aft

Photos: Car Overturns After Cobbs Hill Collision

[Updated] Emergency services responded to a collision at approximately 7.15pm tonight [Feb 17], located on Cobbs Hill Road near the junction with South Road which resulted in a car landing on its side. Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, police and an ambulance attended the scene. Bystanders said at least one person was taken by ambulance […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Photos & Video: RAF Aircraft Land In Bermuda

[Updated with video] Five Royal Air Force aircraft landed in cloudy and rainy conditions at the L.F.Wade International Airport at approximately 3pm this afternoon [Jan 6], with the four Typhoons and one A330-200 Voyager tanker having traveled from Lajes, Azores. The RAF website said, “This week 1 [Fighter] Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth are headed for […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Photos/Video: Second RAF Aircraft Group Arrive

Another group of Royal Air Force aircraft landed at the L.F.Wade International Airport on Wednesday afternoon [Jan 7], with the four Typhoons and one A330-200 Voyager tanker having traveled from Lajes, Azores and expected to stay overnight, departing in the morning depending on weather conditions along their route. They mark the second group to land […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Photos & Video: RAF Aircraft Land In Bermuda

Three Royal Air Force [RAF] Tornadoes and one A330-200 Voyager tanker landed at Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport this afternoon [Feb 9] having traveled from Lajes, Azores. The group of military aircraft are headed for a stop in Florida and then on to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to participate in Red Flag, which […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Photos: Two Osprey Aircraft At Bermuda Airport

Two Osprey aircraft  landed at the LF Wade International Airport today [Dec 12] with the reason for their visit unclear, however it is not unusual for military aircraft to stop off in Bermuda while en-route to other destinations. In describing the plane, the US Air Force website says, “The CV-22 Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Photos/Video: Military Aircraft Landing At Airport

A total of eight US Marine Corps V22 Osprey military aircraft landed at the LF Wade International Airport this afternoon [Feb 28]. It is not unusual for military aircraft to stop off in Bermuda while en-route to other destinations. The 6-minute live video replay is below: In describing the plane, the US Air Force website says, “The CV-22 Osprey is […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Photos: Small Cessna Aircraft Crashes At Airport

Emergency personnel rushed to the airport after a small aircraft crashed while landing this evening [April 30], resulting in the pilot sustaining what officials said were “non life threatening injuries” and the airfield being temporarily closed down before re-opening at around 9.00pm. Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Lieutenant Russann Francis said, “At 5:33pm today, […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Two Men Arrested After Shooting On Court Street

The police have arrested two men following the shooting on Court Street which resulted in a 32-year old man being injured. A police spokesperson said, “About 1:27am on Sunday 22nd December 2019, an armed suspect walked onto Court Street. “At the time there was a group of men standing on the sidewalk just outside of […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Court: Man Fined $6,500 After Airline Incident

[Written by Don Burgess] An airline passenger who spat in his wife’s face and used profane language towards the flight crew causing a Tourism Union International Airways flight to divert to Bermuda was fined $6,500. Edward Mongan, 42, from Manchester, England, pleaded guilty in Magistrates Court. The court heard that Mr Mongan shouted “f*** off” […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Court: Officer Resigns After Court Conviction

A 34-year-old man has resigned his position as a police officer after pleading guilty to an offence in relation to destroying traffic tickets. 34-year-old Kyle Wheatley admitting to planning with others to pervert the course of justice by destroying traffic tickets issued to motorists who were alleged to have committed traffic offences. Speaking at a […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

58-Year-Old Man Stable In ICU After Collision

A 58-year-old man is listed in stable condition in the hospital’s ICU after a collision in Paget yesterday [July 14], while a 32-year-old man was treated for his injuries and later arrested on suspicion of impaired driving. A police spokesperson said, “At last check this morning [July 15th] the 58-year-old male driver injured in a […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Injured Rider Treated Then Arrested After Crash

A 38-year-old man injured in a motorcycle crash on Sunday [July 21] in Paget was treated and discharged from the hospital, then arrested on suspicion of impaired driving. A police spokesperson said, “Around 9:15pm Sunday, July 21st a reported single vehicle motorcycle crash occurred on South Road in Paget near the junction with Cataract Hill. […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Driver Arrested After Collision On Causeway

