Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Helene leaves "unimaginable" destruction in 5 states as death toll tops 100
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 09/30/24

aHurricane Helene has left officials in five Southeastern states grappling to respond to the widespread destruction it caused after hitting Florida as a Category 4 storm last week, with the death toll now entering the triple digits.

The big picture: Officials raised the death count in Georgia from 17 to 25 Monday, bringing the number of storm-related deaths across six states to at least 107, per AP.

Officials on Sunday confirmed 30 deaths in the flood-hit Buncombe County, western North Carolina, where Asheville saw historic water level rises.

Officials also confirmed storm-related deaths in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, as search and rescue teams continued to respond to the fallout from the hurricane that struck Florida late Thursday before moving into Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee. ... Read more

Climate Change's Breaking Points: We're Running Out of Time! | Thom Hartmann | 09/26/24 | 9:16

The Last Hours Part 1 | Thom Hartmann & Leonardo Dicaprio | -10yrs | 7:33

Nuclear power's AI renaissance
Axios | Ben Geman | 09/30/24

A new U.S. nuclear energy age may be dawning after years of false starts and dashed hopes.

Why it matters: The data centers powering the AI revolution have an insatiable thirst for energy. Major stakeholders - in Washington, Silicon Valley and beyond - see nuclear energy as one of the answers.

Driving the news: The Energy Department announced this morning it had finalized a $1.5 billion loan to stake the revival of the Holtec Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan. It'd be the first American nuclear plant to be restarted.

The news comes a week after tech giant Microsoft and Constellation Energy unveiled a $1.6 billion power purchase deal to restart a dormant reactor at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island plant in 2028. ... ... ... Read more

Historic and deadly Hurricane Helene slams Florida to the Carolinas
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 09/27/24

Hurricane Helene is one of the most expansive and damaging hurricanes on record for the Southeast, owing to its unusual size and rapid intensification.

The big picture: As of Friday morning, at least three people had died as a result of the massive storm, AP reports. More than 1 million customers were without power in Florida, with at least another 2.9 million in Georgia and the Carolinas, according to poweroutage.us.

Helene's effects extend across a wide area, causing record inland flooding in western North Carolina and unprecedented storm surge flooding in Tampa.

The storm spared Atlanta from its strongest winds, but the center of the storm made it within 100 miles of the city as a hurricane, with the most damage occurring to the east-southeast of the city.

One stunning stat: With 140 mph maximum sustained winds, Helene was the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida, where the peninsula curves into the panhandle. ... Read more

Jack Smith files evidence under seal against Trump in Jan. 6 case
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 09/27/24

Special counsel Jack Smith filed a sealed legal brief in former President Trump's federal Jan. 6 case Thursday, outlining legal arguments for criminally prosecuting the Republican presidential nominee over efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Why it matters: U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan will decide whether or not to publicly release the brief containing previously unseen evidence, or a redacted version of it, and it's possible this could occur before November's presidential election.

Context: Smith in August filed a slimmed-down, superseding indictment that Trump's legal team opposes, after the conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court ruled that presidents have immunity for "official acts."

State of play: The Supreme Court left it for Chutkan to determine whether Trump's alleged conduct in this was protected under presidential immunity. ... Read more

U.S., France and key allies call for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon
Axios | Barak Ravid | 09/26/24

The U.S., France and key allies issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling on Israel and Hezbollah to agree to a 21-day ceasefire during which negotiations could take place on a diplomatic solution to the crisis on the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Why it matters: The statement - released after 10 days of intense fighting that has killed more than 700 people in Lebanon - is aimed at stopping the escalation and particularly at preventing a possible Israeli ground invasion of southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah militants away from the border.

The joint statement was issued by the U.S., France, Australia, Canada, European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. ... Read more

Israel's foreign minister rules out US-French ceasefire proposal saying 'There will be no ceasefire in the north'
The Guardian | Martin Belam | 09/27/24

In a message posted to social media, Katz said: "There will be no ceasefire in the north. We will continue to fight against the terrorist organization Hezbollah with all our might until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes.""

Benjamin Netanyahu's office also appeared dismissive of the proposal, saying "The news about a ceasefire - not true. This is an American-French proposal, to which the prime minister did not even respond." ... Read more

House passes bill to head off government shutdown until December
Axios | Andrew Solender | 09/26/24

The U.S. House on Wednesday passed a bill to fund the federal government through Dec. 20, punting a potential government shutdown until after the Nov. 5 election.

