Irony Alert: KC Nonviolence Rally and Parade Cut Short Because of Multiple Fights

I guess all the attendees weren’t on board with the objective of the rally, or something.

A circus parade and rally for nonviolence that drew hundreds of people to the Linwood Shopping Center on Tuesday evening had to be cut short when multiple fights broke out. Kansas City Police Chief Darryl Forté said the organizers stopped the event. He tweeted that the crowds dispersed and there were no reported injuries. But the fighting marred an event, called “Your Life Counts,” that was intended to celebrate survival in a city plagued by crime.

via Nonviolence rally marred by multiple fights | The Kansas City Star.

Great Idea: The Defender Personal Protection Device

This is an awesome idea. A self-defense system that connects to your phone via Bluetooth. If you activate the mace to defend yourself, The Defender takes a photo of your attacker, and alerts the 24/7 monitoring service of your position, so they can contact the police for you. You can fund the project, and get one for yourself at Indiegogo.

The Defender – The First Smart Personal Protection System from The Defender on Vimeo.

Senator Durbin Chides Walgreens for Protecting Shareholders’ Interests

I’m constantly amazed at the economic ignorance of some of our solons in the Congress. Dick Durbin thinks Walgreen’s is unpatriotic, or something, for considering moving the company to Switzerland to reduce their U.S. tax burden. Has Mr. Durbin ever considered that the U.S. corporate tax rate (one of the highest in the world) is maybe too high? Corporations don’t have patriotic obligations to the countries in which they’re founded. They do, however, have an obligation to their shareholders – to maximize the value of the enterprise. Reducing their tax burden is one way to do that. I’m guessing that Walgreen’s customers don’t care one whit about where the company is incorporated; they just want their prescriptions and other sundries to be conveniently located, and purchased at the lowest price possible.  

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin on Tuesday urged Walgreen Co. to reconsider a possible move of its headquarters to Switzerland to lower its U.S. tax bill.In a letter to Walgreen Chief Executive Gregory Wasson, Durbin said the company could face a backlash from its customers. “I believe you will find that your customers are deeply patriotic and will not support Walgreen’s decision to turn its back on the United States,” Durbin wrote.  “Nearly all of your $2.5 billion in profits earned last year were from sales to U.S. taxpaying customers.” The senator ended his letter with a twist on Walgreen’s advertising campaign: “Is ‘the corner of happy and healthy’ somewhere in the Swiss Alps?”

The letter increases political pressure on the company as it contemplates leaving Deerfield, as part of its plan to buy the rest of Alliance Boots, which operates a drugstore chain in the United Kingdom and is based in Switzerland. The controversial move, known as an inversion, could save the company millions of dollars a year in income taxes because Switzerland’s tax rates are lower than U.S. rates. Walgreen paid $1.4 billion in state and federal income taxes in its last fiscal year.In a statement, a Walgreen spokesman said, “We’ve had a long relationship with Sen. Durbin and appreciate his view on this subject. As we’ve said before, we are in the process of evaluating all aspects related to the second step of our strategic partnership with Alliance Boots, and we will do what is in the best long-term interests of our customers, employees and shareholders.”

via Sen. Durbin derides Walgreen for possible tax-driven overseas move – chicagotribune.com.

Cool Kickstarter Project: BevTender Cup Holder

I posted about a project similar to this about a year ago. The BevTender cupholder is designed to address the same problem: airplanes and other modes of transportation don’t have cup holders. On a plane, you invariably end up putting that expensive cup of coffee between your legs (and squeeze too hard) or in the seat-back pocket (where it gets squashed, and the coffee ends up on your shoes). Karl Moore’s design for a versatile and easy-to-carry cup holder looks like a winner. Back it on Kickstarter. Eventually, one of these things is going to make it, and millions of people will buy them. I know I’ll buy one.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2111074063/bevtender-upgrade-your-seat/widget/video.html

British Jail Prisoner Takes Drastic Measure to Protest “Sweltering Heat” in Cells

This isn’t in any way funny, but I had to post about it because of how ludicrous it sounds. Seems a prisoner in an English jail protested the “sweltering heat” in his cell by GOUGING HIS OWN EYES OUT. I guess he showed them. Notice the temperature listed in the article. There must be something else, right?

The man in his 50s is said to have self-inflicted the injuries at HMP Nottingham just days before he was due to be released. The incident occurred as inmates were protesting about the sweltering heat inside their cells and general poor conditions of the prison.East Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed they were called to the prison in Sherwood on 21 July to treat a male patient. He was then taken to the Queen’s Medical centre for his injuries. Police were also called to the scene but established that “no crime had taken place”.

A source inside the jail told the Nottingham Post: “Somebody cut their eyes out of their face. He was protesting. “The heat is so high. Prisoners can’t deal with it. They need to let some air in the room. It is only going to get worse.”The incident took place as temperatures hit around 25C (77F) in Nottinghamshire.A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “A prisoner at HMP Nottingham was taken to hospital following an act of self-harm. Staff reacted quickly and paramedics attended. No other prisoners were involved.

That’s right. 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Just last week, we had nighttime lows that were higher than that. He was scheduled to be released in days. He couldn’t hold on for that much longer? Like I said, there has to be something else to this story.

via Prisoner ‘Gouges Out Own Eyes’ in Protest over Hot Nottingham Cell.