Tag: Politics

Doug Emhoff emphatically waving to Kamala Harris at the State of the Union became an instant meme

This was very funny.

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and United States Vice President Kamala Harris have always been very cute together, and this clip from before the 2024 State of the Union address seals it.

Emhoff walked in, took his place and then gave an emphatic, joyful wave to the veep.

Lip-readers think she responded with a “don’t do it” through her smile, but the way she reacted, maybe it was a joke between them, because Emhoff seemed to indicate he wouldn’t do whatever inside joke they had between them.

The best part of all this is that it became an instant meme. Check it out:

 

 

Jayson Tatum announces partnership to support low-income, single-parent families in St. Louis

Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum announced a new partnership with SoFi to support low-income, single-parent families in St. Louis.

Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum announced a new project aimed at building generational wealth for low-income, single-parent families in his hometown of St. Louis. The five-time All-Star is partnering with SoFi bank to help those in need take a first step toward financial stability and growth.

The initiative is a collaboration between the Jayson Tatum Foundation and the financial services company SoFi. A $1 million donation will spearhead a new SoFi Generational Wealth Fund at the foundation. In an interview with the Associated Press, Tatum explained his eagerness to give back and why a program like this can be so impactful.

“I just knew I wanted to give back and help people that looked like me and grew up like me.” Tatum said.

Boston’s Jaylen Brown boosts effort to raise juvenile prosecution age in MA to 20

Brown recently made an appearance at the Massachusetts State House in support of an initiative to raise the age of juvenile offenders in the state for non-violent offenses from a maximum of 18 to 20 years of age.

Star Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown recently made an appearance at the Massachusetts State House in support of an initiative to raise the age of juvenile offenders in the state for non-violent offenses from a maximum of 18 to 20 years of age.

Brown argued that 18, 19, and 20-year-olds are still emerging as adults, and should still be tried as juveniles in certain contexts as a result. Pointing to biological science on the human brain’s development at that age and his own life experience, Brown used his platform to advocate for local youth to avoid treating them with the full weight of the law.

The Cal alum was joined by criminal justice reform advocates and legislators, Brown’s position was not without pushback.

To hear his words for yourself, check out the clip embedded above from NBC Sports Boston.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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From rivals to allies: How the Lakers-Celtics battles of Paul Pierce, Derek Fisher planted seeds of green

“We just want to make a difference,” Fisher told Celtics Wire.

Former reality TV star and current entrepreneur Gloria Govan knows how to make the most out of connections, relishing in creating unexpected synergies as she works to professionalize a long-maligned industry finally starting to come out of the shadows as the regime of laws and the stigma surrounding the cannabis industry begin to fade with its prohibition.

It might sound odd to some Boston Celtics fans to hear legendary Celtics forward Paul Pierce and Govan’s husband Derek Fisher are now working to further the field of retail cannabis sales together via her RLNTLSS Brands.

A longtime on-court foe of Pierce during Boston’s battles with Fisher’s Los Angeles Lakers squad in the late aughts, the two now share a common cause in what RLNTLSS describes as “providing comprehensive support to help … establish and expand your cannabis business in a legally compliant and successful manner.”

Do national parks close during a government shutdown?

It’s complicated.

What does a government shutdown have to do with national parks? Well, since the National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government, a lot. As a potential government shutdown looms, here’s what people need to know about the country’s parks, monuments, and more.

First, let’s take a moment to discuss government shutdowns. In the U.S., a shutdown occurs when a lack of funding forces non-essential government operations to stop. Funding issues arise when Congress members fail to agree on and pass a budget. While national parks don’t always close during a shutdown, they did amid the 2013 government shutdown.

Will the government shutdown close national parks?

Each government shutdown is unique. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, parks remained open with limited staff. While many adventurous tourists probably enjoyed these lands staying open, the decision caused a lot of trouble.

As Outside writer Wes Siler explained, “Even while maintenance crews and Rangers were furloughed, park visitation boomed. Trash and toilets overflowed, sensitive ecological areas were damaged, artifacts were stolen, and people died.”

Local business owners near national parks also face trouble during government shutdowns. According to the NPS, “visitor spending in communities near national parks in 2020 resulted in a $28.6 billion benefit to the nation’s economy and supported 234,000 jobs.” If the parks close, businesses that benefit from visitor spending face real trouble.

As Liz Skelton, owner of Yosemite Blue Butterfly Inn, told CBS Sacramento, “It’s these small little towns outside of these federal parks that get hit the worst on all this.”

During the 2018-2019 government shutdown, Utah paid to keep several of its national parks open. Governor Spencer Cox has already announced plans to do so again should a 2023 shutdown occur. Similarly, Governor Katie Hobbs of Arizona has stated that she intends to use state funds to keep the Grand Canyon open during a potential shutdown.