WAIT, WHAT?!

House of Commons backs call to remove Iran from UN’s commission on status of women

Earlier this year, Iran began a four-year term on the commission until 2026.

Heidi Lee - Yesterday 

The House of Commons has adopted two motions declaring support for growing calls to remove Iran from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on Monday.


Members of the Iranian Canadian community and their supporters chant before participating in a worldwide "human chain" organized by the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims in solidarity with antigovernment protesters in Iran, in Ottawa on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022.

© THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The motion, which was put forward by Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman, was adopted by unanimous consent following question period on Monday.

"Given the brutal death of Masha Amini at the hands of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the subsequent crackdown in Iran on women's rights, civil liberties, and fundamental freedom, and the long history of grave human rights abuses and violence against women perpetuated by the Iranian state, that this House declares its support for the removal of Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women," the motion from Lantsman reads.

Read more:

Freeland, Joly sign open letter decrying Iran’s violation of women’s rights

A second motion put forward by Bloc Quebecois MP Andreanne Larouche called on fellow MPs to declare support for Iranians protesting for their rights in that country, and that the House of Commons "condemns the intimidation and bullying and violence against the protesters, who are supporting the movement to free women in Iran."

Larouche's motion also called on the UN to "exclude Iran from its organization," and was also adopted by unanimous consent.

Unanimous consent motions do not receive formal votes, and do not always reflect official government policies. Rather, they are adopted only if no MP voices opposition to them when the motion is moved.

The motions reflect the will of the House of Commons, rather than the government itself.

Video: Iran schoolchildren reportedly killed for protesting

The UN commission on the status of women is a global intergovernmental body "exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women" through "promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives around the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women," according to its website.

Earlier this year, Iran began a four-year term on the commission until 2026.

In September, 22-year-old Masha Amini, who was detained for not wearing her hijab properly as dictated by the country’s regime, died in the custody of the Iranian "morality police."

Since then, there have been protests across Iran over Amini's death and the regime's longstanding violation of women's rights, with at least 1,000 charged over ongoing unrest in Tehran.

In an open letter published in The New York Times on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly joined other female world leaders and human rights voices in condemning Iran’s violence against protesters and called for the country to be removed from the body.

The letter stated that Iran should have been disqualified for its longstanding, systemic oppression of women, as well as its recent brutality towards human rights protesters.

— with files from The Canadian Press and Reuters

Canadian demonstrators form 'human chain' in solidarity with Iran protesters

CBC/Radio-Canada - Saturday

Thousands of demonstrators lined the streets of Canadian cities from St. John's to Vancouver as part of a worldwide "human chain" to show solidarity with ongoing anti-government protests in Iran.

In , stretches of Yonge Street were flanked by crowds chanting "women, life, freedom" and "say her name: Mahsa Amini," who died on Sept. 16 after being detained for allegedly violating the country's strict Islamic dress code for women.

At a midtown intersection, cars blared their horns as they passed by demonstrators holding pictures of loved ones who were among the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752. On Jan. 8, 2020, 176 people, including 55 Canadian citizens, were killed when Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down the Ukrainian airliner.

The events were organized by the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims.

Arash Morattab, who lost his brother and sister-in-law in the crash, said the victims of Flight 752 have common cause with the protest movement that has rocked Iran for nearly a month and a half in the face of harsh backlash from security forces.

"We are all victims of a regime that started killing people from the first days of them coming into power, and this keeps going until now," said Morattab. "They killed our beloved ones in January 2020, and now they kill other people that fight for their rights."



Protesters line Yonge Street in north Toronto on Saturday in support of Iranians' continued protests against the death of Mahsa Amini in September.© Tyler Cheese/CBC
'It's not just about the hijab'

The fight for justice is particularly resonant for women in Iran who continue to be denied freedom, said protester Sara Ahmadi. She said she ran into problems with the regime because she wasn't legally married to her common-law partner, who was killed in the plane crash.

"Women don't have any rights in my country," Ahmadi said. "It's not just about the hijab. It's about everything."

Further north on Yonge Street, protesters chanted, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Islamic regime must go" and "What solution? Revolution" while drivers leaned on their horns in solidarity.

"It's unbelievable," said Mehrdokht Hadi, one of the organizers of the Toronto event. "Two months ago I couldn't imagine this crowd on the streets, now people are not scared and people are motivated."

The protests in Iran sparked by Amini's death first focused on the state-mandated hijab, or head scarf for women, but quickly grew into calls for the downfall of the country's theocracy.

At least 270 people have been killed and 14,000 have been arrested in the protests that have swept over 125 Iranian cities, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran.

The Iranian government has repeatedly alleged that foreign powers have orchestrated the protests, but have not provided evidence to support the claim.

