#Process Improvement in Utah

[mariacallous]

Across the country, Republican lawmakers have been working to undermine or altogether undo the will of the voters by making it harder to pass amendments and laws through citizen-led initiatives.

In Missouri, the 2025 legislative session was dominated by Republican lawmakers trying to reverse two major measures that voters had put on the ballot and approved just months before; one made abortion in the state legal again, while the other created an employee sick leave requirement.

GOP lawmakers in Alaska and Nebraska also have moved to roll back sick leave benefits that voters approved last year, while legislators in Arizona are pushing new restrictions on abortion access, despite voters six months ago approving protections.

At the same time, Republican leaders in Florida, Utah, Montana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Ohio, North Dakota and South Dakota have approved efforts to restrict citizen-led ballot initiatives or are considering measures to do so, essentially trying to make it harder for voters to change laws outside legislatures.

In some cases, legislators aren’t just responding to measures that voters approved; they’re acting shortly after citizen-led efforts failed but came too close for comfort, such as an abortion-rights initiative in Florida, which in November fell just short of the 60% of votes needed to pass and loosen the state’s ban on the procedure.

Republican elected officials across these states make strikingly similar arguments: They say the initiative process is susceptible to fraud and unduly influenced by out-of-state money. What’s more, they say that they, as elected officials, represent the true will of the people more than ballot initiatives do.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Rachel M. Cohen at Vox:

For years, the easiest thing to do about building new housing was nothing. The federal government largely deferred to state and local governments on matters of land use, and states mostly deferred to local governments, which typically defer to their home-owning constituents who back restrictive zoning laws that bar new construction. That’s slowly changing as the housing supply crisis ripples across the country. Experts say the US is short somewhere between 3.8 million and 6.8 million homes, and most renters feel priced out of the idea of homeownership altogether. The lack of affordable housing is causing homelessness to rise.

In Washington, DC, Congress has held more hearings on housing affordability recently than it has in decades, and President Joe Biden has been ramping up attention on the housing crisis, promising to “build, build, build” to “bring housing costs down for good.” But it’s at the state level where some of the most consequential change is taking place. Over the last five years, Republican and Democratic legislators and governors in a slew of states have looked to update zoning codes, transform residential planning processes, and improve home-building and design requirements. Some states that have stepped up include Oregon, Florida, Montana, and California, as well as states like Utah and Washington. This year, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey passed state-level housing legislation, and Colorado may soon follow suit.

Not all state-level bills have been equally ambitious in addressing the supply crisis, and not all states have been successful at passing new laws, especially on their first few tries. And some states have succeeded in passing housing reform one year, only to strike out with additional bills the next. Real housing reform requires iterative and sustained legislative attention; it almost never succeeds with just one bill signing. Trying to determine why exactly a housing reform bill passes or fails on the state level can be difficult, though advocates say it certainly helps when a governor or other powerful state lawmaker invests time and political capital in mobilizing stakeholders together. Given that housing challenges are not spread equally across a state, sometimes it can be hard to decide whether to pass statewide laws that apply equally to all communities or to pass more targeted legislation aimed only at certain areas. Partly due to pressure from voters and from more organized pro-housing activists, legislative trends are starting to emerge. More states and housing experts are thinking not only about passing laws to boost housing production, but also about how best to enforce those laws, close loopholes, and demand compliance.

States can make it easier to build more housing in a wider variety of places

While states typically grant local communities a lot of discretion in land use policy, more lawmakers are realizing that balance may have tilted too far. As researchers with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis outlined last fall, some states are now looking to increase housing production by enabling more multifamily housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be built without having developers first seek approval from local planning agencies or elected boards. This accelerated construction process is known as building “by right.”

For example, Oregon passed a law in 2019 allowing fourplexes (a multifamily home that typically houses four families under one roof) to be built anywhere in large cities and for duplexes to be built anywhere in mid-size cities. Before, a developer would have needed to seek special permission to build such housing. States like Utah and Massachusetts are incentivizing the construction of new multifamily housing near public transit, while states like California and Florida are making it easier to build residential housing in places zoned for retail. Other states, like Maine and Vermont, are making it easier to build ADUs, which are second (and smaller) residential units on the same plot of land as one’s primary residence, like apartments or converted garages.

Vox reports on how states are finally beginning to step on solving the housing crisis.

[btbigelow]

venting/rambling about tariffs

So obviously I think they're a dumb fucking idea for many, many, many different reasons I'm not gonna go into, but I figured I'd talk about what it means for me personally.

