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AI Isn’t Banning Books in Iowa Schools. Republicans Are.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speak on a book tour in Des Moines on March 10, 2023.Photo: Rachel Mummey for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesIt reads like a headline pulled from a dystopian near future: Artificial intelligence is being used to ban books by Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Maya Angelou from schools. To comply with recently enacted state legislation that censors school libraries, Iowa’s Mason City Community School District used ChatGPT to scan a selection of books and flag them for “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act.” Nineteen books — including Morrison’s “Beloved,” Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner” — will be pulled from school library collections prior to the start of the school year.This intersection of generative AI and Republican authoritarianism is indeed disturbing. It is not, however, the presage of a future ruled by censorious machines. These are the banal operations of reac...

New York seeks 25th victory this season in matchup with Las Vegas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

New York Liberty (24-6, 13-3 Eastern Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (27-3, 15-1 Western Conference)Las Vegas; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK WNBA LINE: Aces -5.5BOTTOM LINE: New York will try to earn its 25th victory this season when the Liberty play the Las Vegas Aces.The Aces have gone 15-0 in home games. Las Vegas ranks second in the WNBA with 21.9 assists per game led by Chelsea Gray averaging 6.9.The Liberty are 12-2 on the road. New York has an 8-4 record against opponents over .500.The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Liberty won 82-63 in the last matchup on Aug. 16.TOP PERFORMERS: Gray is averaging 15 points and 6.9 assists for the Aces. A’ja Wilson is averaging 24.7 points over the last 10 games for Las Vegas.Breanna Stewart is averaging 23.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks for the Liberty. Sabrina Ionescu is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games for New York.LAST 10 GAMES: Aces: 9-1, averaging 94.2 points, 34...

Court says two abortion protesters in DC can proceed with freedom of speech lawsuit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

Two students were arrested in August of 2020 for writing an anti-abortion message on a sidewalk. Now, a federal court ruled a lower court was wrong for dismissing their lawsuit over First Amendment rights.Erica Caporaletti and Warner DePriest chalked “Black Pre-Born Lives Matter” outside a Planned Parenthood in Northeast D.C. when they were cuffed by on police Aug. 1, 2020.A lawsuit was filed that fall by the Frederick Douglass Foundation on behalf of the two protesters, alleging that their free speech rights and equal protection rights were violated.D.C.’s district court dismissed the lawsuit, concluding the foundation had failed to adequately allege discriminatory intent.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. circuit heard arguments in late September of 2022, and while they agreed with the dismissal of the equal protection, they found that the suit had merit based on the First Amendment.Judge Neomi Rao wrote the opinion for the court, saying “the First Amen...

Evacuations ordered after winds whip Northern California forest fire near site of 2022 deadly blaze

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

HAMBURG, Calif. (AP) — Rural areas near California’s border with Oregon were under evacuation orders Wednesday after gusty winds from a thunderstorm sent a lightning-sparked wildfire racing through national forest lands, authorities said.The blaze in Siskiyou County, dubbed the Head Fire, was one of at least 19 fires — most of them tiny — that erupted in the Klamath National Forest as thunderstorms brought lightning and downdrafts that drove the flames through timber and rural lands.An overflight late Tuesday measured the fire at 4.2 square miles (10.8 square kilometers), slightly smaller than initial estimates after it grew rapidly in just a few hours. A forest statement said fire behavior also decreased during the night.Firefighters were working to protect homes near the confluence of the Scott and Klamath rivers, a very lightly populated area about 20 miles (32.2 kilometers) from the California-Oregon state line and about 50 miles northwest of Mt. Shasta.There weren’t...

Florida’s costs for protecting Gov. Ron DeSantis rise as he became GOP presidential hopeful

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — The costs for protecting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his family and visiting officials rose sharply over the last year as the Republican presidential hopeful embarked on an aggressive travel schedule and entered the GOP primary. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in a report released this week that it spent more than $8 million to protect the governor from July 2022 to June 2023. That went up nearly 70% from the $4.8 million reported the previous year. FDLE’s total protection costs to include Florida first lady Casey DeSantis, their family, the governor’s mansion and visiting dignitaries were $9.9 million, up from $6.1 million the previous year.Florida law requires that the department of law enforcement provide security for the governor and his immediate family whether or not he is in the state.DeSantis’ press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, said that the governor has required more security as his prominence has risen.“His record as the most effective ...

