Location: Engineering Library- TA660.B4C44 2016

NASA has just launched a mission to investigate a far-off world that’s full of water. It’s going to Europa, a moon of Jupiter that's made of lots of ice that covers a huge ocean.

NASA's Europa Clipper mission launched Monday, beginning its years-long journey to the distant icy moon it's named after. This mission is designed to tell scientists more about the structure, the interior and the habitability of Europa, one of the four large moons of Jupiter. Host Regina G. Barber talks with astrobiologist and friend of the show Mike Wong about why their mutual love for this fascinating moon and what it means for the search for life outside of Earth. Plus, they talk about other icy moons that may also have the trifecta of ingredients needed to sustain life: liquid water, specific elements and an energy source.

Want to hear more space science? Let your voice be heard by emailing shortwave@npr.org!

Also, if you liked this episode, check out our episodes on NASA's future missions to Uranus and our episode on whether Dune could really exist!

China declared a “complete success” after it launched a new three-person crew to its space station early Wednesday as the country seeks to expand its exploration of outer space.

Pilot Experience Sim – Beechcraft King Air C90 Announced For Msfs

Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits (paperback)

Assyria Council of Europe (ACE) Convinces Dutch Parliament to Urge for Protection of Assyrians in Iraq

A huge congratulations to the winners of the 2024 World Post & Parcel Awards  who were announced last night (19 June), at a Gala Dinner at Hotel Puerta America in Madrid, Spain.

UK independent parcel carrier Yodel has launched two brand new collections services for SMEs and customers selling via online marketplaces, following a record year of growth for the business’s consumer-to-consumer (C2C) operations.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and Monumental Sports are announcing a $2 billion sports arena and entertainment district set to be built in the Potomac Yard neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia.

Monumental Sports CEO Ted Leonsis, along with Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and other Virginia leaders, announced plans for a new sports arena in the Potomac Yard neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, for the NBA's Washington Wizards and the NHL's Washington Capitals.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking Californians to take actions in their daily lives to help combat climate change — from composting to taking public transit to avoid driving.

NASA probe launches aboard SpaceX rocket to search for the building blocks of life on Europa, Jupiter's icy ocean moon.

Starlink satellites burn up in Earth's atmosphere after five years. Some researchers worry this injection of metals in the upper atmosphere could be damaging.

Republican senators emerged Tuesday night from a candidate forum largely tight-lipped on which of their colleagues they would support to replace Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on the eve of a secret ballot vote and President-elect Donald Trump’s visit to Washington. Two hours of huddling behind closed doors with the trio of contenders fielding […]

Apple announced new artificial intelligence-powered tools, including a partnership with OpenAI that allows Siri to surface answers from ChatGPT.

'Blade Runner 2049' production company Alcon Entertainment sued Tesla, Elon Musk and Warner Bros. Discovery for copyright infringement. Here's why.

For the past decade, scientists have relied almost exclusively on CRISPR-Cas systems for genome editing. Now, a smaller but equally efficient nuclease is here to compete. 

The Guardian 5000 Series Hotplate Stirrers represent a significant advancement in laboratory equipment, combining cutting-edge technology with unparalleled safety features. As the next generation of Guardian stirrers, these models offer exceptional performance and reliability for a wide range of applications.

Farnesol, a fungal signaling molecule, alters lipid synthesis in dendritic cells, causing mitochondrial dysfunction and decreased inflammatory responding.

Washington, D.C., Councilman Charles Allen is facing a recall effort led by a former government worker, who cited that the representative of Ward 6 should be more focused on curbing crime.

The Washington Redskins branding change isn’t sitting well with everyone.

The Washington Commanders announced on Thursday that its marching band would make a return for the 2022 season.

Progressive newcomer Alexis Mercedes Rinck absolutely bodied Council appointee Tanya Woo in the August primary, scoring a cool 50.2% to Woo’s 38.4%. Rinck has every reason to measure drapes for the new office in City Hall she will probably move into, and it looks like the deep-pocketed outside spenders who got Woo’s buddies elected last year are counting her out too. Proportionally, Woo’s Independent Expenditure (IE) has spent 90% less this year than a similar IE did in her initial council bid. by Hannah Krieg

Progressive newcomer Alexis Mercedes Rinck absolutely bodied Council appointee Tanya Woo in the August primary, scoring a cool 50.2% to Woo’s 38.4%. Rinck has every reason to measure drapes for the new office in City Hall she will probably move into, and it looks like the deep-pocketed outside spenders who got Woo’s buddies elected last year are counting her out too. Proportionally, Woo’s Independent Expenditure (IE) has spent 90% less this year than a similar IE did in her initial council bid. 

