Latest news with #GSD
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Owner Rescues German Shepherd—Has Realization When He's Taken Near Water
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hearts have melted online as a rescued German shepherd dog appeared to get his first-ever experience with water. In a video shared to TikTok account @crushinrussian01 on April 4, a young GSD bounds forward on a grassy bank, toward a pier and body of water. He runs down to the water, and first takes a drink from it—but, as he takes a step into the water itself, he has an instant reaction. The dog jumps up, splashes around, and even appears to do an impressive flip, before jumping back onto the bank. He then stares at the water again, as if wondering what has just happened—before he gets the zoomies, and sprints across the grass, at one point even rolling around on his back. The dog runs back and forth to the water's edge in full play mode, his tail wagging furiously as if he wants the water to chase him, and even goes into the "play bow" stance. Dogs can show they are relaxed and happy by raising their tail slightly, but not too high, and bouncing from side to side, according to PetMD. A play bow, where the pup has his chest to the ground and rear in the air, is a clear sign a dog wants to play and interact. The GSD's owner shared the video of the pup's delighted reaction to water alongside a caption that read: "I don't think my rescue [has] seen water before." TikTok users loved the clip, awarding it close to 40,000 likes. One pointed out the dog's chasing movements as they wrote: "He was waiting for the water to come back and get him!" "He was inviting water to play with him," another posted, as a third called it the "definition of pure joy." The German shepherd dog approaches the water's edge. The German shepherd dog approaches the water's edge. TikTok @crushinrussian01 Others shared their own dogs' stories, with one writing: "Mine was the same way. Started dolphin jumping in 3 feet of water, putting his whole face under." "My German Shepherd is also water activated," another wrote alongside a laughing emoji, as another added: "That's the 'silly side' of the GSD, my girl loved the water too." And as one commenter summed it up: "He was bamboozled, excited and happy all at the same time." Newsweek has contacted @crushinrussian01 on TikTok for comment on this story. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Simple hope alone won't protect democracy and the rule of law
Gov. Jared Polis delivers his state of the state address in the House chamber of the Colorado Capitol building in Denver Jan. 9, 2025. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post/Pool) About a week after the November election, as dread of a new Trump administration took hold throughout much of the country, the launch of an interstate initiative to protect democracy and the rule of law offered a message of optimism amid an otherwise bleak run of news. The initiative, an alliance called Governors Safeguarding Democracy, would be chaired by Govs. Jared Polis of Colorado and JB Pritzker of Illinois. 'We founded GSD because we know that simple hope alone won't save our democracy. We need to work together, especially at the state level, to protect and strengthen it,' Polis said at the time. Five months on, it's not clear that the alliance has done much of anything to protect democracy or the rule of law. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has rapidly transformed the federal government into a terrorizing instrument of authoritarian rule, wherein democratic principles are ignored and the rule of law is mocked. America by some measures has ceased even to qualify as a democracy, and armed agents of the state now snatch people from neighborhood streets and deliver them to brutal prisons in other countries. Any optimism inspired by the GSD initiative has proved misplaced, and Polis appears to be unprepared for the historic emergency that faces the country. But he's not alone. Other leading Democrats in Colorado similarly seem blind to the acute dangers ahead. They have little to offer Coloradans beyond simple hope. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Newsline recently sent Polis' office a set of questions about GSD's activities. Which governors had joined the alliance? What actions has Polis taken as co-chair? A spokesperson for the governor responded that 'this nonpartisan organization continues to bring together think tanks, legal experts, and democracy advocates to inform policy that protects the rule of law and serves the people of our states.' She provided no specifics, and she gave no indication that Polis had taken any single specific action to advance GSD goals. A spokesperson for GSD provided a little more information when asked similar questions, writing in an email that 'GSD provides legal and policy tools and resources and hosts briefings on a range