May 27, 2023

DeSantis campaign tells nervous donors in leaked audio that voters will care more about a recession

and Biden's age than the governor's anti-abortion record

Leaked audio from FloridaPolitics.com revealed that donors were concerned about DeSantis' abortion ban.

The DeSantis campaign shared talking points with fundraisers over how to discuss the issue.

They said it would be less important to voters than Biden's age and predicted a recession.

"If you are a voter in 2024 as we likely are in a historic recession and you are choosing between a young candidate — Ron DeSantis — versus an octogenarian, and if you are voting on the issue of abortion as one of the top two issues, our data suggests that person has a very high correlation with typical Democrat voting behavior," Ryan Tyson, the DeSantis campaign's pollster said.

At: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/desantis-campaign-tells-nervous-donors-in-leaked-audio-that-voters-will-care-more-about-a-recession-and-biden-s-age-than-the-governor-s-anti-abortion-record/ar-AA1bKvqc

Default delight?

Pollster Ryan Tyson (right) endures a photo-op with Florida Governor Ron deSantis in 2021.

Tyson was caught in leaked audio anticipating that a "historic recession" - as well as President Biden's age - could compensate for loss of support for deSantis from voters who preferred the governor "when he was more in the middle."

May 21, 2023

FIFA U20 World Cup 2023 kicks off in Argentina

The most prestigious youth national-team tournament in men's football is taking place as the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup is held in Argentina between May 20 and June 11.

The biennial tournament was last held in 2019 since the 2021 edition was cancelled due to scheduling and logistical challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

An injury-time goal gave the United States a 1-0 win against Ecuador in one of the opening matches earlier today. Hours later, host Argentina beat Asian champions Uzbekistan 2-1.

The 2023 U20 World Cup was originally set to be held in Indonesia; but that nation's refusal to welcome Israel's squad — the countries don't have diplomatic relations — saw FIFA strip the tournament from Indonesia in March 2023 and instead move it to Argentina.

France, Brazil, Italy, and England are among the favorites to win the 2023 edition. Argentina, who had originally failed to qualify from South America, were slotted in as the host nation and will contend on home soil.

Defending champions Ukraine failed to qualify for the 2023 tournament, falling at the second stage of European qualifying on a cards tiebreaker.

At: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/fifa-u20-world-cup-schedule-fixtures-results-2023/k4dviap8ephyhgsbhtohkett

Argentina's Valentín Barco, right, and Uzbekistan's Umarali Rakhmonaliev battle for the ball during one of the opening matches today in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina.

Originally set to be held in Indonesia, the Asian nation's refusal to welcome Israel's squad led FIFA to relocate the tournament.

May 17, 2023

Yemi Mobolade makes Colorado Springs history, becoming city's first elected Black mayor

Eighteen months ago Yemi Mobolade was a political newcomer who set out to become Colorado Springs' next mayor and break the status quo. On Tuesday night, he was poised to do just that — and was also on his way to making history as the city's first elected Black mayor.

Unofficial results released by the City Clerk's Office at 9:40 p.m. show Mobolade, 44, had about 57.5% of the vote, ahead of his opponent Wayne Williams in the race, who had 42.5%.

Mobolade's decisive victory represents a seismic political surprise in Colorado Springs, long known as a conservative stronghold.

Though the city's municipal elections are nonpartisan, Mobolade, who is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, will be the first mayor not affiliated with the Republican party since Colorado Springs started electing mayors 45 years ago.

He has promised a more "inclusive, culturally rich city."

At: https://gazette.com/election-coverage/yemi-mobolade-makes-colorado-springs-history-becoming-citys-first-elected-black-mayor/article_9853dc72-f044-11ed-9482-df77550f7aca.html

https://twitter.com/breejentnews/status/1658651202895384576

Colorado Springs Mayor-elect Yemi Mobolade thanks supporters after his historic election to the majority-white - and historically Republican - city.

May 13, 2023

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon falls 68% in April

Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell 68% in April from the previous year, preliminary government data showed today, a positive reading for President Luiz Inácio 'Lula' da Silva as it represents the first major drop under his watch.

