Australias path to net zero emissions isnt so much rocky as it breathtakingly foolish. That is unless were all okay with wide-scale habitat destruction both here and overseas) while wasting trillions of dollars in the process. Geoff Russell weighs in on the renewables vs nuclear debate, which seems to be going from the bizarre to the absurdum.

Mathematicians often use a form of proof called Reductio ad absurdum. If you want to prove something is false, then assume its true and see what that implies. If the implication is false or contrary to something we know is true, then the job is done.

Heres an example. Suppose Jill and Joe are having a discussion. Joe believes in the power of prayer and Jill wants to prove that praying for something doesnt work.

JOE: If I pray, then I can pass my exam.

Jill assumes prayer works and so tries to see what that implies.

JILL: If prayer works, then few, if any Christians would ever have died from cancer.

Thats true if most Christians with a cancer diagnosis respond by praying not to die (from the cancer).

Jill: So, since many Christians die of cancer (every day), prayer doesnt work.

Theres a bit of slack in that argument. Maybe Christians dont all take to prayer when given a cancer diagnosis, and maybe some die without being diagnosed. A mathematician doing mathematics would be more rigorous, but Reductio arguments are often used in this rough and ready way.

Of course, you can escape the argument by exploiting a common loop hole.

Joe: Prayer definitely works, just not all the time and only if you are devout.

Enter Net Zero Australia.

 

Best laid plans

All over the world, research groups are producing net-zero plans of one kind or another. The latest local work came out in April 2023, from Net Zero Australia (NZAU).

NZAU is a consortium of universities and consulting companies, with most of the people being from Melbourne University.

...

One of the challenging things about Roseanne Barr, at least over the past few years, has been working out whether or not she has a genuine mental illness (and is thus being exploited by morally bankrupt media types) or if, in fact, shes simply just a spectacularly shit human.

Unfortunately, Barrs latest media outing a bizarre, sycophantic, shouty interview from renowned whinging Pom Piers Morgan does nothing to solve the question. But first the brief background.

Morgan had Barr on overnight because, once again, the former comedian turned sitcom star has hit the headlines for saying things that, well, in the cold light of day look more stupid rant than funny. Which, unless youre Donald Trump, cant be put down to a deliberate career choice.

In Barrs case, at the end of last month she appeared on fellow comedian Theo Vons podcast, where, among many other wildly outlandish statements, she sarcastically claimed that Joe Biden had definitely won the 2020 presidential election over Trump. Barr, in case youve missed it, is a trenchant election denier, and so, to underscore her sarcasm, she also pretended to be a Holocaust denier. Which is never a good idea.

[Biden got 81 million votes in 36 districts]. That is the truth, and nobody died in the Holocaust either. Thats the truth. It should happen, six million Jews should die right now because they cause all the problems in the world but it never happened, Barr said.

In Barrs funny defence, she also told Von that Hollywood was full of Jews and that Americans should be grateful because if that wasnt the case, all youd have is f***ing fishing shows. But unfortunately for Barr, while sections of the left did indeed try to misuse the statements to make out Barr was genuinely anti-Semitic (it was clearly satirical and Barr is, in fact, Jewish), it still went down like a lead balloon within the Jewish community.

Jonathan Greenblatt from the Anti-Defamation League lead the charge: Sarcasm or not, Roseanne Barrs comments about Jews and the Holocaust are reprehensible and irresponsible.

And speaking of that, enter Piers Morgan, who was obviously hopeful he might wring a bit more out of the fortnight-old controversy. Morgan also apparently mistakenly believed he had an ally and friend in Roseanne Barr, who, like himself, has repeatedly been silenced and cancelled for her views (well let the fact Morgan has his own television show, and Barr her own publicist for a national tour fly through to the keeper).

...

My interview with Melbournes Triple R Radio program, The Grapevine, about my new book, The Palestine Laboratory:

The Palestine Laboratory is a new book by journalist Antony Loewenstein that documents how Israels subjugation of the Palestinian people serves as a testing ground for weapons and surveillance systems that are then exported around the world.

