Latest news with #S.S
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Relying on teamwork, Naval Academy plebes conquer a 75-year tradition
May 14 (UPI) -- A lard-covered obelisk is more than a slippery slope for U.S. Naval Academy plebes, who view it as a rite of passage that changes them into midshipmen. Dozens of freshmen who are called "plebes" were tasked with climbing the 21-foot-tall Herndon Monument on Wednesday, with the mission being to replace a cap placed on top to mark the end of their first year at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. They accomplished the feat in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 31 seconds by using the kind of teamwork that is required to effectively operate vessels on the high seas like the U.S. Navy has done for almost 250 years, and as it today carries out missions on land and in the air, as well. The annual climb is a 75-year tradition that started in 1950 and scales the monument to Commander William Lewis Herndon, who went down with his ship when a hurricane sank it in 1857. The climb requires Naval Academy plebes to scale the obelisk after it has been covered with 200 pounds of lard, remove a "Dixie cup" placed on top and replace it with the hat of an upperclassman. The Dixie cup is not a reference to the paper cup that often is used at water dispensers. Instead, it is a reference to the "low-rolled brim, high-domed item constructed of canvas" cap that was created in 1886 and has represented the U.S. Navy throughout the 20th century and beyond. The Dixie cup cap is featured in the iconic photo of a sailor kissing a nurse in New York City's Times Square on Victory over Japan Day in 1945. It also was featured in many classic films and was worn by the S.S. Minnow's first mate Gilligan on television's "Gilligan's Island." Members of the Naval Academy's class of 2028 successfully undertook the task of replacing the Dixie Cup with the upperclassman's hat. The 2028 class has about 1,187 plebes, who now are referred to as "midshipmen" upon their completion of the annual rite of passage.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
T.N. to introduce AI-powered driver monitoring system on buses
The Tamil Nadu government is set to introduce an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered driver monitoring system on 500 buses on a pilot basis, as part of efforts to ensure road safety and to improve the skills of drivers. The driver monitoring system would notice changes if any in the driver's face such as head movements, eye gaze, and facial expressions and raise an alarm and help the drivers. 'It would ensure reduce accidents to improve passengers' safety,' Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar said the Assembly on Wednesday. 'The recordings would be studied to develop training modules for better driving skills of drivers,' he said. The State government would also install 360 degree cameras in 4,000 buses to help drivers deal with blind spot, to locate pedestrians and cyclists, he said. The State government would increase the allocation of funds for undertaking steps to prevent road accidents in the State from ₹65 crore to ₹130 crore, Mr. Sivasankar said. About 6,000 accident-prone locations have been identified across the State, where installation of traffic signals, development of roads were to be undertaken in the first phase, he said. As part of 'Accident Free Tamil Nadu,' 100 accident-prone roads would be identified for necessary action.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How to Say No to the President
One night while my family was having dinner, the president of the United States called my dad to complain about something he'd seen on television. My father, Newton Minow, was then the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. And the president, John F. Kennedy, was furious. 'Did you see Huntley-Brinkley tonight?' Kennedy asked, referring to NBC's nightly news broadcast, anchored by the journalists Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. The news report had featured steel executives bitterly attacking Kennedy, who was angry with them about an increase in steel prices. The president yelled over the phone, 'Did you see how those guys lied about me? Outrageous! Do something about it!' Dad said he would. The next morning, Dad called the White House and spoke with Kennedy's aide Kenny O'Donnell, who had been with the president during the phone call the night before. Dad said he would be happy to talk to the president, or O'Donnell could give him this message: 'He is lucky to have a friend at the FCC who knew not to pay attention to the president when the president was angry.' A week later, at a diplomatic reception, Kennedy beckoned to my dad, waving him over. He then put his arm around Dad's shoulders and whispered, 'Thank you.' What my father knew, and what Kennedy appreciated once he'd calmed down, is that it may be hard to hear what people think of your ideas, but it is the only way to test them. And even when people do not agree, feeling heard often helps gain their confidence and support. Read: Capitulation Is