Ed Note: Please check out Vote.org for more information.
Thanks to Pam P.
The group behind a popular get-out-the-vote technology platform said Friday that it’s registered more than 100,000 new U.S. voters since President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race, a surge that came amid mounting Republican efforts to make it harder to register and vote.
Vote.org said that 84% of voters registered in the new wave are under age 35. Nearly 1 in 5 new registrees is 18 years old. Andrea Hailey, the group’s CEO, said that “since 2020, we have led the largest voter registration drive in U.S. history,” with more than 7.8 million people registered.
After dropping out, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to face former Republican President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) in the November election. The new presumptive Democratic candidate has already earned endorsements from many Democrats in Congress and groups advocating on issues including climate, labor, and reproductive rights.
Vote.org’s success comes as Republicans at the federal level are proposing and passing legislation creating obstacles to the ballot box. (continued)
It’s time to salute and say goodbye to the Blue Angels at Seafair. Although we need skilled fighter pilots to defend our nation and our allies from enemies, these airshows cause significant health harm.
A recent Seattle Times article stated “no data exists that can measure the team’s impact or influence” on recruiting. That’s true for noise, too: No one has publicized Angel noise at Seafair. General estimates are between 100 and 110 decibels; you can measure it yourself with a decibel-measuring smartphone app and send results to the Seafair Board, seafair.org and the Seattle Special Events Office (specialeventsoffice@seattle.gov). Although jet noise may be the “sound of freedom,” long or repeated exposure to sounds above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss, and for every 3 decibel increase above 85, the safe listening time is cut in half.
A study of noise from the F/A-18 — the Blue Angel plane — at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island found “over 74,000 people were at risk of adverse health effects. Of those exposed, substantial numbers were estimated to be highly annoyed and highly sleep-disturbed, and several schools were exposed to levels that place them at risk of delay in childhood learning.” South Seattle Seafair neighbors suffer similar noise risk.
We’ve known for years that fossil fuel exhaust is harmful to lungs, hearts and even brains. According to the Navy, each Angel plane burns at least 1,500 gallons of jet fuel per hour. The Navy’s fuel requirements for this year are 70,550 gallons for one to two days of preshow local practice flights, media and “influencer” rides, a support aircraft and the weekend shows. That’s about 670 metric tons of carbon dioxide, contributing more to climate change than 30 cars would by driving 150,000 miles each — for just one weekend of fun. Seafair crowds and neighbors in South Seattle pay not just the cost of a ticket, but also suffer health harm from highly inhalable PM 2.5 particles. Washington Department of Ecology’s Environmental Health Disparities map identifies South Seattle as an overburdened community highly affected by air pollution.
The goal of the city’s One Seattle Plan is to reduce “core greenhouse gas emissions by 58% from 2008 levels by 2030, and attain carbon neutrality by 2050.” We’re not going to get there. Today’s carbon dioxide level is 425 parts per million and climbing, way past the safe upper limit of 350 ppm. Mother Earth has a fever. Last year was the hottest since records were kept, and July 22 was the hottest day ever. The Angels only make it worse.
What must we do? The same thing I tell my patients who eat or drink too much: Cut back! Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, of which I am a member, says harm reduction is a core element of risk management for human and environmental health. We must follow the law and the science, and reduce fossil fuel use and harmful pollutants. Boeing makes the F/A-18 planes but also experimental electric-powered aircraft. Thank the Blue Angels for their service and past shows, say goodbye and move on to quiet planes, cleaner air and healthy family fun. Let’s honor the past and define the future. Let’s reimagine Seafair without the Angels.
Breck Lebegue was an Air Force flight surgeon for 30 years, in command, clinical and research positions. He’s a member of WA Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Today, Aaron C. Davis and Carol D. Leonnig of the Washington Post reported that there is reason to believe that when Trump’s 2016 campaign was running low on funds, Trump accepted a $10 million injection of cash from Egypt’s authoritarian leader Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. It is against the law to accept direct or indirect financial support from foreign nationals or foreign governments for a political campaign in the United States.
In early 2017, CIA officials told Justice Department officials that a confidential informant had told them of such a cash exchange, and those officials handed the matter off to Robert Mueller, the special counsel who was already looking at the links between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russian operatives. FBI agents noted that on September 16, Trump had met with Sisi when the Egyptian leader was at the U.N. General Assembly in New York City.
After the meeting, Trump broke with U.S. policy to praise Sisi, calling him a “fantastic guy.”
Trump’s campaign had been dogged with a lack of funds, and his advisers had begged him to put some of his own money into it. He refused until October 28, when he loaned the campaign $10 million.
