A record 50 Million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles
or more between today and this Wednesday.
43 Million will drive and 4 Million will take a plane and the
3 Million will take a Bus, Train, Boat, etc.
Take it easy, stay cool and have a great 4th of
July!
From Yahoo/People:
“Alan Arkin, Oscar-Winning 'Little Miss Sunshine' Actor, Dead
at 89 (Exclusive)”
Alan Arkin, the Academy Award and Tony Award-winning actor,
has died at 89.
His death was confirmed to PEOPLE exclusively by his sons
Adam, Matthew and Anthony, who jointly offered a statement on the family’s
behalf: "Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an
artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was
adored and will be deeply missed." Most recently, Arkin costarred in The
Kominsky Method for Netflix alongside Michael Douglas, earning Emmy nominations
in 2019 and 2020, and Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations in 2020
and 2021. In Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Arkin played Edwin Hoover, the
grandfather of the dysfunctional family. His role — which only spanned 14
minutes of screen time — earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Arkin's
memorable turn in the 2012 Ben Affleck-directed political drama Argo earned him
his fourth Oscar nomination. He played veteran producer Lester Siegel, whose
sharp sense of humor and biting line delivery won over audiences. His son, Adam
Arkin, 66, is also a well-known actor and director who has starred on TV hits
including Chicago Hope, 8 Simple Rules and Sons of Anarchy.
Alan Arkin was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 26, 1934; his family moved to Los Angeles during his childhood. That 'is why I don't live there now," Arkin quipped to PEOPLE in 1979 from his home in Chappaqua, New York.
After finishing high school, Arkin attended several different
colleges and dropped out of at least three, including Bennington College in
Vermont, which lists him as an alumnus of the class of 1955. "They might
have thrown me out," Arkin told PEOPLE of his experience in college in a
1979 story about him and his second wife, actress Barbara Dana. "I don't
remember." After leaving college Arkin embarked on a brief career in music
with a folk group called the Tarriers, where he sang and played guitar. The
short-lived group produced the hit top-5 single 'The Banana Boat Song' in 1957.
But Arkin, who had taken acting lessons since childhood, quit the band and set
about trying to establish himself as an actor. By 1960, Arkin arrived in
Chicago and became an early member of the Second City improvisational comedy
troupe, according to a history on the organization's website. "Second City
saved my life. It literally saved my life," Arkin said. "I have a
feeling it's true for a lot of other people, too."
After spending some time on the Second City stage in Chicago,
Arkin made his Broadway debut in 1961 in From the Second City and followed it
up with a Tony-winning performance in 1963's Enter Laughing. More television
and film roles followed in the years after Arkin first made it big on Broadway;
he received his first of four career Oscar nominations in 1967 for his role in
the comedy The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.
Over the next 50-plus years, Arkin went on to appear in more
than 100 movies and films, notably starring in movies like The Heart is a
Lonely Hunter (1968), which earned him his second Oscar nomination; Catch-22
(1970); Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Glengarry Glen Ross (1992).
In addition to his work in film and on the stage, Arkin was
nominated for six Emmy Awards, most recently for The Kominsky Method. He left
the show before its third season in 2021. "I'm like a horse going down the
trail," he told The Guardian in 2020. "Acting is so ingrained in my
physiognomy and the channels of my brain that I find myself missing aspects of
the business. But I don’t need it any more. I should probably get over it.”
Arkin is survived by his wife Suzanne Newlander, whom he
married in 1996, and three children: sons Adam Arkin and Matthew Arkin, whom he
shared with first wife Jeremy Yaffe, and Anthony Dana Arkin, whom he shared
with second wife Dana.
^ This is sad.
He's in one of my favorite movies: 1966's 'The Russians are
Coming, the Russians are Coming."
It is the only American Movie of the 1960s (at the height of
the Cold War) to be allowed to be publicly shown to Soviet and Eastern Bloc
Audiences.
He was in 1968's "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter"
(one of the first American Films about the Disabled.)
He was also in 1982's "The Last Unicorn."
He was also in 1987's "Escape from Sobibor."
And many more films I like. ^
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/alan-arkin-oscar-winning-little-134018888.html
From Euronews:
“'Left to cope on my own': Heatwave gripping Spain is hitting
people with disabilities hardest”
(Fernando Uceta uses a portable oxygen concentrator backpack
with a battery to breathe as he sits in the balcony of his house during the
first summer heatwave, in Barcelona.)
Extreme weather in Spain is affecting its citizens with
disabilities disproportionately, leaving many to fend for themselves without
support. As a heatwave rolling over Spain entered its second day on Tuesday,
Barcelona residents disproportionately affected by extreme temperatures due to
disabilities were mostly forced to suffer the heat indoors. The advocacy group
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released on Monday that people with
disabilities faced risks of death, and physical, social, and mental health
distress due to extreme heat, particularly if "left to cope with dangerous
temperatures on their own". "I
stay in bed almost without clothes and the fan turned on its maximum
setting," Fernando Uceta, 62, a Barcelona man who suffers from chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease and received a double lung transplant last
August, told Reuters.