Why it matters: The Senate is poised to act quickly on the measure, which House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) embraced after trying and failing to rally Republicans around a six-month extension.

Former President Trump complicated the process by repeatedly demanding Republicans attach legislation, called the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. Ultimately, that language was left out of the bill so that Democrats would support it. ... Read more

Harris to make her case as champion of U.S. middle class in economic speech
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 09/25/24

Why it matters: The Harris campaign believes this speech could help define the Democratic presidential nominee as a champion of the middle class and Trump as being for billionaires, as she emphasizes her middle-class upbringing and his more prosperous start to life.

Polls show Harris is as trusted as Trump on the economy and one survey conducted after this month's presidential debate had her slightly ahead. A senior campaign official said they aim to further enhance this with her Pittsburgh speech.

State of play: Harris' speech will build on already-announced policy positions on the economy.

These include a $25,000 tax credit and other incentives for first-time homebuyers, banning price gouging on food and groceries, expanding a tax break for creating a small business, lowering health care costs and taxing long-term capital gains at 28% for wealthy Americans.

Trump briefed on "threats from Iran to assassinate him," his campaign says
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 09/25/24

U.S. officials see Iran as the biggest nation-state threat to November's elections. Last week, U.S. investigators said Iranian "malicious cyber actors" emailed associates of President Biden's re-election campaign with "non-public material" stolen from Trump's campaign over the summer.

Details: Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said in a Tuesday evening statement that officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) had briefed the ex-president "regarding real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him in an effort to destabilize and sow chaos" in the U.S.

"Intelligence officials have identified that these continued and coordinated attacks have heightened in the past few months, and law enforcement officials across all agencies are working to ensure President Trump is protected and the election is free from interference," Cheung said. ... Read more

Israel's MURDEROUS Rampage In Lebanon: Mass Slaughter Beckons | Owen Jones | 09/24/24 | 9:06

Israeli blitz obliterates Hezbollah rocket base hidden in 'civilian' home | The Sun | 09/24/24 | 13:43

Israel Bombed Lebanon Today, Killing Hundreds. The U.S. Is Sending More Bombs.
TheIntercept | Jonah Valdez | 09/23/24

The Israeli military has embarked upon a massive bombing campaign in Lebanon. Last week, it began with the remote detonation of thousands of personal electronic devices. On Friday, an Israeli strike leveled a building in the Beirut suburbs. On Sunday and into Monday, the bombings expanded into the largest attack on Lebanon since Israel's 2006 invasion. All told, the Israeli military bombed 1,300 targets, killing at least 490 people, including more than 90 children and women.

The death toll is already the highest since the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah War, and certainly the worst since October 7, when Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia group backed by Iran, began exchanging strikes. The Israeli government continued its attacks over the course of the day Monday, hitting a Beirut suburb with three missiles, injuring at least six others. While Israel said it targeted Hezbollah's weapons supplies, Lebanon's health minister also said the strikes hit hospitals, medical centers, and ambulances. ... Read more

America's secret opinions
Axios | Erica Pandey | 09/24/24Click to enlarge

Why it matters: Politicians and institutions take cues and shape policies based on public opinion - but these stated opinions might not truly reflect what people want.

61% of Americans admit to "self-silencing" - keeping their true opinions on sensitive topics to themselves.

Zoom in: Populace, a Massachusetts think tank, and YouGov polled Americans to gauge their public and private views on topics like trust in government, gun control, higher education and the border.

How it works: Respondents were provided a mix of traditional polling questions and other questions using a list experiment method, or item-count technique, that provides them with a greater sense of anonymity. ... Read more

Israeli strikes kill 274 in southern Lebanon: Lebanese Health Ministry
Axios | Barak Ravid | 09/23/24

Lebanon's health ministry said at least 274 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded in a massive wave of Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon on Monday.

Why it matters: The barrage of strikes come with Israel and Hezbollah staring down the possibility of all-out war. They were the most wide-ranging and deadliest the Israel Defense Forces have launched inside Lebanon since the 2006 war between Israel and the militant group.

The latest: Lebanon's health minister said there is a massive displacement of civilians from southern Lebanon after the Israeli airstrikes. Those killed in the attacks included women, children, and paramedics.

