Doom Loop? Nearly 36% of San Francisco's Office Space is Currently Vacant

If the Weather Outside Is Frightful‚ Pay Attention to Keep INSIDE Your EV Delightful

Study math for long enough and you will likely have cursed Pythagoras's name‚ or said "praise be to Pythagoras" if you're a bit of a fan of triangles.But while Pythagoras was an important historical figure in the development of mathematics‚ he did not figure out the equation most associated with him (a2 + b2 = c2). In fact‚ there is an ancient Babylonian tablet (by the catchy name of IM 67118) that uses the Pythagorean theorem to solve the length of a diagonal inside a rectangle. The tablet‚ likely used for teaching‚ dates from 1770 BCE – centuries before Pythagoras was born in around 570 BCE. Another tablet from around 1800–1600 BCE has a square with labeled triangles inside. Translating the markings from base 60 – the counting system used by ancient Babylonians – showed that these ancient mathematicians were aware of the Pythagorean theorem (not called that‚ of course) as well as other advanced mathematical concepts."The conclusion is inescapable. The Babylonians knew the relation between the length of the diagonal of a square and its side: d=square root of 2‚" mathematician Bruce Ratner writes in a paper on the topic. "This was probably the first number known to be irrational. However‚ this in turn means that they were familiar with the Pythagorean Theorem – or‚ at the very least‚ with its special case for the diagonal of a square (d2 = a2 + a2 = 2a2) – more than a thousand years before the great sage for whom it was named."So why did this get attributed to Pythagoras? No original writing from Pythagoras survives. What we know of him was passed on by others‚ in particular the Pythagoreans – members of a school he set up in what is now modern-day southern Italy. The school‚ named the Semicircle of Pythagoras‚ was secretive‚ but knowledge learned there or discovered was passed on‚ and often attributed to the man himself."One reason for the rarity of Pythagoras original sources was that Pythagorean knowledge was passed on from one generation to the next by word of mouth‚ as writing material was scarce‚" Ratner continued. "Moreover‚ out of respect for their leader‚ many of the discoveries made by the Pythagoreans were attributed to Pythagoras himself; this would account for the term ‘Pythagoras’ Theorem’."Though Pythagoras did not come up with the theory‚ his school certainly popularized it‚ and it became associated with him for the next few thousand years‚ at least.An earlier version of this article was published in October 2023.

If you and your loved ones are not patriots or constitutional conservatives‚ then this won’t interest you. But if you are‚ Mark Levin has the perfect gift idea. And as Christmas creeps closer‚ the time has never been better to give. When you gift a subscription to BlazeTV‚ your loved ones will get not only LevinTV but endless new patriotic content daily for an entire year. It’s truly the gift that keeps on giving‚ and it’s available here. “What are you going to do‚ give another tie‚ some socks‚ some chocolates‚ here today‚ gone tomorrow?” Levin asks.“This will be a gift‚ and your family member or your friend will thank you.” Signed copies of “The Democrat Party Hates America” would also make stellar gifts for patriots and soon-to-be converts alike. “This gives you all the ammunition you need‚ and it’s crucially important in the run-up to this election‚” Levin says. Signed first-edition copies are available at www.Levinsigned.com. Time is not on your side‚ as available copies are down to the hundreds. So‚ in Levin’s words‚ you better “act immediately.” Want more from Mark Levin?To enjoy more of "the Great One" — Mark Levin as you've never seen him before — subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

A Wyoming man on Monday was awarded North America's highest civilian honor for heroism. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission recognized former oil worker Ryan Pasborg‚ 33‚ for risking life and limb last winter to save a young mother and her 4-year-old son from an inferno in James Town. 'He gave them a fighting chance' On Feb. 1‚ 2022‚ Stephanie Wadsworth and her four young children — then ages 12‚ 8‚ 6‚ and 4 — were sleeping in their home on the block of Highway 374 in James Town when investigators suspect a child's malfunctioning hoverboard kindled a flame. The fire spread quickly and burst out of the home's bedroom window‚ catching the eye of a passerby headed down 374. Although running late for work on the oil field‚ Pasborg‚ of Rock Springs‚ noticed there were no emergency vehicles at the scene. In the way of help‚ he was it. Pasborg didn't miss a beat. He rushed over to the house and called 911. As he pulled into the driveway‚ the derrickman spotted a young girl and two boys walking out of the house‚ according to the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office. Deputy Jason Mower with the SCSO said‚ "He didn't have time to think. He knew what he thought was the right thing to do and he acted‚" KSTU-TV reported at the time. The oil man made his way into the burning home through the