Mediaboss Marketing

Former first lady Michelle Obama.Rob Grabowski/AP

A Texas parent called for a book about Michelle Obama be pulled from schools, NBC News reported.

The parent said it unfairly depicted Trump as a bully and would make white girls feel "ashamed."

Some conservatives say books depicting race, sexuality, and gender should be kept out of schools.

A parent in Texas called for a children's biography about former first lady Michelle Obama to be pulled from school libraries because they viewed it as unfair to former President Donald Trump.

The Katy, Texas, parent took issue with a book titled "Michelle Obama: Political Icon" by Heather E. Schwartz, saying it "unfairly" depicted Trump "as a bully," according to NBC News, which on Wednesday published a list of 50 books that parents in Texas have asked schools to remove.

The request came as books depicting race, sexuality, and gender have faced heightened scrutiny from conservatives in the US, with many demanding certain titles be pulled from school libraries.

The parent in Katy, who was not named in NBC's report, said the book about Obama gave the impression that "if you sound like a white girl you should be ashamed of yourself," NBC News reported.

In a statement to Insider, Schwartz said she was "shocked" that someone wanted to ban her book because it "is a nonfiction book that doesn't strike me as at all controversial."

Maria Corrales DiPetta, a spokesperson for the Katy Independent School District, told Insider the district reviewed the book after the complaint and determined it would not be removed. Any book that is challenged is reviewed by the district, even if only one parent submits a complaint, she said.

"We could have gotten hundreds of requests, and it would have gone through the same process," she added.

In December, the district began pulling books from the shelves after parents complained about their vulgarity, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Story continues

"The Board of Trustees and I stand by this policy and firmly believe that there is no place for books that contain pervasively vulgar content in Katy ISD libraries," Superintendent Ken Gregorski said at the time.

"It is our expectation that books within our collections are age-appropriate for the students and families we serve," Gregorski added.

Similar efforts have gained traction from state legislators and other community leaders in the US. Last year, a state legislator in Oklahoma proposed a bill that would've prohibited books in school libraries that depicted sexual activity or included discussions around sexuality and gender identity, The New York Times reported.

In October, a Wyoming prosecutor declined a request to prosecute library employees in one conservative town for stocking several books about sex education and others with LGBTQ+ themes, The Associated Press reported.

"As an author, a reader, and a parent, I'm against book banning on principle," Schwartz, the author of the Obama biography, said. "There couldn't be a safer way for kids to learn about difficult topics, gain new perspectives, and explore the world and their place in it than by reading words on a page."

Read the original article on Insider

Visit link:
A Texas parent demanded a Michelle Obama biography be pulled from schools because they said it would make white girls feel 'ashamed' - Yahoo News

A new deepfake clip takes the notion of bizarre to other heights, as we can see below, in the footer of the article. Important names in cinema, or even world politics, are among the victims of the new fake trailer.

A recently released deepfake trailer shows Barack Obama, Miley Cyrus and Ian McKellan joining forces to commit a theft that is destined to fail.

In recent years, deepfake technology has managed to amaze, amuse and even scare people, giving viewers the opportunity to see what some of their favorite movies would look like if they had another cast. Obviously, those who make such videos have gained worldwide fame, with deepfakes having the gift of going viral almost immediately.

Nowadays, the graphic method has been widely used online by some fans of fancies like Star Wars or Back to the Future, and is generally meant to entertain those who watch.

Later, the technology became widespread and began to be used in commercials, or even in films such as The Irishman or Rogue One, where it was necessary to rejuvenate the character without using another actor who could like it or not. Moreover, deepfake was able to bring back to life actors who are no longer with us.

The latest find from deepfake amateur creators highlights Barack Obama, Ian McKellan, Miley Cyrus and Olivia Coleman. The first three are imagined in the position of committing a robbery that ends badly. The video was shared by Kativa Kvinge on her Instagram account. Suddenly and without any prior explanation, in the same clip we see the British actress Olivia Coleman.

