A plethora of federal agencies have spent well over $200 million attempting to alleviate homelessness in Washington state over the past 17 years‚ only for the number of people living on the streets to keep rising. Federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development‚ the Department of Veterans Affairs‚ and the Department of Health and Human Service‚ among others‚ have spent hundreds of millions of dollars since 2007 on grants to third parties intended to mitigate homelessness in Washington‚ federal spending data shows. Despite the nine-figure sum of taxpayer dollars spent‚ the number of homeless people in Washington grew by about 20% between 2007 and 2023‚ according to a report produced by HUD. Washington had the third-highest raw increase in its homeless population between 2007 and 2023‚ according to HUD. California and New York were the first and second-highest‚ respectively. An estimated 20‚036 individuals were living in Washington without permanent shelter as of 2023‚ according to HUD. Washington’s rate of homelessness was among the highest in the nation in 2023. The federal government has over the years attempted to assist Washington state with its mounting homelessness problem‚ with little to show for it. The federal government spent heavily in Washington state during the COVID-19 pandemic‚ only for the number of homeless individuals in the state to grow by 15.6% between 2020 and 2022‚ according to HUD. For instance‚ the VA has given nearly $120 million to third-party organizations to assist homeless veterans since 2007‚ much of which was paid out during the pandemic‚ according to federal spending records. Despite this injection of cash‚ Washington had the fifth-highest rate of veterans experiencing unsheltered homelessness as of 2023‚ according to HUD. Unsheltered homelessness refers to people who primarily spend their nights at “a public or private place not designated for‚ or ordinarily used as‚ a regular sleeping accommodation for people‚” according to HUD. In a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation‚ a spokesperson for the VA acknowledged that the number of homeless veterans increased in Washington between 2022 and 2023. In response to the increase‚ “VA health care systems covering Washington State (Puget Sound‚ Spokane‚ Walla Walla‚ and Portland) housed a combined total of 2‚238 homeless Veterans‚” the spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “This was possible‚ in part‚ due to nearly $15.6 million in grants and contracts awarded to local organizations.” Some states‚ like Texas and Florida‚ reduced their homeless populations during the pandemic‚ according to HUD. Florida saw homelessness drop by 5.6% and Texas reduced its homeless population by 10.3%. In addition to growing‚ Washington’s homeless population also lacks access to temporary shelters at higher rates than most the country. Washington had the ninth-highest rate of homeless people lacking temporary shelter‚ according to HUD. High rates of unsheltered homelessness in Washington persist despite considerable federal spending aimed at providing them with places to stay. HUD has spent over $70 million in Washington on its emergency shelter grant program for the homeless since 2007‚ federal spending records show. HUD spent a further $60 million in Washington implementing its supportive housing program for the homeless. “In the most recent System Performance Measures‚ communities across the country have seen reduced lengths of stay in homelessness and low rates of returns to homelessness‚” HUD told the Daily Caller News Foundation when asked about its grant spending. “By and large‚ the recent rise in homelessness in most communities is more attributable to the rise in the number of people who are becoming newly homeless‚ than any challenges with system performance.” Officials have cited rising rents and the end of pandemic-era housing assistance and protections as contributing to the recent rise in homelessness‚ The Associated Press reported. Many vulnerable people are living on the streets in Washington‚ despite federal funds being allocated to provide them with permanent housing. Washington has a sizable population of young people living on the street‚ according to HUD. There were 2‚026 homeless people under the age of 25 unaccompanied by a parent or guardian in Washington as of 2023. The number of unaccompanied homeless youths in Washington grew by 12.4% between 2022 and 2023‚ according to HUD.  