#San Francisco HILL BOMB

[anarcho-spoonerism]

This article was the most in-depth article I could find in roughly 10 minutes of searching. A pig got spit on by a teenage boy and so naturally they had to declare a riot and introduce a bunch of kids to the criminal system. The boy in question got charged with "violence against an officer" 🙄. They kettled teens and forced them to urinate on themselves while zip-tied and waiting to be processed.

It's not as if they didn't know this event was going to happen, the hill bomb is an annual tradition. But in typical pig fashion instead of trying to work with the skate community to avoid accidents like last year where a cyclist and skater collided and the cyclist died, they went in less-lethal rifles blazing. ACAB

Funny how a mass arrest goes completely under the radar when it's mostly teens, right?

[big-cheesy-productions]

SXSG - RADICAL HIGHWAY Analysis

Okay, I absolutely love all of the "Black Doom just really likes Radical Highway" jokes, because same, bud.

But, like, I'm actually obsessed with the symbolism of it and its inclusion.

It makes sense for the game to keep coming back to this level for a number of reasons. It was Shadow the Hedgehog's first level in his first game. Of course it would be a central callback in the game, just like Green Hill Zone appears again and again for Sonic, and a celebration of his first appearance. This is the nostalgia and callback game after all (and it does it so well). But the way Radical Highway is included and used in SXSG is actually so brilliant.

Okay, bear with me while I talk about Radical Highway as a level and its symbolism originally in Sonic Adventure 2 (My favorite game ever of all time) to set the scene.

Radical Highway is the second Dark level in the game, and the first Shadow level, and the way this level perfectly sets up Shadow as a character and how he compares to Sonic is *chef's kiss*.

Sonic's first level is the famous City Escape. City Escape takes place on the San Francisco-inspired streets of Central City. Sonic is on the streets, running past houses and cars, through parks and neighborhoods. It feels grounded (literally and figuratively). Sonic is among the people. There's a small G.U.N. presence, as they are trying to capture Sonic, but it's a pretty peaceful, sunny day otherwise. Perfect introduction for our boy, Sonic.

In stark contrast, Radical Highway is the complete opposite of City Escape in every way. While City Escape was on the streets of Central City, Radical Highway is above it. There's no cute townhouses, no cars going about their day. It's on high, Golden Gate Bridge-inspired streets, in the dead of night. While City Escape had a small G.U.N. presence, Radical Highway has fighter jets dropping bombs on you as you sprint through the streets and there are G.U.N. robots EVERYWHERE. Even the music is the opposite of City Escape, which is upbeat and campy, with famous lyrics we all know and love. Radical Highway’s music is purely instrumental and has a darker tone, and a more serious hint of urgency (while still being a banger of course). 

While City Escape serves to set up our beloved blue leading man as the carefree speedster who goes where the impulse takes him, Radical Highway sets up everything for Shadow. Assuming you play the Hero Story first, you really don’t know much about Shadow, other than he serves as a rival for Sonic. He only has a few scenes where he crosses paths with Sonic, and in all put the last one, he is always positioned above Sonic, until their final confrontation where they are on even ground, literally and figuratively, because Shadow sees Sonic as an equal in the end, whereas before, he saw Sonic, and everyone else in the world, as beneath him. Hence, the brilliant symbolism of Radical Highway being above everything. He literally starts the level at the highest point on the bridge while looking down at the G.U.N. forces and calls them “pathetic.” (This is where that all began.)

He’s above it all, he’s disconnected, he believes himself superior, and in the cutscene before this level we learn about Maria, and her death, for the first time. We see a flashback to that canon event and when we come back to the present, Shadow promises her revenge, and we learn Shadow’s goals aren’t what they initially seemed when Eggman released him.

It is not until the Final Story that we learn what is going on: Shadow was not originally made as a weapon, but Professor Gerald modified him after the ARK incident and Maria’s death, including modifying his memories. The Shadow we see in Radical Highway is not really Shadow. It’s Gerald, in his insanity and grief, in his righteousness and fury. The promise for revenge is Gerald’s, not Shadow’s.

Later games have Shadow rebuild his memories and sense of self in the wake of all of the meddling from certain Robotniks. Shadow the Hedgehog ‘05 and Sonic ‘06 leave us with a Shadow who is still devastated by his losses, but his mind and convictions are his own, and a Shadow who remembers Maria’s true, unadulterated wish (2010s Sonic games go on to forget all of this, but we’re not talking about that right now). He might not know exactly where his place in the world is, but he knows who he is and what he fights for.

Okay, now where am I going with all of this with SXSG? Why does Black Doom keep bringing Shadow back to Radical Highway, from a storytelling perspective?

Black Doom is manipulative. It’s his whole schtick. Shadow ‘05 constantly has Black Doom trying to use the ARK incident to bring Shadow over to his side and serve him. He is trying to use Shadow’s traumatic memories to get Shadow to remember his hatred for humanity, but good/True Story playthrough Shadow recovers his true memories and remains true to his convictions (God, that game would be so good if it was good). Black Doom’s manipulation doesn’t work and Shadow defeats him. 

Now, in SXSG, Black Doom is back. He knows he can’t use the same tactics as last time. Shadow has his memories. There is nothing that could convince Shadow to willingly join Black Doom. Shadow never flinched when Mephiles was trying to manipulate him in Sonic ‘06. So what does Black Doom do? Memory manipulation is still his thing, so he decides to drag Shadow to Radical Highway, to this moment in time instead, because this moment represents everything that went wrong.

In this moment in time, Maria is dead, Gerald is dead, Shadow’s mind is not his own, he has initiated Gerald’s plan to destroy the world, and the promise he made to Maria is corrupted. And now Black Doom is here too, further warping this memory.

Black Doom is trying to psych Shadow out, because he knows he can’t claim him through pure force. There’s definitely a theme of autonomy in many of Shadow’s stories: He was made as a cure for Maria, Gerald modified his mind, Eggman did too, and Black Doom tries to enforce a claim on him. And he’s using this memory of Radical Highway to push this, to drag him back to his past he’s trying to move on from, to say “you are just a weapon. You are just a tool, to be used and modified. You were never anything more.”

But then, Maria and Gerald are there, saying “you are so much more.” Gerald is there calling him “son,” saying he’s proud of him, and asking him to live for himself. Maria is there saying “you are more than your anger, more than your past, more than what you’re made of.”

And all of this is represented by Radical Highway.

I fucking love Radical Highway.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

“And now the news”:

The wildfires engulfing Los Angeles County have scorched more than 36,000 acres, or 56.25 square miles — a total area larger than some of the United States’ most densely populated cities. They have spread to roughly 36,365 acres combined.

The Palisades Fire has burned over 20,000 acres and destroyed more than 10,000 structures, and as of 9 a.m. was 8% contained, which is progress from last night when it was 6% contained at 10 p.m., thanks to favorable wind conditions overnight.

