Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Imagine this scene from a not-distant future: youre driving in your new car and hear a loud bang. Immediately your vehicle starts pulling sharply to the right and you hear a distinctive flapping sound of rubber hitting pavement. Youve blown a tire!

Fortunately, you have a spare. You pull over, put the car up on a jack and safely install the tire. But when you get behind the wheel to drive away, your car wont start. A flashing light on the cars digital display tells you that it cant recognize the tire youve installed. Your vehicle informs you that you are required to use dealer approved tires installed by a licensed roadside technician. Youre instructed to call your dealers premium roadside service, where you learn that you need to upgrade to premium support and that the soonest a roadside service technician can get to you is in two hours.

Creepy, right? But what should really scare you is knowing that the technology to make this dystopian future real already exists and is already installed on modern vehicles.

Digital rights management (DRM) of the kind Microsoft and Sony use to keep pirated games from running on their gaming consoles is part and parcel of modern vehicles, as well. Today, it isnt used to prevent owners from putting non-manufacturer approved parts on their vehicles but it easily could be.

If youre thinking to yourself no way, Id advise you to visit farm country, where small family farms are engaged at this moment in a struggle for their economic survival with multi-billion dollar equipment makers like John Deere and Caterpillar.

Question 1 is a pro-consumer ballot measure that will give car owners and independent repair shops access to wireless maintenance data needed to service and repair modern vehicles.

Absent an equivalent right to repair law covering farm equipment, those companies have engineered their tractors, combine harvesters and other equipment to work in just this way. Today, many farmers are locked out of their own equipment. Software forces them to pay exorbitant costs for repair and servicing of their own property by exclusively dealer authorized service technicians.

Or, consider smart home appliances. As this story by VICE indicates: GEs newer refrigerators have RFID sensors that monitor whether owners have installed GE branded replacement water filters. The GE filters, which sell for two- to three times the price of generic filters, contain an RFID tag that makes sure theyre accepted by the fridge. Non-GE filters arent recognized, disabling the refrigerators water filtration or degrading the refrigerators operation by disabling filter health monitoring or displaying warning messages.

These examples bring us back to why Question 1 and why the right to repair measure may be the most consequential issue youre asked to vote on this year.

Question 1 is a pro-consumer ballot measure that will give car owners and independent repair shops access to wireless maintenance data needed to service and repair modern vehicles. If passed, it will close a loophole in an existing state law that requires automakers to make data needed for purposes of maintenance, diagnostics and repair available in a standard format to vehicle owners. That law, passed in 2013, included an exception for so-called telematics data that is transmitted wirelessly, rather than via a wired connection to a data port located under the dashboard.

Seven years later, many new vehicles use the wireless telematics systems to transmit maintenance and repair data. The cars cellular internet connection bypasses the repair shop computers, talking directly to cloud-based servers operated by the automakers. Question 1 simply requires automakers to provide vehicle owners with a standard web-based platform to access those maintenance clouds.

No big deal, right? Theres nothing extreme or dangerous about the idea that mechanical data shared via a wired connection to a computer in a repair shop should also be accessible wirelessly. Thats why automakers are anxious to change the subject. The Coalition for Safe and Secure Data, a group funded by automakers, has blanketed TV and radio in Massachusetts with ads warning that Question 1 will give cyber stalkers and burglars the keys to your car and even your home.

These warnings about cyberstalking are misleading and have little basis in fact.

A group I founded, SecuRepairs, represents close to 200 of the worlds top information security experts. Weve been vocal in our support of Question 1 and are encouraging voters to look past auto industry scare tactics. In our professional opinions, this simple expansion to the states right to repair law does not increase the risk of identity theft, cyberstalking or vehicle hacking.

We shouldnt consign ourselves to a future in which we are tenants, rather than the owners of our things.

But Question 1 is about much more than the question of whether you or the corner repair shop can work on your car.

Like farm equipment and home appliance makers: automakers increasingly see their vehicles as smartphones on wheels and their customers (and their data) as the real product. Locking down access to their platform is a prerequisite to locking in the revenue. Thats why, as our homes, businesses and public spaces fill with smart, Internet connected stuff, a right to repair like the one spelled out by Question 1 is critical to our well-being and the economic health of our families and communities.

In the years to come, corporations will bring forward all manner of smart and connected products with gee whiz features. These products may well deliver convenience. But the price of that convenience cant be software-enforced monopolies that stifle competition and innovation, while bleeding consumers of their money, their data or both.

The right to repair our cars, appliances, phones and other stuff is essential. We shouldnt consign ourselves to a future in which we are tenants, rather than the owners of our things. I urge you to vote yes on Question 1.

Follow Cognoscenti on Facebook and Twitter.

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Question 1 Is About Much More Than Car Repair. Its A Civil And Consumer Rights Issue - WBUR

Google's acceleration program for startups and companies in their growth stages launched this week a new cycle of startups that will receive a multidisciplinary support of the technology giant on their way to break into new markets and reach a wider customer base. This is Google's second cycle of the Gaming Growth Lab program, which is designed to support promising mobile gaming companies on their growth journeys. The upcoming cohort, which opened this week, will include eight startups: Funorama, Innplay Labs, Brain Games, Dramaton, SuperPlay, Klever, Obscure games, Baba Entertainment, Storytime app, and Zarzilla.

