Have a horrible Halloween hangover? Best remedied with some horror hair-of-the-dog!Or should we say hair-of-the-werewolf? How far do we want to take this? Anyway, we recommend checking out this rad list of scary stories curated by Leah Schnelbach over at Tor.com.
Surely nobody knows the horror genre better than the horrors themselves!
From the 1920s through the ’50s, Universal Pictures’ horror films ruled the silver screen, giving us classic portrayals of iconic monsters from Count Dracula to the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Whether you’ve seen the films or not, you know the creatures—the sinister predator, the curious monster, the transformed traveler, the cursed immortal, the mad scientist, and the tragic experiment.
So if you want a stack of books to sustain you through the rest of the Spooky Season, we’ve got recommendations directly from the Monsters…
Both parties are going all out in the campaign’s final days to win votes from the Latino community in southern states like Florida and Texas. But these voters are not a monolithic voting bloc; they’re comprised of different nationalities with different ideas about what they want in a leader. MSNBC's "American Voices" host Alicia is joined by New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former HUD Secretary, Julián Castro, to get their thoughts on this voting bloc that could very well
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Whether you’re looking for a new role or just trying to expand your professional network, here’s how to use the website’s services to your full advantage.
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Bob Good, a Republican House candidate from Virginia who ousted his district’s incumbent GOP congressman at a party convention over the summer, is sticking to his guns in a close general election campaign.
You might think the probes in the picture are just funny looking alligator clips. But if you watch [tomtektest’s] recent video, you’ll learn they are really Kelvin probes. Kelvin probes are a special type of probe for making accurate resistance measurements using four wires and, in fact, the probe’s jaws are electrically isolated from each other.
We liked [Tom’s] advice from his old instructor: you aren’t really ever measuring a resistance. You are measuring a voltage and a current. With a four-wire measurement, one pair of wires carries current to the device under test and the other pair of wires measure the voltage drop.
If you wonder why that’s better than two probes, it all comes down to resistance in the test probes. Pulling supply current through the probe wires — which have some resistance — causes a voltage drop that affects the measurement. While the sense wire pair will also have resistance, the sensing current can be very small which means there will be correspondingly less error in the measurement.
We’ve seen these probes built from scratch, too. You do need a meter that will do the actual four-wire measurement, although a power supply and a voltmeter will do the job, too. If you don’t want to probe in real life, you can always do it in virtual reality. (Well, a circuit simulator, anyway.)
The researchers used a statistical model to extrapolate infections tied to 18 rallies, and the study’s figures were not based on individual cases traced directly to particular campaign events.
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Democratic candidate Joe Biden has taken some heat on social media for attacking President Trump's coronavirus plan, while leaving some with questions about what his own plan entails.
WiFi!? On an Arduino!? You shouldn’t have! The MKR1010 from arduino.cc gives the functionality of the Arduino Zero with the added bonus of a WiFi chip. It’s based on the low power Arm Cortex-M0 32-bit SAMD21, like in the other boards within the Arduino MKR family. The WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity is performed with a module from u-blox, the NINA-W10, a low power chipset operating in the 2.4GHz range. On top of those, secure communication is ensured through the Microchip® ECC508 crypto chip. Besides that, you can find a battery charger, and a directionable RGB LED on-board. The MKR1010 is specifically designed for IoT Projects and devices.
The Arduino Starter Kit provides an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It contains all of the essential components required to start programming with the Arduino Uno board, and a guidebook featuring 15 different projects, which are designed to evolve the user from beginner to professional level. The starter kit has been developed together with a series of video tutorials hosted by Arduino co-founder Massimo Banzi.
This kit features 15 simple projects that show you how to use Arduino to turn an idea into reality. More importantly, it provides the basic knowledge and tools that can bring out your inner genius and fuel your creativity forever.
Easily plug into the back of your RGB matrix and insert or screw the power and ground cables onto either the Matrix Portal or the Matrix Bonnet, or whichever microcontroller-and-add-on you’re using for your RGB Matrix project.
