Three middle aged guys rent a beach house to hopefully score with young, single women. Not having what it takes, the men hire a sexy young surfer, Scotty, to teach them some game and help CONTINUE READING... The post 84 From ’84: Hardbodies appeared first on The Retro Network.

An animal shelter in Pittsburgh finds a dog abandoned in a crate, just outside their doors, during the heat wave on Tuesday, June 18.

Liberal MA Governor to Illegal Immigrants: Massachussetts Doesn't Want You

This grinning pink blob might populate your nightmares for the next week or two (sorry about that), but if you can see past the all-too-realistic eyes, you’ll find a very impressive feat of engineering. Scientists in Japan have figured out a way to attach lab-grown human skin tissue to the faces of complex humanoid robots. “During previous research on a finger-shaped robot covered in engineered skin tissue we grew in our lab, I felt the need for better adhesion between the robotic features and the subcutaneous structure of the skin,” explained senior author Professor Shoji Takeuchi of the University of Tokyo, in a statement. Takeuchi runs the Biohybrid Systems Laboratory, where they use bioinspired design to come up with all kinds of innovations.  The robotic finger Takeuchi is referring to was dipped into a solution of collagen and human skin fibroblast cells. While the result was actually pretty realistic, the team felt they could do better.“By mimicking human skin-ligament structures and by using specially made V-shaped perforations in solid materials, we found a way to bind skin to complex structures. The natural flexibility of the skin and the strong method of adhesion mean the skin can move with the mechanical components of the robot without tearing or peeling away,” Takeuchi said.With the perforation method, rather than previous approaches involving tiny hooks or anchors, the team believes that their artificial skin could be attached to pretty much any surface while retaining freedom of movement and flexibility. Flexibility that will allow for facial expressions, for instance. Prepare yourself to enter the uncanny valley, then take a look at the video below. As well as figuring out how to get the skin to move, the project has taught the researchers a lot about how to get a more human-looking finish to your lab-grown complexion.“[We] identified new challenges, such as the necessity for surface wrinkles and a thicker epidermis to achieve a more humanlike appearance,” explained Takeuchi. “We believe that creating a thicker and more realistic skin can be achieved by incorporating sweat glands, sebaceous glands, pores, blood vessels, fat and nerves.”Believe it or not, the point of this research was not to put a face to your most disturbing dreams. Creating a “face on a chip” with this technology could be invaluable for research into skincare and plastic surgery techniques. That’s on top of the possibility of creating ever more sophisticated robots.“[L]iving skin can bring a range of new abilities to robots,” Takeuchi said. “Self-healing is a big deal – some chemical-based materials can be made to heal themselves, but they require triggers such as heat, pressure or other signals, and they also do not proliferate like cells. Biological skin repairs minor lacerations as ours does, and nerves and other skin organs can be added for use in sensing and so on.”Having the ability to sense things like heat, as our skin can, means that robots could have better environmental awareness and be able to interact with other people and their surroundings in a more human-like fashion.The new anchoring method means that this flat face can be induced to smile, thanks to actuators manipulating its shape.Image credit: ©2024 Takeuchi et al. (CC BY-ND)The flexibility and range of movement of the skin is one thing; to achieve facial expressions, a robot would also have to be equipped with actuators to manipulate the tissue as our muscles do for us. It will be a little while yet before your average person has to interact with a skin-covered, grinning android – although, perhaps not quite as long before the lessons learned from this unconventional study start to influence the next generation of anti-wrinkle products. The study is published in Cell Reports Physical Science. 