Israel Defense Forces said 150 rockets were fired from Lebanon after the Israeli airstrikes. Dozens of rockets were launched toward the Haifa area and farther south in Israel. Sirens went off in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank about 60 miles south of the border with Lebanon. ... Read more

Why Democratic super PACs aren't focused on attacking Trump
Politico | Jessica Piper | 09/23/24

Democratic super PACs are taking an unusual approach in this year's presidential race: They're not focusing on former President Donald Trump.

A significant majority of this cycle's spending by pro-Democratic outside groups - which typically function as attack dogs - is going to ads aiming to drive positive perceptions of Vice President Kamala Harris. It's a particularly striking shift after a majority of similar groups' spending in both 2016 and 2020 was focused on driving up Trump's negatives, a POLITICO analysis of ad spending found.

That stark contrast reflects a challenging reality: Harris began her abbreviated campaign comparatively unknown to many voters, setting off a frenzy to define her in the final weeks of the election. That's particularly pronounced because this is Trump's third presidential run in a row - and even after his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and his four indictments and conviction earlier this year, voters' views of him are largely set. ... Read more

Democrats are outspending Republicans nationwide
Axios | Alex Fitzpatrick,Kavya Beheraj | 09/23/24

Democrats are outspending Republicans on political ads by about a half-billion dollars since Aug. 1, according to data from analytics platform AdImpact.

By the numbers: As of Sept. 20, Democrats have spent $1.8 billion on ads booked for Aug. 1 through Nov. 5, compared to $1.3 billion for Republicans.

That includes spending by campaigns (from the presidential candidates down to lower-ballot hopefuls) as well as by outside groups.

Campaigns alone, Democrats have spent nearly $700 million, compared to almost $400 million by Republicans. ... Read more

Fentanyl fueling worst drug crisis in U.S. history, killing 70,000 a year | 60 Minutes| 09/22/24 | 13:21

Behind the Curtain: The worst of 2016 and 2020 unite
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 09/20/24

Good, long article. This is the conclusion:

Not to be downers, but end with this thought experiment: How confident are you that the election results will be seen as valid, unpolluted by fake news and free of political violence?

If you're like most Americans, you're bracing for the worst.

67% expressed anxiety about the election in a recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll. 60% cited "political violence" as the election outcome they're most anxious about. ... Read more

Trump says if he loses to Harris, "Jewish people would have a lot to do" with it
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 09/20/24

Trump received a warm reception at the "Fighting Antisemitism in America" event, but he was accused outside of the summit of "dangerous antisemitism" for saying "if I don't win this election," then "the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss."

Trump spoke at two events in D.C. Thursday ahead of the first anniversary of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel that sparked a war in Gaza that's killed more than 40,000 Palestinians and 1,600 Israelis.

He pointed to having a Jewish daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren as he sought to court the Jewish vote.

State of play: "If I don't win this election - and Jewish people would have a lot to do with that, 60% are voting for the enemy - Israel will cease to exist in two years," Trump said at the Israeli-American Council event.

"If I do win, Israel will be safe and secure, and we'll stop the toxic poison of antisemitism." ... Read more

America's new election shields: panic buttons, bulletproof glass
Axios | Sophia Cai | 09/20/24

From bulletproof glass to panic buttons, jurisdictions across the U.S. are taking unprecedented steps to protect election workers and ballots amid concerns about voter intimidation, fraud and even violence at the polls.

Why it matters: The moves are stark reminders of how Donald Trump's allegations of rigged elections have undermined some Americans' trust and made election officials - many of them volunteers - the focus of suspicion and threats.

Officials are already on edge: This week, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service launched an investigation after officials in 16 states reported receiving suspicious packages.

Several secretaries of state reported being mailed letters containing white powder. ... Read more

Ex-Trump advisers help to grow pro-Russia website that spreads misinformation
TheGuardian | Matt Bernardini | 09/19/24

George Papadopoulos and others involved in Intelligencer, increasingly popular source of news in rightwing circles.

Amid the recent crackdown on Russian influence in American media, a group of former Trump advisers and operatives have quietly helped build a pro-Russian website that frequently spreads debunked conspiracy theories about the war in Ukraine, election fraud and vaccines.

