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https://www.essence.com/news/armed-trump-supporters-storm-capitol/

By Essence ·January 6, 2021January 6, 2021

Supporters of President Trump have stormed the Capitol building as lawmakers counted the votes from November 3 presidential election.

Trump supporters have taken the Senate floor https://t.co/Cmq3tYBrU9

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 6, 2021

According to CNN, one woman has been shot.

According to a 2:12 pm tweet from NBC news reporter Frank Thorp, the mob is currently on the floor of the Senate. Congressmen and women are hiding behind furniture as they shelter in place. There was a request made for the deployment of the National Guard and as of 3:37 pm EST, it has been approved.

I just talked to CJCS Chairman Mark Milley. National Guard troops have been approved. They are already in coordination with DC law enforcement in order to restore order. Army Secretary McCarthy confirmed the same to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith.

— Rep. Elissa Slotkin (@RepSlotkin) January 6, 2021

“I just talked to the [Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff] Mark Milley,” U.S. rep Elissa Slotkin wrote on Twitter. “They are already in coordination with DC law enforcement in order to restore order. Army Secretary McCarthy confirmed the same to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith.”

UNITED STATES – JANUARY 6: Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., and other members take cover as protesters attempt to disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. – Demonstrators breeched security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

This come after hours after Democratic candidates Reverend Raphael Warnock, who will be Georgia’s first Black Senator, and Jon Ossoff, won their respective races in a runoff election held in Georgia on January 5. This was an important win for Democrats, as the Senate will now be split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats. Additionally, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell will step down as the majority leader of the Senate.

Cops are taking selfies with the terrorists. pic.twitter.com/EjkQ83h1p2

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 6, 2021

As city officials prepare for the continued violence, Washington D.C. has announced a curfew from 6 pm to 6 am.

President Trump has spoken about the storming via Twitter. “I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE [a presumed reference to Republicans] are the Party of Law & Order.” He then added, “[R]espect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!”

I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021

This story will be updated as new details emerge.

TOPICS:  breaking news

The post Armed Trump Supporters Storm U.S. Capitol To Stop Electoral Vote Count appeared first on Essence.

https://www.essence.com/articles/fantasia-gender-reveal-kendall-taylor/

By Essence ·January 6, 2021January 6, 2021

A new bundle of joy is on the way for Fantasia and her husband Kendall Taylor. To celebrate this exciting milestone, the couple gathered their kids at home for a gender reveal complete with fireworks that lit the sky pink. That’s right – they’re having a girl! Though their family and friends weren’t able to travel for the big stunt, the Taylors made sure the surprise was captured on Zoom so their tribes can watch the action in real-time.

Fantasia confirmed her baby’s gender in an Instagram post, sharing an image of a cartoon baby girl sitting on top of balloons. “It’s A Girl,” read the short and sweet caption.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fantasia Taylor (@tasiasword)

The new baby girl will be joining a beautiful blended family who can’t wait to meet her. Fantasia has two children from previous relationships (Dallas Xavier, 8, and Zion Quari, 19) and Taylor has a son named Treyshaun along with two grandsons.

Back when they first announced their pregnancy in November 2020, Fantasia and Taylor opened up about their struggles to conceive. The “Bittersweet” singer shared that her doctors told her the chances of getting pregnant were slim since her fallopian tubes were closed. During one of their weekly Instagram lives, Fantasia referenced the story of Rachel in the Bible, and said her consistent prayers lead to a miracle. “Keep trying and you will conceive,” she said, standing up to reveal her growing baby bump.

BIG announcement pic.twitter.com/z8zJAZNZUU

— Fantasia • #SketchbookOutNow (@TasiasWord) November 25, 2020

Congratulations to the happy couple on their new blessing!

