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Chicagoans took to Twitter last night with dramatic photos after the city's iconic Sears Towererr, Willis Towerlost power. In these images, the skyscraper looms like Christian Bale's Batman over an unbothered city.

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But how can the power go out for just one tiny part of the city, and how is the Sears Tower powered in the first place?

Heavy rain gets into the ground and causes electric wiring to, well, go haywire. There are multiple reasons why that can happen. If there are even micro-small flaws in the insulation or connections within a system, water can and will short the system out.

Thats because as soon as conductive water touches the wire, the current is drawn in that direction. When theres more than one exposed spot, the water can form a circuita short circuit.

Over time, repeated exposure to flood waters can cause corrosion and other kinds of damage. And because of the danger to workers and others on the premises, utilities are carefully slow to turn power back on to affected buildings. If every flood represents a new wash of potential damage to the system, every switch-on after a flood involves a new and different amount of risk.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association recommends all flooded electrical equipment be at least spot checked. In an industry guide to assessing water damage, the organization explains:

This echoes similar water damage fears in everything from used cars (which you can try to sell following a flood, but good luck) to home interiors. And all of it is even worse when the flood is saltwater. Trying to safely and completely dry any of these things is really difficult and often leaves a stench, mold or mildew, corrosion, or some other demerit.

In this case, local news reports: The power was knocked out at Willis Tower early Monday morning after four feet of water flooded the building's electrical vault. Crews have been working to pump the water out of the building before ComEd can send a team inside to assess the damage.

As for why the Sears Tower is affected when buildings around it look fine, there are explanations for that, too. The building weighs 440 million pounds and rests all the way down on the Illinois bedrock, with enough steel to build 50,000 automobiles, and enough telephone wiring to wrap around the world 1.75 times, PBS explains.

And theres much more: Within the building, there are 25 miles of plumbing, 1500 miles of electric wiring, 80 miles of elevator cable, 796 restroom faucets, and more than 145,000 light fixtures, the official Skydeck website reports.

So a flood that affects the undergirdings of the Sears Tower could happen in any part of a huge area at the base of the building, and the massive amount of materials in the structure opens up a whole bunch of potential attack surface for rising waters. In this case, high rise buildings usually have dedicated transformer vaults, and trying to drain four feet of water out of an underground room is a Herculean task unto itself.

With different generations of neighboring buildings built over the nearly five decades since the Sears Tower opened, what affects one doesnt affect them all. A shorter building with a different electrical structure could just not be affected.

In 2018, the Willis group said the building was at 95 percent occupancy. Few of the buildings tenants would be considered essential businesses, but Willis has closed the building entirely until its fully assessed and checked out. The Chicago Fire Department and Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) have been on site through the night working to assess the situation, the website says.

Anyone whos tried to dry out a car or home interior has some idea of the task facing the firefighters and private workers trying to drain and dry this building. Besides sending in a flotilla of DampRid, battery-powered water pumps can pull out a lot and then industrial dehumidifiers can do the rest. After that, ComEd can think about turning the power back on.

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How Much Water Does It Take to Knock Out the Sears Tower? - Popular Mechanics

Flipping Out Grey Clock; Exacompta Desk Pad; Microsoft Surface Arc; TAG Heuer Connected; Samsung Galaxy Note10 + 5G; Tech21 Evo Type; HP Elite Dragonfly; Neubau Adam

Christopher Mitchell/WIRED

You've opened up a dialogue on colleagues leaving their Zoom feed on all day. You've circled back on the status of the contents of your desk drawer. The dining table just isn't conducive to long term impactful synergy. Time for some much needed disruption. These value-add tech tools and tchotchkes will close the loop on your at-home working journey.

Deeper thinkers might argue that the fragile nature and definitive movement of the minute hand represents the relentless march of time. Slash corporate despondency and banish such existential thoughts with this stylish retro clock neatly combining the elements of an analogue flip display with a digital font. Constructed from steel and PVC, and available in a host of combinations including copper and grey, gold with white, silver and black, it looks sensational from any angle.

Price: $100 | Cloudnola

Made in the centre of Paris in a workshop built by Gustave Eiffel, these writing pads have a rigid metal frames and space for 200 sheets of 21 x 13.5 cm perforated paper. Its a world away from endless post-it notes cluttering the desk and an altogether more executive approach to writing to-do lists you know that deep down youve no intention of actioning. For those who prefer the quaint human activity of handwriting to the plethora of note apps around.

