How Do You Know When It’s Time To Flee A Deep-Blue Hellhole?
Joel Webbon’s book Fight by Flight makes the case for leaving blue states. Indeed, such trends could shape future elections for the better.Joel Webbon’s book Fight by Flight makes the case for leaving blue states. Indeed, such trends could shape future elections for the better.Fugitive who allegedly staged bizarre ‘Goonies’ house fish caper, rescued by Coast Guard after getting stranded aboard stolen yacht
United States Coast Guard personnel rescued a man from a stolen yacht Friday, a man whom authorities say filmed himself leaving a dead fish at the home featured in the "The Goonies" movie on Wednesday, multiple outlets reported.
Jericho Wolf Labonte, 35, was being held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at the Northwest Detention Center in Washington as of Saturday, KGW 8 reported.
In addition to stateside charges related to the alleged fish incident and alleged theft of the P/C Sandpiper yacht, Labonte is also a fugitive wanted by Victoria police in British Columbia in Canada.
Heroic, happenstance water rescue
The U.S. Coast Guard, maritime guardians of the Pacific Northwest, were conducting a training mission at the mouth of the Columbia River when they received a mayday call for help from the P/C Sandpiper yacht, the organization reported on its Twitter account.
Motored life boats were launched and air crews arrived to find the P/C Sandpiper "foundering in the surf." A rescue swimmer was dispatched because the surf was too dangerous to rescue Labonte by boat.
A rescue swimmer recovered Labonte after the P/C Sandpiper capsized. Labonte was flown to Coast Guard Base Astoria for treatment.
The newly-minted rescue swimmer who saved Labonte is Aviation Survival Technician 3rd Class John "Branch" Walton. Branch was a student of the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School. He graduated along with his classmates just hours later, the United States Coast Guard News reported. As a rescue swimmer, Labonte was Walton's first save.
\u201c(1/4) #BreakingNews - Talk about arriving in the nick of time! While conducting a training mission at the mouth of the Columbia River, 2 Coast Guard air crews received a #MAYDAY broadcast from the master of the P/C Sandpiper. After notifying watchstanders at Sector Columbia River\u201d— USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNorthwest) 1675457859
The theft of the P/C Sandpiper
The 20-ft yacht's owner lives in Warrenton, Oregon, and had reported the vessel missing on Friday, according to Central Oregon Daily.
Bizarre vandalism at "Goonies" home
Wednesday, two days before the incident with the yacht, Labonte was suspected of leaving a dead fish on the front porch of the home featured in Steven Spielberg's "The Goonies."
Labonte filmed himself placing the fish and dancing around the property, also posting the video to social media, Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly told Central Oregon Daily.
Canadian fugitive wanted for harassment, more
The Victoria Police Department in British Columbia said Labonte is wanted on warrants for criminal harassment, mischief, and failure to comply. The department posted a photo of Labonte on January 19, asking for the public's assistance in locating him. It also warned people not to approach him as he "could pose a risk to public safety."
\u201cVicPD asking for public's assistance in locating wanted man Jericho Labonte. He is wanted on warrants for criminal harassment, mischief and fail to comply x 3. He may be travelling to Victoria and could pose a risk to public safety. If seen, do not approach and call 911.\u201d— Victoria Police (@Victoria Police) 1674173723
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Prince Harry criticizes 'rolling back of constitutional rights' in US
Prince Harry denounced the "rolling back of constitutional rights" in the United States during a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday.
The U.K. royal was delivering a keynote address for Nelson Mandela International Day when he criticized the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ended the constitutional right to an abortion, calling it part of a "global assault on democracy and freedom."
"How many of us feel battered, helpless in the face of the seemingly endless stream of disasters and devastation?" Harry asked, calling the past year "a painful year in a painful decade."
"The few weaponizing lies and disinformation at the expense of the many," he continued, mentioning the COVID-19 pandemic, global warming, and the war between Ukraine and Russia before touching on the U.S. Supreme Court's abortion decision.
"From the horrific war in Ukraine to the rolling back of constitutional rights here in the United States, we are witnessing a global assault on democracy and freedom, the cause of Mandela’s life,” he said.
\u201c#BREAKING: At the United Nations, Prince Harry calls out "the rolling back of Constitutional rights in the United States" as part of "a global assault on democracy and freedom."\u201d— Forbes (@Forbes) 1658161561
Harry's pot shot at America riled up conservative commentators, who questioned why a British royal was lecturing Americans about their constitutional rights.
"If I was a direct descendent of George III, I would be careful about lecturing an American audience about the inadequacies of their constitutional rights," said Douglas Carswell, CEO of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy and a former member of U.K. Parliament.
\u201cIf I was a direct descendent of George III, I would be careful about lecturing an American audience about the inadequacies of their constitutional rights.\u201d— Douglas Carswell (@Douglas Carswell) 1658166415
The Federalist's Sean Davis tweeted that Americans "stopped carrying what emasculated British royals think about our rights 246 years ago."
\u201cWe stopped carrying what emasculated British royals think about our rights 246 years ago.\u201d— Sean Davis (@Sean Davis) 1658166820
"You lost your say 247 years ago pal," said Victoria Coates, a distinguished fellow with the American Foreign Policy Council.
