News Clips

nivek

nivek

As Above So Below
Upper West Side residents' fury as homeless junkies and sex offenders are moved into three luxury NYC hotels and turn the area into a spectacle of public urination, cat-calling and brazen drug use

The luxury New York City hotels - the Belleclaire on Broadway and the Lucerne on West 79th Street - and the more down-market Belnord on West 87th Street are all housing homeless people who are reportedly mentally ill, recovering from drug addictions, and registered sex offenders. Ten sex offenders are reportedly staying at the Belleclaire, just one block from the playground of the PS 87 William Sherman School. Local residents have reported seeing fights, have been verbally abused or harassed, seen people spitting - despite the ongoing pandemic - and have also seen people looking for, or using drugs. The homeless men were moved from dorm-style accommodation around the city to the hotels so that they can be housed one or two to a room in order to protect them from Covid-19 more effectively, officials have said. A Facebook group has been set up by local residents to share pictures of homeless people in the Upper West Side as the crisis continues to grow.

 
nivek

nivek

As Above So Below
Common sense would tell me NOT to plant seeds that you don't know what they will grow and sent to you from a foreign country...

...

Man plants mysterious seeds from China being sent across the U.S.

BOONEVILLE, AR (KFSM ) -- The U.S Department of Agriculture is warning people to watch out for unsolicited packages of seeds shipped from China.

Experts are concerned the seeds could be an invasive species and are warning people not to plant them.

Before word got out, a man in Booneville planted the seeds and they've been growing in his garden for two months. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is unsure what kind of plan it is and plans to remove it.

"We brought them down here and planted the seeds just to see what would happen, every two weeks I'd come by and put miracle grow on it and they just started growing like crazy," said Doyle Crenshaw.

Experts are unsure what this plant really is, but the concern is it turning out to be an invasive species, which could hurt local agriculture.

"Our concern is from an invasive pest aspect, these seeds could introduce an invasive weed, or an invasive insect pest or a plant disease," Scott Bray with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture told 5NEWS.

The plant has a large white fruit and orange flowers, much resembling a squash plant.

"The package said it was from China and said "studded earrings" on the outside, and we thought that was a little odd," Crenshaw said.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is removing the plant from Crenshaw's property for further study.

If you receive these seeds, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture says to place them in a sealed package and give them a call to pick them up. More information can be found on their website.

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nivek

nivek

As Above So Below
Georgia shop that said it would charge only white people $20 booking fee apologizes

A coastal Georgia clothing store is apologizing for an appointment policy some customers say is discriminatory.

Civvies on Broughton in Savannah sparked a social media firestorm this week after it said it would charge only white customers a refundable $20 fee to shop at the vintage clothing store, WJCL reported.

The deposit, which was used to hold a customer’s appointment slot, was waived for customers of color, however.

“Most of the feedback about our decision to waive this refundable deposit is racist because it favors Black people, indigenous people and people of color,” store manager Raine Blunk said, according to the news station. “Obviously it is unfortunate to have thousands of people commenting and messaging us saying that they are going to sue us and have contacted the department of labor because this is a violation of their rights.”

Blunk defended the policy, saying he believed what the store was doing “is within the confines of the law.”

By Tuesday, however, the store had posted an apology from the owners.

“It was not our intention to act in any way that might be perceived as discriminatory and for that we apologize,” it read, according to its Facebook page.

Civvies launched the promotion Monday after re-opening by appointment only, WTOC reported. The coronavirus pandemic had briefly shuttered the business, which sells secondhand clothing and footwear.

In a now-deleted Facebook post, the store said it would waive the deposit fee for Black, indigenous and other people of color because “as a mostly white staff with white ownership, we do not feel comfortable upholding a digital and financial barrier which could prohibit BIPOC from shopping at our store at this time.”


Managers went on to say the store would work with white customers who were unable to afford the $20 deposit. However, they would not accept bookings from white customers who refused to pay the fee because “you believe our policy is unethical.”

Backlash ensued, and the store’s apology was of little consolation to white customers who felt slighted by the new policy.

