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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 8:38:42 GMT -8
I joined two pieces of metal today without nuts and bolts or welding. The whole process was riveting
It's Almost As If He Has Something to Hide
Rep. George Santos (R-NY) is refusing to hand over his financial information, missing another deadline this week.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that the legally embattled congressman was supposed to file his financial report along with all other elected officials but still hasn't. He's facing 13 felony charges, including some about his financials, which is why attention has increased to his filings.
First, Santos "missed the Aug. 13 deadline to file his disclosures, a lapse that could lead to fines. He had already received a 90-day extension from the initial deadline, which was May 15," the Times reported. Now, he's missed that deadline too.
Santos is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which will give a detailed report to the public on their findings.
Santos was near being evicted a few years ago, or so he said. In the years that followed, he loaned $700,000 to his own campaign. It has led to questions about where that money came from. Santos claims it was all above board, but after being caught in a number of false stories, analysts question the legitimacy of the claim.
At the same time, federal prosecutors claim that Santos falsified his financial disclosures when he was running for office in 2020 and in 2022, with lies about his bank accounts.
"They also say that he failed to report money he earned by defrauding the unemployment system, and from a Florida investment company that was shuttered after regulators accused it of operating as a Ponzi scheme," the Times explained. "If Mr. Santos reports further income from the Devolder Organization in his 2023 disclosure, he should also disclose the names of his clients — something he has yet to do."
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 8:40:51 GMT -8
It Sounds Like Someone Is Paying Off the Governor
State and local lawmakers rallied with public health advocates in White Plains, New York on Tuesday to demand that Gov. Kathy Hochul end her silence on legislation that was passed in June to prohibit the dumping of radioactive waste into the Hudson River.
The rally was held ahead of a "listening tour" the Democratic governor is beginning regarding environmental legislation, and weeks before energy technology firm Holtec International is scheduled to begin discharging 45,000 gallons of wastewater from pools that were used to cool spent nuclear reactor fuel at the former Indian Point nuclear power plant.
The company ultimately plans to dump one million gallons of the wastewater into the Hudson, which at least 100,000 people rely on for their drinking water.
The New York Legislature passed a bill (A.7208/S.6893) in June to prohibit such discharges, but Hochul has yet to sign it.
What Other Reason Is There to Allow Radioactive Waste to Be Dumped into a River?
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 8:44:48 GMT -8
Who Needs to Learn About History Anyway? After All, This is Flori-Dumb.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has turned the New College of Florida, a public liberal arts college in Sarasota, into a social experiment, staffing the Board of Trustees with hard-right allies with the goal of erasing what he calls "woke" ideology. The result, according to the website Inside Higher Ed, has been utter "chaos" and a campus that can barely function.
New College's problems have been trickling out for months, with the pro-DeSantis trustees interfering with the merit-based tenure system, and major bleeding of staff. The school has been left without an American History professor after pushing out a DeSantis critic and more than a third of the faculty has either been purged or left.
But that appears to be just the beginning, according to the new report.
The huge staff shortages mean some essential classes won't even be offered this term, reported Johanna Alonso: "Dani Delaney, the mother of one former New College student who is transferring to Hampshire College in Massachusetts — which guaranteed admission to all New College students in good standing — said her son could only find two classes that counted toward his 'area of concentration' (which is what New College calls majors).
"When he contacted the institution about the lack of relevant courses, she said, he was told the course catalogue was 'in flux' and to 'choose something else.'"
The school is also facing a housing crisis. The new leadership of New College has made a push to boost the school's sports program, accepting huge numbers of student athletes, only to realize that they don't have enough housing for them. It's squeezing out juniors and seniors who were previously given a housing contract into older dorms "except for a number of rooms that are offline due to mold and other structural problems," and, in some cases, even moving them to an extended-stay Home2 Suites hotel at Bradenton Airport, which has been completely rented out for campus housing for the semester.
New College is not the only public college in which Florida that DeSantis is accused of interfering with. A report last month suggests that DeSantis sabotaged the hiring process for the president of Florida Atlantic University in order to seat an unqualified ally in the role.
They Many Not Have Professors, But They Have Athletes
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 8:47:35 GMT -8
The Biggest Loser is a Net LoserRepublican strategists who spoke with NBC News expressed fears that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' indictment of former President Donald Trump would effectively sink his hopes of recapturing the Peach State in 2024. While Trump's position within the Republican primary may be strengthened by every new set of criminal charges leveled against him, Georgia Republicans fear that such cases will harm them with the swing voters who split their tickets by supporting Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in 2022 while also backing Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) over election-denying GOP rival Herschel Walker. "This reminds the same indies in places like Forsyth County why they didn’t vote for him in the first place," said one Georgia Republican, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of political retribution by the twice-impeached former one-term president. Another GOP operative in the state similarly opined of the charges against Trump: "In Georgia, it's just a net loser -- period." GOP strategists warn Trump's post-indictment political resilience could falter after Georgia
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 8:50:44 GMT -8
Religious Bigotry Around the World is Out of Control
Islamabad, Pakistan – Armed mobs have attacked at least two churches in Punjab province’s Jaranwala town accusing two Christian residents of blasphemy.
