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US Solar Cell Manufacturing Grows Despite Cloudy Days Ahead

The US doubled its solar cell manufacturing capacity and added 8.6 gigawatts in the first quarter of 2025, marking the third largest quarter for new solar manufacturing capacity on record.

According to a report recently issued by Wood McKinsey for the Solar Energy Industries Association(SEIA), new solar generating capacity totaled 10.8 gigawatts. That's 7 percent lower than installations for the first quarter in 2024, 43 percent lower than installations for the fourth quarter of last year.  It's still the fourth largest quarter of deployment on record according to the same report. 

The top five states for solar growth this quarter include Texas, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. 

Despite growing demand for energy, the solar industry faces a rocky road over the next few years, particularly if the Senate concurs with the renewable energy tax credit cuts that have already been passed by the House.  

AG Pam Bondi is suing Jerusalem Coffee House (JCH) for adding a new drink to its menu named "Sweet Sinwar."
 
I don't remember a day has gone by since AG Pam Bondi took office that she isn't in front of a camera either threatening or warning. I cannot recall any prior AG who spent even close to the amount of time on air shaking their fist.
 
Her latest publicity stunt was to sue JCH in Oakland whose owner is of Palestinian descent. She accused the owner of adding new drinks to the menu that celebrated former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed last October in a gun battle with the IDF in Khan Younis.
 
The new drink 'Sweet Sinwar' is to honor the leader of Hamas. Bondi said on Fox News, "You can't do that. And so, we've sued them and we're going to stop this from happening. And anywhere in the country, if you do this, we're coming after you." Really? My advice to AG Bondi, if the name offends you or anyone else, don't go to Jerusalem Coffee House. We live in America and not North Korea!
No Human Being is Illegal sign

The images on TV news are misleading. They can’t be otherwise. TV news seeks out the most dramatic visuals, and those are likely to be small fires and burning vehicles, police cars damaged, and riot-clad police.

These are images associated with violence, with insurrection, with riot. They help create a narrative, but they do little to explain what is actually happening in Los Angeles — and elsewhere. They obscure the truth by eliding complex discussion. And they feed into right-wing talking points that Democratic cities and states like L.A. and California are ungovernable, and that the federal government has to step in to restore order and protect average working Americans from insurrection.

Let’s be clear about what is happening, however. Federal immigration agents — masked and in military-style garb — descended on Los Angeles and its surrounding suburbs to conduct workplace raids and the mass round-ups of undocumented workers. The communities responded with protests and active efforts to deny agents access to immigrant workers.

Violence followed (I use the passive voice here because the specific point of ignition is hard to identify).

This article first appeared on Ohio Capitol Journal

In August 2023, Ohio voters sent a clear message when they overwhelmingly rejected the legislature’s blatant attempt to undermine our citizen-initiative process. But instead of listening, politicians in Columbus doubled down. Their new targets? Everyday Ohioans who dare to collect signatures, knock on doors, and exercise their constitutional right to direct democracy.

Ohio Senate Bill 153 and Ohio House Bill 233 are the latest attempts to dismantle the people’s power. While headlines may focus on disingenuous provisions about voter registration and drop boxes, buried deep in these 204-page monstrosities are provisions specifically designed to intimidate, harass, and shut down grassroots campaigns before they ever reach the ballot.

Let’s be clear: these bills are an attack on the People’s Process — on your voice, your rights, your power.

Rainbow and trans artwork

This article first appeared on the Buckeye Flame.

The Ohio Senate has passed their version of the state’s two-year budget and left intact all of the anti-LGBTQ+ provisions passed by the House. 

The version that the Senate passed on Wednesday included:

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Urge Congress: Save Public Media

Public media faces its most urgent threat yet.

Despite overwhelming public opposition, the House has passed a rescissions package that would eliminate $1.1 billion in already-approved funding for public media. If enacted, it would strip essential services from communities and could force rural stations off the air. The Senate will take up the bill next. Contact your Senators now and urge them to vote NO.

Email Your Lawmakers

The House has passed a rescissions package that would claw back $1.1 billion in public media funding already approved by law. If enacted, the impact on local stations would be swift and severe.

The Senate will take up the bill next. Send a message now urging your Senators to vote against rescinding public media funding.

Nuclear War:  CC image.  credit Luigi Petro at Deviant Art.

The American Empire is solidly behind both military conflicts on this planet, either of which could end in nuclear war. On June 12, 2025, World War Three began when Trump allowed Israel to attack Iran. Iran retaliated the following day. There is no end in site for this conflict, it is escalating as I write. The arrogant American government, while clearly supporting both Ukraine and Israel, is asking Iran not to strike American assets in the region, as if the Empire is neutral. When Iran does strike American assets, there is a very real possibility that Israel will view that as a permission slip allowing it to attack Iran with nuclear weapons.

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