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Dial H For Hero

Dial H For Hero's Journal
Dial H For Hero's Journal
July 12, 2020

Dentist who slaughtered Cecil the lion 'hunts and kills protected wild ram' just four years later

https://www.yahoo.com/news/dentist-slaughtered-cecil-lion-hunts-230627252.html

The American dentist who killed Cecil the lion is reported to have hunted another endangered wild animal.

Walter Palmer is said to have slaughtered a protected ram in Mongolia, paying up to £80,000 for the kill.

The hunter, who prompted a worldwide outpouring of fury when he targeted Cecil five years ago, was identified as one of two men in a photo with the dead Altai argali – the largest wild sheep in the world.

The image posted on social media shows the pair posing with their kill during a trip to Asia, although their faces are cropped from sight.

(excerpt0
July 11, 2020

Chief: Video shows man killed by Detroit police fired first

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/chief-video-shows-man-killed-by-detroit-police-fired-first/2020/07/10/8a738b5e-c313-11ea-8908-68a2b9eae9e0_story.html

DETROIT — Video released by Detroit police show a young man appearing to shoot at an officer at close range Friday before fellow officers opened fire, killing the suspect.

Police Chief James Craig told reporters as he released the video Friday evening that the suspect he identified as 20-year-old Hakeem Littleton was no more than 3 feet (0.91 meters) away when he began shooting.

“It’s simply a miracle he wasn’t struck in the head,” Craig said about the officer.

Hours earlier, dozens of protesters converged at the site of the shooting on Detroit’s west side, yelling at police and chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “Defund DPD!”

(excerpt)
July 10, 2020

Trump says he's 'looking at' pardoning Roger Stone ahead of prison term

Source: Washington Post

President Trump told reporters Friday that he is “looking at” pardoning Roger Stone, as he continued to build suspense over whether he will intervene on behalf of his former aide and longtime confidant before he is scheduled to report to prison next week.

As the president left the White House en route to Florida for a series of events, he was asked about the prospect of issuing a pardon to Stone, who was convicted in a trial last year of lying to Congress and witness tampering.

“Well, I’ll be looking at it,” Trump said. “I think Roger Stone was very unfairly untreated, as were many people.”

Trump’s latest remarks followed comments in a pair of interviews Thursday that suggested that he is leaning in the direction of a pardon.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-says-hes-looking-at-pardoning-roger-stone-ahead-of-prison-term/2020/07/10/d1a1e5ea-c2b7-11ea-b4f6-cb39cd8940fb_story.html

July 10, 2020

I Got a Sneak Peek of Walt Disney World Before They Re-Open in the COVID-19 Era

http://disneyparkpride.com/2020/07/10/animal-kingdom-covid-19-reopening-walt-disney-world/

An interesting look at how Disney World will be handling things when they open back up tomorrow.
July 10, 2020

(Seattle) After CHOP, no armed police officers allowed inside Molly Moon's ice cream shop

https://komonews.com/news/local/after-chop-no-armed-police-officers-allowed-inside-molly-moons-ice-cream-shop

SEATTLE – This week, Molly-Moon Neitzel posted a sign outside her Capitol Hill ice cream shop. “Police officers, Molly Moon’s is a gun free zone. Please do not come inside if you are wearing a firearm,” the sign reads.

Moon-Neitzel, who owns nine ice cream shops across the region, said the signs only hang at the Capitol Hill location. She said the move comes after hundreds of armed officers visited her shop while CHOP was being dismantled. “We had a few hundred come in, packing their guns and it was making my employees feel uncomfortable.”

Moon-Neitzel said all of her shops have been gun-free for roughly five years, but after CHOP, she said she felt like she needed to specifically clarify, this policy includes armed police officers. “They were intimidating and causing some of my black and brown employees to feel unsafe.”

(exerpt)
July 2, 2020

Background checks, a metric for gun sales, hit all-time high

https://apnews.com/8ddad3189eb8864e9ae6b123e09b6900

Historic numbers of background checks to purchase or possess a firearm were done in June, a trend in a year marked by uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic, a subsequent economic recession, protests over racial injustice and calls to reduce police funding.

FBI numbers released Wednesday show that 3.9 million background checks were conducted last month, the most since the system was created in November 1998 to ensure felons and other prohibited people could not buy or possess a firearm. The previous monthly record came in March, when 3.7 million checks were done. Each week in June is now in the top 10 weeks for background checks.

Halfway through 2020, just over 19 million checks have been done, more than all of 2012 and each of the years before that.

Background checks are the key barometer of gun sales, but the FBI’s monthly figures also incorporate checks for permits that some states require to carry a firearm. Each background check also could be for the sale of more than one gun.


(Excerpt)

June 25, 2020

I just booked a vacation for next year in Thailand.

Both the airfare and the tour itself are fully refundable until shortly before departing, so if travel reetrictions are still in place half a year from now I'll just delay it. Let's hope things are better by then.

June 16, 2020

Serial Random Attacker Cuffed in Hydrant Head Smash of 92-Year-Old NYC Woman: Cops

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/disturbing-video-shows-random-attack-hydrant-head-smash-of-92-year-old-woman-in-manhattan/2466659/

(video at link)

A 31-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an apparently random attack on a 92-year-old woman in Manhattan four days ago, authorities say.

The suspect, Rashid Brimmage of the Bronx, was charged with assault shortly after he was taken into custody Tuesday. Police believe he is the person seen on disturbing video shoving the 92-year-old woman to the ground on Third Avenue between 15th and 16th streets on Friday afternoon.

The woman hit her head on a fire hydrant as she was pushed. Jarring surveillance footage captured the attack. It shows the woman walking along the street. A man is seen approaching her from the opposite direction.