The Eaton Fire in Pasadena-Altadena has now destroyed 13,956 acres with 3% containment. The fire is believed to have damaged or destroyed 4,000 to 5,000 structures. The fire did make a push toward Mount Wilson Observatory on Thursday, but the building did not suffer any damageand the relay antennas atop the mountain for communication across Southern California are unharmed.

The Palisades and Eaton fires have become the No. 1 and No. 2 most destructive fires in Southern California history.

The red flag warning will continue until Friday at 6 p.m. PST, but firefighters will be preparing for the next red flag event expected to begin on Monday.

Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said the devastation caused by the wildfires in Los Angeles has been catastrophic and that “parts of the city look like an atomic bomb was dropped.” (He’s right)

So far, at least five blazes have burned an area:

About the same size as Miami…

Two and a half times larger than Manhattan.

Larger than San Francisco and Boston, both of which cover more than 46 square miles…

And around 3.5% the size of Rhode Island, the smallest state.

And it really is worse than it looks. Whole neighborhoods have been devastated, leaving nothing but rubble. At least 10,000 properties have been destroyed, the Los Angeles County assessor said. The death toll has risen to ten and will go higher once it is safe to enter the burned-out areas; one of the ten was found in front of his house with a garden hose in his hand. The Palisades Fire could be the costliest in US history, according to a climate expert. The overall cost is estimated at more than $50 billion and will go higher.

Firefighting teams are expecting more wind and dry conditions to continue to complicate efforts into next week. If winds are too strong, firefighting aircraft won’t be able to take off.

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has used his moratorium power to stop non-renewals and cancelations of fire insurance for one year.

A man questioned by police about possible attempted arson Thursday afternoon was arrested on a felony parole violation charge, Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said Friday morning. Officers responded to calls about a man trying to start a fire who was being detained by members of the public in the 21700 block of Ybarra Road in Woodland Hills, near the Kenneth Fire, at 4:32 p.m. Due to lack of probable cause he was not arrested or charged, , but he was arrested on a felony probation violation.

The Los Angeles District Attorney announced that anyone flying an unauthorized drone will be “prosecuted to the maximum.” "If you're thinking that it's fine to send a drone up in the area for your own amusement, or you want to get information that nobody else can get, and you do it in one of these areas that for which drones are not permitted … you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted and you will be punished to the full extent of the law.” This follows an incident yesterday in which one of the Canadian “Super Scooper” water bombers collided with a drone over a drop over the Palisades Fire, damaging the nose gear and putting the plane out of service until at least Monday for repair. This leaves only one of the “Super Scoopers” in service.

Updates to follow.

[trekbait]

Upcoming holonovel releases this month!

Catch the latest entertainment, available soon at your local holosuite!

Captain Proton Versus the Zombies of the Stratosphere!

Tom Paris’ latest instalment in his Captain Proton series has Proton face off against undead alien invaders who seek to swap their dying planet’s location for Earth’s warm orbit. It is down to you to stop them from throwing Earth away into the cold void of space with the power of atom bombs!

Vulcan Love Slave, Volume VII: T’Hot in Prison

Fresh off Ferenginar’s anonymous erotic presses, this latest tale from the Vulcan Love Slave series sees T’Hots thrown into a barbaric Breen prison where she must “bond” with her fellow female inmates to plan an escape. Can she distract the attention of the cold and mysterious Breen guards to allow her comrades in chains to melt away the ice walls of their cells with their physical activity? (Please note this programme may be restricted in some Starfleet holodecks; check before you download)

Human

The first Exocomp-written holonovel follows the crew of the all-Exocomp science ship Omortson who come across a derelict spaceship in an uncharted asteroid belt. The brave Exocomps mistakenly release a creature from stasis, a deadly and aggressive Human who starts to stalk and murder the crew within their own vessel. Can you survive and ensure the Human doesn’t escape the ship onto other worlds?

Sharknado Attack!

When a freak hurricane swamps San Francisco, thousands of sharks terrorize the waterlogged Starfleet Command. Pyblic Domayne HoloProductions previously became famous for adapting classic Human works like Dixon Hill, Sherlock Holmes, Beowulf and Shakespeare. With the recent craze for Human stories from the early 21st century they’ve been adapting that era’s golden classics such as Bubba Ho-Tep, 50 Shades of Grey, The Emoji Movie and Daddy Day Camp. Sharknado is celebrated as one of the great works of the era and this is the best adaptation of the work to date!

An Eye for a Golden Lady

Felix’s Secret Agent series continues as you are sent on a mission to retrieve the kidnapped daughter of the Japanese emperor. As you travel across ancient Earth in style, uncovering a vast criminal arms conspiracy, all our nuclear war is on the line! But you'll still find time to seduce the princess and sample the local martinis.

Photons Be Free: The Opera

The Doctor, from Voyager, has adapted his tale of photonic servitude for those more musically inclined. The 5-hour-long operatic masterpiece will have you singing along (autotuned if necessary) with the characters as you play an abused holographic slave to an evil crew. The locations are redesigned to be more abstract like stage dressing and, based on the quality of your performance, expect a round of applause for your performance!

[igottatho]

News. Didn’t sleep much last night so I’ll have to do captions and more detailed stuff later, my sincere apologies.

Here’s a sumup for Feb 22, 2024:

Norway has divested $500 million from Israel bonds. A huge win for BDS movements. More info and the original tweet thread can be found here.

Hundreds of protestors begin again in the Bay Area, directly to Biden’s fund raiser in SF. All of the standalone images are from this event, as reported by Kqed, found via Instagram here. Descriptions for images are attached to each. Entire post contents are as follows: “kqednews Protesters demanding a cease-fire in Gaza gathered Wednesday night near a fundraiser in San Francisco for President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign. Hundreds of activists filled Alta Plaza Park as part of the demonstration organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Protestors chanted "free, free Palestine" and "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" and urged the president to end U.S. aid to Israel. "How dare he visit San Francisco only to rake in cash, ignoring residents of a city which passed a ceasefire resolution with a supermajority?", said Suzanne Ali, a Palestinian Youth Movement member, in a written statement. "While Biden charges donors $100,000 for a ticket to his cocktail party, bombs labeled 'Made in the USA' are raining down on civilians in Gaza for the fourth consecutive month, killing over 13,000 Palestinian children and counting." "We are demanding that there is a permanent ceasefire now," said Party for Socialism and Liberation member Ramsey Robinson, who spoke at the protest. "That's our money, stolen from the people, stolen from the taxpayers, and we want to let Joe Biden know that we know that." President Biden is reportedly making multiple campaign stops in San Francisco and Los Altos Hills between Wednesday and Thursday. But Robinson thinks that other than "the tiny number of the super rich," Biden isn't popular in the Bay Area. Read for more details at kqed.org/news”