Price: 15 | Amazon | Cult Pens

High-fashion frames with one eye on sustainability, Austria-based Neubau have developed a material called naturalPX thats made from 65 per cent organically sourced and renewable primary products, including castor oil. The result is a strong, light and surprisingly elastic frame in a range of on-trend finishes, such as this in caramel tortoise matte/gold. And apparently, theyre working on a 100 per cent renewable design to ditch the need for petrochemical polymers for good.

Price: TBC | Neubau | SmartBuyGlasses

Flip the screen on this lightweight laptop to use it as a tablet. Lighter than HP's previous EliteBooks, with a pleasing magnesium build, the Dragonfly is stuffed with ports and features. It supports active styluses, the 720p webcam has a hardware shutter for privacy and, alongside a Full HD screen and Intel Core U-series vPro processor, there's business-friendly customisation including a 4G LTE model (end of the garden hide-out?) and a 56Wh battery option that runs for 24 hours.

Price: 1,618 | HP | Ebuyer | Currys Business

This Bluetooth mouse flattens for the commute (if you're engaged in such an antiquated activity), and pops back up for desk use. It's slim, light and ergonomic plus the snap action gets addictive quickly. We're split on Microsoft's Surface series of tablets overall but the accessories? Top notch.

Price: 80 | Amazon | Currys | Argos

TAG Heuer has been building smartwatches since 2015, which means that the 2020 edition of the Connected benefits from three generations of refinement. Here, TAG keeps things simple, saying goodbye to the full modularity of its predecessors and adding useful new features such as a custom Sports app for golf, running, cycling and walking to the 45mm Wear OS watch. The chronograph design is available in stainless-steel or matte black titanium with watch faces to mimic models such as the Heuer 02's skeletonised dial.

Price: From 1,495 | TAG Heuer | Goldsmiths

Rather like the most exclusive of members clubs, the Evo Type Android phone case looks fairly average from the outside, but flip open the folio cover and the magic becomes obvious, revealing an instantly syncing NFC connected keyboard and kickstand, enabling you to type away on a full screen without the need for a bulky battery as the Tech21 app processes the capacitive keys every 40 milliseconds for an oddly natural typing experience.

Compatible with Samsung's Galaxy Note10+ and Note10+ 5G (1,099) phones - the superfast 5G upgrade to its supersized flagship - this is the Android-phone equivalent of Apple's iPad Smart Keyboard Folio.

Price: 56 | Tech21

An under-the-radar design classic, Verpans Reflect table steel table lamp 30cm tall in red or grey powder coated steel has been rescued from sketches found in Danish designer Verner Pantons archives. The simple, linear design consists of a sold steel rod that holds the lamps slanted, disc-shaped shade, which reflects the light beamed onto it softly, producing a diffused, relaxed effect.

Price: 450 | Verpan | The Conran Shop | Finnish Design Shop

It may not be especially innovative given the posture-aligning, wellness-giving options available, but if supreme comfort and a corner office impression is all you crave, this iconic 1960s design from Charles and Ray Eames is still unbeatable. Originally designed for the lobby of the Time & Life Building in New York, the base is chrome-plated die-cast aluminium, and the seat pads and arm rests are made from your choice of 22 plush leather finishes.

Price: From 6,090 | Vitra | Heals | The Conran Shop

Time to finally address that mysteriously sticky ctrl key with this unexpectedly useful office gadget that features a red microfiber pad at one end that will dispatch screen smudges and keyboard fingermarks with a simple swipe, and a small pop-out brush at the other that gets into crevices digging out the crumbs and debris accumulated over hundreds of working lunches.

Price: 10 | Amazon | OXO

This reboot of the original Dieter Rams-designed LE speakers from the 1980s now offers multi-room hi-res streaming performance and a combination of bespoke DSP (digital signal processing), balanced-mode radiators and low-profile aluminium woofers and customised passive bass radiators. There are three options, LE01, 02 and the smallest 03, all with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2, but the spindle metal frame makes the LE03 stand out from the pack.