The driver of a car involved in an early morning collision with a truck on the Causeway on Friday [Dec 6] was arrested on suspicion of driving whilst impaired. A police spokesperson said, “The incident occurred at around 6:30am, when a car driven west on the causeway by a female occupant, collided with a truck […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Police: 25-Year-Old Man Dies After Being Stabbed

[Updated] A man was rushed to King Edward Memorial Hospital early this morning [Aug 27] after being stabbed during an incident in Southampton, according to police. Police Media Relations Manager Dwayne Caines said, “The Bermuda Police Service responded to a report of an incident that took place at 12:10am on Monday outside of Southampton Rangers […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Police Execute Warrant After Shooting Incident

Following this morning’s shooting, police executed a warrant at a residence in Pembroke, with three people taken into custody – two were released at the scene and the third individual was arrested and released on police bail. A police spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Police Service can confirm that following this morning’s shooting incident, police officers […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Four Men Arrested After Firearm Incidents

“Four men with strong gang connections” were arrested this past weekend, the police have confirmed. A police spokesperson said, “In response to recent firearms incidents which occurred between Monday, 3rd February and Sunday, 16th February, the Bermuda Police Service launched an operation which targeted specific persons and resulted in four men with strong gang connections […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Man Arrested After Threatening Behaviour

A 28-year-old man was arrested following a “report of threatening behaviour by a male with a bladed article.” A police spokesperson said, “At around 1:25 pm yesterday, Sunday 15th March, police officers responded to a report of threatening behaviour by a male with a bladed article in St. Georges. “The suspect, a twenty-eight-year-old Smith’s Parish […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Man Dies After Shooting On Court Street

[Updating] Police can be seen in high numbers in the Court Street area this afternoon [March 17] with crime scene tape also visible in the area. Unofficial reports suggest that the police may be responding to reports of a firearm incident. Further details are limited at this time, however, we will update as able. Update […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

People Arrested After Break-In At Coconut Rock

A “number of persons were arrested” after a burglary at the Coconut Rock restaurant, the police have confirmed. A police spokesperson said, “Around 5:15 this morning, Monday 30th March, it was discovered that unlawful entry had been gained to Coconut Rock restaurant. “Enquiries were made and it was discovered that culprits had forced entry into […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

40-Year-Old Motorcyclist Arrested After Collision

A 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving after a collision in Hamilton parish early this morning [Jan 7]. A police spokesperson said, “Around 1:40am Tuesday, January 7th police and fellow first responders were dispatched to a reported two vehicle collision on North Shore Road in Hamilton parish near the junction with Coney […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Driver Leaves Scene After Collision In Pembroke

A man was injured in a hit and run on North Shore Road in Pembroke early this morning [Jan 10], with the police saying the “car driver checked on the injured rider, said to be a 31-year-old Pembroke man, before fleeing the scene – apparently on foot.” A police spokesperson said, “Around 2am Friday, January […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Photos: Aftermath Of Boat Fire In Dockyard

Fourteen firefighters from the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service [BFRS] battled a blaze at Dockyard last night [Jan 12], with two vessels completely engulfed in flames. Following the response, a BFRS spokesperson said, “At 6:27pm the BFRS received a call reporting a house boat on fire at the Dockyard in Sandys.” “The BFRS responded with […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Police Confirm Teenager Dies After Collision

[Updated] The police have confirmed the very sad news that a teenager has died following a collision in Sandys this afternoon. A police spokesperson said, “Around 4:15pm Monday, January 13th police, Bermuda Fire & Rescue Service and ambulance personnel were dispatched to a reported serious collision on Somerset Road in Sandys parish. “Details are limited […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

30-Year-Old Arrested After Hit & Run Collision

A 30-year-old man was arrested in connection with a hit and run collision that occurred on January 10th on North Shore Road in Pembroke. A police spokesperson said, “A 30-year-old Pembroke man said to be the driver of a car that struck and injured a 31-year-old male motorcyclist around 2am Friday, January 10th on North […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Car Driver Arrested After Motorcyclist Injured

A 51-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving following a collision early this morning [Jan 31] on North Shore Road in Devonshire which resulted in a female motorcyclist being taken to hospital. A police spokesperson said, “Around 12:50am Friday, January 31st police and fellow first responders attended a reported two vehicle collision on […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Person Treated For Smoke Inhalation After Fire

