CIMA Law Group Blog

The New Fastest Supercomputer

The Frontier supercomputer in Knoxville, TN

In late May, the Frontier system has become the new fastest supercomputer. The computer, located in Tennessee, recently passed Fugaku in Kobe, Japan.

Frontier is able to preform roughly 1.1 quintillion operations per second, making it the first computer to cross the “exaflop barrier” and putting it at the top of the Top500 supercomputer ranking. This unprecedented speed could lead to new advances in physics, medicine, and climate change prevention.

Even though this computer is the fastest recorded, it is possible that it may not be the fastest overall. There may be some political strategy in keeping speeds of supercomputers hidden. Experts believe two systems in China beat Frontier in the battle to the exaflop barrier, but did not report it to the Top500 listings.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.

Will Affirmative Action Be Next?

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month, people began to wonder what other legal precedent will the current majority Conservative SCOTUS crack down? The initial assumptions were that the court would target either LGBT rights, contraception access or interracial marriage since these issues involve some of the same logic that led to the abortion decision. However, after the court announced the topics they will hear next year, it became clear that Affirmative Action will be one of the next precedents to be challenged.

Affirmative Action was upheld by the Supreme Court for the first time in 1978 in UC Regents v. Bakke. The court ruled allowing race to be one of the considerations in the college admissions process but did not permit UC Davis Medical School to continue using their set quotas. Once again in 2013, the court ruled in Grutter v. Bollinger that admissions programs that favor racial minority groups that have been underrepresented on school campuses do not violate the clauses of the fourteenth amendment so long as other qualifications are considered on a case-by-case basis.

A year later, in 2014, the organization Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) filed a lawsuit against Harvard and UNC. SFFA challenged the constitutionality of their admissions programs arguing that such programs are to the detriment of White and Asian applicants. After both cases were won by the Universities in lower courts, the Supreme Court has decided to hear these cases. Experts predict that the court will end the 44 year old precedent and ban Affirmative Action in the college admission process.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Do you know what child neglect looks like? Do you think they wear the same clothes almost everyday? Do there have poor hygiene? When you ask them if they have any health issues they say yes but they aren’t taking anything for it? Do you see them carrying around large amounts of food and hoard everything into a bag? If the answer to these was yes and you know exactly who came to mind, chances are that child is experiencing some form of child neglect.

Some forms of child neglect come in the physical, educational, emotional and medical neglect. They all look closely related on a child but it is important on how to approach a situation like this. Sometimes even poverty can be taken as child neglect. To know the difference you must see if the parents are fit to provide adequate care to oness child and if they can but are not given then it is child neglect. If the parents cannot afford care by any means than it means that they are in the low income bracket and cannot provide sufficiently for the child.

As a member of this society it can be imperative to spot child neglect because you could potentially save a kids life. Unfortunately for a 14 year old girl in South Carolina was there a tragic ending. The mother, Bobbie Baynard of the 14 year old, and her husband David Baynard were arrested and charged for the murder of their child. Bobbie and David both lacked the appropriate care to their child when she was in need of medical help. It was not until the 14 year old had collapsed and became unresponsive that David and Bobbie took into the hospital where hospital staff spotted multiple signs of abuse and neglect.

the Deputy of Cherokee County had spoken about how the 14 year old personal hygiene was both short term and long term not been acknowledged by her parents. Along with multiple signs of horrific living conditions. After a warrant was out to search their home deputies found multiple urine, policies and infestations of flies everywhere. The parents David and Bobbie Baynard are both looking at murder charges and multiple other charges along as well.

If you or someone you know has been in an accident and need assistance, CIMA Law Group is here to help. CIMA specializes in personal injury, criminal defense and immigration and are here to provide to you the quality assurance you need.

Si usted o conoce a alguien que necesitan asistencia, CIMA grupo de abogados está aquí para ayudar. CIMA se especializa en lesiones personales, defensa criminal y inmigración y están aquí para proporcionarle la garantía de calidad que necesita.

Buy Now, Pay Later

Buy now, pay later has now become the newest way for consumers to cover their everyday expenses.

This new form of payment has economists and consumer advocates concerned. This raises a concern as this might just be an easier way for Americans to accumulate more debt.

