Former President Donald Trump described more details about the second attempt on his life on Tuesday night, praising the Secret Service agent who possibly prevented shots from being fired at the Republican nominee on Sunday. Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity that the apparent assassination attempt at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, is a “very different story” from when a shooter fired upon him in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The former president praised the “very sharp agent” who saw the barrel of an AK-47-style rifle sticking out of a fence around 400 yards from where Trump was playing golf. “In this particular case, you had a very sharp agent, as good as you could find, and did a fantastic job, but somebody could have missed the barrel of that rifle,” Trump said. “Somebody of lesser talents or somebody that was distracted could have missed or could have been shot, I mean, frankly, could have also been shot.” “But in this case, it worked out very well,” he continued, adding, “Butler is a very different story. Somebody should have been on that building, and that’s a different story.” Trump was shot in the right ear in Butler on July 13 after gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks gained access to a rooftop point just 130 yards away from the Republican nominee. Crooks fired eight shots and killed one rallygoer, Corey Comperatore, and wounded two other attendees. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) released a report earlier this week on the security failures at Trump’s Butler rally. The report stated that the incident was the “most stunning breakdown in presidential security since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan.” Asked by Hannity if the Department of Homeland Security, which is over the Secret Service, has rejected any requests from the Trump campaign for more resources, Trump replied, “We have long requested more people.” He added that “if there’s a weakness” with his Secret Service protection, it’s that his detail needs more “manpower.” “We have tremendous rallies and crowds, and that’s a good thing, but you need more protection,” Trump said. “I will say, in Butler, we wanted more protection … and we never seemed to get that.” After the second assassination attempt on Trump, President Joe Biden said the Secret Service “needs more help,” and top lawmakers pushed for the agency to provide Trump with more protection. “President Trump needs the most coverage of anyone. He’s the most attacked. He’s the most threatened, even probably more than when he was in the Oval Office,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said earlier this week. Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut also said Trump’s detail needs to be beefed up, saying the second assassination attempt “is deeply alarming and appalling.”

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In the weeks since she was anointed the Democratic nominee, the media seems to have convinced the American people that Kamala Harris is just a quirky wine aunt. She’s fun, she’s cool, she’s “joyful” — just hop on board and you too can share in the joy! How did they convince the American people to […]

The 1980s were a decade of transformation for rock and pop music, marked by an explosion of styles and the rise of many iconic artists. From the glitzy spectacle of hair metal and glam rock to the deeply emotional power ballads that dominated the airwaves, the music of the ’80s reflected the era’s cultural shifts. Musicians from the ’70s like Bruce Springsteen saw their fame soar even higher, while newer voices emerged to define the sound of the decade. It was also a time of political and social change, from the Reagan years in the United States to the symbolic The post 1980s’ Saddest Rock And Pop Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

It may be the very definition of a creepy crawly, but this species of giant millipede was a major discovery for a recent scientific expedition to Madagascar. Not seen in 126 years, it was part of a bevy of species identified by scientists among the trees and waterfalls in a remote section of the largest […] The post Giant Millipede Lost to Science for a Century Rediscovered in Madagascar with 20 More Species in World-First Expedition appeared first on Good News Network.

