Waymo recalls more than 3,800 robotaxis that might drive onto closed freeways

Source: Engadget

“Waymo is recalling over 3,800 of its self-driving taxis due to a software issue that could cause them to enter closed freeway construction zones at speed, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Admininstration (NHTSA) bulletin seen by Reuters. The company is reportedly working on a fix and has ‘restricted freeway driving,’ the NHTSA safety notice states. It’s not known if Waymo had an incident that prompted the recall. … This is the second recall for the Alphabet-owned robotaxi company in a bit more than a month. Back in May, Waymo recalled 3,791 robotaxis after a vehicle drove onto a flood road in San Antonio. Fortunately, no one was injured as the taxi was unoccupied, but the vehicle was swept away by the flood. Prior to that, the fleet was recalled for a particularly dangerous situation when some of its robotaxis were seen failing to stop for school buses that had their stop signs and flashing lights deployed.” (06/18/26)

https://www.engadget.com/2197051/waymo-recalls-3800-robotaxis-that-might-drive-onto-closed-freeways/

Thomas L. Knapp

Dems want us to focus on Graham Platner’s policies; he fails Maine there, too

Source: Fox News
by Laurel Libby

“Now that Graham Platner is officially the Democratic Party’s chosen candidate to face Sen. Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins this November, his campaign staff and the far-left establishment that back him will undoubtedly spend the next five months trying to contain the fallout from his personal history. They will ask voters to look past the domestic abuse allegations, the rhetoric glorifying political violence, the racially charged comments and the Nazi tattoo. They will argue that those controversies are distractions and urge Mainers to focus instead on the issues facing our state. As a Republican serving in the Maine House, I wholeheartedly agree. Because when Mainers look beyond the colorful Platner headlines and turn their focus to his policies, they will find an extreme version of the same progressive agenda that has already made life harder for working families across our state.” (06/18/26)

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/democrats-want-us-focus-graham-platners-policies-fails-maine

Steve Trinward

CA: San Francisco socialites found dead on side of Interstate 5

Source: SFGate

“The San Francisco arts community is mourning the loss of Judith and Wylie Sheldon, longtime patrons of film and performances in the city. On Monday evening, a California Highway Patrol officer discovered the couple’s bodies inside their car on the side of Interstate 5 north of Redding. Judy was 84, and Wylie was 86. … Lieutenant Josh Smith with the CHP told SFGATE that the couple was traveling to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival when, on June 15 around 5:46 p.m., a CHP officer checked on their Jeep Compass parked along the highway approaching Lake Shasta. The car’s engine was still running, and the couple was found unresponsive inside. … Smith said they do not suspect foul play.” (06/18/26)

https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/san-francisco-patrons-dead-22310168.php

Thomas L. Knapp

Today’s New energy: Clean, Cheap, Safe, and Local

Source: CounterPunch
by John K White

“According to the International Energy Agency, the increase in low-emission power generation last year had already outstripped electricity supply growth, almost all of which was solar and wind as coal- and oil-fuelled power generation dropped. Even more energy dominoes have begun falling since the start of the US-Iran war, aided by rising gasoline prices, as much as 30% in the US and Europe. Reaching 20 million new car sales (roughly 25%) in 2025, increased EV adoption is also putting a dent in global petroleum sales.” (06/18/26)

https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/06/18/todays-new-energy-clean-cheap-safe-and-local/

Thomas L. Knapp

Oppose Graham Platner for His Socialism, Not Just His Outrageous Behavior

Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by William L Anderson

“Thanks in large part to the erratic and often-destructive policies coming from Donald Trump’s White House, the Democrats are favored to win both houses of Congress, as they hope to flip several Republican-held seats in the House and the Senate. One of the most closely-watched races is the Senate campaign in Maine, where upstart Democrat Graham Platner is favored to end Sen. Susan Collins’s long political career. Platner’s campaign has been deemed controversial mostly because of his unhinged behavior with women, his Nazi tattoo, and social media statements that alone would have disqualified most people even before they could run for office. … the political crudeness that has become the hallmark of Trump and his MAGA followers is not the reason that someone as morally compromised as Platner is now the darling of the Democratic Party. Instead, they love Platner because of his unabashed fealty to socialism.” (06/18/26)

https://mises.org/mises-wire/oppose-graham-platner-his-socialism-not-just-his-outrageous-behavior

Thomas L. Knapp

The Outlook for Social Security Gets Worse

Source: Independent Institute
by Craig Eyermann

“Since 2009, Social Security has been running in the red, paying out more in benefits than it collects in payroll taxes imposed on both employees and employers. They have been making up the difference by drawing down the program’s Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund. But as they’ve just indicated, under current law, they expect to only be able to do that until sometime in the fourth quarter of 2032, which is just over eight years from now. When that money runs out, everyone receiving Social Security benefits will see them reduced by 22%.” (06/18/26)

https://www.independent.org/article/2026/06/18/outlook-social-security-gets-worse/

Thomas L. Knapp