The payment method of “Buy Now, Pay Later” spilts purchases into four or more installment payments which need to be paid over a period of a few weeks or months depending on the amount of the purchase. However, this can become dangerous for buyers as they can simply open new accounts for different transactions. These transactions are usually made and given zero-minimal interest.

It is not simply just one service provider that offers the opportunity to “Buy Now, Pay Later” which means that multiple purchases could be made on different providers leading to more and more debt in the long run.

Ultimately, these providers could be creating a revolving cycle for shoppers that could ruin their credit in the future. However, these different service providers feel that they are a better and safer option than other lines of credit. Ironically, they state that their goal is help keep people out of debt.

Times are tough, prices keep rising, but wages are not. It is up to you to decide if you want to buy now, and pay later.

Eight Years Later There is Still No Accountability for the Flint Water Crisis

The Michigan Supreme Court concluded the criminal charges against the state’s former governor, Rick Snyder, and other high-ranking state officials in relation to the Flint water crisis must be dropped.

The Flint River became Flint’s new water source in 2014 under the Snyder administration, which claimed the water did not require treatment. Tens of thousands of people in Genesee County were exposed to lead through their water for a period of 18 months. Lead exposure can cause a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, memory loss, kidney disease, reduce fertility as well as neurological effects and intellectual disabilities, particularly in children.

Some of the top-ranking state officials being prosecuted is Nick Lyon, the state’s former health director as well as the former chief medical executive were both charged with involuntary manslaughter for the death of nine flint residents related to Legionnaires’ disease. Additionally, two misdemeanor counts of willful neglect of duty, were brought against Snyder.

The indictments against the state officials were issued by a judge serving as a single-member grand jury, but the Michigan Supreme Court decided 6-0 that this was not how single-member grand juries may be used.

This is not the first-time charges have been brought against these state officials. Prior to the current Attorney General, Dana Nessel, was appointed, her Republican predecessor oversaw cases against 15 state and local officials with the severity of involuntary manslaughter. However, those cases were dismissed by Nessel’s administration and then brought new charges against a number of the same authorities.

Residents of Flint and Genesee County are angry and frustrated over the court ruling. Former Mayor, Karen Weaver, said “One of the things we had been told over and over was justice delayed has not been justice denied. But that’s not true for the people of Flint,” in response to the ruling. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/michigan-supreme-court-throws-out-flint-water-charges-against-ex-governor

But more than six years after the initial accusations, it’s still not apparent whether anyone will ever go to trial.

This is a CIMA Law Group blog entry. CIMA Law Group is located in Arizona and specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations. If you live in Arizona and need legal assistance CIMA Law Group can help.

Nothing More American Than an Independence Day Shooting

Only in America would the day meant to celebrate our country be met with yet another act of senseless gun violence. During a July 4th parade in Highland Park, Illinois, seven innocent people were killed and more than two dozen were injured. According to CNN, Robert E. Crimo III, 21, is being charged with seven counts of first-degree murder with dozens more charges expected to follow— some of which will include attempted murder, aggravated discharge, and aggravated battery. Investigators believe the gunman planned the attack for several weeks, wearing women’s clothing during the shooting to conceal his identity and blend in with the crowd.

Christopher Covelli, spokesperson for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, revealed to CNN that the gunman had two prior encounters with law enforcement— one for an attempted suicide and another for threatening to “kill everyone” with his collection of knives. During the latter incident, Highland Park police removed 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword that were later returned to Crimo’s father. Highly suspect then is how Crimo was able to obtain five firearms legally not long after this threat to “kill everyone.” According to another CNN report, Crimo’s father, who sponsored his son’s purchase of the firearms (including the one used in this mass shooting) argues that he is not to blame for this carnage and wants his son to serve a ‘long’ sentence.

Republican response to the shooting seemed to follow their typical protocol— blame everything but the guns. Rolling Stone highlights some especially ridiculous remarks. Illinois gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey briefly offered thoughts and prayers before encouraging everyone to “move on and celebrate freedom.” Marjorie Taylor Greene (the same sitting congresswoman who claimed the California wildfires were started by a laser beamed in from space by the Jews), after suggesting that Democrats orchestrated the shooting in an attempt to push gun control laws, blamed Big Pharma for antidepressants and SSRIs. Republican House candidate J.R. Majewski essentially declared that Americans losing their lives is the price we have to pay to protect our 2nd Amendment rights.

