Mindsphere.

Hello, You made this topic at the wrong section, this is Request DNS & Forum. Your topic has been moved to the right section - NEWLIFEZM - Requests Admin.

President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration is withdrawing his name from nomination due to “an onslaught of unfounded Republican attacks” on the nominee’s service and experience, a White House official told CNN. Phillip Washington’s nomination was first announced by the White House last year, but has faced strong criticism from Republican lawmakers over a number of issues, including Washington’s slim aviation credentials and his potential legal entanglements. The White House respects Washington’s decision to withdraw his name and praised his public service record and qualifications to lead the FAA, the official said. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation was scheduled to vote on Washington’s nomination on Wednesday, but that vote was postponed. A Republican Senate aide told CNN after the postponed vote that “he was pulled because they don’t have the votes to report him out of committee.” Because Republicans remained unified in their opposition to Washington’s prospective leadership, “his nomination is on life support,” the aide said. The nomination withdrawal was first reported by Reuters. Washington, the current CEO of the Denver International Airport, has held leadership roles at municipal transit organizations, including in Denver and Los Angeles, focused on bus and rail lines. He also led the Biden-Harris transition team for the Department of Transportation. Prior to his work in transportation, Washington served in the military for 24 years. While Washington has worked in transportation-related positions since 2000, he had no experience in the aviation industry prior to joining the Denver airport in 2021 – something that became a major concern among committee members. The White House will work to select a new nominee to lead the FAA, the official said. “Politics must not hold up confirming an Administrator to lead the FAA, and we will move expeditiously to nominate a new candidate for FAA Administrator. We believe the Senate owes it to the American people to swiftly consider and confirm a leader to this key safety agency,” the official said.

Seeing the happy face of my cat, William, at the catflap used to make my heart sink. Usually, a limp body would be protruding from his mouth. Worse still, sometimes the corpse was struggling, resulting in William chasing the luckless mouse or young rat around my kitchen for half an hour or more. For me, this was the dark side of cat ownership. Yet, apparently it was also a sign that I had a cat with an extrovert temperament, with confidence in the safety of his home territory, according to a new study. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that cats have different personality traits, just like humans. The “feline five” personality traits, according to earlier researchers, are neuroticism (insecure, shy and anxious), dominance (bullying and aggressive to other cats), impulsiveness (erratic and reckless behaviour), agreeableness (gentle and friendly towards humans) and extroversion. Extrovert felines are active, clever, very curious and, according to a new Applied Animal Behaviour Science study, serial killers. Cats hunt for enjoyment, even though most domestic cats have plenty of food at home. A hunter cat’s idea of a good day is to go out and kill something. It is this habit of hunting for enjoyment rather than food that infuriates wildlife lovers such as Chris Packham, who has urged the RSPB and RSPCA to speak out about cats attacking garden birds. All my cats have loved to hunt. I love mice and I am sorry cats kill them, but I have never considered it fair to my felines to keep them shut up indoors all their lives, unable to practise the hunting they love. Does this mean they have all been extroverts? Judging by the study’s findings, it would appear so. There was ginger Toby, who was very agreeable, but being cross-eyed, not a successful hunter. Nevertheless, he brought home a rat once that ran up the corner of the wall before, fortunately, falling into a wellington boot that I was holding underneath (wellies are great for capturing rodents). There was fluffy, tabby and white William, who used to sit for days outside my neighbour’s woodpile in order to ambush the occasional weasel. William was gentle and agreeable, but also an extrovert. He roamed far and wide in the neighbouring fields. So, have I just by chance only had extrovert cats? This seemed a bit unlikely to me when I considered Tilly, my adored tortoiseshell. She was definitely shy and anxious (neuroticism), and also very loving and gentle to me (agreeableness). Yet she was a terrific hunter. Admittedly, she never brought her prey into the house – a sign that she did not feel fully confident even at home. Was she then a non-extrovert skilled hunter? I try to follow the science, but I had doubts about this particular link between hunting and feline extroversion. There seemed to be a disconnect between my scientific knowledge and my anecdotal experience. However, the arrival of Mr Spangles in my life recently has put my doubts to rest. Grey, middle-aged Mr Spangles does not do predation. Not at all. He goes out briefly into the garden then hides behind the garden shed, ignoring the pigeons on the wall and the frogs in the tiny pond. When he first arrived, he did not even do hunting play. He shrank back with fear from my attempts to engage his interest with a fishing rod toy. Clearly, Mr Spangles is not an extrovert. He is a neurotic. The trait of neuroticism influences almost all his behaviour. It wipes out any trait of agreeableness, as he nips me frequently. Neuroticism dominates his behaviour, and though I am teaching him to play with a fishing rod toy, I do not think local wildlife have anything to fear from him. He is a cat Chris Packham would be proud of.

