fpslem Now • 66%
This comment is getting downvoted, and I don't oppose nuclear, but I do think it's worth noting that the nuclear energy sector has still under-priced the costs of nuclear waste management, transportation, and storage. Engineers don't have practical methods of building storage containers and buildings that can last as long as the half-life of nuclear waste (1,000-10,000 year), and the long tail of storage costs has not been priced into the cost. Typically, this does end up being paid for by taxpayers over the course of many years. No energy generation system is without downsides, but it's worth acknowledging them.
fpslem Now • 100%
If you get a paywall, a paywall-free link is here: https://archive.ph/hoaIs
My take on this story: dragging this reactor out of mothballs is expensive and risky, and operating at 50+ year old reactor is risky. The company that owns admits it isn't even solvent enough to run it, much less ensure the risks of operating it. Microsoft and the 3 Mile Island owner are basically asking for a multi-billion-dollar taxpayer subsidy for an enterprise—so-called AI—that eliminates jobs and is used more for revenge porn and deepfakes than it is for any societal good. This is a bad deal.
The owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear plant is pursuing a $1.6 billion federal loan guarantee to help finance its plan to restart the Pennsylvania facility and sell the electricity to Microsoft to power data centers, according to details of the application shared with The Washington Post. Get a curated selection of 10 of our best stories in your inbox every weekend. The taxpayer-backed loan could give Microsoft and Three Mile Island owner Constellation Energy a major boost in their unprecedented bid to steer all the power from a U.S. nuclear plant to a single company. Microsoft, which declined to comment on the bid for a loan guarantee, is among the large tech companies scouring the nation for zero-emissions power as they seek to build data centers. It is among the leaders in the global competition to dominate the field of artificial intelligence, which consumes enormous amounts of electricity. ...
fpslem Now • 100%
Reagan International has great transit service (a stop on the Metro) so I wondered what the fuss was. Then I read the article and realized this project includes San Diego and San Jose, and it made more sense. But what made it really click was the bit at the end about airport employees. Airports are HUGE centers of employment, and employees need to be able to arrive and leave 24 hours a day. In that respect, this seems like a very good move.
fpslem Now • 100%
Miranda’s two sons and Halfkenny’s son, neither of whom were Boston Public School students
This alone is kinda messed up. It's easier to functionally steal from other students when your kids don't even go to that school system.
nashvillebanner.com
... Referendum supporters have counter-arguments to most of those. The signalization plan would reduce commute times by 10 percent, Briggs said, and could not be rolled out quickly without the new funding. Bus ridership is increasing, and new cross-town routes enabled by developing transit centers around the county would help people commute without transferring downtown. Additionally, supporters emphasize that establishing dedicated funding for transit will help the city bring more than $1 billion in federal funding back to Nashville, and the zoning reform elements of those applications are not specific demands and account for a small portion of only some of the programs. The conversation broke into a debate at the District 26 meeting when Marcia Masulla, a representative of the independent campaign supporting the referendum, used the Q&A time to ask Evans what her alternative plan was. “We all admit and recognize that Nashville has made a lot of mistakes,” Masulla said. “Are you suggesting an alternative plan, or are you saying just stick our head in the ground and wait another eight to 10 years? Traffic is not going to get better. Things are not going to get better if we do nothing. We’ve learned that.” ...
gothamist.com
Dockworkers at the Port of New York and New Jersey walked off the job after midnight Tuesday; part of a strike that could have a profound impact on the region’s economy and is the largest the industry has seen in almost 50 years. Demanding better wages and a promise that their jobs won’t be taken over by automation, about 45,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association stopped work at ports from Maine to Texas as their contract with the United States Maritime Alliance expired. The biggest port on the East Coast is New York and New Jersey and the strike — the first since 1977 — could potentially drive up already inflated prices of goods and food. At least 35 ships on their way to the region will have to anchor offshore, supervised by the U.S. Coast Guard, while the union tries to reach a deal, according to Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. The longer they sit, the more chance there is for fresh produce to start going bad, according to industry experts. Other imported goods like wine and spirits won’t be able to reach store shelves or restaurant bars. ...