Built on extensive research, interviews and on-the-ground reporting, the book draws on modern events including Harvey Weinstein, 9/11 and the current crisis in Ukraine to show the consequences of a military industrial complex that facilitates the persecution of groups in many parts of the world.

Antony joined Dylan and Kulja on The Grapevine to talk through it all.

Whats happening in Palestine is not staying there the occupation is being exported The technologies and tools that Israel has developed over decades whether its spyware drones or facial recognition technology is now a massive export business to countless countries around the world.

The post Melbournes Triple R radio on The Palestine Laboratory appeared first on Antony Loewenstein.

One of the outcomes from the Robodebt Royal Commission is a secret chapter that recommends civil action or criminal prosecutions. Years overdue, and far too lateb for deceased victims, but better late than never.

This postings URL: https://wp.me/p1n8TZ-3mo

Below are extracts from the report:

I have provided to you an additional chapter of the report which has not been included in the bound report and is sealed. It recommends the referral of individuals for civil action or criminal prosecution....

J.G.Olsen / Financial Expositor

The Present:

There are now so many syst...

Contributed by Joe Montero

The Holmes Royal Commission has produced a damning report on Robodebt and presented 57 recommendations Robodebt has been confirmed as one of the biggest scandals in Australia history. Maybe it doesnt offer a clear alternative. But at least it does help shine a torch on a great injustice and found that it was illegal.

A clear outline of how the victims were targeted and made examples of for accepting payments from Centrelink was given. As was how vilification, the hard to navigate process, and the assignment of blame without proof, were used as weapons.

Robodebt was not a mistake, nor was it the result of bad legal advice. This was a deliberate policy to play the blame game for failed economic and social government policies, and in line with the application of neoliberalism. Robodebt and the pain it brought were deliberately intended to force as many as possible into the cheap labour market.

Every indicator suggests a likely connection between corruption in politics and corruption in business, through the granting of lucrative contracts.

We know that the way individuals were treated resulted in immense stress, despair, ill health, and that drove some to suicide. The trauma caused extended to families and impacted on communities.

In the preface to her report, Catherine Holmes noted that the incidence of fraud was miniscule.  This didnt prevent ministers and other politicians from blowing this out of proportion, to justify what was happening.

Now that Robodebt has become scandal, there is no shortage of politicians tut tutting about how terrible it was. They omit that part about the broad bipartisan support for it. There is a smell of insincerity here. The exception is former prime minister Scott Morrison, who continues to deny any wrong.

Cartoon by Megan Herbert

Robodebt was exposed through the effort of many of its victims, their supporters, and of course, the critical role played by whistleblowers within the system. If the politicians had not gone missing at the time, there wouldnt have been Robodebt.

The first recommendation in the report involves treating Centrelink recipients with respect and dignity, putting an end to the use of stigmatising language, and creating a process that is user friendly and efficient.

Instead of this, the post Robodebt system has delive...

Above recent photograph: Two old Sydney gays. Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating with Sydney radio shock jock Alan Jones.

I dont know who Paul Keatings live-in gay partner is.

Below photograph: former Australian Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

...

The AI for Good global summit hosted by the UN tech agency invited a panel of robots and their creators to a press conference to answer questions from reporters.

Introduction

From time to time, someone will bring up the topic of "Zodiac." By this, they mean either "Zodiac" is one name for the MJ-12 cover-up group, or "Zodiac" is the name of a crashed UAP retrieval program. Bits of information are scattered in a number of places, so I thought it would be useful to bring together the threads of information which I have come across while researching "Zodiac."

1998 UFO Magazine

Sedge-Masters.pdf (richarddolanmembers.com)

An intriguing article appeared in the May/June 1998 (Vol.13 No.3) issue of "UFO Magazine." Titled, "Deep files Trans "X" Communique:Letter to a UFO Recruit," it is attributed to "Greg Halifax." The editor of the magazine prefaced the article with the following:

"What you're about to read is largely unverified...But that doesn't mean it's not true. It's the type of UFO information that will typically be deeply buried, then carefully studied and compartmentalized by a small faction within the intelligence community, as suits any sensitive black operation. As such straightforward corroboration is difficult at best. But UFO Magazine has the advantage of more than a decade's worth of collected bits of information and broad-based facts on which to construct some fair extrapolations, drawn from a range of sources. The following incident reflects upon one of the blackest of American covert operations - that deals directly with the UFO phenomenon."

