|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 9:40:22 GMT -8
What is the definition of Mistress? Someone between the Mister and Mattress.
Editorial: The Claim that Trump Should Be on the Ballot So the Voters Can Decide.
There are two problems with this argument.
1) The Constitution sets up qualifications to be President. At least 35 years old, natural born citizen, not a traitor. If an 18-year-old wants to run for the Presidency, should we let the voters decide or just conclude that (s)he isn't qualified? I don't think there would be any issue with keeping a kid or a French citizen off the ballot.
2) The voters already decided. In 2020, they rejected Trump. His response was to reject the voters decision and start an insurrection. He ultimately decided to take the actions that disqualify him.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 9:55:44 GMT -8
Many Unhappy ReturnsE-commerce may make shopping more convenient, but it has a dark side that most consumers never see. Say you order an electric toothbrush and two shirts for yourself during a sale on Amazon. You unpack your order and discover that the electric toothbrush won’t charge and only one shirt fits you. So, you decide to return the unwanted shirt and the electric toothbrush. Returns like this might seem simple, and often they’re free for the consumer. But managing those returns can get costly for retailers, so much so that many returned items are simply thrown out. In 2022, returns cost retailers about US$816 billion in lost sales. That’s nearly as much as the U.S. spent on public schools and almost twice the cost of returns in 2020. The return process, with transportation and packaging, also generated about 24 million metric tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions in 2022. Together, costs and emissions create a sustainability problem for retailers and the planet. As a supply chain management researcher, I follow developments in retail logistics. Let’s take a closer look inside the black box of product returns. Inside the black box of Amazon returns
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 9:59:29 GMT -8
I Thought Reporters Weren't Supposed to Get Involved in News Stories "Hey, you fucker, here I am, shoot here!" screamed a Czech reporter trying to distract a gunman who killed 14 people at a university building in Prague on Thursday, helping people to flee the country's worst mass shooting. Jiri Forman, a reporter for a small security-focused news outfit who said he had experience in war zones, evaded fire from the gunman who was perched on a balcony on the top floor of Charles University's Faculty of Art. While ducking behind a corner in a square below, he kept feeding information to police outside and urged them to fire back, while filming continuously on his phone. Asked by an officer what was he doing, Forman is heard in the footage shouting: "So that he doesn't shoot at the people! What do you think I'm am I doing, man? There are people there!" I Am Glad This One Did. Je to hrdina!'Shoot here!': reporter screams at Prague gunman to help people flee
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:03:11 GMT -8
Texas Fights "Crime" Whereever They Find It
The Texas attorney general's office is seeking to force Seattle Children's Hospital to hand over medical records of Texas residents who might have received gender-affirming care at the facility, prompting the hospital to file suit against the attorney general this month.
The attorney general's consumer protections division is investigating Seattle Children's and physicians associated with the hospital for possible violations of Texas' Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act, including "misrepresentations regarding Gender Transitioning Treatments and Procedures and Texas law," the office stated in subpoenas issued to the hospital.
The subpoenas, issued Nov. 17, demand that the hospital provide records about minor Texas residents treated anytime beginning Jan. 1, 2022, including details about gender-related issues and care.
The demands are part of a yearslong effort by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton and the state GOP to eliminate gender-affirming care for minors in the state, which in some cases has driven families with transgender children to move to states such as Washington.
Gender-affirming care measures that are legal for minors in Washington — including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and certain surgeries — became illegal in Texas in September after the Legislature passed Senate Bill 14. Long before that law went into effect, Abbott ordered Child Protective Services to investigate families of transgender children reported to be receiving puberty blockers or hormone therapy.
Meanwhile, Texas ranks as the 11 th most dangerous state in the nation, according to a report from 24/7 Wall Street culled from FBI crime data.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:07:18 GMT -8
No Cash for TrashHere's a cheery holiday thought: Republican campaign committees are sucking wind heading into 2024. Atop the crumbling GOP pyramid sits the Republican National Committee with just $9,956,381 cash on hand at the end of November (the Democratic National Committee ended October with $17.7 million cash on hand). RNC staffers are tightening their belts and searching for answers with no relief in sight. The RNC's desperate straits really come into focus when comparing today's numbers to those of recent years.  The Republican National Committee had roughly $63 million cash on hand in 2019 heading into the last presidential cycle. Yikes. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which struggled to keep pace with candidate needs in the 2022 midterms, closed out November with $7,722,053 cash on hand, less than half what the committee had heading into the 2020 presidential cycle and less than a third of its holdings at the end of November in 2020 and 2021, before Sen. Rick Scott took over and nearly bankrupted the group. For comparison, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ended November with $17.1 million cash on hand.  The one GOP committee that isn't a total shambles is the National Republican Campaign Committee, which benefited much of the year from the fundraising savvy of ousted leader Kevin McCarthy. Last month, the NRCC announced bringing in a record $9 million haul, beating its 2021 off-year November record by nearly $2 million, according to The Hill. The NRCC reported ending November with $41.4 million cash on hand, rather comparably situated to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's $48.8 cash on hand. Republican donors give GOP committees the Scrooge treatment
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:16:43 GMT -8
The Days of the Permanent QOP Majority in Wisconsin Are Over.