Price: 329 | Braun | MoMA Design Store

Machined from aluminium and finished in a faux-carbon-fibre white sheen, Dell has upgraded their highest performing luxury laptop, with an almost bezel-free and brilliantly bright 16:10 ratio, 3,840 x 2,400 4K screen, with a 15 per cent bump in speed from the 2019 model. You get up to 19 hours of use while still making the most of Intels latest 10th-gen processors, topping out with the i7-1065G7, and a great range of memory, with 256 2TB onboard and a lightening fast 32GB of RAM. At 1.2kg its not feather weight, but at just 300mm wide and 20mm deep youll not begrudge carrying it around.

Price: From 1,399 | Amazon | Dell | John Lewis

Designed by Elisa Ossino for luxury Italian stone mason Salvatori, these pleasingly weighty 10cm2 bookends, shown here in classic white Bianco Carrara, but also available in dusky black Nero Marquinia marble, will give your desk a designer flourish without the need to go down the executive toy route.

Price: 280 | Salvatori

Ironically, wireless convenience still tends to rely quite heavily on wires, but Courant has managed to ditch the cables brilliantly, and avoid creating something that looks like a pop-up ad from Wish.com. With an 8,000mAh battery around two full phone charges this 10W-max Qi-compatible wireless charging mat is made from matte aluminium alloy with a beautifully textured Italian pebble grain leather cover. Most impressive is the fact that, thanks to that Qi compatibility, as well as giving up power wire-free, you can place it on any charging mat for a wireless top up.

Price: $150 | Courant

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Here's everything you need to work from home like a pro - Wired.co.uk

In Crittenden County, Arkansas many resident are still without power spending the day outside clearing debris.

CRITTENDEN COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark.

It'sanother hard blow on top of the already stressful pandemic.

All throughout the city of Earle, you'll see downed wires, poles, and trees as a result of Friday's storm It left many residents in shock.

It came like a domino effect.

"All I could say was thank you God. Thankyou, God. It was got that brought us through that, said Stephanie Warren, an Earle, Crittenden County resident.

Tree after tree fell on each other during Fridays storm.

One tree fell directly on Warrens home.

"We were just frantic. It wasreally indescribable. I really can't say how I felt at that moment, but it was something that shocked me, said Warren.

She and her family were trapped inside.

"My neighbor got the window up and he was able to get us out,"said Warren.

Meanwhile blocks away, winds struck hard on Earle Elementary School.

The Superintendent was there Saturday totake a lookat the damage.

"The roof was blownoff ofour annex, which is next to our new elementary school. A piece of that roof flew into our new building, punctured the roof and we sustained water damage. You can see daylight from the inside of the new building, said Tish Knowles, Earle School District Superintendent.

Thankfully, no one was in the building.

"Ohmy goodness. You know if it had been a normal school day with children at school without COVID-19, we would have had people at the end of the day, said Knowles.

As many are without power, debris and wires scattered throughout the streets, the unity in this community remains intact.

"I'm very thankful for the people in my community. Earle, we've always been that close net," said Warren.

"Many of our community members are affected by this, so as we do in our small communities across the delta, we pull together and we just do what we need to do to stick together. It's who we are. It's part of our culture. It's part of our community, said Knowles.

The Superintendent said crews will be out over the next couple days clearing debris and water from buildings.

Many residents are still withoutpower butare leaning on each other for support.

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Friday's severe thunderstorm left major damage in areas across the Mid-South. - WATN - Local 24

If you live close to a source of water, then you have probably had an encounter with beaversat some point. These large rodents are pure bliss to watch as they go about their busy day. So often is the satisfaction they bring to observers that we often forget what they really are pests. Beavers, although cute, are highly destructive and territorial. Once they set up shop in your property, getting them to leave becomes a problem. They will chew any material they can find to build their dams and homes.

Beavers are semi-aquatic animals. They build their houses on water but since theyre also mainly vegetarians, they need to return to land now and then to feed. They use the dams they build as a sort of bridge connecting their homes to their source of food. The process of feeding and building a fort causes the destruction of structures around them as they chew and cut down trees to build their dams. The destruction that they cause is unsightly and costly to repair. It is no wonderthatno one wants them on their property. Knowing howto get rid of beaversis how you can keep your home safe. Below are some things to do to make sure that beavers stay clear of your property.

Beaversfeed off of branches, twigs, and leaves. Although they live on the water, they need to travel to land to get their food. They use excess food to fortify their homes. They will chew on trees on your property as well as any vegetation they can find. Depriving them of food by blocking any means of getting it is one way to make sure they stay away from your property. Beavers rarely travel far in search of food. If its not around, they pack up and leave.