\u201cThat's rich coming from a member of an actual hereditary monarchy. You lost your say 247 years ago pal.\u201d— Victoria Coates (@Victoria Coates) 1658166364
"Letting voters, rather than 8 unelected justices, decide state abortion policy constitutes a 'global assault on democracy,' says trophy husband of retired B-list actress," Washington Examiner columnist Tiana Lowe tweeted, referring to the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, a former Hollywood actress.
\u201cLetting voters, rather than 8 unelected justices, decide state abortion policy constitutes a \u201cglobal assault on democracy,\u201d says trophy husband of retired B-list actress.\u201d— Tiana Lowe (@Tiana Lowe) 1658165283
Harry married the U.S.-born Markle in 2018 and the couple currently lives in southern California. Markle is an outspoken advocate of progressive political causes
After the Supreme Court ruled that the constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion in its landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization opinion, Markle was one of many celebrities to condemn the ruling.
"This is about women’s physical safety. It’s also about economic justice, individual autonomy, and who we are as a society," Markle said in an interview for Vogue. "Nobody should be forced to make a decision they do not want to make, or is unsafe, or puts their own life in jeopardy. Frankly, whether it’s a woman being put in an unthinkable situation, a woman not ready to start a family, or even a couple who deserve to plan their family in a way that makes the most sense for them, it’s about having a choice."
New Zealand leader locks down whole country over just 1 COVID case. And in Australia, 'angry' official rules no mask removal when drinking alcohol outdoors.
There's some COVID-19 trouble Down Under, and leaders in New Zealand and Australia are taking severe steps with their citizens to address the spread of the virus.
What are the details?
The entire country of New Zealand will go on lockdown after a 58-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19, likely with the Delta variant, Sky News reported.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the lockdown will be in place for three days from 11:59 p.m. Tuesday; in Auckland and Coromandel, the lockdown will last seven days, the outlet said.
The man who tested positive isn't vaccinated, but his wife is — and so far she's tested negative, Sky News noted, adding that it's New Zealand's first COVID case nearly six months.
What else did the New Zealand PM say?
"We want to be short and sharp, not light and long," Ardern said in announcing the lockdown, the outlet said. "Delta has been called a game changer and it is. It means that we again need to go hard and early to stop the spread. We have made the decision on the basis that it is better to start high and go down levels rather than to go low, not contain the virus and see it move quickly."
Ardern also said there was no alternative to the lockdown, Sky News added, and alluded to escalating case numbers in Australia.
"We've seen the dire consequences of taking too long to act in other countries, not least our neighbors," she said, according to the outlet. "We are one of the last countries in the world to have the Delta variant in our community. This has given us the chance to learn from others."
Ardern urged New Zealanders to follow lockdown rules "to the letter," stay clear of others, and behave as if they have the virus, Sky News said.
"We've seen overseas, particularly in Sydney, unnecessary trips outdoors have spread the virus and communities have not been able to get on top of it," she added, according to the outlet. "If we all comply it lifts our chances of getting out of this earlier. We know that this strategy works, we know that we are a strong team of 5 million, and we know that life will get easier; we just need to keep going."
As for images of long supermarket lines and empty shelves, the prime minister said panic buying should be avoided, Sky News reported.
"I know we have a natural instinct, and people worry about their provisions," Ardern said, according to the outlet. "Just remember other people need to buy things too — be kind, be courteous. It doesn't make sense for people to rush out; it means you congregate."
New Zealand's level 4 lockdown means, according to Sky News:
- Stay at home in your "bubble" other than essential outdoor movement;
- Safe recreational activity is allowed locally;
- Severely limited travel;
- All gatherings canceled; all public venues closed;
- Only essential businesses open (e.g., supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics, gas stations, utilities);
- Schools closed;
- Rationing and facility requisitioning possible;
- Health care services reprioritized.
New Zealand enters lockdown over one Covid case - BBC Newsyoutu.be
Meanwhile, in Australia...
In a separate Sky News story, the premier of Victoria — a southeastern Australian state that includes the capital city of Melbourne — said he's "angry" over recent outdoor behavior and said residents are now prohibited from removing their face masks to drink alcohol outdoors.
"You will no longer be able to remove your mask to drink a cocktail at a pop-up beer garden on a footpath as part of a pub crawl," Daniel Andrews said, according to the outlet. "I understand Victoria Police are looking at what occurred ... at a number of licensed venues."
Why is he 'angry'?
"But why am I angry about that?" he asked, Sky News noted. "Because it devalues the work that thousands of publicans and restaurant owners and bar owners, the good work they are doing, diligently following COVID-safe protocols providing take-away. Pubs are shut for a reason — it is not safe for them to be open."
Andrews added, "In any event, there will be no more drinking alcohol with your mask off in those circumstances. There will — they will simply not be permitted," according to the outlet.
He also said "religious broadcasts, they will be further limited. Same crew. You can't have a reinvolving crew every week. It's got to be the same people who produce those broadcasts, as important as they are, each and every time. The construction sector — large projects will be reduced to 25 per cent. Smaller projects will have a maximum of five workers. There will be additional restrictions in relation to movement between sites where trades work multiple sites," Sky News said.
Daniel Andrews fury over COVID-19 compliance | Coronavirus | 9 News Australiayoutu.be
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