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Monthly Archives: June 2017
Inside Gaming: Illinois Senate Passes DFS, Online Gambling Bill – PokerNews.com
Posted: June 3, 2017 at 12:58 pm
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This week's installment of Inside Gaming gets you up to date on Illinois lawmakers' discussions of gambling-related legislation concerning both casinos and online/DFS, shares the story of a new "match poker" league in India and reports on Thursday's devastating attack upon a Manila casino.
Illinois became a focus of attention this week as far as gambling legislation is concerned, with gambling-related proposals before both the state's General Assembly and Senate.
Over in the General Assembly their spring session ended Wednesday without lawmakers dealing specifically with a bill proposing to expand gambling in the state by adding six new casinos. As the State Journal-Register reports, the Senate has already approved a measure allowing for casinos in Chicago, Rockford, Danville, Lake County and in south Chicago, but the General Assembly did not take up the bill for a vote.
A last-minute attempt to add Springfield to the list of potential casino sites was blocked by a House committee, although the delay now means renewed hope for those wishing for the state's capital to be added.
While proponents of adding Springfield continue to make their case, the casino expansion bill may come up again during an extra summer overtime session needed to pass a budget (something Illinois lawmakers have failed to do for two years now).
Meanwhile over in the Senate many were surprised when lawmakers ended their session on Wednesday by passing a bill to legalize both daily fantasy sports and online gambling (including online poker).
The Senate passed HB 479 by a 42-10 margin, and while the House failed to address it before the close of business Wednesday, they could pick it up when reconvening for the extra summer session.
Earlier in the week, State Sen. Kwame Raoul, a sponsor of the bill, spoke to The Chicago Tribune about "controversy last year as to why are we regulating daily fantasy sports activity, which is ongoing in the state, and not regulating internet gaming, which is also occurring."
It therefore made sense to Raoul and those voting in favor of HB 479 to back a bill covering both. As Raoul explained, "what this bill attempts to do is also regulate and bring licensure and supervision of internet gaming under the jurisdiction of the Gaming Board. And it would limit the operation of internet gaming to existing casinos."
There are competing bills, however, including one for DFS only, that may hinder further advancement of the bill passed by the Senate this week.
Yesterday the International Federation of Poker shared its plans to stage a professional "match poker" tournament in India in September, an event described by Focus Gaming News as marking "the first time a legal and professional poker tournament" will be staged in the Indian market.
The IFP's announcement describes the organization having signed an "agreement with top Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra and her entrepreneur husband Raj Kundra's Viaan Industries Ltd to launch the Match Indian Poker League."
The Match IPL "will see city-based teams compete in the world's first professional match poker league." The first eight teams in the Match Indian Poker League will represent the cities of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Kolkatta and Mumbai.
"Players will be selected for the teams based on their skill based ranking, where their performances have been assessed while playing against one of the world's most advanced Poker 'Bots using the Match Poker app which launches in August," the IFP explains.
"Match Poker" is a team sport that incorporates the "duplicate poker" concept some may remember being introduced about a decade ago.
Team members are split up with one player at each table in each of the different seats. The same hole cards and community cards are then dealt at each table (e.g., everyone in Seat 1 gets the same hand, etc.). The game is usually played as pot-limit preflop and no-limit postflop. The team whose members collectively accumulate the most chips by the end of a session wins.
IFP President Patrick Nally describes the organization as having "worked tirelessly for many years to develop the sport and the technology to support it and make it... a truly 21st century mind sport."
"It is a mind sport in an e-sport wrapper," says Nally, who adds that interest in India "has been simply phenomenal."
The International Federation of Poker describes itself as "the international governing body for the sport" and is a member of the International Mind Sports Association. First launched in 2009, the IFP currently has 60 member Federations worldwide.
Finally, in a still developing story, the popular Resorts World Manila casino in Newport City in Manila was the site of a brutal attack on Thursday in which a gunman carrying a container of gasoline set fires in the casino causing panic among patrons, with the latest reports indicating at least 36 dead, most from smoke inhalation.
The New York Times today describes the chaotic scene in detail, including how the attacker shot his weapon upwards but not at anyone, filled a backpack with a "large quantity of casino chips" (worth 113 million pesos or around $2.3M USD, according to other reports), then set fire to tables before escaping into a hotel room where he committed suicide.
Other news outlets have reported the terrorist group ISIS having claimed responsibility for the attack, with U.S. President Donald Trump also describing it as a "terrorist attack" prior to his speech yesterday announcing the U.S. was leaving the Paris climate agreement.
However authorities in Manila deny such a characterization and dispute ISIS's claim, with a police spokesman describing it as an unsuccessful robbery attempted by an "apparently... mentally disturbed" individual.
Photo: "Illinois State Senate," Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Exclusive: BSO Busts Several Alleged Illegal Gambling Operations In County – CBS Miami
Posted: at 12:58 pm
June 1, 2017 11:30 PM By Carey Codd
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BROWARD (CBSMiami) Illegal bets, tons of cash, several arrests and a couple of firearms thats what CBS4 News cameras saw Thursday night during a ride along with the Broward Sheriffs Office as they continued efforts to bust up a major illegal gambling operation in the county.
