Latest news with #Latta
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Electrical manufacturers back bill to assess energy supply chain
This story was originally published on Utility Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Utility Dive newsletter. Legislation directing the U.S. secretary of energy to conduct assessments of the U.S. electricity generation and transmission supply chains was approved by a House energy subcommittee on Thursday and now goes to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The Electric Supply Chain Act directs the energy secretary to prepare 'periodic assessments' that include 'any trends, risks, and vulnerabilities in the supply, demand, and availability of components for or related to generating or transmitting electricity, including components that are necessary for the construction or deployment of facilities that generate or transmit electricity.' The bill would require the secretary of energy to submit a report to Congress within one year of the legislation being enacted. The bill 'takes a proactive approach to identifying and addressing emerging issues that affect the power sector,' Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, said in April at a hearing on ensuring domestic energy reliability. Latta, who is chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's subcommittee on energy, introduced the legislation. Electrical equipment manufacturers say they support the bill. 'We must prioritize grid reliability by ensuring all relevant voices involved in supplying energy are at the table, including supply chain vendors and the manufacturers of critical grid components,' Spencer Pederson, senior vice president of public affairs for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, said in a statement. The legislation would allow grid component manufacturers and supply chain vendors to 'provide the energy sector with greater clarity around their current and future capacity, opportunities for growth, and challenges related to maintaining a secure and resilient supply chain,' he said. 'More insight into the grid's component supply chains also will strengthen national security.' Having electrical manufacturers work with the Department of Energy's supply chain assessment will also help 'identify where potential issues related to 'foreign entities of concern' and other emerging issues might have national security concerns,' Pederson said. The bill calls for the supply chain assessment to include 'the effects of any reliance of the United States on any foreign entity of concern' related to electrical components and 'the exploration, development, or production of critical materials necessary for manufacturing such components.' 'America does not currently have the supply chain we require for true grid security,' Danielle Russo, executive director of the Center for Grid Security for SAFE, an energy and transportation security nonprofit, said in a statement. Analysis and recommendations from DOE "will be valuable in directing public policy toward strategies to secure our grid component supply chains.' Minerals are critical energy inputs and are intensive to process, noted Abigail Hunter, executive director of SAFE's Center for Critical Mineral Strategy. Latta's bill 'will unearth supply chain vulnerabilities affecting our bulk power system and midstream challenges to process those minerals at home,' Hunter said. 'Simultaneously securing inputs and infrastructure is the foundation for energy security and long-term industrial strength.' Recommended Reading Transformer, breaker backlogs persist, despite reshoring progress
Global News
13-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Global News
Score big on aesthetic indoor & outdoor home deals
The Curator independently decides what topics and products we feature. When you purchase an item through our links, we may earn a commission. Promotions and products are subject to availability and retailer terms. These indoor and outdoor deals are here to give your home a major glow up. Whether you're hosting backyard BBQs or furnishing your perfectly curated indoor space, don't miss these exclusive finds – including major markdowns on beautifully crafted pieces by Canadian brands like Article. Read on to shop the sales – but hurry! These fabulous finds won't be discounted for long. Soren 86.5 Inch Outdoor Sofa - Dravite Gray Lounge, float, and forget your to-do list with this ultra comfy outdoor sofa. Crafted from solid eucalyptus wood with naturally unique colour and texture variations, the Soren features water-resistant cushions, and a smart slatted base with a hidden back brace. $1099 at Article (was $1999) Story continues below advertisement Rattan Nightstand Handcrafted with a natural rattan drawer front and solid beechwood legs, this mid-century-meets-boho nightstand features two roomy drawers, an open shelf for daily essentials, and a spacious top – plus, it's easy to assemble and built to last with a sturdy, professionally tested structure and an 18-month warranty for peace of mind. $63.95 on Amazon (was $79.94) Latta Outdoor Dining Table for 6 - Beach Sand Are you envisioning all the fun family times to come around this gorgeous table? From Canadian brand Article, Latta features a solid acacia wood top that gracefully weathers to a soft gray, a convenient umbrella hole for sunny days, and sleek, powder-coated aluminum legs – all coming together in a durable design that assembles in just 15 minutes. $579 at Article (was $989) Armless Wide Office Chair with Wheels Known as the viral criss-cross chair, it's extra wide cushioned base means you can sit comfortably in a criss-cross