Videos on social media showed hundreds of people armed with batons and sticks attacking the Salvation Army Church and the Saint Paul Catholic Church, setting them ablaze, while another mob attacked private homes, torching them and breaking windows.
Mohammed Naved, a Punjab provincial police inspector, said authorities were doing their best to control the mob in Jaranwala, 115 km (71 miles) from Lahore, the provincial capital.
“We are undertaking all legal measures as required in the situation,” Naved told Al Jazeera.
Police also filed a report against two local Christian residents under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws.
The controversy erupted after torn pages of the Quran, the holy book for Muslims, were discovered near the Christian colony with alleged blasphemous content written on them.
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 8:53:12 GMT -8
He Runs a Terrible Campaign. Flori-Dumb Pays.
Florida taxpayers paid millions of dollars more to protect Gov. Ron DeSantis and his family last year as he prepared to launch his presidential bid.
In total, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement last year spent $9.4 million on salaries for agents and transportation costs for the detail that protects DeSantis, his wife, Casey, and their three children, according to state records — a more than 55% increase in the cost of protecting him.
That’s $3 million more than the $6 million the agency spent the previous fiscal year to protect DeSantis and his family. The more recent totals cover July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, a timeframe that saw a significant increase in travel by DeSantis. He campaigned for key Republican Senate candidates across the country during the 2022 midterms, traveled to his own political fundraisers, and, in May, launched a presidential bid.
“By law, FDLE must provide protective services to the Governor and the First Family,” said Jeremy Redfern, a DeSantis press secretary.
Redfern said the increased costs are tied to DeSantis becoming a higher-profile national politician.
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 8:57:18 GMT -8
Maybe somebody told you that she had a boyfriend, who looked like a girlfriend, But They Should Have Told You About RussiaNobody told The Killers that Russia is not the most popular subject in neighboring Georgia at the moment, it would seem. The American rock band has apologized after wading into deep geopolitical waters during a concert in the country on Tuesday, when they invited a Russian fan on stage and were booed by the audience. Videos circulating on social media show the band’s lead singer, Brandon Flowers, asking the audience if they could bring a fan drummer, who is Russian, on to the stage. In the videos, it appears the singer interprets the initial hum of the crowd as an agreement, but the audience then starts to boo and whistle loudly. Some videos also show a group of people shouting, “F--- Russia,” while some fans walked out. In some videos, Flowers can also be heard saying that he sees his fans as his “brothers and sisters,” which was also not taken well by the crowd. In a Facebook post following the performance in the Black Sea town of Ozurgeti, the band said it was never its intention to offend anyone. “We have a longstanding tradition of inviting people to play drums and it seemed from the stage that the initial response from the crowd indicated that they were okay with tonight’s audience participation member coming onstage with us,” the band said. “We recognize that a comment, meant to suggest that all of The Killers’ audience and fans are ‘brothers and sisters,’ could be misconstrued. We did not mean to upset anyone and we apologize. We stand with you and hope to return soon.” In comments under the statement, people accused the band of not “reading the room” and some noted to Flowers that “true brothers honor your land’s sovereignty.” But others came to the band’s defense, urging against discrimination against all Russians for the Kremlin’s actions. Georgia’s current government has been accused of pro-Russian leanings, but the dominating public opinion in the country is pro-Ukrainian. <img src="//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/bbcode/video-preview.png" video="<iframe width="560" height="315" src=" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>" alt="Video Preview">
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 9:02:42 GMT -8
Will He Claim He Was Just Following Orders?
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 9:04:54 GMT -8
We've Seen the Georgia Indictments ... But Wait! There's More.A state agency is moving ahead with plans that will determine whether Lt. Gov. Burt Jones faces criminal charges as part of a scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Jones is one of 30 people who prosecutors said participated in a conspiracy to overturn the election but were not charged in a Fulton County indictment released late Monday. But Jones may yet face charges, and his fate will rest with a special prosecutor who will determine whether further investigation is needed. Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia, said he has reviewed the Fulton County indictment and hopes to appoint a special prosecutor to consider Jones’ actions soon. ... Jones and a handful of other senators pressed for a special legislative session to consider appointing the Trump electors, supported lawsuits that sought to void the results and pressed Vice President Mike Pence to reject the official results when Congress met to certify Biden’s victory. Monday’s Fulton County indictment did not name Jones, but it referenced his efforts to rally support for overturning Biden’s victory. It noted that on Dec. 7, 2020, a tweet by “unindicted co-conspirator Individual 8″ urged Georgians to “call your state Senate & House Reps & ask them to sign the petition for a special session. We must have free & fair elections in GA & this is our only path to ensuring every legal vote is counted.” Following Trump indictment, agency moves on investigation of Lt. Gov. Jones
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 9:08:06 GMT -8
It's Organized Crime and Terrorism
Here's to the Stupidity of 40% or Americans.
