Photo Copyright 8 Ten, Inc.At a time when society can often seem more divided than ever, Garth Brooks wants to bring us together.
Nearly thirty years after releasing his anthem, “We Shall Be Free,” it’s an inclusive message Garth still embraces.
“For me, something has happened in this generation…” he observes. “It used to [be], you could have a buddy that was, you know, a fan of another team — Democrat, Republican, whatever. And you gave each other crap for it, but you were buddies. And now it seems there’s a list of ten things that if you don’t agree on all ten things, we’re not friends. Come on, man!”
“You want like-minded thinking,” Garth continues. “Like-minded thinking [means] we all love one another, we respect one other, we care for each other. That like-mind is good. But anything under that, you want different-minded thinking.”
The Oklahoma native goes on to explain what he means.
“I use this example all the time,” Garth says. “If war hits, and there’s only ten people left in a bunker somewhere, those ten people better pray to God Garth Brooks isn’t one of ’em. Because I can’t help ’em. I don’t know anything about electricity…” he begins, listing skills he lacks.
“And you need all that diverse thinking to get going. If they need help writing a verse or a chorus, I can help ’em,” he laughs. “But you need that like-minded umbrella.”
“At the same time,” Garth adds, “we all need to have different ideas, because it’s a culmination of those different ideas that come together, that diversity, that is the definition of this country for sure. And hopefully it’s the definition of the world itself.”
If you think Garth’s getting a little too serious, never fear. His album FUN! is coming soon.
(BOISE, Idaho) — For the second time in 24 hours, Idaho state troopers arrested and physically removed state rights leader Ammon Bundy from the Boise statehouse after he violated the chamber’s rules.
Bundy, who joined several maskless protesters in three days of action against the state legislature over its coronavirus restrictions, showed up at the statehouse around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, soon after he posted bond for his arrest during a legislative hearing Tuesday, the Idaho State Police said.
Troopers served Bundy, who was part of a 41-day standoff against federal officers in 2016 over a land dispute, a No Trespass Notice on Wednesday that prohibited him from being in the building and ordered him to leave, but he refused, according to state police.
“Troopers were forced to physically remove Bundy from the Senate Gallery, take him through a stairwell, place him in a wheelchair, and then into a patrol vehicle,” the state police tweeted.
He was charged Wednesday with trespassing after refusing to comply with the notice.
The trespass notice, which was signed by Keith Reynolds, the director of the Idaho Department of Administration, said the agency consulted with Gov. Brad Little, Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro Tempore Brent Hill, and determined that his actions Tuesday warranted the ban from the building.
On Tuesday, Bundy and two others refused to clear the Lincoln Auditorium after an order from Bedke, police said. Bundy went as far as to allegedly stay in his seat despite orders from troopers, prompting them to wheel him out to their patrol car, according to the police. He was charged with misdemeanor resisting and obstructing officers and misdemeanor trespassing, the police said.
“Based on the totalitarian of the circumstances, I find that your refusal to comply with lawful orders of government officials and peace officers threatens to interfere with or impede the conduct of legitimate businesses and the primary uses of state facilities,” Reynolds wrote in the notice. “You also present a threat to disrupt the legitimate business conducted here.”
Anti-government activist Ammon Bundy is wheeled from the Idaho Statehouse in Boise, Idaho, Aug. 26, 2020, following his second arrest for trespassing in two days. Attorney information for Bundy was not immediately available. The notice of trespass will be in effect for one year, the state police said.
The Idaho state legislature is in a special section this week to vote on several bills, including one that would end the state of emergency over COVID-19. The state has had 30,780 confirmed cases so far, and 337 confirmed or probable coronavirus-related deaths, according to the Idaho Health Department.
On Monday, Bundy and other protesters against the state’s current coronavirus state of emergency broke glass, pushed through officers and stormed the chambers, violating the statehouse’s rules on social distancing, according to video from that day. Many of the protesters didn’t wear face coverings and some were seen armed with assault rifles.
Ammon Bundy, center, who led the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation, stands on the Idaho Statehouse steps in Boise, Idaho, on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. The crowd was allowed to stay in the chambers and there were no immediate arrests. The Idaho State Police said they are investigating Monday’s incident for any criminal charges.
The statehouse has seen an increased police presence since Monday’s incident, according to the state police.
“Idaho State Police will continue to carefully balance people’s right to participate in the legislative process while ensuring that the process remains peaceful,” the police tweeted.
(LOS ANGELES) — The massive deadly infernos have become the second and third largest fires in state history and as firefighters work tirelessly, businesses in Santa Cruz are being looted. As California continues to battle raging wildfires across the state, it’s getting help from neighbors across the country.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said it has received assistance from the U.S. military and from other states who have sent firefighters, equipment and other resources to fight the state’s two dozen major fires.
Since Aug. 15, there have been nearly 14,000 lightning strikes in the state, and more than 700 wildfires, which have now burned over 1.32 million acres — an area bigger than Delaware, according to Cal Fire.
