Carol Overland - Legalectric

QAnon- what to do?
When folks around you are mired in QAnon, conspiracies, lies, what to do? I’ve come around to thinking that what’s needed is intervention, and treatment and/or deprogramming, as with cults, or in 12 Step chemical dependency models.
After this last week, each of us should be asking this question and grappling with action.
From Psychology Today:
Part 1 – The Psychological Needs That QAnon Feeds – What to do when someone you love becomes obsessed with QAnon+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Part 2 – How Far Down the QAnon Rabbit Hole Did Your Loved One Fall? What to do when someone you love becomes obsessed with QAnon+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Part 3 – 4 Keys to Help Someone Climb Out of the QAnon Rabbit Hole – What to do when someone you love becomes obsessed with QAnonThis is a little too “psych lite” for me, but in talking about intervention, there is this, which makes sense:
Another form of psychotherapy that could be applied to conspiracy theory beliefs is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is designed to challenge “cognitive distortions” and false beliefs by looking at evidence to disconfirm them.
From the article, a reading list:
- How to talk to conspiracy theorists—and still be kind” by the moderators of the Reddit r/ChangeMyView subforum.
- My father, the QAnon conspiracy theorist” by Reed Ryley Grable.
- Escaping the Rabbit Hole: How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect by Mick West.
- Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults and Beliefs and The Cult of Trump by ex-cult member turned cult expert and counselor Steven Hassan.
David Neiwert’s forthcoming book Red Pill, Blue Pill: How to Counteract the Conspiracy Theories That Are Killing Us also looks to be a worthwhile read.
The Interchange in Albert Lea fined
I find these antics SO counterproductive, because when people flaut and flaunt COVID protections, it means we have a longer struggle to “normal.”
Albert Lea Restaurant fined for defying governor’s orders
From the article:
A call to the restaurant was not returned Friday evening.
The Interchange fb page is still up, says they’re open tonight!
6 or more states’ legislators part of fracas in D.C.
At least 6 GOP legislators took part in Trump-inspired protests
Other state’s legislators were in Washington D.C. participating in that fracas listed here — click name for contact info:
West Virginia state Rep. Derrick Evans – RESIGNED. WV Delegate Derrick Evans resigns from House of Delegates
Tennessee state Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver
Virginia state Senator Amanda Chase
Missouri state Representative Justin Hill
Do you support our democratic republic?
U.S. Representatives Hagedorn and Fischbach for their vote January 6, 2021, to disenfranchise voters in other states, do you support our democratic republic?
- Rep. Hagedorn (202) 225-2472
- Rep. Fischbach (202) 225-2165
Representatives Steve Drazkowski, Jeremy Munson, Tim Miller, Cal Bahr, Eric Lucero, Mary Franson, Glenn Gruenhagen and Shane Mekeland, and Senators Mary Kiffmeyer, Mike Goggin, Andrew Mathews, Mark Koran, Bill Weber, John Jasinski, and Rich Draheim, who wrote to Texas A.G. asking that Minnesota be included in the Supreme Court challenge, and addition that would be asking to disenfranchise Minnesota voters, do you support our democratic republic? (click on name for contact info)
Call Reps. Hagedorn and Fischbach
U.S. Representatives Hagedorn and Fischbach both persisted in their attempts to disenfranchise voters in their objections to certifying the election results. This wasn’t about Minnesota voters, which is good, but how dare they work to disenfranchise ANY voters, and how dare they stick their nose into any other state’s voting process. HOW DARE THEY!
Rep. Michelle Fischbach (202) 225-2165
Rep. Jim Hagedorn (202) 225-2472
Statement from the Minnesota Bar Association:
Here’s the list of all of those objecting to certification of state election results:
SENATE
Cindy Hyde-Smith, Miss.
Cynthia Lummis, Wyo.
John Kennedy, La.
Josh Hawley, Mo.
Rick Scott, Fla.
Roger Marshall, Kan.
