Nov 29
Republican lawmakers in Ohio are rushing through the most extreme secrecy bill yet attempted by a death penalty state, which would withhold information on every aspect of the execution process from the public, media and even the courts.
Nov 29
It’s no surprise that ridesharing outfits like Lyft and Uber are disrupting the taxi business through lower pricing and technological advantages. However, it’s now clear that these app-based upstarts are also hitting taxis where it really hurts: the …
Nov 29
JONESBORO, Ga., Nov 29 (Reuters) – A 13-year-old boy who had been reported missing four years ago was discovered alive, hidden behind a fake wall of a home near Atlanta, Georgia, and reunited with his mother early on Saturday, police said.
Five people living in the home in Jonesboro, 17 miles (28 km) south of Atlanta, were taken into custody, among them the boy’s father, Gregory Jean, 37, and an adult female, said Sergeant Kevin Hughes of the Clayton County police.
Jean and Samantha Joy Davis face charges of false imprisonment, cruelty to children and obstructing an officer, he said, adding that three juveniles also in the home were facing obstruction charges.
The boy’s mother apparently had reported him missing to child welfare but not police, and no missing person’s report was filed in Clayton County, Hughes said.
The teen was apparently able to get to a phone recently and contacted his mother with his whereabouts, authorities said.
Clayton County police went to the home on Friday to look for the 13-year-old but Jean and Davis said they had no information about the boy, Hughes said.
Several hours later, police came back and again searched the residence. While the police were in the home, the boy called his mother, who relayed to officers where her son was hidden in the house, Hughes said.
“They discovered him hidden behind a false wall in the interior portion of the home,” he said.
The boy appeared to be in good physical health and was reunited with his mother, who had come to Georgia from out of state, Hughes said.
Neighbors in their quiet, well-kept Jonesboro neighborhood said the family moved in about six months ago and kept to themselves.
The 13-year-old boy always seemed to be home and did not appear to be enrolled in school, they said.
“We just thought that they liked to keep to themselves,” said neighbor Julie Pizarro, 37, adding that the boy was often seen tending the yard.
“You can see the yard is immaculate,” she said. “The boy kept it that way.”
The teen went missing in 2010 while visiting his father in Florida, WSBTV reported.
Jean was being held in Clayton County jail and no bail has been set, online records show.
Authorities said Jean and Davis could face more criminal charges as the investigation unfolds.
It was unclear if they had obtained attorneys. (Writing by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Frank McGurty, Frances Kerry, Gunna Dickson and Lisa Shumaker)
Nov 29
How surprising was it when the arbitrator in the Ray Rice case ruled that Roger Goodell had acted “arbitrary in his discretion,” and had punished Rice twice for the same offense? In addition when Goodell claimed that Ray Rice misled him about the severity of the incident, the arbitrator found otherwise. Goodell was fully apprised by Rice as to the severity of the incident.
A football term comes to mind, as this was not the first “fumble” of Goodell’s tenure as Commissioner. The list, in fact, is growing. It should not be surprising that for someone whose primary mission as Commissioner is to “Protect the Shield,” that his compass spins with the shifting and swirling winds in public opinion. This is particularly true when that same person is a self-appointed guardian of standards of conduct, when those standards are not clear, and when the guardian seems to be making those standards up with each shift in the winds.
The first conduct case came in Goodell’s first year as Commissioner when the New England Patriots were found spying on their opponents. Goodell put the hammer down, or so it seemed to some, fining the Patriots $250,000, taking away a first round draft pick, and fining Coach Belechick $500,000. Goodell than destroyed the tapes before any other questions could be asked about the extent of this practice in New England and across the NFL.
Also in Goodell’s first year three dozen players were arrested for assorted offenses and that led the Commissioner to announce that he was strengthening the league conduct policy to allow him to discipline teams, players, and league and team personnel. A not guilty verdict in a courtroom was not good enough, he declared, as NFL personnel would be held to a higher standard. It was nearly perfect PR.
Next came the Michael Vick dog-fighting case and here the Commissioner moved cautiously allowing the court cases to move to conclusion before suspending Vick. After serving time in prison Vick sought reinstatement in the NFL and again Goodell acted with caution and reinstated Vick. Public fallout was minimal.
In 2010 Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was charged with sexual assault of a twenty-one year old female college student in a bar in Milledgeville, Georgia. Throughout the course of the case Goodell kept a very low profile. Jemele Hill of ESPN accused Goodell of racism pointing out that in several cases involving African-American players over the previous five years Goodell had quickly issued suspensions before criminal investigations were completed. When a suspension for six games came many felt the penalty was too soft especially after it was reduced to four games.