Startup Growth Lab is an exclusive Google accelerator designed for marketing leaders from Israel's most promising startups, aiming to accelerate their business. It consists of hands-on workshops and ongoing one-on-one mentoring. The accelerator program covers topics such as industry analysis, brand communication, UX/UI, measurement, creative, and advertising. The program was launched in 2018, and graduates from its first two cohorts include Elementor, Melio, Guesty, DayTwo, and Bookaway.

The success of the Startup Growth Lab in Israel, led to the program being launched in Spain, Portugal, U.K., Japan, Korea, Brazil, and more, Lior Noy, Startup Growth Lead at Google said. The new cycle, which opens this week, is the second round of the program that is intended exclusively for gaming companies. In January 2021 Startup Growth Lab will open the fourth cycle of the program to which startups from all sectors can be admitted.

Among the eight startups that graduated from the third cohort of the program, you can find companies such as Orcam Technologies, Voom, Workiz, and Jasper.

Orcam Technologies that was founded by Mobileye founders Amnon Shashua and Ziv Aviram has created the wearable assistive device, OrCam MyEye, which is being used by tens of thousands of blind and visually impaired people around the world. OrCams mission is to harness the power of artificial vision by incorporating pioneering technology into a wearable platform that improves the lives of individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or has reading difficulties.

Workiz was founded in 2014 by three home service professionals Saar Kohanovitch, Idan Kadosh, and Erez Marom to help make their work easy. The company developed a field service management and communication software for small-medium on-demand service businesses such as locksmith, junk removal, carpet cleaning, and appliance repair. Workiz has experienced a monthly double-digit growth following the Covid-19 outbreak. Thousands of home service companies use Workiz to manage their business. Workiz has raised $7.3 million to date.

See the article here:
Google launches the second cohort of Gaming Growth Lab acceleration program - CTech

With nearly 12,000 votes counted, the citys municipal election results are much clearer, although not yet official.

A round of preliminary results released by the city Friday afternoon show Assembly member Alicia Hughes-Skandijs winning reelection to her District 1 seat City and Borough of Juneau Assembly seat and Christine Woll winning the race for an open District 2 seat. Both seats have three-year terms.

Those are the same results indicated by earlier unofficial counts released by the city, but with more than a thousand additional votes tallied, the count is likely close to what the official results will ultimately show. A Canvas Review Board will start work at 10 a.m. on Tuesday to certify the results.

Assembly member Maria Gladziszewski ran unopposed for an areawide seat, and Juneau School District Board of Education member Brian Holst and Martin Stepetin Sr. ran in a noncompetitive race for two open school board seats. All of those seats have three-year terms.

[Juneau district court set to reopen in November]

Woll paced a four-way race for a District 2 seat that is being vacated by Assembly member Rob Edwardson. She received 5,116 votes, according to the unofficial results. Woll ran against Derek Dzinich, Robert Shoemake and Lacey Derr.

Im feeling great, felt great before knowing the results because we ran a great campaign, Woll previously told the Empire. Woll did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Shoemake came in second with 3,034 votes.

I think its pretty cool we hit 3,000 people, Shoemake said.

He said that is about the number of votes he anticipated receiving based on how many homes his business, Budget Appliance Repair, has brought him into.

In some Assembly races, such as 2018s race for two District 2 seats, Shoemakes vote total would have been enough to win a seat.

Shoemake declined to definitively say whether he might run for office again, but its something he wouldnt rule out.

In the District 1 race, Hughes-Skandijs received 6,350 votes to Kenny Solomon-Gross 5,044. Solomon-Gross did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Im feeling pretty excited to see the latest results just now, Hughes-Skandijs said in a phone interview. Feeling pretty thankful to the voters and supporters and volunteers.

Hughes-Skandijs said she was impressed by the elections robust voter turnout, which unofficial results put at 42.6%. Its the first time in 20 years turnout in a municipal election has topped 40%, according to city data.

She said shes glad to have secured a three-year term. Hughes-Skandijs was first appointed to the Assembly in early 2019 and won a one-year term on the Assembly that October. This election was her second time on a ballot since her appountment.

This will be my first three-year term, which will be funny, Hughes-Skandijs said. Im really excited to have what most people normally have, which is three years to do the work.

Giving them props

Voters rejected one ballot proposition, but OKd another one, according to unofficial results. A $15 million bond package that is meant to generate funds for city projects, including school roof repairs, passed 6,912-4,664, according to unofficial results.

A proposition that would have established a charter commission was rejected 7,424-3,957, according to unofficial results. The proposition, which is required by City and Borough of Juneaus charter to appear on ballots every 10 years, has failed every time it has appeared on ballots.

Contact Ben Hohenstatt at (907)308-4895 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BenHohenstatt

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Latest round of unofficial results bring election into clearer focus - Juneau Empire

Vulnerable people are losing tens of thousands of pounds a year to cold callers who targeting them with potentially fraudulent insurance.

Some victims have been tricked into paying more than 1,000 a month to insure kitchen appliances such as fridges and ovens.

In a report, consumer group Which? said it received more than 150 complaints about potentially fraudulent insurance policies in the year to July.

It said many of these related to appliance cover for washing machines and other white goods.

Of the 62 companies that were reported, only two were regulated - despite this being a legal requirement.

Many described what they were selling as "service plans", although some referred to it as insurance over the phone.

In one case, a woman found that her father-in-law - who had recently passed away - had been paying 28 direct debits for appliance cover.

His bills equated to more than 1,000 a month.

Have you been targeted by cold callers? Get in touch: emma.munbodh@mirror.co.uk

He had four policies with one firm. One of these was for 516 to cover a fridge-freezer from March 2018 to 2021, yet he was also paying another firm, Protect Your Bubble Ltd, to cover the same appliance over part of the same period.

