Category Archives: Transhuman News

Pyle Transportation the Schaller, Iowa-based trucking company whose name was on a trailer found to be carrying dozens of undocumented immigrantsin San Antonio on Sunday has a history of legal trouble and unpaid taxes, according to records.

Owner Brian Pyle told an Iowa news station that truck driver James Bradley, who has been charged with smuggling immigrants for financial gain, had worked with Pyle Transportation on and off for about five years. But Pyle said he did not know what Bradley was hauling when the trailer was discovered in a Walmart parking lot Sunday with eight of the migrants inside dead.

The federal government charged in March 2015 that Pyle Transportation Inc. had avoided tax obligations by continually neglecting to timely file employment tax returns since at least 2009, according to the complaint. Though the family-owned company withheld federal tax payments from its employees, it did not send that money to the federal government, the government alleged. The complaint also claimed that the company failed to pay taxes for heavy highway vehicle use. As of May 13, 2014, the government claimed that the company owed $151,223 in unpaid taxes.

Absent an injunction, based on its past tax history, it is reasonable to expect that PTIs noncompliance with the tax laws will continue, the complaint reads.

In fact, the individual defendants previously operated two other trucking businesses, Horizon Logistics and Pyle Truck Line, which did the same thing, the complaint continues, referring to Brian Pyle and other Pyles listed as officers or employees of the company. After accruing and failing to pay those tax liabilities, the operations and customers of the previous businesses were transferred to [Pyle Transportation].

[19-year-old who died on truck in Texas grew up in Northern Va., was deported]

Pyle Truck Lines also faced felony charges in 2000 for falsifying a report or records to the secretary of transportation. A federal judge ordered the company to serve five years of probation and pay $42,254 in restitution, according to federal court documents.

Federal prosecutors say Bradley carried dozens of undocumented immigrants in a trailer with no cooling or ventilation. By the time Bradley stopped the trailer in a Walmart parking lot early Sunday, eight of the migrants inside were dead and many others were suffering from the critical effects of heat stroke, the government said. Two of them died later at hospitals.

Mexicos Foreign Ministry has said that 25 of 39 migrants were Mexican nationals, based on preliminary information from its consulate in San Antonio.

Bradley could face the death penalty because people died while in transit. Bradley told investigators that he was traveling from Iowa at the request of his boss to deliver the trailer to Brownsville, Tex., and didnt know what was inside. Hehad said that his boss, who wasnt named in the document, had sold the trailer to a person in Brownsville.

Reached Sunday by a reporter, Brian Pyle saidBradleywas an owner-operator involved in a standard trucking practice in which Bradley owned the truck and managed his own deliveries but used Pyles insurance and company name and paid Pyle a percentage of his earnings.

Without naming Bradley, Pyle had told a Washington Post reporter on Sunday that this was the truck drivers very first trip and that he didnt know what he was hauling. However, Pyle told an Iowa television news station Monday that he had worked with Bradley for years and had hired Bradley to deliver a trailer he had sold in May. He said Bradley was scheduled to drop it off in Brownsville, Texas on Friday.

[After deadly smuggling case, officials charge truck driver and decry crime against humanity]

He has worked here before, Pyle told the reporter. He is an owner-operator now, or he was at the time. . . . He did everything on his own bought his own fuel, made his own decisions.

The WHO-TV reporter said Pyle regretted not taking the logo off his trailer before selling it.

Bradley is pictured in his Facebook profile photo wearing a Pyle T-shirtand was Facebook friends with Pyle, whose Facebook page has now been removed, and other Pyle employees and truck drivers.

Pyle Transportation has 18 trucks and 15 drivers, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Authorized for hire and interstate driving, Pyle is listed as a carrier of general freight, refrigerated food and beverages, meat, fresh produce and paper products.

[Horrific episode of human smuggling fuels both sides of immigration debate]

Owner-operator trucking can be a financially challenging job, said Norita Taylor, a spokeswoman for the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, a trade association with more than 150,000 truck-driver members. The average annual income for such drivers is around $43,000, she said,and while drivers operate with considerably more discretion over their hours and assignments than company drivers, they are also responsible for a wider range of costs.

The long and short of it is being a small business trucker entails not just the cost of your equipment but also the insurance and taxes and fees, Taylor said. And fuel is like the number-one expense after equipment.

