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Home > Things to Do > 5 Great Snowboarding Parks in Wisconsin
5 Great Snowboarding Parks in Wisconsin
By Dennis McCann
When Tyrol Basin near Mount Horeb reopened its ski hill in 1989, some of its early customers favored the then-new sport of snowboarding over traditional downhill skiing. So they asked manager Don McKay about installing a half-pipe. "What the heck is a half-pipe?" he asked.
But recognizing a business opportunity, McKay built one of the first half-pipes in the Midwest and snowboarding enthusiasts flocked to the hill. A few years later Tyrol completed its first terrain park, an area designed for snowboarders and freestyle skiers to perform jumps and other tricks. As snowboarding continued to grow in popularity, most other large ski resorts in Wisconsin added one or more terrain parks to attract (mostly) younger customers.
"In a way, it's been a savior to the industry nationwide," said McKay. Snowboarding has its own equipment, safety gear and even language - this is the realm of jibs and bonks and rails and such - but ultimately it's just another way to have some winter fun. Here are five great snowboarding parks in Wisconsin where you can grab big air.
Tyrol Basin - Mt. Horeb
Tyrol Basin still caters to the snowboarding crowd with everything from lessons for beginners to competition for more advanced snowboarders. But it also emphasizes its family-friendly atmosphere. In addition to the challenging features in its terrain park, Tyrol offers tree-lined slopes for skiers and snowboarders. The hill is open seven days and nights a week.
Granite Peak Ski Area - Wausau
With more than 35 jibs and 15 jumps, Granite Peak Ski Area claims the largest terrain parks in the Midwest. The parks are groomed daily and overseen by a crew of "seasoned shredders" who ride the hills daily to ensure smooth landings. The Birch Terrain Park is billed as the resort's "Showtime Park," where "if you are looking to go big, this is your run." Andrew Warner, who manages a snowboard store in Madison and has boarded in Wisconsin for 15 years, says, "Granite Peak would definitely be on my top-five list."
Cascade Mountain - Portage
Cascade Mountain offers four terrain parks aimed at adventuresome snowboarders and freeskiers. The Cottontail Beginner/Progression Park has small jumps and rails for those still learning the sport, while the Super Park boasts such challenging features as America's longest S-rail, so challenging that if you ride it all on video you get a free season pass. For the last several years, top snowboarders from the region have come for the Midwest Open, where catching not just big air but huge air is the goal. The resort offers a "Learn a Lifetime Sport" program that includes lift tickets, rental equipment and lessons for those seeking their first taste of the action. Families with youngsters will also be interested in Cascade's 900-foot snow tubing run.
Wilmot Mountain - Wilmot
Located just north of the Wisconsin/Illinois border, Wilmot Mountain is one of the top snowboarding areas in the greater Chicago area. Wilmot has been a winter sports destination since 1938 when Walter Stopa leased the property and began offering winter skiing. Stopa was one of the early pioneers in the art of making snow, a technology that removed the unpredictability from Wisconsin winters. Now part of the Vail Resorts family, Wilmot has evolved over the years to accommodate the popularity of snowboarding. There is now a Terrain Garden for very young snowboarders. For more serious shredders Wilmot's annual Winter Carnival features rail jam, mogul and big air competitions among its many other events.
Christie Mountain - Bruce
This family-friendly ski area in the scenic Blue Hills region of northwestern
Wisconsin bills itself as one of the state's best kept secrets, offering skiing, snowboarding and tubing. Three of Christie Mountain's four terrain parks are serviced by rope tows. They range from a beginner's park with features only inches from the ground, to two intermediate parks with larger jumps, and finally to a snowboarding park known as Rusty's Revenge which challenges the top competitors. The mountain's annual Big Air & Rail Jam is a celebration of extreme snowboarding.
Get an update on the conditions by checking out our Wisconsin Snow Report!
This entry was posted in Things to Do Outdoor Fun Winter Activities Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding
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Master Theses and Dissertations(MST)
MST-School of Humanities and Social Sciences
MST-Department of Gender and Development Studies
Gender Perspectives of Motorcycle Mode of Transport on Male and Female Users in Kisii County, Kenya
dc.contributor.author Omari, Edna K.
dc.identifier.uri http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/18921
dc.description A Research Thesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts in Gender and Development Studies of Kenyatta University. September, 2018 en_US
dc.description.abstract Motorcycles have become a popular means of transport in most parts of the world. Indeed, in the last 10 years the number of motorcycles has doubled in many developing countries. The purpose of the study was to examine the gender perspectives of motorcycle transport in Keumbu subcounty, Kisii County. The objectives of the study were to establish the demographic characteristics of customers of motorcycle mode of transport in terms of gender, examine the socio-economic effects of motorcycle transport on men and women; explore safety and health problems that afflict men and women whouse this mode of transport and to identify gender sensitive strategies to mitigate the negative effects of motorcycle transport in Keumbu Sub- County, Kisii County.The study employed descriptive survey design. The study utilised purposive sampling technique to select respondents. The study was guided by A Social Role Theory. Data collection instruments included, interview schedules and focus group discussions guide. Data collection techniques included administration of interviews and focus group discussions to the respondents,secondary data was gathered in the period between 2011 to 2015. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and was presented in form of frequencies, percentages, tables and figures. The findings indicated that the frequent users of motorcycle transport in Keumbu Sub-County, Kisii County were school going boys and girls and male and female adults who engaged in trade and professional duties. The socioeconomic issues that emanated from motorcycle transport include moral decay, drug abuse and school drop out. The safety and health problems associated with motorcycle transport included criminal activities, respiratory diseases and impotence. The gender sensitive strategies to curb the negative effects of motorcycle transport included sensitization of motorcycle users on health risks and security measures and institutionalization of gender sensitive policies and regulations to ensure proper utilization of motorcycles. The conclusions of the study were that motorcycle transport was a popular mode of transport and had social, economic, safety and health challenges affecting male and female residents of Keumbu Sub-County, Kisii County. The study recommended the adoption of the following strategies; promotion of protective clothing, sensitization on appropriate security measures and timely medical care for motorcycle users. The areas for futher study include a similar study in other parts of the country to increase generalizability of the study findings across Kenya and a study aimed at improving the operations of motorcycles in order to attract more women operators en_US
dc.publisher Kenyatta University en_US
dc.title Gender Perspectives of Motorcycle Mode of Transport on Male and Female Users in Kisii County, Kenya en_US
Gender Perspectives of Motorcycle ...
Fulltext Thesis
MST-Department of Gender and Development Studies [69]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Can I use a foreign-built boat in a charter fishing business?
I own a foreign-built motor yacht that I would like to use in a charter fishing business, and I have a few questions about some of the legal issues I will face. I understand that federal law currently requires a charter boat to be built in the United States, but I read a news report that Congress is considering a repeal of that law. Is this correct? If the restriction is still in effect, would it apply to a "six-pack" charter? Also, I have heard that commercial fishing boats are subject to the same regulations but that Canadian boats routinely participate in commercial fishing in California. Do commercial fishing boats qualify for an exception to the law?
The foreign-build restrictions referred to by our reader are set forth in certain provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the "Jones Act." The Jones Act was enacted in 1920 to protect the rights of killed and injured maritime workers and their families, and to protect U.S. maritime industries from foreign competition.
The Jones Act requires any vessel that participates in "coastwise trade" to be constructed in the United States and manned by an American crew. Coastwise trade is the carriage of passengers or cargo within a U.S. port or from one U.S. port to another. This is viewed by some as unnecessary protectionist legislation and the law has come under attack in recent years, most notably by Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
McCain has proposed numerous bills to repeal the Jones Act. His most recent attempt was made through a proposed amendment to the Keystone XL oil pipeline bill. That legislation has no relationship whatsoever to maritime commerce, but Washington often works in mysterious ways. The bill passed the Senate without McCain's amendment, much to the relief of the American maritime industry. So, the law is still in effect.
The Jones Act applies to all passengers and cargo vessels, so our reader won't be able to escape the foreign-build restrictions by limiting his business to six-pack charters (charters that carry six or fewer paying passengers). He may, however, qualify for a waiver through the Small Vessel Waiver Program administered by the United States Maritime Administration ("MARAD"). Information regarding a waiver is available on MARAD's web site at marad.dot.gov (follow the links to the Small Vessel Waiver Program). Ironically, the legislation that gave rise to the Small Vessel Waiver Program was initiated and sponsored by McCain.
Similarly, our reader's concern about commercial fishing vessels is misplaced. Commercial fishing vessels, like passenger sportfishing vessels, must comply with the foreign – build restrictions of the Jones Act. And, since the MARAD waiver applies only to passenger vessels, it is not available for owners of foreign built commercial fishing vessels.
Our reader is correct in observing that Canadian-built commercial fishing vessels are fishing commercially in California. The column is printed in a recreational boating publication so I won't spend a lot of time on this issue, but it should be discussed nonetheless. This illegal practice has increased recently, and it is made possible when the owner of a foreign built boat registers the boat with the California DMV instead of the Coast Guard. This is made possible through the use of falsified documents provided to the owner by the Canadian boat builder. The DMV does not monitor the requirements of the Jones Act, and the boats are therefore able to operate "under the radar" (pardon the pun). But the practice is illegal nonetheless.
The United States is one of many nations that protects its domestic transportation industries through "cabotage" laws, requiring trade between domestic ports to be conducted on aboard boats that are registered and built domestically, and these laws are not likely to change any time soon. A small vessel operator may nonetheless work within the system through the waiver program discussed above.
← Sunken boat liability — who's responsible for its removal?


