UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New YorkNone
Fugitive dog gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and nets
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Almost every Green Bay Packers fan is aware of how poorly things have gone for former superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets. In fact, it has gotten so bad that there are rumors of the Jets potentially parting ways with Rodgers following the 2024 NFL season. Those rumors have brought up the discussion about whether or not Rodgers would continue trying to play. If he were released by New York, there would likely be a handful of teams with interest in signing him. Rodgers might have to accept less money than he has become accustomed to, but there would undoubtedly be opportunities for him. All of that being said, another Packers’ legend, Brett Favre, has weighed in on the situation. Green Bay Packers Legend Brett Favre Reveals Bold Take About Aaron Rodgers While there has always been a connection between Favre and Rodgers from their time with the Green Bay Packers together, they haven’t always been the biggest fans of each other. That being said, Favre spoke out with a bold and favorable take about Rodgers. “There’s a little time to right the ship, but they better hurry,” Favre said. “If they do, and they make a run — maybe he walks away. I just find it hard to believe that a competitor of the magnitude that Aaron has been over the years would go out that way if it ended today.” Favre continued on, revealing his belief that Rodgers is still more than capable of playing at a high level. “I still think he has it.” So far this season with the Jets, Rodgers has played in 11 games, completing 63.4 percent of his pass attempts for 2,442 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His numbers have not been horrible by any stretch. Even though he hasn’t looked like the superstar quarterback from his prime in Green Bay, Rodgers has still played solid football. Seeing the former Green Bay Packers teammates supporting each other is a good feeling for Packers fans. Favre is still well loved and Rodgers will be after things calm down from the split. Hopefully, fans do not have to live through Rodgers joining the Minnesota Vikings like Favre did. That is a possibility that has become very real with the recent rumors of Rodgers and the Jets potentially parting ways. This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.Georgia's rights ombudsman on Tuesday accused police of torturing pro-European Union protesters rallying for six consecutive days against the government's decision to shelve EU accession talks amid a post-election crisis. The country of some 3.7 million has been rocked by demonstrations since the ruling Georgian Dream party announced last week it would halt EU accession talks. Police on Tuesday evening used water cannon and tear gas on the sixth night of pro-EU protests in Tbilisi after the prime minister threatened demonstrators with reprisals amid a deepening crisis in the Black Sea nation. Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened Tuesday to punish political opponents, accusing them of being behind violence at mass protests. Protesters gathered outside parliament for a sixth straight night but the crowd appeared slightly smaller than on recent nights, an AFP journalist saw. Draped in EU and Georgian flags, protesters booed riot police officers and threw fireworks. Police responded by directing hoses at the protesters, with some dancing in the jets and others sheltering under umbrellas. The police ordered demonstrators to leave through loud hailers and used water cannon to push the crowd away from the parliament. Then they deployed tear gas against the crowd in a nearby street, causing protesters to cough, with some using saline solution to wash out their eyes. Police roughly detained some demonstrators, Georgian independent television showed. Ombudsman Levan Ioseliani said in a statement that most injuries sustained by detained protesters "are concentrated on the face, eyes, and head", adding that "the location, nature, and severity of these injuries strongly suggest that police are using violence against citizens as a punitive measure", which "constitutes an act of torture." Tensions were already high after October parliamentary elections that saw Georgian Dream return to power amid accusations that it rigged the vote. But Kobakhidze's decision that Georgia would not hold EU membership talks until 2028 triggered uproar, although he insisted the country is still heading towards membership. The mostly young protesters accuse Georgian Dream of acting on Russian orders and fear the ex-Soviet country will end up back under Russian influence. Demonstrators projected a message Tuesday that read "thank you for not being tired" onto the parliament building, an AFP reporter saw. During the latest wave of protests, 293 people have been detained, the interior ministry said Tuesday evening, while 143 police have been injured. The health ministry said that on Monday evening 23 protesters were injured. "We want freedom and we do not want to find ourselves in Russia," 21-year-old protester Nika Maghradze told AFP. Demonstrators accuse the government of betraying Georgia's bid for EU membership, which is enshrined in its constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population. Nugo Chigvinadze, 41, who works in logistics, told AFP at Tuesday's protest that he did not believe the prime minister's claim that the country is still aiming for EU membership. "Whatever our government is saying is a lie. No one believed it. No one," he said. "They are not intending to enter the European Union." Pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili -- at loggerheads with the government -- has backed the protest and demanded a