2025-07-15 02:48:49
The Washington Post reconstructed the flooding at Camp Mystic, from the perspectives of geography, rain downpour, counselors and campers trying to reach safety, and parents looking for information. This was tough to read through.
Tags: Camp Mystic, flood, Washington Post
2025-07-15 01:08:41
Risk estimates change by statistical model and what that model accounts for. The above map, by Connie Hanzhang Jin for NPR, shows FEMA estimates (orange and yellow lines) against estimates from risk modeling company First Street (blue gradient fill) for the flooded area at Camp Mystic. More buildings fall into range for the latter.
Unfortunately, the discrepancy between FEMA estimates and more updated models that consider rainfall and flash flooding is not new.
Tags: Camp Mystic, FEMA, flood, NPR, risk, uncertainty
2025-07-14 20:55:25
In a Gallup poll run last month, sentiment towards immigration spiked towards positive, especially among Republicans and Independents:
The recent jump in perceptions of immigration being a good thing is largely owed to a sharp increase among Republicans and, to a lesser extent, independents. These groups’ views have essentially rebounded to 2020 levels after souring in the intervening years.
Democrats’ belief that immigration is beneficial to the country is also up slightly, to a record-high 91%. However, this is generally consistent with their highly positive perspective on immigration over the past decade, with at least 80% calling it a good thing each year since 2016.
Tags: Gallup, immigration, poll
2025-07-12 00:38:29
The internet continues to feed my compulsion to click on anything that mentions card counting.
For Bloomberg, Sonali Basak talked to hedge fund manager Boaz Weinstein on card counting, as it relates to investing. It’s about measuring risk and taking advantage when odds are in your favor. I like how they casually comment that the interview and card demo is in a real casino, because Weinstein’s childhood friend happens to own the place.
To go with the piece, Dorothy Gambrell illustrated a comic verison of the interview that better appeals to my senses.
Tags: blackjack, Bloomberg, Boaz Weinstein, comic, uncertainty
2025-07-11 19:04:02
Eric Katz reporting for Government Executive:
Staffing at the National Weather Service will be a top priority for Neil Jacobs if the Senate confirms him to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the nominee told members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. NWS, which has shed hundreds of employees since Trump took office through firings and separation incentives, has come under scrutiny after flooding in Central Texas this month led to the death of more than 100 people.
“If confirmed, I will ensure that staffing the Weather Service offices is a top priority,” said Jacobs, who led NOAA on an acting basis in Trump’s first term. “It’s really important for the people to be there because they have relationships with people in the local community. They’re a trusted source.”
Fire a couple thousand people from NOAA. Nominate someone to lead NOAA who prioritizes filling vacancies. This does not seem very efficient for the government.
Tags: government, Government Executive, Neil Jacobs, NOAA
2025-07-11 04:17:52
For NPR, Jenna McLaughlin breaks down DOGE access to sensitive USDA data and potential usage to stop loans and payments.
“USDA has a lot of data that people should be very concerned about protecting for a lot of different reasons,” said one current USDA employee who requested anonymity due to ongoing fear of retaliation. “Farmers’ financial and production data should be protected at all costs, for privacy reasons and because of competition. If you got access to disaster payments, you would be able to layer a lot of data and arrive at a lot of valuable conclusions about productivity and U.S. farmland, futures markets, and commodity prices. You can hedge a lot of bets and make a lot of money if you know what’s happening with U.S. agriculture.”
If DOGE were to combine that sensitive data with other sources of government information that it has sought access to, such as Internal Revenue Service and Social Security records, it could create an incredibly detailed dossier of farmers’ and ranchers’ lives, along with their networks and the people they employ, sell to and contract with.
It should not be this easy.
Tags: DOGE, farmer, government, NPR, privacy
