(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Good News Roundup for Friday, October 20, 2023: Plan a little joy [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-20 Welcome 🌻 to Friday’s Roundup of Good News! The world is rough out there. I believe we’re the good guys, so we need to keep fighting. And to do that, we need to be physically strong enough and emotionally resilient enough to keep on going. Perhaps you already do this, but if you don’t, try this: when you get up in the morning, try to plan at least one thing for the day that’s going to give you joy. It doesn’t have to be big, and it can be something that helps save the world, as well. For example, perhaps you like doing postcards. I like the stage where I use my colored pens (and this makes me think of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple). But it may be watching a show, having coffee with a friend, reading a chapter, or going for a walk or a swim or indulging in whatever you like to do. Perhaps trainspotting? You deserve it. It’s good for you. It’s part of the recommendations in the Netflix series about Blue Zones. Besides, when my grandkids are around, we always plan activities for them. Why shouldn’t the grandparents get the same benefit? So, treat yourself well, and then roll up your sleeves and get to work. And come on in, dear gnusies, and see what the good guys are doing. I am sorry I could not do all the stories; it has been a busy week. Regular Scheduled Programming No one here is naïve; we are aware of the many who are fighting to destroy our country. Some of us expected it: the cheating, the lying, the chaos, and yes, even the attempts to cling to power despite the clear will of the people. But we are here to read the efforts and the positive results of those (including us and our fellow gnus) who are working so hard to save our country from those very bad people. We are furious with them for what they are doing and we are letting them know. Remember: 💙 There are more of us than there are of them. 💛 They are terrified when we organize. THERE IS LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE TERRIFIED! 💔 They want us to be demoralized. The best way to keep up your spirits is to fight. So, take the time to recharge your batteries, but find ways to contribute to the well-being of our country and our world. 🗽 Biden as President ! 🗽 Biden, Harris and their administration have been hard at work. Here are the last week’s posts at the White House briefing room. 👎 Out with the Bad, In with the Good 👍 👍 Senator Laphonza Butler to join the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is important. And, in case you missed it, previously the GOP in the Senate were planning not to let the new senator on the judiciary committee, and that was why the obviously failing Dianne Feinstein could not resign. I do not know what arm-twisting was done to get this to happen, unless there’s some obscure rule that is different with respect to a replacement due to death rather than resignation. x Crank out those judges! Also, subpoena John Roberts and Harlan Crow! https://t.co/dvZUrNYaIo — Mueller, She Wrote 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@MuellerSheWrote) October 18, 2023 I understand that she has said she will not run for the Senate next year, and that means that the declared candidates — all members of the House, where we cannot afford to have empty seats, not even for a little while — do not need to be annoyed with Governor Newsom. 👎 Also, gun violence is actually down. Remember the gun safety legislation that was passed? I guess it made a difference. Today, the CDC released a new report showing that the firearm homicide rate went down in 2022. This is meaningful progress for the American people: gun homicides are declining for the first time since sharply increasing from 2019 to 2020. It is also an encouraging sign that President Biden’s historic actions to address our nation’s gun violence epidemic are helping save lives. Yet, it’s not nearly enough at a time when guns are the leading killer of kids and at epidemic levels. President Biden continues to call on Congress to enact commonsense, meaningful reforms including banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and enacting universal background checks that save lives. We know Rs are losing in special elections here. We know what just happened in Poland. And look at this bit on the UK (the Conservatives are losing the equivalent of their special elections): x Translation for those outside the UK: the British Conservatives are likely headed for a major, major defeat in the next general election. They’re losing incredibly safe seats in by-elections and the vote swings are enormous. https://t.co/yQcJQ6OlTp — Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) October 20, 2023 💣 Republicans: Party of Crimes and