VP Youngkin? Electoral College edge to Trump and pick Houston in March Madness
U2 - Riverdance - Aine Ui Cheallaigh - The Quiet Man
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Electoral College Map to 270
VP Stakes for GOP
Virginia Budget and Arena deal
Tik Tok Ban
March Madness
If you are filling out brackets next week, look to KenPom for some help. Of the last 24 NCAA winners, 13 were ranked #1 by KenPom heading into the tourney. 3 were ranked #2, and 5 were ranked #3. Safe bet is on…
Speaking of college, here’s the current Electoral College map over at 270towin
Chris Cillizza - Chris Crucial: Donald Trump's clear electoral college edge
And back to the news!
VEEP Stakes kick off with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin being offered up over at Townhall Republicans Should Consider the Innovative Strategy of Not Screwing This Up
No, the more I think about it, the more the choices narrow down to one pretty obvious one and one dark horse. The obvious one is Glenn Youngkin. He won’t hurt the ticket, and his leaving the governor’s office leaves us with Governor Winsome Sears, which is the exact opposite of a problem. Youngkin is absolutely competent, and he brings a ton to the table as far as winning goes – and winning is Job One.
The Independent How this obscure House procedure can pass Ukraine aid without Mike Johnson
Democratic Virginia Representative Abigail Spanberger, one of the signatories of the petition, told The Independent: 'Do we want to coddle Vladimir Putin and allow Russia to win? Or do we want to do the job of supporting an ally in their fight for freedom?
Augusta Free Press American lawmakers, authorities respond to House passage of legislation to ban TikTok
We were encouraged by today's strong bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives and look forward to working together to get this bill passed through the Senate and signed into law,' Warner and Rubio said. U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia is a former intelligence officer and a member of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee.
Wall Street Journal China Intensifies Push to ‘Delete America’ From Its Technology A directive known as Document 79 ramps up Beijing’s effort to replace U.S. tech with homegrown alternatives
Document 79 was so sensitive that high-ranking officials and executives were only shown the order and weren’t allowed to make copies, people familiar with the matter said. It requires state-owned companies in finance, energy and other sectors to replace foreign software in their IT systems by 2027.
American tech giants had long thrived in China as they hot-wired the country’s meteoric industrial rise with computers, operating systems and software. Chinese leaders want to sever that relationship, driven by a push for self-sufficiency and concerns over the country’s long-term security.
The Washington Post Analysis | Biden's support continues to depend heavily on Trump haters
Those results come from a new Suffolk University poll conducted for USA Today.
It's worth noting that CNN polling released last month showed a higher level of anti-Trump sentiment among Biden voters.
USA TODAY Poll shows Trump leads Biden slightly, but many voters remain undecided
An exclusive USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll shows Trump leading Biden slightly, but a large percentage of voters remain undecided.
New York Post Black voters flocking to Trump, can no longer ‘afford' to vote for Biden in 2024, reverend says
A New York Times/Siena poll released earlier this month has sparked concern among some liberal pundits worried that Biden is losing black voters – historically a very Democratic voting bloc – to Trump.
Clean Energy News
The New York Times Energy Department Offers $2.3 Billion Loan to Boost Lithium Production
Demand for lithium, which is used in the rechargeable batteries that power electric vehicles, has surged as more consumers shift away from gas-burning cars and automakers ramp up production of cleaner vehicles.
Wall Street Journal Having Overtaken Tesla, BYD Is Running Into Problems Overseas Chinese EV maker sees vehicles pile up amid weak demand, quality-control issues and internal tension
The New York Times A New Surge in Power Use Is Threatening U.S. Climate Goals
Over the past year, electric utilities have nearly doubled their forecasts of how much additional power they'll need by 2028 as they confront an unexpected explosion in the number of data centers, an abrupt resurgence in manufacturing driven by new federal laws, and millions of electric vehicles being plugged in.
In an ironic twist, the swelling appetite for more electricity, driven not only by electric cars but also by battery and solar factories and other aspects of the clean-energy transition, could also jeopardize the country's plans to fight climate change.
