SoylentNews

I have used Google to look for previous SN stories for a year or two now. Mainly because there have been inconsistencies with SN's own internal search engine in the past (that may have been fixed since). I use the "site:soylentnews.org" search parameter, plus the keywords, and I have a textbox that automatically adds the "site:soylentnews.org" bit to the query.

While writing this submission:

China Still Has Trouble Staffing the World's Largest Radio Telescope

I'm pretty sure that the following story exists on site, although I don't know where it is or know the headline just yet:

China Can't Find Anyone Smart Enough to Run its Whizzbang $180M 500 Meter Radio Telescope

So I search for stuff like "china radio telescope" and "aperture spherical telescope". No dice.

I use SoylentNews internal search, looking for "Aperture Spherical Telescope", and it works.

Let's try "china radio telescope smart enough". Nope, nothing.

Let's try the exact title of the submission. Welp, there it is, finally. Except that that just before finishing this journal entry a few minutes later, it no longer works (I checked to see if it was a special character issue, and it doesn't seem to be).

This isn't the only example that I've come across, and it seems to have gotten worse in recent weeks. IIRC I had trouble looking for previous stories for an opioid-related submission. These have been popping up often enough that I may just ditch the GOOG for this purpose, especially since SN's search seems to work just fine.

AMD Investor Relations Announces “Next Horizon” Event for November 6th

On Election Day? Gee, what's the bad news?

Anyway, this is likely related to "7nm" Zen 2 Epyc server CPUs, which will debut well before desktop or mobile variants. They might also announce a Radeon RX 590 "12nm" Polaris GPU or talk about "7nm" Vega GPUs.

If Zen 2 Epyc has 64 cores, and Zen+/Zen 2 Threadripper has 32 cores, then Zen 2 Ryzen could have up to 16 cores.

Bear in mind, all of these guys are near my age. None of them can be less than 45 years old, and one or two may be as old as 65.

DJ1 (referencing a news story) And, he really ought to be sent to a psychologist for testing.

DJ2 And, I know a lot of people who should be tested.

DJ1 You know, a lot of radio people have been tested.

DJ3 Thats sounds a little bit like someone here may have been tested?

DJ1 Well, no I never was tested.

DJ2 Wait a minute - you say that like - there's a story there?

DJ3 Yes, tell us about you not being tested.

DJ1 Well, the school counselor was being as ass, and told me to go see this psychologist.

JD3 And? Tell us more.

DJ1 The psych guy started off being a smartass before introductions were even finished. He said "Boy, there's something WRONG with you!"

DJ2 Oh-oh - so you're saying that the shrink knew on sight that something was wrong with you?

DJ1 Well, you know, those psychology people never know what they're talking about, so I wasn't going to take any test.

DJ3 That can't be all of the story now. Go on.

DJ1 Well, that psychologist said something about restraints. But I showed him.

DJ2 What did you show him?

DJ1 He opened the broom closet to get something out of there - and I just locked him in there, and left.

Everyone laughing for several seconds, they seque into another news story.

DJ1 mumble mumble mumble.

DJ2 What was that? You didn't finish your story?

DJ1 Actually, I was just wondering if you guys think I should go back, and let him out of that closet.

DJ2 OH MY GOD!!!!.

Everyone else laughing their asses off.

Oh - the story they were seguing into?

Someone asked Mad Dog Mattis what keeps him up at night.

Mad Dog says, "Nothing. I sleep like a baby at night. Actually, it's ME that keeps other people up at night!

And, I actually found a reference for that story!

https://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/05/28/james-mad-dog-mattis-is-asked-what-keeps-him-awake-at-night-his-response-screams-merica

Paul Ryan should be focusing on holding the Majority rather than giving his opinions on Birthright Citizenship, something he knows nothing about! Vote Republican Tuesday! Our new Republican Majority will work on this, Closing the Immigration Loopholes and Securing our Boarders. This is a NATIONAL EMERGY! Must change laws!!!! #RedTide #14thAmendment #MAGA

These are two stories that I may or may not submit based on upcoming electoral events:

Congressman John Culberson is a driving force behind the Europa Clipper mission, and an SLS proponent. He may lose his re-election bid this November. This could have a significant impact on the mission. Or not, who knows?

Could November elections scramble a controversial U.S. mission to a frozen moon?

Here is an in-depth story about Culberson's Europa obsession: Inside NASA’s daring $8 billion plan to finally find extraterrestrial life

And a follow-up: The billion-dollar question: How does the Clipper mission get to Europa?

FiveThirtyEight currently forecasts a slight chance of Culberson losing, but it's essentially a coin toss.

This is a Denver local ballot initiative to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms. It won't be on the ballot in November. They are collecting signatures so that it can be on the ballot in May 2019. 4,726 signatures must be collected by January 7th:

Denver, Colorado, Psilocybin Mushroom Initiative (November 2018)
After the success of cannabis legalization in Denver, could mushrooms be next?
No Magic Mushrooms On The Denver Ballot This Year. Supporters Are Looking To 2019
Denver’s Psilocybin Initiative Moves Forward to Signature Gathering Phase

If you live in Denver, go and sign the petition.

