#building expert witness report

[surveymerchant]

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[spoogliedoo]

i've been working as a research assistant on a project looking at media depicting "warchitecture" in the yugoslav wars, chechnya and ukraine, and interpreting that as both historico-cultural semantics and as actual media. the project was inspired by and basically predicated on, the work of architectural philosopher/urban theorist andrew herscher, so i have a lot of the ideas from his work fresh in my mind. so with the ceasefire ending and israel's genocide continuing, i feel like it would be constructive to just share a bit from his book violence taking place: the architecture of the kosovo conflict.

herscher was working on his phd in the late-90s when the international criminal tribunal for the former yugoslavia (ICTY) asked him to join the prosecution and be an expert witness on the destruction of buildings during serbia's ethnic cleansing of kosovo 1998/99. and when working in the balkans collecting evidence and writing reports for the ICTY, he realised that relegating the destruction of architecture to an externality of violence was absent of the fact that the destruction and construction of architecture is a productive medium for expresing historico-cultural and political semantics -- invoking ideas of present and historical material conditions and realities, and enforcing them. in the case of kosovo, this was serbs ensuring the alterity of kosovar-albanians, projecting serbian orthodoxy over kosovar-albanian islam, destroying their communities to ensure they could not retain their autonomy, etc. one of the most common instances hersher encountered were the minarets of mosques being toppled, but the building left otherwise mostly intact. this is violence as performance, and as a means of engaging in a cultural discourse to marginalize and eliminate a community. it's a kind of violence which architecture reciprocates and reproduces meaning in.

attached a bunch of excerpts below. consider gaza and the experience of palestinians, and remember that the yugoslav wars ended with 161 political and military leaders being brought before a judge at the hague.

[mariacallous]

The US Coast Guard’s Titan submersible hearing kicked off with a startling revelation.

“I told him I’m not getting in it,” former OceanGate engineering director Tony Nissen said to a panel of Coast Guard investigators, referring to a 2018 conversation in which CEO Stockton Rush allegedly asked Nissen to act as a pilot in an upcoming expedition to the Titanic.

“It’s the operations crew, I don’t trust them,” Nissen told the investigators. “I didn’t trust Stockton either. You can take a look at where we started when I was hired. Nothing I got was the truth.”

Nissen’s testimony, which focused on the design, building, and testing of OceanGate’s first carbon fiber submersible, was a dramatic start to nearly two weeks of public testimony in the US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation’s hearings into the fatal June 2023 implosion of the Titan. Its five occupants, including Rush, all likely died instantly.

Before Nissen took the stand, the Coast Guard presented a detailed timeline of OceanGate as a company, the development of the Titan submersible, and its trips to the wreck of the Titanic, resting nearly 3,800 meters down in the north Atlantic. These slides revealed new information, including over 100 instances of equipment failures and incidents on the Titan’s trips in 2021 and 2022. An animated timeline of the final few hours of the Titan also included the final text messages sent by people on the sub. One sent at about 2,400 meters depth read “all good here.” The last message, sent as the sub slowed its descent at nearly 3,400 meters, read “dropped two wts.”

The Coast Guard also confirmed reports that the experimental carbon fiber sub had been stored in an outdoor parking lot in temperatures as low as 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (–17 Celsius) in the run-up to last year’s Titanic missions. Some engineers worried that water freezing in or near the carbon fiber could expand and cause defects in the material.

Nissen said that almost from when he joined OceanGate in 2016, Rush kept changing the company’s direction. A move to certify the vessel with an independent third party fell by the wayside, as did plans to test more scale models of the Titan’s carbon fiber hull when one failed early under pressure. Rush then downgraded titanium components to save money and time. “It was death by a thousand cuts,” Nissen recalls.

He faced tough questioning about OceanGate’s choice of carbon fiber for a hull and its reliance on a newly developed acoustic monitoring system to provide an early warning of failure. One investigator raised WIRED’s reporting that an outside expert Nissen hired to assess the acoustic system later had misgivings about Rush’s understanding of its limitations.

“Given the time and constraints we had,” Nissen said, “we did all the testing and brought in every expert we could find. We built it like an aircraft.”

Nissen walked the Coast Guard board through deep-water testing in the Bahamas in 2018, during which he says the sub was struck by lightning. Measurements on the Titan’s hull later showed that it was flexing beyond its calculated safety factor. When a pilot subsequently found a crack in the hull, Nissen said, he wouldn’t sign off on another dive. “I killed it,” he testified. “The hull is done.” Nissen was subsequently fired.

Nissen sought to draw a line in the sand between the vessel he worked on and the one that took the fateful voyage to the Titanic. The latter had a replacement hull and a redesigned acoustic monitoring system. “My design was collecting data such that we would prevent a catastrophic failure and ultimately the loss of human life,” he said. “We did that with serial 1. What they did in serial number 2, I don’t know. “

The next witness, Bonnie Carl, worked at OceanGate for less than a year between 2017 and 2018. Carl was hired as a director of human resources and finances and was also training to be a pilot for OceanGate’s submersibles. Carl said that one of the company’s board members, former Coast Guard rear admiral John Lockwood, was brought in for oversight and “to show that we’re talking to the Coast Guard.”

She also echoed Nissen’s testimony that Rush was in complete control of the company: “There might be discussion, but in the end … all decisions were made by Stockon,” she said.

The final witness of the day was an OceanGate contractor and veteran submersible operator, Tym Catterson. Catterson is one of only two witnesses the Coast Guard has called who was among the 42 people aboard the Polar Prince, OceanGate’s support ship, that June. He was operating the floating platform used to transport, launch, and recover the Titan submersible.

The preparations for the Titan’s dive that day went smoothly, said Catterson: “The sun came out, there were no red flags, and it was one of the first times we ever launched on schedule.”

He did have positive things to say about OceanGate’s safety culture, noting that Titan’s predive checklist was longer and more thorough than those used by other submersibles. But Catterson also admitted to contributing to an “uncomfortable” incident on a previous Titan dive, where an incorrectly closed valve caused the sub to tilt, tumbling its passengers together for an hour.

Catterson was able to give only a very spotty account of events following Titan’s loss of communication. He repeatedly referred the board to OceanGate’s operations director Scott Griffith as someone who could provide a more complete account of the dive. Griffiths is not on the Coast Guard’s list of witnesses, nor are any employees of OceanGate’s operations team.

Catterson was there for the recovery of some of the Titan’s wreckage, however. He testified that the inside edge of one titanium ring was sheared off all the way around. One former OceanGate engineer believes this supports the theory that the implosion was allegedly caused by damage to the carbon fiber there, perhaps from freezing water or lifting the sub without using the correct equipment, rather than a failure of the hull from pressure alone.

The hearing continues this week and next.

[thebusylilbee]

"IDF says it ‘completely rejects’ charge that its soldiers deliberately fired on any of the thousands of civilians killed in Israeli offensive

Dr Fozia Alvi was making her rounds of the intensive care unit on her final day at the battered European public hospital in southern Gaza when she stopped next to two young arrivals with facial injuries and breathing tubes in their windpipes.

“I asked the nurse, what’s the history? She said that they were brought in a couple of hours ago. They had sniper shots to the brain. They were seven or eight years old,” she said.

The Canadian doctor’s heart sank. These were not the first children treated by Alvi who she was told were targeted by Israeli soldiers, and she knew the damage a single high-calibre bullet could do to a fragile young body.

