Latest news with #ScottHamilton
CBC
13-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
'It will kill life': Cambridge councillor urging city to curb road salt use
A Cambridge councillor is hoping to reduce the amount of road salt used by the city, saying overuse could contaminate groundwater and "kill life." "I mean if you add enough salt to anything, it will kill life," Ward 7 Coun. Scott Hamilton said. He is speaking in front of city council on Tuesday to present a notice of motion that urges the city of Cambridge – and ultimately the province of Ontario – to tackle the problem of road salt. This comes a week after Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe presented a similar notice of motion during a regional council meeting. Hamilton said the "spirit of this motion is to ask the province," as they have the jurisdictional authority to do significant change. Hamilton says Cambridge uses 5,856 tons of salt per year. With salt registered as a "toxic substance" under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, he said there is inherent danger in its overuse. Several studies support Hamilton's claim. Ottawa Riverkeeper, a non-profit based in Ottawa that advocates for sustainable use of the Ottawa River, found in a study they published in January that among water samples taken from streams across the National Capital Region, " the vast majority were toxic to wildlife due to road salt levels." The five-year study, which started in the winter of 2019-2020, found that only 10 per cent of 500 water samples had safe levels of chloride. Chloride is a "key component" of road salt, the report explained. In a separate study, Taryn Smit, an ecologist volunteering with the Canadian Conservation Corps, explained that too much salt can make living organisms "become sick or die." "Think about if you have not had enough water and now you're starting to get headaches, feel sick and dehydrated." she explained. "The same kind of process will happen with anything that lives in the stream of the river because there's salt in the water." Hamilton said this is why he hopes to see changes on the provincial level. "Whether you're in Guelph, Preston, Hespeler, Blair, you're affected all the same by the quality of our drinking water," he said. Waterloo mayor presented a similar motion Last Tuesday, Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe presented a notice of motion at regional council that also deals with salt pollution. Joe Salemi, the executive director of Landscape Ontario, was one of the delegates who spoke to council about the motion. Salemi urged the Ontario governmet to develop limited liability legislation, create and fund an expert stakeholder advisory committee, and send the resolution to all municipalities. At that meeting, North Dumfries Mayor Sue Foxton expressed concern about the limited liability legislation. "When you waive the right to lay the liability on someone, you're giving up your rights," Foxton said. "You're also allowing people to be negligent." Hamilton said he hopes Cambridge will support his motion in May when he outlines similar steps to deal with the over salting problem in that city and the province as a whole. Similar to McCabe's motion, Hamilton will bring up the development of a limited liability legislation, a public awareness campaign about best salt practices, the creation of an "expert stakeholder advisory committee" that would advise the province about the best courses of action, and a review of bylaws to support further reductions in salt use. Hamilton says he hopes the public will see his motion in a positive light, explaining that his motion is meant to be "ultimately for our own benefit." "If we have toxic drinking water, if levels of sodium chloride in our water are at unhealthy levels and it's at the point where it's killing off our ecosystems, our plants, in our lakes and our rivers, I think ultimately this [plan] is definitely a net positive," he explained. "The majority of the public would understand that."
