UNITED UTAH PARTY STATEMENT ON TODAY’S SUPREME COURT DECISION
UUP opposes partisan gerrymandering; urges Utah State Legislators not to gut Prop 4 because of this decision
The United Utah Party has issued the following statement:
The U.S. Supreme Court made a bad decision today. They should have restricted partisan gerrymandering. Instead, they are opening the door for more of it, including by the Utah State Legislature.
The U.S. Supreme Court prevented a remedy to state legislators serving their own interests in drawing Congressional and legislative district lines by declaring that partisan gerrymandering was constitutional. We applaud the justices' desire to allow "political" questions generally to remain in the hands of elected officials. However, this is a problem that the U.S. Supreme Court could have helped remedy by providing assistance to those who are trying to end this practice.
We do not believe the framers of the Constitution intended for state legislators to do this, as the majority claims. The majority said the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution allows the Congress to regulate how states conduct Congressional elections. The problem is that members of Congress work with state legislators to preserve the best district lines for themselves. They have no intention of solving the problem. Nor does the clause affect what state legislators do with their own redistricting at the state level for incumbent and partisan advantage.
It would have been better had the Court set some broad guidelines that preserve the ability of voters to elect their representatives rather than allowing representatives to choose their voters, as they can do currently. Those guidelines would have disallowed the most extreme examples of gerrymandering, such as occurred in North Carolina and Maryland, and also exists in Utah.
For example, in North Carolina, even though Republicans and Democrats got an equal amount of the Congressional vote, Republicans won 9 seats and Democrats only 3. In Maryland, the Democrats drew lines that gave them 7 of 8 Congressional seats while winning only 65 percent of the vote.
Utah has had a similar result. While Democrats recently have won about 1/3 of the statewide vote, they hold only 15 percent of the seats in the state legislature. In each case, the majority party used its power to draw lines harming other parties and their voters. That is a constitutional violation because it robs voters of the value of their vote.
This only points out the need to preserve Prop. 4 that was passed last year by Utah voters. Our fear is that Utah state legislators will take this decision as carte blanche for what they wish to do with Prop. 4, including gut it. We urge Utah state legislators not to take this decision as open season on Prop. 4, but to respect the will of the voters.
For more information, visit unitedutah.org.
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I the Mighty
Release Live Acoustic Track
Currently On Tour with Anberlin
San Francisco, CA - June 27, 2019 - Alternative rock band I the Mighty are treating fans to another special acoustic release, this time for their hit song, "Chaos In Motion." Filmed at the YouTube Space in Los Angeles, CA, the video features an intimate full-band acoustic performance as well as a "Behind The Song" explanation from the band. Fans can watch it now here, or stream the track online here.
I the Mighty is currently touring North America in support of rock legends Anberlin, and will be performing at the Vans Warped Tour in Mountain View later this summer. For a full list of all remaining tour dates, please see below or visit: www.ithemighty.com.
Since the band's inception in 2008, I the Mighty have come to be recognized as one of the most progressive voices in alternative rock. Over the course of the past decade, the band has built a cult-like international following largely through their explosive live show - which has seen the band touring with such notable acts as Coheed & Cambria, Say Anything and Glassjaw, slots at England's Download Festival and Reading & Leeds festival, and a 2017 national headline run that culminated in back-to-back sold out shows in Los Angeles.
I the Mighty have released four full-lengths and an equal number of EPs to date. Their most recent effort was the critically-beloved
Where the Mind Wants to Go / Where You Let it Go full-length, which came out in October of 2017 on Equal Vision Records. Though the band has exhibited incredible growth with each release in the past, Where the Mind Wants to Go / Where You Let it Go represented a particularly bold step forward in the band's creative journey. Musically, the album is bolstered by the intricate layerings of guitar work from Walsh and Ian Pedigo, coupled with the fierce rhythms of Chris Hinkley on bass and Blake Dahlinger on drums. The diverse deliveries of vocals are further highlighted with exceptional framing of impressive multi-layered harmonies and dramatic yet balanced instrumentations.
