Category Archives: Post Human

WATERLOO | Black Hawk County's human resources director has fallen victim to the budget ax.

Members of the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday to eliminate Human Resources Director Jerry Clyde's position effective today while "realigning" his department's staff as part of the board office.

The supervisors said the move, expected to save about $80,000 next year, was strictly budget driven.

"It's not a matter of personnel," said board chairman Craig White. "It's a matter of the almighty dollar."

Supervisor Frank Magsamen said the supervisors already had voted to eliminate a courthouse maintenance job, a vacant position in the auditor's office and will not fund two health department posts. All were designed to hold down next year's property tax increase.

The supervisors hired Clyde in July 2011 after former human resources director June Watkins left for another position.

"I can fully understand what is happening and why it's happening," Clyde said. "I leave with nothing but pride in what my department and staff have accomplished, and I have nothing but great admiration for Black Hawk County."

Clyde had requested to stay on through June to help with the transition and complete a job reclassification program he felt was vital to the future of the county's workforce. That was rejected.

Both Clyde and the supervisors expressed confidence the remaining human resources staff is capable of handling the work.

"I appreciated the restructuring you've done and having some strong people in that department we can lean on," said Supervisor Linda Laylin.

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Black Hawk County supervisors eliminate human resources director post

The Chinese authorities on Jan. 27 acknowledged for the first time that they have discovered cases of human-to-human infection with the H7N9 bird flu, while remaining vague on the details in an attempt to prevent public panic.

In a short statement on Jan. 27, the authorities said that human-to-human transmission was recorded in eastern Chinas Zhejiang Province. They do not specify the number of cases, nor the city in which they took place.

The H7N9 Joint Prevention and Control Office said the infection or infections took place under particular conditions and are non-sustained transmissions, meaning that it is not expected to spread from those incidents.

The case or cases in Zhejiang would be the first time that human-to-human transmission has been officially acknowledged by the authorities since H7N9, a new avian influenza, was first recorded in China in March 2013.

Experts at the China Center of Disease Control, however, said it was just a special case, and human-to-human transmission of H7N9 is not yet very widespread.

The public has no need to panic too much, said Xinhua, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party.

Zhejiang has a bad record with H7N9 infections: it has recorded 49 diagnosed cases and 12 deaths this month, the latest official report says.

A newly released Treatment Scheme of Human Infection with H7N9 Bird Flu by Chinas Health and Family Planning Commission also now lists limit and non-sustained human-to-human infection as one of the ways in which the H7N9 virus may be transmitted.

More common transmission mechanisms include infection through the respiratory tract, through close contact with secretions or excretions of infected birds, and through contact with the infected environment.

Despite the authorities attempts at damage control in emphasizing the limited nature of human-to-human transmission, the news still came as highly unwelcome to the public. Many individuals posting on the Internet said they would avoid eating poultry, in order to protect themselves from contracting the virus. (Though it does not spread from the consumption of chicken meat.)

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Bird Flu Spreads Human-to-Human, Admit Chinese Authorities

Sen. Max Baucus, President Barack Obamas nominee to be the next U.S. ambassador to China, vowed Tuesday to make human rights a cornerstone of his agenda if he wins Senate confirmation to take on the high-profile diplomatic mission for the administration.

The six-term Montana Democrat told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the U.S. represents an island of freedom around the world, and he would ensure human rights issues are a top priority in his dealings with China.

Protection of human rights is probably the bedrock, fundamental goal, Mr. Baucus told the committee, which is expected to vote on his nomination next Tuesday.

If confirmed, Mr. Baucus will head to Beijing as the U.S. is shifting its military, political and economic priorities towards Asia in an effort to counter Chinas expanding influence around the world. Mr. Baucus, who announced last April that he would not run for re-election this year, was nominated by Mr. Obama in December.

Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee, several of whom have worked closely with Mr. Baucus for years, generally treated the nominee with deference, an indication he is likely to be confirmed by the committee.

The most pointed questioning came from Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), who expressed concern about comments from Mr. Baucus that he wanted to embrace constructive engagement in his relations with China.

The role China is playing in Asia today should be of great concern to all of us, Mr. McCain told the nominee, who warned Mr. Baucus that he would have problems representing American interests if he didnt recognize the threat that China poses to global peace and security.

I dont disagree with you, Mr. Baucus replied. The overarching goal is for us as a country, I think, is to engage China with eyes wide open, to try to find common ground.