of issues' and that governors' offices have 'issued executive orders to create taskforces on immigration matters, hiring practices, and efforts to recruit federal workers laid off or fired by the federal government.' Polis has issued no executive orders related to GSD's work. The spokesperson also said that much of the work is 'behind-the-scenes.' She provided virtually no specifics. It might be the case that GSD's work occurs out of view, but if the outcome of that work is also invisible, it's meaningless, and if its work were at all effective, democracy and the rule of law wouldn't be vanishing. Federal authorities have rounded up an untold number of Colorado residents under questionable legal authority and with almost no transparency. At least two of those people are at risk of being disappeared into the CECOT prison in El Salvador. If Polis wants to protect the rule of law, he should say something about their case. On the contrary, Polis has helped legitimize parts of Trump's agenda. He cheered the appointment of conspiracist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services and has welcomed major elements of Trump's mass deportation plan. Other top Colorado Democrats, such U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, have also failed to offer a persuasive check to MAGA threats. Bennet stands out for particular reproof. His votes in the Senate, like Hickenlooper's, have aligned with Trump's agenda at an alarming rate, but now he wants to ditch D.C. and serve as Colorado's next governor. In a speech at Denver's City Park to announce his campaign, Bennet acknowledged that 'everything we care about now is at stake in our country,' but the line lands like a focus group-tested talking point when weighed against the balance of Bennet's pick-your-battles posture toward Trumpist fascism. In an interview on 9News last week, Bennet bizarrely framed the 2024 election, in which an aspiring autocrat and convicted felon baited the electorate's id and poisoned the national conversation with prolific lies, as a good faith contest that Democrats deserved to lose. Challenged by host Kyle Clark to specify how support for Trump Cabinet members has helped Colorado, Bennet all but acknowledged it does not. 'I think that's a fair question,' Bennet said. 'And we'll have to look two years from now to really answer it.' Does Bennet actually think we have two years to find out? Other Democrats — though frighteningly few — understand that we don't, and they have begun to model what real resistance to a fledgling dictatorship looks like. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, speaking on threats to American democracy, recently delivered the longest floor speech in U.S. Senate history. 'These are not normal times in our nation, and they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate,' Booker said. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York recently visited cities, including Denver and Greeley, around the country as part of their 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour. Their events drew tens of thousands of people who were eager to show up in person as a form of rebuke against anti-democracy forces. Polis' GSD partner Pritzker has been frank and outspoken in describing what Trump is doing to the country, comparing Trump's vision for America to Nazi Germany. Phil Weiser, Colorado's attorney general, is at the vanguard of the legal fight against Trump. Such instances of resistance might not result in immediate change, but they are welcome alternatives to the shoulder-shrugging and rank complicity practiced by other Democrats, who appear to equate minority status in Washington with helplessness. Booker is right. These are not normal times. They call for extraordinary action. They call for elected leaders to do everything in their power to protect democracy and the rule of law. Simple hope alone won't cut it. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Daily Tribune
07-04-2025
- General
- Daily Tribune
Spotlighting Bahrain's rich cultural heritage
The RAK Art Foundation was represented at Harvard University's prestigious Graduate School of Design (GSD) by its Director, curator and cultural advisor Yasmin Sharabi. Sharabi was invited as a guest speaker for a lecture titled 'The Sources of the Tree of Life,' held as part of the seminar Spatial Design Strategies for Climate- and Conflict-Induced Migration. The lecture was moderated by French curator Anissa Touati. The talk was part of the GSD's project-based seminar Spatial Design Strategies for Climate- and Conflict-Induced Migration, which explores the intersection of climate change, migration, and design. During the session, Sharabi spotlighted Bahrain's rich cultural heritage and the role of the RAK Art Foundation in nurturing a new generation of creatives. She shared insights into how the foundation is actively shaping a contemporary cultural narrative.