www.thecity.nyc
*A reader of THE CITY, Lynn B., asked our newsroom, “Eric Adams is represented by top legal talent. Who is paying them? Are NYC taxpayers picking up the bill for his defense?” Here is our answer:* As Mayor Eric Adams contends with his indictment and court case, it’s unlikely taxpayers would cover his legal bills. That’s because payment to the attorneys representing him should, in theory, come from what’s known as the Eric Adams Legal Defense Trust. The mayor set up that trust — and installed its trustee, his longtime ally Peter Aschkenasy — last November as news emerged about the federal corruption probe of his 2021 campaign. A legal defense trust is an organization monitored by the city’s Conflict of Interests Board that allows a public servant to raise money to pay for certain types of legal expenses. Through the trust, Adams can accept contributions up to $5,000 per donor. But the fund can’t solicit or accept donations from people with city contracts or business before the city. ...
www.cyclingweekly.com
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/20389308 > Anyone who has journeyed deep into the mountain ranges of Europe to take on some of the legendary climbs of the Grand Tours understands what it is like to stand on top of a mountain, breathing in the cold, thin air while surveying landscapes that roll away far below. > > But British adventurer and all-round action man Neil Laughton, 60, took that achievement several levels higher when he journeyed to Nepal to set a new Guinness World Record for the highest ever bike ride. > > Teaming up with Nepali Sirdar Nima Kanchha Sherpa, the pair rode and carried their bikes to the top of the 7,246-metre high Putha Huinchuli mountain over a period of several days, were Laughton rode 20 metres at the highest point, before turning tail and journeying back down again. > > Laughton's machine of choice was a Brompton, while Nima used a Cube mountain bike for the ride. > > ...
www.cyclingweekly.com
Anyone who has journeyed deep into the mountain ranges of Europe to take on some of the legendary climbs of the Grand Tours understands what it is like to stand on top of a mountain, breathing in the cold, thin air while surveying landscapes that roll away far below. But British adventurer and all-round action man Neil Laughton, 60, took that achievement several levels higher when he journeyed to Nepal to set a new Guinness World Record for the highest ever bike ride. Teaming up with Nepali Sirdar Nima Kanchha Sherpa, the pair rode and carried their bikes to the top of the 7,246-metre high Putha Huinchuli mountain over a period of several days, were Laughton rode 20 metres at the highest point, before turning tail and journeying back down again. Laughton's machine of choice was a Brompton, while Nima used a Cube mountain bike for the ride. ...
fpslem Now • 100%
So the community guidelines aren't being enforced? I still think that's a problem. The federated video sites I've used (mostly peertube instances, tbh) all have community guidelines, and if they didn't enforce them, I wouldn't use the sites.
fpslem Now • 50%
Oh, they wouldn't. But Sib might . . .
"Bollards! Bollards! Bollards! Bollards!" (This guy gets it.)
PARIS (AP) — French far-right leader Marine Le Pen denied violating any rules as she and her National Rally party and two dozen others went on trial on Monday, accused of embezzling European Parliament funds, in a case that has the potential to derail her political ambitions. Arriving at the court in Paris, Le Pen said she remained confident as “we have not violated any political and regulatory rules of the European Parliament” and vowed to present the judges with “extremely serious and extremely solid arguments.″ Le Pen and other National Rally members casually greeted each other before sitting down in the first three rows of the packed courtroom. The nine-week trial will be closely watched by Le Pen’s political rivals as she is a strong contender in the race to succeed Emmanuel Macron when the next presidential election takes place in 2027. ...
www.wgbh.org
David Duke, former grand wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, frequently posts videos on a website called Odysee. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones also streams his podcast, “The Alex Jones Show,” on the site. It works a lot like YouTube and attracts millions of views each month. Anti-hate groups say the site is a hotbed of extremism where users from around the world — including promoters of U.S.-designated terrorist group the Nordic Resistance Movement, Holocaust deniers and Proud Boys supporters — use Odysee’s data storage and financial features to spread their views and raise money. Users also take advantage of the forum’s near complete lack of content moderation. The site’s CEO said he’s dedicated to keeping the company “censorship resistant.” The site also comes with strong New England ties. Odysee was created by a now-defunct New Hampshire cryptocurrency company and began with seed money from a downtown Boston-based venture capital firm called Pillar VC, financed by a diverse constellation of local investors. ...