Whatever the misgivings a 2009 player poll by Sports Illustrated and CNN gave the Commissioner high marks. Two months later the owners rewarded Goodell with a five year extension on his contract. Owners cited Goodell’s “already significant list of accomplishments” and “his strategic vision for the future of our league.”
The NFL was experiencing record attendance and television ratings were moving steadily upward. Two more major achievements followed. Goodell guided the league through a very difficult labor negotiation that produced a long term Collective Bargaining Agreement guaranteeing labor peace for ten years. With the CBA in place Goodell moved on to new television contracts that reached astounding levels, something that the guarantee of labor peace facilitated.
For those who wonder why the owners have supported Goodell through the recent missteps and blunders it is only necessary to look at what the labor settlement and television contracts have done to team values. A lot of money has been delivered to the owners by Roger Goodell’s achievements.
At the same time the Commissioner’s record was already quite troubling on the concussion issue. Goodell continued the mantra of denial at every step along the way. It was a shabby performance and at one point in a public hearing Representative Linda Sanchez told Goodell that his attitude before the House committee reminded her of that of the tobacco industry as it repeatedly denied any linkage between tobacco and health. Goodell’s silence was telling. As the lawsuits mounted and public discussion increased, the NFL and the Commissioner found it useful to modify their stance and to seek legal settlement in the courts.
As the concussion issue grew in the public eye, the New Orleans Saints were implicated in a bounty scandal in which players were given cash incentives to injure opposing players. Goodell moved quickly when he received the report on bounties and handed down heavy punishments and fines to players, coaches, and the team. Appeals followed and in the end Goodell was overruled by his predecessor, former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who serving as arbitrator reduced the penalties and then tried to cover Goodell by saying that the Commissioner had acted within his authority. What was clear in the public eye was that Goodell had made a mistake, and he was being publicly reprimanded for it.
Another public relations gaff hit the league when the referees were locked out at the opening of the season in 2012. This quickly turned into a fiasco as the league used scab referees who demonstrated their inadequacies on national television as Goodell pretended that all was well. A Commissioner who worried about the integrity of the League would never have gotten into this mess. Fans would tolerate a lot, but not the total disregard for the game on the field.
Then came the Rice Case which has been a disaster for Goodell and his Shield Protection strategies. Add to it the Adrian Pederson case and more missteps and hesitations further damaged the Commissioner’s image. If in the end the “independent” investigator finds that Roger Goodell lied about when he saw the Ray Rice video, Goodell will most certainly have to go. He probably should already be gone, and would be of his own volition if he is really interested in Protecting the Shield.
In the end the owners will make the decision on the Commissioner’s fate. He has served them well and increased their incomes. Treating players unfairly has never been a crime in the eyes of most owners and so Goodell may survive, but the Shield will never be quite the same.
On Sport and Society this is Dick Crepeau reminding you that you don’t have to be a good sport to be a bad loser.
Copyright 2014 by Richard C. Crepeau
Nov 29
With what has to be the most exciting teaser trailer of the decade dropping earlier this week, we all got a tiny glimpse into what has changed technologically in a galaxy far-far away since we first visited it in 1977. Seeing as the timeline for The Force Awakens generally follows our own here in this Galaxy, let’s take a visual look at how both of our weapons tech has changed in some 37 years.
Nov 29
The most recent instalment in the Call of Duty franchise is notable — not because of the running around and blowing stuff up, that’s dull — but because Kevin Spacey plays a genuine, multi-faceted character. He starts out nice, and ends up trying to destroy the world with poison gas whilst being a racist or something. This isn’t new for Spacey.
Nov 29
I am currently 40 years old. Up until a few years ago, the authentic me was in hiding in most areas of my life. My hide and go seek act was driven by my limiting beliefs of me and the world around me.
In my mid 20s I started working in and rising up the corporate ladder. In my mid-30’s I was working in production management on film sets with some of the top film industry professionals, including Forest Whitaker, Andy Garcia and The Trailer Park Boys. I’m not a name dropper, I’m just trying to set the context here of the life I was living. I had large personal and financial responsibilities as well.
I was miserable and on the inside felt miles away from being successful. On paper it appeared I was living a successful life. How could I not be ecstatic? Now looking back I can tell you that I was miserable because I was living a life that others wanted for me and was not being me. I got caught up in the daily grind.
