The worlds oceans have an average depth of around 3‚682 meters (12‚080 feet)‚ yet there is one point where the seafloor plunges to around three times this profundity. Known as the Challenger Deep‚ the deepest spot in the ocean lies within the famous Mariana Trench in the western Pacific‚ and has only ever been visited by a handful of people.Named after the legendary Challenger Expedition that first sounded the depths of the trench in 1875‚ the Challenger Deep lies some 200 nautical miles (230 miles; 370 kilometers) southwest of Guam‚ towards the southern end of the Mariana Trench. The murky abyss is divided into three depressions known as the eastern‚ central‚ and western basins‚ with a 2021 study confirming that the deepest point lies within the eastern basin‚ at a depth of 10‚935 meters (35‚876 feet).The spot is so deep that if Mount Everest were placed there‚ its summit would still lie around 2‚084 meters (6‚842 feet) beneath the waves. Despite its incredible depth‚ however‚ the Challenger Deep was reached byoceanographer Jacques Piccard and Navy Lt. Don Walsh‚ who made it to the bottom of the sea in a US Navy submersible in 1960.More than six decades later‚ filmmaker and explorer James Cameron became the second visitor to the Challenger Deep and the first solo traveler to arrive in 2012. Diving aboard a submarine he designed himself‚ Cameron took two hours and 36 minutes to descend to the bottom of the chasm‚ before returning to the surface in about 70 minutes.Like the rest of the Mariana Trench‚ the Challenger Deep was formed by a process known as subduction‚ whereby the Pacific Plate slid beneath the smaller Mariana Plate. This sent the seafloor plummeting towards the so-called hadal zone‚ which begins at a depth of 3.7 miles(19‚536 feet) and takes its name from Hades‚ the mythical Greek underworld.Yet while Hades may be associated with death‚ the Challenger Deep is surprisingly teeming with life. For instance‚ during Camerons visit‚ he captured footage of strange‚ translucent sea cucumbers that had not been seen anywhere else in the ocean.As exciting as that sounds‚ subsequent visits to the Deep revealed that the life forms at the bottom of the ocean may already be affected bypollution. Unbelievably‚ one expedition even found abeer bottle lying on the seafloor‚ highlighting the need to do a better job of protecting the ocean‚ and indeed the rest of the planet.All explainer articles are confirmed byfact checkersto be correct attime of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.

In a major step towards truly sustainable fashion‚ researchers have genetically modified bacteria to produce a vegan‚ plastic-free leather alternative that can dye itself black. Demonstrating the potential of their new method‚ the study authors were able to grow a whole shoe (minus the sole) from their tailored microbes in just two weeks.Like many other materials used in the production of clothes‚ leather comes with an environmental toll‚ and researchers are on the hunt for more sustainable alternatives. Among the most promising substances is bacterial cellulose‚ which is produced by certain bacteria of the genus Komagataeibacter.These microorganisms secrete linear chains of glucose that self-assemble into a durable mesh of fibers known as a pellicle. As well as making excellent textiles‚ pellicles can be rapidly produced from waste feedstocks like rotten fruit and therefore come with a very low environmental footprint.Researchers grew this shoe from bacteria. Image credit: Tom Ellis/Marcus Walker/Imperial College LondonHowever‚ while the idea of using bacterial cellulose as a substitute for leather is nothing new‚ scientists had until now struggled to come up with an environmentally friendly method of adding color to these materials. Indeed‚ synthetic chemical dyeing is among the most polluting processes in fashion‚ with the black pigments that are used to color leather being among the worst offenders.To get around this issue‚ the researchers genetically modified a type ofKomagataeibacter to produce the enzyme tyrosinase‚ which catalyzes the formation of the black pigment eumelanin. Thanks to its low water solubility‚ eumelanin is an excellent candidate for a textile dye as it is unlikely to run when washed.Over the course of 14 days‚ the team grew bacterial cellulose in a shoe-shaped mold using their altered microbes‚ before gentle shaking stimulated the production of eumelanin‚ thus dying the material