'He made the right decision'

'Any injury is tragic, but I am grateful it did not result in the loss of life'

Column SFF Bestiary There’s Something in These Woods: Supernatural and the Jersey Devil Another monster-of-the-week show, and another missed opportunity… By Judith Tarr | Published on July 22, 2024 Credit: The CW Comment 0 Share New Share Credit: The CW Confession time. For this week’s entry in the Bestiary, I just wanted to sit back and rewatch Supernatural episodes. It’s the time of year when we all melt into puddles of goo. What better company for a goo puddle than Sam and Dean and their large cast of frenemies? The Jersey Devil episode showed up halfway through Season 7. While my brain keeps insisting that there are 30 seasons of the show, there are actually only 15. Which means we’re just about exactly halfway through the many-faceted adventures of the brothers Winchester. By this time the show is deeply invested in its mythos, which is fairly straightforward Christian dualism. God and Lucifer. Angels and devils. Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. You’d think the Jersey Devil would have a role to play in the mythos. We get a tease of it in the classic horror-movie opening: Middle-aged man and wife glamping in, we’re informed, the Wharton State Forest, Pine Barrens, New Jersey. They’re tucked up in their posh tent and their pricey burrito-style sleeping bags, with working electricity and a TV with remote. Something is stalking them. We know this because we get POV: blurryvision, also wobblyvision. And then the scene jumps, and middle-aged man is hanging upside down in his sleeping bag, and Something is rustling in the trees. Wife and tent and all the mod-cons are gone. Screaming ensues. Bloody polyfill litters the forest floor. Cut to Sam and Dean and Bobby Singer and extended-plot business, and a monster report for them to address: “Human Burrito” chewed to pieces in the Pine Barrens. Sam opines that this is the habitat of the Jersey Devil, with some familiar history and the standard description (hooves, horns, tail, horse’s head—“More like Chewbacca head,” Dean observes). And so we embark on the hunt titled “How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters.” Bobby checks out the autopsy and points out three things that for sure did not kill the glamper. Bite radius too small for a Leviathan (the monster of the season, a shapeshifter with horribly huge, lethally sharp teeth), there’s still some of the heart left so it’s not a werewolf according the mythos of the show, and there are still scraps left, so nope, not a wendigo. Sam and Dean have begun their investigation in a Chili’s-level dining franchise, Biggerson’s, which prominently advertises a sandwich called the Turducken Slammer. The openly hostile waiter serves one to Dean, while Sam and Bobby choose other options. Dean chows down hungrily. Credit: The CW By this time it’s becoming evident that the Jersey Devil has nothing to do with what’s going on in the Pine Barrens. The monster in the woods is a zombie-like human with cannibalistic urges. The vehicle of the urges is none other than the Turducken Slammer. Dean barely escapes becoming zombified. The body count rises, and includes the Assistant Chief Forest Ranger and his superior, aka Ranger Rick. The focus shifts to an evil doctor in his evil lab, working on an evil experiment. He’s developed a mystery meat that causes people to become hungrier for it the more of it they eat (and, speaking of goo, it melts into a puddle of same after an hour). The goal is turn them into obese, complaisant, apathetic couch potatoes. In short, modern Americans. Unfortunately for the doctor, a very small percentage of consumers have a negative reaction to the formula. They became aggressive and violent. They crave human flesh. The Jersey Devil remains a myth, but there are devils in plenty in the Pine Barrens. The forces behind the Slammer are Leviathans, led by one that took on the identity of Dick Roman, vulture capitalist. Dick is authentically and gleefully evil. He has no moral objection to cannibalism, but that’s not what the experiment is supposed to be about. The doctor’s project gets terminated. As for what happens to the doctor… Well. Evil is evil. Sometimes it’s fun. Sometimes, not nearly so much. It’s entertaining. Sam and Dean are just as eye-candy-lovely as ever, and Bobby is his cranky, seen-it-all, awesome self. My one regret is that they passed on the chance to make the Jersey Devil part of the mythos. I suppose they didn’t want to run up the effects budget. And they had an arc to develop, with Dick and the Leviathans. But they could have done so much with a centuries-old half-human, half-demon who seems to be bound to that particular region. It might even have ended up helping the Winchesters take down the Leviathans that have invaded its territory. Because in some of the lore, the Devil is guardian rather than monster; not a killer but a protector. It watches over the Pine Barrens. They missed an opportunity there. Good thing there’s fanfic, and head canon. Because I am having Thoughts.[end-mark] The post There’s <i>Something</i> in These Woods: <i>Supernatural</i> and the Jersey Devil appeared first on Reactor.