So, the grand majority of my convention stock is prints and buttons. The buttons I get made by Vograce, a Chinese company, while my posters and my medium prints are made by Fireball Printing, which is based in Philadelphia. (They're way better at capturing ultra-saturated colors, particularly purple and cyan hues.) I get my stickers made by Custom Stickers, which is in Utah. I don't know where Fireball gets their paper and if that would complicate the manufacturing process. I also don't know if Custom Stickers has supply issues that would entail them having to raise their prices. I make my own mini prints, but I get the necessary paper and ink from Red River Paper and Canon respectively. I THINK I can find a good button maker in the US as a lot of people have their own button presses, but I love using Vograce and I've been very satisfied with the quality and the pricing. I also use Vograce for my charms, and hooooly shit the charms, especially the epoxy ones, are so good. I clipped one onto my car keys and I've yeeted the damn thing halfway across the planet, dropped it, crushed it, stepped on it, pissed on it, and it has very little wear and tear to show for it. I don't sell a lot of the keychains and I'm still sitting on a fuckton of stock (one of my many questionable business choices OTL) so chances are I won't really need to restock for a long time. I was planning on expanding into more designs when I actually started making enough money to warrant it. As for pillows, I wanted to make pillows of other Devil Fruits but that also has to wait. idk. I'm just-- bummed, but I'm probably not going to be as severely affected as other artists. I know people who have lanyards, keychains, pillows, t-shirts, tumblers, mugs, blankets, shaker charms, etc, etc, etc, and the grand majority of those products certainly weren't made in America. And unlike myself, that's the majority of their stock. That's how they make money. They're the ones who are really shitting their pants, and I'm really concerned for how they're gonna make out of this. People like to bag on the whole 'made in China' deal because they see it as cheap sweatshop labor but that's really not always the case. Vograce in particular has excellent quality and they received glowing reviews for workplace safety and ethics. I've heard "just go with an American company instead!" as both well-meaning advice and as a bad-faith gotcha from crypto-turds who see me as just another dropshipper, and sure, while I'd love to see American manufacturing infrastructure improve, in the short term, it really fucking sucks. I don't know how many American manufacturers are gonna provide the same level of quality and attentiveness without charging me out the butthole. And, christ, that doesn't even go into supply chain bullshit that might make my American manufacturers more expensive for me. anyway, like, fuck Trump. You get the government you voted for. Or didn't vote for. You end up with a cabal of insufferable, meme-poisoned dipshits who have convinced the dumb fucking red pill podcast demographic that they understand how business works while stealing the cash out of your pocket.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA flies to improve satellite data

In February, NASA's ER-2 science aircraft flew instruments designed to improve satellite data products and Earth science observations. From data collection to processing, satellite systems continue to advance, and NASA is exploring how instruments analyzing clouds can improve data measurement methods.

Researchers participating in the Goddard Space Flight Center Lidar Observation and Validation Experiment (GLOVE) used the ER-2—based at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California—to validate satellite data about cloud and airborne particles in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists are using GLOVE instruments installed onboard the aircraft to measure and validate data about clouds generated by satellite sensors already orbiting in space around Earth.

"The GLOVE data will allow us to test new artificial intelligence algorithms in data processing," said John Yorks, principal investigator for GLOVE and research physical scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "These algorithms aim to improve the cloud and aerosol detection in data produced by the satellites."

The validation provided by GLOVE is crucial because it ensures the accuracy and reliability of satellite data. "The instruments on the plane provide a higher resolution measurement 'truth' to ensure the data is a true representation of the atmospheric scene being sampled," Yorks said.

The ER-2 flew over various parts of Oregon, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada, as well as over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. These regions reflected various types of atmospheres, including cirrus clouds, marine stratocumulus, rain and snow, and areas with multiple types of clouds.

"The goal is to improve satellite data products for Earth science applications," Yorks said. "These measurements allow scientists and decision-makers to confidently use this satellite information for applications like weather forecasting and hazard monitoring."

The four instruments installed on the ER-2 were the Cloud Physics Lidar, the Roscoe Lidar, the enhanced Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Airborne Simulator, and the Cloud Radar System. These instruments validate data produced by sensors on NASA's Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) and the Earth Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE), a joint venture between the ESA (European Space Agency) and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).

IMAGE: Piloted by NASA’s Tim Williams, the ER-2 science aircraft ascends for one of the final science flights for the GSFC Lidar Observation and Validation Experiment (GLOVE) on Feb. 1, 2025. As a collaboration between engineers, scientists, and aircraft professionals, GLOVE aims to improve satellite data products for Earth Science applications. Credit: NASA/Steve Freeman

[noralaxo]

Revo Technologies Murray Utah: Driving Innovation in the Local Tech Scene

Revo Technologies stands out as a key player when we think of tech innovation in Murray, Utah. This growing company has been making waves in the local tech scene, offering advanced solutions in AI, data analytics, and automation. By focusing on helping businesses improve efficiency and streamline their processes, Revo Technologies Murray Utah is contributing to the region’s transformation into a hub for technological advancements.