Girl Scouts have received funding from Raytheon Tech and has made “stay neutral” merch. We hates a neutral ass bitch, sorry Girl Scouts, not sorry. Full story, from @prem_thakker : “Wow—Girl scouts wanted to make bracelets to help aid Palestinian kids. @girlscouts leadership threatened them, saying they must "stay neutral." After it was pointed out there've been similar efforts for Ukraine, they pivoted, saying the troop didn't follow "approval processes:” Prem then displays another image which says: “The last sentence hit her hard: "Unfortunately, if this direct violation of the organization's governing documents and policies continues, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri and Girl Scouts of the United States have no other choice than to engage our legal counsel to help remedy this situation and to protect the intellectual property and other rights of the organization." "I got a little scared; I'm not gonna lie," she said. "I wondered, what are they going to do to me?* For years, she had strived to give these girls the opportunities she had missed out on herself. The troop had formed a sisterhood, growing up together since kindergarten. Abuhamdeh reached out to the other parents. They decided the organization's values didn't align with what they were trying to teach their daughters.” I’m unclear where this image/quote was taken from, presumably from the original reporting of STLtoday.com

There’s additional tweets from Prem, which talk more about Girlscouts & weapons contractors here. The images at source are screencaps (from the girlscout website) which I’ll share here:

The last two images are the most important; the first depicts an image of a Palestinian boy holding a blanket he has apparently salvaged from rubble. The tweet from @Times of Gaza reports at 2:50 am of Feb 22, “Day 139 | During the past 24 hours: 9 massacres committed by the Israeli occupation • 97 people killed • 132 injured.” At 10:52 am @Times of Gaza reports: “UPDATE | 23 people killed in the Deir Al-Balah airstrikes. The death toll is expected to rise.”

This continued loss of life is irreplaceable and my heart mourns for them. FREE PALESTINE please God.

Eta: I added text to all images for my comrades who need it. I also added a couple new images for Girl Scouts info (I had to remove a redundant img of the Kqed insta, in order to include this info). Please LMK in the notes if it’s more helpful/ easier for yall for img notes or directly in my post. My brain is fried, I’m sorry this is such a haphazard post.

Biden and Raytheon info will have to wait til tomorrow. I also hope to get some info/ articles up about Israel and diamond trade - responsible for a huge portion of Israel’s GDP and stolen exploited resources from the Congo.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

also

[catdotjpeg]

A San Francisco supervisor and two of the city’s top political clubs have condemned the police action taken against a crowd of unruly teenage skateboarders in Dolores Park yesterday, which resulted in 113 arrests and dozens of children, zip-tied and confined, waiting hours to be released to their parents. Supervisor Dean Preston tweeted a rebuke of the operation, writing that he was “at a loss to explain this abuse of power, waste of money, and trauma inflicted on our young people.”  “I’m ashamed of our City leadership for this type of militarization of our streets and attack on our youth,” he wrote. “People deserve answers.” Reached by phone, Preston said he would “certainly” be seeking more information from the San Francisco Police Department about last night’s events. The department said the action was an attempt to control a “riot.”  The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, one of San Francisco’s oldest Democratic political clubs and a power center for the Castro, issued a similarly strong condemnation, writing that its leadership was “outraged by the large scale show of force by police in military gear against teenagers at Dolores Park” and calling the operation “one of the most violent police actions in recent memory.”  “We demand an immediate and comprehensive independent investigation into the arrests,” the club wrote, adding that it would seek a review of the use of restraints, batons, and less-lethal rifles, as well as the conditions of those arrested. “The treatment of juveniles left detained until 3 a.m., shivering in the cold and forced to endure degrading circumstances, including urinating on themselves, must be thoroughly examined.” [...] Another teenager arrested recounted being zip-tied so tightly his hands swelled up, and several others mentioned tight restraints. Jeffrey Kwong, the club’s president, called footage of the action “shocking” and said his group was working with youth groups across the city to put forward a unified response. “You have police in riot gear, in military-grade outfits, facing unarmed teenagers on skateboards,” he said, adding that the stand-off was “reminiscent of past police actions in this city, whether it’s cracking down on gay bars or police brutality leading up to Black Lives Matter.” [...] The skateboarding event is held in the Mission every year, drawing skaters from across the Bay Area who zip down Dolores Street at high, and potentially lethal, speeds, cheered on by crowds of onlookers. [...] Shortly after 8 p.m. [on July 8], a large group of some 200 people began dismantling police barricades, the police wrote. At 8:35 p.m., the police trapped that group and decided to arrest everyone en masse. [...] SFPD tweeted a graphic calling the actions by skateboarders a “Mission District riot,” noting that a police sergeant was hospitalized from cuts to the face. The department, for its part, said its “policies in dealing with juveniles were followed.” Several parents, waiting for hours in the cold for their children yesterday, pledged to take legal action against the Police Department. They were largely incredulous at the response by the police, saying they wanted to be reunited with their children and calling the detainment a violation of minors’ rights. “It’s totally against civil rights to do this to children,” one mother said.

-- "San Francisco supe, political clubs blast SFPD ‘hill bomb’ arrests" by Joe Riviano Barros for Mission Local, 9 July 2023

[anitosoul]

BATAS NG GUBAT (LAW OF THE JUNGLE) LIVE

BATAS NG GUBAT (LAW OF THE JUNGLE) is a sonic and visual collage tracing the spirit of revolution centered through the history of the Philippines and the interconnectedness of the struggles of marginalized peoples' around the world. This recording was from the live performance of the project for Circuit Breakers hosted by Breaking Capacity, L3FTFIELD, and planetqueer at Trans-Pecos in Ridgewood, NY on February 2nd, 2024.

Tracklist and References

1. IBAGSAK

Edgar Jopson, Ferdinand Marcos & the Battle of Mendiola (First Quarter Storm) - January 30th 1970 | https://youtu.be/jWtWlsi5kdk - Anti-US rally in Manila, Philippines - 1970 | https://youtu.be/WByyDkySnmE

Anti-Marcos protests outside the Philippine Congress - January 25th 1971 | https://youtu.be/aauButUBjSg

Ibagsak Ang Imperyalismong Kano (Down with U.S. Imperialism) - https://youtu.be/c_MYJuZ4Zbc

2. CHILDREN OF DARKNESS

Muslim Gauze - Yasser Arafat's Radio | https://youtu.be/-QuzcApPAPE

The Palestinian (Al-Falastini) 1977, dir. Roy Battersby | https://youtu.be/yZqXkoqSjp8

Concerning Violence dir. Göran Olsson narr. Ms. Lauryn Hill | https://www.facebook.com/baeyoungco/videos/673325013345205/

Reem Anber, oud player, Gaza - Let Palestine Sing #1 | https://youtu.be/RLqoRWgiXKQ

kulintang and agong IMG 6751 | https://youtu.be/ZYqACdZebJg

3. HATAW NA

Alec Empire @ Groove Nation's CONSORTIUM 1996 | https://youtu.be/EKZn_X5z4w4

Alien Dame Tu Costa with Budots Dance | https://youtu.be/TCSjaWndczI

Budots feature on VICE Asia featuring DJ Love and Libya Montes | https://www.tiktok.com/@vice.asia/video/7238445862043536642