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 9:12:27 GMT -8
I Realize the Irony of Inserting a Tweet in this Story
Special counsel obtained Trump DMs despite ‘momentous’ bid by Twitter to delay, unsealed filings show
Judge Beryl Howell lit into Twitter for taking steps to give Donald Trump advance notice about the search warrant.
Ultimately, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell held Twitter (now known as X) in contempt of court in February, fining the company $350,000 for missing a court-ordered deadline to comply with Smith’s search warrant. But the newly unsealed transcripts of the proceedings in her courtroom show that the fine was the least of the punishment. Howell lit into Twitter for taking “extraordinary” and apparently unprecedented steps to give Trump advance notice about the search warrant — despite prosecutors’ warnings, backed by unspecified evidence, that notifying Trump could cause grave damage to their investigation.
“Is this to make Donald Trump feel like he is a particularly welcomed new renewed user of Twitter?” Howell asked.
“Twitter has no interest other than litigation its constitutional rights,” replied attorney George Varghese of WilmerHale, the firm Twitter deploys for much of its litigation.
But Howell returned to the theme repeatedly during the proceedings, wondering why the company was taking “momentous” steps to protect Trump that it had never taken for other uses. In the hearing on Feb. 7, 2023, Howell referenced Musk, asking: “Is it because the new CEO wants to cozy up with the former president?
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 9:20:09 GMT -8
Maybe Ted Should Just Go Back to Cancun
Don't Be So Sure
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 9:24:03 GMT -8
Here Comes the Sun, and I Say, "It's Alright."Amid humanity's hottest-ever summer months, California, home of the hottest place on Earth, has enjoyed a relatively cool and stress-free energy supply. A test of the grid's resolve may be in store this week, as the California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) braces for triple-digit temperatures in the state's inland valleys and deserts. Experts say California's increasing reliance on renewable energy, and its rapidly growing ability to store nature's bounty on lithium-ion batteries, has better prepared it to face a warming planet while also maintaining a device-crazed, climate-controlled lifestyle. "Solar is making heroic appearances during the day this summer," Jan Kleissl, professor of renewable energy and energy flows at the University of California, San Diego, said by email. In May, the grid operator recorded a historic high mark for solar energy production — more than 15,000 megawatts. Cal-ISO in July also celebrated the near doubling, since 2022, of the state's lithium-ion battery storage capacity, critical to ensure renewables like solar energy are usable after dark. In an announcement last month, Cal-ISO said the state's concentration of lithium-ion battery storage was the largest in the world and had reached 5,600 megawatts. Megawatt energy demand this summer has been in the low- to mid-40,000s, Cal-ISO spokesperson Anne F. Gonzalez said. "Batteries are the new kid on the block," Kleissl said. "Batteries are able to shave off the evening peak from 6 to 9 p.m., which greatly relieves the grid stress." Hydroelectric power has also made a strong if not historic showing through summer thanks to the state's record winter snowpack, according to Cal-ISO and state energy experts. Last year, 28% of the energy delivered on an average August day came from renewable sources. In May, the latest month available, that figure was nearly 45%, according to Cal-ISO data. Summer has been no sweat for California's increasingly green energy grid, but the hottest days may still lie ahead
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 9:25:13 GMT -8
Putting the US 3% Inflation in Perspective
The falling cost of gas and electricity helped British inflation slow sharply in July to its lowest level since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine caused prices to skyrocket, but remained at a three-decade high, the country's main statistical agency said Wednesday.
Headline annual Consumer Price Inflation, the pace at which prices are rising, slowed by 1.1% to 6.8% with an almost one-fourth drop in energy inflation, compared to July 2022, providing the largest contribution, according to the latest Office for National Statistics bulletin.
Food prices continued their upward track in July but rose more slowly -- 14.8% compared with 17.3% in July 2022 -- with falls in milk, bread and cereals prices, in particular, helping tame the headline inflation figure.
The annual rate at which the price of goods rose slowed markedly from 8.5% to 6.1% but services price rises gathered pace increasing by 0.2 to 7.4%, their highest level since March 1992 when the services price inflation was 9.5%.
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Post by mhbruin on Aug 16, 2023 9:26:43 GMT -8
Battery Without AssaultThe onshoring of battery manufacturing for EVs started as a trickle during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it’s a tsunami. In 2019, just two battery factories were operating in the United States with another two under construction. Today, there are about 30 battery factories either planned, under construction or operational in the country. U.S. President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law August 16, 2022, might not have been the initial catalyst behind the onshoring battery factory trend. But it did help open the spigot and accelerate the pace of factory projects — not to mention sparking a climate tech arms race with the EU. One year later, we’re here to make sense of it. China long controlled the supply and manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. The country’s grip on that supply chain began to loosen after automakers, hesitant to repeat the chip shortage crisis that hampered manufacturing during the pandemic, began promising to build EVs and batteries closer to home in 2021. What has followed is a wave of automakers and battery makers — foreign and domestic — pledging to produce North American-made batteries before 2030. Tracking the EV battery factory construction boom across North America
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