Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Exclusive: Biden's World Bank pick sets ambitious course
Axios | Hans Nichols | 03/29/23

Ajay Banga, President Biden's nominee to lead the World Bank, wants the bank to focus on poverty alleviation and climate change - and warns that the world needs a massive investment from the private sector to adequately address both challenges.

Why it matters: The bank is under pressure from rich countries, and the Biden administration, to do more to fight climate change - but less-developed countries worry it will do so at the expense of its focus on health, education and poverty reduction.

What they're saying: Banga wants the bank to do both. ... Read more

Special counsel scores UNPRECEDENTED win over Trump in court | BTC | 03/29/23 | 16:57

AI and robots fuel new job displacement fears
Axios | Jennifer A. Kingson | 03/29/23

For all the hand-wringing over whether robots will replace human workers, ChatGPT and its ilk - tools known as generative AI - are shaping up to be a big employment threat too.

Why it matters: Robots tend to replace manual laborers, while artificial intelligence threatens knowledge workers - ensuring that people of all education levels can look nervously over their shoulder at the tech gunning for their paycheck.

State of play: Robots' growing sophistication has them starting to work as everything from security guards, window washers and assembly line workers to food deliverers and fry cooks.

They're predicted to soon prove their mettle as warehouse workers, aides to the elderly, pharmacists and more.

At the same time, AI software and large language models (LLMs) - including ChatGPT - may soon be able to do all manner of jobs, blending into society in ways that aren't clear yet. ... Read more

Nashville school shooting: Suspect 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, legally bought 7 guns before attack on Christian school | FoxNews | 03/28/23 | 2:36

Nashville school shooting video released by police | LiveNOW from FOX | 5:02

Americans hooked on Chinese apps
Axios | Sara Fischer | 03/27/23

The standoff between the U.S. government and TikTok underscores a growing problem for policymakers: Chinese apps are booming in America, but most U.S. apps aren't able to operate in China.

Why it matters: Mobile apps are one of the most powerful vectors for expanding trade and exporting soft power, given how widely accessible they are, how much time is spent on them, and how little regulatory oversight there is online. ... Read more

Iraq War Veterans, 20 Years Later: 'I Don't Know How to Explain the War to Myself' | Op-Docs | 03/21/23 | 17:16

How To Start A War And Get Away With It | Backspace | 03/17/23 | 17:04

Bibi inches closer to pausing judicial overhaul after deal with far-right minister
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/27/23

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu inched closer to officially pausing his coalition's judicial overhaul legislation on Monday after making a deal with far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who had threatened to resign if the plan was suspended.

Why it matters: Israel, including its economy, has faced instability and an unprecedented political and social crisis since the plan to weaken the country's Supreme Court was announced in January. ... Read more

Terror in Europe: Investigating the 2015-16 Wave of Deadly Attacks | PBS Frontline | 03/12/23 | 53:18

The Iraq Invasion 20 Years Later: It Was Indeed a Big Lie that Launched the Catastrophic War
MotherJones.com | David Corn | 03/20/23

Bush and Cheney were not misled by flawed intelligence; they were promoting false information.

Before there was Donald Trump's Big Lie, there was George W. Bush's Big Lie.

Twenty years ago this week, Bush and his sidekick Vice President Dick Cheney launched a war against Iraq. They greased the way to this tragic conflagration with the false claims that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein possessed an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction that directly threatened the United States, and that he was in league with al Qaeda, the perpetrators of the horrific September 11 attack. Their invasion, which led to the deaths of over 4,000 American soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians—and the violence and instability in the region that resulted in ISIS—is now widely considered to have been a strategic blunder of immense proportions. Three months before he died in 2018, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz), a leading advocate of the war and the post-invasion troop surge, published his final book, The Restless Wave, which included a self-damning verdict: "The principal reason for invading Iraq, that Saddam [Hussein] had WMD, was wrong. The war, with its cost in lives and treasure and security, can't be judged as anything other than a mistake, a very serious one, and I have to accept my share of the blame for it." ... Read more

From Bush to Blix: what happened to the key figures in the Iraq war?
TheGUardian | Julian Borger | 03/23/23

George W Bush - US president who ordered invasion of Iraq has turned to painting.