The Seattle area had the third-highest number of unaccompanied homeless youths in the country in 2023. Between 2022 and 2023‚ HUD spent more than $7 million in Washington through its youth homelessness demonstration program‚ which was intended to alleviate homelessness among young people by providing the population with assistance in acquiring housing or shelter. Homelessness in Washington is not distributed uniformly across the state. Roughly half of Washington’s homeless reside in the Seattle area‚ according to HUD. The federal government has‚ in recent years‚ targeted the region in an attempt to quell homelessness. HUD approved over $40 million in funding for the King County Regional Homeless Authority between 2022 and 2023‚ according to federal spending records. The King County Regional Homeless Authority is an independent government agency that relies on “data‚ proven practices‚ and principles of social justice and racial equity” to “significantly decrease homelessness throughout King County‚” according to its website. “Homelessness disproportionately harms people of color‚” the agency’s website reads. “We use an equity-based decision making framework to proactively dismantle structural racism and advance equity.” The King County Regional Homeless Authority’ total budget was $253.3 million in 2023‚ according to a document produced by the agency. The Seattle region had the third-most homeless people of any area in the United States as of 2023‚ per HUD. The influx of migrants and asylum-seekers into Washington‚ rising living costs‚ a lack of shelter services‚ and the end of pandemic aid are all contributing factors to rising homelessness in the state‚ University of Washington associate professor Gregg Colburn told The Seattle Times. Despite recent setbacks‚ the majority of Seattle residents are optimistic that the city will make progress toward reducing homelessness over the next couple of years‚ according to a Seattle Times/Suffolk University poll conducted in June 2023. The King County Regional Homeless Authority and HHS did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Feds Have Showered Blue State With Tax Dollars to Fix Homelessness. It Keeps Getting Worse. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Come learn how to grow beets at home. This post will explore everything you need to know to successfully grow beets from seed or seedlings‚ such as the best time to plant beets‚ spacing and thinning tips‚ when to harvest‚ along with how to store‚ use‚ or preserve beets. I’ve also included a list of the best beet varieties to grow – including my personal favorites. Don’t forget that beet greens are edible and delicious too! Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site‚ we may earn an affiliate commission.  Best Beet Varieties Boro – my top favorite beet variety! Deep red Boro beets are superbly sweet and tender‚ even when they get large! This enables us to slowly harvest them over a window of many months‚ starting when they’re small and then “field storing” the rest in the soil to pick as needed. Early Wonder – a classic red beet variety. Early Wonder beets mature quickly‚ and offer tall delicious green tops. Chioggia – a real show-stopper! The pink and white ring bullseye pattern inside a cut Chioggia beet makes them exceptionally beautiful and interesting. Bonus: they’re bolt-resistant (meaning they can tolerate warmer temperatures) and are delicious too. Detroit Dark Red – another classic. Detroit Dark Red is a popular beet variety among home gardeners and market farmer’s alike. They boast beautiful uniform roots‚ good strong green tops‚ and excellent storage life. Formanova – another one of my favorite beet varieties for flavor and reliability. Formanova beets grow tall and cylindrical‚ producing 6 inch long‚ 1 to 2 inch wide roots that stick up out of the soil as they grow. Touchstone Gold – a beautiful golden beet variety. Add interest to your beet bed with these pretty‚ extra sweet‚ gold-colored Touchstone beets. Bull’s Blood – red through-and-through! Bull’s Blood beets have not only super dark red roots‚ but pretty red leafy green tops too. This beet variety is tolerant to both hot and cold conditions‚ and the color deepens as they mature. When to Plant Beets Beets enjoy cool to moderately warm temperatures‚ ideal to plant in spring or fall. They can tolerate frost or even a light freeze once established but don’t grow well in hot and dry conditions‚ when they tend to get tough and woody. Beet seeds can be planted outside starting in late winter to early spring – around a month before your area’s last spring frost date‚ or once the soil is about 50 degrees. Here’s a simple soil