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US Electric Vehicle Sales to Hit Record This Year: Research Firm (Maria)
The author writes, “Electric vehicle sales are expected to hit a record 9% of all passenger vehicles in the US this year, according to Atlas Public Policy. That will be up from 7.3% of new car sales in 2022. It will be the first time more than 1 million EVs are sold in the US in one calendar year, probably reaching between 1.3 million and 1.4 million cars, the research firm predicts. Although the numbers show significant progress for electrification, the nation is lagging behind countries like China, Germany and Norway.”
Wisconsin Court Poised to Strike Down Gerrymandered Maps — And the GOP’s Dominance: Report (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “After three hours of argument on Tuesday, the Wisconsin Supreme Court is apparently gearing up to strike down the current electoral maps for the state legislature, The Guardian reported. The potential move could upend years of Republican dominance in the state. But, while the court’s liberal justices appear poised to embrace the argument, it’s not clear how they will approach the redrawing of a map and ‘whether it would immediately order elections for the entire legislature next year in new districts.’”
The White House May Condemn Musk, but the Government Is Addicted to Him (Reader Jim)
From The New York Times: “The White House denounced Elon Musk … for ‘abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate,’ for his endorsement of what an administration spokesman called a ‘hideous lie’ about Jews. All of which might make one think the Biden administration was going to try to pull back from doing business with the world’s richest person. Except that, in recent weeks, the U.S. government has become more dependent on him than ever, agreeing to as much as $1.2 billion worth of SpaceX launches next year to put crucial Pentagon assets, including spy and command-and-control satellites, into space.”
Argentina’s Firebrand New President-Elect Is Pushing a Disastrous Old Agenda (Gerry)
The author writes, “The election of Javier Milei, a far-right outsider and self-described ‘anarcho-capitalist,’ as the next president of Argentina on Nov. 19 has left his supporters ecstatic, those fearing his authoritarian leanings depressed — and columnists such as me trying to guess how likely it is that his radical proposals, including abolishing the national Central Bank and currency, will succeed.”
Only 51 of These US Whales Remain. Little Has Been Done to Prevent Their Extinction (Laura)
From NPR: “Authorities estimate only around 51 [Rice’s whales] remain — and they don’t live anywhere but the Gulf. To avoid extinction, the U.S. government has estimated that no more than one can be killed or seriously injured by human activity every 15 years.”
Worrying News — Ozone Layer Not Recovering After All (Russ)
The author writes, “Alarming news from New Zealand scientists suggests the ozone layer might not be recovering after all, with the problem exacerbated by bushfires, volcanic eruptions and greenhouse gas emissions. The research published in Nature Communications suggests the Antarctic ozone layer has reduced by 26% since 2004, contrary to previous reports of recovery by actions taken under an agreement called the Montreal Protocol.”
The REAL 1st Starbucks in Seattle Is Not Where People Think It Is (Reader Steve)
From The Seattle Times: “Every day, hordes of visitors to Seattle queue up on the sidewalk at Pike Place Market to get their daily jolt of caffeine at what they think is the very first Starbucks location in the world. On the way to stand in line, they walk right by the real one.”