The 43rd US president, who ordered the invasion of Iraq, has not had anything to say about the decision on the 20th anniversary. Now 76, Bush and his wife, Laura, have moved from their ranch in Crawford, Texas, to a suburb of Dallas near Southern Methodist University, where a George W Bush Institute has been established.

He appears to lead a life of contentment, painting, playing golf, watching baseball, hosting barbecues and making occasional paid speeches.

The last time he talked about Iraq in public it was by mistake, in a speech last year in Dallas, where he railed against the "decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq". Whoops! "I mean Ukraine." ... Read more

Why Russia's Biggest Threat is Actually China | RealLifeLore | 03/01/23 | 36:20

Why everybody's talking about deposit insurance
Axios | Neil Irwin | 03//22/23

Walk into any bank branch in America, and you will likely see a sign that says, in big letters, "FDIC" - that would be the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - and "each depositor insured to at least $250,000."

The "at least" part is taking on new meaning as a banking crisis unfurls.

Why it matters: The Biden administration and financial regulators are sending every signal they can that no U.S. bank depositors - even those with more than the $250,000 federal insurance cap specified in federal law — will lose money in a bank failure.

They are trying to avert a cascading series of bank runs if people withdraw their money from smaller banks en masse.

But in the process, they are setting a precedent with potentially long-lasting consequences and thin legal authority. ... Read more

Until bankers have more to lose themselves, collapses like SVB and Credit Suisse will keep happening
TheGUardian | Natacha Postel-Vinay | 03/21/23

Executives at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Credit Suisse took substantial risks. SVB proactively expanded the bank's deposits, some might say excessively. These depositors were uninsured and undiversified. And back when interest rates were low, the bank invested significantly in US government bonds, which was fine at the time. But when there were signs that interest rates were rising and creating substantial interest rate risk, managers left this portfolio unhedged and unchanged. How come SVB managers took those risks? It seemed that they lacked "skin in the game".

The risks taken by executives at Credit Suisse were of a different nature, but still substantial. By becoming involved in such companies as the now defunct Greensill and Archegos, the bank's capital took a hit. The fines it has accrued after facing scandal after scandal have also bitten into its capital. It can be said that those involved also lacked "skin in the game". ... Read more

Have We Made ANY Progress on Climate Change? Here's The Data | PBS Terra | 01/01/23 | 13:47

Drug shortages upend hospitals care, cancer treatments
Axios | Tina Reed | 03/21/23

Supplies of some essential drugs used in hospitals are hitting 10-year lows, forcing rationing and pharmacy workarounds.

Driving the news: Drug shortages are the worst they've been in a decade, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists - a sign of how much we rely on low-margin manufacturers with limited capacity for basics like the inhalation drug albuterol and some common cancer treatments.

What they're saying: Quality control issues, selected plant closures and other manufacturing woes have added up, Michael Ganio, senior director of pharmacy, practice and quality at ASHP told Axios.

Between the lines: Oncology drugs have been hit particularly hard in recent months, putting experts on high alert.

Those in short supply include methotrexate, an injectable chemotherapy drug, and one of several generics produced by Illinois-based Akorn Pharmaceuticals, which shuttered operations last month due to bankruptcy.

Manufacturing delays and increased demand have also led to shortages of the cancer treatments cisplatin, and fluorouracil, per ASHP. ... Read more

What Putin and Xi each get out of their "friendship"
Axios | Dave Lawler | 03/21/23

Chinese President Xi Jinping is signaling solidarity with his "dear friend" Vladimir Putin this week in Moscow — a visit that also underscores Russia's reliance on China to keep its economy and war machine running.

Why it matters: China has helped shield Russia from Western efforts to isolate it following the invasion of Ukraine, significantly increased imports of Russian oil, and become an even more crucial source for Russia of key inputs like microchips.

The visit follows warnings from Washington that Xi might start backing the Russian war effort with weapons — claims Beijing denies.

Thus far, China has not openly breached Western sanctions or provided arms to Russia. In fact, Beijing is attempting to position itself as a mediator. ... Read more

TANF: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 03/20/23 | 22:44

UN report: Window for limiting global warming is closing
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 03/20/23

A stark new U.N. climate change report warns that humanity stands at the precipice of a more dangerous world, but says it has the tools needed to pull back from the brink.

