August 26, 2020 - cruciforme

Blog Archive

Death of mother with baby is ‘inevitable consequence’ of immigration policies, warn campaigners

More migrants without access to public funds are at risk of dying unless immigration policies change, charities have warned following the death of a mother who was receiving no financial support due to her immigration status.

Mercy Baguma, a 34-year-old asylum seeker, was found dead in her flat on Saturday morning with her one-year-old son, who is said to have been malnourished, beside her. Police said her “sudden” death was currently being treated as unexplained but not suspicious, and that the case had been referred to the public prosecutor.

The mother-of-one had appealed to a small charity for help 10 days before, asking whether she could apply for any grants to support herself and her young child because she didn’t have any income and wasn’t receiving any state support.

Campaigners warn that her death was an “inevitable consequence” of the government’s immigration policies – which they say has

Hotel

by
August 26, 2020

Lakewood’s Plan For Full Return To School Draws Objections

LAKEWOOD, NJ — While many school districts across New Jersey have planned to start the 2020-21 school year with hybrid or remote learning, the Lakewood School District has been moving full speed ahead on a plan for fully in-person learning, five days a week.

That plan, which received approval from the executive Ocean County superintendent of schools, is receiving significant pushback from the staff, who say the plan is not safe.

Two staff members have resigned, according to the Lakewood Education Association, the union that represents the districts teachers and aides. It also held a car caravan Wednesday evening to protest the district’s plan to reopen for full-day instruction.

“The (Lakewood Education Association) is imploring the school district to re-examine its plans and make a commitment to keep students, staff, and the community safe,” the association said in its announcement of the protest. “The school district’s current plan to start

Vacation

by
August 26, 2020

Black Ops’ embraces its history and returns to Cold War in newest episode

The next Call of Duty video game returns to the setting of the original Black Ops, when Cold War intrigue dominated global relations.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, out Nov. 13, will be available for Sony PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PCs on Battle.net – and for PS5 and Xbox One X this upcoming holiday season when the systems are released.

The action takes place during the Cold War in 1981, which was “a year that saw two global superpowers locked in a nuclear arms race, conspiracies about presidential elections, illegal military operations on both sides, the paranoia of spies living next door, and looming over all of this was the fear and shadow of World War III,” said Dan Vondrak, creative developer at Raven Software.

Nintendo Switch: Popular game consoles are finally back in stock—here’s where to get one

Summer games: Coronavirus-curbed video gamers are falling for

Adventure

by
August 26, 2020

Venice Film Festival Virtual Reality Section Moved Online Will Travel Globally

The Venice Film Festival’s Virtual Reality section is going entirely online this year, but expanding its scope via a platform and also a satellite network that will make it accessible worldwide.

In normal times the competitive sidebar launched in 2017 by co-curators Michel Reilhac and Liz Rosenthal – who put Venice ahead of the curve in the VR arena – was held on the Lazzaretto, a tiny island a stone’s throw from the Lido that was a leper colony in the 15th century. But due to the coronavirus pandemic this year it’s been rebranded Venice VR Expanded and moved to a digital platform supported by Htc Viveport, Facebook’s Oculus, VRChat and VRrOOm that will allow various types of access using a VR headset and a PC.

Venice VR Expanded will present a total of 44 projects from 24 countries, 31 of which are in competition. These include “Gnomes & Goblins,”

Travel

by
August 26, 2020

Farewell to Corporate , a great show that saw the world too clearly

Failure is almost a lost fact of television culture. Streaming services don’t release numbers, except when they brag about metrics you can’t trust. Meanwhile, desperate network honchos cursed with declining ratings swear fealty to post-numeric metrics: Engagement, prestige, buzz, “the fans.” Once there were cancellations. Now you see announcements about a “fourth and final season” or a “wrap-up movie,” and rumors of revivals ever after.

Lifetime scripted drama is just a streaming deal away from popularity. Or maybe it’s all a big lie, creative accounting to pad everyone’s resume. Failure is not a helpful narrative. The people who make the TV show want to keep working, and you get your next job when everyone needs to pretend to be impressed with your last job. The people who watch the show have infinite options, and want to feel they’ve bet on a winning horse. The

Hotel

by
August 26, 2020

Sandrell Rivers Theater holds third annual celebration of its namesake

You’re invited to a birthday party for one of South Florida’s greatest arts champions: Sandrell Rivers.

