55 jili

55 jili A B.C. man has been awarded nearly $800,000 in damages as compensation for injuries he sustained from a defective bear banger, according to a recent court decision. Madam Justice Sandra Wilkinson’s ruling noted that the company that distributed the bear bangers knew as early as 2017 that the devices had a defect that caused “premature detonation,” resulting in as many as 20 injuries – including burns and, in one case, the loss of an eye. The plaintiff, Justin Muss, was working in a remote northern area as a gas and field operator in 2019 when he encountered a black bear that he tried to scare off by using the device – a Star Blazer bear banger, designed and distributed by Earth Management. “The plaintiff tried yelling and honking his truck’s horn to deter the bear but the bear continued to move closer. Based on his experience and training, the plaintiff recognized that the bear would not go away without further intervention and decided to use a bear banger to try and further deter the bear so he could grab his tools and clean up his task,” the decision says. “As soon as the plaintiff released the trigger, he heard a really loud bang and felt pain in his right side. He could not hear and everything looked blurry around him. He was confused and did not know what had happened,” it continues. The injuries A disoriented Muss noticed his hand was bleeding and bandaged it, before also realizing there was a piece of shrapnel lodged in his leg, prompting him to call a supervisor who would arrange transportation to hospital. The painful injuries to his hand and leg, which would leave permanent scars, healed within a month. Temporary blurriness in his vision also resolved in the short-term. But the court heard that some of the effects of the accident would be life-long. Muss experienced “instant hearing loss” when the defective bear banger went off as well as the immediate onset of tinnitus – a persistent buzzing or ringing – in his ears. Although his hearing improved in the six months after the accident, progress plateaued, and Muss was left with permanent hearing loss as well as long-term tinnitus. “The plaintiff experiences a constant low ringing in his ears that gets worse with any loud noise, prolonged exposure to noise or exhaustion. His injuries continue to cause him pain and discomfort, particularly if there are loud noises,” the decision says. “The plaintiff also suffers from diminished hearing capacity and increased sensitivity to environmental sounds. Any background noise will make it difficult for him to hear because he feels that he hears all of the noise at once. He often misses portions of conversations and struggles to speak on the phone.” The company’s negligence The court heard that Earth Management stopped importing and selling the Star Blazer bear bangers in 2017 because there were “too many incidents of people getting hurt.” The company’s president, Peter Mueller, told the court that he made a list of over 80 companies he “believed” bought the bear bangers and signed a letter to be sent to the company’s customers in 2018. “There is no record of who received the letter, if anyone,” the decision says. Muss purchased one of the defective bear bangers from a sporting goods store in 2019. The judge’s decision said there is no evidence that retailer was even informed about the defect by mail, email, or telephone. The steps taken to try to prevent future sale of defective bear bangers were described by the court as “an entirely deficient recall” of an unsafe product the company knew posed a serious safety risk. “Earth Management’s negligence led to the plaintiff’s purchase of a defective bear banger years after Earth Management was aware of the defect. This failure to warn caused the plaintiff’s injuries,” the decision said. “Earth Management is liable to the plaintiff because but for the negligence of Earth Management in failing to adequately recall the defective product, the accident would not have happened.” Damages awarded Muss was awarded a total of $795,176.86 in damages, $622,000 of which were for his loss of future earning capacity. The judge warded $95,000 in non-pecuniary damages, meant to compensate Muss for his pain, suffering and the ongoing impact of his injuries.= “I find that the plaintiff’s life has been significantly negatively altered by the daily pain he experiences as a result of his hearing problems. Every facet of his life has been affected,” Wilkinson wrote. “At this time, it is unlikely that the plaintiff’s pain will improve or that his life will return to how it was before the accident.” The court also awarded $10,000 punitive damages, meant to sanction the company for its failure to warn customers about the defective product.

