Supreme Court Rules

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday advised a lower court to reconsider earlier decisions that blocked an estimated $3.6 billion from being used for construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall championed by former President Donald Trump.

After taking office in January, President Joe Biden has sought to halt funding for the border wall construction that was pushed by his predecessor. The Biden administration had argued that the Supreme Court did not need to weigh in on the border wall funding case because the project was closed down by the new administration.

But the Court's Monday ruling called for a reassessment of the case, given the new circumstances under which the project is being considered and with a different administration in the White House.

The Supreme Court returned the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit "with instructions to direct the District Court to vacate its judgments," the Supreme Court wrote in its Monday order.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled against the Biden administration in a case dealing with funding for former President Donald Trump's border wall. Above, construction at the wall with Mexico in Sasabe, Arizona, on January 12.       MICAH GAREN/GETTY IMAGES

"The District Court should consider what further proceedings are necessary and appropriate in light of the changed circumstances in this case," the Supreme Court added. The Court did not provide an explanation for its decision beyond mentioning the change in circumstances under which the case has been considered.

Key to the arguments surrounding the future of the border wall's construction is the funding sources Trump's administration directed to support it. Billions in military funding were allocated to the project during Trump's time in office, with the wall's 400th mile celebrated by the former president just days before he left the White House.

In his order pausing wall construction, which he issued the day of his inauguration, Biden mentioned questions that have been raised about the legality of the wall's funding.  READ MORE...

Window

 

China Violates Taiwan's Airspace

Taiwan says a total of 39 Chinese military jets flew into its air defence zone on Saturday - the largest incursion by Beijing to date.

The defence ministry said the planes entered the area in two waves, during the day and during the evening.  It comes after 38 planes, including nuclear-capable bombers, entered the zone on Friday.

China sees democratic Taiwan as a breakaway province, but Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign state.  Taiwan has been complaining for more than a year about repeated missions by China's air force near the island.

"China has been wantonly engaged in military aggression, damaging regional peace," Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters on Saturday.

The government in Beijing - which is marking 72 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China - has so far made no public comment.

But it has previously said such flights were to protect its sovereignty and also targeted "collusion" between Taiwan and the US.  READ MORE...

Gourds

 

Smoke and Mirrors

Ministers meeting here in Milan at the final UN session before the Glasgow COP26 climate conference heard that some progress was being made.  But officials from developing countries demanded tougher targets for cutting carbon emissions and more cash to combat climate change.

One minister condemned "selfishness or lack of good faith" in the rich world.  US special envoy John Kerry said all major economies "must stretch" to do the maximum they can.  Around 50 ministers from a range of countries met here to try to overcome some significant hurdles before world leaders gather in Glasgow in November.

But for extremely vulnerable countries to a changing climate the priority is more ambitious carbon reductions from the rich, to preserve the 1.5C temperature target set by the 2015 Paris agreement.

Scientists have warned that allowing the world temperatures to rise more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels is highly dangerous.  An assessment of the promises made so far to cut carbon suggests that the world is on track for around 2.7C.  READ MORE...

Stormy

 

Income Inequality

 

Rectangles

 

Global Supply Chain Collapse

Michael Snyder, If CNN starts sounding like The Economic Collapse Blog, what does that mean? Unfortunately, the truth about what is in our immediate future is becoming apparent to everyone. Global supply chains are in a state of complete and utter chaos, and this is driving up prices and causing widespread shortages all over the country.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have written five articles with either “shortage” or “shortages” in the title, and some have accused me of being a little alarmist. If that is the case, then CNN is being alarmist too, because one of their top stories today openly warned of a “global transport system collapse”…

In an open letter Wednesday to heads of state attending the United Nations General Assembly, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and other industry groups warned of a “global transport system collapse” if governments do not restore freedom of movement to transport workers and give them priority to receive vaccines recognized by the World Health Organization.

For decades, we have all been able to take our extremely complex supply chains for granted. Things have always been where they need to be when they needed to be there, and many of us just assumed that it would always be that way.

But now organizations that represent 65 million transport workers around the globe are openly warning that “global supply chains are beginning to buckle”…

“Global supply chains are beginning to buckle as two years’ worth of strain on transport workers take their toll,” the groups wrote. The letter has also been signed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). Together they represent 65 million transport workers globally.

“All transport sectors are also seeing a shortage of workers, and expect more to leave as a result of the poor treatment millions have faced during the pandemic, putting the supply chain under greater threat,” it added.

Things are particularly bad at our ports. Right now, there is a backlog of approximately 500,000 shipping containers waiting on ships off the west coast waiting to be unloaded…

As an estimated 500,000 containers are sitting on cargo ships off the Southern California coast, many are wondering how to handle the backlog.