re-run of the disputed parliamentary vote. But Tbilisi's top court on Tuesday rejected a lawsuit filed by Zurabishvili and opposition parties to overturn the election result. That announcement came shortly after Kobakhidze -- who has ruled out talks with the opposition -- vowed to punish his opponents. "Opposition politicians who have orchestrated the violence in recent days while hiding in their offices will not escape responsibility," he told a press conference. International criticism of Georgia's handling of the protests has grown, with several Western countries saying Tbilisi had used excessive force. Kobakhidze threatened to punish civil servants who join the protests, after several ambassadors and a deputy foreign minister resigned. "We are closely monitoring everyone's actions, and they will not go without a response," he said. Using Kremlin-style language, Kobakhidze alleged the protest movement was "funded from abroad". He also accused non-government groups -- attacked in a repressive pre-election campaign by authorities -- of being behind the protests. At Tuesday's demonstration, Tsotne, 28, who works in IT, defied the threats of reprisals, saying: "It's a peaceful protest, of course but I guess as an individual, I'm ready to defend my country here." Georgia this year adopted Russian-style legislation designed to restrict the activity of NGOs as well measures that the EU says curb LGBTQ rights. The laws prompted the United States to slap sanctions on Georgian officials. But Kobakhidze said his government hoped that the "US attitudes towards us will change after January 20" -- when Donald Trump takes office. Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte on Tuesday slammed the situation as "deeply concerning", condemning "unequivocally" the reports of violence. led-jc-am-im/giv
NEW ORLEANS — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” 'I'm a travelin' dog and I've made a lot of stops/All over this town...' Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. '...And at every stop I own the heart, of at least one lovely...' People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. Neighbor Tammy Murray had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues van toward reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim came to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter for stealth. '...If you're ever in the 9th Ward stop and see/My cute little mini poodle...' Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something," she said. "He's doing that, too.” Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” '...and my Shar-Pei doll down in old Treme/Waits for my return...' Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.”
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HOUSTON, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BridgingApps®, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is partnering with Sentara Health Plans to create a revolutionary transition tool for children and youth with special health needs. Through this project, BridgingApps has created an online resource to assist Virginia families with children who have special health care needs access information to prepare and successfully help them transition to adulthood. The interactive tool, Virginia Youth2Adult , will empower youth with special health care needs to grow successfully into adulthood. Transition planning requires addressing many areas of need for a child with chronic health conditions, yet there is currently no simple method that tackles areas as wide ranging as health care to age appropriate social activities, independent living or employment in any meaningful way. Families will be able to use Virginia Youth2Adult to begin planning early, ask the right questions, and find resources on many areas of life as an adult. "BridgingApps is uniquely positioned to create an innovative, easy to use and sustainable online tool that will empower families to plan early, obtain assistance with the right questions to ask, and access current information to allow their children to live as fully participating members of our community," says Easter Seals Greater Houston's CEO Elise Hough. A focal point of Virginia Youth2Adult is the connection with BridgingApps' App Search Tool, a free online tool that allows users to find a variety of smartphone/tablet applications, or apps, to assist with many areas of transition, such as education, managing health information, and independent living. The database of apps is trialed and reviewed by therapists, special education teachers, experts, and special needs users and focuses on skill, rather than age or diagnosis. “Sentara Health Plans is proud to introduce the Virginia Youth2Adult website, in collaboration with BridgingApps, as an interactive tool designed to support youth and caregivers across Virginia,” said Randy Ricker, Medicaid Plan President and Vice President of Sentara Health Plans. “This comprehensive resource empowers all Virginians to actively participate in this critical life state, providing confidence and support as they navigate education, employment, health care and independent living for themselves and loved ones.” Earlier this year, BridgingApps created Sentara Health Plans’ Member Profile App Lists which transformed the way that their members manage their health decisions and develop important skillsets, ultimately improving their health and quality of life. BridgingApps will seek input from the local Easter Seals affiliate, organizations, and subject matter experts throughout Virginia to create this resource. Virginia Youth2Adult will be available in 2024 on a variety of platforms and distributed widely in Virginia with partners in the areas of health care, education, disability advocacy and housing. About BridgingApps BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, provides