The bond hearing for the killers of Houston preteen Jocelyn Nungaray was the top story on Univision’s network evening newscast and drew a brief on Telemundo. Beyond that: ABC, CBS, and NBC determined that the latest developments in a horrendous crime that has shaken the country were not newsworthy. Here’s an excerpt from Univision’s report, which led the newscast, with a critical admission: LYDIA TERRAZAS: At the time of his arrest, Martínez Rangel had bite marks and scratches on his arms, according to the prosecutor.  MEGAN LONG: He did say that he did tie her up, and that he suggested that they throw her in the bayou to get rid of any DNA. These are stunning developments, and there is really no reason for this story not to be on ABC, CBS, and NBC. The murder of a child at the hands of illegal migrants should be at or near the top of every newscast.  But the Regime Media will avoid these inconvenient details and this inconvenient story, even though it is a direct reflection of the ongoing disaster at the southern border. The story of the potential sexual assault and subsequent murder of a child, at the hands of illegal migrants, reflects poorly on the administration that opened the border so they could come in. The Regime Media instead chooses to circle the wagons around the president. To their credit, Univision led with the story despite the effect it might have on the network’s broader immigration advocacy. To their shame, no other network did. Click “expand” to view the full transcripts of the aforementioned reports as aired on their respective newscasts on Tuesday, June 25th, 2024: NOTICIAS TELEMUNDO 6/25/34 6:34 PM JOHANNA SUAREZ: And in other news, Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, the second man charged with the death by strangulation of Jocelyn Nungaray, faces a $10 million bond and the same charge of capital murder as the other defendant. The semi naked body of the 12-year-old child was found in a creek in Houston. There was tension in court today, as the relatives of the girl were present. The district attorney has not confirmed whether there was a sexual battery, (and won’t) until labs come back. NOTICIERO UNIVISION 6/25/24 6:31 PM JORGE RAMOS: The second man accused of murdering 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray appeared in court today in Houston, Texas. ILIA CALDERÓN: That's right. Johan José Martinez Rangel, 22, received a bond of $10,000,000. RAMOS: It is precisely the same bond that the judge imposed yesterday on the co-defendant, Franklin José Peña Ramos, 26 years old. Both are Venezuelan immigrants. CALDERÓN: Today in court there were dramatic moments, as Lidia Terrazas tells us.  LIDIA TERRAZAS: Relatives of Jocelyn Nungaray, the 12-year-old girl who was murdered and whose semi-naked body was found in Houston, Texas, were drowned in tears. "Murderer". “Look at my face,” the girl's grandmother shouted when the second defendant's hearing ended. Johan José Martínez Rangel, for whom a judge also set bail at $10 million. At that moment he turned around and stared at her, before she could call him a murderer again, and was taken away from the courtroom.  At the time of his arrest, Martínez Rangel had bite marks and scratches on his arms, according to the prosecutor. In addition, he admitted to investigators that he had tied the girl's hands and feet, and that he had thrown her body into the water in order to get rid of his DNA. The other defendant, Franklin Peña, who faced a judge a day earlier. He confessed to having kissed the girl that night, although he blamed Martínez Rangel for taking off her pants and strangling her. People continue to come every day to this place, where little Jocelyn's lifeless body was found, not only to leave gifts, balloons, flowers, but they also say that they cannot believe that this happened in their own neighborhood. WILLIAM PÉREZ: With two adults doing that, they don't even deserve forgiveness from God.  TERRAZAS: Both men, originally from Venezuela, entered the country irregularly less than three months ago. And the prosecutor's office confirms that they are investigating whether both are linked to a gang in their native country. PEREZ: We are millions of undocumented immigrants in this country, because of those two that made those mistakes, this tragedy, we will all pay for them. TERRAZAS: Authorities continue to search Martinez Rangel's cell phone, where they found an internet search on how to flee the city. And several witnesses are assisting the  authorities, including the boss of the men with whom they worked in construction and from whom they asked money to flee. Although the case apparently does not qualify for the death penalty, if it is proven that the minor was raped that could change. From Houston, Texas, Lydia Terrazas, Univision.  

