Post by mhbruin on Apr 23, 2022 9:42:55 GMT -8
US Vaccine Data - We Have Now Administered 572 Million Shots (Population 333 Million)
--------------
California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday April 19)
We had some rain up north this week.
--------------
Laxatives Give You a Good Run for Your Money
--------------
Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees
Who Predicted That MTG Would Have Memory Lapses When Testifying? I Don't Recall. She Must Have Early Onset Lying.
100 people from one California church opened their homes to Ukrainians in need
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was confronted in court on Friday over past social media posts advocating violence against Democrats. At the hearing in Atlanta, to determine if Greene is constitutionally barred from running for reelection because of her alleged role in the January 6 insurrection, the congresswoman repeatedly said she couldn't remember past comments or interactions.
CNN's KFile reported last year that, prior to being elected to Congress, Greene had repeatedly indicated support for executing prominent Democratic politicians in 2018 and 2019 in comments and posts on social media.
At the hearing, Greene initially denied she had called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "a traitor to our country," as CNN's KFile reported.
"No, I haven't said that," the congresswoman said.
Greene eventually admitted to having said that about Pelosi as the attorney questioning the congresswoman put up the exhibit with her remarks.
"Oh, no. Wait. Hold on now --" Green quickly interjected. "Oh no, wait, hold on now. I believe that by not securing the border that violates her oath of office."
Before she ran for Congress in 2020, Greene created a White House petition in January 2019 to impeach the House speaker for "crimes of treason," citing Pelosi's support of so-called sanctuary policies that "are serving illegals and not United States citizens," and because Pelosi did not support then-President Donald Trump's border wall.
In one speech promoting the petition, Greene suggested Pelosi could be executed for treason.
"She's a traitor to our country. She's guilty of treason," Greene says in the 2019 video, which she posted on Facebook at the time, before the video was removed. "She took an oath to protect American citizens and uphold our laws. And she gives aid and comfort to our enemies who illegally invade our land. That's what treason is. And by our law representatives and senators can be kicked out and no longer serve in our government. And it's, uh, it's a crime punishable by death is what treason is. Nancy Pelosi is guilty of treason."
Asked again about her comments at Friday's hearing, Greene said she could not remember making them when asked if she had said it.
"According to this CNN article I did," Greene said. "I don't remember. I don't recall saying all of this."
Greene also denied having any knowledge of liking a post on her personal Facebook, advocating that Pelosi be shot in the head and executed. In one post, from January 2019, Greene's account liked a comment that said "a bullet to the head would be quicker" to remove Pelosi.
"I have no idea who liked that," Greene said, claiming she had "many people" managing her social media, echoing a statement she had posted last year on Twitter in which she did not deny that she liked posts and replied to comments but claimed that many people have run her Facebook page.
Early during her testimony, Greene claimed that "I never mean anything for violence. All of my words never, ever, mean anything for violence."
Greene also said she could not recall if she or anyone on her staff had spoken with her friend and associate Anthony Aguero, who took part in the mob entering the Capitol.
"I don't recall," Greene said.
CNN previously reported that Aguero had chanted "heave-ho" as rioters attempted to break in and he later entered the Capitol Rotunda. After leaving, he chanted "our house" on the Capitol steps. In a livestream one day after the riot, he attacked those who condemned the ransacking of the Capitol. The FBI previously declined to comment on whether it was investigating Aguero in an email to CNN.
This Is the Wrong Kind of FinTech
A game warden and his K9 colleague discovered almost 381 whole shark fins and 29.2 pounds of frozen shark fins at a seafood restaurant in San Antonio, Texas.
Kevin Winters, one of two Texas Game Wardens who discovered the illegal fins on April 13, told CNN that the case has not yet been submitted to the district attorney's office. The fins were all taken as evidence, according to a Facebook post from the Texas Game Wardens.
Some of the fins came from blacktip sharks, which are found throughout the Gulf of Mexico, although it isn't clear that the sharks originated from the gulf, Winters says. He added that they were not able to identify the species of all the sharks.
