamant about protecting America’s borders and American jobs, has exploited loopholes in labor laws to employ and exploit many foreign workers. In fact, Reuters reported last year, since 2000, Trump-owned business have sought to import more than 1,100 workers from abroad.

Who Gave Obama a Second Glass of Champagne?

0
0
Who Gave Obama a Second Glass of Champagne?

The Obamas are in Argentina, where they both gamely danced the tango last night at a state dinner. Parents are so embarrassing.

Starbucks: Shut Up and Make Coffee That Isn't Garbage

0
0
Starbucks: Shut Up and Make Coffee That Isn't Garbage
Photo: Getty

Inside today’s Wall Street Journal and New York Times are two different, full-page ads about essentially nothing draped in the rhetoric of social justice written by what I imagine was a third party branding agency at the behest of a CEO in order to promote the pseudo-advocacy of a sprawling American coffee chain. We live in dumb, predictable times.

http://gawker.com/starbucks-to-s...

Take a look at this poem of nothingness and tell me if you can discern a single actual scruple or stance being taken:

What is an “Upstander”?

Does the ad in the Journal make any more sense?

No.

“This is not about the choices we make every four years.
This is about the choices we make every single day.”

Starbucks: Please choose every day to stop cheapening the national discourse.

http://gawker.com/brands-are-not...

Ted Cruz's Economic Adviser: Guy Who Was a Direct Cause of the Financial Crisis

0
0
Ted Cruz's Economic Adviser: Guy Who Was a Direct Cause of the Financial Crisis
Photo: AP

Republicans, you will be happy to know that the guy who is the sober alternative to Donald Trump is being advised on economic policy by the guy who helped lay the groundwork for most recent total collapse of the global economy.

Ted Cruz this week decided that one of his senior economic advisers will be former Texas Senator Phil Gramm—90s kids remember Phil Gramm! Looks like an old mouse and hates Bill Clinton? Yep, that’s the guy. He also has a long track record of opposing government regulation of Wall Street: “The distinguishing feature of Gramm’s career in public service is hostility to regulation in almost every form.

Cruz is aligning himself here with a man whose actions were one of the direct causes of the 2008 financial crisis. Gramm played a key role in repealing the Glass-Steagall Act, thereby allowing huge banks to start gambling with everyone’s money, which threw the global financial system into chaos when the bets went bad in 2008. Thank you for that Phil! As if that’s not enough, Gramm also ensured that the government did not regulate derivatives, the wildly abused financial instruments that made the crisis so, so much worse. Thank you for that also, Phil! Barry Ritholtz explains:

The damage caused by rolling back Glass-Steagall pales compared with what resulted from the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. Gramm was a co-sponsor of the legislation, which exempted many derivatives and swaps from regulation. Not only was the law problematic, but it veered into potential conflict-of-interest territory.

At the time the legislation was under consideration, Gramm’s wife, Wendy, was on the board of Enron, which as we now know was one of the greatest accounting fiascos in history... At Wendy Gramm’s urging, then-Senator Gramm inserted what became known as the Enron loophole into the Commodity Futures Modernization Act. This allowed Enron to avoid most regulation in its energy-trading business. Enron, coincidentally, was a major campaign contributor to the senator.

So, Ted Cruz has selected as an economic adviser a man who was a direct cause of the global financial crisis and helped to blow up Enron, as well as being thoroughly corrupt.

That’s what America is all about.

Viewing all 24829 articles
Browse latest View live


Latest Images