An FBI investigation took years to get records, but Davis and Leonnig reported that in 2019 the FBI learned of a key withdrawal from an Egypt bank. In January 2017, five days before Trump took office, an organization linked to Egypt’s intelligence service asked a manager at a branch of the state-run National Bank of Egypt to “kindly withdraw” $9,998,000 in U.S. currency. The bundles of $100 bills filled two bags and weighed more than 200 pounds.
Once in office, Trump embraced Sisi and, in a reversal of U.S. policy, invited him to be one of his first guests at the White House. “I just want to let everybody know, in case there was any doubt, that we are very much behind President al-Sissi,” Trump said.
Mueller had gotten that far in pursuit of the connection between Trump and Sisi when he was winding down his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. He handed the Egypt investigation off to the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D C., where it appears then–attorney general William Barr killed it.
Posted inUncategorized|Comments Off on Commentary about “pay for play” in Trump’s 2016 campaign
Immediately on opening a mail-in ballot for Tuesday’s election, you can see a problem. There are an eye-glazing 48 candidates listed for just the first four offices.
In all there were 90 candidates to choose from, at least on my ballot. I’m paid to follow politics, and I haven’t heard of maybe 60 of these people?
There are 28 souls vying just for governor. That race lists nine Democrats running, along with eight Republicans. (That’s if you count the guy running under the “Trump Republican Party.”) Then there’s a slew of cranks and dreamers representing the “Nonsense Busters Party,” the “Standup-America Party,” the “Independence Party,” and my favorite political oxymoron, the “Nonpartisan Party.” Plus many more.
“We’re on track for around 40% voter turnout, which is mildly disappointing given all that’s going on,” said Ben Anderstone, a Seattle political consultant who puts out a nightly ballot monitoring report. “Voter interest is down considerably at this point from 2020.”
Our August primary is often like this, equal parts bizarre and boring. But according to some election experts, it has become, at the same time, the most telling bellwether primary vote in the nation. (continued)
In the aftermath of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on July 13, a video with images of Jesus crowned with thorns, blood running down his face, followed by photos of the former president circulated on social media. Days later, at the Republican National Convention, the evangelist Franklin Graham endorsed Mr. Trump from the stage, saying that “God spared his life.”
But the idea of Mr. Trump as chosen by God has infuriated those evangelicals who believe that he stands in direct opposition to their faith. Their existence highlights an often-overlooked fact about the American religious landscape: Evangelicals are not a monolith.
The troubling ascendancy of white Christian nationalism has galvanized evangelicals for whom following Jesus demands speaking truth to power, as well as building the kingdom of heaven on earth in actionable ways. In 2024, this includes mobilizing voters against the former president.
Although this broader evangelical movement is often referred to as the evangelical left, it adheres to no party. “This isn’t about being a Democrat or a Republican,” Jim Wallis, an evangelical Christian pastor, author and justice activist, told me. Instead believers like him say they refuse worldly labels and division.
They also believe that they can sway enough of their fellow evangelicals, along with other people of faith, and low-income Americans, who historically have had much lower voting rates than other groups, to swing this presidential election against Mr. Trump.
“The so-called evangelicals who support Trump have a Jesus problem,” Bishop William Barber II told me. Jesus advocated tirelessly for the poor and warned that nations would be judged “by how we treat the hungry, the sick, the incarcerated and the immigrant,” Bishop Barber said. (continued)
Twenty-four prisoners were freed on Thursday in a multicountry exchange in Turkey, marking one of the broadest exchanges between Russia and the West in years.
Here’s what to know about all of the prisoners who were exchanged in the swap.
Evan Gershkovich in a court hearing in June.Credit…Natalia Kolesnikova/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
A reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Evan Gershkovich, 32, was detained by masked security service agents in March 2023 during a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg, a major Russian industrial hub about 850 miles east of Moscow. Shortly after, he was charged with espionage, the first such case against a Western reporter since 1986.
In their indictment, Russian prosecutors accused Mr. Gershkovich of using “painstaking conspiratorial methods” to obtain “secret information” about a Russian military industrial facility that produces tanks and other weapons. Mr. Gershkovich, his employer and the U.S. government have denied the charges and called them politically motivated.
On July 19, a Russian court in Yekaterinburg sentenced Mr. Gershkovich to 16 years in a high-security penal colony in a swift trial that only took three hearings to complete.
