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ATLANTA UNTRAPPED: It's time to discuss concert safety
Recent events have given me the jitters when going out to see live music
Photo credit: Joeff Davis/CL File
OUTSIDE THE CLUB: The entrance to the Masquerade's Hell venue in Underground Atlanta.
By Jewel Wicker	Thursday November 16, 2017 11:17 pm EST
Two people died, and two people were injured, as the result of a shooting at a show at the Masquerade on Nov. 12. The headliner for the show was Los Angeles-based hip-hop artist Cousin Stizz. This is a hip-hop column, but this week I'm focusing less on the musical genre and more on something that has affected all music fans, from country to pop to rap.
Monday night, as I prepared to attend a concert, I checked my phone for an update regarding another local show that ended in tragedy less than 24 hours earlier. I usually get jittery before heading out to a show out of pure excitement for the music. This time my jitters were a result of paranoia. I watched as people were searched before being allowed to enter the Tabernacle, silently judging whether or not I felt security was being thorough enough."I'm just making sure you don't have any guns or knives," a woman said, grabbing at my bag and using her flashlight to poke around inside. I assured her I did not and she confirmed as much.
It's unclear how someone was able to get a gun inside of the Masquerade ahead of Sunday night's shooting.
An ABC News reporter posed the question to the venue's talent buyer and vice president, Greg Green, but he didn't get an answer.
"I don't have anything to say other than it's an ongoing police investigation," Green said. "Thank you for the call."
Over the years, security has long held a considerable presence at the long-standing Atlanta music venue that has hosted shows by everyone from Nirvana to Method Man. There's always a thick complement of beefy dudes wearing Masquerade security shirts at every show. If a fight breaks out in the pit, they shut it down within seconds every time. But now that guns have taken the spotlight as America's favorite fetish item once again and it seems that everyone is armed now uncertainty permeates any large social gathering.
Even when it was announced a few days later that Jonathan Bautista, 23, was charged with two counts of murder over the shooting, there are still no answers.
On Monday night, less than 24 hours later, I was attending an anniversary concert for indie-pop-turned-mainstream-pop artists Tegan & Sara in celebration of their album, The Con. The album, a cult favorite of sorts, was popular 10 years ago among angsty teenagers and twenty-somethings. The twin sisters have become queer icons, and earlier this year they launched a charity that aims to support and mentor LGBTQ girls and women. Proceeds from the ticket sales during this tour will be donated to the Tegan and Sara Foundation. This was an emotional, sentimental show that was supporting a good cause, but I couldn't stop thinking of the ways in which someone might be inclined to sully the experience.
Such is the life of a music fan in 2017, or any human being who dares to venture outside of their home, for that matter.
When one of Tegan & Sara's band members reminisced about playing at the Masquerade in the past it was clear he hadn't heard the news about this week's shooting. There are countless shows a week in Atlanta, held at various venues with varying degrees of security. The number of violent deaths that have occurred at live shows across the country in the past few years are statistically uncommon. But they're terrifying and thus they feed my anxiety. One life lost at a show is one life too many.What happened at the Masquerade seemingly followed a confrontation between fans. In 2016, a T.I. concert in New York ended with one person dead following a shooting backstage. And then there are the terror attacks such as the 2015 mass shooting at Paris' Bataclan concert hall while the Eagles of Death Metal performed, a bombing following Ariana Grande's concert in Manchester earlier this year, and, most recently, the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas.There have been many debates about what could (or couldn't) be done to prevent mass shootings such as the one that occurred at the country music festival in Las Vegas in October, including enacting stricter gun laws. Country singers Faith Hill and Tim McGraw recently told Billboard they believe it's up to the NRA and our government to enact "common sense" gun laws in hopes of preventing future mass shootings from occurring. While stricter gun laws likely wouldn't have prevented many of the attacks listed above, it is certainly a conversation we should be having. We also should be discussing music venue security, too. Music fans should be focused on whether or not their favorite artist is going to bring out a special guest or sing their favorite song, not on the possibility that they might not make it out of the venue alive.
We should be having these discussions loudly, and, there's no better time to discuss this than right after a tragedy has occurred.
Atlanta rappers J.I.D and EARTHGANG play Vinyl Nov. 21. It's the final show on their Never Had Sh!t tour.
6lack's first show at the Tabernacle has already sold out, but the Atlanta artist has a second show on Nov. 26 with breakout R&B singer Sabrina Claudio serving as the opening act.
Lil Uzi Vert performs hits from his mixtapes and new debut album Luv Is Rage 2 at the Tabernacle on Nov. 28.
Watch as spoken word artists and rappers compete in a friendly battle against one another during Poetry vs. Hip-Hop. Anthony Hamilton's backup singers, the Hamiltones will also perform.
Jewel Wicker is an Atlanta native and award-winning freelance reporter who has been covering the music industry and hip-hop in Atlanta since she was a college student at Georgia State University. In her spare time, she loves to eat lemon pepper wings and debate the validity of your favorite artists.
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The Weeknd, Future and Rae Sremmurd producer readies his own project | more...
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Demo Taped spreads love and positivity through electronic music | more...
Search for more by Jewel Wicker


