Just one day after Scotland’s new Hate Crime Act took effect‚ police announced that they would not pursue criminal charges against “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling under its provisions. The law creates a new crime of “stirring up hatred‚” particularly with regard to certain protected classes and designations — and there were many who believed Rowling might come under scrutiny for X posts standing up for biological women’s spaces and refusing to refer to trans-identifying men as “women.” “The force said complaints had been received but no action would be taken‚” the BBC reported with regard to Rowling and the new law. The author responded to the news via X‚ saying‚ “I hope every woman in Scotland who wishes to speak up for the reality and importance of biological sex will be reassured by this announcement‚ and I trust that all women — irrespective of profile or financial means — will be treated equally under the law.” I hope every woman in Scotland who wishes to speak up for the reality and importance of biological sex will be reassured by this announcement‚ and I trust that all women – irrespective of profile or financial means – will be treated equally under the law.https://t.co/CsgehF2a5d — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 2‚ 2024 Rowling had previously thumbed her nose at the new law — promising to defy it herself and to proudly stand alongside any other woman who did the same — saying that she would not allow the truth to be censored in an effort to spare the feelings of biological males who wanted to usurp women’s roles and spaces. “If you genuinely imagine I’d delete posts calling a man a man‚ so as not to be prosecuted under this ludicrous law‚ stand by for the mother of all April Fools’ jokes‚” she said to one critic who advised she delete posts referring to trans-identifying men as men. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP If you genuinely imagine I’d delete posts calling a man a man‚ so as not to be prosecuted under this ludicrous law‚ stand by for the mother of all April Fools’ jokes. pic.twitter.com/ZVZQ6CV47p — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 17‚ 2024 Rowling made good on her April Fools Day promise‚ sharing a thread that showcased some of the worst male offenders who would be protected — at the expense of biological women — under the new law. Scotland's Hate Crime Act comes into effect today. Women gain no additional protections‚ of course‚ but well-known trans activist Beth Douglas‚ darling of prominent Scottish politicians‚ falls within a protected category. Phew! 1/11 pic.twitter.com/gCKGwdjr5m — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 1‚ 2024 “In passing the Scottish Hate Crime Act‚ Scottish lawmakers seem to have placed higher value on the feelings of men performing their idea of femaleness‚ however misogynistically or opportunistically‚ than on the rights and freedoms of actual women and girls‚” the author concluded. “I’m currently out of the country‚ but if what I’ve written here qualifies as an offence under the terms of the new act‚ I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment.”