"Some were peeled already, prepared to be cooked for the soup," he said.
Shark finning -- the practice of removing shark fins at sea and discarding the rest of the shark -- is illegal in the United States, and the selling of shark fins is illegal in Texas. The Texas ban passed after the state "emerged as a hub for shark fins," according to marine conservation nonprofit Oceana.
Would You Want to Base You Business in a State Which Arbitrarily Changes the Rules When the Governor Has a Hissy Fit?
The dissolution of the special district would mean that Orange and Osceola counties take on the assets and liabilities of Reedy Creek. That could lead to higher taxes for those residents to pay off Reedy Creek's debts and take over the care of roads, policing, fire protection, waste management and more.
State Sen. Gary Farmer, a Democrat, was one of a number of Democratic lawmakers who criticized the bill for what he called "shoot first, ask questions later."
"The debt service alone for Reedy Creek is over a billion dollars," Farmer said Wednesday. "This bill makes no provision as to how that debt service is going to be assumed. Local government entities must pick up assets and liabilities of any special district that is dissolved."
Still, the bill passed the Florida Senate on Wednesday by a 23-16 vote and the House on Thursday by a 70-38 vote. Thursday's vote occurred without any final debate and came as several Black Democratic members were staging a protest over the congressional redistricting map.
For his part, Foglesong said the length of the bill indicated there "hasn't been much study and reflection" on the consequences of this move.
"Somebody is still going to have to pay for the bonds that were purchased in order to build that infrastructure. A lot of roadways. Someone is going to have to do those building inspections. It'll take a lot of those inspectors with a lot of expertise," he said. "Someone is going to have to pay for that. If that burden falls on taxpayers, that's not going to look good for Gov. Desantis. This is going to look like folly."
What Do You Call People Who Hate Everyone and Everything? "Republicans." (Actually They Like Church and Banks. Can a Church Start a Bank?)
Republicans increasingly critical of several major U.S. institutions, including big corporations and banks
Republicans are critical of how several major institutions, from large corporations and technology companies to universities and K-12 public schools, are affecting the United States. And in many cases, Republicans’ assessments have taken a sharp negative turn in the past few years.
Democrats, by contrast, are more positive than Republicans about the impact of a number of institutions and industries. And while Democrats continue to be less likely than Republicans to say that churches and religious institutions have a positive effect on the country, that gap has narrowed since 2019.
How About a "Dumb Dictator"?
Do They Need a QOP Dictionary? Let's Get Governor DeathSentence to Work on It.
A man in California was arrested and charged with making anti-LGBTQ threats against dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster.
Jeremy Hanson was arrested Tuesday and charged with “interstate communication of threats to commit violence,” according to the Department of Justice.
Last October, Hanson allegedly sent multiple messages to Merriam-Webster through its “Contact Us” page and in the comments section on its pages for the words “girl,” “female” and “woman.”
Under the dictionary’s definition of “female,” someone commented that it was “absolutely sickening” that the company “tells blatant lies and promotes anti-science propaganda,” adding that there was “no such thing as ‘gender identity’” and saying the person who wrote that “should be hunted down and shot.”
All He Wants Is More Time to Shred Documents.
New York Attorney General Letitia James urged a judge Friday to "coerce" former President Donald Trump into complying with a subpoena demanding searches of three of his mobile devices and multiple document storage sites.
Trump failed to meet a court-ordered March 31 deadline to turn over subpoenaed material, claiming he had none of the documents demanded by James' office as part of its investigation into his company's financial practices. A week later, James asked the judge overseeing her office's investigation to issue a contempt citation and fine Trump $10,000 per day until he complied with the subpoena.
"The Court should put an end to Mr. Trump's intransigence and subterfuge," attorneys working for James wrote in the Friday evening filing.
At the Intersection of Evil and Stupid
A Louisiana 4-year-old child died after police said her grandmother forced her to drink a bottle of whisky in front of her mother.
Officers found the toddler, identified as China Record, unresponsive at a residence on Thursday, April 21, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department.