How did I start stepping out on my current path to living more authentically? I have come to realize my style choices played a major role in my journey. I know this may seem ridiculous, but, hear me out.
When I worked in the corporate world, I used to feel awkward every day wearing my corporate costume. I’m not knocking business attire here, nor am I knocking working for a corporation. I’m just saying that the look and the lifestyle was not aligned with the authentic me. I’ve always felt like I come alive when I’m wearing outfits that show off significant creativity and fun.
One day while working in a leadership role for a major national healthcare organization, I woke up and said screw it — today I’m going to wear a fascinator to work with my favorite matching cocktail dress. I was terrified as I was traveling to work that day, however, I felt so alive.
To my surprise when I arrived at the office, my colleagues commented that I was giving off a vibrant energy. People were extremely friendly to me. I found my conversations and decision-making processes went smoothly. I was thinking clearly. Now I know the energy and smoothness of my day was driven by me displaying my authentic self, which tapped into me feeling great and attracting circumstances that continued my great feelings.
From that point forward I wore clothing and accessories that gave me a feeling of being on cloud nine and continue to do so. Now just three years later I have attracted and am continuing to attract a career, people, places, events and things that I feel are in alignment with the authentic me. My life on paper is completely different than it was just three years ago and to some may seem less successful. The major difference is that I am now happy and feel successful. There are negative situations that arise, but, I handle them in a manner that is more connected to my authenticity.
It all started with me having the guts to show up at the office in an outfit that made me feel like a superstar. Aligning my appearance to display who I authentically am was truly the gateway to my life overall getting into alignment with my authenticity.
If you woke up today feeling miserable about the day ahead, I recommend you put on an outfit you feel like a superstar in and see how your day plays out. If you experience a day similar to my experience noted above and would like to continue along your new found style awakening, here are some subsequent steps I recommend.
1. Find out and start wearing daily your seasonal color palette – If you are not wearing colors in your hair, makeup, clothing and accessories that are in alignment with you, our eyes are distracted by the colors. We do not easily see you. You cannot even see you clearly when you look in the mirror.
Visit a color analysis professional in your area to have your best colors revealed to you and implement their recommendations. This will be a truly profound experience.
2. Wear styles daily that display your authentic personality – If you are not wearing hair, clothing and accessory styles that are in alignment with your personality and the times, you may be feeling unbalanced and unhappy deep down.
This step is a little tricky to implement for some. If you’ve been playing hide and go seek for most of your life, you may have lost track of your core self.
I recommend taking baby steps by finding and wearing hair, clothing and accessory styles that give you a feeling of excitement and joy from the first second you put them on. A feeling of immediate excitement and joy is an indication of being in alignment with your core self.
If you put on something and have an immediate feeling of excitement and joy and then start second guessing yourself with thoughts like – what will others think/say? I need to lose weight, where would I wear this to? I feel guilty about spending money on me. Please stop the second guessing. This is more than likely your ego, not your core self. Your core self has an abundance of love and kindness for the authentic you.
Are you feeling like you are living a life out of alignment with who you really are? You now have a process to allow your style choices to kick-start your journey to live more authentically.
One of my favorite quotes is “The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the amount of uncertainty you can comfortably deal with” – Tony Robbins. Take a leap of faith into uncertainty with your style choices only if it’s for one day by wearing an outfit that makes you feel like you are on cloud nine. Sit back and immerse yourself in what you attract. I am excited for you!
I hope this blog inspires you to wear your authenticity!
Nov 29
One common criticism of the modern digital music industry is that the album, as an artistic concept, is being destroyed by the endless streaming of individual tracks. That’s a shame, because it would mean that some incredible albums, like Pink Floyd’s The Wall (which celebrates its 35th birthday tomorrow) might never have existed.
Nov 29
Well, would you look at that: scientists have discovered that DNA can make it through the hellish ordeal of atmospheric re-entry after all. German and Swiss researchers dotted a rocket’s grooves and screw heads with fragments of genetic blueprints to…
Nov 29
Clime Stickers Are Up For Pre-Order, Will Tell You (And Baby) If It’s Cold Outside
Posted in: Today's Chili
I first covered Clime a few months ago when they were little more than 3D-printed nubbins. Now these nubbins have brains. Essentially they are tiny indoor/outdoor thermometers. You can put them anywhere and then check your mobile device for the temperature. You may have something similar in your home – they used to called them weather thermometers – but older systems are far… Read More
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This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.