TOPICS:  Fantasia gender reveal Kendall Taylor

The post Fantasia And Husband Kendall Taylor Are Having A Baby Girl appeared first on Essence.

https://blacknerdproblems.com/why-what-if-is-my-most-anticipated-marvel-project-of-2021/

Whew, so 2020, huh? The year that threw everything in shambles. From comic books and television to events and movies, there is nothing the pandemic hasn’t touched. That includes Marvel and the powerhouse known as the MCU. With many comic books delayed and the MCU effectively put on a forced hiatus, a lot of stuff we’ve been looking forward to was pushed to 2021, the year of new horizons.

Now we are looking at a stacked 2021, especially on the film and tv side of things. The MCU has six Disney Plus shows and three new theatrical films. However, there is only one project on my mind that I can’t wait for – What If…? That’s right, even above the upcoming Spider-Man 3, the animated Disney Plus MCU project is the thing I’m looking forward to the most in 2021, and you should be too. So, let’s walk through why I’m so excited and what What If…? is all about.

What If We Traveled Across the Multiverse?

Okay, so way back when Disney Plus first made its debut, What If…? was one of the few MCU shows announced alongside Wandavision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. However, there is a lot of mystery surrounding What If…? as it hasn’t received as much spotlight as some of the other Disney Plus shows. What we do know is that it’s an animated spin on the MCU and based on the comic of the same name. In the comics, What If…? explored possibilities like a world where Captain America was never frozen in ice or Spider-Man joins the Fantastic Four. The comics were a fun chance to create alternate versions of our favorite comics. It’s made in the same vein as The Twilight Zone and other anthologies. 

The show will be a similar anthology, where every episode twists and turns your favorite MCU moments. What if T’Challa, not Peter Quill, was abducted by Yondu and the Ravagers? What if Captain America turned into a zombie and fought the Winter Soldier? What if Peggy Carter took the super-soldier serum instead and became Captain Britain? These are just a few examples of what we will see and damn does that sound amazing. I love anthologies and even more than that, I love esleworlds tales that twist and warp stories we’re familiar with in unfamiliar ways. 

I’m also a big fan of animation. I even wrote a piece a little while ago about Marvel needing to step up its animation game. The truth is, Marvel’s cartoons and animated projects don’t hit like they used to. While anomalies like the excellent Into the Spider-Verse are the exception, a lot of their cartoons aren’t on the same level of quality as their old work or even DC’s animated output. From the previews, Kevin Fiege and Marvel Studios are pulling out all the stops to make What If…? as unique as possible. 

The CGI animation looks fantastic, and it’s the kind of style that one would expect from an upcoming Disney or Pixar project. It features beautiful cel-shaded character work that mimics the aesthetic of the MCU films while still feeling like an original thing all on its own. And with the concept behind What If…?‘s animation, this feels like the perfect avenue to explore remixed versions of stories we are familiar with. Even better, if the reception is good, who knows what other Marvel Studios animated projects we might get in the future.

Another reason to get excited for What If…? is the cast. Many of the biggest stars from the MCU have already recorded voicework and reprised their infamous roles for the Disney Plus show, including actors Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin, Natalie Portman, Samuel Jackson, Micheal B. Jordan, the late Chadwick Boseman, and many more. However, the biggest casting news is Jeffery Wright from Westworld as the voice of The Watcher. He will be narrating every episode as the character. It’s almost too perfect and something that doesn’t just feel like a one-off thing.

What If…? is a lot of work put into an animated show. It could just be the nature of things as the streaming wars grow larger, but I’d like to make some speculations. The multiverse is going to play a huge part in the MCU. Wandavison to going to kick it off and Spider-Man 3 may very well see the consequences of cracking the wall between worlds. I’m excited because What If…? might be the best look we get at those other worlds. At least until Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness arrives but that’s a year away. I wouldn’t write it off as its own thing just yet, and the show could be just another big piece of the MCU’s multiverse puzzle.