Four people are accused of keeping a gambling house and bookmaking and investigators with BSO said this case is more than a year in the making and stretches from the Dominican Republic through South Florida and into New York.
Just after 6 p.m., deputies and SWAT members descended on five different locations in northern Broward County.
Sgt. Dan Fitzpatrick walked us through several alleged illegal gambling operations. One in Pompano Beach had stacks of cash, a walk up window, a computer and lots of betting slips.
Youll receive a computer generated ticket just like this for your bet, Fitzpatrick showed us. He took Major League Baseball. He took Los Angeles.
BSO arrested a guy for running the operation. He didnt want to talk to CBS4 News.
Fitzpatrick said these types of gambling operations are becoming more prolific in the county and because its a cash-based business generally located in high crime areas, theres a high potential for violence.
Its ripe for armed robberies, shootings, which weve had several of, he explained. These places will get taken down. We had one about two minutes away from here taken down by three guys with AK-47s.
At the location, Fitzpatrick said someone inside dropped a Glock.
When the SWAT team was making entry into the location, somebody threw down a firearm right away, Fitzpatrick said.
A few blocks away in Deerfield, BSO busted three businesses in a shopping plaza on Sample Road. At one business that appeared to be a clothing store in the front, Fitzpatrick said theres a gambling operation in the back.
Based on our surveillance, if they sell any clothes at all, its very seldom, he said. We have never seen them sell any clothing.
The woman working at the store wasnt happy.
They say you were taking illegal sports bets here, a reporter asked her.
I dont want to talk about it, please, she said.
At another business, BSO showed us the gambling website open and running.
BSO hopes the busts might mean less violence on our streets.
Its just a matter of time before we have a homicide and were trying to prevent that obviously by eliminating these places, he said.
So far, BSO says theyve seized about half a million dollars in this yearlong investigation.
Investigators said theyre also going after the higher ups in this organization and they expect to take them down soon on racketeering charges.
Carey Codd is a General Assignment Reporter for CBS4 News and joined the News Team in 2005. He has covered a range of stories from cops to courts, foreclosures to features. In the past decade, Carey has covered Hurricane Katrina from New Orle...
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Euthanasia Bill struck down in Tasmania – The Christian Institute
Posted: at 12:58 pm
The Australian state of Tasmania has rejected a Bill to legalise euthanasia.
The legislation was defeated by 16 votes to 8 in the lower house of the Tasmanian Parliament.
It marks the third time in ten years that a euthanasia Bill has been defeated in the state.
The legislation would have allowed an adult deemed to have a serious incurable and irreversible medical condition access to lethal drugs to end their own life, or allow a doctor to administer the drugs.
Tasmania health minister Michael Ferguson said it attempted to remove protections safeguarding the sanctity of life.
This is in fact a dangerous bill that will in fact create a different group of cruel tragedies.
Weve said every suicide is too many yet before us is a bill that would sanction suicide, he added.
Speaking against the Bill, Paul Russell from HOPE: No Euthanasia said: This is a resounding affirmation that Tasmanian society takes a dim view of doctors helping people to suicide. Other Australian states should take note.
Daniel Pask, a disability activist with Lives Worth Living, also opposed the Bill, which he says posed a real threat.
Pask, who has spina bifida, added that it sent a terrible message to people with disabilities, whose basic needs and human rights often still go unmet, that our lives are not worth living.
Liz Carr, a disabled actress and activist for Not Dead Yet UK, recorded a message for Tasmania before the vote took place, and warned that the Bill would have exposed many to great risk.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide remain illegal in the UK.
Under the law in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a person who intentionally encourages or assists the suicide or attempted suicide of another person, commits an offence which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
A Bill to legalise assisted suicide was resoundingly defeated in the House of Commons in 2015 by 330 votes to 118.
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New Zealand: Public Wants to Keep Ban on Euthanasia – Church Militant
Posted: at 12:58 pm
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (ChurchMilitant.com) - Despite 78 percent of New Zealanders supporting a ban on euthanasia, pro-euthanasia groups are touring the country to promote their lethal legislative agenda.
Lawmakers are considering the End of Life Options Bill, introduced by Maryan Street, president of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. It is modeled after the 2002 Belgian law designed to include non-terminal patients and the mentally ill.
JanBerheim, a Belgian euthanasia proponent and founder of Not Necessarily Terminal, is currently on apublic speaking tourin New Zealand, warning lawmakers not to include "redundant safeguards."
In advance of introduction of the bill, the government has required the Health Select Committee to investigate the public's opinion of the proposed euthanasia legislation. The investigation has been ongoing for two years, with the committee obtaining over 21,000 written and video submissions from New Zealanders; 1,800 people want to speak directly to Parliament about the law.
Proponents of legalizing euthanasia were quick to promote the idea that the high numbers of submissions were in support of legalization, with Street claiming in 2016that "the Health Select Committee received a record 21,533 submissions on the issue, indicating intense public interest in a potential law change."
