#wyoming national bank

[midwesternartlovertraveler]

The M Building, formerly Wyoming National Bank and later Wells Fargo, in Casper, Wyoming. Charles Deaton, architect.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #9

March 9-15 2024

The IRS launched its direct file pilot program. Tax payers in 12 states, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming, Arizona, Massachusetts, California and New York, can now file their federal income taxes for free on-line directly with the IRS. The IRS plans on taking direct file nation wide for next year's tax season. Tax Day is April 15th so if you're in one of those states you have a month to check it out.

The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation into the death of Nex Benedict. the OCR is investigating if Benedict's school district violated his civil rights by failing to protect him from bullying. President Biden expressed support for trans and non-binary youth in the aftermath of the ruling that Benedict's death was a suicide and encouraged people to seek help in crisis

Vice President Kamala Harris became the first sitting Vice-President (or President) to visit an abortion provider. Harris' historic visit was to a Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Paul Minnesota. This is the last stop on the Vice-President's Reproductive Rights Tour that has taken her across the country highlighting the need for reproductive health care.

President Biden announced 3.3 billion dollars worth of infrastructure projects across 40 states designed to reconnect communities divided by transportation infrastructure. Communities often split decades ago by highways build in the 1960s and 70s. These splits very often affect communities of color splitting them off from the wider cities and making daily life far more difficult. These reconnection projects will help remedy decades of economic racism.

The Biden-Harris administration is taking steps to eliminate junk fees for college students. These are hidden fees students pay to get loans or special fees banks charged to students with bank accounts. Also the administration plans to eliminate automatic billing for textbooks and ban schools from pocketing leftover money on student's meal plans.

The Department of Interior announced $120 million in investments to help boost Climate Resilience in Tribal Communities. The money will support 146 projects effecting over 100 tribes. This comes on top of $440 million already spent on tribal climate resilience by the administration so far

The Department of Energy announced $750 million dollars in investment in clean hydrogen power. This will go to 52 projects across 24 states. As part of the administration's climate goals the DoE plans to bring low to zero carbon hydrogen production to 10 million metric tons by 2030, and the cost of hydrogen to $1 per kilogram of hydrogen produced by 2031.

The Department of Energy has offered a 2.3 billion dollar loan to build a lithium processing plant in Nevada. Lithium is the key component in rechargeable batteries used it electric vehicles. Currently 95% of the world's lithium comes from just 4 countries, Australia, Chile, China and Argentina. Only about 1% of the US' lithium needs are met by domestic production. When completed the processing plant in Thacker Pass Nevada will produce enough lithium for 800,000 electric vehicle batteries a year.

The Department of Transportation is making available $1.2 billion in funds to reduce decrease pollution in transportation. Available in all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico the funds will support projects by transportation authorities to lower their carbon emissions.

The Geothermal Energy Optimization Act was introduced in the US Senate. If passed the act will streamline the permitting process and help expand geothermal projects on public lands. This totally green energy currently accounts for just 0.4% of the US' engird usage but the Department of Energy estimates the potential geothermal energy supply is large enough to power the entire U.S. five times over.

The Justice for Breonna Taylor Act was introduced in the Senate banning No Knock Warrants nationwide

A bill was introduced in the House requiring the US Postal Service to cover the costs of any laid fees on bills the USPS failed to deliver on time

The Senate Confirmed 3 more Biden nominees to be life time federal Judges, Jasmine Yoon the first Asian-America federal judge in Virginia, Sunil Harjani in Illinois, and Melissa DuBose the first LGBTQ and first person of color to serve as a federal judge in Rhode Island. This brings the total number of Biden judges to 185

[sarkos]

While seeking to finance a new stadium for the billionaire owners of the Buffalo Bills, Ms. Hochul, in her words, “started playing hardball” with the Seneca Nation by freezing its bank accounts until it handed over more than $500 million in gambling revenues. The tribe contends it never owed the money, though federal courts have backed the state’s demands. She also nixed legislation that would have granted long-sought recognition to Long Island’s Montaukett tribe, which was declared extinct over a century ago in racist court rulings that remain in force today. But perhaps no official action by Ms. Hochul has angered the state’s Native Americans more than her veto last year of a bill that would have made it more difficult for developers to build atop the remains of Indigenous people’s ancestors. Despite its reputation for being progressive, New York is one of just four states that offer no meaningful protections for unmarked graves discovered on private property. Even deep red states like Alabama and Wyoming offer more safeguards for Native American graves than New York does.

Clash Over Building Atop Native Burial Sites Angers N.Y. Tribes - The New York Times

[mariacallous]

When former US president Donald Trump announced a plan to establish a national “bitcoin stockpile” if he is reelected, the crowd at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, Tennessee, erupted into a fit of celebration. The frontrunner in the upcoming election was speaking their language.

“For too long, the government has violated the cardinal rule that every bitcoiner knows by heart: Never sell your bitcoin,” said Trump during his speech on Saturday, pausing briefly to bathe in the applause. “It will be the policy of my administration to keep 100 percent of all bitcoin the US government currently holds or acquires into the future.”

The US government is reportedly sitting on upwards of 210,000 bitcoin—worth around $14 billion—seized from hackers and through various law enforcement activity. That stash, said Trump, would become “the core of the strategic national bitcoin stockpile.” Republican senator Cynthia Lummis, of Wyoming, later proposed legislation that would see the US government amass 1 million bitcoin under Trump.

Any stockpiling plan would benefit bitcoin owners, if only because it would stop the US government depressing the price of the cryptocurrency by flooding the market with its coins in a sale. Trump implied that stockpiling bitcoin, an asset considered by its proponents to be anti-inflationary by virtue of its capped supply, would also help the government to “end the inflation nightmare that this administration [led by Joe Biden] has created.” Senator Lummis later spelled out his thinking, saying, “We need to create a brighter future for generations of Americans by diversifying into bitcoin.”

But stockpiling bitcoin has little merit, economists say. “I see no [economic benefit],” says James Angel, an economist at Georgetown University specializing in financial markets. “The tangible benefit is that it will get bitcoin maxis to vote for Trump. If you believe in Trumpism, that would be the benefit.”

The idea that an investment in bitcoin will offset losses in spending power to inflation is contingent, says Angel, on two shaky assumptions: that the price of bitcoin will rise and, second, that the government would be able to at some stage sell bitcoin back into US dollars without tipping the market into a nosedive. “The government will push the price up by buying bitcoin, so it will look like it has made a lot of money, but the minute it actually starts to sell the bitcoin to take profits, it will push the price right back down again,” says Angel.

Though Trump is initially proposing a moratorium on selling bitcoin already in the possession of the US government, he loosely implied the US would increase the size of its position over time, too. If Trump were to expand the bitcoin stockpile, he would need to locate funds with which to acquire the additional coins. But the readily available options—to increase taxes, take on debt, or print US dollars—are incompatible with the ambition to drive down inflation and national debt, or pledges made by Trump to reduce taxation. Senator Lummis is reportedly set to propose that purchases be funded partly using money that will be added to the US central bank’s balance sheet after the valuation of gold stores is updated to reflect the going market rate. “The money has to come from somewhere,” says Angel.

Even if Trump were to restrict the reserve to bitcoin seized through law enforcement activity, his administration must also weigh up the opportunity cost associated with holding onto bitcoin. Whereas some assets such as bonds generate a consistent income stream for holders, bitcoin does not, making it expensive to hold.

“The question comes down to what the government would get out of the hoards of bitcoin it would be holding,” says George Selgin, director emeritus for the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute, a US think tank that promotes libertarian principles. The US government has periodically auctioned off the bitcoin confiscated through law enforcement activity. But in choosing to sit on the bitcoin it possesses, “it is failing to realize the market value, which it could apply to any number of other uses, from writing down the federal debt, to paying for other government programs,” says Selgin.

Though Selgin is a proponent of bitcoin for its independence from state control, he opposes the US government speculating on its price on behalf of citizens. “Governments are not particularly astute investors,” says Selgin. “Having the government act on behalf of citizens as some kind of investment trust or mutual fund doesn’t make much sense.”

During his speech in Nashville, Trump namechecked a range of high-profile bitcoiners, including Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who founded crypto trading platform Gemini, thanking them for their guidance. Afterward, Tyler took to X to celebrate Trump’s plan and congratulate the organizer of the conference for having “orange-pilled” the former president.

But while it is popular with holders of large amounts of bitcoin and industry executives, the ambition to establish a bitcoin stockpile could come at a cost to most everyone else, particularly if the government were to expand its existing holdings, says Michael Green, chief strategist at asset management firm Simplify.

“The only possible way for the US government to buy bitcoin is from existing holders,” says Green. “But if the government uses tax revenues [or issues bonds] in order to buy bitcoin, it creates a situation in which the taxpayer is subsidizing an extraordinarily small subset. Ultimately, you’re talking about creating exit liquidity for a small subset of the population.” It would be like the US government promising to pay over the odds for real estate in California, says Green, but no other state. “This is not materially different,” he says.