During their investigation into the incident, police discovered that the grandmother, 53-year-old Roxanne Record, "forced her to consume a bottle of alcohol" while her mother, 28-year-old Kadjah Record, was present, according to the statement.
"Detectives believe the consuming of alcohol caused China's death," the police statement said. "The victim's BAC was 680."
NBC News reported that the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office determined that China died from "acute alcohol poisoning."
According to WAFB citing an arrest warrant, both women were upset at the child because she may have drunk out of the bottle that was sitting on the counter.
The warrant alleges that's when the grandmother told the toddler to drink the rest of the bottle while on her knees in a hallway.
Police said both women, facing first-degree murder charges, were taken into custody on Friday and transported to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.
--------------
Today's Best Person in the World Nominees
So Much News Makes You Hate People. We Need Some Stories Like This
100 people from one California church opened their homes to Ukrainians in need
After hosting about a dozen families in their home, Nick and Anna-Marie Roach's children now can rattle off a few words in Russian and Ukrainian. But translation hasn't been necessary for them.
"The kids all played together," Anna-Marie Roach says. "Toys and running around are a common language."
Host families from Calvary San Diego have snapped photos of their kids joining Ukrainian children to share toys, spar in Nerf-gun battles and bound barefoot along the beach. Casillas recorded a video that shows a group of children in her backyard, piling onto a swing, twisting it around and squealing with glee as they spin together.
Joe Scarborough Says The Three Hardest Words: "I Was Wrong"
--------------
Invasions Have Consequences
Time Is On Their Side, Oh Yes It Is.
Russia is making advances in the east, but so is Ukraine. Over the last two weeks, Russia has not been able to mount any major attack. Unfortunately, Ukraine has also not been able to mount a major counterattack. Kherson is still under Russian control, Ukrainian forces don’t seem to have made a significant advance toward the supply chain supporting that Izyum salient. No one has been able to break through to relieve Mariupol.
But then, Ukraine may not be focusing on any of those things. With thousands of new tanks, UAVs, helicopters, transports, and artillery pieces to deal with, it’s all that Ukraine can do to get the new equipment into place, deal with the suddenly wealth of gear (and increased complexity), and prepare themselves to move when Russia moves.
I Guess They Dodged a Bullet (Or Some Kind of Weapon) This Time
Is It Time to Start Thinking About the Aftermath?
Although Russia has clearly been weakened by its battlefield setbacks in Ukraine, the combination of its imperial ambitions and significant coercive power risks destabilisation further afield. Moldova is the most prominent example, but as the conflict protracts, Russian operations could pose threats in Serbia and beyond. Coordinated efforts to curtail Russian malign influence in these states – and further afield – will be critical if the crisis in Ukraine is to be contained. Further crises, risking further economic disruption, will prove politically difficult to bear.
Finally, the Russian decision to double down is a high-stakes gamble. If Russia mobilises and eventually overcomes Ukrainian resistance then NATO will face an aggressive, isolated and militarised state. If Russia loses then President Putin has now begun radicalising the population in the pursuit of policies that he will struggle to deliver. Failure to defeat the Ukrainian state after relentlessly comparing it to the Nazi regime may have serious consequences for Putin and those around him. To frame a conflict as existential and to lose must necessarily call the suitability of a leader into question among Russia’s political elites. NATO states therefore need to consider how to manage escalation pathways that follow if Russia is not only defeated in Donbas but finds its newly-mobilised and poorly trained troops, with few remaining stocks of precision munitions, unable to deliver a victory in the summer. The death of Putin’s political project is plausible, but it has already inflicted immense damage internationally and risks doing considerably more.
You Rifle Isn't Broken. It has Been Refurbished.
The Grades Are in on the World’s Handling of the War in Ukraine. Who's At the Head of the Class?
How Did Your Favorite Leader Do?
Artillery, Artillery
As long Russian forces are within Ukrainian artillery range, they are in severe danger. Look at these three tanks trying to hide in the courtyard of a civilian apartment complex:
There’s a reason that Ukraine was screaming for more artillery. And, there’s a reason why NATO has decided that yeah, good idea.