The article

The article relates that a character called "Sedge Masters" who was recruited by the CIA and briefed on an assignment at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The briefing letter...

Im looking forward to visiting New Zealand between 17 and 21 July to discuss The Palestine Laboratory. Aside from the four public events listed here, Ill also be meeting religious communities, politicians, activists and journalists.

The post Aotearoa/New Zealand book tour for The Palestine Laboratory appeared first on Antony Loewenstein.

My interview with one of New Zealands leading news programs, Saturday Morning with Kim Hill, to discuss my new book, The Palestine Laboratory:

Australian-German investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein argues Israel has used occupied Palestinian territories as a testing ground to develop weaponry and surveillance technology.

In his new book The Palestine Laboratory Loewenstein pulls together secret documents, interviews and contemporary reporting to argue Israel exports the resulting technology to other international conflicts.

Antony Loewenstein has written for The Guardian, and The New York Times, His books include Pills, Powder and Smoke, and the best selling Disaster Capitalism.

Antony Loewenstein is touring New Zealand later this month.

The post Radio New Zealand interview on The Palestine Laboratory appeared first on Antony Loewenstein.

Hi to all my great mates! This is a group message to bring you all up to speed on what have been some quite tumultuous days for me! Last Tuesday I went to what was meant to be an innocuous, run-of-the-mill CAT scan of my heart and the arteries which...

[A series of emails from G5]

by G5

Squadrons of SU-57s

Yesterday: US-NATO shit bricks as Russia wheeled out squadrons of SU-57s led by squadrons of SU-25s.

A little infrastructure adjustment for American Ukraine, while stretching wings.

Very serious overkill, as US-NATO have literally nothing to match SU-57s.

The birth of The FA-35 being one of the great comedy theatre of world military history. Keep singing the song, and one day you might believe it. A reminder that both The NATO and US navies exist at the pleasure of unmatchable Russian Air Supremacy.

A leisurely button pushing would extinguish all US-NATO naval assets.all. They know it. The Russians know it. And they know the Russians know they know it. Why do you think US-NATO has not fired a missile into Ukraine beyond their theatre junk? Being reserved you think. Look at their disgraceful history.

US-NATO brick shitting is not a new experience. The Berlin Air...

QUESTION: Is it true that Zelensky is canceling elections?

HZ

ANSWER: On June 22, 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a dictator installed by the West to create World War III against Russia. Zelensky told the BBC that Ukraines scheduled 2023 parliamentary and 2024 presidential elections would occur only if martial law had ended by that time, as reported by the New Voice of Ukraine. Hence, he has a personal reason not to seek any peace whatsoever.

There is NO WAY Zelensky is fighting for democracy -0 this is all propaganda. He hates Russians and refuses to allow them to separate as per the Mink Agreement and, at the same time, refuses them to vote in any Ukrainian election, no less for their independence. Zelensky is an outright war criminal, and over 8 million Ukrainians have now fled their own country because he refuses to end the war and is destroying his own country all for Blackrocks investment scheme. His own people would remove him from office, so he cannot allow any election, and there is no way NATO or the USA will allow free elections in Ukraine.

 

 

There is no way this war will end without the Donbas destruction and Russias fall. It is a proxy war that the United States started. CIA chief John Brennan traveled to Kiev in 2014 and instructed them to begin the civil war. Kiev called the Russians of the Donbas terrorist because they sought independence from LKiev just as Kiev sought independence from Moscow.

...

FROM 2022: James answers an intriguing question about Gulf War embedded reporting that goes in a very unexpected direction.

Im sorry, the last day to register for the International Conference on Creationism was 3 July, so its too late for you. It will be held at Cedarville University, a glorified Bible college in Ohio.