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Organizational Legitimacy: Six Key Questions
Deephouse, D. L., Bundy, J., Tost, L. P., & Suchman, M. C. 2017. Organizational Legitimacy: Six Key Questions. In R. Greenwood, C. Oliver, T. Lawrence, & R. Meyer (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Institutionalism (2nd ed.): Thousand Oaks CA: Sage, Forthcoming
University of Alberta School of Business Research Paper No. 2016-901
43 Pages Posted: 9 Oct 2016 Last revised: 14 Dec 2016
See all articles by David L. Deephouse
David L. Deephouse
Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta
Jonathan Bundy
Arizona State University (ASU) - Management Department
Leigh Plunkett Tost
University of Washington - Foster School of Business; University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Mark C. Suchman
Date Written: 2016
Legitimacy is a fundamental concept of organizational institutionalism. It influences how organizations behave and has been shown to affect their performance and survival (Pollock & Rindova, 2003; Singh, Tucker, & House, 1986). As developed in organizational institutionalism the term has spread widely across the social sciences, and because of this, our current understandings of legitimacy and how it is managed are much more nuanced and elaborate than portrayed in early institutional accounts. In this chapter, we seek to bring greater clarity and order to the growing and sometimes confusing literature, focusing on the conceptualization of legitimacy itself and how it changes over time.
This chapter builds from the previous edition (Deephouse & Suchman, 2008, available online at www.sage.org/organizational institutionalism/legitimacy). In updating that chapter we reviewed 1299 publications and conference papers that had the string "legitim" in the title, abstract, or keywords. Reflecting the reach and power of legitimacy, these publications included books and a wide range of journals and across a wide range of disciplines (e.g., communication, political science, public administration, and sociology -- not just management). Our goal was both to identify both broad trends in theory and research and possible theoretical innovations and also to highlight important applications for scholars in organizational institutionalism. From this review we identified six central questions around which this chapter is arranged: What is organizational legitimacy? Why does legitimacy matter? Who confers legitimacy, and how? What criteria are used (for making legitimacy evaluations)? How does legitimacy change over time? These questions are shown in Figure 1.1. Our final section asks "Where do we go from here?" and offers suggestions for future research.
Deephouse, David L. and Bundy, Jonathan and Tost, Leigh Plunkett and Suchman, Mark C., Organizational Legitimacy: Six Key Questions (2016). Deephouse, D. L., Bundy, J., Tost, L. P., & Suchman, M. C. 2017. Organizational Legitimacy: Six Key Questions. In R. Greenwood, C. Oliver, T. Lawrence, & R. Meyer (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Institutionalism (2nd ed.): Thousand Oaks CA: Sage, Forthcoming; University of Alberta School of Business Research Paper No. 2016-901. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2849636
David L. Deephouse (Contact Author)
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R6
780 492-5419 (Phone)
Arizona State University (ASU) - Management Department ( email )
University of Washington - Foster School of Business ( email )
University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business ( email )
701 Tappan Street
Ann Arbor, MI MI 48109
Brown University ( email )


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FoodCorps Friday: October Farm to School Month as an Entry Point
October 21, 2016 | by FoodCorps Georgia | in FoodCorps
October Farm to School Month as an Entry Point
By, Dory Cooper, Carrollton City Schools Service Member
October Farm to School Month has been a whirlwind to the start my FoodCorps service term. The month-long celebration has provided context to my presence in the Carrollton City School system along with an incentive to push myself out of my comfort zone.
Georgia Organics' "Leaf it to Spinach" campaign has been a great opportunity to get into classrooms, the cafeteria, and reach out to faculty and staff about my role and the importance of nutrition education in the classroom. The state-wide initiative has provided context for my presence in the school and given me talking points to explain events and campaigns that I will continue throughout the school year.
This month acted as the grand opening of my service term and allowed me to really put myself out there into the school. Not only is October Farm to School month a great introduction of my role to the school community, it has also inspired me to push myself to get involved much more quickly and loudly.
I've planned more taste tests than I would have thought possible, taught weekly after school lessons, led 120 Pre-K students to plant seeds, hosted a green smoothie event at the high school, painted garden signs, and sent out school wide emails full of lesson plans and spinach facts – most of which I would have been a bit more hesitant to take on so early in the school year.
I am thankful for the timing of October Farm to School Month as in introduction and inspiration to the opportunities that I have to get involved in the school-wide culture of health so early in my service term.
After my first week of teaching lessons, a 2nd grade student recognized me and yelled "Hi Miss Dory!" as I was walking down the hallway. I was shocked that I stood out in his memory after such a short amount of time. The impact I'm having in creating a positive culture of health is already becoming apparent and I can't wait to see how much it improves as the year goes on!