'It's discouraging for me' During excessive heat, Uceta struggles more to breathe
and feels very tired. He also needs to spray himself with water. "It's
discouraging for me that I can hardly go outside," said Uceta, who shares
a flat with a friend and a cat named "Queen," explaining he could not
afford an air-conditioning unit that would send his electricity bill rocketing.
According to HRW, poverty is another factor that exacerbates risks faced by
extreme heat.
No specific heat wave plans for the disabled In an interview HRW carried out in
Andalusia following temperatures as high as 50C in July 2022, Lauren Sanchez, a
41-year-old woman with a physical disability from Seville said she felt
"abandoned by the government". Heatwaves due to climate change
are predicted to occur more regularly in Southern Europe, according to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and as per the Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), countries are responsible for
the protection and safety of people with disabilities. Yet, HRW found
that Spain's 2022 National Heatwave Action Plan does not formulate specific
actions required to address the risks those with disabilities face. There
isn't specific data on the number of deaths among those with disabilities
because of extreme temperatures. But the Spanish government does collect data
according to age. In 2022, over
98 percent of around 4,600 heat-related mortalities in Spain were people aged
65 and older. According to HRW, over half of the people with
disabilities registered in Spain are 65 and older, meaning they would've been
affected disproportionally in the face of extreme heat.
^ This is so sad. I know many Elderly and Disabled People (not
just in Spain, but around the US and the World) that need and deserve some help
- especially during a Heat Wave. ^
From the BBC:
“Scot Peterson not guilty over Parkland school shooting
response”
A former sheriff's deputy has been found not guilty of
failing to protect students when a gunman opened fire at a Florida high school
in 2018. Scot Peterson stayed outside during the attack at Marjory Stoneman
Douglas High School in Parkland, near Miami. Mr Peterson, the school's resource
officer, was found not guilty of 11 charges including felony child neglect,
culpable negligence and perjury. The attack, among the deadliest at a US
school, saw 17 killed and 17 injured. Mr Peterson, 60, put his head in his
hands and began sobbing as the verdicts were read out in court in Fort
Lauderdale. After the verdict, Mr Peterson told reporters that he would like to
talk to the parents of the students who were killed. "If they need to
really know the truth of what occurred... I'll be there for them," he
said.
But Tony Montalto, whose daughter Gina was one of the
students murdered, said he continued to blame Mr Peterson for not trying to
stop the shooting. "His inaction contributed to the shock, the devastation
of students and teachers at that school," Mr Montalto told reporters.
"We don't understand how this jury looked at the evidence that was
presented and found him not guilty." "All I can say to the members of
the jury is: 'I think your school should hire him to protect your
children,'" he said.
The jury heard testimony that when the attack occurred on 14
February 2018, Mr Peterson, who was armed but was not wearing body armour,
stayed in an alcove adjacent to the school building for 30 or 40 minutes until
the shooting stopped. A Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation
found he "did absolutely nothing to mitigate" the shooting. Critics, including
then-President Donald Trump, branded him a coward. Mr Peterson is believed to
be the first US officer charged with failing to respond to a school shooting,
according to the National Association of School Resource Officers. He could
have faced a sentence of up to 97 years in prison if he had been convicted. There
is no law that requires a police officer to put themselves in the line of fire,
or risk their lives during a shooting, so prosecutors chose to charge him with
felony child negligence. The case hinged on whether Mr Peterson had a legal
obligation to try to stop the killer. But the defence focused on Mr Peterson's
long career, said that he was confused about the where the shots were coming
from, and argued that he could not be considered a "caregiver" under
a law typically used to prosecute parents or day care providers when children
are hurt while under their care.
In a statement, the Broward County State Attorney's Office
repeated its contention that Mr Peterson could have done more to save the
victims. "For the first time in our nation's history, prosecutors in this
case have tried to hold an armed school resource officer responsible for not
doing his job," the attorney's office said. "As parents, we have an
expectation that armed school resource officers - who are under contract to be
caregivers to our children - will do their jobs when we entrust our children to
them and the schools they guard." But Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova
Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, said it was a
"ridiculous" to attempt to legally designate Mr Peterson a caregiver
for hundreds of students. Mr Jarvis said the case had the potential to set
precedent for whether law enforcement - or even civilian school officials -
will face prosecution for failing to confront a gunman. "The government's
case always was a long shot at best, and clearly the jury saw that Peterson was
merely a scapegoat," Mr Jarvis said. "This will make it very unlikely
for other prosecutors to bring such a case" in the future, he said. Gunman
Nikolas Cruz, a former student at the school, was sentenced in November to life
in prison without the possibility of parole for the Parkland attack. Mr
Peterson's trial came after police officers in Uvalde, Texas also faced
criticism for failing to confront a killer. A report by the Texas Department of
Public Safety found a Uvalde police officer could have stopped the attack on
Robb Elementary School by shooting the killer before he entered, but hesitated
while awaiting permission from a supervisor. More than an hour later, a team of
US border patrol agents stormed the school, by which time the gunman had killed
19 children and two teachers and injured 17 others.