As they pass, the man calmly flicks out one arm and topples the woman, along with her shopping cart, to the pavement. She was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

(excerpt)
June 14, 2020

'I felt violated': Police search Maryland house over BB gun in virtual class

https://abc3340.com/news/nation-world/i-felt-violated-police-search-maryland-house-over-bb-gun-in-virtual-class

BALTIMORE, Md. (WBFF) – A Baltimore County family is warning other parents after they say police were called to their house over something that happened during a virtual school lesson. The incident is raising concerns over privacy and safety in the era of online learning.

As a Navy veteran with four years of active duty, Courtney Lancaster has extensive knowledge of guns, how to use them and how to store them.

Her 11-year-old son, who owns BB guns, is a boy scout in fifth grade at Seneca Elementary School.

“He's just a very intellectual child, but he's all boy as well. He loves to be outside and play and ride his bikes and that sort of thing,” Courtney told Project Baltimore.

In his pursuit of becoming an Eagle Scout, Courtney says her son has learned how to shoot a BB gun and an airsoft gun. He’s also taken three levels of archery lessons. His mother says he stores his bow and guns on this wall in his bedroom. It’s never been a problem until June 1, when police pulled up outside her house.

“I had no idea what to think. I've never been in any legal trouble whatsoever. I've never had any negative encounter with law enforcement,” said Courtney. “I had no idea. I really didn't know what to think.”

Courtney says she was home with her son who’s been doing virtual learning since schools shut down in March.

“So, I answered the door. The police officer was, he was very nice. He explained to me that he was coming to address an issue with my son's school,” Courtney told Project Baltimore. “And then explained to me that he was here to search for weapons, in my home. And I consented to let him in. And then I, unfortunately, stood there and watched police officers enter my 11-year-old son's bedroom.”

Courtney was told someone had seen the guns in her son’s bedroom during a Google Meet class on his laptop.

“I thought, this is outrageous. This is despicable,” she said. “I had no idea what in the world could this be over? BB guns never even once entered my mind. How many 11-year-old boys have BB guns?”

According to emails Courtney later exchanged with a school administrator, a screenshot was taken during the online class. The principal of Seneca Elementary was notified. Courtney says she was told the school safety officer then called police.

“I felt violated as a parent, for my child, who's standing there with police officers in his room, just to see the fear on his face,” she said.

Courtney says the police officers were in her home for about 20 minutes and found no violations. No laws were broken and no dangers present. They left without any further action, but Courtney wasn’t done.

Since that day, she has written school administrators, the superintendent and the school board, demanding answers. She says the principal initially compared bringing a weapon to a virtual class to bringing a gun to school.

She was also told she could not see the screenshot of her son’s bedroom, because it’s not part of his student record.

“It's absolutely scary to think about,” Courtney said. “Who are on these calls? Who do we have viewing your children and subsequently taking these screenshots that can be sent anywhere or used for any purpose?”

Project Baltimore reached out to Baltimore County Schools requesting an interview. We received this statement, “Our longstanding policy is to not debate individual circumstances through the media. There are multiple ways for families to share concerns with us. In general terms, the safety of students and staff is our chief concern, whether we are meeting in classrooms or via continuity of learning.”

Courtney says she understands the safety concerns, but no one called her first before involving police.

“There's no more trust. There have just been a series of lies and just no cooperation,” she said.

Now, she worries about the future of virtual learning without clear policies in place.

“So, what are the parameters? Where are the lines drawn? If my son is sitting at the kitchen island next to a butcher block, does that constitute a weapon? It's not allowed at school, right? So, would my home then be searched because he's sitting next to a butcher block,” Courtney said. “I feel like parents need to be made aware of what the implications are, what the expectations are.”
June 12, 2020

'Gone With the Wind' Hits No. 1 on Amazon Best-Sellers Chart After HBO Max Drops Movie

https://variety.com/2020/digital/uncategorized/gone-with-the-wind-amazon-best-seller-hbo-max-1234630577/



“Gone With the Wind” zipped to the top of Amazon’s best-sellers sales chart for TV and movies, a day after WarnerMedia’s HBO Max pulled the movie for “racist depictions.”

Amazon bases its rankings on sales data. The site currently offers the 70th anniversary two-disc DVD edition of “Gone With the Wind” starting at $29.55, while Amazon Video offers the movie as a digital HD rental at $3.99 and for purchase at $9.99.

Meanwhile, on Apple’s iTunes movie chart for the U.S., “Gone With the Wind” on Wednesday was in the No. 5 spot (after “The Hunt,” “Birds of Prey,” “Bad Boys for Life,” and “The Invisible Man”).

Oscar-winning film “Gone With the Wind” was removed Tuesday from the HBO Max streaming service temporarily. WarnerMedia said it plans to return to the movie to the library, along with a discussion about the historical context for the 1939 movie and a “denouncement” of the movie’s racist stereotypes.

“’Gone With The Wind’ is a product of its time and depicts some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that have, unfortunately, been commonplace in American society,” an HBO Max spokesperson told Variety. “These racist depictions were wrong then and are wrong today, and we felt that to keep this title up without an explanation and a denouncement of those depictions would be irresponsible.”

“Gone With the Wind” stars Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Hattie McDaniel and Olivia de Havilland. The film, adapted from the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell, is described on Amazon.com’s website as “a classic epic of the American South,” set during the Civil War and the Reconstruction era.

The movie, produced by David O. Selznick, won eight competitive Oscars including best picture, best actress for Leigh, best director for Victor Fleming and best supporting actress for McDaniel, who was the first Black person to ever win an Academy Award. The American Film Institute ranks “Gone With the Wind” as the No. 4 best American movie of all time, after “Citizen Kane,” “Casablanca,” and “The Godfather.”

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