Business Upturn
08-05-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
OLYMPIC LEGEND SCOTT HAMILTON TO HEADLINE AT ORIGENCE'S LENDING TECH LIVE ‘25
By GlobeNewswire Published on May 8, 2025, 16:00 IST Irvine, California, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Origence, a leading provider of lending technology solutions, announced Olympic icon Scott Hamilton as a keynote speaker for its Lending Tech Live '25 conference, scheduled for June 16–18, 2025, at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. Hamilton captured the world's attention with his Olympic gold medal performances in Sarajevo in 1984, and he continues to be the world's most recognized figure skater. His achievements extend far beyond the rink, including an Emmy nomination, a bestselling author, a humanitarian, and the founder of the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation. As a cancer survivor, his global fight against cancer inspires countless individuals to face life's challenges with courage and optimism. Hamilton's session 'Undefeated: Rising above every challenge' will inspire audiences by sharing his journey of resilience, perseverance, and triumph. With humor, authenticity, and passion, he encourages others to view challenges as opportunities for growth and to use their stories to inspire and uplift those around them. This session serves as a powerful reminder that with determination and gratitude, it's possible to rise above any obstacle in life, work, or leadership and remain undefeated. Erika Hill, VP of marketing at Origence, expressed her excitement about Scott Hamilton's participation: 'We are honored to have Scott Hamilton join us at Lending Tech Live 2025. His remarkable journey and dedication to making a positive impact resonate deeply with our mission at Origence and the credit union community nationwide. His insights and experiences will inspire and motivate our attendees to strive for excellence in their endeavors.' As the premier credit union lending technology event, Lending Tech Live offers opportunities for professional growth through insightful sessions and networking with key industry leaders. Attendees learn about the latest trends and innovations shaping the future of lending, while hearing from experts on strategies, emerging trends, best practices, and groundbreaking technology. To learn more about the conference, visit the Lending Tech Live website. About Origence Origence provides lending technology solutions credit unions need to advance their total origination experience. We were established in 1994 as a credit union service organization (CUSO) and have helped thousands of credit unions process more than 97 million applications, including 8.6 million applications in 2024. Our solutions include indirect lending, loan and account origination, auto shopping, marketing automation, lending operations, and more. Learn more at and follow us on X and LinkedIn. Attachment Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
The Spinoff
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Spinoff
New Zealand's role in the mass deportation of Koreans from post-WWII Japan
The violent deportation of migrants is not new, and New Zealand forces had a hand in such a regime after World War II, writes historian Scott Hamilton. The world is watching the new Trump government wage a war against migrants it deems illegal. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and police have dragged migrants from homes and streets and put them onto planes or into camps. Many have been denied due process. Seventy-nine years ago another American administration began a deportation programme, sending away tens of thousands of desperate migrants. But it was New Zealanders, not Americans, who were charged with hunting down and deporting them. From 1946 to 1948, New Zealand soldiers and pilots were stationed in Japan's Yamaguchi prefecture, at the southwest edge of Honshu Island. They were part of a Commonwealth force that also included Australians, Indians and Britons. Anxious to assert its relevance in the postwar Pacific, Britain had insisted that these forces share the job with Americans of occupying a defeated Japan. New Zealand's 'Jayforce' consisted of 4,000 servicemen and a few dozen nurses. Most of them came from the army, but there were also 25 pilots and 250 air force support staff. Only narrow waters separate southwest Honshu from the large Korean port of Pusan, and the New Zealanders were quickly confronted by thousands of Koreans crossing the gap. Japan seized Korea in 1910. Because they were subjects of the emperor, Koreans were considered Japanese nationals, and in the 1920s and 30s, hundreds of thousands were recruited to work in the imperial homeland. Although they faced discrimination, and could usually only secure low-paying jobs, they were free to move back and forth between Korea and Japan. The pre-war migrants had come willingly, but after Pearl Harbour, Japan became desperate for labour, and took slaves from Korea to mine coal and build weapons. When Japan surrendered in 1945, it was hosting two and a half million Koreans. Many quickly repatriated themselves, commandeering ships from Honshu ports. But 