Needless to say, we have never seen anything like this before.

But what most Americans don’t realize is that the backlog off the coast of China is even worse…

There are over 60 container ships full of import cargo stuck offshore of Los Angeles and Long Beach, but there are more than double that — 154 as of Friday — waiting to load export cargo off Shanghai and Ningbo in China, according to eeSea, a company that analyzes carrier schedules.

The number of container ships anchored off Shanghai and Ningbo has surged over recent weeks. There are now 242 container ships waiting for berths countrywide. Whether it’s due to heavy export volumes, Typhoon Chanthu or COVID, rising congestion in China is yet another wild card for the trans-Pacific trade.

If you are waiting for something to come in from overseas, you may be waiting for a very long time.  TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS CATASTROPHY, CLICK HERE...

Feeding Bird

 

Humanity Will Get "Wrecked"

Departed Neuralink co-founder Max Hodak has a grim take on the fate of humanity: the robot uprising is inevitable, and they will leave humans in the dust.

Key to his argument, which is admittedly a little hard to follow, is that AI will likely not adhere to humanity’s preconceptions about political and economic models for society.

“Humans are objectively bad with socialism (and on the contrary, capitalism is amazingly effective at advancing humanity),” he wrote in a tweet, “but machines might end up reasoning about their identities and communities super differently.”

That kind of incompatibility could lead to some irreconcilable differences.

“We are going to get so wrecked,” he added.

The kind of value systems that humans have used to structure societies over history — regardless of their success in bringing about meaningful change — may soon no longer be relevant.

“Idk, I think the broader point is just that machines might end up having a lot more flexibility on how they organize themselves than we do,” Hodak pondered in a follow-up tweet. “It takes generations to upgrade cognitive technology in human societies.”

The news comes after Hodak left brain implant startup Neuralink in May, a company he co-founded with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

“I am no longer at Neuralink (as of a few weeks ago),” he wrote in a mysterious tweet at the time. “I learned a ton there and remain a huge cheerleader for the company! Onward to new things.”

Neuralink has tasked itself with developing brain computer interfaces — likely, judging by Hodak’s work at Neuralink, aimed at blurring the line between human and machine, making his recent comments all the more intriguing.  TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS, CLICK HERE...

Whales Swimming

 

Under Investigation

• An August 19 video showed a US Marine lifting a baby over razor wire outside Kabul airport.
• At a Trump rally on Saturday, Lance Cpl. Hunter Clark appeared to say he was that Marine.
• The DOD is now investigating Clark over his appearance at a political event, per Task & Purpose.

The Department of Defense is investigating a US Marine who told a Trump rally he was "the guy that pulled the baby over the wall" in Kabul, Task & Purpose reported.

An August 19 video taken during the frenzied US military pullout from Kabul showed a US Marine hoisting a tiny baby girl over a razor-wire fence outside Kabul airport.

At a "Save America" rally in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday, Lance Cpl. Hunter Clark appeared to say he was that Marine.

"Hey my name's Lance Cpl. Hunter Clark. I'm here from Warner Robins, Georgia. I am the guy that pulled the baby over the wall, and it's definitely probably one of the greatest things I've ever done in my entire life," he said.

"I just want to thank all of the support from all of y'all. It really means a lot, and I'm glad to be home now today. Thank you."  TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS, CLICK HERE...

Lips

 

Nuclear Stress Test Results

 

A few days ago, I had a nuclear stress test and while I achieved my target heart rate, I felt light-headed and soon after the test was halted.  Yesterday, I received a call from my Cardiologist who informed me that my test yielded an abnormal result...  meaning there is a blockage and that blockage revolves around the LAD...  called the "widow maker".

My Cardiologist indicated that the next step was to have a heart cath procedure that will actually take a closer look so that heart surgeons can determine if additional stents should be inserted, or if a bypass should be performed, or if maintaining the status quo is appropriate...

In 2009/2010 five (5) stents were inserted into my heart arteries, 3 in the LAD and 2 were inserted into other arteries on the left side.  After 10 years, it is normal and typical for these stents to no longer perform as they were originally intended to perform.

My concern folds around the idea that for the last decade I have only eaten heart healthy foods to prevent something like this from happening...  Exercise may have helped reduce plaque build-up but diet is the preferred way to go...  I did both but concentrated more on diet than on exercise.

These days instead of entering the artery in the inside upper thigh in the groin to travel to the heart, the surgeon enters into another artery in the wrist around the area of the thumb.  This approach is less invasive and just as effective with the recovery time being greater.  I am waiting to hear back on the dates for this procedure...  but what I do know is that it will start at 7:30 am and I am to report 90 minutes before that.