Driving the news: The final installment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) sixth assessment report amounts to scientists's final warning issued when the world still has a chance to limit global warming's severity to the Paris Agreement's targets.

By the time the next IPCC assessment report is issued in five to seven years, the report suggests that human actions may have rendered the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target, and possibly even its 2°C benchmark, infeasible.

"There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all," the report's summary for policy makers states.

"The choices and actions implemented in this decade will have impacts now and for thousands of years." ... Read more

Age of Easy Money | FrontLine | 03/15/23 | 1:53:17

Silicon Valley Bank's former parent files for Chapter 11
Axios | Michael Flaherty & Dan Primack | 03/17/23

Silicon Valley Bank's former parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday, a week after the U.S. government took over its commercial bank that teetered from a run on deposits.

Why it matters: The move is an effort to preserve value for the remaining businesses that sit within parent holding company SVB Financial Group.

The filing comes after a group of investors purchased holding company bonds and pushed for the bankruptcy process.

State of play: The FDIC is managing the commercial bank, SVB, and still seeking a buyer in a separate process. ... Read more

Age of Easy Money | FrontLine | 03/15/23 | 1:53:17

Two Americas Index: Ukraine divides conservatives
Axios | Margaret Talev | 03/16/23

Four in five Republicans want the U.S. to remain the world's leading power - but fewer than half support giving Ukraine weapons and financial support to try to save itself from Russia, according to the latest wave of the Axios-Ipsos Two Americas Index.

Why it matters: These conflicting findings come amid a diplomatic crisis after Russia forced down a U.S. drone above the Black Sea - and a GOP identity crisis shaping the 2024 presidential race. ... Read more

Evictions have returned to - or exceeded - pre-pandemic levels
Axios | Alex Fitzpatrick & Kavya Beheraj | 03/16/23

The rate of eviction filings has returned to or exceeded pre-pandemic levels in many U.S. cities in recent months, amid the historically high cost of housing and other basic necessities.

That's according to data from the Eviction Lab - a Princeton University project aiming to fill an "information hole in the center of the evictions crisis" by collecting data from court filings and other sources, research specialist Jacob Haas told Axios.

Driving the news: Sweeping local and national eviction moratoriums helped keep many families in their homes through the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With those moratoriums long since over, many Americans are once again exposed to the threat of displacement - especially as high rent costs have renters spending a record share of their paychecks on their monthly housing bills. ... Read more

When "scary good" AI gets even better
Axios | Ina Fried | 03/15/23

With Tuesday's release of OpenAI's new GPT-4, generative AI just got a lot more powerful - and we got a fresh reminder of just how unprepared we are to deal with these new machines.

Why it matters: The amazing computer systems that can now ace standardized tests and maybe even do your taxes are still disturbingly prone to errors, bias and hallucinations.

Details: GPT-4 is an updated, significantly more powerful version of the engine that powers OpenAI's ChatGPT.

While ChatGPT could score in the 10th percentile on the standard bar exam taken by lawyers, OpenAI says GPT-4 can score in the 90th percentile. GPT-4 is also able to pass most AP exams, OpenAI said. ... Read more

Why failed Silicon Valley Bank was an outlier
Axios | Felix Salmon | 03/15/23

At most banks, roughly half of all deposits are uninsured. Silicon Valley Bank was not most banks.

By the numbers: At the end of the fourth quarter, a whopping 93.9% of its domestic deposits were uninsured, per an analysis from S&P Global. Signature Bank, which also failed last week, had a similarly high 89.7% ratio of uninsured deposits.

Why it matters: A bank whose deposits are insured by the FDIC is largely immune from a bank run. After all, insured deposits are safe even if the bank fails. ... Read more

"Potent" atmospheric river hits California with flooding as thousands evacuate
Axios | Sareen Habeshian | 03/15/23

The latest atmospheric river to lash California has unleashed more historic rainfall, heavy snow and flash flooding across the state - as forecasters warn the worst was yet to come on Wednesday.

The big picture: An estimated 27,000 people were under evacuation orders and thousands more were affected by evacuation warnings amid flooding and landslide concerns. Dozens of flood watches, warnings and advisories were issued across the Golden State.

