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“I knew people on the stand,” a 27-year-old receptionist at the Hilton Garden Inn told The Post.

When most people are done eating the sweet, juicy flesh of a watermelon, they toss the rind.

Free Speech Advocates Rally At California Capitol Against 'Stop Nick Shirley Act'

Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times,

Tensions flared at the California state Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 26 as free speech advocates rallied to overturn a new state law they dubbed the "Stop Nick Shirley Act" signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week.

Utah independent journalist Nick Shirley joined Republican state lawmakers and hundreds of supporters speaking out against what they said was a violation of their rights.

🚨 California desperately wants change and transparency when it comes their tax dollars being defrauded and wasted by corrupt politicians.

No more lack of accountability or billions of tax dollars lost and stolen. No more money-laundering schemes through NGOs, nonprofits, and… pic.twitter.com/ws3e6GvTa7

— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) August 27, 2026

The legislation signed by Newsom on Aug. 22 expands an existing program created to protect domestic violence victims to include immigrant service workers, making it illegal to post, display, disclose, or distribute the personal information or image of any designated immigration support services provider, employee, or volunteer, or other individuals residing at the same home address, with the intent to harass, dox, or threaten them.

Anyone who violates the law faces a minimum fine of $4,000 and a maximum of three times the damages amount awarded by a jury. The law goes into effect Oct 1, 2027.

Newsom's office denied claims the legislation targeted Shirley and his investigations.

Shirley published his first California-related video on March 16 after his team uncovered over $170 million in alleged fraud tied to a daycare and hospice care system in the state.

Shirley, who joined the rally, said there was no need for the bill.

"Here in California, the politicians instead of going after the fraudsters, they've now gone after those that are going to expose the fraud," Shirley told the crowd.

Some state lawmakers have also come out against the new law, officially titled "Assembly Bill 2624 Privacy for immigration support services providers."

"In America, we have a right to free speech and the freedom of the press," Republican state Sen. Tony Strickland, whose district is mostly made up of Orange County cities, told the crowd.

"And every citizen has a right to challenge how their money is being spent in the state of California."

Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio of San Diego County said the law will end up in court.

"I'm asking the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division to intervene to block implementation of the Stop Nick Shirley Act," DeMaio said in a video on X. "The DOJ can take cases up that infringe on constitutional rights. They can haul California into court and defend our First Amendment rights. One way or another, we're taking this to court."

Newsom's spokeswoman Diana Crofts-Pelayo told The Epoch Times in an email: "The real controversy here is that MAGA Republicans are either lying to create up fake conspiracy theories, or none of them know how to read."

The governor's office and supporters of the legislation claim the bill only allows immigration service providers the ability to hide their personal information from the public to protect themselves from getting exposed or harassed.

Democratic Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, whose district is in the Bay Area, introduced the bill on Feb. 20, one month after Shirley first publicly announced he was targeting fraud in California during a Jan. 21 congressional hearing on Minnesota fraud.

Bonta said she had no idea who Shirley was before she submitted the legislation, telling KRCA in April she didn't "live in the same spaces in social media" where Shirley's people were.

Bonta's husband, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, had already filed lawsuits with Minnesota's attorney general against the Trump administration after millions in fraud were uncovered in Minnesota following Shirley's investigations in December.

Attorney General Bonta has also led an unprecedented legal fight against the Trump administration during President Donald Trump's second term, filing 82 major lawsuits and more than 120 briefs supporting other legal actions.

"Since President Trump returned to office, California has been under attack - and has led the way in fighting back," the attorney general said Aug. 4.

In his remarks Wednesday, Shirley told the crowd that the new law created a protected class of people within state government and gives them special privileges by excluding them from having to disclose their information to the public.

Here is the New York Times realizing they are advocating for a law that would would effect journalism and fraud from being exposed pic.twitter.com/AQ88oUZziu

— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) August 27, 2026

Politicians have learned they can use immigrant communities and nonprofits to funnel millions upon millions of tax dollars into nonprofit organizations, Shirley said.

"Now, they want to prohibit people from being able to go and film these locations to expose it," he said.

The Pacific Justice Institute spoke at the rally and said they planned to help challenge the law in court.

"The purpose of this legislation - the goal of it is very clear - is to intimidate you not to investigate. Not to report. To go home in fear," said Brad Dacus, president of the institute.

The institute pledged to defend anyone in court fined by the state under the new law.

Tyler Durden Fri, 08/28/2026 - 13:05

There has been a change of heart.

The ceremony marked the official launch of the 2026 Inc. 5000, with Inc. editor-in-chief Mike Hofman ringing Nasdaq’s Opening Bell.

