Latest news with #TimBurke
Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
A fitness fad that includes guns
A slurry of snow and sleet was battering the Nevada Firearms Academy and Range, a rugged expanse of dry soil and sagebrush about 25 miles outside downtown Reno. It's rarely so cold in this part of the high desert basin — hovering in the high 30s just past dawn on a Saturday — and it almost never snows in April. But for the roughly 200 men and women arriving for the weekend's Tactical Games, the inhospitable weather only added to the experience. A brawny man decked out in camouflage fatigues and body armor laughed as he wiped mud from his AR-15-style rifle, saying he could not tell whether it had become colder or he had just gotten wetter. The Tactical Games is a multiday competition that tests fitness and marksmanship, often simultaneously. Competitors, outfitted in military gear and wearing 15-pound weighted tactical vests, spend two days sprinting, climbing, jumping, lifting barbells and shooting, all while enduring the elements — usually the extreme heat and humidity of Texas, Arizona or South Carolina, but sometimes, as on that weekend in Nevada, a wet desert squall. One event finds the competitors heaving 80-pound sandbags over obstacles and clambering over a 6-foot wall. Another has them burning calories on stationary bikes before throwing themselves to the ground and taking precision shots at targets on a distant hill. It's part 'American Gladiators,' part Call of Duty. Founded in 2018 by Tim Burke, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Army and a former Green Beret, the competition was designed as a relatively simple way to test accuracy under fatigue: When your heart rate is elevated from physical exertion, it can become harder to concentrate and more difficult to aim a gun. 'Anybody can stand on the range and shoot accurately at rest,' Burke said in an interview in 2021. 'But if we get your heart rate and your respiration rates up, and now we ask you to do a fine motor skill. That's where talent, that's where skill sets get built.' The tournament has evolved over the years, with a renewed emphasis on the spectacle of a challenging, adrenaline-pumping sport. All weekend long, Limp Bizkit songs blared over loudspeakers as spectators — mainly the families of the competitors — whooped and hollered, cheering on the athletes as they grunted and groaned through grueling ordeals. The sport is still immersed in the world of military and law enforcement, with many competitors hailing from the Armed Forces, Homeland Security, various local police departments and even the FBI. And while it has expanded beyond that core group, almost everyone who participates, as Nick Thayer, the owner of Games, put it, are 'people who do real work for a living,' like firefighters, teachers and nurses. Thayer, a Coast Guard veteran with a background in field engineering, discovered the Tactical Games as a competitor in 2020, and was instantly addicted. 'I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen,' he said, adding an expletive for emphasis. The company changed ownership a number of times in its early iterations, and Thayer took over, first as president in 2022 and then as owner the next year. His wife, Amanda, also works for the company, and the two now run more than a dozen weekend-long events across the United States. They will host an event in Poland this September, and Thayer said they planned to expand further next year. 'The last time we came to Nevada, we had flooding,' he said as he walked the grounds in the rain. 'We can't catch a break here.' The Tactical Games' approach to fitness is reminiscent of Hyrox, the popular fitness race in Europe that has been gaining popularity in the United States. Like Hyrox, the Tactical Games borrows movements from CrossFit, including barbell cleans, rowing, biking, running and dead lifts, and is ideally suited to athletes with a broad base of fitness. Many of the people competing in Nevada last month trained at CrossFit gyms, and Thayer himself was a CrossFit coach in New Orleans for seven years. (He said he expressed interest in teaming up with CrossFit in 2023, but that nothing came of it.) One of the weekend's participants was Pat Nuanez, a 60-year-old product manager for a defense contractor who heard about the Tactical Games in 2021, when someone at his CrossFit gym urged him to give it a try. He knew it would be up his alley. 'I worked as a cop for a little while, and I love guns,' he said, speaking up to be heard over the incessant sound of rifle and pistol fire. 'I went in with a heavy plate carrier, the wrong gear, an ancient rifle, iron sights, my old police gun — and I loved it.' Since then, he's participated in 10 events. The Tactical Games has role-play elements, with participants crawling around in the dirt in fatigues and body armor, and the competitions give firearms enthusiasts a chance to nerd out and show off their expensive gear. The event's former slogan was 'the closest thing to war without getting shot at,' though that kind of language has been toned down in an effort to make the experience seem a little less extreme. Like shoot-'em-up games and paintball matches, the Tactical Games taps into an enduring mystique: It makes being a soldier feel like an irresistible thrill. But it is Thayer's ambition that the role-playing aspect of the Tactical Games be the sugar that helps competitors swallow their medicine: The goal is for cops and soldiers to exercise more. 'The more we can get them interested in health and wellness, the better,' he said. Healthier cops, in Thayer's view, make smarter and safer decisions in the field. Ehea Schuerch, a corrections officer from Washington state who works in bookings at the Spokane County Jail, came to the Tactical Games through functional fitness, having competed at the CrossFit Games. She agreed with Thayer that the skills she honed at the competition were transferable to her day job, and she said that she was always urging 'cops from surrounding departments to get into this because they'll get 10 times better at their jobs than they ever thought they'd be.' But, Schuerch added, the Tactical Games can also be good for civilians — especially women. 'This is opening up a whole new world to women,' she said. 'I didn't grow up around guns, and if I hadn't worked in corrections, I probably wouldn't have done this. But now I can go to my girlfriends and be like, 'Hey, want me to teach you something?' It's empowering.' The sun finally started to peek out from behind voluminous gray clouds late in the afternoon Sunday, as the Games drew to a close and the awards for the top competitors were handed out. (The winners received new rifles.) Though still chilly, the grounds remained busy with people volunteering to help break things down in what felt like one last rallying cry of camaraderie. 'I have a question, Nick,' one of the competitors asked loudly as the day came to an end. 'What is it with the Tactical Games and Nevada and crazy weather?' Thayer cracked a charismatic smile. 'We're never coming back,' he said with a laugh.
