Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
I wasn't really reading too much into it, I was just describing what the republicans were saying about it being too "woke" to pay attention to the simple science or biology. I was just replacing their word with what "woke" and "woke education" is. That is what the GOP says they are against, woke policies, and using "woke" as a way to cover up what they are really all about.
Another Republican legislator called the language in the bill — “period poverty” and “menstrual equity” — “woke terms.”
If you listened to Republicans this morning, you'd think they slept through the Trump years.
— Rep. Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) March 23, 2023
Secretary Blinken was before @HouseForeign today. I took the chance to correct the record. Turns out the Trump Administration left quite a mess for him to clean up.
Take a look ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/GvhzTYXtnk
Meanwhile the GOP's number one killer of children still going strong. So they are doing ok on their war against women and children. I'm guessing that the word "victims" is too "woke" and the need for softer tones "patients".
Nashville officials report ‘multiple patients’ from school shooting
BY STEPHEN NEUKAM - 03/27/23 11:53 AM ET
ihttps://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3920097-nashville-officials-report-multiple-patients-at-reported-school-shooting/
I was commenting on the JS comment that "That may make a lot of women angry. Even in Idaho." Same issue, peer humiliation from boys mostly, who are getting indoctrinated with the New GOP culture which is very discriminating to women and especially to the girls in our schools. When JS commented that "The school was simply making them available, along with pads", I posted this article where $3.50 per child in a projected $1.4 billion revenue surplus to curb the loss in emotional and educational value to the girls was too much help for children to become critical thinkers who are aware of social injustice and inequities. Too much value put on diversity and inclusion that works to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination, including this type of discrimination to our daughters and granddaughters, or "woke" as the New GOP says. Fifteen states and Washington, D.C., have passed legislation mandating that free menstrual products be provided to students. Five more have set up grant systems for schools to provide the products, according to the nonprofit Alliance for Period Supplies.
Meaning giving out free tampons for the girls in schools will give too much education and critical thinking abilities for the female portion of our education system. Got to curb the desire for so many shoes I guess, I mean how are the girls going to learn how to be barefoot while they churn out how ever many babies the New GOP want. Like I said before, men should just get out of this kitchen, being a bunch of assholes or trying to be the head chefs in this kitchen for power and greed is really in very bad taste and detrimental to our society.
Idaho Republicans block ‘woke’ free tampons in schools proposal
BY NICK ROBERTSON - 03/24/23 11:36 AM ET
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3916205-idaho-republicans-block-woke-free-tampons-in-schools-proposal
Republicans in the Idaho House blocked a bill that would provide free menstrual products to public school students, calling it “liberal” and “woke.”
One in four students who menstruate had trouble accessing period supplies in 2021, a survey from the nonprofit found. The same survey found that four in five students either missed class time due to lack of access to menstrual products or knew someone who did.
In reality, our ss max will keep increasing until 70 and you can take early retirement at a heavily reduced ss. How does it work over there.
Should make a lot of men angry too. I have a daughter and a granddaughter that's that age, and as a man, men should stay away from that subject area as much as possible and give them their privacy, shouldn't even be a debate. It's a direct attack on the females, quite discriminatory, and against science for quality of education and emotional self worth of the girls.
Don't count on that being so simple anymore. Common sense education policies just thrown out the window. What these people are doing to our education system and the children and teachers within it, is not going to end well.
The school was simply making them available, along with pads.
Didn't realize all of that about Milana Vayntrub aka Lily. A very real and talented person. Never paid attention a whole lot to that ATT commercial, just a commercial, but I will look at her with a newer respect when I see her again.
This lady might not be able to hold the candle against Milana, but pretty good in her own right.
No matter how you lay it out, Republican behavior around a possible Trump indictment should be setting off alarms. pic.twitter.com/FBaujvEijQ
— PoliticsGirl (@IAmPoliticsGirl) March 24, 2023
Don't count on the New GOP to take note. Their only intent it seems is to instill as much unhappiness, uncaring and hatred for others that they possibly can. Whatever it takes; lies, misinformation wars, culture wars, science wars. Anything for the power grab. Anything but facing the real serious problems that our society has to deal with todays times. Which in turn will do about everything opposite that study revealed or intended to show. Not good for the country, that's for sure.
Another fun fact about Finland;
The Finnish education system is based on a comprehensive education structure, which is offered free of charge at all levels, from pre-primary to higher education. Compulsory education consists of one-year pre-primary and a nine-year basic education for children aged 7-16. The Finnish school system has attracted worldwide attention, since the country has scored high in PISA tests and other international rankings throughout the 2000s. In recent years, the Nordic country has shown a decline in performance, but Finnish students still continue to perform well above the OECD average.
Basic education is offered at comprehensive schools, which include lower comprehensive school grades 1-6 and upper comprehensive school grades 7-9. Children typically enter comprehensive schools in the year they are turning seven years old. There is no division into primary and lower secondary education, and compulsory education ends after the completion of the education syllabus or by the age of 16. In 2021, there were over half a million students attending almost 2,140 comprehensive schools in the country. While the number of schools has declined over the past decade, public spending on basic education per pupil has increased at the same time. In general, Finland’s schools are publicly funded and there are no mandatory standardized tests during basic education.
Most of students continue their education in upper secondary schools immediately after basic education. Upper secondary education is split into two paths, general and vocational, which both usually take three years to complete. Over half of the students choose to go to upper secondary general schools, which prepare students for higher education. In their final year, students take a national matriculation exam, which qualifies for entry into university. Vocational education is more practice-orientated and on-the-job learning is a key element of the studies. Vocational education covers eight fields, of which technology, communication and transport was the largest, with over 91 thousand students. Although vocational education and training leads first and foremost to a profession, a vocational certificate provides equal eligibility for further studies.