The larger the government’s pot of bitcoin, meanwhile, the more beholden it would become to those who maintain the underlying network—the bitcoin mining companies—whose job is to process transactions and shield the network from attack. Effectively, the bitcoin mining industry would become “another special interest group,” says Green, “that the US government would have to step in and bail out” in the event that the sector—renowned for its sensitivity to various factors beyond its control—were to wobble.

Neither Trump nor Lummis responded to a request for comment on the criticisms made against the bitcoin stockpile plan.

Whether Trump intends to carry out the plan to establish a bitcoin stockpile is a separate question. “Trump is a master demagogue, appealing to the emotions of the crowd. It’s pure electioneering,” says Angel. “I think the plan will probably go the way of Trump Airline, Trump Casino, and Trump University.” That is to say, nowhere.

The members of the bitcoin industry were not blind to the fact that Trump was making a pitch for their vote. It is “historic” for Trump to consider bitcoin important enough to warrant campaigning around, says Jameson Lopp, an early bitcoiner and founder of crypto custody business Casa, who attended the conference. But “the way he spoke to us was pretty clearly pandering,” he says. “It felt like he was kind of speaking down.” Though Trump has previously dismissed bitcoin as a “scam,” he has now “realized that it can be beneficial to him,” says Lopp. “He can gain a new, potentially substantial bloc of single-issue voters.”

Trump was not the only person courting bitcoin fans with promises to take a semipermanent stake in the market. At the same conference, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running against Trump in the election as an independent, presented a more gung-ho plan: The country would acquire 4 million coins—practically 20 percent of the total supply—if he were president.

In that context, the pledges in Nashville were of greater significance as a signal, says Selgin, than for their actual contents. After a period under the Biden administration in which crypto businesses have been targeted, they claim unfairly, by regulatory bodies in the US, the pitches by Trump and others were an attempt to send the general message, says Selgin, “that bitcoin is no longer the enemy.”

[collapsedsquid]

As Donald Trump prepares to address an estimated 20,000 bitcoin enthusiasts later this week in Nashville, Tennessee, the pro-crypto Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming is also looking to make some big news, preparing to announce she's crafting new legislation that could radically alter the burgeoning crypto business by firmly establishing bitcoin as a mainstream financial asset, FOX Business has learned.

[....] While specifics of the legislation are unclear, the purpose of the bill, according to a person who has seen initial drafts, intends to direct the Fed to buy bitcoin and hold it as a reserve asset in the same way that the nation’s central bank holds gold and foreign currencies to help manage the U.S. monetary system and keep the value of the U.S. dollar stable.

They're nationalizing the bitcoin folks, this is the central bank digital currency .

[dertaglichedan]

More than 100 former national security officials from Republican administrations and former Republican members of Congress endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday after concluding that their party’s nominee, Donald J. Trump, is “unfit to serve again as president.”

In a letter to the public, the Republicans, including both vocal longtime Trump opponents and others who had not endorsed Joseph R. Biden Jr. in 2020, argued that while they might “disagree with Kamala Harris” on many issues, Mr. Trump had demonstrated “dangerous qualities.” Those include, they said, “unusual affinity” for dictators like President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and “contempt for the norms of decent, ethical and lawful behavior.”

“As president,” the letter said, “he promoted daily chaos in government, praised our enemies and undermined our allies, politicized the military and disparaged our veterans, prioritized his personal interest above American interests and betrayed our values, democracy and this country’s founding documents.”

The letter condemned Mr. Trump’s incitement of the mob attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, aimed at allowing him to hold onto power after losing an election, saying that “he has violated his oath of office and brought danger to our country.” It quoted Mr. Trump’s own former vice president, Mike Pence, who has said that “anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States.”

The letter came not long after former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter, former Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, both said they would vote for Ms. Harris. Democrats featured a number of anti-Trump Republicans at their nominating convention last month, including former Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. Mr. Pence has said he will not endorse Mr. Trump but has not endorsed Ms. Harris.

The 111 signatories included former officials who served under Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush or George W. Bush. Many of them had previously broken with Mr. Trump, including two former defense secretaries, Chuck Hagel and William S. Cohen; Robert B. Zoellick, a former president of the World Bank; the former C.I.A. directors Michael V. Hayden and William H. Webster; a former director of national intelligence, John D. Negroponte; and former Gov. William F. Weld of Massachusetts. Miles Taylor and Olivia Troye, two Trump administration officials who became vocal critics, also signed.

But a number of Republicans who did not sign a similar letter on behalf of Mr. Biden in 2020 signed the one for Ms. Harris this time, including several former House members, like Charles W. Boustany Jr. of Louisiana, Barbara Comstock of Virginia, Dan Miller of Florida and Bill Paxon of New York

*** What the?!?!?!

[aniverse-x]

Jayoma Law Film be like

Jayoma: Who’s the best lawyer

Convict: *smacks lips Jayoma is, man

Jayoma: And why am I the best lawyer

Convict: he got mah case dismissed

Jayoma: What were you charged with

Convict: Man, Idek. I was charged with, like, arson on a seniors home, SA on a kid, 🍇, mass genocide, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th degree murder, tax fraud, robbery on the national bank, terrorism on multiple states, graffiti on national monuments, planing to on overthrow the government, and cannibalism

Jayoma: ok, how many years were you looking at

Convict: 91 consecutive life sentences

Jayoma: ok what were you accused of doing?

Convict: burning multiple old people alive, SA’ing multiple kids and adults and then 🍇’ing them. I also did it with a gorilla, and, uhhh, what else?

Jayoma: bombing NYC, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Idaho, and Iowa

Convict: oh yeah, I was also accused of murdering hundreds of people, avoiding taxes, stealing 29.14 billion dollars from the national bank, drawing penises, racial slurs, and Gojo Satoru on multiple landmarks throughout America. I was also accused of trying to overthrow the government and eating my grandma.

Jayoma: you were also charged with substance abuse and were accused of giving cocaine to kindergarteners.

Convict: oh yeah. Jayoma: are you happy with the results?

Convict: Hell Yh I couldn’t be happier.

Jayoma: *thinking uhhmmm and how long is your sentence now?

Convict: 2 months and a month of therapy and rehabilitation in a mental asylum for a week

Jayoma: anything else you wanna add?

Convict: If you need a lawyer, call Jayoma. He’s got your back.

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - April 22-28

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi! Also, if you tip me on here or Ko-fi, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week - almost double the content! (I'm new to taking tips on here; if it doesn't show me your username or if you have DM's turned off, please send me a screenshot of your payment)

1. Millions Of Maggots Donated To Charity In Honour Of The Maggot King

“[Blizzard Entertainment] donated millions of maggots to Tiggywinkles UK, a leading wildlife hospital, […] in honor of Duriel, the Maggot King, a notorious character in the Diablo series. […] This significant contribution is expected to feed the patients at Tiggywinkles for two years.”

2. New circuit boards can be repeatedly recycled

“A team led by researchers at the University of Washington developed a new PCB that performs on par with traditional materials and can be recycled repeatedly with negligible material loss. Researchers used a solvent that transforms a type of vitrimer—a cutting-edge class of sustainable polymers—to a jelly-like substance without damaging it, allowing the solid components to be plucked out for reuse or recycling.”

3. How a Cloned Ferret Inspired a DNA Bank for Endangered Species

“This black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) [is] the first endangered species in the U.S. to ever be successfully cloned […] from [a] cryogenically preserved cell line, obtained from a ferret named Willa, who lived in Wyoming in the 1980s. [… T]he FWS [is now] on a major project to cryogenically store tissue from every endangered species in the U.S., [… as] “an insurance policy against future loss of biodiversity in the wild.””

4. Maine Signs Trans And Abortion Sanctuary Bill Into Law, Despite Violent Threats

“[The new law] states that criminal and civil actions against providers and patients are not enforceable if the provision or access to that care occurred within Maine’s borders, asserting jurisdiction over those matters. It bars cooperation with out-of-state subpoenas and arrest warrants for gender-affirming care and abortion that happen within the state.”

5. $70M for Fish Passage Projects Address Climate Resilience, Strengthen Local Economies

“The Department of the Interior today announced more than $70 million […] that will improve fish passage around […] barriers fragmenting the nation’s rivers and streams [… as an] “investment to restore our nation’s rivers and streams, safeguard endangered fish species, protect Indigenous subsistence practices and provide communities with increased opportunities for outdoor recreation and economic growth,” said Secretary Deb Haaland.”

6. A Golden Age of Renewables Is Beginning, and California Is Leading the Way

“California—the fifth-largest economy in the world—has experienced a record-breaking string of days in which the combined generation of wind, geothermal, hydroelectric and solar electricity has exceeded demand on the main electricity grid for anywhere from 15 minutes to 9.25 hours per day.”

