Weds Blogcast: Gov Polis; Data center power; Humane Denver; Wiles interview

If you live in northern Colorado or the Denver metro area, be prepared...

Potential high winds, currently forecast more across northern Colorado, including Boulder, and maybe across the Denver metro today may lead to preemptive power outages

Xcel plans preemptive power outage across Colorado Front Range amid wind risk - Axios Boulder

I note these sentences from the Axios piece:

  • The shutoff is expected to impact about 50,000 customers in parts of Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties.
  • The latest planned outage map no longer included Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver or Douglas counties.


Here’s how to prepare for a possible Xcel power shut-off

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Just One Thing: Trump addresses the nation

You'd have to expect that he'll say that he's gotten inflation under control (which isn't really true) and that Americans should expect good economic times coming soon due, in part, to the impact of the Big Beautiful Bill. I expect him also to mention tariff revenue (without mentioning that that's just a tax on US consumers and it's weird for a Republican to be cheering about a tax hike) and perhaps to try to scare the Supreme Court from ruling many of his tariffs illegal (though he'll find another way to impose them if that happens). I expect him to talk about taking out the drug boats and pressuring the government of Venezuela, but I think most of the focus will be domestic.

I mentioned on Twitter earlier today that I think one of the big negatives of Trumps vile social media post about the murder of Rob Reiner is that it made him look (even more than usual) like he's spending time thinking (and typing) about things that Americans think he should be ignoring, which means taking time away from things that Americans think he should be focused on. He will try to show in this White House address tonight that he knows, and is working on, what voters think is most important, which is definitely the cost of living (to include prices of food, housing, and healthcare.)

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Today's Guests

Gov Jared Polis joins the show. We will discuss some policy issues, including how he's taking on Democratic special interests by signing Colorado up to participate in a new federal education tax credit that the teachers unions (stupidly but unsurprisingly) oppose. But of course we'll also have to discuss the barrage of insults that President Trump directed at Polis the other day.

Trump launches fresh attack on Colorado's Gov. Polis over Tina Peters - Axios Denver

Colorado governor plans to opt into Trump-endorsed initiative that some fear will lead to voucher program

EDITORIAL: A presidential reprieve from Colorado’s bungled AI law - Colorado Springs Gazette

Gov. Polis proposes new Colorado higher education and workforce department - Chalkbeat

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Dr Apryl Steele is the outgoing chairperson of Humane Colorado (formerly the Dumb Friends League)

Dr. Apryl Steele - Humane Colorado

We'll talk a bit about adopting animals and also her new venture, the Dr. Apryl Steele Fund for Veterinary Care. (If you want to support her effort, here's a link: Donate to The Dr. Apryl Steele Fund for Veterinary Care)

More about what Apryl has achieved over the past decade at Humane Colorado: Humane Colorado bids fond farewell to its CEO at Celebration of Compassionate Leadership | NONPROFIT REGISTER - Colorado Politics

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Sarp Ozkan (is that a great name or what?) is Director of Energy Analysis at Enverus Market Intelligence. We'll talk about the power needs of data centers.

https://www.enverus.com/experts/sarp-ozkan

Who pays the power bill when data centers demand more than needed?

ENVERUS Weekly Rig Count Update

Other Stuff

Wow: Trump moves to dismantle National Center for Atmospheric Research lab

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This is not far from where the proposed new Bucee’s would be which helps explain part of the reason that some folks think Bucee’s is inappropriate there.

Colorado completes "North America's largest" wildlife overpass - Axios Denver

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I'm working on getting the Secretary of Energy on the show to discuss this: Can Congress Finally Reform NEPA? - WSJ

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For politics nerds: Vanity Fair is out with a splashy two-part article of Trump's Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles. First is my take on the article(s) and then links so you can read the stuff yourself:

Susie Wiles, JD Vance, and the “Junkyard Dogs”: The White House Chief of Staff On Trump’s Second Term (Part 1 of 2) | Vanity Fair

Susie Wiles Talks Epstein Files, Pete Hegseth’s War Tactics, Retribution, and More (Part 2 of 2) | Vanity Fair

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This is not easy. An obvious and massive tension between giving up territory and ending the war. I just don't see a place for agreement. Russia needs to pay a bigger price for its aggression. Ukraine, US split over territory after intense talks on ending Russia war

Zelenskyy says proposals to end the war in Ukraine could be presented to Russia within days | AP News

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"Electric vehicles are the vehicles of the future...and they always will be."

Ford's $35.1 Billion EV Fiasco - Robert Bryce

Ford Takes $19.5 Billion Hit in Detroit’s Biggest EV Bust - WSJ

Somewhat related: Trump administration cancels $109M in environmentally focused transportation grants for Colorado - The Colorado Sun

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Busting through the AI doom: AI is creating more jobs so far, despite fears about obsolete workers

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I REALLY struggle with this. Not the idea of having a statute of this brave girl but the idea of removing a figure as historic as Robert E Lee. That said, it's a decision made by the state. Each state gets two statues in Statuary Hall in the Capitol. One can argue that Lee was fighting for his conception of states' rights but he was also obviously fighting to keep a system in which some humans owned other humans.

US Capitol unveils statue of teen civil rights leader Barbara Rose Johns | AP News

And from Axios: Rare Hill moment

There was actually an hour-long ceremony with bipartisan support (the point of the "Rare Hill moment" headline...the ceremony is in the second video just below

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We can debate whether this is good policy but it's surely not what the more isolationist part of Trump's base voted for:

Trump orders Venezuela oil tankers blockade, labels Maduro regime terrorist group

This is interesting politically, and one of those things where Trump likely puts the Democrats on the wrong side of public opinion, though not nearly as much as with 80/20 issues like boys in girls sports.

Venezuela denounces Trump's order for ship blockade as 'warmongering threats'

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I owe you this awesome quote (second link) from yesterday:

Joe Biden has raised little of what he needs to build presidential library, new report finds

Quote of the Day: Biden Has Raised Little of What He Needs to Build a Typical Presidential Library - The New York Times

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Really the day after?! Lakewood Christmas Tree Recycling starts the 26th… How quickly is the tree gone at your home?

As long as we're talking about Santa: Giant inflatable Santa causes holiday stir

(Seriously, isn't it unbelievable how much HOAs suck sometimes?)

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Today's Videos

Speaking of Santa (or what he might bring, even though he's never visited my house)...

And, speaking of Christmas, haven't you wondered about this song?


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