[Fox News] NY vs. Trump: Judge warns Trump team they’re ‘losing all credibility’ in gag order hearing
Judge Juan Merchan told President Donald Trump’s defense team they were "losing all credibility" during a Tuesday hearing on whether the 45th president violated a...
[Fox News] Is the East Coast on the brink of a major earthquake — and are we prepared?
The earthquake that struck the East Coast earlier this month was felt by an estimated 42 million people and luckily caused little damage, but what are the chances of a bigger, more powerful quake striking the area? And if it does, what could it look like — and are we prepared?
The April 5 phenomenon was a 4.8 magnitude earthquake centered near Whitehouse Station in New Jersey, which is about 40 miles west of New York City.
Shaking was felt from Washington D.C. to Maine, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and it followed a much smaller, 1.7 magnitude earthquake in New York City on Jan. 2.
Earthquakes are rare along the East Coast, with the most powerful one in the last 100 years hitting in August 2011, clocking 5.8 on the Richter scale. It was centered in Virginia and felt from Washington, D.C. to Boston.
4.8 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRIKES NEW JERSEY, SHAKING BUILDINGS IN SURROUNDING STATES
Before that, an earthquake in South Carolina in 1886 is understood to have measured between 6.6 and 7.3 on the Richter scale. There is no definitive measurement of that quake since the Richter scale has only been around since the mid-1930s, but the tectonic shift still killed 60 people.
Professor John Ebel, a seismologist in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Boston College, tells Fox News Digital that when quakes start breaking 5.0 on the Richter scale, damage begins to occur.
For instance, the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria last year measured 7.8 and resulted in the death of nearly 62,000 people as tens of thousands of buildings were either destroyed or severely damaged.
California’s Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, meanwhile, measured 6.9 and caused 69 deaths, and the 1994 Northridge earthquake in the Golden State clocked 6.7, killing 57 people. Thousands more were injured.
“As you go above magnitude five, the shaking becomes stronger and the area over which the strong shaking is experienced becomes wider,” Ebel says. “So if you get a magnitude six, the shaking is ten times stronger than a magnitude five. So had this month’s earthquake been a 5.8, rather than a 4.8, then we would be looking at damage to unreinforced structures in the greater New York City area.”
“Now I have to qualify this and say that in the past few decades, New York City has had an earthquake provision in its building code while New Jersey, New York and Connecticut have all adopted some version of earthquake provisions in their building codes,” Ebel explained. “So modern buildings that are put up today will actually do quite well, even in strong earthquake shaking… If you have a magnitude 6 or even a magnitude seven.”
In terms of the Tri-state area, Ebel says that the region has had smaller earthquakes, but it’s been spared anything that’s been significantly damaging.
An 1884 quake in Brooklyn did cause limited damage and injuries. Seismologists estimated it would have measured in the region of 5.0 and 5.2, while a quake jolted Massachusetts in 1775 in the region of 6.0 and 6.3.
WHAT TO DO DURING AN EARTHQUAKE AND HOW TO PREPARE
“In 1884 there were things knocked from shelves, some cracks in walls that were reported, particularly plaster walls, which crack very easily if a building is shaken,” Ebel said. “There were some brick walls that had some cracks and people panicked because of the very strong shaking.”
A magnitude five earthquake hits the tri-state area once every 120 years, says Ebel, who penned the book “New England Earthquakes: The Surprising History of Seismic Activity in the Northeast.”
“The question is, can we have something bigger? And in my opinion, yes we can,” he said. “We can’t predict earthquakes, and we don’t know when the next one is going to occur, but we do have a low, not insignificant probability of a damaging earthquake at some point.”
Ebel said that the April 5 earthquake has left seismologists baffled since it didn’t occur on the Ramapo Fault zone, highlighting just how hard it is to predict the phenomenon from occurring. The Ramapo Fault zone is a series of small fault lines that runs through New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Spanning more than 185 miles, it was formed about 200 million years ago.
“Right now it’s a seismological mystery,” Ebel said. “We have some earthquakes in our region where we don’t have faults mapped. But that’s even true in California. Not every earthquake occurs on a known or mapped fault in California, so there are still a lot of seismologists have to learn about the exact relationship between old faults and modern earthquakes.”