In a similar manner, higher education is divided into two sectors; academic universities and more professionally-oriented universities of applied sciences. As of 2021, there are 14 universities, which had in total almost 160 thousand registered students. Most university students aim for a Master's degree, and over half of the university degrees and qualifications are completed by female students. At the same time, there were over 51 thousand students admitted at the 22 Finnish universities of applied sciences. Over one third of the degrees and qualifications were attained in the fields of health and welfare, followed by business, administration and law, as well as engineering, manufacturing and construction.
https://www.statista.com/topics/6722/education-in-finland/#topicOverview
This conclusion underscores two issues. First, happiness is an important societal quality, as it fosters wealth accumulation and invention. Both create jobs and give people opportunities to utilize their potential, while being active economic and social players. More importantly, in a state of happiness people are more optimistic, confident, and are willing to navigate untested terrains to achieve goals and build sound institutions. Their work is inspiring and serves to stimulate others to engage in economic activities and have faith in their ability to contribute positively to economic and technological progress. This reinforces the second issue: that happy people are generous, willing to help others, and display a long term-perspective. That is, these individuals do not lose the sense of history and their place in a world full of opportunities in which they can participate, create, invest, and build
What's a couple of trillion here, a trillion over there, and over there. And we can just ignore and not add up the other areas and those trillion $ spots. It's all just transitory right? Not a ripple, consequence, or domino to worry about. No sweat, they've got it all handled and under control. NOT! What are the final payments due and interest applied and where is the main population group to be charged going to come from in the end? When and for how long? Recovery can be a real bitch.
Looks promising. The spray targets an area of the spike that is conserved (doesn't mutate) so that the region "changes its shape". This change prevents attachment of the virus to the host cell. 🤞🤞 https://t.co/YKfVhaNWFw
— Jette is Mataray 😊 (@white_bite) March 25, 2023
True to form and doubling down like always. Make Attorneys Get Attorneys are making their attorneys get more attorneys. Wonder when this rabbit hole will end. Got be a classic joke in here somewhere. Like what you get when you put 31 attorneys (and counting) in a room together? Or how many attorneys does it take to put a screw up tRumps ass? LOL
HAPPY CRIME-FRAUD EXCEPTION DAY, FOR THOSE WHO CELEBRATE
March 24, 2023/61 Comments/in 2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection, Leak Investigations /by emptywheel
https://www.emptywheel.net/2023/03/24/happy-crime-fraud-exception-day-for-those-who-celebrate/
Today marks the calendar start of celebration season for Mr. EW and I; all our big dates are squished into a short period that, this year, might well culminate in the first of several indictments for the former President.
For the US political world, though, today marks crime-fraud exception day, the day that at least one of Trump’s attorneys will be obliged to testify about how Trump lied to his lawyers to try to get away with hoarding stolen classified documents.
Because Evan Corcoran (and possibly Georgia attorney Jennifer Little) will testify today, I thought it a good day to update the list of attorneys who were or have been witnesses or who may be subjects in one or more investigations into Trump.
Since the Stormy Daniels payment may lead to Trump’s first indictment, Michael Cohen gets pride of place at number one on this list, a reminder that for seven years, Trump lawyers have been exposing themselves to legal jeopardy to help him cover things up.
The following lawyers have all — at a minimum — appeared in subpoenas pertinent to one or another of the investigations into Donald Trump, and a surprising number have testified before grand juries, including at least three with (Executive Privilege) waivers. To be clear: Many have no legal exposure themselves, but are instead simply witnesses to the efforts made to keep Trump in line before they were replaced with lawyers who were willing to let Trump do whatever he wanted, legal or no. But some of these lawyers have had legal process served against them, and so may themselves be subjects of one or multiple investigations.
Michael Cohen (hush payment): convicted felon whose phones were seized April 9, 2018
Rudolph Giuliani (Ukraine, hush payment, Georgia, coup attempt): phones seized in Ukraine investigation April 28, 2021, received subpoena for billing records in fundraising investigation around December 2022
John Eastman (Georgia, coup attempt): communications deemed crime-fraud excepted March 28, 2022; phone seized June 22, 2022
Boris Epshteyn (stolen documents, coup attempt, Georgia): testified in Georgia grand jury; phone seized in September after which he retroactively claimed to have been doing lawyer stuff
Sidney Powell (fraud, coup attempt, Georgia): Subpoenas sent in fraud investigation starting in September 2021; testified before Georgia grand jury; appeared in November subpoena
Jeffrey Clark (coup attempt): May 26 warrant for cloud accounts and phone seized June 22, 2022
Ken Klukowski (coup attempt): May 26 warrant for cloud accounts
Victoria Toensing (Ukraine, coup attempt): Phone seized in Ukraine investigation April 28, 2021, on June and November subpoenas
Brad Carver (Georgia and fake elector): phone contents seized June 22
Jenna Ellis (coup attempt and Georgia): Rudy’s sidekick, censured by CO Bar for lying serial misrepresentations, on June and November subpoenas
Kenneth Cheesbro (fake elector, Georgia): included in June and November subpoenas
Evan Corcoran (stolen documents): testified before grand jury in January, testifies under crime-fraud exception on March 24
Christina Bobb (coup attempt, Georgia, stolen documents): interviewed in October 2022 and appeared before grand jury in January, belatedly asked for testimony in Georgia
Stefan Passantino (coup attempt obstruction and financial): included in November subpoenas, alleged to have discouraged full testimony from
Cassidy Hutchinson
Tim Parlatore (stolen documents): appeared before grand jury in December 2022
Jennifer Little (Georgia and stolen documents): ordered to testify under crime-fraud exception
Alina Habba (stolen documents, NYS tax fraud): testified before grand jury in January
Bruce Marks (coup attempt): included in November subpoena
Cleta Mitchell (coup attempt and Georgia): included in November subpoenas
Joshua Findlay (coup attempt): included in June subpoenas
Kurt Olsen (coup attempt): included in November subpoenas
William Olson (coup attempt): included in November subpoenas
Lin Wood (coup attempt): included in November subpoenas
Alex Cannon (coup attempt, financial, stolen documents)
Eric Herschmann (coup attempt, Georgia, financial, stolen documents)
Justin Clark (coup attempt and financial): included June and November subpoenas
Joe DiGenova (coup attempt): included in June and November subpoenas
Greg Jacob (coup attempt): grand jury appearances, including with Executive Privilege waiver
Pat Cipollone (coup attempt): grand jury appearances in summer and — with Executive Privilege waiver — December 2
Pat Philbin (coup attempt and stolen documents): grand jury appearances in summer and — with Executive Privilege waiver — December 2
Matthew Morgan (coup attempt): included in November subpoenas
Tim Parlatore is the latest addition to this list, based off someone’s decision to reveal Parlatore’s testimony to the stolen documents grand jury in December. As ABC reported, Beryl Howell ordered him to testify after he belatedly revealed that investigators he hired had found four documents with classification marks in a box brought back to Mar-a-Lago after the August 2022 search (he emphasizes that he did so without a subpoena, but this was an effort to stave off a finding of contempt).