In a press release from August 2016, Dr. Jane Silloway Smith, who analyzed the submissions, found 16,411 opposed repealing the ban on euthanasia. Smith reported, "Maryan Street and the Voluntary Euthanasia Society wanted to know New Zealanders' views on legalizing assisted suicide, and the people have spoken at a ratio of about 3:1. They have told Parliament not to legalize assisted suicide."
Smith continues, "The very clear ratio against a change in the current law, alongside the high number of total submissions, shows that there is a strong public political will opposed to assisted suicide."
The 16,000 Voices initiative, launched on March 8 by Smith, showcases nine video submissions and numerous written testimonials. Each video has different perspectives on why citizens are opposed. "It's actually many, many arguments for why people are uncomfortable with this idea or [are] outright opposed to euthanasia," Smith relates.
An independent research firm'sfull analysiswas released this May, illustrating that the majority of the submissions were not religiously motivated. This refutes the claim that the submissions were one-line statementsand not well-thought out. It concluded that 44 percent were between two lines and a page long. Even if all one-line responses were discounted, the ratio would be similar and still support the current ban.
In his speaking tour titled "Dying Well in Belgium," Berheim is claiming hastening death by continual deep sedation and "waiting for nature" are not suitable options, because if patients were still given fluids, it could take weeks for them to die. "The patient does not suffer but I can tell you the family suffers," he comments.
"InBelgium, we've put an end to the clandestine practice and because of the openness of the whole process, abuse of the dying patient is much less probable now that it is legalized with strict controls and peer review in place," he explains.
Belgiumhas the most permissive laws on assisted suicide, allowing anyone for almost any reason to be killed.This includes children.
Alex Schadenberg,International Chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, is claiming Berheim is misrepresenting the facts about problems and abuses of the law. Shadenberg points to two studies from the Flanders region of Belgium that show a rampant disregard for the law. In 2007, the study found that 32 percent of assisted deaths were performed without any request and that 47 percent of all assisted deaths were not reported.
A 2013 study in the same area showed nearly two percent of all deaths were hastened without an explicit request and that 40 percent of hastened deaths were not reported.
Berheimnow says the number of deaths by assisted suicide is at 4 percent. He also said the Catholic order the Brothers of Charity are allowing it in their psychiatric hospitals, claiming "they have now adopted it, seeing how the model works."
This claim is based on an April statement posted by the lay-led board of directors on the order's website, claiming they will allow the practice in their hospitals for the mentally challenged. Rene Stockman, superior general of the order, has come out publicly stating killing patients in their facilities will not be allowed. After lodging a formal complaint with the Vatican, Secretary of State Cdl.Pietro Parolin launchedan investigation, which is ongoing.
The Voluntary Euthanasia Society is setting up a series of meetings throughout New Zealand to promote legalization of euthanasia to doctors and health care professionals.
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UP: Mother seeks ‘euthanasia’ for daughter from PM Modi – Business Standard
Posted: at 12:58 pm
ANI | Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India] June 2, 2017 Last Updated at 16:07 IST
A woman from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking euthanasia for her daughter Anamika Mishra who is suffering from Muscular Dystrophy Disease.
They are residing in Yashodanagar of Kanpur.
Both have lost the hope to fight this disease, therefore, they are demanding death wish from Prime Minister Modi.
Anamika's father lost his life because of this disease.
Now, due to this disease and poor financial condition, the mother--Shashi Mishra has demanded euthanasia for her daughter.
Some social workers have come forward to help the duo, but as there is no proper treatment in India, they are only able to provide financial help to this family.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking euthanasia for her daughter Anamika Mishra who is suffering from Muscular Dystrophy Disease.
They are residing in Yashodanagar of Kanpur.
Both have lost the hope to fight this disease, therefore, they are demanding death wish from Prime Minister Modi.
Anamika's father lost his life because of this disease.
Now, due to this disease and poor financial condition, the mother--Shashi Mishra has demanded euthanasia for her daughter.
Some social workers have come forward to help the duo, but as there is no proper treatment in India, they are only able to provide financial help to this family.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ANI
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Spend tax dollars on addiction wisely – Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
Posted: at 12:57 pm
So to be blunt and get straight to the point, addiction is a disease. That being said, recidivism concerning drug addicts should be viewed and treated differently compared to other criminals who re-offend.
If a crime has been committed and the only victims are the person battling addiction and the state, then realistically no actual crime has been committed. My taxes should not have to fund police salaries and the incarceration of non-violent inmates. I should be able to decide that my hard-earned tax dollars go towards rehabilitating addicts, in order to prevent recidivism among those suffering from addiction. Fewer tax dollars should be directed towards police and redirected to fire and rescue, and educational and training programs.
Violent crimes like assault, rape and murder are one thing, but drug possession, sales, petty theft and unpaid fines are a whole different category. I do not believe my (or anyones) tax dollars should be wasted to incarcerate the individuals suffering from addiction and those that have committed minor crimes. The main goal should be the prevention of recidivism in general, but especially regarding drug offenders who have committed victimless crimes. If we do not address the problems that surround addiction as well as addiction itself I say good luck finding a place to house the influx of inmates in a state with an overpopulation of inmates, and good luck trying to use tax dollars to cope with the problem instead of finding a legitimate solution.