^ Every single member of that Jury should be ashamed of
themselves. They have set a horrible precedent that it is right for a School
Resource Officer, a Policeman/woman, a Security Guard, etc. to not do the 1
thing they are supposed to (and are trained and paid to do) stop violence.
I agree with Mr. Montalto: these Jurors should hire Petersen
(and people like him) at their Children’s Schools and in all the other places
they work, shop, go. Then if someone starts a mass shooting and the 1 person
who is supposed to protect them flees they only have themselves to blame for
the carnage.
It doesn’t really surprise me that this happened down in
Florida. ^
The 4th of July is coming up and with Fireworks of some kind
legal in 49 out of 50 States here is some helpful tips for Soldiers, Veterans
and Animals.
Happy Birthday In Different Languages
Afrikaans Gelukkige Verjaarsdag
Albanian (Gheg) Gzuar
Dit-lindjën
Aleut Raazdinyaam Ugutaa
Alsatian Viel Gleck zöm Gabursdàa
Amharic መልከም ልደት (mälkam lədät)
Arabic (Modern Standard) (kul 'am wa
antum bekheir) كل عام و أنت بخير
Armenian (Eastern) Ծնունդդ շնորհավոր (Tsnundet
shnorhavor)
Armenian (Western) շնորհաւոր ծննդեան տարեդարձ
(shuhnorhavor dzuhnuhntyan daretarts)
Azerbaijani Ad günün mübarək
Belarusian З днём нараджэння (Z
dniom naradžeńnia)
Bosnian Sretan rođendan
Bulgarian Честит рожден ден (Čestit
rožden den)
Catalan Per molts anys
Cherokee ᎤᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ ᏂᏣᏕᏘᏯ (Ulihelisdi nitsadetiya)
Chinese (Mandarin) 生日快樂 [生日快乐] (shēngrì kuàilè)
Croatian Sretan rođendan
Cree ᑲᐐᒥᔪᑎᐱᔅᑫᓐ (kawīmiyotipiskēn)
Czech Všechno nejlepší k narozeninám!
Danish Tillykke med fødselsdagen
Dari (Tuâda mobârak) تولد مبارک
Dutch Gelukkige verjaardag
Estonian Palju õnne sünnipäevaks
Faroese Tillukku við
føðingardegnum
Finnish Hyvää syntymäpäivää
French Joyeux anniversaire
German Alles Gute zum Geburtstag
Greek (Modern) Χρόνια Πολλά!
(Hrónia Pollá)
Greenlandic Inuuinni Pilluarit
Hawaiian Hauʻoli lā hānau
Hebrew יום הולדת שמח (Yom
huledet sameakh)
Hungarian Boldog születésnapot
Icelandic Til hamingju með afmælið
Indonesian Selamat ulang tahun
Inuktitut ᓇᓪᓕᐅᓂᖅᓯᐅᑦᓯᐊᕆᑦ (Nalliuniqsiutsiarit)
Irish (Gaelic) Breithlá sona duit
Italian Buon compleanno
Japanese お誕生日おめでとうございます (otanjōbi omedetō gozaimasu)
Khmer រីករាយថ្ងៃខួបកំណើត (rikréay thngey khuŏb kâmnaeut)
Latin Felix dies natalis
Latvian Daudz laimes dzimšanas
dienā!
Lithuanian Su gimtadieniu
Malay Selamat hari jadi
Maltese Heppi berdej
Manx (Gaelic) Laa-ruggyree sonney
dhyt
Māori Rā Whānau ki a Koe!
Mongolian Төрсөн өдрийн баяр хүргъе (Törsön
ödriin bayar xürgiye)
Nepali जन्मदिनको शुभकामना (janmadinako śubhakāmanā)
Norwegian Gratulerer med dagen
Pashto د زیږیدلو کلیزه دی مبارک شه (de
zaigaidelo kaleeza dai mubarak sha)
Persian (Farsi) تولدت مبارک (tavallodet mobārak)
Polish Sto lat!
Portuguese Feliz aniversário!
Romanian La mulți ani
Russian С днём рождения! (S dnëm
rozhdeniya!)
Serbian Срећан рођендан (Srećan
rođendan)
Slovak Všetko najlepšie k narodeninám
Slovenian Vse najboljše
Spanish ¡Feliz cumpleaños!