black from within. They also manufactured a black wallet by cutting and stitching pellicle sheets secreted by the modified bacteria.Inventing a new‚ faster way to produce sustainable‚ self-dyed leather alternatives is a major achievement for synthetic biology and sustainable fashion‚ said study authorProfessor Tom Ellis in a statement. Bacterial cellulose is inherently vegan‚ and its growth requires a tiny fraction of the carbon emissions‚ water‚ land use and time of farming cows for leather‚ he adds.";Unlike plastic-based leather alternatives‚ bacterial cellulose can also be made without petrochemicals‚ and will biodegrade safely and non-toxically in the environment‚ says Ellis.Taking things a step further‚ the researchers demonstrated that the bacteria could be stimulated to produce pigments in response to blue light. This enabled them to add shapes and logos to pellicles just by shining light on the desired patterns.Moving forward‚ the team says it may now be possible to engineer bacteria to produce other colors in a similar fashion‚ with pigments such as indigo having already been synthesized by certain strains ofE. coli.We look forward to working with the fashion industry to make the clothes we wear greener throughout the whole production line‚ says Ellis.The study has been published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

MSNBCs Joy Reid and The ReidOuts assembled panel reacted on Friday to the efforts by some Republicans to name D.C.s Dulles International Airport after Donald Trump and Democrats response of trying to name a federal prison after him by getting triggered at the eponyms currently on D.C.s two airports: John Foster Dulles and Ronald Reagan. Reid even admitted that she refuses to call Reagan National by its name.Reid opined‚ Lets talk a little about this idea of renaming Dulles. Now‚ Dulles is not the best airport‚ it might be the worst airport in America. The Republicans are like‚ ';lets name it after Donald Trump.'; I love the fact that it';s named after one of the most diabolical secretaries of State who destroyed Iran and a bunch of Central America.Ali Veshi chimed in to add‚ But‚ let';s make that worse.Echoing the sentiment‚ Reid continued‚ Lets make it worse. Also‚ the Democrats have said‚ ';Instead‚ let';s name a prison after Trump.'; Thoughts? Thoughts? Thoughts? Name a prison in Miami?Velshi loved the troll move‚ labeling it fantastic‚ but the table then went on a digression about prison names. When the digression ended‚ Reid returned to Dulles‚ I think this is a great opportunity for the nerds of the table just to talk about Allen Dulles and also his brother‚ it was John Foster Dulles‚ I think‚ and Allen Dulles and both of them were involved in destroying Guatemala and Iran.No‚ that would be the ayatollahs whose oppressive domestic regime and foreign policy escapades have destroyed a once proud civilization. Still‚ there was one more D.C. airport to discuss. Political Science Professor Christina Greer added‚ Well‚ I mean‚ we';ve they';ve already renamed National‚ Reagan which I refuse to call it Reagan.If the professor cant even bring herself to say Reagan Airport‚ one can only wonder what kind of education Fordham University political science majors are getting. Reid‚ however‚ would fit right in‚ Yeah‚ I just call it DCA.Here is a transcript for the April 5 show:MSNBC The ReidOut4/5/20247:51 PM ETJOY REID: Lets talk a little about this idea ofrenaming Dulles.Now‚ Dulles is not the best airport‚ it might be the worst airportin America. The Republicans are like lets name it after Donald Trump. I love the fact that it';s namedafter one of the mostdiabolical secretaries of StateALI VELSHI: Right.REID: --who destroyed Iran and a bunch of Central America.VELSHI: But‚ let';s make that worse.REID: Lets make it worse. Also‚ the Democrats have saidInstead‚ let';s name a prison afterTrump.Thoughts?Thoughts? Thoughts? Name a prison in Miami?VELSHI: That is a fantasticREID: I think this is a greatopportunity for the nerds ofthe table just to talk about AllenDulles and also his brother‚ it was JohnFoster DullesVELSHI: Yup.REID: -- I think‚ and Allen Dulles and both of themwere involved in destroyingGuatemala and Iran.VELSHI: Yeah.REID: So‚ I feel like that';s important and thats given me the opportunity‚ so thank you Republicans.CHRISTINA GREER: Well‚ I mean‚ we';ve-- they';vealready renamed National‚ Reaganwhich I refuse to call it Reagan.REID: Yeah‚ I just call it DCA.

