Latest news with #chainsaw
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
14 affordable outdoor and patio essentials that'll transform your backyard for summer: Side tables, patio lights and more
Giving your backyard a makeover doesn't have to be a major project — or a major expense, either. Sometimes, it's the small changes (or a good deep clean) that can make the biggest difference. The goal here isn't to completely overhaul the area — it's to create an outdoor space that feels welcoming without spending beyond your budget. With a few affordable upgrades, your backyard can go from "meh" to a fantastic hosting space for summer. Whether that means switching up the lighting, adding some extra shade or finally tidying up those corners you've been ignoring, we've rounded up 14 products to help you do just that. The best part? They're all under $200. A table and a cooler? Yes, please. This dual-function side table is the perfect addition to backyards that see plenty of summer BBQs and hang outs. All you have to do is fill it with ice (and your favourite beverages). Keep your pathways illuminated with this set of eight solar lights. They'll automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn, so all you have to do is stake them into the ground. This chainsaw is compact, lightweight and cordless, which will make it a little easier to prune trees, cut firewood or get your next DIY project done. It comes with a pair of work gloves and safety goggles to keep dust and wood chips out of your eyes. Whether you want to hide unsightly trash bins, an AC unit or create an area for privacy, this slatted screen ought to do the trick. If you want to make it look even better, get some climbing plants like clematis or honeysuckle and have them grow up and along it. Keep your backyard in tip-top shape by plucking your weeds with this puller tool. It's extra long, so you won't have to bend over to get all the way to the root. Interlocking deck tiles are a great way to give your deck a mini makeover without busting out the power tools. Just snap the joints together and voilà! You've got yourself a brand new patio floor. They're waterproof and can be cut to cover curved edges or oddly-shaped areas. This set comes with 10 tiles. Keep your garden hose tangle-free with this hideaway pot. More affordable (and a lot cuter) than your typical hose box, you can keep your hose hidden, coiled up and ready for everyday use. Here's a set of four tabletop citronella torches to keep the mosquitos at bay, not to mention add a little romantic ambiance to your backyard in the evening. One reviewer says they're 'easy to fill,' while another appreciates that they 'hold enough fluid to last many hours.' Give your garden beds a refresh with this lawn edging tool. It'll help you create clean, crisp borders, which will make your yard look professionally maintained (even if it isn't). Whether your backyard is south-facing or not, it never hurts to have a designated area for shade in the summer months. It's also waterproof, so it can provide some rain coverage too. It comes with everything you need to set it up, including carabiners, ropes and a carrying bag to store it in. Sometimes, all it takes is a little elbow grease (or a pressure washer) to bring some life back to outdoor spaces. You can use this thing to blast away dirt, grime and mildew from patios, decks, fences and even some furniture sets. Turn your lawn into a lush, grassy oasis with this travelling sprinkler. With adjustable diameter coverage, automatic shut-off and three speeds, you'll never forget to water your garden again. Declutter your back patio with a stylish wood storage box. You can use it to stash pillows, toys, gardening tools — you name it. Throw a few outdoor pillows on top and it can be used as extra seating, too. Here's a pair of semi-sheer curtains that'll provide a little privacy (and romantic vibes) to your porch or deck. It'll change the entire feel of your space, as well as provide a little protection from the sun. Curtain rods are sold separately.