The post Cats in History: Mayor Stubbs by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller. Somedays, I watch cats and wonder, what would it be like to live their life of relative leisure? Sleep, eat, repeat. Seems pretty good to me. Obviously, not all cats live like this, but in general, they aren’t doing too bad. A dear friend of mine (Dougie’s mom, from a few articles back) and I were discussing this topic the other day: maybe cats have gotten this all figured out- we work for them, clean their litter box, feed them, and even buy them numerous toys and beds to sleep on. But what about cats that go the other way around, and enter the world of humans? Many of these cats aren’t well known, so I hope to take a few articles and write about some of these fascinating felines from history. Pancake and Tiller enjoy being cats of leisure. Meet Mayor Stubbs Enter, Stubbs. Or should I say, Mayor Stubbs? Found in a box with three other kittens, and the only one without a tail, Stubbs was so named. Mr. Stubbs is a local legend to many Alaskans. Voted Mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, Mayor Stubbs had the dubious honor of being both a political figure, and a cat. So why did a cat get elected Mayor of this remote, yet gorgeous beautiful Alaskan town? I can’t really say I ever found out for certain. Certainly, he was a boon to this tourist-driven town, the gateway to visiting Denali, but what was it, specifically, that saw him rise to political power? Apocryphally, Stubbs became Mayor after a write in ballot campaign was begun when none of the human candidates were deemed appropriate. Whether that was true or not, no longer remains the point. Stubbs remained the town Mayor until his death at almost 20 years of age. And he persisted in spite of dog attacks, being shot (not in the line of political duty) and falling into the deep fryer at his local pub (it was off). I met him once, he was a true charmer. (Basically he didn’t care, and sat on the bar looking completely unexcited, for which, sadly, I can’t say the same- I even bought his t-shirt). But, regardless, it shows what extent cats can play in our lives, and our history. Especially in Alaska, land of the Midnight Sun and a truly one of the few true wild west spots left on earth. Politically, it’s a bit unpredictable. I mean, who knows what you can see from your kitchen window? Maybe the next cat, planning their political run. This article is a part of Dr. Lauren, Pancake, and Tiller's series. Read her previous article: Please Don’t Force Your Cat Up a Mountain Featured image credit: Mayor Stubbs by Jenni Konrad, Wikimedia, licensed under CC Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic The post Cats in History: Mayor Stubbs by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

News Mickey 17 Robert Pattinson Earns His Living By Dying in Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 Getting do-overs for capitalism By Molly Templeton | Published on September 18, 2024 Screenshot: Warner Bros. Pictures Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: Warner Bros. Pictures We have been waiting for this trailer, and we are not disappointed. Parasite director Bong Joon Ho, in his first film since Parasite won a pile of Oscars, is back with a new film that looks to be no less pointed than his last. Mickey 17, which Bong adapted from Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, tells the story of a man who signs up to be an “expendable” on a distant human colony. He does not read the fine print, which says that when he dies on the (difficult, terrible) job, his body will be recreated, again and again, for more work, and more death. And he’ll remember it. Even the very brief summary makes the point obvious: From the Academy Award-winning writer/director of Parasite, Bong Joon Ho, comes his next groundbreaking cinematic experience, Mickey 17. The unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living. Bong’s social commentary is on clear display in this trailer, as is his sense of humor; the opening scene, in which a Mickey loses a hand, is played for laughs, and things just get weirder from there. Pattinson’s choice of voice is intriguing, and the supporting cast—which includes Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo—are clearly equally committed. Mickey 17 has moved release dates a few times, and is now coming to a theater near you on January 31, 2025.[end-mark] The post Robert Pattinson Earns His Living By Dying in Bong Joon Ho’s <i>Mickey 17</i> appeared first on Reactor.