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IJN sent the following letter to Congress in opposition to the inclusion of detrimental immigration policies in FY 2016 appropriations legislation. Download the letter.
We write on behalf of the Immigrant Justice Network (IJN), a collaboration between the Immigrant Defense Project in New York, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco, and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild in Boston, to urge Congress to pass Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 legislation free of immigration policy riders that restrict the exercise of prosecutorial discretion and undermine community trust policies. Currently, appropriators are debating provisions that would restrict the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) ability to exercise prosecutorial discretion for noncitizens who fall within the top two priorities of DHS's civil enforcement priorities. Additionally, appropriators are also considering restricting federal funding to state and local jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal law enforcement authorities through community trust policies, colloquially known as "sanctuary city" policies. Incorporating these ideological and partisan immigration riders into the appropriations process represent a direct attack on the immigrant community and serves as a painful reminder of Congress's failure to modernize our immigration system through the enactment of a just and comprehensive immigration reform.
On November 20, 2014, Secretary Jeh Johnson released Policies for the Apprehension, Detention and Removal of Undocumented Immigrants (Enforcement Priorities Memorandum), which prioritized immigrants for removal based on certain conduct and convictions. Notably, the Enforcement Priorities Memorandum provided narrow exceptions for the removal of immigrants in all three categories. Specifically, under the first tier and second tiers, DHS excepted the deportation of immigrants who "qualify for asylum or another form of relief" or where there are "compelling and exceptional factors that clearly indicate the alien is not a threat to national security, border security, or public safety." This language, and subsequent guidance released by DHS, which clarified how subcomponents should implement the enforcement priorities, represents an acute acknowledgement that immigrants who fall within Priority one or two may have strong factors that should exclude them from deportation. While the concept of prioritizing "good" immigrants versus "bad" is inherently flawed and problematic, the memorandum at the very least represents some attempt to reduce the Administration's unacceptably high number of deportations.
The House Appropriations Committee adopted language that would restrict the use of funds for the "release from custody, other than for removal from the United states, any alien described in the Priority 1 or Priority 2 category" in the Enforcement Priorities Memorandum. This restriction tramples on DHS's universally recognized authority to exercise prosecutorial discretion based on a case-by-case analysis of an immigrant's background, including positive equities such as military service, and ties to their family and community. Moreover, such language essentially guts DHS's subsequent efforts to refine and narrow the enforcement priorities through collateral guidance such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Frequently Asked Questions.
For example, restricting the exercise of prosecutorial discretion in these tiers would lead to the unfettered deportation of individuals with old drug convictions such as Rodolfo Padilla, a lawful permanent resident who has lived in the United States for 37 years, possesses extensive family ties, and rehabilitated while in prison. Mr. Padilla paid his debt society and a federal judge determined that he was not a threat to public safety, deeming him eligible for early release under the Bureau of Prisons efforts to release non-violent drug offenders. Yet, the House appropriations language would mandate Mr. Padilla's deportation without allowing DHS to engage in an individualized examination of his circumstances and history. Ultimately, micromanaging DHS's internal removal policies through the appropriations process is an ineffective, wasteful process and runs counter to the Administration's stated efforts to enforce our immigration laws in a more humane manner.
Appropriators also adopted an amendment that would restrict federal disaster preparedness grant funding to jurisdictions that implement community trust policies. Penalizing state and local jurisdictions that limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials would reduce—not enhance—public safety by further undermining community trust in local law enforcement; disregarding local efforts to promulgate effective community safety policies; and raising serious constitutional concerns.
Local cooperation with federal law enforcement authorities discourages community members from contacting local law enforcement. Fearing referral to ICE, victims or witnesses of crime are significantly less likely to communicate with local law enforcement. For example, a study by the Department of Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois-Chicago found that 70 percent of undocumented immigrants were less likely to report a crime for fear of referral to immigration authorities. Local law enforcement authorities have repeatedly echoed this sentiment, acknowledging that community trust policies are paramount to enhancing public safety. Withholding critically-needed federal funding would, paradoxically, severely cripple the ability of state and local jurisdictions to satisfy the public safety needs of their communities. Moreover, entanglement of federal immigration enforcement with localities is wholly unnecessary, especially as immigrants are less likely to have contact with law enforcement authorities than native-born individuals.
In recognition of the unique and localized needs of each jurisdiction, over 350 state and local jurisdictions have enacted community trust policies limiting compliance with immigration detainers and other collusion with ICE. These jurisdictions carefully and thoughtfully assessed the contours and needs of their communities and enacted community trust policies through popular vote, elected officials, and other democratic mechanisms. Localities engaged in an extensive consultation process with police, courts, and other community stakeholders to establish these policies. We are deeply troubled that officials in Washington, DC are proposing a one-size-fits all measure without consulting the very jurisdictions that promulgated these policies in the first place. A federal mandate demanding that these localities discard these carefully crafted policies at the behest of distant federal lawmakers is not only counterproductive, but flagrantly contravenes the principles of local governance.
Courts have regularly called into question the constitutionality of state and local jurisdictions detaining an individual without probable cause and in violation of the Fourth Amendment. These courts have repeatedly held that localities with policies that honor detainers, absent probable cause, a judicial warrant, or new criminal offense, violate the constitution. Moreover, courts have noted that those localities are liable for damages as a result of that unconstitutional detention. Even if appropriations legislation attempts to insulate state and local actors from liability through an explicit grant of immunity, such provision does not cure the inherent unconstitutionality—and likely future injunctions from courts—of violating an individual's Fourth Amendment rights.
Holding federal funding ransom to coerce state and local jurisdictions to enforce immigration law also raises Tenth Amendment concerns. The Supreme Court, as recently National Federal of Independent Business v. Sebelius, held that when legislation "threatens to terminate . . . grants as a means of pressuring the States to accept" a federal program or regulation, then the legislation is unconstitutionl. Here, Congress established various federal funding mechanisms for state and local law enforcement and these jurisdictions entered into these cooperatives "voluntarily and knowingly." Restricting pre-existing collateral federal funding, however, dramatically alters that dynamic by adding additional, burdensome requirements in the form of state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Particularly in the case of the disaster preparedness grant funding, there is a cognizable legal argument that states would not have voluntarily and knowingly accepted this funding if they believed that Congress would later contingent continued receipt with mandatory local immigration enforcement. The scope of the grants and intersection with non-law enforcement related areas, such as disaster preparedness, leave "[s]tates with no real option but to acquiesce" and constitutes an unconstitutional coercion under the Tenth Amendment.
Although specifics on these riders are not yet available, we urge Congress to reject provisions that would close or further restrict refugee processing or programs. Refugee processing is already extremely rigorous, and the United States should not abrogate its human rights obligations. Instead, the United States should consider expanding its refugee programs to protect individuals fleeing persecution and war.
Instead of passing discredited enforcement-only legislation, Congress should move forward on enacting just immigration reform legislation that provides a roadmap to citizenship for the nation's 11 million aspiring Americans and eliminates mass detention and deportation programs that undermine fundamental human rights. Legislation that infringes on the Executive's inherent ability to exercise prosecutorial discretion and erodes public safety represents an abdication of the Congress' responsibility to enact fair, humane, and just immigration policy. In light of the above, IJN strongly urges you to oppose any of the above immigration policy riders in any FY 2016 legislation.
Please contact Jose Magana-Salgado, of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, at jmagana@ilrc.org or (202) 777-8999 if you have any questions regarding this letter. Thank you for your time and consideration.