“ ’I’m sorry you interpreted what I did negatively’ is not an apology,” one user wrote on Civvies’ Facebook page. “You have only demonstrated that you have learned nothing from this.”

“No one ‘perceived’ it as discriminatory ... it is discriminatory,” another added.

Another critic blasted the store for making “offensive assumptions about people of color and discrimination against white people.”

McClatchy News reached out to Civvies on Broughton for comment and is awaiting response.

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wwkirk

wwkirk

Divine
nivek said:
Georgia shop that said it would charge only white people $20 booking fee apologizes

A coastal Georgia clothing store is apologizing for an appointment policy some customers say is discriminatory.

Civvies on Broughton in Savannah sparked a social media firestorm this week after it said it would charge only white customers a refundable $20 fee to shop at the vintage clothing store, WJCL reported.

The deposit, which was used to hold a customer’s appointment slot, was waived for customers of color, however.

“Most of the feedback about our decision to waive this refundable deposit is racist because it favors Black people, indigenous people and people of color,” store manager Raine Blunk said, according to the news station. “Obviously it is unfortunate to have thousands of people commenting and messaging us saying that they are going to sue us and have contacted the department of labor because this is a violation of their rights.”

Blunk defended the policy, saying he believed what the store was doing “is within the confines of the law.”

By Tuesday, however, the store had posted an apology from the owners.

“It was not our intention to act in any way that might be perceived as discriminatory and for that we apologize,” it read, according to its Facebook page.

Civvies launched the promotion Monday after re-opening by appointment only, WTOC reported. The coronavirus pandemic had briefly shuttered the business, which sells secondhand clothing and footwear.

In a now-deleted Facebook post, the store said it would waive the deposit fee for Black, indigenous and other people of color because “as a mostly white staff with white ownership, we do not feel comfortable upholding a digital and financial barrier which could prohibit BIPOC from shopping at our store at this time.”


Managers went on to say the store would work with white customers who were unable to afford the $20 deposit. However, they would not accept bookings from white customers who refused to pay the fee because “you believe our policy is unethical.”

Backlash ensued, and the store’s apology was of little consolation to white customers who felt slighted by the new policy.

“ ’I’m sorry you interpreted what I did negatively’ is not an apology,” one user wrote on Civvies’ Facebook page. “You have only demonstrated that you have learned nothing from this.”

“No one ‘perceived’ it as discriminatory ... it is discriminatory,” another added.

Another critic blasted the store for making “offensive assumptions about people of color and discrimination against white people.”

McClatchy News reached out to Civvies on Broughton for comment and is awaiting response.

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Click to expand...
I'm not sure that their planned policy was indeed legal.

Sorry for the double post. For some reason my previous post didn't appear right away.
 
nivek

nivek

As Above So Below
California orders rolling blackouts for up to two MILLION people as record-breaking heat wave grips the state with temperatures hitting 112 degrees and crowds flocking to beaches

California utility companies are rolling out a massive blackout across the state that could impact some 250,000 homes and businesses, in an effort to curb electricity shortages as more people stay home during the pandemic. Grid managers last implemented such a power cut in 2001, when the state was suffering from an electric crisis.

On late Friday, the California Independent System Operator declared a Stage 3 emergency, Bloomberg reports. Residents in the state still took to the beach on Friday, however, enjoying the blazing heat. This comes as residents are forced to spend more time at home during the pandemic and are using their A/C units more.

San Joaquin Valley is set to have blazing temperatures of 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Los Angeles is expected to reach 96 degrees. The National Weather Service says that sweltering conditions are set to stay into next week, with the heatwave set to rival the deadly seven-day heat event in 2006, during which L.A. saw its highest-ever temperature of 119 degrees.

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nivek

nivek

As Above So Below
Hollywood Apocalypse: The rich and famous are fleeing in droves as liberal politics and coronavirus have turned the City of Dreams into a cesspit plagued by junkies and violent criminals



Makeshift tents line the popular tourist destination of Venice Beach, centre, while a homeless man is pictured inset on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame. Another homeless person is seen top right. More tents in Melrose Place, one of the trendiest addresses in Los Angeles, are pictured bottom right. Junkies and the homeless, many of whom are clearly mentally ill, walk the palm-lined streets like zombies - all just three blocks from multi-million-dollar homes overlooking the Pacific. Stolen bicycles are piled high on pavements littered with broken syringes. TV bulletins are filled with horror stories from across the city; of women being attacked during their morning jog or residents returning home to find strangers defecating in their front gardens. Today, Los Angeles is a city on the brink.