Books short fiction Eight Engaging SFF Short Stories Told Through Letters Epistolary short fiction has given us so much, from dragon-related correspondence and missives about the metaverse to Death’s resignation letter. By Ratika Deshpande | Published on September 18, 2024 Photo by Olga Vilkha [via Unsplash] Comment 0 Share New Share Photo by Olga Vilkha [via Unsplash] Of all the forms of notes and documents that pop up in “found fiction,” letters are perhaps my favorite. A lot is assumed and unexplained, and a collection, over time, gains a character all its own. In a story that unfolds through letters, we get to exist inside people’s heads, toeing the line between formal and personal, reserved and confessional—there’s so many opportunities to playwith the narrative. Here are eight clever and compelling examples… “The Buried Years” by Loreen Heneghan Our narrator isn’t fond of the skeletons that walk along the god’s road towards the beyond, even though he is a doctor. Empirical studies have shown that the grieving think they can recognize the skeletons of their loved ones, although they actually can’t. So it comes as a surprise when, one night, our doctor, heading to his house, finds a solitary skeleton walking by and is sure he knows who it belongs to. He is a man of reason, he reassures his betrothed in this letter, but sometimes, one has to believe what one sees with their eyes and knows in their heart. “To the (mostly) living” by J.D. Harlock Humans have become so good at doing Death’s job that Death now feels weary, “obsolete and redundant,” so It’s turning in Its short and sweet (and funny) resignation letter… “From the Editorial Page of the Falchester Weekly Review” by Marie Brennan Benjamin Talbot recently announced his discovery of a specimen of the legendary cockatrice, a creature whose existence science hasn’t been able to confirm, in the pages of the Falchester Weekly Review. Isabella Camherst, a dragon naturalist who just returned from a voyage in the very same region where Talbot found the creature, writes to the magazine, expressing her curiosity about his discovery and her enthusiasm for his article on the same—sharing knowledge benefits everyone, after all. Talbot is initially encouraging, but when Isabella mentions that she herself hadn’t heard of the cockatrice during her research in the region, Talbot takes offense at her doubt and isn’t very polite in questioning her merit. Isabella doesn’t suffer such attitudes, however, and an exciting debate follows, with both parties exchanging some very cleverly-worded, entertaining letters. I’ve been an ardent fan of Brennan’s Memoirs of Lady Trent books, and if you like Isabella here, you would enjoy hearing from her about her entire career as a renowned (and the first female) dragon naturalist—especially when voiced by Kate Reading, who narrates the audiobooks. “Not Quite What We’re Looking for Right Now” by Jana Bianchi As a writer, I’m quite familiar with rejection letters, many of which contain the phrase “not quite what we’re looking for right now.” In this 312-word story, Bianchi takes the dreaded rejection letter and turns into something much more horrible, but in a way that makes all my actual rejections seem a lot more pleasant by comparison. I’m curious to know what the acceptance letter sent to the author for this story looked like. “Therefore What the Multiverse Has Joined Together, Let No One Separate” by Dominica Phetteplace It’s hard to describe this little story without giving away the depth and surprise that comes from knowing, towards the end, the sender and receiver of this letter, which describes a picture that came out of the only known white hole. Yxa was the one whose work made it all possible, although she never got to see the full picture—of a beautiful flower—before she died. There’s work to be done now—policies to be debated, risks of being attacked through the hole by something malicious to be calculated. There’s also hope to maintain and good things to take care of, which is what the letter aims to do. A short, beautiful story. “Customer Feedback (Secondhand Alchemical Goods)” by Arnav Sood All our narrator wanted was a Philosopher’s Stone. Instead, they were given a Psychologist’s Stone and told that it was pretty much the same thing. It wasn’t, and now our narrator wants a refund. But there’s a strict “no refund” policy, so alternatives are offered, none of which are what the narrator needs. Deeply disappointed, they decide some action needs to be taken, which is exactly what they’ve done with this letter of customer feedback. “Mirage-Stories” by Ernesto Fuentes Tenolo used to be a pirate, but now he’s in the desert, among a people who think his tales of the sea—a place with so much water—are mirage-stories. In this short, optimistic letter to Jojober, a fellow pirate, Tenolo talks about the expectation that he’s destined return to the sea in due time. He thinks he’ll stay where he is, however, for he’s found something that a pirate can never obtain, and he wants to share it with Jojober too. “Subject: More Monsters Will Not Make Us Safer” by Paul Crenshaw As if school shootings weren’t dystopian enough, in this story, Paul Crenshaw describes a version of the United States where children in schools are protected by the likes of T. rexes, ogres, and dragons from dangers such as firenadoes, reverse lightning, and, of course, school shooters. Rick T. Edge understands their necessity, but disagrees very much with the decision to increase the number of monsters looking after the students. These kids, he argues in this letter, need to learn how to defend themselves without the protection of monsters. How else, he asks, will they survive in this harsh world?  [end-mark] The post Eight Engaging SFF Short Stories Told Through Letters appeared first on Reactor.