Woo’s campaign has raised $453,000 from 7895 donors, averaging approximately $57 per contributor, according to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Her contributors include the real estate industry, CEOs, lawyers, retirees, and some of the conservative council colleagues who appointed her such as Council Members Bob Kettle and Maritza Rivera.

But typically, big IEs spend an ungodly amount of money in the last few weeks of a race on mailers, TV ads, and other strategies to get their preferred candidate's name and face in front of voters before the election. Last year, IEs backed by business or labor or both spent $1.6 million across the seven City Council elections. The candidate with the most outside spending through IEs won in every race besides Woo's failed bid for District Two. Between her campaign and IEs, she outspent her opponent, incumbent Tammy Morales, two to one. 

But IEs don’t seem as interested in burying progressive competition with their cash this time around. 

Many of the same donors who backed Woo in 2023, funded the victorious conservative slate that appointed her, and the previous three mayors. They collectively contributed more than $130,000 to Woo through the Friends of Seattle. This includes the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, Seattle Hospitality for Progress PAC, R.C. Hedreen Company, Goodman Real Estate, and HomeStreet Bank. 

But they don’t seem to be trying as hard this go round. 

A 2023 IE, Friends of SE Seattle, spent $168,000 on her bid for the District 2 seat where she had to win over a majority of the 67,000 registered voters. That’s an investment of $2.50 a voter. Now, in 2024, for her citywide campaign, she’s trying to capture the majority of 485,000 voters. A $130,000 investment from the current IE shakes out to about a quarter spent per voter. That means IEs, who successfully bought every seat besides Woo’s last cycle, have spent 90% less on Woo than they did in her last election where she lost despite spending twice as much as her opponent.

This marks a shift in behavior from corporate donors when compared to the last time Seattle voted on citywide council seats in 2021. An IE called Change Seattle pooled $414,000 for Council President Sara Nelson’s bid for a citywide seat or about three times as much as they are spending on Woo. 

What does any of this mean? Well, it could mean those conservative donors are stretched thin funding the awful, Republican-backed Let’s Go Washington Initiatives, the Republican candidate for governor, or maybe even President Donald Trump’s third shot at the White House. Or, it could mean these corporate donors are saving up to support their darlings, Nelson, City Attorney Ann Davison, and Mayor Bruce Harrell, when they go up for re-election next year. 

Either way, progressives aren’t really beating conservatives at the fundraising game. Rinck's campaign has raised $460,790 from 8,637 contributors, averaging slightly more than $53 per contributor Her contributors include unions, labor organizers, every progressive politico you can think of, and politicians including King County Executive Dow Constantine, Woo’s old foe Morales, and many state lawmakers representing Seattle.

Rinck also found support in a new IE, Progressive People Power (P3), that spent more than $190,000 this cycle. P3’s donors include SEIU 775, which made up more than half of the pot, some other unions, several failed left-lane candidates, and King County Democrats Chair Carrie Barnes who gave more than $42,000 herself. Didn’t know you had it like that, Barnes!

But as P3 Board Chair Ry Armstrong said at a fundraiser last month, progressives don’t need as much money to win — their ideas are just better. A recent poll by the Northwest Progressive Institute found only 28% of respondents voted or will vote for Woo, while 52% voted or will vote for Rinck.

Worried about Tuesday? Here's something to look forward to via @nwprogressive! pic.twitter.com/LQrEh7GSfV

— Hannah Krieg (@hannahkrieg) November 3, 2024

The Stranger's morning news round-up. by Hannah Krieg

A perfect day for a biiiiiig walk: We could all use a little sunshine right now. Today, Seattlites can expect on-and-off sunny skies—I think the weather nerds of the PNW call it “sunshowers”—and temperatures in the high 50s. 

Council President Rinck: We got another ballot drop last night! Here in Seattle, Alexis Mercedes Rinck has only expanded her decisive lead on the City Council’s faildaughter Tanya Woo. And it's not just Woo that Rinck’s got beat. Her vote count trumps the combined total of the 2023 City Council victors and she’s got a 26,000-vote lead over Council President Sara Nelson’s 2021 campaign. Rinck may be a minority opinion on the council, but she represents more of the electorate than any other member.