Each year, property owners spend so much on repairs from havoc wrecked by beavers. Much of the destruction caused is used to build dams. These dams are mainly composed of tree branches, twigs, rocks, or anything they can find. Depriving them access to these raw materials will make them pack up and leave. If you have trees and other vegetation around your property that can potentially serve as raw materials, then you can protect them by wrapping them in wire gauge. The beavers will not be able to break through the barriers causing them to abandon. If you are concerned about aesthetics, you can paint the trees instead. Your local store will have something vaguely similar to the tree color that can be used. The beavers will not be able to chew on the trees because the paint repels them.

Although repellents are not very effective, they can still be used to discourage beavers from chewing on vegetation. They have to be sprayed at intervals as the beavers will resume chewing at the vegetation once the odor stops. So far there are limited repellents available that are approved by the FDA, therefore, the scope is really narrowed.

Another way to keep beavers away from your property is to install a fence. Fences will ensure that they are trapped on the other side of your property. Fences can be made from galvanized wires. Ensure to check the fenceregularly for signs of damage and mend appropriately.

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How to keep Beavers away from your property - The Southern Maryland Chronicle

PITTSBURGH, May 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- "I'm an electrician and I wanted to create a faster and more reliable way to pull cables through conduits," said an inventor, from Bronx, N.Y., "so I invented the EZ CABLE SYSTEM."

InventHelp Logo (PRNewsfoto/InventHelp)

The invention provides an improved method of pulling wires in conduits. In doing so, it offers an alternative to traditional tools and methods. As a result, it saves time and effort and it increases convenience and efficiency. The invention features a compact size that is easy to use so it is ideal for electrical and wiring contractors. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.

The inventor described the invention design. "My design provides added convenience for electricians and others working with wires."

The original design was submitted to the Manhattan sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 18-MTN-2610, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inventhelp-inventor-develops-improved-way-to-pull-wires-in-conduits-mtn-2610-301055718.html

SOURCE InventHelp

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InventHelp Inventor Develops Improved Way to Pull Wires in Conduits (MTN-2610) - Yahoo Finance

Working at home, what was once a preference has now become a necessity for many due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Several professional offices and businesses have begun taking safety measures, one of which was social distancing and working from their homes. However, despite the lack of travelling and insufferable morning traffic, working from home is not for everyone. And with a multitude of distractions, it can be hard to stay creative. So here is a small guide on how you can keep yourself creative at home during these trying times.

By Marianna Piccolo, founder, MY PICK ONE

1.Switching up your location

Humans are creatures of habit. Every morning, you go to your office to proceed to work at your dedicated space. Your brain knows specific spaces are for creative work, therefore setting one up will allow you to focus better and get work done faster. Therefore, to help your brain focus, you should set up a dedicated space where you will work. This dedicated space will act as your office and should be the perfect balance between an isolated and public room. If you have rooms that are not in use, transform it into your new office space. Or if you have a house with different floors, you can commit an entire floor for office tasks if it helps stimulate your creativity.

2.Good lighting

When choosing the right place for your desk, it is always important to consider the lighting. Try to work in areas of your house that have ample lighting, whether it be artificial or natural. Light helps keep your body awake and makes you feel more active as you work. Of course, there is also a matter of personal preference. If you feel more comfortable working in less light, a backlit keyboard and lamp should be enough for your office setup.

3.Office specific furnishings

As appealing as it may seem to sit around different parts of your home working, this can greatly hinder your creativity. Hence, its best to work in a dedicated room or your own floor. Nonetheless, you need office-specific equipment to focus better on your work. A good office chair can do wonders for your back and can make it significantly easier for you to work from home. Moreover, with the help of a well-planned work table, you can work in a clutter-free and well-organised environment. And when looking to get a new worktable, opt for one with ample space to accompany a laptop or desktop along with a few other frequently used items. You should also look into an ergonomic standing desk if you are getting tired of sitting around as you work.

4.Prepare your table

Setting up your table goes much further than placing it in one of your rooms. You will also have to adjust and set up all sorts of wiring and connections. A major goal with your home-based setup is that you spend more time on your desk working than going about your house for items essential to your work. So make sure that wherever you place your desk, you get proper wifi signals. You can also set up a separate router nearby to ensure your connection is never interrupted.

5. Storage and shelving

It is also essential to have ample storage and shelving around your desk, according to your most common job tasks. The quarantine might not end for at least a month. Therefore, you should have just enough space for your files and other essential items.