Everyone’s heard of Georgia peaches, but what if I told you they weren’t actually the best? I grew up in Florence, South Carolina. There everyone knows that, come peach season, the ones you really want are about a 45-minute drive away.Family-owned and operated since 1916, McLeod Farms in McBee (pronounced “mack-bee”), South Carolina, has quietly won the devotion of Southerners over the last hundred years. “Georgia peach,” for everyone who has ever compared, is a better exaltation of the women of Georgia than the produce. I mean no offense. Blueberries are a different story. McLeod Farms specialize in year-round produce, row crops, gift baskets, jarred products, homemade bakery items, and family fun. Locals bring kids yearly to pick strawberries and pumpkins. The farm practices small-scale sustainable agriculture and ships products like pickled okra, peach BBQ sauce, and jarred peaches locally and nationally. Check it out here. To continue my summer entertaining series, I want to share this recipe for peach tart with goat cheese and basil, which is so easy to put together and plate for parties. It includes three of my favorite elements: fruit, cheese, and herb, and pairs so nicely with a cold prosecco. INGREDIENTS 2 peaches, sliced ¼ inch thick1 ½ tbs. honey1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes1 pinch of flaky salt1 sheet puff pastry, thawed in the fridge overnight or at room temp for 30 minutes4 oz. goat cheese1 bunch basil, freshINSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut peaches into ¼-inch-thick slices. In a large bowl, toss peaches with honey and red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt.Cut your pastry sheet into six even squares. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange the squares so they are evenly spaced. Using a fork, prick across the center of the pastry (everywhere the toppings will be). Press a tablespoon of goat cheese in the center of each square and spread evenly, leaving a border around the edges. Generously top with peach slices. Make sure to save the juices at the bottom of the bowl and set aside. Bake until golden and peaches are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Top with fresh basil and drizzle any reserved juices over the top.

The Daily Mail published an astonishing article, finding that Joe and Jill Biden have refinanced their Delaware properties an unbelievable 35 times, including taking out multiple mortgages on those homes. The article says that “the couple have had a habit of negotiating a new mortgage or credit deal on both homes every 17 months,” borrowing a total of $6 million on both of their Delaware properties, even though there's still an outstanding $541,000 mortgage on their current three-bedroom, 4.5-bath Wilmington mansion nearly three decades after they bought it.Here's ChatGPT's number one reason why this 'fictional' president may have taken out 17 mortgages and keeps taking out large sums of money: money laundering.How on earth does this make sense since the Bidens have a reported net worth of $10 million?A financial expert told the Daily Mail that “it doesn’t make a lot of sense unless they were desperate for cash.” If they have $10 million, why are they so desperate for cash? Why would they need to be using their homes, as the Daily Mail says, "as an ATM"?The article points out that "the revelation comes as questions grow about the president's involvement in his son Hunter's shady business dealings with Chinese oil giant CEFC and other foreign entities.” Is this another way that the Bidens laundered money in addition to what the House Oversight Committee has discovered thus far?The writer of the article says Biden’s net worth is from book deals. However, there are no records of him ever getting payment from book sales except for the signing bonus — because nobody reads the books.So, why does he need all this money? Why does he need all this cash? I could be missing something — after all, I'm not ChatGPT, so I don't have all the information at my digital fingertips. That's why I decided to ask ChatGPT what's going on. I told ChatGPT that I'm writing a television show about a president who is mortgaging his home over and over again and relayed some important information, such as how the president has received loan repayments — even though there is no record of any loans in his name — and how he repays these loans to his family, and the family repays loans to him.This is what ChatGPT came up with. It gave me five reasons why the president would do this.I will start with the least likely, which is reason number five: debt manipulation. Constant refinancing can be a method to manipulate debt and create the appearance of legitimate financial activity. This could help in justifying the large sums of money received and repaid. The president uses refinancing to take out large sums of money, which are then cycled through as repayments to family members. This creates the facade of debt management — that the president is simply managing personal debt rather than engaging in illicit activities.Here's reason number four: tax evasion. Refinancing can provide a way to manipulate taxable income and avoid taxes on illicit funds. By cycling mortgages, the president could claim interest deductions and reduce their overall taxable income. The interest payments on the refinancing mortgages can be deducted from taxable income, effectively reducing the president's tax liability. The repayment to family members can be structured in a way that avoids declaring the foreign income, further