The acclaimed album is a collection of eleven artistically mature, meticulously crafted rock anthems that sees Walsh, tackling the topics that have shaped his own personal growth since the release of their last album; both in terms of life experience and in regards to more abstract topics. The lead single, "Chaos In Motion," premiered world-wide on BBC1 Radio Rock and also featured the ultimate "unsatisfying" video that was picked up by Viral Thread where it amassed over a million plays in 24 hours. "Chaos In Motion" opened the band to a new demographic of fans that have eagerly sought out the rest of their catalog and seem to have joined the ranks of the band's already large and dedicated following.
"Cave In," I the Mighty's latest single, continues the band's standard of maintaining disarming honesty lyrically, coupled with expansive instrumentals that elevate the song from emotional to heartrending. It's a fluid movement from the sound of Where the Mind Wants to Go / Where You Let it Go that promises a future of even more growth and complexity from the band. For a group whose goal is to continuously evolve and leave their mark on the music scene by creating a sound and identity all their own, I the Mighty is unquestionably up to the task.
For More Information, please visit:
Website: www.ithemighty.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ithemighty
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ithemighty
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ithemighty
Upcoming Tour Dates w/Anberlin:
6/27 - Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
6/28 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
6/29-6/30 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
7/2 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew's Music Hall
7/3 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
7/6-7/7 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
7/9-7/10 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
7/12 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
7/13 - Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
7/14 - Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
7/20-7/21 - Mountain View, CA @ Vans Warped Tour 25 Years
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SELFISH THINGS
RELEASE NEW SINGLE "PRIDE"
STREAM VIDEO TODAY VIA KERRANG
Extending Tour with Set It Off
Tickets On Sale Now
June 27, 2019 - Toronto, ON - Selfish Things have dropped their brand new single "Pride" today. Premiering exclusively on Kerrang.com, the track showcases frontman Alex Biro's unique vocals and lyrical depth alongside the band's simple, yet effective guitar melodies and unique percussion lines. Fans can stream the single via Kerrang today at https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/the-new-selfish-things-video-is-lit-af/ ahead of it's release on all streaming platforms tomorrow.
"Pride came to fruition after one of the strangest nights of my life. I was surrounded by people at an incredibly bougie Hollywood afterparty who placed value in stature and clout instead of morality and kindness. The world is increasingly disconnected and I woke up the next morning feeling sick to my stomach and isolated. The song defines what it feels like to be the odd man out in a place you don't belong." says singer Alex Biro.
Today, the band has also announced they will be extending their current run with Set It Off on The Midnight World Tour Part 3: North America. They will be opening up the stacked lineup alongside Broadside and Emarosa throughout the Summer. For tickets and updates on upcoming tour dates, please visit: http://www.selfishthingsband.com/.
Upcoming Selfish Things Tour Dates:
June 28 - Hartford, CT - The Webster
June 29 - Richmond, VA - The Canal Club
July 2 - Pawtucket, RI - The Met
July 3 - Amityville, NY - Revolution Bar & Music Hall*
July 5 - Reverb - Reading, PA
July 6 - The Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD
July 7 - Amo's South End - Charlotte, NC
July 9 - The Kelsey Theater - Lake Park, FL
July 12 - Vinyl Music Hall - Pensacola, FL
July 13 - Empire Garage - Austin, TX
July 16 - 191 Toole - Tucson, AZ
July 18 - El Rey - Los Angeles, CA
July 19 - Strummers - Fresno, CA
* - Low Ticket Count
While taking their name from Jimmy Eat World's "23", with unmatched determination Selfish Things prove they are neither selfish nor self-serving. Having spent years cultivating and nurturing his raw, natural talent, dedication to musicianship and songwriting, Biro founded Selfish Things. All of this, in the hope of shedding light on one simple, yet oftentimes overlooked, concept - honesty.
With new music in the works and an exciting touring schedule ahead, 2019 is already promising to be a monumental year for Selfish Things. For more information, head to http://www.purenoise.net/.
Selfish Things is Alex Biro (Vocals/Guitar/Piano), Mike Ticar (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Cam Snooks (Rhythm Guitar) and Jordan Trask (drums).
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Follow Selfish Things:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/selfishthingsband/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/selfishthings
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selfishthings/
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We're highlighting foster youth on the grind, in our new series: "The Hustle."
Over the next few weeks, we will be publishing a series called “The Hustle,” which aims to show stories of current and former foster youth developing new skills, following their passions and finding success on the job. Up first is Dominique Ross: a young man on his way to become a professional photographer.