The company is unrelated to the insurer Protect Your Bubble, which is part of Assurant Direct Ltd, a regulated firm.

The Financial Conduct Authority, the City watchdog, issued a warning against Protect Your Bubble Ltd last year.

It said the website was a clone company that was acting fraudulently.

"Almost all firms and individuals carrying out financial services activities in the UK have to be authorised or registered by us. This firm is not authorised or registered by us but has been targeting people in the UK, claiming to be an authorised firm," the regulator said.

"This is what we call a 'clone firm'; and fraudsters usually use this tactic when contacting people out of the blue, so you should be especially wary if you have been cold called. They may use the name of the genuine firm, the 'firm reference number' (FRN) we have given the authorised firm or other details."

The woman also discovered her father-in-law was paying a firm called Premier Protect 365 to cover his fridge.

Companies House records show this brand is the trading name of Premier Protect Holdings Ltd, which shares a director called Abdelhak Akayour with Protect Your Bubble Ltd.

On reviews platform Trustpilot, there are more than 100 complaints about the same company.

In many cases, customers said they eventually gave up on their claims, while others claimed they were led to believe Premier Protect 365 represented their existing provider.

One person claimed their elderly mother-in-law was convinced into giving out her bank details to renew a policy she did not have.

Get the latest money advice, news and help straight to your inbox - sign up at mirror.co.uk/email

Soon after, 195 was taken from her account. Her family threatened the company with legal action and the money was returned.

Which? said one in five people have received a phone call about appliance insurance or extended warranties in the past year.

While this is only illegal if it's about your pension, there are concerns that some of these firms could be fraudulent.

Caroline Abrahams of Age UK, a charity, said cold callers should be completely banned in the UK.

"Many rely on their landlines and cold callers know they are likely to be spending much longer at home over the next six months. Its vital that action is taken by the authorities to prevent these calls," she said.

If you're concerned about nuisance calls, you can register your landline with the telephone preference service (TPS).

It's a free service that allows you to opt out of unsolicited sales or marketing calls. You can access it via your landline provider.

Jenny Ross, at Which? said more needs to be done to shut these firms down.

"We've found evidence of a surge in appliance repair cold-calls, with some companies using dubious tactics to sell expensive and unnecessary "cover plans" for household appliances to vulnerable people.

"While there are some legitimate firms that operate within the industry, it is clear there are also many rogue traders exploiting people and evading regulation - and much more must be done to shut them down.

"We've shared our findings with the Information Commissioner and National Trading Standards who are investigating the issue. We'd also like telecoms companies to consider providing their free call-blocking services by default, rather than customers opting-in, to avoid more people falling victim."

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Cold callers tricked my father-in-law into paying 1,000 a month to insure his fridge - Mirror Online

DALLAS, Oct. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Service Fusion, a leading provider of field service management software, announced today its selection as one of the top five fastest growing technology companies in the North Texas area, as recognized by the 2020 Tech Titans Fast Tech List. Fast Tech recognizes growth technology companies who have achieved three years of continuous revenue growth, from 2017 to 2019. Service Fusion has seen double-digit growth every year during that time frame, as it has expanded its customer base to over 4,000 service contractors in the US and Canada. This was the first year for Service Fusion to be nominated for this honor.

"Being selected as one of the Top 5 growth companies in North Texas is a tremendous honor," said Max Paltsev, CEO of Service Fusion. "Our passion for helping small businesses leverage technology has been the driving force of our growth, and this recognition from Tech Titans validates both the hard work of our team members and the trust of our customers."

"Max and the team at Service Fusion have demonstrated that even in challenging times, companies with great products can succeed," stated Bill Sproull, CEO of Tech Titans. "We are excited to honor Service Fusion as their software has helped essential, small services businesses flourish and grow."

The Top 5 were revealed at a virtual event on Tuesday, October 13th and were selected from a list of twenty-eight top technology companies in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area.

About Service Fusion

Founded in 2014, Service Fusion serves over 4,000 field service contractors in over 20 residential and commercial service verticals, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and appliance repair. Service Fusion allows service contractors to operatetheir business from anywhere. You can learn more about Service Fusion at http://www.servicefusion.com.

SOURCE Service Fusion

servicefusion.com

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Service Fusion Recognized as a Top 5 Company on the 2020 Fast Tech List - PRNewswire

Bengaluru

Senior BJP leader Basanagouda Yatnal on Tuesday stirred a hornets nest by revealing the BJP high command is looking to replace Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa soon. He said Yediyurappas successor would be a leader from north Karnataka.

Yatnal went hammer and tongs at Yediyurappa for neglecting north Karnataka. He has become the CM due to the votes of north Karnataka people. North Karnataka voted our MLAs in. A majority of MLAs are from north Karnataka, he reminded Yediyurappa.

There are various moves to dislodge the CM and the BJP high command is also reportedly scouting for a replacement as Yediyurappa has crossed 75 years. But the party is in a dilemma as BSY is still the tallest Lingayat leader and has earned a cult status in his community the largest in Karnataka.

Yediyurappa is also under greater pressure after Power TV, a private Kannada television channel, ran a series of programmes in September airing the audio of a sting operation allegedly done on a member of the CMs family that suggested serious corruption in top deals.