“They were not able to talk, paraplegic. They were literally lying down as vegetables on those beds. They were not the only ones. I saw even small children with direct sniper shot wounds to the head as well as in the chest. They were not combatants, they were small children,” said Alvi.

Children account for more than one in three of the more than 32,000 people killed in Israel’s months-long assault on Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Tens of thousands more young people have suffered severe injuries, including amputations.

Nine doctors gave the Guardian accounts of working in Gaza hospitals this year, all but one of them foreign volunteers. Their common assessment was that most of the dead and wounded children they treated were hit by shrapnel or burned during Israel’s extensive bombardment of residential neighbourhoods, in some cases wiping out entire families. Others were killed or injured by collapsing buildings with still more missing under the rubble.

But doctors also reported treating a steady stream of children, elderly people and others who were clearly not combatants with single bullet wounds to the head or chest.

Some of the physicians said that the types and locations of the wounds, and accounts of Palestinians who brought children to the hospital, led them to believe the victims were directly targeted by Israeli troops.

Other doctors said they did not know the circumstances of the shootings but that they were deeply troubled by the number of children who were severely wounded or killed by single gunshots, sometimes by high-calibre bullets causing extensive damage to young bodies.

In mid-February, a group of UN experts accused the Israeli military of targeting Palestinian civilians who are evidently not combatants, including children, as they sought shelter.

“We are shocked by reports of the deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children in places where they sought refuge, or while fleeing. Some of them were reportedly holding white pieces of cloth when they were killed by the Israeli army or affiliated forces,” the group said.

The Guardian shared descriptions and images of gunshot wounds suffered by eight children with military experts and forensic pathologists. They said it was difficult to conclusively determine the circumstances of the shootings based on the descriptions and photos alone, although in some of the cases they were able to identify ammunition used by the Israeli military.

Eyewitness accounts and video recordings appear to back up claims that Israeli soldiers have fired on civilians, including children, outside of combat with Hamas or other armed groups. In some cases, witnesses describe coming under fire while waving white flags. Haaretz reported on Saturday that Israel routinely fires on civilians in areas its military has declared a “combat zone”.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deploy snipers – or sharpshooters, as the military calls them – during combat operations, often as part of elite units. They are trained to “target and eliminate particularly difficult terrorist threats”, according to the military’s own definition.

Israeli and foreign human rights groups have documented a long history of snipers firing on unarmed Palestinians, including children, in Gaza and the West Bank.

Palestinians in Gaza also report a terrifying new development in the latest Gaza war – armed drones able to hover over streets and pick off individuals. Called quadcopters, some of these drones are used as remote-control snipers that Palestinians say have been used to shoot civilians.

The IDF said it “completely rejects” allegations that its snipers deliberately fire on civilians. It said it cannot address individual shootings “without coordinates of the incidents”.

“The IDF only targets terrorists and military targets. In stark contrast to Hamas’s deliberate attacks on Israeli civilians, including men, women and children, the IDF follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm,” it said.

Doctors say otherwise.

Dr Vanita Gupta, an intensive care doctor at a New York City hospital, volunteered at Gaza’s European hospital in January. One morning, three badly wounded children arrived in quick succession. Their families told Gupta that the children had been together in the street when they came under fire and that there had been no other shooting in the area. She said no wounded adults were brought in to the hospital at the same time and from the same place.

“One child, I could see there was a shot to the head. They were doing CPR on this five- or six-year-old girl who obviously died,” said Gupta.

“There was another little girl about the same age. I saw a bullet entry wound on her head. Her father was there, crying and asking me, ‘Can you save her? She’s my only child.’”

Gupta said that a third young child also had a shot to the head and was sent for a CT scan.

“The neurosurgeon looked and said, ‘There’s no hope.’ You could see the bullet had gone through the head. I don’t know how old he was, but young,” she said.

Family members told Gupta that the Israeli army had withdrawn from the area about four kilometres from the hospital.

“They said people started returning to their homes because the army was gone. But the snipers stayed on. The families said they opened fire at the children,” she said.

Doctors who worked at the Nasser hospital in southern Gaza said what appeared to be targeted Israeli fire killed more than two dozen people, including children, as they entered or left the hospital in the first weeks of this year.

Among the casualties was 14-year-old Ruwa Qdeih. Doctors say she was shot dead outside the hospital in Khan Younis as she went to collect water. They said there was no fighting in the area at the time and that she was killed by a single shot and then men who went to recover her body were also shot at.

In Gaza City, three-year-old Emad Abu al-Qura was shot outside his home as he went to buy fruit with his cousin, Hadeel, a 20-year-old medical student, who was also killed. The family said they were targeted by an Israeli sniper.

A video of the pair lying together in the street shows Emad still alive after he is first hit and trying to lift his head. More shots hit the ground close by including one that strikes a plank next to Emad. The boy’s mother said he was then hit again and this time killed.

Hadeel’s father, Haroon, saw the shooting.

“The targeting of civilians is very clear. It is a deliberate direct targeting aimed at killing civilians without reason, without there being any events, without there being any resistance. They deliberately killed Hadeel and Emad,” he told Al Jazeera.

Other young victims include 14-year-old Nahedh Barbakh, who was hit by sniper fire alongside his 20-year-old brother, Ramez, as they followed Israeli military orders to evacuate an area west of Khan Younis in late January, according to the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. [...]

In October, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, described the IDF as “the most moral army in the world”. The Israeli military claims to be guided by a “purity of arms” doctrine that precludes soldiers from harming “uninvolved civilians”.

But Israeli and international human rights groups have long said that the military’s failure to enforce its own standards – and its willingness to cover up breaches – has contributed to a climate of impunity for soldiers who target civilians.

The groups say it is extremely difficult at this stage to quantify the scale of such shootings in Gaza, not least because their own staff are often displaced and under attack. But Miranda Cleland of Defense for Children International Palestine said that over the years there had been a “clear pattern of Israeli forces targeting Palestinian children with deadly force in situations where the children posed no threat to soldiers”.

“In the occupied West Bank, Israeli soldiers routinely shoot children in the head, chest or abdomen, all areas from which a child will quickly bleed out if they aren’t killed instantly. Many of these children are shot by Israeli forces from great distances, sometimes upwards of 500ft, which is something only a trained military sniper would be capable of,” she said.

An Israeli group, Breaking the Silence, collected testimonies from IDF soldiers in earlier conflicts who said they shot Palestinian civilians merely because they were where they were not supposed to be even though it was evident they were not combatants.

IDF snipers boasted about shooting unarmed Palestinian protesters, including young people, in the knees during nearly two years of demonstrations at the Gaza border fence from the spring of 2018."

[gothamnewsnetwork-official]

The Latest Outbreak: Vampirism

Gotham City has never been known for normality. Supervillains, drug lords, bat-themed vigilantes, eco-terrorism; these are just a few of the countless difficulties and obstacles faced by Gothamites in their day-to-day lives.

One would think that, given all this, the people of Gotham could live through anything, and normally they’d be right.

Unfortunately there is something, or someone, new terrorizing the streets of our beloved city. A blood born infection with no known cure; Vampirism.

It has been four days since the first report of the virus, an anonymous source contacted us to let us know of a creature, humanoid, attacking two civilians in crime alley. This would be nothing out of the ordinary for Gotham if the two victims, pronounced DOA to Gotham Med (see related articles), had not disappeared before their bodies could be identified.

