Daily Archives: June 4, 2021

Although Gov. Steve Sisolak backed away from introducing legislation on innovation zoneswhich would have allowed tech companies, specifically Blockchains, LLC, to govern private landhe got lawmakers to keep the concept alive.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 11, which passed late last Friday, establishes a joint special committee which will study innovation zones and report to the Governor on whether to proceed with legislation.

Sisolak originally introduced the idea of innovation zones in his January State of the State address. A draft of the legislation that leaked in February included provisions that would give tech companies, including Blockchains, LLC, the same power to govern as local counties, with the goal of attracting innovative companies to the state. In April, Sisolak retreated from his plan to propose the legislation, which garnered national headlines and was the target of jokes on late night TV. The Legislature did not have enough time to consider such a complex issue, Sisolak said. But rather than let the concept die, he worked with legislative leaders to create an interim committee.

On May 11, the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections introduced the resolution to study innovation zones. The resolution establishes a committee of six members, including three members of the Assembly (two appointed by the Speaker and one by the Minority Leader) and three members of the Senate (two appointed by the Majority Leader and one by the Minority Leader).

The committee will be responsible for a thorough vetting of the critical issues concerning innovation zones and will facilitate discussion among all of the interested stakeholders.

Unlike the drafted legislation which preceded it, the resolution, being just a study, flew comparatively under the radar.

At the initial hearing, trade organizations testified in support of the project, which supporters say will create jobs and diversify the economy. Lobbyists representing tribes and county governments testified as neutral, raising concerns including about their jurisdiction being compromised by innovation zones. Only the progressive nonprofit Battle Born Progress testified in formal opposition.

Annette Magnus, executive director of Battle Born Progress, said in an interview that Battle Born was opposed to the earlier drafted legislationwhich she called an Ayn Rand, dystopian nightmare that we were going to try in our own backyardand that they wanted to be on the record as opposing the study, too.

The concept of innovation zones, even as a study, Magnus said, was misguided and a huge distraction from more pressing issues.

The fact that we were even considering giving a billionaire his own county during the global pandemic, Magnus said, referring to Sisolaks original proposal, when people are homeless and being evicted, and dont have food on the tableIt just really spoke to where our priorities as a state should not be.

Magnus hopes that the committee will rigorously examine the concept of innovation zones, especially their potential harm to local tribal communities, to whom the land and water belongs, she said.

In committee meetings, several legislators voiced concern that the resolutions deadline might foreclose that kind of deep investigation.

The turnaround is tight: the committee must meet at least once per month and submit a report and recommendations to the Governor by the end of this year.

Legislators pointed out that producing a thorough proposal after only half a dozen meetings (if monthly, beginning in July) might be an unrealistic goal. Legislative support staff will also be stretched thin from the two anticipated special sessions this year, leaving less time to research a policy that would affect so many groups.

The Senate approved SCR 11 on May 19 on a voice vote. The Assembly Revenue Committee meeting, the last before the resolution headed back to the Assembly for a vote, made clear that despite the concerns some legislators had raised throughout the process, amendments were off the table.

Committee Chair Lesley Cohen, after the initial hearing, had submitted amendments that included pushing back the due date of the report to the Governor from December 31, 2021 to March 29, 2022; adding low income and historically underserved communities to the list of interested stakeholders; and requiring the committee to study the impact of innovation zones on water supplies.

But after the set of amendments was read aloud, Cohen quickly spoke up to withdraw it.

Several members of the committee were displeased.

I was pretty excited when I heard the amendment because I thought it made the bill palatable for me, Assemblywoman Bilbray-Axelrod said at the committee meeting, citing the December 31 deadline as the biggest, glaring thing to me.

Theres no one here to answer my question, but Im just wondering why none of the amendments were accepted, Bilbray-Axelrod said, in reference to Cohens amendments. Cohen could not be reached for comment.

Republican Assemblyman Gregory Hafen, who voted against the resolution in the Revenue Committee, said in an interview that timing was of particular concern for him, too.

Its been, now, five months that theyve been discussing the idea, Hafen said, referring to the governors idea for innovation zones, And in these 5 months they really didnt have any information for the legislative body. And now, they think that in 7 months they can.

Asked why Cohens amendments were withdrawn, Hafen said he does not know.

If I had to speculate, it was because we were up against the deadline, and she just didnt have time to get it fully vetted, through the process, but I really dont know why, Hafen said. The Revenue Committee meeting was just three days before the official end of the session.

Assemblyman Cameron (C.H) Miller voiced concern about the resolutions set of interested stakeholders, which includes groups such as advanced technology industries, environmental groups, global interests, and local governments, but does not prioritize those who might be living and working in innovation zones.

I would very much like to see the language added regarding communities of color, underserved communities, and low-income communities, Miller said, referring to Cohens failed amendment, so they can come to the table and be part of this conversation.

Later that day, last Friday night, the Assembly passed the resolution as it was originally written, on a voice vote.