Nail-biter: Washington’s 3rd Congressional District is still too close to call. U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez leads her far-right challenger Joe Kent by about 12,000 votes. We should have a clearer picture in the coming days, but for now the whole country is watching—this race is among the handful that will decide if Republicans retain their majority in the House. 

Another close one: It’s still a tight race for I-2066, the hedge fund millionaire's initiative that would ban the state from encouraging electrification.

Something good on Twitter: After a landslide victory, State House elect Shaun Scott has earned a meme.

???????? pic.twitter.com/RNI4iERKsK

— Shaun Scott ???????? (@eyesonthestorm) November 6, 2024

Joever: Yesterday, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the nation to concede she had lost the 2024 presidential election. She kept her remarks very positive, very boilerplate Democrat. If she truly believed  Trump is the threat to the American people he is, she should have come for blood. But, no. The Democrats love to capitulate to the right. And, it's part of why they lost so spectacularly. They championed an extreme and inhumane immigration platform, shrugged their shoulders at Israel’s utter decimation of Gaza, and totally abandoned working people crushed by the weight of the affordability crisis. I know you’re smart and you already know this, but as the #Resist libs start to re-recognize the ever-present threat of fascism—the precarity of reproductive access, queer and trans liberation, immigrants’ rights, workers protections, and more—remember that the Democrats' constant sidesteps to the right landed us here. 

well, as long as you had fun! https://t.co/FtJ9HJ4T8P

— Lead Actor from Pixar’s Sodas (@ByYourLogic) November 7, 2024

Trump transition begins: President-elect Donald Trump’s allies have started lobbying for positions in his administration. According to CNN, Trump will use these positions to “reward” those who have remained loyal to him. That’s also a key feature of his plan: make the administrative state, or what they often call the “deep state,” more friendly, thus radically expanding the executive's power and efficiency. Some top positions seem narrowed down. Trump’s likely considering 2024 co-campaign manager Susie Wiles, his former budget director Russ Vought, CEO of the America First Policy Institute Brooke Rollins, or his former US trade representative Bob Lighthizer for White House Chief of Staff. Rumor has it he will also find jobs for loathsome little rat Elon Musk and anti-vax nut job RFK. Cool.

Off the hook: Trump’s victory may mean the end of his two federal criminal cases related to his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his mishandling of classified documents. His team delayed the cases until after the election, banking on a victory so Trump could fire special counsel Jack Smith and end the cases. As for his New York hush money case, Trump is scheduled for sentencing later this month, but his team will likely argue he’s entitled to constitutional protections afforded to sitting presidents after his election. 

Solidarity: Yesterday, Cascade PBS workers staged an informational picket outside their workplace to pressure their bosses to meet their three demands in their contract: higher wages, better benefits, and strong workplace protections. And, boy, do they deserve higher wages. According to their press release, the Cascade PBS CEO made nearly seven times the average unit member’s salary in 2023. Greed is a fucking disease.

Today at noon, @CascadePBSUnion members used our lunch break to rally for fair wages and a fair contract. If you’re in the area, drop by and say hi - we’ll be the ones in the bright red shirts ✊ pic.twitter.com/ZR9pEwK6jV

— Cascade PBS Union (@CascadePBSUnion) November 6, 2024

In honor of our incoming commander-in-chief: He’s a theatre girly.

This week the Seattle City Council will discuss and vote on a long list of amendments for the 2025-2026 budget. Here are the big fights to look out for. by Hannah Krieg

This week the Seattle City Council will discuss and vote on a long list of amendments for the 2025-2026 budget. Here are the big fights to look out for. 

Capital Gains: Comrade Cathy Moore (she’s earned the title until she pisses me off later in this same post) proposed a 2% tax on profits exceeding $262,000 from the sale and exchange of stocks, bonds, and business interests. The tax could generate anywhere from $16 million and $51 million in its first year and would only apply to about 860 of the city’s wealthiest residents, according to central staff analysis.

Moore wants to use that money to pay for fund rental assistance, homeownership programs, and to fight food insecurity. However,  my typical expert sources on progressive revenue declined to comment on Moore’s proposed spending priorities. Notably, Moore did not propose explicitly codifying those priorities and it's not like anyone respects spending plans anyway! 

