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Mark Gongloff: Sorry, the courts won’t save the planet

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

The decision sounds monumental: A Montana court has ruled that climate change is real and caused by humans and that governments owe their constituents’ children a clean environment. Surely this will eradicate the last traces of America’s climate denialism and accelerate the transition to a green-energy future.Except … no. The Montana decision may sound as big as the local sky, but its practical implications are far narrower. It’s a win for climate activists, but a small one. Mainly, it’s a reminder that the global climate emergency is too complex for any one solution. Few, if any, will be crafted in courtrooms.The Montana case arose from decrees by the state’s conservative legislature that government agencies must ignore climate change when making decisions, such as approving fossil-fuel exploration or new energy plants. This conveniently greased the skids for a new natural-gas plant to be built on the Yellowstone River over the objections of envi...

Robert Pawlicki: Listen to learn first, not rebut

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

“A house divided cannot stand” feels uncomfortably on-target at this time in our political history. To compare Abraham Lincoln’s famous words to our current political intransigence may appear hyperbolic. But the reality is that our divisions are intense and deep.Politically, there is a sense of caution in talking to friends, neighbors and family. A wariness that a declaration of our viewpoint will risk an argument or, worse, a broken relationship. The differences between opposing loyal party members are now palpable.It’s understandable how this happened. Each side watches different media, receives opposing messages, evolves into separate cultures, and even moves to like-minded but separate communities.It’s pleasurable to have our views confirmed. We prefer to share time with people who have similar opinions and beliefs. It’s comfortable. To do otherwise is to risk emotional conflicts. Whether understandable or not, it harms our democracy, where ci...

Movie review: ‘birth/rebirth’ an effective modern take on ‘Frankenstein’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

Bodies make sense to morgue technician Rose (Marin Ireland) — it’s people that don’t. A pathologist in a Bronx hospital, the socially awkward Rose is comfortable with death, almost flippant about it. It’s a requirement for the job, but she isn’t like other techs, plunging her hand into the bloody incision bisecting the abdomen of a deceased pregnant woman, extracting what she’s looking for with a brutal, emotionless efficiency.Despite her ease with death, and as an outgrowth of her desire to understand and exert control over the human body, Rose also has an overwhelming drive to create life. Naturally, she has an odd way of going about it, and thus unfolds “birth/rebirth,” the shocking, disturbing and ultimately fascinating debut from director and co-writer Laura Moss.Pursuing her goal with a single-minded intent leads Rose into a strange alliance with obstetrics nurse Celie (Judy Reyes), her temperamental and professional opposite. The gentle, empathetic and intuitive Celie has ded...

Movie review: ‘Blue Beetle’ takes DC in refreshing new direction

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

For Jaime Reyes — the Blue Beetle — being a superhero is a family affair. While most superheroes shield their identities from loved ones, in “Blue Beetle,” the first DC Comics movie to feature a Latino superhero, it’s a group project.When recent college grad Jaime (Xolo Maridueña) unknowingly brings home an alien scarab in a fast-food box handed to him by industrial heiress Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), which she spirited away from the headquarters of the family business, he’s egged on by his sister Milagro (Belissa Escobedo) and Uncle Rudy (George Lopez) to check it out.The scarab quickly responds to him, his entire family watching in horror as the critter fuses onto his spine, forming a symbiotic relationship that affords Jaime the powers of a sentient battle suit complete with a Siri-style intelligence, Khaji-Da (voiced by Becky G).The alien suit may be nifty, allowing him to fly and fight and conjure weapons out of thin air, but Jaime derives his strength and drive from the tig...