6. Listen to your favourite music

Finally, keep your playlist ready for when you are working. The opinion around listening to music while working is very subjective; some people prefer listening to it, whereas others do not. However, it is very common for your house to get a little noisy when you are working, especially if you have children or live with roommates.

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Tips: How to stay creative while working from home - DESIGNME

A commercial drone fell from the sky after a flight across a railway line threw its internal compass into confusion.

The Aerialtronics Altura Zenith ATX8 craft crashed into bushes next to a railway line in October 2019, according to a recent Air Accidents Investigation Branch report.

The craft's operator started its flight from a road bridge over an electrified railway line. A subsequent investigation by the manufacturer discovered that the quadcopter's onboard magnetic compass reading "had varied through about 60 within a couple of seconds of takeoff". Its full flight lasted just 13 seconds.

Operators reported that when it reached a height of 16ft (5 metres), the drone "started to drift to the west" while still climbing. At about 30ft above ground level, it "suddenly accelerated to the west and began to lose altitude" before crashing out of sight.

Network Rail found the drone in trackside bushes, having been immediately alerted by the operators, who spotted that it came to rest away from the rails themselves.

After takeoff the drone's compass stabilised but the craft continued drifting to the west. The day after the crash, the operator went back and carried out an RF spectrum analysis of the takeoff site as well as using a handheld compass to check for magnetic interference. Deviations of up to 140 were immediately apparent "over localised regions of the bridge below which the railway track's overhead high-voltage wires were being ducted".

Overhead wires for trains carry AC current at 25kV. Current draw runs into the hundreds of amps when a train is passing by.

Ian Hudson of drone blog UAVhive told The Register: "A drone shouldn't crash from a compass error. Good software should detect a compass error and switch to manual."

More modern designs, said Hudson, incorporate multiple levels of redundancy in key sensors, hopefully to mitigate the effects of malfunctions. It is unclear whether three similar magnetometers would have been immune to the strong electromagnetic field generated by a passing train.

Hudson also pointed out that Aerialtronics boasts on its website that its Altura Zenith product line is "TV tested to guarantee operations [fraught] with electromagnetic interference" and joked: "Clearly not well enough!"

Electromagnetic interference has been blamed for a number of unforeseen problems in electronic devices over the years, including smart meters delivering fictional utility readings to home Wi-Fi interference thanks to unshielded mains wiring. It seems drones flying near power lines is something to add to that list.

Sponsored: How to simplify data protection on Amazon Web Services

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Railway cables overpowered errant drone's compass and flung it back to terra firma - The Register

Issued on: 23/05/2020 - 20:53

Berlin (AFP)

Bayern Munich cruised to victory once more as Borussia Dortmund kept within touching ahead of next week's top-two showdown but there were still plenty of unusual sights and sounds in the Bundesliga this weekend.

AFP Sport looks at some of the most notable moments from the second round of matches since football's restart in Germany:

Moment of reflection for victims

-- A minute's silence is being observed ahead of all games in Germany's top two tiers this week and next in memory of COVID-19 victims worldwide. Over 8,200 people have died from coronavirus-related causes in Germany, which has reported more than 175,000 cases. Players are also wearing black armbands in tribute. "The spread of the coronavirus has already taken many lives throughout the world. German professional football would like to express its condolences," German league chief executive Christian Seifert said this week.

Cut it out!

-- Borussia Moenchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer was pictured seated next to his partner, Alina, among the home fans as 13,000 cardboard cut-outs 'watched' the team in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen. An initiative launched by a Gladbach supporters' group has attracted plenty of interest, with fans jumping on the chance to have life-sized images of themselves in the stands. Thousands of people have taken up the offer, where they pay 19 euros to have their cut-out placed inside Borussia Park. Season ticket holders can even have their lookalike allocated to their regular spot. "It looks great, doesn't make any noise, but creates a certain atmosphere," said Gladbach defender Stefan Lainer. "It's definitely a great idea and I'm glad that so many took part."

Elbow room at the top

-- Bayern Munich maintained their four-point cushion at the top ahead of Tuesday's trip to second-placed Borussia Dortmund with a 5-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. With strict health protocols in place to limit contact between players to a minimum, the elbow-tap celebration was dusted off several times at the Allianz Arena as in-form Bayern recorded their 12th league win in 13 outings.