thermometer if you need one! You can continue to plant beets into early summer (e.g. succession planting) as long as the daytime temperatures are below 75F. For a fall harvest‚ sow beet seeds again in mid-summer to early fall. In zones 9 and higher‚ beets can be grown right thorough the winter. We grow beets year-round in our zone 9 garden‚ but I find our spring-planted beets usually grow better than our fall-winter beet crop. FAQ: How long does it take for beets to grow? Under ideal growing conditions‚ most beet varieties take about 55 to 70 days to mature after planting. Baby beets can be ready to harvest as early as 40 days after planting. Planting beet seedlings will give you a head start by several weeks compared to starting from seed. Growing Beets from Seed vs Seedlings You may get the best results by growing beets from seed instead of buying started seedlings from the nursery. Beets don’t like their roots disturbed‚ and easily become stunted if they’re left to grow too large in small crowded containers. Plus‚ you can choose more fun varieties and get dozens (if not hundreds) of beets from one packet of seeds for the same price as a seedling 6-pack. That said‚ you CAN grow beets from seedlings too! They tolerate transplanting much better than other root vegetables. Just be sure to choose the most small‚ tender‚ and least-crowded looking seedlings at the nursery – and try to ruffle their roots as little as possible when planting. Read more tips on starting and planting beets below. Ideal Conditions: Sun‚ Soil‚ Fertilizer and Water Sun: Beets grow best in full sun‚ particularly for good root development‚ so choose a planting location that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. It’s possible to grow beet greens in partial shade. Soil: Plant beets in loose soil with good drainage‚ such as sandy loam or potting soil amended with compost. They don’t grow well in dense clay soil or rocky soils‚ which hinder nice round root growth. Amend dense soil with potting soil‚ compost‚ and/or horticultural sand as needed to improve texture and aeration. Beets prefer neutral to mildly acidic soil (6.5 to 7)‚ but don’t thrive in acidic soil below 6.0. Fertilizer: Beets are not heavy feeders and can tolerate low soil fertility. Like other root vegetables‚ too much nitrogen will encourage excessive green top growth – but at the expense of the roots. Therefore‚ avoid fertilizing beets with high-nitrogen fertilizers; just a little compost or worm castings will do! Water: Consistent moisture is key to growing nice beets! Try to keep the soil evenly moist at all times (but not soggy). Beets will fail to thrive and will get tough and “hairy” without enough water‚ so try not to let the soil dry out between watering. We have automated drip in irrigation for our raised garden beds – it’s a lifesaver! Once the seedlings are at least 4 to 5 inches tall‚ providing a nice layer of mulch around the base will help the soil retain moisture and stay more cool in warm conditions. We like to use compost as mulch in our garden. See the pros and cons of different mulch types here. The extra hairy roots tell me that this little baby beet didn’t get quite enough water while it was growing. Planting Beets It’s often recommended to direct sow beet seeds (plant them directly outside in the garden) compared to starting seeds indoors. However‚ we’ve done both successfully! Just like buying nursery starts‚ the key to starting beets indoors is to transplant the seedlings out before they get too large or root bound‚ and be gentle during transplanting. Direct sow beet seeds outdoors (or start inside) as early as 4 weeks before your area’s last spring frost date‚ or any time before the heat of summer. See our seed starting calendars for every zone if you aren’t sure when your frost dates are. Alternatively‚ you can start beet seeds indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before they’ll be transplanted outside in spring (once the risk of frost is low). Sow one or two beet seeds per container or cell‚ and thin to just one seedling per cell after sprouting. Plant beet seeds approximately 1/2 inch deep and 3 inches apart in loose well-draining soil. Transplants should be planted 3 inches apart as well. Growing in raised garden beds‚ we space our rows of beets about 6 to 8 inches apart. Beet seeds will usually germinate within 5 to 7 days in warm soil‚ but can take up to two weeks when the soil is cool. Soaking beet seeds in water for 12 to 24 hours prior to planting will help them sprout faster. Each beet seed will grow several sprouts‚ which