The National Weather Service said the "potent storm" that ramped up Tuesday was "expected to produce heavy mountain snow and gusty winds from the Sierra to the central/northern Rockies" through Wednesday. ... Read more

Let the bailout debate begin
Axios | Felix Salmon | 03/13/23

For roughly 77 hours, between noon ET on Friday and 6pm on Sunday, a chorus of Silicon Valley bigwigs and elected leaders called vocally for uninsured depositors of Silicon Valley Bank to be made whole — to be bailed out by the federal government. In the end, they got what they wanted.

Why it matters: The Biden administration is pushing back hard on the idea that this was a bailout. "No losses associated with the resolution of Silicon Valley Bank will be borne by the taxpayer," says the official statement from Treasury, the Fed, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Many won't be convinced.

How it works: When a bank fails, depositors are made whole by the FDIC insurance fund. The insurance only covers deposits up to $250,000, although there are plenty of workarounds that allow depositors to effectively buy much more FDIC insurance than that.

For roughly 77 hours, between noon ET on Friday and 6pm on Sunday, a chorus of Silicon Valley bigwigs and elected leaders called vocally for uninsured depositors of Silicon Valley Bank to be made whole — to be bailed out by the federal government. In the end, they got what they wanted. ... Read more

Next atmospheric river aims at rain-soaked California as floodwaters rise
Axios | Rebecca Falconer & Andrew Freedman | 03/13/23

California faces another atmospheric river event Monday through Wednesday that forecasters warn will bring heavy rains and mountain snow to much of the state- as officials continued to respond to the last deadly storm.

Threat level: As rain fell over parts of Northern and Central California over Sunday night, officials warned the next atmospheric river could hit areas inundated by flooding in the earlier storm - notably in Monterey County, where the California National Guard helped rescue 56 people after the Pajaro River's levee breached early Saturday.

Patrick Ayd, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the Los Angeles Times "we have very saturated soils, which will make us even more prone to flooding." ... Read more

BILL MOYERS JOURNAL | William K. Black | PBS | 2010 | 28:31

BILL MOYERS JOURNAL | William K. Black on Fraud | PBS | 2011

TANF: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 03/12/23 | 22:44

Silicon Valley's burning bank
Axios | Dan Primack | 03/10/23

Silicon Valley Bank appears to have imploded within 24 hours, leaving Silicon Valley in a state of shock.

Why it matters: SVB is a cornerstone of the tech and life sciences startup economy. It's also America's 16th largest bank, and its failure would be the biggest since Washington Mutual.

Yes, failure feels like a real option right now. Banks rely as much on confidence as on capital. Fairness has nothing to do with it.

A more likely scenario is that a large bank like JPMorgan, or even Bank of America, steps up to buy or backstop SVB at a firesale price.

Timeline: Yesterday morning, SVB announced a $2.25 billion balance sheet bolstering plan, after rising interest rates had sparked losses on its Treasury and mortgage-backed securities portfolios. It all felt fairly orderly.

Traders reacted very badly, wiping out more than 60% of SVB's market value. ... Read more

U.S. government takes control of Silicon Valley Bank
Axios | Dan Primack | 03/10/23

U.S. banking regulators on Friday assumed control of Silicon Valley Bank, the country's 16th largest bank and a top financial institution for technology and life sciences companies.

The big picture: This is the largest bank failure since Washington Mutual in 2008.

Details: Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) created a new bank into which all of SVB's deposits were transferred, and said that "all insured depositors will have full access to their insured deposits no later than Monday morning,"

One big caveat is that deposits only are insured to up to $250,000, so FDIC added that it "will pay uninsured depositors an advance dividend within the next week."

FDIC added that all of SVB's physical bank branches will reopen on Monday morning. ... Read more

Silicon Valley Bank
Silicon Valley Bank was the 16 largest American commercial bank. SVB was on the list of largest banks in the United States, and was the biggest bank in Silicon Valley based on local deposits. It was a subsidiary of SVB Financial Group. The bank closed on March 10, 2023, and was taken over by the FDIC after a bank run on its assets.

Industry: Financial services
Founded: 1983; 40 years ago
Defunct: March 10, 2023; 0 days ago

President: Michael R. Descheneaux
Net income: Increase US$1.77 billion (2021)
Total assets: Increase US$211.48 billion (2021)
Total equity: Increase US$16.24 billion (2021)
Number of employees: 8,500+ (March 2023)

Read more

Our winters are warming faster than our summers
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 03/09/23

Average winter temperatures across the United States have increased by 3.2°F since 1970, according to an analysis from Climate Central, a nonpartisan research and communications group.