Works with any/all RGB LED Matrices that are ‘HUB75’ style. Not for use with NeoPixel or Dotstar matrices.
Sometimes you need to sense pressure in a damp environment. And sometimes you need to know the relative changes in pressure as well as the absolute pressure. For the times you need to do both (or either), the LPS35HW is the pressure sensor for you. Combining protection from water intrusion with support for high precision relative and absolute measurements, this sensor will do what you need. With drivers for CircuitPython, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi, and support for I2C or SPI (Arduino only SPI support, for now) you’ll be measuring pressure in moist situations in no time.
The ST LPS35HW is a water resistant barometric pressure and temperature sensor that is also safe to use in wet environments. The sensing element is nestled safely in a ceramic package and is encased in a waterproof gel that prevents water that gets into the sensor from interfering with readings. It does not carry any ratings for resistance to moisture so you probably don’t want to take it to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, but it should work well for normal wet situations like weather stations or high humidity.
Easy e-paper comes to your Feather with this breakout that’s designed to make it a breeze to add a tri-color eInk display. Chances are you’ve seen one of those new-fangled ‘e-readers’ like the Kindle or Nook. They have gigantic electronic paper ‘static’ displays – that means the image stays on the display even when power is completely disconnected. The image is also high contrast and very daylight readable. It really does look just like printed paper!
We’ve liked these displays for a long time, so wouldn’t a custom e-paper FeatherWing with buttons make a ton of sense? This ‘Wing is tested to work with all of our Feathers, from the ESP8266 to the M0. It has built-in memory buffering so it can work with chips as small as the ’32u4 and ‘328. It does use a lot of pins: the 3 SPI pins, and up to 4 control pins to manage the SD card slot and SRAM. Plus 3 optional buttons are available for Feathers with available pins.
Instead of throwing out the pumpkin seeds after a pumpkin carving session, try roasting them as a delicious snack instead! Rinse the seeds under cold running water before drying them and baking them in the oven until they're golden brown. You can add any sort of seasonings you desire, turning your pumpkin seeds into a spicy, sweet, or simply flavorful treat.
Remove the top of the pumpkin to access the seeds. If you haven’t already done so, use a sharp cutting knife to cut a circle around the pumpkin’s stem. Make sure the lid is wide enough for your hand to fit through comfortably. Remove the lid once you’re done cutting it.[1]
Use a large spoon to scoop the seeds from the pumpkin. The bigger the spoon, the more seeds you’ll be able to remove at once. Scrape the sides of the pumpkin to loosen the seeds and pulp, taking time to scoop out as many seeds as possible.[2]
You can also use your hands or an object from a pumpkin carving kit.
Place all of the seeds and pulp in a large bowl. As you’re scooping out the seeds, place the seeds and pulp in a bowl big enough to hold everything. Remove large pieces of pulp from the seeds as you’re placing them in the bowl, but don’t worry about separating every single string.[3]
If you’re removing the seeds from a smaller pumpkin, you may not need as large of a bowl.
Set the seeds in a colander and rinse them under cold water. This will help loosen the pulp and strings from the seeds, making it easier to clean them. Hold the colander full of seeds under the running water, using your hands to move the seeds around gently.[4]
Pull the seeds out of the colander and place them on a towel. Once the seeds are mostly clean, take them out of the colander and set them on a clean kitchen towel. If there are any big strings still attached to the seeds, pull these off if possible.[5]
You can also place the seeds on paper towels, though they may stick.
Pat the seeds dry using the kitchen towel. Spread the seeds out on the towel and gently blot the seeds to ensure they’re as dry as possible. Place the seeds in a bowl once they’re dry.[6]
Instead of blotting the seeds, you can also shake them in the colander to remove excess water.
If the seeds are still damp when they go in the oven, they won’t roast well due to the moisture.