Death toll rises to 25 in Dominican Republic explosion and fire, official says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Death toll rises to 25 in Dominican Republic explosion and fire, official says.Source

Pig kidney works in a donated body for over a month, a step toward animal-human transplants

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Surgeons transplanted a pig’s kidney into a brain-dead man and for over a month it’s worked normally — a critical step toward an operation the New York team hopes to eventually try in living patients.Scientists around the country are racing to learn how to use animal organs to save human lives, and bodies donated for research offer a remarkable rehearsal.The latest experiment announced Wednesday by NYU Langone Health marks the longest a pig kidney has functioned in a person, albeit a deceased one -– and it’s not over. Researchers are set to track the kidney’s performance for a second month.“Is this organ really going to work like a human organ? So far it’s looking like it is,” Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of NYU Langone’s transplant institute, told The Associated Press.“It looks even better than a human kidney,” Montgomery said on July 14 as he replaced a deceased man’s own kidneys with a single kidney from a genetically modified pig — and watched it i...

These 5 ski resorts have their targeted opening dates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Vail Resorts released its target opening dates for the winter season, some of which could be as early as mid-October to early November. There are new trails, fast lifts, and, hopefully, lots of snow. KeystoneDepending on early season conditions, Keystone could open as soon as mid-October. Starting this winter, there will be lift access to more than 550 acres in Bergman and Erickson Bowls, which were previously hike-to-ski, along with a new six-person chairlift. How to check your expected bill for sidewalk repairs in Denver BreckenridgeWeather permitting, Breckenridge is set to open on Nov. 10. This season, all four chairlifts on Peak 8 will be high-speed to keep the lines moving. There's a learning, beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain which can all be accessed through Peak 8.VailVail plans on opening on Nov. 10 as well. It's still undergoing renovations but there are already three new express trails that connect the mountain to a new destination at Wildwo...

Who is Todd Helton of this weekend's Rockies jersey giveaway?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- This weekend at the Colorado Rockies game against the Chicago White Sox, 17,000 lucky fans will be gifted a Todd Helton jersey.Helton was the first baseman for the Colorado Rockies for 17 years and garnered some pretty impressive statistics as the Rockies franchise leader in games, hits, home runs and RBI's. Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton misses Hall of Fame nod again He earned a spot on the All-Star team five times and won several awards including four Silver Sluggers and three Golden Gloves to name a few.In the 2,247 games played in his career, Helton cranked a total of 369 home runs and finished with a .316 batting average. He retired in 2013, and his jersey number, 17, became the first to ever be retired in the Rockies franchise in 2014. For several years, Helton has been eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame but has fallen short. Earlier this year, he missed the mark by just 11 votes.This Saturday, the first 17,000 fans to enter Coors Field will ...

Ed Sheeran tour in Denver: Tickets, parking, weather and more

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:42:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Ed Sheeran's "+-=÷x Tour," also known as "The Mathematics Tour," is coming to Denver this weekend."The Shape of You" singer takes over Empower Field at Mile High Stadium Saturday, Aug. 19. The stadium show follows a separate sold-out performance set for Friday at the Paramount Theatre in Denver.Fans can still purchase tickets to the stadium show from Ticketmaster, with prices starting at $49.The Grammy-winning singer released his album "Subtract" in May. His tour setlist is available online so fans can prepare for the show. Where do Denver restaurants get their seafood? ScheduleGates open at 4:30 p.m. for fans to find their seats and buy food, drinks and merchandise. The show starts at 6 p.m. Khalid and Cat Burns will open the show before Sheeran takes the stage. The venue cautions fans about heavy traffic between 4-8 p.m. around the stadium and suggests getting there early.Parking and transportationParking lots open at 2 p.m. and a pass costs $40 plus fees. Space...