Category Archives: Post Human

This post has been updated to reflect that Michael Phelps did not actually race a shark.

A few monthsafter embarrassing Adolf Hitler by winning four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Jesse Owens traveled to Cuba for an exhibition race against Julio McCaw.

Owens was the fastest runner in the world, but when he lined up against his opponent during halftime of a soccer game, helooked clearly outmatched. McCaw was bigger, more muscular.

He also had four legs.

McCaw was a chestnut gelding.

The history of sports and the history of marketing stunts is filled with stories like this, somewhat to the non-delight of animal rights activists.

Human vs. horse. Human vs. cheetah. Human vs. ostrich. Human vs. dog.

And on Sunday, human (Michael Phelps) vs. shark.

Well, as it turns out, not really.

The motivation for these challenges are typically commercial and often silly none more so than the short-lived Fox TV show, Man vs. Beast. Dwarfs race an elephant pulling an airplane. Pro eaterchallenges bear to hot dog eating contest. Champion sprinter beats giraffein race but loses to a zebra.

Phelps, the winner of 23 Olympic gold medals in swimming, was supposed to race a shark during the Discovery Channels annual Shark Week, which also includes programs titled SHALLOW WATER INVASION, SHARKS AMONG US, and AIR JAWS: NIGHT STALKER. (Anyone who watches these shows while vacationing at the beach is missing a few sea shells upstairs.)

Ive raced the fastest swimmers on the planet, Phelps says in a (ahem) promotional video. Except for one.

Except it was all simulated. (At least his golds werent. We think.)

[Blood in the water: Four dead, a coast terrified and the birth of modern shark mania]

While most human vs. animal races are promotional, at least one was to settle a bar bet. Thats how the annual Man vs. Horse Marathon got started more than 35 years ago in Wales, a place not lacking in collective alcohol consumption. Sports bookies take bets. The horses have a rider. The runners have their shoes. It goes on for 22 miles.

In 2004, on the 25th anniversary of the race, a known marathoner named Huw Lobb became the first of just two humans to win.

It is a very unusual event with men running against horses, he said after the race.

Giddy up.

And then theres cheetahs.

Why race a cheetah? Because its a cheetah! Dictionary entry: It is the fastest animal on land. Sarah the cheetah has the worldwide land record in the 100-meter dash, at 5.95 seconds. Olympic sprinter Usain Bolts time at the same distance: 9.58.

Devin Hester and Chris Johnson, both zippy NFL players, raced a cheetah for National Geographic a few years ago. These guys werent exactly brave there was a wall separating them from the cheetah. (At least they did it live.) Johnson, racing just two laps, lost. Hester won. He had an advantage over the cheetah by racing four laps. (Cheetahs cant make quick turns.)

Back in 1936, facing the Cuban horse, Jesse Owens was also given an advantage a 40-yard head start.

A crowd of 3,000 cheered the Negro flash enthusiastically, the Associated Press reported.

Owens beat the horse by a few lengths. (You can watch a short video here.) Though McCaw had nothing to say after losing, Owens was ecstatic, telling reporters, I would be willing to race a horse without a handicap, even from scratch.

But there was a but: Provided, he said, that the animal selected is not remarkably fast.

It was not the last time Owens raced a horse. Unlike Phelps, Owens struggled to earn a living for years, even as a symbol of freedom trouncing Hitlers hate. Owens appeared at promotional events around the world, racing not just horses but trains, cars, and dogs.

Those races made me sick, he said late in life. I felt like a freak.

Jesse Owens, a legend, was reduced to what these competitions ultimately are a sideshow.

Read more Retropolis:

Blood in the water: Four dead, a coast terrified and the birth of modern shark mania

The disturbing history of cat abuse: Public hangings, pipe beatings and The Great Cat Massacre

O.J.s last defender F. Lee Bailey is broke, disbarred and working above a hair salon

Before Venus and Serena, another tennis diva ruled Wimbledon in red lipstick, sipping cognac between sets

She was attacked 50 years ago for being a woman in the Boston Marathon. This year she ran it again at 70.