Heat stroke is better prevented than treated. Common sense will go a long way in preventing heat related issues with your pet. Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest times on a very hot day. Do not leave your pet in a car for any period of time when the temperature is high and the sun is out. If your pet spends time outside, make sure they have the ability to get out of the direct sunlight and provide plenty of clean, fresh water to drink. Above all, if you believe your pet may be having heat related problems, early diagnosis and treatment is key and will increase the chances of a successful outcome. Have a safe enjoyable summer with your pets!
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Surfing - 14. October 2007.
The 19-year-old who won this event as a wildcard in 2006, defeated Brazilian sensation Silvana Lima (BRA) in the toughest Final seen on the ASP Women's World Tour this year.
Competing in excellent 1-metre surf, Gilmore and Lima went wave for wave in their first ever match- up, producing performances that have taken women's professional surfing to new heights.
Gilmore edged out her South American foe with an overall score off 15.43 to Lima's 15.33 (both out of a possible 20.00 points), earning US$ 20 000, the richest prizemoney purse on the ASP Women's World Tour.
Posting a near perfect 9.00 point ride (out of 10.00) off her second wave, Gilmore assumed an early heat lead which was soon crushed by Lima's consecutive 7.23 and a 7.17 rides.
While Gilmore waited patiently with priority, the ravenous Brazilian locked into a smaller inside wave, performing a clean cut-back and furious white water re-entry, to post an 8.10 and extend her lead.
As time drained, Gilmore needing a 6.07, the defiant blonde drew every ounce of potential out of a bumpy set wave, improving on her required score with a 6.43, from which Lima was never able to recover.
Gilmore has returned to the World No. 1 position on the ASP ratings after slipping down to World No. 4, when she finished equal ninth in Spain.
Lima retained her World No. 2 position, earning US$ 10 000 but was visibly devastated by yet another runner-up finish.
Her runner-up result today marks her third such result this year, after reaching the Finals in Brazil, Spain and now Sydney.
A standout performer from start to finish, Lima punctuated the NAB Beachley Classic with her radical aerial manoeuvres, earning some of the event's top scoring rides, including a 9.10 against Jacqueline Silva (BRA) in the Quarterfinals.
Lima now lies less than 100 points behind Gilmore on the ASP ratings and fuelled by her defeat at Curl Curl today, will return to ASP competition as a formidable foe at the next three events.
Finishing equal third and earning US$ 8000 for their efforts, were Jessi Miley- Dyer (AUS) and Sofia Mulanovich (PER).
Miley- Dyer posted her best result of the 2007 season and has jumped from World No. 14 to World No. 9.
The former ASP World Junior Champion was defeated by an on-form Lima in Semifinal Heat 1.
Mulanovich maintained her World No. 3 spot with an equal third today. The talented Peruvian surfer was defeated by Gilmore in Semifnal Heat 2 when she opted to sit on the left- breaking peak, giving Gilmore full reign of the right.
The result was Mulanovich's first equal third of 2007 and has put her in a good position going into the next event in Peru.
Former ratings leader coming into this event Samantha Cornish (AUS), has slipped down to World No. 4 after she was defeated by Jacqueline Silva (BRA) in Round 3 on Saturday.
Behind her lie Chelsea Hedges (AUS) who is still at World No. 5, while Layne Beachley (AUS) has moved up one spot to World No. 6.
The ASP Women's World Tour now moves to Mancora Peru for the Mancora Peru Classic, which takes place from October 30 – November 4, 2007.


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Mobile phone evidence hands east Surrey burglar an extra two years behind bars
The damning information linked the criminal to a further 10 burglaries
Alex BoydContent Editor
Jason Johnston, 47, had two years added to his previous six year sentence after evidence from his mobile phone linked him to 10 further burglaries (Image: Surrey Police)
Mobile phone evidence has landed an already sentenced burglar in hot water by linking him to a further 10 burglaries.
Jason Johnston, 47, of no fixed address, was previously jailed for six years for a burglary in Tadworth in October 2016.
Damning evidence from his mobile phone identified him as the orchestrator of 10 other crimes in the East Surrey area.
On Thursday (September 27), Johnston pleaded guilty to the string of other offences, and had his sentence extended to eight years.
Surrey Police say that in total £37,495.31 worth of jewellery, cash and other items were taken during these burglaries.
PC Elliott Hartley, who investigated the burglaries, said: "Johnston was already serving time for the first burglary, but further evidence we managed to gather from his mobile phone identified him as having committed another 10 offences and as a result his sentence was extended.
Where Johnston committed his East Surrey crimes
09.30, June 24, 2016 - Tandridge Lane, Oxted
09.50 - 10.25, June 24, 2016 - East Hill, Oxted
10.10 - 12.10, July 17, 2016 - Park Road, Banstead
11.00 - 13.30, July 19, 2016 - Whyteleafe Hill, Whyteleafe
09.30 - 12.00, August 12, 2016 - The Street, Fetcham
10.00 - 13.15, September 19, 2016 - Outwood Lane, Chipstead
06.20 - 16.20, September 29, 2016 - Redstone Hill, Redhill
10.15 - 16.30, October 9, 2016 - London Road, Dorking
10.40 - 11.28, October 10, 2016 - Brighton Road, Banstead
Latest crime news
Efit of man 'pretending to be builder'
£1,000 reward for motorbike return
Wanted Caterham man found
Reports of man taking photos of children
"I hope that the sentence given to Johnston this week will send out a strong message that we will not tolerate burglaries being committed in our local communities and that we will do everything possible to identify those responsible.
"I would like to thank DC Rackstraw for all her assistance during this investigation."
During the Tadworth incident in October 2016, Johnston was interrupted by the home owner, who then chased Johnston and managed to get pictures of the getaway car.
Johnston was then tracked down, arrested and had his phone seized.
Join our 'In Court' Facebook group
We've created a Facebook group for all court and crime stories in Surrey.
We will keep you informed about all the latest court cases, crime news and police appeals.
Further advice on how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of burglary can be found here https://surrey.police.uk/advice/protect-your-home-and-belongings/burglary/
Whyteleafe
Chipstead