ABCs Jimmy Kimmel is a strange man. On his Thursday show‚ Kimmel wondered why Donald Trump would travel to Michigan to talk about border security since the state borders Canada‚ while also accusing Trump of exploiting the death of Ruby Garcia‚ a Michigan woman recently murdered by an illegal immigrant.Kimmel was also not a fan of Trumps new campaign message‚ Somehow‚ in the middle of allthese prosecutions‚ Trump hasbeen on the road doing rallies‚where you know‚ when you thinkback on all the presidents‚there are so many great linesthroughout history.Like‚ Yes‚ we canand Tear down the wall‚The buck stops hereand this‚ new slogan fromDonald Trump‚ Stop Biden';sborder bloodbath.Thinking he had come up with some great gotcha moment‚ Kimmel continued‚ he unrolled that one inMichigan.The only border Michigan sharesis with Canada‚ but why getbogged down with details?Kimmel isnt actually dumb enough to think that illegal immigrants who commit crimes are confined to states along the Southern border‚ he just wanted a cheap joke about Trump being the dumb one‚ even if it made no logical sense.Kimmel proved he knew better when he accused Trump of shamelesslytrying to exploit the murder ofa young woman in Michigan‚ whowas allegedly killed by a manshe was dating‚ and who alsohappened to enter the countryillegally.He further accused Trump of liking the story‚ This is the kind of story heloves because it furthers thefalse narrative that immigrantscommit more crimes here thanAmericans do.So‚ he grabs on to this very sadstory about this woman namedRuby to use it to get elected.Not only did Kimmel leave off the illegal adjective‚ and not only did he ignore the fact that the man should never have been in the country in the first place‚ if there is one person in the media who should not be condemning others for using anecdotal evidence in support of a particular policy‚ it is Jimmy Kimmel‚ whose reputation as a political comedian is built off such claims.Here is a transcript for the April 4 show:ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!4/4/202411:37 PM ETJIMMY KIMMEL: Somehow‚ in the middle of allthese prosecutions‚ Trump hasbeen on the road doing rallies‚where you know‚ when you thinkback on all the presidents‚there are so many great linesthroughout history.Like‚ ";Yes‚ we can";and ";Tear down the wall‚";";The buck stops here";and this‚ new slogan fromDonald Trump‚ ";Stop Biden';sborder bloodbath.";";Stop Biden';s border bloodbathand beyond‚"; is in fact is the--he unrolled that one inMichigan.The only border Michigan sharesis with Canada‚ but why getbogged down with details?Trump has been shamelesslytrying to exploit the murder ofa young woman in Michigan‚ whowas allegedly killed by a manshe was dating‚ and who alsohappened to enter the countryillegally.This is the kind of story heloves because it furthers thefalse narrative that immigrantscommit more crimes here thanAmericans do.So‚ he grabs on to this very sadstory about this woman namedRuby to use it to get elected.

