Media Today

[Richard Smith]

Even the leftist media is disgusted and perplexed by Old Joe's unwillingness to acknowledge his four-year old granddaughter.  What a scumbag.

[Richard Smith]

According to the leftist media, the GOP is no longer pro-military because a few promotions have been held up in opposition to the military's pro-abortion stance.  Keep in mind that the corrupt GOP establishment has funded endless wars to the tune of trillions of dollars over the last several decades.  But holding up those promotions mean they are against the military.  That is the level of stupidity that Americans must deal with.  Inflicting millions of deaths for no good cause in endless war is fine according to our state sponsored media.  Just don't interfere with abortion. 

[Rick Plant]

For the first time in 160 years, the US Marine Corps is left without a confirmed commandant because Senator Tommy Tuberville is holding up HUNDREDS of military promotions because of the Pentagon's abortion policy.

Tommy Tuberville is jeopardizing our national security over an issue that a majority of Americans support.

Republicans, and this clueless traitor doesn't care about the military or the safety of Americans.

Former military officials are calling this traitor out. Good for them! 
 

From CNN:

Collins: Seven former U.S. Defense secretaries, including two who served under Trump, disagree with you and they signed a letter to senate leaders saying your actions are harming military readiness and this risks damages National Security.

Watch: https://twitter.com/i/status/1678578466743021570



We Can Think of Few Things as Irresponsible': 7 Former Defense Secretaries Blast Hold on Military Promotions



Seven former defense secretaries who served in administrations from both parties are warning that a Republican senator's hold on nearly 200 military promotions hurts military families and emboldens U.S. adversaries.

"There are also real-world impacts on the families of these senior officers," the former defense secretaries wrote in a letter released Thursday by Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "Most cannot move and resettle their families; their children cannot enroll at their next schools on time; and spouses cannot start new jobs at the next duty station. We can think of few things as irresponsible and uncaring as harming the families of those who serve our nation in uniform."

The message is similar to ones current defense officials, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, have issued in recent weeks. But the letter, which was addressed to Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., raises the pressure on the senator at the center of the controversy, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., by bringing in voices from both Republican and Democratic administrations. In releasing the letter, Schumer said he hopes it encourages other Senate Republicans to push Tuberville to "drop these reckless holds."

The letter, which does not mention Tuberville by name, was signed by Trump administration Defense Secretaries Jim Mattis and Mark Esper; Obama administration Defense Secretaries Chuck Hagel, Leon Panetta and Bob Gates, who was also defense secretary under President George W. Bush; and Clinton administration Defense Secretaries William Cohen and William Perry.

Tuberville has been delaying Senate confirmations of promotions for all one-star generals and admirals and above over his objection to the Pentagon's decision to cover travel and leave for service members seeking abortions and other reproductive health care. Tuberville's hold, as the procedural mechanism he is using is known, applies right now to 196 nominees, a number that has steadily grown since he first announced the hold in February.

Tuberville has suggested he could lift his hold if he is granted a vote on the Pentagon's abortion policies, but there have been no signs the standoff will end soon.

Tuberville's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Military.com about the letter from the former defense secretaries, but he has previously rejected arguments that his hold harms the military, in part by suggesting the military has too many generals and admirals.

Tuberville has also insisted current officers will stay in their posts until their replacements are confirmed, but military officials pushed back on that argument this week too.

"One of our expeditionary forces, about 45,000 Marines, has a three-star and a one-star. That three-star will retire this summer," Gen. Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the Marines, said at a Senate Armed Services Committee subcommittee hearing Tuesday. "Long service, suffered a family tragedy as well, so he will retire. That will leave that expeditionary force with a one-star…So that's a significant amount of supervision and experience that is no longer focused where it should be on our most precious asset, the Marines in those Marine expeditionary units. That's just a small anecdote, but that is not a one-off."

In their letter, the former defense secretaries point to several key positions awaiting confirmation, including new commanders for the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Middle East and U.S. 7th Fleet in the Pacific, the new U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee, and the next director of intelligence at U.S. Cyber Command. They also highlighted the expected nomination of a new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff later this year.