As Murray, Utah continues to attract tech talent and innovative companies, Revo Technologies is helping lead the charge. Their work spans the automotive, healthcare, and manufacturing industries, offering customized solutions that address unique challenges in today’s fast-moving digital world.

Revo Technologies Murray Utah is positioned at the forefront of the next wave of technological growth in a city with a rich history and a growing tech ecosystem. It’s exciting to see how companies like Revo are shaping the future right here in Utah.

[fenrislorsrai]

Burba developed a third way, called direct lithium extraction, in 1995. In DLE, brine is pumped through cylinders made of a fiber-reinforced polymer and filled with crystalline granules slightly larger than grains of sand. Lithium ions get stuck, much like contaminants in an ordinary water filter, but the granules release the prized metal when the cylinder is flushed with fresh water. The process takes less than an hour to extract lithium that would otherwise take months or years to mine or to concentrate through evaporation, and it doesn’t ruin large stretches of land or pollute millions of gallons of water. - - -

That opened the door for Burba and International Battery to be the first to commercially mine lithium in North America using DLE. The company disassembled its modular plant in Louisiana, and shipped it on trucks to Skull Valley, Utah, where it was reassembled at a facility owned by U.S. Magnesium that has been producing magnesium from the Great Salt Lake for more than fifty years and has large ponds of leftover salts. Burba struck a deal to strip the lithium out of that waste. International Battery says it should initially produce 4,500 tons of lithium per year there, enough for more than 10,000 Tesla Model S batteries. The Utah opportunity simply came together faster than any of the potential plays in Texas. 

Worth reading whole article for details on how and where it may be implemented in the US, but the paragraphs I pulled out to highlight HOW it works and potential impacts give you general sense. It can either pull brine direct from underground or other source OR can pull from waste brine from other industrial uses if its got lithium.

the potential to pull from waste stream that's a source of pollution and make it LESS of a problem is very exciting. It doesn't get rid of all the waste, but you're effectively mining a spot that's already damaged so you're doing slight improvement while not making anywhere else worse.

Not all brine has lithium. The highest concentrates are in Texas. But conventional mining is EXTREMELY destructive. This is also a modular system so can get assembled elsewhere and put on a flatbed, so potentially easy to build and export.

[localreviewcom]

Unlocking Business Success with Local Reviews

In today's competitive marketplace, the significance of customer reviews cannot be overstated. They are not just testimonials; they are essential markers of credibility and trustworthiness for any local business. Local Reviews, a groundbreaking platform designed by the renowned team behind Shopper Approved™, Trust Guard™, and Cart Rocket™, empowers local retail businesses, services, and professionals to harness the power of customer feedback effectively.

The Local Reviews Difference

Local Reviews was conceived to simplify the process of collecting reviews for local busgoogle reviewsinesses, making it easier and faster than ever before. At its core, Local Reviews understands that positive customer feedback is the lifeblood of local enterprises. It's not merely about boasting a stellar reputation; it's about leveraging that reputation to enhance online visibility and ultimately drive sales.

Our Proven Track Record

Developed by an award-winning team with a remarkable legacy in software innovation, Local Reviews is part of a lineage that includes Shopper Approved™, a trusted name in customer ratings and reviews. This heritage spans over a decade of excellence, during which our team has been recognized as a 2x Inc. 500 fastest-growing company and received accolades such as Utah Fast 50 and Utah 100 multiple times.

A Commitment to Growth

Local Reviews is the brainchild of a privately held US-owned and operated company headquartered in Ogden, Utah. Our team is driven by a shared passion for software development and a deep-seated commitment to helping our clients succeed. We understand the challenges faced by local businesses in today's dynamic marketplace and are dedicated to providing them with the tools they need to thrive.

Empowering Local Businesses

What sets Local Reviews apart is its user-friendly approach. We recognize that time is a precious commodity for local business owners and professionals. Therefore, our platform is designed to seamlessly integrate into existing workflows, allowing businesses to effortlessly gather, manage, and showcase customer reviews.

Building Trust, Driving Sales

The impact of customer reviews on consumer behavior cannot be underestimated. Research consistently shows that a majority of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase decision. Positive reviews build trust and confidence in potential customers, leading to increased foot traffic and higher conversion rates.

Key Features of Local Reviews

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If you're a local retail business, service provider, or professional looking to enhance your online presence and drive sales, Local Reviews is your solution. Join the ranks of businesses that have leveraged the power of customer feedback to achieve unprecedented success.

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[dertaglichedan]

Gov. Newsom's 1,200 tiny homes for California homeless remain vacant

More than a year after Gov. Gavin Newsom promised California's homeless 1,200 tiny homes, none of them have welcomed a single resident.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In March 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom stood before a crowd in Sacramento’s Cal Expo event center and made a promise: He’d send 1,200 tiny homes to shelter homeless residents in the capital city and three other places throughout the state.