Alexander Ingram
Winthrop
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At Issue: Should Cobb County consider uniform public comment rules? – Atlanta Journal Constitution
Posted: at 12:57 pm
In Cobb County, residents have many opportunities to speak before the Board of Commissioners, the Cobb and Marietta Boards of Education and at the six City Council meetings of Acworth, Austell, Kennesaw, Marietta, Powder Springs and Smyrna - not to mention the planning commissions and other boards of these governmental entities and many town hall meetings.
However, regulations vary on how much time Cobb residents are allowed to voice their opinions and whether they will receive a response. Public hearings on zoning matters are separate from the public comment portion. Speakers must sign up in advance and state their names and addresses.
In Austell, residents may speak near the beginning of the monthly meeting. In Marietta and before the Cobb Board of Commissioners, residents may speak during the twice-monthly meetings near the beginning and at the end. In Kennesaw and Smyrna, residents also may speak during the twice-monthly meetings but at the end. In Acworth and Powder Springs and before the Cobb and Marietta Boards of Education, residents may speak near the beginning of the twice-monthly meetings.
Except for the Cobb Board of Education, allotted times for each speaker are set - usually five minutes each. With the Cobb BOE, speakers do not know how much time they will be allowed - one time this year only one minute as determined by Board Chair David Chastain until school board member David Morgan made a motion to give each speaker one additional minute. Many comments concerned the unidentified North Cobb High student who made racial threats, Cobb school officials said one to two minutes was sufficient since a maximum of 15 speakers are allowed for 30 minutes. However, the Cobb BOE can allow 30 more minutes at the end of the meeting.
The lack of uniformity has frustrated some concerned citizens who want their voices heard. Some officials say they just want meetings to run smoother and quicker. What do you think Cobb County should do about public comment periods during government meetings?
Send comments to communitynews@ajc.com. Submissions may be edited for length and may be published in print and/or online.
DeKalb County Sheriff Jeff Mann pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of indecency and obstruction after he allegedly exposed himself in a public park and ran from Atlanta police. He appeared in Atlanta Municipal Court for a brief hearing to enter his plea. His trial is scheduled for July 7.
In the meantime, residents of DeKalb County are torn about what should be done about Mann. Some assert as a law enforcement official, he should be held to higher standard and resign his post or be fired. Others maintain what Mann did was a victimless crime and although he showed bad judgement, he should be forgiven and the county should move on.
Last week, we asked readers their opinion. Here are some responses:
His conduct certainly falls into conduct unbecoming as the DeKalb sheriff. There doesnt appear to be any doubt that he ran after an officer identified himself as police. If it was a deputy booked for the same thing what would he have done? It wouldnt be a one week suspension with pay I dare say. He is entitled to due process on the misdemeanor charges, but that isnt the question. How can his deputies continue to have any respect for him? It is another disgrace to DeKalb County. I predict he will be removed from office if he doesnt resign which he should do. Dennis Caniglia
Sheriff Jeff Mann should resign. He is a leader and as such he should held to the highest of standards. Would Sheriff Mann tolerate this type of behavior from one of his deputies? If the people of Dekalb County accept substandard and deviant behavior from the sheriff, can they expect better from others in and out of government? The sheriff should resign immediately. Freddie M. Edenfield
This was a victimless crime. I am of the opinion that we should all move past it. His embarrassment has been enough to pay for what he did. Warren Bice
I think he should resign because one he did not use good judgment. You go to a public park and expose yourself, knowing you are public figure elected to serve and protect the citizens of Dekalb County. It shows that he has other problems that he needs to address before he can lead a major department. Richard Taylor
The sheriffs indiscretion was a victimless crime. He is a good man. The county should move past this incident. Let it go! Catherine Carter
There should be no question on what should be done to Jeff Mann. An elected official caught by law enforcement breaking the law in such a lewd manner. Who knows how many times he has done this? Thankfully he got caught! Victimless? No, the law enforcement officer who caught him was the victim! FIRE HIM!!!! Cherie Gibson
I think Sheriff Mann has already paid a high enough price for the incident in Piedmont Park. This was, in my opinion, a victimless crime for which he has already suffered very public humiliation. I dont know what led him to expose himself to the officer but I find it very sad that a man of his education and career success should feel a need to do so. He has already suspended himself from work and to his credit has not tried to deny his mistake or blame others. I hope that he will seek help to understand why he placed himself in such a self-destructive situation. However, I dont believe that his actions disqualify him from performing his duties as Dekalb Sheriff in the meantime. Let us show some compassion for this man. Judith Mozley
He is a negative example to his employees and the community. This incident shows that Sheriff Mann is a pervert. Imagine what is going on inside the job site. I suggest that he resign and be prosecuted. Donaldo Whyte
He is a grown man who knew bloody well what he was doing and why he was there. He is a disgrace to the county and ought to be fired. I would feel the same way about a female official who was caught soliciting for prostitution. Susan Harte
We were upset when we saw the article about DeKalb Sheriff Jeff Mann was arrested because he ran away from the Atlanta police officer. Yes, Sheriff Mann ran away and that was wrong, but the officer made an issue that could have been handled in a better way. Sheriff Jeff Mann has been a dedicated officer in his years that he has served in the law enforcement in DeKalb County. He has been involved in public service to so many organizations. He should be allowed to continue his service as DeKalb County sheriff. Josiah V. Benator
It is my opinion that Sheriff Mann should be fired for breaking the law by exposing himself in public and then fleeing a law enforcement officer. Furthermore, I believe that he should get the maximum penalty for those offenses. While Sheriff Manns sexual preferences/delights are his business, he chose to break the law that he was voted to uphold by the people of DeKalb Countynot only one law, but two laws. Rose Casey
The better question: When does a lapse in judgement, during which nobody was maimed, murdered, or harmed in any way, warrant an investigation or a resignation? Answer: It doesnt! How many of you clamoring for the sheriff to resign can HONESTLY say that you have never done something that, in retrospect, you wished you hadnt? Answer: Crickets.