7. Collaborative conservation efforts keep lake sturgeon off the endangered species list

“The Service’s 12-month finding [that these sturgeon are not endangered] shows ongoing management efforts, such as fish stocking, have contributed to the conservation and resiliency of the species. “Today’s announcement shows the power of collaborative conservation and the impact it can have for species like the lake sturgeon,” said Midwest Regional Director Will Meeks.”

8. French municipalities bordering Luxembourg to offer free transport to commuters

“Luxembourg is the only country in the world to offer entirely free public transport. […S]ix French communities located near the border and many of whose residents work in Luxembourg have decided to band together and also offer a free shuttle for daily workers. […] Last year, governments in the two countries said they would work to increase train services to run every 10 minutes between Metz and Luxembourg City by 2030. There’s also a plan to extend Luxembourg City’s tram service to reach all the way to the border – a trip that would take only 30 minutes when ready.”

9. Solar is about to get a lot more affordable for low-income households

“The EPA granted 49 state and territory awards totaling $5.5 billion, six tribal awards worth more than $500 million, and five multistate awards amounting to $1 billion. Together, the awards cover all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. All of the funding is dedicated to low-income and disadvantaged households.”

10. Amsterdam will cover cost of changing one's gender on documents

“[T]he city’s residents will be able to change the gender on their birth certificate and Basic Registration of Persons (BRP) free of charge. [… T]he local government will also reimburse (part of) the costs of a new passport, identity card or driver's license.”

April 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[kimberly40]

In the United States 🇺🇸 around twenty five states are of Native American origin.

Alabama- named for the Alabama or Alibamu Muskogean tribe means “clearer’s of the thickets.

Alaska- named for the Aleut word Alaxsxqua means mainland.

Arizona- named for an O’odham word Alisonak meaning “small spring”.

Arkansas- origin uncertain Alkansia south west people Alkansas.

Connecticut-named after a Mohican word Quonehtacut , means place of long tribal river.”

Dakota North/South a Dakota word meaning Friends or Allies.

Hawaii- is an original Hawaiian word meaning “homeland”.

Illinois-named after the Illinois word Illniwek meaning men.

Iowa-named for the Ioway Tribe whose name means “gray snow”.

Kansas- named for the Kansa Tribe whose name means “South Wind People “.

Idaho-not known origin but thought to be a “Gem of the Mountains “.

Indiana-presumably named for the people living along the river or natives living near western Pennsylvania.

Kentucky- origins unclear it may have been Iroquoian name Kentake” meaning the meadow land of tomorrow.

Massachusetts- named for the Algonquin word Massadchu-es et means “ great hill-small place”.

Michigan- from Chippewa word Michigama “ meaning large lake “.

Minnesota- named for the Dakota Indian word Minisota meaning “white water or mist with smoke “.

Mississippi-named for the river by the Choctaw Tribe meaning “Great Waters or Father of Waters”.

Missouri-named for the Missouri Tribe means “Dugout Canoes”.

Oklahoma- Choctaw Nation means “Land of the Red Men”.

Tennessee- Cherokee origin from the tribe living on the Tanassee or Tennese River means “Bend in the River”.

Utah- named for the Ute Tribe that lived there

Wisconsin- named for its principal river means “Wild Rushing Channel” also refers to holes in its banks for nesting birds.

Wyoming- from the Delaware or Leni-Lanape word mouth-wari-wama means “Mountains and Valleys alternated”.

[annaphoenix1994]

Ch.118 - The River

Previous Chapter - Masterlist 1; Masterlist 2 - Next Chapter

Simon and Kiera assist the wranglers by pushing cattle to the far pasture for the winter; Kiera and her brother cross paths, declaring a sibling rivalry as the stakes of the ranch are at a tug of war.

"Pleasure to see you again, Mr. Jenkins." Dennis smiled as he met with Phillip Jenkins as scheduled.

"Likewise, Mr. Dutton," Phillip nodded, reaching over the conference table to shake Dennis' hand. "I'm eager to discuss the valley's future with you."

"As am I," Dennis nodded, sitting down in his chair and unbuttoning his blazer to give himself more room. "I hear you've bought property close to the Jackson Valley Ranch."

"Yes," Phillip nodded. "It's all raw land that we're having to build from scratch. Quite literally, at that. Jackson Valley is your family's ranch, no?"

"Yes, sir. It was named the Dutton Valley Ranch before the land deed was reestablished last year, including the new name," Dennis huffed. "All courtesy of my sister."

"I see."

"Mr. Jenkins, I have a few concerns with regarding your building project on raw land," One of Jenkins' executives chimed in. "What are your plans regarding water and power?"

"The blueprints I’ve forwarded to you state that the Palmer River runs right along his newly-purchased land—”

“The same river also runs through the property line of the neighboring ranch by over 70%, Phillip,” The executive sighed. “In a civil case, the river belongs to the people who live on the land of the ranch.”

“That’s why I’m here, ma’am,” Dennis chimed in with an eager smile. “The river is only a water source for our cattle and to provide a constant water source for not only our livestock, but other wildlife. I can assure you that using the river for the project will be no issue with generating water and electricity for no cost.”

“No cost?” She scoffed. “There’s a cost for everything. How do we not know that you’re secretly seeking half the profit from the build?”

“There’s only a profit if the build is successful. Besides, building an entire subdivision of condos will take over three years to build. If I were seeking compensation or commission, wouldn’t I choose something that would be erected within a year?” Dennis arched his brow.

“Our plans are to have this completed within a year. Two at most.” Phillip assured him.

“Well, the way I see it, it’s the state’s river, not my family’s. I don’t see any harm with using it.”

“But don’t you need a permit for it?” The executive arched her brow, twisting her pen between her fingers. “I mean, it sounds almost too good to be true, Mr. Dutton.”

“I can assure you, it’s not.”

The executive huffed before looking at Phillip from across the table, “Well, the bank’s concern is that you’re going to break ground and the state of Wyoming or the EPA will paper us in lawsuits because you want to build a power plant without a permit.”

Jenkins scoffed, “In the states of Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado, a permit isn’t required to build a mine or a mill. I’ll build my own mill and it’ll also allow us to harvest timber straight from the forest of the Teton Valley because let’s face it: tourists are here to see the mountains, not the trees you can’t see from the road or on a ski slope. Harvesting the timber on our own terms will cut the cost by more than 50%,” Phillip explained, standing up to present the blueprints of his plan on the wall in front of the table, pointing at the bend of the river that separated his land from Jackson Valley Ranch. “If we dam the river here, it will give us enough power to generate electricity to light every home in the subdivision. It’ll be a self-sustaining community that’s an hour away from one of the most popular national parks south of the nation’s first. Not only will we be able to generate the power for free, but our residents will have to pay a monthly cost for the power for us to be able to reuse it within the community – like a toll, if you will. Now, I don’t know about you, but I see potential. If the bank doesn’t, then, well, looks like I’ll need another bank.”

“I see the potential,” The executive nodded. “But there’s no restrictions for damming a river? At all?”

Phillip shrugged, “Beavers do it consecutively, what makes us different from them except for fur and buck teeth? It’s our land, so it’s our river.”

“But the river is also on the Jackson Valley Ranch by 70%, Phillip. Even if we got permission from the land owner, they can always change their mind. In the state of Wyoming, there are more head of cattle than there are human beings. In states like this, the livestock industry is what keeps the economy stable.”

“Look, Mrs.?” Dennis spoke up, setting his elbows on the table with an eager grin on his face.

“Steele.”

“Okay, Mrs. Steele, I am a lawyer as well as the land owner for the formerly addressed Jackson Valley Dutton Ranch. I have given explicit permission for Mr. Jenkins to use our river to conduct electricity for his build. Yes, livestock hold a major asset to our state as well as the surrounding states, but the river is a consistent water source for the population of people and wildlife. I can assure you: this will not harm my ranch.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Dutton. Are you still the primary owner?”

“What kind of question is that? My father left it to me before he passed.” Dennis scoffed. I hope she doesn’t dig deeper to find out I’m lying��

“You’re right, I-I’m sorry.”

“How about we dam it here?” Phillip asked, pointing to the widened river bank that was seemingly closer to the main road of the ranch. “It’s wider and seems to have consistent flow.”

“I think that will be a good idea. It’s not like we use that distinct part of the river.” Dennis breathed nervously.

“Great!” Phillip smiled. “This is Wyoming, people. We can do whatever the hell we want and give the ones hell who try and say otherwise. I’ll have my team go out and flag the area by this evening.”

“Of course.”

“Will you be around? I’d like for you to tour the property with me.”

“Um… Sure. I have another meeting to attend to.”