The move was part of Newsom’s push to improve the homelessness crisis by quickly moving people out of encampments and into more stable environments. But more than a year later, none of those tiny homes have welcomed a single resident. Only about 150 have even been purchased.

Irontown Modular, one of six vendors the state chose to supply the tiny homes in Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles and San Diego County, is “absolutely shocked” that they’ve received no orders, said Kam Valgardson, general manager of the Utah-based company.

“The big problem is that the homeless people aren’t getting served,” Valgardson said. “I can complain as a business, but these homeless people are getting no support, no relief. The money’s been promised, but something’s broken in the process and nobody’s placing orders.”

There have been multiple delays and about-faces, over everything from the way the state is funding the units to the ability of local cities and counties to find places to put them. The state has suggested the delays are the fault of local governments. But tiny homes have failed to materialize even when local leaders moved quickly to approve a project site. 

[usafphantom2]

F-35 and F-22 fly successfully with common software during innovative test project

AFMC's innovation team revolutionizes the fleet of poachers.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/06/2023 - 11:15 in Military

An F-35A Lightning II of the 461º USAF Flight Test Squad recently flew with a complement of government-developed software applications and industry vendors previously tested on the F-22 Raptor - demonstrating for the first time the ability to use the same tactical software applications on both stealth fighters.

This success was immediately followed by another milestone when these applications were updated by software developers at Hill Air Base, Utah and flew at Edwards Air Base less than 24 hours later.

These F-35 flights were the latest successes of an innovation project developed by a team of test pilots from Edwards Air Base, software developers from the 309º Software Engineering Group and the Federal Laboratory of the Air Combat Command. This project has already achieved three important advances that team members call watersheds for the future of the stealth fighter fleet and, potentially, of all Department of Defense aircraft.

These innovations are the ability to use the same software on different military aircraft; the ability to obtain this software from a diverse set of suppliers, including software industry leaders and government laboratories; and the ability to update this software in less than a day, 30 to 60 times faster than was previously possible. Together, these improvements are ready to provide cutting-edge technology to the stealth fighter fleet at a fraction of the current time and cost, team members said.

Historically, military aircraft rely exclusively on the aircraft manufacturer to perform software updates or modifications, with limited ability to integrate software from external suppliers. In addition, due to the integrated nature of stealth aircraft software, the development and implementation of software changes previously required a time-consuming process, limiting frontline aircraft to annual software updates, regardless of developments and operational requirements.

In short, each aircraft required a unique development and testing process, increasing costs and delaying implementation.

To change this dynamic, the team team teamed up to develop and implement a "application store" owned and controlled by the government for these fighters. This was achieved by combining government-owned software architecture with advanced processing on board these aircraft and creating a government software space for new tactical software. The team is now working to fill this space with the advanced features that these fighters need to maintain their dominance in the skies.

“The ability to use common software on the F-35 and F-22 will dramatically change the way we bring resources to the front line,” said Lieutenant Colonel Raven LeClair, co-founder of the F-35 project and test pilot. "Now, instead of defining, buying, testing and fielding a software capacity on each aircraft individually, we can gain a lot of efficiency by developing a capacity once and putting it on all 5ª generation fighters, saving hundreds of millions of dollars, if not more, in development costs and saving years in development time."

The team also highlighted the benefits brought by access to a larger group of software vendors.

"There has been a lot of attention to how the military can take advantage of the best contributions from the government, industry and academia to maintain its advantage, but historically there are considerable barriers to entry into the defense market," said Major Allen Black of the F-22 co-founder and test pilot project. "This is especially true with aircraft software, since only the aircraft manufacturer can develop and integrate software into the aircraft. They produce a fantastic product, but being able to add to this baseline features created by software leaders in areas such as AI/autonomy and cybersecurity will be transformative. This has the added benefit of increasing the number of companies and personnel working to modernize and improve our fleet of combat aircraft, resulting in greater performance and faster progress in the modernization of our aircraft."

While emphasizing the significant benefits of cross-platform compatibility and a more open market for software, the team is quick to point out that speed of delivery is perhaps the most important.

"This project helps to establish the necessary foundation for the use of agile combat. We need to be able to quickly adapt and update our weapon systems based on emerging information or variable conditions during the execution of distributed operations," said Marine Corps Major Kyle McLeod, F-35 Lightning II Test Pilot and Project Leader.

"The National Defense Strategy identifies the need to quickly experiment and expedite acquisitions to provide capabilities to the combatant on strategically relevant deadlines," said Major Cameron Jones, F-22 test pilot and part of the founding team. "It is vital that we are able to develop and deliver capacity quickly, because using the best software in the world will not make a difference if it is too late for the fight."

