Elder Abuse/ Fireworks

Missoulian: Elder abuse a growing concern

Montana Adult Protective Services

Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is any abuse and neglect of persons age 60 and older by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust.

Forms of elder abuse include:

• Physical Abuse occurs when an elder is injured (e.g., scratched, bitten, slapped, pushed, hit, burned, etc.), assaulted or threatened with a weapon (e.g., knife, gun, or other object), or inappropriately restrained.
• Sexual Abuse or Abusive Sexual Contact is any sexual contact against an elder’s will. This includes acts in which the elder is unable to understand the act or is unable to communicate. Abusive sexual contact is defined as intentional touching (either directly or through the clothing), of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, mouth, inner thigh, or buttocks.
• Psychological or Emotional Abuse occurs when an elder experiences trauma after exposure to threatening acts or coercive tactics. Examples include humiliation or embarrassment; controlling behavior (e.g., prohibiting or limiting access to transportation, telephone, money or other resources); social isolation; disregarding or trivializing needs; or damaging or destroying property.
• Neglect is the failure or refusal of a caregiver or other responsible person to provide for an elder’s basic physical, emotional, or social needs, or failure to protect them from harm. Examples include not providing adequate nutrition, hygiene, clothing, shelter, or access to necessary health care; or failure to prevent exposure to unsafe activities and environments.
• Abandonment is the willful desertion of an elderly person by caregiver or other responsible person.
• Financial Abuse or Exploitation is the unauthorized or improper use of the resources of an elder for monetary or personal benefit, profit, or gain. Examples include forgery, misuse or theft of money or possessions; use of coercion or deception to surrender finances or property; or improper use of guardianship or power of attorney.

Missoulian: Drought won't stop fireworks in dry western states

Fireworks safety
“Fireworks are an annual tradition for Independence Day in the United States. However, each year there are hundreds of injuries due to fireworks, most often affecting the hands, face and eyes, leading to serious injuries like amputations, burns, and even death. People actively igniting fireworks experience more severe and more frequent injuries than bystanders.”

Fireworks Information Center

Carbon Counting Satellite/ NSA is Watching You....Legally?

Missoulian: NASA launches carbon satellite after 2009 failure
OCO-2 Lifts Off on Carbon-Counting Mission
“NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, is expected to provide insight into how the planet adjusts to the increased production of carbon dioxide from a vantage point in orbit that will allow it to take readings on a scale never achieved before.
While ground stations have been monitoring carbon dioxide concentrations, OCO-2 will be the first spacecraft to conduct a global-scale reading over several seasons. The spacecraft is expected to produce detailed readings to provide regional sources of carbon dioxide as well as sinks for the greenhouse gas.”

Missoulian: NSA's Internet monitoring said to be legal

PCLOB-Section-702-Report

“In response to the requests from Congress and the President, the Board began a comprehensive study of the two NSA programs. The Board held public hearings and met with the Intelligence Community and the Department of Justice, White House, and congressional committee staff, privacy and civil liberties advocates, academics, trade associations, and technology and communications companies.”
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PCLOB-Report-on-the-Telephone-Records-Program

“These disclosures caused a great deal of concern both over the extent to which they damaged national security and over the nature and scope of the surveillance programs they purported to reveal. Subsequently, authorized disclosures from the government confirmed both programs. Under one, the NSA collects telephone call records or metadata — but not the content of phone conversations — covering the calls of most Americans on an ongoing basis, subject to renewed approvals by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ( “ FISC” or  “FISA  court” ). This program was approved by the FISC pursuant to Section 215 of the USA P ATRIOT Act (“Patriot Act”). Under the second program, the government collects the content of electronic communications, including phone calls and email s , where the targets are reasonably believed to be non - U.S. persons located outside the United States. 2 Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act is the basis for this program.”  

July 2, 2014 Public Meeting
“The Board will meet at 10 am in public session on July 2nd at the JW Marriot Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC in Salon III. At the meeting, the Board will vote on the formal issuance of its report to the President, Congress and the public. Additional information on the Board's review of the surveillance program, such as its prior public hearings, is available at www.pclob.gov. The July 2nd meeting is open to the public and a meeting notice has been published in the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/a/2014-14603.”

ACL Injuries/ Courts and Contraception/ NASA Launch Delay/ Antitrust Natural Gas

Missoulian: ACL injuries on rise – and more likely in girls Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
“An anterior cruciate ligament injury is the over-stretching or tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. A tear may be partial or complete.”

Alternative Warm-Up Program Reduces Risk of ACL Injuries For Female College Soccer Players

Missoulian: Justices act in other health law mandate cases

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

 Missoulian: NASA scrubs launch of carbon-monitoring satellite

 NASA/United Launch Alliance Statement on OCO-2 Scrub

 Missoulian: WESTERN STATES WHOLESALE NATURAL GAS ANTITRUST LITIGATION  “The panel reversed in part, and affirmed in part, the district court’s orders in cases consolidated into a multidistrict litigation proceeding, and arising out of the energy crisis of 2000-2002. Plaintiffs, retail buyers of natural gas, alleged that defendants, natural gas traders, manipulated the price of natural gas by reporting false information to price indices published by trade publications and engaging in wash sales. The district court entered summary judgment against plaintiffs in most of the cases, finding that state law antitrust claims were preempted by the Natural Gas Act”