Continued here:
The Phelps vs. shark charade was another bizarre episode of humans racing animals - Washington Post

Given developments in artificial intelligence many fear robots will soon surpass human intelligence, rendering human beings superfluous. One comfort for humans has been that at least we are smarter than our ancestors.Turns out even this could be false comfort. Research led by Michael Woodley from the Free University in Brussels has shown that our mental abilities have undergone significant decline since the Victorian era. No wonder Victorian sleuth Sherlock Holmes is still considered the acme of detective skill, and TV serials trying to transplant him into contemporary London or Manhattan are all the rage.

Darwins theory of natural selection has been proffered as an explanation: post-Victorian advances in medicine and nutrition meant that people with lower IQs could also have more children who survived into adulthood. This is usually celebrated as emphatic proof of civilisation, as is our current drive towards automation which will allegedly make greater convenience and leisure available to humanity. But Woodley et al force us to think about what it means if genes driving intelligence are becoming less common.

Arent worrying signs all around us? Its not just that computers already tell healthcare providers what drugs to prescribe and absolutely nail Super Mario. Its also the ludic loop of the modern work day check email and SMSs, then WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, then repeat and repeat. Rather than getting their news from trusted news brands, people are greatly excited by fake news these days. This business of becoming stupid intuitively feels connected to ducking real challenges, not doing work thats actually difficult. Maybe thats why modern day Da Vincis spend their weekends climbing mountains or running marathons. For them, theres no take it easy policy. Growing up in premodern times required many different skills. A lazier life may be making us dumb and dumber.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Read the rest here:
Dumber than Darwin: Research shows human intelligence is falling since the 19th century - Times of India (blog)

Showing pride in your club doesn't get much bigger than this.

Thousands of Barcelona fans gathered to create a giant mosaic of Barcelona's new home shirt on Saturday, spanning the length of Brant Park in New York City.

The club said it was the "largest human soccer jersey" ever made -- apparently just breaking the previous record held by Sutton United's Wayne Shaw.

Over 4,000 fans took part in the event, ahead of the Catalan club's first game on their U.S. tour on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in nearby New Jersey.

Club presidentJosepBartomeu and CEOOscar Grau were also in attendance, as well as former star playersJuliano Belletti and Thierry Henry.

While on their preseason tour in the United States Barca are carrying out a number of initiatives to connect with supporters.

On Friday, at Smithfield Hall, vice president Jordi Cardoner, Henry and Belletti all attended an evening put on by the The Official NYCFC Barcelona Penya.

This coming Monday, meanwhile, the club will officially launch it's first U.S academy in Long Island, with members of the first team expected to be present at the event before flying to Washington on Tuesday.

Further events are then planned for Washington, where Barca play Manchester United on July 26, and Miami, where they will face Clasico rivals Real Madrid on July 29 before heading back to Spain.

Barcelona correspondent Sam Marsden contributed to this report.

Read the original:
Barcelona fans create 'largest human jersey' in New York's Bryant ... - ESPN FC (blog)

The conviction of a senior military officer and officials is a good start but Thailand must not be complacent if it wants to improve its reputation in the global community

Before and after. Left, Lt Gen Manas Kongpan, head of Isoc in the South and human trafficking enabler. Right, same man, a shackled prisoner. (Bangkok Post file photos)

The Criminal Court's historic ruling in the human trafficking case, with harsh penalties against a former senior military officer and some local officials, is an attestation of the government's strong determination to combat the heinous crime dubbed as modern-day slavery.

The trial, which brought to justice Lt Gen Manas Kongpan and over 60 people involved in trafficking Rohingya migrants, gained international praise. But more needs to be done.

Manas received a sentence of 27 years in prison for multiple human trafficking charges and other offences. His offences involved trafficking and taking bribes in cases involving migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Anucha Charoenpo is news editor, Bangkok Post.

In the largest human trafficking case ever tried in court, the judge said Manas, a former commander of the 42nd Military Circle in Songkhla and a former senior army adviser, had held a position with responsibility for keeping out and expelling migrants who entered Thailand illegally. Because he was a government official, he was to receive double punishment compared to that of an ordinary citizen who violated the same trafficking laws.

