Mount Rainier National Park to stop accepting cash for fees in May

Daily Standup – 2024-01-22

Look how cute I am on video.

I’m adorable!

Ron DeSantis drops out of presidential race and backs Trump

The Florida governor ends his bid for the Republican nomination and endorses Donald Trump ahead of New Hampshire vote.

Does Self-Checkout Impact Grocery Store Loyalty?

Researchers from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business conducted five studies that showed customers are more likely to remain loyal to the grocery store when using regular checkout service compared to self-checkout systems.

Human brain cells hooked up to a chip can do speech recognition

Clusters of brain cells grown in the lab have shown potential as a new type of hybrid bio-computer.

215 people have been buried behind a Mississippi jail since 2016, attorney says

The issue became national news when families said they waited months for word about missing loved ones — only to learn their relative had been buried without notice.

Why Is the Radio Full of Christian Rock? Thank This Nonprofit

Why is the radio so full of Christian rock? Thank the Educational Media Foundation, the little-known nonprofit taking the devil’s music off the air

Chicago banned unannounced migrant drop-offs. Now this Texas charter bus company is suing over the restrictions | CNN

The charter bus company hired by the state of Texas to transport migrants to Chicago is trying to flip the script on the border crisis in a federal lawsuit against the city. Wynne Transportation is fighting new restrictions in Chicago against buses dropping off one-way passengers without prior notice.

Half of recent US inflation due to high corporate profits, report finds

Thinktank report says ‘resounding evidence’ shows companies continue to keep prices high even as their inflationary costs drop

Biden administration to forgive $4.9 billion in student debt for 73,600 borrowers

The Biden administration announced Friday it would forgive $4.9 billion in student debt for 73,600 borrowers.

Midwife fined $300,000 for falsifying the vaccine records of hundreds of school-aged children | CNN

A Nassau County midwife was issued a $300,000 fine for creating false immunization records for approximately 1,500 school-aged children throughout New York state.

Grand jury indicts Alec Baldwin in fatal shooting of cinematographer on movie set in New Mexico

A grand jury indicted Alec Baldwin on an involuntary manslaughter charge in a 2021 fatal shooting during a rehearsal on “Rust” movie set.

Appeals court rules lawsuit seeking Jan. 6 emails from Texas governor, attorney general can move forward

On Jan. 6, 2021, Ken Paxton spoke at a rally that preceded a mob of Donald Trump supporters storming the U.S. Capitol.

Biden administration to forgive $4.9 billion in student debt for 73,600 borrowers

The Biden administration announced Friday it would forgive $4.9 billion in student debt for 73,600 borrowers.

Appeal court sides with Warren, expedites state prosecutor’s bid for reinstatement – Florida Phoenix

A federal appeals court has given the state of Florida until next Thursday to challenge its ruling that the DeSantis administration violated Andrew Warren’s rights when he suspended him as the twice-elected state attorney for Hillsborough County. “Ron DeSantis must file any petition for [an appellate] panel rehearing or rehearing en banc on or before […]

MAN OF CONSTANT SORROW (Low Bass Singer Cover by Geoff Castellucci)

Inventor of NTP protocol that keeps time on billions of devices dies at age 85

Dave Mills created NTP, the protocol that holds the temporal Internet together, in 1985.

Tapper presses Nikki Haley on ‘racist country’ comment

How a cat works

Disney Imagineer Makes History | Disney Parks

Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Copyright Remains A Complete Mess: A Tale In Two Stories

Here are two separate stories regarding the mess that is modern copyright law, that is now mostly “mediated” by companies that half-ass randomly deal with things and sometimes do not. While this is…

Level 249: Lifeformed, Janice Kwan (Tunic)

I loved talking with Terence and Janice so much about their wonderful music for such a fabulous game. The music for Tunic is a glorious blend of synths and acoustic piano, with waves of (often) consonant sound. Plus, you get to play as an adorable fox!

Terence and Janice live in Taiwan so I got to learn a bit about that tropical island too, and got to meet some cats which always brings a smile! You get to see them in the YouTube video…

PLAYLIST by Lifeformed and Janice Kwan for Tunic unless noted otherwise

00:00 Memories of Memories 07:19 Sunset Breakfast 14:32 Ghost Field 15:36 The Librarian – piano sketch 15:56 The Librarian 18:07 The Captain – piano sketch 18:24 The Captain 19:10 The Knight 20:52 Remember to Remember 22:21 Carbon Harvest 23:32 What They Kept From Us 25:02 Ghost Field 26:43 Ghost Field 28:19 Ocean Glaze 31:20 Ocean Glaze 32:01 To Far Shores 35:56 To Far Shores 45:51 Sageless 49:39 Flux is On 53:30 River, River (not for Tunic) 58:03 pull me in by Janice Kwan 1:01:16 The Cats Are Hungry 1:04:10 Hex Sequence 1:04:51 Other Sprouts by Sam Keenan

Level 249: Lifeformed, Janice Kwan (Tunic) originally appeared on Level With Emily Reese on January 19, 2024.