"Leaving these and many other senior positions in doubt at a time of enormous geopolitical uncertainty sends the wrong message to our adversaries and could weaken our deterrence," the former secretaries wrote.

While the secretaries acknowledged senators can have "sincere and legitimate" concerns about Pentagon policies, they encouraged lawmakers to use other means to voice their objections, such as at hearings and in the annual defense policy bill.

"We believe placing a hold on all uniformed nominees risks turning military officers into political pawns, holding them responsible for a policy decision made by their civilian leaders," they wrote. "We, therefore, strongly urge the Senate to ensure the continued readiness of the U.S. armed forces by lifting the blanket hold and promptly voting to confirm these uniformed nominees."

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/05/04/we-can-think-of-few-things-irresponsible-7-former-defense-secretaries-blast-hold-military-promotions.html



Elizabeth Holmes’ 11-year prison sentence shortened by two years

Release date changed to 2032, records show, but reasons for change are unclear



Elizabeth Holmes’ prison sentence was quietly shortened by two years, new records show.

An update to Holmes’ profile on the website of the Bureau of Prisons now projects her release date as 12 December 2032, two years sooner than initially scheduled. A spokesman for the federal agency confirmed the update but said he could not comment further citing “privacy, safety, and security reasons” for inmates.

Holmes had reported to a minimum-security, federal women’s prison camp located in Bryan, Texas, on 30 May after being convicted in November 2022 on four counts of defrauding investors and sentenced to 11 years and three months. Her new date of release means she will instead serve about nine years and seven months.

She had been out on bail since she was indicted on fraud charges in 2018 over her role as the head of the failed blood-testing firm. During that time, she had two children with her partner, Billy Evans.

Inmates in the US can have their sentences reduced for good conduct, including completing job assignments, following orders, and completing substance abuse programs and other rehabilitation courses, the Bureau of Prisons said in a statement. That gained time can also be revoked or forfeited over disciplinary concerns or other infractions.

The reduction seen by Holmes is in line with federal sentencing guidelines, which states that people convicted of federal offenses must serve 85% of their mandated sentence, even if they get time shaved off for good conduct.

Lawyers for Holmes did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The sentencing change comes after her co-conspirator, Sunny Balwani, also saw two years shaved off of his 13-year sentence, with his projected date of release now 1 April 2034, according to the Bureau of Prisons website.

Holmes and Balwani were convicted in separate trials for their actions at the head of Theranos, a multibillion-dollar biotech company that collapsed spectacularly after reporting from the Wall Street Journal and others revealed its technology to be largely fraudulent.

Government lawyers for the prosecution teams did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Holmes will also face three years of supervised release after her sentence ends and has been ordered to pay $452m in restitution to victims of the fraud, though a judge has delayed those payments due to her “limited financial resources”.

Lawyers for Holmes have appealed her conviction, and proceedings for that process have been under way while she serves her sentence.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/10/elizabeth-holmes-11-year-prison-sentence-shortened-by-two-years

[Rick Plant]

2023 MLB All-Star Game: National League ends 9-game losing streak behind Elías Díaz home run
https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-mlb-all-star-game-national-league-ends-9-game-losing-streak-behind-elias-diaz-home-run-040624572.html


2023 MLB All-Star Game Highlights

Check out the best moments from the National League's 3-2 win over the American League in the 2023 MLB All-Star Game.

https://www.foxsports.com/watch/play-68293855e001282


National League Beats American League in All-Star Game for First Time Since 2012

Late in Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game, it seemed as though the American League was on its way to its 10th consecutive victory in the Midsummer Classic, with a 2–1 lead in the eighth inning. But Rockies catcher Elías Díaz had other plans.

Díaz crushed a two-run, go-ahead homer off of Orioles closer Félix Bautista, delivering in the clutch and boosting the NL to its first All-Star Game victory since 2012. It was the 32-year-old’s first plate appearance of the game in what was his first career All-Star appearance, and he became the first Rockie to be named All-Star Game MVP as a result.

