Mere hours into his second term, President Trump signed an executive order granting clemency to roughly 1,500 people charged with offenses related to the Capitol riots and protests on January 6th, 2021. But one woman who went to jail for her role is refusing the pardon, saying none should have been issued at all. Pamela Hemphill, formerly dubbed "MAGA Granny" on social media, pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building in 2022. She received a 60-day sentence, 36 months of probation, and an order to pay $500 restitution. "We were wrong that day," Hemphill told the BBC, adding that "[a]ccepting a pardon would only insult the Capitol police officers, rule of law and, of course, our nation." She continued, "I pleaded guilty because I was guilty, and accepting a pardon also would serve to contribute to their gaslighting and false narrative."In a recent USA Today feature, Hemphill opened up about her change in perspective since January 6th, which she called “the worst day in our history." - YouTube www.youtube.com Many current Republicans support Trump but oppose the blanket pardons. The Fraternal Order of Police, the nation's largest police union, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, issued a joint statement denouncing the move, saying they "firmly believe" that anyone "convicted of killing or assaulting law enforcement officers" should be forced to "serve their full sentences." "When perpetrators of crimes, especially serious crimes, are not held fully accountable, it sends a dangerous message that the consequences for attacking law enforcement are not severe, potentially emboldening others to commit similar acts of violence," the note continues. Several Republican senators also took issue with the pardons, including North Carolina's Thom Tillis, who was surprised by their scope. "I just can’t agree,” he said. “I’m about to file two bills that will increase the penalties up to and including the death penalty for the murder of a police officer and increasing the penalties and creating federal crimes for assaulting a police officer—that should give you everything you need to know about my position.”In their statement, the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police criticized Trump's predecessor for the same reasons. In one of his final acts in office, President Biden commuted the life sentence of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, who was convicted of killing two FBI agents in 1975. (Peltier, 80, will serve the rest of his sentence at home.) Biden, like Trump, also faced pushback from members of his own party—in this case, for using pardons for family and government employees who haven't been charged with crimes. - YouTube www.youtube.com "We need to make a critique of some of the more unjust pardons, like the January 6 pardons," said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, of Virginia. "And I think it’s harder to make that critique, to stand on the high ground and make a critique of the Trump pardons on January 6 when President Biden is pardoning family members.” Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida told CBS News, "I'm not a fan of these pardons. I wish he didn't feel that he needed to do that. ... Now the precedent is set, from now into the future." Political division is inescapable—seemingly more now than ever. But by taking a stand, Hemphill has set a unique and powerful precedent for people on both sides of the aisle. It takes courage to stand for one's principles, even when doing the opposite would benefit them personally.

There are few things that feel more awful than being stranded at the altar by your spouse-to-be. That’s why people are cheering on Kayley Stead from the U.K. for turning a day of extreme disappointment into a party for her friends, family, and most importantly, herself.According to a report in The Metro, on Thursday, September 15, 2022, Stead, then 27, woke up in an Airbnb with her bridesmaids, having no idea that her fiancé, Kallum Norton, then 24, had run off early that morning. The word got to Stead’s bridesmaids at around 7 a.m. the day of the wedding.“[A groomsman] called one of the maids of honor to explain that the groom had ‘gone.’ We were told he had left the caravan they were staying at in Oxwich Bay (the venue) at 12:30 a.m. to visit his family, who were staying in another caravan nearby and hadn’t returned. When they woke in the morning, he was not there and his car had gone,” Jordie Cullen, a friend, wrote on a GoFundMe page. \u201cDevastated bride goes ahead with party after groom stood her up on their wedding day \ud83d\udc4f\n\n[THREAD] \ud83e\uddf5\u201d — Manchester News MEN (@Manchester News MEN) 1664276377 Stead spoke with the groom at 4 p.m. the previous day, but they stayed the night with their respective parties to save some mystery before the big day. “The groom and I had already agreed not to speak the night before the wedding anyway, so I didn’t know what