Aging Energy Infrastructure Plus Climate Change Are a Growing Risk
Video Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories - Duration: 01:31s - Published
Aging Energy Infrastructure Plus Climate Change Are a Growing Risk
Aging Energy Infrastructure, Plus Climate Change, Are a Growing Risk.
NPR reports that Texas investigators say that a power pole , "that appeared to be decayed at the base", was the cause of the worst wildfire in the state's history.
Xcel Energy, the state's electric
utility, said in a statement that , "its facilities appear to have been involved
in an ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fire.".
Rob Gramlich, president of consulting firm
Grid Strategies, warns that many of the U.S.'s
power lines were built 60 to 70 years ago.
.
According to Gramlich, most electric utility providers
in the U.S. lack the technology to let them know
when power lines are overheating or sagging.
Combined with increased temperatures
and drier vegetation, this aging infrastructure
could spark larger, more intense wildfires.
There are some utilities
that are really leaders and
are getting ahead of the risk, Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy
Policy Program at the Woods Institute for
the Environment at Stanford University, via NPR.
And then there are others
that we look at and think are
walking into a catastrophe, Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy
Policy Program at the Woods Institute for
the Environment at Stanford University, via NPR.
According to experts, wildfire prevention
can not only impact safety, but also the
cost of energy bills across the nation.
We cannot afford – literally,
in terms of our pocketbooks –
to have utilities be perceived
by their investors as high risk, Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy
Policy Program at the Woods Institute for
the Environment at Stanford University, via NPR.
There is a set of practices
that utilities can take that
do not cost an arm and a leg
that can dramatically cut
the risk of outcomes
like we saw in Texas, Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy
Policy Program at the Woods Institute for
the Environment at Stanford University, via NPR
Supreme Court Rules That , Some Jan. 6 Defendants, Were Improperly Charged.
NPR reports that the United States Supreme Court voted to limit which defendants accused of taking part in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot can be charged by federal prosecutors.
The decision also casts doubt on two out of
the four felony counts in former President
Donald Trump's election subversion indictment.
According to conservative Chief Justice John Roberts,
the court ruled that the U.S. government must prove , “that the defendant impaired the availability or integrity
for use in an official proceeding of records, documents,
objects, or other things used in an official proceeding.”.
NPR reports that prosecutors relied
on a key criminal statute to prosecute
over 350 participants of the Capitol riot.
The statute makes it a crime to alter or
destroy official documents, or to otherwise
obstruct or impede official proceedings.
Roberts wrote that the statute was
not meant to broaden the meaning of
the law to make it a catchall provision. .
The decision will impact other cases related
to Jan. 6, many of which will have to be
resentenced, retried or defendants will be released. .
NYU law professor Ryan Goodman authored
a study that found only 346 of the 1,417 people
charged in connection with the Capitol riot
were charged under the obstruction statute.
The study also found that 71 people are still
awaiting trial on the obstruction charge, but over
half of them are also charged with another felony.
NPR points out that if found guilty of other felony charges,
the sentencing judge is still allowed to use the charge of
obstruction to determine the length of their sentence.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Supreme Court Rules , Against SEC's Authority, to Impose Fines.
NPR reports that the United States Supreme Court
recently voted 6-3 against the Securities and
Exchange Commission's policy on fraudulent conduct. .
NPR reports that the United States Supreme Court
recently voted 6-3 against the Securities and
Exchange Commission's policy on fraudulent conduct. .
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court's
conservative majority, said the current rules deprive accused
transgressors of their constitutional right to a jury trial. .
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court's
conservative majority, said the current rules deprive accused
transgressors of their constitutional right to a jury trial. .
The SEC relies on administrative
law judges (ALJ) to make legal conclusions
in cases brought before the agency.
The Supreme Court's decision has the potential
to send ripples through dozens of agencies,
from labor rights to energy regulation.
The Court did exclude from its decision those
agencies dealing with federal benefits, while some
conservative justices wanted the ruling to go further.
The three liberal justices
in dissent blasted the
decision by the majority. .
The case was brought by a former conservative
radio host and hedge fund manager, George Jarkesy,
following an SEC fraud investigation.
The case was brought by a former conservative
radio host and hedge fund manager, George Jarkesy,
following an SEC fraud investigation.
An in-house evidentiary hearing fined Jarkesy $300,000,
ordered him to pay back almost $700,000 in ill-gotten
profits and barred him from the securities industry.
Jarkesy argued that he was entitled to a jury trial
held in a federal court and that Congress lacked
the power to delegate such authority to the SEC.
NPR reports that Jarkesy's case was supported
by a number of conservative and business groups, and individuals such as Elon Musk.
NPR reports that Jarkesy's case was supported
by a number of conservative and business groups, and individuals such as Elon Musk
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Amazon Reaches $2 Trillion , in Stock Market Value.
On June 26, Amazon became the 5th American company to join the $2 trillion club, NPR reports. .
Amazon shares ended the day up nearly 4%, giving the company a $2.01 trillion stock market valuation. .
Within the past year,
Amazon's stock has gained 52%.
Part of that gain can be attributed
to investors' enthusiasm about the
company's AI endeavors, NPR reports. .
A big part of the valuation boost has
been cloud and AI. Amazon is going to
be a major player in the AI revolution, Dan Ives, Wedbush tech analyst, via NPR.