Watch: https://twitter.com/i/status/1678959386172039169

Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel issued two walks in the ninth inning to put the tying and winning runs on base, but struck out Guardians third baseman José Ramírez to seal the win for the NL.

The AL jumped out to a 1–0 lead on a solo home run in the second inning by Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz. The NL tied the game in the fourth on an RBI single by Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez that scored Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez. with the AL reclaiming the lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette.

The AL has been dominant in recent All-Star Game history beyond the nine-game winning streak. Prior to Tuesday, the AL had won 21 of the previous 25 All-Star Games, with one infamous tie (2002) and a three-game winning streak by the NL from ’10 to ’12 being the only respite from the junior circuit’s dominance.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/07/12/national-league-beats-american-league-mlb-all-star-game-first-time-since-2012

[Rick Plant]

Earth picked up a new moon about 2,100 years ago. Astronomers just found it

2023 FW13 is just 20 metres wide and never comes closer than 14 million km from Earth, but it's been our companion for centuries now

https://nationalpost.com/news/earth-picked-up-a-new-moon-about-2100-years-ago-astronomers-just-found-it


Astronomer predicts that a red supergiant star nearby could go supernova very soon

In the biggest celestial show ever seen, dying star Betelgeuse will be visible even during the day for several months



When it happens, it will be the astronomical event of the millennium. Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in the constellation of Orion the Hunter, will explode into a supernova.

There won’t be any danger to Earth from some 650 light years away, but the dying star will shine almost as brightly as the moon, visible even during the day for several months. When it finally dims it will become invisible to the naked eye. The hunter, known to humans for at least 30,000 years, will have lost a shoulder.

Now some scientists are predicting that it could happen very soon, perhaps within the next few decades.

In a newly completed study, a team led by Hideyuki Saio of Japan’s Tohoku University suggests that Betelgeuse may be larger, and hence later in life, than other scientists have calculated.

If Saio’s numbers are correct, then the star may have exhausted all its hydrogen and helium – the elements that drive nuclear fusion in our own sun – and may be burning its way through its store of carbon atoms.

“We conclude that Betelgeuse should currently be in a late phase (or near the end) of the core carbon burning,” the paper notes. “After carbon is exhausted in the core, a core-collapse leading to a supernova explosion is expected in in a few tens [of] years.”

To be clear, most scientists assume a slightly smaller size for Betelgeuse, meaning it may have some way to go before a supernova event – perhaps 100,000 years, though that is still a blink of an eye in cosmic terms.

But even there, no one is certain of the exact timing. Predictions amount to a galactic gaming table. Bookmakers favour a tens-of-thousands-of-years timeframe, but there are long-shot odds for, say, next Tuesday.

Part of the problem is that nearby supernovae easily visible to the naked eye are vanishingly rare and hence not well studied. The last time one was observed from Earth was in 1604, four years before the invention of the telescope. (In 1987 a supernova in one of the Milky Way’s companion galaxies was just barely visible from the southern hemisphere, appearing as a new, dim star.)

Regardless of the timing of its eventual fate, the bright star Betelgeuse has given humans something to talk about for millennia. A tiny ivory tablet, more than 30,000 years old, appears to show an image of the constellation of Orion next to a tally of 86 notches, equal to the number of days Betelgeuse is visible in the sky. That’s also the number of days short of a year for human gestation, meaning the star may have been seen as a harbinger of fertility.

More recently, historians have noted that Chinese astronomers of the second century BC referred to the star as having a yellow hue, while four centuries later, Ptolemy of Alexandria was calling it red, suggesting a colour change over that time.

Then in 2019 came “the great dimming.” Scientists think Betelgeuse burped, sending off a huge chunk of its surface area, the resultant dust cloud shrouding its appearance from Earth for two next two years. One can only imagine what an earlier generation of astrologers would have made of the event being followed by a pandemic.