Few films havestirred the cultural pot quite like Civil War.The April 12 release envisions a near-future America at war with itself.Kirsten Dunst leads an ensemble cast including Parks and Recreation standout Nick Offerman as the U.S. president. Much of the films story has been kept under wraps. The films SXSW Film and TV Festival debut let some light shine on the narrative.Offermans president‚ for example‚ has fascistic tendencies and is currently serving his third term.It must be Trump. Of course.if Hollywood has taught us anything over the past seven-plus years its that it cant stop referencing the 45th president. And‚ almost every time said commentary is unflattering.To be kind.Thats exactly what journalists were hoping from Civil War. Its why theyre trying to get the films stars to admit it. So far‚ theyre striking out.Offerman spoke to a Hollywood Reporter journalist at length about the project during the red carpet premiere. The actor‚ who famously played a libertarian on Parks and Recreation‚ is a liberal in real life. He still didnt take the reporters bait. He shoos away any suggestion his character is Trumpian to the core.Theres obvious comparisons to Trump here and our political climate‚ the unnamed reporter asks Offerman. How closely did you want to play that?The veteran star doesnt bite.Honestly‚ it didnt even come up‚ Offerman responds. [The movie] is so unrelated to any actual factions or politicians. Thats what I think is so brilliant about this film. Everybody on any side of the aisle or any faction has a lot to say and were all immediately divisive and partisan in our conversations.Everybodys mad about those other jerks‚ and this movie transcends that. its about all of us. And Im so grateful for that.His views echoedthose of writer/director Alex Garland. The Ex-Machina creator has repeatedly said his film is bipartisan. The big picture he wants to share? Lets stop attacking each other before its too late.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Civil War (@civilwarmovie)Over at the far-Left Variety‚ its reportertried to do the same with co-star Dunst.Mission: Unaccomplished.But its impossible to watch Civil War without being reminded of this years presidential election you know‚ the one where democracy and maybe the fate of the free world hangs in the balance? For instance‚ Dunstwont admit[emphasis added] that the films president‚ played by Nick Offerman as a narcissist with an authoritarian streak‚ resembles the 45th‚ and perhaps 47th‚ Oval Office occupant.';It feels fictitious to me‚ she says of any connection between Offermans character and Donald Trump. I dont want to compare because thats the antithesis of the film. Its just a fascist president. But I didnt think about Nicks character being any certain political figure. I just thought this is this president‚ in this world‚ who will not abide by the Constitution and democracy.';Wont admit its almost as if the reporter has an agenda and is annoyed that the films star wont play along.

Well‚ isnt this interesting.One Chris Quinn‚ the Editor at theCleveland Plain Dealer‚has taken the time to pen a Letter from the Editor to the papers readers. The topic: the papers coverage of former President Donald Trump.The letter is designed to set the apparent critics of the papers Trump coverage straight. Coverage that‚ it seems‚ strikesPlain DealerTrump-supporting readers as -- shocking‚ I know -- biased against the former president.The letter‚ found here‚is a classic of thinking from inside the liberal media bubble. Lacking any self-awareness and‚ in the name of truth making utterly untrue comments.Lets take a look.Says Quinn: The north star here is truth. We tell the truth‚ even when it offends some of the people who pay us for information. Then he quickly spins outuntruth.Examples?Quinn:The truth is that Donald Trump undermined faith in our elections in his false bid to retain the presidency. He sparked an insurrection intended to overthrow our government and keep himself in power. No president in our history has done worse.This is not subjective. We all saw it. Plenty of leaders today try to convince the masses we did not see what we saw‚ but our eyes dont deceive. (If leaders began a yearslong campaign today to convince us that the Baltimore bridge did not collapse Tuesday morning‚ would you ever believe them?) Trust your eyes. Trump on Jan. 6 launched the most serious threat to our system of government since the Civil War. You know that. You saw it.Journalists who are in no way objective still proclaim ";This is not subjective."; Journalists who sound exactly like Democratic strategists proclaim Trump uniquely undermined faith in our elections...after they spent most of Trump';s presidency implying daily that he stole the election in a conspiracy with the Russians. That was a ";yearslong campaign"; to convince us Hillary Clinton';s bridge didn';t collapse.There';s the usual hype that this was the worst threat since