Toss the seeds with oil or butter. Once the clean, dry seeds are in a bowl, pour cooking oil or melted butter into the bowl so that the seeds are lightly covered. Use a large spoon to mix the seeds around with the oil or butter so that each seed is covered evenly.[7]
Use canola oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil.
How much oil or butter you use will depend on how many pumpkin seeds you’re roasting, but it’s best to start with a small amount—you can always add more.
Add your desired seasonings. These could be seasonings such as Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper—whichever seasonings are your favorite. Sprinkle the desired amount of seasoning into the bowl of pumpkin seeds.[8]
Experiment with the type and amount of seasonings, sprinkling in small amounts before adding more.
For a simple yet tasty flavor, just add salt and pepper to your pumpkin seeds.
Consider adding seasonings like chili powder, Cajun seasoning, or crab seasoning for a stronger flavor.
Season with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for a sweet snack.
Stir the pumpkin seed mixture thoroughly using a large spoon. Stir gently, making sure the pumpkin seeds are evenly coated with oil or butter and your desired seasonings. If you notice that many seeds don’t have seasoning on them, feel free to sprinkle a little bit more into the mixture.[9]
Preheat the oven to and prepare a sheet pan. Lining your baking sheet with parchment paper will prevent the seeds from sticking the best, though you can also use aluminum foil. Once the oven is preheated, you're ready to roast your seeds.[10]
Spread the seeds out evenly on the baking sheet. Pour the seasoned pumpkin seeds onto the lined baking sheet, using a spoon to spread them out. Try to make sure they aren’t clumped together and are laying flat so they roast evenly.[11]
If your pumpkin seeds end up layered on top of one another, try baking them in two smaller batches to promote even roasting.
Bake the seeds for 20-30 minutes, stirring them occasionally. Remove the baking sheet from the oven every 10 minutes and move the seeds around using a wooden spoon or other kitchen utensil—this will help ensure each seed roasts evenly. Once the seeds look browned, they’re done![12]
Eat the seeds warm or let them cool to room temperature. Once the seeds have been removed and the oven is turned off, use a spatula to scoop the seeds into a bowl or other serving dish. You can eat them while they’re still warm from the oven, or let them sit for a few minutes until they’re cool.[13]
Store the seeds in an airtight container for roughly 1 week. If you want to save your roasted pumpkin seeds, put them in an airtight container such as a mason jar, plastic bag, or piece of tupperware. The seeds will stay fresh for a week or so at room temperature, or you can place them in the freezer for up to a month.[14]
If placing the seeds in the freezer, they should be in an airtight container as well.
Write the date on the container so you remember when the seeds were roasted.
At a moment when the United States has pulled back from its allies, the former secretary of state lamented the Trump administration’s allergy to international accords.
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WiFi!? On an Arduino!? You shouldn’t have! The MKR1010 from arduino.cc gives the functionality of the Arduino Zero with the added bonus of a WiFi chip. It’s based on the low power Arm Cortex-M0 32-bit SAMD21, like in the other boards within the Arduino MKR family. The WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity is performed with a module from u-blox, the NINA-W10, a low power chipset operating in the 2.4GHz range. On top of those, secure communication is ensured through the Microchip® ECC508 crypto chip. Besides that, you can find a battery charger, and a directionable RGB LED on-board. The MKR1010 is specifically designed for IoT Projects and devices.
The Arduino Starter Kit provides an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It contains all of the essential components required to start programming with the Arduino Uno board, and a guidebook featuring 15 different projects, which are designed to evolve the user from beginner to professional level. The starter kit has been developed together with a series of video tutorials hosted by Arduino co-founder Massimo Banzi.
This kit features 15 simple projects that show you how to use Arduino to turn an idea into reality. More importantly, it provides the basic knowledge and tools that can bring out your inner genius and fuel your creativity forever.
Easily plug into the back of your RGB matrix and insert or screw the power and ground cables onto either the Matrix Portal or the Matrix Bonnet, or whichever microcontroller-and-add-on you’re using for your RGB Matrix project.