Trudeau at Ottawa protest

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke at the protest in , where several hundred people gathered outside the National Gallery of Canada before moving to stretch along both sides of the Alexandra Bridge.

"Iranians made their choice, Canada be their voice," and "Canada, U.S., take action, take action" featured prominently in the chants heard in the nation's capital.

Trudeau told the crowd that he and other Canadians stood with the protesters in Iran.

"They are not forgotten. Their voices are being heard," he said.

The biggest applause for the prime minister came when he discussed Iranians in Canada "who have benefited from the corrupt, from the horrific regime in Iran," saying "no more" would Canada be a safe haven.

Canada has moved to bar thousands of members of the Iranian regime and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from entering Canada.

Trudeau's words Saturday prompted chants of "kick them out" from the crowd.

One of the protesters, Arian Nourishad, said she was glad to see Trudeau at the protest, along with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau.

"Of course, you can always do more. But we're happy he's here," she said.

Sharooz Fazni, who came to Canada from Iran in 1984, said that he was more hopeful about these protests than ever before. He said he was glad to be taking part in protests in Canada in support of those in Iran.

"Here, nobody shoots. But in Iran …"

Calls for democracy, end to regime

In , more than 100 people participated in the human chain protest that began at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and stretched along the Esplanade Riel.

"We want democracy for Iran. We want this oppression to end," Kouroush Doustshenas, who helped organize the event.

"We want to see this regime end, because as long as they are around there will be no peace or justice, not only for Iranians but for a large area of the Middle East," he said.



People form a chain in front of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in downtown Winnipeg on Saturday.© Justin Fraser/CBC

The real estate agent lost his fiancée when Flight 752 was shot down. Eight of those killed in the disaster were from Winnipeg.

He's now a director of the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims.

"We've called [for] this human chain to memorialize and celebrate the lives of the people we have lost [to the regime]," Doustshenas said.

Doustshenas, and other leaders from the Manitoba Iranian community, met with Trudeau and members of parliament in Winnipeg on Friday at the Tehran Cafe.

In , a number of city officials, including Mayor Charlie Clark, joined hundreds of people in a march that began at the top of University Bridge and made its way downtown to city hall.



Hundreds marched in Saskatoon Saturday afternoon to support the freedom movement of Iranian people and condemn the deaths and arrests of protesters.© Trevor Bothorel/Radio-Canada

One of the organizers said the worldwide protests are meant to highlight what is happening in Iran.

"[It's] putting the spotlight and mounting pressure on the Iranian government to stop killing protesters, and I think that attention has a big role to play in achieving that goal," said Pooyan Arab, director of Saskatoon Iranian Cultural Association and one of the march's organizers.

Personal experience

Edworthy Park was filled with more than 500 people standing side by side in defiance of Iran regime, chanting Amini's name and calling on the Canadian government to help make a change.

Ghazal Khanlarbig was among them. She's been in Canada since she was 14.

"When I was 13, I was at a party with my aunt and I was arrested by morality police because we were attending a birthday party," Khanlarbig said.

"I will never forget those 15 hours…. It was actually a few months before I came to Canada and I was crying and I was begging because I thought I would never be able to leave Iran."

Decades later, she's protesting against that regime thousands of kilometres away.



A protestor holds the flag of Iran at a rally in Calgary on Saturday.© Evelyne Asselin/Radio-Canada

Meanwhile, about 100 people turned out in support of Iranian protesters in . The rally was hosted by the Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton (IHSE) along with the Association of Families of Flight PS752.

Organizer Reza Akbari, president of the IHSE, said the Iranian government's tight control of the internet restricts people's ability to share their stories of what is happening in Iran's schools and on its streets. He said the protest was a way to be their voice and ensure their message is heard.



About 100 people turned out in Edmonton in support of Iranian protesters. The rally ended with supporters marching down Whyte Avenue before forming a human chain.

© Craig Ryan/CBC

'Please be our voice'

In , thousands of people joined hands along the Lions Gate Bridge, which links Vancouver to North Vancouver, to form a human chain starting at noon PT. The group held banners and waved flags as passing motorists honked their horns.

According to the Vancouver Police Department, there were 15,000 to 20,000 people on the bridge at the rally's peak. The protest was peaceful with no arrests, police said.

About 200 people protested in Harbourside Park in on Saturday.

Aysan, one of the protest organizers, said she was arrested in Iran and forced to wear a hijab. CBC News is only referring to her by her first name to protect her family still in Iran.

Aysan called for people to speak up to help force change in the regime in Iran.

"What we want from people of the world, people of Canada, first of all, please be our voice. You might not know that, but being your voice, even sharing your story on social media can save lives," she said.

