Author: J.P. Knowles

President Joe Biden’s critics slammed him for a couple of awkward racial remarks he made during a recent town hall address for American veterans in Delaware.

In his speech on Friday, Biden asserted that despite being Irish, “he’s not stupid,” and that his wife’s family is Italian, so he must have “a little Italian” in him. Nevertheless, many online users criticized the comments as being in bad taste.

He jokingly said, “I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid. I married Dominic Giacoppa’s daughter so, you know, I got a little Italian in me now.”

After a video of the speech went viral on Twitter, several well-known users commented, alleging that the president was repeating anti-Irish sentiment and, on top of that, misrepresenting his wife’s ancestry.

Hate crime https://t.co/VJg7d668dg

— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) December 16, 2022

Conservative digital strategist Greg Price told users on Twitter what was behind Biden’s latest embellishment writing, “Jill Biden’s father’s name is Donald Jacobs,” and that, “Giacoppa is apparently the Italianized version of Jill Biden’s maiden name lol.”

Even though Jill Biden’s great-grandfather was the last member of her family to bear the name Giacoppa before immigrating to the United States, she does have Italian ancestry. Her maiden name is Jacobs.

A special advisor for communications for Ted Cruz, replied, “FACT CHECK: Giacoppa was actually Jill Biden’s grandfather, not her father.”

How do the Irish feel about this comment Biden just made?

"I may be Irish, but I'm not stupid." pic.twitter.com/QhhIQFLCP9

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) December 16, 2022

Businessman and conservative user Eoghan McCabe shot back at Biden, tweeting, “Irishman here. I feel neutral because I think he actually is stupid.”

Biden loves this Bidenism (he’s said it in the past before) — just casual old school anti-Irish stereotyping, but he thinks it’s a fun part of his gift of the gab because he considers himself Irish (his great-great-great grandfather moved to America from Ireland in the 1800s.) https://t.co/VJrcjdYzax

— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) December 16, 2022

The Washington Examiner’s Jerry Dunleavy also commented on Biden’s comment, tweeting, “Biden loves this Bidenism (he’s said it in the past before) — just casual old school anti-Irish stereotyping, but he thinks it’s a fun part of his gift of the gab because he considers himself Irish (his great-great-great grandfather moved to America from Ireland in the 1800s.)”

Author Helena Morissey tweeted, “My Irish-born husband says: Biden is not Irish and he needs help.”

According to police, a Chicago officer on vacation in Florida was detained early yesterday after being observed peeing into an ice machine at a beachside bar. The officer was charged with battery and disorderly conduct.

Around 12:30 AM, a Jimmy B’s Beach Bar employee in St. Petersburg allegedly saw Henry Capouch “‘pissing’ on the ice in the machine” as he was “attempting to get ice from the ice machine.”

According to an arrest affidavit, when the employee Richard Klees asked Capouch to stop, Capouch cursed and shoved Klees “a couple times.” Police claim that Capouch then shoved a security guard.

Police discovered Capouch and his girlfriend on the nearby sand when they arrived at the bar, which is a part of the Beachcomber resort. Capouch “was actively resisting” and “not obeying lawful commands while being detained,” according to the police.

Battery and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors, led to Capouch’s arrest. He posted a $650 bond and was released from custody early on Monday.

The affidavit states that Capouch showed an “indication of alcohol influence.”

Capouch is a Chicago Police Department officer who has been serving on the force for five years.

A Grinch impersonator was jailed by Michigan police for assault and battery after becoming involved in a holiday party dispute with a coworker dressed as a reindeer, according to police reports.

Late on Saturday night, police were called to a hotel in Traverse City where a “work Christmas party started an altercation in the bar area.” The men fighting are workers for a nearby supplier of oil and gas equipment.

The argument spilled out of the bar and into the Hotel Indigo’s main lobby before the police arrived. Police were informed by employee Keri Stock that she witnessed a fight and “yelling back and forth” between “the man in the green Grinch outfit” and a man sporting a plaid jacket.

Jared Archbold, a 35-year-old hotel employee, tried to step in at this point.

Archbold reported to police that he was pushed backwards by a “male in the reindeer suit.” The hotel employee allegedly received a beating from the Grinch while Archbold was on the ground, resulting in “redness to his left eye” and a broken watch.

Cops identified the Grinch as Tucker Lee Davis, 30. Archbold, described as “drunk and angry,” reportedly admitted to being the “aggressor” during the conflict, adding that he “took [Archbold] down to the ground in a ‘grappling style.’”

Davis was arrested and booked into the Grand Traverse County jail on a misdemeanor assault and battery count. Ryan Jones was not charged but was put on the naughty list.

