September 2024 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

Half of All Deaths from Hurricane Helene Occurred 485 Miles North of Where It Made Landfall
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

https://wallstreetonparade.com/2024/09/half-of-all-deaths-from-hurricane-he… By Pam Martens and Russ Martens: September 30, 2024 ~ As an unprecedented humanitarian crisis was happening in real time yesterday morning in Western North Carolina, we turned on the Sunday News programs: CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper and, later in the morning, Face the Nation on CBS. We were stunned that the focus of both programs was the war in the Middle East and the presidential election. As both national news programs were airing, local news reports were coming out of Buncombe County, North Carolina that people there had no electric power, no running water, no cell phone service, impassible roads, and no distribution centers had been established for bottled water or food because the tractor trailers with the supplies had not arrived — two days after the hurricane hit. At the 10 a.m. press briefing by Buncombe County officials, 10 people were reported dead from Hurricane Helene with 1,000 reported missing. By the 4 p.m. press briefing, the number of deaths from the hurricane in just that one county had tripled to 30 according to Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller, who spoke at both briefings. At that point in time, the deaths in Buncombe County represented more than a third of all deaths being reported by the five states most impacted by Hurricane Helene. Neighborhoods in Buncombe County, NC Remained Under Water on Saturday, September 29, 2024 Buncombe County, North Carolina sits 485 miles north of Perry, Florida, the town closest to where Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane at 11:10 p.m. on Thursday, September 26. Unprecedented levels of rainfall and surging rivers resulting from the Gulf of Mexico hurricane, led to deaths by drowning and fallen trees from saturated tree roots and heavy winds almost 500 miles away. Face the Nation on Sunday did include a brief interview with Deanne Criswell, Administrator of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – who appeared to be living in an alternative universe when she made this statement on the program about “several” homes being destroyed by Hurricane Helene: “We’re hearing significant infrastructure damage to water systems, communication, roads, critical transportation routes, as well as several homes that have been just destroyed by this. So, this is going to be a really complicated recovery in each of these five states that have had these impacts.” Hundreds of homes have been reduced to toothpicks by record storm surge. States with major damage from Hurricane Helene include Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. Early this morning, CBS News reported a total of 116 deaths in all states from Hurricane Helene. Of the 46 deaths reported as of 3:25 a.m. EDT today in the state of North Carolina, Buncombe County deaths represent 65 percent. One North Carolina county where an official death toll has not yet been announced is Rutherford County, home to the town of Chimney Rock and its sister community, Lake Lure. According to a video posted by a local resident, unprecedented raging waters from the Broad River have completely decimated Chimney Rock, with many homes reduced to toothpicks flowing downstream. The big question for that area is were the people asleep in their now decimated homes when the raging Broad River broke its banks or had they evacuated. According to surviving area residents, they received no evacuation orders or texts. An unconfirmed report indicates that the area’s pride and joy, the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, has been destroyed by raging flood waters. Its website describes it as follows: Flowering Bridge Flowering Bridge, Previously in Lake Lure, North Carolina “The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is home to more than 2000 species of plants, lovingly tended by local volunteers. From the Bridge, visitors can look upstream to view the famous Chimney Rock, and downstream where the river flows into Lake Lure surrounded by the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is always something to see as the plant and garden decorative displays change with the seasons. Visitors often comment on the unexpected blooms that appear at unusual times due to the isothermal microclimate of Hickory Nut Gorge. Even in the coldest months, festive lighting invites a walk across the Bridge both day and night. Our unique gardens are free and open to the public all year. The vast majority of the gardens are wheelchair accessible.” At the 4 p.m. Buncombe County press briefing yesterday, County Manager Avril Pinder said that search and rescue crews continue to work and that she was aware that there are areas in Fairview, Black Mountain, and Swannanoa “where the devastation is unthinkable” and “loved ones are still trapped.” Anthony Penland, the Fire Chief of the Swannanoa Fire Department, stated at the 4 p.m. press briefing that entire neighborhoods are gone and search and rescue teams are going to where the neighborhoods once stood and continuing search and rescue operations. A representative from Duke Energy, the primary electric utility in the area, also spoke at the briefing, saying that some substations are completely underwater and will need complete rebuilding. It is abundantly clear that Western North Carolina needs immediate assistance from a vastly expanded FEMA effort, a taskforce from the Army Corps of Engineers, a dramatic increase in the National Guard, immediate airlifted water and food supplies, and the immediate establishment of distribution centers for those supplies.