Mr. Baucus has traveled to China eight times in the last 50 years, from his days as a college student hitchhiking around Asia to his official visits as a U.S. senator. He has dealt with the economic issues facing the U.S. and China, but has less experience in the military issues between the two countries.

At one point during Tuesdays hearing, Mr. Baucus professed that he is no real expert on China, an admission one of his aides described as a moment of humility.

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U.S. Nominee for China Post Promises Human Rights Agenda

[This is a review ofBeing Humanseason 4, episode 3. There will be SPOILERS.]

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This weeks episode of Being Human finally paid off on the tease from the end of the season premiere episode where we saw that Kenny had miraculously returned from the wilderness without deformity to take control of the Boston vampire machine with Blake as his sidekick.

While Aidan and Kennys interactions a little kidnap confusion, a grand effort to impress Aidan, a bit of rejection, and an attempt by Kenny to kill Josh seemed to point to a long and drawn out battle between the two, they mostly proved to be a red herring.

Instead of once again putting Aidan in a position to reject the vampire authority in pursuit of his freedom, Aidan and Kenny were quickly united by an attack on their kind right after Kenny revealed that he was not actually healed, but rather that he had gained the ability to compel vampires (and others) into seeing what he wanted them to see.

Will that parlor trick come in handy in the future? Most likely, but it seems pretty likely that Aidan really did see Suzanna (Aidans wife) inBlademode, wielding a sword and a stake while clearing out Kennys vamp blood den. The question is: Why? Is this in response to her guilt? Is she avenging Bishops death? Is she after Aidan? Hopefully, well get a bit more insight next week.

Its worth noting that, while Kenny may not easily slot in as a villain this season, he now seems to have a much firmer place on the show. Clearly, he and Aidan have father/son issues to work through, and the flashback to Kennys pre-turn days and Aidans warning to Kenny to pull his hands back from a felled vamp before she turns to dust seem to indicate that Aidan still has feelings for the teen vamp king, even if he did try to kill Josh.

Speaking of Josh, while it was nice to get a brief glimpse of the characters lightness as he and Aidan went meta to discuss how they still have jobs despite all of the time that they have missed from work, we really didnt get much of a chance to get comfortable and neither did Nora, who risked Joshs life to grasp at a kind of normalcy that she is still chasing.

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‘Being Human’: Lil’ Smokie

Ahead of todays hearing on Cambodias record at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, opposition figures and analysts said the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party has reverted to familiar tactics of post-election suppression.

Analysts yesterday said that the breaking up of Cambodia National Rescue Party-led protests at Freedom Park and a crackdown on garment workers earlier this month echoed the crackdowns following elections in 1998 and 2003.

CNRP spokesman Nhem Ponharith said yesterday he believed that the governments actions this year hearkened back to these earlier periods of chaos and political instability.

I think that the recent actions of the CPP have backtracked [the country] to the violent crackdown on the opposition in 1998, he said.

We will continue with the public forums. The latest political environment has turned negative and was [a result of] the failure to decide a date for political negotiations. The previous tactic of the CPP was not appropriate for a modern democracy, he added.

Koul Panha, executive director of election monitor Comfrel, said the CPP was employing Cold War tactics to defeat the opposition movement by force.

In 1998, the crackdown on peaceful demonstrations resulted in pressure on Funcinpec to form a coalition government, but now it is different and the tactic no longer works because the CNRP did not demand a coalition government, he said. The CPP has had to change tactics.

Chea Vannath, an independent political and social analyst, said yesterday that the shift from last years easing of freedoms after the election was a sign that the ruling party still lacked political maturity.

What I observe is that there is a lack of maturity in terms of how to implement the democratic process, she said.

For any problems, the CPP is still quite keen to use force rather than help to convince people, to lobby. It likes using violence to intimidate protesters more. Its the same thing as in 1998 and 2003, the same pattern in terms of democratic processes.

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New deadlock but old tactics, analysts say

Posted by Franco Fernandez, CBS 12 News

WEST PALM BEACH -- A teacher at Roosevelt Middle School finds herself in the midst of controversy after making a Facebook post that some parents found offensive.

During a recent field trip to the Palm Beach Zoo the teacher checked in on the social media site writing, "At the zoo with our animals," referring to the students.