Chaos 💣 Brutal if true. And it appears to be true. And I’m sorry, but I can’t keep up with the comings and goings. But Jordan deserves this, as he organized a bullying campaign (with death threats) to the R Reps who would not support him. Santos campaign returns more money than it raises Azi Pavbarah, Washington Post The campaign of scandal-plagued Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) reported refunding more money to donors than it raised during the past three months, raising questions about how seriously the freshman lawmaker is pursuing reelection. In a report filed Sunday, the campaign listed about $17,000 in refunds to donors while reporting less than $674 in contributions during the 90-day period ending Sept. 30. After spending more than $42,000 during that stretch, the account has nearly $23,000 left, the campaign reported in a filing that included some inconsistencies in how it accounted for money raised and spent. The filing also reported more than $120,000 in new debt, some of which, including legal and catering expenses, appeared to date from before the reporting period. Notes included in the report said the campaign’s treasurer had “becoime [sic] aware of prior debt.” 🚚 💙 Democrats Deliver 💙 🚚 Biden-Harris take steps to decarbonize housing White House Briefing Room 🐝 Governor Newsom (California) signs law protecting pollinators from pesticides Steve Blackledge EnvironmentAmerica.org SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California on Monday became the tenth U.S. state — and first West Coast state — to limit the sale of dangerous bee-killing pesticides. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB363, the Pollinator Protection Act, authored by Asm. Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and sponsored by Environment California and NRDC. The Pollinator Protection Act bans over-the-counter sales of lawn and garden neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticides by 2025, thereby limiting their use to trained professionals. The bill also directs the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to complete a long overdue review of non-agricultural neonic uses. “California is taking the sting out of an increasingly toxic environment for bees.” said Laura Deehan, state director for Environment California. “Taking these pesticides off the shelves is a critical step to saving the bees. We can now promise our pollinators, who play such a critical role for our ecosystems from the coast to the mountains, a safer Golden State. We’re thrilled that one in four Americans will now live in a state that has taken this action.” 💜 Unity? 💜 You can watch President Biden’s speech here, but skip ahead to 14:39 Reaction to President Biden's speech positive — on FOX! x Wow. Fox just described the speech made by President Biden as one of the "best speeches of his presidency" & called it "remarkably strong & firm." We should all be so proud to call Joe Biden our president today. Thank you, President Biden, for showing us how it's done. — Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) October 20, 2023 President Biden’s trip to Israel was a gamble — and it’s already paying off David Rothkopf, The Daily Beast Humanitarian aid is finally entering Gaza, Israelis felt supported, and Netanyahu is unlikely to disrespect the U.S. president again any time soon. ✂️ Talk about planning the trip, and then how things had to be rearranged after the horrible bombing of the hospital They determined to proceed with the trip. The White House announced the summit with regional leaders would be postponed. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, whose extraordinary shuttle diplomacy following the Hamas attack on Israel has been a diplomatic master class stated, “All civilians, Israeli and Palestinian, must be protected. Deeply saddened by the explosion at the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza. As @POTUS said, “The United States stands unequivocally for the protection of civilian life.” The tenor of the Blinken statement illustrated yet another challenging aspect of the Biden mission. He sought to both show support for Israel, and to seek to temper the Israeli response to the terrorists’ atrocities to ensure it was consistent with international law and that humanitarian concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians would be given priority. ✂️ Biden’s trip was preceded by a marathon negotiation between Blinken and the Israelis in which the secretary of state sought assurances from the Israelis that humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza and civilians protected. Biden’s trip was not agreed to until the commitment was made. In that respect, Biden and Blinken not only carefully laid the groundwork for the trip but they scored a victory even before it began. Biden’s gamble paid immediate