Spincraft MA, a division of Standex Corporation, is seeking skilled machinists and utility personnel to support our growing aerospace business.
Immediate Hire for the right person. Submit resume via the 'email poster' link above.
Set up, adjust, and operate various types of large vertical turning center, milling machines, boring mills to perform a wide variety of operations on a diversified line of close tolerance and finish requirements.
Accurately read and understand engineering drawings, CNC programs, and work instructions to ensure proper setup requirements, sequence operations, dimensions and tolerance levels of finished product.
Performs and documents quality checks during machining operations using measuring instruments or gauges.
Five (5) Plus years of experience in machining.
Work 36 paid equivalent of 40.
Th, Fri, Sat 6:00 pm to 6:15 am.
Potential to work standard 2nd shift M-F 3:15 pm to 11:15 pm.


David and Victoria Beckham have hit out at claims they moaned at being given 'cheap seats' during the Royal Wedding.
As close friends of Prince William, David and Victoria Beckham were two of the privileged celebrity guests to be invited to the Royal Wedding in April.
However today they were forced to rubbish claims that they moaned about sitting at the back of Westminster during the ceremony.
The Queen's cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson, told a U.S TV show that they were seething about being relegated to the back of the church.
During the documentary called 'Inside The Royal Wedding', which aired on NBC last night, host Natalie Morales, said: 'On the day of the wedding you recall that there were thousands of people seated inside and it was very hard to get good seats, unless you were one of the royals.
Last night a spokesman for the Beckhams said: 'We have never had any dealings with Lady Elizabeth Anson.
David and William became friends after teaming together during campaigns for the failed World Cup and the London Olympics.


Flance Early Learning Center is a state-of-the-art early education center offering high-quality program located downtown in the City of St. Louis.
We provide a comprehensive approach to education, beyond basic early education. Our program is thoughtfully designed to ensure healthy, physical, emotional + social development.
We partner with Affinia Healthcare to provide on-site healthcare services, like immunizations and flu shots, well child visits, hearing and vision screening, growth assessments, and lead and hemoglobin tests.
We have a sustainable, organic garden in our backyard managed by Urban Harvest STL. Our garden grows fifteen varieties of vegetables, herbs, and fruit in our raised beds. In 2017, Urban Harvest STL harvested 470 lbs of food for Flance and other local agencies.
Through donations and support from PNC Bank, Isaac Bruce Foundation, and the Staenberg Family, Flance Early Learning Center has large adventure playground designed for our preschoolers. In addition to our adventure playground, our indoor gross motor room helps promote healthy development of gross motor skills, critical to a young child's early development.
We team up with Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) and a graduate art student to provide weekly art enrichment for our preschoolers. Art enrichment is the use of many art mediums to create authentic artwork in a one-on-one or small group session. This type of creativity reaches cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral goals. For our preschoolers, art enrichment can improve non-verbal processing and art creation is vital in the development of neural pathways.
In addition, we host fun workshops with other organizations, such as COCA, Metro Theater Company, Circus Harmony, and Saint Louis Symphony. Our art enrichment programming is supported by the following companies: Centene Foundation and Wells Fargo.


Michael J. Sheesley, 62, of Pottsgrove, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.
He was born May 29, 1956, at Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg, to Leon Sheesley and Janet (Strouse) Sheesley. On Apri 26, 1976, he married the love of his life, Cindy Camp.
Michael graduated in 1975 from Mifflinburg High School. He was formerly employed at H.L. Klose in Mifflinburg as a HVAC tech. He enjoyed the outdoors and loved hunting, trapping, listening to Christian music, going to flea markets, and spending time with his family.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Michael Sheesley and his partner Tshanda Sheesley, and Christopher and Laura Sheesley; three grandchildren, Macie Sheesley, Emma Sheesley, and Ethan Sheesley; two brothers, John and Sharon Sheesley and Tim and Roxy Sheesley; and two sisters, Sherry and Joe Zimmerman and Fran Dauberman.
Contributions can be made to the West End Bible Fellowship in Millmont or to the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation.
A viewing will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, April 15, at the West End Fellowship Church, Millmont, followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m.
Arrangements are by the Jerre Wirt Blank Funeral Home, 309 Water St., Northumberland.
Mike, So sorry to hear about the loss of your father. Thinking of you and your family at this time. God bless you all.
AUNT JANET & FAMILY, OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU . WE WERE ALL EXTREMELY SADENED HEARING OF MIKES PASSING. IF WE CAN BE OF HELP , PLEASE LET US KNOW.
MAY MIKE REST IN PEACE IN THE GREAT BEYOND.
Cindy, we are thinking of you and will always only be a phone call or message away. We have no words, only that we will miss "Schmuck" and think of all the good times we all had together. Prayers, hugs, and love!
Farewell dear friend..I was a babysitter for the five Sheesley children on 7th St Lewisburg! I can still see each ones little face and remember all the great times! Sure wish time would not go by so fast but it is a treasure to remember those days when we thought we would never get old...Blessings to all the Sheesley's!!!
RIP. May God bless you and your family. You will never be forgotten.


This time of the year is proving to be a birthday celebration time. In addition to Little Miss' birthday, and Mike's birthday, it is also Mini Mister's half birthday. Mini Mister's school celebrates half birthdays for those who were born during the summer months. It really is quite a wonderful and very special celebration at school.
Parents and siblings are invited into the classroom. We created a poster displaying photos for each year, and one extra at birth. For each year, parents describe to the class what Mini Mister was like. He was a very active baby, always deconstructing his environment. He picked the scholarly pencil at his Tol, traditional Korean first birthday. He liked to play with cars when he was two and started pre-school when he was three years old. At four years old he started to play with friends, read books, and he got a new baby brother when he turned five.
After each year, the birthday child takes the planet earth and walks once around the sun, symbolizing all the days he has been alive. At the end we light the candle in the sun, sing happy birthday and he blows out the candle. Then he gets to pick two friends to share his birthday snack with and his little sister got to share too.
After a late-night cupcake making session, a middle-of-the-night baby waking, and an early rise, I was still able to enjoy the celebration, even if a bit still asleep.


So over the weekend I opened up my own Etsy shop! I've been wanting to get myself into something crafty for a while now and after discovering decoden phone cases I thought that was the perfect way to do it.
I only have two listed in the shop so far, both for iPhone 4/4s but am looking to expand this once I've received some more bits and bobs to decorate. I'd really appreciate if you could take a look and tell me what you think!
I've always wondered with 3D cases how it is when you hold the phone, if they get in the way?
They look great but I'm always worried I'd be bothered by them too much to buy. :( Well that and it's impossible to find a case for my phone now, these darn 2 year contracts making me have a granddad phone now haha.
These are just gorgeous, I love any Disney. My nickname is Bambi so that is my favourite!


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Q: Sever-Side Java Charting library for Google App Engine Is there a server-side charting library for Google App Engine other than gwt-visualization or Google Charts?
Most of the libraries ( like JFreeCharts, JOpenCharts, EasyCharts, etc ) use the java.awt.* classes which are not supported by GAE.
I need to embed graphs generated by the server, in a pdf file.