Time to stop being so judgmental and MOVE ON and focus our energy on the REAL criminals and their crimes and the havoc they cause locally as well as nationally. I applaud Sheriff Mann for the self-imposed suspension that exceeds the Code of Conducts recommended discipline for a first time offense. Clara Black DeLay
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15 Things You Really Shouldn’t Overthink About The Flash – Cinema Blend
Posted: at 12:57 pm
11 hours ago
The CW is the place to be on the small screen when it comes to superhero action, and The Flash in particular has been a big hit for the network. The third season of the Scarlet Speedster's adventures in Central City has come to an end, and the fourth season is poised to go in a new direction on the supervillain front. Now, as we look back on all that has happened so far, we've come to the realization that, as much fun as The Flash can be when at its best, there are some things that fans really shouldn't overthink if they want to enjoy the show. We've put together a list of 15 things that are probably best taken as they are and not delved into... because that's when they stop making sense. Check it out!
STAR Labs was in rough shape back in Season 1 after the fiasco of the particle accelerator, but given that the guy running it was a genius and a supervillain, we can give the show a pass for not going into detail on how Cisco and Caitlin were being paid and how all the fancy tech was funded. Then, ownership of STAR Labs passed to Barry Allen, who... has somehow kept it up and running, despite living on his salary as a CSI for the Central City Police Department.
The Flash has featured all kinds of masked characters, with everything ranging from domino masks to full cowls to entire sets of armor. In a logical world, the show would be filled with heroes and villains shoving sweaty hair out of their eyes every time they confront each other. On The Flash, we have characters who remain perfectly coiffed no matter what kind of mask they were wearing.
Although the Scarlet Speedster claims to be a crime-fighter, he commits plenty of petty crimes himself. The Flash plays it for laughs whenever Barry zips off and returns two seconds later with a pizza or eats somebody's lunch because he's feeling peckish, but those aren't victimless crimes! When Barry leaves and comes back with food in less time than it would take to ring the food up, he's stealing from either a restaurant or the people who actually paid for their food. Good guys don't steal lunches, Barry!
One of the first rules established about speedsters back in the beginning of the series was that they need friction-proof suits if they want to run at superspeed without burning anything and everything they're wearing. Unfortunately, Barry has been breaking that rule from almost the very beginning. Sometimes, his civilian clothes (or the clothes of the ladies in his arms) will catch on fire when he runs in them; other times, nothing at all.
A running joke about Barry Allen since way back when he first guest-starred on Arrow was that he was always late to work. After getting his superspeed, Barry was able to race to and from crime scenes quickly (and often without a friction-proof suit) without getting himself in trouble with his bosses. In fact, nobody at the crime scenes ever seems to notice Barry popping up with a gust of wind. Given how he used to be spotted back when he was known as the Streak, it's obviously possible for passersby to spot him.
With few exceptions, episodes of The Flash have opened on "My name is Barry Allen, and I'm the fastest man alive." It's a fun line that generally sets up whatever zany shenanigans are going to happen in a week. It's also not true. Back in Season 1, Barry was slower than Reverse Flash. Back in Season 2, Barry was slower than Zoom. Throughout Season 3, Barry was slower than Savitar. Even Kid Flash was catching up! Sorry, Barry, but you are not the fastest man alive.
The Flash always played itself as much lighter and less gloomy than its sister series Arrow, but there's something seriously dark about Team Flash's decision to keep metahuman criminals captive without trial in the STAR Labs Pipeline. Barry and his pals were illegally holding an awful lot of people against their will in cells that were quite small and visibly lacking in plumbing or sources of sustenance. Even Oliver at his most murderous wouldn't indefinitely detain bad guys in his lair! Some of the folks stuck in the Pipeline weren't even all that bad. Did Peek-a-Boo really deserve the Pipeline?
