Daily Archives: February 10, 2021

Hilltown internet coverage is expanding, but affordability is still a concern – The Altamont Enterprise

Posted: February 10, 2021 at 1:21 pm

HILLTOWNS Some Hilltown residents are now able to sign up for satellite internet service provided by the SpaceX program Starlink as part of a massive service expansion subsidized by the Federal Communications Commission, but steep sign-up costs and monthly subscription fees may prevent people from getting online, highlighting the importance of affordability.

Coverage is primarily available in Rensselaerville, while coverage in Knox, Westerlo, and Berne is projected to be available by the end of the year, according to the Starlink website.

SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk in 2002 with the goal of reducing the cost of space transportation so that Mars can be colonized. In 2015, Musk announced the development of Starlink, a satellite constellation, to provide broadband internet service.

When The Enterprise first reported on the FCCs subsidization program in December, all that was known was that companies who secured contracts with the FCC had 10 years to expand their services to areas deemed underserved, or else they would lose the portion of the $20 billion they received and have to pay back whatever amount they used.

These first steps toward service expansion come as frustrations mount in the Hilltowns over the failure of higher levels of government to establish the necessary infrastructure. Internet connection has become more crucial as the COVID-19 pandemic forces some families to work, learn, and attend local government meetings from home.

At its Jan. 20 meeting, the Berne Town Board authorized Supervisor Sean Lyons to write a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo demanding that the state follow up on promises to enhance rural broadband access.

Lyons suggests in his letter that internet access will be important in combating stereotypes he says have been associated with the Hilltowns since at least his childhood, when his father worked under supervisors at General Electric who claimed employees from the remote Hilltowns were not suited for professional work and instead just laborers.

Every day our youth fall behind the rest of the connected world, Lyons writes in the letter. Will our youth be labeled for labor only without the proper tools and access to make them competitive? The [Berne-Knox-Westerlo] school district has been deploying buses with Wi-Fi hot spots to multiple locations in the Hilltowns to allow our children to connect with their classes and teachers.

The state began subsidizing internet service expansion in 2015, when it launched a three-phase Broadband for All program that would provide nearly $750 million in private and public funds dedicated to coverage.

Lyons told The Enterprise this week that his home on Bradt Hollow Road was meant to be covered in the third phase of the program, the awards for which were announced in 2018, but that hes yet to see any benefit nearly three years later, even though fiber-optic cables were installed last summer.

They call it a success, Lyons said in an email. I say not yet. I live in one of the most rural parts of Berne and Albany county and have had fiber optic broadband service hanging on the pole outside my house since early summer as part of this phase 3, and am still not even being offered connection plans?

In Westerlo, Planning Board Chairwoman Dotty Verch, who also heads the towns broadband committee, said at a town board meeting earlier this month that shed been in contact with state Senator Michelle Hincheys office and indicated that Hinchey would be getting involved in expansion efforts, though Westerlo Supervisor Bill Bichteman voiced some pessimism about the chance of any meaningful progress.

What Im concerned about, Bichteman said, is that were going to get the token response, and whatll end up happening is the next populated area will be a short segment and its never going to be enough to do the total amount we have to do. Anything is better than nothing, but it just seems they dont really want to attack it like a real problem.

Join my frustration, Bill, Verch replied.

Part of the problem in getting money for broadband coverage lies in the way the government measures access, according to Hudson Valley Wireless General Manager Jason Guzzo, who explained to The Enterprise last year that existing coverage is measured by census block. But because census blocks in rural areas are relatively large, whole swaths of a town can be considered covered even if only one household in that block has internet capabilities.

Identifying partially served census blocks is very difficult without local knowledge of the community, Guzzo said at the time. Some homes with long driveways may have cable passing by the mailbox and cant afford to extend service to the house.

In Rensselaerville, the towns broadband committee developed a survey with the help of Boston University to better locate coverage gaps, though the committee has decided to prioritize lobbying on already-available data, which indicates that more than half of the parcels in Rensselaerville are without access, committee Chairman Hans Soderquist told The Enterprise in January.