Works with any/all RGB LED Matrices that are ‘HUB75’ style. Not for use with NeoPixel or Dotstar matrices.
Sometimes you need to sense pressure in a damp environment. And sometimes you need to know the relative changes in pressure as well as the absolute pressure. For the times you need to do both (or either), the LPS35HW is the pressure sensor for you. Combining protection from water intrusion with support for high precision relative and absolute measurements, this sensor will do what you need. With drivers for CircuitPython, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi, and support for I2C or SPI (Arduino only SPI support, for now) you’ll be measuring pressure in moist situations in no time.
The ST LPS35HW is a water resistant barometric pressure and temperature sensor that is also safe to use in wet environments. The sensing element is nestled safely in a ceramic package and is encased in a waterproof gel that prevents water that gets into the sensor from interfering with readings. It does not carry any ratings for resistance to moisture so you probably don’t want to take it to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, but it should work well for normal wet situations like weather stations or high humidity.
Easy e-paper comes to your Feather with this breakout that’s designed to make it a breeze to add a tri-color eInk display. Chances are you’ve seen one of those new-fangled ‘e-readers’ like the Kindle or Nook. They have gigantic electronic paper ‘static’ displays – that means the image stays on the display even when power is completely disconnected. The image is also high contrast and very daylight readable. It really does look just like printed paper!
We’ve liked these displays for a long time, so wouldn’t a custom e-paper FeatherWing with buttons make a ton of sense? This ‘Wing is tested to work with all of our Feathers, from the ESP8266 to the M0. It has built-in memory buffering so it can work with chips as small as the ’32u4 and ‘328. It does use a lot of pins: the 3 SPI pins, and up to 4 control pins to manage the SD card slot and SRAM. Plus 3 optional buttons are available for Feathers with available pins.
Back in 2018, we covered [Igor’s] Easy-SDR project that aimed to provide open hardware extensions for the chap RTL-SDR receivers. If you haven’t been there for a while, it’s worth a look as there have been many recent updates. According to the author’s Reddit post:
Most of the devices are now prepared for installation in a metal case measuring 80 x 50 x 20 millimeters.
There’s a completely redesigned LNA design. Now, Bias Tee powered amplifiers are housed in a 50 x 25 x 25mm metal case and have N-type connectors.
There’s an added amplifier based on the PGA-103 microcircuit.
Added is the ability to install filters in final amplifiers (a separate printed circuit board, depending on the filter used).
A new device – SPDT antenna switch for receiving antennas.
The upconverter has been redesigned. Added intermediate buffer stage between the crystal generator and mixer.
RF lines in all devices were recalculated to correspond to the characteristic wave impedance of 50 Ohm.
Reduced size of PI attenuator PCB.
There is an emphasis on ease of assembly, so the projects generally have a gerber file and can use through hole or surface mount parts. They are also available live on EasyEDA if you want to make changes. Some of the designs, like the new upconverter, are SMD only, but for some devices these days that’s your only choice.
We were impressed with the instructions included with some of the projects. It should be very possible to duplicate these projects with just a little effort. If you missed our first pass at [Igor’s] great repo, you can still catch up. Since he uses EasyEDA, you might want to read our experience with that, too.
Surprise victories in the Midwest catapulted President Trump to victory four years ago, and the region again looms as the critical battleground. Both candidates are focusing on it in the final days.
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Suzanne Muscara, 38, sent a threatening letter to the senator’s home in 2018 after becoming upset with her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court justice, the authorities said.
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Recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court have allowed Pennsylvania and North Carolina to extend their deadlines for election officials to receive ballots.
State, local, territorial, and tribal task force officers across the nation will be able to utilize body-worn cameras while conducting official federal business in specific circumstances, the Department of Justice announced.