Working alongside contributors for Kremlin state media, the former Donald Trump policy aide George Papadopoulos, his wife, Simona Mangiante, and others have become editorial board members of the website Intelligencer, which is increasingly becoming a source of news for those in the rightwing ecosystem.... Read more

Altman previews big leaps ahead for OpenAI's Strawberry
Axios | author | date

Speaking at a T-Mobile event Wednesday in San Francisco, Altman likened where o1 is today to where OpenAI's language models were when GPT-2 came out in 2019. He said to expect massive improvements in the coming years, similar to the path from GPT-2 to the current GPT-4.

Unlike most generative AI models, OpenAI's o1 is capable of planning out its approach when it responds to a query - and can even explore multiple approaches before providing an answer. Other models, including OpenAI's current flagship GPT-4o, begin answering immediately, spinning out responses as they go along.

OpenAI has rolled out a preview of o1 as well as a smaller model specifically for coding, o1 mini, with certain paid customers able to perform a limited number of o1 queries per week.

OpenAI has laid out a five-level approach to describe the capability of its systems.

ChatGPT achieved the first level — an AI chatbot capable of carrying on a conversation.

Level two AI can achieve human-level problem solving. Altman said Wednesday that the reasoning capabilities of o1 are taking OpenAI from the first stage to the beginning of the second one.

At level three, AI can act as an independent agent. Level four AI can help discover new information, and at level five, AI can do the work of an entire organization. ... Read more

Michigan Republicans flock to Trump: Some see 'the hand of God' in action
Politico | Adam Wren | 09/17/24

Many Trump supporters are attributing his survival to the divine.

FLINT, Michigan - They wore it on their T-shirts and expressed it in the way they kneeled to pray: At his first event after the Secret Service opened fire on a suspected gunman hiding in the bushes around Trump's Florida golf club - the second apparent assassination attempt on his life in almost as many months - Trump's supporters were invoking the divine.

Over and over here Tuesday, they asked themselves, who was this lucky? And was it luck, or something more like providence that helped Trump had been able to survive not one but two attempts on his life.

"The hand of God is with him," said Connie Hahne, 68.

Craig Nagy, a bakery owner who wore a T-shirt that read "JESUS IS MY SAVIOR TRUMP IS MY PRESIDENT," said, "God knows what we need." ... Read more

Johnson's colleagues baffled by his shutdown strategy
Axios | Andrew Solender | 09/18/24

House members in both parties are perplexed about House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) decision to revive a short-term government funding bill that he pulled last week.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), asked if he has any sense of why Johnson is reviving the bill, told Axios, "I have no idea."

"I don't know how he thinks it's going to pass ... where are the votes coming from?" said Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas).

Another House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity, called Johnson's plan "puzzling" and predicted that it will frustrate some GOP lawmakers.

Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, told reporters: "There's an old saying in Arkansas that you don't learn nothing the second time you get kicked in the head by a mule." ... Read more

Suspicious packages mailed to election officials across U.S.
Axios | Rebecca Falconer |09/18/24

Election officials in at least 15 U.S. states have been targeted with suspicious packages, and several secretaries of state reported Tuesday being mailed letters containing white powder.

The big picture: The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are "investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states," per a joint statement from the agencies Tuesday evening. "Some of the letters contained an unknown substance."

Early voting is already under way ahead of November's election and states have stepped up security measures across the U.S.

Justice Department officials have investigated dozens of reports of threats against election workers this year that have resulted in criminal charges, and have warned the U.S. is in a "new era in which the election community is scapegoated, targeted, and attacked." ... ... ... Read more

Tupperware files for bankruptcy
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 09/18/24

The Orlando-based food storage product seller has seen sales slump in recent years and looked to be headed toward bankruptcy last year, but then company officials expressed confidence in the brand when they announced a debt restructuring deal in August 2023.

However, Tupperware has struggled to attract customers as it sought to reinvent itself by selling products via Amazon and Target and expanding beyond containers to include cooking gadgets, per Axios' Hope King.

"Over the last several years, the Company's financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment," Tupperware president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement.

That led the firm to pursue "strategic alternatives to support our transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company better positioned to serve our stakeholders," Goldman added. ... Read more

Tropical rainstorm floods Carolinas with heavy rains, threatens Mid-Atlantic
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 09/17/24

A tropical rainstorm that is taking aim at the Mid-Atlantic has flooded the Carolinas with "historic" rains, inundating homes, roads and vehicles and prompting water rescues.

The big picture: Flash flood and tropical storm warnings were in effect for portions of North and South Carolina Monday into Tuesday due to the unnamed system that the National Hurricane Center referred to as Potential Tropical Cyclone 8, as it dumped more than a foot of rain in some places.