Contagious Dad is best remembered for a speech he gave on May 9, 1961, to the National Association of Broadcasters, when he told television executives that they needed to do a better job of living up to their license agreements to serve the public interest. He said, 'When television is good, nothing—not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers—nothing is better.' But, he warned, television is also a 'vast wasteland.' In return for the privilege of using the public airwaves, he said, broadcasters had to do more for the good of the citizenry. (He reflected on that speech in the pages of this magazine in 2011, in honor of its 50th anniversary.) The broadcasters were not happy. One producer even decided to insult him by naming the sinking ship on Gilligan's Island the S.S. Minnow. (We are all very proud of that.) They may not have liked his message, but Dad knew where to draw the line. He had assured the broadcasters, 'I am unalterably opposed to governmental censorship. There will be no suppression of programming which does not meet with bureaucratic tastes. Censorship strikes at the tap root of our free society.' So, in his nearly three years at the FCC, Dad's priority was not restricting content but expanding choices. (In those days, network news was just 15 minutes a day, and programming for children included local productions and Howdy Doody.) When Dad was at the FCC, the equal-time rules and the fairness doctrine were still in effect. The theory was that because the broadcast spectrum was limited, anyone granted a license to use the public airwaves had to allow all sides of an argument to be presented. Dad got three major pieces of legislation passed while he was at the FCC, all giving viewers more choices. The laws required new television sets to have chips enabling access to UHF channels—remember the 'U' knob on old televisions?— launched the first telecommunications satellite, and created an alternative to the commercial networks. All of these moves meant more access to more choices in television programming for the public. Dad and President Kennedy both came from cities with educational television channels, WTTW in Chicago and WGBH in Boston, respectively. (WGBH is now chaired by my sister Martha Minow.) When they learned that most cities, including Washington, D.C., did not have an educational station, they worked together to establish PBS. I remember him explaining to my sisters and me why it was important that 'educational television' was becoming 'public television.' And when Kennedy asked Dad why the telecommunications satellite mattered so much to him, Dad told him it was more important than putting a person in space, because the satellite would launch ideas, and ideas last longer than people. Dad did once threaten a station's license when he was at the FCC, and it was because of another phone call, this time from a former resident of the White House. Eleanor Roosevelt called Dad just before Election Day in 1962 and said, 'Why aren't you helping Reverend Smith?' Reverend L. T. Smith was a Black minister who was running for Congress in Jackson, Mississippi. The local station, WLBT, refused to sell him advertising time. The FCC staff had decided not to get involved, because his opponent, the incumbent, was not seeking time, and thus their decision complied with the equal-time rules. Dad directed the staff to send WLBT a telegram telling the station that it had to sell Smith airtime or risk not being able to renew its license. And that's how, for the first time ever, a Black candidate in Mississippi had a chance to speak to voters on television. Twenty years after he left the FCC, I got to hear Dad argue for the revocation of a radio station's license. A station then called KTTL, based in Dodge City, Kansas, was broadcasting virulently racist and anti-Semitic programming. The FCC ruled that hate speech was protected under the First Amendment and it could not deny a license for that reason. By then, though, the station had been sold and the new owner changed the call letters and switched the programming to contemporary music. I am sure Dad thought that was the right solution. Dad was 97 years old when he died in 2023. I think about him every day, and I have a good sense of what he'd say about what is unfolding in our country now. He decided to share publicly the story about Kennedy's phone call—and his decision to disobey the president—just before Donald Trump was inaugurated for his first term. He thought of it as a cautionary tale for Trump's incoming appointees. Dad was passionately committed to robust argument and the marketplace of ideas as the best way to solve problems and seek a fairer world. (You should have heard the debates every night at our family dinners. Unsurprisingly, my sisters and I all became lawyers.) I have spent much of my career studying corporations that fail, and the one consistent theme in all of them is leadership that insulates itself from bad news, complaints, and disagreements. Dad taught us that arguing can be productive, but that insults are not arguments. He said we had to be able to disagree in good faith, and we had to be able to state an opposing view in terms that even those who disagreed could see as accurate. He would have admired Harvard President Alan M. Garber's response this week to Trump's efforts to control universities. Gerber promised that his institution would 'proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity.' Just as my dad told Kennedy he was wrong, the people who make up the institutions we depend on for the pursuit of truth— people at news organizations, schools, museums, and libraries—must remain committed to supporting fearless empiricism, logic, and debate, even when it hurts the president's feelings. Article originally published at The Atlantic