A person suffering from smoke inhalation was taken to hospital following a fire in Devonshire. A BFRS spokesperson said, “At 1:13pm a call was received by Central Fire Dispatch reporting a kitchen fire in a 2 story structure at Kilderry Close, Devonshire. The Fire service responded with 4 appliances and a total of 7 firefighters. […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

20-Year-Old Man Hospitalised After Collision

A 20-year-old man was transported to hospital via ambulance for treatment following a two vehicle collision in Smith’s parish. A police spokesperson said, “Around 11:10am Tuesday, February 4th police, Bermuda Fire & Rescue Service as well as ambulance personnel were dispatched to a reported two vehicle collision at the junction of Middle Road and Verdmont […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

67-Year-Old Man Hurt After Falling Off A Ladder

A 67-year-old man sustained minor injuries after falling approximately 7 feet off a ladder in Hamilton Parish. A BFRS spokesperson said, “At 5:25pm a call was received by fire dispatch reporting a 67-year-old male having fallen off a ladder from approximately 7 feet sustaining a injury to his right shoulder at Winton Drive Hamilton Parish. “BFRS […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Police Confirm: Man Dies After Collision

Police have confirmed that a man has died following a road traffic collision on Middle Road in Paget this afternoon. A police spokesperson said, “Police and other first responders were this afternoon called out to a two vehicle collision, involving a car and a motorcycle, just east of Four Ways Inn on Middle Road in […]

(Click to read the full article)




aft

Current Landscape of Unmanned Aircraft Systems at Airports

The unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry is on the cutting edge of aviation innovation. Airports, including tenants and contractors, are discovering the benefits of UAS to their operations and bottom line. Yet, with the diversity of UAS applications at airports, there has been a lack of relevant industry data on this topic to inform the airport industry on current practices. The TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Synthesis 104: Current Landscape of Unmanned Aircraft Systems at Airports s...



  • http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=cover_acrp_syn_104

aft

Improving AEDT Modeling for Aircraft Noise Reflection and Diffraction from Terrain and Manmade Structures

Barriers, berms, buildings, and natural terrain may affect the propagation of aircraft noise by shielding or reflecting sound energy. If terrain and manmade structures obstruct the line‐of‐sight between the source and the receiver, then sound energy will be attenuated at the receiver. This attenuation increases with the terrain and structures’ size and proximity to either the source or the receiver. If gaps exist in the terrain or structures, then the potential benefits of acoustical shielding will be su...



  • http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=cover_acrp_wod_44

aft

Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Volume 1: Managing and Engaging Stakeholders on UAS in the Vicinity of Airports

The introduction of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) has presented a wide range of new safety, economic, operational, regulatory, community, environmental, and infrastructure challenges to airports and the National Airspace System. These risks are further complicated by the dynamic and shifting nature of UAS technologies. The pre-publication draft of ACRP Research Report 212: Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Volume 1: Managing and Engaging Stakeholders on UAS in the Vicinity of Airports provides gu...



  • http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=cover_acrp_rpt_212

aft

Publication: All-Ages Lead Model (AALM), Version 2.0 (External Review Draft)

EPA announces the availability of the All-Ages Lead Model (AALM), Version 2 software with updated supporting documentation (External Review Draft). The AALM Model is scheduled to undergo an independent peer review by EPA's Science Advisory Board in October 2019. For more information related to scheduling and peer reviewers for this new tool, please visit the SAB AALM Project website. [Federal Register Notice Sep 24, 2019]




aft

Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Volume 3: Potential Use of UAS by Airport Operators

Introduction of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) will pose safety, economic, operational, regulatory, community, environmental, and infrastructure challenges to airports. These risks are further complicated by the dynamic nature of UAS technological development. Experiences and lessons learned from recent major aviation system changes demonstrate the critical importance of ensuring that airports have the resources needed to avoid adverse impacts and maximize benefits as early as possible. This pre-publica...



  • http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=acrp_rpt_212_vol3

aft

Infectious Disease Mitigation in Airports and on Aircraft

The risk of disease transmission at airports and on aircraft is similar to the risks associated with other densely populated places. There are also unique factors related to the interaction of individuals from geographically diverse regions with differing immunity and endemic diseases. The TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Report 91: Infectious Disease Mitigation in Airports and on Aircraft offers guidance for mitigating the risk of disease spread via droplet, airborne, and contact at airpo...