The Dec. 22 testimony from attorney Timothy Parlatore was ordered after months of wrangling between Trump’s attorneys and officials in the Justice Department, who had grown increasingly concerned that Trump still continued to hold onto classified documents after more than 100 were discovered in the August 8 search, sources said.
In fact, just days before his testimony, Parlatore revealed to the DOJ and D.C. district court Judge Beryl Howell that a search of Mar-a-Lago conducted by Trump’s legal team on Dec. 15 and 16 had discovered four additional documents with classification markings, according to sources.
[snip]
While Judge Howell declined to hold Trump or his legal team in contempt at a Dec. 9 hearing, sources said, she did order Parlatore to testify on issues surrounding a signed certification he had provided that outlined the results of his team’s searches of locations where records responsive to the DOJ’s original subpoena could be located.
Howell also suggested at the hearing that Trump’s legal team include Mar-a-Lago in their list of locations to be searched again, despite the FBI’s previous court-authorized search of the property months earlier, sources said.
On Dec. 16, following a two-day search of Mar-a-Lago, Parlatore submitted a revised certification that acknowledged the discovery of the four additional documents in a closet near Trump’s office, sources said.
This explanation makes no mention of the classified folder found — presumably during the same search of Mar-a-Lago done at Howell’s suggestion — in Trump’s bedroom. Parlatore, who was brought in to do searches to give the patina of reliability to the earlier subpoena non-compliance, did not voluntarily hand over that folder; instead, DOJ subpoenaed it. In the wake of disclosures about that, Parlatore went on TV and made the ridiculous claim that the former President has nothing better to use to cover up a light on his bedside phone than random folders that once contained classified records, random folders that were not found during the FBI’s August 8 search.
Nor does this explanation mention the laptop with the documents marked classified (now numbered as four) also turned over.
Perhaps the most important detail this Parlatore-friendly story left out, however, is the way Trump’s team fought unsuccessfully to keep the names of the people who did the searches secret. After Howell ordered them to share those names in January, they testified before the grand jury, after Parlatore had already done so.
In this story, seeded the day before Corcoran testifies before the grand jury, that belatedly reveals Parlatore’s testimony before the grand jury, he makes claims of prosecutorial misconduct.
Parlatore, when reached for comment by ABC News, said, “I voluntarily and happily chose to go into the grand jury so that I could present my client’s case to them in the context of our search efforts. During my testimony, it was clear that the government was not acting appropriately and made several improper attempts to pierce privilege and, in my opinion, made several significant misstatements to the jury which I believe constitutes prosecutorial misconduct.”
Had Parlatore really believed something amounted to prosecutorial misconduct, we would have heard about it in December — though that would have required revealing how documents marked as classified got moved back to Mar-a-Lago after the August search. Had Parlatore really believed something amounted to prosecutorial misconduct, he would have said that on TV instead of sharing his bullshit story about covering up the light on a phone.
He didn’t. He didn’t make this claim until the night before Corcoran is set to testify about the adequacy of Mar-a-Lago searches Corcoran did six months before the one Parlatore did.
In between the time Parlatore testified to the grand jury in December and today, though, Parlatore made this bizarre claim about the possibility that Boris Epshteyn, described here as the gatekeeper between Trump and the lawyers, could be a subject of the investigation. (This story, dated March 14, followed the February 12 bullshit claim about the light by the side of the bed by just over a month.)
Mr. Epshteyn’s legal role with Mr. Trump, while less often focused on gritty legal details, has been to try to serve as a gatekeeper between the lawyers on the front lines and the former president, who is said to sometimes roll his eyes at the frequency of Mr. Epshteyn’s calls but picks up the phone.
“Boris has access to information and a network that is useful to us,” said one of the team’s lawyers, Timothy Parlatore, whom Mr. Epshteyn hired. “It’s good to have someone who’s a lawyer who is also inside the palace gates.”
Mr. Parlatore suggested that he was not worried that Mr. Epshteyn, like a substantial number of other Trump lawyers, had become at least tangentially embroiled in some of the same investigations on which he was helping to defend Mr. Trump.
“Absent any solid indication that Boris is a target here, I don’t think it affects us,” Mr. Parlatore said.
As I’ve noted, DOJ almost certainly believes that Trump still has classified documents. DOJ almost certainly believes that the searches Parlatore did in November and December not only weren’t adequate, but were proven to be inadequate when his investigators found classified documents that had been moved back to Mar-a-Lago after the initial search.
They tried to obtain those documents by holding lawyers who had attested to searches in contempt back in December. Instead, Beryl Howell made them do more investigation first, culminating in what may be the last order she issued as Chief Judge ordering Corcoran to testify.
One possible outcome of today’s testimony is that someone finally gets held in contempt, someone finally risks jail time until such time as an adequate search of all of Trump’s properties is conducted. And that may be why Tim Parlatore chose this moment to announce his inclusion on the ever-growing lists of Trump lawyers who may be witnesses or may be subjects of his investigations.
image_print
Tags: Boris Epshteyn, Evan Corcoran, Michael Cohen, Tim Parlatore
Share this entry
BlackRock Temp Cash TMCXX is paying 4.66% at Merrill
Fidelity Government Money Market is paying 4.22%
That's a strong incentive to stop spending into inflation and save temporarily.
