2023 Produce Dirty Dozen list: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/15/health/dirty-dozen-produce-pesticides-2023-wellness/index.html . Take a look – this list has shifted significantly this year. For those of you who buy some but not all organic produce (as I do), the Dirty Dozen helps you know where your organic dollars are best spent.
US food supply risk grows: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/sierra-snow-pack-measurement-april/ . Combining this with the reappearance of Lake Tulare, California’s San Joaquin Valley is at great risk. The heavy agricultural use of this land means there are nasty chemicals and fertilizers on many properties, which the floodwaters will distribute everywhere they touch. There are also dairy farms and chicken farms in this area, so that animal fecal matter may join the mix. I am surprised there is not much national reporting of this unfolding disaster.
Not scared yet? Human waste transported from LA to Tulare County may join the floodwaters: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-04-03/will-l-a-county-sewage-contaminate-tulare-lake-flooding . If this happens, the submerged land becomes unfit for farming.
WSJ: Meanwhile, our reporting is in La-La land: https://www.wsj.com/articles/californias-wet-winter-could-lead-to-first-superbloom-in-years-2dec59f5 . Swell. You can’t eat poppies. I am not surprised that the Journal has no clue what is really going on here. They often have no clue, as readers well know. UPDATE: The Journal gets a little closer: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-snowpack-is-among-the-highest-ever-recorded-7786d200 . In this article filed later in the day, the Journal recognizes the large snowpack and the refilling of Lake Tulare. But they still have no clue about what the flood risk entails.
Chinese spy balloon collected intelligence over US military installations: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/china-spy-balloon-collected-intelligence-us-military-bases-rcna77155 . This does not tell us what they were after or how successful they might have been. However, that is understandable as we do not want them to know what we know. Spy stuff, right?
WSJ: Russia claims capture of center of Bakhmut; Ukrainians say they still hold the town: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fighting-escalates-in-ukraines-bakhmut-as-wagner-chief-hoists-russian-flag-in-eastern-city-3f862ea0 .
WSJ: US allies consider pressure on Russia at UN over arrest of US reporter: https://www.wsj.com/articles/europeans-weigh-confronting-russia-at-u-n-over-evan-gershkovich-case-ad5ff52d . More on Gershkovich’s plight: https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-russian-courts-secret-trials-and-near-certain-convictions-await-accused-spies-af71f18a .
Latest OJ indictment reporting: 34 counts focused on financial fraud: https://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-trump-to-be-charged-tuesday-with-34-felony-counts-but-spared-handcuffs-and-mug-shot-001241750.html . We’ll know for sure Tuesday.
Will the court issue a gag order in OJ/Stormy Daniels hush money case?: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/04/03/will-trump-get-gag-order-in-manhattan-da-case-heres-what-that-would-mean-and-why-it-could-land-him-in-prison/?sh=30efa62912d9 . Sigh! First, as the indictment remains sealed, we don’t know the contours of the DA’s case yet. Second, everyone involved is misbehaving in this case, so the gag order, if one comes (from the judge, not the DA), could also apply to Stormy Daniels and the attorneys involved. Third, be aware that in New York, the Supreme Court is actually the trial court and the lowest-level court. Above the Supreme Court sits the appellate divisions of the Supreme Court, then the New York Court of Appeals (the state’s highest court), and then the US Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, a plurality of Americans think OJ should have been indicted: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/poll-plurality-public-supports-trump-indictment/story?id=98288448 . Sadly, both sides are likely “misjudging” the case. Many of the 45% approving of the indictment just want this clown indicted for something. Most of the 32% disapproving of the indictment think any indictment of OJ is political. And the 23% who have no opinion either don’t pay attention to the news or are sick of even thinking about the prior administration.
Marjorie Taylor Greene declares herself insane, refuses treatment: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/marjorie-taylor-greene-defends-calling-democrats-pedophiles-rcna77869 . Essentially, she still believes the QAnon horse manure. She’d be an excellent running mate for OJ, as OJ needs someone stupider then he is (and brain-dead Pence is not available). Even in the GOP there are few who fit the bill.
DeMentis signs concealed carry law in Florida without fanfare: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/ron-desantis-quietly-signs-permitless-concealed-carry-law-rcna77934 . The bill faces steep bipartisan opposition in Florida. So why did DeMentis push this through? The leading theory would be campaign contributions from gun manufacturers. What a pathetic little loser … More: https://www.rawstory.com/florida-permitless-carry-bill/ .
Meanwhile, Democrats take a 500 page data dump on DeMentis: https://www.axios.com/2023/04/03/democrats-2024-ron-desantis-research . We have already seen DeMentis become agitated under tough questioning. Things are about to get a lot more difficult for him.
WSJ: McDonald’s closes offices for 3 days to implement significant staff layoffs: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mcdonalds-temporarily-shuts-u-s-offices-as-chain-prepares-for-layoff-notices-36fef317. We should have a clearer picture of this situation by Thursday.
Musk continues to run Twitter into the ground: https://apnews.com/article/twitter-musk-blue-checks-new-york-times-338cb27ac4ae5d1186613104c23fd8c8 . The good news is that Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion and now values it at $20 billion. This expenditure has demonstrated beyond doubt that Musk is anything but invincible. As such, it’s money well spent, since it comes out of Musk’s pocket.
Another big problem for Musk: Tesla built more cars than it could sell in Q1: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/04/tesla-built-more-cars-than-it-could-sell-in-q1-2023/ . This happened despite significant price cuts. It looks like the wheels may come of this so-called growth story in the near future. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/tesla-keeps-growing-but-at-what-cost-1935a941 .
In parallel news, OJ’s wealth has taken a massive hit: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-net-worth/ . The reason for Truth Social’s failure is pretty clear: OJ is lazy and a poor businessman. Sometimes the market delivers just results.
Two construction workers killed at JFK construction: https://abcnews.go.com/US/2-workers-dead-after-buried-rubble-jfk-airport/story?id=98329608 . This sounds like a trench collapse, a completely avoidable accident with proper wall reinforcement procedures. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-workers-killed-in-construction-accident-at-jfk-airport-f8ab60ad .
March Madness: Women’s championship game marred by terrible officiating: https://sports.yahoo.com/march-madness-championship-game-sees-ref-criticisms-baffling-explanation-for-caitlin-clark-technical-foul-002737620.html . This game was the best in all of the 2023 March Madness, but I absolutely agree the officiating was horrible. Those refs should be disqualified from officiating March Madness in the future, because the calls were not only awful, they altered the flow of the game. The bad calls hurt Iowa much more than LSU. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ncaa-womens-basketball-final-ratings-record-c8a9f218 .
March Madness: UConn dominates SDSU, wins title game by 17: https://sports.yahoo.com/march-madness-uconn-keeps-san-diego-state-at-bay-to-win-fifth-national-title-since-1999-033719041.html . UConn deserved to win, as they dominated every team they played in the tournament. But they were not much fun to watch. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/uconn-san-diego-state-ncaa-national-championship-basketball-570f0d8c .