A: In one of my apps, I used to do charting server-side (JFreeCharts) but when I moved to app-engine I found it's way more convenient to send data to the client (json or other formats) and do charting in the browser with javascript instead of generating images server-side.
My favorite plotting library at the moment is flot.
It'll save you money too, because you're not generating the images server side (computing time) and sending raw data instead of images (outgoing bandwidth).

A: I am on the team here at Zingchart.  We have recently launched a server side version of our library.  This will allow you to create HTML5 charts on the server and include them in PDF's or as images.  Please feel free to get in contact with me if there is anything I might be able to help with.
-Jeff Frederich

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Jumbo S.A. announces to its shareholders that, according to article 4.1.3.4. of the Athens Exchange Regulation, the Extraordinary General assembly of its Shareholders, on December 12th, 2014 decided the distribution to Shareholders of the total dividend of 0,18 Euro per share before withholding dividend tax which is part of the extraordinary reserves derived from taxed and undistributed profits of the previous fiscal years and, specifically, from the year ended on 30/06/2013.
After three (3) months from the payment date, i.e. as of Tuesday 07.04.2015, payment will be made only at the company's headquarters at Moshato Attica (9th Cyprus street and Idras, Tel. +30 2104805267). For further information, shareholders may contact the shareholder information department during working days and hours (Head of the Department Mrs Amalia Karamitsoli, tel. 2104805267).


Most believe that tax season lasts from January to April. At Hassett Tax & Financial Svcs., we believe taxes should be a year-round concern. Truly effective tax and financial planning takes into consideration all aspects of an individual's financial situation-which may change or fluctuate throughout the calendar year.
Legal Services- your first consultation is complimentary: our attorneys can handle your needs regarding wills and trusts, estate planning and administration, elder law and Medicaid eligibility.
*Tax prep services are separate and unaffiliated with LPL Financial.


Amazed (but not surprised) that Steve has developed his program to the point that there can be such a thing as the UH Coastal Center. How wonderful! The question is personally intriguing, but my mind also wanders to funding (occupational hazard). How did you justify the funding for such a project (e.g. societal benefit)? Or is there a funding source for exploratory research where you can pursue science for discovery and understanding?
In this case (the micronutrient project) it is pure research, funded by NSF. We're just trying to figure out how the world works. But there are potential practical applications. One might be able to mange herbivore pests or control exotic species by adjusting micronutrients.
That's great that we continue to budget Federal dollars for pure research and the grant process in place allows researchers like you to obtain it!


Holding: For purposes of the Fourth Amendment, a state conducts a search when it attaches a device to a person's body, without consent, to allow it to track that person's movements.
Judgment: Granted, vacated, and remanded in a per curiam opinion on March 30, 2015.
Dec 10 2014 Waiver of right of respondent North Carolina to respond filed.
Feb 4 2015 Brief of respondent North Carolina in opposition filed.
May 1 2015 MANDATE ISSUED.


We provide assistance for applying for your passport.
We take your online appointment and guide you for proper document submission.
Passport Related services like Renewal of passport, Fresh Passport, Minor's passport, change of name on passport, address change in passport, damage passport application, Lost passport application, tatkal passport, urgent passport application and ECNR.


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Spiritual Diversity Tools in Early Childhood Education
February 5, 2022 General Article Comments Off on Spiritual Diversity Tools in Early Childhood Education
Many moons ago, this country actually had an issue with racial bigotry and prejudice. No, really, we did. I'm not suggesting that it still doesn't exist, and unfortunately in some cases it remains an extreme issue, but I am saying with confidence that the problem has been drastically reduced. Unfortunately, the more positive outlook in this area is going the wrong direction when it comes to the subject of spiritual diversity.
The challenges to educating our children on the aspect of spiritual child developmentA� are similar in premise to the challenges of educating them on the aspects of racial diversity, but the tools are not. Back in the day, the public school system committed time and resources to early childhood education in the area of racial stereotyping and bigotry. Books and film (8 millimeter I'm sorry to admit to) were readily available and a part of the school mandate. But the separation of church and state brings an added level of complexity to addressing the issue at hand. The argument here is that while we are discussing the different faiths, we are discussing them in the context of an adjective rather than discussing the intricacies of their faith. The reality is that you can't fight city hall, and until this issue is formerly addressed, we will be left to our own devices. But what are these devices? What tools are at our disposal to bring this so important issue to the table?
Without ever touching on the intricacies of any religion, the company espouses a message of respect, compassion and understanding amongst children of different belief systems. These messages are conveyed in beautifully illustrated children's stories that show these diverse characters working as a team as they address the challenges in their everyday affairs and adventures. The redundant imagery of these characters playing and laughing together conveys a clear message to the young viewer that playing with kids of different backgrounds really is ok.
See also Robbed of Childhood
Young People Helping Their Peers Defeat Childhood Obesity
Educational Toys – Are They Really Educational?