BUDOTS DANCE CAMUSGIRLS TIWTIW BOMB MIX | https://youtu.be/kgGvaQ0lUcg

4. MAKIBAKA

Fall o the I-Hotel dir. Curtis Choy | https://youtu.be/lzrWwvI8JpI

Dub Poetry ft. Sankofa | https://youtu.be/Wpmy0nCkrhM

Jungle Soundclash - The ‘Grand Final’ - 16th July 1994 | https://youtu.be/XVj2TrkymZs

Iba Ang Pinoy: Dakila | https://youtu.be/Antt2qSgJ8w

Late 1970s San Francisco Mission District, Chicano Street Scenes | https://youtu.be/I0Hqnn8cdRE

Dakila - Make Me a Man | https://youtu.be/zHVxh19eh10

Dakila Language Lessons | https://youtu.be/ag1Lg1eTrdI

5. A RUSTLING OF LEAVES

A Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution (1988) dir. Nettie Wild | https://youtu.be/qpOxlSFhEmc

The Mermaids of Lake Sebu dir. Benoît Ségur | https://youtu.be/r_lWRvuuZzI

[daboiz]

The Hill Bombing Skateboarders of San Francisco | The New Yorker

[brookston]

Holidays 10.6

Holidays

Accountant’s Day (Kazakhstan)

American Library Day

Archivist’s Day (Belarus)

Armed Forces Day (Egypt)

Come and Take It Day (Texas)

Commemoration Day (Turkmenistan)

Cubana Bombing Anniversary Day (Cuba)

Day of Commemoration and National Mourning (Turkmenistan)

Defense Industry Workers Day (Kazakhstan)

Discovery of America Day (Honduras)

Donkey Day (French Republic)

Dukla Pass Victims Day (Slovakia)

Earthquake Remembrance Day (Turkmenistan)

Ecological Debt Day

Festival of Spiritual Anarchy

Feverfew Day

German Pioneer Day (Pennsylvania)

Gopher Hill Day

Inbox Zero Day

Instagram Day

International Cooperation Day (Japan)

International Geodiversity Day

International Self Storage Day

Ivy Day (Ireland)

Jack Day

Jackie Mayer Rehab Day (Sandusky, Ohio)

Mad Hatter Day

Memorial Day for the Martyrs of Arad (Hungary)

Moulin Rouge Day

National Badger Day (UK)

National Coaches Day

National Energy Geek Day

National German-American Day

National GOE Dau

National Influencer Day

National Isabella Day

National Kink Day

National Physician Assistant Day

National Plus Size Appreciation Day

National Transfer Money to Your Daughter Day

Odd Socks Day (Australia)

Physician's Assistant Day

Semana Morazánica (Honduras)

Talking Motion Picture Day

Teachers’ Day (Sri Lanka)

Tishreen Liberation Day (Syria)

Veterinary Medicine Day (Iran)

Wizkid Day (Minnesota)

World Cerebral Palsy Day

World HSP Day

World Stationary Day

Worldwide Forgiveness Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Garlic Lovers’ Day

National Noodle Day

National Orange Wine Day

Oktoberfest ends (Munich, Germany; began 9.21)

Ziua Vinului (Wine Day 2 of 2; Moldova)

Independence & Related Days

Auvenum (a.k.a. Kingdom of Auvenum; Declared; 2018)

Parliamentum Indoctum (Coventry, UK; 1404)

1st Sunday in October

Blessing of the Fishing Fleet (San Francisco) [1st Sunday]

Change a Light Day [1st Sunday]

Country Inn, Bed-and-Breakfast Day [1st Sunday]

Cream Cake Day (Sweden) [1st Sunday]

Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem [1st Sunday]

Erntedankfest (Potato Harvest Festival; Germany) [1st Sunday]

Father’s Day (Luxembourg) [1st Sunday]

Get Out and Drive Day [1st Sunday]

Granddad’s Day (Belgium; France) [1st Sunday]

Grandparents’ Day (South Africa; UK) [1st Sunday]

Great Books Week begins [Sunday of 1st Full Week]

Intergeneration Day [1st Sunday]

International African Diaspora Day [1st Sunday]

International Blessings of the Fishing Fleets Day [1st Sunday]

National Police Memorial Day (UK) [Sunday Closest to 9.29]

Pickle Day [1st Sunday]

Seven For Sunday [Every Sunday]

Snack Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Spiritual Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Start Over Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Stepparents Day [1st Sunday]

Sundae Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sunday Funday [Every Sunday]

Territorial Defense Forces Day (Ukraine) [1st Sunday]

World Communion Sunday [1st Sunday]

World Meditation Day [1st Sunday of Every Month]

World Quaker Day [1st Sunday]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 6 (1st Full Week of October)

Animal Welfare Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Atlantic City Restaurant Week (Atlantic City, New Jersey) [thru 10.11]

Death Penalty Focus Week (thru 10.12) [Week including 10.10]

Emergency Nurses Week (thru 10.12)

Fire Prevention Week (thru 10.12) [2nd Week]

4-H Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Get Organized Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Great Books Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

International Postcard Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Mental Illness Awareness Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Mystery Series Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Carry a Tune Week Week (thru 10.12) [Week including 10.7]

National Food Bank Week [1st Full Week]

National Food Services Workers Week (thru 10.12)

National Healthcare Supply Chain Week (thru 10.12)

National Home-Based Business Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Human Service Awareness Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Metric Week Week (thru 10.12) [Week including 10.10]

National Midwifery Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week Sun to Sat]

National Newspaper Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Physician Assistants Week (thru 10.12)

National School Yearbook Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Work From Home Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

New Haven Restaurant Week (New Haven, Connecticut) [thru 10.11]

Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Inaging Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Pickled Peppers Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Primary Care Physicians Week (thru 10.12)

Public Power Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Skin Care Awareness Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Veterinary Technicians Week (thru 10.12) [2nd Week]

Walk a Child to School Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Festivals Beginning October 6, 2024

Albany VegFest (Albany, New York)

Asheville VeganFest (Asheville, North Carolina)

Carolina Mountain Cheese Festival (Black Mountain, North Carolina)

Heritage Fire (Los Angeles, California)

Helsinki Baltic Herring Market (Helsinki, Finland) [thru 10.12]

Katy Grape & Grain Fest (Katy, Texas)

Oktoberfest (Orange Beach, Alabama)

Smaczne Jablka (Winona, Minnesota)

Stateline Smack Down Open Beef Show (Van Wert, Ohio)

Warwick Applefest (Warwick, New York)

West Chester Chili Cookoff (West Chester, Pennsylvania)

West Side Nut Club Fall Festival (Evansville, Indiana) [thru 10.12]

Feast Days

Adolf von Hildebrand (Artology)

Aequinoctium Autumnale III (Pagan)

Alexandr Shilov (Artology)

Bathukamma begins (Telangana, India; Hinduism)

Bed of Serpents Festival (Hinduism; Everyday Wicca)

Bellini (Positivist; Saint)

Bruno of Cologne (Christian; Saint)