It should be no surprise that HOT ROD Drag Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive sold out in mere minutes. The original drag-and-drive competition attracts competitors from around the world and is limited to just 400 entries. But there is hope for those who didn't get into the exclusive first-run sign-up. It has become tradition to make a waitlist available for enthusiasts, because we know that some racers who have signed up will cancel their plans as the kickoff date draws closer. HOT ROD Drag Week is running through the Southeast region this year and hitting some unique facilities along the way. The home-base track is Darlington Dragway and tech-in is on Sunday, September 17. HOT ROD Drag Week 2023 Presented By Gear Vendors Overdrive Schedule (Daily end-times as stated or until complete. ) Tech Inspection, Registration, Test 'N' Tune / Sunday, Sept. 17 Darlington Dragway (Hartsville, SC)—8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time for registration, tech inspection, and test 'n' tune (tech open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; test 'n' tune begins at 2 p.m. ) Day 1 Racing / Monday, Sept. 18 Darlington Dragway(Hartsville, SC)—Gates open at 7:30 a.m. local time; racing hours 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. Day 2 Racing / Tuesday, Sept. 19 Rockingham Dragway (Rockingham, NC)—Gates open at 7:30 a.m. local time; racing hours 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. Day 3 Racing / Wednesday, Sept. 20 Bristol Dragway(Bristol, TN)—Gates open at 7:30 a.m. local time; racing hours 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. Day 4 Racing / Thursday, Sept. 21 Carolina Dragway (Aiken, SC)—Gates open at 7:30 a.m. local time; racing hours 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. Day 5 Racing (Finals) / Friday, Sept. 22 Darlington Dragway (Hartsville, SC)—Gates open at 7:30 a.m. local time; racing hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, followed by awards. CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR 2023 HOT ROD DRAG WEEK! Watch Roadkill's Blasphemi Racing On The Dragstrip! Blasphemi, a 1955 Chevy gasser, is one of Roadkill's all-time greatest project cars. Here it is doing what it was meant to do drag racing—and failing! Sign up for a free trial to MotorTrend+ and start watching every episode of Roadkill! Video created by Little Dot Studios.

Vladimir Putin says Russia has not “created a military alliance with China and does not threaten any countries." The comment follows Chinese President Xi Jinping’s three-day state visit to Moscow last week, which was closely watched for signs China might step up support for Russia. The US administration maintains China has been providing “non-lethal” assistance to Russia through its companies. Speaking during a TV interview Putin also accused the West of “starting to build a new axis similar to the one built by fascist Germany and militaristic Japan.” Some background: Xi visited Putin for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine, a trip which Beijing cast as a "journey of peace." But the visit came just days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin on account of war crimes, which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said showed China's intent to provide "diplomatic cover" for alleged Russian atrocities in Ukraine. China has claimed neutrality in the conflict, seeking to portray itself as a peacemaker. At the same time is has backed Kremlin rhetoric blaming NATO for the war and refused to condemn the invasion.

Voted!