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Women in Tourism Indonesia
Women in Tourism Indonesia is a non profit organization that embraces women who participate in…
Annie Young
Annie has worked in the tourism industry for over 20 years combining tourism and conservation.…
Kenya Association of Women in Tourism
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Brenda Boonabaana
Brenda Boonabaana is a Lecturer and Gender Specialist based at Makerere University, Uganda where she…
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ALBA SUD is a Catalan association, specialized in Research and Communication for Development, and founded…
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Lucky K. Chhetri is an award winning social entrepreneur and campaigner for women's empowerment. In…
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Gavin Bate
Gavin grew up in England and Western Australia and studied English literature in Northern Ireland…
Sarah Becklake
Sarah's research interests include development politics, corporeal mobilities, human security, inequalities, and embodiments, with a…
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Marianna Ellingson is currently the Acting Director-General for the Office of Tourism, Arts and Culture…
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Diana McIntyre-Pike is an hotelier, entrepreneur, consultant and trainer internationally recognized as the pioneer of…
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Pierrette Nicolosi
Pierrette has run a travel agency in Brussels for the past 25 years. Her experience…
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Marina is Professor at the Centre for Tourism Policy Studies (CENTOPS) in the School of…
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Arzu Kutucu Ozenen is founder and Chairperson of Yesil Valiz Association for Responsible Tourism, anassociation…
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Our Debates
Arguments for Naturalism
G&T Rebuttal, Part 2: Chapter 3
March 13, 2015 by Jeffery Jay Lowder
G&T Rebuttal, Part 2: Chapter 3 March 13, 2015 Jeffery Jay Lowder
Chapter 3. In the Beginning There Was a Great SURGE
G&T tell us that the "Cosmological Argument is the argument from the beginning of the universe" (74). That is sloppy; G&T have conflated the family of arguments known as 'the' cosmological argument with one specific version of that argument (the kalām cosmological argument). But let that pass. G&T formulate the argument as follows.
1. Everything that had a beginning has a cause.
2. The universe had a beginning.
3. Therefore the universe had a cause. (75)
This argument is clearly deductively valid—i.e., its conclusion follows from its premises. If one accepts its conclusion, there are three pertinent questions to answer.
First, what bearing does the argument have on metaphysical naturalism? If sound, the argument would also refute metaphysical naturalism. (Since nothing can cause itself, the universe would require a cause outside of itself, something that is incompatible with naturalism.)[1]
Second, what sort of cause did the universe have? G&T argue that the cause of physical reality, if it exists, must be self-existent, timeless, nonspatial, immaterial, very powerful, highly intelligent, and personal.
Third, what was the universe created from? There are three options.
Creation ex nihilo: physical reality was created out of nothing by the will of a timeless and immaterial person a long time ago.
Creation ex materia: creation out of some pre-existent, eternal matter
Creation ex deo: creation out of the being of God.
G&T argue that the scientific evidence supports creation ex nihilo.
I shall provide a very brief summary of G&T's support for both premises, before providing some critical comments about G&T's assessment of atheistic and Christian interpretations of the evidence.
(i) G&T's support for premises (1) and (2):
(a) The Law of Causality: On behalf of premise (1), which G&T call "The Law of Causality," G&T argue that the Law of Causality is "the fundamental principle of science;" and observation shows that things don't happen in the universe without a cause. For reasons that will soon be clear, I shall refer to the "Law of Causality" as the "Law of Causal Beginnings."
As stated, however, premise (1) is false. The kernel of truth in (1) is what I shall call the "Law of Temporal Causal Beginnings," namely, that everything that had a beginning in time has a cause.
This is why our observation shows that things which begin in the universe (and so in time) have a cause. Quantum mechanics events aside, I agree with G&T that it would be absurd to believe that cars, mountains, or whales could just pop into existence without a cause. But what about things that have a beginning which happens at the beginning of time itself (i.e., with time)? We know of only one such thing and that is the universe itself. And there is good reason to doubt that time (and so the universe) have a cause. It's logically impossible for time itself to have a cause since causes always precede their effects in time. So to say that time itself had a cause is to say, "Before time existed, something happened and then at a later time, time began to exist," which is self-contradictory.
In order to avoid this problem, some theists have argued that God's creation of the universe is simultaneous with its beginning. Even if simultaneous causation is possible, which is debatable, that simply solves one problem and creates a bigger one. If God's causing the universe is simultaneous with the universe's beginning, then it's entirely arbitrary to pretend that God is the 'cause' while the universe is the 'effect.' If "God's causing the universe" and "the universe's beginning" are simultaneous, one could just as easily say, "God had a beginning," and, "The universe caused God." Both of those statements are incompatible with theism.
But in fact simultaneous causation seems inapplicable to God's (alleged) causation of the universe. First, even simultaneity expresses a temporal relationship between causes and effects. It seems to be a contradiction in terms to say that the beginning of the universe is simultaneous with an atemporal (timeless) cause.[2] For that implies there was a time when there both was time and was not time, which is a self-contradictory statement. Second, simultaneous causation seems to involve "states of other things that pre-exist the effects in question."[3] But that entails that the total cause includes something that existed prior to the partial cause which is simultaneous with its effect. In short, the concept of simultaneous causation provides no reason at all to think that premise (1) applies to things (like the universe) which begin with time.
There is an even deeper problem with G&T's defense of premise (1), however. If we abbreviate "thing that had a beginning" as B and "had a cause" as C, then it is clear that premise (1) expresses a categorical generalization, i.e., it has the form "All Bs are Cs." If there is even just one counter-example (i.e., at least one B is not also a C), then (1) is false. Is it?
It appears that, In support of (1), G&T appeal to observation, namely, "All observed Bs are Cs," and infer the categorical generalization, "All Bs are Cs." In other words, G&T seem to be implicitly relying upon an inductive argument form known as simple enumeration to a generalization. The implied argument is this.
(1) All observed things in the universe with a beginning have a cause.
(2) Therefore, all things with a beginning have a cause.
where B is called the "reference class" and C is called the "attribute class." The problem is called the "reference class problem," i.e., the problem of deciding which class to use when stating a generalization. In the case of our universe's origin, it is far from clear which reference class should be used because our universe belongs to many different reference classes. Wes Morriston, a philosopher at the University of Colorado at Boulder, explains.
Here are some other well-attested empirical generalizations, each of which is incompatible with that hypothesis [supernatural creation ex nihilo] about the origin of the universe.
(A) Material things come from material things.
(B) Nothing is ever created out of nothing.
(C) Nothing is ever caused by anything that is not itself in time.
(D) The mental lives of all persons have temporal duration.
(E) All persons are embodied.[4]
Consider, for example, the generalization in Morriston's (A), which we'll call the "Law of Material Causality." That generalization supports an argument I'll call the "Anti-Creation Ex Nihilo Argument":
1. Everything that had a beginning comes from pre-existing material.
3. Therefore, the universe came from pre-existing material.
If the universe came from pre-existing material, then it follows that the universe was not created "out of nothing" (ex nihilo). Rather it was created out of pre-existing material (ex materia). But that entails that supernatural creation ex nihilo is false.
(b) The Universe's Beginning: On behalf of premise (2), G&T offer five lines of scientific evidence, which they summarize in the mnemonic acronynm "SURGE," which represents (a) the Second law of thermodynamics, (b) the Universe is expanding; (c) Radiation from the big bang; (d) Great galaxy seeds; and (e) Einstein's theory of general relativity. In addition, G&T offer one a priori argument—which they mistakenly call the kalām argument—to show that the universe cannot be infinitely old. G&T conclude, accordingly, that the universe had a beginning.
