Category: Laptops

  • Chipotle Pays $322K to Settle Child Labor Allegations

    Chipotle Pays $322K to Settle Child Labor Allegations

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    • Chipotle is paying more than $300,000 to settle allegations of child labor in Washington, D.C.
    • D.C. alleges Chipotle let minors work over 48 hours a week and more than six straight days a week.
    • Chipotle denies the allegations, but will adopt policies to comply with child labor laws as part of a settlement.

    Chipotle is paying more than $300,000 to Washington, D.C., to settle allegations that it violated the district’s child labor laws by failing to abide by legal limits for the number of hours minors are allowed to work.

    D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced Monday that Chipotle will pay $322,400 and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the child labor laws in the district, where the company operates 20 restaurants.

    “We applaud young people who take the initiative to work in addition to going to school,” Schwalb said in a press release. “But the law limits the hours they can work to ensure they are healthy, well-rested, and able to fulfill their responsibilities as students and to their families.”

    Schwalb’s office began the investigation in May 2022 after seeing reports alleging Chipotle violated child labor laws in other jurisdictions, according to the release. The investigation identified more than 800 potential violations of the district’s child labor laws dating back to April 2020.

    The district alleges that Chipotle violated D.C.’s child labor laws by letting minors work past 10 p.m., letting them work more than 8 hours a day, letting them more than 48 hours a week, and letting them work more than 6 consecutive days a week, according to the settlement.

    Chipotle denies the allegations.

    In a statement, Laurie Schalow, Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs officer, said: “We are committed to ensuring that our restaurants are in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations and we believe that in hiring workers beginning at age 16, we can provide younger employees with valuable experiences and an opportunity for advancement. We have reached a settlement with the Washington, D.C. Office of the Attorney General for the events dating back to 2020, and have implemented an enhanced labor scheduling program in our restaurants, creating a more efficient, consistent and compliant environment.”

    Chipotle was previously accused of child labor law violations in Massachusetts and New Jersey.

    In 2020, the company was cited $1.37 million in restitution and penalties for more than 13,000 alleged violations of child labor law and other wage and hour laws in Massachusetts.

    In 2022, Chipotle agreed to pay $7.75 million after a 2020 New Jersey Department of Labor audit identified more than 30,000 alleged violations affecting minors working at the company’s restaurants across the state.

    Earlier this year, Chipotle agreed to pay $240,000 to former employees of a location in Augusta, Maine, after the National Labor Relations Board found that the company violated labor laws when it closed the store after workers there tried to unionize.

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  • Best Jumbo CD Rates of September 2023 (up to 5.85% APY)

    Best Jumbo CD Rates of September 2023 (up to 5.85% APY)

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    Our experts answer readers’ banking questions and write unbiased product reviews (here’s how we assess banking products). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.

    A jumbo CD is a type of CD with a high minimum deposit that pays a higher interest rate than a regular CD. A jumbo CD may be worthwhile if you have more than $100,000.

    Jumbo CDs aren’t common, and ones that pay high interest rates are even less common. If you’re also interested in other types of CDs, check out our overall best CD rates guide. Below, you’ll find our top picks for the best jumbo CDs, which have either competitive interest rates or a variety of terms.

    The Best Jumbo CD Rates

    Market Leader

    One American Bank 170-Day CD Special: 5.85% APY

    Top Jumbo CD Rates

    CIT Bank 18 Month Term CD

    3.5/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    4.60%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $1,000

    CIT Bank 18 Month Term CD

    3.5/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    4.60%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $1,000


    CIT Bank 18 Month Term CD

    Details


    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    4.60%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $1,000

    Pros & Cons
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    Highlights
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    Compare the Best Jumbo CDs

    One American Bank 170-Day CD Special

    3.5/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    5.85%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $100,000

    One American Bank 170-Day CD Special

    3.5/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    5.85%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $100,000