Bradley bought the truck a 1999 Peterbilt model that had been refurbished and given a new paint job in March for $90,000, said Justin McDaniel of Outlaw Iron in West Bend, Wis., who sold him the truck. Bradley had taken out a pair of loans earlier this year to buy a truck and trailer for which he needed to make payments of almost $2,000 a month, according to records.

Avi Selk and Todd Frankel contributed to this report.

Editors note: A previous version of this story included complaints about Pyle Transportation left on a Facebook page.Because the allegations in those complaints could not be corroborated, they have been removed.

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Company whose trailer was used in human smuggling case has history of legal problems - Washington Post

By Nicole Lewis By Nicole Lewis July 25 at 7:35 PM

Before Donald Trump became president, he made a name for himself as a reality television sensation on The Apprentice. At the end of each episode, Trump would send one contestant packing by turninghis hand into a finger gun, fixing it on the contestant, and saying, youre fired."

Since taking office in January, Trump has doubled down on his signature move. Just more than a week into his presidency, he fired acting attorney general Sally Yates. Then, it was U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara,whodid not comply when asked to submit his resignation along with 46 other U.S. attorneys in March. And most infamously, he dismissed FBI Director James B. Comey in May.

Hes teased about firing many more members of his administration, often joking about canning them during meetings or public appearances.

At a Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia on Monday,Trump broke out the finger gun once againwhen he joked that if Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price didnt get the votes to win on the health-care bill, he would be out of a job. Trump told the scouts: "And hopefully he is going to get the votes tomorrow He better get them. He better get them. Otherwise Ill say Tom, you're fired!"

But some who know the president well say thepersona he created on The Apprentice, where he seemed to relish letting people go, is not the Trump they know in real life. Sam Nunberg, Trumps policy adviser during his presidential campaign told Politico in June: I dont think he likes to gratuitously fire people, he said. He wants to give people chances. Trump fired Nunberg when his racially charged Facebook posts were made public.

Heres a look atotherpeople Trump has fired or threatened to fire -- complete with a finger gun tally.

James B. Comey, Sally Yates and Preet Bharara were all law enforcement officials until President Trump fired them and they were all investigating Trump or his administration at the time of their firing. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

Acting attorney general Sally Yates Fired on: Jan. 30, 2017 Reason: Yates sent a memo to Justice Department employees asking themnot to defend Trumps initial travel ban on people from seven majority-Muslim countries. Method:Yates was given a hand-delivered letter just a few hours before the White House released a statement to reporters. Finger gun involved: No.

U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara Fired on:March 11, 2017 Reason: TheTrump administration asked all remaining Obama-era attorneys to resign, clearing the way for new appointments. Method:After refusing to hand in his resignation, Bharara was officially fired. Finger gun involved:No.

FBI Director James B. Comey Fired on: May 9, 2017 Reason: Trump said he fired Comey for his handling of the investigation of Hillary Clintons emails. But Comey testified that he believes he was fired to change the way the Russia investigation was being conducted. Method:A hand-delivered letter was sent to Comeys office while he was visiting California. Comey heard about his firing on the news. Finger gun involved:No.

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump

President-elect Donald Trump ended his first news conference since the election by telling his sons he'll "fire" them if they don't do a good job running his company. Trump made the catchphrase "you're fired" popular during his time hosting "The Apprentice." (The Washington Post)

Reason: Trump put his sons in charge of the family business. If they dont run it well while Trump is president, he says theyll be out of a job. Was he joking?For the most part, yes. Finger gun involved: Oh, yes.

Special ProsecutorRobert S. Mueller III Reason: Trump told New York Times reporters that if Mueller began investigating his businesses itwould cross a red line. But he did not answer the reporters questions as to whether he would fire Mueller because he didnt think that line would be crossed. It has been crossed. Bloomberg News reported on July 20 that Mueller is focusing on Trumps transactions in Russia. Was he joking?Not a chance. Finger gun involved: No.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price

President Trump quipped that he would fire health and human services secretary Tom Price if he did not round up enough votes to repeal Obamacare. (Reuters)

