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Letters: Invasive weeds crowd out Colorado’s botanical gems

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

Invasive weeds crowding out rare gemsRe: “Some might say it’s futile, but pulling thistles sows hope,” Nov. 16 commentary and “Clearing the path of goat heads,” Nov. 18 letter to the editorI was gratified to read the article on the community and personal benefits to pulling musk thistle near Jackson, Wyo., and the subsequent letter from “Goathead Greg,” who endeavors on Denver’s urban trails. My bête noire is not musk thistle, which, as the writer points out, is a pretty noxious weed that attracts butterflies and bees, but rather Russian thistle. It has the Putinesque attributes of being invasive and relentless, contains no beautiful flowers for pollinators, and engulfs our natural areas.If you visit the picnic stop at Vogel Canyon south of La Junta, be prepared to approach your table through a forest of this prickly menace. The valley floor just beyond is so impenetrable that viewing the petroglyphs is almost impossible. Up north, the Arapa...

Opinion: CHIPS Act just the start, U.S. needs to go beyond microchips

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

Just over one year ago, President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act, and a new era of American high-tech manufacturing was born.Propelled by a strategic investment of tens of billions of dollars, the United States will construct a new semiconductor ecosystem here in the United States. The goal is twofold: to ensure that the chips that power American life will be there when we need them, and that the United States remains a leader in not only designing but making high-end microchips.The CHIPS bill was a milestone, but the legislation failed to cover printed circuit boards, or PCBs, the complex structures on which chips sit. Often comprising dozens of layers, PCBs connect individual chips and enable larger systems and subsystems. They are essential: without PCBs, microchips would be nothing more than expensive silicon wafers.The United States once boasted a robust PCB capacity that ensured that important systems from defense to mass transit to communications could source U.S.-mad...

Dowd: Obama’s guy questions if Biden can beat Trump again

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

David Axelrod is not a prick.Truly.I’ve known him since 2007 and if I had to pick a noun to describe him, it would be mensch.So when President Joe Biden privately employs that epithet for Axelrod, according to Politico’s Jonathan Martin, it’s bad for a few reasons.The ordinarily gracious president is punching down at the strategist who helped elevate him onto the ticket with Barack Obama in 2008 and who thinks he was “a great vice president” and has done a lot of wonderful things as president.When some in the Obama camp chattered in 2011 about switching Biden out for Hillary Clinton, Axelrod said, he protested: “That would be an incredible act of disloyalty to a guy who has done a great job for us.”Surely, Biden does not want to lower himself to the vulgarity of the growling, brawling, thieving Republicans in the Hieronymus Bosch hellscape of our Congress.(As Seth Meyers noted, George Santos — who spent campaign money on Hermès, Ferragamo, Botox, Sephora and OnlyFans — h...

Review: ‘Saltburn’ is pretty, seductive but ultimately confounding

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

By Jocelyn Noveck | Associated PressTwo years ago Emerald Fennell stood on the Oscars stage hoisting her writing trophy for “Promising Young Woman,” a scathing look at rape culture and a balancing act of wit, style, shock value, audacity, great acting and pitch-black humor — plus a timely #MeToo message.That’s a lot for a debut film, and we didn’t even mention the best director nomination. Not surprisingly, anticipation has been hot for the writer-director’s next effort (as an actor, she’s already graced a little film this year called “Barbie,” in the suitably dark role of pregnant, discontinued Midge).Now “Saltburn” is here, and the results are enticing but decidedly mixed — perhaps because Fennell seems to be trying to one-up herself by leaning on the shock value, at the eventual expense of other storytelling elements.Make no mistake, the clever writing is here, as is the style, the sleek technique, and some terrific perf...

Another milestone on offer for F1 champion Max Verstappen at season-ending Abu Dhabi GP

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

After a record-breaking year, Formula One champion Max Verstappen isn’t ready for 2023 to end just yet. Especially when another milestone can be reached at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.Another victory would take him to 54 career wins and past former Red Bull star Sebastian Vettel into outright third place on the all-time list.“Of course it’s quite a crazy number. We had a crazy, crazy year,” Verstappen said. “It will end at one point, but hopefully not too soon.”Verstappen sewed up his third straight title weeks ago and is looking for a record-extending 19th win of the season — he held the previous record of 15, set last year — but acknowledged he already has one eye on 2024.“I love driving, that’s the foremost (thing) and winning is the best thing in Formula One,” he said. “At the same time I’m very focused on what’s ahead of me and hopefully next year we have a competitive car again and continue that momentum.”There will be new targets n...