    On One American Bank’s website


    One American Bank 170-Day CD Special

    Details


    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    5.85%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $100,000

    Pros & Cons
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    Connexus Jumbo Certificates

    3.5/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    4.16% to 5.76%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $100,000

    Connexus Jumbo Certificates

    3.5/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    4.16% to 5.76%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $100,000

    On Connexus Credit Union’s website


    Connexus Jumbo Certificates

    Details


    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    4.16% to 5.76%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $100,000

    Pros & Cons
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    US Senate Federal Credit Union Jumbo CDs

    3.5/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    2.38% to 5.28%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $200,000

    US Senate Federal Credit Union Jumbo CDs

    3.5/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    2.38% to 5.28%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $200,000

    On US Senate Federal Credit Union’s website


    US Senate Federal Credit Union Jumbo CDs

    Details


    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    2.38% to 5.28%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $200,000

    Pros & Cons
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    Consumers Credit Union Jumbo CD

    4.25/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.50% to 5.15%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $250 to $100,000

    Consumers Credit Union Jumbo CD

    4.25/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.50% to 5.15%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $250 to $100,000

    Consumers Credit Union, NCUA Insured


    Consumers Credit Union Jumbo CD

    Details


    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.50% to 5.15%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $250 to $100,000

    Pros & Cons
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    USAA Jumbo CD

    3.75/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.05% to 5.00%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $95,000

    USAA Jumbo CD

    3.75/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.05% to 5.00%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $95,000


    USAA Jumbo CD

    Details


    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.05% to 5.00%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $95,000

    Pros & Cons
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    Navy Federal Credit Union Standard Certificate

    4/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.45% to 4.50%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $1,000

    Navy Federal Credit Union Standard Certificate

    4/5

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    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.45% to 4.50%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $1,000


    Navy Federal Credit Union Standard Certificate

    Navy Federal CD rates are high overall, with the exception of its 6-month terms — you’ll find the best 6-month CD rates elsewhere. The SaveFirst Account rates are only so-so, but they’re some of the few CDs out there that allow you to add more money to your account during the term.

    Details


    Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    0.45% to 4.50%


    Minimum Deposit Amount

    $1,000

    Pros & Cons
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    Why You Should Trust Us: Experts’ Advice on Choosing the Best Jumbo CD

    We consulted banking and financial planning experts to inform these picks and provide their advice on finding the best high-yield savings accounts to use for your money. 

    PFI Banking Expert Panel that includes: Tania Brown, Roger Ma, Sophia Acevedo, and Mykail James

    Insider



    Here’s what they had to say about CDs. (Some text may be lightly edited for clarity.)

    What makes a jumbo CD good or not good?

    Sophia Acevedo, certified educator in personal finance, banking reporter, Personal Finance Insider:

    “The main benefit of a jumbo CD is that it can sometimes offer a higher interest rate than a regular one because you’re making a substantial initial deposit. However, if a bank pays the same interest rate regardless of how much money you deposit upfront, I would probably consider another financial institution or put my money in another type of account.” 

    How should someone choose a CD term length?

    Roger Ma, certified financial planner with lifelaidout® and author of “Work Your Money, Not Your Life”:

    “I would think about when you need the money and then compare that with what the prevailing CD rates are, and then what makes sense from a financial perspective, but also from your own personal timing perspective.”

    Mykail James, CFEI:

    “I believe in having a plan for whatever the funds are. If it’s supposed to be a house fund, and you want to wait for another two years to buy a house, that’s what you should be thinking of when you want to have this money.”

    How should someone decide whether to put their money in a high-yield savings account, money market account, or CD?

    Tania Brown, certified financial planner at SaverLife:

    “So I guess we’ll start off with how much money you want to put in and the level of transactions you want to have. If you want to have any transactions, that automatically takes out CDs. Then you’re stuck between the high-yield savings and the money market account.”