The civilians of Central City have honored the Flash over and over again through the years. He has a coffee named for him and action figures made of him and a city-wide day dedicated to him. Considering that some of the biggest catastrophes to strike Central City have been because of the Flash, it's a bit hard to take seriously. Did Barry really deserve Flash Day after he very nearly got Central City destroyed? If anything, that should have been Firestorm Day in honor of the dearly (re)departed Ronnie. The folks of Central City don't need to hate him, but do they have to love him that much?
Of course, Central City would have probably been destroyed by metahumans several times over by this point if not for the efforts of the Flash. That said, what about all the crimes committed by non-metas? As a food thief himself, we might not want to expect him to go after everybody with sticky fingers. Still, what about those violent crimes? People are murdered and assaulted in Central City, even if not quite as much as in Star City. Team Flash could really make a difference on non-meta crime.
Obviously, Barry does not consider Iris to be his sister, and Iris has stopped thinking of Barry as her brother, so we don't have to ignore any Lannister vibes going on between them. Still, Joe does consider both of them to be his kids, so why doesn't it really squick him out that his kids are totally hooking up? If Barry is his kid as much as Wally is his kid, then Barry/Iris probably should have made him at least a little bit uncomfortable.
For a group that started out calling Oliver Queen a crazy person for killing, Team Flash really came around to killing villains pretty quickly. Admittedly, there have been some villains in The CW's superhero universe that absolutely could not be permitted to live, but not all of the ones that Team Flash has taken out really needed to be smote from the Earth. Was Griffin Grey so bad that he had to be forcibly aged to death? He was 19 years old and confused! Come on, Team Flash.
The turning point of Season 3 came with the big reveal that the man beneath that Savitar armor was none other than a time remnant of Barry. As soon as Team Flash recovered from their shock that Savitar was in fact an evil version of their lovable pal Barry, the first thing to do would have been to totally cut Barry out of all plans to take Savitar down. Savitar knew everything that Barry knew; if the rest of the team had simply worked out a strategy without Barry, H.R. might not have had to die.
While the big romance of The Flash Season 3 was undoubtedly Barry and Iris, Jesse and Wally had a cute little thing of their own going on. In fact, they liked each other enough that Jesse moved from Earth-2 to Earth-1 to be with Wally, which is super sweet... except for the fact that she gave up being the hero of her Earth so she could come canoodle with Wally. Jesse had to give up being THE Flash on Earth-2 to come play third-string to Barry and Wally.
Barry and Iris moved out of Joe's house and into a gorgeous apartment of their own in Season 3. Our boy Barry actually found and put the money down on the place before even showing it to Iris, which was... bold. The question is how the junior CSI and the reporter are able to afford the place, even pooling all their available resources. Then again, if Barry doesn't pay for all his food, maybe he has quite the savings built up.
Given all the messes that have been made on The Flash due to time travel (case in point: Flashpoint), Barry is actually almost always right when he says no to messing with timelines. That said, his refusal to go back and save Cisco's brother because of what had happened when he saved his mom doesn't entirely track. Barry raced back 16 years and changed a huge event that shaped many lives; Dante had only been dead -- and killed by a drunk driver, not a vengeful speedster -- a matter of weeks when Cisco wanted Barry to go back and save him. The fallout for saving Dante would have undoubtedly been far less than when Barry saved his mom.
The Flash will return to The CW for Season 4 this fall. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news, and don't forget to check out our summer TV premiere schedule to discover all your viewing options now and in the coming weeks. Be sure to drop by our rundowns for cable/streaming and broadcast TV renewals and cancellations as well. If streaming is more your style, our Netflix premiere schedule will help you out.
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Yanez Trial: Approved jury pool nearly filled – WKYC-TV
Posted: at 12:57 pm
Lou Raguse, KARE 8:07 PM. EDT June 02, 2017
A courtroom sketch from the jury selection of the Jeronimo Yanez trial. (Photo: Nancy Muellner)
ST. PAUL,Minn. - Only two more jurors are needed before attorneys start whittling down the numbers to select a final jury in the manslaughter trial of Officer JeronimoYanez.
KARE 11's Lou Raguse says Friday's juror selection included seven white men, and all of them are gun owners. The first was a man in his 40s who recently moved to Minnesota from Dallas. During questioning he expressed empathy for the number of times Philando Castile had been pulled over for minor traffic offenses before the fatal night he was shot by Yanez.
"I've been pulled over for similar things. I think there's honestly a problem there with how minor things grow and become warrants. And when you live where you can hardly afford fines, it seems like it's rigged against you," the man said.
The second juror approved is an Air Force veteran in his 30s, who told attorneys and Judge William Leary he knows little about the case. The third juror, a light rail train operator, also said he did not know much about the shooting of Castile.
Following a short break a fourth juror was also forwarded to the approved pool.
One man, a member of the NRA, was challenged by the prosecution but eventually approved by the judge.
Another man who was approved works for the MN sex offender program and says he has ties to St. Paul but travels to Moose Lake and St. Peter. He also said he works with law enforcement.
Prosecutors and the Yanez defense team need an approved pool of 22 jurors before they begin using their strikes, to get down to the 12 jurors and three alternates needed to hear the case. So far, two people of color have been approved, though one -- an Ethiopian-American woman -- was challenged, so the defense could come back and strike.