garage. Unable to see his way through on account of the thick smoke‚ Pasborg pulled himself forward on his hands and knees. Several feet into the kitchen‚ he bumped up against a little figure: 4-year-old Weston Wadsworth. Pasborg grabbed the child and carried him outside. Since the windchill temperature was well below zero‚ Pasborg gathered the children together and set them in his truck to stay warm. Once the children were secure‚ Pasborg bolted back into the compromised structure to finish the job he had set out to do. Again‚ Pasborg crawled through the kitchen and again he came across another crumpled figure‚ this time the children's scorched and suffocating mother. Pasborg dragged Stephanie outside and began performing CPR until life returned to her. Cowboy State Daily reported that Stephanie Wadsworth suffered burns to 77% of her body and would certainly have perished were it not for Pasborg's quick intervention. After reuniting the family‚ Pasborg got Stephanie Wadsworth and her children a safe distance away from the inferno and waited for first responders to arrive. According to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission‚ while Pasborg inhaled smoke‚ he didn't seek medical treatment. Deputy Mower indicated that Pasborg's help did not end there. He later personally delivered "several hundred dollars' worth of clothing and necessities" to the family at their grandmother's house. Sheriff John Grossnickle said‚ "Not only is it a blessing in its own right that Mr. Pasborg was in the right place at the right time‚ but his willingness without second thought to risk his own life to help save this family was the difference between life and death for this young mother and her child; he gave them a fighting chance." "There are no words to adequately express the magnitude of Ryan's bravery other than he is a perfect example of what it means to be a real hero‚" added Grossnickle. 'Old-school hometown do-good people' The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office formally celebrated Pasborg's heroism in May 2022‚ indicating that the mother and child spared a fiery death were "well on their way down the road to recovery." Pasborg also received a hero's welcome during the 2022 Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo. Green River Man Receives Standing Ovation At Cheyenne Frontier Days youtu.be This week‚ Pasborg received the Carnegie Medal Award. "This award is given for heroism that we don't see everyday‚" Jewels Phraner‚ a spokeswoman for the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission‚ told the Cowboy State Daily. "It is an award that represents the best of humanity and we love to recognize people who demonstrate that." Pasborg‚ nominated for the award by the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office‚ indicated he didn't know what the medal was but was nevertheless honored to be recognized. The hero's wife‚ Alexandria‚ told the Wyoming paper‚ "I get so emotional." "My husband won't tell you‚ but that event took a toll on him mentally‚" said Alexandria. "He wakes up with nightmares sometimes. We are so thankful and grateful for this." In addition to a $7‚500 check and scholarship opportunities‚ the award will pay for the cost of medical expenses and mental health treatments Pasborg may have incurred in relation to the rescue. Pasborg‚ who recently lost his oil job‚ said‚ "Both with Christmas just a week away and the bills‚ the timing was perfect." Sheriff Grossnickle stressed the hero has maintained contact with the family since the rescue. "I am honored to know someone like that‚" said Grossnickle. "Ryan is the example of what Wyoming is made of — the old-school hometown do-good people that make up our communities." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Earlier this year‚ the Department of Homeland Security secured a multiyear contract with artificial intelligence startup Altana.The company has developed a "dynamic‚ intelligent map of the global supply chain‚" technology that Customs and Border Protection is now utilizing to track and crack down on the fentanyl supply chain.In July‚ the agency awarded Altana the contract to use its map to thwart products produced by forced labor in China from coming into the country. The tech firm uses AI to organize large sets of public and non-public data to provide CBP with insights into industry supply chains.Altana's Atlas "cleans and unifies each customer's supply chain data to provide an integrated view of suppliers‚ products‚ material categories‚ shipments‚ and compliance activity – all connected to their multi-tier supply chain networks‚" the company's website explained.Earlier this month‚ Altana announced that CBP is also using Atlas to prevent illegal fentanyl and other synthetic narcotics from entering the U.S. Nearly all fentanyl smuggled into the country is coming across the southern border.Over 70‚000 Americans died from synthetic opioids in 2021‚ according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.The AI-powered‚ ever-growing mapping tool will allow CBP to track companies that produce the precursors used to make synthetic opioids. The technology can identify the