    Sophia Acevedo, Personal Finance Insider:

    “Generally, I think a high-yield savings account or money market account could be good options for an emergency fund or short-term savings goals. A high-yield savings account offers a higher interest rate than traditional savings accounts at brick-and-mortar banks. Meanwhile, money market accounts might be worth considering if you want more account accessibility — several offer paper checks, ATM cards, or debit cards. CDs could be worthwhile if you don’t need access to some of your money, since they have a fixed interest rate for a specific term.”

    Our Methodology

    Personal Finance Insider’s mission is to help smart people make the best decisions with their money. We understand that “best” is often subjective, so in addition to highlighting the clear benefits of a financial product or account — a high APY (Annual Percentage Yield), for example — we outline the limitations, too. We spent hours comparing and contrasting the features and fine print of various CDs so you don’t have to.

    We reviewed financial institutions to find banks that offered no-penalty CDs. For each account, we use our CD methodology to compare the minimum opening deposits, early withdrawal penalties, and interest rates. We also considered the overall banking experience at each bank by assessing customer support availability, mobile app ratings, and ethics.

    Jumbo CD Frequently Asked Questions

    A jumbo CD is a certificate of deposit that requires a high minimum deposit — usually around $100,000. As a reward for placing this large deposit, you’ll earn a higher interest rate than you would on a regular CD.

    The main distinctions are that a jumbo CD requires a higher deposit, and it usually pays a higher rate. Some banks also offer different term lengths for its jumbo and regular CDs. 

    The main pro of a jumbo CD is the guaranteed rate of return. You’re putting a lot of money into a jumbo CD. If you were to put that money into a riskier investment, such as the stock market, you wouldn’t know how much you’d end up with in a few months or years. With a jumbo CD, you know exactly how much you’ll earn.

    One con of jumbo CDs are the higher minimum deposits. Regular CDs typically require a few hundred or a few thousand dollars, but you’ll need around $100,000 to open a jumbo CD. Also, the rate isn’t always better. Banks usually pay higher rates on jumbo CDs — but not always. You could find a different bank that pays better rates on regular CDs than a certain bank pays on jumbo CDs.

    CDs aren’t generally considered investments the same way something like an index fund, which puts your money into the stock market, is. Instead, a CD is typically viewed as a type of savings account, and your potential for losses and gains — your risk — is much more limited. Because the stock market is risky, experts generally don’t advise investing money you’ll need in the next five years. In the case of a stock market drop, you wouldn’t have time to make up your losses.

    Jumbo CD Reviews

    One American Bank 170-Day CD Special

    One American Bank may be a good option if you are strictly searching for a high interest rate. The bank has a 170-day CD special that pays 5.85% APY. 

    One American Bank has three locations in South Dakota, but you can also open an account online from anywhere in the US.

    Term length options: One American Bank has CD specials ranging from 170 days to 18 months. The other CD specials only require a $5,000 minimum opening deposit. The bank also has standard CDs.

    What to look out for: The 170-day CD special has a penalty of 3 months of interest if you withdraw before the term ends. Other banks may have a more lenient early withdrawal penalty. 

    Connexus Jumbo Certificates

    Connexus Credit Union may be a great option if you prioritze banking with a credit union. Connexus offers particularly high CD rates on 1-year and 2-year terms.

    Term length options: Jumbo Certificates range from 1 year to 5 years.

    What to look out for: Connexus Jumbo Certificates have steep early withdrawal penalties.

    Connexus Credit Union requires membership. The easiest way to become a member regardless of where you live in the US is to join the Connexus Association by making an initial $5 donation.

    Connexus Credit Union Review

    US Senate Federal Credit Union Jumbo CDs

    US Senate Federal Credit Union might also be a good choice if you prefer credit unions over banks. It offers a variety of CD terms and pays great rates.

    Term length options: Jumbo CD terms range from 3 months to 60 months.

    What to look out for: US Senate Federal Credit Union jumbo CDs have a $200,000 minimum opening deposit. 

