Supreme Court Rules DOMA Unconstitutional
Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York In a huge victory for gay rights, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that The Defense of Marriage Act, which bans the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage, is unconstitutional.“By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute is in violation of the Fifth Amendment,” Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, delivering the court’s decision in a 5-4 majority vote.Although same-sex marriage is recognized by several states, under DOMA, those couples have not been allowed the same benefits granted to straight couples in the United States, like Social Security, pensions and joint tax returns. President Bill Clinton signed DOMA in 1996.President Barack Obama called the ruling “a historic step forward” on Twitter with the hash tags #MarriageEquality and #LoveIsLove.The majority ruling was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy. Dissents were written by Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Samuel Alito.Justice Kennedy delivered the court’s opinion alongside Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.Dissenting opinions were filed by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito.In United States v. Windsor, the court ruled in favor of 84-year-old plaintiff Edie Windsor, who sued the federal government for a $363,000 estate tax return denied to her by the IRS after her spouse died in 2009.“DOMA violates basic due process and equal protection principles applicable to the federal government,” the court’s decision continues. “Under DOMA same-sex married couples have their lives burdened, by reason of government decree, in visible and public ways.”The court also sent the Proposition 8 case back to a lower court, which strikes down the same-sex marriage ban in California.
Yesterday, Apple hosted their annual Worldwide Developer’s Conference Keynote. Of their big public events, this is my favorite, as it discusses the technologies they’re pursuing, rather than simply the newest iPhone. And are they pursuing.There are great sites to read up on the highlights (ArsTechnica is my favorite). From iOS 11 to macOS High Sierra (yes, they actually called it that) to innovations with augmented and virtual reality platforms, they’ve showed their hand for the next year.But there was something else featured which should concern you more than their upcoming in-home speaker: Payments. After years of requests, Apple has added peer-to-peer payments to ApplePay. Specially, within Messages. Come the release of iOS 11 in the fall, you’ll be able to send or receive money while in a message conversation with anyone. It will use your credit and debit cards linked to your ApplePay account. Of course, these are yours, right? Remember how important it is to get your cards top of wallet, both in the back pocket and digitally! continue reading » 1SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr
ShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr This is placeholder text continue reading » This has been an atypical year filled with unprecedented changes. A global pandemic, country-wide lockdown, economic downturn, and an uncertain future outlook have combined to create unique challenges for business owners. If we’ve learned anything over the last several months, it’s that tenacity and flexibility are critical when navigating what we’ve come to know as “the new normal.”In this blog post, we’ll discuss strategies for successfully adjusting to major operational transitions, including transitioning to a remote workforce (and back); piloting a merger, acquisition, or corporate restructuring; and pivoting daily business operations in response to changing market conditions.Navigating the Transition to a Remote Workforce—And Back!In the wake of social distancing measures implemented due to the coronavirus, many companies have shifted their workforce to working remotely. In fact, Forbes reports that almost half of all American companies have asked their employees to work from home since the pandemic began. For many business leaders, this has resulted in major changes to daily operations. Here are some helpful resources to help you navigate this transition:
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Two offshore workers have been injured in a fire on the Shell-operated oil platform in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The platform has been shut in. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) responded to a report of an oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a report at 1:20 a.m. that Shell’s Enchilada fixed-leg platform, located at Garden Banks Block 128, was on fire approximately 112 nautical miles south of Vermilion Bay, Louisiana.The BSEE said that there were 46 crew members reported aboard the platform that evacuated to a lifeboat and were transferred to a nearby platform, Salsa, by the offshore supply vessel C-Liberty.The safety bureau said that there were two people reported to have injuries. Namely, a 54-year-old male suffered from flash burns and a concussion, and a 29-year-old male suffered from a sprained wrist and a concussion. Shell launched an emergency helicopter and medevaced both people and transferred them to the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.The platform and all associated production have been shut in and the fire has been reduced to a small flame coming out of a pipe on the platform. There was report of a light sheen north of the Shell platform Enchilada, the BSEE said.Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile launched a HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew to conduct an overflight. The aircrew reported the fire had mostly dissipated. A Coast Guard Cutter Skipjack boat crew was also diverted to the scene.The BSEE and Coast Guard are jointly investigating the cause of the incident.According to Shell’s statement on Wednesday, the fire was associated with a 30-inch gas export pipeline. Production at the Auger and Salsa platforms and nearby fields have also been shut in.Shell also said that there was no visual evidence of oil on the water near the incident site. For safety reasons, Shell has chosen to allow the gas discharge (3-6 foot flame) to burn while the pipeline is being safely depressurized.Shell personnel performed a visual assessment of the Enchilada platform and based on those observations, the asset appears to be structurally sound. A more detailed analysis of the platform will be conducted, Shell concluded.Offshore Energy Today Staff
C-Innovation, an affiliate of Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) and its family of companies, has secured a three-year contract with BP.The contract encompasses subsea construction, inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) and logistics services in the Gulf of Mexico.With Port Fourchon, Louisiana serving as the home port, the new contract will bring together ECO’s fleet of multipurpose platform supply and well intervention vessels with C-Innovation’s ROV, tooling, project management and engineering services.The scope of work includes jumper installations; subsea tree installations; facility underwater inspections in lieu of dry-docking; commissioning of new assets; and general field support.David Sheetz, manager of C-Innovation’s subsea division, said: “This is a very large and significant contract for C-I and it helps solidify our reputation as a true, single source for subsea solutions with the backing and support of the diverse family of companies within the ECO group. C-I’s ability to offer a complete suite of services allows clients to have a single point of contact for all projects, which makes budgeting easier, saving time as well as money.”