Some parents CBS 12 News spoke with found the post to be extremely offensive.

"How is she going to call my son an animal? Which part is offensive? Is it a racial thing or a behavioral thing? Well, it's both" said on parent.

Roosevelt Middle Principal Jeff Pollard was made aware of the issue and has spoken with the teacher about the post -- which she has since deleted.

"I have a dedicated staff who care about children, but we're not all perfect. The post did have some racial undertones about it, but the teacher didn't have any malice or bad intent. I just want to squash this as soon as possible," said Pollard.

Other parents agree with the principal.

"Sometimes people can be over sensitive," remarked one parent while reading the Facebook post. "I wouldn't read too much into it. I'm sure she loves all her kids. We call our kids names as in fun from time to time... I wouldn't read too much into it."

District officials tell CBS 12 News the teacher is still working at the school and this is now a human resource issue.

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Local teacher catching heat over Facebook post

Tylenes post-Human centipede race reaction
Our friend Tylene after her breakdown during The Human centipede race. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc7AShBLnRo It was just so real and then heather with t...

By: Crawford MacLeay

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Tylenes post-Human centipede race reaction - Video

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Segmento Free en vivo. Camara-Gerardo Marulanda Visuales-VIDEOLAB.

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FREE Live - Video

The movie 12 Years a Slave depicts an awful scenario: a free man kidnapped and sold into bondage. The events of the film are disturbing, but in the minds of many, theyre also remote and more than a century old.

Yet slavery is a much larger part of our world than most Americans particularly, Southerners would like to admit. And sadly, its still very much a reality.

Modern slaverys driving force is the same as its always been: money. It comes in many forms, and preys on the most vulnerable: a teenage girl forced into prostitution; an immigrant blackmailed by an employer holding the deportation lever; a debt-burdened worker kept underwater by a crooked boss.

Last month, President Barack Obama proclaimed January 2014 National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Citing the Emancipation Proclamation, the president said that modern-day slavery is a global tragedy that requires international effort to combat.

On Jan. 25, the city of Orlando, the Greater Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force and the Florida Abolitionist Group are giving citizens an opportunity to unite locally against modern-day slavery during Human Trafficking Awareness Day at the amphitheater in Lake Eola Park.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a Break These Chains freedom walk from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Information booths, live entertainment, food and childrens activities will be featured, and proceeds go toward assisting human trafficking victims.

This venue is apt for the Sunshine State, which, according to the Florida National Organization for Women, has one of the highest rates of human trafficking in the nation, along with California and New York.

State Department figures estimate the total number of people enslaved in the world at 27 million the highest in human history.

Perhaps it wont take a gory civil war to end modern slavery, but anyone who wants to be part of a solution should try making it out to Lake Eola on to support the efforts against todays most heinous criminal enterprise.

Tags: human trafficking awareness, Lake Eola, modern slavery, Orlando

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Human Trafficking Awareness Day at Lake Eola Park on Jan. 25

Claims of human rights violations following the Christchurch earthquake are about to be put under the international spotlight at the United Nations.

The day-to-day challenges of life post-quake have slipped from international headlines, but now the United Nations wants to know how people are coping.

Justice Minister Judith Collins will present a report on New Zealand's human rights record for other countries to critique.

Ms Collins is currently in London for meetings and will travel to Geneva, where she will present the first update on human rights in New Zealand since 2009.

"The Human Rights Commission have been reasonably critical of some of the work that has gone on there, so that is certainly something I will be speaking on," says Ms Collins. "[I] hope to bring [a] reality check about what happens when you have 11,000-plus earthquakes over [a] matter of two years."

Christchurch residents group CanCERN lodged a formal complaint with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development last month over hundreds of alleged human rights violations, including poor health as a result of delays with the Earthquake Commission and insurance companies.

Ms Collins says she wonders "how it could" amount to a human rights violation, "given that we aren't in charge of the earthquakes".

An area Ms Collins admits New Zealand can improve on is its figures on domestic violence and social inequality for Maori - the focus of New Zealand's last human rights review.

"It's not something we should say we're completely proud of our record. What [we] can say is [we are] very proud of the steps we've taken and that we are very honest about the situation."

After Ms Collins has presented the report, United Nations member countries report back with recommendations for New Zealand to improve human rights. However, the recommendations are not legally binding as it's effectively just suggestions.

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Collins puts NZ human rights under the spotlight