Lula won last year’s election pledging to end deforestation after years of surging destruction under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, but has faced continued challenges since taking office as environmental agency IBAMA grapples with lack of staff.

Official data from space research agency INPE showed that 328.7 km² (126.9 mi²) were cleared in the Brazilian Amazon last month, below the historical average of 455.7 km² for the month.

That interrupted two consecutive months of higher deforestation, with land clearing so far this year now down 40.4% to 1,173 km².

At: https://buenosairesherald.com/business/agro/deforestation-in-brazils-amazon-falls-68-in-april

Brazilian Amazon deforestation was down 40% in the first four months of President Lula da Silva's tenure - including 68% in April.

An area the size of Denmark was deforested under his right-wing predecessor Jair Bolsonaro - a 60% increase from the prior four years - amid slashed protection efforts and funding, and his openly calling for more farming and mining on rain forests and other protected lands.

May 3, 2023

Ex-Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga confirmed as World Bank president

Former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga was confirmed Wednesday to serve as the 14th president of the World Bank and is set to begin his five-year term at the institution's helm next month.

Banga, 63, was nominated to the role by President Joe Biden in February and will succeed David Malpass as president of the World Bank. Malpass was tapped for the role by former President Donald Trump and announced earlier this year he planned to step down roughly one year early.

Mr. Biden extended congratulations to Banga for his "resounding approval" by the World Bank's board of governors and predicted he would be a "transformative leader."

At: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ex-mastercard-ceo-ajay-banga-world-bank-president/

Incoming World Bank President Ajay Banga, and his wife Ritu.

Banga, who headed the Partnership for Central America and served as an adviser on the region to Vice President Kamala Harris, has reaped criticism for his close ties to Wall Street.

Treasury Secretary Yellen noted, however, that "there's broad agreement that we need to mobilize private capital."

"This is an individual who has a better chance of being able to accomplish that than anyone else I can honestly think of."

May 2, 2023

Abandoned Oil Wells Offer New Source Of Lithium

Start-ups are developing direct lithium extraction technology to access brine under abandoned oil wells.

This method presents a more sustainable and less harmful approach to traditional mining. The technology is in early stages of development, but if perfected, it could contribute to around 10% of the 2030 lithium supply.

The technology is still in the early stages of development and needs to be further refined and scaled to achieve commercialization.

But if the start-ups achieve a breakthrough soon, as many of them believe, direct lithium extraction from brine in abandoned oil wells could upend the lithium mining industry as this type of extraction promises to be less destructive and use less freshwater than traditional mining.

It could also make obtaining permitting easier, considering that abandoned wells have already been drilled and may not be in too remote areas without roads and infrastructure like many traditional lithium deposits.

Another problem the new technology has to solve is the chemicals needed to separate the lithium from the brine because they would depend on the specifics of the location, according to Bloomberg.

Still, start-up founders are optimistic that they can perfect the technology and achieve scale to disrupt the traditional, more harmful way of extracting the most important energy transition material whose demand is set to soar in the coming years and decades.

At: https://oilprice.com/Metals/Commodities/Abandoned-Oil-Wells-Offer-New-Source-Of-Lithium.html

A simplified diagram of lithium extraction from geothermal brine.

Direct lithium extraction - much of it from abandoned oil wells in Canada - could contribute to 10% of the global lithium supply by 2030.

May 2, 2023

Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian Folk Rock Troubadour, Dead at 84

Gordon Lightfoot, a genius-level Canadian singer/songwriter whose most enduring works include “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown,” “Carefree Highway,” “Early Morning Rain,” and “Rainy Day People” — died on Monday, the CBC confirmed. He was 84.

Lightfoot’s deceptively simple songs, which fused folk with pop and country rock, have been covered by everyone from Bob Dylan and Neil Young to Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, the Grateful Dead, and Barbra Streisand, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Buffett, and the Replacements.

He scored a series of hits in his native Canada throughout the Sixties, but most Americans first heard his work in 1970 when “If You Could Read My Mind” reached #5 on the Hot 100.

“I can’t think of any Gordon Lightfoot song I don’t like,” Bob Dylan said. “Every time I hear a song of his, it’s like I wish it would last forever.”

At: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/gordon-lightfoot-dead-obituary-1234716529/