    You also need to become a member to open a CD. To join US Senate Federal Credit Union, you must work for a Select Employee Group, have a family member that’s a current member, or become a member of the U.S. Capital Historical Society or the American Consumer Council (you can join these organizations from anywhere in the US).

    Consumers Credit Union Jumbo CD

    Consumers Credit Union pays competitive rates on jumbo CDs, especially for longer terms. Consumers makes it easier to become a member than most credit unions do — you just have pay $5 to join the Consumers Cooperative Association, then deposit $5 in a Consumers savings account. Unlike most credit unions, Consumers compounds interest daily, meaning you can earn more money in the long run.

    Term length options: 91 days to 5 years

    What to look out for: Consumers Credit Union doesn’t have any major downfalls, but you might earn a higher rate at another institution, depending on the term length.

    Consumers Credit Union Review

    USAA Jumbo CD

    USAA has a wider range of term lengths than most banks, which makes it easy to find a jumbo CD that fits your needs. It also pays good rates on longer-term CDs.

    Term length options: 30 days to 7 years

    What to look out for: The other institutions on our list compound interest daily, but USAA only compounds interest monthly. This limits how much you’ll earn over the months or years.

    USAA Bank Review

    Navy Federal Credit Union Standard Certificate

    You’ll earn the highest rates with a $100,000 minimum. However, Navy Federal CD rates are still high regardless of your account balance. Navy Federal compounds your interest daily like most banks would, unlike many credit unions that compound monthly. Navy Federal also offers terms for up to 7 years, while many banks cap out at 5 years. 

    Term length options: 3 months to 7 years

    What to look out for: You or a family member must have ties to the military for you to become a member of Navy Federal. Or you can join by living with a Navy Federal member, or by being a Department of Defense civilian personnel or contractor.

    Navy Federal Credit Union Review

    Bank Trustworthiness and BBB Ratings

    We’ve compared each company’s Better Business Bureau score. The BBB grades businesses based on factors like responses to customer complaints, honesty in advertising, and transparency about business practices. Here is each company’s score:

    US Senate Federal Credit Union received an A- rating because it has failed to respond to one customer complaint.

    Both Navy Federal and USAA have NR (“No Rating) ratings from the BBB because they are responding to previously closed complaints.

    Navy Federal and USAA have also been involved in recent public scandals. 

    In 2020, a Navy Federal employee stated the lender pressured mortgage underwriters to approve loans even if they didn’t have sufficient reason to believe applicants could repay the loans. The employee filed a lawsuit and said Navy Federal retaliated against her whistleblowing by changing her job duties. She dropped the case in late 2020.

    In 2020, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said USAA broke the law by failing to establish and carry out an efficient compliance risk management program and IT risk governance program.

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  • Far-Right German Politician, Scion of Nazi Leader, Smeared With Feces

    Far-Right German Politician, Scion of Nazi Leader, Smeared With Feces

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    • A German far-right politician had dog feces smeared on her at an event in Daun, southwest Germany.
    • Beatrix von Storch, the AfD’s deputy leader, is known for her controversial remarks on immigration.
    • She is the granddaughter of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s finance minister.

    A German far-right politician had feces smeared on her at an event in Daun, southwest Germany.

    Beatrix von Storch, the deputy leader of the Alternative for Germany party (AfD), said the attack was “disgusting” and vowed not let it discourage her politics.

    “Yesterday in Rhineland-Palatinate there was another disgusting attack on me [and] the AfD,” von Storch, 52, said in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    “We fight with arguments, AfD-haters fight with feces,” she added. “No matter what vile means they resort to, we will fight unwaveringly and now more decisively for the spiritual and moral renewal of our nation.”

    “Love will defeat hate. Therefore, we will defeat you who smear us with excrement because you have no arguments,” she said.”

    Police said in a statement that von Storch was attacked on Friday by a 35-year-old man who asked to take a photo with her and then smeared her with dog feces.