Federally deputized task force officers will be able to wear active body cameras while serving arrest warrants, during planned arrest operations, and while executing search warrants, the Justice Department said Thursday. Hundreds of task forces across the nation address violent crime, arrest dangerous fugitives, and hinder the distribution of illegal drugs.
“After spending a substantial amount of time examining this issue, assessing the results of the pilot program, and taking into account the interests and priorities of all the law enforcement agencies involved, I am pleased to announce that the department will permit the use of body-worn cameras on our federal task forces in specific circumstances,” Attorney General William Barr said.
“The Department of Justice has no higher priority than ensuring the safety and security of the American people and this policy will continue to help us fulfill that mission,” Barr added.
Boston Police Reform Task Force Recommends Improved Diversity, Expanded Body Cam Use, Independent Oversighthttps://t.co/rLe1LT4oUh
Officials instituted the new policy following a pilot program that started in October 2019 between federal agencies and local law enforcement, DOJ said.
The Justice Department partners with state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, according to the announcement.
Police departments in Houston, Detroit, Wichita, Salt Lake City, and Park City participated in the pilot program from January through Sept. 1, according to the DOJ. State and local officials offered their input and guidance throughout the program.
Former Biden family business partner Tony Bobulinski says the FBI interviewed him for five hours last week about his business dealings with Hunter Biden in a proposed joint venture with a Chinese energy conglomerate.
FBI agents told him in the Oct. 23 interview that he was a material witness in their investigation, Bobulinski told a reporter for Sinclair Broadcasting Group on Thursday.
The FBI has not said whether it is conducting any investigations related to Hunter Biden; his father Joe Biden; and the former vice president’s brother, James Biden.
Sinclair reporter James Rosen said a Justice Department source said that it opened an investigation last year into possible money laundering by Hunter Biden and unnamed associates.
Bobulinski said FBI agents asked him about his work with “the Biden family, CEFC, and other operations around the world involving other countries.”
CEFC is a Chinese energy conglomerate with links to China’s communist regime that paid Hunter Biden at least $5 million in 2017.
“It was a very cooperative deep dive,” Bobulinski said of his FBI interview in the interview with Sinclair’s Rosen.
EXCLUSIVE: Tony Bobulinski tells @WeAreSinclair he was questioned by six @FBI agents, with counsel present, for five hours on October 23, listing him as a "material witness" in an ongoing investigation focused on Hunter Biden and his associates. His cell phones were examined. pic.twitter.com/5lPzRTREJN
In May 2017, Bobulinski and two other businessmen partnered with Hunter Biden and James Biden to form a company called SinoHawk.
The initial plan for the partnership was to invest $10 million from CEFC in various energy and infrastructure projects in the U.S. and other countries.
The SinoHawk-CEFC joint venture fizzled out by August 2017, but Hunter and James Biden continued doing business with the Chinese conglomerate.
A Senate report released last month said that CEFC wired Hunter Biden at least $5 million beginning Aug. 7, 2017. Some of the wire payments were flagged for possible criminal financial activity, the Senate report said.
Bobulinski came forward last week with what he said were details about the business deal with the Bidens and CEFC. He said he did not know that the Chinese conglomerate paid the Bidens until he read it in the Senate report.
One of the documents shows that Hunter Biden arranged a meeting for Bobulinski with Joe Biden in Los Angeles on May 2, 2017. Bobulinski said at a press conference last week that they discussed the Biden family’s plans for doing business in China.
He said that Joe Biden’s denials were “false,” and that he had “firsthand knowledge about this because I directly dealt with the Biden family, including Joe Biden.”
Bobulinski also has said that Joe Biden was referenced as “the big guy” in an email laying out equity stakes for the partners in the joint venture.
The email allocated 20% equity to Hunter Biden and 10% for “the big guy.”
The Biden campaign has said that Joe Biden never held equity in his son’s companies.
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Shut Down D.C., a progressive group that says it uses “strategic direct action to advance justice and hold officials accountable,” is targeting at least 27 conservative organizations in the Washington metro area as Election Day approaches.