The team has taken on this mission and is working to establish this capability in existing weapon systems that were not originally built to accommodate the modern pace of software innovation.

"This project allows us to load new software and update existing software, separate from the safety of the aircraft's flight systems, so that we can make changes in a matter of hours, instead of months," Jones said. "This feature means that developers will be able to make quick changes based on pilot feedback, drastically reducing the time to obtain a usable product."

“This project helps to establish the necessary foundation for the use of agile combat,” said Marine Corps Major Kyle McLeod, the project's main F-35 test pilot. "We need to be able to quickly adapt and update our weapon systems based on emerging information or variable conditions during the execution of distributed operations. We demonstrated exactly that with this test. We flew with a set of applications in Edwards, updated the simulated threat data set in the development site software at Hill Air Base, and flew the software again in less than 24 hours."

"One of the team's top priorities has been to leverage this new technology to help protect these aircraft from cyber attacks," said Omar Morales, a leading software engineer of the 309º SWEG F-35 Lightning II.

"In addition to ensuring cyber best practices in the software development pipeline, we are also using this new software environment to add cyber protection tools from industry leaders," Morales said. "Our test included cybersecurity applications that we are evaluating that can monitor the aircraft and identify anomalous behaviors. We are working to leverage these types of products to allow us to identify and correct possible cyber problems quickly, even between missions, while also defending the aircraft in real time."

Team members say that the benefits of this project go beyond the improved software features they bring to the aircraft. The project is proving to be a source of inspiration and motivation for those who have joined the world of testing to make a difference.

"Working on this project has been incredibly rewarding for our team, as our people genuinely believe that they are making a difference for our nation," said Jarron Lembke, leader of the 309º SWEG project team.

The idea was submitted to the annual Spark Tank competition of the Air Force, advancing to become a finalist, where it was presented to the senior leaders of the Air Force, including the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General CQ Brown, Jr. General of Operations John "Jay" Raymond. The project is now part of the Innovation Portfolio of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force and continues to revolutionize the development and field of software, including continuous work on software to control unmanned wings.

Tags: Military AviationF-22 RaptorF-35 Lightning IIUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Daytona Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work around the world of aviation.

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[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alaina Demopoulos at The Guardian:

For Mikyla Page, keeping a three year-old daughter healthy is serious business. Before eating anything, the stay-at-home mom reads an ingredients list, staying away from artificial colors, flavors, dyes, and excess sugar. She doesn’t support vaccination, instead believing that “bathing in sunlight” will keep her family healthy, making sure her family gets outside every day to soak up vitamin D. At first, Page felt alone in her choices. “You’re called crazy for even questioning the medical field,” she said. “My intuition was telling me one thing, but the world was telling me something else. My husband was like, ‘Are you sure this is where you want to go?’ I just went with my gut.”

Now, with Robert F Kennedy Jr tapped by Donald Trump to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services, Page, who is 26 and lives in Utah, feels vindicated. Kennedy is well known for his history of pushing baseless health claims that sometimes veer into tinfoil hat territory – he’s said that chemicals in the water supply affect a child’s gender identity, and that Covid was “ethnically targeted” to spare Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese people. He has also long advocated against vaccines, repeating the debunked claim made by the discredited British doctor Andrew Wakefield that the vaccines cause autism.

Kennedy’s supporters include an army of self-identified “crunchy moms” like Page, who are especially drawn to one proposal in particular: improving Americans’ diets and reeling in the processed food industry. In November, he accused major manufacturers of “poison[ing]” kids. Moms on social media adopted the hashtag #MAHA, which has been used in over 224,000 TikTok videos (Kennedy has promised to “make America healthy again” – a play on Donald Trump’s trademark slogan that’s often shortened to Maha). Anyone can consider themselves Maha, but mothers in particular have become its fiercest evangelists online, where they post videos explaining their politics while cooking dinner or resting a swaddled baby in their arms. Maha can be seen as the alliance of multiple health-focused subcultures. Along with crunchy moms, there are influencers and entrepreneurs who use the movement to peddle supposedly non-toxic brands of baby wipes or moisturizers. There are the chronically ill, who feel failed by the medical establishment. There are the yogis and wellness bros who believe that it’s possible to optimize your way to a better life, to heal oneself without the help of mainstream medicine. And then there is Trump – famously a McDonald’s lover, and not exactly the picture of health – and his supporters, who politicize Maha as a rallying cry against science-based elites.