“My first time working with BET, I was backstage with celebrities and I was like, how am I back here? I’m a kid from South Central L.A., former foster youth — that doesn’t determine why you should be there, right, but just statistically …” he said, trailing off. “It’s in my own mind though. I know I’m supposed to be there. Everything I have, I deserve.”
Three months of stories from child welfare courts across America.
Back in March, we launched a series called, "Hearings," where our reporters and guest contributors provide an inside look at how child welfare courts function. Every week, it's given us a new perspective on what really goes on in the court room. We highlight stories through the eyes of:
- Former Foster Youth, Anonymous: "While I know judges oversee hundreds of thousands of cases during their tenure, it still strikes me that this person who had full authority over my life had no awareness that she decided my life..." Hearings: More Money for Legal Counsel Won’t Fix Broken Court Processes
- Lawyers, Vivkek Sankaran: "But the experience profoundly changed me. It awakened me to consider how parents experience the foster care system. While I had previously attended many court proceedings representing children, I remained largely blind to how their parents experienced the process." Hearings: The Day I Became a Family Defense Lawyer
- Judges, F. Scott Peasley: "I guess I’m a little concerned. I don’t know what resources we have. It’s always a challenge to find foster families." Hearings: A Rural Judge Talks About Small Town Child Welfare Courts
- And more.
Thank you for supporting and listening to these voices.
Employment opportunities to look out for this summer.
Florida: SailFuture
Live and work with 6 teenage boys and guide them through a strategic continuum of care that combines sailing, housing, therapy, and education.
Los Angeles: CreativeFutures
Join ten other fellows and get the tools, support and opportunity to break into the creative industries. 12 weeks of workshops taught by industry experts, and a 4-week paid "Futureship."
Don't miss these free expert webinars!
Interested, but can't make the live webinar time? Register anyway and we'll email you the replay link after the webinar airs.
NOTE: The start time listed for all webinars is Eastern Time (ET). Convert it to your time zone >
A Parent’s Guide to Mindfulness and Self-Regulation Strategies for Children with ADHD
Monday, July 8, 2019 at 12pm Eastern Time
with Varleisha D. Gibbs, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L
Have you ever tried to calm a child in the throes of an ADHD meltdown? In this webinar, learn why children with ADHD have trouble regulating their emotions, how to build and enhance self-regulation with ADHD meditation, plus mindfulness exercises designed to calm and center an unsettled child.
The sponsor of this webinar is...
Play Attention: Enhance brain health, performance, and mindfulness. Play Attention is the leading neurocognitive training program designed to strengthen Executive Function and Self-Regulation. The comprehensive Play Attention system includes NASA inspired technology, mindfulness training, cognitive training, behavior shaping, parent coaching, and much more. Call 800-788-6786 or click: playattention.com/index.php/professional-consultation to schedule a free professional consultation and ADHD assessment. | www.playattention.com
Worry Less: Managing Anxiety in Children and Adolescents with ADHD and Learning Differences
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at 1pm Eastern Time
with Eileen Costello, M.D., and Perri Klass, M.D.
Anxiety is common among school-aged children, and those with ADHD are at higher risk than their peers. Learn about ways that anxiety can precede and accompany these diagnoses, and how kids and families can develop strategies to accommodate a world not designed with them in mind.
The sponsor of this webinar is...
NEBA® Health offers the first FDA-cleared brainwave test to help clinicians determine if a child’s symptoms are due to ADHD or some other condition. NEBA is only available by prescription. It is a non-invasive test and only takes minutes. Find a NEBA provider in your area: nebahealth.com
MRK0150/2018.10.05
How to Optimize Stimulant Treatment for Children and Adults: Better Symptom Management Without Side Effects
Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at 1pm Eastern Time
with Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D.
Fine-tuning a stimulant medication to a person’s symptoms and body chemistry is always a team effort. Learn how to determine the "sweet spot" between too small and too large a dose, safely extend medication coverage from morning until evening, manage the "rebound effect," and more.
Build Life-Long Executive Function Skills in Your Child with ADHD
Tuesday, July 30, 2019 at 1pm Eastern Time
with Sharon Saline, Psy.D.