New York Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
A Fitness Fad. With Guns.
A slurry of snow and sleet was battering the Nevada Firearms Academy and Range, a rugged expanse of dry soil and sagebrush about 25 miles outside downtown Reno. It's rarely so cold in this part of the high desert basin — hovering in the high 30s just past dawn on a Saturday morning — and it almost never snows in April. But for the roughly 200 men and women arriving for the weekend's Tactical Games, the inhospitable weather only added to the experience. A brawny man decked out in camo fatigues and body armor laughed as he wiped mud from his AR-15-style rifle, saying he could not tell if it had become colder or if he'd just gotten wetter. The Tactical Games is a multiday competition that tests fitness and marksmanship, often simultaneously. Competitors, outfitted in military gear and wearing 15-pound weighted tactical vests, spend two days sprinting, climbing, jumping, lifting barbells and shooting, all while enduring the elements — usually the extreme heat and humidity of Texas, Arizona or South Carolina, but sometimes, as on this weekend in Nevada, a wet desert squall. One event finds the competitors heaving 80-pound sandbags over obstacles and clambering over a 6-foot wall. Another has them burning calories on stationary bikes before throwing themselves to the ground and taking precision shots at targets on a distant hill. It's part 'American Gladiators,' part Call of Duty. Founded in 2018 by Tim Burke, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Army and a former Green Beret, the competition was originally designed as a relatively simple way to test accuracy under fatigue: When your heart rate is elevated from physical exertion, it can become harder to concentrate and more difficult to aim a gun. 'Anybody can stand on the range and shoot accurately at rest,' Mr. Burke said in an interview in 2021. 'But if we get your heart rate and your respiration rates up, and now we ask you to do a fine motor skill. That's where talent, that's where skill sets get built.' The tournament has evolved over the years, with a renewed emphasis on the spectacle of a challenging, adrenaline-pumping sport. All weekend long, Limp Bizkit songs blared over loudspeakers as spectators — mainly the families of the competitors — whooped and hollered, cheering on the athletes as they grunted and groaned through grueling ordeals. The sport is still immersed in the world of military and law enforcement, with many competitors hailing from the Armed Forces, Homeland Security, various local police departments and even the Federal Bureau of Investigation. And while it has expanded beyond that core group, almost everyone who participates, as Nick Thayer, the owner of Games, put it, are 'people who do real work for a living,' like firefighters, teachers and nurses. Mr. Thayer, a United States Coast Guard veteran with a background in field engineering, discovered the Tactical Games as a competitor in 2020, and was instantly addicted. 'I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen,' he said, adding an expletive for emphasis. The company changed ownership a number of times in its early iterations, and Mr. Thayer took over, first as president in 2022 and then as owner the next year. His wife, Amanda, also works for the company, and the two now run more than a dozen weekend-long events in cities across the United States. They will host an event in Poland this September, and Mr. Thayer said they planned to expand further next year. 'The last time we came to Nevada, we had flooding,' he said as he walked the grounds in the rain. 'We can't catch a break here.' The Tactical Games' approach to fitness is reminiscent of Hyrox, the popular fitness race in Europe that has been gaining popularity in the United States. Like Hyrox, the Tactical Games borrows movements from CrossFit, including barbell cleans, rowing, biking, running and deadlifts, and is ideally suited to athletes with a broad base of fitness. Many of the people competing in Nevada this weekend trained at CrossFit gyms, and Mr. Thayer himself was a CrossFit coach in New Orleans for seven years. (He said he expressed interest in partnering with CrossFit in 2023, but nothing came of it.) One of this weekend's participants was Pat Nuanez, a 60-year-old product manager for a defense contractor who heard about the Tactical Games in 2021, when someone at his CrossFit gym urged him to give it a try. He knew it would be up his alley. 'I worked as a cop for a little while, and I love guns,' he said, speaking up to be heard over the incessant sound of rifle and pistol fire. 'I went in with a heavy plate carrier, the wrong gear, an ancient rifle, iron sights, my old police gun — and I loved it.' Since then, he's participated in 10 events. The Tactical Games has role-play elements, with participants crawling around in the dirt in fatigues and body armor, and the competitions also give firearms enthusiasts a chance to nerd out and show off their expensive gear. The event's former slogan was 'the closest thing to war without getting shot at,' though that kind of language has been toned down in an effort to make the experience seem a little less extreme. Like shoot-em-up games and paintball matches, the Tactical Games taps into an enduring mystique: It makes being a soldier feel like an irresistible thrill. But it is Mr. Thayer's ambition that the role-playing aspect of the Tactical Games is the sugar that helps competitors swallow their medicine: The goal is for cops and soldiers to exercise more. 