It is not a song, it is a Mix. 😄

Source: CLICK HERE "This is not our only truck," Ford CEO Jim Farley said, breaking news of another electric pickup in the works at an event celebrating the launch of production of the hotly anticipated 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. The first Lightnings were just rolling off the line at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, headed for a long line of anxious buyers. New Ford EV Pickup The new truck announced at the Ford event back in April of 2022 is not a reference to the next-gen electric F-150, nor plans for electric heavy-duty pickups. "This will be a new truck, " Farley confirmed to MotorTrend after the formal event ended. We understand that it will be "an addition" to the F-Series family. Ford has previously said it will make the next-generation of its announced electric F-Series trucks in 2025 at Blue Oval City, a new campus in Stanton, Tennessee. Ford is spending $11.4 billion to build an electric vehicle assembly plant and a gigawatt battery factory there, as well as two more gigafactories in Kentucky. In an announcement in March of 2023 about the truck's new carbon-neutral Blue Oval City facility, CEO Jim Farley confirmed a few more details about the upcoming next-gen EV pickup, promising the new vehicle will "revolutionize America's truck." The second-gen truck and its new facility are planning "efficiencies never before possible," and the vehicle development has been dubbed "Project T3." Ford says that stands for "Trust The Truck," a rallying cry for the development team to create something that's "updatable, constantly improving, and supports towing, exportable power and endless new innovations owners will want." MotorTrend understands that the new platform under Project T3 will likely replace the Lightning as well as expand Ford's electric truck lineup with at least one other truck alongside the new Lightning replacement, since the first Lightning was something of a compromise to get it into production quickly. A contender for this all-new truck could be an electric version of the current, smaller Ford Ranger. Ford was also once looking into making a pickup version of the Bronco, but those plans were tabled. There's also the car-based Ford Maverick which is already available as a hybrid. Positioned as an affordable entry-level vehicle, the Maverick might not be the best candidate for an electric vehicle—which would still be an expensive proposition for the model given the high cost of batteries—and its relationship to the full-size F-Series family is loose, to say the least. The discussion about new "efficiencies" also makes us wonder if Ford might be developing a modular truck platform, which could satisfy both updating the F-150 Lightning as well as newer, smaller truck models, but that's just speculation for now. Ford again confirmed production will begin when the new facility goes online in 2025, and will support volumes of up to 500,000 trucks annually. Ford Versus Tesla Farley also used today's F-150 Lightning launch event to take a few digs at Tesla. "You can charge other EVs for your friends who own Teslas," he said, referring to the truck's ability to act as a power generator. And the cost is thousands less than Ford's competitors' trucks "whenever they go on sale," in a reference to the many delays of the Tesla Cybertruck that has been pushed to 2023. On a more serious note, Farley said Ford has every intention of being the No.1 electric pickup maker, "something no one would have believed from us two years ago." It will come down to product execution and he is confident in Ford's next cycle of new vehicles, most of which has not been made public yet.. Lightning Production Underway Meanwhile, production of the Lightning actually began two weeks ago. More than 2,000 have been built to date and are headed to customers. The fullsize electric truck was initially supposed to go on sale in May—in fact the first deliveries are already underway, making it slightly early. "This is history in the making," said Ford executive chair Bill Ford. "This truck is going to change everything. " Ford capped Lightning reservations at about 200,000 in December. Farley said he did not know when the order books would open again. If someone were able to order a Lightning today, the wait would likely be a year, he said. Ford is ramping up production to 150,000 Lightnings a year, almost doubling the 80,000 trucks Ford said it would be able to build in 2023, its first full year of production. The walls have literally been torn down and pushed out twice since construction began. Ford's ability to hit the higher run-rate will take effect mid-year. Even with higher output, some reservations will end up getting a 2023 model. The Dearborn plant uses robotic autonomous guided vehicles to move the trucks between workstations instead of traditional conveyor belts, making it easier to change the floor plan as needed. The Rouge Center also uses "cobots," short for "collaborative robots" that can work alongside a person without a safety cage and perform tasks that are ergonomically difficult for a human. Not First To The Party But Mightiest The Lightning might not be the first electric truck to hit the market—that would be the 2022 Rivian R1T, which was also the 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year. It was followed by the 2022 GMC Hummer EV—but the Ford is arguably the most important because of its sheer volume potential and clout. The F-Series has been the top-selling truck in the U.S. for 45 years and electrifying the popular F-150 touches a huge buyer base. If only a fraction of F-150 buyers recognize the Lightning's benefits and take a chance on it, it could easily become the best-selling electric pickup. Within the F-150 lineup, it is an attractive offering. With its dual motors and extended-range battery it boasts 563 horsepower, 775 lb-ft of torque, making it the quickest model, beating the performance F-150 Raptor from 0-60 mph. This five-passenger SuperCrew cab with a 5.5-foot bed is the only version with independent rear suspension for greater handling. With up to 320 miles of range with the extended-range battery, it allows owners to escape high fuel prices while keeping range anxiety to a minimum. And it is much more affordable than the Hummer, with the Ford Lightning Pro base work truck starting at $41,669 compared with the Hummer's opening salvo of $112,595 for the loaded Edition 1—lower priced trims will roll out over the next few years. The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV is expected to be a more direct competitor, but the Lightning has a year's head start. And Ram won't have an electric pickup until 2024. "This is not a vanity project," Farley said. "There are no gimmicks. This is for people in their daily lives." The Lightning has also been a boon for the Ford brand. Executives say more than 70 percent of reservations are from consumers who have never bought a pickup and who are new to the Ford brand. Ford is investing $30 billion in EVs through 2025 and forecasts that 40 percent of its U.S. sales will be EVs by 2030, or about 1.5 million vehicles a year. And a lot of them are likely to be pickup trucks.