    The man briefly resisted arrest but was overpowered and is now under investigation.

    About 80 to 85 people attended the event, and police estimated that 100 to 120 protesters had gathered outside.

    The controversial politician, the granddaughter of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s finance minister and convicted war criminal, Graf Schwerin von Krosigk, has been the AfD’s deputy leader since 2015 and a member of the Bundestag parliament since 2017.

    She is known for her controversial remarks about immigration. She has previously been investigated over possible incitement to hatred for an anti-Muslim tweet, which led to her Twitter and Facebook accounts being temporarily suspended.



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  • Stormy Daniels Leads Mocking of Trump’s ‘215 Pounds’ Weight: Fulton Jail

    Stormy Daniels Leads Mocking of Trump’s ‘215 Pounds’ Weight: Fulton Jail

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    • Stormy Daniels says she does not believe Trump weighs 215 pounds.
    • His weight and height were released after he turned himself in to authorities in Fulton County, Georgia, on Thursday. 
    • This would mean Trump lost 25 pounds and grew an inch since he last reported his measurements in April.

    Stormy Daniels said she doesn’t believe that former President Donald Trump weighs just 215 pounds, as his booking record at the Fulton County Jail says.

    The adult film actress, who claims she had an affair with Trump years ago, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Mmmkay! And I’m 110lbs and a virgin!”

    “I’m not a scale or a doctor but I have spent some time beneath 215lb men and Tiny was not one of them,” she said, using her derogatory nickname for the former president.

     

    Trump turned himself into authorities in Fulton County, Georgia, on Thursday and was booked on 13 felony counts related to an alleged scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state.

    According to the jail records, the former president is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 215 pounds.

    It would mean he had lost 25 pounds and grown an inch since he self-reported his measurements in April when he was separately booked in Manhattan over a “hush-money” payment to Daniels.

    Trump was last officially weighed in his annual physical as president in 2020, which said he was 244 pounds

    Trump turned himself in to authorities in Fulton County, Georgia, on Thursday and was booked on 13 felony counts related to an alleged scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state.

    According to the jail records the former president is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 215 pounds.

    This would mean he had lost 25 pounds and grown an inch since he self-reported his measurements in April when he was separately booked in Manhattan over a “hush-money” payment to Daniels.

    Trump was last officially weighed in his annual physical as president in 2020 which said he was 244 pounds – which would put him in the obese category, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Adult BMI Calculator. 

    Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he campaigns at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. August 12, 2023.

    Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he campaigns at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. August 12, 2023.

    REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo



    Trump’s latest measurements in Georgia were pre-reported by his aides, The New York Times reported.

    His newly reported measurements have sparked mirth and speculation on social media, with some men of a similar weight and height comparing themselves to him on TikTok.

    Others have juxtaposed images of him with celebrities with similar measurements but very different builds, including boxer Muhammad Ali and “Thor” actor Chris Hemsworth. 

    Trump’s weight has long been a sore subject, and he has resisted advice to lose weight from people ranging from Dr. Mehmet Oz to his own White House doctor, Ronny Jackson.

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  • Donald Trump’s Mugshot Shows He’s Ready to Fight, Fear: Body Language Expert

    Donald Trump’s Mugshot Shows He’s Ready to Fight, Fear: Body Language Expert

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    • Former President Donald Trump is “ready for battle” in his Georgia mugshot, according to a body language expert.
    • But the expert said his pose “indirectly leaks a little bit of fear” over DA Fani Willis’ case. 
    • Trump’s history-making booking photo was released after he surrendered to authorities in Georgia.

    A body language expert says Donald Trump’s historic mugshot in Georgia shows he’s “ready for battle” — but also reveals a bit of fear at the strength of the criminal case against him.

    Trump voluntarily surrendered to Fulton County, Georgia authorities on Thursday after being charged in a sprawling indictment that alleges he and 18 co-defendants conspired to overturn the 2020 election in the state.