  • http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=cover_acrp_rpt_091copy

aft

shaft




aft

Afterglower




aft

Shaft of Drama




aft

hereafter




aft

Haft




aft

Legal Beagle: A draft submission on the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill

There are a few days left to put in a submission on the Electoral (Registration of Sentences Prisoners) Amendment Bill.
The bill would allow prisoners serving sentence of imprisonment under three years to vote, essentially restoring the status quo ante that existed before the members bill advanced by then National MP Paul Quinn was passed by a slim majority
For anyone interested in my views, they're published below. I've been sufficiently organised this time to publish them here a few days before submissions close, so if there are any errors, please let me know. 
The Justice Committee
Electoral (Registration of…




aft

Aftermath

The victors in last week’s crossword challenge were: First place, with a score of 276/276: A tie between Dan Williams and Richard Kennaway. Second place, but heartbreakingly close, with a score of 274/276: Another tie, between Tim Goodwyn and the team of Dan Grayson & Carol Livingstone Third place: Paul Epps Fourth Place: Eric Dinsdale […]




aft

Utah Pulls Plug On Surveillance Contractor After CEO's Past As A White Supremacist Surfaces

A couple of months ago, a records request revealed a private surveillance contractor had access to nearly every piece of surveillance equipment owned and operated by the state of Utah. Banjo was the company with its pens in all of the state's ink. Banjo's algorithm ran on top of Utah's surveillance gear: CCTV systems, 911 services, location data for government vehicles, and thousands of traffic cameras.

All of this was run through Banjo's servers, which are conveniently located in Utah government buildings. Banjo's offering is of the predictive policing variety. The CEO claims its software can "find crime" without any collateral damage to privacy. This claim is based on the "anonymization" of harvested data -- a term that is essentially meaningless once enough data is collected.

This partnership is now on the rocks, thanks to an investigation by Matt Stroud and OneZero. Banjo's CEO, Damien Patton, apparently spent a lot of his formative years hanging around with white supremacists while committing crimes.

In grand jury testimony that ultimately led to the conviction of two of his associates, Patton revealed that, as a 17-year-old, he was involved with the Dixie Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. On the evening of June 9, 1990 — a month before Patton turned 18 — Patton and a Klan leader took a semi-automatic TEC-9 pistol and drove to a synagogue in a Nashville suburb. With Patton at the wheel, the Ku Klux Klan member fired onto the synagogue, destroying a street-facing window and spraying bullets and shattered glass near the building’s administrative offices, which were next to that of the congregation’s rabbi. No one was struck or killed in the shooting. Afterward, Patton hid on the grounds of a white supremacist paramilitary training camp under construction before fleeing the state with the help of a second Klan member.

If you're wondering where the state of Utah's due diligence is in all of this, there's a partial explanation for this lapse: the feds, who brought Patton in, screwed up on their paperwork.

Because Patton’s name was misspelled in the initial affidavit of probable cause filed in Brown’s case — an FBI agent apparently spelled Damien with an “o” rather than an “e” — any search of a federal criminal court database for “Damien Patton” would not have surfaced the affidavit.

Now that his past has been exposed, the state of Utah has announced it won't be working with Banjo.

The Utah attorney general’s office will suspend use of a massive surveillance system after a news report showed that the founder of the company behind the effort was once an active participant in a white supremacist group and was involved in the shooting of a synagogue.

The AG's office can only shut down so much of Banjo's surveillance software. Other government agencies not directly controlled by the state AG are making their own judgment calls. The University of Utah is suspending its contract with Banjo, but the state's Department of Public Safety has only gone so far as to "launch a review" of its partnership with the company. City agencies and a number of police departments who have contracts with Banjo have yet to state whether they will be terminating theirs.

And the AG's reaction isn't a ban. The office appears to believe it might be able to work through this.

“While we believe Mr. Patton’s remorse is sincere and believe people can change, we feel it’s best to suspend use of Banjo technology by the Utah attorney general’s office while we implement a third-party audit and advisory committee to address issues like data privacy and possible bias,” Piatt said. “We recommend other state agencies do the same.