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What are some common forms of embezzlement?
On behalf of Law Offices of Thomas C. Mooney posted in Felonies on Friday, October 16, 2015.
Embezzlement is the misappropriation of property, money or any other type of asset by an individual who doesn't own it. This person usually works in a position of authority where he or she comes into contact with these assets. Embezzlement is a felony in the state of Maryland; however, not all Maryland residents recognize the many different forms this crime takes. So what are some common types of embezzlement?
The crime of embezzlement typically takes place in a business or corporate setting, although it also occurs at different government levels. One typical form of embezzlement is accounting embezzlement. This occurs when someone is given possession of an asset and they manipulate the business's accounting records to make it seem that the asset is where it's supposed to be. This person then takes possession of the asset and tries to make it seem like it's theirs.
Another common form of embezzlement is when someone such as a fund manager or a financial planner is given the authority to manage and run specific assets for another person. The manager then takes those funds and uses them for their own personal use while presenting false documentation about the assets to the real owner.
There are different methods that people use to embezzle money and property from their rightful owners. These can include falsifying company records, writing checks to non-existent employees, submitting false invoices and even running elaborate "Ponzi" type schemes.
Embezzlement is a serious crime that carries both significant penalties and a strong social stigma. Any Maryland resident who has been charged with this or any other crime of fraud may want to speak to a criminal defense attorney in order to fully explore how these charges can affect one's life.
Source: criminal.findlaw.com, "Embezzlement," Accessed Oct. 11, 2015
Tags: Felonies
Related Posts: What constitutes the crime of embezzlement?, Man acquitted of five attempted murder charges in Baltimore, What are some defenses to the crime of burglary?, What are the elements of first-degree murder in Maryland?
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For more renewable energy, the obsolete grid expansion with even more power lines is not the last word in wisdom.
With its energy efficiency, BESS power plant Blockchain technology is best suited to generate at no cost, to decentralize and stabilize the grids and to integrate 100% renewable energies. BESS Kraftwerk fully complies with the EU regulation "Clean Energy for all Europeans".


Steel clubs are a modern day version of Indian clubs, a tool dating back thousands of years ago to Persia. Wrestlers would often use this tool to enhance grip strength and stability. Those are the very reasons why steel clubs are regaining popularity as a fitness accessory.
Steel clubs are particularly great for shoulder exercises, as they allow for rotational movements whereas typical shoulder movements (shoulder presses, rows) are usually linear. The lighter weight of the club is perfect for exercises that focus on stabilization over brute strength. The handle positioning also trains grip strength, which can be a limiting factor on heavier lifts.
Clubs are also useful for core training as you are forced to brace your abdominal wall and keep your torso locked in while manipulating the weight during movements such as the 2-hand front press squat and the 2-hand front pullover.
You can stack a few of these moves together to create a flow (a continuous succession of exercises that transition from one to the next) for a great cardio workout, or after a heavier lift for some supplemental work, says Grant Weeditz, body architect at Anatomy 1220 in Miami, FL. Filling in gaps in your stability and mobility will carry over to heavy lifts and may prevent wear and tear injuries over time.
Weeditz suggests men start with two 5 to 10-pound clubs for double-club movements and a 15-pound club for single-club moves. Women can start with 5 pound and 10 pound clubs, respectively.


The music industry has made a splash this week. Has there ever been a release from prison as extra as J Hus's? The UK rapper went from prison to performing with Drake on stage in a matter of hours. Meanwhile, the world is mourning the death of 33-year-old rapper Nipsey Hussle… not Kodak Black though. The 21-year-old held an Instagram Live where he announced his plans to pursue Hussle's longtime partner Lauren London, but he had so much courtesy that he said he'd "give her a year" – romance isn't dead.
In a world of inconsistency and instability, the one thing we can count on is Beyoncé being a Queen. She has chosen Adidas for the relaunch of Ivy Park, but allegedly turned down a partnership with Reebok due to the lack of diversity within its staff. ESPN's Nick DePaula said Beyoncé told Reebok "Nobody in this room reflects my background, my skin color, and where I'm from and what I want to do". Reebok has branded the assertion as "categorically false".
Here's what else went down in the past week.
The US Congress' youngest woman member, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, came under fire this week, largely by right-wing Republicans, for putting on a "fake African-American accent when talking to black people", one tweet read.
The Latina Congresswoman for parts of the Bronx and Queens, New York, was speaking to a predominantly black audience at Al Sharpton's National Action Network conference in New York on Friday 5 April when she allegedly adopted a Southern drawl.
In response to these claims, AOC commented on "code-switching", saying it is a tool that communities learn "when they're told their voice, appearance and mannerisms are unprofessional". She raised the prevalence of code-switching in Boots Riley's film Sorry to Bother You and explained that code-switching is a "cultural reality for people of colour and communities".
Ariana Grande was also recently criticised adopting a "blaccent" in her music video for Thank U, Next and Hillary Clinton was dubbed "Southern Fried Hillary" for doing the same in front of black audiences in Alabama in 2007.
Around 40 University of Bristol students walked out of a talk by "racism apologist" Professor Eric Kaufmann, who has recently published a book titled White Shift: Populism, Immigration and The Future of White Majorities.
The book takes aim at immigration, blaming multiculturalism for a crisis in white identity which is causing white people to "act out", as Nasra Ayub, the University of Bristol Undergraduate Education Officer explained to gal-dem.
Kaufmann argues that white people should be able to assert their own "racial self interest" as other ethnic groups do, citing demographic changes as the key explanation for right-wing populism.
Ayub, who organised the walk-out with other officers and activists, told us about the "bigger problem" the University of Bristol has: "Before I never used to get involved in student activism, I used to think 'let's sit at the table and have a discussion about these things', but it's got to the point when I've got students coming to me telling me they want to drop out of university, lecturers are being micro-aggressive and racist towards them. They are having a bad time in halls because [other] students are being racist towards them.
Students are often accused of no-platforming right-wing speakers and obstructing free speech, but when speakers who are clearly spreading Islamophobia and harbouring racist ideology are being invited and paid to talk at universities it's natural to want to speak up.
Not even three weeks after the haunting Christchurch Mosque shooting, The Australian wrote about White Shift in an alarmingly positive light, saying the influx of minorities has put "European ancestry groups on the path to minority status".
Nearly 1,000 reports of potential modern slavery were made through the Safe Car Wash app in the UK, enabling users to report concerns over workers, within its first five months of use.
Protestors stood outside Brunei-owned Dorchester hotel in London on Saturday and chanted "shame on you" as pressure mounts for the UK government to expel the country from the Commonwealth if it does not revoke its horrific anti-LGBT laws.
The racial equality leader at an NHS Trust, Dr Vivienne Lyfar-Cissé, was fired after allegedly telling a white colleague he was "everything she despised in a white manager". The London tribunal also heard that Lyfar-Cissé was also being tried for three allegations she "bullied and victimised" a female colleague over her sexual orientation.
Australian Aboriginals from the Ngaliwurru and Nungali groups have won the right to sue for colonial land loss, meaning that billions of dollars in compensation will need to be paid by governments to indigenous groups.
Lori Lightfoot is the first black and openly gay woman to be elected as the mayor of Chicago.
Three historically black churches burned down in 10 days in one south Louisiana parish, with officials saying the crimes have "suspicious elements".
Black students in the US face "racial bias" in school discipline, according to a new study that found they are four times as likely to be suspended from school as white students, and three times more likely to be expelled.
Coronation Street has introduced its first black family in the show's history, The Baileys, to tackle the show's lack of diversity.
Durham University signed up to the Race Equality Charter which helps institutions identify barriers minority ethnic staff and students can face and seeks to diversify curriculums.
In his final council meeting, the legendary Lord Mayor of Sheffield Magid Magid called a break and danced to Somali music and jungle. What a guy.