Moore’s tax would be a local expansion of the statewide capital gains tax that the good people of Washington overwhelmingly voted to protect from a right-wing attack earlier this month. That same attack, an initiative backed by hedge fund millionaire Brian Heywood, stopped the previous council from voting on a capital gains tax in their last budget process. At the time, The Stranger (me, it was me) lamented that the incoming conservative council would decline to take up the fight, or if one brave member did, they simply wouldn’t have the votes to pass it. Council Member Tammy Morales and Rob Saka are co-sponsoring the amendment, a collaboration that signals broad support. Morales represents the leftmost voice on the council and Saka usually aligns with the conservative majority. If you want the amendment to pass, my best advice is to urge Council Members Joy Hollingsworth and Dan Strauss to vote yes — they seem the most likely path to a majority. 

Other revenue: Morales has her eye on other revenue streams. Even though the Mayor proposed a balanced budget, filling the looming deficit largely by raiding JumpStart funds that ought to pay for affordable housing, the City will still face another, smaller deficit in 2027. Morales requested Central Staff to write plans implementing a digital advertising excise tax and an excise tax on “professional services” such as realtor, accountant, architect, and other services. Thinking ahead. We love to see it. 

SLUT shaming: Saka proposed an amendment asking the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to make a plan to retire the South Lake Union Streetcar, which people sometimes call the “SLUT” even though the acronym would actually be “SLUS.” 

In a press release, Saka said he’s “deeply concerned that residents aren’t getting what they paid for” from the SLUT. Before the pandemic, the SLUT saw 500,000 riders a year, but in 2023, it only saw about 175,000, according to the Urbanist. 

“There are much more effective ways we could be investing our transit dollars and that’s why I’m proposing the executive take a serious look at alternatives with my amendment,” Saka said in a press release. “This isn’t about killing transit – it’s about ensuring our transportation dollars are wisely spent on expanded transit service in the area that people will actually use! At its core, this is a 1-for-1, transit-for-transit investment that would require a thoughtful transition of service.”  

He and his cosponsors Moore and Bob Kettle also proposed an amendment to scrap the plan to connect the two streetcars from the Capital Improvement Program. 

For Our Boys In Blue: If you thought the Mayor’s budget and the Chair’s subsequent balancing package couldn’t get any friendlier to the Seattle Police Department (SPD), you would be wrong. Moore proposed an amendment to ask SDP to draft a plan to provide officers with childcare, possibly run by the City. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of public childcare for everyone, but the City Council and the Mayor consistently give special treatment to the cops over other City workers and Seattle residents. Moore will likely make a feminist appeal over the amendment because figuring out officers’ childcare woos may encourage more women, often saddled with more responsibility in raising children, to join the force. 

Renters rights: Morales answered one of the loudest calls from the working people of the budget — reverse Harrell’s defunding of renters services. Her amendment would fully restore tenant services to the tune of nearly $1 million over the biennium. Since all amendments must come with a funding source, Morales suggested taking the money from the Office of Economic Development and reducing funding for the Mayor’s Downtown Activation Plan. Guess we won’t get a second Space Needle anytime soon, but the amendment just might save your housing. 

However, Moore proposed a proviso that limits funding for eviction legal services to those who make under 200% of the area median income. That’s inline with State law and while City law provides some flexibilty, the Housing Justice Project says they haven't taken on clients above 80% this year at all. 

The proposal mirrors one introduced earlier this year by King County Council Member Regan Dunn. Both of them must have been following the conservative media circus around the landlord in Bellevue who claimed his tenant was loaded, but choosing not to pay rent. That narrative of the freeloading tenant has gained popularity with landlords, most notably the Low Income Housing Institute. 

Speaking of provisos: Moore also partnered with Council Member Martiza Rivera on a proviso that would hold hostage $29.5 million —or six months of funding —earmarked for shelter services through the Human Services Department (HSD). HSD can lift the proviso by submitting a report and answering a list of questions. You can read up on all the amendments up for individual vote here. Over the next few days, watch the council discuss final amendments in real time on the Seattle Channel or follow my play-by-play on Twitter.