dividends when he landed in Israel on Wednesday. Netanyahu immediately tweeted out the first photo of him and Biden hugging, a sign of how much he valued the support of the U.S. president—support that has eluded him for months due to the Israel’s efforts to undercut democracy in his own country. Netanyahu has been under siege since the terror attacks and there is no doubt he saw the Biden visit as a lifeline. In fact, one of the most remarkable aspects of the Biden trip was the degree to which it marked a turnabout in the relationship between the two leaders. Netanyahu has for years chosen to bypass the U.S. government when it suited him and to take his case to his supporters in the United States directly—be they members of the GOP, right-wing Jewish voters, evangelical groups or, recently, that noted empowerer of antisemites, Elon Musk. He clearly felt he had his own political equities in the U.S. that he could use to his advantage. What others are saying — the White House gathered statements made about the President’s trip White House Briefing Room Organizations: ADL: “We applaud @POTUS’s extraordinary show of support for Israel & powerful re-affirmation of the US-Israel alliance. This visit & the US ironclad commitment to Israel’s security convey a strong message whereby the int’l community as a whole must stand on the right side of morality.” [Tweet, 10/18/2023] AIPAC: “Thank you @POTUS @JoeBiden for your incredible leadership. Your visit to Israel is a powerful statement of solidarity and support for our ally.” [Tweet, 10/18/23] Nathan Diament, Executive Director for the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center: “We @OUAdvocacy thank @USAmbUN and @POTUS for defending Israel today @UN Security Council.” [Tweet, 10/18/2023] Orthodox Union Advocacy Center: “@potus shared that throughout centuries of persecution and genocide—the world watched and did nothing and affirmed that America will ensure that never happens again.” [Tweet, 10/18/2023] “If there is one thing we can take away from @potus’ visit it’s that America unequivocally stands with Israel.” [Tweet, 10/18/2023] Israeli Officials Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel: “Mr. President, for the people of Israel, there’s only one thing better than having a true friend like you standing with Israel, and that is having you standing in Israel. Your visit here is the first visit of an American president in Israel at a time of war. It is deeply, deeply moving. It speaks to the depth of your personal commitment to Israel. It speaks to the depth of your personal commitment to the future of the Jewish people and the one and only Jewish state. So, I know I speak for all the people of Israel when I say: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for standing with Israel today, tomorrow, and always.” [Remarks, 10/18/23] Isaac Herzog, President of Israel: “Your visit to Israel today Mr. President @POTUS@JoeBiden, is an expression of the steadfast commitment of the United States to the security of the State of Israel. I thank you, @SecBlinken,@JakeSullivan46, your Administration, and all the American people for your deep friendship, and for standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel, in this vital battle to defeat terror.” [Tweet, 10/18/2023] Israel Twitter: “Thank you for standing with us during our darkest times. Thank you for showing us what true friendship is. Thank you @POTUS” [Tweet, 10/18/2023] Yoav Gallant, Minister of Defense of Israel: “Thank you @POTUS Biden for standing with Israel and for reaffirming your ironclad support for Israel’s right to defend herself. In today’s war cabinet, I emphasized that we are fighting a war for Israel’s existence as a prosperous, Jewish State in the Middle East.” [Tweet, 10/18/2023] Benny Gantz, Former Minister of Defense of Israel: “@POTUS Biden, your message to the people of Israel, the region and the entire world is a clear, crucial and moral one – and may it resonate throughout the world. Thank you for your uncompromising support for The State of Israel” [Tweet, 10/18/2023] Michael Herzog, Israeli Ambassador to the United States: “Thank you @POTUS Biden for visiting Israel at a time of war. Your visit offered meaningful solace and unwavering support to a grieving and determined nation. We will never forget you standing by our side at this difficult hour” [Tweet, 10/18/23] Analysts, Reporters, and Commentators: Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post Columnist: “A simply magnificent, gut-wrenching and inspiring Biden speech in Israel. As an American, a Jew, a human being, I could not be more touched.” [Tweet, 10/18/23] David Axelrod, Senior CNN Contributor and Founder of UChicago Institute of Politics: “Moving, moving speech by @POTUS in Tel Aviv.” [Tweet, 10/18/23] Natan Sachs, Director of the Brookings Institution Center for Middle East Policy: “Biden earned a lot of goodwill in the Israeli public with his solidarity….” Now the administration has more room “to influence Israeli public opinion and expectations for the war’s end” – Spoke to @politico National Security Daily @alexbward.” [Tweet, 10/18/23] 📥 Actions You Can Take 📤 Tax-exempt organization complaint referrals. 