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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 9:32:13 GMT -8
Church Bulletin Bloopers
Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack's sermons.
Loose Cannon Doesn't Care About the Safety of Witnesses
Special counsel Jack Smith's office revealed a series of threats made to potential witnesses in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.
Federal prosecutors asked U.S. District judge Aileen Cannon in a filing late Wednesday to allow them to file an exhibit under seal, one day after she had ruled against their request to keep some evidence redacted to protect witnesses and investigations, reported ABC News.
"The exhibit describes in some detail threats that have been made over social media to a prospective Government witness and the surrounding circumstances," the filing states, "and the fact that those threats are the subject of an ongoing federal investigation being handled by a United States Attorney's Office."
"Disclosure of the details and circumstances of the threats risks disrupting the investigation," prosecutors added.
READ MORE: Prison president: How Donald Trump could serve from behind bars
Cannon had faulted Smith's team in her order Tuesday for failing to identify the information they wished to redact or explain how public disclosures would jeopardize the integrity of the investigation, but prosecutors responded by saying broader redactions were necessary to keep Donald Trump from learning about some potential witnesses or other key details.
Simply redacting names or other portions of the document could still "provide information to the suspect to which he/she may not otherwise be entitled," prosecutors wrote.
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 9:45:54 GMT -8
Baby Be MineEver since 1929 when Edwin Hubble made the critical discovery that our universe was expanding, scientists have been debating its mechanisms with fierce intensity. The consensus theory was that ‘dark energy’ was behind the expansion, but a fascinating new theory suggests that it’s because our universe keeps colliding and absorbing new smaller ‘baby universes’. Whilst we’ve known for some time that our universe is expanding at an ever-increasing rate, the driving force behind this expansion has, understandably, remained somewhat of a mystery. In order for our current best theory to fit the evidence of cosmic microwave background radiation, physicists around the world have been forced to assume that the universe was filled with something known as dark energy. This dark energy is estimated to contribute to around 68% of all energy in the observable universe but since it doesn’t manifest itself in any way, many scientists are looking for alternative theories that would still fit the evidence. FACT OR FICTION: TikTok theory that you can see two moons due to ‘rare reflection’ debunked One such theory is that our universe is expanding because we keep colliding and absorbing smaller universes, which would explain why the universe keeps expanding faster and faster. New theory suggests our universe is absorbing ‘baby universes’ as it expands
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:07:52 GMT -8
Don't Poop Where You Climb
People climbing Mount Everest will now have to clear up their own poo and bring it back to base camp to be disposed of, authorities have said.
"Our mountains have begun to stink," Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, told the BBC.
The municipality, which covers most of the Everest region, has introduced the new rule as part of wider measures being implemented.
Due to extreme temperatures, excrement left on Everest does not fully degrade.
"We are getting complaints that human stools are visible on rocks and some climbers are falling sick. This is not acceptable and erodes our image," Mr Mingma adds.
Climbers attempting Mount Everest, the world's tallest peak, and nearby Mount Lhotse will be ordered to buy so-called poo bags at base camp, which will be "checked upon their return".
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:10:07 GMT -8
To Be Delinquent on Your Credit Card Debt is Juvenile
Credit card debt has notched another new high.
Americans now owe $1.13 trillion on their credit cards, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday.
Balances jumped 10% from a year ago, according to a separate quarterly credit industry insights report from TransUnion, with the average balance per consumer hitting $6,360, also a historic record.
"Consumers are just spending more," said Charlie Wise, senior vice president of global research and consulting at TransUnion. "Even though the inflation rate is down, that doesn't mean prices are coming down."
Prices are still rising, albeit at a slower pace than they had been.
The consumer price index — a key inflation barometer — has fallen gradually from a 9.1% pandemic-era peak in June 2022 to 3.4% in December 2023.
Meanwhile, households continue to show signs of strain — more cardholders are carrying debt from month to month or falling behind on payments.