Celtic Riddle Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Dan Christensen (Artology)

David Brin (Writerism)

Faith (a.k.a. Fides) and Companions (Christian; Martyrs)

Festival of the Other Five Toes (Shamanism)

Ghengis Khan Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Happy Hour All Day Day Day (Pastafarian)

International Rastafarian Headgear Day (Pastafarian)

Juan de Palafox y Mendoza (Christian; Blessed)

Le Corbusier (Artology)

Marie Rose Durocher (Christian; Blessed)

Mary Frances of the Five Wounds (a.k.a. of Naples; Christian; Saint)

Méret Oppenheim (Artology)

Miltos Manetas (Artology)

Nicetas of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Pardulphus (Christian; Saint)

Sagar of Laodicea (Christian; Saint)

Spell to Attract Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Stanley Ellin (Writerism)

Thuistle (Muppetism)

William Tyndale (commemoration, Anglicanism), with Myles Coverdale (Episcopal Church (USA))

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Day of Bad Omens (Ancient Rome) [2 of 2]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [27 of 32]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [32 of 37]

Unglückstage (Unlucky Day; Pennsylvania Dutch) [25 of 30]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [47 of 60]

Premieres

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Film; 2014)

Another Froggy Evening (WB LT Cartoon; 1995)

Ballot Box Bunny (WB MM Cartoon; 1951)

Batwoman (TV Series; 2019)

Blade Runner 2049 (Film; 2017)

A Bug’s Land (Disneyland Attraction; 2002)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV Series; 2000)

The Departed (Film; 2006)

Dixie, by Daniel Decatur Emmett (Song; 1859)

Drugstore Cowboy (Film; 1989)

Eight Days A Week, recorded by The Beatles (Song; 1964)

Faith, by George Michael (Song; 1987)

Fanny’s Wedding Day (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1933)

The Florida Project (Film; 2017)

Girlfight (Film; 2000)

A Gypsy Fiddler (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1933)

Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! (WB Animated Film; 2020)

Here Comes Santa Claus, by Gene Autry (Song; 1947)

How to Make an American Quilt (Film; 1995)

Instagram (Social Media App; 2010)

The Jazz Singer (Film; 1927) [1st Talkie]

Love Me Tender, by Elvis Presley (Song; 1956)

Marathon Man (Film; 1976)

The Maze Runner, by James Dashner (Novel; 2009) [Maze Runner #1]

Meet the Parents (Film; 2000)

Merry Christmas, by Johnny Mathis (Album; 1958)

The Miller’s Daughter (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie (West End Play; 1952)

My Life and Hard Times, by James Thurber (Memoir; 1933)

My Little Pony: The Movie (Animated Film; 2017)

Nit-Witty Kitty (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1951)

The Orphan Duck (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1939)

Othello, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1621)

Pillow Talk (Film; 1959)

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark (Novel; 1961)

Quick on the Vigor (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1950)

Sitting Bull (Film; 1954)

A Small Town in Germany, by John le Carré (Novel; 1968)

Something, by The Beatles (Song’ 1969)

Spartacus (Film; 1960)

Summer and Smoke, by Tennessee Williams (Broadway Play; 1948)

Taxi (Film; 2004)

Tickled Pink (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1968)

Tree’s a Crowd (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1958)

Yuri on Ice (Anime Series; 2016)

Today’s Name Days

Adalbero, Bruno, Melanie (Austria)

Bruno, Fides, Verica, Vjera (Croatia)

Hanuš (Czech Republic)

Broderus (Denmark)

Bruno, Edmund (Estonia)

Minttu, Pinja (Finland)

Bruno (France)

Adalbero, Nrunhild, Bruno, Gerald, Melanie (Germany)

Erotiis (Greece)

Brúnó, Renáta (Hungary)

Bruno (Italy)

Monika, Zilgma (Latvia)

Brunonas, Budvydas, Eismantas, Vytenė (Lithuania)

Målfrid, Møyfrid (Norway)

Artur, Artus, Bronisław, Bronisz, Brunon, Emil, Fryderyka, Roman (Poland)

Toma (Romania)

Natália (Slovakia)

Bruno (Spain)

Jennifer, Jenny (Sweden)

Thomas, Toma (Ukraine)

Bron, Bronson, Brown, Bruno, Burnet, Burnett (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 280 of 2024; 86 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of Week 40 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 4 (Gui-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 4 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 2 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 10 Orange; Threesday [10 of 30]

Julian: 23 September 2024

Moon: 14%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 28 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Mozart]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 15 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 15 of 90)

Week: 1st Full Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 14 of 30)

[serious2020]

SF to dismiss almost all cases against Dolores hill bomb teens

San Francisco officials to dismiss cases against 79 of the 81 teenagers arrested for hill bomb rioting. Status of arrested adults is unclear. — Read on missionlocal.org/2023/07/hill-bomb-sf-to-dismiss-almost-all-charges-against-teens/

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 10.6

Holidays

Accountant’s Day (Kazakhstan)

American Library Day

Archivist’s Day (Belarus)

Armed Forces Day (Egypt)

Come and Take It Day (Texas)

Commemoration Day (Turkmenistan)

Cubana Bombing Anniversary Day (Cuba)

Day of Commemoration and National Mourning (Turkmenistan)

Defense Industry Workers Day (Kazakhstan)

Discovery of America Day (Honduras)

Donkey Day (French Republic)

Dukla Pass Victims Day (Slovakia)

Earthquake Remembrance Day (Turkmenistan)

Ecological Debt Day

Festival of Spiritual Anarchy

Feverfew Day

German Pioneer Day (Pennsylvania)

Gopher Hill Day

Inbox Zero Day

Instagram Day

International Cooperation Day (Japan)

International Geodiversity Day

International Self Storage Day

Ivy Day (Ireland)

Jack Day

Jackie Mayer Rehab Day (Sandusky, Ohio)

Mad Hatter Day

Memorial Day for the Martyrs of Arad (Hungary)

Moulin Rouge Day

National Badger Day (UK)

National Coaches Day

National Energy Geek Day

National German-American Day

National GOE Dau

National Influencer Day

National Isabella Day

National Kink Day

National Physician Assistant Day

National Plus Size Appreciation Day

National Transfer Money to Your Daughter Day

Odd Socks Day (Australia)

Physician's Assistant Day

Semana Morazánica (Honduras)

Talking Motion Picture Day

Teachers’ Day (Sri Lanka)

Tishreen Liberation Day (Syria)

Veterinary Medicine Day (Iran)

Wizkid Day (Minnesota)

World Cerebral Palsy Day

World HSP Day

World Stationary Day

Worldwide Forgiveness Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Garlic Lovers’ Day

National Noodle Day

National Orange Wine Day

Oktoberfest ends (Munich, Germany; began 9.21)

Ziua Vinului (Wine Day 2 of 2; Moldova)

Independence & Related Days

Auvenum (a.k.a. Kingdom of Auvenum; Declared; 2018)