Just the inflation-stopper the Fed is looking for.
There was an interesting conversation over at Biancore Research a few days ago about the money flowing out of the banks and into T bills and CD's with the 4% level being the public sentiment kicking in gear. Practically everyone I know, family, friends, acquaintances was moving their money into these things about that time. I've always had some, but when they went over 4% I got really heavy weighted and have been adding. Just got some more short term CD's for 5.2, 5.3%. Sure the CDs tie up the money a little bit more than Tbills, but you're talking pretty short time here. And everyday I see several articles that are pumping these options. If there is anyone that hasn't got cash transferred over, they will be getting in the trend, so I don't think we've seen the end to these banking problems.
Brick and mortar and these smaller regional banks are really between a boulder and cement slab with the competition for the interest rates paid out. Even if the gap gets closed a bit, they still would have to compete with the online banks like Ally and Marcus where my savings accounts are getting 3.75% for just holding some cash. Probably other online banks also.
https://twitter.com/biancoresearch
1/n
— Jim Bianco (@biancoresearch) March 21, 2023
This chart comes from the Fed H8 report. It is current through the latest data, March 8 ... two days before Silicon Valley Bank failed.
What has been the largest drawdown of deposits since the financial crisis?
The weeks BEFORE the bank failures of the last few weeks. pic.twitter.com/2uZ9H5knZl
3/n
— Jim Bianco (@biancoresearch) March 21, 2023
So why was their a big deposit flight out of banks before the failures?
As rates went from 0% to 4% between March and November 2022, inflows into money market mutual funds were a paltry $62 billion.
This changed when rates crossed above 4%. $143 billion flowed into money… pic.twitter.com/gsXbrEJwo5
I guess Higgens got into a little trouble for doing it. Boy the trouble we're all going to get into coming soon with this AI tech. It's only just started.
A Journalist Believes He Was Banned From Midjourney After His AI Images Of Donald Trump Getting Arrested Went Viral
“I suspect it was pushing my luck when I did the [Twitter] thread,” Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins said.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/chrisstokelwalker/midjourney-ai-donald-trump-arrest-images-ban
Chris Stokel-Walker
BuzzFeed Contributor
Posted 6 hours ago
Must of been used for Trump's third leg in another one. lol
Here's the story on it.
Fake AI images of ‘Trump arrest’ hit internet
BY LAUREN SFORZA - 03/22/23 1:47 PM ET
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/3912427-fake-ai-images-of-trump-arrest-hit-internet/
The guy who created and creating it.
https://twitter.com/EliotHiggins
Shows on my screen, not sure what's up. Just a pic, no video.
If all else fails;
How Some People Pump Stocks pic.twitter.com/Y8ls7En3FI
— Lion Vest (@LionVestGroup) March 20, 2023
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 22, 2023
Zelensky travelled to the Bakhmut area today to issue state awards to some of Ukraine’s bravest soldiers holding the line against the Russian invaders.
Putin will never have the guts to go this close to the frontlines… pic.twitter.com/qV2ubZaB80
Trump called for protests but outside Trump Tower right now are demonstrators calling for his arrest lol pic.twitter.com/M40nSGAV1t
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2023
If it moves any more cautiously, it will come to a complete stop. lol While the wait, time to catch up on all of our debt.
This really is a good explanation of banking. pic.twitter.com/EUx3LFYiuc
— Jim Bianco (@biancoresearch) March 21, 2023
Blueish areas will likely have better healthcare in general in the future and may make more healthcare professionals vote left. Things of this nature are spreading. Probably the same will go for teachers and librarians.
Idaho hospital to stop delivering babies. One reason? ‘Bills that criminalize physicians’
https://www.idahostatesman.com/living/health-fitness/article273303190.html#storylink=sectionheadlines
BY KELCIE MOSELEY-MORRIS IDAHO CAPITAL SUN MARCH 17, 2023 7:35 PM
Bonner General Health, the only hospital in Sandpoint, announced Friday that it will no longer provide obstetrical services to the city of more than 9,000 people, meaning patients will have to drive 46 miles for labor and delivery care.
The hospital’s board of directors and senior leadership called the decision emotional and difficult, and cited a loss of pediatricians, changing demographics and Idaho’s legal and political climate around health care as the reasons.
“We have made every effort to avoid eliminating these services,” said Ford Elsaesser, the hospital’s board president, in a news release. “We hoped to be the exception, but our challenges are impossible to overcome now.”
“Without pediatrician coverage to manage neonatal resuscitations and perinatal care, it is unsafe and unethical to offer routine labor and delivery services,” said the news release, which citing months of negotiations that sought to avoid the outcome. “BGH has reached out to other active and retired providers in the community requesting assistance with pediatric call coverage with no long-term sustainable solutions.”
The hospital said it would make every attempt to continue deliveries through May 19, but said it will depend on staffing. It will continue to provide women’s health services at Sandpoint Women’s Health and collaborate with Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, which is about an hour from Sandpoint, to provide obstetrical care.
Bonner General Health delivered 265 babies in 2022 and admitted fewer than 10 pediatric patients, according to the news release. That is a decrease from prior years that reflects a nationwide decrease in births and an older population moving to Bonner County.
PHYSICIANS COULD FACE FELONY CHARGES, LOSE LICENSES
The release also said highly respected, talented physicians are leaving the state, and recruiting replacements will be “extraordinarily difficult.”
Idaho has one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country, with affirmative defenses in court only for documented instances of rape, incest or to save the pregnant person’s life. Physicians are subject to felony charges and the revocation of their medical licenses for violating the statute, which the Idaho Supreme Court in January determined is constitutional.