I agree with G&T that it is now beyond reasonable doubt that our universe, as it is now, has existed for a finite time. Whether our universe, in any form, has existed for a finite time may be open to reasonable doubt, however. But let's put that issue to the side and assume, but only for the sake of argument, that G&T are correct and our universe had a beginning. As G&T admit, the evidence for Big Bang cosmology shows more than just the fact that our universe has a finite age.
In fact, chronologically, there was no "before" the Big Bang because there are no "befores" without time, and there was no time until the Big Bang. Time, space, and matter came into existence with the Big Bang. (79, italics mine)
In other words, the evidence for Big Bang cosmology also shows that time itself began with the Big Bang (i.e., our universe began with time). Here's the problem for the proponent of the kalām argument. Although our universe is not eternal (i.e., infinitely old), it's still the case that it has always existed (i.e., for all of time). But, for the reason just given, it follows that time itself (and hence our universe) cannot have a cause. Thus, once the evidence about our universe's beginning is fully stated, that evidence does not support theism over naturalism.
(ii) Atheistic Interpretations of Big Bang Cosmology: This is where G&T's partisanship really comes unleashed. As I read them, G&T discuss and reject three atheistic explanations of Big Bang cosmology: (1) a view they call the 'Cosmic Rebound Theory;' (2) Stephen Hawking's 'Imaginary Time' hypothesis; and (3) the hypothesis defended by chemists Peter Atkins and Isaac Asimov.
When I first read this chapter, three things stood out. First, for each of the views they discussed, G&T neither quote proponents of these views nor fairly explain their values. Regarding (1), why do defenders of the 'Cosmic Rebound Theory' think that view is correct? G&T never say. In fact, G&T never even name anyone who promoted such a view. Turning to (2), whereas it is called the "Hartle-Hawking model" or the "no boundary model" in the literature, G&T even rename it to the 'Imaginary Time' hypothesis to suit their rhetoric. Many people believe that Stephen Hawking is one of the greatest scientists, if not the greatest scientist, alive today. But if someone knew nothing about Hawking other than what they read in G&T's book, they'd get the mistaken impression that Hawking is a quack whose theories are not taken seriously, even by Hawking himself! As for (3), G&T don't even bother to tell the readers what Atkins's view is; they just proceed to quote William Lane Craig's refutation.
Second, G&T don't respond to the best critics of the kalām cosmological argument.[5] In fact, their book may even mislead their readers by making it appear as if only nontheists reject the argument. But that's false. Thomas Aquinas, who has been called "more or less the official philosopher of the Roman Catholic Church and esteemed as the greatest Christian philosopher even by many Protestants," rejected it.[6] In the present day, philosopher Wes Morriston (quoted earlier) has written some of the best critiques of the argument, while he was still a Christian. It is unfortunate that G&T chose to ignore the critiques of both Aquinas and Morriston in their book.
Third, like many theistic apologists who use the kalām cosmological argument, G&T use the following "money quote" from nontheist philosopher Anthony Kenny.
According to the Big Bang Theory, the whole matter of the universe began to exist at a particular time in the remote past. A proponent of such a theory, at least if he is an atheist, must believe that the matter of the universe came from nothing and by nothing.[7]
At first glance, what Kenny describes does sound absurd. But Kenny is no dummy; philosophical charity demands that we try to understand why someone as brilliant as Kenny would write such a thing. What would it mean to believe that "the matter of the universe came from nothing and by nothing?"
One interpretation, which I shall call the scientific interpretation since it seems to be held primarily by scientists, treats "nothing" as if it were a something, such as a giant empty box into which the universe suddenly began.[8] The problem with this interpretation is that it reifies "nothing." As philosopher Bede Rundle explains,
… accounts of physical reality as 'coming out of nothing' risk not taking 'nothing' seriously, perhaps replacing it by 'nothingness' to make, as it were, something out of nothing.[9]
But there is another option. According to this second interpretation, which I call the philosophical interpretation, there is no "giant empty box," i.e., there is no "nothing" for the universe to "come from." Instead, according to this interpretation, there was no time at which the universe did not exist; and there is no place the universe came from. This is the interpretation favored by philosophically sophisticated nontheists, such as Sean Carroll, Graham Oppy, Keith Parsons, Bede Rundle, and Quentin Smith.[10]
Let us now return to the Kenny "money quote." G&T do not distinguish these two interpretations, perhaps (?) because Kenny himself does not, so it's unclear which interpretation Kenny favors. On the scientific interpretation, Kenny's statement does make the combination of atheism and Big Bang cosmology sound absurd. But, as we've just seen, many competent authorities disagree with that interpretation, so any appeal to Kenny as an authority is fallacious (assuming he even holds this view). On the scientific interpretation, however, the combination is not only not absurd, but plausible.
(iii) Big Bang Cosmology and the Genesis Accounts: G&T quote astronomers Robert Jastrow and Robert Wilson, who both apparently claim, without qualification, that Big Bang cosmology confirms the Genesis accounts of creation. This curious assessment, however, understates the evidence. On the one hand, Big Bang cosmology is strong evidence for one logical implication of Genesis, namely, that everything in our universe is only finitely old. But, again, that fact hardly exhausts what modern cosmology has to say about the Genesis accounts. NASA explains the first moments after the "Big Bang" as follows.
According to the theories of physics, if we were to look at the Universe one second after the Big Bang, what we would see is a 10-billion degree sea of neutrons, protons, electrons, anti-electrons (positrons), photons, and neutrinos. Then, as time went on, we would see the Universe cool, the neutrons either decaying into protons and electrons or combining with protons to make deuterium (an isotope of hydrogen). As it continued to cool, it would eventually reach the temperature where electrons combined with nuclei to form neutral atoms. Before this "recombination" occurred, the Universe would have been opaque because the free electrons would have caused light (photons) to scatter the way sunlight scatters from the water droplets in clouds. But when the free electrons were absorbed to form neutral atoms, the Universe suddenly became transparent. Those same photons–the afterglow of the Big Bang known as cosmic background radiation–can be observed today.[11]
Furthermore, according to modern astronomy, the entire solar system, including the earth, didn't even form until approximately 8.7 billion years after the Big Bang.
In contrast, Genesis 1 tells a very different cosmological story. According to Genesis 1, God created the earth on the first day and the sun on the fourth. Thus, Big Bang cosmology is strong evidence against the literal chronology of Genesis accounts. But this entails that, when the available evidence from cosmology is fully stated, that evidence makes it probable that a literal interpretation of the Genesis accounts are false.
Rebuttal to Geisler's and Turek's "I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist"
Previous | Index | Next
[1] In the interest of simplicity, I am treating the expression "the universe" as it appears in G&T's argument as synonymous with "physical reality."
[2] Wes Morriston, "Must the Beginning of the Universe Have a Personal Cause? A Critical Examination of the Kalam Cosmological Argument" Faith and Philosophy 17 (2000): 151.
[3] Wes Morriston, "Causes and Beginnings in the Kalam Argument: Reply to Craig" Faith and Philosophy 19 (2002): 233-44 at 240.
[4] Wes Morriston, "Doubts about the Kalam Cosmological Argument," in Debating Christian Theism (ed. Meister, Moreland, and Sweis, New York: Oxford University Press, 2013), 29.
[5] Paul Draper, Adolf Grünbaum, Wes Morriston, Graham Oppy, Bede Rundle, and Quentin Smith.
[6] Edward Feser, The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism (South Bend, Indiana: St. Augustine's Press, 2008), Kindle location 1538.
[7] Anthony Kenny, The Five Ways: St. Thomas Aquinas' Proofs of God's Existence (New York: Schocken, 1969), 66, quoted in G&T 2004, 81.