was happening on his end, I didn’t have a clue,” Stead told The Metro.Stead was in absolute shock after hearing the news. She had paid for nearly the entire wedding herself, using up all of her life savings on the £12,000 ($13,000) affair. “As a joke, the videographer said ‘Why don’t you carry on, girls? You’ve spent all this money, you’re not getting it back, all your guests are there, why don’t you just go?’” Stead said.So, she did just that. Stead decided that the wedding would go on without her fiancé. \u201cKayley Stead made the brave decision to carry on with the celebrations without her partner of four years Kallum Norton after he ditched her before the ceremony\n\nhttps://t.co/BoBM7KUSOh\u201d — The Daily Record (@The Daily Record) 1664316000 “That’s when I was like, I’m going to do it,” she said. “I’d spent all this money, I’d been looking forward to the food, a dance with my dad, spending time with my family, so why not?”Stead, her friends, family, and even the groomsmen didn’t let things go to waste and they enjoyed her wedding entrance, food, speeches, dances and even posed for photos. “I didn’t want to remember the day as complete sadness,” she said. “She was the most beautiful bride we had ever seen,” Cullen added.The good news is that after the party, Cullen set up the GoFundMe page to help Stead recoup her losses and it has already reached its goal of £10,000 ($10,830). Almost two weeks after the event, Stead still doesn’t know why she was stood her up on her wedding day. \u201c"There were so many special moments, like my wedding entrance, the sparkler walk, the first dance and punching the wedding cake, so there was still happiness in the day. I'd spent all this money." - Kayley Stead\u201d — Birmingham Live (@Birmingham Live) 1664199021 The Sun caught up with Norton and he refused to apologize. The only thing he had to say was, "I don’t want to talk about the article.”While it’s terrible that Stead was stood up on her wedding day, she should be applauded for making the best of the worst day ever. It’s also wonderful that her bridesmaids and family stood by her side and supported her as she dealt with a serious blow. Let’s hope she finds someone better soon. As for the would-be groom, standing someone up at the altar and then not even explaining yourself is a pretty low move.Thankfully, three years later we have a some answers (kind of) and a happy ending. In September 2024, The Mirror caught up with Stead, now 29, and learned that she's in a happy new relationship with a friend from university, 29-year-old Richard Perrott. As for Stead's ex, she did hear from him after he abandoned her on their wedding day, however the message isn't what you'd expect—he simply asked that she return his work uniform. Yeah. Thankfully, Stead is happier than ever with Perrott and the possibility of a ring is not far off according to the happy couple. This article originally appeared three years ago.

There are just certain actors who have such recognizable faces they can’t go anywhere without being spotted. Willem Dafoe, who has played in countless roles over his decades long career, is undoubtedly one of them. You see him on the street, and you’d be hard pressed not to do a double take. Which is why people were flabbergasted to see a TikTok clip of him being asked “what do you do for a living?” by a complete stranger. Comments like “due just asked the most recognizable man in the world who he was” and “not knowing Willem Dafoe is a crime!” were plentiful. Granted, folks didn’t realize that this stranger, named Khan, regularly stops celebrities to interview them on the street—including Adam Sandler recently—in addition to average joes he meets on the street. So “not recognizing” Dafoe was part of the bit, likely to make him feel more at ease. And thank goodness he incorporated that strategy, because it resulted in an amazing conversation between the two. After Dafoe politely answered Khan’s initial question (“I’m an actor”) he then got to share what he loved most about the job: “nothing’s ever the same.” He also politely declined to offer advice for any aspiring actors, since “everybody’s gotta find their own way.” Honestly, that’s solid insight for anyone. Outside opinions are helpful, but they aren’t everything, especially when it comes to creating your own unique life. Perhaps the real kicker came when Khan asked, “how do you wanna be remembered” as well as the question that has been the bane of many a job interviewee: “where do you see yourself in five years from now?” @hikhann_ What do you do for a living? #foryoupage #viralvideo #foryourepage #fyp #foryou #viral #whatdoyoudoforaliving ♬ original sound - Khan For both, Dafoe had similar answers. “I don’t think about that,” and “I don’t know…I have a hard time thinking beyond tomorrow.” This might seem counterintuitive for a man who likely has at least a couple of his upcoming years plotted out with projects, and certainly goes against the notion that