“The Idaho Legislature continues to introduce and pass bills that criminalize physicians for medical care nationally recognized as the standard of care,” the hospital’s news release said. “Consequences for Idaho physicians providing the standard of care may include civil litigation and criminal prosecution, leading to jail time or fines.”
LONGTIME OB-GYN SAYS SHE’S LEAVING IDAHO
Dr. Amelia Huntsberger, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Bonner General Health, said in an email to States Newsroom, a national nonprofit whose newsrooms include the Idaho Capital Sun in Boise, that she will soon leave the hospital and the state because of the abortion laws and the Legislature’s decision not to continue the state’s maternal mortality review committee.
“What a sad, sad state of affairs for our community,” Huntsberger wrote.
Linda Larson, who has lived in Sandpoint for 36 years and delivered her first child at Bonner General Health, said the community relies on the hospital for much of its health care services, including physical therapy and routine blood work.
“It’s just breaking my heart to see what’s happening,” Larson said. “It’s a wonderful hospital; they have excellent care. I just can’t say enough good things about it.”
WHERE TO GET OB-GYN CARE IN FAR NORTH IDAHO
Sandpoint Women’s Health will not accept new obstetrics patients effective immediately and offered a referral list for patients to use for their care. Other hospitals that can still take labor and delivery patients are: Cabinet Peaks OB/GYN in Libby, Montana Coeur OBGYN in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Health Care for Women in Coeur d’Alene Kootenai Clinic OB-GYN in Coeur d’Alene Kootenai Clinic OB-GYN in Post Falls, Idaho Newport Hospital in Newport, Washington
READ NEXT GUEST OPINIONS
St. Luke’s official: Change is needed in Idaho’s abortion laws before it is too late | Opinion MARCH 14, 2023 11:51 AM
READ NEXT GUEST OPINIONS
I’m a maternal-health doctor, and I’m leaving Idaho because of restrictive abortion ban | Opinion FEBRUARY 16, 2023 4:00 AM
READ NEXT STATE POLITICS
‘Art is being censored.’ Parts of exhibit at Idaho college removed for abortion messaging MARCH 07, 2023 7:11 PM
READ NEXT BOISE & GARDEN CITY
A mobile billboard promoted abortion pills in Boise. It was asked to leave, nonprofit says MARCH 07, 2023 1:29 PM
Federal prosecutors warn court of potential deluge of January 6 charges – report
US attorney in Washington DC sends letter to court officials estimating another 700 to 1,200 defendants could face charges
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/16/january-6-capitol-attack-deluge-charges
Victoria Bekiempis in New York
Thu 16 Mar 2023 09.50 EDT
Federal prosecutors in Washington have reportedly told court officials a thousand more people could be charged in relation to the deadly January 6 Capitol attack.
Matthew Graves, the US attorney in Washington DC, sent a one-page letter to the chief judge of Washington DC federal court, apprising her of the potential deluge of defendants, Bloomberg News reported.
More than a quarter of Republicans approve of Capitol attack, poll shows
Read more
The correspondence provides details on what the US attorney general, Merrick Garland, has described as “one of the largest, most complex and most resource-intensive investigations in our history”.
Graves said in the letter that justice department officials estimated that another 700 to 1,200 defendants could face charges. That would nearly double the number of criminal cases relating to January 6, Bloomberg noted.
More than a thousand people have faced charges for alleged involvement in the Capitol riot. Those who attacked Congress did so at the urging of Donald Trump, seeking to thwart certification of Joe Biden’s election win.
Graves said knowing how many cases would unfold was “incredibly difficult” due to the “nature and the complexity of the investigation”. The prosecutor also said he did not know the exact proportion of misdemeanor and felony cases to come but thought there would be a larger proportion of felonies, Bloomberg said.
“We expect the pace of bringing new cases will increase, in an orderly fashion, over the course of the next few months,” Graves wrote. He concluded by saying prosecutors’ estimates might shift as the justice department continues to “evaluate changing resources and circumstances”.
Federal charges against participants in the Capitol riot have ranged from physical violence and property destruction to seditious conspiracy.
The justice department has said 326 people have faced charges for “assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers or employees, including approximately 106 individuals who have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer”.
Some 140 police officers were assaulted. About 55 people have been charged with conspiracy, the justice department said.
Of approximately 1,000 people arrested to date, 518 have pleaded guilty, with many facing jail or prison. Fifty-three people were found guilty at trial, justice department data showed.
The DC federal judge, Beryl Howell, told Bloomberg the court “continues to manage its caseload and trial calendar efficiently, notwithstanding the delays occasioned by the pandemic”.
“So far, the court has been able to manage the increased criminal caseload well,” said Howell, whose term concludes this week. “Should a ‘surge’ of filings occur at a later date, the court would assess what additional steps, if any, it should take.”
Criminal investigations into Trump’s attempts to undermine the 2020 election continue. Trump also faces a hush money investigation in Manhattan, a criminal investigation relating to his alleged retention of classified documents, a New York civil suit over his financial dealings and a defamation trial arising from a rape allegation he denies.
Only thing positive here is the more of those "best people" who get arrested/indicted/jailed, the more likely some actual consequences will happen to Trump.
The investigation is true, unknown if anything will be applied, but the political money laundering has been rampant with that fraud. Then there is this, only the best people;
DOJ charges Chinese businessman Guo Wengui, associate of Steve Bannon, in $1 billion fraud
PUBLISHED WED, MAR 15 202310:58 AM EDTUPDATED 17 MIN AGO
Dan Mangan
@_DANMANGAN
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/15/doj-charges-guo-wengui-steve-bannon-associate-in-1-billion-fraud.html
KEY POINTS
-The controversial Chinese businessman Guo Wengui, an associate of former Trump White House advisor Steve Bannon, was arrested in New York for orchestrating what federal prosecutors called a more than $1 billion fraud conspiracy.
-A Manhattan federal court grand jury indictment charges Guo with duping online followers with promises of “outsized” investment returns.