There is a lot to be excited about with Marvel’s other projects this year. So many new characters will make their debut, and I’m sure they will open another can of worms onto the MCU. I can’t wait to see those too, but What If…? has an allure, unlike all the others. Plus, animation has shown to go to limitless places that live-action has yet to achieve, and Marvel could even revive the comic to take advantage of the show’s debut. You can have The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Eternals, and all the others. I want to take a trip down the weird rabbit hole of what the MCU could’ve been if things were a little different. 

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The post Why ‘What If…?’ is My Most Anticipated Marvel Project of 2021 appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

https://blacknerdproblems.com/history-of-swear-words-is-a-fun-documentary-for-when-you-dont-give-a-f/

My favorite part about writing is coming across interesting words. I love to analyze their origins and try to find a way to sneak it into sentences any chance I get so that I may feel fancy. After all, language is complex and beautiful in many ways. But like many creative thinkers, I struggle with one important issue. Just how many cuss words is “too many” cuss words? Netflix’s History of Swear Words, tackles one of my favorite subjects in a fun filled documentary series. They cover the most used swear words, and provide facts, historical and present context for how these words is used.

Some cusses are universal with interchangeable meanings (like f*ck, a personal top three). Others have weird histories and complex ways to use them. What I loved most about this documentary series is that it gives you that early 2000s “your teacher rolled a television into the classroom, so you know it’s about to be lit” feeling. It’s fun, easy to take in, and oddly nostalgic. If you’re looking for a quick laugh, with a load of fun facts filled with expletives, History of Swear Words is your documentary.

Local Sailors Swearing in your Living Room

Artists, non-creative beings alike love the tantalizing feeling of a cuss-word rolling off the tongue. It’s fun, and allows us to express visceral emotions in ways that normal words can’t. History of Swear Words introduces experts who study language and the history of swear words and simplifies it for local audiences. For the record, I love documentaries. Especially when they’re explorative, informative, and feels entwined with drama and audacity. But overall, the stereotype of documentaries tends to have a bad rep. History of Swear Words is the kind of programming that makes us feel at ease.

Another aspect of this documentary is that it covers the transition of how words become swear words. I believe it is important to discuss the shifts in our language and who or what dictates a word as inappropriate. The series not only talks about the shifts in language from its derivatives but also covers the expansiveness of words. How words become slurs and how some words are reclaimed and used as compliments. Though each episode is quick and light, it can influence audiences to do more personal research into the uses of these words.

A Classic Gentleman for Our Classy Documentary

At first, I was skeptical about Nicolas Cage being the host. I knew there was always a humorous aura about Nicolas Cage, and this project should not have come as a surprise to me. Because within the first 10 minutes of episode one I thought to myself, yeah, they knew what they were doing. Nicolas Cage, the research commentators, and comedians did a good job setting the tone and allowing it to serve as light commentary and informative. But though the comedians managed to make it fun and light, at times some jokes can fall flat and leave a pretty “eh” feeling. Granted, not every joke will hit, due to the classic rule of statistics.

If you’re looking for a documentary that will go into deep dives about linguistics and how curse words shape how we communicate on various levels beyond the surface, this is not the place. This rather serves as an introductory measure for what you might want to look into on your own. The conversations about who is allowed to say certain phrases and who is not feels very nuanced and light, they don’t go into deep conversations about it, it’s just a glazed reminder for a couple of minutes.

Sit Down, Relax, and Enjoy the F***ing Show

As a budding documentary fan, I believe this is a classic series one could play in the background while doing a simple task or chores. It doesn’t take an immense amount of energy to get into. Nor is this the (sometimes) anxiety inducing investigative documentary we know. They did a great job reeling in audiences and gauging great facts about the swear words they covered. They produced a moderately diverse cast with an array of experts covering its uses in comedy, historical contexts, and everyday life. History of Swear Words is not only a quick, fun binge, it’s also really fun to swear-a-long.

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The post ‘History of Swear Words’ is a Fun Documentary for When You Don’t Give a F*** appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.