Its sponsored by a fine assortment of organizations dedicated to promoting ignorance:

• Answers in Genesis https://answersingenesis.org/
• Apologetics Press https://apologeticspress.org/
• Biblical Science Institute https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/
• Canyon Ministries https://www.canyonministries.org/
• Central Pennsylvania Creation Fellowship https://www.centralpacreationfellowship.org/
• Clearly Seen Events https://www.creationconf.com/
• Core Academy of Science https://coresci.org/
• Cornerstone Educational Supply https://cornerstone-edsupply.com/
• Creation Ministries International https://creation.com/
• Creation Research Society https://www.creationresearch.org/
• CREAVIT http://michael.oards.net/
• Ellen McHenrys Basement Workshop https://ellenjmchenry.com/
• Evidence Press, Inc. https://evidencepress.com/
• Genesis Apologetics https://crev.info/
• Institute for Creation Research https://www.icr.org/
• International Association for Creation https://associationforcreation.org/
• New Creation Blog https://newcreation.blog/
• NJBibleScience https://njbiblescience.org/
• ...

Im stealing a fascinating thread on Twitter from Kathleen DePlume. In some ways, its unsurprising: if you compound the natural variation in enough parameters, youll discover that everyone is unique. Its a question of including broad tolerances, and the real question ishow broad do they have to be to accommodate 99% of humanity? And another question would bedont the remaining 1% deserve a place as well? The math is nifty but it isnt the whole of human reality.

So, did you ever wonder why car seats and seatbelts are so wonderfully adjustable? It all goes back to cockpit manufacture.

The USAF wanted to make aircraft with seats and belts fitted to the normal airman; the tolerances werent too wide, but lots of fellas are normal, right?

Wrong.

As it turned out, hilariously wrong.

You see, they measured several thousand enlisted men (just men these were the dark times before women were people) on just a few things.

Leg length, knee to ankle, hip to knee, various seat measurements. Seating height to shoulder.

Shoulder width. Arm length. Shoulder to elbow, elbow to wrist.

You get the point.

Measurements that would allow the cockpit and belts to be correct and safe, as long as they were close enough to the normal specifications.

So, after taking these measurements a great undertaking, the measures got so good at it that they could do all 38* measurements in under 2 minutes they analysed the data.

*I might be misremembering the exact number

They figured if every measurement had tolerances that fit 30% or so normal men, then theyd lose a few percent to the abnormally shaped weirdos (you know the ones people whose arms are way longer than their height, or who have tiny hands compared to their feet?) theyd still fit at least 20% of their potential pilots into the custom measured Everyman cockpits, right?

Wrong.

So, so very wrong.

How many pilots do you think fit in the normal measurements on all 38 metrics?

Go on, take a guess. Ill wait.

Actually, no I wont, because Im writing this as a thread.

Zero. The answer is zero.

Not a single soldier was within tolerances on all measurements.

Out of thousands and thousands of airmen measured, every last man was abnormal on at least one.

It turns out that while yes, arm length and leg length arent exactly independent (if youre tall you probably have long arms AND long legs), their r-value isnt anything like high enough...

Ash Kash Cause Of Death

The untimely death of Ash Kash has left many bewildered and searching for answers. As an expert, Ill delve into the possible causes of Ash Kashs death to shed light on this tragic event.

While the specific cause of Ash Kashs death has not been confirmed, speculation and rumors continue to swirl. Its important to approach this topic with sensitivity and accuracy, considering the lack of official information available at the moment.

In such situations, its crucial to await an official statement or report from authorities to determine the cause of death. Speculation can often lead to misinformation and further distress for those involved. As we await more information on the untimely passing of Ash Kash, its essential to respect the privacy of their loved ones during this difficult time.

Please note that the details surrounding Ash Kashs cause of death are subject to investigation. It is vital to rely on verified sources and official statements for accurate and up-to-date information. As they navigate this tragic loss, our thoughts go out to Ash Kashs family, friends, and fans.