Wisconsin Supreme Court rules state legislative maps are unconstitutional and must be redrawn
The Supreme Court of Wisconsin ruled 4-3 that the state legislature’s assembly district maps are unconstitutional under the Wisconsin Constitution on Wednesday and ordered new remedial maps to be drawn for the 2024 elections.
Justice Jill J. Karofsky authored the majority opinion of the court. Karofsky noted that Article IV Sections 4 and 5 of the Wisconsin Constitution mandate that congressional maps be made up of contiguous territory. Under this contiguity requirement, Karofsky found that congressional districts must be made up of physically adjoining territories and cannot be made up of separate or detached territories. Finding that several assembly districts contain detached parts that are not touching, Karofsky concluded that the state’s current legislative map is unconstitutional.
I Don't Know if This Applies to US Congressional Districts
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:19:16 GMT -8
There is a Major Epidemic of Stupid in the US that Can Lead to a Major Health Problem
Exemptions for immunizations required in school are on the rise in the U.S., leading to concerns among medical experts that diseases like measles could soon make a comeback in many states.
In November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that exemptions for immunizations required in school is the highest ever recorded in U.S. history – increasing to an average 3.0% in the 2022-2023 school year, with 10 states now reporting exemptions exceeding 5%. This leaves both vaccinated and unvaccinated children vulnerable to disease outbreaks including measles, experts say.
"There's 9 million people in this country who can't be vaccinated. They depend on those around them to protect them," Dr. Paul Offit, a virologist and vaccine advocate, told ABC News.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:20:40 GMT -8
When They Have a Mass Shooting, Everything Stops.
The Czech Republic came to a standstill at noon Saturday as people across the country observed a minute of silence as part of a national day of mourning to honor the victims of the worst mass killing in Czech history.
National flags on public buildings were at half-staff and bells tolled at noon. A Mass at St. Vitus cathedral in Prague, the biggest in the country, was celebrated for the victims. President Petr Pavel and speakers of both houses of Parliament attended the service that was open to everyone.
When We Have a Mass Shooting, It's Another Day
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:22:39 GMT -8
Christmas Just Got a Little Merrier Due to Santa Joe
President Joe Biden announced Friday he's issuing a federal pardon to every American who has used marijuana in the past, including those who were never arrested or prosecuted.
The sweeping pardon applies to all U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents in possession of marijuana for their personal use and those convicted of similar federal crimes. It also forgives pot users in the District of Columbia. It does not apply to individuals who have been jailed for selling the drug, which is illegal under federal law, or other marijuana offenses such as driving under the influence of an illegal substance.
The implication of Biden's pardon promises to have significant implications, as criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. However, the pardons do not apply to people who violated state law, and anyone who wants to receive proof of a pardon will have to apply through the Department of Justice.
Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.
Biden issued a similar pardon last year and promised future reforms. This year's proclamation went further in that it forgave all instances of simple marijuana use or possession under federal law, including for individuals who have never been charged. It also expands Biden's previous directive to include minor marijuana offenses committed on federal property.
The White House says thousands of people with federal and district convictions will be eligible for the pardons, which Biden announced three days before the Christmas holiday.