The Washington Post Transcript: The Race to Decarbonize: Clean Energy
They were expecting that the grid was going to be taxed and we needed to build more, but suddenly, data centers are getting built, some of the clean energy factories we're talking about with the Inflation Reduction Act, and places are on the path to run out of power.
Biden's Inflation Reduction Act includes the most aggressive climate measures in history, with hundreds of billions of dollars in incentives for clean energy. He has pledged to cut the United States' greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Wall Street Journal Global CO2 Emissions Hit Record High in 2023, IEA Says Declines in Europe and the U.S. were offset by increases in China and India
In the European Union, emissions from energy combustion fell by almost 9% in 2023 driven by a surge in renewables generation and drop in both coal and gas generation, despite economic growth of around 0.7%. In the U.S., emissions fell 4.1% on higher electricity generation from renewables and gas rather than coal, in spite of economic growth of 2.5%.
CNN Tesla is the worst performing stock in the S&P 500. Analysts say it has further to fall
UBS also downgraded its forecast for Tesla on Wednesday. Analysts said concerns are mounting as demand for electric vehicles slow and China begins to compete in the market.
American Military News DOD looks to establish 'mine-to-magnet' supply chain for rare Earth materials
The metallization step transforms rare earth salts into rare earth metals.
As part of this project, E-VAC will also develop domestic capacity to produce rare earth metals and alloys, a critical node of the supply chain linking early-stage rare earth processing to magnet production.
Virginia
ABC News Virginia judge sets aside guilty verdict against former school superintendent
Judge Douglas Fleming's ruling eliminates the only conviction obtained by Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in a high-profile investigation of the Loudoun County school system.
Washington Examiner University of Virginia DEI staff privately downplayed professor's pro-Hamas rally extra credit offer
In turn, two senior DEI employees at UVA seemed to dispute whether Farmer was actually providing that extra credit opportunity, which the office of Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said he was 'very concerned' about, documents show.
Jim Bacon War on Fossil Fuels Reaches Court of Appeals
The state's appellate brief, signed by Attorney General Jason Miyares and his senior staff, opens with:
Black Chronicle Lawmakers shed light on mail delivery problems plaguing Virginia
In the letter, Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine were joined by Reps. Bob Good, Jen Kiggans, Jennifer McClellan, Bobby Scott, Abigail Spanberger and Rob Wittman expressed concern for the new consolidation project implemented by the USPS.
The Virginian-Pilot A Virginia sales tax on digital goods like Netflix could be coming to Hampton Roads consumers'It doesn't make any sense whatsoever,' he said. State Sen. L. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth and chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, supports the measures and said she found it only fair to tax businesses and consumers the same amount, according to Associated Press reporting.
Marijuana Moment Virginia Lawmakers Don't Expect Governor To Sign Marijuana Sales Bill
In December, Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas (D) alluded to a compromise involving a sports stadium project the governor supported.
Sports
The Washington Post Virginia Tech's stay at the ACC tournament proves to be a quick one
Virginia Tech couldn't do so in the second half of Wednesday's 86-76 loss at Capital One Arena, earning a one-and-done exit in the second round of the ACC tournament and quickly extinguishing dreams of a four-wins-in-four-days redux of the Hokies' championship run two years ago.James Madison University Athletics Men’s Basketball to Host NCAA Selection Show Watch Party
Fighting Gobbler Virginia Tech Women's Basketball: Elizabeth Kitley injury, NCAA Tournament seeding
In the overall big picture, expect head coach Kenny Brooks and the medical staff to do whatever is right for Kitley going forward with her injury.
Deadspin 'Win and in' for Virginia, do or die for Boston College in ACC tourney
WASHINGTON — ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi thinks Virginia is one win away from securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Podcasting with #1 and #2 Saxman kids - Don Lemon v. Elon Musk, Ken Buck, Aaron Rodgers for VP, and Haiti refugees. Good conversation with Millennials:
Mary Taylor a.k.a Mary Kathryn Saxman might have some Mary Kate Danaher in her but this Irish song was the father/daughter dance at her wedding. (I’m fine…it’s fine…we talk all the time…*damn onions*)
Get your green on! Scotland v. Ireland in Six Nations rugby on Saturday.