“No problem. If I don’t see you around, I’m sure we can schedule a lunch. I have a feeling we’re going to be doing business quite frequently.”

“I’m hopeful, sir.”

*

“Baler! Work up to that cow and push her back into the herd!” Kiera shouted from the back of her horse, eager to finish pushing up the other half of the herd to the winter pasture.

A pasture that also bordered closely to the Palmer River to give consistent water flow throughout the rough winter months – its constant flow keeping it from freezing entirely. “There you go! Ride up on her flank!”

“That boy of yours is turning into a real cowboy, ma’am,” The oldest wrangler, Dirk, chimed in. Being a dear friend of her father, Kiera was sure that his heart hurt more after Bud’s passing as they not only worked the ranch together, or served in the Marine Corps together, but Dirk was also Bud’s other half when it came to working the ranch as well as being Bud’s second-in-command to dealing with the problems that came along the way throughout the years – far before Kiera was even born. “Before you know it, he’ll be outriding me!”

“I doubt that, Dirk,” Kiera giggled, slowing her horse to a trot as he rode alongside her. “He’s come a long way with riding a horse. Simon taught him a lot and I’m quite surprised. I never knew Simon had much riding experience.”

“He probably doesn’t,” Dirk snickered. “But he can sure ride the hair off of a horse and soon enough, that kid will be doing the same. Just wait when your two find out what a horse is.” He teased.

“I can’t wait,” Kiera smiled. “I’d start with getting them a little Shetland Pony that’s meaner than hell because I already know my two will be just as mean, probably worse.”

Dirk laughed, “Get ‘em a mean little shit of a pony to teach ‘em how to ride but also have the time of their lives. A few good bucks and they’ll be tougher than a burnt steak.”

“Don’t I know it!” She agreed. “Let’s go in front to push the herd down towards the bend. We’ll get them to see the river while there’s still daylight since they’ve never seen it before.” She directed, referring to the fact that the ranch had to rebuild their bloodline of cattle after losing theirs nearly three years ago to the intentionally planted clover (Refer to chapter Touching Your Enemy for context!).

“Yes, ma’am,” Dirk nodded, clutching the loop of his lariat in his right hand while the coils were in his left along with the reins. “Frankie! Lawson! Push them up the ridge and down towards the river!” He shouted. “I’ll take them down to the bend to check the fence.”

“Alright. The rest of us will push them up from the back and we’ll get them to the pasture in less than an hour.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She nodded while she rode alongside Simon, flashing him a warm smile when he returned the same gesture. “You sure it’s okay for Teeter to be riding a horse?”

“Babe, she’s perfectly fine to ride up until she’s six months. She has plenty of time.”

“If you say so, love. I just hope Johnny isn’t the only one having to worry about a pregnant spouse,” He smirked, hoping that Kiera was soon to be in the same situation as Teeter. “I don’t think I could run this ranch without you.”

“Sure you can, Simon.”

He shook his head in disagreement while he and Kiera rode alongside each other at a fast trot, soon picking up into a lope when the cattle started moving faster. “The best I can do is ride a horse and rope a cow when I’m lucky that day. Unless there’s someone to shoot in the near future, I don’t have much hope with running this place!” He spoke loudly over the thunderous hoofbeats.

“Well, you worry about that when that time comes!” She poked. “Just know that my father wouldn’t have gifted the ranch to you if he didn’t think you could run it!”

That statement alone made Simon’s heart swell. In truth, he sincerely missed Bud. He saw you as a son, Simon, he reminded himself. If I would’ve never met Kiera, I would’ve wished to have a father like Bud or have him as my own father.

“Baler! Ride next to Johnny on the left to push the herd to the right!” Kiera shouted suddenly, breaking Simon from his thoughts.

“Okay, mama!” Baler answered, doing as he was told while Kiera and Simon stayed behind the herd to continue pushing them forwards while Teeter and Dirk joined together to hold the right side of the herd.

Once they crossed the ridge, the riders stopped their horses at the peak of the hill to overlook the river, unable to see the way the land was changing by Phillip Jenkins’ building plan. “This doesn’t get any better.” She hummed with a warm smile.

“That it doesn’t, love. A lot of work, but worth it.”

“That’s why our family has fought so hard for it. And that’s why we’re going to fight harder to keep it. We need something to give to the kids when our time is up.”

“Well, I can assure you that I’ll fight for this place just as much as I know you will.”

“Mrs. Riley?” Dirk shouted from the bottom of the hill, his voice echoing due to them being in a shallow valley, galloping his horse up the incline with a pair of binoculars in his hand. “You should have a look at this.”

“What is it?” She asked, her brows furrowed, reaching for the binoculars before looking through them herself, seeing two men in suits walking on the other side of the river, seeming to take particular interest in the part of the river that went through the ranch’s land, occasionally pointing back and forth to the bend and out towards the open range that Kiera remembered being for sale at one point. “I’ll be right back.” She huffed.

“Want me to go with you?” Simon asked.

“Why not?” She shrugged. “Might need you.”

He nodded before nudging his horse into a steady trot alongside her, vaguely hearing Dirk address to the rest of the wranglers that they were to hold the cattle in place until instructed otherwise.

Once Simon and Kiera rode through the gate that was purposefully opened not by them, her anger peaked. I’m sure glad we saw this before bringing the rest of the cattle down here, she breathed to herself. Her anger boiled when she laid eyes on her older brother walking alongside a man she hadn’t met before. Judging by the suit he wore, she knew they were talking business instead of hobbies. “I was thinking about you this morning, Kiera!” Dennis chuckled, greeting her with a warm, fake smile as she rode closer to them, Simon staying back a few feet to give her room.

“Funny how you don’t seem to think about me until you need something.” She scoffed.

“We were just talking about this new project he’s building. This is my colleague, Mr. Phillip Jenkins.”

Phillip nodded, “We were just thinking—”

“It pay well?” She scoffed.

Phillip smirked, silently admiring the guts Kiera had to retort the way she did. In a way, not only did it attract him to her slightly more, but he also had the desire to push her buttons as he only assumed her to be a worker of the ranch, not the literal owner with her husband right behind her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch your name.”

“It’s because I didn’t offer it.”

“I really admire this valley,” He began. “I’m glad I bought it to be able to honor the cowboys and farmers who live here.”

“Pretty hard to honor them when you’re taking the one thing they all need to survive,” She scoffed, a smirk decorating her face when he still didn’t realize that Dennis was not in fact the owner of the ranch, but she wasn’t going to let him know that. If it came down to it, she’d be sure to watch Dennis fall down before she would. “That’s right, there’s not a thing in this valley that goes on without me knowing, Phillip. You want to build a subdivision or condo? Go to Seattle. Wyoming doesn’t want you and Montana surely doesn’t.”

“It’s called progress, Kiera,” Dennis intervened, sensing the tension between she and Phillip. “Progress doesn’t need your permission.”

“In this valley it does, Dennis. You of all people should know that!”

“Why do you care what I build, if I may ask?” Phillip barked, suddenly growing offended. “Suddenly, you’re concerned about the environment? You’re just a dirty wrangler raising his cattle you hypocrite!” He shouted, nodding his head towards Dennis.

She pursed her lips as she moved her horse closer to him, threatening to push them over without a second thought, “That’s where you’re wrong. I am the owner of this ranch, not him.”

“Technically, it’s your husband, Kiera,” Dennis huffed. “You think you can go off and marry the first guy you fuck in the military and dad will just hand the ranch over to him because you’re his favorite? I don’t think so.”

“And you think you can run off to Cody without any connection to the family whatsoever and expect your father to hand the ranch to you because you share the same last name?” Simon interrupted, walking his horse closer to Dennis, pleased at how his face fell into fear at the first sight of him. “I’m Kiera’s husband, by the way. I’d advise you to not speak to her that way again.”

“You know what I think your problem is, Kiera? I think it’s your ego.”

“Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?”

Dennis scoffed, “I think it chaps your ass to walk around town and nobody knows who you are.”

“You’re damn right it does because every family he moves in is another one I know that moves out,” She growled. “The families we grew up with, don’t you remember? All you give a shit about is money. And that’s why you weren’t considered when dad put the ranch in a Trust. Money will make or break you… Looks like it decided for you.”

“With every winner, there’s a loser.” Phillip added.

“Hard to not agree with you on that.” She sighed.

“You can’t stop it, Kiera,” Dennis warned. “Quit acting like this whole fucking state belongs to you.”

“Watch me. The state may not be mine, but this entire valley is. And it’s going to stay that way.”

“Say that again, Kiera,” Phillip warned. “It’ll make a lawsuit much simpler. Say “say it again or else”—”

She grunted as she then moved her horse closer to him, this time actually pushing him with the shoulder of her horse while the stock of her rifle that nestled in the scabbard pressed against his shoulder. “I’m going straight to “or else” with you. From this point on, “or else” is all you’ll wish for.”