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Blink Outdoor Wireless Security Cameras Are Under $50 For A Limited Time
If you get a lot of packages or neighborhood foot traffic, investing in an outdoor security camera is a great idea. We found the perfect reason to do it sooner rather than later: Blink's wireless Outdoor 4 security cameras are currently 50% off at Amazon. That's only $50 for a weather-resistant camera that you can mount anywhere and give you a live feed of what's happening at any time. You can save even more by nabbing a two-pack of Blink Outdoor 4 cameras for only $89.99. These easy home security devices alert your smartphone and records footage when it detects motion, has a two-way talk microphone for audio, grabs video in 1080p, and, because it's wireless, can last up to two years on just two AA batteries. Reviewers say setup only takes minutes, and it's so tough that it'll provide year-round detection against snow and even harsh storms. This wireless security camera comes packaged with two AA batteries, a power adapter and USB cable (for wired power) and a mounting kit. It takes minutes to install, and once powered on, you just pair it with the smartphone app for a live look at your camera feed. It has automatic motion detection to record and alert you of any outside movement, including wildlife, and it also has night vision for low-light recording. If you add Blink's subscription plan through the app, you can toggle human-only motion detection to prevent your cam from auto-recording wildlife — though many users say this camera is great for birdwatching, too. Plenty of users also have a Blink camera to watch their pets as well. 'Good quality, durable and I love the live view' says reviewer S.S. 'I installed them myself when I was 67. At 75, I added 2 more cameras outdoors. I also have a mini cam to keep an eye on my 14-year-old toy malti-poo while I'm away from home!' 'I have seven of these cameras. Three of them hooked to my apartment outside (upstairs) Four of them inside, one in each room and, my ring video door bell at my front door. I have some porch pirates that just love taking my packages from my front door. Hopefully now that my apartment has strong security like Fort Knox it'll deter them and make them think twice! Porch Pirates = 🚔🚨👮♀️👮♂️= Jail Time!' — realBrotherLeo 'We have several Blink cameras at our home, and decided to add one, mounted at our Hummingbird feeder to watch the bird activity. The camera is mounted on a wooden plank about a foot from the feeder. Obviously, we get lots of motion detection. The video is extremely clear and we thoroughly enjoy the activities. We are definitely a fan of the Blink system and recommend it to others.' — G. Campbell 'The peace of mind. I bought these after my husband passed away almost 11 yrs ago. I was able to start sleeping better knowing I would get an alert if someone came on the property. Good quality, durable & I love the live view. I installed them myself when I was 67. At 75, I added 2 more cameras outdoors. I also have a mini cam to keep an eye on my 14 yr old toy malti-poo while I'm away from home. Thank you for a good quality product I can rely on!.' — S. S. 'Cameras work great! They're sensitive enough to capture wildlife in our woods, but can be set to 'person only' if desired. Pictures and video are really clear. Great sound (to and from). Easy to set up and use. And they are TOUGH! A woodpecker decided he had a beef with one of our cameras (see pic) but it still works great (and we had some pretty strong storms a few days before we saw the damage).' — Connie Ortz 'My recent purchase of the Blink Outdoor 4 (4th Gen) System has not only elevated my home security but has also set a new standard for convenience, reliability, and peace of mind. From its user-friendly setup to the advanced features, this security system has exceeded my expectations in every aspect. Setting up the Blink Outdoor 4 System was a breeze. The user-friendly app guided me through the process, and within minutes, I had all the cameras strategically placed around my property. The wireless design eliminated the need for complex wiring, making it a hassle-free experience even for those without technical expertise. The video quality is outstanding, capturing crisp and clear footage both day and night. The 1080p HD resolution ensures that every detail is captured with precision, providing a sense of security that is unmatched. The night vision capability is impressive, offering visibility even in low-light conditions, and the motion detection technology is highly responsive without being overly sensitive.' — Julian (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.) 