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Google Lays Off Hundreds in Cost-Cutting Drive (Maria)
The author writes, “Google has laid off hundreds of employees working on its hardware, voice assistance and engineering teams as part of cost-cutting measures. The cuts come as Google looks towards ‘responsibly investing in our company’s biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead,’ the company said in a statement. ‘Some teams are continuing to make these kinds of organizational changes, which include some role eliminations globally,’ it said. Google earlier said it was eliminating a few hundred roles.”
Could Willis Allegations Sink Trump Case? Legal Experts Weigh In (Dana)
From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “The allegations are salacious: arguably the most famous district attorney in the country hired her romantic partner to help prosecute a former president and then profited from the arrangement. But, if true, will they derail the election interference case against Donald Trump? Legal experts were split on whether the claims could have far-reaching implications into the high-stakes racketeering case. But some said they could be personally problematic for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is at the center of the storm.”
What to Expect in the Iowa Caucuses (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “After months of campaigning, the Republican candidates vying to unseat President Joe Biden in November will face their first formal test at the ballot box in the Iowa caucuses on Monday. The Hawkeye state once again kicks off the presidential primary season, at least on the Republican side, where former president Donald Trump seeks his first win in a contested Iowa caucus against an ever-shrinking field of candidates that includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, among others.”
Kari Lake Is in Deep Defamation Doo Doo After Court of Appeals Ruling (Sean)
From The Arizona Republic: “Rack up yet another loss for Kari Lake. This time, it’s the Arizona Court of Appeals, which on Wednesday declined Lake’s plea that she shouldn’t be held accountable for what comes out of her mouth. Lake appealed to the court on Friday, asking the three-judge panel to overrule a trial judge’s refusal to throw out Maricopa County Stephen Richer’s defamation lawsuit against her. It took only five days for the Court of Appeals to say no. So, the case will go forward to trial.”
America’s Carbon Emissions Fell for the First Time Since COVID-19 (Gerry)
The author writes, “For the first time since the pandemic began, both America’s economy and its carbon emissions moved in the right direction last year, according to a major annual estimate of the country’s climate pollution. America’s greenhouse gas pollution from energy and industrial activities fell by 1.9% in 2023 compared to the year before, even as the broader American economy grew, according to the Rhodium Group, an energy research firm. It’s the first time this decade that the United States has hit the important mark of growing its economy and cutting its climate pollution at the same time.”
What Happens When Facebook Heats Your Home (Reader Jim)
From Wired: “Søren Freiesleben has lived in Odense his entire life. He likes the historic Danish city for its size. … But there is something unusual about Odense: Its homes are heated by the social giant Meta. Since 2020, Meta’s hyperscale data center — spanning 50,000 square meters on an industrial estate on the edge of the city — has been pushing warm air generated by its servers into the district heating network under Odense. That heat is then dispersed through 100,000 households hooked up to the system, with Meta providing enough heat to cover roughly 11,000.”
Poetry, a Matter of Life and Death (Al)
From The Bulwark: “Facing his mortality, poet Christian Wiman uses literary tools and personal faith to deal honestly with ultimate questions.”