Alsu Kurmasheva
Alsu Kurmasheva at a court hearing in Kazan, Russia, in May.Credit…Alexey Nasyrov/Reuters
Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American editor working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a broadcaster funded by the U.S. government, was sentenced to six and a half years in a Russian penal colony for “spreading false information” about the Russian Army. The charge is broadly used by the Kremlin to stifle criticism of the war in Ukraine. (continued)
Charles “Charley” Royer during his first year as Seattle Mayor in 1978. Royer died last week at age 84. (Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives)
Sad news came this week with the death of former Seattle Mayor Charles “Charley” Royer, the city’s only mayor to serve three consecutive four-year terms (1978-1990). He died Friday at age 84.
For those unfamiliar with Seattle’s politics, Royer’s staying power is extraordinary and a testament to his performance. In recent years our mayors seem to come into office with a “one-term-or-less” expiration date stamped on their foreheads. Our most recent two-term mayor was Greg Nickels, who was voted out in 2010.
Royer was a well-known face in Seattle as a KING-TV commentator and journalist. He was elected to office in the late 1970s, on the heels of the Boeing recession. This was a period when the city’s cultural dynamic was in its fertile grassroots: neighborhood activism, P-Patches, Bumbershoot, Gay Pride, the launch of alternative media sources like The Seattle Sun, The Rocket, and Seattle Weekly. Pioneer Square was starting to blossom with galleries and bistros, and the city was inching its way toward being more urban with the very beginnings of the high-rise condo boom in places like First Hill and Belltown. (continued)
In a fitting tribute to a television icon, the U.S. Postal Service has honored Alex Trebek with a special sheet of commemorative stamps that beautifully capture his legacy. Trebek, who was a beloved fixture on American television for nearly four decades, hosted the quiz show “Jeopardy!” with grace and charisma, making him a household name and an enduring symbol of knowledge and entertainment.
The sheet of stamps is a clever nod to Trebek’s role as the long-time host of “Jeopardy!” Each stamp design echoes the iconic game board of the show, featuring four columns that read Game Show Hosts, Entertainment, Famous Alexes, and Forever Stamp collections. At the bottom of each tile, the question “Who is Alex Trebek?” is displayed, a playful yet poignant reminder of Trebek’s significant impact on the world of television.
The unveiling of these stamps marks a deeply personal and emotional moment for Trebek’s family and fans alike. Jean Trebek, Alex’s widow, expressed her surprise and heartfelt gratitude at a special ceremony held at John Calley Park at Sony Pictures Studios. The event, which also celebrated the 60th anniversary of “Jeopardy!” and what would have been Trebek’s 84th birthday, was a testament to the profound influence Trebek had on so many lives. Jean Trebek noted, “My family and I were completely surprised about Alex being honored by the U.S. Postal Service. It is such an extraordinary honor and a wonderful way to recognize what Alex meant to so many people.”
Ken Jennings, one of Trebek’s most notable successors as host and a celebrated “Jeopardy!” champion, also shared his thoughts on the tribute. Jennings described Trebek as an “American institution” and expressed his admiration for the stamp design. “It makes perfect sense to honor him on a postage stamp,” Jennings said. “And of course, I had to geek out when I saw that the full sheet of stamps looks like a ‘Jeopardy!’ game board.” His comment highlights how Trebek’s influence extends beyond just hosting the show—he has become a cultural icon whose impact is celebrated in numerous ways.
Alex Trebek’s legacy is firmly cemented not only through his impressive tenure on “Jeopardy!” but also through this thoughtful postal tribute. The stamps are more than just pieces of mail; they are a testament to Trebek’s lasting influence on American culture and his remarkable ability to connect with audiences across generations. As the stamps enter circulation, they will undoubtedly serve as a cherished reminder of a man who made a significant mark on television history and the hearts of millions.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (The Borowitz Report)—Sen. JD Vance’s effusive praise of people with children has caused millions of American parents to recoil in horror, interviews with parents reveal.
“I love my kids, but I must admit that Vance’s endorsement of my decision to have them has made me question it,” David, a father in Nebraska, said. “I hate the idea of being on the same page as that weirdo.”
“You think you’re happy, and then JD Vance agrees with your life choices and ruins everything,” Janice, a mother in Missouri, said. “I know this sounds terrible, but if I had to do it all over again I’d skip having kids and maybe just have cats.”
“Vance seems to be saying that you have to be childless to be a sociopath,” Kevin, a father in Arizona, said. “As a sociopath with kids, I find that deeply offensive. And JD, a fellow sociopath with kids, should know better.”
Posted inPolitics, Satire|Comments Off on People With Children Horrified to be Praised by JD Vance
The landscape of psychedelic-assisted therapies, particularly psilocybin, is undergoing significant transformation, especially in the context of palliative care. End of Life Washington (EOLWA) has advocated for the inclusion of psilocybin as a therapeutic treatment for seriously ill patients. Research and experiences emphasize the relief it can offer in alleviating distress and suffering[1].