Read this whole excellent thread and impress your friends with how much you know about artillery
--------------
Won't This Also Give Mountain Lions a Path INTO Urban Areas Loaded With Yummy Pet Dogs and Cats?
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. — Construction has begun on what is billed as the world’s largest wildlife crossing for mountain lions and other animals caught in Southern California’s urban sprawl.
Officials held a ceremony Friday to mark the start of construction of a $90 million bridge over a freeway and feeder road that is about 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
“This wildlife crossing could not have come at a better time. It is truly a game changer,” said Jeff Sikich, biologist for the National Park Service. “Today’s groundbreaking sets a path toward saving our local mountain lions and supporting the diversity of wildlife in this whole region.”
The bridge will stretch 200 feet over U.S. 101 to give big cats, coyotes, deer and other wildlife a safe path to the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. It is expected to be completed by early 2025 and will be named the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing for the philanthropist whose foundation donated $25 million.
--------------
Even Twitter Cares About the Survival of the Human Race
Twitter says it will no longer allow advertisers on its site who deny the scientific consensus on climate change, echoing a policy already in place at Google.
"Ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis,” the company said in a statement outlining its new policy Friday.
There was no indication that the change would affect what users post on the social media site, which along with Facebook has been targeted by groups seeking to promote misleading claims about climate change.
The announcement coinciding with Earth Day came hours before the European Union agreed upon a deal requiring big tech companies to vet their sites more closely for hate speech, disinformation and other harmful content.
--------------
It's Not the Sticker Price. It's the Total Cost of Ownership.
Electric cars are big sellers right now, countering skepticism in the industry’s early days that battery-powered cars could ever become cost-efficient for buyers. With battery costs rising and essential materials in short supply, can the electric vehicle market sustain its growth?
Based on the most recent sales numbers, it would appear that it can.
Companies that manufacture EVs had a blockbuster first quarter in 2022, with car sales exceeding even the most optimistic expectations despite price hikes.
Tesla posted a record $3.3 billion profit in the first three months of 2022, with sales of its vehicles up 81% from last year. Other carmakers with fledgling EV divisions also saw big sales boosts. Volkswagen Group saw a 65% bump for all of its electric models, while sales of Mercedes EVs were up 37%.
The surge in EV sales comes despite a crunched supply for lithium-ion batteries, essential for many electric cars. And although carmakers like Tesla have raised their prices, consumers still appear to want electric vehicles.
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
New Cases 7-Day Average | Deaths 7-Day Average | New Hospitalizations 7-Day Average | |
| Apr 22 | 44,308 | 311 | |
| Apr 21 | 40,744 | 346 | 1,647 |
| Apr 20 | 42,604 | 375 | 1,609 |
| Apr 19 | 40,985 | 385 | 1,582 |
| Apr 18 | 37,132 | 380 | 1,564 |
| Apr 17 | 35,212 | 373 | 1,542 |
| Apr 16 | 34,972 | 379 | 1,532 |
| Apr 15 | 34,778 | 399 | 1,510 |
| Apr 14 | 35,475 | 446 | 1,490 |
| Apr 13 | 31,391 | 409 | 1,477 |
| Apr 12 | 29,401 | 452 | 1,463 |
| Apr 11 | 30,208 | 483 | 1.447 |
| Apr 10 | 28,927 | 500 | 1,443 |
| Apr 9 | 28,339 | 509 | |
| Apr 8 | 28,169 | 516 | |
| Apr 7 | 26,286 | 471 | |
| Apr 6 | 26,595 | 496 | |
| Apr 5 | 26,845 | 533 | |
| Apr 4 | 25,537 | 537 | |
| Apr 3 | 25,074 | 572 | |
| Apr 2 | 25,787 | 576 | |
| Apr 1 | 26,106 | 584 | |
| Mar 31 | 25,980 | 605 | |
| Mar 30 | 25,732 | 626 | |
| Mar 29 | 25,218 | 644 | |
| Mar 28 | 26,190 | 700 | |
| Mar 27 | 26,487 | 690 | |