-Prosecutors said they have seized more than $650 million in alleged fraud proceeds from 21 different bank accounts as part of the case.
-The Securities and Exchange Commission separately filed a civil complaint against Guo, who is known by multiple different names, including Miles Guo and Miles Kwok.
more............
And this;
Former NATO chief: Trump nomination would be ‘geopolitical catastrophe’
BY JARED GANS - 03/15/23 8:44 AM ET
https://thehill.com/policy/international/3900921-former-nato-chief-trump-nomination-would-be-geopolitical-catastrophe/
Reminds me of Gail Davis on the Andy Griffith show (ok so I'm showing some age here, but it's still good comedy).
Barney and Thelma Lou decide to play matchmaker for Andy and her visiting cousin Karen Moore. They don't have much trouble as Andy and Karen soon hit it off. In fact, they have a lot in common including shooting, music, and singing. Barney puts his foot in it as usual when he tells Thelma Lou that Andy has checked Karen out and makes it sound like she's a commodity to be purchased. Thinking that Andy is as crude as Barney makes him out to be, she decides to teach him a lesson at the annual skeet shooting competition. Karen is a champion skeet shooter, a fact that Andy nor Barney know about. Karen ends up winning the competition; putting Andy in his place.
Gail Davis, the actress who played Karen, previously starred as the title character in Annie Oakley (1954), who was, among other things, a skilled shooter.
This was the last acting credit for Gail Davis.
Interesting to note that they have filed this under the Entertainment section of the news. I wonder how entertained the market sentiment will be tomorrow.
First Republic says its liquidity remains 'very strong' in bid to calm nerves following Silicon Valley Bank's collapse
Ryan Hogg
Sun, March 12, 2023 at 10:00 AM EDT·4 min read
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/first-republic-says-liquidity-remains-140000472.html
-First Republic sought to reassure customers after its share price crashed following SVB's collapse.
-The bank said its average customer deposit amount was well below the maximum $250,000 insured limit.
-However, about 68% of the bank's deposits, or almost $120 billion, are not insured.
First Republic Bank sought to reassure customers that their deposits were safe as regional lenders scramble to dampen contagion fears sparked by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank..............................................................more
Then there is this video which has already being shown around the world from the UK to Russia with people that are entertaining different views.
https://twitter.com/UpwardNewsHQ/status/1634708020251721728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March
This week the Oversight Committee held 8 hearings — none of which addressed the derailment in East Palestine. Meanwhile, people from East Palestine are roaming the halls of Congress trying to find any Member to hear their concerns. Oversight needs to hold a hearing on this issue. pic.twitter.com/3CsqaTQmtZ
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) March 9, 2023
FuelCell Energy: Strong Q1 Headline Numbers Don't Hold Up To Scrutiny
Mar. 09, 2023 11:26 PM ETFuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCEL), FCELB5 Comments
Hydrogen-Powered Fuel Cell Unveiled in L.A.
David McNew
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4586316-fuelcell-energy-strong-q1-earnings-dont-hold-up-to-scrutiny?mailingid=30790211&messageid=2850&serial=30790211.13223&utm_campaign=rta-author-article&utm_medium=email&utm_source=seeking_alpha&utm_term=30790211.13223
Note: I have covered FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ:FCEL, OTCPK:FCELB) previously, so investors should view this as an update to my earlier articles on the company.
On Thursday, FuelCell Energy's common shares rallied more than 20% in early trading following the release of perceived strong first quarter results with revenues will above consensus expectations and the highest gross margin reported in several years:
Key Financial Metrics
Company Press Releases and SEC-Filings
Unfortunately, both revenues and margins were boosted by a $9.1 million one-time benefit which was actually the result of a rather negative development as disclosed in the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q (emphasis added by author):
Our December 2021 Settlement Agreement with POSCO Energy Co., Ltd. and its subsidiary, Korea Fuel Cell Co., Ltd. (“KFC”), included an option to purchase an additional 14 modules (in addition to the 20 modules that were purchased by KFC during fiscal year 2022). This option included a material right related to an extended warranty obligation for the modules. The option was not exercised by KFC as of the expiration date of December 31, 2022 and, as a result, the Company recognized $9.1 million of product revenues, which represents the consideration allocated to the material right if the option had been exercised.
Adjusted for the windfall profit, revenues would have been roughly in line with analyst expectations while consolidated gross margin would have been negative 13.8% rather than the positive 14.1% number reported.
Even worse, quarterly cash burn of $63.3 million reached a new all-time high and resulted in unrestricted cash and short-term investments declining by approximately 15% quarter-over-quarter to $390.8 million.
For the first time in many quarters, the company abstained from offsetting elevated cash burn by selling large amounts of new common shares into the open market.
With close to $400 million in unrestricted cash and short-term investments and 76.5 million shares still available for issuance under the company's most recent open market sale agreement, liquidity remains sufficient to fund the company's ambitious growth investment plans in FY2023:
2023 CapEx
Company Presentation
That said, with up to $225 million in projected capital expenditures and research and development ("R&D") expenses as well as an estimated up to $150 million in negative cash flow from operations not related to R&D, investors will likely have to prepare for additional dilution this year.
Please note that FuelCell Energy is looking to double the amount of authorized common shares from 500 million to 1 billion on the upcoming annual meeting next month.
In Q1, the company recorded $9.9 million in capital expenditures and $12.7 in R&D thus leaving up to $202.4 million for the remainder of the year.
Looking at the company's core generation business, segment performance rebounded from depressed fourth quarter levels and after adjusting for depreciation, amortization and certain charges related to the Toyota Tri-Generation project in Long Beach, gross margin was roughly stable on a year-over-year basis:
Generation Segment
Company SEC-Filings
During the quarter, the heavily-delayed Groton Submarine Base project finally became operational albeit at a reduced output of approximately 6 MW as compared to the plant's nameplate capacity of 7.4 MW. The ongoing technical issues have also resulted in the company incurring substantial amendment and performance guarantee fees related to the existing offtake agreement:
As previously disclosed, the Groton Project achieved commercial operations on December 16, 2022. On December 16, 2022, the Company entered into an amended and restated power purchase agreement (“Amended and Restated PPA”) which modified and replaced the existing power purchase agreement with Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (“CMEEC”) to allow the Groton Project to operate at a reduced output of approximately 6 MW while a Technical Improvement Plan (“TIP”) is implemented with the goal of bringing the platform to its rated capacity of 7.4 MW by December 31, 2023. (...)