supplier and manufacturer relationship‚ monitoring which company is shipping the ingredients and where that shipment is going. Fox News reported that CBP used Atlas in two massive operations that resulted in 284 arrests‚ 13‚000 pounds of precursor ingredients‚ and 10‚000 pounds of fentanyl seized.Altana CEO Evan Smith told Axios‚ "Drug trafficking was on our minds from the moment we started building the atlas‚" noting that the tech firm "jumped at the chance" to expand its contract with CBP."It's just been very hard without AI techniques to understand these illicit‚ obfuscated supply chains‚" Smith added.The CEO explained that CBP's supply chain graph consists of "billions of transactions‚ hundreds of millions of unique links and millions of companies.""The sourcing‚ the procurement team‚ the global trade management team‚ the compliance team‚ the risk management team – all these different functions of the company that have these responsibilities across the supply chain – they're all in siloed‚ disconnected systems‚" Smith told Fox Business in October. "Getting all the information into one common operating picture is an enormous step toward breaking down those silos‚ but we're also building in collaboration to the product so that you can get those different siloed stakeholders into a shared source of truth‚ shared intelligence and then collaborative workflows to actually take action on that information."It is unclear precisely how Altana uses its technology to track those companies.CBP declined a request for comment‚ Axios reported.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Elon Musk may be an old school Democrat‚ but these days‚ that basically equates to being slightly right of center. It’s why he speaks out against wokeness‚ including the DEI initiatives that are just racism with a prettier name. Just a few days ago‚ Musk tweeted: Dave Rubin‚ who agrees that DEI is toxic‚ differs slightly from Musk in that he thinks the racism embedded into DEI initiatives was totally intentional. “The people that put diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion departments in our corporations‚ in our government‚ in all of these places — I actually think most of them actually knew exactly what they were doing. They were instilling racism; they were unearthing old things that we had put to bed‚” he explains. Musk also tweeted: “Quite correct‚” says Dave. However‚ not everyone agrees with him. One of those people is the director general of the World Health Organization‚ Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Ghebreyesus retweeted one of Musk’s tweets along with the following statement: “Diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion‚ which we know is based on judging people by race‚” is entirely incongruent with Ghebreyesus’ claim that DEI ensures “respect for all individuals regardless of their background or identity.” “Except the whole thing is based on judging people by their background and identity‚” says Dave‚ pointing out the glaring “duplicitous double language.” Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations‚ free speech‚ and big ideas with Dave Rubin‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Emergency assistance shelters in Massachusetts — which has effectively been a sanctuary state since 2017 — are overwhelmed by migrants. Rather than address the cause of the crisis‚ Democratic Gov. Maura Healey's administration is instead planning to spend more taxpayer money in hopes of temporarily alleviating the symptoms. Healey's finance and housing secretaries notified the legislature's two writing committees Monday that the projected cost of the shelters in fiscal year 2025 will be an estimated $915 million. This ostensibly avoidable cost "includes shelter &; associated services‚ staffing‚ Clinical and Safety Risk Assessment Sites‚ Family Welcome Centers‚ school district reimbursements‚ immigration and refugee health‚ community and workforce supports‚ and municipal support‚" according to the report. The report further indicates that shelter capacity has maxed out at 7‚500 families and that the $250 million in supplemental funding recently approved by the legislature will be gone in a few months' time‚ especially since migrant families are overstaying their welcome. The situation has deteriorated a great deal since Aug. 8 when Healey declared a state of emergency "due to rapidly rising numbers of migrant families arriving in Massachusetts in need of shelter and services and a severe lack of shelter availability in the state." At the time‚ there were roughly 2‚000 fewer families in the system than there are now. In her August plea to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas‚ Healey refrained from criticizing the Biden administration over the historic influx of illegal aliens. Instead‚ she urged Mayorkas to "use all available executive power to remove the burdensome barriers keeping people from getting work authorizations‚ address our outdated and punitive immigration laws‚" and to flood the state with more federal funds. The new report to the legislature from state Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz and Housing Secretary Ed Augustus indicates that the shelter system is facing a $224 million deficit in fiscal year 2024. The Democratic administration intends to blow $700 million in surplus funds left over from the pandemic to pay down the fiscal year 2024 budget deficit‚ some of the 2025 migrant housing costs‚ and invest "in housing production and preservation to make affordable‚ stable housing options available to more families‚" reported the Boston Herald. 