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As the storm took shape over the Great Lakes on Thursday, a weather phenomenon known as a bomb cyclone was likely to develop from a "rapidly deepening low-pressure" system, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. The cyclone could spawn snowfalls of a half inch (1.25 cm) per hour and howling winds from the Upper Midwest to the interior Northeast, producing near-zero visibility, the weather service said. "It's dangerous and threatening," President Joe Biden said at the White House, urging Americans with travel plans to not delay and to set off on Thursday. Hundreds of Texans died in February 2021 after the state's power grid failed amid wintry storms, leaving millions without electricity. Greg Carbin, chief of forecast operations at the NWS Weather Prediction Center in Maryland, said freezing or below-freezing cold would bisect central Florida, with temperatures about 25 degrees below normal.

☆ Massive winter storm threatens holiday travel for millions of Americans
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In its wake, the cyclone could spawn snowfalls of a half inch an hour and winds of more than 50 mph (80 kph) in the Upper Midwest and interior Northeast, the weather service said. "This will lead to dangerous, to at times impossible, land and air travel leading up to the holiday weekend," the agency said on its website. Temperatures in parts of the Southern Plains and Southeast could stay below freezing -- 30-plus degrees less than normal -- for multiple days, the weather service predicted. The weather service also warned of freezing rain in parts of Oregon and Washington in the Northwest, where the storm originated, late Thursday. That would be the biggest daily drop in output since the freeze of February 2021 when a winter storm cut gas supplies from Texas and forced the Texas electric grid operator to impose rolling power outages.

A blast of Arctic air will also plunge much of the country into bitter and, in some cases, dangerous cold, forecasters say. In some parts of this area, the wind chill could reach as low as minus 70 degrees, according to the Weather Service. Brief bursts of moderate to heavy snow lasting an hour or two are likely to occur immediately behind the Arctic front. Strong southerly winds, combined with the new moon-tide cycle, could also bring coastal flooding from northern New Jersey to northeast Massachusetts, the Weather Service said. Meteorologists warned local residents that this is not a normal lake effect event with a narrow band of heavy snow.

Bayer still faces several other state lawsuits over PCBs. The company said in a statement that it did not admit liability as part of the Oregon settlement, and would continued to defend the remaining cases. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum called the settlement a "huge win" that would give the state resources to clean up PCBs. The lawsuits against Bayer stem from PCBs manufactured by U.S. seeds and pesticide company Monsanto, which Bayer acquired for $63 billion in 2018. Some of those cases have gone to trial and resulted in jury verdicts against Bayer totaling $543 million, which the company is appealing.

☆ 'Firmageddon': Researchers find 1.1 million acres of dead trees in Oregon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. He Can Be Reached At Evan.Bush Nbcuni.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

“We’re seeing forms of stress in all of our species of trees,” said Christine Buhl, a forest entomologist with the Oregon Department of Forestry. Trained observers peer outside both sides of the plane, looking for noticeable damage to trees. “You definitely have to have a stomach of steel.”This year, the aerial observation program flew over about 69 million acres of Washington and Oregon forest in about 246 hours. Oregon’s average temperatures have risen about 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895, according to a 2021 state climate assessment delivered to the state’s Legislature. “It was the combination of the high temperatures in the afternoon with the sun boring down,” said Chris Still, a professor in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University.

☆ Heat pumps are an energy upgrade for homeowners that's becoming a climate and financial winner
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Heat pumps are becoming more popular for residential housing with energy prices increasing and the need to reduce use of fossil fuel heating systems. Thinking about a home heat pump? The use of heat pumps will become more common as governments legislate their adoption. Here are four important things to know about upgrading your home to a heat pump system. "While there's an upfront cost, millions of homeowners would save money with a heat pump over the life of the device," he said.