"We are the same people as you. Just because we were born in Middle East doesn't mean that we deserve to be murdered. And we want the world [to] know that and stop being supportive of the regime."


Aysan holds the names of about 150 people who she said have been arrested or killed in Iran. CBC News is only using Aysan's first name to protect her family still in Iran.

© Henrike Wilhelm/CBC 

WE ARE SHOWING HER PICTURE, LIKE IRANIAN SECRET SERVICE WON'T NOTICE 

In , the show of support for the people of Iran moved some demonstrators to tears, said Reza Rahimi, who lost his mother-in-law when Flight 752 was shot down.

"[Locals and] immigrants from every nation and every race were standing beside us," Rahimi said.

"Three years after losing my mother-in-law abroad, I'm not saying it's let us move on — we would never move on — but it will help us put something on the pain."

Similar protests unfolded on Saturday in other Canadian cities including London and Waterloo, Ont., and Montreal. Around the world, cities in the U.S., Australia, France, Germany, Italy and the U.K., among other countries, were also slated to host rallies.

With files from Christian Paas-Lang, Jane Gerster, Lukas Wall, Jenn Allen, Samantha Schwientek, Chad Pawson, Scott Larson, Omar Sherif, Eva Lam and The Canadian Press

 

 

 

 

Clarence Thomas Says He Has No ‘Clue’ 

STOP

What Diversity Means in College Admissions Case

Jordan Rubin -

(Bloomberg) -- Justice Clarence Thomas said he doesn’t “have a clue” what diversity means as the Supreme Court heard arguments Monday over eliminating race in college admissions.

Associate Justice Clarence Thomas during the formal group photograph at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. The court opened its new term Monday with a calendar already full of high-profile clashes, including two cases that could end the use of race in college admissions.© Bloomberg
 

“I’ve heard the word diversity quite a few times, and I don’t have a clue what it means,” he told an attorney representing the University of North Carolina who tried to explain the educational benefits of diversity in defending the school’s admissions program.

Thomas, the court’s second Black justice and a longtime affirmative action critic, said he didn’t “put much stock” in North Carolina Solicitor General Ryan Park’s argument “because I’ve heard similar arguments in favor of segregation too.”

Related video: 'Don't have a clue what it means': Clarence Thomas asks for clarity on what 'diversity' is
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Read More: Ivy-Educated Thomas and Sotomayor Divide on Affirmative Action

Childbirth Injury Lawyers - No Fees Unless We Win - Call NOVA Injury Law Today

The high court is hearing a pair of challenges Monday to the programs at UNC and Harvard that threaten the future of race-conscious admissions that the justices have upheld over the decades.

Thomas, who was admitted to Yale Law School when it had a robust affirmative action program, has argued that preferences stigmatize Black people. Attending seminaries in the South and The College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts before enrolling at Yale, Thomas has said he believes affirmative action diminished his achievements at the Ivy League law school.

“As much as it stung to be told that I’d done well in the seminary despite my race, it was far worse to feel that I was now at Yale because of it,” Thomas wrote in his 2007 memoir, My Grandfather’s Son.

Former President George H.W. Bush bristled at the notion that Thomas’ high-court appointment was race-based, saying he picked “the best man for the job on the merits. And the fact he’s minority, so much the better.” DUH OH THATS WHAT AFFIRMITIVE ACTION MEANS


Conservative Supreme Court justices are dragging the court deeper into a 'crisis of legitimacy': editorial

Raw Story - 
By Tom Boggioni

Clarence Thomas, Sam Alito (Photos via AFP)© provided by RawStory

In a blunt-talking editorial from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the editors took two of the most conservative members of the Supreme Court to task for doing little to halt the slide in the court's credibility that has been in freefall after it became a 6-3 conservative majority.

Specifically, they cited Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito over a Thomas ruling last week, and a report on Alito dating back to his confirmation in 2005.

In the case of Thomas, last week he interceded on behalf of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who is balking at having to testify in an election corruption case in Georgia related to Trump's phone call to Georgia's secretary of state.

Regarding his ruling temporarily granting Graham relief, the editors wrote, "... as with anything regarding that election, having Thomas involved in any way automatically looks suspect because of his wife, right-wing activist Ginni Thomas. In the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, Ginni Thomas flooded Trump’s inner circle with unhinged texts calling Joe Biden’s election a 'coup,' suggesting the Biden 'crime family' should face 'military tribunals for sedition,' and generally encouraging resistance to accepting the election outcome."

Related video: Supreme Court hears affirmative action cases

Duration 2:15

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The editors added, "In what universe is it OK for Justice Thomas not to recuse himself from anything Jan. 6-related when this is the kind of pillow talk he goes home to at night?"