1‚308 of the 7‚541 families currently in the shelter system are being housed in the sanctuary city of Boston. The remainder are spread across roughly 80 towns and cities in groupings under 305‚ with Worcester reporting the second-biggest retention. The New York Times indicated in September that most newly arrived migrant families came from Haiti. According to the state‚ 3‚839 families in the shelter system have been put up in hotels or motels as of Dec. 18. Another 3‚645 are being kept in traditional shelters; 47 are in temporary emergency shelters. The average household cost of emergency assistance reported this month was $58‚570. Scott Galvin‚ Woburn's Democrat mayor‚ told the Times‚ "The benefits that are bestowed on migrants make the state a very attractive destination‚ and without some changes‚ this challenge is not going to abate." Extra to the shelter system‚ foreign nationals who enter the country illegally can count on Massachusetts to provide them with driver's licenses and their children with in-state tuition and state-funded financial aid. If the segregationist Democrats on the Boston city council have their way‚ foreign nationals will soon be able to vote in local elections as well. Gov. Maura Healey says Massachusetts emergency shelters near capacity youtu.be Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) says she recently warned President Joe Biden that he risks losing support from key Democratic voter constituencies.Speaking with a local Minneapolis news station‚ KCCO-TV‚ Omar recounted that she recently spoke with Biden about her position on the Israel-Hamas war and emphasized that Biden imperils his re-election hopes if he does not adopt her position on the war. Omar was responding to the growing number of progressives who have become outspokenly critical of Biden's support for Israel. Muslim voters‚ for example‚ are threatening to "abandon Biden" in the upcoming election if he does not support a ceasefire in Gaza."I recently had a conversation with the president. Muslims were very pivotal to his election — they mobilized in all the key states. Young people were very instrumental in him getting elected‚" Omar told KCCO."And what I reminded him was that he needs to listen to these voices. People are heartbroken. It's been really hard to have conversations about politics and policy. People just want the images of young children's bodies that are piling up to end and they want our support for this to end‚" she said. Rep. Ilhan Omar talks Don Samuels’ primary challenge www.youtube.com The U.S. government is reluctant to support a ceasefire for two important reasons.First‚ Israel is the top U.S. ally in the Middle East‚ and the U.S. government has been committed to defending Israel for its entire existence as a modern nation-state.Second‚ honest people understand that a ceasefire now ultimately prevents a ceasefire forever. Hamas is committed to the extermination of Israel‚ and the terrorist group's leaders have vowed to commit as many attacks as needed to achieve their goal. This is why Israel is committed to destroying Hamas; its leaders know that peace will never be achieved if Hamas exists.Those calling for a ceasefire‚ like Omar‚ have not offered a solution to this conundrum.It's true that younger voters (and Muslim voters‚ of course) are broadly critical of Biden for supporting Israel. Rhetoric aside‚ it's unlikely they will abandon him come Election Day if the choice is Biden or Donald Trump. Omar's warning‚ then‚ is all bark and (probably) no bite. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Michigan couple has sued their local school district after several district employees allegedly began treating the couple's daughter as a boy and then "altered the girl's official records" to conceal their actions.Dan and Jennifer Mead live in Rockford‚ Michigan‚ a city of about 5‚000 residents located 15 miles northeast of Grand Rapids. Their daughter‚ identified only as G.M.‚ began attending Rockford Public Schools in kindergarten and continued attending until October 2022‚ the fall of her eighth-grade year.For most of that time‚ the Meads believed that G.M. received a solid education from the district's schools and teachers. So in January 2021‚ when G.M. was having trouble adjusting to East Rockford Middle School as a sixth-grader‚ Jennifer Mead started corresponding with ERMS counselor Erin Cole so that they could work together to get G.M. back on track.Because of Cole's ready willingness to meet with G.M. and keep an eye on her progress‚ Jennifer Mead began to trust Cole‚ and the women sent emails back and forth to each other for the better part of two years.However‚ according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of the Meads by Alliance Defending