UN confirms sexual spread of mpox in Congo for the 1st time as country sees a record outbreak

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization said it has confirmed sexual transmission of mpox in Congo for the first time as the country’s experiences its biggest-ever outbreak, a worrying development that African scientists warn could make it more difficult to stop the disease.In a statement issued late Thursday, the U.N. health agency said a resident of Belgium traveled to Congo in March and tested positive for mpox, or monkeypox, shortly afterward. WHO said the individual “identified himself as a man who has sexual relations with other men” and that he had gone to several underground clubs for gay and bisexual men. Among his sexual contacts, five later tested positive for mpox, WHO said. “This is the first definitive proof of sexual transmission of monkeypox in Africa,” Oyewale Tomori, a Nigerian virologist who sits on several WHO advisory groups, said. “The idea that this kind of transmission could not be happening here has now been debunked.”Mpox has been endemic in...

Formula One team McLaren extends engine deal with provider Mercedes until 2030

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

WOKING, England (AP) — The McLaren Formula One team will continue using Mercedes engines until 2030 after extending its contract on Friday.Mercedes started supplying engines to McLaren again in 2021 and the existing contract was until the end of 2025. They had previously worked together from 1995-2014.“Mercedes-Benz have been a brilliant and reliable partner of the McLaren Formula One team,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown said. “The extension signifies the confidence that our shareholders and the wider team have in their powertrains and the direction we’re taking with them into the new era of regulations ahead.”Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo won the Italian GP driving for McLaren in 2021. He is the last driver to win for McLaren, but the team has done well this season with Lando Norris securing seven podium finishes. Oscar Piastri has also impressed in his debut season.McLaren was fourth in the constructors’ standings heading into the final race at the Abu Dhabi GP on Sunday,...

Live updates: Snow falls on Black Friday throughout the metro

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Denver weather will have light snow showers lingering through Friday, making it a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day.If you're heading to the stores for Black Friday, be careful on the roads. The roads will be slick and filled with traffic, car accidents and closures.Get real-time updates from FOX31 and the Pinpoint Weather team in the live blog below, and on TV, watch for the latest updates on FOX31 and Channel 2. Denver weather: Pinpoint Weather Alert Day for snow and cold

New app allows restaurants to combat food waste by offering surplus food that would to customers at affordable price

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

They call themselves “Waste Warriors,” rescuing unused and uneaten food from South Florida restaurants.And as 7’s Karen Hensel shows, it’s a way you can score some cheap eats.Restaurants are everywhere in South Florida, serving up plate after plate of fabulous food. But a lot of it never makes it to the table.Mohammad Farraj/Talkin’ Tacos: “We estimate anywhere between 2 to 5% of revenues could have been from food waste.”Mohammad Farraj is one of the owners of Talkin’ Tacos. It opened in 2020 as a food truck and quickly expanded.Mohammad Farraj: “We’re now all over South Florida and also Jacksonville, Atlanta, with plans to open up more locations across the country.”And each of those locations ends up with wasted food at the end of the day.Mohammad Farraj: “You get it all the time. Customers order food, they’ll cancel their orders. But you have food that’s been made already.”Typically the meal ...

Black Friday Forecast

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:41:27 GMT

South Florida a front is lifting North and a minor disturbance has flared up in the Gulf, this will increase our coverage of clouds and potential to see scattered showers today. Best chance after 2pm. A chance continues for Saturday with fewer clouds throughout the day and pattern looking drier for Sunday. However, another weak “cool” front will be moving in early next week. Models are not in agreement on the timing and strength of the next “cool” front, but they have been insisting at changes. Based on the latest suite of models, we are looking at a slight chance of showers ahead between Monday and Tuesday as it crosses through. A slight dip in degrees is possible as high pressure builds over the Gulf Coast states bringing a shot of cooler air by midweek. Temperatures could be in the low 60’s to start. Stay tuned! Have a wonderful and safe weekend South Florida!Vivian GonzalezMeteorologist, AMS Certified WSVN Channel 7