Wednesday, December 24, 2014With the English-language Wikinews continuing to increase the amount of original content published, we take a look back at some of the eighty-plus original reports from our contributors during 2014.
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Monday, April 23, 2018
March 20, Mark Meechan of Scotland was found guilty of “being grossly offensive” in violation of the Communications Act of 2003. Meechan, who goes by “Count Dankula” on YouTube, posted a video on the social media site in which he trained a pug, a small companion dog, to respond to spoken words such as “Sieg Heil” and “Gas the Jews”. Sentencing for Meechan has been scheduled for <L>April 23</L>.
In April of 2016, Meechan uploaded a video titled “M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi” to YouTube in which he trained the dog to respond to certain spoken commands. The dog, which belongs to his girlfriend Suzanne Kelly, learned to raise its front paw when the “Sieg Hitler” command was given, and jumped for joy when the words “Gas the Jews” were spoken. The video was viewed three million times before it was put on ‘restricted mode’ on YouTube. In the video, which runs 2m:23s, Meechan states that he is not a racist. The prosecution called the video “an odious criminal act that was dressed up to look like a joke.”
Meechan’s defense, led by attorney Ross Brown, centered around the video being a joke. Meechan wanted to annoy his girlfriend because he didn’t really like the dog. Brown further argued that Meechan expected the video to be viewed only by Kelly and a few other friends and didn’t expect it to go viral. Kelly testified to Meechan never expressing any antisemitic views.
Director of the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities Ephraim Borowski, testified for the prosecution. “In many ways, the bit I found most offensive was the repetition of ‘gas the Jews’ rather than the dog itself,” said Borowski. “Material of this kind goes to normalize the antisemitic views that frankly we thought we had seen the last of… The Holocaust is not a subject for jocular content.”
The sheriff court with Derek O’Carroll presiding in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire found that Meechan was guilty because the video was “anti-Semitic and racist in nature”. O’Carroll elaborated: “This court has taken the freedom of expression into consideration, but the right to freedom of expression also comes with responsibility.”
O’Carroll further said, “The accused is quite obviously an intelligent and articulate man. The accused knew that the material was offensive and knew why it was offensive. Despite that the accused made a video containing anti-Semitic content and he would have known it was grossly offensive to many Jewish people.”
After the conviction, some British comedians voiced their support for Meechan. Ricky Gervais tweeted: “If you don’t believe in a person’s right to say things that you might find “grossly offensive”, then you don’t believe in Freedom of Speech.” David Baddiel also tweeted, saying “an actual Nazi would not be teaching his *pug* to Hitler salute.”
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byAlma Abell
The construction industry makes use of various types of heavy equipment including something called a telehandler. This large machine is also referred to as a telescopic handler and acts as a forklift and crane in the construction and agriculture industries. It can accommodate various types of attachments like forks, buckets, and platforms which make it an indispensable machine for various applications. The following will cover some ways you can use a Telehandler Rental in Harrisburg, PA.
Forks
Forks are used just like you would use a standard forklift except when attached to a telehandler, it is used for very heavy duty jobs. Pallet forks, lumber forks, and cubing forks are the three types of forks used with telehandlers. The pallet fork is used in the same way as a forklift, lumber forks are wider and good for stacking wood and lumber, and the cubing pallet is ideal for loading, unloading, and stacking bricks or blocks on the job site.
Buckets
Buckets are attachments used to scoop, carry, and drop loose materials. A telehandler with a bucket can be used to clean up gravel, dirt, and other loose debris on a job site. It is also for clearing areas for construction. Buckets come with teeth and in a variety of sizes and types depending on the application. You may also hear them referred to as material buckets. Another type of bucket attachment used is the grapple bucket which is used for bulkier loads and materials. Grapple buckets are often used for cleanup at disaster sites.
Platforms
Platforms are also called work platforms since they are used to hold and lift people and materials necessary for the job. These attachments come in a variety of sizes and types to suit the project for which you need it. If you have the need for heavy equipment for use in high places, telehandlers with platforms can help you get the job done.
Other attachments may include truss booms, towers, augers, and winches. The key to the project for which you need a telehandler is to choose a quality Telehandler Rental in Harrisburg, PA company. Slaymaker Rental & Supply Co. of Lancaster, Pennsylvania rents various types of heavy and construction equipment including telescopic handlers in various sizes and for various applications.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Ian Narev, the CEO of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, this morning “unreservedly” apologised to clients who lost money in a scandal involving the bank’s financial planning services arm.
Last week, a Senate enquiry found financial advisers from the Commonwealth Bank had made high-risk investments of clients’ money without the clients’ permission, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars lost. The Senate enquiry called for a Royal Commission into the bank, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Mr Narev stated the bank’s performance in providing financial advice was “unacceptable”, and the bank was launching a scheme to compensate clients who lost money due to the planners’ actions.