Phillip sighed, grazing Dennis’ arm with his fingers, “Let’s go figure this out in the office.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

“I’ll leave the fucking gate open,” She scoffed. “By the way, you know what they say about a man in a tie, right?”

“No?”

“It’s the leash their master puts on ‘em. I bet he pulls you in by it so you can give him a little knuckle buster under the desk, huh?” She snickered.

“Oh, yes, how mature of you, Kiera.” Dennis rolled his eyes.

“Don’t be mad that I tell it like it is. I bet you suck a dick like there’s a prize inside.”

“Fuck you.”

“Won’t you fight like a man and see what happens when you try to take this place? That’ll be the ultimate fuck you.”

“I will. The only way I know how.” He threatened.

“I will too. Just like I know how. And I can already tell you that your weapon is your mouth and well, we see how far that gets you: under a table between an old man’s knees while I’m over here doing the big girl stuff.”

Dennis and Kiera made eye contact for a few moments, waiting on the other to make the first move to give Simon a reason to intervene. When Phillip grasped Dennis’ shoulders, he motioned for him to follow him back to the vehicle to leave the property before things got even more heated.

“I remember him,” Simon sighed, watching the vehicle drive away. “Back when those bastards killed your cattle. It’s a shame it’s going to come down to this.”

“Don’t worry about it, Simon,” She assured him, although the tone of her voice said otherwise. “This will blow over eventually. I’ll take care of this one way or the other.”

“Well, you fight best with a pen for now, love,” He sighed. “I’m sure glad you know how to use it.”

“Yeah?” She scoffed. “I’m good with my fists, too.”

“Believe me, I know,” He smirked. “But for now, just stick to fighting with a pen and I’ll handle the rest. Can’t have the mother of our children with busted knuckles, can we?”

She shrugged, “I guess not. Let’s finish bringing these cows down and head home. I need to figure out exactly what it is they’re planning. Knowing my brother is involved, he’s going to kick things up a notch.”

“I’ll have Johnny bring down trail cameras. Those blokes seemed to have a lot of interest on our side of the fence.”

“It’s not the fence I’m worried about,” She sighed, looking at him to study his confused expression. “It’s the river.”

“Why would they be interested in the river?”

“I know who that Phillip Jenkins man is. Millionaire from Las Vegas who makes a living at investing and building subdivisions and condos. Why would he buy an empty and flat lot far away from any other town besides Jackson Hole knowing it’s going to be hard to bring basic necessities out here once he builds it?”

“Probably to use the river to conduct electricity?” Simon guessed.

“And to get free fucking water,” She added. “I need to figure out how I can see the building blueprints.”

“Why?”

“So I can fuck him over and send him back to Nevada with his tail between his legs.”

[midwesternartlovertraveler]

The M Building was built in 1964 for Wyoming National Bank. It later became Wells Fargo. In 2019 it was purchased by Tri Opportunity Investment Group. The building has medical offices and the rotunda, the former bank lobby, is now an event space. The architect was Charles Deaton

[newstfionline]

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Jackson Hole: Fed policy collides with reality in the most unequal county in America (CNN) Central bank officials from across the world have descended upon Jackson Hole, Wyoming this week to discuss policy decisions that will shape the economy for years to come. But as they talk about inflation and the economy in the abstract, residents of the popular vacation destination are very much feeling the realities of their policies. That’s because Jackson Hole is the most economically unequal place in the United States, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The snow kissed peaks and verdant valleys of Jackson Hole aren’t just awe-inspiring. They’re also symbolic. Among the top 1% in Teton County (where Jackson Hole is located), the average annual income is a jaw-dropping $22.5 million. The median household income in Teton County in 2021, meanwhile, was about $94,000, according to the US Census Bureau. The annual August symposium of global financial leaders and economic elites wouldn’t happen without the servers, cooks, drivers and hotel and event staff who make it function—the same people feeling the hard impact of elevated inflation, high interest rates and a softening economy the most. “If you look at income, Jackson Hole is really a microcosm of the nation’s wealth inequalities laid out across these dramatic landscapes of the Mountain West,” said Kenan Fikri, director of research at The Economic Innovation Group, a bipartisan policy organization. “It’s a ground zero for understanding how inflation affects the budgets of lower-earning households when they’re already financially stressed.”

Trump’s Mug Shot, a Presidential First, Is a Merch Bonanza (WSJ) First came the mug shot. Then came the merch. Within hours of Donald Trump surrendering himself to authorities in Fulton County, Ga., items plastered with the glowering former president in his signature suit and cherry-red tie were all over Etsy, eBay and the custom-design site Redbubble. Trump’s own campaign got in on the action: On Thursday evening, it sent out an email, soliciting $47 donations in exchange for a T-shirt printed with the mug shot above the phrase “Never Surrender.” His campaign’s online merchandise storefront now includes shirts, beverage coozies and a bumper sticker featuring the booking photo. The former president’s son Donald Trump Jr. was also peddling a $30 T-shirt and a $16 coffee mug printed with the mug shot, saying that proceeds from the sales would go to his father’s legal defense fund. Etsy makers began listing T-shirts that said “Legend” and “NOT GUILTY” beneath Trump’s image. In near-record time, Trump’s mug shot has joined Che Guevara’s bereted visage, sneering Bart Simpson and the goofy Minions as a wearable meme—the sort of image that will be found in souvenir shops and thrift-store racks for years to come.

Ecuador election: As run-off looms, voters crave genuine change (Al Jazeera) From her small convenience store in northern Quito, Tanya Vazquez is consumed by fear. Her modest shop has been robbed three times in the last few years, she said; in one case, the perpetrator fired a gun towards her husband, although the bullet missed. One of their sons was also robbed and assaulted in the street. “I am very afraid, with all the crime that’s happening,” Vazquez told Al Jazeera from behind the shop counter in the Ecuadorian capital. “I just hope that whoever the new president is can at least give us some security and stability.” Indeed, as Ecuador grapples with rising crime and political violence, many in the country are craving change. Snap elections last Sunday were overshadowed by this month’s assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, a prominent anticorruption candidate. The election will head to a run-off on October 15. These elections represent a pivotal moment for the small Andean nation, but it remains an open question as to whether either candidate can deliver the change voters crave.

A miracle:’ Virginia man meets Chilean family 42 years after he was stolen as newborn (USA Today) It has been 42 years since María Angélica González saw her son. He was a newborn. A nurse told González he needed to be put in an incubator because he was premature. Not long after, she returned with devastating news: The baby was dead. For 42 years, that’s what González believed. For 42 years, it has been a lie. Gonzalez’s son, Jimmy Lippert Thyden, was stolen from González, adopted out to unwitting parents in the United States and raised in Arlington, Virginia. For 42 years, Thyden believed he had no living relatives in Chile, where he was born. Then one day in April, Thyden read a USA TODAY story about a California man who had learned he was stolen from his mother in Chile and illegally adopted out to an American couple. It got Thyden thinking: Could the same thing have happened to him? Within weeks, Thyden learned the truth. And last week, González finally got to hug her son. “It’s a miracle from God,” González, 69, told USA TODAY during a video chat in Spanish as she sat with Thyden on Saturday. “When I learned that he was alive, I couldn’t believe it.”

Legal Troubles for Sarkozy (Foreign Policy) It’s been an eventful week for former world leaders facing legal problems. On Friday, magistrates in Paris ordered former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to stand trial on charges that his 2007 election campaign received a $54 million illegal contribution from former Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi’s government. The one-term president has denied wrongdoing alongside 12 other co-defendants, including three of his former cabinet ministers. He will be tried in 2025. This is far from Sarkozy’s first indictment rodeo. The 68-year-old leader has been convicted twice for corruption and influence-peddling. In May, he lost his first appeal for a 2021 accusation alleging he tried to bribe a judge. His three-year prison term was brought down to just one trip around the sun, which Sarkozy can fulfill under house arrest. He still faces a second probe into allegations that he received a payment of $3.2 million by Russian insurance firm Reso-Garantia in 2019 while he was working as a consultant.

Nerve agents, poison and window falls. Over the years, Kremlin foes have been attacked or killed (AP) The attacks range from the exotic—poisoned by drinking polonium-laced tea or touching a deadly nerve agent—to the more mundane of getting shot at close range. Some take a fatal plunge from an open window. Over the years, Kremlin political critics, turncoat spies and investigative journalists have been killed or assaulted in a variety of ways. None, however, has been known to perish in an air accident. But on Wednesday, a private plane carrying a mercenary chief who staged a brief rebellion in Russia plummeted into a field from tens of thousands of feet after breaking apart. Assassination attempts against foes of President Vladimir Putin have been common during his nearly quarter century in power. Those close to the victims and the few survivors have blamed Russian authorities, but the Kremlin has routinely denied involvement—as it did on Friday by saying it was “a complete lie” it had anything to do with the jet crash. There also have been reports of prominent Russian executives dying under mysterious circumstances, including falling from windows, although whether they were deliberate killings or suicides is sometimes difficult to determine.