Swedish Grattis på födelsedagen
Tagalog Maligayang kaarawan
(Happy Birthday)
Thai สุขสันต์วันเกิด (sùk san wan gèrt)
Turkish Doğum günün kutlu olsun
Ukrainian З днем народження (Z dnem
narodžennia)
Vietnamese Chúc mừng sinh nhật
Welsh Penblwydd Hapus
Zulu Halala ngosuku lokuzalwa
Esperanto Feliĉan datrevenon
The 4th of July is coming up and with Fireworks of some kind
legal in 49 out of 50 States here is some helpful tips for Animals.
From the BBC:
“Royal finances: Where does the King get his money?”
(The King and his heirs Prince William and Prince George
pictured in Buckingham Palace on the day of the Coronation)
The government has confirmed how much money it gave to the
Royal Family in 2022-23. The taxpayer-funded settlement, known as the Sovereign
Grant, is paid every year - but is not the King's only source of income.
How much money does the Royal Family get from the taxpayer? For 2022-2023, the Sovereign Grant
was worth £86.3m, the same as in 2021-2022. But repairs to Buckingham
Palace - which is undergoing a 10-year £369m refurbishment plan - and the costs
associated with King Charles succeeding Queen Elizabeth, plus
higher-than-expected inflation, took total spending for the period to £107.5m.
That represents a 5% increase on the £102.4m spent the previous year. The
shortfall, with spending greater than the Sovereign Grant, meant drawing on
£20.7m from reserves.
What is the Sovereign Grant spent on? The King and other working members of
the Royal Family can only use the money to pay for expenses related to their
official duties. The vast majority is spent on the upkeep of properties
and staff costs. Members of the Royal Family carried out 2,700
engagements across the UK and abroad during the year. More than 95,000
guests attended 330 events at royal residences, including receptions, award
investitures and garden parties. Buckingham Palace received more than 183,000
items of correspondence.
How is the Sovereign Grant calculated?
The amount is based on a proportion of the profits of the
Crown Estate, a property business owned by the monarch but run independently.
It had assets worth £16.5bn in 2022. The Crown Estate includes almost
£8bn of properties in London, including Regent Street, as well as nearly half
the land along the coast of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is
not the King's private property - it merely belongs to the monarch for the
duration of their reign. The King cannot sell its assets or keep any profits
for himself. Normally, the amount for the monarchy is calculated as 15%
of the Crown Estate profits from the previous two years. The profits go to the
Treasury, but then 15% of that amount is used for the Sovereign Grant. However,
in 2017 it was agreed that this would increase to 25% for 10 years to help pay
for the Buckingham Palace repairs. Under the Sovereign Grant Act 2011,
if the Crown Estate's profits fall, the monarch still receives the same amount
as the previous year, with the government making up the difference. In
future, that percentage given to the Royals is likely to reduce, and a review
is currently under way with a decision expected in the next few months. This
follows an expected increase in profits from six new offshore wind farms on the
Crown Estate, worth £1bn. King Charles has already indicated that he would want
the extra money to be used for the "wider public good".
How old is the Crown Estate? The Crown Estate was originally the name
for the lands owned by the monarch - it dates from the time of the Norman
Conquest. In 1760, King George III reached an agreement with the
government to surrender his income from the Crown Estate. In return, it
was agreed that the King (and his successors) would receive a fixed annual
payment - known as the Civil List. The Sovereign Grant replaced the
Civil List in 2012.
How else does the Royal Family receive money? The King also receives money from a
private estate called the Duchy of Lancaster, which is passed down from monarch
to monarch. It covers more than 18,000 hectares of land in areas such as
Lancashire and Yorkshire, as well as property in central London. Worth £654m,
it generates about £20m a year in profits. Whoever holds the title of
Duke of Cornwall (currently Prince William) benefits from the Duchy of Cornwall.
It mainly covers land in south-west England. Worth £1bn, it generated a net
surplus of £24m in 2022-23. The King and Prince William receive the
profits from the duchies personally, and can spend them as they wish. However,
they are not entitled to any proceeds from the sale of any estate assets, which
must be reinvested. The monarch also owns the royal palaces (which are
not part of the Crown Estate) and part of the Royal Collection of art, but
these do not generate income. Some palaces are looked after and funded
by the Royal Family itself. Others - such as the Tower of London - are managed
by Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity. The Royal Collection
is also run by a charity, the Royal Collection Trust, which reinvests income
received from ticket sales and retail outlets. The Queen also earned
income through properties such as Sandringham and Balmoral, which she owned
personally. In addition, some Royal Family members have private art,
jewellery and stamp collections which they can sell or use to generate income
as they wish.
Do members of the Royal Family pay tax? In 1992, The Queen volunteered to pay
income tax and capital gains tax on her personal income, and the King does the
same. The two duchies are exempt from corporation tax, but the King and
the Prince of Wales voluntarily pay income tax on the revenue they generate.
They do not pay capital gains tax because they do not benefit personally
from any increase in the duchies' assets. Members of the Royal Family
pay tax on any income generated from privately-owned assets. King
Charles does not have to pay inheritance tax on the money he received when
Queen Elizabeth died, under the "sovereign to sovereign" exemption
agreed in 1993 by then Prime Minister John Major.