Reason: At a Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia on July 24, Trump joked that if Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price didnt secure enough Senate votes to proceed with dismantling Obamacare, he would be out of a job. Trump told the scouts: And hopefully he is going to get the votes tomorrow ... He better get them. He better get them. Otherwise I'll say, Tom, youre fired!" Was he joking? The Senate did vote to proceed on a health-care bill, so we may never know. Finger gun involved: Absolutely.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley Reason: Trump questioned Haleys colleagueson whether shewas doing a good job during a lunch with members of the Security Council. Was he joking? It seems that way. I want to thank Ambassador Nikki Haley for her outstanding leadership and for acting as my personal envoy on the Security Council. She is doing a good job. Now, does everybody like Nikki?," he said. Otherwise she could be easily replaced, right? No, we wont do that. I promise you we wont do that. Shes doing a fantastic job. Finger gun involved: Only the metaphorical one of being burned at your own work lunch.

White House adviser Stephen K. Bannon Reason: During an exchange withNew York Post reporter Michael Goodwin, Trump distanced himself from Bannon, minimizing his role as an adviser. Was he joking? This might be serious. Bannon was removed from the National Security Council in April, and his role in the White House is increasingly unclear. Finger gun involved: As far as we know, no.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus Reason: In June, Politicoreportedthat Trump set a deadline of July 4 to remove several staff members, including Priebus. I dont want them to come into this mess. If Im going to clean house, they will come in as fresh blood, Trump said, according to Politico's source. Was he joking? No, though he has not yet actedon the threat. Finger gun involved:The source did not specify.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer

White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigned on July 21, the same day Anthony Scaramucci became the new communications director. The Post's Callum Borchers looks at Spicier's tenure as the White House spokesman and the difficulties he faced representing the president. (Erin Patrick O'Connor,Meg Kelly/The Washington Post)

Reason: Rumors about Trump wanting to replace Spicer circulated throughout his tenure before he resigned on July 20. Reports includedTrump mulling a replacement such as Laura Ingraham or Kimberly Guilfoyle. Method: Spicer submitted his resignation. Finger gun involved: No, but Trump did tease him for his work in front of the camera. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read the presidents remarks during a press briefing: "I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities. Just look at his great television ratings."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions

President Trump said he would have "picked someone else" had he known that Attorney General Jeff Sessions would recuse himself from the Russia probe. (The Washington Post)

Reason: Trump is frustrated with Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, saying if he knew Sessions would step away from the probe he would have picked someone else. On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his frustrations with Sessions, accusing him of taking a very weak stance on Hillary Clinton and people who have leaked intelligence. Method:The Fixs Aaron Blake writes that Trump seems to be choosing the make your life hell until you quit method. Finger gun involved: No, but Sessions will have to deal with the sting of knowing Trump is disappointed by his actions.

Go here to read the rest:
Here's a list of people Trump has fired or threatened to fire - Washington Post

The discovery of a stifling tractor-trailer in San Antonio this weekend packed with nearly 40 undocumented immigrants is reverberating across the country. Ten people have died as a result of the possible human trafficking incident.

Since the case first came to light, some sources in the media have been using the terms 'human trafficking' and 'human smuggling' interchangeably. But they're two very different crimes.

"I think people are confused about the difference between human smuggling and human trafficking because they often blend into each other," says Kerry Ward, an associate professor of history at Rice University who studies forced migration. "But they're distinct crimes. Human trafficking is a crime against a person while human smuggling is a crime against a border."

Human trafficking doesn't necessarily involve movement. People can be trafficked for forced labor purposes anywhere, even in their own homes.

Smuggling, on the other hand, involves transporting people illegally across a border.

"Now sometimes the people who are engaged in being smuggled have done so voluntarily, so they've paid money to be shipped across the border," Ward says. "What often happens is that these people become vulnerable to further exploitation and become trafficked when they are held against their will, often for labor purposes."

Human trafficking victims have more options for legal recourse according to Stacie Jonas, Managing Attorney for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid.

"Victims of human trafficking are eligible for certain legal remedies and protections that are not always available to people who were smuggled," says Jonas.

Right now, Jonas says it appears the case in San Antonio is being charged as a crime involving smuggling. She says she hopes that the people recovered from the tractor trailer should be screened to determine if they are also victims of trafficking.