aiding in tax evasion.Reason number three: hiding assets. Frequent refinancing can be used to mask the president's true financial status and hide assets from investigators or regulatory authorities. This can help in evading detection of illicit funds. The president uses the equity extracted from the refinancing to pay off family members, who then transfer the funds back as loan repayments. This cycle hides the actual wealth and the source of the funds, making it seem like the money is tied up in legitimate debt, rather than illicit gains.Reason number two: creating a paper trail. Mortgage cycling can create a complex financial paper trail that makes it difficult for investigators to track the true source and destination of money. This can also help hide illegal financial activities. By refinancing frequently, the president can create a maze of financial transactions that obscure the flow of money. The complexity can make it harder for authorities to detect the link between the foreign payoffs and the repayment made to family members. Here's ChatGPT's number one reason why this "fictional" president may have taken out 17 mortgages and keeps taking out large sums of money: money laundering. By continually cycling mortgages, the president could introduce large amounts of cash into the financial system under the guise of legitimate loans, which are then repaid using money received from foreign payoffs.Why would the president do this? According to ChatGPT, the president's family members receive substantial sums from foreign entities. These funds are then funneled into the mortgage refinancing process. Frequent refinancing and sizable loan repayments serve to obscure the funds' origins, making the transactions appear legitimate.That's ChatGPT's opinion on why one might do what the Daily Mail has just revealed as the Bidens’ standard operating procedure — nearly identical to what the House Oversight Committee has been investigating regarding Joe and Hunter Biden's illicit foreign business dealings. These are the same things that the Democrats continue to call unfounded conspiracy theories. Perhaps they are not so unfounded after all.Want more from Glenn Beck? Get Glenn's FREE email newsletter with his latest insights, top stories, show prep, and more delivered to your inbox.

The regime and its media handmaids have been fabricating news for years, bombarding us with alarmist rhetoric about Donald Trump’s supposed authoritarianism: “Not since the ... Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault here at home as they are today.” But in the wake of the recent show trial verdict of the former president, that rhetoric has shifted. Now, we’re told that the successful conviction of Trump represents “a triumph for the rule of law” and a “dramatic barometer of the strength of ... our judicial institutions.” “No one,” Joe Biden assures us, “is above the law.”It used to be that the jury trial itself, not the verdict, was considered a “triumph” of the rule of law. Today, such a belief is inexcusably naïve. By regime logic, guilty verdicts for its political opponents are the only evidence of a healthy legal system. Thus, the legal system is strong because it convicted Trump. Ditto for Peter Navarro, Steve Bannon, and other political opponents of the regime. For the regime, any other outcome is “lawlessness.”Do not think that the regime, after demolishing every longstanding legal and political norm, is going to be waylaid by argument and reason.But these prosecutions are the exercise of an awesome and lawless power that is radically unfamiliar to Americans. The regime is so powerful that it exercises near total dominion over the rule of law, easily wielding the legal system as a tool to prosecute its political opponents with impunity, just as it uses many other forms of lawfare to maintain its grip on power.Indeed, not only is our legal system fragile, weak, and on the verge of collapse, but it is also increasingly obvious that the American constitutional order has been overthrown.What hath the regime wrought?The regime has corrupted the legal system, a pillar of our former constitutional order. This is not the same thing as saying that the legal system does not function. It functions properly almost all the time, even though it is corrupt. This is so because the measure of its corruption is a function of how it operates when the courts are used to resolve political disputes. In that context, our legal system serves only the regime’s interests, not the interests of justice.Put another way, most legal disputes are handled the same way and have the same outcome regardless of whether the legal system is part of a constitutional republic or a tyranny. All governments, including tyrannies, have an interest in stability and order. So, it’s not unusual for an authoritarian system to permit its subjects access to the legal system to resolve nonpolitical disputes without interference most of the time. In those instances, the legal system can be said to function properly.But most legal disputes are not political disputes — or at least they didn’t used to be. Until recently, the regime lacked the power to prosecute its political enemies. Today, it has that power. The regime interferes with the legal system’s operation to advance its political goals, corrupting the system in the process, even if the system functions normally when adjudicating nonpolitical matters.By analogy, the mainstream media is not always lying, but it is always advancing the regime’s interests. If ubiquitous propaganda is the