600,000 Koreans opted to remain in Japan. Soon they were being joined by refugees from a hungry and violent Korea. The Americans made their general Douglas MacArthur supreme ruler of postwar Japan and the southern half of Korea. In Japan, MacArthur established his own administration but retained national and local Japanese governments, getting them to implement his policies. After MacArthur declared the end of the Japanese Empire and the independence of Korea, both American and Japanese administrators expected Koreans in Japan to leave. For many Japanese Koreans, though, Japan had been home for decades. They had families, homes, and jobs or businesses in Japan. For the defeated and humiliated Japanese, Koreans were a reminder of the empire they had lost. For MacArthur and his administration, Koreans were potential allies of the communist forces that already controlled the north of the peninsula. American hostility increased after South Koreans launched the Daegung Uprising against MacArthur's rule in 1946. Demanding self-government, the Koreans staged a general strike and attacked US soldiers. The uprising simultaneously increased American suspicions about Koreans and sent refugees fleeing for the supposed safety of Japan. MacArthur gave the job of overseeing the deportation strategy to Nicholas Collaer, who had worked for the US Border Patrol before running internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II. Collaer was a xenophobe. In a 1949 article about his career, he called the US frontier with Mexico 'ten thousand miles of trouble', where a 'human coyote' lurked. Collaer helped craft Japan's Alien Registration Ordinance, which was modelled on wartime American legislation and required Koreans to register with authorities and carry special identity cards proclaiming their status as 'aliens'. Koreans in Japan were banned from voting in the first postwar elections, and an American decree closed the ports of Japan. When New Zealanders arrived in southwestern Honshu in 1946, they were immediately tasked with deporting Koreans and intercepting Korean ships headed for Japan. Ninety New Zealand troops were put in charge of Senzaki Repatriation Camp, a prison made from barbed wire and sheds on the waterfront of the port town of Kure. New Zealand pilots worked with the Indian navy to try to intercept and force back vessels making the journey from Pusan to Honshu. Most of these boats were powered only by sails; migrants packed their decks and crammed their small holds. In her history of New Zealand's air force, Margaret McClure describes 'Corsairs with six machine guns swooping just a wingspan above the water' as they hunted for Koreans. Pilots 'buzzed' the small migrant ships, trying to frighten them into reversing course. Ships that continued towards Japan were stopped, boarded, and towed into port. Their occupants were sent to Senzaki. Photographs by New Zealanders show them leading long lines of Korean deportees from Senzaki camp to waiting American ships. Even the youngest and smallest migrants carry loads of belongings on their backs. Some deportees refused to go easily. In August 1946, New Zealand troops had to travel as guards on one huge ship taking 2,500 deportees to Korea. Reports in New Zealand papers explained that 'mutinous' Koreans had threatened to take over the ship and turn it around. Under New Zealand's watch, conditions in Senzaki Repatriation Camp quickly deteriorated. In 1946 the camp's population soared from 600 to more than 3,000. Food ran out, and the camp's sheds were crammed with bodies. In the winter of 1946-47, cholera spread through Senzaki. Deportation became a death sentence for some of the camp's captives. The Trump administration claims illegal migrants come to rob Americans and spread diseases, but aid workers insist that most of them are motivated by poverty and desperation. The same was true for the Korean migrants who poured into New Zealand-occupied Japan. Commonwealth forces hired a Japanese Korean man named Cho Rinsik to interview the migrants and discover why they'd fled Korea. In his report, Rinsik that '80%' of them had 'come to Japan on account of hard living and to procure food'. Rinsik said that better-off migrants wanted to recover 'real estate, property, or savings in Japan'. Koreans leaving Japan, whether voluntarily or compulsorily, could take with them only the paltry sum of 1,000 yen. A photograph in the Turnbull library shows a young Korean man tearing his hair in anger as a Japanese official confiscates a pile of banknotes from him. The man had been carrying 14,000 yen; he lost 13,000. Two New Zealand soldiers with rifles stand watching the confiscation. Trump claims that migrants bring diseases and crime into America; media outlets like Fox News eagerly echo him. The same charges were made against Koreans in Japan by the American administration, and by newspapers in New Zealand. In October 1946, the Otago Daily Times claimed that Koreans were 'spreading epidemics' in Japan and were behind 'black market operations'. The Evening Star printed a disturbing photograph by a New Zealander showing a Korean mother and her small daughter being sprayed with the toxic chemical DDT at