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☆ North Carolina governor vetoes 12-week abortion ban, override likely
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Julia Harte | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

At a rally in Raleigh, the state capital, Cooper signed paperwork to veto the bill as a crowd chanted "veto." "This bill has nothing to do with making women safer and everything to do with banning abortion," Cooper said, calling on Republicans to reconsider their stance. Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of the anti-abortion group North Carolina Values Coalition, criticized Cooper for vetoing the bill and for holding his rally the day before Mother's Day. That would make it more difficult for out-of-state abortion seekers to obtain the service in North Carolina. Near-total abortion bans have taken effect in 14 states since the U.S. Supreme Court revoked federal abortion rights in June 2022, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights advocacy research group.

☆ Ukraine vs. the Axis of Illegitimacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Holman W. Jenkins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Journal Editorial Report: Xi meets Putin in Moscow to cement ties. Images: Shutterstock/Handout via Reuters Composite: Mark KellyChurchill’s “bodyguard of lies” will have been working overtime in the runup to Ukraine’s anticipated spring offensive. Contrary to the justifications of Vladimir Putin and his Western echo chamber, Mr. Putin shows by his behavior he knows NATO is no threat to Russia. He denudes his ultra-vulnerable Kaliningrad sector—surrounded by NATO on four sides—of forces to send them to Ukraine. He is blasé about Finland joining the alliance, though it extends by 830 miles the border he must defend against NATO.

☆ Opinion: Happiness is a trap. Here’s what to pursue instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Opinion Monica C. Parker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Monica C. Parker Elena RossiniBetween chief happiness officers, the Happy Planet Index, Gross National Happiness, and the World Happiness Report (Finland scored the highest again this year), it seems as though happiness has some good PR. This one is: What if we’re so fixated on happiness that we’ve failed to question whether happiness is what we should be pursuing? We resist negative emotions such as sadness or fear at our peril. Even better than embracing your negative emotions is embracing both positive and negative emotions at the same time. Wonder makes us less stressed and feel like we have more time.

☆ Fact Check-Scotiabank poster announcing all accounts are transitioning to ‘digital bank accounts’ is altered
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An image supposedly showing a poster for Canada’s Scotiabank announcing that all accounts will be automatically transitioned to “digital bank accounts” has been altered. The image is digitally altered, however, and Reuters found no press release published by the bank that all accounts will automatically be transferred to digital ones (here). “I can confirm this is not an authentic Scotiabank poster and the claims in it are false,” Katie Raskina, manager of media relations and issues management at Scotiabank told Reuters. An online search reveals iterations of the same poster without the sentence in italics and dated May 10, 2021 (here). Text was later digitally added to the poster to make it appear as if the bank announced that it will soon automatically transition all bank accounts to digital ones.

☆ William Shatner is mad he may have to pay to keep his blue Twitter checkmark. Elon Musk says too bad
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Elon Musk and William Shatner clashed on Twitter over the weekend after the Star Trek actor complained about being forced to pay to keep his blue checkmark on the platform. In a tweet on Saturday, Shatner expressed frustration with Twitter’s plan to remove blue checkmarks from the accounts of celebrities, journalists, government officials and other high-profile individuals who don’t pay $84 a year (or $8 a month) for its subscription service, Twitter Blue. “Hey @elonmusk what’s this about blue checks going away unless we pay Twitter?” he tweeted. In the process, Twitter risks alienating some of the VIP users who have long been a key draw for millions to use the platform. Twitter said it will “begin winding down” the “legacy” blue checks for users on April 1.

☆ Pay $84 a year for Twitter Blue or lose your checkmark beginning April 1, Twitter says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“To keep your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue,” the company’s tweet continued. Twitter Blue is a subscription service that Musk relaunched late last year that costs individuals $84 a year or $8 a month. Twitter Blue first launched in the pre-Musk days of 2021, as a subscription service offering “power features” like undoing a tweet and saving bookmarks to folders. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesMusk pulled the Twitter Blue program for a few weeks and relaunched it yet again in December, with additional steps for reviewing and approving subscribers. The company also says Twitter Blue users will see 50% fewer ads in their home timelines, and that their tweets will be prioritized among replies, mentions and searches.

☆ Fact Check-First ever photos showing spherical Earth from space were not taken on April Fool’s Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The first images showing the curvature of Earth from space were not captured on April Fool’s Day in 1960. However, pictures showing Earth’s curvature have been taken from space or near-space orbit since Oct. 24, 1946. There are earlier images taken from other objects in space or near-space orbit that also show the planet’s curvature. Rocket-borne cameras captured the first photos of Earth from roughly 65 miles above the surface on Oct. 24, 1946 (here). Photos from space or near-space orbit show Earth’s curvature years before April 1, 1960.