UNICEF says a year on from Pakistan’s catastrophic floods, millions of children still need support (AP) The United Nations children’s agency on Friday warned that a year on from Pakistan’s devastating floods, an estimated 4 million children continue to need humanitarian assistance and access to essential services as a shortage of funds remains a hurdle in recovery. The warning from UNICEF comes as authorities in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province are racing against time to evacuate people from areas affected by the overflowing River Sutlej. Since Aug. 1, rescuers have evacuated over 100,000 people from marooned areas in the districts of Kasur and Bahawalpur. More than six months ago, dozens of countries and international institutions at a U.N.-backed conference in Geneva pledged more than $9 billion to help Pakistan recover and rebuild from last summer’s floods. But most of the pledges were in the form of loans for projects, which are still in the planning stages.

A Crisis of Confidence Is Gripping China’s Economy (NYT) Earlier this year, David Yang was brimming with confidence about the prospects for his perfume factory in eastern China. After nearly three years of paralyzing Covid lockdowns, China had lifted its restrictions in late 2022. The economy seemed destined to roar back to life. Mr. Yang and his two business partners invested more than $60,000 in March to expand production capacity at the factory, expecting a wave of growth. But the new business never materialized. In fact, it’s worse. People are not spending, he said, and orders are one-third of what they were five years ago. “It is disheartening,” Mr. Yang said. “The economy is really going downhill right now.” For much of the past four decades, China’s economy seemed like an unstoppable force, the engine behind the country’s rise to a global superpower. But the economy is now plagued by a series of crises. A real estate crisis born from years of overbuilding and excessive borrowing is running alongside a larger debt crisis, while young people are struggling with record joblessness. And amid the drip feed of bad economic news, a new crisis is emerging: a crisis of confidence. A growing lack of faith in the future of the Chinese economy is verging on despair. Consumers are holding back on spending. Businesses are reluctant to invest and create jobs. And would-be entrepreneurs are not starting new businesses. “Low confidence is a major issue in the Chinese economy now,” said Larry Hu, chief China economist for Macquarie Group, an Australian financial services firm.

Syria’s south rocked by protests amid anger over fuel hikes (Washington Post) Protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad have spread across southern Syria in the days following a government decision to slash fuel subsidies, amid growing desperation as hyperinflation sends prices soaring. As the relatively rare protests gained force under a government that has applied brutal tactics to keep its population in line through more than a decade of civil war, young activists crept through the streets of the southern city of Sweida at night, affixing makeshift fliers to shuttered storefronts, encouraging civil unrest. The protests began Aug. 20 at a central roundabout, with a chant of “Syria wants freedom.” A demonstrator spray-painted a message on the roundabout’s edge, giving the gathering point a new name: “Dignity Square.” The demonstrations have since spread, as have photos and videos of them, some evoking the protests that filled the country’s streets in 2011 as hopeful masses demanded the ouster of Assad. Years of conflict were to follow.

Power returns to most of Kenya after a 14-hour outage (AP) Electricity was being restored in most parts of Kenya on Saturday, 14 hours after the longest outage in recent memory, the majority government-owned power distributor said. There was still no clear explanation for the outage that hit on Friday night, shutting down the country’s main international airport, affecting major hospitals and even the president’s office compound. The outage came just weeks before Kenya’s government hosts the first Africa Climate Summit, where energy will be key on the agenda. Kenya gets almost all its energy from renewable sources, but infrastructure and alleged mismanagement remain an issue in the country of more than 50 million people.

[reddeadreference]

Saint Denis Times No. 53

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This issue is available after completion of the mission: The Wheel

(All article transcripts below the cut)

Articles marked with * are exclusive to this region’s issue.

Articles marked with ** are only there upon completion of the related mission.

Panic of 1907

STOCK MARKET CRASHES. EXCHANGE IN FREEFALL. ECONOMY ON EDGE.

Traders and economists are reeling after the stock market continued to collapse this week. Those in banking circles say we are witnessing the largest evaporation in wealth ever recorded. Cries of anguish were heard on the streets of lower Manhattan as the stock exchange continued to erupt into a frenzy and bankers rushed to find some way to subdue the panic.

Some speculate the panic on Wall Street was made to order by big capitalists in order to depress values and allow them to reap a rich harvest when the rise returns. However, some have claimed it foolishness that a banker would will a panic, likening it to a farmer wishing for a drought or a sailor praying for a typhoon. The banker, despite being opulent in wealth, thrives from stability.

Bankruptcy claims are being filed by the dozens of large institutions, however, as New York banks are protecting the situation by holding money out of circulation. Congress has already promised to investigate these national banks and review their conduct, though no charges are expected.

Pump Jacks Sit Silent

NO OIL FOUND AT WAPITI. INVESTORS ALLEGE FRAUD.

The oil reserves discovered on land near the Wapiti Indian Reservation in 1899 have turned up dry, and all drilling operations have ceased and packed up. There were high hopes for the location following a detailed explanation by the Leland Oil Development Company on behalf of Cornwall Kerosene & Tar, and a number of petroleum outfits have sought to develop it into a well-paying field.

Workers flocked to the area in anticipation of jobs that would pay as much as 22 cents an hour. Companies sank well after well, coming up empty with only a miniscule amount of oil being found, not enough to keep operations running. The tribe at the reservation went on the run after a series of attacks on the army, culminating in a bloody battle at the Cornwall Kerosene & Tar factory around the time news of the oil discovery became known.

Many members of the tribe were gunned down in Wyoming, but a few members are believed to have escaped into Canada. It is unknown what will happen to the Indian Reservation land moving forward as there are no Indians in the area to relocate there currently.

Small Farms Disappearing

SWALLOWED BY LARGE CATTLE INTERESTS. LARAMIE CORP OFFERING BUYOUTS.

A sense of unease and uncertainty has arisen among landowners as a wave of real estate speculation is sweeping through cow country and large cattle outfits are offering large sums for small ranches. Headed by Abel Atherton, the Cattle Association seems intent on remaking the West, having recently acquired Hanging Dog Ranch and a considerable number of acres around Strawberry.

Property agents from The Laramie Corporation are visiting small farm owners offering large sums under their new economic model. While opponents say a way of life is perishing, others argue that America is a country of progress and those clinging to the homesteader ideal are firmly stuck in the past. Scale, they say, will always win out.

President Waxman Hails Progress, Discusses Canal

IMMIGRANTS FLOODING ELLIS ISLAND. 1.1 MILLION EXPECTED THIS YEAR. ALSO DISCUSSES BUILDING PANAMA CANAL.

Speaking to a packed crowd in New York, President Thaddeus Waxman announced that this year is set to see the largest number of immigrants ever recorded passing through Ellis Island. The promise of this great land is known far and wide, he said, and over a million immigrants are expected to arrive in New York in 1907, greatly eclipsing previous years. The President also announced that Col. William Thomas Kirchner would be the chief engineer of the Panama Canal project, one of the largest construction projects in memory.

The project was taken over by the United States from France three years ago amongst high worker mortality rates. It is thought that the American tradition of hard work and architecture superior to that of the French will allow the grand project to be completed on time and below budget.

It has been one of the President's main initiatives since he took office after President Macalister's assassination. When asked about the large number of people coming to America, Waxman said all immigrants should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country.

Romance Novel Proves Best Seller

OVERNIGHT SUCCESS. AUTHOR LESLIE DUPONT'S FOURTH TOME PROVING VERY SUCCESSFUL.

The thrilling romance novel "Lady of the Manor", published under the pen name Leslie Dupont, is difficult to find in bookshops, owing to its massive popularity, especially among young girls and the elderly. Her novels have arguably been read by more people than anything that has been produced by any contemporary writer, although critics dislike her work enormously.

Miss Dupont's books are lurid and steamy and weave tales of licentiousness and thievery, love and deceit, murder and mayhem, lust and despair. It is claimed many of her tales are from the author's torrid past, although Miss Dupont has never herself commented. It has been alleged that she once consorted with outlaws and gunslingers on the frontier. She has always been unwilling to corroborate these rumors.

Bounties Beware

LANGTON IS HOT ON THE TRAIL.

From the words of those he's chased down, James Langton is relentless, cunning and fearless. Known for his sizeable frame and ten gallon hat, the bounty hunter from New Austin is the best in the country, running down outlaws and flushing out bandits. With a small army now working for him, law enforcement are happy to hand over their dirty work to Langton and his crew.

He captured the Dillard Brothers with the help of a pair of twin prostitutes. He killed Cecile Montgomery while he sat trapped on the commode. Sheriffs say, "Crooks beware, Langton is coming after you."