Parliamentum Indoctum (Coventry, UK; 1404)

1st Sunday in October

Blessing of the Fishing Fleet (San Francisco) [1st Sunday]

Change a Light Day [1st Sunday]

Country Inn, Bed-and-Breakfast Day [1st Sunday]

Cream Cake Day (Sweden) [1st Sunday]

Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem [1st Sunday]

Erntedankfest (Potato Harvest Festival; Germany) [1st Sunday]

Father’s Day (Luxembourg) [1st Sunday]

Get Out and Drive Day [1st Sunday]

Granddad’s Day (Belgium; France) [1st Sunday]

Grandparents’ Day (South Africa; UK) [1st Sunday]

Great Books Week begins [Sunday of 1st Full Week]

Intergeneration Day [1st Sunday]

International African Diaspora Day [1st Sunday]

International Blessings of the Fishing Fleets Day [1st Sunday]

National Police Memorial Day (UK) [Sunday Closest to 9.29]

Pickle Day [1st Sunday]

Seven For Sunday [Every Sunday]

Snack Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Spiritual Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Start Over Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Stepparents Day [1st Sunday]

Sundae Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sunday Funday [Every Sunday]

Territorial Defense Forces Day (Ukraine) [1st Sunday]

World Communion Sunday [1st Sunday]

World Meditation Day [1st Sunday of Every Month]

World Quaker Day [1st Sunday]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 6 (1st Full Week of October)

Animal Welfare Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Atlantic City Restaurant Week (Atlantic City, New Jersey) [thru 10.11]

Death Penalty Focus Week (thru 10.12) [Week including 10.10]

Emergency Nurses Week (thru 10.12)

Fire Prevention Week (thru 10.12) [2nd Week]

4-H Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Get Organized Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Great Books Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

International Postcard Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Mental Illness Awareness Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Mystery Series Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Carry a Tune Week Week (thru 10.12) [Week including 10.7]

National Food Bank Week [1st Full Week]

National Food Services Workers Week (thru 10.12)

National Healthcare Supply Chain Week (thru 10.12)

National Home-Based Business Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Human Service Awareness Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Metric Week Week (thru 10.12) [Week including 10.10]

National Midwifery Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week Sun to Sat]

National Newspaper Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Physician Assistants Week (thru 10.12)

National School Yearbook Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

National Work From Home Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

New Haven Restaurant Week (New Haven, Connecticut) [thru 10.11]

Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Inaging Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Pickled Peppers Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Primary Care Physicians Week (thru 10.12)

Public Power Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Skin Care Awareness Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Veterinary Technicians Week (thru 10.12) [2nd Week]

Walk a Child to School Week (thru 10.12) [1st Full Week]

Festivals Beginning October 6, 2024

Albany VegFest (Albany, New York)

Asheville VeganFest (Asheville, North Carolina)

Carolina Mountain Cheese Festival (Black Mountain, North Carolina)

Heritage Fire (Los Angeles, California)

Helsinki Baltic Herring Market (Helsinki, Finland) [thru 10.12]

Katy Grape & Grain Fest (Katy, Texas)

Oktoberfest (Orange Beach, Alabama)

Smaczne Jablka (Winona, Minnesota)

Stateline Smack Down Open Beef Show (Van Wert, Ohio)

Warwick Applefest (Warwick, New York)

West Chester Chili Cookoff (West Chester, Pennsylvania)

West Side Nut Club Fall Festival (Evansville, Indiana) [thru 10.12]

Feast Days

Adolf von Hildebrand (Artology)

Aequinoctium Autumnale III (Pagan)

Alexandr Shilov (Artology)

Bathukamma begins (Telangana, India; Hinduism)

Bed of Serpents Festival (Hinduism; Everyday Wicca)

Bellini (Positivist; Saint)

Bruno of Cologne (Christian; Saint)

Celtic Riddle Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Dan Christensen (Artology)

David Brin (Writerism)

Faith (a.k.a. Fides) and Companions (Christian; Martyrs)

Festival of the Other Five Toes (Shamanism)

Ghengis Khan Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Happy Hour All Day Day Day (Pastafarian)

International Rastafarian Headgear Day (Pastafarian)

Juan de Palafox y Mendoza (Christian; Blessed)

Le Corbusier (Artology)

Marie Rose Durocher (Christian; Blessed)

Mary Frances of the Five Wounds (a.k.a. of Naples; Christian; Saint)

Méret Oppenheim (Artology)

Miltos Manetas (Artology)

Nicetas of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Pardulphus (Christian; Saint)

Sagar of Laodicea (Christian; Saint)

Spell to Attract Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Stanley Ellin (Writerism)

Thuistle (Muppetism)

William Tyndale (commemoration, Anglicanism), with Myles Coverdale (Episcopal Church (USA))

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Day of Bad Omens (Ancient Rome) [2 of 2]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [27 of 32]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [32 of 37]

Unglückstage (Unlucky Day; Pennsylvania Dutch) [25 of 30]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [47 of 60]

Premieres

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Film; 2014)

Another Froggy Evening (WB LT Cartoon; 1995)

Ballot Box Bunny (WB MM Cartoon; 1951)

Batwoman (TV Series; 2019)

Blade Runner 2049 (Film; 2017)

A Bug’s Land (Disneyland Attraction; 2002)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV Series; 2000)

The Departed (Film; 2006)

Dixie, by Daniel Decatur Emmett (Song; 1859)

Drugstore Cowboy (Film; 1989)

Eight Days A Week, recorded by The Beatles (Song; 1964)

Faith, by George Michael (Song; 1987)

Fanny’s Wedding Day (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1933)

The Florida Project (Film; 2017)

Girlfight (Film; 2000)

A Gypsy Fiddler (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1933)

Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! (WB Animated Film; 2020)

Here Comes Santa Claus, by Gene Autry (Song; 1947)

How to Make an American Quilt (Film; 1995)

Instagram (Social Media App; 2010)

The Jazz Singer (Film; 1927) [1st Talkie]

Love Me Tender, by Elvis Presley (Song; 1956)

Marathon Man (Film; 1976)

The Maze Runner, by James Dashner (Novel; 2009) [Maze Runner #1]

Meet the Parents (Film; 2000)

Merry Christmas, by Johnny Mathis (Album; 1958)

The Miller’s Daughter (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie (West End Play; 1952)

My Life and Hard Times, by James Thurber (Memoir; 1933)

My Little Pony: The Movie (Animated Film; 2017)

Nit-Witty Kitty (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1951)

The Orphan Duck (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1939)

Othello, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1621)

Pillow Talk (Film; 1959)

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark (Novel; 1961)

Quick on the Vigor (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1950)

Sitting Bull (Film; 1954)

A Small Town in Germany, by John le Carré (Novel; 1968)

Something, by The Beatles (Song’ 1969)

Spartacus (Film; 1960)

Summer and Smoke, by Tennessee Williams (Broadway Play; 1948)

Taxi (Film; 2004)

Tickled Pink (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1968)

Tree’s a Crowd (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1958)

Yuri on Ice (Anime Series; 2016)