Concurrent resolutions do not require a signature from the Governor, so the resolution took effect immediately, and went directly to the Secretary of State for filing.

Read more here:

The bill was never introduced, but Sisolak's Blockchains concept is still alive - Nevada Current

Ram Gopal Varma's office space in Hyderabad, called Company, is a reflection of his personality. The filmmaker in a 2017 interview spoke about some of the creative influences that went into the design of the office.

Every room, for instance, is named after a famous person -- from Donald Trump to Dawood Ibrahim, Ayn Rand to Tughlaq. The facade of the building is decorated with large statues of guns, girls, and cars. "Non-believers will be fired," reads a notice on the door.

"The look of my office is a reflection of my personality, which obviously reflects in my films too. The huge gun and the brass statue of a woman outside, signify my primal fascination for power and beautiful women, the filmmaker had told Deccan Chronicle in a 2017 interview, which said that the office cost a reported 15 crore. He had added, "I wanted each and every part of the exterior, as well as every nook and corner to reflect an attitude. Anyone who comes to my office should already know what kind of a person I am, even before meeting me.

One of the rooms in the office is named after actor Urmila Matondkar, with whom the filmmaker has worked in several films, such as Rangeela, Bhoot, and Satya. In a recent tweet, RGV posted a picture of Urmila, and wrote, "Unable to deal with her new found super stardom post RANGEELA a blushing @UrmilaMatondkar caught on the Baara chawl location of SATYA."

Also read: RGV shares candid photo of Urmila Matondkar, says she was 'unable to deal with' post-Rangeela stardom

However, earlier this year, RGV said that he had moved his office to Goa. He told a leading daily, "Goa is best suited for the kind of projects I am looking at. My office is not in Mumbai anymore. I was in Hyderabad for a major part of the lockdown but have shifted out of Mumbai in the past few months."

PUBLISHED ON JUN 01, 2021 07:15 AM IST

PUBLISHED ON MAY 28, 2021 04:47 PM IST

Read more from the original source:

Step inside Ram Gopal Varma's office, where rooms are named after Donald Trump and Dawood Ibrahim - Hindustan Times

Lisa Kudrow, recently seen on HBO Max in its long-awaited Friends reunion, can only be heard in the animated comedy HouseBroken (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

Loosely organized around group encounter therapy sessions conducted by Honey (Kudrow), a slightly neurotic poodle who speaks in the slightly halting, delusionally self-actualized manner that Kudrow employed as Phoebe on Friends. Her sessions are a shambles, as she tries to corral the egos and eccentricities of mangy cats, dim-witted dogs, a pig, some kind of rodent and a superannuated turtle, voiced by a raft of talent including Tony Hale, Will Forte, Clea DuVall and Jason Mantzoukas.

Therapy allows this menagerie to riff sporadically without listening to each other or respecting boundaries, a cacophony that rarely adds up to actual conversation. HouseBroken also explores Honeys dream life, where she is haunted by visions of her recently deceased friend. Her dreams take place underwater, where Honey sees herself as a mermaid, or mer-dog, a word she says so often, it sounds like Murdoch. Then again, I may be hearing satire that was not intended.

Honey is clearly depressed after the departure of her friend, and slightly less than stimulated by her partner, an aggressively dimwitted sheepdog. So shes more than ready for a change when a rogue coyote arrives in the neighborhood.

While HouseBroken is hardly saddled with what you might call a plot, there is certainly a lot going on. In addition to Honeys therapy and rich interior life, HouseBroken occasionally alludes to the critters human owners, other relationships altogether.

Kudrows presence, or rather her voices star billing, demonstrates how celebrity culture has invaded all aspects of entertainment. A generation ago, The Simpsons made voice stars of complete unknowns whose talent spoke for itself. What would the world be like had Dan Castellaneta and Nancy Cartwright not emerged as the voices of Homer and Bart?

The Titans that Built America (9 p.m., History) offers impressive, cinematic reenactments of events in the lives of historic characters including Henry Ford, Walter Chrysler, J.P. Morgan Jr., Pierre Du Pont and William Boeing. The focus is on the years between the World Wars, as the United States emerged as an economic colossus and the forces of industry clashed with the government and organized labor before collaborating to defeat the Axis during World War II.

Some of the chronology is out of sync. While clearly a visionary when he launched the Model T, Ford had become a bit of a crank by the 1920s, when he began to resent a car-buying market that wanted anything better than his black and basic model.

The hero worship is extreme. In the 21st century, the word Titans takes on a kind of superhero aura, presenting giants among us who created our world. To anyone who actually reads history, it comes off almost as camp, a parody of a comic book view of the past written by Ayn Rand.

Three specials recall the racist massacre that consumed Tulsa, Oklahoma, a century ago. Tulsa: The Fire and the Forgotten (9 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings), Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street (9 p.m., CNN) and Tulsa 1921: An American Tragedy (10 p.m., CBS).