'The more we can get them interested in health and wellness, the better,' he said. Healthier cops, in Mr. Thayer's view, make smarter and safer decisions in the field. Ehea Schuerch, a corrections officer from Washington who works in bookings at the Spokane County Jail, came to the Tactical Games through functional fitness, having competed at the CrossFit Games. She agreed with Mr. Thayer that the skills she honed at the competition were transferable to her day job, and she said that she was always urging 'cops from surrounding departments to get into this because they'll get 10 times better at their jobs than they ever thought they'd be.' But, Ms. Schuerch added, the Tactical Games can also be good for civilians — especially women. 'This is opening up a whole new world to women,' she said. 'I didn't grow up around guns, and if I hadn't worked in corrections, I probably wouldn't have done this. But now I can go to my girlfriends and be like, 'Hey, want me to teach you something?' It's empowering.' Mr. Thayer said the early days of the Tactical Games had a somewhat Wild West approach to the marksmanship component. 'It was probably one of the most unsafe things you've ever seen,' he said with a laugh, describing an easygoing atmosphere in which competitors would walk around with loaded guns and point firearms at one another. The present-day iteration is a lot less cavalier, with gun safety being the organization's top priority and disqualifications happening even for seemingly minor infractions. During an interview in his trailer, Mr. Thayer took a phone call from one of the other organizers who wanted a ruling on whether someone should be disqualified: A competitor had moved to draw a pistol before the charge line at one of the stations, but was stopped by a range officer before it was taken out. That competitor was allowed to stay, as no infraction had been committed, but five others were not so lucky: In the heat of the moment, eager to win, they drew too soon. 'These guys tried to shave a second or two off their time,' one of the organizers warned a later heat before an event station. 'And now they're no longer competing this weekend.' Even with its focus on safety, the very nature of the Tactical Games, which highlights firearms and unapologetic militarism, can feel politically charged. Asked about that, Mr. Thayer was somewhat evasive. 'I wouldn't say that was a concern,' he said. 'We are apolitical as a sport. Obviously, I'm a huge advocate for the Second Amendment. But not just gun ownership — responsible gun ownership.' He repeatedly emphasized that the community was open-minded and welcoming to people of different political stripes. Still, the impression of a certain kind of American bravado was hard to ignore. Two members of the U.S. Border Patrol manned a recruitment booth throughout the weekend and at previous events, the Army had recruiting desks set up, too. 'You get young people that are motivated and willing to go out and do hard stuff — that's kind of a great candidate pool for them,' Mr. Thayer said. But the community itself was, as Mr. Thayer promised, kind and welcoming — the overall vibe was of a family barbecue, and despite the lousy weather, everyone was in good spirits. 'The name can be deceiving,' Ms. Schuerch said. 'Tactical Games sounds aggressive, but it's a really chill, good community. Quality people.' Bob Porzio, a 59-year-old doctor from California, echoed the sentiment. 'There's no group of people I'd rather have in my foxhole,' he said. The sun finally started to peek out from behind voluminous gray clouds late in the afternoon on Sunday, as the Games drew to a close and the awards for the top competitors were handed out. (The winners received new rifles.) Though still chilly, the grounds remained busy with people volunteering to help break things down in what felt like one last rallying cry of camaraderie. 'I have a question, Nick,' one of the competitors asked loudly as the day came to an end. 'What is it with the Tactical Games and Nevada and crazy weather?' Mr. Thayer cracked a charismatic smile. 'We're never coming back,' he laughed.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tampa federal judge declines to dismiss Tim Burke indictment