Other convicts include Patchuban Angchotpan, or Ko Tong, former chief of the Satun Provincial Administration Organisation; Banchong Pongphon, or Ko Chong, mayor of Padang Besar municipality in Songkhla; Prasit Lemlah, or Bang Base, deputy mayor of Padang Besar municipality; and Asan Inthanu, or Bang San, a former member of Padang Besar Municipal Council.

All received harsh penalties -- Patchuban was sentenced to 75 years in prison, while Banchong, Prasit and Asan each received 78 years. The court ordered them to pay 4.4 million baht in compensation to the Rohingya victims who suffered from their crimes.

It was indeed a lengthy and complicated case. Manas and the other defendants were arrested in 2015 following the discovery of 36 shallow graves in Songkhla's Sadao district in what had served as holding camps. Migrants were kept in those camps until they could be smuggled over the border into Malaysia, the intended destination for most.

At times these trafficking victims were starved, beaten and tortured. According to court documents, some women victims were raped. Other camps with more bodies were found, some on the Malaysian side of the frontier.

Manas and Co were unmasked after the investigators traced their telephone records and, more importantly, the money trail.

The court said Manas could not prove evidence of claims that he had earned about 14 million baht over the past two years from gambling on bullfighting and receiving legal payments for keeping out and expelling Rohingya migrants from the country.

Grim discovery: six bodies - four females and two males - are exhumed for identification from an abandoned graveyard in Padang Besar of Songkhlas Sadao district in 2015.(Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)

Despite the success in this case, more needs to be done regarding human trafficking crimes.

According to intelligence sources, Thailand is still a source, destination and transit country for men, women and children who are often smuggled and trafficked from poorer, neighbouring countries Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to work in Thailand, usually as labourers and sex workers.

The Manas case shows that corruption by state authorities has obstructed anti-trafficking efforts. Wrongdoers resort to threats and intimidation and other brutal acts to cover up their crimes. The lead investigator in the Manas case, Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin, had to seek asylum in Australia for fear of his safety.

Looking forward, it's necessary that the government must do whatever it can to prevent such crimes, starting from screening officers tasked with anti-trafficking missions. There must be other stringent measures in checking records of state authorities responsible for the work.

The state and civil society worked closely together until the wrongdoers were exposed. They must maintain, if not enhance, constructive cooperation which can increase efficiency in tackling a crime that continues to be a major problem in Thailand.

Those who are found or alleged to have abused their authority to facilitate or commit this inhumane crime must face a swift disciplinary probe. When necessary, the use of telephone records and checking suspects' money trails must be applied.

If found guilty, harsh disciplinary action with maximum penalties is a must.

Like Manas, any military or police officers involved in wrongdoing must lose their ranks before being thrown into jail.

The slow judicial process in the Manas case, which came to light in 2015, is probably a factor in the US State Department's decision to maintain Thailand in its Tier 2 Watch List in the 2017 Trafficking in Persons report released in June.

According to its statement, it said the Thai government had not fully met the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking. It did not aggressively prosecute and convict officials complicit in trafficking crimes, and official complicity continued to impede anti-trafficking efforts.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs countered that Thailand has made progress in policy initiatives, prosecution of wrongdoers and complicit officials, prevention of potential crimes and protection of witnesses and victims. It has also forged partnerships with various groups of stakeholders, both domestic and foreign.

After this case, I think the Thai government will improve its anti-human trafficking efforts in order to convince the US State Department to next year elevate the country from Tier 2 Watch List status.

Originally posted here:
More work remains on human trafficking - Bangkok Post

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, previously praisedand invited by President Trump to come to the White House, said he will not visit the United States during or after his term becausethe country is lousy.

Duterte's remarks about one of the Philippines' oldest allies was in response to Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who said he would protest if the Filipino leader utilized Trump's invitation.

There will never be a time that I will go to America during my term, or even thereafter. So what makes that guy think I'll go to America? I've seen America, and it's lousy, Duterte told reporters Friday about McGovern.

McGovern led ahearing in Congress Thursday onDuterte's drug war that has resulted in a mass killing of suspected addicts and dealers in the Philippines. More than 7,000 deaths have been reported from July 1, 2016, to Jan. 21, according to the Philippine National Police. The deaths were carried out by both police and unknown vigilantes.

