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Are we human?

Boston Globe4 days ago
Beth Wolfensberger Singer is a Boston-based artist. You can see more of her work at Bethwolfensbergersinger.com.
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Hunter Biden lashes out at George Clooney, other Democrats, over Joe Biden's 2024 campaign
Hunter Biden lashes out at George Clooney, other Democrats, over Joe Biden's 2024 campaign

Chicago Tribune

timean hour ago

  • Chicago Tribune

Hunter Biden lashes out at George Clooney, other Democrats, over Joe Biden's 2024 campaign

WASHINGTON — Former President Joe Biden's son Hunter, seen by some as the problem child of the Democratic Party for legal and drug-related woes that brought negative attention to his father, is lashing out against Democratic 'elites' and others over the way he says his father was treated during last year's presidential campaign. Hunter Biden spoke publicly in recent interviews about last year's election, when Joe Biden ultimately dropped his bid and Donald Trump won the White House. In a three-hour, expletive-filled online interview with Andrew Callaghan of Channel 5, he directed ire toward actor and Democratic Party donor George Clooney for his decision to call on the elder Biden to abandon his 2024 reelection bid. He also ranted against longtime Democratic advisers he accused of making money off the party and trading off previous electoral successes, but not helping candidates' current efforts. The lengthy screed made plain the younger Biden's feelings that his father was mistreated by those around him in the waning days of his candidacy and administration. He also laid bare critiques of the party's operation and operatives that, he says, aren't well-serving its opposition to Trump and the Republican Party. Here's a look at some of the moments in Hunter Biden's interview: Hunter Biden spared no feelings in his assessment of the actor, questioning why anyone should listen to the 'Ocean's Eleven' star. Clooney supported Joe Biden's bid for a second term, even headlining a record-setting fundraiser for the then-president, but changed his stance after Biden's disastrous debate performance against Trump in June 2024. Clooney made his feelings known in an opinion piece in The New York Times, adding his voice to mounting calls for the then-81-year-old president to drop his presidential bid. Biden ended up leaving the race a few weeks later and endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, who went on to lose to Trump. 'What right do you have to step on a man who's given 52 years of his f——— life to the services of this country and decide that you, George Clooney, are going to take out basically a full page ad in the f——— New York Times to undermine the president,' Hunter Biden said before he trailed off to talk about how Republicans are more unified than Democrats. Los Angeles-based representatives for Clooney did not respond to an emailed request for comment. There were also weighty critiques of a number of longtime Democratic advisers. Anita Dunn, a longtime Biden senior adviser, has made '$40 to $50 million' off of work for the Democratic Party, Hunter Biden said. James Carville, adviser to former President Bill Clinton, 'hasn't run a race in 40 f——— years.' Former Obama strategist David Axelrod, Hunter Biden said, 'had one success in his political life, and that was Barack Obama — and that was because of Barack Obama.' Other former Obama aides who now host 'Pod Save America,' are 'four white millionaires that are dining out on their association with Barack Obama from 16 years ago,' he said. One of the four, Tommy Vietor, Monday on social media applauded Hunter Biden's decision 'to process the election, look inward, and hold himself accountable for how his family's insular, dare I say arrogant at times, approach to politics led to this catastrophic outcome we're all now living with.' In a message Tuesday, Axelrod told The Associated Press, 'Never have the words 'no comment' felt more appropriate.' Dunn did not immediately return a message seeking comment. As for the debate performance, the fallout from which ultimately led to the calls for his father to step down from the 2024 presidential campaign, Hunter Biden said his father may have been recovering from Ambien, a medication that he had been given to help him sleep following trips in the weeks before the debate to Europe, as well as the Los Angeles fundraiser at which Clooney said his interactions with Biden made him feel the president wasn't mentally capable. 'He's 81 years old,' Hunter Biden said. 'They give him Ambien to be able to sleep, and he gets up on the stage and he looks like he's a deer in the headlights.' A spokesperson for Joe Biden declined to comment on the interview. Hunter Biden also appeared Monday in an episode of 'At Our Table,' a new podcast hosted by former Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison. 'Yeah, Joe Biden did get old. He got old before our eyes. … But you know what? A few changes does not mean that you do not have the mental capacity to be able to do your job.' In that interview, Hunter Biden also talked about the calamitous presidential debate. 'And then they saw him at that debate. It was awful, and it was truly horrible,' he said, saying he was opposed to holding it, given Trump's recent convictions on 34 felony charges in a New York hush money case. To Harrison, Hunter Biden also addressed Clooney, saying, 'I love George Clooney's movies, but I don't really give a s—- about what he thinks about who should be the nominee for the Democratic Party.' Asked by Harrison about his father's decision to quit the 2024 race, Hunter Biden said 'I think that he could have won' but still made the right choice for Democrats broadly.' 'I know that it wasn't a mistake in that moment,' Hunter Biden said, adding that his father 'chose to save the party' over saving himself. The podcast drops come just days ahead of the expected beginning of court proceedings in a Los Angeles federal court. Hunter Biden is suing Patrick Byrne, alleging that the former CEO of falsely claimed that Hunter Biden was reaching out to the Iranian government in the fall of 2021 and offering to have his father Joe Biden 'unfreeze' $8 billion in Iranian funds 'in return for $800 million being funneled into a numbered account for us.' In the waning days of his administration, Joe Biden pardoned his son, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family. The Democratic president had previously said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence after convictions in the two cases in Delaware and California. The move came weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his trial conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges, and less than two months before Trump returned to the White House.