The defense team has made it clear Yanez plans to testify in his own defense.
THURSDAY
Jury selection passed the halfway point by the time court dismissed Thursday in Ramsey County in the trial of the officer accused of killing PhilandoCastile.
So far 14 jurors have been approved, meaning nine more need to be approved before the pool can be narrowed down to the 12 jurors and three alternates who will decide the Officer Jeronimo Yanez's fate.
One juror approved raised a challenge by the defense, because the man, who is white, said he attended a vigil for Philando Castile in the days following the shooting and cried. The man, a scientist at a local college, admitted he has a bias against Officer Yanez based on what he's heard so far about the case. But he said he could set aside those feelings and make a decision based on the evidence.
Judge William Leary rejected the challenge and allowed the man to pass onto the next round, saying, "The totality of the questioning shows he is suitable to serve. Attending a vigil in and of itself is not a point for disqualification."
Another potential juror raised a challenge from the defense, because the woman didn't understand much about the U.S. Criminal Justice System. Under questioning by attorney Earl Gray, the 18-year-old woman who immigrated from Ethiopia admitted not knowing the meaning of "negligence," "credibility," or even what the U.S. Criminal Justice System is.
Judge Leary again rejected the challenge, stating that not many 18-year-olds would be able to answer those questions.
Jury selection, in effect a process of elimination, begins with questioning of the initial pool of 50 jurors. If a potential juror appears to be too biased, or has extenuating circumstances in their life, the judge dismisses them from the pool. When a total of 23 jurors are approved to move to the next phase of the selection process, the defense will strike (eliminate) five of them, and the prosecution will strike three, leaving the 15 who will hear the case.
Earlier Thursday morning, three additional jurors were approved, bringing the total of those approved to nine. The first was a woman in her 60s who knows little of the case, and what she does know is based on the initial coverage of the shooting of Philando Castile. In a rare moment of levity when asked why she enjoys watching Judge Judy (she confessed to that fact on her questionnaire) the woman responded "I like how she doesn't fool around. She makes a decision and that's it."
The second juror moved to the next round of selection was a 24-year-old Caucasian woman who told attorneys "I honestly don't know anything about the case at all. Questioning for the woman lasted 30 to 40 minutes, significantly shorter than all previous jurors.
Prosecutors and the Yanez defense team also approved a third juror, a white male in his 40s who recently moved to Minnesota from Colorado. He said the first he heard of the shooting of Castile was when the judge spoke of it. The only topic of concern for attorneys was that the man seems to have feelings about the criminal justice system where what he called "victimless crimes" are prosecuted far too often. He also said he believes marijuana should be legalized, a view that could concern the Yanezteam as they plan to make an issue of the fact Castile had allegedly used marijuana before the fatal interaction with the officer.
Two jurors, both who admitted knowing a lot about the case, were excused.
A white woman in her early 20s began crying while she was being questioned by Judge Leary. She said, I've been struggling really hard with the possibility of taking on that role. I don't think I could be an impartial juror."
And a white man in his 50s or 60s said he under normal circumstances he would be able to be an impartial juror, but current family financial issues would cause too much of a distraction during the trial.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 31
Jury questioning is proceeding at a very slow pace in the trial ofJeronimoYanez, the St. Anthony Police officer who fatally shot motoristPhilandoCastile.
After court dismissed Wednesday, 40 of the 50 potential jurors remain to be questioned. Five jurors have been dismissed for various reasons. And five will remain in the final pool from which the jury will be selected.
The first juror to be dismissed was a woman who is a relative ofYanez. She was excused Tuesday. On Wednesday morning a pregnant woman with five children was allowed to go home, and a middle-aged woman who runs her own business and cares for her sick husband was excused as well.
The first juror to be dismissed was a woman who is a relative ofYanez. She was excused Tuesday. On Wednesday morning a pregnant woman with five children was allowed to go home, and a middle-aged woman who runs her own business and cares for her sick husband was excused as well.
RELATED: Yaneztrial: How we got here
Five people have been passed for cause, meaning they still have a chance to make the final jury unless the prosecution or the defense uses a strike to eliminate them later this week.
Perhaps the most surprising development in the jury selection process is how little potential jurors say they know about this high-profile case involving the death of an African American motorist. One potential juror, a black man in his20s, remembered hearing about the shooting when it happened but said he can't recall many details. He incorrectly assumed Diamond Reynolds is a minor.Yanezattorney Tom Kelly extensively questioned the man about his feelings on officer-involved shootings, particularly shootings of unarmed black men.
RELATED:What potential jurors are being asked
"I think, 'How does this happen? He was unarmed,'" the man said about another case he had heard about. "But it's not something you could put against every cop."
The man admitted he sometimes feels people with money or power "get off" by hiring high-priced attorneys but he said he wouldn't hold againstYanezthe fact he's hired three lawyers in this case.
The second juror kept in the pool was a middle-aged white woman who said she hasn't heard a thing about the shooting ofPhilandoCastile. "Not a word," she said. "I don't watch the news." The potential juror did admit she knew of protests that took place on the freeway following the shooting of Castile, but did not know what those protests were for. "There were protesters who walked out onto the freeway and stopped traffic."
