Perry Says Texans Willing to Suffer Blackouts to Keep Feds Out of Power Markets (Dan)
From the Houston Chronicle: “Former Texas governor Rick Perry suggests that going days without power is a sacrifice Texans should be willing to make if it means keeping federal regulators out of the state’s power grid. … Texas’s power grid, run by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, occupies a unique distinction in the United States in that it does not cross state lines and thus is not under the oversight of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. That has long been a point of pride with Texas politicians who in the 2000s chose to deregulate the state’s power market and allow power companies, not state regulators, determine when and how to build and maintain power plants.”
Inside the Shocking Legal Guardianship Industry (Dana)
The author writes, “Guardianship describes a legal relationship created by a court between a guardian — a family member or a professional — and a person who is usually elderly and deemed to be of diminished capacity. Guardians wield remarkable power, often deciding where that person should live, how much access family members should have, when to seek medical care and how to spend their retirement savings. An estimated 1.3 million adults are under the care of guardians who control about $50bn of their assets. The little understood system has long suffered a lack of oversight, transparency and basic protections.”
The Not-So-Mysterious Death of the Israeli Left, Six Weeks to the Election (Russ)
From Haaretz: “Labor was on the brink of extinction only a couple of weeks ago. Now it’s Meretz’s turn to signal polling distress. Why are Israel’s old parties of the left, once in power, now on life-support? In episode 7 of Haaretz’s Election Overdose podcast, co-hosts Anshel Pfeffer and Dahlia Scheindlin, along with this week’s guest, recovering lefty Ben-Dror Yemini, diagnose the Israeli left’s chronic decline. Also, how deep is Netanyahu in league with the far-right and will his trial or Joe Biden’s ghosting of him damage him at the polls?”
High Coffee Consumption Linked to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease (Mili)
The author writes, “Long black, espresso, or latte, whatever your coffee preference, drink too much and you could be in hot water, especially when it comes to heart health. In a world first genetic study, researchers from the Australian Centre for Precision Health at the University of South Australia found that that long-term, heavy coffee consumption — six or more cups a day — can increase the amount of lipids (fats) in your blood to significantly heighten your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Importantly, this correlation is both positive and dose-dependent, meaning that the more coffee you drink, the greater the risk of CVD.”
Her Engagement Ring Was Lost on a Snowy Portland Street, So She Called the Ring Finders (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Shawna Rodrigues looked out her front window at Portland’s wintry scene and saw a group of people trying to free a man’s car from a snowbank. She grabbed her hat, gloves and a shovel, and joined the push. Worried her new engagement ring might fall from her finger, Rodrigues put it in a ring-keeper necklace around her neck before she headed outside. The necklaces are designed to slip over a pear-shaped pendant and secure a ring. Apparently, they don’t always work. … When Rodrigues went back inside, she realized her ring was gone. … After an evening of fruitless searching, a few people suggested she contact The Ring Finders.”