Source: CLICK HERE As illegal opioid use rises among young people, several bills filed by state lawmakers would require Texas teachers to be trained and equipped to treat fentanyl overdoses, both on campus and at school-related events. Several bills call for educators and school staff at public, charter and private schools, as well as those at colleges and universities, to know how to reverse deadly opioid overdoses with Narcan and other overdose medications known as “opioid antagonists.” Eight bills calling for some sort of opioid emergency training for school personnel have been filed by Democrats: state. Sen. José Menéndez of San Antonio and state Reps. Philip Cortez of San Antonio, Bobby Guerra of Mission, Jolanda Jones of Houston, Erin Zwiener of Driftwood, Sheryl Cole of Austin; and Rep. James Talarico of Round Rock. These bills cover a wide range of topics regarding the use of overdose reversal medications, including allowing physicians to dispense such medication to schools without requiring identification of the user and setting training standards for school personnel. “We are adding this to the things that we’ve already done in the past when it comes to epinephrine pens and medication for people who suffer from asthma,” said Menéndez, author of Senate Bill 629. “We’re just saying that this is important as other lifesaving measures that you have in schools.” Narcan (the brand name for the drug naloxone) or other opioid antagonists would be stored on campuses and school personnel would be trained in its use. All of these bills would also require the state health commissioner to establish an advisory committee to conduct a follow-up review after each time the medication is used. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Prescription fentanyl can be taken safely when prescribed by doctors. But a rise in its illicit use began during the pandemic and continues today. “Currently, an opioid epidemic is sweeping the nation, and Texas is not an exception,” said Hannah Reinhard, chief of staff for Cortez. “This bill comes from the fact that anyone can suffer from addiction and a potential overdose. Not only that, but children can easily mistake an opioid for candy and risk devastating effects.” These bills would put Texas in line with similar states like South Dakota that have provided naloxone, the overdose-reversing nasal spray, to schools through a grant program. “The more people authorized to administer naloxone, the better,” said Katharine Neill Harris, a drug policy fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. “I’ve heard from some people who have tried to get naloxone in schools that nurses/teachers have felt they aren’t allowed to administer it. The law would clear up any liability concerns and thus encourage more schools to have it available throughout campuses.” Menéndez’s bill doesn’t specify how the medication and the training would be funded, but the San Antonio lawmaker believes settlement funds the state has received from opioid companies should be more than enough. Texas is estimated to receive about $1.17 billion over the course of 18 years from three large pharmaceutical distribution companies through a settlement agreement reached in 2021. House Bill 4801, authored by Talarico, would allow the state to use money from the opioid settlement to purchase opioid antagonists in bulk from manufacturers to decrease the price burden on organizations distributing the medication. First responders and groups that work with people who use drugs have difficulty supplying Narcan because of its cost — about $125 for a kit with two doses. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 107,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2021, the last available year. Synthetic opioids were responsible for 71,000 of those deaths, and they were largely from fentanyl. Opioid overdose deaths increased by 94% among people ages 14 to 18 from 2019 to 2020 and by 20% from 2020 to 2021, the CDC reported. Since the pandemic began, there’s been wider accessibility to fentanyl and other opioids through social media. In Texas, the CDC reported more than 5,000 people died of drug overdoses between October 2021 and October 2022. Overdose deaths involving fentanyl in the state rose 399%, from 333 people dying in 2019 to 1,662 people in 2021. A majority of people who ingested a fatal dose of fentanyl had no idea the synthetic opioid had been laced with other drugs they were attempting to use. Makers of illegal drugs often use fentanyl as a booster for other drugs they are selling, Since September, Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District in the Dallas-Fort Worth area has reported three student deaths while six others were hospitalized, all from fentanyl overdoses. Four Hays Consolidated Independent School District students died last year from fentanyl overdoses. None of these occurred on school campuses. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The agency has warned that fentanyl is increasingly finding its way into “fake prescription pills” that are “easily accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms.” Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been recently working together when it comes to tackling the growing fentanyl crisis in the state. State Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, has teamed up with state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, to push through a bill to decriminalize the use of testing strips and other methods used to detect fentanyl. Late last year, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott came out in favor of legalizing fentanyl test strips which help users identify whether the drugs they are planning on taking contain the deadly synthetic opioid. Abbott previously opposed such a policy but said the increase in opioid overdose deaths had brought a “better understanding” that more needs to be done by the state to tackle the problem. The Texas governor also said he wanted to make Narcan more readily available across the state. Rep. Ryan Guillen, R-Rio Grande City, has also proposed a bill that would create a task force to study methods to incentivize manufacturers of opioid antagonists to increase production. The task force must submit a report to the Legislature no later than Dec. 1, 2024. The commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services would be required to issue a statewide standing order prescribing opioid antagonists to those in need and would have all liability removed to accomplish this under Senate Bill 954, proposed by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. A matching bill, House Bill 1543, was authored by Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, and Democratic Reps. Donna Howard of Austin and Venton Jones of Dallas. Menéndez said the idea for his bill came after hearing the fears from local parents and students about how easily fentanyl can accidentally be consumed. “There is a powerful drug out there in our society and we need to be prepared,” he said. “It’s scary how pervasive this thing could become very quickly. And how damaging, unless we get on top of this, it can be specifically for those living in areas with limited access to health care.”

Source: CLICK HERE In its latest financial and diplomatic sanctions, the US is going after companies and individuals involved in the crackdown against Belarus' pro-democracy movement and the existing regime's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Biden administration on Friday sanctioned Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's personal "luxury airliner." Lukansheko's regime "relies on state-owned enterprises and key officials to generate substantial revenue that enables oppressive acts against the Belarusian people,” Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson, a top US sanctions official, said in a statement The US remains "committed to imposing costs" on Lukashenko's regime for its suppression of democracy and support for Putin’s war, the statement added. Here are other individuals and entities facing sanctions: Two companies — Open Joint Stock Company Belarusian Automobile Plant and Open Joint Stock Company Minsk Automobile Plant — and both of their directors "for supporting and generating revenue for the Belarusian government." The Central Election Commission of Belarus and its seven new members for their role in "barring opposition candidates, denying access to poll observers, and certifying inaccurate vote tallies" in the fraudulent 2020 elections. The US State Department is also issuing visa restrictions on 14 additional individuals, including regime officials. Lukashenko's jetliner, EW-001PA, is a Boeing 737 used by the Belarusian strongman and his family for international travel, according to the Treasury. More on the Belarus-Russia relationship: Lukashenko is a close ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin who permitted Russian troops to use Belarus to stage their initial invasion into Ukraine last year. The US and its allies have since then targeted Minsk with a set of sweeping sanctions. Additionally, the European Union does not recognize the results of the 2020 Belarus election and the US has called it a "fraudulent." The widespread fraud sparked mass pro-democracy protests which led to a brutal crackdown from the government.

I don't even know what that means, even if i knew it was last year too, but i don't really know what that means, but, Happy Ramadan Mubarak to everyone! 😄

Source: CLICK HERE Pablo Vegas, president and CEO of ERCOT (center), and Rudy Garza, CPS Energy President and CEO (right), discuss the "State of Energy" at a forum hosted Wednesday by the North San Antonio Chamber and moderated by A.J. Rodriguez, Texas 2036’s executive vice president (left). Credit: Lindsey Carnett / San Antonio Report Proposed changes to the Texas energy market in an effort to make the state’s grid more reliable could eventually cost CPS Energy customers more, but whether the plan will be approved by state lawmakers or how exactly it might work for the city-owned utility is still unknown. Pablo Vegas, president and CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state’s electrical grid, discussed the proposed Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) with CPS Energy President and CEO Rudy Garza on Wednesday at a forum hosted by the North San Antonio Chamber and moderated by Texas 2036’s Executive Vice President A.J. Rodriguez. A PCM would require electricity providers to pay additional money to generators, who would in turn promise to have enough power available when demand spikes — as it does every summer and did in February 2021, after a massive winter storm led to energy shortages, days-long blackouts and hundreds of deaths. Critics of the PCM, which include the Texas Association of Manufacturers, many energy experts and environmentalists, have called it untested, expensive and convoluted. The Public Utility Commission, which oversees ERCOT, unanimously approved the idea in January, but it’s unclear whether lawmakers will approve or direct the agency to tweak it in some way. Energy researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, led by Michael Webber, have argued there are far less costly ways to increase grid reliability, such as requiring natural gas producers to winterize, as the Texas Legislature now requires electricity generators like CPS Energy to do. Additionally, investing in more energy efficiency and demand response programs, and connecting Texas’ grid to the other U.S. grids, would better serve the state and consumers, they say. As conceived, the PCM could cost electricity providers — which would pass those costs on to consumers — an additional $5.7 billion annually. Because CPS Energy is both an electricity provider and a power generator, it’s unclear how this potential market redesign would affect the utility and its customers, Garza said Wednesday. “We will have to look at the equation from both sides,” Garza told the San Antonio Report after the forum. “[We’ve] got to weigh the cost with the benefit … and then decide what’s the best option.” Vegas, who was named ERCOT’s CEO in August 2022, 16 months after the former CEO was fired after the deadly 2021 winter storm, talked up the proposal Wednesday. “It’s a very simple solution that essentially incentivizes generators who can perform during the most critical times the grid needs them,” Vegas said. “By having that consistent revenue earning opportunity — it’s not a guarantee because you have to perform — but having that consistent opportunity to earn that revenue when the grid needs you, it sends that signal that to build on support.” Proponents like Vegas, including power generators, say a PCM will encourage the construction of more natural gas plants in Texas, which they say are necessary to add “dispatchable” power — that is, power that can be quickly turned on when it’s needed — to the Texas grid. Now is the time to implement such a tool, Vegas added, noting that the state’s exponential growth is not projected to slow anytime soon. Without new dispatchable generation, Texas’ grid could see more failures in the future, he said. Between 2000 and 2008, more than 20,000 megawatts of net new dispatchable generation was added to the grid, he said. Between 2008 and 2022 only 1,500 megawatts of net new dispatchable generation was added; 20,925 megawatts were retired — mostly aging coal plants — while 22,485 megawatts were added. In that same time frame, however, more than 48,000 megawatts of net new solar and wind power have been added — but that power isn’t dispatchable, he said, and so needs the backup of natural gas. “The time to act is today,” he said. “It takes time to build resources, to build generating units, so we have to do something about it now.” Garza agreed, and said that’s why the utility is always looking for ways to bring additional megawatts online. CPS Energy’s new short-term power plan, which trustees approved in January, will add roughly 4,928 megawatts of generation capacity to the utility’s portfolio over the next seven years, including 1,380 megawatts from combined cycle natural gas and about 800 from reciprocating internal combustion engines that will run on natural gas or diesel. The plan will also add another 500 megawatts from wind, 1,180 from solar and 1,060 from lithium battery storage. Environmentalists criticized the utility’s plan for much the same reason they oppose the PCM, suggesting that CPS Energy and Texas as a whole aren’t transitioning to cleaner forms of energy quickly enough. “I’m happy we’re closing a coal plant, but we still need a carbon-free future,” DeeDee Belmares, a climate justice organizer with Public Citizen’s Texas office and CPS Energy rate advisory committee member told the San Antonio Report at the time, referring to the utility’s plans to stop using coal by 2028. Vegas praised CPS Energy’s new plan and its longstanding demand response program, which allows the utility to reduce the amount of electricity residential and commercial customers that have opted into the program are using when demand is highest. Vegas said he also admires CPS Energy’s efforts to enhance communications with local officials and residents, which he said is something he’s trying to bring to ERCOT as well. While the two presidents chatted candidly on stage, their respective organizations are locked in a legal battle over the cost of power during the winter storm. CPS Energy has argued that ERCOT presided over “one of the largest illegal wealth transfers in the history of Texas” for keeping wholesale electricity prices at $9,000 per megawatt-hour — power that typically trades at under $50 per megawatt-hour — for almost 72 hours. CPS Energy racked up over $1 billion in fuel charges during that timeframe, and customers are already locked in to pay roughly $418 million of that via a $1.26 fee customers will see on their monthly bills for the next 25 years — an amount that will likely go up as it settles the remaining $587 million in litigation. Last week, Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals ruled that the PUC overstepped its authority in setting the price at the maximum, which led to $16 billion in overcharges to utilities across the state. It’s unclear how that ruling, which is likely to be appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, will factor into CPS Energy’s case against ERCOT. “It is reassuring that the courts are considering all of the impacts to customers across the state, however we are not in a position to comment further at this time,” read a statement from CPS Energy to the San Antonio Report.