What was originally suspected to be foul play on the part of the hospital was later ruled out, given the fact that both victims were spotted multiple times in and around crime alley.

When asked to describe their appearance, one citizen who claims to have seen the pair described them as ashen, erratic, and frenzied. Claiming that he had originally thought them to be addicts, given how they were switching between being sluggish and lethargic to alert and conscious repeatedly.

The citizen then claims to have witnessed the two disappear between buildings, hearing a loud scream a few moments later, then seeing the pair reappear from the alley nearly 15 minutes later covered in blood.

This, along with multiple other accounts of such incidents involving both the original two victims but also multiple other missing persons, leads us to one answer; an outbreak of Vampirism (see related articles).

The symptoms of Vampirism vary, some may developing super-strength, speed, increased healing factors (see related articles), even immortality (see related articles), but one thing always remains the same; a thirst for human blood. Because of this many of those afflicted with Vampirism have taken to feeding on animals, something akin to us humans and metas sustaining ourselves solely on meal-replacement bars.

We sent one of our interns to speak with a few members of the Vampire community to get their two cents on the outbreak, as well as interviewing a few experts in the field.

Mr. Rosario ( @hinata-rosario-revamped ) (see related articles) stated that he had been turned only a few days prior to our interview. He had been walking home from working a night shift, passing through crime alley (see related articles), when he was attacked and bitten. The next day he had already developed the disease.

Because of the attack he is perpetually cold and hungry, terrified of himself and of outliving those around him. He claims he can no longer eat human food, touch garlic, silver, or holy water, cross running water, or go in the sun (see related articles). Unlike traditional depictions of Vampires (see related articles), he can, however, see himself in mirrors due to the fact that they are no longer backed by silver but aluminum.

He has developed fangs, something we can only imagine to be quite distressing, but has no knowledge of if he will develop any form of super strength, speed, or healing.

When asked about prominent vampire figure, Mr. Wing (better known as the Vampire King) ( @vamp-wing ), he responded -

“He should chug some garlic laced holy water”

A sentiment shared by many, given that the Vampire King (see related articles) is suspected to have started the current outbreak, having infected nearly everyone in his own universe with the disease.

We were also able to speak with a variant of Robin IV (see related articles) from the Vampire Kings universe. For the sake of simplicity we will be referring to him as Vampire Robin in this article. This is what he had to say on the matter of his transformation and the dangers associated the ‘Vampire King’-

“I was changed by the Vampire King in my world. He’s called Mr. Wing or Nightwing. He changed me several months ago.

At the time, the vampire outbreak was going on with the entire Justice League having changed. Father put us into hiding, he’s Batman in my world. Then, when he began realizing there was a mole in our group, Nightwing killed him.

I went to attack him, then he bit me. It was… painful. I was paralyzed and in pain. The last I remember was watching Nightwing kill Red Robin. We had our fights, but Red Robin was my brother and I felt like a failure in not saving him.”

He then goes on to explain that when we awoke he was taken in by Bruce Wayne (see related articles) and his butler, Alfred Pennyworth (see related articles). The Bruce Wayne of Vampire Robin’s universe had been funding Batman for several years and decided to help Vampire Robin despite him developing Vampirism.

When asked if he believes the Vampire King could be behind the outbreak in our universe he replied that, while he cannot be certain given that he has not yet travelled to our universe, it is entirely possible. He recommends that citizens daring to brave the city, even with the risk of being eaten alive, drink as much Holy Water (see related articles) as possible and carry garlic on their person at all times.

As for the symptoms he has experienced, he, like Mr. Rosario, states that he is constantly hungry and cold. His teeth have sharpened to fangs and his eyes have become red. All his senses are heightened, as well as his healing factor, and his blood no longer flows given that he relies on the blood of others to survive. He can no longer be in sunlight without burning and has become fully nocturnal.

As for how it has impacted him mentally, he states the the following -

“Emotionally, I feel disconnected from all of my loved ones, especially ones that are still human. I can’t be around them without wanting to eat them. It can feel isolating, especially on the diet I’m on where I only drink from blood bags. Most vampires don’t do that.”

As well as stating that when the hunger becomes near unbearable it is difficult to distinguish between humans and livestock.

Though we attempted to reach out to the Vampire King for an interview, he did not respond, something we now believe to be a blessing in disguise for our intern.

The most unfortunate part of this is that, while there are ways to mitigate the symptoms of Vampirism, there is no known cure nor any research into one going on at this time. We urge any and all scientists and academics reading this to act on finding a cure at once, and believe it should be our nations top priority.

Tell us your thoughts on the topic (here)

Gotham Reports is certified in fair, reliable, and unbiased reporting.

Due to a host of reasons, Gotham Reports’ uploading schedule will be irregular between 3:00 pm (pacific time) on Friday, August 9th to 9:00 pm (pacific time) on Monday, August 12th

[tieflingkisser]

Patrol dogs are terrorizing and mauling prisoners inside the United States

Many men were prone or shackled when the dogs attacked. Several men said officers shouted racial slurs as dogs bit into their flesh.

In May 2004, then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld addressed Congress. The abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib "was inconsistent with the values of our nation," Rumsfeld said. "It was certainly fundamentally un-American." Yet the use of attack-trained dogs at Abu Ghraib appears to have been imported from the United States. A 2005 report from the Department of Justice's inspector general scrutinized the private contractors who helped to build and run Abu Ghraib, detailing the backgrounds of the eight corrections experts who selected the site, oversaw the rebuilding of the prison, and trained staff at Abu Ghraib: Lane McCotter, Gary DeLand, Terry Bartlett, Richard Billings, Larry DuBois, John Armstrong, Terry Stewart, and Charles Ryan. Each had been a high-level state prison administrator or corrections commissioner before arriving in Baghdad. All eight, Insider has found, previously started, expanded, or administered programs at US prisons that authorized the use of dogs to attack and intimidate incarcerated people. McCotter in New Mexico and Utah; DeLand, Billings, and Bartlett in Utah; Ryan and Stewart in Arizona; DuBois in Massachusetts; and Armstrong in Connecticut. Two decades after the human-rights abuses unfolded at Abu Ghraib, almost all of these state prison systems continue to use unmuzzled attack-trained dogs. Insider has identified 12 states that authorize their use against people in state custody. At least 23 prisons in eight states have deployed attack-trained dogs on prisoners in recent years — Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia. Over the past six years, hundreds of incarcerated people have been bitten or mauled. Human Rights Watch researchers wrote, in 2006, that they were unaware of a single other prison system in the world that used dogs to attack people in the confined space of a cell.

[...]

Police departments have long employed trained attack dogs to supplement the range and speed of officers in the field. But prison patrol dogs aren't deployed for chases; they are used inside the prison walls. In these tight, enclosed spaces, the aggressive barking and threat of attack terrorize people trapped inside razor-wire fences and cell doors. The use of dogs to attack people in the confined space of a prison cell has been described by Human Rights Watch as a "well-kept secret" — and a human-rights violation. The dogs' presence inside prisons, the organization found, "is intended to terrify and intimidate." Even witnessing a dog attack in close quarters is harrowing. One former Virginia corrections officer said watching a dog attack a person, hearing their screams and desperate pleas and seeing all that blood, was a "primal" experience and deeply traumatizing. "It's just not something you forget," he said. For those who are the intended target of the intimidation, witnessing a dog attack is devastating, multiple men told Insider. Many suffer nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and fear for weeks and months after seeing an attack. For the hundreds of men who are bitten or mauled themselves, the physical and emotional impact can last for years. Through public-records requests, court documents, medical records, and interviews with dozens of bite victims, Insider documented at least 295 incidents where attack-trained dogs bit incarcerated people over the six years from 2017 to 2022. Insider identified one attack in Connecticut, to break up a fight in 2020; three in Massachusetts, all in the context of forced cell extractions, in 2020; five in Indiana; 15 in Arizona; and 271 attacks in Virginia. The locations of the bites indicate that many of the men may have been prone when they were attacked; a 2006 study suggested that bites to the head, neck, and torso are more likely when the target is on the ground, hiding, or partially restrained. Several men described being cuffed or compliant, spread-eagled on the ground, when attacked; one incident report from July 2022 documents that a man in a Virginia facility called Sussex II State Prison was attacked by a patrol dog after he'd been wrestled into leg irons.

