Latest news with #Coates
Gizmodo
13 hours ago
- Climate
- Gizmodo
Lousiana House Passes Legislation to Fight Weather-Controlling ‘Chemtrails'
Tinfoil hats are back out amongst Louisiana legislators. Last week, lawmakers in the House passed a bill to ban 'chemtrails' in the state. What are those, exactly? Oh, you know. The white lines left behind by aircraft that conspiracists insist are chemicals released by the government or other agencies for potentially nefarious purposes. People's primary concern with chemtrails used to center around using chemicals to control people. Lately, though, conspiracists have honed in on chemtrails as part of a plot to control the weather. Louisiana's Senate Bill 46 aims to solve that by prohibiting the intentional dispersement of chemicals for the 'express purpose of modifying weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight.' As of now, there aren't any actual fines involved with the ban. However, the bill would require the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to record chemtrail sightings and send data to the state's Air National Guard. Thankfully, lawmakers were thoughtful enough to include exceptions to the ban for specific activities like firefighting. While defending the bill, Rep. Kimberly Landry Coates told fellow lawmakers that 'multiple people. Multiple groups, contractors,' are involved with the conspiracy. When asked by Rep. Candace Newell (D) what chemicals Coates has evidence of, she responded, 'Barium. There is a few, some with long words that I can't pronounce.' Unfortunately for forward-thinking lawmakers like Coates, chemtrails have long been debunked as a bogus conspiracy theory. In 2016, a survey of leading atmospheric scientists 'categorically rejected the existence of a secret spraying program.' Instead, these white streaks are simply contrails formed when emissions from aircraft engines interact with water vapor at high altitudes. Basically, as the Environmental Protection Agency summarized, contrails happen under certain conditions 'for the same reason that we can see our breath on a cold day.' Chemtrail conspiracies have existed for decades. However, MAGA enthusiasts helped drive its resurgence and give it further credibility in official discourse. Last August, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to a tweet about a 'chemtrail pilot whistleblower', writing, 'We are going to stop this crime.' And during a town hall interview with Dr. Phill in April, Kennedy responded to a woman's comment about chemtrails by pushing blame onto another agency and vowing to do everything in his power to stop them. In addition to Louisiana, lawmakers in several other states, including Florida and Pennsylvania, introduced legislation targeting chemicals and geoengineering. Although it may seem silly, these laws may hinder efforts to address climate change. While defending SB46, Coates specifically accused the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of sending chemicals into clouds to reflect sunlight and cool the Earth. 'Wild and wacky ideas, with no basis in truth, are being raised and argued as if they were true — often with little or no media push-back,' Mark Shanahan, a professor at University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, told Newsweek. 'The president sets the tone and so far, Donald Trump has encouraged and enabled the circus of craziness. While US government is more about ratings than effectiveness, this disconnect from reality is set to continue.' SB46 passed Louisiana's House with a vote of 58-32.
Hamilton Spectator
15 hours ago
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton allergy season primed to take off as warm and dry weather approaches
After a slightly delayed start, Hamilton's allergy season is now well underway. 'There's a direct correlation between pollen counts and weather. Pollen loves warm weather,' said Daniel Coates of Aerobiology Research Laboratories, the country's leading pollen monitoring lab. A harsh and snowy winter spelled a later — but still early by historical standards — launch for this year's allergy season, with pollen first recorded in Hamilton on March 11 compared to Feb. 28 in 2024, according to data provided by the Ottawa-based lab. Cooler temperatures in early April and parts of May stalled the season's momentum, creating what Coates likened to a bottleneck effect. He said cold snaps cause pollen to either stop releasing or to release at very low levels. But when the weather suddenly warms — like it did in mid-April — 'we see an explosion of pollen,' Coates said. 'It starts to release over a shorter period of time but at heightened levels.' Among the top culprits this spring are birch, alder, oak, walnut and butternut trees. 'And pine, that yellow dust you see on your car or patio furniture? It's really taking off,' Coates said. 'In the last few weeks, it's been rising to moderate levels, but it's about to hit high and very high levels.' Despite the late start, Hamilton has recorded 33,001 grains of pollen per cubic metre so far this year, compared to the 26,330 grains per cubic metre received over the same period in 2024, according to Coates. And while day-to-day pollen levels fluctuate, Coates said the longer-term trends are clear: Hamilton is getting more pollen, and more of it landing earlier. The same can be said for Canada as a whole. 'Back in 2020, we saw just under 500,000 grains of pollen per cubic metres across Canada. In 2024, it was up close to one million,' Coates said. 'Pollen is like a business; it goes up and down. But if you look at the trend line over the last five years, it's only going one way.' 'As we get into the warmer spring and summer months, it promises to be an active pollen season with high counts,' added Dr. Mariam Hanna, an allergy and asthma specialist at McMaster University who also runs a pediatric clinic in Burlington. Hanna said her clinic still saw patients coming in with bad allergies despite the cool start spring. People should anticipate stronger allergy symptoms as the weather becomes dryer and warmer, she added — especially those who've already experienced them. 'If you were having allergy problems earlier, you might notice it a lot more now as we get into warm days with wind blowing around all the pollen.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Louisiana Republican Points to 'Big White Lines' From Planes as Proof Government Is Manipulating Weather