'Bought this to monitor our chicken coop. We've lost several this summer to what we suspected was a raccoon. The coop is about 75 feet from the house and my phone has issues connecting to the house wifi from inside it, but this camera had no issues connecting up to its sync module, which we placed in our screened porch, inches from the outside wall of our house. Streaming video and audio work flawlessly, the IR camera is great, and the mount is easy to position and reposition. Setup took minutes and we were able to test, reposition, and finalize the placement in no time. The first night we turned it on it sent us a notification of movement and showed a raccoon climbing down a post right beside it. Thanks to the Blink camera, we were able to run out just as the raccoon was grabbing one of our chickens so we could intervene. Great product, great connectivity, highly recommend.' — Amazon Customer The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through 'fake' hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there's an exception, we'll tell you why.) These Comfy Pumas Sneakers Beat Adidas Sambas By Miles And They're On Sale We Track Sales For A Living. Here Are The 35 Best Deals On Amazon Ahead Of Easter Weekend Here Are 29 Inexpensive Things To Treat Yourself Now That It's Spring
Forbes
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Rachel Dratch To Headline Uniworld's First Women-Only Cruise
Rachel Dratch is largely known for her Saturday Night Live character, 'Debbie Downer,' but the actress and comedian will soon be taking the stage in front of a new audience — cruisers. Dratch will become the headline performer for Uniworld Boutique River Cruises' first-ever Women-Only Cruise through the heart of France this summer. Guests will enjoy an exclusive comedy set and a special Q&A session with Dratch during the cruise, which sets sail on August 24, 2025. It will incorporate Uniworld's Burgundy & Provence itinerary, an eight-day trip onboard the S.S. Catherine with stops in Arles, Viviers, Avignon and Lyon. 'We are beyond excited to welcome the incredibly talented and hilarious Rachel Dratch aboard our special Women-Only Cruise,' stated Ellen Bettridge, president and CEO of Uniworld. 'Rachel is the perfect fit for what promises to be an unforgettable trip, and I'm looking forward to being onboard to host her and all of our guests on this sailing.' In an interview with Forbes, Dratch explained that she heard about the Women-Only Cruise through a call from her agent. She added that this cruise sounded like the kind of trip she would take with some friends, if she was organized enough to plan it! 'I love it when a work situation takes me somewhere great. It has happened a few times in the past, and I try to say yes when these rare opportunities come up in life.' In terms of going on a cruise, Dratch confessed that she has never taken one before. 'I think it sounds fun to ease into cruising on a smaller boat, and on a river no less,' she said. 'Honestly, my view of cruising probably comes from watching The Love Boat when I was a kid.' Dratch once she lived with a family in France for a semester during college; while there, she saw a lot of the country. However, she's never been to the area where this Uniworld cruise is going but plans to do a few excursions. 'I do love to travel. I like a girls' trip, and now that I have a child, I have taken him on a few special trips, too,' said Dratch. 'I'm not someone who is very particular on 'must haves' – like 'oh I need my lavender spray and my favorite pillow.' Honestly, I'm lucky if I get there and find out I didn't pack all shirts and only one pair of pants. I'm the type to throw a bunch of stuff in a bag and hope I have something to wear when I arrive.' A veteran of Chicago's Second City, Dratch was an SNL cast member from 1999 to 2006. Her IMDB profile includes King of Queens, 30 Rock, Shameless, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Just Go with It and Wine Country. Dratch is also the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, Girl Walks into a Bar. She has lent her voice to animated series such as Bob's Burgers and will next be heard in the upcoming Fox series, Grimsburg. Dratch made her Broadway debut in POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. She received a Tony nomination for her performance. Dratch is now working on a writing project with fellow ex-SNL cast member Ana Gasteyer. 'We wrote a parody of a Hallmark Christmas movie that came out a couple of years ago and we are keeping that Christmas train going,' said Dratch. 'I also have a podcast currently running called 'Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch,' where I have my funny friends on to talk about 'woo woo' stuff like ghosts and psychics, that kind of thing!' For Dratch, this Uniworld's Women-Only Cruise is sure to be a source for new material.