Florida Board of Education bans DEI on college campuses, removes sociology core course

The Florida Board of Education approved rules that prohibit DEI spending and remove sociology from general education core course options.

Justice Department Calls Uvalde Police Response a ‘Failure’ in Damning Report

Thee Justice Department has released a report detailing the failures of law enforcement’s response to the 2022 Uvalde, Texas mass shooting.

Students Dressed as Furries Could be Collected by Animal Control if New Oklahoma Bill Passes

If one Oklahoma representative gets his way, children who act like dogs and cats during school hours could be punished by… animal control.

Harmonix is ending Rock Band DLC releases after 16 years, ~2,800 songs

Previously purchased songs will still be playable via Rock Band 4.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Detained at Munich Airport for Traveling With ‘Unregistered’ Luxury Watch

Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained at a Munich airport today for traveling with an “unregistered” luxury watch he owns, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Trump attacks Haley while referring to her by her first name Nimarata | CNN Politics

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday went after Nikki Haley while referring to her by her first name, Nimarata, in the latest example of Trump using racist dog whistles to attack his GOP presidential rival.

Statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the Terrorist Designation of the Houthis | The White House

Over the past months, Yemen-based Houthi militants have engaged in unprecedented attacks against United States military forces and international maritime vessels operating in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. These attacks fit the textbook definition of terrorism.  They have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized global trade, and threatened freedom of…

Bank: Michigan GOP defaulted on $500K loan, hasn’t made payment in months | Bridge Michigan

Amid a leadership dispute, Comerica Bank court filing reveals more financial struggles for the Michigan Republican Party just weeks before the presidential primary.

Kentucky Republican pushes bill to make sex with first cousin not incest

The bill would remove first cousins from the list of family members with whom it’s illegal to have sexual relations in the state.

Joe Biden Plans To Slash Bank Overdraft Fees To As Little As $3

“Banks call it a service,” the president said. “I call it exploitation.”

Bile and tears overflow, drowning everything in sorrow – The Brothers Brick

Toni A. (@lord__oblivion) brings down the room with a Lovecraftian Horror sure to harsh your mellow

ABC Cancels GOP Debate After Haley Demands Trump Participate: ‘Nowhere Left to Hide’

ABC News cancelled a GOP presidential debate for Thursday in New Hampshire, after Nikki Haley refused to appear unless Trump participated

Dems, GOP push to remove language about slaves’ skills and ‘personal benefit’ in FL state standards – Florida Phoenix

There was national outrage last summer when the Florida Board of Education issued a new set of standards for African American history. It included a section on “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Criticism rained down on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration the day the standards were […]

“Star Wars: Brightstar” (Winner: Best Fan Film: London, Berlin, Tokyo; Fantasia Audience Award)

Vivek Ramasway Drops Out of Race After Bombing in Iowa

Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential primary after finishing in a distant fourth at the Iowa caucuses.

DeSantis Flops in Iowa, Whines About ‘Election Interference’

Ron DeSantis staked his presidential campaign on the Iowa caucuses, but didn’t come close to defeating Donald Trump.

Arctic Sea Smoke in Chicago

Hybrid work leaves offices empty and building owners reeling | 60 Minutes

Wayne LaPierre leaves a financial mess behind at the NRA − on top of the legal one that landed him in court

The NRA’s new leaders have to make important decisions as they confront a shaky financial future.

Korn. In a Can – “Still Coming Undone”

Pentagon Rejects Fox News Conspiracy About Taylor Swift Being Recruited as an Asset

The Pentagon has issued a response shutting down a Fox News conspiracy that Taylor Swift is an agency asset for combatting online misinformation.

Texas Just Took Its Border Battle With the U.S. Government Up a Notch

The Texas National Guard has seized control of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas over the objections of local officials and federal law enforcement

Texas “physically barred” Border Patrol agents from trying to rescue migrants who drowned, federal officials say

Federal officials and a congressman said National Guard soldiers deployed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did not allow Border Patrol agents to attempt to rescue the migrants.