| Mar 26 | 26,593 | 697 | |
| Mar 25 | 26,874 | 705 | |
| Mar 24 | 27,235 | 732 | |
| Mar 23 | 27,134 | 753 | |
| Mar 22 | 27,545 | 787 | |
| Mar 21 | 28,657 | 861 | |
| Mar 20 | 27,786 | 901 | |
| Mar 19 | 27,747 | 909 | |
| Mar 18 | 28,274 | 972 | |
| Mar 17 | 29,317 | 1,035 | |
| Mar 16 | 30,040 | 1,052 | |
| Mar 15 | 30,934 | 1,107 | |
| Mar 14 | 32,458 | 1,186 | |
| Mar 13 | 34,113 | 1,187 | |
| Feb 16, 2021 | 78,292 |
| At Least One Dose | Fully Vaccinated | % of Vaccinated W/ Boosters | |
| % of Total Population | 77.5% | 66.0% | 45.6% |
| % of Population 5+ | 82.3% | 70.2% | |
| % of Population 12+ | 87.1% | 74.5% | 47.4% |
| % of Population 18+ | 88.9% | 76.0% | 49.1% |
| % of Population 65+ | 95.0% | 90.0% | 68.3% |
California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday April 19)
We had some rain up north this week.
| Percent of Average for this Date | Last Week | |
| Northern Sierra Precipitation | 79% (70%) | 73% (63% of full season average) |
| San Joaquin Precipitation | 65% (58%) | 65% (57%) |
| Tulare Basin Precipitation | 60% (54%) | 61% (53%) |
| Snow Water Content - North | 29% | 15% |
| Snow Water Content - Central | 33% | 27% |
| Snow Water Content - South | 23% | 24% |
Laxatives Give You a Good Run for Your Money
--------------
Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees
Who Predicted That MTG Would Have Memory Lapses When Testifying? I Don't Recall. She Must Have Early Onset Lying.
100 people from one California church opened their homes to Ukrainians in need
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was confronted in court on Friday over past social media posts advocating violence against Democrats. At the hearing in Atlanta, to determine if Greene is constitutionally barred from running for reelection because of her alleged role in the January 6 insurrection, the congresswoman repeatedly said she couldn't remember past comments or interactions.
CNN's KFile reported last year that, prior to being elected to Congress, Greene had repeatedly indicated support for executing prominent Democratic politicians in 2018 and 2019 in comments and posts on social media.
At the hearing, Greene initially denied she had called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "a traitor to our country," as CNN's KFile reported.
"No, I haven't said that," the congresswoman said.
Greene eventually admitted to having said that about Pelosi as the attorney questioning the congresswoman put up the exhibit with her remarks.
"Oh, no. Wait. Hold on now --" Green quickly interjected. "Oh no, wait, hold on now. I believe that by not securing the border that violates her oath of office."
Before she ran for Congress in 2020, Greene created a White House petition in January 2019 to impeach the House speaker for "crimes of treason," citing Pelosi's support of so-called sanctuary policies that "are serving illegals and not United States citizens," and because Pelosi did not support then-President Donald Trump's border wall.
In one speech promoting the petition, Greene suggested Pelosi could be executed for treason.
"She's a traitor to our country. She's guilty of treason," Greene says in the 2019 video, which she posted on Facebook at the time, before the video was removed. "She took an oath to protect American citizens and uphold our laws. And she gives aid and comfort to our enemies who illegally invade our land. That's what treason is. And by our law representatives and senators can be kicked out and no longer serve in our government. And it's, uh, it's a crime punishable by death is what treason is. Nancy Pelosi is guilty of treason."
Asked again about her comments at Friday's hearing, Greene said she could not remember making them when asked if she had said it.
"According to this CNN article I did," Greene said. "I don't remember. I don't recall saying all of this."
Greene also denied having any knowledge of liking a post on her personal Facebook, advocating that Pelosi be shot in the head and executed. In one post, from January 2019, Greene's account liked a comment that said "a bullet to the head would be quicker" to remove Pelosi.