It's refreshing to hear a prosecutor state that it's possible for former criminals to turn their lives around and become positive additions to their communities, but one gets the feeling this sort of forgiveness is only extended to ex-cons who have something to offer law enforcement agencies. Everyone else is just their rap sheet for forever, no matter how many years it's been since their last arrest.

The other problem here is the DA's office's tacit admission it did not take data privacy or possible bias into account before granting Banjo access to the state's surveillance equipment, allowing it to set up servers in government buildings, and giving it free rein to dust everything with its unaudited AI pixie dust.

These are all steps that should have taken place before any of this was implemented, even if the state had chosen to do business with a company with a less controversial CEO. This immediate reaction is the right step to take, but a little proactivity now and then would be a welcome change.




aft

Tales From The Quarantine: People Are Selling 'Animal Crossing' Bells For Real Cash After Layoffs

This seems to be something of a thing. Our last "Tales From the Quarantine" post focused on how television celebrities had taken to offering people help on Twitter with their virtual home decor in the latest Animal Crossing game. This post also involves Animal Crossing, but in a much more direct way. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are enormous numbers of people who have suddenly found themselves without jobs or regular income. And, so, they've turned to irregular sources of income instead.

Ars Technica has an interesting interview with one of many people who have taken to the internet to indirectly sell Animal Crossing's "bells", the currency of the game.

In the midst of COVID-19, some New Horizons players are turning to World of Warcraft-style gold farming methods to make ends meet. In early April, Lexy, a 23-year-old recent college grad, created a Twitter account offering up bells (Animal Crossing’s in-game currency) for real-world cash (she requested we refer to her by a nickname to avoid potential reprisal from Nintendo). “I got laid off due to COVID so I'm farming bells in ACNH,” she wrote. “I really need to make rent this month so I'm selling 2 mil bells per $5, please message me if interested, I'll give you a discount the more you buy.”

Before setting up this unorthodox income stream, Lexy had been working at a supermarket while developing her animation portfolio. She began exploring the idea of turning bells into cash after showing friends just how much in-game income she’d been making. “One of them asked to legitimately buy some for me,” she recalled in a Twitter interview. “I did some research and found some people selling bells on sites such as eBay, but for pretty ridiculous prices.” (Current prices on eBay seem more competitive, with some sellers offering rare gold tools and gold nuggets to sweeten the deal).

The threat from Nintendo is probably real. After all, unlike some other games where people do this sort of thing, Nintendo's game doesn't include any method for selling in-game resources for real currency. Nintendo is also notoriously prudish about things like this. And, finally, to make an effective go at this sort of thing, it takes some manipulation of the console in a way that is somewhat controversial with gamers generally.

Understandably, Lexy adjusts the clock on her Nintendo Switch to speed up the game’s slow, “natural” money-making cycle of harvesting daily fruit, digging up bells from the ground, and planting a daily “money tree” that can yield big profits. This kind of in-game “time traveling” is controversial practice among casual Animal Crossing players, but it's a practical necessity to maximize real-world bell-farming profits.

As for how much money people like Lexy are bringing in, it's in the four figures, but she wasn't any more specific than that. Payments are made through digital apps like PayPal, after which she visits the game islands of others and deposits the bells.

That all of this is going on during a global pandemic that has some folks farming bells to make ends meet and others with apparently enough disposable income to be buyers is all, of course, deeply strange. But it's also just yet another way technology is having an impact on our lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.




aft

Australian contact-tracing app sent no data to contact-tracers for at least ten days after hurried launch

Doesn't play well on iPhones, but bureaucrats rushed it out rather than wait months for perfection. Meanwhile serious bug reports have emerged

Australia’s “COVIDSafe” contact-tracing app was rushed to market in the knowledge it would perform poorly on some devices and without agreements in place to let actual contact-tracers use the data it collects. As a result, no collected data has been used in at least 10 days since its launch.…




aft

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Spacecraft with graphene sails powered by starlight and lasers

Nice way to get to Alpha Centauri though boffin tells us: 'Such a laser system could be used as a weapon'

Coin-sized pieces of graphene can be accelerated by firing low-powered lasers at them in micro-gravity conditions, say scientists. The technology could be a stepping stone to graphene solar sails, which could propel future spacecraft using starlight or a laser array.…




aft

9/14/14 - After about seven years




aft

02/26/17 - A miraculous recovery after something terrible




aft

11/26/17 - My house after I died