But moms have a special place within the movement. They are the kinds of voters that the Democrats thought they had locked up when Kamala Harris ran on a history of prosecuting sex offenders and a platform of abortion rights. But, Page says, it was Kennedy who mad her feel legitimized for the first time. “It’s nice to have somebody backing you up, especially a male [such as Kennedy], because I feel like sometimes men take longer to catch on to these things since they don’t have a maternal instinct,” Page said. “It’s nice to have someone like Robert Kennedy and Trump to see these issues.” Page says she’s most excited for Kennedy to “crack down on dyes in food and helping the [Food and Drug Administration] regulate that”. One specific dye, the petroleum-based red 3 that’s ubiquitous in American junk food, may be banned by the FDA soon for use in food – it’s been banned in cosmetics since 1990 – since it has been found to be carcinogenic in animals. A number of Democrats, including the New Jersey congressman Frank Pallone, have sought to have the dye banned. The FDA’s current review is not related to Kennedy, though he is in favor of a ban.

[...] The past decade-plus has seen the rise of the momfluencer, women who project an impossible image of soft, mess-free, domestic bliss. They sell new mothers a fantasy – as well as promoting the products they say are required to attain it. These brands are always “non-toxic” or “organic”. Kennedy also uses this language, and his audience is primed to respond to it. Kennedy has also declared war on the “chronic illness epidemic”. Women are disproportionately affected by chronic illnesses such as depression, endometriosis, and Alzheimer’s, but doctors are less likely to listen to them. Kennedy’s promise to overhaul systems like the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention takes on a common enemy: the idea of a traditional doctor in a white lab coat. Maha women might have felt dismissed or gaslighted by this figure, so they root against the status quo and look for alternatives – no matter how untested, or potentially dangerous.

The Guardian has an informative story on how crunchy mom influencers are embracing the MAHA vision for America, but they aren't the only health-related subculture that has joined the RFK-MAHA ride.

[excalibelle]

hi i also used this!!! been 2 years and counting !!! i wont lie, at least in utah, they still don't leave u the fuck alone after u pull ur records, but it DID improve for me, and if nothing else it really gave me the closure i needed to put this cult firmly in the rear view mirror where it belongs. the hardest part of the process was taking pre-made docs to the bank to get them notarized. literally. it cost me NOTHING. the effort was minimal. my wait time wasn't even very bad (a couple months iirc?). this service is INCREDIBLE 💙

Legitimate *pro bono legal services* don’t exist without a good reason. In a few of the exmormon groups I’m in you’ll see regular posts saying stuff like “Look what my lawyer sent me today!” with a pic of their resignation confirmation letter from the church.

You know. Just stuff that a normal average church that is definitely not actually a cult would do. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

🙄

[winterweaver10]

Say Goodbye to Unwanted Hair: The Rise of Laser Hair Removal in Utah

In today's fast-paced world, convenience and efficiency are top priorities, even when it comes to personal grooming. Unwanted body hair can be frustrating to manage with traditional methods like shaving, waxing, or tweezing. These techniques are often time-consuming, painful, and offer only short-term results. That’s why laser hair removal utah has become one of the most popular beauty treatments in recent years. With its promise of long-lasting smooth skin and minimal discomfort, it's no surprise that people are ditching razors and wax strips in favor of this advanced solution.

What is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is a medical procedure that uses a concentrated beam of light (laser) to remove unwanted hair. The laser targets the pigment in the hair follicles, heating them up and ultimately destroying their ability to regrow hair. This method is highly effective for people with dark hair and light skin, though new technology is making it more inclusive for all skin tones.

The process is precise, quick, and relatively painless. Most patients need between 6 to 8 sessions for optimal results, depending on the area treated and the individual’s hair growth cycle. Common treatment areas include the face, underarms, legs, bikini line, and back.

Why is Laser Hair Removal Trending in Utah?

Utah’s growing population of beauty-conscious individuals is constantly looking for reliable, time-saving skincare solutions. Laser hair removal checks all the boxes:

Long-Lasting Results: Unlike waxing or shaving, laser hair removal offers results that last for months or even years.

Minimal Maintenance: After the initial treatment sessions, occasional touch-ups are all that’s needed.

Improved Technology: The development of modern devices has made the treatment more effective and less painful.

Healthier Skin: Say goodbye to razor burns, ingrown hairs, and skin irritation.

With professional clinics and medspas offering the latest technology, residents of Utah now have easy access to this revolutionary treatment.

Key Benefits of Laser Hair Removal

Let’s dive deeper into the specific advantages that make laser hair removal a go-to choice for many:

1. Time and Money Saver

Think about how much time is spent shaving weekly or the recurring cost of waxing sessions. Laser hair removal may have a higher upfront cost, but it pays off in the long run by eliminating the need for regular hair removal routines.

2. Precision Targeting

Lasers can precisely target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin untouched. This level of accuracy makes it ideal for small areas like the upper lip or bikini line.

3. Speed and Efficiency

Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs simultaneously. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in minutes, while larger areas like the legs might take about an hour.

4. Improved Skin Quality

Besides reducing hair, laser treatment often improves skin texture by eliminating ingrown hairs and reducing irritation. Over time, skin becomes smoother and more even-toned.