Carolina Beach in New Hanover County, N.C, saw 18.32 inches of rainfall by Monday afternoon, while Hood Creek in Brunswick County recorded its highest water level ever at 14.11 feet during the deluge. ... Read more

Mark Cuban deals NIGHTMARE blow to Trump | BTC | 09/17/24 | 44:00

Schumer loses patience with Johnson over government shutdown standoff
Axios | Stephen Neukam,Stef W. Kight | 09/17/24

With two weeks until a potential government shutdown, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is losing patience with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), signaling the Senate is prepared to move first.

Why it matters: Schumer knows Johnson is cornered by his own party. But Schumer has members - especially Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) - who can't afford to waste valuable time in D.C.

Zoom in: If Johnson manages to get a partisan bill through the House - the current bill is a six-month funding extension with a bill attached that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote - the Senate will strip it down to a three-month funding extension with no policy riders and send it straight back. ... Read more

I read the full 900-page Project 2025 manifesto - here's why it matters
TheGuardian | Rachel Leingang | 09/14/24

My own consumption of the project was not as piecemeal – I read the full conservative manifesto by the Heritage Foundation and its many rightwing allies. Here’s what I learned from the document and all the controversy surrounding it.

Project 2025’s policy guidebook, Mandate for Leadership, describes an America poisoned by “wokeness” and overtaken by lawlessness and chaos, where conservatives need to seize power immediately - and for as long as possible - to right a sinking ship.

The guide is just one part of the broader plan Project 2025 and Heritage had in mind to dismantle the government, recruit thousands of politically aligned people to staff an incoming Trump administration, and quickly guide the next president into the steps needed to accomplish their preferred policy changes. ... Read more

I read the full 900-page Project 2025 manifesto_The Guardian.pdf

Project-2025.pdf

At Least Two Saudi Officials May Have Deliberately Assisted 9/11 Hijackers, New Evidence Suggests
ProPublica | Tim Golden | 09/11/24

Newly revealed information also raises questions about whether the FBI and CIA mishandled or downplayed evidence of the kingdom’s possible ties to the plotters.

From the start of U.S. investigations into the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the question of whether the Saudi government might have been involved has hovered over the case.

The FBI, after the most extensive criminal probe in its history, concluded that a low-level Saudi official who helped the first two hijackers in California met them by chance and aided them unwittingly. The CIA said it saw no evidence of a higher-level Saudi role. The bipartisan 9/11 commission adopted those findings. A small FBI team continued to dig into the question, turning up information that raised doubts about some of those conclusions. ... Read more

Just the Facts About the US Economy | USAFacts | 09/08/24 | 14:15

Trump's election interference case in Georgia narrowed by judge
Axios | Sareen Habeshian | 09/13/24

A Georgia judge on Thursday dismissed three criminal counts in the 2020 election subversion case against former President Trump and his co-defendants.

The big picture: Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee allowed the remaining charges against Trump and his co-defendants to proceed despite the defendants' argument that elections are a purely federal matter and don't belong in state court.

All three of the dismissed charges concerned fake electors' attempts to file false documents with the state. Two of the three dismissed charges applied to Trump.

Zoom in: McAfee ruled that an 1890 U.S. Supreme Court decision "preempts the State's ability to prosecute perjury and false filings in a federal district court." ... Read more

Behind the Curtain: Trump's big, unfixable, glaring glitch
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 09/12/24

Here's what troubles former President Trump's advisers most: He knew that with precision and preparation, Vice President Harris would bait him on things like crowd size, and buck discussion about her power today and liberalism in the past.

He knew exactly how to try to turn each moment against her.

Why it matters: But he blew it badly ... repeatedly ... predictably. He simply cannot help himself, Trump insiders begrudgingly admit.

No practice, pleas or sage advice keep Trump from being Trump.

It's a feature - not a correctable bug. ... ... ... Read more

California faces "dangerous" situation as wildfires threaten U.S. West
Axios | Rebecca Falconer,Andrew Freedman | 09/12/24

Officials in Southern California are urging residents to "heed all evacuation orders" as firefighters battle three massive wildfires - among 65 burning across the U.S. West.

Threat level: California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties in response to the Bridge Fire and in Orange and Riverside counties in response to the Airport Fire Wednesday evening.

