#20150413

[bobbie-robron]

On this day… 13th of April

[californiaprelawland]

Anderson v. Pacific Gas and Electric 

By Catherine Kavalauskas, University of California Davis Class of 2026

November 4, 2023

The Anderson v. Pacific Gas and Electric law case resulted in the largest settlement of a direct-action lawsuit in American history; the case ended up settling for $333 million dollars in 1996. The case filed against Pacific Gas and Electric (PG and E), is a personal injury case that revolves around the dumping of contaminated water around the city of Hinkley, California. This act ultimately resulted in severe illnesses within the Hinkley community. 

To preface, the Anderson v. Pacific Gas and Electric law case is considered a direct-action lawsuit. A direct-action lawsuit is defined as a lawsuit that is produced against an insurance company. Therefore, the case is between an injured individual(s) and an insurer.  

In 1952, the PG and E company dumped about 370 million gallons of chromium-tainted wastewater into several, unlined, ponds at the utility's compressor station (2). The contaminated water led to severe illness throughout the community. As a result of the random and exponential increase in harsh illnesses, many residents brought it upon themselves to investigate. With the help of Erin Brockovich (a legal clerk), the residents of Hinkley discovered a correlation between the sickness seen throughout the city and hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is a rust suppressor used in gas lines. It is also considered to be carcinogenic. Despite the health risks that this rust suppressor imposed on the citizens of the city, the PG and E company failed to ask or even inform the local water board about the dumping of this carcinogenic chemical. Moreover, the people within the area were unknowingly exposed to carcinogens on a consistent basis. Originally, the residents believed that the contamination was limited to a specific area that surrounded the compressor station, however, the wastewater migrated to other areas of land.  

The residents of Hinkley filed a class-action lawsuit against PG and E. A class-action lawsuit is a legal course in which the plaintiff brings forth a lawsuit on behalf of a larger group of people (that were all affected by an issue). The residents won the lawsuit and were rewarded $333 million dollars, making the lawsuit one of the largest settlements in American History.  

Despite the legal success of the lawsuit, many residents still feel unsafe living in Hinkley due to the exposure to chromium. While PG and E have provided measures to reduce the amount of carcinogenic chemicals in the area, chromium is still testing positive in the groundwater. The PG and E company has offered to provide clean water for those whose water tested positive for chromium, but this has only increased anxiety. Many residents preferred to sell their properties and move rather than take their water. PG and E ended up purchasing 300 properties around the Hinkley area; however, with residents leaving, schools and post offices began to shut down. The market is expected to follow along. Additionally, property values have dropped due to the reputation that the town has gained. Still, even with residents leaving, progress with the cleanup of chromium has progressed (especially as technologies improve).  

Volunteers who keep the community center running said they feel hopeful about the town’s future. However, until the groundwater of Hinkley is completely free of chromium, I don’t feel that the citizens will begin to move back. Residents such as Roger Killian stated, “(we) had a great community out here and now it’s gone” (3).  

______________________________________________________________

1)Grist. https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/hinkley-3.gif . 3 Nov 2023.  

2)LA Times. “15 years after ‘Erin Brockovich,’ town still fearful of polluted water”. 12 April 2015.https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-hinkley-20150413-story.html#:~:text=Hinkley%20was%20a%20small%20farming,in%20the%201950s%20and%20%2760s . 3 Nov 2023.  

3)Franco Law Firm. “The 5 Most Famous Personal Injury Cases. 14 March 2022. https://www.francofirm.com/the-5-most-famous-personal-injury-cases/#:~:text=The%20Anderson%20v.,for%20over%20two%20decades%2C%20in1987. 3 Nov 2023. 

[heaveninawildflower]

Textile Sample Book (possibly French, 1895). Silk.

Images and text information courtesy The Met.

[bing-images-archive]

2015:04:13

Japanese Robin

© Gouichi Wada/Minden Pictures

Birch Trees

© Design Pics/Axiom

[ethics876]

Blog #9

Welcome back to your favourite spot on the block, the ‘Ethics Hot Spot’!

The ethical issue for today is Lack of observance for the rule of law.