[...]

The severity of the wounds caused by the attacks betrays the tremendous force the dogs can wield. Medical records obtained by Insider contain evidence of deep puncture wounds, lacerations with torn edges, and crush injuries in which muscle, nerves, and bones were damaged from the pressure of the dog's jaw. A study using data from the 1980s and 1990s in Los Angeles found bites from attack-trained dogs were more medically serious than bites from domestic pet dogs. The authors found people bitten by trained law-enforcement dogs were more likely to be hospitalized and require surgeries for skin grafts or tendon and arterial repairs. Dog mouths are also loaded with bacteria. A 1994 dog-bite study found a correlation between the depth of the bite and an increased risk of developing serious infections. In at least 18 incidents, bite victims in Virginia were wounded so severely by attack-trained dogs that they were transferred to nearby hospitals to be treated for crush injuries, extensive muscle and tissue damage, or septic infections. Others were found to have symptoms of trauma.

[...]

In response to Insider's findings, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry said the department was under new leadership and would be reviewing all of its policies and practices, including its use of dogs.  Other departments defended their current protocols. The Indiana Department of Correction said all its dogs were trained "using the appropriate K9 industry standards." The Delaware Department of Correction said department dogs "assist officers in meeting their safety and security mission." A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Corrections said the department's use of patrol dogs was governed by operation procedures authorized by Virginia law.

[...]

An attack dog's bite is powerful enough to puncture sheet metal. On people, the bites rend skin and muscle. Department patrol dogs are trained to bite once and hold to minimize flesh tears and lacerations. However, in nearly 30% of the bite reports Insider analyzed, Virginia patrol dogs bit more than once or "readjusted" their bites to different body parts in response to a victim fighting or thrashing in pain. The dogs bit arms and legs most commonly but also bit stomachs, faces, hands, feet, hips, shoulders, and genitals. In at least 15 cases over the past six years, Virginia dogs mauled people all over their bodies, biting them three, four, or even six times and leaving wounds on their arms, legs, shoulders, faces, chests, and hands.

[...]

"A hundred years ago they used to put on a white sheet and use a bloodhound against Negroes," Malcolm X said in an interview not long after the protests. "Today they have taken off the white sheet and put on police uniforms and traded in the bloodhounds for police dogs." After the brutal crackdown on people protesting the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, a half a century later, the Department of Justice investigated the Ferguson Police Department and found a range of civil-rights abuses. These included the excessive use of dogs to attack people, including children, in routine police encounters. In every case where racial information was available, Ferguson police officers had sicced their dogs on Black people. 

[tomorrowusa]

Fox "News" is not a credible place to get real news. They proved it again when they misled viewers and readers into believing that the incident at the border with Canada at the Rainbow Bridge earlier this week was a terror attack. Some of the Fox reporters even made up Islamic extremists who carried out this non-attack. They just kept making shit up to keep their fiction going.

The usually histrionic Vivek Ramaswamy had previously been calling for a border wall with Canada. Fox's false report gave him an opportunity to demagogue about it live. Vivek really needs to switch to decaf.

Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC, also covered this.

Right-wing U.S. media covered fiction as fact: A non-existent terrorist attack from Canada at Rainbow Bridge Erroneous reports about border incident fed a frenzy of speculation and calls for a northern border wall

Some U.S. media began describing it as a terrorist explosion, caused by a vehicle entering from Canada. Every element of that preceding sentence was dispelled within hours as flat-out wrong.  There was no attack from Canada; the incident occurred entirely on U.S. soil; in fact, authorities don't believe it was a terrorist attack at all. That didn't stop a candidate for president of the United States from appearing on Fox News to promote an aspect of his platform: Building a border wall with Canada. "I have been sounding the alarm bell about the northern border for a long time," said Vivek Ramaswamy during a lengthy interview about an incident he did not witness, was not a subject-matter expert on, and had no insight into.

The real "terrorists" are far right Republicans trying to hijack the United States.

[rabbitcruiser]

Earthquake Point/Broken Mountain, WA

Take a step back in time to December 14, 1872 in what was at that time Washington Territory. Ulysses S. Grant had just been elected president for his second term, and Boston was still recovering from the Great Fire that destroyed much of the city in November of that year. You had to draw water from a well, light your cabin with oil lamps, and typically folks would retire for the night shortly after sundown, when the evening chores were completed, and supper dishes were cleaned.

On that night, at almost 10pm, folks across the region were awakened by a massive earthquake. Contemporary accounts describe the earth rolling from North to South, no jolting bumps, just the feeling like walking on the deck of a ship in rough seas. 

The earthquake impacted an area of the Pacific Northwest over 625,000 miles – from Salem Oregon in the South, to Victoria, BC in the North, across Idaho into Montana and much damage was sustained in the populated areas west of the Cascades. In Seattle buildings rocked, trees shook, items and fell off shelves. Pendulum clocks were stopped by the offsetting rocking, or started up again, if they had been stopped. Plaster walls cracked and lamps tipped over. 

Prior to the event, Lake Union had been flat calm, but the quake caused a tidal wave several feet high. In Olympia there were reports of fireplaces crumbling.

Jack Splawn (also known as Moses Splawn) was a cowboy and resident of Yakima City at that time. He explained that he and the other cowboys on the ranch had just completed the year’s branding and were celebrating at the Sagebrush Saloon, when the building began rocking and they ran outside to see what hoodlums were trying to tip the house over. 

While some folks dealt with milk sloshed out of the pail, and knickknacks falling off the shelf, the residents of North Central Washington, especially indigenous tribes who lived along the Columbia river near Chelan witnessed a far more catastrophic event. It is known locally as “the night the mountain fell.”

As you drive along Highway 97A just past Entiat on your way to Chelan, there is a roadside pullout and marker explaining “Earthquake Point.” Here you can view what the native people named “Ribbon Cliffs”. A giant portion of the hillside of Broken Mountain fell into the Columbia river that night. Of course, the river was not as high then as it is now, as the hydroelectric projects along the river have raised it, however, the amount of earth and granite that fell blocked the river and flooded the lands behind it, including the ranch of the Wapato family. You might recognize that tribal name from the peninsula of land at Lake Chelan, called Wapato Point. 

At some point the following day the water broke through the earthen dam, the flood receded, and the river began to flow again. It must have been a sight to behold if you lived in Wenatchee to wake up to a dry riverbed! Witnesses to the event reported that it took several days for the earthen dam to break up and the river to return to its previous level. 

While there was no seismologic equipment in place seventeen years before Washington became a state, experts studying the damage and geologic features believe the quake was between 6.5 and 7.5 in magnitude. That makes it one of the largest on record in the state. 