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nivek

nivek

As Above So Below
Florida airport is evacuated after live French S-530 air-to-air MISSILE is found in a shipping container - and Air Force bomb squad are called to remove it

A contractor who was working at a Florida airport opened up a container to find a live missile. The shocking find happened on Friday afternoon at Lakeland Linder International Airport east of Tampa. It's not known how the missile arrived at the airport which is mainly used for private jets and no longer for any kind of military use.

The container that also had aircraft parts inside belongs to Draken International. The firm, which is based at the airport has links with the military and owns a fleet of about 150 former military aircraft it contracts out for training exercises. After the discovery on Friday, the airport was quickly evacuated and bomb disposal experts from nearby MacDill Air Force Base were called in to remove the warhead which was still live, but not armed.

'It was like having a gun with bullet in chamber, but on safety. Someone would have to arm the missile to fire it,' said Air Force 1st Lt. Brandon Hanner, a spokesman for the 6th Air Refueling Wing, who spoke to the Military Times. 'It was live, but unarmed.'

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pigfarmer

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
Very sad



‘Star Trek’ icon Nichelle Nichols embroiled in elder abuse lawsuit
By Eric Hegedus August 21, 2020

nichelle-nichols-03.jpg

“Star Trek” icon Nichelle Nichols has beamed into an out-of-this-world legal battle.

The 87-year-old actress’ son, Kyle Johnson, last week filed a lawsuit against her caretaker and manager, Gilbert Bell, accusing Bell of “financial elder abuse.”

'Star Trek' actress Nichelle Nichols diagnosed with dementia

In the Aug. 10 filing, Johnson alleged that Bell “took advantage” of and “exploited his relationship” with Nichols and has “exerted his undue influence and took control over Ms. Nichols’ assets and personal affairs” over the past decade. Johnson further accused Bell of a “breach of his fiduciary duty” to Nichols, as well as an “intent to defraud” her.

Asked to comment on the allegations of the lawsuit, Bell’s attorney sent a statement noting that hearings on behalf of Nichols are “pending in California courts,” and that Bell — “Ms. Nichols’s former entertainment manager, interested friend of Ms. Nichols, and a respected industry talent manager for 30 years” — is “a litigant in these suits.” He also asserted that the court-appointed temporary conservators of the estate “had not found any cause to follow up on accusations of financial wrongdoing” by Bell.

Johnson’s suit comes two years after it was reported that Nichols was diagnosed with dementia. Johnson’s lawsuit claims that she was officially diagnosed in 2013. Nichols suffered a stroke in 2015, requiring constant care.

Nichols is best known for portraying communications officer Lt. Nyota Uhura in NBC’S 1966-69 “Star Trek” series, six movies and a 1973-74 animated serial. She and co-star William Shatner, who played Capt. James Kirk, engaged in a groundbreaking on-screen kiss one year after the US Supreme Court ruled interracial marriage was legal.



In his suit, Johnson, 69, alleged that Bell, as his mother’s manager, “intentionally misappropriated income earned by Ms. Nichols, by siphoning cash from Ms. Nichols’ appearances at conventions, inappropriately dispersing the money Ms. Nichols earned, and misappropriating funds from Ms. Nichols’ financial accounts.”

The lawsuit claimed that Bell, who lived on Nichols’ property, “wrongfully induced” Nichols into “unconscionable rental agreements” that only charged him $300 monthly rent over eight years.

Johnson’s lawsuit also alleged that, in 2015, Bell “induced” his mother to take out a reverse mortgage on her home for $412,488. In July 2017, the lawsuit claimed, Bell used his power of attorney to sign a quitclaim deed — or a transfer of the property — to himself.

In an interview with The Post, Johnson said the situation “is not something I’d ever imagined.”