consequence of the regime’s perversion of the media, lawfare is the consequence of its perversion of the legal system. Lawfare is the process by which the regime hijacks the legal system to win political struggles that it would lose in the political arena.This is exactly what the current regime has done with Trump. The regime understands it will likely lose to Trump in the political arena, so it has re-characterized a political struggle in the political arena as a legal struggle in the legal arena — specifically, within the federal and state criminal justice systems. In other words, the regime has corrupted the criminal justice system by forcing it to resolve a noncriminal political dispute and to do so in a way that advances the regime’s political interests.As an aside, the conviction of Hunter Biden is consistent with this framework. If our hypothesis is that the regime uses the legal system to advance and protect its power, including its political power, the conviction of Hunter Biden serves the regime because it lends plausibility to the regime’s propaganda that “nobody is above the law.” Surely the regime wouldn’t permit its own elite to be prosecuted, right? Wrong. The conviction of an embarrassing crack addict who frequently jeopardized the regime’s attempts to conceal its unlawful conduct is politically useful: It rids the regime of a meddlesome sideshow who doesn’t matter while distracting normies from the unprecedented weaponization of the legal system, which does.Who has the power?Notwithstanding this corruption, Trump has obeyed the legal system’s mandates and subjected himself to its processes. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the regime accuses him of lawlessness.For instance, the regime claims that Trump is an existential threat to “democracy.” At its core, this propaganda is built on the lie that Trump threatens our form of government because he has the power to upend it. But he does not have that power. True, he has the support of tens of millions of Americans, but that support translates into power only within the structured framework of the electoral process — that is, within our form of government, not outside of it. It’s nearly worthless otherwise and totally worthless in the courtrooms of New York, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. (and, but for Judge Aileen Cannon, who appears possessed of the fortitude to stand up to the weaponized imperial bureaucracy, I’d add the federal district courts in Florida).Trump is unable to defend himself in any special way. His only recourse is to play by the regime’s rules even though the game is rigged. At least right now.Substantively, Trump lacks the power to threaten “our democracy.” This is why he tries to earn your vote while defending himself in court. Trump’s campaigning is relentless even as he spent 18 months and millions of dollars hiring attorneys, filing and responding to motions, reviewing discovery, making interlocutory appeals, attending oral arguments, selecting juries, conducting direct and cross examinations, and making opening and closing statements, all to fight a political struggle the regime removed to the legal system. In both cases (campaigning and trial), Trump tries to earn and to persuade, which is unusual given that he is supposedly a man with the will and power to overthrow “our democracy.”Regime elites, conversely, don’t bother trying to earn your vote or persuade you of their innocence. Instead, they simply implement their will through the exercise of unrestrained power. Unrestrained power is, of course, lawless power.They didn’t like the way voters were trending in 2020, so they hacked the election laws of various battleground states. Being indicted would have been inconvenient for Hillary Clinton in 2016, so the now-disgraced former FBI Director James Comey was ordered not to prosecute her. Same goes for Joe Biden, who simply instructed Merrick Garland to close Special Prosecutor Robert Hur’s case. These are examples of raw power flaunting the law: the ability to do things like hack election laws and order your own non-prosecution. Trump can’t do these things, and so he doesn’t. The regime can, and so it does.The regime uses its lawless power routinely. It sent dozens of FBI agents to raid the home of the former president of the United States and the leading opposition candidate. It then indicted him four times, in four different jurisdictions, on charges that have no legal precedent and that violate two centuries of standing political norms. It also indicted dozens of his advisors and confidants while ruining them in the process. Next, it arraigned him, arrested him, and then booked him, capping it off with a mug shot intended to humiliate him in the process (unsuccessfully, thanks to Trump’s intuitive showmanship). Then, for roughly 18 months, the regime dragged him through the expense and psychological toll of pre-trial litigation. It forced him to attend the first of these show trials. And it obtained guilty verdicts from jurors who had made up their minds before the trial began.Do not forget how unprecedented all this was. Since we’ve been subjected to 18 months of propaganda designed to normalize the regime’s lawlessness, it’s worth recalling that these events were the most stunning abuses of constitutional republican norms in the entire history of our country. As just one note of comparison, the government of the United States never even brought Jefferson Davis to trial, and he was the president of the Confederacy.So powerful is the regime that not only