There are roughly 15,000 California firefighters working on the fires, which are predominantly in the central and northern regions. About 91 fire engines from nine western states have been assigned to incidents, according to Cal Fire.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he sent 10 state wildland firefighters to the West Coast to help with California and other states that have seen a jump in dangerous wildfires.
“I thank these brave men and women for stepping up and showing just what New York tough really means,” Cuomo said in a statement.
The LNU Lightning Complex and the CSU Lightning Complex fires are now ranked No. 2 and No. 3 on the list of all-time biggest wildfires in California history, Cal Fire said. The Mendocino Complex fire in July of 2018 remains the largest.
The agency warned that firefighters will have a tough road ahead with new weather conditions. A marine layer is expected to raise the humidity and lower the temperatures in some areas, but winds will be gusting between 15-20 mph, according to Cal Fire.
“This can make firefighting conditions challenging during those times for the next couple days,” the agency said in a statement. “Warmer conditions are expected over the weekend. Isolated thunderstorms are still possible in the upper portion of northern California and the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.”
(MILWAUKEE) — The NBA announced Wednesday it chose to postpone all three playoff games scheduled for the day after the Milwaukee Bucks refused to play their Game 5 against the Orlando Magic and other teams appeared likely to follow suit.
The Bucks decided not to take the court for Game 5 of their series against the Orlando Magic over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, earlier this week, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association today announced that in light of the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to not take the floor today for Game 5 against the Orlando Magic, today’s three games — Bucks vs. Magic, Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers — have been postponed,” the NBA said in a statement. “Game 5 of each series will be rescheduled.”
The WNBA announced its three regular season games Wednesday — being held at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida — would also be postponed.
The MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers also announced they will not play their game against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, according to ESPN. The Seattle Mariners, the roster with the league’s highest number of Black players, also said it would not play against the San Diego Padres.
Blake, who was unarmed, was shot seven times in the back by police after leaning into his car and is paralyzed from the waist down, according to his family. The shooting has caused violent protests in Kenosha the last three nights. Two people were killed in shootings during protests on Tuesday night.
The Kenosha Police Department and FBI have said they are investigating the shooting.
“The past four months have shed a light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our African American communities,” Bucks guard Sterling Brown said, reading a statement after the team chose not to play. “Citizens around the country have used their voices and platforms to speak out against these wrongdoings. Over the last few days in our home state of Wisconsin, we’ve seen the horrendous video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven times by a police officer in Kenosha, and the additional shooting of protesters. Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball.”
The Bucks lead the series 3-1, and were scheduled to play Game 5 at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
“Some things are bigger than basketball,” Bucks Senior Vice President Alex Lasry tweeted. “The stand taken today by the players and org shows that we’re fed up. Enough is enough. Change needs to happen. I’m incredibly proud of our guys and we stand 100% behind our players ready to assist and bring about real change.”
The Magic said it supported not playing as well.
“Today we stand united with the NBA Office, the National Basketball Players Association, the Milwaukee Bucks and the rest of the league condemning bigotry, racial injustice and the unwarranted use of violence by police against people of color,” the team said in a statement.
The Lakers lead their series 3-1 over Portland and the Thunder and Rockets are tied at 2-2. Three games are also scheduled for Thursday. No announcement has been made on whether they will be played.
All three games Wednesday were to be played at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, where the NBA is conducting its playoffs due to COVID-19.
Milwaukee is the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in the NBA playoffs. They lost Game 1, but have won three straight games. The team features Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning NBA MVP, who was named defensive player of the year on Wednesday.
In an interview with The Undefeated, Bucks guard George Hill said, “We’re tired of the killings and the injustice.”
The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, who open their second-round playoff series on Thursday, have also discussed a boycott, according to Raptors head coach Nick Nurse.
“Boycotting the game has come up for them as a way to try to demand a little more action,” Nurse said Wednesday, prior to the Bucks’ announced boycott. “That’s really what they want. I think there’s enough attention and not quite enough action, and that’s what I can sense from the discussions, is their disappointment. Like, ‘Man, how can we get something to change, like now?’ We need something to change, not just attention on the problem. We need a plan of action.”
Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell tweeted “WE DEMAND CHANGE! SALUTE @Bucks” in response to the shooting.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James tweeted similarly, adding an expletive and saying, “WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT.”
ABC News’ Dan Linden and Karyn Rodus contributed to this report.
Diyah Pera/Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — The sci-fi series Altered Carbon is set in a world where a person can live forever, but in the real world, Altered Carbon won’t.
Netflix has pulled the plug on the series after two seasons.
Based on the book series by British writer Richard K. Morgan, the show’s conceit is that a person’s consciousness can be endlessly re-uploaded into new “skins,” and its lead character, Takeshi Kovacs, was one example. He was played by Will Yun Lee, Joel Kinnaman and, most recently, Anthony Mackie.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that COVID-19 wasn’t behind Netflix’s decision to pull the plug. Instead, the streaming service weighed the lavish show’s big budget versus its streaming audience, and Altered Carbon came up short.
Photo Copyright 8 Ten, Inc.At a time when society can often seem more divided than ever, Garth Brooks wants to bring us together.