Greg Abbott Laments That Texas Can’t Shoot Migrants Because Murder Is Illegal

Greg Abbott said that the Biden administration leveling murder charges against him prevents him from authorizing shooting of migrants at the border. 

DIAL UP MODEM SONG

Illegal tunnel under New York City synagogue destabilized nearby buildings, officials say

NEW YORK (AP) — City inspectors said the excavation had undermined the stability of two single-story structures behind the synagogue.

Fox News stops running MyPillow commercials in a payment dispute with election denier Mike Lindell

Fox News has stopped running MyPillow commercials in a payment dispute with chief executive and election denier Mike Lindell.

Marijuana meets criteria for reclassification as lower-risk drug, FDA scientific review finds

Marijuana is currently classified as Schedule I, reserved for the most dangerous controlled substances, including heroin and LSD.

BOOBIES

‘Something wrong’: Mother buys candy for 6-year-old son, realizes later it was Delta-9

A Fort Mill mom said she bought a bag of what she thought was candy for her son.

Ron DeSantis Admits Fox News Isn’t Real News

Trump’s “got basically a Praetorian Guard of the conservative media.”

Texas is blocking U.S. border agents from patrolling, Biden administration tells Supreme Court

The request Friday sets up another showdown between Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration over immigration enforcement.

Trump ordered to pay New York Times nearly $400k in legal fees for ‘frivolous’ lawsuit

Donald Trump’s lawsuit against a trio of New York Times reporters was dismissed over a year ago but now a judge has ordered that he must pay those reporters involved nearly $400,000 in legal fees.

Schiff would abolish filibuster, end the Electoral College in his pro-democracy plan

The proposal dovetails with Rep. Adam Schiff’s campaign focus on the threats of Trumpism.

Philadelphia measles outbreak has hospitals on alert after child was sent to day care despite quarantine instructions

Eight people have been diagnosed since last month. None was immune to measles — meaning they either never got vaccinated or contracted measles before.

FORTRESS THE LAST DAY OF WAR -Full Clip-

Judge Targeted With Bomb Threat Hours Before Closing Arguments In Trump Fraud Trial 

The home of New York Judge Arthur Engoron was swatted on Thursday hours before closing arguments in Trump’s New York civil fraud trial.

How (and Why) India Built the World’s Biggest Office

CGC slabbing scandal rocks the collecting world

The discovery of a scammer who was opening slabbed comics and swapping them out has sent shockwaves through the comics collecting community.

Chris Christie Dropping Out of Republican Primary, Shocking No One

Chris Christie has exited the 2024 presidential race days before the first Republican primary contest in Iowa.

US Navy shoots down barrage of Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen over Red Sea, US Central Command says | CNN Politics

The US Navy shot down 21 Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen, according to a statement from US Central Command, in one of the largest Houthi attacks to take place in the Red Sea in recent months.

Rep. Raskin tells Marjorie Taylor Greene she’s the ‘porn expert’ on the committee

Florida Republicans Want to Destroy Restrictions on Teenage Labor

A Florida bill looking to roll back restrictions on teenage labor was drafted by the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA).

Hunter Biden Walks Out on MTG During Wild Contempt Hearing

Hunter Biden made a surprise appearance and offered to testify publicly during an Oversight Committee hearing to hold him in contempt of Congress.

Amazon’s Twitch to Cut 500 Employees, About 35% of Staff

Move is designed to stem losses after two rounds of layoffs last year.

Federal judge says Alabama can carry out nation’s 1st execution using nitrogen gas; appeal likely

A federal judge says Alabama can carry out the nation’s first execution using nitrogen gas despite claims the method is cruel and untested.

Florida school district removes dictionaries from libraries, citing law championed by DeSantis

The Escambia County School District, located in the Florida panhandle, has removed several dictionaries from its library shelves over concerns that making the dictionaries available to students would violate Florida law. The American Heritage Children’s Dictionary, Webster’s Dictionary for Students, and Merriam-Webster’s Elementary Dictionary are among

Substack to Remove Some Nazi Newsletters After Being Called Out

Substack said that it will remove some publications that support Nazis from its services after backlash.

FCC plans shutdown of Affordable Connectivity Program as GOP withholds funding

FCC must start winding down low-income program as Congress fails to add money.