As for Alito, he was scorched for lying his way onto the court that led to his Dobbs's majority decision that gutted Roe v. Wade 17 years later.

With the New York Times reporting that Alito had assured Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) that he had no intention of overturning Roe, saying, "I am a believer in precedents. People would find I adhere to that,” the Post-Dispatch editors slammed him for his "mendacity."

"That mendacity is hardly a surprise, nor is Alito alone in it," they wrote. "All five conservative justices who voted in June to overturn Roe (Roberts concurred, but stopped short of endorsing full reversal) have at various times waxed on about the sanctity of precedent generally — and have, to varying degrees, offered assurance they weren’t going to go out of their way to flip Roe as soon as they had the votes to do it. Which, of course, is exactly what they did."

The editors also took a shot at Chief Justice John Roberts for acting like he doesn't understand why the court he heads has lost the confidence of the public.

With Roberts complaining, "I don't understand the connection between (Supreme Court) opinions that people disagree with and the legitimacy of the Court," the editors explained, "As we noted then, his frustration is misplaced. These latest developments further illustrate why."

Historic garden discovers fungus so rare it has to be kept in a cage

The fungus was discovered last week.

Talker News - YESTERDAY
By Josie Adnitt via SWNS

The Bearded tooth fungi which can be seen at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall. (James Dadzitis via SWNS)© Provided by talker

A historic garden has discovered a fungus so rare it has to be kept in a CAGE to protect it from collectors – who claim it can help fight dementia and cancer.

The unusual Bearded Tooth mushroom was spotted by a volunteer at The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, England.

They then discovered another example of the fungus in its "bug hotel" - known as Buggingham Palace.

Staff received advice from local and national fungi experts on the mystical mushroom - and its appeal to curious collectors.


historic-garden-908672© Provided by talker
The Bearded tooth fungi which can be seen at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall. (James Dadzitis via SWNS)
« ‹ of 14 › »

Now the football-sized fungi has been caged off to protect it from people who may want to forage the mushroom for its supposed healing powers.

Research has shows it contains compounds that apparently act against memory loss, depression, dementia, anxiety, cancer, and neurological disorders.

It also plays an important role in the woodland ecosystem by breaking down dead wood.

“Usually this mushroom is found in dense woodland where members of the public wouldn’t see it," said Toby Davies, the wildlife coordinator at the gardens.

“This one has grown on the tail end of a log which looks across a playground and it’s so big you can see it across the field.

“I put the cage up - the main emphasis was partially because Buggingham Palace borders a playground and the other thing is that it’s edible.



The Bearded tooth fungi which can be seen at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall. (James Dadzitis via SWNS© Provided by talker

“Nine out of ten people wouldn’t know what it is, but the cage is mainly there to prevent people from tampering.

“It’s protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, making it illegal to intentionally pick, uproot or destroy – it's the highest level of protection.

“Most of the time, when there’s these fungi around, there’s only 15 reports across the whole country – here we’ve got two within the same vicinity of one another.

“We saw it initially maybe a week and a bit ago, it was spotted by one of our volunteers and he was the first to spot it and show it to me and at that point we didn’t know how significant it was.”

The Bearded Tooth Fungus (Hericium erinaceus), also known as the Lions Mane Mushroom, is under the highest level of legal protection in the UK – making it one of only four species of fungi listed under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

'Craven silence': Author says Ron DeSantis is 'sending clear messages' he 'will tolerate hate speech'

AlterNet - TODAY
By Alex Henderson

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaking in Tampa in July 2022© provided by AlterNet

Like former President Donald Trump, far-right Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who, according to polls, appears to be heading for a solid reelection victory over Democratic challenger Charlie Crist in the 2022 midterms — has been accused by critics of showing a willingness to overlook hate speech and extremism when it is coming from strong supporters or allies. One of those critics is journalist/author David Rothkopf.

In an op-ed published by the Daily Beast on Halloween, Rothkopf lambasts DeSantis for failing to call out antisemitic or racist comments from members or allies of the MAGA movement — for example, rapper Kanye West.

“It’s been almost two full days since the words ‘Kanye is right about the Jews’ were displayed on a screen at TIAA Bank Field stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, and on another building in that city — a reference to Kanye ‘Ye’ West’s recent antisemitic comments that were straight out of the notorious forgery and roadmap for antisemitic conspiracy theories, ‘The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,'” Rothkopf explains. “The state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, who was in attendance at the game, hasn’t said a thing in public about the messages, even as other leaders condemned them. This includes his Democratic opponent for governor, Charlie Crist, a former congressman and governor himself, who blasted DeSantis’ silence as a ‘disgusting and absolute failure of leadership.’”