Chart showing the percentage cut the committee would make to each area of government spending to balance the budget over 10 years. 8 8 8 Deficit 6 6 6 4 4 4 Spending Spending Spending Revenue Revenue Revenue 2 2 2 2023 2033 2023 2033 2023 2033 Current projections Deficits are projected to grow to $2.7 trillion by 2033. 8 8 8 Deficit 6 6 6 4 4 4 Spending Spending Spending Revenue Revenue Revenue 2 2 2 2023 2033 2023 2033 2023 2033 Eliminate by increasing taxes Current projections Eliminate by cutting spending Deficits are projected to grow to $2.7 trillion by 2033. plan to balance budget 50% Projections 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 Current trajectory 200% of G.D.P. plan to balance budget 50% Projections 1930 1960 1990 2020 2050 Sources: Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget; Congressional Budget Office; Republican Study Committee Note: Both plans were released in 2022 and are based on outdated baseline projections; their debt reduction may differ modestly.

☆ Economic war with China would be MAD
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Hopefully, fear of the economic equivalent will do a similar trick when it comes to a showdown with China. To see whether MAD will be enough to prevent war between America and China, look at just how disastrous such a conflict – which could be triggered by a Chinese invasion of Taiwan - would be. THREE SCENARIOSA Chinese invasion of Taiwan would lead to economic repercussions of a totally different order. A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be hellish, but some scenarios would be especially ghastly from an economic perspective. Despite all these concerns, America might run the risk of economic war.

☆ The people who live inside airplanes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —After losing her house to a fire, Jo Ann Ussery had a peculiar idea: to live in an airplane. She bought an old Boeing 727 that was destined for the scrapyard, had it shipped to a plot of land she already owned, and spent six months renovating, doing most of the work by herself. By the end, she had a fully functional home, with over 1,500 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and even a hot tub – where the cockpit used to be. Although she wasn’t the first person to ever live in an airplane, her flawless execution of the project had an inspirational effect. Maybe the worst choice for a home.”As a result, Campbell had to work on the plane for a couple of years before being able to live in it.

Persons: Jo Ann Ussery, Ussery, Benoit , Mississippi –, Bruce Campbell, Jo, ”, Campbell, “, Jo Ann’s, Scotty, That’s, Aristotle Onassis, he’s, Joe Axline, Axline, “ I’ve, I’ve, ” Axline, Howard Hughes, Dave Drimmer, Nashville Hall of Famer Red Lane, Lane, Jumbo, “ You’ve, there’ll, Bruce Campbell’s Organizations: CNN, Boeing, Olympic Airways, Florida Air Museum, Nashville Hall of Famer, Airport Locations: Benoit , Mississippi, Hillsboro , Oregon, Mongolia, Greece, Miyazaki, Japan, Brookshire , Texas, Stockholm's Arlanda, Florida, American, Costa Rica, Costa Verde, Sweden, Stockholm’s Arlanda, England, London

☆ You Don’t Have to Be Complicit in Our Culture of Destruction
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( David Marchese | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

Photo illustration by Bráulio Amado Talk You Don’t Have to Be Complicit in Our Culture of Destruction“People feel a kind of longing for a belonging to the natural world,” says the author and scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer. I am deeply aware of the fact that my view of the natural world is colored by my home place. But I don’t think that’s the same as romanticizing nature. Of course the natural world is full of forces that are so-called destructive. The story that we have to illuminate is that we don’t have to be complicit with destruction.

☆ CIOs Contend With Pushback on AI Rollouts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Isabelle Bousquette | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Overall enterprise adoption of AI has grown threefold since 2019 as algorithms grow in scale and sophistication, according to International Data Corp. That left executives underwhelmed by the results and disillusioned, according to Todd Lohr, KPMG LLP’s U.S. technology consulting leader. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CIO Journal The Morning Download delivers daily insights and news on business technology from the CIO Journal team. In 2022, organizations spent on average 4% to 6% more on AI than the previous year, according to IDC. Other emerging technologies are more likely to be cut than AI, given its cost-savings potential, she noted.

☆ Schumer reflects on how Senate Democrats went from infighting to big policy wins and a larger majority
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Sahil-Kapur-Headshot.Jpg | Sahil Kapur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The 50-50 majority, which has been unkind to Senate leaders in the past, seemed to be slipping from his grasp. “Everyone said Democrats are gonna lose a whole ton of seats,” Schumer said during a wide-ranging interview in his Capitol Hill office. Democrats may have held the Senate, but they narrowly lost the House majority to Republicans, which could spell the end of the party’s biggest legislative goals. And despite Schumer’s confidence that he’ll hold the Senate majority again in 2024, the map presents enormous challenges. Schumer said he isn’t giving up on working with moderate House Republicans, including some who won swing districts in his home state of New York.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence of human remains dubbed ‘Mona Lisa’ found on the moon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Human remains have never been found on the moon, NASA’s chief historian told Reuters, but users online are sharing a video that is allegedly proof a sarcophagus named Mona Lisa was discovered during a moon mission. The same Mona Lisa figure appears in the background of a book by French author Thierry Speth titled, “Apollo 20, the Unknown Mission” (here). He added that there is “no evidence to substantiate” the claim that a figure named Mona Lisa was found on the moon. He also shared filmstrips of the Mona Lisa to that group that match the footage in the viral video (here). In one post (here), Speth shared a link to an interview he did about Apollo 20 (here).