The Facts Surrounding Ash Kashs Death

With a heavy heart, I delve into the tragic circumstances surrounding Ash Kashs untimely passing. The details surrounding Ash Kashs cause of death are still unclear, leaving many of us searching for answers and struggling to come to terms with the loss. Lets examine the available information to illuminate this devastating event.

1. Limited Information:

There is limited public information about the specific cause of Ash Kashs death. Authorities diligently investigate the circumstances to determine what led to this tragic outcome.

While frustrating, the lack of concrete details requires us to exercise patience and allow the investigative process to unfold.

2. Respect for Privacy:

Its important to respect the privacy and grieving process of Ash Kashs family and loved ones during this difficult time. Speculation and spreading unverified information can be detrimental and further compound their pain.

We can support those affected by this loss by demonstrating sensitivity and empathy.

3. Remembering Ash Kashs Legacy:

Ash Kash was known for their contributions to the arts and their impact on the community. Focusing on their positive influence and celebrating their accomplishments is crucial, rather than solely fixating on their cause of death.

By preserving and honoring Ash Kashs memory, we can contribute to a narrative highlighting their artistic talents and meaningful connections.

While seeking answers and closure is natural, it is important to allow authorities and Ash Kashs loved ones the spa...

Earth is home to 14 "eight-thousanders," summits that top off at more than 8,000 meters, or 26,247 feet, above sea level. All of these grand mountains tower over the Himalayas, the highest place in the world. But our planet is dynamic could there have been additional peaks like these, since lost? "We wanted to know whether, 830 years ago, the Earth and the Himalayas had one more," says Jrme Lav, a geomorphologist at the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Lorraine in France. The answer, according to Lav and his colleagues, appears to be yes. In a new paper, published in the journal Nature on July 6, they've found evidence of an ancient landslide that reshaped South Asia's geography and linked that to the collapse of a peak that would have once been one of the tallest mountains on Earth. Lav says his team first spotted the fingerprints of this medieval landslide not in the Himalayas, but far to the south, near the India-Nepal border, in the...

This was QUITE a week for some excellent stories and articles, so my thanks to all of you taking the time to spot and send

The post TIDBITS: THIS WEEKS HONOURABLE MENTIONS appeared first on The Giza Death Star.

If ever there was an instance of such a hideous failing in government policy and its cowardly implementation by the public service, Australias cruel, inept and vicious Robodebt program would have to be one of them.

Robodebt was a scheme developed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and submitted as a budget measure by the then Minister for Social Services, Scott Morrison, in 2015.  Its express purpose: to recover claimed overpayments from welfare recipients stretching back to the 2010-11 financial year.  The automated scheme used a deeply flawed income averaging method to assess income and benefit entitlements, yielding inaccurate results.  Vitally, the assumption there was that recipients had stable income through the financial year.  The scheme also failed to comply with the income calculation provisions of the Social Security Act 1991 (Cth).

The results were disastrous for the victims in receipt of crude, harrying debt notices.  The scheme induced despair and mental ruin.  It led to various instances of suicide.  It saw a concerted government assault on the poor and vulnerable.  A remorseless campaign was waged by such unwholesome types as the former human services minister, Alan Tudge, ever keen to libel the undeserving.  Media outlets such as A Current Affair were more than happy to provide platforms for the demonising effort.  We will find you, he told the program, we will track you down, and you will have to repay those debts, and you may end up in prison.

The grotesque policy eventually caught the ire of the courts, which ruled the scheme unlawful.  That, along with a change in government, eventually led to the establishment of a Royal Commission, whose findings by Commissioner Catherine Holmes were released on July 7.  They make for grim reading.

While it will take time to wade through a report running over 1,000 pages, it is fitting to single out a few of the rogues who played starring roles of lasting infamy in the robodebt drama.  Who better to start with than the former Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, whose relationship with the truth continues to be strained and estranged.

In December 2014, Morrison was appointed Minister for Social Services.  He immediately wanted to impress with his promised scalping of alleged welfare cheats and scroungers.  Wishing to make an impression he, unusually, held direct meetings with the secretary of the DHS, Kathryn Campbell, to tease out what would become the robodebt proposal.  Concern from legal officers and senior staff within the Department of Social Services (DSS) about the legal compliance of the program were ignored or dismissed.