READ MORE:GOP promotes Kanye West as social media boots rapper for antisemitic posts

Rothkopf continues, “As of Monday morning, DeSantis’ office has declined to comment on the incident. This craven silence is becoming a trend for the GOP star governor, the leading contender to be Trump’s successor as leader of the GOP.”

Related video: Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Immigration Issue

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The journalist/author argues that although DeSantis “has cultivated relations with Jewish groups,” he has “sought to have it both ways — much as Trump has — by sending clear messages that he will tolerate hate speech.”

“According to The Forward,” Rothkopf observes, “DeSantis has failed to call out antisemitism when neo-Nazi crowds displayed swastikas, hailed ‘our glorious leader Ron DeSantis’ or hanged ‘Heil Hitler banners’…. DeSantis has run campaign ads that included Christian nationalist Pastor Larry Jinks, who has been quoted as saying, ‘We are called to be at odds with any religion that does not acknowledge Jesus as the Prince of Peace and the only way to the Father.’ Jinks, earlier this year, wrote on his Facebook page that ‘It’s a shame that the Jews, who should know better,’ rejected Jesus as their messiah…. One wonders if DeSantis, a shrewd political operator, senses that loudly condemning the despicable antisemitic messages in Jacksonville would alienate some crucial voters in the GOP’s base — just a week before the midterms.”

Rothkopf adds that DeSantis “has also trafficked in antisemitic tropes, vilifying Democrats as puppets of financier George Soros and condemning one official he fired as being ‘Soros-backed.’”

READ MORE: 'Disturbing': Ben Shapiro tears into Kanye West's conservative defenders amid antisemitism controversy

“The Florida governor actively campaigned for candidates who embrace antisemitic ideas and signals — perhaps most notably, another prominent GOP gubernatorial candidate, Doug Mastriano, currently running to be Pennsylvania’s chief executive,” Rothkopf notes. “Mastriano has drawn well-deserved criticism for not-so-thinly veiled attacks on the religion of his opponent, Josh Shapiro, and for his support for a far-right media platform called Gab. Mastriano has accepted donations from right-wing extremists and accused Soros, a Holocaust survivor, of being a Nazi collaborator.”

Rothkopf laments that DeSantis is far from the only MAGA Republican who is willing to overlook extremism.

“For those who thought that the Republican Party’s embrace of antisemites and White supremacists would end when Donald Trump left the national stage, the current election campaign has sent a deeply disturbing message,” Rothkopf writes. “Trump’s successors and supporters through the party, have time and time again shown they intend to carry on his legacy of hate and to continue to make the GOP a safe space for intolerance, racism, and Christian nationalism. And if Ron DeSantis’ silence on this weekend’s shocking antisemitic (incident) in Jacksonville tells us anything, it’s that he’s ready to lead that increasingly hate-driven Republican Party.”

READ MORE: 'A bunch of New Yorkers in addition to George Soros': Greg Abbott accused of antisemitism

 

 

HEY U$A BUS THEM NORTH

Ottawa reveals plan to welcome 500,000 immigrants per year by 2025


OTTAWA — The federal government is planning a massive increase in the number of immigrants entering Canada, with a goal of seeing 500,000 people arrive each year by 2025.



Immigration Minister Sean Fraser revealed the new targets on Tuesday, saying the move was necessary to ensure Canada's economic prosperity as the country struggles with a labour shortage resulting in 1 million job vacancies.

“Our plan has a focus on economic growth,” Fraser said during an event in North York, Ont. “And by the third year of this plan, 60 per cent of new immigrants will be admitted under economic immigration categories.”

The plan envisions a flood of new arrivals that will see 465,000 people arrive from outside the country in 2023, rising to 500,000 in 2025, with a heavy emphasis on admitting people based on work skills or experience.

At the same time, Ottawa is planning a more moderate increase in the number of family members who will be admitted into the country, and an overall decrease in the number of refugees.

Fraser sought to defuse criticism of the latter by noting that Canada was a world leader in resettling refugees in recent years, including Syrians, Ukrainians and Afghans fleeing conflict in their home countries.

He also promised the government is prepared to handle what will be an unprecedented influx of applications from prospective immigrants wanting to come to Canada, with hundreds of new staff and other changes to speed the process.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has previously been criticized for a backlog of applications from immigrants and prospective permanent residents.

The new plan comes days after Statistics Canada reported 23 per cent of people in the country are landed immigrants or permanent residents, which is the highest-ever percentage and top among G7 nations.

By 2041, Statistics Canada projects as many as 34 per cent of people in Canada will be immigrants.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2022.

Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press

Astronomers spot a huge ‘planet killer’ asteroid between Earth and Venus

Georgina Torbet - Oct 31,2022

In sinister news for a spooky day, astronomers announced that they have spotted a huge asteroid nearly a mile wide thst could one day intersect with Earth’s path. The asteroid, along with two others, had been hiding in the glare from the sun, but was spotted using an Earth-based instrument called the Dark Energy Camera (DECam).

The three asteroids orbit between the orbits of Earth and Venus, but only the largest has an orbit that comes close to Earth’s orbit. This one, named 2022 AP7, is the largest potentially hazardous asteroid discovered in eight years.


Twilight observations conducted using the Dark Energy Camera have enabled astronomers to spot three near-Earth asteroids hiding in the glare of the sun. DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva/Spaceengine© Provided by Digital Trends

The astronomers were able to spot these asteroids by looking during twilight hours, when there is a short period in which they can observe with less glare from the sun. The observations were taken as part of a survey looking for asteroids in the inner solar system, which are difficult to view because of the sun’s brightness.


“Our twilight survey is scouring the area within the orbits of Earth and Venus for asteroids,” lead researcher Scott S. Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution for Science explained in a statement. “So far, we have found two large near-Earth asteroids that are about 1 kilometer across, a size that we call planet killers.”

As alarming as the term “potentially hazardous asteroid” sounds, you don’t need to start panicking yet. An asteroid given this classification is one that comes close to Earth — in this case 0.05 times the distance between the Earth and the sun. But based on current observations, the asteroid won’t make any close approaches to Earth any time soon.

Observations of asteroids that come close to Earth are getting more common as we develop better tools for detecting them, but there likely aren’t many very large asteroids left to find because these are relatively easy to spot.

“There are likely only a few NEAs with similar sizes left to find, and these large undiscovered asteroids likely have orbits that keep them interior to the orbits of Earth and Venus most of the time,” said Sheppard. “Only about 25 asteroids with orbits completely within Earth’s orbit have been discovered to date because of the difficulty of observing near the glare of the sun.”

The research is published in The Astronomical Journal.

SEE Dead Arecibo Telescope Sends Near-Earth Asteroid Warning From Grave

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2022/10/dead-arecibo-telescope-sends-near-earth.html

5-year-old Edmonton Oilers fan’s Halloween costume goes viral

Meaghan Archer and Mikaela Henschel - Yesterday 

The Oil Country Zamboni costume that was custom-made for one of the Edmonton Oilers’ biggest fans is going viral.


Easton Oetting, 5, in his custom-made Edmonton Oilers Halloween costume for 2022.

© Courtesy: DJ Oetting

It even caught the attention of Oilers player Evander Kane who personally commented on the Facebook post, saying “That’s awesome, absolutely love this.”

“When I started, I thought it would be cool if we got maybe an Instagram from the Oilers or something like that -- and then it just blew up,” said DJ Oetting.

Edmonton Oilers makeup artist reveals how team was transformed for Halloween party

Oetting is the father of 5-year-old Easton Oetting who is the driver behind the Zamboni wheel. Easton was born with a rare genetic disorder called 8-P-23 Point 1 Duplication Syndrome, which affects his speech, causes tightness in his joints and low muscle tone.

“Walking for him is very hard,” said DJ. “He can’t straighten his legs out. A lot of the time he walks on his knees. When he does walk, he needs a walker.”

Despite his rare disorder, Easton lives a full and happy life in Sarnia, Ont. where he and his dad are die-hard Oilers fans. Easton needed a Halloween costume that would allow him to get around easily and DJ said he got the idea for the Zamboni from the duo’s game day tradition during last season’s playoff run – a photo together sporting Oilers orange and blue.

“I wanted to figure out how I could incorporate the Oilers into his costume and the only thing I could think of was to turn his stroller into a Zamboni.”

It took him five days to finish the Zamboni, but this wasn’t Easton’s first elaborate Halloween costume – he’s also been the grandpa from Up, a hot dog stand and last year DJ incorporated Easton’s stroller wheelchair for the first and went as a skid steer operator.

Read more:
Edmonton Oilers grab 3-2 win over Calgary Flames

“That one took quite a lot longer than the Zamboni one – it was a lot more extensive,” DJ said. “We’ve been trying to top this year but I don’t know how we’re going to top this for next year.”

On Monday night when Halloween hits, this Zamboni will be cleaning up the candy instead of the ice.

“We’ve got a couple of Leafs fans on the block so we’ll be hitting their houses first,” DJ laughed.

CLAIMS HE IS DEAD ARE MUCH ADO...

