A man with a knife was shot and killed by police in San Francisco on Wednesday, the San Francisco Examiner’s Michael Barba reports on Twitter. Police say he matched the description of a man who had stabbed someone in the area shortly before.

Chief Suhr said that police have video of the shooting, taken by a witness. But they could not confirm whether that video was the same as one uploaded to Instagram on Wednesday evening, which, according to CBS San Francisco, appears to show the scene just before the shooting.

The video appears to show a group of officers pointing their weapons at a man who staggers away from them as they tell him to drop something. He does not drop anything, and, as the camera pulls away, at least a dozen gunshots can be heard.

According to SFPD, today’s officer-involved shooting took place near the intersection of 3rd Street and Gilman Avenue in the Bayview District. The video above seems to have been filmed at this location, which is near that intersection.

From SF Gate:

Police said they found the man nearby on the 2900 block of Keith Street, holding what appeared to be a six- to eight-inch kitchen knife. Five officers surrounded him at gunpoint and ordered him to drop the knife. An Instagram video apparently taken aboard bus recorded a bystander shouting, “Just drop it” moments before shots rang out.

Police first shot the man with lead-filled beanbag pellets, and he fell but then rose again, Police Chief Greg Suhr told reporters. With the officers surrounding him, Suhr said, the man approached one officer, still holding the knife, and was shot to death at 4:35 p.m.

Suhr said that the suspect “had already demonstrated, by committing a felony aggravated assault, that he was a danger to others, so he could not be allowed to move away from the scene.”

Contact the author of this post: brendan.oconnor@gawker.com.

Good morning.

Contact the author at ashley@gawker.com. Image via AP.

A South African appeals court overturned Oscar Pistorius’s previous conviction on lesser charges in the death of his girlfriend, and found the Olympic sprinter guilty of murder, which could carry a sentence of at least 15 years in prison.

The judgment was unanimous from the five justices presiding over the case at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein, and Judge Eric Leach, in announcing the verdict, took a moment to marvel at the scope of the tragedy.

“This case involves a human tragedy of Shakespearean proportions: a young man overcomes huge physical disabilities to reach Olympic heights as an athlete; in doing so he becomes an international celebrity; he meets a young woman of great natural beauty and a successful model; romance blossoms; and then, ironically on Valentine’s Day, all is destroyed when he takes her life.”

Pistorius, 29, shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp in their Pretoria home on Feb 14, 2013, firing through a closed bathroom door. At his trial in 2014, Pistorius testified that he believed she was a burglar. The trial judge found him guilty of culpable homicide, a lesser charge than that sought by the prosecution, one akin to manslaughter. Pistorius spent a year in prison, and is currently serving house arrest and performing community service.

While the appeals court said that Pistorius’s testimony was inconsistent, the basis for its ruling rested upon a South African legal concept called dolus eventualis—roughly, whether Pistorius should have been aware of the potential result of his actions, whether he intended that result or not.

At his first trial, the judge ruled that dolus eventualis did not apply because Pistorius did not know Steenkamp was in the bathroom. That ruling was the basis of the state’s appeal, and the judges today agreed, saying that Pistorius should have known someone behind that door could die if he fired into it, no matter who it was.

“In these circumstances, the accused must have foreseen and, therefore, did foresee that whoever was behind the toilet door might die but reconciled himself to that even occurring and gambled with that person’s life. The identity of his victim is irrelevant to his guilt.”

Murder in South Africa carries a minimum of 15 years in prison, though a lesser sentence can be imposed under exceptional circumstances. No date for Pistorius’s sentencing hearing has been set, and he is expected to remain under house arrest until then.

The IRS—the department that collects all the money that funds everything the U.S. government wants to do—is being slowly gutted. What could go wrong?

For conservatives, the IRS is an old standby for demonization. Multiple Republican presidential candidates have even advocated abolishing the IRS. Left unsaid is the fact that it is the IRS that collects all the money to pay for the stuff that Republican politicians want to do, like wars, and so forth. It’s one thing to talk about starving the governmental beast of its revenue, and grumble about the pain of filling out tax forms and waiting on hold for some bureaucrat to explain something to you; it’s another thing to explain to your constituents why all of their public services are breaking down (because you abolished the IRS—idiot!).

Even without full on abolition, though, the IRS is slowly crumbling. By political choice! Bloomberg today reports on the sorry state of the agency’s ongoing decline: “Since 2010, when Republicans won control of the House, the IRS budget has been cut $1.2 billion to this year’s $10.9 billion.” As a result, the number of IRS criminal investigators (the agents who handle the toughest criminal financial investigations) is down by more than 20 percent since 2011, and expected to continue to fall.

“This brain drain translates to fewer resources to fight tax evasion and corporate frauds.” Great.

To save a paltry $1.2 billion in the budget, Republicans have in all likelihood forsaken many, many times that amount in extra tax revenue that could have been collected had the IRS had the resources to do so. Politicians portray the IRS as the enemy, the symbol of the big bad government, and pretend that gutting the IRS is an act of rebellion against the powers that be. In fact, the people who will be best served by a weak IRS are the rich and corporate criminals.

Way to go, leaders.

[Photo: AP]

In a straight-to-VHS Mary-Kate & Ashley movie come to life, five New Jersey 5th graders were arrested yesterday after teachers discovered their plot to “bomb” another school’s assembly. Police say the 10- and 11-year-old students at Clifton Elementary School 11 made a “device” out of cinnamon and vinegar.

It would not have exploded, obviously. That didn’t stop Clifton police from taking the adorable little plotters—four girls and one boy—into custody yesterday. They were released to their parents after questioning, and no charges have yet been filed.

Sgt. Robert Bracken, a spokesman for the Clifton PD, stressed to NorthJersey.com that the kids’ plot was not a prank. “They didn’t have the right equipment, but the intent was there,” he said.