Fantasy Theatre Factory at the Sandrell Rivers Theater presents the third annual celebration of its namesake on Aug. 29 through Facebook Live.

Sandrell Rivers was arts administrator for Miami-Dade County’s Parks and Recreation Department from 1988 until the day before her death from cancer on Jan. 1, 2010. She brought figures including Hugh Masekela, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee and Isaac Hayes to the stage at the Joseph Caleb center, and she promoted South Florida’s African Diaspora artists through her international travels. It’s said her efforts so impressed a Nigerian dignitary, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi 1 – the Akran of Badagry in Lagos State – that he named her a chief. She bore the title proudly.

“Chief Rivers had a passion for the arts and a passion for her community,” said Larry Fields, Fantasy Theatre

Recreation

by
August 26, 2020

5 ways families can enjoy astronomy during the pandemic

<span class= — With the proper equipment, you can enjoy the beauty of the night sky. Allexxandar via iStock/GettyImages

This is a challenging time for families. Schools across the U.S. are struggling to provide a meaningful online experience. The coronavirus pandemic has cut off or restricted many entertainment options. As an astronomer, I believe a great way for families to fill the void and have a meaningful science experience in the time of COVID-19 is to turn their attention to the stars they can see right outside their homes.

The night sky is, and always has been, safe and free.

Here are five ways you can get started.

Naked eye

Travel

by
August 26, 2020

Pelosi, experts calls new CDC guidelines ‘scary and dangerous’; Pennsylvania governor calls for legal weed

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its COVID-19 testing guidelines and now says people without symptoms “do not necessarily need a test” – even if they’ve been exposed to COVID-19.

The move comes a week after the CDC updated travel guidelines that no longer mandate a 14-day quarantine for anyone who’s traveled outside of their state or the country. The revisions to CDC guidelines have been met with concern by medical experts, who caution that less testing may lead to more cases and hinder contact tracing efforts.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also condemned the revised CDC guidelines on testing, saying Wednesday it “reinforces the lack of attention and understanding that we have to have in order to crush this virus.”

Meanwhile, efforts to learn more about how the virus spreads remain unwavering. Researchers in Massachusetts are tracking the number of cases linked to “superspreader” events — such

Hotel

by
August 26, 2020

People find new ways to spend vacation money in today’s ‘homebody economy’

A pool in the backyard? A fresh coat of paint on the deck? For some people flush with funds from canceled vacations due to the coronavirus pandemic, that’s exactly the plan.

A new survey shows nearly one-third of homeowners are using money previously set aside for travel and spending it on home improvements — doing everything from small updates to large renovations.

What are people spending vacation money on?

Half of those homeowners said they’re putting the funds towards structural repairs, such as a basement renovation or a new roof, according to the survey of 1,878 people from Groundworks, a home services company. About 30% said they’re putting the money toward outdoor entertaining, such as a new dining set on the patio. And the rest said they’re spending the money on home additions, creating an at-home gym or even installing a new pool.

For Saleena Sidhu of New York City,

Vacation

by
August 26, 2020

These Mom and Baby Halloween Costume Ideas Are So Freaking Cute

From Cosmopolitan

Whether you have a newborn or a toddler, you and your kid can have the most adorable costume when you coordinate! And since babies don’t exactly get a say in their Halloween ensembles, this is maybe the only time you can dress ’em how you want to. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ (Just being honest.) There are so many dynamic duos and best friends to get inspiration from—Cookie Monster and Elmo! The Incredibles! Mario and Toad!—that coming up with a costume for this Halloween shouldn’t be too much of a challenge, but with a new baby or a kid running around, you might need a little extra help. That’s where we come in!

Here, 38 absolutely adorable mom and baby costume ideas you can (and should) throw together before the spookiest day of the year. And if you’re able to convince your other kids or your S.O. to

Adventure

by
August 26, 2020