you need to have a future vision for yourself in order to be happy and successful. But it’s a good reminder that no matter what our goals are, none of us fully knows what the future holds, and therefore can give ourselves permission to stay within the present moment. Forbes contributor Liz Ryan once eloquently shared that the whole “five-year-plan paradigm”, as she called it, is extremely outdated, as it “comes from a day when life was either more stable and predictable than it is now or we were all deluding ourselves that it was.” She also noted the fear threaded throughout it, saying that people use a five year plan as a way to “claim a little power” against all the uncertainty of grown-up life. A much healthier strategy, she argued, would be to “know what you're passionate about, have some rough ideas about how to get closer to your passion over time and then react, react and keep reacting to shifts in the wind!” Dafoe certainly seems to agree with this notion. Basically, for anyone who shudders at the thought of this question, whether at a job interview or just as they’re navigating everyday life, know that it’s not always important to have all the answers.

If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (273-8255) or text "HOME" to the Crisis Text Line: 741741.There’s an old Hebrew saying that if you “save one life, you save the world entire.” Who knows if Brooke Lacey, 22, had that lofty goal when she began a campaign in 2020 to help uplift people’s spirits during the first COVID-19 wave. But her kind efforts may have done just that.Lacey has struggled with mental health issues throughout her life and she knew that people like her were going to have a really hard time during COVID-19 lockdowns. A study from May 2021 found that the New Zealand population had “higher depression and anxiety compared with population norms.” The study also found that “younger people” and “those most at risk of COVID-19 reported poorer mental health.”To help those who may be struggling, Lacey printed 600 stickers with an uplifting message and posted them around places where people may take their lives, including trains, bridges and large bodies of water in Wellington, New Zealand. She also made a bumper sticker with the same message for her car.The stickers spoke directly to those who may be contemplating taking their own life. “Please don’t take your life today,” the stickers read. “The world is so much better with you in it. More than you realize, stay.”In 2022, Lacey parked her car in her university’s lot and when she returned to her vehicle to leave, she noticed a note was affixed to the windshield. Thinking it was someone complaining about how she parked or a ticket, she prepared for the worst but wound up being blindsided by the positive message. A driver\u2019s bumper sticker has saved a stranger\u2019s life.\n\nAfter her own battle with depression 22-year-old university student Brooke Lacey was inspired to create a batch of 600 signs to inspire those battling mental illness.\n\n#StarFMNews919 @Star919FMpic.twitter.com/0SSHhUvyvK — StarFMNews919 (@StarFMNews919) 1645525333 A 22 year New Zealand student called Brooke Lacey, who'd suffered with depression created some bumper stickers to help others who might be going through a similar experience. Recently she found a heartfelt note under her windscreen wiper to thank herpic.twitter.com/kFfu9wtXnN — Giles Paley-Phillips (@Giles Paley-Phillips) 1645468625 “I left my house with a plan and asked for a sign, any sign, I was doing the right thing when I saw your car in the parking lot. Thank you,” the note read. At first, Lacey wasn’t sure what the person was referring to, then she remembered her homemade bumper sticker.“I had these made so long ago, put one on my car and forgot about them, until now,” she tweeted on her since deactivated account. “I am so glad whoever you are chose to stay today. You never know who needs this reminder.”Now, it’s unclear exactly what the person’s “plan” was, but there's no doubt that Lacey’s bumper sticker inspired them to choose life. Let’s hope that the sticker also inspired them to seek professional help for whatever difficulties they are going through.Whether it was intentional or not, Lacey’s sticker was effective because it followed one of the most important strategies that people use at suicide hotlines. According to Science.org, it’s of utmost importance that people contemplating suicide are handled with “respect and empathy.”Lacey's story is a beautiful reminder of the power that one simple, thoughtful gesture can have on another person’s life. Every day, there are people all around us who are looking for a sign to give them a reason keep going. Whether it’s a hug, a smile, or the right message in the right place at the right time, we should all be like Lacey and make sure everyone knows that the world is better with them in it. In fact, much more than they ever realize.This article originally appeared three years ago.