“This is very disturbing,” a grownup said about children who made a cinnamon “bomb.”

Police say the 5th graders were targeting an assembly at Clifton High School, where the big kids go. PIX 11 reports that they have been suspended from school for the time being.

[Ht New York Daily News]

Photo via ABC 7. Contact the author at allie@gawker.com.

According to a Congressional report released today, getting past the Secret Service is as easier than getting backstage at a Wham! cover band show—at least they make you buy a ticket first.

Because the Secret Service is doing something all day, but it’s not clear what: According to the new 408-page report, it’s a wonder our elected leaders are all still breathing.

There are, of course, the fuck-ups we already know about: A man armed with a knife was able to run freely through the White House. A man with a gun was allowed to get on an elevator with President Obama. Another man was able to jump over the White House fence, thanks in part to the vulnerable White House fence the Secret Service kept meaning to fix. There was the time agents waited 13 months to fix George H.W. Bush’s alarm system, opting instead to rely on “roving patrols and cameras” as a stop-gap measure. The two different agents who got caught sleeping on the job. The two drunk agents who drove their car into a White House barrier, disrupting active bomb investigation. The time the Service leaked private information to embarrass the House Oversight Committee chair.

Plus: The agent arrested for breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment. The manager suspended for sexual harassment. The agent who leaked Obama’s schedule to the Romney campaign. The agent arrested for trying to send sexual text messages to a teenage girl from the White House.

And it turns out there are more frankly terrifying security lapses of which the public was never informed:

• A man “posing as Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.)” slipped past security at a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s awards dinner last year, where he was escorted to a meet-and-greet with President Obama.
• A woman got backstage at last year’s Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, where Obama was in attendance.
• An employee was allowed to enter a Los Angeles hotel Obama was staying at “without being properly screened for weapons or having his bag checked.”
• Last spring, a “Czech citizen with an expired visa entered the property of former president George H.W. Bush and stayed for an hour without being detected.”
• And my personal favorite: Four strangers went fishing in Joe Biden’s backyard and no one noticed until a neighbor called the police.

As the report notes, “the alarm system at Biden’s home had been failing for some time.” They’ll get around to it one of these days, maybe.

[The Washington Post]

Image via AP. Contact the author at gabrielle@gawker.com.

Here are today’s front pages of New York City’s two tabloid newspapers. Which one is “better?”

NY Daily News front page retweets: 20,500
NY Post front page retweets: 500

NY Daily News front page Facebook shares: 73,000
NY Post front page Facebook shares: 1,700

More likely to stoke public anger toward craven politicians: NY Daily News
More likely to stoke public anger toward members of a minority group: NY Post

Guns are dangerous: NY Daily News
Muslims are dangerous: NY Post

Fucking Christians: NY Daily News
Fucking Muslims: NY Post

Stupid god has nothing to do with this: NY Daily News
Stupid god has everything to do with this: NY Post

Something to talk about at church I guess.

Politico correspondent Mike Allen has insisted that his obsequious attempts to secure an interview with Chelsea Clinton, in which Allen promised to conduct a “no risk” exchange and to clear interview questions beforehand, did not reflect his normal practices or Politico’s editorial standards. New emails obtained by Gawker, however, indicate Allen has repeatedly offered similar terms to at least one politician on Capitol Hill.

Earlier this week, Allen appeared to come clean about his pledge to provide positive coverage of the former First Daughter: “I said I’d agree to the questions in advance. I have never done that, and would never do that.” But in the same breath, he offered an expansive defense of his interview series with Washington figures as “spontaneous” and unscripted. “We challenge guests to address newsworthy topics, and to be original, relevant and revelatory,” he wrote. “A scripted back-and-forth would be a snore.... My bond with readers and newsmakers is built on knowing I don’t pull punches.”

But in seven emails sent in 2011 and 2012 to a senior Democratic lawmaker’s office in hopes of securing a live interview, Allen assured the opposite of a spontaneous, unscripted exchange. Instead, he repeatedly pitched a “no surprises” interview whose topics would be explicitly limited to those the lawmaker was already “comfortable discussing,” and cast himself as a “low risk” alternative to the “high-wire act of a Sunday show.”

The emails vary slightly in language, but otherwise contain the same basic terms of the following message sent in 2012 (bolding ours):

From: Mike Allen

We have chatted in the past about Playbook Breakfast as a great potential forum for [the senior Democratic lawmaker]. The innovative format gets big pickup in traditional and social media, and it’s a convenient, high-impact, low-risk way for [the senior Democratic lawmaker] to put [their] frame and stamp on a busy summer. We have a Breakfast next week, and we would be honored if [the senior Democratic lawmaker] might consider participating. We could keep it to 30 minutes, and it could be Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, at your convenience. I would take your cues on the messages and topics you want to emphasize. [Other lawmakers] all got great coverage from their Playbook Breakfast appearances and enjoyed the format, which allows the guest to show a human side as part of an extremely substantive conversation. To refresh your memory about the format:

—It’s a relaxed conversation in side-by-side chairs on a classy, Charlie Rose-ish set on the Newseum’s HD set

—an efficient way to deliver your message, drive the agenda, frame conversation

—event is livestreamed, and attended by an influential audience from the Hill, downtown, media, etc.

—“no surprises” interview: big reach and impact, without the high-wire act of a Sunday show

In this and other messages, Allen took care to emphasize the “no surprises” aspect of his interviews. “No surprises: I would stick to the subjects we discussed — no prep: all subjects [the senior Democratic lawmaker] is comfortable discussing,” Allen wrote in one. “I have a long track record of ‘no surprises.’ ... I’d love to chat about how we could maximize your comfort,” he wrote in another. Despite such highly favorable terms, the interview with the lawmaker never panned out.