Although consumer prices remained close to a multi-decade high in November, inflation moderated more than anticipated, continuing to put pressure on millions of American households and small businesses.

The consumer price index, which measures a variety of prices for goods and services such as gasoline, groceries, and rent, increased by 0.1% from October to November, according to data released by the Labor Department on Tuesday. On an annual basis, prices increased by 7.1%.

Both of those numbers were below the 7.3% headline figure and the 0.3% monthly increase predicted by Refinitiv economists, which may have been encouraging for the Federal Reserve as it attempts to rein in runaway inflation through a series of brisk interest rate increases. Since December 2021, it represented the lowest annual inflation rate.

Another indicator that the economy’s underlying inflationary pressures are beginning to ease is that November’s increase in core prices, which exclude volatile categories like food and energy, was 0.2% rather than the 0.3% seen in October. Core prices increased 6% from this time last year.

Core prices were expected to increase 6.1% from the previous year and by 0.3% on a monthly basis, according to economists.

On the strength of the better-than-anticipated report, stocks rose and futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by more than 700 points. S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures both increased by 2.8% and 3.9%, respectively.

According to the report, the cost of used cars, health care, and airline tickets all decreased last month. Although inflation has slowed down, prices are still significantly higher than the Fed’s 2% target.

Only a few hours after American soccer journalist Grant Wahl passed away on Sunday, a second journalist covering the World Cup in Qatar also passed away.

According to the Gulf-Times, Qatari photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam “died suddenly” while covering the competition there. He worked for Al Kass TV.

“Al Kass TV photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam passed away recently,” the Gulf-Times wrote in a tweet. “Al-Misslam, a Qatari, died suddenly while covering the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. We believe in Allah’s mercy and forgiveness for him, and send our deepest condolences to his family.”

Only a few hours earlier, Wahl had died while covering an Argentina vs. Netherlands World Cup match. During extra time, Wahl sat back in his seat in a section of Lusail Stadium, and nearby reporters called for help.

He was covering his eighth World Cup, and he noted on Monday that while in Qatar, he went to a medical facility. He sought medical attention for his symptoms but the COVID-19 test came back negative.

https://youtu.be/wnY0pyshbhw

“My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you,” Wahl said. “I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis. They gave me a course of antibiotics and some heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a bit better just a few hours later. But still: No bueno.”

Early in the competition, Wahl was detained because he was wearing a rainbow T-shirt in support of LGBTQ rights. Prior to his detention, he was initially denied entry but was later granted access.

Brittney Griner returned to the United States on Friday when she landed at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, after being arrested and given a nine-year prison sentence for drug smuggling in Russia.

Griner would be released from a Russian penal colony and be sent back to the United States in exchange for Viktor Bout, a convicted arms dealer dubbed the “Merchant of Death.” The Biden administration and Russia approved this prisoner exchange.

Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas said that while Griner was gathering herself at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, she picked up a basketball for the first time in ten months and dunked the ball.

When the Phoenix Mercury star was returning to her Russian basketball team in February, she was detained. She was arrested at a Moscow airport after bringing vape cartridges with cannabis-derived oil through the building. Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the arrest took place, but it took weeks for news of it to reach Western media.

Now that Griner is back at home, she will take some time to get acclimated to her surroundings. It wasn’t immediately clear if she would play professional basketball again.

“If she wants to play, it will be for her to share. She has the holidays to rest and decide what’s next without any pressure,” Colas said. “She’s doing really, really well. She seems to have endured this in pretty incredible ways.”

Griner has not made any public remarks since her release. She was captured on camera smiling and interacting with the crew on her return flight.

Colas stated that Griner will now work to increase awareness of other Americans held captive in other nations, citing U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan as an example. Whelan and his family have vehemently denied being a spy, and he is currently being held in Russian custody.

Some British elite supposedly want Prince Harry and Meghan Markle banned from King Charles III’s coronation next spring after the release of their Netflix docuseries, “Harry & Meghan.”

“They shouldn’t come to the coronation. They categorically shouldn’t come,” he said, also adding that Brits “would be perfectly entitled to boo” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex if they attend.

Prince Harry was born into the monarchy, but prior to her marriage to Harry in May 2018, Meghan Markle held the position of senior royal until they announced their separation in January 2020.

Iain Duncan Smith, a current member of parliament and a former leader of the Conservative Party, asked the Daily Mail about the couple, “If they dislike the Royal Family so much, why would they attend the coronation?”

According to British author Lady Antonia Fraser, “Because I want the king and queen to command attention, I sincerely hope they do not arrive. I’m concerned that if they show up, the cameras might focus too much on them. In Hollywood, they ought to continue holding hands.”

Harry and Meghan have faced a great deal of criticism since the debut of the first three episodes of their Netflix series, primarily from British audiences.