The full video can be viewed here:

Here is the original post:
The deepfake phenomenon is growing: Barack Obama and Ian McKellan, the new "victims" - Royals Blue

To the Editor:

Well the Opinion piece I just read from Marsha Obama cheerleader Shearer, is another of her famous slam-the-Republicans blather pieces.She sums up her misstatements and biased comments with the all telling last paragraph:For those hell-bent on remaking America in Trumps image, that is enough. It will also be the death knell for American democracy. And if that isnt the goal, it will surely be the consequence.Frankly speaking I as most other Americans seem to like just fine what the image of Trump showed the world. Particularly if you compare the stuttering, incoherent, forgetfulness, unpresidential outbursts cussing journalists of Biden as image of the Democratic, Socialist party your standard, well.The voting issues that have the majority of Americans upset about the 2020 election is the fraudulent unconstitutional state voting laws being usurped by an alleged COVID-19 need allowing voters to vote, by changing or ignoring the parameters, to legally vote. Throwing out voter signature verification, changing vote counting procedures, film showing votes being counted after staff were sent home. Voter fraud was a part of it but with so many states in violation for corrupted voter rolls a true voter count is impossible.My opinion is the billionaires like Soros, Steyer and others along with big corporations are funneling money to attorneys general campaigns to gain favorable decisions like the unconstitutional rulings of the state supreme court in Pennsylvania as well as states legislature allowing mail-in undocumented votes.The image shown by President Biden of being weak indecisive forgetful stammering searching for words not the image Americans want to represent this great country.All add up to (What the hell happened?) and we end up with Trumps great four years of accomplishments for this country and American people being destroyed instantly by proven corrupt Biden, inside trader queen Pelosi and Schumer along with the other tow Washington crime families of Clinton and Kerry.So, yes, we do prefer the image Trump portrays God, family and love of country.

Robert BasyeVillage of Piedmont

Link:
Marsha Shearer is an Obama cheerleader and blind to Trump's accomplishments - Villages-News

Biden and anti-Russia warmongers: Play it again Bush, Clinton, and Obama

Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

During the administration of Donald Trump, he did a rare thing in recent American history. Yes, he didnt start or instigate a war. Only recently, the Barack Obama administration destabilized Libya and Syria along with the usual NATO and Middle Eastern powers. The administrations of Bill Clinton and George Bush junior also spread death and misery to several continents. Therefore, the bi-partisan anti-Russian Federation angle in the United States is once more inciting another war under the administration of President Joe Biden.

The late Stephen F. Cohen (1938-2020) said in 2019, For centuries and still today, Russia and large parts of Ukraine have had much in commona long territorial border; a shared history; ethnic, linguistic, and other cultural affinities; intimate personal relations; substantial economic trade; and more. Even after the years of escalating conflict between Kiev and Moscow since 2014, many Russians and Ukrainians still think of themselves in familial ways. The United States has almost none of these commonalities with Ukraine.

Biden is laying the foundation for further mistrust with the Russian Federation despite America recently pulling out of Afghanistan. Also, the Biden administration is increasingly antagonizing China with endless rhetoric aimed at containing this nation. Therefore, the geopolitical backyard of America applies to European NATO powers to Japan aimed at the Russian Federation and from Japan to Asia Pacific nations who are anti-China via the useful and manipulated humanitarian angle.

America ironically is currently blighted by 100,000 opioid deaths in the last 12 months, Covid-19 deaths that will reach 900,00 in the next week, growing internal cultural differences being incited by the Democrats (race-baiting to gender confusion), inflation concerns, and several cities are fraying because of homelessness, criminality, and the defund the police agenda of wealthy Democrats who play the race card. Therefore, why isnt Biden focused on these issues and the border of America rather than seeking a new Cold War with China and the Russian Federation?