It’s not as if Allen is incapable of asking pointed questions. He once asked the anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, “It sounds like Republicans are less afraid of you now. Are you like Frosty? Are you melting, losing your power before our very eyes?” But as his emails to the senior Democratic lawmaker demonstrate, Allen and his subjects tend to be wary of any unmanaged spontaneity. When Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel blew up during a Playbook Breakfast interview on Wednesday, after Allen mentioned Emanuel’s (possibly illegal) vacation plans in Cuba, the correspondent quickly issued an apology: “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that wasn’t known.”

In a statement provided to Gawker, Politico’s chief operating officer Kim Kingsley defended Allen’s softball pitch:

All of our events are open to the public, on the record, with reporters from other organizations present and video posted for all to see: I can’t imagine a more transparent process.

In all of my years in the news business, never once have I heard a reporter pitch an interview with the promise of being unfair, risky, gotcha, full of surprises or with similar terms. If you question whether or not our interviews are tough, fair, and newsworthy, read the transcripts, watch the video or ask all of the reporters in attendance.

Mike Allen declined to comment on the record. When we offered to interview him on-the-record, on the condition that we would clear our questions with him beforehand, he did not respond.

Has Allen ever promised you or your boss a “low-risk” interview? Send the emails my way.

Email: trotter@gawker.com · PGP key + fingerprint · Photo credit: Getty Images

This morning, an all white marble bust of Dick Cheney was unveiled after what amounted to a series of very uncomfortable jokes tip-toeing around the former Vice President’s role in 9/11. It was a beautiful ceremony.

Among the speakers were former President George W. Bush (who used his time to remind everyone how much more likable he is than Jeb!), Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (who used his time to mock Dubya’s paintings), and newfound Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (who maybe sort of implied that Cheney was responsible for 9/11 with the line: “No one can accuse Dick Cheney of living an inconsequential life, he was in the White House on 9/11.”).

The final marble bust chosen is a marked departure from the original design, but lovely nonetheless.

You can watch the ceremony in full below.

Contact the author at ashley@gawker.com. Screencap via CSPAN. Image via AP.

Here are the best of today’s deals. Get every great deal every day on Kinja Deals, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to never miss a deal, join us on Kinja Gear to read about great products, and on Kinja Co-Op to help us find the best.

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Netgear’s new Arlo home security system is a lot like Nest Cam, except the cameras can run off battery power, so you really can stick them anywhere. If that sounds like something you’re looking for, Amazon will sell you a 5-camera starter kit for $500, today only.

Until today, this set has only ever sold it for $625 on Amazon, so be sure to lock in your order before the price shoots back up. [Arlo Smart Home Security 5 Camera System, $500]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014TJFC5U/...

This isn’t the first time Amazon’s had a sale like this, but if your car’s wiper blades are a little worn down, you can replace them both for just $22 today.

All you have to do is add any two Valeo frameless wiper blades (shipped and sold by Amazon) to your cart, and their total price will automatically drop to $22 at checkout. If you can’t remember what sizes your car requires, Amazon has a built-in tool at the top of the page to filter the options. [Buy Any Two Valeo Wiper Blades For $22]

Note: The promotion page says this deal ended on November 30, but it still seems to be working fine.

Just in time for the holidays, Amazon’s discounting a huge collection of Razor scooters and ride-ons, ranging from $20 basic scooter to a $67 electric model all the way to an honest-to-goodness electric go-kart for $154. That’s just scratching the surface though, so scoot on over to Amazon to see the full list. [Razor Scooter Sale]

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

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

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

Update: Amazon’s sold out, but third party seller Battery Superstore has it for $44.

If you’ve caught drone fever, but don’t have $1,000 to spend on a DJI Phantom, Amazon will sell you a basic camera-equipped quadcopter today for just $39.

It should go without saying that this isn’t a professional tool by any means. The camera only shoots 720p, and the results look like something that might have come out of a 2009-era smartphone (here’s a sample video). But hey, it’s a camera in the sky for under $40! Even if you don’t want it for yourself, this could be an awesome holiday gift. [Syma X5C Quadcopter, $39]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MNG37C2?...

Update: Sold out at $6, now up to $9.

If you’re sick of swapping HDMI cords behind your TV, this 3x1 switcher is just $6 right now. I actually own this exact item, and it works fine. [PORTTA 3x1 Port HDMI Switch/Switcher, $6]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B46XUQU/...

The UE Boom Bluetooth speaker is the best you can buy, according to Gizmodo, and it’s available again for its $100 Black Friday price, the best price we’ve ever seen by a solid margin. [UE Boom, $100. Also available in white.]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2014749629...

http://gizmodo.com/the-best-bluet...

No matter how long you’ve been driving, it’s never too late to learn better habits. Automatic is a little Bluetooth dongle that plugs into your car’s OBD-II port (found on almost any car made since 1996) and communicates with your smartphone to track driving habits, mileage, and engine problems. It can even trigger IFTTT recipes! But best of all, if you’re in an accident, Automatic will automatically alert the authorities and call your family, no subscription required.

Automatic normally sells for $100, but today you can take advantage of a $20 discount. [Automatic Smart Driving Assistant, $80]

Jabra’s MOVE Bluetooth headphones are Gizmodo’s top entry-level pick in the category, and Amazon’s marked them down to an all-time low price today.

In addition to great looks, the MOVE features 8 hours of active battery life, and nearly two weeks of standby time, meaning you shouldn’t have to babysit the battery. Plus, you get a built-in microphone for calls, and a removable cable so you can use them on an airplane as well. Most importantly though, Gizmodo claims they sound just as good as Jabra’s excellent REVO headphones, which retail for nearly twice as much. [Jabra MOVE Bluetooth Headphones, $60]

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

Want to liven up your house for the holidays? This 33’ strand of copper string lights comes with a remote and multiple brightness settings and blinking modes. Come January, you can stuff them in an empty wine bottle and sell it on Etsy for $40, or something. [Inateck Remote Controlled Copper Wire 100 LED String Lights, $18 with code WJDUDUVE]

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

simplehuman, purveyor of the best trash cans and paper towel holders money can buy, also has a tension bar shower caddy, and it’s down to its lowest price of the year today. [simplehuman Adjustable Tension Shower Caddy, $97]

http://www.amazon.com/simplehuman-Ad...

