One week ago, Portland mayor Ted Wheeler of a nascent “autonomous zone,” and castigated Seattle for allowing anarchists to take over its city. Last night, the anarchists . Simultaneous demonstrations at two police precincts turned ugly quickly as “Antifa militants” started putting up barricades at the North Portland precinct.Police immediately called it an unlawful assembly, which the anarchists didn’t much like, as Andy Ngo briefly captured earlier this morning:North Portland looks like a war zone right now. Antifa militants tried to establish an autonomous zone outside the North Precinct....…One week ago, Portland mayor Ted Wheeler of a nascent “autonomous zone,” and castigated Seattle for allowing anarchists to take over its city. Last night, the anarchists . Simultaneous demonstrations at two police precincts turned ugly quickly as “Antifa militants” started putting up barricades at the North Portland precinct.Police immediately called it an unlawful assembly, which the anarchists didn’t much like, as Andy Ngo briefly captured earlier this morning:North Portland looks like a war zone right now. Antifa militants tried to establish an autonomous zone outside the North Precinct....WW…

Should the US pick a new national anthem — and is the Star Spangled Banner too problematic in our woke times? It’s not a new demand, and in fact isn’t even a new argument, so it’s hardly surprising to see it emerge in the social unrest surrounding the police killing of George Floyd. it’s time to replace the Francis Scott Key poem with something more appropriate for our enlightened times, but replace it with what?That’s where this runs off the rails:In an increasingly antiracist era when problematic iconography — ranging from Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben to even the Dukes of Hazzard...…Should the US pick a new national anthem — and is the Star Spangled Banner too problematic in our woke times? It’s not a new demand, and in fact isn’t even a new argument, so it’s hardly surprising to see it emerge in the social unrest surrounding the police killing of George Floyd. it’s time to replace the Francis Scott Key poem with something more appropriate for our enlightened times, but replace it with what?That’s where this runs off the rails:In an increasingly antiracist era when problematic iconography — ranging from Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben to even the Dukes of Hazzard...WW…

Say, wasn’t the point of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone to show how we could all live without police? If so, then the wan clucking of tongues from the CHAZ “leadership” over this assault seems to indicate that some responsible authority is needed to keep the peace in an urban setting. on the manhandling received by Shawn Whiting when he attempted to live-stream life within CHAZ or CHOP in what had been a public park.KOMO has not made the video embeddable, but Whiting has it up on his own YouTube channel:“What do you mean ‘help’?” a man asks when Whiting starts getting grabbed. “Who’s...…Say, wasn’t the point of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone to show how we could all live without police? If so, then the wan clucking of tongues from the CHAZ “leadership” over this assault seems to indicate that some responsible authority is needed to keep the peace in an urban setting. on the manhandling received by Shawn Whiting when he attempted to live-stream life within CHAZ or CHOP in what had been a public park.KOMO has not made the video embeddable, but Whiting has it up on his own YouTube channel:“What do you mean ‘help’?” a man asks when Whiting starts getting grabbed. “Who’s...WW…

So much for the quiet, in both real and political terms. After police calls following the riots, . Eight people got hit, although all survived — at least one thanks to the quick response of the police, who saved the woman’s life:The violence started shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, when officers responded to calls of gunfire in the 2900 block of Columbus Avenue, only to learn that a male victim had been dropped off at an area hospital. A preliminary investigation showed that the shooting was preceded by an argument between a group of people, according to police, who offered few other...…So much for the quiet, in both real and political terms. After police calls following the riots, . Eight people got hit, although all survived — at least one thanks to the quick response of the police, who saved the woman’s life:The violence started shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, when officers responded to calls of gunfire in the 2900 block of Columbus Avenue, only to learn that a male victim had been dropped off at an area hospital. A preliminary investigation showed that the shooting was preceded by an argument between a group of people, according to police, who offered few other...WW…

A Mississippi church at the center of a legal battle over the shutdown exploded and burned to the ground yesterday — and it doesn’t look like a coincidence. The pastor of First Pentecostal in Holly Springs has led protests to allow his congregation to gather once again in defiance of local COVID-19 shutdown orders, including to accuse officials of double standards. A local judge had rebuked the church for acting in “,” a ruling the church had planned to fight.That fight has been indefinitely postponed, and apparently intentionally, as investigators suspect arson for the explosion and...…A Mississippi church at the center of a legal battle over the shutdown exploded and burned to the ground yesterday — and it doesn’t look like a coincidence. The pastor of First Pentecostal in Holly Springs has led protests to allow his congregation to gather once again in defiance of local COVID-19 shutdown orders, including to accuse officials of double standards. A local judge had rebuked the church for acting in “,” a ruling the church had planned to fight.That fight has been indefinitely postponed, and apparently intentionally, as investigators suspect arson for the explosion and...WW…