There is also talks going on within the party he should be replaced by a younger Lingayat leader. The high command has put on hold the CMs list of MLAs he wants in his cabinet due for an expansion. He has to accommodate the MLAs who switched loyalty that resulted in the BJP coming to power toppling the Congress-JD(S) govt of HD Kumaraswamy.

Yatnal had earlier asked Yediyurappa to sort out the regional imbalance in the Karnataka cabinet. He is also known for making controversial statements and was in the news earlier this year for calling centenarian freedom fighter and activist from Karnataka HS Doreswamy a Pakistani agent.

Originally posted here:
Will BSY be replaced? - Free Press Journal

FRANKFORT - Gov. Andy Beshear today announced the opening of a new Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) regional driver licensing office in Richmond. While some services require an in person visit, Kentuckians are encouraged to use mail or drop-in options to renew or apply for standard credentials if they are able:

Those whose licenses, permits or ID cards were lost or expired - or will expire - any time from March 1 through Feb. 28, 2021 and who do not require testing may apply for renewal or replacement remotely through the circuit court clerk in their county of residence.

Check with the clerk as to preferred method, such as drop-off form or mail-in form. The forms can be downloaded here. In addition, check with your circuit clerk or online at drive.ky.gov for updates.

"We are offering essential, in-person public services while taking care to do so in a way that protects public health," said Gov. Beshear. "Essential services include issuing, renewing and replacing operator's licenses and official identification cards for our fellow Kentuckians who depend on them for employment, travel and emergencies."

The Richmond location brings to 11 the number of KYTC regional offices newly opened or reopened to handle licensing needs while adhering to Gov. Beshear's Healthy at Work standards.

The Governor noted that REAL IDs must be applied for in person. Kentuckians can take a short quiz here to see if they need a REAL ID. They are also encouraged to use text alert options at select locations to avoid waiting in line.

In-person services at the new office are limited at this time to the following:

Issuance of a REAL ID for any resident;

Replacement of a lost license, permit or identification card;

Issuance of a license or ID card needed for employment;

Issuance of a REAL ID or standard license for a new resident replacing a valid out-of-state credential;

Issuance or renewal of REAL ID or standard licenses for applicants who have successfully completed Kentucky State Police driver testing.

The same services are offered at other KYTC regional driver licensing offices in Paducah, Madisonville, Elizabethtown, Frankfort, Lexington, Morehead, Somerset, Columbia, Jackson and Prestonsburg.

"With the new office in Richmond, we are expanding an important customer service," KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said. "But we are doing so in a way that protects the health and safety of our customers and our employees. That includes social distancing, wearing face masks and having a sanitized work station for every customer."

The new Richmond office is at the Richmond Mall, 830 Eastern Bypass. It will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., EDT.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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Governor Beshear announces Real ID office in Richmond - Richmond Register

During the weekly Student Government Association (SGA) Senate meeting on Sunday, October 4, Samantha Molla, President, Adrian Castellanos, Vice President of Operations (VPO), and Anthony Tesori, Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), announced their resignation from their respective positions. With approximately only two months left in their term as officers, the three SGA Cabinet members left vacant spots during a time when many SGA Senators and members are voicing a desire to restructure the SGA, an idea that has been talked about for the past few years. At last nights Senate meeting, Sunday, October 18, E.J. Hannah, Emily Ng, and Gabriella Poska were elected into the Presidency, VPO, and Secretary positions, respectively.

Molla announced her resignation during the meeting on October 4 by stating that she will be resigning effective this week but that her time as President has been absolutely amazing, and its been a wonderful experience unfortunately its also been one of the most challenging years of my life probably; mental health has honestly been kind of at a low but I think that I need to take care of my well being, and I cant do that anymore in this role.

Similar to Mollas statements, Castellanos suggested a similar reason for his resignation. He voiced, I love this position, and I love what Ive been able to do, but in the past few months I have caused a lot of harm, and I dont think its necessarily right for me to still be in this role. Additionally, he made a point of apologizing to the D&I Committee, saying, I am sorry again to Nasir and D&I for those mistakes and those instances this organization needs to be restructured.

While Tesori was not present at the October 4 Senate meeting, Molla spoke on his behalf and announced his decision to resign. Unlike Molla and Castellanos who resigned immediately, Tesori will be resigning as soon as he can transition a replacement for VPAA.

During the SGA Senate meeting on September 27, one week prior to the meeting on October 4, Molla took time to read a statement of apology from the Cabinet that addressed and outlined mistakes, instances of complicit behavior, and abuses of power by the SGA Cabinet. The Cabinet described the statement as a way to take accountability for the hurt caused to members of the Stevens community.

A few specific situations detailed in the statement refer to social media disagreements over The Stevens Tea Instagram account, ignoring suggestions from Senator and D&I founder Nasir Montalvo to implement a Double A grading policy as an alternative to the Optional Pass/Fail policy last semester, and lack of communication between the SGA Cabinet and D&I when a wrongfully submitted Title IX report was made against Montalvo. Many other situations were outlined in the statement, including but not limited to an uncovering of past racist tweets and other specific instances of inappropriate behavior by individual Cabinet members.

The statement outlined that Rather than acknowledging and utilizing this criticism to better ourselves and the organization, members of the Cabinet inappropriately used their platform to try to silence Black students. This behavior perpetuated distrust and further illustrated the extent to which the organization has not been able to uplift Black students. The lack of response as an organization, along with the inappropriate responses by Cabinet members on their personal social media accounts and direct opposal of these actions to promise to better represent minority students, is inexcusable and exemplifies why underrepresented minority students, and especially Black students, feel discontent with the SGA.