The Company is incurring and will continue to incur performance guarantee fees under the Amended and Restated PPA as a result of operating at an output below 7.4 MW during implementation of the TIP. Although the Company believes it will successfully implement the TIP and bring the plant up to its design rated output of 7.4 MW by December 31, 2023, no assurance can be provided that such work will be successful. In the event that the plants do not reach an output of 7.4 MW by December 31, 2023, the Amended and Restated PPA will continue in effect, and the Company will be subject to ongoing performance guarantee fees.
As a result, the rated capacity of the company's operating Generation portfolio has increased from 36.3 MW to 43.7 MW sequentially:
Generation Portfolio
Company Presentation
Management currently expects the Toyota Tri-Generation project in Long Beach to become operational in Q3/FY2023 while the large-scale plant in Derby, Connecticut is projected to commence commercial operations in the company's fiscal fourth quarter.
Backlog continues to go down as FuelCell Energy recognizes revenue from existing service contracts and under the joint development agreement with a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil (XOM) related to the company's carbon capture technology:
Backlog
Company Presentation
On the conference call, management again touted potential benefits from last year's Inflation Reduction Act ("IRA"):
IRA
Company Presentation
That said, investors should not expect any near-term revenue impact from potential IRA incentives as market participants are still waiting for additional guidance from the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service.
In addition, product sales are likely to remain limited this fiscal year due to Korea Fuel Cell having abstained from ordering additional modules and the company still being in the process of rebuilding its Korean sales channel.
Bottom Line
Adjusted for a sizeable one-time benefit related to the non-exercise of a significant module purchase option by Korea Fuel Cell, FuelCell Energy reported another less-than-stellar quarter with cash burn reaching new all-time highs.
In addition, the company has committed to aggressive growth investments which in combination with anticipated losses from operations might result in negative free cash flow of up to $350 million this year.
As a result, investors better prepare for further, aggressive utilization of open market share sales as a means to replenish the company's cash reserves.
Given ongoing execution issues and elevated risk of further dilution, investors should continue to avoid the common shares.
Investors looking for a somewhat less risky investment in FuelCell Energy should consider taking a position in the company's Series B Preferred Shares (OTCPK:FCELB) which trade around 51% of face value despite ranking senior to common stock and paying a rather juicy 9.8% cash dividend on an annual basis.
Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.
When you sell a piece of property for profit of $100k due to rising value of that property you pay x amount of capitol gains to the gov. If you rent that piece of property for $1000 profit from expenses you pay x amount to the gov. If the property went up in value to the point of making a million on the sale, you pay multiple times tax amount on capitol gains on that same piece of property. You raise the rent due to market appreciation (and rising expenses) and you somehow make $1500 profit a month and you pay more taxes to the gov on that income. The reverse applies if you make less profit and will lessen the gov income. Of course that's if you're not someone very rich and special and get the gov in control making some rules or policies or purposely lack enforcement that give you a bigger break. That definitely happens.
That's just one tiny example of how more income to the gov happens with rising home prices and the control over how that money comes to them. And then of course you have housing costs in the Fed's interest decisions playing a part in that control overview. Then we would have to include social economics under gov control and policy decisions. We would also have to include the political power and manipulation in the discussion too.
Not really any conspiracy, whether it's nefarious or just normal administrative processes, the control is there, just reality of the real world. Sure there's things they can't control, that just human nature and also unknown or thought of at the time things from consequences that the gov actions bring (a big part in the political realm) and they lose some of that control in some areas and that effects. Chicken or the egg thing. Which control over what comes first?
But hey, everyone has to make their money with their own belief systems, but just remember reality can bite you in the anus depending on how you look at things.
Now I really got to go, I just got my new pair of RTX 4090 24GB GDDR delivered to put in my rig that I built about 4 months ago. All my kids and grandkids have gotten more updated rigs built for them and I was still using my old Z97 board with a i7-4790K cpu and an old pair of RTX 960Ti's 4GB GDDR which I have been using in my new build until now. Yippee. I was starting to get some erroring and conflicts as I switched all my monitors to 2 & 4k and Win11. Still have to get my gpu blocks for my liquid cooled system, but I'm like a kid at xmas to get these bad boys in. I'll just use software for the gpu cooling for now.
Where do you live now where you find the government so thoroughly controlling of your local economy and homes?
I think you're kind of looking at some pieces to a puzzle and not looking at the whole picture. A lot of time would be spent on all the pieces, way too much for a post. I like to summarize looking at the whole picture and of course the bottom line.
I was meaning government in general, federal, state, county, city, all included. They are all connected and feds lending rate has a lot of connection to money lent out to the public. Higher property values = increased money flow and money lent out = increased gov income. The direct and a lot of indirect lists are long. I've had property in many states, still have a few, including California. Every local I've dealt with pays the bills with a big percentage coming from property owners. I'd say more than 20% sometimes out of all the other taxes taken in to pay those bills for that area and beyond. It can be listed in fees, bonds, etc., but all that is just a little itemization, doesn't change the amount of the check we have to write out to the system. My point was more that the country's bill payments are coming from a big percentage property owners.
I'm not sure where property market value doesn't have effect on the appraised value that we get taxed on and pay or the income tax paid when rented or sold, but I do know I've spent the time and money to fight the amount of assessment attached a few times, and even appealing to the state to finally get the amount I write the check out for reduced.