the Civil War‚ and these people have claimed with a straight fact that January 6 was much more serious than September 11. That';s flabbergasting.There have been problems with American elections long pre-dating Trump. Trump was not needed to undermine faith in our elections.In 2022‚ for example‚ CNN ran this headline on my own state of Pennsylvania:Ex-Democratic congressman sentenced to prison in yearslong Pennsylvania election fraud schemeCNN begins its reporting this way: CNN Expelled former Democratic congressmanMichael Ozzie Myershas been sentenced to 30 months in prison for federal election fraud dating back to 2014‚ the Justice Department said Tuesday‚ and was immediately taken into custody.Myers‚ 79‚ pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to deprive voters of civil rights‚ bribery‚ obstruction of justice‚ falsification of voting records‚ and conspiring to illegally vote in a federal election as part of scams to stuff ballot boxes for certain Democratic candidates in Pennsylvania elections between 2014 and 2018‚the DOJ saidin a news release.Prosecutors said some of the candidates were running to be judges and had hired Myers‚ who would use portions of consulting fees from his clients to pay others to interfere with election results.And the source for this story was not what Quinn refers to as ";news sources of no credibility. The source was the United States Department of Justice‚ as seen here in a DOJ press release.And the headline from the DOJ release:Former U.S. Congressman and Philadelphia Political Operative Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Election FraudIn addition to the problem cited above involving Pennsylvania elections in the five elections between 2014 and 2018‚ theNew York Timesran this headline on its front page all the way back in 1994:Vote-Fraud Ruling Shifts Pennsylvania SenateThe Timesbegan its story by reporting:Saying Philadelphia';s election system had collapsed under a massive scheme by Democrats to steal a State Senate election in November‚ a Federal judge today took the rare step of invalidating the vote and ordered the seat filled by the Republican candidate.In making such a sweeping move‚ the judge‚ Clarence C. Newcomer of Federal District Court here‚ did for the Republicans what the election had not: enable them to regain control of the State Senate‚ which they lost two years ago.Judge Newcomer ruled that the Democratic campaign of William G. Stinson had stolen the election from Bruce S. Marks in North Philadelphia';s Second Senatorial District through an elaborate fraud in which hundreds of residents were encouraged to vote by absentee ballot even though they had no legal reason -- like a physical disability or a scheduled trip outside the city -- to do so.Talk about undermining faith in our elections! Note well. This story about a massive scheme that resulted in a stolen election was reported in 1994 - a full 21 years before Donald Trump ever ran for president.Like his many colleagues in the liberal media‚ Quinn takes Trump';s failure to concede defeat and exaggerates it into an insurrection on January 6th. Heres a fact Quinn chooses to ignore. This is subjective. This is energetic spin‚ not a matter of law. In the charges brought by Biden DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith‚ not one charges Trump - or anybody else - with insurrection‚ and insurrection is in fact a chargeable crime. It hasnt happened.So for Quinn to tellPlain Dealerreaders that Trump sparked an insurrection intended to overthrow our government and keep himself in power isn';t true in a legal sense -- or he would have been charged by Special Counsel Jack Smith for doing so. Completely ignored by Quinn is that President Joe Biden is the very first president in American history whose administration has gone out of its way to prosecute his political opponent to keep himself in power. Biden is behaving in the fashion of a third world banana Republic dictator in his treatment of his political opposition -- and Trump is the problem?Amusingly and illustrating a complete lack of self-awareness‚ Quinn says that the media landscape has been corrupted by partisans. Seriously?A media landscape corrupted by partisans? Like at MSNBC?Or maybe‚ closer to home‚ by partisans like Chris Quinn and theCleveland Plain Dealer?The real fact here is that the Editor of thePlain Dealerhas in fact made it plain that his highly subjective - and decidedly false - true north portrayal of Trump will be running the papers coverage of the 2024 election.It doesnt get much more fake news than that.Note to readers of thePlain Dealer? Look elsewhere for true north coverage in 2024.

This Shoofly Pie recipe is an Amish/Dutch recipe that you will love. Its a very unique pie made with sorghum molasses and its delicious! If you love Amish recipes‚ give this delicious Amish Vanilla Pie a try too! Its one of our favorites! WHY DO YOU CALL IT SHOOFLY PIE? No other dessert is more...