At least five firefighters and two civilians have been injured in the Airport Fire and California's other large blaze, the Line Fire, has wounded three firefighters, according to Cal Fire.

Evacuation orders were affecting some 34,000 California residents and evacuation warnings were impacting 97,000 others, amid reports of multiple structures razed and dramatic rescues: ... ... ... Read more

Harris's Debate Smackdown | Trump's Bizarre Pet Rumor | A Hidden Message In Taylor's Endorsement? | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | 09/12/24 | 11:38

Jimmy Kimmel Breaks Down the Presidential Debate Between Donald Trump & Kamala Harris | Jimmy Kimmel Live | 09/11/24 | 17:11

Jon Stewart Tackles Harris & Trump's Debate and What This Means for the Election | The Daily Show | 09/11/24 | 19:30

Trump takes the bait: Takeaways from Harris' big night
Axios | Zachary Basu | 09/11/24

Over and over at last night's presidential debate, Kamala Harris set traps surgically designed to provoke, rattle and enrage Donald Trump.

And over and over, Trump stepped right into them.

Why it matters: With just eight weeks until the election, Harris delivered for Democrats on the biggest possible stage - the type of national stage that ended President Biden's political career less than three months ago.

She did so by being "exquisitely prepared," as former Trump debate coach Chris Christie described her, and by exploiting her opponent's well-documented triggers.

The result was a firehouse of angry rants and bizarre claims by Trump - including a baseless conspiracy theory about immigrants eating pet cats and dogs - that will fuel headlines and Democratic ads for weeks. ... ... ... Read more

Full Debate: Harris vs. Trump in 2024 Presidential Debate | WSJ | 09/11/24 | 1:49:25

Trump denies any link to Project 2025 under pressure from Harris
Axios | Erin Doherty | 09/11/24

Vice President Harris tied former President Trump to Project 2025 early in their contentious presidential debate, claiming he is preparing to unleash a dangerous agenda.

Why it matters: Trump has tried to distance himself from the conservative playbook in recent weeks, as Democrats repeatedly try to link him to it.

Project 2025, which proposes a dramatic expansion of executive branch power, is not an official Trump campaign platform, but it was created by several of the former president's allies.

In addition to giving the president unprecedented control over the federal bureaucracy, it calls for hardline positions on issues like abortion. ... Read more

Phase Two of Trump's Project 2025 | Powered By Rainbows | 09/07/24 | 21:55

Fall is getting warmer nationwide
Axios | Alex Fitzpatrick,Kavya Beheraj | 09/10/24

Fall is getting warmer across the continental U.S., a new analysis finds.

Why it matters: Warmer autumns mean more demand for cooling (and thus higher energy use), longer wildfire seasons, big changes for farmers and gardeners, etc.

Driving the news: Fall temperatures rose 2.5°F on average between 1970 and 2023 across 234 locations analyzed in a new Climate Central report.

The nonprofit climate research group's analysis is based on average temperatures between September and November of each year.

Zoom in: Reno (+7.7°F), El Paso (+6.1°F) and Las Vegas (+6.1°F) saw the biggest increases in average fall temperature among U.S. cities.

Between the lines: The fall trends are consistent with climate science findings showing how the planet is responding to human-caused increases in greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. ... Read more

Swelling wildfires in California and Nevada force thousands to evacuate
Axios | Rebecca Falconer,Andrew Freedman | 09/10/24

Fast-moving wildfires in California and Nevada have left tens of thousands of people under mandatory evacuation orders, numerous structures threatened and air quality impacted, as a dangerous heat wave grips much of the Southwestern U.S.

The big picture: California Gov. Gavin Newsom activated the National Guard Monday in response to the massive Line Fire in San Bernardino County - one of seven large blazes in California and 67 large fires burning across the western U.S. as of Monday, per the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).

Newsom proclaimed an emergency in San Bernardino County on Saturday over the fire that's left over 11,000 people under evacuation orders

Meanwhile, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared an emergency Sunday in response to the Davis Fire, south of Reno, where evacuation orders affected some 20,000 people. ... Read more

Phase Two of Trump's Project 2025 | Powered By Rainbows | 09/07/24 | 21:55

The West Bank: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | 08/01/24 | 30:37

Behind the Curtain: Toss-up America
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 09/09/24

In an election year, everyone acts like they're Nate Silver - a prognosticator with complex theories on who'll win the White House.