Here is the big list of 2018 ballot measures, amendments, etc.. And here's a few that may be of interest:

California Proposition 12, Farm Animal Confinement Initiative (2018)
Colorado Amendment 74, Compensation to Owners for Decreased Property Value Due to State Regulation Initiative (2018)
Florida Amendment 3, Voter Approval of Casino Gambling Initiative (2018)
Florida Amendment 4, Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative (2018)
Massachusetts Question 3, Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Veto Referendum (2018)
Michigan Proposal 1, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2018)

Missouri has two amendments and one proposition regarding medical cannabis that are in conflict:

If two conflicting constitutional amendments, such as Amendment 2 and Amendment 3, are approved, the one receiving the most affirmative votes prevails. State law does provide a protocol for when voters approve statutes, such as Proposition C, and amendments, such as Amendment 2 and Amendment 3, that are in conflict. Speaking to a similar issue regarding tobacco tax initiatives in 2016, the attorney general's office said the issue would need to be decided in court.

Missouri Amendment 2, Medical Marijuana and Veteran Healthcare Services Initiative (2018)
Missouri Amendment 3, Medical Marijuana and Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute Initiative (2018)
Missouri Proposition C, Medical Marijuana and Veterans Healthcare Services, Education, Drug Treatment, and Public Safety Initiative (2018)

Amendment 2 taxes cannabis at 4%, Amendment 3 taxes it at 15%, Proposition C taxes it at 2%.

North Dakota Measure 3, Marijuana Legalization and Automatic Expungement Initiative (2018)
Ohio Issue 1, Drug and Criminal Justice Policies Initiative (2018)
Oregon Measure 106, Ban Public Funds for Abortions Initiative (2018)
Utah Proposition 2, Medical Marijuana Initiative (2018)
Washington Initiative 940, Police Training and Criminal Liability in Cases of Deadly Force Measure (2018)

Legislative and automatic referrals

Alabama Amendment 1, Ten Commandments Amendment (2018)
California Proposition 2, Use Millionaire's Tax Revenue for Homelessness Prevention Housing Bonds Measure (2018)
California Proposition 7, Permanent Daylight Saving Time Measure (2018)

Hey look, it's Kanye's issue: Colorado Amendment A, Removal of Exception to Slavery Prohibition for Criminals Amendment (2018)

Colorado Amendment X, Definition of Industrial Hemp Amendment (2018)

I think one of our ACs complained about this mess: Florida Amendment 11, Repeal Prohibition on Aliens’ Property Ownership, Delete Obsolete Provision on High-Speed Rail, and Repeal of Criminal Statutes' Effect on Prosecution Amendment (2018)

Hawaii Constitutional Convention Question (2018)
Louisiana Amendment 1, Felons Disqualified to Run for Office for Five Years Amendment (2018)
Nevada Question 2, Sales Tax Exemption for Feminine Hygiene Products Measure (2018)
New Hampshire Question 2, Right to Live Free from Governmental Intrusion in Private and Personal Information Amendment (2018)
South Dakota Constitutional Amendment X, Constitutional Amendments Require a 55 Percent Supermajority (2018)
South Dakota Constitutional Amendment Z, Single-Subject Rule for Constitutional Amendments (2018)
West Virginia Amendment 1, No Right to Abortion in Constitution Measure (2018)

I plan to submit a story focusing only on ballot initiatives, measures, propositions, amendments, etc. Last time around, I submitted a story before the election. This time, I think I will do it after the results are in so we can see what succeeded and what failed.

If there's a specific ballot measure you want to see mentioned, please let me know below in the comments.

Very sad video coming to us from @funny_marco. My African American went to Starbucks. Wearing, very proudly, my Official Donald Trump Make America Great Again Hat. In beautiful Red (RED WAVE!). But, along came an Open Boarders Dem, very angry. And it got violent as it always does with them. Very proud of the way my guy stood up for the Donald J. Trump Administration. And for America. He put America First, even inside Starbucks. Amazing! youtu.be/6Jtlh-rXNm8

Whether you are African-American, Hispanic-American or ANY AMERICAN at all – you have the right to live in a Country that puts YOUR NEEDS FIRST! I'm the only guy who could unite our Country. But, I have a lot of work to do. My wonderful -- mostly wonderful -- @SenateGOP @HouseGOP are a big part of that. But the biggest part is YOU, the great American people. When you wear my Hat, you're telling everyone something very special. Without even opening your mouth, you're saying something very big. That our Country has TREMENDOUS FUTURE POTENTIAL. The potential to be Great Again. That is my message. The message of my hats. And it's so important. So important. Shop now! shop.donaldjtrump.com/collections/headwear

11 Dead, Several Others Shot At Pittsburgh Synagogue

Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting: At Least 11 Dead and Gunman Identified

Guns beat bombs.

SpaceX ships another huge propellant tank to South Texas BFR test site

Pocahontas is no Indian! She doesn't look like Indian to me and she doesn't look like Indian to Indians. cherokee.org/News/Stories/20181015_Cherokee-Nation-responds-to-Senator-Warrens-DNA-test

Russian Orthodox Church severs links with Constantinople

In a major religious split, the Russian Orthodox Church has cut ties with the body seen as the spiritual authority of the world's Orthodox Christians.

The break came after the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople recognised the independence of the Ukrainian Church from Moscow.

The row is being described as the greatest Orthodox split since the schism with Catholicism in 1054.

Relations soured after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Many Ukrainians accuse the Russian Church of siding with Russia-backed separatists in the east.

Russia sees Kiev as the historic cradle of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Church now fears losing many of its 12,000 parishes in Ukraine.

Constantinople holds sway over more than 300 million Orthodox Christians across the world. The Russian Orthodox Church is by far the biggest.

Also at Reuters and The Guardian.

See also: Archbishop’s defiance threatens Putin’s vision of Russian greatness