Addressing the Pain Myth: Is It Really Pain-Free?

A common concern for first-timers is whether laser hair removal hurts. The good news? Modern devices have made treatments far more comfortable than in the past. Many clinics now offer painless laser hair removal services using advanced cooling systems and optimized laser settings that minimize discomfort.

Most people describe the sensation as a quick snap of a rubber band or a warm prick. For sensitive areas, numbing creams can also be used to enhance comfort. Compared to the sting of waxing or the itch of shaving, laser treatment is often the preferred experience.

Who is an Ideal Candidate?

Laser hair removal works best for people with light skin and dark hair due to the way lasers target pigment. However, advancements in technology have made it safer and more effective for people with darker skin tones. A consultation with a certified professional will help determine if you’re a suitable candidate and what results to expect.

It’s also important to avoid tanning and certain medications before your treatment, as these can affect your skin’s sensitivity to the laser.

What to Expect Post-Treatment

After a session, it’s normal to experience mild redness or swelling, which usually subsides within a few hours. Patients are advised to avoid sun exposure and apply sunscreen regularly. Hair will begin to shed within a few days, and with each session, regrowth will become thinner and slower.

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

Laser hair removal is a smart investment in long-term grooming. It not only saves time and money but also promotes smoother, healthier skin. If you’re tired of the endless cycle of shaving and waxing, it may be time to consider this advanced solution.

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Struggling with Visibility? Salt Lake City SEO Agency Secrets for Dominating Local Search

If your business isn’t showing up in local search results, you’re missing out on valuable traffic, leads, and revenue. Local visibility is critical to growth, and it’s no longer optional in a competitive market like Utah. As a trusted Salt Lake City SEO agency, Sites by Sara understands the strategies needed to help your business climb search rankings and dominate your local area. SEO is more than just keywords—it's about creating an integrated digital presence that earns trust from both users and search engines.

Why Local SEO Matters More Than Ever

Search engines have evolved, and so have your potential customers. Nearly every local purchase begins with a search, and people expect to find reliable businesses right in their area. If you’re not ranking in the top results, you’re essentially invisible. A strong local SEO strategy helps your business appear in local map listings, organic search, and voice queries. Partnering with a Salt Lake City SEO agency gives you access to the tools and insights needed to optimize your site and listings for maximum exposure.

Google My Business: The Core of Local SEO

An optimized Google My Business (GMB) profile is the foundation of any effective local SEO campaign. It’s often the first thing potential customers see when they search for services in your area. At Sites by Sara, we ensure your GMB is complete, accurate, and engaging with updated services, high-quality images, and keyword-rich descriptions. Our Salt Lake City SEO agency also helps manage reviews and Q&A to boost your credibility and ranking.

On-Page Optimization for Local Relevance

Beyond your business listing, your website must signal local relevance to search engines. This includes optimizing metadata, headers, and page content with geographic terms and local keywords. Our team performs comprehensive keyword research specific to Salt Lake City and your industry, then crafts content that naturally includes these terms. A successful Salt Lake City SEO agency knows how to balance SEO-friendly content with a human-friendly experience—both are essential for conversion and ranking.

Technical SEO That Powers Performance

Search engines prioritize websites that are fast, secure, and mobile-friendly. We run thorough audits to identify and resolve technical issues such as broken links, slow loading times, and crawl errors. Schema markup is added to give search engines more context about your business, enhancing your chances of appearing in rich snippets. A proactive Salt Lake City SEO agency like Sites by Sara handles these backend tasks so your website performs at its best every time.

Building Local Authority with Strategic Content

Creating and publishing consistent, high-quality content helps establish your business as an authority in your field. Blog posts, location-specific landing pages, FAQs, and service descriptions should all incorporate targeted keywords while providing real value to readers. We develop content that highlights your connection to Salt Lake City, uses local terms, and answers the questions your audience is already searching for. Our Salt Lake City SEO agency ensures your content aligns with both SEO best practices and brand voice.

Local Link Building and Citations

Links from other reputable local websites help establish your site’s authority and improve rankings. We identify and secure backlinks from relevant directories, local blogs, business organizations, and chamber listings. We also ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms. These local citations boost trust with search engines and help your business rise in the rankings. A knowledgeable Salt Lake City SEO agency manages this process efficiently and accurately.

Ongoing SEO Strategy and Analytics

SEO is not a one-time project—it’s an ongoing effort that requires constant monitoring and adjustment. We track keyword positions, site traffic, and user behavior to evaluate performance and identify areas for improvement. Our team adjusts content, structure, and strategy based on data-driven insights, helping your business stay ahead of changing algorithms and competitors. With a proactive Salt Lake City SEO agency guiding your SEO campaign, your visibility continues to grow month after month.

