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marmar
marmar's Journal
marmar's Journal
February 2, 2022
L.A. Metro Board approves route for initial segment for West Santa Ana Branch Project and Union Station as northern terminus
Los Angeles Union Station was approved to be the northern terminus of the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor Project at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (L.A. Metro) board of directors meeting.
The 14.8-mile Slauson/A Line to Pioneer route was also approved as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the project’s initial segment between Artesia and Downtown Los Angeles.
Spanning 19.3 miles, the new light-rail project will include 12 stations connecting the Gateway Cities of Artesia, Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, the unincorporated Florence-Graham community and Downtown Los Angeles, with 1.4 million residents living near the route. The project will provide relief to the limited mobility and transit options currently available to these communities.
“The West Santa Ana Branch is not just a crucial project to deliver light rail to historically underserved areas of L.A. County — it’s an opportunity to stitch our region together and connect people to opportunity,” said L.A. Metro Board Director and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Through Measure M and collaboration across the county, we are improving congestion and air quality, and bringing high-quality public transportation to every corner of our region.” ...............(more)
https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/press-release/21255110/los-angeles-county-metropolitan-transportation-authority-metro-la-metro-board-approves-route-for-initial-segment-for-west-santa-ana-branch-project-and-union-station-as-northern-terminus
L.A. Metro Board approves route for initial segment for West Santa Ana Branch Project......
L.A. Metro Board approves route for initial segment for West Santa Ana Branch Project and Union Station as northern terminus
Los Angeles Union Station was approved to be the northern terminus of the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor Project at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (L.A. Metro) board of directors meeting.
The 14.8-mile Slauson/A Line to Pioneer route was also approved as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the project’s initial segment between Artesia and Downtown Los Angeles.
Spanning 19.3 miles, the new light-rail project will include 12 stations connecting the Gateway Cities of Artesia, Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, the unincorporated Florence-Graham community and Downtown Los Angeles, with 1.4 million residents living near the route. The project will provide relief to the limited mobility and transit options currently available to these communities.
“The West Santa Ana Branch is not just a crucial project to deliver light rail to historically underserved areas of L.A. County — it’s an opportunity to stitch our region together and connect people to opportunity,” said L.A. Metro Board Director and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Through Measure M and collaboration across the county, we are improving congestion and air quality, and bringing high-quality public transportation to every corner of our region.” ...............(more)
https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/press-release/21255110/los-angeles-county-metropolitan-transportation-authority-metro-la-metro-board-approves-route-for-initial-segment-for-west-santa-ana-branch-project-and-union-station-as-northern-terminus
February 2, 2022
(Guardian UK) More than 100 far-right candidates are running for political office across the country as Republicans this year according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-profit that monitors hate groups.
Aside from those expressing extremist rhetoric and far-right views, the ADL has found at least a dozen of the candidates had explicit connections to ‘“white supremacists, anti-government extremists and members of the far-right Proud Boys”. It includes primary challengers running to the right of some sitting Republicans.
In Arkansas’s third district Neil Kumar, who the ADL found has written for white supremacist publications, is challenging the incumbent congressman, Steve Womack, who broke with Republicans in voting in favor of creating the January 6 commission to investigate the Capitol attack. The openly racist views of Kumar prompted the Arkansas state Republican party to take the unusual step of declaring him a “non-recommended candidate” in the upcoming primary.
The wave of far-right candidates includes sitting legislators like the Arizona state senator Wendy Rogers, who has admitted to being a member of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia with 11 members currently under federal indictment for seditious conspiracy. ........(more)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/02/republicans-100-far-right-candidates-2022
Republicans to field more than 100 far-right candidates this year
(Guardian UK) More than 100 far-right candidates are running for political office across the country as Republicans this year according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-profit that monitors hate groups.
Aside from those expressing extremist rhetoric and far-right views, the ADL has found at least a dozen of the candidates had explicit connections to ‘“white supremacists, anti-government extremists and members of the far-right Proud Boys”. It includes primary challengers running to the right of some sitting Republicans.
In Arkansas’s third district Neil Kumar, who the ADL found has written for white supremacist publications, is challenging the incumbent congressman, Steve Womack, who broke with Republicans in voting in favor of creating the January 6 commission to investigate the Capitol attack. The openly racist views of Kumar prompted the Arkansas state Republican party to take the unusual step of declaring him a “non-recommended candidate” in the upcoming primary.