Freedom‚ for about five months‚ Cole and other ERMS officials had been calling G.M. a boy's name and referring to her using masculine pronouns — and they never told the Meads a word about it.The evidence laid out in the lawsuit is damning. According to the suit‚ G.M. sent Cole an electronic message in May 2022‚ asking the counselor to call her a boy's name that begins with F. Cole then allegedly spread the word with various other ERMS staff members. The staff members apparently readily complied with the offhanded request from a seventh-grader diagnosed with autism and other mental health disorders because the lawsuit is fraught with copies of intra-school messages which refer to G.M. as F.M. and with masculine pronouns.The following are just a handful of excerpted messages and other records allegedly written in late summer or early fall 2022 and contained in the lawsuit:In August‚ the start of G.M.'s eighth-grade year‚ Cole emailed all of the teachers on her schedule: "When you each have a second‚ could you please call me or stop down[?] You have a student listed on your roster as G[] M[] that I want to give you a little insight on."In a case activity log created for G.M. in August‚ school neuropsychologist Heather Slater described G.M. as "female but transitioning to male. Goes by F[] ... @ school &; G[] @ home."In early September‚ school social worker Dawn Thorsen wrote to Cole‚ "F[] might be stopping by to see you today. He tried earlier and the office was locked which is how he ended up in my office. He’s a super cool kid-I really enjoyed my time with him. He’s very self aware!"Also in September‚ Assistant Principal Kyle Avink sent an email with the subject line "FM‚" saying‚ "I wanted to reach out to you and let you know that we are currently discussing F[] (G[] in the system) M[] within our [building consultation] team."Yet‚ all the while‚ Dan and Jennifer Mead were kept in the dark. In fact‚ some ERMS employees may have gone to great lengths to keep them there. According to the lawsuit‚ Slater‚ the neuropsychologist‚ even changed a document after Dan Mead had signed it because it accidentally contained a message referring to G.M. as F.M. and using male pronouns. "I edited all the responses to change the ones where they called him F[] and changed it to G[] in the write up‚" Slater allegedly wrote to Principal Adam Burkholder in part in October 2022. "... This wasn’t to hide anything from parents‚ it’s just the policy for legal documents."The straw that broke the camel's back for the Meads‚ though‚ seemed to be when Cole‚ a woman they had trusted to have G.M.'s best interest at heart‚ allegedly gave G.M. a homoerotic graphic novel to read. "Heartstopper: Volume 1" is a story about a romance between two teenage boys and includes "many instances of profanity and crude anatomical references‚" the lawsuit claimed.When the Meads confronted Principal Burkholder about the book and the alleged lying and obfuscations about G.M.'s gender and identity‚ Burkholder reportedly insisted that ERMS employees were simply following the mandates of the Michigan Department of Education regarding students who identify as transgender. However‚ the "State made clear that '[t]hese guidelines are voluntary and should not be considered mandates or requirements‚'" the lawsuit countered.Burkholder also could not guarantee the Meads that the district would not continue the charade going forward‚ the lawsuit said‚ so the Meads elected to withdraw G.M. from the district and homeschool her instead. The move has forced Dan Mead to leave his job to oversee G.M.'s education at home‚ costing the family a significant portion of their income.The Meads also allege that the district's actions in treating G.M. as a boy violated their deeply held Christian beliefs. In the lawsuit‚ they are asking a "declaration that the District’s policy facially and as applied to the Meads violates the Meads’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights under the United States Constitution‚" as well as court costs and other fees."Schools should never deliberately hide vital information from parents‚ yet that’s exactly what the Rockford Public School District did‚" said Kate Anderson‚ director of ADF’s Center for Parental Rights. "... By intentionally concealing this information from the Meads‚ the school district violated their constitutionally protected right to make decisions regarding their daughter’s education and wellbeing and destroyed the trust the Mead family had placed in the district and its employees."In response to a request for comment about the lawsuit‚ RPS Superintendent Dr. Steve Matthews sent Blaze News the following statement:Thank you for asking us about this issue. We actually have not been served with any legal documents. I assume that they are coming.So for now our comment would be that we have no comment at this time because we have not been given notice of this legal proceeding.It seems they have gone to the media and not to us with this legal proceeding.At some point we will comment but right now we have no information so we will refrain from discussing this issue right now.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!