Gizmodo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
RFK Jr. Poses for Weird Photos With Argentina's President as They Plot Alternative to World Health Organization
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a fringe anti-vaxxer who somehow became head of America's health agencies under President Donald Trump, met with the president of Argentina and discussed establishing a new alternative to the World Health Organization, according to a tweet from Kennedy on Tuesday. And while the substance of their meeting is important, all anyone can notice on social media is their bizarre photoshoot. Your eyes don't deceive you. That's the Secretary of Health and Human Services holding a chainsaw that belongs to Milei and reads 'las fuerzas del cielo' in Portuguese. Translated into English, it means 'the forces of heaven.' Milei, a far-right ally of President Trump, campaigned on promises to deliver austerity to his country and slash government spending, often wielding his chainsaw. And ever since, people who meet with Milei will often hold the chainsaw themselves. Billionaire oligarch Elon Musk waved the chainsaw around earlier this year at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where Musk looked absolutely blitzed out of his mind. That conference in February, it should be noted, was the same CPAC gathering where two other speakers (including Steve Bannon) did Nazi-style salutes that mimicked Musk's gestures on Jan. 20. It's particularly odd for Kennedy to be posing with a chainsaw, considering he was investigated for using a chainsaw to hack the head off a dead whale two decades ago. Kennedy's daughter described how the head was strapped to the top of the family car and said that whale juice was streaming down into the open windows. Kennedy called the investigation a weaponization of the government, and it was later dropped. Kennedy posted other photos from the strange meeting at Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Tuesday, including another where Milei is seated at the head of the table and the chainsaw is in the foreground. Needless to say, the vibes are straight out of The Shining. In another era, these photos would be mind-boggling and come to define the legacy of the politicians involved. But here in the year 2025, it's just another day that ends in Y. What did these guys actually discuss? Apparently the Milei and Trump governments want to create some kind of woo-woo public health body that competes with the World Health Organization. Trump pulled the U.S. out of the WHO on his first day back as the American president on Jan. 20, and and Milei followed suit on Feb. 5. 'I had a wonderful meeting with Argentine President @JMilei about our nations' mutual withdrawal from the WHO and the creation of an alternative international health system based on gold-standard science and free from totalitarian impulses, corruption, and political control,' Kennedy wrote. What makes the World Health Organization totalitarian? Kennedy doesn't get into specifics. But some far-right figures have claimed that WHO colluded with China to hide the 'real' origins of the covid-19 pandemic. The Trump regime's gallery of health-adjacent weirdos insist covid-19 was created in a lab and unleashed upon the world either intentionally or accidentally. Most scientists still believe covid-19 has natural origins. Kennedy has been busy in recent weeks, firing vital employees of the agencies he runs, including the FDA and CDC, and rolling out new policies. The health secretary was on a podcast Tuesday called 'Ultimate Human' where he suggested government scientists would no longer be allowed to publish in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and The Lancet. Those are, of course, the most prestigious medical journals, but Kennedy called them 'corrupt,' according to Politico. Kennedy would instead like American scientists to publish their work in 'in-house' journals. As luck would have it, FDA head Marty Makary and NIH director Jay Bhattacharya recently launched their own medical journal called the Journal of the Academy of Public Health. Science magazine called the journal's editorial policies 'unusual,' and real scientists have noted the journal seems to be comprised of 'a small clique of contrarians around the COVID pandemic.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Slocomb woman accused of dismembering lover with chainsaw could stand trial this summer
GENEVA COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) — A Slocomb woman who state investigators claim 'completely' dismembered her boyfriend with a chainsaw is expected to stand before a jury of her peers this summer. Court records show Joselina Lopez's trial date has been set for Monday, June 23, in the Geneva County courthouse. However, Lopez has requested a mental evaluation, which could delay the trial. Lopez was indicted by a Geneva County grand jury last month on charges of murder and corpse abuse. Slocomb woman accused of dismembering lover with chainsaw facing new charge after indictment Lopez is accused of shooting and dismembering 41-year-old Benito Morales Guzman. Geneva County deputies found Guzman's body dismembered in a car behind his house around Grady Garner Road and New Hinson Road in the Fadette community last August. Officers were called to the scene after receiving a missing person's report for Guzman. Investigators with the State Bureau of Investigation claim that when officers arrived at the scene, a 'strong odor' was coming from the car, and they found a chainsaw with human flesh in the car, along with Guzman's body. The body was in around 10-15 pieces, stuffed in garbage bags, and placed in the backseat and trunk. According to investigators, after finding the body, officers began searching the home and discovered a pistol, a hatchet, two knives, two other chainsaws, and various receipts showing Lopez had purchased tools. CRIKEY! Alligator caught in front of Hartford home Chainsaw marks were found on the floor of the home, and it is believed Guzman was shot around five times before being dismembered, investigators say. Prosecutors and investigators believe Lopez's and Guzman's 4-year-old child may have been in the home at the time of the murder and dismemberment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