Senzaki camp. A caption by the photographer explained that they were being 'deloused' under 'New Zealand supervision'. In 2025, communities threatened by deportation have organised and protested against Trump's government. Californians cities have seen large anti-deportation marches. Koreans in Japan also organised and protested. In 1946, a League of Koreans was formed and spread through Japan, opening 300 branches in a few months. The League published a newspaper, opened Korean-language schools, and marched to demand equal rights. When American and Japanese administrators banned Korean schools, the League staged huge protests. Photographs taken by New Zealand servicemen show crowds of Koreans protesting in southwest Honshu. Marchers carry Korean flags, and placards demanding the right to stay in Japan. In the city of Kobe, a march turned into a riot, as Koreans stormed a local government office and briefly held officials hostage. MacArthur responded by declaring a state of emergency and arresting thousands of Koreans. In postwar Japan, the American administration used deportation as a way of punishing political dissent. In 1947, lieutenant-general John Hodge sent an official complaint to MacArthur about the number of Japanese Koreans being deported. Hodge claimed that the occupiers were deporting not just recent arrivals from Korea but 'troublesome nationals' – Koreans who had lived in Japan for many years but who had protested American policies. Elizabeth Ryan, who was a court reporter in Kobe, wrote that American authorities had issued orders to 'arrest every last Korean' after the riot in that city in 1948. In the same year, Douglas Jenkins, the US Consul in Kobe, had estimated that there were '60 to 80 thousand Koreans in Kobe', and called them 'a low type' and 'an alien group'. In May 1947 a blaze destroyed the barracks of the New Zealand troops who ran Senzaki camp. It was the sixth suspicious fire at a New Zealand facility in six months. Some of the New Zealand troops suspected their work was being sabotaged. When questioned about the fires in parliament, defence minister Fred Jones said he was not sure whether they were deliberately lit or not. New Zealand's struggle with Korean migrants was reported extensively in our newspapers, but it has receded from memory, and has rarely been discussed by historians. In 2021, an article in NZ Army News remembered the mission to Japan, and mentioned that our troops deported 'illegal migrants'. The tragedy is that those migrants only became illegal after the surrender of Japan and its occupation by the Allies. The end of World War II was supposed to bring peace and a better life in Japan, but for Japanese Koreans it meant becoming aliens in the country they had made home.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Aussie refunded after secret recording exposes dodgy charge: 'You're not ripping me off'
An Australian traveller has recorded the moment he was 'taken for a ride' by a dodgy taxi driver who deliberately overcharged him. The Sydney man said he hoped to warn other people so they could avoid the same kind of rip-off. Scott Hamilton and his wife Sarah had flown to Brisbane to board a two-night cruise to Sydney. The couple needed to catch a ride from the airport to the cruise terminal in Pinkenba and approached a Black and White Cabs driver outside the terminal. Hamilton said he had previously been ripped off by cab drivers in Sydney and his "hackles were up". So, he decided to record his 11-kilometre taxi trip on his phone. RELATED Taxi rip-off warning ahead of public holiday as unsuspecting Aussies fleeced: 'Unscrupulous' ATO responds to controversial tax deduction Aussies try to claim every year: 'Be very careful' ATO $1,000 instant work tax deduction sparks warning for millions: 'Never in our favour' The video recording shared with A Current Affair shows the taxi driver had obscured the meter and attempted to hide the fare amount on the EFTPOS machine when it came time for them to pay. Hamilton was charged $59 for the journey, double what the Black and White Cab's website quotes for the trip on its website. 'You're not ripping me off, I've been videoing you the entire time,' Hamilton is heard telling the taxi driver in the video. Hamilton said he noticed the meter had been running for 39 minutes when his video showed they had only been in the car for 17 minutes. "I'm videoing this because I'm going to call the police on you because I knew this is what you'd do to me when I asked you about the meter," he said in the video. "I have been in your cab for 17 minutes, I've been recording the whole time.' Hamilton said the driver made 'all sorts of excuses' to explain the situation, but Hamilton wasn't buying it. He is shown giving the taxi driver $40 for the trip. The driver attempts to offer him a free ride, but Hamilton rejects this and tells him he will be going to the police. Black and White Cabs managing director Greg Webb said the driver admitted to ripping off his passenger. "Whilst there was initial denial and excuses made, upon being presented with all the evidence, the driver admitted to and it was determined to be a deliberate overcharge," Webb said in a statement