Chicago Tribune
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Sewage seeps into politics as lawmaker's Gary agency sues cities she represents
A dispute over wastewater treatment user rates is pitting a Gary state lawmaker against communities she represents in the Indiana General Assembly. State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary, whose District 3 seat includes Gary, Hobart, Lake Station and New Chicago, is also the executive director of the Gary Sanitary District. On Jan. 15, the GSD and the city of Gary filed a federal lawsuit against Hobart, Lake Station and the Merrillville Conservancy District seeking a declaratory judgment to pave the way to raise user rate fees for treating their wastewater. A declaratory judgment typically spells out the legal relationship between the parties and their legal obligations. Gary contends the user rates for the three communities are decades old and too low to meet the requirements of a federal consent decree. In the 1980s, the Environmental Protection Agency cited the GSD for the pumping of toxic sludge laced with PCBs into a small lagoon in violation of the Clean Water Act. A judge later ordered a cleanup. The lawsuit has further soured relations between Hatcher and Lake Station and Hobart officials. In last year's primary, leaders in the two cities supported Hatcher's opponent Heather McCarthy who's also Hobart city attorney. Hatcher went on to win the primary and the general election to earn a fourth term in the General Assembly. In January, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton named Hatcher, an attorney who also holds an MBA, as executive director of the Gary Sanitary District, and she left her post as the city's community development director. Meanwhile, Hatcher represents Gary, Hobart and Lake Station during the week in Indianapolis in Statehouse matters. The session ends April 29. Few officials opted to talk about the rate dispute. Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlestun declined comment and a representative from the MCD didn't return a call for comment. Hatcher also declined to comment, citing the pending lawsuit, and attorneys for both sides didn't return calls for comment. Earlier, she said in an interview at a city event March 10 that an independent study was ongoing on the rates. 'What we know right now about Merrillville, Hobart and Lake Station is they are paying less than what it costs to treat their wastewater.' The complaint alleged the shortfall impacts Gary residents. 'Specifically, MCD and Hobart's user charge rates have placed a disproportionate burden on the citizens of Gary, who are paying substantially higher rates than those directly supported by MCD and Hobart,' the complaint said. Lake Station Mayor Bill Carroll, however, disagreed. He said he doesn't feel Hatcher serves the interests of the communities she represents. 'If I can't be paid as a fireman… but yet Ragen Hatcher can be a representative for the communities she's trying to increase the user rate on, I think it's a huge conflict of interest,' said Carroll, a Democrat like Hatcher and Huddlestun. After he became mayor, Carroll joined the Lake Station Volunteer Fire Department, but he doesn't accept pay from the city as a fireman because the city pays his salary as mayor. 'It's not fair to the communities she represents to try to put these huge rates on her constituents. There's no way the IURC (Indiana Utility Rate Commission) or anyone in their right minds think it's fair.' It couldn't be determined if Hatcher's dual roles represented a conflict. It could be a question for the state's public access counselor, but the office is vacant. A spokesman for Gov. Mike Braun said the job would be filled by the end of March. A public access counselor's ruling, however, is non-binding. After talks broke down, Indianapolis-based Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP filed the lawsuit for the GSD and Gary in the U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana in Hammond. The case was assigned to Judge Philip P. Simon and Magistrate Judge Abizer Zanzi was also added. The Merrillville Conservancy District along with Hobart and Lake Station hired Dentons Bingham Greenbaum LLP, of Jasper, to represent them. The same law firm also filed a petition for a review of rates and charges on Nov. 26, 2024, with the IURC. The GSD first entered a wastewater treatment agreement with Lake Station in 1982. The complaint said the agreement expired in 2002, and GSD continued to provide treatment services under an implied fact contract at the 1982 rate. Hobart entered a contract with GSD in 1984 and GSD signed a pact with the MCD in 1995. Hobart city officials weighed building their own sewage treatment plant in 2001 because of rising GSD rates, but ultimately didn't do it. The communities have been haggling over user fees for several years. In 2016, they contended GSD sludge disposal costs increased 69% over 2015 levels. The federal case is ongoing with the last filing submitted March 17. 'At the end of the day, we want the communities to come together and work together,' said Carroll. Technically, we're all fighting for money and that hurts our districts.'