08-05-2025
- CBS News
Man who allegedly hacked downtown LA trees with a chainsaw ordered to stand trial
The man who allegedly used a chainsaw to cut down 13 trees in downtown Los Angeles and nearby areas has been ordered to stand trial on vandalism charges. Over the weekend of April 18 and 19, police responded to calls of felled trees, lying on the road in several downtown locations. Surveillance footage captured a suspect, armed with a chainsaw, dressed in black and riding around on a BMX-style bike. Samuel Patrick Groft, 44, was arrested a short time later. Police said they had prior contacts with Groft, who has a criminal record and is homeless. "We went to one of the locations over at Custer and Sunset. Once we got there, we found him there with the evidence, the same clothing, bicycle, and the chainsaw," Detective Michael Pineda said earlier. After the value of each hacked tree was assessed, Groft was charged with 9 felony counts. The threshold for felony vandalism in California is $400 of destruction, anything below that is a misdemeanor. Two of the 11 felony counts were dropped to misdemeanor charges as the $400 in damages weren't proven by prosecutors in those two counts, which involved four trees added to the case on Wednesday. Authorities estimated last month that there was nearly $350,000 in damages. The street tree superintendent for the city of Los Angeles testified that he estimated damage at just under $175,000 for trees on city-owned property. He said he did not assess the replacement costs of all of the trees, as some were on private property. LAPD Detective Roberto Gutierrez testified Wednesday that he was told by a woman that three juniper trees reported to cost about $10,000 each were cut down on April 14 in front of her business in the 700 block of West Temple Street. He said the woman provided surveillance video footage showing the suspect holding a chainsaw and cutting down trees while wearing black gloves. Groft faces charges involving 13 trees that were cut between April 13 and April 19, including one that had a limb chopped off in broad daylight. At his first Los Angeles court appearance last month, he was denied release on his own recognizance. The judge noted that he has an "extensive criminal record." He remains jailed on $350,000 bail. Groft faces up to six-and-a-half years in state prison if convicted.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- BBC News
Sycamore Gap jury retires to consider its verdict
The relationship between the pair Image source, CPS Prosecutors said both men were good friends at the time and worked together felling trees. Both had sought to downplay their skills and experience with chainsaws, with Mr Carruthers' barrister telling jurors his client admitted lying but feared what police would make of him if he admitted he knew his way round a chainsaw. On 17 August, about a month before the Sycamore Gap felling, Daniel Graham filmed a video of his "best pal" chopping up a tree, one of multiple tree trimming and felling jobs they performed together. The pair had become close in 2021 when Mr Carruthers fixed a Land Rover which belonged to Mr Graham's dad, ensuring the vehicle was ready for the father's funeral after he took his own life. Their friendship exploded "spectacularly" however in the aftermath of the felling when, as prosecutors said, the "public revulsion" at their actions became clear to them. While Mr Carruthers said he had "no clue" who felled the tree, Mr Graham pointed the finger squarely at his once friend. He said his erstwhile best mate was fascinated with the tree, treasured a piece of string he had used to measure its circumference and had mentioned chopping it down when buying a large chainsaw (all of which Mr Carruthers vehemently denied). Mr Graham claimed he had not heard of the tree until Mr Carruthers told him about it in 2021, although went on to admit he had reported a car stolen from Steel Rigg, the car park used by visitors to the tree and whoever felled it, the previous December. He told the court he had been walking in the area but had not known about the world famous tree nearby, and while he had seen the tree in the 1991 movie Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, he had not known where it was filmed. After initially saying he did not want to "grass" on his friend, Mr Graham deliberately showed police pictures of Mr Carruthers standing next to chainsaws and, when he felt that had not adequately shifted the blame on to his pal, made an anonymous call to officers in August 2024 saying Mr Carruthers had the wedge of wood taken from the tree and the chainsaw used. Neither of the items nor the guns Mr Graham claimed Mr Carruthers had were found when police carried out a search. Mr Graham also told jurors Mr Carruthers asked him to take the blame as the police would be more lenient on him because of his "mental health issue", which Mr Carruthers firmly denied.