The day before, Denmark was dealing with a tragedy of its own. In a Copenhagen mall, a shooting left three people dead. Representative Lauren Boebert exploited this devastation— claiming that this shooting in Denmark, a country with some of the strictest gun laws in Europe, proves that gun laws do not stop mass shootings. Considering that Denmark hasn’t had a mass shooting since 2015 and over 300 mass shootings have occurred in the U.S. just since the start of 2022, the statistics would beg to differ.

No one claims that gun laws will entirely prevent gun violence, but they will, without a doubt, decrease it. You would think saving lives would be a bit more important than a campaign staple and funding, but that’s just me.

Former Japanese Prime Minister shot at campaign event

On Friday at 11:30 am (local time in Nara), gunshots sent a wave of shock and sadness all throughout Nara, Japan as former long-serving Japanese leader Shinzo Abe was shot and killed at a campaigning event.

Shinzo Abe served as Japan’s Prime Minister from 2006-2007 and again in 2012-2020 before he officially stepped down, due to illness. Abe’s policy aimed to strengthen ties with the West and Indo-Pacific region, and also to foster relations with the United States, India and Australia, according to USA Today.

Of course, this attack on the former Prime Minister is a tragedy that needs no further reasoning. However, this was particularly frightening for the country because it is very rare that gun violence occurs throughout Japan. According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, and as mentioned by Forbes.com, there were only nine firearm deaths in Japan in 2018, as compared to the 39,740 firearm deaths that occurred within the United States in 2018.

Biden released a statement in accordance to the sudden death of Japan’s ex-Prime Minister– “This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him,” while also stating “Even at the moment he was attacked, he was engaged in the work of democracy. While there are many details that we do not yet know, we know that violent attacks are never acceptable and that gun violence always leaves a deep scar on the communities that are affected by it.” Biden had met with Abe in both Tokyo and Japan throughout his vice presidency.

Day by day, a call for gun control is summoned throughout the world without any sight of cease. How many countries, schools, parades, children, parents, lives will have to suffer until effective legislation is implemented?

What is happening to Arizona?

As many of the people in the Maricopa county know, there has been an ongoing investigation towards the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department since August of 2021. This investigation will hopefully open up the distinct practices and routines that officers endure everyday and how it can be bettered and worked on if needed. The Department of Justice if formally conducting this investigation under the impression that the City of Phoenix along with the Police Department have not been properly enforcing the peoples rights.

With that, there were more than 50 officer involved shootings in just 2022 alone as of today July 6th. With a little less of 34 incidents in the Maricopa County alone.

What is being done though to investigate such a drastic rise of officer involved shootings? The Department of Justice has and will be looking into the cities law enforcement routines this includes whether or not the Phoenix police unlawfully seize items, engage in discriminatory policing, and practices involving those with disabilities. Not only will they be looking internally but externally as well. This means that neighborhoods and people from Phoenix will be asked about their experiences with the Phoenix Police Department.

In recent news a 15-year old boy was shot by the Glendale Police Department, for allegedly reaching for what was a gun. He had told the authorities that he was in possession of a gun when questioned so when being arrested he escaped for a second and reached inside the car. Law enforcement believed he was reaching for the alleged gun so they shot him and twice after he kept reaching.

Earlier this year in February, 9 officers were shot responding to a 911 call for a women who had been shot in a home in Phoenix. Upon arriving at the scene the man who opened the door opened fire before Police could take a look inside. Wounding 4 and shooting directly at 5 officers.

The rise of homicides in the Phoenix area have been rising to more than 45% this year officials say. This meaning that the rise of guns being carried in the state have been rising as well. Making every police call to be taken into precaution and find the necessary means to return home and no one ends up injured. The Department of Justice will be making sure that these homicides are constitutionally protected and no foul play was in place at the time of each officer involved shooting.

Is this the beginning of the end for Boris Johnson?

It seems like this question has been asked hundreds of times over the course of Boris Johnson’s premiership, but have cabinet ministers finally had enough of the mounting scandals?