Protest banners out in force again

-- A number of dissenting banners criticising the league's resumption without fans were again visible across stadiums in Germany. Millions tuned in last weekend to watch some live football, but a significant portion remained unhappy at the idea of games going ahead without the noisy backdrop provided by German supporters. "Silent faces, cardboard reminders: Football without fans is nothing! For Borussia, against games behind closed doors!" read a series of banners at Gladbach's Borussia Park. Another in Paderborn, where the hosts drew 1-1 with Hoffenheim, said: "Basic law number one: the Bundesliga is above everything."

All ears for Dortmund coach

-- Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre said one of the rare benefits to playing behind closed was the ability to instruct his players with relative ease. "I think it's positive that the players can now hear me better in the stadium," said Favre, able to grab the attention of his players far more easily than usual. "Normally only my wide players can understand me." The absence of fans has negated home advantage since the league's return -- with just three wins in 15 matches through Saturday for the home side.

Rare Beckenbauer outing

-- German football great Franz Beckenbauer was in attendance for Bayern's behind-closed-doors game at home to Eintracht, after he was invited by chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as part of an eight-person delegation that included former club president Uli Hoeness. "I'm leaving my house for the first time in a long time," 74-year-old Beckenbauer told German daily Bild. Beckenbauer, whose health has deteriorated in recent years, had to wear a face mask and sit several seats away from others in the delegation. His trial on corruption charges linked to the 2006 World Cup ended without a verdict late last month.

2020 AFP

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Sights and sounds from the Bundesliga this weekend - RFI

Washington (AFP)

When his business was hit by a coronavirus lockdown, Josh Ellis saw a threat to his livelihood and a breach of the US Constitution. So he went on Facebook and called for protests.

The appeal "went viral instantly," said the 40-year-old, who set up a Facebook page called American Revolution 2.0 in early April.

The organization is now a driving force behind demonstrations against stay-at-home orders and compulsory closures of non-essential businesses -- and online planning is a central part of the campaign.

Ellis -- who is coordinating with various "reopen" groups, as well as militias and gun and religious rights advocates -- is in the middle of an issue dividing the United States: how can the economy reopen, and when can people return to work?

The debate reflects broader divisions in American politics that have only deepened this year, with the presidential election on the horizon.

The nation's coronavirus death toll is now approaching 100,000, but with more and more states loosening their restrictions in recent days, pressure appears to be paying off.

New demonstrations that Ellis said are set for Monday will be the result of online collaboration, as were dozens of protests on May 1 that were coordinated by American Revolution 2.0.

- 'Treason' -

"Facebook is handy but it's not, by far, our only means," the Illinois resident told AFP of his efforts, with Twitter, Telegram, and the American Revolution 2.0 website also playing a role.

Facebook groups advocating reopening, some of which have been shut down by the social network, have sprung up around the US.

While some consider protests -- which have involved armed demonstrators in states including Michigan -- as the way to pressure officials to change their stance, others have used Facebook to talk about a less confrontational exit from lockdown.

Ellis, though, is not changing course.

He wants restrictions lifted "immediately," telling of how roughly half his business -- home remodeling and working as a handyman -- was deemed non-essential.

He says his father-in-law's restaurant was "basically shut down," and his stepfather-in-law's work as a dentist stopped completely.

Ellis describes the measures as "extreme constitutional violations" that are tantamount to "treason."

He said he was recently given control of the My Militia website, which advertises itself as "An American Patriot Network" and is listed under "Our Friends and Affiliates" on American Revolution 2.0's site.

It's "kinda like the Google search of local militias," according to Ellis, who sees a role for them to play in ensuring the coronavirus restrictions end.

It "gives us more of the people who are going to show up and do something."

- Exchanging ideas -

Misinformation about the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease it causes has circulated widely on Facebook and spread in some "reopen" groups, adding to mistrust about a public health emergency that remains more virulent in the US than any other country.

The viral "Plandemic" video -- which features a discredited researcher and makes various false or misleading claims -- is one example. It has been shared in multiple "reopen" groups and extensively elsewhere on Facebook.

While other protest movements in the US and elsewhere have previously used the internet to organize, the fact that social distancing guidelines have been in place posed a specific challenge for social media sites.

"Events that defy (a) government's guidance on social distancing aren't allowed on Facebook," said a spokesman for the company, while Twitter said it is working to remove coronavirus-related content urging action that could cause harm.