13909. You can fill this out for the NRA and lots of other organizations. How about if some of us white folk go into some of the MAGA churches and video record what they’re saying? Voting rights. This may be the biggest issue threatening our democracy right now. Besides contacting your representatives at the state and federal level to do the right thing (depending on who they are), you can support and contact these organizations: ACLU — American Civil Liberties Union Democracy Docket — founded by Marc Elias, so important in fighting the challenges after the last election. Fair Fight — founded by Stacey Abrams 🌱Grass roots. Biden and Harris can do the top-down stuff, but we have to support from the bottom. I don’t know how to deprogram 75 million people, but some things have been written about, such as deep canvassing, and lots of people are talking about this. If you know someone (who did not storm the Capitol), then see if you can be pleasant. Instead of trying to reason with them (logic is obviously not their strong point) distract them with something else. We need to remove the sources of lies and to take down the temperature. If we get more of the Rs to wear masks and to get vaccinated and to vote for Ds, the country will be a better place. We need to coax some of them out of the rabbit holes and diffuse the anger and the crazy. 🏃 Run for something. If you want to run for something, but have no idea what to do, these people will help you. They also like money and volunteers to help those people who are running, so even if you’re not in a position to stand for office, you can help. Note: they are especially planning to target the 57 Rs in local governments who participated in the insurrection. 👎 Defund the seditionists. Defund the seditionists. This is a list with companies that sometimes have donated to the seditionists. The list is long. You will recognize many of the corporations, and you probably have a relationship with some — either you are a customer, a shareholder, or maybe even an employee. Contact them and compliment or complain, but let them know you are watching. Forward it to others. 🔎 Want to check out what’s going on with campaign contributions? Check out this diary. 👀 🐍 Schadenfreude 😈 The cheese stands alone: Trump lawyer Ken Chesebro is having a VERY bad day:- Yesterday he rejected a plea deal- Now his co-defendant Sidney Powell just flipped- And a judge ruled that Chesebro's legal memos ARE admissible at trial, under the crime/fraud exception to attorney-client privilege x Trump lawyer Ken Chesebro is having a VERY bad day: - Yesterday he rejected a plea deal - Now his co-defendant Sidney Powell just flipped - And a judge ruled that Chesebro's legal memos ARE admissible at trial, under the crime/fraud exception to attorney-client privilege — Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) October 19, 2023 Social influencer sentenced to prison for interfering in the 2016 election Justice Department Press Release. Yeah, justice wheels go slowly, but they do go, and this was never something the tRump DOJ was going to investigate. A social media influencer was sentenced today [October 18] to seven months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to interfere with potential voters’ right to vote in the 2016 presidential election. According to court documents, by 2016, Douglass Mackey, aka Ricky Vaughn, had established an audience on Twitter with approximately 58,000 followers. A February 2016 analysis by the MIT Media Lab ranked Mackey as one of the most significant influencers of the then-upcoming presidential election. Between September 2016 and November 2016, Mackey conspired with other influential Twitter users and with members of private online groups to use social media platforms, including Twitter, to disseminate fraudulent messages that encouraged supporters of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to “vote” via text message or social media, which was legally invalid. For example, on Nov. 1, 2016, in or around the same time that Mackey was sending tweets suggesting the importance of limiting “black turnout,” Mackey tweeted an image depicting an African American woman standing in front of an “African Americans for Hillary” sign. The ad stated: “Avoid the Line. Vote from Home,” “Text ‘Hillary’ to 59925,” and “Vote for Hillary and be a part of history.” The fine print at the bottom of the deceptive image stated: “Must be 18 or older to vote. One vote per person. Must be a legal