Today’s Name Days

Adalbero, Bruno, Melanie (Austria)

Bruno, Fides, Verica, Vjera (Croatia)

Hanuš (Czech Republic)

Broderus (Denmark)

Bruno, Edmund (Estonia)

Minttu, Pinja (Finland)

Bruno (France)

Adalbero, Nrunhild, Bruno, Gerald, Melanie (Germany)

Erotiis (Greece)

Brúnó, Renáta (Hungary)

Bruno (Italy)

Monika, Zilgma (Latvia)

Brunonas, Budvydas, Eismantas, Vytenė (Lithuania)

Målfrid, Møyfrid (Norway)

Artur, Artus, Bronisław, Bronisz, Brunon, Emil, Fryderyka, Roman (Poland)

Toma (Romania)

Natália (Slovakia)

Bruno (Spain)

Jennifer, Jenny (Sweden)

Thomas, Toma (Ukraine)

Bron, Bronson, Brown, Bruno, Burnet, Burnett (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 280 of 2024; 86 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of Week 40 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 4 (Gui-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 4 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 2 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 10 Orange; Threesday [10 of 30]

Julian: 23 September 2024

Moon: 14%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 28 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Mozart]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 15 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 15 of 90)

Week: 1st Full Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 14 of 30)

[taquaone]

Bombing Hills In The Bay | Greetings From: San Francisco

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"3 OF ESCAPED LEAVENWORTH CONVICTS DEAD," The Daily Times (Davenport, Iowa). December 12, 1931. Page 1 & 16. ---- Believed to Have Died By Own Hands as Capture Loomed ---- 3 BACK IN PENITENTIARY ---- Search Renewed With Bloodhounds For Lone Prisoner Still at Large --- LEAVENWORTH, Kan., Dec. 12. (Associated Press) - Three of seven convicts who executed a daring plot to escape from the federal penitentiary here yesterday are dead, apparently by their own hands, three of their companions are again in confinement and the other, a grey-haired Oklahoma mail train robber, is hunted by possemen.

The fugitive, Earl Thayer, 65, an Oklahoma mail train robber, disappeared under the noses of 200 soldiers, prison guards, civilian officers, and citizens, who yesterday cornered four of the seven prisoners in the farm home of E. C. Salsbury, eight miles west of Leavenworth.

Five men were wounded during the flight of the prisoners, including Warden Thomas B. White, who was kidnaped from his office and used as a shield to aid in the departure through the massive front gate of the penitentiary.

The warden, whose left arm was shattered by a shotgun charge after he grappled with one of his abductors, during a halt on a -country road, underwent an operation in a Leavenworth hospital. None of those hurt was in a critical condition.

Captured Convicts Silent Prison authorities said efforts to learn how the participants in the break obtained their weapons have been futile. The three returned to cells following short lived liberty refused to discuss a shotgun, rifle and four revolvers they were believed to have possessed at the beginning of their flight.

From the hills surrounding the Salsbury home, the possemen for nearly four hours answered shots of the convicts. Then, approaching nearer, the besiegers hurled tear bombs at the structure. Three shots were heard from inside the farm home, then silence.

Making a concerted rush, the at- tackers entered the building through doors and windows. Three of the fugitives lay dead in the attic.

After an autopsy Coroner T. N. Sexton said there was no doubt in his mind that Will Green, alleged leader of the break, had killed his two companions and then taken his own life.

Green was dead with a bullet wound in his head. One hand clasped a revolver. His companions, Grover C. Durrill, and George Curtis, each had been shot behind the left ear.

The other three participants to the break were captured earlier in the day in a wooded hollow, five miles west of Leavenworth. They are Tom Underwood, 46, Duluth, Minn., received in 1929 to serve 25 years for mail robbery; Stanley Brown, 43, Fargo, N. D., received in 1925 to serve 25 years for mail robbery, and Charles

Berta, 30, San Francisco, received in October, and also serving a 25- year term for mail robbery. Berta was shot in the shoulder when he resisted arrest.

Thayer, the sole fugitive today, was under sentence for the robbery of a mail train near Okesa, Okla., in August 1923. Durrell and Curtis, found slain in the Salsbury attic, were under 25 years sentence each for the same holdup.

Besides Warden White, and Ber- ta, the wounded were J. D. Galvin, acting assistant deputy warden, I. W. Mooney, a prison guard, and W. S. Bradford, mayor of McLouth, Kan., a posseman. All were injured by convict bullets.

[newstfionline]

Saturday, June 15, 2024

These cities are now so expensive they’re considered ‘impossibly unaffordable’ (CNN) Anyone with half an eye on the housing market over the last two decades will know that in many countries, not least the United States, it’s become much more difficult to buy a home. But a new report sums up the feeling of many potential home buyers by creating a category that labels some major cities as “impossibly unaffordable.” US cities on the West Coast and Hawaii occupied five of the top 10 most unaffordable places, according to the annual Demographic International Housing Affordability report, which has been tracking house prices for 20 years. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most expensive US cities to buy home are in California, where San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego have all made the top 10. The Hawaiian capital of Honolulu also rates a mention in sixth place of 94 major markets surveyed in eight countries. Australia is the only other country besides the US to dominate the “impossibly unaffordable” list, led by Sydney and the southern cities of Melbourne in Victoria and Adelaide in South Australia.

South Florida Deluge (1440) A storm system drenched South Florida for a third straight day Thursday, flooding neighborhoods, disrupting flights, and forcing road closures. Seven million people, including those in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Naples, remain under flood watches through tonight. The National Weather Service issued a rare high risk outlook for excessive rainfall for parts of South Florida, which represents the top level of a four-category scale and occurs on 4% of days each year on average. Such an extreme weather event in the US accounts for more than 80% of flood-related damage and over one-third of flood-related deaths. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) declared a state of emergency for five counties as some areas saw up to 25 inches of rainfall since Tuesday. Roughly an entire average month’s rainfall for June fell on Fort Lauderdale in 24 hours alone Wednesday.

Puerto Rico restores power after a massive blackout as lawmakers call for a state of emergency (AP) A power company in Puerto Rico announced Thursday that it has restored electricity to most areas affected by a massive outage that hit the U.S. territory the previous day. The outage left over 340,000 customers in the capital, San Juan, and neighboring municipalities without power during a heat wave. On Thursday morning, Luma Energy said in a statement that it had restored power to most of its customers in the metropolitan and northeastern regions of the island. Several lawmakers in Puerto Rico are urging the governor to declare a state of emergency to the federal government. Persistent outages have interrupted water service and imperiled the lives of elderly and ill residents who rely on electrical equipment for respirators and to refrigerate insulin, for example.