“It’s been very difficult to see the influence that he has been able to exert while her circumstances and health make her vulnerable to that,” said Johnson.

He said Bell’s actions over the last decade had “pretty much wiped her out.” In filing the lawsuit, he hoped that “something resembling justice is done” and that Bell be “held accountable for the damage that he’s done.” (Nichols’ family has set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for her care and legal costs.)

Bell still lives on Nichols’ Southern California property, but is no longer involved in her care, Johnson said.

Johnson added that, beyond his mother’s dementia, she doesn’t have any “acute conditions” and that her physical health is “fairly stable. She’s getting older; she’s got a little arthritis here and a couple aches and pains there,” noting that Nichols will turn 88 on Dec. 28.

“Ultimately it’s most important that we can ensure her care and comfort and enjoyment of the rest of her life,” he said, adding with a laugh, “She’ll outlive us all.”
 
pigfarmer

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
Hey @Dejan Corovic ! thought you might like this:

I wonder if it's one of those Daystrom multitronic units ... an M2 maybe ....

An artificial intelligence algorithm beats human 5-0 in virtual F-16 dogfights - AIRLIVE

An artificial intelligence algorithm beats human 5-0 in virtual F-16 dogfights
138th_Fighter_Wing_-_2_F-16_Flight.jpg

An AI pilot defeated a human pilot in a clean sweep of virtual reality dogfights, with experts hailing the victory as a significant moment for artificial intelligence, sources reported.

The artificial intelligence algorithm, developed by Heron Systems and flying under the call sign “Falco,” beat a human F-16 pilot in simulated dogfights 5-0 in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s AlphaDogfight Trials on Aug. 20, Airforce Mag reported.

DARPA pitted several different AI programs against each other before letting the winner face off against the human pilot, call sign “Banger.”

Banger is a recent graduate of the Air Force Weapons School’s F-16 Weapons Instructor Course, with more than 2,000 hours in the F-16.

DARPA sought to demonstrate the “feasibility of developing effective, intelligent autonomous agents capable of defeating adversary aircraft in a dogfight.”

“We’ve gotten an opportunity to watch AI come of age [against] a very credible adversary in the human pilot,” said Col. Dan Javorsek, program manager in DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office. “The AlphaDogfight Trials is all about increasing trust in AI.”

“If the champion AI earns the respect of an F-16 pilot, we’ll have come one step closer to achieving effective human-machine teaming in air combat.”
 
wwkirk

wwkirk

Divine
pigfarmer said:
Hey @Dejan Corovic ! thought you might like this:

I wonder if it's one of those Daystrom multitronic units ... an M2 maybe ....

An artificial intelligence algorithm beats human 5-0 in virtual F-16 dogfights - AIRLIVE

An artificial intelligence algorithm beats human 5-0 in virtual F-16 dogfights
138th_Fighter_Wing_-_2_F-16_Flight.jpg

An AI pilot defeated a human pilot in a clean sweep of virtual reality dogfights, with experts hailing the victory as a significant moment for artificial intelligence, sources reported.

The artificial intelligence algorithm, developed by Heron Systems and flying under the call sign “Falco,” beat a human F-16 pilot in simulated dogfights 5-0 in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s AlphaDogfight Trials on Aug. 20, Airforce Mag reported.

DARPA pitted several different AI programs against each other before letting the winner face off against the human pilot, call sign “Banger.”

Banger is a recent graduate of the Air Force Weapons School’s F-16 Weapons Instructor Course, with more than 2,000 hours in the F-16.

DARPA sought to demonstrate the “feasibility of developing effective, intelligent autonomous agents capable of defeating adversary aircraft in a dogfight.”

“We’ve gotten an opportunity to watch AI come of age [against] a very credible adversary in the human pilot,” said Col. Dan Javorsek, program manager in DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office. “The AlphaDogfight Trials is all about increasing trust in AI.”

“If the champion AI earns the respect of an F-16 pilot, we’ll have come one step closer to achieving effective human-machine teaming in air combat.”
Click to expand...
This doesn't surprise me, really. But there remains the potential danger of the AI being hijacked.
 
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