Betelgeuse has since bounced back from its belch, and is just now brighter than usual. (Interestingly, both its dimming and brightening have been seen in various scientific circles as evidence that its end is nigh.)

But beyond the certainty of its eventual demise comes news that scientists expect to detect neutrinos and perhaps gravitational waves about a day before the light of the explosion reaches us. Time enough to haul out the lawn chairs and sit back for the stellar fireworks show.

https://nationalpost.com/news/astronomer-predicts-that-a-red-supergiant-star-nearby-could-go-supernova-very-soon



Iceland volcano: Lava bursts through ground after intense earthquakes



A volcanic eruption has sent lava and smoke pouring out of the side of Mount Fagradalsfjall, near Iceland's capital Reykjavik.

It comes after intense earthquake activity in the area. Local authorities said on Monday there was no imminent hazard to people in the region.

The volcano is located in the country's southwest, on the Reykjanes Peninsula, which is known to be a seismic hotspot.

Domestic flights were delayed after the eruption created a plume of smoke over the road connecting the capital to the country's largest airport.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-66161173



Fagradalsfjall volcano erupts in southwest Iceland

Fagradalsfjall volcano in southwestern Iceland has begun erupting, 11 months after its last eruption officially ended. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to see the spectacular sight despite authorities warning tourists to stay away.

Watch:

[Rick Plant]

Norovirus outbreaks surging on cruise ships this year

Norovirus outbreaks spiked on cruise ships this year, with data showing more outbreaks happened between January and June than over the course of any other full calendar year in the last decade. Thirteen norovirus outbreaks have been reported on cruises so far in 2023, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which keeps a record of annual case counts dating back to 1994.

The most recent outbreak hit passengers and crew members on board a Viking Cruises trip from Iceland that docked in New York on June 20. More than 13% of passengers on the Viking Neptune — 110 of 838 in total — reported being ill while onboard, according to the CDC. Nine crew members reported being ill as well. Health officials at the CDC determined that norovirus caused the outbreak after Viking Cruises collected and sent specimens to the agency's laboratory for testing.

Those cases in June came after multiple norovirus outbreaks in previous months that affected a range of cruise lines.

In May, two outbreaks were reported on voyages led by Celebrity Cruises and Holland America. In March, Celebrity Cruises reported two norovirus outbreaks, as did Royal Caribbean International and Princess Cruises. Princess Cruises reported its first outbreak of the year in February, and Royal Caribbean International reported two the previous month. P&O Cruises also reported an outbreak on its Arcadia cruise ship this year.

The CDC's tally of norovirus outbreaks so far confirmed on cruise ships in 2023 is already higher than any annual outbreak tallies since 2012, when the health agency recorded 16 outbreaks.

Symptoms of norovirus

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis, which is inflammation in the stomach or intestines, according to the CDC. Health officials say norovirus is the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea as well as the most common type of foodborne illness.

Norovirus is often referred to as a "stomach bug" or "stomach flu" (although it is not a form of flu). It causes a variety of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. People infected with the virus may also have headaches, fevers and body aches, and are at risk of dehydration.

The virus spreads easily and is typically contracted when someone accidentally ingests tiny particles of vomit or feces from someone who is infected with it. The CDC writes that people who are infected "can shed billions of norovirus particles that you can't see without a microscope," and exposure to just a few norovirus particles can make someone sick.

Symptoms typically emerge within 12 to 48 hours of being exposed. Most people get better after a few days, but severe cases may require hospitalization.

Studies have shown that norovirus can continue to spread for two weeks or more after an infected person stops having symptoms of the illness, according to the CDC.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/norovirus-outbreaks-surging-cruise-ships-2023-cdc/



Northern lights will be visible in fewer states than originally forecast. Will you still be able to see them?



The northern lights are expected to be visible on Thursday, July 13 – but in fewer places than originally forecast.

The aurora borealis on these days will be "active," according to University of Alaska's Geophysical Institute, which initially predicted activity would be high.