The wave of far-right candidates includes sitting legislators like the Arizona state senator Wendy Rogers, who has admitted to being a member of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia with 11 members currently under federal indictment for seditious conspiracy. ........(more)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/02/republicans-100-far-right-candidates-2022
February 2, 2022
Donald Trump's having an awful week — and it's only Wednesday
This week's Trump news seems to have shaken even the D.C. press corps' jaded attitude
By HEATHER DIGBY PARTON
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2, 2022 10:00AM
(Salon) Generally speaking, the Washington press corps and, in particular, the political reporters at the New York Times are not ones to engage in hyperbole when it comes to Donald Trump. If anything, the paper of record has been downplaying the ongoing saga of Trump's Big Lie and all the evidence that's been piling up about what happened in the lead-up to January 6th recently. But this week's Trump news seems to have shaken even their jaded attitude.
For instance, the Times' Peter Baker tweeted on Tuesday, "Even for Trump it's quite a week -- first dangling pardons for capitol attackers, then admitting his goal was to have 'overturned the election' and now calling on the House to investigate Pence for not throwing out votes of multiple states so a president who lost could keep power." Then the Times' Maggie Haberman, appearing on CNN on Tuesday night, said, "it's been a breathtaking couple of days." This NYT piece by Shane Goldmacher headlined "Trump's Words, and Deeds, Reveal Depths of His Drive to Retain Power" says it all.
....(snip)....
It couldn't have helped his agitated mood to see new details emerge about those crazy meetings in the White House after the election when he and his lawyers were trying to find ways to do exactly what he wanted Mike Pence to do on January 6th: overturn the election. I've been intrigued by the one that took place on December 18th ever since it was reported and I wrote about it just the other day. What we knew was already so nuts that it's hard to believe it could be any loonier --- but it is.
Recall that General Michael Flynn, Trump lawyer Sidney "Kraken" Powell and the former CEO of Overstock.com somehow got into the White House and proposed to Trump that he sign an Executive Order naming Powell as Special Counsel to investigate the alleged election fraud and order the military to seize the voting machines. What we didn't know until the NY Times and CNN reported it this week is that Trump had earlier tried to get former Attorney General William Barr to have the Justice Department seize machines and Barr told him he could not do it because it would require probable cause and there wasn't any. (Barr resigned not long after.) ...........(more)
https://www.salon.com/2022/02/02/donald-having-an-awful-week--and-its-only-wednesday/
Donald Trump's having an awful week -- and it's only Wednesday
Donald Trump's having an awful week — and it's only Wednesday
This week's Trump news seems to have shaken even the D.C. press corps' jaded attitude
By HEATHER DIGBY PARTON
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2, 2022 10:00AM
(Salon) Generally speaking, the Washington press corps and, in particular, the political reporters at the New York Times are not ones to engage in hyperbole when it comes to Donald Trump. If anything, the paper of record has been downplaying the ongoing saga of Trump's Big Lie and all the evidence that's been piling up about what happened in the lead-up to January 6th recently. But this week's Trump news seems to have shaken even their jaded attitude.
For instance, the Times' Peter Baker tweeted on Tuesday, "Even for Trump it's quite a week -- first dangling pardons for capitol attackers, then admitting his goal was to have 'overturned the election' and now calling on the House to investigate Pence for not throwing out votes of multiple states so a president who lost could keep power." Then the Times' Maggie Haberman, appearing on CNN on Tuesday night, said, "it's been a breathtaking couple of days." This NYT piece by Shane Goldmacher headlined "Trump's Words, and Deeds, Reveal Depths of His Drive to Retain Power" says it all.
....(snip)....
It couldn't have helped his agitated mood to see new details emerge about those crazy meetings in the White House after the election when he and his lawyers were trying to find ways to do exactly what he wanted Mike Pence to do on January 6th: overturn the election. I've been intrigued by the one that took place on December 18th ever since it was reported and I wrote about it just the other day. What we knew was already so nuts that it's hard to believe it could be any loonier --- but it is.
Recall that General Michael Flynn, Trump lawyer Sidney "Kraken" Powell and the former CEO of Overstock.com somehow got into the White House and proposed to Trump that he sign an Executive Order naming Powell as Special Counsel to investigate the alleged election fraud and order the military to seize the voting machines. What we didn't know until the NY Times and CNN reported it this week is that Trump had earlier tried to get former Attorney General William Barr to have the Justice Department seize machines and Barr told him he could not do it because it would require probable cause and there wasn't any. (Barr resigned not long after.) ...........(more)
https://www.salon.com/2022/02/02/donald-having-an-awful-week--and-its-only-wednesday/
February 2, 2022
New York (CNN Business) The restaurant industry will likely never return to its pre-pandemic state, according to the National Restaurant Association.
