The Trump transition team wants the incoming administration to drop a car-crash reporting requirement opposed by Elon Musk's Tesla, according to a document seen by Reuters, a move that could cripple the government's ability to investigate and regulate the safety of vehicles with automated-driving systems. read more
A crypto venture recently unveiled by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his new Middle East envoy, billionaire Steve Witkoff, has partnered with a crypto platform that authorities and financial experts say has been used by criminals and Iran-backed militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. read more
Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online "constantly" despite concerns about the effects of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center. read more
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he expects to be briefed soon on the mysterious drones over New Jersey and other states. read more
When President-elect Donald Trump announced his plan to impose tariffs on goods coming from Canada and Mexico until they stop the flow of migrants and drugs, he said he wanted the countries to "pay a very big price!" In energy markets, it won't just be Canada and Mexico taking the hit, according to analysts, who say the domestic fallout would be so severe that Trump will likely end up exempting energy products once he takes office. read more
@#2
At this point, I am wondering what Syria will be.
Key players shaping post-Assad Syria (December 9, 2024)
www.dw.com
... Recent advances by a coalition of rebel groups led to the abrupt toppling of long-time Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.
Here's a look at the different opposition actors and political powers involved. ...
@#32 ... I prefer standard time and it's the actual time. ...
Yup Standard Time has that going for it. Noon in Standard Time is when the sun is highest in the sky.
But here in Connecticut, we have just passed the day of the earliest sunsets. From now on, the sunsets will be later and later until next year. Even though that daylight length is still getting shorter. Quite the conundrum, eh?
For NYC ...
www.timeanddate.com
And this one ...
Strawbs - Benedictus (1972)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
The wanderer has far to go
Humble must he constant be
Where the paths of wisdom
Distant is the shadow of the setting sun
Bless the daytime, bless the night
Bless the sun which gives us light
Bless the thunder, bless the rain
Bless all those who cause us pain
Yellow stars may guide the way
All diversions lead astray
While his resolution holds
Fortune and good will will surely follow him
Bless the free man, bless the slave
Bless the hero in his grave
Bless the soldier, bless the saint
Bless all those whose hearts grow faint
...
OK, two songs just came up on the playlist here. Both seem apropos ...
The first is from way back when Pink Floyd was more of a "soundtrack" band for movies ...
Pink Floyd - Childhood's End (1972)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
You shout in your sleep
Perhaps the price is just too steep
Is your conscience at rest
If once put to the test?
You awake with a start
To just the beating of your heart
Just one man beneath the sky
Just two ears, just two eyes
[Verse 2]
You set sail across the sea
Of long past thoughts and memories
Childhood's end, your fantasies
Merge with harsh realities
And then as the sail is hoist
You find your eyes are growing moist
And all the fears never voiced
Say you have to make your final choice
...
Yeah, those older Pink Floyd soundtrack tunes were quite great, and, unfortunately, mostly unappreciated.
@#5 ... Which party do you think gets more money from healthcare executives? ...
I'd say Democrats.
To wit ...
Health care execs mostly donate to Democrats, but avoid Trump and Harris (November 2024)
www.statnews.com
... The Affordable Care Act is top of mind for industry leaders
vast majority of CEOs of major health systems and insurers are steering clear of donating their money to either Vice President Harris or former President Trump.
But there are some exceptions, according to a STAT review of federal campaign contribution filings for top executives. Similar to past elections, CEOs who are willing to make political donations are shunning Trump and supporting Harris and other Democrats, who would keep the Affordable Care Act intact.
STAT looked at campaign donation filings that cover the 2024 election period for more than 40 CEOs of major health insurance companies, hospital systems, and other provider groups. Many executives either didn't make political donations or gave to their companies' political action committees, similar to pharmaceutical CEOs. ...
@#4 ... So, as I have mentioned previously, the less informed voters seem to choose the candidate more upon name recognition than policy proposals? ...
In news deserts, Trump won in a landslide
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
... Donald Trump won the 2024 election with one of the smallest popular-vote margins in U.S. history, but in news deserts " counties lacking a professional source of local news " it was an avalanche. Trump won 91% percent of these counties over his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, according to an analysis of voting data by Medill Journalism School's State of Local News project.
While Trump's national popular-vote margin was just under 1.5%, his margin in news deserts was massive. He won these counties by an average of 54 percentage points. In the few won by Harris, her margin was a comparatively slim 18 points, the analysis shows.
The findings are based on results from 193 of the 206 counties Medill has identified as news deserts, in states where county-level election results are currently available. The third annual State of Local News report, released by Medill's Local News Initiative in October, documented the continuing decline of local news across the country, as measured by the number of newspapers, circulation, frequency of publication, employment and readership.
The report found that the highest concentration of counties with limited access to local news were in solidly "red" states, such as Texas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Idaho, Montana and Mississippi.
In news deserts Trump's biggest margin of victory, in percentage terms, was in tiny King County in north Texas, which he won by 91 points (123 votes). His biggest margin of victory by votes was in Boone, Ky., a suburb of Cincinnati, which he won by 25,000 votes (37 points). Harris' biggest margin by percentage points was in Allendale, S.C., which she won by 45 points (1,352 votes). Allendale is 85 percent Black with a 27 percent poverty rate. Her biggest margin of victory by votes was in Chesterfield, Va., a suburb of Richmond, which she won by 19,000 votes (9 points).
Trump's dominance of news deserts doesn't imply a cause and effect. That is, people didn't necessarily vote for Trump because they lack local news. Instead, a simpler and more obvious correlation may be at work: ...
Keeping in mind ...
In news deserts, Trump won in a landslide (December 5, 2024)
localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu
... Donald Trump won the 2024 election with one of the smallest popular-vote margins in U.S. history, but in news deserts " counties lacking a professional source of local news " it was an avalanche. Trump won 91% percent of these counties over his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, according to an analysis of voting data by Medill Journalism School's State of Local News project.
...
While Trump's national popular-vote margin was just under 1.5%, his margin in news deserts was massive. He won these counties by an average of 54 percentage points. In the few won by Harris, her margin was a comparatively slim 18 points, the analysis shows.
The findings are based on results from 193 of the 206 counties Medill has identified as news deserts, in states where county-level election results are currently available. The third annual State of Local News report, released by Medill's Local News Initiative in October, documented the continuing decline of local news across the country, as measured by the number of newspapers, circulation, frequency of publication, employment and readership.
The report found that the highest concentration of counties with limited access to local news were in solidly "red" states, such as Texas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Idaho, Montana and Mississippi.
In news deserts Trump's biggest margin of victory, in percentage terms, was in tiny King County in north Texas, which he won by 91 points (123 votes). His biggest margin of victory by votes was in Boone, Ky., a suburb of Cincinnati, which he won by 25,000 votes (37 points). Harris' biggest margin by percentage points was in Allendale, S.C., which she won by 45 points (1,352 votes). Allendale is 85 percent Black with a 27 percent poverty rate. Her biggest margin of victory by votes was in Chesterfield, Va., a suburb of Richmond, which she won by 19,000 votes (9 points).
...
@#3
Wow, lots of stuff in that comment.
So ... what's yer point?