position. Who says office chairs can't be cute? $170.99 on Amazon (was $199.99) Story continues below advertisement Stonewashed pure lyocell sheet set Fits mattresses up to 16 in A Simons Maison exclusive designed in Canada, this soft, breathable sheet set is made from biodegradable lyocell with moisture-wicking properties and comes in stonewashed, nature-inspired tones; available in multiple sizes with perfectly tailored fitted sheets and matching pillowcases. Grab them while they're 50 per cent off! $49.95 at Simons (was $110.00) Lift Top Coffee Table with Hidden Storage This table is perfect for anyone who loves extra storage to keep their table tops extra clean and minimal. Grab it while it's 32 per cent off! $135.99 on Amazon (was $199.99) King Bed Frame with Storage If you're looking for a bedroom upgrade, check out this luxurious bed frame featuring a regal 52 inch wingback upholstered velvet headboard, a built-in LED light system with over 20 colour options, a charging station, and double storage in the headboard. $399.99 on Amazon (was $459.99) Story continues below advertisement 7 Tier Rotating Shoe Rack Tower Ready to complete your dream closet? This sleek 7-tier rotating shoe rack tower maximizes space, offering an organized, visible display for shoes, bags, and accessories, all while being sturdy, easy to assemble, and a perfect fit for any home decor. $159.98 on Amazon (was $199.98) You may also like: 4 Inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper – $114.90 Modern White Dresser – $161.99 Playpen Baby – $64.98 LED Mirror for Bathroom – $233.99 40 x 22 Inches Electric Height Adjustable Sit to Stand Desk – $151.99
NZ Herald
07-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Nigel Latta on how cancer has changed his approach to money
It was only a few months later that Latta revealed a mixture of chemotherapy and medicine had removed the terminal aspect of his diagnosis. 'The thing I've discovered is that oncology, there's lots of paths and options and there's all these kind of new wonder drugs coming out,' he told Liam Dann on the podcast in late March. 'The original tumour is kind of gone and all of the original metastatic stuff is gone. It jumped fence a little bit, but that's now on the retreat. 'So things are looking pretty good. I've had some dire moments in the last nine months.' The experience has had on lasting impact on Latta. 'I've become a huge advocate of insurance. [My wife] Natalie and I, everyone [who] comes over, we just grill 'em; have you got health insurance, check your assurance, have you got income protection?' In his decades-long career as a clinical psychologist, including fronting a dozen TV shows, money and personal finance has come up several times, including his TVNZ1 series Mind Over Money. However, his experience with cancer has put things into perspective. 'After you take care of the basics and you can pay the bills and feed the kids and do all that kinda stuff, [money] doesn't matter. I'd trade anything to be free of the whole cancer cloak. 'The money stuff literally doesn't matter to me. What matters is time. Money buys me time because insurance has meant that I've been able to get access to some of those drugs and, literally, I think I'd be dead now if I hadn't been able to do that.' He does have one bit of advice for people who are betting big on a winning Lotto ticket for their financial success: 'I think I've bought them about once or twice. To me ... Lotto feels like you're giving up. If your financial plan is Lotto, you've given up, and so you need to kind of get a better financial plan.' As a psychologist, he can understand the appeal. 'I think it's just that immediate thing. We're really good at imagining spending the money and what it would be like and the rest of it, and we don't imagine the vast swimming pool full of ping pong balls ... 'And actually, you're better off putting that $5 towards paying down some expenses or buying a coffee or anything.' Now that cancer is on the backburner, Latta is refocusing on his passion for writing, and on providing sound advice to make people's lives easier. His latest venture is Parentland, an app he has been developing for several years that is designed to give people advice personalised to their kids' development and their temperament. 'So if you've got a stubborn 9-year-old, that's different to an easy-going 5-year-old. Yeah. And so the way that you get those two kids to go to bed at a time that works for everyone is gonna be different. 'And so we've kind of been able to take that kind of secret source of how to do that and put that into an app.' There's a lot of evidence-based material in the app, Latta said, lamenting the vast range of AI-based material available that some parents are relying on. 'This is a thing I've been working on for, I don't know, it really has been kind of 20 years. A lot in the last 10 years and intensively over the last six, and [I've] put thousands of hours into this thing. 'But I think it's really good and I think it can be helpful for people, and we're deliberately pricing it low so that as many people as possible can get access to it. 'We don't want it to be something that only people with tons of money can afford. It's like less than a coffee a week.' Listen to the full episode to hear more from Nigel Latta about his journey from psychologist to presenter, and how his cancer journey has shaped his life going forwards. Money Talks is a podcast run by the NZ Herald. The series is hosted by Liam Dann, business editor-at-large for the Herald. He is a senior writer and columnist, and also presents and produces videos and podcasts. He joined the Herald in 2003.