By comparison, average summer temperatures have increased by 2.3°F in that time.

Why it matters: Warm winters can exacerbate drought (because there's less snowmelt in the spring), wreak havoc on crops and gardens, and spell disaster for towns built around skiing, snowboarding, and similar pursuits.

Driving the news: Not only are winters warming overall, but cold snaps are becoming less severe and shorter in duration, the latest research shows.

That's partly because the Arctic is warming at three to four times the rate of the rest of the world. ... Read more

Democracy's global decline hits "possible turning point," report finds
Axios | Dave Lawler | 03/09/23

Democracy declined around the world for the 17th consecutive year, but the pace of that decline has slowed and we could be approaching a "turning point," according to an annual report from Freedom House.

Why it matters: The rise of authoritarianism and the erosion of democracy have been among the most notable global trends of the past decade. The "Freedom in the World" report suggests those trends continued in 2022, but it also finds cause for optimism.

State of play: Countries like Colombia, Kenya and Malaysia saw peaceful transfers of power following contentious elections, while several countries that had cracked down on free speech and assembly during the pandemic loosened those restrictions.

Still, global press freedom continued its worrying decline in 2022. There were also multiple coups in West Africa, and leaders from Peru to Tunisia attempted power grabs with varying degrees of success. ... Read more

Putin and the Presidents: John Bolton | PBS Frontline | 02/15/23 | 58:20

Top U.S. & World Headlines - March 09, 2023 | 03/09/23 | 9:36

1. Headlines
2. "Corrupt": DOJ Report Slams Louisville Police for Abuse, Discrimination After Breonna Taylor Killing
3. "Plantation Politics": How White Mississippi Lawmakers Want to Seize Power in Majority-Black Jackson
4. Opposition Grows to Atlanta "Cop City" as More Forest Defenders Charged with Domestic Terrorism

Jamie Raskin WRECKS Trump in takedown of the year | BTC | 03/09/23 | 8:13

Katie Porter Stuns TYT with Take on Benjamin Netanyahu | TYT | 03/09/23 | 11:45

How Does Fox News Get Away With Lying To America? | Thom Hartmann | 03/08/23 | 2:15

PBS NewsHour full episode, March 8, 2023 | PBS NewHour | 03/08/23 | 56:39

House plots bipartisan deal on Trump and Biden family finances
Axios | Stef W. Kight & Andrew Solender | 03/08/23

The Trump and Biden families are inspiring potentially bipartisan House legislation, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The House Oversight Committee's top leaders are seeking to channel intense partisan hostilities into reforms for classified documents and presidential family finances.

"There are seeds of real legislative promise," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, told Axios.

Driving the news: Oversight committee staff are working on legislation to require more financial disclosure from presidential family members and reform the National Archives process for recovering classified documents at the end of presidential administrations, according to sources familiar with the discussions. ... Read more

How the Corporate Takeover of American Politics Began | Robert Reich | 01/01/23 | 4:50

Republicans try - but can't - distance themselves from Tucker Carlson's lies
Salon | Amanda Marcotte | 03/08/23

Everyone knows that Tucker Carlson is a liar. Democrats know it. Republicans know it. His audience definitely knows it. Watching him get away with telling big ol' whoppers every night is part of the thrill they get in watching him. Carlson's lawyers know it. In a 2020 lawsuit, the Fox News legal team argued in court that Carlson cannot be held liable for slander, because his audience doesn't actually believe the stuff he says. Instead, they argued, it's "non-literal commentary." (Up there with Kellyanne Conway's "alternative facts" in the pantheon of Republican euphemisms for "lies.") If there was a person left in America under the mistaken impression that Carlson is anything but a proud liar, they were disabused of that notion by leaked texts showing Carlson demanding a reporter be fired for correctly stating that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

"We're all pretending we've got a lot to show for it, because admitting what a disaster it's been is too tough to digest," Carlson wrote in a text message sent just two days before the Capitol riot. In the recently released text, part of an ongoing document dump as part of the Dominion lawsuit against Fox News, Carlson went on to make this damming admission: "There isn't really an upside to Trump."