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
GSD, LLC: DG Fuels' Sustainable Aviation Fuel Plant Supports the Nebraska BioEconomy
This release is being issued by GSD, LLC, which is working in partnership with DG Fuels and Phelps County Development Corporation regarding the Phelps County project PHELPS COUNTY, Neb., Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DG Fuels will soon open a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in Phelps County, Nebraska – its first SAF plant in the Midwest. The expansion into Phelps reflects the role that agriculture plays in the future of aviation. Farmers who have called Nebraska home for generations are now at the forefront of a fuel production revolution. "Private industry is finally looking at agriculture to reach their sustainability commitments," says Julie Bushell, President of GSD. "For so long we knew that agriculture was the answer to feeding and fueling the world; finally the world is seeing its greatest carbon sink on the planet. Projects like DG Fuels speak to the value agriculture provides to all things." The growing demand for SAF will have a direct impact on Phelps County – now and for future generations. Learn more about this resource and how it's set to change the local community. Biofuel Creates Additional Revenue Streams for Farmers DG Fuels and the Nebraska BioEconomy are committed to helping farmers develop new revenue streams from parts of their crops that would otherwise be considered low-value products. DG Fuels can turn corn stover, the nubs left over after the harvest, and turn it into SAF. Previously, the stover would be left on the ground, but now it has value. However, harvesting and processing the stover shouldn't disrupt the planting process or harm the quality of the soil. In some years, the stover will be left in the ground to preserve the nutrients. The project will facilitate soil samples to confirm that the ground is healthy enough for the stover to be harvested or to determine just how much should be left to increase soil health. "BioEconomy means you are equally invested in building soil health and maintaining water quality as you are adding value to the crop and providing opportunities for the next generation of farmers," says Bushell. Without investing in the health of local farms, DG Fuels cannot maintain long-term production. A prosperous rural America starts with quality investors. Sustainable Aviation Fuel is the Future of Air Travel The corn stover collected from Phelps farmers will be converted into SAF by DG Fuels. From there, the aviation fuel will be used across the globe and by almost every airline that is committed to reducing its carbon emissions. Delta says that 90% of its carbon emissions come from jet fuel and SAF has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 80%. Southwest is committed to using 10% SAF for its airlines by 2030. Both Southwest and United intend to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 100% by 2050. In the United States, 45,000 flights per day transport 2.9 million airline passengers across the country, and the Federal Aviation Administration handles more than 16.5 million flights annually. The sooner companies like DG Fuels can produce SAF for major airlines, the sooner millions of flights can take off reducing the need for conventional jet fuel. Farmers Have a Direct Voice in the BioEconomy Bushell and her team have made a point of involving farmers in the Nebraska BioEconomy and working with them based on their current practices. They want projects like harvesting corn stover to be viewed as profitable opportunities, not burdens requiring farmers to change how their crops are grown. "We want everyone at the table for this project to see how we can make it better," says Bushell. "We're really proud of the outreach in the community and the transparent actions of everyone involved." Bushell specifically credits the Phelps County Development Corporation (PCDC) for its help in building community support, finding appropriate sites, and contributing to infrastructure needs. PCDC recently developed a web page for DG Fuels to answer questions any residents have about the project. "We understand that a project of this scale brings a lot of questions," says Ron Tillery, Executive Director of PCDC. "Our goal is to ensure that everyone has access to accurate, up-to-date information and that the community feels involved in this transformative journey." The BioEconomy Will Bring Phelps Farmers into the Future BioEconomy projects like the DG Fuels plant will excite local farmers about additional revenue streams in the short run while also showcasing opportunities for young people to stay in the farming community in the long run. "This project gives the next generation of kids in the surrounding areas careers," says Bushell. "They can become engineers, biochemists, and operations specialists supporting farming families. The next generation of farmers can have careers they are excited about while also staying on the farm." SAF production in Phelps County can also create secondary business opportunities that are made possible by a growing population. Bushell says the long-term role of PCDC is supporting quality of life investment that makes people who can already work here want to live here. "What's so cool about Phelps County is that there is a strong group of leaders who are already thinking about their kids and preparing the next generation of farmers," says Bushell. "A small group of people can accomplish anything when they work together." Follow Additional BioEconomy Initiatives in Phelps County Information in this release is courtesy of Phelps County Development Corporation (PCDC) and written by Amanda Dodge, Golden Shovel Agency. PCDC will share regular updates on the DG Fuels project and other opportunities for Phelps farmers. This plant highlights how the actions taken by individuals in Phelps County have a global impact. A plane that flies from Chicago to Paris will someday be powered by fuel made in Nebraska. Phelps County is at the forefront of future-building and prepared for growth. Now is a great time to join us. Phelps County Development Corporation has the tools, information, and skills to assist you with relocation for your business or family. PCDC is ready to help with housing and project advocacy, including permitting, timely utilities, and financial assistance. Contact PCDC at (308) 995-4148 or pcdc@ today. For more information about GSD, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE GSD, LLC Sign in to access your portfolio
