Donald Trump has personally driven the controversial, taxpayer-funded video ads promoting himself and his administration’s policies, including helping select the imagery and videos used, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

Two Trump advisers familiar with the ads said that they were being created in-house by the White House video team — which is part of the communications team, responsible for the administration’s public messaging.

Coming just over a month before the November midterms, the ads have generated bipartisan criticism over how the Trump administration is spending taxpayer dollars.

Christa Pike was 18 when she killed a classmate in a jealous rage and became one of the youngest women to be sent to death row. Now 50, she is scheduled to be put to death Wednesday in what would be Tennessee’s first execution of a woman in 200 years.

Pike and her boyfriend were convicted in the 1995 killing of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, their classmate at Knoxville Job Corps. Prosecutors said Pike feared Slemmer was a romantic rival and lured her to a secluded area where she and her boyfriend tortured and killed Slemmer. The case got widespread attention because of the brutality of the killing, the ages of the people involved and because a satanic symbol was carved into the victim’s body.

Pike does not deny her guilt, but her attorneys and supporters argue a death sentence is not appropriate for a crime committed at that age by a teen with untreated mental illness after a childhood of brutal sexual abuse and neglect. Slemmer’s mother wants the lethal injection to go forward, saying she has waited decades to see Pike’s sentence carried out.

Madoka Magica

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/43234621

OTTAWA - LGBTQ+ advocates were in Ottawa on Monday asking the federal government to call an inquiry into provincial laws they say have escalated harassment, bullying and mental health harms for transgender people.

Laws on the books in Saskatchewan and Alberta require parental consent for students under 16 to change their names or pronouns at school.

A POLITICO investigation reveals more than 100 open records requests demanding documents from climate scientists nationwide.

Only coverage of this that I've seen; otherwise I'd be using another source

The Urbanist got a look inside the ++of new Airo trains++ that will run on the popular Amtrak Cascades train route connecting Vancouver BC, Seattle, Portland, Eugene and cities in between. The shiny new trains go into service on Sept 30 and can hit speeds of 125 mph. They'll offer improved WiFi service, no-touch-control restrooms, and lots more seating capacity. The service, which is heavily subsidized by the Washington and Oregon departments of transportation, is a key climate-friendly transportation option for western Cascadia.

Ragyo Kiryuin has to be one of the most well-written anime villains ever. I love her theme song too, "Blumenkranz". After analyzing the song, it's evident that she's not only an evil fascist but also someone who puts an ungodly amount of pressure on herself, similar to her daughter Satsuki. While at first glance the song echoes her fascist ideologies with phrases such as "It is advisable to remove withered flowers", it later elucidates on her permanent obsession with power shown by the line"No matter how tough you are, Fly higher, Run much faster". The juxtaposition between the mother-daughter duo alone makes the show worth watching.

I highly recommend the anime if you like eccentric elements coupled with a strong narrative, oh also THERE'S SO MUCH FAN SERVICE!! It's safe to say this show is one of my all time favorites :)

"Fear is freedom! Subjugation is liberation! Contradiction is truth!" - Satsuki, who is essentially Japanese George Orwell

Currently on display at the chalk gallery in my mom's driveway. See it before it rains.