[8] See, e.g., Isaac Asimov, Beginning and End (New York: Doubleday, 1977), 148, quoted in G&T 2004, 414, n. 11; Peter Atkins, Creation Revisited: The Origin of Space, Time, and the Universe (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1994), 139; Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, The Grand Design (New York: Bantam, 2010); Lawrence Krauss, A Universe from Nothing: Why There is Something Rather than Nothing (New York: Free Press, 2012); and Victor Stenger, God: The Failed Hypothesis: How Science Shows that God Does Not Exist (Buffalo: Prometheus, 2007), 115-17.
[9] Bede Rundle, Where There Is Something Rather Than Nothing (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 117-18.
[10] See Sean Carroll, "Why (Almost All) Cosmologists Are Atheists," Faith and Philosophy 22 (2005): 622-640; Graham Oppy, "Review of J.P. Moreland (ed.), The Creation Hypothesis" The Secular Web (1998), http://infidels.org/library/modern/graham_oppy/review-m.html; Keith Parsons; and Rundle 2004.
[11] NASA, "The Big Bang" National Aeronautics and Space Administration (March 8, 2013), http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-powered-the-big-bang/.
apologist watch
kalam cosmological argument
Anthony Kenny
Anti-Creation Ex Nihilo Argument
Aquinas
creation ex materia
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reference class problem
simple enumeration to a generalization
simultaneous causation
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04/01/2020 04/17/2020 majorcoleman48Leave a Comment on The electronic informant
The electronic informant
http://Have you considered the intelligence of smart devices in the average home or the number of important tasks they perform? Devices like the voice-activated speakers, robotic vacuums and adaptive thermostats that collect and store information have become our maids and butlers that tirelessly perform our daily tasks. They dutifully await our beck and call to turn the lights on or off. They can also turn the radio or television off, on, up or down; or even change stations, channels or record a show we do not want to miss while we are busy elsewhere. We may be on a flight home while our electronic servants obediently handle our desires or needs without complaint. GeniCan scans the barcodes on our discarded products, automatically adds them to our smartphones shopping list and emails us when the trashcan is full. Our man Godfrey is not that efficient is he? Godfrey is not as cheap and he must be fed. Wink-Hub is as inexpensive as his electronic brothers and sisters who never eat; yet he controls our lightbulbs, door locks, thermostats, garage doors and water mains, but also unlike Godfrey they never seek employee benifits. Devices may now collect previously unknown information about their owners behavior, but for what purpose? Google's Nest learning thermostat can connect to a user's smartphone to transmit such data. If the owners smartphone moves from the vicinity of the home, Nest recognizes that the user is no longer home and remotely adjusts the heat or air conditioning to save energy. Similar smart devices perform our daily chores just as inexpensively, yet they never steal, complain or seek employee benefits for their services. The multitude of actions routinely performed by smart devices are electronically performed by these who never seek reward from their lawful owners. But, lets be just a little devious and ask who this electronic army of intelligence actually work for?
I. Remote devices are like the Pinkerton eye; they never sleep.
Law enforcement agencies usually maintain a close watch on technological advancements to determine if these improvements could provide them more reliable information to assist in solving, or predicting crimes. How many of you have seen the television commercial where a person is taking a bath when his doorbell rings. He uses his smartphone to view his visitor through the doorbell camera and ascertains what the visitor wants through the internal microphone and speaker system, dismisses him and continues his bath. The person in the bathtub then advises us that this is the new Ring smart home protection system that protects you and your property. Our professional burglar/moderator cleverly stated that we can make our property nearly impervious by installing such equipment because smart devices are always on duty. Smart devices will remotely notify you, the police, fire or other services that may be needed. Similarly, they can email you to restock when commodities run low, or to perform the duties necessary to maintain your property. Finally, our moderator concludes his conversation by sharing that in real life he is a burglar, but it could be bad for his business if he shared Ring's obvious value to home protection.
II. Allen Pinkerton was allegedly Chicago's First Police Detective, who later founded an internationally respected detective agency. What other nuggets did past greats law enforcement greats leave to direct future professionals?
Our initial question was, who do our electronic servants owe a duty of loyalty to, or better put, who do they really work for? A video can provide a critical piece of evidence to help law enforcement investigate crime. More than 600, and rapidly growing, law enforcement agencies across the country have formed a professional relationship with Amazon, who now owns Ring. If a law enforcement agency provides Amazon with a case number for the crime they are investigating with a request to download video recorded by Ring's motion-detecting, Internet-connected cameras located inside and outside of Ring protected homes and the homeowner agrees then the video will be provided. Homeowners are free to decline their permission for such requests. Amazon believes the information they provide police can kept forever and shared with whomever they like. Theoretically, these requests can be piggybacked to allow police surveillance of an entire neighborhood via Ring cameras. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your position, the issue can be placed before courts of lawful jurisdiction to decide if this portion of Allen Pinkerton's legacy is legally usable in our situation.
III. Into the weeds.
Lets return to the professional burglar in the bathtub and assume that the person who initially rang the doorbell was really a terrorist who asked a female voice that spoke over the intercom if she had a room for rent? The female voice on the intercom belonged to Ms. Lucille Ball. Moreover, one of this country's largest military aircraft factories was located within five blocks of Ms. Ball's house. Regardless of whether Ms. Ball rented the room, do you believe law enforcement would ultimately be interested in the video recording of a suspected terrorist, the sound of his voice, his approximate height, weight, build, skin color, hair style etc? Furthermore, how much more accurate would the information provided in a brief recording be viewed when it is supplemented with a copy of the field case report of Ms. Ball's statement. Personally, I would prefer the video to supplement Ms. Ball's testimony rather than just her statement by itself.
Lets assume further that the person who rang the doorbell completed a lease application identifying himself as Fred Mertz that night and left it with Lucille. Fred also left information where he could be reached if Ms. Ball agreed to rent him a room. The next morning she had her realtor electronically check Fred's background and his electronic approval arrived showing Mr. Fred Mertz as financially responsible, no prior criminal history and it also displayed an excellent work history. Ms. Ball called the backwater inn and asked to speak with Mr. Mertz. After agreeing on a time to meet, she went to the Fred's room where she accepted $2,000.00 in cash as the deposit for her first and last month's rent. She further notified Fred that he must pay her an additional $1,000.00 towards this month months rent and $1,000 by the 1st of each month for the remaining eleven months that he planned to stay there. As long as he fulfilled the remaining terms, his initial deposit would be returned, if he did not renew before his lease expired. Fred told Lucille that he accepted those terms, but had recently moved from Havana, Cuba, so she could accompany him to the local "cash all checks bank" where he would cash a certified check drawn on the Fidel Castro National Bank in Havana for $25,000.00 and pay her the balance for the years agreement. They completed this transaction on May 1, 2019, around noon and Fred moved in at 3;30pm that afternoon.
Within four days Fred was hired as an aircraft mechanic at the neighborhood factory previously mentioned. While at lunch, Lucille saw Fred in the factory's cafeteria and asked what he was doing there. Fred advised that he had just gotten a job there that morning, so they had a casual lunch together while discussing their jobs. Lucille was the executive secretary to the president of the company, so she told Fred to let her know if he needed help maintaining his position or qualifying for a promotion. Fred thanked Lucille and informed her how much he enjoyed the smart devices, mentioned in the first paragraph, included in his rent. They both then returned to their separate areas of work