"I have no idea who liked that," Greene said, claiming she had "many people" managing her social media, echoing a statement she had posted last year on Twitter in which she did not deny that she liked posts and replied to comments but claimed that many people have run her Facebook page.
Early during her testimony, Greene claimed that "I never mean anything for violence. All of my words never, ever, mean anything for violence."
Greene also said she could not recall if she or anyone on her staff had spoken with her friend and associate Anthony Aguero, who took part in the mob entering the Capitol.
"I don't recall," Greene said.
CNN previously reported that Aguero had chanted "heave-ho" as rioters attempted to break in and he later entered the Capitol Rotunda. After leaving, he chanted "our house" on the Capitol steps. In a livestream one day after the riot, he attacked those who condemned the ransacking of the Capitol. The FBI previously declined to comment on whether it was investigating Aguero in an email to CNN.
This Is the Wrong Kind of FinTech
A game warden and his K9 colleague discovered almost 381 whole shark fins and 29.2 pounds of frozen shark fins at a seafood restaurant in San Antonio, Texas.
Kevin Winters, one of two Texas Game Wardens who discovered the illegal fins on April 13, told CNN that the case has not yet been submitted to the district attorney's office. The fins were all taken as evidence, according to a Facebook post from the Texas Game Wardens.
Some of the fins came from blacktip sharks, which are found throughout the Gulf of Mexico, although it isn't clear that the sharks originated from the gulf, Winters says. He added that they were not able to identify the species of all the sharks.
"Some were peeled already, prepared to be cooked for the soup," he said.
Shark finning -- the practice of removing shark fins at sea and discarding the rest of the shark -- is illegal in the United States, and the selling of shark fins is illegal in Texas. The Texas ban passed after the state "emerged as a hub for shark fins," according to marine conservation nonprofit Oceana.
Would You Want to Base You Business in a State Which Arbitrarily Changes the Rules When the Governor Has a Hissy Fit?
The dissolution of the special district would mean that Orange and Osceola counties take on the assets and liabilities of Reedy Creek. That could lead to higher taxes for those residents to pay off Reedy Creek's debts and take over the care of roads, policing, fire protection, waste management and more.
State Sen. Gary Farmer, a Democrat, was one of a number of Democratic lawmakers who criticized the bill for what he called "shoot first, ask questions later."
"The debt service alone for Reedy Creek is over a billion dollars," Farmer said Wednesday. "This bill makes no provision as to how that debt service is going to be assumed. Local government entities must pick up assets and liabilities of any special district that is dissolved."
Still, the bill passed the Florida Senate on Wednesday by a 23-16 vote and the House on Thursday by a 70-38 vote. Thursday's vote occurred without any final debate and came as several Black Democratic members were staging a protest over the congressional redistricting map.
For his part, Foglesong said the length of the bill indicated there "hasn't been much study and reflection" on the consequences of this move.
"Somebody is still going to have to pay for the bonds that were purchased in order to build that infrastructure. A lot of roadways. Someone is going to have to do those building inspections. It'll take a lot of those inspectors with a lot of expertise," he said. "Someone is going to have to pay for that. If that burden falls on taxpayers, that's not going to look good for Gov. Desantis. This is going to look like folly."
What Do You Call People Who Hate Everyone and Everything? "Republicans." (Actually They Like Church and Banks. Can a Church Start a Bank?)
Republicans increasingly critical of several major U.S. institutions, including big corporations and banks
Republicans are critical of how several major institutions, from large corporations and technology companies to universities and K-12 public schools, are affecting the United States. And in many cases, Republicans’ assessments have taken a sharp negative turn in the past few years.
Democrats, by contrast, are more positive than Republicans about the impact of a number of institutions and industries. And while Democrats continue to be less likely than Republicans to say that churches and religious institutions have a positive effect on the country, that gap has narrowed since 2019.
How About a "Dumb Dictator"?
Do They Need a QOP Dictionary? Let's Get Governor DeathSentence to Work on It.