Human rights groups have strongly criticized the Filipino leader's method in eradicating his country's drug problem, citing lack of due process and killingsthat targeted the poor.

We should be clear what an extrajudicial killing or execution is: It is the purposeful killing of a person by governmental authorities without the sanction of any judicial proceeding, McGovern said in his opening remarks. No arrest. No warrant. No judge. No jury. Simply, murder.

McGovern added that someone with Duterte's abysmal human rights record should not be invited to the United States.If he comes, I will lead the protest, the congressman said. We ought to be on the side of advocating for human rights, not explaining them away.

[Trump should condemn Dutertes bloody war, not invite him to the White House, critics say]

Duterte shot back Friday, telling reporters that he, too, can and will investigate the United States' history of human rights violation.

You're investigating me and the internal affairs of my country? I'm investigating you, and I will investigate you, and I will expose it to the world what you did to the Filipino, especially to the Moro Filipino, Duterte said, likely referring to the Battle of Bud Dajo in 1906 in the island of Jolo in the southernmost part of the Philippines. American troops killed more than 600 Moro people asthey tried to take control of Mindanao, home to the country's Muslims.

Duterte has frequently brought up the massacre when confronted with criticisms of his drug war.

Ironically, Duterte is carrying out his own battles with Muslim militants.The Philippine Congress on Saturday approved hisappeal to extend martial law in Marawi on the island of Mindanao to the end of the year, the Associated Press reported. The city has been besieged by militants linked to the Islamic State.

In his statement to reporters Friday,Duterte also used the U.S.presence in the Middle Eastto hit back at McGovern's criticisms.

It would be good for the U.S. Congress to start with their own investigation of their own violations of the so many civilians killed in the prosecution of the wars in the Middle East. Otherwise I will be forced to investigate you, also. I will start with your past sins, he said, according to Reuters.

The United States and the Philippines have had a long and storied relationship, dating back to the Spanish-American War. The relationship soured during the Obama administration, after the president criticized the mass killings under Duterte. Not one to take criticism lightly, Duterte snapped at former president Barack Obama on a few occasions, telling him to go to hell and, at one point, calling him theTagalog phrase for son of a b---- or son of a whore.Last September, Obama canceled a meeting with Duterte,whom he called a colorful guy.

[Dutertes drug war is horrifically violent. So why do many young, liberal Filipinos support it?]

But the relationship between the two countries had appeared to be shifting with Trump in office.The president praised the war on drugs and invitedDuterte to the United States during a phone call in April.

I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem. Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that, Trump said, according to a transcript of the call obtained by The Washington Post.

Trump also called Duterte a good manand toward the end of theconversation, told him that he's invited anytime to the White House.

The prospect of the Filipino strongman coming to the United States, however, quickly set off alarm bells among critics, including an international human rights group that advocates for a U.N. investigation of Duterte's administration. Dutertelater told reportersthat he cannot promise he will accept the invitation, citing his busy schedule.

Duterte's most recent statement appears to be an indication that he's not accepting Trump's invitation.

Read more:

Trumps invitation to Duterte is a sign of the times

Rodrigo Duterte is the Trump of the Philippines, because everyone is the Trump of something

Trump calls Kim Jong Un a madman with nuclear weapons, according to transcript of Duterte call

Go here to see the original:
Philippines' Duterte vows not to come to the US: 'I've seen America, and it's lousy' - Washington Post

While it is certain that all organizations face human resource challenges, the issues faced by small businesses can greatly differ from those faced by a larger organization. In fact, although many of the same issues exist in larger operations, smaller employers must navigate through additional barriers because they frequently lack the benefits that come with dedicated human resource staff and resources enjoyed by their bigger counterparts. Managing a small business can be quite daunting to the owners who must wear many hats as they try to deliver results on everything from business development, to cashflow and operations. When employee issues are sprinkled into the mix, it can often feel overwhelming.

As I recall my work with small business owners trying to navigate through the unfamiliar and sometimes downright uncomfortable terrain of human resources, there are some definite trends shared by each operation. Although there are countless human resource challenges, I have decided to capture four reoccurring themes shared by the group of businesses Ive personally observed and supported through my work over the years.