While SpaceX appears on track to address issues of coverage, affordability is still an obstacle in the Hilltowns, where the poverty rate hovers around 6 percent, according to census data.

According to pre-pandemic 2018 data from the State Education Department, 32 percent of BKW students are eligible for free lunches and 6 percent are eligible for reduced-price lunches, an indicator of poverty.

To use Starlinks satellite service, residents will have to front $500 for the necessary hardware, as well as shipping and tax, which bring the total sign-up cost to nearly $600. Service will cost $99 per month, which is nearly twice as expensive as the cheapest rate advertised by Hudson Valley Wireless.

On Jan. 12, Cuomo announced his intent to propose legislation that would require internet service providers to supply connection to low-income families for $15 per month. However, Cuomo failed to sign legislation state lawmakers passed that would study and map the current state of internet affordability in the state, claiming that the $3 million cost of the project wasnt covered in the 2021 budget although he added it would be part of budget discussions.

Internet affordability at least for those who teach or are in school is also a focus of FCC Acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, who is considering an expansion of the commissions E-Rate program.

The E-Rate program currently makes telecommunications and information services more affordable for schools and libraries, according to the FCC website, but some lawmakers have called on the commission to include residential offerings in the program.

Last March, before Rosenworcel was acting chair, she indicated support for E-Rate expansion in a Verge op-ed.

With schools closing and learning migrating online, Rosenworcel wrote, this is the right moment to adjust FCC rules to expand how we think about internet access and the traditional classroom.

When asked last month whether he felt it was affordability or infrastructure that prevented Rensselaerville residents from securing access, Soderquist said that while coverage is a massive issue, affordability is absolutely a concern not solved merely by improving coverage.

Here is the original post:
Hilltown internet coverage is expanding, but affordability is still a concern - The Altamont Enterprise

Posted in Mars Colonization | Comments Off on Hilltown internet coverage is expanding, but affordability is still a concern – The Altamont Enterprise

Cybernauts Called to PLANETXXI to Save Planet Earth – Send2Press Newswire

Posted: at 1:21 pm

CHICAGO, Ill., Feb. 8, 2021 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) PLANETXXI, an exoplanet and mirror to Earth, has recently picked up chatter and cries for help to save planet Earth. Their voices were heard in CyberCity, PLANETXXIs satellite communications center saying that planet Earth is in trouble. Sandra Snowden, Founder of PLANETXXI LLC and newly launched online entertainment broadcasting website, PLANETXXITV.com, says she and her company are ready to help save planet earth.

PHOTO CAPTION: Celestina Xi at PLANETXXI CyberCity.

Through her cosmic character aka Celestina Xi, Ambassador from PLANETXXI, she is sending out an SOS to recruit a new generation of futurists and visionaries Cybernauts. Together, they will work to solve Earths environmental crisis and save the planet.

Concerned students are afraid that the future of the planet is grim and they are looking for ways to help. Becoming a PLANETXXI Cybernaut is one way to be a catalyst for change.

While NASA has astronauts travel the universe on space missions, PLANETXXI Cybernauts zoom at warp speed into cyberspace from CyberCity and connect with their counterparts in a Think Tank of Tomorrow where theyre challenged to create The First Eco City of the Future on PLANETXXI.

Using a blank canvas, students can Dare to Dream Big on their vision quest and design the kind of sustainable, and eco-friendly world they would like to live in and inherit. This eco-city will be their future. Through their illustrations, inventions, and innovation, PLANETXXI Cybernauts can change the paradigm and the course of history. They can also showcase their ideas and videos for all the world to see on PLANETXXI TVs YouTube Channel.

This is no time to stand on the sidelines and watch others take control of your future. Space greats already have plans to build cities on Mars and to create colonized habitats in space so people will have a safe place to live as Earth becomes more and more uninhabitable, Celestina says.