What about security and other costs? Some argue that the true cost of the
Royal Family is much greater than the size of the Sovereign Grant. It
does not cover their security arrangements, which are usually picked up by the
Metropolitan Police, although the cost is not disclosed. In May, the
Treasury confirmed that Queen Elizabeth II's funeral had cost the government an
estimated £162m. It is not yet known what the King's Coronation cost,
although unofficial estimates suggest it could be between £50m and £100m. Republic,
an organisation which campaigns for an elected head of state, previously
estimated that the total yearly cost of the monarchy - once security is
factored in - is about £345m.
How much money does the Royal Family generate for the UK
economy? It is
impossible to provide a concrete figure for the scale of the Royal Family's
contribution to the UK economy. Estimates vary considerably. The
consultancy Brand Finance argues the cost of Royal Family is eclipsed by what
it contributes by boosting tourism and trade. However, Republic
questions the validity of its sums, and argues that much of the Royal Family's
assets are in fact the property of the state, and have no value because they
cannot be sold.
^ Yikes! That’s a lot of money. ^
From Reuters:
“Turkmenistan opens futuristic city dedicated to leader”
(People attend the opening ceremony for the new city of
Arkadag, dedicated to the country's former president Kurbanguly
Berdymukhamedov, in Arkadag, Turkmenistan June 29, 2023.)
Turkmenistan opened a new, futuristic "smart" city
on Thursday dedicated to its former president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. The
city is named Arkadag, or protector, an unofficial title by which Turkmen media
have long referred to Berdymukhamedov, who on Thursday marked his 66th birthday
by travelling to the Muslim holy city of Mecca. A source close to the
government told Reuters the new city for 73,000 residents cost $3.3 billion to
build and there were plans to spend as much again in the next few years. All
the buildings in Arkadag are white and all apartment blocks are seven storeys
high, a number considered lucky. Only electric vehicles are allowed in the
city, which features monuments dedicated to a horse of the Turkmen Akhal Teke
breed and to Berdymukhamedov himself, and was built close to his native village
in southern Turkmenistan.
His son, President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 41, oversaw the
opening ceremony attended by foreign officials. Some brought presents, such as
an electric car from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. The elder
Berdymukhamedov ran the gas-rich desert nation of six million for 15 years
until 2022, becoming the centre of an elaborate personality cult where, for
example, all male civil servants followed their leader's example when deciding
whether or not to dye greying hair. He passed the leadership to his son but
retains many powers as the chairman of the People's Council.
^ The average monthly wage in Turkmenistan’s Capital of
Ashgabat is 5,230 Manats ($1,561 US Dollars.)
The average monthly wage in the rest of Turkmenistan is 1,320
Manats ($394 US Dollars.)
Of course it makes sense for the Turkmen Government to spend
$3.3 Billion US Dollars building a new city dedicated to its Former President
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow who ruled for 15 years (by the Current President
Serdar Berdimuhamedow – his Son.)
At least he didn’t get a tie for Father’s Day.
I guess it’s part of Turkmen Tradition:
President Saparmurat Niyazov (1990-2006):
In 1993, he changed the Turkmen Alphabet from Cyrillic (which
was forced upon them by the Russians in 1928) to the Latin Alphabet rather than the traditional Arabic Alphabet
Turkmen had used before 1928 and made it illegal for anyone to use the either
Arabic Turkmen or Cyrillic Turkmen.
In the 1990s, he made several anti-Russian Language Decrees
(including the Instruction and use of the Russian Language, changing Russian
Patronymics to Turkmen ones, etc. to discriminate against the Ethnic Russians
in Turkmenistan despite his Wife Muza Melnikova being ethnically Russian and
Jewish from Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) and his 2 Children being half
Russians.
In 2002, he renamed the months of the Turkmen Year and the
days of the Turkmen week (including changing April to his Mother’s Name of
Gurbansoltan – and I thought I was a Momma’s Boy.)
He also replaced the Turkmen word for bread with his Mother’s
name (Gurbansoltan.)
In 2001, he banned the Opera, Ballet, Circuses and
Philharmonic Orchestras.
In 2004, he fired every (15,000) Turkmen Doctor, Nurse, Midwife,
Orderly and Gymnastics Instructor and replaced them with Military Conscripts.
In 2005, he closed every hospital outside of the Capital of
Ashgabat stating that the sick should go to the Capital for treatment.
He banned car radios because he considered them to be
"useless".
In 2005, he banned video games because they were "too
violent for young Turkmen".
He built a $12 Million US Dollar Gold Stature of himself in
Ashgabat and made it rotate so it always faces the sun.
He gave every Turkmen a copy of the Book he wrote (“Ruhnama”)
and made it mandatory to be tested before anything (a Driving Test, a High
School Test, a University Exam, a Medical Exam, a Government Exam, a Wedding,
etc.)
