Latest news with #Flags
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tell Us About The Most Cheapskate Thing You've Ever Witnessed
Everyone loves to save a buck now and then. But there are people who are SO stingy with money that sometimes their extreme behavior makes people say, "WOW." And I'm sure almost every single one of you has witnessed a moment like this — so we want to hear from you! Perhaps you had an uncle who, when he had dental problems like a cavity, preferred to chip out his own teeth with a screwdriver, just so he didn't have to pay a dentist to "do the same thing." Related: Just Buy Some Jellycats To Reveal Your Red And Green Flags Maybe you had a friend who invited you over for a dinner party and opted to dumpster dive for the food instead of just making something (even though they DEFINITELY had the financial means to NOT dumpster dive). Related: I'll Be Really Impressed If You Can Get 15/15 On This Really Hard World Capital Quiz Or, perhaps when you were growing up, your mom discovered that the power department charged a slightly lower rate for electricity after midnight. So, she opted to do things like vacuuming, laundry, and hedge trimming at, like, 2 a.m. — which kept you up all night! Now is your chance to tell us allllll about the MOST cheapskate moment you've ever witnessed! Tell us the story in the comments below or via the totally anonymous form below for a chance to be featured in a BuzzFeed Community post! Also in Community: If You Can Correctly Answer At Least 9 Questions On This Taylor Swift Trivia Quiz, You're The ULTIMATE Swiftie Also in Community: Wanna Know Which Disney Princess Is Your 100% Personality Twin? Just Eat A Bunch Of Desserts To Find Out Also in Community: Eat Onlyyyyyy Red Foods And I'll Guess Your Biggest Red Flag
BBC News
15-04-2025
- BBC News
York late-night taxi marshal scheme returns for spring
Taxi marshals have returned to York to ensure two city centre cab ranks are safe for people to use on Friday and Saturday scheme, operated by York Business Improvement District (BID), has operated from spring to December for the past eight years, with two marshals on patrol at each location from 23:00 to 03:00 its inception, it has helped to reduce noise complaints, street fights and public urination, according to the manager Carl Alsop said it ensured "local residents can sleep and local businesses aren't worried". "Ultimately, there might be a lot of drunk people there, but there also might be people who've just finished work of have gone to see a friend and just want to get home."The last thing they want is to be worried about a big group of people who've had a drink and might start something," he said. The scheme is funded by local businesses, residents and the licensing team at City of York Council, with the BID contributing "very little money", Mr Alsop contributes to the city's Purple Flag status, according to councillor Kate Ravilious, executive member for transport. The status, awarded by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM), is an internationally-recognised scheme similar to Blue Flag awards to coastal towns for high beach Flags are given in recognition of efforts made to create safe and thriving places for people visiting pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants at said the scheme had been "warmly received" by residents and businesses since it started in "supports the aim of reducing violence against women and girls" and "provides additional securities to the taxi trade", she said. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UT ends Flag courses requirements, including diversity; plans new model. Here's why.
The University of Texas will end its Flags program effective immediately, eliminating its graduation requirements for cultural diversity, global cultures, ethics, quantitative reasoning, independent inquiry and writing courses, the university announced Monday. Interim President Jim Davis and newly appointed Provost David Vanden Bout authorized retiring the program after reviewing the preliminary results of a Flags Review Committee, which drew from data and faculty, student and employer perspectives. It affirmed the value of the Flags program and its purpose but recommended reforming it to better align graduation requirements with program outcomes, regularly review skills for current career and world preparedness, implement an alternative administrative model, and better communicate the value of these skills. On its website, UT says its Flag program prepares students "to communicate effectively, engage in ethical decision-making and independent problem-solving, and understand the diverse, data-dense world." In an exclusive interview with the American-Statesman on Monday, Art Markman, senior vice provost for academic affairs, said UT will launch a new skills-based approach called a Comprehensive Learner Record project in fall 2026. It will take 36 skills from six categories, as determined by both academics and employers, and "infuse" them into its curriculum. Without the Flag requirements, students will have more agency over which skills to acquire, he said. More: Texas House bill proposes to ban DEI in required university curriculum UT's decision to eliminate its Flags program comes at a time when lawmakers are considering bills to bar diversity-related core requirements and are pressuring universities to comply with the "spirit" of Senate Bill 17, a 2023 state law that banned diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring, support offices and programs at all public universities and colleges. The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2024, explicitly exempted DEI in academic courses and research. Republican lawmakers who are pushing bills to end diversity requirements say their proposals will prevent "indoctrination" and better prepare students for the workforce. Opponents of the proposals, however, say they will invite government censorship into higher education and harm students. Markman said the Comprehensive Learner Record has been in the works for years, and the timing of its rollout as lawmakers are weighing curriculum bills was "unfortunate" but not related. "The Comprehensive Learner Record approach is the right way to ensure that our students are maximizing their value of a college education," Markman said. "Even if it leads to some perceptions that it's being done in a reactive way, what we're doing is actually very proactive and something that we think is going to be an enormous benefit to our students." More: What are 'flags' at UT, and why is the school reviewing them? Senior Vice Provost explains The state has its own core curriculum requirements, but Flags were created about 20 years ago to prepare all UT graduates with skills that are valuable for civic and professional life. Former UT President Jay Hartzell announced that the university initiated a review of its Flag program to lawmakers during an interim Senate Higher Education subcommittee hearing in November, saying UT would ensure the core requirements were timely and did not impede with graduation rates. At a UT Faculty Council meeting in March, some faculty members asked the Flags Review Committee's chair pointed questions about the need for an expedited review of the program and why the university was targeting skills and experience instead of pushing for producing knowledge. The Comprehensive Learner Record seeks to simplify curriculum and streamline paths to graduation by allowing students to consider what