The rule of law in Jamaica states that no one is above the law, therefore, no matter how high one may rank within the society the law applies to them. It is implemented to facilitate various issues such as crime and violence, corruption, poverty amongst many other factors that poses a problem within the country. For Jamaica, the society we hope for is one that is just and fair thus protecting the rule of law and dwelling on the issues it may governs calls for justice amongst its people. The country also seek adherence to the rule of law as there may be loopholes presented in the system so to prevent this, there are various implementations put in place for persons who is in breach of the law. Very few citizens are unaware of this law and as a result their rights are not being exercised, hence, the knowledge of the public may be lacking in this area, particularly because the laws of Jamaica are not protected nor is it being carried out.

There are several incidents that took place in the country that demonstrates breaches in the rule of law. One such involves a female police officer on way to wok arguing with another on-duty officer because he stopped her for a traffic violation. She was basically implying that because she is a police officer, she should not be reprimanded for her violation like any other motorist traversing the streets of Jamaica.

The members of the criminal justice system are to be reminded that although they are the ones who ensure that citizens are in line with the laws and rules implemented in the country, they are not exempt from abiding by the laws of Jamaica. Their position in the society is very high and they are the ones who interact and make it their duty that the citizens are safe. They are the exemplars in the society and are role models to everyone that looks up to them. Therefore, once a member of the justice system is found guilty of being in breach of the law then penalties should occur. It can be further said that once someone of this demeanour is found in breach of the law it conveys a negative message to the public. If someone of such high rank can do and get away with certain attributes of the law then why would penalties and charges being placed against a citizen who had committed the same thing? One such issue is that of the laws which governs our roads to make sure of our safety. Police may have the right to charge a citizen for not wearing his or her seatbelt and at the same time is driving without seatbelt and not being charged. The police body should therefore be more aware of these actions that are taking place as no one is deemed above the law. Read more http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150413/cops-reminded-they-are-not-above-law

Until next time, stay safe, sane, sanitized, and sensitized.

[todayfamousbirthdays]

May you have a fantastic day and many more to come! Porter Deru (YouTube Star), 5 years old. A wish for you on your birthday, whatever you ask may you receive, whatever you seek may you find, whatever you wish may it be fulfilled on your birthday and always. Happy birthday! https://ift.tt/2wF7cMw

[fccreportfan]

NBC Telemundo License LLC Permit to Foreign Broadcast 325-RWL-20150413-00002

NBC Telemundo License LLC has filed for permit to foreign broadcast via FCC International Bereau licensing filing. from International Bureau Filings FCC.report https://ift.tt/2XvqkHf

[ao3feed-bakudeku]

by miarinnes

He was the fifth blond that walked out of Izuku’s hotel room. Honestly, he had lost count. His brain automatically stopped counting after the first.

“Bakugou Katsuki, also known as Ground Zero was hailed as Japan’s number three hero! He holds the record of the youngest hero to ever be placed on the top three he—“calloused hand grabbed the remote and turned the blasted television off.

The universe didn’t have to remind him who the first on the list was.

  ------ Part of the drabbles of unrelated songfics that I write. More like, the song I listen to while the plot happened inside my head because the lyrics are nowhere to be found. :)

Words: 1626, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 1 of BakuDeku Playlist

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku

Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku

Additional Tags: Villain Midoriya Izuku, Pro Hero Bakugou Katsuki

[dreamjournal66]

20150413

二度寝したのだけどやたら子どもが出てきた。いとこめいの、でも知らないおんなのこ、ほっぺふにふにでずっと笑ってた。

[bobbie-robron]

[heaveninawildflower]

Photographic images ( photograms and photographs) taken from  ‘Album di Disegni Fotogenici’ by William Henry Fox Talbot (British, 1800–1877).

These were the first photographic images ever seen in Italy. Fox Talbot sent them ( between June 1839 and June 1840) to a fellow botanist, Antonio Bertoloni.

‘Album di Disegni Fotogenici contains thirty-six photogenic drawings by Fox Talbot, twenty made from direct contact with objects, fifteen made from camera negatives, and one made with a solar microscope.’

Images and text courtesy The Met.

[yutanews]

トイレ混雑問題の解決に向けて 「トイレの混雑問題」は実はどの会社でも根深い問題ではないでしょうか（Fringe 81さんも以前ブログで問題提起をされています）。弊社東京オフィスの男性社員は30名近く、そして個室トイレ via Pocket

[mixtapist]

Watch “20150413-035820.avi” on YouTube