Why it matters: They all have something in common - they're full of it when expressing any confidence in any predictive outcomes.

The reason: You live in a toss-up nation, where every election brings coin-toss-close fights to run American government.

This has been true for nearly every election since 2000, and will likely remain true until a seismic shift alters our concrete 50-50 reality.

A big national poll of likely voters released Sunday by the N.Y. Times and Siena College showed a neck-and-neck race: Former President Trump leads Vice President Harris 48% to 47% - well within the margin of error (+- 2.8 points). ... Read more

Trump Takes Question After Question About The Economy, National Security, And More | Forbes | 09/06/24 | 18:57

Trump's debate playbook: Call the rules 'rigged' and undermine the moderators
Politico | Alex Isenstadt and Meridith McGraw | 09/09/24

Donald Trump is laying the foundation for a "rigged" debate on ABC News before he squares off with Kamala Harris.

In interviews, fundraising appeals, rallies, and posts on social media, the former president has repeatedly blasted the host network and accused its top talent of being biased against him. He's even accused the network, without evidence, of providing the questions in advance to the Harris campaign.

"ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness," Trump said during a Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity recently. "They're very nasty, and I think a lot of people are going to be watching to see how nasty and how unfair they are."

"Do you think ABC will give Kamala every question beforehand? We already know her liberal media cronies would do ANYTHING to keep her from getting embarrassed the same way Biden was!" Trump said in a fundraising appeal. "I'm coming into this at a disadvantage - taking on Crooked Kamala AND the Fake News - but with you in my ear, I'm NOT SCARED OF ANYTHING!"" ... Read more

The globe just had its hottest summer on record
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 09/06/24

The global average surface temperatures from June through August were the hottest on record, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Why it matters: The period, which comprises summer in the Northern Hemisphere, brought a spate of extreme heat, wildfires and other extreme events.

Europe had its hottest summer on record, with deadly heat events repeatedly affecting Greece, Italy and Spain, along with wildfires.

Zoom in: Copernicus, an EU science center, now projects that 2024 will surpass 2023 as the globe's hottest year on record.

The planet had its hottest August on record, tied with the same month the year before.

Thirteen of the past 14 months have seen global average surface temperatures that exceeded 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, which is a key warming target under the Paris Agreement.

In July, the globe recorded a string of the four hottest days on record stretching back for at least 100,000 years. ... ... ... Read more

Climate Change | 60 Minutes Marathon| 2006-2022 | 3:55:02

Phoenix hits 100 days of 100° with no end to the streak in sight
Axios | Jessica Boehm,Andrew Freedman | 09/03/24

Phoenix has smashed heat record after heat record this summer and is on track to top some more as a deadly heat wave is forecast to arrive Wednesday.

Why it matters: Extreme heat is becoming increasingly common in Phoenix and the Southwest.

Heat contributed to 645 deaths in metro Phoenix last year. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner has already confirmed 177 heat-related deaths this year and is investigating another 436.

State of play: Phoenix hit 100° for the 100th day in a row Tuesday, and the streak has no end in sight. The previous 100-plus-degree streak was 76 days, set in 1993.

Phoenix's average temperature of the meteorological summer (June-August) was 98.9° - beating the record of 97° from last year, per National Weather Service Phoenix meteorologist Sean Benedict. ... Read more

4 dead, 9 hospitalized in shooting at Georgia high school
Axios | Kristal Dixon | 09/05/24

A 14-year-old Apalachee High School student has been charged with murder after four people died and nine others were injured in a shooting at the Winder, Georgia, school on Wednesday, officials said.

The big picture: Georgia Bureau of Investigation director Chris Hosey identified the suspected shooter as 14-year-old Colt Gray, and said he will be tried as an adult. Investigators believe the suspect used an "AR-platform-style weapon," Hosey said at a Wednesday night news conference.

Georgia authorities identified the two students killed in the shooting as Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14-years-old, and math teachers Christina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39, who was also an assistant football coach.

Of the additional nine people injured, the GBI said eight were students and one was a teacher. "We don't expect any more fatalities at this time," Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said at the Wednesday evening news conference. ... Read more

Scoop: U.S. and Israel quietly discuss options to cool tensions with Lebanon
Axios | Barak Ravid | 09/05/24

Senior officials from the U.S. and Israel held a low-profile virtual meeting on Tuesday to discuss how to ease tensions with Lebanon and prevent an all out war between Israel and Hezbollah, four Israeli and U.S. officials said.