Celestina agrees that as the climate clock ticks, planet Earth may cease to exist by 2100 and believes that together, a sustainable future can be achieved on Earth and PLANETXXI.

Shes calling all futurists and visionaries, especially Generation Zers, to become part of the mission. In addition, teachers and classrooms are also invited to join PLANETXXI Cyber Schools of the Future in helping to create a new eco-friendly planet at: http://www.planetxxitv.com/.

Cybernauts will receive membership to Club PLANETXXI, along with a virtual passport giving them access to participate in all cyber events and virtual activities in CyberCity. Cyber Kids of the Future can also become a Cyber Pal to planet Earth and PLANETXXI. (PLANETXXI is COPPA compliant)

For more information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PLANETxxi-104345174620968

VIDEO YouTube: https://youtu.be/X7ryR8X0xOM

GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/planetxxi-cyber-school-of-future

*PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0208s2p-celestinaxi-300dpi.jpg

*Caption: Celestina Xi at PLANETXXI CyberCity.

News Source: PLANETXXI LLC

See original here:
Cybernauts Called to PLANETXXI to Save Planet Earth - Send2Press Newswire

Posted in Mars Colonization | Comments Off on Cybernauts Called to PLANETXXI to Save Planet Earth – Send2Press Newswire

Police find wild cat native to Africa in North Las Vegas – FOX5 Las Vegas

Posted: at 1:20 pm

'); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append('"+val.ihtml+""); $("#expandable-weather-block .weather-index-alerts").show(); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body h2").css({"font-family":"'Fira Sans', sans-serif", "font-weight":"500", "padding-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body p").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body span.wxalertnum").css({"float":"left", "width":"40px", "height":"40px", "color":"#ffffff", "line-height":"40px", "background-color":"#888888", "border-radius":"40px", "text-align":"center", "margin-right":"12px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body b").css("font-size", "18px"); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body li").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"18px", "margin-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body ul").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body pre").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body img").css({"width":"100%", "margin-bottom":"20px", "borderWidth":"1px", "border-style":"solid", "border-color":"#aaaaaa"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).css({"borderWidth":"0", "border-bottom-width":"1px", "border-style":"dashed", "border-color":"#aaaaaa", "padding-bottom":"10px", "margin-bottom":"40px"}); }); } function parseAlertJSON(json) { console.log(json); alertCount = 0; if (Object.keys(json.alerts).length > 0) { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").empty(); } $.each(json.alerts, function(key, val) { alertCount++; $("#mrd-wx-alerts .alert_count").text(alertCount); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").append(''); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } else if (val.fips != "" && val.fipsimg != "") { // $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } // } //val.instr = val.instr.replace(/[W_]+/g," "); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(val.dhtml+"

Instruction

Originally posted here:

Police find wild cat native to Africa in North Las Vegas - FOX5 Las Vegas

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Police find wild cat native to Africa in North Las Vegas – FOX5 Las Vegas

Suspect in deadly Las Vegas police shooting had other run-ins with police – FOX5 Las Vegas

Posted: at 1:20 pm

'); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append('"+val.ihtml+""); $("#expandable-weather-block .weather-index-alerts").show(); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body h2").css({"font-family":"'Fira Sans', sans-serif", "font-weight":"500", "padding-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body p").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body span.wxalertnum").css({"float":"left", "width":"40px", "height":"40px", "color":"#ffffff", "line-height":"40px", "background-color":"#888888", "border-radius":"40px", "text-align":"center", "margin-right":"12px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body b").css("font-size", "18px"); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body li").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"18px", "margin-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body ul").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body pre").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body img").css({"width":"100%", "margin-bottom":"20px", "borderWidth":"1px", "border-style":"solid", "border-color":"#aaaaaa"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).css({"borderWidth":"0", "border-bottom-width":"1px", "border-style":"dashed", "border-color":"#aaaaaa", "padding-bottom":"10px", "margin-bottom":"40px"}); }); } function parseAlertJSON(json) { console.log(json); alertCount = 0; if (Object.keys(json.alerts).length > 0) { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").empty(); } $.each(json.alerts, function(key, val) { alertCount++; $("#mrd-wx-alerts .alert_count").text(alertCount); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").append(''); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } else if (val.fips != "" && val.fipsimg != "") { // $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } // } //val.instr = val.instr.replace(/[W_]+/g," "); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(val.dhtml+"