☆ Portland police raid Shroom House for illegally selling psychedelic mushrooms after attracting hoards of customers and online buzz
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Among those arrested was 32-year-old Steven Tachie Jr., the reported owner of the company that operated Shroom House, officials said. As previously reported by Insider, customers of Shroom House were required to complete applications for the "Shroom House Society" before purchasing magic mushrooms. Neither the Portland Police Bureau nor the Multnomah County District Attorney's office shared if they plan to investigate customers of Shroom House. Just one week before the raid, Shroom House made headlines for claims it was illegally operating a magic mushroom dispensary, Insider reported. As news spread and generated buzz on social media, locals lined up around the block to shop the psychedelic offerings of Shroom House.

☆ Hair oiling, cups of tea and mom's beauty secrets: Welcome to South Asian Gen Z’s ‘auntie’ era
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Sakshi Venkatraman | Sakshi Venkatraman Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Before Kaaviya Sambasivam left for elementary school each morning, her mother performed a ritual that generations of South Asian women had done before. South Asian women, fueled in part by lockdown forcing them to go home to their moms, have become a receptive TikTok community. Uniquely South Asian routines that once relegated them to the social outskirts now find an audience of thousands online. Other South Asian women say they can relate too. She remembers the days when the Facebook group Subtle Curry Traits was the only cultural touchstone for South Asian diaspora kids.

☆ The US Navy spent 4 weeks blasting one of its aircraft carriers to figure out how to keep enemies from sinking them
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Harrison Kass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In May 2005, the US Navy sank the decommissioned aircraft carrier America in the Atlantic Ocean. The USS America (CV-66) was one of three Kitty Hawk-class carriers built in the 1960s. Building the USS America of the Kitty Hawk-classUSS America in the Indian Ocean on April 24, 1983. The career of the USS AmericaA U-2 reconnaissance aircraft on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS America. A declassified image of USS America sinking after four weeks of live-fire weapons damage tests in May 2005.

☆ The effort to ban members of Congress from trading stocks is mostly dead — at least for now
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Time has largely run out in this Congress to ban lawmakers from trading stocks. On Monday, he told Insider in a statement that he would "keep pushing to get this debated on the floor and get it passed." Democratic senators formed a working group, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's blessing, to draft legislation to ban stock trading among lawmakers. In the Senate, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts told Insider that it was "not yet" time to declare the effort dead, pointing to ongoing discussions. "I support a stock ban for members of Congress," he told reporters in September.

☆ Portland store is reportedly selling psychedelic mushrooms – but they're not legal in Oregon yet: 'They're breaking all sorts of laws over there'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Portland herbal shop is selling magic mushrooms to locals in spite of state laws, KPTV reports. Shroom House offers 'Penis Envy,' 'Albino Golden Teacher,' 'Knobby Tops,' and more in the selection, Willamette Week says. Although the process sounds lengthy, a reporter from Willamette Week said they were able to order fungi about five minutes after submitting the documents. Shroom House reportedly has a variety of mushrooms to choose from – including "Knobby Tops," "Penis Envy," and "Albino Golden Teacher." Nothing in Measure 109 or any other law allows the sale of psilocybin mushrooms today or in the future," Chapman said.

☆ How an arcane 96-year-old law stopped the rail strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The Railway Labor Act was passed in 1926 as one of the very first labor laws in the nation. Because of the law, the House was able to vote Wednesday to impose unpopular contracts on four rail unions whose members have already rejected the terms, followed by a vote by the Senate vote late Thursday that did the same. The Railway Labor Act, passed in 1926, is the reason Congress could intervene this week to block a strike by freight railroad unions. But under the Railway Labor Act, management can fall back on hopes that Congress will give them the deal it wants. When he served in the Senate, Biden voted against an earlier effort to impose a contract on the rail unions to keep them on the job.