Cory Hedgepeth, a founder of REOPEN AMERICA, a Facebook group with more than 30,000 members, is taking a distinctly different approach to Ellis.

"We wanted to give people, liberals and conservatives, suffering from job and/or financial loss a place to share their thoughts," the 44-year-old Pennsylvania resident, who works in copywriting and digital marketing, told AFP, noting that the group is not organizing protests.

While REOPEN AMERICA relies on Facebook to help "raise awareness for American worker hardships," Hedgepeth also lamented its "troubling" dominant position in social media.

"We serve as a platform that allows people to exchange ideas and concepts," Hedgepeth said, but "we support those who protest safely and with good intentions."

- Divisive debate -

The divisions over reopening remain sharp, including within the US government.

President Donald Trump has urged people to "LIBERATE" Michigan, Virginia and Minnesota, but his top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, has been more cautious, warning of an uncontrollable new outbreak if the reopening process happens too quickly.

This could lead to "suffering and death that could be avoided," and "could even set you back on the road to trying to get economic recovery," Fauci told US lawmakers this month.

For Darrell West, author of "Divided Politics, Divided Nation: Hyperconflict in the Trump Era," the reopening dispute reflects broader fissures.

"Our polarization has built up over several decades," he told AFP, arguing that the protests come from "a rather small group... unhappy with their loss of personal liberty."

"People see COVID through their own partisan lens," West said. "Since Trump attacks experts, it is hard for them to trust scientific expertise."

Ellis dismissed fears that reopening could lead to unnecessary deaths as essentially saying that "Americans are stupid and incapable" of safeguarding their own health.

"We have to adapt as an American society to the conditions," he said. "Shelter-in-place orders have actually just stunted that by months."

2020 AFP

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Debate over reopening US plays out online and in the streets - RFI

WHEN MARTIN FURLONG flew home from New York to officially open thenew state-of-the-art gym in Tullamore GAA club in February, he knew in his heart it was going to be the last time he saw his close friend and longtime team-mate Paddy Fenning.

Furlong and Fenning are the only two All-Ireland senior football medallists from Tullamore. Both were part of Offalys 1971 and 72 victories, while Furlong won his third medal in 1982.

On the night the gym was opened, Furlong was presented with a framed picture of himself and Fenning from the team photograph taken before the 1972 All-Ireland final replay.

Furlong kept a clean sheet between the posts that afternoon and Fenning scored a famous goal from 50 yards to help Offaly past Kerry in Croke Park.

Tullamore chairman Tom Martin also presented Furlong with a second copy of the framed picture and asked him to deliver it to Fenning at his home on the Clara Road before he returned Stateside.

The club invited Martin Furlong back for the gym opening, hes a football legend really, Tom Martin told The42.

Furlong had already been home earlier in the year to support the launch of Fennings fundraising drive to raise money formotor neurone research and local homeless charities.

He came at the last minute, which was brilliant, continued the club chairman. I just said the club had to give Martin Furlong something, and we didnt want to give him a lump of crystal or money or anything like that.

We gave a presentation of flowers to his wife Katie. I went into Joe OSullivan (local photographer) and he picked up the photographs of the 71/72 teams. And he put in the words Furlong and Fenning. It was just a memento.

I gave Martin Furlong it as a present on the night but I also had a second one.

Furlong was clearly moved by the request. He had visited Fenning earlier in the day and knew his friends condition was quickly deteriorating.

He was very emotional about it.

It was more appropriate for Martin to give it to him. I said, Would you mind going back out before you go back to New York on Wednesday and present him with the memento? I knew this man wasnt going to last long.

Furlong delivered the picture to his old friend before returning to his New York base.

Martin Furlong was so chuffed to take another copy of the frame and bring it out to him.

Paddy and Furlong were fierce great friends. And he (Furlong) was fierce emotional that night at the gym opening, he was really upset. Because he knew he was going downhill fast.

Martin Furlong and Paddy Fenning reunited for a special presentation.Source: Tullamore GAA

The 69-year-old was an immensely popular figure. His achievements in life extended far beyond the football field, where in addition to his two All-Irelands he won four Leinster titles, a Railway Cup with Leinster and a pair of Offaly SFC titles with Tullamore.

The real measure of the man was seen in his contribution to the community of Tullamore. He selflessly drove countless projects, helping raise money to build a swimming pool, an arts centre for the town which will open shortly and 200,000to provide a CAT scan in Tullamore hospital in the 1990s.