Instruction

Read more:

Suspect in deadly Las Vegas police shooting had other run-ins with police - FOX5 Las Vegas

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Suspect in deadly Las Vegas police shooting had other run-ins with police – FOX5 Las Vegas

Mary Wilson, founding member of The Supremes, dies in Las Vegas – FOX5 Las Vegas

Posted: at 1:20 pm

'); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append('"+val.ihtml+""); $("#expandable-weather-block .weather-index-alerts").show(); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body h2").css({"font-family":"'Fira Sans', sans-serif", "font-weight":"500", "padding-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body p").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body span.wxalertnum").css({"float":"left", "width":"40px", "height":"40px", "color":"#ffffff", "line-height":"40px", "background-color":"#888888", "border-radius":"40px", "text-align":"center", "margin-right":"12px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body b").css("font-size", "18px"); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body li").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"18px", "margin-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body ul").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body pre").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body img").css({"width":"100%", "margin-bottom":"20px", "borderWidth":"1px", "border-style":"solid", "border-color":"#aaaaaa"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).css({"borderWidth":"0", "border-bottom-width":"1px", "border-style":"dashed", "border-color":"#aaaaaa", "padding-bottom":"10px", "margin-bottom":"40px"}); }); } function parseAlertJSON(json) { console.log(json); alertCount = 0; if (Object.keys(json.alerts).length > 0) { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").empty(); } $.each(json.alerts, function(key, val) { alertCount++; $("#mrd-wx-alerts .alert_count").text(alertCount); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").append(''); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } else if (val.fips != "" && val.fipsimg != "") { // $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } // } //val.instr = val.instr.replace(/[W_]+/g," "); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(val.dhtml+"

Instruction

See the original post:

Mary Wilson, founding member of The Supremes, dies in Las Vegas - FOX5 Las Vegas

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Mary Wilson, founding member of The Supremes, dies in Las Vegas – FOX5 Las Vegas

Senators to hear opening arguments as Trump fumes over trial – Las Vegas Sun

Posted: at 1:20 pm

Gerald Herbert / AP

President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 in Washington. The President is traveling toTexas.

By Lisa Mascaro, Eric Tucker, Mary Clare Jalonick and Jill Colvin, Associated Press

Published Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021 | 11:55 p.m.

Updated 12 minutes ago

WASHINGTON Prosecutors in Donald Trumps impeachment trial said Wednesday they would prove that Trump was no innocent bystander but the inciter in chief of the deadly attack at the Capitol aimed at overturning his election loss to Joe Biden.

Opening the first full day of arguments, the lead House prosecutor said they will lay out evidence that shows the president encouraged a rally crowd to head to the Capitol, then did nothing to stem the violence and watched with glee" as a mob stormed the iconic building. Five people died.

To us it may have felt like chaos and madness, but there was method to the madness that day, said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md.

The day's proceedings were unfolding after an emotional Tuesday start to the trial that left the f ormer president fuming after his attorneys delivered a meandering defense and failed to halt the trial on constitutional grounds. Some allies called for yet another shakeup to his legal team.

Trump is the first president to face an impeachment trial after leaving office and the first to be twice impeached. The riot followed a rally during which Trump urged his supporters to fight like hell, words his lawyers say were simply a figure of speech. He is charged with incitement of insurrection.

Senators, many of whom fled for safety the day of the attack, watched Tuesdays graphic videos of the Trump supporters who battled past police to storm the halls, Trump flags waving. More video is expected Wednesday, including some that hasnt been seen before.

House Democratic prosecutors on Wednesday plan to use Capitol security footage that hasnt been publicly released before as they argue that Trump incited the insurrection, according to Democratic aides working on the case.