Three months later Fred asked Lucille to recommend him for promotion to chief mechanic at the factory and she told Fred that she would talk to her boss, Mr. Ricky Ricardo, later that afternoon. At 4 pm on November 30, 2019, she met with Mr. Ricardo to recommend Fred for the job of chief mechanic. How long have you known Fred asked Ricky? Lucy calmly replied, I first met him about three months ago she replied. Not very long Mr. Ricardo thought out loud. No, but I had an electronic background investigation conducted on Fred prior to renting him a room in my house. He graduated first in his class from The Che Guevara School of Military Airplane Mechanics, in Havana, Cuba.He then spent four years working for the Raul Castro Military Airline Factory as a mechanic before being promoted to chief mechanic last year. He recently went through a horrible divorce so he moved here for a change of scenery. Ricky, who was also a native of Cuba, was clearly impressed by Fred's work history. What do you know about his divorce Ricky asked? Just that he married an idiot named Ethel; who Fred said made his life miserable. Did you talk to Ethel, Lucille? No, Lucy replied, I never met her; but I know Fred well enough that I believe him. Ricky thought for a while, then said: Lucy you know I am also from Havana, Cuba, and I heard of an intelligence general who killed Fidel prior seeking asylum somewhere, but I cannot remember where. I must be getting old because this intelligence chief also had a daughter, whose name I cannot remember either, but I do remember that she was extremely beautiful. Well Lucy, I've always loved you, so I will promote Fred based on his background and your information. Funny, Ricky mused, the general really loved canned Cuban spaghetti. Later that day, Ricky called Lucy's office and instructed her to inform Fred that he had just signed the order to promote him to chief mechanic.
On December 1, 2019, Lucy stopped Fred before he left home for work to congratulate and inform him that her boss, Mr. Ricky Ricardo approved his promotion to chief mechanic when they met yesterday afternoon. Fred was ecstatic with the news and gushed over Lucy for making it happen. They agreed to meet at 10pm that night so Fred could buy her dinner at the extremely expensive McDonalds Platinum to celebrate the news. Lucy was on vacation that week, so she agreed to meet Fred at the time and place he specified. Somehow, the name Ricky Ricardo sounded familiar to Fred who needed to focus on his new job prior to getting to work.
At 6:30pm the lights came on and scared Lucy nearly out of her mind. She had forgotten programing the smart device to turn the lights on prior to her entering the house. She showered and began dressing when she heard the doors unlock and the garage door open. Well I must be coming in soon, she laughed. She next heard the CNN international news come on in Fred's room and wondered why she had not noticed it before, but then her television set remotely started playing her favorite show, the haves and have nots, on the Oprah channel. She busily completed dressing and began entering her car when she received a text notice on her smartphone. She was running late and would have deal with that later. She noticed that the garbage was full; she intended to close the bag and set it outside the door for the garbage truck when she left for dinner. but she had gotten so involved with her dressing preparations that time just slipped by. When she noticed the time and realized that she had to leave immediately to arrive on time. She and Fred returned home after a scrumptious dinner and too many cocktails and shuffled to their individual rooms where they quickly dozed off into deep sleeps.
Friday afternoon Ricky called to inform Lucy that he had to travel to Washington, D.C., to attend an important meeting at the Defense Department. Ricky informed Lucy that she should take some additional vacation time to get as much rest as possible because they would be extremely busy when he returned. Lucy agreed and added that she would meet him at the airport when he returned to get a jump on their additional duties. Ricky instructed Lucy to meet him at the airport when he returned on December 16, 2019, at 10:30pm.
The time until Ricky's return seemed to accelerate faster as Fred was now working more overtime as his new duties began absorbing additional hours and Lucy was spending more time enjoying her extended vacation. So her time sped by when she noticed that it was December 15th and Ricky would return the next night. Her smartphone rang and Ricky's voice surprised her. Lucy, I express mailed some very important documents to my office there via UPS, could you please pick them up and bring them to the airport when you pick me up tonight? Certainly Ricky, but what is so important? These documents outline the modifications that will significantly improve the speed and bombing accuracy of our new plane that, your tenant Fred's group, is working on.
Lucy's day then turned into a blur as she hurried through one important task after a another, when a thought pushed itself thru her mind to remind her to go to Ricky's office to retrieve the special delivery package that Ricky had previously mailed there. She arrived, went to Ricky's office and she started to use her key to open it when she subconsciously noticed that it appeared open. She entered Ricky's office but did not notice a special delivery package on his desk where she, or her backup, would have placed it. She went into her adjoining office where her backup was sitting at her desk, and asked if a package had arrived? Yes it did and I placed it in our normal spot for such deliveries to Ricky, she responded. Lucy returned to Ricky's office, but the door was now locked. She retrieved her keys from her purse, opened the door and immediately saw the package nestled in its customary spot on Ricky's desk. Lucy laughed at herself believing that she initially missed the package. On her way out of the executive office area Lucy saw Fred talking to a strikingly beautiful woman that he introduced as his wife Ethel. Lucy was diplomatically shocked at this news, but she graciously extended her best wishes on the possibility their marital reunion. Fred advised they were in the last stages of their divorce when Ethel called and they started exploring restoration soon after he moved into Lucy's home. He joked that Lucy may be losing a tenant or gaining another one as Lucy started to leave.
Ethel, there was something about that name that tickled Lucy's mind, but she had more important matters to deal with how. Lucy returned home, entered her garage where she saw the garbage bag that she had previously forgotten to set out for the garbage truck. Let me do that now before I forget it again, she said to herself. She picked the bag up and began tying the ends when it started slipping from her hand and begin to fall when she grabbed the open top and noticed several empty cans of Cuban spaghetti . She hurriedly placed the cans back into the bag, tied off the ends and laid the bag outside where the garbage collector picked them up.
The name Ethel continued gently remerging through Lucy's mind as she prepared to meet Ricky. Why was her name important to Lucy, but Ricky's return was more important tonight. Lucy grabbed Ricky's special delivery package as she hurried out the door. Lucy quickly drove to the airport where she met Ricky. After briefly discussing his trip, they settled into planning how the meeting would affect the rebuilding of their plane. Ricky then stated how these improvements were going to make him, Lucy and Fred extremely busy soon. Lucy advised Ricky that she had met Fred's estranged wife, Ethel, earlier at the office when she went to pick the package up. Startled, Ricky asked Lucy, what did you say her name was? Ethel, replied Lucy. Ethel was former intelligence chief Batista's daughter's name. Lucy asked if Batista was important to their new office plans, Ricky said he must now suspend Fred's work on the project and turn the matter over to security for further investigation in conjunction with a State Department investigation Batista is rumored to have sought asylum in Russia. Lucy hurriedly asked Ricky to include the information concerning the Chicken Spaghetti cans. She then remembered the text message that she had forgotten to read earlier. It was a shopping list sent from her smart device that included 12 cans of Chicken Spaghetti, which she had never eaten or purchased before. Ricky then called the chief of Security and gave a full report concerning Fred, Ethel and the plant's new top secret military order. Lucy provided Ricky a list if the smart devices in her home that Fred had access to.
IV.CITATION LIST
Ryan G. Bishop, The walls have ears…and eyes…and noses: home smart devices and The Fourth Amendment, 61 Ariz. L. Rev. 667 (2019)
Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Cops Could Potentially have access to thousands of new cameras-on residents' front doors, David Struett, Sept. 18, 2019.
The Washington Post, Police can keep Ring camera video forever and share with whomever they'd like, Amazon tells senator, Drew Harwell, Nov. 19, 2019.
Published by majorcoleman48
Retired USDOJ Attorney, Chicago Police Officer and former Lead Prosecutor at the Cook County States Attorneys Office. Former federal and Illinois narcotics investigator and Illinois Public Aid Special Investigations Unit Investigator.	View all posts by majorcoleman48
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