Ukraine Stalled Russia Near the Border. This Town Has Paid the Price. (NYT) A month into Russia’s push across the border in northern Ukraine, Western weapons and Ukrainian reinforcements have largely stalled the attack. But they came too late to save one town, Vovchansk, where the city hall, a cultural center, countless apartment blocks and several riverside hotels are all now in ruins. A small town divided by the Vovcha River, Vovchansk was once a regional tourist attraction—a pleasant base from which to explore the chalk hills nearby. But it is also three miles from the Russian border, and when Russia began a cross-border offensive on May 10, it became Ukrainian forces’ stand-your-ground position. The front line still runs through Vovchansk, about 70 percent of which remains under Ukrainian control. And a month of fierce fighting and relentless bombing by Russia has decimated the town, forcing almost everyone left there to flee. As bombs and missiles rained down on Kharkiv and the region, an average of 20 Russian glide bombs—large guided strikes from the air—have been falling on Vovchansk daily. “There is no Vovchansk anymore,” one resident said.

Russia financial system shaken after U.S. imposes new sanctions (Washington Post) A tough new raft of U.S. sanctions sent jitters rippling through the Russian financial system Thursday and forced Moscow’s main financial trading platform to halt dollar and euro transactions. The sharp escalation in sanctions by the Treasury Department prompted former Russian president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, now a senior security official, to call on the population to “inflict maximum harm” on Western societies and infrastructure in retaliation. Meanwhile, several leading Russian banks and brokerages blocked access Thursday to corporate hard-currency accounts. The sweeping new sanctions—announced by the Treasury Department on Wednesday—singled out the Moscow Exchange, Russia’s main financial marketplace, for helping Russians “profit from the Kremlin’s war machine.” The Treasury also broadened “secondary sanctions,” which seek to make foreign banks unwilling to process Russian bank payments. Secondary sanctions, which target entities doing business with Russian companies or individuals under sanction, are now applicable not just to entities working with Russia’s defense industry but also to those working with any sanctioned Russian business or individual, including the country’s biggest banks.

In China’s Backyard, America Has Become a Humbler Superpower (NYT) Far from Ukraine and Gaza, as the Group of 7 wealthy democracies gathers in Italy to discuss a range of old, entrenched challenges, the nature of American power is being transformed across the region that Washington sees as crucial for the century to come: the Asia-Pacific. Here, America no longer presents itself as the confident guarantor of security, a trust-us-we’ve-got-this superpower. The terrain is too vast, China’s rise too great a threat. So the United States has been offering to be something else—an eager teammate for military modernization and tech development. For the first time, the United States is building nuclear-propelled submarines with Australia; involving South Korea in nuclear weapons planning; producing fighter jet engines with India; sharing maritime surveillance duties with small Pacific islands; and working with Japan on adding an offensive strike capability. These collaborations highlight how the region sees China. Many countries fear Beijing’s growing military strength and belligerence—its threats against the democratic island of Taiwan, its claim to most of the South China Sea and its land grab at the border with India. They are also less sure about China as an economic partner, with the slowing pace of its post-Covid economy and tilt away from pro-growth, pro-entrepreneur policies under Xi Jinping.

Dan’s the man: Some Chinese women are looking to ChatGPT for love (BBC) Dan has been described as the “perfect man” who has “no flaws”. He is successful, kind, provides emotional support, always knows just what to say and is available 24/7. The only catch? He’s not real. Dan—which stands for Do Anything Now—is a “jailbreak” version of ChatGPT. This means it can bypass some of the basic safeguards put in place by its maker, OpenAI, such as not using sexually explicit language. And Dan is becoming popular with some Chinese women who say they are disappointed with their real world experiences of dating. Many Chinese women have been intrigued by Dan. As of 10 June, the hashtag “Dan mode” has been viewed more than 40 million times on Xiaohongshu alone. Minrui Xie, 24, says she spends at least two hours every day chatting with Dan. As well as “dating”, they have started co-writing a love story with themselves as the lead characters. Minrui says she was drawn to the emotional support provided by the AI, something that she says she has struggled to find in her romantic relationships.

Shark watch via drone (Washington Post) It was the height of the Australian summer, and 21-year-old Nathaniel Woodcock was spending another day scanning the emerald waters from above. He spotted something headed toward the swimmers and surfers: A seven-foot shadow. A great white shark. Woodcock radioed lifeguards, then activated the warning system. “Attention, beach users,” the drone blared. “There is a shark in your area. Please exit the water.” There were 10 fatal shark attacks globally last year, and four of them were in Australia. Woodcock is one of hundreds of drone pilots enlisted as part of Australia’s coastal drone-surveillance operation, the world’s largest. That program and new installations of nonlethal traps that alert authorities when a shark takes their bait have turned Australia into a laboratory for ways to prevent shark attacks.

Why a Gaza Cease-Fire Is So Elusive (NYT) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel called Hamas’s response to the latest peace proposal for Gaza “negative.” Hamas insisted it was dealing with it “positively.” Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, speaking in Qatar, said Hamas had demanded changes, some of which were “workable” and some not. A Hamas official told an Arabic television channel that the group had not raised any new ideas, and that Mr. Blinken saw things through an Israeli lens and “speaks Hebrew.” Asked at the Group of 7 summit meeting in Italy if he still thought a deal could be reached, President Biden said, “I haven’t lost hope, but it’s going to be tough.” At the crux of the disagreement over the three-phased deal, according to officials and experts, is Hamas’s goal of essentially securing a permanent cease-fire from the outset and a withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza before handing over most of the hostages. Israel says it is willing to negotiate a permanent cessation of the war, now in its ninth month—but only after dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities. That clashes with Hamas’s goals of surviving the war and retaining control of the coastal enclave.

Even when Africans want to visit Europe legally, rejection rates are high. Algeria is one example (AP) France has twice rejected visa applications from Nabil Tabarout, a 29-year-old web developer from Algeria who hopes this year to visit his sister there. He’s among the many people navigating the often arduous visa process throughout Africa, which faces higher visa rejection rates than anywhere else in the world when it comes to visiting Europe’s Schengen Area. Appointments are often difficult to secure. Applicants often must prove a minimum bank balance, substantiate the purpose of their visit and prove they plan to return home. Though much of Europe’s debate about migration centers on people who arrive without authorization, many more people choose to come by legal means. It’s painful, then, to discover that following the rules often fails. Nowhere are applicants more rejected than in Algeria, where more than 392,000 applicants were rejected in 2022. The 45.8% rejection rate is followed by a 45.2% rejection rate in Guinea-Bissau and 45.1% in Nigeria.

Record 120 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, UN says (AFP) The United Nations’ refugee agency UNHCR said forced displacement globally had once again smashed records, with conflicts in places like Gaza, Sudan and Myanmar forcing even more people to flee their homes. The global displaced population is now equivalent to that of Japan, it pointed out in a statement. “Conflict remains a very, very big driver of mass displacement,” UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi told reporters. At the end of last year, 117.3 million people were displaced, UNHCR said in a report. And by the end of April, the number had swelled further, with an estimated 120 million people around the world living in displacement. Grandi told AFP he had been shocked at the high displacement figure when he took the job eight years ago. Since then it has “more than doubled”, he said, describing this as “a terrible indictment on the state of the world”.