Archive of entries posted on September 2023

Some Initial Thoughts on This Crime

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Suspects Follow Man Home, Carjack His Aston Martin in Targeted Crime, Police Say
NBC | 9/19/23

GRAPHIC WARNING: Video included in this story includes content that some may find disturbing.

[Not Oppo. I’m tough.]

WESTPORT, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) – A Westport man had his Aston Martin carjacked from inside his garage over the weekend, police said.

The attack was caught on surveillance video in the garage.

Police said they responded to a residence on Bayberry Lane at 3:50 p.m. Sunday for a report of a burglary and carjacking. “It is believed that the suspects arrived at the residence in a dark blue BMW, as this vehicle was seen fleeing with the stolen vehicle,” police said.

The victim suffered minor injuries but declined medical attention.

The blue Aston Martin and dark blue BMW were reported to be last seen traveling north on Route 8.

  1. This doesn’t happen if you drive a Ford Focus station wagon.

2. Did it have a stick shift? If so, this was planned, not an impulsive “Let’s follow him home” crime.

3. If you need the home address of anyone who owns an Aston Martin, rather than the risk and bother of following him all over town, it would not hurt to have a friend in the highly-paid Motor Vehicles Department.

4. Was it old, having mechanical issues, needed a complete overhaul, and had its insurance all paid up?

5. He wasn’t Bond and gagged?

6. You may get your kicks on Route 66, but you get out of state on Route 8.

Straight Line of the Day: Before Taking an Electric Flying Taxi, …

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Hundreds of Flying Taxis To Be Built in Ohio, Governor Announces

ABC via MSN | 9/19/23

Society may be getting one step closer to the flying commuter vehicles made famous in the animated series “The Jetsons,” as Ohio just announced that hundreds of flying taxis will be built at a facility in the state.

The company Joby Aviation Inc. was selected to build an electric air taxi manufacturing site at Dayton International Airport, Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Ohio Department of Development director Lydia Mihalik, JobsOhio president & CEO J.P. Nauseef announced on Monday.

It takes three politicians to announce things like this.

Officials said the site facility “will build, test and fly all-electric, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxis that will predominantly be used for commercial passenger operations.”

The electric air taxi will be intended to carry a pilot and four passengers, and reach speeds of up to 200 mph over a range of 100 miles, officials said.

Joby plans to invest at least $477.5 million and manufacture up to 500 vehicles a year, according to officials. The manufacturing is set to open in 2025, with construction scheduled to begin next year.

…

The Federal Aviation Administration granted Joby Aviation a Special Airworthiness Certificate in June, allowing the company to begin test flighting the prototype of its eVTOL aircraft.

Last year, Delta Air Lines announced a partnership with Joby for a “first-of-its-kind arrangement” to provide customers in New York and Los Angeles a “home-to-airport transportation service” using an eVTOL aircraft.

Toyota worked with Joby designing and launching the company’s pilot production line in California. The company will advise Joby as it begins to manufacture the air tax in Ohio, Joby announced.

Cartoons and Memes

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“Good morning Mr. Walrus, looks like it’s fall,”

“The seasons come and go, time to say goodbye to Summer.”

“Yes sir, no more bathing suits.”

“Oh, let’s not get too hasty here.”

“There is always Indian Summer.”

“Let us so hope it is a long one.”

Winner

9.

This week’s.

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10.

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244 votes · 244 answers
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Death Spiral

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U.S. National Debt Hits $33 Trillion for the First Time
CNBC | 19 September 2023 | Chelsey Cox

The debt, which equals the amount of money borrowed by the federal government to cover operating expenses, hit $33.04 trillion Monday, according to the Treasury Department. A roughly 50% increase in federal spending between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2021 contributed to the debt topping $33 trillion, the department said.

Biden Administration To Put $4.6 Billion Toward State and Local Climate Plans
The Hill | 09/20/2023 | Rachel Frazin

Exclusive: American Citizen Journalist Sitting in Ukraine Prison, State Dept. Confirms, as Biden Begs for Billions More to Protect Ukrainian ‘Freedom’
Breitbart | September 19, 2023 | Kurt Zindulka and Kristina Wong

While lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. debate sending billions more in military aid to Ukraine, an American citizen journalist, Gonzalo Lira, is languishing in a Ukrainian prison on allegations of spreading Russian propaganda, throwing into question the status of free speech in the supposed democracy the Biden administration argues is worthy of more taxpayer dollars.

The Biden administration is asking Congress to approve another $24 billion for Ukraine for now through the end of this year, which would add to the $113 billion that Congress has committed to the country since its war with Russia began in February of last year.

Biden Administration Announces $600M to Produce No-Cost COVID Tests
Time | 09/20/2023

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household.

Straight Line of the Day: If You Were To Traffic in Wildlife, What Would It Involve?

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Global Wildlife Trafficking on the Rise, Aided by Drug Cartels
The Hill | 9/02/23 | Rafael Bernal

Global wildlife trafficking is on the rise, adding a dimension to transnational crime and increasing the risk that U.S. corporations could unwittingly become entangled in the illicit trade.

A new white paper by Moody’s Analytics highlights the growing risk for private enterprise, and the growing involvement of transnational crime in wildlife smuggling.

“Brands sometimes are involved in supply chains and they might not truly know who their supplier is,” said Richard Graham, Third Party Risk Management lead at Moody’s Analytics.

“If you’re doing business with someone that is a supplier that is involved in some sort of wildlife trafficking, via animals or probably more likely the wood from different endangered trees, that’s a very bad story for your brand. It impacts reputational risk, and also it’s probably illegal.”

Wait, Moody’s: You want to run that last sentence by us again, in this discussion that is all about illegal trafficking?

SI Swimsuit Madness : Round 2 Matches 59 & 60 : Results Round 2 Matches 57 & 58

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Got the results from last week’s matches and present you with round 2 matches 59 & 60.

Round 2 Match 57

Hilary Rhoda 117 Defeats Irina Shayk 44

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Who do you prefer?
70 votes
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Round 2 Match 58

Kate Upton 156 Defeats Josephine Skriver 28

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Who do you prefer?
72 votes
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This week’s matches.

Round 2 Match 59

Kate Austin vs Kelsey Merritt

Kate Austin

  • Round 1 Match 21 Defeated Katrina Scott 85-59

VS

Kelsey Merritt

  • Round 1 Match 22 Defeated Kelly Gale 71-67

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Who do you prefer?
73 votes
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Round 2 Match 60

Kristen Louelle vs Leryn Franco

Kristen Louelle

  • Round 1 Match 23 Defeated Kim Riekenberg 122-25

VS

Leryn Franco

  • Round 1 Match 24 Defeated Lacy Schnoor 85-84

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Who do you prefer?
72 votes
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1