Security remains extremely tight at the Capitol, fenced off with razor wire and patrolled by National Guard troops.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden would not be watching the trial.

Joe Biden is the president, hes not a pundit, hes not going to opine on back and forth arguments, she said.

The House impeachment managers described police officers maimed in the chaos and rioters parading in the very chamber where the trial was being held. Trumps team countered that the Constitution doesnt allow impeachment at this late date.

Thats a legal issue that could resonate with Senate Republicans eager to acquit Trump without being seen as condoning his behavior.

Lead defense lawyer Bruce Castor said he shifted his planned approach after hearing the prosecutors emotional opening and instead spoke conversationally to the senators, saying Trumps team would denounce the repugnant attack and in the strongest possible way denounce the rioters. He appealed to the senators as patriots first, and encouraged them to be cool headed as they assessed the arguments.

Trump attorney David Schoen turned the trial toward starkly partisan tones, arguing the Democrats were fueled by a base hatred of the former president.

Republicans made it clear that they were unhappy with Trumps defense, many of them saying they didnt understand where it was going particularly Castors opening. Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted with Democrats to move forward with the trial, said that Trumps team did a terrible job. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who also voted with Democrats, said she was perplexed. Sen. Lisa Murkowki of Alaska said it was a missed opportunity for the defense.

Six Republicans joined with Democrats to vote to proceed with the trial, but the 56-44 vote was far from the two-thirds threshold of 67 votes that would be needed for conviction.

At one pivotal point, Raskin told his personal story of bringing his family to the Capitol that day to witness the certification of the Electoral College vote, only to have his daughter and son-in-law hiding in an office, fearing for their lives.

Senators, this cannot be our future, Raskin said through tears. This cannot be the future of America.

The House prosecutors had argued there is no January exception for a president to avoid impeachment on his way out the door. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., referred to the corruption case of William Belknap, a war secretary in the Grant administration, who was impeached, tried and ultimately acquitted by the Senate after leaving office.

If Congress stands by, it would invite future presidents to use their power without any fear of accountability," he said.

It appears unlikely that the House prosecutors will call witnesses, and Trump has declined a request to testify. The trial is expected to continue into the weekend.

Trump's second impeachment trial is expected to diverge from the lengthy, complicated affair of a year ago. In that case, Trump was charged with having privately pressured Ukraine to dig up dirt on Biden, then a Democratic rival for the presidency.

This time, Trump's stop the steal rally rhetoric and the storming of the Capitol played out for the world to see.

The Democratic-led House impeached the president swiftly, one week after the attack.

Read the rest here:

Senators to hear opening arguments as Trump fumes over trial - Las Vegas Sun

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Senators to hear opening arguments as Trump fumes over trial – Las Vegas Sun

Americans must be better than this cynical desensitization to violence – Las Vegas Sun

Posted: at 1:20 pm

Seth Wenig / AP

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a news conference in the Queens borough of New York, Monday, Feb. 8,2021.

Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 | 2 a.m.

Theres bullying, and then theres the right-wing hate machines abuse of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

In falsely claiming that Ocasio-Cortez reported being inside the Capitol during the attack and then ridiculing her based on an equally false claim that shed exaggerated the danger she faced, the partys extremists and their allies in far-right media have once again revealed that theres no limit to their cruelty, bigotry and capacity to poison Americans with misinformation.

Here are the facts: In an Instagram Live video posted Feb. 2, the New York congresswoman said she was in her office in the Cannon House Office Building, situated on the Capitol complex, as the violence took place. She heard several loud bangs on the door, along with someone shouting Where is she? A staff member advised her to hide, and she did so in her office bathroom. As it turned out, the voice belonged to a police officer who was carrying out orders to evacuate the building. Ocasio-Cortez was taken to another building, where she hid out again in a colleagues office.

Recounting the trauma of the experience, her voice quivering with emotion, she revealed that she was a survivor of sexual assault earlier in her life.

