Sunday Morning Tabs
- This is from about a week ago, but still in an open tab and still worth noting. Via Reuters: Bolsonaro’s ex-justice minister arrested in Brazilian capital
Brazil’s former Justice Minister Anderson Torres, who was in charge of public security in Brasilia during the invasion of government buildings a week ago, was arrested in Brasilia on Saturday on suspicion of “omission” and “connivance”.
Torres was arrested after returning to Brazil on Saturday. He had been on vacation in Florida, the same U.S. state his ex-boss, former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, had traveled to after losing last year’s election.
[…]
Brazilian police found a draft decree in the home of Torres on Thursday which they said appeared to be a proposal to interfere in the result of the October election that Bolsonaro lost to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
According to Anderson Torres, the document was “leaked out of context” after being seized when he was not at his residence, and was probably part of a pile of papers for disposal.
A few from yesterday that I didn’t have time to comment upon:
- Via Reuters: Over 50 injured in Peru as protests cause ‘nationwide chaos’.
- Via Reuters: Thousands join rightist rally against Spanish government. Similarities to some US right-wing protests are noteworthy (although others were very Spain-specific):
Vox leader Santiago Abascal, the only party leader to attend, told the crowd the government had “trampled the constitution by locking up Spaniards,” in a reference to COVID lockdowns.
- Via CNN: Faucets in McCarthy’s district are running dry after years of drought. Constituents want him to do more. This raises a host of questions, ranging from what McCarthy can actually do about the problem, to the challenges of big districts with diverse needs in a too-small House, to how much McCarthy is even in Washington for the purpose of making his district better (as opposed ot making his career better).
Hey Dr. T — Just wanted to assure you that these tabs are welcome and interesting, even if they’re not sparking conversation!
@wr: I appreciate you saying so!
I would guess that areas near drought stricken places are likely to have little excess water. Which cities near this district have abundant water? Water rich areas area likely to be far away. A photo in the CNN article shows an orange grove. Are the oranges getting water at a favorable rate? What are the priorities for water allocation there, or does everybody pay the same per gallon price?
@Slugger:
Those orchards are watered by private wells, and being commercial enterprises they can afford to wisely drill very deep wells.
scores of child asylum seekers kidnapped from Home Office hotel
Ugh. Just ugh.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/21/revealed-scores-of-child-asylum-seekers-kidnapped-from-home-office-hotel
@dazedandconfused:
California has done a poor job of regulating ground water. Private agricultural wells in the Central Valley have, in some areas, resulted in ground subsidence in excess of thirty feet. This is true across the West. Arizona has let outside interests draw groundwater to irrigate cotton and alfalfa to the detriment of Arizonans. Colorado’s state legislature has been ducking the issue of large numbers of deep wells on the eastern plains stealing surface water rights.
That said, I am always surprised that the Democrats have not made even more gains in the West versus Republicans just on the issues of fire and water and climate change.