Manhattan doctor vanishes a week before court date for involvement in $100m health fraud scheme

Emma James and David Averre For Dailymail.Com - 


Friends of a Manhattan doctor who vanished in a midnight boating accident a week before he was due in court in connection with a $100m health insurance fraud are hoping that he is still alive.

Marvin Moy, 51, is one of several doctors arrested in January for his suspected involvement in the schemes, in which they pressured car accident victims to seek medical treatment at their facilities.

The father-of-one was reported missing in the early hours of October 13 after heading out with a friend for a fishing trip on his boat the Sure Shot - a week before he was due in court.

Friends have admitted that there is a ‘small chance’ that he might be ‘shipwrecked on some small rock’, while others believe he is dead and describe the incident as a ‘complete tragedy’.

One told DailyMail.com that it wasn’t unusual for the doctor to stay overnight on the boat after being out fishing all day, and that ‘tragedies like this happen from time-to-time.’

Moy, a physician and rehabilitation doctor who practices out of Hempstead, New York, was on the boat with a passenger who was recovered by the Coast Guard.

Rescuers reported coming across an oil slick and debris at the scene of the accident roughly 25 miles off the coast of Fire Island.

However, Moy was nowhere to be found, with searches taking place for more than 30 hours and covering 4,830 miles to try to find the missing man.



Marvin Moy, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor practicing out of Hempstead, NY, was reported missing in the early hours of October 13 just hours after he set off on a late night fishing trip aboard his boat, the Sure Shot© Provided by Daily Mail


Moy disappeared on October 13, just hours after he set off on a late night fishing trip aboard his boat, the Sure Shot (pictured)© Provided by Daily Mail


Manhattan doctor vanishes a week before court date for involvement in $100m health fraud scheme© Provided by Daily Mail

Moy was one of several doctors arrested in January for his suspected involvement in two fraudulent schemes operated by gangsters Alexander 'Little Alex' Gulkarov and Bradley Pierre.

The criminal enterprises connected car accident victims with doctors such as Moy who would perform unneeded medical procedures.

This would then allow the gangs to overbill insurance companies and make off with $100million in profits over 13 years.

Moy's role in the scam saw him 'conduct unnecessary and painful electrodiagnostic testing' on a slew of car accident patients who did not need to undergo the procedure, the indictment alleged.

The doctor was supposed to attend a court hearing on October 19 - less than a week after he disappeared without a trace on the water.

At the hearing, Moy's attorney told the judge that a legal representative from the Coast Guard said the doctor cannot be considered dead until the investigation into his disappearance ends, according to the New York Post.

They said: 'The representative indicated that he would keep us apprised of any developments and that, ultimately, a report would be issued and that we would be provided such a report.'

Moy, who divorced from his wife two years ago, had battled pancreatic cancer and was diabetic according to friends.


Marvin Moy, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor practicing out of Hempstead, NY, was reported missing in the early hours of October 13© Provided by Daily Mail

Several friends of the doctor believe that he perished in the accident, while others say they hope he is 'shipwrecked' somewhere© Provided by Daily Mail

Jess Waters, who attended Fork Union Military Academy with Moy, told DailyMail.com that he had an incredible mind.

He said: 'He was an avid fisherman and a sailor, he loved his boats and it was a big part of his recreational life.

'I’m pretty sure he went whenever he could, I don’t necessarily believe that he went out at midnight.

'He had been out during the day and was spending the night on the boat. He was out where there is potential for these commercial vehicles to be in their lanes, and from time-to-time tragedies like this happen.

'The boat was struck and then officially capsized 15 minutes later, and his friend was picked up by a passing vessel.

'The ocean being what it was they were separated, their jettison life raft wasn’t up and they weren’t able to put on warm suits. His death is a complete tragedy.'

Other friends told the New York Post that they're left with 'unresolved questions' after his disappearance and said the circumstances surrounding the incident were 'troubling'.

'We've got unresolved questions. We do not know what happened. I would obviously like for my friend to be found. There's still a chance he's shipwrecked on some small rock,' the friend said.

A Coast Guard spokesman said: ‘The incident was reported just after midnight on the morning of Oct. 13 of an alleged collision involving Mr. Moy and one other person with a large vessel.

‘The other person was recovered while Marvin remained missing. We conducted boat and helicopter searches for over 30 hours covering 4,830 nautical miles, finding only the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon that he was allegedly holding when he was last seen.



Colleagues of the doctor shared memories of him online, with one paying tribute to his 'brilliant mind'© Provided by Daily Mail


Moy poses with a mako shark after one of his fishing trips along the New York coastline© Provided by Daily Mail

‘The search was then suspended on Oct. 14 pending any further info and Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound is currently conducting an investigation into the incident.

‘The incident took place roughly 25 nautical miles South of Fire Island, NY. Although the active search has been suspended, Coast Guard units will continue to monitor the area for significant sightings and additional information.’