Man's Tropical Enemy

GERMS OF LAZINESS. HOOKWORM PLAGUES WARMER CLIMES.

For many years, the lethargy of residents in the South was thought to be due to the "germ of laziness." It is now known that the anemia that plagues warmer climes of the United States is the direct result of a parasite that lives in the gut known as hookworm. A major outbreak occurred in 1902 in Cornish mines, and in the coal mines of France, Germany, and Belgium the affliction is quite common. The worm is half an inch long and its mouth armed with teeth.

They attach by the thousands to the inside of the intestines, sucking blood, moving from place to place and leaving bleeding wounds subject to infection. As to how the affliction takes place, there is by no means unanimity of opinion by medical men. Some think it to occur by penetration of the skin on dirt floors or fouled drinking water. The malady is especially a scourge to residents of the Philippines and Puerto Rico whose residents' health and welfare we are now responsible for.

Radio Miracle

MUSIC TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE AIR. SHIPS RECEIVE BROADCAST.

Written dispatches from the coast of Massachusetts report a novel experiment transpired recently. Using an experimental alternator-transmitter at Brant Rock, technicians broadcast radio signals carrying the music from a phonograph record of Handel.

The transmission was intended for shipboard radio operators at sea, especially the Navy, who have taken to the new technology for daily transmissions of time signals and weather reports via Morse Code. The scientists working on the radio experiment hail it as a new dawn in entertainment and foresee a day where bible devotionals and hymns are transmitted into the home for families to enjoy.

A Rotting Jewel

FORGOTTEN, FORLORN LAKAY

Lakay was a bustling settlement teeming with fish, wildlife, and people who came to make a life there. Today it sits abandoned since the massive shootout between outlaws and Pinkertons in 1899. Located in the swamps of Bayou Nwa, North of Saint Denis, the site was used as a gang hideout in the past. Locals are said to avoid Lakay entirely, saying that it is under some voodoo curse and that any who enter are plagued with bad luck and disease.

Voodoo dances were said to occur there, a heathenish mode of worship where fanatics wail and perform rituals often involving blood and animals.

New Railroad Completed

A GRAND PROJECT OUR MANIFEST DESTINY

The final ties were laid and spikes driven through to complete the Central Union rail line stretching through New Hanover. Passengers will be able to bypass the Grizzlies, Rhodes, and Scarlett Meadows, drastically reducing travel time. Now with a direct line connecting Cornwall Kerosene and Tar and Saint Denis, freight and commuters will flow fast and freely.

The project came with complications, including controversy over missing workers' wages and a land dispute. Representatives from towns such as Van Horn Trading Post and Annesburg say the new line will result in the decline of their towns. Civic planners hail the railroad as a new dawning day in American progress and history.

The Art of Angling by Jeremy Gill

REDFIN PICKEREL.

When not entertaining heads of state with the joyful pastime of fishing, 1 traipse into backwoods "cricks" and “hollers” where I meet the most delightful, simple folk who imbibe strong local spirits and gush about Redfin Pickerel. These uncouth semi-savages claim it to be the best eating fish you can find, and for that matter, the easiest to catch. They are feisty little predators that will attack a piece of cheese, and as one old-timer showed me, a piece of red cloth.

He'd dip it into the crick, the fish would bite and he'd sling it up onto the bank with a toothless laugh. Happy fishing, for those of you with and without a full complement of teeth.

[vancouverislandtotoronto2023]

Day 3 Mon. May 29 Baker City, Oregon to Twin Falls and Idaho Falls, Idaho 700 km

What's become clear is that in order to hit my destinations, I am not going to be able to entirely avoid the Interstates. Case in point, in order to make my 700 km today, I had to take Interstate 84 to Twin Falls. At 80 kph, you don't get much local flavour, and you're certainly not stopping to take pictures. However, you can gather impressions. When I think of Idaho, now I will think of wind turbines, solar farms, transmission lines, irrigation and cattle, cattle, and cattle. I'll also think of the Oregon Trail, which stretches from Missouri to Oregon and 500 miles through Idaho. And always in the distance, scenic mountain ranges, some snow capped, and all sporting fluffy white cloud banks overhead. Without irrigation, it can get pretty brown, but with it, Idaho grows impressive amounts of potatoes, wheat, barley, hay, sugar beets, peas and lentils.

Of the two cities I visited, Twin Falls has a pop of 53,000, Elev. 3,734 ft and is known as the gateway to the Snake River. At its east end, there's Shoshone Falls and at its north Penine Coulee Falls.

Idaho Falls is a city of 66,000, Elev 4,705 ft, and is the commercial, cultural, and healthcare center for eastern Idaho, western Wyoming, and Southern Montana.

I took the scenic route between the two along US 26 and US 20, which took me past the Craters of the Moon, a 600 sq mile lava field that is still regarded as active and likely to erupt again.

I also passed through Arco, apparently the first town in the world to be lighted by atomic power (1955) by the nearby atomic reactors of the 900 square mile Idaho National Laboratory nuclear testing and storage facility. It also sits beneath a mountain covered in the numbers of its graduating classes.

[entrepreneurial-street]

Jas Mathur sues Travis Bott over Traders Domain Ponzi losses

Jas Mathur has sued Travis Bott and Richard Jason Bott over reported Traders Domain Ponzi losses.

Mathur is a Canadian national from India living in California.

Travis Bott is behind a series of fraudulent MLM investment schemes targeting consumers around the world. These include Ryze AI, Westmyn, Onyx Lifestyle, Digital Profit, Meta Bounty Hunters and Meta Lab Agency

Richard Jason Bott is believed to a relative of Travis Bott (right). Both Botts are Utah residents.

As per a lawsuit filed by Mathur’s Wyoming shell company EM1 Capital LLC in California last October;

Since around mid-December 2022, T. Bott had been promoting a SIngapore-based investment fund to mutual friends of Jas Mathur, president of EM1.

Bott explained that the funds would be trading in Traders-Domain platform, which is controlled/managed by Fredirick “Ted” Safranko, a close friend and business partner of T. Bott for the past several years.

This is a bit of an odd timeline, seeing as Traders Domain collapsed in or around October 2022.

So far US regulators have only gone after part of Traders Domain, the SAEG Ponzi side of the business (~$145 million).

Safranko, a Canadian national has gone into hiding. In September 2023 the CFTC secured a $3.8 million judgment against Safranko.

Leaked financial records reveal the full extent of Safranko’s Traders Domain related fraud exceeds $370 million.

According to Mathur, Travis Bott had been recruiting people into DWHTD Technology PTE LTD (aka “Drive Fund”), a Singapore shell company.

Recruitment was done through Alliance Management Services LLP, a Utah shell company Travis Bott allegedly owns.

Following an introduction by a mutual friend, on January 5, 2023, T. Bott presented Mathur with an opportunity to invest $1 million in a “proprietary trading venture” whose returns, as established by historical performance, would generate an 18% monthly return on the investment over the course of one (1) year.

T. Bott elaborated to Mathur that he owned a company called SAVVY Wallet which was licensed by Evolve Bank & Trust, N.A.

According to T. Bott, all members and users of SAVVT Wallet would receive a debit card which would facilitate withdrawal of funds.

To that end T. Bott presented Mathur with a document entitled Investment Management Agreement, which Mathur signed on behalf of his company, Plaintiff EM1, on January 7, 2023.

Savvy Wallet is owned by Frank DiCrisi (right) and Gregory “Tuffy” Baum. The payment processor was used to launder millions from The Traders Domain investors.

If Travis Bott had an ownership stake in Savvy Wallet, this is the first I’m hearing of it.

Pursuant to the terms of the IMA, EM1 agreed to invest $1 million in DWHTD and DWHTD agreed to pay a minimum of 18% every month on the total account balance of $1 million for thirteen (13) months.

FWHTD further agreed that at the end of the thirteen (13) month period, DWHTD would return 100% of EM1’s principal investment ($1 million).

The IMA further provides for termination upon non-performance of the agreement.

Specifically, non-performance is defined as monthly returns less than 18%.

Thus, in the event that DWHTD failed to make a monthly payment of 18% to EM1, EM1 had the right to terminate that agreement immediately and receive 100% of the principal funds back within thirty (30) days of termination.

DWHTD is represented by Lim Hang Guan Simon, a purported Singaporean citizen. A copy of the IMA between EM1 and DWHTD is attached to EM1’s Complaint as an exhibit:

After execution of the IMA, per T. Bott’s instructions, EM1 wired the principal investment of $1 million to AMS, a Utah company owned by T. Bott and R. Bott.

Per T. Bott, the 18% monthly interest payments from the $1 million investment would be disbursed monthly into Mathur’s SAVVY Wallet.

You can probably guess what happened next…

On February 3, 2023, Mathur contacted T. Bott, requesting that he be paid the return he was promised.