Ted Cruz, Texas
Tommy Tuberville, Ala.
And the HOUSE:
Adrian Smith, Neb.
Alexander X. Mooney, W.Va.
Andrew Clyde, Ga.
Andy Biggs, Ariz.
Andy Harris, Md.
August Pfluger, Texas
Barry Loudermilk, Ga.
Barry Moore, Ala.
Ben Cline, Va.
Beth Van Duyne, Texas
Bill Johnson, Ohio
Bill Posey, Fla.
Billy Long, Mo.
Blaine Luetkemeyer, Mo.
Bob Gibbs, Ohio
Bob Good, Va.
Brian Babin, Texas
Brian Mast, Fla.
Burgess Owens, Utah
Byron Donalds, Fla.
Carlos Gimenez, Fla.
Carol Miller, W.Va.
Chris Jacobs, N.Y.
Chris Stewart, Utah
Chuck Fleischmann, Tenn.
Clay Higgins, La.
Cliff Bentz, Ore.
Dan Bishop, N.C.
Daniel Meuser, Pa.
Daniel Webster, Fla.
Darrell Issa, Calif.
David Kustoff, Tenn.
David Rouzer, N.C.
David Schweikert, Ariz.
Debbie Lesko, Ariz.
Devin Nunes, Calif.
Diana Harshbarger, Tenn.
Doug LaMalfa, Calif.
Doug Lamborn, Colo.
Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, Ga.
Elise M. Stefanik, N.Y.
Frank Lucas, Okla.
Fred Keller, Pa.
Garret Graves, La.
Gary Palmer, Ala.
Glenn Thompson, Pa.
Greg Pence, Ind.
Greg Steube, Fla.
Gregory F. Murphy, N.C.
Guy Reschenthaler, Pa.
Harold Rogers, Ky.
Jack Bergman, Mich.
Jackie Walorski, Ind.
Jacob LaTurner, Kan.
Jason Smith, Mo.
Jay Obernolte, Calif.
Jeff Duncan, S.C.
Jeff Van Drew, N.J.
Jerry Carl, Ala.
Jim Baird, Ind.
Jim Banks, Ind.
Jim Hagedorn, Minn.
Jim Jordan, Ohio
Jodey Arrington, Texas
Jody Hice, Ga.
Joe Wilson, S.C.
John Joyce, Pa.
John R. Carter, Texas
John Rose, Tenn.
John Rutherford, Fla.
Kat Cammack, Fla.
Ken Calvert, Calif.
Kevin Hern, Okla.
Kevin McCarthy, Calif.
Lance Gooden, Texas
Lauren Boebert, Colo.
Lee Zeldin, N.Y.
Lisa McClain, Mich.
Lloyd Smucker, Pa.
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Madison Cawthorn, N.C.
Mario Diaz-Balart, Fla.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ga.
Mark E. Green, Tenn.
Markwayne Mullin, Okla.
Mary Miller, Ill.
Matt Gaetz, Fla.
Matt Rosendale, Mont.
Michael C. Burgess, Texas
Michael Cloud, Texas
Michael Guest, Miss.
Michelle Fischbach, Minn.
Mike Bost, Ill.
Mike Garcia, Calif.
Mike Johnson, La.
Mike Kelly, Pa.
Mike Rogers, Ala.
Mo Brooks, Ala.
Morgan Griffith, Va.
Neal Dunn, Fla.
Nicole Malliotakis, N.Y.
Pat Fallon, Texas
Paul Gosar, Ariz.
Pete Sessions, Texas
Ralph Norman, S.C.
Randy Weber, Texas
Richard Hudson, N.C.
Rick Allen, Ga.
Rick Crawford, Ark.
Robert B. Aderholt, Ala.
Robert J. Wittman, Va.
Roger Williams, Texas
Ron Estes, Kan.
Ron Wright, Texas
Ronny Jackson, Texas
Russ Fulcher, Idaho
Sam Graves, Mo.