does it have the capacity to do the things I just mentioned, but it packages the entire awesome display in a surreal narrative that Trump is the lawless one whose unrestrained power is the threat to “our democracy.” Never mind that he didn’t even try to defy a court order that he sit through the sham trial in New York; that he subjected himself to the humiliation of being booked in Fulton County; that he was helpless to intercede as the FBI raided his home; that several judges gagged him; and a biased jury convicted him.One might think that if Trump had the power to topple the government of the United States as regime elites and regime mandarins pretend, then he would also have the power to ignore, say, a gag order issued by a municipal court. But Trump is unable to defend himself in any special way. His only recourse is to play by the regime’s rules even though the game is rigged. At least right now. Plainly, these are not the actions of a man exercising unbridled lawless power. They are the actions of a man who is being subjected to it.If Americans vote for Trump in November in numbers sufficient to overcome the margin of fraud (or, more precisely, the margin wrought by the regime’s lawless election-law hacking), his victory will prevent or delay the regime from consolidating its power; but it will not heal our damaged constitutional republic.Playing for keepsSince the conviction, several authors have opined on its legal weaknesses. These analyses range from criticisms of procedural irregularities to outlining possible grounds for appeal. Though insightful and thorough, I’m afraid these analyses miss the forest for the trees.It is impossible that this lawless prosecution of Trump, the other three lawless prosecutions of Trump, the lawless prosecutions of Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon and John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani, and on and on, will end in anything approximating justice. Do not think that the regime, after demolishing every longstanding legal and political norm, is going to be waylaid by argument and reason.The regime has breached so many norms so egregiously and for so long, that those norms have virtually disappeared from the public sphere.Now that the first of these show trials is ready for sentencing and appeal, do not expect any leftist appeals court judge to realize the gravity of the regime’s error. This will not happen. True, Trump’s lawyers may maneuver his cases in front of a dwindling number of honest appellate court judges, perhaps even pulling a few legal victories from the jaws of defeat. But these would be pyrrhic victories. In short, Trump’s conviction should be reversed on appeal, but the regime’s lawlessness reaches far, far beyond Trump. It reaches to the core of our civilization. The regime has deformed our constitutional order almost beyond recognition, and it will not be set right through one electoral victory.Until recently, regime lawlessness was a low-stakes game. Loyalty to the regime was rewarded with each successful election cycle. Conversely, if the regime lost power, its loyal servant class would cycle into the private sector for lucrative four-year gigs where they would await the next election cycle. But things are changing. Now, we are playing for keeps.Americans are growing angry with the regime’s unending train of abuses. Perhaps without intending to do so, Merrick Garland, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Alvin Bragg, Tanya Chutkan, Arthur Engoran, Juan Merchan, Letitia James, and scores of others have wagered everything — their property, their careers, their reputations, and their liberty — on the regime’s retention of power. They are “all in” as the saying goes. If the regime wins, they will win. But if Trump wins, we should expect that some of the worst perpetrators of the regime’s lawlessness will be held to account. An example will be made. If any of them retain their positions or end up with cushy private-sector gigs, you’ll know what you need to know about the regime’s retention of power.There are now only two paths forward: Either the regime will solidify its power in November or Trump will be elected. If the former, we will descend further into the regime’s totalitarian grip. If the latter, unpleasant things will have to be done to hold people to account — people who attacked our constitutional republic by refusing to recognize limits on their exercise of power over us. In this respect, Trump’s claim that the regime is really after you and he’s just “standing in their way” is correct.The regime has breached so many norms so egregiously and for so long, that those norms have virtually disappeared from the public sphere. Respect for the legal system, as just one example, was earned only following a thousand years of rigorous testing. Generations witnessed its fair and impartial functioning in politically turbulent situations and slowly, reluctantly, came to trust it. Now, however, Americans have witnessed its catastrophic failure in the prosecution of the regime’s numerous political opponents. The hard-earned trust was obliterated in the blink of an eye, or, more appropriately, in a smirk from the man who encapsulates perfectly the regime’s demented nature and its unbridled power.The regime has effectively destroyed the old American order. Restoring trust in American institutions will require a revolution in values and a massive political and spiritual upheaval among the people.Editor’s note: A version of this article appeared originally at The American Mind.