If you’re happy with your salt & pepper grinders, I’m not here to convince you to replace them. Nope. All I’m saying is that you could use one of these for Nacho Cheesier, and the other for Cooler Ranch. [Attmu Salt and Pepper Grinder Set, $10 with code 6KDYR5RH]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q6FARQ0

Here’s a nice Cyber Monday surprise: 50 critically acclaimed films in one $124 package. This was a few bucks cheaper on Cyber Monday, but this is still a fantastic price if you missed out. [Warner Bros 50 Film Collection, $124]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009L0LEDW?...

Uniqlo, the Japanese export with a soft spot for primary colors, is hosting some splendid deals on all kinds of outerwear. Running the gamut from cashmere cardigans to fleece zip-ups, the sale is perfectly primed for winter hibernation. And, here’s the best part: If you spend $100, Uniqlo will shave off $15 with the code DEALS. Below we’ve assembled a few of our favorites, ready for your judgement!

• Heattech Knitted Cap ($10)
• Heattech Knitted Gloves ($10)

Women’s

• Full-Zip Hoodie ($20)
• Sweatpants ($20)
• Fleece Zip-Up Jacket ($15)
• Light Down Hooded Coat ($100)
• Warm Tech Down Coat ($150)
• Wool Blended Duffle Coat ($100)
• Collarless Coat ($100)
• Heat Tech Skinny Fit Jeans ($30)

Men’s

• Lambswool V-Neck Sweater ($20)
• Cashmere V-Neck Sweater ($70)
• Heat Tech Slim Jeans ($30)
• Seamless Down Coat ($130)
• Wool Blended Duffle Coat ($130)
• Down Jacket ($80)
• Fleece Faux Shearling Jacket ($40)
• Sweatpants ($20)

The best selling piece of cookware we’ve ever posted is back down to its all-time low price. If you enjoy spending time in the kitchen, you shouldn’t hesitate.

This All-Clad 12” skillet features a durable stainless steel cooking surface, an even and rapid-heating aluminum core, and a beautiful stainless exterior, all sandwiched together to create the ultimate pan. And, like all All-Clad items, it comes with a lifetime warranty, though you probably won’t need it as long as you treat it well. [All-Clad 12” Tri-Ply Skillet, $90]

http://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-Stain...

Here’s another new TV deal, if nothing struck your fancy during Black Friday. Prime members can upgrade to a 50” Vizio M-series 4K TV for just $599 (discount shown at checkout), which is the best price we’ve ever seen. That comes complete with local dimming, smart apps, and a well-reviewed upscaling engine for 1080p content. [Vizio M-Series 50” 4K, $599 for Prime Members]

http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-M50-C1-5...

Need a bigger TV?

Samsung UN55JU6400 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED HDTV (2015 Model) ($798) | Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010Q8G3TC/...

Samsung UN65JU6400 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED HDTV (2015 Model) ($1300) | Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010Q8G35Q/...

iTunes gift cards make great holiday gifts, and while they’re on sale, you should probably grab some for yourself as well. [$100 iTunes Gift Card, $80]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2621431615...

Amazon can’t deliver this Monty Python and the Holy Grail Blu-ray by drone (yet), but hopefully, they’ll tie it between a couple of swallows and send it straight to your front door. [Monty Python and the Holy Grail 40th Anniversary Edition, $10]

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

If you’ve ever spent more than 5 seconds sorting through your mismatched leftover containers to find the right lid, it’s time to throw them all out and upgrade to this 42-piece Rubbermaid system.

The set comes with 21 containers in six different sizes, and yet you only have to deal with three different sizes of lids, making it much easier to find the right one. Personally, I prefer glass storage sets like this one from Pyrex, but if you want to maximize the number of containers you get for your money, this is your best bet. [Rubbermaid Easy Find Lid Food Storage Set, Plastic, 42-Piece, $15]

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

Tech

Storage

• Inateck 2.5 Inch USB 3.0 Hard drive Case supporting UASP & USB-C Port with Type C Cable ($22) | Amazon | Use code 3AY8SWTR

Power

• ORICO Desktop 8 Outlets Power Strip with USB Charging Ports Black/White ($20) | Amazon | Use code VSZ8LN3R
• Mpow Apple MFI Certified 8-Pin Lightning Cable ($6) | amazon | Use code N6W7UVQC

Audio

• UE Boom Wireless Speaker ($100) | Best Buy
• Sabrent 3.5mm Gold Plated Premium Auxiliary Male To Male AUX Cable ($2) | Amazon | Use code SQZ7H6BS
• Blackzebra Wireless Stereo Sports Headphones ($11) | Amazon | Promo code YY7OZ3JS
• Jabra MOVE Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headset black ($60) | Amazon

Home Theater

• Energy Connoisseur CS-30 Soundbar with 8” Wireless Subwoofer ($350) | Best Buy
• Definitive Technology ProCinema 600 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System ($549) | Best Buy
• PORTTA 3x1 Port HDMI Switch/Switcher ($6) | Amazon
• Energy CB-10 Bookshelf Speakers ($100) | Newegg

Computers & Accessories

• Get a Logitech.com 20% Off code for Watching a Short Animated GIF
• HP Pavilion 22xw 21.5-in IPS LED Backlit Monitor ($100) | Amazon
• Inateck Unibody Aluminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub with 1ft USB 3.0 Cable ($10) | Amazon | Use code ZKSP93QN