NZ Herald
07-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Nigel Latta on cancer, resilience and the power of optimism
'I've basically spent 30 years talking about resilience in one form or another,' he says. 'And then this thing comes along and it goes, 'okay, let's see how good you are'.' Now responding well to treatment and a new generation of so-called 'wonder drugs,' Latta is firmly focused on what really matters. Not algorithms, not outrage. But optimism. 'You've gotta keep pushing back into that optimistic space,' he says. 'Because optimism really is a superpower. It really does help.' He's not just being chirpy for the sake of it. 'A number of cancer specialists have talked about the fact that if you're relaxed, if you think the world is a pretty good place, and you're optimistic, your T-cells are more active than if you're pessimistic.' There's something especially grounded about Latta's perspective. Even when he's talking about life-and-death stakes, he's calm, wry, and he hasn't suddenly changed his worldview. 'It affirmed all the things I believed in before,' he says, 'but now I have a new sense of how important they are, and the things that make it hard.' One of those values is faith in people. 'I spent 30 years working with people in all sorts of situations and you see how amazing people are. Kids can go through terrible stuff, and then they pick themselves up. They move on with their life.' Children and families have long been a specialty for Latta. He's written best-selling books like Politically Incorrect Parenting and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Teenagers, and he's still very much in that space. 'I still believe the things I've always thought about parenting,' he says. But he worries about the rise of fringe theories, especially when amplified on social media. 'There's some modern silliness around,' he says. 'There's a thing called 'respectful parenting' which looks to me like something from Monty Python. Like, if you're changing a nappy, you have to ask the baby's permission: 'Look, son, your nappies are dirty. I don't wanna shame you, but would it be all right if I change your nappy?'' He laughs, although his frustration is real. 'Some of that stuff, this idea that kids must never feel bad about anything, and parents must never use consequences, I just don't know how you raise a child like that.' Latta is particularly concerned about how social media distorts parenting culture. 'It's hard for people to know what information they can trust, because everybody sounds like they're speaking facts. But if you dig into the evidence base underneath some of it, it's just not there.' More worrying still, he says, is the way children are used as online props to boost their parents' egos. 'I've never put pictures of my kids up on social media, because I know there are bad people scraping children's pictures off the internet. I don't want my kids' photos up there at all. That's something they can decide when they're adults. Don't put this stuff up there when they're kids.' Latta has little time for social media bragging, either. 'All that super-competitive parenting – 'here's little Johnny who's a national band champion' – like, no one cares. The only people liking it are mocking you anyway.' It's an uncompromising view, especially from someone who's had to look death in the eye, and chosen how to live – optimistically, realistically, and without the nonsense. 'It's okay to be average,' he says. 'That's what we've forgotten.'