You first, Ah-nold. The superstar who once made Hummers cool is now a jacked Greta Thunberg. Arnold Schwarzenegger demanded we take action during a speech at the Austrian World Summit earlier this week. “All we care about is action. Talking alone won’t save us — but action will. We all share the same vision of a pollution-free world.” The “Terminator” star took plenty of action in his salad days. As California governor, he used a private jet for his commute. His Hummer “fleet” was legendary for a spell. Now? He works in an industry that tries to be green but very often can’t seal that particular deal. And his climate change screeds never target China for its coal plants or environmental atrocities. Does the Austrian Oak still fly private jets? Does he use his clout to shame fellow eco-hypocrites like Leonardo DiCaprio? No? In that case, “Hasta la vista, baby.” Sean Penn mourns past gay payday Ask a conservative whether there are any uber-liberal stars they refuse to watch, and one name surfaces again and again: Sean Penn. No one denies the actor’s skill set. His mantel sports two Academy Awards, and he can pivot from Jeff Spicoli to a “Dead Man Walking.” But he’s been an in-your-face activist for so long that it’s left many moviegoers disgusted. And his word-salad op-eds would make Kamala Harris cringe. Yet the surly celeb took a stand for creative expression this week that we can all cheer. Penn looked back at “Milk,” the 2008 biopic that snagged him his second Oscar, with some regret. He mused that a dyed-in-the-wool hetero like him could never land the role of the gay rights icon today. Them’s the new woke rules, and he is not a fan, according to his chat with the New York Times. “No. It could not happen in a time like this. ... It’s a time of tremendous overreach. It’s a timid and artless policy toward the human imagination.” He’s ... right. Penn is one of a growing number of stars who are speaking out, albeit cautiously, against woke overreach. Dame Judi Dench recently blasted theatrical trigger warnings, for example. All Penn needs now are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and artistic freedom. 'Acolyte' star drops dumb 'Discourse' ditty Osho is no Princess Leia. The heroine of Disney’s “The Acolyte” is feeling the heat from “Star Wars” nation. The new show is getting pummeled on YouTube and elsewhere for its lesbian witches, anemic storytelling, and anti-canon plot points. Now, the woman who plays Osha is fighting back with really awful rap lyrics. Amandla Stenberg just released a new song, “Discourse,” targeting her critics. Need some sample lyrics? “We so bored, don’t f*** with your discourse.” “They spinning ‘woke,’ bastardize it and appropriate it. Last I recall, woke was something we created, speak truth to power, keep an eye out for you silly racists.” “I’m sick and f***ing tired of suppressing my rage. 400 years of taking their bull**** to compartmentalize like my ancestors had to be encaged.” Stand back, Bob Dylan. There’s a new songsmith in town. Costner picks up the check Just how big is Kevin Costner’s wallet these days? The “Yellowstone” legend is taking the biggest risk of his career this weekend. And this is the guy who once dropped “Waterworld” on an unsuspecting public. Costner’s “Horizon,” the first of a planned four-part movie series, tackles the Western genre head-on. It’s tracking for a modest theatrical bow, and the star is scrambling to pay for parts three and four. The second film in the saga is already shot and debuts August 16. It’s an old Hollywood saw that you never use your own money on a film, but the “Bull Durham” alum did it anyway. But how much did he fork over? it depends what day you ask him. First, Costner said he coughed up $20 million to make “Horizon” happen. Then, he revealed that the true number was $38 million. Now, with the film days away from release, he says the actual figure stands at $50 million. If you have that kind of money to throw around, maybe “Horizon” isn’t as risky as we thought.