Unity ring in the new year by firing 1,800 people in the name of “long-term and profitable growth”

The quest to appease the immortal share price continues as game engine provider Unity announce that they’re laying off …

Watch: GOP Official Panics When Asked for Reason to Remove Biden From Ballot

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is threatening to remove Joe Biden from the ballot—but please don’t ask him why.

Canada vows to defend its drug supply against Florida importation plan

Canada adds that importing its drugs will not solve America’s drug pricing problems.

ULA’s Vulcan rocket shot for the Moon on debut launch—and hit a bullseye

ULA’s Vulcan rocket flew straight and true right out of the gate.

NASA’s Peregrine Mission One rocket launches towards space in US first lunar landing in 50 years

Judicial Watch Files $30 Million Wrongful Death Lawsuit against U.S. Government on behalf of Ashli Babbitt’s Husband and Estate – Judicial Watch

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. Government on behalf of the family of Ashli Babbitt, the U.S. Air Force veteran who was shot and killed inside the U.S. Capitol by then-Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd on January 6, 2021 (Estate of Ashli Babbitt and Aaron Babbitt, et al. v. United States of America).

Perseverance Rover Zooms in on Ancient Mars River

Elon Musk All but Endorses the Great Replacement Conspiracy Theory

Elon Musk kicked off 2024 by amplifying anti-immigration rhetoric tied to the racist Great Replacement conspiracy theory

Longtime NRA Chief Resigns Ahead of Corruption Trial

Wayne LaPierre, the longtime head of the National Rifle Association, is resigning from the gun group ahead of a New York corruption trial.

Jan. 6 Hero Harry Dunn Targets ‘MAGA Extremists’ As Former Capitol Police Officer Launches Congress Run

Harry Dunn vowed to stop “MAGA extremists.”

Biden’s top priority for a second term: restoring abortion rights

“It is unfathomable that women today wake up in a country with less rights than their ancestors had years ago,” Biden’s deputy campaign manager said.

Trump Mocked After Claiming Magnets Don’t Work Underwater at Rally

‘All I know about magnets is this, give me a glass of water, let me drop it on the magnets, that’s the end of the magnets,’ Trump said during a rally in Iowa Friday

Johnson calls description of him as an election denier ‘nonsense,’ but won’t say Biden won

The Constitution was “clearly violated during the 2020 election,” the Louisiana Republican said.

Man arrested after World of Warcraft game helps police in Florida find missing 16-year-old girl from Ohio | CNN

Authorities say they were able to locate a missing 16-year-old girl from Ohio at a residence in Florida with the help of the popular online video game World of Warcraft.

The NYPD Spent $150 Million to Catch Farebeaters Who Cost the MTA $104,000

The massive increase in overtime spending coincided with just a two percent decrease in serious crime. The post The NYPD Spent $150 Million to Catch Farebeaters Who Cost the MTA $104,000 appeared first on Hell Gate.

Lauren Boebert faces police investigation

The congresswoman was allegedly involved in a confrontation with her ex-husband at a restaurant Saturday evening.

Happy 2024 Birthday to Karen Haber!

Happy birthday to Karen Haber!

Karen Haber, full name Karen Lee Haber Silverberg is a Star Trek author and lives in the San Francisco area.

She was born in Bronxville, New York, and married to the science fiction author Robert Silverberg in 1987. The couple have edited many SF anthologies together. She is best known for her Fire in Winter series.

Check out the Karen Haber author page to view more author updates and a full list of books!

Find Karen Haber’s work on Amazon.com

Moving Servers To Save Money

I’m in the process of moving servers to a new host, so you may see some oddities with the site. Once this post goes away you’ll know that you’re seeing the new host and everything is working fine!

Happy 2024 Birthday to Mark Allen!

Happy birthday to Mark Allen!

Mark Allen Shepherd is an actor and artist from Rockville Centre, New York who is best known for his portrayal of the Lurian freighter captain Morn in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Throughout the seven year run of Deep Space Nine, Shepherd never received official credit and appeared in other background roles as well. He also portrayed Morn in episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager.

Shepherd received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island which he attended between 1979 and 1984. After graduation, he moved to Southern California and studied at the California Institute of the Arts, focusing on music, film, theater, performance, and interdisciplinary arts between 1986 and 1990.

Shepherd is also an accomplished artist, and he has created numerous abstract impressionist paintings, mixing media types into photo mosaics. In his artwork, he likes exploring abstract concepts as energy, consciousness, perception, and multi-dimensionality. Indeed, twenty-three of his works have been used as set dressing on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, including paintings in the quarters of Kira Nerys, Julian Bashir, Jadzia Dax, and Jake Sisko.