Scott DesJarlais, Tenn.
Scott Fitzgerald, Wis.
Scott Franklin, Fla.
Scott Perry, Pa.
Stephanie Bice, Okla.
Steve Chabot, Ohio
Steve Scalise, La.
Steven Palazzo, Miss.
Ted Budd, N.C.
Tim Burchett, Tenn.
Tim Walberg, Mich.
Tom Cole, Okla.
Tom Rice, S.C.
Tom Tiffany, Wis.
Tracey Mann, Kan.
Trent Kelly, Miss.
Troy Nehls, Texas
Vicky Hartzler, Mo.
Virginia Foxx, N.C.
Warren Davidson, Ohio
William Timmons, S.C.
Yvette Herrell, N.M.
Coup ATTEMPT… FAIL
tRump is Toast — resign or you’ll be removed:
MOB STORMS CAPITOL, INFLAMED BY ANGRY TRUMP SPEECH
And C-SPAN Live via ALT-immigration
And Reddit, smashing equipment of media:
TRUMP HAS GOT TO GO — NOW!
We have got to bear down and keep at it, get to work.
PPSA Annual Hearing Report
It’s out, the Administrative Law Judge’s report on this year’s Power Plant Siting Act Annual Hearing. The hearing this year was particularly frustrating, horrible turnout, and I’ve got a part in that, because I didn’t spend the massive amounts of time getting notice out to people, drumming up interest, so there is that…
Here’s the Report:
ALJ-Report_202012-169405-01DownloadHere are a couple of documents to check out that I included with a written comment:
OLA-Report_PUC Public Participation 2020Download Large Wind Application Guide.2DownloadNuclear Personal Property Tax – it’s a LONG story…
The story of utility personal property tax goes way back in Red Wing, in Goodhue County. When the latest round of tax notices, the 2021 Proposed Tax, were received, people were whining and crying, and when I asked them what they’d do different, NOT A SINGLE SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE (“cut spending” is not a response, “VETO” is not a response. Let’s get specific here folks, what would you do different??). It also seems that people do not understand the impact of Xcel Energy’s tax cuts and how their cuts are heaped on US regular property owners!
While putting up some articles today that dropped from the heavens into this Legalectric repository, I ran across some old editorials that are a needed history lesson as people in Red Wing discuss property taxes. Red Wing Budget 2021 page! Here in Red Wing, we’re having to make up for the loss of the utility personal property taxes that our “good neighbor” Xcel has weaseled out of over the years. 20+ years ago, starting in 1995 just after NSP succeeded in its fierce lobbying effort to keep the plant open, they pulled the rug out from under Minnesota’s host communities, slashing utility personal property taxes in every way possible. The most recent episode of Xcel Energy cuts was 2018, done in secret at Dept. of Revenue, they gave Goodhue County, Red Wing, and the school district the finger once again.
Here, in chronological order, are those OLD editorials I found in this computer (click on them for a larger view). History matters.
This first one is particularly obnoxious, as Micheletti’s statement (he was then an NSP lobbyist) that utility personal property tax makes our rates higher is outright lie — our electric rates at that time were far lower than almost everywhere in the country!
(he hates this, so gotta post it!)And my take on it, after seeing Micheletti’s push, written because people seem to avoid identifying the root of the problem — Xcel screwing us over — was written just a week later, because Xcel is changing the host deal after the fact. They built the nuclear plant in this host community with an agreement to pay these taxes. Now they pull out of that agreement? I mean really, what are they going to do, take their nuclear plant and go? In 1994, they rallied the troops of Red Wing, Goodhue County, and all other host communities to storm the legislature by the busload “to preserve the tax base” and then starting in 1995, they focus their bigger than ever lobbying presence on eliminating that very same tax base. Yup, that’s how they rewarded their host communities. What a good neighbor. Here’s my response to (then) NSP:
And in the Red Wing Republican Eagle, a heads up to the community, long after NSP/Xcel had started, after the post 1994 taxes were slashed, cut, after NSP/Xcel eliminated so much of the utility personal property tax — and we residents had to take up the difference:
It’s hard to stomach anything from Tom Micheletti, who got his and Julie Jorgensen’s Excelsior Energy Mesaba Project and tens of millions of dollars (DNT Investigation – Excelsior Lobbying Cash Questioned) as a perk in the 2003 Prairie Island bill – Chapter 11, Special Session), with cash flow from state coffers for his bogus idea built into law:
We had to fight that IGCC (coal gasification) Mesaba Project bondoggle for over FOUR YEARS before the Public Utilities Commission finally said NO! Meanwhile, Tom Micheletti and Julie Jorgensen financed by millions from the state’s “Renewable Development Fund,” millions from the Iron Range Resources coffers (Iron Range Resources & IGCC take their lumps), and millions from Department of Energy Grants and Loans, giving him enough to retire in style. “Boondoggle” is too nice a word for that scam.
Ten years and $41 million later, ‘clean coal’ plant still vapor
Is it any wonder I’d holler seeing Julie Jorgensen, Dennis Egan, and Mark Andrews teaming up trying to get a solar project going in Red Wing? AAACK!
Three Musketeers? Three Stooges?History is important… facts matter!
Nuclear Spent Fuel Storage
In December, 1994, after the tumultuous legislative session from hell, and the resulting “1994 Prairie Island Bill, Ch. 641, SF 1706,” I noticed a sign up on the window of Kenyon City Hall, looking for someone to represent the City at a Northern States Power (now Xcel Energy) group to “select a site for nuclear waste” somewhere “in Goodhue County,” away from the nuclear plant site. December 14, 1994 was the first meeting of the group, which met over I think 6 months, a most bizarre series of meetings, culminating in NSP’s selection of “Site P” in Florence Township as its preferred site. At that meeting, this truckdriver realized that the seals on the TN-40 casks needed to be replaced. When I asked about that, they had no plan. Oh my, that got my attention — it was clearly not a well thought out plan.
A few nuclear spent fuel documents floated up recently, and here they are:
EPRI – High Burn-Up Dry-Storage Cask RDfinalDemoTestPlanRev9DownloadNUREG-2224 Dry Storage and Transportation of High Burnup Spent Nuclear Fuel
In I think May, 1995, they started filling up casks and putting them on a pad at Prairie Island, and meanwhile, the NSP group’s meetings ended, the Environmental Quality Board formed an official Citizens Advisory Task Force on nuclear waste, with the task of reviewing the NSP application to the EQB for a site permit. The Task Force ended and issued this report:
Site-Advisory-Task-Force-ReportDownloadAt that time, I was spending a lot of time learning about casks, paying attention to anything that came up, with particular interest in whether casks could indeed be unloaded.
Trans Nuclear casks were used at Prairie Island, they’re also at Arkansas Nuclear 1, somewhere else to… Here’s a miscellaneous dock from TransNuclear (it has another name now):
Transnuclear Handouts – Part 3 of 6 – 10/07/09 Public Meeting https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML0927/ML092790437.pdf
Around that time was the “Point Beach Ignition Event” where they left the zinc assembly in the boric acid solution in the cask overnight until the next shift came in, and then tried to weld it. Zinc + boric acid = hydrogen. BOOM! Clue: “Gas ignition event” = EXPLOSION! The cask lid bent up a few inches (it was 9″ thick!!), the wedges holding assembly basket in place blew out onto the floor…
Pt. Beach – FR-1997-03-10_Vol62No46p209-212DownloadOOPS!
And then there’s the 3 Stooges cask unloading at INEL, this is H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S:
INEL-TN-24P-stuckDownload NRC_-Bulletin-96-04_-Chemical-Galvanic-or-Other-Reactions-in-Spent-Fuel-Storage-and-Transportation-CasksDownloadPutting this up for future reference – a permanent repository!!!