T. Bott replied that the funds only get disbursed after a full thirty (30) days, so a payment would be forthcoming in the middle of February 2023.

On February 16, 2023, T. Bott called Mathur and stated that the operators of the funds had an issue, this time attempting to distinguish his role at the fund as a mere investor, rather than an owner.

Despite his new claim that he was just an investor, T. Bott proceeded to advise Mathur that the account had taken around a 50% loss, and Mathur could either get back $650,000 today … or wait until the end of March and receive the past-due 18% returns from January, February and March.

T. Bott elaborated that other mutual friends who invested through him all opted to wait until the end of March.

Mathur would later realize Bott had convinced his mutual friends that it was he who had opted to wait till the end of March “and that they should follow his lead”.

On March 14, 2023, Mathur met with T. Bott in Los Angeles, California to discuss his investment.

Prior to the meeting, Mathur performed an internet search of the Trading Platform, only discover that Ted Safranko was charged by the CFTC in a $144,043,883 fraud.

Upon informing Bott of his findings, Bott is alleged to have grown “irate and began insulting Mathur”.

The conversation deteriorated when T. Bott threatened Mathur is front of two mutual friends, stating that he had a gun on him and would use it on Mathur.

As those present endeavored to de-escalate the situation, Mathur queried T. Bott as why, as such a purported big shot, he could not just wire Mathur the $1 million back immediately without any profits.

T. Bott responded that he would do it the following day but changed his mind minutes later, and instructed Mathur to wait until the end of this month, and if there was no progress, T. Bott said he would “vouch for it”.

Subsequently, T. Bott advised Mathur that, due to involvement of mutual friends between the two, T. Bott would provide a loan against the funds in the Meta Trader account until a supposed “withdrawal issue” could be navigated.

As at the time of filing his lawsuit, Mathur claims “no loan or other payments have been made”.

Rather, following involvement of counsel and a preliminary investigation, it has become evidence that the entire investment opportunity is and always was a sham.

In line with The Traders Domain having already collapsed by the time Bott made the DWHTD investment offer to Mathur, Mathur further learned

DWHTD was incorporated on December 28, 2022, which is after T. Bott floated the investment opportunity to Mathur’s acquaintances in mid-December 2023 with representations that the company historically could return the promised 18% monthly returns on investment.

[Furthermore] DWHTD has no actual physical presence in Singapore and its address is a corporate agent, offering incorporation services and a “virtual” address.

Mathur also noted DWHTD’s stated business nature was “trading of gold against the dollar” in the IMA. DWHTD’s shell company registration however stated it was involved in “development of software and applications (except games and cybersecurity)”.

Next, for a reason that remains unanswered, T. Bott directed Mathur to wire the funds to a Utah company T. Bott owns with his brother, R. Bott.

This company is not listed in the IMA and has no visible connection to anything subject to the IMA.

Mathur concludes;

In sum, this transaction is, on its face, a scam perpetrated in a blunt fashion, through plain fraud.

There are no returns, there is no live viable company, and there is no trading.

Rather, T. Bott and his brother R. Bott, simply defrauded EM1 out of $1 million.

Causes of action against DWHTD and the Botts include:

fraud;

conversion;

violation of Penal Code section 496; and

breach of contract

On or around February 7th, 2024, Bott had Mathur’s Complaint moved from the Los Angeles Superior Court to the Central District of California.

On March 27th, Bott filed his answer to Mathur’s complaint – mostly denying Mathur’s allegations. Bott also filed a counterclaim against Mathur, alleging “intentional infliction of emotional distress”.

As opposed to pitching Mathur himself on The Traders Domain, Bott claims “third parties” did his dirty work.

What exactly was represented represented to Mathur regarding the Drive Fund is unknow [sic].

However, after discussing the opportunity with the third parties, Mathur became immersed with the Drive Fund, and therefore wanted to invest $1,000,000, hoping that he would receive a large return on his investment.

Again, pursuant to The Traders Domain collapsing in or around October 2022, Bott claims

the Drive Fund was no longer accepting further investments.

So, the only way to obtain a holding in the Drive Fund would be to purchase all or part of an existing holding from someone who had already invested in the opportunity.

Once purchased, the already-invested holder would transfer part of his holding to the purchaser, thereby granting the purchaser a position in the Drive Fund in an amount equal to his purchase.

Bott claims undisclosed “third parties … each had a $1,000,000 in the Drive Fund” [sic].

Because Mathur wanted a $1,000,000 holding himself, he was unable to take the holding by the third parties since they did not have enough to transfer.

As a result, the third parties informed Mathur they had an acquittance [sic] who had several millions of dollars in the Drive Fund, and who may be willing to transfer a million dollars of that holding to Mathur. That acquittance [sic] was Bott.

Bott claims it was only then that he met Mathur.

Per Mathur’s request, the third parties reached out to Bott and inquired whether he would be willing to sell a million dollars of his holding in the Drive Fund to Mathur.

At first, Bott was reluctant to sell any portion of his holding to Mathur because he was not familiar with Mathur and had no prior relationship whatsoever.

However, because of Bott’s close relationship with the third parties, he eventually acquiesced to their request and agreed to meet with Mathur.

Thereafter, Mathur and Bott spoke on the phone. Bott was very clear to Mathur that he was not making any representations or guarantees regarding the Drive Fund, and that Mathur needed to conduct his own due diligence to determine whether he wanted to proceed with the transaction.

Bott agrees the exhibited IMA was executed in early January 2023. Bott doesn’t explain why himself or his Utah shell company didn’t appear on any signed agreements.

On January 9, 2023, Mathur transferred $1,000,000 to Bott’s company.

That same day, Bott transferred $1,000,000 of the Drive Fund holding to Mathur’s company’s, EM1 Capital, LLC.

Again, remembering that The Traders Domain collapsed in or around October 2022, Bott alleges;

As time went one, the Drive Fund eventually defaulted, and the opportunity went nowhere. Fortunately for all the investors, the Drive Fund refunded everyone their initial investment plus any additional return that was gained while the Drive Fund was active.

The funds were transferred to each investor’s Trader Domain account.

However, at the same time the Drive Fund defaulted, Trader’s Domain began having liquidity issues, and all accounts were placed on hold.

To date, all Trader Domain accounts are placed on hold. As a result, no investor of the Drive Fund has been able to withdraw their funds from the Trader Domain platform. This includes both Bott and Mathur.

Bott’s allegations require shifting locking of investor accounts to around February or March 2023 – six months or so after The Trader Domain collapsed.

The rest of Bott’s counterclaim presents him as an innocent bystander;

Although Mathur made his decision to invest in the Drive Fund prior to meeting Bott, Mathur for some reason blamed Bott for having invested his $1,000,000.

Interestingly, the funds that were returned by the Drive Fund were sitting in a Trader Domain account that Mathur already had prior to speaking with Bott.

Bott had nothing to do with the activation of the Trader Domain account. Despite this, Mathur blamed Bott for his inability to withdraw the funds.

Subsequently, Mathur went on a rampage with threats against Bott.

For example, on or about March 12, 2023, Mathur was at a meeting at a private house with Bott and several other individuals.

During the meeting, Mathur approached Bott and began blaming him for not being able to withdraw the $1,000,000 mentioned above.

He then proceeded to make threats against Bott’s life unless the money was paid back.

After the threats were made, the third-party individuals present at the home got in between Mathur and Bott and broke up the confrontation.

In addition, Mathur has instructed certain individuals to contact Bott via text message to make death threats unless the $1,000,000 was paid back to Mathur.

Also, it has recently been discovered that Mathur was present at a party in California. Several attendees were friends of Bott.

During that party, Mathur began inquiring about Bott’s physical location, claiming that Mathur needed to get him served with the complaint at issue.

However, Bott had already been served with the complaint and Mathur was fully aware of this fact. Thus, it was clear that Mathur was attempting to find Bott to further carry out his death threats, and perhaps even to hurt Bott.

Bott asserts allegedly stealing $1 million from Mathur has left him “emotionally harmed”.

Bott is in fear for his life and continues to suffer emotional damage.

On April 12th, the court granted a motion by Richard Jason Bott to dismiss Mathur’s case against him. The dismissal was granted on personal jurisdiction grounds, not the merits of Mathur’s allegations.

Mathur was also denied from serving DWHTD Technology PTE LTD via email.

On April 10th, Mathur filed his First Amended Complaint. CTB Rise International Inc. was added as a defendant.

On May 23rd, Bott’s attorney informed the court that a private settlement had been reached. As a result, the court dismissed the case on May 24th.

From a regulatory and law enforcement perspective, the underlying alleged securities, commodities and wire fraud, as well as suspected money laundering, remains unaddressed.

Such is the case with the wider The Traders Domain Ponzi scheme, with total investor losses pegged at around $3.3 billion.