Check out the Mark Allen author page to view more author updates and a full list of books!

Find Mark Allen’s work on Amazon.com

Happy 2024 Birthday to Robert E. Vardeman!

Happy birthday to Robert E. Vardeman!

Robert Edward Vardeman (sometimes credited as Vardebob) is a fantasy, mystery and science fiction writer who has also written a couple of Star Trek novels.

Vardeman was born in Palo Pinto, Texas, but has lived much of his life in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has degrees in physics and material sciences, and is the organizer of the Bubonicon, a science fiction convention in his home area.

He writes non-Trek material under at least eight pen names, notably Daniel Moran. He is prolific, having written over sixty novels.

Check out the Robert E. Vardeman author page to view more author updates and a full list of books!

Find Robert E. Vardeman’s work on Amazon.com

New York City announces lawsuit against bus companies sending migrants to city, seeks $708 million

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced a lawsuit against 17 transportation companies helping to send asylum-seekers to the city.

Level 248: Jon Everist (The Lamplighters League)

Composer Jon Everist‘s music for The Lamplighters League is a great blend of noir and adventure. The soundtrack paints such a perfect picture of the vibe of the game (which is a turn-based tactics game).

So many wonderful solos and soloists, with an orchestra recorded live at Abbey Road Studios, and they all sound fantastic! Also, I swear I know what a trombone sounds like. Or I used to think I did.

PLAYLIST by Jon Everist for The Lamplighters League unless noted otherwise

00:00 The Lamplighters League (Main Theme) 02:38 Heist Prep 04:04 Nicastro Theme 07:51 The Lamplighters League (Main Theme) 12:38 Jungle Quiet 16:42 Nicastro Theme 20:43 Cloak and Dagger 21:35 The Lamplighters League (Main Theme) 23:00 Arctic Quiet 25:37 Arctic Quiet 28:18 Parisian Night 32:38 Spotted 35:58 The Undrawn Hand (Opening Cinematic) 38:09 Jungle Combat 41:06 The Tower 42:39 Marteau Theme 46:18 Light the Way (World Map Theme) 48:01 Heist Execution 48:42 Other Sprouts by Sam Keenan

Level 248: Jon Everist (The Lamplighters League) originally appeared on Level With Emily Reese on January 5, 2024.

“Star Trek: The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko” Review by Tor.com

Tor.com has added a new review for Derek Tyler Attico‘s “Star Trek: The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko”:

I’ve never been bashful about my love of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I’ve used it to talk about the “alien-ness” of various Trek series, looked back at the DS9 young adult novels, and wrote forty-one entries on the DS9 relaunch stories that continued the crew’s adventures well past the series finale. In turn, this led to a discussion of the grand climax of the unified Trek “Litverse” with the Coda trilogy, which featured several key DS9 characters.

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“Star Trek: Defiant #9” Review by Trekcentral.net

Trekcentral.net has added a new review for Christopher Cantwell‘s “Star Trek: Defiant #9”:

The adventures of Worf and the crew of the USS Defiant continue this month in Star Trek: Defiant #9 out now from IDW Publishing! Last month Worf & crew set out on the hunt for a rather ragtag bunch of classic Star Trek villains. This time, the crew is chasing the reformed Borg drone known as Hugh. His appearances in The Next Generation were among the best episodes of the series, so fingers crossed that Defiant can hold a candle to it!

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Pornhub pulls out of Montana, NC as age-verification battle rages on

Pornhub rallies users in eight states to demand device-based age verification.

Bomb Threats Force Evacuations of Multiple State Capitols

The Capitols of several states were evacuated Wednesday morning following bomb threats against lawmakers.

Two For One Fun With “A Death Of Princes”

“They Called Us Enemy” Review by Myconfinedspace.com

Myconfinedspace.com has added a new review for George Takei and Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott‘s “They Called Us Enemy”:

I was able to read this in just a single 2 or 3 hour sitting, though I have plans to go back through it and letting the art work soak in. While it wasn’t a difficult book to read, it was still a difficult story to hear. We had done this a few time prior to the internment of the Japanese, previously with Native Americans and African Americans, and while there are vast differences among the three in a comparison, the apparent root of all three is solely based on historical genetics and what continent they came from and their perceived value to the society in power. We nearly stumbled over this same thing during TFG’s campaign of terror from 2016-2020 and desperately need more to prevent it from happening again.

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