Moy was charged with healthcare fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, and was facing a maximum potential prison sentence of 30 years for his role in Pierre's scheme.

In January, US Attorney Damian Williams described the operation as 'one of the largest insurance frauds in history' and outlined the methods used by the conspirators to make their fortune.

'The defendants charged are alleged to have collectively perpetrated one of the largest no-fault insurance frauds in history.

'In carrying out their massive scheme, among other methods, they allegedly bribed 911 operators, hospital employees, and others for confidential motor vehicle accident victim information.

'With this information, they then endangered victims by subjecting them to unnecessary and often painful medical procedures, in order to fraudulently overbill insurance companies,' Williams declared.

Moy practices medicine in Hempstead, NY, and specialises in rehabilitating patients who are disabled or who have been involved in an accident to regain function.

He received his medical degree from University at Buffalo School of Medicine and is licensed to practice medicine in the state of New York and New Jersey.

'BRUCE' Caitlyn Jenner misgenders trans woman and then rages against “LGBT community”

Queerty - 

Caitlyn Jenner is trending on Twitter for all the worst reasons (no change there!).


Caitlyn Jenner’s at it again.© Provided by Queerty

Joe Biden recently sat down for a Presidential Forum. As part of it, he talked with trans rights activist and TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney. Mulvaney is documenting her ongoing transition via social media. Mulvaney uses she/they pronouns.

The discussion was fairly innocuous, with Biden acknowledging the persecution so many trans people face. He said his administration is committed to defending trans rights.

In the wake of the discussion, some right-wingers seized upon old videos Mulvaney posted about the early days of her transition. In one, she discussed people staring at her when she wore tight clothing as they could sometimes see a bulge in her crotch area.

“Oh, I forgot that my crotch doesn’t look like other women’s crotches sometimes because mine doesn’t look like a little Barbie pocket,” Mulvaney said, before suggesting people should accept that some women have bulges.

Caitlyn Jenner responded to a news story about this, saying, “There is a difference between acceptance and tolerance, and normalizing exposing your genitals in a public way and a public place. I do not support that at all, in the slightest. Dylan…congrats your trans with a penis.”

Mulvaney said nothing about “exposing” her genitals but only about having a bulge in her crotch area.

Others came to Mulvaney’s defence, including cis women.

Jenner shot one defense down, saying last Wednesday, “He’s talking about his penis.”

Related: Caitlyn Jenner, a.k.a. Trans Judas, says we must not “normalize” the “absurdity” of trans people

Jenner faces backlash for tweets

One would think that Jenner, probably the most famous trans woman in the world, would know better about using someone’s correct pronouns.

Backlash against Jenner’s tweet was swift and fierce. This prompted Jenner to post several tweets yesterday slamming the concept of the LGBTQ “community.”


“I have never received more death threats, death threats to my team, nasty hate mail than this week,” Jenner said. “It is all from the so-called ‘inclusive’ lgbt community. I am so disgusted by the hateful individuals threatening my life for giving my opinions on news topics of the day.”

She continued, “The lgbt community is NOT a community – it is a demographic. I love so many in it – but being an outspoken common sense conservative in it is dangerous. The left has reached new levels of violence and intolerance. So sad to see.”

Jenner’s correct about one thing. Death threats are never appropriate. However, misgendering Mulvaney, and saying those on the left are to blame for escalating violence, did not go down well with many.

Drag Race UK queen River Medway was among those to respond.

Related: Caitlyn Jenner was a transphobic trainwreck on Fox News last night

Dylan Mulvaney responds to Caitlyn Jenner

Mulvaney also posted a TikTok video specifically addressing Jenner. You can watch it below.

Mulvaney said that up until a few days ago, she would have been willing to sit down with Jenner and have a discussion because despite their differences in political opinion, “I have a lot of respect for you as a fellow trans woman … but then you decided to ridicule me very publicly.”

She said it was Jenner’s tweet calling her a “he” that proved beyond the pale. Mulvaney called it “so terrible.”

In reference to her bulges, Mulvaney went on to say, “Girl, you’re making me sound like a creepy flasher exposing myself!”

Mulvaney says that in the early days of her transition, she was still learning how to dress comfortably, and still wearing men’s underwear beneath her clothing.

“But after that video, two amazing trans women gifted me tucking panties and taught me how because they could tell I was struggling. And I’m just curious if you can think back to your early days of transitioning and remember being embarrassed about your body, or having strangers give you dirty looks.

“That’s why I made that video. Because I was embarrassed and I wanted to reclaim my body in a positive way.”




You can watch President Biden’s discussion with Mulvaney below.