A Southern California Sheriff';s Deputy has reportedly been living a double life as an outlaw member of a notorious motorcycle gang. The authorities discovered a plethora of firearms at the man';s home‚ including a shotgun that was stolen from his department‚ according to the New York Post.Christopher Bingham‚ 45‚ was taken into custody after he was caught riding with two other members of a motorcycle gang on March 23. He';s an 18-year veteran of the Sheriff';s Department. When the authorities arrested him‚ they found an unloaded and unregistered firearm. Bingham was subsequently booked at the Smith Correctional Facility. However‚ he was later released.The department had been on the former deputy';s trail since January 2024 after they found that he had been riding and socializing with members of the biker gang. Officials soon opened an investigation into the deputy‚ per the report. As a result‚ investigators with the Gangs/Narcotics Division obtained a search warrant for Bingham';s home in Twentynine Palms‚ California‚ following his arrest. The San Bernadino Sun reported that Bingham was taken to jail wearing a t-shirt that read: ";(Expletive) the 81!"; The number ";81"; is reportedly a nickname for the Hells Angels a longtime rival of the Mongols gangs‚ which is the gang Bingham reportedly associated with. The t-shirt also had ";SYLM"; scrawled on it‚ which stands for ";Support Your Local Mongols‚"; per reports. While Bingham was being held in jail‚ investigators searched his home. They reportedly found around 160 firearms‚ including a modified‚ fully automatic assault rifle with a grenade launcher attached to it. They also discovered a customized AR-15 assault rifle with a 12-inch barrel.District Attorney Jason Anderson was not able to say whether Bingham has been suspected of trafficking firearms for the Mongols. He was also unable to provide detailed information about Bingham';s affiliation with the biker gang. Despite the lack of details‚ Anderson was able to say that ";[t]his appears to involve the Mongols‚ without question.";San Bernadino Sheriff Shannon Dicus said the following in a statement: The actions of this deputy are alarming and inexcusable; he not only tarnishes his badge but also undermines the integrity and credibility of the entire department.";Criminal behavior will not be tolerated‚ and we have placed him on compulsory leave effective immediately. The investigation has been forwarded to the District Attorneys Office‚ and charges have been filed.Bingham faces multiple felony charges‚ but the investigation is still ongoing.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Meghan Markle superfan recently claimed that Kate Middleton';s cancer diagnosis is fake. He went on to question whether Middleton was even alive after the Princess of Wales stunned the world after revealing she was being treated with ";preventative chemotherapy"; for an unspecified illness‚ according to the New York Post.Johnathan Perkins the director of race and equity in the University of California Los Angeles'; Office of Equity‚ Diversity and Inclusion posted to X on March 24‚ writing: ";A cancer survivor‚ I can confirm society treats cancer like a death sentence‚ patients like pitiful weaklings."; (@) ";I personally do NOT believe Kate Middleton had/has cancer. The Royals presumed cancer/chemos mere (vague!) mention would quash concerns re Kates absenceit mostly did!";The Post reportedly reached out to Perkins‚ who once referred to Markle as an ";American princess.";In other social media posts‚ Perkins has suggested that maybe the Princess of Wales was ";in a coma or dead‚"; and went on to say that ";King Chuck and Kate do NOT deserve my respect.";However‚ Perkins did not provide any evidence for his claims.The lawyers speculated that the Royal Family may be concealing something‚ writing: ";Next‚ we will find out the Royals are lying about Kates cancer diagnosis to cover for something elsewould NOT put it past this family. Even as a cancer survivor‚ Im taking this announcement w/a grain of salt until we learn more. I dont presume truth just b/c the story is sad."; (@) Perkins has previously condemned society';s perception of cancer‚ noting that people treat it ";like a death sentence."; According to his LinkedIn account‚ he has been in remission for lymphoma for 15 years.In an Instagram post he shared on March 29‚ 2023‚ Perkins wrote: These are but two of the many common racist myths poisoning U.S. healthcareand obviously a big part of how and why black people receive substandard care and tend to die early."; See on Instagram The Daily Mail pointed out the seeming contradictions in Perkins'; positions‚ noting that ";many will point out an obvious hypocrisy between his cruel comments about Kate and their stark contrast to UCLA';s ';Equity‚ Diversity and Inclusion'; values.";The California university';s ";Inclusive Excellence Framework"; says that‚ in Perkins'; role‚ he is supposed to work to ";uphold dignity for all"; and ";foster open-mindedness‚ understanding‚ compassion and inclusiveness.";It goes on to state that the university does ";not tolerate acts of discrimination‚ harassment or conduct causing harm to individuals‚"; per the Daily Mail.