Call me a conspiracy theorist, but the fact that the value of our property is such a big part of our assets and a big part of the money flow of our economy and capitalistic society as a whole, that the Fed gov is not taking that into account and developing processes (some unknown to the general public) that manipulate the big picture, the least of which manipulating how they list the data and use the numbers or having connection to the RE value or market.
The point of the article was that they are again reaching that brick wall or top of the bell and going over the other side of the bell curve. This bell curve has the amount of gov income directly or indirectly connected to that big part of money flow involved with property values on the y axis and the value of that property on the x axis. Two points on the bell graph are known. First point, the curve goes from 0x0y where gov doesn't get any income if that big part of money flow is worthless (no flow). Gov income goes up the more the value of property increases on the x axis and the amount we pay out to where it reaches some point Rmax and then goes back down to zero income for the gov for the second point. Where x or property values go so high that nobody can or will pay and we have total system breakdown and anarchy (again not a good money flow or income to the gov). So all the attention is put at staying at the top of the bell.
Given that the rate charged can vary or different itemizations can occur but gov tries to maintain that overall flow constant.
Example bell curve.
Remember that higher property values equal higher rents and higher property payments and can change the money flow with risks of creating less gov income. Also remember that our elected government part depends on a big portion of that money flow in the political field.
For sure the "system" is willing to take some collateral damage, a certain amount of bankruptcies, increasing homelessness, more renters instead of home ownership, etc., which is another point the article makes. The ever growing wealth and economic gap and who his going to take and are taking the brunt of the damage caused by too high of price for having a roof over ones head. Too much of that, and systems break to far.
I believe a big factor on the control of housing pricing is the government 17-18% of income from property taxes (depending on what sources you listen to). Not the thing most think about when talking about the housing market, but the gov really took a hit in the last housing crisis and things were put in place to deal with it from happening again. Sort of a silent force at play. They are always trying to keep on top of the tax bell curve, but economics of the everyday Joe/Jane is another kind of "fighting the fed".
Housing affordability hits historic low
BY ADAM BARNES - 03/03/23 8:00 AM ET
https://thehill.com/business/3881539-housing-affordability-hits-historic-low/
Fewer than a quarter of homes listed for sale nationwide qualified as affordable for the typical U.S. household, according to a new report shared exclusively with The Hill.
The report, released Friday by real estate brokerage Redfin, found that the number of affordable listings in 2022 fell by more than half from the previous year — the largest annual drop on the company’s record dating back to 2013.
Redfin analyzed home listings in the nation’s 100 most populous metros, marking a listing as affordable if its estimated monthly mortgage payment did not exceed 30 percent of the local county’s median income.
“Housing affordability is at the lowest level in history, which is widening the wealth gap—especially between generations,” said Redfin deputy chief economist Taylor Marr.
“Many millennials were able to buy homes before or during the pandemic homebuying boom, but many others were priced out of homeownership and forced to keep renting,” Marr added.
This was due largely to a combination of persistently high prices and surging mortgage rates, which peaked late last year.
Yelena Maleyev, an economist with KPMG, told The Hill the duo of high prices and high mortgage rates have drastically eroded affordability even though prices have come down from the pandemic peak.
“That kind of double whammy, that double pain that folks are feeling, [is] keeping them essentially sidelined for longer … especially those who are maybe at the lower income level or the first-time buyer that can’t sell an existing home and use that money to buy that move-up home,” she said.
Yet it’s not only mortgage rates and high prices impacting buyers.
Ken Ralph, a consultant in Boston, told The Hill prices were a big deal in his home search in the last year but so were poor listing descriptions.
“The descriptions of the available properties are misleading and confusing. You have to actually go see the thing to tell if it is what they say it is,” Ralph said in an interview.
Affordable homes accounted for slightly less than 9 percent of listings in Boston last year, according to the Redfin report.
The growing racial homeownership gap
Redfin’s analysis also found that for the typical white household, around 28 percent of homes were considered affordable. But for the typical Black household, availability plummeted to just nine percent.
“Housing has become incredibly unaffordable for a lot of Americans, but Black families have been hit especially hard because they’re often less wealthy to begin with,” Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather said.
“On average, Black Americans earn less money, have less generational wealth, and have lower credit scores (and sometimes no credit score at all) than white Americans. That makes it tougher to afford a down payment and qualify for a low mortgage rate. They also frequently face racial bias during the homebuying process.”
One way to improve the growing disparity is new construction, Fairweather told The Hill.
“The Black-White Income gap needs to shrink and, in order to do so, more affordable, multifamily homes need to be built for first-generation homeowners looking for a starter home,” Fairweather said.
A separate report released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that the homeownership gap between Black and white buyers increased in 2022 to its widest level in a decade. The Black homeownership rate in 2021 was 44 percent, while the white homeownership rate was 72.7 percent, NAR’s report found.
“Unfortunately, the incredible affordability challenges of the last year have hit minority home buyers more than White buyers,” Jessica Lautz, NAR deputy chief economist and vice president of research, said in a statement.
“Black buyers are more likely to be first-time buyers, who are more sensitive to changes in mortgage interest rates, while White buyers are more likely to have housing equity to rely on as they make a housing trade.”
Why the Fed is making homes less affordable
The Federal Reserve’s ongoing battle to stifle inflation has pushed up mortgage rates following a series of jumbo interest rate hikes. After reaching record lows of under 3 percent earlier in 2021, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage jumped to more than 7 percent before dipping back down at the beginning of the new year.
The average rate last year was 5.34 percent, up from 2.96 percent in 2021.
Here are the college majors that earned the most in 2022
Biden urges Congress to approve $1.6B to fight COVID aid fraud
The central bank is expected to raise its interest rates several more times this year, putting more pressure on the housing market and raising mortgage rates. And this could lead to price declines, Maleyev said.
“So obviously, that would allow for some of that affordability reprieve in the regions that would see the higher declines,” she said.
“But again, these types of declines, when you think about how high they’ve come up, we’re not thinking about prices coming back down to, let’s say, February 2020 levels. They are still going to be elevated compared to that period, and mortgage rates will still remain high.”