Psilocybin is a psychoactive substance found in certain mushrooms and has been used for generations by indigenous communities across the globe to enhance perception, cognition, emotion, and spirituality[2]. The current public interest in and research into psilocybin rests on the shoulders of thousands of years of indigenous cultural use and practice, bringing with it inequities and ethical questions. Indigenous leaders are asking for a larger role in decisions, training, and applications for psilocybin as they are being excluded from spaces that are utilizing their knowledge. (continued)
At the beginning of 2019 I wrote a column enthusiastically arguing that Kamala Harris was the Democratic Party’s strongest candidate to take on Donald Trump. My core argument was pretty simple: If Democrats hoped to defeat him, they needed the toughest gladiator they could get, and Harris filled that bill.
Her campaign memoir from that year features a string of scenes in which she trounced powerful men. People who watched her as a prosecutor and a rising political star have testified to her skills in the art of confrontation. In the column, I quoted something that Gary Delagnes, the former head of San Francisco’s police union, told Politico: “She’s an intelligent person. She is a — let’s see, I better pick this word carefully: ruthless.”
Looking back, that column was not wrong, but it was limited. We’ve seen a lot more of Harris in the ensuing years. Today, as she seemingly cruises to the Democratic nomination, I find myself experiencing a dizzying range of emotions. Some moments, I share the jolt of enthusiasm many are feeling. Other moments, I think the Democrats are suffering from a mass hypnotic delusion, nominating a candidate who is seriously flawed. In order to make sense of this mishmash of thoughts, I thought I’d put together a report card of her strengths and weaknesses.
Toughness:A. Harris still has it. In the rallies and events she has done since her ascension, Harris has been dominating, poised and exuberant. She prosecutes Trump with smiling self-confidence and an undertone of utter contempt. If playful aggression is a thing, she projects it.
Leadership and management skills:C. Harris’s ability to get pretty much the entire party behind her in just a few days after Joe Biden dropped out is tremendously impressive. On the other hand, from her time as the San Francisco district attorney straight through her time as vice president, Harris has earned a reputation for degrading underlings and burning through staff. Biden has a coterie of people who have been with him for decades, but Harris has no such group. The Substack newsletter Open the Books ran the numbers and calculated that as of March 31 over 90 percent of the staff she had at the beginning of her vice-presidential term had left. (continued)
KHARKIV, Ukraine — After a Russian missile strike in May, one of Ukraine’s largest book-printing plants looked like a massacre.
Seven employees were dead, with more than 20 wounded, their blood on the walls that had not blown apart. And under a caved-in roof lay tens of thousands of charred books and printing machinery in smoldering heaps.
“Most of the books were ours,” says Artem Litvinets, editor-in-chief of Vivat, a major Ukrainian publishing house. “The attack felt methodical and deliberate, like cultural genocide.”
The Russian missile attack in May on Factor Druk printing house, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, caused casualties, tore through the roof and left books and machinery charred.
Laurel Chor for NPR
About 80% of Ukraine’s books are printed in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, which is just 20 miles from its northeastern border with Russia. Publishing has thrived even as Kharkiv has been under constant attack since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. (Continued)
As editor not sure which cat-egory I should file this story about JD Vance in my cat-elog. The cat-calls he’s receiving seem to cat-ch him by surprise. He must be having cat-fits.
Ciaran Varley and Dave Lockwood, BBC Sport journalists, Published23 July 2024
Thanks to Pam P.
The organising committee of Paris 2024 has vowed to make it the greenest Games in Olympic history, with half the carbon footprint of London 2012 and Rio 2016.
London 2012 had an estimated carbon footprint of 3.3m tonnes, while Rio 2016 had a total estimated footprint of 3.6m tonnes of carbon.
The 2024 Games will be held in the same city where world leaders met in 2015 to sign a number of commitments to prevent global temperatures rising by more than 1.5C and there will be lots of attention on sustainability efforts.
From tables made out of shuttlecocks to plant-based menus, Paris 2024 have announced a number of initiatives that they claim will help them reach their targets.
In an exclusive interview, Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), told BBC Sport that sustainability is an issue “very close” to his heart.
Bach said that climate change represents an “extremely serious threat, not only for sport, but for all our lives,” adding, “this is why, with our Olympic agenda reforms, we undertook to tackle these issues by focusing on reducing our footprint.”
Existing stadiums, not new buildings (continued)
Image caption,The 5,000m2 roof of the new aquatic centre will be covered with solar panels
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