In a statement, Biden said Americans should not be sent to prison solely for using or possessing marijuana. He urged governors to forgive state offenses.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:25:32 GMT -8
A brief history of the end of the world: Every mass extinction, including the looming next one, explained
No species lasts forever — extinction is part of the evolution of life. But at least five times, a biological catastrophe has engulfed the planet, killing off the vast majority of species from water and land over a relatively short geological interval. The most famous of these mass extinction events — when an asteroid slammed into Earth 66 million years ago, dooming the dinosaurs and many other species — is also the most recent. But scientists say it won’t be the last. Many researchers argue we’re in the middle of a sixth mass extinction, caused not by a city-size space rock but by the overgrowth and transformative behavior of a single species — Homo sapiens. Humans have destroyed habitats and unleashed a climate crisis. Calculations in a September study published in the journal PNAS have suggested that groups of related animal species are disappearing at a rate 35% times higher than the normally expected rate. And while every mass extinction has winners and losers, there is no reason to assume that human beings in this case would be among the survivors. Can You Really Write a History of the End of the World? If the World Ends, There is No One Left to Write It. And Who Would Read It?
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:27:00 GMT -8
Happy Llama Days!
The Portland International Airport in Oregon understands holiday travel is stressful. So this season, it invited a few specialists to help passengers manage their cortisol levels. Over three visits this month, Beni and Prince doled out their brand of medicine.
“You can hug them close, and their thick fiber is so soft,” Lori Gregory said of her llamas. “They’re just very unique animals compared to most other therapy animals. They got the total package.”
Airports around the globe use a variety of methods to inject some Zen into one of the busiest travel periods of the year. They decorate their halls in holiday lights, host carolers and concerts, and bring in therapy dogs for group canine counseling.
Portland does all of the above. True to the city’s quirky spirit, it also invites local camelids to the airport to canoodle with passengers. That’s where Gregory, president and founder of Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas & Alpacas, comes in.
“PDX has an ongoing partnership with various therapy animal programs,” said Allison Ferre, media relations manager with the Port of Portland, which operates the airport. “So this year, when we were bringing back holiday concessions programing, we just thought, “Who better to lead that parade than the llamas and alpacas?”
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:30:00 GMT -8
Fusion is 20 Years Away from Being Practical. It Has Been 20 Years Away for the Last 50 Years.Behind the glass doors of an unassuming office building in Everett, Washington, sits a machine designed to harness the power of the sun. And maybe one day it will. Zap Energy hopes to use its Z-pinch device to generate bountiful electricity with nuclear fusion. Fusion is what powers the sun, and if it can work here on Earth, it may produce almost 4 million times the energy of fossil fuels like coal or oil. As the climate crisis worsens, some see fusion as the ticket to abundant, fossil-fuel-free energy. However, critics say the technology is too far behind to make a meaningful impact on the problem in the next few decades. That said, Zap Energy hopes to have a pilot plant running in the next few years, though it doesn't have a firm date for the goal. "Zap Energy is still doing some fundamental R and D," Ben Levitt, vice president of the company's research and development, told Business Insider during a recent visit to the company offices. "We're kind of building the plane as we fly." Inside Zap Energy, the Bill Gates-backed company that wants to bring fusion power to the electrical grid
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:31:19 GMT -8
Bad News for the Oregon DucksNike sounded another alarm on China's economy, signaling that weak consumer demand may continue hanging over companies that do business there despite Beijing's efforts to stimulate growth. In its fiscal second-quarter report late Thursday, the sports apparel giant beat earnings views, but its 1% revenue gain to $13.39 billion missed forecasts for $13.43 billion. Greater China sales rose 4% to $1.86 billion, below the expected $1.95 billion as growth slowed from the prior quarter. Nike also cut its full-year sales forecast to a 1% gain from its prior view for mid-single-digits growth. And management announced plans to reduce costs by as much as $2 billion over the next three years. Nike's warnings on China should scare other companies that do business there
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:32:52 GMT -8
Time to Wake Up
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Dec 23, 2023 10:34:59 GMT -8
Lindsey Grahaan Knows What South Carolinians Care About. Restaurants on the New York Thruway.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has declared “war” over a New York bill that poses a conflict with Chick-fil-A’s “closed on Sundays” policy.
The South Carolina senator took to social media on Friday to criticize New York State officials over the bill, which would require restaurants that are part of the state’s highway system rest areas to be open seven days a week.
The bill “wouldn’t immediately apply” to restaurants currently operating at the state rest areas, but would impact future contracts for food service there, The Associated Press noted.
“This is war,” wrote Graham in defense of the fast-food chain, which has maintained founder S. Truett Cathy’s policy for employees to use Sundays to spend time with family or worship.
Graham later shared a picture of him in front of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in midtown Manhattan, a location that wouldn’t be impacted if the bill were to become law, to “send a clear message.”
Cluck You, Lindsey!
|
|