Shifting from a small business mindset There are some definite perks that come along with operating and working at a small business. Perhaps the most significant advantage is the small business owners personalized view of their workforce. Employees of small businesses enjoy the benefit of a family-like environment where the layers of management are minimal. As an organization shifts into a larger entity, the needs of the business change, which eventually forces a different perspective. The employee-employer relationship transitions from a family-like arrangement into a strategic arrangement where resources must be scrutinized through a different lens to keep up with compliance changes and business needs. If not properly nurtured or kept in balance, this can lead to damaged relationships, the loss of key talent, and increased risk exposure.

Lack of a dedicated HR team Most small businesses lack the resources to justify a team of certified and trained human resource professionals. As a result, human resource responsibilities are often limited to transactional and reactive administrative duties performed by an administrative support employee who is doing their best to figure it all out on their own. In other small operations, human resource responsibilities are offloaded onto someone as an additional focus to their primary role in another area such as finance. When this occurs, liabilities and risks to the small business greatly increase as this oftentimes self-trained individual tries to navigate the complexities of payroll, benefits, recruitment and disciplinary action. An untrained human resource representative is forced to wing it when faced with advising owners on the best course of action for complex investigations, business implications from updates to health reform laws and employee engagement. This can often lead to a destructive end result.

Regulatory compliance Perhaps most importantly, having an untrained person can cripple a businesss ability to stay up to protocol when it comes to the latest laws, rules and regulations. Small businesses are often unaware of the numerous federal and state employment laws to which they must abide. Specifically, laws governing areas such as non-discrimination, compensation, military leave, safety and immigration can easily be misinterpreted or completely unknown. This results in mistakes, unnecessary loss of resources and in the worst case, costly legal fines. The legal world is constantly evolving, and the lack of an experienced person keeping the business in compliance is crucial to avoid a costly fine, forced closing or bad publicity over something that could have easily been avoided.

Lack of a succession plan Since many small businesses operate with a core team of key leaders who have been there from the beginning, the thought of replacing these individuals is not readily considered. In fact, a recent study by the United States Small Business Administration found that three in five small businesses lack a succession plan. As a result, the protection provided by a well thought out and annually reviewed succession plan as experienced by many larger businesses with a human resource team is rarely realized by smaller businesses with a more insular mindset. Small business owners tend to work later in life and function at a hectic pace just to remain competitive. The time it takes to develop their exit plan or replacement frequently takes a back seat to immediate and urgent priorities. The development of a succession plan is a key component to keeping the business functioning and profitable amidst any planned or unplanned changes such as the sudden disability or loss of a key leader.

Although small businesses may face even greater human resource challenges than larger businesses, there are many resources to help smaller employers navigate through their human resource obligations. Websites such as http://www.shrm.org and http://www.dol.gov offer countless resources for business owners. There are also many software options that charge a monthly fee for access to tools that aid in various aspects of managing human resources. For more personalized expert support, there are organizations and consultants you can hire to outsource your human resource function with a formally educated and trained professional. You dont have to figure it out alone.

Elizabeth P. Cipolla SPHR, SHRM-SCP is a leadership communications professional specializing in the areas of leadership training, creative recruitment strategies, employment branding, professional development and executive coaching for over 15 years. Her leadership experience comes from various industries including marketing, mass media, apparel, education, manufacturing, aerospace, nonprofit agencies and insurance. To contact Elizabeth, email her at elizabeth@catapultsuccess.com.

COLUMBUS, IND. Cummins Inc. has announced Jamestown Plant Manager, Mike Abbate, has received one of the ...

Link:
HR Issues Small Businesses Face - Jamestown Post Journal

The transformation of Sean Spicer from mere press secretary to human meme began the day after Trump became president. This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration period both in person and around the globe, Spicer said in a forceful statement to reporters on Jan. 21. He was sent out to dispute reports about the size of the crowd on Inauguration Day, but several of his key facts were wrong, and #spicerfacts became a Twitter meme. The joke was, #Spicerfacts were not, strictly speaking, facts.

[Spicer resigns as White House press secretary, Scaramucci to be communications director]

Spicer resigned as White House spokesmanon Friday, afterAnthony Scaramucci was appointed White House communications director. With Spicersresignation, its also time to say goodbye to the semi-fictional character the Internet created out of Spicer.