The Commission duly rejected as untrue Mr Morrison...

PMID:  J Perianesth Nurs. 2023 Apr ;38(2):206-212. Epub 2023 Feb 1. PMID: 36732122 Abstract Title:  Implementation of Aromatherapy, a Nonpharmacological Intervention, to Reduce Anxiety During the Preoperative Period. Abstract:  PURPOSE: The purpose of the project was to answer the following question: Does the implementation of aromatherapy before surgery reduce preoperative anxiety in adult surgical patients undergoing elective surgery?DESIGN: This evidence-based project was a quality improvement initiative that used pre- and poststate anxiety evaluations to determine the effect of aromatherapy on preoperative anxiety among adults undergoing elective surgery.METHODS: The project team conducted a literature review to evaluate the appropriateness of using aromatherapy to decrease preoperative anxiety. The team delivered pre- and postaromatherapy State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAIAD) Short form Y-1 questionnaire and administered an aromatherapy diffuser clip comprised of three evidence-based scented oils to determine the effect of aromatherapy on preoperative anxiety among adults undergoing elective surgery.FINDINGS: Pre- and postaromatherapy (STAIAD) Short Form Y-1 questionnaires indicated that exposure to aromatherapy significantly reduced preoperative anxiety. There was a statistically and clinically significant difference in state anxiety score after aromatherapy exposure, with a mean state change of 17.42 points (P

read more

Due to the anonymity cryptocurrencies provide, the crypto industry is known to be targeted by hackers and other malicious players. This has left many wondering just how much digital currency has been pilfered from right under the nose of the industry over the years.

 Now, the latest report by blockchain security firm SlowMist seems to have the answer. According to the recently released report, hackers and scammers have made off with a staggering $30 billion in cryptocurrency since 2012. 

Details Of The Report

The SlowMist team analyzed 1,101 hacking incidents to determine how much crypto has been stolen to date and how they were stolen. Their findings show that hackers and scammers employ a variety of methods, with the top ones being contract vulnerability attacks, rug pulls, flash loan attacks, scams, leaking of private keys, and good old phishing attacks to gain access to peoples crypto accounts and wallets. 

The most lucrative year for malicious players came in 2021 during the extended crypto hype, with over $9.7 billion stolen in 236 attacks. 

In total, the amount stolen in the last decade came up to a little over $30 billion. And given that the overall market cap of all cryptocurrencies is now at $1.14 trillion, the amount reported stolen is over 2.5% of the total market cap.

Exchanges And Ethereum Ecosystem Hit The Most

Exchanges have always long been a prime target for hackers looking to steal crypto due to their large holdings and the SlowMist report reflects that. 

In total, over 118 attacks were carried out on exchanges, resulting in over $10.9 billion being lost. The biggest of these could be traced back to the $534 million lost in the 2018 Japanese exchange Coincheck hack and the 2014 Mt. Gov hack resulting in a loss of over $473 million.

...

WV-DEP to Hold Public Meeting and to Extend the Public Comment Period

From the Division of Air Quality, WV DEP, Charleston, WV, June 7, 2023

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protections Division of Air Quality (DAQ) will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, July 20, 2023, to provide information and receive comments regarding Thunder Mountain Environmental Services LLCs air quality permit application.

Thunder Mountain Environmental Services has proposed to construct a waste to energy facility, which will consist of converting medical waste to a synthetic gas by means of a gasifier, to be located at 5334B Point Pleasant Road, Ravenswood, Jackson County, West Virginia, at 39.923499 latitude and -81.795688 longitude.

The WV DAQ will hold the public meeting virtually at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, 2023. Instructions for providing oral comments at the virtual public meeting are provided below. Representatives from the WV DAQ will conduct the meeting regarding the construction application submitted by Thunder Mountain Environmental Services on June 2, 2022.

To participate online or by telephone, registration is required by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

To register, please complete the registration form at: https://forms.gle/u5KFk3Y3REATHgDE8.