the access, education, and resources needed to effectively use mobile, touch-based devices to help people with disabilities communicate, exceed educational goals, and reach their fullest potential. BridgingApps includes a website, app reviews by therapists and special education teachers, a custom app search engine, assistive technology labs, training and certification options for parents, organizations and schools. For more information, visit www.bridgingapps.org . About Easter Seals Greater Houston Since 1947, Easter Seals of Greater Houston, Inc. has provided help, hope, and answers to Veterans, Service Members, children and adults with any type of disability, and the families who love them. The local non-profit is leading the way to 100% equity, inclusion, and access through essential resources and supports for every stage of life. Through therapy, training, education, and support services, Easter Seals Greater Houston creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work, and play in our community. For more information, visit www.eastersealshouston.org . About Sentara Health Sentara Health , an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system, celebrates more than 130 years in pursuit of its mission - "we improve health every day." Sentara is one of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and among the top 20 largest not-for-profit integrated health systems in the country, with 30,000 employees, 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves more than 1 million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety, and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health's "Top 15 Health Systems" (2021, 2018), and was recognized by Forbes as a "Best Employer for New Grads" (2022), "Best Employer for Veterans" (2022, 2023), and "Best Employer for Women" (2020). About Sentara Health Plans Sentara Health Plans provides health plan coverage to nearly one million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara Health Plans offers a full suite of commercial products including employee-owned and employer-sponsored plans, as well as Individual & Family Health Plans, Employee Assistance Programs and plans serving Dual-Eligible, Medicare, and Medicaid enrollees. Media Contacts: Easter Seals Greater Houston Public Relations Sadie Eckenrod seckenrod@eastersealshouston.org Sentara Corporate Communications & Public Relations news@sentara.comWhy some brewing companies are producing more hop-forward ales and light-bodied lagers
UK spy agency releases annual Christmas card puzzle to uncover future codebreakersCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking the state legislature to allocate $25 million so that the California Department of Justice will have the money necessary “to defend California from unconstitutional overreach.” Short of making Kamala Harris attorney general again, this is about the dumbest thing our DOJ could do. Which, according to my Newsom-to-English decoder ring, translates as follows: taxpayer money for nuisance lawsuits against the Trump administration with the sole intention of generating publicity for...Gavin Newsom. Clearly, we’re well into the next phase of his ‘I’m not running for president’ ruse. Next, an exploratory committee to consider the various reasons Newsom doesn’t plan to run for president. Then, an eye job or maybe a super-sized helping of Botox. Great. The state is going broke and Newsom wants to spend millions battling Trump. Meantime, California Attorney General and wannabe governor Rob Bonta says that $25 million may not even be enough for his office. At a Sacramento press conference Bonta called the sum “a down payment” and “a beginning not the end...We believe we will need to use all of it.” Boy, the way this guy Bonta throws other people’s money around – maybe he should be in the House of Representatives. Bonta is like one of those creepy slip-and-fall trial attorneys who specializes in shaking down the guys with the deepest pockets. I’m waiting to see a sleazy billboard alongside the 110 freeway in downtown LA. Maybe some bus stop benches with his menacing mug! This wouldn’t be the first time California Democrats have called a play from this playbook. In President Trump’s first term, then California Attorney General and current Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, spent about $42 million over four years suing the federal government. Back to the present, right after Newsom and Bonta threatened to sue the Trump administration 15 ways from Sunday, they turned around and asked the federal government for billions of dollars to pay for the 2028 Summer Olympics! Talk about going for the gold! That had to make for some awkward exchanges down at the courthouse. “Okay, if everyone suing President Trump could form a line here, and everybody asking President Trump for a hand-out could form a line here...” Side note: why would you sue somebody on one hand and then ask them for a hand-OUT with the other? If there’s one thing us Hollywood folks can’t stand, it’s being two-faced. Last month, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority board wrote President-elect Trump a letter requesting $3.2 billion to improve public transportation for the 2028 Summer Games, calling the next Olympics to be held in the United States “the largest and most spectacular sporting event held in American history.” Which I think would come as something of a surprise to the producers of the next WWE pay per view. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | California’s housing crisis has gotten worse, not better, over the last 30 years Opinion Columnists | Jon Coupal: The Gann Limit is back in the news Opinion Columnists | End the IRS’s worldwide tax grab Opinion Columnists | Mass deportations are bad for everyone’s liberties Opinion Columnists | The draconian penalties that Hunter Biden escaped affect people whose fathers can’t save them The Los Angeles Times reported that in their letter, the board cited past contributions from the federal government to American Olympic hosts as $1.3 billion for the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City and $609 million for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, as justification for the request. Isn’t it interesting that California has plenty of money for performative lawsuits against the incoming Trump administration before anyone has even been sworn into office and done anything, but not enough money to get ready for the Olympics – which we were awarded back in 2017! What’s great about these stories is that they perfectly illustrate why government in California is in the pathetic state that it’s in: Our dearly elected leaders are primarily interested in political theatrics that generate celebrity and attention for themselves, at the same time that they have no interest in carrying out the basic duties of government that they were elected to perform. All gesture and no substance. That’s the Newsom way. Sorry, Gavin. This time you’re going to have to settle for the bronze. John Phillips can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on “The John Phillips Show” on KABC/AM 790.France's far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together on Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces French Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. French President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July's legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament . Macron will address the French public on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. Barnier, a conservative appointed in September , will become the shortest-serving prime minister in France's modern Republic. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier is seen shortly after he addressed France's National Assembly on Wednesday. The country's far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Barnier and his cabinet members to resign. (Michel Euler/The Associated Press) "I can tell you that it will remain an honour for me to have served France and the French with dignity," Barnier said in his final speech before the vote. "This no-confidence motion ... will make everything more serious and more difficult. That's what I'm sure of." Wednesday's crucial vote rose from fierce opposition to Barnier's proposed budget . No party has a majority The National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, is deeply fractured, with no single party holding a majority. It comprises three major blocs: Macron's centrist allies, the left-wing coalition New Popular Front and the far-right National Rally. Both opposition blocs, typically at odds, are uniting against Barnier, accusing him of imposing austerity measures and failing to address citizens' needs. The results of the vote on the no-confidence motion are displayed on a screen at the National Assembly in Paris on Wednesday. (Michel Euler/The Associated Press) Speaking on TF1 television after the vote, Marine Le Pen of the National Rally said that "we had a choice to make, and our choice is to protect the French" from a "toxic" budget. Le Pen also accused Macron of being "largely responsible for the current situation," adding that "the pressure on the president of the Republic will get stronger and stronger." Speaking at the National Assembly ahead of the vote, hard-left lawmaker Éric Coquerel had called on the government to "stop pretending the lights will go out," noting the possibility of an emergency law to levy taxes beginning Jan. 1, based on this year's rules. "The special law will prevent a shutdown. It will allow us to get through the end of the year by delaying the budget by a few weeks," Coquerel said. Fragmented legislature Macron must appoint a new prime minister, but the fragmented parliament remains unchanged. No new legislative elections can be held until at least July, creating a potential stalemate for policy-makers. During a trip to Saudi Arabia earlier this week, he said discussions about him potentially resigning were "make-believe politics," according to French media reports. "I'm here because I've been elected twice by the French people," Macron said. He was also reported as saying: "We must not scare people with such things. We have a strong economy." While France is not at risk of a U.S.-style government shutdown, political instability could spook financial markets. France is under pressure from the European Union to reduce its colossal debt. The country's deficit is estimated to reach six per cent of gross domestic product this year, and analysts say it could rise to seven per cent next year without drastic adjustments. French government likely to collapse amid threat of 2 non-confidence motions France's Macron says leaders shouldn't 'abandon their values' in the face of bad polls The political instability could push up French interest rates, digging the debt even further. Carsten Brzeski, global chief of macro at ING Bank, said uncertainty over France's future government and finances is deterring investment and growth. "The impact of France not having a government would clearly be negative for the growth of France and hence the eurozone," Brzeski said. France has seen bond market borrowing costs rise, bringing back ugly memories of the Greek debt crisis and default in 2010-12. Analysts say France is far from a similar crisis because much of its outstanding debt does not come due for years and because its bonds remain in demand due to a shortage of German government bonds. Additionally, the European Central Bank could intervene to lower French borrowing costs in case of extreme market turmoil, although the bar for that remains high.