    Janine Driver, CEO of the Body Language Institute, told Insider said body language “can convey various messages and emotions without the need for words,” and that in Trump’s first mugshot, he “lowers his head, grimaces, and looks up, with his eyebrows down in anger, as he shoots an icy glare.”

    Driver said that his choice to tilt his head down can show “judgment or negative internal emotion and disapproval.” 

    “Lowering the head in body language can contribute to the perception of power and dominance” by projecting a “sense of being in control and aware of their surroundings,” Driver said, adding that it could also communicate a “sense of confidence and self-assuredness.” 

    Driver said she assumed Trump would have taken an alternate route, choosing to tilt his head back while the chin is up, which can show an attitude of “I’m looking down my nose at you” to communicate contempt, or moral superiority. 

    “And we don’t see that,” she said. “Instead, we see a guy that’s ready for battle,” adding that it “indirectly leaks a little bit of fear because he’s ready for battle instead of being contemptuous and saying ‘I’m above everybody,’ he’s saying ‘I’m not going to back down.’”

    This may indicate, Driver noted, that Trump “knew it was coming” and that he might be saying [Willis] has “got a case,” but that he is “going to go down fighting.”  

    She wondered if he chose this pose to evoke intimidation, like a “mother doing it to her teenager after coming home late, as a way of passing judgment and expressing disappointment.” 

    Plus, Driver added, lowering one’s head creates an optical illusion — “making the top of President Trump’s head appear wider” — which, according to studies and research Driver cited, shows “people may perceive individuals with bigger heads as more intelligent or powerful.” 

    “This perception may be due to the association between head size and brain size, which is often linked to intelligence,” Driver noted. “However, it’s essential to note that this perception is not always accurate, as intelligence and power are multifaceted traits influenced by various factors.”

    Driver noted of the mugshot, “This is, basically, ‘You’ve got a case, but I’m not backing down,’ versus ‘You’ve got nothing on me, this is a joke.’”

    Joe Navarro, CEO of JN Forensics, noted that the former president is “well aware that this photo will have a long shelf-life,” indicating he was thoughtful about his pose. 

    And Trump and his campaign are already seeking to profit off of it. Past media reports said his campaign staff were hoping to use a mugshot to hawk merchandise. Soon after being booked in Fulton Couty jail on Thursday, Trump posted to X for the first time in months with the mugshot — and shared a website to donate to his 2024 presidential campaign.

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  • Candidates’ Red Ties Copied Trump’s Signature Style

    Candidates’ Red Ties Copied Trump’s Signature Style

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    At the first Republican debate of the 2024 presidential election, which Trump did not attend, every single male candidate wore a red tie.

    Candidates at the first Republican presidential debate in 2023. Aside from Nikki Haley, they all wear red ties.

    Republican presidential candidates (from left to right), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum participate in the first debate of the GOP primary season hosted by FOX News at the Fiserv Forum on August 23, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

    Win McNamee/Getty Images


    Republican presidential candidates Asa Hutchinson, Chris Christie, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Tim Scott, and Doug Burgum attended the first debate of the GOP primary season wearing matching red ties. Nikki Haley, the only woman onstage, was also the only candidate not wearing the look since she was not wearing a suit.

    “They got the memo of what works on a Fox screen and the power of those visual cues when a lot of people are watching you, whether it’s from a bar stool on a big screen or at home over teenagers talking,” Rothman said. “You saw it last night if it was on mute or not.”

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  • Broken Support Means $20,000 Range Back in Play

    Broken Support Means $20,000 Range Back in Play

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    • Bitcoin is testing a key support level that, if broken, could send the cryptocurrency back to the $20,000 range.
    • That’s according to Fairlead Strategies’ Katie Stockton, who highlighted $25,200 as bitcoin’s line in the sand.
    • “We are wary of negative catalysts that could develop from a bigger retracement,” she said.