Costco is now offering delivery for its famous sheet cakes and party platters, giving shoppers a major convenience perk when ordering customizable items.

Alessandro Duico and Lora Fahmy built elephantroom to answer a plain question: will the room actually work when the furniture arrives?

Locals tore down tents, threw migrants’ belongings into the sea and lit a bonfire while waving Spanish flags on a Ceuta beach on August 28th.

The mom told police she believed she was keeping her son “safe” — and that killing the child was “worth it” if it meant the boy’s father and parental relatives would never have the chance to see him.

Nepali authorities have released the initial names of 65 U.S. citizens reported missing.

An aisle seat could get you advice about walking down the aisle.

Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is scheduled to address about 5,000 members of Indian American groups at Madison Square Garden arena.

Fernando Mendoza did not need a coach or analyst to explain what went wrong in the Las Vegas Raiders’ preseason finale. The rookie quarterback could feel it. “The NFL is really tough,” Mendoza said after Thursday’s 18-12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. “There is a big jump going from college to the NFL, and...

It hasn't been a good week for George Lombard Jr.

"If you leave a door half open, soon you'll hear the whispers spoken."

Jennifer Lopez works from the bath, Gabrielle Union goes paddle boarding and more snaps...

Jennifer Lopez works from the bath, Gabrielle Union goes paddle boarding and more snaps...

There's no doubt where Naomi Osaka's penchant for match-day fashion comes from.

ICE Awards $16.7 Million No-Bid Contract For 6,000 Pairs Of Electric Shock Gloves

Authored by Kimberly Hayek via The Epoch Times,

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has awarded a $16.7 million contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of gloves that can deliver electric shocks. Officers would use them to control resisting detainees and protesters, according to a federal notice published Thursday.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington on Feb. 17, 2026. (Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times)

The no-bid deal went to Compliant Technologies LLC, a Kentucky firm that manufactures the devices, and covers the gloves plus support equipment and services over the next six months.

ICE moved forward with the purchase despite ongoing objections from civil rights advocates and Democratic senators. They said the agency already draws criticism for use of force with unclear oversight.

Hours before the notice appeared, a group of senators led by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) wrote to ICE's acting director, urging the agency to abandon the plan. Fifteen colleagues from the Democratic caucus signed on.

"The blatant and tragic misuse of force in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, Maine, and other locations around the country raises significant skepticism about the agency's professional capability to safely deploy a new tool that could be used to harm Americans without cause," the letter said.

The Department of Homeland Security, ICE's parent agency, defended the purchase Thursday.

"Sanctuary politicians attempting to ban our federal law enforcement from any safety equipment is despicable and a deliberate attempt to undermine and endanger our officers," the agency said in a statement.

The plan for the purchase surfaced earlier this month when ICE posted a notice about buying thousands of "conductive distraction and de-escalation devices" for officers and investigators.

Gloves Look Like Regular Gear Until Button Is Pressed

The gloves appear as ordinary patrol gloves until an officer presses a button, which activates electrical mode. The shock works only on bare skin, and aims to produce enough pain to make a resisting person comply. Some local jails and police departments already use similar equipment.

ICE's notice listed several scenarios for the devices, including high-tension environments during arrests, transport of combative detainees, and civil disturbances outside detention facilities.

"It will be used when a subject is actively or passively resisting and an officer needs to gain control quickly to prevent injuries to both parties," the document said.

Officials said the shocks would help maintain control over inmates, stop aggression or escape attempts, let officers handcuff people who hide their hands, and aid crowd control efforts. The aim is to avoid the deployment of greater force, including firearms. The notice mentioned approved policy, training, and accountability standards but no further details.

ICE initially intended to spend up to $20 million on the devices, known as CTG-5 G.L.O.V.E., or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, with delivery expected by March 31, 2027. The gloves were earmarked for Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations officers and agents.

Compliant Technologies said the gloves should not be deployed in the face of verbal defiance or belligerence, serve as punishment, or be used for torture. The company also warned against deploying them on children, the elderly, pregnant women, or people with disabilities.

The manual advised using them when a suspect becomes violent enough to endanger an officer or the public, and only to meet lawful objectives under agency policy. Officers need training and certification, with recertification every two years.

"Every decision is made with careful consideration and appropriately reviewed to ensure that any technology ICE utilizes is consistent with all applicable law enforcement policies and standards," an ICE spokesperson told The Epoch Times earlier this month via email. "Our officers are highly trained in de-escalation tactics and regularly receive ongoing use of force training."

* * * hot take from Tim Dillon

Tyler Durden Fri, 08/28/2026 - 12:25

Students who studied STEM had salaries over $100,000 a year.