For 143 years it was a mystery where the epicenter of this earthquake could be found. In 2015 geologist Brian Sherrod painstakingly surveyed a canyon between Chelan and Entiat, where he found a fault and was able to definitively prove it to be the source of the quake. 

Source

[seraphim-soulmate]

I needed to send another email to a government program and when checking if I'd attached the proper documents, started crying pretty hard because I didn't fully realize what I'd been sending these people. I fully read the documents that I've just been sending as proof of my disability and it tore me apart while building me back up.

One document is a testament to every treatment I tried, written by the pain clinic, with all the results of every treatment. Every consult I went to, another update about what I'd been trying. it's not absolutely everything either, bcs there were months that I didn't go to the pain clinic so they didn't get an update. I did SO much and fought SO hard to get myself help, to try to feel better. And it's all there, in that document. And I'd gaslight myself into thinking my problems weren't that bad, that I was being excessive or making things up. That I didn't have a right to articulate my needs and get them met, that I wasn't even allowed to have needs. I had to work, actually work on, in therapy, finding out my most basic needs. Then communicating them. Without dismissing myself or belittling myself or thinking I'm bad or my needs are bad if someone cannot meet them. Now I have to work on communicating them in a way that doesn't sound like an order, and communicating them early enough that I don't feel a need to articulate them like an order.

There's also of course my psychiatrist's letter which is hard-hitting too. The fact that I helped write the rough draft only makes it even more painful, but in a good way. The last sentence, after pages of my diagnoses and how they impact me, is "despite his many problems, he presents a beautiful resilience associated with a strong desire to improve his life conditions and to better integrate into society." When you've just read the medical report from the pain clinic, then the one from the psychiatrist, I don't know who wouldn't be shaking in tears after that tbh. Especially with the knowledge of where I was at in life, that I was caretaking for my grandmother the entire time that I was struggling myself, and that I was alone. I had friends, and I cannot be more grateful for those who stood by me, but not having family is hard. Knowing your parents don't understand and can't help is hard. I'm glad my dad tried, that he's gotten better at believing me again. He was the one who actually came to me with the idea that it might be fibro, but that was such a scary diagnosis at the time, for the fact that it was psychosomatic and for the fact that there was no relief, that it took me a bit to accept that he was trying to help. And then I looked into it more. And I went to the pain clinic. And I got so so so very lucky making an appointment, I got one for the following week because of a cancellation. I would have had to wait months otherwise.

Knowing I did that, by myself, alone. I researched conditions and symptoms and medications and treatments and therapies and the list goes on! I became a micro-expert in my field of disability, because you have to if you want to know what your doctors are doing to you and what you can do in response. Advocating for yourself as a disabled person and fighting with doctors is one of the most fucked up things I got from this experience. Some of them are absolutely repugnant.

I searched for all the medical professionals, I reached out to them, I booked the appointments, I reached out to get help going to the appointments so I would have a witness to how doctors treated me, I tried again and again and again, despite so many treatments failing or even worsening my pain. It's so weird to look back on that and think that I didn't just do nothing about my condition, that I was more active and engaged in my care than most disabled people are (or can be, no diss to disabled ppl who cannot get access to care).

I'm proud of that, of everything I've done, but it's also deeply fucking sad. I did that all alone. I didn't get a diagnosis when I was younger, I didn't have the support of my parents. My mom didn't book doctors appointments for me, she didn't take me to them, she didn't hold me when I was weeping with pain and grief and loss. She's proud of me, for everything I've accomplished, because she's now seen people with my conditions who struggle more than I do and she realizes now how excruciating it is for me to be here- to exist. Realistically I know it was easier for me to do it without her, she lives in the middle of nowhere and would have been more of a burden than help, but it's still hard. It's hard that I cannot count on my parents for this, to literally take care of me. Idk if it'll ever not be hard, if I'll ever forgive them for not listening to me all those years I cried out for help to be met with silence, or worse, accusations of lying. Of making it up for attention.

But I'm a success story. I'm living, breathing, being human, being loved and loving, and dealing with it all as it comes. I get to wake up another day and see how the sun reflects off the leaves, I get to see another sunset, I get to see the snow, I get to go to the park, I get to craft, to create, to play. I get to be part of other people's stories. I get to discover my own story.

[titanus-horizio]

TERROR IN SINSPIRE

2 gigantic megafauna, now named Anguirus and Gojira Wreaked havoc on the neon-lit streets of Sinspire, the dazzling city last night

The attack began just after dusk, as the sun was setting and the city's iconic lights were starting to twinkle. Residents and tourists alike were enjoying an evening of revelry in Sinspire's famed entertainment district when a series of tremors shook the ground. Witnesses reported an eerie silence falling over the bustling streets before the night sky was split by a deafening roar.

Emerging from the depths of Lake insmouth, Anguirus. A spiked behemoth, then later, a massive pillar of flame surged from the forest surrounding the city, where Gojira emerged. the 2 titans, seemingly drawn to each other by some primordial rivalry, collided with ferocious force.

Buildings crumbled as the monsters rampaged through the city. The opulent Medrano Palace, known for its elaborate nightly performances, was reduced to rubble in minutes. The historic Crescent Quarter, with its vibrant jazz clubs and bustling cafes, was devastated by the ensuing chaos.

Mayor Beatrice Duvall addressed the city from an emergency broadcast center, her voice steady despite the turmoil. "Sinspire is facing an unimaginable crisis," she said. "But we are a resilient city. We will rebuild, and our spirit will not be broken."

The Abyssal wardens has been deployed to assist in evacuation efforts and to establish a perimeter around the danger zone. Scientists from across the country are being flown in to study the creatures and attempt to understand the nature of their sudden appearance. Dr. Jay Kister, a leading expert in Megabiology, speculated that the creatures might have been disturbed by recent underwater seismic activity, though as of yet the exact cause is unknown.

(images of the creatures below)

[schmergo]