Why it matters: The meeting, which hasn't been announced by the White House or the Israeli government, was initiated by the Biden administration to take the pulse on the Israeli side and coordinate their policies about the situation in Lebanon, officials said.

Driving the news: Ten days ago, Israel and Hezbollah engaged in the most extensive exchange of fire since the the Shia group attacked Israel on Oct. 8. ... Read more

Jail, MAGA lies & coup crimes: See 'Trump playbook' shredded in criminal court | MSNBC | 09/05/24 | 12:18

Behind the Curtain: America's most wanted
Axios | Mike Allen,Jim VandeHei | 09/04/24

In private, top advisers to Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump agree on three things:

Harris had a phenomenal month: record fundraising, little serious scrutiny, plus enthusiasm and party unity that few expected.

Trump had a rough month: a lackluster, at best, vice presidential rollout, and no lasting change in tone after surviving an on-camera assassination attempt.

Yet the race is within the polling margins of error in all seven swing states - Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia.

Why it matters: Each candidate will use the next 62 days to try to solidify and amplify several specific groups of voters.

The big picture: Harris has made progress toward restoring President Biden's winning coalition from 2020, which was imperiled when he was still the Democratic candidate. But Wall Street Journal polling shows Harris hasn't erased gains Trump had made among Black, Latino and young voters. ... ... ... Read more

Heat wave to scorch Southwest, West as wildfire concerns increase
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 09/04/24

After one of the hottest summers on record, many cities in the Southwest and West are preparing for a significant heat wave beginning midweek.

Threat level: A strong heat dome will send temperatures soaring into the 100s°F to 110s°F in Phoenix and Las Vegas, with triple-digit heat also affecting much of inland California.

Coming off the record hot and dry summer, wildfire risks are especially high in California and surrounding states.

This season has already brought the Park Fire, which stands as California's fourth-largest wildfire on record.

Oregon has also had a severe wildfire season, and it too will see dangerously hot temperatures combined with gusty, dry winds during this event. New fires ignited in central Oregon over Labor Day weekend from lightning strikes amid dry conditions. ... Read more

In Pursuit of Peace in Israel and Palestine by Gershom Baskin



Interview with Amy at DemocracyNow (see right column)

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects growing domestic and international calls to accept a Gaza ceasefire deal, we go to Jerusalem to speak to Gershon Baskin of the human rights advocacy group International Communities Organization. Baskin has spent years as a back-channel Israeli negotiator with Hamas in ceasefire deals, including throughout Israel's current war on Gaza. "It's very clear that Netanyahu doesn't want to end the war," says Baskin, who calls for all remaining stakeholders, including Hamas, the United States and Israeli protesters, to increase pressure on the defiant prime minister.

Mongolia declines to arrest Putin, defying ICC warrant
Axios | vana Saric | 09/03/24

Russian President Putin arrived in Mongolia Monday evening without incident - despite the host country being legally obligated to arrest him on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.

Why it matters: This is Putin's first visit to an ICC member nation since the court issued a warrant for his arrest last year for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

The warrant has complicated Putin's international travel plans. He skipped a summit in South Africa last year after it was issued. ... Read more

Gender gap widens in support for Harris vs. Trump: poll
Axios | Mike Allen | 09/03/24

Vice President Kamala Harris has widened her advantage among women, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll.

Why it matters: Harris' 18-point gender gap support over former President Trump is another indicator that November is set to be the "boys versus girls" election in both turnout and tone.

Among women, Harris leads by 13 points, 54%-41%.

Among men, former President Trump leads by 5 points, 51%-46% (not statistically significant).

Zoom out: The election has been defined by the masculinity and femininity on either side, including with policy, even before Harris became the Democrats' nominee. ... Read more

A third of K-12 students are behind grade level
Axios | Alex Fitzpatrick | 09/03/24

About a third of U.S. K-12 students this school year are behind grade level, according to a recent survey.

Why it matters: Schools are still dealing with the long-term effects of remote schooling and other pandemic-era learning disruptions.

How it works: The data, current as of the end of the 2023-24 school year, is from the School Pulse Panel, a monthly National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey of nearly 4,000 nationally representative grade schools.

For the June 2024 data, 1,651 of those schools responded.

The idea is to track key education metrics in near real time as teachers and administrators grapple with post-pandemic learning loss and other challenges. ... Read more