TONIGHTS OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Gordon Ramsay hosts the 20th season of Hells Kitchen (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

The 2009 cartoon The Princess and the Frog (8 p.m., ABC, TV-G) sets the fable in Louisiana.

A tough federal case on Bull (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

In Treatment (9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., HBO, TV-MA) continues.

Toys in the attic on Duncanville (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

Lil Rel Howery hosts the game show Small Fortune (10 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

A mission of mercy on The Good Doctor (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

CULT CHOICE

For some, director William Wellmans 1949 drama Battleground (8 p.m., TCM, TV-PG) marked a turning point in movies about World War II, a departure from patriotic propaganda and a move toward realistic portrayals of men in combat.

SERIES NOTES

Noise gets out of hand on The Neighborhood (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) American Ninja Warrior (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) begins its 13th season The truth hurts on All American (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG) A possible bad influence on Bob Hearts Abishola (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) Illusionists audition on Penn & Teller: Fool Us (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG).

LATE NIGHT

Lisa Kudrow is booked on Conan (11 p.m., TBS, r) Billy Crystal, Tiffany Haddish and the Black Keys appear on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (11:35 p.m., CBS, r) Denis Leary, Cristin Milioti and Patrick Radden Keefe visit Late Night With Seth Meyers (12:35 a.m., NBC, r).

Read more from the original source:

ALL CREATURES GRATE ON FOX'S 'HOUSEBROKEN' - The Republic

Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are two of the richest men in the world, and while both are clearly brilliant titans of industry, neither of them achieved that status without multiple handouts from the government. Musks Tesla and SpaceX have received nearly $5 billion in government aid over the years in various formsgrants, environmental credits, tax breaks, discounted loans, and morewhile Amazon received more than $3.7 billion in taxpayer subsidies at the federal level alone.

Recently, the two men have been competing for another taxpayer-funded contracta NASA grant to put astronauts on the moon.

Last month, it was announced that Musks company, SpaceX would be awarded the contract after their bid came in at almost half the cost of Bezoss Blue Origins offer.

After the loss, Blue Origin and a third company in the running filed protests with the Government Accountability Office, but it seems that the review process may be bypassed thanks to the actions of federal lawmakers who are now angling to help Bezos receive a $10 billion contract anyway.

Thats right. Since Bezos lost the bid, lawmakers are scrambling to make a second grant, in addition to the contract awarded to SpaceX. To make that happen theyre working to pass an amendment to the Endless Frontier Actlegislation meant to increase scientific research and technology funding.

The amendment was added to the bill by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who happens to represent the state where Blue Origins is headquartered.

While the third company, Dynetics, would technically also be in the running for the new pot of cash, most seem to believe Bezos would be a shoo-in for it.

Despite its massive price tag, the legislation is being moved rapidly through Congress and appears to have broad bipartisan support.

A [Senate] procedural vote last week passed by a 71-27 margin, The Intercept reports, "and Senate Democratic leaders are eyeing a Thursday vote for final passage, after which it would need to move through the House of Representatives.

Disclosures show Blue Origin spent $625,000 lobbying the Senate between January and March of 2021. Reports show that $50,000 of that went to a team of lobbyists that focused on the moon landing program. All in all, thats a heck of a bargain in exchange for a $10 billion government contract.

Though the notoriety of Bezos and Musk is drawing attention to this particular handout, this is really just rank and file behavior for Congress, which spends much of its time doling out tax dollars to billionaires and corporations.

The federal government alone spends roughly $75 billion a year on subsidies to private businesses, and thats only scratching the surface. Boeing gets billions of dollars from states and Congress. Under the initial stimulus package of 2020 The Cheesecake Factory got $50 million. Nike has received more than $2 billion. On and on it goes.

Theres no easy way to fully measure the dollar amount of corporate handouts across federal, state, and city budgetsmuch less the amount of corporate welfare given via other means like selective tax breaks or regulatory favoritism.

As Charles Koch once said, Subsidies and mandates are just two of the privileges that government can bestow on politically connected friends. Others include grants, loans, tax credits, favorable regulations, bailouts, loan guarantees, targeted tax breaks and no-bid contracts.

Corporate welfare is a form of cronyism, and it is a direct attack on free market capitalism. It allows the government to pick winners and losers and it is flatly wrongethically and economically.

In her seminal novel Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand wrote, When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothingWhen you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favorsWhen you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws dont protect you against them, but protect them against youWhen you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrificeYou may know that your society is doomed.

When the government interferes in the market it limits competition, often rewards people for bad business practices, reduces consumer choice, stifles innovation, and forces taxpayers to fund products and programs against their will. It is a complete perversion of a free market system, and the fact is neither Bezos or Musk should receive public dollars for their space exploration desires.

Its time we stop bailing out billionaires.

Read more:

Congress Is Trying to Give Jeff Bezos's Space Firm $10 Billion of Your Tax Dollars | Hannah Cox - Foundation for Economic Education