đź”— Articles: Friday 10.May.2024
Guardian: Fixation on UK nuclear power may not help to solve climate crisis
Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic are backing as yet unproven small modular reactors (SMRs) as an indispensable part of the answer to the climate crisis and are running competitions to get this industry started. These reactors, from tiny ones of the type that power nuclear submarines, to scaled-up versions that can, in theory, be factory produced and built in relays to provide steady power, are all still in the design stage.
As the Union of Concerned Scientists in the United States points out, whichever model is chosen they have all the drawbacks of existing nuclear power stations; expensive, even without cost overruns, and the still unsolved waste problem. The biggest disadvantage, the group says, is that even if the technology worked it would be too little, too late, to keep the climate safe.
NYT: Colson Whitehead Cancels His Commencement Speech at UMass Amherst
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead said Thursday that he would not give the commencement address at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on May 18 as planned, citing the administration’s decision to call the police on campus protesters.
“I was looking forward to speaking next week at UMass Amherst,” Mr. Whitehead wrote on the social network Bluesky. “But calling the cops on peaceful protesters is a shameful act. I have to withdraw as your commencement speaker. I give all my best wishes and congratulations to the class of ’24 and pray for the safety of the Palestinian people, the return of the hostages, and an end to this terrible war.”
Benzinga: Elon Musk Announces $500M Investment In Tesla’s Supercharger Network Expansion In 2024
Musk, in a post on Friday, reiterated Tesla’s commitment to expanding its Supercharger network despite recent layoffs and a shift in strategy.
“Just to reiterate: Tesla will spend well over $500M expanding our Supercharger network to create thousands of NEW chargers this year. That’s just on new sites and expansions, not counting operations costs, which are much higher,” Musk wrote.
â‹®
Amid these developments, **BP ** has expressed interest in acquiring Tesla’s Supercharging stations and plans to spend $1 billion by 2030 to install more than 3,000 charging locations across the U.S.
NYT: Giuliani Is Suspended by WABC, and His Radio Show Is Canceled
The radio station disciplined Rudolph W. Giuliani after he violated company policy by trying to discuss the legitimacy of the 2020 election on the air.
â‹®
In a statement, he called WABC’s policies “a clear violation of free speech.” He disputed that he had been aware of any policy related to what he could say on air about the 2020 election, and said he only learned he had been fired when contacted by The New York Times.
As a lawyer, Giuliani should be aware of the actual definition of free speech protection, shouldn’t he?
NYT: Judge Blocks New U.S. Rule Limiting Credit Card Late Fees
In March, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that a new federal rule would cap fees on late credit card payments at $8 a month, estimating that the change would save American households $10 billion a year.
On Friday, a federal judge in Fort Worth temporarily blocked the rule, siding with bank and credit card company lobbyists who contend in a lawsuit that it is unconstitutional.
Last Updated: 10.May.2024 23:28 EDT