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text:
Best Buy Shares Jump on Samsung Deal
Is this meaningful? Or just another movement?
Jeremy Bowman
(TMFHobo)
Updated: Nov 17, 2016 at 4:25PM
Published: Apr 4, 2013 at 4:45PM
Fool since 2011. I write about consumer goods, the big picture, and whatever else piques my interest. Follow me on Twitter to see my latest articles, and for commentary on hot topics in retail and the broad market. Follow @tmfbowman
Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) were getting a lift today, jumping as much as 16%, after the struggling retailer announced a new partnership with smartphone-maker Samsung.
So what: Best Buy said it will begin putting Samsung kiosks in its stores, a move that comes as the Korean electronics maker is challenging Apple for supremacy in the smartphone world with its Galaxy line. Investors also seem to believe that the Samsung platforms could be a lifeline for the bricks-and-mortar model, which has struggled to stave off competition from the likes of Amazon.com. Samsung plans to open a total of 1,400 kiosks in Best Buy locations with 900 open by early May.
Now what: Best Buy has come roaring back this year, more than doubling in just the last three months alone. Investors have been encouraged by a potential buyout offer from Founder Richard Schulze, and later, a report that showed that online sales grew 10%, an increase that seemed to result from Amazon's agreement to begin collecting sales tax. The latest deal with Samsung seems like yet another arrow in its quiver. Sales are still moving in the wrong direction, though, and Wall Street sees an 8.2% decline in the current quarter. I'd like to see that trend reverse before I got behind the retailer.
For more information on Best Buy, check out our premium research report, which details the company's opportunities and risks, and comes with a year's worth of free updates as an added bonus. You can started with this new package right now. All you have to do is click right here.


A points scoring whiz, the talented five-eighth is leading from the front as the Hunters press for a maiden Intrust Super Cup grand final appearance. With the ability to kick goals from any part of the field, Boas has amassed over 160 points so far this year and is not done yet!
VOTE NOW for Ase Boas!


By cs:User:DaBler (Own work) GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons.
Occasionally, things pass across your desk that you cannot ignore. Such happened yesterday with this piece written by Kacie Kripner and posted at MindBodyGreen.com.
I do not wish to devalue Ms. Kripner's time as a trainer, her experiences are her own. I will argue, however, that to assume a bond on an orca's behalf warrants questioning whenever food is used as a motivating force.
"When SeaWorld's first location opened its doors in 1964, the purpose and passion behind the park was to care for animals, aid in conservation, and educate people about a previously unknown world."
SeaWorld has an ongoing issue with its conservation message even in 2016, so it's difficult to imagine what conservation was undertaken in 1964. They have pledged money yes for the resident orcas of the Pacific Northwest, but only very recently. Really, in 50+ years, they have neither rescued, rehabbed or released any orca back to its natural habitat.
"Sure enough, he spun in almost a full circle as soon as I did — that's when I realized he had just been concerned about hitting me with his tail before."
So what happened when Takara performed this maneuver with another trainer?
SeaWorld received a willful citation from OSHA for exposing its employees to struck-by and drowning hazards when interacting with killer whales. OSHA writes, "The agency defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health." This violation is deemed one of OSHA's Fatal Four Hazards.
"SeaWorld just celebrated the 50th anniversary of giving animals in need a second chance."
This is perhaps the most misleading statement of them all. None of SeaWorld's original orcas needed a second chance. They were not rescued, but captured (until banned) for a decade in the Pacific Northwest. These captures contributed to the decline of the Southern Resident Killer Whales, and is one of the primary reasons that they currently carry the status of "endangered."
Ironically, the orca who Kripner mentions bonding with is Tuar. Tuar's grandfather -- Winston, was one of the orcas captured in the Penn Cove, Washington roundup and was believed to be a Southern Resident Killer Whale. Tuar's mother was Kalina, the first orca born successfully in captivity. Her genetic makeup is 50% Icelandic, 50% Southern Resident. Known as the original 'Baby Shamu,' Kalina would die of septicemia in 2010. Tuar is one of SeaWorld's hybrid orcas.
Left alone, Southern Resident whales would have been just fine. In fact, the SRKW community has just welcomed it's ninth new calf since December 2014. Do they face challenges? Yes, of course, they do. Salmon restoration is hugely important to their long-term survival, as is the reduction of pollutants and critical habitat protection. But to offer captivity as a solution for these problems is misguided at best and ignorant at worst.
Orcas in captivity face their own set of issues. Diseases occur in the captive environment too, some linked to captivity itself. If contagious, a disease can spread far more quickly in a restricted space particularly when there are limited options for quarantine. Furthermore, the myriad of hybrid orcas that SeaWorld boasts -- combined with inbreeding, means these animals can never be released into the wild because of the risk to wild populations.
"it would be impossible to make a 9,000-pound creature do something it didn't want to do."
Courtesy, Voice of the Orcas; Author Unknown.
"My only agenda is to speak the truth."
Not the truth, but Ms. Kripner's perception of the truth. Truths that are ignorant of an alternate reality less aware of an orca's need and more driven by ego, are not factual. If you control any animal with food as a primary motivator, this "bond" is questionable.
"Yes you can make an orca do something and it's called food deprivation. SeaWorld has even deployed nets to have whales move to pools when they don't want to go. Every single former SeaWorld orca trainer from the documentary 'Blackfish', would testify under oath that we were given the directive to use food deprivation when necessary. It's in SeaWorld's records if they would release them.
As for Tuar, he actually has several documented aggressions toward trainers and was deemed so high risk that the lead Supervisor at Shamu Stadium (now the Assistant Curator) stated she was fearful of Tuar in the water and that if we had won the court case against OSHA and resumed waterwork, she would never again get in the water with him.