TAMPA — A federal judge has declined to dismiss the indictment against Tampa media consultant Tim Burke, finding that a jury should decide whether he committed crimes by publishing videos, including unaired Fox News footage. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, in a 35-page order issued Monday, noted that a grand jury found probable cause to believe that Burke's conduct was criminal and therefore is not protected under the First Amendment. Amid a complex legal analysis, the judge cited case law that puts the burden on Burke to prove that the videos at the center of the case were readily accessible to the public. The judge also granted a request Monday to postpone Burke's trial, which had been set for June. In a court hearing last week, his attorneys said they needed more time to sort through the massive amount of computer material seized as evidence in the case. They pegged the size of the material at more than 30 terabytes, the equivalent of one trillion data bytes, much of it consisting of lengthy videos. Mizelle reset a pretrial conference for late August, with the trial set to begin in early September. 'The judge has made us prove that the defendant is not guilty,' Burke's attorney, Mark Rasch said Monday. 'We welcome the opportunity to do that in late August.' The judge's ruling follows one she made in November, denying a request from Burke's defense to toss the evidence that investigators obtained when they searched his home. The defense argued that the government omitted key details when they applied for the search warrant, namely Burke's status as a journalist and the First Amendment implications of the search. Burke, 46, is a nationally recognized media consultant who runs Burke Communications from his Seminole Heights home. He is well-known for finding and promoting obscure videos online and has done work for HBO and ESPN, among other clients, and worked as a journalist for the Daily Beast and DeadSpin. Almost two years ago, FBI agents searched the home Burke shares with his wife, Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak. The agents seized much of Burke's home studio, including numerous computers. The Tampa Bay Times later reported that the search related to alleged computer hacks of Fox News videos. The intercepted videos, which Burke later published online, included behind-the-scenes footage of Tucker Carlson on his defunct show on the network and clips from an interview Carlson conducted with Kanye West in which the rapper makes antisemitic comments. In February 2024, a grand jury indicted Burke on 14 federal charges, including conspiracy; accessing a protected computer without authorization; and intercepting or disclosing wire, oral or electronic communications. The indictment alleged that Burke conspired with a Washington man, Marco Gaudino, to use compromised computer credentials to obtain protected video streams, then publicly disseminated clips. Court records and proceedings have revealed that the intercepted videos also included game footage from the National Basketball Association. At least one other unnamed TV network is also referenced as a victim in court records. Gaudino last year pleaded guilty to a single conspiracy charge and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in their case against Burke. The pair didn't know each other and only communicated via Twitter, their attorneys have said. Lawyers for Burke have argued that the videos were publicly available on a streaming platform, which he accessed using credentials that were posted online. They insist that he is a journalist and that the case infringes on his free speech rights. The judge also denied Burke's arguments that the wording of the indictment was insufficient because it did not specify that the videos were taken without the consent of their owners. In Monday's ruling, Judge Mizelle noted a 2001 Supreme Court decision, known as Bartnicki v. Vopper, which held that the First Amendment protects people who publish information that was intercepted illegally by a third party. She refused to extend that case to Burke's situation, reasoning that Burke is accused of partaking in the alleged illegal interception. But she also critiqued the case itself, opining that there is 'reason to doubt' that the Bartnicki case is consistent with 'the original understanding of the First Amendment.' 'In the intervening decades since that decision,' Mizelle wrote, 'both the opportunity and incentive to anonymously obtain and later disclose communications has grown exponentially and, with those rises, Congress's corresponding interest in deterring that public harm.' Elsewhere in the ruling, Judge Mizelle knocked down Burke's arguments that the indictment was insufficient because the grand jury did not specify that he obtained the material 'without consent' or that was not 'readily accessible,' which are both exceptions to the law on intercepted communications. 'Burke is wrong twice over,' the judge wrote. Citing case law, the judge wrote that it is up to Burke to demonstrate that those exemptions apply to his case. She noted that Burke touts his ability to find and publish obscure online videos. 'As a result, I suspect much of the trial will be devoted to presenting evidence of how Burke obtained the electronic communications,' Mizelle wrote. 'Naturally, Burke is uniquely better equipped to adduce evidence about how he went about getting the communications. The jury then must decide whether those communications were 'readily accessible to the general public.''