He also gave every Turkmen a watch with his portrait as the
dial (he designed) and made it illegal for them to sell or damage it.
So sadly the Turkmen People have had to deal with Corrupt and
Wasteful Dictatorships for the past 98 years: from 1925-1991 when the Soviet
Union ruled them from Moscow, from 1991-2006 when Saparmurat Niyazov ruled
them, from 2006-2022 when Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow ruled them and since 2022
when his Son Serdar Berdimuhamedow took over.
Maybe one day the Turkmen People will be free and have a
President that spends Billions of US Dollars on improving the everyday lives of
the people in this Third World Country instead of Billions on useless watches
and cities. ^
Twin Sisters that were killed yesterday by Russia's Missile
Attack at a Restaurant in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
They were only 14 -
Yuliya and Anna Aksenchenko.
This is Russia “Only Hitting Military Targets.”
Today is Constitution Day in Ukraine (Ukrainian: День
Конституції.)
The current Constitution was signed in 1996.
Today, Russia continues to try and destroy everything
Ukrainian (the Ukrainian Language, Ukrainian Culture, Ukrainian Traditions,
Ukrainian Symbols and the Ukrainian People), but unlike the Russian People the
Ukrainian People go out and fight for their Identity and Rights.
From Disability Scoop:
“Adult-Size Changing Tables Poised To Become More Available”
(Tram Nguyen carries her daughter, Sadie Sava from her
wheelchair to an adult changing table in a family bathroom at the Mall of
America in Bloomington, Minn. in March.)
Buildings in Ohio and other states could see the addition of
changing tables for adults with disabilities because of advocacy by the
Montgomery County Board of Developmental disabilities and a Huber Heights
mother. Universal changing tables are long benches that can be used to change
the clothing of a person who has mobility issues. Several are installed
throughout the Miami Valley, and that number will expand after the Montgomery
County Board of Developmental Disabilities was awarded $125,000 in federal
funds to put toward the project.
The International Code Council, a group that informs what
requirements buildings need to safely house or serve people, adopted a new
protocol surrounding changing tables following the expert testimony of Jennifer
Corcoran, of Huber Heights; leaders of the Montgomery County Board of
Developmental Disabilities and several caretakers of people with disabilities
in 2021. The council ruled that starting in 2024, construction for new “high
traffic” buildings with six or more male and female restrooms will be required
to include changing tables large enough for adults.
Each state can choose whether to adopt this requirement into
its building code. If they do, impacted buildings could include universities
and schools, libraries and businesses, among others. “We have no reason to
believe it won’t go into Ohio building code in 2024,” Corcoran said. These
universal changing tables are not currently required by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA).
Corcoran serves as a program consultant for the Montgomery
County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and she leads two nonprofits geared
toward accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities. Corcoran said
she and her family made the decision early on that her son, Matthew, would not
miss out on life experiences due to his disability. Matthew, who is now 22,
uses a wheelchair and requires total care. “Full inclusion has been a major
goal for us,” she said. “We wanted him fully included in his community: he’s
just as important of a member as anyone else. But the lack of these tables has
been really the only stopper.” The Corcorans found that every outing needed to
be heavily planned: extra sets of clothing were packed, research about
resources at nearby buildings was made, necessary food and medication was
sorted and tucked away. There were days where fun events the family attended
were interrupted by Corcoran having to change her son in the back of the
family’s van. Corcoran sometimes, too, brought a portable massage table with
her to assist in the process. Neither of these options were ideal, and Corcoran
learned that her family was among many that make similar decisions during every
trip and appointment. Over the past several years, Matthew has had limited
travel beyond Columbus due to the lack of tables. Corcoran said that she’s
talked to some people who go without food and water when they’re away from home
because they’re unsure of where they can find a changing table large enough for
them. Others have their caretakers lay down a blanket or towel on the bathroom
floor to change them. Still others are left soiled. “It leaves them no dignity,”
Corcoran said. “It’s just awful. They can stay home and be isolated, or go out
and be soiled, or not eat, or have no privacy.”
This addition to international building code came years after
Cocoran worked with lawmakers in the Ohio House and Senate to pass legislation
related to changing tables for adults. All four attempts failed. Regardless of
work through the International Code Council, changing tables will be coming to
nearly 30 of Ohio’s revamped highway rest areas starting in 2024, Corcoran said.
Corcoran’s connection to the International Code Council came through her
county’s board of developmental disabilities. Supt. Dr. Pamela Combs, assistant
supt. Kamarr Gage and clinical psychologist Dr. Scott Kidd also presented
expert testimony to the International Code Council in 2021, weighing in on the
importance of the tables to the council. The board sought and received American
Rescue Plan Act funding to purchase and install changing tables across the
county. Heading the project is Mitchell Snyder, provider relations director of
the Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Snyder said the
board is working with multiple locations to incorporate the tables into their
restrooms. These tables can cost $2,500 or more, depending on their functions
for height adjustments.