PC Parts

• Team Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory ($58) | Newegg

Mobile Devices

• Rocketfish MHL HDTV Adapter ($10) | Best Buy
• HP 8 G2-1411 8-Inch 16 GB Tablet ($100) | Amazon
• Acer Iconia One 8-Inch HD Tablet ($80) | Amazon
• Cambond iPhone 6s/6 Case ($6) | Amazon | Use code 7LJ8D4CS

Photography

• Syma X5C Explorers 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter With HD Camera ($39) | Amazon

Home

• Inateck 33ft Waterproof Starry String Lights, Copper Wire 100 LED String Lights with 24 Key IR Remote Control ($18) | Amazon | Use code WJDUDUVE
• Mr Beams MB390 300-Lumen Weatherproof Wireless Battery Powered LED Ultra Bright Spotlight with Motion Sensor ($20) | Amazon
• Mpow Solar Powerd 4 LED Sensor Light ($10) | Amazon | Use code VAFNAC4J
• Riedel Ouverture Red and White Magnum Glass and Champagne Flute 12-Piece Set ($60) | Amazon
• Bissell SpotClean ProHeat Carpet Cleaner ($55) | Target | Use code TGT26RYS
• Panasonic 720p Day/Night H.264 Wireless Network Camera ($40) | B&H
• Arlo Smart Home Security 5 Camera System ($500) | Amazon
• Extra 20% off plus Another 20% Off with Stackable Codes SAVE20 and 20MORE at Samsonite
• LUCID 4 Inch Folding Mattress and Sofa with Removable Indoor / Outdoor Fabric Cover ($90) | Amazon
• Sherpa Delta Deluxe Pet Carrier, Medium ($24) | Amazon
• Homitex Stainless Steel Soap Dispenser ($11) | Amazon | Promo code WNY2I4CL
• simplehuman Adjustable Tension Shower Caddy ($97) | Amazon
• Leyaron 12 Pack Corner Edge Protector ($8) | Amazon | Use code UK2D63UG

Beauty & Grooming

• BESTOPE 24PCs Makeup Brush Set ($19) | Amazon | Use code GADXFGKL
• BESTOPE 32PCs Synthetic Kakubi Cosmetic Makeup Brush Set ($16) | Amazon | Use code ENU5QKT9

Kitchen

• Calphalon Contemporary Hard-Anodized Aluminum Nonstick Cookware, Omelette Pan, 10-inch and 12-inch Set ($37) | Amazon
• George Foreman Indoor Ceramic Grill ($30) | Target
• Hario VDC-02W V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper ($15) | Amazon
• Dr.meter Digital Instant Read LCD Food Thermometer Temperature Meter ($8) | Amazon | Use code YZ9HSJRC
• Attmu Salt and Pepper Grinder Set ($10) | Amazon | Use code 6KDYR5RH

Fitness

• Teeter EP-560 Ltd Inversion Table with Back Pain Relief Kit ($225) | Amazon

Apparel

• Patagonia 50% Off Past-Season Sale
• Take 50% Off Sitewide at Puma with Code FAMILY1215
• $50 ASICS Gift Card ($20) | Groupon | Use code GIFT20
• 40% Off at GAP with Code HURRY
• Vera Bradley Smartphone Wristlet ($14) | eBay
• Osprey FlapJill Mini Shoulder Bag ($30) | REI

Camping & Outdoors

• Hanging Hammock Chair ($20) | eBay
• Coleman ComfortSmart Cot ($44) | Amazon
• Intex Queen Pillow Rest Classic Airbed ($30) | Sears

Tools & Auto

• Dremel 4000-6/50 120-Volt Variable-Speed Rotary Tool with 50 Accessories ($95) | Amazon
• Dremel 8220-2/28 12-Volt Max Cordless Rotary Tool with 28 Accessories ($95) | Amazon
• Ryobi ONE+ 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit (5-Piece) ($134) | Home Depot | Use Code HDHOLIDAY
• Craftsman Evolv 18.0 Volt Cordless Drill Driver ($30) | Sears
• WEN 8 in. 5 Speed Drill Press ($55) | Home Depot | Use Code HDHOLIDAY
• Portamate Wood Rack ($30) | Lowes
• Craftsman 6-Drawer Homeowner Tool Center ($100) | Sears
• Etekcity MSR-R500 Digital Multimeter / DMM / Multi Tester with Square Wave Output ($11) | Amazon | Use code I3GF4K7O

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It’s one of the most tantalizing rumors on the internet. Aleister Crowley, one of the most famous masters of the occult ever, was secretly the father of Barbara Bush—and thus, also the grandfather of George W. Bush and Jeb Bush. Is it true? Do we care?

The notion that Crowley could be the grandfather of one of the two or three best presidents of the 21st century has gone beyond the internet—a cursory search finds this idea in a number of books, including a recent Chuck Klosterman volume. The evidence boils down to claims that Barbara Bush’s mother, Pauline Pierce, was in Paris in the 1920s and apparently “partied” with Crowley, eight months before Barbara was born. And according to some websites, there were “sexcapades.”

After digging for a bit, you soon discover that the “Crowley is Barbara Bush’s biological father” rumor comes from a single source: an article on the website Cannonfire, whose author claims to have access to Crowley’s diaries, along with information from a “sixth-level initiate of the Ordo Templi Orientis, the organization Crowley founded in the 1920s. Even in this article, there’s no actual proof that Crowley had sex with Pierce, but apparently she may have been one of four people who helped Crowley explore sex magick, in a ritual called the rite of Eroto-Comotose Lucidity. This ritual was supposed to help Crowley reach the “Grade of Ipsissimus, the highest magickal achievement within his order.”

I’m not going to keep you in suspense any longer—because numbers (including dates) are often significant in the world of the occult, it’s worth noting the date of the Cannonfire article: April 1, 2006.