Weather permitting, parts of Alaska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine, as well as parts of Canada, are expected to see the northern lights on Thursday. The same states had been expected to see the lights on Wednesday as well.

Last week, the institute projected the display would be visible in 17 states over those two days: Washington, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Massachusetts on July 12, and Alaska, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Indiana, Vermont and Maryland on July 13.

The institute told CBS News it originally predicted a moderate solar storm – which causes the dazzling phenomenon.

"The features on the sun that produce activity like this typically last 1-3 months, so the active conditions were predicted to occur again this week," a representative for the institute told CBS News via email. "However, now that the forecast activity is less than three days in the future, we can see that the solar features that produced the prior activity have actually diminished over the last month. This means that the high levels of activity previously expected are now considered much less likely."

NOAA also initially predicted high activity for this week and then downgraded their forecast. Solar wind from coronal holes in the sun flow towards Earth and have a magnetic reaction that causes the northern lights, also called the aurora borealis, according to NASA.

Bryan Brasher, a project manager at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center told CBS News one coronal hole in particular had previously shown elevated activity, so forecasters expected it to do so again.

"As this particular coronal hole rotated back into view – meaning we could see and analyze it – it was clear that it had diminished and we adjusted our forecast accordingly," Brasher told CBS News via email.

The scale for measuring these geomagnetic storms is called "the G scale," ranging from a minor storm at G1 to an extreme storm at G5. The original forecast that garnered media attention was at a G2, but NOAA recently lowered the forecast to a G1 and then lowered it again below the G scale, Brasher said.

Brasher said a G3 or a G4 storm would be needed to see the Northern Lights from mid-latitude states. "We did - for example - have a G4 storm in late March and again in late April that caused the aurora to be visible as far south as Arizona and Oklahoma," he said.

The best time to see the lights is when the sky is clear and dark, according to the institute. They are more visible closest to the equinox, or the longest days of sunlight in the year occurring in the spring and fall. Auroras come from solar storms.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has an animated forecast of the lights' movement and says the best time to see them is within an hour or two of midnight, usually between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.

During average activity, the lights are usually visible in Alaska, Canada, and Scandinavian countries like Greenland and Iceland during average activity and from late February to early April is usually the best time to view them in Alaska.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/northern-lights-forecast-states-july-2023-map-visible-will-you-see-them/

[Rick Plant]

Record temperature warning as heatwave hits southern Europe

A fierce heatwave is sweeping across southern Europe, with warnings of record-breaking temperatures.

Temperatures are expected to surpass 40C (104F) in parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Turkey.

In Italy, temperatures could reach as high as 48.8C (119.8F). A red alert warning has been issued for 10 cities, including Rome, Bologna and Florence.

The Cerberus heatwave - named by the Italian Meteorological Society after the three-headed monster that features in Dante's Inferno - is expected to bring more extreme conditions in the next few days.

It isn't just Europe that is hot.  This summer has seen temperature records smashed in parts of Canada and the US as well as across a swathe of Asia including in India and China.

Sea temperatures in the Atlantic have hit record highs while Antarctic sea ice is at the lowest extent ever recorded.
And it is going to get hotter.

A weather pattern called El Niño is developing in the tropical Pacific. It tends to drive up temperatures by around 0.2C on average.

Add in the roughly 1.1C that climate change has pushed average temperatures up by worldwide and it’s perilously close to the 1.5C threshold the world has agreed to try and keep global temperatures below.

Watch:

Moment of horror as tornado touches down in Ottawa suburb

Residents experienced a moment of horror as a tornado touched down in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven. Lasting just 30 seconds, the twister still left its mark with a huge burst of rain, damaging more than 100 homes.

Watch:

125 homes damaged after tornado rips through Ottawa suburb

Environment Canada has confirmed at least one tornado touched down in the south Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven early Thursday afternoon. As of late afternoon, Ottawa Fire Services estimated about 125 houses were damaged in the storm.

Watch: