John Hanno – Page 193 – The Tarbabys Blog

Staying active and healthy – here are some key points to stay fit as you get older

Portsmouth Herald

Staying active and healthy – here are some key points to stay fit as you get older

Brandon Brown, Portsmouth Herald – July 8, 2023

Peter Hubbard, 85, spots his wife, Nona, 61, during a recent weight-lifting workout. Both will compete at the Powerlifting America New Hampshire State Championship at The Lift Free or Die Gym in Dover starting at 9 a.m.

Peter Hubbard, an 85-year-old Candia resident, is a big advocate for physical activity, especially as people age.

“There’s lots of research and data that shows that as you grow older, you’re going to lose muscle density and mass, but you can maintain it better through exercise,” Hubbard said. “It’s been proven that exercise improves your life expectancy, it gives you the ability to do things when you get older that you wouldn’t be able to do. You don’t have to lift all these heavy weights, and I don’t expect everybody to go out and try to be a powerlifter, but if you continue to work out and lift weights, then you can live into you 60s, 70s and 80s, and you’re going to have a better quality of life.

This Sunday, Hubbard will compete in the Powerlifting America New Hampshire State Championship at The Lift Free or Die Gym in Dover starting at 9 a.m.

Though there are three events – the squat, the bench-press and the deadlift, Hubbard is only participating in the bench-press. Hubbard’s goal is to bench more than 200 pounds. Hubbard’s wife, Nona, 61, will participate in all three events.

Although preparation for such a competition takes at least three months, Hubbard is in the gym and keeps up with physical activity year-round.

Hubbard is a role model for how to keep your body strong and fit as you enter your golden years.

Caroline Schepker, doctor at Wentworth-Douglass

It’s never too late to get physically fit

The aging process, realistically, begins in the late 20s and doesn’t become noticeable for most people until their 40s or 50s, said Dr. Caroline A. Schepker, a physiatrist who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover.

“It’s usually around the age where people start to notice that they feel a little bit stiffer, maybe a little bit more easily aching, and look like they’ve lost a little muscle mass,” she said. “The best time to start prevention wise is in your 20s and 30s and kind of maximizing your muscle mass and your mobility.”

Additionally, Schepker said it’s never too late to start with things such as mobility training and strength training.

“And what that could look like is working with either a physical therapist or athletic trainer, or personal trainer to develop a whole body strength and conditioning program that also works on mobility, which is just flexibility and range of motion,” Schepker added.

“The general prescription of physical activity, whether it’s in a sport or just going to the gym or doing your own independent exercise, there’s three categories to it,” Schepker said. “One is aerobic exercise, also known as cardiovascular exercise, the second is resistance training or strength training and the third is flexibility and balance; they kind of put those three together.”

From a fitness standpoint, an ideal week involves two to three days, or 150 total minutes of aerobic exercise, at least two days a week with strength training and at least two days a week with range of motion exercises.

The most common problem Schepker sees is pain, and mostly coming from the spine and lower back, and secondly the hips, knees and shoulders.

“What that usually comes down to is a relative lack of core strength conditioning,” she said. “Even very fit active people can lose touch with their core muscles and how to optimally activate them to stabilize their spine. It can really irritate the little joints and discs in the back. So that’s probably what I see in the older, more active athletic population.”

Stretching or no stretching?

Schepker said stretching is actually one of the topics that can be controversial.

“If you really look into the research to stretching, some people say stretch and some people say don’t,” she said. “I think the reason why it’s complicated is because it’s not just stretching, but also mobility and range of motion exercises; they all have their place.”

Schepker said the research and studies shows that the recommendation is that as people get older, connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments, naturally start to stiffen.

“Our joints generally get a little stiffer, and we lose range of motion, so it becomes important to do some stretching or range of motion medicine,” she said.

While daily is preferred, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults who are 65 and older stretch at least three times per week.

“And what they recommend for that is really performing stretches of all major muscle groups, meaning the muscle groups that surround the hips, the trunk spine, shoulders and holding stretches for at least 10 to 30 seconds,” Schepker said. “Bigger muscles, like the hamstrings, may require up to 60 seconds. But, holding a stretch is called static stretching and that’s generally done after physical activity or kind of in isolation. Whereas before physical activity, it’s more important to do more kind of active range of motion instead of static holds of stretching.”

Schepker said active range of motion includes things like gently moving joints through their range of motions.

“Things like arm circles, arm swings, hip circles, just kind of getting all the joints through their range,” Schekper said.

How should ages 65 and older approach physical activity

Below is a chart that outlines what the American Heart Association and ACSM recommends for frequency, intensity and types of training for those 65 and older.

“Some older adults who have athletic or fitness backgrounds may feel comfortable looking at those guidelines and kind of being independent with them,” Schepker said. “For those who have questions or concerns about how to incorporate any piece of it, whether it’s the aerobic aspect, or the strength training, or the flexibility or the balance, usually the best place to start is speaking with your doctor and/or working with a physical therapist or athletic trainer.”

Schepker said working with a physical therapist or an athletic trainer is a good way to develop a program for themselves and get comfortable with some of the concepts to where they can branch off to do it independently.

China is preparing for war

The Telegraph – Opinion

China is preparing for war

Tom Sharpe – July 8, 2023

Chinese premier Xi Jinping has ordered his forces to prepare for war — Ships, men and money – Damian Pawlenko/AP

Tensions between the West and China show no sign of easing. Interdependence and mistrust continue to mix uneasily. Triggers are many and varied including; human rights, relations with Russia vis-à-vis Ukraine, microchip manufacturing and the big one, Taiwan.

Then there is the rhetoric. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is in Beijing for talks aimed at easing some of these tensions. It’s ironic, but not unprecedented, that at the exact same time, President Xi is telling the troops of the Eastern Theatre Command – the one that faces Taiwan – that they need to step up their combat readiness and “… persist in thinking and handling military issues from a political perspective, dare to fight, be good at fighting, and resolutely defend our national sovereignty, security, and development interests.”

This is not the first time Xi has timed an info-ops stunt like this to coincide with a diplomatic visit and neither is he the first Chinese President to do it.

Hu Jintao did something similar in 2011 telling his military to “make extended preparations for warfare”. It has happened many times since. One can make a case that this constant need to posture in this way masks a lack of confidence.

Xi’s military numbers and rate of build might be eyewatering but what experience underpins them? Russia’s efforts in Ukraine have shown repeatedly that spectacular parades do not equate to hardened fighting competence. His message is timed with Yellen’s visit to create maximum international effect but internally it is as likely to be a kick aimed at his generals than an immediate call to arms.

In the longer term, is war with China inevitable? General Mike Minihan of the US Air Force says it is; a hawkish stance that I suspect is shared by quite a few in the US military. But, as is the way, there are plenty who believe that the situation will continue to be managed by ongoing diplomatic efforts and the deterrent effect of our combined militaries.

Certainly, the ongoing importance of both conventional and nuclear deterrence cannot be underestimated right now. This, coupled with maximum diplomatic effort, soft and hard, should sit alongside military operations and exercises designed to demonstrate what it could look like if these efforts fail.

One thing we can be sure of is that US Pacific Command will be planning for all ‘fighting’ eventualities with a high degree of granularity. Having been part of a US led contingency plan myself (thankfully not one that was put into action in my time) I know that the level of detail that goes into American wargaming is exceptional and the algorithms they use to determine levels of damage and casualties are sophisticated.

Having said that, the quirk of taking a kicking from Enemy X during a wargame but then telling the General in the final debrief that ‘we issued a beat down’ was interesting to watch from close up. Nevertheless, PACOM’s planning for a war with China will be reassuringly comprehensive.

So what for the UK? Well, we will feature in the plan. Somewhere in the chapter marked ‘assets’ will be what we could offer in a ‘fight tonight’. That’s zero right now, with apologies to HMS Tamar and HMS Spey, the almost unarmed patrol vessels which are all we have in the Indo-Pacific area at the moment. Then there’s what ‘best effort’ would look like if we sent everything we have across Defence, and a reasonable middle ground with associated deployment timelines.

We Brits will be a footnote in terms of overall combat power with two exceptions. Our aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (with a full outfit of US/allied jets) would be a noticeable piece on the game board if she was out there.

Secondly our nuclear powered attack submarines, armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, are a threat to worry any Chinese admiral. There will be other areas where we can contribute such as intelligence, cyber, special forces etc, but the carrier and the submarines will be front and centre of the conventional plan.

In QE and the Astute class submarines, we have cutting-edge capabilities. The carrier herself has redundancy (which has proven useful recently with HMS Prince of Wales in drydock to replace a broken shaft) but everything beneath that is wafer thin: we have very few F-35 jets to put aboard her, very few escort ships to send with her and not enough ammunition (including Tomahawks), support helicopters or supporting logistic ships.

Much of this will be ameliorated by operating in the sort of allied task group that would be assembled for a fight like this but every time you have to put a star by your asset (*needs US support) you degrade your usefulness until eventually they look at you across the room and ask ‘are you in this or not?’ This is happening.

And, of course, neither of those assets are there right now. HMS Queen Elizabeth made a significant impression during her 2021 deployment there but isn’t due back until 2025. Similarly, our attack subs are already fully assigned elsewhere. Someone will have worked out how quickly both these things could get there but it isn’t ‘soon’.

The Aukus alliance between us, the US and Australia is an outstanding political and military collaboration but is going to take an age to come online and a lot could happen in that time. There has however been talk of sending one of our submarines to the Indo-Pacific early.

If this happens, and is coordinated with US attack submarine deployments to the region, and we buy more Tomahawks, then that would be a significant UK contribution to both deterrence and the fight. There are a lot of unfunded assumptions in there though.

More broadly, the Integrated Review Refresh is complete and still suitably ambiguous as to whether Continental Europe, the North Atlantic or the Indo-Pacific should constitute ‘main effort’. All eyes are therefore on the imminent Defence Command and Balance of Investment Papers to allocate resources to these areas and thus provide some answers.

While this turn of the handle won’t have the slash-and-burn effect of the 2010 process there also won’t be any more money: probably less in real terms. We remain almost the only country in Europe steadfastly opposed to increasing Defence expenditure just now.

Meanwhile, the situation in Taiwan feels like a ‘circling press aircraft’. Let me explain.

I was in a naval exercise off the north of Scotland some time ago when a light aircraft claiming that it was neutral and full of press approached the ship. We spoke to it and then ‘warned’ it ranging from ‘hello who are you?’ to ‘turn away now or you will be fired on’.

Then at the range where the Rules of Engagement would have allowed me to start shooting, five miles, it turned 90 degrees and started circling the ship. We carried on talking to it and reading ‘warnings’ but they protested, stated their peaceful intentions and continued to circle. But now they were at four miles. My bluff had been called. We had intelligence to suggest a light aircraft threat but they weren’t closing us directly and so we were not allowed to engage. Now they were at three.

It was a brilliant scenario, because when do you pull the trigger?

This is what is happening with China and Taiwan. China continues to circle, getting ever closer but never pointing directly at the target. Aggressive exercises, encircling, drone overflights and encroachments will continue until they become ‘normal’, then they will tighten a little more.

My working theory is that they will keep closing in and wait for a natural disaster such as an earthquake or tsunami to provide cover for a final move under cover of Humanitarian and Disaster Relief. It’s hard to say ‘no’ to assistance and before you know it Chinese presence on Taiwan has also become ‘normal’. I could be wrong. I hope I’m not because many of the alternatives are far, far worse.

In the meantime, the diplomatic, information and deterrent efforts from both sides will continue apace. Xi will carry on building equipment and posturing aggressively and the West will continue to try and decide where to sit between appeasement, essential cooperation and aggression.

The UK will continue to contribute where it can, whilst hoping that no one notices the smallness of the stick with which we are walking softly.

To finish the story, I was out of ideas with the ‘press aircraft’ until I heard our American exchange officer in the Operations Room. He was a little bemused when I put my headset on him and told him to say, ‘turn away or we will fire on you’ but did as we was asked.

There was then a five-second pause before a new voice appeared on the radio, “British warship, this is the aircraft pilot. Can I just check this is still an exercise?”

They had turned away before I could say ‘yes’.

Tells you something.

Kremlin expands surveillance on Russians’ music and taxi journeys

The Telegraph

Kremlin expands surveillance on Russians’ music and taxi journeys

James Kilner – July 8, 2023

Vladimir Putin has ramped up surveillance of his people as he battles to crush dissent – AFP

The Kremlin will soon begin restricting Russians’ music playlists and tracking their taxi journeys in real time as it ramps up state surveillance two weeks after a failed rebellion.

Yandex Music, Russia’s most popular music streaming service, has said it will create a “safe environment” by blocking “dangerous” content, a move that activists have criticised.

“Recommendations on music services are nothing more than the automation of censorship using algorithms,” said Sarkis Darbinyan, a lawyer at Russian Roskom Svoboda which is a Russian NGO.

The music streaming service is part of the Yandex group of companies. Once dubbed the “Russian Google”, Yandex provides Russians with navigation tools, internet searches, a taxi-hailing app, food delivery services and everything else in between.

But analysts have also said that the Kremlin uses Yandex to spy on Russians and spread its propaganda. Part of this propaganda has been to promote pro-war singers and sideline anti-war artists but this is the first time that it will impose restrictions on people’s music choices.

To ‘protect’ listeners

Yandex Music said that the restrictions were designed to protect listeners from racist and Nazi-themed songs but Ms Darbinyan from Roskomsvoboda said that this was just a smokescreen.

“Musicians who have declared their civil and anti-war position have already essentially been thrown off the Russian stage, forbidden to perform and to earn their bread,” she said. “Now, I’m afraid this practice of blacklisting will affect all Russian streaming platforms.”

The Kremlin has banned parts of the internet including YouTube, while Spotify and other Western music streaming services stopped operating in Russia after the Russian invasion last year.

The new restrictions came after Vladimir Putin faced down a mutiny two weeks ago by his former mercenary commander Yevgeny Prigozhin, and analysts have said he needs to reimpose his authority.

And this means more censorship and more power for his favoured FSB intelligence agency.

Round-the-clock access to data

On Friday, the Russian government said that it had given the FSB the right to monitor people’s movements on taxi aggregation services.

Russian opposition media described the new taxi censorship laws as effectively giving the FSB “24/7 remote access” to passenger data.

One of the FSB’s main roles is to monitor the Russian population for any signs of dissent, and the Wall Street Journal has now reported that foreigners fall under an intensified surveillance operation.

It said that a special FSB unit called the DKRO monitors foreign nationals that enter Russia.

They also often play intimidatory mind games such as breaking into hotel rooms or apartments, moving bookcases and leaving smoked cigarette butts in bathrooms and faeces in suitcases, the newspaper reported.

One of the Wall Street Journal’s Russia correspondents, Evan Gershkovich, was arrested in March and accused of spying. He strongly denies the accusation.

How do I fix an overwatered plant? The warning signs – and ways to combat excessive moisture

Homes & Gardens

How do I fix an overwatered plant? The warning signs – and ways to combat excessive moisture

Drew Swainston – July 8, 2023

Overwatering plants is a common mistake to make and many people do not realize it can be as dangerous as underwatering. There is the potential for plants to be killed by overwatering as the roots can essentially be suffocated by too much moisture in the soil.

However, rest assured that there are tried-and-tested methods of fixing a plant that has been overwatered and getting it back to a healthy and thriving state again. The measures can be as simple as stopping watering until the soil dries out, to moving the plant or repotting it into a new soil mix.

Judging when to water plants is always tricky, especially so for a novice gardener, so it pays to know those classic signs of overwatering so you can spot them quickly and make any moves required to deal with that excess moisture in the soil.

What should I do if I overwater my plant?

Overwatering plants happens. It is often a case of over-enthusiasm and mis-judging how much moisture the plants need, though it can be a year-round issue and equally as problematic during the winter months as when watering plants in hot weather.

There are recommended tactics to avoid potential plant overwatering, such as watering plants from the bottom if they are in pots. You can also get aids, such as self-watering planters (our pick is below) or using DIY drip irrigation techniques to help control the watering of indoor plants or when container gardening.

However, there are tell-tale signs that any plant has been overwatered which are important to recognize. This includes yellowing or browning leaves, wilting, and also the soil can look green as a result of algae growth.

At the first sign of any of these, move quickly to see if overwatering could be the cause. While it is more common to overwater houseplants or those in containers, overwatering outdoor plants does also often occur and the signs to look out for will be the same.

The first move should be to check how wet the soil is around the base of the plants. When watering plants in containers, always use your fingers to see the moisture levels a few inches down in the pot. The soil may look dry on top, but still be very sodden below the surface and adding more moisture can easily lead to overwatering. An alternative to using your fingers is to get a soil moisture meter that can be inserted and give an instant reading with regards to water levels. Sonkir’s meter is by far Amazon’s best seller with over 30,000 positive reviews, and can also test soil pH.

If you fear overwatering to be the issue, then there are simple steps to take. Which one is the best step is likely to be dependent on how fast you spotted the signs of this garden watering mistake and how waterlogged the soil got.

ETGLCOZY 6/4.1/3.2 Inch Self Watering Planter Pots | available at Amazon
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1. Stop watering

It may seem obvious, but the main thing to remember is to stop giving an overwatered plant any more water. Continuing to add more water to an already overwatered plant can further exacerbate the issues and increase the chance of root rot.

It may take many days for the soil to dry out, but hold off from watering the plant while it dries out. If the problem has been identified quickly then merely letting the soil dry out and then adjusting your watering schedule to better suit the plant can often do the trick.

2. Re-pot the plant

To help the plant to recover from overwatering, it can be beneficial to re-pot it and improve the soil type in which it is living. Depending on how sodden the soil is, it might be possible to lift the plant out of the pot and allow the soil to dry in the air for a few hours. If the soil is so wet this seems unlikely, then it would be best to re-pot it completely into a better soil mix.

How to repot an overwatered plant in 5 simple steps:

Remove the plant from the pot and try to remove as much of the wet soil as you can.
Inspect the roots and cut off any rotting sections, they will look brown and potentially have a decaying odor.
Pick a pot and make sure there are holes in the bottom for drainage. You can reuse the same pot, but it is best to wash it out beforehand.
Repot the plant in a mix of free-draining compost, for example the Premium Organic Potting Mix from Burpee, with some perlite or grit added in for extra drainage. Do not reuse potting soil, or use garden soil in pots as it holds too much moisture.
Place the pot in a shady spot and refrain from watering until the soil mix feels dry.

3. Move the pot

While the instinct might be to move the plant to the sunniest spot possible to help dry out the soil, this can actually do the plant further harm. It is far better to move the plant into a shaded spot to allow it to dry out.

A plant that has been overwatered will struggle to move water to its upper leaves, which can leave the upper levels of the plant at risk of drying out due to evaporation in full sun. This can further stress the plant, it is better to move the plant to a shady spot and remove any flowers or fruits that are towards the top. Removing theses helps the plant focus its energy into recovery and surviving.

4. Increase air flow

Increasing the air flow can help to dry a plant out. This can be particularly beneficial if you can lift the plant out of the pot and air dry the soil around the root ball. Air flow can help to dry out soil that is holding too much moisture, especially if they are in porous terracotta pots, and it can dry soil throughout the whole container. This can be achieved by placing a fan nearby.

If you can lift the root ball, lay it on a rack and get some air movement around it to help reduce some of that excess moisture. Once dried, the root ball can go back into the pot again.

FAQs

How long does it take for a plant to recover from overwatering?

The time it takes for a plant to recover from overwatering will depend on certain factors, including how sodden the soil is, the pot size, and temperature. It is a case of playing the waiting game and monitoring how long it takes for the soil to dry out completely before starting to water again. It can take between one and two weeks for a plant to dry out and start the recovery process from being overwatered.

What are signs of root rot?

The tricky thing with root rot is that, while there can be signs of the issue showing above the ground, you cannot be sure until you lift the plant. By this time there could be a lot of damage done to the plant’s overall health. The signs to look for include yellowing leaves, wilting, overall slow growth of plants, and also a rotting smell from the soil. Roots affected by rot will be brown or black in color, potentially slimey, and smelling of decay. There is no treatment for root rot, you can trim off any affected sections if you catch it in time and hope there are enough healthy roots remaining to maintain the plant.

Should I re-pot after overwatering?

There are many scenarios where it is helpful to re-pot a plant after overwatering. This is especially the case where the plant is living in a pot that does not have holes in the bottom for drainage. If there is nowhere for the water to go, the bottom of the pot can fill with moisture and start to suffocate the roots. If the soil is very sodden, or the pot does not have holes for excess water to escape through, then it is important to repot the plant.

Should I water an overwatered plant?

No, you should not water an overwatered plant. Continuing to add more moisture further increases the risk of root rot and the eventual demise of your plant. Stop watering and carefully monitor the plant until the soil dries out. Check the moisture levels regularly using your fingers to see the level a few inches into the soil. Only when the soil becomes dry to the touch should you start adding water and alter the watering schedule to prevent overwatering again.

Overwatering can often be a problem with container plants and houseplants, though it does not need to be the end of the road for any affected plant. Always get to know your plants, learn what watering they need to be at their best. and tailor any schedule to them. Never treat all plants the same when it comes to watering, as that can spell trouble. And monitor them closely, the sooner you see any troublesome signs the quicker you can act and the more likely it is the plant can pull through fine.

Texas considered a bill that would severely limit residents’ use of solar power: ‘[It] would turn all of Texas into an HOA’

TCD

Texas considered a bill that would severely limit residents’ use of solar power: ‘[It] would turn all of Texas into an HOA’

Laurelle Stelle – July 8, 2023

The Texas legislature recently considered a bill to heavily restrict the generation of wind and solar energy, University of Texas at Austin research scientist Joshua D. Rhodes revealed in a tweet.

The bill in question was Texas SB 624, co-sponsored by Senators Lois Kolkhorst, Mayes Middleton, and Bryan Hughes. It would have established new permit requirements for affordable “renewable energy” — not for dirty energy sources, such as coal. In a win for clean energy, it failed to get out of committee.

According to the latest version of the bill (as of late May), any Texas resident with a large solar or wind system who wanted to connect to the grid would have needed a permit. The lengthy permitting process would have required a public meeting to allow comments, multiple surveys and assessments, and a website with information about the project.

SB 624 would also have required that wind turbines be placed a whole 3,000 feet — more than half a mile — away from the property line, except with the permission of neighboring property owners.

“Texas #SB624 would turn all of Texas into an HOA where your neighbors are now going to be able to tell you what you can and can’t do on your own property,” tweeted Rhodes.

As written, the bill applied to facilities with a capacity of 10 megawatts or higher to connect “with a transmission facility.” That wouldn’t include small residential systems, which are usually between one and four kilowatts (0.001 to 0.004 megawatts), according to Yes Energy Solutions.

However, it would have applied to the many wind farms set up by rural property owners across Texas, Rhodes said.

“Our current and expected fleet of renewables are set to pay landowners tens of billions of dollars over their lifetimes, but those Texans might get less if their neighbors protest,” he said in a comment.

Power Up Texas said the new bill would not only have harmed Texas landowners financially but would also have made the energy grid less stable and raise the cost of electricity for everyone.

According to state legislators, the bill’s purpose was to protect wildlife, water, and land from the effects of energy generation. But it’s telling that the proposed law applied only to nonpolluting wind and solar, rather than heavily polluting energy sources like coal and oil that have a much harsher impact on our air and our planet.

Lawsuit seeks to end new law signed by Greg Abbott banning water breaks after Texas heat wave deaths

Salon

Lawsuit seeks to end new law signed by Greg Abbott banning water breaks after Texas heat wave deaths

Tatyana Tandanpolie – July 7, 2023

Officials in Houston, Texas, filed a lawsuit on Monday looking to keep the state from enforcing an oppressive law critics have dubbed the “Death Star” bill.

House Bill 2127 is set to go into effect on Sept. 1 after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed it into law on June 6, according to MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” blog. The new law restricts local governments by preventing them from passing certain ordinances if they contradict state laws in eight key areas: agriculture, finance, business and commerce, insurance, local government, labor, natural resources, property or occupations.

In the newly filed lawsuit, lawyers representing the city argue that, in broadly pre-empting local laws, the bill violates the state Constitution, and ultimately call the measure “hopelessly vague.” The city, thus, asks the court to make the law “void and unenforceable.”

“Because of HB 2127’s vagueness, Houston will not know with any certainty what laws it may enforce, and its residents and businesses will not know with certainty what laws they must obey,” the suit reads. “This high level of uncertainty and confusion concerning the validity of virtually all local laws in important regulatory areas and those concerning health and safety themselves constitutes a concrete injury.”

Arguing that the bill will incite confusion, the lawsuit cites the so-called Death Star law’s lack of a requirement for local legislation to actually conflict with state laws in order for it to be prevented from taking effect.

“Under HB 2127, if the State regulates anything in an unspecified ‘field,’ local regulation is arguably entirely precluded in the undefined area unless there is express legislative authorization,” according to the lawsuit.

Scorching temperatures broke records three times this week and July is just getting started

The lawsuit also comes after a deadly heat wave wracked the state last month, resulting in a public health crisis, the deaths of 11 people between the ages of 60 and 80 in Webb County since the bill was signed, and a surge in emergency department visits related to the record-breaking, 100-degree temperatures.

In Texas prison facilities without air conditioning, at least nine incarcerated people, including two men in their 30s, died last month from heart attacks or unknown causes. Another harrowing incident saw a teen and his stepfather die after the 14-year-old lost consciousness during a hike in Big Bend National Park and the stepfather crashed his car while racing to find help. Plus, at least four workers have died in the state after collapsing in three-digit heat, the Texas Observer reports: a Dallas post office worker, an East Texas utility lineman and two Houston construction workers.

While the nature of the worker deaths is still under investigation, the Observer notes that hyperthermia is likely the cause. Considering climate scientists told the Tribune that heat waves will become increasingly severe and common due to climate change, the risk to public health will only rise.

Once HB 2127 goes into effect in September, local ordinances mandating water breaks for workers outdoors in cities across the state, which the Observer writes contributed to a “significant decrease in annual heat-related illnesses and heat deaths,” will be overturned and localities will be barred from passing new ones.

A spokesperson for Abbott said that “ensuring the safety of Texans is a top priority as our state experiences high summer heat,” in a statement, noting that overriding local laws won’t keep workers from taking breaks under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) standards.

But some workers fear that the lack of local protections will mean bosses hoping to increase production will eliminate breaks, the Observer said.

The city of Houston’s lawsuit also calls out the possibility of widespread, city deregulation sparked by individuals and businesses pursuing their own interests and justifying the acts under the law.

“Houston will have to defend against a likely barrage of lawsuits brought by trade associations or individuals essentially to deregulate their industries or businesses at the local level,” the suit claims, adding an accusation that Texa’ Republican legislators are creating “a public/private enforcement regime that will penalize and raise the risk of Houston’s exercising its clear and expansive constitutional authority.”

Climate change is driving earlier springtimes. For some birds, that could equal extinction: Study

If successful, the suit will protect the water mandates and other measures like the Houston program providing 30,000 uninsured people with healthcare, Mayor Sylvester Turner noted.

“HB 2127 reverses over 100 years of Texas constitutional law without amending the Constitution,” Turner said in a public statement. “Because Texas has long had the means to preempt local laws that conflict with State law, HB 2127 is unnecessary, dismantling the ability to govern at the level closest to the people and therefore punishing all Texas residents. Houston will fight so its residents retain their constitutional rights and have immediate local recourse to government.”

Biden said he decided to send Ukraine controversial cluster bombs because Kyiv is ‘running out of ammunition’

Business Insider

Biden said he decided to send Ukraine controversial cluster bombs because Kyiv is ‘running out of ammunition’

Alia Shoaib – July 8, 2023

Joe Biden has agreed to send Ukraine deadly cluster munitions.

He defended his decision and said Ukraine needed them because they were “running out of ammunition.”

The controversial weapons are banned under an international treaty signed by 123 countries, but not the US.

President Joe Biden defended his decision to send Ukraine controversial and deadly cluster munitions, explaining it was because Kyiv was “running out of ammunition” after 500 days of war.

“It was a very difficult decision on my part. And by the way, I discussed this with our allies, I discussed this with our friends up on the Hill,” Biden told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Friday.

“The Ukrainians are running out of ammunition,” he added.

The US finally agreed to send the weapons as part of a new $800 million security assistance package on Friday, following months of requests from Kyiv.

The cluster munitions will be compatible with US-provided 155mm howitzers, which have been a key piece of artillery for Ukrainian forces, CNN reported.

Cluster bombs are particularly dangerous because they break apart into multiple little bombs when fired, some of which do not always explode upon impact. The unexploded ordinance can put civilians at risk for years to come, like landmines.

Experts say cluster bombs will be useful for Ukraine’s forces against well-dug-in Russian trenches amid a grueling counteroffensive.

However, the lethal weapons are highly controversial and are banned under an international treaty signed by 123 countries – but not the US, Russia, and Ukraine.

A casing of a cluster bomb rocket lays on the snow-covered ground in Zarichne on February 6, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images

Human Rights Watch said last year that Russia was actively using cluster bombs in Ukraine and had killed and maimed hundreds of civilians with them.

Biden told Zakaria that the weapons were being sent to Ukraine during a “transition period” until the US is able to produce more 155mm artillery.

“This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it,” Biden said.

“And so, what I finally did, I took the recommendation of the Defense Department to – not permanently – but to allow for this transition period, while we get more 155 weapons, these shells, for the Ukrainians.”

Ukraine launched its much-anticipated counteroffensive to take back territory occupied by Russia in early June, but gains have so far been slow.

Biden said it took him a while “to be convinced” to send cluster bombs, but he ultimately decided Ukraine “needed them.”

Former chief of general staff for the British Army Lord Dannatt said that Biden’s move risks “fracturing” NATO harmony, considering so many NATO countries have banned them.

Responding to Biden’s decision, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak noted on Saturday that the UK was a signatory of the international treaty banning and discouraging their use but said his government would continue to support Ukraine in other ways.

Ukraine told to investigate its use of banned ‘butterfly’ antipersonnel mines

18 PFM-1 in cluster dispenser. Also known as 'butterfly' mines. — 18 PFM-1 in cluster dispenser. Also known as ‘butterfly’ mines.German Army Combat Training Centre Letzlingen 2019/Wikicommons

Last week, Human Rights Watch told Ukraine to investigate the use of banned land mines by the Ukrainian military after new evidence that they had caused civilian casualties was discovered.

The group called for Ukraine to investigate the use of Russian-made PFM-1 antipersonnel mines around the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium between April and September 2022. It said it had evidence of 11 civilian casualties from the mines, including one fatality.

The miniature PFM-1, also known as “butterfly” or “petal” mines, are fired from rockets and scatter indiscriminately on a wide area.

Putin is cannibalizing Russia’s economy as war in Ukraine derails financial order, Yale researchers say

Business Insider

Putin is cannibalizing Russia’s economy as war in Ukraine derails financial order, Yale researchers say

Jennifer Sor – July 8, 2023

putin russia flag — Russia’s President Vladimir Putin speaks at the victory ceremony at an Annual International Vladivostok Jigoro Kano Cadet Judo Tournament at Fetisov Arena, on Day 2 of the 2018 Eastern Economic ForumMikhail Klimentyev\TASS via Getty Images

Putin has begun a “merciless cannibalization” of Russia’s economy, two Yale academics said.
Researchers pointed to the chaos unfolding in Russia as Putin tries to cover the nation’s growing budget deficit.
Russia’s show of economic strength is a “facade,” the researchers said.

Vladimir Putin is ruining his nation’s economy, as the Russian president is derails the financial order in his quest to conquer Ukraine, according to two Yale researchers.

In a recent op-ed for TIME, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, two academics from the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute, pointed to the economic chaos unfolding in Russia as the war in Ukraine drags on.

Though some estimates show that Russia is spending surprisingly little on its “special military operation,” official statistics show that the nation has racked up around a $40 billion budget deficit so far this year, thanks to increased military spending and falling revenue as western sanctions bite into key sectors of its economy.

“Far from the prevailing narrative on how Putin funds his invasion, Putin’s financial lifeline has his merciless cannibalization of Russian economic productivity,” Sonnenfeld and Tian said. “He has been burning the living room furniture to fuel his battles in Ukraine, but that is now starting to backfire amidst a deafening silence and dearth of public support.”

Putin, for his part, has tried to shore up more money as the war effort continues, but has done so in ways that have largely ignored Russia’s fiscal responsibilities, the researchers said. That includes measures like printing record volumes of Russia’s ruble “out of thin air,” forcing institutions to buy “near-worthless” Russian debt assets, hefty windfall taxes on “basically anything that moves,” and taking billions out from Russia’s sovereign wealth fund to square the nation’s finances.

Those measures have contributed to the flight of millionaires and everyday workers, who have left the country to look for better opportunities, significantly hurting the nation’s output and productivity. And though Putin has made a show of Russia’s economic strength, his actions have only bought Russia more time, researchers warned.

“That resilience is nothing but a Potemkin façade, sustained not through genuine economic productivity but rather through shaking down the entire country for pennies to direct towards war,” Sonnenfeld and Tian said. “Putin can continue to sustain his invasion of Ukraine this way, but in doing so, continues to rip off his own people. In avoiding outright economic collapse by mortgaging Russia’s future, he grows more unloved by his people and is thus increasingly weakened.

Sonnenfeld and Tian have been critical of the state of Russia’s economy, despite Putin’s attempts to assure the public that Russia is doing just fine. Unpublished statistics from the Kremlin are likely to show a weaker picture of Russia’s economy than the government has led on, Sonnenfeld and Tian said, who previously argued that Russia’s economic figures were merely “cherry-picked” and that its economy was actually imploding.

“Amidst such undisguised plundering of the Russian economy, stripping it down for war toys, it is perhaps no surprise that Prigozhin’s failed putsch this past weekend revealed no lost love for Putin domestically from the Russian populace and elites,” the researchers said.

A parasite in bagged salad was linked to a spike in cases of a stomach bug that can cause explosive diarrhea

Insider

A parasite in bagged salad was linked to a spike in cases of a stomach bug that can cause explosive diarrhea

Serafina Kenny – July 7, 2023

An opened bag of leafy greens and carrot salad — Leafy greens are a common source of food contamination.Getty

A doubling of stomach illnesses in Florida was linked to a parasite.
Cyclosporiasis can cause explosive diarrhea, but usually goes away on its own.
Leafy greens like salad are among the leading causes of food poisoning in the US.

A doubling in cases of a stomach illness in Florida last year was partly linked to people eating bagged salad containing a parasite, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The illness, cyclosporiasis, is caused by a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis, which can spread to humans from food and water contaminated with feces carrying it. In the US, cases are often linked to people ingesting imported fresh produce carrying the parasite, according to the CDC. However, cases have recently been linked to US-grown produce.

There were 513 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in Florida in 2022, double the amount reported the previous year, according to a CDC report published on Thursday. The Florida Department of Health surveyed 457 of these people to find out how they were exposed to the parasite.

Of those, 330 hadn’t travelled internationally, including 200 who had been exposed to prewashed bagged salad in the weeks before they became ill the in spring and summer of 2022. A further 85 of those 200 people (43%) had eaten the same brand of Caesar salad kit from the same grocery store chain, which contained only romaine lettuce.

Genetic testing of stool samples from 211 of the cyclosporiasis patients also traced the illnesses back to bagged salad, but the source of the contamination was not discovered.

Cyclosporiasis can cause diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea

Symptoms of cyclosporiasis include watery diarrhea and sometimes explosive bowel movements, as well as loss of appetite, bloating, stomach pain, nausea, and fatigue, according to the CDC.

The illness can go away by itself in people with healthy immune systems, which can take between a few days to a month if left untreated. Doctors can also prescribe antibiotics to treat the illness, and antidiarrheal medicine can help to lessen the symptoms.

Leafy greens are a common cause of food poisoning

Most bagged salads are safe to eat, but a 2018 CDC study found that between 1998 and 2008, leafy vegetables were the type of produce most likely to cause illness.

This is because there are so many points at which fresh produce can become contaminated before it reaches your plate – including germs from animal poop getting into the water used to keep plants hydrated, in the processing and transportation of the produce, and from unwashed hands picking produce up in grocery stores.

Leafy greens also spoil quicker than other foods, so can go bad even before they are technically out of date. Unlike other foods, they are risky to consume after their use-by date.

You can prevent cyclosporiasis by washing your fresh produce

Anyone can get sick with cyclospoiasis, but handling fresh fruit and vegetables correctly can help prevent it from spreading. This means washing all fresh produce before eating or cooking with it, and refrigerating cut, peeled or cooked produce as soon as possible, the CDC says.

The US government’s FoodKeeper App recommends that you refrigerate bagged leafy greens and consume them within two days of opening.

DeSantis’ veto of electric cars bill cost taxpayers $277 million, critics say

Orlando Sentinel

DeSantis’ veto of electric cars bill cost taxpayers $277 million, critics say

Jeffrey Schweers, Orlando Sentinel – July 7, 2023

Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/TNS

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis was more concerned about Iowa corn farmers than Florida taxpayers when he vetoed a popular bill that could have saved the state $277 million by adding electric vehicles to state and local government fleets, a Democratic critic says.

More EVs would mean less of a demand for ethanol, which is processed from corn grown in states such as Iowa, the expected home to the first presidential caucus next year.

It’s another example of DeSantis putting his own political ambitions to be president over the needs of Floridians, said Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando.

“The Iowa caucus voters who are all about ethanol don’t see electric vehicles as something that is economically in their favor,” Eskamani said. “DeSantis is catering to his Iowa voters, not passing policy for Floridians.”

The electric car bill, SB 284, sponsored by Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Lake Mary, would have required all state and local governments, colleges and universities to buy vehicles based on their lowest lifetime costs. Current law requires such purchases to be based on fuel efficiency.

It ordered the Department of Management Services to make recommendations by July 1, 2024, to state agencies, colleges, universities and local governments about buying electric vehicles and other vehicles powered by renewable fuels.

“It allows us to look at procuring electric vehicles,” Brodeur said. “It doesn’t mean you have to purchase any.”

The governor’s veto last week was perplexing, supporters said. Both the Florida Natural Gas Association and the Sierra Club supported the measure, along with the Advanced Energy United and Electrification Coalition, a group that supports increasing the use of alternative-fuel vehicles.

“It was a common sense, good governance bill. There is nothing in this bill that any person in America should be against,” said former Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Tampa Bay Republican who tried getting similar legislation through last year.

The law could have saved state and local governments $277 million over 15 years by adding more electric vehicles to their fleets, said Michael Weiss, the Florida state lead at Advanced Energy United, a trade association of clean energy companies.

Advanced Energy United and the Electrification Coalition calculated the bill would have saved governments an average of $18,000 per vehicle by switching to an all-electric vehicle fleet, Weiss said. Using the state’s vehicle data provided by the Department of Management Services, they conducted a total cost analysis of the state’s fleet.

“This veto is a baffling decision that will cost Florida taxpayers millions of dollars,” Weiss said. “The Florida Legislature saw the clear economic and taxpayer benefits of a modern and efficient state fleet, but Gov. DeSantis somehow didn’t get the memo.”

It was only a few years ago that DeSantis touted the benefits of electric cars at a news conference announcing the construction of EV charging stations at rest stops along Florida’s Turnpike.

“It’s amazing how much cheaper it is to just charge a vehicle than to fill up a gas tank,” DeSantis said at the time. “And so as technology evolves, we hope that that’ll be reflected in people’s pocketbooks. So we want to make sure we have the infrastructure in place to make that a reality.”

His staff didn’t respond to a request to explain the veto.

The bill passed both chambers of the Legislature with just a single no vote, by Rep. Yvonne Hinson of Gainesville. But it is not likely anyone would even suggest trying to override the veto because of the governor’s immense grip on Tallahassee.

“That’s not going to happen,” Eskamani said.

Eskamani said DeSantis also has put personal politics first with culture war laws such as sexual orientation in schools, banning gay-themed books and drag shows, and making it harder for unions to collect dues.

She and other Democrats have pointed out problems such as soaring insurance premiums and a spike in housing costs that go unsolved.

“Not a single part of his agenda that passed is helping Floridians,” she said. “His agenda is tailored to the needs of Republican [primary and caucus voters].”