citizen of the United States. Voting by text not available in Guam, Puerto Rico, Alaska or Hawaii. Paid for by Hillary For President 2016.” The tweet included the typed hashtag “#ImWithHer,” a slogan frequently used by then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. On or about and before Election Day 2016, at least 4,900 unique telephone numbers texted “Hillary” or some derivative to the 59925 text number, which had been used in multiple deceptive campaign images that Mackey and his co-conspirators tweeted. Several hours after tweeting the first image, Mackey tweeted an image depicting a woman seated in a conference room typing a message on her cell phone. This deceptive image was written in Spanish and mimicked a font that the Clinton campaign used in authentic ads. The image also included a copy of the Clinton campaign’s logo and the “ImWithHer” hashtag. A federal jury in Brooklyn previously convicted Mackey at trial for conspiracy against rights. Truth Social’s Digital World or whatever this is says its financials cannot be relied upon Zach Everson, Forbes The company planning to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group, owner of the Truth Social platform, has now walked away from two years of financial statements after informing the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday that its audited financials for 2021 “should no longer be relied upon.” [Editorial note: we can’t rely on much the right says, or anything from tRumpworld — so can we believe their polls? their campaign numbers?] In May, Digital World Acquisition Corp issued a similar notice to the SEC regarding its financial statements for the year ending Dec. 31, 2022. The retractions began after Digital World’s management, audit committee and advisors concluded that an error mandated reissuing the company’s audited financial statements. Digital World’s filings don’t identify the mistake, but say it is indicative of “a material weakness” in the company’s “internal control over financial reporting,” and that “the company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective.” Digital World plans to reissue the financial statements and also share a plan to address the issues. It did not provide a time frame. [Yeah, like infrastructure week] Truth Social also returning money to investors Aimee Picchi, CBS News The funding partner for Trump Media & Technology Group said that it will return the remaining $533 million of the $1 billion raised to finance the venture after investors canceled $467 million of commitments. Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC), a so-called special-purpose acquisition company, said in a regulatory filing that it has received termination notices from investors for $467 million of the funding. The remaining $533 million will be returned to investors, with DWAC CEO Eric Swider saying in a press release that the decision is a "positive development" as Trump's media group focuses on developing a "sustainable business model." 📣 Let’s Honor Truth ☀️️ Corporations will have to report their emissions under some of Caliornia’s new climate laws Lily Hsueh, Talking Points Memo Many of the world’s largest public and private companies will soon be required to track and report almost all of their greenhouse gas emissions if they do business in California – including emissions from their supply chains, business travel, employees’ commutes and the way customers use their products. That means oil and gas companies like Chevron will likely have to account for emissions from vehicles that use their gasoline, and Apple will have to account for materials that go into iPhones. It’s a huge leap from current federal and state reporting requirements, which require reporting of only certain emissions from companies’ direct operations. And it will have global ramifications. We need sunlight in order to get on track. This is so important. A lot more in the article! 🌹 Let’s Celebrate Love ❤️ All those who help us to laugh in hard times — because laughter is one of the best medicines. x This was last night's cold open on SNL. Please share it. Pete Davidson spoke from the heart about children suffering. It was powerful, passionate, and honest. Give yourself a minute. You'll need a tissue or two ...pic.twitter.com/wf9pqiDYmn — Goodable (@Goodable) October 15, 2023 Yes, this bit helped inspire the introduction. But it does tie in with the recommendations in the Blue Zones, and things we can do to make ourselves healthy. 📎 Odds & Ends 📎 Breakthrough in recycling recovers 100% aluminum and 98% lithium from EV batteries Good News Network Swedish researchers say they have developed a new method of recycling batteries from electric vehicles that allows recovery of 100 percent of the aluminum and 98 percent of the lithium. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have presented the efficient way to recycle metals from spent batteries, and at the same time minimize the loss of valuable raw materials such as nickel, cobalt and manganese. Furthermore, no expensive or harmful chemicals are required in the process because the researchers use oxalic acid—an organic acid that can be found in the plant kingdom. Box in the wild: x Cats will be cats.. 😅 pic.twitter.com/K6f6Od2AiA — Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) October 19, 2023 Bloomberg Philanthropies has launched a new initiative focused on helping cities. Glenn Gamboa, AP through Yahoo News NEW YORK (AP) — Bloomberg Philanthropies unveiled a $50 million initiative Wednesday to help cities address global issues, including climate change, by launching programs proven effective in other cities around the world. The Bloomberg Cities Idea Exchange will give city governments grants for startup costs and technical support, as well as sponsor trips and webinars to inform leaders about new programs. ✂️ The new initiative, announced at the Bloomberg CityLab conference in Washington on Wednesday, formalizes a process that CityLab has used for years. As former mayor of New York City, Bloomberg knows the importance of seeking out ideas that other cities have already proven, said James Anderson, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Government Innovation Program. “He understood the unique opportunity that city leaders have to drive progress locally, but also contribute to driving around global issues like climate change,” Anderson told The Associated Press in an interview. “We looked around and we understood very quickly that many city halls did not have the capacity they needed to find solutions and to implement them locally, to make them more ambitious and move their cities and the world forward.” The article then discusses biochar. Note I didn’t want Michael Bloomberg to be president but he is sincere about helping the environment. New species of dragon (OK, lizard) discovered in Laos. It’s about a foot long, and it is the Khammouane karst dragon. x Laodracon carsticola, the Khammouane karst dragon. One of those puzzles "Where's Waldo" pic.twitter.com/DPWUeIZqux — Olivia Turner (@OliviaTurner108) October 17, 2023 🚗 Solar-powered car completes test drive across North Africa Cristen Hemingway Jaynes EcoWatch Solar is a major contributor to the renewable energy mix, with everything from solar lights and heating to solar TVs and refrigerators. Now, there is the Stella Terra, the first off-road solar-powered car, which recently completed a test drive of 620 miles across north Africa without recharging. ✂️ Students from Eindhoven University of Technology designed the two-seater, which crossed a variety of landscapes during the test, reported The Guardian. ✂️ The moss green vehicle is powered entirely by solar panels on its rounded roof, which means it can run even in remote areas where there are no electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. It is also designed to drive on multiple surfaces so that it can be used for emergency deliveries and services, said the team’s events manager Thieme Bosman, according to CNN. 🐦 I do a lot of other writing. A recent offering: Hunters of the Feather, a story about a thinker-linker crow who wants to save birdkind from extinction, and sequels, Scavengers of Mind and the brand-new Familiars of the Flock (They’re really good! They’re really cheap! Buy and review or rate positively! And Hunters is also available on Audible!) Other stories, based on Jane Austen novels — including a new one for lovers of Pride & Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet’s Advice to Young Ladies — and others on Greek mythology, can be found here. All titles are available through Kindle Unlimited, but I only get paid if you turn the pages. 💙 What You Can Do to Rescue Democracy 💙 It turns out that participation in democracy is not just an every-four-years event but requires active participation, like, whenever you can find time. Current projects: Look in the comments for Progressive Muse’s report on Postcards to Voters And some other ideas: You can relax and recharge. You can join protests and freeway blog. You can help register new voters. You can smile. You can say something nice to friend or a stranger. You can get out the vote for special elections. You can reach out to upset Republicans. We need to win some back. You can share your ideas below. 🌻 💙 “Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we all are created equal and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart. The battle is perennial, and victory is never assured.” 💙 President Joseph R. Biden 🌹 🌹 🌹 [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/20/2199687/-Good-News-Roundup-for-Friday-October-20-2023-Plan-a-little-joy?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/