Trudy Rubin: Can Ukraine win? New strategy, sea drones, resolve of fighters make me optimistic

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

HULIAIPOLE, Ukraine — The slow start to Ukraine’s counteroffensive spurred gloomy predictions that Kyiv’s fight for freedom will bog down in an endless war of attrition. But having spent time talking to soldiers and commanders on the front lines, I find myself much more optimistic than I expected.The level of commitment of frontline troops is astounding. Despite mammoth challenges, their outlook is far more positive than many Ukrainians I spoke with in big cities, who were deeply worried about the country’s future.These fighting men, nearly all volunteers, are driven by a fervent belief that they face one of two options: either a genocidal Russia destroys their country along with their children’s future, or they drive out the “Orcs” — their nickname for the Russian invaders, which is drawn from the monsters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.These are ordinary men who have become extraordinary heroes under pressure.Their s...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Should I Have to Pay 1/2 My Friend's Speeding Ticket?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Sal and it's about who should pay for a speeding ticket. Here's the email:  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I think my friend is being rude and wrong about something and I hope you'll use this as a dilemma. The other day, I was getting a ride to the airport to fly out for a business trip. Anyway, my friend, Barry, was running late, and I needed to make my flight, so he started speeding. Nothing crazy, but about 10-15 miles over the speed limit. Well of course, a police officer spots him and pulls Barry over for speeding. Barry tried to explain, but no go, and he got a speeding ticket. Now Barry thinks that I should pay for half the ticket because the reason he was speeding was to get me to the airport on time. It wasn't my fault he was late picking me up. Do you think I should have to pitch in? I don't. Looking forward to hearing what others think. Tha...

DOJ: Man pleads guilty to transporting stolen property

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A citizen of China who was residing in Colonie pleaded guilty to transporting stolen property across state lines on Thursday. Wu Feng Zhang, 54, admitted to stealing property from several states in 2022 worth about $100,000, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The DOJ says Zheng admitted that between June and December 2022, he stole merchandise from several home improvement stores in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and New York. Zheng later took these stolen items to his residence in Colonie.Homeland Security Investigations searched his residence on January 11, 2023, and reportedly found about $100,000 worth of stolen merchandise. When sentenced, Zheng faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.

Letters: So far, Denver mayor focused on his campaign issue of tackling homeless crisis

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

Mayor Johnston’s focus, one month inOn the evening of Aug. 3, I attended an open forum at the Most Precious Blood Church in South Denver; the speaker was Mayor Mike Johnston. The conference hall was standing room only, and the attendees were obviously concerned residents and interested in the mayor’s plans to deal with the “unhoused” in Denver.Initially, I was prepared to be skeptical and critical of his plan to provide housing for 1,000 homeless before the end of the year. Mayor Johnston referred to his plan as “home for the holidays.” The mayor was forthright, clearly responding to questions, some of which would have intimidated the best-intended speaker. He answered each question with compassion and understanding.He provided some statistics which were not politically sugar-coated but realistic and honest. He admitted that the City of Denver — we — all have a challenge and a stake in his plan’s success. Later, when reading The ...

Ask Amy: Boundary-bouncer experiences backslide

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

Dear Amy: My wife and I have a strained relationship with my parents, who live out of state.They stay with us and our two young children about twice a year.Some of their visits have been rocky (two years ago they visited us while having active cases of Covid, and didn’t tell us in advance that they were ill).My mother and I went through therapy to work on our relationship, and now I set boundaries and ask that these boundaries be respected.We offered to host my parents for five days on their most recent visit, as any more time with them would be hard on us.After the visit, which went well, my mom asked why they were allowed to stay for only five days. She said they would have liked to stay longer.How should I respond?— Boundary-building BobDear Bob: I appreciate your question, because your experience highlights a typical trajectory with a chronic boundary-bouncer.You identified this problem and took it to a therapist (a great choice!), and your mother joined you there (a...

Countering irregular migration: Better EU border management

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:27:46 GMT

The influx of migrants and the security of external borders is a challenge for Europe. Learn more about how Parliament is addressing the situation.To counter irregular migration, the EU is strengthening border controls, improving the management of new arrivals and making returns of illegal migrants more efficient. It is also working to bolster legal labour migration and deal more efficiently with asylum applications.Read more about the EU response to migration.What is irregular migration?Irregular migration is the movement of people from non-EU countries across EU borders without complying with the legal requirements for entry, stay, or residence in one or more EU countries.Number of illegal border crossings into EuropeIn 2015, there was a significant increase in the number of illegal border crossings into the EU. According to data from Frontex, the EU's border agency, there were more than 1.8 million illegal border crossings, the highest number ever recorded. Since then, the number...