Spicer, the human meme, was at times the embodiment ofthe Trump administrations combativeness withthe mainstream media hence the lasting power of #spicerfacts. At other times, he was kind of a sequel to the character the Internet created of Jeb! please clap Bush a sad figure whose dreams were crushed by the surprise rise of Trump.

A few weeks ago, Funny or Die re-cut Sarah McLachlans famous ASPCA commercial to plead for help for Spicer. Being the White House press secretary was Sean Spicers dream, the parody says. He will have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Sean Spicer needs your help.

The memes of Spicer hiding in or, more precisely among the bushes caught the Internets imagination so fully in May that someone made real cutouts of an image of Spicers headto place in real bushes. The idea went viral.Lisa Kadonaga, the creator of the cutouts, speculated in interviews that the meme spread in part because people feltkind of bad for the press secretary:

I think it really struck a chord with people realizing, Gee, that could be me up there, she said to a Canadian media outlet. Later, she added, I do feel sorry for the guy.

The memed version of Spicers short tenure as press secretary is often a bit more fan fiction than documentation, but there were several real-world moments that helped to fuel it. There was, of course, the bushes incident. But the most heartbreaking one was probably when Trump met Pope Francis: Spicer, a Catholic,wasnt invited to the meeting. Reporters publicly expressed sympathy:

When asked about the absence, a source close to the White House said the following to CNN: Wow. Thats all he wanted.

The Spicer meme character was always chaotic, a weird juxtaposition how Spicer did his job while defending the administrations statements and policies, and of the mans more lighthearted idiosyncrasies. Just days after his tense address to the media about the inauguration crowd size, a side story emerged about his longtime feud with Dippin Dots, the ice cream-like product. There was also the mystery of some truly strange tweets from his @PressSec account during his first week on the job (many speculated that perhaps Spicer had inadvertently tweeted his password).

But it was Melissa McCarthys portrayal of Spicer on Saturday Night Live that best captured the mix of absurdity and sympathy of the Internets vision for him. McCarthy played Spicer as an ineloquent bully, but onethe audience still sort of rooted for. When Spicer returnedto the show in May, this was in full effect.

But what if hes lying to you? a reporter asks McCarthys Spicer in the sketch.

He wouldnt do that; hes my friend, Spicer replies.

If hes your friend, why does he make you come out here and humiliate yourself every day? another reporter asks.

Spicer then abruptly leaves the news conference and heads to New York to ask the president, Have you ever told me to say things that arent true? Please watch, if you havent:

Upon news of Spicers resignation Friday morning, the Internet filled up with tributes to the character theyd created out of the mans six months as White House press secretary.

Well miss you, Super Deluxe tweeted Friday, after changing their Twitter name to Spicer Deluxe in tribute. The outlet known for its political satire then published a supercut of Spicer stuttering at the White House lectern.

More reading:

See the original post:
It's time to say goodbye to Sean Spicer, the human meme of the Trump White House - Washington Post

UPDATED: Fri., July 21, 2017, 10:50 p.m.

After Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich Commissioned seven new deputies, this picture was posted on the sheriffs office Facebook page. From left to right the new deputies are Jeffrey Bailey, Matthew Peterson, Benjamin Ehlers, Jessica Baken, Shawn Lundgren, Collin Hayett and Scott McKenney (Spokane County Sheriffs Office Facebook page)

When the vice chairwoman of the Spokane Human Rights Commission, Ashley Torres, shared a post announcing the swearing-in of seven new Spokane County Sheriffs Office deputies on Facebook, it wasnt with a congratulatory message.

So much for diversifying our police force Torres wrote.

Torres didnt step in when another commenter wrote the group of deputies looked white-washed and that the woman in the picture was put out front so she wouldnt be missed.

Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said he was disappointed by the post, especially since it came from a member of the Human Rights Commission, and that it sent a terrible message to the seven new deputies.

Welcome to Spokane and the first day of your new job, Knezovich said Thursday. You already have part of the community against you.

Knezovich, whose agency, like many other law enforcement agencies in the country, is struggling to fill open positions, demanded an apology.