Ozzy Osbourne's Final Business Ventures Include Selling His DNA
Ozzy Osbourne's Final Business Ventures Include Selling His DNA

Business Insider

time2 hours ago

  • Business Insider

Ozzy Osbourne's Final Business Ventures Include Selling His DNA

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Shortly before he died, Ozzy Osbourne embarked on a business venture that could let fans "recycle him forever" — technology permitting. Osbourne died on Tuesday at the age of 76. Though he was known for his role as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, Osbourne spent the months before his death launching a series of notable brand partnerships. The so-called "Prince of Darkness" teamed up with the company Liquid Death in June on a product called "Infinitely Recyclable Ozzy." He drank 10 cans of the brand's iced tea, leaving "trace DNA from his saliva" on the now-precious metal, according to the company. Osbourne also signed each package, which originally sold for $450 each. (A six-pack of the teas goes for $13.83 on Amazon). Liquid Death said in fine print that it couldn't guarantee "DNA integrity and cloning results." At the time of writing, the coveted cans were sold out on Liquid Death's website. One sold on eBay on July 22, the day of his death, for $4,655. Osbourne, who sometimes wore dark eyeliner, also dipped his toe in the makeup world in the weeks before his death. On July 1, the UK-based makeup brand Jolie Beauty announced it was partnering with the rock legend and launching a limited-edition collection. Customers could preorder the entire collection, which included brushes, lipsticks, and a makeup bag emblazoned with an Osbourne-esque skull, for $553. The CEO of the Birmingham-based company said in a video on Facebook that the opportunity was an "absolute honor," noting that Osbourne himself was from Birmingham, England. Representatives for Liquid Death and Jolie Beauty did not immediately respond to Business a request for comment from Business Insider. In the early 2000s, Osbourne starred in the MTV reality show "The Osbournes" alongside his wife and kids. His somewhat unconventional business partnerships weren't entirely new, either — in 2003, Chipotle created the Chipotle Celebrity Card for him, which grants unlimited Chipotle for one year. As of 2022, he was the only lifelong cardholder. Osbourne struggled with Parkinson's disease in the final years of his life, but joined Black Sabbath for a final concert earlier in July in Birmingham. His family said he died while "surrounded by love" in a statement.

Elon Musk fans flock to new Tesla Diner: See the opening day photos
Elon Musk fans flock to new Tesla Diner: See the opening day photos

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Elon Musk fans flock to new Tesla Diner: See the opening day photos

Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who once called himself the "first buddy" of President Donald Trump, opened a futuristic restaurant called Tesla Diner and Drive-In in Hollywood, California, this week as fans waited for hours to see the intersection of technology and hospitality. Located in West Hollywood, the Tesla Diner is open 24 hours a day and features 80 charging stations. Customers can also watch movies on two 66-foot screens while an Optimus robot serves popcorn. Eric Greenspan, a Los Angeles-based chef, created the menu for the establishment, according to the Los Angeles Times. With a focus on classic comfort foods, the options include fried chicken and waffles, grilled cheese, tuna melts, alongside themed items like the "Tesla Burger" with "Electric Sauce." All-day breakfast options are also available, including avocado toast, biscuits and gravy, and house-made cinnamon rolls. According to LA Eater, diners can also order sides like wagyu beef chili cups, a market salad, and "epic" bacon. Musk first proposed the idea of combining a futuristic diner with a Tesla supercharger station back in 2018, tweeting, "Gonna put an old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in LA." Now that the idea has come to life, Musk said he hopes to establish more futuristic diners in major cities around the globe."If our retro-futuristic diner turns out well, which I think it will," tweeted Musk on July 19, "@Tesla will establish these in major cities around the world, as well as at Supercharger sites on long-distance routes."

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