Credit card delinquency rates jumped across the board, the New York Fed and TransUnion found. Credit card delinquencies surged more than 50% in 2023, the New York Fed reported. According to TransUnion's research, "serious delinquencies," or those 90 days or more past due, reached the highest level since 2009.
"Consumers are struggling with their payments," Wise said. "I think we will continue to see those delinquencies tick up."
Wealth, Like Love and Youth are Wasted on the Young
Young Americans far outpaced older generations in wealth growth since the pandemic, thanks in part to the boom in stocks, according to Federal Reserve Bank of New York research.
For adults under 40, aggregated wealth jumped by 80% since 2019, compared with 10% for those who are 40 to 54 and 30% for those over 55, New York Fed economists wrote in a blogpost.
The youngest generations, by far the poorest, received much of the Covid-era fiscal stimulus, giving them extra savings to invest in equities, the researchers found.
Stocks boomed during the period — but they also are risky assets that could quickly reverse wealth growth if markets tank.
Overall, the collective wealth of young adults remains a fraction of what older people are able to accumulate over the decades. As of 2019, individuals under 40 held just 5.7% of total US wealth while comprising of 37% of the population, the New York Fed economists wrote.
That also helps explain the outsize wealth growth in percentage terms, compared with older generations.
“The under-40 group experienced a much greater increase in equity portfolio share than the older groups did,” the New York Fed economists wrote. “This increased exposure to equities — the fastest-growing financial asset class during the period — enabled younger adults to record higher growth in both financial assets and overall wealth.”
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:12:20 GMT -8
Nancy Pelosi Could Handle a Slim Majority
Underlying the drama was a banal truth: Speaker Mike Johnson doesn’t have a grip on his caucus. Maybe no one could manage such a thin majority, but his task will be even harder after yesterday’s failure. (Johnson vowed to try again on the Mayorkas impeachment. We’ll see.) The inexperienced Johnson is speaker thanks to Trump, who cheered on conservative rebels against former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and refused to save him. Johnson’s rise was due in part to his starring role in attempts to overturn the 2020 election. (An irony: If McCarthy hadn’t resigned after his ouster, Republicans might have had the votes yesterday.)
Things are barely going better for the Senate Republican caucus. Over recent months, that group hatched what seemed like a clever plan to entrap Democrats. Rather than pass a bill with aid to Ukraine and Israel, which the White House as well as many GOP members wanted, it would tie those issues to tighter security at the southern border. That would force Democrats to support policies that the GOP wanted, or else to vote against them and face political blowback on immigration, Trump’s favorite campaign issue.
“I feel like the guy standing in the middle of a field in a thunderstorm holding up a metal stick,” Lankford lamented last week, before lightning struck. “The reason we’ve been talking about the border is because they wanted to, the persistent critics,” McConnell told Politico. “You can’t pass a bill without dealing with a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate.”
McConnell is right, but no one in his caucus wants to hear it. As for Lankford, his mistake was believing his colleagues when they said they wanted a bill that would tighten the border, and then trying to write one. But the Trump wing of the Republican Party isn’t interested in policy—it’s interested in sending signals. The MAGA crowd would rather impeach Mayorkas, even if they know he won’t be convicted and it won’t change anything, than enact a law that actually affects the border. The point is expression, not legislation.
Mike Johnson is No Nancy Pelosi
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:13:05 GMT -8
Just Say "No"
Ten days ago Joe Biden did something remarkable, and almost without precedent – he actually said no to big oil.
His administration halted the granting of new permits for building liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals, something Washington had been handing out like M&Ms on Halloween for nearly a decade. It’s a provisional “no” – Department of Energy experts will spend the coming months figuring out a new formula for granting the licenses that takes the latest science and economics into account – but you can tell what a big deal it is because of the howls of rage coming from the petroleum industry and its gaggle of politicians.
And you can tell something else too: just how threadbare their arguments have become over time. Biden has called their bluff, and it’s beautiful to watch.
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:15:33 GMT -8
Did Speaker Mike Send Someone to the Hospital to Check the Surgical Schedule?