    Bitcoin decisively broke below its 200-day moving average last week, and the negative price action suggests there could be more downside ahead in the short term.

    That’s according to Fairlead Strategies’ Katie Stockton, who said in a recent note that the $20,000 range for bitcoin could be back in play after it bounced strongly from those levels earlier this year.

    Stockton is eyeing the $25,200 level as a key support level for bitcoin. If the cryptocurrency decisively breaks below that level, the next support range is at $20,600, representing potential downside of 21% from current levels. Bitcoin traded at $26,191 on Wednesday.

    “As it stands, the weekly stochastics point lower amidst weak intermediate-term momentum, supporting a breach of $25,200 support,” Stockton said. “We remain long-term neutral, but we are wary of negative catalysts that could develop from a bigger retracement.”

    Bitcoin has been a rollercoaster this year, as it doubled from about $16,000 to $32,000 between January and July, before falling back down to its current level.

    That coincided with bond yields tumbling earlier in the year then spiking in recent months as the outlook on the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy has shifted.

    Most recently, bitcoin saw a swift decline from just under $30,000 to about $26,000 after a report said that SpaceX wrote off its bitcoin position and sold some or all of its position. 

    Investors have held out hope that the SEC is close to approving a spot future bitcoin ETF, as it evaluates applications from BlackRock and Fidelity, among others.

    If those bitcoin ETFs ultimately get approved, some analysts like Fundstrat’s Tom Lee expect a surge in demand for the cryptocurrency that results in bitcoin shooting above the $100,000 price level.

    For now, there’s no hint that the SEC will move forward with approval, and bitcoin remains in a precarious position if its technical support levels are not decisively held. 

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  • GOP Candidate Larry Elder Paid Millions by Far-Right Newspaper

    GOP Candidate Larry Elder Paid Millions by Far-Right Newspaper

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    • GOP presidential candidate Larry Elder filed his financial disclosure on Monday, three months late.
    • He reported earning between $1 million and $5 million from the far-right newspaper, The Epoch Times.
    • The paper has close ties with the Chinese Falun Gong religious sect and spent millions in pro-Trump Facebook ads in 2020.

    The financial disclosure filed by GOP presidential candidate Larry Elder shows he’s made millions from far-right newspaper, The Epoch Times.

    Elder filed the disclosure on Monday, three months after he was formally required to do so. Raw Story first reported on the disclosure.

    In the disclosure, Elder said he made between $1 million and $5 million from The Epoch Times. He also reported income of between $100,001 and $1 million from the anti-inflammatory supplement Relief Factor

    As Politico’s Kimberly Leonard noted on Twitter, Elder’s disclosure violates guidance from the Office of Government Ethics which requires candidates to provide their exact income, not in ranges as he did.

    Founded in 2000, The Epoch Times is a nonprofit publication with close ties to the Chinese religious sect, Falun Gong.

    The Epoch Times was the second-biggest spender on pro-Trump Facebook ads in the 2020 presidential election, behind only the Trump campaign itself. Facebook later banned The Epoch Times from distributing paid advertisements for violating ad policies.

    The newspaper has also made headlines for spreading conspiracies about the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, claiming that Chinese Communists were behind the viral outbreak.

    Joan Donovan, a nationally-recognized misinformation and disinformation expert, said in an interview with NBC News that The Epoch Times was “a known disinformation operation.”

    Per his author profile page on The Epoch Times’ website, Elder produced content for the publication for several years including “The Larry Elder Show,” which he at one point hosted three times a week.

    The Republican National Convention announced on Monday that Elder did not qualify for the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On Tuesday, Elder said that he plans to sue the RNC to “halt” the debate as he claims he’s unjustly being excluded despite meeting the committee’s standards.