To register to provide oral comments, please indicate yes you want to provide oral comments on the record when you register. A confirmation email will be sent with information on how to join the public meeting. If you do not have internet access and want to register to participate via telephone, please contact Nicole Ernest at (304) 926-0499 x41256. Oral comments are limited to five (5) minutes. Video demonstrations and screen sharing by commenters is not permitted.

Written comments on this Project R13-3563 must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, 2023:
Email written comments to Edward.S.Andrews@wv.gov with Thunder Mountain Environmental Services Comments in the subject line, or
Mail hard copy comments to Edward Andrews, WV Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Air Quality, 601 57th Street, SE, Charleston, WV 25304.

Instructions for d...

Uber, DoorDash Sue New York City Over Minimum Wage Law (Maria)

The author writes, Uber Technologies Inc., DoorDash Inc. and other app-based food delivery companies filed lawsuits on Thursday seeking to strike down New York Citys novel law setting a minimum wage for delivery workers. The companies filed separate complaints in New York state court claiming the law, which takes effect July 12, is based on a misunderstanding of how the food delivery industry works. Grubhub Inc joined DoorDash in its lawsuit. The law will require companies to pay delivery workers $17.96 an hour, which will rise to nearly $20 in April 2025.

 

The New Power Couple Taking on Wall Street: J.D. Vance and Elizabeth Warren (Sean)

From Politico: Sen. J.D. Vance the Trump-backing former venture capitalist is trying to lead Republicans in a new cause: cracking down on big banks. Following a Senate campaign in which he pledged to prioritize rural America over titans of industry, the Ohio lawmaker is using a seat on the Banking Committee to flex his populist bona fides, teaming up with Democrats including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Dick Durbin of Illinois on bills that the industrys biggest players despise while championing legislation that protects smaller banks.

 

Texans Die From Heat Exhaustion After Governor Bans Water Breaks (Dana)

From the Texas Observer: As a part of a bill critics have dubbed the Death Star bill an expansive law that preempts legislation in eight key areas of local government the Legislature has overridden local ordinances that require giving workers water breaks. Otherwise known as House Bill 2127, it was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 6. Since then at least four workers have died after collapsing while laboring in triple-digit heat: a post office worker in Dallas, a utility lineman in East Texas, and construction workers in Houston and San Antonio. While the precise nature of the worker deaths is being investigated, hyperthermia is the likely cause. Climate scientists have projected that Texas summers will get increasingly hot if.....

When it comes to solving crossword puzzles, deciphering the clues is key. Each clue is carefully crafted to guide you towards the correct answer. By understanding how crossword clues are structured, you can improve your chances of solving even the trickiest puzzles. Lets dive into the world of crossword clue deciphering!

1. Interpreting the Wordplay: Crossword clues often contain clever wordplay that leads you to the answer. This can include anagrams, puns, homophones, or other forms of linguistic trickery. By identifying these wordplay elements, you can uncover the hidden message behind the clue.
2. Recognizing Clue Types: Crossword clues fall into different categories, such as synonyms, antonyms, or homonyms. Synonym clues use words with similar meanings to the answer, while antonym clues do the opposite. Homonym clues play with words that sound alike but have different meanings. Being aware of these different clue types can help you narrow down your options.
3. Considering Contextual Clues: Sometimes, crossword clues provide context that can guide you towards the answer. This can be specific locations, historical references, or even pop culture tidbits. By paying attention to these contextual clues, you can make educated guesses and fill in the missing pieces.
4. Using Crossword Dictionaries: Crossword-solving tools like crossword dictionaries are invaluable resources. They allow you to search for words based on length, pattern, and definition, helping you find the answers that match the clue. These dictionaries provide an extensive database of words commonly used in crossword puzzles.
5. Crossword Puzzle Solving Strategies: As you practice solving crossword puzzles, youll develop your own strategies for tackling tricky clues. Some experts suggest starting with the shorter words first to unlock the longer ones. Others recommend solving the clues youre confident about first, then using the surrounding letters to help with the rest. Experiment with different approaches to find what works best for you.