The House Judiciary Committee is investigating whether major advertisers ran afoul of antitrust laws by coordinating about which news outlets to blackball.  The committee‚ chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)‚ obtained documents from the World Federation of Advertisers that show how it implemented a strategy to prevent major advertisers from doing business with disfavored news outlets. The coordinated effort could have the effect of bankrupting news organizations that don’t get the stamp of approval. “The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) through its Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative may be acting inconsistent with U.S. antitrust laws and congressional intent by coordinating GARM members’ efforts to demonetize and eliminate disfavored content online‚” Jordan wrote in March 27 letter demanding further documents from advertisers. “Evidence the Committee has obtained suggests that GARM members‚ led by Steer Team members‚ are colluding to demonetize conservative platforms and voices. Further‚ this coordination does not always revolve around ‘brand safety’ and ‘harmful’ content as GARM publicly claims‚ but instead the desire to censor conservative and other views that GARM members disfavor‚” Jordan added. The letters indicate that documents obtained by the committee suggest that the group tried to blackball mainstream conservative news organizations‚ specifically asking for “communications referring or relating to conservative news outlets‚ including Fox News‚ Daily Wire‚ and Breitbart.” The letters went to major corporations on GARM’s “steering committee” — Unilever‚ Procter &; Gamble‚ GroupM‚ Diageo‚ and Mars — saying the documents “directly connect” the companies with such efforts. The documents in the active investigation have not been released to the public. The letters seek communications from the companies “relating to the categorization‚ demonetization‚ or elimination of online speech.” They also ask for communications discussing “changes to X following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company‚” when many advertisers left the platform in protest of the left-wing Jack Dorsey being replaced by the billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. The probe suggests that the companies could be held individually responsible for the actions of the group they created‚ and that GARM may act in a cartel-like manner‚ even though many of its members are nominally competitors.  WFA announced the GARM’s creation at the 2019 Cannes festival‚ a gathering of global elites‚ amidst complaints about “disinformation” and “fake news‚” but later that year said it would become a flagship project of the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s “Platform for Shaping the Future of Media‚ Entertainment and Culture.” In an announcement that seemed like something from Darth Vader‚ the World Economic Forum stated‚ “The Global Alliance is creating a safe media ecosystem.”  “GARM focuses on viewer safety for consumers‚ reducing risks for advertisers‚ developing credibility for digital platforms and‚ more broadly‚ ensuring a sustainable online ecosystem‚” it said. “Partners involved in the Global Alliance for Responsible Media through the Forum’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Media‚ Entertainment and Sport include companies such as LEGO Group‚ Procter &; Gamble‚ Unilever‚ NBC Universal – MSNBC‚ Dentsu Group‚ WPP (through GroupM)‚ Interpublic Group‚ Publicis Groupe‚ Omnicom Group‚ Facebook and Google.” READ MORE: Ben Shapiro Details The Global Entities Working To ‘Demonetize And Deplatform’ Conservative Voices In 2022‚ GARM added “misinformation” to the types of online content that it views as unethical to run ads against. It said companies should look to firms like NewsGuard‚ the Global Disinformation Index‚ and the Journalism Trust Initiative to decide which news outlets to do business with‚ writing that the groups “can help ensure that ad buyers and users looking for news can be in safe and suitable places.” GARM says it provides members with “Brand Safety.” For-profit firms like Newsguard have shown what that means in practice: Companies that might buy ads are given lists of what TV programs‚ channels‚ podcasts‚ or newspapers are either safe to advertise on or should be avoided. This is billed as avoiding risks to their reputation or boycotts—essentially saying that if a company wants to avoid boycotts from the Left or smear campaigns‚ they should not do business with certain media outlets. In a progress report in 2022‚ GARM boasted of qualities that‚ viewed in another light‚ could show anti-competitive practices. “GARM’s launch was propelled forward by uncommon collaboration‚ a unique way of working recognizing that all sectors of the advertising industry and companies benefit from partnering to create new brand safety standards and solutions that could be accepted industry-wide‚ where there had been no established protocols‚” it said. The challenge of meaningfully steering the entire media ecosystem was “big‚” it said‚ yet GARM included 61 major companies that buy a large portion of the advertising in the world‚ as well as 35 separate industry associations that represent many more advertisers. The WFA‚ along with the Global Disinformation Index‚ Newsguard‚ and other firms that would profit from “disinformation” crackdowns‚ lobbied the European Union for a “Strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation” in 2022. Companies that want to advertise are likely to defer judgement to such nominal “experts” about who is credible‚ leading to wide-scale‚ coordinated blacklists. But those purported experts have rated even the most measured and staid news outlets as risky if they are conservative‚ such as the New York Post and Reason Magazine. Such news outlet raters often assign credibility ratings based on how closely news outlets hew to official government lines‚ dinging outlets for questioning‚ for example‚ whether COVID could have come from a lab — a theory discouraged by the government at the time‚ but now largely supported by the government. Newsguard even worked directly with the U.S. government‚ leading The Daily Wire and the Federalist to sue the State Department in a lawsuit that alleged “one of the most audacious‚ manipulative‚ secretive‚ and gravest abuses of power and infringements of First Amendment rights by the federal government in American history.”

Former President Donald Trump traveled to Grand Rapids‚ Michigan‚ on Tuesday where he joined law enforcement officers and Republican lawmakers for an event and addressed the murder of 25-year-old Ruby Garcia‚ who was allegedly killed by a once-deported illegal immigrant last month. During his remarks on “Biden’s border bloodbath‚” Trump discussed how the suspect‚ Brandon Ortiz-Vite‚ also 25‚ was deported under his administration before returning and again entering the U.S. illegally. Garcia’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds on the side of a highway in late March before Ortiz-Vite was arrested and charged just a few days later. The illegal immigrant suspect was also charged with carjacking‚ illegally carrying a concealed weapon‚ operating while intoxicated‚ and driving on a suspended or revoked license‚ The Midwesterner reported. “We threw him out of the country and Crooked Joe Biden took him back‚” Trump said‚ referring to Ortiz-Vite‚ adding‚ “The illegal alien charged with Ruby’s really heinous killing‚ this is somebody who had many‚ many arrests‚ including for some very bad crimes that he committed.” “And he was set loose to roam our streets‚ and in this case‚ set loose to roam in Michigan by politicians who are Left and weak and stupid‚” Trump continued. Trump names people who were killed by illegal immigrants and says: "I said I will deliver justice for Laken … and now today I'm adding something. It's going to be for Laken‚ and it's also going to be justice for Ruby." pic.twitter.com/rr39Ky7keu — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 2‚ 2024 The former president said he spoke to some of Garcia’s family who are now “left grieving for this incredible young woman.” “They said she had just this most contagious laughter‚ and when she walked into a room‚ she lit up that room‚” Trump added. He then referred to Georgia nursing student Laken Riley‚ who was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant in February while out on a run near the college campus‚ saying that Riley and Garcia are two more lives lost due to the border crisis. Trump argued that the ongoing crisis under Biden means “every state is now a border state‚ every town is now a border town because Joe Biden has brought the carnage and chaos and killing from all over the world and dumped it straight into our backyards.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Trump: "Under Crooked Joe Biden every state is now a border state‚ every town is now a border town because Joe Biden has brought the carnage and chaos and killing from all over the world and dumped it straight into our backyards." pic.twitter.com/0V3kfhIPo6 — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 2‚ 2024 Trump has made immigration the main issue of his 2024 campaign as he seeks to defeat President Biden in a rematch of the 2020 election. Michigan‚ a state Biden took by nearly three percentage points in 2020‚ is one of seven vital battleground states where Trump currently leads in the polls‚ according to the RealClearPolitics average.

