Judge Declares Brady the Winner in Deflategate; The NFL Won't Let It Go
Just a week before the Patriots' first game of the season a judge overturned Tom Brady's four-game suspension for his involvement in a scheme to deflate the game balls before the AFC Championship in January. Sports Illustrated wrote a comprehensive article breaking down the decision. But if you think this means we're done with Deflategate, think again. The NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has already said that the league will appeal the judge's decision. [ESPN]
Judge Throws Kentucky County Clerk Who Refuses to Issue Gay Marriage Licenses in Jail
Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who has become a central figure in the conservative fight against the Supreme Court ruling that lifted bans on same-sex marriage in all states, has been thrown in jail.
BREAKING: #KimDavis sentenced to jail after refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples
— Emily Maher (@WLKYEmily) September 3, 2015Since the ruling in June, Davis had refused to issue any marriage licenses in Rowan County, citing her religious beliefs and her conscience as the reason she can't attach her signature to anything having to do with same-sex marriage. Today a judge declared Davis in contempt of court and told her she would be jailed until she complied with his order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. [AP]
Taylor Swift's Latest Video is Very ... White
Girl Squad leader Taylor Swift can’t shake off criticism that her new music video is racist and romanticizes white colonialism in Africa.
In “Wildest Dreams,” which debuted on MTV Sunday, Swift and Scott Eastwood play two actors who fall in love while filming an old Hollywood–style movie in Africa.
But while there are plenty of stunning African backdrops — and a lion, giraffe and zebra thrown in for good measure — there are few non-white faces in the video, critics point out. It also depicts “a glamorous version of the white colonial fantasy of Africa,” some said, even though that period in time was marked by violence and exploitation.
For what it’s worth, the video’s director Joseph Khan has denied the racism charges. [NPR]
Rappers Jadakiss and Styles P Bring Healthy Juice Bars to Yonkers and the Bronx
Members of the hip-hop group The Lox are dropping bars – juice bars, that is.
Rappers Jadakiss and Styles P are behind Juices for Life in the Bronx and Yonkers, bringing healthy alternatives to underserved communities.
Check out this video from Elite Daily for more on the business and rappers’ motivation behind Juices for Life. [Elite Daily]
The Parade Before the Parade
Hours before thousands of people gather on Eastern Parkway for the colorful, festive West Indian Day Parade, dawn breaks on a very different kind of gathering in Crown Heights, J’Ouvert, which means daybreak and observes the beginning of the Labor Day celebration. Brownstoner put together photos from J’Ouvert past and a historical explanation of the lesser-known event, in which some rub oil, mud or powder on their skin and process through the streets. [Brownstoner]
The Department of Sanitation Has An Anthropologist-In-Residence
NYU Professor Robin Nagle “volunteers” with the Department of Sanitation as their “anthropologist-in-residence,” studying New Yorkers’ prolific trash pile-up. The Associated Press recently profiled her in writing and in a video. Her busy Twitter account is worth a follow, and she'll be speaking at the Brooklyn Historical Society on Sept. 17. [AP]
Robotics Graduate Creates Affordable 3D-Printed Bionic Hand
A 25-year-old college grad in England and his team have created a 3D-printed bionic hand that will make high-functioning prosthetics more available to those who couldn’t afford the typical carbon fiber or titanium models. Once the prosthetics go on the market, they’ll sell for under $1,000 and can be produced in 40 hours with a 3D printer. [Nerdist]
A Preview of Pretty Much Every Movie Coming Out Between Now and Christmas
Hollywood will be releasing a lot of movies this fall, and the writers at The AV Club have put together a primer for just about all of them to help you decide whether they’re worth seeing.
The two-part list includes dozens of upcoming films, ranging from hugely anticipated blockbusters (“Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens”) to prestige pics that should do pretty well come awards season (Meryl Streep in “Suffragette”) to … other movies (“Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip”).
Just in case you were wondering, the writers are not huge fans of the “Alvin And The Chipmunks” movies. [AV Club Part 1 & Part 2]