Amazon currently has a chatbot called Q, which businesses that use AWS have access to. .
Amazon currently has a chatbot called Q, which businesses that use AWS have access to. .
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently said that
AI has rejuvenated the growth of AWS.
The cloud computing unit is reportedly on pace to bring in $100 billion in annual revenue.
Amazon recently invested in Anthropic, a California
AI company, "to develop so-called foundation models
that underpin generative AI systems," NPR reports. .
Amazon also makes its own AI chips.
The other four U.S. companies that
belong to the $2 trillion club are
Google, Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia. .
The other four U.S. companies that
belong to the $2 trillion club are
Google, Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia. .
The other four U.S. companies that
belong to the $2 trillion club are
Google, Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia. .
The other four U.S. companies that
belong to the $2 trillion club are
Google, Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Border Arrests Fall Over 40% , Since Biden Suspended Asylum Processing.
The Homeland Security Department made the announcement on June 26, NPR reports. .
Average daily arrests that the
Border Patrol has made over a week-long period have dropped below 2,400.
That is a decrease of over 40% from before the president's proclamation went into effect on June 5.
That is a decrease of over 40% from before the president's proclamation went into effect on June 5.
However, arrests need to drop to the
1,500 mark before asylum processing can resume.
Still, the current data marks the lowest number
of arrests since Jan. 17, 2021, NPR reports. .
Last week, President Biden touted a 25% decrease
in border arrests since the order took effect, .
which means they've
dropped a lot more since then.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has called the executive order a "tremendous success.".
We indeed have seen a tremendous
success early on, and I should emphasize
that it is early on in our implementation
of the president’s proclamation and
our accompanying regulation, Alejandro Mayorkas, to CNN.
Mayorkas will address border enforcement
efforts in Tuscon, Arizona, on June 26.
The area has served as "the busiest corridor for illegal crossings" recently, NPR reports.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Upcoming Presidential Debate , Between Biden and Trump, Breaks With Tradition.
Upcoming Presidential Debate , Between Biden and Trump, Breaks With Tradition.
On June 27, President Joe Biden and former
President Donald Trump will meet in the
first presidential debate of 2024 in Atlanta.
On June 27, President Joe Biden and former
President Donald Trump will meet in the
first presidential debate of 2024 in Atlanta.
NPR reports that the debate marks the beginning of
a new phase in the presidential election, with less
than five months until Election Day on November 5.
According to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist polls,
Biden and Trump are nearly tied following a month-long
trend of national surveys with the same results.
According to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist polls,
Biden and Trump are nearly tied following a month-long
trend of national surveys with the same results.
Breaking with campaign tradition, the debate comes
months earlier than usual, following a set of rules
agreed to by candidates and without a live audience.
The event is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET
and is expected to run for 90 minutes.
CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will
moderate the event, which will take
place at the network's Atlanta studio.
CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will
moderate the event, which will take
place at the network's Atlanta studio.
The presidential debate will also be available
on CNN and the Max streaming platform. .
The presidential debate will also be available
on CNN and the Max streaming platform. .
NPR reports that presidential debates
have traditionally occurred in front of a live
audience and are coordinated by the bipartisan
Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD).
However, both Biden and Trump have said they
will not participate in the CPD's planned debates,
pushing for earlier face offs ahead of the election.
However, both Biden and Trump have said they
will not participate in the CPD's planned debates,
pushing for earlier face offs ahead of the election.
The second debate is scheduled
for September and will be
hosted by ABC News
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
American actress Deirdre Quinn was in her late 20s when she played Mary Jo Wright AKA "Miss Texas" -- the southern belle representing her home state at the Miss.. TMZ.com
A US citizen who allegedly left a British nurse temporarily unable to walk after a car crash has been arrested in Texas a year after the collision. Sky News
Patrick Mahomes Sr. -- the father of NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes II -- has had yet another run-in with cops ... TMZ Sports has learned he was busted in Texas.. TMZ.com
Shelley Duvall, the actress known for playing Wendy Torrance in 'The Shining' and starring in numerous Robert Altman films, has died. She was 75. Dan Gilroy, Duvall's life partner since 1989, told The Hollywood Reporter she died in her sleep of complications from diabetes at her home in Blanco, Texas. He said, "My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley."
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 02:00Published
Shelley Duvall, who famously co-starred in "The Shining," is dead after a painful battle with diabetes. Dan Gilroy, Shelley's life partner for decades, tells TMZ.. TMZ.com
Here's Why Deep Breathing Works, to Keep You Calm.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other.
They were, for mice,
remarkably chill, Dr. Mark Krasnow, Stanford University,
via 'The New York Times'.
What we think was going on was that the disabled neurons normally would detect activity in other neurons within the pacemaker that regulate rapid breathing and sniffing, Dr. Kevin Yackle, UC San Francisco,
via 'The New York Times'.
Mothers were probably right all along when they told us to stop and take a deep breath when we got upset, Dr. Kevin Yackle, UC San Francisco,
via 'The New York Times'.
Take the time to understand each other, Rumi.
Take the time to understand each other, Rumi.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other.
Take the time to understand each other
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
EU Risk Assessment , Warns Continent Unprepared , For Climate Threats.
On March 11, the European Environment Agency released
its first-ever risk assessment for the EU, warning that
the bloc is..
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published