Immediately, the GOP extremists ganged up on her. And theyve been at it ever since, piling on falsehoods and further victimizing Ocasio-Cortez. On TV news programs and in social media posts shared by hundreds of thousands of people, they mocked her for making up an imaginary mob and compared her to actor Jussie Smollett, who was accused of staging a hate crime against himself in 2019.

AOC wasnt even in the Capitol Building during her near-death experience. One big lie, read a Facebook post viewed more than 100,000 times, according to the Associated Press.

The editorial cartoonist of a local news publication not the Sun even got in on the hatred this week with a cartoon in which a garishly drawn version of Ocasio-Cortez talks about nearly dying from a paper cut she received while looking at a map showing the Cannon building a half-mile away from the Capitol.

Never mind that the Cannon building was evacuated, as already noted. Or that its connected to the Capitol by tunnels that allow lawmakers easy access. Or that one of the people arrested in connection to the violence tweeted assassinate AOC, according to federal prosecutors not to mention similar posts that reportedly went up on Parler before it was shut down.

Lets state what should be obvious: Theres nothing funny about Ocasio-Cortezs experience that day.

This is someone who has faced death threats regularly throughout her service in Congress, after the GOP made her one of its biggest punching bags over her progressive policies and undoubtedly over her gender and ethnicity as well. These werent idle threats, either, as evidenced by the high-profile 2019 arrest of a Coast Guard lieutenant and white nationalist who allegedly included her on a list of progressives he planned to execute with an arsenal of weapons he had stockpiled. As Ocasio-Cortez told Vanity Fair, the abuse eventually spread to people around her: her mother, brother and even her former dean at Boston University were targeted.

Then came the Jan. 6 riot, the Feb. 2 video and the massive campaign to discredit her.

This reveals something especially sinister about the far right and not just the violent groups in its midst, like the Proud Boys and white supremacists, but also the propagandists for the likes of One America News Network and Breitbart News, and others who post and share abusive information online.

Far from condemning the violence or expressing sympathy to those who were traumatized, these forces are continuing to fan the hatreds that led to the insurrection. Ocasio-Cortez isnt alone in that regard, as extremists have continued to vilify any number of others in Democratic Party leadership and even members of their own party who have failed to show complete loyalty to former President Donald Trump.

To the many responsible members of the Republican Party, this should serve as a call to action. Its time to counter your partys lies with truth, support rational candidates and stop the extremism that has grown malignant in the GOP. Its not too early to start gearing up for the 2022 primaries now, by making plans to run for office or by encouraging your moderate friends to do so. Then help drive turnout to the primary among middle-of-the-road Republicans so that those candidates can beat back the extremists.

America needs a sane and respectable Republican Party. Democracy thrives when groups with opposing views come together to hash out their differences and construct policy.

But a GOP that doubles down on the horrors of Jan. 6 by re-victimizing survivors and continuing to foment anti-government hatred will only cause more destruction.

Read more:

Americans must be better than this cynical desensitization to violence - Las Vegas Sun

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Americans must be better than this cynical desensitization to violence – Las Vegas Sun

Germany to let citizens store ID cards on smartphone – Las Vegas Sun

Posted: at 1:20 pm

Published Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 | 9:46 a.m.

Updated 29 minutes ago

BERLIN (AP) Germany says its citizens will be able to use smartphones to store their government-issued ID cards and prove their identity online.

The move is part of a broader effort to haul Germany's decidedly analogue bureaucracy into the 21st century.

The Interior Ministry said Wednesday that from this fall, citizens will be able to use the electronic ID stored in their smartphones together with a PIN number to prove they are who they claim to be when communicating with authorities or private businesses.

Germans are frequently required to present credit card-sized cards featuring their photo and personal details, such as when applying for benefits, opening bank accounts or registering a vehicle. While there are already ways of doing this online, the physical card and a card reader are currently required.

Separately, the ministry said the Cabinet has agreed on a bill that will make government-generated data openly available to businesses and private individuals where possible, to spur the development of new applications.