Dayton International Airport will be home to an adult changing
table, as will the Dayton Art Institute. Plans for tables at several other
Montgomery County locations are still in the works, Snyder said. The new Huber
Heights branch of Dayton Metro Library also has a changing table installed,
using its own funds rather than federal relief. The board also has its own
table that can be booked for no charge. This table is mobile and
height-adjustable, Snyder said. “This will have a huge impact on adults who are
out and about,” Snyder said.
^ Along with Adult-Sized Changing Tables we need to require
Family Restrooms (not just a Disabled Stall in a Men’s Room or a Women’s Room.)
For 8 years I was a Caregiver to a Family Member who was
Female and in a wheelchair and we went around the Unites States and the World.
Most places don’t have Adult-Sized Changing Tables or Family Restrooms so it
was extremely hard for me (a Man) to help her (a Woman.) I always found a way,
but it shouldn’t be so difficult. ^
Birthday Parties and Celebrations:
The earliest birthday
parties were held because people believed evil spirits were particularly
attracted to people on their birthdays. At first it was only kings who were
recognized as important enough to have a birthday celebration. To protect them
from harm, friends and family would to come be with the birthday person and
bring good thoughts and wishes. Giving gifts brought even more good cheer to
ward off the evil spirits. As time went by, children became included in
birthday celebrations. The tradition of children's birthday parties first
started in Germany, Kinderfeste. The largest private birthday party to ever
happen was in 1970 for Colonel Harlan Sanders' 89th birthday. The event was
attended by over 35,000 people.
Birthday Cakes: One theory about
the origin of the birthday cake is that it originated with the Greeks, who
baked round cakes representing the full moon for their moon goddess, Artemis.
They placed candles on the cake to make it glow, like the moon. The Germans are
also credited with the first cakes and candles. They used a sweet, layered cake
and they put a large candle in the center of the cake to represent "the
light of life." Some people believe the smoke from extinguished candles
carries their birthday wishes up to heaven.
Birthday Cards: The tradition of
sending birthday cards started in England about 100 years ago. Originally cards
were often sent as an "apology" when a person couldn't visit somebody
in person.
Birthday Song: The Happy Birthday
song is more than one hundred years old. It was written in 1893 by two sisters,
Patty and Mildred Hill, who were schoolteachers in Louisville, Kentucky. The
tune was originally a morning greeting to their students entitled "Good
Morning To All." The lyrics were copyrighted in 1935, 11 years before
Patty's death, and the ownership has swapped hands in multi-million dollar
deals ever since. The current copyright is owned by Warner Communications. They
purchased it in 1989 for more than $22 million dollars. Happy Birthday is
recognized around the world and has been translated into dozens of languages.
It is one of the three most popular songs in the English language.
The Canadian Citizenship Act
77 years ago today (June 27, 1946) The Canadian Citizenship
Act (French: Loi sur la citoyenneté Canadienne) was passed. It created Canadian
Citizenship for the first time ever.
Brief Canadian Citizenship History:
From 1633-1763: Those living in the Colony of New France (Quebec) were
“French Citizens.” They later automatically became “British Subjects.”
From 1583-1867: Those living in the Colony of British North America (Canada)
were “British Subjects”, but not British Citizens.
From 1867- 1914: The British North American Act made those living in Canada
“British Subjects with a Connection to the Dominion of Canada.”)
From 1876-2013: The 1876 Indian Act made Indians living in Canada “Wards of
the State” subjected to the Federal Government and not the Provinces or
Territories. The Federal Government had direct say over what they could and
could not do.
It also created a separate “Status Indians” (those who
lived on Reservations and are on the Indian Register) and “Non-Status
Indians” (those not living on Reservations, not on the Indian Register and
neither considered Indians nor Canadians.) Non-Status Indians was done away
with in 2013.
From 1914-1946: Those living in Canada became “British Subjects and Canadian
Nationals.” The order is important to note.
From 1946-1982: Those living in Canada became “Canadian Citizens and British
Subjects.”
In 1953: a separate Canadian Monarchy was
created with Queen Elizabeth II (Queen Elizabeth 1 in Canada) becoming the
first Canadian Monarch and the First (and so far only) Canadian Queen.
King Charles III is the Current Canadian Monarch and the
First (and so far only) Canadian King.
It also created the Canadian Royal Family.
From 1946-1967: Any Canadian Citizen living outside of Canada for 10 years
or longer or who acquired Citizenship of another country automatically lost
their Canadian Citizenship.
From 1960-1982: Status Indians could also become “Canadian Citizens and
British Subjects” if they applied for. It.
From 1976- Present Day: Dual Citizenship is officially allowed in Canada.
From 1982-Present Day: When Canada became a
completely independent country due to Patriation those living in Canada
(including Indigenous Peoples) are now “Canadian Citizens and Commonwealth
Citizens.”