A man in California was arrested and charged with making anti-LGBTQ threats against dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster.
Jeremy Hanson was arrested Tuesday and charged with “interstate communication of threats to commit violence,” according to the Department of Justice.
Last October, Hanson allegedly sent multiple messages to Merriam-Webster through its “Contact Us” page and in the comments section on its pages for the words “girl,” “female” and “woman.”
Under the dictionary’s definition of “female,” someone commented that it was “absolutely sickening” that the company “tells blatant lies and promotes anti-science propaganda,” adding that there was “no such thing as ‘gender identity’” and saying the person who wrote that “should be hunted down and shot.”
All He Wants Is More Time to Shred Documents.
New York Attorney General Letitia James urged a judge Friday to "coerce" former President Donald Trump into complying with a subpoena demanding searches of three of his mobile devices and multiple document storage sites.
Trump failed to meet a court-ordered March 31 deadline to turn over subpoenaed material, claiming he had none of the documents demanded by James' office as part of its investigation into his company's financial practices. A week later, James asked the judge overseeing her office's investigation to issue a contempt citation and fine Trump $10,000 per day until he complied with the subpoena.
"The Court should put an end to Mr. Trump's intransigence and subterfuge," attorneys working for James wrote in the Friday evening filing.
At the Intersection of Evil and Stupid
A Louisiana 4-year-old child died after police said her grandmother forced her to drink a bottle of whisky in front of her mother.
Officers found the toddler, identified as China Record, unresponsive at a residence on Thursday, April 21, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department.
During their investigation into the incident, police discovered that the grandmother, 53-year-old Roxanne Record, "forced her to consume a bottle of alcohol" while her mother, 28-year-old Kadjah Record, was present, according to the statement.
"Detectives believe the consuming of alcohol caused China's death," the police statement said. "The victim's BAC was 680."
NBC News reported that the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office determined that China died from "acute alcohol poisoning."
According to WAFB citing an arrest warrant, both women were upset at the child because she may have drunk out of the bottle that was sitting on the counter.
The warrant alleges that's when the grandmother told the toddler to drink the rest of the bottle while on her knees in a hallway.
Police said both women, facing first-degree murder charges, were taken into custody on Friday and transported to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.
--------------
Today's Best Person in the World Nominees
So Much News Makes You Hate People. We Need Some Stories Like This
100 people from one California church opened their homes to Ukrainians in need
After hosting about a dozen families in their home, Nick and Anna-Marie Roach's children now can rattle off a few words in Russian and Ukrainian. But translation hasn't been necessary for them.
"The kids all played together," Anna-Marie Roach says. "Toys and running around are a common language."
Host families from Calvary San Diego have snapped photos of their kids joining Ukrainian children to share toys, spar in Nerf-gun battles and bound barefoot along the beach. Casillas recorded a video that shows a group of children in her backyard, piling onto a swing, twisting it around and squealing with glee as they spin together.
Joe Scarborough Says The Three Hardest Words: "I Was Wrong"
--------------
Invasions Have Consequences
Time Is On Their Side, Oh Yes It Is.
Russia is making advances in the east, but so is Ukraine. Over the last two weeks, Russia has not been able to mount any major attack. Unfortunately, Ukraine has also not been able to mount a major counterattack. Kherson is still under Russian control, Ukrainian forces don’t seem to have made a significant advance toward the supply chain supporting that Izyum salient. No one has been able to break through to relieve Mariupol.
But then, Ukraine may not be focusing on any of those things. With thousands of new tanks, UAVs, helicopters, transports, and artillery pieces to deal with, it’s all that Ukraine can do to get the new equipment into place, deal with the suddenly wealth of gear (and increased complexity), and prepare themselves to move when Russia moves.
I Guess They Dodged a Bullet (Or Some Kind of Weapon) This Time
Is It Time to Start Thinking About the Aftermath?