There are few things worse than getting stuck in a conversation with someone who can’t stop talking. It’s even worse when that person is a coworker you must see daily, and they repeatedly chew your ear off. The tricky part is that you want them to stop, but it’s hard without being rude. Sometimes, it feels like the best thing to do is to walk away. However, there are a lot of people who are neurodivergent and have ADHD or autism and have a hard time noticing the signs that they have been talking too much or noticing other people’s cues that it’s time to wrap it up. So, in those cases, it’s important to be polite because the other person may know they are being rude. What’s the best way to end a conversation with someone who won’t stop talking? A group of folks online have been discussing the topic, and we put together a list of their most effective ways to exit a conversation. Most of the suggestions are polite, but some folks make the point that if someone is talking up the entire conversation, won’t let anyone get a word in edgewise, and is wasting other people’s time, it’s ok to be a little blunt and walk away. If they're going to be rude, you don't have to be 100% polite.Here are 15 ways to get out of a conversation with someone who won’t stop talking.1. Positivity sandwich"The positivity sandwich works well for anything that can be perceived as critical or negative. Positive/negative/positive. Examples:'Hey Jim, it was great catching up (positive), but I need to get back to my work, so I can't talk (negative). I love your tie (positive).'"2. Slow walk back"I struggled with this for years. If in person, start slowly walking somewhere while talking and, along the way, exclude yourself for some reason. (To use the washroom, do something else, etc.) It takes some practice, but eventually, it’ll become second nature. I now do this all the time. If it’s something remote like a call or video meeting, have your device 'unexpectedly drop.'"3. Be firm"A firm 'Excuse me for a moment.' Shuts them up pretty quickly, and it's polite AF.""Excuse me for a moment, but just stare intently into their eyes, no movement, no sound. But, yeah, I like this."4. Ear pods"I have an old lady neighbor who used to pop out with questions whenever I left the house. I started leaving with AirPods in, gesturing that I was on a call. I work from home, so it's believable. I do the same with charity muggers. With my other neighbor, who is ok for 5 mins, I give it 5 mins and say, 'ok, nice to catch up, I gotta dash.'"5. 'I just remembered...'"I find the best, most polite conversation breaker is to remember something very important just then. I'll kind of look to the side and do a routine that says, "Oh Crap, I just remembered," and then haul off. Then I'll just apologize later.'Oh Crap, I was supposed to call X.''Oh crap, I was supposed to get with X.''Oh Crap, I've got a ZOOM in 5''Crap, I totally spaced, I've got to get to X'I've been in some real face-numbing conversations before I learned this secret and ancient art. It's one fluid motion right out of the conversation. A flinch, a troubled face, a checking of the phone or the time, and walking out."6. Stay strong"The absolute most important thing is do not positively engage the conversation. If you contribute, it becomes exponential.""This is hard for me to do, actually. And I know that it becomes exponentially worse when you engage... I just need to not engage."7. Just walk away"My ex-wife would literally just walk away from someone when they wouldn't stop talking. I loved it because it gave me an out from the conversation, lmao.""I look at it this way: they don't respect my time, so I don't feel like I need to respect their feelings."8. Conform their point and then bail"I will usually repeat something they just said and agree with it, rephrase it, and then apologize for talking their ear off and say I need to get going, but it was nice chatting with them and start walking off. 