The trade group says 2022 will be a "new normal," for the sector as it struggles to rebound and as competition for workers remains intense, according to the association's 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry report, which was released Tuesday.
"Restaurants and their patrons have found themselves in a 'new normal.' Given emergent technology, changing consumer behavior and dining preferences, and the extraordinary challenges of the last two years, the industry is unlikely to ever completely return to its pre-pandemic state," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group at the National Restaurant Association. ,............(more)
https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/02/business/restaurants-pandemic-effects/index.html?
The restaurant business will probably never recover from Covid
New York (CNN Business) The restaurant industry will likely never return to its pre-pandemic state, according to the National Restaurant Association.
The trade group says 2022 will be a "new normal," for the sector as it struggles to rebound and as competition for workers remains intense, according to the association's 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry report, which was released Tuesday.
"Restaurants and their patrons have found themselves in a 'new normal.' Given emergent technology, changing consumer behavior and dining preferences, and the extraordinary challenges of the last two years, the industry is unlikely to ever completely return to its pre-pandemic state," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group at the National Restaurant Association. ,............(more)
https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/02/business/restaurants-pandemic-effects/index.html?
February 1, 2022
(Grist) Farmers across the United States are increasingly seeing the impacts of climate change first hand, with a rise in the severity and frequency of extreme weather events. Beyond the loss of food supplies, new data on agricultural insurance payments shows the financial burden of these disasters on taxpayers.
Over the last 25 years, insurance payments to farmers for crop losses due to drought and flooding have increased threefold, according to a report from the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, an environmental research advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. Taxpayers cover 60 percent of crop insurance premiums through subsidies, and additionally cover damages that exceed premiums. Since 1995, more than $143 billion in federal crop insurance has been paid out to U.S. farmers. Of that, 61 percent, or $87.6 billion, was due to climate change-related impacts.
“As extreme weather has become more frequent, the climate crisis has already increased insurance payments and premium subsidies,” the report stated. “These costs are expected to go up even more, as climate change causes even more unpredictable weather conditions.”
Insuring the country’s crops, the report says, is likely to get more expensive for everyone: insurance companies, farmers, and especially taxpayers. And farmers currently aren’t required to do anything to remediate their risk for crop damage. ................(more)
https://grist.org/agriculture/extreme-weather-is-destroying-more-crops-taxpayers-are-footing-the-bill/
Extreme weather is destroying more crops. Taxpayers are footing the bill.
(Grist) Farmers across the United States are increasingly seeing the impacts of climate change first hand, with a rise in the severity and frequency of extreme weather events. Beyond the loss of food supplies, new data on agricultural insurance payments shows the financial burden of these disasters on taxpayers.
Over the last 25 years, insurance payments to farmers for crop losses due to drought and flooding have increased threefold, according to a report from the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, an environmental research advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. Taxpayers cover 60 percent of crop insurance premiums through subsidies, and additionally cover damages that exceed premiums. Since 1995, more than $143 billion in federal crop insurance has been paid out to U.S. farmers. Of that, 61 percent, or $87.6 billion, was due to climate change-related impacts.
“As extreme weather has become more frequent, the climate crisis has already increased insurance payments and premium subsidies,” the report stated. “These costs are expected to go up even more, as climate change causes even more unpredictable weather conditions.”
Insuring the country’s crops, the report says, is likely to get more expensive for everyone: insurance companies, farmers, and especially taxpayers. And farmers currently aren’t required to do anything to remediate their risk for crop damage. ................(more)
https://grist.org/agriculture/extreme-weather-is-destroying-more-crops-taxpayers-are-footing-the-bill/
February 1, 2022
(Guardian UK) With a crucial vote pending over filibuster rules that would have made strong voting rights legislation feasible, Democratic senator Kyrsten Sinema flew into Houston, Texas, for a fundraiser that drew dozens of fossil fuel chieftains, including Continental Resources chairman Harold Hamm and ConocoPhillips chief executive Ryan Lance.
The event was held on 18 January at the upmarket River Oaks Country Club. One executive told the Guardian that Sinema spoke for about half an hour and informed a mostly Republican crowd that they could “rest assured” she would not back any changes with filibuster rules, reiterating a stance she took several days before during a Senate speech.
The Arizona senator also addressed some energy industry issues according to the executive, who added that overall he was “tremendously impressed”.