He was involved in many events for charitable causes over the years. He set-up a fundraiser for Clara man Michael Nestor who was disabled following a work accident in the 1990s, and a golf classic for former Offaly team-mate Mick Wright who successfully fought leukaemia in the 2000s after getting a special transplant in Spain.

His impact on the Tullamore club was significant too, where he served as underage coach and president.

He did an awful lot for the club, said Martin. He was involved as an underage player, as an adult player where we won championships in 73 and 77. He trained underage teams, he took the minors and U21s, and he fundraised to clear the debt on the development of OBrien Park.

He also organised many club reunions and annual holidays with his former Offaly team-mates.

Paddy was a mighty organiser for trips away, golf trips, nearly every trip we ever did Paddy organised it, says Sean Lowry, who was part of the 71/72 teams.

Martin adds, He organised the famous club trip to America in 1985 and fundraised for that. That was a big thing. They met Ted Kennedy and travelled to America with all the club members.

That was a huge thing. Theres a great photograph of them with Ted Kennedy in Washington.

The Offaly football team before the 1971 All-Ireland final.Source: Connolly Collection/SPORTSFILE

Even when he contracted motor neuron disease, which has no cure, Fenning put together a local group with the stated aim of raising150,000 to fund research and services for the illness, in addition to homeless causes in Offaly.

In the final week of his life he was heartened to hear that over 50,000 had already been raised for the cause. A walk planned for 7 June was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it will go ahead at a later date.

Last week, Fenning lost his battle with MND less than a year after his diagnosis.

In normal cirucumstances his funeral would have easily filled the local church, but social distancing measures meant only close family could attend.

The new reality brought about by Covid-19 means clubs and counties are forced to find new ways to pay their respects to fallen heroes.

When former Roscommon footballer Conor Connelly died in March, fans confined to their homes in his native county and adopted village of Ballycumber in Offaly displayed flags of primose and blue outside their houses to show their solidarity with his family.

Downs 1968 All-Ireland winner John Murphy was laid to rest yesterday. On the way to his grave, the funeral cortege poignantly stopped at Pairc Esler for a short tribute to his dedication to Newry Shamrocks and Down GAA.

Tullamore GAA made arrangements so former team-mates, clubmates and friends could pay their respects to Fenning. It was strictly a local affair due to the travel restrictions in place, but huge numbers turned out.

Two guards of honour took place on his final journey, one that walked either side of the hearse and a stationary guard of honour on both sides of the road that ran right through the town.

On one side of the funeral cortege were his team-mates from 1971/72 Offaly All-Ireland winning sides.

We had blazers that we got on our 25th anniversary (of the 71 victory), which is a good while ago now in 96, said Lowry. Paddy of course organised them so we all had the blazers. Its a funeral jacket no more than anything else.

On the other side were former colleagues and members of Tullamore GAA club who wore blue and white armbands.

Paddy Fenning on his final journey.Source: James Crombie/INPHO

The two Tullamore team captains from 73/77 led the moving guard of honour and the stationary guard of honour was the whole way up the town, explained Martin.

We organised contacting people in our club, we didnt want to let it out to the wider town because funerals are totally different now than before.

There was only 10 in the church, it was a family thing. We did a lovely blue and white flower arrangement from the club.

We walked to the cemetery and stopped at the gates, continued Martin, who was the same age as Fenning and knew him since they were young.

The people from the Arts Centre, who Paddy was involved with, and the people from the (MND) fundraiser he was doing, they all came out and did the same thing up High Street.

So there was a line the whole way up to the top of the town on both sides. They were all social distancing.

Then we did the static guard of honour from the church gates as far as the numbers would come up the town.

It was a strange experience for Lowry, who didnt get to catch up with any of his former team-mates or even enter the graveyard.

There were hundreds of people I didnt see because everyone was so far spaced out around the town that I didnt see them, he says. I just walked into my space and tried to keep away from everyone.

Then when it was over I just walked out and went home. I was at home before Paddy was in the graveyard. Which was very strange because you meet all these guys and youd go for a coffee or whatever.

You cant do that now its just strange times. Very, very strange times.

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You can donate to Paddy Fennings fundraiser in aid ofMND research and Offaly homeless causes here.

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'I was at home before Paddy was in the graveyard' paying respects to GAA heroes in era of Covid-19 - Brinkwire