will need to be thinned – discussed next. Good beet spacing Nicely spaced beet seedlings in one of our raised garden beds Thinning Beets Whether you’re growing from seed or transplants‚ it’s best to space each beet seedling at least 3 inches apart. Crowded beets will grow very slowly and not have space to form nice round roots. Fun fact: beets are multigerm seeds‚ which means a single seed cluster will produce several sprouts. It’s essential to thin out extra seedlings to give the single “keeper” space to thrive. Shortly after the beets have sprouted‚ I use small garden snips to cut out the extra seedlings at the soil line‚ leaving just one per spot. You can also gently pluck out the unwanted seedlings‚ but be careful – that could accidentally break or uproot the seedling you wish to keep. Don’t wait too long! Waiting to thin seedlings slows down their growth. Bonus: you can keep the thinned seedlings to eat as nutrient-rich microgreens. Trimming out the extra seedlings at the soil line Growing Beets in Containers It’s easy to grow beets in containers‚ as long as they have adequate space and the soil doesn’t dry out between watering! That said‚ it’s best to grow beets in a large solid pot (such as plastic or terracotta) instead of fabric grow bags‚ which are more prone to drying out. Choose a container that is at least 8 inches deep. The wider the container‚ the more beets you can fit inside! For instance‚ a 6 to 7-inch diameter pot may only be enough space for 3 to 4 beets‚ while a 12 to 15-inch container will accommodate twice the amount. A self-watering Earth Box container is the perfect depth‚ will help keep the soil evenly moist‚ and has room to grow over a dozen beets or more! Follow the other recommended tips in this article in regards to spacing‚ type of soil‚ full sun‚ and consistent moisture. And don’t forget the mulch on top! An Earth Box is a great option for growing beets in containers Pest and Disease Control Beets are fairly fuss-free in my experience‚ but may be susceptible to a number of common garden pests and diseases including: Aphids. These small sticky leaf-sucking insects can be blasted off with a firm stream of water‚ or managed with a homemade aphid soap spray. Aphids and other pest insects may also be deterred by companion planting beets with onions‚ chives or garlic. Learn more about organic aphid control here. Leaf miners. If you notice thin‚ papery‚ brown or tunnel tracks on beet green leaves‚ that’s leaf miners damage. I manage this by routinely checking the plants (at least weekly) and then tearing out the infected portion of the leaves‚ which removes the leaf miner larvae inside and slows the lifecycle. Or‚ completely remove very infected leaves. Downy and powdery mildew. Fungal diseases can crop up on beet greens‚ but only extreme cases will impact the root growth. See our guide to control powdery mildew. Flea beetles. These tiny‚ shiny‚ jumping beetles will leave little scattered chew holes all over beet greens. Covering beets with garden hoops and row covers can block out flea beetles. Learn more about flea beetles here. Small tender seedlings may also be susceptible to damage by birds‚ rodents‚ or other munching critters. I often cover young transplants with these crop cages for protection from birds‚ or with hoops and insect netting – which will also block out many pest insects‚ including flea beetles and leaf miners. Garden hoops can also be used to support shade cloth or frost cover when needed! Removing leaf miner damage (and the larvae inside the leaf) by tearing off the effected area. Beet seedlings being protected from birds and insects with garden hoops and floating row cover. When to Harvest Beets You can harvest beets at any time! Start to harvest small‚ extra-tender baby beets once they’ve reached the size of a golf ball or larger. Or‚ allow the beets to reach full size‚ which is usually about 3 to 4 inches in diameter (but varies depending on the cultivar). If you wait too long to harvest‚ beets can become increasingly tough and woody as they get large‚ though that also depends on the variety. Our favorite Boro beets stay nice and tender even at nearly 6 inches around‚ enabling us to slowly harvest a few at a time over a couple months. Looks ready to me! An early summer beet harvest in our garden (Formanova and Boro) Harvesting Beet Greens Beet greens are delicious and loaded with nutrients. They taste similar to Swiss Chard‚ with an extra beety earthy flair. Some folks grow beets just to harvest their greens! If you want to enjoy them raw in salads or sandwiches‚ harvest smaller tender leaves when they’re about three or four inches tall. Otherwise‚ wait to harvest beet greens until the plants get at least 6 inches tall. Then‚ you can start cutting or gently pinch off a few of the largest outermost leaves (not the new center growth) each week. In order to also let the root develop‚ it’s important to only harvest a few leaves per plant at a time‚ or about a quarter or a third of the available leaves. Allow fresh leaves to regrow before harvesting more. Removing all the greens from a single beet will make it stunted or cease to grow. FAQ: What to do with beet greens? Small tender beet leaves can be enjoyed raw in salads or on sandwiches. Large beet greens can be prepared and cooked much like Swiss Chard or kale. They’re excellent added to soups‚ stews‚ green smoothies‚ or our favorite – lightly sautéed with a little garlic‚ salt and pepper. Avoid overcooking the leaves or they will become mushy. Storing Beets After Harvest Beets can stay good and firm for several months in cool dry storage. It’s best to store beets in the refrigerator in a plastic bag (in the crisper drawer if possible). Beet greens will need to be used within a week‚ so cut off the green tops and store them separately from the roots. We typically rinse off excess soil before storing our beets‚ but don’t thoroughly scrub them. However‚ allow the beets to dry off some before storing them away. Take care not to puncture or damage the skin to help them last as long as possible. Ways to Use and Preserve Beets There are tons of tasty ways to use fresh beets! We love to grate them raw and add to salads. Or roast and slice them to enjoy as a side‚ with cottage cheese‚ or on sandwiches and burgers. Here is our simple roasted beets recipe with orange and balsamic vinegar. We make a big batch‚ store in the fridge‚ and simply use them cold throughout the week! We also love to puree beets to flavor homemade kombucha. Borscht (beet soup) is another popular way to use them. When you have extra‚ preserve beets by by freezing‚ pickling‚ fermenting‚ or dehydrating them. Freezing: Beets freeze best when fully cooked first‚ which also makes them ready for easy use after thawing. You can freeze beets whole‚ halved‚ in slices‚ or smaller pieces. Beets larger than a baseball should be cut at least in half. Roast or steam beets until they’re fork-tender‚ allow to fully cool‚ and then pack them into freezer containers or bags. Use within 9 months for the best results or up to one year. You can also freeze Borscht soup in reusable quart containers. Fermenting: We love to make fermented beets with garlic and dill. They’re similar to tangy pickles‚ but loaded with gut-healthy probiotics! Pickling: If you prefer a classic vinegar pickle‚ you can use this easy refrigerator pickle recipe – simply swap the green beans for beets! Or‚ see information about safely canning beets here. Drying: Use a food dehydrator to dry thin beet slices to make beet chips‚ or grind dry beets into shelf-stable beet powder. Preparing to make our favorite balsamic and orange roasted beets One of my favorite sandwiches: orange balsamic roasted beets‚ avocado‚ pink lady apple‚ goat cheese or mozzarella‚ arugula‚ fresh basil‚ and a little drizzle of the roasted beet marinate on top of homemade sourdough bread. Gut-healthy fermented beets are easy to make‚ and delicious on top of salads‚ “Buddha bowls”‚ or sautéed veggies! And that concludes this lesson. All in all‚ I hope this guide provided you with all the tips and information needed to successfully grow our own big beautiful beets. But remember‚ bigger isn’t always better! Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below‚ and enjoy your harvest! You may also like: How to Grow Carrots Successfully: From Seed to Table Roasted Beets with Fresh Orange and Balsamic Vinegar Marinade Garden Hoops and Row Covers for Pest Control‚ Shade &; Frost Protection How to Grow Green Beans from Seed (Bush Beans &; Pole Beans) Growing Winter Squash and Pumpkins: The Ultimate Guide The post How to Grow Beets: Complete Guide with Photos appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In the US‚ House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan is asking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration (CISA) to provide documents regarding its “partnering” with authorities in Pennsylvania to target speech related to elections. And while CISA bills itself as “America’s cyber defense agency” – critics see it rather differently‚ as one involved in offensive activities against freedom of speech. Now this “nerve center” has been informed that the Judiciary Committee’s oversight into the government’s collusion with companies has produced a subpoena and that Pennsylvania teaming up with DHS to combat “misinformation” is covered by it. According to the Pennsylvania State Department‚ CISA directly will be another partner of what the state’s Governor Josh Shapiro‚ a Democrat‚ recently said was an election task force that will “mitigate threats to the election process” using not only preventing voter intimidation but also “providing voters with accurate‚ trusted election information.” CISA’s role‚ according to the Pennsylvania State Department‚ is to facilitate “sharing intelligence” among different government agencies. What intelligence this might be‚ however‚ is not explained‚ the Federalist stressed. And now Jordan wants details about the “partnership” submitted to him by April 3. In his letter‚ Jordan reminded of the Committee’s work to find out in which ways and to what degree the government either colluded with companies or pressured them into censoring lawful speech. The letter also expresses fears that the announced “partnership” with what he said was “at least one” state‚ might further undermine online speech. We obtained a copy of the letter for you here. This concern comes in light of the upcoming presidential election‚ and what Jordan referred to as CISA’s suspected repeated collaboration with third parties (by flagging content for major tech companies to censor‚ as it has done in the past.) “We write to notify you that documents about such partnerships are responsive to the Committee’s April 28‚ 2023 subpoena‚” the letter reads. Some of the accusations leveled at CISA stem from documents released by the America First Legal (AFL)‚ which show CISA at the same time internally warned‚ back in the fall of 2020‚ about “the risks of unsupervised mail-in voting” – to then publicly flag posts on social media expressing the same sentiment as “disinformation.” Meanwhile‚ consulting company Deloitte was brought in to inform CISA about trends related to vote-by-mail discussion‚ and “flag specific social media posts for CISA’s awareness and attention.” The post House Judiciary Chairman Tells CISA To Hand Over Documents Related to Pennsylvania Election Speech Censorship appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The parent company of Truth Social‚ Trump Media &; Technology Group (TMTG)‚ is set go public on the stock market. Shareholders made an affirmative decision on Friday to transform TMTG into a public-trading company. TMTG is merging with the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)‚ Digital World Acquisition Corp. As a result of this merger‚ TMTG will go live on Nasdaq under the stock label “DJT‚” possibly as soon as the coming week. The merger allows the infusion of approximately $300 million into Truth Social. The platform prides itself as a haven of free speech and provides a sanctuary away from censorship pervasive on other large technology platforms. Devin Nunes‚ the CEO of TMTG who joined the company in 2021‚ is lending his leadership after nearly two decades of political service in Congress. The merger of TMTG with the SPAC‚ Digital World Acquisition Corp has finally been undertaken after prolonged delays due to controversial investigations by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. However‚ last month saw the SEC granting the merger approval. TMTG initially embarked on its journey back in 2021‚ with Trump introducing Truth Social in February 2022‚ one year after his banishment from major social media platforms‚ including Twitter‚ Facebook‚ and Instagram. The post Truth Social Parent Company To Go Public appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Pro-freedom Amazon competitor PublicSquare has hired Brian Billingsley in a leadership role to‚ as Billigsley put it in a post on X‚ “help build the payments infrastructure for the parallel economy” – also known as uncancelable payments. Previously‚ Billigsley co-founded a payments stacks company Basis Theory‚ and was CEO of the US branch of Klarna – a Swedish firm in the “buy now‚ pay later” short-term financing business. PublicSquare announced that he will now head the newly set up PSQ Payments Subsidiary. The marketplace‚ which describes itself as a choice of patriotic merchants and customers‚ aims to differentiate from Amazon with its focus on freedom. In particular‚ according to an earlier blog post‚ the company’s goal is to distinguish itself from the corporate mainstream industry and its progressive agenda and instead “promote the constitutional values this nation was founded on.” Now the new subsidiary headed by Billigsley will add building and scaling payments to the company’s portfolio‚ specifically the uncancelable kind – to be used by PublicSquare‚ but also third parties who support the parallel economy concept. PublicSquare CEO Michael Seifert welcomed Billigsley as a highly valuable addition‚ thanks to his experience‚ knowledge‚ and reputation‚ adding that the new payments system is another element necessary to create and own the infrastructure underpinning the parallel economy. “Combined with the power of our Credova subsidiary‚ PSQ Payments will position us to monetize our marketplace transactions further‚ provide what we expect to be a best-of-breed checkout experience‚ and protect our merchants and customers from cancellation‚” commented Seifert. In a blog post‚ Billigsley said that by joining PublicSquare‚ he is able to harmonize his passion for fintech with what he said is his moral compass. He remarked that the fintech sector has many companies that are following the “liberal and progressive” ideologies championed by tech firms in general. Billigsley mentions examples of organizers of events and meetings not allowing him to attend because he decided not to receive the Covid vaccine‚ as well as those hoping to participate being unable to register unless they agreed to use pronouns to identify themselves. PublicSquare says its primary mission is to help consumers “shop their values” and “put purpose behind their purchases.” Some high-profile supporters include Congressman Matt Gaetz‚ Donald Trump‚ Jr.‚ and Tucker Carlson. The post PublicSquare To Build “Uncancelable” Payments appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

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Mexico Filed a Friend-of-the-Court Brief in Federal Court on Texas SB 4

One of the great quests in astronomy is to find the first stars. These stars lived and died within a few hundred million years of the Big Bang‚ but for those in very distant parts of the universe‚ their light may only be reaching us now‚ having spent 14 billion years crossing the space between. At such a distance‚ it’s hard to spot a galaxy‚ let alone individual stars‚ yet many astronomers think we are getting close‚ thanks to the sheer size of some of these behemoths. So why did the early universe have stars so much bigger than any that exist today?Before we answer that‚ a little background and explanation of terms. There are some truly immense stars today if we are talking about size‚ rather than mass. Famously‚ if the center of Betelgeuse was where the Sun is‚ its outer limits would stretch almost to Jupiter‚ making its radius nearly 1‚000 times that of the Sun‚ and its volume close to a billion times bigger. Those figures are approximate‚ Betelgeuse’s constantly changing surface‚ which resembles a pot coming to the boil‚ is so hard to measure estimates vary by 30-40 percent‚ but there is no doubt it is very‚ very big.Moreover‚ Betelgeuse is just our local supergiant‚ famous because it is relatively close. There are substantially larger stars‚ such as VY Canis Majoris.However‚ while these stars have volumes far greater than the Sun‚ that is because they have puffed up as they run out of hydrogen near the ends of their lives. Mass is a more important measure of a star‚ and here the range is smaller. The most massive known stars in our galaxy contain around 125 solar masses. There are question marks over those estimates as well‚ since unless they have a companion star we can only measure mass rather indirectly. Nevertheless‚ there is generally considered to be a limit today between 100 and 200 solar masses.Very few stars reach this – in fact‚ most stars have masses considerably less than the Sun.So how is it that we are hunting “celestial monsters” thought to have 5‚000-10‚000 solar masses? Although not confirmed‚ a recent discovery of illuminated helium in the early universe makes most sense if it is being lit up by stars with masses 1‚000 times that of the Sun – five to 10 times what is possible today.The first stars (known as Population III) were formed entirely from hydrogen and helium along with a little lithium‚ lacking all the heavier elements that exist today‚ which are the products of previous stellar generations. These heavier elements‚ which astronomers call metals‚ usually make up a very small proportion of the stars’ starting mass‚ but it turns out those small impurities are very important.The Big Bang is thought to have left behind gas clouds containing 