On Tuesday, Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sajid Javid, the health minister, resigned from their positions in Johnson’s cabinet. In his resignation speech to Parliament, Javid said that “enough is enough” and that the “problem starts at the top.” The resignations came after the most recent scandal involving a former Conservative party lawmaker Christopher Pincher. In February, Johnson appointed Pincher deputy chief whip, giving him responsibility for the wellbeing of other Conservative lawmakers. Last week, Pincher was suspended from the party after acknowledging he had made other people uncomfortable during a drunken night out. It then emerged that Pincher had been the subject of past sexual harassment allegations. Johnson’s office initially said the prime minister had been unaware of specific past allegations against Pincher. However, on Monday, senior former civil servant Simon McDonald wrote a letter saying he had investigated the allegations in 2019 and had upheld the complaints.

And lets not forget about “Partygate”, a series of parties and other gatherings held at Downing Street during COVID lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. There was also the Owen Patterson Affair and the investigation into Downing Street renovations. A senior ally of the prime minister told the BBC: “It’s now a question of how he exits,” adding the situation was “not sustainable”. There are two ways for Johnson to leave his position as prime minister. Either he resigns or faces a no-confidence vote in Parliament. He survived a no-confidence vote last month, and under the current rules he would be immune from another challenge for a year. However, some Conservatives are calling for a rule change to allow another vote to occur.

This situation will be continuously evolving over the coming days and weeks. There are likely to be more cabinet ministers and Conservative MPs calling for Johnson’s resignation. You will also see his loyal supporters continue to defend him and stress the need for continuity of government in the face of crises like the economic situation and the War in Ukraine.

How Unhealthy is the Average American?

The United States has long been mocked as an obese nation where according to a 2016 survey, only 2.7% of Adults live a completely healthy lifestyle. This healthy lifestyle is defined as a good amount of exercise, a healthy diet, no smoking, and a body fat percentage of less than 20% for men and less than 30% for Women. Contributing to the American health crisis is the abundance of heavily processed food. As a result, 47% of the US population is considered obese by the CDC.

Our bodies have become accustomed to poor hygiene and it shows in our hearts. According to a new study published by the American Heart Association, only one out of every five Americans has optimal heart health. The study looks into eight different factors including diet, physical activity, sleep duration, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure. They surveyed 23,400 adults and children representing the US population by age, gender, and ethnicity. None of the participants had any pre-existing form of cardiovascular disease. This study is one of many that showcases the American decline in health.

Concerningly, the decrease in American health has profound impacts with even the US military saying that 71% of men ages 17-24 would not qualify for military service. Men in their prime have long been regarded as the fittest in society so when that group is also seen as a massive decrease in health, we should be concerned. Although the reasons listed also include other factors such as physical appearance and education levels, it provides a warning that if we allow this health crisis to continue, our national security and workforce could be threatened.

This trend in American health does not appear to translate to the rest of the world. The United States is reported as dead last in obesity among affluent nations. While some claim that the US healthcare system and the rise in processed foods bear most of the responsibility, the real reason may pertain to technology.

Counter to the argument that our obesity problem is the result of smoking and processed foods is the fact that Smoking rates have decreased in the past two decades while the consumption of farm produce has increased. If these factors that are said to be majorly responsible are decreasing whilst obesity is not, what is causing the US to fall so far behind in health? The answer is the lack of exercise.

Before the advancement in technology that led to a rise in computers and cars, people had to walk and exercise more to achieve their goals. When they had time for leisure, the television was not an option and instead had to get up and take a walk or engage in a sport. All of which contributed to their exercise routine. Nowadays, exercise has also become more technologically dependent with gyms having advanced workout machines and at-home video routines for those who choose to engage with them. Despite these options, a study found that people now are getting a half-hour less exercise than they did two centuries ago.

The decrease in exercise due to technology is especially prevalent when you compare generations. Recent studies have concluded that teenagers get as much exercise as 60-year-olds. The newer generations are more acclimated to technology and spend less time exercising as a result. Less tech-savvy generations do not spend large amounts of time on computers or their phones so they instead are used to moving around and are only limited out of necessity whereas for teenagers it is a choice.

Indeed, when compared to Europe and other affluent countries, Americans spend a greater amount of time per day looking at a screen, an average of 7 hours a day. This coupled with the processed food diet has dramatically increased the US decline in health.

There is no apparent solution to this crisis but just recognizing the problem so that we may all individually take the best steps for ourselves is a great start.