"I hate him passionately," Carlson said of the former president.

So when Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., gave Carlson exclusive access to footage from the January 6 insurrection, everyone knew exactly what would happen: Carlson, as he always does, would subject it to misleading edits in order to lie about the Capitol riot. "The Fox host's history of deceptively editing and recontextualizing video to serve his false narratives is so robust," Matthew Gertz of Media Matters writes, that McCarthy's only possible purpose in doing this was to generate propaganda celebrating the insurrection. ... Read more

Attacks on power grid raise alarm among top officials
Axios | Jacob Knutson | 03/08/23

Attackers and vandals are targeting America’s electrical grid more than they have at any other point in the last decade, government documents show.

Why it matters: Recent assaults on power infrastructure across the country have led to mass outages and prompted calls from both state and federal lawmakers for new security measures.

How prevalent are these attacks?

Last year, there were 163 reported electrical incidents or disturbances caused by acts of vandalism, physical attacks, or "suspicious activity," according to an Axios analysis of data from the Department of Energy. ... Read more

Scoop: Kari Lake among 4 women Trump's considering for VP pick
Axiios | Mike Allen | 03/07/23

Former President Trump is strongly considering picking a female running mate - and sees Kari Lake as a model for his vice-presidential pick, according to people who discussed the topic with him.

Why it matters: Trump is already gaming out the general election in November 2024 - and knows he has a massive weakness with the white suburban women he would need to beat President Biden.

Lake, a former TV anchor who lost her race for Arizona governor in November, meets Trump's most important qualification for a No. 2: She has shown she's willing to defend him vociferously, no matter the issue or controversy. ... Read more

John Perkins: Economic Hitmen & Corporatocracy | | older | 2:23

The generative AI arms race is just starting
Axios | Dan Primack | 03/06/23

Venture capitalists are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into generative AI startups.

Driving the news: Reid Hoffman of Greylock Partners, an iconic Silicon Valley investor, just announced he's leaving Open AI's nonprofit board to avoid conflicts of interest with coming investments.

"There are future trillion-dollar companies being built and invested in right now," Hoffman wrote on LinkedIn (which he co-founded), "which will not only change markets, but launch new ones."

Why it matters: Generative AI could become as foundational to life and work as today's cloud and mobile. So there's an accelerating arms race to shape - and profit from - that future.

What's happening: OpenAI's relationship with Microsoft helped ChatGPT leap out of the starting gates. That also has emboldened competitors, who wager that partnering with a legacy tech giant will prove cumbersome. ... Read more

"They All Knew": Media Matters Files FEC Complaint That Fox News Broke Election Laws, Lied for Trump | DN | 03/06/23 | 8:52

Ron DeSantis: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | 03/05/23 | 25:37

Costs of the 20-year war on terror: $8 trillion and 900,000 deaths | Brown U | 2021 | article

War of Lies: How to Sell an Invasion | ENDEVR | 2022 | 51:15

No End in Sight (Iraq's descent into chaos) by Charles Ferguson | mike jonez | 2017 | 1:35:21

Flowers are popping up early all across America
Axios | staff | 03/03/23

A historically warm winter across a wide swath of America has led to a surprising sight: plenty of flowers blooming in the early days of March.

Why it matters: Given the rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns associated with climate change, we might be rethinking "April showers bring May flowers" for the generations ahead.

What's happening: The issue is perhaps most exemplified by Washington, D.C.'s famous cherry blossoms, whose longevity and predictability are under threat from climate change.

This year's peak bloom is predicted to take place March 22-25, but the NPS' indicator tree is showing several different phases of blossoms due to varying temperatures. ... Read more

Axios Explains: Critical race theory
Axios | Russell Contreras | 03/03/23

Under the guise of banning "critical race theory," a growing number of U.S. states now limit public schools from having certain books with content or lessons relating to race or racism.

The big picture: Following former President Trump's 2020 loss, conservative activists launched a coordinated campaign against critical race theory by falsely claiming the graduate-school-level concept was widely taught in grade schools.

Reality check: CRT is seldom taught in public schools, especially grade school. A high school in Portland has advanced-level CRT classes and a Detroit superintendent said his district uses it as a framework, but those are rare cases.