In a statement Mr Narev said, “Poor advice provided by some of our advisers between 2003 and 2012 caused financial loss and distress and I am truly sorry for that. […] There have been changes in management, structure and culture. We have also invested in new systems, implemented new processes, enhanced adviser supervision and improved training.”
An investigation by Fairfax Media instigated the Senate inquiry into the Commonwealth Bank’s financial planning division and ASIC.
Whistleblower Jeff Morris, who reported the misconduct of the bank to ASIC six years ago, said in an article for The Sydney Morning Herald that neither the bank nor ASIC should be in control of the compensation program.
Saturday, April 2, 2005
Ted Koppel announced he plans to quit as host of the ‘Nightline’ television program after his contract runs out December 4, 2005.
Executives at ABC are considering canceling the Nightline program after his departure or possibly changing the show to a live, hour-long format.
Nightline has fallen behind in rankings compared with programs such as “Meet the Press” and “Face the Nation”. Network news in general is losing ground in recent years to cable news, talk shows and the Internet. Television anchormen who have left in the past several months include Tom Brokaw of NBC and Dan Rather of CBS. The only other major television anchorman of the past few decades who remains in his chair is Peter Jennings, who has been on ABC’s “World News Tonight” since 1982.
Koppel began working for ABC in 1963, serving as a foreign correspondent for the network. He started working for the Nightline program in March 1980. The program, started in 1979, was created to provide nightly news updates on the Iran hostage crisis.
Koppel is 65 years old and has a daughter named Andrea Koppel, who is the CNN correspondent to the Department of State. He says he has no plans to retire, but he is looking into other projects. Koppel received numerous awards for journalism, including 41 Emmy awards.
Friday, March 20, 2009
In the United States, a suspended Pennsylvania state trooper has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing his girlfriend’s estranged husband.
Kevin Foley, 43, faces a mandatory life sentence without parole for slashing to death John Yelenic, a Blairsville dentist who was in the final stages of divorcing his wife, Michele. Foley’s attorney said he plans to appeal the decision. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.
Foley previously said he “loathed Dr. Yelenic” and asked another fellow trooper to help kill him. During his testimony, which lasted several hours, Foley claimed he was joking and had no true intention of carrying out the threat, but the Indiana County jury rejected that defense after about six hours of deliberations.
John Yelenic was found dead in his home on April 13, 2006, one day before he was planning on signing his divorce papers. Charges were brought against Foley in September 2007, more than 17 months after the murder.
Foley, who had been on suspension from the Pennsylvania State Police, was himself the final witness to take the stand Wednesday in the trial. Foley insisted he was innocent during his testimony, and even made jokes that the jury laughed at on a few occasions.
“I never made a threat with the intention of carrying it out,” Foley said under cross-examination by the prosecution.
When Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony Krastek pressed Foley for what was funny about asking another state trooper to help him kill Yelenic, Foley answered, “There isn’t any joke. It’s just my personality, my behavior (with co-workers).”
Prosecutors said Foley killed Yelenic after going to the dentist’s house to confront him over the terms of the divorce. Prosecutors claim Foley slashed Yelenic several times with a knife and pushed his head through a small window. Yelenic bled to death.
“John has his justice tonight,” Mary Ann Clark, a cousin of Yelenic, told MSNBC. “John deserved this; he was the most wonderful person in the world. He died the most horrible death and tonight, this is his night. The system worked.”
Foley had been living with Michele Yelenic for two years at the time of the homicide. Prosecutors previously said Foley and Michele helped perpetuate rumors that Dr. Yelenic molested their son. John and Michele Yelenic had been separated in 2002. Michele Yelenic stood to collect Dr. Yelenic’s estate and a US$1 million life insurance policy, and could lose about $2,500 a month in support if the divorce was finalized, a Pennsylvania grand jury previously determined.
Michele Yelenic, who has not appeared at the trial, may face legal action herself, media reports indicated. A sentencing hearing for Foley is scheduled for June 1.
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byphineasgray
Your economic well-being is most important to you and for this reason, you need, not should, have Auto Insurance. Having a car is an investment you must care for and protect. If you do not have car insurance, you run the risk of seeing your investment lost. By having auto insurance, you have the peace of mind that you will be covered in the case of an accident.
Insuring your car is important for your safety and that of others! While it may not have happened to you, it is hard to gauge the problems that a car accident can bring. Beyond the initial trauma, you have to think about associated healthcare, bills and so on.
What if you do not have Auto Insurance?
You are required to pay out of pocket for the repairs and spare parts, without certainty that the car is back to its original state. You must also include the repair of other cars if you were at fault. Just imagine what you would have to pay if you were at fault for hitting a Mercedes Benz. If you take your car to a mechanic, you cannot know the risks associated with repairing or replacing parts. There are many cases where the auto shop will give you a guarantee, but sometimes that is not enough.