During questioning the woman told attorneys she has served on a jury in a previous criminal trial in Ramsey County, and that they found the defendant guilty on one charge and not guilty on four others.
After a short break prosecutors asked the judge to dismiss the potential juror from White Bear Lake, saying they found posts on her Facebook page expressing support for law enforcement. Prosecutors did not object to the tone of the posts, but the fact that the woman under oath she had not shared posts of that nature on her social media accounts. "The only thing I share on Facebook is recipes," she was quoted as saying.
When confronted with printouts of the posts the woman said she didn't remember sharing them but agreed that she must have. Still, the judge denied the motion to excuse her for cause, meaning she could still end up on the jury.
The third potential juror to be questioned, an African American woman in her40s, knew a lot more about the Castile shooting than the two people who came before her. "I think the police officer was careless when he opened fire. That wasn't right," she wrote in her juror questionnaire. "The shooting wasn't fair plus there was a a woman and child who could have been injured." Despite her opinions, the woman told Judge William Leary III she believed she could be fair and impartial if seated on the jury.
The fourth juror, a white man in his50s, also said he hadn't heard about theYanezcase until he read a newspaper article about it Tuesday night. The judge earlier on Tuesday had asked jurors to avoid news coverage of the case. The juror had gone through a firearm training course and was enthusiastic about the chance to serve on the jury. The judge allowed him to remain in the pool.
Juror #6 is a white man in his60swho is allowed to remain in the pool. He is a gun owner, has heard very little about the case, and respects law enforcement.
Juror #7 was a white man in his40sor50swho was dismissed after he told the just there is no way he can giveJeronimoYaneza fair trial. "To unload a gun into a car with a child inside, there's just no reason, in my mind," the man said.
Prosecutors and theYanezdefense team will select 12 jurors and 3 alternates to hear the manslaughter case.
Jury selection will resume Thursday at 9 a.m.
2017 KARE-TV
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Wisconsin sex trafficking bills target repeat patrons of prostitutes – Stevens Point Journal
Posted: at 12:57 pm
Wisconsin Capitol.(Photo: Michael Sears / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
A pair of bills proposed by state lawmakers would target the demand for sex traffickingby cracking down on those who repeatedly patronize prostitutes.
One of the bills, a bipartisan effort to toughencriminal penalties for frequent offenders, would make the third conviction a felony. Its lead sponsors are state Reps. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) and Amanda Stuck (D-Appleton) and Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac).
"Gone are the days where prostitution is viewed as a victimless crime," Kleefisch said. "When it comes to human trafficking, we need to attack on all fronts."
He said part of the drive for pimps to push prostitutionis the demand, so reducing that demand will help combat trafficking. Adding that many trafficking victims are "forced, coerced or violently pushed into prostitution," Kleefisch said those who hire prostitutes especially repeatedly are "enablers at the very least."
The legislation was requested by law enforcement officials in the Fox Cities, and has the support of the state Department of Justice, Kleefischsaid.
A secondbillproposed by state Rep. Andre Jacque (D-DePere)would require people convicted of soliciting or patronizing prostitutes or keeping a place of prostitution to pay $5,000. The money would be used to providetreatment and services for victims of sex trafficking, and for investigations and law enforcement related to Internet crimes against children.
"The federal government acknowledges the link between prostitution and trafficking in women and children as a form of modern-day slavery," Jacque wrote to fellow lawmakers seekingco-sponsors for his bill.
The sponsors of both bills noted that Milwaukee is known as a hotbed of sex trafficking.
"Milwaukee has become a huge hub for human trafficking, and these victims are then sent across the rest of the state and other parts of the country," Kleefisch and Stuck wrote.
RELATED: Asha Project brings hope to domestic abuse, sex trafficking victims
ARCHIVE: Finding a second chance: One woman's sex trafficking ordeal
It's notoriously difficult to collect data about sex trafficking, but experts estimate there have been hundreds of victims in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee's reputation as a hub for sex trafficking stems, in part, fromhigh-profile prosecutions and other law enforcement actions
Court cases here have revealed generations of pimps and a group of traffickers some of whom prostituted dozens of women who regularly participated in "pimp roundtables," during which they discussed their practices
RELATED: 'Pimpin' Paul' faces new sex-trafficking charges
RELATED: Milwaukee man sentenced to 25 years in sex trafficking case
RELATED: Milwaukee pimp groomed as a teen gets 10 years
In 2013, a nationwide FBI sting on human trafficking recovered 10 children in Milwaukee the second-highest number in the country
A study that sameyear by the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission found that 77 children had been sexually exploited in Milwaukee in a two-year period a number experts said was likely a gross underestimate, as it only tracked the number who had made contact with police
But there is no reliable ranking of cities in terms of child sex trafficking or the number of children recovered from sex trafficking, according to the Polaris Project, which runs the National Human Resource Center Trafficking Hotline.
Attorney General Brad Schimel has said the effort to combat human trafficking is one of the toughestchallenges facing Wisconsin.
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