An interactive map from Shut Down D.C. lists as “Trump boosters” a range of organizations, including The Heritage Foundation, the parent organization of The Daily Signal.
Other groups listed include Americans for Prosperity, Competitive Enterprise Institute, FreedomWorks, Leadership Institute, National Taxpayers Union, Republican Jewish Coalition, and UrbanCURE. (The complete list is below.)
Shut Down D.C.’s map contains the address, phone number, and website for each listed group. It also shows the location of media organizations, technology companies, and government offices in Washington, D.C.
The left-wing group’s website boasts that “we’re getting ready for an uprising. Now’s the time to get involved so we’re ready to hit the streets.”
Shut Down D.C.’s election week plan includes three phases: assembling on Nov. 3 at Black Lives Matter Plaza, taking action in the streets from Nov. 4-7, and targeting members of Congress when they return to Washington on Nov. 8.
“Affinity groups may want to start now to plan actions that confronting [sic] targets who need to be disrupted regardless of what is playing out with the vote count (Department of Justice, ICE, RNC, etc.),” the website warns.
Just a casual map of DC showing different choke points and locations to shut down in case one major political party doesn’t win the White House. https://t.co/Qdr4pXAueP
On Friday, Shut Down D.C. retweeted a tweet from an account called Earth Guardians that said: “If you’re planning on taking to the streets on election day, @ShutDown_DC has lots of trainings to make sure you have the tools to stay safe and knowledgable [sic] of your rights. Check out the list of trainings below. https://shutdowndc.org/calendar #shutdowndc #earthguardians.”
On Facebook, the organization features an event called “DC Street Smarts Direct Action Training,” which says:
Join ShutDownDC for a direct action and street smarts training! We’ll cover the basics of working together in small groups, preparing for direct action, and staying healthy and safe in the streets. This session will be entirely in person.
It also prompts those interested to register at this link to receive location information for the training and other logistical information.
In September 2019, Shut Down D.C. staged climate protests in the nation’s capital in conjunction with world leaders gathering in New York City as part of the U.N. Climate Action Summit. The Daily Signal previously reported that “these activists took to the streets … to dance and shout their way to ‘climate justice.’”
During that protest, Shut Down D.C. blocked streets to stop traffic and activists held banners that stretched across an entire road, The Daily Signal reported. Others used more creative methods to make sure no one missed their demonstration.
In a statement provided Friday to The Daily Signal in response to an inquiry, Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Alaina Gertz wrote:
In regards to public safety planning, MPD does not discuss operational tactics; however, our Special Operations Division is equipped to handle First Amendment assemblies of any stature. Also, Chief [Peter] Newsham and Mayor [Muriel] Bowser provided additional guidance to the city’s preparations for the election at the press conference yesterday.
Bowser’s office did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment on Shut Down D.C.’s guide to “Trump boosters” by publication deadline.
The Washington Post reported Friday that Bowser “said the District’s public safety officials have been discussing plans for post-election unrest for many weeks if not months.”
Here is the complete list of “Trump boosters” from the Shut Down D.C. map:
American Enterprise Institute
American Petroleum Institute
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Tax Reform
Campaign for Working Families
College Republican National Committee
Competitive Enterprise Institute
DC Republican Committee
Empower America Project
FreedomWorks
GOPAC
The Heritage Foundation
House Freedom Fund
International Republican Institute
Leadership Institute
National Republican Club of Capitol Hill
National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Senatorial Committee (Ronald Reagan Republican Center)
The Girl Scouts of America used its Twitter account this week to tweet out congratulations to Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the first woman with school-age children to be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
The Girl Scouts’ Twitter post read simply: “Congratulations Amy Coney Barrett on becoming the 5th woman appointed to the Supreme Court since its inception in 1789.”
The post seemed innocuous enough, and appropriate for an organization dedicated to the betterment of girls. Unfortunately, the tweet did not last even a day.