There's one news story that's haunted me for years, covering many of my niche topics of interest (such as zoo exhibit design and tigers). It happened way back in 2007, but I still think about it a lot. It's a wild ride and I'd like to share it with you. It does get violent and scary, so don't read on if you're not in the mood for that today. There has only been ONE instance of a person being killed by an escaped animal in an AZA-accredited zoo in the organization's nearly 100-year history. The AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) has fairly comprehensive standards about things like exhibit design and guest safety-- any other story you've heard about something like this has been at an un-accredited roadside zoo. Usually, they're pretty careful to make sure large dangerous animals can never get anywhere near where guests were. This story from 2007 was a perfect storm of situations where such a horrible thing could happen. The star of our story was a Siberian tiger named Tatiana living at the San Francisco Zoo. (This is the largest sub-species of tiger, which may or may not be important here.) She had had one previous bout of aggression against humans about a year before this incident: she grabbed a zookeper's arm, pulled it through the bars of her behind-the-scenes area during feeding team, and bit it. But on this occasion, it was right around closing time at the zoo on Christmas Day. Tatiana was hanging out in her enclosure while three young guys began taunting her. (One was a 17-year-old named Carlos, the others were two brothers called Paul and Kulbir, aged 19 and 23.) Witnessed by nobody but the victims themselves, Tatiana leapt out of her enclosure and mauled two of the three guys. The two brothers (one of them injured) ran for a nearby zoo cafe, which was already closed for the day, and the cafe staff wouldn't let them in. One zoo employee called 911, but indicated that they thought the brothers were mentally ill or on drugs because they were claiming to have been attacked by a tiger and there was no escaped tiger. Only six minutes later did another zoo staff member report the tiger on the loose. Police and firefighters got to the scene, but they weren't allowed in to tend to the victims because the zoo was on lockdown due to the escaped tiger. Five minutes passed before they could get in. They did eventually find Tatiana the tiger attacking the other brother and fatally shot her. But tragically the third friend, 17-year-old Carlos, was found dead from severe injuries from the tiger near the tiger enclosure. The other two suffered injuries from tiger teeth and claws but were released from the hospital a few days later. Obviously the emergency response was very shoddy, but here's where things get really shocking. The zoo director went on the record saying that it would be impossible for Tatiana to escape the exhibit unless she had help. He suspected foul play. The exhibit barrier was 18 feet high, impossible for a tiger to jump over and well over the AZA-recommended height of over 16 feet. Experts said it would blinker belief for a tiger to jump that high, and the zoo director suggested that the victims may have climbed over a barrier fence and danged their legs into the exhibit, giving her something to grab onto and pull herself up with. As part of the investigation, they obviously closely examined the exhibit, and what they found horrified everyone. The fence was only 12 and a half feet tall. That's several feet under the recommended height. The exhibit had been build in the 1940s and had been inspected by AZA officials many times, including the previous year. Nobody had ever noticed a discrepancy between the stated height of the wall and its actual height. The paperwork said it was an 18 foot wall, and everyone believed it was an 18 foot wall. Nobody had thought to check to see exactly how tall it was in 60+ years. When asked why a tiger had never escaped from the inadequate exhibit before, the coordinator of the AZA's species survival plan for tigers said, "It probably didn't want to." Even with this obvious discrepancy, it's quite sobering to realize how high tigers can jump if provoked. Not only did Tatiana jump over 12 feet high, she also traveled across a 33 foot moat. It's easy to think that zoo animals will be less dangerous than their wild counterparts-- even experts believed until evidence showed otherwise that Tatiana, as a captive tiger, would not be capable of the peak physical effort it would take to get over the barriers-- but wild animals are wild animals. A closer examination of Tatiana's paws and claws indicated that she made it over the wall on her first try. What's the lesson here? Well, don't underestimate the power and ability of wild animals. Don't taunt tigers. Believe someone who says they were attacked by an escaped tiger! And remember to double check instead of just believing what someone says. ("They said there's plenty of eggs in the fridge and we don't need more? Well, the San Francisco Zoo said the tiger wall was 18 feet high and we all know how that went. I'm going to check the eggs.") In general, accredited zoos are very safe for guests. There's a reason this was the first deadly incident involving an escaped animal since the organization was founded in the 1920's. But this is very much the exception that proved the rule-- and there were so many mistakes and poor choices that had to happen to lead up to this horrible ending. What's your old news story that you still obsess over?

[blue-village]

An Israeli tank crew killed a Reuters journalist and wounded six reporters in Lebanon on Oct. 13 by firing two shells in quick succession from Israel while the journalists were filming cross-border shelling, a Reuters investigation has found. The two strikes killed Reuters visuals journalist Issam Abdallah, 37, and severely wounded Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer Christina Assi, 28, just over a kilometre from the Israeli border near the Lebanese village of Alma al-Chaab. Reuters spoke to more than 30 government and security officials, military experts, forensic investigators, lawyers, medics and witnesses to piece together a detailed account of the incident. The news agency reviewed hours of video footage from eight media outlets in the area at the time and hundreds of photos from before and after the attack, including high-resolution satellite images. As part of its investigation, Reuters also gathered and obtained evidence from the scene including shrapnel on the ground and embedded in a Reuters car, three flak jackets, a camera, tripod and a large piece of metal. -

AFP said the evidence assembled by Reuters confirmed its own analysis of the incident. “It is absolutely essential that Israel provides a clear explanation for what happened. The targeting of a group of journalists who were clearly identified as media is both inexplicable and unacceptable,” said AFP Global News Director Phil Chetwynd. Al Jazeera's manager of international communications, Ihtisham Hibatullah, said: "The Reuters investigation into the October 13 attack underscores Israel's alarming pattern of deliberately targeting journalists in an attempt to silence the messenger.”

-

Once set up, Reuters started feeding live footage to its TV clients around the world at 5.16 p.m. (1516 GMT), the sound of occasional shelling punctuating the steady shot of smoke rising from behind a wooded ridge to the south. After filming for 45 minutes, amid the incessant buzz of drones overhead and an Israeli helicopter patrolling high in the sky, the Reuters team turned the camera to focus on an Israeli military outpost just over two kilometres away at Hanita and filmed a tank firing a shell from there into southern Lebanon.

The AFP and Al Jazeera teams were also broadcasting live and moved their cameras at the same time to show the Israeli outpost at Hanita as well. Less than 90 seconds later, the first of two tank rounds fired from a different outpost smashed into Abdallah and the low wall he was leaning on, killing him instantly and knocking out the Reuters live feed. The tripods holding the AFP and Al Jazeera cameras were a few metres further away and carried on broadcasting, capturing clouds of dust rising behind them and the cries of AFP’s Assi who had been hit in the legs by shrapnel. Thirty seven seconds later, a second shell smashed into Al Jazeera’s car, setting it ablaze, knocked out the AFP feed and toppled Al Jazeera’s camera - leaving it filming clouds high in the sky above and capturing the curses and screams of the wounded journalists. -

Reuters cameraman Nazeh, 53, who is based in Baghdad, said they chose the location because it was on a hilltop in an open area with no tree cover or other buildings to obscure the reporters from nearby Israeli military outposts. Nazeh said they felt relatively safe because they were clearly identified as journalists and in plain sight of the Israeli military - on the ground and in the air. “My assessment is that we were in the safest possible place. We were very comfortable, sitting, filming and laughing and not feeling in danger because we would have never expected that they would hit journalists,” said Nazeh. AFP video journalist Dylan Collins, 35, who was hit by shrapnel from the second strike, agreed. “We weren’t hiding under the trees or anything. We were very clearly seven well-marked journalists, in press vests with helmets with a car that has ‘TV’ on it, standing in an open area in the face of an Israeli military site, maybe two kilometres, one and a half away from us to our west and to our east, multiple watchtowers,” said Collins. “They knew we were there for well over an hour.” The first person to arrive at the scene after the attack was Ali Ahmed Rabah from Qatari TV channel Al Araby, which had been filming nearby alongside Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International. Al Araby filmed the immediate aftermath as the dazed reporters tried to take in what had happened, now fully realising that Assi was very badly hurt, and Abdallah dead. “We can’t bring Issam back. Issam is gone,” said Nazeh. “But he hears us, he sees us, and he’s waiting for us to do something for him. Nothing material. But to expose who hit him, who killed him, to the world.”

[legallawsandrulesnyc]

The Role of a Lawyer in an Accident Case in NYC: Navigating Legal Challenges and Seeking Justice

Accidents, whether they involve cars, trucks, motorcycles, or pedestrians, can have life-altering consequences. In New York City, the complexities of personal injury law, combined with the intricacies of local regulations and the high stakes involved, make it essential to seek the expertise of a skilled lawyer. This blog explores the crucial role of accident Lawyers in NYC, highlighting how they can help victims navigate legal challenges and seek justice.