fpslem Now • 100%
Mint
I see Mint as the more reasonable option that keeps 98% of the advantages of Ubuntu, with less of the crazy. I was a xubuntu user a decade ago, but have been very happy with Mint xfce since I switched.
www.yahoo.com
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/20295975 > Bumbling US cops who raided a medical diagnostics center thinking it was a cannabis farm got a gun stuck to the powerful magnets of an MRI machine, a California lawsuit has alleged. > > The owners of the facility are claiming damages against the Los Angeles Police Department for an operation their lawyers describe as "nothing short of a disorganized circus." > > Their lawsuit details how a SWAT team swarmed Noho Diagnostic Center after the squad's leader persuaded a magistrate to issue a search warrant. > > Officer Kenneth Franco drew on his "twelve hours of narcotics training" and discovered the facility was using more electricity than nearby stores, the lawsuit said. > > "Officer Franco, therefore, concluded (the facility) was cultivating cannabis, disregarding the fact that it is a diagnostic facility utilizing an MRI machine, X-ray machine and other heavy medical equipment -- unlike the surrounding businesses selling flowers, chocolates and children's merchandise," the suit said. > > ...
www.yahoo.com
Bumbling US cops who raided a medical diagnostics center thinking it was a cannabis farm got a gun stuck to the powerful magnets of an MRI machine, a California lawsuit has alleged. The owners of the facility are claiming damages against the Los Angeles Police Department for an operation their lawyers describe as "nothing short of a disorganized circus." Their lawsuit details how a SWAT team swarmed Noho Diagnostic Center after the squad's leader persuaded a magistrate to issue a search warrant. Officer Kenneth Franco drew on his "twelve hours of narcotics training" and discovered the facility was using more electricity than nearby stores, the lawsuit said. "Officer Franco, therefore, concluded (the facility) was cultivating cannabis, disregarding the fact that it is a diagnostic facility utilizing an MRI machine, X-ray machine and other heavy medical equipment -- unlike the surrounding businesses selling flowers, chocolates and children's merchandise," the suit said. ...
slate.com
New York City Mayor Eric Adams—who truly believes that God put him in that job—was indicted this week on five federal charges related to bribery, wire fraud, and accepting straw donations from foreign officials. The acts detailed in the nearly 60-page indictment from the Southern District of New York span a full decade of Adams’ political career, dating back to his tenure as Brooklyn borough president and extending up through his current mayoral reelection campaign. (He pleaded not guilty to the counts on Friday.) Despite being the only mayor in NYC history to be charged during his tenure, Adams is still doing what he does best: refusing to budge an inch and clumsily making his case before a city that’s long tired of his shenanigans. “From here, my attorneys will take care of the case so I can take care of the city,” he declared during a rainy Thursday morning press conference, sheltering under a pavilion with members of the city’s Black clergy. “My day-to-day will not change. I will continue to do the job for 8.3 million New Yorkers that I was elected to do.” It was another wild moment from a mayor who is perhaps best recognized outside the city for having a long history of wild moments. You know, like claiming his favorite concert experience was the 1990 Brooklyn live show where Curtis Mayfield was paralyzed, or downing two beers at a Midtown Irish pub before noon on St. Patrick’s Day and deeming himself “Eric O’Adams,” or wearing a lettered bracelet sporting the word HUSTLE while visiting holy sites in Israel. Since he entered Gracie Mansion in 2022, Hizzoner has invited mass vitriol for slashing municipal public services while coddling the brutal, corrupt police department and demonizing the city’s immigrants. But now, with the feds pursuing several probes into his inner circle and spurring some of his highest-ranking lieutenants to step down … well, let’s just say it’s difficult to imagine how even a mayor as defiant as this one manages to last in the political realm. We’ll probably learn a lot over the coming months about just how closely intertwined Adams was with Turkey’s government, which will surely provide us with much more fodder in evaluating the man’s legacy. But in the interim, let’s enjoy a trek down memory lane with a highlight reel of his most ridiculous moments. ...
fpslem Now • 92%
If you’re ordinary and you never get enough sleep, I have just the place for you. New York’s hottest nap club is “Off to Dreamland!” Located in the heart of Queens at the corner of Sleep Street and Sleepytime Drive, this converted mattress store park was the ceremony spot for a lengendary nap taken by Adam Conover when he was a boy. This place has everything: body pillows, comforters, blankies, cuddle buddies, sleep masks, and CPAP machines. And be sure to hit the converted traincar section and lean your head on the shoulder of MTA Chair Janno Lieber, the celebrity sleeper in residence.