During the meeting on October 4, Montalvo argued that while the statement is a good place to start to understand the events that transpired, there is a lot more to the story. He stated, Basically a lot of Black community members were harmed over several months, and it began with COVID-19, and basically not advocating on behalf of students who were suffering because of access, and a lot of the issues that arose after that had to deal with access and identity. I think its important to read that apology and then also speak to people who were in those situations.

While there has been no public statement by Molla, Castellanos, or Tesori that they were all motivated to resign because of issues outlined in the apology, Molla and Castellanos commented to The Stute their reasons for leaving. Molla expressed, This has been an incredible experience, but it has been incredibly chaotic and stressful. In resigning I hope we can show to the student body that the SGA is ready to move on and can hopefully learn from this experience and work towards improving the SGA in the future. Castellanos noted, This situation has been a lot for myself and other people involved, and I just didnt want it to continue bringing harm to me or anyone else.

The two remaining Cabinet members who have not resigned are Christian Bonavita, Vice President of Finance (VPF), and Hailey Tanner, Vice President of Student Interests (VPSI). During the Senate meetings general discussion period, Bonavita and Tanner were asked why they have chosen to remain in their positions. To this, Tanner was the first to respond that Right now, Christian and I are the only ones not stepping down I feel that because I was not directly involved, even though I know I couldve done better during the situation, to help those that were directly involved, I can better hold myself accountable and make up for those mistakes in the role rather than stepping down. Bonavita additionally added that personally, not speaking up when I saw some of these things happening is one of the biggest regrets of my life although I was not directly involved in these situations Ive already started implementing changes within the Budget Committee which is what I can control as the Vice President of Finance.

The announcement of the resignation of the three Cabinet members re-ignited the larger conversation about the structure of the SGA and how it serves students, which has been discussed many times over the past few years. During Mollas announcement of her resignation during the meeting on October 4, she expressed, I think that the SGA has a lot of potential, and we always do a lot of great things, but that it doesnt always have the best process in terms of getting to those great achievements.

However, no concrete plans have been proposed so far, and it is unclear if the ongoing restructuring talks will result in any changes. Many upperclassmen voiced concerns during the October 4 meeting that the proposition of restructuring the SGA is constantly brought up but never acted upon; however, many members argued that this time was the best opportunity to finally make changes. Castellanos noted, I dont think theres better timing working towards creating something new might be more effective. The biggest issue with the SGA structure is that one person should not be the voice for the student body. In agreement with Castellanos, Montalvo expressed that theres never going to be a point where its going to be easy to redo the constitution, and thats fine, because we need to do it weve been talking about restructuring or starting over the SGA since I was a freshman I dont want this to die after the discussion [tonight].

According to the SGA constitution, the next person in line to assume the presidency after the VPO is the Speaker; however, recently appointed Speaker, Kevin Gmelin, announced later that week that he would not be assuming the Presidency.

During last nights Senate meeting on Sunday, October 18, a special election was held to fill the role of President for the rest of the semester, as well as other vacancies in the SGA Cabinet. The candidates for President were Senators Emily Ng and E.J. Hannah, and Hannah won the special election to assume the presidency. Ng was then elected as VPO, and Gabriella Poska, a member of the SGA Budget Committee and Business Manager for Stevens Dramatic Society, was appointed as Secretary.

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SGA President, Vice President of Operations, and Vice President of Academic Affairs resign - The Stute

By James Tucker, Stacey Mitchell and Bryan Williamson October 20, 2020, 4:27 PM EDT

The congressional elections also will significantly affect the country's environmental and energy policy, as the next Congress can shape policy not just through its constitutional powers, but also through the reversal of many of the Trump administration's late-term rules via the Congressional Review Act.

In this three-part article, we outline both candidates' key environmental and energy policies, including how the candidates might or might not achieve their policy goals.

The first installmentidentified the Trump administration's significant late-term rules that a unified Democratic Congress may seek to invalidate to minimize Trump's legacy.

This installment analyzes the policy differences between Trump and Biden on environmental issues including domestic energy, air quality and international climate diplomacy, and considers some likely consequences of those differences.

The third installment will cover the candidates' positions on water quality, biodiversity and federal lands, and environmental justice.

Domestic Energy

Trump

The Trump administration has championed an "American energy independence" policy, which seeks to shift the country's energy dependence away from foreign suppliers and toward U.S. energy sources, including primarily fossil fuels coal, oil and natural gas.[1]

Consistent with this policy, the Trump administration repealed the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, which sought to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from U.S. power plants, and replaced it with the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, which supplants a federal emissions reduction regime with one that allows states to establish their own, potentially less stringent, standards.[2]

The Trump administration has also:

Given the virtual certainty that these regulatory changes would be subject to litigation, the Trump administration has gone to great lengths to develop these rules to withstand legal challenge, although final resolution in that regard likely will take years to play out. If reelected, Trump can be expected to continue to use these tools to shepherd his support toward the fossil fuel industry and further domesticize U.S. energy production.

