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The Wires
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The Ledes

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

New York Times: “Eight law officers were shot on Monday, four fatally, as a U.S. Marshals fugitive task force tried to serve a warrant in Charlotte, N.C., the police said, in one of the deadliest days for law enforcement in recent years. Around 1:30 p.m., members of the task force went to serve a warrant on a person for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Johnny Jennings, the chief of police of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, said at a news conference Monday evening. When they approached the residence, the suspect, later identified as Terry Clark Hughes Jr., fired at them, the police said. The officers returned fire and struck Mr. Hughes, 39. He was later pronounced dead in the front yard of the residence. As the police approached the shooter, Chief Jennings told reporters, the officers were met with more gunfire from inside the home.”

Public Service Announcement

The Washington Post offers tips on how to keep your EV battery running in frigid temperatures. The link at the end of this graf is supposed to be a "gift link" (from me, Marie Burns, the giftor!), meaning that non-subscribers can read the article. Hope it works: https://wapo.st/3u8Z705

The Mysterious Roman Dodecahedron. Washington Post: A “group of amateur archaeologists sift[ing] through ... an ancient Roman pit in eastern England [found] ... a Roman dodecahedron, likely to have been placed there 1,700 years earlier.... Each of its pentagon-shaped faces is punctuated by a hole, varying in size, and each of its 20 corners is accented by a semi-spherical knob.” Archaeologists don't know what the Romans used these small dodecahedrons for but the best guess is that they have some religious significance.

"Countless studies have shown that people who spend less time in nature die younger and suffer higher rates of mental and physical ailments." So this Washington Post page allows you to check your own area to see how good your access to nature is.

Marie: If you don't like birthing stories, don't watch this video. But I thought it was pretty sweet -- and funny:

If you like Larry David, you may find this interview enjoyable:


Tracy Chapman & Luke Combs at the 2024 Grammy Awards. Allison Hope comments in a CNN opinion piece:

~~~ Here's Chapman singing "Fast Car" at the Oakland Coliseum in December 1988. ~~~

~~~ Here's the full 2024 Grammy winner's list, via CBS.

He Shot the Messenger. Washington Post: “The Messenger is shutting down immediately, the news site’s founder told employees in an email Wednesday, marking the abrupt demise of one of the stranger and more expensive recent experiments in digital media. In his email, Jimmy Finkelstein said he was 'personally devastated' to announce that he had failed in a last-ditch effort to raise more money for the site, saying that he had been fundraising as recently as the night before. Finkelstein said the site, which launched last year with outsize ambitions and a mammoth $50 million budget, would close 'effective immediately.' The New York Times first reported the site’s closure late Wednesday afternoon, appearing to catch many staffers off-guard, including editor in chief Dan Wakeford. As employees read the news story, the internal work chat service Slack erupted in what one employee called 'pandemonium.'... Minutes later, as staffers read Finkelstein’s email, its message was underscored as they were forcibly logged out of their Slack accounts. Former Messenger reporter Jim LaPorta posted on social media that employees would not receive health care or severance.”

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Page Links

Latin America -- March 2011

 

Tuesday, March 22, 2011.

First Lady Michelle Obama alongside President Obama raises her glass during a toast by President Mauricio Funes of El Salvador at an official dinner at the National Palace in San Salvador, El Salvador. Getty image.

The Obamas attended an official dinner hosted by President Funes at 10:10 pm ET.

Presidents Obama & Funes held bilateral talks; they held a joint press conference afterward. New York Times: "President Obama ended his three-nation Latin American tour on Tuesday with a visit to El Salvador, a source of one of the largest immigrant groups in the United States, and agreed with its president that 'the best strategy' for curbing illegal immigration was to create economic growth in the region." ...

The Obama family flew to El Salvador today & arrived there this afternoon.

Monday, March 21, 2011.

Here's a portion of President Obama's speech in Santiago:

... Here's the full speech:

First lady Michelle Obama, President Obama, Chile's first lady Cecilia Morel de Pinera and Chile's President Sebastian Pinera watch a cultural performance at an official dinner at La Moneda Palace. Reuters picture.

President & Mrs. Obama attended a dinner at La Moneda Palace.

President Obama made a speech in Santiago this afternoon. Update: Washington Post story here. Extended clip above. Update 2. New York Times: "With his first trip to South America eclipsed by war and upheaval in the Middle East and North Africa, President Obama sought to connect the two in a speech here on Monday, calling Latin America a model for those trying to throw off dictatorships in favor of democracy and broadly shared economic growth."

First lady Michelle Obama, her daughters Malia and Sasha and Chile's first lady Cecilia Morell (3rd L) pose with folk dancers during a visit to the Mirador Interactive Museum in Santiago, Chile. Reuters picture.President Obama & President Sebastian Pinera of Chile held bilateral meetings, after which they held a joint press conference:

Politico: "First lady Michelle Obama on Monday lauded higher education as the engine that propelled her to a successful career, and the key reason her husband — whose own family 'struggled to make ends meet' when he was a child — became president of the United States. Speaking to a group of Chilean students in a low-income area near Santiago, the first lady said their stories should encourage the students to pursue their college degrees and dream big.

The Obama family arrived in Santiago, Chile shortly after noon ET, after which they participated in an arrival ceremony.

Sunday, March 20, 2011.

President Obama speaks to the people of Brazil at the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro:

President Obama plays soccer with some children while visiting Ciudad de Dues Favela in Rio de Janiero. Getty image.

President Obama & President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil hold a joint press availability:

The Obamas & Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff observe the Brazilian honor guard during an arrival ceremony in Brasilia. Reuters picture.Glenn Thrush of Politico: "President Barack Obama ... juggled the pageantry and substance attendant to his first South American visit with urgent phone calls and top-level national security consultations about a pending joint aerial assault against Libya."

Saturday, March 19, 2011.

President & Mrs. Obama will attend a reception hosted by President Rousseff at 6:15 pm ET.

President Obama spoke at a U.S.-Brazil business summit this afternoon.

President Obama attended a U.S. Embassy function this afternoon (I guess).

President & Mrs. Obama attended an official lunch with President Rousseff.

Presidents Obama & Rousseff attended a CEO forum this afternoon ET.

President Obama participated in bilateral meetings with Brazilian President Dilma vana Rousseff this morning. They made remarks to the press this afternoon. See the video above for President Obama's remarks.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff greets President Obama, Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia, upon their arrival at the Palacio do Alvorada, the official residence. Getty image.

The Obamas arrived in Brasilia this morning. President & Mrs. Obama participated in an arrival ceremony. New York Times story here. Washington Post story here.

Politico: "Brazilians protesting the imminent visit of President Barack Obama struck the U.S. consulate in Rio de Janeiro with a Molotov cocktail Friday, prompting police to respond with rubber bullets, according to local news accounts."