A second batch of episodes will be released later this month during which Kate Middleton will tape her ITV special: “Royal Carols: Together at Christmas.”

King Charles was pictured meeting A-list actor Ryan Reynolds in North Wales a few days after the episodes were released to talk with Rob McElhenney about buying the Wrexham Association Football Club.

While taking pictures with his wife of the area, a hiker from New Hampshire fell off a mountain’s summit and plunged hundreds of feet down a cliff, where he perished early on Saturday.

The incident happened around 10:30 a.m. on the summit of Mt. Willard in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, said Fish and Game.

“The hiker’s wife heard her husband yell and looked over to notice him falling over the edge of the mountain down a steep cliff that extended to the bottom approximately 800 feet,” according to the agency.

His wife was unable to reach him due to the steep and icy terrain on the summit, so she dialed 911 for assistance.

Around 2:30 pm, rescue personnel showed up and rappelled down the cliff, where they discovered the hiker who had fallen about 300 feet below the summit. At the scene, the hiker’s death was confirmed.

The deceased hiker was rescued from the cliff’s face by Mountain Rescue Service personnel, who then raised him to the summit.

The body was then transported by rescuers to the trailhead parking area, where they arrived at 6:45 p.m., according to officials.

Until the hiker’s family was notified, officials withheld the hiker’s name and other personal information.

Fish and Game stated that there was no additional information available right away.

Mount Willard, which rises to a height of about 2,865 feet, is located in the heart of Crawford Notch not far from Hart’s Location.

After being caught on body camera footage flashing her badge during a traffic stop and saying she hoped the deputy would “let us go,” Tampa, Florida’s police chief was placed on administrative leave.

On November 12, a Pinellas County deputy pulled over Police Chief Mary O’Connor and her husband for operating a golf cart without a license plate tag.

In the video, the deputy informs the couple that they were stopped because they were operating an unregistered vehicle without a tag.

O’Connor states, “I’m the police chief in Tampa,” while flashing her law enforcement badge. “I’m hoping you’ll just let us go tonight,” she added.

“If you ever need anything, call me,” O’Connor said, handing the deputy her card. “Seriously.”

The couple was let go without incident.

O’Connor later said her actions were a result of “poor judgment” and  she realized her handling of it could be viewed as inappropriate.

“It was poor judgment on our part to be driving a golf cart on a public roadway without the appropriate tags. This was the first time we had exited the golf-cart friendly community in which we own property with this vehicle, prompting the need for a license plate,” O’Connor said. “In hindsight, I realize how my handling of this matter could be viewed as inappropriate, but that was certainly not my intent. I knew my conversation was on video, and my motive was not to put the deputy in an uncomfortable position. I have personally called the Pinellas County Sheriff offering to pay for any potential citation.”

She added, “I have expressed great remorse to the mayor, and I apologize to the residents of Tampa who have a reasonable expectation of better judgment from their chief of police. As someone who has dealt with, taken ownership of and grown from my past mistakes, I know that no one is above the law, including me.”

In a statement about the incident issued on Friday afternoon, Mayor Jane Castor said that O’Connor had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the traffic stop.

While O’Connor is away, assistant chief Lee Bercaw is in charge in Tampa.

A Texas Catholic bishop criticized Hillary Clinton on Twitter for what appeared to be a comparison between the American abortion debate and rapes carried out by soldiers fighting for Russia in the conflict with Ukraine and Taliban rule.

“Please, please don’t listen to this evil woman,” Bishop Joseph Strickland said in a tweet. “Her lies and immorality need to be silenced for the good of humanity.”

The article that accompanied Strickland’s post highlighted remarks made by the former Democratic presidential contender while she was being interviewed by Christiane Amanpour for a summit on women’s rights held by the Clinton Presidential Center. Amanpour questioned her about a previous claim that women’s rights were “unfinished business.”

“We have come a long way since I made that statement, back in 1995, on so many fronts,” Clinton responded. “But we are also in a period of time where there is a lot of pushback and much of the progress that has been, I think, taken for granted by too many people is under attack.”

While speaking at the summit, Clinton also drew attention to the suffering of women in Sudan by bringing up the abortion debate.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned earlier this year, states in the U.S. are free to enact their own abortion laws. While some have placed strict restrictions on abortion, many others permit it up until the final weeks of pregnancy. Clinton asserted that abortion restrictions are anti-democratic.

“This struggle is between autocracy and democracy, from our country to places we can’t even believe we’re being compared to,” Clinton added.

Clinton spoke about abortion in another appearance this week saying, “I really, truly believe that when women are denied their basic rights anywhere, it gives heart to those who want to take away rights somewhere else.”