After the College Football Playoff field was decided on Sunday, Penn State head coach James Franklin offered a suggestion to make things more equal across different conferences. "Everyone should be playing the same number of conference games," Franklin said, per StateCollege.com's Seth Engle . Franklin's Nittany Lions were named the No. 6 seed in the first 12-team CFP bracket on Sunday. Penn State's only losses came to Ohio State and Oregon, which it fell to in the Big Ten Championship Saturday. This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app , homepage and social feeds—including Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok .For many, this is a time of year that involves thinking about presents to exchange for holidays, host gifts for parties and end-of-year festivities at work. Whether you're tightening your budget or don't plan to give gifts at all, here are some ideas for how to cope: Dreamstime Paying for presents Stick to a budget. If you're planning to make gifts or goodies, that's OK, too. "Whatever the gift is, it should fit with your ability level, what you're capable of giving and comfortable giving," said Lizzie Post, co-president of the Emily Post Institute and great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, who authored "Etiquette" in 1922. Post makes homemade candy as gifts. She has a more affluent friend who once gave her pricey snow boots for Christmas, which Post treasured. "Her generosity was so at the heart of the gift, and she knows that my heart is at the center of my homemade gifts," she said. People are also reading... 1 in 4 people say they’ll go into debt for the holidays. Is social media to blame? Make a list, check it twice Be sensitive to traditions that your family has set or that you have set for yourself. "Is this someone expecting a gift because you've always exchanged gifts?" said Maralee McKee, the founder of the Etiquette School of America in Orlando, Fla. "If you want to change any of those gift-exchanging traditions, you need to let them know as soon as possible." Know that just because you give doesn't mean that person will reciprocate. Others might be on a tight budget or from a different faith where gift-giving this time of year isn't the norm. "It's worth recognizing that if you get something for someone," Post said, "they are not obligated to get something for you in return." As families expand and evolve, they frequently limit purchases. "Lots of families celebrating at home do a gift exchange where they give to one person rather than everybody," Post said. But if you have a visitor — for example, your brother's new girlfriend who will be with you for a Christmas morning gift exchange — then make sure you have a little something wrapped up for that person as well, McKee said. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack 2024 holiday mailing tips: Deadlines, packaging advice and more things to know Office offerings First things first, consult Human Resources. The company might have a policy regarding gifts. If you're the boss and choose to give, be equal and give the same gift across the staff. Alternatively, offer a shared event depending on the size of the group. The big exception is if you have an executive admin or personal assistant who keeps you organized. That role deserves a larger thank you, but you may want to give the gift privately. The standard advice is not to give a gift to a higher-up, though a staff might decide on a group present like a gift card and ask for only voluntary contributions. "We used to say, 'You never gift up the ladder because it can look like you're trying to gain favor,'" Post said. Some want to give presents to specific friends at work but not to everyone at the office. In that case, do the gift exchange outside the office, Post said. Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday season Regifting: naughty or nice? Regifting has its place in the world but not if you thoughtlessly leave the original birthday wrapping on what's intended as a Christmas gift, Post said. "There are definitely times when regifting is you just getting rid of junk," she said. Post's four rules of regifting: The present should be in original packaging with all components; it shouldn't be something personalized to you; you should be 99% sure recipients wouldn't mind that it was a regift if they were to find out; and the item should be pleasing. Post recalls a friend who received an octopus-shaped ceramic planter. "There was no way she could regift that," Post said. The right book can inspire the young readers in your life, from picture books to YA novels 9 holiday gifts to hit the right note for music lovers Small, luxury foods are great as stocking stuffers or other gifts. Ideas for under $50 Game-changing holiday gifts for building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more Stay up-to-date on what's happening

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Drivers and airline passengers without reindeer and sleighs better make a dash for it: it's beginning to look like another record for holiday travel in the U.S. The auto club AAA predicts that more than 119 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday and New Year’s Day, which would top the previous holiday-season high set in 2019. The two weekends on either side of Christmas look to be some of the most crowded times on the road and at airports. Trade group Airlines for America also foresees record travel, saying it expected U.S. airlines to carry 54 million passengers during a 19-day period that started Thursday and ends Monday, Jan. 6. The number would represent a 6% increase over last year. A government shutdown that could start as soon as Saturday would likely be too close to the holidays to immediately affect flights and airport operations, but that might change if a shutdown dragged on. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Friday and Sunday, and on Dec. 26, Dec. 27 and Dec. 29. Flight traffic is expected to be light on both Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The slowest U.S. air-travel day this year — by a wide margin — was Thanksgiving Day. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers over the holidays and through January 2. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. “Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday,” AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.05 a gallon, down from $3.08 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation’s highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. Boston, New York City, Seattle and Washington, D.C., are the metropolitan areas primed for the greatest delays, according to the company. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. And any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have “interline agreements” that let them put stranded customers on another carrier's flights. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Story continues below video Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. That's because finding a last-minute flight on another airline yourself tends to be very expensive. “When they rebook you, they will pay for the fare difference. If my flight to visit grandma that I booked six months ago for $200 gets canceled, and I turn around and book a flight four hours from now for $400, I have to pay that difference,” said Sally French, a travel expert at consumer-affairs company Nerdwallet. People traveling on budget airlines with fewer flights and no partnerships with other carriers may face a difficult choice in the event of a canceled flight . “They will put you on the next outgoing Spirit or Frontier flight, but that could be a while from now. Sometimes waiting three days for that next flight is not going to work for you," and paying more to rebook on a big airline might be worthwhile, French said. Some airlines are taking advantage of a provision in the new Transportation Department rule that defined a significant delay as three hours for a domestic flight and six hours for an international flight. According to Brett Snyder, who runs the Cranky Flyer website, airlines that previously issued refunds for shorter delays — Delta, United and JetBlue, for example — are now using the government standard. Delayed flights increase the risk that bags will get lost. Passengers who get separated from their bags should report it to the airline and ask what the airline will cover. Links to the customer-service plans of major U.S. airlines are at the bottom of this page . A government shutdown could occur if Congress doesn’t pass a funding bill with a midnight Friday deadline . Most TSA workers at airports, air traffic controllers and customs agents are considered essential and would be required to work without pay in the event of a shutdown. More uncompensated workers might call out sick the longer a shutdown lasts, which could lead to longer security lines and other delays. That appeared to be the case several weeks into a government shutdown that started in December 2019. "While our personnel have prepared to handle high volumes of travelers and ensure safe travel, an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports,” TSA spokesman Carter Langston said in a statement. AAA advises travelers to “continue with their holiday plans, even if the shutdown materializes,” spokesperson Diaz said. “Airport operations will continue as normal, but perhaps run a bit slower than usual, so travelers should be aware of that.” Airline fares were up 4.7% in November, compared with a year earlier, according to U.S. government figures. But early 2025 is a good time to start planning next year's trips, including for spring breaks and summer vacations. “Because travel is so popular, you're not going to find anything that feels very rock-bottom, but January and February are great times to plan for March, April and May,” Laura Motta, an editor at travel-guide publisher Lonely Planet, said. “If you want to go to Paris in the spring, you need to be thinking about that in January." AP Reporters Mae Anderson in Nashville, Tennessee, and Mike Pesoli in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.MundusImages/E+ via Getty Images Introduction Got some spare cash? According to current trends, plenty of people may soon answer this question with a very convincing “YES!” According to a recent report from Cerulli Associates, no less than $124 trillion will be Test Drive iREIT© on Alpha For FREE (for 2 Weeks) Join iREIT on Alpha today to get the most in-depth research that includes REITs, mREITs, Preferreds, BDCs, MLPs, ETFs, and other income alternatives. 438 testimonials and most are 5 stars. Nothing to lose with our FREE 2-week trial . And this offer includes a 2-Week FREE TRIAL plus Brad Thomas' FREE book . Leo Nelissen is an analyst focusing on major economic developments related to supply chains, infrastructure, and commodities. He is a contributing author for iREIT®+HOYA Capital . As a member of the iREIT®+HOYA Capital team, Leo aims to provide insightful analysis and actionable investment ideas, with a particular emphasis on dividend growth opportunities. Learn More . 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Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.College football's conference shakeup left concerns about two super conferences dominating the playoff field . They weren't totally unfounded or 100% borne out, either. The Big Ten, not the Southeastern Conference , was the biggest winner on Sunday. The ACC scored, too. The Big Ten led the initial 12-team playoff field with four programs making the cut, led by a No. 1 Oregon (13-0) team that was part of the Pac-12 exodus. Then came the SEC — and one notable omission. ACC runner-up SMU got the nod over college football blue-blood Alabama, another blemish in Kalen DeBoer's first season as Nick Saban's championship-or-bust successor. Another ego blow: The Mustangs are led by Rhett Lashlee, a former offensive coordinator at rival Auburn. The Big Ten also got in No. 6 seed Penn State (11-2), No. 8 seed Ohio State (10-2) and No. 10 seed Indiana (11-1). The SEC represented well too: No. 2 seed Georgia (11-2), No. 5 seed Texas (11-2) and No. 9 seed Tennessee (10-2). But the ACC proved it wasn't a one-bid league. Clemson (10-3) — the final No. 12 seed with an overall No. 16 CFP ranking — earned the ACC's automatic bid with a 34-31 win in the title game over No. 11 seed SMU (11-2), which was close enough to impress the playoff committee and help the Mustangs edge out the Crimson Tide. The odd man out among Power Four leagues: The Big 12, which unsurprisingly only advanced its champion, Arizona State (11-2) — ranked No. 12 overall by the CFP but awarded the No. 4 seed as the league title winner. The SEC was left with Alabama, South Carolina and Mississippi on the wrong side of the bubble. Mountain West Conference champion Boise State (12-1) got a No. 3 seed and first-round bye. No. 7 seed Notre Dame (11-1), an independent, had no chance to grab a bye despite a No. 5 final CFP ranking. The Fighting Irish at least get to host a first-round game against the in-state Hoosiers. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football