1‚000 solar masses or so at points where dark matter halos peaked. Atomic hydrogen is a very poor radiator of heat. When a gas cloud of pure hydrogen collapses it heats up as its gravitational potential energy turns to heat‚ eventually reaching the temperatures and pressures where fusion starts‚ creating a star. Not everyone agrees‚ but most astrophysicists think as long as the gas is a poor heat radiator‚ the entire cloud could condense into a single star‚ at least sometimes.When patches of gas like that occur in the modern universe‚ such as in star formation regions like the Orion Nebula‚ the gas is mostly hydrogen‚ but contains a mix of metals‚ some of which are much better at radiating heat. That extra radiation means that patches of gas fragment long before they become stars‚ preventing the products from getting too large.This doesn’t mean all the Population III stars were giants. One paper proposes the minimum was not far above 0.8 solar masses‚ thanks to the gas sometimes fragmenting into smaller pockets. That’s a lot larger than the current minimum size‚ where stars like Proxima Centauri‚ with 0.12 solar masses‚ are common. Nevertheless‚ it means most early stars were well within the range we are familiar with.Even so‚ it seems the saying “there were giants in those days”‚ while inaccurate for humanity’s prehistory‚ was true for stars. A small proportion of the early stars were truly enormous. Since stellar luminosity goes up‚ for main sequence stars‚ by more than the cube of the mass‚ we might expect a star 1‚000 times as massive as the sun to be more than a billion times as bright. In fact‚ this relationship breaks down for stars more than 55 times the mass of the Sun.Consequently‚ a 1‚000 solar masses star would outshine our Sun by more like 3 million times. That’s still more than enough for a tiny minority of the first stars to have an outsize impact on galaxy formation‚ and perhaps be visible over billions of light years.

A poonado of epic proportions may have saved some sperm whales from a fatal interaction with a pod of orcas off Western Australia’s southern coast. The highly scatological wildlife encounter was the first time this year that sperm whales had been seen in the area‚ and they put on a display nobody was expecting.The perilous event was witnessed by marine biologist Jennah Tucker on board a Naturaliste Charters trip with other whale watchers and photographers. They were observing a pod of orcas when the group started surging forward in a way that indicated they were pursuing something.The object of the hunt was a pod of sperm whales. One of the four was much smaller than the others‚ and the group appeared exhausted and distressed as they huddled closely. As predators in their own right‚ and big ones at that‚ it was thought at one time that sperm whales weren’t vulnerable to orca predation. However‚ orcas have since been spotted attacking sperm whales‚ seeming to favor females with young calves.    The sperm whales were thrashing their tails against the orcas' advances as the team looked on. Then‚ “a large dark bubble rose to the surface amongst the huddle‚ believed at the time to have been blood‚” explained Tucker in a blog post shared with IFLScience.That cloud was later confirmed to be whale poop based on the photos and videos that were captured during the dramatic encounter. An explosive defense mechanism that sperm whales are known for.“Sperm whales are known to defecate when threatened‚ referred to as emergency or defensive defection‚” explained Tucker. “The cloud of diarrhoea created when the whale waves its tail through its poo acts to deter predators and in this case‚ seemed to work! Given their faeces appear reddish in colour‚ due to their diet consisting of 90% squid‚ it’s no surprise it was easily mistaken for blood.”The whales were in distress‚ so they unleashed a poonado.Image courtesy of Naturaliste ChartersIt's no mean feat to pursue the ocean’s largest toothed predator into the shallows‚ and the orcas put up a good fight. Whatever dirty tactics they’re open to exploring‚ however‚ don’t seem to include getting a face full of feces.The orcas involved in the fray were actually sighted carrying some kind of mystery meat in their mouths‚ but it remains unclear if their hunt was successful. They may have been stealing chunks of giant squid from the sperm whales‚ something that’s been documented among these animals before. As for the events of this fateful first return for sperm whales? The only thing that we know went down with absolute certainty is a shit-ton of whale poop.