Although Russia has clearly been weakened by its battlefield setbacks in Ukraine, the combination of its imperial ambitions and significant coercive power risks destabilisation further afield. Moldova is the most prominent example, but as the conflict protracts, Russian operations could pose threats in Serbia and beyond. Coordinated efforts to curtail Russian malign influence in these states – and further afield – will be critical if the crisis in Ukraine is to be contained. Further crises, risking further economic disruption, will prove politically difficult to bear.
Finally, the Russian decision to double down is a high-stakes gamble. If Russia mobilises and eventually overcomes Ukrainian resistance then NATO will face an aggressive, isolated and militarised state. If Russia loses then President Putin has now begun radicalising the population in the pursuit of policies that he will struggle to deliver. Failure to defeat the Ukrainian state after relentlessly comparing it to the Nazi regime may have serious consequences for Putin and those around him. To frame a conflict as existential and to lose must necessarily call the suitability of a leader into question among Russia’s political elites. NATO states therefore need to consider how to manage escalation pathways that follow if Russia is not only defeated in Donbas but finds its newly-mobilised and poorly trained troops, with few remaining stocks of precision munitions, unable to deliver a victory in the summer. The death of Putin’s political project is plausible, but it has already inflicted immense damage internationally and risks doing considerably more.
You Rifle Isn't Broken. It has Been Refurbished.
The Grades Are in on the World’s Handling of the War in Ukraine. Who's At the Head of the Class?
How Did Your Favorite Leader Do?
Artillery, Artillery
As long Russian forces are within Ukrainian artillery range, they are in severe danger. Look at these three tanks trying to hide in the courtyard of a civilian apartment complex:
There’s a reason that Ukraine was screaming for more artillery. And, there’s a reason why NATO has decided that yeah, good idea.
Read this whole excellent thread and impress your friends with how much you know about artillery
--------------
Won't This Also Give Mountain Lions a Path INTO Urban Areas Loaded With Yummy Pet Dogs and Cats?
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. — Construction has begun on what is billed as the world’s largest wildlife crossing for mountain lions and other animals caught in Southern California’s urban sprawl.
Officials held a ceremony Friday to mark the start of construction of a $90 million bridge over a freeway and feeder road that is about 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
“This wildlife crossing could not have come at a better time. It is truly a game changer,” said Jeff Sikich, biologist for the National Park Service. “Today’s groundbreaking sets a path toward saving our local mountain lions and supporting the diversity of wildlife in this whole region.”
The bridge will stretch 200 feet over U.S. 101 to give big cats, coyotes, deer and other wildlife a safe path to the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. It is expected to be completed by early 2025 and will be named the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing for the philanthropist whose foundation donated $25 million.
--------------
Even Twitter Cares About the Survival of the Human Race
Twitter says it will no longer allow advertisers on its site who deny the scientific consensus on climate change, echoing a policy already in place at Google.
"Ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis,” the company said in a statement outlining its new policy Friday.
There was no indication that the change would affect what users post on the social media site, which along with Facebook has been targeted by groups seeking to promote misleading claims about climate change.
The announcement coinciding with Earth Day came hours before the European Union agreed upon a deal requiring big tech companies to vet their sites more closely for hate speech, disinformation and other harmful content.
--------------
It's Not the Sticker Price. It's the Total Cost of Ownership.
Electric cars are big sellers right now, countering skepticism in the industry’s early days that battery-powered cars could ever become cost-efficient for buyers. With battery costs rising and essential materials in short supply, can the electric vehicle market sustain its growth?
Based on the most recent sales numbers, it would appear that it can.
Companies that manufacture EVs had a blockbuster first quarter in 2022, with car sales exceeding even the most optimistic expectations despite price hikes.
Tesla posted a record $3.3 billion profit in the first three months of 2022, with sales of its vehicles up 81% from last year. Other carmakers with fledgling EV divisions also saw big sales boosts. Volkswagen Group saw a 65% bump for all of its electric models, while sales of Mercedes EVs were up 37%.
The surge in EV sales comes despite a crunched supply for lithium-ion batteries, essential for many electric cars. And although carmakers like Tesla have raised their prices, consumers still appear to want electric vehicles.
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------