So the only source for the “Crowley is Barbara Bush’s biological father” rumor was published on April Fool’s Day. But does that necessarily mean we must dismiss this idea out of hand? To find out if there could possibly be any truth to this notion, I contacted Tobias Churton, author of Aleister Crowley: The Biography.

http://www.amazon.com/Aleister-Crowl...

Here’s what Churton told me, via email:

I did see a report of the story which caused a flutter a few years ago. It relied on a supposition that a certain lady slept with AC when he was living in Paris 1924-1929.

AC slept with quite a lot of women during the period, including photographer Berenice Abbott and others I could name, but I had not seen the name of the lady in question in his diary.

Apparently they had a mutual friend. Sex as a sacrament was very important to AC and he would record all operations or “works” as he called them (in the alchemical sense). There are, however, a few gaps in the diary.

Crowley was very well known in artistic circles in Montparnasse and was highly gregarious, so the chances of the lady being charmed by AC, as many other women were, is high; but there is no direct evidence, that I am aware of, that could lend conviction to the hypothesis that the lady’s pregnancy was the result of a passion for AC.

The fact that Crowley recorded all his sex acts in his diary as part of his mystical practice, and Pierce isn’t in there, is probably kind of a bad sign. But just because there’s no evidence that it happened, and plenty of evidence that it didn’t, doesn’t mean we can’t go on spreading it on the internet, right? Remember: “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.”

Image of George W. Bush via Associated Press.

Charlie Jane Anders is the author of All The Birds in the Sky, coming in January from Tor Books. Follow her on Twitter, and email her.

A Maryland police officer who put a gun to a man’s head last year—in an apparent effort to show off for his dumb New Jersey friends—was convicted of first-degree assault and misconduct in office yesterday. The Washington Post reports that the Officer Jenchesky Santiago of the Prince George’s County Police Department will serve at least five years in jail for the conviction.

The PGPD released cellphone video of the terrifying May 2014 incident, which began as a traffic stop, yesterday on YouTube. In the clip, Santiago points his gun right at the victim William Cunningham’s head and yells, “I dare you to fucking fight me, son.”

Witnesses say Santiago also yelled off-camera, “We’re PG police, and we shoot people.”

Prince George County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks tells the Post that the incident began when Santiago pulled up outside Cunningham’s home, where Cunningham’s cousin was attempting to drop Cunningham off. Santiago told the two men that their car was parked illegally—it wasn’t—and repeatedly asked them what they were doing there, even after they explained that it was Cunningham’s home.

Per Alsobrooks, Cunningham then said he would go inside and got out of the car. That’s when Santiago parked his car, ran up to Cunningham, and pulled out his gun.

Alsobrooks tells the Post Santiago exhibited this violent and straight-up insane behavior because, “we think, unfortunately, what happened is that he was showing off for his friends.”

(Santiago had two friends from New Jersey in his squad car when he stopped Cunningham, even though he was reportedly “not authorized to bring along visitors.”)

The video above shows the rest of the horrifying incident. Cunningham told the Post of the encounter, “I was shocked. At the instant he pointed the gun to my head, I was shocked...I thought I was going to die right there. I just thought it was over.”

The mandatory minimum sentence for Santiago’s crime is five years without parole, but he could be sentenced to up to 45 years. He has already been suspended from the force without pay. Police Chief Mark Magaw said Santiago’s behavior was “among the worst I’ve seen as Chief of Police” in a statement yesterday.

“Among the worst.”

Contact the author at allie@gawker.com.

At a campaign rally in Manassas, Virginia, yesterday, Donald Trump hoisted a young boy into the air so that he could ask a darling little question: “What will the wall be made out of?”

The wall the boy was referring to, of course, is the one Trump wants to build to keep Mexican immigrants from entering the United States. “So cute!” Trump cried, before kissing the boy’s head.

Everything the light touches is America goddammit and we do not allow foreign people here.

[H/T Jay Yarow]

Contact the author at allie@gawker.com.

A foolproof way to feel good about yourself this holiday season is to send a message to a survivor of prison sexual abuse.

And it’s your lucky day: the group Just Detention International allows you to do just that right on their website.

Contrary to their mean reputations, Gawker readers have in fact sent thousands of these messages in past years when we posted this charity on our site. Just Detention’s staff has sent along to us a few examples of responses from prisoners who received these holiday messages

From Juvencia, a survivor of sexual abuse in a Colorado prison: “Just knowing that there are so many people who care about how inmates are being treated makes all the difference. I truly appreciate it — thank you.”

From Ivory, a survivor of sexual abuse in a Texas prison: “It fills my eyes with tears of joy to know and understand that someone really does care. Being here in this wicked environment, having to accept so much cruelty and physical abuse, I’d like very much to thank JDI and their many supporters.”

From Ca’Linda, a survivor of sexual abuse in a Kentucky prison: “In this cold lonely world I often wonder if anyone cares, if I’m truly as alone as I often feel. Today I received a lot of cards from the JDI supporters and as I read them I cried tears of joy. I’ve been in solitary isolation for 4 years and I’ve often regretted telling on my abuser but today I’m glad I did because I know there are people out there who genuinely care. I can’t thank you enough for letting me I’m not forgotten. That I matter even though I’m alone. I hope that god blesses each and every one of you who take the time to care for us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

You can send a holiday message to a prison rape survivor here. Please do. It might mean more than you think.

[Image via JDI]

In May 2015, Ernest Baker, Drake-approved writer and self-appointed internet tastemaker, allegedly assaulted and harassed his ex-girlfriend, Complex Music managing editor Lauren Nostro. The news gained public attention Wednesday night after the pair’s mutual friend, the writer Meaghan Garvey, vaguely tweeted about what may be Baker’s actions without referencing him by name. Baker’s lawyer has confirmed to Jezebel that her client has been formally charged with assault, menacing and harassment.