Latest News – Dr Angel Forcada has returned following his visit to Kitovu Hospital. | THE ROTARY DOCTOR BANK of GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND.
Latest News – Dr Angel Forcada has returned following his visit to Kitovu Hospital.
Dr Angel Forcada has returned to Spain, following his 5th visit to Kitovu Hospital. To read his report please click on the title at the top of this page.


text:
Seat Sixty-Five
By Helena Maeve
Some paths lead to an early grave.
A power failure on the midnight train from Innsbruck to Vienna has stranded Felix in the middle of nowhere. It's not a good start to his getaway, but it's made worse by the presence of a fellow passenger who won't stop sizing him up.
With his few belongings thrust into a backpack, Felix wants nothing more than to get to the airport and fly home to London. Whatever he does after that can't be any worse than staying in a failing, rancorous relationship. But Felix has always been a magnet for dangerous men and the handsome stranger who keeps eyeballing him isn't so easy to ignore.
As the world itself seems to spin on a dime, Felix follows his admirer deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole, until retracing his steps becomes as trying as it is inevitable.
Reader Advisory: This book contains references to past domestic violence, past physical and emotional abuse and character death.
General Release Date: 20th October 2015
Trembling raindrops slithered up the windowpane in meandering rivulets. Felix tapped his fingertips against the glass, measuring the progress of the fattest tears. The rain had followed him east from Innsbruck, little more than a trickle to start but ramping up with faithful precision over the long miles.
Lightning slashed the night sky toward the German border, blasting blue-white light over the flat country plains.
Felix knew he was perfectly safe inside the train car. That didn't stop him squirming in his seat when thunder roared. Loud noises sparked discomfort in the pit of his stomach. He reached into the folds of his parka and slid out the MP3 player. It was an old model, greedy for battery life and congested with music Felix couldn't manage to delete. He ramped up the volume. Deep Purple vibrated in his eardrums to drown out the storm.
It wouldn't be long now—another hour or so and he'd be in Vienna. He would find a hostel, get some sleep and hopefully make it to the airport in time for his flight. His insides churned if he thought about the next leg of his journey, yet once he started, it was difficult to guide his attention elsewhere.
His father had sounded less than thrilled to hear that he was coming back. He'd made it clear that Felix would have to find other living arrangements than his childhood home.
No surprise there…
The last time he'd talked to his father had been at the wedding. Alcohol and gaiety should have softened his old man's heart. Instead, when he saw Felix show up with his then-boyfriend, all hell had broken loose.
Felix hunkered down in his seat, cowering at once from the memory and the storm outside.
The stiff chair was neither upright enough to let him rest against the window, nor sufficiently reclined to dub as a bed. Attempts to sleep had yielded little success in the past three hours.
At least the cacophony of screaming children and chattering travelers had dimmed some.
Felix's seatmate was a woman blessed with generous curves and a Sophie Marceau nose. She dozed with impunity, cheek cushioned on the faux-fur collar of her cashmere sweater.
Envy simmered in Felix at the sight. He looked away. His reflection in the rain-spattered windowpane revealed the curl of his upper lip more plainly than he would've liked. Innsbruck had drawn out the worst in him. It showed in the sallow curve of his pale cheeks, the circles under his eyes. He was a ghost of his former self. A mean ghost.
A few seats away, across the aisle, a dark-haired man caught his eye in the glass. Taken one by one, his features seemed vaguely familiar. The whole rang no bells.
Just some guy.
Heat Rating: Burning
Book Length: NOVELLA
Genres: EROTIC ROMANCE
Helena Maeve has always been a globe trotter with a fondness for adventure, but only recently has she started putting to paper the many stories she's collected in her excursions. When she isn't writing erotic romance novels, she can usually be found in an airport or on a plane, furiously penning in her trusty little notebook.
Seat Sixty-Five by Helena Maeve is not a traditional romance nor is it a not-romance. Instead it is a fascinating paranormal that is perfect for the month of October. The main character Felix is ru...
Reviewed by Tracy Gee
When I started to read this book I honestly thought I was going to be reading a contemporary short story, imagine my shock when I actually realised it was paranormal. A very weird one at that, thoug...
Share what you thought about Seat Sixty-Five and earn reward points.
Other Books by Helena Maeve
Racing Hearts
The Gunslinger's Man
Best Kept Lies
Price of Freedom
Splendid Isolation
Spoil of War


text:
Ashish Ranjan
Photo: Freepik
Fitness freaks consider City Forest as godsend gift amidst chaos of Gurgaon
For a long time, the fitness freaks in Gurgaon used to be dependent on the Aravalli Biodiversity Park for running and other physical activities. But, they have also been complaining about the distance they needed to cover to reach there for carrying out physical activities.
Now, they have a godsend gift in City Forest – a joint initiatives between the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and city-based NGO "I Am Gurgaon." People are going gaga over the availability of green areas in their vicinity.
The City Forest boasts of a 5.2 km-long running and walking track which starts from the Galleria Market and passes through DLF-Phase 1 and Sectors 27, 42, 52 and 53 to end at Golf Course Road at Sector 56.
The residents are very excited to get a green area with tracks as they believe that their physical activities will increase with this. Earlier, people had go to the roads for walking, running and cycling. They used to find that very boring as they used be in constant fear of the vehicles running nearby.
The City Forest located right in the heart of the Millennium City is proving to be a boon for residents. Now, people will not only have access to the clean air but they will also be very close to the nature.
A resident said, "Going into the nature is altogether a different experience. It is a nice alternative to the hustles and bustles of crowded areas. You also feel liberated and completely at peace with beautiful flora and fauna."
The cyclists are also ecstatic as they find their ride more satisfying. They said that riding without bothering about the fast-moving vehicles is indeed very liberating. With City Forest, people have now a great motivation to wake up early and explore the nature.
Most of the people believe that distancing from nature has taken a great toll on their bodies. Now, this new forest right in the middle of the city is a breath of fresh air. People, who have become regular at the forest, have started seeing drastic improvements in their physical and mental state.
The enthusiasm of fitness freaks has also infected the people who normally avoid physical activities. There is a change in the air and new set of people are joining fitness freaks at the City Forest every day.
A resident said, "We also have a nice alternative to weekend getaways. People, who cannot afford to sneak outside the city every weekend, have a nice alternative in City Forest. They can spend quality time there feeling that they are at attractive place like the Jim Corbett National Park."
Moreover, the tracks are very convenient for the walkers and runners. It is very convenient on the knees. People from all ages are finding the track at the City Forest very convenient. They are elated to use the tracks for walking and running purposes.
#Gurgaon green areas
# City Forest in Gurgaon
# Places for running in Gurgaon
# Places for walking in Gurgaon
# Gurgaon news
Gurgaon debates... How should strays living on soc
Souvenir releasing ceremony for elderly held in Gu
Gurgaon: Now, pet dog owners need to take licence
Gurgaon debates... How should strays living on society premises be treated?..
Souvenir releasing ceremony for elderly held in Gurgaon..
Gurgaon: Now, pet dog owners need to take licence from MCG..