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Mich. Justices Take Up Another Auto Reform Coverage Case
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

Mich. Justices Take Up Another Auto Reform Coverage Case <https://www.law360.com/health/articles/1883386?nl_pk=6422bbc2-a823-4be5-9a9…> By Hope Patti The Michigan Supreme Court agreed Friday to review a crash coverage dispute concerning whether changes to the state no-fault act's medical care reimbursement rates apply to post-reform treatment, weighing in on a case where the injury occurred after the June 2019 statutory amendment but before the July 2021 effective date. Order attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/health/articles/1883386?nl_pk=6422bbc2-a823-4be5-9a9…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/health/articles/1883386?nl_pk=6422bbc2-a823-4be5-9a9…>

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Head Of 'High-End Brothel' Network In Mass., Va. Pleads Guilty
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

Head Of 'High-End Brothel' Network In Mass., Va. Pleads Guilty <https://www.law360.com/insurance/articles/1883566?nl_pk=59612751-8689-4b1e-…> By Brian Dowling A Cambridge, Massachusetts, woman admitted Friday to running a sophisticated network of brothels in greater Boston and Eastern Virginia that prosecutors have said was patronized by lawyers, politicians, corporate officials and others. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/insurance/articles/1883566?nl_pk=59612751-8689-4b1e-…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/insurance/articles/1883566?nl_pk=59612751-8689-4b1e-…> Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week <https://www.law360.com/insurance/articles/1883319?nl_pk=59612751-8689-4b1e-…>

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Amazon Hit With $30.5M Verdict In Delaware Patent Trial
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

Amazon Hit With $30.5M Verdict In Delaware Patent Trial <https://www.law360.com/delaware/articles/1883432?nl_pk=8f2e5a76-bb66-462b-a…> By Ryan Davis A Delaware federal jury decided Friday that Amazon Web Services infringed two computer network patents that were once owned by Boeing, and told the tech giant to pay $30.5 million in damages. Verdict attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/delaware/articles/1883432?nl_pk=8f2e5a76-bb66-462b-a…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/delaware/articles/1883432?nl_pk=8f2e5a76-bb66-462b-a…>

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Corporate Raider Accused Of Shirking $180M SEC Judgment
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

Corporate Raider Accused Of Shirking $180M SEC Judgment <https://www.law360.com/cannabis/articles/1883619?nl_pk=c844ee6a-f80e-4e60-b…> By Hailey Konnath Corporate takeover specialist Paul A. Bilzerian, accused of ducking a more than $180 million judgment owed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for decades, was indicted alongside his longtime accountant and his cannabis company on Thursday, California federal prosecutors said Friday. 2 documents attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/cannabis/articles/1883619?nl_pk=c844ee6a-f80e-4e60-b…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/cannabis/articles/1883619?nl_pk=c844ee6a-f80e-4e60-b…>

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IBM Owes $19.5M In EDTX Trial Over 'Blockchain' Software
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

IBM Owes $19.5M In EDTX Trial Over 'Blockchain' Software <https://www.law360.com/fintech/articles/1883424?nl_pk=d2b3e7ef-ab62-4a62-80…> By Andrew Karpan A Texas federal jury told IBM on Friday that its blockchain software infringes two patents by a small tech developer and that it owes $19.5 million, far less than the $167 million the developer asked for. Verdict attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/fintech/articles/1883424?nl_pk=d2b3e7ef-ab62-4a62-80…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/fintech/articles/1883424?nl_pk=d2b3e7ef-ab62-4a62-80…>

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Mango Markets Crypto Cos. Ink $700K Deal Over SEC Claims
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

Mango Markets Crypto Cos. Ink $700K Deal Over SEC Claims <https://www.law360.com/fintech/articles/1883610?nl_pk=d2b3e7ef-ab62-4a62-80…> By Aislinn Keely The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced Friday that the business entities behind decentralized cryptocurrency exchange Mango Markets agreed to a nearly $700,000 settlement to resolve alleged registration violations, which the regulator brought after the marketplace was bilked of more than $100 million. 4 documents attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/fintech/articles/1883610?nl_pk=d2b3e7ef-ab62-4a62-80…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/fintech/articles/1883610?nl_pk=d2b3e7ef-ab62-4a62-80…>

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NYC Affiliates Of Troubled Miami Office Owner File Ch. 11
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

NYC Affiliates Of Troubled Miami Office Owner File Ch. 11 <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1882992?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Emlyn Cameron Two entities related to The Gateway at Wynwood, an office building in a hip Miami neighborhood whose owner went bankrupt in July, are now themselves seeking Chapter 11 protection in New York, each claiming a bit over $52 million in liabilities. 3 documents attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1882992?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1882992?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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NY Man Convicted In Father-Son Crypto Caper
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

NY Man Convicted In Father-Son Crypto Caper <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1883368?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Elliot Weld A Long Island man was convicted by a Manhattan federal jury of conspiring with his son to scam investors out of millions by claiming to invest their cryptocurrency and instead pocketing the funds. Verdict attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1883368?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1883368?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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Supreme Court Keeps RFK Jr. Off New York Ballot
by Gunnar Larson 30 Sep '24

30 Sep '24

Supreme Court Keeps RFK Jr. Off New York Ballot <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1883622?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Katie Buehler The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s request to have his name printed on New York state's presidential ballot Friday. Order attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1883622?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1883622?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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