Biden

In the process of courting the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Biden has described the Green New Deal as a crucial framework for meeting climate challenges as part of a broader clean energy revolution, while declining to fully adopt it as his own plan. Biden established a unity task force with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that has made a number of climate-related recommendations, many aimed at creating a clean energy economy.[4]

These recommendations include achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, reducing the carbon footprint of the U.S. building stock by 50% by 2035 and directing $400 billion of federal funds toward clean energy research and innovation part of an overall $2 trillion federal investment in clean energy and environmental justice initiatives.[5]

The Biden-Sanders unity task force recommendations even go further, advocating for the elimination of carbon pollution from power plants by 2035 and the installation of 500 million solar panels and 60,000 wind turbines.[6] According to the Biden campaign, funding for these energy initiatives would come from a reversal of the 2017 tax legislation that reduced the individual and corporate tax rates.[7]

Contrary to the Trump administration's efforts to boost fossil fuel energy sources, a Biden administration would establish a new initiative, ARPA-C, described as "a new, cross-agency Advanced Research Projects Agency focused on climate."[8] This new initiative would work to decarbonize key U.S. business sectors; decrease the costs of producing grid-scale energy storage technology; produce more hydrogen energy from renewable resources; address the challenges of nuclear waste disposal; double U.S. offshore wind production by 2030; and accelerate the deployment of carbon capture sequestration technology for use at U.S. power plants.[9]

Importantly, the Biden campaign appears to have backed away at least for now from previous positions expressing support for a carbon pricing mechanism, such as a carbon tax or cap-and-trade system.[10] The Biden campaign also has not embraced a full ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, despite running mate Kamala Harris's previous statements expressing support for such a ban.[11]

While many components of these domestic energy policy goals could be implemented through rulemaking or executive order, many would require congressional appropriations or legislation e.g., reversal of the 2017 tax cuts, additional funding for clean infrastructure and authorization of a nationwide carbon tax.[12] If elected, Biden would support the transition from a fossil fuel-based energy system toward one more rooted in renewable resources and developing strategies for climate mitigation and adaptation.

Air Quality

Trump

The Trump administration has relied on the rulemaking process to repeal and, in many cases, replace many key Obama-era regulations aimed at curbing air emissions, including most notably the Clean Power Plan, DOI rules governing oil and gas fracking and methane emissions, and fuel economy and carbon dioxide emission standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks.[13]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also issued a final rule in September 2019 that revokes California's Clean Air Act preemption waiver, which had allowed California and other states to adopt more stringent motor vehicle emissions standards than those in place under federal law.[14] With respect to national air quality standards, the Trump administration decided to retain the Obama-era standards for particulate matter, despite signals from the administration's early days indicating that the EPA may have been considering confronting U.S. Supreme Court precedent foreclosing the agency from considering economic costs in formulating these standards.[15]

To that end, however, the EPA issued a proposed rule in early June that aims to revamp the agency's process for considering benefits and costs when promulgating significant rules under the Clean Air Act, by requiring, among other things, that future rulemakings include benefit-cost analyses that do not factor so-called co-benefits from existing regulations in assessing the incremental benefits of new rules.[16]

Most of this administration's major air-related rule rescissions have faced legal challenges, many of which are still pending in the courts.[17] Beyond rulemaking, the Trump administration has sought to downplay the impact of air pollution through discretionary executive action, such as through the EPA's rejection of a petition from Maryland seeking more stringent restrictions on emissions from coal-fired power plants in upwind states, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's issuance of increasing numbers of leases authorizing oil and gas development on federal land.[18]

If reelected, the Trump administration likely would continue the stepwise replacement of existing air regulations, further efforts to modify how economic impacts are accounted for in agency decisions and use an additional four years to revise any components of the administration's rules that courts vacate.

Biden

As in the case of Biden's proposed energy initiatives, his focus on air would seek to "reinstate federal clean air protections, rolled back by the Trump Administration."[19] According to his campaign, a Biden administration would focus on reducing the impact of emissions from the transportation sector, particularly through motor vehicle and aircraft standards and investments in sustainable aircraft fuel.[20]

With respect to motor vehicle emissions, a Biden administration would be expected to promulgate standards more similar to those in place under the Obama administration, restore tax credits for electric vehicles, increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations throughout the country and attempt to require annual improvements in fuel economy and emissions performance for heavy-duty vehicles.[21]

The Biden campaign also has pledged to require aggressive methane pollution limits on oil and gas operations, require agencies issuing federal permits to consider the impact of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and commit to reducing climate pollution through federal infrastructure investments.[22] Lastly, Biden has stated that he would establish a new cabinet position dedicated to addressing climate change, which reportedly would "go beyond [the] EPA."[23]

To complement the regulations the Biden campaign has previewed, we likely would see a Biden administration that more aggressively pursues enforcement actions against fossil fuel-based energy producers and other large emitters of regulated pollutants that are found to violate existing standards. However, most of the Biden campaign's air quality aspirations, such as research-based emissions reductions initiatives and plans to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, would require appropriations.

Finally, any attempt to restore electric vehicle tax credits or establish an official new cabinet position would require congressional authorization. But Biden could ascribe a new, climate-related title to an existing aide or adviser, or elevate the role of the chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality without formally establishing a new cabinet position.[24]

International Climate Diplomacy

Trump

Consistent with one of his significant 2016 campaign tenets, Trump, within the first six months in office, withdrew the U.S. from the United Framework Convention on Climate Change's 2015 Paris Agreement.[25] In accordance with the Paris Agreement, the U.S.' withdrawal will become effective on Nov. 4, one day after the 2020 presidential election.[26]

Also among this administration's signature moves is its replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which contains environmental provisions that are similar to those in other U.S. trade agreements, as well as provisions intended to support the oil and gas industry by reducing duties, allowing U.S. energy producers to bid on Mexican oil and gas exploration leases and challenge climate policies, and eliminating tariffs on steel used to construct pipelines.[27]

In addition, the Trump administration has issued trade sanctions and executive orders to restrict the use of foreign energy supplies, in an effort to bolster the production and export of U.S. oil and gas.[28]

Given Trump's reliance on constitutional authority to shrink the U.S. role in developing international climate policy and bolster the nation's production of fossil fuels, we expect that, if reelected, he would continue to focus on domestic policy, eschew international climate diplomacy as the U.S. officially withdraws from the Paris Agreement, and continue efforts to engage internationally to promote U.S.-produced energy sources abroad.