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Schweik 'Puts Western Mass on the Map' through GIS course grant
Home / News / Schweik 'Puts Western Mass on the Map' through GIS course grant
November 23, 2010 February 27, 2022 by . ECO . Comment Closed
Associate Professor of Natural Resources Conservation and Public Policy Charles Schweik is part of a $150,000 Massachusetts Department of Education grant with the Gateway Regional School District. "Putting Western Massachusetts on the Map: A Course in GIS" will give teachers in Western Massachusetts both face-to-face and online training (using MassONE Moodle) in open source GIS software over the course of 22 months. According to Schweik, "GIS can be applied to a variety of disciplines including environmental science, social studies, engineering, and any other content that has a geo-spatial data component." The possibilities for integrating this technology into existing middle and high school courses are endless.
In addition to the hands-on teacher training, the GIS grant will oversee the development of a Community Mapping project in the spring of 2011. Student work from this project and the course in general will be presented at a half-day Western Massachusetts GIS Expo and Conference each year.
Schweik, an expert on open source technology, will be a lead instructor with David Greenberg, Director of the Technology in Education Partnership. Both instructors plan to disseminate course materials through the Open Source Geospatial Foundation educational library, which will extend the grant's reach beyond Massachusetts and enable more effective replication of the course. The materials will contribute to the international effort to develop open content educational material in open source GIS as part of the Open Geospatial Foundation's educational initiative.
Schweik is associate director of the National Center for Digital Government (NCDG); an affiliated researcher with the Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Initiative; and founder and co-director of the UMass Open Source Lab. His recent research, supported by a five-year NSF Early CAREER Development Grant, focuses on the "open source" movement and factors leading to successful open source software collaborations. With the Open Source Geospatial Foundation, he has led efforts to inventory more than 45 sets of open source educational materials and has taught open source GIS courses to students around the globe.


