Scientists transmit broadcast of Earth’s location into space

A radio signal dubbed the “Beacon in the Galaxy” (BITC) message is being broadcast by scientists into space in hopes of contacting intelligent life elsewhere in the galaxy. The message is an updated version of one sent in 1974, known as the Arecibo message, and contains information about science and mathematics. Additionally, landmarks in space are depicted in order to reveal Earth’s location, enabling intelligent life forms who might receive the message to locate Earth. The project has drawn some criticism due to dangers that could be involved with revealing Earth’s location to intelligent life that could potentially be hostile. (Newsweek)

Senator Pat Toomey to vote against Ketanji Brown Jackson for Supreme Court

Retiring Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey (R) has announced his intention to vote against the approval of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, who was nominated by President Joe Biden. “While Judge Jackson undoubtedly has an impressive educational and professional background, her inability to define her own judicial philosophy makes it difficult to understand how she might approach the most important cases facing the nation today, tomorrow, and far into the future,” Toomey said in a statement. “Due to Judge Jackson’s admitted lack of judicial philosophy, her concerning judicial record, and the likelihood she will continue to reach beyond the limited role of the judiciary, I cannot support her appointment to the Court.” The final vote on the nomination is to be rendered in the coming days. (WTAE)

Gap in Trump call logs causes concerns

A gap of 7 hours and 37 minutes in the recorded call logs from Donald Trump’s White House on Jan. 6, 2021 — the day of the Capital Riot — has raised concerns regarding the contents of those 457 minutes and how they could relate to Trump’s potential role in the Capital Riot. The gap has also prompted comparisons to a similar case when Richard Nixon’s White House left a gap in its call log during the Watergate scandal in 1973. The 18.5-minute gap in Nixon’s call log has been speculated to have been the result of “deliberate erasure,” according to Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks, and that Trump’s 457-minute gap lacks “enough evidence to say for sure yet, but the missing chunk certainly seems deliberate.” (Business Insider)

Alex Jones fined after failing to appear in court

Infowars host and right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has been ordered to pay a fine of $25,000 for failing to comply with court orders as part of the defamation case levied against him by families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims. The trial comes as a result of Jones’ controversial claims questioning the legitimacy of the shooting and personal attacks against victims and their families. Jones lost the defamation case last year, and a trial is scheduled to begin April 25 to decide damages. Jones has cited health issues as the reason he has missed his scheduled appearances. (Newstimes)