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Professional sports franchises are some of the most lucrative businesses in America. NFL teams on average cleared $137 million in earnings last year‚ before interest‚ taxes‚ depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). Most baseball teams‚ including the Royals‚ likewise bring in tens of millions of dollars in profit per year. Unlike other businesses that are far less profitable‚ sports franchises have long pled poverty in an effort to con city leaders and voters out of their tax money to build them new stadiums to play in. In support of these pleas‚ the franchises have relied on the dubious premise that increased economic activity around the stadium will generate enough business to offset the hundreds of millions of dollars taken from taxpayers. Numerous studies have shown that these promises are actually lies‚ as there is no evidence that sports teams generate additional revenue at allat all above what would otherwise exist‚ and certainly not nearly as much as is generally taken forcefully from taxpayers. By far the biggest beneficiaries of this money are the billionaire team owners‚ who generally include the value of the new stadiums in their team valuations‚ which improves the value of the team at sale and as collateral for loans. Likewise‚ it is also a lie that teams cannot feasibly finance their own stadiums. Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium‚ two of the most venerable and longest-standing stadiums in sport‚ were built with private financing‚ among others. The Phoenix Coyotes‚ who are by all accounts far less profitable than either Kansas City team‚ announced this week that they will build a new stadium that is financed entirely by private money. There are signs that the public is wising up to the scam. In sports-hungry Tennessee‚ the Titans approached voters and issued veiled threats to leave if the state and city did not chip in around a billion dollars to help finance a new stadium‚ in spite of the fact that their current stadium is only a quarter-century old. Polling showed that Tennessee voters were overwhelmingly opposed to the plan‚ although both the state legislature and city council blew through voter discontent and blithely approved the plan anyway. Voter anger over the vote led largely to the election of Freddie O';Connell‚ the most vocal stadium opponent‚ as Nashville mayor.Unlike Tennessee voters‚ voters in Kansas City were given a direct say in whether they should be required to pay for the business facilities of billionaires recently‚ and spoke with a voice that could not have been clearer. Even though Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas and most of city leadership endorsed an extension of a 3/8 cent sales tax measure to help pay for a new stadium for the Royals and major stadium renovations for the wildly popular Chiefs‚ voters were not impressed‚ sending the measure to a resounding defeat. The billionaire owners responded to this development with a familiar refrain‚ and threatened to take their balls and go home. Or at least somewhere else. Royals owner John Sherman had his wife do the heavy lifting by posting those threats on Facebook‚ accusing Jackson County‚ Missouri of a ";failure of leadership"; and saying that the greater Kansas City area would be lucky if the teams even ended up across the border in Kansas. Kansas City';s Democratic mayor Quinton Lucas indicated in a post on X that‚ not to worry‚ city leadership is committed to keeping the teams in Kansas City‚ apparently at taxpayer expense. Clinging to the belief that voters did not reject being taxed to pay for a rich business';s facilites‚ but rather were rejecting a lack of appropriate planning‚ Lucas insisted‚ ";I hear rumors‚ including even from the Mayor of Dallas. Dont believe the noise. We are committed to retention of our teams with vastly lower expenses -- think needed infrastructure build-out -- than even an intra-metro move. Both teams will be in KCMO in 2040 and long after.";Where the teams go next is an open question. Although the Chiefs and Royals worked together on the failed proposal‚ they could attempt to wrest further tax money from voters separately‚ or turn to search for a city that is more willing to ignore the economic reality in the hopes of luring a professional sports team. As far as Lucas is concerned‚ however‚ ";The people of Kansas City and Jackson County love the Chiefs and the Royals.... I look forward to working with the Chiefs and Royals to build a stronger‚ more open and collaborative process that will ensure the teams‚ their events and investments remain in Kansas City for generations to come.";