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Human Smuggling or Human Trafficking? They're Two Very Different Crimes - Texas Public Radio

Close-Up Of Burning Coal On Metal Grill. Photo: Mathias Genterczewsky / EyeEm

Everyone whos ever grilled has what they consider to be the best way to barbecue. Some say gas is the best, while others point to charcoal as the betteroption. Its a debate thatlllikelycontinue for generations and generations.

Based on whats happening out in Kenya, the charcoal side might have just gained some steam in the argument in the most unexpected way possible. What theyre doing is quite literally the shit.

According to a video published by the New York Post, human feces is being converted into charcoal, and the results are positive both for the community and environment.

As it turns out,human crap has a lot more advantages than just clearing a room. Feces has shown to burn longer than firewood or your typical bag of charcoal. It also apparently creates less smoke and surprise, surprise has NO SMELL. Bet you didnt see that coming, huh?

Sadly, only 27 percent of people in Nakaru, Kenya have access tosewer systems. Its a problem that is being flipped into opportunity because the sludge from the area is being collected and transformed into charcoal briquettes. The process includes drying out the poop, heating it, then mixing it with molasses and sawdust for binding.

As a result of all this, charcoal poop has turned into cash-money. Roughly one kilo of briquettes is worth 50 cents. Based on projected goals, they hope to produce ten tons a monthby the end of 2017, eventually moving to ten tons a day when they have the right equipment. Thistranslates to $4,500 per ten tons, a good amount of money for the largely poor villagers in the area.

So as you can see, human crap isnt so bad after all.Remember that the next time you blow up the bathroom.

Originally posted here:
Cooking With Human Poop Charcoal Is Now A Thing In Parts Of Kenya - Crave Online

Its rare if not unheard of to hear someone question Mark Zuckerbergs comprehension skills.

The Facebook chief executive and social media icon is frequently lauded for his critical thinking and global vision, qualities that have helped him maintain his reign atop one of the worlds most successful companies.

Yet on Tuesday, Tesla chief executive and fellow billionaire Elon Musk said in a tweet that Zuckerbergs understanding of the threat posted by artificial intelligence is limited.

Ouch.

In Silicon Valley, at least, thems tech titan fightin words.

[Elon Musk doesnt think were prepared to face humanitys biggest threat: Artificial intelligence]

Musks tweet was a response to a Facebook live broadcast that Zuckerbergdid during a backyard grilling session Sunday in which he was asked about Musks strident warnings surroundingAI. Without mentioning Musk by name, Zuckerberg called such warnings really negative and pretty irresponsible.

As he waited for his wood-burning stove to finish slow-cooking a brisket, Zuckerberg fielded a variety of questions, including on economic opportunity and thefuture of AI.

I think that people who are naysayers and try to drum up these doomsday scenarios. I dont understand it. Its really negative, and, in some ways, I actually think its pretty irresponsible, said Zuckerberg, who also argued that people can build things and the world gets better.

Zuckerberg pointed out some of the ways in which he believes AI can save human lives, such as helping to enhance the safety of self-driving cars and to diagnose medical conditions. He argued that technology can be used for good or bad and that its incumbent upon inventors to innovate with caution.

But people who are arguing for slowing down the process of building AI, I just find that really questionable, he added. I have a hard time wrapping my head around that. If youre arguing against AI, then youre arguing against safer cars that arent going to have accidents and youre arguing against being able to better diagnose people when theyre sick.

[YouTube is tricking people who search for ISIS videos]

Musk has been warning for years about the risk posed by AI, most recentlytelling a group of governorsthis month that they need to start regulating artificial intelligence, which he called a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization.

When pressed for concrete guidance, Musk said the government must get a better understanding of AI before its too late.

Once there is awareness, people will be extremely afraid, as they should be, Musk said. AI is a fundamental risk to the future of human civilization in a way that car accidents, airplane crashes, faulty drugs or bad food were not. They were harmful to a set of individuals in society, but they were not harmful to individuals as a whole.

After Musk dropped his dig at Zuckerberg on Twitter, thousands of retweets and likes followed. Musk followed up his statement by noting that a movie on the subject is coming soon, but he did not providedetails.

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Why I remain optimistic about Tesla

Read more:
Billionaire burn: Musk says Zuckerberg's understanding of AI threat 'is limited' - Washington Post