(Swans - July 19, 2004) Although liberal attacks on Ralph Nader have been marked by a level of vituperation usually reserved for such as Slobodan Milosevic, Greg Bates's Ralph's Revolt is completely rancor-free by contrast. It is a calm, dispassionate "case for joining Nader's rebellion," as the subtitle puts it.
As founder and publisher of Common Courage Press, Greg Bates selects works that go against the grain of conventional thinking. They include Jeffrey St. Clair's "Been Brown So Long" (reviewed on Swans in March 2004) and numerous titles by Paul Farmer, the Harvard physician who has dedicated his life to helping AIDS patients in Haiti. On the Common Courage website, the mission statement refers to Farmer, who had invited Bates to a ceremony in Boston where Jean Bertrand Aristide was to give a speech. In explaining to Farmer why he publishes his books and those of other progressives, Bates says, "Some ask why we do this work. We ask a different question: How can we not?"
Throughout Ralph's Revolt, Bates likens Nader to Don Quixote, a somewhat unflattering comparison if you think solely in terms of tilting at windmills, etc. However, one must remember that Cervantes chose Quixote as a vehicle for his own unhappiness with the bourgeois transformation of Spain. If Don Quixote was a fool to romanticize Spain's feudal past, at least he had the wisdom to assert "There are only two families in the world, the Haves and the Have-nots," a phrase used by Bates as the epigraph for chapter nine of his book.
In that chapter, titled Appease the Bond Market: the Kerry Plan to Make the Rich Richer, Bates lays out in convincing detail how Kerry would reinstitute Clintonomics. As a "deficit hawk," Kerry promised to abandon earlier plans to expand college tuition subsidies and aid to state government in order to "help the higher priority of halving the federal deficit in four years." These announcements worried liberal supporters such as Robert Kuttner of the American Prospect who shrewdly observed that Kerry was running an election campaign on the basis of how Clinton governed, rather than the way that he ran for office. He worried that "No president ever got elected by promising to appease the bond market." Of course, it makes things a lot easier if you don't have a gadfly like Ralph Nader calling attention to this in televised debates.
While Paul Krugman advised his readers in the New York Times on July 9 that "John Kerry has proposed an ambitious health care plan that would extend coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans, while reducing premiums for the insured," Bates reminds us that this does not include a provision for single payer insurance, the most cost efficient and effective means for insuring access to health care for all. Instead, tax-payer money will be showered on corporations to ease the cost of private insurance plans. The May 3rd Wall Street Journal quotes Kerry: "I would think American business would jump up and down and welcome what I am offering."
By contrast, votenader.org says: "The Nader Campaign supports a single-payer health care plan that replaces for-profit, investor-owned health care and removes the private health insurance industry (full Medicare for all)."
If Nader's campaign suggests elements of Don Quixote, then Bates sees George W. Bush in terms of another familiar literary figure from the same period. "The year 1605, or possibly 1606, saw the creation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth. There are some parallels between this assassin and George W. Bush. The one murdered to become king, while the other stabbed democracy in the back by convincing his allies on the Supreme Court to anoint him. But, as with the Ralph Nader/Don Quixote comparison, it is the differences, not the similarities, that illustrate."
As tempting as it is to understand everything that's gone wrong with the USA in the past four years as the plot of an evil King (a trope that was also found in Barbara Garson's Macbird, a send-up of LBJ during the Vietnam war), the real problem is the lack of a hero to come to the rescue in the final act. While so many liberals (including Michael Moore) hope that the Democrats arrive on a white horse to rescue the American people, the truth is that the Democrats have been complicit in the right wing drive to make war abroad, deprive us of decent jobs and curtail civil liberties.
With respect to his ambitions, Bush is not qualitatively different from previous scary Republican Party presidents, from Richard Nixon to Ronald Reagan. What he has and what they lacked is control over the Congress and Judiciary, something that has not occurred since the 1950s. Furthermore, Bush benefits from having a supine Democratic legislative opposition that has voted for the Patriot Act, "No Child Left Behind," the invasion of Afghanistan, and many other Bush initiatives. If Bush represents some sort of fascist threat, it is remarkable that none of the leading Democrats, including Kerry, have seen fit to filibuster against his proposals.
Although Bates is not arguing in favor of backing Democratic Party candidates, he does put forward a convincing case for breaking Bush's stranglehold by backing Nader's presidential bid. Since Nader has a proven capacity for rousing left-leaning voters to go to the ballot box, it is entirely likely that they will vote for Democratic Party progressives on the Congressional line while simultaneously casting a vote for Nader. He writes, "Exit polls from 2000 show that Nader brought over one million voters to the ballot box who otherwise would have stayed home, and helped elect Democrats Maria Cantwell from Washington and Debbie Stabenow from Michigan to the Senate, as well as Bill Luther in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District." As convincing as this argument appears, we should not harbor any illusions that the liberal enemies of Ralph Nader would be swayed. Unfortunately, they would prefer that he just disappear.
Bates freely admits that his book does not discuss Nader's program in any depth and concentrates more on the debate among progressives about the merit of a third party strategy. He invites us to check out votenader.org for details on what Nader stands for. In addition, it would be important for Nader supporters to familiarize themselves with his newly published The Good Fight: Declare Your Independence and Close the Democracy Gap.
"Why did Richard Nixon sign all those historic bills in the late 1960s and early 1970s? Because he wanted to? Probably not. It was because he took notice of marches, rallies, teach-ins, confrontations with power, and agitation. Justice-seekers were on the offensive. That is a key lesson of history: Once those strivings for justice are thrown on the defensive, reacting to the agendas of the corporatists and reactionaries, expectation levels fall, self-confidence declines, and the whole balance of power shifts. That is what started to happen in the mid-1970s. When the organized oligarchs counterattacked, the rumble faded away. This was facilitated by Nixon ending the draft, the end of the Vietnam War, and the end of sheriffs hosing down and handcuffing nonviolent civil rights demonstrators. Those successes reflect the dilemma of liberalism. The more it succeeds, the more it takes the steam out of itself. This necessitates the emergence of new leaders and agendas to revive the rumble of democracy."
Although Nader has generally been represented as a populist, a movement that tended to efface class distinctions except between the "people" and "the rich," there are clear signs that he has insights into the problems of working people as a class. In the chapter titled "Increasing Burdens on the Working Class," Nader takes the side of those who Abraham Lincoln once referred to in the following terms: "The strongest bond of human sympathy, outside of the family relation, should be one uniting all working people, of all nations, and tongues, and kindreds."
Nader begins by citing a Wall Street analyst who said in March 2004: "We'd thought that the labor share of national income was bottoming out, but whether we're talking outsourcing or just old-style downsizing, the effort by U.S. business to pare costs (and extract productivity gains in services) continues apace." The analyst was describing a process that began thirty years ago, when working people were making about the same wages they are making today -- adjusted for inflation. On average, American workers put in an average of two hundred hours more per year from 1973 to 2000 -- the equivalent of five full-time weeks. Increasingly, both husband and wife are forced to participate in the labor market while borrowing from credit cards or home equity loans just to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, the rich keep getting richer. CEOs at big corporations now make about 300 times more than the average worker they employ. In 1982, they made just 42 times as much; in 1965, 26 times as much. With Kerry's net worth in the billions and John Edwards's in the millions, it is doubtful that they will be in a position to challenge this ever-increasing disparity.
"Whether workers unionize makes a big difference in their compensation and treatment. The Economics Policy Institute reports that unionization provides a 28 percent wage premium to workers -- meaning the same person in the same job, on average, will earn 11.5 percent more if the job is unionized -- and a much larger edge in the area of benefits (more than 100 percent for insurance, nearly 200 percent for pensions)."
It is such an approach that distinguishes Nader from his rivals in the Democratic and Republican Parties. As companion pieces, Greg Bates's Ralph's Revolt and Nader's The Good Fight make the case for remaining independent of the two party system. Seen in broad historical terms, it is vitally important that the left orient to this campaign and help to get the word out.
Although Nader is not one to see his effort in ideological terms, it is a key element in shaking up the capitalist consensus in the United States which has operated on the basis of an electoral duopoly ever since the end of Reconstruction.
"Since the Civil War a peculiar two-party political system has dominated the United States. Prior to the Civil War a two-party system existed which reflected opposing economic platforms. Since the Civil War a shift occurred. A two-party system remained in place but no longer had differing economic orientation. Since the Civil War the two parties show differences in their image, role, social base and some policies but in the last analysis, they both support essentially similar economic platforms."
Fundamentally, the Nader-Camejo ticket in 2004 is a challenge to this system. Although some may view this effort as Quixotically foolish, others more rightfully understand it as Quixotic in the best sense.
"When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical may be madness. To surrender dreams, this may be madness. To seek treasures where there is only trash. . . Too much sanity may be madness, and maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be."
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Thirsty Invaders, Chasing Heat - by Manuel García, Jr.


Mike Daly, lead designer for Insomniac, chats with Shacknews about the team's approach to one-to-one movement in upcoming VR game Stormland.
As early virtual reality games show, moving around in VR isn't always easy. Previous VR titles used a system much akin to teleportation in order to avoid issues with dizziness or motion sickness, but as the medium continues to evolve, developers are able to implement true free-form locomotion. Shacknews recently had a chance to speak with Mike Daly, Insomniac's lead designer on Stormland, to discuss how the team approaches the challenge of one-to-one movement and how past experiences are building toward a more fluid VR gaming experience.
"One of the biggest lessons that helped us was [discovering] over and over again that one-to-one motion is intuitive, because it gets you an expected result. Therefore, your brain is OK with what's happening — when you're climbing, every inch of motion corresponds exactly, in-out, up-and-down to your movement. With that expectation met, players don't get the same sort of motion sickness that they would otherwise."
Learning from past experiences is apparently a big part of how Insomniac Games has managed to create a much more fluid sense of motion and general freedom in Stormland. According to Daly, the end result represents years' worth of smaller lessons learned.
"That, in combination with a lot of usability testing that gives us little micro-tweaks — things like smoothing out the terrain and putting caps on instantaneous velocity — are all just little discoveries that get us steps further toward the ultimate goal of fully comfortable, fully expressive movement."
Insomniac Games' Stormland is slated to release for Oculus VR sometime next year. For more gaming and games industry videos, including convention coverage and in-depth developer interviews, be sure to follow both Shacknews and GamerHub.tv over on YouTube.