Robert Menendez and other anti-Russian Federation warmongers irrespective of whether Democrat or Republican are inflaming the situation with endless rhetoric. Voice of America reports, In addition, Menendez said he expects the Senate to approve additional lethal assistance to Ukraine in the form of weapons, as well as economic sanctions on key sectors of the Russian economy, and a bar on Russias ability to sell its sovereign debt in international markets.

Vasily Nebenzya, the Russian Federation Ambassador to the United Nations, uttered that America is provoking escalation. The ambassador continued by implying that America is whipping up hysteria aimed at the Russian Federation.

President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation concerning the responses obtained by America and NATO regarding the geopolitical concerns of the Russian Federation is despondent. He said, Let me note that we are closely analyzing the written responses received from the US and NATO on January 26. However, it is already clear, and I informed Mr. Prime Minister about it, that the fundamental Russian concerns were ignored.

TASS News reports, Putin explained that Moscow had seen no adequate response to three key demands preventing NATOs expansion, non-deployment of strike weapons systems near Russian borders and returning the military infrastructure of NATO in Europe to the positions existing in 1997 when the Russia-NATO Founding Act was signed.

The highly respected Stephen F. Cohen blamed Bill Clinton for starting to expand NATO further eastwards toward the Russian Federation. He said, The short but essential answer is Washingtons decision, taken by President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, to expand NATO eastward from Germany and eventually to Ukraine itself. Ever since, both Democrats and Republicans have insisted that Ukraine is a vital US national interest. Those of us who opposed that folly warned it would lead to dangerous conflicts with Moscow, conceivably even war. Imagine Washingtons reaction, we pointed out, if Russian military bases began to appear on Canadas or Mexicos borders with America. We were not wrong: An estimated 13,000 souls have already died in the Ukrainian-Russian war in the Donbass and some 2 million people have been displaced.

The Guardian (Simon Jenkins), concerning the late Boris Yeltsin pleading with NATO powers not to move to the borders of Russia, takes a similar view to the late Stephen F. Cohen. He reports,The west blatantly derided the advice. Nato leaders feasted on victory, recruiting members eastwards through Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Baltic states. Pleas from Russian moderates were ignored, while London opened its doors to Russias stolen wealth. The result was predictable. In 1999, Vladimir Putin took power on a populist, patriotic ticket. To Britains former Moscow ambassador, Rodric Braithwaite, Putin was a master of articulatingthe sense of humiliationRussians felt after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He exploited Natos aggressive expansionism for all it was worth. When in 2008 Americas George W Bushbacked extending Nato membershipto Georgia and Ukraine (a move that was vetoed by Germany and France) Putin seized land in both.

It is time for America and to a lesser degree the United Kingdom to focus on internal issues that need addressing. Political elites in Washington and London have meddled and spread international chaos by endlessly interfering with countless nations in recent decades. This concerns instigating conflicts far from the shores of both nations.

Modern Tokyo Times recently said, The United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) have involved themselves in the destabilization of many nations along with other NATO powers(France concerning Libya and Turkey in Syria) for many decades. Hence, from supporting the dismemberment of Yugoslavia and then Serbia (Kosovo) to intrigues in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and other conflicts mass immigration took place. This relates to failed states, chaos, terrorism, ethnic persecution, and other negative factors.

The world needs a break from constant conflicts that emanate from the same corridors of power. America, France, the United States, Turkey, and other nations continue to meddle internationally all are NATO powers. Hence, it is time for NATO and the Russian Federation to have proper dialogue that addresses the natural concerns of the Russian Federation and to calm the current crisis that is being whipped up in Washington and London.

The flow of bloodshed continues in several nations that are blighted by the deeds of NATO powers. This concerns the further destabilization of the Sahel region after the war against Libya left this nation a failed state, ongoing convulsions in Iraq and Syria, the continuing occupation of Northern Cyprus by Turkey, the meddling of Turkey in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that witnessed Islamists being transported to the war zone to kill Armenian Christians, and other convulsions related to Afghanistan to mass immigration to Europe and the cleansing of religious minorities (Christians and Yazidis in parts of Iraq and Syria). Therefore, this collective chaos is responsible for vast numbers of deaths alongside creating millions of refugees and unleashing mass immigration.