A ghoulish way to run the government.
Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans were shocked as their impeachment resolution against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas went down in flames on Tuesday by a vote of 214-216. Republicans Ken Buck, Tom McClintock, Blake Moore, and Mike Gallagher voted against the measure. Moore changed his vote to a 'no' at the last second for procedural reasons, after Democratic Rep. Al Green arrived straight from the hospital in a wheelchair and scrubs to make what would be the deciding vote.
Johnson and House Republicans were infuriated by Green's presence at the vote, and apparently had not counted on this possibility. In fact, the vote was planned with Green's absence in mind. Speaker Johnson planned the vote for Tuesday because he thought the Democrats would be down a vote while Green was in surgery.
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:17:43 GMT -8
One American News May Soon Be One Less Cable Network
The president of the far-right cable network One America News solicited additional information from an anonymous tipster who provided “stolen” passwords of Smartmatic employees after the 2020 election, according to emails recently disclosed in court and new allegations from the voting technology company.
The revelation builds on CNN’s previous reporting that OAN President Charles Herring forwarded the purported Smartmatic passwords to ex-Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell within days and later passed it to Mike Lindell. At the time, the two prominent Trump allies were falsely claiming on OAN and other right-wing networks that Smartmatic rigged the election to put Joe Biden in the White House.
Smartmatic claims these email exchanges are evidence of potential crimes by OAN executives, including violations of data privacy and hacking laws, which the network vehemently denies.
Smartmatic is suing OAN for defamation stemming from the 2020 election lies. OAN denies defaming Smartmatic or anyone else, and its lawyers say nobody at OAN broke the law in connection with the alleged passwords.
In a recent court filing, Smartmatic publicly disclosed – for the first time – the original email that OAN received on January 5, 2021, containing the alleged passwords.
Smartmatic also has pending lawsuits against Fox News, Maria Bartiromo, Lot Dobbs, Rudy Guiliani, Jeanne Pirro, and other far-right outlets. They all knew their claims and conspiracy theories on the Smatmatic voting machines were false when they aired them.
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:19:32 GMT -8
Pigs Must Be Flying. Hell Must Have Frozen Over. Trump's Lawyers and the NY AG Agree
New York AG and Trump lawyers tell judge they don’t want to wait for civil fraud verdict
Attorneys representing the defendants in the case said it was “unprecedented, inappropriate and troubling” for the judge to inquire of the parties about Weisselberg’s plea talks and it should not be considered because it was not evidence put before the judge during the trial.
“The only evidence that the Court can consider in rendering its decision is that adduced during the trial,” wrote Cliff Robert, an attorney for the Trumps and Trump properties. “Consideration by the factfinder of matters outside the record, especially speculative news accounts, is simply improper and calls into question the impartiality of the Court,” he added.
Lawyers for New York Attorney General Letitia James said a criminal investigation into perjury could go on indefinitely before it’s resolved, adding that Engoron could later amend his findings.
“At this time, we are not involved in any negotiations and are unaware of what specific trial testimony may be the subject of the plea negotiations or whether Mr. Weisselberg has conceded that he testified falsely,” wrote Kevin Wallace, an assistant attorney general.
“OAG does not, however, believe that this development should result in any delay of a final decision,” Wallace added. “The Court should hold them to account and impose necessary measures to prevent further fraud, including industry bars and the appointment of a monitor with robust oversight, as soon as possible. If additional sanctions are necessary to address any potential perjury, the Court can retain jurisdiction to address those issues.”
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:22:06 GMT -8
Super Bowl Fans Don't Give a Mount Everest Crap About Alejandro Mayorkas
Officials at a Super Bowl press conference Wednesday in Las Vegas cut off a Fox News reporter grilling Alejandro Mayorkas about the House’s failed vote to impeach him. A leading question may have triggered the action.
Mayorkas, the secretary of Homeland Security, was there to discuss protective measures for the game but the subject turned to the Republicans’ stunning defeat by a thin margin in their attempt to impeach him.