Zooey Deschanel hit back at “nepo baby” claims — and was dragged online for it because she has an Oscar-nominated cinematographer for a father and both her mother and sister are actresses. During the 44-year-old actress’ appearance on “The School of Greatness” podcast‚ she denied that getting work in the TV and movie industry had anything to do with her parents‚ other than creatively. In the past she’s been called a “nepo baby‚” which is a term for someone who gets work in Hollywood because of nepotism‚ the Independent noted.  “My mom is an actor and my dad is a cinematographer and a director‚” Deschanel said. “I can’t possibly emphasize enough how much creative help I had from my family unit. My dad is a great creative mind and such a talented person.” “It’s funny because people be like‚ ‘Oh‚ nepotism‚’ I’m like no. My dad’s a DP [director of photography‚ another term for cinematographer]‚” she added. “No one’s getting jobs because their dad’s a DP. It’s definitely not.” “My mom is a great actor and is so nurturing‚” the actress continued. “My mom would coach me when I didn’t have an acting coach‚ she would help me‚ read lines with me. She’d be so supportive. I would have so many great discussions about film and filmmaking with my dad. They both would help me.” The “New Girl” star said that her dad would also give her great direction and read lines with her. She said having a family involved in the business gave her an automatic “community” that would help her.  Zooey Deschanel on being called a nepo baby “My father is a cinematographer … no one is getting jobs because [of that]” Her dad is a 6X Oscar nominee and her mother is an actress pic.twitter.com/tLDSPOgaTR — Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) April 1‚ 2024 Deschanel’s father has been nominated for six Academy Awards for his cinematography work in legendary films like “The Patriot‚” “The Passion of the Christ‚” “The Right Stuff‚” and “The Natural.” The “Elf” star’s mother is “Twin Peaks” star Mary Jo Deschanel (formerly Weir) and her sister is Emily Deschanel — who has appeared in movies like “Spider-Man 2” and “It Could Happen To You.” Shortly after the interview surfaced‚ people took to X and mocked the actress with memes and comments suggesting she definitely did have a leg up because of her parents. “In Zooey Deschanel’s case (having an Oscar-nominated cinematographer and an actor for parents‚ plus an older sister who’s also a very successful actor) you just gotta accept the Nepo Baby label and keep it moving‚” one person wrote. “Any arguing or indignation is gonna backfire.” Another added‚ “I would like to congratulate Zooey Deschanel on her role as the new punching bag on this topic for the foreseeable future.” While a third wrote sarcastically‚ “Okay you f***ers. Leave her alone. I am serious. I am not having you bully this nepo baby. I draw the line at Zooey Deschanel!”

Next week millions will look to the skies to view a rare total solar eclipse‚ but large portions of the U.S. may have to miss out on the event due to cloudy conditions. The dazzling celestial event will take place on April 8‚ and about 31.6 million people live in the path of totality‚ which extends through Texas‚ Oklahoma‚ Arkansas‚ Missouri‚ Illinois‚ Kentucky‚ Indiana‚ Ohio‚ Pennsylvania‚ New York‚ Vermont‚ New Hampshire‚ and Maine‚ according to NASA. People in parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also be able to see the show. The rest of the United States should be able to watch a partial solar eclipse. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) However‚ early forecasts are showing cloudy conditions across much of the path during peak viewing hours. The NOAA believes the northeast U.S. has the best chance of clear views. MRP News has a more detailed forecast on its website. If You’re Watching The Total Solar Eclipse‚ Don’t Forget To Wear Proper Eye Gear! As we all know‚ forecasts frequently change‚ though. So don’t lose hope of watching the solar eclipse! To see if you live in the viewing path and to check peak times‚ you can use NASA’s interactive map here. Monday’s show will be the first total solar eclipse since 2017‚ and it’s projected to last up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds‚ which is longer than most eclipses that have happened in our lifetimes. While partial solar eclipses are somewhat more frequent‚ total solar eclipses are rare‚ and if you miss next week’s event‚ you’ll have to wait over 20 years to see another. For everyone planning to watch‚ remember to wear proper eye wear—normal sunglasses will not do. Eclipse glasses filter between 0.001% and 0.00005% of visible light‚ writes the American Astronomical Society. That means they can be over 1‚000 times darker than your typical sunglasses. And glancing at an eclipse without protective eye gear can cause permanent damage. See a list of approved solar eclipse eyewhere here. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post The Solar Eclipse Is Only A Week Away! Here’s An Updated Forecast On Viewing Conditions appeared first on InspireMore.

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