☆ These 7 members of Congress who violated a federal conflict-of-interest law lost their elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Seven members of Congress who violated the STOCK Act lost their races in the 2022 midterm elections. Three of the members of Congress lost in their primary races. Since 2021, Insider and other outlets have identified 75 members who've violated provisions of the conflict-of-interest law. Since 2021, Insider's "Conflicted Congress" project — and other news organizations — have uncovered 75 members of Congress who've violated disclosure provisions of the STOCK Act. "I'm pleased to hear Trump supports a ban on congressional stock trading," Merkley said in an email.

☆ Predictive value of 'good' cholesterol level varies by race, U.S. study finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Nancy Lapid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In contradiction to what has generally been assumed, low HDL levels did not confer any higher risk of heart disease in Black people, researchers said. Among white people, however, those with HDL levels below 40 milligrams per deciliter had a 22% higher risk for coronary heart disease compared with those whose HDL levels were higher. High HDL levels (above 60 mg/dL), which are thought to be protective, were not linked with lower coronary heart disease risks in either race, researchers found. Participants of both races were similar in age, cholesterol levels, and other heart disease risk factors, the researchers said. The early studies that shaped perceptions about healthy cholesterol levels overwhelmingly involved white American participants, Pamir said.

☆ Colorado's Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor, addresses 'horrific' shooting at an LGBTQ club
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor in the United States, on Sunday decried Saturday's “horrific” deadly shooting at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub. “This is horrific, sickening, and devastating,” Polis, a Democrat, said in a statement addressing the attack at Club Q. He is the second out LGBTQ person to be elected governor of a state, after Gov. Before his career in politics, Polis was a tech entrepreneur and amassed a fortune worth nearly $400 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In addition to being Colorado's first openly gay governor, he is also the state's first Jewish governor.

☆ When It Comes to Vacation Homes, A-Frames Are as ‘Iconic’ as It Gets
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Lia Picard | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A-frames are easily recognized by their triangular shape. It is the result of bringing the roof down and eliminating the walls, said Brent Campbell, an architect in Asheville, N.C. “They became this sort of iconic shape for rural vacation retreat-type structures,” said Mr. Campbell. In the book “A-Frame,” author Chad Randl, an architecture historian and professor at the University of Oregon, wrote that A-frames have shown up in history from ancient Japan to rural Europe. These structures are strong and snow slides right off their pitched roofs, making them appealing in remote, cold areas. Because they were affordable and functional, A-frames became a popular vacation-home style in the U.S. in the 1950s.

☆ Senate Democrats laugh off Trump's endorsement of banning congressional stock trading. But there's still no consensus on passing their proposals in the lame duck session.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Senate Democrats have been wrestling with a proposed congressional stock trading ban. Donald Trump endorsed banning congressional stock trading in his 2024 campaign launch. He still felt qualified to weigh in on the unfinished legislative business Senate stock-ban point man Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon shelved until the lame duck in September. "I'm pleased to hear Trump supports a ban on congressional stock trading," Merkley wrote in an email. Stock trading ban advocate Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts urged Democratic leaders to follow through on the most popular proposals before decamping for the holidays.

Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer has made history as Oregon’s first Hispanic member of Congress, according to NBC News projections. "I am excited and ready to serve the people of Oregon," Chavez-DeRemer tweeted Monday alongside a photo standing in front of the U.S. Capitol building. Chavez-DeRemer became the first Latina and first female mayor of the city of Happy Valley in 2010 and was re-elected 2014. Before that, she served on the Happy Valley Parks Committee and the Happy Valley City Council. From having never elected a Hispanic to Congress, another Latina in Oregon could be elected and make history alongside Chavez-DeRemer.

Nov 10 (Reuters) - Democrat Tina Kotek won a tough three-way race to become the next governor of Oregon, the Associated Press projected on Thursday, enabling Democrats to extend nearly four decades of control over the Oregon governorship. Official returns from Tuesday's election showed Kotek winning 47.1% of the vote to 43.5% for Republican Christine Drazan. The last time a Republican was elected governor was in 1982, and Kotek was always favored to succeed Democratic governor Kate Brown, who could not run again due to term limits. With the polls tightening late in the race, President Joe Biden visited Oregon in mid-October to campaign with Kotek, a former state legislator. In Michigan, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected and voters flipped the state House and Senate from Republican to Democratic control.