Torres said she was just stating a fact that seven more white people had been hired.

I dont feel like the hiring process is working, Torres said. There are barriers to hiring minorities and those barriers need to be addressed.

Torres said she didnt immediately understand the white-washed comment as being racist.

She added that the post was not directed at the people in the photo, and that she did not intend to support sexist comments about the female deputy.

I understand how it could have been misconstrued, Torres said. But I have issues with the disparity within the sheriffs department, and Im not going to back away from that.

Knezovich said that pointing out there is a disparity issue in his agency is a Captain Obvious moment.

How about helping with a solution? Knezovich said. We reach out to every aspect of humanity we can think of when we hire.

Human Rights Commission Chairman John Lemus said the commission will apologize to Knezovich and the new deputies at its meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Ashley and I are not racists, Lemus said. Deputies have human rights, too, and this is never anything that could have happened on the commissions page.

Lemus, whos running for mayor of Spokane, also said hed issue a warning to commissioners on Tuesday.

We are appointed by the mayor and we are public officials, Lemus said. We have to think about what we are posting on social media and how its perceived by the community.

See the original post here:
Spokane Human Rights Commission will apologize to sheriff's office for comments on Facebook - The Spokesman-Review

July 21 at 8:00 PM

I was brought to tears by the story of the human chain that savedswimmers who were perilously close to drowning off a Florida beach [Florida beachgoers form a human chain to save 10 swept off by riptide, Politics & the Nation, July 12]. Dozens of beachgoers some of whom couldnt swim responded to the alarm, left their complacency behind and joined hands in a rescue effort, endangering their own lives in the process. This remarkable and spontaneous show of unity, this act of courage and compassion by strangers, left me in awe.

How badly is such a story needed now, when the daily headlines are filled with the hatred and division consuming our nation. Ill bet that human chain consisted of both Democrats and Republicans, people of different races, religions and sexual orientations. When disaster is at hand, these differences are utterly irrelevant; the human impulse to help one another is as strong as any force of nature. We should all learn from their extraordinary spirit of cooperation.

Rebecca Frank, Oakton

Read the rest here:
A testament to the human impulse to help one another - Washington Post

After opening the case and testifying against the 'big fish' in human trafficking in 2015 (above), including high-ranking military officers, Pol Maj Gen Paween got death threats and fled to Australia - where he plans to stay. (Bangkok Post file photo)

The former lead investigator into the Rohingya smuggling case who fled the country after claiming he had received death threats is looking to remain in Australia and is seeking to acquire citizenship, one of his friends says.

Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin still believes it is too dangerous to return to Thailand despite the Criminal Court convictions on Wednesday of 62 out of 103 defendants for trafficking Rohingya migrants, he said.

They included former army adviser Lt Gen Manas Kongpan who was jailed for 27 years for trafficking, taking bribes and transnational crimes.

Several senior Songkhla and Satun local government officials were also handed lengthy jail terms.

Pol Maj Gen Paween now holds refugee status in Australia and is applying for a protection visa, said the friend on condition of anonymity.

The visa will be used in obtaining Australian nationality which will take about four years.

The friend said the former policeman was had been contacted by several media outlets following this week's convictions.

Pol Maj Gen Paween declined to give any interviews, saying it could affect his visa application. Australian authorities also warned him not to talk about the case.

The friend said there was little chance of Pol Maj Gen Paween returning to Thailand since his investigation uncovered a number of high-ranking and local state officials involved in human trafficking syndicates.

Many of the defendants involved in the court case worked for these officials, he said.

"While digging into the case he found evidence indicating several high-ranking officials took bribes from human trafficking rings," the friend said.

The former police officer does not hold out much hope these officials will ever be identified, he added.

Pol Maj Gen Paween, who initially led the high-profile human trafficking case, quit the Royal Thai Police in late 2015 after he was transferred to the restive far South.

He claimed he could be at risk of retribution from trafficking gangs.

The ex-investigator later fled to Australia and told the media there he feared for his life after his investigation implicated influential people who wanted to silence him.

He said at the time he was too afraid to return home and planned to seek political asylum.

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Human trafficking whistle blower to stay in Australia - Bangkok Post