Rumors are now circulating that Baker, as a result of the alleged assault, has lost his book deal with Grand Central Publishing. In September, the publishing house (a division of Hachette) announced that they were “excited to announce the acquisition of HOW TO DATE WHITE WOMEN by acclaimed journalist Ernest Baker,” to be published in early 2017. The news came after a banner year for Baker, a writer and DJ who became particularly popular after Drake mentioned him on Instagram.

Since then, Baker (who, like Nostro, is acquaintances with several Jezebel staffers; Baker has also been edited at The Hairpin by Jezebel editor-in-chief Emma Carmichael) published a profile on his acquaintance for Four Pins, and claimed to help name Drake’s mixtape with Future, What a Time to Be Alive. He has been lauded by publications like Forbes for being “a social rockstar,” and has begun designing apparel. Baker’s book deal came after a piece he wrote entitled “The Reality of Dating White Women When You’re Black” was published on Gawker in June 2014; Grand Central called the piece “one of the highest trafficked pieces in Gawker’s history, with millions of unique hits and thousands of comments.” The publisher’s press release said that the book would discuss historical interracial relationships and the modern experience, coupled with stories from Baker’s life and dating history.

But just as Baker’s star was rising, his personal life appears to have been tanking. “Your fav ‘rap journalist’ put his ex-gf in the hospital & ducked the bill, but keep telling me about the misogyny of a thinkpiece,” Garvey wrote on Twitter late Wednesday night. “‘How to abuse women,’ in stores Nevruary 13th.” Soon after, it seems, her tweets prompted Nostro to send some of her own. Nostro responded to Garvey’s tweets affirmatively, posting a photo of her face after the alleged incident, but not did not name Baker.

Reports obtained by Jezebel show that Nostro went to the emergency room seeking treatment for a laceration on her chin on the night of May 5, 2015. Nostro told Jezebel that hospital staff called police to report a possible domestic violence incident involving Baker.

Nostro told the nurses she was injured falling down the stairs of the apartment she still shared with Baker, though the pair was mostly broken up at this point (she later admitted the pair did not have stairs in their apartment). Nostro later said that the nurse and doctor attending to her “saw bruising on my neck from when he grabbed me and said the gash on my chin was not consistent with a fall,” prompting them to call domestic violence police officers to the hospital. Nostro did not file charges against Baker that night, though she alleges that the police have “a non-public record of being called to Woodhull that night.”

The medical record confirms that Nostro was treated for “a laceration to her chin which she states occurred when her boyfriend oushedher and she fell hiting the grund” [sic’d].

At left, a photo of Nostro after receiving stitches; at right, one month later.

Nostro didn’t file a police report about the assault until September 20—she says she was waiting for Baker to pay her hospital bill—when she filed at the 90th Precinct. Both her report and the officer’s state that she and Baker got into a fight which escalated and became violent on both sides. From Nostro’s statement to the police:

We only had one set of keys and got into an argument over them when I left the East Village at dinner. He grabbed my arm on the L, we took different cars home, I went to the Black Swan for two glasses of red wine. Upon returning home, we got into an argument over a $45 wifi/optimum bill and I grabbed his pile of ID cards with his debit card and I broke it. A fight ensued and he put his hands around my neck. I threatened to bleach his clothes with Tide if he did not leave the house. We got into a physical fight in the closet of our apartment, he shoved me into my shelf organizer. I got up and shoved him and he threw me out of the closet where I landed on my chin. I went to Woodhull for stitches, they called the police after seeing my neck and face. I didn’t press charges because I was scared. Had to get stitches and plastic surgery consultations.

Photos provided to Jezebel depict a hole in the wall of the pair’s apartment from a bottle of Hennessy that Nostro alleges that Baker threw in October 2014, along with miscellaneous furniture, pictured strewn about. Nostro tells Jezebel that that incident began with an argument: Nostro told Baker she had been unfaithful and wanted to break up.

Shortly after that, by Nostro’s account in conversation with Jezebel, she arrived back at the apartment to find a bloodied butcher knife and a napkin Baker had left for her to see. Another photo from November 2014 shows a cut on Nostro’s hand “that later required 7 stitches from a plastic surgeon,” she says. Nostro alleges that her hand was injured when Baker “mentioned a lewd sexual act that I had done with another man in front of a group of friends watching the AMAs, after which I kicked everyone out, smacked him, and he threw a glass of red wine on me, which I threw back and then cut my hand on.”

Texts and gchats supplied to Jezebel show emotionally abusive conversations between the couple. Baker repeatedly calls Nostro a “whore” for being unfaithful, although Nostro alleges he had cheated on her as well.

The police report filed by Nostro notes that Baker has a history of suicidal threats, and says he made threats to “injure/kill self.”

Following the tweets from last night, Baker released his own messages on Twitter, including a lengthy typed statement. In it, he accuses Nostro of calling him “nigger,” and of being violent towards him as well.

“It disgusts me that innocent black men are still wrongly crucified in 2015,” he wrote. “It’s entitled, racist attitudes like hers that lead to the murders of so many unarmed innocent black men.”

When contacted for comment, Baker directed Jezebel to his lawyer, who confirmed that he was charged with assault, menacing and harassment, recently turned himself in, and was released without bail. The case is still open.

As for his book deal, Grand Central Publishing has not responded to a request for comment. We spoke to Baker’s literary agent Anthony Mattero of Foundry Literary + Media, who declined to give a response about the status of his relationship with Baker.

Baker turned 27 on December 1. “Never thoughts of suicide i’m too alive,” he wrote to a fan asking him not to kill himself this year so he can “be in the 27 club.” According to his social media presence, Baker is in a new relationship, and his girlfriend is apparently pregnant.

Contact the author at dries@jezebel.com.