From 2009- Present Day: Re-instated Canadian Citizenship to those that had
automatically lost it between 1946-1976 if they apply for it. Limited
Citizenship to the Second Generation born outside of Canada.
In 2014: Gave Canadian Citizenship to “The Lost Canadians” (Those that should
have received Canadian Citizenship since 1946, but were denied it by the Canadian
Government despite their undeniable ties to Canada.)
Note: I am a dual Canadian and American Citizen as well as a Commonwealth
Citizen (through my Canadian Citizenship.)
I am considered a Natural Born Canadian (not Naturalized) and
a Natural-Born American (not Naturalized.)
This picture is a stamp that the Royal Mail Canada (today
Canada Post) created in 1946 to honor (honour in Canada) the new Canadian
Citizenship Law.
From the DW:
“Germany: Minimum wage to increase to €12.41 in 2024”
Germany is set to raise its minimum wage to €12.41 ($13.51)
per hour beginning on January 1, 2024, based on new recommendations from the
country's Minimum Wage Commission. The current minimum wage is €12 per hour. A
year later, on January 1, 2025, the minimum wage is to be raised again, to
€12.82, according to the recommendations, which are almost always put into
effect by the German government. Every two years, the commission, which is made
up of representatives from companies, trade unions and science, issues a
recommendation on the future level of the minimum wage. Labor representatives
on the commission, however, opposed the minimum wage hike as insufficient for
workers hurt by high inflation. "The resolution comes at a time of weak
economic growth and persistently high inflation in Germany, which poses great
challenges for companies and employees alike," the commission said in its
decision.
Rise is not enough, trade unions say The German Trade Union Confederation
(DGB) sharply criticized the decision. Board member Stefan Körzell, who is also
a member of the Minimum Wage Commission, said that the €0.41 nominal raise
would in fact amount to an enormous wage cut for the country's roughly 6
million minimum-wage workers, given high inflation. Körzell said labor
representatives had pressed for an increase to at least €13.50 but were
rebuffed by company representatives and the chairwoman of the commission,
Christiane Schönefeld. Germany's Social Democrat-led coalition
government last year bypassed the commission to hike the country's minimum wage
from €10.45 to €12 in October. The increase had been a key campaign pledge of
Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Germany first introduced a statutory minimum
wage in 2015. It was initially €8.50 per hour but has been increased repeatedly
since then.
^ Germany is in a Recession and the German People need more
help paying for basic things. ^
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-minimum-wage-to-increase-to-1241-in-2024/a-66030989
From Reuters:
“Ukraine's Zelenskiy praises 'advances' after visiting front
sectors”
(Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy awards a Ukrainian
service member as he visits a position near the front line, amid Russia's
attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2023.)
President Volodymyr
Zelenskiy praised Ukrainian troops for advancing "in all sectors" on
Monday after spending the day posing with and handing awards to front-line
soldiers in the east and south of the country. "Today in all sectors, our
soldiers made advances. It is a happy day," Zelenskiy said in his nightly
video address, delivered from a train after visiting two frontline areas. The
president's office posted four videos of Zelenskiy's journey, which he said
covered "hundreds of kilometres" and appeared to present encounters
in at least three locations.
One site was in eastern Donetsk region, a focal point in the
16-month-old conflict; one was located in what was described as the Berdiansk
sector in the south -- in areas where Ukrainian forces have captured villages;
and another was also on the southern front, further to the west. In the last of
the videos, Zelenskiy said he had seen "various brigades, all different
and absolutely heroic people. "Different but with one goal -- victory over
the Raschists," he said, in a derogatory reference to Russian soldiers.
(Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy poses for a picture
with Ukrainian service members as he visits a position near the front line,
amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2023.)
The visit to Donetsk region, according to the president's
office, involved the Khortytsia operational-strategic group, including soldiers
who have fought Russian troops in the Bakhmut sector, where battles have been
intense. The first video showed Zelenskiy handing out awards at an undisclosed
indoor location and poring over maps with Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of
Ukraine's ground forces. "I have the honour to be here today, talk to the
commander and first of all thank you, thank you for protecting our country,
sovereignty, our families, children, Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. A second
video showed Zelenskiy at a fuel station. Dressed in his trademark military
khaki T-shirt, he stood alongside troops in a queue at a counter and posed for
photos with the soldiers and women working there. In the third video, Zelenskiy
hands out awards, poses with soldiers and again examines maps with officers.
Loud booms resound at least twice during the video. Deputy Defence Minister
Hanna Maliar said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had regained control over
Rivnopil, a village west of a cluster of settlements recaptured in offensive
operations. The village appeared to be the ninth retaken by Ukraine this month.
Ukraine says it has been making advances since launching a counteroffensive,
but Russian forces still hold swathes of Ukrainian territory following their
invasion in February 2022.
^ It still amazes me what a great and hands-on President/Leader
Zelenskyy is. ^