This article will be updated throughout the hearing. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is testifying before the House Oversight Committee Monday, following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Multiple lawmakers have called for Cheatle to resign after a gunman fired multiple shots at Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, 33 miles north of Pittsburgh, on July 13. A fireman, Corey Comperatore, died shielding his family, and two other rally attendees were injured.  Lawmakers are expected to press Cheatle over the security failure during Monday’s 10 a.m. ET hearing. Cheatle Says No Requests From Trump Team Denied for Butler Rally Update, 10:53 a.m.: The Secret Service is investigating how a shooter could get past the Secret Service to shoot a former president and presidential candidate, Cheatle said.  “How can a 20 year old with his father’s AR-15 assault weapon climb onto a roof with a direct 150-yard line of sight to the speaker’s podium without the Secret Service or local police stopping him?” Rep. Jamie Raskin asked. “So again, sir, I will say, we are nine days out from this event,” Cheatle said, “and I would like to know those answers as well, which is why we are going through these investigations, to be able to determine that fully.” Cheatle again accepted responsibility for the “tragedy.” “We are going to look into how this happened,” she said, “and we are going to take corrective action to ensure that it never happens again.” Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the committee, asked Cheatle if she denied the Trump campaign’s request for additional protective resources. “There were no assets denied for that event in Butler on the thirteenth,” Cheatle responded.  She said requests from Trump’s campaign staff “were granted.”  The Secret Service did not know the gunman had a weapon before Trump took the stage, Cheatle confirmed.  Comer Grills Cheatle About Why No Secret Service on the Roof Update: Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said, “There had been reports that agents were supposed to be on the roof, but it was hot that day and they didn’t want to be on the roof.” Cheatle replied, “What I can tell you is that there was a plan in place to provide overwatch, and we are still looking into responsibilities and who was going to provide overwatch. The Secret Service in general—not speaking specifically to this incident—when we are providing overwatch—whether that be through counter snipers or other technology, prefer to have sterile rooftops.” Comer followed up, asking if the Secret Service used any drones.  “I’m not going to get into specifics of that day,” the director responded. “There are times during a security plan when the Secret Service does deploy an asset like a drone.” Comer noted reports that the shoot deployed a drone before the rally.  “I am waiting for the final report,” Cheatle said.  “Do you know–I’m not asking yes or no–but do you know if the shooter used a drone before the shooting?” Comer asked.  Still inconclusive, Cheatle replied, “That information has been passed to us from the FBI.” She did not “get into specifics” when asked how many agents were assigned to Trump’s detail at the rally.  “We feel there was a sufficient number of agents assigned,” she said.  “There were reports that several agents assigned to the rally on July 13 were temporary agents—agents not normally assigned to President Trump. Is that accurate?” Comer asked.  “The agents that were assigned to President Trump are Secret Service agents that provide close protection to him,” she said.   Comer went on to ask, “Before July 13, had the Trump detail requested additional resources?” “For the event on July 13, the detail, the assets that were requested for that day were given,” she said.  Cheatle Takes ‘Full Responsibility’ Update, 10:40 a.m.: The assassination attempt on Trump was the “most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades,” Cheatle said during her opening remarks.  “The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders. On July 13th, we failed,” Cheatle said, adding, “I take full responsibility for any security lapse of our agency.”  Cheatle also offered her condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore, a fire chief who died shielding his wife and daughter from sniper fire.  “We must learn what happened and I will move heaven and earth to ensure that an incident like July 13th does not happen again,” the Secret Service director told Congress.  Cheatle defended the law enforcement on the ground at the rally the day of the assassination, noting that the Secret Service can’t do “our job without them.” She also praised the Secret Service agents who shielded Trump “with their own bodies” while shots were being fired.  “We will not rest until we have explored every option and we will leave no stone unturned,” Cheatle said, referring to the investigation into the security failures that led to the assassination attempt on Trump.  Secret Service Now ‘Face of Incompetence’ Update, 10:30 a.m.: The Secret Service has become the “face of incompetence” after failing to protect former President Donald Trump from an assassination attempt, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said Monday. “The Secret Service’s protective mission is to protect us and visiting world leaders and safeguard U.S. elections through protection of candidates and nominees,” said Comer, who is chair of the House Oversight Committee. “The Secret Service has a zero-fail mission, but it failed on July 13, and in the days leading up to the rally. The Secret Service has thousands of employees and a significant budget, but it has now become the face of incompetence.” The assassination attempt was preventable, according to Comer.  “While we give overwhelming thanks to the individual Secret Service agents who did their jobs under immense pressure,” Comer said, “this tragedy was preventable.” Comer said the committee is concerned the Secret Service “lacks the proper management to keep protectees safe from bad actors.”  “Americans demand accountability,” he said, “but no one is yet to be fired for this historic failure.” The hearing will provide the Americans with answers about the assassination attempt, Comer said.  “We will ask these questions because the Secret Service and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, have been unwilling to provide answers to the American people,” Comer said.  The Kentucky Republican called for Cheatle to resign. Comer said the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security has dodged the committee’s questions on the assassination attempt.  “The DHS has sought to push this hearing to a different time,” he said. “The Secret Service has suggested the hearing occur without media presence, and both agencies have provided only shallow explanations to Congress about what happened on July 13.”  “It shouldn’t take this much time or preparation for Director Cheatle to tell the truth and to be transparent with the American people,” he continued. Raskin Pushes Gun Control, Takes Aim at AR-15 Update, 10:26 a.m: Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., made a push for gun control during his opening remarks, as Democrat lawmakers frequently do after shooting. Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the committee, specifically went after the AR-15, which the would-be assassin used from the rooftop.  “Some are calling it a miracle that President Trump escaped this AR-15 attack unlike so many thousands of citizens who have been killed or seriously wounded in other AR-15 shootings,” Raskin said.  Raskin said America had 655 mass shootings in 2023, which is defined as at least four people being shot during an incident. “What happened in Butler, Pennsylvania was a double failure, the failure of the Secret Service to properly protect President Trump, and the failure of Congress to properly protect our people from criminal gun violence,” Raskin said.  “We must therefore ask hard questions about whether our laws are making it too easy for potential assassins to obtain firearms generally and the AR-15 specifically,” Raskin said.  The post Secret Service Director Testifies Before Congress appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a digital rights group, joined by nearly two dozen other similar civil organizations, has appealed to the EU Commission (EC) regarding the developments around the UN’s Cybercrime Convention. The reason for turning to the EU mere days ahead of the finalization of the controversial text, criticized as a threat to free speech and privacy, is the bloc’s own data protection framework (concerning personal data transfers). In the letter, the signatories state that with the final negotiations looming (the UN Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime (AHC) session is scheduled for July 29-August 9), the EU Commission and delegates from EU’s member countries should urgently “push back on the draft convention’s (treaty’s) many flaws.” We obtained a copy of the letter for you here. Among those flaws, the letter mentions an excessively broad scope that is not accompanied by proper human rights and data protection provisions. If left as is, the treaty will give “intrusive surveillance powers” to those who implement the document. The treaty has been in the works for a long time, ever since the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution paving its way in late December 2019. The many negotiating sessions have featured repeated criticism from organizations like EFF, which, judging by the letter, have remained unaddressed. Those now appealing to the EU fear that if that remains the case even during the final meeting, the treaty will provide abusive practices carried out by various governments with “the veneer of international legitimacy.” And if it can’t be fixed – EFF, Access Now, ARTICLE 19, and 18 other groups say – the draft should be rejected. The letter lists, and expands on, the main concerns regarding the draft treaty as being overly broad in scope and legal uncertainty, insufficient protection for good-faith actors, lack of specific human rights safeguards, procedural measures, and law enforcement, as well as the issue of international cooperation. “Despite the latest modifications, the revised draft fails to address our concerns and continues to risk making individuals and institutions less safe and more vulnerable to cybercrime, thereby undermining its very purpose,” the letter reads. The EC and member states are urged to act with the goal of properly addressing these issues during the final negotiating session, in order to introduce what the rights groups see as necessary changes. Alternatively, they want the EU to block the treaty from reaching the UN General Assembly for adoption. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Digital Rights Groups Rally Against UN Convention That Threatens Free Speech and Privacy appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Congressman Adam Schiff of California has intensified his scrutiny of Google’s management of AI technologies, particularly its AI Overview, which summarizes top web pages but has been prone to errors, raising concerns about its tendency to spread “misinformation.” While it’s true that Google’s AI has been known to output bizarre and false information, and many have been alarmed about the potential implications of unreliable AI outputs, there’s a broader skepticism about the idea of government intervention, given that it involves the regulation of information and speech. The AI Overview aims to provide succinct information to users, but Schiff’s inquiries to Google CEO Sundar Pichai suggest it may often use questionable sources. It shouldn’t fall to the government to be the ones who can choose which sources are reliable. They argue for prioritizing “authoritative” sources, traditionally recognized media outlets, to mitigate the spread of misinformation. Additionally, there’s a call for collaboration between Google and government agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), despite concerns that CISA has previously been involved in flagging online content, which critics argue borders on censorship. “Given the rising threat of misinformation and disinformation online, it is critical that Americans are directed to authoritative, accurate resources when using Google’s platform,” the letter reads. We obtained a copy of the letter for you here. These demands extend specifically to areas such as voting and election information, where Democrats urge that only verified and accurate information be propagated through AI Overviews. “How is Google working with relevant government entities, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), to ensure that only accurate information is provided through AI Overviews, particularly with respect to information about voting and elections?” the letter asks. Similar standards are sought for health-related content, advocating that such information must be clinically accurate and scientifically sound. This push can be seen as an attempt to limit criticism of vaccine efficacy and other COVID-19 measures, which have been contentious topics. Other representatives, including Henry C. Johnson, Jr., Donald S. Beyer Jr., Pramila Jayapal, and Lori Trahan, have joined Schiff in requesting more details from Google about how it ensures the accuracy of AI-generated summaries, error notification mechanisms, and methodologies for generating health-related information. Instances cited by Schiff include the AI erroneously suggesting harmful actions or misrepresenting public figures, which underscores the technology’s flaws. But now, the question of what to do about it, alongside pressure from Congress to restrict which sources get to be used for the next content revolution, will likely raise First Amendment arguments. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Democrats Push Google To Promote “Authoritative” Sources, Collaborate With Government on AI Overviews for Election and Health Topics appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

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All aboard everyone, we’re back on the funky-colored animal train – and this week’s flavor of choice is strawberry! Strawberry-patterned leopards, to be exact. They join bright blue lobsters, black lynx, and white orcas as among our favorite color morphs to be spotted (see what we did there?) in the wild.Strawberry leopards are true leopards (Panthera pardus) and not a separate species. They have a rare genetic mutation that, instead of dark spots and facial features, fades or completely removes the black coloring giving them a rare pink or golden hue. While the cause was previously thought to be linked to excessive production of red pigment as a result of erythrism, researchers have now discovered that the pathways to strawberry-colored fur might be more closely linked to albinism instead. Albinism is a genetic condition causing all-white individuals due to very low levels or the total absence of the pigment melanin within the skin. Larger numbers of strawberry leopards have previously been reported in South Africa. To explore more about strawberry leopards and assess how frequently they occur in the wild, a team of scientists deployed 319 paired camera trap stations across the Nyerere-Selous ecosystem in southern Tanzania. The cameras captured over 4,000 images of leopards, which could be identified by the team as 373 unique individuals. Just one of these 373 leopards turned out to have strawberry coloration. Compared to a typical leopard, the female has much lighter spots with a lack of black around her mouth, on her paws, and the back of the ears. However, the team consider the possibility that the female is not a true strawberry leopard and that her coloring is instead part of a natural color gradient. This theory would need further genetic testing to confirm. Far from being disadvantageous to the leopard, the authors write that such coloration could offer a benefit, such as being able to blend better into the landscape.Even the toe beans are affected by the genetic mutation.Image credit: Searle, C.E., et al, Ecology and Evolution 2024 (CC BY 4.0)There are two alternative theories as to how the genetic mutation arose in the Selous Game Reserve. One possibility is that the strawberry leopards from northern South Africa have spread the trait into the Tanzanian population; however, this is unlikely given the vast distance and geographical challenges separating the two. Or, the team explain, the mutation could be the result of inbreeding due to trophy hunting, the reason thought to be behind the higher levels of strawberry leopards observed in South Africa. The study is published in Ecology and Evolution.