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  • Life and Career of J. Edgar Hoover, FBI’s First and Longest Director

    Life and Career of J. Edgar Hoover, FBI’s First and Longest Director

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    • J. Edgar Hoover took over the FBI, then known as the Bureau of Investigation in 1924 when he was 29 years old.
    • At first, agents couldn’t carry weapons and reported suspects to other law officials. Hoover changed all that.
    • He later used the bureau to gather information on influential people like John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

    Edgar Hoover ran the FBI For 48 years, serving under eight different presidents. Hoover turned the agency from a relatively powerless group into one of the most efficient investigative forces in the world. 

    He had the FBI fight several threats to the country, including communists, gangsters, and Nazis. But he also had the agency spend decades harassing people of color, anti-war protestors, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. 

    Hoover was known for keeping files on almost anyone with power and influence, including Supreme Court justices, senators, congressmen, and presidents, as well as actors and writers. The list included President John F. Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, and Felix Frankfurter.

    In 1972, after he died, then-US Attorney General Laurence Silberman reviewed some of Hoover’s secret files. He later said of it, “J. Edgar Hoover was like a sewer that collected dirt. I now believe he was the worst public servant in our history.”

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  • Ukraine Won’t Erode Russia’s ‘Will to Fight’ With Daring Drone Strikes: Expert

    Ukraine Won’t Erode Russia’s ‘Will to Fight’ With Daring Drone Strikes: Expert

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    • Ukraine lacks the drone capacity to conduct significant strikes in Russia, a war analyst says.
    • Recent months have seen a spate of drone attacks in occupied Crimea and Moscow.
    • Ukraine can only use its own drones because of restrictions on using NATO weapons on Russian territory.

    Ukraine does not have the drone capacity to strike enough targets in Russia to tip the war in their favor, war analysts told The Washington Post.

    Recent months have seen a spate of drone attacks in occupied Crimea and Moscow. Indeed, a reported Ukrainian drone strike Friday caused Moscow to shut down all four of its major airports, CNN reports.

    But analysts told the Post that while these attacks might distract from Ukraine’s slow-moving ground counteroffensive, they are unlikely to make much of a difference in the conflict.

    “The Ukrainians just don’t have enough capacity to build enough drones and strike deep inside Russian territory at enough targets to erode Russia’s will to fight,” Bob Hamilton, a retired US Army colonel and head of research at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Eurasia Program, told The Post.

    Ukraine can only use its own drones to strike inside Russia because of restrictions on using NATO weapons on Russian territory.

    Russia has also significantly improved its electronic warfare capabilities during the conflict, which has allowed them to detect and more effectively combat Ukrainian drones by jamming or downing them.

    While Kyiv has taken responsibility for some attacks on Russian targets in Crimea and the Black Sea, the government has been more vague about the ones on Russian territory.

    Drone attack Moscow

    A general view of a damaged office block of the Moscow International Business Center after Ukrainian drones attacks in Moscow, Russia on July 30, 2023.

    Boris Alekseev/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images



    Yuriy Sak, an advisor to Ukraine’s minister of defense, said that the drones were used to expand its military’s reach while it waited for greater air power from its allies.

    “We don’t have the F-16s yet, so we have to find a way to make up for their absence, and drones are somewhat used to compensate for the lack of aviation,” he said, per The Post.

    Ukraine is also reported to be using long-range weapons to strike targets in Russia in an ongoing effort to take the war to the doorstep of ordinary Russian civilians.

    The United States and other allies have provided Kyiv with weapons while requiring assurances that they would not be used to strike Russian territory, according to Kelly Grieco, who researches air power operations as a senior fellow at the Stimson Center.

    “From the start of this war, one of the things Ukraine’s allies have been concerned about is ending up in some inadvertent escalation,”  she told The Post.

    Ukraine continues to request more advanced weaponry, including F-16 fighter jets and ATACMS, the Army Tactical Missile System, from the US.

    If Ukraine expands the use of drones, “that still has the potential to make the West anxious about whether Ukraine will continue to exercise that kind of restraint,” she said

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