That procedure will determine that next steps that I will be taking.A few days ago, I had a nuclear stress test and while I achieved my target heart rate, I felt light-headed and soon after the test was halted.  Yesterday, I received a call from my Cardiologist who informed me that my test yielded an abnormal result...  meaning there is a blockage and that blockage revolves around the LAD...  called the "widow maker".

My Cardiologist indicated that the next step was to have a heart cath procedure that will actually take a closer look so that heart surgeons can determine if additional stents should be inserted, or if a bypass should be performed, or if maintaining the status quo is appropriate...

In 2009/2010 five (5) stents were inserted into my heart arteries, 3 in the LAD and 2 were inserted into other arteries on the left side.  After 10 years, it is normal and typical for these stents to no longer perform as they were originally intended to perform.

My concern folds around the idea that for the last decade I have only eaten heart healthy foods to prevent something like this from happening...  Exercise may have helped reduce plaque build-up but diet is the preferred way to go...  I did both but concentrated more on diet than on exercise.

These days instead of entering the artery in the inside upper thigh in the groin to travel to the heart, the surgeon enters into another artery in the wrist around the area of the thumb.  This approach is less invasive and just as effective with the recovery time being greater.  I am waiting to hear back on the dates for this procedure...  but what I do know is that it will start at 7:30 am and I am to report 90 minutes before that.

That procedure will determine that next steps that I will be taking.

Removing the Bird

Colorado's Best Towns

From natural hot springs to world-class ski and mountain bike trails, these small towns in Colorado offer something for every type of traveler.


CREDIT: KRBLOKHIN/GETTY IMAGES

The New Yorks and San Franciscos of the world tend to get all the credit — and visitors — but it's often a state's small towns that offer a true feel for the place. In Colorado, for example, some of the best parts of the state can be found well outside large cities like Denver and Colorado Springs.

It's in Colorado's best small towns that you'll find the state's notorious mountain views, mining-era downtowns, cowboy and ranching culture, and of course, plenty of outdoor activities — from skiing and hiking to fishing and whitewater rafting.

So, when you're ready to see a different side of the destination, give this list a peek to find a small town that checks all the boxes for a dreamy Colorado adventure.

Salida
Two and a half hours south of Denver will put you in Salida, a small town that sits in the heart of the Sawatch Range. It's a great place to challenge yourself to hike a 14,000-foot mountain (the area has plenty), bike the Arkansas Hills and Methodist Mountain trail systems, or do like the locals do and hang by the shady shores of the Arkansas River, which runs through town. No matter what adventure you end up on, you'll want to wrap up your day on the Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub patio with a well-deserved slice and beer.

Paonia
The climate in Colorado tends to be dry, but this little agricultural haven produces some of the state's best tree-ripened fruits — apricots, cherries, peaches, pears — and hosts a fall Ciderfest that celebrates all things apple with boot-stomping music and food. If local fruit doesn't get you excited, head to the town's well-regarded Creative District, an area full of shops, artist studios, and galleries, or visit one of the local wineries.   TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE OTHER EIGHT (8) TOWNS IN COLORADO, CLICK HERE...

NOTE:  It is perfectly legal to smoke marijuana in Colorado...  even tourists from another State...

Secluded Beach

 

Undoing Carbon Emissions

Carbon emissions are causing climate change – so rather than sending carbon dioxide into the sky, in Iceland, some are turning it into stone.


The two red-and-white silos of the aluminium smelter at Straumsvík are conspicuous from afar to everyone travelling from Iceland’s international airport to the capital city, Reykjavík. These silos house a mineral called alumina, the raw material used to produce aluminium. 

The alumina makes its way via an automated system to potrooms – three grey, long, low-lying buildings – where the manufacture of aluminium happens. These potrooms are perhaps less noticeable than the towers, yet they are playing a crucial role in reducing Iceland’s carbon emissions.

Heavy industry in Iceland contributes 48% of the country’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to the Environment Agency of Iceland, excluding greenhouse gases from land use and forestry.

 Even though these industrial facilities run on renewable energy from hydroelectricity and geothermal power, CO2 is released as part of the process of producing metals like aluminium. 

The larger of the country’s industrial facilities produces silicon metals, which are used in steel manufacturing, as well as aluminium, much of which is exported and used in the automobile industry.

At present, three aluminium smelters, two manufacturing plants and the energy company Reykjavik Energy are investigating becoming carbon neutral by 2040. Together, the facilities release about 1.76 million tonnes of CO2 each year. 

Getting from that figure to zero might seem like a tall order, especially when much of Iceland’s heavy industry already runs on renewables.  TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE...

Lifting