Understanding the Role of a Lawyer in an Accident Case

Initial Consultation and Case Evaluation

The journey typically begins with an initial consultation, where the lawyer assesses the details of the accident. During this phase, the lawyer will:

Review the Incident: Examine the circumstances surrounding the accident, including how it happened, who was involved, and any contributing factors.

Evaluate Claims: Determine the viability of a personal injury claim based on the evidence, potential liability, and the extent of damages suffered by the victim.

Gathering and Analyzing Evidence

A lawyer plays a pivotal role in collecting and analyzing evidence to build a strong case. This involves:

Collecting Documentation: Gathering police reports, medical records, witness statements, and accident scene photographs.

Expert Consultations: Consulting with experts, such as accident reconstruction specialists or medical professionals, to provide detailed insights and strengthen the case.

Negotiating with Insurance Companies

Dealing with insurance companies can be challenging, especially when trying to secure fair compensation. A lawyer will:

Handle Negotiations: Manage negotiations with insurance adjusters to ensure that the victim's rights are protected and that they receive fair compensation for their injuries and losses.

Evaluate Settlement Offers: Assess settlement offers to determine if they adequately cover the victim’s damages or if further negotiations or legal action is necessary.

Filing Legal Claims and Representing the Client

When negotiations with insurance companies fail to yield a satisfactory result, a lawyer may:

File a Lawsuit: Prepare and file a personal injury lawsuit in the appropriate court. This involves drafting legal documents, outlining the claims, and specifying the damages sought.

Represent the Client: Advocate on behalf of the client throughout the legal process, including representing them in court, presenting evidence, and arguing their case before a judge or jury.

Guiding Through Legal Procedures

Navigating the legal system can be complex and overwhelming. A lawyer provides crucial guidance by:

Explaining Legal Rights: Informing the client of their legal rights and options throughout the process.

Managing Deadlines: Ensuring that all legal deadlines are met and that necessary paperwork is filed promptly to avoid delays or dismissals.

Securing Fair Compensation

The ultimate goal of a lawyer in an accident case is to secure fair compensation for the victim. This includes:

Calculating Damages: Accurately assessing and calculating various types of damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage.

Advocating for Full Compensation: Pursuing the maximum compensation possible to cover both current and future expenses related to the accident.

Providing Emotional Support

Accidents can be emotionally and psychologically taxing. A lawyer can offer:

Support and Reassurance: Providing emotional support and reassurance throughout the legal process, helping clients feel more confident and less stressed.

Why Hiring a Lawyer is Crucial in NYC Accident Cases

New York City’s unique legal environment and high population density can add layers of complexity to accident cases. Here’s why hiring a lawyer is particularly important:

Complexity of Local Laws: NYC has specific laws and regulations that can affect accident claims, including comparative negligence rules and complex insurance requirements.

High Stakes: The potential for significant damages and compensation means that having a skilled lawyer is essential to navigating the legal intricacies and achieving a favorable outcome.

Insurance Challenges: Insurance companies often aim to minimize payouts, making it crucial to have an experienced lawyer who can effectively negotiate and advocate on the client’s behalf.

Conclusion

In the aftermath of an accident in NYC, a lawyer plays a vital role in navigating the legal complexities and advocating for justice. From initial consultations and evidence gathering to negotiating with insurance companies and representing clients in court, a skilled lawyer ensures that victims receive the compensation they deserve and that their legal rights are protected. By providing expert guidance, handling intricate legal procedures, and offering emotional support, a lawyer helps accident victims manage their cases effectively and work towards a just resolution.

[mariacallous]

On Monday, September 16, the US Coast Guard is convening a Marine Board of Investigation hearing into the loss of OceanGate’s Titan submersible in June 2023 and the deaths of the five people on board, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. It intends to use the two-week livestreamed hearing in Charleston, South Carolina, to help it determine the cause of sub’s implosion, if incompetence or negligence was involved, and whether any laws were broken. It could then refer the matter to criminal prosecutors and make recommendations to improve marine safety.

It hopes to do all that without publicly hearing from most of OceanGate’s remaining executives or Rush’s wife Wendy, who sometimes took a leading role during Stockton’s dives. Nor will the investigation include public testimony from any of the companies that designed and built the Titan’s innovative carbon fiber hulls, or any of the senior operations staff who prepared, maintained, or supported the Titan on its 2023 expedition.

In fact, it seems few of the 24 witnesses subpoenaed were even on board the Titan’s support vessel, the Polar Prince, for the final mission: Renata Rojas, an unpaid volunteer, and Tym Catterson, a contractor with experience of piloting submersibles.

Anonymous sources close to the investigation but not authorized to talk with the media told WIRED that the Coast Guard had approached some contemporary OceanGate staff and executives, and third-party suppliers, but was told that if compelled to appear they would assert their Fifth Amendment rights. That means that they could refuse to testify on the grounds that their responses might incriminate them or expose them to legal risk.

WIRED approached OceanGate and the hull manufacturers for comment. A lawyer for Janicki Industries, which cured and machined a portion of the hull, wrote that it was not participating in the hearings. WIRED did not receive replies from the others before publication.

There was speculation that former US Coast Guard rear admiral John Lockwood, who joined OceanGate’s board in 2013, would testify, but he is also missing from the list.

The absence of people who would appear to have relevant knowledge has caused consternation among former OceanGate employees and marine experts, who are skeptical that the full story of the Titan’s demise can be told without them.

“Personally, if I was in the Coast Guard, I’d bring them in and make them take the Fifth,” says Alton J. Hall Jr., a maritime lawyer. “They do have subpoena power, so I’m not really sure why they’re not.”

Melissa Leake, a Coast Guard public information officer and its deputy public affairs officer for the Atlantic area, noted that the Coast Guard does not comment on reasons for not calling specific witnesses. However, she denied that the Coast Guard did not subpoena certain individuals or organizations because they would plead the Fifth.

What the board has is a wealth of digital and physical evidence, such as data from previous dives and wreckage of the Titan recovered from the Atlantic seafloor, including some of its carbon fiber hull. One of the expert witnesses being called is a materials engineer from the National Transportation Safety Board’s Materials Laboratory.

The board will open on Monday morning by hearing from Tony Nissen, OceanGate’s engineering director from 2016 to 2019. Nissen was responsible for taking the concept of a carbon fiber submersible and delivering finished blueprints for the Titan. His testimony should shed light on the building and testing of the vessel’s first carbon fiber hull. WIRED reported that a crack appeared in that hull in 2019, during testing in the Bahamas. The crack led the company to scrap the hull and replace it with a new carbon fiber hull of the same shape but created by different manufacturers using a different process. In the meantime, Nissen left OceanGate.

The next day is devoted entirely to former director of operations David Lochridge. Lochridge was fired by Rush in early 2018 after raising safety concerns about the hull and other aspects of the Titan’s design and manufacture. He made a whistleblower complaint to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration but later withdrew it after being sued by OceanGate. As part of the settlement for that lawsuit, Lochridge paid OceanGate nearly $10,000 and was subject to a nondisclosure agreement.

Following witnesses will then spin the clock forward to when the Titan—now with its new hull—began diving to the Titanic in 2021. These include a paying passenger and OceanGate’s former science director, Steven Ross, a fisheries biologist.