By familiarizing yourself with these strategies and techniques, youll become a more proficient crossword solver. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep challenging yourself with new puzzles. Happy solving!

...

Humans have transformed the planet to a staggering extent. Studies estimate that, as a species, weve modified at least three-quarters of the Earths land surface. Over time, vibrant mosaics of forest, grassland and wetland have been replaced with our road networks, bustling cities, and industrial-scale pastures, plantations and croplands. With so much of the globe under our influence, more focus needs to be placed on recognizing and preserving the biodiversity value of human-dominated landscapes, says an international team of researchers in a new review study published in Global Ecology and Conservation. The idea that we can have nature conservation of biodiversity in some parts of a landscape, country, or continent, and then have our food production landscapes and human-dominated landscapes in separate areas, I think is a bit ridiculous, study co-author Ben Scheele, an ecologist at Australian National University, told Mongabay. We really have to be serious about having wildlife in areas that are heavily human-modified. To this end, Scheele and his colleagues from Australia and the United States present a new conceptual framework, based on ecological theory, which they say will help resource managers and conservation biologists anticipate how species living in modified landscapes are likely to respond to repeated and rapid changes in land use. Natural forest abuts an oil palm plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia. The large old trees are vital for species survival as surrounding land is converted from one human land use to another. Image by Rhett A. Butler for Mongabay. While individual species responses willThis article was originally published on Mongabay

Republican voters are done with democracy. Almost 4 in 10 of them are extremely dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in the United States, and another 35 percent expressed at least some dissatisfaction with the current system, according to a recent poll.

A mere 19 percent of Republicans answered the question by saying that they are at least somewhat satisfied with US democracy, which is a stunningly low number.

What is even more remarkable is that the views of GOP voters on the issue are deteriorating rapidly. YouGov, which conducted the poll, had asked the same question a year ago, and the results were quite different.

In 2022, Republicans were evenly divided on the question. Since then, their satisfaction with US democracy has cratered.

This could have different reasons.

For one, the Big Lie continues to spread among Republicans. That isnt particularly surprising since the partys standard bearer, former President Donald Trump, remains obsessed with his loss in the 2020 election and continues to spread falsehoods about it.

He has plenty of help. For various reasons, many GOP officials also keep casting doubt on the integrity of American elections. In addition, spreading the Big Lie is where the money is for the various right-wing propaganda outlets and influencers who make their living in the multi-billion-dollar outrage industrial complex.

The Sorry State of the GOPs Performance Artist Caucus

In addition, even though this was never supported by polling, Republican voters were promised a red wave in the 2022 midterm election.

Instead, they barely won the House and, in spite of having a favorable map, could not take over the Senate.

What is interesting about the new poll is that the people who actually have a right to feel at least somewhat dissatisfied about US democracy have the most positive attitudes about it.

Black and young Americans, two voting blocs that Republican-led states are routinely trying to disenfranchise, are the only demographics in which a plurality of people feel at least somewhat satisfied with elec...

1) Globes carries an interview with Dr. Michael Barak of the ICT on the topic why Jenin has become fertile ground for terror.

Since the start of 2023, Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaderships have injected millions of shekels to encourage the continued intensification of terrorism in the Jenin region. []

Although the activity of these two terrorist organizations is international, how have they managed to provide millions of shekels in six months to their operatives in Jenin? The answer begins in Syria and Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and the Assad regime rely on revenue from the export of the psychostimulant drug Captagon.

2) The ITIC reports on a Hamas lawfare campaign.

Al-Jazeera TV reported Israel was being sued in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for a giant suit of $250 billion by a group of European lawyers. They represent eight members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in the Gaza Strip who initiated the suit for damages resulting from the alleged crimes Israel committed against the residents of Gaza beginning in 2007, especially the damages caused by the siege they claim is imposed by Israel. The amount of the claim is based on a document issued by the UN several years ago claiming the damages to the Gaza Strip between 2008 and 2018 totalled $16.7 billion.

3) At the Alma Center,...