Got an ldTire?
Reuse Old Materials for Eco-Friendly Outdoor Games
Tetherball Even if a tire swing isn’t in the cards for your family, don’t relinquish your old tire just yet! Turn it into another playground favorite: tetherball. Premade tetherball sets can cost up to $100, but a DIY version can cost less than $50. To start, you’ll need the tire, a metal pole, some pieces of rebar, cement, a round swivel eye bolt snap, and a tetherball on a rope. You’ll also need to use an impact drill with a bit made for metal. Drill a cross section of holes at the bottom of the metal pole and thread the pieces of rebar through each. Then drill a hole at the top for your round swivel eye bolt snap so you have a place to tie the rope. After centering the pole in the tire (using the end with the rebar pieces as
G eneral Michael Flynn has been caught up in legal drama for years. I have recently started paying close attention due to a disturbing development in the case. The outcome of this case could significantly affect my clients in the future. In January 2017, Flynn was serving as the national security advisor to the president when the FBI questioned him about communications with a Russian ambassador. He subsequently resigned his position. In May 2017, special counsel Robert Mueller was investigating possible Russian interference in our 2016 presidential election. Flynn was questioned again as part of that investigation, and he ultimately admitted to making false statements during the January FBI questioning. Flynn’s plea deal required him to cooperate with Mueller’s investigators. In February 2018, the government and Flynn requested a sentencing delay, which allowed more time to complete the investigation. In May 2018, the House Intelligence Committee’s report on the Russian probe was released. The report indicated that FBI agents told FBI Director James Comey that they did not believe that Flynn lied to them. In the same month, both Mueller and Flynn proposed to delay sentencing again because of this new revelation. In June, Looking for ways to get your kids outdoors while teaching them how to be more eco- friendly? Try saving your old tires and soda bottles to make these fun outdoor games for the whole family! Tire Swings Have you ever played swing games like Tumbling Tower? Build a tower of cardboard boxes and see if your child can use their feet or shoes to kick it down while swinging! Tire swings are great for games or just enjoying the outdoors while the wind rushes through your hair. Few pieces of outdoor play equipment are more enticing than a swing for children and adults alike. This project doesn't cost very much, either. You just need a tire, rope, power drill, and the biggest tree in your yard. If you don’t have a tree, you can make a sturdy swing post with lumber!
the base), pour the cement in and let it dry. Once it’s dry, hang the ball with the bolt snap and watch your kids play tetherball for summers to come! Bowling Have empty plastic soda bottles from your last takeout meal? Collect them, paint them white, and put two red stripes around the neck. Now you’ve got bowling pins! You don’t need a heavy bowling ball for this DIY set, either. Use a tennis or soccer ball to get the ball rolling on some family bowling at home. You don’t need games as popular as Minecraft to make special memories in your backyard. Take inspiration from these ideas and create your own family fun!
Objections to Dismissals
both parties filed yet another request to delay and got push back from U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who wanted to know the reason for all the delays. In December, Mueller recommended a light sentence for Flynn because of his cooperation in the investigation. That same month, Comey did a TV interview and stated that he was the one who sent FBI agents to Flynn’s house to question him and that he probably should not have done that. In January 2020, Flynn filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea for lying to FBI agents. In May 2020, the Department of Justice dropped Flynn’s case stating “the Government has determined, pursuant to The Principles of Federal Prosecution and based on extensive review and careful consideration of the circumstances, that continued prosecution of the case would not serve the interest of justice.” Judge Sullivan refused to sign the dismissal order presented to him. He wanted to scrutinize the government’s decision to drop the charges. The government is taking the position that such review is improper. Judge Sullivan appointed a retired federal judge to argue against the government’s motion to dismiss.
to sign the dismissal order and close the case. Sullivan still would not relent and asked for intervention from the full court. That court, in an 8-2 decision, agreed with Sullivan and ruled that he can proceed with questioning the government’s decision. In my professional experience, over the course of 16 years as a prosecutor and defense attorney, anytime a prosecutor has submitted a dismissal order to a judge, the judge signs the order. Most judges I know believe it is not their role to decide whether a case should be prosecuted or not. That is the government’s decision. Many judges will ask prosecutors to state their reasons on the record, but I have not seen a judge refuse to sign a dismissal. Whether you agree with this decision or not, it changes how we practice criminal law. It may make it more difficult to get a case dismissed. Sometimes prosecutors just want to give a person a second chance. They may be more reluctant to do that if they must provide a reason on the record for the dismissal. I believe that would have a negative overall effect on our criminal justice system and our desire to rehabilitate offenders.
This case will continue to be appealed. I will be watching closely.
On June 24, a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals instructed Sullivan
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