The second week of the board will start with testimony from OceanGate cofounder Guillermo Söhnlein, and then from Phil Brooks, who was the company’s engineering director from late 2021 to early 2023. Brooks’ testimony could clear up uncertainty about how and where the Titan was rebuilt with its new hull, and address questions about new lifting points that were added to the vessel for getting it in and out of the water, as well as how the Titan was stored during the winter off-seasons. All have been suggested as potential risks to the integrity of the submersible by former members of OceanGate’s engineering team.

The sole contemporary OceanGate executive to give testimony will then be Amber Bay, who led administration at the startup from 2019 until after the accident. She will be followed by a variety of submersible industry and carbon fiber experts, including Mark Negley of Boeing, who once sent Rush a safety analysis of the Titan’s hull, illustrated with a skull and crossbones at around the depth of the Titanic to indicate what he believed was a “high risk of significant failure” at that depth. The final few witnesses will be from the US Coast Guard, including some involved in the search-and-rescue mission.

Whatever the Coast Guard’s technical analysis of the wreckage reveals, the absence of public testimony from the hull’s manufacturers, OceanGate’s leadership, and some staff who worked on the Titan’s final voyage will doubtless leave many questions unanswered. But there is a possibility that more hearings will follow.

Leake of the Coast Guard told WIRED: “It is important to note that it is common practice for Marine Boards of Investigation to hold multiple hearing sessions or conduct additional witness depositions for complex cases.”

At some point, the Coast Guard will compile a detailed report that may include information from witnesses who were not part of the public hearings. Such reports can take a year or more to produce. Meanwhile, the family of Paul-Henri Nargeolet, one of the people who died in the Titan, has filed a $50 million wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against OceanGate, Nissen, and suppliers of Titan’s second carbon fiber hull.

A spokesperson from PR agency TrailRunner International, which claims to represent OceanGate, said in an emailed statement: “OceanGate, which ceased all operations shortly after the tragedy and has no full-time employees, is a party in interest in the Coast Guard proceeding. The company has been fully cooperating with the Coast Guard and NTSB investigations since they began, including at the upcoming public hearing convened by the Coast Guard.” The spokesperson declined to answer any specific questions from WIRED on the involvement of former OceanGate employees in the hearings.

WIRED will be reporting regularly from the hearings over the next two weeks.

[bigfootbeat]

Ohio Grassman Folklore

People all over the world are fascinated and puzzled by the Ohio Grassman, a creature deeply rooted in American Midwest mythology. People often compare this mysterious being to Bigfoot or a sasquatch. They say it roams Ohio's grasslands, woods, and rolling hills, particularly in the eastern parts of the state. People typically describe the grassman as a massive, two-legged ape-like creature, standing between 7 and 9 feet tall, with a powerful body and thick, matted dark brown or black fur. Witnesses often say that the creature has a strong, unpleasant smell that adds to its mysterious and scary air.

Observations of the Ohio Grassman date back to the 1800s. In 1869, a group of hunters saw a big, hairy animal near Crosswick. This marked one of the earliest documented sightings. Over the years, numerous reports of sightings have contributed to the story. The creature's name, "Grassman," comes from the idea that it builds homes or nests out of tall grass and other plants that are around. Dense, remote areas often host these structures. Researchers find them surprisingly complex and carefully woven, suggesting a level of intelligence and adaptability that piques their interest.

People who have seen the grassman often talk about how scary it was and how it behaved in a way that no one else did. Unlike Bigfoot, who is usually seen alone, the grassman has been seen in groups, leading to theories about a social system or family units. If this is true, it would make the Grassman different from other cryptids and point to a possibly complicated way of behaving. Different people have had very different experiences with the grassman. Some say it was a curious, almost gentle giant watching from a distance, while others say it was more hostile and threw rocks or posed in a threatening way.

People have been noticing an abundance of grass in Salt Fork State Park, located in eastern Ohio. It would be easy for a creature like the grassman to stay hidden in this large park, which has thick forests, deep ravines, and many caves. The park has become a holy place for cryptozoologists, experts, and fans who want to find proof that the creature exists. Over the years, many expeditions have returned with intriguing but not clear results. Researchers have found footprints, hair samples, and videos of strange howls and screams, but none have definitively proven the existence of the creature. These pieces of evidence, on the other hand, keep the argument going and the legend alive.

Some people say that reports of seeing the grassman are probably cases of mistaken identity, hoaxes, or people's minds running wild. Numerous claimed footprints and hair samples have proven to be fake or belong to known animals. Even so, the Ohio Grassman is still a part of local legends and a reminder of the world's secrets. The creature has become an important part of culture, with many books, documentaries, and even local events honoring its story.

The Ohio Grassman is interesting not only because it could be a new primate species, but also because it reflects the thrill of the unknown and the human desire to find new things. The Grassman continues to fascinate people who want to learn more about Ohio's wild landscapes, whether it's a real creature or just a product of our collective minds. The story of the Ohio Grassman lives on, showing how powerful the Bigfoot mystery can be and how naturally curious people are.

[alabamaworkerscomp]

In the bustling city of Huntsville, Alabama, the roadways are always busy with vehicles commuting to and fro. Unfortunately, with this constant flow of traffic, car accidents are inevitable. Whether it's a minor fender-bender or a serious collision, being involved in a car accident can be a traumatic experience, both physically and emotionally. In such challenging times, seeking the assistance of a skilled car accident attorney in Huntsville, AL can make all the difference.

1. Legal Expertise:

Navigating the complexities of car accident laws and insurance claims can be overwhelming for anyone unfamiliar with the legal system. This is where a car accident attorney steps in. With their in-depth knowledge and expertise in handling similar cases, they can provide invaluable guidance throughout the legal process.

2. Protection of Rights:

After a car accident, insurance companies may try to minimize payouts or deny claims altogether. A car accident attorney acts as a staunch advocate for their clients, ensuring that their rights are protected and that they receive the compensation they rightfully deserve.

3. Investigation and Evidence Gathering:

Proving liability in a car accident case often requires thorough investigation and gathering of evidence. From obtaining police reports to interviewing witnesses and collecting medical records, a car accident attorney has the resources and experience to build a strong case on behalf of their clients.

4. Negotiation Skills:

Many car accident cases are settled through negotiation rather than going to trial. A skilled car accident attorney knows how to negotiate effectively with insurance companies to secure a fair settlement that covers medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.

5. Litigation Representation:

In cases where a settlement cannot be reached, having a car accident attorney who is prepared to take the case to court is essential. With their litigation experience, they can effectively represent their clients in front of a judge and jury, fighting vigorously for their rights.

6. Peace of Mind:

Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can be incredibly stressful. By entrusting their case to a reputable car accident attorney, clients can have peace of mind knowing that their legal matters are in capable hands, allowing them to focus on their recovery.

7. Cost-Effective Solutions:

Contrary to popular belief, hiring a car accident attorney is often more cost-effective in the long run. Many attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if they win the case. This eliminates the financial burden on clients while incentivizing attorneys to achieve the best possible outcome.

8. Local Knowledge:

Choosing a car accident attorney who is familiar with the local laws and court system in Huntsville, AL, can be advantageous. They understand the unique nuances of practicing law in the area and can leverage this knowledge to benefit their clients.

In conclusion, hiring a car accident attorney in Huntsville, AL, is not only advisable but also crucial for anyone who has been injured in a car accident. From providing legal expertise and protection of rights to negotiating settlements and representing clients in court, a car accident attorney plays a pivotal role in ensuring that justice is served. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, don't hesitate to contact us for expert legal assistance.

Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help you navigate through this challenging time.