Ebel noted that buildings aren’t the only thing to consider when earthquakes strike. In the California quakes, overpasses crumbled while the electrical grid can go down too, causing electrical surges and fires.
Toxic chemicals were knocked off of the shelves of a chemistry building in 1989 and the building had to be evacuated, Ebel said.
“And you think about hospitals and some industrial facilities having that situation,” he explained. “So you have these things that are not catastrophic necessarily, but are going to be a real problem.”
And an earthquake doesn’t necessarily have to rattle land in order to cause destruction.
A jolt out at sea could trigger a dangerous tsunami, like the one on the edge of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in Canada in 1929. It was felt as far away as New York City.
Waves as high as 23 feet crashed on the shore, according to the International Tsunami Information Center, with up to 28 people losing their lives.
“A tsunami is not necessarily a very high probability event, but it’s one that we have to think about also,” Ebel says in relation to the East Coast.
The Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011 was triggered by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
Ebel says a tsunami similar to 1929 could cause a storm surge along the lines of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, where 43 people died in New York City.
“The threat of an earthquake is not as great as in California, but it’s something that we have to take into account and have emergency plans for and have building codes for,” Ebel says. “Our state and local emergency management agencies in all the northeastern states do earthquake planning — what we call tabletop exercises — where they pretend an earthquake occurs.”
“So those kinds of preparations are made on a regular basis,” he concludes. “Building codes are constantly being reevaluated and approved, not just for earthquakes, but for fires and chemical spills and all kinds of things. So we’re getting more prepared all the time.”
[Fox News] Screenwriter David Mamet bristles at Hollywood’s ‘garbage’ DEI efforts: ‘It’s fascist totalitarianism’
Award-winning playwright and screenwriter David Mamet didn't mince words when giving his opinion on Hollywood's diversity efforts, during a media event last weekend. "DEI is...
[Fox Business] Stock market sell-off has ‘further to go,’ JPMorgan warns
The recent slump in the U.S. stock market is likely to be the start of a deeper sell-off, according to JPMorgan strategists.
Although stocks rebounded at the start of the week, the market still faces a slew of macroeconomic risks, JPMorgan’s chief market strategist Marko Kolanovic wrote in a note on Monday. Those headwinds include dwindling expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this year, signs of sticky inflation and higher-than-average equity valuations.
“Price action may depend on earnings and could stabilize near-term,” Kolanovic said. “Beyond this, however, we think the sell-off has further to go. We remain concerned about continued complacency in equity valuations, inflation staying too hot, further Fed repricing, and a profit outlook where the implied acceleration this year might end up too optimistic.”
MORTGAGE RATES OVER 7% ARE THROTTLING HOMEBUYER DEMAND
Stocks rallied on Monday as investors awaited a barrage of earnings from Big Tech companies and economic data releases later in the week, including first-quarter gross domestic product and the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge.
GOVERNMENT HIRING SPREE PROPPING UP THE US JOB MARKET
The Nasdaq Composite led the way with a 1.1% gain, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.7% and the S&P 500 climbed 0.9%. Equities appeared poised to continue those gains on Tuesday morning.
But Kolanovic suggested the gains are unlikely to last, comparing the current market outlook to that of summer 2023.
“The current market narrative and patterns are increasingly resembling those of last summer, when upside inflation surprises and hawkish Fed revisions drove a correction in risk assets, but investor positioning now appears more elevated,” he wrote.
The gloomy forecast comes after a volatile year for the stock market.
All three indexes tumbled in mid-2023 amid fears the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates higher than previously expected – and hold them at peak levels for longer. But they have recouped many of those losses, with the S&P 500 up about 22% since it hit bottom at the end of October.
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Since the start of the year, the benchmark index is up about 6.6%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average has climbed just 1.78%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite, meanwhile, has increased about 5.9%.
Kolanovic’s forecast is one of the most pessimistic on Wall Street. He and his peers see the S&P ending the year at 4,200 – the lowest year-end target among Wall Street banks. From current levels, that implies a nearly 17% drop.