www.thecity.nyc
The MTA board on Wednesday approved a $68.4 billion blueprint for big-ticket upgrades in the transit agency’s new five-year capital program — even as billions of dollars in funding remain unaccounted for in the current plan and the next one. The MTA board had until October 1 to submit the 2025-2029 plan for system upkeep and expansion to the state’s Capital Program Review Board, which has 30 days to review and approve it. MTA board members signed off unanimously even though Gov. Kathy Hochul’s congestion pricing pause in June left a $16.5 billion gap in the transit agency’s capital budget. The vehicle-tolling initiative is legally mandated under a 2019 state law that aimed to raise billions for transit upgrades in the 2020-2024 plan. “It’s the costliest plan yet, with the biggest funding question mark,” said Lisa Daglian, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. Hochul’s indefinite delay forced the MTA to scale the plan back, slowing subway signal replacement projects, while also deferring the purchase of electric buses and legally binding accessibility upgrades at 23 stations. And that’s before the MTA faces a projected $33 billion funding gap in the new plan. “This is all on Governor Hochul — she made the mess, she has to fix it, yet she has brought no solutions to the table,” Jennifer Van Dyck, a member of the Elevator Action Group, which advocates for increased accessibility, said during the meeting’s public comments. “And you seem to be relying on Hochhul’s word, which we all can attest to, counts for nothing.” ...
fpslem Now • 100%
I'll blame the former guy all day long for his failings, but the Staggers Act deregulated the railroad industry in 1980, and was signed by Jimmy Carter. This mess has been a long time coming.
fpslem Now • 100%
I didn't get a paywall, but sometimes the WaPo does, and if so, here's a paywall-free link: https://archive.ph/f4tti
fpslem Now • 92%
This is just the Tiktok ban all over again. The problem is not the Chinese apps/cars spying on you, it's ALL the apps/cars spying on you. If it's creepy to have a foreign power with that much access to our data, then it's creepy for a company to have it too.
fpslem Now • 88%
Aviation biofuel is mostly a distraction. Any serious effort to decarbonize the transportation industry would focus on a scalable system, presumably high-speed rail.
(And whoever is thinking about being a smartass, don't you dare come at me with bullshit about trans-ocean flights, they obviously can't be take by train, but biofuel is still utterly incapable of supplying even only ocean flights. It's not ever going to be a viable product. We'd be better off trying to scale up carbon capture than try to use all our arable land to grow crops for fuel.)
fpslem Now • 100%
For the record, while the Supreme Court justices have refused to hold themselves to the same standards as lower court judges, a U.S. District Court judge like Cannon is indeed bound by the Code of Conduct for United States Judges and the policies of the Judicial Conference, which do require disclosure of such gifts and trips.
fpslem Now • 90%
Don't forget the huge energy savings (heating/cooling, transportation, infrastructure) by having denser housing. It isn't just a measurement of "I can see trees," but all the daily human activities that have a reduced environmental impact in denser development. It's counter-intuitive, but rural areas that are "nearer to nature" are often worse for the environment.
There is probably a break-even point, I don't think everyone living in skyscrapers is ecologically ideal and I wouldn't want to live there anyway. But medium-density development with multi-unit (shared wall) buildings allows huge energy costs, while also making public transit more viable and providing a tax base that actually pays for its own infrastructure.
fpslem Now • 100%
And, to be clear, his voting record is trash.
fpslem Now • 100%
His wife rather publicly disagrees with you.
fpslem Now • 100%
Thanks for the rec! I also love that you presume that there will be a next time, cuz, uh, that's accurate. These little boxes are powerhouses, I probably want one for a TV set-top box now that all the TV boxes (Roku, Amazon Fire, even Android TV and soon Apple TV) are riddled with ads.
fpslem Now • 100%
At this point, my only hope is that the failed business model will kill most of these before they get even worse, regulators don't seem to have any appetite to monitor or restrict/tax the runaway energy usage.
fpslem Now • 100%
Hardly. The arguments against race-conscious admissions or affirmative action are generally based (unironically) in the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.