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hundreds show up to town hall worried sick over federal cuts but Ohio GOP congressman a no-show
Huron County constituents gather for a town hall. While organizers said they sent multiple invitations to U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, the office of the Republican congressman reportedly never responded and did not show. (Photo by Marilou Johanek, Ohio Capital Journal.) Extra chairs were added to accommodate the overflow crowd at a recent town hall meeting in Ohio's 5th U.S. congressional district, a sprawling territory that includes all or part of 12 counties northwest of Cleveland to the Indiana border. A seat was reserved for U.S. Rep. Bob Latta at a table with a microphone and name placard, but the Bowling Green Republican was a no-show. A local group of Huron County constituents from Firelands Indivisible organized the affair. Members said they reached out to Latta's office on multiple occasions with requests to attend the town hall while the lawmaker was back in the district on recess. Some even tried to hand-deliver an invitation to the congressman's Elyria post. They never heard back from him. Latta's chief of staff, Emily Benavides, informed me her boss would be in 'Seneca and Hancock counties all day' and thus was unable to appear before a large audience of anxious constituents in neighboring Huron County. She emailed a brief platitude about how the nine-term congressman 'appreciates the opportunity to continue meeting and speaking with constituents — including providing timely responses to their inquiries through calls, emails and letters — as he has done throughout his time in public service.' Except, perhaps, when the heat is turned up in Latta's district and people clamor for a traditional town hall. For example, it got pretty hot in the 5th before U.S. House Republicans, including Latta, voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017. Supporters of Obamacare were up in arms across the country over another GOP attempt to repeal the landmark law that extended medical coverage to over 20 million Americans. Local citizens reached out to Latta's office on multiple occasion asking for a traditional town hall to talk health care but heard nothing back (a pattern?). The Republican's hometown newspaper headlined a story about the evasive congressmen: 'Latta missing in action as citizens demand town hall.' The account quoted numerous residents upset that their congressman was 'hiding' from them, ducking a 'real face-to-face town hall with your constituents,'(many of whom benefited from the ACA) doing photo ops to 'give the impression you are listening to your constituents,' or holding poorly publicized 'telephone town halls' where calls can be screened 'so as not to include anything we actually are demanding accountability on.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Fast forward to March 19, 2025. Another headline in another local newspaper noted 'Latta's empty chair' at a Huron County town hall the previous night. But it also detailed something remarkable happening in Ohio and other states. Constituents came in droves to the Norwalk meeting anyway. Nearly 200 of them filed into a community center compelled by the daily firehose of crazy from Washington. These people weren't what Republicans called 'paid protestors' in 2017 and today. The people who went to the event weren't 'agitators' or 'radical leftists' — as GOP leaders in D.C. have claimed about constituents demanding to be heard. They were everyday citizens worried sick about a country unraveling fast. They were newly engaged voters who were paying attention and plenty alarmed. They sought reassurance from their representative in a scary time but had to settle for his MIA snub, instead. Undeterred, they scribbled questions on cards to a panel of experts that filled in for Latta. The specialists focused on local ramifications of the shambolic dismantling of the federal government without any measured planning or forethought. A fifth-generation farmer who once led the Ohio Farmer's Union feared what the random slashing of farm-to-school food programs and farming subsidies (already approved) would do to hard hit farming communities in the state bracing for another round of agricultural tariffs — after losing billions in Trump's 2018 trade war with China. A former Navy pilot who's written extensively on civil-military affairs described the abiding sense of betrayal felt by veterans over sweeping cuts at the VA arbitrarily eliminating thousands of jobs, comprehensive health services and recently expanded benefits — which included zeroed-out spending for a fund meant to cover costs for illnesses linked to military burn pits and other chemical exposure. A medical professional with 30 years in the nursing field warned about devastating consequences to the most vulnerable Ohioans (and especially rural hospitals) from the deep cuts to Medicaid and the ACA's Medicaid expansion that House Republicans, including Latta, put on the table when they passed their budget bill. That could force the largest Medicaid cuts in American history to pay for Trump's 4.6 trillion tax cut to the ultra-rich. An Oberlin college professor was stark about Trump invoking wartime powers to deport undocumented immigrants without due process: 'If he can use this (the Alien Enemies Act of 1798) to deport immigrants he doesn't like, he can then use this act to intern those Americans who say things he doesn't like.' The crowd was also terrified about their earned Social Security benefits being in the crosshairs of the president's unelected billionaire bestie. More than 2.4 million Ohioans rely on the social safety net Elon Musk is taking aim at while pushing changes to make it harder for seniors to access benefits. Latta's constituents were desperate for answers, or at least a public reckoning, about the most serious threats many have ever faced in their lifetimes. He gave them an empty chair. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