Global Wind Service (GWS) has secured a contract to support MHI Vestas on the Northwester 2 offshore wind project by providing technicians for the installation of turbines.The deal includes GWS offshore installation technicians supporting the installation of 23 MHI Vestas 164-9.5MW turbines at the site offshore Belgium from November.Besides providing staff for the installation phase, GWS is also supporting MHI Vestas with pre-assembly activities through its setup in Vlissingen, the Netherlands.“We are grateful to MHI Vestas Offshore for the opportunity to support the first offshore installation of their V164 9.5MW WTGs and we very much look forward to mobilizing our experienced personnel for this important project,” said Lars Petersen, CCO at GWS.“We have a close and strong partnership with MHI Vestas Offshore Wind and are very pleased to continue our journey – this time installing their 23 turbines at Northwester 2 Offshore Wind Farm.”Located some 50km north-west of Oostende, the 219MW Northwester 2 offshore wind farm is expected to be commissioned in 2020.The project’s MHI Vestas 164-9.5MW turbines will be placed on top of monopile foundations delivered by Bladt Industries, the first of which was installed at the site on 30 July.
Greensburg, In. — The 2018 General Assembly officially begins on January 3, 2018. Some of the high-profile issues for debate are expected to be the opioid crisis, education, Sunday alcohol sales and handgun licensing.Greensburg Republican state representative Randy Frye wants lawmakers to fund a study to find ways to reduce cancer among first responders. Frye says,”We need to find out what the cause is and how those numbers can be lowered.” Frye is a retired firefighter himself.A study completed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in 2016 concluded first responders, especially firefighters suffer increased cancer rates.For the first time ever a study determined the risk of mesothelioma among firefighters is double that of the general population. Firefighters are also at a higher risk for all other types of cancer.The study targeted 30,000 firefighters from San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia who worked at least one day between 1950 and 2009.A link to contact information for state representative Frye is here.
Florida breaks the state record for most new cases with 10,109, breaking the previous record of 9,585 in one day (Saturday.) The deaths also climbed up by 67 in one day, according to the Florida Department of Health announced Thursday.The total number of cases in the state is 169, 106. In one week, Florida’s cases have risen by 57,382 for an increase of 51.4 percent.South Florida is a hotspot for coronavirus cases.In Palm Beach County, new cases were 423 compared with 297 Wednesday and the record 658 Friday for a total of 14,859, including residents and nonresidents. Miami-Dade’s cases increased 2,304 and Broward 579. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise was 64 in St. Lucie, 38 in Martin, 33 in Indian River and 7 in Okeechobee.Florida’s cases reported Wednesday were third in the nation behind California with 9,740 and Texas with 8,076.VP Mike Pence and Gov. Ron DeSantis are scheduled to discuss coronavirus in Florida Thursday at 3 PM.
Share Stating its intent on becoming the lead OTT (Over-the-Top) platform for the Spanish sports broadcasting market, the leadership of DAZN is reported to be seeking a content collaboration with telecoms giant Telefonica. Well backed DAZN, an enterprise seeking to establish itself globally as the ‘Netflix of sports’, is set to launch its Spanish OTT proposition next month, with Spain becoming the eighth DAZN streaming territory (Canada, US, Japan, Euro DACH and Italy).Confirming its planned entry into the Spanish sports market last November, DAZN governance revealed that it had secured the exclusive live media rights to broadcast English Premier League, MotoGP and EuroBasket content for Spanish audiences.On Monday, Spanish news source El Pais reported that DAZN leadership had held discussions with Telefonica seeking to co-broadcast its Movistar ‘La Liga Partidazo’ and Champions League match content for the remainder of the 2019/2020 European football season.As the nation’s leading mobile and telecoms carrier (+78% of market share), Telefonica is obliged by CNMC Espana competition watchdog to review any offer put forward by DAZN as the market’s new incumbent, seeking to deliver a new technology vertical to Spanish consumers.Telefonica has yet to confirm whether DAZN leadership followed through with an OTT offer, however, El Pais details that bid values will be disclosed by CNMC to ensure market clarity.Further to its news report, El Pais details that the Spanish sports broadcasting market may prove to be DAZN’s hardest European proposition to date.Dealing with a unique sports audience, the Spanish newspaper points to competitor BEIN sports market struggles in establishing its dedicated Champions League channel which was launched in 2016.Furthermore, in 2018 Spanish OTT audiences were left burnt by new platform OpenSport, which could not fulfil payment of its football contract with Telefonica for Champions League and La Liga content, forcing the telecoms firm to cancel its contract. Submit StumbleUpon Related Articles Andrea Vota – Jdigital’s challenge of Spanish restrictions is led by logic and rationale August 13, 2020 Winamax maintains Granada CF sponsorship despite bleak Spanish outlook August 19, 2020 Share Martin Lycka – Regulatory high temperatures cancel industry’s ‘silly season’ August 11, 2020