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Comcast Expansion Connects 18,500 Homes and Businesses in Northeastern Pennsylvania to State-of-the-Art Network
Network Expansion Brings Xfinity and Comcast Business Services to Lackawanna, Luzerne and Columbia Counties PITTSBURGH, March 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast has connected more than 18,500 new homes and businesses across Lackawanna, Luzerne and Columbia Counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania to reliable, high-speed Internet by expanding its network. This expansion enhances digital infrastructure, promotes economic growth, and positions residents and local businesses for success in an increasingly digital world. The network expansion brings Internet, mobile, entertainment, and security services from Xfinity and Comcast Business to residents and businesses in the following areas for the first time: Lackawanna County: Carbondale Township, Fell Townships, City of Carbondale Luzerne County: Newport Township, Conyngham Township, Hunlock Township, Plymouth Township, Shickshinny Borough, Union Township, Salem Township Columbia County: Berwick Borough, Briar Creek Borough, Briar Creek Township "Our community deserves the best when it comes to choosing their provider for Internet, mobile, and entertainment services," said Tim Burke, Mayor, Berwick Borough. "Comcast's entry into our market offers a variety of options for any type of customer, and we are thrilled that the Borough of Berwick and its surrounding areas now have access Comcast's state-of-the-art network." "I had been searching for a new Internet provider, so I was very happy to discover that Comcast recently made Xfinity services available in my area," said Carbondale resident Laura Perry. "Switching my Internet and home phone to Xfinity gave me better speeds and pricing than my previous provider. My family and I have enjoyed seamless connectivity ever since." Residents can visit and businesses can visit to see if their address is eligible for service. In addition, residents and businesses can visit our newly renovated Xfinity Store in Dickson City, or stores in Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, PA. This expansion is part of the company's latest investment in Northeastern Pennsylvania, following recently completed network expansions to more than 28,000 homes and businesses in Jermyn and Mayfield Boroughs and the City of Wilkes-Barre. More than 6,600 residents and businesses in Carbon, Schuylkill and additional parts of Luzerne County will also soon be able to connect to our network, with an expansion project currently underway. "We're excited for more Northeastern Pennsylvania communities to experience the power of our Xfinity and Comcast Business products and services that deliver over 99.9 percent reliability," said Ricky Frazier Jr., Senior Vice President of Comcast's Keystone Region. "In addition to connecting communities to the moments that matter most, Comcast is committed to advancing digital opportunity through Internet Essentials, our low-cost Internet service for low-income families, and Project UP, our $1 billion commitment to unlimited possibilities." A Network You Can Trust to be Reliable, Fast and Secure Comcast's state-of-the-art network is built to enable residents and businesses to thrive in today's constantly connected world. Lackawanna, Luzerne and Columbia counties join the 64 million homes and businesses across the country to have access to a network that is trusted by essential community organizations like hospitals, schools, transportation systems and first responders, and federal agencies like the Department of Defense and FEMA. It delivers gigabit Internet speeds, 99.9 percent reliability and built-in security to help keep customers safe from cyber threats. Introducing Xfinity for Consumers Comcast's residential services are marketed under the Xfinity and NOW brands, and consumers in Northeastern PA can take advantage of Xfinity's full suite of products, including Internet, video, mobile, voice and home security, with additional Internet, video and mobile options with NOW for those on a budget. With gigabit Internet speeds, powerful WiFi that reaches every corner of the home, and super-responsive connections with low lag available with its plan, customers have a great experience using their connected devices to stream their favorite sports and entertainment content, video chat with coworkers and friends, learn from home or simply surf the web. Comcast Business to Power Northeastern PA For local businesses, Comcast Business offers a suite of connectivity, communications, networking, cybersecurity, wireless, and managed solutions to help organizations of all sizes achieve their business goals. Industry analysts and associations have consistently recognized Comcast Business as a leader and innovator in flexible, scalable options as well as one of the fastest-growing providers of Ethernet services. What It Means for the Northeastern PA Community Comcast's commitment to communities goes beyond building the network and aims to increase economic mobility for the local community and its residents. That's why Comcast created Internet Essentials, a broadband adoption program that offers eligible households low-cost, high-speed Internet and affordable computers. Since its inception in 2011, Internet Essentials has connected more than 2 million low-income Pennsylvania residents to broadband service at home. Additionally, Comcast has launched 176 Lift Zones across Pennsylvania to provide students and families with free, high-speed WiFi and digital skills training. Lift Zones are part of Project UP, Comcast's comprehensive $1 billion commitment to help build a future of unlimited possibilities and the continuation of the company's long history of giving back to communities where it provides service and where its employees live and work. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit for more information. View source version on Contacts Victoria DoranVictoria_Doran@ 878-999-4373 Sign in to access your portfolio