Continue reading here:

Germany to let citizens store ID cards on smartphone - Las Vegas Sun

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Germany to let citizens store ID cards on smartphone – Las Vegas Sun

85K applications roll in after Resorts World announced it was hiring – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted: at 1:20 pm

Resorts World has seen a staggering amount of interest since its November announcement that it would be hiring for 6,000 open positions.

The under-construction Strip property has received about 85,000 applications, a testament to the large amount of unemployed and underemployed Nevadans.

(Roughly 14 applications) for every open position reflects the number of people actively looking for work, or better work, than they have now, said Jeremy Aguero, principal of Applied Analysis. (COVID-19) did a lot of damage to the economy. We have a lot of healing to do.

The $4.3 billion property, set to open this year, could be a boon Nevadas economy. Not only will it provide a steady stream of income to thousands of workers, but it also could attract travelers to Las Vegas, according to Aguero.

Scott Sibella, president of Resorts World Las Vegas, said the company is blown away by the number of applicants.

(We) know the hardest part will be choosing from an incredible pool of talented applicants, Sibella said in a statement. The large number of applications shows us just how deeply impacted our city has been amid the pandemic. We are hoping to contribute to Las Vegass rebound and are happy to be getting some people back to work.

Along with Resorts World and its 100,000-square-foot LED screen to look forward to, visitors will also have the new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and the expanded Las Vegas Convention Center to check out.

People love to see the new thing in Las Vegas, Aguero said. Theres just an excitement that comes with it.

Aguero said that the applications indicate many Nevadans are ready to get back to work.

There were about 300,700 leisure and hospitality jobs in Nevada in December, down 14 percent compared with such jobs during the prior year, according to the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

But the pandemics impact on this industry spans nationwide. The U.S. hospitality workforce lost nearly 4 million jobs in 2020, more than 670,000 of which were in direct hotel industry operations, according to the American Hospitality and Lodging Association

Only 200,000 of the direct hotel operations jobs are expected to be filled this year.

The resurgence of COVID-19, emergence of new strains and a slow vaccine rollout have added to the hotel industrys 2021 challenges. It will take months, if not years, fully recover, with half of all U.S. hotel rooms expected to remain empty in 2021.

COVID-19 has wiped out 10 years of hotel job growth,AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers said in a statement last month. Yet the hallmark of hospitality is endless optimism, and I am confident in the future of our industry.

The AHLA expects travel demand to begin a slow rebound this year that will accelerate in 2022.

Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.

Follow this link:

85K applications roll in after Resorts World announced it was hiring - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on 85K applications roll in after Resorts World announced it was hiring – Las Vegas Review-Journal

$325K table game jackpot hits on the Strip – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted: at 1:20 pm

What could be better than celebrating a birthday in Las Vegas on Super Bowl weekend? Winning big very big.

The visitor won a progressive jackpot of $325,651 Friday morning when he hit a royal flush playing Ultimate Texas Hold Em at Planet Hollywood Resort, according to a Caesars Entertainment news release.

The player, who chose to remain anonymous, said he just became a new father and homeowner and will apply the winnings to both endeavors.

Winners across the Las Vegas Valley

California

A $25 wager turned into $10,000 on a video poker machine.

Fremont

An 88-cent spin paid out $12,011.32 on Dancing Drums.

Harrahs Laughlin

Ray and Jaclyn celebrated their recent wedding with a $12,805 jackpot.

Jackpot Joanies

Playing $200 per hand, a patron at the Eastern and Windmill location won $16,000 after four aces came in.

The Orleans

A guest won $10,000 with four 3s and an ace.

The Plaza

Two royal flushes each hit for $20,000.

An 8-spot on Caveman Keno paid out $12,480.

Contact Tony Garcia at tgarcia@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307. Follow @TonyGLVNews on Twitter.

Continue reading here:

$325K table game jackpot hits on the Strip - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on $325K table game jackpot hits on the Strip – Las Vegas Review-Journal