skills to learn that will directly affect their future careers without subjecting them to university requirements, administrators said. Markman said UT is piloting the new project now — by connecting skills that are already being taught to evidence that students are acquiring them — to better communicate the value of such education to the public and employers. "This is really something that we see as helping to transform a university education, and so we're very excited about this approach," he said. "At a time when we know that there is growing concern and sometimes even mistrust about the value of a college education, it's important for universities to step up and really demonstrate the critical value of a four-year college education." The university's decision to end the Flags program was announced Monday because it's the first day of fall course registration, Markman said. The six categories in the new program are communication; quantitative and empirical research; global awareness and social awareness; creativity and innovation; leadership, ethics and collaboration; and critical thinking and problem solving. The 36 skills derived from these categories that will be infused into the school's curriculum will change over time, however, to align with changing workforce needs, Markman said. More: Texas senators threaten no new university funding until schools fully comply with DEI ban He said the university values cultural diversity and global cultures and its relation to the workforce, but the shift will allow students to decide for themselves to take such courses. "The university continues to believe that an understanding of the world, an understanding of the global marketplace, and global society is crucial for the success of our students," Markman said. "We recognize that this is extremely important but really want to make sure that it is infused through the curriculum in a way where students are aware of the skills that they're developing and the value of those skills." At a Senate Finance Committee meeting Feb. 6, Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Republican from Conroe who chairs the Senate Education Committee, asked Hartzell, the school's former president who was UT's chief at the time, about the "likelihood" of university flags being eliminated. For "courses that have very few students applying and they don't have an equivalent value in the workforce, and is that what the University of Texas chooses to offer or should offer?" Creighton asked. At that hearing, Creighton touted decisions by the University of North Texas removing mentions of diversity from its curriculum and Texas A&M University eliminating its LGBTQ minor and 51 other minors and certificates for low enrollment as complying with the "spirit" of SB 17. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: University of Texas ends flag courses requirement, including diversity
USA Today
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
World's tallest roller coaster, Kingda Ka, is coming down at Six Flags Great Adventure
World's tallest roller coaster, Kingda Ka, is coming down at Six Flags Great Adventure Show Caption Hide Caption Experience Great Adventure's 'Kingda Ka' Take a ride on Six Flags Great Adventure's 'Kingda Ka' coaster along with Asbury Park Press features writers Alex Biese and Liz Dennerlein. Thomas P. Costello, Asbury Park Press JACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. – The world's tallest and second-fastest roller coaster, Kingda Ka, has reached its final days, as demolition crews prepare to implode the iconic ride that has towered over Six Flags Great Adventure for nearly 20 years. The eyes of the roller-coaster loving world are on the New Jersey theme park, which originally targeted mid-February for the implosion, according to a permit filed by the park. That has been pushed back for a variety of reasons including weather, but demolition is well underway. For days, gawkers have parked along Route 537 hoping to get a glimpse at the famous highlighter green, 456-foot looping arch of Kingda Ka as it comes down. They've left disappointed thus far – or, perhaps, momentarily relieved. A fan-favorite coaster Matt Kaiser, New Jersey regional representative for American Coaster Enthusiasts, wasn't surprised by the outpouring of onlookers for Kingda Ka's scheduled demise. Six Flags didn't announce that the ride was sunsetting until after the park had already closed for this past season. Before that, rumors had persisted for months among theme park news websites and roller coaster aficionado social media groups. While some die-hards may have traveled across the country to get one last ride in, countless more were left in the dark. Getting the chance to watch Kingda Ka come down is the closest thing they might get to closure. "A lot of people are still emotionally attached to Kingda Ka," Kaiser said. "It's a really big deal for it to come down. It's one of the first things you see when you drive in, before you even get to the park. It's just been so iconic." These twins have ridden 1,000+ coasters: They aren't slowing down A bumpy history Kingda Ka opened in 2005 to massive fanfare. Its 456-foot drop and top speed of 128 miles per hour immediately made it the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, according to Guinness World Records. Its speed record held until 2010. But Kinda Ka also faced its fair share of problems. It closed for months almost immediately after its opening due to needed repairs. Months-long closures became a regular occurrence, including a 2009 closure after it was struck by lightning. Most recently, the state ordered Kingda Ka shuttered in 2023 after its launch cable snapped. Riders visited Six Flags Great Adventure not knowing whether Kingda Ka would be open. And it wasn't uncommon for the ride to start the day off fully operational, only to be shut down after a guest waited two hours. What's next for Six Flags Great Adventure Along with Kingda Ka, The Twister and Parachutes have also closed to make way for a new signature launch coaster, which is expected to break multiple records when it opens in 2026. "This major investment is part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing the guest experience and offering the next generation of thrilling attractions," Six Flags Great Adventure spokesman Ryan Eldredge said in a statement. Details are expected later this summer. In the meantime, guests can look forward to the opening of the THE FLASH: Vertical Velocity, this spring. The park says it will be the first super boomerang coaster in North America, launching guests both forward and backward with speeds up to 59 mph. Kaiser said the park has a big hole to fill. Kingda Ka formed a formidable trio of top roller coasters — with Nitro and El Toro — that was hard to beat on the East Coast, if not the entire country. "It was one of the greatest combos of coasters at any park," Kaiser said. "It doesn't necessarily need to have the height or the speed, but they need something that can live up to Kingda Ka." What's the tallest, fastest coaster now? The world's fastest coaster, according to Guinness World Records, is Formula Rossa at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. It hits just over 149 mph. Cedar Point's Top Thrill 2 is next in line for world's tallest coaster, by Guinness' account, but it won't be for long. Falcons Flight is expected to become the tallest, fastest and longest coaster in the world when it opens "soon" at Six Flags Qiddiya City.