After receiving some predictable social media retaliation, the Girl Scouts deleted their tweet and posted not one but two groveling apologies masked as explanations.
Earlier today, we shared a post highlighting the five women who have been appointed to the Supreme Court. It was quickly viewed as a political and partisan statement which was not our intent and we have removed the post.
Girl Scouts of the USA is a nonpolitical, nonpartisan organization. We are neither red nor blue, but Girl Scout GREEN. We are here to lift up girls and women.
Notice the second tweet, which declares that the Girl Scouts of America is a “nonpolitical, nonpartisan organization” and “neither red nor blue.”
This is interesting, telling even, because as most Americans should know, the Supreme Court is not a political party and a justice is not a politician, nor should he or she be actively political in that role.
In posting and abruptly deleting the tweet, which also pictured the previous four female members of the high court, the Girl Scouts created an unusual predicament: The organization revealed its own partisan nature, as the projection at play here clearly suggests.
As most people know, the Girl Scouts of America is not just a brand that sells cookies. It’s an organization that purports to help girls thrive and develop leadership skills.
Research shows that girls learn best in an all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment. Girl Scouts is a place where she’ll practice different skills, explore her potential, take on leadership positions—and even feel allowed to fail, dust herself off, get up, and try again.
As good as that sounds, they’re certainly not living up to their own mission statement, or at least not on their Twitter account, which boasts nearly 100 million followers. Again, the original post didn’t highlight only Barrett, but all of the four women previously seated on the Supreme Court. Since there’s only been five, each one is historic.
The Girl Scouts joined with gusto the swath of social media accounts that exude political and historical ignorance when the organization equated its own tepid celebration of these five women—who happen to include Barrett, a mother, a Catholic, an originalist, and a scholar in the mold of her mentor, the late Justice Antonin Scalia—with partisanship and criticism.
Surely Barrett would exemplify the adult version of the Girl Scouts’ mission statement: She is the mother of seven children—including two she and her husband adopted from Haiti—and a dedicated wife, law professor, federal judge, and now Supreme Court justice.
As far as politics goes, despite—or perhaps because of—her commitment to “originalism,” Barrett is far less partisan than progressives would paint her to be. Certainly less partisan than the leftist politicians who interrogated her proved themselves to be during her Senate confirmation hearing just a couple of weeks ago.
In fact, it was Barrett who made her own confirmation process far less political, tempering what had become a chaotic, highly partisan atmosphere brimming with accusations, conflict, and fear mongering. She exhibited a calm demeanor, a firm grasp on law, and strict boundaries wherein she adhered to the “Ginsburg Rule,” which prohibited her from indicating how she would rule on issues the Supreme Court likely might hear.
Given Barrett’s personal accomplishments, excellent jurisprudence, and unwavering commitment to professionalism under scrutiny, it’s hard to overestimate how significant of an achievement this is for her, for women, and for an entire generation of girls who may want to try to balance both a thriving career and happy family.
As the first woman on the court with school-age children, Amy Coney Barrett proves it can be done with help, patience, perseverance, and grit.
>>> Who’s the real Amy Coney Barrett? Here’s what some of her former students and clerks have to say:
The Girl Scouts of America says it is committed to championing girls, yet as soon as it had the opportunity to applaud a woman who could be a role model to girls—and stand by the applause—the organization caved under pressure.
The Girl Scouts also lacked the chutzpah needed in this unfortunate, toxic environment to stand by the acknowledgement of four other inspirational women.
If the first rule of friendship is to stand by your girlfriend, even, and especially when, she’s criticized, then the Girl Scouts have failed.
For years, conservatives have been accused of igniting the culture wars, yet at every turn supposed cultural icons start new battles just fine on their own. Whether it’s “woke” branding, outright progressive indoctrination through commercials, or in this case, a slew of tweets gone wrong, the culture wars are getting stoked by the very people who claim to want unity.
If that’s what the Girl Scouts wanted, they not only failed to create that opportunity, but made it worse.