Summer is a perfect time to teach EF skills without the pressure of academic responsibilities and the burden of homework. Learn how to improve your child's working memory (no more nagging!), create simple, practical organizational systems, build self-control, and more.
Pills and Beyond: A Guide to the Formulations and Delivery Options of ADHD Medication
Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 1pm Eastern Time
with Laurie Dupar, PMHNP, RN, PCC
In the past, the treatment of ADHD was largely limited to short-acting pills. Thankfully, a more diverse range of ADHD treatment formulations and delivery systems is available today. But which one(s) may be right for you or a loved one? Learn more from a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
The Gift of Grit: Helping Children with ADHD Overcome Failure, Fear, and Disappointment
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at 1pm Eastern Time
with Brendan Mahan, M.Ed., MS
Children with ADHD may struggle and fail more often than their peers. As parents, we wonder how to talk about this part of ADHD. That’s where "The Wall of Awful" comes in. This tool helps us visualize and talk about the effect that repeated failure has on our kids and ourselves — and overcome the shame and anxiety that are often associated with ADHD.
The sponsor of this webinar is...
Play Attention: Enhance brain health and performance. Play Attention is the leading neurocognitive training program designed to strengthen Executive Function and Self-Regulation. The comprehensive Play Attention system includes NASA inspired technology, cognitive training, behavior shaping, parent coaching, and much more. Call 800-788-6786 or click: playattention.com/index.php/professional-consultation to schedule a free professional consultation and ADHD assessment. | www.playattention.com
Teaching Executive Functions to Children with ADHD: A Course for Teachers (and Parents)
Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 1pm Eastern Time
with Karen Huberty, M.Ed., and Maureen Bechard, M.S.
Most teachers and parents recognize weak executive functions (EF) when they see them: disorganized projects, incomplete homework, last-minute cramming for a big test, forgotten or delayed chores. But strategies for strengthening these EFs are less obvious. Learn how to teach these vital skills.
Reset Your Schedule for School: How to Create a Calmer, Happier, Easier Routine
Thursday, August 29, 2019 at 1pm Eastern Time
with Caroline Maguire, ACCG, PCC, M.Ed.
The transition from a less-structured summer back to the school groove is rarely smooth. In this practical webinar, learn why rough mornings are usually tied to executive function weaknesses, how to collaborate with your child on better routines, how to stay calm during the morning rush, and more.
The Best Kind of Discipline: How Behavioral Parent Training Can Transform Your Home Life
Thursday, September 5, 2019 at 1pm Eastern Time
with Carla Counts Allan, Ph.D.
You are at your wit’s end — exhausted by your child’s disruptive and wholly frustrating daily behaviors. Tried-and-true parenting advice doesn’t work — but this will. Learn the basics of behavioral parent training (BPT), and how to start a program.
Ransomware Can Put Healthcare Providers — And Patients — in Critical Condition
A healthcare organization can find itself in critical condition if attacked by ransomware — a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their files unless a ransom is paid.
Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigations Report discovered that ransomware accounts for 85 percent of all malware targeting the healthcare industry. Ransomware attacks have been numerous in hospitals and other health facilities recently, and the consequences can be dire for providers and patients, who are denied access to their files and cannot receive the care they need.
“Many healthcare offices are not prepared to combat cyber attacks,” says Alex Zlatin, CEO of Maxim Software Systems and author of Responsible Dental Ownership (alexzlatin.com). “It can be a life-or-death situation if they can’t access data. So, they are more likely to pay up.
“Healthcare organizations are prime targets because of all the patients’ personal information they have to offer cyber criminals. It’s imperative they get up to speed on how to prevent such a nightmare scenario and know how to deal with a ransomware attack quickly.”
Zlatin offers ways for healthcare organizations to prevent or reduce the risks of ransomware attacks, and how they should respond if infected:
If attacked by ransomware
To prevent attacks and mitigate risks
“Providers can’t just hope an attack doesn’t happen to them,” Zlatin says. “They must do everything they can to prevent it.”
About Alex Zlatin
Alex Zlatin, author of the book Responsible Dental Ownership (alexzlatin.com), had more than 10 years of management experience before he accepted the position of CEO of dental practice management company Maxim Software Systems. He earned his MBA at Edinburgh Business School and a B.Sc. in Technology Management at HIT in Israel.