'Yes! Exactly like, obviously, the moon landing was fake. It is ridiculous that more people don't see that. Like obviously, if you look at all the facts you mentioned, people should realize that it's obvious. But man, I'm sorry for taking so much of your time. I need to get going, but it was nice chatting with you.'"9. The white flag"When you are approaching your saturation point, throw out a white flag as a warning. Just like a race car driver gets a white flag indicating time constraints, you must throw one before you can legitimately stop a monopolizer in his tracks. For example, You are in your office, and your friend Gary comes by to tell you about his golf game. When you are running out of time, interest, or willpower, you throw a white flag by saying: 'Wow, Gary, that’s an amazing round you shot. Before you continue, I need to let you know that in a few minutes, I have to get back to preparing the budget.' You have politely given Gary the signal that you need to end the conversation shortly. Gary takes another four minutes telling you of his exploits on the twelfth and thirteenth holes. You can now wrap it up by saying: 'Well, Gary, that’s really something. I have to take care of the budget right now. Maybe we can catch up another time.' You can now turn your attention to your budget without worry. You were gracious and obliging, and you gave fair warning that it was time to end the chat."10. Burst out laughing"At my previous job, I was in the lunch room with a couple of colleagues. One of them asked about our weekends. My answer was pretty succinct, but the other guy ended up talking for almost half an hour about every single thing that happened to him that weekend. Once I realized how long he'd been talking, I actually burst out laughing. I felt a bit bad explaining why I found it so amusing, but it did at least get him to stop."11. Is this a speech?"Don’t put up with this BS. Walk away or explain two people talking is a conversation, you talking is a speech. Do you want to have a conversation or give speeches? Don’t tailor to his narcissism."12. Look disengaged"Do what I do. Look as disengaged as possible. Shift weight from one foot to the other. Put your hands on your hips. Look at your phone. Look around the room. Don’t make much eye contact. When people see that you are clearly not a willing participant in what’s essentially a spiel, they’ll typically ask if they’re keeping you. That, my friend, is your get-out-of-jail-free card. If that doesn’t work, walk right towards the door, interrupt him, and tell him you have a whole day’s worth of events planned out and have to be on your way."13. I will let you go"I will let you go. I'm sure you're busy, and I have to . It was nice talking with you. We'll talk later.' Hopefully, they say bye, and then you say bye. If not, then, 'Well, I really gotta go. Talk to you later, bye.'""This is a good one, I usually end up saying, 'Oh well, I better let you go then' if they are talking about how much they still have to do, another is 'Well, I don't want to hold you back' I think these work because the other person likes to think they're really busy and have a hectic schedule but really you just haven't got a word in edgeways and good conversation needs to be talking and listening. These only really work if a person brings up what they are about to do, etc."14. Make it a walking conversation"Make a move and move nearer to that person like you're gonna walk and talk at the same time, and they will probably back away because of the need for private space. If you were successful, you'd have moved this convo from a stationary one to a moving one. Walk faster so that the other party pants and doesn't talk that much. If he/she still persists, pray and good luck to you because you'll need it."15. The awkward joke"My response to these types of conversations used to be that of "running away" because it felt very aggressive and confrontational to me, but now that I've been focusing on learning better listening skills, I've started a new approach. Sometimes, it's making a confusing joke; sometimes, it's a dumb wink or, a poke, or a laugh. It totally depends on the person and the situation, but if you actually listen to them, they are communicating in their body language or what they are saying that they think something is wrong with them. Just like pretty much every member of this group. One of the prime reasons for social skills deficiencies is an inability to communicate difficulty, and it comes out in the emotional intensity of friendly interactions, which drives people away."

from 21st Century Wire: After being sworn into office, the new 47th President Donald J. Trump, has hit the ground running – signing roughly 200 different executive actions so far.  One of the most highly anticipated executive orders relates to the notorious Russiagate hoax. This afternoon, President Trump announced his plans to revoke the security clearances of the […]

by Alex Berenson, Unreported Truths: Donald J. Trump promises a new style of governance – muscular, angry, and unwilling to accept woke lies. Everyone agrees Washington is broken. We’re about to find out if he’s the one to fix it. Quick confession: I’m normally a decisive writer. But last week, as I tried to write […]