☆ A record number of LGBTQ candidates claim victory in another 'rainbow wave'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

A record number of LGBTQ candidates won their midterm races this year, creating what some advocates are calling yet another “rainbow wave.”Many races are still too close or too early to call, but as of Thursday afternoon, at least 400 out LGBTQ candidates had won their elections, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which supports queer people running for office. “With so much at stake this election, from the future of marriage equality to abortion, LGBTQ candidates’ grit and exceptional grassroots support is paying off.”National firstsQueer candidates celebrated a number of notable victories and firsts across the country. Alaska is one of four states with zero out LGBTQ state lawmakers, according to the LGBTQ Victory Institute. Magni said the results prove that LGBTQ candidates can successfully compete in both blue and red states. “This is a powerful message, saying, ‘Hey, LGBTQ candidates can win elections and can win elections in many states and many districts across the country.’” he said.

☆ Nikki Hiltz: How this professional runner is making their sport more inclusive
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“I was open about my sexuality at that point, but not my gender identity,” Hiltz tells CNN Sport. After coming out as trans and non-binary, Hiltz continues to compete in the women’s division. “You know, I have no business putting on an in-person race,” Hiltz jokes. Spencer Cox’s veto of a bill that bans transgender women from competing on women’s and girls’ sports teams. Since coming out as trans and non-binary last year, Hiltz has had conversations with race directors and announcers about making running more inclusive.

☆ Midterm elections 2022 come amid political panic and anxiety
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Whitney Phillips | Whitney Phillips Is An Assistant Professor In The University Of Oregon'S School Of Journalism | Communication. She Studies Political Communication | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

They post and repost lots of partisan content, argue with people on social media and generally are edgy and defensive. Individually, when we are stressed out and anxious, we shift into the “downstairs brain,” a term introduced by neuropsychiatrist Dan Siegel and psychotherapist Tina Payne Bryson. On social media, such individual experiences can have significant collective consequences, too. Research suggests that the more anxious and overwhelmed we are, the more likely we are to share false information on social media. What these strategies can do, however, is help people regain the perspective they lose when they shift into downstairs brain mode.

☆ Miss United States pageant can bar transgender women from competing, appeals court rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In 2019 Anita Green, a transgender woman, sued Miss United States of America LLC for discrimination. "You know I'm transgender, right," Green wrote in a message to Smith, according to the 106-page opinion. Miss United States is not the same as the Miss USA Organization, which is the televised beauty-pageant arm of the Miss Universe Organization. Isabella Ilacqua founded the United States National Pageants organization in 1986. United States National Pageants didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, and Green declined to comment at this time.

☆ How Diverse Are the Candidates in the Midterm Elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Maggie Astor | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

The House of RepresentativesThere are at least 403 people of color, women or nonbinary candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Hispanic men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 11 Senate candidates who are Black this year. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ga. Raphael Warnock Ala. Will Boyd Ark. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 25 women nominated for governor — 16 Democrats and nine Republicans. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ala. Yolanda Flowers Ark.

☆ Fact Check-Derogatory poster shows misleading statistics about children with same-sex parents
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

A poster that appears to have originated on a Neo-Nazi website presents misleading statistics about children who have same-sex parents, citing research that has since been called into question. The text in the poster reads: “92% of children raised by Gay Parents are abused. A large review of 19,000 studies and articles on the topic of same-sex parenting published in 2015 (here) also concluded that children raised by same-sex couples are no worse off than children raised by opposite-sex parents. The poster was created on a Neo-Nazi website and includes misleading statistics about same-sex parenting drawn from a small, controversial study. Most of the research on children with same-sex parents has found that they are not negatively affected as compared to other children.

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