[Fox Business] Antisemitic protests force Harvard, Cal Poly Humboldt to implement closures, Columbia goes hybrid
Two universities on opposite coasts have implemented closures of varying degrees on their campuses as numerous colleges across the U.S. are experiencing anti-Israel protests, forcing one, Columbia University, to go hybrid.
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt shuttered its entire campus late Monday and will keep it that way through Wednesday, according to a post on the college’s website.
The closure stems from people occupying a building on Cal Poly Humboldt’s campus Monday evening as a form of protest against Israel.
COLUMBIA TO GO HYBRID AMID ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS
The demonstration involved “hundreds” of individuals as of Monday night, according to local outlet KRCR. There reportedly may have been some arrests.
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FOX Business reached out to Cal Poly Humboldt for comment.
In its late Monday night post, the school cited the “safety of the campus community” as the reasoning behind closing down its campus.
“Buildings are locked down and key cards will not work. Those who are able to work remotely will continue to do so,” the university said. “In-person classes and activities are transitioning to remote where possible.”
Meanwhile, on the East Coast, Harvard University has reportedly closed Harvard Yard, a massive grassy area nestled in the middle of the Ivy League campus. The closure started Sunday and will last through Friday, according to the Harvard Crimson, which first reported the move.
“Harvard Yard is closed to the public through Friday, April 26,” a Harvard web page for visitors said Tuesday morning. “During this time no tour groups are permitted in the Yard.”
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY RESPONDS AFTER ROBERT KRAFT SAYS HE’S PULLING SUPPORT OVER ANTISEMITIC VIOLENCE
Harvard reportedly put up signage at Harvard Yard indicating only those with school IDs would be allowed to enter.
“Structures, including tents and tables, are not permitted are not permitted in the Yard without prior permission. Blocking pedestrian pathways or access to building entrances is prohibited. Students violating these policies are subject to disciplinary action,” the sign also read, according to a photo taken and published by the Crimson.
FOX Business reached out to Harvard for comment.
Harvard experienced a anti-Israel protest at Harvard Yard involving over 200 people late last week. On Monday, dozens of Harvard students reportedly went to the nearby Massachusetts Institute of Technology and participated in sit-in demonstrations there, according to the Crimson.
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Numerous universities in America have experienced anti-Israel protests in recent days. In some instances, students have built encampments on campus.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas began in early October after an attack by Hamas terrorists.
Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
[Fox Business] Jerry Seinfeld declares the movie business ‘is over,’ not the ‘pinnacle’ of society anymore
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld admitted the movie business “is over” as he prepares to debut his first feature as a director.
Seinfeld, 69, began his stand-up comedy career in 1976 and later starred in his own TV show for nine seasons. The comedian took on his first film as director with “Unfrosted,” set to premiere in May.
“It was totally new to me,” Seinfeld told GQ of working as a director. “I thought I had done some cool stuff, but it was nothing like the way these people work. They’re so dead serious! They don’t have any idea that the movie business is over. They have no idea.”
He explained that “film doesn’t occupy the pinnacle in the social, cultural hierarchy that it did for most of our lives. When a movie came out, if it was good, we all went to see it. We all discussed it. We quoted lines and scenes we liked. Now we’re walking through a fire hose of water, just trying to see.”
Seinfeld had a few ideas about what might have “replaced” the industry’s spot in the cultural hierarchy.
“Depression? Malaise? I would say confusion,” he told the outlet. “Disorientation replaced the movie business. Everyone I know in show business, every day, is going, ‘What’s going on? How do you do this? What are we supposed to do now?’”
Seinfeld isn’t worried about the industry collapse due to his prolific career in comedy. “Seinfeld” was one of the highest-rated shows on television throughout its nine-season run. The comedian also launched “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” in 2012, which ran for 11 seasons.
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“I’ve done enough stuff that I have my own thing, which is more valuable than it’s ever been,” Seinfeld said. “Stand-up is like you’re a cabinetmaker, and everybody needs a guy who’s good with wood.”