Biden

The Biden campaign has announced its intention to recommit the U.S. to the Paris Agreement and "lead an effort to get every major country to ramp up the ambition of their domestic climate targets" with "transparent and enforceable" commitments.[29]

A Biden administration also would seek to join or initiate other international climate agreements, such as a global moratorium on offshore drilling in the Arctic; a commitment among G-20 nations to end export finance subsidies of high-carbon projects; a program to offer financing for lower-carbon energy investments in Belt and Road Initiative countries; and reforms to the International Monetary Fund and regional development bank standards to prioritize projects with low-carbon impacts.[30]

If elected, Biden would be expected to take immediate steps to reverse the Trump administration's international climate efforts, or lack thereof, by relying on the same executive authority used to implement those policies in the first instance.

The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm, its clients or Portfolio Media Inc., or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

[1] President Trump's Energy Independence Policy, The White House (Mar. 28, 2017), https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-trumps-energy-independence-policy/.

[2] Repeal of the Clean Power Plan; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Electric Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emission Guidelines Implementing Regulations, 84 Fed. Reg. 32520 (July 8. 2019) (codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 60 et seq.).

[3] See Exec. Order No. 13920, 85 Fed. Reg. 26595 (May 1, 2020) (securing the U.S. "bulk-power system"); Oil and Gas and Sulfur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf Blowout Preventer Systems and Well Control Revisions, 84 Fed. Reg. 21908 (May 15, 2019) (codified at 30 C.F.R. pt. 250 et seq.) (offshore drilling safety rule revisions); Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals From Electric Utilities; Amendments to the National Minimum Criteria (Phase One, Part One), 83 Fed. Reg. 36435 (July 30, 2018) (codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 257 et seq.) (coal combustion residuals rule revisions); Oil and Gas; Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and Indian Lands; Rescission of a 2015 Rule, 82 Fed. Reg. 61924 (Dec. 29, 2017) (codified at 43 C.F.R. pt. 3160) (oil and gas fracking rule rescission); Hazardous Materials: Liquefied Natural Gas by Rail, __ Fed. Reg. __ (June 19, 2020) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. pts. 172-74, 179-80) (authorizing transportation of liquefied natural gas by rail); Update to the Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, __ Fed. Reg. __ (July 16, 2020) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. pts. 1500-05, 07-08) (re-writing NEPA's implementing rules); Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation; Rescission or Revision of Certain Requirements, 83 Fed. Reg. 49184 (Sept. 28, 2018) (codified at 43 C.F.R. pts. 3160, 3170) (methane rule rescission).

[4] Joe's Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice, Biden for President, https://joebiden.com/climate/; Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force, Combating the Climate Crisis and Pursuing Environmental Justice (July 2020), https://joebiden.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/UNITY-TASK-FORCE-RECOMMENDATIONS.pdf.

[5] Joe's Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice, supra note 10; The Biden Plan to Build a Modern, Sustainable Infrastructure and an Equitable Clean Energy Future, Biden for President, https://joebiden.com/clean-energy/.

[6] Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force, supra note 10 at 47.

[7] Joe's Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice, supra note 10.

[8] Id.

[9] Id.

[10] Amy Harder, Joe Biden unlikely to push carbon tax as part of climate change plan, Axios (Aug. 20, 2020), https://www.axios.com/joe-biden-carbon-tax-climate-change-plan-e8d522a8-5015-45fc-8164-3ec5c8a0d8a3.html.

[11] "Harris: 'There is No Question I'm in Favor of Banning Fracking,'" YouTube (Sep. 4, 2019), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHnXl6S0E8w&feature=youtu.be.

[12] The Clean Air Act may allow the EPA to approve state compliance plans that implement a carbon tax, but Congress would need to authorize any attempt to institute a federally mandated carbon tax. See Samuel D. Eisenberg et al., A State Tax Approach to Regulating Greenhouse Gases Under the Clean Air Act, The Brookings Institute (May 22, 2014) (discussing the legal bases for imposing state or federal carbon taxes under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act).

[13] The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule for Model Years 20212026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, 85 Fed. Reg. 24174 (Apr. 30, 2020) (codified at 40 C.F.R. pts. 86 et seq., 600 et seq.).

[14] The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule Part One: One National Program, 84 Fed. Reg. 51310 (Sept. 27, 2019) (codified at 40 C.F.R. pts. 85 et seq., 86 et seq.).

[15] See Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter, 85 Fed. Reg. 24094 (Apr. 30, 2020) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 50 et seq.) (retaining Obama-era particular matter standards); William H. Haak, Trump Orders EPA 'Back to Basics' on NAAQS, The Magazine for Environmental Managers (July 2018) (citing Memorandum from E. Scott Pruitt, Administrator, U.S. Envtl. Protection Agency, to Assistant Administrators, U.S. Envtl. Protection Agency, (May 8, 2018), available at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-05/documents/image2018-05-09-173219.pdf) (discussing the Trump Administration's renewed emphasis on assessing the economic impact of national ambient air quality standards revisions).