“How do you feel this morning after narrowly avoiding impeachment yesterday?” Matt Finn of Fox News asked.
“Oh, I’ve, I’ve answered this question before and I’ll gladly answer it again,” Mayorkas replied. “The allegations are baseless and I’m focused on the work, which was what brings me to Las Vegas today.”
Finn said that Republicans may have the numbers the next time to impeach him and asked: “If that happened, would you consider stepping aside?”
“No, I would not,” Mayorkas answered despite the provocative nature of the question.
Finn attempted to ask another but an official could be heard stopping him.
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:23:56 GMT -8
Today's Tip For Doctors: Don't Remove the Head of a Baby
A Georgia couple is seeking justice for the death last year of their baby during delivery at a Georgia hospital.
The baby, Treveon Isaiah Taylor Jr., died from a broken neck and his head was detached, according to the Clayton County, Georgia, Medical Examiner’s Office, which determined the manner of death a homicide. That means the death was caused by another person, but it does not imply criminal activity. It’s up to local authorities to determine whether criminal charges should be filed in this case.
The parents, Jessica Ross and Treveon Isaiah Taylor Sr., say that the doctor applied “excessive traction” to the baby’s head and neck during the delivery last July and that the hospital tried to cover up the details of death in the aftermath, including the fact that the baby was decapitated, according to a lawsuit filed in August.
It was the funeral home that informed the parents about the decapitation, a discovery that the home’s general manager called “very disturbing.”
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:25:12 GMT -8
They Beat Him Up and He Was Charged with Loud and Disorderly
Members of the Guardian Angels roughed up a man during a live interview on Fox News Tuesday night, then misidentified him as a “migrant” in a primetime segment meant to highlight disorder and crime caused by new arrivals to New York City.
The bizarre altercation played out as Curtis Sliwa, founder of the anti-crime patrol group, was speaking to Sean Hannity from Times Square, flanked by volunteers in their signature red berets and bomber jackets.
As some Guardian Angels began leaving Sliwa's side to attend to an off-screen disturbance, the camera panned to show them confronting an unidentified man, pushing him to the sidewalk and placing him in a headlock.
“In fact, our guys have just taken down one of the migrant guys on the corner of 42nd and 7th where all of this has taken place,” Sliwa told Hannity. Throwing his hands in the air, he added: “They’ve taken over!”
The man is not a migrant, but a New Yorker from the Bronx, police said Wednesday afternoon. Though Sliwa claimed the man had been caught shoplifting, police provided no evidence to support the allegation.
According to a New York Police Department spokesperson, officers arrived to find a man "detained by bystanders” after he allegedly tried to disrupt a live interview. Police said the man was issued a disorderly conduct summons because he was acting in a loud and threatening manner on a public sidewalk.
The spokesperson did not respond to questions about whether any members of the Guardian Angels were under investigation for their role in the altercation.
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:26:13 GMT -8
Are You Tired of So Much Good Jobs News?
The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits in the first week of February fell by 9,000 to 218,000 and indicated that layoffs remain extremely low.
Initial jobless claims declined from a three-month high of 227,000 in the prior week.
New jobless claims are starting to become more normal again after the usual fluctuations during the holiday season stretching from Thanksgiving until Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
What they show is a hot labor market that has cooled slightly but remains remarkably strong.
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Post by mhbruin on Feb 8, 2024 10:31:44 GMT -8
SCOTUS Seems Likely to Keep the Insurrectionist on the Ballot
The Supreme Court on Thursday signaled deep skepticism that Colorado had the power to remove former President Donald Trump from the Republican primary ballot because of his actions trying to overturn the 2020 election results.
A majority of the justices appeared during the two-hour argument to think that states do not have a role in deciding whether a presidential candidate can be barred from running under a provision of the Constitution's 14th Amendment that bars people who "engaged in insurrection" from holding office.
Justices raised concerns about states reaching different conclusions on whether a candidate could run and several indicated that only Congress could enforce the provision at issue.
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