to A Current Affair. Black and White Cabs said Hamilton would be refunded the fare and the driver would face the company's compliance measures for deliberate overcharging. In Queensland, maximum fares apply to all rank and hail taxi services, which are set by the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Drivers must always activate the meter at the beginning of the journey to calculate the maximum payable fare. Finder head of consumer research Graham Cooke has shared with Yahoo Finance the following tips for Aussies who think they've been overcharged by a taxi driver: If you're looking to get around a city, rideshare might be the safer (and cheaper) option – just check you aren't on surge pricing. If you notice your fare is much higher than you expected, question it immediately with the driver. Paying by credit card may offer you more protection. If doing so, always check that the amount on the card terminal matches the amount on the meter, and always ask for a receipt. If you do get stung and are unable to get a resolution with the taxi company, it's possible to lodge a complaint regarding any product or service with Fair Trading NSW or your local state equivalent. The Australian Taxi Industry Association may also be able to help, but only if the taxi in question is a member. Finally, raising a dispute with your credit card company may be the only in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WA couple sues Delta, Japan Airlines following injuries from minor ground collision at SEA Airport
A Washington couple is the first to file a lawsuit against Delta Airlines and Japan Airlines after the two planes had a minor collision while taxiing at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in early February. On Feb. 5 around 10:15 a.m., a Japan Airlines (JAL) aircraft hit the tail of a parked Delta plane. The incident occurred on the ramp between the S Concourse and the south airport maintenance hangar. 'While in sequence for deicing, the tail of a Delta 737 aircraft reportedly made contact with a wing tip of another airline's aircraft. There are no reports of injuries for crew or customers on the flight, and we apologize for the experience and delay in travels,' Delta said in a statement to KIRO 7 in February. The Delta flight was heading to Puerto Vallarta and the JAL flight had just landed from Toyko. There were 142 passengers onboard at the time. 'These little ground collisions are not common,' aviation industry expert Scott Hamilton told KIRO 7 in February. 'But they're not unknown and usually no one is hurt.' An American Airlines flight clipped a United flight while taxiing in Chicago in January. 'A parked plane may be parked where it should not be, or it could be that the airplane taxiing is a little off the center line,' said Hamilton on these instances. 'There are a couple of different reasons for it, but obviously, somebody was out of position.' You can watch the incident below. While no injuries were initially reported, Hermann Law Group, representing two of the passengers on the Delta flight, said the couple's injuries got worse in the following days after the collision. The lawsuit did not specify their injuries, just that they were injured. The complaint alleges that the Washington couple and their two young daughters were injured in the incident. 'Considering that the JAL aircraft, fully loaded with passengers, luggage, other cargo, and remaining fuel had to weigh in excess of 150 tons, coupled with the fact that it struck the Delta aircraft sideways producing a twisting impact on the passengers, it is no wonder that many of the passengers suffered serious spinal sprains and strains,' said attorney Lara Hermann. Hermann also points out that the woman was holding her 6-month-old baby and tending to her other child when her plane was struck. Because the family was on an international flight to Mexico, Hermann said the collision is legally governed by the Montreal Convention of 1999, which states: 'According to the terms of that treaty, each passenger is entitled, without proof of fault, to as much as about $200,000. Plaintiffs need only establish that they were passengers on the Delta plane and prove the nature and extent of their injuries. The Montreal treaty also unusually provides that for injures in excess of the $200,000 limit, it is Delta that must prove that it was not at fault in the accident, that it was entirely JAL's fault or the fault of some other third party such as ground crews or even the Air Traffic Control.' The complaint alleges their claims to be in excess of $75,000, according to the suit. 'The issue of safety failure is the same whether passengers' injuries are fatal or non-fatal. The recent surge in incidents and close calls is extremely troubling. It shouldn't feel like this every time someone gets on a plane,' Hermann said. Both airlines are being sued for: Treaty liability Common carrier negligence (Delta) Negligence (JAL) Gross negligence (both airlines) Negligent infliction of emotional distress (both) The law firm is seeking a trial by jury on behalf of their clients. KIRO 7 has reached out to both Delta Airlines and Japan Airlines for comment and has yet to hear back.