[16] Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Clean Air Act Rulemaking Process, 85 Fed. Reg. 35612 (June 11, 2020) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 83), available at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-06/documents/consistent_transparent_bca_fr_notice_final_pre-pub_0.pdf.

[17] See Roundup: Trump-Era Agency Policy in the Courts, Institute for Policy Integrity, New York Univ. School of Law, https://policyintegrity.org/trump-court-roundup (last visited May 28, 2020) (tracking outcomes of litigation involving the Trump Administration's agencies).

[18] See Response to Clean Air Act Section 126(b) Petitions From Delaware and Maryland, 83 Fed. Reg. 50444 (Oct. 5, 2018) (EPA's rejection of Maryland's petition); U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, Great Falls Division, Order in Case No. CV-18-73-GF-BMM (May 1, 2020), https://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/39_-_order.pdf (litigation related to BLM's issuance of 287 oil and gas leases in December 2017 and March 2018).

[19] Joe's Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice, supra note 10.

[20] Id.

[21] Id.

[22] Id.

[23] Sean Sullivan, His campaign limited, Joe Biden sketches out his would-be administration, Wash. Post. (April 17, 2020), https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/his-campaigning-limited-joe-biden-sketches-out-his-would-be-administration/2020/04/17/2ffc8b28-80bd-11ea-8013-1b6da0e4a2b7_story.html.

[24] See U.S. Const. art. II, 2 (requiring the "Advice and Consent of the Senate" for appointments of "Officers of the United States").

[25] Press Release, Michael R. Pompeo, U.S. Sec. of State, On the U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement (Nov. 4, 2019), https://www.state.gov/on-the-u-s-withdrawal-from-the-paris-agreement/.

[26] Paris Agreement to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Dec. 13, 2015, in Rep. of the Conference of the Parties on the Twenty-First Session, U.N. Doc. FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add.1, annex (2016).

[27] See Scott Vaughan, USMCA Versus NAFTA on the Environment, Int'l Inst. for Sustainable Dev., https://www.iisd.org/library/usmca-nafta-environment (noting similarities between the two agreements); Marianne Lavelle, 5 Reasons Many See Trump's Free Trade Deal as a Triumph for Fossil Fuels, InsideClimate News (Jan. 24, 2020), https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24012020/trump-trade-usmca-nafta-climate-change-oil-gas (describing industry-friendly provisions in the USMCA).

[28] Timothy Gardner, Alissa de Carbonnel, Aggressive U.S. energy policy tests ties with European allies, Reuters (July 10, 2019), https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-energy-europe/aggressive-u-s-energy-policy-tests-ties-with-european-allies-idUSKCN1U512P (noting sanctions on oil exports from Iran and Venezuela).

[29] Joe's Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice, supra note 10. Note that an attempt to rejoin the Paris Agreement would require providing notice to the United Nations of the country's intent to reenter the Agreement, followed by a 30-day waiting period.

[30] Id.

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Environmental Policy And The Election: Part 2 - Law360

PETALING JAYA The chief of Umno Youth has called for a political ceasefire amid a resurgence in Covid-19 cases in Malaysia, and for politicians to focus instead on national reconciliation.

The wing's head, Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, said the current Covid-19 situation is troubling as cases have continued to spike while the economy is shrinking, and this has affected the livelihood of the people.

"Don't let us be punished by the people who are sick and tired of the attitude of politicians who continue to fight over political issues of power endlessly," Mr Asyraf said.

"It's the right time for politicians, despite their political parties, to hold a political ceasefire in order to think of the best solutions for the welfare of the people," he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

"Maybe this is the best time for all parties to set aside their differences and give focus to a National Reconciliation agenda." He did not say what he meant by the reconciliation agenda.

He made the call amid a jockeying for posts in the seven-month-old ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Umno leaders are pushing for new terms to remain in PN, and have threatened the collapse of the government if Tan Sri Muhyiddin fails to meet these demands.

A senior Umno leader said the party wants the deputy prime minister's post and other key Cabinet positions.

Its call was made following opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim's audience with the King last week, at which he claimed to have a "formidable" majority of MPs behind him to form a new government and become the new prime minister.

Meanwhile, a senior Umno leader and a Cabinet minister in the Muhyiddin administration said Malaysia should hold a general election, and pick a new prime minister, only after overcoming the coronavirus pandemic.

Umno Supreme Council member Annuar Musa said in a tweet yesterday: "No need to think of a replacement for now... We are in consensus, help the government. When Covid-19 eases, immediately dissolve Parliament and leave it to the public... Give chance for PM to save the country and public lives first."

He was responding to news reports that the political party of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, Pejuang, has nominated the 95-year-old statesman as the candidate to replace Mr Muhyiddin.

Umno, its ally Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Mr Muhyiddin's own Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia were set to meet yesterday evening to discuss their cooperation under the Muafakat Nasional pact.

Umno has, meanwhile, postponed a meeting today of the Supreme Council, its highest decision-making body, where it was to discuss its continued cooperation with PN.

Mr Asyraf said "National Reconciliation" does not mean that each party has to disregard its political identity or its own party struggles.

"Instead, the National Reconciliation will allow political parties to temporarily suspend any dispute in terms of a power struggle," he said.

Malaysia logged 867 Covid-19 infections yesterday, the third day in a row of 800-plus cases in a 24-hour period.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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Umno Youth chief calls for ceasefire amid tussle in ruling alliance - The Straits Times