☆ The Top Values in Champagne This Season: Our Expert’s Under-$40 Picks
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Lettie Teague | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Some excellent Champagnes are hiding in plain sight on the lower shelves of your wine store. Our wine columnist sought out the best Champanges at the best prices available now. So I decided I should do my part by finding cheaper Champagne. In my search for wines priced around $40 or less, I wasn’t just looking to save money; I was also looking for good wines I would actually want to drink. A few retailers thought so and suggested that I increase my budget by at least $10.

Over the next six years, each of the other members of my family would leave. I entered the diner having functioned as an only child for nearly 50 years. As the youngest in my family of five, I looked up to my oldest brother as little sisters often do. I entered the diner having functioned as an only child for nearly 50 years. This was no Hollywood family reunion, but I sensed that his validation of my perspective would lessen my internal demons.

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is likely to make her future plans clear as soon this week, possibly even Thursday, multiple sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. Pelosi said Sunday she wouldn’t engage with questions about her future until all races were called. Meanwhile, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, is being urged to pursue the leadership role and has met with rank-and-file members. In the office of New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Tuesday, he was urged not to miss his moment. Punchbowl News was first to report the Pelosi call with the CA delegation.

How Putin and Friends Stalled Climate Progress A handful of powerful world leaders rallied around Russia and undercut global cooperation. Mr. Putin has gained from this as the increasingly autocratic Mr. Xi finds common cause with the Kremlin. “Much depends on whether authoritarian leaders perceive climate action to be in their self-interest.”Though their actions help Mr. Putin, their track records on climate are mixed. Mr. Xi called Mr. Putin his “best friend.”He was returning the favor from a year earlier, when Mr. Putin hosted Mr. Xi at the Grand Kremlin Palace and awarded him one of Russia’s highest medals for foreign dignitaries. At a news conference with Mr. Putin, Mr. Bolsonaro thanked his “dear friend,” saying that Mr. Putin had offered him support when other world leaders were criticizing his Amazon policy.

☆ Breakingviews: Twitter deal sadly upholds primacy of shareholders
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

After more than six months of ping-ponging, second-guessing, whistleblowing, arguing and mud-throwing, Elon Musk on Thursday closed his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter (TWTR.N). The social media firm, its employees, its new owners, its creditors and the rest of the world are probably worse off. If Twitter shares had followed the same trajectory as social media rival Snap (SNAP.N) since March 31, losing more than 80%, its investors would be some $38 billion worse off. If capitalism is about maximising value for the almighty shareholder, regardless of the consequences for other stakeholders, the Twitter saga upholds that primacy. loadingCONTEXT NEWSElon Musk completed his deal to buy social media firm Twitter for $44 billion on Oct. 27.

☆ CD Projekt announces Witcher remake
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

GDANSK, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Poland's biggest video game maker CD Projekt (CDR.WA) announced on Wednesday that work is in progress on a remake of its flagship game "The Witcher". The project, which is being developed by external studio Fool’s Theory, was previously referred to by the code name Canis Majoris during the company's strategy update earlier in October. CD Projekt shares were up 4.1% by 1447 GMT. Reporting by Adrianna Ebert Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Trump could testify in tax fraud trial of Trump organization. How to keep the jury unbiased.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Jeffrey Abramson | Jeffrey Abramson Is A Professor Of Government Emeritus At The University Of Texas At Austin | Author Of | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Jury selection began Monday in the Manhattan district attorney’s prosecution of the Trump Organization for tax fraud. The trial judge may be tempted to eliminate anyone who acknowledges having formed some opinions before trial about Trump personally or the evidence reported in the media against the Trump Organization. But in March, the Supreme Court reinstated Tsarnaev’s death sentence, arguably changing jury selection for the worse. In the Black Lives Matter era, we have seen several high-profile trials that challenged the search for impartial jurors. And it’s not a standard that should be employed as jurors are vetted in the New York criminal trial of the Trump Organization.

☆ Ticktock starts on Twitter’s board, too
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Oct 7 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Twitter (TWTR.N) board members’ jobs. If he doesn’t close by Oct. 28, the judge will set a new trial for November. Investors in the social media firm are arguably worse off than they were last week. The delay gives Musk time to finance his $44 billion deal for the social media company. If Musk doesn’t close the deal by Oct. 28, the judge will schedule a trial for November.

☆ ‘Waco: American Apocalypse’ Review: A Calamity in Context
▼ + stars: | 1993-04-19 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The federal government can be said to have misplayed its hand in both instances, to put it mildly. But on the 30th anniversary of the Branch Davidian debacle, “Waco: American Apocalypse” attempts to put the Texas battle into a sensible context. Heather Jones was 9 years old when she became the last child “freed” from the compound known as Mount Carmel Center during the 51-day standoff (she didn’t want to go). Kathy Schroeder , a follower of the evidently delusional Branch Davidian “prophet” David Koresh , defends the sect’s beliefs and its leader’s dictates, including his sexual dominion over all women at the Mount Carmel compound. Chris Whitcomb , an FBI sniper who witnessed the entire siege, harbors such anger that one wonders if he should be handling a gun.

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