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-senate-contemplates-mother-of-all-sanctions-if-russia-invades-ukraine/6421270.html

https://mises.org/wire/why-die-ukraine

https://tass.com/world/1396205

PLEASE DONATE TO HELP MODERN TOKYO TIMES

Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group

DONATIONS to SUPPORT MODERN TOKYO TIMES please pay PayPal and DONATE tosawakoart@gmail.com

http://moderntokyotimes.comModern Tokyo Times International News and Japan News

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/moderntokyotimes/Modern Tokyo Times is now on PINTEREST

http://sawakoart.com Sawako Utsumi personal website and Modern Tokyo Times artist

https://moderntokyonews.comModern Tokyo News Tokyo News and International News

PLEASE JOIN ON TWITTER

https://twitter.com/MTT_NewsModern Tokyo Times

PLEASE JOIN ON FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/moderntokyotimes

Link:
Biden and anti-Russia warmongers: Play it again Bush, Clinton, and Obama - Modern Tokyo Times

Regulations issued by President Biden during his first year in office will cost $201 billion and add 131 million hours in annual paperwork, far exceeding the first-year outcomes of Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, according to an analysis released Thursday.

The American Action Forum, a center-right policy institute that has tracked regulatory costs since 2005, said a vehicle emissions rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency was by far the most costly rule, at $180 billion.

It nudged Mr. Bidens total regulatory costs to three times that of Mr. Obamas first-year total of $65 billion and 40 times that of Mr. Trump, who made cutting red tape a signature part of his first-year agenda by requiring two rules to be rescinded for every new one implemented.

Fundamentally, were looking at a Republican administration that sought to reduce the size and scope of government, and Democrat administrations that grow it, said Michael Bars, a former senior communications adviser in the Trump White House. Trump wasted no time undoing the heavy-handed rulemaking of the Obama administration, and Biden predictably came ready to put it right back.

The deluge of paperwork hours under Mr. Biden is largely due to a pair of COVID-19 rules issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the forum said.

The Supreme Court stayed the second of those rules, which would have required large companies to test unvaccinated workers, meaning the burden might ease after the litigation is resolved.

For now, Mr. Bidens first-year paperwork total of 131 million additional hours outstrips the Obama total of 26 million hours and the Trump total of 8 million hours.

The span of January 21, 2021, through January 20, 2022, represented a historically prodigious year in the realm of regulatory activity. Federal agencies under the Biden administration produced regulatory costs and paperwork burdens that exceeded the Year One totals produced under the past two administrations many times over, wrote the forums Dan Goldbeck, a senior regulatory policy analyst, and Dan Bosch, director of regulatory policy.

Democrats are likely to cheer Mr. Bidens pivot from Trump-era deregulation, but the GOP held up the analysis as a sign the new administration is bad for business and the economy.

Members of the Senate Finance Committee said Thursday they are particularly concerned about drug price controls as written in Mr. Bidens social welfare bill, which is stuck in Congress but might be passed in smaller pieces.

The tax-and-spending proposal currently under consideration would double down on this concerning trend toward over-regulation and advance a series of sweeping new government mandates for stakeholders across the health care system, the senators wrote in a letter to colleagues.

Also Thursday, the forum said Mr. Biden signed the most executive orders of any president in his first year since Gerald Ford 77 placing him slightly ahead of Mr. Obamas first year total and Mr. Trump, who issued fewer than 60 in his first year, according to the forum.

More than a third of Mr. Bidens orders were related to COVID-19 or mentioned the pandemic, researchers said.

Other topics included climate change, efforts to reverse Trump administration regulatory policies, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and equity advancements for several historically disadvantaged and marginalized communities, the forum said.

Read more:
Biden's first-year regulations more costly, time-consuming than Trump's, Obama's: analysis - Washington Times