A bill aimed at banning so-called "chemtrails" advanced in the Louisiana House of Representatives on May 29, with State Rep. Kimberly Landry Coates (R-Ponchatoula) citing the appearance of "big white lines" in the sky as evidence of government-led weather manipulation. Coates defended the bill, SB46, by claiming that aircraft are dispersing chemicals that she said alter weather patterns, WVUE reported. "This bill is to prevent any chemicals above us in the air, specifically to modify the weather," she said on the House floor. Reuters Despite overwhelming scientific consensus that these lines — condensation trails, commonly known as contrails — are harmless byproducts of aircraft exhaust interacting with cold air, Coates and other lawmakers insist they are evidence of a broader government conspiracy. "I've seen the documents with at least nine federal agencies," Coates claimed, when asked who she believes is responsible. She did not offer additional details on the nature of the documents or name the federal agencies. As to which chemicals are being dispersed, Coates cited nanoparticles or aluminum and barium, along with "some with long words I can't pronounce." Contrary to Coates' assertions, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have repeatedly denied use of weather modification programs or chemical agents in the sky. The bill passed with a 58-32 vote, along with amendments requiring the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to log resident complaints about "chemtrails" and share the data with the Louisiana Air National Guard. Penalties for violators were removed from the bill, with Coates saying enforcement should wait until state agencies "understand chemtrails better." "When you look up in the air, you watch for the big white lines across the sky," Coates told Democratic Rep. C. Denise Marcelle (D-Baton-Rouge), saying she sees them on a weekly basis. The bill now heads back to the Senate for concurrence on the House amendments. Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee have also brought forward legislation based on similar unsubstantiated conspiracy theories involving chemtrails, geoengineering, and weather modification. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy applauded the efforts of states "to ban geoengineering our climate by dousing our citizens, our waterways and landscapes with toxins." "This is a movement every MAHA needs to support," Kennedy wrote on X. "HHS will do its part." Originally published on Latin Times
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man dies after being hit by SUV on Route 301 in Charles County, police say
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. () — A 44-year-old man died after he was hit by a car while trying to cross U.S. Route 301 (Crain Highway) in Charles County on Friday, according to police. Just before 2 p.m., troopers from Maryland State Police and deputies from the Charles County Sheriff's Office responded to U.S. Route 301 just north of Smallwood Drive for a serious collision involving a vehicle. Two hurt in crash involving Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service tanker At the scene, police learned that a Chevrolet Traverse driven by a 21-year-old man was traveling north of Smallwood Drive on Crain Highway when a pedestrian, identified as Edward Coates, 44, of Waldorf, was trying to cross the northbound lanes of the highway. That's when, for unknown reasons, Coates crossed into the travel path of the SUV, and it hit him, according to MSP. Medics tried to save Coates, but he died at the scene. Police noted that he was not in a marked or 'implied' crosswalk at the time of the crash. MSP urges anyone who witnessed the crash to contact Sergeant J. Zimmerman of the MSP CRASH Team at (301) 392-1231 or email a statement to The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Live updates: Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial continues after news of Cassie Ventura's birth
Update: Date: 3 min ago Title: Exotic dancer who testified talks to CNN in latest episode of Laura Coates' podcast Content: After 30 years in the media spotlight, there are no cameras at the trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs. But CNN anchor and chief legal analyst Laura Coates takes audiences inside the courtroom in the latest episode of her podcast 'Trial By Jury: Diddy.' Coates shines a light on every move that matters in Diddy's trial for racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and assault to engage in prostitution. In the latest episode, Sharay Hayes, the exotic dancer known by his stage name 'The Punisher' who took the stand last week, sits down with Coates to share a candid telling of his encounters with Combs and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Also, a close associate of both Combs and Cassie provides his perspective on how Combs' control of Ventura's look is important to the prosecution's case. Listen to 'Trial By Jury: Diddy' here. Update: Date: 3 min ago Title: Here's what happened in court yesterday Content: Police and fire investigators who looked into the rapper Kid Cudi's allegations and a celebrity stylist who said he witnessed several assaults testified in the third week of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' federal criminal trial. Prosecutors have said Combs and his inner circle used threats, violence, drugs, bribery, arson, kidnapping and lies to coerce his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and another woman into participating in 'Freak Offs' and to protect the music mogul's reputation. The defense has acknowledged Combs was violent with romantic partners and during opening statements said he had 'a bit of a different sex life.' They also said that while Combs is 'a very flawed individual,' he has not committed the alleged federal crimes. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to life in prison. Here's what we learned Wednesday: LAPD and LAFD investigated Kid Cudi incidents: Judge denies defense request for mistrial: Celebrity stylist details Combs' control over Ventura