In some future journalism school class, perhaps someone will explain what national importance Tom Toles’ Halloween parties have. It must have some, because the Washington Post published an investigative report into their cartoonist’s 2018 event that runs nearly three thousand words. Did someone get assassinated at it?  In a way, yes — and the assassin is the Washington Post itself.For some reason, a friend of Toles showed up to his Halloween party in blackface, a very-poor-taste attempt to satirize Megan Kelly’s brief defense of the practice. Other attendees confronted the woman...…In some future journalism school class, perhaps someone will explain what national importance Tom Toles’ Halloween parties have. It must have some, because the Washington Post published an investigative report into their cartoonist’s 2018 event that runs nearly three thousand words. Did someone get assassinated at it?  In a way, yes — and the assassin is the Washington Post itself.For some reason, a friend of Toles showed up to his Halloween party in blackface, a very-poor-taste attempt to satirize Megan Kelly’s brief defense of the practice. Other attendees confronted the woman...WW…

No one has more right to outrage and anger than the Floyd family, , but they want people to stop destroying communities in George Floyd’s name. “They’re using this as an excuse to be stupid,” Floyd said about his brother’s death at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers.  The family wants an end to all of the rioting not just in the Twin Cities but around the country, which they see as an affront to the way George Floyd lived his life. “Do something positive,” he urged, “stop making excuses” (via ):“[S]ometimes I get angry, I want to bust some heads, too,” Terrence Floyd...…No one has more right to outrage and anger than the Floyd family, , but they want people to stop destroying communities in George Floyd’s name. “They’re using this as an excuse to be stupid,” Floyd said about his brother’s death at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers.  The family wants an end to all of the rioting not just in the Twin Cities but around the country, which they see as an affront to the way George Floyd lived his life. “Do something positive,” he urged, “stop making excuses” (via ):“[S]ometimes I get angry, I want to bust some heads, too,” Terrence Floyd...WW…

Yeah? So is calling COVID-19 the “Kung Flu,” but Senate Democrats have lost their minds . After getting an avalanche of criticism for Joe Biden’s declaration that African-Americans supporting Donald Trump “,” senior Biden adviser Symone Sanders claimed that Biden’s remark was “in jest.” That might be news to Breakfast Club host Charlamagne tha God — and anyone who watched the clip:The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let’s be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American...…Yeah? So is calling COVID-19 the “Kung Flu,” but Senate Democrats have lost their minds . After getting an avalanche of criticism for Joe Biden’s declaration that African-Americans supporting Donald Trump “,” senior Biden adviser Symone Sanders claimed that Biden’s remark was “in jest.” That might be news to Breakfast Club host Charlamagne tha God — and anyone who watched the clip:The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let’s be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American...WW…

A deal with … ? Raz Simone, the alleged “” of Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone? People’s Party politician Nikkita Oliver? “I’m not the leader,” she told KOMO this morning, which leaves Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan and police chief Carmen Best with no one to discuss disbanding the CHAZ. And that’s precisely what they want:City officials are trying to quickly broker a deal but because there is no centralized leadership among protesters, getting all the voices at the table remains a challenge.Nikkita Oliver is a community activist with a long history in Seattle. She showed up to the East...…A deal with … ? Raz Simone, the alleged “” of Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone? People’s Party politician Nikkita Oliver? “I’m not the leader,” she told KOMO this morning, which leaves Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan and police chief Carmen Best with no one to discuss disbanding the CHAZ. And that’s precisely what they want:City officials are trying to quickly broker a deal but because there is no centralized leadership among protesters, getting all the voices at the table remains a challenge.Nikkita Oliver is a community activist with a long history in Seattle. She showed up to the East...WW…

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.4 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for shelter rose in April, as did the index for gasoline. Combined, these two indexes contributed over seventy percent of the monthly increase in the index for all items. The energy index rose 1.1 percent over the month. The food index was unchanged in April. The food at...…The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.4 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for shelter rose in April, as did the index for gasoline. Combined, these two indexes contributed over seventy percent of the monthly increase in the index for all items. The energy index rose 1.1 percent over the month. The food index was unchanged in April. The food at...WW…