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Post by mhbruin on Apr 12, 2023 8:46:22 GMT -8
Uncle Vlad Wants YouRussian lawmakers on Tuesday voted to enforce an electronic draft system that would make it nearly impossible for men to avoid conscription, the latest sign that Moscow is preparing to boost a military struggling under Kyiv’s fierce counterattack. The new system comes ahead of Ukraine's widely anticipated spring offensive. Currently, Russian men have to be served with paper conscription notices, delivered in-person at a registered address or place of work. Some 300,000 men were recruited to fight in Ukraine last year. Russia has not said how many more men it might be seeking to mobilize. According to the law, men would be barred from leaving the country from the day they receive the summons and until they appear at a military recruitment office. Those who fail to show up within 20 days will face a number of restrictions, including a ban on driving vehicles, selling and buying real estate and obtaining bank loans. 
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Post by mhbruin on Apr 12, 2023 8:48:27 GMT -8
No Water, No Life
The White House on Tuesday issued new proposals to dramatically cut how much water states can draw from the Colorado River, a last-ditch effort to protect the drought-stricken resource used by 40 million Americans.
The Interior Department released an environmental review on Tuesday that homes in on three options for the Colorado River after the seven states and tribes that depend on its waters failed to reach an agreement to determine how cuts would fall.
One option would split cuts based on seniority of water rights, meaning California — the oldest user of the river — would see minimal changes while Arizona and Nevada would face sharp limitations. A second plan would evenly distribute cuts across Arizona, Nevada and California, ignoring legal seniority at the expense of the latter’s agriculture that supplies produce to the entire country.
A third option, to do nothing, would ultimately lead to catastrophe for all.
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Post by mhbruin on Apr 12, 2023 8:49:47 GMT -8
How Will They Clean Up This Toxic Site?
Afire that started Tuesday afternoon at a recycling plant in the eastern Indiana city of Richmond was emitting toxic smoke and has forced evacuation orders for about 2,000 people as it is expected to burn for days, officials said.
Early air monitoring results are expected early Wednesday, Wayne County officials said. Plastics were among the items burning at the plant, and the smoke – a thick, black column rose from the site Tuesday – is “definitely toxic,” Indiana State Fire Marshal Steve Jones said in a news briefing.
“There is a host of different chemicals that plastics give off when they’re on fire, and it’s concerning,” Jones said Tuesday evening, adding he expects the fire to burn for days.
An evacuation order was put in place for residents within a half-mile of the fire, and authorities could change the order if the direction of the wind shifts, Jones said. Residents downwind of the evacuation zone – to the east and northeast – were being encouraged to shelter in place and bring pets indoors.
Residents who find remnants from the fire in their yards were asked to “not disturb or touch the debris.”
“It is unknown what chemicals may or may not be in the debris,” Wayne County Emergency Management Agency officials said.
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hasben
Resident Member
Posts: 1,047
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Post by hasben on Apr 13, 2023 7:59:20 GMT -8
Whoopee! A QOP Governor Does Some Meanless Stuff That Won't Put a Dent in Gun Violence
I agree that this is a light stroke but why will it not make some difference in disarming dangerous people?
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Post by mhbruin on Apr 13, 2023 8:44:05 GMT -8
Whoopee! A QOP Governor Does Some Meanless Stuff That Won't Put a Dent in Gun Violence I agree that this is a light stroke but why will it not make some difference in disarming dangerous people? It is a tiny step forward, but stuff like this lets Republicans off the hook. They get to pretend they are doing something meaningful, while not preventing the vast majority of mass shootings. Even where they have red flag laws, they are rarely used. |
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hasben
Resident Member
Posts: 1,047
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Post by hasben on Apr 13, 2023 10:58:29 GMT -8
not preventing the vast majority of mass shootings.
I don't think anything short of a total cultural and societal overhaul can prevent the majority of mass shootings. Even a ban of assault rifle sales, which I favor, would not eliminate the millions of them already in public hands, and anyone can get one illegally on the black market.
I also favor complete and total background checks but that doesn't prevent the troubled teen from getting a gun from parents, relatives, or friends.
Unfortunately, there are more guns on the street than people in the US. As long as disturbed or criminal individuals are inclined to use them they will. The red flag laws and thorough background checks will prevent some tragedies, but the horse is out of the barn. In America with hundreds of millions of guns already out there no law can stop the disturbed or criminal from using one. And of course it doesn't help that violence and killing is the hottest selling topic in games, movies, videos, and the media.
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