“There’s trees everywhere, but to make a nice table, it’s not so easy,” the comedian further explained. “So, the metaphor is that if you have good craft and craftsmanship, you’re kind of impervious to the whims of the industry.”
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The comedian emphasized that comedy is still doing well because “everything else is fake.”
“Audiences are now flocking to stand-up because it’s something you can’t fake,” Seinfeld continued. “It’s like platform diving. You could say you’re a platform diver, but in two seconds we can see if you are or you aren’t. That’s what people like about stand-up. They can trust it. Everything else is fake.”
[Fox Business] Varney: Will Tesla investors accept another Elon Musk-driven crisis?
During his “My Take,” Tuesday, “Varney & Co.” host Stuart Varney discussed Tesla’s “dramatic” stock slide ahead of its Q1 earnings report as Wall Street awaits Elon Musk’s statement on the EV maker’s future and its anticipated transition into an A.I. company.
STUART VARNEY: With Elon Musk it’s one crisis after another. There’s never a dull moment.
He is a mercurial character, never happy unless he’s on the brink and stirring things up.
TESLA’S DAY OF RECKONING AS FIRST-QUARTER EARNINGS SET TO BE RELEASED
He’s doing that right now. Tesla is in turmoil.
He canceled a scheduled trip to India, which he hopes will be a huge market for Tesla.
He stayed home to deal with the fallout from the price cuts he put in place, the 10% of the workforce he laid off, and a dramatic stock price decline.
Tesla has lost tens of billions in market value.
TESLA’S WEAK FIRST-QUARTER DELIVERIES AN ‘UNMITIGATED DISASTER’ FOR MUSK
This afternoon comes the much anticipated earnings report, but what everyone is waiting for is the statement Musk will release about the future.
Specifically, the Robotaxi, which Musk sees as the future of the company.
If he commits to it, and he’s expected to, it will transform the company.
The Robotaxi is essentially an A.I. product. The Robotaxi would make Tesla an A.I. company.
It’s typical of Musk to go out on a technological limb. He’s done it before and came out a winner.
Will investors accept another Musk-driven crisis?
TESLA’S ROBOTAXI SERVICE WILL BE LIKE UBER AND AIRBNB COMBINED, MUSK SAYS
Another leap in the dark from a man who already has so much on his plate?
Musk is the most dynamic and creative entrepreneur in several generations. He’s up there with Steve Jobs.
Today, we’ll see how far down the A.I. road he wants to take his business.
The reaction of the stock price will tell us if investors will back him on one more adventure.
[Fox Business] Thousands of cooking oil bottles recalled as glass is prone to break
Over 2,000 cases of avocado oil are being recalled after officials discovered that the glass could break.
Primal Kitchen issued the voluntary recall for the Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil packaged in 750mL bottles, according to a notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). About 2,060 cases consisting of three date codes are impacted.
The issue was discovered after the company noticed that avocado oil had leaked in shipping containers.
SALMONELLA PROMPTS TRADER JOE’S TO RECALL BASIL SOLD IN 29 STATES
The products were sold throughout the eastern United States as well as in California. It was also sold online nationally.
“Primal Kitchen is committed to upholding the highest safety and quality standards,” the company said in a statement.
‘UNHEALTHY DOSE’ OF PESTICIDES FOUND IN POPULAR PRODUCE, NEW REPORT REVEALS
This recall is isolated to the 750 ml bottle size. No other sizes, formats or batches have been impacted by the packaging issue. Additionally, no other consumer injuries or illnesses have been reported to date.
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Consumers are told to dispose of the product and to contact Primal Kitchen.
[Baltimore Sun] Trump could avoid trial this year on 2020 election charges. Is the hush money case a worthy proxy?
By GARY FIELDS (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump faces serious charges in two cases over whether he attempted to subvert the...
[Fox News] Biden’s education chief slams ‘antisemitic’ and ‘anti-Muslim’ hate, silent on protections for Jewish students
As anti-Israel protests on Columbia University’s campus devolved into anti-Jewish hate, President Biden’s Department of Education spoke out Tuesday after days of silence. Since last...