Monday, June 8, 2020

And another day of playgrounds, reform bills, qualified immunity, unions, statues, rallies, and quarantine fatigue comes to a close:

“It is not only people of color that should be fighting racism. We all have to.” — Paulo Dybala

Deaths

US: 113,055 (+586)

World: 408,625 (+2499)

Countdown: 148 days.

Minneapolis' Third Precinct served as 'playground' for renegade cops. Even before George Floyd was killed, the south Minneapolis precinct had a reputation for being home to police officers who played by their own rules. One officer kicked a handcuffed suspect in the face, leaving his jaw in pieces. Officers beat and pistol-whipped a suspect in a parking lot on suspicion of low-level drug charges. Others harassed residents of a south Minneapolis housing project as they headed to work, and allowed prostitution suspects to touch their genitals for several minutes before arresting them in vice stings.

Congressional Democrats unveil sweeping police reform bill that would ban chokeholds, no-knock warrants in drug cases.

Why police can violate your constitutional rights and suffer no consequences in court. Government officials enjoy broad protections against lawsuits, and that includes rogue cops. In theory, qualified immunity shields government officials from lawsuits involving novel legal claims. In practice, however, qualified immunity can protect egregious or inappropriate conduct by police.

White House won't support reducing immunity for police who violate civil rights.

Calls to reform, defund, dismantle and abolish the police, explained.

Police unions dig in as calls for reform grow.

Tear Down the Statues. All of Them.

Trump hasn't met with protesters or visited Minneapolis despite precedent.

President Trump to relaunch in-person campaign rallies in two weeks.

Juventus star Paulo Dybala has warned football's authorities that the sport is at a tipping point, with players ready "to take action" in support of teammates who are racially abused.

Race relations are now front-of-mind for 2020 voters.

Criminals stealing unemployment benefits as claims surge.

It's official: Recession began in February, ending longest U.S. expansion ever.

Quarantine fatigue: Why some of us have stopped being vigilant and how to overcome it.

A Virginia man who allegedly drove his truck into a crowd of peaceful protesters over the weekend is an “admitted leader” of the Ku Klux Klan, officials say.

Twitch streamers receive a flood of music copyright claims for old clips.

Dutch protesters demand end to fur farming after coronavirus outbreak.

New "Looney Tunes Cartoons" take away Elmer Fudd's iconic rifle: "We're not doing guns".

For the second time ever, astronomers have detected a pattern in a mysterious fast radio burst coming from space.

RIP Bonnie Pointer. She was 69.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.