Critical race theory - which holds that racism is baked into the formation of the nation and ingrained in our legal, financial and education systems — was developed in law schools in the late 1970s and early 1980s. ... Read more

The Real Reason Lake Mead is Drying Up | Nature Discoveries | 12/29/22 | 12:32

How the derailment in East Palestine changes the calculus on railroad regulation
Axios | Emily Peck | 03/02/23

A bipartisan group of senators unveiled legislation to address safety issues highlighted by the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train in East Palestine, Ohio.

Why it matters: Major freight operators have fended off tighter regulations for years, but the tragic derailment appears to have changed the calculus.

Some of the measures included in the Railway Safety Act of 2023 have long been on the agenda of the industry's unions and workers - particularly a provision requiring a crew of at least two people on each train.

Driving the news: The bill was introduced Wednesday by the two senators from Ohio, J.D. Vance (R) and Sherrod Brown (D), along with two Democratic senators from Pennsylvania, Bob Casey and John Fetterman. The derailment happened near the border between the two states. ... Read more

The missing evidence in the COVID origins debate
Axios | Caitlin Owens & Alison Snyder | 023/02/23

The inability to pin down COVID's origins has opened the door to politically charged speculation and fierce debate, but without concrete evidence, people are forming narratives based on incomplete information with major geopolitical consequences.

Why it matters: The lingering questions about how the virus emerged could likely only be filled through intelligence or new information gathered from Wuhan, China, in the early days of the pandemic.

Some experts say the debate over whether the virus jumped from animals to humans or spread after a lab accident detracts from developing measures that could help prevent both scenarios from occurring in the future. ... Read more

Under pressure, Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices
Axios | James Briggs | 03/01/23

Eli Lilly is slashing the prices of its most-prescribed insulins amid pressure from consumers and the Biden administration.

Driving the news: After years of price hikes on insulin, Lilly on Wednesday said people with diabetes would see 70% reductions on its most common versions.

The prices of Humalog, the company's top insulin product, and Humulin will fall 70% in the fourth quarter, according to the company.

Lilly also said it would cap out-of-pocket costs for its insulin at $35 a month at some retail pharmacies. ... Read more

Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America by Will Sommer

"A story so bizarre, only Will Sommer could report it."-Molly Jong-Fast

The definitive book on QAnon from the reporter knows them best; Will Sommer explains what it is, how it has gained a mainstream following among Republican lawmakers and ordinary citizens, the threat it poses to democracy, and how we can reach those who have embraced the conspiracy and are disseminating its lies.

The Storm is Coming. Trust the Plan. WWG1WGA. You've seen the letter Q on TV and in the news-it's been everywhere from Trump rallies to the January 6th insurrection. "QAnon" used to sound vaguely familiar, somewhat ominous, but not quite mainstream. But what was once a fringe conspiracy theory has now become a household name and its symbols recognizable around the world. How did this happen, who is actually involved, what do they believe, and what do they want?

Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer has been on the ground with Q's followers since day one, and in Trust the Plan Sommer has written the definitive book on the movement-who started it and who grew it, what they really believe is going on, and what they want to see "the Storm" accomplish on the day of its reckoning. At once a character study and a journalistic exposé, Sommer lets his cast of characters do the talking as he visits them around the world, from their makeshift compounds to the rallies they are still holding.

The great tragedy of this story is ultimately the legitimization of this ideology by mainstream politicians eager to gain access to a large and growing cohort of voters. Though 2020 brought the end of Trump's presidency, his following within the QAnon community has simply pivoted and grown stronger. Trust the Plan shows us in granular detail who we'll be up against for years to come, in the US and abroad. Understanding why and how something like Q happens is an indispensable exercise, and in showing us how we got here we can chart a path out.

McCarthy defends giving out Jan. 6 tapes
Axios | Zachary Basu & Sareen Habeshian | 03/01/23

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) defended his decision Tuesday to give Fox News' Tucker Carlson exclusive access to 41,000 hours of Capitol footage from the Jan. 6 riot.

The big picture: McCarthy, who dodged reporters on the topic Monday, is facing backlash from top congressional Democrats who say it could reveal sensitive security information about the Capitol.

Of note: Lawyers for Capitol riot defendants will be granted access to the footage, McCarthy's office announced Tuesday, per CNN. ... Read more