Source: CLICK HERE The New Mexico department of game and fish is seeking “professional bear huggers” to patrol parks and wilderness areas and potentially encounter some of the state’s 6,000 black bears. In a job advertisement posted to Facebook, the department said applicants would require fitness, trust and “courage”. The post was accompanied by photos of conservation officers embracing what appeared to be young bears. “Now hiring professional bear huggers,” the department wrote. “Must have ability to hike in strenuous conditions, have the courage to crawl into a bear den, and have the trust in your coworkers to keep you safe during the process.” The ad went on to note that bear hugging will be only a small part of successful candidates’ roles, if the officers get to hug bears at all. “This was part of a research project in northern New Mexico and all bears were handled safely under supervision,” the game and fish department said under the photos of officers cradling the juvenile ursids. “Not all law enforcement field work is this glamorous, but we would love for you to join the team where you can have the experience of a lifetime.” Conservation officers come under the classification of law enforcement. The application page noted that “enforcing the game and fish laws is their primary responsibility”. Applicants are required to pass a physical test before being considered for an interview. Hopefuls must perform at least 15 push-ups in one minute, at least 27 sit-ups in one minute, and run 300m in less than 71 seconds. New officers undergo nearly a year of training, including in firearms and boat operation. Conservation officers also educate the public about wildlife and capture “problem animals”, the application page said. They will assist in wildlife relocations and help develop new regulations. New Mexico game and fish estimates there are 6,000 black bears in the state. According to the department’s website, the bears have been documented to live for 20 to 25 years. Bear hunting is legal in New Mexico, however. The game and fish website says: “In most of their range where they are hunted the average life span is about seven to eight years.” The most common cause of death is being shot by hunters, though bears can also die at the paws of other bears or after “becoming a nuisance by getting used to human food and subsequently having to be killed”.

Source: CLICK HERE The idea of a V-8 engine stuffed into a classic Volkswagen Beetle is the sort of thing sand-dune-chasing dreams are made of. A bug's butt is the perfect place for that big of an engine if you're tackling the loose sand in places such as Glamis, Oregon, Dunes or White Sands. The Beetle's rear engine layout is already beneficial to the rear tires' traction—adding more engine back there only helps things further. For those who like track days and paved roads, however, that rear-mounted engine can deliver challenging on-road handling, which is why you don't see too many rear-engined sports cars (Porsche's painstakingly developed 911 being the exception). But what if you wanted an old Beetle combined with a V-8 and modern Porsche-rivaling handling? Well, over in South Africa, you'll find your answer through 3L Engineering and Design's V-8 StealthBeetle. That's right, what you see before you is a V-8 powered Bug. It might not be obvious at first. Sure, it wears big tires out back with wider fenders, but you can do that with a stock four-cylinder Beetle. Same with the center-exit exhaust, and even a roll cage isn't a dead-on giveaway. You either need to hear this Bug start up or take a look behind the front seats. Well, that's if you also ignore the "V8 4200" badge on its hood, though you'll still be missing another factor about its power plant: it's got a pair of turbos strapped to it. Wait, behind the rear seats? Yep, the V-8 StealthBeetle isn't merely an engine-swapped VW—it's an entire chassis kit that relocates the engine where it should be: slightly ahead of the rear axle, rather than hanging way out behind it. The changeover completely replaces the chassis pan and suspension of the original Beetle. According to Jean Fourie, the founder of 3L Engineering and Design, the chassis wasn't even the hardest part about designing this kit. It was making a chassis that would fit a V-8 engine under the body and still have room for, you know, the occupants while retaining the original firewall position of the Beetle. What's somewhat unusual about the 3L StealthBeetle kit is that they are using aluminum over steel tubing and plating. Their team also welds the 5083 aluminum rather than bonds it as OEMs do. "We are a small factory," said Fourie, "and bonding takes a lot of labor as well as sophisticated jigs—and processes—which we cannot afford." You could also argue about using extruded aluminum, but again that is a very large investment for the small kit car team. Regardless, the 5083 is an aluminum-magnesium alloy that retains nearly its original strength even after welding, so the usual worry about changing the heat treatment of aluminum after welding is mostly avoided (which is the usual reason aluminum is bonded by OEMs). We should mention the engine mounted under the lead V-8 StealthBeetle is an Audi 4.2-liter V-8 with a pair of turbos to boost its power to a highly specific 402.3 hp and 308.3 lb-ft of torque. However, the standard kit uses the naturally aspirated Audi V-8 without turbos and 3L is also building an LS version of the chassis kit to offer another V-8 option. The LS was a challenge to design with the same constraints as the Audi V-8 because the LS is actually longer than the Audi V-8 by almost five inches. But, 3L made it work and allowed them to use similar six speed Getrag transaxles for both engines. The kit also improves the suspension and upgrades the brakes from the original Beetle to handle the additional weight and power either V-8 will provide. This all sounds great, but where can you get one? For now you'll have to import it yourself. While 3L is located in South Africa, home to many well known Cobra replicas and other kit car manufacturers that have importers in the US, 3L currently doesn't have a line on exports. At least not for the V-8 StealthBeetle kit, "I think we'll concentrate on our immediate future at present," said Fourie, "but we also design and build aluminum chassis for the Cobra and an aluminum chassis three-wheeler for the US market," but adds in, "We would always be open to negotiation." With the clean looks the V-8 StealthBeetle offers while adding in the classic, iconic design of the Volkswagen Beetle, it would be a shame to never see the kit get sold here.

Source: CLICK HERE Liderii europeni au avut joi, în cadrul reuniunii Consiliului European, „discuţii aprofundate” cu secretarul general ONU, Antonio Guterres, despre ultimele evoluţii ale războiului din Ucraina, precum şi despre sprijinul continuu al UE pentru Ucraina, a anunţat preşedintele Klaus Iohannis. „În prima zi a reuniunii Consiliului European, împreună cu secretarul general al ONU, Antonio Guterres, am avut discuţii aprofundate despre ultimele evoluţii privind războiul de agresiune al Rusiei împotriva Ucrainei în toate dimensiunile sale, precum şi despre sprijinul continuu al UE pentru Ucraina şi poporul său”, a scris Klaus Iohannis joi, într-un mesaj pe Twitter. Potrivit unor surse citate de Agerpres, preşedintele Iohannis a subliniat, la sesiunea cu secretarul general ONU, că „este important să lucrăm mai mult cu Naţiunile Unite şi să explicăm situaţia din Ucraina şi acţiunile Rusiei cât mai multor state pentru că doar prin dialog pot să înţeleagă ceea ce se întâmplă în Ucraina”. De asemenea, şeful statului a prezentat ce face România pentru a sprijini Ucraina şi Republica Moldova şi importanţa coordonării în cadrul Naţiunilor Unite. Klaus Iohannis participă, joi şi vineri, la Bruxelles, la reuniunea Consiliului European de primăvară şi la Summitul Euro în format extins.