Call to Action

Don’t let your business stay hidden while competitors take the spotlight. Partner with a Salt Lake City SEO agency that understands the local market and has the expertise to get you seen. Contact Sites by Sara today to improve your visibility and attract more local customers. Call us at (385) 355-5351 to get started on a custom SEO plan that delivers real results.

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How Property Management in Utah Can Boost Your Rental Income

As the real estate market in Utah continues to grow, property owners and investors are increasingly turning to professional Utah Property Management services to maximize their rental income. One such company making waves in the industry is Rize Property Management. With years of experience in the field, they specialize in helping property owners get the most out of their residential rental properties in Utah.

Effective property management can significantly enhance the profitability of a rental property. From setting the right rental price to handling maintenance requests and ensuring tenants are satisfied, the responsibilities of a landlord can be time-consuming and complex. By partnering with experienced property management companies in Utah, property owners can enjoy a hassle-free investment while increasing their return on investment (ROI).

Rize Property Management, known for its professional and transparent services, works closely with clients to create a tailored approach to managing residential properties. With an in-depth knowledge of the local market, Rize Property Management ensures that rental rates are competitive yet profitable, striking the perfect balance to attract tenants without underpricing the property. Their extensive market research provides clients with the insights needed to set the right rental prices, contributing to increased revenue.

Another key factor in boosting rental income is maintaining a high occupancy rate. residential property management in Utah requires careful tenant screening to ensure the right fit. With Rize Property Management, property owners benefit from a thorough vetting process, which includes background checks, credit history analysis, and verification of rental references. This helps minimize tenant turnover, reduce vacancy periods, and ultimately keep the rental income flowing consistently.

Property maintenance is another essential element that plays a crucial role in maximizing rental income. Tenants expect their living space to be well-maintained, and properties that are neglected tend to experience higher turnover rates. Rize Property Management offers proactive maintenance services to keep properties in top shape, reducing costly repairs in the future and ensuring that tenants remain satisfied with their living conditions. Timely maintenance also helps prevent larger issues that can arise from neglect, such as plumbing or electrical problems, which can cause significant financial losses if not addressed promptly.

Moreover, one of the challenges many property owners face is navigating local laws and regulations. In Utah, landlord-tenant laws are ever-changing, and staying compliant can be challenging. Rize Property Management stays up to date with the latest legal requirements, ensuring that all aspects of property management are handled in accordance with the law. From rental agreements to eviction processes, Rize Property Management ensures that property owners are protected from legal issues that could negatively affect their income.

In addition to legal expertise, property management companies like Rize Property Management leverage technology to streamline processes, making it easier for tenants to pay rent, request maintenance, and communicate with the property management team. This ease of access improves tenant satisfaction, leading to longer tenancies and a more stable income stream for property owners.

In conclusion, utah property management is a valuable service that can significantly boost rental income by reducing vacancies, improving tenant retention, ensuring legal compliance, and maintaining the property. With trusted Property Management Companies in Utah like Rize Property Management, property owners can relax knowing their investments are in good hands. Visit www.rizepropertymanagement.com today to learn more about how they can help you maximize your rental income.

Contact Information:

Rize Property Management

Address: 1600 S State St, Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States

Call us:+1 801-210-7002

Map: https://goo.gl/maps/xusazsTKN7UkFxL79

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What is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimizing your website to improve its visibility on search engines like Google. When someone types in “best pizza in Layton” or “emergency plumber Ogden,” SEO determines whether your business shows up at the top of the results or gets buried on page five SEO explained.

It involves both technical and creative strategies to make your website more attractive to search engines and easier for customers to find. The better your SEO, the more likely people in Utah will discover your business when they search online.

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Gov. Newsom's 1,200 tiny homes for California homeless remain vacant

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In March 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom stood before a crowd in Sacramento’s Cal Expo event center and made a promise: He’d send 1,200 tiny homes to shelter homeless residents in the capital city and three other places throughout the state.

The move was part of Newsom’s push to improve the homelessness crisis by quickly moving people out of encampments and into more stable environments. But more than a year later, none of those tiny homes have welcomed a single resident. Only about 150 have even been purchased.

Irontown Modular, one of six vendors the state chose to supply the tiny homes in Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles and San Diego County, is “absolutely shocked” that they’ve received no orders, said Kam Valgardson, general manager of the Utah-based company.

“The big problem is that the homeless people aren’t getting served,” Valgardson said. “I can complain as a business, but these homeless people are getting no support, no relief. The money’s been promised, but something’s broken in the process and nobody’s placing orders.”

There have been multiple delays and about-faces, over everything from the way the state is funding the units to the ability of local cities and counties to find places to put them. The state has suggested the delays are the fault of local governments. But tiny homes have failed to materialize even when local leaders moved quickly to approve a project site.