Top images via Lauren Nostro/Twitter and Ernest Baker/Instagram

The couple believed to be behind yesterday’s murderous San Bernardino rampage left behind at least 14 dead people, a six-month old baby and a slew of weapons before they both died in a shootout with police.

Authorities say Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, 27, dropped their baby off at Farook’s mother’s house, telling her they were going to a doctor’s appointment. Then they both donned black tactical gear and, armed with assault rifles and several bombs, murdered at least 14 people.

It’s still unclear what motivated the deadly rampage, but police today confirmed a few key details: Farook, a former city inspector, showed up at the San Bernardino County Public Health Department holiday party, which was held in a rented conference room at a center for the developmentally disabled. Though Farook no longer worked for the city, the New York Times reports, he had attended the party the year before and “did not appear out of place.”

For a while at least: “He did leave the party early under some circumstances that was described as angry or something of that nature,” San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said during a press conference Thursday.

Shortly thereafter, Farook returned to the party with his wife, armed with two .223-caliber assault rifles and two 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistols, which were all reportedly legally purchased. The pair “sprayed the room with bullets,”—approximately 65 to 75 rifle rounds—and fled the scene in a rented black Ford Explorer.

They fired another 76 shots at police during the ensuing chase and died during the shootout.

At the press conference, Burguan also elaborated on what authorities discovered in the aftermath of the attack: “1,400 rounds for the assault rifles and over 200 rounds for the two handguns” inside the couple’s rental car. In the home the couple shared together, authorities discovered another “2,500 rounds for the assault rifles, more than 2,000 for the pistols, several hundred rounds for a .22-caliber rifle,” 12 pipe bombs and more bomb-making material. They also left behind at the crime scene 3 bombs wrapped together and “equipped with a remote control” that “apparently failed to detonate.”

“Clearly they were equipped and they could have done another attack,” Burguan said.

Reports that a third person seen fleeing the scene was involved were apparently unfounded: “We did ultimately determine that he was not involved in the incident,” Burguan clarified. “He is not a suspect.”

The FBI is reportedly investigating the attack as a possible terrorism case, according to the New York Times, which cites the couples’ “extensive arsenal, their recent Middle East travels and evidence that one had been in touch with people with Islamist extremist views.”

Still, authorities say they’re “not ready to call it terrorism” yet. And, as the Los Angeles Times points out there’s evidence to suggest Farook, who was born in Illinois, may have just been familiar with violence: 2006 divorce filings indicate Farook’s father viciously abused his mother in front of their children.

In essence, authorities still have no idea why the couple launched their attack: “We do not yet know the motive; we cannot rule anything out at this point,” David Bowdich, the assistant F.B.I. director in charge of the Los Angeles office, tells the New York Times. “We don’t know if this was the intended target or there was something that triggered him to do this immediately.”

Image via AP. Contact the author at gabrielle@gawker.com.

At airports, “TSA staffing hasn’t grown but the number of people going through checkpoints is up considerably... Last year, TSA had 91 days when it screened more than two million people. This year it has already had 165 days of such high volume.” Oh good.

http://gawker.com/airlines-are-p...

Texas’ infamous “affluenza” teen Ethan Couch, on probation for four counts of intoxication manslaughter, after he struck and killed four people while going 70 mph in a 40 mph zone in 2013, is under investigation for potentially violating the terms of his probation.

http://gawker.com/teen-who-kille...

On Wednesday, a Twitter user posted a video to the site allegedly showing Couch, now 18 years old, playing beer pong. Couch’s probation states that he cannot drive, drink alcohol, or use drugs for 10 years. The Tarrant County District Attorney’s office and the City of Burleson were tagged in the tweet.

“He’s allowed due process at every level,” Tarrant County sheriff’s spokesman Terry Grisham told the Dallas Morning News. “[Cases] are not prosecuted or revoked or modified based on hearsay or based on a grainy video that we can’t identify someone in.” A judge will determine whether Couch violated his probation.

Before Couch’s sentencing in 2013, a psychologists called by the defense, Dr. G. Dick Miller, testified that Couch was the victim of a surplus of privilege, or “affluenza.” His parents, Miller said, gave Couch “freedoms no young person should have.”

Photo via AP Images. Contact the author of this post: brendan.oconnor@gawker.com.

In an interview with Glamour UK last year, Kristin Cavallari answered the following question: “What is your superfood of choice?” Her response was sort of funny.

“Coconut oil is one of them,” she said. “I call it miracle oil because you can literally do everything with it. I have it in the kitchen, and then I also have it in the bathroom. It’s great as a hair mask, too. I actually put it on my hair yesterday.”

It’s everywhere.

This has been 500 Days of Kristin.

[Photo via Getty]

Police have released the names, ages, and hometowns of the 14 people killing in Wednesday’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, California:

Shannon Johnson, 45, Los Angeles

Bennetta Bet-Badal, 46, Rialto

Aurora Godoy, 26, San Jacinto

Isaac Amanios, 60, Fontana

Larry Kaufman, 42, Rialto

Harry Bowman, 46, Upland

Yvette Velasco, 27, Fontana

Sierra Clayborn, 27, Moreno Valley

Robert Adams, 40, Yucaipa

Nicholas Thalasinos, 52, Colton

Tin Nguyen, 31, Santa Ana

Juan Espinoza, 50, Highland

Damian Meins, 58, Riverside

Michael Wetzel, 37, Lake Arrowhead

The Los Angeles Times has snippets of information on many of the victims (some who were killed and some who were injured), like Robert Adams, 40, who married his high school sweetheart, and Damian Meins, who worked for Riverside County for 28 years.

“This shooting has caused each victim’s family, friends and co-workers, along with the first responders, to suffer an enormous personal tragedy,” San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said.

Photo via AP Images. Contact the author of this post: brendan.oconnor@gawker.com.