St George’s flags have been proudly flying in Radstock, Somerset after the town council members unanimously voted on Tuesday to buy the national flag of England and to display it on “appropriate occasions,” the local newspaper ‘The Bath Chronicle’ reports.The Radstock town council stated on Tuesday that the original decision not to display the flag was ‘an error of judgment.’Radstock was stormed by protests on the weekend, prompted by the decision not to purchase the flag of St George to fly atop the town’s repaired civic flagpole.This came after concerns of one of the town’s councilors Eleanor Jackson who said that the red and white symbol could offend Muslims living in the English town, because it was used during the Crusades in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries.“My big problem is that it is offensive to some Muslims, but even more so that it has been hijacked by the far right…My thoughts are we ought to drop it for 20 years,” Jackson said as quoted be ‘The Telegraph’.According to Jackson the Union flag was a more suitable way of displaying national pride.Though the council has insisted that its decision was unconnected with Jackson’s comments, and had been prompted by practical concerns about staffing and funding.“The general comment made by councilor Jackson, as we moved to the vote, had no impact on the decision we took,” said council chair Lesley Mansell on Tuesday.John Clements, vice-president of national patriotic group the Royal Society of St George, said that the censoring of the national flag is “nonsense”.In addition, the Muslim Council of Britain encouraged the flying of the St George’s flag.”St George needs to take his rightful place as a national symbol of inclusivity rather than a symbol of hatred. St George actually lived before the birth of Islam and should not be associated with any hatred of Muslims,” said a spokeswoman for the council Nasima Begum.Jackson has apologized for her comments, councilor Peter Sas said on Tuesday.“Councilor Jackson issued a public apology and made special tribute to our Armed Forces and the local police who offered her protection following the death threats she received. She acknowledged that her comments were inappropriate and confirmed it had never been her intention to offend anyone,” local media reported. … Read More
Dartmouth College suspends classes after campus activists receive rape threats
Several Dartmouth College students have received rape and death threats following a Friday protest against sexual assault, racism and homophobia on campus and in administrative policies. In response to the threats, the college has suspended classes, announcing that it would hold “alternative programming… that promotes respect for individuals, civil and engaged discourse, and the value of diverse opinions,” according to a letter obtained by Think Progress.As reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education:Continue Reading… … Read More
Texas teacher claims she couldn’t have fondled black student because she’s racist
A teacher in Texas has invoked her own racism in a defense against charges that she fondled an African-American student in her first grade class at Northwest Preparatory Academy Charter School in Humble. According to a criminal complaint obtained by the Houston Chronicle, the 7-year-old girl said…
Background Check Compromise Would Close Nonexistent Online Gun Sale Loophole
Today Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Patrick
Toomey (R-Pa.) are
announcing a deal on background checks for gun buyers that is
expected to be incorporated into the main gun control bill under
consideration by the Senate. According to
Reuters, “the measure would expand criminal background checks
for prospective gun buyers to include sales made at gun shows and
online.”
That gloss is misleading on two counts. The current background
check requirement applies to sales by federally licensed gun
dealers, no matter where they occur. Whether the sale is initiated
in a store, online, or at a gun show, a licensed dealer has to do a
background check. Conversely, someone who is not a licensed dealer
does not have to do a background check, whether the sale is
initiated at a gun show, online, or in his kitchen. But contrary to
what anti-gun commentators such as New York Times
columnist ;Mark Bittman
seem to think, you cannot buy a gun online in the same way you
can buy a book or a laptop computer. Direct mail-order sales of
guns have been prohibited under federal law since 1968. Iif you
find a gun online that you want to buy, you still have to complete the
sale ;in person through a licensed dealer, who still has to
conduct a background check. The only legal way around that
requirement is to arrange a meeting with a private seller who
advertises a gun online and lives in the same state as you. As the
San Francisco Chronicle ;puts
it, “Online sales anger gun control advocates because shoppers
can use them to exploit a long-standing loophole in federal law
that allows unlicensed private gun sellers to skip background
checks on prospective buyers in their home state.” But this is no
different in principle from arranging an in-person private sale
after seeing a classified ad for a gun in a newspaper. So far I
have not seen any proposals to close the “classified ad”
loophole.
Manchin and Toomey propose requiring private sellers to conduct
background checks (which requires the help of a licensed dealer) to
sell firearms at gun shows or via online ads. Several states
already
require background checks for all sales at gun shows, and that
rule is relatively easy to enforce: The shows are advertised, and
they include licensed dealers who can arrange background checks for
private sellers. But a rule requiring background checks for private
sales initiated online will be a lot harder to enforce. These
transactions are indistinguishable from other private sales, and
just as inconspicuous, except that the buyers are attracted by
online ads. Would the law require that any gun advertised online
can never be sold without a background check? If not, how could the
government prove that any particular private, in-person sale
resulted from an online ad rather than a print ad, a flyer, or word
of mouth? Such a rule would create hassles and legal uncertainty
for people trying to sell their guns, but it is unlikely to be much
of a hindrance to criminals, who for the most part already obtain
their weapons from people who do not worry about complying with
requirements imposed by Congress. ; … Read More
Zuckerberg to push immigration reform with Silicon Valley SuperPAC
The start-up will focus primarily on education and immigration reform, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, and was organized by Zuckerberg’s Harvard roommate Joe Green. Green previously co-founded digital politics service NationBuilder but left the company last month. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and Google CEO Eric Schmidt have also been rumored to be among the SuperPAC enlistees. Others have gone unnamed, but some have reportedly pledged between $2 million and $5 million.Reports indicated that the SuperPAC has hired Republican strategist Jon Lerner, who founded the conservative Club for Growth network and has spent time working with former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty as well as Tea Party campaigns.Joining him will be fellow GOP strategist and former executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee Rob Jesmer.Chief among the new organization’s goals will be to develop “a workforce of highly skilled immigrants” and to put pressure on US President Barack Obama to formulate a new, simple path for full citizenship. Zuckerberg, 28, donated $100 million to Newark, New Jersey schools in 2011 and organized a fundraiser for Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Through his rise to fame the Facebook CEO has remained quiet about his political beliefs but could be a powerful player, in no small part because of his $13.3 billion net worth.Facebook representatives have yet to comment on the new SuperPAC but a source near the movement’s genesis told POLITICO that Zuckerberg’s new activity is unlikely to affect the social media network used by more than one billion people worldwide.“Leaders are coming together on a broader agenda,” the source said. “It’s not necessarily company driven.” … Read More
'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind' Captures SXSW (The Austin …
Posted on March 14, 2013 By anonymous. Email This Print This Delicious Digg This Google Share to Facebook Reddit Stumble It Share to Twitter. The Austin Chronicle William Kamkwamba '14 captured a lot of attention at the South by … … Read More
Dick Lee Pastry, San Francisco Restaurant, Accused Of Wage Theft, Ordered To Pay $525,000
A San Francisco restaurant was ordered to pay sizeable back wages and penalties after allegedly forcing employees to work up to 80 hours per week for under $4 per hour — less than half of the city’s minimum wage.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Dick Lee Pastry, a Chinatown dim sum and buffet restaurant, paid $525,000 in the settlement last week, the single largest payment the city has received in its ongoing effort to undermine wage theft.
Wage theft, the illegal withholding of wages or benefits, is widespread in the United States, particularly in urban centers with a high immigrant population. The problem has been significant in San Francisco, especially in the Chinatown neighborhood.