On Oct. 30, after our story was sent to the presses but before it was distributed, Mayor Lisa Brown announced that her team will add $800,000 of one-time funds to pay for inclement weather beds this winter — that is, extra beds for when the temperature drops below freezing. These dollars, plus the already allotted $250,000, mean the city is now able to pay for 133 beds for 143 nights, which is about the average number of nights that Spokane has lows at or below 32 degrees…

Josh King’s Royal Blue Woodworking is named for his first dog, Bud, a blue Great Dane. For six years King studied at Colorado’s Red Rocks Fine Woodworking College, where, as he puts it, he got to learn from “eight different Michael Jordans.” King has now been a full-time fine woodworker for 12 years, though Bud has sadly passed on…

Brunch…

Last week, Spokane Valley released details about how much the city’s multiple investigations into City Council member Al Merkel have cost. At the Nov. 5 Spokane Valley City Council meeting, an expense report on the agenda stated that two independent investigations found Merkel has displayed a pattern of intimidation and hostile interactions with the city’s workforce, and disregarded the Council’s Governance Manual and Washington state laws despite receiving extensive training on public records rules…

When City Council President Ben Stuckart told Attorney Laura McAloon he would not be willing to support her for city attorney this week, he cited two reasons: The first was her interactions with the independent investigator looking into the city's police chief scandal, which partly led to the investigator watering down key findings from her report. But the second was a "nasty" voicemail that McAloon sent to Stuckart's personal cellphone, where she allegedly called him a liar. 

In other words, a single voicemail had become a crucial part of the story.

On August 2, the Inlander made a records request intending to obtain that voicemail, and other recent voicemails from or to McAloon from city leaders during that period…

The new changes arrive after The Weeknd publicly called out the organization for snubbing him as her received zero nominations at this year's ceremony over his successful hit 'Blinding Lights'.

The former 'Boy Meets World' actress celebrates her 40th birthday by debuting her baby bump as she is expecting her second child with husband Jensen Karp.

In the first released video, the Duchess of Cambridge adorably corrects her husband's pronunciation when he spoke the Irish language for their 2021 St. Patrick's Day greeting.

The former 'Boy Meets World' actress celebrates her 40th birthday by debuting her baby bump as she is expecting her second child with husband Jensen Karp.

In the first released video, the Duchess of Cambridge adorably corrects her husband's pronunciation when he spoke the Irish language for their 2021 St. Patrick's Day greeting.

In this month's edition of Apple Crunch, Thomas Domville, John Gassman, and Marty Sobo discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest.

Topics featured in this episode include:

• AppleVis Returns and AppleVis Unleashed Gets a new Name
• Thoughts on the Apple's "It's Glowtime" Product Line
• At Last the iOS 18 is Out
• Where's the Apple Intelligence?
• Apple working on a cheaper Apple Vision headset, a second gen Apple Vision Pro, and smart glasses

Links:

• AppleVis Partners with Be My Eyes; Website to Reopen September 9, 2024
• iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, and New AirPods: Recap of Apple's "It's Glowtime" September Event
• iPhone 16 Pro Demand Has Been Lower Than Expected, Analyst Says
• Bricked iPhone 16 Can Be Restored Wirelessly Using Another iPhone
• iPhone SE 4 due in early 2025 with OLED and Apple Intelligence
• iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 Accessibility: A Summary of VoiceOver and braille issues and improvements
• Apple Intelligence Features Expected to Roll Out in This Order Between iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.4New Siri with Apple Intelligence to launch in 2025, says Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman
• Some Apple Intelligence features could cost up to $20/month, claim analysts
• Paid Apple Intelligence features are likely at least 3 years away
• Apple working on a cheaper Apple Vision headset, a second gen Apple Vision Pro, and smart glasses
• Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Updated With Real-Time AI Video, Reminders, and QR Code Scanning
• Looks like Apple is developing a full-fledged advertising tier for Apple TV+

If you have feedback or questions for the Apple Crunch team, you can reach them at AppleCrunch@AppleVis.com

Transcript

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by Aiko, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Hello and welcome to Apple Crunch for September 2024.…

Festivals and photography exhibition set to celebrate the city's poetry and spoken word scene.

Jessica Harris goes along to watch.

One of Britain’s favourite comedians – national treasure Joe Pasquale – is to be guest speaker at Birmingham Press Club’s Christmas lunch on Tuesday, December 3rd.

Pawprint ID technology employed as Hound Pound set to be new purchasing power.

How can men feel more confident in front of the camera?

Tudor Grange date for visually impaired swimmers.

Political correspondent to speak at Press Club event.

Coverage of Birmingham City Council's meeting this afternoon can be found here starting at 13:30 today, apparently.

Labour group say "bar set far too high".

Good Hope Hospital - in partnership with Healthcare at Home Ltd - is launching its first recovery at home (R@H) service this week

Councils shine at awards for Small Business Friendliness.

Jessica Harris attended the launch of BRB's new season.

UB40 help put Birmingham music heritage on the map.