Reading archive 2023-09-19

Pennsylvania rolls out automatic voter registration: The Commonwealth became the 24th state to make voter registration an automatic part of getting a driver's license or identification.

Pinto releases plans to tackle crime as violent summer ends: Package of plans released Monday drew criticism from D.C. judges concerned about the legality of proposed searches

 At Japan’s dementia cafes, forgotten orders are all part of the service

D.C. Area Gets Tens Of Millions In Funding For ‘Tree Equity’

Are electric cars really better for the environment? - "In 2020, building the world’s wind turbines, solar panels, EVs and other clean-energy infrastructure demanded 7 million tons of minerals, estimates the International Energy Agency. Roughly half of this was destined for batteries and EVs. 

"The oil, gas and coal industry, by contrast, extracted the equivalent of 15 billion metric tons in 2019. And the industry will need to extract it year after year to keep supplying energy. Clean-energy technology can use these materials for decades or, if recycled, in perpetuity."

Opinion  This is what taking on election deniers really looks like

Ray Epps, subject of Tucker Carlson's Jan. 6 conspiracy theories, charged by DOJ: Epps, a former supporter of Donald Trump, is set to enter a plea agreement. He told the Jan. 6 committee that the conspiracy theories about him ruined his life.

Betting inside a poke shop, he put D.C.’s sportsbook under attack - "'It’s pretty safe to say this has been the worst rollout of legal sports betting in the United States,' said Dustin Gouker, a veteran of gambling media and a former correspondent for The Post. 'It is the punchline of a joke at this point.'

...

"In 2019, amid the national rush for states to set up sports betting operations, the D.C. Council gave the Lottery near-total control over online and in-person sports betting within District lines and awarded the Greek gaming company Intralot a five-year, $215 million no-bid contract to run GambetDC. Advocates for the deal argued that skipping the usual bidding process would allow for a quick rollout and give the District a head start competing for local customers with Maryland and Virginia, both of which had yet to legalize sports betting.

"Before the Council approved the contract, The Post reported that many of Intralot’s subcontractors had little experience with sports betting but extensive ties to City Hall. The Council approved the deal in a contentious 7-5 vote.

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"After assurances that GambetDC’s accelerated rollout would give the District a competitive advantage, D.C. bettors never took to the app. Along with its clunky interface, GambetDC imposes a 'vigorish' — the sportsbook’s advantage baked into its odds — that’s roughly twice the industry average, according to the prices posted on GambetDC and other sites. 'I tell any sports bettor to never use Gambet,' said Matt Phillips, a local betting analyst with Next Level Sports and Entertainment. 'It’s not beneficial if you want to win money.'

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"As bad as GambetDC’s standard prices are, its oddsmaking is often worse. Alex Monahan, co-founder of the odds tracker OddsJam, said D.C.’s sportsbook has “approximately three times as many inefficiencies” in its odds compared with national operators. In other words, a savvy customer could win frequently enough to overcome GambetDC’s hefty house edge."