Daily Archives: February 21, 2012

Cliff still loving the rodeo life

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Cliff still loving the rodeo life – Local News – News – General – North West Star.

HEART FOR RODEO: Cloncurry cowboy and saddle maker Cliff McIntyre has a heart for seeing kids involved in rodeo. - Picture: LIZ MACINTYRE/2527

HEART FOR RODEO: Cloncurry cowboy and saddle maker Cliff McIntyre has a heart for seeing kids involved in rodeo. - Picture: LIZ MACINTYRE/2527

HUGHENDEN – born Cliff McIntyre rolled into Cloncurry in 1967 as a rodeo cowboy, married Bonnie Jenkins, and he’s stayed there ever since (more or less).

He has seen his children successfully competing in rodeos all around Australia and in the US and still has a passion for getting kids involved in this tough sport.

In fact, 38 years ago he established the Cloncurry Western Club and is still involved.

He’d been riding with rodeos since he was 15 years old and he still competes in rope events such as calf roping and team roping.

Cliff went professional from the late 60s to early 70s and travelled around with his truck and horses from rodeo to rodeo until family commitments tied him down a bit.

“We travelled all around Australia and did a bit of a stint in the States; it was possible to support yourself as a professional in those days,” he says.

The McIntyres’ three children, Kylee, Dean and Carina became keen rodeo riders.

“When Kylee was aged 13 to 16, in the early 80s, we took the kids with us on the road and travelled all around the country, chasing titles for Kylee,” Cliff says.

She won the Australian Junior Barrel-racing championship four times, the Australian Junior All Round championship three times and was the youngest ever to compete at the National Finals in 1983 at the age of 13.

Kylee was crowned Miss Rodeo Australia in 1993.

Now Kylee Ferguson, she owns the travel agency in Cloncurry and she and husband Colin run the Rodeo Saddle Shop.

Cliff’s son, Dean McIntyre, 34, has lived in the USA for 17 years.

He went to the USA 17 years ago as a teenager, and his parents put him through two years of college at North West College, Powell, Wyoming.

“The first year he was there he made the college rodeo team, and won the right to compete in the steer wrestling.

“He won the All Round cowboy at the Cody Night Rodeos,” the proud father says.

Now based in Arizona, Dean has his own business, McIntyres’ Barns and Fencing.

He is a steer racer, and competes in steer wrestling for the Turquoise circuit taking in Arizona and New Mexico.

“He’s travelled right through the USA, but now that he’s a dad he’s concentrating on his area, Wickenberg Arizona,” Cliff says.

Now that he’s seen his kids through the rodeo circuit, Cliff has a passion for involving other kids.

Settled on his little farm on the edge of town, he is keen on getting juniors started.

“It’s time to get the Cloncurry Western Club kick-started for this year.

“I’m still very involved in getting juniors going in the sport of rodeo.

“It’s just a matter of getting them started, getting them keen.”

He’s got 60 head of Texas longhorn cattle that he breeds especially for rodeo events.

“They’re pretty unusual in this country.”

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Oakland PD ‘Forgetting’ To Turn On Their Body-Mounted Cameras

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Oakland PD ‘Forgetting’ To Turn On Their Body-Mounted Cameras | Crooks and Liars.

There’s no shortcut: The only way police departments respond to the community is when the community rises up. Unfortunately, far too often, people think expressing your outrage online is equivalent to showing up at your town council meetings. It isn’t. Leaders will go as far as they think they can go without suffering public backlash:

Relations between Oakland police and the city’s residents have never been good, which is one reason why the department issued body-mounted cameras to its officers last year.

The goal was to increase accountability, which is important for a department that is facing a federal takeover this March.

However, the above video, which shows several officers with their body-mounted cameras turned off – a departmental violation – is just the latest example of Oakland police officers not wanting any accountability.The video is also a clear demonstration of just how high tensions are between Oakland police and citizens.

The video was produced by Jacob Crawford and journalist Ali Winston from footage obtained during the January 28th demonstration that included activists attempting to break into city hall.

“When the cameras are turned on, you see a green light,” said Crawford, a longtime Cop Watch activist whom I wrote about in 2010 after he was assaulted for attempting to video record a cop.“When the cameras are turned off, they just look like a pager.”

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American Airlines Threatens Employee Who Created YouTube Parody of Their Bankruptcy Letter

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American Airlines Threatens Employee Who Created YouTube Parody of Their Bankruptcy Letter | Crooks and Liars.

Flight attendant Gailen David is being investigated by American Airlines for allegedly violating the company’s social media policy for creating a video that parodies a letter sent to employees regarding the company’s recent filing for bankruptcy. David’s parody was based on the idea that the letter was filled with what several refer to as “lies.” As previously reported, while American Airlines does have some financial troubles, it is paying large bonuses to executives while employees are already underpaid (many making less than $40,000 a year while working 70-hour work weeks) and have already offered up concessions.

Flight attendant Gailen David (MIA) is being called into the office to answer to allegations that he violated American Airline’s Social Media Policy. The question being raised is whether humor constitutes a violation of corporate policy or whether it’s an infringement on an individual’s right to free speech.

The letter in question was sent to all flight attendants and also forwarded to the media. Historically, poking fun at information found in the public domain is not a violation of the employer/employee relationship. Given the heat AMR is feeling from those in the media who are questioning AMR’s motives for filing bankruptcy as well as the corporations self-proclaimed need to dump the pensions, having an employee poking fun at it apparently fuels the fire at a time when the corporation’s trying to put it out.

Just so that we’re all on the same page, AMR recently shortchanged the employee pension payment by $93.5 million and we’ve learned that AMR could spend as much as $100 million on three law firms that are helping AMR restructure the airline at the expense of thousands of employees, retirees and shareholders.

The letter from American Airlines to David:

February 8, 2012

TO: Gailen David
MIA Purser #131836

RE: DIRECTIVE

Dear Gailen, you are directed to attend an investigatory meeting in accordance with the AA/ APFA collective bargaining agreement, Article 31 R, involving possible violation of American Airline’s Media Policy Please arrange for APFA representation at this meeting.

The meeting will be held on Friday February 10, 2012 at 2:00pm in the Flight Service Conference room.

If you are not able to adhere to this directive for medical reasons, you are directed to provide substantiation from your physician to AA Medical at fax #305-526-7690 before 2:00pm on Friday February 10, 2012 as to why you cannot meet with me.

Your failure to comply with the above directive will be deemed insubordination, which in and of itself may be grounds for your dismissal.

As of the date of this letter, all travel privileges are suspended pending the outcome of this investigation. You are forbidden to us any of the flight privileges that are provided to you and your registered travelers to fly either on American Airlines or any other carrier as a “non-revenue” pass traveler.

Please contact my office at 305-870-2486 if you have any questions. AA Medical contact information is as follows: Phone 305-526-7941, FAX 305-526-7690.

Ofelia A. Hamilton
MIA Flight Service Purser Manager

Cc: Personnel File
Base Manager
HR-support Svc.

David’s response:

Hello Ofelia,

Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the meeting today with you.

As you know, I am on leave until March 5th and I have been unable to reach my doctor who is attending a conference–however ; AA medical has received sufficient substantiation regarding my inability to return to the workplace, including administrative offices, until I have been cleared by my provider.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me. My union representative will work with you and my health care provider to determine if another meeting time is possible in the near future.

Regards,
Gailen David

Cc: Lauri Curtis and Faye Wright