Most of all though, you will be fined by the state if you do not have insurance on your vehicle, especially if you were at fault.
What can insurance do to protect you?
Protecting yourself with auto insurance includes having the support of a reliable company that will take care of your car by sending it to the best workshops and even the manufacturer itself. Insurance companies handle high volumes of cases like this, so you will know that insurance companies will pay out. The only problem is that you may run across a company or two that wants to “low-ball” you. Never let that happen because your car or truck is a major investment. If you are at fault, take responsibility. However, if you were not at fault, make sure that your insurance company works to get you back on the road.
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Friday, December 12, 2008
A US$14 billion bailout package deal for the “Big Three” United States automakers — Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors — has been rejected in the United States Senate after failing a procedural vote.
The bill was rejected after bipartisan discussions on the bailout broke down when Republican Party leaders insisted that the United Auto Workers (UAW) union agree to increase wage cuts by next year in order to bring their pay into line with those of Japanese automobile companies in the United States. The UAW refused to meet the demands.
The final vote count in the Senate was 52-35, eight short of the 60 needed to pass. Only ten Republicans joined forty Democrats and two independents in voting for the bill. Three Democrats voted with thirty-one Republicans against it.
Senate Majority leader Harry Reid said that he was “terribly disappointed” by the failure of the bill to pass. “I dread looking at Wall Street tomorrow. It’s not going to be a pleasant sight,” Reid said. “Millions of Americans, not only the auto workers but people who sell cars, car dealerships, people who work on cars are going to be directly impacted and affected.”
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Republican Senator Bob Corker was also unhappy about the rejection. “We were about three words away from a deal. We solved everything substantively and about three words keep us from reaching a conclusion,” he said.
Some Democrats now want U.S. President Bush to reserve a portion of the $700 billion bailout package earmarked for Wall Street to assist the flagging car industry.
Stock markets worldwide fell dramatically on the news, with Japan’s Nikkei average losing 484.68 points, or 5.6 percent, reaching a level of 8253.87 points. Shares in the auto companies Toyota, Nissan and Honda all dropped by no less than 10 percent apiece. European stocks, such as those in the United Kingdom and Germany, also lost ground, with the FTSE-100 index of leading shares falling 176.3 points to a level of 4,211 at midday.
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By Scott Lindsay
US Government reports indicate nearly 98 million Americans have likely used marijuana at least once in their lives. Trends also indicate increased use among high school and college students.
There has been a push in recent years for the legalization of marijuana use for medicinal purposes. In essence the hope of this push is to make marijuana available to patients as prescribed by a qualified physician.
Marijuana was actually used in pharmacology prior to 1930. Once the use of the weed was prohibited a portion of the American public responded in much the way they had during prohibition. Marijuana had suddenly gained strong underground support.
Those who have lobbied for the medicinal use of this drug have well documented evidence to support the use for those who have specific forms of nausea and pain. It has also proven useful in the treatment of glaucoma and multiple sclerosis.
There is also a concerted push to make the use of marijuana legal for any kind of use. Proponents of the idea suggest that marijuana has no viable commercial opportunity if it is legalized. The reason this is a common belief is that this drug comes from a weed that is easily cultivated with minimal processing. Secondarily, unlike tobacco the use of marijuana requires only a small amount for full effect. In the end the hope is that there comes a time when marijuana is allowed for personal use it will generally be a personal decision to cultivate the plant.
Those opposed to the idea of legalizing this drug indicate it is a drug that generally is a stepping-stone to harder drugs that are also illegal. Government statistics seem to back up this assertion.
Should marijuana be legalized it may also bring up a complicated new dynamic in the operation of motor vehicles. Because marijuana can cause confusion and increases heart rates there may be a need for laws related to what levels would be accepted for marijuana use in relation to driving.
Both sides of the debate also have divergent opinions on the impact of crime should this drug be legalized. Proponents believe that when it is legal to grow and harvest marijuana crime will decrease because the drug culture aspect of marijuana use will be brought into a more mainstream setting. Opponents believe that when it is legalized it will simply invite more widespread use and an increased appetite for additional drug experimentation.
Some opponents also contend that long-term use of marijuana is likely to increase lung cancer rates due to reports that indicate the carcinogenic effects may be as much as 70% higher than tobacco use.
Some would contend that what may have started as a well intentioned idea has turned into massive enforcement issues when legalization would make most issues simply go away.
Opponents point to the nearly 2 million marijuana related arrests in 2006 and the average age of 24 for those seeking addiction treatments as signs of widespread addiction. This leads many to believe that there should be continued enforcement of existing laws instead of making it easier to gain access to marijuana.
Two determined points of view with articulate voices on both sides of the issue. Has any of the above information challenged your perspective?
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