The day after the Houston bash, Sinema voted against changing filibuster rules, thereby helping to thwart the voting rights bill. ...........(more)
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/feb/01/kyrsten-sinema-courted-republican-fossil-fuel-donors-filibuster-stance
Kyrsten Sinema courted Republican fossil fuel donors with filibuster stance
(Guardian UK) With a crucial vote pending over filibuster rules that would have made strong voting rights legislation feasible, Democratic senator Kyrsten Sinema flew into Houston, Texas, for a fundraiser that drew dozens of fossil fuel chieftains, including Continental Resources chairman Harold Hamm and ConocoPhillips chief executive Ryan Lance.
The event was held on 18 January at the upmarket River Oaks Country Club. One executive told the Guardian that Sinema spoke for about half an hour and informed a mostly Republican crowd that they could “rest assured” she would not back any changes with filibuster rules, reiterating a stance she took several days before during a Senate speech.
The Arizona senator also addressed some energy industry issues according to the executive, who added that overall he was “tremendously impressed”.
The day after the Houston bash, Sinema voted against changing filibuster rules, thereby helping to thwart the voting rights bill. ...........(more)
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/feb/01/kyrsten-sinema-courted-republican-fossil-fuel-donors-filibuster-stance
February 1, 2022
Boris Johnson's career could end in days. Here's how a series of lockdown parties may bring him down
By Jack Hawke in London
Posted Sat 22 Jan 2022 at 2:42pmSaturday 22 Jan 2022 at 2:42pm, updated Sat 22 Jan 2022 at 4:39pm
This week Boris Johnson could face the biggest test yet of his premiership.
The British Prime Minister is under pressure to resign over a series of parties that happened at Downing Street while the rest of the country was under strict COVID-19 restrictions.
Those revelations — and Johnson's subsequent responses and excuses — have caused outrage among the public and even within his own Conservative Party, with several MPs calling on him to resign.
If he does not quit, he may be forced out in a vote of no-confidence by his own party, and it could all hinge on an internal report into the alleged law-breaking parties that is due to be released this week.
So how has it gone so wrong for mop-haired former London mayor? ..............(more)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-23/boris-johnsons-career-on-the-edge/100772800
Boris Johnson's career could end in days. Here's how a series of lockdown parties may bring him down
Boris Johnson's career could end in days. Here's how a series of lockdown parties may bring him down
By Jack Hawke in London
Posted Sat 22 Jan 2022 at 2:42pmSaturday 22 Jan 2022 at 2:42pm, updated Sat 22 Jan 2022 at 4:39pm
This week Boris Johnson could face the biggest test yet of his premiership.
The British Prime Minister is under pressure to resign over a series of parties that happened at Downing Street while the rest of the country was under strict COVID-19 restrictions.
Those revelations — and Johnson's subsequent responses and excuses — have caused outrage among the public and even within his own Conservative Party, with several MPs calling on him to resign.
If he does not quit, he may be forced out in a vote of no-confidence by his own party, and it could all hinge on an internal report into the alleged law-breaking parties that is due to be released this week.
So how has it gone so wrong for mop-haired former London mayor? ..............(more)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-23/boris-johnsons-career-on-the-edge/100772800
February 1, 2022
This week's snowstorm could be one of metro Detroit's highest snowfalls on record
Emma Stein
Detroit Free Press
Lace up your snow boots and grab your shovel, this winter storm is going to be a doozy.
The National Weather Service is forecasting 10-15 inches in the metro Detroit region, as of Monday afternoon.
No matter where it falls in the spectrum, it will likely break into the top 25 recorded snowfalls since 1880. If it reaches 15 inches, it could make the top five. ...........(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/01/31/largest-winter-storm-record-detroit-michigan/9286720002/
We've largely avoided the worst of winter in SE Michigan thus far, but that's about to end.....
This week's snowstorm could be one of metro Detroit's highest snowfalls on record
Emma Stein
Detroit Free Press
Lace up your snow boots and grab your shovel, this winter storm is going to be a doozy.
The National Weather Service is forecasting 10-15 inches in the metro Detroit region, as of Monday afternoon.
No matter where it falls in the spectrum, it will likely break into the top 25 recorded snowfalls since 1880. If it reaches 15 inches, it could make the top five. ...........(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/01/31/largest-winter-storm-record-detroit-michigan/9286720002/
Profile Information
Gender: MaleHometown: Detroit, MI
Member since: Fri Oct 29, 2004, 12:18 AM
Number of posts: 77,077